James Whitfield

James found his way into running through a Talent ID programme called SportPath. He may have fudged his age a little to get evaluated for various Olympic sports — he was simply too young to qualify at the time, but his determination got him through the door. Growing up as the most competitive of four siblings, sport was always going to be his outlet, and all he ever dreamed of was becoming a professional runner.

His first race experience was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons — a bad fall left him with a nasty injury, but with his dad by his side and a stubborn refusal to quit, he pushed through. That resilience carried him through a turbulent decade on the competitive running circuit, navigating the soaring highs and crushing lows that come with elite sport. After battling through two major surgeries to address serious vascular conditions and a grueling comeback attempt, James genuinely tried to walk away from the sport in 2021 and pursue a more conventional career. It didn't stick. The pull of trail and ultra running proved too strong, and 2022 marked the exciting beginning of a whole new chapter.

Hometown: Leeds, United Kingdom
Current Home: Denver (summer), Auckland, NZ (winter) — though truthfully he's a nomad at heart
Birthday: September 30

Career Highlights

2023: Rocky Mountain Ultra 100 – 1st
2023: High Desert Challenge 50 miler – 2nd
2023: Canyon Grinder 50k – 1st
2023: Pioneer Trail 100 – 3rd
2023: Wasatch Ridge Ultra – 2nd
2020: Pacific Crest Invitational – 2x stage wins and overall win
2019: Top 10 finishes at Cascade Endurance Run and Southern Cross Ultra
2019: Redlands Trail Classic – Sprint Stage winner
2014: U23 National Cross Country Championships GB – 2nd