Race Report CCC - UTMB 101km

Start: Friday, September 1, 2023 09:15

Race distance: 101km – 6,000 meters of elevation gain

Race time: 18h00:07

The UTMB is not just any race; it is the biggest trail running event in the world! You can't just enter: you have to collect running stones and use them to be selected in the lottery. I was lucky enough to appear at the start of the CCC - 100km. This was my first 100km race in the mountains ever.

At 9:15 a.m., I stood at the starting line in Courmayeur along with 2,227 other runners. Of those, 578 would not reach the finish, but we didn't know that yet. My goal was not to run too fast, to keep eating and drinking well, and to enjoy the adventure. What a party it was right from the start!

I had divided the race into 8 sections, running from aid station to aid station. Here, in my head (and on my Garmin), I started a new race every time. That way, the furthest I actually had to run was 'only' 16km.

The first climb was immediately the longest climb of the day; it’s best to get it over with! We walked up in a long line, and once we arrived at the top, the view was beautiful. After a short descent, which is wonderful after such a long climb, I reached the first aid station after 2.5 hours. I drank some cola here, ate a banana, refilled my bottles, and continued on my way after 2 minutes.

We walked through a beautiful valley towards Grand Col Ferret. Here I walked with a whole lot of sociable Spaniards. Before the real climb began, there was a quick rest, food, and drink break at aid station 2. This also meant that I was already over a quarter of the distance!

The climb was long, but this was perhaps the most beautiful part of the race. Once at the top of Grand Col Ferret, a very long descent of about 20km began. I love descending! I often get overtaken while climbing, and on the descent I pass everyone again. During the descent, we passed aid station 3 in La Fouly, and now it was only 13.5km to Champex-Lac, where my support crew would be.

Here, after being on the road for just under 8 hours, I passed the 50km mark. Over halfway! I was keeping an eye out for Kyr and Steef, but because I was probably so focused on the next stop, I forgot to eat. I have my Garmin set to give me an eating alarm every half hour. I had brought gingerbread, oat bars, and Clif bars for the start, and gels for later in the race. I supplement that with Tailwind Nutrition (sports drink with electrolytes and carbohydrates) and with anything that looks appetizing to me at the aid stations: including banana, dried fruit, nuts, and broth with vermicelli (a favorite!). If I have just passed an aid station or when one is approaching, I skip eating.

After passing the 50km mark, I suddenly felt very low on energy. Everything inside me wanted to walk instead of run. The thought also haunted my mind: “Why am I doing this again? It’s still so far. This isn’t fun, is it?” At the same time, I know that these phases are part of the process and that they will pass. A glance at my watch made me realize that I had missed my meal and hadn’t eaten anything for nearly 1.5 hours. After eating something, I immediately felt my energy level rise again, and now it was only a few kilometers to Champex-Lac at 54km.

You could hear Champex-Lac coming from a distance; there was so much cheering from the crowd. Soon I spotted Kyr and Steef, and this gave me so much energy! They had extra supplies of food, clean socks, a clean shirt, and a plate of rice and cola ready for me. The sun was also slowly starting to set, which was very nice because it was quite warm, and I could also give them unnecessary items like sunscreen, sunglasses, and a visor.

After sitting down for a bit, eating, and drinking, I felt reborn and full of energy when I walked on after 18 minutes. There was no trace left of that slump from a little while earlier. Thank goodness!

After this came the longest stretch of 16km. I had set my watch so that I couldn't see how long or how far I had been going, but started again at 0 after every aid station. It doesn't add much for me to know that I've been on the road for 9 hours or more. And that way, 16km is quite manageable, even though you already have 54 in your legs! There was a semi-flat section first, a descent, and then another climb. It was slowly starting to get dark and the view was breathtaking with the setting sun on the mountaintops. Fortunately: after every climb comes a descent! After a while, I had to get out my headlamp, and by then it wasn't actually that far to the next aid station in Trient.

Here, my stomach really started bothering me for a moment on the way, but fortunately, after a stop in the bushes, I was okay again. When I was almost at Trient, I overtook a lot of people again while descending. There was even a Norwegian who said to me: “Huh, you’re Dutch and you’re leaving everyone behind on the way down, how is that possible?!” Such brief moments of contact are always nice on the road.

At 70km near Trient I saw my Crew again and it did me so much good! It really feels good to have support and to share this adventure. Here it was the same story again: sit down for a bit, eat, drink, refuel, and keep going!

Another 30 km. Actually, it was two more 11 km sections, and the final stretch was practically negligible compared to the whole thing. Thoughts like that help me enormously while running. Having thought this, I started the steepest climb of the day. It seemed endless. It was pitch black, and I really shuffled upwards step by step. Along the way, I saw some runners sitting, and the only thing I thought was: don't stop, keep moving, step by step, and the top will come eventually. Here, I took almost 50 minutes to cover 2 km, but that did include 570 meters of elevation gain.

And yet, every time I reach a summit again, I quickly forget the climb to get there.

I was also so glad that I didn't get any trouble with the back of my knee during the descent, like during the UTMB Verbier X-Traversée in early July. At Vallorcine, I saw Kyr and Steef at the aid station for the third time. Here I realized that the next time I saw them, it would be the finish. The finish!

But first, another 11km to the last aid station. I knew the last 10km would be nothing but downhill, but something didn't feel right about the elevation gain. Just when I thought I was reaching the top of the final climb, a kind fellow runner told me the course had changed due to a landslide, meaning we would have another climb before descending. I had read this email, but I had expected them to have updated the elevation profile, which I had downloaded and set as my phone's background. Apparently not! There was a section in there where I really had to descend on my hands and feet. Fortunately, we were only 10km from the finish, so it didn't really matter to me anymore.

During the final uphill stretch, I wanted to take a gel, but I felt so nauseous that I skipped it. I felt very empty, but eating or drinking anything was really impossible. My stomach was protesting. Once at the last aid station at km 94, I managed to drink a cola, and then it was really just downhill! My total break time at the aid stations was just under 50 minutes. Here I started doing some calculations and realized that I might still be able to finish within 18 hours.

Unlike many of my fellow runners, I actually still had good legs for the descent. There is just something special about running down a mountain in the dark with a headlamp. I overtook nearly 30 people on the final stretch.

When the sounds of Chamonix could be heard, it gave me so much energy again for a final sprint. Just a few more twists through the village and then the finish line was in sight. Even though it was 3:15, there were still quite a lot of people along the course. I watched the clock tick away and crossed the finish line after 18 hours and 7 seconds.

For a moment, I could do nothing but cry from joy, happiness, and pride.

I never thought I couldn't do it, and that is exactly why it worked. The feeling after the finish is indescribable. The adventure along the way, seeking out and pushing boundaries, and making the seemingly impossible possible. That is why I do it.

I am still savoring this adventure and secretly already looking forward to the next one. The actual distance of the UTMB is 171km with 10,000 meters of elevation gain; the entire Mont Blanc loop. Secretly, I dream of participating next year!