Name: Richard Phillips

Occupation: User Centred Designer

Home Town: Tottenham

Socials: https://www.instagram.com/richpphillips/

Questions

What is your running background?

As with a lot of people, I started running consistently coming out of the Covid period. Up until then I had done a couple of marathons, but this was when I started to run for the joy of it and all year round.

So in reality I didn’t really start running until my early 30s, and had never really shown any desire to do so in my school years nor 20s. However, once a few people i knew had run marathons, I really started to think “if they can, i can”. And so started the journey of trying to one up myself in distance to get to where I am now.

When did you first start running Ultra marathons and why?

My very first ultra was Ultra North 55km (around Newcastle) in October 2020. And for the life of me I now can’t work out why I decided to enter that.

But I had very much started to get influenced by various youtubers (like Ethan Newberry) and they made running off road sound appealing. Through the Covid lockdowns I started running (in sections) the two big paths around London – Capital Ring, London Loop. Whilst they aren’t the most traily trails you can get – my focus switched off roads; and I haven’t looked back.

As I had already done a few marathons, it just felt like a logical step to extend the distance further on trails. And all the interesting races seemed to be 50 miles or longer too.

So here we are – on a journey to keep having experiences and seeing all the different sights I can.

When or where (at which events) are we most likely to see you?

Mostly races in the South of England – those by Camino Ultra and Centurion are a particular draw. I also am very attached to God’s Own Backyard Ultra in Leeds – and have made several great running friends through that community. I’m having a break from backyard ultras this year, but will no doubt be back.

What are your personal key running achievements to date?

All my achievements are really personal goals, that I managed to meet.

• Sub 20 hour trail 100 miles in my first race of that distance (A100)
• Sub 8 hour trail 50 miles (SDW50)

What Races do you have planned up to Spartathlon

As I am a last minute call up, getting a place in Spartathlon in mid June – I’ve actually cancelled every other organised race I had planned for the year as they just aren’t compatible!

However, to celebrate my 40th birthday at the end of June I am planning to run the London Loop (~150 miles), and if all goes well challenge the existing FKT.

What is your typical race strategy for an ultra?

I am not a good person to give tips on race strategy; I think it’s very rare that I don’t go out a too fast which ends up coming back to bite me.

But most of the time I go into a race with a time that I’d like to aim for, and just try to manage it from there. And then when things get tough, try to take my mind off it with some really cheesy music in my headphones.

What does a typical training week look like?

I’m coached by Camino and BST legend David Bone – so I do about 6 runs a week. All your normal stuff, and then I love to take a train out of London at the weekend for a London run in the Chilterns, or just along the River Lea in North East London.

What one tip would you pass onto people running an Ultra marathon for the first time?

Choose a race somewhere that would make you want to be there regardless of whether it was an ultra, or just a training run. That could just be your usual trails around home, somewhere with breathtaking views, or a completely new place you’ve heard is worth seeing. For me, just being out in the world should be a motivator to keep going.

Tell us one interesting fact about you?

I spent 5 years post university in Costa Rica managing a wildlife research station – studying sea turtles and jaguars. We even had the BBC Natural History unit come out and film with us.

Have you taken part in the Spartathlon before?

Not as a runner, but i did go to crew Anna Brown in 2025. The whole week was an incredible experience – and it was a bit of a ‘try before you buy’ trip for me. Needless to say with the fact I’m writing this – it was enough to draw me in.

How did you get on?

N/A

What tip would you pass on to those taking part for the first time?

N/A

What are you looking forward to at the Spartathlon race?

Aside from the whole camaraderie around the British team in the week – during the race I’m actually really looking forward to ‘the mountain’. As crew, you don’t get to see the actual trail, nor the descent down the far side – as you have to drive your car through a tunnel and round it. Its legendary reputation and difference to the rest of the route – I just find intriguing.

What are you not looking forward to during the Spartathlon race?

The heat. Last year was an unusually cool year, and also extremely wet in the second half. So I don’t feel like I really know what i’m letting myself in for. Will need to do a lot of heat training this summer.

How will you prepare specifically for the Spartathlon race?

I’ve not yet really had much chance to think about it – unlike others who got their places earlier in the year. I think i’ll need to do a lot more pavement pounding than I would like to try to get more used to being on roads. But also, maybe adding a heat training routine into my schedule.

Will you be bringing any support crew to the race? (If so, please introduce them briefly)

I’d really like to – and am still in negotiations with people to make this happen! After being crew last year, I know how taxing it is on people to do it. But I also know that at the time I thought I wouldn’t want to do the race without crew. So we’ll see.