We’re delighted to share Did Not Fail by Ring O’ Fire runner Chris Marritt – an honest, funny and very personal account of what happens when an ultramarathon becomes about much more than simply reaching the finish line.

Chris first came to Ynys Môn / Anglesey confident that years of running and months of training had prepared him for the Ring O’ Fire. They hadn’t.

His first attempt ended with a DNF and, by his own account, plenty of frustration with the race, the cut-offs and even the island itself. He left Ynys Môn / Anglesey saying he never wanted to come back.

But that failure stayed with him.

Over the following year, Chris began to look more honestly at what had happened – his preparation, his mindset, the mistakes he had made and, ultimately, what failure really meant to him.

So he came back.

Did Not Fail follows that journey from disappointment and self-doubt to returning to the Ring O’ Fire better prepared and with a very different reason for taking it on.

Along the way, Chris captures so much of what makes this race special: the brutality of the course, the battle with the cut-offs, the friendships formed between runners, our incredible volunteers and checkpoint teams, the support around Ynys Môn / Anglesey and the emotion of finally arriving back at Breakwater Park.

It certainly isn’t a rose-tinted account of the Ring O’ Fire – and we think it is all the better for that.

It’s a story about resilience, family, friendship, identity and learning that not finishing something doesn’t necessarily mean you failed.

And yes… Chris did come back and finish it.

A great read for anyone who has run the Ring O’ Fire, is thinking about taking it on, or simply wants to understand why people choose to put themselves through 135 miles around an island.

Congratulations, Chris. We’re very happy to share your story.

Listen to Chris talk about the book on the podcast, or find it on our Watch & Listen page.