161: "I Was Never Going To Quit" | 100 Marathons in 100 Days Across India

This episode begins with hosts Andy Baddeley and Rick Kelsey acknowledging their sponsor Science in Sport and whimsically commenting on co-host Sarah Hartley’s absence as she goes skiing. After light banter about their running experiences, they introduce Hannah Cox, who recently completed a remarkable challenge of running 100 marathons in 100 days across India in memory of her father.

Hannah shares her journey from not running at all to becoming an ultra-endurance athlete within just 18 months. She discusses the motivation behind her project, called Project Salt Run, which aimed to traverse the historical Inland Customs Line in India. Great emphasis is placed on the logistics of her journey, especially since she faced medical challenges and had to rely on a small support crew living in a van without refrigeration.

The conversation covers themes of mental toughness during long-distance events, the effectiveness of strength training, and how distractions such as podcasts helped her cope with the physical strain of daily marathons. They touch upon the controversial topic of giving out medals at marathons, focusing particularly on the recent LA marathon where participants were offered medals despite taking a shortcut due to heat concerns. The discussion presents varying opinions on whether or not receiving a medal without completing the full distance undermines the marathon’s significance.

Hannah’s story of overcoming illness and the insight into her training regimen provides invaluable lessons for runners, making this episode a rich resource for anyone interested in endurance sports.