01 / KNOW THE ROUTE
What the course asks of you
Cliff tops, valleys and stairs
The organiser names Narrow Neck, Ironpot Ridge, Leura Forest, Wentworth Falls, Kedumba Pass and the Furber Steps as features of the course. Expect long climbs and descents between the cliff tops and the valley floors, on mostly single track and wide trail.
The finish is a staircase
From about 99 km to the finish at Scenic World there are 951 steps. That is the last thing your legs will meet after a very long day, so it shapes how you should train and how you should pace the first half.
Checkpoints and cut-offs
The published cut-offs run from Tarros at 12:30pm through Foggy Knob, Six Foot Track and Katoomba Aquatic Centre, to the finish at 12:30pm on Sunday. The organiser warns that cut-offs may be brought forward in bad weather.
02 / BUILD THE BLOCK
How to prepare
Climbing and descending volume
With 4,400 m over 101 km, UTA100 rewards legs that can climb and descend repeatedly. Build regular hilly long runs, hike steep climbs with purpose and add downhill running gradually so the descents into the valleys do not wreck your quads.
Train for steps
The finishing stairs are a real test. Include stair or step sessions once a week in the final ten weeks, ideally late in a long run, so climbing steps on tired legs feels familiar.
Rehearse the long day and the dark
Most runners will be out for a long time, and the gear list includes a headlamp and backup light. Do at least two runs of 5 to 7 hours, some starting before dawn, eating the food you plan to use and carrying the 2 litres of water capacity the race requires.
Keep your running and strength work in one place. Explore MaxMile for your UTA100 preparation, or compare the levels of personal coaching.
03 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Pace the race you have trained for
Start at an effort that feels easy, even on the early runnable sections. Hike the steep climbs from the start, keep eating every 30 to 45 minutes and treat each checkpoint as a quick, planned stop.
Know the cut-off pace of 3.84 km/h and your planned times at Six Foot Track and Katoomba Aquatic Centre. Save something for the final climb: the 951 steps to Scenic World are much easier to manage if you have not spent everything in the valleys.
04 / MAKE ROOM FOR TRAINING
When should your block start?
UTA100 is on Saturday 15 May 2027, about 27 weeks from early November 2026. A 24-week block starts around Monday 30 November 2026, and a 20-week block around 28 December 2026, so for most UK runners the build runs through winter and early spring. Use December and January for consistent volume and hill strength, then put your biggest climbing weekends and step sessions into March and April.
Plan the travel into the block. Sydney is 9 hours ahead of the UK in mid-May, and the flight takes most of a day, so aim to arrive in the Blue Mountains several days early and taper through the final two to three weeks. Note the entry deadlines too: the 45% refundable entry ends on 21 February 2027 and the 22% refundable entry on 4 April 2027.
05 / SORT THE PRACTICAL BITS
Kit and race-weekend planning
The organiser advises flying into Sydney, then travelling to the Blue Mountains by road or public transport (Transport for NSW services accept Opal or contactless). Free runner shuttles run Thursday to Sunday between Katoomba and Leura and Scenic World. Race check-in is at KCC Auditorium, Katoomba, on Thursday and Friday; UTA100 drop bags go in on the Friday.
Mandatory gear for UTA100 includes a long-sleeve thermal top, long thermal leggings, full-fingered gloves, a beanie or Buff, a waterproof breathable jacket, 2 litres of water capacity, a headlamp and backup light, a hi-vis vest, a space blanket or bivvy, a compression bandage, a whistle and a phone. A gear check is compulsory before you start: no gear, no start. The race is cupless.
