#137: The Big Men Are Taking Over Running and Nobody Has Seen It Coming Ft. Jordan Stanton.

5,000km. 99 days. 62,000m of elevation. 6,684 run-club participants. 77 run clubs. One Guinness World Record. Esmée Gummer has just completed one of the most extraordinary endurance challenges of 2026. Running 5,000km across the UK and Ireland in 99 consecutive days, climbing an incredible 62,000 metres and spending 580 hours on her feet. But the most remarkable part? Along the way, she hosted 77 free run clubs, bringing together thousands of people and earning a Guinness World Record for the most run clubs hosted in different cities by an individual. And this is someone who, at 18 years old, was told she might never walk again. In this episode of Diet Starts Monday, we sit down with Esmée to discuss the reality behind the challenge, the people she met, the mental and physical battles, and what it means to use your influence to make a genuine difference. We also get into women's safety in running, the rise of running culture, and why helping someone complete their first 5K can be just as meaningful as running 5,000km yourself. Because the biggest achievement wasn't just the distance she covered. It was the communities she brought together along the way. Diet Starts Monday(@dietstartsmonday_podcast - instagram)

What happens when you're a psychiatrist, an Ironman 70.3 World Championship qualifier and part of one of London's most competitive cycling communities? This week on Diet Starts Monday, I'm joined by Dr Tal Hackett -psychiatrist, triathlete and all-round competitive human. Tal recently finished 3rd at an Ironman 70.3 (AG), securing her place at the World Championships, all while balancing a demanding career in medicine. But this conversation goes well beyond racing. We dive into the realities of working in psychiatry, particularly with patients experiencing eating disorders, and explore the complicated relationship between exercise, body image, mental health and social media. We also get into the slightly obsessive world of South West London's running scene, where apparently running around in circles is a perfectly normal way to spend your free time! From saving lives to chasing finish lines, Tal has a fascinating perspective on performance, ambition and mental health. Let us know what you think!

Jack Pitcher has run across Australia. Now he's run across Iceland and broken a world record doing it. In 2024, Jack ran 2,684 miles from Perth to Sydney in just 61 days, becoming the fastest British person to complete the crossing. Two years later, he took on another extraordinary challenge: running 460 miles across Iceland. Jack completed the Iceland crossing in 7 days, 9 hours and 4 minutes. After falling behind the pace required for the record, he produced an incredible final push of approximately 88 miles in a single day. In this episode Jack takes us inside what these challenges actually look like - the physical punishment, sleep deprivation, injuries, mental battles and what happens when your body is telling you to stop but the goal is still hundreds of miles away. We also get into his record-breaking run across Australia, where Jack covered the equivalent of around 95 marathons in 61 days, the serious car accident that disrupted his original plans, and why he continues to choose challenges that push him to his absolute limit. Sponsored by Wintergreen - www.wintergreensport.co.uk Diet Starts Monday(@dietstartsmonday_podcast - Instagram)

What does it actually take to make it as a professional triathlete? Harry Palmer has spent years trying to figure it out. In this episode, Harry joins me to talk about the reality behind becoming a professional endurance athlete. The years of training and self-belief, sponsorships, prize money and what being one of the best triathletes in the world actually pays. We also talk about why he started documenting his journey on YouTube early, the races and performances that changed his career, and the belief required to keep going when you're not the biggest name in the sport. A conversation about professional triathlon and betting on yourself long enough to find out how good you can become. Diet Starts Monday (Instagram - @dietstartsmonday_podcast) Sponsored by Wintergreen UK - www.wintergreensports.co.uk

Welcome to the very first episode of ON THE START LINE! 🏁 A brand-new series from Diet Starts Monday, where we break down the biggest mass participation events, celebrate incredible performances and bring the sports community together. This week, Roscoe and Gregor kick things off with a packed episode! Gregor takes us behind the scenes of IRONMAN Wales in Tenby, sharing his experience of taking on one of the toughest races on the calendar. We also hear directly from athletes through voice notes, giving us their own perspectives. We then dive into IRONMAN Nice and the Great Northern Run, discussing the standout performances, race-day stories and everything that caught our attention over the weekend. And finally, we introduce our P4P (Pound for Pound) Everyday Athlete Rankings! 🏆 A weekly segment celebrating extraordinary achievements from everyday athletes. From incredible weight-loss journeys to marathon breakthroughs and ultra-endurance performances, we're putting the spotlight on athletes whose stories deserve to be heard. Who deserves a place in our Top 10? Let us know!! Whether you're chasing your first 5K, training for an IRONMAN or simply love endurance sport, this is your weekly place to catch up on everything happening in the community. See you on the start line. Diet Starts Monday. (@dietstartsmonday_podcast - Instagram) Sponsored by Wintergreen - www.wintergreensport.co.uk