TDS: Ultra-Trail-Mont-Blanc story (2013)

Tuesday 27 Augut, 2013

Lyon, 1:00pm

We start from Lyon, early Tuesday afternoon, towards Chamonix. It rains a downpour.

Chamonix, 4:00pm

Pick up your numbered bib is already a difficulty. We enter in a gymnasium following a route with several stands: check identity, security deposit, check of required equipment, etc ...

Courmayeur, 5:00am

After a short night in a typical hotel in Courmayeur (Italy), the alarm rang at 5am.
I eat everything I can on the buffet at the hotel before going on the starting line.
The atmosphere is ensured by a speaker who stirs up the public and turn up the sound of music while press helicopter flying over us.

Courmayeur, 7:00am

KM: 0

Altitude: 1224m

We start slowly for the first ascent toward Col de Checrouit. The path is wide and relatively gentle slope.

Col de Checrouit, 8:15am

KM: 6,6

Race time: 1h15

Altitude: 1959m

Rank: 692

Elevation gain from the start: 802m

The sun is up, it warms us.

Arrête Mont Favre, 9:13

KM: 11,1

Race time: 2h13

Altitude: 2409

Rank:  679

Elevation gain from the start: 1293m

After a little more technical climb, with a beautiful landscape in the background illuminated by the sun, I cross the scoring in the ridge of Mont Favre. We change the scenery to embark on a long descent on wide path.

Col Chavanne, 10:54

KM: 19,7

Race time: 3h53

Altitude: 2584m

Rank: 617

Elevation gain from the start:1932m

After 6 hours of racing I reach the Col du Petit St Bernard by a very steep single overlooking Lago Verney then move the Franco-Italian border.
 

Col du Petit St Bernard, 13:12

KM: 36,3

Race time: 6h12

Altitude: 2188m

Rank:  583

Elevation gain from the start:2494m

The descent looks very long. 1350m vertical drop separate the hill from Bourg Saint Maurice. I preserve my legs down to a reasonable pace. Thighs begin to heat and pain in my right ankle is felt. Two months ago I twisted my ankle during a workout.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice, ravito et assistance: 15:25-16:19

KM: 50,6

Race time: 8h24

Altitude: 837m

Rank:  652

Elevation gain from the start: 2556m

I stopped a long time at the supply point to digest 50 km and 8:30 race.

I took advantage of the assistance to change socks, put me on my dressing bulbs and refuel in gels and energy bars.

The climb to the Fort de la Platte is long and steep. The sun sets behind the mountains but we still see clear.

Fort de la Platte, 18:16

KM: 55,9

Race time: 11h16

Altitude: 1973

Rank: 776

Elevation gain from the start:3705m

2000m is pretty cold. I took my technical jacket and polar Buff. You have to manage the diet because it consumed a lot of energy during the climb. But I'm starting to have heartburn, probably related gels ingested. I found a mate.We have the same pace and decide to continue the race together.

We finally arrived at the summit (Passeur de Pralognan). Security is there and volunteers scan our bibs warning us for quite risky descent ahead.

Passeur de Pralognan, 20:08

KM: 62,1

Race time: 13h08

Altitude: 2546

Rank: 744

Elevation gain from the start: 4464m

The descent is on a mountainside. Fixed lines have been installed and we are required to get down safely.

Night falls, we switch on our headlamps.

Now we come to supply point of Roselend. Volunteers bring the atmosphere to motivate us.

Cormet de Roselend, 21:25

KM: 66,4

Race time:  14h24

Altitude: 1976

Rank: 758

Elevation gain from the start: 4472m

Leave this supply point is very difficult. We would get back to running but the legs don't. I used the most of my sticks to put less weight on my legs.

We now see ahead a line of headlamps from competitors on the next difficulty: Col Joly.

La gite, 00:20

KM: 74,4

Race time: 17h20

Altitude: 1663

Rank:  755

Elevation gain from the start:4848m

Before the ascent of Col du Joly, volunteers announce a climb steep but not too long.

We start to feel hurt everywhere on the body. Accumulated tiredness because of the night race requires a lot more attention, specifically when it is cold. My partner is not in a good shape. I decide to wait and motivate him. An unexpected source of energy takes me to the next supply point awaited from several kilometers.

Col Joly, 3:53

KM: 85,2

Race time:  20h53

Altitude: 1989

Rank:  781

I'm exhausted. My toes are terribly wrong, I do not dare undo my shoes. No longer able to overeat because of my heartburn I can not swallowing soup to warm me up.

My stop is too long, it is very hard to run again, because I'm freezing.

My Motivation goes down knowing that there is a very long descent to the assistance of Contamines. I am telling to myself arrived Contamines I change my shoes to complete the remaining 24km.

But the descent is too long, the bones in my feet hurt, I reach my limit. I can not even run downhill. My body says stop, my mind too.

Les contamines, 7:22

KM: 95,1

Race time:  24h22

Altitude: 1167

Rank:  799

Elevation gain from the start:5761m

DNF

Initially I was enrolled in the CCC (100km). The organization gave me a place for TDS (120km) because CCC was completely full. I'm sure I would have finished the CCC.
I accumulated quite a bit of altitude training in Switzerland, Bauges, Pilat and Madeira. I've also been in reconnaissance climbing from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Forclaz.

What I missed is a good preparatory race ideally 80km.

Since SaintéLyon (70km by night) earlier in December 2012, I had not participated in long-distance trail.

But even if I have not finished my first TDS for the 1st time. I enjoyed a lot this adventure. I surpassed myself in terms of distance and in terms of cumulateed elevation.