UKH

Firstly... Well done to all from here who have been involved, wonrek and Yorkshireman spring to mind... No idea of their non-UKC names however, anyone enlighten me as to their progress...Yorkshireman was doing the ptl and wonrek the utmb no?

Secondly... cracking effort from Damien hall in 5th and jim Mann in 15th! Great stuff. For all the spectical and circus it's still an awesome event!! Well done to all!

Agreed. Hats off to all.  

Damo Hall Coming 5th is exceptional. 

Shame Walmsley pulled out. 

I was only doing the TDS as I've only got a few screws loose rather than the whole set required for the PTL. I don't know Wonrek's real name (she's doing the PTL) but have been searching for UK finishers and can't find them yet so fingers crossed.

I finished the TDS in 27 hours managing 619th - was aiming for 28 so was pleased. The weather after the Italy leg was atrocious and spent most of the night in the pouring rain sliding down muddy trails.

The run into Chamonix at 11am was phenomenal - such enthusiasm from the crowd and from 1.5km out I was being cheered, clapped, hi-fived by everyone like I was racing for the win and the last 200m I was sprinting to the arch on adrenaline. Loved it.

I've been sat eating my bodyweight in food on the sofa all day watching the live YouTube stream and loved that Damo got his top 5. Shame about some of the elites having to drop out but just shows how the course deserves respect.

Indeed. Its got its critics but quite frankly there's nothing like it and to be a competitor there, especially someone mid-pack - it's an amazing experience and not really matched elsewhere. There are plenty of low-key races if that's what you want (and often I do) but I'm glad the event is there and now that I've more than enough points for the UTMB lottery I plan to be there again next year if I'm lucky.

I took a few pictures if you're interested - https://www.strava.com/activities/1807239249/overview

Ace stuff! Great photos, and that clag! Looks horrid! I'd been watching the live stream while trying to zone out from the sound of eight 8 year olds having a birthday sleepover, and the weather looked grim in parts. 

The event is one of the races i'd love to do and is definitely on the list (as I'm sure it is for most trail/mountain runners). Low key races are ace, but there's something about the whole utmb that I find magical, the crowds and the shear enthusiasm of the supporters is awesome. I'm sure being part of it is even more intoxicating. Will have to get some qualifying races in and get signed up for the CCC. Well done on your time, really good stuff.

Fingers crossed for wonrek. The ptl is the super technical one no? Anyone on here know any updates?

Yeah, he was super hyped to do well also. Any idea what happened with him?

Beth pascall 4th woman. Brilliant stuff!

No idea I’m afraid. A real shame though. 

Aye. Killian journet pulled out due to a bee stinging his foot before the race and having a crap reaction to the meds he took (allergic to bee stings). What shitty luck is that!?

And let's not forget Tom Evans who won the CCC and another Brit in the top 10.

Of course! Feel bad for not mentioning his win. My mind was fogged by the main event! 

How's your legs feeling?

Easily done. Remarkably the legs feel fine (my quads ache but I was walking the dogs yesterday) and I have absolutely nothing wrong with my feet - not a single blister despite the wet and boggy conditions for most of the race. I think I've finally been doing this long enough now where I'm more hobbit than human.

I've just put a quick race report online.

https://mountaintrailrunning.com/race-reports/race-report-utmb-traces-des-d...

It's a bit of a 'what I did for my holidays' monologue but I found others like this useful when preparing for the race.

I'd definitely recommend it for a once in a lifetime experience. I did the CCC last year but I believe the TDS is a lot less oversubscribed than the other races.

Congrats but all the acronyms are doing my head in.

Is there a link to an English page that details what all the different races are?

Courmayeur Champex Chamonix - self explanatory

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc - the tour du mont blanc in a oner

Petit Trot de Leon- https://www.runultra.co.uk/Events/PTL

Great write up mate. Really enjoyed that.

Great write-up with lovely pictures - thank you!

In addition to Dave:

TDS: Traces des Ducs de Savoie (in the footsteps of the old Savoy kingdoms/dukes - Courmayeur-Chamonix)

OCC - Orsieres-Champex-Chamonix - shorter, faster course (60km I think)

YCC - Youth Chamonix-Courmayeur - open to younger runners

The event site is all in English and has links to each race.

https://utmbmontblanc.com/en/page/1/the-event.html

Back to work and normal life today

Hellooooo! Or should that say Bonjour?

I did indeed take part in the PTL however it was a brief appearance in the official race sadly. I'd originall registered the PTL team as myself and two other ladies last year. However concerns started to raise when they wouldn't commit any time to train together. Finally they did in early July. After a week spent in the Alps running the TMB route together it became painfully obvious that these ladies were racing snakes and not prepared to work together as a team of three.

Bad luck on their part really, as team leader I allowed to make changes to the team. So they were replaced with another lady who I have run with before and I knew was good for the course.

Bad luck on my part....she took a fall the week before we were due to fly out to Cham and there was no way she could run! Thankfully the organisers agreed that even at such short notice if I could find a registered team willing to allow me to join I could still take part. I found a couple of absolute gentlemen from Reunion Island that were willing to have me along. I later found out that they knew there team was so weak that they needed all the help they could get!

So I started PTL, the feeling of running through Cham at the start with all the crowds cheering us on was indescribable, it felt like my chest would burst with pride, I'd worked so hard to earn my place there and although things hadn't gone to plan I was still running the PTL!

Things went slightly south after that. My new team were slow and underprepared. The first member pulled out around lunchtime knowing he was slowing us down and we wouldn't make cutoffs at his pace. The second member stopped totally exhausted at the first checkpoint (Refuge Albert) only 9hrs into the event! This meant as I had no team to run with I was also officially retired from the event.

But this was my dream! So I spent the next four days on my own following the PTL route outside of the race. What a flipping ride that was too! A cross between mountain running and mountaineering it was the most amazing course! Very scary at times and I had two ,oh shit I'm going to die, moments! I made it to Cormayeur following the route solo before I decided to stop. With no access to drop bags or any support I'd had enough and caught the bus back to Cham.

Totally different to the other UTMB races and definitley not for the feint hearted! I'll be back next year for sure and hopefully with a good strong team next time!

Well done on making the most of a bad situation. Amazed how coolly you dealt with the stress - I freak if I forget a headtorch. But then as we discussed during the race with many runners, PTL'ers are different animals to the rest of us!

Better luck next time if you decide to go back. 

Wow! Cracking effort carrying on on your own, and what a run of bad luck with your partners. Thanks for sharing. Hope the fires still lit.... going back next year?

Incredible work on your part in deciding to carry on outside of the event. That takes a hell of a lot of guts and determination.