Is this the greatest ultramarathon achievement of all time as Jasmin Paris becomes the first woman to finish? I believe it was Beyoncé who once asked the question, “Who runs the world?” And the answer was emphatically “GIRLS!” In a sport that is still somewhat known as a pastime of middle aged white males, it’s the women in our sport that have stood head and shoulders above everyone over the last year in ultra-trail running.  First we had Courtney Dauwalter ‘doing the triple’ at WSER, Hardrock 100 and UTMB last summer. Then we had Camille Herron smash so many records during the Lululemon ..read more

Sri Chinmoy to stage the Championships. 100km /50km ultra races incorporate the UKA championships and the annual Anglo Celtic Plate Home Countries International Sunday March 24th, Perth. International ultra running is heading to Scotland again this weekend. The annual 100km Home International event, The Anglo Celtic Plate, is being staged in Perth. A full list of entrants for both races is on the event race site  Live tracking will be available HERE The event this Sunday, the 24th of March will feature both the British and Scottish 100km road championships for 2024. Th ..read more

I think the awareness and understanding of long-distance running has changed over the years so luckily for us, turning up to a B&B with mucky trail shoes on with sweaty hair isn’t so uncommon anymore, especially in places like the Lake District or the Highlands.  There are plenty of trainer-friendly destinations both in and out of the UK, and with women and long-haired men in mind, having hairdryers readily available, running life couldn’t be easier!   Fastpacking is a term that refers to packing light to enable us to move faster which is exactly what we need for long-dista ..read more

This new and fully waymarked route takes in the 14 Welsh 3000ft peaks, in an epic North-South traverse. Including the Carneddau, Glyderau and Yr Wyddfa massifs, this 52km & 3,900m+ race will have two aid stations. The Inaugural 14 Peaks Ultra is a modern take on a classic hiking route. Eustace Thomas led a Rucksack Club group for the earliest known traverse of all fourteen peaks back in 1919. In 1988 Colin Donnelly ran the 14 peaks in 4hrs 19minutes. Will his record stand the test of time in June? Starting from the small vill ..read more

The Backbone – Pennine Way via SPINE ROUTE Edale to Kirk Yetholm 12th – 18th Jan 2024 Many of us have a sports plan at the start of every new year of what we would like to achieve. Needless to say this can be disrupted by illness, injury, work and life in general but sometimes the desire to execute the plan is so great you just have to push through these obstacles and mental doubts and just have a stab at it. The Pennine Way in winter, solo and unsupported was such a plan and this is an honest account of the challenges faced. The physical impediments I had, were twofold: firstly, to make ..read more

THE WINTER SPINE 2024 – THE RACE THAT ALMOST KILLED ME Bit of a dramatic title I know! But in the lead up to the Winter Spine 2024 I had been very open about my ‘why’ to complete this legendary race. I’d even said to friends that the only thing that would stop me getting to the Border Hotel in Kirk Yetholm, would be an injury bad enough to physically stop me running.  As it happens, this was very nearly the case, but we’ll get to that bit later……….. A stressful build up  Here’s a snapshot into my crazy family home life….. On the day before the race, which is obviously kit check and r ..read more

The Bowland Ultra The inaugural Bowland Ultra, a 43-mile circular route with 1,700m of ascent showcasing the some of the best parts of the beautiful Forest of Bowland. The route had it all from sublime fell tracks, dainty trails, fell tops and quaint country roads.  I came across the event on social media, it certainly caught my eye and captured my imagination. Having trapsed around parts of the Forest of Bowland over the years, I felt like I had to be involved, so why not? My entry was submitted a smidge over two weeks before race day.  The route started at the small village of Slai ..read more

There is No Wall I first came across Allie a few years ago when Susie Chan interviewed her for RunUltra. Allie was a “test pilot” for Rat Race Events and I remember thinking that must possibly be one of the best jobs in the world. Since then, having followed her on Instagram, I’ve been aware of her struggle with depression, and the subsequent positive changes in her life. I was really interested to be asked to interview Allie and I was sent an advance copy of “There is No Wall” to read ahead of the interview. Allie writes about her alcoholism and depression in and around her amazing running ad ..read more

Daytona Delivered 2023 has been an incredible running year! Having completed Badwater 135 for the second time in July, the North Downs Way 100 in August and Spartathlon 153 miles in Greece in September, I was really keen to finish my year off with the Daytona 100. It is run by the legendary Race Director and inspirational runner Bob Becker who also hosts the Keys 100 (which I ran in 2022 and will be again in 2024) so it was looking like the perfect race to finish the 2023 season – and hopefully escape the pre Christmas madness in the UK and get some winter sun too!  The Daytona 100 is kno ..read more

Capital to Country Multi Day Ultra Nepal EMILY’S STORY It may sound strange but my five day, 123-mile race through the foothills of Nepal started 28 years ago. And no, I wasn’t that slow completing the Capital to Country Multi-Day Ultra Marathon, an event one of my fellow runners epically described as a cross between the Marathon des Sables and the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. In reality, it was because I was rediscovering an Emily who I had left in those same foothills almost 30 years previously. I was only 18 when I first when to the Himalayas, an incredible trip which saw me make memories an ..read more