The Tea & Trails Podcast

This week’s guest turned a 2025 DNF into a winning performance. After the heartbreak of last year, Ed Payne came back swinging, and what a comeback it was. A superb race saw him kiss the wall in just over 82 hours, taking the overall win at the 2026 Montane Summer Spine. Eddie’s flying solo on hosting duties, while Ed takes us through all the deets, the highs, the lows, the finish‑line feels, and...

Western States weekend delivered in style, and how good was it to see Fi Pascall smashing a huge course PB. Absolutely massive effort, kudos, Fi. We’ve also got a very emotional listener intro, live from the 2026 Summer Spine Race, Rebecca helps runners who are finding their running legs again after surgery. Strava is overflowing with inspiration, big miles & big smiles. Heavy Flex is stacked,...

This week, we sit down for a chat with Ultra Scotland 100 champion, Anna Rutherford. Anna made history as the first ever female to win the Ultra Scotland 100-mile ultramarathon. Not only did she take the overall win, she smashed the previous course record — finishing in 20 hours, 53 minutes, and 25 seconds, cutting more than three hours off the old record of 24:19:25. In doing so, she also became...

Both hosts have actually been out running this week, nothing wild, still baby steps for them both, but you can hear it already… that little lift in their voices. They’re loving having the wind in their faces again, even if it’s only for a few miles at a time. The coaches dive into a great question from an athlete with some big goals, but who might just need a proper cheerleader in her corner. Stra...

This week we were lucky enough to spend an hour with the incredible David Miller. It was such a treat to hear the stories behind so many of the iconic images that define our sport. It turned into a super‑relaxed chat about running, Zoom vs Teams, the Barkley Marathons, and of course his upcoming book — SPINE: The Story of the Montane Winter Spine Race. SPINE is the definitive visual story of Brita...

It’s a bit of a rambling episode this week, but both hosts are noticeably more upbeat, and it won’t be long before they’re uploading runs to Strava again. We cover cross‑training, breastfeeding while training, pleasuring yourself (yes… that happened), and the all‑important question, who would be your dream pacer in a race. There are loads of competitions happening over on Instagram right now, so m...

Inov‑8 athlete and past Tea & Trails guest Laura Swanton‑Rouvelin joins us this week for another deep dive into all things Hardmoors 200. It was a gutsy move from Laura to come back and defend her title especially in a race where there is so much jeopardy. But she did it. Laura crossed the line in first place, bagging herself a course PB for good measure too. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, thou...

Even though Eddie and Gary are on the rebuild, they’re still somehow busier than a Greggs on match day. Gary’s had a short stay in the comparison trap, but a chance encounter with a real‑life hero gave him the reality check he needed. Both hosts also find themselves openly thirsting over an A‑list movie star. Zero shame from both. We also sing the praises of the humble home gym. We’re not talking...

This week we’re sharing the mics with friend of the show Katie Kaars-Sijpesteijn. A Salomon and GB athlete, Katie has lined up, and podiumed, at some of the most competitive races out there. But the last 12 months have taken her down a very different path as she chased a sub‑3 road marathon. Not exactly the classic tune‑up for UTS by UTMB 100K, yet it clearly worked… because she stormed her way to...

This week, both hosts are… well, struggling. Gary is still absolutely smashed to bits from his first 200‑mile adventure, and Eddie is improving, but living with the uncertainty of injury is tough. So, for Brew with the Coaches, it’s just Gary and Trish, which basically means Trish is doing all the heavy lifting while Gary sits there like a man held together by tape, tea, and wishful thinking. We c...

Ten years ago, Gary popped his 100‑mile cherry on the Cleveland Way. Countless miles have been covered between then and now, but after a bit of refocusing found himself back on a start line, this time for the Hardmoors 200. Starting in Hull, the route winds through wooded slopes, over rolling hills, and down into deep valleys, before eventually climbing onto the northern escarpment and dropping to...

This week, Gary is back from a very successful Hardmoors 200. It’s not our full recap, but he shares some thoughts and takeaways from the whole 200 mile experience, and it’s fair to say his emotions are easily triggered right now. Eddie is still on the injury bench, which is rough. Small gains, but sad times for our Eddie. The coaches tackle a listener question from someone who wants to become a c...

We’re incredibly lucky this week to share the mics with a true legend of our sport. Kim Collison has taken on, and completed, some of the UK’s roughest, toughest challenges. And it’s not all about going long either. He’s just as happy toeing the line at a local fell race. Kim joins us to talk about his recent Lakes, Meres & Waters record‑breaking run, but the conversation wanders beautifully t...

It’s finally here. The training is done, the excuses are gone, and Gary, along with a whole crew of wonderfully stubborn athletes, is about to set off on an adventure that will push every limit they’ve got. There’ll be moments of doubt, a few questionable life choices, and probably more than one internal conversation about retiring from running altogether. But there will also be magic. A full week...

This week we’re joined by physics teacher and West Highland Way – Great Glen FKT holder, Freya Shepherd. It’s an incredible story of learning, grit and resilience. After her first attempt ended early at Fort William, Freya dusted herself off, rallied an army of friends and family, and went back out to complete the full 175‑mile journey in 2 days, 15 hours, 43 minutes and 16 seconds. She talks us t...

This week on the Tea & Trails podcast, Gary squeezed in a Bob Graham support and a race. Not exactly the textbook taper, but he had such a cracking weekend and wouldn’t change a thing. And unbelievably, after all those months of graft, the Hardmoors 200 is now just one week away. Meanwhile, Eddie is on the injury bench with a herniated disc flare‑up. Grim timing as she gears up for the Spine,...

We are so lucky to bring you the brilliant Stu Edwards this week. Stu is part of the team behind the Reverse London Marathon, and if you’re wondering what that is, you’re in for a treat. It’s an incredible community who gather in Trafalgar Square the night before the London Marathon and run the entire route in reverse . It’s a magical way to see the city at night, and it’s all wrapped up in some s...

This week on the Tea & Trails podcast we’re talking all things Stair Stepper, how to use it, when to use it. Neither Gary nor Eddie are exactly Stepper superfans, but we know plenty of you swear by it for your vert, so we’re diving in. Eddie also pops on her coaching hat to chat about the classic back‑to‑back long run versus Gary’s preferred method: the double… but absolutely not back‑to‑back...

This week we sit down with the very talented, and equally humble, Barney Plummer. The Helm Hill athlete has been making serious waves on the UK trail scene, stacking up wins and course records at some of the country’s most competitive races. It was his first time on Tea & Trails, which meant the conversation wandered a bit... Boat crashes, tea etiquette, road marathons, The Lap, The 13 Valleys...

The Hardmoors 200 is looming ever closer, and Gary is… well, wobbling again. Not the training week he dreamed of, but definitely the one he got. Meanwhile, Eddie has been spinning every solo‑parenting plate in the cupboard while still grinding through her Spine Race prep. At least the trails delivered some glorious miles, and the sun finally showed up with a long‑overdue dose of vitamin D. For Bre...

This week, we’re joined by inov‑8 ambassador James Gibson, it’s his very first time on the show. So we take the chance to hear how he found his way into running, and how the high fells became his happy place. In recent years he’s completed some of the UK’s toughest mountain challenges, including a winter Double Bob Graham Round, if that wasn’t enough, he’s also set a record on the Double Paddy Buc...

Both hosts are feeling a bit bruised this week. Gary’s wrestling with the mental load & that feeling when training somehow leaks into every corner of your life, and Eddie’s running on fumes, her usually eternal mojo having wandered off for a little holiday. Thankfully, you lot are bringing the inspiration with some absolutely mind‑blowing Strava updates. Fueling for a road marathon has been a...

This week, we’re joined by Kitty‑Leigh Oxley for a deep dive into the 2026 Community Traverse. The Community Traverse is a race with an extraordinary story, born from the ashes of the cancelled Northern Traverse, it became a shining example of what happens when community takes action. Kitty, David, and a band of loyal and dedicated volunteers pulled together at short notice, some even giving up th...

Another big week on the trails for our not so dynamic duo. Gary treated himself to a jaunt along the Yorkshire coast & Eddie is getting very familiar with her big, heavy Spine Race pack… The coaches dive into the world of AI training apps, what they’re good for & what they’re not. Gary and Eddie also tackle the age‑old question, what trail running kit do you actually need? Spoiler, it’s le...

Today we’re sharing the mics with the brilliant Sophie Power, British ultrarunner, Guinness World Record holder, and a leading voice for women in sport. We cover a lot of ground in this one: going viral at UTMB, the origins of She Races, the brand‑new She Races Trail Series, and her inspiring new book The Power Within. And of course, because it’s Tea & Trails, we don’t shy away from the big, i...