January 2025: Over half of women (54%) say they’d be more likely to take on an ultramarathon event if they knew walking was an option, according to a new survey by the Threshold Trail Series. The survey, which polled over 1,000 active women, sheds light on key barriers to participation and what could help more women to embrace ultramarathons.

This year, the Threshold Trail Series, organisers of ultramarathons Race to the Stones and Race to the King, is on a mission to excite, empower, and engage 500+ women who have never taken part in an ultra before to join their events. The survey also showed that more than half (57%) of female runners suggest positive mental health is the main benefit of long-distance trail running events, which is why they aim to give more women the confidence and knowledge to tackle their first ultramarathon.

Threshold welcomes women to take part in their events as walkers, hikers, joggers, or runners. They provide dedicated training plans for walkers created by experienced ultramarathoner Claire Maxsted for their 50k and 100k distances, and make training as accessible and flexible as possible for women. Their events cater for all abilities by offering walker-friendly cut-off times and providing fully operational and stocked aid stations every 10k-15k for the duration of the event.

Penny Welch, CCO at Threshold Sports said: “In 2025, the Threshold Trail Series will continue to invest in female participation, with a focus on first-time ultra participants. We want to bust the myth that ultramarathons are only for elite runners. Our aim is for walkers, joggers and runners alike to cross the finish line, as the sense of achievement can be truly life changing. The survey results show us that our walker-friendly cut-off times, walking training plans and fully serviced aid stations all help first-timers tackle an ultra. We’re committed to championing this important topic, empowering even more women to take on greater distances so they too can realise the physical and mental health benefits of trail events.”

The survey highlighted additional physical and psychological barriers faced by women when stepping up from shorter distance events such as 5k, 10k or half marathons to ultramarathons (50k+). In the spirit of their mantra, ‘Ultras For All’, the Threshold Trail Series recognises these challenges and has implemented a series of key strategies to encourage first-time ultramarathon participation.

• Over 40% of women with children say lack of time and family commitments have prevented them from signing up for a running event in the past:

As many women have to train in the dark to fit things around family care commitments, the Threshold Trail Series is providing free head torches to the first 100 women that sign up to either their Race to the Stones or Race to the King events in January 2025.

• Over 40% of women say local connection would inspire them to train for an ultra:

To encourage peer-to-peer support and connect people who might not have a training network in their local area, Race to the Stones and Race to the King are listed on the Heylo platform to help facilitate the creation of female-led communities around the Trail Series events.

• Half of women (50%) want better nutritional advice to take on an ultra:

The Threshold Trail Series offers a series of free training webinars with professional athletes, running coaches and industry experts to discuss how to go about preparing your body for an ultramarathon including mastering food, hydration, and kit.

• 25% of women have safety concerns regarding running at night/in the dark:

The Threshold Trail Series gives you the option to hire a GPS tracker for the duration of the event to provide accurate location data, available online throughout the race for your friends and family to view. They also provide support to solo runners at night to help coordinate groups from pit stops and make sure you buddy up if you are on the route at night so you are not walking alone.

Ultra 50:50 2025 Challengers:

Throughout the year in the build-up to their Race to the King and Race to the Stones events, Threshold will be following and supporting ten remarkable women as they take on their first ultra next summer. Coming from a range of backgrounds and experience levels, each has a unique tale to tell about their own journey towards the finish line in the hope of inspiring other women. Find out more here.

Check out the Threshold Sports RIA Foundation Member profile here