A DETERMINED ultra runner from Hexham will celebrate confirmation she has qualified for the World Championships by running 150km this weekend.

Steph Scott, nicknamed Little Legs by her friends, is one of the 86 participants signed up for Saturday’s inaugural Tyne Trail Ultra which will see people run either the full length or half of the River Tyne.

And the event comes at a happy time for Steph after receiving email confirmation that her performance at the European event last year has secured her a place for Team GB in September’s ITU Long Distance Duathlon Championships, in Zofingen, Switzerland.

The hardy runner is one of the 30 or so completing the full distance of 150km from the start at Kielder’s Deadwater Farm to Tyenmouth, while the other 50 will stop off at the 75km point at Warden, where the North Tyne meets the South Tyne.

And she thinks it will be the ideal preparation ahead of her trip to Switzerland.

“Because the Tyne Trail is so local, it seemed like it had to be done. It would be almost criminal not to!” she said.

“It has been easy in terms of being able to get out and reccy the route, and friends from Tynedale Harriers will be out supporting me in the dark sections.

“The race is so accessible because you usually have to travel quite a long way to do ultra marathons, so this feels like a home race.

“I regularly run around Hexham and Corbridge but this has introduced me to tracks I have never been on before, even if the route is quite cruel in where it takes you! The route is mean, but that’s right up my street!”

Steph is no stranger to international competition, and has a European bronze medal from the European Sprint Championships to prove how well she can fare on the big stage.

And she is looking forward to challenging herself against some of the world’s best again.

Steph said: “I knew my time at the Europeans was fast enough for qualification, but I was really pleased when the email came through to confirm it this week.

“This event is supposed to be the duathlon event to do so I’m really looking forward to it.

“It’s more of an off-road race and a hilly bike ride, and it is said to be really long and challenging. However, that will only play to my strength.”

david.coulter@hexham-courant.co.uk