I was thrilled to nab a podium in an ultra-trail race in Germany last weekend, with a 2nd place finish in the 50km (with 2,100m of climbing) Heidelberg Long Distance Trail Marathon. The race was one of the best performances of my ultra racing career and was an emotional result after having had my Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) dreams dashed a few weeks earlier by illness.
The last few weeks of my life have been an emotional rollercoaster.
Illness in UTMB
Four weeks ago, I was at the start line of the UTMB world finals, pinching myself that I was standing in the elite start of the world’s most prestigious ultra-trail race. But just 20 kilometres into what was supposed to be a 176km lap of Mont Blanc, I was a dizzy mess vomiting on the side of the trail. After 20 minutes sitting in the next aid station, the tough decision was made to pull the pin. To say that I was upset is an understatement, but as I continued to battle illness the following week after the race it became clear that the right choice had been made.
A win for Madeline Patterson in Italy
As I wallowed coming to grips with what had happened, little did I know that things were about to look up. Just the following weekend in Northern Italy, my wife took victory in the Xterra Dolomiti di Brenta Trail on the Xterra World Series, which was a 21-kilometre trail race (with 1,200m of climbing) in the Dolomites in Northern Italy. It was an amazing experience, standing there with our two young daughters, watching as my wife broke the finishing tape, chaperoned in by our 6-year-old son. Maddy’s victory was unexpected, but dominant. She took the lead on the main climb of the day and then descending strongly to hold off the second-place finisher from Malta in front of an enthusiastic Italian crowd.
A 2nd place for Benje in Heidelberg
Maddy’s result inspired me to get back on the horse. And as my illness passed, I became itchy to use up some of my hard-earned fitness in another race.
Two weeks later, I was standing back on a start line in the beautiful German city of Heidelberg, about to embark on a 50-kilometre ultra-trail race through wooded hills surrounding the city. Around 2,100 metres of climbing awaited me before we would descend through Heidelberg Castle and finish back on cobbled streets within Heidelberg’s old city.
I felt fit, strong, and relaxed. And as the gun went, I quickly settled into a leading trio, completely comfortable with whatever pace was thrown at me. The race was a perfect mix of technical ups and downs on single trails, as well as some furiously fast running on forestry roads. I was in the zone all day, and my splits told that story with the fastest splits coming in at just over 3:15 per kilometre and the average pace sitting at just over 5 minutes per kilometre despite all the climbing. My end time was a minute faster than last year’s winning time, but four minutes down on this year’s victor.
Coming into the finish line with second place secured, I felt deeply satisfied and I was able to savour the applause of the crowd into the finish. The result was redemption after my UTMB disappointment. Getting sick had been a rotten turn of luck and this podium meant the world to me.
I will be back
Looking to the future, I now have a renewed fire in my belly to perform out on the trails. I am fortunate to have the health, talent, and means to be able to participate in these ultra-trail races, and I am determined to put in a few more good performances before age catches up with me and I slow down.
And for those of you who know me well, you know that I always finish what I start. I guess that means I will be trying to find a way to navigate myself back to the start line of UTMB 2025. Watch this space!