The Brewery-to-Brewery Ultra Marathon
On Saturday 16th May, four members of Grantham Running Club took part in the Trent Valley Ultra 50k race. This unique, self-navigated race started and finished at the Milestone Brewery & Tap in Cromwell. The breathtaking route took participants through charming villages, utilising footpaths, bridleways, tracks and minor roads. The picturesque course showcases the natural beauty of the region, providing runners with a unique and memorable experience.
Conditions on the day were near perfect for long-distance running. A sunny start, with very little breeze, and cloud cover for the second half of the race with temperatures around 13 degrees.
First to finish from Grantham Running Club was Sophie Davies. Having completed the inaugural Trent Valley 50k in 2025, Sophie enjoyed it so much she came back for another go. Sophie soon settled into a comfortable pace and managed to stay strong for the majority of the race.
Not letting some questionable navigation skills hamper her too much, Sophie finished as the 8th female in a time of 5hrs 37mins, this equalled the time she achieved in 2025, despite accidentally running half a mile extra.
Next to cross the finish line for GRC were Matthew Atter and Holly Wragg. Matthew and Holly ran the first 30km together before continuing the rest of the race at their own paces.
This was Matthews’ first ultra distance event, and it didn’t disappoint. He came home in a time of 5hrs 56mins in 59th position. Midway through the race, Holly felt the struggle of the longer distance and terrain, but she rallied to finish feeling strong in a time of 6hr 2mins in 66th position.
Having grown up in the area, Emma Hopkinson went into the race wanting to explore parts of Newark she had never been to. Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan and by the half marathon mark Emma was struggling. By checkpoint 3 at mile 17, Emma made the brave decision to pull out of the race for fear of doing herself more harm and vowed to make a return.
All the runners said how great the support round the course was and the checkpoints were very well stocked with sweets, crisps, and all the sandwiches you could need. The atmosphere at the brewery at the end was a particular highlight. Runners were rewarded with a commemorative event pint glass, and a well-stocked bar.
The race was won by Ady Pendred from Birmingham Swifts Running Club in a time of 4hr 5mins. The female winner was Jenny Jackson in a time of 4hr 26mins.
Photos c/o Quadrio Events