What does it really take to run the legendary Western States 100?

This week on Trails, Tales & Fails, we're joined by Lee Dunstall, who began his ultra running journey in 2019 before earning his place on the start line of the world's most famous 100-mile race. Alongside him is his partner Rebecca Parker, an ultra runner who crewed and supported Lee throughout his Western States adventure.

Together we dive into everything you need to know about the Western States Endurance Run—from qualifying and navigating the lottery system to race-day strategy, crewing, pacing, the atmosphere on the trails, and what makes this race so special.

We also chat about how both Lee and Rebecca got into ultra running, the highs and lows of the sport, and, as always, finish with our fan-favourite segments: Steady Pacer, Guilty Pleasures, and the Quickfire Round.

Whether you're dreaming of running Western States 100, love ultra marathons, or simply enjoy hearing incredible trail running stories, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and inspiration.

Topics covered:

• Western States 100
• Western States lottery and qualification
• Crewing and race-day support
• Ultra running training and racing
• Trail running adventures
• Celeb Pacer
• Guilty Pleasures
• Quickfire Round

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating, follow the show, and share the episode with your friends. Every share helps us reach more runners, inspire new adventures, and grow the trail and ultra running community.

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What does it take to become a seriously strong female ultra runners—and how do you train for mountain races when you live in one of the flattest parts of England?

In this episode, we sit down with Helen Newman to explore her incredible journey through ultra running, trail running and sky racing.

Helen is building an impressive ultra running CV, including:
🏆 Winner – Five Valleys Ultra

🥈 2nd – Winter on the Downs 50 Mile

🏅 6th Female – South Downs Way 100 (19:50)🏆 1st Female & 8th Overall – Lake District Sky Race (65km / 4,500m elevation)

We dive into her recent victory at the Lake District Sky Race, discussing what makes sky running so different from traditional ultra marathons, how she prepares for steep climbs and technical descents without living near mountains, and the lessons she's learned from both successful races and the ones that didn't go to plan.

We also discuss:

• How Helen got into ultra running
• Training for mountain ultras from the South Coast
• The South Downs Way 100 experience
• Technical trail running and descending
• Ultra marathon pacing and race strategy
• Strength, resilience and mindset
• Common mistakes ultra runners make
• What's next on Helen's race calendar

As always, we have our regular icebreakers, Truth or Lie, and a quickfire round.

Whether you're training for your first 50K, preparing for a 100-mile ultra, or simply love trail running, this episode is packed with practical advice, race insights and plenty of laughs along the way.

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating, follow the show, and share the episode with your friends. Every share helps us reach more runners, inspire new adventures, and grow the trail and ultra running community.

⁠⁠Coaching enquiries⁠⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

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Fresh from completing the Montane Summer Spine Race, today's guest joins us to unpack an incredible 275-mile journey along the Pennine Way.

Finishing in around 150 hours, he battled challenging underfoot conditions, sleep deprivation, changing weather, and the mental and physical demands that come with one of Britain's toughest ultramarathons. Along the way, he shared conversations with some legendary names, including Nicky Spinks and Andy Glaze, while learning plenty about himself in the process.

Having previously raced mainly over 50 to 100-mile distances, this was by far his longest event to date and a huge leap into the unknown. With another major challenge just four and a half weeks away, we discuss what worked well, what he'd change next time, how he managed the lows, and some of the unexpected and humorous moments that happened during nearly a week on the trail.

If you're curious about the realities of racing beyond 200 miles, the mindset required to keep moving when everything hurts, and the lessons learned from one of the UK's most iconic endurance events, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating, follow the show, and share the episode with your friends. Every share helps us reach more runners, inspire new adventures, and grow the trail and ultra running community.

⁠Coaching enquiries⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

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In this episode we sit down with South Coast ultra runner Simon Withers, one of the rising stars of the UK ultra running scene.

Fresh from a gritty 7th place finish at the South Downs Way 100, Simon reflects on racing one of the UK's most competitive 100-mile ultras, sharing his pacing strategy, nutrition, mindset, and what it takes to perform over such a long day on the trails.

We also discuss his outstanding recent results, including 3rd place at the Arc of Attrition 2025 and 2nd place at the Arc of Attrition 2026, and how his performances have continued to improve year after year.

Along the way, Simon shares lessons learned from years of ultra running, the mistakes that have shaped him as an athlete, what keeps him motivated to keep returning to the start line, and some of the highs, lows and failures that every ultra runner can relate to.

Plus, we put Simon through our regular features: icebreakers, Truth or Lie, and the quickfire round.

Whether you're training for your first ultra marathon, tackling a 100 miler, or simply love trail running, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest insights from one of the South's toughest endurance athletes.

⁠Coaching enquiries⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠Trailskin⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

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If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

Sarah finished 5th female at Mozart 100 by UTMB — a 120km mountain ultra in the Austrian Alps with long climbs, technical descents and a strong international field.

In this episode we break down the whole experience:

• race week preparation and kit decisions

• managing training around work and family life

• preparing for Alpine races while living on the South Downs

• how the climbs and descents compared to UK race

• pacing, fuelling and race strategy

• where the race got difficult

• and what a result like this means only three years into ultra running

Recorded 36 hours after the finish, while everything was still fresh.

Coaching enquiries⁠⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

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If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

This week on Trails, Tales & Fails, Max and Rob dive into a more honest conversation around ultra running, routines, streaks, escapism, addiction, and why endurance sport can sometimes become far more than “just running.”

Why do runners become obsessed with structure?
Why do 4am alarms, endless training blocks, and planning life around races somehow start to feel normal?
And where’s the line between discipline, coping mechanism, identity, and unhealthy obsession?

This isn’t a clinical conversation and we’re definitely not pretending to be experts — it’s simply an open discussion based on lived experience, ultra running culture, alcohol, mental health, validation, and the role running can sometimes play in helping people switch off, process stress, or escape life for a while.

Coaching enquiries⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

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If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

In this ep, Max, Sarah and Rob are joined by Karla Borland — a runner whose results over the last 12 months have been steadily climbing, putting her firmly on the trajectory to becoming one of the standout performers in UK ultra running.

In that time, Karla has put together some seriously impressive performances:

• 4th place at the South Downs Way 100 in 17:52 in a stacked field
• 1st place at the Hundred Hills 50 in 4:37
• And most recently, the win at the Centurion Thames Path 100 in 17:21

Thames Path is a unique kind of brutal — flat, fast, and relentless. There’s nowhere to hide. It becomes less about surviving the terrain, and more about holding pace, managing efficiency, and staying locked in for the long haul.

In this episode, we get into:

• How Karla prepared for a race where you’re running so much of it

• What it takes to compete — and win — at the sharp end of a 100 miler
• How her training and mindset have evolved over the past year
• What’s driven that jump in performance

And of course, we’ve got our usual mix of celeb pacer, truth-or-lie, and a quickfire round to finish.

Coaching enquiries⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠Trailskin⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

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If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.

Anxiety in running is far more common than most people admit — and when we asked you about it on Instagram, the response was big.

In this episode, it’s just us — no guest — having a proper, honest conversation about the different types of anxiety runners experience. From imposter syndrome and fear of injury, to getting lost mid-race, toilet disasters and Strava anxiety.

We break it all down — what these anxieties actually look like, why they show up, and how we deal with them both as runners and from a coaching perspective. Some of it’s serious, some of it’s surprisingly funny, but all of it is real when you’re in the moment.

We also touch briefly on the recent UTMB Index changes and what they might (or might not) mean for everyday runners.

If you’ve ever stood on a start line questioning yourself, overthought a long run, or worried about something going wrong… this one will probably resonate.

If it does, send it to someone who might need to hear it.

Coaching enquiries⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.