There are only 52 weeks in a year.

In this quiet, reflective solo episode, I explore what that really means.

Not in terms of productivity, discipline, or becoming a better version of yourself, but in how we live inside our weeks. How many pass unnoticed. How many blur together. How often we tell ourselves we will get to the things that matter later.

This episode is an invitation to pause at the edge of a new year and ask a gentler, more honest question:

What will you choose to remember?

A meditative reflection on time, running, attention, and the small choices that shape a life, one week at a time.

🎧 Pyllon Ultra Podcast

📝 Substack

📷 Instagram

In this episode of People Make Pyllon, Paul speaks with Douglas Emslie,  a runner, entrepreneur and long-time coaching client who spent over 25 years building a global events business before selling it for over $1 billion.

But this conversation is about more than business. It's about what it takes to build something that lasts, and how running can reflect that process. Douglas shares the lessons he's learned from a career lived at scale, the importance of consistency during turbulent times, and why people and purpose matter more than pace.

They also explore Douglas’s personal path through grief, change and reinvention. That includes the launch of TrailCon, a new event designed to bring the trail running world together in a more open, collaborative way.

Whether you're building a business, a coaching practice or a life in motion, this one is full of ideas worth holding on to.

What building a billion dollar business teaches you about endurance

How running supported Douglas through grief, travel and transition

The story and vision behind TrailCon

The value of long term thinking in business, sport and life

What the trail world needs next

How purpose and people build resilience

Subscribe to The Ultra Life, Paul's weekly letter:

Watch films and episodes on YouTube:

Follow on Instagram:

Interested in coaching or collaboration?

In this episode of People Make Pyllon, Paul speaks with Alex Copley - a passionate runner and geologist who helps us see the ground beneath our feet in an entirely new way.

From tectonic collisions to ancient mountain belts, Alex explains how the UK was shaped over hundreds of millions of years, and why understanding that history can change the way we run through the land today. They also talk about Greenland, recovery from toe surgery, and what it means to move through wild places with curiosity and care.

Whether you love the science or just the trails, this one might make you look at your next run a little differently.

How the UK and Scotland were formed

What geology teaches us about time and perspective

Why knowledge of the land can deepen your experience

Thoughts on creativity, risk, and Arctic solitude

Bonus: toenail removal, and why it was totally worth it

Subscribe to The Ultra Life - weekly thoughts on running, life and everything in between:

Watch our latest films and conversations:

Follow us on Instagram:

Thinking about coaching in 2026? Spaces are limited. Reach out early:

What if the life you imagine - the one with more freedom, more courage, more meaning isn’t somewhere else, but just waiting beneath the surface of the one you already live?

This short reflection invites you to pause, breathe, and consider what your “second life” might look like… and how much of it you could begin living now.

It’s not a story about running, but it carries the same heartbeat - small steps, quiet change, and the courage to begin.

Listen. Reflect. Begin.

See you out there.

In the third instalment of our People Make Pyllon series with James Stewart, we explore the deeper forces that drive motivation, consistency and performance - and why fun, identity, and agency are often overlooked in training and coaching.

We talk about joy as a performance enhancer, the neuroscience of fun, and how ownership and self-identity play a crucial role in how we train, recover and stick with it over time. This is a reflective and practical conversation for anyone rethinking how they show up in sport, life and work - and how to bring more meaning to the process.

We only made it through the first five of ten planned themes - so look out for part four soon.

In this episode, Paul and James dig into the real drivers of long-term performance and engagement: joy, identity and agency.

It’s not about race results or training blocks: it’s about how we see ourselves, what we choose for ourselves, and how we make it all feel worth it.

They cover five key ideas:

Joy as a performance enhancer - Why joy improves consistency and psychological resilience

The neuroscience of fun - How novelty, play and reward reinforce habit and learning

Agency in training - Why taking ownership leads to better engagement and motivation

Identity as a hidden driver - How seeing yourself as a runner influences daily choices

Fun as protection against burnout - Why intentional variety and social connection matter

Throughout the episode, they draw from coaching experiences, athlete stories, and personal shifts, reflecting on how and why we stick with the things we care about.

This is for anyone trying to reconnect with the reason they started in the first place.

Subscribe to The Ultra Life – Paul's weekly reflections on running, endurance and life:

Watch our latest short film Space to Return on YouTube:

Follow us on Instagram:

Explore coaching, community and more:

In this follow-up episode of People Make Pyllon, Paul reconnects with long-time athlete and coach James Stewart for another rich and honest conversation.

From managing global travel and family life to balancing doctoral study, work, training and writing, James brings his usual clarity and candor to the table. They dive into how he structures his day, why routine matters more than motivation, and how AI might reshape the future of coaching, work, and even creativity.

There’s a bigger conversation about what it means to stay engaged with the process  in running, in work, and in life.

This is a thoughtful, practical episode for anyone who’s juggling multiple commitments and still trying to find meaning in their running.

How James uses structure and self-discipline to keep life on track

The fine balance between routine and experimentation

Why AI won’t replace coaches, and how it could actually make them better

The joy of music and creativity outside of outcomes

Why personal ownership is at the heart of leadership

Running as a mirror for how we live, lead and adapt

If you enjoy the conversation, please share it with someone else who might relate or leave a short review to help others find the show.

Subscribe to The Ultra Life — weekly reflections from Paul on running, life and endurance:

Follow along on Instagram:

Explore coaching, community and more at:

In this episode, Paul reconnects with long-time Pyllon athlete, coach and former podcast co-host James Stewart for the first conversation in a new series, People Make Pyllon - where we explore the lives, work and wider stories of runners in the Pyllon community.

James has represented Great Britain, broken records, and worked at the sharp end of competitive ultrarunning, but this conversation is less about racing and more about life. They discuss what happens when running takes a step back, and how it still supports James's full-time leadership role, family life, and creative interests.

They talk about injury, consistency, integrity, and why showing up matters more than chasing medals. James shares his evolving mindset as he begins doctoral research on the future of AI and work, and how he’s learning to value running not just for performance, but for what it gives back to the rest of life.

Topics covered include:

Returning from injury and rethinking goals

Balancing work, family, running and personal growth

Running at 4am, wherever you are in the world

The "equilateral triangle" model of life

Why self-integrity matters more than motivation

Creativity, well-being and letting go of outcome

The power and responsibility of AI in a changing world

This is a thoughtful conversation about adapting, growing, and redefining what progress really means, both in running and in life.

Links and extras

Follow along on Instagram:

Explore coaching and more at:

In this solo episode of the Pyllon Ultra Pod, Paul takes a slow, reflective journey into the deeper layers of endurance — not as sport, but as a human experience.

Building on recent conversations with Jeev, Gus, and Alan, and echoing themes from his latest Substack essay “When the Race Strips Us Back,” this episode explores the emotional costs of going all in, the relationship between mind and body, and the quiet revelations that emerge through long efforts.

Drawing on his own experiences; from winning the West Highland Way Race to breaking down in the New Zealand backcountry, Paul opens up about what it means to truly endure, and how suffering, presence, and stillness all play a part in uncovering who we really are.

This isn’t a pep talk. It’s a pause.

Reflections from three powerful podcast guests - Jeev, Gus, and Alan, and what they revealed about vulnerability, calm, and transformation

A behind-the-scenes look at Paul’s mindset during his WHW victory, and what real mental work means

Honest stories from his Te Araroa journey across New Zealand - exhaustion, grief, and breakthrough

The emotional cost of caring deeply and racing with your whole self

Why endurance helps us build a true mind–body relationship

The spiritual dimension of long efforts — and how they can reconnect us to what matters

5 powerful lessons endurance has taught over the years

A challenge for your next long run: to listen, not chase

“Longevity isn’t built on punishment. It’s built on partnership.”

Substack essay: When the Race Strips Us Back

Instagram: @pyllon | @pyllonultra

YouTube: youtube.com/pyllon

Website: pyllonultra.com

In this special bonus episode of the Pyllon Ultra Pod, Paul speaks with Pyllon athlete Alan Hewitt, fresh from completing the gruelling Summer Spine Race — a 268-mile journey up the Pennine Way. But this isn’t just a race recap.

Together, they explore what it means to commit fully, to endure the dark miles, and to discover a version of yourself you didn’t know existed. Alan opens up about foot pain, hallucinations, and emotional highs, but also the magic of watching the sunrise on Hadrian’s Wall — and what it truly means to go beyond potential.

Whether you're deep in your own training or just curious what happens inside a challenge this big, this episode is about more than racing — it’s about becoming.

Topics covered:

Why the Summer Spine drew Alan in

Training with purpose — and a pack

Managing pain, panic, and perseverance

The joy of sunrise on Hadrian’s Wall

What personal growth really looks like

Reflections on identity, commitment, and future goals

Mentioned:

The Pennine Way

West Highland Way Race

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this bonus episode, we sit down with Pyllon athlete Gus Irvine, who just won the 2025 West Highland Way Race — one of the most iconic ultramarathons in the UK.

But this conversation isn’t just about race day. It’s about what led there.

Gus opens up about the years of quiet, committed training that made this win possible. We talk about his emotional relationship with running, the structure and belief that coaching has brought him, and how consistency, community, and sacrifice shaped his path to victory.

He shares post-race reflections, including the moment it nearly unravelled, the deep significance of the race in his life, and what it feels like to finally win an event that once felt out of reach.

At the end of the episode, we’re joined briefly by his coach, John Connolly, who offers his perspective on Gus’s development — and what it takes to build a performance like this over time.

This is a conversation about more than just running. It’s about self-belief, quiet progress, and the power of simply showing up.

The emotional aftermath of a WHW victory

Why talent is never enough — and what really matters

How coaching and community shaped Gus’s mindset

The power of reflection, structure, and long-term commitment

A look behind the scenes with coach John Connolly

If you’d like to know more about working with us at Pyllon, head over to pyllonultra.com.