Running the BRUTAL final 3 climbs of UTMB (HARD) *finished at 1am*

The last 40k of the UTMB route is tough! Follow along as we run that whole section which ended up being my longest and toughest training run I've ever done...
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[@Trailrunner1978]

Such a brutal route. Respect for all who are training and racing UTMB.

[@philipeick-vocalmusic]

This series really showed me how completely crazy the UTMB is... Thanks Ben, very entertaining!

[@nberkel]

Thanks for bringing us on the journey! You've seen most of the course, nothing to be scared of on race day now!

[@duanecg]

I was inspired by your videos. So much so I stepped into the ultra running world and did the lakeland 50 this year as my first. Loved every minute of it and loved this video.

[@BenParkes]

That is awesome! Well done at Lakeland!!

[@glen6276]

Hey Ben. All the best for the UTMB run. You’ve worked hard and I’m sure you’ll smash it. You’ve got the support of lots of subscribers and I look forward to seeing your video of the event. Run safe 🏃‍♂️ 💨 🏔️ 🥇 🍻

[@tommyrunsfar]

Great insight into the course🤩 thanks for this Ben🙋🏻‍♂️ will be routing for you at the race🎉

[@MrPhilsmithson]

Looking forward to the “I did it!” video! You’ll smash it this year! 🎉🎉🎉

[@50Something]

That's brave to tackle that alone! Way to go Ben 😮

[@richwillrun]

Those last 3 climbs look spicy! Thanks again for this great series. Good luck to you both!

[@Stewartuk73]

Wow what an incline man ! Brilliant performance Ben.

[@kimmcbirnie5747]

What a wonderful film Ben - wishing you the very best of luck with your training and the race itself. You're an inspiration ✨️

[@BenParkes]

Thank you very much! 🤗

[@michaelheyes1023]

been a while since I have caught up with this channel. love the passion, still as strong as when I started watching years ago. good luck with UTMB.

[@BenParkes]

Thank you and welcome back!

[@runningforviews]

0:08 loved the jump scare from the ibex 😂

[@msmudga]

Good luck Ben - sincerely hope you achieve this year!

[@Roeban89]

thanks for taking us along on your training runs, you inspire me to do the same one day!

[@jh230377]

When Ben Parkes tells you it’s hard,(with all that training) you know that it’s extremely tough. Well done Ben 👍

[@petraalma29]

Found the Trient toilet with a view and the red gingham curtains today!!

[@BenParkes]

haha.. it's a lovely spot for a short break!

[@cristinaarceo9136]

Well done Ben! Thank you for another great video. That's brutal and very challenging. Stay strong! Unfortunately we'll have to leave the morning of the day of the UTMB race, but I wish you and Sarah all the best on your UTMB race.💪🏽❤️🥳

[@fabiotabollini5431]

Great content! I just finished a trail running vaca of the TMB. Full UTMB course of 106 miles over 6 days. Can’t imagine doing it in under 46 hours! Best of luck!

[@palmyarmyswim]

Nice! Did you plan yourself or go through a tour company?

[@thijsvisser]

The 2nd climb up to les Tseppes (the detour) is just bonkers

[@Langstonrocks]

So great to see your final recce video, gets me totally excited for utmb this year. Hope to see you for a shake-out run in Chamonix.

[@woutermolevelt1507]

Knowing that last part will help you a lot on race day!! Best of luck!! Will be surely following :D

[@Rustyfox46]

Top effort Ben. The energy is there. Keep up the amazing work 👊🏻

[@grandcolferret]

Really enjoyed the vids. Brings home the beauty and excitement of the course/race superbly. We were out on a course recce over three days last week - Jim Walmsley came flying past us at Bonatti; I can confirm that the variant section after Trient, which we did on Saturday, is truly awful and it looks like it will have to form part of UTMB as the main path is closed due to potential rockfalls. It's the toughest part of the whole tour. The run down into Vallorcine is also going to be longer due to a path closure (I presume you hated running down the service road as much as we did!). Will hopefully join you for a shakeout run in race week - this will be my 10th time doing a utmb race, and probably the last. Mind you, I've said that a few times!

[@FitLawyerK]

That view, makes all that hard work worth it

[@peternorris9500]

Have loved these videos, thank you and Sarah soo much. Looking forward to following you (online I am an OCC man) on the big day(s). 👍

[@anneliesbeijer262]

Loved watching these training runs 💪 best of luck with the last preps for utmb for both of you

[@mitchellatkins9701]

Congrats on the good and mean training run

[@The_Funky_Horn]

Good luck, Ben!!

[@Rhino_12]

Thank you for taking me on your Chamonix series journey, loving the content and following your and Sarah’s adventures. Would love to get out there but that’s on my ‘one day list. Q. Is it drinking water out on the trails you were filling up with or do you filter it ?

[@BenParkes]

It's usually fine out the fountains where you see me filling up.. it's normally just tap water that you'd get in any house etc. Probably best to filter it if you get it out a stream though. better safe than sorry.

[@TheHammers527]

Great work Ben! Proper effort that

[@tomvandermeer9125]

Great to see all your training video's! Good luck at UTMB! Especially great to see this video since I will run the OCC. You made me a bit scared for the second climb though 😅

[@Nick-B78]

Awesome job Ben. Having done that last part so well will hopefully give you a lot of confidence when approaching it in the race. Have fun out there!

[@jimmcgourty3780]

Great run, Ben (video, Sarah). Best of luck at UMTB. Go get it done!

[@patrickrowe1024]

Ran there last year the trail down from le flegere was great if your looking an amazing training day the climb to mt buet (3100m) starts in le buet just 15 mins from chamonix ❤ best of luck guy's

[@fireman3857]

Yeeesh my sphincter was clenched. Remembering your knee from last time. I am definitely packing my mountain biking knee pad sleeves just for that section. A few uncomfortable hours Vs a torn or broken knee. Scary. But sooooo beautiful

[@runningforviews]

The fact that there is that much climbing in the last 25 miles of a 100 mile race is INSANE!

[@CorvusVal]

Awesome run! Would love to be able to build the strength you've got one day for chucking out 40k training runs with heaps of elevation. Just need to put together the jigsaw puzzle that is fixing all the strength and conditioning weaknesses my body's got, to properly build to this. Brilliant to see you enjoying and crushing these runs. Everything crossed that you get to the start line in even better form, and that you and Sarah smash this epic trail!

[@linab.6586]

I really enjoy watching your preparation and will keep my fingers crossed for you (great editing btw) ! This year all will go well Ben. Just please take good care of yourself in these 2 weeks until the race to stay at your best. Special attention to your feet, ankles and knees. I'd be interested if there's a scientific approach to the masochism a runner must have to participate in these particularly hard races 😉

[@t5kcannon1]

Top stuff, Ben! Inspiring.

[@Nick-lq5bh]

Amazing Content Ben. Greetz from the Netherlands😃

[@that-lux-runner]

I get nervous each time you look at the camera 😬

[@1carus1]

Good luck Ben - get it done. 👊

[@footballisunited9642]

4:50 Spectacular

[@teddylim5305]

Thanks

[@gwilymeades]

Training runs are the best.

[@nathaliado5144]

great training video as always! 💥

[@alfdickinson1971]

Hahaha love it! Great great session/vid-YOU WILL GET THIS ONE DONE 100%

[@jamiecunningham6798]

Loved this 💪

[@mats271979]

So impressive and inspirational, great work!

[@AlistairNY]

I'm pretty sure when Sarah comes in at the end of these she's just back from battling supervillains on the other side of the world. Oh hi Ben, um, nice run? Me too *tucks cape away*. Food?

[@philipcampbell7548]

Love how Ben always has a smile on his face even after miles of brutal climbing 😂

[@shanedoyle8933]

Beautiful Ben

[@SamHerbert50]

Blimey!! You’ve done amazing!! You’re going to smash the big one in a few weeks time 👏 ps. Has Sarah closed down her channel? Will she be doing anymore vlogs with her running? x

[@sunnydas8802]

really nice work Ben , ❤ it 💪👊

[@nuttallbwfcuk3925]

That bubbling water puddle is the start of a fresh water river. That right there is some of the freshest water on the planet, you could’ve bottled that up to drink 👌🏼

[@zigzagger3395]

Great film Ben - did you use the 2023 UTMB GPX file? When I did my recce that took me on the detour route up Les Tseppes out of Trient. So maybe that will be the race route as well? Sure is a tough climb.

[@BenParkes]

I did download the GPX a couple of months ago from the UTMB website, so it must have been the 2022 version I had. As the official site now shows that diversion as the official route for this year. Good to get that climb done in training as yes it's very steep!!

[@aidanoc19]

The climbing is insane in this section. If we are the product of what we practice, then there's not much better prep that you could be doing.

[@syp361]

The best of luck this year to you both. I also DNF’d last year at La Fouley. Can I ask how you managed to get a place this year? Looking forward to seeing you cross that finish line 💪🏼

[@timcutbush]

Great Video series, total respect to everyone that takes part the epic race that is UTMB! One question I have is do you take a Satellite Communicator like the Garmin InReach? All that running alone and in the night what if you take a bad tumble? Or is Mobile phone signal so much better there then in the hills in the UK?

[@clivebunyard3265]

Brilliant video again Ben and thanks for sharing the detail of your Nutrition regime (200g per hour + major refuel along the way). You look in great shape both physically and mentally for the event, right ?

[@jamesgelsthorpe8616]

Good luck, your preparations this year look thorough! What is the brief song at 19 mins ?

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Good Luck both of you.

[@JavierISampedroTNF]

I still remember that last climb up the ski slope, it was brutal under the heat (I was doing OCC only, hehe) Last descent took everything from me, so I took it easy. Great work Ben! 💪🏻

[@oshanks86]

I’ll be in chamonix that weekend if you want any pacers or crew.

[@wanny_08]

Wow I would love to do this

[@BruceJackson-SEOCoach]

Hi Ben, also really looking forward to the race hopefully can catch up beforehand. One question, did the moon help? We'll have almost a full moon on race day.

[@BenParkes]

It helps a little.. but still very much need the head torch! All the best!

[@petraalma29]

I assume you know that the last section from Col de Montet has been changed now? Reccied it this morning. It’s quite a bit different.

[@BenParkes]

Yes, thank you. I've already run the new section a few years ago.. it's quite different for sure! All the best :-)

[@nishib89]

Smashed it!

[@owkelly]

Well I'm not sold on utmb after watching these videos 😂 think I'll stick to the road

[@99cya]

Hey Ben, ever thought about that special Berkeley Marathon in the US?

[@barurarnason7490]

For the record, the last climb is the "iron stairs" over the highway when you enter Chamonix 😆. Did that in the OCC last year. Good luck and enjoy the UTMB.

[@cyeejen]

Hi. Going to do OCC and I'm a bit nervous. Will there be clear reflective marker at night at the last part? Probably I will do the La Flegere climb in the dark

[@BenParkes]

There will be plenty of markers that reflect. Plus lots of other runners and head torches around. Don't worry.. you won't get lost! Good luck!

[@barurarnason7490]

​@@cyeejenGood luck and enjoy. Yes good clear markers. The OCC route is diffrent from Trient up to Flegere. Very beautyfull route up from Trient but steep.❤

[@paulhoughton5266]

Hi Ben, out of curiosity why do you not have a water bladder in back of your running vest with tube to drink water? All best wishes for the UTMB, Paul

[@BenParkes]

I just prefer knowing exactly how much liquid I have.. plus bladders are a faff to refill. I usually have one or two spare soft flasks in my back and then use them if/when I run out of liquid up front. Just works better for me!

[@nealwailing3870]

A modern day knight of the foot.....

[@ianmanners2614]

Great video Ben. Will you join others in calling out UTMB for partnering with Dacia?

[@dodgiecommie]

the sun, THE SUN

[@davidj7650]

Excellent video - what poles do you use are they Helinox passports? Good luck with the rest of your training. I’d like to do this one year

[@BenParkes]

Black Diamond Carbon Z

[@georginawalters2766]

Amazing..

[@maori185gc]

Is there a trick to getting poles quickly in and out of the Salomon quiver without the mud baskets snaring? I know you should loosen the toggle at the back to slacken it off the pack but I still found it really frustrating doing Lakeland 100 and puts me off using that pole carrying system again.

[@BenParkes]

It's usually fine if I'm not holding the camera. I just hold the bottom of the quiver with one hand and take the poles out with the other. Works well for me!

[@ibrazier]

Do you find the climbs being listed and showing progress helps?

[@BenParkes]

I like that it counts down the meters elevation to go on each climb..

[@tomc1009]

Piss&love toilets 😂 I'm dead

[@karinavoggel5741]

Think I am first this time :D Looks like you had a great adventure and really puts in perspective how hard UTMB is.

[@UltraRunnerMark]

I ran CCC last year. That last climb 🤢🤮

[@BenParkes]

Well done on getting it done!

[@MurhsiziJessica]

Great

[@davidbuchan841]

Does anyone know which bag Ben is using?

[@conradburdekin722]

What poles do you use and how do you secure them to your pack Ben?

[@BenParkes]

They are Black Diamond Carbon Z poles. They are stored in a Salomon Quiver.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

What happened to Ben during UTMB? Out of time?

[@tompothecary12]

Hi Ben, what soar shorts are they? Thanks 🙏

[@BenParkes]

I think they are just called trail shorts. They just have 1 option on the website.

[@laszlokovacs9596]

How long does it take (you) to recover from this training?

[@BenParkes]

Not long.. had a rest day the day after (as we drove back to London) then back training again after that. But it was flat running in London.

[@laszlokovacs9596]

@@BenParkes elite

[@neilmurray549]

👌👊👍

[@Nyelands]

It didn't seem like it was especially hard for you.