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In their first proper episode, Dawn and Becky catch up on where they're both at — Dawn's coming back from 18 months of injury and reflects on her recent Racing the Planet Ultralight in Mongolia (44K on the long day, wild horses, and a camping experience she's still not over), while Becky is five weeks out from the OCC — one of the UTMB World Series races in Chamonix — after the course was extended to 64K with 3,500m of climbing.

We also dig into some genuinely hot UTMB news: Chamonix's new mayor is raising concerns about the race's impact on the town and the Alps, and runner numbers may be heading for a cut.

But the heart of this episode is what we keep coming back to — the community. Dawn tells the story of her “kinder introduction to trail running” (spoiler: it was anything but kind), and Becky shares how a stranger on the Spine Race became one of her closest friends — the kind of trail bond that turns up with water bottles when you've forgotten yours, 40 miles from home.

In This Episode

●      Dawn's comeback from long-term injury and her Racing the Planet Ultralight experience in Mongolia

●      Becky's build-up to the OCC at UTMB week — the course changes, the cutoffs, and the nerves

●      This week's UTMB news: Chamonix's new mayor and the debate over runner numbers

●      Why trail running conversations are never about pace — it's “have you had a poo?” energy

●      Dawn's unforgettable first proper trail outing on Kinder Scout in the Peak District

●      Becky's Spine Race story — meeting Darren, a Mountain Rescue volunteer who became a lifelong trail friend

●      Why there's “no ego” in ultra running, and how shared struggle builds real friendship

Get In Touch

Got a story about a trail friendship, or a question for us? We'd love to hear it — email us at stillrunningstrong@gmail.com, or find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.

Get In Touch

Got a story about a trail friendship, or a question for us? We'd love to hear it — email us at stillrunningstrong@gmail.com, or find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Still Running Strong — a new podcast for midlife women who love ultra running. Not the elites, not the podium finishers — the mid-pack, the back-of-the-packers, the ones who are just there for the love of it.

In this taster episode, hosts Becky and Dawn introduce themselves, share the (slightly smelly) story of how they met at an ultra race in Greece, and talk about why midlife might just be the strongest chapter yet — even while their bodies are changing shape around them.

Expect honest conversations about perimenopause and menopause from lived experience (not medical advice — they're very clear on that), the friendships that ultra running builds, and why this podcast is for absolutely anyone who runs, walks, or ultra-walks their way through a race.

In This Episode

●      Who Becky and Dawn are, and what “mid-pack” really means

●      How they met — a running retreat kitchen in the Lakes, and an unforgettable moment in a tent in Greece

●      Why midlife is a new chapter, not a decline

●      What listeners can expect from the show: real stories, practical tips, and guests with their own journeys to tell

●      Why this isn't a professional advice podcast — just two women sharing what's worked for them

Connect With Us

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates on new episodes, and get in touch if you've got a story to share — we'd love to have you as a guest.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.

Get In Touch

Got a story about a trail friendship, or a question for us? We'd love to hear it — email us at stillrunningstrong@gmail.com, or find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.

Send us Fan Mail

Motivation gets talked about like it’s a superpower you either have or you don’t. We do not buy that. After a quick catch-up on how our training is going, we get into the messy, practical reality of staying consistent when sleep is poor, the weather is hot, and your brain would rather empty the dishwasher than lace up your shoes.

We also share the behind-the-scenes of real trail running prep: changing race plans to suit where the body is right now, getting kit sorted early, practising poles and fuelling, and why a full dress rehearsal run can calm race-week nerves. Becky talks through her OCC preparation, including a tight nutrition plan and how she’ll stay on top of eating every 20 minutes, while Dawn reflects on how daily rehab and strength work instantly improves run quality.

Then Dawn delivers a straight-talking running motivation masterclass grounded in sports psychology and CBT-style behavioural activation: act first, then motivation follows. We cover if-then planning, removing friction, the pain and pleasure principles that drive behaviour, and Dawn’s Three S’s framework: keep it small, keep it simple, start before you’re ready. If you are a mid-pack runner trying to build habits that last, this one is for you.

https://www.maverick-race.com/races/trail-series

https://www.blacktothetrails.co.uk/

https://www.blacktrailrunners.run/

Subscribe, share the episode with a running friend, and leave us a review if it helps. What is the one thing that reliably gets you out the door when you cannot be bothered?

Get In Touch

Got a story about a trail friendship, or a question for us? We'd love to hear it — email us at stillrunningstrong@gmail.com, or find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.

Send us Fan Mail

You can run a marathon, you love the trails, and yet “ultra” still feels like a club you have to earn your way into. We get it, and we go straight at the question that trips up so many runners: do you have to race to be an ultrarunner, or can you simply train beyond 26.2 miles and claim the identity on your own terms? We share where we land, what the definition actually says, and why belonging in the ultra world has far more to do with curiosity and consistency than pace or bravado. 

We also pull back the curtain on the unglamorous parts of ultra training that make the difference on the day. Becky updates her UTMB prep, from managing Achilles and knee issues to navigating tapering tension and a run of poor sleep. We talk about “attention to detail” in a way that is practical, not preachy: following physio advice, staying on top of rehab and mobility, warming up properly, and building simple systems that stop small problems becoming race-ending ones. If you have ever told yourself you will do the strength work tomorrow, this will sound familiar. 

Then we get nerdy about the stuff that wins minutes and saves hours: checkpoint routines, cut-offs, grab-bag efficiency, kit flat lays, and fuelling cards that tell you what to eat and when. We share a few laughs too, including the medal debate and the kind of kit mistakes you only make once, unless you are us. Along the way we celebrate big moments in the sport, including inspiring midlife performances and UK ultra race results, and we answer listener questions about taking the leap from road marathons to a first 50k. 

If you are standing on the edge wondering whether you belong, press play and come and run with us. Subscribe, share the episode with a mate who is ultra-curious, and please leave a review so more trail runners can find the show.

Get In Touch

Got a story about a trail friendship, or a question for us? We'd love to hear it — email us at stillrunningstrong@gmail.com, or find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Still Running Strong is for general interest and entertainment only. We share our own personal experiences, not professional medical, nutritional, or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your training, diet, or health.