UTMB Pre-Race Report
Arrived at Geneva airport yesterday at about 11:00. Managed to get on a earlier minibus to Chamonix. On the minibus were a couple of Centurion runners and Nicola, another previous Centurion whom runner lives in the UK but born in Italy. Instead of being dropped off at the Youth Hostel I decide to get dropped off at the Centre Nautique et Sportif Richard Bozon to get my race kit checked along with Nicola. Thankfully I manage to pass the kit check but Nicholas has needed to buy a waterproof jacket and a emergency blanket to pass the kit check. Nicola then suggests his friend, Wes can drop me off at the Youth Hostel instead of me walking about 7 km. We then spend the next couple of hours chilling but were tired - I didn't sleep at all on the previous night (too excited) and Nicola due to jet lag having just flown back from holidaying in California. Ben arrives (Nicola's support crew) and we then spend a further hour walking around Chamonix getting some leggings for Wes.
I then get dropped off at the Youth Hostel at around 17:00. Manage to get a spare bunk bed in the dorm and have some dinner - Spaghetti Carbonara. There are two CCC runners in the dorm whom are impressed that I'm taking on UTMB. I later find out that the bunk bed has been occupied by Michael! As it turns out the dorm has been overbooked and a Romanian should be in a different dorm. I'm too exhausted by this time and just crash out on the bunk bed. Waking up again at about 02:00 and then intermittent sleeping until 07:30 before getting up and heading off for breakfast. Still feeling nervous/excited about the race ahead I don't really have the stomach for some food but I manage to slowly eat a orange, 2 yoghurts, some bread and some muesli. To drink I have 3 glasses of orange juice and 2 cups of black coffee. This takes about an hour and a half to eat/drink and then I head off into Chamonix center to drop off my drop bag and then for a race start of 18:30.
Get a bus to Chamonix center and arrive at about 11:00. Head off to the Center Sportif and start messing about on the phone trying unsuccessfully to download these notes to my blog. I here a bleeping noise coming from my bag but I think it's coming from the till entrance so I ignore it. Still messing about on the internet and I realise that my phone charge is down to 50%. I carry on regardless until it's now down to 10%. I go into my bag and realise my power charger is not there! Without a fully charged mobile phone at the start of the race will be a time penalty at the very least or disqualification. I also don't have European adaptor. It's now about 15:00 and the race has been delayed until 18:30 (they've had to alter the course slightly due to ever changing weather conditions). The bus back to the YHA leaves every 30 mins so instead I jog back taking about 20 mins. I get back to the YHA, check the dorm and it's there either. It's not there either and I don't remember putting it in the storage locker (which is another story). I phone me Dad and I've only gone and left it at his house! Using one of the dorm's charger I manage to get it charged to 60 % but it's now 17:15 and the race briefing starts in15 mins! I could stay and charge it a bit more but it's not going to get fully charged so I start to jog back, this time to the race start. I manage to get to the race start at 17:45, whilst listening to the race brief I start to organise my race pack.
UTMB Race Report
After what seems like 30 minutes of chanting the race starts. The front runners head off like a bullet train but I start at the back. Unsure how to tackle this one - never done a UTMB before. Technically your race number determines where you should finish - I'm number 1729 out of about 2500 or so I don't want to take it too easy as I might not make the cut-off. Due to the sheer numbers in front of me I don't manage to start jogging for the first 10 minutes. My Garmin is completely dead (I managed to leave it on hence the bleeping noise) so I've got no idea what pace I'm doing. By the stats later on I've reached the first checkpoint Le Delevret by 20:45, just 15 minutes ahead of the cut-off (6.09 kph). At this stage the elevation gain is 820m. I reckon I can have more cut-off leeway to the next (St-Gervais) as this is downhill. I take some time out by putting my waterproof and head torch on and to eat a snack bar as the last checkpoint had no food just water hoping that St-Gervais has some food. When you go up a mountain you only have to go back down again (eventually) and this is the case (but it does give me a chance to pick the speed up) as I pass Jennie whom suggests that I'll regret going at that pace later on. I also manage to drop one of my head-torches in my packet but can't find the batteries. Your not allowed to drop litter so loosing my batteries would have been another penalty. I approach the next checkpoint (St-Gervais) in some dire need of some food so I go down one aisle of food and have some pices of orange, banana, melon, a few different bisuits and some soup and then go down the other food aisle and have the same food. I'm now full up! With now just a elevation gain of 80m from Le Delevret I'm 30 mins ahead of the cut-off (6.51 kmph). From St-Gervais to Les Contamines it's up another mountain this time a elevation gain of 491m and I'm now running a couple of minutes behind Jenny as I head into the Les Contamines checkpoint (5.4 kmph) 45 mins ahead of the cut-off. Still full up from the last checkpoiunt I feel a bit sick so just decide to top-up my water bottles. It's more uphill again from Les Contamines to La Balme with a elevation gain of 564m Iand pass Jenny again with a average pace of 4.23 kmph but I've managed to maintain the cut-off pace as I reach the La Balme checkpoint 45 mins ahead of the cut-off. Ideally I'd like an hour buffer as I'm going to jogging two nights in a row. From La Balme to to Col du Bonhomme (2456m) elevation gain 778m I'm now really struggling. The temperatures dropped down to about 0 degrees (but -3 with the wind chill factor). This is having an effect as my race pace has considerably dropped down to 2.34 kmph only just ahead of Jenny. I'm having to take refuge at the Bonhomme checkpoint - the tips of my fingers are numb even with gloves on so I put on the waterproof over-mitts as well. My upperbody is warm (even with just a tee-shirt underneath) as the waterproof jacket is keeping me warm but I put on my buff as I don't always wear the waterproof hood. My legs are a bit cold as I can't always keep on jogging so I put on some waterproof trousers. I'm now bang on the cut-off time (0 minutes). No longer feeling the cold and now reached the summit it's downhill to the next checkpoint, Les Chapieux so let's see if I can make for lost time. To Les Chapieux it's a elevation gain of 0 metres and my race pace has unsuprisingly increased to 3.73 kmph but having cramp going uphill now I've got cramp going downhill as well. Nevertheless I reach Chapieux (50 km) 15 minutes ahead of the cut-off but I spend 15 minutes at the checkpoint. No time for a hot meal I decide just take on some fruit. The next stage is crucial to maintain the pace but from Chapieux to Col De La Seigne is uphill again to the summit of yet another mountain. I've lost the plot this time - I'm strggling to walk up this mountain even with some walking poles and it seems like every 50m I'm having to take a break. At sometime going up this mountain I'ved managed to cross an open border into Italy. It doesn't feel as cold as Bonhomme but there is now light snow falling not what I need trying to get to this summit. I'm rapidly heading towards the back of the pack and eventually I get reach the Seigne summit (2516m). I've managed a 3.16 kmph pace which was better than trying to summit Bonhomme but I'm now a staggering 45 mintues behind the cut-off. I have no idea I'm this far behind but there is no time-barrier to exclude me from the race. From Seigne to Combal is downhill again but I'm totally beet now - really struggling to jog downhill unbeknown to me that I need to make up 45 mintues. Jenny was right I started off too fast and paid the price. I manage a pace of 5.67 kmph with just a elevation gain of 67m with 23 minutes behind the cut-off. Unaware of this (and one of the volunteers speaking to me French) I grap some food and carry on. I then hear someone speaking to me in French behind me, look back and my instinct tells me to stop. I head back into the checkpoint zone and ask them for a translation. I'm told that I've missed the cut-off time and I have to pull out of the race. Looking at my cut-off guide I explain that I've got until 10:00 (it was 09:53 when I came in) but the cut-off guide had to be altered to the changing conditions. The right decision was made. I would have had to make Courmayeur by 13:00 - 18 kmph in 3 hours. No chance even if it was predominantly downhill. There are six of us at this stage to pull out and then we get on a minibus to Col Checruit. We then get on a coach to Courmayeur (there's now about 20 people at this stage whom have dropped out) to pick up my drop-bag. Another bus
back to Chamonix ...
UTMB Post-Race info
Going into the UTMB with too many races this year is not ideal
4 weeks recovery from the NDW100 is not enough recovery time.
Check, double check and triple check your kit - bringing my charger could have made a difference.
Make sure you have the correct cut-off times to hand - even when the course alters.
The jury's out on whether walking poles are necessary
Saloman agile long tights - stitching has started to go after one use.
Montane Via trial gloves did not keep out the cold from my fingertips.
Hoka Speed Instinct trainers didn't live up to expectation - didn't feel like I was running on cushions - I felt the impact running on stones too many times with 30 miles With my previous trainers Inov-8 Roclite 280 this usually happens after 80 miles.
Saloman Bonatti waterproof trousers, La Sportiva hail waterproof and Montane Minimus waterproof mitts kept out the rain and cold.
Dirty Girl gaiters kept out the debris and look cool.
UTMB - amazing experience - pasta parties, great support, Allez! Allez! Allez! ...
YHA - I'd thought I'd be the only runner there - how wrong was I - great experience reminiscing with the other runners ...
Next race Chiltern Wonderland 50 in two weeks time ...
Dirty Girl Gaiters
The race course outlined in red
Race start
Arriving at St-Gervais
Arrived at Geneva airport yesterday at about 11:00. Managed to get on a earlier minibus to Chamonix. On the minibus were a couple of Centurion runners and Nicola, another previous Centurion whom runner lives in the UK but born in Italy. Instead of being dropped off at the Youth Hostel I decide to get dropped off at the Centre Nautique et Sportif Richard Bozon to get my race kit checked along with Nicola. Thankfully I manage to pass the kit check but Nicholas has needed to buy a waterproof jacket and a emergency blanket to pass the kit check. Nicola then suggests his friend, Wes can drop me off at the Youth Hostel instead of me walking about 7 km. We then spend the next couple of hours chilling but were tired - I didn't sleep at all on the previous night (too excited) and Nicola due to jet lag having just flown back from holidaying in California. Ben arrives (Nicola's support crew) and we then spend a further hour walking around Chamonix getting some leggings for Wes.
I then get dropped off at the Youth Hostel at around 17:00. Manage to get a spare bunk bed in the dorm and have some dinner - Spaghetti Carbonara. There are two CCC runners in the dorm whom are impressed that I'm taking on UTMB. I later find out that the bunk bed has been occupied by Michael! As it turns out the dorm has been overbooked and a Romanian should be in a different dorm. I'm too exhausted by this time and just crash out on the bunk bed. Waking up again at about 02:00 and then intermittent sleeping until 07:30 before getting up and heading off for breakfast. Still feeling nervous/excited about the race ahead I don't really have the stomach for some food but I manage to slowly eat a orange, 2 yoghurts, some bread and some muesli. To drink I have 3 glasses of orange juice and 2 cups of black coffee. This takes about an hour and a half to eat/drink and then I head off into Chamonix center to drop off my drop bag and then for a race start of 18:30.
Get a bus to Chamonix center and arrive at about 11:00. Head off to the Center Sportif and start messing about on the phone trying unsuccessfully to download these notes to my blog. I here a bleeping noise coming from my bag but I think it's coming from the till entrance so I ignore it. Still messing about on the internet and I realise that my phone charge is down to 50%. I carry on regardless until it's now down to 10%. I go into my bag and realise my power charger is not there! Without a fully charged mobile phone at the start of the race will be a time penalty at the very least or disqualification. I also don't have European adaptor. It's now about 15:00 and the race has been delayed until 18:30 (they've had to alter the course slightly due to ever changing weather conditions). The bus back to the YHA leaves every 30 mins so instead I jog back taking about 20 mins. I get back to the YHA, check the dorm and it's there either. It's not there either and I don't remember putting it in the storage locker (which is another story). I phone me Dad and I've only gone and left it at his house! Using one of the dorm's charger I manage to get it charged to 60 % but it's now 17:15 and the race briefing starts in15 mins! I could stay and charge it a bit more but it's not going to get fully charged so I start to jog back, this time to the race start. I manage to get to the race start at 17:45, whilst listening to the race brief I start to organise my race pack.
UTMB Race Report
After what seems like 30 minutes of chanting the race starts. The front runners head off like a bullet train but I start at the back. Unsure how to tackle this one - never done a UTMB before. Technically your race number determines where you should finish - I'm number 1729 out of about 2500 or so I don't want to take it too easy as I might not make the cut-off. Due to the sheer numbers in front of me I don't manage to start jogging for the first 10 minutes. My Garmin is completely dead (I managed to leave it on hence the bleeping noise) so I've got no idea what pace I'm doing. By the stats later on I've reached the first checkpoint Le Delevret by 20:45, just 15 minutes ahead of the cut-off (6.09 kph). At this stage the elevation gain is 820m. I reckon I can have more cut-off leeway to the next (St-Gervais) as this is downhill. I take some time out by putting my waterproof and head torch on and to eat a snack bar as the last checkpoint had no food just water hoping that St-Gervais has some food. When you go up a mountain you only have to go back down again (eventually) and this is the case (but it does give me a chance to pick the speed up) as I pass Jennie whom suggests that I'll regret going at that pace later on. I also manage to drop one of my head-torches in my packet but can't find the batteries. Your not allowed to drop litter so loosing my batteries would have been another penalty. I approach the next checkpoint (St-Gervais) in some dire need of some food so I go down one aisle of food and have some pices of orange, banana, melon, a few different bisuits and some soup and then go down the other food aisle and have the same food. I'm now full up! With now just a elevation gain of 80m from Le Delevret I'm 30 mins ahead of the cut-off (6.51 kmph). From St-Gervais to Les Contamines it's up another mountain this time a elevation gain of 491m and I'm now running a couple of minutes behind Jenny as I head into the Les Contamines checkpoint (5.4 kmph) 45 mins ahead of the cut-off. Still full up from the last checkpoiunt I feel a bit sick so just decide to top-up my water bottles. It's more uphill again from Les Contamines to La Balme with a elevation gain of 564m Iand pass Jenny again with a average pace of 4.23 kmph but I've managed to maintain the cut-off pace as I reach the La Balme checkpoint 45 mins ahead of the cut-off. Ideally I'd like an hour buffer as I'm going to jogging two nights in a row. From La Balme to to Col du Bonhomme (2456m) elevation gain 778m I'm now really struggling. The temperatures dropped down to about 0 degrees (but -3 with the wind chill factor). This is having an effect as my race pace has considerably dropped down to 2.34 kmph only just ahead of Jenny. I'm having to take refuge at the Bonhomme checkpoint - the tips of my fingers are numb even with gloves on so I put on the waterproof over-mitts as well. My upperbody is warm (even with just a tee-shirt underneath) as the waterproof jacket is keeping me warm but I put on my buff as I don't always wear the waterproof hood. My legs are a bit cold as I can't always keep on jogging so I put on some waterproof trousers. I'm now bang on the cut-off time (0 minutes). No longer feeling the cold and now reached the summit it's downhill to the next checkpoint, Les Chapieux so let's see if I can make for lost time. To Les Chapieux it's a elevation gain of 0 metres and my race pace has unsuprisingly increased to 3.73 kmph but having cramp going uphill now I've got cramp going downhill as well. Nevertheless I reach Chapieux (50 km) 15 minutes ahead of the cut-off but I spend 15 minutes at the checkpoint. No time for a hot meal I decide just take on some fruit. The next stage is crucial to maintain the pace but from Chapieux to Col De La Seigne is uphill again to the summit of yet another mountain. I've lost the plot this time - I'm strggling to walk up this mountain even with some walking poles and it seems like every 50m I'm having to take a break. At sometime going up this mountain I'ved managed to cross an open border into Italy. It doesn't feel as cold as Bonhomme but there is now light snow falling not what I need trying to get to this summit. I'm rapidly heading towards the back of the pack and eventually I get reach the Seigne summit (2516m). I've managed a 3.16 kmph pace which was better than trying to summit Bonhomme but I'm now a staggering 45 mintues behind the cut-off. I have no idea I'm this far behind but there is no time-barrier to exclude me from the race. From Seigne to Combal is downhill again but I'm totally beet now - really struggling to jog downhill unbeknown to me that I need to make up 45 mintues. Jenny was right I started off too fast and paid the price. I manage a pace of 5.67 kmph with just a elevation gain of 67m with 23 minutes behind the cut-off. Unaware of this (and one of the volunteers speaking to me French) I grap some food and carry on. I then hear someone speaking to me in French behind me, look back and my instinct tells me to stop. I head back into the checkpoint zone and ask them for a translation. I'm told that I've missed the cut-off time and I have to pull out of the race. Looking at my cut-off guide I explain that I've got until 10:00 (it was 09:53 when I came in) but the cut-off guide had to be altered to the changing conditions. The right decision was made. I would have had to make Courmayeur by 13:00 - 18 kmph in 3 hours. No chance even if it was predominantly downhill. There are six of us at this stage to pull out and then we get on a minibus to Col Checruit. We then get on a coach to Courmayeur (there's now about 20 people at this stage whom have dropped out) to pick up my drop-bag. Another bus
back to Chamonix ...
UTMB Post-Race info
Going into the UTMB with too many races this year is not ideal
4 weeks recovery from the NDW100 is not enough recovery time.
Check, double check and triple check your kit - bringing my charger could have made a difference.
Make sure you have the correct cut-off times to hand - even when the course alters.
The jury's out on whether walking poles are necessary
Saloman agile long tights - stitching has started to go after one use.
Montane Via trial gloves did not keep out the cold from my fingertips.
Hoka Speed Instinct trainers didn't live up to expectation - didn't feel like I was running on cushions - I felt the impact running on stones too many times with 30 miles With my previous trainers Inov-8 Roclite 280 this usually happens after 80 miles.
Saloman Bonatti waterproof trousers, La Sportiva hail waterproof and Montane Minimus waterproof mitts kept out the rain and cold.
Dirty Girl gaiters kept out the debris and look cool.
UTMB - amazing experience - pasta parties, great support, Allez! Allez! Allez! ...
YHA - I'd thought I'd be the only runner there - how wrong was I - great experience reminiscing with the other runners ...
Next race Chiltern Wonderland 50 in two weeks time ...
Dirty Girl Gaiters
The race course outlined in red
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