Maverick Dorset: Ayo and Isaiah Hit the Trails
Road runners on trails are easy to spot. Good shoes, good intentions, checking the watch far too early and slowly realising pace is about to become a very loose concept.
Maverick Dorset was a good place to learn that.
On Saturday 13 June 2026, the race started from Wilkswood Farm near Swanage and headed towards the Jurassic Coast, with three routes on the board: a 23km Half Marathon with 535m of climbing, a 13km Middle route with 318m, and a 7km Short route with 161m. Sold out, fully marked, coastal, rocky and hilly enough to keep things interesting.
Pro:Direct Running sent Ayo and Isaiah to take it on with New Balance, putting proper trail kit into proper trail conditions. They came into it from different places. Ayo was taking on his first-ever trail event while returning from injury. Isaiah was using Dorset as a proper tune-up before the Mont Blanc Half Marathon. Same start line, different reasons, two very honest days out.
Ayo: first trail race, straight in at Dorset
For Ayo, this was not a race built around splits. After injuries during London Marathon training, the day was more about getting round well, seeing how the body handled the terrain and enjoying something different from the road.
That difference arrived quickly.
“What stood out most was the scenery,” said Ayo. “Running in London, I’m used to busy roads and urban surroundings, so it’s not often you get the opportunity to experience such stunning views while running through nature.”
For a runner used to London roads, Dorset was a proper change of pace. Not just quieter, but more involved. The course asked him to climb, descend, adjust his stride and think about where his feet were landing. It was not the smooth rhythm of marathon training. It was stop-start, up-down, look-up-look-down running.
“It was tough, especially with the elevation and technical sections, but the incredible scenery and the encouragement from fellow runners helped carry me through to the finish.”
That support mattered. For a first trail event, especially one taken on during a return from injury, the small bits of encouragement on the course can be the difference between overthinking it and just getting on with the next section.
Ayo has only been running since February 2024, but he has already completed the London Marathon in both 2025 and 2026, plus half marathons including Lisbon. Even with those big road days behind him, Maverick Dorset gave him something new.
“This event reminded me of how far I’ve come over the last two and a half years as a runner,” he said. “There have been challenges, setbacks and difficult moments along the way, but experiences like this reinforce the importance of perseverance.”
It was a finish line with a bit of context behind it. Not a PB chase. Not a perfect race. More of a reminder that coming back, turning up and getting round still counts.
Ayo’s kit check
Ayo ran in the New Balance FuelCell Rebel Trail, his first pair of trail shoes. First trail event, first trail shoe, proper Dorset terrain. Good way to find out quickly whether the kit is doing its job.
“As these were my first trail shoes, I was keen to see how they would handle the different surfaces, and they performed really well throughout the race,” he said. “Whether climbing, descending or picking up the pace on runnable sections, they gave me the confidence I needed.”
That confidence came from not having to think too much about the ground. On a route moving between climbs, descents and more runnable sections, Ayo needed grip and hold without feeling like the shoe was getting in the way.
The one thing he would change is the prep. He found the fit slightly tighter than his regular road running shoes, so his advice is very simple: try trail shoes properly before race day. Not just a quick lace-up at home. Not just a short jog. Wear them on uneven ground, on tired legs, and long enough to find out whether they still feel right once your feet have warmed up.
His other advice is to study the route, check the elevation and plan your fuelling and hydration. Very sensible. Also exactly the sort of thing runners suddenly care about halfway up a climb.
Next up for Ayo is the Chicago Marathon. Back to the road, but with a bit more trail experience in the bank.
Isaiah: Dorset miles before Mont Blanc
Isaiah came to Dorset with a different kind of focus. The Mont Blanc Half Marathon in Chamonix is next up with Pro:Direct Running and New Balance, so Maverick Dorset was a chance to get more trail time in, test the legs and leave healthy.
The day gave him the kind of event feel that makes trail running easy to like, even when the course is doing its best to slow you down.
“The atmosphere was brilliant from start to finish,” said Isaiah. “What stood out most was how welcoming and supportive everyone was. Trail running has a different feel to road racing. People are there to challenge themselves, enjoy the experience and connect with nature.”
For Isaiah, that atmosphere was part of the appeal. He has a strong endurance background across road running, hybrid racing, marathons, half marathons, HYROX and other challenges. He has also run to prisons across London to raise awareness for Freedom Through Fitness CIC, using movement, mindset and community to support young people and people affected by the justice system.
So he is used to hard efforts. What stood out in Dorset was the difference in how the effort felt. Less controlled than road running. Less predictable than hybrid racing. More shaped by the ground, the weather, the climbs and the views.
“The Dorset course was stunning, and every climb seemed to reward you with another incredible view. It felt more like an adventure than a race.”
Isaiah finished in 2:03:48, strong and injury-free. That was the result he wanted. Not just the time, but how he came out of it.
“There were some challenging climbs, but that’s what I signed up for,” he said. “The route kept you engaged the whole way and there was never a dull moment.”
That sounds like a good race day. Worked hard, stayed switched on, got what he needed, and did not come away carrying a problem into Mont Blanc.
Isaiah’s kit check
Isaiah kept his kit practical: trail shoes, a hydration vest and reliable nutrition. Nothing too overdone, just the bits that make a long trail effort smoother.
“One lesson I’ve learned is that being prepared gives you confidence, especially when you’re spending long periods out on the trails.”
That fits his day. The aim was not to gamble with kit or wing the fuelling. It was to build confidence before Chamonix, and having the basics right helped him focus on the route rather than worrying about what he had forgotten.
His advice for new trail runners is to slow down and enjoy it.
“Many people approach trail running with a road running mindset and focus purely on pace,” he said. “Trails are different. Embrace the hills, take in the views and learn to run by effort rather than what your watch says.”
That is probably the cleanest road-to-trail lesson from the whole day. Ayo felt it in his first trail race. Isaiah used it as prep for a bigger trail goal. Pace still exists, but it is not in charge anymore. The route gets a vote.
Next up for Isaiah is Chamonix for the Mont Blanc Half Marathon. After that, HYROX returns later in the year, alongside more work with Freedom Through Fitness and The Hybrid Academy.
Two runners, two reasons, same Dorset course
Maverick Dorset had the right mix: good views, good atmosphere, enough climbing and enough technical ground to make it feel like a proper trail day. The Half Marathon route came in at 23km with 535m of elevation. The Middle route packed 318m into 13km. The Short route still gave runners 161m over 7km, so even the shorter option had a bit of bite.
For Ayo, it was a first trail race and a chance to test himself after injury. He came away with a finish, a better feel for trail running and a reminder to test kit properly before race day.
For Isaiah, it was a confidence-building run before Mont Blanc. He came away strong, healthy and more ready for the mountains.
Different goals, same useful outcome. Both runners got what they needed from the day.
Big thanks to Maverick, the volunteers, marshals, New Balance and Pro:Direct Running for the event. Trail races need good routes, but they also need good people standing in the right places, pointing runners the right way and keeping the day moving.
Curious about trail running? Start close to home. Find a park, woods, coastal path or local hill. Wear shoes with grip, carry what you need, check the route and do not panic when your pace looks odd. Ayo and Isaiah both found that out in Dorset. On trails, the watch gets humbled. You probably will too. That is half the fun.
