THE MONT BLANC MONSTER

The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) is among the most challenging and prestigious trail running events in the world. Typically held annually in the last week of August, it circumnavigates the iconic Mont Blanc massif. Covering approximately 106 miles, with a gruelling elevation gain of around 32,800 feet, the race demands exceptional endurance, technical skill, and mental fortitude – as Dominic Bliss witnessed for himself at last year’s event…

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When the leading athletes reach Notre Dame de la Gorge, a tiny hamlet in the French Alps, they’ve only been running for a few hours. The route leads them up long, steep slabs of igneous rock, rising sharply to the higher slopes. Thousands of fans line either side of the trail, leaving just enough room for each runner to slip through the middle. It’s like a scene out of the Tour de France: the night-time air rings with the sound of cheers, clapping and cowbells.

In advance of the race leader comes a marshal on an electric mountain bike, clearing a path for the front runner, the American Jim Walmsley, who marches up the rock brandishing his poles, his headtorch flickering in the darkness and his head lowered in concentration as he tries to block out the noise of the baying fans. Following in his footsteps are two videographers, documenting his every move. Not far behind them is a man loudly revving a chainsaw. Someone else has tied a beach ball onto an overhanging branch and, each time a runner passes beneath, he encourages them to bash it with their fist. Further up the hill, another fan lights up the surrounding forest with red flares.

Mountain madness

This is the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), a 106-mile race around the vast Mont Blanc massif, up and down mountain peaks, along rooty, rocky trails. Occasionally, the race passes through villages, where supporters loudly encourage the athletes on their way. But for the majority of the course, the runners are all alone. Never more so than once the sun has gone down and they have nothing but headtorches and thoughts to keep them company.