Ultra Challenge: The UK's Most Inclusive Ultra Series, A Review & Complete Guide
- 2 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
By Andy Hood, ultra runner, cancer survivor, and a two-time London2Brighton finisher who can't stop recommending these events.
If you've spent any time on this site, you'll know I write from lived experience. So before I tell you about the company, the stats and the calendar, let me tell you why I'm writing this at all: my first ever ultra was a London2Brighton 100K run by Ultra Challenge, and it was more perfect than I'd ever imagined. I've been singing their praises ever since.
Consider this your honest Ultra Challenge review: an overview of who they are, what they run, where and when, and crucially, why I think they're the single best place to take on your first big challenge, whether you plan to walk it, jog it, or run every step.
"What carried me through 100K wasn't my strategy, it was the people. That's the Ultra Challenge signature, and it's why I keep coming back."
What's in this guide
Who are Ultra Challenge?
Ultra Challenge are based in Woolwich, London, and they've been doing this for a long time. The company started life as Action Challenge Ltd, organising challenge events across the UK, Europe and worldwide for around 25 years. That original company is now Ultra Challenge Ltd and focuses on the UK series of endurance events we know and love today.
The series we recognise today was brought to life by Julian Risley, who joined Action Challenge back in 2008. What began as a single bespoke night-time charity cycle from London to Brighton sparked a much bigger idea: open these challenges to the public, give ordinary people the chance to go the distance for a cause they care about, and put proper resources behind supporting them on the day. By 2012 the public series was up and running, and it has grown every year since.
That heritage matters. London2Brighton, the "original" Ultra Challenge and still the flagship, is now well over a decade old, and you can feel that experience in how smoothly everything runs.
The headline numbers
Ultra Challenge has scaled into the UK's biggest series of treks and trail challenges. Here's the scale of it:
~40,000 participants are expected to take on an Ultra Challenge in 2026, spanning a huge range of ages and fitness levels.
20 events across the 2026 series.
£12 million projected to be raised for UK charities in 2026 alone, with £11m+ raised through the series most years.
Over £30 million raised for charity across the life of the series so far.
Distances from a 10K taster right up to a 100K weekend epic, with 25K, ~50K and marathon options on most events.
These aren't races in the cut-throat sense. They're fully supported challenges, with signed routes, regular rest stops with food and drink, medics, baggage transfers, camping options and finish-line celebrations. The support and hospitality genuinely set the standard for UK endurance events.
Have you entered an Ultra Challenge event?
Yes
No
The bit that matters most: inclusivity
This is the heart of why I recommend Ultra Challenge to anyone, and why I wanted to write this piece.
Their tagline says it best: most will walk, some will jog, a few will run; but all are going that extra mile for their own cause. Your challenge, your way. Events are deliberately open to everyone: fast runners, casual runners, joggers, walkers and a huge number of complete first-timers. On the 100K you'll find someone chasing a competitive time on the same start line as someone walking it over two days with a camping stop at halfway.
That mix creates something special. This isn't the world of hyper-competitive runners who can look down on those of us who are slower (and I say that from experience). Ultra Challengers, as you'll quickly find yourself being affectionately called, are among the most thoughtful, kind and supportive people you'll meet anywhere. The crew and Trek Masters set the gold standard for looking after participants, and it's little wonder so many people come back year after year and form lasting friendships.
For 2026 there's even more choice across the ability spectrum: the Ultra March® category for walkers aiming to cover 100K in under 24 hours (or 50K in under 12), and the new Ultra Trailblazerz® category for faster, competitive runners with one eye on the clock. Whoever you are, there's a way in.
If you've been telling yourself an ultra is "not for someone like me", this is the series that proves otherwise.
My own experience: two events, two very different days
London2Brighton 100K, the one that started it all. This was my first ultra after being diagnosed with cancer. As I recovered from the operation and went through chemotherapy, I made a decision: to rebuild stronger and step up from marathon to ultra distance, with one overriding purpose, to support others going through cancer by fundraising and raising awareness. London2Brighton was where that new chapter began.
I chose the classic for my first ultra: 100K capital to coast, out of Richmond-upon-Thames, over the North Downs, across Surrey and Sussex countryside to the halfway point at Tulley's Farm, then up and over the South Downs to that glorious first sight of Brighton Racecourse on the hill. I'd cycled London to Brighton years earlier with my Dad on the British Heart Foundation ride; this time I ran it, every kilometre. 2023 gave me everything I want from an ultra, a point-to-point route, warm weather, superb organisation, friendly people, encouraging fellow participants, and I waxed lyrical about it in my race report at the time.
So in 2024 I went back, fully aware of the risk that returning to something near-perfect can rob you of the memory. I needn't have worried. I came in over-trained on tired legs (a 24-hour treadmill run and a string of 50K efforts in the bank), got my fuelling badly wrong, too fast early, a carb deficit by 40K, missed salt tabs, and a now-legendary error involving Deep Heat and a toilet stop that I'll spare you the details of, and still ran it quicker than the year before. What carried me through wasn't my strategy; it was the people. Emily and Niki at the bag drop, Beth the newly-qualified children's cancer nurse I ran miles with, Dan heading off to cycle Land's End to John o' Groats, a mum and her daughters handing out jelly babies and ice-cold water near Outwood, the ladies holding "Embrace the Chafe" signs, and Michelle the Trek Master General with a hug at halfway.
I run carrying the printed names of people whose lives have been touched by cancer on my pack, and at every kilometre marker on that brutal back half I reached back, touched the sign, and told them we'd done another one together. That's London2Brighton. It remains one of my favourite ultras of the year, and I'll be back.
North Downs 50, a hometown return. A completely different beast: 32°C of baked, dusty, chocolate-fuelled madness through the Surrey Hills, a scenic loop starting and finishing at the Guildford sports ground.
I grew up not far from there, so this one came with a stay at my parents' house and the rare treat of crossing the line to my own family cheering, my parents, one of our sons and his girlfriend (my Dad, naturally, commented on how "fresh" I looked). The route ran out via Newlands Corner through rooty woodland towards Dorking and back via villages like Chilworth on firm, dry trails, though the tarmac radiated heat like a medieval torture device, and one of the fields we crossed actually caught fire the next day. Freddos at the rest stops, a gloriously cooling water-gun dousing at halfway, and the day my new "Testicular cancer survivor / Check ya balls" shorts made their debut, which drew plenty of "I love your bum!" shouts and, more importantly, a conversation with a fellow finisher who'd had testicular cancer years before. If those shorts spark one check, it's a win.
When a runner went down in the woods ahead of me, I stopped, got him up, checked his fluids and handed over some wet wipes for a cut before carrying on. In ultra running we really are in it together.
Two things were constant across both: the support was life-saving, and the community was everything. That's the Ultra Challenge signature.
A note on how I train
I'll be honest about my preparation too, because it matters. These days I train with Runna, and the app has been genuinely instrumental in my running, first in rebuilding after cancer, and again more recently after surgery. The personalised plans take the guesswork out of a training block: for the North Downs 50, my Runna programme had even scheduled a 32-mile long run on the exact day of the event, which slotted the ultra perfectly into my build-up for the Tour du Mont Blanc. (My fuelling that day, Maurten Drink Mix 160 topped up with Precision Hydration's PF90 gel, around 70 to 80g of carbs an hour, held off the cramp until 40K, which a quick curb-side stretch sorted. The L2B fuelling fiasco was entirely my own doing, not the plan's!)
Reader exclusive: if you fancy trying it, I've sorted a reader offer of 2 weeks of Runna Premium free, double the usual trial length. Just download the app and enter code ANDY2, or use this link: web.runna.com/redeem?code=ANDY2. Set it up, lace up, and enjoy the miles.
Every Ultra Challenge event: when and where (2026/2027)
Here's the full series in calendar order. Most events offer 100K / ~50K / 25K options (often plus a 10K or marathon), and almost all can be walked, jogged or run. Dates shown are the next confirmed editions; spring events roll into the following year's calendar.
Event | Next date | Where | Distances |
London Winter Walk | 30 to 31 Jan 2027 | Central London | 25K / ~12K |
Bath 50 | 20 Mar 2027 | Bath, Somerset | 50K / 25K |
Windsor 50 (Easter Challenge) | 17 Apr 2027 | Windsor, Berkshire | 50K / 25K |
Isle of Wight Challenge | 1 to 2 May 2027 | Isle of Wight coastal path | 106K / ~50K / 25K |
Jurassic Coast Challenge | 15 to 16 May 2027 | Dorset (Corfe Castle to Bridport) | 100K / 75K / ~50K / 25K + marathon |
London 2 Brighton | 29 to 30 May 2027 | Richmond to Brighton | 100K / ~50K / 25K + Sussex marathon |
Lake District Challenge | 6 to 7 Jun 2026 | Kendal & Windermere, Cumbria | 100K / ~50K / 25K + marathon / 10K |
Cotswold Way Challenge | 13 to 14 Jun 2026 | Cirencester, Cotswolds | 100K / 75K / ~50K / 25K / 10K |
North Yorks Challenge | 20 to 21 Jun 2026 | North Yorkshire | 100K / ~50K / 25K |
Peak District Challenge | 4 to 5 Jul 2026 | Peak District, Derbyshire | 100K / ~50K / 25K |
Gower Peninsula Challenge | 18 to 19 Jul 2026 | Gower, South Wales | 100K / ~50K / 25K |
South West Coast 50 | 25 Jul 2026 | South Devon coast | ~50K / 25K |
North Downs 50 | 1 Aug 2026 | Guildford & the Surrey Hills | ~50K / 25K |
London Summer Walk | 22 Aug 2026 | Central London | 25K / ~12K |
South Coast Challenge | 5 to 6 Sep 2026 | Sussex coast (Eastbourne / Seven Sisters) | 100K / ~50K / 25K + marathon |
Thames Moonlight 10 | 11 Sep 2026 (Fri night) | Central London | 10 miles |
Thames Path Challenge | 12 to 13 Sep 2026 | Putney to Henley | 100K / ~50K / 25K |
Thames Bridges Trek | 12 Sep 2026 | Central London | 25K |
Henley 10K | 13 Sep 2026 | Henley-on-Thames | 10K |
Chiltern 50 | 26 Sep 2026 | The Chilterns | ~50K / 25K |
Kent Downs 50 | 10 Oct 2026 | Kent Downs | ~50K / 25K |
Halloween Walk | 31 Oct | Central London | 25K / ~12K |
Distances are approximate and vary slightly by event, so always check the official event page for the exact route options, the daylight/two-day versions, and camping and transfer packages.
Choosing a cause: the charity side
A huge part of what Ultra Challenge is about is fundraising, and the choice here is enormous. You can fundraise for:
Series Partners, major national charities, with 50% off standard registration fees.
Around 70 Associate Partners, with 25% off charity registration fees.
600+ other listed charities you can support, set up via a JustGiving page.
The breadth of causes is genuinely something. Across the categories you'll find the likes of Cancer Research UK, Macmillan, Marie Curie, Prostate Cancer UK and Teenage Cancer Trust; children's charities including NSPCC, Great Ormond Street and Barnardo's; mental health charities such as Mind, Samaritans and CALM; British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, Alzheimer's Society, the MS Society; animal charities like Dogs Trust, RSPCA and Battersea; dozens of hospices; military charities including SSAFA and Combat Stress; and many more.
There are three ways to take part depending on how much you want to fundraise: full sponsorship (low reg fee, the charity covers your place in return for fundraising), mixed funding (you split the cost), or your own place (you pay in full and fundraise with no targets). Whatever fits your situation, there's a route in.
As someone who has raised over £27,000 for cancer charities through running, I can tell you the fundraising side adds a whole extra layer of meaning to crossing that finish line.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to run it? I'm more of a walker. Not at all, and this is the whole point. Most participants walk, plenty jog, and a smaller number run. On the 100K events there's a generous time allowance and a two-day option with an overnight camp at halfway, so you can take it at a steady walking pace and still finish with your medal. There's even a dedicated Ultra March® category for walkers who want to power through.
I've never done anything like this. Is it really beginner-friendly? Yes. Ultra Challenge attracts a huge number of first-timers every year, and the whole set-up is built around supporting you, with signed routes, regular rest stops, medics, and crew who genuinely want you to finish. Start with a 25K, build up to a half (~50K) or a full 100K when you're ready. You don't need to be fast or experienced; you need to be willing to keep moving.
What distances can I choose from? Depending on the event: 10K tasters, 25K quarters, ~50K halves, 75K three-quarter options on some, and the full 100K (106K on the Isle of Wight). Several events also offer a marathon-distance option. You can usually change your distance before the day if your training tells you to.
Is it a race? Will I be last? It's a challenge, not a race in the cut-throat sense. There's a category for competitive runners (Ultra Trailblazerz®) if you want to push the clock, but the atmosphere is overwhelmingly supportive rather than competitive, and there's always a "tail" team at the back so nobody is ever left alone out on the course.
What's included, and what's the support like? Fully signed routes, staffed rest stops with food and drink, medics and physios, baggage transfers between basecamps, and a finish-line celebration with a medal and t-shirt. Camping packages, parking and shuttle transfers are available on most events. The hospitality is, in my experience, the best of any UK endurance series.
Do I have to fundraise for charity? No, you can pay your own way and simply take on the challenge. But if you want to fundraise, you can choose from 600+ charities, and Series or Associate Partner charities come with discounted registration fees in exchange for a fundraising target. There are flexible options depending on how much you want to raise.
How should I train? Build your long runs (or long walks) progressively, get used to time on your feet, and practise your fuelling and footwear before the day. Never try anything new at the event itself (learn from my Deep Heat and electrolyte mishaps!). I use a Runna plan to structure my blocks; readers can grab 2 weeks of Premium free with code ANDY2.
When do entries open and do they sell out? The flagship events, especially London2Brighton, are popular and the best-value early-bird places do go early, so it's worth booking ahead once the calendar is live. Always check the official event page for the current date, options and pricing, and have a look at the sign-up and fundraising options before you commit.
The verdict: my honest Ultra Challenge review
So, should you do one? In a word, yes. If you're standing on the fence wondering whether an ultra, or even a 25K challenge walk, is for you, this is the series I'd point you to first. The routes are stunning, the support is unmatched, the distances scale to whatever you're ready for, and the people are the kindest you'll meet on any start line. You can walk it, jog it, or run it. You can do it solo, with friends, or as a corporate team. And you can do it for a cause that means something to you.
Pick an event from the table, choose a distance that excites and slightly scares you, find your charity, and go that extra mile. If you want a training plan to get you there, my Runna reader offer above will set you up.
Lace up. I'll see you out there.
— Andy
Useful links
Further reading
If you enjoyed this, here are a few more of my posts worth a look:
North Downs 50: sweaty smiles and family cheers — my full ND50 race report.
London2Brighton 2024: being over-trained — the year I went back on tired legs and still loved every mile.
Race report: London2Brighton 2023 — where my ultra journey with this series began.
It takes a minute: testicular cancer and you — the post closest to my heart, and the reason behind the "Check ya balls" message.
My completed ultras and the rest of the blog — for more routes, reviews and honest write-ups.
About the author
Andy Hood is an ultra runner, testicular cancer survivor, and the voice behind Running Westward Ho!, where he shares race reports, training honesty (mishaps and all), and a healthy dose of encouragement for anyone wondering whether they could go the distance.
His running is about more than miles. A cancer survivor himself, Andy runs carrying the printed names of people whose lives have been touched by cancer on his pack, and he's raised over £27,000 for cancer charities along the way. If his "Check ya balls" shorts and the conversations they start save even one life, that's a bigger win than any finish time. (Not sure how? Read It takes a minute: testicular cancer and you. It really does take just a minute, and it matters.)
He trains with Runna and is proud to offer readers an exclusive 2 weeks of Runna Premium free, double the usual trial. Just download the app and use code ANDY2, or follow this link.
You'll usually find him chasing the next start line, somewhere between a steady walk and a stubborn run. Whatever pace you go at, he reckons you're a runner too. Lace up and say hello out there.
Article includes affliate links/codes, I may receive a commision if you buy products/services from any of the companies, at no cost to you. This goes to support the running of this blog, the interesting articles and my charity fundraising with over £27,000 raised to date.
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