The Montane Lakeland 100 took place on 24-26 July 2026, beginning at Coniston in the Lake District, UK, and following a 105 mile route around the most mountainous region of England with an elevation gain of 6300m and crucially a cut of 40 hours to complete it. Here staff member Chrissie gives her race report as a first timer to running in Lakeland. Alongside are some choice nuggets of advice and top kit recommendations.
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to take part in the awesome Montane Lakeland 100. This would be my first mountain 100-miler and it turned out to be the toughest race experience I have had. It truly gave me the sense that I had pushed my limits, as well as a feeling of overwhelming gratitude to the amazing race organisers, volunteers and fellow runners for getting me through it. Hugest of thanks to them and kudos to all those who took on this brutal and beautiful course!
As always, going into the race my training wasn’t exactly textbook, and this was my first race outside Wales, so waiting in the pen for the 6pm start there were more than the usual pre-race nerves. However, things got off to a brilliant start – blazing sunshine and the streets of Coniston lined with hundreds of cheering supporters. The scenery was immediately stunning and the mood among the pack was buoyant, even as we waited in a long queue for an early bottleneck to clear. Before I knew it, I was entering the first checkpoint, one of 14, mostly themed, CPs on the route, and this one was an Irish party in Seathwaite at mile 7. As I was handed a shot of Guinness by a cheery leprechaun I though this could be my type of race…
However, as night fell coming into CP2 at Boot and the following section into Wasdale Head progressed, the early elation was replaced with the creeping feeling that I’d bitten off more than I could chew. The elevation seemed unending and the cut offs were closing in on me – I had not received the memo that these were some of the tougher sections and so the feeling that there was another approx 85 miles at this intensity was tough to take. Add to that the punishing conditions under foot – even ignoring that my feet were still recovering from a 100-miler the previous month - the trail was more rocky and rugged than I was used to. We were lucky to experience the course virtually bog-free but the prolonged dry period leading up to the race meant there was just no give in the ground, and my feet were taking a real hammering.
However, as day 2 dawned and I cleared the Braithwaite checkpoint at mile 41, the cut offs stretched out somewhat and there was a period of optimism, but that realisation that I was chasing cut offs from so early on had really got to me and I struggled to settle into a groove. All along though my doubts and struggles were (almost) erased when I came into a checkpoint and was met with gorgeous fellow runners and truly heroic volunteers (usually in themed fancy dress and always massively kind and supportive), who lifted me up and sorted me out.
As the second night fell things were looking OK – it started raining torrentially after Mardale Head, I was feeling pretty sick and the foot pain was intense, but I thought the pace was sustainable and the timings would work out. However, coming into Kentmere at mile 82 things took a turn for the tricky. For the last several miles approaching the checkpoint I was falling asleep on my feet, I was just about managing to keep the legs going, but the urge to lie down and close my eyes in the rainwater cascading down the path was torturous. I kept myself shuffling along with promises that I could have ten minutes of sleep when I reached the checkpoint and the relief when it came into view was intense. Unfortunately, on arrival I was informed that the checkpoint would close in half an hour and the tight turnaround meant there was zero chance of sleep, so I smashed a coffee and headed back out into the night. This was me taken to approximately my limit. However, the news that the cut offs were once again after me (plus probably the coffee!) really woke me up and I picked up the pace substantially. For the next section I clawed back some time and at Ambleside and mile 89 the outlook had cheered up considerably. There was a rumour flying around that we would not get cut off after this point and the possibility that I might now be able to finish (which had felt all but lost at Kentmere) gave me a boost. It didn’t last long though and maybe it was the feeling that I had time, maybe it was the tiredness and the feet, but I slowed down and was shocked when I realised my ETA was looking perilously close to the 40-hour limit.
Still, the sun emerged and a rainbow appeared as I began my final descent down into Coniston, and the home-stretch adrenaline erased the pain enough to let me have a gorgeous and joyous run through the town and into the warm and rowdy finish tent where my most hard-earned medal was waiting for me.
My advice if anyone is considering taking on the iconic Lakeland 100 is absolutely go for it – the atmosphere, scenery, support and community on the race are all incredible and the experience is unforgettable – just maybe don’t underestimate it like I did!
Along with the amazing volunteers and runners on the course, I credit the superb Montane kit with getting me to the finish. Here is a run-down of the kit that I wore and would highly recommend for its performance over the race weekend and through my training:
The Montane Jetstream Trail Running Waterproof Jacket is an absolutely awesome shell featuring the PETRICHOR membrane which makes for high performance waterproofing with supreme breathability. I have a tendency to dig out my waterproof just a little on the late side, but the breathability of this jacket means putting it on before I needed it is a comfortable option. In torrential overnight rain on the Lakeland 100 and the Run, Walk, Crawl Pembrokeshire Coastal Path 100, I stayed dry from the outside and inside, the hood stayed securely in place and effective for long stretches of sideways rain, and the spacious chest pocket was the perfect place to keep my phone dry while charging. (Up and Under Note: Whilst Montane didn't make the Jetstream Jacket for general release you can find the Petrichor membrane in their Torren and Cetus ranges at Up and Under currently and run specific favourites in the form of the revamped Minimus Lite).
The Montane Women's Featherlite Windproof Jacket is my first running windproof so I have nothing to compare it against, but it has been an absolute game changer for me. Fills that gap in my kit where I’m not necessarily looking to warm up but the wind is going to strip out my warmth and before too long I’m going to start getting cold. Being able to avoid that and retain a decent core temperature can be an absolute race-saver. This jacket is so effective at blocking out the wind while feeling super comfortable and breathable and weighing virtually nothing. It packs down so unbelievably tiny that it is a complete no-brainer to take it on every run. (Up and Under Note: Although every member of staff (now) has at least one windproof and gets loads of use out of them for running, walking, climbing and much more, we always seem to get the comment, but it's not waterproof so why would I carry it. But weighing less and packing smaller than an energy bar they keep you so much more comfortable across a wide range of temperatures and conditions, so we all think why wouldn't you have one. Here's a link to the running windproofs that we currently range including a few sale items).
The Montane Women's Fortes Nano Insulated Half-Zip Jacket was an absolute staple of my winter training and in cold/freezing temperatures I’ve been super impressed by the warmth of this top, even when moving slowly. The windproofed rip-stop and Primaloft insulation provide an amazing shield against the cold and has stood up to some serious conditions over winter – sub-zero summits with 40 mph winds and speeding cloud cover. Knowing how well this jacket performs is great for peace of mind going into cold nights on a 100-miler or when body temperature drops as tiredness creeps in. I wore this overnight at the Lakeland and stayed warm throughout. The cuffs are brilliantly designed to seal in warmth while being exceptionally soft and comfortable, and super easy to lift over a watch when needed. Despite exceptional warmth of this jacket, the breathability and moisture management has meant that it has stayed comfortable even when pushing it up hills. I’m prone to overheating even in cool conditions so I have loved the wide comfort range which has meant no need for shedding layers in changing conditions and exertion levels. Visibility on the mountain is also a definite consideration for me and so another big plus has been hearing from others on how well the Seabreeze colour stood out from a distance. (Up and Under Note: We haven't stocked this particular product as so many races require a certain gram of insulation to be carried and the Fortes Nano comes in at 210g compared to the Fortes Lite at 335g, but to compare the Nano use 40g insulation in the Torso where as the Lite uses 60g).
The Montane Dart Nano T-shirt is my favourite running base layer. This t-shirt weighs next to nothing (60g), wicks like crazy and feels great against the skin, making it a super comfy choice in warm conditions. It’s also excellent layered on cooler runs – I would wear it for every single run if I could.
The Montane Dart XT Thermal Beanie is my favourite to wear and carry. It’s supremely warm for its weight, and by far the most comfortable I’ve tried – super soft with low profile seams and it stays perfectly in place without a hint of tightness or pressure. As a kit list item, it has the added bonus of weighing half what my buff weighs.
The Montane Women's Trail Lite Gloves have been fab on other events and in training: lightweight, super comfy and surprisingly tough (they have stood up to some heavy pole use, rock scrambling and the occasional tumble and still look like new). They work well with a touch screen and have a super soft nose wipe. I didn’t get them out of the pack on this event and they are a good choice for that too, being so super light and packable!
I also didn’t wear the Montane Women's Dart XT Thermal Zip Neck T-Shirt as the Lakeland requires your emergency base layers to arrive at the finish unworn, but this top has been epic in some of my more frosty winter runs. It’s properly toasty and super soft and comfortable and when you are carrying something that is only for emergencies it makes sense to know you have something seriously warm tucked away dry in your pack!
The Montane Women's Slipstream Thermal Trail Running Tights is another absolute staple of my winter training gear, and are the most comfortable I’ve worn and provide exceptional warmth even in the most gruesome conditions. I wore these over winter in training and racing, and in battering wind and rain they kept me warm and comfortable. The range of movement is completely unrestricted and they fit perfectly without any points of pressure. The thigh panels are a thicker, more wind resistant fabric, eliminating one of my problem areas when the going gets cold. Again, these were required to be returned to the finish dry and smelling fresh and so they stayed at the bottom of my pack but I was glad to know they were there and as we head into the autumn they are about to come back into constant use!
(Up and Under note: If there is anything that you ever need from Montane that we don't have in stock or range that you would like us to get in for you, we will always try whenever possible to get it for you.)
