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Mark Agnew

A new book to mark the 20-year anniversary of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) highlights the human story behind the event, contextualising controversies such as prize money.
“I don’t always agree with the founders’ decisions personally but I always found the answers very interesting and it gave me more perspective and understanding,” said Doug Mayer, 58, the book’s author.
The book – The Race that Changed Running: The Inside Story of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc – details the history of the UTMB with interviews with the founders Michel and Catherine Poletti.
The race is the most high-profile event in trail and ultra running. The main event is the 171km race from Chamonix, all the way around the Mont Blanc Massif, through Italy and Switzerland and back to Chamonix in France.

During the week, there are also other races: the 145km TDS, the 100km CCC and the 56km OCC.
The UTMB has often been criticised for being too commercial. They have expanded to different countries with races “by UTMB” and recently partnered with Iron Man to make a world series, through which runners can qualify for the main event in Chamonix.
‘No less than a boy’: Budha tackles gender norms in Nepal after CCC heroics
Mayer let the founders of the UTMB check the book for accuracy, but they were not allowed to change anything, and had no editorial control.
He did not shy from asking controversial questions. Some of his critical views of the race have been softened by the human side of the answers.
For example, the UTMB seemed to be making money, but offering little or no prize money to its runners, attracting a lot of controversy.

“It turns out that Catherine had been the treasurer of the Marathon Mount Blanc [a different race] many years ago at a time when East African runners were winning and she was writing cheques out to their managers,” Mayer said.
“She knew exactly what was going on – the money wasn’t going to the athletes, it was going to the managers. That horrified her. When she talks about that today, you can hear the indignant tone in her voice.
“That informed their thinking about prize money. For years, they saw prize money as corrupting.”

Since then, trail running has become increasingly professional. Runners and critics, including the Post, called for the UTMB to offer prize money. In 2018, they did. There were calls to give more than a token amount, to recognise that the athletes are professional runners who need to make a living.
Major publications like Outside Magazine had headlines such as “UTMB and ultrarunning’s amateurism problem”.
As of 2022, the UTMB offered US$10,400 to the winners of the UTMB, CCC and OCC, around US$5,200 for second place and US$3,125 for third. Fourth and fifth places got around US$1,500, while sixth to 10th earned US$1,000.

“I think one of their human faults is that they’re slow to change,” Mayer said, adding that he hoped people would be more forgiving of it.
One of the sources of the problems is that people have suggested the Polettis are in it for the money. In the book, the Polettis pointed out that they could have cashed out years ago. They said they wanted to pass the race on to their children.
Even the 40 per cent sold to Iron Man was not the 40 per cent they owned. It was sold to Iron Man by Group Telegram, although Iron Man did buy 5 per cent from the Polettis.
Mayer is American, but lives in Chamonix and speaks French. He has interviewed the Polettis many times but even he was taken on a journey.

“I learned a lot about them and that made them more human,” he said. “They’ve had their struggles, like all of us.”
Michel grew up in Chamonix. After university, he went to Paris to become a computer programmer.
“And he was miserable about it,” Mayer said. “A friend of Catherine said, ‘Well, you guys have a choice. It’s Paris and antidepressants, or it’s back to Chamonix.’ And they went back to Chamonix and moved into the garage of his father.”
They renovated the chalet, and it’s where they still live.
“They’re not the people that a lot of people think they are,” Mayer said. “The race is not entirely the race we think it is.”


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UTMB book reveals the history of the famous event, delving into controversy over prize money and the people behind the race

The UTMB is the most high-profile race in ultra running, and has attracted controversy for its seemingly commercial focus. Photo: Laurent Salino/UTMB

The Race That Changed Running by Doug Mayer. Photo: Handout

Chamonix is packed with fans and media during the week of the UTMB. Photo: Laurent Salino/UTMB

Transvulcania by UTMB – the race has expanded to events around the world. Photo: Martina Valmassoi

The main event takes runners 171km around the Mont Blanc Massif. Photo: Getty Images

Doug Mayer was surprised by the human stories that contextualise the UTMB’s history. Photo: Handout

Sunmaya Budha hopes to challenge gender norms in Nepal with UTMB CCC heroics – ‘I’m no less than a boy’

Fans celebrate with Sunmaya Budha as she crosses the finish line in second at the UTMB CCC. Photos: Olly Bowman/Asia Pacific Adventure

Sunmaya Budha [left] flies the flag of Nepal on the finish line of the CCC. 

Sunmaya Budha on the final climb of the UTMB CCC, where she cut down the front-runner’s lead from 21 minutes at the final checkpoint, to five minutes on the finish line. 

Sunmaya Budha does not notice her Achilles injury as she pushes to second place. 

Sunmaya Budha celebrates with fans after coming second at the UTMB CCC despite an Achilles injury.

Sunmaya Budha [left] celebrates with her team director Ryan Blair. 

China’s top trail running ‘Legion’ leave pandemic behind and turn attentions to UTMB

Yun Yanqiao approaches the finish line in first place in the 50km race at the Val d’Aran by UTMB. Photo: Val d’Aran by UTMB/Liqen Studio

Yun Yanqiao on the way to winning the Val d’Aran by UTMB. PhotoL: Handout

Shen Jiasheng being interviewed. 

Shen Jiasheng holds his ‘vegetable cutting board’ trophy at the Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB. Photo: Handout

Shen Jiasheng celebrates winning the Eiger Ultra Trail in a new course record time, a week after winning a race in Switzerland. Photo: Sandrine Zurbuchen

Xiang Fuzhao after finishing fourth at the Eiger Ultra Trail. Photo: Li Sheng

Qi Min at the 2019 UMTB. Photo: UTMB

TransLantau by UTMB: ‘tough as nails’ Emily Woodland targets 100km after brutal cancer treatment

Emily Woodland has recovered from cancer and is running the TransLantau by UTMB. Photo: Handout

Emily Woodland’s ‘last good race’ was an 11th place finish at the HK100. Photo: Handout

Emily Woodland completes the UTA before her cancer diagnoses. Photo: Handout

Emily Woodland has a greater appreciation for being out in nature, over the competitive side of running. Photo: Handout

Thailand by UTMB: China runners dominate Chiang Mai challenge as Nepal’s Sunmaya Budha stuns field by finishing third overall in 110km race

Runners take off for the start of the 168km division at Thailand by UTMB race. Photo: Thailand by UTMB

Zhao Jiajiu on his way to victory in the Thailand by UTMB in Chiang Mai Photo: Thailand by UTMB

China’s Xiang Fuzhao is all smiles as she approaches the finish line to win the women’s division and finish fourth overall. Photo: Thailand by UTMB

China’s Zhao Jiaju crosses the finish line first in the 168km division. Photo: Thailand by UTMB

Hong Kong-based Filipino John Onifa crosses the line in second place. Photo: Thailand by UTMB

Nepal sensation Sunmaya Budha wins the women’s 110km race, finishing third overall. Photo: Touch Media Asia Pacific Adventure.

Sport

Outdoor

Trail Running

The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is the most famous and high-profile ultra running event in the world
A new book, released to mark its 20-year anniversary, brings a human touch to the little-known history of the event


The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is the most famous and high-profile ultra-running event in the world.


Trail running and hiking

Ultra trail of Mont Blanc - UTMB

UTMB book reveals the history of the famous event, delving into controversy over prize money and the people behind the race

The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is the most famous and high-profile ultra running event in the world A new book, released to mark its 20-year anniversary, brings a human touch to the little-known history of the event

The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is the most famous and high-profile ultra running event in the world

A new book, released to mark its 20-year anniversary, brings a human touch to the little-known history of the event