Damian Hall

In 2024, Jasmin Paris made history by becoming the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, widely known as one of the hardest races in the world and a defining test in ultrarunning and trail running. With over 100 miles of brutal terrain, cryptic course markings, and a near-impossible success rate, the Barkley has long been considered the ultimate challenge in endurance sports. This film chronicles Jasmin’s extraordinary three-year journey (2022–2024) to achieve this groundbreaking feat and features exclusive interviews with legendary race director Lazarus Lake, ultrarunning icons Courtney Dauwalter, Amelia Boone, and Jared Campbell, as well as rare insights from Jasmin herself. Through never-before-seen footage from her home mountains in Scotland, in-depth analysis of her Barkley race strategy, and a deep dive into her endurance athlete mindset, this documentary reveals the resilience and determination behind one of the greatest achievements in ultrarunning history.

The 2026 Barkley Marathons featured one of the deepest and most accomplished fields in race history. With elite ultrarunners like Mathieu Blanchard, John Kelly, Max King, Damian Hall, and Sébastien Raichon all on the start line, many wondered if this would finally be the year the course was conquered again. Coming off a brutal 2025 edition that produced no finishers and only a single Fun Run from John Kelly, expectations were uncertain. The talent was undeniable. The preparation was meticulous. But would it be enough to beat this version of the Barkley? In this film, we follow the unfolding drama loop by loop, combining on-the-ground race coverage with historical context and insight from key voices in the Barkley ecosystem, including Lazarus Lake, Keith Dunn, and Carl Laniak. As the race develops, a deeper reality emerges. At Barkley, fitness alone is never the whole story.

Centered around the Pennine Way fastest known time. Great Britain’s oldest – and arguably toughest – National Trail, incorporating around 37,000ft of grueling ascent. In 2020 two friends and elite ultra runners John Kelly and Damian Hall take on Mike Hartley’s intimidating record with their dedicated crews and pacers as they take on the most challenging task of their sporting careers to date.

Unfiltered is an intimate portrait of Renee McGregor, a leading sports dietitian and eating disorder specialist trusted by elite athletes and Olympians. As an ultra runner and trustee of Black Trail Runners, Renee is also working to change who feels welcome in the outdoors. But behind her professional success lies a deeply personal story. Growing up in West London, Renee experienced trauma that shaped her relationship with food, identity and self worth. For years she struggled with disordered eating, before building a career helping others recover. Through running and the community she has helped create, Renee begins to confront her past and reclaim a sense of belonging in spaces where she once felt unseen. Honest and deeply personal, Unfiltered explores recovery, identity and the refuge found in the mountains.

The Barkley Marathons are a race unlike any other. With over 100 miles of wild terrain, and twice the elevation of climbing and descending Mt. Everest from sea level, it's a race that expects runners to fail. In 38 years, only 15 runners have completed the Barkley Marathons, but that doesn't stop hundreds of athletes from applying for entry every year. This film documents Joe McConaughy's first attempt at one of the most challenging races in the world.

Nicky Spinks, 51 year old fell runner, farmer, record breaker, inov-8 athlete and breast cancer survivor, has completed double rounds of two of the three British classic 24-hour mountain challenges, having already bagged doubles of the Bob Graham in England and Charlie Ramsay in Scotland. In 2019, she took on the final round in the set, and the one which is considered the most difficult - The Paddy Buckley Round. No-one has ever completed a double Paddy Buckley, which has twice the amount of ascent as Mount Everest.

In May 2016, Contours Contributing Editor, outdoor journalist and GB Ultrarunner Damian Hall took on the mammoth challenge of running the 630 mile South West Coast Path in an attempt to break the record for the Fastest Known Time (FKT). Here is how he got on.

Beth Pascall and Damian Hall attempt to break the self-supported FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Cape Wrath Trail, the notoriously tough 230-mile trail in north-west Scotland. Beth and Damian make their attempt in winter, when there is around six hours of light each day in Scotland. The Cape Wrath Trail is remote, wild and inhospitable - the paths are not way marked and most of the trail is pathless. It goes through an area of land which is considered to be one of the last wildernesses in Britain.

Damian Hall takes on the most famous ultra marathon in the world - the 171 kilometer, 10,040-meter ascent UTMB® - the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. His aim is to break into the elite ranks of the top 10 male podium finishers. The athletes he is up against are professional, full-time runners. Younger and faster, many live and train in the mountains. This film won the People’s Choice Award at the 2018 Kendal Mountain Festival.

The Montane Spine Race, referred to as, "Britain's Most Brutal Race", covers the 268 miles of The Pennine Way, and is held each year in the midst of winter. This documentary follows the competitors as they battle through extreme winds, snowstorms, and torrential rain as they race along the Spine of Britain. Taking in some of the most remote and beautiful scenery the UK has to offer, the athletes have seven days to complete the challenge, and to push their bodies and minds to the limits as they battle against sleep deprivation, extreme weather, exhaustion, and exposure.

Directors' cut of the 10 daily Montane Spine Race TV episodes from the 2017 race featuring additional footage. Narrated by Damian Hall, author of the Official Pennine Way Guide Book and a Spine Finisher.