THE ULTRA TRAIL OF MONT BLANC 2013
What is the Ultra Trail Of Mont Blanc I hear you say, well it is one very tough 105 miles around the Mont Blanc massif and traverses through three different countries, those being France, Italy and Switzerland. The race starts and finishes in Chamonix (France) and is run in a clockwise direction over the Alps and comprises of over 30,000 feet of elevation. The graph below gives you a sense of the ascent and descent and reaches points of almost 9000 feet.
The race started at 16.30 hours on Friday the 30th of August and the weather was stunning with clear skies and not a cloud in the sky. I felt nothing but emotional as I stood there in Chamonix with 2500 other runners and we were sent on our way to the music of Vangelis's Conquest of Paradise. Here I finally was after months of training and my heart was racing with trepidation and fear, in what was to be the hardest race of my life (so far). I kissed my wife Rachel and daughter Ellie goodbye shortly after I crossed the start line and onwards I ran for what was going to be 36 hours of extreme ups and downs.
The first 8km were to be the easiest of the entire run and as we ran along a dusty trail track to Les Houches nerves began to subside and each runner settled in to their own pace. Shortly after the first checkpoint at CP1 and as we began to ascend to the summit of Delevret I was lucky enough to shake hands with Killian Jornet and his dad. If you know anything about Ultra running then its fair to say that Killian is the number one ultra runner in the world and in my world is a huge inspiration, so I felt blessed to have met him and he wished me good luck.
The climb to Delevret was short compared to what was to come later but was a taster of how things were going to be. I had already climbed to almost 2000 metres and things were only getting started. I was relieved to reach the summit and make the descent down into Saint Gervais where a huge party atmosphere was awaiting us all of the likes I have never experienced before
. In fact through out the whole event the support and enthusiasm of the people, villages and towns were unlike anything else Ive seen or heard before. If you've ever watched the Tour de France then you will know how passionate the crowds are, well this was on par with that great event.
For the next 20km it was uphill all the way a steady climb to Les Contamines and then a huge ascent that snaked up the mountain to the summit of Croix Du Bonhomme, it was about half way up the mountain that night fell and we all put on our headtorches which gave a fantastic spectacle of a huge line of lights snaking up the mountain all underneath a clear starry sky. Ive never seen stars so clear before and was truly in awe of the mountains underneath the glow of moonlight.
The next 40km were to be a rollercoaster of night time running, the mountains were truly splendid but the terrain was rocky underfoot and the descents were as hammering on the knees and quads as much as the ascents. The checkpoints along the route were comforting places to be for a few minutes and were stocked with everything a runner could need. Food ranged from cake, chocolate, fruit to more savoury delights such as sauasage, cheese, bread, pasta and soup. There was always a kind word from the volunteers and you left each checkpoint fully prepared for the next section. Some checkpoints were manned by ultra runners such as Lizzy Hawker which was a great boost of encouragement.
As dawn broke I was on my descent into Courmayer (Italy) and although I already felt like I had run 100 miles the checkpoint at the sports centre was a welcome sight and I could collect my drop bag and put on a change of clothes and refuel for the second half of the race.
On leaving Courmayer I had another 20km uphill section to contend with to the summit of Grand Col Ferret (2536 metres). The weather on this second day was as glorious as the first and although the summits were far cooler the valleys were in the mid twenty's. The views from here were some of the most spectacular I've ever encountered and although every muscle was beginning to ache I was loving every minute if it.
The next section was the longest descent of the entire run for the Grand Col Ferret to the Plaz de fort was 15km of rocky single track and the poor old legs were beginning to beg me to stop and at times I felt like giving in to their demands. But onwards they went and after a short rest at Plaz de fort I began to ascend again, firstly to Champex Lac (Switzerland) and then on to the summit of Bovine. It was at Champex Lac where things were beginning to get mentally tough, I had been on my feet for over 24 hours now and as if by magic my morale was instantly boosted.
Through out the race I had been texting my wife Rachel and she had been sending me supportive messages for the duration of the event. In fact she probably had as much sleep as I had (nil) but never stopped encouraging me. I was also lucky to have my brother James back home in the UK who was watching my progress on the UTMB website. He had got word from Rachel that I was beginning to struggle so he put a message on Facebook for everyone who knew me to text me immediately with supportive messages and wow! what a response I got. Message after message came flooding in each one boosting my morale and I was so overwhelmed by the support that the tears began to flow. I knew one thing from that moment on and that was I was finishing this race no matter what.
The light was beginning to fade again and for what was to be my second night on the move and with out sleep it took every effort to put one foot in front of the other. I had already travelled over 130km and with just another 40 km to go I knew it was going to take me until the early hours of the morning to make it to the finish. So onwards I went up Catogne then down to Vallorcine and back into France we were. Every ounce of my body was begging me to stop but I refused to give up and although I was almost asleep at times and having what only can be described as hallucinations I knew that the final ascent was upon me.
And what an ascent it was! it was if the organisers had saved the best (worst) for last. This ascent was the rockiest, boulder climbing, ladder assisted climb of the lot and from the base of the mountain all I could see was a continuous line of head torches that seemed to go on forever. But I knew once I was at the top it was downhill all the way into Chamonix.
So I attacked the climb with everything I had and after what seemed like eternity I stood at the summit knowing in my heart that I had done it. It was from the final checkpoint at La Flegere that I text my wife to say I would be in Chamonix in about an hour. The final descent was glorious and as I made it down the mountain, dawn broke. I ran through the streets with my heart filled with pride and even though it was the early hours every one who was up in the town cheered and hollered shouts of Bravo! Bravo!
In the final half mile I was greeted by Rachel and Ellie and good friend Chris who had come to watch me finish after travelling around France. So as my wife videoed me I picked up my daughter and ran towards the finish line, so happy to have finished the biggest adventure yet.
What can I say about the UTMB except it was absolutely bloody fantastic and I haven't got a single bad thing to say about it. If your reading this and think Id love to do that, then put on your running shoes and get training, you wont be disappointed. Out of 2469 starters 1685 finished the course and I was in the top third. Positions meant little to me though it was the experience that I loved and I will be going back. Although I've got plenty more other races I want to do first, including an attempt on a record. Watch this space!
