About this episode

The episode explores the psychological effects of trail running compared to road running through research and personal experiences.

In episode 182, Sarah and Rick are joined by Jess Best, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Westminster who explores the psychological transformation that takes place in trail and ultra-marathon runners. Jess shares her research and findings from an ongoing 13-month study involving 36 ultrarunners from across the UK, exploring how the sport shapes mindset, identity, and wellbeing. AND Rick speaks to Jack Pitcher, who recently completed an epic running challenge across Iceland, about his mental resilience, physical endurance and what exactly helped him through it. The Running Channel Podcast tackles one big topic each episode, amongst helpful tips and light-hearted chat on the latest news in the running world. Hosted by Sarah Hartley (amateur runner) and Andy Baddeley (former pro runner) alongside Rick Kelsey (recovering runner), the TRC Podcast is friendly, jargon-free, and the perfect accompaniment to your runs. Join The Running Channel Club for exclusive additional podcast episodes, bite-sized courses, live Q&As and so much more! Head to The Running Channel Club For all enquiries contact podcast@therunningchannel.com . If you liked this, please subscribe wherever you…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sarah Hartley, Andy Baddeley, Rick Kelsey

Guests: Jess Best, Jack Pitcher

Topics covered

• trail running
• road running
• psychological transformation
• mental resilience
• ultra-marathon
• wellbeing

Keywords

• trail runners
• road runners
• psychology
• ultra-marathon
• mental health
• running challenges
• endurance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Westminster

More episodes of The Running Channel Podcast

• 186: HIIT or Heavy Weights: What Makes You A Better Runner? · September 5, 2026 · 45 min
• 185: The Secret to Running Stronger as You Get Older · August 29, 2026 · 38 min
• 184: Fuelling Has Become Too Complicated. Here’s What Actually Matters · August 22, 2026 · 45 min
• 183: Is Athletics A Dying Sport? (And Can We Save It) · August 15, 2026 · 45 min
• 181: The Science Behind Cross-Training: Does It Make You a Better Runner? · August 1, 2026 · 39 min
• 180: Are Runners Addicted To Racing? · July 25, 2026 · 44 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Running Channel Podcast podcast page.