UTMB Week 2026 Preview: Who Will Win in Chamonix? | RunThrough Trails x RunThrough Coach

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Welcome back to another episode of the Run Through Coaches Podcast, a special bonus episode for you this week.
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We have done a collab with the Run Through Trails Podcast, and that's because UTMB Week, Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc Week, is upon us.
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In just over a week's time, UTMB Week kicks off, and we have some of our very own run through coached athletes taking part in those events.
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And I also personally have some athletes on the Elite Start list.
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So Beth, who hosts the Run Through Trails podcast, decided it'd be a good idea for us to both do a preview show and look ahead to the OCC, the 50k category, the CCC, which is the 100k category, and the UTMB itself, which is the 100 mile category, to provide an up-to-date preview now that we know the Elite Start lists for those events.
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As always, we are proud to partner with Sunto and on the UTMB week, I'll be attending the Sunto breakfast.
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Sunto stands for adventure, and there is no better adventure than a full lap around Mont Blanc.
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So, with that as your introduction, I hope you enjoy this bonus episode, which is a collab with Run Through Trails, on the preview ready for UTMB Week.
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So today we're going to be doing a preview episode of UTMB.
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It is less than two weeks away, which is crazy that it's come around so quickly.
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For those who don't know what UTMB is, UTMB is kind of described as a trail running Olympics.
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It is the finals of all the series events, and it's basically all the best trailrunners in the world go to UTMB, but you've also got amateur runners, people that just do trail running as a hobby.
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It's yeah, basically an array of talent taking on really iconic races, which will be taking part the 24th to the 30th of August.
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There are, I think, seven races.
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So you've got YCC, MCC, OCC, CCC, TDS, PTL, and UTMB.
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Today we'll be talking about the kind of the highlight athletes, people that are ones to watch, and who we're most excited about for OCC, CCC, and UTMB.
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So yeah, welcome, Lewis.
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Welcome back even.
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How are you?
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I'm good, thank you.
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I'm really good.
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Yeah, it's good to be back.
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Thank you for having me.
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I'm excited about the episode.
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Looking forward to another UTMB week, which as you said is less than two weeks away, which is crazy.
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Um, when you actually think about the start of the week, it's like only just over a week away, which is mad.
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And uh you did you did well to uh uh reel off all those letters there, Beth.
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You almost got the full alphabet.
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If you told me what the letters stand for, no, don't ask me that.
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I don't have a clue.
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I know a lot of them.
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Um I know most of them, actually, I think.
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But maybe I won't put that to the test.
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We'll stick with the OCC, CCC, and UTMB.
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I can list those off nice and easy.
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I can do UTMB, Ultimate Trail Mont Mont Blanc.
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There we go.
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That was that's a nice, easy one.
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But yeah, did you want to introduce yourself, uh, those who haven't met you before?
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Yeah, I suppose I've not been on for a while.
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So for those of you regular listeners to the Run Through Trails podcast, you may remember that I used to co-host this show with uh one of the athletes of our coach, James Tilley.
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Uh I'm absolutely delighted now to see Beth hosting the show, and it's great to see her uh now interviewing lots of different trail athletes from around the world.
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But Beth kindly asked me to come back on to uh not co-host this episode, to be a guest on this episode ahead of UTMB week.
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So that's really cool.
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My name is Lewis Moses.
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For those of you who've maybe never heard of me before, which I'm sure there's a lot of you haven't.
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I am now the director of uh running experience and coaching at Run Through.
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And I guess that sits on two parts.
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Firstly, the runner experience.
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So that part is very much connecting the run through community, both at events and away from events.
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Obviously, coaching is a big part of that.
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The training nights we do, the community events we do, uh, looking at engaging communities as run through grows.
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It was built on a smaller community of people, and we want to make sure that we continue to have that community feel as run through grows into new towns, cities, villages, wherever we go.
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We want to make sure now that we bring that community feel uh with it, both at the race day and away from the races.
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So that's um that side of the role.
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And then the coaching kind of explains itself.
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I'm a former elite athlete, turn coach.
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I now coach predominantly uh and a lot of ultra trail athletes.
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I still do coach a little bit online, not as much as I used to with the mass athletes.
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I really do focus on now at the elite end of the sport, and that tends to fall in the ultra trail and mountain domain.
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So I have quite a few runners racing UTMB week in the races that we are about to talk about.
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Yeah, so you and I both have been refreshing our browsers religiously, trying to get this start list up, waiting for it to come out, excited for it to come out.
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And first and foremost, I'm excited for it to come out because I'm a fan of the sport and I want to see who's there, see who's running, see who's going to be competing against each other.
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It's the best of the best all coming together to compete.
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And the stat list revealed that they are absolutely stacked this year, which is great to see.
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Um, but as a coach, I do like to see who's rating, obviously.
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I like to see who my athletes are competing against.
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Um, I don't pay too much attention to the rankings.
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Uh, we'll maybe touch on that with kind of like UTMB index scores because I think uh they don't always tell the full story.
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Um, but as a coach and as an athlete previously, I try not to get too wrapped up in it because I think first and foremost, you should be focused on yourself.
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So I think it's good to know who else is there, it's good to know people's strengths and weaknesses, it's good to be aware of what people might do, but you have to look after yourself and you have to take care of yourself and you have to make sure that your strategy is built on yourself and nobody else, and then use your race intuition within the race, and anybody could be there.
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You you know, you could end up with 26 different plans if you started looking at everybody else.
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So, yeah, that's kind of my thought process around those elite lists coming out.
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No, it's so true, and you still don't actually know of those athletes who are actually gonna be there on the day because although it was released very late, you'd hope it's gonna be a bit more accurate.
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You still just don't know.
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You don't know what people's fitness are like, what their training's been like, but the field is stacked.
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I actually couldn't, when I saw the list, I was like, I actually can't comprehend how many athletes are doing this, like it is gonna be crazy competitive.
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Because I think whenever I've seen the elite start list before, like obviously you can't predict who's gonna win it, but you kind of got a gauge of like what the top five is gonna be that I just looked at and I was like, it literally could be anyone.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And and when you were saying about covering the favorites, I was like, we could probably list 15 people who could potentially win, like that's how deep it is on each of the women's and men's side of the OCC, CCC, and UTMB.
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Like, this could be a long episode, but we'll we'll do our best to condense it down.
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Yeah, no, it's so true.
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And there's always a few people that aren't even on the elite start list that squeeze their way in.
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So yeah, a lot to play for.
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But we'll kick things off with OCC.
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So OCC starts in OCS.
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Is that how you say it?
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Pretty much, yeah.
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And that and that's when you talk about the letters, that's obviously what it stands for.
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So OCR to champagne, lac to chamony, so the OCC.
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There we go.
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Good knowledge that.
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Um and then yeah, finishes in Chamonix.
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So it's actually a slightly different course to previous years.
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It's now 60k with 3,500 metres elevation.
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So this is the final for the 50k element of UTMB.
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It's gonna be taking place on the Thursday, 8:15 kickoff, and then normally first finishers are like early afternoon.
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But I'm gonna go through, we'll start with the women, a few of the top names.
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So we've got Tove, who's a Swedish athlete, who recently won Mont Blanc Marathon and Zagama, and also took course record for both of them, winner of the short trail at World Champs, and actually her first ever UTMP race, I think.
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I don't think she's ever competed on a UTMB race, which surprised me.
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We've got Judith Weeder, Swiss, first at the European Champs 50k, second at OCC 2025 and 2024.
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We've got Moyd, um Swiss athlete again, first at Verbia 50K, third at OCC 2025.
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Ida, Norwegian athlete, who was second at Mont Blanc Marathon, fourth at World Champs 50K, and fifth at OCC 2025.
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Sarah Alonso, Spanish athlete, first at Valderan 50K, second at World Champs 50k, and fourth at OCC in 2025 and 2024.
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And then a bit of British talent.
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We've got Naomi Lang, um, who's did been on the podcast before, actually.
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She became third at Pitts Offline and also third at Mont Blanc Marathon, third at World Champs in 2025, and I would love to see Naomi do really well.
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Um, recently won Archivatrician 50k as well, and then a few of the other athletes that also could squeeze their way into the top spots.
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So we've got Marlonosa, Lauren Gregory, Hollywooden, UK athlete, Beth McKenzie, who actually doesn't have a 50k index yet, so she's ranked a bit lower down, but I think she could definitely do well in it.
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So that's a lot, a lot of good women taking place in that 50k, a lot of golden trail athletes.
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What are your impressions, Lewis?
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Yeah, I think I think the cost change affects this hugely.
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Uh, I'm not gonna lie.
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I think, particularly on the women's side with people like uh Naomi, for example.
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I think Naomi would prefer it to be shorter.
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We've seen her very successful over distances around 40k, Marathon de Mont Blanc.
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We know she's a good downhill specialist.
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There's a lot of climbing as well, around three and a half thousand metres.
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I I'm not, I'll be honest, I'm not certain that amount of elevation is exactly right.
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I'll be interested to see what it comes out at after the event.
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It's always hard to plot the exact elevation, especially on a new course.
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Um, but I think with Flagre now coming out of that, and that's like a 700-metre climb, they now go from Calderbaum up to Tete de Baum, they wrap down and then they pick up the the old course, well, kind of a bit of the old course down to Latour, and then they pretty much follow the MCC route down into Chamony.
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I just don't understand how that uh taking out Flagre is then increasing the amount of climbing.
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They are obviously dropping down before they climb Tete de Baum.
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So maybe it is that, but I'll be surprised if it is bang on 3,500.
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But when I look at that, I think increase-wise, it's probably another 20 minutes to half an hour on last year.
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And for people like Naomi, that is a that is a tough ask.
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So yeah, I uh maybe it favours people more like Judith who are thinking about stepping up to the CCC, but now I'm sure with Judith seeing that, Judith's thinking, well, actually, maybe 60k suits me better, so I'm gonna stick around at OCC for a little longer.
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So yeah, an intriguing course change and plenty of interest.
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I think there's a couple of people who could pull off surprises as well in there.
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Yeah, no, I think it's very true, especially for people like Naomi Lang, because her longest ever race is Mont Blanc Marathon, which is 42k with 2,600 metres elevation, so adding an extra 18k onto her longest ever race and more elevation.
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So yeah, it's and it was quite a last-minute course change as well.
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Everyone assumed it was going to be the original OCC course until yeah, everyone's already entered and decided what races they were doing, and it's not that far off 100k really at that point.
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Well, yeah, I mean, I I've seen people do 72k in Keanti, which is a 100k category.
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So yeah, I think I'm a bit disappointed that Flager isn't in there.
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I think I for me, I think the flager climb is iconic, it should be in each of the finals.
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That's my own personal opinion.
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Um, the course itself remains the same until it gets to Calderbaum.
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I've certainly not seen any changes.
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I've had a delve into it because I've got athletes running the OCC.
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Um, so I think that'll be interesting because until Calderbaum we're going to be able to see similar splits to the year before.
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So it'd be interesting to see how Tove does uh compared to previous years because she is in just a league of her own at the minute.
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Uh, whereas people like Sarah, who've she's been fourth here before twice, so she'll have a familiarity advantage with with the course.
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Um, but then yeah, intrigued by people like I guess Maud Mathis, who Swiss athlete's very, very strong.
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She'll she'll know the course inside out.
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Molly Seidel, bronze medalist at Tokyo Marathon, did Western State, struggled there.
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She's on the OCC start list.
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Like, how well will she go?
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How will the Americans do on the long climbs, long descent?
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So loads and loads of interest, and then yeah, British interest as well, with the likes of Hollywood and Holly Page.
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So just yeah, where do you start to look?
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It's crazy.
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Yeah, and it's also gonna be crazy because it's almost like CCC last year that if you're top 30, you've done incredibly well.
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Where it's not gonna be like we're looking at top 10 anymore, we're gonna be looking at the top 30, maybe even top 50 women, because of how deep this field is.
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And it is gonna be interesting to see how Tove does, because obviously she's had an incredible season, but I don't want to sound negative, but she peaked too early.
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Like she's done back-to-back races, performed incredibly well, and has she kept the fitness for a little bit longer to yeah, keep doing it.
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Yeah, it's and and I believe she pulled out of a recent race because of an injury, so it will be interesting to see if she's recovered from that.
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I know I believe she did some orienteering races in between, but her trail running calendar this year has actually been quite light.
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I think two races on her calendar.
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Um, so that'll be interesting to see how how she do how she goes.
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I mean, the two races that she did, she was completely worlds apart.
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And I I watched her at the Worlds uh last year when I went out to Cam Frank, and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
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Like um, genuinely just I think it was one of the greatest female sporting performances across any sport um that has ever been witnessed because the men that she was beating and around, bearing in mind she was next to likes of Eli Hemon and David Sinclair because they run together at Worlds.
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David Sinclair just finished second at CCC.
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Like it was insane.
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Like, I know he was tired from CCC, but still, David Sinclair and Eli Heming were two of the favourites to win the men's race.
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Like that puts it into perspective.
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So I she will be a standout favourite, but Judith Vider knows this the the this course, she's brilliant, she's experienced.
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She will bring that Sarah Alonso is brilliant, she's aggressive, and and I I really like Ida Amelie Rogsham.
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She's made great progress over the last few years.
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She ran a fantastic marathon, I believe it was either Valencia or Barcelona, I can't remember which one, but it was like 226 or something like that.
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And that is rapid.
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And I remember seeing her one year, uh it might have been last year, year before.
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She actually smashed a pack in the race and carried all the mandatory kit back into Chamony.
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Nice, I saw that.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So I I think she's one to watch this year.
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If I was to put a bit of money on somebody having a good run, it would be Ida.
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I know it's quite a nice round story where actually Ida was at my first UTMB World Series race where I was coaching, which was Culluminen when um well, actually, one of my first actually it was the first year we've gone on that kind of circuit.
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And uh she she placed impressively there, but she's coming a lot since, so um, I'm intrigued to see how she goes.
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Yeah, and she wasn't she was a little bit far behind Toath, but she wasn't that far behind Toe at Mont Blanc.
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So if she continues building, no reason why she can't close that gap a bit more.
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But as we've got so many stacked athletes to go through, we'll move on to OCC men's.
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So we have got Frederick, who's a French athlete, second at Mont Blanc, first at Euros 50K, and first at World Champ Short Trail.
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That'll be his UTMB debut today.
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Well, many races.
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Um we've got Remy Bonnet, Swiss athlete, first at Mont Blanc, although he did DNF at OCC 2025, so coming back to hopefully I guess complete it.
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We've got Daniel Patisse, um, Italian athlete, first at Lavabredo 50K, second at Euros 50K, Francesco Puppi being on the podcast, incredible Italian athlete, doesn't need an intro, but he did just become second at Western States, winner of CCC, winner of Black Canyons, second at OCC in 2024, and he's won OCC in 2023.
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Other athletes to watch Pet Rengel, David McGeanie, Chris Jones, which UK athlete, we've got Robbie Sampson, also a UK athlete, and Christian Allen.
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But once again, a stacked OCC field.
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It is insane, absolutely insane.
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What I like about this field is you've got people stepping down.
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So, like Peter Engdal, who's made a step up the last few years, is stepping back down.
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So that's pretty cool to see.
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You've got people stepping up, you know, Daniel Patisse, Remy Bernet probably have more success over kind of that 30, 40k distance.
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Poopy's stepping back down after winning CCC last year.
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The big question mark around Puppy, of course, is will he have recovered from um the the Western States?
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Such an impressive run there.
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Wasn't as hot this year, so maybe recovery has been a little bit better and kinder to people.
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:27.279
That's one thing I would say.
00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.599
Um, and and Puppy knows this course, you know.
00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:35.279
He was he actually finished second twice in a in a two years in a row in 2023 and 2024.
00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:38.640
The year he finished second to Eli Heming, he went the wrong way.
00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:42.720
So that was a a run where he could have potentially won.
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.960
And the the year he finished second to Stean Angerman.
00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.720
Stean Engerman had that um failed test, so he was upgraded to first.
00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:53.119
So Puppy, very experienced on the course, he will be one to watch.
00:17:53.279 --> 00:18:12.000
Um, and then yeah, there's there's loads of other people to pick from that we we'd go through, and we've not I've not even mentioned yet Frad Transhad, who's the favourite world and European champ currently, second behind Remy at Marathon Montblanc, has been living in Argentier, he's on the course, he knows the course, he's a fantastic athlete.
00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.759
Like it is just absolutely rammed with talent, it's amazing.
00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:27.599
Yeah, no, there's Stackedfield once again, and it is nice actually, because once again you've actually got I well, I don't know if it's just me, but I never re-spot as many Golden Trail male athletes coming across onto OCC.
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:37.839
I don't know, it's just the way that I've looked watched things, but it's nice to see some people that, like you said, are stepping up the distance, they've done the Golden Trail series, done well at it, and now they're coming back for OCC.
00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:43.200
So yeah, Christian Jones, incredible runner, fifth last year.
00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:44.559
Oh, top five, fifth.
00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.359
I think it was around fifth, yes, fifth, I believe.
00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:47.680
Yeah.
00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:49.200
Um yeah, I want to say fifth.
00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:59.119
Yeah, it was uh Jim beat Christian Menoggio, um, Andrus Wycet from Poland was fourth, Peter Engdahl, uh, sorry, third, Peter Engdowl fourth.
00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:04.559
I believe Peter Engdahl got Chris on the running, and then Chris was fifth, I believe, if my memory serves me right.
00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:10.079
Um, Chris was, I think, sixth the year before, so that's two impressive finishes.
00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.920
He has had some injury issues this year.
00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:21.279
His Achilles has been a bit dodgy, but it's one of those where he seems to be peaking at the right time, and and if he gets it right, he might just be fresh and ready to go.
00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:24.000
So he will only know that once he gets into the race.
00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:28.000
But Chris is a really strong climber, very good runner, he'll definitely be one to watch.
00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:37.039
And and speaking of people who are stepping up from the Golden Trail, one athlete who is stepping up, who's tried before and unfortunately uh didn't finish, is Christian Allen from America.
00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:39.759
So it'll be interesting to see if he's learnt from those mistakes.
00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:45.119
But he had a very impressive Sierra Zinal uh last weekend.
00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:51.920
And I don't think it boards well when people run hard at Zenal and then they come to OCC and try and turn it round.
00:19:52.000 --> 00:20:04.240
You often see the opposite, you often see people who've not ran so well at Sierra Zenal, they come and then they run really well at OCC, and the people who've ran well there they often struggle because it's a hard turnaround, a couple of weeks.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.720
And it's two very different courses.
00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:13.440
Like although OCC is a fairly runnable-ish course, is yeah, completely different to Sierra Cinel.
00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.559
But yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens.
00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:23.680
And you've got David McGeini, who's you know, he's been and done everything and he still comes back and wins races.
00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:25.599
So I'm excited to see what he does.
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:27.119
So yeah, it does.
00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:29.279
Oh, I think he's just so injury prone, isn't he?
00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:32.640
I think it depends which version of him sort of shows up.
00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:36.880
Like last year he just rocked up and run Marathon de Mont Blanc, and yeah, we've not seen him for ages.
00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.480
Then he he pulls that out of the hat.
00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.519
So that'll be interesting.
00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:48.000
Antonio Martinez Perez as well, multiple podium finisher, and and Robbie Simpson, Britain's own Robbie Simpson, has been on the podium at OCC many times.
00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:53.599
He was uh I think he snuck in the top 20 at um Sierzinal last weekend as well.
00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:58.480
So Robbie's clearly in decent shape and comes back here good over the longer distances.
00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:01.839
Yeah, it'd be really interesting to see how they all go.
00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:06.640
But there's there's some big hitters then, and we we're gonna have missed someone, like we are.
00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:17.680
I know we're looking down this as like a rankings list almost, but there'll be somebody in there, as you said right at the start, who who outperforms their ranking and and pulls a bit of a surprise, without a doubt.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.200
No, definitely.
00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.240
We'll go on to CCC then.
00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:39.200
So CCC starts in Coolmea, finishes in Chamonix, 101 kilometres with 6,050 metres elevation, starts on the Friday at 9am, and the women will run in the dark towards the end, and then the men's are normally done like early evening.
00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:43.440
But we'll kick it off with the women's, which is once again a stacked field.
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:48.799
I don't think it's quite as stacked, I'd say, as CCC last year, but still a very stacked field.
00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:53.920
We've got Jennifer Litcher, who just won Western States, an incredible runner.
00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:55.680
She's won Black Canyons this year.
00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:57.599
This will be her CCC debut.
00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.680
We've got Tony McCann who did DNF last.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:07.920
Year, but she was the winner the previous year, and she's recently won Tour de Lac Annecy, so in good form.
00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:23.119
We've got Kaylen Fielder, who just did an incredible again Western States performance, fourth, and she's also came second at the T100, no, T102 by UTMV in New Zealand, behind um Ruth.
00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:24.000
There we go.
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:31.759
And then we've got Miao Yao, um, who is her 100k debut, winner of OCC last year, another incredible athlete.
00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:36.559
We've got Jenna, who's been on the podcast and is coached by Lewis, um, winner of St.
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:46.240
Jack's 50k, fourth at Keanti, winner of Arc 50 Miles, again, another incredible trail runner, other ones to look out for, and I'm really sorry if I pronounced this wrong.
00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:50.720
We've got Lingi Chi, we've got Hon Hon Honukona.
00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:52.559
Honukka, no.
00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:53.680
Yeah, Honukka.
00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:55.519
She's actually in the camp with Gemma at the minute.
00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:56.079
She's lovely.
00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.039
Japanese athlete.
00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:58.079
She's she's fantastic.
00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.000
Yeah, she had a good good Western state.
00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:02.720
Yeah, and some incredible points over the last year.
00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:06.880
Another one that I can't pronounce, but uh Gingwild.
00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:09.599
Ingvil, Ingvil, Kasperson, yeah.
00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:10.640
There we go.
00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:18.079
And then we've got Eve Moore from the UK who recently actually won um run through trails 50k in the lakes.
00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.920
So I think she did run.
00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:21.440
Ooh, good question.
00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:27.200
Uh Scarlet Dale, Scarlett Dale won the Run Through Trails 50K, the trial race you're talking about.
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.119
Eve Moore did run somewhere though.
00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:31.920
Um I'm trying to think of where I saw Eve run.
00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:34.799
And there was an Eve Panon run as well at the run through trails race.
00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.400
Had a really good run that day.
00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:42.720
Scarlett Dale now goes by Scarlett McCourt, and she is one of the highly ranked favourites as well.
00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:51.599
Uh she she led out at Europeans and crashed and burned a little bit there, uh, but still still had a really good run, but super impressive in the lakes this year.
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:54.000
So I'll be interested to see how Scarlett goes.
00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:59.839
But yeah, she she married another trail runner, um, goes by Larry McCourt, which is why the name has changed recently.
00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:01.519
Fine, that makes more sense.
00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.440
Yeah, even more, she's definitely done something.
00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:06.720
I can't think what now, though, but I remember seeing her recently.
00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:12.079
But yeah, another stacked field, and the list could go on of more athletes to name.
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.279
It could indeed.
00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:14.240
Yeah.
00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:18.000
How how are you feeling for CCC given you've got Gemma in the race?
00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:21.279
Um how do I feel for CCC?
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:32.880
Um, well, obviously, it's without being too biased, it's the one I've got most interest in because um I've got three athletes competing in there, including my wife, and she'd kill me if I didn't say it was the one I was most interested in.
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.240
Uh and I I will test your your knowledge now around the letters.
00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:37.839
You we've gone through all CC.
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.559
You've said CCC starts in Cormaille.
00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.920
So Cormac.
00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:44.880
It's also Cormea, Champellac, Chamonix.
00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:46.079
Exactly that, yeah.
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.079
So just the first one just changes.
00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:53.440
So they they start over in Italy, they go around to Switzerland, and then they come back around to France.
00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:56.480
The women's field is is super strong.
00:24:56.640 --> 00:25:02.720
Um, I think you know, Ingvil Kasperson has won won this before, uh, Tony McCann has won this before.
00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:11.119
What a lot of people might not know, because Miao Yao's index doesn't come up for 100k, but Miao Yao has won the CCC before, I believe.
00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:11.759
Actually.
00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:17.759
But a long time ago, I think if you go onto a UTMB profile, double check that, make sure I haven't got that wrong.
00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:19.599
I'm gonna have to double check myself here.
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:21.440
I might be shooting myself in the foot.
00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:24.319
Um how do you think she's got a 100k index?
00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:28.640
So what happens, I think, is that it wipes after a couple of years.
00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:30.559
I think Oh, of course it does.
00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:31.519
Gets rid of it.
00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:34.640
If you don't do an 100k, then it doesn't revalidate.
00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:39.440
Yeah, so she's obviously done really well in the OCC of a recent year.
00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:45.359
She had a DNF in UTMB in 2019, she won CCC in 2018.
00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.319
Wow.
00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:54.240
So we've got another winner in there, and is a relentless winner at UTMB week.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:58.799
Jen Leitcher, I think it just depends on how recovery's gone off Western States.
00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:01.119
She absolutely smashed it, cost record there.
00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:02.240
Incredible run.
00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:05.839
Um, but yeah, like you say, Ingville Kasperson, previous winner in there.
00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:17.039
Both Ingverd and Tony got uh injured last year, they both fell, uh, which is why it might not have looked as stacked at the finish, but it certainly was very, very stacked on the start line last year.
00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:19.839
Danny Moreno also dropped out last year.
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:23.599
She's back, she's another one of those Adidas Terex athletes who's in good shape.
00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:30.640
She ran we uh won a race recently over 50k in America, so yeah, lots of interest.
00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:35.839
Um, I won't say too much about my wife being in there, I won't pay attention to her being in there.
00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:39.599
Uh I think she's ranked about 16, 17th, or something like that.
00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:48.160
But to kind of set the scene for everyone at home, uh just describe the CCC course, straight out of Cormayer is the biggest climb of the day.
00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:52.400
It's a 1200 metre climb straight out of Cormaer to the top of Cal de Sepan.
00:26:52.799 --> 00:27:01.599
Uh, and then they they actually summit and then Tete de la Tranche, I think it's called, and they come around the top and they drop back down towards uh Refuge Batone.
00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:10.880
Uh and that that climb is about a fifth of the total elevation in the first seven or eight K of the race, which is absolutely incredible to do that much climbing.
00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:26.559
So the first 75 to 90 minutes for the elite men and women will be spent climbing that huge climb, and that's where you see a bit of a war of attrition because people who go too hard they end up blowing up by the time they get to Grand Colferay, which is more like three to four hours into the race.
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:37.759
Whereas the people who pace it well, they they run around the balcon and they go through Patone and Bonatti, and by the time they climb the Grand Colferay down to La Fouleie and into Champagne, they're almost coming into the race.
00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:42.960
But what's crazy at that point is they've done all that running and they're still not at halfway.
00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:43.759
It's mad.
00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.319
So it's a great course, it really is.
00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:56.160
But I think what you'll see is people position themselves from the midsection, and then you'll really see the competition all unfold from La Fouille all the way back to Chamonix.
00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:00.880
It is basically a VK to start the race, um, which is crazy.
00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:12.480
And it's you've also got the factor that some people are better at descending, some people are better at climbing, so it's just basically cat and mouse chasing each other and who's gonna who's gonna get to the finish line first.
00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:26.559
But Tony McCann, I would absolutely love to see her do well because I think she's been quite honest on Instagram saying that I think last year's DNF knocked her confidence and then she kind of struggled to come back, and getting first at the Annecy race has kind of given her a bit more hope.
00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:29.759
I think she just has been struggling a bit with training.
00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:35.680
Caitlin Fielder, who recently interviewed on the podcast, she said that she was coming back pretty strong and pretty happy.
00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:40.319
But she'll find out on the CCC start line actually how well the comeback has happened.
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:45.599
But I think Jennifer's been pretty quiet on how her training's come back too.
00:28:45.759 --> 00:29:01.119
So yeah, it'll be interesting to see because there are quite a lot of people that have done Western states and going forward for either CCC, UTMB, or OCC, which traditionally not a good combo because they're very different races, but yeah, very, very different.
00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:10.720
And I think it that like I say, the heat this year may help them that it wasn't too hot, but it's still a hundred mile less than eight weeks ago, so it's still gonna be in people's legs.
00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:12.400
Yeah, Caitlin will be an interesting one.
00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:17.920
Caitlin's coach by a really good um coach Robbie Britton, uh, a friend of mine.
00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.920
I was speaking to Robbie today, actually.
00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:22.720
Uh he's got two athletes in there in the on the women's side.
00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:27.680
So he's got Caitlin and a lady called Robin Lesh, who who ran really well last year at CCC.
00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.880
She's back again as well.
00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:36.960
So I'll give her a shout out because I think she could be a player, and I know Robbie's very good with his strategy and coaching, so they'll be in a good place come race day.
00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:45.279
It's gonna be another exciting race, and so we'll move on to the men's field, which is once again surprisingly very stacked.
00:29:45.359 --> 00:30:02.160
Um we've got Christian, Italian athlete, second at Monte Rosa at 100k, third at Mont Blanc, 90k recently, second at OCC last year, and fourth at World Champs, David Sinclair, an American athlete, first at Trans Vulcania, second at CCC last year.
00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:06.000
We have got, and I'm sorry if I say this wrong, um, Gang Fu.
00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:06.960
Gang Fu?
00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:08.640
Gang Fu Meng, yeah, yeah.
00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.519
Gang Fu Meng.
00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:14.960
He was Chinese athlete, sixth at CCC last year and had another good year this year.
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:20.799
We've got, oh, I'm gonna say this wrong as well, Andrzej Witek, um, a Polish athlete.
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:23.519
Yeah, and just Vajek, yeah.
00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.480
There we go.
00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:25.839
That's better than what I said.
00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:30.559
But first at Kianti 100k, third at OCC last year.
00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:35.200
He has DNF'd at CCC before, so coming back to try the distance again.
00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:48.640
Daniel Jones, Kiwi athlete, first at Ultratrail, Australia 50k, first at T102 in New Zealand 100k, and fifth at Western States last year, fourth at CCC the year before.
00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:59.519
Hanchetroyer, a young American athlete, first at Black Canyons 100k, recent DNF at um Western States, but was doing really well until about the 100k points.
00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:03.200
So if the race was 100k, you would have been on a podium.
00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:07.440
Um Adam Peterman, American athlete, just come sick at Western States.
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:12.319
He won the Canyons Endurance 100k and sick the OCC last year.
00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:20.960
Other ones we've got Benjamin, Eli Hemming, Hugh Chatfield, UK runner, Keith Wigley, another UK runner, and then we've got Luke Grenfell-Shule, who you coach.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:25.920
So, yeah, another that's more than 10 names I've just lips off.
00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:28.000
So who knows who's going to come top 10?
00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:28.880
Crazy.
00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:35.039
This has got to be one of the strongest men's CCC lineups ever, I would say, based on that list.
00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:37.599
Um, big one who stands out for me.
00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:40.480
Like David Sinclair was second here last year.
00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:44.799
He didn't do Western States due to injury, so he's obviously then prioritised this.
00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:47.359
It'll be interesting to see how he's come back from that injury.
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:49.200
Uh, very, very good runner.
00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:54.400
Um, Andreas Vajek was uh third at OCC last year and had a good run at Worlds.
00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:57.920
So he's coming back up to step up again to CCC.
00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.920
Christian Menoggio almost beat Jim at OCC last year.
00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:09.839
He actually was the athlete you may have seen recently on social media who was cutting those switchbacks that kind of went viral in Monte Rosa.
00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:11.680
So he got a time penalty for that.
00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:14.480
So he's in great, great, uh, great shape.
00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:19.119
Hans Troyer, the you know, the young and fit Hans Troyer, as they call him, Team Hawker.
00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:22.480
Uh it went out like an absolute bullet at Western State.
00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:24.720
Some would say like a lunatic, but fair play to me.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:26.400
He put it down, he put it on the line.
00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:31.039
That will be interesting to see if he if he employs the same strategy here or if he holds back.
00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:35.279
Um, Peter Freno is a former podium finisher here.
00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:39.119
Him and Adam Peterman were on the same podium with Hayden Hawkes two years ago.
00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:40.079
They're both back.
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:41.039
Like, it's crazy.
00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:44.079
We've not even mentioned Benjamin Rubio, second at worlds.
00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:46.480
Like, he is gonna be a massive player.
00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:48.240
Um, he'll he'll be right up there.
00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:58.880
And then Eli Heming, who I would have absolute put my house on Eli Heming doing the 60k Occ when when that when that was announced, it was 60k.
00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:01.839
I was like, right, Eli will do OCC again.
00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:04.799
I was really surprised to see him and CCC.
00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:10.559
He was eighth here last year, he's coming back, and yeah, he's gonna have a another go at it.
00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:12.480
So, yeah, really interesting.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:22.160
And and we've like I say, I've not even mentioned the Brits yet, so that that's the and Dan Jones, who you also mentioned, who's been fourth or fifty in the past, so it's just incredible.
00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:28.799
Yeah, and it will be actually interesting to see how the Brits do because Hugh Chatfield, Keith Wigley both had great years.
00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:33.039
Keith recently did very well at UTS 100k.
00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:36.160
Hugh again, I can't name off the top of my head what race he's done.
00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:39.440
He won a double VK actually a few weeks ago, so good for the first time.
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:45.200
Um, and then Luke Grenfelshaw, the U coach, another one um oh, what's the race?
00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:51.279
The Iger 50k, which had a really good performance there and did really well at the Euros earlier this year.
00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:56.079
So yeah, Luke's Luke's definitely progressed over the course of the year.
00:33:56.160 --> 00:34:03.119
He was that was a course record at Iger as well, beating Peter Engdahl's record, so he's in a good place um to to compete.
00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:15.920
Hugh struggled with a knee injury early on in the year, but still had a solid run at Chianti to finish pretty high up there given how he was running, and was twelfth at worlds last year, I believe, in a really stacked world champs.
00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:28.719
That was definitely a breakout run for Hugh, and then as you say, he's he's clearly in a much better place now because he had that double VK and he ran the V the single VK at Marathon de Mont Blanc and went the wrong way, I believe, on the VK because I've seen a photo of him.
00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:35.119
Um, but yeah, be interested to see how Hugh and Keith go for the elite trail team teammates with uh Chris Jones, of course.
00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:38.159
Yeah, um, so I'm excited.
00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:40.000
I'm really excited to watch CCC actually.
00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:41.840
I think that's one I'm well actually now it's a lie.
00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:45.599
I'm excited for UTMB more, but you know, I'm very excited for all of them.
00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:49.519
But we will move on to the final and the main event.
00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:56.639
So UTMB, Ultimate Trail Mont Blanc, 174k, 9,900 metres elevation.
00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:58.880
Why they couldn't round up to 10,000, I don't know.
00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:03.199
Although most people's watches do say 10,000 by the end, I'd be annoyed if it was 10 metres off.
00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:07.760
Um but it kicks off Friday, 745 in Chamony.
00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:10.559
It finishes, no, not 745, 545.
00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:14.639
It finishes in Chamonix and go through three countries.
00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:18.000
So starting in France, go through Italy and Switzerland.
00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:21.039
So touring Mont Blanc as per the title.
00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:26.000
But the field is once again very stacked and is very exciting.
00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:28.880
Some names that actually I wasn't expecting to be on there.
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:37.599
But for the women's field, we've got Cornige Volta, doesn't need an intro, but she just won Hard Rock 100, second at Coca-Dona last year.
00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:38.719
No, this year.
00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:40.960
Um, first at Keanti 100 Mila.
00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:48.480
She came 10th at UTMB last year, which was a bit further behind than people were expecting, but she's won UTMB three times.
00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:55.920
We've got Riley Brady, American athlete, second at Western States, first at Canyons and Drones Run, had a really good year.
00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:06.639
Ruth Croft won UTMB last year, first at T102 100K, and yeah, she's just done some incredible performances.
00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:12.159
We have got, oh, I'm gonna say this wrong, Fuzio, Chinese athlete, anyway.
00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.559
Fujiang.
00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:15.440
There we go.
00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:21.119
Uh second at West Western States last year, first at the Buffalo Race this year.
00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:37.679
We've got Appy Hall, winner of Western States last year, and also fifth at Black Canyons, Lucy Bartholomew, younger athlete, second at Labareto 120k, second at Trans Vulcania, seventh at UCMB last year, and tenth in 2024 and 2023.
00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:39.679
So bringing a lot of experience.
00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:48.800
We've got Samea, a Nepal athlete, who won Labarado 120K, and generally people that win Laveredo do quite well at UCMB.
00:36:48.960 --> 00:36:55.679
Um, we've got she also won Ultra Trail Cape Town 100k last year, and second at the Long Trail World Champs.
00:36:55.840 --> 00:37:11.599
Other names, we've got Blardeen who came fifth in 2024, Fiona Pascal, English athlete, Rachel Esquin, who won Coca Donna this year, Henrietta Alban, Lin Chan, Eleanor Davis, UK North Face athlete.
00:37:11.840 --> 00:37:18.719
So yeah, another incredible field, and I can't even predict who's going to end up where.
00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:22.960
Yeah, the depth of the women's UTMB race this year is insane.
00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:27.360
Like you've got pretty much everybody in terms of the the best of the best there.
00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:33.280
Katie Scheid is missing because of injury, but you've got Courtney, arguably the greatest.
00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:35.360
Well, probably not even an argument to be honest.
00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:39.119
The greatest trailrunner of all time on the start list.
00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:45.039
But then you've got Rachel Entricken who beat her at Coca Codona, but Courtney beat her over 100 mile in Kianti.
00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:47.519
So that kind of balance itself out.
00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:51.440
It's the middle ground between the two, like who will get it over 100 mile in the mountains.
00:37:51.679 --> 00:37:53.199
Ruth is the returning champ.
00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:55.599
I personally think Ruth Croft comes in as favourite.
00:37:55.679 --> 00:37:56.960
I'm going to put that out there.
00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:57.599
I do.
00:37:57.679 --> 00:38:04.960
I think Ruth showed last year that she's now got an understanding of this course and knows how to win.
00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:09.599
So I think Ruth is the favourite, but can you really back against Courtney DeWalter?
00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:13.840
Um, I was super impressed with Henriette Alban in Transgrand Canaria.
00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:15.519
I thought she paced a really good race.
00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:17.760
I do think Henriette will be a player.
00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:19.440
I think she'll piss her own race.
00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:22.559
I predict she comes through strong in the second half.
00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:25.119
So watch out for Henriette Alban in the second half.
00:38:25.280 --> 00:38:30.719
Uh Riley Brady, I was really impressed with their performance at Western States.
00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:38.719
They committed to that front group with Jen Leitcher, then took the lead and really went for it.
00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:44.239
And I would say that was their best performance to date on the biggest stage.
00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:52.960
We've seen Riley put out some performances in lower key events, but not on the big stage to see Riley do that at Western States.
00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:56.559
But I was surprised to see Riley on this start list.
00:38:56.880 --> 00:39:00.239
I did not expect to see Riley's name in UTMB.
00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:03.119
I thought I'd see Riley's name in CCC.
00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:05.039
So that was a surprise to me.
00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:07.360
Um and then you mentioned Samaya Buddha.
00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:11.840
I think Samaya will be a threat, definitely, if she can get it right.
00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:20.159
Abby Hall, again, not the Western State she wanted this year, but the pressure was on after winning last year, so she comes here with a little less pressure.
00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:22.480
And I'm going to give a shout-out to Lottie Brinks as well.
00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:34.000
Lotti was sixth at um CCC last year, and I think might go under the radar a little bit here, and obviously Fujiang, seventh at Western States recently as well.
00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:37.679
So some of the Western States returners stepping up to UTMB.
00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:40.960
And finally on my list, I've got Victoria Stansfield.
00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:47.679
Because I I don't know how I feel about this, but that's why I've put it on because I thought it was a discussion point.
00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:50.079
Victoria's a really good athlete.
00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:51.519
She's going into UTMB.
00:39:51.679 --> 00:40:10.400
She's just announced that she's going to be the first person ever to cycle 330 kilometers to UTMB through through the night solo, then start UTMB and complete UTMB, making it 500 kilometers in total on the bike and the run.
00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:15.840
And I mean, it's impressive, like fair play, that is so so impressive.
00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:28.800
And I'm not taking any away anything away from Victoria, but it comes back to a point that I was on the women's spying podcast for earlier this year, is like, when is a hundred mile not enough?
00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:31.039
Like a race is a race.
00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:38.400
Like you come to race, and you come to do why why are we now not seeing a hundred mile as being enough as a challenge?
00:40:38.559 --> 00:40:42.639
And I'm just slightly surprised at that approach to that.
00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:46.480
She's obviously going to make history if she completes it, and that's incredible.
00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:48.320
It is an incredible challenge.
00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:53.199
But I would like to see these races given their own merit.
00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:57.039
It's like UTMB is UTMB, it it sits as its own thing.
00:40:57.199 --> 00:41:02.960
And I'm not taking anything away from Victoria on what she's going to take on because it's a huge, a huge challenge.
00:41:03.119 --> 00:41:07.119
But yeah, as a as a racer, it doesn't it doesn't sit well with me.
00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:08.480
So I I wish her luck.
00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:09.519
I hope she gets it done.
00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:10.800
It'll be incredible if she does.
00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:15.599
But I'd have I just I guess the fan in me would have loved to see a race without that in her legs.
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:18.159
Yeah, unless you're just classing it as a good warm-up.
00:41:18.400 --> 00:41:20.400
Um well that's some warm-up, isn't it?
00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:20.960
Yeah.
00:41:21.280 --> 00:41:23.119
That yeah, I haven't heard about that.
00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:24.000
That's crazy.
00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:27.280
And it's not like UTMB is an easy race.
00:41:27.440 --> 00:41:32.719
It's essentially if you if you count it as a flat race, it's basically 300 kilometres.
00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:34.239
Which crazy.
00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:38.800
Yeah, fair enough if that's what she wants to do, but wouldn't be me.
00:41:39.760 --> 00:41:40.719
Um yeah.
00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:44.000
Imagine if she missed times it as well and she misses the start.
00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:47.039
Well, that that is all coming into logistical planning, isn't it?
00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:47.519
So yeah.
00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:49.519
All those all those things to think about.
00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:50.800
Like I say, incredible.
00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:55.519
Even just the logistics of it and cycling through the night on your own, it's it's amazing what she's doing.
00:41:55.679 --> 00:41:59.360
But I'd love to see her do it away from the event and really have a crack at it.
00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:02.880
Because I rate her as an athlete and I'd love to see her try and mix it with these guys.
00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:07.599
Maybe she will, maybe she'll surprise me and then she does, and I'd be like, oh my god, this is insane.
00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:12.400
But yeah, that's actually the secret is to ride there, then you'll have a good performance.
00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:16.239
Everyone, everyone next year will be jumping on a bike and coming to UTMB.
00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:17.679
At least it's environmentally friendly.
00:42:17.760 --> 00:42:18.480
I will give her that.
00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:24.000
Yeah, maybe she had the eco beb, and UTMV have been particularly strict this year, the cycling only.
00:42:24.639 --> 00:42:28.800
Um, but I really want to see a Henrietta Auburn do well.
00:42:28.960 --> 00:42:33.760
I don't know whether she's put her Strava on private, but I am slightly worried she's injured.
00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:35.519
I'm a big fan of Henrietta Orban.
00:42:35.679 --> 00:42:45.920
I think she's a very underrated athlete, and it was really unfortunate because she had such a good build last year, won a TGC again last year, and then she slipped on a rock while getting into a lake and had to DNS.
00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:47.360
And so I don't know.
00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:53.519
I don't know if it's just her Strava is private or whether she's injured, but yeah, I really want to see her do well.
00:42:53.679 --> 00:43:04.000
But other names, Eleanor Davis has had a great year, she did her challenge across Cornwall at the start of the year, and she's been out in the arts to be fair for quite a while and reccued the course.
00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:06.880
So and she's I think this will be her first hundred miler.
00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:08.719
I don't think I've yeah, yeah.
00:43:08.800 --> 00:43:14.079
I think uh I think she's done 100 mile category before, maybe I can't remember actually.
00:43:14.320 --> 00:43:18.639
Um I believe she's did she start longer race.
00:43:18.800 --> 00:43:20.239
She has done longer races before.
00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:22.159
I know she's done night races before.
00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:23.920
Um, but yeah, I'm I'm interested.
00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:35.360
Elsie had a good run, a good solid run in CCC last year, uh kind of top 13, and then is stepping up to UTMB and did that big challenge uh and raised a lot of money and awareness for charity.
00:43:35.440 --> 00:43:36.960
So that was really good to see.
00:43:37.039 --> 00:43:39.039
And yeah, I'm glad to see Elsie in there.
00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:44.320
I I do think like she if she can stick it, she's she's as good as anyone.
00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:46.239
Like if she can stick it and stay with it.
00:43:46.320 --> 00:43:54.159
And I know she struggled a little bit with stomach things in the past, and yeah, I know she d as well, she doesn't like heights, Elsie, which is interesting.
00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:59.760
So maybe going up high, that that first kind of well, the the section from the contamine round, especially.
00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:02.800
The one down into Cormio where you go past the pyramids and stuff.
00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:07.679
Maybe doing that section in the dark might help her because she doesn't see anything up there.
00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:10.559
So yeah, that'll be interesting to see how she goes.
00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:11.920
But I wish Elsie well.
00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:12.960
I like Elsie.
00:44:13.199 --> 00:44:16.960
And um I think she's got huge potential to compete with these girls.
00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:17.920
So yeah, go Elsie.
00:44:18.880 --> 00:44:21.679
And Fiona Pascal had a great run at Western States.
00:44:21.760 --> 00:44:25.840
Whether she can pull both of them off, it'd be lovely to see if she does.
00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:26.719
But yeah.
00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:28.320
Yeah, more British interest.
00:44:28.559 --> 00:44:29.599
Really like Fee as well.
00:44:29.679 --> 00:44:30.400
I think she's great.
00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:34.719
Another solid run last year at CCC off the back of a very good Western States.
00:44:34.800 --> 00:44:40.639
And I know she carried an injury into Western States this year, which meant she couldn't run as much downhill as she wanted to.
00:44:40.800 --> 00:44:44.800
So I wonder if all that climbing's helped her prep for UTMB.
00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:48.320
And I know she struggled with nerves before UTMB a couple of years ago.
00:44:48.559 --> 00:44:50.400
I think she's in a much better place now.
00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:53.119
And she's a serious, serious contender on a day.
00:44:53.199 --> 00:44:57.840
It's great to see some really strong British interest in there on the women's side.
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:03.920
I know we've got British interest on the men's side as well, but it's really nice to see our ladies going up against the best.
00:45:04.239 --> 00:45:04.800
Definitely.
00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:06.880
And another Lucy Bartholomew.
00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:08.719
I'd love to see her do well as well.
00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:11.599
She's come, I think she's just going to come back every year.
00:45:11.920 --> 00:45:13.280
I think she just loves it too much.
00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:15.679
She's going to be doing it for another 20 years.
00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:25.199
So she's got time, but she's kind of gradually made her way up, been top 10 three years now, whether she can improve on seventh and a great run at Lap Radio and Trans Vulcanania.
00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:26.880
And I think she's just going to keep learning.
00:45:27.039 --> 00:45:29.119
So I'm excited to see.
00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:31.440
I think one day I think she will win it.
00:45:31.519 --> 00:45:33.119
It's just what year will it be?
00:45:33.760 --> 00:45:35.519
Yeah, it's it's one of those things, isn't it?
00:45:35.599 --> 00:45:38.880
Just keep keep going back, learning the course, experience will tell eventually.
00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:39.360
Yeah.
00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:45.840
Well, moving on to the men's field, which yeah, a lot of very interesting names.
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:47.679
There's some of them again, I didn't see these ones come in.
00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:58.800
So we've got James Waldsley, again, doesn't need an intro, but first at OCC last year, first at the Long Trent won World Champs, first at Western States 2024, and he's won UTMB before in 2023.
00:45:58.960 --> 00:46:05.360
Caleb Olsen, American athlete again, first at Western States, first at TGC 2025.
00:46:05.920 --> 00:46:10.880
Hasn't, I don't think he's done quite as much this year, so it'll be interesting to see what form he's in.
00:46:10.960 --> 00:46:13.039
But he had a great season last year.
00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:20.000
We've got Hans, German athlete, won Laverator, 120k, second at TGC behind John Alban.
00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:23.199
Again, had a great year, so it'll be interesting to see how he does.
00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:34.639
Vincent is back first at Western States, and he's very much he keeps himself to himself, so it'll be very interesting to see how he turns up on the day or if even turns up, but hopefully see him there.
00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:40.480
Third at Keanti, winner of UTMB in 2024, the big surprise win that no one saw coming.
00:46:40.639 --> 00:46:49.039
We've got Chris Myers, American athlete, third at the IGA 50K, first at Mount Fuji earlier this year, and second at Western States last year.
00:46:49.280 --> 00:46:57.280
Killian Jaurney, once again, does not need an intro, but a Spanish athlete, third at Western States 2024, second at Keanti 2025.
00:46:57.599 --> 00:47:04.480
Didn't have quite as good start of the year, 43rd as Zagama, and he kind of I he said he's had quite a lot of niggles and injuries.
00:47:04.559 --> 00:47:07.119
And I don't know whether did he actually start Western States?
00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:09.039
He did start, didn't finish, yeah.
00:47:09.199 --> 00:47:11.599
Yeah, he didn't last too long at Western States, unfortunately.
00:47:11.760 --> 00:47:16.079
Yeah, he's had major I I'd be surprised if Killian starts, but let's see.
00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:16.559
Yeah.
00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:21.119
We've got Ben Dieman, an American athlete, who I think is desperate for the win.
00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:26.480
Second at Mont Blanc, 90k, second at UTMB last year, and definitely coming for the win.
00:47:26.800 --> 00:47:31.119
Got John Alban, which I'm very interested to see if he's going to be on the stalline.
00:47:31.199 --> 00:47:38.239
First at TGC, he's won OCC, won CCC, but he pulled out of Mont Blanc Marathon 90k with an injury.
00:47:38.480 --> 00:47:47.360
And he uh I've been doing some Strava stalking, and normally he's got a private Stra no public Strava account, and he's posted nothing since his injury at 9k.
00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:49.840
Don't know what the injury was, don't know if he's back training.
00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:52.400
So yeah, it'd be very interesting to see if he's on the start line.
00:47:52.480 --> 00:47:56.880
But I think if he is on the start line and back in fitness, he could definitely win it.
00:47:57.119 --> 00:47:59.519
Josh Wade, which oh, I just love Josh.
00:47:59.599 --> 00:48:07.679
Um third at UTMB last year, winner of UTS 80k, and a really amazing British runner.
00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:10.079
And I would love to see Josh win it.
00:48:10.320 --> 00:48:11.280
Absolutely love it.
00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:12.960
Like he's just gonna keep coming back.
00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:14.960
He has way too much fun out there.
00:48:15.760 --> 00:48:22.239
If if it was a heart competition, if my heart was to give this to somebody, Josh Ward would be right at the top of that list.
00:48:22.400 --> 00:48:26.719
Um, he is an amazing person, amazing character, he loves the mountains.
00:48:26.960 --> 00:48:34.719
He is made for UTMB, and he's had a little child this year, and yeah, I think with a bit of daddy power, you know.
00:48:34.800 --> 00:48:43.039
Uh last year we saw Caleb Olsen win Western States, we saw Tom Evans win UTMB a couple of months after having their first child.
00:48:43.199 --> 00:48:46.400
Maybe, you know, it's the year for Josh Wade to do it, who knows?
00:48:46.559 --> 00:48:50.239
Um, but yeah, I I I really like this list.
00:48:50.400 --> 00:48:58.320
I think the only thing with this list is there's a lot of doubt around a lot of these men, and that's the only thing I don't like about it.
00:48:58.480 --> 00:49:08.159
So that's where I'm I'm actually going to start is Jim dropped out of Western States with a knee injury, so he's coming in, and most people will bat Jim if he's fit, but is he fit?
00:49:08.400 --> 00:49:14.800
Vansant's coming here, having smashed the course record at Western States, he's clearly recovered well.
00:49:14.880 --> 00:49:21.360
The the the kind of the news from the Hawker camp is that he's recovered well and he's going well, but you'll never truly know until you get deep into 100 mile.
00:49:21.679 --> 00:49:23.760
So he's gonna have Western States in his legs.
00:49:23.840 --> 00:49:32.639
Caleb Olsen's been carrying injuries all year, he's not as fit as he would usually be, but he is timing it and he is getting fitter, so he will be still one to watch.
00:49:32.800 --> 00:49:35.119
Killian is is definitely injured, you know.
00:49:35.199 --> 00:49:37.599
He's been injured all year, he's he's clearly running.
00:49:37.679 --> 00:49:39.440
We can see that from his social media.
00:49:39.599 --> 00:49:41.920
Um, but what kind of shape is he gonna be in?
00:49:42.079 --> 00:49:43.679
Chris Myers has had a good year.
00:49:43.840 --> 00:49:45.760
He's been consistent, he might be one to watch.
00:49:45.920 --> 00:49:52.239
Second at Western States last year, he had a good 50k recently, he won Mount Food yearly in the year and longer race.
00:49:52.320 --> 00:49:53.599
He's better the longer it goes.
00:49:54.079 --> 00:49:56.079
Chris could be a bit of a surprise package.
00:49:56.239 --> 00:49:58.239
I really like Hannes Namberger.
00:49:58.320 --> 00:50:02.639
I think Hannes might, it might be Hannes' year to kind of step up.
00:50:02.880 --> 00:50:04.880
He won again in Lavaredo.
00:50:04.960 --> 00:50:08.480
That was either four or foot five for him in Lavaredo, which is insane.
00:50:08.639 --> 00:50:15.360
Did a really had a really good performance early on in the year in Transgrand Canaria, usually paces things pretty well, Hannes.
00:50:15.679 --> 00:50:18.800
So don't be surprised to see him come from behind.
00:50:19.039 --> 00:50:22.239
Um, Ben Dieman is the other interesting one for me.
00:50:22.400 --> 00:50:25.519
Second last year, a very strong run behind Tom Evans.
00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:27.920
He's kind of put himself on the line a little bit.
00:50:28.079 --> 00:50:36.719
He's gone, you know, I'm here to win, and anything else is a disappointment, which I quite like in some ways, but like I think you do set yourself up a little bit.
00:50:36.800 --> 00:50:43.760
Like what goes on in your mindset if you find yourself in third or fourth and you're having a bit of a bad time, is that gonna affect him in a negative way?
00:50:44.079 --> 00:50:50.000
So yeah, that they're the ones on my list who have kind of really kind of got a got an eye on.
00:50:50.239 --> 00:51:00.880
If I was if I had to pick heart says Josh, heart says Josh, my head actually I I I'm gonna be controversial here.
00:51:01.360 --> 00:51:03.360
I'm gonna go Vanceant Bouillard.
00:51:04.079 --> 00:51:06.159
I think I think he does the double.
00:51:06.320 --> 00:51:10.000
Um I just think he's in such a good place mentally.
00:51:10.159 --> 00:51:10.400
Yeah.
00:51:10.880 --> 00:51:18.159
And the rumors coming out of the Hawker camper that he has recovered exceptionally well and he looks pretty good.
00:51:18.320 --> 00:51:22.000
So I'm gonna go with Vincent Bouillard to do the double.
00:51:22.320 --> 00:51:25.199
If anyone was gonna do the double, I think it would be him.
00:51:25.440 --> 00:51:27.920
So yeah, it's gonna be interesting.
00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:31.920
But it always baffles me though that I don't really understand how new dads can do so well.
00:51:32.000 --> 00:51:37.039
You'd think that their sleep schedule would be awful and they're not recovering well, but they all seem to do really well.
00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:39.360
So hopefully it works on Josh Wade's favour.
00:51:39.920 --> 00:51:41.679
But I'm very excited.
00:51:43.199 --> 00:51:44.079
Daddy power, isn't it?
00:51:44.159 --> 00:51:46.719
It's I remember I don't know if you remember a track athlete.
00:51:46.880 --> 00:51:48.639
Um, he was a fantastic athlete.
00:51:48.800 --> 00:51:53.360
He used to get uh a lot of medals on the track, and his name has just escaped me now.
00:51:53.519 --> 00:51:56.320
15 Rometer and a Scottish guy will come to me in a second.
00:51:56.480 --> 00:52:02.400
And I remember him giving an interview one time and he just said, Yeah, yeah, it's just uh I'm living off daddy fuel and daddy power.
00:52:02.480 --> 00:52:11.360
I'm so happy, you know, I'm I'm just so appreciative of everything and so happy to be a new dad that I think it just powers them round.
00:52:11.519 --> 00:52:12.079
Yeah.
00:52:12.320 --> 00:52:12.960
Incredible.
00:52:13.599 --> 00:52:18.320
It's the it's the new technology that is the how to win a race.
00:52:18.480 --> 00:52:21.840
I think Vincent, is he he's recently had a trial, doesn't he?
00:52:22.000 --> 00:52:23.039
Yes, he has as well.
00:52:23.119 --> 00:52:24.559
This is the this is the thing, you see.
00:52:24.639 --> 00:52:30.719
It's just it just uh I think Vanson's was end of last year, early this year.
00:52:30.800 --> 00:52:39.920
So I remember meeting Van Sunt and Camilla, I believe, is his partner, lovely girl Camilla um met them in uh Kianti.
00:52:40.320 --> 00:52:51.360
So I saw them there where Vanson got his golden ticket, and then yeah, the rest is history, as they say, quite literally, because he's now a history maker with smashing that Western States course record.
00:52:51.599 --> 00:52:52.159
Yeah.
00:52:52.400 --> 00:52:59.599
I I did some deep dive searching because Camilla has actually got the same surname as Killian, and I was like, are they related?
00:52:59.760 --> 00:53:00.480
But they're not.
00:53:02.320 --> 00:53:04.800
I was like, wow, that's some mad connection.
00:53:05.360 --> 00:53:06.400
Be pretty cool, wouldn't it?
00:53:06.559 --> 00:53:25.519
Yeah, but for those that don't know who Vanson is, he was a hooker, well, he still is a hoker shoe designer, and somehow pulled it out of the bag and won UTMB 2024 completely under the radar, and he was crewed by his shoe tech team that he works with at Western States, which was really cool to watch.
00:53:25.760 --> 00:53:30.719
So yeah, but that is a wrap on the the top three races.
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:35.679
You've still got YCC, ETC, which we've got ETC's got a good field as well, actually.
00:53:35.840 --> 00:53:38.320
Madelina Freya, who won it last year, is back.
00:53:38.719 --> 00:53:41.599
There's quite a lot of good athletes in ETC this year.
00:53:41.760 --> 00:53:48.880
We've got MTC, which is the race that's normally for locals or volunteers, PTL, which is crazy 300 kilometres.
00:53:49.119 --> 00:53:55.360
You've got TDS, which Steph, who was on the podcast um a few episodes ago, she's gonna be doing that.
00:53:55.599 --> 00:53:57.440
So it's gonna be an exciting week.
00:53:57.519 --> 00:53:59.840
So amazing, amazing week, yeah.
00:54:00.000 --> 00:54:04.639
And you just reminded me there, Beth, actually, when you said locals and you're listing some of the things out.
00:54:04.800 --> 00:54:08.960
Did you mention did you mention Blandine Hirandell in the um I think you did, didn't you?
00:54:09.039 --> 00:54:10.320
You mentioned Blandine and I miss it.
00:54:10.400 --> 00:54:12.400
Is Blandine in UTMB this year?
00:54:12.559 --> 00:54:13.280
I think she is.
00:54:13.679 --> 00:54:15.119
Um we definitely said her name.
00:54:15.199 --> 00:54:15.840
Yeah, she is.
00:54:16.159 --> 00:54:19.199
Yeah, so Blandine, a local French athlete, obviously.
00:54:19.280 --> 00:54:22.639
And um it was just when you said about that, yeah, Blandine.
00:54:22.800 --> 00:54:26.639
God, yeah, she'll be 100% one to watch as well in that women's race, yeah.
00:54:26.719 --> 00:54:27.599
Apologies to Blandine.
00:54:28.400 --> 00:54:33.360
In 2024 for UTMB, so Marisa Marsh couldn't advance that.
00:54:33.760 --> 00:54:35.280
Strong CCC last year.
00:54:35.440 --> 00:54:38.159
Was she fourth in the end in CCC?
00:54:38.800 --> 00:54:45.840
Um Martina, Sylvia, Anna Tarasova, and Blandine, I believe, fourth.
00:54:46.159 --> 00:54:49.280
Yeah, so she'll she'll she'll mix it, definitely.
00:54:49.599 --> 00:54:50.320
Yeah, yeah.
00:54:50.639 --> 00:54:52.000
Lots to look forward to.
00:54:52.239 --> 00:55:09.119
Yeah, and it's interesting because hard rock is obviously a very different race, although Courtney won it is hard rock fitness, isn't quite the same as UTMB fitness, so it'll be interesting to see how she's kind of pulled it back since hard rock because yeah, I'm very, very interested in all of this.
00:55:09.440 --> 00:55:13.519
But yeah, um, I'll be flying out in a week's time.
00:55:13.599 --> 00:55:13.760
Yeah.
00:55:13.920 --> 00:55:15.840
Oh, a week's time I'll be there actually.
00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:17.039
So even better.
00:55:17.519 --> 00:55:19.599
So the well, you you arrive on the Friday.
00:55:19.840 --> 00:55:20.320
Yep.
00:55:20.559 --> 00:55:20.960
Yeah.
00:55:21.199 --> 00:55:23.280
And then things really get kicked off properly.
00:55:23.519 --> 00:55:28.400
I know things kind of start to kick off over the weekend and stuff, but um Monday, isn't it?
00:55:28.559 --> 00:55:32.719
MCC and uh a lot of the other longer races start kicking off in the week as well.
00:55:32.960 --> 00:55:37.440
And are you heading over to Cormayer for the shorter ones on the Tuesday, the Alpine Run Project?
00:55:38.079 --> 00:55:39.119
This year, unfortunately not.
00:55:39.280 --> 00:55:44.159
I don't think there's enough seats on the buses, but I'll be watching the live stream and stalking all the trackers.
00:55:44.239 --> 00:55:51.599
But yeah, I'm excited to see what Alpine Run Project do because I was part of Alpine Run Project previously, and they're going to be doing YCC and ETC.
00:55:51.679 --> 00:55:56.960
And it's interesting actually, because YCC's changed this year, so the revenge is only in the top 30 runners.
00:55:57.280 --> 00:56:03.599
So before YCC was very much like you need to pace the first day because you've then got the shorter, faster one on the next day.
00:56:03.679 --> 00:56:05.519
But this year it's owned top 30.
00:56:05.599 --> 00:56:08.559
So it'll be interesting how YCC also plays out.
00:56:08.719 --> 00:56:11.360
But the main event is actually the VK the day before.
00:56:12.239 --> 00:56:14.000
Yeah, I've heard I've heard all about it.
00:56:14.239 --> 00:56:16.079
I've heard all about it, the VK.
00:56:16.159 --> 00:56:20.159
I'm surprised they're not being raped in, but yeah, I've uh I've heard all about that.
00:56:20.320 --> 00:56:21.760
Yeah, the the the shorter races.
00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:27.760
I'll be interested to see if they live stream the ETC this year because it's getting bigger and better every year.
00:56:27.920 --> 00:56:33.519
And obviously they they live stream the the main categories we've spoken about, the OCC, CCC, UTMB.
00:56:33.679 --> 00:56:39.360
Um, but it'll be interested to see if they do now start to stream that shorter one because it is getting super competitive.
00:56:39.519 --> 00:56:42.719
Yeah, the the whole week is just so competitive, isn't it?
00:56:42.960 --> 00:57:05.679
Yeah, it's even things like MCC has got a stacked field, and it's like that's MCC, like not to take anything away from MCC, but normally it's just local runners, volunteers, but yeah, everyone's in PC, well no, not PCL, TDS has again got some really good athletes in there, which again, normally it's just not as competitive, but it's gonna be an exciting week.
00:57:06.000 --> 00:57:09.760
Yeah, I think people are just seeing it, especially coming back, they're seeing more and more options, aren't they?
00:57:09.840 --> 00:57:11.360
And thinking, well, I can mix it up, you know.
00:57:11.440 --> 00:57:17.920
I might have done UTMB, I might have done CCC, I might have fancy a different challenge and another way to see see the mountains, see the valley.
00:57:18.159 --> 00:57:19.840
Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.
00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:23.760
Excited to get back out there and uh let's just hope it cools down a little bit.
00:57:23.840 --> 00:57:25.280
That's all I'm gonna wear.
00:57:25.679 --> 00:57:35.280
I'm actually, yeah, it's gonna be interesting what the weather's like because the summer could end early, and it could be like last year, where the weather was awful, or it could continue the heat wave for another week.
00:57:35.679 --> 00:57:37.840
Sure, the Brits would take the awful weather, eh?
00:57:38.159 --> 00:57:39.920
Yeah, that could change things.
00:57:41.039 --> 00:57:42.639
Yeah, certainly did.
00:57:42.800 --> 00:57:51.840
Yeah, we saw a lot of Scandinavian and British interest towards the front of the field, and I don't think that was a surprise in any race given the conditions.
00:57:52.000 --> 00:57:58.559
Yeah, it was really interesting compared to the previous year where it was hotter, and we saw a lot of the other nations like Spain doing really well.
00:57:58.719 --> 00:58:02.559
And yeah, it's uh it's fascinating how the weather does play such a big part.
00:58:02.800 --> 00:58:04.960
Well, they're saying that it's been such hot British summer.
00:58:05.199 --> 00:58:06.800
We're all on the level playing field this year.
00:58:06.960 --> 00:58:07.599
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:58:07.679 --> 00:58:08.639
We're all acclimatised.
00:58:08.880 --> 00:58:10.719
We are absolutely ready to go.
00:58:11.440 --> 00:58:13.599
Well, anyway, thank you so much for joining Lewis.
00:58:13.760 --> 00:58:21.920
Hopefully, it'll be an exciting week, and I'm sure we'll have plenty of episodes discussing the results and interviewing hopefully lots of the big athletes that placed well.
00:58:22.079 --> 00:58:25.199
But yeah, thank you, Lewis, and we will see everyone soon.
00:58:25.519 --> 00:58:26.239
Thanks, everyone.