NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Nooooooooooooo! Yes, that's a no with 13 o's.

The suspense is over. I just lost in the UTMB 2013 lottery. I was listed as refusé.



Now let's put on the positive hat. 13 reasons why this is a good thing.

1. I'll have twice the chance of winning the 2014 draw. 
2. I have more time to train and prepare for it too. 
3. The points acquired are valid for two years, so I can reuse my 2012 points. 
4. I've dreamed of doing this race since 2007, so one more year is not such a big deal. 
5. Who knows the weather might be bad again in 2013?
6. In that case the weather would most certainly be excellent in 2014. 
7. They might increase the number of required points (currently 7), which would favor runners like me who have a lot more than that.
8. I'll be a more experienced trail runner in 2014, possibly also fitter and wiser.
9. I won't have to race twice in Chamonix in 2013 (I've entered 80km du Mont Blanc in June).
10. Trail running gear in 2014 might be a lot more advanced.
11. Suunto Ambit GPS might allow me to track a long trail race like UTMB accurately by 2014.
12. Some of my friends might be doing the 2014 UTMB as well.
13. I can spend the money budgeted for this on something potentially more fun than plodding around the Mont Blanc massif in a weekend with thousands of ultratrailheads.

Congratulations to those 2300 UTMB 2013 runners as well as those doing the CCC, TDS or PTL. You lucky bastards! See you on the trails.