Tor 130 / Tot Dret

Tor 130 / Tot Dret
Distance: 133km (according to my Suunto 9)
Elevation gain: 12,000 metres
Finish time: 38:31:32

After completing a race in June of an almost identical distance but with less elevation gain in just under 18 hours i didn't stress too much about running the Tor 130 even if the elevation gain was apparently 12,000 metres.

In the weeks leading up to it i started to look at the route and stats in more detail. That's when it dawned on me that some of the climbs involved 1000m over just a few kilometres and the whole Tor des Géants (TDG) route is notorious for unforgiving acsents followed by really rough downhills.

The bus from Courmayeur to Gressoney took about 2 hours and it's quiet on the bus as everyone trying to shut their eyes for the last time for a day or 2. Once we get there I check in and start sorting my gear into bags for half way and the finish. Disaster strikes when i fill my reservoir and realise that the connector is broken and it's leaking everywhere. Luckily i was able to buy another one outside as a replacement.

The website mentions lots of mandatory gear and optional recommended gear but none of it is checked which is surprising.

It's a 2k walk to the start line and a local restaurant is offering a plate of pasta, apple cake, coffee and water for €10 - perfect.

Leaving Gressoney was fast and full of amazing support from the locals, there were a few k's on the road and then straight onto the trails.

The ascent to Col Pinter is long but there are so many supporters on the route that it'a great distraction and of course the legs are still fresh at this stage ! The descent after is a different story, it's very steep and technical with some parts requiring you to hang onto rope while climbing down some rocks, i nearly rolled my ankle about 15 times and realised that i cannot take my headlamp off the path unless i wanted to get injured. It gradually smooths itself out and becomes runnable through fields and farmland into the Champoluc aid station.

The ascent up to Col de Nannaz is another steep climb but more spread out than the previous one, still feeling good here and able to run the downhill into Valtourneche which is a big aid station full of Tor des Géants runners sleeping. I was assured by a French runner here that the next 40k's are much more forgiving than the last 2 ascents and descents.

Rifugio Barmasse is a welcome sight after a long climb. The sun is up now and the views all around are breathtaking. There is a massive lake to take in with the backdrop of the mountains. There is some running to be taken advantage of here with some rolling hills and i chat to a Swedish runner Johan for the next few k's.

The day had warmed up and i'm drinking loads of water and trying to protect myself from the sun. Rifugio Lo Magia appears in the distance and it feels good to have a sit down and stock up on food and water.

Next up is a 3k 600m ascent into Rifugio Cuney which takes alot out of  me and i'm feeling tired way too early in the day. I'm downing coffee and coke like there's no tomorrow and it's giving me a sick stomach. It's a long rolling 5k up to Col de Vessonaz 2794m but the panoramic views are like being on another planet.

The next 10k descent into Oyace is where the fatigue and too much caffeine catch up on me and i start questioning whether i want to continue because i feel so terrible. I try and run as much as possible as it's mostly downhill and feel like I've been on these trails before, convincing myself it's part of the UTMB route which it definitely is not.

An Australian runner Jake asks if there are more Irish runners doing the race and we end up chatting for a good while, he seems faster than me but has had a few falls. One of his poles has broken so he'll do without them for the rest of the route.

I bump into Paul Tierney who is crewing a TDG runner and introduce myself. He informs me that Oyace is still about 7k away but straight down. I'm still feeling a bit off and probably low on sugar and just want to take a break.

It is such a relief to reach Oyace which was changed to the main life base aid station instead of Ollomont. I have a sit down to compose myself and honestly feel like dropping. An aid station volunteer saw i was a mess and asked how he could help. I meet Johan as he's leaving and he advises me to get 30 mins sleep, eat and get out of there. Only TDG runners are meant to be allowed to use the sleep tent but it was empty so i jumped into a bed, set my timer and closed my eyes. Although i dont think i actually slept it helped somehow.

I left Oyace hoping i could hold it together at least until Ollomont, it was a tough 1k climb over 6k up to Col de Brison, i passed a TDG runner who i encouraged and i felt like if he could make it this far then i could keep going.

Ollomont - 9pm. Arrived here and it's mostly beds for the TDG runners, i half think of asking if i could have a sleep but instead opt for an Asian pot noodle with chicken and more coffee. There are just a few benches here full of runners and supporters so best to get moving.

It's a long, horrible slog up to Rifugio Champillon which is probably the lowest point of the race. I finally enter this small refuge and just want to pass out.There is a spot at a table where 2 others have their heads down for a nap. I wanted to do the same but also wanted to eat and drink without getting too comfortable or losing too much time.

I grab some noodle soup and coke but none of it is going down. I honestly didn't know what to do with myself but knew i had to take a break. I went to the bathroom and forced myself to puke, nothing came up and my stomach reflexed in agony as if to tell me stop what you're doing !

Again, i wanted to stop here but quickly realised that how would i get back to civilisation even if i did drop, i had to make it 15k to the next major stop, Saint Rhemy en Bosses. The owner of the refuge said it was a short uphill of about 30 minutes followed by an hour down into Bosses. In reality I was a fool to believe this !

Once i reached Col Champillon i could see Bosses down below and it honestly didn't look that far away. I said to an Italian runner that we could make it down in 2 hours and he nodded his head in partial agreement. What i didn't realise that the route was almost 16k and it went the most roundabout direction towards the town and took absolutely ages. It began with a steep section of switch backs followed by more runable trails of which i mostly walked because of being absolutely wrecked !

It's really dark now and i'm marching along, falling asleep and walking diagonally, fellow runners pass me by and see if I'm OK. All i can do is try eating a caffeine gel to stay awake. I'm drifting in an out of consciousness and everything i see on the ground seems to turn itself into some sort of crazy pattern that's appearing all over my line of sight !

I see the village when i look down and it looks like an enormous anvil is perched right beside a motorway, i keep staring and it doesn't change. It's only when i get a bit closer to town that i realize it's nothing of the sort and the buildings and shadows are messing with my head.

It took so long to get to Bosses that a sit down and chat with some other runners is welcome. It's just 25k to go until the finish which is a great psychological boost.

It's a long 800m climb to Merdeux and I'm sleepy again. My watch tells me every time i hit a kilometre and how much elevation i did which is reassuring on my progress. It's dark and lonely climbing up and no-one else seems to be around. I'm so warm that i roll up my t-shirt to try and catch the breeze. Finally we get to an open field like area and it feels like less effort to follow the markers. I'm nodding off again and when i open my eyes i see other runners around various spots and for a moment i think we are all working together to collect the yellow markers from the trail. I approach a sheep farm thinking it's an aid station and the farmer comes out to say Bonjourno and looks at me as if to say this is not an aid station !

My Suunto 9 has done well on full GPS at 31 hours and instead of dying it offers me another 11 hours of battery on a slightly less accurate GPS setting, what a great feature !

It felt great to get Frassati, I meet the Belgian chap doing the Tor des Géants again and also a friendly Italian who had an injured foot. Lisa Borzani is here (2 time TDG winner) checking on runners and i said she was a legend of the race and she replied that legends are dead and she is very much alive! She then repeated what i said in Italian to the staff and they all burst out laughing. Don't want to waste much time here as i know i'm not too far from finishing and also I'm really excited to head up the last major climb that is the infamous Col Malatra.

Leaving Frassati i knew it was just 1 kilometre to the Malatra summit. I could see runners ahead heading left along a slanted, rocky trail that was going up to the summit. It was serious calf burning uphill and then you could grab onto some rope to help you up. What an incredible feeling to make it up here ! Photographers take shots of you from both sides so you get the vista on one side and the Mont Blanc behind you on the other.

As great as it is to be up here i waste no time running down the other side of the mountain and to the next small aid station.I'm told it's last climb after descending the other side of Malatra, Made our way downhill a bit more and saw an old unused building which i of course thought was Refuge Bertone. I asked a few hikers and was told there was another 5k to go and i saw another uphill we had to go up !

As we progress I see more buildings in the distance that i was convinced where we were going, lots of hikers out pointed to a building in the distance which was still not Bertone, to cut a long story short it took ages to get to Bertone and i wanted to send my wife a text and get out of there ! I could smell the finish and knew the upcoming final descent into Courmayeur route from ascending this twice on the UTMB route in the past.

I was told the journey down from Bertone would take about an hour so i was happy to get into a rhythm and make it down in 45 mins, It took a while to find my mojo on the downhill here and a few fast runners flew by me but once i got going i was moving fast and the flatter it got the faster i became, it's becoming a pattern that i run my fastest split in the final few k's of a 130km race and i love it. I'm following the yellow tags into town and turn a few corners before the final stretch into the finish. There are more amazing Italian supporters sitting in cafe's cheering me on and it's such a boost for the mind.

What a relief to complete this event and now it's time to sign the famous TDG finisher poster !

My feet did ache a bit in the last 20k especially on the downhill but i was relieved that when i took of my double socks i had 2 tiny blisters and only one bruised toenail, not bad considering the abuse my feet had been through over the last 38 hours.

I found the event to be well organized, very challenging and a very good alternative to the UTMB if you love lots of ascent and varied terrain. Looking at the finisher stats i noticed that out of 420 starters 223 dropped which outlines how challenging this race is. I made some foolish mistakes and will learn from them going into similar races in the future.

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What needs improving
Ensure watch mode has distance and elevation so you are sure how long it is until the next aid station. This is extremely obvious but it's a mistake I've made many, many times in the past !

Don't get cold at aid stations ! The weather was mild enough to rarely require any form of jacket which was great but even just 10 minutes at an aid station not moving could make you really cold when you set back out on the trail.

The life base drop bag for Tot Dret is small. Think carefully what you will need for half way.

Check all your gear when packing it. My reservoir connector broke and became unusable. I ended up buying another one that was a pain to use and kept leaking.

Don't pack so much water if the weather is mild. The weight of a pack with all your gear and water on your back for 38 hours is tough on the shoulders. There are enough water stops/aid stations to stay hydrated.

Wicklow Way Race 2018

Route: Clonegal to Marlay Park
Distance : 127k
Finish: 18h57m
Elevation: 3000m (or 4500m according to Strava)
Strava : https://www.strava.com/activities/1630213191

Photo: Paul Daly

As the Wicklow Way Race would be my only ultra run of 2018 I wanted to make this one count. When it was announced that the route would be in reverse I was even more excited to run this race.

My time in 2017 was 19h16m which i feel could have been less in the right conditions. The start of the run was wet and this continued whilst heading up Djouce mountain where my shoes and feet got really wet. A sock change at Glendalough did little to improve things and my feet hurt badly for the remainder of the race.

As soon as the race was over last year it was clear i needed to take drastic measures to ensure i didn't experience the same foot problems when competing in the UTMB in September (Race Report). Turns out a book called Fixing Your Feet was the biggest help and it taught me about taping blister prone areas, blister powder for keeping my feet dry and also the advantage of toe socks and wearing another thin pair over these. This approach worked well for me and i spoke to numerous other runners at the 2018 event who were wearing 2 pairs of socks.

I didn't have the miles on my legs going into the 2018 race but the weight and speed training I'd been doing otherwise should benefit especially on the downhills.

The check-in involved a mandatory gear check which is essential for a race like this in Ireland when the weather can be so unpredictable. We got a bus from Marlay Park down to Clonegal and i was hoping to get some rest but that's almost as absurd as thinking you'll sleep well the night before a race.

We arrived at 1040pm and lots of us were concerned what we will do for the hour until race start as it was starting to get cold. The local pub were nice enough to let us wait inside but they didn't have coffee which is what most people wanted instead of pints ! A bag of crisps and some chatting to other competitors made time go fast.

About 100 runners toe'd the start line and we began at midnight on Saturday 9th June. The field dispersed quickly which was surprising considering how you need to pace yourself properly in a race of this length. There is quite a lot of road and forest in the first 17k to the Rahennakit checkpoint and it didn't take long for me to start feeling some fatigue in my legs. I caught up with Clare Keeley, Chris Dunne and Jason Dowling who were also pacing themselves for the time being.

 Rahennakit Checkpoint. Photo: Paul Daly

There was no point stopping at the first checkpoint as it was early and i didn't need a water refill and the Dying Cow checkpoint was only an extra 9k away.

There is a steep descent into the Dying Cow known as Coronary Hill that was rough on the legs but it's short enough and the checkpoint was right at the bottom of this. It was important to refill properly at this aid station as the next one would be Ironbridge 24k away. Rice pudding, crisps and a bottle of flat coke would keep me going for the next 3-4 hours

All this fueling went down well and it started to get bright about 4am. I was crossing trails around an area called Ballycumber Hill and it was refreshing in the cool, morning air. The forecast was for a very warm day and i was keen to stay cool and well hydrated no matter what. A salt pill every hour managed to keep cramps at bay. This side of the Wicklow Way is less familiar to myself and most other competitors and although it's less scenic than the 2nd half there are still many nice areas.

It was quite a long slog into Ironbridge and I started thinking that there's still 50 miles remaining when we get there. I needed to stay more positive only 6 hours into the race. I wasn't concerned about my placing as i knew i could move up the ranks later on if i kept a steady pace.

Arriving into Iron Bridge was in one way a relief and also the most horrible attack of midgets I've ever experienced. They were sticking all over my sweaty face and arms and it was hard to get fueled up when trying to get out of there as quickly as possible. Respect to the volunteers who waited around there for hours on end. I think they will move the checkpoint here if another south to north version of this race happens ! There was lots more road at this stage and going past houses with angry dogs wondering who was out on the roads at this early hour.

It was only 13k to Glenmalure but it still took me 2 hours due to the rolling hills and occasional steep ascent. My stomach had been feeling heavy all day Friday and it wasn't improving which was slowing me down a bit too. I knew that there would be rasher sambo's and coffee at Glenmalure as well as real toilets so there was motivation to arrive there with a decent stomach ! I didn't have my poles at this stage as this half of the route has less descent than the second half. They were in my bag at Glendalough and i would decide at the time whether i needed them.

There is an area here that's road with the forest to the left and it's easy to miss the WW marker to move onto the trail instead of staying on the road. You eventually turn left, onto the boardwalk and then it's some descent. As we were making another turn we saw 2 runners coming up from a different direction, turns out they missed the marker and stayed on the road so was good to see they didn't get more lost. I was chatting to a French runner who was enjoying the run and the Irish scenery as i think it was his first time running Wicklow !

It was very warm arriving in Glenmalure and the sit down with real food was great. This part of the course always comes sooner for me which helps psychologically. The base of my right shin was hurting on the downhills which i was worried about but turns out my socks and gaiter were too tight and that was the only issue !

It was 17k to Glendalough and there is a nasty climb before a long descent into the visitor center. There was also a route diversion here but was easy enough to follow the temporary signs.

Like many others, I didn't read where the aid station was and when i arrived at Glendalough visitor centre 3 runners from the UK who has dropped told me it was still a few k's away. I couldn't believe it but then again the further it was the shorter to the finish. I caught up with 2 other entrants, Avril and Claire and we slogged up the hills. I continued on and missed a left turn to the military road checkpoint. Thankfully some hikers told me i was off the Wicklow Way and told me to take the turn i missed. Another runner went 10 mins the wrong way before the 2 hikers told him to go back.

The Military Road checkpoint at 83k felt like a milestone because i was close to 100k and had my large drop bag where i changed my t-shirt , picked up my poles and changed my shoes and socks. My feet were starting to swell in the heat and the double socks were pinching my small toes. I was apprehensive about changing my shoes but glad i did it as a single pair of socks and fresh shoes were more comfortable. I had blisters already but they were not hurting for the time being. I brought some turkey burgers and sweet potato to eat here but it wasn't going down well so i left it. The volunteers were on hand to fill up bottles, offer coke and even ice-cream !

The Wicklow Way route itself was now getting very busy as it was such a nice day. The names on the race numbers were a great touch as we got lots of encouragement from hikers along the way. The boardwalk parts of the course approaching Djouce seemed to go on for ever but the higher we got the nicer the breeze as it was more than 22 degrees at this stage. It was much more exposed in this area compared to the forest areas we had been in previously.

I had initially thought i could shave an hour or 2 off my time from last year as i had no foot problems but the further i went the clearer it was that this wouldn't happen. I'd be lucky to beat my time from last year at all considering how warm it was.

Arriving near the top of Djouce felt good as Crone isn't too far away now and there's a fair bit of downhill to take advantage of. I could still run the downhills as my quads were not too sore. Any opportunity to stop,turn around and enjoy the cool breeze was amazing. I was drinking so much water due to the heat. Coke worked out better than gels on the day and gave me a boost when needed. It was the first time using Clif Shot Blocks which i now prefer to gels.

Crone was the 104k mark which in one way felt great but when i started breaking down the course it seemed like it was going to take ages. I didn't even consider getting out on the road near Johnnie Foxes and then back onto the trail at Fairy Castle before the final descent.

Some of the competitors were sitting down at Crone and clearly hurting due to the heat which is understandable. A quick rice pudding and coffee and I'm off again, no time to waste. There's plenty of ascent in this part of the course so it's just a matter of hiking and taking short breathers any time there is shade.

I was getting out of breath really quickly which reminded me of the UTMB where i was hiking up those never ending mountains. My legs felt strong and i was managing to run quite a lot of the uphills once i got into a rhythm. It's too easy to start walking more and more as time goes on.

I was surprised to overtake about 6 runners after Crone. A couple of remaining steep climbs and the worst is over. I knew the Boranaraltry Bridge 115k checkpoint was close and i was determined to run all the downhills to there, grab some water and get out quick. Getting onto the road was good but running that part felt longer than usual, i just wanted to get back onto the trail ! Climbing up fairy Castle I overtook another 4 runners as i was ready to finish this beast of a race.

My wife texted me and said i could make sub 19 hours if i sped up a little. As it was all downhill i decided to put the foot down and run as fast as i could towards the end ! I overtook 2 more runners who shouted encouragement at me and made my way down the final bit of trail towards Stackstown Golf Club. I was still flying and feeling more determined than ever, it was like someone was chasing me ! My fastest split for a kilometer in the whole race was 4m44s at the 125k mark ! Moments like this really convince me that so much of this sport is based in the mind and not the body.

Turning into Marlay Park was great as I was minutes away from finishing. I asked locals for directions but missed a left turn into the forest towards the finish. Instead i took the long way around the park and learnt my lesson if i ever do this again !

The only thing in my mind in the last few minutes before finishing was how nice it will be to see my wife and, lie down in the shade and have a cold beer at home. It was a beautiful evening in Marlay Park and such a relief to be finished. I finished in 18h57m which is about 20 mins faster than last year. I initially thought the south to north route would be easier but i was definitely wrong about that !

Photo: Paul Daly

I spoke to some other competitors who has finished already or retired due to injury or heat issues. You always bump into the same faces at these events and it's great to catch up and talk about upcoming races !

UTMB 2017 - Race Report

Distance: 167.5km

Ascent: 9,457m

Time Limit: 46 hours

Start/Finish: Chamonix, France

Finish Time: 40:16:43

I wasn’t expecting to get a place in the 2017 UTMB! I applied in the hope that I would perhaps get a place in 2018 or 2019. I somehow managed to secure a place via the entry lottery so didn’t want to turn it down.

We arrived into Chamonix on Wednesday and planned to get acclimatized on Thursday. The weather was nice but the forecast for the next few days was looking much worse. There was uncertainty if the full route would be used or a safer alternative taken instead. The communication from the organizers on this was poor; they kept promising texts at particular times which never arrived.

It turns out the 2 highest peaks would be modified. Croix des Pyramides Calcaires and Tete au vents would be rerouted resulting in about 3.5k less overall. This could have been way worse so I was happy enough with the decision.

We went up to Le Brevent (2525m) on Thursday to acclimatize but it was freezing, cold and windy. We didn’t want to spend long up here and I ended up buying a new rain jacket when back in town as the taped seams on my Inov-8 jacket had peeled off. It was definitely going to rain on the route so was happy I made the decision to get a new jacket. I wasn’t the only one doing this judging by what stock was left in the shops.

Bruised and blistered feet have always gotten the better of me at the UTMB races. This time, I needed to take more care. I lost 5 toenails on the Wicklow Way Solo this year due to wet feet, grit in my shoes and generally not addressing issues as they appeared. The only positive out of this was not having either big toenail starting the UTMB as they are likely candidates for black toenails ! I spent about an hour after lunch on race day taping blister prone areas and covering my feet in blister prevention powder. Gaiters would also be used to prevent any debris getting into my shoes.

Like last year I chose hill training and gym work over long runs. I hadn’t run more than 30k since June but ensured that my 2 main sessions each week included at least 800m ascent. I was visiting a trainer once a week with my wife to focus on leg strength and high intensity HIIT workouts to improve my lactate threshold and make my quads ready for the downhills. I had DOMS for 3 days after each session so I knew this was going to help eventually!

The downhills are really the toughest part of this race in my opinion. The climbs are no doubt long and challenging, but hiking up them is always possible. If your legs are not prepared for how harsh the downhills are then you’ll know all about it after the first few descents which will restrict you from running parts of the course that are actually runnable!

I was raising money for my employers chosen charity, Pieta House so that would encourage me to finish even when I was feeling rough.

The atmosphere in Chamonix is electric as usual. Some runners queue up and sit down into their preferred starting spot up to 2 hours in advance. I arrived at 6pm for the start 30 mins later and squeezed into an area near the back which didn't bother me as I wanted to start conservatively. I decided to wear my rain jacket from the start which was a mistake as it didn’t get cool until about midnight. We were given a flag to add to the back of our packs which really encouraged conversation with certain nationalities.

It took 10 mins to get going properly and once there was space I sped up and overtook some runners. I felt good and had the thought that I should run the flats and moderate hills while still feeling fresh and had no foot issues.

The climb up to Le Delevret wasn’t too taxing but the descent into Saint-Gervais was steep and a bit slippery due to the mud. It was starting to get dark at the end of this descent so out with the head torch. It still wasn’t cold but I was sweating like mad with my jacket on.

Saint-Gervais is a big, busy checkpoint full of amazing supporters. The live music here is a great distraction and makes the whole event seem like a big party. I wasn’t worried about water intake due to it being much colder but still took a salt tablet every hour in the hope that it would prevent any cramping.

It’s quite a gradual ascent into the next aid station but kept a strong pace here before being forced to hike up the second ascent.

Time is moving fast when I arrive at La Balme with 6h30 done so far. It’s still really packed so eager to speed up a bit.

I kept pushing the pace as I still felt strong and knew the climb up Croix du Bonhomme would be long and slow. I was getting texts off Audrey saying that I’m flying and maybe I should relax a bit!

It’s the middle of the night when I arrive at Les Chapieux and one of the longest ascents is ahead. The checkpoint is well equipped so grab some soup and coffee but seem to get cold really quickly so waste no time getting out of there. It’s good for the head at this stage to realize that once you reach the top of this climb the sun will start rising and there will be a nice bit of downhill to look forward to.

Arriving at Col de la Seigne just after 6am felt good despite the wind and cold. The descent involves some technical switchbacks but lots of opportunity to run here and make good progress towards the next checkpoint.

It doesn’t take long to see the Lac Combal tent in the distance and what a motivator it is to get moving down there for some breakfast!

I arrive just before 7am, have a quick sit down, have some and a quick coffee. I felt so bad here last year that it was refreshing to still feel OK this time after 12 hours on the go.

The Live Trail website was providing estimates on when I would arrive into Courmayeur and Audrey was texting me saying that I’m expected there just before 10am!

I was talking to a chap from Scotland about the UK Lakelands races on the ascent up to Arrête du Mont-Favre which was interesting and helped time pass. I stopped to take a few pics as this part of the route is amazing and the sun was rising steadily after a wet night. Knowing we were close to Courmayeur was a great feeling.

Col Checkruit is a busy, friendly and lively aid station. The weather was sunny here but I was really nervous about the upcoming 4k descent into Courmayeur as it’s steep and fast. The terrain was dry and dusty which was surprising considering the rain on the rest of the course during the night.

I fell into a line of about 7 runners who were descending fast, so I just tried to keep up and the pace seemed to suit me after some time. I still had no foot issues so enjoyed this part even though it was tough on the legs.

I arrived in Courmayeur after 15 hours and felt excellent. Audrey was waiting for me and she was allowed in area with runners unlike last year. She ensured I had everything and also made sure I didn't spent too long here. I didn't want to touch my feet or shoes as there were amazingly no issues to address. The time invested on my feet before starting was well worth it.

It was a warm and sunny morning. I bumped into Ivan from the North which was surprising as he’s a much stronger runner than me. Turns out he’d been having stomach issues the last few hours. We chatted for a bit and then I marched on. It’s is a long, steep climb up to the next checkpoint and really exposed to wind and sun.

It feels good reaching Refuge Bertone and it’s an opportunity to stock up on supplies before a rolling 7km stretch to the next aid station with a few unexpected climbs. I started feeling tired here and a bit anxious to get to the next aid station.

Refuge Bonatti is windy and horrible and just want to get out of there. Had hassle filling my reservoir and almost dropped my phone into the fountain. Fresh faced hikers are on the trails too at this stage and cheering us on.

I felt really rough here and needed a sit down. My toes started to get a bit uncomfortable as my feet were swelling. I removed my 2nd sock layer which really helped reduce the pressure and also tightened my top laces to ensure toes would not hammer the front of my shoes on the descents.

Poor Ivan is here and sick again. He did a great job catching up to me and I later learned that he finished in 39 hours, so respect to him for slogging it out.

A long descent followed and I started feeling crap and really strange so took a caffeine gel to snap me out of mood. I didn’t ever feel like I had a low point from lack of calories, it felt more like the sleep deprivation and altitude were making me feel bad.

Downhill, downhill, heavy rain and loads of mud. I was using my poles just to avoid slipping.

It felt great to arrive at Arnouvaz but when I saw the massive crowd inside the small tent I knew something was wrong. The rain got heavier as soon as I sat down and spoke to some Turkish guys who commented on the weather. Turns out the volunteers were insisting on full waterproof gear before runners were allowed to leave. Lots of punters were throwing in the towel at this stage. I thought for a moment that the race could get cancelled here because the weather was so bad.

I put on all my gear including waterproof trousers, 3 pairs of gloves, warm hat, cap, poncho, hood and buff to get ready for one of the toughest climbs.

Grand Col Ferret was impossible: wind, rain, snow. Had serious low point and couldn't ascend more than 10 steps without catching my breath for 20 seconds. My nose was dripping all over the place from the cold and I didn’t want to cover my face with a buff because that made breathing even harder. I kept looking back at other people ascending and couldn’t comprehend how they were still allowing people come up the mountain in these conditions.

A fellow Irishman Brendan Murphy introduced himself which was cool as I felt so crap. Seems I was really low on calories so ate an energy bar and that really helped. The altitude was still a massive issue though. Brendan knew all the Irish doing race and provided an update on their progress. He seemed to be going strong but encouraged me to go on ahead.

My feet did get slightly wet a few times here but think the powder and cream helped wick the moisture from my skin. The poncho was great to keep off the heavy rain and I was delighted Audrey packed that item for me. My first layer of gloves was a pair of heavy duty Marigolds which kept me warm and dry but started to cause chilblains which was absolute agony. My fingertips burned so bad. I don't think the Marigolds are meant to be the first glove layer! Lesson learned.

The descent into La Fouly was long and really cold but I remembered the route from last year which made it easier mentally. I felt really strong compared to an hour before so ran fast and overtook about 50 people as I knew the checkpoint was so close. It was dark when I arrived here in 2016 so was reassuring to know that this year I was here about 2 hours ahead of the darkness.

I didn't hang around long in La Fouly and tried to run most of the descent to Champex. I chatted to Craig from Arizona and learned lots about American ultras. My focus at this stage was just getting to Champex and then dealing with the last part of the race. Some children had a table setup outside their house and were offering coffee and tea to any runners who wanted it, perfect.

I chatted to an Israeli guy who seemed pissed off and he asked if we would be back in Chamonix at about 2am. I told him not a chance and more like 11am when we would be finished. He dismissed this and slowed down. I felt sorry for him as he was clueless of the remaining effort involved.

I warned Craig about the upcoming ascent to Champex and to allow at least 1h15 to make it up there. This part is always a long slog but manageable if you know roughly how long it will take.

It was great to see Audrey at Champex Lac. She got me all the food I wanted and I was then ready for the remaining 44k. From a psychological perspective I was on the last stretch even if 3 killer ascents and descents remained. I would pick off each mountain individually and try not think too much about the 13 hours of effort that remained.

It’s great to get some music going at this stage and run properly, as the trails are mostly flat until the Plan De L’au checkpoint. I had some song in my head for the last few days so decided to stick that on repeat and get moving.

I was in a trance from listening to music in the dark and felt that I could run forever ! I had my time chart from last year which helped me estimate how long each segment might take. This really worked well as the next section before Trient will last about 4 hours if going by last years’ time.

La Giete is a random checkpoint that appears out of nowhere in the complete darkness. A few people were sitting inside an old farm shed looking really rough and tired. I knew it was the wrong place to stop so wanted to wait until Trient for a proper sit down.

We spent ages at high altitude going through fields etc. before the descent into Trient. There were no cows out this year which was strange. They usually cover the trails and appear stunned by all the head torches. This descent is long and constantly fools you into thinking you are at the bottom!

A quick pit stop at Trient and off we go again, 2 climbs remaining.

A French lady asked me to get some blue pills from her backpack that she couldn’t reach. Spent 5 mins looking for them and we didn’t find anything, annoying!

I felt a small pebble under my big toe and tried to dismiss it by moving it around the shoe. It kept coming back to bother me but thankfully it wasn’t causing any friction.

Trient is the second last big hill which I found really hard because I was short of breath again. This ascent last year went really well and I thought it would be the same this time around.

I saw the French lady again near Les Tseppes asking someone else to find her blue pills and then she comes up behind us and says pardon, pardon so we’ll get out of the way!

The descent into Vallorcine is as bad as the previous one, rocks, tree roots, streams, mud, loads of mud! but it’s great to know that the only other descent remaining would be into the finish. It’s busy at the Vallorcine checkpoint but great to know that there is just one ascent left!. I needed plenty of coffee and Coke at this stage as feeling really sleepy. I was running low on caffeine gels which was a concern as they helped with sleep deprivation. Clare and some other Irish runners talked about Pro Plus caffeine tabs instead of caffeine gels. I definitely want to try these in the future. An American guy is in bits and his wife is worried. I assure them that the final climb won’t be as bad as the usual Tete au Vent route.

I started the walk over to the final ascent towards the Tete au vents. The route was modified so we actually wouldn’t summit this peak but instead take a long up and down route up towards La Flegere.

I walk for about 30 mins and experience crazy hallucinations. A cottage roof appeared to be tiled with magazine covers, then a runner ahead was bouncing, doing jumping jacks and flying forward and back. I knew I was hallucinating so kept looking away, but every time I looked back this person was doing some crazy moves. It was all in my head.

I tripped 3 times while almost falling asleep and nearly walked straight into a family of 4. I didn’t want anyone to talk to me because I felt very strange in my sleep deprived state.

A white rock appeared to me as a white poodle where I could make out all the details of the dog including the eyes, legs etc. It was just a white rock.

Leaves on the ground lit up like massive light bulbs that covered the trail. This was getting too much.

I started chatting to an English chap called Wayne which really helped as we were both suffering. We talked about ultras in Spain, UK and some natural energy gels he was carrying.

The route to La Flegere was long and challenging over uneven terrain where we ascended then descended over rocks, tree roots etc. and then found a sign that said 1h40 to La Flegere! I said to my new friend Wayne that we could probably walk faster but it still took a good hour.

We finally came out of the forest and could see the ski station where we were headed. It was another cruel ascent to the top but felt great arriving there. The sun was out so I ditched some clothes and felt much cooler.

I had a quick coffee here and emptied my shoes of small pebbles which really helped. We were so happy to have just 7k distance with 900m descent remaining and were keen to run the whole thing even if it hurt. We overtook quite a few runners on the way down but also encouraged them to get a move on as we were almost home! I was walking all this last year due to blisters so it was a joy to run this time around.

I finally made it off the trails where Audrey was waiting and then it’s a 1k run to the finish line. It’s always possible to run this part no matter how tired you are as there are so many amazing supporters out to cheer you on. Chatted to a few people at the finish who I ran with at some stage and grabbed the free beer on offer.

We had a great dinner with other Irish runners on Sunday evening and discussed how it went for them. Flew to Palma, Majorca the day after and suffered from really swollen ankles which went back to normal 2 days later. It's possible that too many salt tablets and the flying caused this swelling.

I would like to return and improve on my time but reckon I’ll leave it for a few years. I’m enjoying going faster in races so will stick to more runnable routes in Ireland next year and perhaps Lavaredo in 2019.

Huge thanks to my wife Audrey who sacrificed proper holidays this year to follow me around the Mont-Blanc in the cold and rain.