Conversations on living the ultra life.
Inspired by ultra running we discuss the people, the places, the culture and the training behind our everyday running lives.
Hosted by Paul Giblin and / or James Stewart.
In this short solo episode, I talk about a recent day on Ben Nevis, lying in hospital after Yukon, a difficult TDS, the years when racing occupied almost everything, and why I’m now trying to work out how much space I want to give the athlete again.
I’m not sure balance is quite the answer. Maybe some of us naturally put our weight somewhere, and the question is how far we allow the pendulum to swing.
6 Aug 2026
Long Run Conversations #3: The Next Big Thing
In this conversation we explore why we’re so drawn to the next big thing, how social media and marketing influence the way we train, and why it’s often the unglamorous basics that make the biggest difference over time.
2 Jul 2026
Long Run Conversations #2: What Racing Reveals
Winning is the part everyone sees.
The pressure beforehand, the difficult decisions, the quiet conversations between crew members, the volunteers standing in the rain, and the moments when an athlete is wondering whether they can keep going are much easier to miss.
After spending the weekend crewing for Gus as he defended his West Highland Way Race title, Paul and John sat down to compare notes. The conversation begins with the race itself but soon broadens into something much bigger.
They discuss how defending a title feels very different from chasing one, the responsibility that comes with supporting an athlete through difficult moments, and the fine line between coaching, crewing and simply being a friend.
Along the way they reflect on what makes the ultrarunning community so special, why races can bring out both the best and worst in people, and the stories that rarely make it onto social media.
This is the first of what we hope will become a regular series of conversations between two friends, coaches and long-time observers of the ultra running world.
In this episode
How this year's West Highland Way Race felt different from last year
The pressure of defending a race title
Crewing Gus through a difficult day
The differences between coaching and crewing
What spectators and social media rarely see
The role of volunteers and support crews
Community, belonging and friendship in ultrarunning
Why racing often reveals more than finishing times
Paul Giblin is an ultra runner, coach and founder of Pyllon Ultra.
You can connect with Paul here:
Website:https://pyllonultra.com
Substack:https://pyllon.substack.com
Instagram:https://instagram.com/pyllon
Pyllon Ultra:https://instagram.com/pyllonultra
YouTube:https://youtube.com/@pyllon
Who has been a guest on The Pyllon Ultra Pod
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Gus Irvine
Jeevendra
Grant MacDonald
Alice
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
34 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
24
Social presence
94
YouTube
0
Engagement
90
Pitching The Pyllon Ultra Pod
Guest appearances
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