When you've got the spirit of Courtney Dauwalter, you don't let a DNF get you down for long. The queen of ultra running has brushed off her famous Shortneys and announced her return to the UTMB finals this year.
In an Instagram post dated July 22, the Colorado resident says she'll be back in Chamonix for the iconic 100-mile loop around Mont Blanc on August 29 after a year off.
"Can’t wait to try to bring my best to this 100 mile loop around Mont Blanc. See you in a month, Chamonix!"
Dauwalter and the race have a fair amount of history. She took her first crack at the punishing course in 2019 and delivered a decisive victory, taking first place a full hour ahead of Sweden's Kristin Berglund.
When the race returned after the pandemic in 2021, she shaved nearly two hours off her previous time and threw down in first place, setting a new women's course record of 22:30.
Her 2023 time wasn't as fast, but still placed her comfortably in first place, well ahead of Katharina Hartmuth, and for a while, it looked like she would remain the undisputed queen of the event. But in 2024, Dauwalter was busy chasing other 100-milers with different scenery, including the Hardrock 100, Mt Fuji 100 and Transgrancanaria (all of which she won), and Maine native Katie Schide came along and pinched her crown.
At the finish line, Schide confirmed her goal had been to beat Courtney's record, which she did by 21 minutes. Then, a few weeks ago, she also bested Dauwalter's record in Colorado at the Hardrock 100.
Initially, it seemed Dauwalter might be happy to hang up her 100-mile hat and chase greener pastures with her bid to run the 250-mile Cocodona in Arizona back in May. That attempt fell short, with the star dropping at the 108-mile mark, but it looks like she's rebounded and has her sights set on reclaiming her UTMB title.
It's now Schide's move and whether she will be in attendance for the ultimate showdown remains to be seen. Last year, she revealed she had also hoped to crack the 22-hour mark, which she fell short of, so she might return for battle, but her legs may also need a bit more rest after Hardrock.
As always, we'll be reporting live on the finals from the finish line, and whatever happens, we doubt we'll be bored. The UTMB finals are August 28 - 31 and will be streamed live on live.utmb.world in seven languages – French, English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian and Thai – with equal coverage of men's and women's race leaders.
