UTA 100K Race Report: What Racing For A UTMB Spot Taught Me

The Race That Told Me What Was Missing

Twelve weeks before UTA 100K, I raced the Alpine Ascent 80K in the Snowy Mountains. I finished fourth, but I missed my time target by about 45 minutes. That result was humbling, and it was also the most useful piece of information I got all year.

Here is why. I had done almost all of my training for that race on a treadmill and on fire road. Coming off two years of road marathon training and coaching, it felt like the sensible way to build fitness. The race said otherwise. Trail running asks different things of your legs, your feet and your pacing, and the only way to prepare for that is to train on the terrain you will race on.

So I changed the plan. For UTA I spent far more time on real trails and far more time doing vertical, both up and down. That is the first lesson for you. A tune up race is not just a fitness check. It is a diagnostic. Look honestly at where the result fell short, find the specific cause, and fix that in the next block. Do not just train harder at the same things.

Race Day: One Goal, Not A Finish Time

The day before the start, the nerves arrived. That is normal, and it is a sign you care about the outcome.

My goal was simple and specific: be the first male over 50 across the line, because that result earned a UTMB spot. Having one clear goal made every decision on the day easier. At the early checkpoints I was sitting first in my category and around 36th overall, running close to six minute pace through 50K.

Then the course bit back. Somewhere past halfway, on a long climb, runners half my age were floating past me like I was standing still. By 56K I had slipped just over six minute pace and I was, honestly, cooked. By the next checkpoint I had dropped to second in my category, with the leader about five minutes up the road.

This is where a clear goal pays off. I stopped worrying about overall position and pace and focused on one runner. Your race will have a moment like this. When it arrives, bring your attention back to the one thing that matters most.

Checkpoints, Crew And The Hardest Section

Races are often won and lost in the aid stations. My crew had gels, Coke, water and spare shoes ready at every stop, and most visits took one to two minutes. I changed shoes early, took Coke at nearly every checkpoint, and turned down things I did not need. Know your plan before you arrive, so you are not making decisions when you are tired.

By 68K I had about 2,000 metres of climbing in my legs and my quads were feeling every bit of it. The next section was the one I feared most: eight kilometres of downhill running on already tired quads. The uphills suited me better, because my climbing power was still good, but the stairs had drained me.

This is exactly why the extra trail and vertical training mattered. Downhill running destroys quads that have not been prepared for it. If your race has significant descent, build downhill running into your training steadily over several weeks. Your quads need that exposure before race day, not during it.

Doubt, Self Coaching And The Finish Line

The hardest part of coaching yourself is the doubt. Have I trained enough? Did I push hard enough in that session? When I cut a workout short because of my foot, is that going to catch up with me on race day?

When I coach my athletes I never second guess the plan, because I know what works. Coaching yourself is different. You lose the outside view, and every missed session starts to feel bigger than it is. If you are self coached and the doubt is loud, that is worth paying attention to. Having a coach removes that noise and lets you just run.

With 20K to go I needed to make up about eight minutes. With 4K left, I caught the category leader and went past. I was not happy with my finish time, but I crossed the line as the first male over 50, and that punched my ticket to UTMB.

The time will come. The goal was the goal. Pick one clear target for your next race, train specifically for the terrain, and trust the work you have done. If you want someone to take the second guessing off your plate, personalised coaching with Run The Race is built for exactly that.