UTMB Starts in 1.5 Hours!
It’s race day for Kelsey at the UTMB World Series Finals. The weather is hot, so if you have connections, tell them to send a few clouds!
“I just wanna run!”
Kelsey is noticing excitement and nervousness (are they really that different?), building as the day goes on. It’s all welcome, and it’s a lot of energy to hold. She has been venting it through hugging, sewing, snacking, and exhaling, but the best release of all will be the start of the race.
At 6pm local time (9am PT, 10am MT, 11am CT, 12pm ET, 1pm AT, 1:30pm NT) Kelsey will start UTMB — 176.4km, 9915m of elevation gain, and at least 24 hours on the mountain trails of the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps.
Kelsey is wearing bib #302.
Here is how to follow the race:
Follow @kelseypamela on Instagram // we’re going to be updating her Instagram throughout the race, so this is going to be the best place to find Kelsey-specific content.
Visit UTMB Live // this is your go-to page for everything to do with the race. You can “favourite” runners, check out the map, and watch live race coverage. If you prefer to watch the coverage on YouTube, visit this link.
Join Kelsey’s Crew on Telegram // this is the place to talk about the race with other trail running fans. It’s also a good place to troubleshoot if you’re having trouble understanding how to follow the race. The crew at the race will be sharing some behind the scenes stuff and answering questions here.
Download the LiveTrail App on mobile // this is the phone app version of UTMB Live (mentioned above) and basically provides the same information.
This is Kelsey’s second consecutive appearance at UTMB. In 2023, she finished 41st in the women’s race (396th overall out of 2693 runners) with a time of 34:32:31. She’s proud of that result and has new goals for this year.
Last year, Kelsey arrived in Chamonix three nights before the race, after running the Squamish 50, attending a family wedding in Ontario in the two weeks prior, and with low iron (something experienced by 15%-35% of runners assigned female at birth). It’s possible that this is secretly the best way to prepare for an ultramarathon, but this year she decided to prepare a bit differently. Kelsey arrived in the Rhones-Alpes region almost two weeks ago and has had more time to sleep, acclimatize to altitude, run the course, and take things at her own pace. She’s entering the race feeling confident in her preparation and with a deep appreciation for the unpredictability of a day in the mountains.
If it was all predictable, it wouldn’t be any fun, right?
Kelsey is joined by a crew of supporters from home — Jane Karasek (Telegram updates and mom), Noel Hogan (food, photos and, dad), Stefanie Boucher (logistics and crew mobility), Kaylee Hopkins (gear and social media), Lori Dithurbide (mental performance consultant), and me (crew captain and partner). At UTMB only one person is allowed to enter each aid station tent, so Kelsey has devised a plan to be met by a different person each time that she reaches a crew-accessible aid station. We’re all ready to fill bottles, rub muscles, ice her down, and encourage her to eat/drink tasty snacks.
As has been the case for the last year, Kelsey is running with the support of norda, as a member of the norda 665 racing team. She’s already been inspired by watching her teammates Jason Schlarb (9th place and top North American in TDS), Arden Young (on course in CCC), and Mat Seidel (on course in CCC). She’s grateful for the support that she has received this year from the norda family and is excited to be running in their yet-to-be-released 005 model.
Additionally, she has been running in socks by Near Earth — a company focused on creating a great sock while maintaining an environmentally friendly focus.
And, well, that’s about it for the writing, now it’s time for the running (and crewing) to begin.
In the spirit of Kelsey, let’s all give a big “woohoo!”