On a late January day, UTMB race organizers watched the forecast for southwest England apprehensively. Storm Isha had pummelled the area only days before and according to meteorologists, another big storm was brewing. A decision needed to be made: would the Arc of Attrition race, scheduled to take ultra runners on a race across Cornwall’s rugged Southwest Coast Path, be able to go ahead?
In the end, there was a 36-hour window between the two chaotic weather systems and race organizers decided to pounce. Tom Evans shattered the 50-mile men’s record, finishing in 6 hours, 54 minutes and 40 seconds, making him the first runner to break the seven-hour barrier in the race. On the women’s side, Elsey Davis shaved an impressive 25 minutes off the previous course record. And with that bang, the fifth UTMB World Series began.
