What I Learned At UTMB

Finishing a 166km race through the Alps, through four countries, will teach you some lessons.

Patrick Willcock had a few misconceptions about Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. Now that he has finished the famous race, he can set a few myths straight. Now when you arrive in Chamonix for the start, you’ll be better prepared for what awaits.

MYTH 1

IN THE ALPS IT’S COOL AND THERE IS ALWAYS SNOW

It was really hot in Chamonix on the weekend of the race: about 32°C.

At the top of the highest point (2,600m) at dawn on Saturday morning it was still 15-20°C.

I think most of the DNFs on Friday night were due to the heat and people not starting the race refreshed and well hydrated.

Staying cool and hydrated was my highest priority, and I never went past a cool alpine stream without spraying my face and head with ice-cold water.

MYTH 2

RACES ALWAYS START EARLY IN THE MORNING

The UTMB race starts at 6pm. For me, this was a new experience.

I was trying to be as fresh as possible for the start, but still had to travel to Chamonix on race day, register, pack drop bags, eat, and fuel for the race. If you were walking around in the sun on Friday, then you were doing something wrong.

After registering and trying to book into the hotel, we realised that we had to wait until 4pm to get the room! So we found a quiet spot in the middle of Chamonix where we could lie in the grass in the shade for an hour and relax. With the cool valley wind and the shade, it was actually possible to get in a few minutes power nap before the race, which I believe really helped.

MYTH 3

ALWAYS START AN ULTRA SLOWLY