Ben and Sarah beat ‘The Wall’ and the weather to complete their 70-mile challenge...plus the Salomon trail results

By Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025

*Ben and Sarah Hudson - pictured above - at the 70-mile Wall challenge.

Ben and Sarah beat ‘The Wall’ and the weather to complete their 70-mile challenge...plus results from the Salomon Trail half-marathon.

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com


Road Running couple Ben and Sarah Hudson beat ‘The Wall’ and the weather last weekend to complete a gruelling 70-mile ultra-marathon challenge from Carlisle to Gateshead, which covered some of the most spectacular, but difficult courses in the country.
This dynamic duo, who are certainly no strangers to ultra events, began their efforts in the early hours of Saturday morning and eventually finished some 16-hours later. 
The NWRRC pair ran together throughout the event, which included a tough journey via several notable north-eastern landmarks including Lanercost Priory, Walltown Quarry, The Sill, Hexham, and Newburn, before eventually crossing the finish line at Gateshead.
The organisers claimed it was the UK’s most iconic ultra-marathon and challenged entrants to conquer 70 stunning miles through historic Hadrian’s Wall country in a continuous, fully supported, and way-marked journey. 
It also included some 3,460ft of elevation, but the experienced couple coped very well, and eventually, Sarah was the 38th female, and Ben the 266th male, amongst a massive quality entry of some 797 finishers, with another 10% or so, forced to drop out at various points along the route.
After their event, Sarah confirmed: “We did it, 70 miles, in 16hrs and 52 minutes. It was very tough terrain, and even tougher weather conditions, but what a totally amazing experience. Coming into Newcastle and running (well crawling), over the bridge to Gateshead, and the finish line was awesome! My feet are not overly impressed with me though!” 

 

NW Trio hit the Salomon Trail half-marathon.

 

Three NWRRC members took to the trails last Saturday and braved wet and windy conditions in the tough and challenging Salomon Trail half-marathon race.

Adam Lemalle was the first trio member home in 2.07.42 and he was the 21st M40 runner, with Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones finishing well in 2.08.38, and she was the 15th FSen, and Vicky Taylor was the 12th F40 athlete in 2.59.59.



*Pictured above (l-r): Adam Lemalle, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, and Vicky Taylor, who all competed well at the Salomon Trail half-marathon.




 



Don Hale is a best-selling British author and former investigative journalist. He has been Journalist of the Year on three separate occasions in the past. and his extensive campaign to help free Stephen Downing for a murder he did not commit, won him both the Campaign and National Journalist of the Year Awards, A former regional newspaper editor, he was awarded an OBE in 2002 for campaign journalism. He has also been a lead investigator in several other successful, high-profile, miscarriage of justice and human rights cases. He has written several best selling books including - Murder in the Graveyard a true crime mystery story. There is also Buster Crabb - Ian Fleming's Favourite Spy, and Mallard about the battle to create the fastest steam loco in the world against the challenge from Nazi Germany, and more lately, there is The Jersey Boys and Liberation, about the secret stories of occupied Jersey during WW2, told by several resistance heroes and historians.

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