Ultra Back To Life (UBTL) breaks away from the traditional sports model by transforming competition into a positive and measurable act for the environment. This 48-hour consecutive ultra-endurance event reinvents performance by placing ecological regeneration at the heart of the race. Designed as a systemic and reproducible model of "regenerative sport," this initiative is recognized as a nominee in the Environmental Initiative of the Year category at the Trail Running Awards.
The Diagnosis: Reversing the impact of spectator sports
UBTL stems from the observation that traditional competitions often generate a negative environmental footprint. The Abundita association sought to reverse this logic by creating an event with a positive carbon impact, where individual performance becomes a lever in the service of biodiversity.
The core concept relies on alternating phases: athletes do not just run; they alternate mileage effort with field interventions (planting vegetation, creating natural habitats, cleanup operations).
Every stride thus contributes to both athletic performance and ecological heritage.
The Innovation: A multi-criteria classification system
UBTL has developed an innovative and world-first points system to evaluate athletes. Performance is no longer measured solely by mileage, but by a multi-criteria classification integrating:
Athletic performance (distance covered over 48 hours).
Biodiversity actions carried out in the field.
The athletes' carbon footprint.
Educational and civic engagement ("living bets", support for local projects).
This approach highlights the regenerative athlete, who excels in both endurance and ecological action.
A lasting legacy and an intergenerational bridge
The project aligns with a sustainable territorial transformation approach, with the goal of creating a measurable ecological heritage for the host municipality.
This includes planting trees and fruit bushes, creating multiple natural habitats (ponds, birdhouses), and CO₂ sequestration.
UBTL is also marked by a massive educational dimension, involving hundreds of children and local high school students.
These teenagers are notably tasked with leading educational outreach, creating a strong intergenerational bridge where young people become ambassadors for biodiversity.
The symbolic passing of the baton between schoolchildren and ultra-trail runners is a powerful illustration of this.
Adoption and replication of the model
The pilot phase in March 2025 demonstrated the validity of the concept, with hands-on local initiatives and widespread enthusiasm from participants. The project has won over prestigious champions such as Xavier Thévenard, reflecting an evolving sporting conscience.
UBTL's future objectives are clearly defined: to sustain restoration efforts, consolidate educational engagement, and create a replicable model. The competition offers various formats, ranging from the 48-hour XXL challenge to participatory conservation sites open to the general public, ensuring total inclusivity.
Nicolas Angermuller, Biodiversity Athlete, summarizes the project's impact: "It's a positive new way to approach performance—more restrained, more committed, more meaningful. Unlike traditional competitions where you simply pass through the landscape, here every stride concretely contributes to the regeneration of biodiversity."
This ability to transform a sporting event into a catalyst for local transformation positions UBTL as a major initiative in regenerative sports.
