Ultra X Spring Trail Series 50K Ultra Marathon

Ultra X Spring Trail Series - 50km Ultramarathon

The Ultra X Spring Trail Series 50km is one of the UK's most popular and accessible ultra marathons, and for good reason. This event is a perfect introduction for those new to ultrarunning, but it's also a fantastic day out for experienced runners wanting to stretch their legs on a fast, runnable course.

Set in the beautiful South Downs National Park, the race starts and finishes at the Cowdray Estate, which makes for a brilliant event hub. One of the best things about this race is that all the logistics are in one place, you park at the start/finish village, so there's no messing about with buses or complicated travel on race morning.

Course

The Spring Trail Series 50km ultra takes you along the famous Serpent Trail, which winds its way through some gorgeous scenery. You'll pass through classic southern English landscapes: woodlands, lowland heaths, and gentle greensand hills.

This is a very runnable course. The organisers give it a 1/5 for technicality, so you can expect well-maintained trails where you can really get into your stride. While there's elevation, there's nothing overly steep or technical to worry about. The course is fully marked, letting you focus on your running and the views.

The 50km event typically starts mid-morning (around 9 am), creating a great buzz as runners for the shorter distances join the ultra runners already out on the course.

Ultra X events are known for being incredibly supportive and friendly, and this one is no different. The cut-off times are famously generous, on average you get over two hours for every 10km section. It's a fully marked course with well-stocked aid stations and it's also a UTMB World Series indexed race (50K category).

If you're looking for your first 50km ultra, or just want a top-quality, runnable, and friendly ultra to kick off your season, this one is a must-do. For full details and, info, visit the official Ultra X website.