The Go Beyond Grand Slam will conclude on Saturday 25 October 2025 with the Thames Trail Ultra, a 47-mile point-to-point race alongside England's longest river from Iffley, Oxfordshire, to Henley-on-Thames near the tri-point of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Following three previous events, just eight athletes remain in the contest for the Grand Slam title in Go Beyond's 2025 series. Completing all four UK Go Beyond Ultra races means running up to 180 miles. The events already held were the Country to Capital Ultra on 4 January; the Rose of the Shires Ultra on 5 April, and the Shires and Spires Ultra on 11 May 2025.

Thames Trail Ultra starts from Hawkwell House Hotel, Oxford, and joins the River Thames towpath at picturesque Iffley Lock. It follows the Thames Path National Trail through Oxfordshire and Berkshire riverside towns and villages to the new race finish at the YMCA Y Centre in Henley-on-Thames.

The route is 86% trails and riverside paths and 14% tarmac roads. Over the 47 miles, there is 289m of elevation and 321m of descent. All runners have a Geo Tracks GPS Tracker, and there are five checkpoints with water, snacks, and the famous Go Beyond Fruit Cake! Entry fees include the transportation of one bag per competitor to the finish.

Rob Payne (5:47:14 in 2021) and Laura Swanton-Rouvelin (6:59:03 in 2020) hold the course records, and there is a generous 11.5 hours cut-off time. The defending champions are Joshua Chamberlain (6:59:21) and Katie Harris (8:32:20) as 56 finished in 11:46:13 last year. Go Beyond Challenge has proudly announced that Thames Trail Ultra is an Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc index race.

The YMCA Y Centre offers showers, hot food and drinks and changing facilities, rare levels of luxury described by Go Beyond Challenge as: "The Ritz of the ultra-running world".

For more information, visit the Go Beyond Challenge Thames Trail Ultra website here.

Results, reports, and direct link for entries are at the runABC South race listing here. 

Image courtesy Go Beyond Ultra website