10th Place at My First UTMB Trail Race: Kenting, Taiwan
- Alex
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
My first UTMB World Series race took me to Kenting, Taiwan for a fast and technical 27km trail race. From a last-minute scramble for mandatory gear to finishing 10th overall out of more than 1,000 runners, this is the full race story.
Travel Day: Tokyo to Kenting
Sebastian and I started Friday with an early wake-up at 5am before leaving the house at 6 to get to Narita Airport by 7:30. Our flight departed at 9:30 and four and a half hours later we landed in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
This trip was purely about athletic performance. Normally I would have loved to show Sebastian around Taipei, but with Welcome to Japan launching just ten days earlier, there was still plenty of work happening behind the scenes. This trip was simple: five days total with two travel days, one race day, and recovery days on either side.
While waiting in Kaohsiung for our 5:30pm bus to Kenting, I made a slightly shocking discovery. I had skimmed the UTMB runner’s guide but hadn’t properly checked the mandatory gear list. It turned out I needed a headlamp, spare battery, emergency blanket, and eating utensils - even for a short 27km race.
Fortunately we were next to a huge department store, so those few hours became a mission to gather the missing gear. A headlamp, spork, and emergency blanket later, we were officially compliant. Nexttime I'll properly read the racers' guide... Or maybe not, we'll see.
The bus ride down to Kenting took about three and a half hours through heavy traffic, arriving around 9pm. Long travel days don’t bother me much though. One of my greatest strenghts is the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime.
Race Preparation: Course Reconnaissance and Strategy
Saturday morning we woke around 7am and headed out to explore part of the course. Normally I would do a short shakeout run, but instead we did some reconnaissance and walked the first few kilometres of the course.
The walk turned into about 6–7km, which is longer than I usually like before a race, but it gave me a huge advantage. Knowing the terrain and what's coming up always pays off when you're racing!
After coffee and a couple hours working on the business, we checked-in for the race at 1pm. The registration process was smooth and I was placed in Wave 2 of 3, which was actually pretty good considering it was my first UTMB race and I didn't have an index.
Next came the fun part: studying the course map and elevation profile.
Based on the terrain, I built a pacing /effort strategy first. My goal was to finish somewhere between 2:00 and 2:15, which realistically could've been enough for a podium if everything went perfectly.
The race strategy was simple:
- Run 4:00/km pace on the flats (about 10km of the course)
- Run the moderate climbs
- Power hike steep climbs once heart rate hit around 170–180 bpm
- Start running again just before cresting each hill
- Attack the downhills with a low heart rate
This approach keeps energy reserves for the descents where you can gain the most time.
Nutrition was equally simple: a gel every 20 minutes, gummies for quick sugar, and dried fruit for additional carbohydrates.
Saturday night we explored the Kenting Night Market, ate some great street food, and then finally checked all my gear around 10:30pm before heading to bed.
With a 3:50am alarm, sleep was short but enough.
Race Morning: Up Into The Mountains We Go!
Race morning started early.
I taped my toes because my toenails were still black from the Kyoto Marathon a month earlier. I also taped my ankles after rupturing ligaments in my left ankle in a trail race last November.
By 5:30am we were at the starting area.
Sebastian and I always joke that it feels like we’re two inside men on a secret mission. Having his support there makes a huge difference.
The race started at 6:15am.
I crossed the starting line within the first ten runners and after about 200 metres moved to the front of Wave 2. From that point on, I led Wave 2 from start to finish.
Why I Love Trail Running: The Mental Battle
Trail running is very different from road racing.
In a 10km or half marathon road race, you just lock into a pace and go. There’s not much thinking required. Don't get me wrong, mentally road racing can be tough, but trail running is just different.
Your brain is constantly negotiating with you.
It tells you:
- “You’re going too hard up this hill.”
- “Maybe slow down through this rocky section.”
- “Your ankle might give out again.”
- “You haven’t done enough long runs for this.”
Every step your mind is begging you slow down and take it a little easier.
That’s exactly why I love it. Trail running isn’t you versus a previous performance. I believe trail running, specifically trail racing, is you versus your mind. It's you versus the devil on your shoulder telling you that you can't do this, or you should just take it easy.
I race without music and I love hearing that voice in my head trying to convince me not to do my best. Trying to convince me that being comfortable is better than suffering.
The thing I love the most, is shutting that shit down. Every gruelling stride I take, every ragged breath, I'm shutting that voice down. I want to try my best and be my best. I want to see what I'm made of.
Race Result: 10th Overall at My First UTMB Race
The race went almost exactly to plan.
The only section that slowed me down was a 10km stretch through dry riverbeds filled with rocks and boulders. Navigating that terrain cost some time. But that's ok. I live to learn and do better next time.
Originally that had me sitting around 7th place, but as runners from Wave 3 came in, a few moved ahead.
Final result:
- 10th overall out of 1,079 finishers
- 6th in my age group
For my first international UTMB race, I’m extremely happy with that result.
Especially considering I haven’t been doing huge volume yet, nor any trail practice.
Recovery, Street Food, and What’s Next
After finishing around 8:30am, I spent a couple hours recovering with electrolytes, fruit, and a protein shake.
Sebastian and I then walked about 5km to South Bay Beach where we had an amazing brunch before swimming in the ocean for a few hours.
Recovery is crucial after maximal effort races. Your body is heavily depleted, so good food, hydration, and light movement make a huge difference.
Sunday evening we relaxed and enjoyed more Kenting street food.
Monday we travelled back to Kaohsiung, trained at the gym, and explored the Liuhe Night Market, eating sticky rice, watermelon juice, and peanut ice cream wraps.
The next morning we trained again before flying home.
The Bigger Goal: UTMB Mont Blanc
Last year I experimented with a lot of different races:
- 10km road races
- Half marathons and marathons
- Hyrox events
- Spartan races
- Trail races
Now we’re putting together a proper plan.
The long-term goal is to qualify for the UTMB 170km race around Mont Blanc.
Along the way there will still be road races, Spartan races, and Hyrox events etc, but everything will now build toward stronger trail running performances.
Next up is the famous Hatsune 30km Cup in the mountains of Okutama, Japan.
And I’m very excited for it!!
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