Here for the Long Run

In this week's episode, we speak to good friends James and Kev, who share the story behind James' 40-mile run for Myositis UK - an challenge rooted in friendship and community. Starting at the charity’s Southampton HQ and ending in Sherfield-on-Loddon, the run became a shared journey, with Kev crewing the challenge and joining for the final mile.

Kev talks about his experience living with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), from the early signs he didn’t recognise to the adjustments he makes now to keep doing what he loves. He and James reflect on  how their running club, Sherfield Park Runners, has been a steady source of support, and why staying positive matters on the tough days.

A story of grit, humour, and the power of community.

You can find the fundraising link for this and James's future challenges here:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-loud-1

P.s. use discount code LONGRUN20 for 20% off your next order with Veloforte.

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This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

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In this episode, we sit down with Adrian Ball, who went from couch to 5k, to completing a 250km ultramarathon across the Jordanian desert - all within just 18 months and at the age of 46. Adrian shares how ultrarunning transformed his life, teaching him powerful lessons about resilience, planning, and mindset that now shape the way he approaches both running and business.

Adrian’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to take on something extraordinary - and that the mental tools we build on the trail can help us navigate the rest of life’s challenges.

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This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

In this episode, Jon shares his first experience of the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM), joined by friends Tim and Sarah. Together, they offer an honest look at tackling one of the UK’s toughest navigational running events.

Featuring an audio diary recorded across the weekend, the episode drops you right into the mud, mist, and mindset of the challenge. Jon, Tim, and Sarah reflect on the highs, lows, teamwork, and the unique demands of orienteering in unpredictable mountain terrain.

Whether you’re eyeing the OMM or just curious about endurance navigation events, this episode gives a glimpse into the adventure, camaraderie, and resilience that define the OMM experience.

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This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

In this episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Lara Giusti, co-founder of Veloforte, a brand who bring real-food nutrition to endurance sports. We discuss fueling strategies for optimal performance - before, during, and after events - and the key physiological differences between men and women athletes. From carb targets and recovery tips to the dangers of underfueling and RED-S, Lara offers practical insights for sustainable performance. A must-listen for endurance athletes aiming to fuel smarter and perform stronger.

Use code LONGRUN20 for 20% off your next order at Veloforte. 

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This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

In this episode, we sit down with seasoned ultra-runner Maria Ledesma to explore her remarkable journey through endurance racing, from her first trail race in 2019 to, three years later, completing four 100-mile races in the space of 13 months. Maria shares the highs and lows of two of her most recent challenges - including her decision to drop out of last weekend's Autumn 100 at mile 68 and her philosophy that embraces the grace in stopping. 

We also chat about Maria's Winter Downs 200 experience, where she placed 5th in the women's race after 73 grueling hours on the trail, running mostly solo and managing sleep deprivation. We discuss the power of meticulous preparation, strategic decision making, mental resilience and mindsets for ultra runners. 

Maria offers a refreshing perspective on the sport’s demands and rewards; this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and inspiration.

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This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

A little mid-week bonus episode, with some recent updates from Jon and Amie, including:   

• kitting out our garage gym on a budget
• volunteering at Centurion's Autumn 100
• building single leg strength
• Jon's preparation for the upcoming OMM in the Lake District
• how Amie is managing ongoing knee niggles 
• Learning from Jon's recent appointment with a specialist diabetes sports consultant and nutritionist. 

We hope you enjoy! 

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This week, Jon and Amie were delighted to speak to Charlie Hurst, a seasoned multi-day ultra runner. Charlie recently placed 5th woman in the Dragon's Back race, a gruelling 6-day race across the spine of Wales, with 18,000m of climbing, a monumental feat - especially when you add in that Charlie is a type 1 diabetic.

This conversation is inspiring for diabetic and non-diabetics alike, about what it takes to plan and execute a multi-day events. As we discuss...it's not all type 2 or 3 fun - it can also be type 1(D) fun!

To find out more about what Charlie is up to, you can follow her on:

Instagram @charliedidthemds

Facebook@charliedoesthemds

Website: https://www.charlieschallenges.co.uk

JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/page/charlotte-ultrarunning?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL 

This week's episode is sponsored by Jon's company Empowered2.co.uk  

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.  They save this problem up for the future as they grow, reaching a scale where middle management don't know how to lead and senior leaders haven't adjusted their approach for their increased responsibility often still working in the system not on the system

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership engagements. I'd love to hear about your leadership challenges and how I might be able to help

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

In this week' episode, Jon and Amie sit down with ultra runner and UESCA running coach, Sarah Searle-Brown. 

We catch up about Sarah's fantastic performance at this year's North Down's Way 100, placing 4th in the women's race in a time of 22:04. We discuss how this race was the culmination of experience and hard work invested since 2018; Sarah talks about her training, conditioning, false-starts and the journey to an exceptional result, grounded in positive self talk and surrounding yourself with the right people.

This is an honest, inspiring and immediately useful conversation, with learnings you can apply to your own approach. 

You can find out more about Sarah and her coaching via Instagram: @yankeepankyruns

This week's episode is sponsored by Empowered2.co.uk  

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.  They save this problem up for the future as they grow, reaching a scale where middle management don't know how to lead and senior leaders haven't adjusted their approach for their increased responsibility, often still working in the system, not on the system.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership engagements. He'd love to hear about your leadership challenges and how he might be able to help.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

This episode is our second in a two-part mini series on the Chiltern Wonderland 50. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Joe Turner, who won the men's race in a new course record time of 6:18:15. 

We talk with Joe about his year in racing: highlights, learnings from DNFs and the challenge of running your own race. We also chat about Joe's transition from road to trail ultras, his training approach, nutrition strategies, the importance of gender equality in ultra running and what's on his calendar for 2026. 

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is sponsored by Empowered2. 

Most businesses significantly underinvest in leadership development.

Leadership development should be bespoke and appropriate for the needs of your business, adding value by improving the performance of everyone involved with immediately deployable tools and techniques.

Jon helps organisations serious about creating high performing leaders and organisations to create meaningful, memorable and lasting leadership legacy. 

Support the show

This is the first in a two-part mini series about Centurion's Chiltern Wonderland. 

In this episode, Jon and Amie are re-joined by Kevin Brady to reflect on his first experience running a 50 mile race. We talk through the build-up since his marathon in April, what the race is like, the joys of forgetting time pressures and advice for others considering their first event at this distance. 

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Support the show