Ultra Trail Snowdonia Eryri 25K 2025

"I'm questioning my life choices right now" says the chap I've been following for the last ten minutes as we trudge our way up the Llanberis track. We're about 50 minutes into Eryri 25K for Ultra Trail Snowdonia and the going has been tough. The sun is beating down and the path is about to hit the steepest section before crossing over the railway. I offer some faint encouragement back about how we're most of the way to the summit and trudge on.

I've had this race in my sights for just over a year. Keen for a different sort of challenge and one that would give me a feel for what ultra races could be like. Boy, I was not disappointed. I think it's fair to say I was naive about what this race was going to be like. I'd hiked Yr Wyddfa once before via the Pyg track and did not have any practice running around Snowdonia. In the months leading up to the race I'd spent a reasonable amount of time building up runs with lots of ascent and descent (largely by running up and down lots of short sharp slopes) but actually being on the mountain was a completely different experience.

I went out in wave 1 with some gusto through the streets of Llanberis before immediately dropping down into a walk as we hit the steep start of the Llanberis path. From here I knew the next 7 kilometres or so would be the most continuous climbing I'd run and with the sun already warming everything up it felt best to just focus on power hiking my way up the trail. Particularly, as around kilometre 6 the grade cranks up to ~20% before returning to a casual 13%. The dry rocky path was also a different sort of challenge to everything I'd practiced with more care required on foot placement. I found everything about the ascent to the summit a challenge, the constant climbing and the heat seemed to just sap every ounce of energy I had and nothing I could eat or drink felt like it made a difference. I became focused on keeping my feet turning over, ignoring the unexpected rub of my shoes on my heel and the fact my water had warmed up to an unpleasant tepid temperature.

Hitting the summit was a fantastic feeling and I could for a moment take in the sheer beauty of the view (amongst the mob of visitors at the top). I had been up to the summit on the train the day previously and taken the time to check the path I'd take to start the descent. I passed the summit station and began down the narrow, ridge of the Rhyd Ddu path. For me this was not the place to get cocky, it was narrow, I was tired still from the climb to the summit and there was a reasonable flow of traffic of runners coming past and walkers coming up. After a short way I came to the wider scree covered section but found I could hold a run for long and had to walk-run my way until the aid station at Rhyd-ddu.

At the aid station I gratefully accepted cold wet sponges and got my hat and buff covered in water before taking a long drink of water and topping up my flasks. I'd been drinking a carb mix up until this point and had got pretty sick of the sweet orange flavour that didn't quite sate my thirst. It was also the first point where I really clocked how thirsty I was and how my combination of tiredness and thirst had meant I'd lost perspective on eating my chews. I felt revitalised being in the shade and taking on water at the aid station that I probably left quicker than I should have. This renewed feeling quickly faded as I headed out across the boggy fields towards Bwlch Maesgwm.

This involved a stretch through an old slate quarry where every step sounds like walking over broken glass. The sun is still beating down and once out of the quarry I'm back onto boggy fields and walk the final long stretch up. This climb is tough, with just the culmination of the heat and the climb up Yr Wyddfa I'm tired. I'm drinking more now I've got water but am not really back on top of eating. I take it slow and spend occasional moments sat down just looking back across the valley. Lots of runners pass me and ask after me which I appreciate and stoically suggest I'm just enjoying the view. I spend one of these moments genuinely contemplating whether I'm made for this sort of thing, whether I should just call it a day and walk back to the aid station. This wasn't the day I thought it was going to be, I'm thirsty, tired and my feet are sore. I turn this thought over in my head and discard it, I came here to push myself and thats certainly what I've got. I just need to break it down in my head, put one foot in front of the other and I'll make it.

Finally, I reach the gate at the top of the climb and front here on out the only way is down. It's the nicest, smoothest trail for a large stretch and I so want to run it but find I still can't quite muster a continuous run. So I run as much as I can and walk the rest. Even better a cool wind is gently whipping through the valley, helping take the edge off the heat. The trail winds it way back towards Llanberis and you're treated to an amazing view back to the town and the enormous disused slate quarry at Dinorwig. I keep telling myself that I'm just running home from here and gradually find my legs coming back. The path crosses under the railway line and back onto the Llanberis path and my legs carry me down the steep initial climb and into town. I follow the road towards the Slate Museum before being turned to cross back over the stream and into the finish. As I come into this finishing straight I catch a glimpse of Leigh and his camera and am instantly filled with joy at seeing a familiar face after 4 hours out there. I try and kick it with all that I've got left for the finish and cross the line in 4 hours and 13 minutes.

Sitting on the grass with music blaring as people continue to cross the finish line I feel slightly dazed at it all. I guzzle all the water that my family have brought with them and just try and take it all in. This was immensely more difficult than I had imagined, primarily because of my own naivety. How could any of the hills I'd run in Middleton ever translate to the sort of conditions in Snowdonia? Having never had the chance to run anything like a continuous incline as the Llanberis path how could I have been mentally prepared for that sort of effort. That said this race was fantastic, the challenge and the scenery were exactly what I wanted. I also now have this experience in my pocket, to reach for when things feel like they're tough and I can see that being helpful as I embark on other challenging adventures.