Mount to Coast

300km. 25,000m of elevation gain. Second team to finish.

PTL is probably the least well-known event at UTMB, but it's also the most brutal: how many other trail races require athletes to carry a helmet and a climbing harness? What makes it more special is that it's run in teams of two. This year Nicolas Lehmann and Sébastien Raichon crossed the line in second place, with @nic_lehmann running the route in the Mount to Coast M1. Uniquely, it's an event where position matters less than simply finishing – anyone who completes La Petite Trotte à Léon has proven their ability to deal with everything the mountains can throw at them.

What makes it so tough? "There's a lot of sections without a clear track, and also a lot of very exposed ridges" says Nicolas, "it's very difficult, and every year the track changes – this year, it was really the hardest that I did."

Sébastien and Nicolas slept around four hours across the first three nights, but allowed themselves a solid two hours on the final night when it became clear that first place was too far ahead. Four days is a long time to spend with one other person – are they still friends after such an intense experience? "Of course," says Nicolas. "We have the same spirit, so it's easy to run with Sébastian."

Photos by @corentinbertry

#UTMB #ultrarunning #mounttocoast #trailrunning