Fresh from completing the Montane Summer Spine Race, today's guest joins us to unpack an incredible 275-mile journey along the Pennine Way.

Finishing in around 150 hours, he battled challenging underfoot conditions, sleep deprivation, changing weather, and the mental and physical demands that come with one of Britain's toughest ultramarathons. Along the way, he shared conversations with some legendary names, including Nicky Spinks and Andy Glaze, while learning plenty about himself in the process.

Having previously raced mainly over 50 to 100-mile distances, this was by far his longest event to date and a huge leap into the unknown. With another major challenge just four and a half weeks away, we discuss what worked well, what he'd change next time, how he managed the lows, and some of the unexpected and humorous moments that happened during nearly a week on the trail.

If you're curious about the realities of racing beyond 200 miles, the mindset required to keep moving when everything hurts, and the lessons learned from one of the UK's most iconic endurance events, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating, follow the show, and share the episode with your friends. Every share helps us reach more runners, inspire new adventures, and grow the trail and ultra running community.

⁠Coaching enquiries⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

In this episode we sit down with South Coast ultra runner Simon Withers, one of the rising stars of the UK ultra running scene.

Fresh from a gritty 7th place finish at the South Downs Way 100, Simon reflects on racing one of the UK's most competitive 100-mile ultras, sharing his pacing strategy, nutrition, mindset, and what it takes to perform over such a long day on the trails.

We also discuss his outstanding recent results, including 3rd place at the Arc of Attrition 2025 and 2nd place at the Arc of Attrition 2026, and how his performances have continued to improve year after year.

Along the way, Simon shares lessons learned from years of ultra running, the mistakes that have shaped him as an athlete, what keeps him motivated to keep returning to the start line, and some of the highs, lows and failures that every ultra runner can relate to.

Plus, we put Simon through our regular features: icebreakers, Truth or Lie, and the quickfire round.

Whether you're training for your first ultra marathon, tackling a 100 miler, or simply love trail running, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest insights from one of the South's toughest endurance athletes.

⁠Coaching enquiries⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠Trailskin⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

Sarah finished 5th female at Mozart 100 by UTMB — a 120km mountain ultra in the Austrian Alps with long climbs, technical descents and a strong international field.

In this episode we break down the whole experience:

• race week preparation and kit decisions

• managing training around work and family life

• preparing for Alpine races while living on the South Downs

• how the climbs and descents compared to UK race

• pacing, fuelling and race strategy

• where the race got difficult

• and what a result like this means only three years into ultra running

Recorded 36 hours after the finish, while everything was still fresh.

Coaching enquiries⁠⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.