Taking on the Wainwrights, the Pennine Way (FKT) and the Coast to Coast (FKT) – Sabrina Verjee

Sabrina Verjee record breaking ultrarunner is no stranger to the UK’s most gruelling long-distance trails. The first woman to complete the Wainwrights, 326-mile’s non-stop taking in 214 Lake District summits! Sabrina talks with Ultrarunner magazine to discuss how it felt to be the first female completer, why she doesn’t see herself as a ‘real’ title holder and what ultrarunning plans lie ahead for 2021!

How long have you been running Ultras?

I have been doing adventure racing for around ten years now. Six years ago, I kicked off my Ultra career with the Grand Tour of Skiddaw, a 44-mile ultramarathon in the northern Lake District. I started to get word about the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), and I thought, oh, why not? I studied the UTMB points system and gained an understanding about what was required for participation. I managed to cram in the three races, necessary for my UTMB points and this involved me entering a last-minute, random race in Europe.

Did you manage to do any races last year?

I did the Montane Spine in the winter last year, I cannot say that I ran spectacularly, but I did manage to hobble my way to a 108 hour, 7 minutes and 17 second finish.