(Photo by Philippe Crouzier)

For the third consecutive year, I’ve managed to successfully complete this extraordinary and grueling race, one of the toughest and most selective ultratrails in Europe: 169 km and 10,600 meters of elevation gain across the four mountain ranges surrounding the French city of Grenoble.

This year was really tough for me, and the outcome was never a foregone conclusion. The night was cold and endless, the day sweltering—a constant rollercoaster of conflicting emotions.

Hard work, hope, reflections on the past, and that feeling of exhaustion that washes over you in waves during long races: I just can’t bring myself to take even one more step.

And yet you find yourself drawn to everything—the light of dawn, the sunset that’s setting for the second time since you left, the genuine sportsmanship of the French, who always have a kind word for the “traveling companions” they’ve crossed paths with, passed by, or left behind along the way.

We draw strength from the volunteers’ energy—truly a perfect and magnificent organization for this race: there’s never a shortage of a joke (to everyone, I’m “l’italienne,” now a fixture here), a smile, a helping hand with practical matters, or a thoughtful gesture.

I thought I wouldn’t make it, but the thought that was stronger than all my exhaustion was the realization that exactly six months had passed since the surgery I underwent that winter: Fortunately, physically it didn’t have any major consequences, but the mark it left on my soul is heavy, and the best way to celebrate this strange anniversary was to make it to Grenoble and cross the finish line—no matter how or when—but I had to be there…

That energy carried me to the finish line—not too bad, all things considered—but above all, I felt physically strong, which is by no means a given in races this long and grueling.

The final kilometers were made even more enjoyable by the company of a friend from the French 24-Hour National Team, Piero Lattarico, who, with great patience and thoughtfulness, helped me experience my arrival in Grenoble as a triumph. It probably wasn’t a triumph in terms of time, but that’s how I experienced it… a wonderful race, enjoyed at a comfortable pace, with peace of mind, stopping to take photos and joke around with “les Bénevoles,” the volunteers.

Enjoying the mountains and crossing the finish line in one piece, ready to head out for the next race without being physically worn out, is a privilege: I was there, and believe me… being able to say that this year wasn’t exactly a given.

As I climbed the final peak, Charmechaude, at sunset, with the sun setting ablaze across the entire horizon, I couldn’t help but be moved. I might not even be here anymore, and that thought changes the perspective on everything—every step, every smile, every bite.

As the Italian Ambassador for the UT4M, I’m already signed up for the next edition; after a little rest, all I have to do is put my backpack back on to start training…and, of course, choose the best gear—the kind that lets you stay on your feet for 43 hours without a single blister or sore spot, with perfect feet thanks to the 1450 TRAIL-RUN OXYBURN socks…and with the legendary Forty-Two green jersey, which has now become like a second skin to me. You can even go without changing clothes and stay perfectly dry for two days 😉

Definitely worth doing again!

Ilaria Fossati

Happy running… with Oxyburn