UTA100 2025 Race Report - Nicole Paton

03/06/2025

Ultra Trail Australia by UTMB was, for the first time, a World Major Race. I lined up for the UTA100 with the goal of finishing top 10. I'm pleased with the outcome of placing 6th despite not having my best day. We always try to prepare for these big races in the best way possible and that includes trying not to get sick.

Avoiding crowds in the week prior, masking up on the plane etc. Unfortunately when you have young children not getting sick is harder than it seems. I came down with cold symptoms Tuesday and mild gastro symptoms later in the week.

The double whammy. Initially I was not too worried... This is will pass in time I thought. I have a few days. I'm resting anyway... However sleep was elusive and I just didn't get better. The night before the race I lost my voice and I was on Global DRO figuring out what I could legally take to actually get some sleep, stop coughing and stop my throat from burning.

Then I woke up dripping in sweat which required an extra shower I hadn't allowed time for and meant we missed the road closure and had to walk in so I was late to the start line. Thank you to all the ladies in the red start group who let me to the front of the toilet queue. We started and I ran out with the pack.

Quickly discovering I had no top gear. I couldn't keep up. After seeing the phantom falls I was completely dropped by the entire elite start group and running solo along Narrow Neck. At least the views were nice so I took a couple of videos. Trying to be positive I told myself I would make up the time with no congestion at Duncan's.

Instead there was a muddy slip'n'slide. Staying upright clinging on the ropes was the challenge however I did manage to gain 2 places back through that section. I was still 5 minutes slower to the first aid station than last year. Yikes, I needed to move my butt! I kept running as quickly as I could.

Pushing far harder than I would have liked this early but telling myself I have the experience, I won't blow up and there is a lot of race left to catch all the other women. Thankfully that's exactly what happened even with 4 emergency toilet breaks, despite two doses of gastro stop!

It wasn't pretty but somehow I trucked on picking up places. Mostly in the aid stations due to my amazing crew who ensured I was in and out with no down time. Not a second to lose! I clawed my way back through the field only moving from 7th to 6th at the base of the Furber Stairs.

Thanking my former self for all the time on the stair climber in the gym I made it to the finish in 6th place female, 30th overall. My goal was achieved and I'm very pleased with the outcome considering the circumstances.

However there is also a little disappointment that I didn't have the best run and maybe could have been in the top 5 if it had been my day. The day after the race I checked my HRV to see what the damage was and was shocked to see that I had actually been in the red all week. No wonder I had no top gear! Now to put my feet up... for maybe a week.

Huge thanks to La Sportiva Australia and Bogong Equipment for their ongoing support. I had planned to wear the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro for this race however I got cold feet as I had not yet worn them for an Ultra so I went back to the old faithful Jackal Boa II's which fit like a favourite glove.

I think the Prodigio Pro would have been a better shoe choice for this course and for the muddy conditions. However the Jackal Boa II's got me to the finish line in comfort without a single blister despite covering 100km with wet muddy feet. There was certainly no time for a shoe or sock change! Thanks to the team who put on Ultra Trail Australia. It truly is a world class event!