The HOKA Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is considered the absolute highlight and ultimate challenge in trail running. Since 2003, this epic race has drawn thousands of runners from over 100 countries to Chamonix in the French Alps every year.

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Here, at the foot of Mont-Blanc, 176 kilometers (108 miles) and 10,000 meters of elevation gain have to be overcome — a route that exceeds the limits of endurance, willpower and sometimes reason.

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The UTMB takes up to 46 hours, but the fastest make it across the finish line in under 20 hours. It's no wonder that this competition is considered one of the toughest challenges in the running world and captivates runners and spectators alike.

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This year, the race was a very special surprise. 31-year-old Vincent Bouillard, a product engineer at HOKA, shocked the trail running world with an unexpected win at UTMB 2024.

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Bouillard, who had originally started out as a materials engineer at HOKA, dominated the competition with a winning time of 19:54:23 hours — an achievement that not only impressed his colleagues, but also his colleagues, who previously knew him primarily from the office.

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His journey from intern to UTMB champion shows that exceptional athletes can also be behind the scenes of a major sporting goods manufacturer.

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“I've come to this race many times and being on the starting line myself was a dream come true,” said Bouillard after his victory.

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“Winning the race was beyond my wildest dreams. Some of my great friends, such as Jim Walmsley and Tim Tollefson, have inspired me, and if I could inspire others, it would be a wonderful moment to come full circle — it's one of the best parts of sport. ”

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While Bouillard dominated UTMB 2024, 49-year-old HOKA athlete Ludovic Pommeret also showed impressive performances. Pommeret, who had won the Hard Rock 100 just six weeks earlier, finished fifth after a tough race.

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For a man of his age and with such a short recovery period between two brutal ultra marathons, this is an almost unbelievable achievement. “I told myself that I would take risks.

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After Hard Rock, I'm still very happy with my placement. I'm really happy for Vincent, he's a really good guy — I knew he could do something great and his training paid off,” Pommeret said after the race.

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“We are so proud of how HOKA performed at UTMB 2024,” says Christophe Aubonnet, Director of Advanced Product Development and Design at HOKA.

“We've seen so many exceptional performances, from Ludo's resilient finish to the amazing victory of our own Vincent Bouillard. These results from our athletes and one of our product engineers are an example of HOKA's commitment to trail performance at all levels and our significant connection to UTMB.”

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The UTMB is much more than just a sporting challenge. It is a race in which runners not only push their limits physically, but also mentally. In fact, it is not uncommon for participants to have hallucinations during the run, caused by lack of sleep and physical exhaustion.

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In the glow of headlamps and after hours of running through the darkness, they suddenly see animals that aren't even there, or forests that look like ghost towns. If you want to win the UTMB, you not only have to master the altitude difference, but also keep your own psyche under control.

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And then there is nutrition: ultra runners such as UTMB participants have learned to treat their bodies like a perfectly tuned motor.

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While normal marathon runners swear by gel and water, UTMB athletes grab cheese, salami and broth at the refreshment stations — you'd think you're on a hiking picnic and not in the middle of the toughest race in the world.

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It is particularly exciting that nutrition is increasingly determined by the body itself over the course of the race. What was planned tactically and consciously in the beginning changes as exhaustion increases.

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That's when the body suddenly craves the strangest snacks: chips, pizza, licorice, chocolate or even fries — the subconscious mind takes over and leaves no choice. The refreshment stations thus become a culinary experience that goes far beyond sports nutrition.

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For many runners, this also means specifically training their stomachs in order to be prepared for such food during the race.

It's no secret that the wrong food intake during an ultra marathon can quickly lead to an involuntary race abandonment.

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It is also interesting how much the technology has found its way into ultra running. UTMB runners often wear prototypes of HOKA shoes, which were developed specifically for such extreme races.

Models such as HOKA Tecton X3 go through months of tests under real conditions — some athletes run hundreds of kilometers to check whether the shoes really stand up to any terrain and weather conditions.

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But things like blister prevention are also becoming a scientific project: Many runners wrap their feet in special tapes or wear two pairs of socks to minimize pressure and friction.

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What many people don't know: With UTMB, the question of whether you sleep or run through becomes a real tactical decision. Some runners swear by short power naps during the race, others have trained their bodies to go almost 48 hours without sleep.

Some athletes even put on a “sleep supply” in the days before the race in order to start the race as refreshed as possible. Runners lying down in mountain huts in the middle of the track while other participants relentlessly pass by them offer a particularly curious picture.

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Despite all the hardship, UTMB is a race full of community spirit. Many runners are supported by a team of pacers and helpers who get them through the most difficult moments mentally and physically.

But in addition to the supporters and the team of runners themselves, it is above all the fans who make UTMB a unique experience.

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Throughout the race, the roads and trails are lined with thousands of enthusiastic fans. They come from all over the world to support their favorite runners or simply to experience the special atmosphere of UTMB.

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Spectators are not only in the finish area, but also along the entire route — often on the most remote and difficult sections of the race, at high altitudes or at night.

It is not uncommon for spectators to hike up to mountain huts or steep passes to cheer on runners in the toughest moments.

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Many of these fans come from surrounding countries such as France, Italy and Switzerland, but international supporters from the USA, Japan and other parts of the world are also regularly on site. In total, UTMB attracts around 50,000 visitors every year, who bring an electric energy to the event.

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The cheers are particularly remarkable in the small mountain villages along the route, where locals and visiting fans alike drive the runners with flags, drums and cowbells.

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This incredible enthusiasm creates a unique atmosphere that carries not only professionals but also amateur runners to the finish line. It is the fans who make UTMB a real community experience — where the connection between runners and supporters is truly palpable.

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Regardless of whether you are cheered on in tight crowds in Chamonix or on secluded mountain trails, this support often gives runners the decisive push to keep going.

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In conclusion, it remains to be said that the UTMB is not just a run, but an adventure that takes runners into completely new dimensions of their endurance and willpower.

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Regardless of whether you come out as a surprising winner like Vincent Bouillard or are still at the forefront like Ludovic Pommeret at 49 years of age — anyone who covers 176 kilometers around Mont-Blanc has actually already won.

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