In this episode, I share a real update on life, training, and racing after a tough few months.

I talk about supporting my mum in long‑term dementia care, a demanding spell at work, and how both forced me to step back and rethink how I balance ultra‑running with real‑life responsibilities.

I break down my return from an Achilles injury, the confidence I gained from the Kaim Hill race, and a deeper look at the Ochils Ultra — my first proper test back. I also talk through my build‑up to the River Ayr Way Ultra and my plans for Ultra England at the end of October.

If you’re navigating injury recovery, busy life seasons, or trying to stay consistent with ultra‑running when things get heavy, this episode is for you.

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Kayleigh Webster is back on the podcast for her third appearance — this time diving into what Backyard Ultras reveal about people, why Beecraigs has become such a special community event, and how injury has reshaped her approach to running and race directing.

We get into:

• Why Backyards feel more communal than competitive

• The atmosphere at Beecraigs and the role of spectators

• Family influence, Barkley dreams, and “unreasonable” goals

• Watching runners change hour by hour

• How a busy race calendar can strengthen the running ecosystem

• Injury, identity, and learning to train differently

• Zwift, patience, and redefining what it means to be a runner

• Leadership, judgement, and caring for athletes

• What’s next for Beecraigs — and for Kayleigh

Quick training update from me: the Achilles is settling, mileage is building again, and I’m finally stringing together some consistent weeks.

A brilliant conversation with someone who’s shaping the Scottish ultra scene in a really thoughtful way.

If you are looking for coaching then hit me up on insta @davidultrarunner or search on the Team Runrun website

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In this week’s episode, I’m talking through a proper turning point in my training — the first week where things finally felt like they were moving in the right direction again. After months of managing the Achilles and rebuilding slowly, I hit around 45 miles, and for the first time in ages, I felt like a runner rather than someone stuck in rehab mode.

I also dive into my experience at the Kaim Hill Race — a short, savage blast where I pushed hard from the start, got overtaken by half the field on the climb, and then clawed back places on the descent thanks to good shoes and a bit of confidence. My watch showed Zone 5 for 98% of the race, which tells you everything about the effort. It was exactly the benchmark I needed.

I’m also celebrating some brilliant athlete performances this week:

• Bert & Maggie — both smashing 30‑second 5k PBs
• Fiona & Paul — completing the Devil O’ The Highlands in under 9 hours on a rocky, rugged Scottish mountain course
• Sheila — finishing the London Marathon in a rapid 3:33

All of these performances tie back to a core part of my training philosophy: speed and efficiency matter at every distance. Whether you’re racing 5k or grinding through a mountain ultra, building that top‑end ability makes everything else more achievable.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean a lot if you could rate the show, share it with a friend, or connect with me on Instagram @davidultrarunner. And if you’re looking for coaching, you can find me over on Team RunRun — I’d love to support your next big goal.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.