Update (June 30): Alex Staniforth made history by becoming the first and fastest person ever to run and cycle between all 446 mountains in England and Wales in one self-powered effort.
He covered over 3,000km and ascended more than 100,000m (11.5 x Mount Everest) on a record 45-day adventure that pushed him to the limits.
The INOV8 ambassador summited his final peak - Helvellyn - yesterday. He has so far raised £30,000 for Mind over Mountains.
Alex said: "It's a dream come true. We discovered what was possible, but more importantly the 446 Challenge brought people together and raised a big chunk of money to help those suffering with mental health.
"I wanted to mark my 30th year by opening conversations around mental health, when too many young people don't reach that milestone due to suicide. Five young lives every single day. We all need to ask for help sometimes, and without the support of so many people I would not have started or finished this challenge either."
Donations to Mind over Mountains can be made here.
Alex Staniforth is set to attempt something that has never been done before. The INOV8 ambassador will try and climb all 446 mountains in England and Wales in a single, continuous, self-powered journey – running every summit and cycling between.
His adventure will total about 3,000km (1,864 miles) in distance and include approximately 88,000m (288,000ft) of elevation gain (the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest nearly ten times). He hopes to complete it all within a record 45-50 days.
Prior to beginning his epic fundraising challenge on May 16, we chatted to Alex about his plans and expectations.
WHAT IS THE 446 CHALLENGE?
It involves running up all 446 mountains or ‘Nuttalls’ over 610 metres high within England & Wales, and cycling between them, in one continuous push. I’ll cover approximately 3,000km on foot and bike, with around 88,000m of ascent, in hopefully 45-50 days. I will start in Dartmoor, head into the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia, the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Pennines, Northumberland and finish on Helvellyn in the Lake District. You can find out more in this short video.
HAS IT BEEN DONE BEFORE AND WHAT IS THE RECORD YOU'RE LOOKING TO BREAK?
Fellow INOV8 ambassador James Forrest holds the record for climbing all 446 mountains within six months – doing so in and around his full-time job. Thanks to James, I first found the inspiration to attempt all 446 myself. I’ve thought about it for a while, but life kept getting in the way. I’m doing things slightly differently by cycling between them (I can’t drive anyway), and as far as I know nobody has completed them in this style before.
WHAT'S YOUR MOTIVATION FOR TAKING ON THIS CHALLENGE?
This year I turn 30 years old. People seem to worry about hitting big life milestones. But too many young people won’t reach that milestone – because suicide is now the biggest killer of people under 35 in the UK. I wanted to mark that milestone by doing something a bit ridiculous. I’m not really motivated by races or competing with others – I’m more interested in creating my own challenges and pushing my own limits.
HOW WILL YOU BE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE CHALLENGE?
I’m lucky to have a motorhome sponsored, with a variety of family, friends and my partner coerced into driving it (and all my equipment) in shifts across the England and Wales. However, I will personally be entirely self-propelled, going back to start each day where I finished the previous one. My friend Dan is project manager and will be working behind the scenes to keep things rolling. I hope people will run and cycle with me for moral support too.
HOW DO YOU RANK THIS IN DIFFICULTY VERSUS OTHER CHALLENGES YOU'VE DONE?
It’s 10 years since I attempted to climb Mount Everest, which ended in disaster with the Nepal earthquake. So, I can’t exactly compare the two. My Climb the UK Challenge in 2017 was 72 days long but the ratio of overall running and height gain is far higher and there’s less room in the schedule to play with. Holding my body together for the consecutive days will be new territory. Things don’t get easier; the bar just gets higher!
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Getting started and letting the anxiety go. Then it’s getting back to familiar turf in the Lake District on the final week, hopefully with more people around to join me, and discovering whether this is really possible. Those final day epics are always fun.
WHAT ARE YOU LEAST LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Falling behind schedule, bad weather, and trying to get Mickle Fell and Long Fell completed on time – both are on Warcop Military Training Area and can only be climbed on a precise Sunday afternoon window!
HOW HAVE YOU TRAINED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE?
I think it’s difficult to train for multi-day events, let alone nearly 50 days. My focus has been getting my body as resilient as possible, so it stays together for the duration. I increased my weekly height gain, with several long runs up to 30 miles and including over 7,000ft of ascent, and swapped speed work for longer hill reps. I’ve added at least one bike ride per week, often with a run on the same day, to simulate the transitions on tired legs.
For confidence, I need to feel good when running the distance of a typical scheduled day, not wrecked. Right now, I feel stronger than ever and from experience, the body always adapts within a week or so, then it becomes a mental game of relentless forward motion.
WHO ARE YOU FUNDRAISING FOR AND WHY IS THIS SO PERSONALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I’m aiming to raise £100,000 for Mind Over Mountains, a charity I co-founded in 2020, which restores mental health through nature. We provide day walks and retreats across England & Wales combining hill-walking with professional coaching, counselling and mindfulness.
For me the outdoors has been the best anti-depressant for my own struggles with depression, anxiety and bulimia, and I want others to experience the same benefits. I’ve seen firsthand the impact our events have on people and raising £100,000 could provide spaces for over 1,000 people to experience these for free and get the support they need.
WHAT THREE KEY PIECES OF INOV8 GEAR WILL YOU TRUST ON THIS CHALLENGE?
These will be my shoe of choice. The TRAILFLY range has been my go-to for years now. The TRAILFLY MAX has the combination of comfort and good all-round grip in the variety of conditions that I’ll experience across the National Parks. I’ll switch to the TRAILTALON for the muddier terrain.
I’ve had this for years and it looks (and performs) good as new. It’s super-comfy on its own and it’s breathable enough that I’ve worn it on winter runs and summer runs alike.
Having this jacket always brings peace of mind that I can stay warm even in the worst of weather.
LEARN MORE
*Follow Alex’s progress via this live tracking map and on his Instagram page.
*Download 446 Challenge app on Apple or Play Store.
*Donate and help Alex raise £100,000 for Mind Over Mountains.
