Marathon du Mont Blanc

“The day before the race, I pitched a tent at a campsite in Chamonix.”

A French-language race report about running the Chamonix Mont-Blanc Marathon.

Quoted from the original · translated

“I do not think I will run the Mont-Blanc Marathon again.”

The runner took part in the 42 km race in 2023 but did not finish. The runner tried not to push themselves early on, but the heat and fatigue became more severe after the ascent at Posettes. Even after drinking fluids, the runner repeatedly vomited and became exhausted, so they stopped at the medical aid station in La Flégère and took the cable car down.

Quoted from the original · translated

“I achieved my goal by passing through finish in exactly 8 hours, welcomed by Mike Starr.”

The runner ran the mountainous course, covering 44km with 2,600m of cumulative elevation gain, and passed through the Posettes, Vallorcine and Le Tour sections. The runner was impressed by the aid stations, the volunteers and the support in Chamonix, and finished in exactly 8 hours.

Quoted from the original · translated

“I came in 28th Female in 5:03:22, which actually did suprise me to still hold on to top 30 after the day I had out there.”

Simone ran the 2021 Mont Blanc race despite sleep deprivation, an ankle injury and steep climbs, completing 38.08 km with 2,885 m of elevation gain in 5 hours 3 minutes 22 seconds.

“I was completely overwhelmed by the heat and fatigue.”

The runner took part just one week after running an 84 km trail race, and the heat and accumulated fatigue affected the runner throughout the race. The runner stopped several times to rest on the climb to La Flégère after passing through the Posettes section, and although the time limit was closing in, kept running to the finish and completed the race in “9 hours 30 minutes and a few seconds”.

Quoted from the original · translated

“I was almost ready to call it quits.”

Christian Kemp took on the 42K race at the 2018 Mont-Blanc Marathon and finished his first marathon in 7:24:36. Starting in Chamonix, he ran a mountain course and struggled badly with heat and depleted energy in the back half. He sat in the shade at Flégère to rest and refuel, then got moving again and reached the finish at Planpraz.

“I put my head down and started marching.”

Teemu Vidgren finished his first mountain race, the 42K at the 2016 Marathon du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. Training on a bad knee had been limited, so he took the technical descents carefully. He ran dry on water and energy on the final long climb, but recovered at the aid station and pushed on to a mountaintop finish that felt farther away than it looked.