TCS London Marathon 2022

Believe the hype. The atmosphere. The crowds. The organisation. The landmarks. The London Marathon is everything I’d imagined it would be…and more! 7 years I’ve applied through the general ballot. 7 years of rejection. 7 years of watching it live on the tv, soaking up the atmosphere from the comfort of my sofa. 7 years

Robin Hood 100

“When you run for 10 miles you have ideas. When you run for 100 miles you have epiphanies.” Michael D’AULERIO A 100 mile run. ONE HUNDRED miles. Who’d have thought when I started this running journey back in 2015 that I’d be towing the start line of a 100 mile race – I certainly didn’t!

Birmingham Canal Canter 26.2

The Birmingham Canal Canter is organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) and is open to both walkers and runners alike. With the option of either 18 or 26.2 miles, they offer a circular route exploring Birmingham’s extensive canal network – with it’s mix of rural countryside, industrial heritage and state of the art

Conti Thunder Run 24hr – Solo

The Conti Thunder Run is the original 24hr trail race consisting of as many 10k laps as you can muster in 24hrs. Held in the grounds of Catton Park, Derbyshire, it attracts thousands of runners each year and with the option of running solo, in pairs or relay teams of up to 8, it’s inclusive

Ham & Lyme 100k

The Ham & Lyme 100k follows the stunning Liberty Trail which runs from Lyme Regis in Dorset to Ham Hill Country Park in Somerset, before turning around and heading back to the start line to finish on the promenade. I went into the event both physically and mentally unprepared. On-going Achilles and knee issues meant

Bluebell Challenge

The Bluebell Challenge is organised by Big Bear Events and challenges you to run as many 2.9 mile laps as you can muster within a 6-hour time limit. I’d come across this event fairly last minute via social media and the ‘lapped format’ immediately caught my attention. Held in the grounds of Hartshill Hayes Country

Millennium Way Ultra

Well, I f’ked that up! The Millennium Way Ultra – despite milestone PB’s at 30 and 40 miles – left me feeling somewhat disheartened and proof that not all races go to plan. For anyone who wants to know how not to race an ultra, read on… The race itself is a 41 mile point-to-point

Ashby 20

Ashby 20 – now in it’s 30th Anniversary – is a 20 mile road race ‘organised by runners, for runners’. Based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch – a small market town in Leicestershire – the race attracts over 1000 runners and is considered to be ‘one of the last long runs’ in the calendar before the major spring

Scott’s Dirty Dozen Trail Race

To quote the official website, the Scott’s Dirty Dozen Trail Race is “quite simply the best trail running event in the area.” I happen to agree. Set amongst the beautiful backdrop of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, it’s the true definition of a trail run – with plenty of single-track, forestry trails, mud, hills and the

Imber Ultra

I first ran this event in 2020 and was keen to give it another go despite last years event falling victim to the pandemic. The Imber Ultra is a 33 mile mixed-terrain race taking in the Salisbury Plain and the Imber Range Perimeter Path. Jointly organised by Avon Valley Runners and the Rotary Club of

Country to Capital Ultra

The Country to Capital Ultra is a 43 mile point to point race from Wendover in Buckinghamshire to Little Venice in London. As the name suggests, the route covers approximately 23 miles of glorious countryside, woodland trails and muddy tracks before hitting the Grand Union Canal for a further 20 miles of canal tow path

Endurance Life: Gower Ultra

Another race that’s been on the radar for quite some time. The Gower Ultra – as described on their website – is a 32.9 mile trail race ‘set against an awe-inspiring natural backdrop of cliff tops, downland, woodland, sand dunes and world famous beaches’. With over 4,000ft of elevation and the prospect of gnarly, wintery

Conti Thunder Run 24hr – Solo

My first 24hr event. The Conti Thunder Run is the original 24hr trail race consisting of as many 10k laps as you can muster in 24hrs.  Now in it’s 12th year, it’s held in the grounds of Catton Park, Derbyshire and attracts thousands of runners who are up for a challenge – whether that’s running

The Piece of Cake Trail Marathon

The ironically named ‘Piece of Cake Trail Marathon’ which proved to be anything but… Located in the spectacular Carding Mill Valley in the Shropshire Hills, this is another one of Denzil’s ‘How Hard Can It Be Events’ which have now become a firm favourite of mine in the calendar. With options to run either a

Westcountry Ultra Hilly 50

The ‘Westcountry Ultra Hilly 50’ – what a blast! Organised by Albion Running, the race is part of a three-race series; the Westcountry Ultra Flat 50, the Westcountry Ultra Hilly 50 and the Westcountry 100 – all running over the same weekend.  I’d opted for the 50 mile hilly version.  With over 8,500ft of elevation,

Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon

It’s good to be back. The pre-race nerves, the tension that builds as you make your way to the start line and the excitement as you cross the timing mat – I’ve missed it all. The Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon is billed as the final race in the calendar and this was to be

Imber Ultra

My first official ultra of the year and a run I thoroughly enjoyed! The Imber Ultra is a trail run covering approximately 33 miles of the Salisbury Plain and the Imber Range Perimeter Path. Conditions underfoot are a mixture of mud, grass, gravel and hard trail. The race wasn’t on my radar until Paul, a

Scott’s Dirty Dozen Trail Race

The Dirty Dozen Trail race is a stunning multi-terrain run which meanders its way through Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. The course itself is a challenging route on muddy terrain, with both single file and hard stone tracks underfoot. It also has it’s fair share of hills and features the ‘Ditch of Doom’ – which if

Icing on the Cake Marathon

The first race in the calendar and one I very much look forward to. The Icing on the Cake‘ marathon is set in the Shropshire Hills and covers just shy of 5,500 ft of climb in and around Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd. Last years event was cancelled due to snow so I’d

Mortimer Forest Trail Run

Wow! What a race! I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun on the trails. Don’t get me wrong, it was tough, ridiculously tough and ridiculously muddy! But wow, so much fun… This was my second time running this race after securing a last minute place last year. Held in Overton, near

Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon

My 4th time running this event and now a firm favourite in the calendar. The Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon is a traffic free, scenic and relatively flat route along the canal paths and redways of Milton Keynes. With it’s race village at Willen Lake, it boasts an almost festival-like feel to it with live

The Sunset to Sunrise Challenge

The Sunset to Sunrise Challenge had been on my radar for a number of years but had always clashed with other events. Fortunately for me, this years race fell on a free weekend so I signed up for it without any real expectations. The race itself challenges you to run as far as you can

Lakes in a Day

It was 07:59 and I was standing at the start line for the Lakes in a Day 2019 ultramarathon. Everyone around me looked nervous, it felt unnervingly quiet and I felt sick to the stomach. What lay ahead was a 50 mile race from Caldbeck to Cartmel covering the length of the Lake District from

Trailffest Half Marathon

About to board the train to the start line What a brilliant race! The Trailffest Half Marathon is billed as ‘one of the most scenic you could hope to run, with dramatic changes of scenery and terrain the whole way to the finish line’, I wouldn’t disagree. Everything about this race, from the steam train

The Isle of Wight Half Marathon 2019

The Isle of Wight Half Marathon is organised by Ryde Harriers and is best described as an undulating, two-lap, scenic race held on hard packed farm tracks and bridleways. It attracts over 250 runners made up from local running clubs and tourists alike. The event is held in August and starts and finishes in Appley

The Teesdale Way 2019

The Teesdale Way is a 92 mile trail which follows the River Tees from it’s source at Dufton in Cumbria to the sea at South Gare in Teeside. The trail runs through the remote high moorlands of Cumbria and Durham to the industrial landscapes of Teeside and the coast. The journey is comprehensively waymarked; wooden