The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra, Ealing’s First-Ever Ultramarathon, is Huge Success

Last Saturday (23 March 2024), over 250 runners took to Ealing’s greenways and blueways in the inaugural Queen of the Suburbs Ultra. The 50-kilometre ultramarathon was run and walked mostly along trails, footpaths, parks and the towpaths of Ealing and the surrounding area. A shorter 25-kilometre option was also available.

The route started in Gunnersbury Park and took in the sights of Ealing, such as Horsenden Hill, the Northala Fields mounds, Hanwell Viaduct and the Grand Union Canal, finishing at Dickens Yard in Central Ealing. Participants officially completed the course by touching the Smile Monument (also known as the Ealing Rock) at the entrance to Dickens Yard.

Participants came from across London and the southeast, but some came from much further afield, such as Jersey and even Washington D.C in the USA! Many of the entrants were from Ealing, including Jay Kaye, a member of the Ealing Eagles Running Club who was taking part in his first-ever ultramarathon.

“It was a lovely trail route through parts of Ealing I had never previously explored; the route was clearly marked and easy to navigate throughout,” he said. “The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra was a great adventure and the perfect way to experience my first ultramarathon.”

Tasha Thompson, founder of running community Black Girls Do Run, said, “If all running events were placed onto a crown, The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra was the missing jewel.” Tasha volunteered at the registration desk early in the morning before participating in the 25k run. “It was well thought out, well organised, and a joy to volunteer and participate,” she added.

The event was organised by the local running charity We Run Ealing, the community arm of the award-winning Ealing Half Marathon. Ealing’s Running Mayor, Tom Kerry, commented, “After four years in the making, we were delighted to be able to deliver our first Queen of the Suburbs Ultra.

Thanks to the runners, volunteers and all those who helped make it such a great success. The greenways and blueways of Ealing were a perfect canvas for the event, and all the on-the-day smiles were inspirational. We’ll continue to create and deliver more running opportunities for our community, and we hope to be back with a second edition, so watch this space!”

Over 60 volunteers supported the event, undertaking roles such as registering participants at the start, managing checkpoints and aid stations and handing out medals at the finish. Volunteers were also responsible for marking out the entire route with pink ribbons the day before to help the participants navigate their way around the course.

Volunteers removed the ribbons after the runners passed the route, but their short appearance became a talking point on local forums and social media. If you didn’t know what they were for, now you do!

Local organisations and businesses also supported the event by providing locations for checkpoints, aid stations, and start and finish venues. The organisers, We Run Ealing, would like to thank Gunnersbury Park, Dickens Yard and Food Market, The Fox Pub Hanwell, Friends of Horsenden Hill and Ealing Council.

Appreciation is also enthusiastically extended to several local running groups and communities for their support, particularly Ealing Eagles Running Club, Ealing Southall & Middlesex Athletics Club, Nepal Run and Black Girls Do Run.

Any leftover food and drink from the aid stations and finish will be donated to Ealing Food Bank.

To register interest for next year’s event please visit the Queen of the Suburbs Ultra website: https://www.queenofthesuburbsultra.com