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I had the chance to partake in the Kielder Half marathon, sponsored by Altra. The run takes you around half of Kielder Water in Northumberland. It is a stunning location in a remote corner of the country. Kielder Water is one of the largest artificial lakes in the UK and is surrounded by Kielder Forest, one of the largest man-made forests in Europe. The reservoir itself has a 27.5-mile shoreline, making it almost perfect Marathon distance and an ideal location for a running weekend.

The event was huge, with thousands of competitors taking on a number of events. As well as the full and half marathon, there was also a 10km, Duathlon, team Duathlon and junior events being held over the weekend. On Saturday, Steve Cram, the founder of the event, and Brian Beckstead, the co-founder of Altra, gave talks. I was fortunate to sit down with Brian after the event for a chat, but more on that later.

First, I was taking on the half marathon, which takes in the southern half of the shoreline with a few excursions into the woodland and a few hilly sections. The route starts off at the dam and takes you north up into a small woodland section before looping back down and south again back over the dam. It then follows around the southern shore. With multiple hydration stations and lots of encouraging crowds, it had a great atmosphere, and the enthusiasm of the volunteers was great to see and a fantastic encouragement to keep going. About two-thirds into the run you hit the switchbacks, which is a 200ft climb over half a mile that was a bit unrelenting, but once again the people lining the route were fantastic and motivated you to keep moving. The final push to the end was tiring, but overall it was a fantastic race in a stunning location, and the whole event was a lot of fun.

For the run, I used the Altra Olympus 275 HiLo's. This is a great all-around trail shoe that works great for trail running but could also be used as a hiking shoe. The upper is made from MATRYX, a one-piece woven material that offers high performance and durability as well as decent breathability. The minimal seams on the upper feel like it will have less chance of failure and feels good and secure. The material has a tough and durable feel to it and gives me confidence it can withstand more technical, rocky terrain. The mid-sole has been updated from the previous version, making it 15% lighter and 10% softer. This is noticeable, and it gives a lovely cushioned feel underfoot. On longer runs, this really helps minimise foot fatigue, especially across the sole. The outsole of the 275s utilises Vibram Megagrip with Traction Lug. This offers great grip and traction on muddy or technical ground however, I would be more hesitant about doing a lot of running on road or tarmac as it will wear quicker.

On the half marathon itself, the 275’s felt great. They offered great support, and the 33mm stack (cushioning) absorbed a lot of the miles, really minimising foot fatigue later on the trail. As with a lot of Altra trail shoes, these have a zero drop. This means the foot is essentially flat, with no height difference between the heel and the toe. This does give a more natural foot position however, if you have any sort of Achilles issues, it is not always recommended. Having said that, it can help strengthen that part of the foot in the long run. It has taken me a while to get used to zero drop shoes, but now that I have, I find them the most comfortable option for both hiking and running.

Again with most Altra’s, the toe box offers plenty of space for the toes to spread and really aids in stability, which feels great after longer runs. The heel is also nice and snug, which is not always what you expect with a wider foot box. The built-in scree sleeve protection around the back of the ankle offers good protection from debris, which is a nice feature. Overall, these have proved a great, comfy shoe which performed well on medium-distance runs. I look forward to trying them on longer multi-day hikes as I think the cushioning will cope well with the extra weight of a pack.

After the race, I sat down with Brian Beckstead, co-founder of Altra, to ask a few questions about the brand's history and where he thinks it is headed. Brian also ran in the half marathon. Read the interview here.

Nick Brown
Nick has had a love of the outdoors, especially the mountains, for over 20 years. His passion has led him all around the world on many multi-day treks and mountain climbs in the greater ranges. As well as experiences in harsh environments such as the jungles of Asia and South and Central America and the vastness of the Trans-Siberian railway. A qualified Mountain Leader, he spends most of his time exploring the Scottish highlands and wild areas bagging Munros. On top of this, he enjoys trail running and rock climbing and strongly believes any outdoor experiences are good experiences - no matter what the weather, especially for mental well-being and happiness. Read more from Nick Brown