Over the years Camino Athletes have done some of the 'blue-ribband' ultra events from around the World.
Not sure which ones you consider to be the Big Dream events but for many it's:
Marathon Des Sables
UTMB
Western States
Spartathlon
Montane Winter Spine
Dragons Back
We've had athletes complete in all these plus the 'best of the very best' that UK has to offer:
Arc of Attrition
Centurion 100s
Lakeland 50 and 100
Ultra Trail Snowdonia
We do LOVE all trail events and Ultramarathons everywhere.
Recently we had athletes complete the Railway Ultra which now has a new winter event for 2025. We loved the Scilly60 event that Anna and Amanda took part in. Race Director Wes has created something truly unique here - be quick if you want to find a place for 2025.
Alongside these 'shortish'! ultras there is the growing trend of 24 Hours and Backyards. You may have read our recent blogs from the world-class Suffolk Backyard and our favourite Longbridge Backyard - where we will definitely be back in 2025 - check out their Winter version - where places are limited but if you are interested definitely contact us first.
So to catch up we asked some of our athletes to share with you how their or their team event to give you a further insight into some of the races out there.
CAMINO: Superstar John has been busy again this year - as the worlds most passionate train journey advocate you can only imagine how excited he was to join the start line of the new Railway Ultra - straight after he joined a merry band of Caminos at both the 50KM and 100KM Race to the Stones. Big thank you to John for sharing some great insight into both the R's
JOHN:
"All the R’s
All the r’s has been my recent weeks, specifically running by railways and along ridgeways. With two races in four weeks, I thought I would draw the whole experience into a single post, hopefully pointing towards some useful insight. The first race was an especially special one for me, being the world’s first railway themed ultra marathon. What exactly is that you may ask, well an 80-kilometre race along the Thames estuary that starts, passes, and ends at railway stations.
As anyone who knows me can attest, I rather like a train. So the chance to combine two great loves was one I could not miss. I also wanted to do well particularly in this race, and I spoke at length with the great coaching team at Camino to discuss strategies. It boiled down to two. Go hard and see how long you could last or hold back and push at a specific point.
I’ve struggled with the common issue of going off too fast in races and suffering for it in the latter stages from early on in my running career and was conscious that I’ve been working hard to try and tackle this. So, I plumped for the latter strategy of trying to relax in the first half and pushing on in the second.
Stood on the start line at the front to avoid traffic and next to the organiser Rob Mullen, I was feeling great. I had eaten porridge a couple of hours before and topped up with a trusty banana just 30 minutes prior. With the platforms of Upminster behind us we set off and I was deep in conversation with Rob for the first 10km. First lesson that I’m still learning is both the value and risk of running with someone who is at a pace greater than your intended at that point. It can carry you but also mean you spend more energy that you plan.
Post this first 10km I was conscious of this and tried to settle more into my planned pace. I was not that sad about an enforced stop at a level crossing at this point. Plus, it was quite the spectacle to see all these runners waiting for two trains to pass. This settling down worked but as the race worn on, I had definitely spent a lot of that race energy I had planned to use in the second half.
My next advice is the wonder of change. If you feel your pace is dropping more than you expect or you don’t feel right, seek change. At the 30km mark I took a slightly longer pause at the aid station, had me a personal needs break and sorted my bag. Just these actions made all the difference, and I walked out fresher eating a banana, a brilliant food as this along with gels saw me through the whole 80km. Also eating as you leave the aid station saves a few seconds and gives you some break whilst still covering ground.
I was content with my nutrition for this race, but my pace kept dropping and I knew my timings would be so like many before, a strong start and then a slowing towards the end. That’s ok, we will take this lesson and for now we will continue to enjoy the scenery and the many passing trains.
However, I did have one final trick up my sleeve, music. I don’t tend to listen to music on races so I can take in the atmosphere and the passing support. But I knew, like the occasional caffeine bullet, that when you don’t use something often it can have a bigger effect in the moment. So, with just over 5km to go I plugged in and let the amazing tunes of Fisherman’s Friends sing me down the promenade into Southend. I’ve just realised the sea view is even more apt at this point!
This sprint finish saw me back into the top forty and a sub-10-hour finish, which after a challenging mid-section I was and am super chuffed with. Following shortly behind Rob I started chatting to him, not realising I was interrupting a live interview. Whoops. My punishment was being interviewed myself shortly after, but it made the race highlights, so I’ll take that. I pause here to give a huge shout out to Rob, the whole c2c team and the Railway Children for putting on an amazing event. He plans to run a similar event next year so do keep an eye out for that.
One big realisation I had I the days after was the challenge of flat races. Once you have down races on Snowdon, the South West Coast Path and even in the jungles of Thailand, you can easily underestimate the Thames and its flat path. But they are still a long-distance race, and you are using the same muscles throughout. Added to this you have to pace more consciously as it is so easy to go off fast. But when you drop your pace, you are then hard on yourself as you think well it’s flat, what are you waiting for? Even if the pace is appropriate.
With this in mind and as my focus shifted to race two, I was determined to try, as I describe it to Darren (one of the amazing Camino team), to flatten the curve. A sentence that has become very familiar to us all, but in this instance referred to a steadier pace throughout the 100km that was the Race To The Stones 2025. For those who do not know this race, this is a race by the brilliant organisers Threshold Sports following the ridgeway between Lewknor near Oxford to the Avebury Stones in Wiltshire. Now it is not flat but was still a platform to practise this trying more than ever to not push too hard early on. So, my number target for this race was not a time but a less varied pace throughout.
As a stood on the start line it was more familiar that usual as this is a race I’ve done once before, last time over two days and now in one. Again, filled with porridge and banana, the clock struck 0630 and we were off. Now I did go off faster than perfectly ideal, but it was more relaxed. I got into my rhythm and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Even when I was chatting with a lovely Irish gentleman I conscious that if the pace got too high, I would drop back. Which I did after a few kms and some kindly provided Lucozade, thanks again Kevin.
I got to halfway and enjoyed the sandwich which alongside some tomato soup after 72kms were my only additions to the gel/banana strategy I had executed in both races. As quite a big loser of salt the marmite and soup alongside the salt tablets worked well in this race. I was definitely feeling the tiredness as I left that aid station at 72kms and was conscious even then that even more flattening may be required in the future. But for now, I enjoyed the boost of support at just before the 80 and 90km marks and another R in my amazing partner Rachel. Every running achievement I have is a credit to her and here is my final shout out to all the amazing supporters out there, we only achieve our racing goals thanks to you.
As I left for the final 10km can you guess what I did then? Yes, you guessed it, some more Cornish shanties to see me to the finish. Feeling fantastic I crossed the line in twelve and a half hours feeling on top of the world.
I’m still buzzing now but can’t deny I’m looking forward to a little time away from the racing scene. This sport is tough and after these two races I was reminded of this and why we should all be so grateful of whatever we achieve out there. I’m off traveling for a little bit shortly and then my focus will shift to the Challenger South next year, a new top distance challenge of 172kms. However, even ahead of this break I know my craving for that feeling of crossing the finish line after such distances and so many hours will be one I will be seeking again very soon".
CAMINO: A few weeks ago Camino Athlete Michael was all trained and prepped for his longest ever run in the Suffolk Backyard Ultra format - disaster struck and he was forced to pull out. Michael did what Michael does and he immediately became super crew from Camino Shree and countless others at Suffolk. After a few awkward niggly weeks Michael felt confident to join a team from his company Avani in this years Endure 24 Hours format. Sounded like a brilliant set of events.
MICHAEL:
" So it all started in 2023 when a merry gang from Avani Solutions decided to run a relay race together to raise awareness for our charities Only a Pavement Away and Licensed Trade Charity.
So, at the end of June 2023 we pitched our tents and we ran and walked a beautiful 105 miles. The sun shone and we had a blast as a team of employees that for a weekend in June wanted to test ourselves. 21 loops and we did it. So much fun was had that we decided to do it all over again in the 2024.
The format is pretty simple The UK’s biggest 24 hour relay race is its tag line. Endure24 is a 24 hour race where you run against the
clock to see how many laps you can complete before time runs out. You can enter as a solo runner or as part of a relay team. So, this year 7 of us showed up as a team. This years team consisted of Nathan Murray (Liverpool), Danny Wroe (Burnley), Hardik (London), Jon Saunders (Cardiff), AJ (Tadcaster) Amanda Thomson (Norfolk) and Me.
We had discussed wanting to smash last years target and everyone in the group had their own ideas of what they wanted to achieve personally Danny, Nathan, Hardik and Amanda had already mentioned they were non runners and to keep the expectations low. AJ seasoned Ultra runner and very capable along with Jon (Ironman Wales finisher) and I would try and keep the average hi.
But, what we hadn't imagined is that the NON RUNNERS would absolutely smash it and by midnight (12 hours in) we were 2 hours ahead of our fag packet calculations.
As the sun rose we started losing people, naturally because they had given so much of themselves. Up stepped Hardik for another (4th) loop. We dragged him off the massage table and he went back out. This guy who was broken after 5 miles last year, completed 20 miles. So Jon, AJ and I were left.
We hatched a plan AJ would cook breakfast on his impressive home made BBQ. But would then bash out a couple of fast loops to get us to midday.
We finished with loops of 46 min, 34 mins and 36 mins. to bring Team Avani in with 27 loops and whopping 135 miles.
So bloody proud of our team and what is even more of a moment is since then the NON RUNNERS have been talking about how they can improve for next year and how they are going to get their partners involved in their training.
So, a huge thank you to the individuals Amanda, AJ, Jon, Hardik, Nathan and Danny together we are a team - we are Avani.
See you next year."
CAMINO:
Endure is a unique event in that in hosts two versions on different weekends - in both Reading and Leeds.
So as well Michael and his Avani team we also saw Camino Coach Annie and her team
ANNIE:
"There is a “spirit” to endurance by that we mean the encompassing idea of long efforts may transcend the nature of our known physical world…”
I caught the 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 bug for Endure24uk last year and knew that I would definitely be running again this year! Honestly, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be involved in an event such as this, primarily because I hate running round in circles over and over again!
The course was beautiful, the hills diabolical (offering free sessions of character building moments), the aid station endeavoured to keep you hydrated and the other runners on the course and camping were lovely and supportive - a true bonus! The friendships formed on heartbreak hill will remain in my heart always and are the 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 of my weekend!
We saw our team of 1️⃣2️⃣ come together and POWER through to complete a challenge that was exciting, thrilling and required TOGETHERNESS! Putting in two/three (5 mile) laps (working through the night, getting up to see others off on their loop and push through under such hot/cold conditions was BRILLIANT!
My 4am lap was tough - waking up, discombobulated and needing to get my bearings! The landscape and the beginnings of the sunrise was enough to get me focussed to run this beaut course. The pep talk, and strategic plan to run the loop from Frank and Ash allowed me to power through with confidence and grit!
27 laps, 24 hours, 12 runners, 4 brilliant kids and a 5 mile loop with hills (including heartbreak hill) saw us all move out of our comfort zones, pull together as a TEAM and CONQUER, yes WE ARE CONQUERORS!"
CAMINO: For the third year running Camino Ultra has been delighted to bring our community love to the LoveTrails Festival. Our beautiful team of Polly, Frank and Max joined a whole host of old friends and new friends on a series of hosted runs and talks and shenanigans x Really Grateful to Rich from LT for all the behinds support and to everyone who joined us in our events. Huge thank you to Polly for sharing these cool reflections.
POLLY:
"Love trails 2024
When Frank said I was coming to Love trails festival on behalf of Camino Ultra I was a little nervous and apprehensive about what the weekend would entail.
Having been to many running events over the years, as a supporter, crew memeber or even as a marshal, I knew the sort of crowd I would be around which put my mind at ease.
I had nothing to worry about as it turned out to be a truly awesome weekend full of fun, laughter, coming together with old and new friends, surrounded by the stunning welsh hills and vast stretch of the sea at Rhossili bay.
We picked up Max on Friday after work and then headed to Wales, we arrived late to the site and once we’d checked in, got our wrist bands and unloaded the essentials from the car we went to find our camping spot.
In the dark with head torches on we found a flat spot in a quieter area and began to set up. Max made several trips to the car, waves of music drifted over to our tipi and you could hear people singing away to the different stages, after a few hours we were done and definitely ready for bed.
We woke up on Saturday to be greeted with stunning hills and a view of the sea, blue skies and sunshine.
Whilst sitting outside our tipi enjoying that fresh morning air we saw someone emerge from a tent opposite and Frank said “I know that face” turns out it was Gav, one of the Camino family.
Once we were ready we headed over to the event village, it was bigger than I expected with vendors selling food, drinks and merchandise to massive circus type big tops for yoga, talks and all types of movement plus a kids tent with crafty things to do.
Max was taking part in the Golden trail series 27k so we watched him at the start line and cheered him on, once he was off we spent that time listening to some talks, I especially enjoyed Bethany’s talk ‘you got chicked’ and why it’s important to see women in running.
We headed back to the race arch to wait for Max and bumped into several people who we knew and some we didn’t, everyone was so friendly and it was great to be around people who just enjoyed being outdoors and have a love for all types of movement.
Max powered his way over the finish line with some big whoop whoop Camino love from us two.
For the rest of the day we soaked up the vibe and continued to have some wonderful moments with friends.
As the sun started to set I had a very meaningful chat with Mark from Run Grateful. We covered all areas of life, mine and his, and why his movement of a Grateful Mile is something we should all try and incorporate into our lives.
The night time festival atmosphere is something else, brilliant music and people just being so joyful dancing till the early morning!!
Saturday night was colder but we still managed a decent nights sleep and woke on Sunday to another glorious blue sky day.
Today was our last day and also Caminos 10k run which was being lead by Max ( as Frank had an injury)
We gathered up by the race flags and waited for people to join the group.
Frank was busy schmoozing and handing out some samples of Precision fuel and hydration to the runners. Once everyone was there Frank had a quick chat about Camino and what we do and injected some positive vibes for the 10k ahead, then off they went down that hill and out of sight.
We headed back to base camp to start our pack down before Max returned with the runners.
We welcomed them back with open arms and all that Camino love. Frank brought out his drone for some silliness and we thank all the runners who came to join in on the 10k.
It took awhile to leave Love Trails, for the last minute chats and the hugs goodbye but it won’t be the last time I’m there.
I was asked by David what my favourite part about Love trails was and I can honestly say there wasn’t just one moment.
From the excitement of going, getting there and setting up our home for the next few days and being surrounded by the beautiful welsh countryside.
To being back together with part of my TSP family, Max, for more adventures in the outdoors.
To soaking up the tranquil atmosphere during the day and the festival vibe in the evening.
I loved being around so many inspirational people, listening to their chats, joining in on some and taking away thought provoking moments.
The energy that was created at Love Trails was one of pure joy, the joy of all things running, taking time for movement, that connection with people who share similar interests and quite simply just love, big Camino love."
CAMINO: This year saw a significant amount of new things at LoveTrails - one of the major ones was the introduction of the Salomon World Trail Series event - a 27KM awesome trail run inside of multiple runs on Saturday.
When the Camino team first got involved in the planning of 2024 we knew we wanted to be a part of this event. Most eager was Max and even after some recent EPIC ultras - like the Longbridge Backyard - he wanted to go hard. Proud of you Max and all the other Caminos like Nikki who came high up in the category.
MAX:
"Salomon Golden Trail Series 27km race at LoveTrails 2024.
An amazing race, at an amazing festival, in a amazingly beautiful part of the world, with amazing athletes.
By far the shortest race I've done in years but that filled me with a sense of confidence that was quickly stubbed out.
So as Longbridge Backyard was only three week prior I hadn't done any training at all except for taking part in the Climate Relay, but the buzz of the LoveTrails and all the energy/excitement at the start line had me feeing like I could crack it out in about two hours.
I went out in the first wave (of two) at about a 6.30 miling pace and was feeling great on the road and gravel paths till the first of many long and beautiful incline hit. I quickly remember that elevation is not my speciality and slowed my pace right down and decided that walking up most of the hill was the best option, and running the flats and flying down the hills.
It's was hot but I know there was tree aid station on the course so I only took one bottle and a hand full of Precision caffeine gels. It was just enough to get me through the race.
However at the turnaround point I was really feeling it, and done what felt natural and buddy up with the Alex who had been switching places with me from about a quarter of the way in.
When I get tired I get chatty and start handing out positive reinforced messages to everyone around me as in my eye it's now a team effort as I want you all to do as well as you can, and that positivity help stock my fire to get the maximum out of me.
There was quite a long flat along a rig with beautiful views all round about 3/4 of the way in and even though was had just climb one of the more brutal climbing we all knew what we had to do and gave it our all. Three of us hitting a slope that went on and on and got steeper and steeper, as we all got faster and faster, I remember thinking to myself this must be what it's like in all the fell running videos I had seen, as at some point there was not stopping, even if I had fallen the speed would have keeped me rolling. But we all made it and with a massive hit of adrenaline we were all flying again.
I could taste the finish line as I hit a road that I knew was close to the festival so dropped it down a gear, however we turned on to a track again and where I hit a couple of the 10km groups on single track (I'm not going to lie being stuck behind them was welcome as they had loud music and I could get my breath back) but politely pushing past them and running in all the stinging nettles and bramble bushes lead me to some open fields with the sea on my left and the festival and the finish just on more turn away... but there was one more climbing and it was the most brutal. Its felt like a 1% climb and I'm pretty sure I was on all fours trying to give it my all (again), thoughts of "I don't know if I can make it up here" went through my head but my dead legs did make it and the crowd screaming and banging the cow bells help massively.
I could now see the finish and even though I literally had nothing left to give, I started telling the people around me this was the sprint finish, to get us all running as fast as we could. I could see the fire in their eyes and the smiles on their faces as we all squeeze that last bit of adrenaline out to cross the line.
A really hard but beautiful race.
Love that feeling of giving it 110%. I'll be thinking about that one for a while or at least having PTSD from that last hill 😂
Thanks to LoveTrails for a great festive and The Golden Trail Series for a cracking race."
Comments