2024 UTMB Race Reflections and Recap
by GRP Run trail athlete Hannah Rowe
In the last week of August, the Green Racing Project Trail Team tackled the Swiss, Italian, and French Alps at the 2024 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) World Series Final. This series of races brings in the best trail runners from all over the world, providing a phenomenal racing opportunity and an unparalleled energy for the entire week leading up to the races in the quaint town of Chamonix, France.
The OCC
Phil Royer and I competed in the Orsières-Champex-Chamonix race (also known as OCC) on Thursday, August 29th. OCC is a formidable 55 km (35 mile) course featuring 11,000 feet of elevation gain. It begins in the village of Orsières in a valley surrounded by breathtaking mountains. The course climbs up to Champex-Lac and Trient, where all the school children in the village line the streets, cheering loudly and reaching out for high fives. From there, it crosses the iconic Balme Pass at the France-Swiss border, offering stunning views of the Mont-Blanc massif. After conquering the final ascent to La Flégère, the course descends into Chamonix, where the crowd awaits to cheer runners across the line.
I had a good first 10 miles, but then got hit with a bad bout of nausea that lasted two to three hours (potentially related to the heat and/or altitude), which meant I wasn’t able to get in fuel when I really needed it. I kept pushing until the aid station at mile 20, where I was eventually able to get in some food. The rest of the race was tough, but my body bounced back enough for me to still finish in the top 50 females in a time of 7:42. Phil had a solid first 30 miles, feeling strong through the first three of four climbs. He ended up hitting a wall at the bottom of the third descent and lost a little ground, but he still maintained his position in the top 40, finishing in a time of 6:13 as the 38th male.
The UTMB
On Friday into Saturday, Canyon Woodward competed in the marquee event, the UTMB itself, which is widely regarded as the most legendary and prestigious trail running race in the world. The race covers 171 kilometers (106 miles) with 32,000 feet of elevation gain around Mont-Blanc, traversing Italy, Switzerland, and France. Runners embark on an extraordinary journey and introspective adventure through the Alps, that lasts anywhere from 20-46 hours. Athletes range from amateurs to elites but are united by the breathtaking landscapes and the shared goal of crossing the finish line in Chamonix.
Canyon had a heck of a race, finishing 30 minutes faster than his stellar performance last year. His goals this year were to finish under 23 hours and in the top 20 males, and he met both of them. However, the start was a rough one. He felt clunky and heavy, and even started questioning whether he would be able to finish. Nevertheless, he persisted. With a stellar crew of his partner and three close friends from his hometown, Canyon stayed grounded and was eventually able to start working his way up through the field, 94th to 70th to 48th… At Grand Col (78 miles in), he felt he “unlocked something he didn't know could exist” and cruised his way into the finish line in 20th place and 2nd American male.
The UTMB finals are a one-of-a-kind experience, and we’re deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to compete alongside some of the world’s greatest runners. Yet, Canyon’s race highlights what I will remember most from the weekend: the countless examples of the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. Like the moment when I was hunched over the aid station table, pounding watermelon to try to rejuvenate my body (and soul), and a male Spanish runner who was following a similar plan, turned and looked at me with palpable resolve, “Ok. Let’s do this.” And we took off together, pulling each other along through each turn of the 3,000 ft descent into Argentiere. Or the moment when I was deep in the pain cave on the grueling climb up to Col de Balme, and I felt an arm around my waist. I turned, thinking it was an old friend I didn’t know was in the race. A female French athlete I had never met smiled through her own depletion, “We can do this.”
Throughout the race, I definitely had questions of why we do this, but these moments reminded me. We do it to forge unique connections through the silent conversations of our shared pain yet unwillingness to give up. We do it to discover parts of ourselves and our strengths that are only revealed in the depths of exhaustion. We do it to test our limits - physically, mentally, and emotionally, and we do it to dance with the edges of possibility until we have that race where we redefine what is truly possible.