Born Survivor is back for 2026 at Capesthorne Hall! After last year’s epic run it was time to take on the full obstacle course once again. From the many, many mud trenches to the infamous Para Plunge and Dunker Drill, this course pushed everyone to their limits.

We ran in the final wave at 1pm – and it was still a very busy wave! But this meant the course was SO churned up (you just need to look at the first image and you will see what I mean!)

Great milatry style warm up and a ton of obstacles that tests everyones limits – whether thats strength, balance, agility or just heights!

A massive shoutout to the amazing OCR community out there—as you can see, nobody gets left behind in the mud! 

I ran both in the 361 Futura 2

Welcome back to the mud! This weekend I tackled the first race of the UK Tough Mudder series at Culden Faw, Henley. If you’ve seen my Strava, you know this course is NO JOKE—it is seriously hilly!

The season opener is always a fun event and great to see my muddy friends that I hadn’t seen since September. Great to see the return of Augustus Gloop after missing for a few years – I hope it appears across the season and the appearance of Shawshanked which rarely appears on course.

The ground is very flinty (kiss of mud is no fun) and for those that expect mud, will be sorely disappointed. It is the only event without the iconic “Mud mile” just due to the water seeeping in so quickly. For me, I love the trails and the forests without the mud, but I know some people are here to get dirty!

After running the Infinity wave on Saturday, I was back on Sunday to run the 15km and 6km laps and capture all the obstacles on video below. 

Watch the video, look at the gallery and book your place! (I have a discount code available if its your first Tough Mudder – see further down for details)

I ran both the Infinity race on Saturday and 15km & 5km races on Sunday in the 361 Futura 2

In-between all my races and OCR, I decided to take up the parkrun alphabet challenge. For those that don’t know what that is, its self explanatory – visit a parkrun for every letter of the alphabet.

I have lived within spitting distance of my local parkrun – Crewe parkrun completed over 100 times – I could literally get out of bed at 8.55 and get to the start line for 9am, so visiting other parkruns felt a bit of a waste. Now I have moved, I have decided to start visiting other places in-between my usual running season – just for something different and to get to experience new locations.

As I have run over 150 parkruns, I haven’t actually taken photos of all the different locations, but I will try my best from now on to get photo and video evidence of all future runs. You can visit my YouTube Playlist as well as “offical” progress via my parkrun profile

I also have a few country flags to my profile, but in June, I will get a dutch flag as I will be ticking off “Z” at Zuiderpark in The Hague. 

Taking on my very first 50-mile ultra marathon at the GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool! 

Vinni and I selected this one as we knew it was a flat route and ideal for a first time attempt.

This point-to-point race takes you from Manchester all the way to Liverpool, following the Trans-Pennine Trail, the Manchester Ship Canal, and the River Mersey. It’s a fantastic, mostly flat route, but with 50 miles of road, pavement, and tarmac, I needed shoes that could handle the heavy impact.

To keep my feet and legs protected, I laced up my ‪361Europe‬ Ventus. They were the perfect choice for the hard surfaces, providing amazing comfort and cushioning from start to finish.

There were some higlights to the route including Imperial War Museum as the start line, Runcorn Bridge and plans landing at Liverpool airport, but honestly, not the most inspiring of routes.

There were 6 checkpoints very well stocked with sweet and savoury snacks and really helpful runners. Very generous cut off times – 14 hours I think to complete the course.

If you’re stepping up to a 50 miler and not sure if you can do it, this race is perfect – but be quick, its very popular, with a sell out within days!

A massive thank you to the ‪GB Ultras and all the incredible volunteers who supported us at every single checkpoint along the route.

Prague Half marathon is the 5th Super Halfs in my Journey – being fortunate enough to get a place in the ballot.

A fantastic city – a great mix of new and (very) old along with great value beer and food. With a metro and tram system, public transport is the perfect way to get to the expo and start line.

As the race is on a Saturday, there is also the chance to do the “double” of Berlin and Prague on the same weekend (logistics allowing).

However, enough about that, let’s talk about the race! The route is a lovely course taking on many landmarks along the old town and river. Relatively flat with really only the bridges taking in any elevation changes. At times, the cobbles and tramlines make for some conscientious running, but overall – great running.

Well supported throughout (not quite of that of Cardiff)  but enough music, people and spots to keep you entertained.

As we flew in Thursday, we visited the expo to pick up the bibs first thing Friday – it was already a little busy and apparently there were long queues later that Friday – race numbers were also available to be picked up on race morning (usually not a thing!) As well as your bib, you also were given a headband AND packable bag. REALLY good! 

We were further back in the pen, and it took us about 10 minutes or so before we hit the startline after the gun went off – no issues, we were in no rush. Check the video for all the highlights and atmosphere!

I ran in the new Furious Future, carbon plated shoe. They performed well (as expected) and thank you to 361 Europe for their continued support as an ambassador.

Highlights from The Cardiff Half Marathon 2025

This was the 4th of my 6 Super Half races – two reasons why it made me happy:
1 – It didnt rain like my other 3 have done!
2 – The support of the crowds across the whole route was amazing – probably the best supported from all the races so far – especially around the docklands and around the 7 mile mark – really felt like parts of UTMB/TDF!

A pretty flat circular route which starts next to the castle and finishes just behind at the Museum and Council Hall.

This is now a balloted event, and my friends who supported it this year, loved the atmosphere so much, they have entered the ballot for 2026

I ran in my new 361 Europe Centauri 3 – really comfortable “workhorse” – I was going at “party pace” and these were perfect.

The 3rd of 6 of my Superhalfs journey and what a beautiful city. Definitely up there with Berlin! The downpour in the morning didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowds which came out in force!

Really well organised with the event village to get your bibs super efficient (no queues for me on the Friday) whilst getting to the start and also through the finish line was really quick.

A very flat route taking you through the beautiful sights of Copenhagen (Nyhaven came and went so fast, I didn’t spot it live, only when I went back to the recordings). Loved it and would go back (ballot allowing of course!)

I ran in the 361 Europe Centauri 3– superior comfort – not really a “race shoe” but one you can run in all day and it will soak in the miles.

This was only the second wear after Malmo parkrun the day before. However, as an ambassador, I know my size and I know the Centauri model very well and had no qualms wearing them for the Half.

I booked this weekend of racing back in 2020, but unfortunately the races were cancelled (it was in Covid times!) on the friday of that weekend!

Have been really looking forward to returning to take on the trifecta weekend in Puerto De La Cruz, Tenerife.

I ran the beast on the Saturday and then the Super and Sprint on the Sunday.

Beast was my favourite – took on all of the obstacles (including Spear throw, rope climb, monky bars, ape hanger) as well as a separate route up hill which doesn’t appear on the sprint or super. This is very different to any UK race, where usually across all the races, you still take parts of the beast course and just take “short cuts”. Whilst the sprint and the super were relatively flat due to being along the sea, the Beast took around 400m of total elevation with the stand out feature (for me) being the “rain run off” up hill trail. 

The Super was pretty much just along the sea front with a minor uphill route (just for fun) and the Sprint was a shorter version of the super missing out most of the run obstacles! I wouldnt recommend “just” doing the Sprint if you were there for the weekend. If the Beast is too much, defintiely choose the Super over the Sprint.

Note the races were in the last weekend of November and the Christmas lights were just being put up – in 2026 the races seem to be the week later (first weekend of December) in which you may get a bit of a Christmassy feel!

Berlin Half Marathon was my second half of 2025 and is my second step in my Super Halfs journey. With thanks to my friend, Glen, who has just completed the set at Berlin, I decided to join him for this and then started my Super Halfs journey

I have visited Berlin for Tough Mudder but had been super excited to try and reutrn for more time in the city and the Half was a great excuse. 

The route starts and finished around the Brandenburg gate and takes in pretty much all of the main sites of Berlin. It’s so well supported across the whole course and live music (and DJs) around every mile.

Berlin is known to be flat, so much so that it manages a Roller Blade race before the main race starts!

Whilst I would love to return, I am aiming for Prague Half in 2026, I will defintiely be returning though, so good!