The Tea & Trails Podcast

This week, we’re thrilled to share the Tea & Trails Ultra Live Podcast, a truly special evening that brought together old friends, new faces, and plenty of laughter. We had the honour of sharing the stage with the brilliant Trish, Mel, Lucy, and Robyn, whose stories and energy lit up the room. The night was wrapped in something beautiful, as the ever-inspiring Running Reverend Lawrence Basham...

Luke Grenfell-Shaw is a remarkable endurance athlete, and cancer advocate whose story reads like a masterclass in resilience. Diagnosed with stage 4 sarcoma at just 24, he refused to let the label “incurable” define him. Instead, he coined the term “CanLiver”. He’s cycled 30,000 km from Bristol to Beijing on a tandem bike, inviting hundreds of others, including fellow CanLivers, to join him along...

This week, we raise our mugs and reflect on the inaugural Tea & Trails Ultra, an unforgettable celebration of endurance, friendship, and the wild beauty of the Lake District. 🍃☕🏃 From Applethwaite in the Northern Fells, 300 runners from near and far laced up to take on stunning trails and towering mountains. But this weekend wasn’t just about miles covered and peaks climbed, it was about co...

Sean Conway is a British-Zimbabwean ultra-endurance athlete known for pushing the limits of human endurance. He has set multiple world records, including completing 105 Ironman triathlons in 105 days, becoming the first person to swim the length of Britain, and achieving the fastest self-supported cycle across Europe. His adventurous spirit has led him to complete a 4,200-mile triathlon, cycle aro...

Cue the drumroll... the wait is finally over— the very first Tea & Trails Ultra has arrived! This week, we're diving headfirst into epic long runs that test the limits of sanity, other podcasts, and reliving a trail fuel related disaster. Of course, we also serve up our usual dose of TV talk, because even ultrarunners need sofa time. And through it all, we’re reminded that sometimes the b...

Lowri Morgan is a remarkable Welsh television presenter, adventurer, and runner. She’s one of the very few people to have completed both the grueling 350 mile 6633 Ultra in the Arctic and the Amazon Jungle Ultra Marathon. Beyond her athletic feats, she’s a BAFTA winning broadcaster who’s presented shows like Scrum V on the BBC and Uned 5 on S4C. She’s also dived to the wreck of the Titanic and pro...

This week, we plummeted to new depths and somehow, Glory Holes ended up in the show. Don't ask. We move swiftly on (with some emotional scarring) to the real meat of the episode: fuelling your ultra without , breaking hearts, not wind, and how Gary’s Garmin cost him precious minutes. We also crown the worst checkpoint food of all time . Plus, Gary dishes out his Swaledale Marathon tales. XMIL...

Joe Barrs recently, one of the first-ever finishers of the grueling 293-mile Montane Arctic Spine Race, a brutal ultramarathon across Sweden’s Kungsleden Trail, where temperatures can plummet to -40°C and competitors haul their supplies on sleds. A seasoned adventurer and a reservist with the Royal Marines Commandos, Joe was drawn to the race by the camaraderie of the Spine Race community. He comp...

Welcome to a Poetic Tea & Trails Podcast, This week brings a slight format shake-up, but nothing drastic, don't panic! Expect stories of epic Scottish mountain runs, unexpected GI battles, and a bit of dog poop too. But it's not all a struggle! There’s ice cream fueled Swaledale Marathon fun, moments of triumph, and a bit of Strava inspiration to keep us all motivated. Also, our coac...

Honed in the peat bogs of the dark peak and the lake district rain, suffering enthusiast and of the belief that not much in life can't be improved with a cup of Yorkshire tea or a dunk in a cold body of water. Not our words, but those of tea-slurping Cape Wrath Ultra champion and this week's guest, Sarah Ingram! Entries are open for the 2026 event - https://www.capewrathultra.com/ Photo...

This week we do an Old County Tops deep dive! Does the bromance continue or was it sad times on the trails. Let’s find out. Kudos to everyone who toed the line and the team for putting together another awesome race! Held in May, The Old County Tops Fell Race covers 37 miles and involves around 10,000 feet of ascent. The exact distance and amount of ascent are dependant on the route you choose! Thi...

Kallum Pritchard is a formidable trail and ultra-distance runner from the UK, renowned for his impressive performances in endurance events. He has excelled in prestigious races such as the Country to Capital Ultra, the Centurion Thames Path 100, and the Manchester to Liverpool Ultra, frequently securing podium finishes. Recently, Pritchard claimed second place in the challenging Hundred Hills 50km...

Lianne van Dijk embodies the spirit of perseverance and adventure, inspiring countless runners to push beyond their limits. As an ultrarunner, writer, and coach, she shares her deep passion for trail and mountain running , guiding others on their endurance journeys. Her dedication has led her to remarkable achievements, including a second-place finish in the women's race at the Northern Trave...

Sean Merryweather is a British ultra-runner and obstacle course racer who has won multiple endurance events, including the GB Ultra Chester 50, Manchester to Liverpool Ultra, and GB Ultra Snowdon 50. Recently, he recently set a new course record at the Chester Ultra 100, finishing in 16 hours, 20 minutes, and 5 seconds. Smoking fast! Outside of running, Sean has a background in football and holds...

This week, Gary shares the inside scoop on his 2025 London Marathon experience. His unconventional approach to training and tapering might raise a few eyebrows, but it proves there’s more than one way to run a sub 3 marathon. Was this road marathon one too many, or has it sparked new ambitions and future goals? Maybe a little over indulgent, but hopefully some tips are shared that help you with yo...

Fiona Horsfield, recently won the women’s race at the Northern Traverse 2025, a grueling 300km endurance event across three national parks in the UK. She surged ahead in the second half of the race to claim victory! She also won the Summer Montane Spine Challenge North & came 2nd at the 2023 Cheviot Goat. XMILES UK - 10% discount via the link below. https://xmiles.avln.me/c/RiwxnARvfHeR SHOKZ...

Back in February, Kate Worthington accomplished an incredible feat by completing the Snowdonia Slate Trail, a challenging 83 mile journey that circles Snowdonia, showcasing its unique slate heritage and breathtaking landscapes. Kate achieved the Fastest Known Time (FKT) unsupported , a testament to her strength and resilience. Completing a route unsupported means relying entirely on oneself, with...

Helen Ryvar is an inspiring ultra runner from Wrexham, North Wales. She held the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days running a half marathon distance, achieving 111 days. She then bettered that by running 1000 consecutive half marathons finishing on the 24th Jan 2025. Helen started running in 2020, just before the UK went into lockdown, and has since become a record-breaking runner...

Julie Carter is a fascinating individual with a diverse background. She is a former scientist, teacher, and GP who has transitioned into a creative writer and fell runner. Julie has a deep connection to the Lake District, where she finds inspiration for her writing and running. mindfell.co.uk Move Against Cancer - https://www.moveagainstcancer.org/ Julie Carter - https://www.justgiving.com/campaig...

This week we take a heat training deep dive with Tobi Schmid from CORE. The CORE heat training sensor is a wearable device designed to monitor your core body temperature in real-time. It's particularly useful for athletes aiming to optimize their performance through heat acclimatization. We've followed Eddies sweaty journey, so we thought try and share as much knowledge as possible. If o...

Zuzana Nemeckova is an ultra-marathon runner and a Registered Nutritionist with a commitment to helping athletes excel. She has tackled races spanning from 50 km to 100 miles, including an arduous multi-day 125 km event. Fueled by her love for running, Zuzana pursued a career in nutrition, founding her coaching business, On Track Nutritionist, where she empowers runners of all abilities to optimis...

We recently caught up with Hugh and Keith after their fantastic performances at the Arc of Attrition 50-miler, where they finished 2nd and 3rd. Hugh is an accomplished ultra-runner. He won the 2023 Montane Dragon’s Back Race. He has also participated in and achieved top finishes in various other ultra-races, such as the Ultra Trail Snowdonia and Transgrancanaria. Keith Wigley is an elite British t...

Henriette Albon is an amazing athlete from Norway who has made a name for herself in mountain running and ski mountaineering! After leaving her job as an auditor, she decided to follow her true passion for outdoor sports, and it’s been a fantastic journey for her. Henriette has been bringing home podium finishes from trail races all over the globe. We had the chance to chat with Henriette just nin...

This week, we’re thrilled to have Lewis Ryan join us! Lewis just smashed the Arc of Attrition by UTMB 2025 with an amazing time of 19:22:35. We chat about the race and what he’s got planned for 2025 and beyond. Not only is Lewis super fast, but his taste in music is impeccable, as you can see from his Instagram music choice! https://teaandtrails.com/ https://www.patreon.com/teaandtrails https://ww...

We’re excited to welcome Darla Crispin this week to chat about everything Centurion Winter Downs 100! This incredible 100-mile race takes place in the heart of the UK winter, truly testing the limits of both body and mind. Darla is originally from Canada and studied at the University of Victoria. After that, she made the move to the UK for further studies. Darla earned her Concert Recital Diploma...