Conquering the UTS 100: VOOM Athletes Take on One of the UK’s Toughest Ultras
Known as “the UK’s answer to the UTMB,” the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia (UTS) 100 miler is no ordinary ultra. With over 10,000 metres of brutal elevation gain, technical terrain, unpredictable mountain weather, and a route that takes in some of Snowdonia’s most iconic summits, the UTS 100 is widely regarded as one of the toughest trail ultras in Europe.
This year’s event lived up to its reputation, testing every athlete’s limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally. We’re incredibly proud of our VOOM-fuelled athletes who took on the challenge and crossed the finish line with grit, resilience, and purpose. We caught up with a few of them to hear how it went down, what they learned, and how they fuelled the journey.
VOOM Athletes Reflect on the 2025 UTS 100 Miler
1. What made you sign up for the UTS 100 miler, and what were your expectations going in?
Zukie: “I signed up because I was looking for a serious challenge. I'm also working toward qualifying for UTMB in Chamonix one day, and this race was a key step.”
Jodie: “At the end of 2024, I didn’t have any running plans, but I knew I wanted a huge challenge. I also needed a Western States qualifier — UTS 100k was sold out, so I went for the 100 miler instead. I was terrified!”
2. How did you train and prepare for the unique demands of this course?
Zukie: “I'm coached by Paul Tierney at Missing Link Coaching. Because I live in a flat area, we focused on stairmill and incline treadmill sessions. I also made time for recces on the course, which really paid off, I felt more confident tackling familiar climbs.”
Jodie: “Living in Cornwall means no mountains on my doorstep, so I relied on stair master sessions, gym strength work, and weekends in the mountains. YouTube and podcasts were great too, and I squeezed in some panic recces before race day!”
3. What was the toughest moment of the race, and how did you push through it?
Zukie "Toughest moment was when I started suffering from sleep deprivation around 0200hrs - 0500hrs on the Saturday, we were about 13hrs into the race. I kept moving steadily, reminded myself of why I signed up. Kept telling myself to keep strong, push through to the next aid station. I felt fine once I reached the aid station, but then took a 15mins nap at the one after and it felt like I had slept for 8 hours."
Jodie: “Despite being really sick, the route’s magnificence kept me going. I especially loved climbing Snowdon a second time, it was so quiet and almost tourist-free. The whole course was wild and beautiful.”
4. Was there a particular section of the course that stood out, either for its beauty or brutality?
Zukie: The Rhyd Ddu - Bron y Fedw Uchaf was a tough one. It felt like it went on forever. I was pleased to get through that one.
Jodie: “I made a rookie error at CP1, I drank from the aid station instead of sticking to my VOOM fuel, and it hit my stomach hard. I was violently ill through the night and couldn’t keep food down. Eventually, I realised I could still move and drink, thank goodness for VOOM Hydrate and Fusion! That shift in mindset helped me push through.”
5. What was your fuelling strategy, and how did VOOM products support you on race day?
Zukie: “ My fuel strategy was to try and get 75g of Carbs each hour. Incorporated within that were the VOOM Pocket Rocket Electro Energy bars. They are amazing and one of my favourite products from VOOM. ”
Jodie: “My typical plan includes VOOM bars, fruit, salted nuts, and three bottles: one water, one VOOM Hydrate, and one with concentrated VOOM Fusion. But after the stomach issues, chewing was impossible. I only had two servings of Fusion, next time, I’ll bring more! Going forward, Fusion will be a key part of my fuelling strategy.”
6. Did you have to adapt your plan during the race? If so, how?
Zukie: "On the second half of the race I added more fuel as it was taking just that little bit longer than I’d anticipated."
Jodie: " Eeekkk, my race day fuelling was a disaster, a stark contrast to my diligent training. Typically, I'd consistently consume VOOM energy bars, fruit, and salted nuts, supplemented by additional food every 3-4 hours. My hydration strategy involved three bottles: water, VOOM Hydrate, and a concentrated VOOM Fusion for longer efforts.
This practiced plan crumbled on race day when my stomach disagreed with something consumed from the aid stations. Without access to crew support, I didn't have a back up plan - which would've been max VOOM Hydrate and Fusion because luckily I could still drink.
For UTS 100M, I only had enough Fusion for two bottles, planning to rely on energy bars for the bulk of my calories. Unfortunately, nausea made chewing almost impossible, severely limiting my caloric intake. This experience highlighted the critical need for a more robust race-day fueling strategy.
Going forward, I'll prioritise VOOM Fusion for consistent calorie and carb intake. At future crewed events, I'll leverage their support to carry more nutrition and facilitate swaps, ensuring I'm never caught unprepared again!"
7. Would you do it again and what advice would you give to someone considering it for next year?
Zukie: "Yes, I will definitely do the race again, I’m hoping to do it next year. I would say train well, enjoy the process and journey of getting ready for the race, and if you can, try to get a recce in the program, even if it’s to have a look at one section of the race. But, if a recce is not possible, there are some good You Tube channels that cover sections of the race."
Jodie: "I would LOVE to go back. I'm really proud that I finished but I'm really intrigued at my potential performance by practicing everything that I've learnt! If I came 4th female and came away with fond memories when I had a bad day, what can I achieve and how amazing would the event feel on a good day!?
For anyone considering entering next year, I'd share the advice I was given, take the opportunity to get on the course’s wild terrain. And while you can absolutely do it without crew, if you can, rope in crew (more a note for myself!)."
Ready to Take On Your Own Challenge?
Fuel your next ultra with the same products that powered our athletes through one of the UK’s toughest races. Whether you’re aiming for your first 50k or your next 100 miler, VOOM gives you the energy you need to keep pushing forward.
