🎯 Objective
To complete a brutally technical 57 km mountain Ultra Trail Snowdonia with over 3,400 m of elevation gain—navigating three major climbs, extreme gradients, and emotional lows to reach the finish line with the support of his crew and brother.
🏃 Athlete Profile – Josh Young
- Race: Ultra Trail Snowdonia 50K (UTMB Index)
- Location: Gwynedd, Wales
- Date: Saturday, 17 May 2025
- Distance: 57.38 km
- Moving Time: 12:26:40
- Average Pace: 13:01/km
- Elevation Gain: 3,440 m
- Conditions: Clear, 52°F, 69% humidity
- Device: Garmin fēnix 7
- Shoes: Not recorded
- Top Results:
- 50K – 10:52:18
- Marathon – 9:08:46
- Notable Achievement: Most elevation gain and toughest terrain completed to date
📊 Pacing Breakdown – Josh Young
KM 1–10 (Settling In) Average Pace: ~11:30/km Notes: Josh opened with steady effort through the first climb (KM 2–7), managing gradients of 100–190 m per km. Early pacing showed control and respect for the terrain.
KM 11–30 (Mountain Mayhem) Average Pace: ~13:30/km Notes: This section included the second ascent of Snowdon and a brutal third climb. KM 25–27 saw extreme gradients (244 m, 214 m, 131 m) with pacing dropping to 24–29 min/km. Josh leaned heavily on mental grit and support from his crew.
KM 31–45 (Descent & Reset) Average Pace: ~11:00/km Notes: Josh regained rhythm on technical descents (KM 31–33: 6:35–7:32/km). Despite fatigue, he maintained form and cadence through KM 35–39, showing resilience and fueling discipline.
KM 46–57 (Final Push) Average Pace: ~10:00/km Notes: Closed with strength—KM 52–57 included multiple sub-7:00/km splits (KM 52: 6:26/km, KM 57: 5:52/km). A powerful finish that reflected emotional momentum and crew support.
❤️ Heart Rate & Effort
Estimated HR Zone: Aerobic endurance with high-intensity spikes Insight: Average HR of 157 bpm and cadence of 128 spm suggest sustained aerobic effort with strategic surges. Josh managed his effort through extreme elevation and technical terrain.
💡 Key Insights
- Elevation Mastery: Josh tackled over 3,400 m of gain with pacing discipline and mental resilience.
- Crew Support: His brother Don and support crew played a pivotal role in keeping him moving through the darkest moments.
- Effort Regulation: Despite massive climbs, Josh avoided total collapse—his pacing rebounded in the final 10K.
- Finish-Line Grit: The final 5K surge shows not just fitness, but deep emotional resolve.
🧩 Coaching Applications
- Josh’s splits teach mountain pacing and terrain adaptation
- Reinforces the value of crew support and emotional regulation in ultra events
- Models how technical ultras require both physical and psychological strategy
- Celebrates elevation breakthroughs
- Encourages athletes to reflect on what “hardest ever” means—and how they overcame it