In this episode, we sit down with James, a runner whose journey spans road marathons, backyard ultras, and now the rugged world of trail running. From the early days of just lacing up and heading out, to running 135 km in a backyard ultra and hitting Day #1001 of an unbroken run streak, James shares the pivotal moments that shaped his evolution as an athlete.

We dive into:

• What made him fall in love with running in the first place

• Why ultras became his “sweet spot”

• The mental and physical battle of his longest run

• How he balances 70+ km weekly mileage with recovery and strength

• The philosophy behind his run streak and whether it's coming to an end

• Future goals, trail dreams, and going even further

Plus, a fun Quick Fire Round where James picks his dream ultra location, favourite shoes, and the one song he could loop forever during an ultra.

Whether you're training for your first ultra or just curious about what drives someone to run every single day for nearly 3 years, this one’s for you.

Follow James : @jamesmcd_runss/

Follow Ash: @ashjourneytofitness/

Follow Pushing Horizons : @pushinghorizonsstepbystep

#ultrarunner #backyardultra #ultrarunninglife