The Inspirational Runner Podcast (The Inspirational Runner)

After running consecutive Dublin marathon from 2010 on with finish times around the 4 - 5hr mark Aoife Mundow decides she's going to try an ultra and embarks on a journey that is nothing less than mind blowing.   In Sept 2018 she completed the Kerry way lite 58km race, one thing led to another and she started to knock down podium after podium in Ireland's most challenging races which led to her winning the 200km Wicklow Way Ultra and breaking the Irish 24hr track record where she recorded an amazing 231.376km or 143.22 miles during the Athens International Ultramarathon Festival in Greece in January of this year.   • 2019 Wexford Running Festival 12hr event 106.6km 1st place • 2019 June Wicklow way 127km 16hr 6 min (knocking 44min off the course record) 1st place • 2019 June Energia 117.07 miles • 2019 Aug Connemara 100 mile 1st place • 2019 Sept 200km Kerry Way Ultra 1st place • 2019 Sept Eco Trail 80km 1st place • 2019 Dublin Marathon 3:33 smashed pb • 2020 24hr Female Irish Record 143.22     This has to be the most impressive progression that I have seen from any athlete to go from an average 4:30 marathon over a 7 year period to become within 12 months Ireland's 24hr record holder, I’m really excited to see what else Aoife is going to bring to the world of Ultra running in the near future.   If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

A super Art O’Neill special this week featuring Ellen Vitting who was first lady home in the Art O'Neill Challenge in a great time of 7:05:18 just a couple of minutes ahead of second place, and Alastair Higgins who won the overal race in a pretty incredible time of 5:53:33.

For those who haven’t heard of The Art O'Neill Challenge it is a unique event, organised by, and solely for the benefit of, Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team. Its 60km route retraces the historic escape from Dublin Castle that happened on January 6th, 1592. That night, Art O'Neill, his brother Henry, and Red Hugh O'Donnell broke out of the Castle and made for Glenmalure, to safety. On a freezing night the three made their way on foot and without the benefit of winter coats, having had to leave them in their cells. Henry and Hugh both made it to safety but sadly Art, for whom the Challenge is named, succumbed to hypothermia along the way.

This win adds to a long line of great results for both Athletes Ellen won the 2021 National Adventure Race Series in Ireland and has a second place finish the Excel Sports Seven Sisters Ultra Race, and Alastair has an incredible 4th place finish in Spartathlon.

Click here to find out more information on the Art O'Neill Challenge

Click here to enter the Excel Sports Seven Sisters Race

Click here to join The Mourne Mountain Adventures Guided Tours

Click here to join The Inspirational Runner Facebook Page

 

We have Dave Proctor with us this week, if you don’t already know Dave why not check out episode #98 where we dive into the backyard ultra.

Almost three years later we are touching base again, this time to discuss the trials and tribulations of breaking the land speed record of running the 7,159km across Canada.

Starting in Newfoundland and ending in British Columbia, it took just over two months for Dave to break Al Howie's long standing speed record of 72 days 10hrs.

In just 67 days 10hrs, with an average of 105 - 106km a day, with a consistent daily finishing time of around 10 – 11hrs, this has to be one of the most outstanding ultrarunning achievements of our era.

Dave doesn’t disappoint as he shares his methods of dealing with the pain, fueling strategies, the highs during the challenge and lows that follow. Some great links to find out more...

Irunfar Interview Dave's request form if interested in Coaching 

Coaching Request Form

 

Another epic podcast with this years winner of the Montane Spine race John Kelly, most know him as the last person to complete the infamous barkley marathon which has only had 15 finishers in the last 30 years, he’s a sub 9hr Ironman, he’s ran a 2.35 marathon on the streets of Newyork, and in this episode we break down both his spine adventure and the Grand Round where John attempts to complete Paddy Buckley, cycle the 175 miles to the Bob Graham and then continue to cycle the 235 miles to the Charlie Ramsey which is a mind bending concept.

A Brutal Beautiful adventure wow what an event and what a race this year John is an outstanding athlete and if he manages to complete the Grand Rounds he will go down in history as one of the fittest men on the planet, some super episodes on the podcast so if your tuning in for the first time why not check out a few of our latest episodes, Lazarus Lake, Damian Hall, Nicky Spinks, Maggie Guterl, Eoin Keith to name a few and watch out for our 100th episode special with my favourite ultra runner of all time Courtney Dauwalter.

Once again we have the pleasure of Noel Hanna on the podcast, some of you will remember Noel from episode #51 where we unpack his adventure on the 135 mile Bad Water race across death valley, and his succesful summit of K2 the Savage Mountain amongst other crazy endurance accompishments.

In this episode we discuss his recent winter attempt on K2 where the team of Sherpa's historically made the first summit of the savage mountain, we also unpack his 10th summit on Everest which was an amazing achievement and one that not many world explorers carry on their CV.

Great to have Noel back on the podcast, he's local to the Mourne Mountains where I spend most of my time these days. If your interested in speding a guided hike in the Mournes with myself please check out the attached facebook page and contact me via messenger. Mourne Mountain Adventures Link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes

Seven Sisters Skyline Link (promo code Inspire10) Seven Sisters Skyline 2022 (njuko.net)

In this episode we unpack the 2019 world championship race series where Sarah McCormack was crowned world champion whilst representing Ireland, we relive the Snowdon race which was arguably the most exciting race of the season where Sarah narrowly beat Elisa Sortini with a time of 1:14:49 for the 10 mile course which includes the 1085m of ascent to the summit.

We discuss ascending and the more difficult descending techniques and what it takes to become a world class mountain runner, really enjoyed recording this episode, if it would have went on any longer I think I would have signed up for her online training course found at  www.missinglinkcoaching.co.uk

If you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.... Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

Superb episode with ultra endurance athlete Dave Proctor, race director of  Canada’s Out Run Rare Backyard event, he finished 3rd at Big’s last year, he holds the Canadian 24-hour road-running record of 257.093 kilometres, set on a looped road course in Turin, Italy, in 2015.

He also holds the 72-hour record (500 kilometres), the 12-hour treadmill record (153.8 kilometre) and the fastest 100-mile treadmill record (12:32:26). 

He has quite a few 100 miler wins under his belt, including running 170km to the start of a 100 miler the day before the race then managed to take the win the next day.

He attempted to run the 7200km across Canada in 66 days to bring awareness to rare diseases to help support his son, due to injury he managed half way before he had to pull the plug but he has set up to make another attempt in May this year.

Another superb episode, I’ve upgraded the sound again so hopefully you see an improvement and for those taking on the Castleward Backyard this weekend I hope you take something from this episode.

 

Absolutely loved chatting to Dave, you can learn a lot from his mindfulness approach to both his running and life in general, we wish him all the luck this year with his transcontinental run across Canada, over 7000km in 66 days sounds crazy until its done.....

In the this episode we hear how Tony overcomes his disability through running couch to 5k, but he doesn't stop there moving on to running Ultra distances and several marathons in all terrains. He truly is an Inspirational person giving so much in return for so little, in his words believe in yourself and magic will happen!

I really don’t know where to start with this weeks guest, Inspiring in so many ways, co founder of one of the uks largest running groups ‘Vegan Runners’, she graces a 2:38 marathon pb holds four Guinness World Records, which includes winning the North Pole Marathon, finishing 8th in the Amsterdam marathon, and a top 20 finish in London.

You have to know Fiona to know how remarkable she is, no coaches, no time off, she looks after over 600 animals at her sanctuary and only eats one vegan meal a day after she has tended to all her animals and to top it all off she lost her knee cap in her teens where she was told she will never walk again let alone become an elite runner on the world stage.

She truly is a remarkable genuine person who runs purely for the love of the animals, if you have not yet seen her film ‘Running for Good’ then I’d highly recommend it currently showing on Amazon prime, which is a documentary based film following Fiona through her exploits during the Marathon de Sables.

Unassuming, the girl next door, genuine, heart warming and forever giving, she is such a super star I didn’t even edit this podcast, she has more energy than a bolt of lightning.

I’d just like to give a shout out to the sponsors of this episode Spring Energy gels, it’s a natural product and just what I’ve been looking for to help me navigate away from the GI issues and energy crashes that I’ve been having during my events whilst taking other gels and sports nutrition, it’s made from real food, it has no maltodrextrin added, no sugar added, no preservatives, artificial colours or concentrates, its made with 100% natural foods such as rice, beetroot, banana, coconut water, peanut butter, only high quality ingredients, driven by science, equipped with a vast athletic experience and inspired by passion for a healthy life style, all listeners can benefit from 15% off their Vegan range by using the code InspireSpring during the month of May 2020, they have a great 8 pack Vegan sampler pack so why not give them a try. Link to website https://myspringenergy.eu/collections/all Link to facebook group The Inspirational Runner https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner/

Link to Podbean https://theinspirationalrunner.podbean.com/

Johan is a Swedish ultrarunner, most notable for winning the 2018 Big Dog's Backyard Ultra, at which he completed 68 laps or 283.335 miles of the coursein 67 hours 48 minutes and 36 seconds, thus setting a new record on the course and beating the incredible Courtney if that wasn’t awe inspiring enough he turned up to the event exhausted and sleep deprived which is never a good place to begin 68hrs of racing.

He completed Lazarus Lakes Vol State 500km which we unpack during the episode and has competed in the Barkley four times, it was great listening to his simplistic approach towards his running, a real raw 

Check this out - The Finn McCool Virtual Team Challenge a 1350km virtual race which is equivalent of running a marathon in each of the 32 counties in Ireland, your team of four will have 16 weeks to complete the challenge which is a minimum of 13.1 miles a week for each team member it starts on the 10th July so click on the below link an

For the Loonie Leprechauns out there you will have an option of chasing down the Golden Shamrock by taking on the challenge on your own, are you as brave as the giant Finn McCool 1350km in 16 weeks.

Click and register for the virtual challenge on the link below events starts on the 10th July but you can still register any time during the month of July you'll just have less time ;P

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=7268

If your listening to this we would love you to come and join the craic on our facebook page named The Finn McCool Virtual Challenge, it would be great to see runners from all other the globe joining us through a virtual tour of the 32 counties in Ireland.

Join the challenge group by clicking below....

https://www.facebook.com/TheInspirationalRunner

I can’t believe we have been off air for over six months, super excited to have the show back and we have some amazing guests lined up to keep you motivated.

None more amazing than this week's guest Andrea Larson who became the first female to podium in the Barkley Fall Classic this year, retaining her title from the 2021 event.

Andrea is fast becoming one of the best female ultrarunners on the circuit, having won the first back yard that she entered with an incredible 162 miles, which added to her 100 miler podiums in 2021. 

She has a strong background in adventure racing and is an extremely focused runner who puts the effort behind the performances, let's hope Laz gifts her the opportunity that she so desires.

I recorded this episode with James two days after he completed the very first Winter Wainwrights Round which entails 325 miles across the 214 Wainwright Peaks which has a mind blowing 36,000 metres of ascent.

He was met with snow swept hills and strong winds, the severe winter conditions made this an even bigger achievement for James and his crew.

And if that wasn't enough as I release this episode James is back out tackling the same course only months after his winter round, and is currently smashing it so I thought I'd better get this episode released before he finishes the round for a second time.

Click here to enter the Excel Sports Seven Sisters Race

Click here to join The Mourne Mountain Adventures Guided Tours

Click here to join The Inspirational Runner Facebook Page

 

We have a special episode for you this week with one of the members from the UK Backyard Team that took part in the Big Dog's Backyard Ultra - World Championship on the 17th Oct 2020.

It was an epic event to be part of the UK came team home finished in 13th place out of 21 when Richie Hinson completed his 39th loop, Johnny Breen came in an amazing 2nd place which shows how much he developed as a competitive ultra runner over the last couple of years.

Ed McGroarty and Eoin Keith ensured Ireland finished in 10th place with an pretty impressive 42/41 loops, but the big story in my eyes was this weeks guest Nick Lister who less than 6 years ago weighed in at 19 stone and realised it was time to turn a corner. After completing a couple of Ironmen Nick entered the Castleward backyard and failed his way to completing the magical 100 mile mark during the world championships where he and his team completed against the likes of Courtney Dauwalter, Amelia Boone, Maggie Guterl and lets not forget Karel Sabbe who managed to complete 75 loops which is an astonishing 321.5 miles. This is a great story of growth and perseverance, Nick has really recoloured his life through the world of Ultra Running, a real down to earth guy who just likes putting himself through hell. My favourite piece of this episode is where Nick has his break through during his 500 (524) mile run around the North of Scotland, enjoy....

I really don’t know where to start with Sharon Record holder of both the Jogle and the Mizen Head to Malin Head, winner of races such as the Hardmoors 110 miler, the Fire and Ice 250km race, The Himalayan LA Ultra The High Ultra, Commonwealth 24hr champion, Silver in the European 100k & 24hr with a 17 year career racing at the top for GB, but she hadn’t discovered her hidden talent until her early 20s and after a difficult up bringing she really recoloured her life through the sport of running.

Great epsiode that breaks down sports nutrition, training blocks, Castleward Back yard ultra, BadWater, The Jogle, The Himalayan LA Ultra The High, all other things relating to extreme ultra running.

Super CV what hasn't she done .....

Scorcher Festival of Running, 7 marathons in 7 days, 1st lady, 2017 * Mauna 2 Mauna Ultra 250km, 2nd lady, 2017 * Orta 10 marathons in 10 days, Italy, second lady, 2016 * Hardmoors 110 miles, first lady 2016 * World Record for running 12 hrs on a treadmill, 2015 * 6 Day Circuit, South Africa, first lady, second person, 2014 * Fire and Ice Ultra 250km, first person, 2013 * Ocean Floor Race, 160 miles, ladies winner 2013 (2nd overall) * Grand to Grand Ultra, 167 miles, first lady 2012 * World record, running from Mizen Head to Malin Head, Ireland, 346 miles in 4 days, 1 hr, 39 mins * World record for running 7 days on a treadmill, 833km. * Winner of The High, 222km in the Himalayas, new course record by over 11 hours * British 6 day road record and winner of Athens race 2011 * De Zestig van Texel 120km 2011, ladies winner and fastest time by a GB athlete * Hardmoors 110, ladies winner and female course record 2011 * Trans-Slovenia Winter Edition, ladies winner, 2010 * Commonwealth 24 Hour Champion 2009 * Badwater Ultramarathon 2009, fastest time ever by a GB person * British Indoor 24 Hour Record, 2008, Bislett Stadium, Oslo * Marathon des Sables 2008 * Libyan Challenge ladies winner 2008 * Libyan Challenge ladies winner 2007 * LEJOG WorldRecord Holder, 2006 * Finisher of the Verdon Canyon Challenge 2006 * Finisher of the Transalpine run, 2005 * Bronze medallist in National 100km Championships 2005 * Became Centurian 1006 at Colchester 2004 * Winner of the Moravian Ultra Marathon 2004 (7 marathons in 7 days) * Finished the Flora 1000 Mile Challenge 2003 * British 100km Champion 1994, 2002 * AAA of England 24 Hour Champion 1994, 1997, 1998 * British 24 Hour Champion 1997, 1998 * Team silver medallist at European 100km Championships 1995 * Team silver medallist at European 24 Hour Championships 1996, 1998 * Team bronze medallist at European 100km Championships 1997 * Ladies Winner for England at Anglo-Celtic Plate 1999

***Sponsor of this episode Excel Sports***

Who’s joining us for the WILD ATLANTIC 500K summer Virtual Challenge. Walk, Jog or Run. Do it over 3 months (5.2k) day average, or Challenging yourself to doing it in as short a time as possible, We don’t mind 😃 16 Days to START. June 1.

Currently we have entries from USA, Belgium, Germany, Scotland, Wales, and All over Ireland.

If you register before June 1st, you will be included in our first draw for a hotel stay in Donegal 🤭

GET REGISTERED TODAY AT:

https://www.njuko.net/wild-atlantic-500k-virtual

MAKE THE COMMITMENT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

If you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of....   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

We have a great episode for you this week with local lad 'Ireland' Graeme Black who finally gets to realise a dream as he takes part in the 2022 Barkley Marathon.

Graeme is no stranger to the Frozen Head Park in Tennessee as he’d raced there in the Barkley Fall Classic however this time he returns to compete along side some of the worlds most inform Ultra Runners in the main Barkley Marathon event.

I’m not going to introduce the race as I’m guessing you all know it by now, but if not check out the race that eats its young on Youtube where you’ll find some great footage on the race and more importantly race director Lazarus Lake.

Click here to enter the Excel Sports Seven Sisters Race

Click here to join The Mourne Mountain Adventures Guided Tours

Click here to join The Inspirational Runner Facebook Page

Its difficult to know where to start with Mike Wardian he has such a long list of achievements, some we touched on in the podcast he ran all world majors in 2016 with a world record breaking average of 2:31, he ran the 7 marathons in 7 continents in 7 days in 2017 with a world record average time of 2:45 and many many many FKTs and achievements far too many to mention, to check out his ultra sign up page for some idea of how much an animal this guy is.

Check this out - The Finn McCool Virtual Team Challenge a 1350km virtual race which is equivalent of running a marathon in each of the 32 counties in Ireland, your team of four will have 16 weeks to complete the challenge which is a minimum of 13.1 miles a week for each team member it starts on the 10th July.   For the Loonie Leprechauns out there you will have an option of chasing down the Golden Shamrock by taking on the challenge on your own, are you as brave as the giant Finn McCool 1350km in 16 weeks.   Click and register for the virtual challenge on the link below events starts on the 10th July but you can still register any time during the month of July you'll just have less time ;P   https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=7268   If your listening to this we would love you to come and join the craic on our facebook page named The Finn McCool Virtual Challenge, it would be great to see runners from all other the globe joining us through a virtual tour of the 32 counties in Ireland. https://www.facebook.com/TheInspirationalRunner/

A 17hr Bob Graham, seven times winner of the OMM, winner of the infamous 2012 Dragons Back race, and former record hold of the wainrights, not to mention author of one of the best Mountain books out there There is no Map in Hell.

If only I had half the knowledge that Steve Birkinshaw carries, it was great sitting down with him, I’ve been in awe of his achievements since seeing the Dragons Back race on youtube a few years ago so to sit here and get the opportunity to chat about it was pretty epic.

Guided Hikes 2 day expeditions in the Mourne Mountains:

Mourne Mountain Adventures

The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Group

I really don’t know how to introduce my next guest he first featured in arguably the best selling and most inspiring running book of all time Born to Run, I remember how reading about how the Tarahumara totally opened up my mind to what was humanly possible.

Ted McDonald aka Barefoot Ted inspired a nation and very soon after the book Born to Run was released there was movement in barefoot running which Ted was very much a part of, he is an exceptional runner and has now moved into an amazing space in life he has enough positive energy flowing through him to heal the universe.

If your enjoying the podcast please support the new platform by donating £10 to our crowd funding page which will help to cover the subscriptions costs over the next two years. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theinspirationalrunner?utm_term=7GAJvMKR3

We have one of, if not the UKs most notorious race director on the show this week Mark Cockbain who has created events such as the 200 mile Tunnel Ultra which we have featured twice on the podcast, the infamous Hill Ultra which is technically a 160 mile not stop of significant hill repeats, the 260 mile Warrior Way just to name a few, I’ve attached his events page in the show notes so if you’re looking for a real challenge click in, but don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Mark Cockbain Events click here at your own peril  http://www.cockbainevents.com/

Mark himself is a sub three hour marathoner but he has been drawn to events around the globe that have challenged his limits and beyond such as a double Badwater which was a 300 mile race in Death Valley Arizona, he completed the famous Spartathlon five years in a row and has finished crazy races like the Yukon Arctic Ultra, he has an extensive CV having completed 106 ultras and 198 marathons and it’s that experience he tries to bring to his events.

I found this to be a brilliant episode that presents a road map on how to mentally manage and navigate through those more challenging times on course, I hope you enjoyed,I hope you find something that you can use yourself, I know I’ll be listening to this again as part of my prerace prep in my next big event.

If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

RACE COUNTER  

ULTRAS  106       MARATHONS 198 (PB 2:53)

THE HIGH 2010 (WINNER and only finisher)

JOHN O GROATS TO LANDS END (JOGLE) 2010 (15 days and 3 hours and 40mins)

SPARTATHLON 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005   (PB: 34:23)

BADWATER DOUBLE (DEATH VALLEY 300) 2007

BADWATER 2005, 2003, 2009   (PB: 46:12)

GRAND UNION CANAL RACE 2009, 2007, 2006, 2002   (PB: 34:44)

TRANS 333 2006 (second place overall)

YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA (320) 2006 (sixth place overall)

JORDAN DESERT CUP 2001

MARATHON DE SABLES 2000

COMRADES 2004

WEST HIGHLAND WAY 2005, 2006

VERDON TRAIL 2002

LONDON TO BRIGHTON 2001, 2002, 2003

MARATHON OF BRITAIN 2004

LIBYAN CHALLENGE 2008

BASEL 24 HOUR 2008

ULTRABALATON 135 2008

HULL 24 HOUR TRACK 2008

DAVOS 78K 2008

ULTRA TRAIL MONT-BLANC 2008

CAESARS CAMP 100 2008

ATACAMA CROSSING 2009 (seventh place overall)

THAMES RING 250 2009 (fifth place)

FINLAND INDOOR 24HR TRACK 2010, 2011 (PB: 201km)

GLASGOW TO EDINBURGH 2010

THE ONER 2010

CRAWLEY 12HR 2010, 2011 (PB 75.83 miles)

TRANSYLVANIAN 50K

 

I think everyone has heard of the Great Virtual Run Across Tennesse by now, our next guest amazingly was the first person to finish the event out of 18,999 (not 19,000 typical Lazarus Lake Style🤪) 1000km and it only took her 11 days 20 hrs which is roughly 85km a day or 2 marathons in runners lingo. Terri empowers the essence of running, health, wellbeing, inspiration, community, purpose, and support. Terri owns a running shop aptly named 'Run for your Life' and has raised a lot of money for the Huntington Society which is close to her heart.

I would like to relate her to the female version of Forrest Gump but he stopped running, Terri is currently on the return stretch running the 1000km back to the start which is epic. Long distance running is not new to Terri a Backyarder in this years big line up of Big Dog's Back Yard Ultra and a competitor in 2018, and last May she ran over 2000km in the single month. Here's a link to her charity every penny counts so why not support Terri on her amazing race across Tennesse  https://p2p.onecause.com/racehd/terri-biloski?fbclid=IwAR3ywtbZ2vGCfCEXeBLtoXRXxDyAdgi1R-BFQs6pmitbbH1KxJ8XKja-JaQ

f you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of....   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

 

We have an one of the world best Ultra Runners on the pod this week, I know I shouldn’t have favourites but there is no hiding that Courtney is one of my ultra running hero’s so it was amazing to been provided with the opportunity to chat.

For those that don’t know Courtney won UTMB last year so we unpack that experience, she also holds the Last one Standing record for women and second overall to Johan Steene running an amazing 279 miles, she was first women home in the Great Western state with a finishing time of 17hr 27min which is mind blowing, she won the run rabbit run 100mile race in 2016 with second place 75 minutes behind and she retained her title in 2017 even though she battled with temporary blindness in the final 12 mile on a very technical course.

Courtney has redefined the pain cave, she is an ambassador to Salomon and is famous for those shorts, at the age of 35 she is very young in the world of ultra running so we have a lot more to see from Badass. 

Every once in a while a game changer, a maverick arrives to entertain us in the sporting arena and in life too. She is it! She is the most down to earth, ordinary person. Yet there is nothing ordinary about her. She demolishes everything in front of her and yet almost embarrassed about her achievements. A class act and role model for all aspiring athletes out there. @Greg Dillion

Something different this week Irish Athletics Endurance athlete of the year, race walker Brendan Boyce talks about his recent success in coming 6th in the world athletic championships in the 50km event. He is the current Irish National champion and with pbs of 1:24:28 (6:48 min/mile pace walking!!!) and 3:48:55 over his main event 50km distance you can see why.

Brendan has already competed in the London 2012 & Rio 2016 Olympics and with Tokyo closing in he is coming into the form of his life.

We have one of if not the best coach that I have had the pleasure of talking to Martin Cox from Vo2 Max Coaching, he is a world class athlete who has been on the top flight in mountain running for numerous years.

He has rubbed shoulders with some of the best coaches the world has ever seen which along with his own experience in racing is where he learned his skill, his passion for the sport and the athlete’s he coaches shines through in this episode, he is an amazingly interesting guy and there is no doubt in my mind that he could significantly my performance as an athlete. 1984 – Starts running at 10 years old. First competitive road race in 1984, age 14. It was the Huncote Half Marathon, Leicester.

1987 – Began training under Paul Blissett at Leicester Coritanians, coach to distance running legends Craig Mochrie and Phil Makepeace.

1996 – First international vest, 4th place in the Inter-Counties XC, and a debut half-marathon of 64 minutes in Bristol.

1997 – First competitive mountain race, Mt Roy in Wanaka, New Zealand.

1998 – Moved to Chamonix to train and race full-time in the Alps.

1999 – Completed first track-racing season working with renowned distance running coach Arthur Lydiard.

2002 – Wins second World Cup. Finishes 3rd at Sierre-Zinal and 4th in the World Mountain Running Championships.

2003 – First mountain marathon – Graubuenden in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

2005 – First ultra-marathon – The Kepler in Te Anau, New Zealand.

2008 – A career highlight – second place in the Jungfrau Marathon.

2009 – Branching out into the Extreme Sport of Snowshoe Racing.

2010 – First year as a veteran. Wins Inter-counties Fell Running Championships and runs first road marathon in 2 hrs 27 minutes.

2013 – Completes a number of ultras, including the Swiss Alpine Marathon and The Himalayan 100.

2019 – Aged 50. New races on the road and in the mountains, including the Comrades Marathon and Subida Pico Valeta.

https://www.vo2maxcoaching.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner

 

Another treat for you this week especially for those who feel connected to The Comrades Marathon 9 times winner 8 of which were consecutive the man they call The Comrades King Mr Bruce Fordyce himself quite arguably one of the best runners in the history of the sport.

He ran the 89km down course in an amazing 5hr 24min 7 sec (which is a crazy pace of 5:48), but even more amazing he ran the challenge up course in 5hr 27 min 42 sec (for a pace of 5:52)

He has completed the Comrades course 30 times, won the London to Brighton ultramarathon three years in a row. He was the former world record holder over 50 miles and the former world record holder over 100 km.

With all his numerous successes in the sport you can tell from this interview that his proudest is his introduction of Park Run into South Africa where he has touched the lives and left a legacy for 1.2 million people who have currently signed up to the compete in the Sat 5km.

Truly is a humble guy who has holds a lot of experience and is considered as one of the best runners in the world.

 

You can find this interview on youtube just search for the Inspirational Runner and make sure you click subscribe so that you don’t miss out on the list of Inspirational Runners that we have lined up. https://youtu.be/IokJH7YcVEU

 

It's been a while since I've released an episode, the joys of setting up a new business however no better place to start of again than the Barkley Marathon. Karen McNeany gained her entry into the Barkley by being the first lady across the line in the Barkley Classic however that didn't stop Laz giving her race number one the human sacrifice, her partner Chris Hanlon also got into the race and strangely enough they both met during the classic so there is love out on the trails even in most grulesome races.

Hope you enjoy listening to our latest Barkley Episode, epic!!

We have a very interesting guest this week, Dr. Rebecca Robinson. Sports and Exercise Medical Consultant who has represented GB in the marathon distance gracing a 2hr 36min pb, along with a 33min 09sec 10k, she is also an absolutely awesome mountain runner winning team gold with GB in 2015.

In this episode we unpack RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) the effects it can have on the body, the signs, and the preventative actions you can take to be more aware of the condition to ensure you reach your optimal energy level when needed the most.

Clinic link for CHHP REDS clinic with Rebecca.

- @rjprobinson - info@chhp.com  

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Mourne Mountain Adventures | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner 

We have an exceptional runner on the show this week, so exceptional in fact that he has won more 100 mile races than anyone else on the planet, he has so many accolades I really wouldn’t know where to start so check out the show notes below where I’ve listed a few so you can gain an idea of how awesome Karl Meltzer actually is.

As usual I had no time to prep for this episode but when you have one of the world’s best ultrarunners on the line finding things to talk about is never going to be an issue, in this episode we unpack the life of a 100 mile expert, training, fuel, mindset, the grounded approach to life in general.

This really is just a chat about everything from the Speegoat himself....

• Currently hold the record for most 100 mile trail race wins on earth: 38
• Most 100 wins in a calendar year (6 in 2006), (5 in 2007), (5 in 2009), (4 in 2005)
• 60 race wins, 52 of them Ultamarathons, 8 trail marathons
• 2006 Ultrarunner of the Year
• 2006 Everest Award
• Runner up-Ultrarunner of the Year, 2007, 2009
• 4th fastest Appalachian Trail completion 2008. 2176 miles, 54 days 21 hours, 12 minutes
• Red Bull Human Express 2010. (Pony Express Trail, Sacramento, CA to St. Joseph, MO 2064 miles, 40 days. 105 miles the last day in 19:21
• All-time winner, Hardrock 100. 5 wins
• All-time winner, Wasatch 100. 6 wins
• All-time winner, Massannutten 100. 4 wins
• All-time winner, San Diego 100. 3 wins
• All-time winner, Squaw Peak 50. 5 wins
• Winningest 100 mile runner on earth.
• 16 years in a row of winning at least 1, 100 mile race. A world record
• World Record 230 golf holes played in 12 hours.
• On September 18, 2016, Meltzer set an Appalachian Trail record by completing the 2,190 miles over 14 states in 45 days 22 hours and 38 minutes
• Speed Record for running the Pony Express Trail from Sacramento, California to St. Joseph, Missouri

In this episode we talk to Paul Tierney Irish international ultra runner and current FKT holder of the 214 fells of the Wainwrights which he completed in a little over 6 days and 6hrs, which normally taken people months if not years to complete.

He has a list of accomplishments and a great depth of experience in the longer races, here is a list of some of his stand out acheivements.

Medallist, Lakeland 100,

2011, 2012, 2015.

Medallist, Wicklow Way Ultra,

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017.

Former Wicklow Way record holder

Team Ireland / World Ultra Trail Championships 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018

Tor des Geants 330km ultra-race top 25 finisher 2017 & 2018

Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Coach

Certified Sports Massage Therapist

Certified Biomechanics Coach

Certified ITEC Personal Trainer

Paul has also teamed up with Irish International mountain runner Sarah McCormack as part of a great coaching team from 'Missing Link Coaching' you can catch Sarah on a previous episode #114 when she featured as a guest on the podcast. https://www.missinglinkcoaching.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner

During the week I got wind of Ben’s attempt of running 31 marathons in 31 days with the ambitious target of running a sub four hour average, today Ben completed his 27th marathon in 27 days so I thought I grab him for a quick chat to unpack what its all about.

I’ve just taken a look at Ben’s just giving page which can be found at www.justgiving. Com/campaign/31Stars and it is absolutely incredible, so far he has raised a phenomenal £107,799 pounds for Tom’s Trust.

Tom’s Trust is dedicated to providing psychological support for children with brain tumours and their families, I’ve added a link in the show notes to their web page https://www.tomstrust.org.uk/ which was founded in Tom’s memory with the help of his mum Debbie so please make time to take a look and show your support to Ben and Tom’s Trust, yes its an amazing amount of money but with your help I think we could double it.

Great episode from Ben, I’m sure it takes a lot out of him to run a marathon everyday and to keep the momentum moving forward, he's done a sterling job and shined a bright light through this latest lock down. I hope we can continue to increase the findraising in memory of Tom, you can donate by texting 31STARS to 70085, or go on to Ben’s just giving page www.justgiving. Com/campaign/31Stars

 

In 2011 he stood on a landmine in Afghanistan which left considerable damage to his left leg, after numerous operations and a long rehabilitation program Luke managed an amazing comeback and started to challenge his limits by entering the hardest marathons in the World.

He took 2nd place in both the North Pole and Antarctica Marathons, and 1st place in the even more challenging Volcano marathon. He didn’t only succeed at marathon distance as he took gold in the 1500m in both the 2012 & 2014 Invictus games which contributed to his team being awarded the Helen Rollason award during the 2014 Sports Personality awards night which is presented for the outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.

If that wasn’t enough Luke went on to compete in the world marathon challenge of completing 7 marathons in 7 continents in 7 days, clocking and average pace of 3:09:32 which was the fastest time recorded for this event from someone in Britain.

This is a really gripping and inspirational story of never giving up, staying positive, and trusting in the process, its episodes like this that make the podcasts worthwhile truly outstanding....

Great to back into the flow after a few weeks off, really enjoyed this off the cuff interview with 100 mile expert and USA 48hr record holder Olivier Leblond.

Age really is just a number when it comes to long distance ultra running, Olivier is highly competitive at the age of 48 although he wouldn’t want to admit it taking numerous 100 mile podiums. He was lined up with the worlds best for Bigs backyard ultra this year, real shame it’s turned into a satellite event but it will still make for some interesting dot watching I’m sure. Olivier Leblond Ultra Sign Up Results https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Olivier&lname=Leblond

Hiking Tours in the Mournes Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner

We have a special guest on the show this week to celebrate the podcasts second birthday, someone one was has influenced a generation of runners to challenge their own personal limits and beyond.

Winner of the Badwater 135 mile race through death valley, holder of the Great Western State 10 times finisher buckle, he’s ran 350 miles nonstop where he invented the new sport of sleep running, completed the 3000mile run across America, ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days finishing with Newyork Marathon with an amazing time of 3hr 30 seconds, the list goes on and on running countless marathons and ultramarathons.

He hadn’t ran in years then on his 30th birthday whilst out drinking with his mates he took a head stagger, ran out of the bar, and ran 30 miles into the night, the very next day he resigned from his high level corporate job and pursued a career in running.

He’s been on numerous chat shows which included The Late Show with David Letterman, one of my old favourites The Howard Stern Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien etc..

He has also appeared on the cover of Runners' World, Outside, and Wired magazines, and has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, Men's Journal, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and the London Telegraph, among others. Karnazes won Competitor magazine's "Endurance Athlete of the Year" award three times, and also earned ESPN's ESPY award.

He has released top selling books with my favourite being Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner

50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days

Run: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Rodale

The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run that Inspired the World's Greatest Footrace

Other honors include:

Competitor magazine Endurance Athlete of the Year Award winner, 2008, 2006, 2005

ESPN ESPY Award winner, "Best Outdoor Athlete", 2007

Men's Journal, Adventure Hall of Fame, 2007

Outside magazine, Ultimate Top 10 Outdoor Athletes, 2004

If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

What a treat we have for you this week with one of Ultra Runnings most interesting runners Vajin Armstrong, not only has he podiumed some of the worlds toughest races but he brings with him a different dimension into the sport.   A follower of the Indian Spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy creator of the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence race in New York, Vajin lives a life of peace and harmony through his meditation practices which he uses to great benefit as he is able to transcend into a flow state whilst running. Vajin won the NZ Kepler challenge 3 consecutive years in a row and has achieved a 17:50 in the Western State, he has numerous running acalades but his mindset in running and life in general is what makes Vajin such an interesting person to listen to.

I find it absolutely mind blowing what Hillary Allen has achieved over the last couple of years, falling 150ft off a ridge during a skyrun in Norweigh, miraculously escaping what was almost certain death, being told your never going to compete again, I can only image the emotions that must have flooded her body as she lay in her hospital bed with 14 broken bones and hardly able to move.

Fast forward 10 months later and she crosses the finish line in the 48km Cortina Mountain race in 1st place, it defies belief, it really does show you what is possible if you keep a positive mind.

What is even more impressive is that the following spring she slips on the ice and breaks her ankle, again has to have surgery then 5 months later crosses line in 2nd place on one of the worlds toughest mountain races TDS on the extended 145km course which takes in over 9000m of vert.

As amazing her story is, I thought it important not to go past how awesome Hillary was pre accident, graduate who started running in 2011, ran a 2:51 marathon, and moved her way up in the rankings to 1st in the World Sky Running series. The Mourne Seven Sevens Virtual Challenge 17,052ft (5198m) https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=7730

Hillary Allen Book Release Out and Back Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds: Allen, Hillary, Blue Star Press: 9781944515959: Amazon.com: Books

What a guest we have with us this week, a pioneer in the world of ultra running and author of one of the most inspiring books out there The Extra Mile.

Pam Reed the first female to be the overall winner of Badwater in 2002 and again in 2003 pushing Dean Karnazes into second place.

First person to run over 300 miles (302) without sleeping 74 hrs.

Previous USA 24hr track record holder

Six day USA record holder 490 miles

Amazingly Pam finished the Western State, Hard Rock & Badwater all within 4 weeks of each other in 2015 (you have to agree that is one epic stat)

She is scheduled to run her 99th 100 miler last month, by the time this goes out I’m sure she will have run her 100th 100 mile race which is a cool stat to hit but there’s no way Pam will stop there.

We had a great laugh recording this episode so many obstacles had to be overcome, not to mention not pressing record on the mic but like all good ultra events we managed to knock out the problems and just about make it over that finish line. Click link below for Mourne Mountain Adventures: Mourne Mountain Adventures

Click link below for access The Inspirational Runner Podcast facebook page: The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Page

With numerous people waiting to hear have they been lucky enough to get into Chamonix this year, we have a special guest on the podcast Damian Hall who started running in 2011 with a 1:40 half marathon, that turned into an obsession which resulted in him coming 5th in UTMB in 2018, podiumed the Spine Race and The Dragon's Back, completing FKT across some of Britain's most testing trails including the infamous Paddy Buckley and now graces a 2:38 marathon.

A Journalist who has turned into one of Britain's most respected Ultra Coaches, it was a real joy chatting with Damien who shows you what can be done when you with the right level of determination and focus.

Good luck to everyone with the UTMB draw no matter what your race, hopefully you get pulled and we’ll be hearing you on the podcast before the end of the year. Cape Wrath Video Link https://vimeo.com/ondemand/capewrathfkt/378563601?fbclid=IwAR0JHiPFGg5D_W_YdMt0fjmB8icyOclStiDbkALxvMnU5YZSGdfA2cnjZPM

The Underdog https://www.summitfevermedia.com/underdog?fbclid=IwAR0GDFrnwWqUq2N3avJ6B4jIX0vwUMLGjvJ1GsS5yfqc60utS-lswhiEC1w

Quite a few things happening since we last talked, Karel Sabbe knocked out 75 loops at Big Dogs Backyard Ultra smashing Johan Steene’s record, the Garmin Skyline was cancelled on the weekend and we edge closer and closer towards another total lock down.

Luckily the Kerryway Ultra went ahead and our next guest managed to crawl his way to first place after his A race UTMB was cancelled, as amazing as this was I didn’t want to go past his UTMB TDS 31st place from 2019 which was a mind blowing result on one of the most technical races on the world circuit. Numerous accolades to his name such as the Wicklow Way Course Record holder, 2nd fasted Denis Rankin Round, Sub 3 marathoner and Irish Trail Runner.

Click here to go to The Hiking Tours in the Mournes Facebook page

Click here to go to The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Page

With UTMB race announcement planned for the 20th May I thought it would be a great idea to unpack each of the top four races that are currently scheduled for the last week of Aug, PTL, UTMB, TDS & CCC   There was no one more suited to this job than Ireland's very own Richard Nunan, who has crossed the finish line in PTL, UTMB & TDS , throw Tour de Geant into the equation and we have the perfect candidate.   There is a significant DNF rate in these races last year seen PTL (23% DNF) UTMB (39%DNF) TDS (395DNF) CCC (26% DNF) TDG (60%) so its remarkable that Richard managed to cross the finish line in each race.   In this episode which will be released today 9th May we lean on Richard's experience to gain an insight into each race, including kit break down, course profile, fuel and training, Richard is also the race director for the Maurice Mullin Ultra and has a strong back ground with good times in all distances along with a lot of success in the adventure racing scene that stands by him during these longer more challenging alpine races. Spring Energy Gels Code: InspireSpring 15% off all Vegan products during the month of May (2020). https://myspringenergy.eu/  

If you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of....

Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

   

We have endurance athlete Andy Persson on the podcast this week who just completed the hallucinogenic 200 mile Tunnel Ultra, a mind bending event held by race director Mark Cockbain.   Andy likes to stretch himself in different directions competing in mountainous events such as the Dragons Back which is a 315km 5 day stage race with around 15,500m of ascent , the lengthy Jogle which is John O’Groats to Lands end which is around 1500km is distance, he also completed the southwest costal path last year with the third fastest time the first being held by UTMB legend Damian Hall, and he toed the line in Big Dog’s Back Yard Ultra last year after hitting 40hrs in Castleward and with a bit of luck he will get to take his place in this years Big’s.   Podcast Sponsor WeRunWild NI next race date TBC...   If you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of....   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

This is a no thrills no spills episode where I try and unlock the secret to breaking the Guinness World Record for 10 marathons in 10 days with an average time of 2:45:42 which is absolutley mind blowing. Adam is currently challenging for the world Strava lead place this month in July, a superb athlete and a genuine down to earth guy who was the youngest person in Europe to reach 100 marathons at the age of 23. If you would like to help support the future of the podcast please donate £10 by clicking on the link below to help support a new subscription package for the next 2 years which will significantly improve the sound quality. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theinspirationalrunner?utm_term=7vwPvKGN8&fbclid=IwAR0P1_5kMNZjJwxt7nxSAgIYPSl-KVTj-LoHbfHpXEr8yT6O3LQl6qinTVY

 

Epic episode with Irish Backyard record holder Keith Russell who ran an amazing 63 loops back in May during the Atlas Running event in N.Ireland. Last week he competed in the 100k Anglo Celtic Plate gracing his first Irish International vest which was a very proud moment for the relatively new ultra runner.

In this episode we break down how to isolate your weaknesses and focus on those areas that can pull you out of a long endurance event such as Last one Standing, Mindset, Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition, Weaknesses, the holisitic approach to a successful performance.

Keith hasn’t been long in the sport and had a very touching introduction so if you haven’t heard Keith and Alana’s story make sure you check out episode #115.

Most people would have heard about the GVRAT Lazarus Lake's 1000km virtual race across Tennessee by now, you had four months to complete the challenge which started on the 1st May and if you had time you could make it back home to complete the 2000km.

Well our next guest decided that's exactly what he would do, but more than that, somewhere along the line he decided that he would be the first home from 18,999 people completing the 2000km (1283 miles) in 27 days which is remarkable.

As amazing as it sounds John isn't new to running crazy distances, I don't think I've ever seen an ultra sign up cv as impressive as John's completing many 50 - 100 mile races and beyond including 4 x Big Dog's Back Yard Ultras, 5 x Barkley classics and numerous other famous races.

John has a wealth of experience and in this episode I tried to draw as much of that out of him as possible, breaking down diet, recovery, heart rate, and what it takes to keep moving on your feet for long periods of time. We break down the back yard events and of course his journey along the 2000km GVRAT, he's an amazing guy and some one you'd like to sit down and get the craic with over a cold one. Ultra Sign Up Link https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=John&lname=Sharp

 

This week we have a local club runner who I have been watching with almost misbelief over the last couple of years as he has gone from strength to strength.

Gareth King from Tandragee County Armagh who back in Aug this year not only become the National 100km champion, but he smashed the Northern Ireland record by 22 minutes in time of 7:12:30 seconds which was 6:49 pace.

Gareth has only been into the ultra scene over the last few years starting his Marathon Journey I believe in 2010 where he ran an impressive 3:34 first marathon, like many his first venture was for a local charity the Royal Belfast Hospital for sick Children who support Gareth’s son after he underwent special surgery for a serious birth defect called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

Little did Gareth now that was the start of a journey which would be lead him to breaking the Northern Ireland 100km record. PB Profile

Park Run - 15:53

10k - 36:19

Half - 80:20

Marathon - 2:33:35

50k - 3:01:48

100k - 7:12:30

Links to some epic adventures!! We Run Wild NI website check it out: https://werunwildni.com/index.html

Seven Sisters Skyline Excel Sports: https://excelsports.events/event/seven-sisters-skyline/ Mourne Mountain Adventures: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes

We have a superb episode for you this week with Northern Ireland’s fastest marathoner of all time Kevin Seaward, who a couple of weeks ago ran the second fastest marathon time for an Irish man with an outstanding time of 2hrs 10min 9 seconds just beating Paul Pollocks valiant effort back in December of 2 hr 10 min 25 seconds.

It really is an exciting time for Irish marathoners, we are seeing a lot start to come together on the build up for Tokyo but with another 6 months to go anything could happen.

I’m out of action after spraining the ankle over the weekend on a flat piece of road, so it looks like I’ll be out for the next 6 months meaning Lavaredo is out for this season, the Coronavirus is cancelling racing all over the place so hopefully it will settle soon so that people can cash in on their hard training.

 

What an exceptional fast tracked journey Galen has been on taking 2nd place on the podium in Tour de Geants on two different occasions and winner of the 2019 Dragons back.

It was marked as the worlds toughest mountain race with 315km and 15,500m vert but cruely they have added an additional day for the 2021 edition bringing it to a total of 380km across 6 days that takes in over 17,400m of vert with ridges and climbs such as Crib Gogh and Snowdon, I’m sure its going to be a beautifully painful race. 

Click link below for Hiking Tours in the Mourne Mountains:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes

Click link below for The Inspirational Runner Facebook Group:

The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Group

The Dragons Back Race:

https://www.dragonsbackrace.com/

Short intro to this weeks guest Gary House from the run strong club, an ultra runner himself signing up for races such as UTMBS TDS and The Dragon's Back he has earned himslef an indepth knowledge on coaching techniques which he shares through the club. Check him out on Instagram if you want to be entertained, or if your interested in being coached by Gary check out his website on the link below. www.therunstrongclub.com

 

Robbie Britton is an athlete that isn’t afraid of a challenge, be it on the road or the trail, Robbie has performed from 5k to 24hr, with highlights such as a 2:29 marathon and a 261km 24hr best, which earned him a World & European bronze medal.

Robbie loves a challenge whether it is crossing Iceland, completing the Kom-Emine in Bulgaria, setting an FKT on the 650km Jordan Trail on foot or 1100km on a bike, the next adventure is never far away with Robbie however one area he invests a lot of his time on is his coaching methods and as you will hear from this episode he has developed a wealth of knowledge through various university courses that helps his athletes succeed.

Add to the mix he is about to release his first book which should be out in the next few months so I'll share a link when available in the comments below. Robbie's website robbiebritton.co.uk The Inspirational Runners Podcast | Facebook Mourne Mountain Adventures | Facebook

We have a superb bonus episode for you this week with one of the most accomplished UK ultra runners Beth Pascall, she really hit the running scene with a bang in 2015 by winning The Spine, the Brecon Beacons Ultra, she came 2nd in the infamous Dragons Back stage race, and came first in a chanced 24hr race where she ran a staggering 142.9 miles. Since then she has had a remarkable 4th finish in UTMB, The Great Western State and the Transgrancanaria Ultra, she ran the second fastest female time on the Paddy Buckley and came 8th in the trail world championships, racing is on hold this year at the minute but before he lock down she knocked out a marathon pb in Seville with a 2.48 marathon. Blog https://www.bethpascall.com/ Spring Energy Gels Code: InspireSpring 15% off all Vegan products during the month of May (2020). https://myspringenergy.eu/ Beth's Amazing CV, superb effort from a UK Ultra Runner. https://www.bethpascall.com/race

Link to facebook group The Inspirational Runner https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner/

Link to Podbean https://theinspirationalrunner.podbean.com/

 

 

I can’t believe we have been absent for almost four months I'd just like to thank everyone for their continued support, and who better to start off with than fellow club mate Slieve Gullion Runners Paddy Hamilton who at his first attempt in the world of ultra smashed the field to take first place in the 100km Race to the Stones.

Paddy is more commonly seen pushing the front in 5ks and 10ks, and he took on the race to the stones to gain some valuable learning for his up and coming Marathon Des Sables.

Crossing the line in first place in his first Ultra race demonstrates how much potential Paddy has and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Paddy as continues down the path of pain in the world of ultra running.

Paddy is running the MDS to raise much need funds for the hospice, if you’d like to support Paddy why not click on the link in the show notes and give a small donation I’m sure all donations will be greatly received.

Donation Link - Idonate.ie/TeamMorganRun

Race to the Stones Paddy's Short Film - https://youtu.be/J8aSd5N7XYA

Mourne Mountain Adventures Link - (11) Mourne Mountain Adventures | Facebook

Insta Link - www.instagram.com/mourne.mountain.adventures 

George is very talented Mountain Runner who focuses on shorter sharper mountain races, however last October during the nations lock down he took on the Bob Graham round and beat Billy Bland's time which had previously stood for 36 years prior to Killian Jornet breaking it. At 13hrs 44min it hit the running community with a wave of amazement and truly out George on the radar, George has raced some of the most iconic races in the world such as the Sierre Zinal and Pike's Peak so as George had done quite a few interviews on his Bob Graham round I tried to unpack the journey that George had taken which has resulted in his latets performace. Hope you enjoy, and why not pick up a copy of Moire O'Sullivan's latest book about the calling of the Mountains....

A Quarter Glass of Milk Amazon

Mourne Mountain Adventures where the adventure begins...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MourneMountainHikes

Nicky holds numerous records, the most impressive to me has to be the triple double rounds of the Ramsey, Paddy Buckley and Bob Graham, for anyone who has completed any of these single rounds you will appreciate how testing this challenge was, a survivor of cancer, she’s an ambassador for Innov8 and last year she had the opportunity to take part in the infamous Barkley Marathon.

A very special lady, here's a few of her achievements

2001 First Fell Run

2011 Gran Raid Pyrenees  1st lady

2011 Fellman 97km 1st lady (4 years in a row)

2011, she set a new women's record of 64 for the number of Lakeland peaks climbed in 24 hours

2012 Bob Graham Round 18hrs 12min (record at the time)

2013 Paddy Buckley Round 19hr 02min (record at the time)

2014 Charlie Ramsey Round 19hr 39min (record at the time)

2014 100km 10 peaks extreme 1st lady

2016 UTMB 12th Place

2016 Bob Graham Double (record)

2017 Charlie Ramsey Double (record)

2017 Lakeland Challenge in 11:02, a new women's record

2018 170km Ultra Tour Monta Rose 1st lady

2019 Paddy Buckley Double (Record)

2019 Barkley Marathon

Diagnosed with Breast cancer in 2005 she is just one awesome ultra endurance fell runner!!

 

 

Another superb episode for those that follow the Backyard Ultra, Anna was the last female athlete to DNF in the Quaratine backyard stealing the hearts of many as she ran loops around a frozen lake in Sweden north of the Arctic circle.

She’s amazingly only been ultra running since 2017 but managed 4th place in UTMB’s TDS last year and competed in Big Dogs Backyard Ultra last Oct which she seen as a path way in to the Barkley Marathon which was unfortunately delayed this year.

Anna really hit the lime light during the Quarantine Backyard but I decided to go a little deeper in this episode as we’re witnessing the birth of an ultra runner.

**So you heard it here first folks Swedish Backyard Ultra Extreme, I think it would be epic under the northern lights, hope you enjoyed Anna’s story there are other podcasts and interviews out there which break down the Quaratine backyard so I did my best to navigate around the event and focus more on the runner

If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

It’s been a couple of weeks since the last episode was released but the wait was worth it as we have a 2hr feature with the round machine himself Ross Jenkin, who earlier this year completed all four of the UKs infamous Mountain Rounds within the same week.

The well known English Bob Graham, The Welsh Paddy Buckley, The Scottish Charlie Ramsay and our local N.Ireland Round The Denis Rankin.

The challenge involved 152 summits, with 387km (240 miles) of challenging terrain with 31,800m (104,331ft) of ascent, and Ross amazingly completed the four @ forty challenge in less than 7 days which it quite astounding numbers add to the show notes if you’d like to take a look.

Ross who has been a beacon of light for those struggling with mental health and depression completed the challenge for CALM  (Campaign Against Living Miserably), I’ve added a link in the show notes if anyone would like to donate for this increasingly important charity.

THE BIG 4 AT 40 – OVERVIEW OF KEY DETAILS   Paddy Buckley Round (North Wales)I Distance: 98K + 8,534 meters of climbing I Time: 25:36:09   Denis Ranking Round (Northern Ireland) I Distance: 90K + 6,500 meters of climbing I Time: 23:02:49   Charlie Ramsay Round (Scotland) I Distance: 93K + 8,700 meters of climbing I Time: 29:07:43   Bob Graham Round (England) I Distance: 106K + 8,233 meters of climbing I Time: 32:59:51  

Click here to donate to CALM Ross Jenkin Fundraiser

Click here to enter the Seven Sisters Skyline Discount Code INSPIRE10

This week we revisit Johnny Breen from episode number 26, back then he had a 3:50 marathon pb, he DNF’d the 107 miles Belfast to Dublin Ultra, it’s been quite inspiring to watch Johnny's progress over the last 18 months.

He ran a sub 3hr during lock down and he went on to run 10 sub 4 hour marathons in 10 consecutive days as part of the great virtual run across Tennessee (GVRAT) completing 636 miles in 26 days, he also got back up and completed the Dublin to Belfast 107 mile ultra in 2019 and has already signed up for the 214 mile out and back event.

We unpack the backyard a little and talk about the new dimension that the virtual race has brought to the running community during lock down.

His numbers from the Lazarus Lakes GVRAT

636.7 miles run (about 100 walked) in 26 days 57th place out of 19473 worldwide participants 3rd place in UK (1100 participants) 4th place in Ireland (much more hardcore than UK) 976,171 steps taken 24.5 miles per day average 105 hours running / walking 1 sub 3 hour marathon 10 sub 4 hour marathons on consecutive days 55324 calories burned (apparently)

Click and register for The Finn McCool Virtual challenge on the link below, event starts on the 10th July it would be awesome to have you join us for a virtual tour of the 32 counties of Ireland. 

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=7268

If you’re enjoying the podcast why not join us on our facebook page named The Inspirational Runner Podcast by clicking the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner/

I've been back in the hills with a new set of tyres, the Inov-8 Terraultra G270s. I was so blown away by them that I had to invite the Inov-8 team on to the podcast to find out more about the product and the people behind this increasingly competitive brand.

Not only is Bodil Oushoorn the Design Manager at Inov-8 but she is also a kick ass ultra runner having completed the 2019 Dragons Back, we also had the pleasure of Lee Procter Communications & Ambassadors Manager who has been racing in the lake district for over 20 years and a finisher of the Bob Graham Round. Show Notes Links:

Mourne Mountain Adventures Facebook Group

The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Group

Inov-8 Facebook Page

Inov-8 Website

We have another amazing female athlete who has once again been showing the men how it’s done, overall winner of the World Major Marathon Challenge which consists of 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, not only did she beat all of the men but she managed to achieve her main  goal of breaking the women's world record with an average of 3hr 25 min per marathon in extreme diverse conditions.

She also holds the FKT for the Kilimanjaro summit ascent, winner of numerous stage races through the Jungle, Desert and extreme Altitudes, she graces an 18hr 45 min Bob Graham Round which is pretty awesome from a runner from flat Denmark who’s highest ascent is a mere 180m.

If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

 

Something super human with Dubliner Ger who decided to enter Deca Ironman UK and won it!!

That's 10 long distance Triathlon events (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) every day for 10 days.

He followed that up with 52 Ironman events (long distance triathlon distances) in 52 weeks, which included 5 Ironmans in 5 days, and also triple Ironmans 7.2 mile swim, 336 mile bike followed by a 78.6 mile run.

He failed his way to success, an absolute gent, who fuels his events on a pure plant based diet, this is an ultra endurance podcast that lasts two hours and you'll see why, so make sure you tune in next Friday to catch this epic episode.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of breaking down the latest Backyard event with the winner of the 2022 Castle Ward back yard Keith Russel who was taken to 37 loops by up and coming ultra runner Cathal McParland. Some you might be aware that we have had Keith on the podcast previously firstly for his amazing story with Alana that starting his running journey only 5 years ago which you can hear on episode #115, we had him back again last August for episode #147 where Keith completed 63 loops in the back yard. Both those episode go into how and why Keith started, and episode #147 brakes down his training fuel and nutrition. This episode was purely a chat about how the race went at the front and the back of the event, there seems to be a sense of normality returning to the race scene so why not check out Atlas Runnings next back yard which takes place on the 27th August at Florence Court.

 

Click here to find out more information on the Art O'Neill Challenge

Click here to enter the Excel Sports Seven Sisters Race

Click here to join The Mourne Mountain Adventures Guided Tours

Click here to join The Inspirational Runner Facebook Page

We have Kevin Webber on the show this week, one of the most inspirational runners that I have had the pleasure of meeting, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014 and was told that he only had two years left to live.

During his chemotherapy to the shock of his doctor Kevin started to train for a marathon, not only did he finish it but he followed it up with London marathon only two weeks later.

But Kevin being Kevin that wasn't enough, he then went on to train throughout his treatment for one of the hardest foot races on the planet the Marathon des Sables which is a grulesome six day event covering 251km through the sahara desert.

Not only did he complete it but he has continued to return year after year defying all odds to take part in the MDS, in 2020 the race was cancelled due to Covid-19 so Kevin decided to run the 251km in his garden where he raised more that £30,000 which is a small percentage of what he has already raised for Prostate Cancer. Check out Kevin's latest just giving page and please support his through out his next ventures Kevin Webber Funraiser Prostate Cancer Awareness Mourne Mountain Adventures Hiking Tours

Mourne Mountain Adventures Facebook Group

The Inspirational Runner Podcast

The Inspirational Runner Podcast Facebook Group

Adopted as a child born in Auckland, and had her feet reconstructed at the age of 13 Audain finished ninth aged 17 in the 1973 World Cross Country Championships.

 

She ran in the 1500 m at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, finishing sixth, and top New Zealander, in the final with a time of 4:21.1.

 

In the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Audain competed in both the 800 and 1500 m. Although she failed to get past the heats, she broke the New Zealand record for the 1500 m.

 

Prior to the start of the 1980s, major track and field athletics meetings had not had any women's events longer than 1500 metres. This started to change early in the new decade, and in March 1982, Audain competed in her first 5000 metres, breaking the world record. In the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane she won Gold in the 3000 metres in 8m 45.53s, a Newzealand record. The record stood for 25 years until it was finally broken by Kim Smith of Auckland, when she ran 8min 35.31sec on 25 July 2007 in Monaco.

 

At the 1984 Olympic Games Audain competed in the inaugural women's Olympic marathon. In the 1988 Games, her last, she finished 11th in the inaugural women's 10,000 metres.

 

In 1993 Audain founded the Idaho Women's Fitness Celebration 5K, now the largest 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) race for women in the USA. She was the first professional female runner who took a prize purse of $10,000 which seen her receive a life time 'temporary', ban from the world of athletics.

 

If you would like to help support the future of the podcast please donate £10 by clicking on the link below to help support a new subscription package for the next 2 years which will significantly improve the sound quality. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theinspirationalrunner?utm_term=7vwPvKGN8&fbclid=IwAR0P1_5kMNZjJwxt7nxSAgIYPSl-KVTj-LoHbfHpXEr8yT6O3LQl6qinTVY

 

There are Irish adventurer racers and then there's Gavan Hennigan, he had to deal with a lot of struggles in his teenage years and suffered badly at the hands of an alcohol and drug addiction, he went into rehab at the age of 21 and hasn't looked back.

Not only has he stayed clean and sober since then but he has gone on to take on some of the biggest and most challenging races on the planet, his latest being in March of this year which was the 350 mile Iditarod trail invitational foot race which cuts through Alaska in the harshest of conditions, not only did he finish it after having some pretty cool hallucinations but he won the race out right.

He has a long list of adventure races on his CV such as crossing the 700 km frozen Lake Baikal in Siberia, The Likeys 6633 Ultra which is a 566km non-stop, self-sufficient foot race, and the 500km Yukon to name a few.

His biggest adventure to date was to row solo across Atlantic Ocean as part of the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. The 5, 000 km crossing took Gavan 49 days to complete and he finished on February 1st 2017 landing in Antigua after spending the entire time alone in his 20ft boat 'Doireann'. He left La Gomera in the Canaries on December 14th 2016. Not only did he win the Solo category of the race, breaking the race record for the concept class, but he beat all the other 3-man and pair boats, finishing in 3rd overall behind the 4-man boats recording one of the fastest times for a solo crossing.

I've decided to record a two part series, in part 1 we unpack his recent win in the (Ididarod) Iditarod trail invitational foot race, in part 2 we look back to the adversity that Gavan had to over come, the turning point and the journey that brought him to where he is today.

An inspiring story that we can all learn from, no matter how tough it gets in life there is always a path to greatness.

If you haven’t already why not download the Podbean app and tune into The Inspirational Runners podcast, also found on iTunes, apple podcast, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of.   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runners group found on Facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

 

After a computer crash I thought I had lost this episode which was recorded in Feb of this year, so much has changed in the ultra running world since then with Backyard records being crushed, another fun year at the Barkley and numerous 100m, 100k & 50k records being broken.

That means we are back in full swing and I was delighted to find the 'lost episode' with Harvey Lewis who is the man that just doesn't stop running, he has numerous podiums to his name, including winner of the iconic Badwater, winner of the Backyard championship and former record holder, Barkley Marathon competitor, the list goes on, and on, and on...an amazing ultra runner who has fueled numerous podiums on a plant based diet. Check out his Ultra Sign Up - Harvey Lewis immense list of achievements

 

This week we revisit Irish Olympian Kerry O’Flaherty who featured on an earlier episode #34 if you want to check it out, this is an amazing podcast especially for those who are managing an injury at the minute.

Last September Kerry broke her 5th metatarsal during a key race in Spain, she was in top form, with her sights set on the road to Tokyo. That’s the kind of devastation that would send most of us down the rabbit hole of despair, obviously disappointed to have lost months of hard work like a true athlete she directed her focus on strengthening her mind body back into condition and at the age of 39 she is coming into the form of her life.

In this episode Kerry touches on the difficulty that women athletes face during their menstrual cycle, the impact it has on their training and more importantly their race condition, I’ve seen other athletes such Eilish McColgan talking this subject which I think is important for our up and coming young female athletes. You can actually join Kerry in a running performance workshop which is hosted by David Roche,  its in Kilkenny on the 11th 10:35 – 16:00 it’s a great opportunity to run and talk with a great Irish athlete. Running Performance Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/running-performance-workshop-tickets-111521082560?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=post_old_publish&utm_content=fullLinkOldEmail&fbclid=IwAR2ZOEFk0U8LWfETxWEOcCYZuT35Ej_md15KzLTr1iZFZurvwgfmMeNlSi4 Click and register for The Finn McCool Virtual challenge on the link below, event starts on the 10th July it would be awesome to have you join us for a virtual tour of the 32 counties of Ireland. 

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=7268

If you’re enjoying the podcast why not join us on our facebook page named The Inspirational Runner Podcast by clicking the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner/

Mountain Runner, Triathlete, Adventure Racer and Cyclist, winner of this years infamous Art O’Neill challenge which is a 55km race across country which follows Art O'Neill's historic escape from the Dublin Castle through the Dublin Mountains where Art met his Fate.

Shaun was the inaugural winner of the seven Sisters skyline challenge in 2018 so we delve into the event as I know quite a few listeners have already signed up for the race this Aug, he’s also competed in OCC, CCC & TDS and is being drawn back this year again for the 108mile UTMB challenge.

I’d just like to announce a competition that we are running for our 100th episode which has one of if not my most favourite Ultra Runner of all time Courtney Dauwalter, the episode is being released on the 29th Feb, it is sponsored by Excel Sports, and the winner will receive a free race entry into this years Seven Sisters event in either the 27km challenge event or the 50km skyline event both being held on the 15th Aug, I took part last year and can’t recommend this race enough, I believe that there are around 14 countries already being represented so its going to be an awesome event not to be missed.

With so many races cancelled people are starting to look at the Winter Rounds to cash in on their summer training, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to release an episode with the DRR winter record holders for anyone who may be interested in having successful but more importantly safe round.

All our guests on this special winter round edition have completed and held course record on the Denis Rankin, we start with committee member and summer round finisher in both directions Aaron Shimmons kindly provides an introduction to the round. Aaron Shimmons Male Anti- Clockwise Summer round course record 19:22 Moire O'Sullivan Female Clockwise winter round course record 21:24 NIall Gibney Male Anti-Clockwise winter round course record 20:21 Shane Lynch Male Clockwise winter round course record 16:36 Click here to go to straight to the Denis Rankin Website

Click here to join The Inspirational Runner Podcast Group

Click here to go to Hiking Tours in the Mournes

Most people will know Rik as being the Race Director from Phoenix Running but there is a lot more to this cowboy than people will realise. He held the world record for 10 marathons in 10 days running 7 of those under sub 3 leaving with a sub 30hr accumulative time, he held the British Record for the most marathons ran in a calendar year, he has ran in some of the big races such as MDS, Great Wall of China, and the North Pole.

In this episode we break down the Relentless Ultra which sounds pretty awesome, but it was Rik's ability to run marathon after marathon in incredible times that in my mind makes him so awesome.

It didn't come easy, you can tell through this episode how focused and discplined he was to the training but also quite a bit of pig ignorance invovled.

An amazing and genuine person, make sure you check out his website at Pheonixrunning.co.uk https://www.phoenixrunning.co.uk/

Click and register for The Finn McCool Virtual challenge on the link below, event starts on the 10th July it would be awesome to have you join us for a virtual tour of the 32 counties of Ireland. 

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=7268

If you’re enjoying the podcast why not join us on our facebook page named The Inspirational Runner Podcast by clicking the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInspirationalRunner/

It's hard to know where to begin with Liz Canty, an immense rugby player who changed direction and ended up on rat jaw, what more can be said....

Liz really hasn't held back in any way or form, starting on the road and moving to the trails she has gone from strength to strength racing numerous 50k to 100 mile races and although realtively new to the sport she has already raced in some of trail runnings most iconic events such as Western State, The Barkley, CCC, and has had early success on races such as the Barkley Falls Classic the list goes on and on so just click the link below and check out her Ultrasign up list....

Liz Canty UltraSignup Link

Here is link to the registration of the Seven Sisters for those interested in a 55k Classic across the Mountains of Donegal.

Seven Sisters Skyline 15th May 2022

 

A month has passed since we set foot in frozen head, and I can’t believe that I’m only getting this episode released that aside I’m super excited to introduce you to Kristi Pashia who was the first person in the Barkley Fall Classic to cross the finish line in the 50k and still manage to DNF. The cut off time is 13hrs 20min which reflects the Big Barkley, Kristi made it in an agonising time of 13hrs 20min and 9 seconds.

We follow Kristi’s interview with Brian Mueller who was the last person to finish the 50k in a crazy time of 13hr 19min 48 seconds, both runners made the decision point in 11hrs 17min with seconds between them and Kristi completed the last loop seconds ahead of Brian which shows that there really is a fine line between success and failure at the Barkley Fall Classic. There were only 107 finishers in the 50k from around 373 starters so a huge drop out, with 70 people making the titty marathon finish. Not long until the lottery is completed, so good luck to everyone who has their name in the hat, or should I say commiserations!

Staying on home soil this week with the inspiring story of Keith and Alanna Russell, Alanna was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, with no speech or use of her arms or legs she became the youngest person to complete the Dublin Marathon with proud father Keith. Shortly after the race in December Alanna sadly left us, leaving behind a gift which brought a new direction to life for devoting father Keith. Lets face it this guy is a legend, he's relatively new to the sport of running, he's already ran a sub 3 marathon, he came 3rd in the 107 mile dublin to belfast in 18hrs odd, he's ran 100 miles in just under 16 hours and his next race is Marathon Des Sables, all of which is fueled by the love of his daughter.

Team Alanna Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/teamalanna1/

If you haven’t already why not download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runner Podcast also found on Apple podcasts, iTunes, Spotify and other places I’m not aware of....   Find out more information by joining The Inspirational Runner group found on facebook, we welcome you into our community👉🏻👽👈🏻

What an amazing woman, she has over come adversity and completed her 100th marathon dressed as Batwomen. Some one forgot to mention that she has also ticked off most of the Ultra's in Northern Ireland including the 84K of the Mourne Way and completed the Donegal Quads in fashion, I can't help feeling that I'm going to be hearing more from Linda her love for running is infectious!!

I couldn't have thought of anyone better to start off The Inspirational Runner with other than with Team Kerr, known by most on the marathon scene Davd, Sandra and their son Aaron have found new purpose and direction through the sport and continue to push boundaries and inspire people every where they go.

Coach's Corner Heart Rate Training - Oliver Harkin has competed in Ironman at the highest stage in Kona, in this episode he talks about how he uses heart rate training to finish the Ironman marathon in 3:24 after swimming 2.4 miles and cycling 112 miles on a tough course in Wales.

What a great double episode with the Born2Run team Carol, Jane & Gerard so many of us are held back in life, afraid to pursue our passion as we believe the perceived risk is to great. This is one team that grabbed their ideas with two hands and literally took off running, by doing so they have created a unique running platform that has helped so many people in so many different ways, amazing energy, I'm glad to be part of their journey.

From Warrenpoint to South Africa, local Runner Eamon Murphy talks about what it is like to take on the The Comrades Ultra marathon one of the oldest long distance races in the world. 

In this episode Darren Hamilton talks how The Hansons Marathon Method takes his time from 3:45 to 2:55, he also talks us through how he managed to completed 6 marathons in 6 Countries in 6 days a very engaging and exciting listen. The episode was recorded out side a sunny Costa cafe which couldn't be helped but I found the podcasting engaging enough not to be distracted by the interfernace noise.

This podcast wasn't intentional or planned but it does give you an insight into goal setting at a basic level so I've decided to post it , I will look at doing something with a bit more structure in the near the future until then enjoy listening to this 20 min chat between friends and then write one thing down and just do it!

He crossed the finish line in Dublin Marathon with a new pb time of 2:18:52 to become the Irish National Champion, and at the age of 43 he broke the record for the fastest marathon time recorded for an Irish runner over the age of 40. In this episode Gary relives the race and takes us through his methods of structuring a marathon training plan.

This is a great podcast for anyone lying up with injury and feeling a bit out of condition, nothing is impossible with the 3 Ds Desire, Discipline and Dedication.

Cathy has become a great role model for never giving up on yourself.

A fantastic story on never giving up no matter what life throws at you, Lauren talks us through how a walk home turned into her worst nightmare as she is knocked down by a drunk driver only to bounce back into a life full of adventure which eventually leads her to The Marathon De Sables a 156 mile Ultra race across the Sahara desert.   This is a double feature episode so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did....  

A great open and honest podcast from one of the most genuine and giving people that you'll meet in the running community, I was inspired to hear how he ran his first marathon at the age of 51, ran a 3:20pb at the age of 57 and completed his 200th marathon at the age of 62.

There's a saying that if you want to run enter a 10k if you want to change your life run a marathon, its never to late to change the direction of your sails.

Eileen has found her wellbeing improve since getting back into running at the age of 59, she is a determined woman who has taken on more challenges than she would like to admit battling four marathons in four days during the Donegal Quads at the beautiful age of 63.

It's all about the craic with Eileen, there is never a dull moment when she is around.....

Collette truly does shine a light for the rest of us to follow, she started to run at the age of 40 and has run almost 600 marathons which is an astounding amount for any person taking in her into an elite group of marathon runners.

I'm not sure there's to many have ran 100 miles or 10 marathons in 10 days at the age of 68.

Another great episode for Podcast 24, Paul Clarke​ is an ultra runner from Kilkeel Co.Down who took part in the Kerry way 200km Ultra not once but twice, in this episode we hear what it’s like to take on a longer course and the highs and lows of getting to the finish line.

I loved this Podcast with Paul sometimes you just need to forget training plans and just run for the love it, you may be surprised how far you get.

Didn't really cut this so hope it comes across well just the way it is, I enjoyed listening to Paul's journey...

Big Ivan is truly an inspirational guy he had a real wake up call in 2005 when his MS was misdiagnosed, at that point he made a right turn with his health losing just over 6 stone and competing in the Berlin marathon finishing in an amazing time of 3:12 this was only the start of Ivan’s marathon journey but little did he know this was also the start of his journey with Multiple Sclerosis.

Never will you meet a nicer person that genuinely wants to do good in the world, he’s helped introduce a lot of runners into Park run through the couch to 5k and is the current race director of Bangor Parkrun which hosts 250 – 300 runners every sat morning.

In Ivan’s wise words “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome”.

In this episode Johnny Breen talks about what it's like to leave the corporate world behind and walk down a different path towards helping others.

Johnny also talks about the sense of achievement but also the pain and agony of competing in the Belfast to Dublin 107 mile endurance race.

Welcome to Podcast #28 your in for another epic episode with a local legend on the Triathlon scene Milo McCourt from Infinity swimming in Camlough County Armagh.

Milo has helped introduce countless people into the world of triathlon including myself so I’m hoping that this episode plants a seed and inspires you to take to the water and bike before your run.

There is one place on earth that scares most elite ultra runners, and that’s Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg Tennessee.....so what is it that drew Michael Shiels from Kilkeel Co.Down to take on the challenge of The Barkley Fall Marathon Classic.

If you haven't already download the podbean app and follow The Inspirational Runners podcast to find out,and if you enjoy the podcast why not leave a comment!

One of the most giving people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, well known for his work with local charities and in playing a significant role in setting up the Run for Autism.

Qoute "Its not about you, its not about me, its about the big picture"

We have a special guest on the show this week, he holds many world and Irish records in the world of ultra running such as;

World record holder for the fastest crossing of Ireland on Foot, 550km running from Mizen Head to Malin Head in 3 days, 3 hours, 47 minutes breaking the previous record by more than 11hrs. 24 hour Irish running record (248.4km/154.34m), 48 hour Irish road running record (343km/213m) and 6 day Irish running record (815km/506m)

He has also set a number of course records on some of the most gruelling events on the planet, one that rises above the rest is the Spine which is descriped as the hardest Ultra race in Britain which consists of a 268 mile race along the Pennine way, not only did he set a new record but he beat the previous best by more than 15hrs.

He has too many podiums and first places to mention but to of his favourite by his own admission are 2nd place veteran in UTMB and 5th placed in the 24hour WORLD championships.

Let not forget that he is also the first Irish competitor to gain entry into the notorious Barkley marathon, remarkable story not to be missed.

Welcome to podcast #31 I was on the edge of my seat listening to Paul and his achievements on the road to becoming the 1st Irish man home in the marathon during the 2016 Rio Olympics, not only is Paul just a down to earth guy but he’s also one of the most talent runners that I have had the pleasure of listening to.

Its a great podcast identifying how hard it is to get your body into form when it counts the most, Paul has had it far from easy over the years with injury and controversy but he’s managed to keep grinding and pumping out results that makes him one of Ireland’s most accomplished runners.

 

PB Profile.... 1500 m (3:50) 5000m (14:05) 10K (28:32) 10 Mile (48:21) Half Marathon (1:02:10) Marathon (2:15:30)

his week we speak to Brian Bell from Wicklow who currently lives in County Louth, I have been intrigued by Brian’s adventure he truly is Ireland’s answer to Ranulph Fiennes

In this episode Brian talks about how he battles the four elements of Extreme Heat, Cold, Altitude and Humidity, this includes a 340 mile race across Canada in the depth of winter being tracked by wolves, I kid you not...

Again I did no prep for this podcast Brian turned up at the door and we just let it rock, so you really do get a raw interview, and I’ve learnt this is my style so excuse any gremlins during the recording.

I learnt a lot about long distance racing from listening to this so my advice would be to lay back and enjoy this podcast with no distractions.

Another great episode this week as we speak to Zak Hanna from Dromara Co.Down Newcastle AC.

I have watched Zak scale the Mourne Mountains during the Hill & Dales taking many wins so its no surprise to me that he is becoming one of Ireland's best mountain runners.

He started off his young career competing on horseback and he’s taken many podiums on both the road and xc bike, but his transition into mountain running has catapulted him into the International mountain scene taking 13th place in the recent Mountain Running World Cup and a recent 7th in Snowdon which was the best time taken by someone from Ireland since his coach Rich. Rodgers held the record in 1991.

Zak has a lot to offer the mountain scene, a natural talent but he works hard for his success!

Kerry is an amazing athlete and she only took up steeplechase when she was 30, with a lot of consistent focused hard work 5 years later she found herself on the biggest stage in athletics Rio 2016 Olympics.

 

Her love for life and the sport is infectious, a great role model for the world of Irish athletics and its up and coming talent.

For anyone who run Dublin marathon on the weekend your going to enjoy listening to podcast #35 Michael Fox from Newry an exceptional runner who let it slide finding himself 3 stone over weight, with a gradual focus he turned it back around to run 2:40:26 during his first attempt at marathon distance.

 

This is another good podcast to learn how to either come back from injury or build a good base before launching yourself into pace, he finished 9th in the Dublin half marathon out of 9500 runners coming in around 1:14 minutes after only returning back to running 6 months earlier.

Gerald might be the most colour co-ordinated runner that you’ll meet, he’s an inspiration to a lot of people.

In this episode Gerald talks about how running has helped him with his grief and how he celebrated his son Harvey’s life by running all of the world major marathons finishing in Newyork last weekend.

Finishing the world major marathons is a great achievement, I’m sure that Harvey is very proud and I hope that his courage helps to inspire you to lace up as running can help you through the most difficult of times. 

Mick is an amazing athlete having qualified for Rio Olympics in 2016 but form had left him meaning that he had an under par performance, the lack of form didn’t last long with a series of PBs to follow.

In this episode we hear what’s its like to be the first Irish man home in this years Dublin Marathon, Micks home town with an amazing time of 2:15:58 the fastest time by an Irish man in Dublin in 19 years.

The marathon national title was a nice addition to his XC, 10k and half marathon national titles which strengthens his position as one of Ireland's greatest runners.

 

 

A very special guest on the show this week Rosy Ryan from North Belfast Harriers AC, she started park run in Jan 2015 and two weeks later she was re-diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer a fatal disease but one that hasn’t stopped Rosy from living a full and meaning full life. She has now ran over 160 park runs and has just competed in Berlin, Chicago and Newyork marathon with London already ticked off she is on course to complete the world major marathons.

Check out Rosy's Instagram page @baconfromheaven where she shares everything running.

Recovered from Cancer twice, Ali’s ran around 100 marathons which includes jet setting off to Australia for the weekend, a sub 3 in a naked triathlon suit in London, back to backs, he crashed out in the Donegal hero at mile 98 and wrestled with altitude in America’s most famous 100 mile race the Leadville......a podcast from an amazing and very grounded runner Ali Shaw.

'He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life' Muhammed Ali

Natalie needs no introduction, the first female pacer of the Belfast marathon, larger than life itself, and amazingly completed her 50th Marathon in London today.

Natty lifts everyone she comes in contact with, a beam of light in the dark, always challenging her own limits, a true inspiration within the running community.

Winner of Berlin Marathon with a record Debut performance, Irish Marathon record holder with a time of 2:22:23 seconds taking first place in Amsterdam whilst chasing the world record, and winner of the prestigious London Marathon. 

Catherina won four silver medals in four consecutive years in the world cross championships showing a strong consistency in her sport, making it to two Olympics including reaching the finals in Atlanta in 96.

We may never see a runner of Catherina’s Quality again in our life time, she carved out her success through the pure love of running and continues to inspire and give back to the support that she gained so much from.