This year we could almost consider this a UTMB stage race.  Starting in a downpour 2300 or so runners from all over the world took off from Chamonix on a journey only to be ended quickly at 30k, only about 18 miles into the race.  In the lead at the time was Killian Jornet (no surprise there), with a few US runners Mike Wolfe and Geoff Roes close behind.  The runners were stopped at Les Contamines aid station because of howling winds, a possible landslide (I can’t confirm that yet) and snow over the Col de Seigne.  It was nasty to say the least.  Fair to say with conditions like that, it was a smart decision.  With no one really knowing what was going to happen, many of us had a few beers, a few glasses of wine and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, only to get a [...]

And now we’re off to Italy for the Skyrunning Championships.  A 42k run with 4000 meters of climb, yah, that’s bigger than the Speedgoat race.  The UTMB race was cancelled due to inclement weather and a possible landslide.  Pretty disappointing, but a reasonable decision for the race committee to make.  We’ll report back with more info as it comes to me.  Well, I’m off to Chamonix in about 2 hours….10 hours of flying, for 20 hours of running thru the most beautiful race course on earth.  2500 runners from around the world, and a highly competitive race.  This year the US has 4 guys that could win it.  Me being one of them on paper, although I don’t consider myself a contender for the cowbell.  I won’t do odds because there are too many European runners I don’t know.  The guys I do know are listed below and my two [...]

We had one glitch this year…..as things happen where a few lead runners took a wrong turn at Sinners Pass.  While the wrong turn was made, the distance is considered a wash as the route they took was .4 miles further than the loop around Mary Ellen Gulch.   There were roughly 6 runners that did a penalty lap down at Pacific Mine.  The runners with the asterisks have a time adjustment of 15 minutes to account for the extra distance they ran.  The penalty lap was on a flat section.  I ran this section to estimate the time deduction…so it’s pretty close.  Things happen…..Any of the runners that ran this penalty lap and are not adjusted, please contact me and I’ll take care of business to make it right.  In terms of prizes, it only affected a few lead runners. Check out some great photos from Pure Light Images, find [...]