The UTMB®
What is the UTMB®?
Well, the best way to find out is to read the information here:
http://utmbmontblanc.com/en/page/20/utmb%C2%AE.html
So, on the 1st September 2017 I will be there, at the start line of the "World Summit Of Trail Running"! At 18:00 CET we will start running this great course around the Mont Blanc massif. A 171km long race with approx. 10 000m ascent! There will be 2 300 runners starting and we will have 46h and 30min to finish the race!
This is going to be tough, really tough. The weather can (and most probably will) change fast at high altitude and it's very important to have the necessary gear and clothes that works well! You don't want to be caught in a nasty storm up there on high altitude!
I know the distance. I did my homework, I did a few long races and I know what to expect. I know my body and I know my mind.....
This is the course of the race. Feel free to click the image for a larger view:
This is going to be a painful experience!!!
Why am I doing this?
Well, beside of the athletic part where you push yourself to the limit while competing with other runners you have a great opportunity to visit great places and see things from a completely different perspective. I love chatting with other runners along the course and suddenly there is a lifetime bond..... Just pure, simple and great! As it should be! There is sooo much goodness, sooo much positivity..... it's really fantastic! :)
You "play" with both body and soul..... your mind will challenge you and you have to be prepared to dig really deep sometimes (maybe a few times during the race). It's normal to see runners vomiting the guts out, crying while running, laughing like crazy for no apparent reason or speaking to things.... It's a funny "freak show" and I like that!!! It's great! :) The only thing I would really like is to be able to finish the race. Just to arrive to the finish line will be a massive achievement for me. Not because I'm not able to do this, but because of the fact that I managed to injure myself the 10th of July and since than I had to run mostly on my forefoot. Now I have a OK-ish heel (minor pain) - so that is good - but at the same time I had to work too much with my calves and achilles..... and that may be a problem during the UTMB.
What is my race plan?
I have nothing too sophisticated in my mind. I have to run this with intelligence, not with my power, my mind or something else. I have to be able to stay calm the whole journey and run this race easily. I have to rely on my gear, on my training and om my experience. There are a few good fellow runners from Gothenburg running this race which is good, but we are all different and I don't think I will end up running together with some of them. Still it's a good thing to know that you have other friends along the course! It's a nice feeling.
Speaking about the gear. I have my Salomon vest (it works really well), I will run in my Altra Lone Peak 3 shoes but will have my Merrell All Out Peak inside the drop bag just in case. Other than that I have a light Inov8 shell, Higher State jacket and pants, and other things. I guess I will end up making a short video with all my gear used during the UTMB - but after the race! :)
Besides the clothing, the footwear and the vest, the important gear is the lamp! You have to rely on a good product that illuminates the trails for you during the long night(s). I rely on Nitecore!
I was using a NiteCore HC30 headlamp before Nitecore contacted me on Instagram in March 2017. I was and still am really satisfied with my first NiteCore HC30 headlamp (purchased in January 2016). The Nitecore quality outdoor gear is really great and I can really recommend the Nitecore products I use!
What does my ideal UTMB race look like for 2017?
Well, I really hope for a "light/easy/calm" day. Not too much sun (I don't want to get burned), not too much rain (I dislike muddy descents), little or no wind would be really nice on high altitudes..... This is the weather-part. Me? I hope that my body will cope with the effort and finish this epic race! I don't care about the result!
My mission is not to come first, I like to inspire others by doing something I like, by eating and competing clean, by promoting my food choices and life changes I made...... This last point was recognized by many of you and as a matter of fact a whole Facebook group of people "financed" the race fee by small donations! From runners to runners! That was a fantastic experience! Thank you all! The group name is Löparbössan :)
This is the course profile with some important Info:
» Feel free to follow me on my Facebook Page
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You may enjoy the "Battle of the Trail Giants" online using the following:
- http://utmb.livetrail.net (or the LiveTrail App).
- LiveTrail on Facebook
On the UTMB website you may follow the runners LIVE:
- http://utmbmontblanc.com/en/live
and check out the UTMB TV too:
- http://utmbmontblanc.com/en/tv
