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Ultra-endurance cyclist Sarah Ruggins, and two-time Transcontinental Race rider, gives me some valuable advice before my first attempt (and first bike race!)
We talk consecutive 250-300km days on the bike, managing sleep deprivation, route planning, rough sleeping, nutrition, charging electronics, pacing yourself through the opening week, and the mindset needed when everything inevitably starts going wrong.
We also discuss why the race isn't really against other riders, but against yourself, and how some of Sarah's most memorable moments came not from racing, but from unexpected acts of kindness across Europe.
This interview was recorded before Sarah went on to break the outright European record for cycling the length of Europe last month - an extraordinary achievement that makes her advice here even more remarkable.
As for me, I've now rolled away from the start line.
This year's Transcontinental Race will see me attempt to ride almost 5,000km from Trondheim, Norway, to Kalamata, Greece, crossing Europe entirely self-supported. Riders must plan their own routes between checkpoints, navigate compulsory race sectors, solve every problem themselves, and average around 240km every single day just to finish before the race cutoff.
When I return, I'll be sharing the full story of what happened out on the road. But before all of that unfolded, this was the advice I received from someone who's already been there.
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarah_ruggins/
Follow My TCR Ride: https://www.lostdot.cc/race/tcrno12
Donate to my Fundraiser for Mind Over Mountains: https://givestar.io/gs/toms-transcontinental-page
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Britain's in the middle of another heatwave, but Benny P's got a good store of ice to keep us all cool.
We chat about what these increasingly extreme summers might mean for the future, how the sunshine transforms life behind the Trailside Coffee van, and Ben's recent trip to Norway simply to watch some world-class athletics.
Tom's turning awkward coach journeys into mini-adventures, camping through storms in the Lake District, and why sometimes the best training plan is simply to head outside and see where the road takes you.
It's a conversation about coffee, cycling, travel, endurance, curiosity and finding adventure in the everyday - with plenty of questionable life advice thrown in for good measure.
(Decathlon just give Tom a call... )
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Follow Benny P: https://www.instagram.com/mr.bennypalmer/
Follow Tom: https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
Mentioned in the Podcast:
Trailside Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/trailsidecoffee/
Mason Cycles: https://masoncycles.cc/
Tailfin: https://www.tailfin.cc/
Kostüme: https://kostume.cc/
Le Tap ID: https://letap.id/
Fizik: https://www.fizik.com/en-gb
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters:
00:00 Tips on keeping cool
13:58 Trailside Coffee Merch!
17:02 Diamond League in Oslo
23:53 Tom's overland journey
27:47 Cycling in the Lakes
42:07 Royal Chiltern Way
44:03 Rebellion Way
48:10 Stupidly long bike ride
55:26 Coros Dura
58:14 Ben's new bike
01:07:47 Tom's first KOM!
01:11:34 Mason Cycles
01:20:27 Group Riding
01:42:54 Tailfin
01:49:07 Kostüme
01:55:54 Le Tap ID NFC sticker!
What if joy isn't something you earn after you've fixed your life - but the thing that helps you build it in the first place?
This week I'm joined by life coach, retreat host and founder of The Joy Project, Meg Holloway.
After leaving a corporate career and moving to the Lake District, Meg trained as a coach and built a business around a simple but powerful idea: joy is not the reward at the end of the journey - it's the strategy that helps you navigate it.
In this conversation we explore how Meg transformed herself from someone who describes her younger self as "proper glass half empty" into a coach who helps people get out of their own way and take action on the things that matter most.
We talk about:
Why so many people are waiting for permission before they start the business, launch a project, change careers or pursue the life they really want.
Meg's philosophy of "messy action" and how tiny imperfect steps build self-trust far more effectively than endless planning.
Fear of failure, fear of judgement and the stories we tell ourselves that keep us stuck.
Why community, connection and finding "your people" matters more than ever.
Why learning to "date yourself" can be one of the most powerful things you do.
Finding joy during one of the most difficult periods of her life following a serious health challenge, and why that experience ultimately reinforced everything she teaches.
If you've ever felt stuck, waited for permission, or wondered whether it's too late to make a change, I think you'll get a lot from this one.
Follow Meg: https://www.instagram.com/megg.holloway/
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Mentioned in the Podcast:
The Joy Project: https://www.instagram.com/thejoyprojectcoach/
The Joy Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3guaT24uvN1gky41cYfLe7?si=c1f9d15084674cf4
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:58 Life in the Lakes
16:50 Training to be a Life Coach
23:04 Joy is the strategy, not the reward
33:03 How to chance a mindset
39:08 Overcoming Cringe
47:58 The Joy Project
52:21 You're not stuck, you're just waiting for permission
56:25 Take messy action
01:01:15 Pause, pivot, progress
01:04:00 The Strech Zone
01:11:20 Dating yourself
01:22:30 Bossing life on your own
01:38:24 Meg's recent health scare
01:53:20 Meeting someone
01:57:01 The problem with dating apps
Danny Bent has spent years chasing adventure.
From ultra-endurance survival challenges to being marooned on a deserted island in the Maldives, he's built a life around pushing boundaries and stepping into the unknown.
But recently, his focus has shifted.
The next challenge isn't about going further, faster, or enduring more. It's about becoming more human.
In this deeply personal conversation, Danny reflects on a journey that began with an ayahuasca retreat and led him towards what he calls his "primal age" - a growing desire to reconnect with the experiences that shaped us long before modern life arrived.
We talk about swimming in near-freezing water, spending a week alone in a remote Norwegian cabin, learning to hunt deer, disconnecting from technology, the importance of play, self-love, masculinity, and why shared adversity brings people together like nothing else.
At its heart, this is a conversation about stripping life back to its essentials. Less noise. Less distraction. More presence, connection and adventure.
Because perhaps the wildest thing we can do in the modern world is return to what made us human in the first place.
Listen to Danny's previous recording, here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jn6zsMXRw2WO61McbEz5y?si=a0b45bc6bb4c40a1
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Follow Danny: https://www.instagram.com/danny_bent/https://www.dannybent.com/
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:21: Ayahuasca Retreat
17:03 Other ways to go within yourself
21:18 Finding ways to soothe
27:08 One day a week unplugged
37:59 Marooned on an island
49:24 The group dynamics on the island
01:04:58 Hunting for deer for the first time
01:24:42 Cold Water Swimming Championships
01:33:54 Tom's magical sea adventure
01:42:41 What the sitcom Scrubs taught Tom about Masculinity
01:55:02 Self Love
Esther Lloyd didn’t grow up as a cyclist, and she didn’t ease her way into the sport either.
What started as a complete beginner journey just a few years ago, has turned into racing across continents in some of the toughest ultra-endurance events in the world, including the Transcontinental Race (TCR).
Along the way she’s taken on brutal challenges like finishing third in the Trans Pyrenees Race and completing epic audaxes such as All Points North, building a reputation as someone who goes long and deep when many others would stop.
In this conversation, recorded as I prepare for my own first attempt at the Transcontinental Race, Esther generously opens up everything she’s learned from her rapid rise in the world of endurance cycling.
We get into the practical realities like where to sleep, what to eat, how to actually prepare, and what training really looks like when the distances start stretching beyond logic.
But beyond the logistics, this is really about how someone who only recently discovered cycling can become the kind of rider who lines up for one of the hardest bike races on the planet.
If you’re new to cycling and curious about how far it can take you, or if you’re already drawn to ultra-endurance racing and want a grounded, honest look at what it takes, this conversation is for you.
Follow Esther:
https://www.instagram.com/vistadelmotrone/
If you’ve been affected by anything discussed in this conversation, or are struggling with an eating disorder yourself, these organisations may be able to help:
https://red-s.com
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Mentioned in the Podcast:
Lost Dot Races: https://www.lostdot.cc/
Audax UK: https://www.audax.uk/
Bivy Nation: https://www.instagram.com/bivy_nation/
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:28 Britain through the eyes of a Kiwi
11:35 Tom's first bike race
18:50 Esther's journey into cycling
37:44 Group Riding
48:28 Audaxing
53:15 All Points North
57:18 Sleeping in the wild
01:02:56 Safety Sleeping Alone
01:09:07: Eating Disorder + Role Models
01:22:43 Trans Pyrenees
01:30:50 Transcontinental Race
In this episode, Tom shares his journey behind training for his first bike race (and it's a big one!)
After a period of burnout, mental health struggles, and being forced to step away from life for a short while, this episode is more about what it really means to rebuild - physically and mentally and how “pushing through” doesn’t always work (Tom found out the hard way.
Ben's been on a solo ski tour outside of Europe and gives all his tips and advice for travelling further afield for some good times.
We dive deep into the importance of boundaries, processing anger, and the importance of protecting your energy.
And of course - Tom dips into the jar of Great British Misadventures to regale a story from his own misadventures.
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:48 Checking in re: Tom's mental health
06:18 Deleting people from your life
10:38 How you express anger
16:38 'If' Poem
22:37 Solo ski tour in Banff
37:09 Two months off with exhaustion
53:57 Ben's new addition
58:55 Tom's first bike race
01:19:39 Cycling's culture problem
01:29:43 The most wonderful Wednesday
01:37:58 Tour de France in the UK
01:40:47 Great British Misadventures
For Mark White, gratitude is more than just a word.
It’s a daily practice that helped him rebuild his life - from rehab for drug addiction to creating a movement that encourages others to live with more intention, connection, and perspective.
Now celebrating 23 years of sobriety, Mark has built gratitude into his daily life.
He is the founder of Run Grateful, Your Town CIC, and the Daily Five app - a platform designed to promote wellbeing in simple, five-minute daily practices.
In this conversation, we explore how gratitude became the one thing that stuck when nothing else did. Mark opens up about not being ready to change, how addiction can feel like a solution rather than a problem, and why gratitude isn’t about ignoring difficult thoughts and feelings.
We also talk about the reality of showing up when you don’t want to, the importance of building evidence over time, and how small, consistent actions can begin to shift the direction of your life.
Follow Mark: https://www.instagram.com/markwhite_120602/
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Mentioned in the Podcast:
Run Grateful: https://www.rungrateful.com/
The Daily Five App: https://www.dailyfiveofficial.com/
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
02:49: What Mark is grateful for today
05:20 Why practising gratefulness is important to Mark
12:15: Taking stock of the here and now
16:19 Mark's journey into gratefulness
20:08 Finding acceptance to begin change
28:17 It starts with a pen and paper
35:04 Mark's role models
39:31 The ripple effect of addiction
44:32 Tom's journey into sobriety
56:56 Inspiring others into gratefulness
01:03:56 The Grateful Mile
01:13:13 Tom's journey to gratefulness
01:20:16 Spirit before purpose
01:29:02 Daily Five
01:35:42 Prison rehabilitation
01:39:40 It only takes a moment
01:44:16 Grateful mile at Love Trails
01:46:55 For those who feel they have nothing to be grateful for
01:51:05 Mark's tally tattoo
Here's the best of 2025 - thanks so much for tuning in!
Charlie Wild (The Travel Project):
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4bUcPWa
Apple: https://apple.co/3XXfXe2
Youtube: https://youtu.be/IAHqxY_vdNk
Alex Staniforth - Caught in Everests Darkest Hour:
Spotify: https://bit.ly/48UXJP0
Apple: https://apple.co/4seGLEr
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Uat6ExQZ4gQ
Sarah Ruggins - From Novice Cyclist to Record Breaker in 2 Years
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3MD9MZV
Apple: https://apple.co/49bbcUd
Youtube: https://youtu.be/xitHPmorq6Y
Charlie Bennett: A Tale of Coca-Cola Ponds:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4lwkiPB
Apple: https://apple.co/3Rgqg9x
Youtube: https://youtu.be/L2evrfYc3D0
Horatio Clare - The Real Story of the Small Boats Crossings:
Spotify: https://bit.ly/4oVWeGi
Apple: https://apple.co/4q9Tp5F
Youtube: https://youtu.be/_TG7N3mm34g
Jacquetta Megarry - A Second Life On Foot
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3W0AtcB
Apple: https://bit.ly/3W0AtcB
Youtube: https://youtu.be/ByH4E6AomnM
Deo Kato - From Cape Town To London:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4asQhuM
Apple: https://apple.co/48D89nH
Youtube: https://youtu.be/afhHa9yG_rU
Tracey Bravo - The Donor Route
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/43kr0Bz
Apple: https://apple.co/43lir9J
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Nr2dp_Ds1L8
Nick Bester - Cracking the Sub 2:20 Marathon
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/430uUzt
Apple: https://apple.co/4gQhNUK
Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZKQAwV0Za4A
Nick Butter - Mr. Possible:
Spotify: https://bit.ly/4rUQdMQ
Apple: https://apple.co/4iTV9NM
Youtube: https://youtu.be/-PLhKZuK134
Rave On For The Avon
Spotify: https://bit.ly/48Sr7W3
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rave-on-for-the-avon-bristols-swimming-revolution/id1682803081?i=1000726865001
Youtube: https://youtu.be/jq1Cmkt2q6Q
Great British Misadventures:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NuDY8zQAj5haZVaoJnPPx?si=1f8795b5e0b14379
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cycling-the-coast-of-wales-garlic-ice-cream/id1682803081?i=1000733651056
Youtube: https://youtu.be/krhcwJaVEwE
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
04:19 Charlie Wild's UK seasonal highlights
14:29 Alex Staniforth - Caught in Everest's Darkest Hour
24:38 Sarah Ruggins - From Novice Cyclist to Record Breaker in 2 Years
33:19 Charlie Bennett: A Tale of Coca-Cola Ponds
41:38 Horatio Clare - The Real Story of the Small Boats Crossings
48:59 Jacquetta Megarry - A Second Life On Foot
54:22 Deo Kato - From Cape Town To London
01:02:58 Tracey Bravo - The Donor Route
01:14:18 Nick Bester - Cracking the Sub 2:20 Marathon
01:26:00 Nick Butter - Mr. Possible
01:36:16 Rave On For The Avon
01:44:00 Great British Misadventures
Nick Butter is a man who’s turned the word “impossible” into a to-do list.
Once a finance professional chasing bonuses and deadlines, a chance meeting with a terminally ill runner made him completely reimagine his life.
Within a few years, he’d left his job, sold his possessions, and embarked on one of the greatest endurance and logistically challenging feats ever attempted: running a marathon in every one of the world’s 196 countries.
It took him two years, 450 flights, and over a million pounds to complete - but it also transformed how he saw the world and what matters most.
Since that record-breaking run, Nick’s life hasn’t slowed down.
He’s run the entire length of Italy, set a world record running 5,500 miles around the coast of the UK (averaging two marathons a day), recently appeared on the BBC’s Destination X, and launched Run Weekends - global running adventures where pace doesn’t matter, but connection and joy do.
He also founded The 195 Foundation, a charity supporting causes in which give back to the places he’s visited.
In this episode, we dive into what “home” feels like after years of life on the move, the lessons Nick learned from running a marathon in every country on Earth, and how he’s built a life centred on adventure, generosity, and human connection.
We also talk about why he believes that a life well lived matters far more than a life well financed, and what his next big expedition might look like - and why, no matter what comes next, he’ll always be “Mr Possible.”
Follow Nick: https://www.instagram.com/nickbutterrun/
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Mentioned in the Podcast:
Loosing Eden, Lucy Jones: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305463/losing-eden-by-jones-lucy/9780141992617
Run Weekends: https://www.runweekends.com/
Factfulness, Hans Rosling: https://www.gapminder.org/factfulness-book/
Destination X: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0024pz8
Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/into-the-wild-book-jon-krakauer-9780330453677?sku=GOR001376384
Nick’s 196 Foundation: https://www.the196foundation.com/
Clockify: https://clockify.me/
Read Nick’s Books:
Running the World: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/439803/running-the-world-by-butter-nick/9780552176484
Run Britain: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Run-Britain-Record-Breaking-Adventure-Coastline/dp/1787636410
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Benny P is back to co-host another episode of Misadventures.
In this episode, Tom reflects on his ride around the coast of Wales - a three-week journey of endurance, reflection, and a new love for the sea he never knew he needed.
Ben brings stories from Chamonix, convincing us all we need a slice of that alpine magic next summer.
Along the way, we dive into Tom’s unlikely love affair with volunteering at Reading Festival (yes, that Reading Festival) and Ben’s debrief from the Berlin Marathon.
Throw in some parkrun tourism, a pinch of the Isle of Wight, a dash of indie sleaze nostalgia, and a ridiculous story from the Great British Misadventures jar – and trust us, this one’s guaranteed to make you laugh.
Follow Benny P: https://www.instagram.com/mr.bennypalmer/
Support the podcast:
Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653
Mentioned in the podcast:
The Garlic Farm: https://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/
Trailside Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/trailsidecoffee/
Become an Oxfam festival volunteer: https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/
Amy Harris: https://www.instagram.com/amythepoetcelebrant/
Eden Project Reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJWU5iCiw0b/
Indie Sleaze Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p0lcqp00
Join the mailing list:
https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
Get in contact:
https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/
https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast
https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:28 Ed Sheeran Shopping?
06:18 Coming up
07:20 Amazing summer of sun
09:12 Wanderlust trail running in the alps
17:00 Marathon training block vs. having fun
21:47 Berlin Marathon
24:44 Know your fitness
31:01 Ben & Toms running adventure
32:23 Cycling the Isle of Wight
37:41 Love Trails Festival
39:17 Volunteering at Reading Festival
47:25 Amy Harris at Glastonbury 2027
48:45 Eden Project again
52:23 Insane world of parkrun tourism
56:23 Coffee Corner
01:05:47 Cycling the coast of Wales
01:28:59 Substack
01:30:01 Men's mental health
01:36:41 Indie Sleaze
01:40:26 Great British Misadventures
From the publisher's feed