Winter Railway Ultramarathon

The Winter Railway Ultra Marathon

Organised by How Hard Can It Be Events, the Winter Railway Ultra brings a seasonal twist to a popular Shropshire trail route. Set along the historic banks of the River Severn, this event offers a flat, multi-distance format that provides a reliable winter endurance challenge.

Serving as the cold-weather counterpart to the summer Railway Ultra, this event uses the exact same accessible course but asks runners to tackle it in February conditions. With a 37-mile ultramarathon as the longest distance on offer, it is an excellent event for keeping your mileage high and your motivation strong during the darker, colder months of the off-season.

Course

The course trades technical mountain climbs for continuous, flat running along a historic route between Ironbridge and Bridgnorth.

• The Terrain: The race follows a disused railway line tracing the River Severn. The underfoot conditions consist primarily of hard-packed dirt tracks and gravel. However, during the winter months, runners should expect sections of mud, standing water, and softer ground, making a trail shoe with moderate grip a safer bet than standard road shoes.
• The Lapped Format: The course operates on a lap system, with each out-and-back lap measuring exactly 9.4 miles. To reach the 37-mile ultra distance, participants will complete four laps of this stretch.
• The Winter Element: Running beside a large river in winter means participants are exposed to cold winds and damp conditions. The out-and-back format, however, ensures you regularly see other runners, creating a highly social and encouraging atmosphere that helps combat the winter chill.

There's an aid station positioned every 4.7 miles along the route to keep your energy up in the cold, and the event operates a generous 7-hour cut-off time.

Finding the motivation to run long distances in the middle of winter can be difficult. The Winter Railway Ultra provides a structured, highly supported environment to get those miles in. The flat, predictable terrain allows you to focus purely on your pacing without worrying about technical navigation or massive elevation changes in bad weather. Because it shares the day with shorter distance options, it is also a great event to travel to with club mates who might be looking for a winter half-marathon or 9-mile training run. For full race info and registration details, please visit the official race website.