This weekend, ultra running has three major trail running events to follow, all of which draw elite fields across the UK and Europe.
Starting the action is the South Downs Way 100 and 50km, a World Trail Majors race and the 2026 British Trail Running Championships (Ultra Distance), while the Montane Summer Spine Race returns to the Pennine Way and Italy’s Dolomiti Extreme Trail celebrates another year of world-class mountain racing.
Centurion Running South Downs Way
Around 1,000 runners from more than 30 countries are expected to compete across the 100-mile and 50km races, with the 100-mile event serving as the British Trail Running Championships (Ultra Distance).
The South Downs Way 100 follows the entire National Trail from Winchester to Eastbourne, covering 100 miles and approximately 13,000 feet of climbing. First held in its current format in 2012, the race traces one of Britain’s oldest pathways, with sections of the route having been used for more than 8,000 years.
The women’s 100-mile race features one of the strongest fields assembled in the event’s history. British hopes rest with World 24-Hour Record Holder Sarah Webster, former Lakeland 100 and Dragon’s Back Race winner Robyn Cassidy, and Imo Boddy, who recently set a course record at the LA to LV Speed Project.
They face formidable international opposition from France’s Maryline Nakache, a three-time Marathon des Sables champion, and American ultrarunning star Nicole Bitter.
The men’s race is equally competitive. Hugh Tibbs arrives after victory at this year’s Arc of Attrition and having twice finished runner-up at South Downs Way. He will face strong challenges from Simon Withers, Henry Hart, Joseph Turner and South Downs Way 50 winner Matt Hammerton.
The 50km races have also attracted impressive international talent. Spain’s Antonio Martinez, the reigning Transgrancanaria Marathon champion and former World Skyrunning Champion, starts as one of the favourites in the men’s race, while fellow Spaniard Nuria Gil leads the women’s field after her runner-up finish at Transgrancanaria earlier this year.
British contenders include Rebecca Bunting, Nicole Funnell, Karla Borland, Peter Le Grice and Thomas Almond, the latter making his trail racing debut following success on the roads and at 100km. The South Downs Way 100 forms part of the 2026 World Trail Majors Series and remains one of the UK’s premier ultra-distance trail races. The course records stand at 13:42 by Mark Darbyshire and 16:30 by Lucy Gossage.
Tracking – SDW100
Tracking – SDW50
Montane Summer Spine
Further north, the Montane Summer Spine Race once again brings runners to Britain’s most iconic long-distance trail.
The event follows the 268-mile Pennine Way National Trail and is widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance races in the UK. Alongside the full Summer Spine, the weekend programme includes the Challenger North and South races and the Sprint North and South events.
Among those entered into the full Summer Spine are Anna Troup, returning to defend her title from last year and Jon Shield, who hopes this year will turn into a better race than 2025 when he struggled with feet issues post Cape Wrath.
While the winter edition often grabs the headlines because of its brutal weather, the summer version presents its own challenges. Long hours of exposure, navigation, sleep deprivation and relentless terrain ensure that finishing remains a significant achievement regardless of the season.
The Challenger and Sprint races are also expected to produce highly competitive racing, with hundreds of runners taking on shorter sections of the Pennine Way as part of one of Britain’s most distinctive endurance events.
Tracking for The Spine Race
Dolomiti Extreme Trail
In northern Italy, the Dolomiti Extreme Trail (DXT) returns to Val di Zoldo from 12–14 June, attracting runners from around the world to one of Europe’s most spectacular mountain running venues.
Since its first edition in 2013, DXT has grown into one of Italy’s premier trail running festivals. The event now features seven race distances ranging from 11km to the flagship 103km Ronda delle Cime, which circumnavigates the mountains surrounding Val di Zoldo in the UNESCO-listed Dolomites.
The event is renowned for its highly technical terrain, steep climbs and dramatic mountain scenery. The course is one of the most challenging and rewarding mountain races in Europe, with technical descents and exposed alpine trails adding to the challenge.
Elite fields across the longer distances are expected to feature some of Italy’s strongest mountain runners alongside international contenders. The 103km and 72km races traditionally provide the weekend’s headline battles, while the shorter races attract specialists looking to test themselves on some of the most demanding terrain in the Alps.
This year’s event also follows the successful launch of the Dolomiti Women’s Trail, the organisers’ women-only race initiative that has helped broaden participation and strengthen female representation within mountain running. The project was widely welcomed across the trail running community and highlights the event’s commitment to developing opportunities for women in the sport.
Tracking for DXT
A Weekend of Dot Watching
From the chalk ridges of southern England, to the wild Pennines of northern England and the towering Dolomite peaks, the coming weekend offers an exciting showcase of trail and ultrarunning.
Sources: Centurion Running, The Spine Race, Dolomiti Extreme
All photos courtesy of Centurion Running
