Introducing the Race to the Stones 100k Record Prize Fund

Our mantra at the Threshold Trail Series has always been ‘Ultras For All’.

It is this commitment which guides everything that we do – from our walker-friendly cut-off times to our well-stocked aid stations and supportive, inclusive approach.

But ‘Ultras For All’ isn’t just about taking care of those at the back of the pack – it’s also about encouraging those up front to keep pushing the envelope.

With that in mind, we are excited to announce the Race to the Stones 100k Record Prize Fund – a new initiative designed to foster a greater competitive environment at the front-end of our flagship ultramarathon, Race to the Stones.

The UK’s Favourite Ultra

Since its inaugural running in 2013, the 100k Non-Stop event at Race to the Stones has grown to become, we believe, the UK’s biggest ultramarathon by single-distance entries, with more than 2000 participants toeing the line in 2024. Over the years, we’ve supported tens of thousands of people making their way across the Ridgeway, Britain’s oldest road, towards the 5000-year-old Avebury Standing Stones, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With its steady, sweeping climbs and runnable terrain underfoot, Race to the Stones is a ‘fast’ 100k by global ultrarunning standards, and over the years we’ve seen winning times to reflect that.

This year, both the male and female winners of Race to the Stones came achingly close to the course records, with Joshua Barrow finishing less than 7 minutes shy of Benjamin Poiraton’s 7:52:55, set in 2017, and Sophie Carter winning for the second year in a row, 11 minutes shy of Sarah Morwood’s course record of 9:14:14. (For a full podium round-up, check out our blog post on the race.)

Such close calls have confirmed our belief that these course records can be broken. For that reason, we are announcing the Race to the Stones 100k Record Prize Fund for any athlete who breaks the course record at Race to the Stones 100km Non-Stop.

How Does it Work?

Beginning in 2025, ten years since Sarah Morwood set the current women’s course record, Threshold Sports will award £1000 to any man or woman who breaks their respective gender’s course record. In the event that neither record is broken, another £1000 will be added to the fund in 2026, and so on, until the record is broken.

There will be two separate funds of equal value for male and female athletes, which will be kept separate from one another. For example, should the male course record be broken in 2025, but not the female course record, the male athlete in question would receive £1000. The male prize for 2026 would then reset to £1000, whilst the female fund would increase to £2000.

We hope that this cash prize will help nurture the development of trail running as a sport, particularly ultra-distance trail running, and help draw more attention to the incredible athleticism on display at the front-end of an ultra like Race to the Stones.

If you are interested in going for the Race to the Stones 100k Record Prize Fund, please join the Waiting List to be the first in line when places become available due to cancellations or deferrals.

Full prize criteria here.