Talk Ultra

Episode 257 dives deep into the remarkable journey of Yngvild Kaspersen, fresh off her commanding 2026 CCC victory — a pacing masterclass that made her the first woman ever to win the race twice.
We rewind to 2015, exploring her beginnings in skyrunning, the technical foundations that shaped her style, and the early promise that hinted at greatness. Yngvild opens up about balancing medical studies with elite racing, and the long‑standing question of identity: doctor who runs, or runner who is a doctor.
We revisit her post‑Covid struggles, the breakthrough CCC win in 2023, and her emotional chapter at Western States. Then we break down her flawless 2026 performance — patience, precision, and a late‑race surge that defined the week.
Finally, we look ahead: Western States 2027, UTMB 2028, and the next evolution of one of mountain running's most intelligent competitors.
A decade of growth. A champion at her peak. A conversation not to miss.

In 2027, The Montane Lakeland 100 and Montanke Laklend 50 events will celebrate 20-years.
An event that started with just 60 people has grown to an over subscribed sell out event that celebrates all that is good about running.
Grounded in tradition and community - Montane Lakeland 100/ 50 is something very special in the ever growing and commercial landscape of ultra, trail and mountain running.
I catch up with the Lakeland race director, Marc Laithwaite to discuss a very special event in the UK run scene.

Early in 2026, Shane Ohly made an announcement that Ourea Events would cease trading.
With events such as The Dragons Backk Race, Cape Wrath Ultra, Northern Traverse and Skyline Scotland, this news was a bombshell to the UK and worldwide run scene.
The dust has settled and while Ourea Events will not emerge from the ashes, the future of Dragons Back and Northern Traverse has been secured by Ultra-X, and Skyline Scotland will be saved by UTMB. The Cape Wrath Ultra will disappear, but a new event, WRATH (by the SPINE team) will see a non-stop race in 2027.
I catch up with Shane and discuss what has been a very difficult time.

Amy is a world-renowned author who in 2022 toed the line of the iconic Marathon des Sables.
The race planted seeds for a story, one of ultra-running and mystery. In June 2025, 'RUNNER 13' was released.

Amy joins the podcast to discuss the book and her MDS story.
 
 
Runner 13 is a thriller that drops readers straight into a deadly stage race across the Sahara, echoing the notorious Marathon des Sables in Morocco. McCulloch's own experience running that event shapes every detail - the brutal desert landscape, the psychological toll, and the obsession with endurance that defines the sport. The story follows Adrienne, a once-great ultrarunner forced back into competition, and Stella, daughter of the race's manipulative director, Boones. His events, modelled on real-world extreme events, they aren't designed to be won, but to break runners. Central to the mystery is Runner 13, a symbol of both glory and doom. Told in sharp, cliff-hanging chapters that jump between present and past, the novel feels like Agatha Christie transplanted to the Sahara: a brutal race where survival, not victory, is the prize, and where Morocco's desert becomes both the setting and the trap.

From Lockdown Laps to FKT's
Lydia started running during lockdown whist living in the UK. From very slow 2km runs, Lydia soon progressed to creating her own approach to running and ultra. She did road marathons, but did them different, failed at her first ultra, but then something clicked...

• The Speed Project solo in the USA – 500km in 5 days.
• Oman Desert Marathon – done.
•FKT across 650km of the Camino de Santiago in Portugal – done.

Now she lines up at OCC during UTMB week and follows up with her own fundraising project in the UK.
2026? she's coming to Costa Rica to face heat, jungle, mountains, and coastline of The Coastal Challenge