Ultrarunning
9 ways the UTMB breaks even the world’s best ultrarunners
Some of the world's most talented and experienced runners take on the infamous 104-mile ultramarathon around Mont Blanc. But many don't finish due to the following hazards.
“I don’t know what it is about this race...”
The words there from one of the world’s best and most respected ultrarunners, Scott Jurek, after dropping out of 2011's UTMB race - AKA the pinnacle of ultra running competition. “If something goes wrong,” he added, “the severity of the course only exacerbates the problems."
Indeed, over the years, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc has broken some of the world’s best. The distance (104 miles passing through France, Italy and Switzerland), the elevation (10,000m), the weather (anything from scorching heat to wind-swept blizzards) and the terrain (rocks, waterfalls and big drops) ensure that the dropout rate is always around 40%. But those that finish are left in no doubt that they've achieved something monumentally special.
Here are some of the things that could potentially end your race...
1. Not taking enough warm clothing
Ultrarunners attempt to keep themselves warm on the UTMB course
© Jeff Pachou; Getty
An easy mistake to make when you are trying to save weight in your backpack against the oncoming weather conditions, but one that has caught out many runners over the the race’s history. The 2018 edition of the UTMB was notorious for its bad weather. Racers are warned via text in the hours before the start what mandatory kit is required, but that still does not mean unexpected weather fronts don’t catch some out.
France’s Sébastien Camus was just one of many runners who encountered problems after failing to raise his core temperature following a cold pass through the high point at Col de Ferret. He decided to abandon his race after losing pace, energy and a fear of developing hypothermia.
How to avoid: Ensure you've packed extra warm baselayers and your must-have piece of kit: a waterproof jacket.
2. Bee stings
Jornet suffered an allergic reaction to a bee sting on his foot
© UTMB
In the 2018 UTMB, one of the favourites in the men’s race, Kilian Jornet, was stung by a bee on his foot three hours before the race started. Despite taking medication, the sting swelled and caused “some minor troubles – vomiting what I eat and stomach pain, maybe from poison, maybe from medication”. He still started the race, but was forced to drop out at the halfway point.
How to avoid: It’s unlikely to happen, but the only surefire way is to refrain from sniffing flowers pre-race and maybe use bug repellent.
3. Tricky terrain
The UTMB race course temporarily tattooed on the arm of a UTMB runner
© Erik Sampers; Getty
The paths in the Alps are covered in loose rocks and scree on both the ascents and descents. When you are giving it full gas, a sizable hazard on the path can be lethal, especially at night. From turning your ankle to much more serious injury, many runners have fallen foul of the UTMB’s testing terrain.
Add rain, sleet and snow to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster, as Tim Tollefson found out in 2018 after slipping on a rock in a stream. “I popped up and kept running but could feel blood running down my leg,” he said afterwards. “I wrapped it and at the next aid station the medical team wanted me to abandon the race and get stitches. When the adrenaline wore off, I was in a lot of pain.” One of the favourites in the women’s race, Magda Boulet, also fell, face down, banging her knee and shin, which made climbing impossible and forced her to abandon the race.
How to avoid: Choose your running shoes wisely: some offer more grip than others and can help on wet rocks and technical climbs. Concentrate on the terrain in the few metres ahead of you as much as you can, although it can be difficult to concentrate 100% of the time due to the many hours you are running and the consequent sleep deprivation.
4. Burnout
The strain of the race shows on a participant during 2015's UTMB
© Erik Sampers; Getty
Like many competitors in last year’s UTMB, US ultrarunner Jim Walmsley’s race didn’t quite go to plan. He went out hard and fast, and led the field for the first 20 miles, but soon began to fade, and slipped down the rankings, leading to him eventually deciding to quit the race. He put it down to running too many lengthy events in the months leading up to the UTMB - in particular running the Western States 100-mile race in late June.
How to avoid: Ideally, you would not run any other ultramarathon races in the two months prior to the UTMB. If you did, the advice would be to take it easy on those runs, holding something back for the big one in Chamonix.
5. The wrong fuel
One UTMB participant catching a quick 40 winks
© Jeff Pachou; Getty
Gastrointestinal distress is the nemesis of many runners on the UTMB. US runner Sage Canaday revealed how his 2017 race went downhill following stomach problems just a few miles after starting. He was relying on food from aid stations after his nutrition ran out, and ate some sweet bread which he believes led to stomach cramps soon after. This slowly began to derail his race, leaving him lacking energy on climbs and having to make time-sapping pitstops.
How to avoid: A difficult one when you’re running more than 100 miles in a foreign country with unfamiliar food, but try to carry as much of your regular nutrition as you can, and test it thoroughly before the big race to ensure it has no negative effects on your body.
6. Losing vision
Competitors racing into the night in Notre Dame de la Gorge at UTMB 2017
© Franck Oddoux
An interesting yet unexpected effect of cold temperatures on runners is that it can affect runners’ vision. Coldness, wind, altitude, debris and dehydration can all cause corneal edema, when the cornea becomes full of excessive liquid, thereby losing its transparency. British runner Sophie Grant suffered from vision loss during the 2016 edition of the race, although after putting on sunglasses the effects wore off after four hours. France’s Sébastien Chaigneau was forced to quit the race in 2012 after getting too much water in his tear ducts.
How to avoid: The simple addition of wearing sunglasses can make a huge difference in stopping problems. However, you’ll need glasses that can swap to clear lenses at night. Lubricating eye drops can also help – natural tears are said to be the most effective.
7. Chafing
Anti-chafe cream can go a long way
© Squirrel's Nut Butter
The distance and time allowed (up to 46 hours) means that if you are not fully prepared, chafing can become debilitating for all runners. US runner Hal Koerner had to put a ziplock bag over his testicles in order for him to continue running the race in 2011.
How to avoid: Slap on plenty of lubricant, such as Squirrel’s Nut Butter, prior to the race, and carry a small tub with you if you can.
8. Your mind
One UTMB hopeful applies the magic sponge
© Getty
Overcoming physical pain is one thing, but ruling your mind when it has taken you to a dark place is quite another. British runner Robbie Britton experienced just this during his 2015 race. He was aiming for a top 10 finish, but problems with his shoes caused horrendous blisters, and his plan for the race began to fall apart. He quit for his first ever DNF. He wrote afterwards, “I told friends and family about the pain in my feet, that it was all too much. Deep down I don’t believe that. Deep down I think I stopped because I wasn’t doing as well as I had hoped, like a spoilt child not getting what he wanted."
9. Not pacing yourself
Start too quick or too slow and you're in trouble
© Jeff Pachou; Getty
A common problem for certain runners who like to push hard from the start, whether it’s the adrenaline of the day or simply their race plan. But in a race like the UTMB, where there are so many variables, it can often result in a DNF, as America’s Zach Miller found out last year. He is never afraid of hitting the gas from the off, but this time, with only about 30 miles left, he pushed himself over the limit in trying to catch the leader. He ended up being airlifted off the course, unable to walk.
How to avoid: Try not to get carried away with the occasion and find yourself swept along with the faster runners at the start. Never has the phrase ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint’ been more appropriate. Failing that, invest in a running power meter, such as this one from Stryd – they can help you maintain a steady power output throughout the whole race, meaning you run slower than you would normally up the climbs, thereby saving energy.
