The UKRunChat podcast.

Just under a year after our first conversation, race director John Yelland returns to the UKRunChat Podcast to talk about the realities of organising grassroots events and why community matters more than ever.

John is the founder of Mad Hatter Sports Events in Cornwall and creator of the unique Hourglass Race, a "front yard ultra" where runners tackle two-mile laps against a steadily shrinking time limit.

In this episode we discuss the challenges facing race organisers, from rising costs and late entries to volunteer recruitment and social media marketing. We also explore what makes grassroots...

Just under a year after our first conversation, race director John Yelland returns to the UKRunChat Podcast to talk about the realities of organising grassroots events and why community matters more than ever.

John is the founder of Mad Hatter Sports Events in Cornwall and creator of the unique Hourglass Race, a "front yard ultra" where runners tackle two-mile laps against a steadily shrinking time limit.

In this episode we discuss the challenges facing race organisers, from rising costs and late entries to volunteer recruitment and social media marketing. We also explore what makes grassroots...

In this inspiring episode of the UK RunChat Podcast, Michelle chats with adventurer, mountain leader, polar expedition guide, photographer, and author Alex Nemeth, the first Hungarian to complete the legendary Seven Summits challenge—climbing the highest mountain on every continent, including Mount Everest.

Alex shares the remarkable journey that took her from a marketing career in Wimbledon to summiting the world's highest peaks. Discover how a passion for photography unexpectedly led her into mountaineering, the lessons she learned from facing fear and uncertainty, and why running, cycling, and endurance training became essential tools in preparing for some of...

This week on the UKRunChat Podcast, we’re joined by comedian, writer and runner Paul Tonkinson.

Paul’s new book, Running Through Sand, follows his attempt to complete the legendary Marathon des Sables, a 250km self-sufficient ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert.

But this conversation goes far beyond the race itself.

We talk about:

What if the secret to running stronger, longer and staying injury-free isn’t another hard workout, but walking?

In this episode of the UK RunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks with Dr. Courtney Conley, foot and gait specialist, founder of Gait Happens, and co-author of Walk: Your Life Depends On It — about why walking could be one of the most powerful tools runners are overlooking.

From foot strength and running longevity to shoe design, recovery and gait mechanics, this conversation is packed with practical advice that could completely change the way you think about movement.

You’...

This week on the UKRunChat Podcast, we’re joined by award-winning writer, director and poet P Burton-Morgan, ahead of their UK tour of Running Commentary, a unique solo show blending stand-up, poetry, and real-life running experiences.

After over a decade without exercise, P returned to running in their 40s during a period of major life change. What began as a way to cope quickly became something much bigger, leading to running club friendships, unexpectedly fast race times, and over 150 poems inspired by running.

In this episode, we explore:

Dejon Noel-Williams: Running, Mental Health & the London Marathon

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we chat to Dejon Noel-Williams—personal trainer, reality TV personality, and founder of London run club Vibe Tribe—as he prepares to take on his first marathon.

Dejon shares how running went from being a “punishment” during his football career to becoming a powerful tool for coping with grief and loneliness while living abroad. That experience ultimately inspired him to create Vibe Tribe, a welcoming and inclusive run community built on connection, support, and “0% ego, 100% vibes.”

We also dive into hi...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle is joined by James Hunter, who is nearing the finish line of his incredible “Mission 40” challenge.

To mark turning 40, James set out to complete 40 endurance events in 12 months, including marathons, half marathons, trail races, cycling and hiking, all while raising money for RUHX, the official NHS charity of Bath’s Royal United Hospital.

With 34 events already completed, James shares what the journey has really looked like so far. From the moment the idea first took shape, to the reality of balancing training, life and recovery, this conversation explor...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks to Aaron Sharples about his ambitious project, El Camino Español, a 1,600km run along the entire east coast of Spain.

Starting in Portbou near the French border and finishing in La Línea at the gateway to Gibraltar, Aaron plans to complete the route in just 28 days, averaging around 80km a day. The challenge could set a Fastest Known Time and potentially be a world first.

But this isn’t just about distance or speed. Aaron shares how his running journey began during the COVID-19 pand...

In this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, Michelle speaks with Lia Fyles, the driving force behind the London Landmarks Half Marathon.

What started as a fundraising challenge for Tommy's has grown into a 20,000-runner event that celebrates London’s history, community, and charitable spirit while raising millions for good causes.

Lia shares how the event came to life, the challenges of closing central London, and why the race has become such a sought-after experience for runners.

We chat about:

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we’re joined by returning guest Dr Juliet McGrattan to talk about her new book, The Runner’s Guide to Menopause.

Menopause is something every woman will experience, yet many runners feel unprepared for how it can affect their training, performance, and motivation. Juliet shares expert insight — alongside her own lived experience — to help runners better understand what’s happening in their bodies and how to adapt.

We discuss:

What happens when someone who only started running a year ago decides to run 100 marathons in 100 days?

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks with Hannah Cox, the founder of the Better Business Network and the woman behind Project Salt Run — a world-first endurance challenge running the length of India’s historic Inland Customs Line.

Over 100 days Hannah covered 4,224 kilometres, completing 75 marathons and 23 ultramarathons across 11 Indian states.

But this story isn’t about elite performance.

It’s about perseverance, purpose, and people power.

Running through extreme heat, pollutio...

Breathing is something every runner does thousands of times on every run — yet it’s something most of us never think about.

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks with breathing coach and former professional rugby player David 'Jacko' Jackson about how improving the way we breathe can impact running efficiency, mobility, and performance.

After a serious brain injury ended his rugby career, Jacko began exploring breathing as a tool for improving brain health and regulating the nervous system. That journey eventually led him to become a Master Oxygen Advantage coach and write his...

At 48, Neil Mills is taking on one of the biggest challenges of his life: running and walking 950 miles in just 21 days.

But this isn’t just about covering 45 miles a day.

Neil is visiting every Young Lives vs Cancer Home from Home across the UK, raising funds for families facing childhood cancer. Behind the distance lies a deeply personal story of addiction, late-diagnosed ADHD, rebuilding identity, and discovering that endurance running offers him stability.

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Neil shares how discipline became a lifeline, how long miles quiet a no...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle is joined by Catherine and Pippa, co-founders of Trail & Bloom, a trail running retreat designed to support women navigating midlife.

Both share deeply personal journeys of how their relationships with movement evolved. From early experiences of feeling “not good enough” in sport, to running as punishment for eating, to rediscovering joy and confidence on the trails, this is an honest conversation about identity, body image, performance and self-worth.

Catherine talks about how perimenopause, injury and life pressures left her questioning her place in running, and how trail runn...

This week on the podcast, Fiona Horsfield takes us inside the Montane Winter Spine Race, Britain’s Most Brutal endurance event along the Pennine Way.

We talk about:

🥣 Eating when you don’t want to
😴 Sleeping when you can
🎒 Getting kit decisions right
🧠 Staying mentally steady when fatigue hits

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to move for days through winter conditions, this episode is an honest look at the physical and psychological reality of ultra-endurance racing.

“You can’t think about 268 miles. You just focus on the next sect...

In this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, we’re joined by Meryl Cooper, who has represented Britain on the international ultra stage.

Hailing from Aberdeenshire, Meryl shares her journey from a background in football to discovering trail and ultra running in 2017, and how quickly the sport became a defining part of her life. We explore her progression from early races to earning selection for Great Britain & Northern Ireland, and what it’s really like stepping onto the international stage in mountain and trail running.

Meryl reflects on racing at home and abroad, adapting to different terr...

In this episode of UKRunChat, we’re joined by endurance runner James Lewis, whose challenges sit far outside the usual rulebook of endurance sport. With a willingness to learn the hard way, James has taken on a series of unconventional endurance projects that test resilience, adaptability, and mental toughness more than finish times.

From running 92 miles in his first-ever 24-hour event on a 400m track, to repeatedly attempting a Guinness World Record blindfolded run, James shares what happens when ambition outruns preparation, and why failure has become a defining part of his journey.

We also di...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we catch up with adventurer and world-record holder Mitch Hutchcraft following the completion of his extraordinary Great British Dog Walk Challenge.

Just weeks after we last spoke, Mitch ran 16 back-to-back ultra marathons, covering 720 kilometres from the UK’s lowest point at Holme Fen to the summit of Ben Nevis, battling freezing rain, snow and exhaustion across 16 consecutive days. In doing so, he set a new world record, all while raising awareness for overcrowded dog rescue centres and the illegal puppy trade in the UK.

Inspired by his rescue do...

In this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, Mike Seaman, the driving force behind The National Running Show joins us to chat about the show's roots and also his own endurance running, having recently completed the Winter Downs 200, Javelina Jundred (100 miles), a 50k ultra, and summited Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

We talk about Mike’s journey into running, his experience of running 200 miles, what goes on behind the scenes of major running events, and what he’s seeing across the running and outdoor industry right now.

Follow Mike

Follow...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we’re joined by ultrarunner, campaigner and community builder Sabrina Pace-Humphreys.

Sabrina came to running in her 40s while navigating postnatal depression, looking for something that might help her survive a difficult period in her life. What started as a lifeline became a path to purpose, and eventually led her to some of the toughest endurance events in the world, including the Marathon des Sables, UTMB and the Spine Race.

Sabrina is also the co-founder of Black Trail Runners, a community working to increase representation, access and belonging in...

This week, Michelle chats with Lisa Jackson, Runner’s World columnist, 100 Marathon Club member, and author of Running Made Easy, Your Pace or Mine?, and her brand new memoir Still Running After All These Tears: A Runner’s Journey Through Grief.

Lisa shares how running helped her rebuild her life after loss, what finishing last in 25 marathons has taught her about success, and how we can all rediscover our running mojo when motivation fades. With warmth and humour, she reminds us that running is about finishing lines, not finishing times.

We talk about:

A year after her first appearance on the podcast, physiotherapist Nicky Edwards returns to update us on a life-changing year. Since we last spoke, Nicky has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, but far from slowing down, Nicky has taken on some of the toughest challenges in UK ultra-running.

Nicky talks us through the emotional and chaotic lead-up to the Arc of Attrition, receiving her MRI results just days before the race, and how she battled reduced sensation, balance issues and overwhelming uncertainty to make the St Ives cutoff with minutes to spare. Nicky opens up about the...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks with Priya, co-founder of Phoenix Manchester, the first Indian-born woman in the 100 Marathon Club, and one of only two South Asian women race directors in the UK.

Priya shares her journey from cheering at the London Marathon to completing 100 marathons, discovering the power of Jeffing, and creating Phoenix Manchester with her partner Paula to offer inclusive, low-pressure running events for all abilities.

Links mentioned:
➡️ Phoenix Running website: phoenixrunning.co.uk
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenixrunningmanchester/

➡️ Instagram Manchester Galloway Run Walk Run: https://www.inst...

In this episode, Michelle speaks with Neil Thubron, founder of XNRG and an athlete who has spent decades pushing the limits of endurance. From his early days in the British Army Reserves to multi-day ultras across deserts, mountains and frozen wilderness, Neil has built a life around resilience, purpose and helping others do the same.

Neil shares the story behind his most extreme challenge yet, the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 300-mile race through –50°C temperatures. He explains how he trained by pulling tyres for hours before dawn, what it was like to run alone through the frozen Can...

In this episode, we speak with former-Royal Marine and world-record–breaking adventurer Mitch Hutchcraft, who completed the longest climb of Everest in historyearlier this year. Now, just six months later, he’s taking on a new mission — and this time, it’s all for the dogs.

Starting 3rd December, Mitch will run 700km / 16 back-to-back marathons from the UK’s lowest point in his hometown of Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, to the summit of Ben Nevis. Along the way he’ll visit multiple dog rescue centres, meet hundreds of owners, and highlight the urgent need to adopt, not shop as shelters...

This week on the UKRunChat Podcast, we head across the Atlantic to Virginia to chat with ultra-runner John Calabrese.

John started running in 2017 during a difficult period in his life and has since thrown himself into everything from road marathons to some of the toughest trail races in the US, including the legendary Barkley.

We dive into:

A quick note that this episode includes open discussion of cancer, grief, and loss. Please take care while listening, and skip sections if you need to.

In this episode, UKRunChat host Michelle talks to Toby Freeman, founder of The Robin Cancer Trust and creator of the Big Ballsy Challenge, a 500km running campaign raising awareness of testicular cancer.

After losing his brother Robin to a late-stage diagnosis, Toby channelled his grief into purpose, building one of the UK’s leading young adult cancer charities and using running to start life-saving conversations.

Toby shares his...

this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, we're joined by ultra runners, authors, and adventurers Jen & Sim Benson. They share stories of epic challenges, why ultras feel like “supported adventures,” and how the community makes the sport so special.

We also dive into their brand-new book, Ultra: The World Atlas of Ultramarathons — a beautifully curated guide to iconic and lesser-known races around the globe. Whether you’re dreaming of UTMB, curious about Mongolia’s remote ultra, or wondering if you really can walk a 100k, this episode has insights and inspiration for every trail runner.

Topics covered:<...

In this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, Michelle is joined by USA Triathlon coach and author Hilary Topper to talk about her new book, Unlocking the Triathlon: A Beginner’s Guide to Competing in a Triathlon.

Hilary shares her journey from failing gym class and not knowing how to swim, to taking up triathlon in her 50s, and even an 8.3-mile open water swim. She explains why triathlon is truly accessible for everyone, how runners can make the leap into multi-sport, and why cross-training can make you a stronger, more resilient runner.

We cover:

Steve Till is back on the UKRunChat podcast for a third time, and this time, we’re going deep into ultrarunning. With decades of experience, over 120 marathons and ultras, GB representation at the 24-hour championships, and countless stories from the track to the mountains, Steve shares his wisdom on what it takes to train, fuel, pace, and mentally survive an ultra.

In this episode:

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we chat to Ioana Barbu, a runner who went from completing her first marathon, to aiming to taking on the entire Beyond the Ultimate Global Race Series across ice, jungle, desert, and mountains, all within a single year.

Having never run an ultra before, Ioana’s first attempt was the 230 km Jungle Ultra in Peru, a brutal, self-sufficient stage race through rainforest terrain. From there, she’s gone on to race in the Namib Desert, the Arctic Circle, the Highlands of Scotland, and the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, often winning or podiu...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks with Francesca Baker-Brooker about her powerful journey with running and anorexia. Francesca first started running as a student, but what began as a way to fit in soon spiralled into two decades of illness, hospital stays, and setbacks.

Now 38, Francesca has rediscovered running in a healthy, joyful way. She shares how support from her husband and family helped her start again, why her first 10k was both awful and life-changing, and how running has shifted her relationship with her body.

We talk honestly about fuelling, relapse...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, we meet Ludwig Moreau, better known on Instagram as @ihaterunningbut. Despite a lifelong dislike of running, Ludwig struck gold with a ballot entry for the 2026 London Marathon on his very first attempt.

He shares the rollercoaster of emotions from shock and doubt to determination, what he’s learned in his early weeks of training, and why he’s fundraising for Amnesty International UK. We also talk about:

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle is joined by Neil, who is preparing for one of the toughest footraces in the world, the Marathon des Sables, a 250km multi-day ultra across the Sahara Desert.

Neil shares how he first got into running (from rugby pitches in Bradford to his first London Marathon), what keeps bringing him back to the Shrewsbury Half Marathon, sponsored by Pareto, and how he’s training for the desert, from 4am starts and 60-mile training weeks, to sand dunes, heat chambers, and learning how to fuel on the run.

We...

In this inspiring episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle chats with Gemma Wright, Senior Account Manager at Pareto FM and headline sponsor of the Shrewsbury Half & Metric Half Marathon.

Gemma shares her journey of rediscovering running after a serious hip injury, losing nearly eight stone, and finding strength through running after the loss of her dad. Over the past 18 months, Gemma has transformed her life, tackling parkruns, 10Ks, half marathons, and even her first ultramarathon.

She opens up about:

In this episode we’re joined by mountain athlete, skyrunner, and GB SkiMo team member Victoria Thompson 

Victoria recently made headlines by winning the Montane Summer Spine Sprint South – finishing 1st woman, 2nd overall, and smashing the course record by over 40 minutes!

In this episode, we dive into:
🧭 Her nav style – map and compass always at hand
💪 How cross-training and speed work transformed her running
🏔️ Fastpacking adventures on the TMB & Tour de Monte Rosa
📚 Running the Wainwright guidebook routes
⛷️ Training with the GB SkiMo team

Victoria’s blend of speed, grit, and mountai...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle catches up with coach and triathlete Scott Hill, who returns to share his insights on training and racing while leading a busy life. Scott talks about the importance of self-reflection and mindset, how to structure consistent training without falling into volume swings, and how to use training to refine your race-day fuelling strategy.

We also hear about Scott’s recent racing experiences, his role pacing the 90-minute group at the Shrewsbury Half Marathon, and his top tips for athletes who want to balance family, work, and training without losing pr...

In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle is joined by Dr Juliette McGrattan, co-founder of 261 Fearless Club UK, to talk about the upcoming 261 Fearless UK Women’s Running Conference taking place in Bicester on 13th September 2025.

Themed Take the Baton, the conference celebrates the past, present, and future of women’s running. Keynote speakers include Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, and GB ultra-runner Sophie Power, founder of She Races.

Juliette shares the story behind 261 Fearless, the ethos of its UK running groups, and what attendees can expect from this...

Ever raced against time itself? ⏳

In this episode, we chat to John Yelland, founder of Mad Hatter Sports Events and race director of the Hourglass race, a unique event where the clock gets faster every lap. Strategy, grit, and community come together in this event format set in the heart of Cornwall.

“It’s not about speed, it’s you against the clock.” — John Yelland

Enjoy! 

#UKRunChat