Kidsgrove, United Kingdom · Sunday, September 13, 2026

Fixed Distance 50K

Gritstone Grind 34 Miles

Race completed

55 km Distance

5,300 m Climbing

10.0 Grit · Elite / extreme

53.0869° N, 2.2378° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 96 m / km Vertical. Extreme verticality. This is a technical mountain course with sustained steep grades.

Time limit 12 hours 13:05 min/km average. Comfortable. Sustained running. Long aid-station stops will cost you. More forgiving than 62% of 50K races. Measured against 1046 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~119 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2020 edition (35mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, September

Daytime high 17°C

Night low 9°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 12 h 55 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for September — NASA POWER, grid elevation 132 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2020	35mi	119	Peter Bray · 04:40:05	Michelle Buckle · 05:51:50
2019	35mi	158	Mark Burley · 05:08:16	Ingrid Storm · 06:39:18
2018	35mi	152	Alex Mason · 05:38:26	Kathleen O'Donnell · 06:29:32
2017	35mi	157	Charlie Sharpe · 04:54:55	Tracey Brown · 06:20:01
2016	35mi	91	James Savage · 05:23:02	Patricia van Rooyen · 06:44:11
2014	32mi	67	Charlie Sharpe · 05:01:33	Diane Mitson · 06:36:02
2013	35mi	53	Anthony Bethell · 05:16:05	Jo Mayland · 06:57:03

The field shrank 25% between 2019 (158) and 2020 (119). 24% of the 2020 field were women.

DUV results for the 2020 edition (35mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Course notes

terrain This is a vertical course. Poles are highly recommended for the sustained climbs.
gear With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

Gear for this race

Chosen for 55 km of trail with 5,300 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 96 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 55 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 5,300 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps A 12 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Salomon

Sense Ride 5

RunRepeat found the Salomon Sense Ride 5 to have immaculate lockdown and a smooth and stable ride, making it confident on moderate trails and steep downhills. I…

★★★★★ 4.5

New Balance

Fuel Cell Super Comp Trail

★★★★★ 4.5

Skratch Labs

Sport Hydration Mix

Clean electrolyte drink mix with real fruit flavor. Low sugar.

$20 ★★★★★ 4.5

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

LEKI

Ultratrail FX.One

Ultra-light carbon folding poles (135g each) designed for mountain ultra racing.

$200 ★★★★★ 4.6

Petzl

NAO RL

1500-lumen reactive lighting headlamp with 15-hour runtime. Automatic brightness adjustment.

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Overview

The Gritstone Grind 34 Miles is a 55-kilometer trail race in Kidsgrove, United Kingdom, with 5300 meters of elevation gain, making it a demanding event with 96 meters of climb per kilometer. This places it among the steeper 50k races.

With a 12-hour time limit, the 13.1 minutes per kilometer cut-off pace is more generous than 38% of comparable 50k races, offering more time on course than many peers. The race has seen up to 119 finishers in its latest edition.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.