Matterhorn Ultraks
Wow 🏔️🚞
Matterhorn ultraks Mountain Race.
32km, 1900m vert. 🥉
Hard to get a more idyllic place to run. High up in the Swiss mountains, not accessible by road, amazing trails all around, and the ever present Matterhorn laying vigil over the entire place. We were blessed with another perfect race day, clear skies, awesome Mattehorn views in the morning, heating up later in the day.
The entire Ultraks event is super popular, with 1200 runners in my race alone, and similar numbers in the other distances. I can see why. This trail-running MECA really provided the goods.
Setting off from the centre of Zermatt, quickly climbing out of town, then becoming steep. This climb up to the first gondola and aid station took about 45 mins.
Sitting in 1 st for most of this Climb, but then 4 other strong runners catching me near the top and aid station. It was at this point I could see that they all were getting assistance from crew, rather then taking their time to fill up from the aid station. They were all in and out in a few seconds, whereas I was taking about 30seconds to fill up my flasks. What the! My race rule interpretation seemed to be awry again. I read the “No outside assistance” as meaning no help from crew, so Amanda had decided on doing her own thing today rather than meeting me on course. Ok, noted, ..damn. Oh well, we are only 8k in and now sitting in 5 thplace. A lot more Mountain to go.
I was using this race to try out a few things including a new pack, and some new shoes. The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, their foray into trail super shoes. I had heard good things from a few people so decided to give them a try. In a few short training runs they seemed a little bit unstable and caused me to roll my ankle a few times. The price of the technology I guess. I was excited and apprehensive to try them out at speed in a race. The next part of the race was a fun technical section around a lake and then an awesome descent down the valley through a tiny village to the river before the next ascent. Yep, two rolled ankles during that section. Not my favourite shoes, but no backing-out now.
More climbing. Again feeling the altitude a lot in this race!. The climbs did not feel pretty. I am well fuelled and hydrated, but feel that heavier breathing and slightly dizzy effect the 2500m has on you without first acclimitising. This trip has had a heavy emphasis on fun and holidaying. If I want to get the best out of myself in the future for these kind of races, I need to take proper altitude acclimatation seriously. Perhaps 3-4 years ago you could still do well in these big trail races performing at 90%, but the level has increased that you need to bring your 100% if you want to win. A good lesson for me. I think a more serious trip to target my best performances would be cool in order to see what I am capable of when firing on all cylinders.
At 14km we meet the longer distance runners who started 2 hrs before us in the morning. Some glorious sections of trail undulating along the valley with views of the matterhorn, then a steep and technical descent, all the while navigating past about 100-150 other runners in the mid pack of their longer race. Some creative trail verge leaping was needed.
Down to the 19k aid station In Furi and Amanda is there. She yells that “all these other top 4 have been getting help from their friends and family!”. Yep. Another 30 second fill up of my flasks and onwards. In the middle of racing there is not much you can do about others, so not worth thinking about it right now.
Straight out of that aid station, an absolutely epic climb of 750metres in 2.5km. I managed to find a second wind here and ran this whole thing flying past about 200 other runners and 4 th place in my race. Not sure where my legs were at for the first two climbs, but they seem to have arrived for this climb?! Maybe because I was carrying so much extra for the first two climbs, thinking it was a non-crewed race. When you look at what I was wearing compared to the other top 10, I look like I have packed the kitchen sink. From this high point, a final last aid station, then another 10k to go of 90% downhill to the end. A mix of forest roads and technical forest single track, before crossing a dam and traversing the valley wall above Zermat with a bit more climbing on smashed up legs. It was at this late stage that I passed 3 rd place and could see 2nd. Unfortunately I was feeling a pretty dehydrated at this point, now on the valley in full hot sun. I had checked out the course the previous night and thought I’d scoped out a few rivers or village fountains in this last 5k, but they were all dry. Feeling dehydrated, gave a last push to the finish but it was not enough to catch second.
Running through the centre of Zermatt to the finish shoot with crowds and awesome atmosphere below the matterhorn was pretty incredible. My congrats to 1 st and 2nd, a few pictures then the drinking of much fluid to stop me feeling so dehydrated.
Included in this event is a brilliant massage and a very descent post race meal/drink. Chilling in the finishing square cheering on other athletes before prizegiving was pretty cool.
Overall an incredible event with epic scenery and glorious trails. My silly mistake of not having crew assistance cost me a few minutes and 2 nd place, but still nice to finish on the podium whilst far from my 100%. Would love to come back and target the Extreme or Sky races next year to increase the technicality or distance in this valley.
Everything in Zermat including the event, our accommodation, the vibe, the food, was all pretty spot-on. Definitely one I’d travel across the world for! :D
