14th March 2026 – Race Report by Helen
A Hundred Hills 50km is billed as a beautiful 50km trail ultra through the heart of the Chiltern countryside. The race consists of two different 25km loops starting from 850 year old Stonor Park, not far from Henley-upon-Thames, proper posh Berkshire, lah-de-dah country house, deer park and all.
I’d signed up to my first ultra with my big brother Mark, I turned 50 in January and so rather than have a party, I’m doing a bunch of things with people I love. This seemed fitting.
Mark is an old hand at ultras, an ex-military background he usually does them in boots and with a bergen. Mark also roped in his mate Phil, who was an ultra-newbie like me. The three of us travelled the night before and stayed in a Travelodge, far enough away from the picturesque countryside to be good value and totally suitable for our needs.
The morning was crisp and bright, we headed to the event HQ and enjoyed a smooth well-organised check-in and briefing. We were reminded about our mandatory kit, advised about the muddy state of the trails and reassured by the promise of well stocked aid stations. And then we were off! Heading out of the park grounds, red kites circling above as we started the grassy climb up towards the woodland. The route takes on 4000ft / 1200m of climb through ancient forest and singletrack trails, rolling into picturesque villages and up the edges of farmers’ fields.
We’d agreed to run our own races, and so within a few km I’d lost the fellas and was starting the first proper steep ascent. I usually like to run up hills and had thought I would but as soon as I hit that first stabby beast I realized what a ridiculous idea that was – far too steep, slippery and just flippin’ hard work! I choose to save my poor old legos and trudge on up, a long line of us huffing into the morning chill. That first 10-or so km to the aid station was tough, my legs were tight, I felt underfuelled, despite having a vat of peanut butter, date and nana porridge for brekkie, I wondered how I’d make it. Checkpoint one was a total joy, an array of nuts, dried fruit, technical flapjack and science sweets, as well as your common or garden jelly babies and jaffa cakes. I glugged down two cups of coke and a sports biscuits and off I trotted, feeling like a new woman.
The next series of hills were just as steep and slippery, but having resolved to walk them I continued on, enjoying the descents, as if I was on my mountain bike. I channeled my inner Rachel Howard and “took my hand break off”, skipping and galloping down the rooty trails and before I knew it I was at aid station two, quick wee and on to push back to the event HQ and the third pit-stop. The halfway mark is actually just under half way, but I decided this would be my main eating stop. By the time I arrived I was ready to inhale my prepared cinnamon raisin bagel smothered in marmite, rhubarb jam and tahini, honestly it was the tastiest thing ever. I filled my bottles with tailwind, a recommendation from our trail veteran JP, and headed into the second bit-more-than half.
I’d not really studied the route in great detail but was pretty sure part two was roughly three big climbs with two aid stations. Off I trotted up the first mega-lump and was surprised that by the time I’d got to checkpoint four I was hungry AGAIN. Vegan sausages, little slices of tomato and some nuts, winning. Those three big-lumbs, were in fact punctuated by a succession of ‘rolling’ (draggy) ups and down, boggy woodland and rooty trails. I actually felt much better in the second half though and so charged on through checkpoint five, keeping topped up with my usual lemon sherbert sweets. 10km to go, that’s just my usual trigpoint loop,, the terrain however was not.. up down, stile, gate, bog, roots and then I crested a hill and saw the vast grassy mass of Stonor Park, race HQ flags flying in the wind. I stepped it up trying for a fast finish and came through at 5h37m54, 4th FV50 (there are some strong old gals out there!), 15th female and 99th /413th overall. I was greeted by a friendly crew member with a non-alcoholic beer and a bowl of vegan chilli, winning!
My bro’s mate Phil came in at 6h10, Mark came in at 6h36, having walked from the last checkpoint due to terrible cramp.
Despite the cramp woes, we all agreed it was a most excellent day out, super well organized, fantastic aid stations and volunteers, and an awesomely challenging route… think we may well be back for round two!
