I’m in Chamonix to take part in the 70 mile Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc TDS Race which gets underway on Wednesday morning. We set of in Courmayeur in Italy and run the 120km’s back to Chamonix, tackling some 7250 meters of climbing along the way. In the mean time, I’m trying to relax in Chamonix, not think to much about the race and soak up the festival atmosphere that is filling the town as thousands of Ultra Runners decend from all over the World.
Tonight, the longest race in the UTMB Series got underway, the UTMB PTL (La Petite Trotte a Leon) Race. The PTL starts and ends in Chamonix, and takes runners on a 300km tour of the Alps, with over 24,000 meters of ascent. It must be completed by the teams of 2 or 3 runners within the 138 hour cut-off. It was exciting to watch them get underway, but as I walked back to my apartment, I was secretly glad that my race is only a third of their distance.
Your thoughts are welcome...