Centurion Running Podcast

An in-depth look at all the likely leading contenders for the overall positions at this years South Downs Way 100 and South Downs Way 50km - with James Elson and Robbie Britton. Both races are part of the World Trail Majors.

RD James Elson talks through the Old Dominion 100 in this latest of our race review pods - giving a runners eye view into the what, why, where and how of specific races and ultras from near and far.

The second of our pre-race South Downs Way 100 & 50km elite athlete interviews features a conversation with Mark Darbyshire. Part of our Centurion Ultra Team, Mark recently won the SDW50 and is the course record holder at the Arc of Attrition, UTS100, Lakeland 100, NDW100 and many more. He is running the SDW100 this time out.

The first of our pre-race South Downs Way 100 & 50km elite athlete interviews features a conversation with Julia Davis - part of the Centurion Coaching Team, Team GB athlete on the trails and on the road over 100km. Running in her first 100 mile race at this years SDW100.

James Elson recaps the 2025 North Downs Way 50 including a bit about the history of the race and how this years event unfolded from front to back.

RD James Elson recaps this years Thames Path 100, leading to an interview with new 1000 mile buckle winner Tremayne Cowdry - who walked every step of this years race due to a new long-term injury. Hear about his background, the diagnosis, what led him to try and how he suceeded for the tenth and final time.

The latest in the Race Review Series - RD James Elson covers the London Marathon - what it is like to run it and why it is such a special race.

A recap of the 2025 SDW50 with RD James Elson covering off the race from the front to the back and everyone in between.

James Elson and Allie Bailey Catch up on a whole raft of issues from Allie's recent mental health struggles and she talks all about how people can reach out to help them overcome similar battles. The chat then ranges from race qualification criteria, upcoming race plans, safety pin sustainability and South West Coast Path Record Attempts. Plus everything else in between. WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE INCLUDED! Enjoy!

A quick recap of the 2025 Hundred Hills 50km which took place on Saturday 15th March under glorious conditions.

In this episode of the Centurion Coaching Podcast, Robbie Britton and Dr. Jamie Pugh discuss how an athlete can get the most out of run coaching and what to look for in finding the right coach.

The fifteenth Episode in our race review series focuses on TransGranCanaria. From 5km to 125km races and the most competitive racing to happen on the ultrarunning scene each February, James Elson takes you through what this World Trail Majors event is all about.

Our new Centurion Running Coach Anna Buckingham, talks to our Head of Endurance Robbie Britton about her journey in ultrarunning from back of the pack to completing and being competitive at some of Europe's most iconic races as well as improving on road PBs after 10 years of being coached herself.

Robbie and Jamie take a more practical approach to "what is coaching" and break down Jamie's training for his debut 7:20 100k in Vaxjo, Sweden last year that gained him selection for Wales for the Anglo-Celtic Plate this year. They talk about sessions, volume and how life and work need to be taken into account alongside the "perfect training plan".

Centurion coaches Robbie Britton and Dr. Jamie Pugh discuss common misconceptions on what coaching is and what it means to them, as both coaches and athletes.

In this episode in the Centurion Coaching series, Robbie Britton asks James Elson about lessons learned from the 2025 Spine Race.

James Elson and Tom Rainey chat through their 2025 Winter Spine Race experiences, from the week prior.

Roles reversed this time as our Head of Endurance Robbie Britton asks our RD James Elson about his final race prep for the imminent 2025 Winter Spine Race.

James Elson and Allie Bailey welcome runners to Day 2 of One Slam (also known as Boxing Day) and discuss Allie's race at the Winter Downs 200 plus how things worked from an organisational stand point!

Our RD James Elson welcome all of our One Slam runners on day 1 of this years 10 week virtual challenge. Plus a brief recap of the 2024 Winter Downs 100 and 200 mile events from a fortnight ago.

This episode features an initial preview of the upcoming 2024 Winter Downs eventes, before taking a look at the Bob Graham Round and a host of other Lakeland Rounds.

James and Allie chat to our latest Centurion Ultra Team member, Hannah Rickman. Hannah was 2021 NDW100 champion and is fresh off of the back of a 16:46 winning time at the 2024 Autumn 100. Hannah fills is in her background as her runner and what's led to an astounding 2024 in terms of performances.

James and Robbie discuss preparing for the Winter Downs 100 and 200 milers this December with sleep deprivation, sections to recce and whether it’s too late to enter some of the hot topics.

Gain an insight into the background of Centurion coach Dr. Jamie Pugh. We speak about his introduction to ultrarunning 10 years ago, his growing love for the sport in recent years and his academic study into runner's guts and how it has led to him working with some of the world's top distance runners.

This podcast with Centurion Running coach, Julia Davis, is an insight into the GB&NI international's journey into running, her experiences of REDS, returning to running post pregnancy and how everything has helped shape her coaching philosophy and allows her to run happy on roads and trails.

Episode 13 in the race review series and this time the spotlight is on Spartathlon. Our RD James Elson takes you through what the 153 mile Greek epic is all about. Also covered in the first part of the pod, a brief recap of the 2024 Tor Des Geants and the Chiltern Wonderland 50.

Our Head Of Endurance Robbie Britton chats to James Elson about his recent race at the Leadville 100 out in Colorado. His preparation, approach and overall race and trip experience. He shares so many nuggets of wisdom along the way as we have come to expect! Photo c/o Precision Fuel & Hydration.

The latest in our race review series focuses on the grandest of all of the Alpine Races, the Tor Des Geants. At 330km+ and 25000m+ and with a 150 hour cut off, this race has it all. This years event starts in just a few days time, so we take a spin through the race, what it's all about and why it's one of the very best.

The latest episode in our race review series and this week it's two for the price of one as James Elson takes you through Grand Raid Pyrenees and UTMB (and associated events). What are they like to run, how difficult are they and what are they all about.

In this ninth episode in the race review series, James Elson talk all about the upcoming Leadville Trail 100, the second oldest 100 Mile race in the US.

Our RD James Elson covers the Lakeland 100 (and 50) in this Race Review episode. After a brief preview of this weekends North Downs Way 100, James talks about what Lakeland is all about and takes you through all the details of this classic British ultra.

After a short unintended hiatus this Race Review episode looks at Badwater 135 - the iconic road race through Death Valley. James Elson talks about what it's really like to run this classic event.

James & Allie recap the 2024 South Downs Way 100, a truly incredible race weekend with a record 349 finishers in its first year as a World Trail Major.

This this sixth episode in our Race Review series looks at the Grand Union Canal Race. Following some latest news, James talks about what the GUCR is really like and why as a quintessentially classic British ultramarathon, it should be on everyones bucket list.

James Elson and Allie Bailey recap the 2024 North Downs Way 50 including the results, stats and the fact that James actually ran the race himself SHOCK HORROR! As always comes with a minor bad language warning.

TP100 RD James Elson and co-host Allie Bailey discuss the state of the union before recapping this years Thames Path 100.

This this fifth episode in our Race Review series looks at the Marathon Des Sables. Following some latest news, James talks about what the MdS is really like and tries to remember what was his first big race back in 2006.

SDW50 RD James Elson and Team Runner Allie Bailey discuss their recent races at the Lakes/ Northern Traverse, the acquisition of the Arc of Attrition by UTMB/ Ironman and the recent results at the South Downs Way 50.

Episode 4 in the Race Review series and our RD James Elson talks through the ins and outs of the Barkley Marathons after the astonishing events of last week - focusing on what is it really like 'Out There'.

James and Allie recap the 2024 Centurion season opener - the Hundred Hills 50km, covering off the day and the results. Also features some pre-amble about Allie's book tour, Barkley Marathons and some inconsistent training for upcoming races.

Episode 3 in the Race Review series with the focus this time on Rocky Raccoon 100, a fast trail 100 miler in Texas which takes place in early Feb. Before that there is a catch up on the latest news and a quick rundown of the results and how the race unfolded at the 2024 Arc of Attrition which featured last time out. Photo c/o Tejas Trails Events.

Latest Centurion News including a reflection on the Spine Race, followed by the second in a series of episodes focused on key events throughout the year where James Elson gives a look behind the scenes of key races in the ultra calendar. This time the focus race is the Arc of Attrition and Arc 50. What is it, what does it involve, what's the course and what's it really like to take part.

James chats to 2023 Winter Downs 200 Mens Finisher Luke Carter. Luke won the hearts of all from arrival at registration to each check point where he was often last to leave, right through to his dramatic finish 12 minutes inside the cut off. He was just 10 minutes inside the cut off at the 50 mile point and overcame all obstacles to get it done!

Latest Centurion News followed by the first in a series of episodes focused on key events throughout the year where James Elson gives a look behind the scenes of key races in the ultra calendar throughout the year. First up the Spine Race. What is it, what does it involve, what's the course really like and what's happend so far in this years event. Link to Kit and YouTube video on The Spine Race https://www.centurionrunning.com/news/2023/02/06/kit-and-advice-for-the-spine-race

James chats to 2023 Winter Downs 200 Mens Champion Ry Webb. Ry tells us about his build up to the race, inluding his superb fourth place run at Leadville 100 in the summer. As well as taking us through the race itself. It looked plain sailing on paper but there's a lot more to it and Ry explains it all!

The second episode in our Winter Downs 200 series, this time James Elson speaks to John Fanshawe who finished the race in 95hr15 mins. As an uncrewed runner he talks about the different considerations in approaching the race vs those for a runner with crew. At 77, John is also a world class athlete and discussed how age impacts racing decisions, or not as the case may be!

An interview with Winter Downs 200 2023 Champion Laura Swanton-Rouvelin. First in a series of short conversations with various athletes from the 2023 Winter Downs 200.

2023 Winter Downs 200 recap pod with James Elson. The genesis of the race and a breakdown of how it all unfolded.

James Elson and Allie Bailey Recap the 2023 Autumn 100 - a race which Allie actually ran in herself for the third time. An initial chat through her direct experiences from pre to post race with all gory details included, moves into a discussion of the overall event and a look ahead. Enjoy! Warning: Contains some bad language (As usual!).

This episode features an interview with the unstoppable Ken Fancett, on the eve of his incredible feat of finishing his 100th, 100 mile ultra finish at the Autumn 100 in mid October. James and Ken discuss his career, changes in the sport, what has driven and enabled him to get to this point and what comes next. Sound quality is a bit all over the place unfortunately but we hope so valuable nuggets of wisdom throughout from one of the true superstars of the sport. Note: Previous podcast episode on BURP with Ken available here.

James and Allie cover loads in this episode including an NDW100 2023 Recap, WD200 update, a comparison of our 100 milers, the Ridgeway 86 - what is it? Plus James and Allie's own racing and more.