Where There's a Hill: One woman, 214 Lake District fells, four attempts, one record-breaking Wainwrights run

By Sabrina Verjee

'The greater the challenge, the sweeter the reward, but also the greater the risk of failure. And fear of failure is the greatest barrier to success.'

Sabrina Verjee is an ultrarunning phenomenon. In June 2021, on her fourth attempt, she became the first person to climb the Lake District’s 214 Wainwright hills in under six days, running 325 miles with a colossal 36,000 metres of ascent.

Where There’s a Hill tells the story of an outsider who was never picked for a school sports team yet went on to become an accomplished modern pentathlete and adventure racer. After switching her focus to ultrarunning in her thirties, Sabrina moved to the Lake District, where she could hone her mountain-running skills on the local fells. High-profile success in endurance events followed, as she completed the Dragon’s Back Race three times and was the outright winner of the 2019 Summer Spine Race, beating her nearest competitor by more than eight hours.

However, it was the Wainwrights Round which really captured Sabrina’s imagination. Having learnt about the challenge from fell-running legend Steve Birkinshaw, Sabrina began to plan an attempt of her own. Despite multiple obstacles – including lockdown regulations, bad weather, injury and controversy – Sabrina’s grit and determination shone through. Where There’s a Hill is a frank and inspirational account of how one woman ran her way into the record books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vertebrate Publishing
• Release date: Sep 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839811470

Sabrina Verjee

Sabrina Verjee lives in the heart of the Lake District, where she spends a lot of time running in the fells she loves. She has a background in adventure racing and modern pentathlon but is best known as an ultrarunner. She set a female record for the Pennine Way in 2020, was the overall winner of the 2019 Summer Spine Race, and has finished the ultra-endurance Dragon’s Back Race three times. Fuelled by a love of cake and supported by her husband Ben and a team of fell-running friends, Sabrina made four attempts on the 214-peak Wainwrights Round, and in June 2021 became the first person to complete it in under six days. She runs her own independent, small-animal veterinary practice in Lancashire, which provides twenty-four-hour care to emergency patients. Where There’s a Hill is her first book.