My most important race this year was the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. It should have been 170km around the Mont Blanc massif, through stunning mountain landscapes until the emotional finish in Chamonix. Unfortunately, I could not finish the race (which was only my third DNF ever) but the emotions I lived through during the start, the first night and basically the whole 26 hours of racing were just amazing. I am a bit lazy, so here's a copy of my facebook post (which I wrote the day after my race so sorry for being over emotionally):
"DNF at Ultra-Trail to Mont Blanc :( I quit the race after almost 26 hours of racing in Champex-Lac. I did 125.9km with 7300hm climbing but then it was game over. Already on the first few kilometers, I had some problems (stomach pain) which luckily receded after the first two hours. By the time I reached Contamines (after around 4 hours), it was night and I felt better and better. The atmosphere at the start of the race was super emotional and the time between nightfall and sunrise was an amazing experience. The headlamps of the other runners winding up the mountains, the stars above us, it's hard to describe how amazing it was. I was feeling great, constantly moving forward in the ranking. The turning point was the downhill to Courmayeur at the half point of the race just after sunrise. It was so steep that my hip started hurting. I arrived at Courmayeur (km 80) exactly on the minute of my time plan but had to take a 40min break. After the break I felt better and went back on the course in the heat of the day (it was later 34 degrees). I moved slowly but constantly and was still confident that I would finish the race strongly. The muscles in my upper legs started hardening up a few hours later on the climb up to Grand Col de Ferret. When I finally reached the top (km 100) I was not sure how I should get down again. I fought my way down hobbling, trying to absorb as much weight with my walking poles. I needed 2 hours for the 10km-descend. Once I was down in La Fouly I was desperate, how should I be able to do the other descends in the race? I really wanted to finish, no matter what. Even if I had to walk the last 60 kilometers. So I decided to march on knowing that my mum would wait at the next aid station 14km later in Champex-Lac. I still hoped that a massage would loosen up my muscles. It felt like the longest 14km of my life...It was mostly going downhill in the beginning and since my muscles were so hardened up I couldn't properly walk down. I hobbling down with mini strides and in great pain. The other runners and spectators were constantly encouraging me. One woman even hugged me when she saw I was crying. Then the climb up to Champex-Lac begun (450hm) and it was in that climb that I came to the conclusion that I was over for me. I barely made it up there being completely exhausted. Every time there were a few meters of downhill I started crying, not knowing how to get down there (I went a few times backwards). When I finally reached the checkpoint - it felt like after eternity - my mum and dad tried to cheer me up, to give me courage to walk the remaining 45 kilometers to the finish. They knew how badly I wanted to reach that finish line. It was not that I was to lazy to make this long hike or that I didn't wanted to handle the pain, I even had plenty of time (another 20 hours until cut-off time). But it was just impossible. There would have been another three mountains to climb and especially to descend again. Another 2500hm descend, I realized it was just impossible. I would not be able to go all this down backwards. Up there are no roads, no possibility to get me down other than with a helicopter. So there was only one possible decision. I did train a lot in the last months, I was super prepared, was drinking a lot in the heat, taking salt tablets, eating. I don't understand why my muscles completely shut down. Therefore I am disappointed, sad and every muscle in body hurts. No matter what, I will try to remember the good experiences like the start, the running in the night, all the cheering, the devoted volunteers and spectators and the companionship between us runners. Sorry for that super long report but I am still suffering under sleep deprivation and over emotionality. Thank you for all your support here in Chamonix, on whatsapp, facebook, Instagram! I am not done with UTMB yet. I will be back and next time I will make it all the way: 170km, 10'000hm+."
Five weeks passed since that day. Already two days after my race I was planning on coming back in 2017. I planned to get the necessary qualification points at Morenic Trail, a 115km trail race in Northern Italy which also was my first trail three years ago. So good memories there. So I focused on my recovery for three weeks and started to feel better. My goal for Morenic Trail was just a finish to get the points to be able to get into the lottery for UTMB. Well, luck was not on my side so two weeks before the race I got hit by a car while cycling. The participation at Morenic Trail was therefore not possible anymore. Luckily, I recovered well from the accident. I just started building up again and how can I say, I still want to participate in UTMB 2017! There are not many races which offer three qualification points from now until end of December but I have lied my eyes on two of them:
- Sätila Trail, 120km, November, Sweden
- Kleiner Kobalt, 80km, December, Germany
