I had planned to write about UTMB all week, but now it’s almost over. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. The supreme discipline, the 100-mile loop around Mont Blanc, doesn’t even start until tonight. But the hype has been in full swing since Monday.

Like every year, I carry mixed feelings into this weekend.

UTMB is the big elephant in the room of trail running. You can’t ignore it. You can’t escape having an opinion about it.

For the last few years, it was ...