The University of Edinburgh veterinary lecturer was a big name in fell and sky running circles even before 2024. Records in the Bob Graham, the Ramsay Rounds and, most strikingly, the 268-mile Spine Race, which she won outright in 2019, saw to that. But becoming the first woman to do what race creator Laz Lake said would never be done, and complete the Barkley Marathons, made the 41-year-old a global star. It’s a platform the MBE-honoured mother of two is intent on using not for personal gain or enrichment – but to promote her two biggest passions: environmental awareness in our sport (she’s a co-founder of The Green Runners); and opening up pathways to greater female participation. We chatted to our cover star to get the inside story on how she has consistently redefined what’s possible in women’s ultrarunning
Runner’s World: Have you always liked to test the boundaries of what you’re capable of?
Jasmin Paris: I guess probably yes, but I didn’t start running until I was an adult. I started as a hill walker with my family and I do definitely remember lagging behind my parents, focused on the next sweet stop, when we were going home and having cold feet! So it wasn't like I was always pushing the boundaries back then, but I do think I have fairly determined character, and if I'm going to do something then I want to do it well. If it's something I'm passionate about wanting to pursue, then I throw myself into it wholeheartedly. I think that was there from a fairly early age.’
RW: And you started running after joining the outdoor society when you were at the University of Liverpool?
JP: ‘To be honest through university we were just hiking in the mountains. I didn’t really start running until my first year working as a new vet in the Peak District. That was when I discovered fell running. But I think it's a natural transition. It was just moving faster across the hills and all the foundations for moving quickly across technical train were formed much earlier. And the love of that terrain and being in the mountains comes from time spent outside as a kid – that love of wild places comes from parents, especially my mum.’
RW: Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network?
JP: ‘My dad played football all the way through my childhood so I had his passion to look up to and watched football with him in the evenings. I played for the school team, but I tore my ACL falling off a horse when I was 17 and didn’t have it repaired because it was fine for everything except football, so I just naturally stopped. I was pretty focused on hill walking at that point so it wasn't a huge loss. I played mainly for fun – it's not like I was competitive. I had determination and enthusiasm, but I didn't really have the skill.’
RW: Why didn’t you have your ACL repaired, and has it caused you problems in your running?
JP: ’It took a few months to get a diagnosis, waiting for a referral and an MRI, so by the time it was confirmed I was doing pretty much everything. Football was an issue, but I was skiing, running, swimming, horse riding. So there was a discussion about the pros and cons of surgery and I didn't have it. And it's actually been fine. It’s pretty incredible that the knee has coped so well with not having a crucial ligament as I do so much running on rough terrain. I think a lot of muscle has built up around it, and also I've subconsciously learned ways of protecting it. It’s amazing that it works on some of the terrains I've run on though!’
RW: which I am a cofounder of?
JP: ‘No, it doesn't hurt at all, except when I have a flare up, which happened in he 2023 Barkley when I developed bursitis of the knee. I think it's prone to that as a result of the chronic issues, but it rarely give me pain. Strength work really helps, so I've done a lot more in the last year.’
RW: SUBSCRIBE TO RUNNERS WORLD?
JP: ‘I don't really know when I first heard about it. It's just one of those things that’s always there, like a legend. But after the Spine it came into focus. Laz Lake had said in an interview that he’d be keen to see me try it, then people started asking me if I was going to do it. At that point I didn't know. It seemed an odd race, running loops in a forest, and it wasn't massively appealing. But the idea must have just taken root. A couple of years later I was looking for something to get me passionate and out training again, and one day that summer I suddenly thought, I want to run Barkley. I think I needed to wait for that switch as you can't be half and half about whether you want to do it. It’s not like you get out there and see beautiful views and lots of nice cheering company. It's not pleasant in that way, you have to be fully committed.’
RW: There was this myth that a woman couldn’t complete the Barkley, but Laz seemed to think that if anyone could, it would be you. What do you think he sensed in you?
JP: ‘There was a belief that a woman couldn’t do it, but maybe he recognised somebody who ignored that thinking. I think part of the reason I've done things people thought couldn't be done is not so much talent, it's more that I don't take other people's views as fact. I go out there and see for myself, and make my own mind up about what's possible. Being able to ignore pre-set beliefs is really helpful when you're taking on a challenge. And when I'm running I don't think of myself as a woman, I just think of myself as a runner and do the best I can.’
RW: Is it true you were a keen footballer growing up?
JP: ‘My parents instilled a self-confidence in me in a really positive way. I was never treated any differently to my brothers. It's difficult to bring up a girl in a world where there are definitely gender disparities; it’s difficult to bring them up thinking they can do anything that boys can do, but I was certainly raised like that.
And part of it probably comes back to my enthusiasm. The way I approach the sport is that ultimately, I'm just really happy to be there in these wild places. I consider the running I do a real privilege. I'm passionate about it and it makes me happy. And when you're enjoying something and you're passionate about it, and you have that drive and enthusiasm, it becomes easier. I have that love of nature, and I just enjoy running.’
RW: Resting heart rate?
JP: ’There's two sides to that. In terms of what it meant for me as a person, I think it was quite a profound experience. Those 13 hours there was a lot of struggle. There were so many times I had to force myself to keep going, and there was a moment when I got lost and had this 20 minutes of panic. From about six hours out, I knew every minute counted and I only needed to make a slight mistake and it was all over. It takes a lot to hold it together and keep pushing that hard for that length of time, especially when as a rational person you look at the stats and you know the chances aren’t that great but you have to keep that belief. It was hard, and I persevered. And I think especially in those final minutes running up the gate I managed to pull something out of some depths of me that I've never had to tap into before, and I'm not sure that I ever will again because I'm not sure I'll ever want something so much that I'll be willing to go that far. Going though that brings a certain self-confidence into different areas of life. It's nothing to do with the media stuff. It's nothing to do with the recognition. It's just a personal thing that I know what I was able to do and how I coped with that situation.
On the on the other side, life definitely changed in some ways in the months after Barkley because of all the media interest. But it’s settling down again and I’m happy about that because I don’t want to be a celebrity.’
RW: Are you comfortable to be thought of as a role model, particularly to young women who want to test their own limits?
JP: ‘It's an incredible privilege to be in that position, and it certainly makes me feel a certain responsibility. That's the main reason I do these interviews, because so many people have fed back to me and I've been incredibly inspired by their stories. There are some incredibly heart-warming things people have written to me. So, I feel overwhelmingly lucky and privileged to be in this position and I want to use it to the best of my ability.’
RW: When you do something as history-making as the Barkley there's a chance it will always be what defines you as a runner. Are you comfortable with the idea that your greatest achievement may have already happened?
JP: ‘I think it helps that I never set out to do it for the fame, so I can still do things that give me a lot of personal satisfaction. I can gain a lot of satisfaction from races where I know I tried my hardest, even if it didn't go well. Because I can still look at things that way, and because I've done fairly well at keeping this as a hobby not a career, I've nurtured it and managed to maintain the joy in it. So I don't think it’ll be an issue for me if this is the big thing that I'm remembered for. If I can continue fell running into my 70s I'll be overjoyed with that. I don't need to be famous.’
RW: Are there other runners you find particularly inspiring?
JP: ‘At heart I’m still a fell runner as my pure love so definitely Joss Naylor, who sadly passed away last year. He’s the epitome of the traditional old style fell runner and I had a lot of respect for him. Then women like Helene Diamantides who won the Dragons Back and Angela Mudge. I had a lot of respect for Angela when I started running. I was often paired with her on relay legs and she very much just went out and raced the men at the front. And now I feel like the women in ultrarunning are progressing incredibly – Courtney Dauwalter, Katie Schide… there are so many exciting people making big changes in the women's field.
RW: Do you think your Barkley finish will pave the way for other female finishers? JP: ‘Yeah, I'm sure. When I set a new women's record on the Bob Graham Round it inspired women to come out and then Beth (Pascall) broke my record with an incredible time. There are these glass ceilings that you break through and Barkley is definitely an example where women will come in and do it again.’
RW: Has completing the Barkley changed your life?
JP: ‘I guess the first thing to say is that I'm in a privileged position because I'm running for fun and have a career outside running. I'm not financially dependent on running, so I'm always very aware of that when I answer questions on this because there are people trying to break through into the sport and trying to be professional, and they need that funding. But I was in this fortunate position that allowed me to do what I want and I felt if I had no choice but to be someone that people knew about, I wanted to use that to do something I think is important. For me that's both inspiring women and girls, and also trying to advocate for greener practices and greener decision making in running. That’s why I stepped away from sponsorship and I’ve tried to use my platform in that way.’
RW: How to run 450 miles?
JP: ‘Especially in the last few years I’ve had a lot of invitations to do exciting races all over the world, but I'm okay with turning them down. I don't think people need to say they’re never going to fly and the Green Runners are very clear that it's not about being perfect, it's just about trying to improve. For me that was saying, if I'm going to fly to a race it has to be a big goal I'm really focused on, but generally I'll try to not travel as much and when I can, I'll try and travel by train. So for the World Champs last year in Innsbruck, I travelled by train. When I went to the UTMB and the Tour de Geants, I went by train. From a running perspective, that's been the biggest change for me, trying to travel to races by train and over land rather than flying. That fits the Green Runners pillar of think about how you move.’
RW: Running not being your full-time career has its advantages, but it must also have downsides… how you do you fit running in around being a vet and a parent?
JP: ‘I fit the training in by doing it early in the morning. I think once the day has started there's always something else demanding your attention. So in the week I get up at 5am and train from 5.30am until about 7.30am. Then at weekends I usually get up pretty early and do a longer run so I'm still done by around 9/10am and then I can then take the kids swimming or whatever. I guess there are sacrifices, but I think it's more about prioritising what's important to you. For me, it's the kids, making some space for my partner, then getting out running. It makes you more organised, getting things ready the night before and there are things you can do around kids, too. You can get an extra training session in running with them when they ride their bikes. When they were younger, I would carry them up mountains; when I was on mat leave, I’d run reps around the buggy. When I do research in the lab, I cycle commute there. You can find ways to fit little bits of training in throughout the day.’
RW: Is it true you did a training session before the Barkley that meant getting up at 1am in a snowstorm?
JP: Yeah, exactly! I went to bed with my son at 8pm, got up at midnight, then went out at 1am. It was 1C and I knew once I started climbing the hill it was going to drop. I was going through the snow line and anyone who spends time in the mountains in winter knows being around the snow line is what’s most unpleasant, because you get wet, then you freeze as you get higher. So dropping in and out of that point seems insane and I did it 17 times up and down. But the hills were white and it was really beautiful, and there was that feeling of being the only person to see the world change overnight. That's a really warm feeling, this little secret, this kind of superpower you have when you then take the kids swimming, not only in
knowing the training you did, but also having been there to witness that beauty of the morning. So there are huge advantages to these crazy things I do!’
RW: Your 50 mile ultramarathon training plan?
JP: ‘It was a really nice surprise, and more so because it felt I was representing women across the world. I definitely like to think of it that way – that I was more collecting it for women everywhere who might be hoping for something, dreaming of something, working towards something. Hopefully it’s a little bit of inspiration for them to keep trying and really believe in themselves.’
RW: Meet our cover star: Jasmin Paris?
JP: ‘Running across the moors is what feels most natural; it’s what associate with my childhood and that brings a lot of warm memories. I love running all year round – in the summer you get these incredible long days, but in winter you get the crispy, frosty mornings which are insanely beautiful. I also don't mind running at night, even when it's bad weather. Once I get out the door and running it’s very rare that I don't feel more positive – I always feel that I've reconnected with myself and with the world.’
RW: ‘What are your goals now? Back to Barkley?
JP: ‘No, I'm not going back to the Barkley! Partly because I don't want to keep flying to the US, and also I’m not someone who keeps going back to things. I've done it, I’ve achieved what I wanted to and I'm happy to move on. There are lots of other things I want to do in the next few years – I want to go to the Tour De Geants, I'm going to try and get a place for Hardrock 100 (although I think I first need to run a 100 mile race that’s on their list – they used to have Barkley on there but they’ve take in off!). Then the Swiss peaks have this crazy long race that I want to do at some point, and I'd like to have a go at all the Monroe's in Scotland. But those sort of things take a few weeks and it's time away from the children that's the limiting factor. A Backyard Ultra also intrigues me. It’s not going to tap into that joy of being in wild, beautiful places, but I'm intrigued by what happens when you put yourself in that situation, because so much of it is mental. I share Laz’s fascination with what a human is capable of so I am pretty sure I'm going to do a backyard Ultra at some point.’
The below interview was conducted with Jasmin following her historic run at the Barkley Marathons -
spoke with her about her historic finish Barkley Marathons Advertisement - Continue Reading Below crossed the finish line of the 2019 Spine Race in a record 83 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds (a record that was only broken this year), and is the first woman to have won the race outright. RW A runner’s guide to ultramarathon training.
Why did you walk away from being a sponsored athlete?
JP: It's an incredible feeling, every time I think of it I feel happy all over again. I went to Barkley primarily to challenge myself, initially wanting to know whether a finish might be possible, and on subsequent occasions because I believed it was. The fact that it took me 12 loops of trying, over three years of attempts, made the final result even sweeter. Similarly, the fact that I persevered despite feeling so bad at times, and despite fighting a seemingly impossible battle against the clock on the final loop, gives me a huge sense of pride. I was aware beforehand that if I managed to pull it off, I would not only disprove the belief (held by many) that a woman wasn't capable of finishing the race, but that I could perhaps inspire women across the world, to believe in their capabilities, and follow their dreams. I'm proud, grateful for, and inspired by all the messages of support I've received confirming this.
Everything you need to know about the Barkley?
JP: I think it was a combination of things. Most importantly, prior experience is invaluable at Barkley, in particular when it comes to navigation, and preventing – or at least quickly correcting – errors as they happen. I was also better prepared for the huge amount of ascent, thanks to many occasions on which I ran repeats of the same steep hill for hours at a time in training, to accumulate as much ascent per mile as I could manage. On top of that, I did significantly more strength work this time around (I do an online class with Coach Dee), which strengthened my chronically problematic (ACL deficient) left knee – it was 100% throughout and after Barkley, better than it has been for years in fact. Finally, I'd had a sort of low-grade fatigue intermittently for the last couple of years, and that seemed to lift completely at the end of 2023, leaving me feeling amazing. In short, I felt ready, and I went to Barkley this year with a strong feeling that I could finish. I think that self-belief was what got me around five loops, more than anything else.
Best wireless headphones?
JP: Much as I'd love to see the ‘Barkley Family’ again, I doubt it. For one thing, I can’t see myself having the same desperate drive to do five loops again now, since I’ve proved to myself that I can. Without that intrinsic desire, I think it would be very easy to drop out when things got really tough. Secondly, and more importantly, I really struggled in the last few years with the decision to fly to US to run the Barkley Marathons, given that the world is facing a climate crisis. Instead, I hope to use the platform I now have, as a finisher of Barkley, to help promote not only participation in sport (especially female), but also a more climate conscious approach to running and racing, as per the principles of The Green Runners (thegreenrunners.com), spoke with her about her historic finish.
Keen to know more about Paris? Here's the need-to-know info in her own words...
I grew up in the Peak District. I explored mountains from an early age and began serious running in 2008, after leaving Liverpool University. Working in Glossop as a newly qualified vet, a colleague suggested I enter a local fell race. I did, and I was hooked.
I run in the early morning, and my husband, Konrad, tolerates being woken at 5am every day when I go training. This guarantees that I’ll get a run in, whereas if I leave it until later, work often gets in the way, or I’m simply too tired when I get home to motivate myself to go running.
I don’t have a set training plan. Most days I set off from our cottage, run for 10 minutes to the hills and take it from there. On weekdays I tend to go out for 60-90 minutes each day; sometimes I cycle to work; and I swim a few times a week, too. At weekends I typically do a couple of longer runs (three to four hours), or mountain days with Konrad, and I do a weekly hill-rep session.
I haven’t adjusted my diet for running because it’s already reasonably balanced. I’ve always liked fruit and veg; and we cook from scratch most evenings. I don’t avoid treats – cake is part of fell running culture – and neither do I avoid the occasional glass of wine.
Updated: 14 March 2025 if I’m not pushing myself. On an easy, long run I take packable food – eg dried fruit/nuts, cereal bars, flapjack, salted nuts, a sandwich, and buttered hot cross buns. But if I’m working hard − on the Rounds [fell running challenges] for example − eating becomes a challenge. In short races I eat gels or sweets, but for longer runs I try to consume something more substantial – baked beans, rice puddings, and snack-sized pots of fruit salad work well.
How to run 450 miles preparation for a hilly ultra is to hike in the mountains. My best performances have always followed trips to the mountains, when I’ve walked and wild-camped for a week or more with a heavy rucksack. It’s training for long days on your feet, lots of ascent and descent, some altitude training, and significantly less risk of injury than if you were to attempt something similar while running.
Breaking Angela Mudge’s Isle of Jura Fell Race record in 2015 meant a lot. Jura is such a special place that we got married there last year. In terms of the Rounds, I’m proud of them all, but I’m proudest of the Ramsay because I set out aiming to break the men’s record and succeeded, and also because it’s is my local Round, the wildest of the three, and over the biggest mountains.
Health & Injuries. I think my surroundings make me happy, and I run well if I’m enjoying myself.
