Facing My Biggest Challenge: The Ultra Trail de Fiz July 2019

This was my biggest objective of the year, a race that filled me with both excitement and fear. The Ultra Trail de Fiz spans about 70 kilometers with 5,000 meters of elevation gain, equivalent to a 100-kilometer flat race. I had no idea how long it would take to complete or even if I could finish it.

Luckily, I wasn’t alone in this endeavor. I managed to sign up with a few great friends. Karim flew all the way from NYC to run this race with me, using it as training for his upcoming 100-mile (160k) race in September. Pierre, with whom I shared a tent at the Marathon des Sables (MDS) and became close friends after running the 86k long stage together in the desert, also joined, along with another friend. So, the four of us took on this challenge together.

Conditions couldn’t have been worse. A storm and relentless rain led to the cancellation of another race on Saturday, but ours on Sunday was still on. We woke up early at 3am with little sleep, heading to the start line by 5am. The day was marked by rain, cold, mud, and fog—it didn’t stop raining for a second. The conditions were brutal, testing us both topographically and mentally.

After countless ups and downs, both on the trail and in my mind, I finally crossed the finish line in 13 hours and 30 minutes. Pierre finished 45 minutes ahead of me, Karim arrived 45 minutes later, and our other friend had to quit. Later, I learned that 40% of the participants didn’t finish the race. Despite the grueling conditions, the sense of accomplishment was immense. This race, though terrifying and challenging, was an incredible journey of resilience and camaraderie.