Holly Wootten’s Journey Through the Arc of Attrition 25

The Arc of Attrition 25, or Arc 25, takes runners along 25 miles of Cornwall’s spectacular South West Coast Path, combining fast running with coastal trails, steep climbs and technical sections.

For Team VOOM athlete Holly Wootten, however, simply reaching the start line represented a significant achievement.

After suffering a slipped disc and eventually being forced to take an extended break from running, Holly faced a race against time to rebuild her fitness for the Arc 25.

She made it – but with limited training behind her, completing the race required a very different approach.

We caught up with Holly to talk about her Arc of Attrition 25 training, race strategy, course experience, nutrition and hydration, plus the lessons she’d pass on to anyone thinking about taking on the race themselves.

What Is the Arc of Attrition 25?

The Arc of Attrition 25 is a 25-mile trail race on the Cornish coast, taking runners along sections of the South West Coast Path.

While shorter than the longer Arc distances, the combination of coastal terrain, short steep climbs, descents and mandatory kit makes it a challenging race in its own right.

Holly found the course surprisingly fast and runnable, particularly in the dry conditions she experienced.

“The whole of Arc 25 is runnable which is a bit different to what I’m used to!”

That characteristic would influence how she’d prepare if she returned to race it again.

Why Holly Chose the Arc of Attrition 25

Holly’s original goal went beyond simply completing the Arc.

“I was targeting OCC qualification for 2026, with the rest of my year geared up to Dragon’s Back. It was the only by UTMB race I could seem to fit in. A sort of all or nothing race!”

But her preparation would prove far from straightforward.

Training for the Arc 25 After Injury

Early in the previous year, Holly slipped a disc in her back.

Initially, she took only around a week away from running before returning to racing. There were some great performances, but also days where her body simply didn’t respond as expected.

Eventually, everything came to a head at OCC.

“I was limping for a number of days after and in pain for a few weeks.”

That meant four weeks without exercise, followed by a gradual progression from walking to run/walking.

It wasn’t until 13 October – more than six weeks later – that Holly completed her first continuous run.

From there, the objective was simple: stay positive, rebuild carefully and make it to the Arc 25 start line.

Adapting Training for the Arc of Attrition

Did Holly’s training go to plan?

“Yes and no.”

There were some injury flare-ups along the way, but she achieved her first objective: she reached the start line healthy enough to run.

What she didn’t know was whether she’d rebuilt enough fitness to race the entire distance.

“I hadn’t trained to finish, so in that way I was having to adapt, not really knowing if I was fit enough to hold the pace for the distance or if my body would stay in one piece!”

That uncertainty meant adapting her expectations as the race unfolded.

Arc 25 Race Strategy and Pacing

Holly knew the Arc 25 was likely to be a fast race and that she didn’t have her usual speed endurance after the disrupted training block.

Her plan was therefore to stay controlled early.

“The first part of the course was right up my street – lots of off-road, rolling, some nice descents – so I planned to cruise through this and not use too much energy, just flow through.”

A flatter road section followed, where Holly expected to lose some time before reaching the checkpoint.

Initially, everything went to plan.

The intention was then to push harder over the predominantly off-road second half.

Her body had other ideas.

“My hips tightened, stride shortened, so the second half became ‘keep moving and get it done’.”

Instead of continuing to race aggressively, Holly switched into conservation mode.

“The second half, I hung on and moved at a speed that I knew I could maintain all day – a no-risk speed rather than pushing on and potentially going bust!”

The Toughest Moment of the Arc 25

The decisive moment arrived around halfway.

“When my hips started to stiffen, I knew my body wasn’t quite ready for what I was making it do. At this point I knew it was going to be a grind to the finish.”

Rather than becoming fixated on pace, Holly returned to the bigger objective.

She was racing again and, crucially, the injury that had ended her previous season wasn’t returning.

That became the motivation to keep moving towards the finish.

What Is the Arc 25 Course Like?

Despite its reputation, Holly described the conditions on race day very simply:

“Fast! Very fast and very, very runnable.”

Conditions were fairly dry underfoot and the course contained more road running than she had anticipated.

The coastal sections, however, provided some of the highlights.

“The coastal path is gorgeous. The views are absolutely stunning, particularly from the North Cliffs.”

Her favourite section came around Portreath, where runners encounter more characteristic coastal terrain.

“You steeply drop down and then sharply climb back up to the cliffs.”

The hardest part?

“That bank of sand into the first aid station!”

Weather at the Arc of Attrition

Holly had actually hoped Cornwall would deliver some classic winter weather.

Living and training in the Lake District means she’s comfortable when conditions deteriorate, and she felt difficult weather might work in her favour.

Instead, race day brought clear conditions and a tailwind.

“The weather was glorious – clear, a tailwind, kind of perfect conditions. Damn!”

Those conditions contributed to an especially fast race.

How Holly Fuelled the Arc of Attrition 25

Nutrition and hydration formed an important part of Holly’s preparation.

In the days and hours before the race, she regularly drank VOOM Hydrate to help stay on top of her fluid intake.

“I’m terrible for forgetting to take on fluids, so something tasty like the Lemon & Lime helps keep me on top of it.”

Recovery nutrition had also been part of her build-up, with Holly using a recovery shake following training sessions.

During the Arc 25 itself, she used VOOM Pocket Rocket Electro Energy and Caffeine Kick bars.

The biggest focus was consistency.

“I’m trying to get better at consistently taking on calories throughout races. I usually start well, nice and frequent, fall off the wagon, bonk, get back on it and finish well.”

For Holly, that’s one of the biggest lessons for longer races: don’t wait for your energy levels to crash before thinking about fuel.

Why Nutrition Matters for the Arc 25

Holly believes practising your nutrition deserves the same attention as other areas of race preparation.

“In shorter races you can get away with messing up your strategy during the race so long as you have it spot on in the lead-up. For a race of this length you need to be topping up as you’re going along.”

Her advice is to create your nutrition strategy during training rather than improvising on race day.

“Nutrition training can be as important as your running training because only a fully fuelled you can make the most of the fitness you’ve built up.”

The first Arc 25 aid station is also a significant consideration.

Make sure you’re carrying enough food and fluid for the opening section, while remembering that you may also drink some of what you’re carrying while waiting for the race to begin.

Arc 25 Mandatory Kit: Holly’s Advice

One thing Holly recommends taking seriously is the Arc of Attrition mandatory kit list.

For a race of this distance, runners may find themselves carrying considerably more equipment than they’re accustomed to.

Her advice is to think carefully about where everything will sit in your pack and practise running with the additional weight.

Even a few short 30-minute training runs with your full race kit can help you work out where everything should go and identify anything that rubs, moves around or feels uncomfortable.

Don’t leave that discovery until race morning.

How Would Holly Train Differently for Arc 25?

If she returned to the Arc 25, Holly would make one significant change.

“I would do a training block more akin to road marathon training with a tiny bit of off-road running.”

That’s an interesting lesson from the race.

Despite taking place on the Cornish coast, Holly found the Arc 25 considerably more runnable than many of the mountain races she was accustomed to.

Training specifically for sustained runnable terrain – rather than preparing exclusively for steep mountain trails – could therefore be valuable.

Crossing the Arc 25 Finish Line

For Holly, reaching the finish carried far more significance than simply completing another race.

“Relieved, happy, emotional – it meant a lot.”

Her parents had travelled down to support her. They had also been there at OCC when her race – and ultimately her season – had unravelled because of injury.

At the Arc 25 finish, her dad summed up just how much had changed:

“This is a very different conversation to last time we were at a finish line.”

After months of injury and uncertainty, Holly had started the new season by proving to herself that she could race again.

Holly Wootten’s Top Tips for the Arc of Attrition 25

If you’re preparing for the Arc 25, Holly’s experience provides a few valuable lessons:

Train for a runnable race. The Arc 25 can be surprisingly fast, so don’t prepare exclusively for slow, steep mountain terrain.

Practise with your mandatory kit. Run with your fully loaded race pack before the event so you know how the extra weight feels.

Carry enough food and fluid. The first aid station is a long way into the race, so make sure you’re self-sufficient for the opening section.

Fuel consistently. Don’t wait until you’re running low on energy before eating.

Be prepared to adapt your pacing. Your original race plan doesn’t have to remain your race plan if your body is telling you otherwise.

And one final lesson from Holly:

Pin your race number to your top before leaving your accommodation.

She forgot hers, had to drive back to collect it and arrived at the start with around five minutes to spare.

Probably not the ideal Arc 25 warm-up.

Preparing for the Arc of Attrition 25

The Arc 25 may be the shortest race in the Arc of Attrition programme, but that doesn’t mean it should be underestimated.

Prepare for runnable coastal terrain, practise carrying your mandatory kit and make sure your nutrition and hydration strategy is tested before race day.

Holly’s experience also provides a useful reminder that successful racing isn’t always about executing Plan A.

Sometimes it’s about recognising when circumstances have changed, adapting your strategy and finding a way to reach the finish.

For Holly, that finish line represented something bigger: a return to racing after an injury that had brought her previous season to an abrupt end.

And this time, the conversation at the finish was a much happier one.