About this episode

Helen Newman shares her journey and insights into ultra running and sky racing, including her recent victory at the Lake District Sky Race.

What does it take to become a seriously strong female ultra runners—and how do you train for mountain races when you live in one of the flattest parts of England? In this episode, we sit down with Helen Newman to explore her incredible journey through ultra running, trail running and sky racing. Helen is building an impressive ultra running CV, including: 🏆 Winner – Five Valleys Ultra 🥈 2nd – Winter on the Downs 50 Mile 🏅 6th Female – South Downs Way 100 (19:50)🏆 1st Female & 8th Overall – Lake District Sky Race (65km / 4,500m elevation) We dive into her recent victory at the Lake District Sky Race, discussing what makes sky running so different from traditional ultra marathons, how she prepares for steep climbs and technical descents without living near mountains, and the lessons she's learned from both successful races and the ones that didn't go to plan. We also discuss: How Helen got into ultra running Training for mountain ultras from the South Coast The South Downs Way 100 experience Technical trail running and descending Ultra marathon pacing and race strategy Strength, resilience and mindset Common mistakes ultra runners make What's next on Helen's race calendar…

More episodes of Trails, Tales, and Fails - An Ultra Running Podcast

• Western States 100: Inside America's Most Iconic Ultra with Lee Dunstall & Rebecca Parker · July 13, 2026 · 1h 14m
• James Yeardley's Montane Summer Spine Race | 275 Miles on the Pennine Way · June 23, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Simon Withers: South Downs Way 100 2026 · June 17, 2026 · 1h 20m

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