Sun 20 Sep 2026
2 Sep 2026 • 13 minutes read
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, better known as “UTMB” is the biggest week for trail runners internationally. Every August, Chamonix fills with runners, crews and fans from all over the world for a week of racing around Mont Blanc. This year we had someone on the ground who sees it a little differently to most!
Luke Pryor is a performance psychologist and a RunDais expert. He spent the week in Chamonix pacing, watching and soaking in the event’s atmosphere. We asked Luke what the week was actually like, what surprised him, and what he’d tell any Australian thinking about making the trip.
“It’s the busiest week of the year in Chamonix, so it’s full on,” Luke says. “But the energy in and around the centre of town is amazing. You can feel all the excitement and positivity building for everyone’s races. It’s well worth experiencing.”
For anyone racing, though, that buzz comes with a catch.
Luke’s advice is to be deliberate about how much of it you take on. Enjoy the town, explore the expo and grab any last minute gear you need, but protect some quiet time as well. It is easy to get swept up in the atmosphere when your legs would rather be resting.
The finish everyone was talking about came in the women’s OCC, which produced the closest result in UTMB history. American Lauren Gregory chased down longtime leader Naomi Lang over the final kilometre and took the win by just three seconds, with both women collapsing into an embrace at the line. As Luke says, it is well worth a rewatch on YouTube:
The Australians turned up too. Lucy Bartholomew led the way with 7th place at UTMB in 24:51:32, her fourth top ten finish in a row at the race.
📸 @alexis.jay.adr @joelfuller__
In a notably fast year, that is a serious result. Matt Dunn, an Australian now based in the Chamonix valley, ran much of his race alongside eventual third place finisher Emily Schmitz before crossing the line in around 22:39.
Matt Dunn (centre) pictured with RunDais’ very own co-founder Klay Hopgood (left), and great friend Matt Crehan (right).
At the very front of the UTMB itself, American Ben Dhiman won the men’s race and France’s Blandine L’Hirondel the women’s, both in the fastest times the current course has seen.
Ask Luke about the highlight of his week and he does not talk about the podiums.
“I got to pace Mick Marshall from Australia in the OCC, as part of the Adaptive Athlete program,” he says. “That was inspiring, watching Mick and other members of the team tackle their individual races. Seeing one of the vision impaired athletes and her guide cover some of the technical trails was mind blowing. What these athletes go through just to make the start line is incredible, and it was amazing to see UTMB supporting them.”
It is a good reminder of what the sport is really about. The times and placings make the headlines, but the start line is full of stories like Mick’s.
If this year has you dreaming about lining up in Chamonix, Luke’s biggest tip is simple. Be organised, and start early.
Book your accommodation well ahead. The centre of town is convenient for the start and finish, but it is also loud and packed, so it can be smarter to stay close by and just outside the middle. From there, the whole trip becomes a logistical exercise. Between your crew, the start location and the checkpoints, there is a lot to line up, and having it sorted before you land is what gives you a calm and stress free build up.
It is a long way to come from Australia, so if you can, get there early. A few extra days helps you shake off the jet lag, adjust a little to the altitude and actually get out on the trails you have travelled all this way to see.
Once you are there, pace yourself in town the same way you would in a race. “It is very easy to go in for a quick visit and end up standing on your feet for hours,” Luke says, which is the last thing you want in the days before a start line.
If you are crewing rather than racing, know that it is its own event. You can no longer drive to the checkpoints, which is safer but can mean long days and long nights on the shuttle buses. Luke’s advice is to pick the checkpoints that matter most and skip the rest, or split them with a couple of friends across different points. And look after yourself while you are at it. Eat, hydrate and rest whenever you get the chance, because your runner needs you sharp.
UTMB week is equal parts spectacle, logistics and emotion, and it clearly leaves a mark on everyone who experiences it. Whether you are planning your own trip or you just love watching the best in the world race around Mont Blanc, it is a week worth paying attention to.
Thanks to Luke Pryor for sharing his UTMB insights with us!
Keen to work with Luke? Check out his listing as a RunDais Expert:
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