Overview
The book covers running challenges across England, Scotland and Wales. Each route lists distance, ascent, navigation difficulty, parking and transport options. Author Keri Wallace has completed the Bob Graham, Charlie Ramsay and Paddy Buckley rounds. Routes range from a short 5K at Mugdock to the 57km Loch Mullardoch Round.
Looking for your next trail, fell or mountain running challenge?
Running Challenges by Keri Wallace brings together inspiring running routes from across England, Scotland and Wales, ranging from accessible 5Ks to serious mountain adventures.
But is it worth adding to your running bookshelf?
We took a closer look at Running Challenges to see what’s inside, who it’s for and why it could provide plenty of inspiration for your next adventure.
What Is Running Challenges by Keri Wallace?
The book is a collection of running adventures from across Great Britain, designed to inspire runners to explore new places and take on something different.
The book is split into three main sections covering England, Scotland and Wales, with routes increasing in difficulty as you progress through each section.
Each challenge includes useful information such as:
- Distance and ascent
- Start and finish points
- Navigation difficulty
- Parking and public transport
- Route profiles and maps
- What to expect on the route
- Similar running challenges nearby
That makes it more than just a collection of inspiring photographs. There’s enough practical information to help you start planning your own adventure.
Who Is Keri Wallace?
Keri Wallace is a mountain runner, climber, mountain leader and co-founder of Girls on Hills, a guided trail, fell and skyrunning company based in the Scottish Highlands.
Her mountain-running CV is impressive.
Keri has completed all three of the UK’s famous Big Rounds – the Bob Graham Round, Charlie Ramsay Round and Paddy Buckley Round – and has competed extensively in trail, fell, ultra and skyrunning.
That experience comes through in the book. Rather than simply listing routes, Keri provides the perspective of someone who genuinely understands mountain running, navigation and the challenges involved in moving through technical terrain.
What Running Challenges Are Included?
One of the best things about the book is the variety.
You don’t need to be an experienced ultrarunner to find something worth trying.
At one end of the scale, there are shorter and more accessible adventures such as a 5K route through Mugdock Country Park.
At the other, you’ll find serious mountain challenges such as the 57km Loch Mullardoch Round in the Scottish Highlands.
Between the two are plenty of trail, fell and mountain routes offering a natural progression as your fitness, experience and confidence grow.
It’s this range that makes Running Challenges particularly appealing. You can pick something achievable for your next weekend away or find inspiration for a much bigger goal.
Our Running Challenges Book Review
What impressed us most about Running Challenges is how practical it is.
Beautiful photography and descriptions provide plenty of inspiration, but Keri also gives you the information you actually need when deciding whether a route is suitable for you.
Distance and elevation are important, but so are navigation difficulty, transport, parking and the nature of the terrain.
The routes covering Scotland were particularly appealing, ranging from shorter adventures to big days in some of the UK’s wildest mountain landscapes.
There’s also a good balance between routes following established trails and adventures requiring more independent navigation.
For runners looking to progress from straightforward trail running into bigger mountain challenges, that gives the book plenty of longevity.
Who Is Running Challenges For?
We’d recommend the book to anyone who enjoys exploring on foot, but particularly:
- Trail runners looking for new routes
- Fell and mountain runners
- Runners looking for their next challenge
- Anyone progressing towards longer mountain adventures
- Runners planning active weekends around Britain
- Anyone who simply enjoys reading about great running routes
You don’t need to be chasing FKTs or completing ultra-distance rounds.
Part of the appeal is simply opening the book, finding somewhere you’ve never run before and thinking: I’d like to do that.
Is Running Challenges Worth Buying?
In our view, yes.
★★★★★
Running Challenges manages to work as both a practical running guide and a source of inspiration.
Whether you’re looking for a relatively accessible local adventure or something that will push your mountain-running skills considerably further, there’s plenty here to get you planning.
More importantly, it encourages you to get away from familiar routes and experience some of the incredible trails, fells and mountains that Britain has to offer.
For anyone who regularly finds themselves looking at a map wondering “where should I run next?”, Running Challenges deserves a place on the bookshelf.
