The Arc of Attrition 25 is a formidable ultra-marathon set against the rugged and dramatic backdrop of Cornwall's coastline. Covering 25 miles along the South West Coast Path, this challenging race pushes runners to their limits with relentless climbs, technical trails, and breath-taking views.
Organised by UTMB, the event is renowned for its tough terrain and unpredictable weather, making it a true test of endurance and resilience. Whether you're an experienced ultra-runner or stepping up to a longer distance, the Arc 25 offers an unforgettable adventure through one of the UK's most stunning landscapes.
Completing this challenge is no small feat, and we caught up with Holly Wootten to hear about their incredible journey, the highs and lows of the race, and how Holly powered through with the right mindset, training, and nutrition.
Taking on the Arc
What made you decide to take on the Arc of Attrition?
"I was targeting OCC qualification for 2026, with the rest of my year geared up to Dragons Back it was the only by UTMB race I could seem to fit in. A sort of all or nothing race!"
How did you prepare for such a tough ultramarathon, both physically and mentally?
"Early on last year I slipped a disc in my back, I foolishly didn't get it properly checked out and only took about a week off for it to settle. I then raced hard over a number of months with some great highs and some big lows where for no apparent reason my body just didn't want to run.
I thought these were just off days until everything came crashing down at OCC and I was limping for a number of days after and in pain for a few weeks. So 4 weeks of no exercise, then walks, then run/walks until eventually 6+ weeks later (Oct 13th) I did my first continuous run. From there it was staying positive and committed to the goal of getting to Arc to give myself a shot at getting back to OCC to put that right."
Did your training go as planned, or did you have to adapt along the way?
"Yes and no. I had trained to make it to the start line so in that way yes, training went as planned, a couple of hiccups along the way with some injury flare ups but I was there and able to run!
I hadn't trained to finish, so in that way I was having to adapt, not really knowing if I was fit enough to hold the pace for the distance or if my body would stay in one piece! The second half I could tell I wasn't in marathon condition, so changed tact and went into conservation mode, which worked!"
Strategy & Challenges
What was your race strategy going in, and did it change as the event unfolded?
"I knew that it was going to be fast and that I most likely didn't have the speed endurance for fully racing that like normal. The first part of the course was right up my street, lots of off road, rolling, some nice descents so I planned to cruise through this and not use too much energy just flow through. Then we hit the flat road section, I knew I'd lose a lot of time to Sara & Gemma here so the plan was to keep moving at a comfortable pace through to the check point.
So far so good. The second half of the race is mainly off road with a few short climbs and descents plan A was to be able to push on here. But, as I should've expected, I wasn't quite I'm shape for that. Hips tightened, stride shortened so the second half became "keep moving and get it done"."
Can you describe the toughest moment you faced during the race? How did you push through?
"When my hips started to stiffen around halfway and I knew my body wasn't quite ready for what I was making it do, at this point I knew it was going to be a grind to the finish. I just kept reminding myself of the actual race target and how good it was that my injury was not coming back!"
What role did nutrition and hydration play in your race plan? How did VOOM products help you?
"In the days and hours leading up to the race I was sipping away at VOOM Hydrate trying to keep my hydration up, I'm terrible for forgetting to take on fluids so something tasty like the lemon & lime helps keep me on top of it.
After any exercise in the lead up I was having the VOOM Rapid Recovery Shake with oat or almond milk. I'm slightly obsessed with the Belgian chocolate & vanilla, how much shake is too much??? I may have consumed most of the bag afterwards!
During the race I had the VOOM Pocket Rocket Electro Energy & Caffeine Kick bars. I'm trying to get better at consistently taking on calories throughout races. I usually start well, nice and frequent, fall off the wagon, bonk, get back on it and finish well. I'm excited to try VOOM Fusion Fuel in my next race to help to keep me more level throughout a race!"
How did you manage pacing over such a long and challenging course?
"The first half I stayed comfortable, not pushing too much, just moving nice and fluidly. The second half, I hung on and moved at a speed that I knew I could maintain all day, a no risk speed rather than pushing on a potentially going bust!"
The Course and Conditions
How would you describe the terrain and conditions during the race?
"Fast! Very fast and very very runnable. It was fairly dry underfoot and there was a lot of road."
What part of the course was your favourite, and which section was the hardest?
"The coastal path is gorgeous, the views are absolutely stunning particularly from the North Cliffs. My favourite part is around Portreath where just before and just after you have some proper coastal sections, you steeply drop down and then sharply climb back up to the cliffs. Hardest part, that bank of sand into the first aid station!"
Did the weather have any impact on your performance or strategy?
"I was secretly hoping for terrible weather, I live in the Lakes so I'm used to some pretty batty weather. I find a lot of people get negative about bad weather, I relish that and try to use it to my advantage. But, the weather was glorious, clear, a tailwind, kind of perfect conditions, damn! That made it a very fast race."
Post Race Reflections
How did you feel crossing the finish line?
"Relieved, happy, emotional, it meant a lot. My parents had come down to support me. They had been there at OCC, my dad walking next to me when I was only able to slowly inch uphill and consoling me at the end of a race that turned into a disaster and spelled the end of a season. "This is a very different conversation to last time we were at a finish line" - words from my dad at the end of Arc25 with a very emotional hug. So pleased to be starting 2025 on the right track."
What’s the biggest lesson you took away from the Arc of Attrition?
"Pin your race number to your top before you leave your accommodation! Yes, I forgot my number, had to drive back to get it then only just made it to the start with 5mins to spare!"
If you were to do it again, would you change anything about your approach?
"The whole of Arc 25 is runnable which is a bit different to what I'm used to! I would do a training block more akin to road marathon training with a tiny bit of off road running."
What advice would you give to someone considering taking on this challenge?
"Take some time to think about your kit, the mandatory kit list is huge for the distance and location, but with careful planning you can get the weight down to something manageable, make sure you practice running with this weight before the race, even if it's just a few 30 min runs, it'll help you work out where to store everything so it's comfortable and get you used to how it feels to run heavier than usual.
Nutrition & Hydration, the first aid station is a long way into the race. Make sure you have enough fluids and food with you not only for this first section but remember that you'll be sipping away on the start line too! It's better to have and not need than need and not have!"
How important is having the right nutrition strategy for an ultra like this?
"Hugely important, in shorter races you can get away with messing up your strategy during the race so long as you have it spot on in the lead up. For a race of this length you need to be topping up as you're going along to avoid crashing, cramping and crying! Jokes aside, bonking isn't fun, so avoiding that by setting out and sticking to your nutrition strategy is really important.
This isn't something that can be winged on race day. Nutrition training can be as important as your running training because only a fully fuelled you can make the most of your fitness you've built up."
