Running Tales, presented and produced by husband and wife couple Michelle and Craig Lewis, aims to tell the extraordinary stories of everyday runners.
There are so many wonderful and inspiring stories in the world of running - this podcast aims to give as many of them as possible the publicity they deserve.
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James McLeod: One man's extraordinary running challenge to honour his dad
Episode 222
Monday, October 5, 2026 • Duration 01:00:31
James McLeod is better known as Jiggsy, a name given to him back in 2003 by his father, Jimmy McLeod.
Sadly, in November last year, Jimmy took his own life at the age of just 52, the kind of loss which no family could ever be prepared for.
But Jiggsy was determined that grief wouldn't become the end of the story. Instead, he wanted to use the loss of his father to create something that might help others.
Already a keen runner, he set out on an extreme challenge to honour Jimmy's memory and raise vital funds for the If U Care Share Foundation.
Throughout 2026, he will be running an average of 52 miles every week for the 52 weeks of the year, with every mile representing the hope that together we can all create a future where fewer families experience heartbreak.
Jiggsy has already raised close to £5,500 - and he's not finished yet. In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to him about his memories of his father, why he decided to take on such a huge challenge, and how we should all be talking about suicide...
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
Les and Jules Telford: Meet the 'Shit Runners' championing inclusivity
Episode 221
Monday, September 28, 2026 • Duration 55:25
Les and Jules Telford are members of one of the most inclusive clubs and brilliantly named running club around: The Shit Runners Club.
Formed by Shaun Fagen, with the first group operating in Kendal, Cumbria, Shit Runners shuns pace, podiums and perfectly curated Strava posts in favour of showing up and getting out of the door.
Les and Jules take the club's trail running group, helping new runners to learn about the sport and get fitter, healthier and happier.
The couple, who are keen trail runners themselves, are also pushing back the boundaries on running as seniors, taking on races including the 47-mile (75km) The Lap around Lake Windermere.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Les and Jules about the ethos behind the Shit Runners Club and why the BBC isn't the biggest fan of the club's name...
Find out more about The Shit Runners: https://shitrunnersclub.co.uk
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Ally O'Rourke: Head Boomeranger on founding the 10 Boomerangs parkrun project
Episode 220
Monday, September 21, 2026 • Duration 43:51
Ally O'Rourke is the founder of 10 Boomerangs, a project which has created community and brought enjoyment at parkrun events across the world.
It was back in June 2024, when South Beach Recreation Reserve Run Director Ally decided to send those ten boomerangs out into the world.
Starting at her Fremantle home in Australia, they have travelled the globe, meeting new temporary owners and taking in the sights and sounds of some of the world's largest cities and smallest towns.
As each boomerang heads around the world their stories are shared on social media, building a new community while bolstering the already established one possessed by parkrun.
So far, the boomerangs have visited a host of countries including America, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Namibia, South Africa, and - of course - the UK.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Ally about why she started the project, whether she has been surprised by its success, and the moving story of Boomerang DellB6...
Khandie Rees: Conquering The Amazing Northampton Run to raise thousands for charity
Episode 219
Monday, September 14, 2026 • Duration 50:38
Khandie Rees needs some persuading when people tell her she's a runner.
With a dodgy hip and suffering from serious pulmonary problems that mean she probably shouldn't be running at all, Khandie is often found towards the back of the pack at any race she takes part in.
But at Running Tales, we know that your VO2 Max and split times mean nothing compared to the effort it takes to simply get to the start line and what you do with the privilege of running when you get there.
Northampton resident Khandie has completed the town's half-marathon seven times, finishing the latest edition yesterday. But more than that, she has done so despite her doctors telling her she shouldn't even be racing.
Why? Well, Khandie is, by her own admission, simply too stubborn to stop - although she says each year that that race will be her last. But more tellingly, she has raised thousands of pounds for a variety of charities.
Yesterday's run has already seen her raise £1,615 and counting for cancer charity The Lewis Foundation, an organisation which provides gift packs to cancer patients who are in hospital and which has helped a close friend of Khandie's who sadly has terminal cancer.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Khandie about the challenges she faces to run, her charity endeavours, and why she has developed a strangely dependent relationship with the poo bin at mile nine of The Amazing Northampton Run...
Chris Luna: How one ultra runner is helping 'Native Men Run'
Episode 218
Monday, September 7, 2026 • Duration 01:02:46
Chris Luna has been running for about four years, using the sport to achieve physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional balance.
Running has also seen him embrace ultra distances, including competing at the Saddles 100 in Prescott, Arizona - described as an actof endurance that passes through dust, pine, and shifting stone.
Despite not reaching his 100 mile goal, he still managed to rack up 100km at the challenging event.
But for Native American Chris, who has Coahuilteco and Lakota heritage, running is about far more than his own health.
As the founder of Native Men Run, he is aiming to encourage other native men to stay active and live healthy lives.
The ongoing impact of colonialism means many members of the indigenous population in America suffer from health problems and socio-economic challenges.
Chris' aim is that Native Men Run can attract donations in the form of gear, race entries, and coaching scholarships, thus helping more people to enjoy running and find fitness.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Chris about the benefits running brings for the Native American population, how the birth of his son inspired him to start moving more, and why colonial challenges aren't confined to the past.
Daniel Moores: Why 'Back My Run' app creator wants to help runners find inspiration
Episode 217
Monday, August 31, 2026 • Duration 36:12
When Daniel Moores was mid-way through a difficult long run, his thoughts turned to his grandparents.
Daniel was training to run the Abu Dhabi Marathon in their memory, and imagining speaking to them gave him the boost to get through that tough 30km training run.
An idea started to form in the head of the Birmingham-born runner, who is now based in the Middle East: what if athletes could hear the voices of their loved ones cheering them on as they hit the wall.
He went on to complete the marathon in four hours and 12 minutes, and what began as a very personal moment turned into an idea that allows runners to carry the voices they love through their first marathons, charity challenges and comeback races.
The app lets friends and family record motivational voice notes through a web link, without downloading anything or creating an account. Runners can then play them through their headphones at selected distance milestones in their important events.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Daniel about Back My Run, why he chose to take on a marathon to honour his grandparents' memory, and what it's like to run in the heat of the Middle East...
Will's plan is to raise money for charity while enjoying his weekly run. He came up with the idea of spending £10 in a charity shop each week to buy that weekend's running outfit (shoes excluded!).
The more people who take part each week, the more money is taken home by various charities across the country. It's a simple and fun idea which has the power to change lives without the sometime pressure of fundraising for major events.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Will about how he came up with the idea, the costumes he's worn so far, and whether his new clothing regime has slowed him down...
More about £10 parkrun
Will's slogan for £10 parkrun is '£10 gear and a good idea'. You can become part of that idea by following him on Instagram and letting him know about your own charity shop/parkrun adventures:
Joshua Schofield: PGC1-Coaching founder on racing Jacob Kiplimo and the basics every runner should master
Episode 215
Monday, July 27, 2026 • Duration 43:50
Joshua Schofield is a former sub-elite road, track and cross-country runner, who represented England as a Junior Male and for the North of England as a Senior Male.
Josh originally competed in triathlon before finding success as a runner, but it is working as a coach which has defined his place in the running world.
Josh's achievements include coaching at the Loughborough Talent Hub, working with athletes who were training for England and at The Commonwealth Games, and becoming an England Athletics Talented Coach Mentor.
But his biggest success came in 2019 when he formed PGC1-Coaching, originally to help him get through his Master's Degree.
Since then, more than 250 athletes from three continents have been coached at PGC-1 and the club has attracted a host of top level coaches.
In this episode of Running Tales, we spoke to Josh about racing against Jacob Kiplimo, how coaching became his life, and the basics every runner should master...
More about PGC1-Coaching
Find out more about the work Josh and his team do, and how you can become part of PGC1-Coaching: https://www.pgc1coaching.com
Bob Bell-Johnson: How running helped one man come to terms with the pain of grief
Episode 214
Monday, July 13, 2026 • Duration 42:10
For Bob Bell-Johnson, running is not simply about fitness. It is thinking time.
The 39-year-old, from Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, is training to become a personal trainer, a major career change after a long and complicated journey with his physical and mental health.
Bob was born with a club foot, which required surgery when he was young and left his lower left leg permanently weaker.
Later, he faced serious back problems, including major spinal surgery in 2013 for cauda equina syndrome. After that operation, he used walking sticks for two years.
So running was never the obvious path. As Bob puts it: "Me and running is like eating chocolate with gravy. It can be done but it is not great."
But running has given Bob something he describes as essential: space to think. It has become a way to process grief, rebuild his confidence and take care of his mental health.
Bob was 18 when his mother, Liz, told him she had been diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare type of cancer. She died just over a year later, in November 2005, aged 53.
Liz was outgoing, joyful and deeply present in Bob's life. He remembers dancing around the kitchen with her to Dire Straits, and seeing her in the audience when he played bass in teenage bands.
Losing her at such a pivotal age left a lasting mark. For many years, Bob buried the grief. He has spoken openly about struggling with depression and using alcohol to cope.
More recently, he stopped drinking and found in running a healthier way to process what had happened.
Chris Marritt: The ultra runner who found the real meaning of failure
Episode 213
Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 01:02:48
When Chris Marritt DNF’d at the Ring O’ Fire, a 135-mile coastal ultra in Anglesey, he started to doubt his whole identity as a runner.
As someone who had been running for nearly 25 years and had racked up 2,000 miles in preparation for the race, dropping out hurt Chris more than he had expected.
He spent the following year trying to repair the damage, while working out what needed to change second time around.
Spoiler alert: redemption was round the corner… and now his full story is set to be chronicled in a forthcoming memoir entitled Did Not Fail, which he will be self-publishing on August 19.
In this episode, we speak to Chris about the real meaning of failure and how that has changed for him, why he'd been nowhere near as well prepared for his first Ring O' Fire attempt as he'd thought he was, and how runners can confront the little voice in their head that tells them to stop...
Find out more about Chris' memoir, Did Not Fail, and register for updates on its publication at didnotfail.wordpress.com
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
This year, Bob ran the London Marathon for Sarcoma UK. For him, it was not just a physical challenge. It was a way to honour his mum, support others affected by sarcoma and turn reflection into action.
In this episode of Running Tales, Bob talks about grief, running, sobriety, mental health and why being able to run feels like a privilege...
What is sarcoma?
Sarcoma is a rare cancer that can affect bone or soft tissue, including muscle, fat, nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue.
Because these tissues are found throughout the body, sarcoma can appear almost anywhere. There are more than 100 different subtypes, which means people's experiences can vary widely.
Some people first notice a lump. Others may have pain, swelling or symptoms that are harder to explain. Because sarcoma is rare and often little-known, diagnosis can sometimes take longer than it should.
Sarcoma does not only affect the person who is diagnosed. It can affect partners, children, parents, friends and wider families.
For people like Bob, the impact of sarcoma continues long after someone they love has died.
About Sarcoma UK
Sarcoma UK is the national charity for anyone affected by sarcoma.
The charity funds research, provides information and support, campaigns for better treatment, and works to improve awareness and earlier diagnosis.
Sarcoma UK's Support Line is staffed by healthcare professionals and is available for people with sarcoma, family members, friends, carers and healthcare professionals.
You can find out more about sarcoma, Sarcoma Awareness Month and Sarcoma UK's support services at sarcoma.org.uk.
◾DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE: Kibra empowers women to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality activewear designed to cultivate confidence and a resilient mindset.
Their distinctive performance wear supports every journey, while they also partner with global NGOs to bring about meaningful change.
If you buy anything from Kibra, Running Tales will get 30% of whatever you pay to help us continue to produce this Substack and the podcast.
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