One month on from the 2025 Kielder Marathon, the dust has settled, the legs have stopped aching and the medal is hung up somewhere safe. But we can’t stop thinking about the amazing comeback of a Kielder legend.
More than a decade after he first dominated Britain’s Most Beautiful Marathon, Ceri Rees returned to the North East this year, and won it again. For the fourth time.
For a runner who now lives 400 miles away in Devon, hadn’t raced seriously in years, was juggling work, two children and a long trip north, it showed he’s still every bit as strong as he was a decade ago.
A decade away and unfinished business
Ceri’s history with Kielder goes back to the marathon’s earlier years. He won it three years in a row – in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Last year he fully intended to return. He’d trained, travelled up, even laced up his shoes on the start line of the Sunderland parkrun the morning before… only to realise something wasn’t right.
“I just felt dreadful,” he laughs. “I went down with a fever at the 11th hour. There was no way I could run it.”
So this year, he gave himself a chance to make amends.
But first… the chaos
If Ceri’s Kielder comeback looks perfectly scripted on paper, the reality was anything but.
The bad weather that hit Saturday’s events forced several races to be moved to Sunday. But if it hadn’t been for the change in schedule, he might not have even made the start.
“I was actually going to miss it,” he says. “I ended up sprinting up and down the traffic line just to warm up. So, I was just grateful to be able to run. Everything else was a bonus.”
It’s not the first time Ceri has had logistical curveballs on his way to the race. Among his most memorable moments? Hitchhiking to the start.
“One of the first times I raced at Kielder, I hadn’t arranged how to get there – it was a bit last-minute dot-com. Luckily a guy picked me up who was doing the race and took me all the way to the start line.”
And then there was the year he found himself standing on the start line next to Tony “the Fridge” Phoenix Morrison.
“You can’t forget lining up with someone running the whole thing with a fridge on his back,” he says. “The guy’s nuts!”
Why Kielder keeps pulling him back
Despite all this, Ceri lights up when he talks about Kielder.
“The atmosphere is incredibly friendly and inclusive. There’s a real buzz. And the North East running community is so active – you feel the energy straight away.”
Then there’s the route itself.
“It’s interesting and being a trail marathon, it’s forgiving on your joints. There are enough hills to make it exciting. But you have to respect it, it’s very easy to misjudge a trail marathon.”
“The wheels can come off if you get it wrong. The real race doesn’t start until mile 20.”
A combination of trail racing and consistent strength training has kept him robust enough to compete more than a decade after his first Kielder win.
With his rugby background – he played in France, Madrid, Basingstoke and Northern RFC – Ceri jokes that his body is “conditioned to heavier trauma”, which helps him cope with trail running’s repeated impact.
The win that meant the most
So how did the 2025 race unfold?
“To be honest, I didn’t have a plan,” he says. “I hadn’t done many long runs. I just wanted to enjoy it.”
He went through halfway in around 1:19, realised it might be a touch ambitious, and adjusted.
“I told myself, slow down a bit. The race starts at 20 miles.”
From there, he managed his effort, fuelled carefully – carrying five gels, electrolytes and sodium tablets (“I never used to rely on them, but they really help now”) – and held on over the final undulating miles.
And then, suddenly, he was approaching the finish – 10 years older, with no expectations – and yet somehow at the front once again.
“When I crossed the line, Rachel came flying in and gave me a huge kiss. Nearly knocked me over!
“In some ways it was more meaningful than the others, because it was more of a challenge. And therefore more satisfying.”
A life built around running and giving back
Ceri’s running life extends far beyond racing. Years ago, he left journalism to set up Wild Running, originally a social enterprise designed to take unemployed people out into wild spaces like Dartmoor.
It grew into trail camps, navigation courses, environmental projects, night runs, a summer festival and even “Way of the Dead”, an east-west ultramarathon across Dartmoor.
His work now blends coaching, community, environmental advocacy and adventure – a world that helps him stay connected to running in the purest sense.
That may be why, at 53, he’s still performing at a level most of us can only admire.
His advice for marathon runners and for life
Ceri doesn’t believe in copy-and-paste training plans.
“Do whatever it takes to keep your enthusiasm alive,” he says. “Find the route that energises you. Find the time of day that works. Don’t trash your body. Recovery is everything.”
He emphasises strength work (“Kettlebells, suitcase carries, eccentric loading for downhills”), moderate and sustainable mileage, and avoiding DOMS in training (“As you get older, if you go to bed with DOMS, you’re not going to recover quick enough”).
Most importantly? “Be realistic. For me, family comes first. Build running around life, not the other way round.”
And his advice for anyone Kielder specifically?
“Confidence runs. A few 15-18 milers at your goal pace. Don’t get obsessed with distance – focus on time on feet. Use the feed stations during the race. Look around you. Enjoy the place.”
Why he can’t leave Kielder behind
Ceri grew up in Newcastle, his dad’s old business is still on the quayside and old school friends are still nearby. For Ceri, coming back to Kielder is coming home.
“It’s a long way from Devon, but I love visiting the North East.”
This year he also returned to take part in Winner’s Row, the tree-planting initiative with Northumbrian Water that allows every past and future winner to leave a living legacy at the lake.
And now, a fourth tree of his is now growing there.
Thinking about running Kielder next year?
Super early-bird entries are open until 30th November – prices rise on 1st December.
If you’ve ever thought about tackling Britain’s Most Beautiful Marathon – or, like Ceri, returning for another go – now is the time.
As Ceri puts it: “Look around you as you run, linger after the race, enjoy the surroundings. Kielder’s a journey, not just a marathon.”
Secure your 2026 Kielder Marathon super early-bird place today.
