Currently, just one third of UK ultra runners are female. Since 2020, female participation in all distances has declined by 10%, with ultra running being the most significant. 24% fewer women are taking part in ultra marathons, compared to participation in shorter 5K events.
These are all stats that we hate to share, but it’s so important that we do. We know that not every woman wants to be an ultra runner. But we do know that declining participation numbers across all distances means that there are new barriers to women doing what they love – and we need to tackle them.
Luckily, we’re not alone. Race organisers, campaign groups and the female running community are coming together to address the challenges preventing women from taking part.
Threshold Sports has launched one such campaign for 2024. You’ve almost certainly heard of them already. They’re behind the Threshold Trail Series, which features two of the largest and best-known ultra races in the UK: Race to the King and Race to the Stones. Since 2013, Threshold have consistently welcomed a higher proportion of women than the industry standard. But for them, this isn’t enough. Their new initiative, Ultra 50:50, endeavours to achieve gender parity. They also want to set new industry standards to inspire,…
