Latest / RunThrough Trails / #Ep 50 - Lewis Moses | Breaking Down UTMB Week 2026

Transcript

#Ep 50 - Lewis Moses | Breaking Down UTMB Week 2026 · RunThrough Trails

0:27
SPEAKER_00: Hello, welcome back to the Run Through Trails Podcast.
0:30
SPEAKER_00: Today we've got Lewis with me, and then my name is Beth, and I am the host.
0:34
SPEAKER_00: So today we're going to be doing a preview episode of UTMB.
0:38
SPEAKER_00: It is less than two weeks away, which is crazy that it's come around so quickly.
0:42
SPEAKER_00: For those who don't know what UTMB is, UTMB is kind of described as the Trail Running Olympics.
0:47
SPEAKER_00: It is the finals of all the series events, and it's basically all the best trail runners in the world go to UTMB, but you've also got amateur runners, people that just do trail running as a hobby.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: 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.
1:07
SPEAKER_00: There are, I think, seven races.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: You've got YCC, MCC, OCC, CCC, TDS, PTL, and UTMB.
1:16
SPEAKER_00: 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.
1:26
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, welcome Lewis.
1:27
SPEAKER_00: Welcome back even.
1:29
SPEAKER_00: How are you?
1:30
SPEAKER_01: I'm good, thank you.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: I'm really good.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's good to be back.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
1:33
SPEAKER_01: I'm excited about the episode.
1:35
SPEAKER_01: Looking forward to another UTMB week, which as you said is less than two weeks away, which is crazy.
1:41
SPEAKER_01: Um, when you actually think about the start of the week, it's like only just over a week away, which is mad.
1:46
SPEAKER_01: And uh you did you did well to uh reel off all those letters there, but you almost got the full alphabet.
1:52
SPEAKER_00: If you told me what the letters stand for, no, don't ask me that.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't have a clue.
1:57
SPEAKER_01: I know, I know, I know a lot of them.
1:58
SPEAKER_01: Um I know most of them, actually, I think.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: But maybe I won't put that to the test.
2:02
SPEAKER_01: We'll stick with the OCC, CCC, and UTMB.
2:05
SPEAKER_01: I can list those off nice and easy.
2:07
SPEAKER_00: I can do UTMB, Ultimate Trail Montpont Blanc.
2:10
SPEAKER_01: There we go.
2:10
SPEAKER_00: That was that's a nice, easy one.
2:14
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, did you want to introduce yourself, uh, those you haven't met you before?
2:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I suppose I've not been on for a while.
2:20
SPEAKER_01: 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.
2:28
SPEAKER_01: Uh I'm absolutely delighted now to see Beth hosting the show, and it's great to see her and now interviewing lots of different trail athletes from around the world.
2:36
SPEAKER_01: 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.
2:43
SPEAKER_01: So that's really cool.
2:45
SPEAKER_01: My name is Lewis Moses.
2:46
SPEAKER_01: For those of you who've maybe never heard of me before, which I'm sure there's a lot of you haven't.
2:51
SPEAKER_01: I am now the director of running experience and coaching at Run Through.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: And I guess that sits on two parts.
2:59
SPEAKER_01: Firstly, the runner experience.
3:01
SPEAKER_01: So that part is very much connecting the run through community, both at events and away from events.
3:06
SPEAKER_01: Obviously, coaching is a big part of that.
3:08
SPEAKER_01: The training nights we do, the community events we do, uh looking at engaging communities as run through grows.
3:13
SPEAKER_01: 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.
3:23
SPEAKER_01: 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.
3:29
SPEAKER_01: So that's um that side of the role.
3:31
SPEAKER_01: And then the coaching kind of explains itself.
3:33
SPEAKER_01: I'm a former elite athlete, turn coach.
3:36
SPEAKER_01: I now coach predominantly uh and a lot of ultra trail athletes.
3:41
SPEAKER_01: I still do coach a little bit online, not as much as I used to with the mass athletes.
3:45
SPEAKER_01: I really do focus on now at the elite end uh of the sport, and that tends to fall in the ultra trail and mountain domain.
3:53
SPEAKER_01: So I have quite a few runners racing UTMB week in the races that we are about to talk about.
3:57
SPEAKER_01: 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.
4:07
SPEAKER_01: 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.
4:14
SPEAKER_01: It's the best of the best all coming together to compete.
4:17
SPEAKER_01: And the status revealed that they are absolutely stacked this year, which is great to see.
4:22
SPEAKER_01: Um, but as a coach, I do like to see who's racing, obviously.
4:25
SPEAKER_01: I like to see who my athletes are competing against.
4:27
SPEAKER_01: Um, I don't pay too much attention to the rankings.
4:30
SPEAKER_01: 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.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: 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.
4:44
SPEAKER_01: 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.
5:01
SPEAKER_01: You you know, you could end up with 26 different plans if you started looking at everybody else.
5:05
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, that's kind of my thought process around those elite lists coming out.
5:10
SPEAKER_00: 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.
5:19
SPEAKER_00: You still just don't know.
5:20
SPEAKER_00: You don't know what people's fitness are like, what their training's been like, but the field is stacked.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: 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.
5:34
SPEAKER_00: Because I think whenever I've seen the elite start list for, 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.
5:44
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
5:45
SPEAKER_01: And and when you were saying about covering the favourites, 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.
5:57
SPEAKER_01: Like, this could be a long episode, but yeah, we'll we'll do our best to condense it down.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, it's so true.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: And there's always a few people that aren't even on the elite start list that squeeze their way in.
6:08
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, a lot to play for.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: But we'll kick things off with OCC.
6:13
SPEAKER_00: So OCC starts in OCS, is that how you say it?
6:17
SPEAKER_01: Pretty much, yeah.
6:19
SPEAKER_01: And that's when you talk about the letters, that's obviously what it stands for.
6:22
SPEAKER_01: So OCR to Champe, Lac to Chamonix, so the OCC.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
6:27
SPEAKER_00: Good knowledge that.
6:28
SPEAKER_00: Um and then yeah, finishes in Chamonix.
6:31
SPEAKER_00: So it's actually a slightly different course to previous years.
6:33
SPEAKER_00: It's now 60k with 3,500 metres elevations.
6:37
SPEAKER_00: This is the final for the 50k element of UTMB.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: It's gonna be taking place on the Thursday, 8:15 kickoff, and then normally first finishes are like early afternoon.
6:47
SPEAKER_00: But I'm gonna go through, we'll start with the women, a few of the top names.
6:51
SPEAKER_00: 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.
7:04
SPEAKER_00: I don't think she's ever competed on a UTMB race, which surprised me.
7:07
SPEAKER_00: We've got Judith Weeder, Swiss, first at the European Champs 50K, second at OCC 2025 and 2024.
7:15
SPEAKER_00: We've got Moyd, um, Swiss athlete again, first at Verbia 50K, third at OCC 2025.
7:22
SPEAKER_00: Ida, Norwegian athlete, who was second at Mont Blanc Marathon, fourth at World Champs 50K, and fifth at OCC 2025.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: Sarah Alonso, Spanish athlete, first at Valderan 50k, second at World Champs 50k, and fourth at OCC in 2025 and 2024.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: And then a bit of British talent.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: We've got Naomi Lang, um, who's did been on the podcast before, actually.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: She became third at Pitts Alpline and also third at Mont Blanc Marathon, third at World Champs in 2025, and I would love to see Naomi do really well.
7:57
SPEAKER_00: Um, recently won Archivatrician 50k as well, and then a few of the other athletes that also could squeeze their way into the top spot.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: So we've got Marinosa, Lauren Gregory, Hollywoodon, 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 there.
8:16
SPEAKER_00: So that's a lot, a lot of good women taking place in that 50k, a lot of golden trail athletes.
8:21
SPEAKER_00: What are your impressions, though?
8:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I think the course change affects this hugely.
8:27
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I'm not gonna lie.
8:28
SPEAKER_01: I think, particularly on the women's side with people like uh Naomi, for example.
8:34
SPEAKER_01: I think Naomi would prefer it to be shorter.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: We could see her very successful over distances around 40k, Marathon de Mont Blanc.
8:41
SPEAKER_01: We know she's a good downhill specialist.
8:43
SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of climbing as well, around three and a half thousand metres.
8:46
SPEAKER_01: I I'm not, I'll be honest, I'm not certain that amount of elevation is exactly right.
8:50
SPEAKER_01: I'll be interested to see what it comes out at after the event.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: It's always hard to plot the exact elevation, especially on a new course.
8:57
SPEAKER_01: 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.
9:14
SPEAKER_01: I just don't understand how that uh taking out Flagre is then increasing the amount of climbing.
9:19
SPEAKER_01: They are obviously dropping down before they climb Tete de Baum.
9:22
SPEAKER_01: So maybe it is that, but I'll be surprised if it is bang on 3500.
9:26
SPEAKER_01: But when I look at that, I think increase-wise, it's probably another 20 minutes to half an hour on last year.
9:33
SPEAKER_01: And for people like Naomi, that is a that is a tough ask.
9:36
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I uh maybe it favours people more like Judith who were 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.
9:51
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, an intriguing course change and plenty of interest.
9:54
SPEAKER_01: I think there's a couple of people who could pull off surprises as well in there.
9:58
SPEAKER_00: 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.
10:12
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, it's and it was quite a last-minute course change as well.
10:16
SPEAKER_00: 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 at 100k really at that point.
10:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, yeah, I mean, I I've seen people do 72k in Keanti, which is a 100k category.
10:32
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, I think I'm a bit disappointed that Flager isn't in there.
10:35
SPEAKER_01: I think I for me, I think the flager climb is iconic, it should be in each of the finals.
10:40
SPEAKER_01: That's my own personal opinion.
10:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, the course itself remains the same until it gets to Calderbaum.
10:45
SPEAKER_01: I've certainly not seen any changes, I've had a delve into it because I've got athletes running the OCC.
10:51
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I think that'll be interesting because until Calderbachm, we're going to be able to see similar splits to the year before.
10:57
SPEAKER_01: So it'd be interesting to see how Tove does compared to previous years because she is in just a league of her own at the minute.
11:04
SPEAKER_01: 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.
11:13
SPEAKER_01: Um, but then yeah, intrigued by people like I guess Maud Mathis, who Swiss athletes, very, very strong.
11:20
SPEAKER_01: She'll she'll know the course inside out.
11:22
SPEAKER_01: Molly Seidel, bronze medalist at Tokyo Marathon, did Western State, struggled there.
11:26
SPEAKER_01: She's on the OCC start list.
11:28
SPEAKER_01: Like, how well will she go?
11:30
SPEAKER_01: How will the Americans do on the long climbs, long descent?
11:32
SPEAKER_01: So loads and loads of interest, and then yeah, British interest as well, with the likes of Hollywood and Holly Page.
11:38
SPEAKER_01: So just yeah, where do you start to look?
11:41
SPEAKER_01: It's crazy.
11:43
SPEAKER_00: 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.
11:49
SPEAKER_00: 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.
11:59
SPEAKER_00: And it's 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, 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 going.
12:16
SPEAKER_01: 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.
12:23
SPEAKER_01: I know I believe she did some orienteering races in between, but her trail running calendar this year has actually been quite light.
12:30
SPEAKER_01: I think two races on her calendar.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: Um, so that'll be interesting to see how she does how she goes.
12:36
SPEAKER_01: I mean, the two races that she did, she was completely worlds apart.
12:40
SPEAKER_01: And I I watched her at the Worlds uh last year when I went out to Camp Frank, and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
12:47
SPEAKER_01: 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.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: David Sinclair just finished second at CCC.
13:09
SPEAKER_01: Like it was insane.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: 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.
13:16
SPEAKER_01: Like that puts it into perspective.
13:19
SPEAKER_01: So I she will be a standout favourite, but Judith Vider knows this the that this course, she's brilliant, she's experienced.
13:26
SPEAKER_01: She will bring that Sarah Alonso is brilliant, she's aggressive, and and I I really like Ida Amelie Robsham.
13:33
SPEAKER_01: She's made great progress over the last few years.
13:35
SPEAKER_01: She ran a fantastic marathon.
13:37
SPEAKER_01: I believe it was it was either Valencia or Barcelona, I can't remember which one, but it was like 226 or something like that.
13:43
SPEAKER_01: And that is rapid.
13:44
SPEAKER_01: And I remember seeing her one year, uh, it might have been last year, year before.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: She actually smashed a pack in the race and carried all a mandatory kit back into Chamonix.
13:54
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I saw that.
13:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
13:56
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
13:56
SPEAKER_01: So I I think she's one to watch this year.
13:59
SPEAKER_01: If I was to put a bit of money on somebody having a good run, it would be Ida.
14:03
SPEAKER_01: 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.
14:15
SPEAKER_01: And uh she she placed impressively there, but she's coming a lot since, so I'm I'm intrigued to see how she goes.
14:20
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and she wasn't she was a little bit far behind Tove, but she wasn't that far behind Tove at Mont Blanc.
14:26
SPEAKER_00: So if she continues building, no reason why she can't close that gap a bit more.
14:31
SPEAKER_00: But as we've got so many stacked athletes to go through, we'll move on to OCC men's.
14:37
SPEAKER_00: 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.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: That'll be his UTMB debut today.
14:48
SPEAKER_00: Well, many races.
14:49
SPEAKER_00: 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.
14:58
SPEAKER_00: We've got Daniel Patisse, um Italian athlete, first at Laveredo 50K, second at Euros 50k, Francesco Puppi, been 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.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: Other athletes to watch Pet Rengle, David McGeini, Chris Jones, which UK athlete, we've got Robbie Simpson, also a UK athlete, and Christian Allen.
15:30
SPEAKER_00: But once again, a stacked OCC field.
15:34
SPEAKER_01: It is insane, absolutely insane.
15:36
SPEAKER_01: What I like about this field is you've got people stepping down.
15:40
SPEAKER_01: So, like Peter Engal, who's made a step up the last few years, is stepping back down.
15:44
SPEAKER_01: So that's pretty cool to see.
15:46
SPEAKER_01: You've got people stepping up, you know, Daniel Patisse, Remy Bernet probably have more success over kind of that 30, 40k distance.
15:53
SPEAKER_01: Poopy's stepping back down after winning CCC last year.
15:56
SPEAKER_01: The big question mark around Puppy, of course, is will he have recovered from um the Western States?
16:02
SPEAKER_01: Such an impressive run there.
16:04
SPEAKER_01: Wasn't as hot this year, so maybe recovery has been a little bit better and kinder to people.
16:08
SPEAKER_01: That's one thing I would say.
16:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, and and Puppy knows this course, you know.
16:12
SPEAKER_01: He was he actually finished second twice in a in a two years in a row in 2023 and 2024.
16:17
SPEAKER_01: The year he finished second to Eli Heming, he went the wrong way, so that was a a run where he could have potentially won.
16:25
SPEAKER_01: And the the year he finished second to Stian Angerman.
16:27
SPEAKER_01: Stean Engerman had that um failed test, so he was upgraded to first.
16:31
SPEAKER_01: So Puppy, very experienced on the course, he will be one to watch.
16:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, and then yeah, there's there's loads of other people to pick from that we we go through, and we've not I've not even mentioned yet Fred 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.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: Like it is just absolutely rammed with talent, it's amazing.
16:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, there's Staxfield 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 really spot as many Golden Trail male athletes coming across onto OCC.
17:10
SPEAKER_00: 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.
17:20
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, Christian Jones, incredible runner, fifth last year.
17:25
SPEAKER_00: Oh, top five, fifth, I think it was around fifth, yes, fifth, I believe.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um, yeah, I want to say fifth.
17:31
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was uh Jim beat Christian Menoggio, um Andres Wycheck from Poland was fourth, Peter Engdahl, uh sorry, third, Peter Engdahl fourth.
17:41
SPEAKER_01: I believe Peter Engdahl got Chris on the run-in, and then Chris was fifth, I believe, if my memory serves me right.
17:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, Chris was, I think, sixth the year before, so that's two impressive finishes.
17:52
SPEAKER_01: He has had some injury issues this year, as 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.
18:03
SPEAKER_01: So he will only know that once he gets into the race.
18:06
SPEAKER_01: But Chris is a really strong climber, very good runner, he'll definitely be one to watch.
18:10
SPEAKER_01: 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.
18:19
SPEAKER_01: So it'll be interesting to see if he's learnt from those mistakes.
18:22
SPEAKER_01: But he had a very impressive Sierra Zinal uh last weekend, and I don't think it boards well when people run hard at Zinal and then they come to OCC and try and turn it round.
18:34
SPEAKER_01: 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.
18:47
SPEAKER_00: And it's two very different courses.
18:49
SPEAKER_00: Like although OCC is a fairly runnable-ish course, it's yeah, completely different to Sierra Sinal.
18:56
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens.
18:59
SPEAKER_00: And you've got David McGeini, who's you know, he's been and done everything, and he still comes back and wins races.
19:06
SPEAKER_00: So I'm excited to see what he does.
19:08
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's oh, I think he's just so injury prone, isn't he?
19:11
SPEAKER_01: I think it depends which version of him sort of shows up.
19:15
SPEAKER_01: Like last year he just rocked up and run Marathon de Mont Blanc, and yeah, so we're not seeing him for ages, then he he pulls that out of the hat.
19:20
SPEAKER_01: So that'll be interesting.
19:22
SPEAKER_01: 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.
19:30
SPEAKER_01: He was uh I think he snuck in the top 20 at um Sierzinal last weekend as well.
19:36
SPEAKER_01: So Robbie's clearly in decent shape and comes back here good over the longer distances.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it'd be really interesting to see how how they all go.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: But there's the there's some big hitters then, and we we're gonna have missed someone, like we are.
19:49
SPEAKER_01: It's just it 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.
20:00
SPEAKER_00: No, definitely.
20:01
SPEAKER_00: We'll go on to CCC then.
20:04
SPEAKER_00: So CCC starts in Coolmeya, finishes in Chamony, 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.
20:21
SPEAKER_00: But we'll kick it off with the women's, which is once again a stacked field.
20:25
SPEAKER_00: I don't think it's quite as stacked, I'd say, as CCC last year, but still a very stacked field.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: We've got Jennifer Litcher, who just won Western States, an incredible runner.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: She's won Black Canyons this year.
20:38
SPEAKER_00: This will be her CCC debut.
20:40
SPEAKER_00: We've got Tony McCann who did DNF last year, but she was the winner the previous year, and she's recently won Tour de Lac Annecy, so in good form.
20:50
SPEAKER_00: We've got Kaylain 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.
21:05
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
21:06
SPEAKER_00: And then we've got Miao Yao, um, who is her 100k debut, winner of OCC last year, another incredible athlete.
21:14
SPEAKER_00: We've got Jenna, who's been on the podcast and is coached by Lewis, um, winner of St.
21:19
SPEAKER_00: 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.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: We've got Lingi Chi, we've got Hon Hon Honukona.
21:33
SPEAKER_00: Honuker, no.
21:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Honukka.
21:36
SPEAKER_01: She's actually in the campo Gemma at the minute.
21:37
SPEAKER_01: She's lovely, Japanese athlete.
21:39
SPEAKER_01: She's she's fantastic.
21:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, she had a good Western state.
21:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and some incredible performances over the last year.
21:45
SPEAKER_00: Another one that I can't pronounce, but uh Gingwild.
21:49
SPEAKER_01: Ingvil, Dingville, Kasperson, yeah.
21:52
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
21:53
SPEAKER_00: And then we've got Eve Moore from the UK, who recently actually won um run through trails 50k in the lake.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: So I think she did run.
22:02
SPEAKER_01: Ooh, good question.
22:04
SPEAKER_01: Scarlett Dale Scarlett Dale won the run through trails 50k, the trial race you're talking about.
22:09
SPEAKER_01: Eve more did run somewhere though.
22:11
SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to think of where I saw Eve run.
22:14
SPEAKER_01: And there was an Eve Panon run as well at the run through trails race that had a really good run that day.
22:18
SPEAKER_01: Scarlett Dale now goes by Scarlett McCourt, and she is one of the highly ranked favourites as well.
22:26
SPEAKER_01: She led out at Europeans and crashed and burned a little bit there, but still still had a really good run, but super impressive in the lakes this year.
22:34
SPEAKER_01: So I'll be interested to see how Scarlett goes.
22:36
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, she she married another trail runner, um, goes by Larry McCourt, which is why the name has changed recently.
22:42
SPEAKER_00: Fine, that makes more sense.
22:44
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, even more, she's definitely done something.
22:46
SPEAKER_00: I can't think what now though, but I remember seeing her recently.
22:49
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, another stacked field, and the list could go on of more athletes to name.
22:54
SPEAKER_01: It could indeed.
22:56
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
22:56
SPEAKER_00: How how are you feeling for CCC given you've got Gemma in the race?
23:00
SPEAKER_01: Um how do I feel for CCC?
23:03
SPEAKER_01: 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.
23:15
SPEAKER_01: Uh and I I will test your your knowledge now around the letters.
23:18
SPEAKER_01: You we've gone through all CC.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: You've said CCC starts in Cormayer.
23:23
SPEAKER_00: So Cormea, Champellac, Chamonix.
23:27
SPEAKER_01: Exactly that, yeah.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: So just the first one just changes.
23:30
SPEAKER_01: So they they start over in Italy, they go around to Switzerland, and then they come back around to France.
23:36
SPEAKER_01: The women's field is is super strong.
23:38
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think you know, Ingvil Kasperson has won won this before, uh, Tony McCann has won this before.
23:45
SPEAKER_01: 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.
23:54
SPEAKER_01: But a long time ago, I think if you go into a UTMB profile, double check that, make sure I haven't got that wrong.
24:00
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna have to double check myself here.
24:02
SPEAKER_01: I might be shooting myself in the foot.
24:03
SPEAKER_00: Um do you think she's got a hundred K index?
24:06
SPEAKER_01: So what happens, I think, is that it wipes after a couple of years.
24:11
SPEAKER_00: I think if you don't do an 100k, then it doesn't revalidate.
24:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so she's obviously done really well in the OCC of a recent year.
24:21
SPEAKER_01: She had a DNF in UTMB in 2019, she won CCC in 2018.
24:28
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
24:29
SPEAKER_01: So we've got another winner in there, and is a relentless winner at UTMB week.
24:36
SPEAKER_01: Jen Leitcher, I think it just depends on how recovery's gone off Western States.
24:41
SPEAKER_01: She absolutely smashed it, cost record there, incredible run.
24:44
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, like you say, Ingville Kasperson, previous winner in there.
24:48
SPEAKER_01: 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.
24:59
SPEAKER_01: Danny Moreno also dropped out last year.
25:02
SPEAKER_01: She's back, she's another one of those Adidas Terex athletes who's in good shape.
25:06
SPEAKER_01: She ran we uh won a race recently over 50k in America, so yeah, lots of interest.
25:13
SPEAKER_01: Um, I won't say too much about my wife being in there, I won't pay attention to her being in there.
25:18
SPEAKER_01: Uh I think she's ranked about 16, 17th, or something like that.
25:22
SPEAKER_01: But to kind of set the scene for everyone at home, uh just describe the CCC course, straight out of Cormaill is the biggest climb of the day.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: It's a 1200 metre climb straight out of Cormayer to the top of Cal de Sapan, uh, and then they they actually summit and then Tete de la Tranche, I think it's called, and they come round the top and they drop back down towards uh Refuge Batone.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: 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.
25:53
SPEAKER_01: 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 Colfere, which is more like three to four hours into the race.
26:09
SPEAKER_01: 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.
26:20
SPEAKER_01: But what's crazy at that point is they've done all that running and they're still not at halfway.
26:25
SPEAKER_01: It's mad.
26:26
SPEAKER_01: So it's a great course, it really is.
26:28
SPEAKER_01: 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 Fouleie all the way back to Chamonix.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: It is basically a VK to start the race, um, which is crazy.
26:43
SPEAKER_00: 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.
26:54
SPEAKER_00: 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.
27:09
SPEAKER_00: I think she just has been struggling a bit with training.
27:12
SPEAKER_00: Caitlin Fielder, who recently interviewed on the podcast, she said that she was coming back pretty strong and pretty happy.
27:18
SPEAKER_00: But she'll find out on the CCC start line actually how well the comeback has happened.
27:22
SPEAKER_00: But I think Jennifer's been pretty quiet on how her training's come back too.
27:28
SPEAKER_00: 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.
27:43
SPEAKER_01: 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 uh less than eight weeks ago, so it's still gonna be in people's legs.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Caitlin will be an interesting one.
27:54
SPEAKER_01: Caitlin's coached by a really good um coach Robbie Britton, uh, a friend of mine.
28:00
SPEAKER_01: I was speaking to Robbie today, actually.
28:02
SPEAKER_01: Uh, he's got two athletes in there in the on the women's side.
28:05
SPEAKER_01: So he's got Caitlin and a lady called Robin Lesh, who ran really well last year at CCC.
28:10
SPEAKER_01: She's back again as well.
28:11
SPEAKER_01: 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.
28:18
SPEAKER_01: Come race today.
28:19
SPEAKER_00: 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.
28:27
SPEAKER_00: 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.
28:44
SPEAKER_00: We have got, and I'm sorry if I say this wrong, um Gang Fu?
28:48
SPEAKER_01: Gang Fucking Gang Fu Meng, yeah, yeah, Gang Fu Meng.
28:52
SPEAKER_00: He was Chinese athlete, sixth at CCC last year and had another good year this year.
28:57
SPEAKER_00: We've got, oh I'm gonna say it's wrong as well, Andrzej Wittek, um, a Polish athlete.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and just Vajek, yeah.
29:06
SPEAKER_00: There we go, that's better than what I said.
29:08
SPEAKER_00: But first at Kianti 100k, third at OCC last year.
29:13
SPEAKER_00: He has DNF'd at CCC before, so coming back to try the distance again.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: 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.
29:31
SPEAKER_00: Han Troyer, a young American athlete, first at Black Canyons at 100k, recent DNF at um Western States, but was doing really well until about the 100k points.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: So if the race was 100k, you would have been on a podium.
29:45
SPEAKER_00: Um Adam Peterman, American athlete, just come sick the Western States.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: He won the Canyons Endurance 100k and sick the OCC last year.
29:54
SPEAKER_00: Other ones we've got Benjamin, Eli Heming, Hugh Chatfield, UK runner, Keith Wigley, another UK runner, and then we've got Lou Grenfell Shule, who you coach.
30:04
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, another that's more than 10 names I've just lips off.
30:08
SPEAKER_00: So who knows who's gonna come top ten.
30:10
SPEAKER_01: Crazy.
30:11
SPEAKER_01: This has got to be one of the strongest men's CCC lineups ever, I would say, based on that list.
30:17
SPEAKER_01: Um, big one who stands out for me, like David Sinclair was second here last year.
30:23
SPEAKER_01: He didn't do Western States due to injury, so he's obviously then prioritised this.
30:27
SPEAKER_01: It'll be interesting to see how he's come back from that injury.
30:29
SPEAKER_01: Uh very, very good runner.
30:31
SPEAKER_01: Um, Andres Vajek was uh third at OCC last year and had a good run at Worlds.
30:36
SPEAKER_01: So he's coming back up to step up again to CCC.
30:40
SPEAKER_01: Christian Menoggio almost beat Jim at OCC last year.
30:44
SPEAKER_01: 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.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: So he got a time penalty for that.
30:54
SPEAKER_01: So he's in great, great, uh, great shape.
30:57
SPEAKER_01: Hans Troyer, the you know, the young and fit Hans Troyer, as they call him, Team Hawker, uh, it went out like an absolute bullet at Western State.
31:04
SPEAKER_01: Some would say like a lunatic, but fair play to me, he put it down, he put it on the line.
31:08
SPEAKER_01: That will be interesting to see if he if he employs the same strategy here or if he holds back.
31:13
SPEAKER_01: Um, Peter Freno is a former podium finisher here.
31:17
SPEAKER_01: Him and Adam Peterman were on the same podium with Hayden Hawks two years ago.
31:21
SPEAKER_01: They're both back.
31:22
SPEAKER_01: Like it's crazy.
31:23
SPEAKER_01: We've not even mentioned Benjamin Rubio, second at worlds.
31:26
SPEAKER_01: Like, he is gonna be a massive player.
31:28
SPEAKER_01: Um, he'll he'll be right up there.
31:30
SPEAKER_01: 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.
31:41
SPEAKER_01: I was like, right, Eli will do OCC again.
31:44
SPEAKER_01: I was really surprised to see him and CCC.
31:47
SPEAKER_01: He was eighth here last year, he's coming back, and yeah, he's gonna have a another go at it.
31:53
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, really interesting.
31:54
SPEAKER_01: And and we've like I say, have not even mentioned the Brits yet, so that that's the and Dan Jones, who you also mentioned, who's been four for 50 in the past, so it's just incredible.
32:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it will be actually interesting to see how the Brits do, because Hugh Chatfield, Keith Wigley both had great years.
32:11
SPEAKER_00: Keith recently did very well at UTS 100k.
32:15
SPEAKER_00: Hugh again, I can't name off the top of my head what race he's done.
32:18
SPEAKER_00: He won a double VK actually a few weeks ago, so good for the first time.
32:21
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then Luke Renfilshaw that you coach, another one um oh, what's the race?
32:27
SPEAKER_00: The Iger 50k, which had a really good performance there and did really well at the Euros earlier this year.
32:33
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, Luke's Luke's definitely progressed over the course of the year.
32:38
SPEAKER_01: He was that was a course record at Iger as well, beating Peter Engdle's record, so he's in a good place um to to compete.
32:45
SPEAKER_01: 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.
32:58
SPEAKER_01: 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.
33:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, be interested to see how Hugh and Keith go for the elite trail team teammates with uh Chris Jones, of course.
33:17
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, so I'm excited.
33:20
SPEAKER_00: I'm really excited to watch CCC actually.
33:22
SPEAKER_00: I think that's one of well, actually, no, it's a lie.
33:24
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited for UTMB more, but you know, I'm very excited for all of them.
33:28
SPEAKER_00: But we will move on to the final and the main event.
33:32
SPEAKER_00: So UTMB, ultimate Trail Mont Blanc, 174k, 9,900 metres elevation.
33:39
SPEAKER_00: Why they couldn't round up to 10,000, I don't know.
33:41
SPEAKER_00: Although most people's watches do say 10,000 by the end, I'd be annoyed if it was 10 metres off.
33:45
SPEAKER_00: Um, but it kicks off Friday, 745 in Chamony.
33:50
SPEAKER_00: It finishes, no, not 745, 545.
33:53
SPEAKER_00: It finishes in Chamonix and go through three countries.
33:57
SPEAKER_00: So starting in France, go through Italy and Switzerland.
34:00
SPEAKER_00: So touring Mont Blanc as per the title, but the field is once again very stacked and is very exciting.
34:08
SPEAKER_00: Some names that actually I wasn't expecting to be on there.
34:11
SPEAKER_00: But for the women's field, we've got Corny Divolta, doesn't need an intro, but she just won Hard Rock 100, second at Cocodona last year.
34:20
SPEAKER_00: No, this year, um, first at Keanti 100 Mila.
34:24
SPEAKER_00: She came tenth at UTMB last year, which was a bit further behind than people were expecting, but she's won UTMB three times.
34:31
SPEAKER_00: We've got Riley Brady, American athlete, second at Western States, first at Canyons Endurance Run, had a really good year.
34:38
SPEAKER_00: Ruth Croft won UTMB last year, first at T100K, and yeah, she's just done some incredible performances.
34:49
SPEAKER_00: We have got, oh, I'm gonna say it's wrong, Fuzio Chinese athlete.
34:54
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, Fuzhu Zhang.
34:57
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
34:57
SPEAKER_00: Um, second at West Western States last year, first at the Buffalo race this year.
35:03
SPEAKER_00: We've got Appy Hall, winner of Western States last year, and also fifth at Black Canyons, Lucy Bartholomew, younger athlete, second at Labaredo 120k, second at Trans Vulcania, second seventh at UCMB last year, and 10th in 2024 and 2023, so bringing a lot of experience.
35:22
SPEAKER_00: We've got Samea, a Nepal athlete, who won Labareto 120k, and generally people that win Laboredo do quite well at UCMB.
35:31
SPEAKER_00: Um, we've got she also won Ultra Trail Cape Town 100k last year, and second at the Long Trail World Champs.
35:38
SPEAKER_00: Other names, we've got Vladin who came fifth in 2024, Fiona Pascal, English athlete, Rachel Etkrin, who won Coca-Dona this year, Henrietta Alban, Lin Chan, Eleanor Davis, UK North Face athlete.
35:54
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, another incredible field, and I can't even predict who's going to end up where.
36:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the depth of the women's UTMB race this year is insane.
36:05
SPEAKER_01: Like you've got pretty much everybody in terms of the the best of the best there.
36:09
SPEAKER_01: Katie Scheid is missing because of injury, but you've got Courtney, arguably the greatest.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: Well, probably not even an argument to be honest.
36:18
SPEAKER_01: The greatest trail runner of all time on the start list.
36:21
SPEAKER_01: But then you've got Rachel Entricken who beat her at Cocodona, but Courtney beat her over 100 mile in Chianti.
36:27
SPEAKER_01: So that kind of balance itself out.
36:29
SPEAKER_01: It's the middle ground between the two, like who will get it over 100 mile in the mountains.
36:34
SPEAKER_01: Ruth is the returning champ.
36:35
SPEAKER_01: I personally think Ruth Croft comes in as favourite.
36:38
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna put that out there.
36:39
SPEAKER_01: I I do.
36:40
SPEAKER_01: I think Ruth I think showed last year that she's now got an understanding of this course and knows how to win.
36:47
SPEAKER_01: So I think Ruth is the favourite, but can you really back against Courtney DeWalter?
36:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, I was super impressed with Henriette Alban in Transgrand Canaria.
36:56
SPEAKER_01: I thought she paced a really good race.
36:58
SPEAKER_01: I do think Henriette will be a player.
37:00
SPEAKER_01: I think she'll piss her own race.
37:01
SPEAKER_01: I predict she comes through strong in the second half, so watch out for Henriette Alban in the second half.
37:07
SPEAKER_01: Uh Riley Brady, I was really impressed with their performance at Western States.
37:13
SPEAKER_01: They committed to that front group with Jen Leitcher, then took the lead and really went for it.
37:21
SPEAKER_01: And I would say that was their best performance to date on the biggest stage.
37:26
SPEAKER_01: 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.
37:35
SPEAKER_01: But I was surprised to see Riley on this start list.
37:39
SPEAKER_01: I did not expect to see Riley's name in UTMB.
37:42
SPEAKER_01: I thought I'd see Riley's name in CCC, so that was a surprise to me.
37:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, and then you mentioned Samaya Buddha.
37:49
SPEAKER_01: I think Samaya will be a threat, definitely, if if she can get it right.
37:54
SPEAKER_01: 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.
38:02
SPEAKER_01: And I'm going to give a shout out to Lottie Brinks as well.
38:04
SPEAKER_01: Lotti was sixth at um CCC last year, and I think might go under the radar a little bit um here, and obviously Fujiang, seventh at Western States recently as well.
38:16
SPEAKER_01: So some of the Western States returners stepping up to UTMB.
38:20
SPEAKER_01: And finally on my list, I've got Victoria Stansfield 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.
38:30
SPEAKER_01: Um, Victoria's a really good athlete, she's going into UTMB.
38:34
SPEAKER_01: She's just announced that she's gonna 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.
38:53
SPEAKER_01: And I mean it's impressive, like fair play, that is so so impressive, 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 th this year, is like when is a hundred mile not enough?
39:11
SPEAKER_01: Like a race is a race, 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?
39:20
SPEAKER_01: And I'm just slightly surprised at that approach to to that.
39:25
SPEAKER_01: She's obviously going to make history if she completes it, and that's incredible.
39:28
SPEAKER_01: It is an incredible challenge, but I would like to see these races given their own merit.
39:35
SPEAKER_01: It's like UTMB is UTMB, it it sits as its own thing, 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.
39:45
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, as a as a racer, it doesn't it doesn't sit well with me.
39:49
SPEAKER_01: So I I wish her luck.
39:50
SPEAKER_01: I hope she gets it done.
39:51
SPEAKER_01: It'll be incredible if she does.
39:53
SPEAKER_01: But I'd have I just I guess the fan in me would have loved to see a race without that in her legs.
39:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, unless you're just classing it as a good warm-up.
40:00
SPEAKER_01: Um well, that's some warm-up, isn't it?
40:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
40:03
SPEAKER_00: That yeah, I haven't heard about that.
40:05
SPEAKER_00: That's crazy.
40:06
SPEAKER_00: And it's not like UTMB is an easy race.
40:09
SPEAKER_00: It's essentially if you if you count it as a flat race, it's basically 300 kilometers.
40:15
SPEAKER_01: Which crazy.
40:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, fair enough if that's what she wants to do, but wouldn't be me.
40:22
SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, imagine if she missed times it as well and she misses the start.
40:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, that that is all coming into logistical planning, isn't it?
40:29
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, all those all those things to think about.
40:32
SPEAKER_01: Like I say, incredible.
40:33
SPEAKER_01: Even just the logistics of it and cycling through the night on your own.
40:36
SPEAKER_01: It's it's amazing what she's doing.
40:38
SPEAKER_01: But I'd love to see her do it away from the event and really have a crack at it.
40:41
SPEAKER_01: Because I rate her as an athlete and I'd love to see her try and mix it with these guys.
40:45
SPEAKER_01: Maybe she will, maybe she'll surprise me, and then she does, and I'll be like, oh my god, this is insane.
40:50
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, that's actually the secret is to ride there, then you'll have a good performance.
40:55
SPEAKER_01: Everyone next year will be jumping on a bike coming to UTMB.
40:58
SPEAKER_01: At least it's environmentally friendly.
41:00
SPEAKER_01: I will give her that.
41:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, maybe she had the eco bev and UTMB have been particularly strict this year, the cycling only.
41:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I really want to see a Henrietta Alban do well.
41:11
SPEAKER_00: I don't know whether she's put a Strava on private, but I am slightly worried she's injured.
41:16
SPEAKER_00: I'm a big fan of Henrietta Orban.
41:18
SPEAKER_00: 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.
41:28
SPEAKER_00: And so I don't know.
41:29
SPEAKER_00: 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.
41:36
SPEAKER_00: 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 Alps to be fair for quite a while and reccued the course.
41:46
SPEAKER_00: So and she's I think this will be her first hundred miler.
41:49
SPEAKER_01: I don't think I think uh I think she's done hundred mile category before, maybe I can't remember actually.
41:56
SPEAKER_01: Um I believe she's did she start longer race.
42:01
SPEAKER_01: She has done longer races before, I know she's done night races before.
42:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I'm I'm interested.
42:06
SPEAKER_01: 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, so that was really good to see.
42:19
SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I'm glad to see Elsie in there.
42:21
SPEAKER_01: I I do think like she if she can stick it, she's she's as good as anyone.
42:26
SPEAKER_01: Like if she can stick it and stay with it.
42:28
SPEAKER_01: And I know she's struggled a little bit with stomach things in the past, and yeah, I know as well, she doesn't like heights, Elsie, which is interesting.
42:36
SPEAKER_01: So maybe going up high, that that first kind of well, the the section from Le Contamine round, especially the one down into Cormio where you go past the pyramids and stuff, maybe doing that section in the dark might help her because she doesn't see anything up there, so yeah, that'll be interesting to see how she goes.
42:52
SPEAKER_01: But I wish Elsie well, I I like Elsie, and um I think she's got huge potential to compete with these girls, so yeah, go Elsie.
43:01
SPEAKER_00: And Fiona Pascal had a great run at Western States.
43:04
SPEAKER_00: Whether she can pull both of them off, it'd be lovely to see if she does.
43:08
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, yeah, more British interest, really like Fee as well.
43:12
SPEAKER_01: I think she's great.
43:12
SPEAKER_01: Another solid run last year at CCC off the back of a very good Western States, 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.
43:23
SPEAKER_01: So I wonder if all that climbing's helped her prep for UTMB.
43:27
SPEAKER_01: And I know she struggled with nerves before UTMB a couple of years ago.
43:30
SPEAKER_01: I think she's in a much better place now, and she's a serious, serious contender on a day.
43:35
SPEAKER_01: It's great to see some really strong British interest in there uh on the women's side.
43:40
SPEAKER_01: 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.
43:46
SPEAKER_00: Definitely, and another Lucy Bartholomew.
43:49
SPEAKER_00: I'd love to see her do well as well.
43:51
SPEAKER_00: She's come I think she's just gonna come back every year.
43:54
SPEAKER_00: I think she just loves it too much.
43:55
SPEAKER_00: She's gonna be doing it for another 20 years, so she's got time, but she's kind.
44:00
SPEAKER_00: Of gradually made a way up, being top ten three years now, whether she can improve on seventh and a great run at Lap Redo and Trans Vulcanania.
44:07
SPEAKER_00: And I think she's just gonna keep learning.
44:09
SPEAKER_00: So I'm excited to see.
44:11
SPEAKER_00: I think one day I think she will win it.
44:13
SPEAKER_00: It's just what year will it be?
44:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's it's one of those things, isn't it?
44:18
SPEAKER_01: Just keep keep going back, learning the course, experience will tell eventually.
44:21
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:22
SPEAKER_00: Well, moving on to the men's field, which yeah, a lot of very interesting names.
44:28
SPEAKER_00: There's some of them again.
44:29
SPEAKER_00: I didn't see these ones coming.
44:30
SPEAKER_00: So we've got Jims Waldsley, again, doesn't need an intro, but first at OCC last year, first at the Long Trap won World Champs, first at Western States 2024, and he's won UTMB before in 2023.
44:41
SPEAKER_00: Caleb Olsen, American athlete again, first at Western States, first at TGC 2025.
44:48
SPEAKER_00: 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.
44:53
SPEAKER_00: But he had a great season last year.
44:55
SPEAKER_00: We've got Hans, German athlete, won Lavrada, 120k, second at TGC behind John Alburn.
45:02
SPEAKER_00: Again, had a great year, so it'll be interesting to see how he does.
45:05
SPEAKER_00: 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.
45:17
SPEAKER_00: Third at Keanti, winner of UTMB in 2024, the big surprise win that no one saw coming.
45:23
SPEAKER_00: 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.
45:31
SPEAKER_00: Killian Journey, once again, does not need an intro, but a Spanish athlete, third at Western States 2024, second at Keanti 2025, didn't have quite as good start of the year, 43rd at Zagama, and he kind of I he said he's had quite a lot of niggles and injuries.
45:46
SPEAKER_00: And I don't know whether did he actually start Western States?
45:49
SPEAKER_01: He did start, didn't finish, yeah.
45:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he didn't last too long at Western States, unfortunately.
45:54
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he's had major I I'd be surprised if Killian starts, but let's see.
45:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
45:59
SPEAKER_00: We've got Ben Dieman, an American athlete, who I think is desperate for the win.
46:03
SPEAKER_00: Second at Mont Blanc, 90k, second at UTMB last year, and definitely coming for the win.
46:09
SPEAKER_00: Got John Olban, which I'm very interested to see if he's going to be on the star line.
46:13
SPEAKER_00: First at TGC, he's one OCC, one CCC, but he pulled out of Mont Blanc Marathon 90k with an injury.
46:20
SPEAKER_00: 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 90k.
46:29
SPEAKER_00: Don't know what the injury was, don't know if he's back training.
46:32
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it'd be very interesting to see if he's on the start line.
46:34
SPEAKER_00: But I think if he is on the start line and back in fitness, he could definitely win it.
46:39
SPEAKER_00: Josh Wade is which oh I just love Josh, um, third at UTMB last year, winner of UTS 80K, and a really amazing British runner, and I would love to see Josh win it.
46:52
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely love it.
46:53
SPEAKER_00: Like he's just gonna keep coming back.
46:55
SPEAKER_00: He has way too much fun out there.
46:58
SPEAKER_01: If it was a heart competition, if my heart was to give this to somebody, Josh Wade would be right at the top of that list.
47:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, he is an amazing person, amazing character, he loves the mountains.
47:09
SPEAKER_01: 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.
47:17
SPEAKER_01: 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.
47:25
SPEAKER_01: Maybe, you know, it's the year for Josh Wade to do it, who knows?
47:28
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I I I really like this list.
47:32
SPEAKER_01: 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.
47:40
SPEAKER_01: 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?
47:50
SPEAKER_01: Vansant's coming here, having smashed the course record at Western States, he's clearly recovered well.
47:57
SPEAKER_01: 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, so he's gonna have Western States in his legs.
48:06
SPEAKER_01: 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.
48:15
SPEAKER_01: Killian is is definitely injured, you know.
48:17
SPEAKER_01: He's been injured all year, he's he's clearly running, we can see that from his social media.
48:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, but what kind of shape is he gonna be in?
48:24
SPEAKER_01: Chris Myers has had a good year, he's been consistent, he might be one to watch, second at Western States last year.
48:30
SPEAKER_01: He had a good 50k recently, he won Mount Fuji early in the year in the longer race.
48:34
SPEAKER_01: He's better the longer it goes.
48:36
SPEAKER_01: Chris could be a bit of a surprise package.
48:38
SPEAKER_01: I really like Hannes Namberger.
48:40
SPEAKER_01: I think Hannes might it might be Hannes' year to kind of step up.
48:45
SPEAKER_01: He won again in Lavaredo.
48:47
SPEAKER_01: That was either four for five for him in Lavaredo, which is insane.
48:51
SPEAKER_01: Did a really had a really good performance early on in the year in Transgrande Canaria.
48:55
SPEAKER_01: Usually paces things pretty well, Hannes.
48:58
SPEAKER_01: So don't be surprised to see him come from behind.
49:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, Ben Dieman is the other interesting one for me.
49:04
SPEAKER_01: Second last year, a very strong run behind Tom Evans.
49:08
SPEAKER_01: He's kind of put himself on the line a little bit.
49:10
SPEAKER_01: 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.
49:19
SPEAKER_01: 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?
49:23
SPEAKER_01: Is that gonna affect him in a negative way?
49:26
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, that that they're the ones on my list who have kind of really kind of got a got an eye on.
49:32
SPEAKER_01: 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.
49:43
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go Vincent Bouillard.
49:46
SPEAKER_01: I think I think he does the double.
49:48
SPEAKER_01: Um I just think he's in such a good place mentally.
49:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
49:53
SPEAKER_01: And the rumors coming out of the Hawker camper that he has recovered exceptionally well and he looks pretty good.
50:00
SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna go with Vincent Bouillard to do the double.
50:04
SPEAKER_00: If anyone was gonna do the double, I think it would be him.
50:07
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it's gonna be interesting.
50:10
SPEAKER_00: But it always baffles me though that I don't really understand how new dads can do so well.
50:14
SPEAKER_00: You'd think that their sleep schedule would be awful and they're not recovering well, but they all seem to do really well.
50:19
SPEAKER_00: So hopefully it works on Josh Wade's favour.
50:22
SPEAKER_00: But I'm very excited.
50:25
SPEAKER_01: Daddy Daddy power, isn't it?
50:26
SPEAKER_01: It's I remember I don't know if you remember a track athlete.
50:29
SPEAKER_01: Um, he was a fantastic athlete.
50:31
SPEAKER_01: He used to get uh a lot of medals on the track, and his his name has just escaped me now.
50:35
SPEAKER_01: 1500 metre and a Scottish guy.
50:37
SPEAKER_01: It'll come to me in a second.
50:38
SPEAKER_01: 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.
50:44
SPEAKER_01: 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.
50:53
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
50:54
SPEAKER_01: Incredible.
50:56
SPEAKER_00: It's the it's the new technology that is how to win a race.
51:00
SPEAKER_00: I think Vincent is he he's recently had a trial, doesn't he?
51:04
SPEAKER_01: Yes, he has as well.
51:05
SPEAKER_01: This is the this is the thing, you see.
51:07
SPEAKER_01: It's just it just uh I think Vanson's was end of last year, early this year.
51:13
SPEAKER_01: So I remember meeting Van Sunt and Camilla, I believe, is his partner, lovely girl Camilla um met them in uh Chianti.
51:22
SPEAKER_01: 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.
51:34
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
51:34
SPEAKER_00: I I did some deep dive searching because Camilla has actually got the same surname as Killian, and I was like, are they related?
51:42
SPEAKER_00: But they're not.
51:44
SPEAKER_00: I was like, wow, that's some mad connection.
51:47
SPEAKER_01: Be pretty cool, wouldn't it?
51:48
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but for those that don't know who Vantson is, he was a hooker, well, he still is a hooker 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.
52:08
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, but that is a wrap on the the top three races.
52:13
SPEAKER_00: You still got YCC, ETC, which we've got ETC's got a good field as well, actually.
52:18
SPEAKER_00: Madalena Freya, who won it last year, is back.
52:21
SPEAKER_00: There's quite a lot of good athletes in ETC this year.
52:24
SPEAKER_00: We've got MCC, which is the race that's normally for locals or volunteers, PTL, which is crazy, 300 kilometres.
52:31
SPEAKER_00: You've got TDS, which Steph, who was on the podcast um a few episodes ago, she's gonna be doing that.
52:37
SPEAKER_00: So it's gonna be an exciting week.
52:39
SPEAKER_01: So amazing, amazing week, yeah.
52:42
SPEAKER_01: And you just reminded me there, Beth, actually, when you said locals and you're listing some of the things out.
52:47
SPEAKER_01: Did you mention did you mention Blandine Hirundell in the um I think you did, didn't you?
52:51
SPEAKER_01: You mentioned Blandine and I am is Blandine in UTMB this year.
52:54
SPEAKER_01: I think she is.
52:56
SPEAKER_00: Um we definitely said her name.
52:57
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, she is.
52:58
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so Blandine, a local French athlete, obviously, and um it was just when you said about that, yeah, Blandine.
53:05
SPEAKER_01: God, yeah, she'll be 100% one to watch as well in that women's race, yeah.
53:09
SPEAKER_01: Apologies to Blandine.
53:10
SPEAKER_00: In 2024 for UTMB, so Mary Smart couldn't advance that.
53:16
SPEAKER_01: Strong CCC last year was she fourth in the end in CCC.
53:21
SPEAKER_01: Um Martina, Sylvia, Anna Tarasova and Blandine, I believe, fourth.
53:28
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so she'll she'll she'll mix it, definitely.
53:31
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
53:32
SPEAKER_01: Lots to look forward to.
53:34
SPEAKER_00: 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.
53:43
SPEAKER_00: 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.
53:51
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, um, are we flying out in a week's time?
53:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
53:56
SPEAKER_00: Oh, a week's time I'll be there actually.
53:58
SPEAKER_00: So even better.
53:59
SPEAKER_01: So the well, you you arrive on the Friday.
54:02
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
54:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
54:03
SPEAKER_01: And then things really get kicked off properly.
54:05
SPEAKER_01: I know things kind of start to kick off over the weekend and stuff, but um, Monday, isn't it?
54:10
SPEAKER_01: MCC and uh a lot of the other longer races start kicking off in the week as well.
54:15
SPEAKER_01: And are you heading over to Carmayer for the shorter ones on the Tuesday, the Alpine Run Project?
54:20
SPEAKER_00: This year, unfortunately not.
54:21
SPEAKER_00: I don't think there's enough seats on the buses, but I'll be watching the live stream and stalking all the trackers.
54:26
SPEAKER_00: 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.
54:34
SPEAKER_00: And it's interesting actually, because YCC's changed this year.
54:36
SPEAKER_00: So the revenge is only in the top 30 runners.
54:39
SPEAKER_00: 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.
54:46
SPEAKER_00: But this year it's owned top 30.
54:48
SPEAKER_00: So it'll be interesting how YCC also plays out.
54:51
SPEAKER_00: But the main event is actually the VK the day before.
54:54
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I've heard all about it.
54:56
SPEAKER_01: I've heard all about it, the VK.
54:58
SPEAKER_01: I'm surprised they're not being raped in, but yeah, I've uh I've heard all about that.
55:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the the the shorter races.
55:04
SPEAKER_01: I'll be interested to see if they live stream the ETC this year because it's getting bigger and better every year.
55:10
SPEAKER_01: And obviously they they live stream the the main categories we've spoken about, the OCC, CCC, UTMB.
55:16
SPEAKER_01: Um, but it'll be interesting to see if they do now start to stream that shorter one because it is getting super competitive.
55:21
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the the whole week is just sort of competitive, isn't it?
55:25
SPEAKER_00: 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.
55:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think people are just seeing it, especially coming back, they're seeing more and more options, aren't they?
55:52
SPEAKER_01: And thinking, well, I can mix it up.
55:53
SPEAKER_01: You know, I might have done UTMB, I might have done CCC, I might fancy a different challenge and another way to see see the mountains, see the valley.
56:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.
56:02
SPEAKER_01: Excited to get back out there and uh let's just hope it cools down a little bit.
56:06
SPEAKER_01: That's how I'm gonna wear it.
56:08
SPEAKER_00: 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.
56:18
SPEAKER_01: Sure, the Brits would take the awful weather, eh?
56:20
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that could that could change things.
56:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it certainly did.
56:25
SPEAKER_01: 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.
56:34
SPEAKER_01: 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, and yeah, it's uh it's fascinating how the weather does play such a big part.
56:45
SPEAKER_00: Well, they're saying that it's been such a hot British summer.
56:47
SPEAKER_00: We're all on the level playing field this year.
56:49
SPEAKER_01: We are yeah, yeah, we're all acclimatised.
56:51
SPEAKER_01: We are absolutely ready to go.
56:53
SPEAKER_00: Well, anyway, thank you so much for joining Lewis.
56:56
SPEAKER_00: 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.
57:04
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, thank you, Lewis, and we will see everyone soon.
57:07
SPEAKER_01: Thanks, everyone.