Chris Smith Athlete Ambassador

Chris is an ultra runner who has raced in some of the most beautiful places in the world, including across a glacier in Patagonia. He talks to Sundried about life as an ultra runner.

Have you always been into sport?

I have always been into sport, playing soccer as a child in the UK to a fairly decent level.

How did you first get into triathlon?

I got into triathlon with my wife when we saw a short course fun series and decided to enter. Since then, I have probably done 4 or 5 triathlons.

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

My favourite race is Ultra Fiord in Patagonia. The scenery is amazing, you get to run through private land that is only open for the race, and there are not many races in the world where you can run over a glacier.

What is your proudest achievement?

My proudest achievement is winning the Berry Long Run 40km in 2018. My son was 2 months old and I hadn't been able to train or sleep as much as I would have liked so I went in with very few expectations.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

I have ended up being sick in so many races, especially around 40km in. The first time this happened, I ended up having my one and only DNF.

How do you overcome setbacks?

Participating in ultra running has taught me that anything can happen in a race and putting one foot in front of another will get you to the end. You never know what everyone else is going through.i have had to lay down after being sick and managed to catch people back up as it is what I have needed

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

The fact that in ultras you need to listen to your body and sometimes sit for a bit and recover rather than push on.

What are your goals?

My goal is to compete in a 100-mile race and I would also love to race Mount Marathon in Alaska.

Who inspires you?

My wife inspires me as she is so consistent and always runs with a smile on her face.

Why work with Sundried?

I love being out in nature and realise we make a huge impact. I have been looking at clothing brands who limit the impact we have on the environment and stumbled across Sundried. I want to share Sundried with as many people as possible as I believe if we all do a little we can have a great impact.