It's time, you've had your say. New categories and some favourites too. The UnAwards 2024

Grab a cuppa or a beer, settle down and get tore in. Merry Christmas fae Stevie Boy and JC ❤️

Our final guest of 2024. And we’re off on our travels, the destination this episode is India. Bangalore to be exact, host city of the recent IAU 100k World Championships.

Chris Richardson joins us to regale his epic Asian adventure

First stop though is some where much more familiar as we get the lowdown from Chris on his performance at the 2024 Anglo Celtic Plate on the North Inch of Perth that clinched him a spot on the GB and Northern Ireland team for the worlds.

We learn about what attracted Chris to turn his focus on the 100k distance, the dedicated training it take and find out how measured he is his race strategizing.

With an impressive marathon PB tucked neatly in his back pocket Chris gives us a great insight in to the differences he’s made to adjust to going for the 100k difference, the patience it takes and the mindset it requires.

Of course we focus most of our time hearing from Chris as to how events unfolded in the heat of Bangalore. A scintillating team performance made for a hat full of accolades across the men’s and women’s teams. An individual performance from Chris equally as stunning.

From overloading on curries to stumbling to the finish line and everything in between this is an epic listen from an honest, humble and authentic racing machine.

Sarah Perry makes her 2nd appearance on the podcast and we’ve plenty to catch up on

Although Sarah feels most comfortable on hills and fells, she excelled at the Backyard Ultra during October’s UK Team Championships.

Sarah details her outstanding performance, starting from the beginning of the race alongside 14 teammates and concluding 59 hours later to secure victory. Her exceptional effort not only earned her the title of Team UK champion but also a spot in the Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra Individual World Championships in 2025. Sarah will be heading to Tennessee for this prestigious event. In our chat, she outlines her strategy, hints at some personal tactics, and describes how her resilience was pushed to unprecedented levels. Could she have gone on longer though? We find that out from the horse’s mouth.

We also look back at some of her other 2024 adventures, focussing on a formidable personal challenge of setting a FKT on the South West Coastal Path. A staggering 630 miles journey! Just short of a fortnight’s worth of running from Poole in Dorset to Minehead in Somerset. It’s not flat either with an elevation amounting to 4 times the height of Mount Everest.

Not one to shirk at challenges thathttps://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=6dxqdyZdSUeiAvCf7-EFkE4edRV4uY9Ph0p68YF2oY9UNVFCNTNaNlMyMkVDREtKSFFWVFIwVUpKRi4u&route=shorturlhttps://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=6dxqdyZdSUeiAvCf7-EFkE4edRV4uY9Ph0p68YF2oY9UNVFCNTNaNlMyMkVDREtKSFFWVFIwVUpKRi4u&route=shorturlhttps://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=6dxqdyZdSUeiAvCf7-EFkE4edRV4uY9Ph0p68YF2oY9UNVFCNTNaNlMyMkVDREtKSFFWVFIwVUpKRi4u&route=shorturl human capability Sarah is in fine form as she tee’s up 2025 with some juicy hints!

Just a top top episode from a world class athlete. Sarah Perry is only getting started.

It's not the time you run, it's the time you have. Think about that.

This week we are joined by Karen Webber. She was reluctant to come on the podcast, we managed to twist her arm, we're so glad we perservered.

Karen is, almost on a weekly basis, involved with running and racing from a very different perspective. Whether that is timing events with her hubby Matt or in her more well-known role, assisting at events with logistics, registration, check point manager and general all-round foul mouthed motivator!

A familiar face (and voice) at most of Cockbain Events Ultramarathon The Hard Stuff events dotted around the UK our man John ran into Karen whilst taking on the Track 100.

We are treated to tales from the other side, we find Karen's tough exterior give way for a kind-hearted and grateful member of a running community. A community which she cherishes being part of and one that has given her so much back in return.

A peer into the mind of the rather wicked mind of Mark Cockbain allows new and unheard insight into some of the 'absolute bastard' of races he stages. Karen doesn't mince her words.

We get a real flavour of the graft, endeavour and sheer commitment from those who help at the races we take part in happen. We find out about Karen's most important race role, the Landlady of the Stagger Inn at the Grand Tour of Skiddaw.

We're left in awe as Karen, a self-confessed back of the packer with an impressive array of marathon finishes under her own belt, lets us know about some of the greatest ever performances she's witnessed.

And we finish up under no illusion, all the races we discuss are achievable if the right training, mindset and race management.

See this link if you dare take on a Cockbain Events Ultramarathon. The Hard Stuff? Yip

We said we’d take you on a global adventure in Season 12, and we’re sticking to that promise!

Our Des-tination this week is mainland Europe, and we’re off on quite the adventure with this week’s guest and long-time pal of the show Des Tinney.

Des took on a huge personal quest recently by completing the Camino De Santiago in Northern Spain. 496 miles that is. He did so for a very special cause, and he’s here to tell us all.

We first find out what lit his fire to take on the epic route, his why. Before we are whisked off to Espana for a quite terrific debrief of Des’s epic pilgrimage.

We’re glad to report that although the running content is plentiful we get time to focus on other matters close to our heart, like fountains that run with wine for instance.

Raising money as part of his endeavour helped drive him along the multi-day and Des lets us know about his charity, The Celtic Foundation, and how inspiration drawn from their cause as well as the folks who donated helped keep him

motivated to keep on trucking. Even when the going got tough!

Tales of hostels with bunk beds as high as Ben Nevis, 3 course meals for 12 euros and making plenty of new pals top off this absolute belter of an episode.

STOP PRESS: We also reveal the Season 12 Turning Japanese LeBuffBuff in our intro, don’t hang about to grab the super limited edition headwear inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun!

Link to Listeners Choice Japan Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0PUlKR68XpnFdFYyIK7vuZ?si=mEdNCAOHQZaNqsba8OanWA

Our Season 12 globetrotting continues! We're of to LA baby, and we've got a date with a couple who are absolutely worth the trip!

Billy and Hilary Yang take time out from their breathless schedule to take us through their phenomenal running story.
Billy Yang, a YouTube sensation with a lot to answer for!

Creating the fuel for many runners’ trail running ideology with breath-taking cinematography and authentic story telling. Taking us to places we dream about running (and costing us a small fortune in making some of those dreams a reality!)
To also get the opportunity to speak with Hilary was a chance we seized with two hands. A founder member of the Here for the Women's Race movement, a trailblazer with a magical podcast of her own. Mix in her own talent out on the trails and her 'day job' as an award-winning photographer. It's a heady concoction of awesomeness. 

To help your hosts contain their excitement we home in on their late summer trip to the UK. A 1000-mile road trip. A whistlestop tour of some of our fav places on the island we call home taking in South Wales, the Lake District and Skye. A unique take on the culture, the landscape and the people they met….oh and food, there’s always food.

We take the oppo to find out more about the birth of the Here for the Women's Race movement from Hilary and some big plans for it going forward. It's a viral sensation and we're fully on board!

We were somewhat awestruck to be in the company of Billy and Hilary, we try our best to tempt them back to these shores for more, more, more. We think we succeeded, we'll let you be the judge!
Please let us know your thoughts on this episode through comments on Spotify or on our Insta and X formerly known as Twitter accounts!

Episode Links
Bill Yang YouTube Channel (SUBSCRIBE ESSENTIAL) https://www.youtube.com/@BillyYang
Hilary Yang Photographer https://www.thehilaryann.com/
Here for the Women’s Race Website https://www.hereforthewomensrace.com/
Trail Network Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/4crvjxt2cerL03iRgP5iJ8?si=e34c4dbb2b1b4e0e
Hilary on Insta https://www.instagram.com/thehilaryann
Billy on Insta https://www.instagram.com/billyyang

In this inspiring episode, Marcus Smith, founder of InnerFight, shares his journey and the philosophy behind the InnerFight brand (and how it got its name!) Marcus discusses the importance of mental toughness, pushing beyond physical limits, and the significance of building a supportive community.

This episode is also a first for our co-host, none other than

Marcus delves into his personal experiences and guides us

Marcus explains the motivation behind starting InnerFight

How do we push ourselves beyond our perceived limits

You’ll find this episode motivating and empowering, as

Marcus Smith Website

Innerfight Website

Fight For Every Breath Video

The Untethered Soul Book

A bonus episode where we get the lowdown from our man on the street (literally) Adrian Stott...

In an event like no other, to meet their goal of 3100 miles (4989km) in 52 days, athletes must log an average of 59.6 miles (95.9 km) per day. This is just one statistic of a fascinating event known as the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race which takes place annually in New York.

Adrian provides the detail of what's involved for athletes, the organisation of the race and the history behind this heid birler' of an ultramarathon.

You'll shake your head many times and have a barrow-load of questions, we're pretty sure Adrian manages to answer them all.

We also get an insight into Adrian's personal journey with Sri Chimnoy and hear more about his absolute love for running and what is possible for us mere mortals if we simply, believe we can...

For context, this recording took place 10 days before the final day of the 2024 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race.

You can check out the results and loads more information from the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race webiste