Required Experience
For a sports event of this nature; real mountain running experience and your strength for endurance is more relevant than previous race results. We advise any aspiring Ultra-Trail Snowdonia participant to have completed sufficient training, or races, which meet the specific distance criteria indicated below as a minimum.
Participants considering entering UTS 100M will need to have a valid UTMB Index in the 100K or 100M category. We recommend you have a UTMB Index of at least 380 in order to meet the cut-off times for this race. Participants considering entering UTS 100K are recommended to have a valid UTMB Index in the 50K category or above. Click below for information about the UTMB Index.
Successful completion of an on-route recce and training runs in Eryri (Snowdonia) will offer ideal, course-specific experience. This will also allow you to judge your fitness and pace in comparison to the fastest / slowest runner split time charts found on each of the separate race distance webpages.
You are expected to arrive at the start line well-trained, both physically and mentally, and confident in your ability to safely complete the route within the time limit. Our cut-offs are strictly adhered to for the safety of our participants. Failure to start the race well-prepared significantly increases your chance of not finishing, as well as potentially requiring our Mountain Safety Team to rescue you. UTS 100M, UTS 100K and UTS 50K are not competitions for Ultra-Trail® novices. These distances and elevations should not be underestimated.
On the start line of UTS 100M, you will confidently possess the ability to complete a race or training run of at least 60km distance, featuring at least 50m+ elevation gain per km (e.g. a 70km long run with >3,500m+ cumulative ascent), on mountainous terrain which includes easy, ungraded scrambling in adverse weather conditions.
You possess the ability to apply practical and responsible mountain judgement at all times and can navigate using map and compass in the dark if required.
To make the race cut-off times, we recommend you are able to maintain a minimum average speed (including breaks and stops etc.) of 4.5km per hour for any training run up to 60km in distance. Above this distance, the ability to maintain a minimum average speed of 3.5km per hour or above is advised.
Examples of recommended training or race experience:
Completion of a 50km training run that accumulates over 3,000m+ cumulative ascent in Eryri (Snowdonia), the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, the Alps etc. and took less than 13 hours to complete.
Successful Bob Graham / Paddy Buckley / Ramsey Round attempt.
Completion of races such as, or similar to, Arc of Attrition by UTMB 100 mile, Lakeland 100 mile, UTMB TDS 145km, Mont Blanc 90km, Ben Nevis Ultra 50km, or any ultra-distance SkyRace over 50km long.
Examples of training or race experience that will not prepare you adequately to complete UTS 100M:
Completion of a 60km training run with less than 3,000m+ cumulative ascent on forest trails.
Completion of races such as Highland Fling, Lakeland 50 mile, North Downs Way 100 etc.
On the start line of UTS 100K, you will confidently possess the ability to complete a race or training run of at least 50km distance, featuring at least 50m+ elevation gain per km (e.g. a 60km run with >3,000m+ cumulative ascent), on mountainous terrain which includes easy, ungraded scrambling in adverse weather conditions.
You possess the ability to apply practical and responsible mountain judgement at all times and can navigate using map and compass in the dark if required.
To make the race cut-off times, we recommend you are able to maintain a minimum average speed (including breaks and stops etc.) of 5.0km per hour for any training run up to 50km in distance.
Examples of recommended training or race experience:
Completion of an official UTS guided recce event.
A 50km training run that accumulates over 2,500m+ cumulative ascent in Eryri (Snowdonia), the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, the Alps etc.
Successful Bob Graham / Paddy Buckley / Ramsey Round attempt.
Completion of races such as, or similar to, Arc of Attrition by UTMB 50 mile, Scafell SkyRace 40km, Ben Nevis Ultra 50km, or any SkyRace or fell race over 30km distance.
Examples of training or race experience that will not prepare you adequately to complete UTS 100K:
Completion of a 30km training run with less than 1,500m+ cumulative ascent on predominantly runnable trails.
Completion of races such as Highland Fling, Yorkshire 3 Peaks Race, Edale Skyline, trail marathons with less than 2,100m+ cumulative ascent etc.
On the start line of UTS 50K, you will confidently possess the ability to complete a race or training run of at least 30km distance, featuring at least 50m+ elevation gain per km (e.g. a 40km run with over 2,000m+ cumulative ascent), on mountainous terrain which includes easy, ungraded scrambling in adverse weather conditions.
You possess the ability to apply practical and responsible mountain judgement at all times and can navigate using map and compass if required.
To make the race cut-off times, we recommend you are able to maintain a minimum average speed (including breaks and stops etc.) of 4.5km per hour for any training run up to 40km in distance.
Examples of recommended training or race experience:
Completion of an official UTS guided recce event.
A 30km training run that accumulates over 1,500m+ elevation gain in Eryri (Snowdonia), the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, the Alps etc.
Completion of races such as or similar to Arc of Attrition by UTMB 25 mile, Scafell SkyRace, Wasdale & Ennerdale Horseshoe fell races, etc.
Examples of training or race experience that will not prepare you adequately to complete UTS 50K:
- Completion of a low-level trail half marathon, completion of a trail marathon with less than 2,000m+ cumulative ascent, etc.
This is an entry-level trail event open to runners of all abilities. There is no defined minimum recommended experience. However, we advise participants looking to complete the ERYRI 25K to have practised running on mountainous terrain and forest trails in adverse weather conditions before arriving at the start line.
We advise you to be fit and ready to take on this route. During the 25km distance you will accumulate over 1,300m+ of cumulative ascent including a full ascent of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), which reaches 1,085m above sea level. The physical challenge of ascending this height in possible rain, fog, wind, or extreme temperatures, should not be underestimated.
You should be completing regular training runs which include undulating and rocky terrain. A perfect way to prepare for the ERYRI 25K is to complete an Official UTS Recce Day led by an experienced guide.
