About Me

Hi. I’m Mike Webb!

Welcome to LetsRunWild where I get to share my personal passions for everything running and outdoors.

I’m not a professional athlete. I love running, and enjoy pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Through trial and a lot of errors, I have run marathons, ultra marathons and participated in triathlons.

Over the past few years running has become more and more important in my life, providing an escape from modern life, where I can switch off, immerse myself in nature and push myself to my limits.

My aim is to provide you with useful information on all aspects of running, through my regular articles covering race tips, race reviews and training tips.

Finally, and most importantly, I hope to inspire you to get out and enjoy the trails.

Race to the King at the Finish in Winchester
London Marathon running for Shelter 2008 in the rain

My first marathon

I was not much of a runner when growing up. I mainly participated in team sports, and so my only real memories of running were in the annual cross-country cup, which was compulsory and usually held in January. I’d love to say it ignited a burning desire to become a runner… but frankly it probably did the opposite: the whole experience was generally cold and miserable.

Aside from the Olympics, the only running event I watched on TV when growing up was the London Marathon. I loved it…. the music, the costumes… I was transfixed by the will and desire of elite and amateur athletes.

Having moved to London in 1998, and with very little fitness, I entered the London marathon in 2000. Perhaps it says more about who I was hanging around with at the time, but in 1999 running wasn’t really a thing. In fact, I knew only a couple of people who had ever run a marathon.

The event itself was amazing, to this day it is still one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. It was so good in fact, that I have been back running it in 2008 and 2011.

marathons to Triathlons to ultras

At the time, I was living and working in London, and running was a means to keeping fit. Marathon’s aside, I ran alone, but didn’t love running in the city. Since I cycled 80 miles per week, commuting to work every day, and I lived near Tooting Lido, triathlons appealed. My only problem, I wasn’t a strong swimmer.

So I joined South London Swimming Club, and regularly swam before work in the in the wonderful 91.44 metre lido. As my stroke and swimming fitness improved, I learned to love swimming, and even enjoyed the melee of the triathlon mass start competitive swims!

Leaving London and heading to Brighton was a turning point in so many ways. Although 10 minutes from the beach, the South Downs were a few miles away, and I started to run more and more up there, enjoying the trails, the tranquility and the solitude.

I was attracted to ultra running, as a means to test both my physical and mental strength. I’m not a particularly fast runner, but I wanted to know how far I could push myself. My journey has only really just started.

I’ll share here adventures, and general thoughts as I go.

South Downs Way 50 2020

EVENTS & RESULTS TO DATE…

MARATHONS:

London Marathon: 2000, 2008, 2011

Brighton Marathon: 2019

Brighton Half Marathon: 2019, 2020

Beachy Head Marathon: 2019

TRIATHLONS:

London Triathlon: 2006, 2007, 2009

Stockholm Triathlon: 2014 (2hrs32)

ULTRAS:

Three Forts Challenge (27.2m): 2019

Race to the King (53m): 2019

Centurion – South Downs Way 50 (50m): 2020

London to Brighton Ultra Challenge (100km): 2021

Race to the Stones (100km): 2021