Ian Sharman

Ian is an avid ultrarunner in every type of terrain and location possible. He's an online ultrarunning coach, podcaster (Talk Ultra), journalist (irunfar) and has represented England and been selected for the GB 100k team. He's been ultrarunning since 2005 and has run over 170 ultras and marathons in over 30 countries globally. He loves multi-day races, road marathons, trail ultras and has been lucky enough to run in several mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, Andes and European Alps. He's also finished in the top 10 at Western States 100 for the past three consecutive years and holds the fastest time in North America for a trail 100 miler, at Rocky Raccoon in 2011.

Past Results 

Top 5:

1. Finishing my first ultra at the London to Brighton road race in 2005 and learning that the body can do a lot more than I expected.

2. My best run of any type ever, at the 2010 Comrades ultra in South Africa where I pushed harder than ever before and managed to hold it to the end - very satisfying.

3. Running the Trans Alpine stage race with a friend in 2009 as a pure holiday rather than trying to compete - 8 days of the most spectacular views and the best company you could have for a trip like this, other ultra- and mountain-runners.

4. My third Western States 100-miler which was somehow more fun and exciting than the first two, plus it was the first time I got to see the full course after two snow course re-routes. Somehow it gets more fun each year as I get to know more of the running community over in the US, so it feels like an annual party, Statesmas!

5. Rocky Raccoon 2011 where things went perfectly, a rare occurrence in a 100-miler, and led to feeling good all day long and barely slowing to run 12:44 and want to keep running at the end (even rarer in a 100-miler!).

2013 races

Robbie Britton

I'm a 24hr/100mile runner and I want to run for GB at 24 hours. I just want to get faster, stronger and more competitive and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get there. I know certain areas I can improve and how I can improve my training and times. My aims in the next couple of years are to run 240 and then 250km in 24 hours and to move into the hills, like a rogue shepherd, and just run about all day. By my early 30's, at the latest, I will be at the front end of Ultra-running and competing in the biggest races around. Part of the 2014 ITACE (Imperial Trans-Antarctic Centenary Expedition) plan to follow Sir Ernest Shackleton's proposed footsteps of 1914 across the whole of Antartica. www.south2014.com

Past Results 

Finishes (longer stuff)

Caesars Camp 100 - 27:41 & 21:30 (3rd)
GUCR: 31:26 (7th)
NDW 100: 19:47 (1st)
TP 100: 16:02 (2nd)
Cotswold 100: 20:26 (2nd) 
Basel 24hr: 222.5km (5th) 
Tooting Bec 24hr: 209km (2nd) 
'UTMB' 2012: 16:25
Barcelona 24hr: 231km (4th)

Top 5:

1. Winning North Downs Way 100 - 30 mile runners high chasing people down at the finish

2. Basel 24hr - Getting to wear an England vest and having a great race... for 20 hours

3. UTMB - Something else, I'll be back there 

4. Thames Path 100 - Running 16:02 for 100 miles. Fun.

5. GUCR - There's something about this race, 145 miles of canal path that is begging to be run under 24 hours... maybe.

2013 races

• 24 hour World Champs (dependent on qualification in Barcelona Dec 2012) note: Robbie completed the 230km qualifying distance on December 16th 2012. 
• 28th August: UTMB, The Alps
• 28th September: Spartathlon, Greece

Paul Navesey

Started running ultras in late 2010 to combine running trails and eating.

Past Races/ Results:

Lakeland 100 (30th 2011)
Caesars Camp 50 (1st & New Course Record 2012)
Dartmoor Discovery (5th 2011, 3rd 2012)
Beauty and Beast Marathon (1st 2012)

Top 5 

1. Finishing Lakeland 100.
2. Winning Caesars Camp 50.
3. Podium at Dartmoor (3rd).
4. Supporting a successful Bob Graham Round.
5. Eating 30 shot bloks in one race.

2013 Races

• 2nd Feb: Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville, TX, USA.
• 27th April: Highland Fling, UK.
• 15th June: South Downs Way 100, UK.
• 27th July: Lakeland 50, UK.
• 30th August: CCC, The Alps. (lottery depending)

Neil Bryant

I've been running for seven years. I've generally been going longer and longer always looking for a nice mix of physical challenge, incredible experience and the beauty of the outdoors. I'm not too quick but love it when the going gets really tough!

Past Results

Finisher Trans-Europe footrace 2012. 4175km across Europe in 64 days
Winner of the 2012 Viking Way (147 miles non-stop)
Winner of the 2012 Hardmoors 110
2nd at the North Downs Way 100 2011
135 miles in a 24hr race
Ran 100 miles on the Offa's Dyke alone, midwinter (2011)

Top 5:

1. When I ran over the Severn bridge during JOGLE I cried like a baby with joy as I was entering the Westcountry (where I'm from) and was nearing the end.
2. On the penultimate day of the Trans-Europe footrace I got my first sighting of Gibraltar (the end) and it was an incredibly happy time. I will remember it forever.
3. The completion of my 100 mile run on the Offa's Dike midwinter was fantastic. It was pretty sketchy at times to say the least, and to finish was a relief!
4. Last year I went to Alps and did some running on some incredible trails and took part in a vertical kilometre. Great fun and can't wait to return!
5. I ran the Great Whernside fell race last year which is two miles up and two back down. Mad fun which was really exciting. Really need to do more fell races and urge you all to have a go!

2013 races

• 21st June: UTSW, UK. 
• 3rd July: Thames Ring, UK. 
• 8th September: Tor Des Geants, Italy. 
• TBC: Bob Graham Round

James Elson

Been running ultras since 2005. One day i’ll get it right....

Past Results 

Finishes (longer stuff)

Marathon Des Sables 2006
Racing the Planet 4Deserts 2007 - 2009: Chile, China, Egypt, Antarctica (3 x Top 10 finishes)
Old Dominion 100 2009
Badwater 2010
Caesars Camp 100 2010
Rocky Raccoon 100 2009/2012
Western States 100 2011
Leadville 100 2011
Comrades 2012
'UTMB' 2012

Top 5:

1. Being handed a box of Mcdonalds chicken nuggets on the walk in to Lone Pine, mile 122 of Badwater 
2. Eating 74 Gu gels during the 2011 Western States 100
3. Eating a cheeseburger at Elizabeth Furnace, mile 75 of the Old Dominion 100
4. Sitting in the bus after finishing the MdS, and being so hungry that I drank the brine out of a can or sardines
5. A scotch egg given to me by Neil Bryant at 4am in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, on our way to a successful South Downs Way self supported end to end run

2013 races

• 2nd Feb: Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville, TX, USA.
• 3rd March: Ironman NZ, Taupo, New Zealand.
• 25th May: Grand Union Canal Race, UK. 
• 28th September: Spartathlon, Greece.

Drew Sheffield

Started running in 2005  to challenge myself to run a half marathon.  Ended up doing 2 marathons (one of them snowdonia) and realised the true pleasure in running in beautiful places for a long time.  Now having completed a fair few 100 mile races i'm doing my best to run them faster and learning a heck of a lot on the way. Total addict, haven't looked back since.

Past Results 

Finishes (longer stuff)

CCC 2008
GUCR 2008, 2011
WHW race 2009, 2010, 2011
Lakeland 100 2010
UTMB 2009
Leadville 2011
Hardmoors 110 2012

Top 5:

1.  Running my first race of 100 miles or over was GUCR 2008.  I got to 100 miles feeling "ok" then within a mile found myself crying and thinking it was the absolute hardest thing i'd ever done and not being able to move without the most considerable mental effort.  I power walked most of the rest of it and the only thing that got me through was imagining the total confidence of  Michael Jordan walking onto a court bouncing a basketball and trying to imitate it.

2. UTMB 2009 - As we came to the final part of the final climb, the sun was just rising over Mt Blanc and it was the most magical experience i'd ever had.  I just floated down the descent into one of the best finishing experiences there is.

3. Running down Pikes Peak.  I'd been to Colorado in 2011 to celebrate my 30th birthday and to run the Leadville 100.  If you like trail running this is the most impossible place to execute a well calculated taper. Pure running bliss.

4. Dunstable Downs Marathon 2011.  For a laugh, i was encouraged to peg it up to the top of the first hill in order to get through the gate first then stop and rest and wait for my pals to carry on the race at a more social pace.  Anyhow, i got to the top of the first hill and just kept my foot down for the whole race.  I ended up in 2nd place very close to my marathon pb on a hilly self navigation course. 

5.  Highland fling 2009 - Having driven through the area as visiting my Grandparents, I finally got to explore the area i fell in love with as a child.  

2013 races

• 12th January: Country to Capital, UK. 
• 9th March: Wuthering Hike, UK.
• 27th April: Highland Fling, UK. 
• 20th June: Ronda Dels Cims, Andorra. 
• 28th September: Spartathlon, Greece.