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Running beyond limits | UTMB 2025: Guntur’s Viswabharath Allamsetti on his journey to finishing world’s toughest ultramarathon
Running beyond limits | UTMB 2025: Guntur’s Viswabharath Allamsetti on his journey to finishing world’s toughest ultramarathon Premium
Exactly 44 hours and 29 after he started out, Viswabharath Allamsetti crossed the finish line at Chamonix, France, joining the ranks of those who had endured the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB). For most trail runners, UTMB is not just another ultramarathon; it is a rite of passage, one that demands years of preparation and patience even to earn a place on the starting line. It is an annual trail running event held in the Chamonix valley, which circles the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland. This ultramarathon race is famous for its gruelling distance of around 170-176 kilometres and extreme elevation gain, making it one of the world's most prestigious and toughest endurance tests for elite and amateur runners alike.
Out of 2,492 participants this year, 1,665 managed to complete the course. For 41-year-old Viswabharath, who had aimed for 32 to 35 hours but battled through unexpected setbacks, the finish itself carried the weight of victory.
“The UTMB finals are like a holy grail for trail runners,” he reflects. “Runners wait years to get a chance, unless they are elite. For me, reaching the finish line, despite the pain and the delays was a win.”
With his roots in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Viswabarath's relationship with running did not begin in childhood nor did he have structured training. He describes himself as someone who always dabbled in sports but never consistently. What changed was the Covid-19 lockdown. Confined to his home in France, where he is currently based, with only trips to the supermarket for relief, he decided to step outside for a five-kilometre run one afternoon The sensation of sunlight and fresh air struck him deeply. That decision soon led to regular outings and a new rhythm to life.
His early days were shaped by guidance from others. He remembers advice from two Guntur runners, Srinivas Reddy Vuyyuru and Srinivas Reddy Yeruva, and later found encouragement from fellow athletes in France, such as his friend Julien, whose discipline inspired him. After running his first marathon, he turned to trails and discovered that it was an entirely different sport. Navigating steep ascents, technical descents, nutrition strategies and unpredictable weather added dimensions he found both challenging and rewarding.
In 2023, he attempted an 110-kilometre UTMB World Series race but dropped out due to a knee injury. Instead of discouraging him, the experience deepened his motivation. “That unfinished race made me want to solve the ultra-trail riddle,” he says. A year later, he returned to complete it, and when the opportunity came for UTMB itself, he was ready to commit.
Viswabharath Allamsetti, with his roots in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, recently finished the gruelling Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Preparation required more than physical mileage. Training with coach Laurent Mossotto helped him develop what he calls the “ultra mindset,” where resilience becomes as important as physical endurance. His weeks balanced work and training: recovery on Monday, speed and strength midweek, and long runs stretching to eight hours or more on weekends. Family life, he admits, was harder to balance than work. “The credit goes to my wife,” he says. “She managed the children and adjusted family activities around my training. Without her support, I could not have done it.”
The race itself tested every part of him. Starting at 5.45pm on a Friday, runners faced rain, snow, and thick mud during the first night. Used to training in 35-degree summer heat, he found the sub-zero conditions punishing. He felt strong through the first 81 kilometres, but then his quadriceps faltered. Each descent grew more painful. By the time he reached the final climbs, his knee added to the strain. “The last seven kilometres, with the steep descent over rocks, are unforgettable,” he says. “I told myself, I have dealt with this pain for 24 hours already, I will have it anyway. I pushed through to the finish.”
What carried him forward was not just preparation, but perspective. He says he no longer frames runs in terms of distance or obligation. Instead of saying, ‘I have to run 100 kilometres,' he reminds himself that he gets to spend a day in the mountains. That shift, he believes, allows him to embrace even the painful moments.
Recovery, for him, is structured as carefully as training. Sleep, nutrition rooted in familiar South Indian food and active recovery with his children form the three pillars. He prefers simple strategies: cycling with his kids, walking or stretching. Resilience, he adds, grows over time. “Workouts when you are not at your best prepare you the most. Finishing a race with only half your physical strength builds the mental side.”
Living in France has broadened his view of fitness, but he insists India has a growing community as well. On visits to Guntur, he now spends more time with running friends than with old acquaintances. He sees endurance sport in India slowly gaining momentum, though trail running still lags behind road events. “Trail is more fun and challenging,” he says.
As for what lies ahead, he is cautious about rushing back to UTMB. “I want to savour this for some time,” he adds. He has his eye on the Diagonale des Fous in Réunion Island, known for its brutal terrain and weather shifts, but for now wants more experience over the 100-mile distance. His long-term ambition is less about medals than about continuity. “I want to be able to run a marathon or ultra when my son turns 20. He is two now.”
Looking back on Chamonix, he remembers not just the exhaustion, but the joy of crossing the line with his two children beside him. “I started with my legs,” he says, “I finished with my head. And I never had a negative thought the whole stretch.”
Published - September 11, 2025 04:10 pm IST
The Hindu MetroPlus / sport / physical fitness / health
Source: TheHindu
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