Win a trail running experience for two with Josh Wade (+ full winter collection from The North Face)

Trail running in the snow is not for the faint of heart, but it also isn't as scary as you might think. So says Josh Wade, an exciting ultra runner who just smashed a first-place finish at the UTS 100.

For our readers only, LFTO has teamed up with The North Face to bring you an absolutely fantastic prize: a guided run around the Lake District with Josh Wade (+ a friend of your own to help tell the story later!). So grab your best pair of trail running shoes and enter our comp for a free trip to The Lakes. But before you do, let's meet Josh and hear his top tips for winter trail running.

Wade completed his first ultra marathon in 2017. "It was 50k and I just felt amazing afterwards", he told us when we caught up just before Kendal Mountain Festival. (If you managed to attend Kendal this year, you might’ve seen Wade and fellow North Face athlete Elsey Davis doing a few guided runs).

Wade quickly progressed from 50 to 100k, then onto 100 mile races. By the end of 2022 he had achieved podium finishes at the Lakeland 100, Scafell Skyrace, and an impressive top placement at the Winter Spine Challenger. His latest win at the Ultra Trail Snowdonia marks his 3rd race where the miles reached triple digits, but Josh isn’t slowing down any time soon.

In fact, "right now, I'm just focusing on building speed" Wade tells us. “A lot of flat, fast running, which isn’t exactly taking advantage of where I live.” Wade is based in the heart of the Lake District and will hit the hills all year round. Rain or shine, or even snowstorm.

How to start your winter trail running journey

It seems counter-intuitive to look out at snowy weather and think 'yep, time for a run' – nobody wants to end up falling over on the evening news. But for Wade, as long as you're safe, there's nothing better.

“I know that some locals must be thinking ‘there’s that crazy lad again’ when they see me running past in the snow”, Wade laughs, “but I absolutely love winter running, more than summer even. You don’t overheat, it looks beautiful, and it’s great fun!”

When we asked his advice for people looking to take on winter runs, he first and most pressing tip was to "definitely pick up a first aid kit. Oh, make sure you know how to use it as well!"

"I'd also say consider running with poles." It can take some getting used to, but learning to run with poles can be highly beneficial, especially in winter conditions. "They're great for driving up the hills, and they give you extra stability on the downhills and super technical terrain."

Wade also recommends that you “Always check the forecast beforehand, just so you know what you’re getting into. I’ll go out in whatever, but if its already icy and you know rain is coming, then you could be setting yourself up for quite a dangerous run.”

“That’s another thing” he continues, “make sure you spend a lot of time on the terrain you’ll be running on. It’s really important to be familiar with it and be used to some of the more technical aspects, especially somewhere like The Lakes where there’s a lot of rocks and shale.”

"The gear is really important too. I like the Enduris III for runs like I'm doing. Nice and grippy, which is great on frosty ground, and they're also very stable which is good since there's quite a lot of uneven ground in The Lakes"

As you prepare to become a cold-weather warrior this winter, make sure to dial in your nutrition. Cold weather takes a much larger toll on the body than three-season conditions. "I definitely pack a lot of energy gels, and take maybe one an hour, plus half an energy bar every twenty minutes if I'm really going hard" advises Wade. He also reveals that he fuels up with potatoes – prepared in advance, naturally.

"And fruit! Fruit is absolutely amazing when you really want a snack. It's so refreshing and tastes so good." We also learned that Wade, when he's really feeling it in the middle of a big race, might just throw in some running earphones and play some heavy metal to keep the blood pumping and his heart racing.

Imagine bagging summits and tackling deadly downhills all around Snowdonia to a largely Metallica-based soundtrack. Almost too awesome to think about.

It's clear from talking to Wade that his personality is perfect for activities like ultra running and sky running, even in the freezing cold. "In an ultra, getting to see things like the sunrise and sunset is just mint," he says, reminiscing on his recent success, "when it all comes together, it just feels amazing."

To be completely frank, the biggest takeaway we got from our chat with Josh Wade is that he’s both an absolute laugh and an extremely passionate runner. We share his love for the outdoors, and honestly, we'd all quite like to go for a run with him around the Lake District. But sadly, that prize isn't for us at LFTO, it's for you...

Josh Wade's Winter Running Gear

The prize draw opens on the 11.12.23 at 9am and closes at 23:59pm on the 11.01.24 any entries submitted after this time will not be valid or counted.

This competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.

There are x 2 main prizes consisting of a Full The North Face Winter Running Outfit per person from the F23 Winter Collection consisting of 1 x Dot Knit Beanie, x 1 x pair of VECTIV Enduris 3, 1 x Run Wind Jacket, x 1 Limitless Run Short and a Trail Running Experience with Josh Wade for two people. Experience will take place before 31.03.24. Travel expenses will be covered by The North Face with a maximum limit of £100 per person.

1 winner will be picked randomly from all valid correctly answered entries who have answered during the prize date. The winner will be contacted shortly after the closing date and notified by email and have 7 days to respond before an alternative winner is chosen.

Only one entry per person will be counted.

Prizes will only be delivered to an address within the UK. Should a prize winner's contact details change, it is their responsibility to notify us, or the contact person(s) detailed in the Competition’s Specific Terms.

No purchase is necessary. To enter for free visit Hit the trails with The North Face runner Josh Wade

Full terms and conditions can be found at www.bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.html

The prize is provided by The North Face.  We are not responsible for any aspect of the prize, including unsatisfactory quality or the entirety of the prize due to their own circumstances or restrictions. Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable and no cash alternative will be offered.

Our employees (and their family members) or employees of any company involved in the Competition, including any Prize Provider, are not permitted to enter.

H Bauer Publishing is the promoter of this Competition, see: http://www.bauerlegal.co.uk/ for details of our registered office and company number.