In 2003, she was working for the shoe brand Montrail. Its CEO gave her a bib for the UTMB as a wedding gift. He'd heard about the race and it was generating enthusiasm in France.
Running over 100 km as a honeymoon gift is better than Bora Bora!
Krissy runs, but has never run more than 100km. Still, she thinks it's a cool idea. She didn't know what she was getting into 😅. Arriving in Chamonix at night, it's only when she wakes up that she discovers the mountain peaks: Wow, it's steep!
As the race dawns, the conditions are appalling, according to the 600 or so runners who are on the starting line. Krissy equips herself with gloves, hats, and warm clothing on site, as she expected a heatwave. Not equipped!
She crossed the finish line, exhausted and freezing. Krissy remembers borrowing clothes from volunteers; a competitor even lent her his rain pants.
She never imagined she would be the first woman to finish the inaugural edition. Only 67 runners completed the 155km of the 2003 UTMB.
Memory, memory!
"One of the things that really stood out to me was the spectators along the way. That storm finally came, but I remember people at 1, 2, 3 in the morning cheering us on. You were driving through towns and aid stations, and there were people coming out of their houses cheering us on. They were so excited, and I was like, 'You're out here in this weather cheering on the runners?!' It just blew my mind.
The atmosphere of the race really won me over. And the refreshment station: dried fruit, pieces of cheese, dark chocolate, and baguettes. For us Americans, we were used to eating M&M's, potato chips, peanut butter sandwiches.
Finally, at night, I remember hearing the bells ringing in the distance. I felt like Tinker Bell in Peter Pan.
Last anecdote, the last part of the race, it is with Michel Poletti, the race director that she does it!
This year Courney Dauwalter is taking part in the UTMB, and I won't hide my dream of seeing her cross the finish line, 1st overall.