RunUltra

Kate is joined by Faye Johnson, who is filling in for Robin while he files everyone’s tax returns during January. They chat to Sophie Power whose book, The Power Within, released yesterday on 29th January, tells the story of how a single photo pivoted her life from elite ultra runner to a force for change for women everywhere. They discuss her early days, the challenges every woman faces when juggling training, life and family, the inequality that women suffer at so many events and the subsequent founding of SheRaces.
Faye is reading Sophie’s book and her review will be out soon.
Photo: John O’Regan at IAU World Championships
Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow the podcast and leave a quick rating or review; it really helps other runners find the show.
We are fortunate to be supported by Core Body Temperature Sensors, who offer sensors to allow athletes to monitor their heat training and improve performance. Nick Hancock is currently testing the Core 2, and you can read his review of the Core 1 last year in our review section (just search Core).
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For more stories, in-depth gear reviews, and training tips from the world of ultra and trail running, head over run-ultra.com. Sign up for free and join one of the largest ultra-running communities PLUS you’ll get discounts on loads of products and services from our lovely partners.
If you have any questions, feedback, or a story to share, I’d love to hear from you; please send a message to [email protected].


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Kate is joined by guest host Faye Johnson for tonight’s podcast with Richard Weremiuk. Richard is the Race Director of Beyond Marathon, an event company offering unique races and challenges in the UK. We talk to him about how he started and the unusual format many of his races take; most recently Escape from Meriden. This race has become hugely popular, including by us dot watchers following runners run in every direction from the traditional centre of the UK; it’s like watching a spider web develop! We also discuss the other arm of Beyond Marathon; tracking and how the technology and popularity has grown and developed over the years.
Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe on your preferred platform and leave a quick rating or review; it really helps other runners find the show.
We are fortunate to be supported by Core Body Temperature Sensors, who offer sensors to allow athletes to monitor their heat training and improve performance. Nick Hancock is currently testing the Core 2, and you can read his review of the Core 1 last year in our review section (just search Core).
You can also watch this interview on our Youtube channel.
For more stories, in-depth gear reviews, and training tips from the world of ultra and trail running, head over to run-ultra.com. Sign up for free and join one of the largest ultra-running communities PLUS you’ll get discounts on loads of products and services from our lovely partners.
If you have any questions, feedback, or a story to share, I’d love to hear from you; please send a message to [email protected].


Get full access to RunUltra's Substack at runultra.substack.com/subscribe

Robin and I chat to Eric from Rasselbock Running. We discover where the name Rasselbock comes from and learn about his event format, which is focused on his runners and the community he has built up. Most of Rasselbock events are timed, which makes them inclusive to everyone, whether they want to complete one loop or race against the clock to see how many loops they can get in the time. We discuss the community that he has built around this and the concept certainly seems to work, as he now puts on 36 events a year.


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When I heard that Sarah Porter had been pulled out of the Spine Challenger South for safety reasons I was intrigued. When I learned it was because she received death threats for running in aid of women in Afghanistan, I knew I wanted to talk to her; if she couldn’t run for those women, at least we could share her story and the story of those girls.
Here’s some text from Sarah’s GoFundMe; please do help if you. The terrorists may have forced Sarah to stop running, but don’t let them stop her getting their message out.
What it means to be a young woman in Afghanistan in 2025.
* 25% surge in child marriages since 2021
* With girls, as young as 7 years old, being sold into marriages
* ⁠Nearly 80% of Afghan school-age girls are currently deprived of their right to secondary and higher education.
* Women’s participation in the formal workforce is down to about 5%
* Nearly 60% of Afghan women felt unsafe leaving the house without a mahram.
* ⁠Talking in public is prohibited as is the sound of a woman’s voice
How your donation can help.
From coordinating aid and travel documentation through to developing new humanitarian uses of AI, your donations are vital to starting the journey to safety and the beginning of a dream becoming a reality.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sarah-porter-spine-race-2026


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Phil Hayday-Brown
Before Christmas we caught up with Phil Hayday-Brown, who kindly took time out of his busy schedule to talk to us about all things Spine related.
We chat about Phil’s background in arctic expeditions and how The Spine started back in 2012. How it’s developed over the years and the new races introduced along the way. He also gives us an exclusive on a major new change for 2027.
🎙️ Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow the podcast and leave a quick rating or review; it really helps other runners find the show.
Big thanks to our seasonal Sponsor, Core Body Temp whose Core 2 is currently being reviewed by Nick Hancock of Maximum Mileage Coaching. We also have a special episode sponsor Kahtoola who have recently released the Ghost MICROspikes and our review of them will be out soon too.
💡 For more stories, gear insights, and training tips from the world of ultra and trail running, head over to run-ultra.com.
👉 And if you’ve got questions, feedback, or a race story to share, I’d love to hear from you; send a message to [email protected].
Until next time, keep putting one foot in front of the other and enjoy the adventure


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