Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc

I would have loved to write a detailed story about this would-be great adventure, but I have to leave that for some day in the future. After about 30k into the race I decided for the first time in an ultra trail to abandon. I have no clue why, but both my legs where all cramped up, really just about every muscle and even walking was extremely painful and strange to do with muscles no longer working together in harmony and cramping up with every step. I had put in over 1500km of training, so I think I was well prepared, and over the coming months I will try to figure out what went wrong. All that said, the race is a great event, it is very well organized eventhough your patience is tested in some of the queues. And all that under the omni-present Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc

The day before I had to run the Mini Trails were organized and Jordi wanted to have a go at the 1,2k run of his age group. After signing up and having received the Nº 1 bib number we first watched the younger kids running their round on the field.

Jordi's age group already had to do some serious uphill running. The picture below is just before they really start to climb.

After having recovered of the uphill and walking for a while, Jordi sprinted down and finished tired but happy.

 

Next up was picking up my bib number and having the obligatory outfit check. We did not really time it but I guess we were out there for some 2 hours, since most of the runners for 2 races lined up at the same time to go through the process.

 

After a good night of sleep race day started. It was good weather and it promised to stay that way for the rest of the weekend.

Race day... "North Face is in the air"

After dropping off my bag with things like food and clothes I could make use of in Courmayeur, just about half the race we went the starting area and met up with Andres who was already there.

We were in one of the few spots with some shadow and patiently waited for about 2 hours untill 16h30 when the race started.

As the moment gets nearer more and more people are gathering and the music is turned up louder and louder. Catherine Poletti, race director together with Michel Poletti, waded through the masses to shake hands and wish us all good luck.

With about 15 minutes to go we stand up and then on with the music of Conquest of Paradise - Vangelis we count down in french and start to run. Being in the front pack we soon could run but I maintained and easy pace, there was still many kilometers ahead.

After the first rather flat part of some 8k to Les Houches we start the first climb. Here someone spots Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg and I have a quick stop to get my picture taken with these two great runners...

The uphill soon becomes steeper and I have to walk almost all of it. At this moment I tried to maintain a 31 hours schedule. Almost on the top I had a quick glance back to the Chamonix Valley.

Once passed the second control "Le Delevret" first there is a somewhat flatter part and then a really steep downhill started that was very demanding on the legs. I took it easy and many runners passed me, but I arrived in good shape in Saint Gervais les Bains. However soon after leaving that village I started to have cramps in my legs and the further I continued, in spite of this being a very easy part of the race, the more cramps I had and when I finally arrived in Les Contamines my legs were very very sore and apart from that I did not at all feel well, having nauseas and being dizzy. After resting for some 30 minutes in the medical tent I decided to not take the risk of continuing in such a bad shape and abandon for the first time. A very hard decision, but I preferred coming back stronger and more experienced over continuing with a big struggle for more than 130k with all risks involved. Meanwhile Andrés continued and he is now a proud and well-deserved wearer of the finisher jacket of the UTMB 2013. Many congratulations to him and all those who finished and to those who like me tried but had to stop the race. Also many many thanks to my wife and kids for supporting me in the months of training and before and during the race and for being there in the low moments after abandoning. For now back to training and when luck allows it I will have a second try...


After all the Mont Blanc will be there for many more years....