WHY THIS CHORE
SHOW UP READY.
A week-long mountain festival built around one legendary loop — earned through a Running Stones lottery, not bought with an entry fee.
WHAT TO EXPECT
VERIFIED EVENT DETAILS · DAILY CHORE EDITORIAL COMMENTARY
The Race
The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc is trail running's most iconic single event — a full circuit of the Mont Blanc massif, following the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland, starting and finishing in Chamonix. First held in 2003, it now serves as the World Series Finals of the UTMB World Series.
The Course
174 km with roughly 9,900 m of positive elevation gain. The flagship race starts in Chamonix on Friday at 17:45, with a maximum time of 46 hours 45 minutes. The course record stands at 19:37:43 (Jim Walmsley, 2023); the women's record is 22:09:31 (Katie Schide, 2024).
UTMB Week
A full week of racing runs alongside the flagship event, giving athletes of different levels a route to match: TDS (148 km, from Courmayeur), CCC (101 km, from Courmayeur), OCC (57 km, from Orsières), MCC (40 km, from Martigny-Combe, local/volunteer race), ETC (15 km, a loop around Courmayeur), PTL (roughly 300 km, three-person teams), and YCC (15 km, for young runners). Each finishes on the same Chamonix finish line as the flagship UTMB.
Qualification
Entry is not simply bought — most races (and from 2026, MCC and ETC too) are allocated via a lottery. To enter, runners need "Running Stones," earned by finishing qualifying races within the prior 24 months (1–4 Stones per race, doubled for Major-labelled events). Athletes drawn for the 2026 flagship race averaged around 11 Running Stones; roughly 25 gives close to a 50% chance of selection — building a Stones balance takes genuine multi-season strategy.
Terrain
Runners cross dense forests, technical single-track and high-altitude passes, with a mandatory red-light headlamp mode required through the Réserve des Contamines-Montjoie. Views take in some of the most dramatic alpine scenery in Europe.
Around the Event
Chamonix becomes the world capital of ultra-trail for the week, with a trail expo and extensive programming alongside the races. A mandatory carbon contribution now applies to all entrants, calculated by home address and mode of transport.
Who It's For
Experienced ultra-runners for the flagship distance; the shorter satellite races (ETC, MCC, OCC) offer accessible entry points into the same event and atmosphere without the multi-day commitment. Considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience by many who complete it.
WHO IT'S FOR
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING UP FOR.
- DIFFICULTY
- Advanced
- BEGINNER FIT
- 1/5
DAILY CHORE TAKE
OUR TAKE, OUT OF 10.
THESE ARE OUR OWN EDITORIAL ASSESSMENTS, NOT OFFICIAL RATINGS.
