Race Date: Saturday 12th April 2025

Last April, having just completed my first half, I was sat contemplating whether that was it or if I was going to step up to longer distances. I decided a road marathon was not for me and that I wanted some hills and adventure which led me to browsing ultramarathons. I came across the SHEUltra, which had just had its first race in 2024. The tag line “no cut offs, just smiles” instantly drew me in and the more I read the more I liked the idea. 400 women ran the first race around the beautiful Llŷn peninsula in North Wales and they were set to increase the participants significantly this year to 1350. I signed up and began the daunting but exciting process of training for something that I had no idea if I was capable of completing.

I arrived in Abersoch with three generations of my family 3 days before the race, which meant that I was able to attend the SHEUltra charity fundraiser social run. I met Huw, the organiser, and Olympian Liz McColgan, who is the SHEUltra ambassador. The whole event is to raise funds for women’s cancer charities with the total raised to date being an amazing £58000. I was so struck by the how welcoming, friendly and positive everyone involved in the race was. It really felt like I was part of something amazing.

Race day arrived and I was stood on Abersoch beach at 6:30am to witness the most beautiful sunrise and I couldn’t have been more excited to get going. We set off across the golf course and on to the Coast Path where we ran the first tough but scenic 10km before heading inland.

The first aid station was at the 16km mark in the barn of a working farm. The standard of this and the other three aid stations was incredible. There was a full buffet with everything you could possibly want to eat during a race including pigs in blankets!

The route then took you inland through the village of Botwnnog, with an aid station and toilets in the local school, and on towards Garnfadryn, a mountain that you luckily just run round the back of rather than go over.

After another water station at around 27km and a cheer from my family to spur me on, I was off back along the Mariner’s Trail towards the coast at Abersoch. The next 10km was undulating across farmland and trails and included another aid station where I tended to a couple of blisters on my toes and ate sandwiches, salted potatoes and watermelon.

Once I hit the coast at around 37km, I headed along the beach towards Pwllheli. Running and even walking on the sand proved challenging with that many miles already in the legs but everyone on the beach was supportive and before I knew it I was at the Llanbedrog headland at 43km. This is a 130m ascent up a set of steep steps and then a steep road down the other side to the last aid station.

With that done, I carried on along the coast path and was incredibly surprised to find that I was still running. I had been waiting for the point where my legs failed all day but it just didn’t come, so I found myself running towards the finish line in the main square in Pwllheli with a massive smile on my face. My only aim in terms of time was to finish before it got dark, which I managed with hours to spare, so I was absolutely thrilled!

I loved my first ultramarathon experience and I would encourage any women who are thinking about taking the step up to ultra to consider the SHEUltra. Everything about it from the organisation, to the route, to the aid stations and the support from the locals was incredible. I’m already thinking about my next adventure.

Striders results: