UTMB etc 2012

Am I just being incredibly thick or have they just bumped up the points for completing the CCC to 3 from (what I thought it was) 2 ? If so that entitles me to apply for next years UTMB !!!! Dilemma - do I go for that with low probability of getting in or go for what had been my Plan A and apply for the TDS which seems to attract less of a feeding frenzy ? Three months till applications open to make up my mind :confused:

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Originally Posted by Feet in the Cowclaps

Some friends of mine speak highly of this in early July, La Montagn'Hard (St Nicolas de Véroce, 74)
http://montagnhard.free.fr/2012/inde...=accueil&page=

Three races:
103k with 8600m ascent
60k with 5000m ascent
37k with 3200m ascent.

200 runners max. in the 103k race. Entries open in January I think.

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Thanks Feet.

All suggestions gratefully received.

Morgan

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Originally Posted by Bob the Dog

Am I just being incredibly thick or have they just bumped up the points for completing the CCC to 3 from (what I thought it was) 2 ? If so that entitles me to apply for next years UTMB !!!! Dilemma - do I go for that with low probability of getting in or go for what had been my Plan A and apply for the TDS which seems to attract less of a feeding frenzy ? Three months till applications open to make up my mind :confused:

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It has been 3 points for a CCC completion for at least the previous 2 years. Even in 2010 when I was stopped at Vallorcine after 82 kms of the full course, I was awarded 3 points.

If I were you, I would go for the TdS. A little more "British" in terms of the course, beautiful scenery all the way and a very tough challenge all together.

And being the first race, less chance of being screwed up by any bad weather in the sense that the resources and flexibility to deploy them may well be available to deliver the full course.

And you'll get 4 points for a completion which when added to your 3 from 2012 will give you 7 for UTMB 2014, unless the rules change again.

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Originally Posted by Feet in the Cowclaps

103k with 8600m ascent

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Looks like a course change resulted in 109.8 kms and 9,000 metres of climb. :w00t:

No wonder it's a 4 pointer for UTMB qualification.

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Originally Posted by MorganW

It has been 3 points for a CCC completion for at last the previous 2 years. Even in 2010 when I was stopped at Vallorcine after 82 kms of the full course, I was awarded 3 points.

If I were you, I would go for the TdS. A little more "British" in terms of the course, beautiful scenery all the way and a very tough challenge all together.

And being the first race, less chance of being screwed up by any bad weather in the sense that the resources and flexibility to deploy them may well be available to deliver the full course.

And you'll get 4 points for a completion which when added to your 3 from 2012 will give you 7 for UTMB 2014, unless the rules change again.

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All very sound advice and reinforces what my natural inclinations were telling me. Just need to get an entry, stay fit and train hard for another 49 weeks and hope my 50 years plus body is willing

Morgan,

Thanks for that write up - incredibly insightful... I hope to get in the UTMB next year - I should as I am pre-entered after not getting in last year (and having the 7 points). Though on hearing that the event got dramatically rerouted I wondered how I would have felt if that had happened to me - your thoughts of not running it were there, but trying to salvage something from the experience having got out there would have been important AND who knows the mistery course could be the best option... I think you made a GOOD CALL. I had hoped to do a good Fellsman this year... but picked up a nasty injury in the HPM which meant I only started running the weak before the event and had lost huge amounts of fitness... I still started with unrealistic expectations and when I got sick towards the end sacked it off with 10 miles to go... the whole thing was so different from what I had wanted it to be... but then I really regretted giving up and wishing I hadn't started it; I certainly lacked all your three points: adaptability, patience and humility! Are you going to go for it next year? Thinking ahead if there was a group of us out there and the same thing happened again BUT with an improving forecast maybe you could run it self supported in a single push a couple of days later?

Cheers,

Anyone considering UTMB should have a look at the Tor des Geants, we found it after missing out on the UTMB lottery and it was a splendid trip. Twice the distance & three times the climb, only 600 runners (mostly real hardcases, not litter-dropping tourists), brilliant organisation and VERY friendly locals....what more could you want?

I wont be taking up my UTMB place next year, there is a huge choice of great races out there.

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Originally Posted by Bob the Dog

and hope my 50 years plus body is willing

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Oh I think it will be.

I'm not far behind you.

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Originally Posted by The Master

Anyone considering UTMB should have a look at the Tor des Geants, we found it after missing out on the UTMB lottery and it was a splendid trip. Twice the distance & three times the climb, only 600 runners (mostly real hardcases, not litter-dropping tourists), brilliant organisation and VERY friendly locals....what more could you want?

I wont be taking up my UTMB place next year, there is a huge choice of great races out there.

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Good shout.

I am very, very tempted by TdG.

Feels like a natural progression as well as a great deal of fun.

Watch this space. :D

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Originally Posted by simon cox

Morgan,

Thanks for that write up - incredibly insightful... I hope to get in the UTMB next year - I should as I am pre-entered after not getting in last year (and having the 7 points). Though on hearing that the event got dramatically rerouted I wondered how I would have felt if that had happened to me - your thoughts of not running it were there, but trying to salvage something from the experience having got out there would have been important AND who knows the mistery course could be the best option... I think you made a GOOD CALL. I had hoped to do a good Fellsman this year... but picked up a nasty injury in the HPM which meant I only started running the weak before the event and had lost huge amounts of fitness... I still started with unrealistic expectations and when I got sick towards the end sacked it off with 10 miles to go... the whole thing was so different from what I had wanted it to be... but then I really regretted giving up and wishing I hadn't started it; I certainly lacked all your three points: adaptability, patience and humility! Are you going to go for it next year? Thinking ahead if there was a group of us out there and the same thing happened again BUT with an improving forecast maybe you could run it self supported in a single push a couple of days later?

Cheers,

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Simon

Insightful? Maybe. You get a little smarter the more of these stupid races you do I think.

After the bollocking issued by the race organisers (and I know Michel Poletti a bit and he's a relaxed type and not one to over-react) the whole thing is feeling a bit tainted at the moment, and I'm feeling like I should look at some other events.

I'm also really keen to volunteer to help at the UTMB races at some stage.

As The Master notes, there are a lot of great races out there, especially in Europe.

A few people talked about binning the UTMB and doing a solo trip, not least Krissy Moehl, the ladies record holder. That would have been an adventure. But having paid the cash, there is strong incentive to take what's on offer.

Lots to think about!