My ultra running history

Rather than race, I enjoy running un/self-supported trail and urban ultras on my own. They are usually the result of a momentary random fixation on a challenge or destination and the run usually happens within a few days of getting the idea :)

This running style is predicated on long, off-trail runs in the Alaska Range that filled the summer months of my 20s and came before I ever thought to buy a GPS watch to track them. Most were done alone, usually alongside fieldwork, but I participated in a few events and races during this time, including: AlaskaCross 100 mile wilderness race in 2015, White Mountains 100 (skiing) x2 finishes in 2011 and 2014, Iditasport (225 mile human-powered race on the Iditarod Trail, skiing, 2015, sctatched at mile 51 Yentna Station, only career DNF), the inaugural Drew’s Angel Creek 50 Miler in 2015, Yukon River Trail Marathon in Whitehorse Yukon Territory Canada x3 finishes (2010, 2014 and 2015), and 9 consecutive Equninox Marathon finishes from 2007 to 2015, before moving to The UK for graduate school.

Since leaving Alaska, and buying my first GPS watch, I’ve run a steady volume of self-supported trail and urban ultras with a special love for “My front door to ___” routes with public transportation back home. Here are some of my favorites:

Tynemouth to Haltwhistle via Hadrian’s Wall (87 km), May 2016 (just before getting my first Garmin) Joshua Tree Traverse (57 km, 1200 m d+), December 2016
Front door (Gateshead) to Seaham (45 km), February 2017, July 2017
Front door (Gateshead) to Durham (50 km), July 2017
Unsupported Bob Graham Round attempt (70 km, 5000 m d+) August 2018
Gran Canaria running and climbing holiday (9 days, sum 170 km, 7100 m d+) December 2018
Self-supported run across the Alps (France, Switzerland and Italy; 8 days [2 rest/storm days], 300 km, 15000 m d+), August 2019 Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8
The perimeter of Manhattan Island, night running into the new year (52 km), December 31, 2019
Run across New Jersey, Atlantic Ocean to Pennsylvania (76 km) September 2020
Front door (Bradley Beach) to Manhattan (90-100 km), October 2020 Leg 1, Leg 2, Leg 3; and again November 2021
Delaware-Raritan Canal Trail (111 km) April 2021, FKT
Front door (Bradley Beach) to Princeton (73 km) November 2021

Road PR/PBs:
2:48 marathon, Zürich Marathon, 2019
17:08 5k, Newcastle upon Tyne Town Moor Parkrun, 2017