December 15, 2025
From 1 Mile Runs to 300 Miles: Lydia Oldham on Building Courage, Grit, and Meaning Through Running
Everyday UltraAbout this episode
Lydia Oldham didn’t come from a traditional ultrarunning background. She started running during lockdown — running 1 mile runs, sprinting every 5K, and having no idea she’d one day be creating 300-mile running projects across countries. In this episode, Lydia breaks down how she built herself into someone capable of taking on massive, self-created challenges — including running solo across Portugal, completing a solo Speed Project, and most recently running 300 miles from London to Cornwall for charity. But this conversation isn’t just about distance. It’s about courage, self-belief, creativity, and redefining what’s possible when you stop waiting for permission. We dive into: How Lydia went from struggling through short runs to creating multi-day ultrarunning projects Why self-created challenges can be more powerful than races The mindset shift that helped her stop fearing failure How she mentally navigates dark moments during 300-mile efforts Why enjoying your runs matters more than “grinding” How storytelling gives meaning to hard efforts Why you don’t need elite talent to do extraordinary things If you’ve ever thought: “Could I do something bigger… or is that not for me?” This episode will change how you think about your limits — and what you’re capable of building over time. SHOW LINKS: Register for our race, The Desert Peak Ultra 100K + 50K at desertpeakultra.com Want to work with me to crush your next ultramarathon in our group coaching program? Sign up for our group coaching program here: https://www.theeverydayultra.com/group-coaching Want to be coached by me and my team to crush your next ultramarathon in our 1:1 coaching program? Book a free call here with one of our coaches to see if we are a good fit! Follow Joe on IG: https://www.instagram.com/joecorcione/ Everyday Ultra YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUelKGeptWZivD6yRIDiupg Try HYPERLYTE Liquid Performance running nutrition and get 15% off your order when you use code EVERYDAYULTRA at www.hyperlyteliquidperformance.com Try CurraNZ to boost recovery and performance and get 15% off your first order with code EVERYDAYULTRAPOD at www.curranzusa.com Get your FREE TrainingPeaks account to track, plan, and analyze your training easier at trainingpeaks.com/everydayultra Try PlayOn Pain Relief Spray at playonrelief.com Try Bear Butt Wipes and get 10% off your order with code EVERYDAYULTRA at bearbuttwipes.com Try Janji apparel and get 10% off your order with code EVERYDAYULTRA at Janji.com