Aspiring women runners will have the chance to hear from some of Europe’s best trail and mountain female athletes at this year’s Kendal Mountain Festival, thanks to online running and outdoor retailer SportsShoes.com.
The retailer is presenting The Hub at the festival’s Basecamp, hosting a programme of talks, film screenings and events involving a range of female athletes from Friday November 20 to Sunday November 22.
This includes discussions with professional ultra and trail runner Gemma Hillier-Moses, Swedish endurance athlete and world champion Tove Alexandersson and world-record-holding endurance athlete Imo Boddy.
Established in 1982, SportsShoes.com offers customers more than 15,000 products from 150 global running and outdoor brands. Outdoor brands include The North Face, Salomon, Montane, Rab and Patagonia, while its running portfolio features Asics, Nike, Adidas, Hoka, New Balance and Brooks.
Its presence at Kendal Mountain Festival forms part of its commitment to being the most physically present digital retailer in its space.
Among the highlights is ‘Inside PATT’ on Friday 20 November, a conversation about life as an elite female athlete with members of SportsShoes’ all-women Pro Alpine Trail Team (PATT).
Launched in January 2026, PATT pairs experienced international athletes with emerging talent to enable development and mentorship.
The programme on Friday will also feature ‘She Claims the Trails’, a panel discussion led by ultra runner Juliette Denny and supported by Asics, exploring the barriers women face when taking up trail running.
On Saturday 21 November, SportsShoes.com athlete Eve Pannone joins Merrell athlete Harry Jones to talk about building a life around running across fell, trail and skyrunning, followed by a social run on the trails around Kendal.
SportsShoes.com is also joining Black Trail Runners and Adidas Terrex on Sunday 22 November to present a free screening of the documentary ‘We Are Here’. The film follows seven Black British women as they took on the 2025 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix.
Tickets for all sessions organised by SportsShoes.com at The Hub can be booked through the Kendal Mountain Festival programme.
SportsShoes.com marketing manager for trail and outdoor, Ben Mounsey, said: “Kendal Mountain Festival is one of the standout weekends in our calendar, and we wanted to use our platform to put some of the most inspiring women in the sport in front of the next generation of athletes.
“There is so much talent in women’s trail and mountain running right now, but the women coming into the sport don’t always get the chance to meet the athletes they look up to, ask them questions and learn from their experience.
“From our own Pro Alpine Trail Team to a world champion like Tove Alexandersson, we want The Hub to bring runners of all levels together to share experiences and inspiration. Having a space for those conversations to happen in person helps build connections.
“For SportsShoes.com, investing in the people who make up our sport and being present at key events like Kendal Mountain Festival is a big part of what it means to be unrivalled in running.”
Elsewhere at Kendal Mountain Festival, SportsShoes.com and British Orienteering are hosting O-Games: Twin It 2 Win It on Friday November 20, with a start time of 7pm.
Sponsored by headline partner Asics, and supporting partners Maurten, Silva, Suunto, Tenzing and YETI, the urban orienteering challenge combines running with map-reading and teamwork. Pairs of runners are given one hour to navigate the streets of Kendal and visit as many checkpoints as possible before time runs out.
Elsewhere on the programme, SportsShoes.com is hosting the first urban Mackyard Ultra. Delivered in partnership with headline sponsor Salomon, and supporting partners Maurten, Silva, Suunto, Tenzing and YETI, the race will start at Abbot Hall on Friday November 20 at 10am, with participants tackling a 6.7km route around Kendal on the hour, every hour.
The winner will be the last runner to complete a loop after all others have withdrawn, meaning the challenge could continue throughout the festival.
For more information on SportsShoes.com’s activity at Kendal Mountain Festival, visit the festival programme.
Photography: Nathan Phua.
