Running Tales

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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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 

Jason Bahamundi is an ultra runner who lives by the motto 'all gas, no brakes,' but he only started running when he was 'voluntold' he would be doing a half-marathon for charity.

His first training run left him gasping for breath, but Jason was hooked. Running became a habit that led him to longer and longer races and ever bigger challenges, including completing Western States, the Rocky Racoon 100-miler several times, and Cocodona 250.

Along the way, he has finished a host of Ironman triathlons - not bad for someone who saw running as a punishment at school.

Jason is also the founder of Run, Tri, Bike magazine, which is devoted to celebrating the endurance lifestyle while expanding diversity and inclusion in sport.

Running Tales talked to Jason about championing women in running, sleeping during ultra races, and how running has helped him with his business... 

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Read Run, Tri, Bike magazine at https://runtrimag.com/ 

Natasha Swartley wasn't particularly sporty growing up - and running certainly didn't feature on her to do list.

Even after she joined the US Navy at just 18, fitness was a punishment for being 'sarcastic' with push-ups and squats proving particularly unpopular.

But Tasha slowly developed a love of fitness and eventually running, ending up being responsible for training 3,000 men under her watch.

By 2019, she had completed her first ultra marathon - a 50-miler which she conquered despite neglecting race nutrition and training on a treadmill.

Tasha has since left the Navy to become a wilderness EMT, but her love of ultra running has blossomed - despite two DNFs at the 100-mile distance.

Running Tales spoke to her about life in the Navy as a high-ranking woman, hauling ammunition across ships and how it prepared her for running long distances, and the power of three little letters: DFQ. 

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Rohan Kallicharan, a sub-three hour marathoner, is on the verge of something extraordinary.

With more than 80 marathons - including 10 in 10 days - already behind him, the man dubbed by friends as 'Ro Farah' is aiming to reach 100 marathons before he turns 50 next June.

But that achievement will barely touch the surface of Rohan's story.

Over a 15 year period, starting when he was a teenager, he struggled with his mental health, attempting suicide three times before eventually being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

With a lot of hard work, Rohan was able to move forward with his life, but in confronting his mental demons he began to neglect his physical wellbeing, ballooning up to 19 stone.

It was only when he visited the London Olympic Games in 2012 that Rohan realised it was time to do something about his weight. Shortly afterwards he started running - and he's barely stopped since.

Running Tales talked to Rohan about the mental health benefits of running - and how when he became too focused on times he briefly fell out of love with the sport, his 100 marathon goal, and raising tens of thousands of pounds for Mind, the mental health charity... 

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Visit Running Tales on Substack: ⁠https://runningtales.substack.com⁠

Search for Running Tales wherever you listen to podcasts to find our audio version of episodes.

Visit Rohan's website, Run With Perseverance, at https://run-with-perseverance.co.uk/ 

Sponsor Rohan in his efforts to run 100 marathons before he reaches 50 - all monies go to Mind: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ro-fun-before-fifty 

Christopher McDougall wasn't even a runner when he came across the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.

He'd been told he was too big. He'd be better off guarding the President or riding a bike than running.

But what he found not only changed his life, but those of thousands of runners across the globe.

In 2009, Christopher published his now famous book on the Tarahumara, 'Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen'.

Not only did it uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara, who could run incredible distances in super fast times, it opened up his eyes to a whole new way of running.

Christopher has gone on to write two more masterpieces on running, 'Natural Born Heroes' and 'Running With Sherman'.But Running Tales wanted to find out a little bit more about the man behind the books that have inspired so many runners all over the world - and caused headaches among those in the big shoe companies.

We spoke to Christopher about how his father both embarrassed and inspired him by running laps round his school and going on to run three hour 30 marathons while in his 60s, his life as a war correspondent, and what is it like running with donkeys... 

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Visit Running Tales on Substack: ⁠https://runningtales.substack.com⁠

Search for Running Tales wherever you listen to podcasts to find our audio version of episodes.

Visit Christopher's website at https://www.chrismcdougall.com/ to find out more about his work and writing.

Anthony has always been active, with martial arts and karate his first love.

But, after suffering from asthma as a child, running was never on his to do list.

That all changed during the coronavirus pandemic, when with contact sports off the menu and an aggravating back injury requiring him to keep moving, Anthony decided to try running again.He's not stopped since.

A resident of Japan, Anthony has embraced that country's love of running, graduating from regular runs to taking on a marathon and soon after an ultra event.

Running Tales spoke to Anthony about how he finished tenth in his first ever marathon - don't mention there were only 27 competitors(!), how running has helped him with his martial arts, and why he's moved into writing about the sport... 

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Search for Running Tales wherever you listen to podcasts to find our audio version of episodes.

After a particularly troubled end to a family holiday, Richard Wilcox's wife gave him an ultimatum: 'Change or we're finished'.

The former Army man was overweight - his five four inch frame carrying 18 stone.

He was suffering from mental health issues and going nowhere fast.It was then he chanced upon a documentary about ultra running that changed his life.

Inspired, Richard declared he would run a 100-mile race within a year.Most people laughed, but he started walking, then jogging and before long he was running hundreds of miles every week.

Within a year, he was ready to take on the Snowdon Ultra 100. It was a race that was to test him to his limits, but one which would help Richard prove the doubters wrong once and for all.

Running Tales spoke to him about his incredible journey to success and the power - for good and bad - of an addictive personality...

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The Marathon des Sables had always been on Nigel Watson's bucket list.

But with his plans to tackle the six day, 250km ultra marathon through the heat of the Sahara Desert barely underway, Nigel was rocked by a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

An experienced runner with several marathons under his belt and a history of tackling triathlons that included representing Great Britain for his age group, Nigel was determined not to be beaten by the news and upped his training.

Part of his preparation saw him meet with Doug Richards, a friend of this podcast and Marathon des Sables finisher. Inspired, Nigel set out to complete his extreme goal.

Running Tales spoke to him about how the event went, his previous running success and tackling prostate cancer... 

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Visit Running Tales on Substack: ⁠https://runningtales.substack.com⁠

Search for Running Tales wherever you listen to podcasts to find our audio version of episodes.

From deciding to try parkrun once - and then getting hooked on it - to completing a 35-mile ultra despite contracting Covid, Peter Vickers has fully embraced the world of running. 

At 55, he saw people running parkrun around Northampton’s Racecourse and decided to take part the next week - not long later he was running the London Marathon. 

In all, Peter has had to come back from three bouts of Covid - the first of which left him feeling he might die and which still sees him battling with his breathing at times. 

Along the way, he's raised money for a host of charities and made friends at every corner, aid station and finishing line of his many runs.

Running Tales spoke to him about everything from pacing at parkrun to his ultra endeavours… 

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Visit Running Tales on Substack: ⁠https://runningtales.substack.com⁠

Search for Running Tales wherever you listen to podcasts to find our audio version of episodes.