This blog is about me, Dave, and my journey to running the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix, France. The UTMB is a 171km (106 mi) race through France, Italy and into Switzerland around Mont-Blanc. The elevation gain is greater than that of climbing Mount Everest. Breathtakingly beautiful but also one of the biggest challenges in Ultra Running with a completion rate of just over 60% from 2500 competitors. I’m going to run it.

I could always run ok. I started in under 5s Little Athletics in Gippsland where i grew up and loved going fast. As I grew, this moved from the running track to School & Inter School Cross Country events including at Woolamai, Phillip Island on the beach and through the sand dunes. Talk about tough!

Throughout school I focused on swimming, hockey, netball and casually at other sports but I always enjoyed running and its simple beauty.

The 2014 Melbourne Half Marathon was one of my first big events. My dad had run marathons in his past, I needed to get there too so I figured this was the first step in achieving what he had. I started the race with minimal training, ate no dinner and had minimal sleep the night before as it was my cousin’s birthday and a good time.

At the 15 km mark I overheated, became fatigued and ended up walking the rest of the race. I went out too fast and didn’t have the legs to back it up. The time wasn’t great. I learnt that all running distances need to be respected – I hadn’t on this occasion but I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

All running distances need to be respected

In 2015 I got married to my amazing wife, Whitney and soon after got invited to a Parkrun by a few friends. We had both run in these fun volunteer events before but soon to attend regularly. In those early days, I’m not sure what took us there more, the run or the mandatory coffee and chat with friends after. I noticed that soon my times began to decrease and I got much quicker.

Through 2019-20 I signed up for more events, trying to push myself and see what I am capable of on the track and on the trails. Since the terrible attempt at my first Half Marathon, I completed other half and full marathons. In 2019, I completed in the Great Ocean Road Marathon. 

Getting married and having your first child is great but there’s nothing like running along the Great Ocean Road! 🙂

The Two Bays Trail Run 56 km in 2020, was my first taste of the Ultra Marathon world and it did not disappoint. It’s relaxed but inspirational nature helped me to understand why people run that far – something I’ve struggled to comprehend in the past.

I have been running consistently for the last few years but am keen to make the next step and achieve something I don’t yet know is possible. My hope is that this may encourage, inspire and grow others to set and achieve running goals that may not have been thought previously possible.

Run with me.