ABERGAVENNY’S thriving running community came together earlier this month for a special evening with one of the UK’s most respected ultra runners at The Angel Hotel.

Hosted by local outdoor retailer U-Xplore, the event welcomed Damian Hall for an intimate Q&A, drawing a sell-out audience of runners, walkers and outdoor enthusiasts from across the area.

Hall ran his first half marathon at 36 - a year later, his first full marathon dressed as a toilet. Four years after that, he was representing Great Britain on their trail running team. Hall’s path to the elite ranks of ultra-running has never been conventional.

Hall is a coach, writer, activist, and father of two. He co-founded The Green Runners, a community championing climate responsibility in sport, and Into Ultra, which brings underrepresented athletes into trail running.

Hall, known for taking on some of the world’s toughest endurance challenges, shared stories from events including the Barkley Marathons, describing it as “so much ouchy fun” to laughter from the crowd.

He was joined by Rhys Jenkins of Pegasus Ultra Running, with the discussion focusing not just on elite performance, but on making running more inclusive and enjoyable for all.

More than £1,000 was raised on the night for IntoUltra, supporting efforts to make ultra running more accessible.

Damian Cooper, Managing Director of Unify Brand Partnerships Limited, said, “Since opening U-Xplore on the High Street, we’ve met so many local runners who are passionate about the incredible trails we have here in Abergavenny.

“We wanted to bring something that’s close to our hearts into the town—creating an event that connects people and celebrates that shared love of the outdoors, while also giving back to the community and supporting a fantastic cause alongside Damian Hall.”

The event reflects the growing strength of Abergavenny’s outdoor community, with more opportunities emerging for people to connect through running and exploration.