“As the racers gathered, so did the spectators. Krissy Moehl began to realize how different the vibe was in Europe. “In the US, it was all very homegrown. Everyone racing would have just one degree of separation. Races were organized out of someone’s garage. Here were over seven hundred racers and—even for this first edition—spectators lining the street at 4 a.m. In Europe, even then, trail racing was a spectator sport.””

We bring you the second part in the story of the inaugural UTMB from Doug Mayer’s new book The Race that Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB. Part two… Unruly weather, Dawa Sherpa’s incredible performance, and a legacy that continues today.

Buzz and Corrine are in Chamonix, France. UTMB is all anyone is talking about. They discuss who to watch and try to make sense of the “stones” qualification system.

Corrine interviews to Rob Goyen about UltraSignup’s Dirt Circus trail parties happening this fall, including the big event in Bentonville. Then, a curious caller asks Buzz about running famous race courses on your own schedule how to practice Leave No Trace principles.

Hi, I’m Cat Bradley and I used to hate wearing sunglasses.  I’d have to take them off all the time: under shady trees (they were too dark), bombing downhills (I couldn’t see all the ruts and roots), and after hours on the trail (I’d get headaches from having them on too long: kind of a problem for an ultra-runner).
 
I was stoked when Method Seven asked me to help design the first-ever trail-running-specific lenses.  Thanks to advanced notch filtering and never-done-before trail-optimized contrast-enhancing polarization, these lenses give me insane amounts of light and incredible contrast.  I literally never take them off and forget they’re on my face.  

I’m so proud of these lenses and the three ultra-lightweight frames we’ve launched since we started this dream project of mine (including the just-released Silverton).  We’re offering $75 off all TRAIL glasses (code ULTRASIGNUP) through September 15th.  Plus, if you haven’t already, join Method Seven’s newsletter for a chance to win a race entry of your choice of up to $250 (one entry per person).

⬆️ All the US runners when we start following international race coverage.

? Go-To Gear: You ever wonder what people are running in? We asked and you answered! It was no shocker to see that Hoka was the most popular shoe brand, but we were intrigued to find the Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 as a leading favorite. 

?️ More Mountain Views: Inspired by the incredible photos of running the Alps strewn across elite runners’ instagram pages? Indulge some more with this video from the Skyrunner World Series at Matterhorn Ultraks in Zermatt, Switzerland.

?️Your Daily UTMB: If you’re geeked out on all things UTMB this week, tune into The Freetrail Podcast for the daily Good Morning Mont Blanc segment with all the race updates you need.

➡️ Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to [UTMB EDITION] this week.