Women keep on beating men in ultra-endurance races – here’s why

October 9, 2025

Running from Derbyshire to Scotland is a feat in itself, but Jasmin Paris did it battling 50mph winds, freezing January temperatures, and in three days with less than three hours’ sleep. All the while breastfeeding.

The ultra-runner – who is also a vet and mother of two – broke the Montane Spine Race course record by over 12 hours, capturing the public’s imagination in the process.

While her competitors knew she was the one to beat, the general public was surprised. Paris’ outright win challenged a long-held assumption that men are naturally faster than women.

This may be true in traditional endurance events like marathons, but in ultra-distance competitions, the gender gap is much smaller, and it’s not unusual for women to outperform men.

The recently published book Ultra Women by Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson takes to task the prevailing sexist narrative. “Women across the world have been winning long-distance races outright, and setting ultra-endurance records, for centuries. The world just hasn’t been paying attention”, they argue. Live For The Outdoors