December 2018 -

Running wild in one of the coolest jobs in sport

Ever wondered how you set up your own running company? Wonder no more. We spoke to Simon James, founder of adventure running firm, Run The Wild, about his running journey and how it has led to one of the coolest jobs in the sport.

From a young age, I’ve always felt a strong connection with running. I grew up on the south coast of Wales, exploring the cliff tops, running along beaches and the winding trails through sand dunes. That sense of complete freedom has stayed with me and I believe is at the very heart of what trail running is all about.

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I love nature and camping, and as a teenager had the chance to go on a six-week expedition to Alaska. It was tough. But from then on, I began to seek out challenges that although might not necessarily have any tangible value, do provide meaning and purpose, and continue to frame my life.

Life starts to take its toll

As many do, I found myself pursuing a career in London with long hours in an office. This included the inevitable toll it can take on your health. One day a client suggested that I should join him in a hiking challenge along the West Highland Way. Except it wasn’t a walk, my friend decided we would run it. The only thing was, the furthest I’d ever run before was eight miles. This was 54 miles!

But I did it, and something clicked inside me that day. It reawakened what I’d discovered in Alaska many years earlier. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Running all over the world

My running has taken me all over the world, even into the realms of mountaineering. I’ve climbed the high altitude peaks of the Americas and 8,000m peaks in the Himalayas. I think the message is common with runners about how running can change your perspective. I used to struggle with my weight and also depression, but running really was an antidote to those. It became very much part of my identity.

It was in 2013, as I descended from a last summit attempt from Manaslu, an 8,000 metre peak in Nepal, and in a rather hypoxic state that the vision of Run the Wild came to me. It was something different, something that encapsulated running with exploring and adventures in the wild. I wanted something that was a step away from racing and the crowds, that incorporated the feel of an expedition, and yet gave this sense of freedom.

Within a few weeks, Run the Wild became a reality and the concept of “Exploring places… not running races.” was born.

Best day job in the world

Through Run the Wild I have been privileged to facilitate some incredible running adventures for individuals and groups. I love working in the outdoors, sharing knowledge, encouraging and supporting others while teaching skills that I have learned on my own journey. The people, the experiences and the environment are incredibly rewarding. I feel very fortunate to have what I believe to be one of the best jobs in the world!

Running along balcony paths beneath sweeping glaciers, standing on the top of mountain passes above the clouds is a pretty cool place to call your office.

Photo credit: Simon James

Simon works full time in the outdoor industry, looking after the day-to-day operation of Run the Wild and working as a trail running guide. In summer, he is based in Saint Gervais, at the foot of Mont Blanc, and for the rest of the year in the Chiltern Hills in the UK. He also works with young people on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme as an assessor and instructor. Simon works on charity-based projects in Tanzania as well as leading groups up Kilimanjaro. He is an International Mountain Leader, Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist as well as Leader in Running Fitness.

Antoine and Olivier united by shared ambition

Teamwork makes the dream work, as the saying goes. But what are the characteristics of a successful sporting partnership?

Friendship must be one. Trust another. Unity and compassion a couple more. Striving together towards a shared ambition certainly requires a special understanding.

For HOKA athletes Antoine Pérel and Olivier Lyoen, these characteristics form the backbone of their tandem triathlon ambitions.

The duo have made huge strides in the short time that they’ve been training and competing together, though their backgrounds could not be more different.

Following a different path

Once joking that “my longest distance is 100 metres”, Antoine Pérel has far exceeded that in recent years.

Always active in his youth, he used to dream of becoming a professional football player like his father. But this wasn’t to be Antoine’s sporting path.

Antoine was diagnosed with cone dystrophy at the age of 10. The condition is an inherited disorder of the eye and affects a person’s ability to see colour and fine detail. At first, Antoine didn’t realise he couldn’t see anymore like everybody else.

As his condition got worse, Antoine was forced to abandon his football dreams and stopped playing the game five years later.

Success in a new sport

Sporting ambition still burned inside. At the age of 16, undeterred by his failing sight, Antoine turned his attention to athletics – and with remarkable success.

For several years, Antoine was one of the best five long jumpers in his category in the world. He held the U23 age-group world record and was the French national champion for more than a decade from 2005 to 2016.

He reached the pinnacle of his career when he competed at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. But after the discipline he competed in was removed from the Paralympics schedule in Rio eight years later, Antoine turned his back on track and field.

This second twist of fate set Antoine’s sporting path in another new direction.

Waiting for the opportunity

For Olivier, his partnership with Antoine is an opportunity that has been a long time coming.

From 2002 to 2008, Olivier volunteered to act as a guide to visually-impaired athletes. However, he was never called into action.

Eight years later, after a professional career that spanned three appearances at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, the call finally came.

“I stopped triathlon in 2008 because my son was small and I wanted to dedicate more time to my family,” recalls Olivier.

“I did the same amount of running but it was only in 2015 that I decided to resume triathlon. I won my age category at the French Championships, qualified for IRONMAN Wales and competed at Xterra Malta.

“Guiding Antoine is much more rewarding than continuing to do triathlon alone. I achieved all the challenges that I set myself in this sport apart from taking part in the Olympics. The ambition now is to make it with Antoine.” Olivier Lyoen

“The next year, I spent a month living and training in Hawaii with my wife and children. It was after this that the call came.”

Coming together as one

While Olivier was living in the south Pacific, Antoine was taking the first steps in his triathlon career in northern France.

In a session run by the French Triathlon Federation designed to unearth promising talent, Antoine’s potential was there for all to see. The only sticking points? He had to find a tandem, a guide and learn how to swim.

Cue, Olivier.

“I train Antoine very seriously,” says Olivier.

“We found the budget to finance travel and equipment and started competing together in 2017. Before we knew it, we’d achieved two podium finishes in Paratriathlon World Cup events and won the Open World Championship in Rotterdam.

“Guiding Antoine is much more rewarding than continuing to do triathlon alone. I achieved all the challenges that I set myself in this sport apart from taking part in the Olympics. The ambition now is to make it with Antoine.”

United by shared ambition

The fledgling duo have made great progress over the last twelve months and are currently ranked 15^th in the world. Tokyo 2020 is not such a pipe dream.

Antoine will soon become a father for a second time. Despite their stretched financial resources, Antoine and Olivier have a dream to realise.

“We are united by this project to take part and win a medal at the Olympics, much like two brothers united by name.” Olivier Lyoen

“Our relationship is very strong,” asserts Olivier. “We are united by this project to take part and win a medal at the Olympics, much like two brothers united by name who carry a family project.

“We look out for and take care of each other because we are a team.”

Photo credit: Peignée Verticale

Record-breakers forge lasting friendship across ancient lake

Lake Baikal is widely considered one of the world’s oldest lakes. Situated in the mountainous Russian region of Siberia, where average winter temperatures reach an astonishingly cool -25C, the ancient lake is at least 1,600m deep and holds around 20% of all fresh water on the planet. The area of the lake is almost equal to that of the whole of Belgium. A successful crossing of this frozen river would undoubtedly be achievement enough.

Back in March this year, Rob Trigwell was part of a three-man expedition that broke the world speed record for an unsupported crossing of Siberia’s frozen Lake Baikal. The trio of British endurance athletes took on one of the world’s greatest challenges and came out on top. In some of the harshest, most extreme conditions you could wish to find, the team completed the 639-kilometre journey in 12 days, 21 hours and 13 minutes.

As the team step up their training for another assault on the record in 2019, Rob reflects on their remarkable feat and shares the story behind the challenge, the extreme conditions they faced and the friendships forged for life on the frozen ancient lake.

Planting the seed

I’ve had a love for the outdoors ever since I was young. Having been an active cross-country runner during my school days, I naturally transitioned into longer endurance events, primarily through running and triathlons. Unsurprisingly, my curiosity for cold weather environment expeditions grew and grew.

In 2012, while I was working in Libya as an aid worker, I heard about a cold-weather race in Siberia racing over Lake Baikal. I told myself I was going to do it, but as an aid worker working in the Middle East after the Arab Spring, I ended up moving from post-war Libya to Jordan, where the influx of refugees from Syria was becoming more and more. Training wasn’t possible as we worked non-stop to support the incoming refugees. The trip was put on hold, but the idea was set.

After a number of years working in Iraq (pictured above), South Sudan and Myanmar (Rob pictured below with David Milliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee), I took the plunge and signed up to an Arctic training programme in northern Sweden with Weatherised Training, led by Scott Gilmour. After a week of pulling pulks (an Arctic sled) through the mountains of Arctic Sweden and camping at -25°C, I knew I was hooked.

The following year, I went out for the same training week, where I shared a tent with Michael Stevenson. After the week, Scott and I took a longer trip along the mountainous Kungsleden winter trail. We were skiing 16 hours a day, through deep snow and tough terrain.

One night in the tent, we were talking about how we would fare if we did this approach somewhere flat. Baikal instantly sprang to mind. As soon as we got back, we got planning for Baikal 2018 and a possible record attempt.

Forging close friendships

Lake Baikal can be one of the windiest places in the world. The winter of 2018 also saw the largest amount of snowfall in over 50 years. Therefore, some days we faced extreme cold with heavy winds, others were tolerably warm. The expedition had an ebb and flow, very much dictated by the weather.

“Some days we faced extreme cold with heavy winds, others were tolerably warm. The expedition had an ebb and flow, very much dictated by the weather.” Rob Trigwell

Team work is everything in these challenges. It was a three-man team, with 4 pulks – the extra one carrying our tent, fuel and garbage. We took it in turns to carry the “plus 1” pulk on 2-hour rotations. On the flat, smooth ice, this was not too bad, but with the deep snow this became difficult and exhausting. It was always a relief once your turn was done.

Teamwork is also really important inside the tent. We took the cooking in turns on a daily rotations. This gave free nights to other team members to do some bandaging or gear fixes. The friendship of our team went a long way, and this really fuelled the drive and success of the expedition.

Preparing for success

I was working with the United Nations in Ethiopia in the build up to the expedition. I maintained a good level of cardiovascular fitness by getting out for runs in the morning before the Addis Ababa traffic got too bad. Runs after work, though, were a no-go because of the pollution in the city. My girlfriend and I signed up to circuit training courses in the city in the back of an expat’s garden, and worked on some core exercises.

“A large part of success on these type of expeditions is making sure you have the right gear, eat the right food and all the team know the goals.” Rob Trigwell

A large part of success on these type of expeditions is making sure you have the right gear, eat the right food and all the team know the goals. We had worked as a team and tested the gear the previous years in the Arctic, so we were feeling prepared.

I wore the HOKA Tor Ultra High with some Yaxtrax attached, which was perfect for these conditions. It provided great comfort from the iron-like ice when on your feet for 16-18 hours a day, and provided the necessary insulation from the cold.

Tackling the final stretch

In the final days of the expedition, we pushed ourselves to the limit and covered 135km in 36 hours, during which we slept for just two hours in our bivvy bags outside as setting up the tent would have taken too long.

“The friendship of our team went a long way, and this really fuelled the drive and success of the expedition.” Rob Trigwell

When we finally arrived at the pier at Nizhneangarsk, the recognised finished point, it was a tremendous feeling. I had completed something I had wanted to do for a number of years and spent the last two winters training for. Beating the record was a great bonus and another reason to celebrate with such good friends.

Rob, Michael and Scott are back in training and currently preparing for another record attempt in 2019. Follow their latest expedition on the Frozen Tracks website and Facebook page.

Photo credit: Scott Gilmour