Five Most Inspiring Performances of 2025: This Week's Trail Tally

Chasing Trails: Week 52

What a year it’s been! Every week has brought another inspiring performance, on UK trails, in international races, or simply through stories of grit, resilience, and running happiness. After all, at Harrier, we’re all about running free. So we’ve picked five stories that have made us want to lace up our trainers and hit the trails… but there are lots more out there. Everyone who’s run this year, however far, however hard, congratulations and let’s make 2026 an even better one together!

Naomi Lang Shines on World Stage

2025 was a fantastic breakout year for Naomi, who’s gone from strength to strength on the global circuit. One performance that stands above the rest is her amazing run at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, where she claimed a bronze medal in the 45km race.

Naomi’s season continued on a high after her already impressive 2024, where she had secured fifth place at the European Championships’ Up & Down race and seventh place in the Golden Trail World Series Final. It was in the Golden Trail World Series that she would keep that momentum, winning the Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail in Austria. She also took home a superb third place at the Marathon du Mont Blanc. So, by the time the World Championships rolled around, we had high hopes from Naomi and enjoyed cheering her on the French Pyrenean trails. 

The women’s race at the Worlds short course was absolutely jaw-dropping, with Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson winning in an unbelievable 5:04:20 that also classed her 17th overall. Spain’s Sara Alonso (also following on from a stellar season) could only follow in 5:38:15, but Naomi was closing in on her fast and finished only 39 seconds behind in 5:38:54. The two battled hard until the end - they were split by less than 10 seconds when we saw them on the second big climb where the photo above was taken.

The best performance by a British athlete at the Worlds and a great future ahead of Naomi. Huge congratulations!

Kim Collison Conquers the Spine

If ever there was an embodiment of the saying “if at first you don’t succeed, try again,” it’s Kim’s story with the Winter Spine Race. After three unsuccessful attempts, he conquered the Pennine Way this winter, in the third fastest time ever (82:46:32).

Kim’s race began aggressively, kicking things off at the front and staying with the likes of John Kelly through the sunny, hard packed snowy first miles. But, as the deep snow turned to slush and bogs later on in the week, his experience training in the Lake District showed its merits, despite the effort feeling “brutal” - as Kim described on the Feet First podcast. He would hit his lowest points at Horton and Langdon Beck, with legs feeling “ruined,” but he doubled down on problem-solving to avoid a fourth DNF. With longer stops, attention to nutrition (electrolytes), and sleep, Kim also switched to a very simple mantra: “let’s see.”

Staying curious and open-minded did the trick. By the final day over the Cheviots, he hit a flow with both body and mind… “turning the pain volume down” and chasing the clock into Kirk Yetholm. An admirable show of strength and determination. Congratulations, Kim!

Pembrokeshire Coast Path FKT for Sanna Duthie

After an initial unsuccessful attempt to run the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in record time (beating her own best), Harrier PRO Athlete Sanna returned to her home trails and secured the FKT. A performance that means so much to her on a personal level, as it took place in her “heart and home,” as she often says.

She first attempted the FKT in April this year, setting out to run the 186 miles in under 50 hours. She made it to the 138 mile point in 36 hours and 34 minutes, but had to stop because of foot problems that risked turning to injury. A tough call, but a lot of lessons learnt, and the fire was lit to go back again in August.

After meticulous preparation, new training, and a reset, she went back to run the opposite way, south to north, finishing uphill. “It was really tough and I really, really did push… And I had more doubt after April,” Sanna recalls. This time, the odds were in her favour and she completed “the run of her life,” finishing the attempt in 48 hours 23 minutes 49 seconds and beating her own record for a supported female FKT on this route. A warrior’s mindset and a a story full of heart. Well done, again, Sanna!

Josh Wade Podiums at UTMB

When it comes to international ultra racing, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. Among the noise and hype, Josh Wade put on a masterclass in pacing and race management to secure third place on a historic day for British runners, as Tom Evans won the race.

The UTMB (108 miles / 174 km, 9,900 m / 32,480 feet of ascent and descent) is a mythical race and the culmination of the ultra running calendar for a majority of professional and elite runners… as well as for many amateurs who want to cross that emotional finish line in Chamonix. Josh first attempted it in 2023, where he didn’t finish, returning in 2024 for a very respectable 11th place. Maybe few would have predicted that the harsh weather and tough conditions of 2025 would then lead to a better time and finishing position - but, looking back, the cold, wet first night of this year’s race was a great pace-setter for those who eventually ended up having a good performance. And not very dissimilar to weather that Josh is used to, living in the Lake District and routinely running under rain, sleet, or snow. 

Josh’s result, in 20:05:06, is a remarkably fast time and just 37 minutes behind Tom Evans’ winning time. It came after a measured approach, where he paced himself carefully, sticking in the top 10 from early on and not taking unnecessary risks through the night. We caught a glimpse of him at Courmayeur (82 km into the race), where he took the time to reset and refuel as he left behind the stormy night. He was in ninth place and a few ahead of him were flagging, but Josh was in great spirits, enjoying the journey.

And he arrived on the Chamonix streets in the same amazing spirits, having moved onto the podium after Champex-Lac, holding it for the last marathon. His face was lit up by the biggest smile, after having run his own race and focused on his effort levels in the best way possible. A hugely inspiring story from someone who was very much under the radar until go-time - not anymore, Josh!

Lucy Gossage’s “Holiday” on the South West Coast Path

Calling it a “boating holiday with some shuffling in between,” Lucy Gossage tackled the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path in a self-supported FKT attempt… and set a new record. Her meticulously planned run was amazing and inspiring to follow. 

The South West Coast Path is the longest walking path in the UK and a huge challenge. Lucy not only set the female self-supported record in 11 days 9 hours 6 minutes - she also now holds the overall self-supported FKT. But the adventure took a lot to organise, keep at it, and complete successfully. One of the most interesting aspects of this FKT is that Lucy documented it day by day on her Instagram. You can see her daily vlogs as she goes from enjoying “unplugged” time in nature to really struggling, to shedding emotional tears on the last morning.

Another interesting aspect is how she organised herself for a self-supported solo adventure of this magnitude. Lucy mailed herself packages with food and spare kit, prepared against ferry timetables and some uncontrolled changes, and even arranged return post for dirty clothes so she would maintain a decent level of comfort without carrying too much. 

Her highlights include wild, hilly sections like Port Isaac–Hartland Quay, the Land’s End area, Mevagissey, and quiet pre-dawn headtorch hours by the sea. Her two biggest success factors: meticulous planning and forcing herself to keep eating high-calorie food even when she had no appetite.

Hats off to Lucy!

We have spent the past year sharing the best stories from the trails, from standout races to brilliant on-foot adventures. Some of you have shared your comments with us, and we’d love to hear more! Please take a moment to fill out this short form and share what you’d like to see more of in 2026. And happy running!

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Alecsa Stewart