Heather Jackson “starting to feel good” ahead of her first tilt at UTMB

Heather Jackson says she’s excited and back on track for her first crack at trail running’s blue riband event, UTMB.

The former multiple IRONMAN winner has excelled at both ultrarunning and gravel bike racing since switching from triathlon.

Just this year she won the prestigious Unbound XL gravel race but her bid for a unique double at Western States was derailed by injury.

On the way back

The American star’s main target this year was always UTMB and in the previous two seasons she’s worked her way up in distance in Chamonix – finishing 20th in the 55km OCC in 2023 and then fifth in the 101km CCC 12 months ago.

When we spoke to her earlier in the year she told us: “UTMB this year is really exciting. “Not having done an event brings that excitement and those nerves.”

And in her latest YouTube video which is embedded below she echoes that, while also providing an update on how things have panned out since Western States.

She said: “The first two weeks after Western States I couldn’t run – it was all about rehab and and getting my calf and the muscles healed.

“Then strength work before I slowly started building back with power hiking.

“That seemed to be fine with the calf so I progressed from that to running.”

Warm-up victory

Speaking two weeks ahead of UTMB, which starts on Friday 29th August, she added: “UTMB was probably the biggest goal of mine this year and I feel confident the calf is fine.

“I’m starting to feel good and excited that I can be ready to put in a good trip around the Mont Blanc.”

And that was underlined by her performance at the Wyeast Trailfest on the weekend of the 9th/10th August when she won the overall women’s title for the 50k event with a time of 5:20:41.

The big favourite for the women’s race at UTMB this year is three-time winner and ultrarunning GOAT Courtney Dauwalter who is looking to continue the sequence which has seen her take the title in 2019, 2021 and 2023.