Running an ultramarathon is no mean feat, so most first-timers opt for a course with manageable elevation gains and a low technical difficulty to ease them into the sport.
Not me, though. I made the brash – arguably reckless, definitely naive – decision to head to the mountains of Iceland and compete in the Kerlingarfjoll Ultra, a 60km trail race in the country's Highlands covering varied terrain, with a stated elevation gain of 2,100m (although my Garmin watch recorded 3,190m of climbing).
It was just a few months after I completed my third marathon in London, and I wanted an altogether different challenge. Having become trapped in the time-goal vortex perpetuated by social media, I found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything but my official chip time once I crossed the finish line on The Mall. It subsumed me – and I wanted out.
So, when I was offered the chance to race the Kerlingarfjoll Ultra, it just made sense. And I say race, but the time and placing didn't matter. I just wanted to finish.
Marvelling at Iceland's Wonder
When I wake at Highland Base at Kerlingarfjoll, where the ultra starts and finishes, there's drizzle in the air and a chilly breeze. It's a welcome change from the UK summer full of heatwaves we've been experiencing.
On the start line at 8am, I'm standing next to 27 other hardy souls. The enormity of what lies before me still hasn't quite sunk in. But this plays in my favour – I'm just here to have fun, and, like with all great trail races, that means walking up any slight incline and plodding along the rest.
And, just 5km in, I'm buzzing. Whatever happens from here, I'm vindicated in my choice to take on my first ultra in Iceland – the vibrant rhyolite peaks formed from the iron, sulphur and silica-rich magma are unlike anything I have ever seen before. It’s hard not to stop and simply marvel at this geothermal area pulsing with activity. The orange shades are stunning, with geysers, steam vents and bubbling clay capturing my attention. It makes for some pretty badass photos – and even the pungent sulphur is unable to dampen my spirits. I allow myself a few seconds, perhaps a minute, to appreciate what is, without a doubt, the most unique landscape I've ever seen. But there’s a race to run, and I have a long way to go.
Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 Trail Running Shoes
Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 Trail Running Shoes
Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 Trail Running Shoes
For the Kerlingarfjoll Ultra, I wore the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 trail shoes. They proved sturdy underfoot, perfectly coped with the changing terrain – even when I had to wade through knee-height, freezing cold rivers – and were adept at picking up the pace when the route allowed for some quicker running.
Plus, they were extremely comfortable. I didn't get any blisters while out in the mountains, despite wearing them for nine-and-a-half hours and my feet getting wet at various points.
Even if you aren't racing a 60km ultramarathon in Iceland, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 is an extremely solid shoe for those going out on the trail, whatever the distance.
Fighting Against the Elements
It's hard to describe to anyone unfamiliar with the country, but Iceland feels alive. Tectonic plates are constantly shifting, volcanoes are active and geysers burst hot water and steam into the air.
After the initial awe subsides, the terrain starts to make things tough, and before long, it feels like the route is actively working against me. Knee-high, freezing-cold rivers and the terrain – a changing combination of rocks, slate, sandy gravel, mud, moss and even ice – all prove especially challenging. The twisting roads of the London Marathon's Canary Wharf section might be tough, but at least the tarmac isn't slipping out from under you.
And then there's the tortuously tedious 4km section just over halfway that really messes with my head. I'm scaling the side of a mountain, forced to move up and down, up and down, across what feels like hundreds of small gullies caused by drainage coming off the peak of the mountain. All the while, slate rocks are constantly scattering beneath my feet, making every step risky. I trip on multiple occasions, but fortunately manage to catch my balance before I hit the ground. I'm convinced these gullies are where the majority of that extra 1,000m of elevation that shows up on my Garmin comes from.
Gale-force winds are another challenge I have to face when I reach an exposed area, and bearing in mind I'm in the Highlands where the landscape is sparse and mountains are all around, that happens a considerable amount. The land of ice and fire is truly delivering.
Vertically Climbing
I quickly force myself to recentre and get back on track. While Noah Kahan's song, Staying Still, remains welcomely stuck in my head for 80% of the race, the other 20% is taken up by me reminding myself it's all about sticking one foot in front of the other. 'Just keep moving and you'll eventually reach the finish line,' my internal monologue says.
That is, until I look up from the bottom of a valley and see the 25-metre-high stone pillar from which the Kerlingarfjoll Ultra gets its name (legend states that a female troll named Kerling was travelling through the central Highlands and was caught by the sunlight, turning her into stone) standing far above me.
With my hips and quads both becoming increasingly fatigued, the climb quickly becomes my Everest. I estimate the pillar is 400m away up a steep 25% incline. I'm likely over-exaggerating, but it's the only time during the ultra I ever really take stock of what I’m doing; the first time the reality of the task I am facing becomes apparent. Still, it won’t get any closer just by looking at it, so I plod on in defiance. Legs still good, mind still sound, mountains getting beaten.
Dare I say, reaching the top proves to be the second-best moment of the day. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a little (a lot) afraid of heights, so, despite refusing to look back at where I came from, just knowing the view looked spectacular was satisfying enough for me.
Arriving Home
From there it feels like I'm on the home straight – even if there's still 15km to go. It's during this period that I'm really able to get some proper, consistent running in on a fairly flat surface. Even though I've run well over a marathon by this stage, it's nice to open up the legs and find some relative pace. And then I reach the top of the mountain I had first climbed at the start of the race and see the Highland Base come into view – it feels like a welcome embrace from an old friend I didn't quite know when I'd see again. A little dramatic, perhaps, but I had been moving for more than a working day and wanted nothing more than to sit down.
With a 12-hour cut-off, just 22 of the original 27 make it back in time. I come home in nine hours and 26 minutes in 11th place – probably a little slower than I initially had in mind. But, like I said, it was never about the time. I just wanted to complete something a little mad without the pressure of a proper time goal.
I recover at the Highland Base facilities, making full use of the natural springs and enjoying a few beers and a burger. Life has peaked. It's the proudest I've ever felt following a race, with the Kerlingarfjoll Ultra ranking highly among the best experiences of my life.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
