WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.679
Welcome back to the Run Through Podcast.
00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:03.200
It is Ben Shepard here.
00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:08.960
And I know I haven't asked this for a little bit, but please do make sure you are subscribed to the show wherever you're listening.
00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:16.000
If you are on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please do drop us a five-star rating and a positive review as well.
00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:23.280
Also, wherever you are listening, you can search for our other podcasts here in the Run Through Family.
00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:32.719
First, we've got the brilliant Run Through Coaches Podcast, who, on a bi-weekly basis, will bring you advice and inspiration from the coaching team.
00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:41.359
And if you are somebody that loves trail running or just thinking about doing it a little bit more, we also have the Run Through Trails Podcast.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:46.880
And on the show today, you are going to hear from the brand new host of that podcast.
00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:56.560
So wherever you're listening right now, you can subscribe to the Run Through Podcast, the Run Through Coaches Podcast, and the Run Through Trails Podcast.
00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:01.359
Without further ado, let's meet the brand new host of that show.
00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:07.840
I very much felt like I didn't fit in at Pete at school because I was like, I'm not good at sport, I can barely catch a ball.
00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.200
Whereas when I entered the running world, it was very much like, actually, this is completely different to what they taught me at school.
00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:20.719
There's so many other people out there that are probably very similar to me that if they fall into the sport, they're gonna absolutely love it and it's gonna change their lives.
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.480
It's just opening those doors so that people do end up in these spaces.
00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.200
I'm just so, so excited to be able to race in Chamony.
00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:34.879
Like the history, when you think about it, the atmosphere in Chamonix, it's just something else because you walk everywhere and you see trailrunners.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.040
Chamonix is like trailrunning heaven.
00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:39.280
Welcome back to the run through podcast.
00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:42.879
Now, normally you don't hear from me on an introduction.
00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:46.560
However, um, I wanted to introduce you to somebody very special.
00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:50.719
She's going to be the brand new host of the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:54.079
So I thought it deserves the introduction.
00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:55.760
Beth, how are you?
00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:56.959
I'm good, thank you.
00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.359
I'm very excited to be here and very excited to be the new host of the Run Through Trail podcast.
00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:03.200
I actually can't believe I'm saying that out loud.
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.640
So very excited.
00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:19.280
Now, give people a bit of context to you, Beth, um, your trail running experience, where you came to trail running, and then obviously we'll we'll chat a little bit more about um why you love the sport so much and things like the Alpine Alpine Run project down the line.
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:26.560
But yeah, give us a bit of a background to who you are, your life growing up, and uh yeah, we'll get into the trail running part soon.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.479
So I first started running when I was 12 years old.
00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:35.120
I have never been gifted or talented at sport, um, quite the opposite.
00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:39.120
And I started running, my parents forced me to do couch to 5K.
00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:44.560
I absolutely hated it, but I was quite an anxious child growing up, and I didn't really like leaving the house.
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:51.039
And my mum was like, running's gonna be the thing that kind of changes you, and I was just in, yeah, no, in denial.
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:52.319
I was like, this is awful.
00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.759
I couldn't even run the length of my road, which was 50 meters long.
00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.400
And as much as I hate to admit it, my mum was absolutely right.
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:06.000
And I joined Parkrun, started doing just Parkrun on Saturday, still hated it though.
00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:10.800
Even signed to myself up for Saturday morning maths classes so that I couldn't go to Parkrun.
00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:11.360
I love that.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.039
I hated running so much.
00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:18.800
And then over the years, I was like, oh, you get a free t-shirt if you get to 50 parkruns.
00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.319
And I'm an easy pleased.
00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:25.280
So I was like, you know what, I'll get to 50, get the free t-shirt, and then I'll quit running.
00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:28.319
And then by the time I got to 50, I was like, oh, this is actually quite good.
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.680
And I was absolutely not talented at all.
00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:39.039
Like, you know, obviously every pace is welcome, but I started off, I think my parkrun PB for the first year was like 38 minutes.
00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:44.479
Like I was not, you know, pelting down the course, but my brother was very annoyingly talented.
00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:49.039
He was there like running his sub-20 park runs, and I was dreaming of those times.
00:03:49.199 --> 00:04:01.120
Um, and then over the years, it just kind of went on, like from just me going out on my own, maybe two or three times a week, just enjoying being on my own, having a bit of time to kind of process the world.
00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:05.599
I didn't really enjoy school and I found the world quite overwhelming.
00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:16.560
So just having two or three times half an hour on my own where I could just process the world and not worry about anything and forget about everything else that was going on around.
00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.439
It was just absolutely life-changing.
00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:27.439
And my mum then did an ultra when I was maybe 15 or 16, which I thought was I'd never even heard of this thing, and I was just like, what the hell?
00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:28.879
Like, this is crazy.
00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:34.079
So then I discovered UTMB because I was researching the sport because I was just fascinated by it.
00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:37.600
And I first, that was my first ever trail race that I watched.
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:38.800
I only watched it on YouTube.
00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.160
Like I live in Birmingham.
00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:42.720
Trail running isn't really a thing at all.
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.360
And I watched it and I thought, wow, this is a really cool sport.
00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:47.439
But it was almost like you watched the Winter Olympics.
00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.319
I just thought, well, it's a cool sport, I'm never gonna do it.
00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:52.800
And then I watched UTMV every year.
00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.680
Well, I've watched it on my phone every year since the age of 15.
00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:05.920
And it was when I was 18 or 19, I then came across Outpline Run Project, which was set up by John McAvoy, and he's actually already been on the podcast.
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.560
So check out the episode if you haven't listened to it.
00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.680
And it's basically about getting young people from inner cities out into nature through trail running.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:21.120
And I remember watching their documentary, and they took a group of young people out to do YCC, so the youth race at UCMB.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:25.040
And I again never thought people like me did stuff like that.
00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.079
And I signed up for the project, didn't really know if I'd get in.
00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.560
I was lucky enough that I did get in, and that's where my trail running journey started.
00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:37.600
Because at that point, I'd run a few longer races, I kind of built up to like the half marathon distance.
00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:43.199
I've done a few not proper trail races, like in my head, trail running was running on grass.
00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.680
So I classed myself as I'd done a few trail races.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.319
Little did I know what was actually in the world out there.
00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:50.319
It's not just running on a flat field.
00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.399
Um, and yeah, my life was already running, had completely changed my life at that point.
00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:08.000
But running really has changed my life since Alpine Run project and couldn't be more grateful for the journey because now my whole life revolves around running and I wouldn't change it.
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:15.360
Let's go back then a little bit to kind of that piece that you mentioned, you know, finding life, finding school a little bit overwhelming.
00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.680
Like that was obviously a little bit more of a difficult time for you.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:21.759
And discovering running, I'm sure, helped through through those difficult moments.
00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:27.759
Was it something that you lent on back then to kind of get you through when things did feel quite difficult?
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:32.639
Yeah, and it's weird because at school I did not speak at all.
00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:37.279
Like people in my class sometimes thought I was actually non-verbal because I did not speak it's at all.
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.160
But then I'd go to Parkrun and I'd chat to anyone.
00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:45.600
It's like, you know, when you're at a running event and you're just running next to someone, I'd just start a conversation.
00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:49.680
I'd be so well, not confident, but I'd be happy to talk to anyone.
00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:52.959
Whereas in the classroom, I was scared to speak to anyone.
00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:59.040
I was I'd much rather be alone on my lunch breaks, and I just felt really overwhelmed.
00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.839
But then in the running community, I didn't feel judged.
00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.079
I felt like it didn't really matter whether I was good at sport or not.
00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.480
Everyone around me didn't really care.
00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:10.800
Like, you don't care what other people are doing in the sport.
00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:15.680
You just want to go out, enjoy yourself, and make memories of other people.
00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:25.600
And I just found the lack of comparison, the friendliness, and yeah, just being in such a nice community really changed my perspective of like the world.
00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.240
Because I think in school you get very caught up on like comparing yourself.
00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:32.319
You've got to get grades, you've got to work really hard, and then you've got all that pressure.
00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.680
And then I went into sport and was like, none of that pressure exists.
00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:45.279
And I think in even like PE at school, I very much felt like I didn't fit in at PE at school because I was like, I'm not good at sport, I can barely catch a ball.
00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:49.439
There's all these competitive girls that are playing netball, and I hated it.
00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.000
And I loved football, but I wasn't very good at it.
00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:57.759
But girls weren't allowed to play football at my school, and girls also didn't do cross-country, and we weren't allowed to go out and do running.
00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:02.000
And it just felt like, well, if you didn't fit in that category, sport isn't for you.
00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:07.680
Whereas when I entered the running world, it was very much like actually, this is completely different to what they taught me at school.
00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:18.480
And actually, I want everyone to know this because I didn't feel like many people in Birmingham knew that it was very much either you're good at sport or you're not, you either participate it or you don't, and like there's no other routes.
00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:32.159
It's quite interesting actually to hear you kind of speak about sport in school and saying, you know, if you weren't good at netball, then you kind of weren't that person, if that makes sense.
00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:34.480
You weren't allowed to play football, you didn't do cross-country.
00:08:34.720 --> 00:09:10.080
And actually that's something that I know a lot of people will find out more about you as we move forward and you host more episodes of the podcast, and you speak to the people that you want to speak to and you have the conversations that I know that you really, really want to have, but something you're incredibly passionate about is not only, you know, getting people from backgrounds that maybe aren't traditionally um, I guess, the feeder to trail running into trail running, but it's also getting people and more women into the sport and and being and having the sport being better represented in every kind of age category, in every grade, in every race.
00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:12.879
Um, I know that's something you're super passionate about, right?
00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.799
Yes, no, absolutely.
00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:22.080
And when you look at the statistics of how many women are on the start line of trail races, like it's actually crazy to see how low they are.
00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:30.240
Don't wrong, they're improving, but for example, UTMB last year, only 15% of the people who started the race were women.
00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:36.799
And so only just over 300 started the race that were women, and then over 2,000 of the starters were men.
00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:40.879
But 60% of the women that, well, of the women that started finished.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.440
So it shows that women are more than capable of getting this done.
00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:45.120
Like in my head, it just baffles me.
00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.639
Like, why are there not even close to 2,000 women?
00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:59.039
There's not even 500 women on that start line, whereas there's 2,100 men, and that's without even looking at intersectionality and all these other factors that play into it.
00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.360
And I just think it's crazy.
00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:05.919
Like, this is such an incredible sport that is changing so many people's lives.
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.759
Why are the start lines not representative of the communities we live in?
00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:11.519
Why do you think it is, Beth?
00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:12.399
Like, break it down.
00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:16.639
What from your opinion, why do you think the start lines are so underrepresented?
00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:20.799
There's oh, the list of problems could go on and on and on.
00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.399
But I think the sport, trail running, if you search it online, it is intimidating.
00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:38.480
Like you generally will look at race phot photo start lines, and it is generally white British men who have got all the gear, not necessarily know what they're doing, but they've got all the gear.
00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:40.960
They look ready.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:52.320
And I remember that one of the first ever trail races I did, I stood on the start line and I was like, I did not feel like I was gonna be able to complete the race when in natural fact I was gonna complete the race and I was gonna be fine.
00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:56.320
I'd done as much training as probably anyone else on this start line and I was ready.
00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:59.360
But looking around, I was like, I don't feel strong enough.
00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:02.320
These people all look way stronger than me and look like they can do it.
00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:05.519
Whereas in my head, I was like, I don't feel like I can do this.
00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:14.320
And I think was the perception because we're all probably putting ourselves down, and I think women generally are as society are less confident.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:20.240
So potentially we're less we only want to put ourselves on the start line if we're confident we're gonna be able to finish it.
00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.879
You've got barriers like childcare.
00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:28.960
There's only now like UTMB have only just started deferrals for pregnancy and things like that.
00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.399
Having like period products available on the course, knowing how to train, like is crazy.
00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:41.919
Something like I think it's less than 10% of running studies are completed on women, is generally always being completed on men.
00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.240
And I think the it was in the 90s that no, not the 90s.
00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:58.000
Um it was only in the last 50 years that I think the first woman gonna like was able to take part in a marathon, which is just crazy to think that that was like in the last well, don't quote me on that.
00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:59.279
I think it was the last 50 years.
00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:02.000
It was, I know I remember I it's it's it's very recent.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:20.000
I wouldn't be able to throw a year out there, but you know, there there is there are mad um I mean people can go and research it for themselves, but there are mad articles that are that genuinely say like if a woman was to run this far, XYZ horrific thing would happen to them, which is crazy.
00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.000
And there's stories about people sneaking into the Boston Marathon and all that sort of stuff.
00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:32.000
Like it it's it's mad where we've come from too, but there is so much work that still needs to be done.
00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:54.480
And I think the one thing that's so important is having these conversations, which is why I'm really excited that that you are going to be doing this podcast, because you can have these conversations not only with the incredible women that are in the sport, but also with the with the men in the sport as well, and with the people that you know I know are passionate about um making start lines more diverse.
00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:02.159
And I think it's yeah, it's such an important conversation to have because without having the conversation, nothing changes, does it?
00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:03.360
Yeah, exactly.
00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.279
And it's not even just that we want 50-50 or like close to that.
00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:17.200
We've then got to look at even within like the men's field, you've then got to look at people that are non-binary or LGBTQ plus who have got a disability, all these different brackets.
00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:25.919
It's not just getting that 50-50, it's like looking, are we actually representing the communities that we're serving by putting on these events?
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:29.200
And it's not as well like just about taking part in events.
00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:50.000
Like, for example, if I go on a run in the Pete District, or like for me, my local hills are the Molvern Hills, which I train on, I rarely ever see women, or I rarely ever see, well, I rarely ever see many trailrunners because you don't really get many trailrunners from Birmingham, but it's kind of like where are where are all these people gone and why do people not want to do it?
00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:55.039
Like, it's such a cool sport, and I think I'm very lucky that I kind of fell into it.
00:13:55.200 --> 00:14:04.159
But if I hadn't, like there's so many other people out there that are probably very similar to me that if they fall into the sport, they're gonna absolutely love it and it's gonna change their lives.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:07.919
It's just opening those doors so that people do end up in these spaces.
00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:11.360
And if they try it and they think, nah, this isn't for me, then fair enough.
00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:19.919
You know, I'm not gonna force anyone to do trail running, but it's just making sure the doors are open so that if people do want to take part, they absolutely can and they're gonna have a great experience.
00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.679
And I think that's the thing, isn't it?
00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:27.519
It's it's making sure that you're being welcoming into something that we know is welcoming.
00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:38.320
Like when you're in the sport, in a lot of instances, and I'm not saying this is all the time, but in a lot of instances, it is an incredibly welcoming sport.
00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:47.519
There is an amazing community there, but I think it's almost getting through that doorway and opening the door and going into that community that's the hard thing.
00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.799
That's the barrier, right?
00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:55.120
Like that's why we call it a barrier to entry, because it's getting getting into the community in the first place.
00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.799
Interestingly, Beth, like you said about your mum and doing her first ultra.
00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:07.039
I wonder, do you think if she hadn't have done that, you would be on this journey?
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.679
Like, do you think you would even have even found out what trail running was to this point?
00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:14.480
Or do you think that was kind of a formative moment for you?
00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.960
Her deciding that she's gonna do that ultra?
00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.039
Literally, I don't actually know.
00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:25.759
And it's like it's even just little things like, well, if I'd never done couch to 5k or if I'd given up, then life would be completely different.
00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:29.120
And my mum actually, funny enough, she actually hated it and she's not done one since.
00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:37.679
And it's very much she still runs and she still does incredible things, but being able to go and watch her do that like completely changed my life.
00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:42.000
And I don't think she'll ever appreciate like quite how much it has literally changed my life.
00:15:42.159 --> 00:16:07.840
And so I think it is just like having those role models where you get taken into the space, and that's why I love Outpline Run projects so so much, because we're taking young people that probably no one in their circle has ever done anything like this, and they're going out and they're doing it, and it's not just about them seeing a new side of the world, it's also about them then going back into their communities and telling people and it like having that domino like ripple effect.
00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:13.440
So I think it is about having those people where you're like, wow, like that's incredible what they've done.
00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.840
I want to do something similar or I want to try it out.
00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:19.519
And it's not like we we don't all need to go and run ultramarathons.
00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:29.039
Like it might be whether it's you know just going on a hike on your local hills, it might be going to your local park, doing 5k, like appreciating actually that sport is hard.
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:36.799
Like we don't, not everyone needs to go and run a marathon, not everyone needs to go and race 10K, no one needs to, you know, be aiming for all these time goals.
00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:51.279
It's just about going out and having that time for yourself and kind of breaking down like what do we actually want out of the sport rather than getting so focused on all the social media like trends and like influences being like, oh yeah, I'm gonna go and run a sub-three hour marathon.
00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:57.759
Like, you don't need to be able to tick all these boxes to be like, I've got the benefits from the sport if that makes any sense.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:02.399
Do you still use it as you did back when you were 15 when you first discovered it?
00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:07.119
Do you still use it for, you know, getting through those moments of of overwhelm?
00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.799
Definitely, yes.
00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:12.640
And I think I'm a much better person after I've been for a run.
00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.400
And quite often I'll wake up feeling a bit, you know, you're just not quite sure how the day's gonna go.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.680
But I'll come back from a run and I'm a different person.
00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:29.599
I just think you can't rely on sport to fix all your life problems, but it certainly makes the world a better place, and I think it makes us better people.
00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:35.839
So no, it's so powerful what trail running and just any sport can do to your life.
00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:39.359
I think it's clarity for me, and I'm sure you can relate to that, isn't it?
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:48.640
It's almost like you feel, and I've I've spoken about this before, but like it's almost feel like you feel a little bit foggy almost before you before you do some form of exercise.
00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:56.240
Uh, somebody recently on on the on the run through podcast described it as like it's the chimp inside his head, and he needs to exercise that chimp.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.559
And if he doesn't, then he's rattling the cage.
00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:03.440
And I think that kind of stands quite true for a lot of people, and a lot of people would be able to relate to that.
00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:14.720
And I think with trail running, something that you get in abundance is not only the the clarity of of the exercise and that helping, but also the clarity of perspective.
00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:34.480
Because in a lot of these places and in a lot of in a lot of these areas, as you say, you can go for a trail runner and not see anybody, like you get that kind of vastity of of nature and and the kind of the feeling of um, you know, it is a lot bigger than just you as a singular person.
00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:38.640
I know it's taken you some amazing places, trail running, which we'll get on to.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:46.079
Um, but that that feeling of loving the outdoors, that's obviously something you you have discovered over this whole journey.
00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:46.720
You didn't have it.
00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:52.880
Maybe when you were, you know, in the park at 15, you still get it to an extent, but now you get it in abundance.
00:18:53.039 --> 00:19:01.039
Like, talk to me about the outside and and how much you love sort of these places and these these new places that you you have discovered over the years.
00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:06.319
Yeah, no, it I think running it does make you travel, which is just incredible.
00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:10.319
Like, don't wrong, you can just go on a run around your block, which is still amazing.
00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:22.079
But for example, like I went to the late district at the weekend training, and it's like, but I never would have done that if I didn't do trail running because I just wanted to get as much elevation as possible, and I was like, well, the late district is a perfect place.
00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:28.960
It was a lovely weekend, got to see some lovely views, although I got distracted by the views a bit too much and did end up falling because I was not looking around to put my feet.
00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:37.119
But you know, you get to go on all these incredible adventures and see so much of the world that you wouldn't actually appreciate otherwise.
00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:45.279
And it was like earlier this year, I did Arch of Attrition, and I'd never think to run on the Cornish coastal paths and think, wow, that's really cool.
00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:50.000
And then doing the race, like it actually does make you appreciate the place so much more.
00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:55.680
And maybe I didn't appreciate the time, the amount of mud and I was gonna say it was pretty brutal this year, wasn't it?
00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:56.960
I'm not sure, I'm not sure.
00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:03.759
Like appreciative would have been like, oh, right, I am basically just running in a bog, it felt like anyway.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.160
It was, yeah, a marathon of bog.
00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:12.480
Um and it's like watching the spine at the moment is quite funny watching the international athletes discover what the bogs are.
00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.200
If you haven't seen that on the spine Instagram account, it's quite insane because like they don't get bogs in other countries.
00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:24.079
Um, so maybe I don't appreciate that as much, but you just get to see so many cool places and you get to share it with special people.
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:37.599
Like, even if you've not met these trailrunners before, there was this lady that I ended up running, because I did UTFs a few weeks ago, um the 25k, and I ended up running maybe like 18k of the race with her, and probably never gonna see this person again.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:41.440
But it was really cool to share that with her, and like she was a really cool person.
00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.839
I wish that I knew who she was, but unfortunately I was just chatting to her and then didn't see her again.
00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:51.039
But I feel like you learn a lot from the people around you as well, and you get to meet so many cool people.
00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.440
So it's not just appreciating the place, it's being able to appreciate the place with cool people.
00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.839
Yeah, and it's shared experience then as well, isn't it?
00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:08.640
You know, you hear people that have been been in boxing boats and they've they've said, you know, we've come out of that and we've we've uh you know, no one else can no one else can say they've experienced what's just happened.
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:22.960
And I I do think that is kind of similar to certain races as well, because nobody else can tell, um, nobody else has experienced what the conditions were like on the Cornish Coast, you know, that weekend that you you ran the arc.
00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:38.480
But if you went and spoke to somebody that had done the same distance as you and run the same route as you as that on that day, I I'm I'm almost confident that they will be able to, you know, share um the same kind of feeling and memories as as you will have.
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:43.200
And it's something about shared experience that makes it even more special, doesn't it?
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.319
Oh, definitely.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:49.680
And yeah, no, that Cornish coastal path, no one will ever understand unless you did that race.
00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:58.400
I yeah, when because um I'm coached by Gemma, who's often on the podcast, and she said to me, because her race was day four, she was like, Yeah, it's really muddy.
00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.599
And I was there, like, yeah, it's muddy.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.960
Know, you know, it's winter in the UK, I was like, it's not gonna be that bad.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:04.079
No, it was horrific.
00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:08.559
Um, it was a hundred times worse than what I ever thought it was gonna be.
00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:10.400
And I definitely did not take Gemma's words.
00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.839
I went to bed that night quite calm, thinking, oh, it's just gonna be a bit muddy.
00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.079
All my training runs have been muddy for the last three months.
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:19.759
No, that was like knee-deep mud for multiple kilometers.
00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.039
It was something else.
00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:25.839
Carbon wellies needed, I think, is probably like what it what it was kind of like.
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:37.599
Um, you've mentioned the Alpine Run project a couple of times, and actually, if people do want to catch up, there's a couple of episodes I know John's been on, um, but also we've had other episodes uh kind of focused on the Alpine Alpine Run project as well.
00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:41.359
So you can go back on the feed and check them out on the Run Through Trails feed.
00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:46.880
Um, and what I love about it is is kind of the passion that you speak about the Alpine Run project with.
00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:51.599
I want to go back a little bit and kind of get that first touch point with them.
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:57.440
And you said you you saw them and you kind of applied and then it it happened and you were kind of shocked by it.
00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:07.519
Talk to me about why you decided to get involved with them in the first instance, and then that that first experience with the with the Alpine Run project as well.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.759
I'm very much someone that I pretty much will say yes to everything.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:28.880
Like I'm always like, you know, you only live once, and I'm also an intensive care nurse, and I've kind of grew up in the healthcare system, so I kind of I feel like I do have quite a good appreciation for life, and like when I saw it, I was like, you don't get these opportunities, like you might as well just go for it.
00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.880
Like, what's the worst that's gonna happen?
00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.079
And it was I was really scared for the launch events.
00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:46.880
The launch event was in Birmingham, it was literally a 20-minute walk from my house, it was not far at all, whereas most people were travelling from all over the country, and on the way to the launch event, I multiple times I nearly turned round because I was like, this is gonna be really scary.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:56.559
And I think coming from well, at the time I was like 19, I was at university, and I think in the school system, like we were talking about earlier, it's very much like it's very competitive.
00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:00.319
I was worried that everyone was gonna be really fast, I wasn't gonna be able to keep up.
00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:05.680
Once if I'm not good enough, there was a lot of questions around whether I even deserved to be in that space.
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:07.759
When I arrived, I was very much like proven wrong.
00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:15.759
I was like, no, this is anyone's welcome, and it was really nice, different community compared to kind of the sporting communities I grew up in.
00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:29.119
And from then we've we do like monthly trail experiences where we kind of like host trail runs in like it won't be like you know, up mountains, but for example, London, they're quite often at places like Box Hill.
00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:36.400
In Birmingham, they're in certain park called Clent Hills, in Manchester, they go to like Sale Park and all sorts of different places.
00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:43.200
And then we also work with race organizers like Run Through, UTMB, all different ones basically.
00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:52.319
And we get free race entry, and then we also break down the barriers to getting young people there because often trail races they're inaccessible unless you have a car.
00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:56.079
Um, a lot of young people don't drive or they aren't even old enough to drive.
00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:01.039
Then it's like understanding like we have monthly webinars with like some really cool guest speakers.
00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:20.240
We've had like Rose Harvey, loads of really cool people um talk about kind of like nutrition, because again, we've got we're kind of in a current crisis where a lot of young people are experiencing things like reds, not fueling themselves properly, not really understanding how to train properly, people are over-training, so that's like a whole nother problem in itself.
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:36.319
So it's just a really cool tool to not only meet young people that are similar to you, because I didn't really feel like growing up, like I had a group of really nice friends, but it's finding people that love adventure, they want to be outside, like they want to experience life to the fullest.
00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:46.240
And I feel like Outplan Run Project, everyone had a story that brought them there, and I think it was really powerful being able to learn from everyone else's story, their why.
00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.119
That's something really important.
00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:50.160
Outplan Run Project, like what is our why for being here?
00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:55.039
And yeah, it was just an incredible community that I'm gonna be forever grateful for.
00:25:55.119 --> 00:26:04.400
And now last year I was a volunteer on the project, and then this year I'm working like freelance for the project, and I just yeah, absolutely love it.
00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:28.480
From being somebody that obviously had that had that touch point in the first instance and understands how it feels and what that experience was like, what's it now like being in the role that you currently are, kind of working there from a freelance perspective, but also looking inwards into the project and seeing how it is affecting people that are now using it and coming to it?
00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:31.119
Like, how does that feel internally for you?
00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:34.079
Because there's that relatability piece there again, right?
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:36.640
It must be pretty cool to see that.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:38.240
Yeah, no, it's amazing.
00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:52.640
And like we selected the UTMB team and they found out this week who's gonna be going to UTMB this year, and like a big project at the moment, like I'm organizing, taking a team to Love Trails, and I absolutely love messaging people and being like, you're gonna get to go to this event.
00:26:52.799 --> 00:27:14.319
Because I just remember when I used to get those emails, like it used to, like I'd get a buzz of excitement and I'd just be like researching the event, I'd be thinking about my training, and like it's not just the event itself, like especially like even with like run-through races, like any race, it's not just the event, is the you know, the four-month lead up of being excited that you're gonna get to go.
00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:25.839
It's the nerves, it's the conversations of telling people, like walking into the office and being like, Yeah, I'm doing a 10K race at the weekend, you know, like and then being able to come back and tell everyone about the memories.
00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:30.400
And then still, I still think about races that I did five or six years ago.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:33.920
Now it's like it's a humongous impact on your life.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:41.119
So I just think it's so cool being able to give people that opportunity because these things stay with you forever.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:48.960
When you're taking people out to these areas and the impact that's happening having on them, what what's that like seeing that impact in real life?
00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.720
Oh, it's just amazing.
00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:59.119
And I think most people on this project, they've never heard of UTMB, they've never heard of trail running, they won't have heard of any of the race organizers.
00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:05.279
And it's just kind of crazy to be like for us, this is like what we see every day.
00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:32.799
And our Instagram feed is full of it, you know, we're watching YouTube videos of live stream of races, you know, we're following, we're dot watching all weekend and stuff like that, and then to bring young people into this world which they've never even heard of, and now suddenly, like, especially with the access we've got to like phones and websites and YouTube and all these things, it's like once you get into it, you're just like overwhelmed with the amount of cool things that you can get involved in.
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:41.519
And I think it is just amazing to be able to take young people into such a cool space and just see them almost fascinated by it.
00:28:41.599 --> 00:29:00.880
And like last year when we were doing like YCC and ETC and stuff like that, I was lucky that I was like out on the course running with them, and when they crossed the finish line, the emotions that you see, and like there's a really cool documentary, you should check out Alpine Run Project on YouTube, and you can see the emotions.
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:13.839
And it's like we still talk about like my cohort when we went to these races two years on, let alone you know, these people as well that were potentially because I was a year before me of Alpine Run Project, they still talk about it.
00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:15.920
Like it's a lifelong impact on you.
00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:20.480
That one short moment that yeah, it just changes you.
00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:26.240
Right, let's talk about your racing, Beth, because obviously that that's part of that's part of this as well.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.839
Very much practicing what you preach, which um yeah, I really love.
00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:37.519
Um, you've mentioned the ARC, you've mentioned UTS, and I know like that part of of what you do is massive in your life as well.
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:40.319
You're coached by run through coach and coached by Gemma.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:44.559
Um when did racing first become a thing?
00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:53.440
When did when did you decide, you know what, I want to be a little bit more competitive with this, or did it kind of just happen as you progressed in the sport?
00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:56.240
I think it kind of just happened.
00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.839
Um the best thing, right?
00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.279
It's the best when it just happened.
00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:02.960
That's the best when it just happens, when you're not actually thinking about it.
00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:07.759
Yeah, and like it was just little things like I suddenly started to kind of believe in myself.
00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:11.039
I would still say I don't fully believe in myself as much as I want to.
00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:16.640
But as soon as I was like, actually, you know what, what happens if this does go really well?
00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:19.359
What happens if it actually does work out?
00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:23.680
And I started to kind of think about best case scenario rather than worst case scenario.
00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:39.839
Like my times were coming down because I was not, I was always enjoying it, but then I was like not stressing as much and not overthinking it, which was the whole reason why I started the sport because I don't want to overthink things, so yeah, I think putting less pressure on myself.
00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:52.160
But yeah, I've been coached by Gemma for nearly a year now, and I'd already done a few trail races, and don't wrong, I'm not Zaki podiuming or winning these races, but I just want to keep improving.
00:30:52.319 --> 00:31:02.160
So this year I did, yeah, I started off with Arch Vatrician, which was a good race, although I had it was horrific mud, and then I had cramped for like 14 kilometers, which just wasn't ideal.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:10.559
Um, and then I did Trans-Cran Canaria 23k, which was like a net uphill race, and that was yeah, incredible.
00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:20.400
Went really well, and I was really happy, and I like crossed the finish line about 30 minutes faster than I thought I was going to, and that kind of changed things again.
00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:25.279
And I I'm not a huge fan of downhill running, so a net uphill race was perfect for me.
00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:41.119
Um then I did I did do a local 10 miler, which I did actually manage to podium that, which again was a big surprise, and I didn't realise I was in third place, and then my mum yelled at me with like one K to go, you're in third place, and I never thought pressure because I was like, oh no, where's fourth?
00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:46.000
And like I and then I I could see the finish line, and I thought it was that was the finish.
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:47.920
And then they made us do a whole nother lap.
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:59.599
Oh, so I started sprinting and I was already like hit in the red line, and then I found out I had to do a whole lap, and oh, it's a stressful last kilometre, but I did manage to hold it.
00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:08.960
Um, and then I did old trail snowdomia, which these have kind of been like training races and used as kind of like long runs, but also getting racing experience.
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:18.799
And old trail snowia again was a bit of a stress, well, kind of a stressful event because 10 minutes before the start, we all got a text message saying that we weren't doing the course that was planned.
00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:28.000
There's lightning at the top of Snowden, they're rerouting it, you're not going up Snowden, and I'd already reccued the course twice, and so that was a bit of a curveball, but it went quite well.
00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:28.799
I was pretty happy.
00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:33.839
I ended up with 12th female, but it was actually a really quite stacked female field, actually.
00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:42.079
There was only four minutes between fifth and twelfth, so it was very, yeah, it was a really, really nice race, and I really enjoyed it.
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:44.480
Um and it was kind of nice actually not knowing where I was going.
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:49.359
So I'm very much like I prepare for everything, but I didn't prepare for the course change.
00:32:49.680 --> 00:33:01.359
Um, and it was actually learning to be a bit more relaxed and not so okay, I'm gonna take a gel at this point and that point, and you know, getting over the control.
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:12.400
And then my kind of big race for the year, I'm doing Mont Blanc Marathon in just over a week, which is crazy because I entered that a year ago.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:16.319
I've been thinking about it for a year and now it's only a week away.
00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:18.400
And how are you feeling at this point then?
00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:23.359
Because this episode, to be fair, probably will drop post Mont Blanc Marathon.
00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:29.039
Um, so you'll be able to go and have a look on Beth's Instagram, I'm sure, check out how she did.
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.200
I'm sure it's going to be very, very well, Beth.
00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:32.240
We'll put that there as well.
00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:36.400
And uh Beth's Instagram will be in the in the description of this podcast as well, by the way.
00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:40.160
But obviously you've had you've had this lead up and now you've got this A race.
00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:50.400
You've also got this A race in a in a place like Mont Blanc and in a race like Mont Blanc Marathon, one of the most historic, one of like a it's a flagship event, right?
00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:53.680
It's an incredible event, and you'll be on the start line with some incredible people.
00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:57.759
So yeah, how are you feeling a week out not to try and make you more nervous?
00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:02.240
Well, I'm trying not to think about it, but when I do think about it, no, it's okay.
00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:10.960
Uh I'm very excited because this will be my first time racing in Chamonix, and I've watched, well, I've watched Mont Blanc Marathon.
00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.280
I've watched last year's live stream now six times.
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:19.920
I've banned myself from watching it again because I get a bit too excited, and I just think it's such an iconic event.
00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.920
Um, it's gonna be kind of my first time.
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:30.559
I've done Outpline races and like I've done things like UTMB Nice and a few bits and bobs like that, but I've never done this amount of elevation in one go as well.
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:32.400
So that'll be something new as well.
00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:46.559
Because it's 42k with well, it's actually 44k now, but so it's a bit over a marathon, but 44k with just under 2,800 metres elevation, which is quite punchy for uh that distance, but yeah, I'm excited to try something new.
00:34:46.639 --> 00:35:02.000
Um, and I did toured Mont Blanc last summer, um, which was incredible because I was doing an internship with Run the Alps, um, and so I ran some of the course and yeah, I'm just so so excited to be able to race in Chamonix.
00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:08.480
We've kind of talked about the feeling of, you know, being outside and getting that experience and what trail running gives you in that side of things.
00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:12.639
And I think there's two different there's two different ways to look at this, isn't there?
00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:25.760
There's the experience you get when you go out your front door or you go close to your house, but then there's the experience you get when you go places like Transgrand Canaria or you go to the Alps and you see these incredible vistas that we don't have in the UK.
00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:30.800
We've got some amazing places, don't get me wrong, but we don't have anywhere quite like Chamani, do we?
00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:34.159
We don't have anywhere quite like quite like the Alps.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:40.320
What's it like being up there solo on your own, running these trails in in an alpine race?
00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:42.400
I just think it feels so magical.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:52.639
Like the history when you think about it, like, and I just think it's also incredible because Mont Blanc, the way that they format it is that the women, Elite Field, they go off.
00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:56.000
I think it's at 6.45, they've got a half an hour head start.
00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:59.840
There's like an incredible live stream, um, which is really well done.
00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:11.760
It's really nice that the women as well have got a half an hour head start because it means that you get to follow the whole women's race without it kind of being interfered by like the men overtaking or like the women being stuck in the mass participation.
00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:14.480
Um, so that's really cool to be able to have that.
00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:17.199
And the start list is stacked.
00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:26.639
Um, you've got Tove, sorry if I pronounced that wrong, who just won Zagama, Naomi Lang, who, British runner, who's been on the trail, well, who's been on this podcast.
00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:31.519
Um, she was actually, there's an episode for her post-Mont Blanc last year, which was really good episodes to check it out.
00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:36.159
Um, but Naomi Lang, she came third last year and did an incredible race.
00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:46.400
Um, I'm trying to think who else, but anyway, the field is stacked and I just think the atmosphere in Chamonix is just something else because you walk everywhere and you see trail runners.
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:58.159
I think coming from somewhere like Birmingham, where when I get off the train on the way back from a trail run and I've got like sheep pool up my legs and I look like I've just ran through a bush, I walk off the train and I I I stand out.
00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:05.280
Like, whereas when you're in Chamonix and you get on a bus and you feel really sweaty, the whole bus smells of sweat because everyone's a trail runner.
00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:08.400
I'm not feeling super self-conscious.
00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:14.000
So I think Chamani is like trail running heaven, like, and the shops as well.
00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:19.119
It's a very expensive place to go because every shop is a trail running shop and it's just, oh, I just love it.
00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.320
It's mad, isn't it?
00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:34.079
That that that like, you know, we have we have places in the lakes, we have places in the peaks, we have places that, you know, ooze trail running and ooze trail running history here in the UK, feldrunning, I should say, in a lot of in a lot of these areas.
00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:37.280
But we don't have anything quite like that.
00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:39.519
We don't have anything quite like chamoni.
00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:46.000
I think it's because of the scale in a lot of ways, but it's also to do with the the culture and the feel and the the history.
00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:50.480
And it it it does feel amazing when you are in a place like that.
00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:54.239
That again, and it comes back to that shared experience that we spoke about before.
00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:55.760
I think it is that, isn't it?
00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.000
It's that everyone is kind of in it together.
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:02.159
In your analogy, Beth, everyone is on that sweaty bus together.
00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:10.880
But a lot of people have also experienced those amazing experiences that you will have felt in that, in that place and and on those mountains as well.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:14.159
Yeah, no, it's a really, really special place.
00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:20.400
And any trail runner, I feel like you've got to go to Chamonix at some point, because yeah, it's life-changing.
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:32.320
Okay, we looked past um Mont Blanc, which obviously we're we're not doing really, but we looked past Mont Blanc and we look towards what's after that.
00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:42.320
I know we had a conversation not too long ago, Beth, and and you said kind of like, I'm just gonna chill out a little bit, I'm gonna have a little bit of a relaxed, and then you listed off another five or six races, to be honest.
00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:45.519
And you were like, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, and I'm I'm gonna do this.
00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:47.519
Do you ever struggle to kind of hold yourself back?
00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:52.960
Do you ever struggle to put the put the brakes on a little bit, hold the reins and be like, Beth, chill.
00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:53.920
It's all right.
00:38:54.239 --> 00:38:57.039
Yeah, I think if you asked Gemma that, she'd give you that feedback.
00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:59.199
Um getting a bit too excited.
00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:05.360
And I think I've got to remember that hopefully I've got a long trail running career ahead of me and I don't need to take everything off in one year.
00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:06.639
So yeah.
00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:10.559
Um but yeah, I'm gonna be finishing the year with something that's a bit more out of my comfort zone, actually.
00:39:10.639 --> 00:39:15.119
I'm gonna be doing Valencia Marathon because my dad, he also runs, and so does my brother.
00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:18.079
And my dad suddenly, he's always said I'm never gonna do a marathon.
00:39:18.159 --> 00:39:23.119
And then last year he suddenly said, Oh, I need to do a marathon before it gets to the point that I can't run a marathon.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:27.360
And we've gone in the London ballot, but obviously it's impossible to get in.
00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:42.559
And me, my dad, and my brother all somehow managed to get in in the Valencia ballot, and so all three of us are gonna be doing it, which I'm actually really excited because I would like to try and get a fast, well, fast in my own terms, marathon time and see what I can do.
00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:48.480
But I think it would also be really cool for my dad and my brother to try something that is kind of my world.
00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:54.480
They they do parking every Saturday and stuff like that, but they've never really done like a an endurance event before.
00:39:54.639 --> 00:39:57.920
So yeah, I'm excited to see them get humbled, to be honest.
00:39:59.039 --> 00:40:00.559
That's evil, evil.
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:01.440
I love it.
00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:04.480
Um, I know the answer to this question because I asked it when we first met.
00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:11.760
But yeah, for people that are getting to know you a little bit better now and obviously are going to be listening to you on a bi-weekly basis on the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:13.039
Is there a dream event?
00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:15.760
Is there something that you you know you have to do?
00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.199
Yeah, UTMB.
00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:17.599
Okay.
00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:22.400
Um, don't wrong, I've got lots of dream events, but UTMB has to be the standout one.
00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:28.159
I think it's just special because the first time I watched it, it was something that I never thought I would do.
00:40:28.400 --> 00:40:35.760
And now I'm like, actually, like I am a hundred well, nearly a hundred percent certain that I will cross that vintage line one day.
00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:38.079
And I just think it's gonna be the most incredible moment.
00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:42.000
And I ran the course last year when I did Tour de Montblanc, it's the same thing.
00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:48.559
Um, but I did it over seven days, which I was kind of like, okay, wow, I'm gonna have to one day do this in one go, not over seven days.
00:40:48.719 --> 00:40:58.960
Um, but I just think it is the most incredible course, and to be able to run through three countries, but don't worry, like just in case Gemma's listening, it is on a 10-year game plan.
00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:00.239
I'm not gonna just throw in that cup.
00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:01.840
I'm gonna do that next year.
00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:03.039
Yeah, don't worry, Gemma.
00:41:03.119 --> 00:41:04.559
I'm actually going in the ballot.
00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:42.960
It's it'll be for your like for you as well, like hearing about your whole journey and your whole story from you know, the 15-year-olds that gets a bit more confidence by going out and and starting to run and go into park runs to the person that then watches the UTMB live stream every year because her her mum decides to do an ultra and you kind of find and discover it through that, to then the person that is, you know, signing up for the Alpine Run project, experiencing that, the person after who like who who now after the Alpine Run project has decided to help and continue be part of that project.
00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:53.440
Like when you do go and do that, and when I've got no doubt that you will at some point in your life, you'll look back at that whole journey, and that is gonna feel incredibly full circle, isn't it?
00:41:53.679 --> 00:42:00.480
From from that person sitting down watching UTMB on their phone to actually running the thing.
00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:04.000
I imagine that is gonna be a very emotional experience, actually, Beth.
00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:19.119
Yeah, I think it's gonna be pretty crazy, and I would absolutely love it if I like could tell Beth that couldn't even run 50 metres the length of my road that one day you well, hopefully, I'm gonna run a hundred miles through three countries with 10,000 metres elevation.
00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:21.920
I think she'd kind of be a bit bit shocked.
00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:25.039
So Yeah, I was gonna say, like, what would what would she think?
00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:32.559
Like, what what would that person that you know you said was very nervous in class that that didn't really want to put herself out there?
00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.519
What would she think?
00:42:33.599 --> 00:42:38.800
Not only like saying that you're gonna do that, but that you're gonna host the Run Through Trails podcast as well.
00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:42.239
I can't imagine that was that would be something that she would have thought she would ever do.
00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:47.599
No, literally, the fact that I used to be too scared to put my hand up at school to now doing a podcast.
00:42:47.679 --> 00:43:00.880
And I've done like I spoke at Love Trails last year and bits and bobs like that, and I'm just so passionate about getting people into the sport and like I've led community runs and all these cool things, and it's like, yeah, I actually can't believe how different my life is.
00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:06.480
And it also scares me the fact that imagine if this hadn't happened, like who would I be and what would have happened?
00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:14.239
And I'm glad that I don't have to find out what would have happened, but yeah, I that's why running's so incredible because it literally does change people's lives.
00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:30.000
And I think your your testament to that, I think sometimes we're probably all guilty of being like, oh, it's a life-changing thing, like running can change your life, but genuinely it can change your life, and I think you you're living proof, Beth, that that is that has happened.
00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:39.360
Um, and I guess when I say it's changed your life, as you correctly said, we don't know what you would be doing if you hadn't discovered running.
00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:47.679
However, I think the last X amount of time after discovering it has been incredibly positive on the most part, right?
00:43:47.760 --> 00:43:50.320
Which is which is something pretty cool to look back on.
00:43:50.559 --> 00:44:04.639
Um when we look at the list of guests, and I know you've been an avid listener for well, since the start of the Run Through Trails podcast, you've listened to every episode and you've listed a couple off already on this conversation and people that we've had on.
00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:06.719
Is there a dream guest for you?
00:44:06.880 --> 00:44:12.079
Is there somebody that you would love to speak to on the Run Through Trails podcast down the line?
00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:13.440
That is a good question.
00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:18.239
Well, it'd be really cool to interview some people after UTMB and well, any trail roast would be nice.
00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:22.320
I love listening to post-roast debriefs, so yeah, that'd be really cool.
00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.280
Um I really like Henrietta Olban.
00:44:25.519 --> 00:44:28.320
I think she's really cool, and I think she's very underrated.
00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:29.679
So maybe Henrietta.
00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:36.320
Um but yeah, there's a lot of very cool people out there, and I'm very excited to see who we get on the podcast.
00:44:36.559 --> 00:44:36.960
Amazing.
00:44:37.039 --> 00:44:39.119
Well, look, Beth, I we're really excited to have you.
00:44:39.280 --> 00:44:43.519
Thank you so much for deciding to be new host of the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:49.119
Um, it's been amazing to get you to know you a little bit better, and I hope the audience uh has got to do that a little bit as well.
00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:54.880
And I think, like, look, we've spoken about your whole journey to the point that you're at now, and it would be silly not to ask you really.
00:44:54.960 --> 00:45:07.760
Like, if there is somebody that is listening to this and they are thinking, you know, I have kind of seen this trail running thing, and I kind of maybe would like to potentially give it a go.
00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:10.159
Like, but I'm a bit nervous.
00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:16.320
Like, what would you, what would you say to that person that is listening right now and thinking those things?
00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:22.079
I always think when I try something new, like I might regret not trying it.
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:25.760
Whereas I don't think I'll ever regret like not giving it a go.
00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:42.480
I don't think I said that in the right order, but anyway, you get the point that it's always better to try something and then think actually this isn't for me, than kind of live with the regret of not knowing what if I tried it and the what if this was actually something really cool and all these cool opportunities come from it.
00:45:42.639 --> 00:45:44.320
So I think give it a go.
00:45:44.400 --> 00:45:46.639
Like, what's the worst that can happen, you know?
00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:53.840
Um, and it's one of those things that you can try, and it's like trail running, you know, it's not actual running a lot of the time, you know.
00:45:53.920 --> 00:46:04.960
You're eating really good snacks, you're hiking up hills, you've got great views, you get to chat to great people, it's not as scary as it looks out, so yeah, I think take away the pressure and just give it a go.
00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:06.480
You never know what will happen.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.679
Welcome back to the Run Through Podcast.
00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:03.200
It is Ben Shepard here.
00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:08.960
And I know I haven't asked this for a little bit, but please do make sure you are subscribed to the show wherever you're listening.
00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:16.000
If you are on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please do drop us a five-star rating and a positive review as well.
00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:23.280
Also, wherever you are listening, you can search for our other podcasts here in the Run Through Family.
00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:32.719
First, we've got the brilliant Run Through Coaches Podcast, who, on a bi-weekly basis, will bring you advice and inspiration from the coaching team.
00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:41.359
And if you are somebody that loves trail running or just thinking about doing it a little bit more, we also have the Run Through Trails Podcast.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:46.880
And on the show today, you are going to hear from the brand new host of that podcast.
00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:56.560
So wherever you're listening right now, you can subscribe to the Run Through Podcast, the Run Through Coaches Podcast, and the Run Through Trails Podcast.
00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:01.359
Without further ado, let's meet the brand new host of that show.
00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:07.840
I very much felt like I didn't fit in at Pete at school because I was like, I'm not good at sport, I can barely catch a ball.
00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.200
Whereas when I entered the running world, it was very much like, actually, this is completely different to what they taught me at school.
00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:20.719
There's so many other people out there that are probably very similar to me that if they fall into the sport, they're gonna absolutely love it and it's gonna change their lives.
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.480
It's just opening those doors so that people do end up in these spaces.
00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.200
I'm just so, so excited to be able to race in Chamony.
00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:34.879
Like the history, when you think about it, the atmosphere in Chamonix, it's just something else because you walk everywhere and you see trailrunners.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.040
Chamonix is like trailrunning heaven.
00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:39.280
Welcome back to the run through podcast.
00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:42.879
Now, normally you don't hear from me on an introduction.
00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:46.560
However, um, I wanted to introduce you to somebody very special.
00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:50.719
She's going to be the brand new host of the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:54.079
So I thought it deserves the introduction.
00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:55.760
Beth, how are you?
00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:56.959
I'm good, thank you.
00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.359
I'm very excited to be here and very excited to be the new host of the Run Through Trail podcast.
00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:03.200
I actually can't believe I'm saying that out loud.
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.640
So very excited.
00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:19.280
Now, give people a bit of context to you, Beth, um, your trail running experience, where you came to trail running, and then obviously we'll we'll chat a little bit more about um why you love the sport so much and things like the Alpine Alpine Run project down the line.
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:26.560
But yeah, give us a bit of a background to who you are, your life growing up, and uh yeah, we'll get into the trail running part soon.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.479
So I first started running when I was 12 years old.
00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:35.120
I have never been gifted or talented at sport, um, quite the opposite.
00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:39.120
And I started running, my parents forced me to do couch to 5K.
00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:44.560
I absolutely hated it, but I was quite an anxious child growing up, and I didn't really like leaving the house.
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:51.039
And my mum was like, running's gonna be the thing that kind of changes you, and I was just in, yeah, no, in denial.
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:52.319
I was like, this is awful.
00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.759
I couldn't even run the length of my road, which was 50 meters long.
00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.400
And as much as I hate to admit it, my mum was absolutely right.
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:06.000
And I joined Parkrun, started doing just Parkrun on Saturday, still hated it though.
00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:10.800
Even signed to myself up for Saturday morning maths classes so that I couldn't go to Parkrun.
00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:11.360
I love that.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.039
I hated running so much.
00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:18.800
And then over the years, I was like, oh, you get a free t-shirt if you get to 50 parkruns.
00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.319
And I'm an easy pleased.
00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:25.280
So I was like, you know what, I'll get to 50, get the free t-shirt, and then I'll quit running.
00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:28.319
And then by the time I got to 50, I was like, oh, this is actually quite good.
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.680
And I was absolutely not talented at all.
00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:39.039
Like, you know, obviously every pace is welcome, but I started off, I think my parkrun PB for the first year was like 38 minutes.
00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:44.479
Like I was not, you know, pelting down the course, but my brother was very annoyingly talented.
00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:49.039
He was there like running his sub-20 park runs, and I was dreaming of those times.
00:03:49.199 --> 00:04:01.120
Um, and then over the years, it just kind of went on, like from just me going out on my own, maybe two or three times a week, just enjoying being on my own, having a bit of time to kind of process the world.
00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:05.599
I didn't really enjoy school and I found the world quite overwhelming.
00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:16.560
So just having two or three times half an hour on my own where I could just process the world and not worry about anything and forget about everything else that was going on around.
00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.439
It was just absolutely life-changing.
00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:27.439
And my mum then did an ultra when I was maybe 15 or 16, which I thought was I'd never even heard of this thing, and I was just like, what the hell?
00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:28.879
Like, this is crazy.
00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:34.079
So then I discovered UTMB because I was researching the sport because I was just fascinated by it.
00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:37.600
And I first, that was my first ever trail race that I watched.
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:38.800
I only watched it on YouTube.
00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.160
Like I live in Birmingham.
00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:42.720
Trail running isn't really a thing at all.
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.360
And I watched it and I thought, wow, this is a really cool sport.
00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:47.439
But it was almost like you watched the Winter Olympics.
00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.319
I just thought, well, it's a cool sport, I'm never gonna do it.
00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:52.800
And then I watched UTMV every year.
00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.680
Well, I've watched it on my phone every year since the age of 15.
00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:05.920
And it was when I was 18 or 19, I then came across Outpline Run Project, which was set up by John McAvoy, and he's actually already been on the podcast.
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.560
So check out the episode if you haven't listened to it.
00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.680
And it's basically about getting young people from inner cities out into nature through trail running.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:21.120
And I remember watching their documentary, and they took a group of young people out to do YCC, so the youth race at UCMB.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:25.040
And I again never thought people like me did stuff like that.
00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.079
And I signed up for the project, didn't really know if I'd get in.
00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.560
I was lucky enough that I did get in, and that's where my trail running journey started.
00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:37.600
Because at that point, I'd run a few longer races, I kind of built up to like the half marathon distance.
00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:43.199
I've done a few not proper trail races, like in my head, trail running was running on grass.
00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.680
So I classed myself as I'd done a few trail races.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.319
Little did I know what was actually in the world out there.
00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:50.319
It's not just running on a flat field.
00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.399
Um, and yeah, my life was already running, had completely changed my life at that point.
00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:08.000
But running really has changed my life since Alpine Run project and couldn't be more grateful for the journey because now my whole life revolves around running and I wouldn't change it.
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:15.360
Let's go back then a little bit to kind of that piece that you mentioned, you know, finding life, finding school a little bit overwhelming.
00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.680
Like that was obviously a little bit more of a difficult time for you.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:21.759
And discovering running, I'm sure, helped through through those difficult moments.
00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:27.759
Was it something that you lent on back then to kind of get you through when things did feel quite difficult?
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:32.639
Yeah, and it's weird because at school I did not speak at all.
00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:37.279
Like people in my class sometimes thought I was actually non-verbal because I did not speak it's at all.
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.160
But then I'd go to Parkrun and I'd chat to anyone.
00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:45.600
It's like, you know, when you're at a running event and you're just running next to someone, I'd just start a conversation.
00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:49.680
I'd be so well, not confident, but I'd be happy to talk to anyone.
00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:52.959
Whereas in the classroom, I was scared to speak to anyone.
00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:59.040
I was I'd much rather be alone on my lunch breaks, and I just felt really overwhelmed.
00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.839
But then in the running community, I didn't feel judged.
00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.079
I felt like it didn't really matter whether I was good at sport or not.
00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.480
Everyone around me didn't really care.
00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:10.800
Like, you don't care what other people are doing in the sport.
00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:15.680
You just want to go out, enjoy yourself, and make memories of other people.
00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:25.600
And I just found the lack of comparison, the friendliness, and yeah, just being in such a nice community really changed my perspective of like the world.
00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.240
Because I think in school you get very caught up on like comparing yourself.
00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:32.319
You've got to get grades, you've got to work really hard, and then you've got all that pressure.
00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.680
And then I went into sport and was like, none of that pressure exists.
00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:45.279
And I think in even like PE at school, I very much felt like I didn't fit in at PE at school because I was like, I'm not good at sport, I can barely catch a ball.
00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:49.439
There's all these competitive girls that are playing netball, and I hated it.
00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.000
And I loved football, but I wasn't very good at it.
00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:57.759
But girls weren't allowed to play football at my school, and girls also didn't do cross-country, and we weren't allowed to go out and do running.
00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:02.000
And it just felt like, well, if you didn't fit in that category, sport isn't for you.
00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:07.680
Whereas when I entered the running world, it was very much like actually, this is completely different to what they taught me at school.
00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:18.480
And actually, I want everyone to know this because I didn't feel like many people in Birmingham knew that it was very much either you're good at sport or you're not, you either participate it or you don't, and like there's no other routes.
00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:32.159
It's quite interesting actually to hear you kind of speak about sport in school and saying, you know, if you weren't good at netball, then you kind of weren't that person, if that makes sense.
00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:34.480
You weren't allowed to play football, you didn't do cross-country.
00:08:34.720 --> 00:09:10.080
And actually that's something that I know a lot of people will find out more about you as we move forward and you host more episodes of the podcast, and you speak to the people that you want to speak to and you have the conversations that I know that you really, really want to have, but something you're incredibly passionate about is not only, you know, getting people from backgrounds that maybe aren't traditionally um, I guess, the feeder to trail running into trail running, but it's also getting people and more women into the sport and and being and having the sport being better represented in every kind of age category, in every grade, in every race.
00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:12.879
Um, I know that's something you're super passionate about, right?
00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.799
Yes, no, absolutely.
00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:22.080
And when you look at the statistics of how many women are on the start line of trail races, like it's actually crazy to see how low they are.
00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:30.240
Don't wrong, they're improving, but for example, UTMB last year, only 15% of the people who started the race were women.
00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:36.799
And so only just over 300 started the race that were women, and then over 2,000 of the starters were men.
00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:40.879
But 60% of the women that, well, of the women that started finished.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.440
So it shows that women are more than capable of getting this done.
00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:45.120
Like in my head, it just baffles me.
00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.639
Like, why are there not even close to 2,000 women?
00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:59.039
There's not even 500 women on that start line, whereas there's 2,100 men, and that's without even looking at intersectionality and all these other factors that play into it.
00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.360
And I just think it's crazy.
00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:05.919
Like, this is such an incredible sport that is changing so many people's lives.
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.759
Why are the start lines not representative of the communities we live in?
00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:11.519
Why do you think it is, Beth?
00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:12.399
Like, break it down.
00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:16.639
What from your opinion, why do you think the start lines are so underrepresented?
00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:20.799
There's oh, the list of problems could go on and on and on.
00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.399
But I think the sport, trail running, if you search it online, it is intimidating.
00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:38.480
Like you generally will look at race phot photo start lines, and it is generally white British men who have got all the gear, not necessarily know what they're doing, but they've got all the gear.
00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:40.960
They look ready.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:52.320
And I remember that one of the first ever trail races I did, I stood on the start line and I was like, I did not feel like I was gonna be able to complete the race when in natural fact I was gonna complete the race and I was gonna be fine.
00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:56.320
I'd done as much training as probably anyone else on this start line and I was ready.
00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:59.360
But looking around, I was like, I don't feel strong enough.
00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:02.320
These people all look way stronger than me and look like they can do it.
00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:05.519
Whereas in my head, I was like, I don't feel like I can do this.
00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:14.320
And I think was the perception because we're all probably putting ourselves down, and I think women generally are as society are less confident.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:20.240
So potentially we're less we only want to put ourselves on the start line if we're confident we're gonna be able to finish it.
00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.879
You've got barriers like childcare.
00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:28.960
There's only now like UTMB have only just started deferrals for pregnancy and things like that.
00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.399
Having like period products available on the course, knowing how to train, like is crazy.
00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:41.919
Something like I think it's less than 10% of running studies are completed on women, is generally always being completed on men.
00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.240
And I think the it was in the 90s that no, not the 90s.
00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:58.000
Um it was only in the last 50 years that I think the first woman gonna like was able to take part in a marathon, which is just crazy to think that that was like in the last well, don't quote me on that.
00:11:58.080 --> 00:11:59.279
I think it was the last 50 years.
00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:02.000
It was, I know I remember I it's it's it's very recent.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:20.000
I wouldn't be able to throw a year out there, but you know, there there is there are mad um I mean people can go and research it for themselves, but there are mad articles that are that genuinely say like if a woman was to run this far, XYZ horrific thing would happen to them, which is crazy.
00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.000
And there's stories about people sneaking into the Boston Marathon and all that sort of stuff.
00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:32.000
Like it it's it's mad where we've come from too, but there is so much work that still needs to be done.
00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:54.480
And I think the one thing that's so important is having these conversations, which is why I'm really excited that that you are going to be doing this podcast, because you can have these conversations not only with the incredible women that are in the sport, but also with the with the men in the sport as well, and with the people that you know I know are passionate about um making start lines more diverse.
00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:02.159
And I think it's yeah, it's such an important conversation to have because without having the conversation, nothing changes, does it?
00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:03.360
Yeah, exactly.
00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.279
And it's not even just that we want 50-50 or like close to that.
00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:17.200
We've then got to look at even within like the men's field, you've then got to look at people that are non-binary or LGBTQ plus who have got a disability, all these different brackets.
00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:25.919
It's not just getting that 50-50, it's like looking, are we actually representing the communities that we're serving by putting on these events?
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:29.200
And it's not as well like just about taking part in events.
00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:50.000
Like, for example, if I go on a run in the Pete District, or like for me, my local hills are the Molvern Hills, which I train on, I rarely ever see women, or I rarely ever see, well, I rarely ever see many trailrunners because you don't really get many trailrunners from Birmingham, but it's kind of like where are where are all these people gone and why do people not want to do it?
00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:55.039
Like, it's such a cool sport, and I think I'm very lucky that I kind of fell into it.
00:13:55.200 --> 00:14:04.159
But if I hadn't, like there's so many other people out there that are probably very similar to me that if they fall into the sport, they're gonna absolutely love it and it's gonna change their lives.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:07.919
It's just opening those doors so that people do end up in these spaces.
00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:11.360
And if they try it and they think, nah, this isn't for me, then fair enough.
00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:19.919
You know, I'm not gonna force anyone to do trail running, but it's just making sure the doors are open so that if people do want to take part, they absolutely can and they're gonna have a great experience.
00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.679
And I think that's the thing, isn't it?
00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:27.519
It's it's making sure that you're being welcoming into something that we know is welcoming.
00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:38.320
Like when you're in the sport, in a lot of instances, and I'm not saying this is all the time, but in a lot of instances, it is an incredibly welcoming sport.
00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:47.519
There is an amazing community there, but I think it's almost getting through that doorway and opening the door and going into that community that's the hard thing.
00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.799
That's the barrier, right?
00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:55.120
Like that's why we call it a barrier to entry, because it's getting getting into the community in the first place.
00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.799
Interestingly, Beth, like you said about your mum and doing her first ultra.
00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:07.039
I wonder, do you think if she hadn't have done that, you would be on this journey?
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.679
Like, do you think you would even have even found out what trail running was to this point?
00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:14.480
Or do you think that was kind of a formative moment for you?
00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.960
Her deciding that she's gonna do that ultra?
00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.039
Literally, I don't actually know.
00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:25.759
And it's like it's even just little things like, well, if I'd never done couch to 5k or if I'd given up, then life would be completely different.
00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:29.120
And my mum actually, funny enough, she actually hated it and she's not done one since.
00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:37.679
And it's very much she still runs and she still does incredible things, but being able to go and watch her do that like completely changed my life.
00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:42.000
And I don't think she'll ever appreciate like quite how much it has literally changed my life.
00:15:42.159 --> 00:16:07.840
And so I think it is just like having those role models where you get taken into the space, and that's why I love Outpline Run projects so so much, because we're taking young people that probably no one in their circle has ever done anything like this, and they're going out and they're doing it, and it's not just about them seeing a new side of the world, it's also about them then going back into their communities and telling people and it like having that domino like ripple effect.
00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:13.440
So I think it is about having those people where you're like, wow, like that's incredible what they've done.
00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.840
I want to do something similar or I want to try it out.
00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:19.519
And it's not like we we don't all need to go and run ultramarathons.
00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:29.039
Like it might be whether it's you know just going on a hike on your local hills, it might be going to your local park, doing 5k, like appreciating actually that sport is hard.
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:36.799
Like we don't, not everyone needs to go and run a marathon, not everyone needs to go and race 10K, no one needs to, you know, be aiming for all these time goals.
00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:51.279
It's just about going out and having that time for yourself and kind of breaking down like what do we actually want out of the sport rather than getting so focused on all the social media like trends and like influences being like, oh yeah, I'm gonna go and run a sub-three hour marathon.
00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:57.759
Like, you don't need to be able to tick all these boxes to be like, I've got the benefits from the sport if that makes any sense.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:02.399
Do you still use it as you did back when you were 15 when you first discovered it?
00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:07.119
Do you still use it for, you know, getting through those moments of of overwhelm?
00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.799
Definitely, yes.
00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:12.640
And I think I'm a much better person after I've been for a run.
00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.400
And quite often I'll wake up feeling a bit, you know, you're just not quite sure how the day's gonna go.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.680
But I'll come back from a run and I'm a different person.
00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:29.599
I just think you can't rely on sport to fix all your life problems, but it certainly makes the world a better place, and I think it makes us better people.
00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:35.839
So no, it's so powerful what trail running and just any sport can do to your life.
00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:39.359
I think it's clarity for me, and I'm sure you can relate to that, isn't it?
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:48.640
It's almost like you feel, and I've I've spoken about this before, but like it's almost feel like you feel a little bit foggy almost before you before you do some form of exercise.
00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:56.240
Uh, somebody recently on on the on the run through podcast described it as like it's the chimp inside his head, and he needs to exercise that chimp.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.559
And if he doesn't, then he's rattling the cage.
00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:03.440
And I think that kind of stands quite true for a lot of people, and a lot of people would be able to relate to that.
00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:14.720
And I think with trail running, something that you get in abundance is not only the the clarity of of the exercise and that helping, but also the clarity of perspective.
00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:34.480
Because in a lot of these places and in a lot of in a lot of these areas, as you say, you can go for a trail runner and not see anybody, like you get that kind of vastity of of nature and and the kind of the feeling of um, you know, it is a lot bigger than just you as a singular person.
00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:38.640
I know it's taken you some amazing places, trail running, which we'll get on to.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:46.079
Um, but that that feeling of loving the outdoors, that's obviously something you you have discovered over this whole journey.
00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:46.720
You didn't have it.
00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:52.880
Maybe when you were, you know, in the park at 15, you still get it to an extent, but now you get it in abundance.
00:18:53.039 --> 00:19:01.039
Like, talk to me about the outside and and how much you love sort of these places and these these new places that you you have discovered over the years.
00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:06.319
Yeah, no, it I think running it does make you travel, which is just incredible.
00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:10.319
Like, don't wrong, you can just go on a run around your block, which is still amazing.
00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:22.079
But for example, like I went to the late district at the weekend training, and it's like, but I never would have done that if I didn't do trail running because I just wanted to get as much elevation as possible, and I was like, well, the late district is a perfect place.
00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:28.960
It was a lovely weekend, got to see some lovely views, although I got distracted by the views a bit too much and did end up falling because I was not looking around to put my feet.
00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:37.119
But you know, you get to go on all these incredible adventures and see so much of the world that you wouldn't actually appreciate otherwise.
00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:45.279
And it was like earlier this year, I did Arch of Attrition, and I'd never think to run on the Cornish coastal paths and think, wow, that's really cool.
00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:50.000
And then doing the race, like it actually does make you appreciate the place so much more.
00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:55.680
And maybe I didn't appreciate the time, the amount of mud and I was gonna say it was pretty brutal this year, wasn't it?
00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:56.960
I'm not sure, I'm not sure.
00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:03.759
Like appreciative would have been like, oh, right, I am basically just running in a bog, it felt like anyway.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.160
It was, yeah, a marathon of bog.
00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:12.480
Um and it's like watching the spine at the moment is quite funny watching the international athletes discover what the bogs are.
00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.200
If you haven't seen that on the spine Instagram account, it's quite insane because like they don't get bogs in other countries.
00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:24.079
Um, so maybe I don't appreciate that as much, but you just get to see so many cool places and you get to share it with special people.
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:37.599
Like, even if you've not met these trailrunners before, there was this lady that I ended up running, because I did UTFs a few weeks ago, um the 25k, and I ended up running maybe like 18k of the race with her, and probably never gonna see this person again.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:41.440
But it was really cool to share that with her, and like she was a really cool person.
00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.839
I wish that I knew who she was, but unfortunately I was just chatting to her and then didn't see her again.
00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:51.039
But I feel like you learn a lot from the people around you as well, and you get to meet so many cool people.
00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.440
So it's not just appreciating the place, it's being able to appreciate the place with cool people.
00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.839
Yeah, and it's shared experience then as well, isn't it?
00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:08.640
You know, you hear people that have been been in boxing boats and they've they've said, you know, we've come out of that and we've we've uh you know, no one else can no one else can say they've experienced what's just happened.
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:22.960
And I I do think that is kind of similar to certain races as well, because nobody else can tell, um, nobody else has experienced what the conditions were like on the Cornish Coast, you know, that weekend that you you ran the arc.
00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:38.480
But if you went and spoke to somebody that had done the same distance as you and run the same route as you as that on that day, I I'm I'm almost confident that they will be able to, you know, share um the same kind of feeling and memories as as you will have.
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:43.200
And it's something about shared experience that makes it even more special, doesn't it?
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.319
Oh, definitely.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:49.680
And yeah, no, that Cornish coastal path, no one will ever understand unless you did that race.
00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:58.400
I yeah, when because um I'm coached by Gemma, who's often on the podcast, and she said to me, because her race was day four, she was like, Yeah, it's really muddy.
00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.599
And I was there, like, yeah, it's muddy.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.960
Know, you know, it's winter in the UK, I was like, it's not gonna be that bad.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:04.079
No, it was horrific.
00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:08.559
Um, it was a hundred times worse than what I ever thought it was gonna be.
00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:10.400
And I definitely did not take Gemma's words.
00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.839
I went to bed that night quite calm, thinking, oh, it's just gonna be a bit muddy.
00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.079
All my training runs have been muddy for the last three months.
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:19.759
No, that was like knee-deep mud for multiple kilometers.
00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.039
It was something else.
00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:25.839
Carbon wellies needed, I think, is probably like what it what it was kind of like.
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:37.599
Um, you've mentioned the Alpine Run project a couple of times, and actually, if people do want to catch up, there's a couple of episodes I know John's been on, um, but also we've had other episodes uh kind of focused on the Alpine Alpine Run project as well.
00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:41.359
So you can go back on the feed and check them out on the Run Through Trails feed.
00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:46.880
Um, and what I love about it is is kind of the passion that you speak about the Alpine Run project with.
00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:51.599
I want to go back a little bit and kind of get that first touch point with them.
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:57.440
And you said you you saw them and you kind of applied and then it it happened and you were kind of shocked by it.
00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:07.519
Talk to me about why you decided to get involved with them in the first instance, and then that that first experience with the with the Alpine Run project as well.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.759
I'm very much someone that I pretty much will say yes to everything.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:28.880
Like I'm always like, you know, you only live once, and I'm also an intensive care nurse, and I've kind of grew up in the healthcare system, so I kind of I feel like I do have quite a good appreciation for life, and like when I saw it, I was like, you don't get these opportunities, like you might as well just go for it.
00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.880
Like, what's the worst that's gonna happen?
00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.079
And it was I was really scared for the launch events.
00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:46.880
The launch event was in Birmingham, it was literally a 20-minute walk from my house, it was not far at all, whereas most people were travelling from all over the country, and on the way to the launch event, I multiple times I nearly turned round because I was like, this is gonna be really scary.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:56.559
And I think coming from well, at the time I was like 19, I was at university, and I think in the school system, like we were talking about earlier, it's very much like it's very competitive.
00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:00.319
I was worried that everyone was gonna be really fast, I wasn't gonna be able to keep up.
00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:05.680
Once if I'm not good enough, there was a lot of questions around whether I even deserved to be in that space.
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:07.759
When I arrived, I was very much like proven wrong.
00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:15.759
I was like, no, this is anyone's welcome, and it was really nice, different community compared to kind of the sporting communities I grew up in.
00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:29.119
And from then we've we do like monthly trail experiences where we kind of like host trail runs in like it won't be like you know, up mountains, but for example, London, they're quite often at places like Box Hill.
00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:36.400
In Birmingham, they're in certain park called Clent Hills, in Manchester, they go to like Sale Park and all sorts of different places.
00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:43.200
And then we also work with race organizers like Run Through, UTMB, all different ones basically.
00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:52.319
And we get free race entry, and then we also break down the barriers to getting young people there because often trail races they're inaccessible unless you have a car.
00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:56.079
Um, a lot of young people don't drive or they aren't even old enough to drive.
00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:01.039
Then it's like understanding like we have monthly webinars with like some really cool guest speakers.
00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:20.240
We've had like Rose Harvey, loads of really cool people um talk about kind of like nutrition, because again, we've got we're kind of in a current crisis where a lot of young people are experiencing things like reds, not fueling themselves properly, not really understanding how to train properly, people are over-training, so that's like a whole nother problem in itself.
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:36.319
So it's just a really cool tool to not only meet young people that are similar to you, because I didn't really feel like growing up, like I had a group of really nice friends, but it's finding people that love adventure, they want to be outside, like they want to experience life to the fullest.
00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:46.240
And I feel like Outplan Run Project, everyone had a story that brought them there, and I think it was really powerful being able to learn from everyone else's story, their why.
00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.119
That's something really important.
00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:50.160
Outplan Run Project, like what is our why for being here?
00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:55.039
And yeah, it was just an incredible community that I'm gonna be forever grateful for.
00:25:55.119 --> 00:26:04.400
And now last year I was a volunteer on the project, and then this year I'm working like freelance for the project, and I just yeah, absolutely love it.
00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:28.480
From being somebody that obviously had that had that touch point in the first instance and understands how it feels and what that experience was like, what's it now like being in the role that you currently are, kind of working there from a freelance perspective, but also looking inwards into the project and seeing how it is affecting people that are now using it and coming to it?
00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:31.119
Like, how does that feel internally for you?
00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:34.079
Because there's that relatability piece there again, right?
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:36.640
It must be pretty cool to see that.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:38.240
Yeah, no, it's amazing.
00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:52.640
And like we selected the UTMB team and they found out this week who's gonna be going to UTMB this year, and like a big project at the moment, like I'm organizing, taking a team to Love Trails, and I absolutely love messaging people and being like, you're gonna get to go to this event.
00:26:52.799 --> 00:27:14.319
Because I just remember when I used to get those emails, like it used to, like I'd get a buzz of excitement and I'd just be like researching the event, I'd be thinking about my training, and like it's not just the event itself, like especially like even with like run-through races, like any race, it's not just the event, is the you know, the four-month lead up of being excited that you're gonna get to go.
00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:25.839
It's the nerves, it's the conversations of telling people, like walking into the office and being like, Yeah, I'm doing a 10K race at the weekend, you know, like and then being able to come back and tell everyone about the memories.
00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:30.400
And then still, I still think about races that I did five or six years ago.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:33.920
Now it's like it's a humongous impact on your life.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:41.119
So I just think it's so cool being able to give people that opportunity because these things stay with you forever.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:48.960
When you're taking people out to these areas and the impact that's happening having on them, what what's that like seeing that impact in real life?
00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.720
Oh, it's just amazing.
00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:59.119
And I think most people on this project, they've never heard of UTMB, they've never heard of trail running, they won't have heard of any of the race organizers.
00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:05.279
And it's just kind of crazy to be like for us, this is like what we see every day.
00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:32.799
And our Instagram feed is full of it, you know, we're watching YouTube videos of live stream of races, you know, we're following, we're dot watching all weekend and stuff like that, and then to bring young people into this world which they've never even heard of, and now suddenly, like, especially with the access we've got to like phones and websites and YouTube and all these things, it's like once you get into it, you're just like overwhelmed with the amount of cool things that you can get involved in.
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:41.519
And I think it is just amazing to be able to take young people into such a cool space and just see them almost fascinated by it.
00:28:41.599 --> 00:29:00.880
And like last year when we were doing like YCC and ETC and stuff like that, I was lucky that I was like out on the course running with them, and when they crossed the finish line, the emotions that you see, and like there's a really cool documentary, you should check out Alpine Run Project on YouTube, and you can see the emotions.
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:13.839
And it's like we still talk about like my cohort when we went to these races two years on, let alone you know, these people as well that were potentially because I was a year before me of Alpine Run Project, they still talk about it.
00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:15.920
Like it's a lifelong impact on you.
00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:20.480
That one short moment that yeah, it just changes you.
00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:26.240
Right, let's talk about your racing, Beth, because obviously that that's part of that's part of this as well.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.839
Very much practicing what you preach, which um yeah, I really love.
00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:37.519
Um, you've mentioned the ARC, you've mentioned UTS, and I know like that part of of what you do is massive in your life as well.
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:40.319
You're coached by run through coach and coached by Gemma.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:44.559
Um when did racing first become a thing?
00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:53.440
When did when did you decide, you know what, I want to be a little bit more competitive with this, or did it kind of just happen as you progressed in the sport?
00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:56.240
I think it kind of just happened.
00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.839
Um the best thing, right?
00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.279
It's the best when it just happened.
00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:02.960
That's the best when it just happens, when you're not actually thinking about it.
00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:07.759
Yeah, and like it was just little things like I suddenly started to kind of believe in myself.
00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:11.039
I would still say I don't fully believe in myself as much as I want to.
00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:16.640
But as soon as I was like, actually, you know what, what happens if this does go really well?
00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:19.359
What happens if it actually does work out?
00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:23.680
And I started to kind of think about best case scenario rather than worst case scenario.
00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:39.839
Like my times were coming down because I was not, I was always enjoying it, but then I was like not stressing as much and not overthinking it, which was the whole reason why I started the sport because I don't want to overthink things, so yeah, I think putting less pressure on myself.
00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:52.160
But yeah, I've been coached by Gemma for nearly a year now, and I'd already done a few trail races, and don't wrong, I'm not Zaki podiuming or winning these races, but I just want to keep improving.
00:30:52.319 --> 00:31:02.160
So this year I did, yeah, I started off with Arch Vatrician, which was a good race, although I had it was horrific mud, and then I had cramped for like 14 kilometers, which just wasn't ideal.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:10.559
Um, and then I did Trans-Cran Canaria 23k, which was like a net uphill race, and that was yeah, incredible.
00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:20.400
Went really well, and I was really happy, and I like crossed the finish line about 30 minutes faster than I thought I was going to, and that kind of changed things again.
00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:25.279
And I I'm not a huge fan of downhill running, so a net uphill race was perfect for me.
00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:41.119
Um then I did I did do a local 10 miler, which I did actually manage to podium that, which again was a big surprise, and I didn't realise I was in third place, and then my mum yelled at me with like one K to go, you're in third place, and I never thought pressure because I was like, oh no, where's fourth?
00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:46.000
And like I and then I I could see the finish line, and I thought it was that was the finish.
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:47.920
And then they made us do a whole nother lap.
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:59.599
Oh, so I started sprinting and I was already like hit in the red line, and then I found out I had to do a whole lap, and oh, it's a stressful last kilometre, but I did manage to hold it.
00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:08.960
Um, and then I did old trail snowdomia, which these have kind of been like training races and used as kind of like long runs, but also getting racing experience.
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:18.799
And old trail snowia again was a bit of a stress, well, kind of a stressful event because 10 minutes before the start, we all got a text message saying that we weren't doing the course that was planned.
00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:28.000
There's lightning at the top of Snowden, they're rerouting it, you're not going up Snowden, and I'd already reccued the course twice, and so that was a bit of a curveball, but it went quite well.
00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:28.799
I was pretty happy.
00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:33.839
I ended up with 12th female, but it was actually a really quite stacked female field, actually.
00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:42.079
There was only four minutes between fifth and twelfth, so it was very, yeah, it was a really, really nice race, and I really enjoyed it.
00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:44.480
Um and it was kind of nice actually not knowing where I was going.
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:49.359
So I'm very much like I prepare for everything, but I didn't prepare for the course change.
00:32:49.680 --> 00:33:01.359
Um, and it was actually learning to be a bit more relaxed and not so okay, I'm gonna take a gel at this point and that point, and you know, getting over the control.
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:12.400
And then my kind of big race for the year, I'm doing Mont Blanc Marathon in just over a week, which is crazy because I entered that a year ago.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:16.319
I've been thinking about it for a year and now it's only a week away.
00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:18.400
And how are you feeling at this point then?
00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:23.359
Because this episode, to be fair, probably will drop post Mont Blanc Marathon.
00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:29.039
Um, so you'll be able to go and have a look on Beth's Instagram, I'm sure, check out how she did.
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.200
I'm sure it's going to be very, very well, Beth.
00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:32.240
We'll put that there as well.
00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:36.400
And uh Beth's Instagram will be in the in the description of this podcast as well, by the way.
00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:40.160
But obviously you've had you've had this lead up and now you've got this A race.
00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:50.400
You've also got this A race in a in a place like Mont Blanc and in a race like Mont Blanc Marathon, one of the most historic, one of like a it's a flagship event, right?
00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:53.680
It's an incredible event, and you'll be on the start line with some incredible people.
00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:57.759
So yeah, how are you feeling a week out not to try and make you more nervous?
00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:02.240
Well, I'm trying not to think about it, but when I do think about it, no, it's okay.
00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:10.960
Uh I'm very excited because this will be my first time racing in Chamonix, and I've watched, well, I've watched Mont Blanc Marathon.
00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.280
I've watched last year's live stream now six times.
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:19.920
I've banned myself from watching it again because I get a bit too excited, and I just think it's such an iconic event.
00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.920
Um, it's gonna be kind of my first time.
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:30.559
I've done Outpline races and like I've done things like UTMB Nice and a few bits and bobs like that, but I've never done this amount of elevation in one go as well.
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:32.400
So that'll be something new as well.
00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:46.559
Because it's 42k with well, it's actually 44k now, but so it's a bit over a marathon, but 44k with just under 2,800 metres elevation, which is quite punchy for uh that distance, but yeah, I'm excited to try something new.
00:34:46.639 --> 00:35:02.000
Um, and I did toured Mont Blanc last summer, um, which was incredible because I was doing an internship with Run the Alps, um, and so I ran some of the course and yeah, I'm just so so excited to be able to race in Chamonix.
00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:08.480
We've kind of talked about the feeling of, you know, being outside and getting that experience and what trail running gives you in that side of things.
00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:12.639
And I think there's two different there's two different ways to look at this, isn't there?
00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:25.760
There's the experience you get when you go out your front door or you go close to your house, but then there's the experience you get when you go places like Transgrand Canaria or you go to the Alps and you see these incredible vistas that we don't have in the UK.
00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:30.800
We've got some amazing places, don't get me wrong, but we don't have anywhere quite like Chamani, do we?
00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:34.159
We don't have anywhere quite like quite like the Alps.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:40.320
What's it like being up there solo on your own, running these trails in in an alpine race?
00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:42.400
I just think it feels so magical.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:52.639
Like the history when you think about it, like, and I just think it's also incredible because Mont Blanc, the way that they format it is that the women, Elite Field, they go off.
00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:56.000
I think it's at 6.45, they've got a half an hour head start.
00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:59.840
There's like an incredible live stream, um, which is really well done.
00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:11.760
It's really nice that the women as well have got a half an hour head start because it means that you get to follow the whole women's race without it kind of being interfered by like the men overtaking or like the women being stuck in the mass participation.
00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:14.480
Um, so that's really cool to be able to have that.
00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:17.199
And the start list is stacked.
00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:26.639
Um, you've got Tove, sorry if I pronounced that wrong, who just won Zagama, Naomi Lang, who, British runner, who's been on the trail, well, who's been on this podcast.
00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:31.519
Um, she was actually, there's an episode for her post-Mont Blanc last year, which was really good episodes to check it out.
00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:36.159
Um, but Naomi Lang, she came third last year and did an incredible race.
00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:46.400
Um, I'm trying to think who else, but anyway, the field is stacked and I just think the atmosphere in Chamonix is just something else because you walk everywhere and you see trail runners.
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:58.159
I think coming from somewhere like Birmingham, where when I get off the train on the way back from a trail run and I've got like sheep pool up my legs and I look like I've just ran through a bush, I walk off the train and I I I stand out.
00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:05.280
Like, whereas when you're in Chamonix and you get on a bus and you feel really sweaty, the whole bus smells of sweat because everyone's a trail runner.
00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:08.400
I'm not feeling super self-conscious.
00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:14.000
So I think Chamani is like trail running heaven, like, and the shops as well.
00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:19.119
It's a very expensive place to go because every shop is a trail running shop and it's just, oh, I just love it.
00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.320
It's mad, isn't it?
00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:34.079
That that that like, you know, we have we have places in the lakes, we have places in the peaks, we have places that, you know, ooze trail running and ooze trail running history here in the UK, feldrunning, I should say, in a lot of in a lot of these areas.
00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:37.280
But we don't have anything quite like that.
00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:39.519
We don't have anything quite like chamoni.
00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:46.000
I think it's because of the scale in a lot of ways, but it's also to do with the the culture and the feel and the the history.
00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:50.480
And it it it does feel amazing when you are in a place like that.
00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:54.239
That again, and it comes back to that shared experience that we spoke about before.
00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:55.760
I think it is that, isn't it?
00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.000
It's that everyone is kind of in it together.
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:02.159
In your analogy, Beth, everyone is on that sweaty bus together.
00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:10.880
But a lot of people have also experienced those amazing experiences that you will have felt in that, in that place and and on those mountains as well.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:14.159
Yeah, no, it's a really, really special place.
00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:20.400
And any trail runner, I feel like you've got to go to Chamonix at some point, because yeah, it's life-changing.
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:32.320
Okay, we looked past um Mont Blanc, which obviously we're we're not doing really, but we looked past Mont Blanc and we look towards what's after that.
00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:42.320
I know we had a conversation not too long ago, Beth, and and you said kind of like, I'm just gonna chill out a little bit, I'm gonna have a little bit of a relaxed, and then you listed off another five or six races, to be honest.
00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:45.519
And you were like, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, and I'm I'm gonna do this.
00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:47.519
Do you ever struggle to kind of hold yourself back?
00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:52.960
Do you ever struggle to put the put the brakes on a little bit, hold the reins and be like, Beth, chill.
00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:53.920
It's all right.
00:38:54.239 --> 00:38:57.039
Yeah, I think if you asked Gemma that, she'd give you that feedback.
00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:59.199
Um getting a bit too excited.
00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:05.360
And I think I've got to remember that hopefully I've got a long trail running career ahead of me and I don't need to take everything off in one year.
00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:06.639
So yeah.
00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:10.559
Um but yeah, I'm gonna be finishing the year with something that's a bit more out of my comfort zone, actually.
00:39:10.639 --> 00:39:15.119
I'm gonna be doing Valencia Marathon because my dad, he also runs, and so does my brother.
00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:18.079
And my dad suddenly, he's always said I'm never gonna do a marathon.
00:39:18.159 --> 00:39:23.119
And then last year he suddenly said, Oh, I need to do a marathon before it gets to the point that I can't run a marathon.
00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:27.360
And we've gone in the London ballot, but obviously it's impossible to get in.
00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:42.559
And me, my dad, and my brother all somehow managed to get in in the Valencia ballot, and so all three of us are gonna be doing it, which I'm actually really excited because I would like to try and get a fast, well, fast in my own terms, marathon time and see what I can do.
00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:48.480
But I think it would also be really cool for my dad and my brother to try something that is kind of my world.
00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:54.480
They they do parking every Saturday and stuff like that, but they've never really done like a an endurance event before.
00:39:54.639 --> 00:39:57.920
So yeah, I'm excited to see them get humbled, to be honest.
00:39:59.039 --> 00:40:00.559
That's evil, evil.
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:01.440
I love it.
00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:04.480
Um, I know the answer to this question because I asked it when we first met.
00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:11.760
But yeah, for people that are getting to know you a little bit better now and obviously are going to be listening to you on a bi-weekly basis on the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:13.039
Is there a dream event?
00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:15.760
Is there something that you you know you have to do?
00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.199
Yeah, UTMB.
00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:17.599
Okay.
00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:22.400
Um, don't wrong, I've got lots of dream events, but UTMB has to be the standout one.
00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:28.159
I think it's just special because the first time I watched it, it was something that I never thought I would do.
00:40:28.400 --> 00:40:35.760
And now I'm like, actually, like I am a hundred well, nearly a hundred percent certain that I will cross that vintage line one day.
00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:38.079
And I just think it's gonna be the most incredible moment.
00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:42.000
And I ran the course last year when I did Tour de Montblanc, it's the same thing.
00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:48.559
Um, but I did it over seven days, which I was kind of like, okay, wow, I'm gonna have to one day do this in one go, not over seven days.
00:40:48.719 --> 00:40:58.960
Um, but I just think it is the most incredible course, and to be able to run through three countries, but don't worry, like just in case Gemma's listening, it is on a 10-year game plan.
00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:00.239
I'm not gonna just throw in that cup.
00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:01.840
I'm gonna do that next year.
00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:03.039
Yeah, don't worry, Gemma.
00:41:03.119 --> 00:41:04.559
I'm actually going in the ballot.
00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:42.960
It's it'll be for your like for you as well, like hearing about your whole journey and your whole story from you know, the 15-year-olds that gets a bit more confidence by going out and and starting to run and go into park runs to the person that then watches the UTMB live stream every year because her her mum decides to do an ultra and you kind of find and discover it through that, to then the person that is, you know, signing up for the Alpine Run project, experiencing that, the person after who like who who now after the Alpine Run project has decided to help and continue be part of that project.
00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:53.440
Like when you do go and do that, and when I've got no doubt that you will at some point in your life, you'll look back at that whole journey, and that is gonna feel incredibly full circle, isn't it?
00:41:53.679 --> 00:42:00.480
From from that person sitting down watching UTMB on their phone to actually running the thing.
00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:04.000
I imagine that is gonna be a very emotional experience, actually, Beth.
00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:19.119
Yeah, I think it's gonna be pretty crazy, and I would absolutely love it if I like could tell Beth that couldn't even run 50 metres the length of my road that one day you well, hopefully, I'm gonna run a hundred miles through three countries with 10,000 metres elevation.
00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:21.920
I think she'd kind of be a bit bit shocked.
00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:25.039
So Yeah, I was gonna say, like, what would what would she think?
00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:32.559
Like, what what would that person that you know you said was very nervous in class that that didn't really want to put herself out there?
00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.519
What would she think?
00:42:33.599 --> 00:42:38.800
Not only like saying that you're gonna do that, but that you're gonna host the Run Through Trails podcast as well.
00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:42.239
I can't imagine that was that would be something that she would have thought she would ever do.
00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:47.599
No, literally, the fact that I used to be too scared to put my hand up at school to now doing a podcast.
00:42:47.679 --> 00:43:00.880
And I've done like I spoke at Love Trails last year and bits and bobs like that, and I'm just so passionate about getting people into the sport and like I've led community runs and all these cool things, and it's like, yeah, I actually can't believe how different my life is.
00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:06.480
And it also scares me the fact that imagine if this hadn't happened, like who would I be and what would have happened?
00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:14.239
And I'm glad that I don't have to find out what would have happened, but yeah, I that's why running's so incredible because it literally does change people's lives.
00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:30.000
And I think your your testament to that, I think sometimes we're probably all guilty of being like, oh, it's a life-changing thing, like running can change your life, but genuinely it can change your life, and I think you you're living proof, Beth, that that is that has happened.
00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:39.360
Um, and I guess when I say it's changed your life, as you correctly said, we don't know what you would be doing if you hadn't discovered running.
00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:47.679
However, I think the last X amount of time after discovering it has been incredibly positive on the most part, right?
00:43:47.760 --> 00:43:50.320
Which is which is something pretty cool to look back on.
00:43:50.559 --> 00:44:04.639
Um when we look at the list of guests, and I know you've been an avid listener for well, since the start of the Run Through Trails podcast, you've listened to every episode and you've listed a couple off already on this conversation and people that we've had on.
00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:06.719
Is there a dream guest for you?
00:44:06.880 --> 00:44:12.079
Is there somebody that you would love to speak to on the Run Through Trails podcast down the line?
00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:13.440
That is a good question.
00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:18.239
Well, it'd be really cool to interview some people after UTMB and well, any trail roast would be nice.
00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:22.320
I love listening to post-roast debriefs, so yeah, that'd be really cool.
00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.280
Um I really like Henrietta Olban.
00:44:25.519 --> 00:44:28.320
I think she's really cool, and I think she's very underrated.
00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:29.679
So maybe Henrietta.
00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:36.320
Um but yeah, there's a lot of very cool people out there, and I'm very excited to see who we get on the podcast.
00:44:36.559 --> 00:44:36.960
Amazing.
00:44:37.039 --> 00:44:39.119
Well, look, Beth, I we're really excited to have you.
00:44:39.280 --> 00:44:43.519
Thank you so much for deciding to be new host of the Run Through Trails podcast.
00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:49.119
Um, it's been amazing to get you to know you a little bit better, and I hope the audience uh has got to do that a little bit as well.
00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:54.880
And I think, like, look, we've spoken about your whole journey to the point that you're at now, and it would be silly not to ask you really.
00:44:54.960 --> 00:45:07.760
Like, if there is somebody that is listening to this and they are thinking, you know, I have kind of seen this trail running thing, and I kind of maybe would like to potentially give it a go.
00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:10.159
Like, but I'm a bit nervous.
00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:16.320
Like, what would you, what would you say to that person that is listening right now and thinking those things?
00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:22.079
I always think when I try something new, like I might regret not trying it.
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:25.760
Whereas I don't think I'll ever regret like not giving it a go.
00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:42.480
I don't think I said that in the right order, but anyway, you get the point that it's always better to try something and then think actually this isn't for me, than kind of live with the regret of not knowing what if I tried it and the what if this was actually something really cool and all these cool opportunities come from it.
00:45:42.639 --> 00:45:44.320
So I think give it a go.
00:45:44.400 --> 00:45:46.639
Like, what's the worst that can happen, you know?
00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:53.840
Um, and it's one of those things that you can try, and it's like trail running, you know, it's not actual running a lot of the time, you know.
00:45:53.920 --> 00:46:04.960
You're eating really good snacks, you're hiking up hills, you've got great views, you get to chat to great people, it's not as scary as it looks out, so yeah, I think take away the pressure and just give it a go.
00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:06.480
You never know what will happen.
