Sharman Ultra

Get the perspective from the Oz/NZ running scene with Head Coach Ian's interview on the Dirt Church Radio podcast, including delving into his new book, 'The Art of Ultrarunning':

The Dirt Church Radio Trail Running Podcast Home of the Dirt Church Radio trail running podcast, from New Zealand to the world. Interesting conversations with interesting runners globally. Home, too, of the Greatest Run Ever. Trail running, adventure, health and well-being.

How Mike Wardian searches for adventure to keep things exciting. Plus more stories from Head Coach Ian's new book, 'The Art of Ultrarunning' in this interview with New Zealand’s Dirt Church Radio podcast:

The Dirt Church Radio Trail Running Podcast Home of the Dirt Church Radio trail running podcast, from New Zealand to the world. Interesting conversations with interesting runners globally. Home, too, of the Greatest Run Ever. Trail running, adventure, health and well-being.

Alex hutchinson's latest essay discusses new research suggesting fun isn’t a distraction from learning — it’s the brain’s way of rewarding us for navigating uncertainty, discovering patterns, and staying mentally alive:

Why play brings us pleasure New research suggests fun isn’t a distraction from learning — it’s the brain’s way of rewarding us for navigating uncertainty, discovering patterns, and staying mentally alive.

It doesn’t matter what you do at the margins if you don’t get the basics broadly right in training and racing. Head Coach Ian chatted to Scotty Sandow on the podcast.

The Art of Ultrarunning w/ Ian Sharman - Ultra Running Magazine Scotty sits down with veteran ultrarunner Ian Sharman to talk about his new book, The Art of Ultrarunning. They discuss highlights of the book including how to best pace yourself in an ultramarathon, the benefits of power-hiking, how not to let ego sabotage your race day.

The 150 mins/week of light exercise recommendation for heart health seems to be more of a minimum (not surprising to us as runners!):

You Probably Need More Exercise Than You Think, New Study Says We've all heard that getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week is good for us; however, new research suggests that while that amount shows benefits, tripling it yields substantial improvements in heart health. Cardiologists and sports medicine doctors share what this means for you.

Cocodona stories, how useful AI is for training, and 'The Art of Ultrarunning' book release. This and more in the newsletter. https://sharmanultracoaching.substack.com/p/sharman-ultra-coaching-june-2026

Fun discussion for Head Coach Ian on the UK's Trail and Error podcast about some of the key takeaways from his book, 'The Art of Ultrarunning.'

Trail and Error | trail running podcast Trail and Error. A UK based trail running podcast covering the failures and successes from the podium to the pack.

How much fitness you lose when injured is very dependent on how active you can remain, but make sure recovery is your priority, not fitting in as much as you can get away with:

A Timeline of What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Running for a Few Days to Months It's not unreasonable to worry about losing fitness when you take time off running. Here's a timeline of what happens to your body.

A bonus benefit of being in the outdoors is it may make you feel better about your body:

Spending Time in Nature May Boost Body Confidence, Study Finds In an era dominated by looksmaxxing trends, Ozempic hype, and relentless beauty standards, new research suggests that restorative experiences in nature may help people develop a healthier, more accepting relationship with their bodies.

200 milers keep getting more popular, but how much do runners typically spend to run them? This article looks at the numbers and it costs many thousands, even for domestic runners:

Budgeting for Cocodona - Ultra Running Magazine If you entered the Cocodona 250 lottery, you already know what the entry fee looks like. You saw the number, sat with it for a minute and then, signed up anyway — because some experiences are just worth it.