Everything Endurance

Anna #SuperTrouper Troup appeared on this podcast just 3 episodes ago but in that short time she has grabbed a win at the Lakeland 100, and more recently, a record for being the fastest woman to run the Pennine Way. Anna covered the 268mile national trail in 72 hours and 46 minutes, which is more than 1.5 hours faster than the previous female fastest time set by Sabrina Verjee last September. Grab a free Ultramarathon Nutrition Guide from our friends at Resilient Nutrition here--> resilientnutrition.com/pages/how-to-fuel-and-ultramarathon-the-ultimate-guide 

Dubbed the 'Ocean Sheroes', this team of 4 set off from San Francisco in May as part of the Great Pacific Race, a 2700 miles rowing race ending in Hawaii. The team, comprising Bella Collins, Mary Sutherland, Lily Lower, and Purusha Gordan, arrived in Hawaii 35 days later as the fastest women to ever complete the trip. In this episode, Lily and Purusha chat to Will about the reality of a month of hard rowing on a boat which Will describes as being 'about the size of 3 or 4 sofas lashed together.' The Ocean Sheroes took on this challenge to raise money for the SeaBin Project.  Learn more and donate to the cause here: https://oceansheroes.com/the-charity/ Grab the Resilient 'Weekender' Package, perfect for whatever this weekend's adventure is: https://resilientnutrition.com/collections/resilient-nutrition/products/weekender

Jay Worthy is an endurance athlete and podcast host on a mission to inspire people into adding a little more adventure to their lives and is a great advocate for the mental and physical benefits of time spent engaging with nature and taking on physical challenges. In this episode, Will talks to Jay about his own journey into a life of adventure before unpacking how you can add a little adventure to your days.  We challenge you to listen to this episode and not want to strap on some trail shoes and head for the hills! Listen to 28 Summers here: https://28summers.com/ Grab the Resilient 'Weekender' Package here: https://resilientnutrition.com/collections/resilient-nutrition/products/weekender

Eoin Keith has a lengthy and illustrious running CV which includes many podiums, as well as course and even world records.  He recently added a Montane Summer Spine Race win and Course Record to that list. In this episode, Will and Eoin talk about his recent run along the Pennine Way, about the differences between winter and summer racing, and about Eoin's journey from golf courses, to mountains, to the world's biggest ultra races.  

Anna Troup had an excellent 2019, clocking up 5 wins in 12 months.  Then came an injury and a worldwide pandemic to slow things down.  That is until the Montane Summer Spine Race 2021 in which she managed to return to racing with a win and a new course record in one of the toughest races on the planet. In this episode, Will and Anna talk through her journey to the finish line of the Spine Race, starting with her journey into running, her preparation for the race, and the events of her 80hr charge along the Pennine Way.

The Montane Spine Race has earned itself the moniker of Britain's Most Brutal as year after year runners have pitted themselves against 268 miles of non-stop racing along the iconic Pennine Way National Trail.  The self-sufficient race offers an expedition-like experience to those brave enough to take it on. Phil Hayday-Brown is one of the co-founders of the event, and with just a week to go before the 2021 Summer Spine Races, we chat about how the race came to be, just why it is so tough, and why people keep coming back, again and again, to try and earn themselves a Spine Race medal.  

John Kelly is an exceptional ultra-runner with a habit of being very successful at running outrageously long distances in difficult conditions.  It's little surprise then that his latest effort to break the record for running the Pennine Way resulted in him setting a new fastest time, having covered the 268 miles in 58:04:53. John originally broke this record in 2020 only to see it smashed again by Damian Hall a week later.  We chat about how he beat his first time by more than 6hrs (and Damian's by more than 3!). There's also a bonus interview with Dr Nicki Lygo who crewed both John and Damian's Pennine Way attempts and just got back from crewing for Damian as he successfully broke the Coast to Coast record.  Support Nicki's End Duchenne JustGiving fund here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/endduchenne Cover Images www.steveashworthmedia.com  

In 2011, avid climber Steve Bate found out he was losing his eyesight and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Though initially rocked by the news, it led Steve to realise that he wanted to make every moment of his life count and he wasn't going to let his condition get in the way. Since then his journey has taken him up the face of El Capitan making him the first visually impaired person to solo 'El Cap', and then to joining the Team GB Paralympic Cycling team with whom he has now won multiple gold medals and set a world record. Will and Steve talk about his journey to being a world-beating cyclist and about his upcoming attempt to set a world record for cycling from Cairo to Cape Town. Learn more about Steve and his adventures at: https://www.stevebatembe.com/  

In 2008, at the age of 36, Alex Flynn discovered he had Parkinson's Disease, a degenerative, chronic, and currently incurable neurological condition which, over time, robs sufferers of the ability to move. Nevertheless, Alex entered the MDS the following year only for circumstances to leave him lost, alone, in the Sahara.  Still, Alex continued, eventually conquering the MDS and going on to complete his own '10 Million Metre' challenge, covering 10,000km over the next few years all in support of Parkinson's charities. He is now preparing for another hard year of racing and mountaineering followed by an attempt to be the first person with Parkinson's to reach the top of Everest. In this episode, Will and Alex chat about carrying on in the face of adversity, and finding new purpose when your whole life has changed. Learn more about Alex and his adventures at: https://www.alexflynn.co.uk/ If you are interested in supporting Alex's Everest challenge you can contact him at alex@alexflynn.co.uk

Tobias Mews is an Adventure Athlete, Journalist and Author with more races under his belt than he can count.  A multi-disciplinary adventure, he has run, swam, cycled and generally challenged himself all over the globe. He has published 2 books, '50 Races to Run Before you Die' and 'GO!' his guide to getting outside and challenging yourself. In this episode, Will and Tobias talk about the positive attitude he developed during his time in the military, his journey into a life of adventure and how and why we should all be heading outside and challenging ourselves with new adventures. Learn more about Tobias at: https://www.hardastrails.com/ Learn more about the Highland Ultra: https://bit.ly/3gcBnip Grab exclusive Resilient Nutrition products: https://bit.ly/3agIJxy  

In Part 3 of our series of podcasts with Greg Potter, we continue our deep dive into nutrition with a look at how, what, and when to eat to be best prepared to perform. We talk through how to train your gut in the few weeks before an endurance challenge to minimise the risk of in-race digestive problems ('danger-pants'), we look at the days before the event and explore carb-loading, before getting into race-day fuelling, and the different needs of the body in extreme environments. Greg Potter is co-founder of Resilient Nutrition and wrote his PhD about circadian rhythms, sleep, nutrition, and metabolism. You can find Resilient Nutrition's line of Elite Long Range Fuel at store.beyondtheultimate.co.uk  

Stu Westfield is an expedition leader, Race Director, and the man who oversees the safety of all the competitors taking on #BritainsmostBrutal endurance event, the Montane Spine Race. Whether you are signed up for a Spine event or just looking forward to getting back into the hills after lockdown, this episode will arm you with some of the basic skills you'll need to keep yourself safe so you can get the most out of whatever adventuring you have planned. From planning to selecting what kit to take with you to spotting and combatting hyperthermia, this episode has plenty for anyone with outdoor exploration in mind. To learn about the new Spine Race events and Training Weekends head to: https://thespinerace.com/ Learn about Ranger Ultras events and Stu's 1-2-1 Spine Training events: http://rangerultras.co.uk/  Contact Will at: will.roberts@beyondtheultimate.co.uk 

Greg makes his 2nd appearance on the podcast in a month as we bring him back to help build on our earlier podcasts about nutrition. In episode 40, Kris King talked us through the basics of nutrition so listeners could build a healthy attitude to food and habits which can help achieve our training goals. But, when should you eat particular foods in order to improve performance? What is RED-S and how can it be avoided? What supplements should I be taking? Is Beetroot Juice really useful!? In today's episode, Greg digs deeper looking into nutritional timing, micro-nutrients and supplements, and RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport). Greg Potter is co-founder of Resilient Nutrition and wrote his PhD about circadian rhythms, sleep, nutrition, and metabolism.

During her first-ever skydive, something clicked in Holly's head.  That sudden rush of adrenaline started a journey that would see her become the first woman to jump from a plane next to Everest at the height of the summit (see cover image!), participate in the first Mongol Derby horse race, climb Everest as a mountaineer, and set up the conservation charity, How Many Elephants. In this episode, Will chats with Holly about falling out of planes at inopportune moments, being swept away in a stampede of wild horses, and spending nights in the field with anti-poaching units in South Africa and Zimbabwe.  To support Holly's conservation charity, head to howmanyelephants.org

Greg Potter is co-founder of Resilient Nutrition and a renowned expert on the effects of sleep and nutrition on health.  In this episode, we take a deep and detailed dive into what sleep is for, the problems caused by poor sleep, and how to get better sleep.  At a time when most of us have experienced a lot of disruption in our day to day routines, we look at how all of us can get the benefit of more and better rest, as well as sleep tactics for those training and racing. Greg Potter has worked with medal-winning athletes, world record-setting rowers, and even the US Special Forces, and has a self-confessed passion for helping people to live happier and healthier lives. Resilient Nutrition, the company he co-founded in 2020, make tasty nut-butter-based products enhanced to boost stamina, keep you calm and alert, and bolster resilience.  Their brand new range of Elite Long Range Fuels is ideal for endurance athletes or anyone with adventure ahead of them, and can be found exclusively in the BTU store: https://

Matt and Ellie are the founders of Summit Fever Media and have carved a niche for themselves as makers of excellent adventure films.  They're often to be found deep in the wilderness, pointing cameras at athletes carrying out amazing feats of endurance.  This summer was no exception. Their latest film, Totally FKT, is out now and tells the story of John Kelly and Damian Hall's exploits on the Pennine Way as they each took on and broke a record which had stood, solid, for 31 years. As well as the film, Will chats to Matt and Ellie about what goes into covering races and challenges in extreme environments and why they've chosen to make a life out of telling inspirational adventure stories. You can buy Totally FKT here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B08P3K5GM9/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r Cover Image: Steve Ashworth

Beyond the Ultimate first encountered Nick Watson in Kenya during the first For Rangers Ultra in 2018.  Through his passion for adventure and enthusiastic nature, Nick quickly established himself as a part of our extended family.  We were over the moon then when he came to us with a plan for an epic new race in the UK. Now we are all looking forward to April next year when we get to journey to the remote and wonderful Knoydart Peninsula in the West Highland's of Scotland for the first Highland Ultra. In this episode, our founder and Race Director Kris King chats with our newest Course Director Nick Watson about the race he dreamed up and about what goes into bringing an event like this to life.   Learn more about the Highland Ultra.

Against a backdrop of the Covid_19 pandemic and the slew of race cancellations it led too, a few runners have managed to salvage the spirit of competition and a number of epic achievements from the clutches of what could have been a very quiet year in trail/ultra-running. There can be few claims to greater success this year than Damian Hall's.  He has just grabbed his 3rd record of a busy summer after a nail-biting 14hr charge along the South Wales Traverse. We cover this, his year as a whole and also the upcoming film 'Totally FKT' which documents Damian and John Kelly's exploits on the Pennine Way earlier this summer (see episodes #42 and #44). In a special feature, Will also chats to Matt and Ellie Green of Summit Fever, the film-makers behind this amazing documentary which premieres on Sunday 22nd November at Kendal Mountain Festival  Learn more at: https://www.summitfevermedia.com/pennine-way-fkt Cover Images: (c) innov8/Dave Macfarlane

Kristian Morgan is an ultra-runner, coach and podcast host with his sights set on breaking massive records.  After covering over 1000 miles of the Appalachian Trail last year as part of the support team for Belgian runner Karel Sabbe's FKT, Kristian was intent on taking on the same challenge himself, until Covid scuppered his plans. With the hunger for an epic challenge already in him, and with some close ties to the iconic South West Coast Path here in the UK, Kristian decided he'd make an attempt at breaking Damian Hall's already impressive record. After running an average of 60 miles per day, on around 4 hours sleep a night for a total of 10 days, 12 hours and 6 minutes, Kristian had has record.  In this episode we hear about his earlier adventures and about his experiences running along Britain's beautiful south west coast. You can find Kristians Podcast here: https://www.kristianultra.com/podcast And learn more about his coaching services here: https://www.kristianultra.com/onlineruncoaching Support his

Three letters have dominated ultra-distance running this year and those three letters are FKT. As the pandemic put paid to most runner's plans, their thoughts collectively turned to other outlets for their competitive natures and records began to fall on a near-daily basis. In Broken, Ally Beaven takes an entertaining look at just why 2020 was so unusual for long-distance running. With his interest in Fastest Known Times (FKTs) piqued, Beaven immerses himself in the scene. His summer becomes one of spending hours in the hills feeding, cajoling and generally trying to keep alive the runners he is supporting, as well as following the dots of live trackers in the middle of the night and endlessly refreshing his Twitter feed as records tumble around the country. Who looked the most knackered? Who took on the biggest challenge? What is Ally willing to draw in the signed copies? These questions answered and more as Will and Ally chat through the ups and downs of putting this amazing book together. N.B. this episode