EP16 - The Barkley Marathons, Super Shoes & The Future of Trail Running

In this no-nonsense episode of RUNcensored, Gary House and Ben Mounsey take on some of the biggest debates in ultra running, trail racing, and the future of the sport.

From the mystique of the Barkley Marathons to the rise of carbon super shoes, the guys dig into whether the sport is evolving in the right direction—or if it’s losing its roots.

🎙️ What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🏃 Barkley Marathons – Has this legendary race lost its magic?

🧩 The secretive world of Laz Lake’s brutal ultra marathon

👟 Super Shoes Debate – Do carbon plate shoes ruin the purity of racing?

🎭 Trail Racing Boom – Is the market getting oversaturated?

🔥 Influencers vs. Elite Athletes – Why do brands pay influencers more than professional runners?

💰 The Money Problem – Should top trail and fell runners be earning more?

⚡ Doping in Running – Is it being overlooked in endurance sports?

🏔️ The Fell Running Purity Test – Should poles be banned in fell races?

The world of running is changing fast, and this episode takes a brutally honest look at whether those changes are helping or harming the sport.

⏱️ Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & Why We Don’t Live Together (Yet)

3:00 - Barclay Marathons: Why Some Fans Are Losing Interest

8:45 - How Lazarus Lake Designs the Hardest Ultra Ever

14:20 - Trail Racing Boom – Are There Too Many Events?

22:30 - Super Shoes Debate – Do They Give An Unfair Advantage?

28:15 - Influencers vs. Elite Runners – Who Deserves More Sponsorship?

34:40 - Doping in Running: Is It Worse Than We Think?

42:55 - Should Poles Be Banned in Fell Running?

50:30 - Future of Trail Running: What Needs to Change?

55:00 - Final Thoughts & Next Episode Preview

Why You Should Listen:

If you love ultra running, fell racing, and unfiltered discussions about where the sport is headed, this episode is for you.

The RUNcensored Podcast is all about real conversations, zero fluff, and telling it how it is. Whether you’re a trail runner, mountain racer, or just love running talk, you’ll find something in this episode to agree—or argue—about.

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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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