My first ultra & an experience I won’t forget
I went out to Morocco with Rise Ultra and ran 60k through the Atlas Mountains as my first ultra. What an experience. The event was really well run from start to finish by Alex and the team, and even though I knew going in that it would be more than a race, it's only when you're there and see it all in person that you realise just how much more.
Spending five days out there, I got to see the communities around Amizmiz up close. It was eye-opening to see the hardship people are still living with after the earthquake, but also how they're recovering. Taking part in the community days and helping out at the kids' race made it feel real, and I came away knowing the money raised by the team for the High Atlas Foundation will go a long way. It feels like this is just the start, and with the event coming back year after year, I can see it making a big difference to the local communities in the future.
I also made some really good friends from all over the world. Being together for five days, you get to know people properly, and they're people I'm looking forward to staying in touch with for a long time.
On a personal note, my mum loved running, and since she passed away this was a way for me to feel connected to her. Running my first ultra out there meant more to me than I can put into words.
Whatever brings you to it, whether that's the running, the fundraising or just meeting new people, I'd recommend it to anyone.
October 8, 2026
Unprompted review