Written by
Baptiste Doisneau
175 kilometers of solidarity: the adventure of "Courir pour nous"
The "Run for Us" team, made up of Louis and four young people from the APART association, completed the 175-kilometer UTMJ relay in 24 hours and 45 minutes, after six months of preparation. Beyond the performance, this adventure taught them to trust each other, to help one another, and to move forward together despite the difficulties.
On October 2 and 3, 2026, the "Courir pour nous" team, bib number 733, set off on the relay of the Ultra Trail des Montagnes du Jura: 175 kilometers and 7,000 meters of positive elevation gain, between Lancrans and Métabief. At the start, there are five of them: Louis Derrien, an experienced runner, and Léo, Wesley, Inès and Lina, four 19-year-olds who are members of the APART association. Their goal is to discover the ultra-trail together and to make running a collective adventure.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron
Six months earlier, everyone's experience was very different. Some had never run more than six kilometers, and Inès and Lina had never really run before. So, four times a week, the team followed the training plans of coach Marcus Ramanick, with the support of APART. Little by little, the kilometers piled up and confidence grew. On the day of departure, in Lancrans, a surprise awaited them: Pauline, Louis's sister, who was injured and forced to withdraw from the race, had come to encourage them.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron
Louis opens the relay on a 37-kilometer stretch with 1,800 meters of elevation gain. Setting off quickly, he runs at the front of the pack and passes the baton to Léo by 4 p.m., already ahead of the estimates. Léo then sets off towards Les Rousses, torn between apprehension and excitement. Carried by the energy of the group, he gives it his all while saving some strength for what lies ahead. At sunset, and then into the night, he further increases the team's lead.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron
Wesley takes over in Les Rousses and runs to Bellefontaine with calm and consistency. Lina's race, however, does not go as planned: thanks to the head start, she sets off in the heart of the night rather than at the break of dawn. Alone in the forest, in 5 °C weather, she faces a mountain she barely knows—having not even been a runner six months prior. Supported from afar by her loved ones, she reunites with Louis for the final kilometers and hands over the baton at 5:15 a.m.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron
In Mouthe, Inès sets off towards Jougne at sunrise. Despite the apprehensions that accompanied her during the preparation, she finds her rhythm and lets herself be carried away by a true state of flow. Then Léo sets off again for his second relay: 23 kilometers, bringing his total to 60. He pushes himself to the limit, while the team gets closer to Métabief. On Saturday, October 3rd at 12:45 p.m., they all cross the finish line together, hand in hand.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron
In 24 hours and 45 minutes, about eight hours faster than expected, "Run for us" accomplished much more than just a long run. Everyone had to trust the group, adapt to the unexpected, and run for others as much as for themselves. Louis thought he was passing on to the young people what running had taught him; in the end, their commitment, discipline, and solidarity reminded him of the essentials. A shared adventure that brought together people of different generations and backgrounds.
Source :
@louislepron
Source :
@louislepron