Country to Capital Ultra Marathon
Wendover, United Kingdom • 10 Jan 2026
Country to Capital Ultra
The Country to Capital Ultra is a point-to-point race of 43 miles from the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Wendover to the Stowe Centre beside the Little Venice canal basin in London, close to Paddington and Royal Oak tube stations. Entry is restricted to competitors aged over 18. The race uses electronic GPS trackers as standard (Geo Tracks) that upload position every 10 seconds, with reported accuracy to 5 metres and battery life of about 70 hours. Prizes are awarded to the top three male and female finishers; all finishers receive a medal and event merchandise. The official cutoff for the course is 11 hours, with progressive cutoffs from Checkpoint 3 onwards.
Course and logistics
The route mixes country trails, roads and canal towpath: 11.0 miles of cross-country trails (26%), 12.1 miles of roads and paths (28%) and 20 miles of canal towpath (46%). Net elevation figures are approximately +1,375 ft and -1,720 ft. The course is waymarked but requires some navigation; it is covered by OS Maps 181, 172 and 173 and race organisers provide navigation resources. There are five checkpoints offering water and snacks. One competitor bag (maximum UK carry-on size 56 x 45 x 25 cm) can be transferred to the finish. Mandatory kit includes a fully charged mobile phone, powerbank, at least 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch, spare batteries, hat and gloves, and a long-sleeved base layer or fleece. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.