The Trail & Error Podcast

Lewis Ryan is a Scarpa sponsored ultra runner who recently won the Arc 50 in Cornwall, resulting in is his fifth race win in the past year. On the episode we talk about cramping in Hayle,  Lewis’ past races and upcoming challenges (including the Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB and Dragon’s Back). We also talk about training around a young family and balancing a life in the alcohol industry with running - something that Lewis and Tris both share in common.

Mark Darbyshire is a Brummie ultra runner and the course record holder of the Lakeland 100, Arc of Attrition 100 and North Downs Way 100 to name a few, as well as 13th place in last year’s UTMB. He is, not to put too fine a point on it, one of the best British 100 milers of recent times. We talk about Mark’s training regime, his experience racing over the past few years, we take a deep dive in to the AoA 2021 (where Tris and Mark battled for the top spots on the podium), we talk UTMB and Mark’s aspirations for the Arc 50 in two weeks time

On this episode Jay and Tris sit down and chat with Sam Grady and Rachel Stephenson, two of their respective crew members and also Jay's wife and Tris' mother. We talk all things crewing from selecting crew to race planning, kit, tips for crew and crew etiquette, with examples of success and failure along the way.

Josh Perry is a British ultra runner and hiker. He specialises in very long FKT’s (fastest known time) and is the current self-supported record holder of the Arizona Trail (817 miles) and Pacific Crest Trail (2,663 miles - not a typo) which he set in August ’22 in a time of 55 days, 16 hours and 54 minutes, averaging 50 miles a day. If you want to know what 50 miles a day for two months feels like, Josh tells us on this episode.

Shane is a former elite mountain runner and the founder of Ourea Events, who organise some of the toughest races in the UK including the Dragons Back (6 days, 380km) Cape Wrath (8 days 400km) amongst others. We talk about Shane's background and his in-road in to running running events, and take a deep dive into the logistical considerations of shepherding hundreds of people through some of the most remote and technically challenging bits of the British Isles. This year's Dragon's Back race begins on the 5th of September and you can keep up to date with the action through @Oureaevents and @DragonsBackRace on social media.

In a record breaking week of UTMB action, we break a record too with our longest ever podcast episode! As has become customary with our race episodes, this one is split in to two sections: in the first half we discuss the 100km CCC that Jay is racing in, his preparations, hopes, dreams, aspirations; and in the second half we pick through the debris like carrion crows on a battlefield.  https://utmbmontblanc.com/en/page/21/21.html

Stephen Cousins from Film My Run returns to the Trail & Error Podcast to discuss his ambitious (and enviable) race calendar, UTMB, running with poles, running backwards down hills, barely running at all at Val d'Aran, and other, less relevant things.

David Laney is an American ultra runner and Craft Sportswear ambassador based in the Pacific Northwest. He has placed 3rd and 4th at UTMB and was the winner of the 2019 Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile. Back in the day he ran a 2:17 marathon too! We talk about life on the professional endurance running circuit, ice baths and saunas and his upcoming season as well as discussing some recent races including the 90km Ultrvasan in Sweden (an almost totally downhill event on surfaces including trail, tarmac and wooden planks) and the Desert Solstice 100 track event among others. It’s safe to say David excels in multiple terrains and environments. He’s also a really nice, humble funny guy.

Tris ran in the Centurion Thames Path 100 Mile race on 7th May 2022, following the River Thames from Richmond in London through to Oxford. As has become customary on this podcast, this episode is formed of two parts (1) recorded a week before the event (2) recorded 18 hours after. Enjoy! https://www.centurionrunning.com/races/thames-path-100-2022

Elsey Davis is one of the UK’s top marathon runners with a PB of 2:33 (in Valencia in 2019). She has more recently began shifting away from roads to trail. Elsey is a doctor, lives in Chester with her wife, runs for Preston Harriers and is coached by double Olympian Helen Clitheroe.

This week Tris and Jay are joined by doctor and ultra runner Paddy Mitton whose office is normally the icy wastes of the southern hemisphere. Paddy is an expert in how the human body operates in terrestrial extremes, the very edges of our limits and how to prepare and perform in those places.

James Elson is the host of the British Ultra Running Podcast, an ultra runner and race director. On this episode we talk about everything from Leadville to the London Marathon, James' life before running and his journey with Centurion Running, from a single race in 2010 to arguably what is now the UK's most prolific and well respected organiser of ultra distance trail running events. 

Jay & Tris discuss their experiences running in the 100 mile Arc of Attrition footrace held in Cornwall on 29th January 2022.

It’s two weeks until the 2022 Arc of Attrition 100 and 50 mile ultra marathons. Jay and Tris are both running in the 100 mile distance, so following on from the 10-weeks-to-go episode (which feels like it was recorded about 10 days ago) we’ve taken some time to talk about our build up and to go over plans for kit, shoes, nutrition, crew, and finishing the race. Good luck to all who are running the Arc this year - we shall see you at registration on the 28th!

Mimi is an endurance athlete and multiple world record holder. She has competed in numerous races across the planet, specialising in multi-day events in places like the Sahara Desert, Peruvian jungle and Arctic Circle, to name a few. More recently, in 2017, she attempted to break the women's transcontinental record by running across America. She is the author of two books: "Limitless" and "Beyond Impossible". *** This episode is dedicated to the late Andy Bishop of Helston Trail Runners.

What’s the best way to treat a blister? Or even better how to prevent it from forming in the first place? Ever wondered how to stop your toenails turning black and falling off?  This week we’re joined by author and ultra runner John Vonhof and doctor of physiotherapy Tonya Olsen.  Together they are stalwart foot specialists and checkpoint managers at Western States (John’s also a 3x finisher at WS among other notable races) and author and contributor respectively for the foot care bible that is… Fixing Your Feet - Now in its just released 7th Edition this book is an absolute must have endurance runners. Join us as we dive into foot care 101 with John and Tonya Thanks again to all of you for listening. If you have a moment please, like, subscribe and if you have a few seconds more, perhaps write a short review. It's all a great help to us in growing the audience and is very much appreciated!

Ian is photographer, writer, endurance athlete, and the host of the Talk Ultra podcast. He is the author and photographer of the book 'Running Beyond: Epic Ultra, Trail and Skyrunning Races' and has many of the top ultra runners around the world on speed dial. We talk about podcasting, pushing the limits of endurance, how ultra running is perceived in the public eye, ingratiating oneself with the elites, the importance of packing the right kit, adventure runs, and Kilian Jornet.

On this episode Jay and Tris discuss the Arc of Attrition 100 & 50 mile endurance race, which will take place on the 28th January 2022. Jay and Tris are both training for the 100 mile race and have both run it before, so this episode gives some insight in to their past experiences and future plans for the race.

Jordan is an endurance runner from Leighton Buzzard who, at the ripe young age of 24, has competed in a number of trail and ultra races across the UK and, more recently, Europe. He also holds approximately half of all the Strava CR’s in Cornwall. We talk about Jordan’s approach to running, his current (enviable) nomadic lifestyle, the Gold Trail Series, and much more.

On this special episode Jay and Tris discuss the Gloucester Track 24 Hour race which Tris competed in on 23rd October. As we have done with other race specific episodes, this recording is made up of two parts: the first half was recorded the day before the race and covers Tris’ preparation and aspirations for the race; the second half picks through the battlefield debris in attempts to work out what went right and what went wrong. http://www.severnvalleyevents.co.uk/events/blackbridge.html