When ultra runner Harry Jones signed up for his first 100-mile race in 2019, he went with the , which he admits now might have been an ambitious one to start. The famous course takes thousands of hopefuls on a circuit around Mont Blanc, passing through three different countries with a total elevation gain of 32,940 feet. To put things bluntly, it’s a lot tougher than runners like , and make it look.
Coming into the final aid station in Vallorcine, Jones remembers feeling really rough and disappointed with how the race was going. After a quick pep talk from his partner Louise, however, he managed to turn things around and even start running the last climb instead of hiking it. After 24 hours on his feet, he came in 15th out of over 1,400 finishers.
“It was a real lesson that when you think you’ve given everything, if you can tap into it there’s always more to give deep down,” he recalls. This Friday at 9 a.m.
, Jones will be back in Chamonix for the CCC – fondly known as the "little sister" of the UTMB – which will see Jones and his cohort run from Courmayeur in Italy to Chamonix. With a total distance of 101 km, it’s less than two-thirds of the marquee race, but when we spoke to Jones earlier this summer, he confessed that he prefers these races over 100-milers. “You can actually run at quite a good pace and you’re not out on the trail overnight, which makes a really big difference psychologically.
” Since 2014, the British runner has competed in eight UTM.