Ultra Trail Snowdonia by UTMB: second in Wales in extreme terrain

“In bad weather, people will die.” That is how bluntly I described the conditions at Ultra Trail Snowdonia by UTMB. Egon Theiner’s detailed article captures my second place in the 100-mile race through the mountains of North Wales.

From a micro-adventure to a reality check

What I had planned as a relaxed training outing for the Tor des Géants became one of the most mentally demanding experiences of my ultratrail career. Wearing bib number 4, I was clearly there to race for the win. Perhaps there was even a little arrogance involved: I had already finished 200- and 300-kilometre races on the podium. How hard could 100 miles and 10,000 metres of climbing be?

I got my answer in Llanberis, the start and finish town roughly two hours west of Liverpool: 100 miles are still 100 miles. You have to run them, regardless of what you have achieved before.

Terrain somewhere between the Zillertal and Mont Blanc

My preparation mainly involved watching videos on my laptop. It looked trail-heavy, but with tourism infrastructure and even a railway, I expected it to be fairly runnable. The first kilometres corrected that impression. The difficulty lay somewhere between the Berliner Höhenweg in the Zillertal and the PTL around Mont Blanc.

Many mountain sections are extremely rocky and rough. Gradients reach 30 or 40 per cent — just short of actual climbing.

Mental lows and a Morton’s neuroma diagnosis

The physical challenges started before the race. I had told my doctor about numbness between the third and fourth toes of my left foot. The diagnosis was Morton’s neuroma, a painful thickening of nerve tissue in the forefoot that would probably require surgery. Not something you particularly want to hear before a hundred-miler.

The injury started bothering me at kilometre 30. Wondering whether a toe might be broken or turning black did nothing for my peace of mind. Around kilometre 110, I reached a low point and considered dropping out. My eventual rival Tom Joly felt similarly: he had even tried unsuccessfully to end his race twice.

A support team versus going alone

Winner Ethan Peters from Canada had travelled with his girlfriend, family and a camera crew. That support may have helped, but he still had to run every mile. He finished 1 hour 45 minutes ahead of me and deserved his victory.

I was on my own. Instead of following a simple routine, I was constantly doing calculations. With only one drop bag, I was carrying too much to begin with. “What should I eat on the next section?” became a recurring question. My pack and my head descended into chaos.

My nutrition strategy certainly was not right: I reached the finish with seven uneaten gels and bars. I had missed the fuel and carried unnecessary weight as well.

What business can learn from race organisation

When everything is organised, my job is to take gels and bars from the left side of my running pack and put the empty wrappers in the right side.

That experience illustrates a leadership principle: in extreme situations, well-designed processes can determine success or failure. As a CEO, I know that even excellent strategies fall apart when day-to-day execution does not work.

An ultratrail makes this painfully clear. Every bit of mental energy spent on trivial decisions is energy you cannot use where it matters most.

A practical lesson about long hair

Alongside second place and lessons about team organisation, there was a simpler discovery: long hair and ultratrails do not mix. After I lost my hairband, a volunteer at an aid station saved me by lending me hers.

For the TOR des Géants, I will keep the long beard at most. Hopefully another podium will follow — with better organisation and less chaos in my pack.

Taking the positives home

Despite everything, the positives outweigh the difficulties. Ultra Trail Snowdonia lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s hardest 100-mile races. Finding the mental strength to work through those lows is exactly the kind of challenge that also comes with leading a company.

One lesson remains: 100 miles are 100 miles. They do not become easier just because your ego gets bigger. That makes them excellent training for body and mind.

Read Egon Theiner’s full article on Trail Running World.