Shine - Years and Years

'Sometimes the world is wrong and you're not. And if you don't fit in somewhere, go find another place to shine'.

 

I love that quote you see as I've always found teamwork hard, yet at heart I know doing things as part of a team makes things a whole lot easier. The adage, 'There's no 'I' in team' comes to mind yet I know how difficult it can be if you see things differently to everyone else. A lot of the time I see things differently.

 

I mean, what do you do? Go with the flow and keep your opinions to yourself even though you know the outcome isn't promising? Or do you alienate yourself and become the person everyone loves to hate. Maybe at one point in your career you've experienced this equation and learned to temper your opinions and gone for the simpler and safer option to pipe down.

 

You see it's far too easy to go with the flow; to join in with the crowd and disappear into its camouflage. The camouflage that exists to cover over our thoughts and opinions. It’s so average IMHO.

 

Well, my Team doesn't work like that, and sure in the beginning it was just me standing out from the world around me like a proverbial sore thumb. I didn't care though as I knew my own direction and where I wanted to go and I decided that if people wanted to go with me, then so be it - and if they didn’t, they weren’t part of my team.

 

And if your world right now, isn't the right place and the team you're in isn't playing your way - find another and be thankful that you’ve had a lucky escape.

 

Remember it’s your life and your time to shine my friends.

1,217 Marathons - 289 Ultras - 18 MDS - 9 GWR - 1 Life

Take it to the Limit - The Eagles

Ultramarathon running is one of the most demanding physical and mental challenges a person can ever undertake. And nowadays the races are getting longer and tougher, taking people far beyond the traditional limits of human endurance and what lies beneath the ever-extreme strain on the body is the cultivation of resilience. Through the pain, the monotony, and the highs and lows, ultra-runners discover what it means to endure not just the race, but life. Ultramarathons teach a resilience that applies to everything from personal struggles to professional pursuits.

Embracing discomfort

One of the first lessons ultramarathons teach us is how to deal with discomfort. In daily life, most people seek comfort and predictability. Whether it’s air conditioning, routine meals, or comfortable clothing, we’re conditioned to avoid hardship. In an ultramarathon you’ll have to deal with blisters, dehydration, muscle cramps, fatigue, extreme weather, and long stretches of isolation. There are no shortcuts, no quick fixes.

This teaches here is discomfort doesn’t have to be avoided, it can be endured, even embraced. When you learn that physical and emotional discomfort can be overcome, you become more capable of handling life’s uncertainties. Difficult conversations, job changes, loss and failure cab dealt with head-on. I mean you’ve already proven to yourself that you can persist through pain – this is just more pain.

Mental reframing

When at 70 miles into a 100-mile race, and your legs feel like they’re filled with cement and your mind is screaming to stop, the only way forwards can be to reframe the moment. By mentally breaking the rest of the last 30 miles into 5-mile sections or by taking it one CP to another can be the difference between success and failure.

And these reframing techniques spill over into life. You learn to view setbacks not as failures, but as stepping stones. You begin to take ownership of your own destiny. Instead of thinking ‘I can’t do this,’ you begin to ask, ‘How can I do this?’ Suddenly anything is possible if you can reframe the moment - a key element of resilience.

Building discipline

Training for Ultras takes months, if not years. Building up mileage week after week can make progress feel slow. The early mornings, the long weekend runs, missed family times, and constant physical maintenance takes commitment.

And this level of commitment teaches us that growth is often the result of small and consistent efforts compounded over time. You see in life, we often want instant results too. Whether it’s in our careers, relationships, or fitness. Ultrarunning teaches you to fall in love with the process, not just the outcome. When you’re patient and persistent, progress eventually happens. This mindset applies directly to personal development, long-term projects, or even recovery from illness or hardship.

Controlling the controllables

You might train months for a race, only to face a heat wave, torrential rain, or injury on race day. Learning to accept these uncontrollables is one of the hardest lessons, but being adaptable is the key to success.

This acceptance transfers to your everyday life. You begin to react to other people’s actions, the economy, illness, tragedy, all of which are beyond your own influence. What you control is your reaction. When faced with a DNF, ultrarunners adapt; they slow down, hydrate and change their strategy. In life, this same adaptability builds emotional strength when things have to change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Community

While ultrarunning may seem like a solitary endeavour, it’s surprisingly communal. Check points are manned by volunteers who’ll do their best to cheer you up. Fellow runners become instant friends. There’s a deep, unspoken bond amongst people suffering out on the trail..

This sense of connection teaches you that resilience isn’t always about going it alone. It’s about knowing when to lean on others. Outside of the race, resilience comes from a support network of friends, family and mentors, who remind you of your strength when you forget. Ultrarunning trains you to accept help, to express gratitude, and to offer support when others are faltering.

The Inner Critic

Over the course of 10, 20, or even 30 hours of running, your mind can become your worst enemy. Doubt creeps in. ‘You’re not good enough’, ‘You’re too slow.’ ‘You should give-up.’ The voice gets ever louder the further you go. But ultrarunners learn not to listen and develop methods to combat the negative thoughts.

In life, the inner critic can be equally brutal. It can hold you back from asking for a pay rise, applying for a job, or even starting a creative project. The resilience you build through ultrarunning comes from repeatedly proving that those inner voices don’t define your limits. You begin to separate thoughts from truth and reclaim your self-esteem.

Rediscovering purpose

Many ultra runners report that long-distance running brings clarity. The act of stripping life down to its rawest elements. Movement, breath and endurance. It forces you to reflect on what truly matters. Why are you out here? What do you want from life? What will you regret not doing?

This introspection deepens your sense of purpose. And a strong sense of purpose is one of the most protective psychological factors when facing hardship. Whether you’re going through a divorce, career change, or personal crisis, having a clear ‘why’ can carry you through.

Failing and restarting

Not every ultramarathon ends in success. Some races end in a DNF (Did Not Finish). Injuries happen. Bodies shut down. And yet, ultrarunners are among the first to sign up again. They examine what went wrong, adjust their approach, and come back stronger.

This resilience to failure is invaluable. Life, like ultrarunning, is full of setbacks. What separates resilient people is not that they avoid failure, but that they learn from it and return to succeed. Ultrarunning teaches that failure is not final, it’s feedback.

Running ultramarathons is not just a physical feat, it’s a masterclass in resilience. It teaches you to embrace discomfort, persist through uncertainty, reframe challenges, and stay grounded in purpose. These are not just athletic lessons, they’re life lessons. Whether you’re navigating personal loss, launching a business, managing mental health, or simply trying to live with more courage, the resilience built ultrarunning becomes a lifelong companion. And in testing your body’s limits, you’ll discover the boundless strength of your mind and spirit.

1,217 Marathons - 289 Ultras - 18 MDS - 9 GWR - 0 Limits

Words of Love - The Beatles

At the weekend, I was asked to speak about what the Marathon des Sables means to me. And to and focus my thoughts, I chose the first six words that came to mind when I think of MDS, and then why I’d chosen them. It could have been six completely different ones, but the following are the ones that popped straight out of my head – I wonder if they resonate with you too, or what your six words might be?

Love

The Marathon des Sables is a love letter written in blood, sweat and tears. And for me, it’s not just an ultra-marathon in the Sahara; it’s a journey of passion that rolls my love for running, for adventure, and for life, all into one. It must come from a desire to push myself to my limits and to discover my true potential.

During the race love is all around. Love of the desert’s beauty, love of the human spirit that propels every competitor forward, and love of the realisation that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. 

Love is what keeps folk going when the blisters are biting hard. Love is in the shared looks between people who silently acknowledge one another’s suffering. Love in tears of pain that become tears of joy at the finish line and everyone loves everything in the moment.

People

The Marathon des Sables isn’t a solo experience even though each runner faces their own internal battles. The MDS is about people. The people you’ve trained with. The people who’ve supported your journey. The people back home who cheer you on, from thousands of miles away. The race isn’t just an individual effort, it’s a community and every runner you meet or share a tent with has a story. 

And even though we might be from different countries, speak different languages, and have different customs, there’s a common understanding and a shared desire to finish. 

Friendship

The friendships forged during the MDS are unlike any others. In the desert, the simple needs of water, food and shelter seem to allow genuine connections to emerge. Folk share food, salt tablets, stories and help, if and when, things go wrong.

When people are limping but determined to finish, just a few words of encouragement help, no end. And it’s amazing what lengths folk will go to, to help others reach the finish line – some will carry other people’s rucksacks even.

You see, it’s a friendship born out of shared purpose. In those moments, we are no longer competitors; we’re a tribe, looking after one another in a wilderness.

Challenge

The Marathon des Sables is one of the toughest challenges I’ve ever faced. It’s not just about physical endurance; it’s about mental resilience and about finding strength when there’s nothing left to give. 

Each day brings the same obstacles - heat, dunes, sandstorms, dehydration. But that’s the challenge, it’s what drew me there. The desert is indifferent; it doesn’t care if you’re prepared or not, if you’re fast or slow, confident or terrified, rich or poor. The desert is the desert. 

And that’s the point - rise to meet it or get defeated. Can you keep going when your body’s broken? Can you keep believing in yourself when every step is agony? The MDS asks these questions, and if you can answer your self-doubt you’ll finish and get the medal.

Hope

In the midst of hardship, hope is the invisible thread that draws you on. During the long stage, it’s hope that gets you to the finish line. Hope that you’ll make it and still able to walk, talk or even survive.

But then that hope translates into life outside of the MDS. When the proverbial hits the fan – we learn that there’s always a way. Always have hope and as long as there’s a chance, a solution, you’ll make it.

I’ve been beaten up in the race and in life but found a way – the MDS taught me how to never give up, and never to throw in the towel.

Direction

The Marathon des Sables isn’t a destination, it’s a direction. In training, in racing, and even in my everyday life, this MDS experience teaches me to focus on my goals, to take things one step at a time, and to embrace discomfort as part of the journey. The desert teaches you simplicity and carrying everything you need on your back, you learn what’s really needed.

Direction is about moving forwards, no matter what. And in the sand, the way is marked. We follow the markers religiously. This has taught me to trust the path and to trust myself, even when I might feel lost. The MDS shows me that direction isn’t just about the finish line; it’s about finding purpose and clarity in each step. It’s about realising that the journey itself is the destination.

The Six words in one

The MDS is more than a race. It’s a journey through the landscape of your soul. It’s about love. Love for running, for challenge, for the people who make it possible. It’s about the people I’ve met along the way, the friendships I’ve made, and the collective spirit of endurance and courage. It’s about facing a challenge, one where I’ve discovered who I really am.

But most of all, the Marathon des Sables is about hope and direction. Hope that there’s always light in the darkness and a direction towards a life of resilience, connection, and purpose.

1,217 Marathons - 289 Ultras - 9 GWR - 18 MDS Legendary - 1 Life