UTA50, 2025

✅ Finished UTA50 in 9 hours and 53 minutes.

Tough course - pretty gnarly at the bottom, and I saw a lot of runners twisting their ankles. The weather was clear and kind, but the course itself was brutal. Still, the atmosphere was amazing. So many positive vibes - not just from spectators cheering you on and chanting your name, but also from fellow runners cracking dad jokes like, “Did we pay for this?”

Overall, I felt pretty confident about making it to the end. I didn't push myself to the extreme - kept it moderate at the start. My goal was to make it halfway to the Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) aid station (around 28km). Once I got there, I knew I could finish and hopefully avoid cramping.

The 8km downhill stretch was brutal on my toes - definitely earned some black toenails - and I couldn't go as fast as I wanted. But the last 5km was mostly flat, slightly inclined. I found a second wind, overtook a few people, and pushed pretty hard. Still, a couple of UTA100 leaders flew past me like they were weightless. They looked so fresh. I hated them a little.

The last 200 metres was a grind - 900 Furber steps. I didn't stop and just pushed through. In fact, I didn't stop at all throughout the race except for refueling at checkpoints. Climbed every hill and stair section without pausing, which I'm proud of.

Tempted to consider the UTA100 one day - it's a different beast, and I'm not thinking too seriously about it yet. But once the legs recover, who knows?

If you're on the fence about trying UTA, I'd definitely recommend the experience. You don't have to go straight to 50 - there are also 11km and 22km options. Amazing atmosphere, incredible challenge.