Race: OMD 50k by UTMB
Race Date: May 1, 2026
Runner: Julie Urbanski
Location: Seia, Portugal (Serra da Estrela)
Results: 8:19, ~top 1/3 overall
Strava Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/18334578998
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- Scenery – I’ve run several races around Portugal and this was pretty epic (I haven’t run on Madeira or the Azores yet, just mainland Portugal). It goes to the highest point on mainland Portugal (Torre at 1,993 meters (6,539) feet), has epic views on the climb and descent of Torre, and goes through a sort of high alpine area on the descent.
- Organization – I ran the Nice 50k in its first year and there were definitely hiccups and with this being the first year of the OMD 50k by UTMB, I was a little worried about that, but it was super smooth from packet pickup to the shuttle to the start, course markings, aid stations, finish line, etc.
- Competition – So many great runners in this race from start to finish, lots of different nationalities, and several different race differences. I was never alone but it also never felt crowded, thank goodness for the 4 wave start, that made all the difference!
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Pre-race bathrooms, this always seems to be an issue for UTMB races, including OCC! There were 2 bathrooms near the start and a cafe that was bombarded from the moment everyone got off the shuttle. Because there were two shuttle times, 6am and 7am, that made it slightly better, but there were something like 800-900 runners, about 200 of them women.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
OMD stands for Oh Meu Deus = Oh My God, ha!
The race t-shirt could have used the help of a native English speaker. Serra da Estrela is in the center of Portugal, geographically, so the slogan was, “You in the center,” but on the shirt, it had a * (star) in the center, because estrela means star in English, and it’s like you’re the center of the race as well, but the shirt just looks weird with, “You in the C*nter.” When I ran into two South African women in the race, the first thing they asked me was, “So what do you think of the race shirt?”
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
- I didn’t quit, ha! I didn’t realize that out of the ~9000 feet of gain, about half of that was in the one climb up to Torre, so I was feeling very down on myself on that never-ending climb.
- Fueling – I managed to eat 10 gels, 3 tailwinds, 1 naak drink, and lots of water. I historically struggle with nausea and I did later in the race but was able to cool off in any water sources that I could find, and I continued to sip tailwind/naak and ate 1 gel an hour in the second half and my stomach held it together.
- I saved my music until 28k so I had it for the last 24k and it was such a boost!
- My legs were there for the climbing until the bitter end and it ended with an uphill to the finish, so I was happy that my training had me ready for all the climbing, descending, and runnable stuff in the second half.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
- The first 8-10km is fast and “easy” compared to the next ~20km. Then the last 20km is much faster than the previous 20km if you still have your legs under you for climbing and running.
- The climb up Torre has many false summits and takes forever. Just find a good rhythm, ignore all those around you busting their asses, and once you reach that massive rock cairn, the majority of the climbing is over but you’re still not at the top.
- Cool off in any water source available after the halfway point if it’s a sunny day, as the second climb is exposed and hot. Torre is exposed too but it’s so early that it’s a little chilly and less likely to be an issue. If the weather is bad, be ready for wind/rain/cold on the climb up Torre.
- The descent from Torre starts on the road but the trail eventually becomes quite technical, rocky, slick, and full of bogs to hop over. I’m terrible at this stuff so it took immense patience and focus for me.
- Be ready to have wet feet for much of the race. I always put aquafor on my feet and toes ahead of time and had zero blisters.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
- I would mentally prepare myself for that climb up Torre. I texted a few friends that I was quitting, ha! Then I finally started running again after the super tough descent and it got better, I put on music, chatted with other runners, and saw the light of day after 28km.
- Maybe use poles? I didn’t use them and I loved not having them for the second half and I’m just as fast or faster on the climbs than others with poles. I debate if they’d help me even more on the climbs and/or give me more confidence on the descents, but I doubt it.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
- That first climb up Torre is the hardest and longest one and all the rest pales in comparison to it.
- The descent is equally hard if you’re not great at descending (me).
- The second half is faster, save your legs for it.
- Very exposed so cool down in random water sources when you can once the day starts warming up, which was near the last kms of the descent from Torre. Lots of people puking and cramping up!
- The second climb has some steep bits but it’s nothing in length compared to Torre, just find a good rhythm and don’t get defeated.
- Same goes for the rest of the climbing, little pop ups with steep bits.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Absolutely, some of the prettiest stuff I’ve seen in Portugal, I’ve always wanted to run in this area and I’m so glad I finally got to!
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
Yes. 52km and they say it’s 9500 feet, my watched showed 9100, but still, that’s a lot. OCC has more. I finished in 8:19 and I’m not sure I had anything much faster in me given some of the technical terrain and climbing. Maybe if I’d had an absolutely perfect day, I could have been up to 30 minutes faster, if that. I finished in OCC in ~11.5 hours but had to walk the last 12km with nausea, so it’s not quite as difficult as OCC, especially with how runnable the second half is in OMD, but it would be really hard for someone’s first 50km!
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Very well organized, it’s a UTMB race, which means it’s a high likelihood that it’s done well. The pictures they took were all kind of terrible, it was the automatic pictures that are set up throughout the course, and they needed more bathrooms at the start, but those are very minor details.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
Super strong with it being a UTMB race.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
- Register as early as you can, the 50km sold out (not sure about other races)
- Hotels and airbnbs in Seia went fast, we booked off Booking.com in a town about 20 minutes from the start, which was totally fine.
- Limited parking near the start, which stressed me out, so I got to the parking lot at 5:20am for my 6am shuttle, then my car was right there after the finish. Pure bliss.
- Several grocery stores in town near the finish and packet pickup.
- Fly into Lisbon or Porto and it’s 2-4 hours drive, depending on where you flew into, so you’ll need a rental car + lodging
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
- Naak products and I only had the drink, I had 14 gels on me and 3 tailwinds (started with 1 mixed already and had 2 bottles with just the powder inside).
- Standard fare, nothing super special but lots of volunteers to help with water.
- Sunscreen at the last aid station with 10km to go, which I totally used. I stood there as they sprayed me down with it.
- Flushing toilets at the Torre aid station around 18km, huzzah!
Weather and typical race conditions
- Big swings in temperature, cold at night and warm during the day
- High chance of rain
- Bring all kinds of clothes to the race and make a game day decision based on weather.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
- If you use poles, this is a good race for them.
- Minimum required gear list, just a rain jacket, no headlamp, woo hoo!
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
I don’t think so, I saw spectators randomly, a few of which were the same. People can drive to the top of Torre, so that’s kind of cool! If someone sees you at the start in Loiriga, they can see you again at 28km there.
How’s the Swag?
Typical technical tee and a medal. I was hoping for cooler swag, my favorite thus far has been the waterproof backpack from the Nice 50k.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
4.5 out of 5. It’s beautiful, challenging, well-organized and a really fun way to see this part of Portugal, amidst a fantastic field of runners.
