Talking to Rachel Malthouse

One of the stars of the Shadowlands Winter Trail Series is runaway (pun intended!) leader in the overall category Rachel Malthouse.  With four races gone she has secured four wins and looks set to clinch the series in the remaining two races unless some bad luck strikes.  Rachel has proven to be adaptable to all kinds of course ranging from the steep Deadwater Run to the super fast Lewis Burn Run and the snowy Winter Wipeout.  Not only is her speed impressive but her resilience to keep coming back time after time for more.  We caught up with her to ask some questions.

What attracted you to the 6 race series of the Shadowlands?

I absolutely love running over at Kielder. It’s somewhere Me, Graham and the kids visit each year, usually spending Monday to Friday there. I also thought the series would give me motivation to keep training hard over the winter while getting some regular racing in. I really needed to practise race technique rather than just plodding round races enjoying myself.

After four races you’ve taken four wins – were you expecting it to go so well?

No, I didn’t expect it to go so well. With this being the first time the series has run I didn’t really know what to expect. I knew I had had some good results in the back end of 2025 over some longer distances but I didn’t expect to do so well in the shorter races.

Is there are particular type of race that suits you?

I prefer trail races preferably in the hills. After completing my first 50k races this year I have quite enjoyed that distance. Long enough that it’s a good challenge but not so long that my body feels broken for a long time afterwards. I don’t really have a preference over day or night races. I do enjoy doing a race where the sun rises while you are running, it gives you a little second wind.

What is your training schedule to stay in good shape?

Over the past year I’ve used the garmin programme on my watch to give my training a little bit of structure but then more recently have been using the Runna app. I don’t follow it religiously, I often just do whatever I feel like doing that day. I do try and get a balance between running and strength training each week though. I am trying to have a more strict training schedule but like most people probably find, between having kids and a full time job it can be challenging.

Your speed seems to be a family affair – are you enjoying having the upper hand on Graham?

It’s not often, if ever, I outperform Graham so I am definitely enjoying that, and especially since he actually bought my entry to the series as my Christmas present. It’s also been fun having my sister (Claire Fairbairn) at some of the events too. We train together when we can and it’s always fun to race with her. She helps me keep a steady pace earlier on in the race, where I can sometimes get a little over excited with my pace.

With a series title within reach, what is the plan for the final two races?

I’m just hoping to keep enjoying myself at each race and doing the best that I can on the night. I did The Duergar last year and although I think the route may be slightly different this year I know it’s not an easy night out so I’m just looking to get round the course safely while enjoying it, pushing on when the terrain allows it.

What are your running aims for the rest of the year?

After The Shadowlands, I’m signed up for The Dark Skies Kielder Marathon (told you I like running at Kielder) and then I’ll not be racing for a while as I train for The Summer Spine Challenger North (eek!). I’m also really hoping that if I manage to win this series, you lovely people at Cold Brew Events will make the prize a free entry to The Goat 2026. Not to apply pressure, but Drew said that would be fine (haha)!.