How to Get Into UTMB

However you feel about the acquisition of UTMB by the Ironman Group, the fact remains: the UTMB races are incredibly beautiful, and truly epic. I ran CCC in 2017, and liked it so much that I returned for TDS in 2018. Even though those were before Ironman acquired the event in 2020, I’m pretty confident that you should put the races during the UTMB festival at or near the top of your list, as the routes are still the classic, incredible tours around Mont Blanc. In fact, I’m hoping to run CCC again, or possibly UTMB, in 2024.

How do you get into UTMB?

Step 1: Collect a running stone by completing a UTMB series race

The registration process has changed significantly since the Ironman Group acquired UTMB. In the past, you were able to qualify for the UTMB/CCC/OCC lottery by running any number of qualifying races, which were available all over the world, and not affiliated with UTMB. Since the ownership change, UTMB wants you to run their races. Now, in order to run UTMB, CCC, or OCC (which they now call the “UTMB World Series Finals”), you have to participate in a race that’s part of the new UTMB World Series, and collect what they’re calling Running Stones. This is definitely more challenging, especially for us in North America, as most of the UTMB series races happen in Europe. According to UTMB, “Only 1 Running Stone acquired in the past two years is mandatory to enter the lottery. Running Stones are cumulative, have no expiration date, and each Running Stone gives you an additional chance to be drawn.” So, you’ll need to look up the UTMB World Series events, pick one that looks appealing to you, and make sure you finish that event. That will get you your Running Stone to enter the lottery for UTMB (100 miles), CCC (100km), or OCC (~50km). For example, if I finish Lavaredo 80k this June, then I will have 3 Running Stones for the 2024 UTMB lottery. Here’s how many Running Stones you can collect at various UTMB Series events:

Regular UTMB Series events:

• 20k = 1 Running Stone
• 50k = 2 Running Stones
• 100k* = 3 Running Stones
• 100 mile = 4 Running Stones

*Note that sometimes, especially if the race has significant elevation, a race that’s between two categories (like an 80km) is considered the longer category. For example, the Lavaredo 80k is in the 100k race category.

UTMB also designates three events in its series each year as “Majors“. (In 2023, these were Canyons, Val D’aran, and Doi Inthanon Thailand. At these races, you can earn more Running Stones:

• 20k = 2 Running Stones
• 50k = 4 Running Stones
• 100k = 6 Running Stones
• 100 mile = 8 Running Stones

Step 2: Get a valid UTMB index by running a UTMB index race

In addition to getting at least one Running Stone from a UTMB race, you also have to get a valid UTMB Index for the race you’re hoping to do. UTMB says, “A valid UTMB Index is achieved by completing at least one race of the UTMB World Series or a UTMB Index race in the relevant category within the previous 24 months.” For example, to run UTMB, you will need to complete an eligible 100km or 100 miler in the two years before the lottery.

In contrast to the Running Stones, the race you do to get a “valid UTMB Index” does not have to be part of the UTMB series… (Although it could be.) It just has to be a participating race, which they call “UTMB Index Races”. If you’re familiar with the old registration system for UTMB, these are basically the old qualifying races. There are currently almost 3,000 qualifying races all over the world, and you can find one that’s convenient for you using the UTMB Index Races page. Here’s what you need for each race during the UTMB festival:

• For the OCC lottery, runners need a valid and up to date UTMB Index in the 20K, 50K, 100K or 100M category.
• To enter the CCC lottery, runners need a valid and up to date UTMB Index in the 50K, 100K or 100M category.
• For the UTMB lottery, runners need a valid and up to date UTMB Index in the 100K or 100M category.

So, while you only need 1 Running Stone (which could be from a 20km UTMB World Series race) to enter the lottery for UTMB, you will need to complete a 100km or 100 miler from an eligible race on UTMB’s list of approved “Index Races”. You can try to get your Running Stone and your index race completed in one shot, which is what I’m trying to do this year. For example, if I complete Lavaredo 80k in June, because it’s categorized under the 100k category (it has a ton of vert!), I would be eligible to enter any of the lotteries, including OCC, CCC, or UTMB, plus I would get three Running Stones. Alternatively, you could participate in a short race like the Lavaredo 20k to get one Running Stone, and then sign up for a 100km closer to home.

Step 3: Enter lottery

Now, the only thing to do is to pre-register for the lottery! Check UTMB’s website for the date, and be sure to enter before then. Good luck!!

Options For Elite Runners

Think you’re fast enough to skip the lottery?

Like before, UTMB has a separate process for elite runners that allows them to bypass the lottery. You can do so by coming top-3 (men or women) in a UTMB World Series race, which would allow you to bypass the lottery for the corresponding race at the “Finals”. (Also, if you qualify this way, you can actually write to UTMB and request to go up one distance, or down one distance.) UTMB also started offering events which they call “Majors”, and at these events, the top-10 men and women are awarded with the opportunity to bypass the lottery at the “Finals” in Chamonix. For example, in 2023, the Canyons by UTMB was designated as a “Major”, which meant that many men and women would be going home with the knowledge that they got into their event in Chamonix!

UTMB also recently expanded their policy, and they now have an additional pathway to bypass the lottery. If you have a high-enough UTMB Index (fast enough time) from a race in the UTMB Series, that will also qualify you to skip the lottery. This is great, because it recognizes that some races may just be extremely competitive, and it recognizes an athlete who may run a fast time, but still end up in 4th at a regular UTMB series race, or 11th at a Major. For example, according to UTMB, if I can run a UTMB score of 660 in Lavaredo, I would be able to bypass the lottery for CCC.

For more information, check out the UTMB Elite Runner’s page.

Age Group Qualification

UTMB has also introduced a new age group pathway to bypass the lottery for the Finals in Chamonix. This is perhaps not surprising, given the Ironman ownership, as the Ironman World Championships in Kona have entries based on age group performance.

With this new policy, if you enter a UTMB Major and manage to win your age category, you can bypass the lottery that way too. According to UTMB, “Age groups are based on those of World Athletics and take into account the athlete’s age as of December 31 of the year of the event.”

For a list of the age groups, check out the UTMB Age Group Qualification page.

Consider UTMB’s Less Popular Events: TDS, PTL, mCC, ETC, and yCC

Did you know that UTMB has a bunch of other races outside OCC, CCC, and UTMB? They have some really cool races during the UTMB festival each year that get less limelight, but are still incredibly beautiful and challenging. (I’d recommend TDS, which is an incredible, more technical 145km route around Mont Blanc.) The cool thing about these races, is that they tend to be a little bit less popular, and so it’s easier to get in through the lottery. Check out the registration page for these races for all the details.

See you in Chamonix!

It’s definitely a lot of effort, whether you get into OCC, CCC, or UTMB through the lottery, or through performances as an elite or awesome age-group athlete. Still, having run two of the races myself, I think it’s 100% worth it. Just make sure that you’re enjoying the training and the qualifying races, and then the journey to get there will be worthwhile. See you there hopefully!