High Peak Running BLOG

A Brief History of the Race The Three Peaks Race — often called “the marathon with mountains”  — has been a cornerstone of British fell running since 1954. Starting and finishing in the beautiful village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the race takes in the Yorkshire Dales’ three highest peaks: Pen-y-Ghent (694 m) Whernside (736 m) Ingleborough (723 m) Over the years, the course has evolved in length and terrain but remains roughly 24 miles with around 1,600 m of ascent. It’s a t

Returning to running after having a baby? Learn why rushing back can be risky, and discover a safe 6-18 month postpartum running plan to rebuild strength, protect your pelvic floor, and return to training safely.

1. Race Overview & Context What is the OCC? OCC is one of the Finals races in the UTMB World Series. It is essentially the “shorter ultra” (mid-distance ultra) final, sitting between the lottery-accessible 20 km and the longer CCC / UTMB races. montblanc.utmb.world +1 For 2026, OCC is listed as ~57 km with ~3,500 m of positive elevation gain. The maximal allowed race time is long (~ 14h 30m as of the 2026 edition) to account for technical terrain, weather, and altitude effect

Returning to running after a long hiatus can feel daunting. Whether your break was due to injury, life changes, burnout, or simply losing motivation, the good news is: you can come back—and maybe even stronger than before. But doing it smartly matters. Below is a guide to help you do that safely, sustainably, and with joy. Understanding What Happens During a Break Before diving into tips, it helps to know what your body may have lost (and retained) during time off: VO₂max (a

Some incredible achievements continue to come from endurance athletes across the UK (and globally) — people like Philip Sesemann , Tom Evans , Sarah Perry , Alex Yee (and many others) are pushing boundaries. But behind every breakthrough performance lies years of disciplined training, intelligent planning, and gradual progression. Here’s a more modern, detailed take on foundational training principles — plus practical examples and tips you can apply to your own running journe

Introduction Brennan Townshend, a former professional road cyclist who raced for teams such as Raleigh  and Madison Genesis , is now one of the UK’s leading mountain, fell, and trail runners. Drawing on his unique background in both sports, Brennan explains how adding cycling to a running training plan can help runners improve performance, recover faster, and stay injury-free. Why Runners Should Consider Cycling Runners are always looking for ways to boost speed, strength, an