Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) 2018 race report

 The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is a 106-mile mountain running race. It boasts over 34,000+ feet of vertical climbing and 34,000+ feet of descent. It starts in Chamonix, France,  in the Alps, at the base of Mont Blanc and goes into Italy, then Switzerland before returning to Chamonix. You must carry a lot of mandatory gear. This includes a cell phone, rain jacket, long-sleeved warm shirt, beanie, buff, whistle, 2 headlamps with extra batteries, a cup, 1L of water, food, pants, rain pants, warm gloves, waterproof gloves, emergency blanket, and an elastic bandage. You must qualify to apply by completing 3 hard mountain races. Then you have to win a lottery to be able to race. 

This is my second time running UTMB. I finished last year during one of the worst storms in its history. Rain nonstop for 2 days and snow every time you climbed above 6,000’ feet. This lead to mud, mud and more mud. Not ideal conditions for a race involving steep climbs and steeper descents. Regardless, the experience left me hungry for more and I reapplied for 2018 and won the lottery. I really wanted to see the mountains better. In 2017, I was quite literally in a cloud most of the race and saw very little of the Alps.

The weather was looking much better for UTMB this year. Upon arriving in Chamonix the skies were blue and the Alps were visible. 

Around 1pm I laid down for my last nap before the race started at 6pm. As my head hit the pillow an alarm went off on my phone. It was UTMB letting us know that a cold front had moved in and we would have to carry the cold weather kit as well. Side note, in 2018 UTMB instituted a new rule with hot and cold weather kits. The cold weather kit included a 3rd layer (jacket or fleece), sunglasses and no minimalist shoes. I got up and went to figure out how I was going to fit more gear in my already full bag. I glanced out the window and realized it was raining. Flashbacks to last year made my anxiety climb. 

It was raining with forecasted extremely cold weather until Saturday afternoon. Ten minutes before the start they altered the course for the weather and to go around a rock slide that killed a hiker the day before.

The start line was intense. Thousands of runners packed into the Chamonix town square. Andrea Kooiman and I pushed ourselves as close to the start as we could get. Completely surrounded by runners from all over the world. The music and announcer really brought out the emotions. 

 I started in my rain jacket and was quickly overheated. The first climb took us up a ski slope into a rain cloud. I watched my first sunset at the top before dropping down a slippery muddy single track. Dread entered my brain. Another muddy year was not what I wanted. The Saint Gervais aid station distracted me as hundreds of people lined the streets to cheer us on. I ate some baguettes, drank some coke and replenished my water. At the next aid station,  Les Contamines, I would see Lauren and that motivated me. The rain and mud continued. When I arrived at Les Contamines I scanned the “assistance" tent for Lauren without success. Where was she? Slightly panicked I went back to the aid station tent and started eating baguettes and drinking coke. I searched again unsuccessfully. As I was about to head out, I saw her sprinting towards me, her bus trip had taken her an extra two hours. Hugs, kisses, red bull, carbopro and I was on my way. I wouldn't see her again until mile 50 and I hoped she was able to go back to the apartment and sleep. Leaving the aid station we had a couple mile flat section before the big climb to Col du Bonhomme. It was steep, rocky, technical, wet and cold. But the rain had stopped. I had to put on my gloves for the cold. It's a long climb, but you're rewarded with a really great downhill singletrack. It's steep and technical but has some good flow and at the bottom, you're rewarded with the Les Chapieux aid station. 31 miles and 10,000 feet done.

At Les Chapieux there was a mandatory gear check. They made sure I had my phone, rain jacket and an emergency blanket. I ran into Aaron Shimmons who I met last year at TNF 50 in San Francisco. He lives in Ireland! What a small world. 

The next mountain was Col de la Seigne. At the top, I would cross into Italy. Another big climb with more switchbacks. Normally after summiting you briefly drop down and then climb Col des Pyramides. Due to the cold weather, they cut out Col des Pyramides. And so we dropped down to Lac Combal aid station. It was cold and dark so I tried to keep moving. Starting to focus on seeing Lauren at mile 50. Just need to climb Arete du Mont Favrend. I'd be watching the sunrise as I dropped down into Courmayeur. This is my favorite section of course. It's rolling downhill single track and is completely surrounded by the Alps. They tower into the sky, their sharp spires cutting the clouds and glacier fields slowly melting. Waterfalls pour from cracks in the sides of the mountains and filter down into roaring streams. The sunrise is beautiful and paints the sky in between the clouds. The cold weather was supposed to last until Saturday afternoon, but it was starting to look like a really nice day. I kept my fingers crossed. When we hit the Col Checrouit aid station I only had 2 miles until Courmayeur. Unfortunately so starts my least favorite section of the course. These 2 miles descended 2300 feet down a technical switchback section that completely wastes your quads. I took it slow and was able to make it without falling. Happily, I met Lauren, it had been a long intense night and I needed to spend a little time recharging. I ate a bowl of pasta and switched into day mode running. The weather was nice enough that I only wore a t-shirt and shorts. With some kisses and hugs, she sent me on my way. I would see her next in Switzerland. I was nervous and anxious. Last year, this 25-mile section of the course was when I hit my lowest low. I charged my watch as I made my way through the city. There was a giant television screen playing race news in a town square and I saw that Kilian had dropped out. After a couple miles the trail started again and so did the climb. Steep switchbacks to Refuge Bertone aid station. My legs were definitely starting to feel the burn from constant up and down. The next 7 miles were rolling single track before a brief downhill to Arnouvaz. It was starting to get really cold and windy again. Dark angry clouds were filling the valley, choking out the surrounding Alps. Mountain weather at it's best, it was supposed to be nice and instead of an afternoon storm. I tried to make it to the aid station but was just too cold. I hid behind a tree and put on my jacket and gloves. At Arnouvaz, I was about 60 miles and 20,000 feet of climbing into the race. The next climb, Col Ferret is the highest point on the course (8,169’). It's 9 miles until the next aid station. I entered the Arnouvaz tent and saw Aaron getting his gear in order. He warned me that the weather was supposed to be -5C, with high winds and possible rain on the mountain. Time to readjust my strategy. You have to be flexible and dynamic while running mountains. I threw on my long sleeve layer, beanie and my warmest gloves. Last year during this climb it was snowing so hard I couldn't see and at one point I sat down and wanted to die. This year would be different I told myself. At the base of the climb, I came across a fellow American. He had moved to Chamonix from New Hampshire to open a trail running vacation company. We chatted while climbing and the next thing I knew we were standing on the summit. I love how a good conversation will make time fly. It was cold and windy with a little icy rain. The summit was at the Italian/Swiss border. Into Switzerland I ran, the downhill backside of the mountain was even colder. The trail was a nice single track and it was very runnable. Not too steep. I refueled at La Fouly aid station and continued on. Although my legs were feeling heavy and lifeless, I kept them moving and jogged through the picturesque Swiss countryside. Beautiful Chateaus everywhere surrounded by gardens and flowers. At the base of the valley, we had a short steep climb to Champex-Lac. It was starting to get dark and my second sunset came and went. Lauren was waiting for me at Champex-Lac. I spent some time here getting myself back together. I had about a quarter of the race to go, but I knew I had three hard climbs. I changed my socks and tried to take care of some minor blister issues. I ate a bowl of pasta and more baguettes. I was feeling terrible and knew I had a long way to go. I whined to Lauren that my downhill legs were gone. Downhill running was extremely painful and difficult. Lauren smiled, said, “don't be a pussy" and kicked me out of the aid station. Into the darkness, I headed. It would be 11 miles until I saw Lauren again. La Giete is a very steep climb. Leg burning and head down grinding you eventually hit a small downhill section. It's a flowing river and in the dark, you have to precariously balance on slippery loose rocks while following the river downhill. Not simply a river crossing but the river is the trail. And when you finish this you're headed straight back uphill. Over 1000 feet of vert per mile and I was definitely feeling the fatigue. At the top, we started a technical, tree-covered single track. After descending for a while we came across a stone cabin. This was some kind of unofficial checkpoint. They had space blankets and water. Several people were stretched out on the muddy wet floor, wrapped in foil and seemingly dead. I stayed only long enough to eat a granola bar and headed back down the hill to Trient. More steep technical downhill. My quads were screaming, “no more fucking downhill.” But I knew I had another 10,000 feet of descent. I rolled into Trient so very sleepy. I couldn't find Lauren and so I sat down and started to eat. She appeared a few minutes later. More bus issues. I just wanted to sleep. I was hallucinating out there in the darkness and my quads continued to fail. And that's when Lauren brought out a giant can of Red Bull. I drank the entire can. I was reborn. Kisses, hugs and I was off. One mountain and 6 miles later until we'd meet again. The climb up Les Tseppes is one of the steepest. I believe one of the miles we gain 1520 feet of vert. My climbing legs were still quite strong and I managed to pass around 15 people going uphill. The hallucinations were very intense now. I was seeing artwork on every rock. It was quite pleasant and distracting. On the downhill, I crossed back into France. The trail was muddy grassy switchbacks. I was able to push past the pain a bit on the downhill and find some speed. As I came around a sharp turn,  8 goats huddled against the hillside. We all scared each other. Into Vallorcine I snaked throughout the city and eventually, I found myself seated across from Lauren at the aid station. I could smell the hay in the barn but was back to being sleepy. I tried to just keep moving. 11ish miles to the finish. I was ready to see Chamonix. They altered the course at Tete aux Vents, as someone was killed by a rock slide the day before. Instead, we dropped down into a valley and then climbed up to La Flegere, which is the last aid station.  The descent is terrible. Especially when your legs can't step down without pain. I used my pussy sticks to take the pressure off my legs. There are a couple points on the descent that become class 3 and I had to use my hands. Desperate to not fall I took this section very slow. On a positive note, it was marked a lot better than last year. One last climb and I was standing in the La Flegere aid station. It's a ski hut on top of a ski resort. Surrounded by chairlifts and a gondola. I sat down, ate a little and took a deep breath. Almost fucking done.  Just a 5 mile downhill bomb. I wish, my legs screamed in revolt. The first mile is down a steep ski run covered in baseball-sized rocks. Finally taking a sharp left onto a single track.  The single track is rooted, rocky and technical, but has a similar flow to my local mountain San Gorgonio.  Back and forth down the switchbacks, I went. The pain was unreal. I often tell my son that pain is mental. That we have the ability to take the pain, put it in a box, put the box in a room and lock the door. I found myself locking that pain away. My legs loosen and my hips opened. I ran hard down the last few miles eventually spilling into Chamonix. Through the streets, I ran. Crowds of people cheered me on and it fueled me. As I made the last turn Lauren greeted me and I grabbed my GoPro so I could record my finish. I finished in 40 hours and 20 minutes.  Love this race. Smile or you're doing it wrong.