Jan 10
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UTMB Podium Finisher chooses the 2019 UTMR 100 mile course for his next big challenge in order to keep focused, and to keep slim. He joins top 5 UTMB finisher Damian Hall and 11th place Petter Restorp.
After last year’s UTMB, finishing 6th, I fulfilled my sporty ambitions and it was about a time to retire from the sport of Mountain Ultra Running. I was looking forward to a bright future and a great lifestyle with no extra energy wastage!
I’ve been off the running for a few months and guess what: I am almost faced with a need to upgrade my wardrobe to a XXL size. No surprise for a man who is highly appreciating high sugar and carb diet as a daily nutritional plan. Frustration about getting oversized rose up and I started looking for motivation to start moving again. No running this time!
Latvia’s Roman Evarts takes sixth at #UTMB 2018 in 22:38:29. pic.twitter.com/I9a2gAe2b8
— iRunFar (@iRunFar) September 1, 2018
Playing some ball game would be ideal, I thought. But it turned out that all my old football buddies became useless, as the only football they are doing nowadays is the PlayStation football. “Bummer!” But that’s ok; it was a great opportunity for me to put all the old habits aside and try something completely new.
Unfortunately to jump on a new wave routine wasn’t easy, as I came to the point when from the few option I had to choose between MMA fighting and CrossFit. As my last kickboxing tournament 20 years ago left me with a half damaged brains I decided to go for CrossFit.
Long story short: to keep up with athletes from this sport I found I would have to spend most of the time shirtless and drastically improve my selfie taking skills. As I am well known for the worst selfies on Instagram – the right decision for me was to give up this intention.
As you can imagine after all these adventures I’ve been in a bad mood and was taking extra dosage of ice-cream to get myself back from the dark hole. So the circle been closing and again I found myself sitting on a rooftop in Nepal looking for a big mountain race where I could take my running shoes for a walk.
The UTMR 100 miler has been on my radar for couple of years. I know the area and have been on some parts of the course, but never had an opportunity to have a see how the whole loop around Monte Rosa looks. The awesomeness of the area, the competitiveness of the next edition’s field and the right proportion of the miles vs elevation gain was the indication for me to enter without any doubts. For anyone who missed the UTMB lottery, this is a great, but hard, alternative.
This definitely will keep me moving and give some extra motivation to be out in the mountains during the summertime. But now I am out to have more ice-cream, as the signing up for the race doesn’t mean you have to start training straight away!
See you in September!!!
Dec 10
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Petter Restorp has joined UTMR through our programme for elite runners… Restorp finished 11th in the UTMB this year in a very respectable 23:34:35 and is looking for a new challenge for 2019 as he explains below.
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Photo: Andrea Sagui / Dolomiti Extreme Trail.
I ended my 2018 season with a full month of rest. Instead of running I went climbing in Spain, France and Italy. Staying away from the trails was sometimes difficult but it gave me time to reflect on the past years’ competitions, remembering the best moments and learning from the mistakes. It was also the perfect time to plan for the future.
The race should not, however, be an easy one. I want to have to doubt my own performance. I want to feel overwhelmed, go through the hard times and finally get out on the other side.
To do a long race in the mountains is a big experience. It is a long journey both physically and emotionally and leaves you with a memory to carry with you for the rest of your life. Given that you have to invest a good amount of time in training and preparing for it, you better choose a race that you really would like to do. And there are many races to choose from, all with different lengths, elevation profiles, types of trails and more.
I was looking for a challenge for the main event of my 2019 race calendar: a race that can take me high into the mountains on winding narrow trails with striking views. A race where I can journey into remote wild places, reconnect temporarily with civilization in some picturesque village before climb back up again.
The race should not, however, be an easy one. I want to have to doubt my own performance. I want to feel overwhelmed, go through the hard times and finally get out on the other side.
When I discovered the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa I immediately knew that it is the race I was looking for. I have never been on the trails around Monte Rosa, but the high peaks in the area are iconic and finisher times from the past editions tells me that it is brutal enough.
I also get the impression that the organization is very professional and surrounded with less of the commercial circus that you can find in some other big races.
Jul 29
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When people enter for the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa, the ultra trail race around the massif of Monte Rosa, we ask them to tell us why they entered, with this question.
Of all the races in the world, why did you choose to race the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa?
And here are the answers!
Because i think that this race is a real tough race and not just a commercial one.
I ran Tor last year and have been having a hard time finding another race that might live up to my experience there. A number of people recommended this race to me; it looks rugged and wild and incredibly challenging, and not as crowded as UTMB.
Love the Alps (especially under sunny conditions). UTMB too busy, expect UTMR to be more intimate and to my liking.
Because of it being in unique surroundings and not too big in terms of runners.
The scenery, organisation and the course.
The course looks brutal and beautiful, while still having the charm of not having huge crowds and commercial popularity. The perfect recipe for personal growth.
Route description. mountain terrain. cheap flight ticket to Geneva.
Simply because it is very tough while the scenery is splendid!
No crowds on the trail and for the surroundings!
Beautiful scenery, tough but rewarding trails, and glowing reports from everyone I know who’s been before.
Because the view and the challenge.
I love the Alps and having done the CCC twice this seems like the next step up. Aiming to one day do the full UTMR & UTMB. I’m typing this sat on a bench (having a coffee) before heading up on Stafal-Gabiet ski lift!
Looks like a beautiful part of the world, and a challenge. What could be better!
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