Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Brig Boys Podcast

It's not often we get to welcome our guests for a face to face interview, so it was fantastic to get this local runner and incredible athlete into the studio. James' story is an intriguing one, from getting into running at age 40, he's now a record holder for Blackburn Harriers and has gone from strength to strength since visiting Kenya for a serious training camp. This guy loves to eat, sleep and breathe running. He tells us how he's hit the dizzy heights of a sub 16 5k and taking home the win at Preston 10K. What a guy, what an athlete, what a listen!

Sometimes in life you just need a bit of guidance in your journey... Fresh out of parting the Red Sea we are joined by Lewis Moses himself, a man who oozes passion for the running game. Not only did he grow up living and breathing our favourite sport, but after a health scare he made a name for himself as one of the finest coaches in the business. We are lucky and privileged to share the airwaves with this font of knowledge and Director of Runner Experience & Coaching at RunThrough. Some absolute golden nuggets in this episode.

Once again, Karl takes on another major marathon - one that he has some unfinished business with. As he chases that elusive road PB we discuss the event itself, as well as every other major and the feasibility and affordability of taking part in these epic events. The Brig Boys discuss all things pacing (Preston Half Marathon) and racing as we look towards the end of what has been a fruitful year of running.

We are joined this week by an absolute legend of the running world with former Bob Graham record holder, Beth Pascall. Beth has some quite frankly incredible results under her belt and talks us through the highs, lows and in-betweens of what has been a fantastic career. Working through injuries has taken it's toll both physically and mentally but Beth remains ultra professional and positive as she looks forward to what she can achieve and what exactly is left to do for the woman that has pretty much done it all! A real pleasure to talk to such an insightful and absolute speed demon of the trails.

Also known as @runstretchsucceed - we caught up with the main diva and ultra endurance connoisseur, Andrew Farrall. A fellow Protein Rebel ambassador, Andrew is a well known and sometimes controversial character in the running community - with some fantastic experiences under his belt, we wanted to hear more about his past, present and future in the world of ultra. This episode is full of exclusives and expletives so buckle in for the ride of your life...

With summer well and truly over, the Brig Boys reconvene to discuss the plans for the remainder of 2026 and of course the results of everyone's favourite ballot - Lakeland 50/100 for 2027. With The Lap and Berlin Marathon still to go for the lads, there's still plenty to play for in 2026. All the hot topics are covered including who provides the best medals, the best t-shirts and the best events. We are BACK.

We are joined this week by a local rising star of triathlon, Leah Hoole. Hailing from Darwen, Blackburn she has already achieved so much in such a short time in the world of endurance. We discuss the importance of family and role models in sport, as well as taking part in some of the most epic events on the planet... Completing Kona before smashing the half iron man to book her place at the World Champs in a few weeks.

I guess it's about time we moved on from the epic Lakeland 100 / 50 weekend in Coniston... BUT before we do, we got together to debrief our own races and the latest experience where both Brig Boys came home with a PB each across the distances. Talking fuelling, strategies, results and future planning... One thing is for sure, we're already looking ahead to 2027!

We all know what it means when we say "Lakeland Family", but Thea and Jess take it one step further as the mother & daughter duo successfully finished the Lakeland 100 2026 together. After an epic weekend we discuss the strong family history in endurance sports as well as Thea's competitive nature as she currently holds the record for the youngest ever Lakeland 100 completion after starting with the Lakeland 1 she is also a proud "Triple Crown" holder. As always we are inspired by the guests we host and their stories - if you love Lakeland, you'll love this!

As we are dangerously close to the Lakeland 50/100 2026, we draw our focus into the people that make the event - the amateur runners. Phil and Em join us to discuss their own journey towards Lakeland, starting with the 50 and then straight onto the 100... Although they fell short of the distance in 2025, they have not stopped believing and will once again take to the start line in Coniston in 2026.

This week we welcome back an incredible athlete and a man whose journey in life has been tumultuous to say the least; we've never met someone with such resilience and had the pleasure to share the airwaves with Luke Grenfell-Shaw who currently sits in the top 1% in the world in UTMB rankings. His story is unique from a heartbreaking cancer diagnosis at a young age to donning the coveted Team GB vest with the small feat. of cycling the distance of Bristol to Beijing on a tandem bike. Luke is an awesome athlete and an inspirational man, who continues to strive to be the very best he can be. Next stop - CCC!

Photo: @rising.story

If you're anything like us, you've had your fair share of blisters and chafe in places you didn't think you could... Foot care is the bane of many a trail / road runner and is something we are constantly on the hunt for advice and guidance on. Up steps Dave Johnson, a man who has now dedicated a business to support runners of all capabilities to have one less thing to worry about come race day... We learn all about Dave's impressive background in running including several BIG distances and pick his brains for all things foot care, bllister prevention and advice for anyone thinking about an ultra. Consider this a warning - take care of those trotters!

The Brig Boys return to discuss all things ultra distance. One week after Ste's completion of a solo 86 mile run from Wallsend to Bowness On Solway on the Hadrian's Wall Path, we discuss what goes on both physically and mentally during and after these extreme distances. How do people prepare for ultra distances, and most importantly how do people recover?! What kind of planning does it take to go from one side of the country to another on foot and what kind of support really helps in those dark moments. Massive thank you to anyone who donated to the cause - enjoy the recap!

Fresh out of Snowdonia after another podium finish, Keith discusses his 3rd place finish at the UTS 100K and unpacks the challenges and tribulations that comes with being at the top end of the field. Keith talks us through his history from getting into the ultra scene relatively late and the changes he's seen since joining the Elite Trail Team with coach and friend of the podcast - Doug Stewart. Every race is an opportunity to learn and we get the lowdown on Keith's reflections just days after UTS. With a current UTMB index of 867, what's next for Keith and just how do you maintain a strong body and mind when it comes to elite performances?

Ground control to Major Karl - The Brig Boys get back together to discuss Karl's epic trip to the USA to complete the most prestigious of Marathons. With Major Marathon season in full flow we get the immediate reaction of Sebastian Sawe's record breaking London win alongside the incredible standard set for sub-2 marathon runs. If you've any interest in marathons, be them major or minor - we've got you covered.

Spring has well and truly sprung as we head into marathon season; discussing our upcoming events including the epic Boston Marathon journey for call and the hot dog Manchester Marathon for Ste. We head into April full of hope and carbohydrates and discuss fuelling strategies, pacing plans and of course how we continue to learn with every run. Here we go!

The Brig Boys spread their wings once again and speak to Dave Ross of the world famous "Ross Running News" - coming live via Zoom from the USA. Dave has forgotten more than we'll ever know about running (and celebrity birthdays) and we caught up with him in Karl's lead up to Boston Marathon. As a chap who has rubbed shoulders with some of the greats including Mr Kipchoge - we wanted to know Dave's story and his journey to Major Marathon completions...

The Brig Boys are BACK and catch up with Elite Trail Team star and all round fantastic person - Poppy Collingwood. One of the runners made during Covid times, she has continued to develop into a magnificent runner as well as a mentally tough athlete. Poppy has some epic performances to her name including an Arc of Attrition win as well as podium finishes in some of the most difficult races in the world. We discuss the lows of injuries and how to deal with that in an emotionally mature manner, as well as the importance of safety on the mountains. Love Poppy's energy and as she prepares to crew at the Speed Project - we are excited for her road to recovery... All roads lead to Chamonix!

At Brig Boys HQ we pride ourselves on giving a platform to both established and upcoming talent in the world of sport. Matt is Blackburn Harriers latest export with some incredible performances at a young age, including his recent 10K win at Ribble Valley (29.05 - ludicrous!). Matt is on his way to a great running career, with a positive attitude and love of the sport - it was great to hear another local lad smashing it!

Instagram: @matt_ramsden

Most people don't see an advertisement for joining a team to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic with no prior rowing experience and think "Yes Please!" - but Ellie is not most people, she's an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things. We want to know all about her adventures after the recent release of her book "There She Rows", heading back to her days completing at Iron Man before taking to the oars to spend 39 days at sea alongside the There She Rows team. Amazing story and another awesome guest!

Instagram: @ellies.row.journal

The Elite Trail Team are a force to be reckoned with and continue their huge results and performances since founder Doug Stewart took charge. The team are data and insights driven with focuses on sleep, nutrition and psychology living up to the old adage "If it can be measured, it can be managed". The team features some of the finest trail runners across the globe and their results continue to speak for themselves. With a few former guests being in the team, it would be daft not to speak to the founder and their 2026 plans wouldn't it...

Elite Trail Team Instagram: @elitetrailteam

Disclaimer: All audio clips and copyrighted material used in this episode are owned by their respective rights holders. Used under Fair Use guidelines for commentary and analysis.

After a short hiatus from the studio, the Brig Boys are BACK with a bang. Discussing Ste's journey down to Cornwall to experience his first UTMB race at the Arc of Attrition 100K. With 50 miles of mud, sweat and (nearly) tears, there's a lot to unpack as he continues to chase running stones. What's the verdict, is it recommended and what actually happened on the 100 mile route too!? Karl kindly provides some therapy and helps Ste process his emotions on this January ultra... What's next for the Brig Boys!?

With the upcoming Arc of Attrition weekend, we spoke with one of Cornwall's finest imports - Loyd Purvis of Run4Adventure. We discuss Loyd's entry into running, the Cornish fresh air that miraculously cleared his asthma, and of course his awesome adventuring through his running history. Loyd & Liga have been around the globe and have encouraged countless runners to get out on adventures - we talk all things Arc, UTMB, fuelling, kit of choice and running strategy. A big 2026 is on the horizon for this fantastic team!

Instagram: Run4Adventure

YouTube: Run4Adventure

2025 has come and gone and The Brig Boys discuss their personal running highlights as well as some fantastic race performances from previous guests or local legends. After the Ribble Valley 10K we discuss positioning and some (since resolved) issues around chip and gun time. Do people take park run too seriously? and what's next for the boys in 2026, more progress and a lack of excuses... we hope.

Another member of Elite Trail Team is back in the St-Hugh-dio!

Hugh is an incredible athlete and a gentleman and it was our pleasure to host him over the Christmas period.

Midlands based athlete Joe Farrelly has burst onto the running scene after a string of epic performances on both road and trail. We wanted to know more about the person who cruised into a fantastic 3rd place finish at Kullamannen 100K and booked himself a spot in UTMB history. Joe talks us through what made him the man (and athlete) he is today, from his journey into some dark places to the ultra disciplined athlete we see today. This open and frank conversation was an absolute belter and with his attitude and dedication we are fully expecting Joe to achieve great things.

Joe's Instagram: @jfarrelly95

Also known across the socials as @runfreerehab - Sophie joins the Brig Boys to discuss her recent injury and the impact that has had both physically and mentally, as well as unpacking the myths and facts about REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport). This episode was another fantastic education for us, as we learn some of the key ingredients for a successful home workout, the importance of calorie intake and most importantly: Recovery Runs - are they all they're hyped up to be or should you avoid them entirely? There's something here for everyone to learn, and we had a fantastic time chatting to Sophie... Next stop - Cornwall!

Instagram: @runfreerehab

This week the Brig Boys are joined by Lake District legend - Tom Smith, who continues to get bigger, better, faster and stronger at every distance and race! Tom has recently set a blisteringly fast new course record at one of our favourite events (The Lap) as well as annihilating the course at the 7 Valleys ultra. Tom's mental strength and resilience accounts for a lot of his success, he truly embodies the grind and seems to thrive on hard work and dedication. It was great to chat to this fantastic character who is getting some much deserved recognition from the likes of Janji, Trail Skin UK & Voom.

Tom's Instagram: @tomsmithrunning

The Brig Boys reunite to discuss the latest races and review not only their own performance but each event including Chester Marathon 2025, 5 Valleys (part of the 13 Valleys series) and Rivington Half Marathon. With plenty of events to choose from it gets harder every year to plan and target certain races. As always we learn from every mistake and performance to see how we can continue to improve in all aspects of our running. It's not always about the time, but it is always about having a good time... Let's have it!

This week we have the honour and privilege of hosting 2nd place female from our favourite race: The Lakeland 50/100. Placing 2nd in the 50 in such a competitive and highly popular race is a magnificent achievement and Alice's story is as engaging as it is inspirational. Alice's love for running and the social element that comes with the sport is clear, and this conversation seemed to flow and fly by! Alice's journey has been no means easy and as she continues to flourish in the running world, we are so pleased we could be the first podcast to interview her and see where her incredible mileage takes her... Perhaps a future legend of UTMB

Instagram: @alicebournee

Intro Music: Dakota - Stereophonics

In this episode The Brig Boys talk to the fantastic Sonny Peart and recount his journey into running from the first marathon experience, taking on London Marathon to wild future plans including the Mountain Ultra - taking on approx 200km of terrain in Kyrgyzstan - a far cry from the canals of London. Sonny is the co-founder of Black Trail Runners and gives us great insights into the experiences of People Of Colour within trail running, how and why it was created, and what we can do to as allies to support. The story of the creation of BTR is worth a podcast episode on its own and the growth of the club is fantastic to see.

Sonny's Insta: @runny.sonny

Black Trail Runners Insta: @blacktrailrunners

The Brig Boys got together with Speed Project extraordinaire and former Commonwealth athlete, Holly Stables for a chat around all things speed, strength and suffering. We dive deep into the highs and lows of her incredible effort in The Speed Project - an ultra endurance event covering well over 300 miles where each individual has one aim - get from A to B as quick as possible on foot. Holly talks through the road to recovery from injury and the importance of strength work when it comes to achieving your speed goals. An amazing insight to a truly special athlete.

Meryl's rich history in sport comes apparent in this episode where we learn from one of Scotland's finest trail runners and coaches. From a background in football - once playing (and partying) with Diego Maradonna - to her current fantastic running streak as part of Team GB. Meryl has been all over the world and her fitness journey most recently took her to the home of mountain running - Chamonix in Switzerland, shortly after winning the Swiss Alps 100km in an amazing race in tough conditions. From Snowdonia, Chamonix, Transgrancanaria and Dubai - Meryl's elite ultra story is one worth sharing.

Keswick is home to some of the UK's most talented runners and Jacob is no exception. After smashing a lifelong ambition of following in his grandfather's footsteps to complete an impressive Bob Graham round, he has a rich history in fell running and his love for both the sport and the landscape comes across clearly in this interview. Jacob rose to fame through the short movie George; both heartbreaking and heartwarming telling the story of Jacob's struggle before and after his diagnosis of Crohn's to discovering his 4 legged best friend. Check out the movie and listen to Jacob as he recounts his running history and epic tales of the fells in the beautiful Lake District.

We've followed Mel's journey for a while now and love her attitude, sense of humour and incredible athletic performances she continues to show on a daily basis. Mel is one of the first names on the team sheet for Lakeland 100 and she proves why in this frank and open discussion. Mel is genuinely inspiring and only 2 years ago discovered she needed treatment for Chiari malformation (a rare neurological condition) - since then she has returned to the trails stronger than ever, completing The Winter Spine in January 2025 as well as smashing her Lakeland 100 times. Mel runs on feel, negating the pressure of checking the watch every mile - there's a lot we can learn from this proper Yorkshire lass as we delve into her history and future in the sport we love.

Instagram: @mellywellywoo

Join us this week in an exclusive episode with Lakeland 50 outright winner and Inov8 sponsored athlete: Lewis Bowness. There's no slowness when it comes to Bowness as he cruised into Coniston in a cool 7 hours and 52 minutes, knocking over 2 hours off his 2022 time. At just 23 years old, he speaks with a maturity beyond his years and has an exceptionally bright future ahead. The tale of the victory is awe-inspiring and it was fantastic to see a local lad take home the trophy in 2025.

The Brig Boys are BACK together and spend some time unpacking this year's fantastic Montane Lakeland weekend. Once again - we had a great time in Coniston and on the course. In this episode we breakdown the course, nutrition and the performances at this year's event. Will you be in the ballot for 2026?

Running won't save you. But you already knew that... Our guest this week is author, athlete and coach; Allie Bailey. This episode flew by after covering a range of topics surrounding the world of ultra running, addiction and attitude towards 'grindset mindset'. Allie demonstrates her core values better than most and is admirably honest about her past in her quest to help people enjoy the adventures of life (with some pretty impressive running achievements in the mix). We absolutely loved this conversation, she really doesn't give a f*ck.

As part of our 'Countdown To Coniston' when nerves, niggles and nutrition are at their peak - we wanted to speak to veteran of the trails and physiotherapist Danny Brunton. Danny has completed a Lakeland 50 and no less than FOUR Lakeland 100s - in search of the elusive slate on his fifth visit to Coniston this year. Danny gives us advice on coping with injuries, some key exercises and guidance on how to win the head game and get round over 100 miles of trails in a single run. We appreciate Danny taking time away from his punditry to dig into his fantastic running career... See you in Coniston!

All roads lead to Coniston and after 2 years of podcasting together, The Brig Boys find themselves once again ready to take on the Lakeland course. With experience over a number of years in both distances, we share our advice, high points and lows. The Lakeland weekend was at our core when launching the podcast back in 2023 and 2 years to the day we return to our favourite topic. This episode is for any budding ultra runners or those in search of advice from people that have been there, done it and worn the t-shirts (size medium).

Will you be in Coniston?

With Lakeland 50/100 weekend fast approaching, we took some time out to speak to ultra distance adventure runner and Coniston connoisseur - Hannah Elizabeth Campbell. With a passion for the outdoors, Hannah has taken on some fantastic feats at a young age including solo running/hiking trips to the Dolomites, The Cheviots and of course her recent completion of the summer Spine Sprint on behalf of Team Montane. Hannah embodies the spirit of ultra running - an incredibly positive attitude, a love of people and of course a passion for living life to the fullest. We'll be seeing her at the Montane tent in Coniston!

Swift by name, Swift by nature. We are joined by local running legend; Dan Swift as he talks us through his relatively short but ultimately impressive running career so far. A staunch member of Rivington Run Club, Dan unpacks his Bob Graham round (well under the required 24 hour membership time!) as well as his Lakeland 100 result, and his plans for the future whether that is supporting others within the club or pushing his body to further limits. A fantastic character with an almost unbreakable mindset and attitude towards life, running & community. It's a rarity that we get to talk to someone with a more northern accent than us - so you're in for a real treat for the ears with this ep.

Instagram: @dannyswift89

Rivington Run Club: @rivingtonrunclub

The Brig Boys: @the_brigboyspodcast

Join us on our latest episode as we talk to Chianti 120KM winner and recipient of the much coveted "Golden Ticket" for Western States Ultra - none other than Fi Pascall. We discuss her consistency and the incredible results she continues to produce across UTMB Europe when it comes to long distance trail running. Fi shares with us some of her top tips for trail and ultra running as well as unpacking her history and where her love for outdoor running came to fruition. If you're down south, Fi also co-owns Trail Retreats - where you can get involved with trail running at any level and learn from the very best.

Fi's Instagram: @fipascall

Trail Retreats: @trail.retreats

As the dust settles on marathon season we wanted to end 'Marathon May' with a bang, as we have a great chat with Welsh International athlete; Olivia Tsim. Not only did she finish a fantastic 2nd place at Manchester in a time of 2:35:43, she did it off the back of giving birth 7 months prior and in her FIRST marathon attempt. Liv is an absolute delight of a person, we could have talked all evening and we can't wait to catch up again. Her insights into training whilst working and being a mother are invaluable and we are excited to see what she can do in the near future!

Insta: Ojt_Runs

On Mental Health Awareness week, we wanted to understand the impact of injuries, tough times and retirement on professional athletes operating at the highest level and how important support is. Bob Beswick is an ex Rugby League player who has represented Ireland at international level. We talk about the transition of young athletes going into a tough sport and the importance of building mental resilience alongside physical prowess. After a fantastic career in Rugby League, Bob moved into a role for Rugby League Cares delivering wellbeing support - that not just players can benefit from. However physically tough you are, focussing on your mental health is paramount - there's a lot of people that care.

The Brig Boys return for a milestone episode to unpack marathon season. Sometimes things don't always go to plan and with over 25 marathons between us, we talk all things strategy, speed, nutrition and training. One of the most important parts of any marathon is to review and learn from the mistakes and figure out what you can take into your next event. With both London and Manchester the same day, we review the weekend races and some of the fantastic performances left out there. 50 not out.

Emily and Hannah (E&H) are more commonly known as "Twice The Health" and join us this week to unpack their fantastic running, swimming and cycling career. We find out how the dynamic duo came to fruition, some racing highlights, future plans and how the world is undergoing changes to make running a much more inclusive sport. E&H's influence on new runners or triathletes has been instrumental in the campaign to see underrepresented athletes get into sport and outdoor activities - these two have done it all and we loved chatting to them!

We all know how important the head game is when it comes to endurance sports, but how much time and effort do we actually put in to cultivating it? We're joined this week by Peak Performance Psychology's very own Ross Preston. We discuss all aspects of mental wellbeing and performance in sports, as well as how the UK competitive model compares against other nations and how do we protect and prepare our young athletes for the future? Insightful and informative, this was a great chat we hope helps on your own journey to self improvement.

"Don't let perfect be the enemy of great"

The Brig Boys utilise the power of Zoom once again to communicate across the Atlantic and dial in Hyrox Hero - Dylan Scott. With some incredible achievements at the North American Open Championships, Dylan continues to impress and go from strength to strength. His unconventional methods and infectious enthusiasm for all things sport, mind and body makes for a fantastic discussion. Show up and get after it!

The Brig Boys are joined by the incredible Dmytro Moyseyev this week as they discuss what it takes to run the length of Ireland in 138 hours and the small matter of 50 marathons in 50 days. Dmytro's resilience, commitment to training, being at his best and engagement with the running community is great to be a part of. Dmytro is a humble gentleman forming a big part of who he is and what he does, we loved discussing some amazing physical achievements after some difficult times. What a man, and what a physique!