How to Train for UTA
UTA Event Summary
Key Event Details:
• Location: Katoomba, Blue Mountains
• Timing: Typically held annually in mid-May
• Hub: Scenic World start and finish area
• Safety: Strict mandatory gear checks apply (see below)Â
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UTA Miler
Distance: 161.1km
Elevation: +7200m
Cutoff: 44hrs 30mins
Ideal for: Experienced ultra-runners who have completed UTA100 or other 100km and 100mi events and are looking to challenge themselves
UTA100
Distance: 101km
Elevation: +4400m
Cutoff: 28hrs
Ideal for: Experienced ultra-runners who have completed UTA50 or other 100km events
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UTA50
Distance: 51km
Elevation: +2400m
Cutoff: 14hrs 30mins
Ideal for: Newer or experienced runners who have completed UTA22, a marathon or other 50km events and looking for a challenge.
UTA22
Distance: 22km
Elevation: +1200m
Cutoff: 7hrs
Ideal for: Newer runners who have completed a half-marathon or a few shorter trail races
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UTA11
Distance: 11.5km
Elevation: +731m
Cutoff: 4hrs 30mins
Ideal for: New runners looking for their first trail event
Why we love UTA!
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UTA is like Christmas for trail runners! We all love the Blue Mountains for the views (and views and views), amazing trails and the cold, misty mountain vibes. So what's better than spending 4-5 days there with your running friends for UTA? Whether you're running yourself, crewing, volunteering or simply spectating, UTA is an annual pilgrimage for trail runners right across Australia
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Training Tips for UTA
Our coaches top training tips for UTA events!
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1. DONT overdo the stair training!​
Yes UTA has lots of stairs and you need to include them in your training, but whilst they make you strong, they also make you slow! Don't include stairs until the end of your training and instead focus on speed and running economy early on (hint: include strength work the whole time!).
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2. Keep your mileage achievable and safe
When signing up for a big race like UTA, its easy to get carried away and think you need to do more of everything - especially running volume. No matter what distance you're doing, you can only start where you are now and build up from there. Don't take big jumps in weekly or long run mileage just because you think (or someone told you) you need to hit a 60km long run!
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3. Fatigue resistance is important!​
Have you ever seen one of the elites running up Furber, or come sprinting past you in Leura Forest and wondered how the hell they can run that fast that far into an ultra? There's a lot of reasons they can do this, but the biggest factor is that they've trained their muscles to keep working for longer than everyone else. How? Strength training, fast downhill running and long runs with some intensity can all help those quads last a bit longer!
Essential Gear for UTA
Mandatory Gear:
This is easier to say than do, but skimping out on your mandatory gear for the cheapest you can find is not a good approach!
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The purpose of mandatory gear is to keep you safe when things go wrong. Having gear that wont keep you dry and warm when you need it really is pointless.Â
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Cheaper gear is also usually going to be thicker and heavier, taking up more space and adding more weight to your pack.
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For UTA, we recommend spending a little extra on the following mandatory gear items:
• Waterproof Jacket - we recommend minimum 10k/10k waterproof and breathability ratings and one that can pack down into a small bundle inside its own hood or pocket.
• Long-sleeve fleece top (100gsm) - this is one that can really take up a lot of space! We recommend the 2XU brand, but Kathmandu and Macpac also have some good lightweight options
• Headlamp - If you're going to be running for more than 3hrs in the dark, a good headlamp is essential! You want something that's going to last and light up the trail enough that you dont end up on your face. For that reason we recommend the Fenix HM65R - it's lightweight, comfortable and will last all night! Â
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If you're looking for examples of each type of gear, The Trail Co. have a great website with a few examples of each:
Women's UTA Mandatory Gear — Official Gear Check | The Trail Co.
Race Day Tips for UTA
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1. HAVE A RACE PLAN!​
You dont need to estimate aid-station splits down to the seconds, but having an idea on how long each section will take you will allow you to plan so many things - nutrition, gear, crew arrival etc. Why would you meticulously plan your training program but not do the same for race day? Having a race plan is essential to maximising your performance and enjoyment!
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2. Know the course
Not everyone can get time on course before the race (HINT: we do free training camps every year before UTA!), but studying the course profile will make a big difference. Personally we've found runners seriously underestimate these sections of the UTA courses:
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• Aquatic Centre to Fairmont - this section is only 12km and a relatively small amount of elevation. However there is almost no easy running in this section - its constantly up and down small and medium sized stairs. Its very hard to get a rhythm and becomes quite hard, especially when you consider most runners will be going into the darkness around this point.
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• Jamison Creek to Leura Forest - because of the big vertical relief on some sections of the course, this part doesn't look particular steep or hard on the course profile. But trust us - these are probably the hardest climbs on any of the courses. By the time you get here you're probably tired and over it, and these climbs are steep and relentless. Make sure you've saved some energy (and a caffeinated gel) for this section. Don't say we didn't warn you!
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3. Be Grateful!​
Running through the Blue Mountains is tough, and its easy to forgot why you signed up. Most of us are there because we love the mountains, the views and the general vibe of UTA.Â
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So if you find yourself struggling and wishing it was over already - stop and take in the views, take some photos (not while running please!) and make friends with the runners around you (they're almost definitely feeling a similar way).
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Staying present, remembering your 'why' and sharing the suffering makes it easier to get to the finish line.
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