As Season 12 reaches its climax we continue our globetrotting continues. This week we’re joined by Mexican ultra-marathon tour de force, Tania Carmona. She’s been on an incredible adventure this last 12 months and she’s here to tell us all.

Hailing from Mexico City Tania finds herself now based in Dubai, a destination she reached via Glasgow, a city she called home for 4 years.

Tania hates running. Let’s get that straight, she just isn’t a fan. However, we find out that running brings her much joy and she embraces new experiences, mental challenges and broadening horizons.

Tania is about to leave for Chile’s Atacama Desert, finishing her year-long Grand Slam of Deserts PLUS quest. This thrilling expedition has taken her to some of the most challenging and diverse deserts around the world, including the Sahara, Gobi, Antarctic and Namib deserts.

Each location has tested her endurance and skills, and now she faces the final stretch in the arid and expansive Atacama Desert, known for its stark landscapes, ancient geoglyphs, and unique wildlife!

Such far flung adventures seems far off as we find out from Tania how she got bitten by the ultra-marathon bug during her time spent in Scotland, entranced by the beauty and remoteness of the landscapes. Who knew the Gobi dessert was just like a humid Pentlands?

Tania, who hosts her own podcast, Ultra Happy Podcast, provides valuable insights into her planning and execution of stage races she has completed. She discusses various aspects including training, logistics, motivation, and nutrition.

We had such a great chat with Tania about her unique ultra-marathoning approach, and we're sure you'll love it too!Tania Carmona InstagramLeodhais Macpherson VideoLeodhais Macpherson Fundraiser

Join us as we unpack an unforgettable journey to the land of the rising sun!

In this full debrief episode, we dive into the electrifying atmosphere of the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, where Stevie Boy crossed the finish line and claimed his coveted Six Star Medal, cementing his place in marathon history ;-)

We relive his exhilarating race day, the crowds, the sights and the emotional moment of completing the 6 World Marathon Majors.

But the adventure didn't stop at the finish line! We also share somehwat hilarious and insightful tales from his immersion into Japanese culture. From the mind-blowing tech of heated toilet seats to the intricate choreography of the Japanese train system, to the culinary delights (and occasional surprises!) of Japanese cuisine, get ready for a whirlwind tour of all things Tokyo.

We discuss:

* The highs (and lows) of the Tokyo Marathon race experience.

* The emotional significance of earning the Six Star Medal.

* Favourite (and most bewildering) cultural encounters.

* The sheer efficiency and meticulousness of Japanese public transport.

* A deep dive into the fascinating world of Japanese food, from ramen to… well, you’ll have to listen to find out!

Whether you're a seasoned marathoner, a travel enthusiast, or simply curious about Japanese culture, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughter, and a healthy dose of cultural immersion. Tune in and experience the magic of Tokyo with us!

Renee joins us to speak about her new book Fuel For Thought, but in true YHRF style, we speak about so, so much more!

Renee is so giving with information and her opinions on a variety of subjects, and it's delivered in a way that everyone can understand,.

'Humans are not textbooks', keep that in mind...

Our relationship with running fluctuates doesn't it? Renee covers all of this in her new book, it's packed full of advice, facts and recipes, Renee has a passion to make food accessible, and her fantastic recipes include ingredients and methods that people don't have to think about to much.

Fuel for Thought, written from the perspective of Renee's life and learnings is a must have for your bookshelf, although it won't sit there too long, you'll be engrossed.

We speak about a newly released film entitled 'Unfiltered', the subject matter is Renee McGregor, the film has been created by Ellie Green of Summit Fever, it's showing around book/film festivals at present with general release scheduled for Summer 2025

We also speak about Renee's running, specifically her Lakeland 50 2024 experience, and guess what...July 2025 will see a return for Renee on that start line in Coniston.

Grab a cuppa, or lace up your running shoes and enjoy an hour and a bit with Renee McGregor.

#realbutnottrue

Fuel For Thought

Unfiltered

In this episode we welcome back Nicky Spinks and James Anderson to the podcast. We take the opporchancity to speak with Nicky about her recent 160 mile Winter Spine Challenger North win.

Nicky takes us through her thoughts about how she approached and managed this race by ignoring what other runners were doing and focusing on her own race, and it paid off big time for her.

James invited us down to the Galloway Hills way back in 2024 after we spoke with James post Lakeland 50/100 specifically about hill safety.

JC took up the offer to visit Galloway and take part in a training day for the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team. We discuss the geographic area covered by the team, what the experience is of being out in the hills as a rescue team, how they all work together to look out for us when the things you hope might never happen...happen!

We talk through the training practice and how the team rescued a quite famous casualty off the hill that day.

Nicky and the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team are race directors of the Bruce's Crown Race and The Heart of Granite (resurrected for April 2025)

All profits of the race will go to Galloway Mountain Rescue Team.

Donate to the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team

Enter Bruce's Crown Race

Enter The Heart of Granite Race

Stevie Boy gives us the lowdown in a bonus episode teaser for the full debrief to come...

For now though:

How was the marathon on the day?

How was the course?

How did it feel to get that six start dinner plate medal?

How was the weather?

How was the finish?

Make any pals?

The time for talk and podcast chat is over. Stevie Boy is on his way to the land of the rising sun, the land of the kimono, the land of ramen, the land of cherry blossom.

In this episode we chat through Stevens preparation for running the 26.2 miles, his travel plans, and some non-running activities he's looking forward to when in Japan.

Will Steven reveal what kit he'll be wearing as he traverses the capital city of Japan, or will we have to wait for the official 'Michael'?

It's a fun filled forty minutes, we're sure you'll enjoy it, and please make sure you 'send the message', send the good vibes to Stevie Boy and wish him all the best for collecting his 6th (SIXTH) World Major Star.

Our much-anticipated Running Rants episode has landed.

Join hosts John and Steven for a golden 90 minutes of lively discussion in this episode of the Young Hearts Run Free podcast.

This episode dives deep into the world of running annoyances and frustrations.

John and Steven wade through a plethora of listener contributions, sharing and dissecting the most common (and some not-so-common) gripes that runners face. What gets on your tits, pisses ye off or grinds your gears?

In the episode, they particularly focus on the frustrations of dealing with dog leads that seem to stretch across the entire path, fellow runners and pedestrians who ignore friendly greetings, and the ever-present challenge of cars parked on pavements. They also discuss the lack of consideration from some car drivers, making the roads a dangerous place for runners!

Tune in for a mix of humour, empathy, and practical advice as our hosts navigate the ups and downs of the running world. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or a casual jogger, you'll find something to relate to and laugh about in this entertaining and cathartic episode.

This week we welcome Fiona Russell to the podcast; you may know her better as Fiona Outdoors!

Fiona helped us open many doors when we both started out ultra-marathoning. Her always entertaining takes on events and routes on her website doing more than enough to inspire us in to action!

She’s become a constant voice of support and positivity for not only running but outdoor activities in general, especially across Scotland.

We’re delighted to hear about Fiona’s own running journey, her passion and desire to motivate others evident throughout. Fiona let’s us know about her next running adventure too, an exciting trip to Italy later in the year beckons for that one!

This episode is much more about just running though, Fiona’s repertoire in the outdoorsy world is huge after all, so from learning navigation, to bagging Munros, skiing and canoeing are all covered.

We hear about how Fiona has changed her own running to adapt to advancing years and how age is no barrier to exploring and adventuring.

Oh, and we’ve a couple of dialect dictionary words that require parental advisory warning!!

Enjoy our chat with the legendary Fiona Outdoors cos we certainly did.

Check out more (much much more) from Fiona on her website here FIONA OUTDOORS