Niortais Laurent Gallas tamed Mont-Blanc

It is one of those races that haunt the thoughts of ultra runners. A reference in the world of long-distance trail running, with its 180 km and 10,000 meters of elevation gain between France, Switzerland and Italy. At the end of each summer, hundreds of people arrive from Chamonix for the Mont-Blanc ultratrail. Among them, on August 30, Laurent Gallas…

“Initially, I have two feelings. Both the desire to leave but also the taste of fear in my mouth. We are divided, the brain becomes aware of the challenge that awaits us, while being impatient to leave, says the Deux-Sévrien runner, responsible for the commercial center at the Niort Marais Poitevin tourist office. What makes the UTMB a unique race is the triptych of distance, elevation and time barriers. » There’s no question of walking the whole way, otherwise you’ll quickly pack up.

This big leap into the unknown, for Laurent Gallas, is the culmination of more than ten years of running started on the Chemins du Mellois, for the one who was above all a confirmed table tennis player with the creation, at the beginning of the years 1990 of Ping pong Saint-Néomaye Val de Sèvre. “I immediately liked nature races, then I joined the Spiridon Mellois, rembobine-t-il. At the club, there were ultra-trailers, I was interested in what they were doing. I wondered about the capabilities of a human body like mine to make such efforts.”

“The atmosphere is exceptional”

Gradually, the distances increase and it moves from marathons to major trails such as the Grand Raid des Pyrénées (160 km) or the Traces des Ducs de Savoie (148 km), in 2019, which is often the first walk to join its big brother. ‘UTMB. “An ultratrail will be prepared over several years”, assures Laurent Gallas, with his experience.

Let’s return to Chamonix, where, this August 30 at 4 p.m., the famous trailer for “Conquest of Paradise” by Vangelis, taken from the film 1492resonates to give the starting signal. With bib 2,650, his classification by points, Laurent Gallas is among the last starters (2,700 in total). “What’s exceptional is the atmosphere. It feels like we’re on the Tour de France. I am very good until the thirtieth kilometer, then night arrives with the first big climbs”says the 52-year-old runner, accompanied in his challenge by Julien Chassin and Didier Aubouin, the president of Spiridon Mellois, who provide his assistance.

A big fall into a ravine

Finally, the night goes well and the snow is not there this year. “It’s still hard, with some huge climbs to climb, some passes never end. In Courmayeur, at 88^e kilometer, it’s morning, I’m very good »continues Laurent Gallas. And then suddenly, on a balcony on the side of a mountain 100 km away while passing hikers, “I catch my feet in a root and fall into the ravine. I am stopped by the thickets ». He finds the path again but his body bears the scars of this big fall, notably his face covered in mud and his knee bleeding.

“I’m leaving again anyway, I’m no longer the same runner. At the next aid station, I am in a big moment of doubt, I have the second night to go with the biggest climb ahead, indicates Laurent Gallas. Finally, I continue and everything goes well. »

Ahead of the time limits, the Niortais, who sleeps fifteen minutes from time to time, will reach Chamonix where he is truly “carried by the public. I find my friends. I’m glad I finished it. »

On arrival, fatigue is forgotten and erased by joy. She will come back stronger a few days later, back in Deux-Sèvres. Nothing to regret “this superb experience”.