After Hoka Val D'Aran 110km by UTMB – What Happened in Giovanni's Mind? | S02E04

Giovanni is back — but this time, after HOKA Val d’Aran CDH 110K by UTMB. Before the race, we sat down with Giovanni to talk about his preparation, expectations, nutrition strategy and how he planned to tackle his first big mountain ultra in the Pyrenees. Now we find out what actually happened. Giovanni’s race ended at 83 km and around 4,840 m of elevation gain after missing a nighttime cutoff — but the result tells only a small part of the story. We talk about why he has no regrets, surviving the heat, eating 100+ grams of carbs per hour, carrying huge amounts of water, technical descents, being a heavier ultrarunner, training for mountains while living somewhere flat, and what he would do differently next time. And most importantly: after everything that happened, does he want revenge on the Pyrenees? 👀 If you’re preparing for your first mountain ultra, racing Val d’Aran, or simply wondering what happens when your race plan meets reality, there’s plenty in this one. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Giovanni After Val d’Aran 02:49 – Post-Race Damage Report 04:35 – Nutrition, Hydration & Surviving the Heat 11:15 – Training for Mountains From Luxembourg 12:35 – Technical Terrain & Downhill Struggles 18:03 – Ultra Running as a Heavier Runner 21:34 – What Giovanni Would Change Next Time 23:46 – The Biggest Race Mistakes 26:06 – Will Giovanni Return to Val d’Aran? 🏔️ Race: HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB – CDH 110K 📍 Location: Val d’Aran, Spanish Pyrenees Watch the pre-race podcast first to see what Giovanni expected before the race — then come back here to see how reality compared. And if you enjoy following our ultra-running adventures, subscribe to Moving Potatoes 🥔🏃‍♂️ #ValdAran #UTMB #Ultrarunning #TrailRunning #HokaValdAran #MovingPotatoes #Ultramarathon