This week Running Tales spoke to the inspirational ultra runner Ben Davies.

Ben started running three years ago after his young niece sadly passed away.

When his wife started a fundraising challenge for Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital, he supported her – but he didn’t really like the running!

Struggling with his mental health, he suddenly stumbled across ultra running – and without stopping along with the way to tick off all the distances in-between he started clocking up big numbers and competing in ultras.

Recently he finished the 145 mile Grand Union Canal Ultra, and he’s not aiming to stop there.

But for Ben running is also about mental health and talking. Having suffered with his weight as a child and at the hands of an abusive father, he found running long distances – and the life-changing friendships that he found along the way – reframed how he looked at life.