The North Face® Ultra-Runner, Elizabeth Hawker, takes 2nd place at 78-km Swiss Alpine Marathon in Davos, Switzerland on 26 July 2008

The indomitable British endurance runner Elizabeth, “Lizzy”, Hawker racked up another impressive result over the weekend by taking 2nd Place at the Swiss Alpine Marathon in Davos. The 32-year old Elizabeth—who is sponsored by The North Face®—currently holds the Swiss Alpine Marathon women’s record time of 6:30:12, which she set in 2006. This year, Lizzy was only just returning to running after a pelvic stress fracture, but persisted to finish the race and take 2nd place with a final time of 7:11:05.

Held in the Swiss mountain region of Graubunden, the Davos event is one of the most renowned mountain ultramarathons …and a notoriously tough one. A full 21 km of the race takes place on a narrow trail on exposed, high alpine terrain with an elevation of 2,600 m. From start to finish, runners experience over 2,300 m of elevation change.

“Because of the recent injury, and the 3 months break from running it entailed, I am obviously not feeling so strong or so fast yet as usual,” acknowledges Lizzy. “But the mountains always inspire me. I’m happy to be running again, and I’m happy to be in the mountains.”

Lizzy entered her first ultra-run in 2005 and surprised herself and the world with her success. In the past few years, Lizzy has earned a place amongst the ultra-running elite, with achievements that include a Gold Medal and becoming World Champion at the 2006 100km World Championships. She has also achieved 1st Place at The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in 2005 and 1st Place at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Zermatt Marathons where she set a course record in 2007. Her achievements not being restricted to athletics, Lizzy also earned her PhD in Polar Oceanography during 2005.

During 2007, Lizzy won the premiere Mountain Marathon Cup, a circuit of alpine marathons with one comprehensive final ranking. And in October, Lizzy and her British teammate, Stephen Pyke, broke a world record by running from Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu in just over three days - and this only a few days after Lizzy and her teammates had reached the summit of the stunningly beautiful mountain of Ama Dablam.

And next? “I’m preparing for The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc,” says Lizzy. Starting in Chamonix, France on 29 August, 2008, The North Face® Ultra-Trail follows a demanding, 165-km course around the Mont Blanc massif.

For more information about Lizzy Hawker, check out her bio on The North Face® website: http://www.thenorthface.com/eu/athletes/athletes-EH.html

To learn more about The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, visit the dedicated micro-site: http://www.thenorthface.com/ultratrail/