So it’s 2013 and my last two days of man flu are clearing at last. First time I’ve been ill for about five years, so a rare ‘treat’ I could have gladly missed! Anyway, enough whinging, my thoughts have finally turned to which trail races to enter for this year. I found last years UTMB was surprisingly tough on the body, as you can see clearly from the slightly less than glamorous photo above. Now that I’ve taken a few easier months, proper training is back on, and I want to race again.

I’ve decided not to attempt three UTMB’s on the trot, as I don’t think my brain could cope. One race that has been lurking as an idea in one (of many) dusty unused areas of my brain, is the Traces des Ducs du Savoie TDS. It’s about 40km less than the UTMB, but with nearly as much vertical. The key attraction is that the race is on far more mountainous terrain, rather than rolling trails, so it feels like a bigger and more exciting challenge. I’ve enrolled for the race, and just waiting a few weeks for confirmation of the space or if there needs to be a draw. Fingers crossed.

Also entered the new 80km du Mont Blanc trail, that is essentially a huge version of the Trail des Aiguilles Rouges. That’s at the end of June, so the winter training needs to be good to do well in that race, as a springboard for the TDS two months later. Maybe time for a shorter trail at end of July? We’ll see. It feels good to have plans underfoot, and it’s a real boost for motivation for training harder in the winter months.

As for 2014, there’s definitely already another idea lurking. If I complete the TDS, then I would have completed the trilogy of the CCC, TDS, and UTMB. That would just leave the PTL…