Organisers of a triathlon event in Northumberland have revealed details of two trail runs that have been added to the programme for 2025. Starting and finishing at Kielder Waterside in Northumberland National Park, THE NORTHUMBRIAN is now well established on the sporting calendar and includes full Iron and half Iron triathlon races.
From this year, two additional events will also feature on the schedule – the new Northumbrian 50K Ultra and the Northumbrian 20K Trail runs. The 2025 edition of The Northumbrian will be held on Sunday 29 June.
Founded in 2022, The Northumbrian is organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Northumbrian Water. Taking advantage of trails recently created by Forestry England at Kielder, the new Northumbrian 50K Ultra and 20K Trail runs will make their debut this year.
Starting while the event’s triathletes are finishing their bike leg, runners in the 50K Ultra will cover 48K, joining the triathlon run course after completing a spectacular 25K loop that takes in the new Lonesome Pine Trail and some of the best views of Kielder Water.
Friends and family will be able to give them extra support during the final two laps of Bull Crag peninsula, before they finish alongside fellow runners and triathletes at the water’s edge. Runners in the Northumbrian 20K will also experience the full Lonesome Pine loop as they tackle a challenging 27.6K route.
Both of The Northumbrian’s new trail runs are Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Index races, contributing towards every finisher’s index in the corresponding category (20K or 50K), giving privileged access to the prestigious UTMB World Series events.
The races will take place alongside The Northumbrian’s existing triathlons at full Iron distance of 140.6 miles and half Iron distance of 70.3 miles, for individuals and teams.
Race founder Steve Cram said, “Kielder Forest and the wider Northumberland National Park are brilliant places to run, and the creation of the new trails has provided us with the perfect opportunity to add to The Northumbrian programme. Each event will take runners into a wonderful landscape with some great views, and then they’ll experience the buzz back at the start and finish area around Kielder Waterside.
“In keeping with the traditions of The Northumbrian, these will be challenging trail runs, which is only right for UTMB Index races. We’re really excited about the potential of both events and look forward to welcoming a strong field of runners on 29 June.”
Alex Maclennan, Forestry England’s Northumberland recreation, public affairs manager, added, “We are delighted that the hard work on the Lonesome Pine mountain bike trail recently to create the adaptive cycling Lone Star route sections, are now set to welcome this event.
“The views are spectacular on the route and what is great is it shows easier mountain bike trails can also be utilised for endurance running events, which makes Kielder even more inclusive for access for all disciplines.”
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