Yellow Belly Summer 50

Race completed

80 km Distance

1,370 m Climbing

6.1 Grit · Hardcore

53.5103° N, 0.2263° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 17 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 18 hours 13:30 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. More forgiving than 78% of 50 mi races. Measured against 474 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Typical conditions, September

Daytime high 17°C

Night low 11°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 13 h 00 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for September — NASA POWER, grid elevation 15 m. Not a forecast.

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 80 km of trail with 1,370 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 80 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition 80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 80 km, without the bounce.
Headlamps A 18 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Ultra Glide 4

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.6

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Tailwind

Endurance Fuel

All-in-one calorie and electrolyte drink mix. 200 calories per serving.

$25 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

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

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

Petzl

NAO RL

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

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

Garmin

Enduro 3

Ultra-endurance GPS watch with solar charging and 300+ hour battery in GPS mode.

$900 ★★★★★ 4.8

All gear guides →

Overview

With a cut-off more generous than 78% of 472 peer races in the 50mi category, the Yellow Belly Summer 50 gave runners substantial breathing room across its trail route in Swallow, United Kingdom. The 18-hour time limit demanded an average pace of only 13.5 minutes per kilometer, leaving ample margin to manage late-race fatigue or extended stops at checkpoints.

The course spread 1370 meters of total elevation gain over 80 kilometers, working out to a gentle 17.1 meters of climb per kilometer. That mild grade paired with a limit tighter than just 22% of comparable events meant sustained pacing pressure remained low throughout the day.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.