🐣 Pay less with early bird access - Click to see our full list of early bird event offers
HomeRunning

UK Ultramarathons: 2023 - 2024

Image of people at Ultramarathons in the United Kingdom
Ultramarathons, or ultras, are any running races beyond the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles (or 42.2k). The most common ultra distances are 50k, 100k, 50 miles, or 100 miles, but each event is unique in terms of distance and terrain. The International Association of Athletics Federation recognises world records at ultramarathon events that have a distance of 100km. There are even 24hr ultramarathons, where the distance is unlimited, or multiday ultras, where the distance can extend beyond 1000km. There are a couple of city-based ultramarathons, but most ultras make the most of the UK's stunning scenery and countryside. A lot of these events go off-road and require trail-running over difficult terrain with steep climbs or along rugged coastlines. The Race to the Stones is one of the UK's best and most popular ultra marathons, taking in 100km of the historic Ridgeway. Or there is the famous Dragon's Back Race, which takes place over 5 days, taking runners from North to South Wales and requiring ascents adding up to twice the elevation of Mount Everest.
Benefits of booking with Let’s Do This
Tick
Best price guarantee

From our partners

Top Ultramarathons in the UK

Events that our community are currently loving

Tollymore Trail Marathon Events

Saturday, 11 Nov 2023

Tollymore Trail Marathon Events

Location

Newcastle, County Down

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon, 10k

Star4.5

(11 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £50
Heart
Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit – December

Sunday, 3 Dec 2023

Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit – December

Location

Chichester, West Sussex

Running

marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k, ultramarathon and more

Star4

(4 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £47
Heart
Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit - February

Sunday, 11 Feb 2024

Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit - February

Location

Chichester, West Sussex

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, ultramarathon and more

Star4.5

(204 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £47
Heart

Last minute start lines

No weekend plans? Look no further.

Races this weekend

Races this weekend

Races next weekend

Races next weekend

Discover something a little different

Add a little spice to your start line

Need more inspiration?

Collections of events from our community

[object Object]

Top rated for Great Atmosphere

[object Object]

Top rated for Amazing Scenery

app left
app right
Train, Chat, Cheer,
Share, Remember
ldt together
app store
google play

Popular UK Ultramarathons

Tollymore Trail Marathon Events

Saturday, 11 Nov 2023

Tollymore Trail Marathon Events

Location

Newcastle, County Down

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon, 10k

Star4.5

(11 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £50
Heart
Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit – December

Sunday, 3 Dec 2023

Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit – December

Location

Chichester, West Sussex

Running

marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k, ultramarathon and more

Star4

(4 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £47
Heart
Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit - February

Sunday, 11 Feb 2024

Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit - February

Location

Chichester, West Sussex

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, ultramarathon and more

Star4.5

(204 reviews)

Ticket£25 – £47
Heart
 TEC Lulworth Cove 2024

Saturday, 24 Feb 2024

TEC Lulworth Cove 2024

Location

West Lulworth, Dorset

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon, 10k

Star4.5

(208 reviews)

Ticket£33 – £68
Heart
TEC Lake District Challenge

Saturday, 20 Apr 2024

TEC Lake District Challenge

Location

Grange, Cumbria

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k and more

Ticket£33 – £80
Heart
Shires and Spires Event

Sunday, 12 May 2024

Shires and Spires Event

Location

Naseby, Northamptonshire

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon, 10k

Star4.5

(42 reviews)

Ticket£24 – £55
Heart
TEC Eryri The Crossing 2024

Saturday, 6 Jul 2024

TEC Eryri The Crossing 2024

Location

Rhyd-Ddu, Gwynedd

Running

ultramarathon, marathon, half marathon and more

Ticket£40 – £85
Heart
Ultra North 2024

Saturday, 13 Jul 2024

Ultra North 2024

Location

Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear

Running

ultramarathon and more

Star4.5

(123 reviews)

Ticket£40 – £70
Heart
Tittesworth Water 10k, Half Marathon and 50k July 2024

Sunday, 14 Jul 2024

Tittesworth Water 10k, Half Marathon and 50k July 2024

Location

Meerbrook, Leek, Staffordshire

Running

10k, half marathon, ultramarathon and more

Ticket£23.33 – £62
Heart
The Thames Challenge

Thursday, 8 Aug 2024

The Thames Challenge

Location

Kemble, Gloucestershire

Running

ultramarathon

Ticket£45 – £595
Heart
The Cotswold Ultra

Thursday, 8 Aug 2024

The Cotswold Ultra

Location

Kemble, Gloucestershire

Running

ultramarathon

Ticket£15 – £90
Heart
The Oxford Ultra

Friday, 9 Aug 2024

The Oxford Ultra

Location

Oxford, Oxfordshire

Running

ultramarathon

Star4

(3 reviews)

Ticket£15 – £90
Heart

Find Ultramarathons by month

When do you want to run?

About us

Let’s Do This is on a mission to help more people discover epic experiences than any other community on the planet. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly 5k fun run or an Ironman triathlon, we list more mass-participation sports events than any other website on the planet. Join the million plus people that have discovered their epic experiences through Let’s Do This.

The team

Other popular distances

The tried and true distances all runners love

About ultramarathons in the UK

Ultramarathons, or ultra runs, are endurance running races or treks beyond the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles (42.2k). The most common distances for ultra running are 50k, 100k, 50 miles, or 100 miles (aka centurion races). Ultras take place on roads or trails across the UK, and some last for 24 hours or multiple days. Some multi-day stage races are even self-sufficient, where runners must carry all of there equipment and provisions with them for the duration of the race.

What are the best UK ultra marathons?

The best attended ultramarathons in the UK are the Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones along the famous Ridgeway, with 2,500 participants, and the historic Thames Path Challenge, with 3,000 participants. The Ridgeway 40 is one of the best value ultramarathons in the UK. For the best scenic ultras, the Scottish Highlands and Snowdonia are popular areas for mountainous ultras, or for coastal routes, try out the Jurassic Coast and The Endurance Life Coastal Trail Series. The longest ultra race in the UK is the Monarch's Way Ultra, which covers 615-miles (990k) in the course of 14 days. There are many ultra marathon events across the UK to choose from, depending on your preferences. Check out our list of UK ultra marathons to find the best event for you.

How long should I train for an ultramarathon?

It is important to devote a significant amount of time and effort to training if you are wanting to complete an ultramarathon. Everybody has different levels of fitness and the race distances vary, so it is difficult to be precise with training plans. Most first-time ultrarunners will already have lots of running experience, so 6-10 weeks of specific training should get you ready for a 50k ultra. During your training, it is also important to get used to in-race nutrition and running on trails.

image
🇬🇧