The 2019 Mont Blanc Marathon series of races seemed to pass through the trail runner’s paradise of Chamonix as fast as the race winners themselves. The valley filled with an estimated 30,000 runners and supporters for a long weekend of racing… and then, come Monday, they scattered to the winds.
As in years past, Run the Alps was happy to be deeply involved in the marathon. A number of our guests raced, staff volunteered, and trail running friends from around the world stayed with us. (Congrats to Mike Ambrose and guide Simon Conroy on great races.) And two of us even crewed our friends Germain Grangier and Katie Schide— both of whom stood on the podium– in the 90k race. (More on that in an upcoming article.)
Here are some of our favorite photos that we were able to grab along the way. Enjoy!
Run the Alps’ friend and ambassador Katie Schide was all smiles from the start to the finish of the 90k race. Oh, and she held the women’s lead the entire way before winning by 20 minutes. (Photo: Chase Willie.)With a start time of 4:00 am, the 90k racers were able to run through the sunrise and learn the true meaning of “alpenglow.” (Photo: Chase Willie.)After a fast start up the initial climb, Germain Grangier pushed through the blistering heat and battled his way to a 3rd place finish in the 90k du Mont Blanc. (Photo: Chase Willie.)France’s Romuald Brun ran strong through the highpoint of the 42k race, eager to point downhill for some gravity assisted running. (Photo: Chase Willie.)With the helicopter in tow, Silvia Rampazzo pushed through L’Aiguillette des Posettes on her way to 2nd place in the 42k. (Photo: Chase Willie.)“It was a dream come true!” says Edson Kumwamba, showing his emotion as he exploded through the 90k finish line. “Coming from deep rural Malawi to this big international event, I was super proud. That drove the energy you see here!” (Photo: Chase Willie.)Ida-Sophie Hegemann shows her strength as she ran the final meters of the 42k’s climb to L’Aiguillette des Posettes. (Photo: Chase Willie.)Run the Alps’ Doug Mayer checks in with Katie Schide after her 90k victory. (Photo: Chase Willie.)And the award for best dressed goes to… Run the Alps Guide Simon Conroy, who sported this stunning number during the 42k to raise awareness for the charity Rock 2 Recovery, an organization that supports people and families in the armed forces who are impacted by stress. (Photo: Chase Willie.)
