Casquette Verte: the ultra-trail runner who runs against the grain

Casquette Verte: an ultra-trail runner with his head on his shoulders

An apple-green cap, a photo of his feet after every run and an ultra on the steps of Montmartre: Casquette Verte is like no other runner. Behind the nickname is Alexandre Boucheix, a Parisian born on November 13, 1991. Origins, victories and feats: we sum it all up for you.

A cap that came out of a student party 🧢

It all starts in business school. As president of the student union, a smoker and unhappy with his physical condition, Alexandre laces up his first running shoes. The famous cap? A party accessory that he adopts for everyday wear 🎉.

The turning point comes at his first job. A colleague takes him along on weekends to the Bois de Vincennes: trail running enters his life. He links his tenacity to the way his mother raised him: faced with a wall, you don't turn back, you look for a way through 🧱.

2015, the year of the first bibs 📅

In the spring of 2015, he runs the half marathon and then the Paris Marathon. In December, he discovers the SaintéLyon at night and completes the course in 10h51'53", somewhere between 3,000th and 4,000th place 🌙. Far from the podium, this first ultra convinces him to take the discipline seriously.

In 2019, he lines up for his first UTMB. A fracture at km 50, a withdrawal at km 123: the mountain gives him a harsh initiation 🩹. That same year, he wins the LyonSaintéLyon, the extended round trip, then repeats in 2021 and 2022 (the 2020 edition was cancelled).

In 2022, he piles up wins at the Ultra01 and the Ultratour des 4 massifs, before finishing 18th at the UTMB, his best result around Mont Blanc 🏆. A 21st place in 2023 and a 48th in 2024 follow. Check out the ultra-trails in the calendar to follow in his footsteps.

Training without a plan, bike commuting in running shoes 🏙️

His training HQ? The streets of Paris, which he runs across to get to the office. Around 20 hours a week and 20 to 30 km a day, with no fixed plan. As for his lifestyle, he admits he never says no to a beer* 🍺. He debriefs his races live on social media, and becomes a dad in July 2024.

His journey can also be read in print: an autobiographical book, M’appelle Casquette Verte 📖.

The Ultra-Trail de Montmartre, his playground 🪜

Casquette Verte also organizes his very own madness: the Ultra-Trail de Montmartre (UTMM). At the foot of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, runners string together back-and-forth laps up the funicular steps. The goal: 271 laps, nearly 80 km and 11,650 m D+.

For the 5th edition, at the end of 2026, he is selecting only 20 women, in order to shake up a historically male field ♀️. All the details in our dedicated article: Ultra-Trail de Montmartre 2026: an all-female edition.

Want to follow in his tracks? 🎯

No need to aim for the UTMB right away 😉. Like him, start with a first night trail or an accessible ultra, then build up the distance. Browse the trail calendar, compare races on MyTrails and book your bib 🏁.

*Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation