Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100M
Index
INTRODUCTION
Text in English follows just after the next Japanese paragraph.
この投稿は、標題のトレイルマラソンレースの自分の経験の紹介などです。英語で検索した人が捕まえてくれたらいいなと書いています。165 kmの山岳レースで注目度も高いのですが完走率が40%ほどでウェブ上の情報がレア。幸いにも私は完走できたのでその一人として記録をシェアしたいという意です。関心なかったら無視してくださいね！
Glad you have arrived here. I am one of the finishers of the glorious race, Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100M or UTS 100M.
https://snowdonia.utmb.world/races/UTS-100M
Here is the official page in Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/ultratrailsnowdonia/
As online information on this race, specifically 100M, by a finisher is rare, I would like to leave my notes here. I would be happy if you contact me via Strava, Facebook or X if this note helps you, you enjoy it, or you want to criticize it.
Let me note words with a hashtag. #UTS100M #UTS #UltraTrailSnowdonia #UltraTrailSnowdonia100M #UTMBWorldSeries
Hereafter is my text in Strava, with a little modification applied, + some section-by-section notes + sleeping strategy. The last two parts are what I sent to my running colleague who asked me some questions specifically about this race.
CP stands for "Check Point". The overall up and down looks like the following (taken from the official website);
Strava entry (text I noted just after the race).
You can find my record in Strava.
# 231 started, 136 DNF and 95 finished, according to the website. The drop-out rate of ~60% indicates the harshness.
# This was the toughest race I have ever done. The UTS 100M allowed 48 hours in total, and each of the 12 aid stations had a time cutoff. The time pressure and unexpected difficulty in between were so scary and daunting, deteriorating my mental capacity.
I thought the Northern Traverse (NT) 2023, a 190-mile footrace, would be tougher than UTS 100M, but NT 2023 had an elevation of 20,000 ft in total, had no continuous climb over >1500 ft, and allowed roughly 110 hours to finish. The condition was much easier than UTS 100M. UTS 100M had some long continuous climbing, 5 x ~600 m (~2000 ft or higher), for instance.
# All the sections were so technical, imposing tasks I could not practice in Cambridge. My preparedness and performance would have been better if I had expended time and money for a gym and training trips. The more investment, the better runners could do.
# I met Japanese runners, Mrs KN and Mr SI. They did recce before the race and, at the race, recorded <35 hours. Amazing. It was so nice to meet the team, and fortunate that I could have lunch with them after I finished and before Mrs KN got on the podium.
# The downhill before the fifth aid station (~60 km) was so technical and burdensome for me. We had to go down a long rocky slope. My ankles got painful. I thought I could not manage that kind repeatedly and would get unable to run within each cutoff.
I thought of giving up seriously at the fourth aid station. Before deciding to retire, however, I decided to rest for 1 hour and see if my ankles got ok to carry on.
I decided to go. If I could not meet the time cutoff, "that's it", I imagined. I decided not to make any decision while I could continue.
# I joined UTS 100M last year, and that was cancelled because of bad weather. I joined this year to do an undone task. I reminded myself of it repeatedly. I recalled all the races I did, including the NT 2023 and the Grand Slam of Centurion's. Thanks to those, I got mentally empowered.
# The pain at my ankles seemed to be because I tied up my laces too tightly. I loosened a little. The shoe got unstable. It was scary, but as far as it gripped well, I found it not problematic or maybe better. The Inov-8 one did well. That modification of my lace tieing gave me a huge positive impact on my running. I could do relatively well at the latter half of the race.
My rank was around 100th up to the midpoint, but it got better to be 61st at the finish. Many runners dropped out, so the improvement of my rank would make sense, but my performance got improved in the latter section, I am sure.
# During the race, I also improved my skill of running downhill. The key, I found, was where I should watch during and after each footstep. Is that called foot-eye coordination? That seems to be critical when going through a technical section. I rethought I had been completely unprepared for UTS's terrain. I was still naive, but when I concentrated on my eye-movement coordination, I could do relatively better than I had done.
The earlier sections of this race and NT 2023 would have been better if I realised the key. That is fine. As I had no time to train specifically or do a recce, it would be reasonable that I could not do well and needed to learn during an event.
# I ate well at every aid station. Chilli and rice were great. I had two servings at least when available. Eating practice worked fine.
# as expected, I suffered from sleep deprivation frequently. I slept at a few aid stations and in a bush 5 times or more. A power nap for 5 min produced a huge difference in my performance. We were lucky that the weather was great. Taking a nap under the sun was amazingly pleasant. Sleep deprivation and hallucination happened, but it was better than the worst scenario. The race started at 1 pm. So helpful for me because I could sleep for ~8 hours. I arrived at Bangor, near the starting site, at 11 pm the previous night. Very late, but it was ok.
# I wish some aid stations got better. The last two aid stations, #11 and #12, were outside. I understood each needed to be big to host runners of the 100M and 100km races at the same time. However, for 100M runners, at least, a closed warm room would be reasonable. Some wanted to take a nap definitely, but the aid station was not set up for that. Also, taking a longer rest outside could get a body chilled.
# There were 12 aid stations, and access to a drop bag was permitted only once, at aid station #7. The aid station was small and cloudy. I think access to a drop bag three times would be reasonable, e.g. #4, #8, and #10, regarding the size of the aid stations, relations to the local, and distance from the headquarter. Though, I appreciate the organisers thought of many variables.
A support crew was permitted to show up at 6 of the 12 aid stations. I did not think of it and do not mind, but there seemed to be a huge difference between runners with a supporter and without.
# It was annoying that I took time to find the 12th aid station. The sign was unclear. I ran back and forth around the campsite. Route signs were sometimes unhelpful, without the obvious regard to the direction in which runners ran. Some tall runners may have had the advantage of finding a sign readily.
# My "Global Rank" is said 103rd in the website, but there were 95 finishers. In the order of the time to finish, my name appeared at the 61st place. So, that is maybe my rank. As seen in the website, I would not be surprised at some logistical issues in this race.
# I think I finished one of the toughest 100-mile races in the world. Happy. Some mountains were so beautiful, with sea of clouds. I climbed up Snowdon, but it was just midnight, around 0 am.
Text to my friend - section-by-section notes
Thinking back, the hilly section of CP4-CP5 was the toughest for me. I felt myself behind the race and below its required capability to finish it, although the perception was wrong. But, for many average runners, the section after CP9 to CP10 may be the toughest. Arriving at CP9 may make every average runner feel scared of the subsequent killer sections over the second evening and night. I was sleepy but somewhat positive and aggressive then. If your goal is to finish it simply, regardless of the time, my advice would be to keep enjoying and going forward as far as allowed.
The race organiser decides your DNF, not you, unless you get injured,
Section-by-section notes:
CP0-CP1, CP1-CP2, and CP2-CP3: each has long moderate hill climbing and technical downs. Take it easy. No rush. Many who push this section will slow down massively later or DNF.Many sections have a rocky surface, representing Snowdonia's uniqueness. Before climbing up Carnedd Llewelyn at CP2-CP3, you may use your hand to climb for the first time in the race. That should be easy and enjoyable, before getting dark.
CP3-CP4. An easy section, with some mud. I started my headtorch there by the lake, Llyn Cowlyd. Many runners may look fast, but it may be important to ignore. At CP4, many runners may look fresh and quickly depart. I should have taken a breath and fuelled me better there, around 10 pm.
CP4-CP5. Before climbing I made a wrong turn, wasting some minutes. The hill climbing was like CP0-CP1. It was chilly and windy, exhausting. The downhill was the most mind-numbing in the race for me. Too rocky in the dark to find a correct route. All must go down using hands carefully. It should be OK to go slowly, being patient and smiling.
CP5. I arrived there at 2:30 am. I felt worried about the following 100 km and powerless. Having less than 3 hours by its cutoff (5:15 am), I rested there for ~1.5 hour by lying down. It helped massively. The toughness of CP4-CP5 and my resting at CP5 were the key parts of my UTS 100M. I left CP5 just one hour before the cutoff. Risky, but I told myself it would be ok. It turned out to be ok.
CP5-CP6. An easy section, but muddy and hard to find a correct path around the mid part. Being careful is important.Around CP6, possible to visit Coop/Morrison Local if it opens.
CP6-CP7. A battle against sleepiness started. I slept in a bush under the sun. That helped. Some climbing was steep, but enjoyable to run as much as possible. CP7 is waiting for you with your drop bag... At CP7, the aid station was small. Sleeping inside may be disturbed. I slept outside on the grass for 20 min or so. The sunny weather was nice.
CP7-CP8. I could keep running and pass by many runners. A difference in a game strategy (planned or unplanned) became apparent there. The latter section was really muddy. It was frustrating why the footpath was designated as a footpath. It did not look like a footpath.
CP8-CP9. Runnable except for the single hill climb and a short rocky section after the downhill (before CP9).
CP9: I slept for 20 min. It was good and important to get prepared for the next section. It would have been better if I got more water.
CP9-CP10: A tough section. The first hill climb to Moel Hebog looked scary because it was unable to see its summit just by angle, but it ended suddenly. Good to keep patient. The water management was tough. I used up in the former part. No stream water was available. However, there was an official volunteer who supplied water before the 80-mile point roughly, in-between of the two mountains. That was really helpful. After the passing by the summit before CP10, the rocky section was mind-numbing. I could not believe that that was a right path, but it was. The downhill was steep, but it was ok.
CP10. I arrived there 3 hours before the cutoff, and I felt it realistic to finish the race in time. There was a shortage of Coke. I hope that will not happen.
CP10-CP11. Climbing Snowdon. I slept a few times by rocks, thanking the weather. Near the summit, there was a merging of 100-milers and 100-km runners. That was somewhat motivating. The downhill was runnable and must be dealt with readily.
CP11. Really messy because of many 100-mi, 100-km runners (collision!). Also, it was chilling. I tried to take a nap, but it was hard.
CP11-CP12: A few muddy sections, but it was ok. An easy section.
CP12: I could not find it readily and wasted time, irritating. Hope it will be ok. Also, a little noisy. I was not sleepy then, but I would find it hard to take a nap there.
CP12-Finish. The early section 1- or 2-miles after CP12 had a highly muddy section. The last section that made shoes dirty. Then, the last hill climb. Tough, but ok.
Text to my friend - sleepiness/sleeping
If the weather becomes nice, sleeping by a path is fine anywhere, except for a few muddy sections (e.g. the latter section between CP7 and CP8).
What I did in 2023
I arrived at CP5 at 3 am, feeling distressed, and took a one-hour rest. I took naps as follows: a 10-min nap a few times between CP6 and CP7, a 30-min nap at CP7 (with a drop bag), a 10-min nap twice between CP8 and CP9, a 20-min nap at CP9, a 10-min nap once between CP10 and the summit of Snowdonia, a 15-min nap at CP11 (sitting on a seat, so noisy),a 10-min nap after CP12 before the last main hill climb.
Sleeping at CP7 was roughly at 2 pm and outside under the sun with good comfort. CP9 had a good sleeping facility inside. I did not sleep at CP10 (around 10 pm), but the facility was quiet and nice for sleeping, I guess. CP11 had a collision of 100-M runners and 100-km runners, and the noise was so disturbing. Also, the tent was outside, being rainy and chilling in 2023. Hard to take a nap there, though I wanted. CP12 was a tent, being quiet but narrow and maybe noisy. Though, sleeping at CP12 must be acceptable if necessary.
My future plan if I join.
A short version may be:
Each of CP6, CP7 and CP8: short naps, up to 20 min.
CP9: a longer one, up to 1 hour.
CP12: a short one, up to 20 min.
CP6, CP8, CP9, CP10, and CP12 may be good for taking a nap.
CP7 and CP11 may be too narrow and noisy, as CP7 with a drop bag let all the runners take time.
CP11 had 100k runners in addition to 100M runners.
CP12 is the same, but somewhat better than CP11.
A little lengthy note on a sleeping strategy
If I could achieve my sleep banking very well, I would plan to go to CP6 without any sleeping and take one-hour nap there. My secondary plan would be to take a nap at CP5. CP6 is relatively spacy, so it would be ok to take a nap there.At CP7, I would take a nap up to 20 min if necessary, after resting with anything in a drop bag. CP8 is a large tent facility. It may be fine to take a short nap if necessary.Between CP6 and CP9, it must not be dark. It may be strategically reasonable to push as much as possible to CP9, where a number of camping beds are prepared. Also, sleeping there is reasonable because the routes between CP9 and CP10 and between CP10 and CP11 are really tough.
A few questions from my friend:
Would you have an aluminum foil sheet or a recyclable bivvy bag??
If the weather is fine, a foil sheet is ok. If rain is forecast, I would bring a light bivvy bag so that I can take a nap outside even if it rains. So, at the registration site before start, I will bring both. As I often write, I cannot make progress when I feel sleepy. My pace really slows down when sleepy. So, I consider it typical to lie down outside when feeling sleepy. A bivvy bag would be nice when it is raining outside. I thnk the product you showed above is great. That should be ok for a kit check of Spine.
How did you make sure you woke up if you were sleeping solo?
I'd worry about just staying asleep. I set my alarm and I could wake up as I planned then. But, I would not mind over-sleeping. The more I sleep, the more I can push, I believe.
Finally, did you use poles?
Yes, I used. I recommend it. It helped at the very first hill climb, after CP9, 10 and CP12, etc. But, yes, we should not use it at some rock climbing (after CP9) and downhill to balance well by moving up and down the arms and opening up the chest. So, a quick decision would be good. A pole was helpful at the muddy section before CP8 (downhill), too.
I hope these lines are somewhat helpful. Good luck, challengers!!!
