Paula Radcliffe teams up with Sophie Raworth, Nell McAndrew, Eve Muirhead and the Altra Kielder Marathon

One of Britain's most scenic and popular running events has announced a partnership that aims to improve and promote safety, security and companionship for women who run. The Altra Kielder Marathon has teamed up with Paula Radcliffe and high-profile female runners Sophie Raworth, Nell McAndrew and Eve Muirhead. Together with not-for-profit women’s running club BOLDLI, they have launched ‘Stay Out There: She Runs Free’, an initiative that will recruit a team from across the UK who will embark on a shared training journey, culminating in their participation in the marathon on October 5. The project intends to establish best practice and create a template that can be used to achieve safer conditions for female runners everywhere.

Performance running brand Altra is the new title sponsor of the Kielder Marathon and has introduced the event to BOLDLI, which is dedicated to making running safer through connection. Working together, they have developed and launched Stay Out There: She Runs Free. The new initiative will address one of the most significant barriers to participation in running: safety and security, particularly for women running alone, after dark, or in remote areas. Championed by Sophie Raworth, Nell McAndrew, Eve Muirhead and Paula Radcliffe, the project will provide participants with expert coaching and resources, a supportive community and safety-first training tools, as they prepare to take on this year’s Altra Kielder Marathon.

Radcliffe says: “Stay Out There: She Runs Free is more than just an initiative. It’s a call to action to ensure that women get everything that they deserve when they’re out running and training, in terms of safety, security and companionship. To that end, Eve, Nell, Sophie and I will be at the forefront of the project and we look forward to joining the women who sign up during their journey, and on the start line of the Altra Kielder Marathon in October.”

Natasha Edwards, co-founder of BOLDLI, adds: “We’re thrilled to join forces with Altra and the Kielder Marathon to further our mission and enable us to reach more women and men nationwide. With this initiative, we can amplify the voices of women in running and demonstrate what’s possible when safety, support, and community are prioritised.”

Founded in 2010, Altra Kielder Marathon is known as ‘Britain’s most beautiful’ and has grown into one of the most popular running events on the calendar. Every year, two days of races at different distances attract thousands of participants of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. The Altra Kielder Marathon is organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Northumbrian Water, Forestry England, Northumberland Country Council, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and official charity partner 4 Louis. This year’s event will take place on October 4-5, based at Kielder Water and Forest in the heart of Northumberland National Park.

Applications are now open for Stay Out There: She Runs Free, welcoming women across the UK to be part of a team journeying to the 2025 Altra Kielder Marathon. For more information or to apply to join the team, see here (applications close on June 15).