EP12 - Our Epic Trans Gran Canaria Trail Race Adventure with updates from Andy Fior Berry, Mark Derbyshire, Gavin Dale

🏔️ Trans Gran Canaria: One of the toughest and most breathtaking trail races in the world! - With updates from Andy Fior Berry, Mark Derbyshire and Gavin Dale

In this episode of RUNcensored, Gary House and Ben Mounsey take you inside their brutal yet unforgettable experience at Trans Gran Canaria—where they faced steep climbs, volcanic terrain, extreme heat, and sheer exhaustion.

🔥 Gary ran the Classic, covering 128km across the entire island in a test of endurance, strategy, and mental toughness.

🔥 Ben took on the Half, pushing through technical trails, relentless ascents, and scorching temperatures.

To top it all off, we’ve got voice notes from some of the biggest names in trail running, including:

🎤 Andy Fior Berry, Mark Derbyshire, Gavin Dale, sharing their insights and reflections on the race.

🎧 What’s Inside This Episode:

✅ The brutal reality of running Trans Gran Canaria 🌞🏔️

✅ How to survive an ultra with extreme elevation and heat

✅ Pacing, fueling, and race-day strategies that worked (and what didn’t!)

✅ The mental battle of long-distance trail running 🧠

✅ The best and worst moments from the race weekend

✅ Post-race madness: beer, casinos, and celebrations gone wrong! 🍻🎰

📚 Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction & Pre-Race Build-Up

Gary and Ben discuss their excitement, travel to Gran Canaria, and pre-race nerves before the Trans Gran Canaria event.

10:05 - The Brutality of Trans Gran Canaria Ultra

Gary details his 128km race across the entire island, tackling extreme climbs, heat, and sleep deprivation.

18:30 - Ben’s Marathon Experience: The Volcanic Challenge

Ben shares his 45km race experience, navigating technical trails, steep ascents, and relentless heat.

27:10 - Travel Mishaps, Strange Food & Last-Minute Panic

A chaotic arrival in Gran Canaria—from car hire disasters to questionable airport pastries.

36:45 - The Best & Worst Moments of the Race

Gary and Ben reflect on their highest highs and lowest lows, including moments when they almost quit.

47:20 - The Mental & Physical Battle of Ultra Running

Gary discusses sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and pushing through exhaustion during his 28-hour race.

56:30 - Nutrition, Pacing & Fueling Strategies

What worked, what didn’t, and how they adjusted fueling strategies mid-race to avoid a complete blow-up.

1:05:15 - Special Guests: Elite Trail Runners Share Their Thoughts

Voice notes from Andy Fior Berry, Mark Derbyshire, Gavin Dale, Rich Gill, and Tom, sharing their race experiences.

1:16:45 - Post-Race Madness: Beers, Casinos & Recovery

How Gary and Ben celebrated (or barely survived) after the race, including a casino trip at 2:00 AM.

1:27:30 - Would We Do It Again? Final Thoughts on Trans Gran Canaria

Gary and Ben reflect on the race, lessons learned, and whether they’d return for another shot.

Why You Should Listen:

If you love trail running, ultra marathons, or just hearing about the mental and physical battle of endurance racing, this episode has insights, entertainment, and raw honesty.

👉 Follow & Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday!

#TrailRunning #UltraRunning #TransGranCanaria #MarathonTraining #EnduranceRacing #TrailMarathon #TrailUltra #RunningPodcast #MountainRunning #UltraMarathon #TrailRace #RUNcensored

RUNcensored Podcast 🎙

The unfiltered running podcast with Gary House & Ben Mounsey — honest chats with athletes, coaches and characters from the world of running.

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