Rob’s Guide to Trail Running: Taking on Ultra Trail Snowdonia

Trail running is a big part of my life, and in 2025, it’s all about testing myself in one of the UK’s toughest ultras. Next weekend, I’ll be lining up at the start of the Ultra Trail Snowdonia (UTS) race - one of the toughest mountain ultras in the UK and a key part of the UTMB World Series. It’s a race I’ve been working towards for months, and I wanted to share a bit about the journey, the training, the gear, and what I’m aiming for come race day.

Ultra Trail Snowdonia: What You Need To Know

UTS is brutal - there’s no getting around it. It’s a mountain trail running event set in Eryri (Snowdonia), with 4 distances available - 25km, 50km, 100km and 160km. I’ve signed up for the 100km, which comes with 6,500m of elevation. That means relentless climbs, technical descents and terrain that demands your full attention from start to finish.

UTS is part of the UTMB World Series, which means that if you place in the top 3, you qualify for the UTMB finals in Chamonix. While that’s not my goal, I would like to see just how far off I am, and whether it is something I could target in the future.

My Training Plan

I used to run on the roads pretty competitively, but injuries forced me to step away from running for a couple of years. Over time, I’ve worked my way back up to running longer distances and shifted my focus from roads to trails and mountains.

It’s been a stop-start couple of years with injuries and inconsistent training blocks, so my main goal for this UTS build-up was simple, be consistent from January to May.

So far in 2025, I’ve averaged around 130km (80 miles) per week and logged over 2,300km in total. I’ve also added two gym sessions a week, focused on conditioning my legs to cope with downhills a bit better, working on mobility, and mixing in the stairmaster to simulate the relentless climbing.

Living in Southeast England isn’t exactly ideal for training for mountain ultras, but I’ve done what I can. I’ve managed a couple of solid efforts, including Trans Gran Canaria in February (84km) and a final long run of 50km in Yorkshire in early May, which included a lap of the Three Peaks in 3:24.

What’s in My Race Pack: Mandatory Kit + Essentials

UTS has one of the more extensive mandatory kit lists out there, and for good reason. The terrain is tough, the weather can turn quickly and with some runners out there for 24+ hours, safety is everything.

Below is a list of everything that I need to pack on the day, which as you will see is quite a lot! My running pack will be the Rab Veil 12L (I usually use the 6L, but it wouldn't fit all the mandatory kit).

Clothing

• Shoes - NNormal Tomir 2.0 or Kjerag
• Waterproof Jacket - Montane Minimus Nano Jacket
• Waterproof Trousers - Montane Minimus Nano
• Warm Layer - Merino Wool Long Sleeve baselayer
• Long Trousers/Leggings - Decathlon Evadict Trail Leggings
• Gloves - Sealskinz Running Gloves + Inov8 Waterproof Overmitt
• Warm Hat - Ciele Athletics Beanie
• Cap - Ciele Athletics GOCap

Equipment

• Powerbank – I usually carry a Lifesystems Handwarmer as my powerbank for its multipurpose uses
• Reusable Cup – Ellipse Collapsible Cup – great for saving space in my pack
• Reusable Plate/Bowl/Cutlery - Ellipse Collapsible Bowl + Ellipse Spork
• 1.5L Liquid Carrying Capacity - 3 x 500ml Rab Soft Flasks
• 2 x Headtorches – Lifesystems Intensity 580 + Lifesystems Intensity 155 (plus spare batteries)
• Survival Bag – Lifesystems Heatshield Thermal Bag
• Emergency Food Reserve – 3 Snickers bars (you have to carry 800kcal emergency food, not part of nutrition strategy!)
• First Aid Kit – Lifesystems Nano First Aid Kit
• Whistle – Lifesystems Mountain Whistle
• Compass – Lifesystems Compass

My Target for UTS 100K

UTMB has listed me as one of their "highest ranked athletes" for UTS 100K, which, if I’m being honest, adds a bit of pressure! The truth is, I don’t have a time target. Races like this are so condition-dependent that chasing a number is rarely helpful. My goal is to finish, which on this course, is far from guaranteed.

Ideally, I want to come away feeling like I’ve given a good account of myself, especially against such a strong field of mountain runners. I would’ve liked to have done many more long runs in training, but that’s often the case with these things.

If I cross that finish line having held it together mentally and physically, I’ll be happy.

Wish me luck, I'll need it!

If you’re thinking of taking on your own ultra challenge, feel free to reach out – always happy to chat gear, training, or just share some trail pain stories. You can also follow my effort here on Strava below.

Follow Rob on Strava