 I'm starting to feel it now, my back's aching a bit. You've done brilliant mate, well done. The first time I came over that, I was very scared. Alex has wanted to run with you for a long time, but... I never... Well done, Katie. I am very, very tired. First finish at UTB for top 20. Come on, give it up for the ladies. It's three years since I first towed the start line, TDS, one DNF, one COVID cancellation and one tragedy later. I was beginning to wonder whether I would ever finish this race. Ben and Sarah are doing UTMB this week. How are you feeling, and that's it? More excited than nervous, I think. Because it's just a big unknown. So in fact, actually, Sarah, you're more experienced, aren't you, than Ben? That's what I'm worried about. But she'll be back in Germany before I will. Yeah. Good luck to you. Good luck. Monday morning began under the famous Arch, and a shakeout run with my friends Lloyd and Steve and my son, Ellis. Along with Lloyd and a few others, Steve's going to join me on the start line of the TDS tonight. How are you feeling for it? I'm feeling quite good. We did the classical K yesterday. After finishing on the stunning Chamonix running track and coffee at Moody's Cafe, I went to collect my race number. This year, there were random kit checks, but I wasn't chosen. I simply showed my ID, picked up my race number, and had the timing chip attached to my race pack. I was all set. Can I see? We're in the queue for the buses. It is 9.30-ish at night. Race starts at midnight. We're in a big, long line, and there are loads of buses. So we'll just get on the next one that's available to take us. The bus journey from Chamonix to Courmoire takes roughly 40 minutes. Most of that time is spent travelling through the tunnel under Montblanc to reach the Italian side. It's always one of the most nerve-wracking parts of any pre-race. OK, we've arrived in Courmoire, and I am sitting in a cafe, and due to a language issue, I've ended up with two last days rather than one. There we are, and I'm eating some porridge. I'm trying to just get over my nerves at the start of this race. It's an hour and five minutes to go before the start of the race. I've got plenty of time, just need to relax, calm my nerves, and then walk slowly up to the start line when I'm ready. Most runners congregate at the bus station in central Courmoire, where the bag-drop cages are located. The start line is just a short walk away. I'm just about to drop my bag off. This is for Beaufort, which is at about 80 kilometres, just over 80 kilometres into the race. So we hand the bag in, check that it's tight and secure, and then it'll go in those cages there to be taken to Beaufort. And hopefully, this year, I will get there. Despite the midnight start, the town was alive with activity, and the energy on the start line was palpable. Welcome to Fill My Run. It is five to midnight. We are in Courmoire. This is the third attempt at TDS. Can we get it done? Who knows? And yes, this is a washing up scouring pad on my forehead. A high five with Catherine Palletti, one of the founders of UTMB, and I was on my way. The first few hundred metres were somewhat stop-start, as hundreds of runners funnelled into the narrower streets of Courmoire. We ran a couple of kilometres through the town before the crowds eventually thinned out, and we hit the first climb. At night, it's always stunning to turn around and look back down the hill at the stream of head torches behind. So one hour, 20 odd minutes, and we are at the first aid station. So this is called Cecru. That's six and a half kilometres in, and it's an absolute melee to get anything here. We are two hours, 23 minutes into the TDS. You can see all the runners up ahead. We've got about a hundred metres climb left to do to get to the top of the first climb. Beautiful view behind us of all the lights coming up the hill. Okay, so we now have to go down to Lac Combal. We've done 12 kilometres actually, but that says we're at 11. And Lac Combal closes at 3.30am. Now 2.30am, so we've not got long to get down there. Okay, this is Lac Combal. I had a bit of a worry coming down the hill because I thought we might have trouble making it on time. But we're here by about 3.05am. This closes at 3.30am, so in 25 minutes, so not long away. We've now got five hours to get down, well, up the next climb, and then down and along to Cal Petit Saint-Benard, which closes at 8.30am in the morning. Hopefully that's okay. This is the aid station here, loads of people cramming in to try and get here before it closes. So I've forgotten how sketchy that climb just is there. I don't know if you can see all the lights that were coming up the hill. We're at 20k, well 21k on my watch. And these ladies here are scanning everybody's number as they come up. So we need to get our way 15.5km down the hill to Cal Petit Saint-Benard. It is now 4.30am, so we've got four hours to do 15km, ten of which is downhill. So we should be alright. The good thing about TDS is that it is at the start of the week. So you can spend the rest of the week wandering around the race village, watching everyone else running and have fun with the family. The children have made me do this. I didn't want to come on it, I'm too frightened. It is pretty much obligatory to go on the rides at the Chamonix amusement park, and the Luge has definitely been one of our favourites over the years. Chamonix is also small enough that you're almost guaranteed to bump into someone you know. David, you will know if you watch the Film My Trail Run channel. That's right, yes I do film my run. David does film my trail run. Because Stephen doesn't go on any of the trails. I don't go on trails, I don't like trails, they fright me. If you haven't subscribed to David's channel please do go and subscribe because he's got some great videos. Cape Wrath Ultra, which is one of my dream races, David has actually done. And you did quite well. podium, third place, delighted with that. Absolutely over the moon. Third place in Cape Wrath Ultra, amazing. What are you doing out here David? I'm not running, my wife is supposed to be running the OCC on Thursday, but unfortunately we were out here training about a month ago and she broke her foot. We had everything booked up so I decided to come out and try and capture a little bit of the Irish and Chamonix during UTMB week myself. It's about quarter past six and we've come a completely different way to what I remember. I don't know how much elevation probably about 2,000 metres elevation. It's funny how when you've done a route before it always seems to take longer the next time around because you completely forget about entire sections of the course. But we definitely did take a slightly different route on the way to Calderpity, San Bernard this time around. I'm starting to feel it now my back's aching a bit 20 miles in, just over 20 miles in. But we'll get on. I've got lovely soup and noodles here and bread and cheese and a little bit of chocolate so that'll seem you right until we get down to the edge station of Borg Summer. With the sun rising fast I knew we were in for a warm day and I wanted to start the next climb before it got too hot. So I tried to make good time to get down the relatively smooth easy descent. It's not completely rock free you do have to watch your footing but in general it's not a bad descent to this. I've got about 6K to go to the bottom. In ultra-distance races big long descents are your nemesis. Higher up it will be steep and technical, but even lower down once you reach the tarmac or the grassy slopes you can't relax. If you don't keep your eyes glued to the floor or you go too fast you may fall, get injured or destroy your quads for the rest of the race. As I approached Borg Summer Itz I did notice my watch registering a lot further mileage than the official measurements. I've got about 49 on my watch Borg Summer Itz closes at 11 so we're going to be there well in time. Hello! So we're not far off arriving in Borg Summer Itz but I've just realised you can see where we're going next. Right at the top of that hill up there is a fort and we have to get to there I can't remember what time cutoff is but anyway at some point in the next few hours I'll have to be up there. Just coming up to the aid station now and it is 11 minutes past 9 so I'm not too far off the time I was last year. Thank you! At 50km in the checkpoint at Borg Summer Itz is the first major rest stop. This is where you can get pasta or rice and meet your crew if you have one before starting the longest ascent of the race. Okay we are halfway up the climb out of Borg Summer Itz which is down there about 3km and we've got another 3km to go up. We've got the little fort which is the main thing to get to It's a good point to get to makes you feel like you're getting there and the time is 10.24 so 10 hours 24 into the run. So we made it to the top of the climb for De La Platt This aid station closes at quarter to two so we are well in time and this is the place where you can buy Orangina you may remember from my last video when we got here at 3am but you do have to pay 5 euros but it is well worth it when you get to the top of this climb especially on a hot day like today. From Fort De La Platt the climb continues up through some of the most stunning scenery on the TDS route. It's absolutely amazing up here and it's such a beautiful day as well. Really really hot. So struggling in the heat. But 12 hours done 61km nearly 62 so what a beautiful amazing view again. The first time I came over there I was very scared but that didn't seem at all bad this time so maybe I'm just getting used to these things so this is the bit that everyone talks about when they talk about TDS it's the chained roped section to get down it's not too bad actually you know as long as you hold on to the chains and you go slowly it's absolutely fine. I am a bit screwed so it might be 5 minutes to rest here. If you look up there you'll see all the people coming down some coming down a bit quicker than others but we made it down alright it's a bit technical still and the foot's slippy loose rock 4km to the next station. TDS is the third longest race of the UTMB week the longest is PTL at around 300km which you have to complete as part of a team of 2 or 3 this year it was won by these two twins from Switzerland known as Alpexperience but the big dance, the 170km UTMB begins on Friday start line of UTMB it's always an incredible atmosphere as race time draws nearer 2 hours to go spectators line the streets hours in advance I spotted filmmaker Billy Yang just a few feet away who had run the 53km OCC race the day before how was yesterday? oh my god yesterday was incredibly beautiful but incredibly hard too somebody told me they passed you and you had your head in your hands at one point was it really hot? that was probably on the climb to Le Bleger yeah it was I was just plonking big time out of calories couldn't move forward so I just needed to take a second to review and reset then on the descent I got a couple of crackers in me the guy who told me that he saw you with your head in your hands then said you flew past him yeah and they're passing like nice one what are you doing today? what are you doing this week? just following the men good good good cheers Billy take care this is the UTMB 170km race starting right here in the centre of Chamonix all the way around Mont Blanc and back again to Chamonix I've cut the footage of the start of the race down or we would have been here forever there were well over 2,000 runners we didn't manage to spot Sarah Place it's the start of UTMB that's how you want it to be how many runners was that? unbelievable 7 minutes of runners coming back that is incredible the winner of CCC was Peter Engel who completed the 100km course in 9 hours 53 minutes British runner Jonathan Arben came second after his superb win last year at the OCC race when he beat fellow Britain Robbie Simpson into second place back at TDS we were past the most technical section of the race it's easy running from here to Cormé de Roseland a crew point where I found Liga waiting for my friends Lloyd and Steve you alright? how far are the boys? they're behind you not far in 2019 I made it to this checkpoint as darkness fell with just 5 minutes to spare okay so Cormé de Roseland and we're at 66km officially we've got a good 2 hours 15 minutes before this closes 2.5 hours in fact before it closes and the next aid station is Lajitas and that closes at 7.30 8km from here and this is our aid station honestly you can't take your eyes off this race for one second the scenery is stunning we left Cormé de Roseland and made our way onwards to the next checkpoint at Lajitas the rugged beauty topped by yet another technically demanding but utterly thrilling descent just filled up my water bottles from this river absolutely freezing cold and lovely beautiful descent down we're on our way to Lajitas which is 2km away so this is Lajitas and we are well in time here this closes at 7.30 tonight the next aid station is the drop bag station it's Beaufort I've got soup with the sun gradually fading we left Lajitas and made our way slowly up the next climb I remembered how exhausted I'd been when I reached this point in 2019 what a fantastic end to the day so there is Mont Blanc and there is Lloyd what a beautiful place though oh just gorgeous yeah actually I'm feeling a bit better I was feeling a little bit puny but we're all right now in 2019 this is where I stopped DNF guess what okay well I was asleep so now we meet again today you're a finisher I'm gonna finish today you're gonna kill it Stephen let's go Adrian I was tired but what a lift it was to be cheered past that mental milestone in the race so we are at the top of the final climb before the descent to Beaufort so we've got a few bits of water here that you can fill your bottles with Lloyd and Steve White have just left so I'm gonna follow them down hopefully we can get down in a couple of hours the sun is setting okay so it's 11.30 at night I got here about half an hour ago and I've basically just slept I have cleaned my feet up a bit I'm just gonna put clean socks on and change my top and then get out there and try and get this final 50k done I'm so tired and that descent into Beaufort was horrendous we got that done so let's just get the final 50k done I've no idea where anyone else is but Lloyd and Steve White are I think they're out there now doing the final 50k so we've started the climb out of Beaufort I am very very tired my feet are good my legs don't feel too bad but just my whole body is because I've had no sleep for two nights my whole body just feels really fatigued I just want to lie down and go to sleep at every opportunity but we're on our way to the next aid station which is literally about one and a half kilometers away so we'll get there and have some easy drink okay it's about 1.47 in the morning we are at Hote Luce which is 98km officially although on my watch I've got 106km so this aid station closes at 5.30 in the morning so we're here before 2am but we've got a long hike now a good 1300m climb 15.5km to the next aid station Col de Jolley we are about 7km away from the next aid station we're at a medical tent Col de Vairie and they kindly provided some drinks as well for us it's not an official aid station I'm feeling sick I've just taken a tablet so just trying to ease my stomach my legs aren't feeling too bad to be fair and I've been sleeping a lot as well having 5 minute naps so the time is gradually drifting into 37-38 hours but anyway we're going back up a hill now and hopefully we'll hit the next aid station in the next couple of hours thank you guys I think it's okay you'll have lucky yeah yeah I think so you guys go I think so I'll just rest a minute no no it's good I think it's good so we're at little cafe just half way up the climb to La Flageère so this is the route that all the CCC runners are just coming down now at the end of their race and in about 3-4 hours the winner of UTMB and all the other UTMB runners will be coming down this hill and through this cafe as well this beautiful cafe is La Floria about half way up the climb from Chamonix to La Flageère on the opposite side of the valley to Mont Blanc trail and error podcast Supremo J Grady how are you? I'm good you've enjoyed part 48 hours from now you'll have enjoyed it all yeah I think so it's good I'm glad it's over we made our way up to catch the lead runners on their final descent on your toes we're on the top of La Flageère and Kilian Journay he looks like he's going to win UTMB even under 20 hours maybe and he is just coming up the hill any second now so we're going to keep him out there's loads of people here it's an amazing atmosphere and he's going to hit the last aid station and then it's downhill 7K all the way into Chamonix I was lucky enough to grab prime position on the other side of the La Flageère checkpoint for an unobstructed view of the undisputed goat of ultra running before his descent into Chamonix to claim his fourth win at UTMB Kilian first won UTMB way back in 2008 and here he is 14 years later not only winning but breaking the course record well that was mad wasn't it Kilian Journay in and out of the aid station 7K to go to the box right we're just going to see Tom Evans coming down the hill now in third place he's going to get a podium finish friend of the channel Tom Evans on his way to a first British podium at UTMB since Jez Bragg's winning in 2010 well done superb buddy I see it well done get that podium that was Tom Evans going down the hill almost unless he falls and breaks his leg that is a podium finish a British podium finish for Tom Evans fantastic and this is my son Ellis running with Jim Wormsley who finished fourth this year great work Jim Ellis has wanted to run with you for a long time well done good effort good work get it done mate get it done and to win the UTMB for the last two years Katie Scheid continued the USA's recent dominance of this event with her first win in Chamonix and I was absolutely delighted to welcome Mark Derbyshire back to Chamonix Mark is the course record holder for the Lakeland 100 the Arch of Attrition and the Centurion North Downsway 100 right this is Mark Derbyshire we are running into Chamonix Derbyshire and Mark is about to come in the top 20 at UTMB for the first time thank you Phil Mark after that massive broken I sort of enjoyed it I enjoyed it up to 150k wheel fell off big time your first finish at UTMB top 20 I'm pretty happy with that it's just a shame the last 18k I lost lost a lot of time lost a couple of places didn't you that's alright though great thank you Mark good job it's 10-7 in the morning head torches are now amazing dam over there in the distance if you can see that and I've had an accident I fell and cut my leg on a bridge that didn't have a slat in it I missed the slat and went into the water and this leg hit the bridge it's not too painful I can move on it so we should be okay we are about from Kolda Jolly which is the next aid station it seems to have taken forever to get to this hate station but we better get a move on and get there now finally arrived at Kolda Jolly so that is 114km so 30k to go just under 20 miles left and the next aid station is Kontamine hill and then we've got a big climb up and then we've got the finish the descent to the finish so let's get on our way it had been a very tough night what with sickness extreme fatigue and the fall I'd spent much of it with Lloyd and Steve at one point we fell asleep on a dry ski slope for 20 minutes we were all very glad to see daylight and reaching Le Kontamine was another significant milestone not too far away from Kontamine now just had a big long downhill which is really hurting my legs now but you know that's the nature of UTMB races the downhill hurt just as much if not more than the uphill hoping to get done by about 3 or 4pm this afternoon but we'll see what happens we're at Le Kontamine which is a pretty major aid station checkpoint on UTMB as well but on UTMB it's fairly early in the race and for us it's well pretty near the end now we just have one big climb to do and it is a big one it's about a thousand meters but then it's all downhill to Lezooch and back into Chamonix so distance from Lezooch to Chamonix is 8k couldn't tell you what it is to Bellevue Lloyd and Steve don't have some 85 it's probably 81 yes maybe we've got to start big climb now but it's the last one we are on our way home so there we are we're at 123km that's okay the next cutoff point is at Bellevue at half past five so we don't need to worry about cutoffs anymore it's all fine but the climb is 1270m that's what we need to worry about now with legs as stiff as mine are we need to we need to just be aware that we've got a big fat climb coming up now it's worth pointing out that the highest mountain in the UK is Ben Nevis at over 1300m we had travelled 80 miles and effectively already climbed Ben Nevis six times and we were about to do it again but I could feel the finish line I've been dreaming about completing this race for three years and we were so close now right we are about to start the final climb of the day this valley here is absolutely beautiful again you can see the summit of Mont Blanc there anyway it's been nice having the company of Lloyd and Steve and we've been speaking to an Irish guy called James as well on this last descent so it's taken a bit of the time and made us not think too much about how much pain we're in it's a killer climb but we are about 100 metres from the top now Steve making it look easy there's the valley down below where we've just come from I say just so we've climbed the last major climb we are now heading down we have a tiny little climb up to the Bellevue checkpoint but other than that it's down to Les Oûches and then 8K back into Chamonix what a beautiful view hi buddy can't be better oh no can't be better and again you can see the summit of Mont Blanc up there my legs are as you might expect completely shot pieces but we'll make it down by now I was moving very slowly indeed every downhill step was agony but once again the scenery kept me going as I clambered over more rocky terrain this bridge over the powerful Bionassi glacier water is fabulous nevertheless it seemed to take forever to reach the Bellevue checkpoint so this is Bellevue this is the final checkpoint before we head down to Les Oûches only 4.5K down the hill as I hit the tarmac on the descent to Les Oûches I was confident I could erase the memory of the DNF in 2019 and of the Covid cancellation of 2020 but I knew I could not erase the memory of last year and the check runner who died then would run those final miles with me we are not far off the bottom of the hill and as you can see by my running form that's not going to be very quick but we can safely say we are going to make it to the end under the cutoff so we will complete TDS and I'm already going to call it that it's the second hardest race I've ever done after Val d'Oran of course if you hadn't already guessed cheers buddy thank you oh yeah we've got it now I'm not coming back that's for sure that was hard wasn't it so this is the final checkpoint Les Oûches we've arrived 8K to go to the finish through the timing Matt thank you so this is where you get everybody cheering you in as you run through the family town centre and it's good to be here in the daytime rather than finishing at night when there's no one around these moments are spine tingly you're exhausted but after such an incredible journey the crowd, the atmosphere and the enormous sense of personal pride lifts you beyond euphoria bye chair it's the famous finish line how you finish TDS 2022 so cool guy I had a brief chat to Owen before my wife and children arrived Lloyd was there having finished a few minutes earlier and I'm so grateful to Jeff, Holly, Jay, Lee and Mike for taking the time to be there too because sharing the highs and lows of our journeys sharing our love of trail running and the mountains is what makes UTMB week the Chamonix experience so special everywhere you turn there is a beautiful view and a like-minded soul to share it with and we will all be back to do it again next year and if you want to be part of this if you want to experience this for yourself do not hesitate come and join us next year