News archive
Browse published Ultra stories, archived articles, and related coverage.
The first-ever Hospice UltraMann has produced a breathtaking conclusion here on the Isle of Man, with Harry Weatherill crossing the line as the inaugural champion in stunning fashion. Despite arriving on the start line as one of the pre-race favourites, Weatherill's victory was anything but straightforward, but when it mattered most, the man delivered. Takin…
The South Downs Way 100 is delivering drama in abundance this weekend, with the leading pack across both categories now entering the crucial final quarter of this gruelling 100-mile challenge across one of England's most iconic trails. Wave one got underway at 5:30am this morning, with wave two following an hour later at 6:30am, and after many hours of grit,…
It's heating up out on the Pennine Way - and we don't just mean the muggy conditions - as the Montane Summer Spine Challenger South enters a thrilling phase on its journey from Edale to Hardraw. At the front of the men's race, Chris Cope having tracked the record pace chip closely for the start of the race, Cope has now broken ahead of it, suggesting he has …
ESTR's very own Nikki Arthur is lacing up her trail shoes and heading to the mountains of central Greece this week, as she prepares to take on one of the most demanding ultra-endurance challenges on the calendar, the 3 UltraSummits TihioRace 250km. Set amongst the dramatic landscapes of Tihio Doridos in the Phocis region, this extraordinary event launches on…
The 2026 Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra is underway, and ESTR is on the ground bringing you live updates as the day unfolds. For the uninitiated: Dead Cow Gully sits on a 1,600-acre cattle property 11km north of Nanango in rural Queensland – a sixth-generation working farm that has become one of Australia's most iconic ultra running venues. The format is brut…
Arc of Attrition 2026 has been sitting in the back of my mind for a long time. I was signed up back in 2022, but a last-minute switch to the Spine meant it never happened, and since then it has remained one of those races that feels like unfinished business. It also falls on Nikki’s birthday weekend, which immediately makes it a hard sell in our household, b…
It is that time of year again ... Spine fever is about the hit the UK and beyond. I am feeling extreme FOMO at the moment for the adventures that lie ahead for everyone the start line over the next few days. Dot watchers assemble!! Link to full spine open tracking below and from that link you can see every race in the schedule. So Who should you be following…
A week post race it’s great to reflect on an event that brings the Manx Fell running community and beyond together so well. The excitement had been building for this race for a while and this was enhanced by the fact that many of the UK’s top Ultra runners from races like the Spine and the Dragon’s Back were coming over to see what all the fuss was about. Th…
If you don’t know who Sarah Webster is then you soon will. An incredible endurance runner who spent many years on the Isle of Man and recently has moved back to the UK has just put in an incredible performance in the 24hr track race at Crawley this weekend. Sarah has been an endurance runner for many years but just stepped up to the bigger ultra distances in…
Transgrancanaria is another famous staple on the trail running calendar drawing in the fastest trail runners in the world for some sunny winter miles. The race has a variety of distances ranging from a vertical kilometre up to the classic race which is 126 kilometres. The classic is an incredibly tough race which packs an amazing 6300 meters of elevation and…
Spine fever took hold of much of the UK and the Isle of Man this January 2025. The series of races on the pennine way kicked off at 8am on the 11th of Jan with the challenger south 108 mile route to Hawes. Followed by the sprint 46 mile route at 12pm headed to Hebden bridge. The full spine headed off at 8am on Sunday the 12th with 268 miles ahead of them to …
After leaving Alston, Nikki seemed to be struggling with motivation. Spending so much time alone can make it easy to fall into a slower rhythm. I gave her a quick call as she approached Hadrian’s Wall to update her on her position and what was happening with other competitors. It seemed to give her a boost, as she started moving with renewed energy, passing …
Nikki started well, maintaining position within the top 10 females. She reported struggling to climb and push through the snow at points. 4-5 hours into the race she was challenging 4th position. Still moving well by early evening and into the darkness. She reported enjoying the scenery early on but most of the day was fog and rain. She got to Hebden in 4th …
The Centurion Winter Downs 200 miler took place at the start of December and it was a showcase of absolute talent in ultra running! The men’s race was won by Martin Wilson in a rapid time of 50hrs 20mins however he was challenged for the top spot the whole way by the incredibly talented Emma Stuart. She won the women’s race in a new course record of 50hou…
A fantastic performance on the 7th Dec 2024 in India at the 100k World champs from Sarah Webster sees her take the bronze medal and first Brit home. Her time of 7hr 19 mins in incredibly warm and tough conditions see her win 3rd after Floraine Hot and Marie Ange Brumelot clinched first and second in 7:08 and 7:12. Since taken to ultra distance on the road Sa…
There is no I in team - The Belgians took the crown of the Bigs Backyard Ultra World Championships and gained the world record in the process. The trio of ultra runners work hard and ran an incredible 110 yards which amounts to 458 miles. The gang of 3 didn’t start the 111th lap choosing to all “lose” the race but win as a team. Amongst the team was Merijin …
It’s been a busy weekend with events off the rock. The world champs for the backyard ultras go on still, in fact they are only warming up! On Sunday night at 10pm there are 13 runners still in the mix in the UK race which is phenomenal considering the weather. Unfortunately the Irish team had to abandon their race as their venue became too dangerous in the w…
This weekend sees the world championships of the incredibly tough Backyard Ultra. 64 countries are going head to head for the crown of one of the most insane races out there. Run 4.167 miles every hour until the last man standing. Current world record stands at 108 loops or 450 miles in four and a half day. It is held by the famous American ultra runner Harv…
Ultra marathon running legend from Australia Nedd Brockman has recently completed the mammoth challenge of running 1600km to raise funds for homeless people in Australia. The challenge that took him 12.5 days which saw his feet swell up 3 sizes, agonising blisters and extreme pain which reduced him to a wheelchair at times raised an incredible 2.6 MILLION do…