The race

A group of 12 of us headed down to the south of France for UTMB Nice. Seven lined up for the 55K, two for the 21K, and three came along as support crew. Technical trails, big climbs, long days in the mountains. Exactly how we like it.

The course climbs away from the coast almost immediately and stays high, so most of the day is spent on dry, rocky singletrack with the hills stacking up in every direction. It drops you through beautiful old French towns tucked away in the mountains, then climbs again. Baguettes for fuel.

The Trip

What made it special was doing it together. A mix of familiar faces and some new ones too, all brought together by a shared love for running and being in the mountains. Shared nerves before the start, long days on the course, then stories, food, and recovery back at the villa. We stayed together in one place, with a private cook and a dedicated support crew so everyone could fully focus on the running and the experience. This is something we want to do more of: traveling to iconic trail events and creating a supported, communal base around them.