Sport is full of highs and lows. It’s one of the reasons why we love it. Whether watching or taking part, running is a sport that has its fair share.
From crossing the finish line first or achieving that personal best to those inexplicable off-days and inevitable injuries. Running is a tricky sport to get right all of the time both physically and mentally.
It has been one of those sorts of years for HOKA athlete Thibaut Garrivier.
Arriving in style
Thibaut announced his arrival in style with a phenomenal win at Transvulcania back in May.
Transvulcania is a 74km race with 4,350m of elevation that takes place on the island of La Palma. It was a win for Thibaut that was a few years in the making.
After finishing third in 2018, Thibaut rose to the top of the podium this time around. It was a victory that, for him, justified the ultra-running path he had chosen four years before.
Rare are those days when it all comes together. But when they do, boy, does it feel good.
“Winning Transvulcania this year was absolutely crazy,” he says “It’s the best achievement in sports for me and that’s why I worked so hard for many years.
“This year started very well for me, with a huge progression compared to 2018. I am certain now that I can run with the best runners and would really like to take advantage of my progress before the year is out.”
Comeback race
The first opportunity for Thibaut to do that comes this Friday in the CCC race at Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.
The CCC is a race that has been top of Thibaut’s priorities all year. However, it has been touch-and-go until the last-minute as to whether he would be able to line up at all.
The 28-year-old medical student has had to battle against probably the most frustrating injury of his career to date.
Putting the brakes on
He has been completely out of action due to tibial posterior tenosynovitis, an inflammation that affects the tendon connecting the calf muscle to bones on the inside of the foot.
Just as Thibaut was ready to put his foot on the gas, the brakes were well and truly applied.
“The last couple of months have been a really hard period,” he reflects. “But I start to feel better and better and can finally train properly.
“Unfortunately, my shape is not the best of 2019 but I’m really happy to be back in the game and feel very enthusiastic to run in Chamonix!”
Returning to Chamonix
The CCC race starts on Friday morning at 9:00am UTC+2. It starts in Courmayeur in the Italian Alps. Athletes then cross both borders into Switzerland and finally France before arriving back in Chamonix 101km later.
It is not the first time Thibaut has competed in Chamonix. He placed sixth in the OCC (55k) race in 2017.
This experience on the Mont Blanc trails plus the support, advice and inspiration from fellow HOKA athletes Audrey Tanguy and Julien Chorier, who he has been training with in Val-Thorens in the build-up to UTMB, should see him fare well in his first over-100k race.
Following a year of highs and lows, Thibaut’s ambition remains simple.
“The first objective is to take pleasure and discover the race,” he says. “I want to experience the race and the distance to be back in my best shape next year to fight for the win.”
Photo credit: PEIGNÉE VERTICALE