The Checkpoint

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by adidas TERREX.

In this episode Sabrina and Rachel talk to BTR Members Angela Tomusange, Lisa Jayne Henry-Arscott and Alice Light about their trail running journey and what lessons they’ve learned along the way.

We talk about the importance of community, representation and mentors as well as modelling what we want to see in the world.

Be prepared to be blown away by these inspiring ladies and their stories and experiences.

Thanks for listening and remember to rate, review and subscribe on your preferred podcasting platform.

To follow their journeys go to:

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by adidas TERREX.

In this episode Sabrina and Rachel talk about what they wish they knew about trail running before they started and the important part that mindset plays, no matter what distance you’re running.

They share techniques they use when things get tough during runs and what keeps them going.

This a candid, wide-ranging conversation, which includes a few swears, so perhaps not one for little ears!

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by adidas TERREX.

On this week’s show Sabrina talks to fellow Black Trail Runners member, Renee McGregor, and trail running ultrarunner, Raj Mahapatra, about their experience at this year's Spine events.

On June 18th 2022, Renee crossed the line as 3rd female at the Spine Sprint – a race covering 46 miles along the Pennine Way, starting in Edale and finishing in Hebden Bridge. And on June 25th, Raj and Sabrina crossed the line of the full Spine – a race covering 268 miles along the Pennine Way, starting in Edale and finishing in Kirk Yetholm.

In this episode the trio discuss:

• Why the Spine race?
• What is it?
• Race prep and training
• Kit
• The race journey
• Highs and lows
• The power of teamwork
• The importance of representation

And much more….

Links:

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by adidas TERREX.

Abby Hall is a professional trail runner for adidas TERREX. She started running at the age of 12 and has never stopped!

She fell in love with running, both the pursuit and the community and – as an adult - continued running when she was living in Chicago and Los Angeles, working as a graphic designer. She started to make trips to the mountains on the weekends and moved to Boulder, Colorado with a view to be part of a community eager to explore the outdoors.

In Boulder, Abby signed up for a number of ultras and attended every group trail run she could find, exploring the trails and mountains. She now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona and over the past few years has been racing all over the world.

Recently, Abby has finished 1st at the Innsbruck Alpine Trail Festival 65k, 2nd at the 2022 Transgrancanaria Classic (126km), 2nd in the prestigious 2021 UTMB-CCC race and she has also finished Western States 100 amongst the top 30 athletes.

Abby is part of the adidas TERREX ‘United by Summits’ campaign and we discuss what that message means to her in this conversation. 

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by Adidas Terrex.

In this episode, the first in our new ‘How To’ series, run coaches Sabrina and Rachel are talking about hills!

They address questions from the community including:

- How do you train for a hilly trail race when you live on the flat?

- What is a ‘technical’ trail?

- Do you have to use poles?

- How do you improve your downhill running technique?

- What can you do to avoid injury on the up and downhills?

It was a fun and (hopefully) informative conversation. We’d love to hear what you think about this episode, so please drop us a comment and also let us know what other topics you’d like us to cover in future ‘How To’ eps!

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is supported by Adidas Terrex.

Miranda Brawn is a multi-award winning philanthropist. She has more than 25 years of experience in the financial markets and legal industry, and has served on more than 30 boards and committees across the private, public and third sector. She is a non-practising barrister-at-law and a former hedge fund derivative sales trader, being one of the first women of colour on the London trading floor of a tier 1 global bank. 

She is the creator of the world’s fastest success course (The 60 Second Coach) and an international public speaker who champions diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, success, human rights and opportunities for diverse young people including women and girls. She serves as an independent non-executive director for global corporate boards, including electric vehicle manufacturer Switch Mobility Ltd, making her one of the most senior women in the global engineering boardroom. 

In 2016 she founded The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation, where she chairs the Board of Trustees and launched the UK’s first Black Women on Boards initiative. 

In Episode 35 of the Checkpoint, Miranda talks to Sabrina and Sonny about her career, what has driven her success, the importance of giving back, and the work of the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is supported by Adidas Terrex.

In episode 34 Marcus and Sabrina speak with Sophia Danenberg, an American mountain climber.

In 2006 Sophia became the first African American and first Black woman to climb Mount Everest in the Himalayas. Additionally she has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Rainier, The Matterhorn and Cotopaxi plus many more.

Born in Japan to her Japanese mother and African American father, who was stationed at a U.S. military base in Japan at the time, Sophia and her family eventually settled stateside, in the Chicago area. She went on to Harvard University and became one of the first five students to earn an environmental sciences and public policy degree from the prestigious institution. In her day job she specialises in environmental sciences and public policies.

Whilst we cover the topics previously mentioned, we also have to talk about the time that she partied with Jay-Z, Beyoncé, President Obama to name a few.

It is a really honest and insightful conversation into what it means to be a pioneer in your field, all whilst being true to who you are and what you believe in. Sophia talks about the importance of using her role to inspire the next generation, to show that the climbing world is a space for young girls, demonstrating that women have the power to accomplish incredible things.

You can learn more about these groups by going to the links below.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®.

Frit Tam is a British- born, Chinese, transgender filmmaker. Frit is an adventurer, climber, roller-blader, cyclist, stand up paddleboarder, skier, and hiker to name a few.

Frit is also the founder of Passion Fruit Pictures, an award-winning film studio whose aim is to add colour and diversity to the adventure industry through film-making.

In 2021, Frit embarked on Glide for Pride - a 1700km rollerblading and cycling challenge, North to South, across England to showcase LGBTQIA+ stories. Frit is in the process of creating a documentary around the challenge and it will be the first film of its kind with a transgender, East-Asian protagonist, highlighting the wealth of diverse voices the UK has to offer.

In this wide-ranging discussion, we talk about adventure films, how Frit discovered the outdoors, mental health, fries and puns!

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®.

American trail runner Adam Merry is a name in our sport that, if you don’t know already, you are sure to know soon.

Over the past few years, since taking his training to the next level due to working with the well-respected coach – David Roche – Adam has podiumed, and won, some impressive US based trail races. He thrives through hard work, dedication, finding joy in the process and having fun while being super consistent with his training cycles.

Adam - a mixed race man – was encouraged to go for a trail run six years ago. As often happens while out there on the trails, this 4-mile run turned into 8 miles and just a few months later he signed up for his first 50K. Yes, trail running is that addictive!

Nowadays you can find Adam out on the trails of Colorado finding joy in the process, coaching his own athletes, or working – as we do at Black Trail Runners – to increase representation of Black people in trail running.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®.

Amira is a 29-year-old Muslim British Indian woman, originally from Bolton who now lives in the beautiful Lake District, here in the UK.

Amira is an adventurer, a changemaker, activist and – for thousands of people who follow her on social media – a truly exceptional human being who, through sharing her adventures, inspires us to get outside.

It was in 2020, during the Coronavirus lockdowns, that Amira founded The Wanderlust Women Group – a hiking and adventure community for Muslim women. And in 2021, after deciding that she wanted to fully immerse herself in all things outdoors, she made the decision to move from her hometown of Bolton to The Lakes and became an outdoor walking leader.

Amira’s aim is to break down the barriers and stereotypes of the niqab and to break down misconceptions of Muslim women through her personal work and that of her thriving community.

So, without further ado, let’s dive deep into this conversation and find out more about her past, present, and future plans.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®. In episode 30, Marcus and Sonny talk to Sara Hall, who has represented the United States at the World Indoor Athletic Championships and the World Cross Country Championships. Earlier this year she claimed the US half marathon record, and has been selected to represent the US in the marathon at this year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Sara talks to Marcus and Sonny about her training, her motivation and the longevity; she was 39 when she set the US half marathon record of 1:07:15, at the same Houston weekend as 37-year old Keira D’Amato claimed the US marathon record. She also talks about the work of the Hall Steps Foundation (set up with her similarly US half marathon record holding husband, Ryan), her faith, and her multi-ethnic family of four adopted daughters.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®. In episode 29, Marcus and Rachel talk to Kelly Smith, adventurer, built environment enthusiast & navigation guide.

Kelly holds an undergraduate degree in Project Management for Construction and a masters in Flood Risk Assessment, Modelling and Engineering. Kelly swims in the pool, lakes, and sea, cycles with TWR, hikes with Black Girls Hike and has started running with Black Trail Runners. Kelly hopes to be a beacon of light to get more people from diverse backgrounds into multi-sport events and Kelly also has a big project on the horizon, which we get into on the podcast. Look out for a film coming later this year!

Kelly answers navigation questions submitted by members of the BTR community and shares lots of useful tips on map-reading and route-finding. We talk about Kelly’s inquisitive mind towards all things related to sustainable development as well as their passion for the outdoors. 

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®. In episode 28, Sabrina and Sonny speak to Aneela McKenna – a Scottish Asian rider with Pakistani heritage -  a trailblazer and a pioneer in the world of mountain biking.

Voted in 2021 as Single-Track Magazines ‘Most Outstanding Human’, Aneela works tirelessly in her campaigning for more diversity and inclusion in the world of mountain biking.

For over 20 years Aneela has worked in the Scottish parliament as Diversity and Wellbeing Inclusion Manager and, alongside this – with her husband Andy - co-founded a cycle tour company ‘Go Where Scotland’, where she leads on the Mor Diversity widening participation in cycling programme.

Aneela’s professional and personal passion for ensuring all feel welcome shines through in all she does and in her first short film – After the Storm - she shares her lived experience of growing up, experiencing racism, and how a series of particularly disturbing long running racist episodes with a work colleague almost broke her. The film, which we will discuss more later, is a must watch.

Listen to the hosts deep dive with this amazing, most outstanding human.

In episode 26 of The Checkpoint sponsored by The North Face®️, we talk to Laura Gaga.

Laura Gaga is a civil servant, blogger and writer from North West London. She is best known as the host of the Alright Raiders podcast and as a food waste activist.

Laura is a trail and ultra runner, and like most runners pays attention to what she eats. Her Reduction Raider Instagram account shares how she eats well for less, and documents how she has saved tens of thousands of pounds over the last 10 years. Otherwise known as the Yellow Sticker Gal, she shows it’s possible to prepare tasty, nutritious meals without breaking the bank. And with the advent of food sharing apps such as Olio, she shows how we can prevent food going to waste and save money at the same time – effectively eating for free.

In this episode, we talk to Laura about sustainability, food waste and the effect of the pandemic on our eating habits. Oh, and running.

In episode 25 of The Checkpoint sponsored by The North Face®️, we talk to Tasha Thompson.

Tasha Thompson started running 21 years ago, initially starting out in the gym on treadmills before deciding to switch to running outdoors and entering races.

Her first race was in 1998 and even at that time she noticed the severe lack of representation of Black women on the start lines. However, being the woman that she is, that didn’t stop her running and she continued to consciously and unconsciously represent at various road races.

Fast forward to 2019 and, after stumbling across a US run club contingent aimed at bringing together Black women to share community through running, the seeds of creating a safe running space for UK based Black women were planted.

In April of that year, Tasha launched Black Girls Do Run UK. The aim being to inspire Black women to run for their health, fitness and mental wellbeing. The group is not about fast times, medals or prize money. Tasha’s community consist of women who work, go to college and are mothers. Women who may feel they run slow. Black Girls Do Run UK is about these women – showcasing them and providing a place for them to be supported and celebrated.

What started out in 2019 as a group consisting of Tasha and a few friends has grown tenfold and continues to attract new face-to-face and virtual members.

So, it gives us great pleasure to welcome to The Checkpoint Tasha Thompson, founder of Black Girls Do Run UK.

Follow Black Girls Do Run UK:

In episode 24 of The Checkpoint sponsored by The North Face®️, we talk to Preet Chandi.

Preet is an army officer, physiotherapist, ultrarunner and endurance athlete. She is aiming to complete a solo, unsupported trek to the South Pole, travelling 700 miles, pulling a sledge with all of her kit, in temperatures of -50c. The journey will take approximately 47 days and will be Preet’s first expedition in Antarctica.

Preet has said: “There are only a few female adventurers that have completed a solo, unsupported trek on this continent. It is time to add some more names, diversity and to make history.”

We talk about what it means to Preet, as a woman of colour, to take on this challenge, what strategies she has in place for when things get tough and what her favourite expedition foods are. This was a broad conversation, full of great take-aways and we look forward to tracking Preet’s progress to the South Pole starting next month!

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 23 we chat to Mosi Smith.

Mosi is a US Naval Academy graduate who served in the US Marine Corps for 8 years.

While at high school, Mosi had his first taste of endurance running when his team coach asked him to run 4 miles which, at the time, was 4 times as long as he had ever run. Since that day, a day that sparked something inside him – a taste for endurance – he has gone on to finish more than 100 + endurance events of marathon distance and longer.

Mosi sits on boards for non-profit organisations and raises money for those that seek to support the physical and mental wellness of veterans. One of his current fundraising campaigns is ‘1 in 10’ – a campaign to enable him and a friend to raise 1 million dollars for the Semper Fi fund through the completion of endurance events.

Whether raising money for veterans, representing for Black athletes in ultramarathons and adventure racing, or just finding new places to explore and ‘be’ while training, Mosi continues to show up and inspire through his professional and personal commitments.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 22 we chat to Andrew Alexander King, a one man doer machine.

He is the founder of the Between Worlds Project, working with individuals and non-profits around the world to build a bridge of hope and positive change for tomorrow within nature.

His work looks to combat racism, sexism, climate change, economic limitations and the social and economic barriers that keep underrepresented groups from embarking on life-changing adventures.

A celebrated track and field athlete born into the Detroit projects, Andrew now spends much of his time training to take on grueling mountain climbs and battle big waves on a surfboard. His work and travels take him all over the world and he aims to be the first African American to climb the highest mountain and volcano on each continent.

Follow Andrew’s adventures:

Trigger warning: some discussion around eating disorders

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 21 we talk to Renee McGregor. Renee is a leading sports dietitian with over 20 years’ experience, specialising in RED-S, athletic health and performance, eating disorders and female athlete nutrition.

She is a keen trail runner and the Diet Lead for the Ultra X ultramarathon events and has experience working in clinical and performance nutrition, including with the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games teams.

Renee is also a co-founder of #TRAINBRAVE - a campaign raising the awareness of eating disorders in sport and dance and is author of the Training Food, Fast Fuel books and Orthorexia, When Healthy Eating Goes Bad.

We talk about energy deficit in sport, the importance of awareness around eating disorders and we delve into Renee’s work as part of Hearts, Minds and Genes.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 20 we talk to ultrarunner, activist and BTR community member, Martin Johnson.

The 38-year-old Londoner recently set the FKT (fastest known time) on the Thames Path National Trail from the Thames Barrier to the source, completing the 184-mile distance in 38 hours, 35 minutes.

We talk about how Martin got into running and, ultimately, ultrarunning, diversity in the sport and we take a deep dive into his FKT journey and what kept him going through the dark times.

Martin is a Patagonia Europe team member and recently took part in Patagonia’s Running Up For Air challenge to raise funds for 18 European NGOs fighting for clean air. For more information on that head to:

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 18 we speak to Mary-Ann Ochota, she is a broadcaster and anthropologist who spends a lot of time outdoors! She’s a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a hiking ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) and likes nothing more than exploring the British countryside – whether that’s rolling farmland trails, remote archaeological remains or a scrambly mountain ridge line.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 17 we speak to Stuart Lawrence is the younger brother of Stephen Lawrence who, on 22 April 1993, aged 18, was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. Stuart was 16 at the time.

Since then, Stuart has fought the injustice of his brother’s death, alongside family and supporters. He has worked for the Home Office, HMP Belmarsh, and had a teaching career spanning 15 years at a secondary school in Southwest London.

Since leaving teaching, Stuart continues to work as a consultant, educator and motivational speaker.

His first book – Silence is Not an Option – was released in April 2021. In it he reflects on his brother’s life and murder and describes the tools he has used to help him live positively. The book is written for younger readers, from 10+, and aims to help them find their own voice and work towards a better future.

Stuart also works tirelessly to promote the Stephen Lawrence Foundation. A foundation more recently launched to redouble efforts, think bigger and use the current moment to create further opportunities for more people on our journey to equality for all. Stephen Lawrence Day is held on 22 April each year to commemorate the Londoner’s life.

Stuart talked to Sabrina and Sonny about his book, the importance of education and an honest teaching of history, the kind of modern Britain he wants to see, and how he stays positive in his work and daily life.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 16 we speak to Black Trail Runners community member, Lionel Adams, and BTR community ally and renowned running coach, Ian Sharman.

Via the community of BTR, which seeks to bring allies and community members together to tackle access, skills and representation, Ian and Lionel began working together in 2021.

Lionel is a BTR athlete who shows immense talent and promise and, already, is starting to blaze trails in the sport of trail running.

Sabrina discusses with Lionel his running career to date, race highlights, areas for improvement and targets for 2021 and beyond.

Ian’s coaching input into this episode is a must listen for any aspiring Trail runner. Topics covered include: fast hiking, nutrition, training plan progression and adaptation and much more.

Sabrina and Simbrarashe also cover the letter N on this weeks Trail Running A - Z.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 15 we speak with Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel is a Lakota runner and a citizen of the Kul Wicasa Oyate in South Dakota where she was born.

Jordan is an athlete and an activist, dedicating herself to advocating for the rights of indigenous people, as well as raising awareness for other minorities who have been consistently side-lined and silenced including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and the disabled community. In 2017, Jordan started her own grass-roots organisation, Rising Hearts.

In 2019, Jordan ran the Boston Marathon with MMIW painted on her body to draw attention to the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn and Girls.

Jordan is also a producer, her first documentary feature The Sacred & The Snake is due out later this year.

On top of all that, she is part of the Intersectional Environmentalist Council and is a pro runner with Altra, Rabbit and Ultimate Direction.

Sabrina and Rachel talk with Jordan about what running means to her, her intersectional advocacy work, the link between racial justice and climate justice and the importance of representation.

Sabrina and Rachel also tackle the letter ‘M’ on the trail running AtoZ.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 13 we speak with Jacob Puzey, who set a world record in 2016 for running 50 miles in 4:57:45 on a treadmill, beating the record of 5:57:31 by nearly an hour. He is also a six-time national champion in cross-country, road and ultra championships, and has three top 10 national trail 50K championships on his resume.

This conversation is with arguably the greatest male mountain runner of all time Joseph Gray.

Joseph won the World Mountain Running Championships in 2016 and 2019, he’s the US record holder for the legendary uphill Mount Washington Road Race, he’s won the Pikes Peak Ascent, has an impressive collection of FKTs and he’s come second at Sierre-Zinal. He’s also an 18-time national champion, which just shows his consistency over many years.

In this conversation we talk about:

• -What a runner’s life means to him
• -Explore how early experiences shaped his career
• -Some key lessons he’s learnt from his parents
• -What does your potential look like
• -How he has dealt with racial abuse whilst competing
• -How everyone has a role in the diversity conversation
• -Why he setup project inspire diversity
• -He shares an example of how vital support is to a young athletes development.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 7 we speak with Imani-Lara Lansiquot who is a Team GB 100m and relay sprinter, a PUMA athlete and one of 12 Sky Sports Scholars.

Born and bred in Peckham, London, Imani won the 100m English Schools Championships in July 2013. At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, she reached the 100 metres semi-finals and went on to win a silver medal in the 4 × 100m relay. And, in 2020, she became the 100m British champion

Imani is now Athlete Lead in British Athletics' Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advocates Group.  And in a recent interview she talked about the importance of representation, saying: ‘From first-hand experience, seeing somebody who looks like you breaking boundaries and gaining success opens endless doors for young people who may not have believed they could. It actively changes the culture by influencing the next generation to aspire for more.’

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In this weeks episode of The Checkpoint podcast Sabrina speaks to Anyika Onuora.

Anyika is a retired British sprint track and field athlete who competed in the 100, 200 and 400 metres and also the 4 x 100, 200 and 400 metres relay.

She won a host of medals in her career including, at the Rio Olympics in 2016, an Olympic bronze medal as a member of the 4 x 400 metre relay team.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

We continue the final part of the conversation with Huwe Burton, from episode 5 (1/2).

Huwe is a cousin of Black Trail Runners co-founder Sonny Peart. He is a two-time New York Marathon finisher, who took up running while serving a life sentence for murder. In 1989, aged 16, he was convicted of killing his mother. He served 20 years in prison before being released on parole in 2009. In 2019, with the help of the Innocence Project, his conviction, based on a forced confession, was overturned, and he was exonerated.

The police officers and District Attorney who conspired in his wrongful conviction, have yet to account for their actions.

Huwe talks with remarkable clarity about the circumstances of his case, about its historical context, how he continues to campaign for law officers who knowingly sent him to jail to be brought to justice, and how running helped him come to terms with incarceration, release and subsequent exoneration.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®️.

In episode 5 we speak with Huwe Burton. Huwe is a cousin of Black Trail Runners co-founder Sonny Peart. He is a two-time New York Marathon finisher, who took up running while serving a life sentence for murder. In 1989, aged 16, he was convicted of killing his mother. He served 20 years in prison before being released on parole in 2009. In 2019, with the help of the Innocence Project, his conviction, based on a forced confession, was overturned, and he was exonerated.

The police officers and District Attorney who conspired in his wrongful conviction, have yet to account for their actions.

Huwe talks with remarkable clarity about the circumstances of his case, about its historical context, how he continues to campaign for law officers who knowingly sent him to jail to be brought to justice, and how running helped him come to terms with incarceration, release and subsequent exoneration.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face®.

In episode 4 we speak with Matilda Egere-Cooper.

Matilda is a long-distance runner and founder of the amazing ‘Fly Girl Collective’ London's first running, fitness and wellness community with the aim to inspire black and brown women to pursue a healthy fitness lifestyle through running.

Most recently their first virtual challenge ‘Run for the Culture’ to celebrate Black History month has got loads of black women smashing their fitness goals this year.

This was a powerful conversation where Matilda shared lessons she learned across sport, faith and life, including diversity in sport.

Additionally in this episode, we catchup with the BTR community member Kuwanna Dyer-Pietras as we highlight the voices of the community.

Sabrina and Marcus provide an update on upcoming trail races. Plus they move onto letter D for the A-Z of trail running.

This episode of The Checkpoint is sponsored by The North Face.

In the 3rd Checkpoint podcast we speak to the ever inspirational DJ, producer, motivator, yoga teacher and founder of the legendary Run Dem Crew, Charlie Dark.

Host Phil Young goes back to the beginning of Charlie’s fascinating life journey to discover the realities of being a young black boy in 80s London, how that led to touring the world with his band Attica Blues and harnessing the tools that enabled him to engage a new audience into the joys and freedom of running.

Charlie is a man of many talents and plenty of strings to his bow, in a world where BLM has been pushed up the social agenda for media, brands and organisations, he delivers words of wisdom and caution to the black and brown community on the cusp of change.

Phil also reports from the Black Trail Runners’ inaugural ’Trail Taster’ in Wendover woods provided by Centurion Running. Marcus and Sabrina give us a trail race update and move on up to ‘C’ in our A - Z of trail running.

This episode of The Checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face® and we speak with Great British Olympian Michelle Griffith-Robinson. 

We discuss her career as a former GB triple jumper, where she was the first woman in the Commonwealth to jump over 14m. We talked about the time she met Muhammad Ali, plus we learn other insights into her journey as a life coach, mentor, trainer, and mum.

This was a powerful conversation where Michelle shared lessons she learned across sport and life, including diversity in sport. 

This episode of The checkpoint podcast is sponsored by The North Face® who support this episodes guest, elite Ultrarunner Coree Woltering.

In this episode we speak to him about his passion for running, his career, and what can be done to tackle the lack of diversity across outdoor activities. Coree champions diversity in the outdoor world so that everyone can find a role model who looks like them. His achievements include:

• 5:30:15 at 2016 Tunnel Hill 50 Miles
• 2:26 at 2016 Chicago Marathon
• 1st, Superior Spring 50k 2019
• 2nd,  American River 50M & Quicksilver 50k 2018
• 4th, Superior 100 Mile 2018
• Western States 100M Finisher
• 3rd,  The Dunes 100 Mile 2017
• 2x Ironman 70.3 World Championship Finisher
• Eco-Challenge Fiji 2019
• Ice Age Trail FKT