Running Tales

Sho Gray has a big goal in 2024.

The professional runner, who is the Tennessee state record holder for the 100-mile distance, is betting on himself to make the US national 24-hour race team.

Sho is using his savings to dedicate himself to running in the hope of winning the American 24-hour race championship in November, and in doing so qualifying for the national team.

It’s all a far cry from his first manoeuvrings in the world of running, when as a youngster at a Japanese international school he started taking part in the sport - with the somewhat disputed aim of beating his sister in the cross-country.

Running Tales spoke to Sho about going from enthusiastic amateur to professional, entering the pain cave and exercising his toes, and how he wants to inspire everyone to do whatever their version of better is…

 

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With edicated daily spaces for tracking both training and life events, weekly doses of motivation with inspirational quotes, and monthly and yearly habit trackers, the Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner will help you organise every aspect of your life.

To take advantage of our 20% discount, simply head over to https://www.racin-grayson.com/product-page/racin-grayson-2024-training-log-planner and use the code RUNNINGTALES20.

 

* Listen to our podcast with Grayson Murphy here: https://runningtales.podbean.com/e/grayson-murphy-the-late-bloomer-turned-two-time-world-mountain-running-champion/

 

* Read our article, The Grayson Murphy story: Aeroplane arms and winning world championships, here: https://runningtales.substack.com/p/the-grayson-murphy-story-aeroplane

 

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This week's Running Tales Podcast has a somewhat different theme.

Our guest is Stan Robertson, the man behind Northampton-based rough sleeper charity Project 16:15.

Running Tales is once again backing the 16:15 Charity Run, which will take place at The Racecourse in Northampton, England on Saturday, March 23.

The event, which aims to raise awareness of and funding for rough sleepers in the town, will take place over six hours - with runners encouraged to run as long or as short a distance as they like over that period.

There is more information about the event on our Substack newsletter page and on the 16:15 Charity Run Facebook group.

Stan started Project 16:15 back in 2018, during the infamous Beast from the East cold snap, when he began delivering hot drinks and food to rough sleepers in Northampton town centre.

His over-riding aim is bring dignity and respect to those on the streets.

You can help fundraise for the 16:15 Charity Run here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/fun-run2024

Running Tales spoke to Stan about the dangers rough sleepers face on the streets, how his own experiences of homelessness and addiction help him connect to those he now helps, and whether he will be doing any running himself on March 23...

 

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Discount offer: Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner

Looking for a great gift for runners or the perfect training aid for yourself, designed by a pro-runner? Look no further than the Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner.

The training log and planner is your key to staying organised and inspired on your journey to conquer your running goals.

Experience the convenience of the Airplane Arms snap-in bookmark, ensuring you never lose your place as you dive into the race day schedule and goal-setting worksheet, empowering you to plan and achieve your objectives effectively.

With edicated daily spaces for tracking both training and life events, weekly doses of motivation with inspirational quotes, and monthly and yearly habit trackers, the Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner will help you organise every aspect of your life.

To take advantage of our 20% discount, simply head over to https://www.racin-grayson.com/product-page/racin-grayson-2024-training-log-planner and use the code RUNNINGTALES20.

 

* Listen to our podcast with Grayson Murphy here: https://runningtales.podbean.com/e/grayson-murphy-the-late-bloomer-turned-two-time-world-mountain-running-champion/

 

* Read our article, The Grayson Murphy story: Aeroplane arms and winning world championships, here: https://runningtales.substack.com/p/the-grayson-murphy-story-aeroplane

 

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Read this BBC story, written by our own Craig Lewis in 2020 when he was working for the corporation, about Stan Robertson for more on his story and that of Project 16:15: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-54576278

 

Full disclosure: Craig is now proud to be a Trustee of Project 16:15

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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When Emily Moore was just 19 she suffered a knee injury which led to her being told she'd never walk unaided again, let alone run.

Now, she's on the edge of taking on the toughest footrace in the world, the formidable Marathon des Sables, in April.

After suffering her injury, Emily was determined she would run again, immediately entering the London Marathon. A painful period of rehabilitation followed, but her dream became a reality with her knee surgeon among those cheering her to the finish line.

Since then, Emily has completed a number of marathons and triathlons, teaching herself to swim along the way. And last year she turned ultra runner, completing the Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra in October 2022.

That was followed by the five-day, 123-mile Capital to Country Ultra in Nepal last year. Her decision to powerwalk it, rather than run, saw her discover a unique way of tackling the endurance event that also featured a blessing at a school and a wedding.

Running Tales spoke to Emily about running while pregnant, how the sport has helped her meet friends all over the world, and why the Nepal Capital to Country Ultra saw her find herself again after divorce...

 

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Discount offer: Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner

Looking for a great gift for runners or the perfect training aid for yourself, designed by a pro-runner? Look no further than the Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner.

The training log and planner is your key to staying organised and inspired on your journey to conquer your running goals.

Experience the convenience of the Airplane Arms snap-in bookmark, ensuring you never lose your place as you dive into the race day schedule and goal-setting worksheet, empowering you to plan and achieve your objectives effectively.

With edicated daily spaces for tracking both training and life events, weekly doses of motivation with inspirational quotes, and monthly and yearly habit trackers, the Racin' Grayson Training Log & Planner will help you organise every aspect of your life.

To take advantage of our 20% discount, simply head over to https://www.racin-grayson.com/product-page/racin-grayson-2024-training-log-planner and use the code RUNNINGTALES20.

 

* Listen to our podcast with Grayson Murphy here: https://runningtales.podbean.com/e/grayson-murphy-the-late-bloomer-turned-two-time-world-mountain-running-champion/

 

* Read our article, The Grayson Murphy story: Aeroplane arms and winning world championships, here: https://runningtales.substack.com/p/the-grayson-murphy-story-aeroplane

 

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Read our story about the Capital to Country Multi-Day Ultra in Nepal on our Substack page: https://runningtales.substack.com/p/from-capital-to-country-the-spiritual

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

Follow this smart link to wherever you listen [https://link.chtbl.com/tVqw2t5u]

 

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Raziq Rauf is the man behind the increasingly popular 'Running Sucks' Substack, a tongue-in-cheek title for a newsletter that looks at the stories of people doing interesting things to further running culture.

Raz's newsletter has covered subjects as varied as homelessness, racism, body shaming and alcoholism - all from the prospective of those in the running world.

It aims to tell stories that go beyond people's favourite trainers or their marathon training plans. The result is a fascinating and occasionally raw dive into why running sucks and how, ultimately, it is a force for good.

Raz's own running journey began at school, but he only fully embraced the sport as a way of escaping his busy live as a music journalist - no Spotify or Apple playlists for this runner!

Running Tales spoke to Raz about running while being a 'minority of a minority' as someone of south Asian descent, why it's important not to ignore the impact of societal issues on running, and why he called his newsletter 'Running Sucks'...

 

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You can read Raz's Substack newsletter at https://www.runningsucks101.com/

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

Follow this smart link to wherever you listen [https://link.chtbl.com/tVqw2t5u]

 

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Helen Ramwell didn't always wants to run, despite coming from a family that loved the sport.

It was only as a teenager while celebrating New Year that she was provoked to take part in a race, after a family member said she would never be able to complete a half-marathon.

The challenge was too much to resist and Helen's running career was underway. It has since taken in a host of marathons and ultra events, including the 'toughest footrace in the world' - the Marathon des Sables.

Helen took part in that event alongside her father, Richard, who she regularly enjoyed running with. Sadly, Richard has since passed away but Helen honoured his memory at the end of last year when she took on another multi-day marathon. She said she felt his presence on her shoulder as she took on the inaugural Capital to Country in Nepal, a five-day, 123-mile romp through the foothills of the Himalayas.

Running Tales spoke to Helen about the women's ultra running scene, running while pregnant, and her much-heralded competitive streak...

 

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Read about how Helen and her fellow competitors took on the Capital to Country Ultra in Nepal in our newsletter article: https://runningtales.substack.com/p/from-capital-to-country-the-spiritual

 

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Liz Fraser has been a passionate runner since a young age, when her mother - who coached youngsters at the Oxford City Athletics Club - introduced her to the sport.

Running has been her constant companion ever since, through the highs of many a 5k, 10k and half-marathon to helping her cope with mental health issues.

A writer, broadcaster and best-selling author, Liz's memoir 'Coming Clean' tells the story of her life with an alcoholic partner, and running has provided solace in harder times.

Now, as she approaches her 50th birthday in October, Liz is aiming to run her first marathon, as well as to roll back the years to record a sub-20 minute 5k and a sub-40 minute 10k.

Running Tales spoke to Liz about how it's ok for women to fiercely pursue their goals and the joy of running in terrible weather...

 

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You can follow Liz's running adventures on her Instagram page, Instagram.com/lizfraser1

 

Liz writes about everything from running and fitness to travel, adventure and personal growth on her Substack page, Flying Solo, which you can find at https://lizfraser.substack.com/

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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Denny Krahe is an ultra runner and coach who runs one of our favourite podcasts about the sport: Diz Runs.

We first caught up with Denny just over a year ago, when we chatted to him about his own running career and his life as an injury prevention specialist.

With changes on the way at Diz Runs, we thought it was a good time to talk to Denny again and to see how he is getting on with some of his running goals.

We also chewed the fat over some of the big issues in the running world, including the seemingly increasing numbers of people cheating in races and just how far he thinks the human body will allow endurance athletes to go...

 

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You can learn more about Denny Krahe, his coaching, blog and podcast on http://www.dizruns.com/

Listen to our November 2023 chat with Denny on the Running Tales Podcast here: https://runningtales.podbean.com/e/denny-krehe-running-coach-injury-expert-and-podcaster-at-diz-runs/

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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Colin Kirk-Potter grew up running on the fells and a career as a Royal Marine meant fitness was always going to be central to his life.

Back when he joined the Marines, a day on Dartmoor involved brutal training but these days he loves nothing more than to run around its trails and fells - to the stage where he's even written a book about the best routes.

Colin's running has seen him take on extreme races all around the world, including the Bob Graham Round and the Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc, where he even beat ultra running legend Scott Jurek.

But perhaps his greatest challenge came when he struggled with PTSD after serving in Afghanistan. Life in 'civvy street' saw him drinking too much and picking fights, but it was running which helped him to rediscover himself and find peace.

Running Tales spoke to Colin about why running like a toddler is good for you, opening a running shop and becoming coach, and exactly how he came to beat one of the greatest runners of all time...

 

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You can order Colin's book, Dartmoor Trail and Fell Running: 31 Great Runs, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dartmoor-Trail-Fell-Running-Great/dp/1906095841

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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Donato, aka Twitter's Poet With Pace, hasn't always been a runner. Indeed, he didn't even start running until he was in his mid-50s and only took to the sport to raise money for charity.

But once he started, there was no stopping him.

Since completing the Birmingham Half-Marathon in 2015, Donato has gone on to break a Guinness World Record for running the fastest marathon dressed as a hospital patient, completed five marathon majors and raced for England at Master's level.

Along the way he has amassed a YouTube following of close 5,500 subscribers to his 'Chatty Adventures' channel, where he posts race videos.

Running Tales spoke to Donato about how he first started running, finding out he was both good at it and that it brought him joy, and why it took him so long to discover the sport in the first place...

 

nb.. Donato has requested we only use his first name. We are happy to comply with that request.

 

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🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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Running has transformed Russell Watkin's life since he started training for next year's London Landmarks Half-Marathon.

When his journey began, Russell was overweight, suffering from high-blood pressure and battling depression, all while dealing with the effects of Long Covid.

He told Running Tales that before he started running, he had never stuck with anything in his life - but that has all changed now.

Spurred on not only by a desire to get fitter and feel better in himself, but through fundraising for baby loss charity Tommy's, Russell has made running a pivotal part of his life.

These days, he feels healthier than ever before and is even planning to take on the London Marathon in the near future.

Running Tales spoke to Russell about pushing through the hard times early on in his running journey, how he gets grumpy when he can't run and why everyone can improve their lives through running...

 

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You can sponsor Russell to run the London Londmarks Half-Marathon in 2024 by visiting https://llhm.tommys.org/fundraising/Russell-Watkin

 

🎤 LISTEN TO THE RUNNING TALES PODCAST:

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