2025 End of Year Quiz & Reflections + Spine & Arc Prep Learnings

Welcome back to Trails, Tales, and Fails — the podcast where we celebrate the highs, the lows, and everything in between on the ultra-running journey.Today’s episode is a little different. It’s just the three of us — Max, Rob, and Sarah — catching up, talking training, and looking back on 2025 with a fun (and slightly chaotic) quiz based on our previous guests. Expect confident guesses, very shaky answers, and a surprising amount of disorder.We also dive into where everyone’s at right now:Sarah is deep into her build-up for the Spine Challenger South, juggling winter miles, kit admin, and long dark days.Rob is gearing up for the Arc 100, while Max is preparing for the Arc 25.We talk honestly about training through winter — the highs, the setbacks, the kit that’s actually working, and the mindset shifts needed when motivation dips and conditions get tough. As always, we share lessons and tips that might help you navigate your own winter running.We’re proud to be supported by ⁠Protein Rebel⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15 — and by ⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠BV Sports⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠Näak Nutrition⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a rating and share it with your running buddies.