The Pyllon Ultra Pod

Pyllon Ultra Podcast. BONUS EPISODE. This isn’t the start of the next series of our shorter sprint pods. We just couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk about a pretty special run from one of our Pyllon athletes - Romy Beard. Running a West Highland Way is a big under-taking for anyone. But Romy decided to tackle the High Route, which like the trail, finishes in Fort William. It just has significantly more ascent, covers some seriously rough ground and is a navigation challenge all of its own! Romy was kind enough to share some of her adventure with Paul, and John (her coach at Pyllon). Not to be missed! :) You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon John is on instagram @johnconnolly

We are ready to wrap up this Sprint series of pods on the subject of belief and confidence. Paul and James finally get together again to chat through any thoughts and learnings from the last series. Some useful discussion including: - How James has built his confidence ahead of his race this coming weekend - How you can buy into believing more of the positive self-talk - Why self integrity is crucial - Some useful tools for building confidence If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. Pyllon is on socials as @pyllonulotra. You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com

We will shortly be recording the summary of the last series of Sprint Pods, and we'd love to hear from you, as we can then discuss any observations and comments. This is a medley of the sprint series as a reminder of what we discussed. It's all 5 episodes in one handy podcast - it's centred on confidence and identifying how and where you can sharpen up your mind so that you can train better and race more effectively. If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. You can find us @pyllonultra and can reach Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James @james_stewart13 To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com

Welcome back to the Pyllon ultra Pod. If you've listened to the last few episodes you will already be aware that we are focusing on confidence and self belief in this series of short podcasts. This is the last of the short episodes in this series. Paul takes back the mic to talk about the threats to our self-belief and why it's important to improve your own awareness so that you can better handle these threats when they come knocking. In the series finale - James and Paul will get together to spend a bit more time reviewing the series and asking some of the questions we know you have. Please feel free to get involved and send us any of your questions or observations and we'll try and cover them off in the next week. If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. Join us on instagram: @pyllonultra Join our Team Pyllon Facebook group You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 If you listened to Episode 3, there's some further reading on the Pyllon Ultra website. To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the Pyllon ultra Pod. If you've listened to the last few episodes you will already be aware that we are focusing on confidence and self belief in this series of short podcasts. In the last episode Paul cut straight to the point on positive self-talk. It's pretty easy to say to yourself you are doing great or you can run better than anyone in the race - but it's much more difficult to start to believe it! In this episode James talks less about confidence and much more about how you can get better at embracing discomfort. Q. How does the thought of discomfort feel to you? Negative Postive Neutral Your own comfort-zone isn't static. How you feel today isn't necessarily how you will feel in week's time and James compares it to an elastic. It needs to be stretched in order for it to handle a greater load. But you also can't push it too far, too quickly. Finally, James challenges you to identify where your ambitions lie and what discomfort you will have to accept and embrace. It's s super-helpful podcast workshop!! :) If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. Join us on instagram: @pyllonultra Join our Team Pyllon Facebook group You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 If you listened to Episode 2, there's some further reading on the Pyllon Ultra website. To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the Pyllon ultra Pod. If you've listened to the last few episodes you will already be aware that we are focusing on confidence and self belief in this series of short podcasts. In the last episode James talked about how our own self-talk can hold us back before we’ve even started in training, racing and our wider work and family lives. He also urged us to have some realism when setting goals if we want our self-belief to grow with our confidence. This week Paul talks about how we might start buying in to that positive self talk: How do we identify, and strengthen the right words, thoughts and feelings? Can you really choose which voices you’re going to believe in? How can past experiences help you to be more confident in the future? If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. Join us on instagram: @pyllonultra Join our Team Pyllon Facebook group You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 If you listened to Episode 1, there's some further reading on the Pyllon Ultra website. To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com In the next episode James will talk about the threats to our confidence. Thanks for listening.

Episodes are coming weekly now for the next 4-5 weeks. In Episode 2 James moves things on by talking about the importance of 'conscious' self-talk. It's another 10 minutes to get you thinking. James gives us some really great practical examples of how self-talk can make a difference in your life - whether you're a runner or not. There's a fine line between delusion, realism and negativity when it comes to how we speak to ourselves. James touches on the power of the mind and gives some really interesting examples - including the recent research into the placebo effect. How can you flip your mindset from "How can I achieve this" to "How I can achieve this is....." a subtle but important move from being defensive to actively engaging solution mode. Lots of great nuggets in this short episode. James motivates as an athlete, coach and business learning specialist - and it's clear in how he talks that he always aims high. He encourages us to do the same - be aware, be realistic, be prepared to change, commit to it, and be consistent! If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com Next week Paul will talk about believing and buying into the Self-Talk. Thanks for listening.

We are back! With belief and confidence. No, not us. The pod. Wait. We are the pod. Paul and James are masters of their own pace. It’s been a busy few months with world splitting travel but they are here with the second series of sprints. In 2022 they talked about Thought Biases across 6 episodes. This is not long form podcasting. It is 10 minutes to get you thinking. In the first episode in this series Paul gives you some things to chew on when it comes to confidence over belief. He asks you not to shy away from negative thoughts but also to recognise the differences between confidence and belief. He tells you how your anxieties and nerves are just the same as the best in the business, be it life, work or running. There’s also some chat on sources of confidence to help you build that critical mind muscle and an action for you to ponder on in this first episode. It’s short but impactful. Like 800 metre repeats on a cold, dreary morning. If you liked the pod give us a 5* review below and drop us a line. The best feedback is hearing from you. We love to get your insight as to what the episodes and sprints spark in you. You can get Paul on @pyllon on all social media platforms and James is on Twitter @james_stewart13 To find out more about the support and coaching Pyllon offers go to www.pyllonultra.com Next week James will move the subject onto Self-Talk and explore how to make use of this tool in your armoury.

Pyllon Ultra Podcast. An Endeavour 192 Special BONUS EPISODE. PYLLON ENDEAVOUR 192 - THE WHY Ultra running has enriched our lives in so many ways and we hoped that more people might get involved in the sport or at least better understand our purpose. In the following years, Endeavour continued, with our boldest event being our Scottish National Trail FKT - with the team running continuously across the country for 5 days, in winter. We tackled some of Scotland’s toughest terrain, and even now, still feel the fear of running in some of those areas! The hardship was worthwhile. We connected with the whole ultra community in Scotland and beyond, and had many conversations about mental health - conversations that would never have happened. Since our first Endeavour we also raised over £35,000 for SAMH. This November, Pyllon Endeavour will return! And we are going back to where it all started. The West Highland Way. We’ll run from Milngavie, to Fort William and back home again - some 192 miles. This is your chance to hear about the project and why we're so passionate about it. If you want to support us, please: FOLLOW: We will have live GPS trackers when we start and it will be with us throughout the challenge. You will also be able to follow our live updates on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook on the @PyllonUltra and @Pyllon accounts. Please follow for updates. SUPPORT: It’s a challenging event to organise and support - so we’d really welcome any support out on the course during the event. Please get in touch if there’s any way you can help! Contact us SHARE: We are trying to reach as many people as possible, and we’d love to get #PyllonEndeavour trending, so please help us out by sharing, retweeting, following and commenting! DONATE: We are raising funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) for the vital research they do into heart and circulatory diseases. The BHF are working towards preventing these conditions from developing and helping those with existing conditions to have better, longer lives. We all know someone who’s life has been cut short - and the important role exercise plays in health and longevity. If you can spare any money please show your support by making a donation. MOVE: Exercise has so many positive effects and if more of us had the time, support and encouragement to make it an essential part of everyday life, we’d live happier and healthier lives. We hope that our own endurance efforts will encourage other people to get outside and walk / run more. You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon

Pyllon Ultra Podcast. A Badwater Special with Pyllon Coach - Debbie Consani. BONUS EPISODE. This isn’t as you likely expected the start of the next series of our shorter sprint pods. We just couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk about another one of the iconic American ultra races - (Badwater) and to one of the most accomplished, consistent and 'hard as nails' long distance ultra runners in the UK - Pyllon Coach: Debbie Consani. Badwater’s claim is that it’s the “World’s Toughest Foot Race”. That’s obviously up for debate so we take the chance to ask Debbie just how challenging she found it, having already raced some of the other toughest races in the world. Badwater covers 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, California. The race starts in Badwater Basin, Death Valley, which also marks the lowest elevation in North America at over 85m below sea level. The race runs through Death Valley and some of the most extreme temperatures and it then finishes at the trailhead of Whitney Portal which sits at 2500m. So, from the lowest point in the US to the foot of the highest point - Mt. Whitney. Debbie didn't have the easiest peak training cycle due to a shocking family accident and she opened up about it all - really putting everything in context. The whole Consani family had to pull together and make some difficult decisions. Debbie kindly shared how they dealt with the blow and took the right steps to ensure the family unit remained the priority. Debbie and James will be leading the 1-day Run with Pyllon training event, where athletes will learn how to race better and run longer from some of the best in the business. Check out http://www.pyllonultra.com/run-with-pyllon for more details or contact us at the socials below. You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

Pyllon Ultra Podcast. A WS100 Special with Pyllon Coach - John Connolly. BONUS EPISODE. Before we launch into a new Sprint Pod series we took the chance to hear more about this year's Western States 100 race, as Pyllon Coach John Connolly found himself on a mission to reach Auburn, California. John has crewed for Pyllon's very own Paul Giblin 3 x times at Western States and it was a dream come true for John to secure a spot on the most coveted start-line in ultra running. In this episode James asks all the questions you've dying to ask (and others you hadn't even thought of), as the roles were reversed with John racing and Paul crewing. John gave a really open and honest account of his difficult 100-mile history and then how he tackled the oldest and most prestigious 100-miler in the world. And, at the end you get to hear about the 1-day Run with Pyllon training event, where athletes will learn how to race better and run longer from some of the best in the business - Debbie Consani and James Stewart. Check out http://www.pyllonultra.com/run-with-pyllon for more details or contact us at the socials below. You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 ****There is some swearing in this episode (it is John Connolly after all)****

Series finale already. They've been Sprints up until this point and in this episode Paul and James get together to talk in-depth about 'thought biases'. We have covered a lot already in a short space of time, and you can catch up now on all episodes. After the 5 thoughts biases we covered across the Sprints series we promised to do a longer episode where we would chat through in more detail how these distortions affect us, and using some of your feedback - how they affect you too. So learning from each other and hopefully germinating some new ways to tackle the daily challenges that we all face. In this episode Paul and James talk about: Self-awareness - how it's the backbone of understanding Mind-reading and egotism generalisation How to use a new understanding to improve relationships and help other people Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to this episode. If you like what you hear rate it, share it and use it. We’d be blessed to hear from you too and especially in how these pods are useful to you. You can get us in many a place and your feedback will influence our future direction. So please reach out on social media @pyllonultra You can connect with Paul on Twitter and Instagram @pyllon James is on Insta as @jamesstewart13 or Twitter as @james_Stewart13 You can find out more about our mission to create more athletes on the website: at www.pyllonultra.com We have also created a new #TeamPyllon Facebook Group. See you there! Peace.

Hey hey! It is Sprint 5 of our latest series. The overarching topic is 'thought biases' and we finish this off with "All-or-Nothing" thinking. We have covered a lot already in a short space of time, so you can catch up now on all episodes in under 50 mins! In this sprint episode Paul will talk about: What all-or-nothing thinking is Where you'll spot it Why it is harmful How to make positive changes Get involved and be part of the next episode In simple terms all or nothing thinking refers to thinking in extremes. What you do is either a success or a failure. If you don't hit perfection then it's a complete disaster. You missed a run, or didn't stick to your diet over the weekend and it's like the end of the world - any good work before that is entirely un-done. Do you recognise any of those feelings? Well, listen up! These podcasts are intended to be resources you can go back to over and over again. We are keeping them short with the aim of sparking thoughts and actions that you can immediately put in place. If you like what you hear rate it, share it and use it. We’d be blessed to hear from you too and especially in how these pods are useful to you. You can get us in many a place and your feedback will influence our future direction. So please reach out on social media @pyllonultra You can connect with Paul on Twitter and Instagram @pyllon James is on Insta as @jamesstewart13 or Twitter as @james_Stewart13 You can find out more about our mission to create more athletes on the website: at www.pyllonultra.com Peace.

Well, hello! It is episode 4 of our 5 sprints. The overarching topic is thought biases and we explore MUSTS AND SHOULDS in this one. We are back to James chatting this one through. So, buckle up and listen to under 10 mins of thoughts on the subject. In this sprint episode James will talk about: The binary nature of the thinking How to recognise it What it looks like Strategies for managing This is a gnarly topic at times. We are all prone to this kind of thinking. It is human nature amplified by societal pressure. Have a listen and take time to think about it in your context. These podcasts are intended to be resources you can go back to over and over again. We are keeping the short with the aim of sparking thoughts and actions that you can immediately put in place. If you like what you hear rate it, share it and use it. We’d be blessed to hear from you too. You can get us in many a place and your feedback will influence our future direction. So please reach out. You can connect with Paul on Twitter and Instagram @pyllon James is on Insta as @jamesstewart13 or Twitter as @james_Stewart13 And the Pyllon Ultra is about on them platforms as @pyllonultra and you can find out more about our mission to create more athletes on the website at www.pyllonultra.com Peace and Love.

Hey hey! It is Sprint 3 of our latest series. The overarching topic is 'thought biases' and Paul talks about egocentric thinking in this one. We have covered a lot already in a short space of time, so check out the first few episodes after this. In this sprint episode Paul will talk about: What egocentric thinking is Some examples in your life Why it matters to recognise it How you can reduce its impact We are all guilty of getting caught up in our 'own world' thinking, and fail to consider that not everyone holds the same values, rules and beliefs as we do. It's egocentric thinking, and a thought bias to be very aware of. Listen in and let us know how egocentric thinking has affected you. These podcasts are intended to be resources you can go back to over and over again. We are keeping them short with the aim of sparking thoughts and actions that you can immediately put in place. If you like what you hear rate it, share it and use it. We’d be blessed to hear from you too and especially in how these pods are useful to you. You can get us in many a place and your feedback will influence our future direction. So please reach out. You can connect with Paul on Twitter and Instagram @pyllon James is on Insta as @jamesstewart13 or Twitter as @james_Stewart13 And the Pyllon Ultra is about on them platforms as @pyllonultra and you can find out more about our mission to create more athletes on the website atwww.pyllonultra.com Peace.

Hey hey! It is sprint 2 of our 5 sprint series. The overarching topic is 'thought biases' and we explore overgeneralisation in this one. Although James does describe it as having a Z for our American viewers. And it is James taking the baton from Paul this week. In this sprint episode James will talk about: What overgeneralisation is How it shows up How to recognise it Strategies for dealing with it We can overgeneralise up and downs and they can be equally impactful. Listen in and take some time to reflect on what it may mean to you. These podcasts are intended to be resources you can go back to over and over again. We are keeping them short with the aim of sparking thoughts and actions that you can immediately put in place. If you like what you hear rate it, share it and use it. We’d be blessed to hear from you too and especially in how these pods are useful to you. You can get us in many a place and your feedback will influence our future direction. So please reach out. You can connect with Paul on Twitter and Instagram @pyllon James is on Insta as @jamesstewart13 or Twitter as @james_Stewart13 And the Pyllon Ultra is about on them platforms as @pyllonultra and you can find out more about our mission to create more athletes on the website atwww.pyllonultra.com Love to you all.

Yo! We are back with a new series. This is the first of our bite-sized Sprint pods - where we talk about a specific topic related to the theme of the series - and we do that in under 10 mins. There will be 5 Sprints and a longer Ultra pod after that. We are going to talk about thought biases over the next few weeks. We have 5 to talk about. James and I will split these between us and then get together on week 6 and discuss in more detail how these can help us to be better and live better lives. First up is 'Mind Reading'. Paul will cover: What it means and why we do it How to recognise it How it affects us And some thoughts on how to spot it James will be talking next about "Over Generalisation." Please give us a shout on social media if you’re enjoying these conversations. It helps a lot to keep us motivated do more. And it helps to shape the content plans for future episodes. All episodes of the Pyllon Ultra pod are available now. Let us know what you think! You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

This is not a full episode, as we’ve decided to do things a little differently for the next series and beyond. This is just an update on what we are planning to do and hopefully you’ll join us for this next series. We will create a theme for the series, and we’ll do 5 x short and sharp episodes on a particular topic. So, it’ll either be me or James talking about something useful or challenging to you in less than 10 minutes. And we'll publish these weekly. Each topic will build towards a longer conversation that we’ll have on week 6, where we have the chance to debate and expand on the topics we covered in the short sprint-pods. We hope that by distilling the content these snap-shots will provide some really useful thinking and actions in just 10 minutes or less of listening time. So, the first series we are going to talk about thought biases and hopefully illustrate potential positive outcomes with just a little bit more awareness and applying some effort and thinking. Please give us a shout on social media if you’re enjoying these conversations. It helps a lot to keep us motivated do more. And it helps to shape the content plans for future episodes. All episodes of the Pyllon Ultra pod are available now. Let us know what you think! You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

Happy New Year! Time to get moving with your training. But how do you make the most of winter and set yourself up for a great Spring and Summer season? We thought you’d maybe heard enough of just James and I, so we invited someone to join us for this discussion. Someone who is well versed in training and racing through winter - Debbie Consani. Debbie is currently training for the Spine race which she’ll be tackling again for the second time, so knows a thing or two about maintaining momentum in training when it’s more difficult to get out there and train with bad weather, limited daylight and trails that aren’t half as fun as they are in summertime. Debbie recently joined the Pyllon Coaching team too and has a few spaces for athletes! Please give us a shout on social media if you’re enjoying these conversations. It helps a lot to keep us motivated do more. And it helps to shape the content plans for future episodes. All episodes of the Pyllon Ultra pod are available now. Let us know what you think! You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 Debbie can be found @ultrarundmc

We continue where we left off in Episode 1 Series 4 of the Pyllon Ultra Pod. Listen to that first if you like. What do you do next when you know what you want to achieve? How do you best manage the initial spark and burst of energy that always comes when you initially take on a new challenge - and how could you think about harnessing that energy to take you all the way, rather than get fed up at the first sign of trouble on your journey? Paul and James discuss, and as often happens - it only raises more questions. Some real practical advice too if you are trying to get organised to start training for your next race. Please give us a shout on social media if you’re enjoying these conversations. It helps a lot to keep us motivated do more. And it helps to shape the content plans for future episodes. All episodes of the Pyllon Ultra pod are available now. Let us know what you think! You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

We are kicking off Series 4 of the Pyllon Ultra Pod. We’re back again. We have some new things to talk about, and maybe some older topics that we’ll revisit as things have moved on, situations have changed and we are different people than we were back in early 2020. This last quarter of the year has been a busy time for both of us. It's been challenging on all fronts, but we've managed to find some time to plan some topics and get on the mics! We thought we would kick off with a conversation about desires as we start to look ahead to a new season of racing and adventures. James thinks desires are necessary in order to be motivated enough to take action and I sit somewhere on the other side, arguing that desires can be more of an obstacle to success. So, here’s the next episode of the Pyllon Ultra pod. Let us know what you think! You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

Pyllon Ultra Podcast. An End2End Trail Special with Paul Giblin. WE ARE BACK. It has been too long. We know that and hope you do too. Paul and James get chatting 1-2-1 in this special episode on Paul's E2E trail endeavour. For those who don't know, Paul ran LEJOG and being Paul, he decided to increase the difficulty by doing it all on trail. That meant it came in at over 51,000m of climbing and nearly 400 miles longer than the traditional route. Take the hardest end to end route in the UK and make it tougher. Paul answers James's questions as they explore the aftermath, the planning and the overall experience. We get to hear about Paul's gratitude for those who joined him and crewed him. Paul reflects on the tough moments and the best parts too. This is the first time Paul has spoken about the experience and it is clear he is still processing much of the learning and outcomes. It is a fascinating listen. Wrap your head around the magnitude of this undertaking and listen to Paul tell you all about it. And, at the end you get to hear about the new coaching product coming from us at Pyllon Coaching, the new and exciting Pyllon TRAX. Check out http://www.pyllonultra.com/coaching for more details or contact us at the socials below. You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

A special podcast this week. James chats to Paul about his first week on the end to end trail from the luxury of a Travelodge near Bristol. The end to end trail is a challenge to run from Lands End to John O'Groats. But in a twist from the usual fastest / straightest route, Paul has chosen to do it all on trail. Which adds 50% more distance and enough additional vert to fill a Himalayan mountain range. It's has been quite the week and we hear from Paul about landowners, long paths, nettles and the generosity of people in the running community. The scale of the challenge is becoming clear, and Paul talks about how he is approaching his days and the gratitude he feels for his crew mate. If you want to hear about nettles, hidden styles and the rising and falling of meandering trails, drop in. You can read more about the end to end trail here: http://www.pyllonultra.com/end2end-trail

Regular listeners will know that we often steer an impulsive path on this podcast. It’s about running, by runners but for more than runners. And this week Paul and James got into a conversation about purpose, goals and motivation. There was some deep digging done on questions such as, “did I choose this life?” and “Why I am doing this?” Also always with the Pylon Ultra podcast we really want athletes and listeners to take time think about the learning we as hosts are going through alongside our listeners and in this podcast you will hear both Paul and James drop a couple of ‘a ha’ moments and realisation lands on how they feel about their journey to now. They tackle the contradiction of winning and records against ego and identity. Are they in harmony, do they need to be? And what does a future look like where self, goals and ambition is wrapped up in the underlying theme of this episode; the distinction between self-awareness, intelligence and wisdom. Be wise, listen to this podcast. It may just make you more intelligent. Or maybe not. You can connect with the Pyllon Ultra team on twitter and instagram @pyllonultra or check out the website at www.pyllonultra.com Paul is on Twitter and instagram @Pyllon James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

Straight outta lockdown Paul Giblin and Graham Connolly decided to take on the Cape Wrath trail. Their aim was simply to run it in under four days. If you don’t know what the Cape Wrath trail is like, it’s wild, barren and unmarked. As well as loose lines that can’t be called trail in the more common sense of the word, it is boggy, laden with river crossings and goes up and down many a hill and glen. At close to 240 miles and 40,000 ft of climbing, it is a gruelling physical and mental undertaking. In this special Pyllon Ultra Podcast, we change tact and instead of the usual conversation between James and Paul we bring you Graham, Paul and crew member Gavin Bussey together to talk about their reflections on the FKT. There’s talk of ticks, awful feet, a fantastic feat, what it is like to crew, what they learned, why they did it, the planning (or lack of), doing the blog on the way up and how close it was and how they pushed to try and beat the 4 day target to set a fantastic new FKT on Scotland’s most brutal and remote trail. This is an honest to goodness chat. This is not all sunshine and lollipops. There’s a massive sense of achievement but also a true level of reflection of the value and the why they did it, what comes next and how things have been since the four day meander across the trail. It’s a stirring and brilliant conversation. Give it a listen. You can catch the team on the socials as usual @pyllonultra, Paul @pyllon on insta and twitter, James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter, Graham is @grahamojoe and Gavin is @pseudo_henrix both at insta too. And, we’d heartily recommend you have a look at @ultrarunbob on Insta as he was crewing too and has some amazing videos and images of the trail and attempt. Visit the website to find out more about Pyllon Coaching

DOING THE INTERNAL WORK! In the last episode of this series we talked at length about cognitive biases, how and why we might be conditioned without really being aware of it, and how these gaps in our awareness can hold us back. So, in this episode we talk more about self awareness and how any kind of introspection may help or hinder our development. We already talked about how some of our beliefs in the external world are flawed so how can we be sure that what we think we want, is a route to happiness or at the very least in our own self interests? As always, we are not claiming to be experts in these fields - but we are willing and keen to share some views and debate the relevance and usefulness , and to learn from each other through some honest conversations and hopefully with some feedback and engagement from you the listener. Our aim as always is to make improvements where we need to - as we do in our running and with the athletes we coach and hopefully to trigger something in you to do the same. Thanks for listening! Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter. And there's new Pyllon social media accounts @pyllonultra for the latest updates on Coaching, Racing, Events and Podcasts

Now it is time for Paul and James to go deeper into the subjects they promised at the Series 3 kick-off. This one will be very different from series 2. There are no guests - it is just the two of them discussing a range of matters relating to the growth of self. In this episode Paul is curious to explore cognitive dissonance and the Dunning-Kruger effect and how it can show up for athletes in training and life. He also introduces the idea of a listening gap to James which throws out some interesting ideas for both. And Paul reminds James of his sometimes impulsive behaviour too. The aim here is learning and growth. So, neither will claim to be experts and neither will claim to know everything. The exploration of these subjects is to help you, the listener, live the ultra life by prompting thinking, reflections and hopefully some new questions and behaviours that help you get closer to your ambitions in life and running. We are in the midst of organising our first Pyllon race - coming 24th April 2021. You can take part from anywhere. We hope you'll join us and test your limits in our unique race event. You can find out more at www.pyllonultra.com/exposure Thanks for listening! Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter. And there's new Pyllon social media accounts @pyllonultra for the latest updates on Coaching, Racing, Events and Podcasts

We are kicking off a new series of the podcast. As we said in the last episode, we want to make the most of the time that we put into these episodes by talking at length about some of the areas in training and life that aren’t discussed as often or in any great detail as things like running workout sessions, race updates and how best to train for a particular distance. So in that vein we are planning to discuss creativity, our own thought patterns, diversity of thinking, collaboration and what we think we know vs what we actually know. We’ll try and bring this back around into how it affects our running lives and how it might help us to perform better whilst finding more satisfaction and joy along the way. We are in the midst of organising our first Pyllon race - coming 24th April 2021. You can take part from anywhere. We hope you'll join us and test your limits in our unique race event. You can find out more at www.pyllonultra.com/exposure Thanks for listening! Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter. And there's new Pyllon social media accounts @pyllonultra for the latest updates on Coaching, Racing, Events and Podcasts

Paul and James catch up on the second lockdown, running 1,000 miles in a week and the new Pyllon Exposure race It's been a couple of months since we last recorded. We recorded this bonus episode as we get close to Spring and remain in lockdown. We chat about how this has affected us and our athletes, we pick through the learnings from our recent Endeavour project where the racing team ran 1,000 miles in just a week, and James asks Paul about why he felt now was a good time to launch the first Pyllon race (EXPOSURE) and how he thinks it will be any different from all the others. You can find out more about that at www.pyllonultra.com/exposure Thanks for listening! Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter. And there's new Pyllon social media accounts @pyllonultra for the latest updates on Coaching, Racing, Events and Podcasts

Paul and James talk about what they learned speaking to some of the best athletes in the world It's been a couple of months since we last recorded. This episode (the final of the series), we get back to our one to one conversations. In the last 5 episodes it was great to speak to such accomplished athletes and try to get under the skin of what makes them tick and the story that underlies everyone's desire for success. In the end they were all very different - their motivations and reasons for committing to what is quite a difficult life was more varied than we expected. So how can those conversations help? Are there things we can learn from the professional approach of the elite athlete? Is an amateur mindset holding us all back? We finish up this series with a short conversation about what we have been been doing, how the pandemic continues to affect our lives and what we learned from talking to some of the Pro Compressport Team. In this show: - Paul talks about the two different types of athlete - We discuss the concept of "Doing what you love" and "Loving what you do" - James asks about how to change your success measures - We chat about the attributes of athletes who have flourished in lockdown - Paul finishes with a message about tolerance through tense times This interview is the last of series 2. Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter.

An interview with Elite athlete - David Hauss It's been a few weeks since we recorded. But this show's guest is a world class athlete. David Hauss finished 4th at the 2012 London Olympics in the triathlon, narrowly missing out on a medal to Gomez and the Brownlees. Now, 8 years on, David is focused on a future in ultrarunning and has some BIG race targets. Hailing from the island of Reunion, David has an eye on winning the Diagonale des Fous after a successful first tilt where he came 6th in 2019. In this show David tells us: - How he got into triathlon - The decision by the French federation which led him to look to nature for his exercise kicks after being left out of the Rio 2016 team - How he has journeyed into ultras via a couple of very good results in Reunion - What races he has ambitions for - And whether an Olympic medal or winning Diagonale would be bigger for him And you may be surprised at the answer to that last one. This interview is the last in our Compressport series. We are grateful to Compressport for the support. Please like, share and subscribe if you enjoy the show. And if you want to connect with us you can get Paul at his handle @pyllon on most social media outlets. James is @james_stewart13 on Twitter.

Pyllon Ultra Pod, Series 2 Episode 4 Show Notes Episode 4: Running is My Religion There are few runners in the world as tough and as accomplished as the Lithuanian legend Gediminas Grinius. The former UTWT world champion, TransGrancanaria winner, Wasatch 100 winner and all round ultra running super-star joins Paul and James in an explosively open chat on a range of subjects: • His route to running as a way to deal with his PTSD from his military tours in Iraq • Hearing an average of two bombs per day land within a few KMs of their base every day for 6 months • Fighting his way to the top of mountain running from a flat country • The importance of his family in his career • And how running is everything that helps balance his incredible outlook on life To find out more about this week’s guest and to follow his career you can catch up with him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GriniusGediminas/ You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as @jamesstewart13. To check out the latest Compressport kit, visit the website. LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Last time round we spoke with the awesome Aussie Mel Hauschildt. To hear how she become a Commonwealth medal winning steeplechaser and Ironman World Champ hit us up here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Find out more at http://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Episode 3: Maximising performance We go to the other side of the world, in a virtual sense of course this week as Paul and James get down to chatting with the incredible 3x triathlon world champion and Commonwealth Games steeplechase medalist Melissa Hauschildt, who joined us with her 6 month old daughter Dakota for a chat on: • Her career to date and its impressive longevity • How she balances life and training • Being a new mum with world level performance ambitions • Not stressing about what you can’t do but maximising the opportunities you have • Ironman racing strategy • How Mel organises her training around family and other commitments To find out more about Mel and her remarkable career you can start here at her website: http://www.melissahauschildt.com/ ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as @jamesstewart13. To check out the latest Compressport kit, visit the website. LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, S2: Episode 2 with Frederik Van Lierde is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136#episodeGuid=pyllonultra.podbean.com%2Fe7022816-9714-5ee8-8174-fbf2ce2d1775 Find out more at http://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Pyllon Series 2 Episode 2: Frederick van Lierde, belief is earned and goes a long way In partnership with Compressport, Series 2 continues with an interview with former Ironman World Champion, Brilliant Belgian - Frederik van Lierde. Frederik has had a stellar career with over 23 years competing at the top level in triathlon and Ironman events. He’s won Nice 5 times and has competed 11 times at Kona and is a former champion at the bluest of blue riband events in the sport. In this conversation with Paul and James, Frederik talks about his training, bouncing back after a vicious attack in South Africa in 2017, the message in his headgear that propelled him to world championship glory and his plans beyond the end of 2020 as he brings down the curtain in one of the most glittering careers in the 3 discipline game. This is a fascinating insight into a Triathlon Great, with many nuggets for listeners of every level - triathlete, runner or just looking to be the best version of yourself . Supported by Compressport, who design the very best technical performance clothing for runners and multi-sport athletes. ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as @jamesstewart13. To check out the latest Compressport kit, visit the website. LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, S2: Episode 1 with Mike Wardian is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136?i=1000478586308 Find out more at http://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Series 2 Episode 1, with Compressport: 'Find your why' with ultra runner Mike Wardian Well, that escalated quickly. Series 2 of the Pyllon Ultra Pod has kicked off and we have a couple of big changes to announce. Our good friends at Compressport will be supporting this series and we will be joined by some of the biggest names in endurance sports. Episode 1 starts with a bang as the effusive and indefatigable Mike Wardian joins Paul and James to talk about his mindset, his approach to training and racing and just how he keeps his positivity and energy going at seemingly superhuman levels. We hear Mike talk about some of his novel FKT attempts during lockdown, swinging from Quarantine Backyard Ultra to a 5k racing series almost daily, what drives him day-to-day, and his upcoming plans. Meanwhile, James plants the 24-hour seed whilst Mike talks of his desire to do the West Highland Way race one day. The range of chat is vast and Mike is a generous guest who is one of the true icons of ultra-running. This is a must listen. You cannot fail to be inspired by hearing from someone who has been steeped in the sport at the sharp end for so long. It was a pleasure to have him on board to kick off series 2 of the Pyllon Ultra Podcast - supported by Compressport, who design the very best technical performance clothing for runners and multi-sport athletes. ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13. Mike is also on social as @mikewardian and is a fascinating follow! To check out the latest Compressport kit, visit the website. LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, S1: Episode 7 is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136 Find out more at http://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Pyllon UP Episode 7: A retrospective with a great guest That is it done. Series 1 is over and we end on a high being joined by the incredible Kaz Williams to reflect on the previous 6 episodes in the series. Kaz is a brilliant athlete and accomplished coach. She brings with her alternative views on some of our past subjects and we go deep into conversations about mindset and adapting mid race to turn DNF into podiums. In this special show we talk about: • What Kaz has learnt about herself in lockdown • How she handled training in Chamonix where restrictions were very tight • The power of the mind in overcoming challenges • Why Goggins really chimes with Kaz • Where Kaz sits on the Hope v Optimism debate from last time round It was a true honour having Kaz on board today as our first guest. A fitting way to close out series 1. ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, Episode 6 is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136 Find out more at http://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Pyllon Ultra Pod: BONUS EPISODE We take a step back and have a conversation about what we have learned from the last 6 episodes of the podcast and about the direction we'd like to take next----more---- We hit, in no particular order: • 3 x things we've learned from our podcast • That it's ok for opinions to evolve • How we want the pod to be more than just a broadcast channel • How we will finish up the 1st series of the podcast ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, Episode 6 is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136 Find out more athttp://www.pyllonultra.com/podcast

Pyllon Episode 6: Where there is hope there is optimism. Or is there? After last week’s chat on adventures Paul and James had a lightbulb moment when debating what subject to discuss next. The energy and positivity we have seen from the Pyllon and running communities really buoyed us after last week’s show was inspiring. So, this week we jump into the brilliant and wonderful subject of optimism.----more---- We hit, in no particular order: • How to build optimism • The importance of it as an emotional trait • What we see as the big differences between hope and optimism • Our own experiences of how optimism helped and hindered • Whether hope is more destructive than helpful • And Paul talks musical tastes ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, Episode 5 is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136

Pyllon Ultra Pod, Episode 5 Show Notes Episode 5: The epicness and fun of planning your own running adventure This Episode, Paul and James change the subject to adventures and experiences. More and more runners are looking to new and innovative ways to bring some excitement to their running. As ultra runners we are used to pushing limits and we discuss a myriad of things for you to think about as you plan your own endeavour.----more---- Some of the discussion points in this week’s episode are: • Risk appetite and understanding that • Stepping out of your comfort zone and avoiding the panic zone • What excites us in an adventure • Things to consider when planning something epic • Training and peaking for a personal endeavour and why it is important to do so • And James’s go-to album for running ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Our previous podcast, Pt. 3 of Adaptability is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136 Paul’s own winter adventure, On the Edge https://youtu.be/u3htxSoY8XE

Pyllon Ultra Pod, Episode 4 Show Notes Episode 4: Adaptability Part 3 It was never intended that adaptability would be a 3-part series, yet the conversation and community engagement has brought us to a 3rd and final chat on the theme. This time we look to the future and our evolving identities as athletes and humans.----more---- So, the items in this week’s episode are: • What does the future look like from an athlete identity point of view • The danger of badging ourselves with limiting identities • Perspective and owning it for your own good • The changing face of racing, will we ever fly again to compete • Evolving quicker from racing to seeking experiences • Community questions on training for very different races and balancing these and coaching philosophy • And in ambush time, what food can you never eat again after a mid race stomach rebound?----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 ----more---- LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT You can listen to episode two, and part one of Adaptability here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136?i=1000472359849

Pyllon Ultra Pod, Episode 3 Show Notes Episode 3: Adaptability Part 2 It’s Part 2 of Paul and James’s chat on adaptability. This time it’s Paul’s turn to be quizzed and the conversation moves around his running and coaching life. There’s more backstory than a Tarantino thriller and Paul opens up on his fears and hopes as he stepped out of the corporate comfort zone and into the risky world of his own running business and the gulp the first month with no salary felt like. In this week’s the pair discuss: • Paul’s life in 2014 and what led to his leap into coaching • How his life up to the point had helped give him the tools to make the step • The part being adaptable played • Why being passionate about what you are doing is critical to success • What it was like to win races like West Highland Way and run for GB during this period • A bit on Paul’s epic battle with Robbie at 2014 West Highland Way • How Paul’s Compressport insta takeover was a bit White Stripes • Competition winners announced, bad puns and all • Paul ambushes James, again You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT You can listen to Episode 2, and part one of Adaptability here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pyllon-ultra-pod/id1506803136 Sammy Wanjiru’s epic 2010 Chicago marathon win is here: https://youtu.be/ZFPhCJ4IKeE

Episode 2: When imposed limitations can become an advantage It’s episode number 2. We survived the trauma of putting the first one out there! Paul Giblin, Pyllon Coaching’s founder and owner, talks with long time coached athlete and GB 24 hour runner James Stewart on adaptability and how important it is a trait in runners. ----more---- These shows are about the ultra life but not only relevant to this great sport. The hope is you can take as much from this into your day to day as you can on your long runs on the trails. In this show the pair discuss: • How important is adaptability as a trait and to a team • How to identify it when speaking to athletes • Emotional intelligence and the part it plays • Where it ranks against other skills • The validity of mental toughness as a catch all statement for runners to work on • How James had to adapt his race plan at the 2018 European championships • Paul’s own adaptability experience and how it can be developed • The story of jazz pianist who adapted to create a work of art in the genre ----more---- COMMUNITY QUESTION: Kevin Banks asks about the fear of failure and the duo’s reflections on it. LISTEN, WATCH AND READ BONUS CONTENT Listen to episode one: ----more---- You can watch Keith Jarrett’s famous Koln concert here: https://youtu.be/1FqH9mtxJnQ And to find out more about Dave Alred you can visit his site at https://davealred.com/ Here is the link to Paul’s video about The Barkley Marathons from 2019. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel if you’d like to see more. ----more---- You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13

Paul Giblin, Pyllon Coaching’s founder and owner, talks with long time coached athlete and GB 24 hour runner James Stewart on taking advantage of chaos and the mindset needed to do that. This is the first show in a new series of podcasts on how each of the hosts strive to live their own ultra lives through running. They'll discuss the sport they love, the people, the places, the culture and the training that makes up their endurance running lives. In this show the pair discuss: • Why this podcast and why now, and the vulnerability it brings • How growth mindset is key to maintaining motivation and momentum • The power of optimism • How curiosity makes belief come to life • Paul’s reflections on a tough start to the year and the cancellation of Barkley Marathons • Advice on dealing with restrictions in time and space to train • The importance of routine and communication • Paul’s hopes for the future in the midst of the current challenges COMMUNITY CORNER: The honour of the first listener question goes to Robbie Drummond who reflects on the value of rest days; Paul and James don’t necessarily agree. You can connect with Paul on Twitter @Pyllon or instagram @Pyllon. James is on Twitter too, @james_stewart13 and on instagram as plain old @jamesstewart13 Find out more about the Podcast and Pyllon Ultra: Coaching, Racing and Events