Over Two Hundred Take on Queen of the Suburbs Ultra
50-kilometre race run from Boston Manor Park to Dickens Yard
Runners at Horsenden Hill during the Queen of the Suburbs Ultra. Picture: Adela Ursachi
March 25, 2025
Last Saturday (22 March) saw over two hundred participants in the second annual Queen of the Suburbs Ultra, a 50-kilometre race through the streets and parks of Ealing
The route followed trails, footpaths, and canal towpaths starting in Boston Manor Park and then taking in the sights of Ealing, such as Horsenden Hill, the Northala Fields mounds, Hanwell Viaduct and the Grand Union Canal, finishing at Dickens Yard in the centre of town. Participants officially completed the course by touching the Smile Monument (also known as the Ealing Rock) at the entrance to Dickens Yard. A shorter 25-kilometre option was also available.
An Ealing local taking part was Jess Furness (Ironman finisher and presenter at The Running Channel) who is aiming to complete 42 marathons in 2025 and The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra was her eighth.
Participants from further afield included David Bone (Winner of the Tunnel Ultra and co-founder of Camino Ultra), Alice Walker (Malaysian Road Ultra Record Holder).
The event was organised by local running charity We Run Ealing, the community arm of the award-winning Ealing Half Marathon. We Run Ealing’s chair and Ealing’s Running Mayor Tom Kerry commented, “At We Run Ealing, we want to make Ealing the most active borough in London. The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra actually came from an idea during lockdown when we created a challenge where people had to visit 13 different parks all over Ealing. Many people ran between all the parks and we realised there were many fantastic paths and trails all over the borough that people didn’t even know were there”.
He added, “The Queen of the Suburbs Ultra is not only about people running long distances, it's about showcasing how much green space we have here in Ealing and inspiring people to get out there and appreciate it”.
First female finisher Laura Egerton crosses the finish line of the Queen of the Suburbs Ultra in Dickens Yard. Picture: Jake Bush
The organisers say that the event would not have been possible without 55 volunteers undertaking roles such as registering participants at the start, managing checkpoints and aid stations and handing out medals at the finish. Volunteers were also responsible for marking out the entire route with pink ribbons the day before to help the participants navigate their way around the course. The ribbons are removed by volunteers after the event, leaving no trace of anyone passing through.
Local organisations and businesses also supported the event by providing locations for checkpoint and aid stations, plus start and finish venues. These include Boston Manor Park, Dickens Yard and Dickens Yard Food Market, Friends of Horsenden Hill and Ealing Council.
The organisers also expressed their appreciation for a number of local running groups and communities for their support, in particular Ealing Eagles Running Club, Ealing Southall & Middlesex Athletics Club, Nepal Run, Westside Runnas and Black Girls Do Run. The event partners were Participation Sport, Krono Sports and The Green Quarter. The route passed through its parks, wetlands and green spaces of the Southall development.
Any leftover food and drink from the aid stations and finish is being donated to Ealing Food Bank.
To register interest for the 2026 event visit the Queen of the Suburbs Ultra website.
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