Jasmin Paris, renowned for becoming the first woman to finish the iconic Barkley Marathons earlier this year, recently received an Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to fell and long-distance running. Receiving the honor from Prince William at Windsor Castle, Paris emphasized how important female role models are in sports.
“You need to see it to believe it’s possible,” she said.
At 40, the Scotswoman from Gorebridge, Midlothian, has conquered some of the toughest races in the world. Earlier this year, Paris made history by becoming the first woman to complete the infamous 100-mile Barkley Marathons in Tennessee with just 99 seconds left before the 60-hour cutoff.
“It feels like I’m receiving this not just for myself but for women everywhere who are pushing boundaries and breaking glass ceilings,” she said.
Paris is also passionate about making sports more accessible for women and girls. She advocates for more media coverage of women’s sports, improved facilities, and practical support like period products and pregnancy deferrals in races. “It’s about role models, equal visibility, and giving women’s sports the same funding and attention as men’s,” she added.
During her conversation with Prince William, they discussed running, and Paris offered him a race suggestion—the Wasdale Horseshoe Fell Race, a 23-mile classic. Her piece of advice for beginners (including Prince William himself): focus on “little steps.”
Whether it’s a 100-mile race or just getting started, Paris says the key is to break it down into manageable parts.
“Even when I’m running a 100-mile race, I don’t think about the whole thing, I just think about the next hill that I’m climbing or the next descent that I’m doing — so you never overwhelm yourself with the whole picture. For the person that’s starting out, I would say just get out there and make a start — if you walk and then just run a few steps and walk again, you’ll gradually find you’re running more.”
Paris, a two-time winner of the British Fell Running Championships and former record-holder for both the Bob Graham and Ramsay Rounds, is also a senior lecturer in small animal medicine at the University of Edinburgh and a mother of two.
