Ultra Trail Mont Blanc 2024 - Running for Ed and Rachel
Created by Duncan Grassie
30th August 2024
Story
I will be running the UTMB race in Chamonix in August 2024 and thought it would be nice to remember how my friends Ed and Rachel (Majumdar) encouraged me and offered the advice which got me to the start line. Although they passed on 11 years apart, the inspiration provided by emails from Rachel travelling the world as a doctor, or picking up tips in the pub after finishing a distant second to Ed, very much live on today. I also thought if I could run it in their name then I would be more likely to have the bloody mindedness to complete what will be a challenge that 40% of all qualifiers fail to complete! I plan to do this by raising as much money as possible for the Mountain Rescue in Penrith, who were the first to arrive on the scene with Ed and Rachel. Many of these superhuman volunteers run the same events as us and love the hills, but they also risk their lives to help others at all ends of the experience spectrum. Although I have never to have had to make that call, they are a heartbeat away from every run and activity I take part in in the Lakes, Scotland and further afield. Please give what you can, this fundraising goes straight to the charity and is completely independent of the race itself so would rather people gave what ever they felt able to, at what is a difficult time for family budgets. Every pound is a pound that these brave volunteers would never have had so donations of all sizes welcomed.Updates
3 weeks from the event and nerves stating to kick in!
12th August 2024Just completed a 4 day recce of the course, over the first weekend in August. It was great to meet many likeminded folk but it was absolutely roasting and no idea how I'll manage to stave off the dehydration and nutrition issues on the day! Looking forward to making it count for Ed, Rachel and others who helped get me here.
