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Yatika Starr Fields
@yatikafields

9,047 followers

The loop is complete. @utmbmontblanc course is a beast, respect and congratulations to all the athletes who got it done. My first time visiting UTMB week in Chamonix was 2018, I was coming back from @trofeokima a sky race in the Italian alps and wanted to take in the atmosphere. I was hooked on the excitement, the competition it brought and the river of trails that flanked the valley. Its an international race, many of the runners are from all over the world. I watched the start of UTMB that year, being in awe of the thousands of runners heading out into the evening towards the night and days ahead, they looked strong, determined with a mission. I wanted to be that runner- attempting UTMB for the challenge with respect and dedication it takes to complete it. I came back in 2019 running TDS, feeling strong with that result I put in my name for the lottery with 2023 being it. At the start line this past weekend, I remembered that moment, I arrived and was ready to get this done, with support from many friends and family that were tracking me- running for my communities, for Indigenous representation/strength/resilience and my ancestors. The crowds were jubilant, cheer comparable to the fanfare of the Boston Marathon or Tour De France. The exhilaration of what is compared to the (Super Bowl of Trail Running) quickly fades as the sunlight dims and head torches become the guide -reality sets in with how hard the next 90 miles will be. Many beautiful moments in it, running with others from other countries, wind-whipped summits with vast views, running through three countries, glacier rivers & snowcapped peaks. I was fooled once again by the grazing cows in the evening light -the Bavarian bells ringing with a sound reminiscent of a Buddhist monastery-it was transcendent as I climbed up the Alp Bovine to Trient, it’s not an aid station just a herd. I learned a lot in this one, not only about running but about reminding myself of celebration, patience, and being present. I’m happy to have completed the course, almost two full nights and a day, under a bright moon with thousands of runners from all over the world, amongst mountains and dreams. #utmb2023