Trails, Tales, and Fails - An Ultra Running Podcast

This week on Trails, Tails and Fails , Rob and Sarah relive the Jurassic Coast Maverick 50K — a race full of coastal climbs, wrong turns, and one spectacular kit fail that nearly ended things before the start line. Sarah took the win and Rob had a great run to take 10th. 👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail...

Ellen Cheetham went from London roads to French mountain trails — and landed on the podium at UTMB Nice 100 miler. In this episode, we unpack her transition to ultra running, the move to France, and what it takes to race 165 km from the Alps to the Mediterranean. 👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra...

This week, we’re talking pacing — the skill that separates finishers from faders. Whether you’re running a 50K or a 100-miler, smart pacing protects your body from bonking, inflammation, and breakdown. We dive into the science behind restraint: Glycogen depletion and why fat-burning isn’t enough Cardiac drift and rising effort over time Muscle fatigue, form collapse, and injury risk Gut shutdown w...

This week on Trails, Tales, and Fails , Max, Sarah Rob are joined by Victoria Henderson, fresh off her heroic finish at the Tor des Géants — a 330km monster through the Italian Alps with over 24,000m of elevation gain. That’s 145 hours of sleep deprivation, technical climbs, and weather that can swing from blazing heat to alpine snow. We break down the race step by step, score it using our Race To...

This week on Trails, Tales, and Fails , Max and Sarah are joined by Seb Briggs and Emma Harris, fresh off their epic 37-hour, 57-minute finish of the Kerry Way Ultra. That’s 200km of Irish wilderness, bogs, climbs, and unpredictable weather. We break down the race step by step, score it using our Race Toughness Index, and dive into training, fails, and finish-line emotions. Plus: celebrity pacers,...

This week on Ultra Tip Tuesday , Max dives into one of the most overlooked performance boosters in ultra running: sleep. From muscle repair and glycogen replenishment to mental resilience and injury prevention, sleep is your secret weapon. Learn how to optimise your sleep routine, avoid common pitfalls like caffeine and screen time, and treat rest like the training block it truly is. Your legs wil...

Welcome back to Trails, Tales, and Fails ! This week’s Ultra Tip Tuesday is all about the unsung heroes of your stride — your calves. Whether you're climbing, descending, or cruising through long miles, your calves are working overtime. We break down the difference between the gastrocnemius and the soleus, why most runners neglect one of them, and how to train both for better performance, injury p...

In this week’s Ultra Tip Tuesday, I'm diving into one of the most overlooked keys to endurance success: fuelling early and often. Whether you’re training for your first ultra or your fiftieth, timing your nutrition is just as important as what you eat. I’ll break down why waiting until you’re hungry is too late, how to keep your energy steady with small, frequent fuel hits, and how to train your g...

This week on Trails, Tales, and Fails , Max flies solo and is joined by returning guest Daniel, fresh off completing the 130-mile Leeds–Liverpool Canal Race. We dive into: UTMB 2025 — snow at 2,500 m, frozen hands at night, and nearly 1,000 DNFs. With Tom Evans storming to victory, Josh Wade taking 3rd, and Courtney grinding through injury to finish 10th, it was a year of resilience as much as spe...

Max and Sarah sit down with elite ultra runner and passionate coach Chris Kelly . From his jaw-dropping 273km win at Albi 24hr to course records and podiums across the UK, Chris shares the mindset, training, and grit behind his success — including his selection for Team GB’s 24-hour squad and prep for the upcoming World Championships in Albi . We dive into coaching insights, play our usual games,...

Welcome to our very first Ultra Tip Tuesday ! In this short, practical episode, Max shares how to master layering so you stay warm, dry, and strong on the trails. We’ll break down the three-layer system: 🧥 Base layer – sweat manager🧣 Mid layer – insulation🌧️ Shell – outer defense You’ll learn about hydrostatic head , why breathability matters as much as waterproofing , and the common mistake mos...

This week on Trails, Tales, and Fails we’re joined by Darren Evans , founder of The Green Runners and Pair Ups — two movements changing the way we think about running and sustainability. We dive into: 🏃 Darren’s ultra running journey and what inspired him to combine running with environmental action 👟 How Pair Ups helps extend the life of trainers and cut down waste 🌱 Practical steps runners an...

268 miles. 155 hours. A few wrong turns. One bull. And a whole lot of grit and resilience. In this episode of  Trails, Tales & Fails , we sit down with an inspiring ultra runner who took on the Summer Spine and came out the other side with blisters, stories, and a finish line moment to remember. From getting lost in the forest, to stubborn livestock, and the mental rollercoaster of non-stop mo...

We’re back — and this week we’re diving deep into one of the toughest and most well supported ultras in the UK: the Montane Lakeland 100. From Coniston to Coniston, the 103-mile loop through the Lake District serves up over 6,000m of elevation, technical trails, and usually unpredictable weather. Max and Sarah relive this year’s race:, sleep-deprived hallucinations, brutal climbs, and that unbeata...

From the West Highland Way to UTMB, the Spine Race to Western States—Debbie Martin-Consani has carved out one of the most enduring careers in UK ultra running. In this episode of Trails, Tales, and Fails , we go behind the finish lines to explore Debbie’s journey, her race philosophy, and how she’s balanced competition, coaching, and family across decades on the trails. We also dive into the wheth...

We’re back! After a bit of a hiatus (training, coaching, crewing — life got busy!), Max, Rob, and James are here, while Sarah preps to take on the Lakeland 100. This episode dives deep into the grit, gear, and glory of summer’s toughest ultras. We kick off with the Lakeland 100 & 50 — what makes it so brutal yet iconic? James shares his race mindset, and we chat about self-supported prep, and...

Today’s episode is a special one. We’re diving into the 2025  South Downs Way 100 —a race that’s not just a UK classic anymore, but now part of the  World Trail Majors . That’s right, the SDW100 has officially gone global. While the front of the field was electric—Mark Darbyshire shattered the course record, Peter Newman went out like a rocket, and Lucy Gossage and Julie Davis delivered one of the...

In this episode, we’re joined by local legend and friend of the pod Dave Harvey — ultra runner, metal guitarist, mental health champion, and co-host of our favourite local show: The Portsmouth Running Podcast . From shredding riffs in Belligerence to shredding trails at UTMB, TDS, Lakeland 100, Western States , and every Centurion race going, Dave’s journey is nothing short of epic. We dive into:...

In this episode of Trails, Tales & Fails , we delve into the remarkable journey of Susie Chan—a Peloton instructor, ultramarathoner, social media influencer, and award-winning author. From her humble beginnings to conquering some of the world's most gruelling races, such as Badwater 135 and MdS. Susie's story is a testament to the power of determination and resilience. Her memoir, Trails and T...

In this episode, we sit down with UK ultra talent Becky Perrett, fresh off a phenomenal 5th place finish at the UTS 100 miler — one of the toughest mountain ultras in the UK, with over 31,000ft (9,500m) of elevation gain. We chat about: What it takes to train for massive mountain ultras Racing the UTS 100K vs the 100M Being coached by Jack Scott Her biggest lessons, fails, and moments of grit alon...

In this ep, we’re joined by Paul from Performance Gains Nutrition — a performance nutritionist, university lecturer, and ultra runner with over 80 ultras under his belt, including the UTMB TDS , Bob Graham Round , and Northern Traverse . In this episode, we discuss gut training tips and strategies. Plus, we hit Paul with our trademark podcast gauntlet: 🔥 Truth or Lie⚡ Quickfire Round🏃‍♂️ Celebr...

In this episode, we’re joined by David Miller, one of the most respected visual storytellers in the sport. A passionate runner turned award-winning photographer, David’s images from races like UTMB and the Barkley Marathons have become iconic — including the now-legendary shot of Jasmin Paris slumped under the yellow gate. We chat about: David’s experience at Barkley and UTMB What makes a powerful...

This week on Trails, Tales, and Fails , we sit down with one of the most consistent and inspiring forces in the ultra world — Andy Glaze. A full-time firefighter, father, and ultra runner, Andy has racked up over 250 consecutive weeks of 100+ mile training — and he's still smiling. We dive into his epic Arizona 300 adventure, how he manages sleep deprivation, why kindness beats trolls, and the rea...

In this episode of Trails, Tales, and Fails , we sit down with the ultra-running legend who became the first UK athlete to complete the Triple Crown of 200s in 2023 — and now he’s crushed the 304-mile Arizona 300, finishing 9th in just over 101 hours. We dive deep into why Scott got into ultra running, and the highs, lows, hallucinations, and heatstroke of his epic races — plus what drives him to...

From multiple Centurion 100-mile podiums to wins at the Arc100 and the Centurion Winter Downs 200, Laura Swanton-Rouvelin is one of the toughest names in UK ultra running. She’s also a Spine Race finisher—not just once, but three times—completing both the Winter and Summer editions. And just two months after this year’s brutal Winter Spine, she landed 3rd at the 2025 Northern Traverse. In this epi...