As the sun beat down on the ancient sands of the Namib Desert in south west Africa, former snowboarder Ioana Barbu’s face cracked out a huge smile. And she had every right to be beaming. The 37-year-o

I first visited Cape Town in January of 2022 – to study wine. I’m a wine expert and an ultrarunner; I know, it’s an unusual combination. When I wasn’t learning about wine, I was out on the trails of T

Controversy of the week A grim anniversary When ...

I’d heard of UTMB, but for a long time – like many of us – I assumed it wasn’t for me. (Apart from watching the runners cross the finish line in Chamonix from the comfort of my Instagram feed, of cour

Every new year, top ultra-athletes take on the Montane Winter Spine Race, a brutal midwinter race that stretches 268 miles along the Pennine Way. The battle for the overall win this year featured Anna

The heat is real now. Intense sun from above and the road radiating heat up from below. My tri-suit feels like a microwave bag, stuffy and claustrophobic. I’m a pale, middle-aged, Scotsman. I wonder i