Alban Berson

About

Alban Berson is a French ultra-trail runner and one of the sport's most compelling late-starters, who picked up trail running at 34 in 2015 — after a decade of Alpine kitchen work and Nordic ski patrol rescue duties — and within nine years placed 2nd at the TDS by UTMB. Born in Normandy, he left for the Alps in 2005 and settled near Briançon in 2013, alternating between seasonal cooking and winter ski rescue patrol. A restless adventurer who has visited 45 countries and cycled 20,000 kilometres across 25 of them, he lives and trains from a camper-van that migrates with the mountain seasons. His competitive arc was steep: a local 17km win in October 2015, 13th at UTMB in 2022, and then 2nd place at the 148-kilometre TDS in 19:56:40 in 2024. Coached by Adrien Séguret of the French Trail Team and sponsored by Altra Running, Berson is one of the most authentic characters in the contemporary ultra-trail scene — proof that the sport rewards commitment at any age.

Notable Wins

• — 2nd TDS by UTMB 2024 (19:56:40)
• — 13th UTMB 2022

Race History