Arduua

15/09/2026

🏔️ TIJANA'S ROAD TO CCC — 9 MONTHS OF TRAINING. 25 HOURS IN THE MOUNTAINS. ONE FINISH LINE. ❤️

108 km. Around 6,000 metres of elevation gain. 25 hours on the course.

In 2026, Tijana Pljeskonjic became a CCC finisher at UTMB Mont-Blanc. 🔥

Tijana

But the story behind that finish started nine months earlier.

At the beginning of the year, Tijana decided it was time to stop doing everything alone.

Her New Year's resolution was simple:

“Don’t be too stubborn, partner up with a coach, commit, reach the next level.”

She started training with Arduua Coach David Garcia.

Together they worked through nine months of structured preparation — adapting the training around work, travel and life while developing her endurance, strength, pacing, nutrition, race strategy and mindset.

And sometimes David’s job was simply to tell Tijana what she needed to hear:

“In ultras, the race starts towards the end.”

“Your legs, your body have the memory of the work done. Just keep going.”

Those words followed her all the way through CCC.

The first 40K felt great. Then came the night.

Sleepiness. Fatigue. A line of exhausted runners moving through the darkness. Micronaps. Tears. And the discovery at Vallorcine that the course wasn't ending where she thought it would. 😅

But quitting was never really an option.

After around 25 hours, Tijana reached Chamonix — with her niece and nephew running the final 500 metres beside her. ❤️

And looking back, Tijana is very clear about what the months of preparation meant:

“Working with David for months was the key to all of this. I don’t think I could have made it if I kept working alone and with my mindset and training methodology from the year before.”

This is what the finish line doesn't show.

The months of training.
The adjustments.
The doubts.
The people behind the athlete.
And all the work that happens long before race day.

Huge congratulations, Tijana! ❤️🏔️🔥

👉 Read the full story:
https://arduua.com/2026/09/14/road-to-ccc-tijanas-journey-to-utmb-mont-blanc-2026/

Clickable link in Insta Story.

Arduua – Trail Running Community
✨ TRAIN · RACE · BELONG ✨

07/09/2026

⛰️❤️ HOKA UTMB® Mont-Blanc CONGRATULATIONS ALESSANDRO — THE UTMB DREAM IS REAL! ❤️⛰️

FROM BIKER TO RUNNER — ALL THE WAY TO UTMB CHAMONIX 🔥⛰️

In 2019, Alessandro Rostagno Alessandro Rostagno decided to leave mountain biking behind and try something new: mountain running.
At first, running wasn’t easy. But then he discovered UTMB. Watching the incredible journey around Mont Blanc, a dream started to grow:

One day, he wanted to be there too.

What followed was years of training, learning and racing. Race after race. Season after season. Getting stronger, gaining experience and moving closer to that dream.

And in 2026, Alessandro finally stood on the start line of UTMB Chamonix – 171 km / 10,000 D+. ❤️

There were incredible moments — Tour de France-style crowds, the full moon over the mountains and the line of lights climbing Col du Bonhomme.

And there were hard moments — painful hips, a troublesome calf and tired quads. But Alessandro kept moving.

Until finally, the lights of Chamonix appeared below.

The dream had become reality.
🏁 UTMB – 171 km / 10,000 D+
⏱️ 27h17
🔥 191st overall

Huge congratulations, Alessandro! What an incredible achievement! 💪❤️

Alessandro has been training with Arduua since 2022, first with Fernando Armisén Fernando Armisén 🏔🏃 and for the last two years with David Garcia David Garcia - Entrenamiento / Biomecánica / Re-adaptacion.

It has been a pleasure to watch Alessandro grow year after year, completing UTMB World Series races season after season, finally earning his ticket to UTMB Chamonix — and finishing it in an amazing 27h17.

From biker to mountain runner.
From watching UTMB to finishing UTMB.

Dreams are built one step at a time. ⛰️❤️

Arduua – Trail Running Community
✨ TRAIN · RACE · BELONG ✨

28/08/2026

🏔️🔥 THE ROAD TO UTMB STARTS LONG BEFORE CHAMONIX 🔥🏔️

It’s UTMB week — one of the biggest weeks of the global trail running season!

This year, three Team Arduua athletes have made it all the way to the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix:

🇩🇪 Tijana Pljeskonjic – CCC / 101K / 6,050D+
🇬🇧 Lee Wells – UTMB / 174K / 9,900D+
🇮🇹 Alessandro Rostagno – UTMB / 175K / 9,900D+

But the journey to Chamonix starts long before race week.

Throughout 2026, Team Arduua runners have been racing UTMB World Series events across Europe — from 50K races to some of the toughest 100-mile races out there. 💪🌍

Different runners. Different levels. Different goals.

But behind every big mountain goal are months — and sometimes years — of training, strength, long runs, setbacks, races and consistent work.

And while we cheer for Tijana, Lee and Alessandro this weekend, it’s also time to start thinking ahead...

🏔️ What could YOUR 2027 trail running season look like?

Read the full story 👇
https://arduua.com/2026/08/28/the-road-to-utmb-starts-long-before-chamonix/

Good luck to everyone racing this week — from the legendary trails of Mont Blanc to the enormous SwissPeaks adventure and every mountain in between. Race strong and enjoy the journey! 🔥⛰️

– Trail Running Community

✨ TRAIN · RACE · BELONG ✨

It’s UTMB week! 🏔️🔥 One of the biggest weeks of the global trail running season is here, and this year three Team Arduua athletes have made it all the way to the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix.