Pushing Horizons Step by Step – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when a simple magazine assignment turns into a lifelong obsession?
This week, we dive into the raw, unexpected journey of one of Britain’s most respected ultrarunners, a man who didn’t start racing until his mid-30s and still climbed his way into the world’s biggest stages.

From discovering running by chance, to taking on 200-mile races, breaking iconic FKTs, and finishing top-10 at UTMB, this is the story of someone who proved that age, timing, and background don’t define your ceiling. Consistency does. Curiosity does. The willingness to keep showing up does.

In this episode, we cover:
✓ How he found ultrarunning at 36
✓ The obsession that pushed him through 268-mile races
✓ Breaking FKTs across the UK
✓ What it takes to race UTMB against the best on Earth
✓ Mental toughness, purpose, and the mindset shifts that changed everything

A grounded, honest look at how far you can go when you stop limiting yourself.

Keywords:
ultrarunning, UTMB, Damian Hall, FKT, trail running, ultra marathon podcast, running mindset, mountain running, endurance athlete, UK ultrarunner, The Spine Race, 200 mile races, adventure running, consistency, motivation, Pushing Horizons podcast

From running a sub-3 marathon to covering 115+ miles in a Backyard Ultra, today’s guest embodies endurance in every form. She brings a raw, honest look at what it takes to perform at both ends of the spectrum, from the fast, structured world of marathons to the mentally brutal loops of the ultra scene.

We talk about pacing, fuelling, and mindset across distances, what keeps her grounded when the miles pile up, and how the marathon precision shaped her ultra resilience. Whether you’re chasing a new PR or trying to push past your limits, this episode will remind you why endurance isn’t just physical, it’s deeply human.

Keywords: marathon training, backyard ultra, ultra running, endurance mindset, marathon runner, sub 3 marathon, women in ultrarunning, mental toughness, long distance running, pushing limits, ultramarathon stories, running podcast, Pushing Horizons

What happens when your body forces you to stop?
After being diagnosed with viral myocarditis, Neena, an exercise physiologist, marathon runner, and coach, faced the toughest challenge of her life — learning to trust her heart again.

In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, Ash dives into Neena’s journey of recovery, resilience, and rediscovering the joy of running. From hospital visits to her comeback miles, she opens up about the physical and emotional toll of heart inflammation, rebuilding confidence, and finding purpose beyond performance.

You’ll hear real talk about:
✅ Returning to running after myocarditis
✅ Marathon training and pacing post-illness
✅ Exercise physiology insights for injury recovery
✅ Mental resilience, body awareness, and self-compassion
✅ Running for joy, not just for PRs

This isn’t about medals, it’s about courage, patience, and what it means to truly start over.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

#pushinghorizons #pushinghorizonsstepbystep #pushinghorizonspodcast #runningpodcast #podcastforrunners #runningmotivation #comebackstory #marathontraining #viralmyocarditis #mentalstrength #runnersofinstagram #runforjoy #resilience #exercisephysiology #recoveryjourney

Katie Asmuth is more than an elite ultrarunner. She’s a mom of two, a nurse practitioner, and one of the toughest competitors in the sport. From multiple top-10 finishes at Western States to her gritty run at Leadville, Katie knows what it takes to balance family, medicine, and professional racing.

In this episode, we talk about:

✅ Lessons from Western States and Leadville 100

✅ The mental shift from chasing splits to chasing joy

✅ Balancing motherhood, medicine, and mountain miles

✅ Fueling, problem-solving, and reframing when the race gets hard

✅ Why grit and joy aren’t opposites—they’re the long game

If you’re chasing your first ultra, struggling with burnout, or just want to hear real talk from one of trail running’s most authentic voices, this one’s for you.

Keywords: Katie Asmuth, Western States 100, Leadville 100, ultrarunning, trail running podcast, elite ultrarunner, HOKA athlete, ultramarathon mindset, running joy, endurance sports

In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Steps by Steps, we dive into DNFs, comebacks, and the world of running tours with a runner who’s been shaping her community for over two decades. From faking asthma attacks in high school to finishing a 100-mile course she designed herself, her journey is anything but ordinary.

We talk about the sting of DNFs, the grit it takes to come back from stress fractures, why the 50K is the perfect racing distance, and how urban exploration on foot can be just as transformative as trail running. With nearly 30 ultras since 2020, records at Miami’s Ride the Wave 50K, and years as a running tour guide, her story is equal parts resilience and inspiration.

If you’ve ever questioned why you run, how to handle setbacks, or what it means to stay in love with the sport for the long haul, this conversation will hit home.

Keywords: Ultra running, DNFs, comebacks, 100-mile race, 50K distance, urban running, trail running, running tours, Miami Ride the Wave 50K, Tampa running community, endurance mindset.

In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, host Ashish Pant sits down with ultrarunner Killian Korth to explore what it truly means to embrace the process over the outcome. From DNFs in past years to chasing down Michael McKnight’s 2019 record, Killian’s story is a reminder that failure is not final, it’s fuel.

We dive into the ultra mindset, how to turn setbacks into stepping stones, and why saying yes to the hard moments matters. Whether you’re a runner, endurance athlete, or simply navigating life’s challenges, Killian’s journey offers lessons on resilience, patience, and growth.

🔑 Keywords: ultrarunning, Killian Korth, Pushing Horizons podcast, ultra mindset, DNF recovery, mental strength, Michael McKnight record, endurance running, process over outcome, running motiva

Chris Minto didn’t grow up a runner, he built himself into one. At 46, overweight and embarrassed to even jog in public, he started with daily walks alongside his son. Four years later, he’s a 3:35 marathoner, chasing Boston, and preparing for a 50-mile run on his 50th birthday.

In this episode, Chris shares how brick by brick, with patience and persistence, he transformed his life. We dive into the mental battles of starting late, the power of consistency, and how his journey inspired his wife, son, friends, and coworkers to lace up too.

This is proof: it’s never too late to start, never too late to change, and never too late to inspire.

Keywords:

• building a runner

• running transformation story

• marathon training journey

• starting running late in life

• 50 mile ultra training

• weight loss running story

• marathon PB improvement

• Boston qualifier goal

• pushing horizons podcast

• running inspiration stories

From the farms of Zimbabwe to the biggest stages in ultra running, Emily Hawgood has built her career on one simple habit: saying yes to opportunities. In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, we dive into Emily’s journey, her early days running with her family, her transition to the U.S., and the mindset that’s carried her to multiple Western States top-10 finishes, UTMB starts, and course-record wins.

Emily opens up about presence on the start line, the importance of community, faith, and the lessons the mountains have taught her. We talk about fear, resilience, process goals vs. podium goals, and what it really takes to thrive at the highest level of the sport.

If you’re an athlete chasing your own limits, or simply looking for inspiration from one of the most grounded and joyful voices in the ultra community, this conversation is for you.

Keywords: ultra running, Emily Hawgood, Western States 100, UTMB, ultra marathon, trail running, endurance mindset, pushing limits, Zimbabwe runners, women in endurance sports, elite ultrarunner, community in running

She made history as the first Mexican and first Latina to conquer the world’s five toughest deserts: 1,250km across Namibia, Gobi, Jordan, Antarctica, and Atacama. Each race was a six-day, self-supported suffer fest with brutal heat, altitude, and isolation. Just four weeks later, she stood on the start line of Cocodona 250, one of the hardest ultramarathons in the U.S.In this episode, we dig into what it really takes: the mental toolkit that carries you through when the body is wrecked, the strategies for fueling and hydration under extreme conditions, how she handled sleep deprivation and hallucinations, and why she believes women are built for endurance. We talk setbacks, like the melted shoe that forced a DNF at Cocodona, and what it means to come back stronger with a plan to finish sub-100 hours.This is raw, unfiltered ultra running, proving that women can do hard things, and showing what happens when you chase adventure beyond your comfort zone.Keywords: ultra running, endurance athlete, Cocodona 250, desert racing, women in ultra, mental toughness, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, fueling strategy, proving women can do hard things#ultrarunning

Seven months ago, Pushing Horizons: Step by Step was just a dream. Now, with Season 1 in the books, I look back at the conversations that carried me through my own ultra race.

From Lucy Bartholomew on burnout and resilience, Harvey Lewis on chasing longevity, Megan Eckert on pushing past limits, Eszter Csillag proving it’s never too late, Jessie reminding me that quitting is forever, and Peter Mortimer showing that late starts can still lead to big dreams, every elite taught me something I carried on race day.

But it wasn’t just the legends. Everyday warriors like Dante Dugan, Cody, Lindsey, Harry, Shelby, Jenni, Elesa, Kevin, Angus, Bobby, Milton, Val, James, Bo, Erin, and so many more proved that grit, community, and persistence are what truly push us forward.

This finale isn’t just a recap, it’s my ultra race, told through the voices of Season 1.

Keywords: ultrarunning podcast, running stories, marathon training, ultramarathon motivation, running community, elite runners, ultra journey, backyard ultra, Harvey Lewis, Lucy Bartholomew, Eszter Csillag