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El Camino Español: Aaron Sharples’ 1,600km Coastline Challenge
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In this episode of the UKRunChat Podcast, Michelle speaks to Aaron Sharples about his ambitious project, El Camino Español, a 1,600km run along the entire east coast of Spain.
Starting in Portbou near the French border and finishing in La Línea at the gateway to Gibraltar, Aaron plans to complete the route in just 28 days, averaging around 80km a day. The challenge could set a Fastest Known Time and potentially be a world first.
But this isn’t just about distance or speed. Aaron shares how his running journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic, how movement helped him through a difficult period of grief, and how his mindset has evolved from running through trauma to running with purpose.
We explore the logistics of the challenge, the importance of mindset and recovery, and how Aaron plans to connect with communities along the route, using movement as a tool for empowerment and connection.
In this episode, we cover:
- How Aaron went from non-runner to endurance athlete in 5 years
- The story behind El Camino Español
- What running 80km a day will involve
- Mindset, resilience, and learning from failure
- The role of journaling, meditation, and recovery
- Building community through movement
- Supporting charities including Healthier Heroes
Follow Aaron:
- Instagram: @MakeBoldChoices & @aaron__sharples__
- Website: https://givestar.io/gs/el-camino-espanyol
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to UK Run Chat Podcast
00:00:01
UKRunChat
Hi, I'm Michelle. Welcome to the UK Run Chat Podcast, the place where we explore the stories behind the miles and meet the people who make the running community what it is.
00:00:07
Aaron
Thank you.
Exploring El Camino Pilgrimage
00:00:11
UKRunChat
Now, when you hear the words El Camino, you probably think of the historic pilgrimage route across northern Spain, where thousands of people walk towards Santiago in search of reflection or personal meaning.
00:00:23
UKRunChat
But today's guest isn't following the traditional Camino.
Aaron's Modern Pilgrimage Plan
00:00:27
UKRunChat
Instead, Aaron Shappells is creating his own modern pilgrimage in a way, El Camino Español. which is a 1600 kilometre run along the entire east coast of Spain, from the French border all the way down to the gateway of Gibraltar.
00:00:43
UKRunChat
Now in October 2026, he plans to cover that distance in just 28 days, potentially setting a fastest known time and possibly completing a world
00:00:46
Aaron
Thank you.
From Pandemic to Running Passion
00:00:54
UKRunChat
first.
00:00:54
UKRunChat
So we're really excited to have Erin with us today. Welcome to the UK Run Chat podcast. Thanks so much for coming on. So first of all, can you just tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into running first of all?
00:01:07
Aaron
Yeah, of course. um I'll take you back to 2020. As we all know, that was COVID times and um everyone kind of took up running at that stage. But I was a bit later in joining on the running kind of scene. um I've always been physically fit and gone to the gym, but I've never ever crossed my mind about running or doing anything like that. But at the time, I was...
00:01:27
Aaron
Working on a business, I was working seven days a week, 90 hours a week and running or any of anything else was kind of at the back of my mind. um And then the business shut down because of COVID and then they ended up getting a job doing four days on, four days off. So on my four days off, I was a bit lost at first. I was a bit like, what am I going to do with this time off? I get four days off a week now.
Running as Emotional Therapy
00:01:48
Aaron
So I started hiking, like walking in the Lake District because that's all we're allowed to do, um which then made it more like I could see more people out running and in the fells doing all that kind of fell running scene, which is which is amazing. I was like, oh, I bet that would be quite fun, actually.
00:02:04
Aaron
But then again, I put it to the back of my mind for a little a while and just continue to hike, which I loved because it was outside. um And then further down the line, I was...
00:02:15
Aaron
One day i woke up, I was like, oh, I might try this running. in This running thing, that was what I ended up saying to myself. i was like, I'll try this running thing today. I didn't have a pair of trainers, didn't have any shorts. I was like, I'll just put on what I can and just went for a walk. Ended up running. I think I ended up running like half marathon.
00:02:33
Aaron
It wasn't fasted. it wasn't It wasn't pretty, but it was it was a run. um And at the time, the family was going for a traumatic kind of time. um and we and And we weren't getting on and it was just, there was lots of moving parts in the family, which were kind of traumatic at the time and COVID on top of that. So it was like, I was not in a very good place mental mentally or physically to be thinking about anything else. But I went on this run and I just automatically felt like, oh, weight's being lifted off my shoulders. Because for that hour or two hours,
00:03:05
Aaron
I didn't really think about anything else ah because I don't have any music here. And it was just like because COVID, there was no one around. It was just kind of running and just like being kind of free. I know that's quite cliche to say.
00:03:15
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:03:16
Aaron
And a lot of people say that because that's just the way it felt at the time. So then I continued
Running for Cancer Research
00:03:21
Aaron
running. I just probably ran twice a week, still hiking on my four days off. um And then moving forward from there, it kind of snowballed into more running. And then post-COVID, it was like 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, marathons. And that kind of what led me to do my challenges and get into this point in that I'm at now.
00:03:40
UKRunChat
Yeah, wow. so you So you started doing daily 10 kilometre runs, didn't you?
00:03:45
Aaron
Yeah, so...
00:03:46
UKRunChat
and so that just kind of evolved naturally then did it into going further.
00:03:50
Aaron
Yeah, it it went further because um at the time, like I said, ah it was a traumatic time and sadly, a member of the family had a brain tumour and sadly passed away. um And at the time I was not in a mental state to give any sympathy or any words of wisdom. um I always struggled with saying things, the right things anyway. So then I was like how can I give something back to show that care and show that like, I'm here to support everyone and support the the family and support my friends and things like that. So was like, I'll do, as soon as I've just started running, I'm going to do 10k every day for 30 days of January. And then I'm going to half marathon at the end.
00:04:27
Aaron
And I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea how it was going to turn out. But I laced up on the 1st of January, I think 2021. And then I just ran the same route every day for 30 days. um Again, had no idea what was doing. In terms of nutrition, I was just just going about just getting through the 10Ks every day. and then by the end of it, um I started, I think my first 10K that ran, I wasn't even running for time. I think it was 55 minutes, my first 10K on January the 1st.
00:04:56
Aaron
And then at the end, the last think I ran a 39 minute 10K. And I was like, is that good?
00:05:02
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:05:03
Aaron
Is that bad? I was like, what?
00:05:05
UKRunChat
again
00:05:06
Aaron
And so I started looking that's when I started delving into like stats and what people are running. was like, I'm actually okay at this. But as a whole, that experience was just so like, so moving because it was January.
00:05:19
Aaron
The weather was not the best. It was snowing. um and know I just went for every single run on my own. and And then ah in the meantime, I was raising money for cancer research. So I raised nearly £3,000 in that time. And that was my way of saying that I'm here, I support and I'll do anything I can to help other people and other families that are going through the same kind of trauma and and situation. And then I did the half marathon and then mum and dad there at the end and then It was kind of such just a great moment of being like, oh, I did it. this is like This is such a good feeling.
00:05:51
Aaron
um So that's what led me on to doing that 10K every day. and And since then, it's just been like it's just kept snowballing since then.
Competitive Running Journey
00:06:00
UKRunChat
Yeah, and then and then you've run kind of a you've run a few like really good marathons as well, haven't you, since then?
00:06:05
Aaron
Yeah, I ran, I think, um yeah, I signed up for Manchester Marathon and I was like, I'll give it a good go. Didn't get a coach again. I was just kind of learning as I went off YouTube and conversations and i ended up running a 240, 243 in Manchester.
00:06:22
Aaron
And then the year after I ran a 2.42 in London. um so i was actually, yeah, I'm actually quite good at this this running this running thing. I was like, however it started and now it's now it's to this. And it was just evolved so much, getting involved in the communities and the people that are doing the runs and talking. um And that just leads into like meeting people that are doing the same thing. And it was like just a shift in like the people that would never be associated with or hang around with. It's like is meeting a whole new group of people, which is so breathtaking really at times.
00:06:52
UKRunChat
Yes, it's funny where running can lead you like that, isn't it? Yeah.
00:06:55
Aaron
Yeah.
Inspiration for El Camino Español
00:06:56
UKRunChat
it's So tell us about El el Camino Español and where did the idea come from and why Spain?
00:07:03
Aaron
um Why Spain? I spend a lot of time in Spain mum and dad have got place there. We go quite a lot. It's more of like ah every time I go to the place in Spain, it's more like a switch off and calm place for me to go and for us all to go really.
00:07:14
Aaron
But I was in Estepona in 2024 for a month with my partner and um I was training not for anything. i was just trying to just train, just getting fit.
00:07:24
UKRunChat
be.
00:07:25
Aaron
um And I was actually, no, i was actually training for something. I was training for my first 100 miler. So I was in Spain. I was running up and down the coast and One day was sat there in the afternoon and um it was just off the back of the festival that we did, the fitness and wellness festival that we did.
00:07:39
Aaron
So we sat there just going through some bits and then I was planning my routes as you do for like the next day, the next week. And i help what I was like, I wonder how far it is from Estepona to Gibraltar. So I figured that out and I was like, I wonder how far it is from Estepona to Malaga.
00:07:53
Aaron
And I was like, actually, let me just look at this map even bigger. Let me just see, let me see how far it is from the French border all the way down to Gibraltar. And the map came up and i was like, that's a thousand miles, 1600 kilometers. I was like, that's quite far actually. So I said to my listeners at the time, I said to Lauren, I was like, I'm going to run that one day.
00:08:12
Aaron
And that was in, that was in September, 2024. She was like, you're crazy. You're crazy. and And, um, but she was like, do you know what, if there's anyone that can do it, you can do it. So, and it kind of put it to the back of my mind for about six months.
00:08:25
Aaron
um but continuously went back to it and I was mapping out in secret because I wasn't telling anyone I was sat there in like and the evening just like mapping out the the route and is it possible, is it not possible um and then that's when it came to like the start of last year it came to light and I was like in 2025 I was like right going to actually do this let's get this pen to paper let's start making movements to making this happen
00:08:50
UKRunChat
Yeah, so why now? Why do you feel ready to do it now? you're You're obviously very comfortable at endurance events anyway,
Personal Growth Through Running
00:08:57
Aaron
Yes, I kind of I kind of always, in but in the middle of running period, I was always doing events. i was doing a lot of events and i kind of didn't go to the point where I wasn't enjoying events.
00:08:57
UKRunChat
but why why now?
00:09:07
Aaron
I was like, I do enjoy going to them, but there's a lot of pressure and like the running, that I think the pressure took over the running. So I kind of, that's how I went to start creating my own events.
00:09:18
Aaron
And not at this point, when i so when I do the run this year, it'll be five years since I started running. So I feel like it's a good it's a good point for me to be like,
00:09:24
UKRunChat
Yeah, well.
00:09:28
Aaron
that everything's changed in five years, that a massive shift in me and personally, mentally, physically has changed in in the five years because I always used to associate the challenge that i did with trauma or sadness.
00:09:39
Aaron
And I feel like this five year point and this challenge that I'm doing in October, it's not about trauma. It's about giving back and seeing how far the five year journey has been and like how much I've moved on and developed and the people that have come along with me on the journey.
00:09:54
Aaron
Also again, I've been involved for the whole five years are also like getting involved in this and backing me and helping me create this project, which is great.
00:10:04
UKRunChat
Yeah, so there's a bit of progression there for you as a person.
Logistics of El Camino Español
00:10:07
UKRunChat
then i I like that because I think quite a lot of us do do get into running for kind of sadder reasons, really, don't we? So it's nice that you've you'll have that kind of celebration of what you've achieved.
00:10:13
Aaron
Yes.
00:10:18
Aaron
Yeah, I want to just change the narrative a bit. um i took and ah took i took I think i put I took eight months out of running, maybe nine months.
00:10:21
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:10:24
Aaron
no I was still running, but i wasn't running for anything. I was just running and I was just keeping like physically fit. And I just wanted to change what i was running for. It naturally changed anyway over the years, but then I just wanted to market with something.
00:10:40
Aaron
And this is the challenge that's going to market. like its This is a celebration. This is like something that I'm going to give back to everybody that's helped me along the way and create something special. um And again, because it's five years, it feels even more special because it's it's I'm in such a different headspace now so than I was five years ago.
00:10:59
UKRunChat
Yeah, so why have you settled on the kind of the tight timeframe that you have? Because you said you you're hoping to do it in 28 days.
00:11:04
Aaron
Yeah, it' twenty i want to I want to stick within a month, ideally, October. And I think doing, on average, 80 kilometres a day, is more than doable for myself. That's why I believe the scope for it to go over, but I think setting myself 28 days would just be would just be a nice round number, 80 kilometers a day. Some days will be less, some days will be more.
00:11:26
Aaron
um I've run distance, I've run for like 100 miles and around them a few times. So I know I can do the distance, but it's just the training now has just got to be focused on doing it over a day period.
00:11:41
Aaron
And I think 28 is doable.
00:11:42
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:11:43
Aaron
is doable um No one's ever done it before. So this is why I'm kind of, um I'm like a rabbit in headlights. I'm just trying to like navigate, like, will it take me 28 days?
00:11:54
Aaron
Will it not? I've got no one to so kind of speak to about it.
00:11:56
UKRunChat
yes
00:11:57
Aaron
I'm kind of like, is it 28 days? It could be 30, it could be 26 days, but 28 is the day that I've picked. I don't know why. I just i just think that'll be a good day to finish.
00:12:08
UKRunChat
Yeah. So is that something that you'll be kind of, will you be happy to go over that if if it does take longer? Like what plans got in place for that?
00:12:14
Aaron
Yeah, I'd like, Well, ideally I'd like to finish it on the last day of October, which the 30th. um
00:12:22
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:12:23
Aaron
So i can I've got two days that can go over. i'll just wanted to do it with inside the month. But if i did if i if I said I had 30 days, then if I go over, it'll be into the next month. So in my head, logically, that's like, I've gone over into next month. I just wanted to keep it within the within the October timeframe.
00:12:40
Aaron
um But there's scope to go over. There's lots of variables that which might change on the ground on the month. But that's the plan A is 28 days.
00:12:50
UKRunChat
Yeah. So looking at kind of the logistics of the challenge then, this must be a huge thing to organize. I mean, where do you start with it? Yeah.
00:12:59
Aaron
Well, when I started, um it's been going off for 18 months, like I said, in Estepona, I started mapping out. But over the time, I've been to Spain between then and now, and I've been on the coast, and I've had the opportunity to run up and down the coast. And and i've just I've basically just looked at Google Maps every day for the past 18 months, and just changing the route, adjusting the route, and looking at like campsites, rest stops.
00:13:23
Aaron
um where there's going to be places for people to stay if they're on the route um and then also because i because when i'm in spain on the challenge um i want to be stopping at schools or on clubs and talking and getting getting people in spain running along with me from clubs and the schools and maybe doing talks along the way so i'm trying to fit it all in but the the aim is to stay as close to the coast as possible um And that's just that's just basically hugging the hugging the coastline all the way down. But if I have to go inland, then that's the problem. If, say, if there's a place I can't go through, then I need to have a plan B where I have to alter the route a little bit.
Terrain Strategy and Community Engagement
00:14:03
UKRunChat
Yeah. so and you're using kind of existing long distance trails. Is that right?
00:14:07
Aaron
Yeah, so we've got the in Spain, we've got some hiking trails there. We've got that GR92, which is the first 500 kilometers. that'll be I'm going to stick to that because that's a known route. And then from there, there's you've got like the GR7, and then you've got another one further down, which they're all kind of not not together.
00:14:25
Aaron
So I'm just trying to fill in the gaps, essentially, um and then create one long route. Because I know that they are trying to create a long route in Spain. for like They are trying to do this route. like as a walking hiking but they're not there yet it's going to be another couple of years before that so um it's just yeah fitting them little bits together which are not essentially there at the moment
00:14:38
UKRunChat
Right.
00:14:45
UKRunChat
Yeah. And what's what's the terrain like along that coastline?
00:14:49
Aaron
um It's a mixture. and The first half is mainly um like trails and mountains. And then the middle part is quite flat. Going through like Valencia, Barcelona, it's quite flat. And then you go down to Almeria where it's going to be again, mountainous. That's where the biggest c climbs will be. And then on the home straight, which I'm quite lucky. From Malaga to Gibraltar, it's it's quite flat. And they've got a nice like path down there, which is already there. So the last I'm thinking the last week, I'm hoping that the majority of will be flat for me just to cruise through and finish.
00:15:27
UKRunChat
ah Yeah, I love your mentality here because you you like the home straight and Malaga to Gibraltar is long way. Yeah.
00:15:35
Aaron
Yeah, it is a long way. i think I'm just trying to comprehend it in my head made in my mind. I'm like trying not to make it a massive feat. I'm trying to play it down a bit in my own mind. I think that just gives me a bit more clarity and being like how big the feat is.
00:15:49
Aaron
um So yeah, Malaga to Gibola is is a very long way. But in my head, like, this is the final bit. Yeah,
00:15:57
UKRunChat
I mean, relative to everything else you've done, it will feel like it, won't it?
00:16:01
Aaron
yeah definitely.
00:16:03
UKRunChat
So where are you up to in planning at the moment? what you know Is there anything we can help with as a community? What what do you need?
00:16:09
Aaron
um what What I'm up to now, like I said, we are announcing the project to everybody on the 28th of October. So everything's leading up to that now. We've already had conversations with the charity. So I'm raising money for Healthier Heroes, which is a veterans charity in Lancaster, where I'm from. And I'm also a small part of the fund is going to go to a second charity, which is Alderhey Hospital in Liverpool.
00:16:33
Aaron
And then a small fund is also going to go to Lancaster Maternity Ward. um so it's kind of separated between the three. But the main charity that i'm doing it for is Healthier Heroes. So we've got a meeting next week and I'm going to be speaking on Armed Forces Day. I'm going to be meeting some of the team which are facilitating the funds for the for the veterans in the housings that they have because they deal with they help veterans with um traumatic experiences, therapy, housing, and like jobs and employment. And also um ah when they come out of prison, they help me with a program doing that. So there's plenty of conversations and meetings that going to be doing that. And then also where we are in schools in the Northwest where we've been into a few schools already in the early, at the end of last year,
00:17:21
Aaron
But I'm hoping to get into a few more schools and do talks just about trying explain to them that things like this are possible. And then we're going to have a tracker them. I'm going try and create a system where I have a tracker on me where the schools that I go and speak to, they can follow.
00:17:36
Aaron
So it's like if they're in the schools that i've been to speak to, they can kind of follow us along and kind of like join in the experience.
00:17:41
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:17:44
Aaron
um But that'd just be that's the main focus right now is just getting in and just trying to communicate with the pupils and the veterans at the moment.
00:17:52
UKRunChat
Yeah.
Building the Support Crew
00:17:53
UKRunChat
and And have you got your crew sorted or does that still need organising?
00:17:55
Aaron
crew I'm on with it. A very small crew at the moment. It's myself, my girlfriend, Lauren, and then I've got a physio who's very a very good friend of mine. And I've got um my director slash media video videographer guy at the minute. So when I announce the video, there's a few people that I've got in mind that I'm gonna reach out to you to see if they want to come and join me. and But again, i might...
00:18:17
Aaron
um um There might be people that I meet from now till October that also want to get involved.
00:18:22
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:18:23
Aaron
I think once I put it out there, I think I might get a few messages. I'm hoping that might get a few messages of people that they want to come and get involved. They want to do this. And I'm all for that. As long as I keep the the crew small to five or six people, because we're going to be in a motor home, essentially.
00:18:37
Aaron
um So we have to get on and we and we have to be used to being in small spaces. um And that's the key really, just to make sure it flows properly and we're all kind of on the same page.
00:18:48
Aaron
So I'm just picking my team wisely um and the people that I know that I can spend a month with as well.
00:18:51
UKRunChat
yeah
00:18:55
Aaron
um Because I quite like to have my own time and my own space. So this will be a quite an experience to spend us that much time with the same people as well. So I'm being...
00:19:03
UKRunChat
Yeah, that'll be a challenge, won't it?
00:19:03
Aaron
That'll be a challenge within space.
00:19:04
UKRunChat
And I mean, how how are you when you get tired and hungry? Because, ah you know, i don't know about you, but I'm i'm horrible if I need food or...
00:19:10
Aaron
Yeah, I mean, especially yeah tired, I'm not the best, can be a bit grumpy, but I mean, it's it's it's all part and parcel of it, isn't it?
00:19:11
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:18
Aaron
I mean, it's not going to be all um smiley, happy faces every day. It's going to be some some tough days, but as long as I've got the right people around me to support me, then I think it's it's more than possible to do.
00:19:30
UKRunChat
yeah So what what do you think is going to be the biggest challenge then of this
Mental and Physical Preparation
00:19:34
Aaron
think the i think I think the the biggest challenge is is mainly going to be getting up the next day and doing it. Um, I think especially after maybe the first few days, you you're going to feel the best you've felt, but then it's just essentially getting up and going again.
00:19:35
UKRunChat
Camino?
00:19:51
Aaron
think that's going to be the hard part with anything. It's just like once you've had, you've been to bed and you're comfy and you're cozy and you've got to get up and do it again. i think that's what what we'll find hard is like getting motivated to go.
00:20:03
Aaron
I'll be motivated, but getting, getting the legs going, I guess, essentially.
00:20:06
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:20:06
Aaron
So it's all about the recovery will be such a ah big, a big part of it. and making sure that my physio and all the recovery tools are there for me to make sure that my legs keep moving um and and i know at some point because i with my runs before that you always get that mental block and it's just getting past that block um and i think once you get over the over the bridge or over the mountain as you say then i think you've just got to get past that bit just to keep that keep everything moving forward
00:20:35
UKRunChat
Yeah, yeah. Mindset must be a huge part of taking on a challenge like that. What what kind of work have you done on yourself to to help or will you be doing in training? Because obviously it's a while off yet.
00:20:46
Aaron
Yeah, well, i spend a lot of my time training on my own um and I don't listen to any music. I kind of get in that headspace and I know that um'm I'm capable of, you know, the mindset is stronger and I'm still going to build on it even more, my resilience and doing the longer runs on my own and and, you know, building up to essentially what is a thousand miles at once. um but I am going to be taking time out and I will be listening to the mind and just having the conversations with myself because I can't, what don't want to do is rely on other people to try and get me through it. I want to be able to make sure that my my mind is ready for going into this challenge, which I'm already mentally prepared because I've been doing it for 18 months. So I feel like it's a natural progression and now it's just going to be a case of doing the long runs, doing the long training and sticking to it. And I think,
00:21:34
Aaron
the basics are there. I just need to up at the next level over the next six months of training.
00:21:41
UKRunChat
Yeah, and you've obviously had experience of doing long endurance events before. what's What's been the hardest part of those that you can kind of learn from and take into this experience?
00:21:52
Aaron
um It's just the kind of the case of just, for me, it's just keep going. It's like one foot in front of the other or one pedal stroke in front of the other or one one on front crawl in front of the other. um And you know the body will always be able to do more than what you think.
00:22:08
Aaron
um And I've learned that along the Don't get me wrong, there's been times where it's got the better of me and I've not managed to complete what wanted to complete, but it's essentially then taken away from that what went wrong and then fixing it for the next time and not getting yourself down about it and being able to move forward and giving it another go because essentially I failed at a few things because I try and do more things so I failed but it's just about getting up and doing it again and not letting it win that's the kind of what the avenue that I go down
00:22:38
UKRunChat
yeah no no Yeah, I get that. I think but as as ultra runners, we can be quite good at just putting ourselves there, can't we? And saying, right, if if I don't get to the end, it's not a problem.
00:22:44
Aaron
yeah yeah
00:22:47
UKRunChat
and I think we've got to be a bit comfortable with failing at things. What what have you kind of, what's gone wrong then that you you have learned from for future?
00:22:56
Aaron
and think there's been a few times where i might have been a bit arrogant towards towards maybe the run or the feet that's in front of me and not preparing properly um with even my nutrition or my training, thinking, and just thinking to the back mind, I can do this.
00:23:12
Aaron
I don't really need to do X, Y, and Z, but that's that's not the case. Do you what mean? And we all learn we all make mistakes and we all learn from them as we go, don't we? um
00:23:20
UKRunChat
yeah
00:23:21
Aaron
So in terms of like, I know that my nutrition has got to be on point because there've been times where I've not had nutrition and I've i've just not managed to finish what i wanted to finish. um So that's the main part for me.
00:23:32
Aaron
And then like of course, my, also the little bits of training, it's all like the stretching. the yoga, the meditating, it's that kind of side of things which I've added in the last 12 months, which have really helped me excel in terms of my fitness, because they're just the little bits on the bottom, which I've always missed out, and never not done. But now because I meditate and I journal and they're the They're two big parts that play a part in the calmness of being able to run.
00:23:58
Aaron
And then obviously my stretching and my yoga, which I try and add in. I'm stretching more than ever. They're just the essentials basics, which I've added in over the past 12 months, which have just kind of helped me gain a bit more confidence in what my abilities are in terms of the training, the training, recovery and everything.
00:24:14
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:24:16
Aaron
I'm just taking it a lot more serious now.
Mindset and Journaling
00:24:18
UKRunChat
Yeah, but that's interesting that you mentioned journaling, actually, that's not something I'd consider as part of training per se. Talk to us a little bit more about that and how that helps.
00:24:27
Aaron
Yeah, well, my partner, she is um she's ah she's very into journaling and writing and getting your feelings out. So I kind of ah tried to do it a few years ago, failed, but i I've always gone back to it. And now I kind of, I don't do it every day, but I just do it more than I've ever done before. I kind of just, it might not be much, it might just be a couple of lines or but sometimes it's a page. It's just essentially like either how I'm feeling or what I'm planning on doing or what the outcomes are going to be. It's kind of like, it's just bit of a brain dump for me. So in terms of when it goes to the project, I'm like,
00:25:05
Aaron
so if I've been thinking about things about projects for a couple of days, I'll just write it down and be like, well, if this goes wrong, that's all right. If this goes right, this is could go wrong. And it's like, it just kind of helps me just put it on paper and I can read back and be like, even that was, so that was a silly thought or that was a great thought.
00:25:20
Aaron
And I think if I just keep it all in then it kind of doesn't flow. And I kind of just get a little bit, it all just kind of fills up in my head and I can't get everything out on paper. It's like, and then the conversation or, and I might miss out on something. I feel like if I don't write it down or get my thoughts onto paper, then I can't fully be invested into the project, which makes sense.
00:25:42
Aaron
Because I do a lot writing it.
00:25:43
UKRunChat
Yeah, I guess it'd be easy to get overwhelmed, wouldn't it, by everything that there is to do.
00:25:47
Aaron
Yeah, and it's just, yeah, and it's just, with the journaling, it just brings a bit more calmness and I can just concentrate more on the running side of things and the training side of things because when I go to run, a lot of things do come to our mind when I'm running in in terms of ideas or problems or good things.
00:25:48
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:04
Aaron
So I time ah kind of tend to write them down. in bullet point form when I get back or if I'm on a run and it's important, I've got a great idea or something comes to mind, I write it on my phone.
00:26:15
Aaron
um And that's just really helped with the the the progress of my my running and my mindset really and going forward into this into this project. It's kind of all it's kind of all just light filtered into like at the right time, if that makes sense.
00:26:29
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:26:30
Aaron
like Not forcing it now. It's not become a habit. It's just become something that I just do and it just comes natural now. Because like I said, two years ago, it wasn't natural. It was like, I've got a journal and started writing. I was like, what am I writing? I don't know what I'm writing. But now it's like so much more free.
00:26:46
Aaron
And I think that's nothing think else that's changed that the way I think about running and fitness and sports and challenges um going forward.
00:26:54
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's brilliant. it sounds like a really useful tool because I guess there's no right or wrong way of doing it, is that you've just got to find what works for you.
00:27:01
Aaron
Yeah, you've got to find your way, I think. I think before, think I had a book that said, write your top three things from today and then write top three feelings or something like that. And think with that, I felt really overwhelmed. I was like, I feel like someone's forcing me to journal.
00:27:16
Aaron
um so kind of didn't do it but now it's because it's like something that i've used as a tool over the last 12 months and i've only seen the benefits of doing it my way and i've found my way and i think it's just really helped massively so i would always suggest that to people and i always do i suggest it to my friends that are kind of a bit like up in the air don't know what they're doing don't know where they're going going for runs but they're just running for the sake of running or just Biking for the sake of biking for example. So I've just always told them, just just write something down, write a few words. like you don't doesn't have to be
00:27:49
Aaron
You don't have to get embarrassed or worry about what you're writing. No one's going to see it unless you show them.
00:27:53
UKRunChat
No.
00:27:54
Aaron
It's just for you. by It will help you massively just once a week, twice a week. Then it'll gradually be five times a week. And then you'll see the benefits, not instantly, but I think over like a six-month period.
00:28:06
Aaron
you can you can look back and be like, I can't believe how much I've written down and now it's just so natural. So I've always suggested that. And then like and meditating as well, I do that most nights. My friend who is the physio on the...
00:28:22
Aaron
um the
Meditation and Training Strategy
00:28:23
Aaron
challenge. He has an app which is EA5 which has got loads of like tools for their like tools for recovery, tools for sleep and it's all about breath work and calming the mind and sleeping whether you're going out for a run or go trying to go to bed at night. It's very much like it's so calming and I think that's another great tool which i've it's really helped me in the past couple of months as well.
00:28:44
UKRunChat
Yeah, i've I've been trying a meditation app. I must admit i'm I'm kind of on and off with at the moment because I can't, but I'm sure it'll click one day. But I think that's another thing you have to just keep trying, isn't it?
00:28:52
Aaron
mewhile
00:28:55
Aaron
Yes, that's another thing. Again, that's the same that's the same thing for me.
00:28:56
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:28:58
Aaron
it's I've always been kind of into breath work, um like in the sauna, I'll do some breath work, but I used to find it hard doing it at home. But now it's either I do it first thing in the morning, just through the app. It's like five, you can either do five minutes, 10 minutes or 15 minutes, whatever you feel is comfortable with. it I do it in the morning and I do it at night, which...
00:29:20
Aaron
makes a massive difference. so it start It starts your day better and then it calms you at night. And they're just it doesn't like again it's just five minutes or 10 minutes. And it just I think, again, them two tools just really just take it to the next level in terms of being able to do something like this.
00:29:36
UKRunChat
Yeah, no, that's really interesting. So in terms of kind of physical training, then what, what are you putting in place to help you get, you know, to to do that 1000 miles comfortably?
00:29:48
Aaron
Yeah. Well, i the
00:29:49
UKRunChat
have you Have you got yourself a coach, for example, or are you are you kind of?
00:29:53
Aaron
I'm going to do most of it on my own. i'm going to get a coach for the for the center block just to make sure everything's right and take a little pressure a little bit of pressure off me going in towards the latter end of the training.
00:29:55
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:30:03
Aaron
um But up to this point, I've always been self-sufficient in training. I've never had a coach, never never in any training block. i've never had a coach. But and in this time, I'm going to take someone on. But since I've been training si properly really since November.
00:30:18
Aaron
um up until now um I've been doing a lot of biking and running predominantly that's I'm not doing as much running because I want to do a bit more biking just because I want to take a bit of look after the legs for now whilst I can and then going forward i've finished this I'm finishing this big big block of work um in a couple of weeks probably three weeks and then I'm going to have the opportunity to go I'm going to Spain for a month I'm going to be doing a lot of training out there up and down the coast we doing some recce's
00:30:30
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:30:43
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:30:47
UKRunChat
Yeah. So you've been doing some reccees. Yeah.
00:30:49
Aaron
Yeah, going to some recce and we're doing my training is just going to go up then because i' have time off what i've got I've got quite a lot of time off work and I'm just going to be to and fro from Spain as much as possible just to get a feel for the ground and do some training up and down the coast.
00:31:05
Aaron
so I'm quite lucky to be in that position to do that. and But I feel like it's it's like necessary to do that because I don't want to get there and be like, I don't really know what I'm doing, don't know i'm going, I don't know the ground.
00:31:16
Aaron
um So the training wise, i'll be it'll be getting amplified and after in the next three weeks, um which is great opportunity.
00:31:17
UKRunChat
yeah yeah so there are any specific bits of the route that you're really keen to recce beforehand
00:31:31
Aaron
to i went to i went to the start line briefly in October. That was just a quick visit. So I want to go and do, I think I think i want to go and do the first maybe 100 kilometers of the start line, just to, when I get there at least, and I don't know, i've got a couple of days that are
00:31:43
UKRunChat
yeah
00:31:48
Aaron
I'm quite sure on, but I'm quite happy with the route up until then. But the main bit is going to be from maybe Alicante down to Almeria.
00:31:59
Aaron
They're going to be quite a hard bit because it's quite mountainous. So I want to get there and just get a better understanding of the ground.
00:32:03
UKRunChat
Yeah. No. Yeah.
00:32:06
Aaron
Because if I've got a lot of climbing on some days, I'm going make up for that on a flat days. So I won't necessarily be able to run 80 kilometers up and down a mountain when I'm 600 miles into a run.
00:32:19
Aaron
So I want to just have that kind of, going to take my notepad and just go write as many notes as possible to so I can look back on it when I'm doing the run. um Just so that it goes as smooth as possible.
00:32:29
UKRunChat
Yeah. so So are you somebody who likes to kind of know exactly what it's going to bring are are you kind of more excited about the unknown?
Balancing Planning and Flexibility
00:32:38
Aaron
Both. I like to, I'm quite methodical in like my planning and I like to know where I'm going, what I'm doing. And like, i need to kind of over plan.
00:32:49
Aaron
Sometimes that's always been a bit of a problem.
00:32:49
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:32:51
Aaron
I'll over plan and then not factor in anything that could go wrong. But, Normally I'm in quite, though the other challenge that I've done, I've been in control because I've known the route, I've kind of picked a safe route. I know what I'm doing and it's kind of like either in a circle or it's out and back kind of thing. So this is the variables and this is going to be totally different. So I'm very much more aware and open-minded about the fact that it could change.
00:33:15
Aaron
But so I'm trying not to get, I'm trying not to get my own head about that in terms of like, it's not going to go as planned, nothing within them 30 days or 28 days, it's not going to go as the the way I planned it.
00:33:15
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:33:19
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:33:26
Aaron
And so as long as I can accept that, I think I think it will be okay.
Pioneering Achievement and Community Involvement
00:33:30
UKRunChat
Yeah. And I think it's exciting, isn't it? Because if if you are the first person to do this, like you can't find records of anyone having done it before, then you really are kind of, you know, going into the unknown, aren't you really?
00:33:36
Aaron
Yeah.
00:33:40
UKRunChat
It's exciting. Yeah.
00:33:41
Aaron
Yeah, definitely. And it is it I think that's more exciting for me is because no one's ever done it before.
00:33:44
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:33:45
Aaron
I think it makes it such a such a valuable thing to say you're the first person that's run this. um And then you've planned it all yourself. You've watched it from start to finish.
00:33:56
Aaron
And I think it would be so rewarding to to be stu stood there in Gibraltar and be like, I've just done all this myself and had a small team.
00:34:02
UKRunChat
Amazing.
00:34:03
Aaron
And I think it'd just be great.
00:34:06
UKRunChat
Yeah, I've got goosebumps thinking about it, actually. I'm excited for you. Yeah. Oh, well, yeah, thank you. We we wish you all the best, actually. And we hope that you'll you'll come back on either nearer the time or afterwards and and let us know and how it goes.
00:34:16
Aaron
Yeah, definitely will do.
00:34:19
UKRunChat
Yeah. and Where can people follow you then and support you? And is there anything else that we can help with? Let us know now.
00:34:25
Aaron
um Yeah, so I have a, I've not set up a fundraising page. Obviously everything will be getting set up after the 28th. I have my business page on Instagram, which is Make Bold Choices.
00:34:32
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:34:37
Aaron
and You can follow that. I'll be updating everyone on that. And I've got my personal Instagram at the moment. And I've got a website which I'm going to update and I'm going to put a subscribing list on there. So anyone that wants to join me on any UK runs or UK talks um about the projects or any like Q&As that we can do, I'm going to put my subscription link on there so people can just sign up for that.
00:34:58
Aaron
And then I'll have a list of where I'm going to be because I'm in the UK between now and October. I'm going to be planning some longer runs for people to come and join in. going to be great for people from all over the country just to kind of come and join in and do things. so that's going to be predominantly on my website for people to come and just subscribe and join.
00:35:16
UKRunChat
Yeah, oh well, fantastic. Well, when you've got all them set up, let us know and they'll all be in the show notes for when this episode goes out because we're recording this episode a little bit in advance.
00:35:25
Aaron
Yes, we are.
00:35:25
UKRunChat
and Yes. All right. i Well, thank you very much. It's been a pleasure talking to you and we wish you all the very best.
00:35:30
Aaron
ah Thank you very much.
00:35:32
UKRunChat
and we hope
00:35:32
Aaron
Thank you very much.
00:35:34
UKRunChat
We hope that everybody listening has enjoyed this episode and if it's perhaps sparked something in you, perhaps it's time for you to design your own Camino as well. Thank you for listening to the UK Run Chat Podcast and we'll see you on the next episode.