It’s 2am during the night when my light beam illuminates a big brown table cloth. It’s hanging in between trees on a clothesline, has a nice mountain hut motive and the left corner is draped over a rock. Hmm, that’s weird, I think. I shine to my left and now the light beam illuminates a cozy looking bench. It’s inviting me to have a most welcome powernap. When I want to shine my light again on the table cloth it all of a sudden changes shape into some tree stumps. I shine back to the left and where before there was a nice bench there is now just a gaping hole of nothingness. I continue climbing on this hallucinatory road. Not long after the surface of the road changes into perfectly aligned squares of cemented stone with little pebbles. When the middle of this road shows a brown Christmas tree pattern, I decide it’s time to sleep for a couple of minutes…
About 26 hours before I was climbing through the forest, I was lining up at the start line of the TDS. A 150km long ultra-trail with 9400 meters of vertical, organized by UTMB. It’s probably no surprise that such an immense challenge brings doubts with it. The distance and vertical of the race are hard to grasp and thus I don’t even try to.
It was my 3rd time on the start of this big ultra-trail race.
During my first attempt in 2021 the race had been stopped after a tragic fall of a Czech runner. In 2022 I did manage to finish the race after nearly 33 hours of running/walking.
Among some other course changes this year, the organization had added 400 meters of vertical to the course. My hope at the start line this year: do better than in 2022.
With hope you’re not gonna cross the finish line of a beast of a race like this. Although happy with the 2022 outcome, the competition spirit in me wanted to do better this year. That’s why I figured out a personal ‘race-plan’ before. As the saying goes:
‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’
I have some experience already with running ultra-trails and this time I wanted to go all in to make the race a success. The 150km from Courmayeur-Italy runs mainly through the Beaufortain region to then end in Chamonix-France. My race-plan consisted out of 3 obvious parts…
Part 1: The run-up and warm-up
Even before the start I made several plans. First and foremost I placed emphasis on sleep and how to handle the sleep deprivation. The start of the race happens ten minutes to midnight. This means that every mere mortal will be going through 2 nights of running. Back in 2022 I barely slept the day of the race. This time I tried my best to sleep around noon and by 19hr30 I was back in bed again. A couple hours of sleep would pay dividend later. Fairly relaxed I shuffled to the start. My focus during the first 50km: save a maximum of energy while still moving along swiftly and ticking of the kilometers. With the gun going off, the music of 'The pirates of the Caribbean' played and the sea of people started to move.
The first kilometers are always very busy and crowded. Some runners have their poles out already making it hard to navigate the tight space. Moments later I nearly trip over some poles and an Italian runner cries out ‘Catzo’! Now I don’t speak any Italian, I did however understood his cursing and tried to get away from it by moving along forward. Without really pushing too hard I gain some spots. The first climb of 1000m brings us up along Lac Combal and then up and over Col Chavannes. The sea of people is quickly transformed into a meandering river of lights, and running now no longer feels restricted. Upon descending from the Col there’s enough room to open up the stride. Some stomach cramps start to play, but nothing dramatic. During my race plan for this year I wanted to get enough carbohydrates in the system. Every half an hour I would take a gel or the equivalent. I’m no machine who runs without emotions or feelings, but the engine does need sufficient fuel! The kilometers and vertical meters pass along quickly and shortly after sunrise I make it to Bourg Saint-Maurice. 50km and Part 1 of the race plan done.
I’m warmed up!
Part 2: On altitude
Because this was not the first time for me in this race I knew what was still to come. This was the reason why for the first 50km I didn’t want to take up too much time. Straight after the aid station of Bourg Saint-Maurice was a big, uh sorry massive climb on the menu. A segment of almost 11km where we would be climbing 1850 meters straight up. A monster climb exposed to the sun for the most part. In the aid station I’m looking to take my dropbag to fill up on new gels, when turns out I made a crucial mistake. Somehow it sneaked in my mind there would be access to the bag, but the dropbag would only be handed out on km 91. Hmm, there goes my race plan, I think. Time to adapt! For the moment I cannot recharge my headlight battery, but there should be time for that still in Beaufort. More problematic was not having my gels and extra gummies to make it across the next 41km. Quickly scanning what’s on display on the tables my eyes stop at some stroopwaffels. Bingo, this would be my fuel and while drinking I tuck away a couple of waffles in my backpack. Some oat bars as back up, just in case. These are way too dry to get down ‘on the go’ but you never know. After topping of my softflasks with sportsdrink I take to the exit. During the climb I manage to keep my position, towards the end I even manage to move up the ranks a couple of spots. The sun isn’t quite at it’s maximum yet, however you feel this will not take long anymore.
Time and distance start to become hard to grasp. It’s difficult to understand what has been and what’s still ahead. Upon arriving at Passeur de Pralognan I take the time to let the beauty of the mountains and surroundings come in. My heart is racing from the altitude and my breathing is quick. A short technical descent is a welcome change. The first part is so steep there are chains and ropes attached. For a moment we get a break from the burning sun and this feels great. After descending we are still at 2000 meters of altitude and the heat is now a factor to deal with as well. Therefore, every little stream, river or water point is used to keep myself cool. The next kilometers are long and though. Both the terrain, the altitude and the heat make it hard to move fast. In La Gittaz it’s time to take care of some business. The cramps started to play up again but luckily there were a couple of little rooms tucked away in the back. Around 17hr is when I reach Pas d’Outray. I feel empty and spend, my breathing having a hard time to catch up. A hellish descent of 1500 meters stands between me and Beaufort. This is where I would see my wife and kids for the first time and this gives me energy. Keeping my break short I start running downhill as smooth as is still possible.
More then an hour later I reject the offer my wife makes me: some salty biscuits. There’s no way I can get these into my system. My mouth is dry from the dust of and the heat, I can barely even get words out. It’s time to push on the reset button in Beaufort…
Emptying trash – taking the dropbag – fresh socks – tuck away caffeine gels – charge headlamp – drink – take a gel – down recovery drink – bring in the dropbag – drink sparkling water – to the exit
By not wasting any time in Beaufort I gained 85 places!
As bad as I felt upon entering the aid station, that's how good I’m feeling now exiting. With my wife and kids I have a cold Thrive recovery beer and brush my teeth. Feeling fresh and (almost) like new I kiss them goodbye. Time for the final part of my race plan…
Part 3: Belgian Dance classics
During previous ultra-trails I have always struggled to keep the intensity up towards the end. This time I really thought this part through. Everything that was runnable I would run. Every descent that was runnable I would run, no matter the pain in the legs. On moments where you know in advance they will be hard it’s best to make decisions in advance. After more than 24 hours of running I trust my fresh brain of 2 days ago more. Not the sleep deprived head you have this late in a race. A mistake I had made multiple times was to not eat and drink enough during these latter parts of the race. I obliged myself to eat a gel every half hour, or a gel every hour with added winegums and clif bloks: a kind of caffeinated gummies. In Hauteluce I got energized again after seeing my personal support crew and I set off into the 2nd night.
Upon climbing out of the village I noticed my battery connection from the headlight had came loose. Damn, far from ideal. I had another half hour to charge my light before it was too dark. When this one will be empty later I will have to trust on my back-up headlamp. By now the lack of sleep was really getting to me and bright moments alternated with foggy spells. Rocks witch I passed started to show faces looking straight at me. I understand somehow that these are hallucinations, but upon getting closer the faces keep looking. I discover that by walking faster my fogginess starts to dissipate and my energy goes up. However a little bit further along the hallucinations are kicking it up a notch. After seeing a clothesline with tablecloth, a cosy bench on the left and the shape shifting surface of the road into square blocks with a christmastree in the middle I decide it’s time to sleep for just a few minutes. The tablecloth were tree stumps, the bench was just a gaping hole and the road wasn’t paved with beautiful stones at all. After 6 minutes of sleep I catch the runner in front of me again and it seems like my speed had doubled. Now it’s time for my secret weapon! Music in the ears and old skool Belgian Dance classics. The kind of music that had me on the dancefloor years ago is now propelling me forward and up, passed many zombies on the trail. Left and right are trail runners on the side of the trail sleeping or resting. A bit ahead I try to score another powernap, but a chilling wind is forcing me to continue. Playlist is on repeat, as are the gels and gummies. The stars and moon are visible and I’m approaching my favorite part of the race. The climb to Col de Tricot is the final big climb before you can smell the finish. I’m moving along fine and before cresting the top of the climb I dim my headlight to enjoy the moment.
The stars, the many lights of runners, the moon and the giant Mont Blanc Massif close, the deafening silence.
A truly magical moment of which only a few people get to experience it. The last part now, about 15km is mainly downhill. The 2nd sunrise gives me a shot of energy and I allow the pain to fully enter now. After 135km, climbing more than 9000 meters my legs are allowed to hurt. The quicker I run, the more pain but also the quicker the pain will be over. In Les Houches I see my wife for the last time and we take a picture together. 8 mostly flat kilometers are between me and the finish line. It’s with proud I run these final kilometers. Along runners who are out for their morning run, or people letting out the dog. The normal life is moving along, but for me it has been 2 special days! By 0805hr in the morning I run into the final turn flanked by my 2 daughters direction the iconic finishing arch, Mont Blanc in the background…
A few takeaways to take with me into ultra’s or life:
Make sure you start with a full battery when you want to attempt anything big. The hours of sleep in advance were worth gold.
Keep putting in the calories, even if you don’t want to anymore. When you know what’s necessary for success then stick to those things, no matter what. Gels combined with gummies and caffeine on the final part I’m gonna implement again. Also the recovery shakes at 91 and 97km did me good.
Come up with a good plan when your brain is in a good state. Don’t trust your decision making when sleep deprived or emotional, because you’re guaranteed to make mistakes.
Without the support of my wife and daughters I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. Thank you so much for believing in me and supporting. Often in the background but success is never achieved alone.
Don’t think too far ahead. The only moment where you can perform is here and now. What has been we cannot change anymore, and what’s to come we don’t have control over.
There’s only one way to eat an elephant, a bite at a time.
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