How is TDS Not Sold Out Yet?

31 March 2024

Update (04/05/2024 – five days after posting this question):

The TDS 2024 is sold out! Congratulations to the latest entrants for this final sprint. Your dream is about to become a reality.

UTMB just sent out a note inviting people to sign up to race TDS:

So it’s now or never to grab one of the last 83 race bibs for the TDS and its iconic route, which will take you through the Aosta Valley and the Beaufortain.

It’s almost April, and this race is still not sold out. (I don’t remember how this compares to last year. Was TDS sold out by this time around?) The race is harder, shorter and less iconic than UTMB – it’s not the full loop – but you’re still there in Chamonix during UTMB week, you still are part of the main gig, and you now even get 4 stones. Puzzles me why this event is’t as popular as the others.

In comparison, here are last year’s numbers:

UTMB (170KM) Starters: 2,814. 2,473 Men, 340 Women (12%)

CCC (100KM) Starters: 2,406. 1,932 Men, 474 Women (20%)

OCC (55KM) Starters: 1,953. 1,409 Men, 544 Women (28%)

TDS (145KM) Starters: 1,871. 1,662 Men, 209 Women (11%)

MCC (40KM) Starters: 1,384. 934 Men, 450 Women (33%)

ETC (15KM) Starters: 1,808. 1,035 Men, 773 Women (43%)

Fewer people ran TDS compared to the shorter OCC. And yes while it’s harder and longer this doesn’t usually scare trail runners away, as seen by the starter numbers for UTMB. I’m not sure what the total entry spots are for TDS for 2024, but with numbers for the lottery for UTMB, CCC, OCC up this year it’s fascinating that TDS isn’t sold out yet. Will be interesting to see if UTMB bumped up the entry numbers for this year.