Everything Endurance

Jeff Smith is an adventurer, former professional Ice Hockey player and all round lovely bloke.  He is also the founder of bigmoose.co.  Oh, and he recently climbed Everest. The idea for bigmoose was born out of a very sad event in Jeff's life, the death of his best friend.  That event made him, in his own words, vow to get the most out of every minute of his time on planet Earth. This has led Jeff into some amazing adventures, (did we mention he recently climbed Everest at all!) and to create Bigmoose, a non-profit organisation with a very clear intention - do fun stuff that inspires people to live better, healthier, kinder lives. In this episode Jeff and Kris discuss adventure, overcoming adversity and injury and the pros and cons of baldness.  Oh and climbing Everest.  Did we mention he just climbed Everest? Sit back somewhere comfortable or prepare for a long steady run, this man tells a great story...

Adam Kimble ran his first 5km race in 2009 which resulted in a second place in his age group, some painful cramps and the beginning of a life of running based adventure! Since then he has progressed quickly.  Among others his race CV includes coming third in the Yellowstone-Teton 100 in 2014, winning the Gobi March and setting a course record in 2015 and placing second in the 2016 Burning River 100. 2016 turned out to be a massive year with Adam making an attempt at the trans-american world record.  The injuries unfortunately put a stop to his push for the record he continued on his way and successfully made it from one ocean to the other in 60 days.  If that weren't enough he also spent 60 days stranded alone in the wilderness for Discovery channel's survival show, The Wheel. In this episode Will, Kris and Kimbledore talk about all of the above and King and Kimble's upcoming Great British Adventure.  The pair are heading out in July to run from John O'Groats to Lands End, taking in the 3 highest peaks in Sco

After running LEJOG, barefoot and unsupported, Aleks made a choice.  To pick a life with a backpack and some sandals and a spirit of adventure over a secure life with a good income.  With that in mind he left the UK in August 2016 to run from the northernmost to the southernmost point of Europe with nothing but the sandals on his feet and the kit on his back. The former Science teacher ran through freezing cold conditions and rough terrain taking in the incredible variety of conditions which Europe offers as he trekked from the cold of the Arctic to a point within site of the African continent.   Aleks faced new and often tough challenges at every step, each of which he has faced with charm, courage and a perfectly reasonable amount of swearing. In this episode of our podcast we discuss the benefits of barefoot running, the trials and tribulations of running an entire continent and of the fear inducing challenge Aleks has set for the near future.

Brett kickstarted Exile Medics back in 2009 as a way to travel the world as a doctor. Starting in Brazil as a race doctor in the Amazon rain forest, his experience now covers every type of environment and terrain all over the world. Exile Medics takes enthusiastic medical professionals to the world's most challenging environments to provide medical support for expeditions and the most extreme events on the planet. Doctors of all grades, nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and medical students have worked together on every Exile Medics project, and more are becoming available all the time. Those who have taken part in our races, or the many others where the Exiles can be found, will know how invaluable they are.  This amazing team have kept countless runners going against the odds and are a friendly face found a checkpoints scattered throughout races around the world. In this episode Kris and Brett get through a ton of practical advice for runners in extreme environments and, with our own Jungle Ultra just ar

On the 14th of June 2010 Leigh Timmis left Derby, UK.  This was the beginning of a circumnavigation of the world he thought would take around 3 years.  In late April 2017, after 7 years in which he covered more than 40000 miles, he came home. Will chats to this amazing traveler about his epic journey in which he endured raging storms at sea, freezing mountain passes, the sweltering outback and a run in with the Tibetan police.  Leigh saw some of the world's most amazing sights and made friends and encountered people and cultures who would change his life forever.

At the beginning of 2016 you could accurately have described Will as an overweight punk rock guitarist, a real ale enthusiast, and a kebab aficionado.  Very occasionally you could have thrown in 'reluctant jogger'.   Over the following year he dropped 16kgs (2.5 stone) and ran his first half marathon, marathon and ultras.  By March 1st 2017 he'd finished the Ice Ultra as first Briton, coming sixth overall in a foot race through 230km of arctic tundra. I'm writing about myself here and it's a bit creepy.  So maybe just listen to the podcast to hear about my training journey, Kris' approach to coaching me and all the highs and lows of what came to be known as Project Baldlygo! In this mid-season special we break from the norm.  Rather than Will and Kris bringing a guest in for the podcast to talk about their adventures, this week Kris interviews Will about his.

Al Ruddock is a physiologist at Sheffield Hallam University with a wealth of experience in sport science. He has has worked with a range of individual athletes and teams from FIFA World Cup referee Howard Webb to the Commonwealth games medal winning England Table Tennis team.   He is also something of an expert in what Will refers to as 'The Punchy Men.'  Alan has worked extensively within Boxing at the highest level, having a huge influence on Kid Galahad’s British, Commonwealth and European Title wins and most recently Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight world title victory. In this high-brow, science based podcast Kris and Will almost entirely fail to maintain their professionalism.  Luckily Alan's massive knowledge more than make up for our co-hosts' hijinks.  Have a listen as we discuss over-training, recovery techniques and torture.  

On the first weekend in April there was a very special event in Crawley. On the 400m athletics track at the K2 Leisure Centre, the Freedom Leisure British Ultrafest 24hr Running Championships took place. A field of 30 runners competed in an event where they would each push to run the greatest distance they were able in a 24hr period.  More still came to run 12 and 6 hour versions of the same event. That's 6, 12 or 24 consecutive hours running around the same track.  As endurance events go this is uniquely challenging.  It is a cutting back of endurance to a matter purely of running ability and the strength of mind to persevere with almost no distraction from noon one day until noon the next. In a special edition outside broadcast, Will talks to the runners and organisers to find out why these athletes take on this massive distance. Featuring, among others, Dan Lawson of Team GB, William Sichel, a multi-record holder and the first Brit to finish the world's longest footrace within 52 days, and Abichal Sherring

In this episode Kris and Will get to chat to somebody totally inspirational.  Elise Downing wasn't an elite athlete or even a regular runner when she decided to set off alone and run all the way around England, Wales and Scotland! Along the way she met some amazing people, saw some beautiful views and ate an awful lot of cake.  She also pushed through some dark days and in doing so displayed an awesome ability to endure hardship and find a way to enjoy even the most difficult times.

Beyond the Ultimate's resident media guy and Everything Endurance co-host, Will (aka @baldlygo), recently completed the Ice Ultra in Swedish Lapland. After making his way through 230km of Europe's last remaining wilderness we thought it might be a good idea to have him tell you about what he learnt on the other side of the arctic circle. So here is a special one off podcast of Will's Top Ten Tips for surviving on the Ice. Here he discusses arctic admin, Ice Ultra cuisine wilderness fashion essentials and much more. Head to the Beyond the Ultimate YouTube channel to watch the videos and take a look at some of the kit he's describing!

In this episode Kris and Will get to chat to one of Will's heros.  The absolutely marvelous Mimi Anderson! Mimi is a multiple Guinness World Record holder, multiple course record holder and has appeared at Beyond the Ultimate events all over the world.  You won't find a more determined runner.  Mimi holds the world records for running Lands End to John O'Groats and for running the length of Ireland.  Her Double-Badwater and 6633 Arctic Ultra times are unbeaten to this day.  Take a listen as a starstruck Will and Kris chat to a living legend.   

Shane Benzie of Running Reborn is a Running technique coach and movement specialist.  Think of him as the Indiana Jones of the coaching world, scouring the Earth looking for treasures of lost athletic lore.  He has scientifically studied the art of running in such far flung places as the Peruvian rainforest, the frozen tundra of northern Sweden and the plains of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda in search of the perfect model for efficient running.

In his first few years of running, Robbie went from his first marathon to competing for Great Britain in the 24hr Running Championships and finishing 3rd in the World. He is currently living and training in Chamonix, France where he also hosts running training camps.  He really loves big hills. Warning - There is some, shall we say, colourful language.