Further. Faster. Podcast

Welcome to Further. Faster. in association with Montane. This is the podcast that delves into why, and how, ultra athletes, mountaineers and explorers do what they do. 

This is a very special edition of the podcast as we speak to ultra runner Jasmin Paris. A few days before this podcast was recorded Jasmin smashed the previous overall course record for the Montane Spine Race by an incredible 12 hours. The Montane Spine Race stretches 268 miles across the Pennine Way, and over some of the most uncompromising landscape in Britain, and of course, it's run in winter, and earns it's billing as "Britain's Most Brutal Race". Jasmin set the fastest race time ever, running through the finish line in 83 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds. 

In this podcast we chat about the worldwide exposure she's received, the fact she was still expressing milk at the checkpoints, the training, and the strategy, she employed to win, plus what comes next. Listen in to this inspiring conversation with Jasmin. 

Welcome to Further, Faster, in association with Montane. Presented by Daniel Neilson. In this episode, we talk to the legend that is Martin Hartley. 

Martin could be described as a professional extreme photographer. But that doesn’t do him justice. He could be described as a polar explorer, but again, that doesn’t really cover what he does. His photos have appeared in The New York Times and Outside magazine, he’s had exhibitions at Christie’s, Royal Geographic Society and the Scott Polar Research Institute, and he is the Director of Photography for the iconic Sidetracked Magazine. He is a veteran of 20 polar expeditions, including trips working with the European Space Agency and NASA. And in 2009, he was named as one of Time magazine's most prestigious Heroes of the Environment. But he describes his proudest moment when his polar images were exhibited at the United Nations’ climate change conference in Copenhagen. Here his photography helped to influence the future of our planet on the most important stage of all.  And that’s perhaps the key defining message throughout his work. More than most people on this planet, he’s seen how climate change is affecting the polar regions. He also once took the FA Cup to the South Pole, but that’s a story for another day.

In this podcast, we talk about his enduring love of the Arctic Ocean, how he keeps trudging on after months on the ice, and the terrible effects of climate change he’s observed in the 16 years he’s been visiting the Arctic, as well as hearing about cutting-edge technology that could help the effects.

So how to describe Martin? Well, listen in to this incredible, fun and insightful conversation we had with him and you’ll be a little nearer the mark.

You can follow Martin on Instagram: @MartinRHartley or check out his website: www.martinhartley.com 

Welcome to episode 8 of Further Faster, in association with Montane. This is the podcast that invites ultra athletes, mountaineers and explorers to understand how, and why, they do what they do.

In this episode, presenter Daniel Neilson talks to the remarkable expedition runner and fastpacking athlete Jenny Tough (yes that's her real name!) We say expedition runner, but it’s hard to really know how to define 30-year-old Canadian, now living in Scotland. She’s a runner, of course, but these days not racing so much. It is perhaps best to define her through her remarkable feats of endurance. Fastpacking across the mountains of Kyrgyzstan for three weeks, solo and unsupported. And most recently across the Bolivian Andes. 

Jenny talks about how she overcomes the physical and psychological strains of running for so long on her own. We talk about her training, and recovery, and also about the people she meets who make the mountains their home. There’s also some knitting chat. Jenny is great company.  Listen in.
 

Welcome to the Further. Faster. Podcast, in association with Montane, the FREE podcast that asks ultra athletes, mountaineers and adventurers the why and the how of what they do. 

This month we talk to Katy Parrott.  Participation in the BBC programme Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week changed Katy’s life for the better, and has since been described as ‘Tinkerbell crossed with the Terminator’.  Her immense, well-rounded fitness marries seamlessly with a nose for adventure and an iron will, enabling her to cross disciplines such as mountaineering and ultra-endurance.  We learn about how she deals with low moments anything from ultra marathons to a friends suicide and how teamwork can help push through the most adverse conditions.

Katy is a remarkable force with some amazing plans.  Listen in for an inspiring chat with someone hell-bent on pushing their limits.

Welcome to episode 6 of the Further. Faster. Podcast, in association with Montane. This is the podcast that takes a deeper look into why, and how, ultra athletes, explorers and mountaineers do what they do. In this edition, host Daniel Neilson speaks to Montane athlete and climber Tom Ballard. Tom Ballard is one of Britain's most consummate climbers and has mastered all manner of techniques. Climbing is all he's ever wanted to do - perhaps no surprise given his mother climbed the Eiger while 6 months pregnant with him. He lives largely out of a van and spends his days climbing, and moving on, climbing some more. In this podcast speaking from the Dolomites, Tom opens up about being the first person to climb the six great North Faces of the Alps in a single winter season, a feat his mother Alison Hargreaves completed in summer when Tom was a little boy. He also talks about risk and his preparation for major climbs, as well as his passion for dry tooling. It's an enlightening interview with an extraordinary talent. We hope you enjoy… Listen in.

Welcome to Episode 5 of Further, Faster, a monthly podcast in association with Montane. This is the podcast that takes a deeper look into why, and how, ultra athletes, explorers and mountaineers do what they do. This month, host Daniel Neilson speaks to Montane ambassador and ultra runner Jen Scotney. Jen is a remarkable person. She’s a human rights lawyer by day (and sometimes night), and is also an exceptional ultra runner, placing high in the Montane Spine Challenger and the gruelling 190-mile Northern Traverse. The most remarkable is that she’s fairly new to the sport, and what makes talking to her so interesting is that all that learning, all those formative experiences are happening right now. We learn about new training routines and diet, about how wellbeing affects her running and how it interacts with her very busy work life. And how recent changes are making huge improvements to her running. Jen herself is fun to talk to and has some hilarious anecdotes. A great insight into the life of one of our best runners. We hope you enjoy… Listen in. 

Welcome to episode 4 of Further, Faster, in association with Montane. This is the podcast that asks why ultra athletes, explorers and mountaineers why they do what they do. In this episode, we speak to Steve Plain who, supported by Jon Gupta, has just summited the seven highest mountains on each continent in just four months (Project 7in4) , setting a new record. Yet the journey of how he came to start the challenge, is even more interesting than the challenge itself. Listen in. 

Debbie is an inspirational ultra-runner, Mum and fulltime marketing professional. Debbie became a part of the Montane athlete team in 2011 and has represented Scotland and Great Britain in 100K and 24-hour races. In 2014 Debbie Won the 2014 Montane Lakeland 100 and in 2015 placed 2nd in the shorter, and perhaps harder, Lakeland 50. Her 10-year journey with over 40 ultra-races includes classics such as the West Highland Way Race, GUCR, Transgrancanaria and Spartathlon. Following these successes, she finished the Montane Tour Des Géants in 2017, saying; “I doubt I will do many things in life that could possibly compare to TDG. I unearthed layers of myself I didn't know I had. There were moments I felt I was just torturing myself, but I never wanted to stop. The drive to finish overpowered everything” A massive leap into the unknown, she finished in 127 hours; an outstanding achievement considering the TDG is classed as one of the 5 “hardest runs” in the world. Containing 24,000m / 78,700ft of ascent (the equivalent of climbing Everest nearly three times) within its 205 miles / 330km, competitors need to be at the peak of their physical ability and mentally agile enough to cope with up to seven days of unpredictable and changeable mountain weather across an entire region of the Italian Alps. Add to this sleep deprivation, altitude acclimatisation and a cut-off time of only 150 hours. Little wonder only 50% of competitors complete the race. Debbie’s previous performance – and goals – are indicative of an athlete with the highest levels of physical and mental strength and will inspire you to get out in the mountains.

Welcome to the Further. Faster. Podcast, in association with Montane, the podcast that asks ultra athletes, mountaineers and adventurers the why and the how. In this second episode, presenter Daniel Neilson talks to British Alpinist Malcolm Bass. Malcolm discusses how he started his climbing career, his caving roots in North Yorkshire, how he manages to combine his passion with his full-time job as a Clinical Psychologist as well as how that helps him choose the ideal climbing partner, with Malcolm discussing his next Himalayan project and why he’s got the perfect personality to take on these dangerous peaks. Listen in and get inspired.

Welcome to the Further. Faster. Podcast, in association with Montane, the podcast that asks ultra athletes, mountaineers and adventurers the why and the how. In the first episode, presenter Daniel Neilson talks to ultra runner Marcus Scotney about his training, a recent race in Costa Rica (which didn't fully go to plan) and his other career as an actor. He also offers up some valuable running tips. We also speak to Robert Pollhammer, the Race Director of the Coldest Race on Earth; Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra, about the most recent race edition and what it takes to finish this epic race. Listen in and get inspired.