Thanks! Hope for you it will happen someday! But I think UTMB is quite comparable mountain-wise.. And still, the Austrian mountains: they are special indeed!

you don't need a crazy amount of protein after the run?

Thank you for your body positive message Simon; particularly as an aging male, nothing will tone your midsection like running will but I want to echo that you have to set yourself up for success particularly if you’re a heavier runner when you start; you must find a shoe that’s designed to support your weight (to prevent injuries) and pick surfaces to run on that area softer, whether it’s a school track or an outdoor trail and I wholeheartedly agree that having a social partner to run with will make running seem more like an enjoyable activity and less like a workout and you’ll each have accountability which is key to any weight loss journey. And if you enjoy yourself, you’re accountable and practice good nutrition, the weight loss will come over time and over time you’ll notice the changes physically and see positive mental health benefits as well such as improved self esteem. I’d been 185lbs most of my life but, following a 2 year cancer battle, i was 221 from all the steroids I had been on; I used running as a tool to get back in shape to return to work in my flight career and got back down to my normal 185 lbs weight again and no matter where i was in the world i could go for a run to center myself after a stressful day in the air-

Started training for a 50K, got up to 30+ mi/weeks, but with my diet I still maintained a constant weight, I still pretty much eat what I want, even if it's a double cheeseburger, because I find that when I'm training a lot, I want those things less often. My average TDEE according to WHOOP was approx. 2450/day. So for 2 months I committed to targeting 2100/day, with 190g protein, 190g carbs, remainder from fat. Lost 10-15 lbs in 2 months, it practically melted off, and I still felt great throughout. Now I'm back to maintaining constant weight for awhile. I'll probably try to drop another 10 lbs before my race in March '25.

Well said, Simon! 100% truth in this video! One thing that helps me is to substitute lower calorie foods that have a high volume - this makes me feel full quicker by taking up more space in my stomach but doesn't put me over my calorie goal for the day/week. Simple thermodynamics, but not easy. :)

First will be in July, GGT (GrossGlocker Trail) in Austria: why this race? I've been going on holiday to town and mountain (Kals am GrossGlocker , and the mountain :D yes the GrossGlockner) for all my life. I call it my second home: love the mountains and nature. Why not try your first trail in the place you love the most?

This dude doesn't quit! Nice work!

I love that you are such a huge LotR geek 😄😍

This is a beautiful run and an excellent movie🎉

Thanks!

Hi Simon!! Thank you for all the great information you provide. I used it to run my first 2 ultras this year. I did one trail (Red Feather 50 km) and one road ultra (Across the Years, PR of 36 miles). I used your videos to plan for last year and am re-watching them to help me plan for my Ultras in Year 2. I am planning to do the same races in 2025. I had a blast and would like to get faster and gain more confidence in my new sport of Ultra Running. Happy 2025!!

Thank you!🙏🏻 Im try to run my first 50K in april, and this is help me a lot.

I was 270lbs/122 kgJanuary 2023, and now I’m 213lbs /96kg . My advice for people barely starting out is to treat a calorie as a calorie. I still eat fast food and stuff that I shouldn’t, but I stay under my calorie limit. As I progressed to weight loss and understanding nutrition more, I started looking at the macros and how much “less” food I get to eat when it’s high in fat. Stick to your calorie goal at the beginning, and then start adjusting macros. You can’t outrun a bad diet, don’t listen to the influencers out there eating and not gaining weight, they’re burning way more. Sure you need to eat, but you don’t burn as many calories as they do if you’re not running 40+ miles a week. I gained weight November/December of 2024 and was still running 20-30 miles. Tracking is important. Lastly, make sure your activity meter in whatever app you might be using to track calories is correct. Running makes me extra hungry. I had 1700-1800 calorie budget for the day and was starving. I never adjusted my activity level from my 10 mile weeks and after adjusting, it gave me 2400 calories and I still lost weight.

Hi Simon! Training for a 50K now, end goal is Black Forest 100k. Would you be ok uploading the 50K training plan to Patreon?

There is something quite disturbing in hearing " bled from my ..." and still didn't dnf. We are not at war. There is no need to promote this kind of behavior. Dnf or not next day is a new day

My own story taught me simple but the most effective steps: do not compare with others. Do not set to high pased goals, be patient . Accept where you are and go for it, constantly and with patience ( i run Mo, Thu, Fri since 16 weeks. I also eat as much fresh food as possible and asure that i drink enough water. Good sleep is important and good mindset. I list ok that way 6 kg, but more Important i feel waaaaay more comfortable as ever before.

Truly, understanding macros as well as calories was an incredible breakthrough for me. And we MUST track. It's incredible how we'll spend hours a week in the gym and accidentally defeat these efforts because we won't take the 3-5 minutes a day it takes to track our calories and macros in some free app like MyFitnessPal. If we are not tracking the data, we are just guessing. Success comes when truly measuring and monitoring takes place.

Ultimately, a global approach that is sustainable is the best solution. Changing to good and healthy habits. Running can be a great tool because eventually, you will enjoy it more and more, and you'll WANT to run (but yeah, at first it stinks a little)

What helped me loose weight: Never drink calories. Only drink water or black coffee. Skip candy, cookies. Only eat real food. Don't focus as much on the exercise. Try to park further away or get off the bus/subway a couple of stops further from work to get a couple of km/miles of walking each day. If weather/time allows try walking/biking even running to and from work instead of driving. Never use the elevator. Always take the stairs unless we are talking about 10 floors or more.

I started running about 200km/month once I finished my Couch to 5K and I was able to run my first 10k and half marathon at my own pace (without any race or event), that kinda unlocked the whole running thing for me, it always was just in my head that 10k and 21k is something so tough, that I cannot do it. Now I've realized that it's just 1-2 hours of running with comfortable pace (for me) and I'm able to run more than I never could've imagined. Less than two years into running and I ran 75km self supported just on my own on one casual Friday that I got off from work. On my first year my weight went from almost 100kg to less than 85kg... Now the weight loss has pretty much stopped, but I've also gone to running around 100km/month, which likely is what my body needs to maintain a weight. Looking to add more miles and trying to reach my goal weight of 70-75kg, after which I am looking into adding more weight training (2-3 days a week) into my routine. While also trying to add more speed to my runs, getting higher VO2 Max and trying to maintain all that as far into my life as I can, once I feel "happy" with what I've achieved. And of course tackle some ultra distances. Most likely not much past 100km, but definitely looking to run a lot of long distance runs (30-100km) during my life.

I am 53 now. Few years ago I was trying to loose weight by dieting, I felt miserable, I was constantly suffering and in a bad mood. Then I was trying intermittent fasting, I would just eat one big meal in two days, I would feel miserable too. Then I started to walk longer distances, so that I can burn some calories and can enjoy unhealthy treat. Then I was gradually adding jogging to walking. Then I added longer runs, 2days 6km then third day the break for the resting. Then I started to jog 6km every day, after increasing the intensity I felt terrible pain, I was kind ok with that because while jogging pain was not there. That phase took 2 years. After 2 years I doubled the distance to 12km every day, it was a day decision, one day I decided and from then on I was jogging 12km every day. For 3 month I was in terrible pain on the side of my right knee. I new such pain was ok, because while I was jogging pain went away. After 3 month pain suddenly disappeared. That phase took about 3/4 of a year. Then I went to competition 12km run , to my big surprise I was able to finish it in an one hour. After that competition I increased the daily distance to 18km, and again 2 month terrible pain in my right calf and again pain suddenly disappeared once the body got stronger. So for the last 4 month I am jogging 18km every day. To my big surprise after 3years jogging I just managed to shed only 10kg, but everybody around says I got slim, my body composition changed, I still have a bear belly but its not so prominent and fat from other body parts just disappeared. My eating habits changed too. I stopped dieting. During the day I cannot eat much, because having full intestines during long runs makes me poo. So usually I can enjoy a good meal and beer only late in evening after the run. My stomach has shrank, it just cannot absorbed the food quantities and number of beers as it used to. I am starting to have craving for more healthy meals, fish, sardines, vegetables, less fat because it takes longer to digest. I am not following any special nutritional recommendation, still keep drinking beer, I am just listening to my body what it is telling to me to do to be able to run every evening 18km.. For many years I was having something chronic with the right knee, I could not bent it fully, to my big surprise I can bent it fully now. I started with jogging very slowly, did not put any specific goals, so that I don't get disappointed, my main goal was and is doing it regularly, my dream is perhaps be bale to run marathon in far future. Of cause, as I'll be getting older, I'll be be adjusting intensity to my age, nobody can fight against the nature.

J'ai perdu 100 livres en faisant du vélo et en marchant, et maintenant je cours. Je suis passée d'une personne trop grosse et paresseuse pour promener mon chien à une personne qui va courir le Black Canyons 100k dans 3 semaines. Je serai lent et probablement DFL, mais je serai là et ferai de mon mieux.

Very nice! Thank you for this lesson. My biggest problem is my office stress, that leads me to evening fat and sugar consumation. So I fight with few pounds over even by running 10k 3 times weekly :-) I left the office, so it's time for new habits, will try again, thank you!

Thanks again for sharing your insights Simon, helps a lot!

340 to 220, took a year, still improving my habits and running skills

Another great video! Everyone is different, but I get constantly hungry if I go below 3000 calories per day. So if I only work sitting at a desk, I have to go down to 2500 calories or less to lose weight. It doesn't take long until cravings for food make this unmaintainable. However, if I am active, and burn more calories while staying around 3000 calories, I can lose weight while finding the hunger annoying but not overwhelming. I enjoy running anyway, but it also is a good way to burn calories.

Great video. I come from bodybuilding and still do it but found my love for trail running.started a couple of months ago,couldnt even run 1km without catching for breath. Now i run 16k easily ,dropped more than 10lbs but my pace still sucks😂 having more muscle mass dont make it easier😂 You have some great points here. Keep posting.inreally enjoy your vids🤝

I love the way you have addressed this topic with the emphasis on management, body composition and building better habits. I say this as someone who has always been heavy but at times I've been close to what I considered an ideal weight, and maintained that weight for years. I think my big takeaway of being 10 - 20 even 30 kg overweight at times, is that easing up on exercise has always been my downfall. BIG TIP - keep moving! And weight training. I'm 62 now and 10 kg heavier than I would like (for running and cycling performance) but I'm so over dieting and don't weight myself anymore. I tell myself I'm getting stronger every time I haul my ass up a hill. And I guess this my approach going forward.

I’ve lost about 20 pounds in the past 3 months and increased my mile by about 2 minutes. The 2 things that made a difference were using an Apple Watch and tracking calories so I could see visually what was happening and giving myself permission to prioritize exercise above the demands of life.

My body used to be that of a Michelin Man. Eating clean. Eliminating The Clown, The King, The Jack and the red headed step kid named Wendy. Got me skinny again!

Question, do you take a recovery shake after your runs, if so, which one. Thinking of tail wind recovery shake

One of my goals this year is to be mindful of my way of eating. I will be working hard to stay away from all the processed foods. I’m refusing to weigh myself and instead going by how I feel mentally and physically. I’m hoping this will help with a relatively tough race year I have planned.

Thank you, Simon! Again, you have made a great video.

Started running, lost over 30 LBS. Had to take a few months off for an injury (kicking roots on the trail = bad idea) and gained it all back. My issue, I was still eating like l was running every day. Also I really noticed that the more I move my body, the more I crave healthy foods. The less I move the more junk I want. I am back at It now rebuilding my endurance, and I really notice the added weight. In short this video came at the perfect time. Thank you!

Love your videos- especially the race videos. I lost 65 lbs over the last year running.

Thanks!

Thanks for the video Simon. Something that helped me lose about 9lbs recently was tracking my caloric intake. I use an app called Fooducate but I’m sure there are plenty of other options!

Congrats on a marathon of subscribers! Liked the reflective focus on sustainability in this video. I don’t have a personal story to add on this topic, so if folks haven’t yet followed Callie Vinson, she has a great journey to be inspired by!

The most important I think is to develop healthy long term habits - that's something which will be beneficial much beyond "simply" related to weight management. Even better, running eventually becomes fun - and that's when you've reached a sustainable healthy life style!

Bello!!!!…..e complimenti!

Congrats! What a race.

Thanks Simon, great video!

Awesome tips!! I am unable to eat and feel like throwing up issues after 12 hours of a 100 mile race . Do u have any advice? Thanks

You are brave and an inspiration for many!

Excellent job, well done, sir! I have the 2025 race coming up here in a couple of months and won’t, I don’t think, have any crew or pacers available either, much like yourself. Would love to get your take on the gear that you used/needed/didn’t need to go self supported and also your drop back strategy if you’re willing to share!?

Loved every bit. Thank you so much for sharing!

What do you do to help you offset the issue with Achilles? Is in insertional or non-insertional?

Well made video, not just nicely filmed but it also brings across the physical challenges very well. Still believe that Tor des Geants is the 'real one' when it comes to long-distance trail running. I especially likes the background music, do you have a playlist on e.g. Spotify that list the songs you have used?

I'm a heavy long distance trail runner.... for me it's the Stinson

Great stuff! You certainly got your share of mountain weather! Enjoyed watching this video to keep my pre race jitters in check! See you on the trails!