North Wingfield, United Kingdom · Saturday, May 9, 2026

Fixed Distance 50K

Spire Ultra

Race completed

53 km Distance

1,130 m Climbing

4.3 Grit · Challenging

53.1822° N, 1.3890° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 21 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 9 hours 10:11 min/km average. Tight. Sustained running. Long aid-station stops will cost you. Tighter than 77% of 50K races. Measured against 1058 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~86 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2021 edition (34mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daytime high 16°C

Night low 7°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 15 h 27 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for May — NASA POWER, grid elevation 112 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2021	34mi	86	Julian Hood · 04:16:05	Christine Howard · 05:48:09
2020	34mi	62	Kevin Hoult · 04:31:31	Megan Elliott · 06:09:03
2019	34mi	64	Kevin Hoult · 04:30:42	Karen Nash · 05:57:37
2018	34mi	38	Chris Shelton · 04:46:24	Emma Staniland · 07:25:57

The field grew 39% between 2020 (62) and 2021 (86). 24% of the 2021 field were women.

DUV results for the 2021 edition (34mi) — 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 rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.
gear With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

Gear for this race

Chosen for 53 km of trail with 1,130 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 21 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 53 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 1,130 m of ascent to walk up.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 53 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Adidas

Terrex Speed Ultra

RunRepeat found the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra to have a grippy outsole and great lockdown, while iRunFar noted that the shoe works on a variety of trail conditi…

★★★★★ 4.5

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

Skratch Labs

Sport Hydration Mix

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

$20 ★★★★★ 4.5

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

LEKI

Ultratrail FX.One

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

$200 ★★★★★ 4.6

Suunto

Vertical

Titanium GPS watch with solar charging, offline maps, and 140-hour GPS battery.

$630 ★★★★★ 4.5

All gear guides →

Overview

The Spire Ultra was a 53-kilometer trail race that took place in North Wingfield, United Kingdom, organised by First Light Active. It was held annually in May from 2018 to 2021, with four editions run in total. The race had 1130 meters of elevation gain, giving it 21 meters of climb per kilometer.

With 86 finishers in its last edition, the Spire Ultra had a field bigger than 75% of 50k races, but smaller than 25%. The 9-hour time limit was tighter than 77% of 50k cut-offs, allowing a pace of 10.2 minutes per kilometer. The entry fee was £34-36.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.