Karen Nash – Ultra Runner & Adventurer
At 65, Karen Nash is proving that age really is just a number! A hugely accomplished ultra-distance runner from Preston, Karen has spent years tackling some of the toughest endurance challenges in the UK and beyond.
In September 2026, Karen made headlines when she won the women's 180km race at the 13 Valleys Ultra in the Lake District, becoming the oldest British woman to win an ultramarathon.
Her achievements also include winning the 190-mile Northern Traverse, completing the gruelling Tor des Géants in the Italian Alps and taking on countless 100-mile-plus adventures.
What makes Karen's story particularly inspiring is her approach to running. With no rigid training plan, she simply enjoys being active, whether that's running in the hills, cycling, climbing or exploring new places.
We're delighted to welcome Karen to the Coast & Trails Festival, where she'll share stories from her incredible adventures, her love of the outdoors and why age should never be a barrier to taking on new challenges.
Nicky Spinks – Fell Running Legend & Record-Breaking Adventurer
Nicky Spinks is one of Britain's most inspirational fell and ultra-distance runners, with an extraordinary list of achievements across some of the toughest mountain challenges in the world.
Best known for her incredible endurance and determination, Nicky became the first woman to hold the records for all three of Britain's iconic mountain challenges: the Bob Graham Round, Paddy Buckley Round and Ramsay Round.
In 2016, to mark ten years since her breast cancer diagnosis, she completed an astonishing Double Bob Graham Round, covering 84 Lake District summits in just 45 hours and 30 minutes. She went on to become the first person to complete double rounds of all three iconic challenges.
Now 59, Nicky continues to push boundaries, competing in some of the world's most demanding ultra-distance events, including the infamous Barkley Marathons and the Spine Race.
Nicky's story is about far more than running records. It's one of resilience, determination, a love of wild places and refusing to let life's challenges define what's possible.
We're thrilled to welcome Nicky to the Coast & Trails Festival, where she'll share stories from her remarkable adventures, the highs and lows of endurance running and what keeps her heading back into the hills.
Angela White – The Running Granny, World Record Holder & Healthy Ageing Advocate
Angela White aka The Running Granny came to running at the age of 53., and by her own admission reluctantly. Overworked and unfit, she spent three weeks talking herself out of ringing a local running group for mature ladies before finally picking up the phone. That call changed the direction of her life.
She discovered fell and ultra running and surprised herself by what her body would do when asked.
Seven years later, aged 60, she ran 875 miles from John o' Groats to Land's End, setting a Guinness World Record as the oldest woman to do so. Since then, she has completed the Steve Parr Round of 61 Lake District summits, adding a 62nd summit for her 62nd birthday –and making a film, 62@62, which won three international festival awards. Among other challenges, in January 2025 she completed the Spine Challenger North, a 160-mile event along the Pennine Way winter conditions.
Due to a knee injury, she side-stepped briefly into triathlon and duathlon with results that gave her an unexpected age group qualification for GB at the European championships in Portugal where she achieved bronze in each of her two events.
She uses her running to start conversations about healthy ageing. She is a public speaker, a personal trainer and coach, and the creator of Building Better Bones, a workshop on bone health and physical activity.
Her message is simple: it is never too late to start being active. Our health trajectories change silently, year by year, and often in the wrong direction, but regular movement can turn that tide at any age. The first step is always smaller than you think.
We're delighted to welcome Angela to the Coast & Trails Festival, where she'll share her extraordinary journey, her passion for healthy ageing and why it's never too late to discover what you're capable of.
Renee McGregor – Sports Dietitian, Ultra Runner, Author & Advocate for Inclusion
Renee McGregor is one of the UK's leading sports dietitians, an accomplished ultra-distance runner, bestselling author and passionate advocate for athlete health, diversity and inclusion in sport.
With over 25 years of experience, Renee has worked with Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes and is a leading expert in sports nutrition, eating disorders, female athlete health and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs).
But Renee doesn't just talk about endurance sport – she lives it! A British age-group trail running champion, she has completed some incredible challenges, including the Lakeland 50, the Spine Sprint and a 220km multi-day race through the Himalayas.
As a trustee of Black Trail Runners, Renee is passionate about making the outdoors more welcoming and accessible to everyone, particularly those who have historically felt excluded from the sport.
Her powerful documentary, Unfiltered, shares her personal journey through childhood trauma, racism and the challenges of finding belonging, alongside her remarkable achievements in running and her professional career.
We can't wait to welcome Renee to the Coast & Trails Festival, where she'll share her experiences, her passion for breaking down barriers in sport and why looking after our physical and mental wellbeing is just as important as achieving our sporting goals.
