Want to uncover the secrets behind capturing the perfect race shot? Hear the inspiring journey of David Miller, from a passionate runner to a renowned sports photographer. Discover how his love for running and an unexpected gift of a DSLR camera during lockdown catapulted him into the world of sports photography.
Dive into the heart of ultrarunning as we explore the adrenaline-pumping Barkley Marathons through the lens of David. Grasp the art of capturing the raw, emotional essence of these gruelling races, and learn the importance of timing, location, and movement in getting that perfect shot.
The episode concludes with a discussion with David, whose stunning black and white photo of runner UTMB 2022 runner-up Matthieu Blanchard recently garnered recognition. We also touch upon upcoming race ideas, recent controversies surrounding UTMB, and potential changes in the UTS course.
As we wrap up the final episode of the year, we express our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous support received and look forward to bringing you more exciting content in 2024!
You can find David's work at @davidmiller.photography on Instagram
Thanks for being part of our running community. Keep clocking those miles, keep pushing your limits, and above all, keep finding joy in the run. See you on the next episode of Maximum Mileage Running Podcast!
JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP! Your support here helps to keep making content and weekly podcast episodes... in return, you will have access to fantastic discounts through our numerous partners, plus we upload lots more content and chat to help you with your running!
Thanks to all our partners at Maximum Mileage who you can get huge discounts via the Maximum Mileage Facebook Group! :
You can find more resources including the blog or enquire about having one...
Want to uncover the secrets behind capturing the perfect race shot? Hear the inspiring journey of David Miller, from a passionate runner to a renowned sports photographer. Discover how his love for running and an unexpected gift of a DSLR camera during lockdown catapulted him into the world of sports photography.
Dive into the heart of ultrarunning as we explore the adrenaline-pumping Barkley Marathons through the lens of David. Grasp the art of capturing the raw, emotional essence of these gruelling races, and learn the importance of timing, location, and movement in getting that perfect shot.
The episode concludes with a discussion with David, whose stunning black and white photo of runner UTMB 2022 runner-up Matthieu Blanchard recently garnered recognition. We also touch upon upcoming race ideas, recent controversies surrounding UTMB, and potential changes in the UTS course.
As we wrap up the final episode of the year, we express our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous support received and look forward to bringing you more exciting content in 2024!
You can find David's work at @davidmiller.photography on Instagram
Thanks for being part of our running community. Keep clocking those miles, keep pushing your limits, and above all, keep finding joy in the run. See you on the next episode of Maximum Mileage Running Podcast!
JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP! Your support here helps to keep making content and weekly podcast episodes... in return, you will have access to fantastic discounts through our numerous partners, plus we upload lots more content and chat to help you with your running!
Thanks to all our partners at Maximum Mileage who you can get huge discounts via the Maximum Mileage Facebook Group! :
You can find more resources including the blog or enquire about having one...
HL Blazers and Tarmac Tacklers. Welcome back to the Maximum Mileage Running Podcast. I'm your host, Nick Hancock, USGA and UK Athletic Certified Running Coach, and I'm without my co-host, Faye, today. She's otherwise engaged, which I'm slightly disappointed about. I really wanted to get her on today because this is the last one of the year. The podcast came about totally by accident and I can't believe I'm on episode 24 now, so this is going to be the last one before we have a little bit of break over Christmas and come back in 2024 with some new stuff, some new structure, some new guests. I've got some awesome ones lined up and I'm going to be finishing the year with an awesome guest today. I'm absolutely delighted to have this person on. He's quite quickly, I think, becoming just as well known as the people that he's taken. Photographs of. David Miller. How you doing?
Speaker 2:All good. Thank you very much. Yeah, thanks for having me on Appreciate it.
Speaker 1:No worries, thanks for coming on. We finally made it. Me and David have been trying to get this episode together for a little bit of time and we've had various things happen, like I think I've had about 300 coals in the space of the last six weeks and I've got one now and I'm sat here with my lens Trying to bite it off. I didn't want to cancel today, so yeah, david, thank you so much for coming on.
Speaker 2:Yeah no worries at all, we got there in the end yeah, we did.
Speaker 1:So, david, you I mean I love your work, but before we come and get on to talking about photography, tell us a little bit about the people that don't know who you are. Who is David?
Speaker 2:Miller. So I'm a photographer. I've been doing it for a few years now, more sort of name for the sports photography, but as time goes on I'm getting more well known for sort of sport documentary style photography. You might have seen some of my photos at UTMB Barclay. Primarily I am photographing sport and events within the UK, but as time goes on I'm trying to sort of break out more sort of worldwide. But yeah, I'm sure you might have seen some of my photos dotted around Instagram somewhere, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And you were running yourself.
Speaker 2:Yes, so I've actually been running for 10 years. I've said on a couple of other podcasts without sort of boring people, I got quite a bad ankle injury a couple of years ago, so I can't run quite like I used to. Got to a fairly good standard during lockdown when we all turned into athletes, yeah. But yeah, I mean I started like many of us. I was quite sort of overweight, built up to 5K, 10k, 10 miles, half marathon, marathon, correct into ultra distance and then sort of up to 100 miles. So I think you know when I'm out there photographing the races and photographing you runners, yeah, I've sort of been in that spot, so I'm sort of aware of what you're going through. Whether that helps or not, I'm not sure. A lot of people say yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I mean we'll talk about this, but you've certainly got with your photographer, you've certainly got a style like I think I've gotten to see, because I followed you on Instagram for one and I've gotten to see your photographs coming up and I'm like you know you can tell there's definitely some David Miller in that. You know it's yeah.
Speaker 2:It might be the same filter I use. It's just a filter I've sort of developed over time. But I think you know, over time I've realized I'm a creative. I can be a perfectionist, which can be a very good thing but also can be a very bad thing. You know we have. We have good and bad days out there, but ultimately I would only sort of ever put up any photographs. I'm really happy with it. When I talk to race directors, I think the number one rule for me really is I won't can sort of capture every runner. I think if I'm given more of like a license to to photograph what I think will work, the results tend to tend to be better for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean certainly don't don't see your photos kind of going up on me. You know, by six of these for 20 quid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, for the first sort of year or so, I was doing like a lot of it for free. I literally do it for the love of the sport and when I used to travel to events, you know what I used to charge, just covered, covered the travel. But I've literally done it for the love of the sport and I don't think I could ever sort of be in a position where I would say, oh, you know, if you want this photograph, you know why am I across 10 pounds? I give photos to the runners for free. If they message me after an event, I quite often ask for their bib number. I'll look and I'll send it across, just because I want them to be happy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, nice With your photography. I mean, yeah, you've been into into running for 10 years, but yeah, when did you start the whole photography thing? Have you always been a photographer or did that?
Speaker 2:I used to muck around with the iPhone quite a lot and again, I've been a creator for a long time, without realizing it, but I think during lockdown, when everything was under a microscope, I had like this little point in shoot Canon camera and I just I was just mucking around with it and took it home, started editing some of the photos and I quite like some of the results and over the weeks I was getting better with it. And my, my girlfriend Anna, she bought me a DSLR camera just out of blue and I took that on board, started photographing my mates, because a lot of those are good athletes, so I'll go out on the trails of them. A lot of them are good tri athletes, so I'd photograph them on the bikes and I just found I was getting better at it. But also I was really enjoying it and I was just enjoying the process and being a creative and taking photos is what makes me tick.
Speaker 2:And obviously it's quite quiet time a year now and already I'm thinking oh, you know, what can I do next year? I'm getting a bit, a bit fidgety, but you know, it's good to sort of sit back and reflect on on the year and sort of how far you've come and what you've done, and bit of an impossible syndrome sometimes. I think that's quite common with all of us. You know, whether you're a runner or a photographer, you know you could. You could run 100 miles and think, wow, you know, how did I do that. But then two years ago you were running five K, thinking how do I do that? So you know, we come a long way without reflection sometimes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and you've had quite a year, which again we'll get on to in a bit. So yeah, with your running then. So what, what you said you did up to 100 miles. What did you do?
Speaker 2:So it was the Robin Hood 100 up in Nottingham.
Speaker 1:Manchester.
Speaker 2:Paris. So I worked up to 82 miles and did the runner on the Jurassic coast, which is where I'm from. I'm from Weymouth. So you know I almost obsessed and dedicated a sort of six months of my life to complete in this 82 miles in 24 hours, which was it's quite hard work, is a good sort of 10,000 foot and it's a local event. We, you know, we all got obsessed with and celebrate.
Speaker 2:But after that I felt, you know, I can. I felt almost felt a bit cocky and I could go and do 100 miles. So I signed up to the Centauri on autumn 100, did the first marathon in like four and a half hours and just completely blew up and completely disrespected the distance. Dnf that and I was never happy. It still sort of hurts to this day Quite often. I would sort of say to James Elson you know I'd love to jump back on the autumn 100. But as soon as my ankle lets me I probably will get it another game and I think a year after that I come back and tried 100 mile. So the Robin Hood 100 because it's flat, and again it was successful. But it's because I wanted it and it was because I respected the distance and sort of pace myself.
Speaker 1:Well yeah, yeah, I say with ultra running. Some of our best learnings come from those DNFs. Yeah, we just take so much for them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you learn so much, thank you. I think with any sort of a hundred mile there's so many variables you know we can all go and do a part for and we know we can complete it, but I think with a hundred miles there's so much that you can go wrong and it's just something I disrespect and I think we're all guilty to that to an extent. Yeah, but there's just something about the sport I love, you know, I love the community. I love what people put themselves through to really push themselves. You know you've got runners like Sally McCray in states doing 250 miles. You know I watched her YouTube last week completely going away. How would someone, how someone would do that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you're right, the community side of ultra running is just, it's just so nice. It's the totally different standing at, like you know, standing on the start line of a fast half marathon, you've got, you know, particularly me, I'm a little bit quicker, so about the front, and yeah, I feel like I'm getting looked at by some of these people like eyeballed and you just don't get that in In ultra running at all.
Speaker 2:It's no, there's a, there's a real sense of community and I think wherever you go in the country, sort of someone knows somebody. And again, it's a good opportunity now to sort of thank the community because, you know, they've welcomed me with open arms over the years, giving me a lot of support, and it's allowed me to continue To what I do and, like I've always said in the podcast, I'll carry on doing this for as long as I enjoy it. Um and yeah. I'm loving it at the minute.
Speaker 1:I'm not gonna lie, but I bet you feel like you're coming just at the start of Of things. Really, you know, the sky's the limit for you.
Speaker 2:It feels like that sometimes but then I think, oh, this next event I'm gonna do, can I outdo my failures from last year? So I think in the next breath you you put an awful lot of pressure on yourself because again, within the creative world it's very competitive. There's some very good photographers out there. But over time I just realized you just got to stick to what you do and what what works and sort of not worry about anyone else and what anyone else does. And I think it's the same case for running. Really, you just got to stick to sort of what you know and form you know which works.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, how would you describe your, your style?
Speaker 2:but yeah, for the first sort of year or so it was it was definitely just that I was a sports photographer, a photograph in sort of ultra runners. But I think this last year my style is it's almost collaborating with documentary portrait style. A really good example is during the triple C at utmb in core myore this year. I was in the starting pen with I don't there must have been 20, 30 photographers all Photographing the elites. I was in there 10 minutes and I thought I've had enough of this. This is, this is like a circus.
Speaker 2:So I decided to walk out the pen and I was walking down the back streets of core myore and I was photographing runners sort of on their phones, having that last gel and totally, you know, in their own moment. Quite often they won't see me because I'll hide behind a bin or in a bush and be as discreet as possible. But I think capturing that side of the sport is more so what I'm getting known for and I think that's the enjoyment Because it it mixes with documentary street portrait and I can do what I choose on the day, which is always nice.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I talk about Ultra running. Sometimes it's it's not about the fast times and the elite, sometimes it's about those. That there's kind of real, real stories where people have, like, ground out a really tough race and it's not all about those fast times. And you know someone going, I got out the chair and you know got myself to the end and and and it's I think.
Speaker 1:I see that in your photos is that you you capture those In inverted commas, real moments rather than you know. Here's the podium, here's the fast runners. In fact, not a huge amount of your photos are of people actually running. It's it's in those kind of yeah, isn't?
Speaker 2:it. You're not the first person to say that. Actually, you know, often when I'm sort of flicking through my grid, I'm like there's not enough running photos, um, it's I put, I put out the work I feel is relevant at the time. Um, but I think, if you know, as humans we tap into emotion and what people are doing, and maybe that's where I found like an element of success is because I'm Unintentionally tapping into that again. No, I'm just sort of drawn to it. I don't do it Purposefully, it just sort of happens. It's really hard to describe. You've um, You've caught.
Speaker 1:Uh call my friend John Keat. I applaud all day on there on instagram. You've caught him in a couple of rough moments.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's, that's like a joke between us and I managed to capture him. It had captured him at his low points. Yeah, he's, he's a nice chap. I'm actually, I've just, I've just written in his own, I've just written in his calendar that I'm sure I'll catch up with him somewhere next year, whether it's at UTS or the ARC or whatever. Yeah, you seem to bump into him all over the place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah yeah, well, we're talking about calendars in a bit Um cool, okay. So I mean, I I wanted to hear about um the Barkley Because you were there this year. Yes, I mean, the first question that came to my head is Is that, how does one get invited to be a photographer at the Barkley marathons? Because it's, it's yeah, for those who don't know the Barkley marathons, it is um 20 ish miles, we don't really know. Uh, one of Lazarus, lazarus lakes, uh, wacky creations. It tests the very best of the best.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's one of the hardest things in life is trying to describe the Barkley. Yeah, even my mum and dad trying to explain the Barkley to them, I was like, yeah, there's cigarettes and then there's pages. And I thought, you know, just go and watch the documentary, it's easier because it explains it really well. No, but the Barkley say you know, I've watched the documentary, like you guys. Um, that's for me the number one event to photograph, because my style suits that event well, because you've got the motion, you've got the black and white, you've got the grittiness, you know, you've got the best doctor runners in the world. So for me it's a cocktail with exactly exactly what I need. Um, so I made some moves to be able to get out there. Um, yeah, I can sort of comment too much on how yeah, no, no.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've got out there, but I, you know there was about nine hoops to jump through. I jumped through them and one of them being getting a work in visa Because obviously the US, you, you need to qualify for that. That was a bit of effort. I've got granted a 10 year visa so I can go over to the states, sort of willy-nilly now. Um, but it it was a hard process to get out there. Eventually did things panned out like they do sometimes and, you know, still to this day it's probably. You know, I didn't find the Barkley overly hard to photograph. It was obviously the longest, but because it is so sort of spread out and there's very few runners, it gives you a lot of time to maneuver and think about what you're, what you're shooting, and it's again. It's just one of those surreal places. You know, if you, if you have a goat's frozen head and you go in, even just witness the yellow gate. It's just so mystical really really strange.
Speaker 2:I remember sort of going in the higher car around the campsite when I arrived and I was like, oh, oh, my god, there's the yellow gate and it's. It's just just really strange, yeah, and how.
Speaker 1:How did you move around the course? Did they? Did they ship you around? Because it's a bit different to. It's a bit different to, like you know, a utnb or uts where the gpx is readily available and, yeah, you can move center. So I like, did they tell you this is the course and this is where you can go?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you obviously like the campsites, primarily the main Location because the runners come back to the gate every lap. But you were only allowed at one location on the course and that's at the top of ratchaw. So for a lot of you which have seen the documentary, that's where the fire tower is, the pyroms and they get sort of cut to bits and you know you can drive around to ratchaw and then there's a 45 minute hike up or you can hike from camp, which is about an hour and a half I believe.
Speaker 2:I always took the driving option but I was very lucky because I had Alexi Berg and how we stand out there, yeah, but those of you don't know those Alexi's like the french photographer and you'll see a lot of work. He's, in my opinion, the best in the world. We'll see how he stands a very well-known, talented, yeah. Yeah, both amazing guys and we worked as a trio. We were the sort of three Like main photographers. There was a lot of film crew there but we worked as a trio and they sort of showed me the ropes, really, told me what I can, can do and where you know where to park and where to hike to get to the top of ratchaw, so it was almost sort of all laid out on the plate for me really, but I've taken it all on board and you know it's a no. Also very grateful for the help.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you think it'd be going back out again? Well, I said about six months ago I'm not really sure, because I'm not sure I'd get that same experience again, because a lot of people say, oh, he's just saying that I had a real strong 6%, so I was going to see a finisher this year. Just based on there wasn't many finishes the years before, and to see three finishes this year was, yeah, it was unbelievable, yeah it really was.
Speaker 2:yeah, you know when they obviously, when Aurelian, john Kelly and Carol Saab come to the get, you could hear a pin drop and you get back but then everyone's silent and you just watch them on the gate sort of take, have their moment and it's just, it's just strange. I know Damian Hall commented it's one of the best things he's ever seen. Yeah, yeah, surreal. But if I was going to go back I wouldn't expect the same. I would probably expect no finishes, because no in Liza don't think he would have liked three finishes. I mean, he got make, he would. He would want to make the course as hard as possible.
Speaker 1:But God, help the runners next year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, but it's, there's going to be a female finisher at some point. Yeah, and you know, if I want to be one of the photographers to capture that, you've got to sort of put yourself in the position to go out there. So it's a bit, it's a big. Maybe I've got, I've got some information, I've got, I've got the keys to go out there, but it's whether myself want wants to go, so I'll just in the new year Well, what about position to be in is having the races?
Speaker 1:It's mystical and wild and crazy. Even just sat here following the updates from him yeah, he's done. Yeah, keith Dunn on Twitter, it's just mental.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you see pictures of him on Twitter with like two phones. Absolutely legend that guy. Yeah, it's just amazing.
Speaker 1:Like the best sports commentary of any of them I've ever seen it. It just comes in the form of funny updates on Twitter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one of the things I did take away from the Barclay is when I flew back into London. You have to get them to fly up to get there. You know, I flew into Detroit, then into Knoxville, but on the way back and I landed, I logged on to Facebook and Lars shared. I took an image of a runner called Ben Yancy. He did two laps and he's he sat on the shower room floor and he sort of like half looking at the camera, half content, absolutely mortified, what's what's happened.
Speaker 2:But I was sort of talking around the gate to, I think how we and I just said, oh, I think I've got a nice photo here, and sort of Lars overheard me and he said, oh, let's take a look at this photo. And I was like, oh my God, I'm going to look like a dick here. But he took a look at the photo and he just said, actually, can you send me a copy of that? And I was like, yeah, sure. So I emailed him that and when, when I landed, lars actually shared it on Facebook, just saying like this photo represents the Barclay, and I was just I was blown away because that's, that's everything I've ever wanted. It's one of those sort of moments where, yeah, just surreal yeah fantastic.
Speaker 1:What is Lars like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, just just as you see him on film, really the friendliest guy you'll ever meet. Really sort of strict with the race, as you would expect him. And again, he's not getting any younger, he's sort of powering on. He sits at that gate for multiple hours. He's obviously engrossed in what he's doing and you know he's going to leave a legacy, really isn't he? Yeah?
Speaker 1:well, yeah, I mean I think he's already left, leaving a legacy on on the trail running world, ultra running world, because his formats are just so different. I mean, the backyard ultra is just another thing, as I coach somebody to one of the backyard alters a couple of weeks ago and it's just such a phenomenal format.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the term legends overused a lot nowadays. Lars is a genuine legend. Yeah, yeah. Someone else, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Awesome. So the next one I just wanted to talk about because you get yourself right and you said right at the beginning that you predominantly focus on UK races. So were you at UTS this year?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Where were you? Where, yeah, where did you come back.
Speaker 2:So you obviously like the start finish line. What distance did you do? I did the 55k, you did the 55k. So on that race I decided to ignore Snowdin because I was told it was going to be very nice. It was like Benidorm up there. So as you drop off Snowdin and go to a check, so as you climb Snowdin the second time, do you go down the rangers path?
Speaker 2:Yeah, down the rangers path, yeah to the farm and then the big point there, on the white 10, the next climb, which they call the Elephant Mountain. I can't announce I was up there, the top of that.
Speaker 1:Mole, eleo, I think it's see you were up there, Right. Okay, after this I'm going to message you my big number, if I can yeah, sure, if I can find it, and see if you can find any, if you got any pictures of me, because that was one of my no moments actually.
Speaker 2:A lot of runners were low coming up there, but it was just so hot that day, wasn't it? From what I can tell, there wasn't enough water on the course.
Speaker 2:I mean didn't sort of get into the politics, but I bought a lot of water on me and there was another photographer just down the way from me working for Sportograph, and he looked like he was dehydrating on the way down. I gave him all my water and just said look me, I'm going back to my car, absolutely fine, but I think whatever ratio you'll see me at, I'll drop around. I get quite fidgety and bored after an hour. Then I'll just skip to like different locations. It's just what I tend to do and that's something that I'm at the bar with, yeah yeah, yeah, uts was I mean, it was a nightmare.
Speaker 1:I'm probably a bit harder myself. I'm going back this year for the 100k. Nice, I was supposed to do the 100 mile this year but with things going on with my wife's health, I dropped the distance. But yeah, when it was brutal I should be more pleased than I was. I think it was like 150th out of nearly 2000 runners, so it wasn't too bad, but in my mind it was a hard day really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it wasn't hot. Yeah, it was hot. Tom Evans looked like he was cruising so I was obviously waiting for him to come up first, but I think it was just a great run for him in the lead up to the Western States.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he was massively he acclimated and altitude acclimated and Tom is Tom anyway. So yeah, yes, yes and cool. So you sort of just touched on it there. You get fidgety and you want to kind of move around. And this is kind of one of the biggest reasons I wanted to talk to you was because I just find it astonishing how I can be one minute I'm getting photographed by one of you guys in one position and then it doesn't feel like that. Long later it's like 30 miles down the track and there you are again.
Speaker 2:It's like how did you get there?
Speaker 2:So how do you move around? Yeah, I mean I wouldn't say I'm old school, but obviously, like on maps on your phone, I pinpoint the location. So I'll study the course and see where the best locations are Not necessarily the popular locations, but the locations I probably think will work best, and quite often it's not next to a road. You know it does involve like a lot of hiking, but yeah, I just sort of have a rough plan in place and just pinpoint where I'm going to go. I've done UTS a couple of years so, and again where I'm from Dorset on the South Coast. I'm not familiar with Wales. As time goes on I'm getting more familiar with that region and I'm actually going up to UTS again next year. So I'm hoping to go to some different locations again, which I haven't decided yet, but yeah it will be cool, yeah, and getting yourself halfway up in Marleleau to take pictures.
Speaker 1:fair play, that broke me. That climb I. That was a low point, yeah. So what other races would we find out? I'm guessing you're probably going to go to the Ark.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So I've got a good relationship with those guys like Fergie and Jane at Mercury, where I'm from the South Coast. We just sort of fit hand in hand and over the years, you know they've given me opportunities and the support, so I give it back to them. But it's actually one of my favourite races Again, where I'm from the South Coast. I love running on the coastal trails, so that event is my element, just my absolute favourite. But again, I think it would be my fair year. I find it really hard not to sort of copy myself every year and to try. I'm always looking to try something new, whether it's a new technique or a new location, and it's getting to the stage at the Ark where I'm running out of locations. So I've got to start sort of thinking outside the box and I'll be there in January. I'm again Barkley, sort of like up in the air. I'm looking to go to the tunnel, which is the Mark Cockbane event on March, the 1st Down the road for me.
Speaker 1:Well, literally 15 minutes down the road, yeah, 200 miles in a tunnel, yeah, it's pretty tough.
Speaker 2:I did give Mark a message and just say, you know, because I'm doing it off the cuff, I want to go there and just photograph it Because, again, I think it would pay off, I think it would suit my style. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Going to UTS again and potentially what I want to do is go to the Western States 100. That's probably my number one goal next year is to yeah, maybe do that rather than UTMB. I'm not sure. Yeah, it just depends logistically if that works out. I know getting out to California can be a bit of an issue and I know getting around the Western States 100 isn't easy either logistically. No, no.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean let's use that to take a break to talk about UTMB, because I mean it almost feels like you've nailed that. You've got the photo that got you some pretty good recognition recently.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you know what that black and white figure you were talking about, matthew Blanchard? At the time I didn't realize how well it was going to do. I've always liked it and people have liked it. But obviously I've entered it into a couple of competitions. One of them got into the finals of the World Sport Photography Awards.
Speaker 2:And again, I don't know how big that outfit is, and the other one was obviously the British Photography Awards, which is the recent one, and with the British Photography Awards you had two chances of winning. You can't agree. So I couldn't believe it sat there when they called my name out. Yeah, I won that award. I don't think it sunk in because it was only two weeks ago. I think it's going to get to sort of in a year, so I've won this award, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sorry, david, I think my internet went a bit crazy then and we lost a little bit. But just to recap what you're saying there, you entered into the British Photography Awards and you've won the People's Choice Sports Photography of the year, right?
Speaker 2:Yes, that's right. So again I put out a bit of a plea to the trail runner community to help back me. It come through. I was really, really pleased. Again, I'm very, very grateful to the community for helping out and it's that sort of helped me do this for many years to come. It's one of those kick yourself moments Again. It hasn't quite sunk in where it was only two weeks ago, but I'll give it into the new year really, and then I think it will. I've seen, realised how special that is for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Now, you certainly did get the support of a number of people sharing your yeah and say your plea, your request to vote, and I was definitely one of those.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm not normally one of those that request too much, but when I see an opportunity I had a good conversation with my other half about it I just put my foot on the gas and I thought there's a real chance here, because some of the photos were obviously messy. The Wimbledon winner was up against some real heavyweights, but to get UTMB and Matthew Blanchard within the mix and then go ahead and win the people's choice again, it sort of blew me away. But again straight after was Matthew Blanchard Sort of sent a message he wanted like a print sent over to France. So obviously I was very happy to do that for him. Yeah, very cool. Even at a UTMB when I was chatting with him, I think the photo again it come in like the top 10 of the world sports and I remember him saying to me he goes oh, next time we'll win. And basically I thought you know I'll capture him again next year doing something different. But I didn't realise that photo goes so well in another competition.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's an incredible photo and I think it particularly that race last year between him and Killian where they were neck and neck for so long. Ultimately, killian did what Killian does and pulled the way, but you know, for Matthew to come in under 20 hours and run in the way he ran, it was just, and that photo just kind of summed up the level of effort that he put in. Yeah, just for such a special race, it really was. I'm still kind of way out was was Jim's win more special or was that race more special? I still keep coming back to Killian versus Matthew and Tom as well. Tom was kind of in the mix. Yeah, yeah, it was great to get Tom on the podium as a British runner, I think.
Speaker 2:I don't think I went on way this year for whatever reason, but I think next year, year after, I think UTMB is there for the taking for him for sure, I'd like to see you know. Maybe Matthew Blanchard or Zack. Miller. Give it another go, because even Zack Miller went sub 20 this year. Yeah, second, but I think everyone would like to see Zach win it too.
Speaker 1:Oh, zach's like the people's champ there, isn't he?
Speaker 2:We all have Zach. Yeah, yeah, just rock and roll, isn't he?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, no coach, he just runs, that's what he does.
Speaker 2:Just runs, just gets out there. Remember photographing him at Try and Checkpoint this year and he's sort of opening cans of Coke and sort of Coke's going everywhere. He don't care, he's just so rock and roll. It's great to watch, it's like a real sort of sense of urgency.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's got a lot of his sprint finishes as well. Doesn't matter what the distance is, he will do a sprint finish yeah.
Speaker 2:A lot of best comment it reminds us of like the wrestlers in the WWE, like running into the race. It's exactly like that. Yeah, that's a good way to describe it. Yeah, I was chatting with Robbie Brittain about that. We were waiting for someone to do like a Jiff or look a bit of a mock-up of Zach's face on a wrestler. So if any of you are listening is a good at that, maybe send them our way.
Speaker 1:That's a good idea. I'll ask around, I'll ask around. So I bought your calendar. Yeah, tell us a little bit about the calendar. What sort of? Because it hasn't arrived yet. In fact, I think my wife bought it for me for Christmas. Yeah, so I haven't seen all of the pages yet. Yeah, what have I got in store for each month of 2024?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm looking at a massive pile in the kitchen now and then blow, so that's all like ready to go this week. But I think it's something I always want to offer every year. A calendar is a nice way to sort of look back on your year and just like pick a selection of your favourite photos. Like obviously gone for portrait this year, so they're bigger and it's sort of like more of an hearty style.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, now I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, it's going to sit right next to me on my wall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, In fact I've got one right here next to me. This is a foldable. I'll keep that one, I think.
Speaker 1:Which? What picture is that on the front?
Speaker 2:Oh, so that's a. That's a photo of Tom Everings coming down the pig path and Snowden.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:Another one. I can't remember his name, but that was on the very early hours going down the pig path of the 100K at UTS You'll be doing.
Speaker 1:Were you? Were you at the finish of UTS when Emma Stewart crossed the line? Yes, you were. Yeah, I wonder if it was your photo because I finished just as Emma had finished. So when I crossed the finish line, my finish was totally taken away from me because Emma was getting interviews with everybody. I was like, okay, the temperature is low, my photos were blocked. I hate it when that happens.
Speaker 2:That happens at UTMB. If you get one of the rock stars finish and someone is sort of in between them from another category, it just gets overlooked. Yeah, it's a shame when that happens, isn't it?
Speaker 1:To be honest, I was like I'm just glad to finish and see my family and go and sit in the hot tub with RABB A-B-B that we had. Yeah, you've also been sending out some original sign prints of the Machiave Blanchard photo, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, prince is something I've never really thought about, but after winning the competition it's something I wanted to do to draw a line under that photo because I think it's being sort of shared so many times and I just feel people are probably a bit bored of it. Whether that's the truth or not, I'm not sure, but I wanted to offer just like 100 prints again just to draw the line under it and celebrate. I think I'm going to offer Prince for all my photos, but if one does particularly well or I'm particularly happy with it, it's something I'll consider.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a good idea and I imagine they sold out pretty quick.
Speaker 2:They're not sold out yet. I've got some more sort of printing to do, but they are sort of doing very well, but I think it's going to be more of a drip process over the coming months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay. Oh, that's good to know, because I thought I should have ordered one. I thought they'll have gone by now, so I'll jump on later and I'll order one. Yeah, so when we sort of start to wrap up you've hinted at maybe Barclay you're definitely going to be at UTS and the Archive Attrition. What else have you kind of started thinking about for next?
Speaker 2:year, definitely like the Western States. I said that was like my main sort of go-to, but then again I'm looking at events like Badwater and Death Valley, you know, rather than Western States, with that suit my style more Again.
Speaker 2:I think, it's really important. I don't copy 2023, because it's very easy to go to the same events and take the same photos. But myself I want to carry on developing as a photographer. I've got a couple of ideas. I don't want to sort of disclose it yet, just in case I don't do it. I've got a couple of ideas. I can sort of amplify my style forward and if I make that upgrade, I think, yeah, I can do real justice and I think you'd see a lot more quality.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, For sure. But again, I just need to sort of decide what direction I want to go in and again, ultimately it's well, I still enjoy it. I've got to enjoy what I do. But I'm very close at the moment to almost copy in this year, sort of doing like the ARC UTS, potentially the Barclay UTMB, and straight away it's like a mirror year. Yeah yeah, that doesn't sort of sit well with me, really. I'm all for the new experiences. So I used to be the same running as well. I'd never want to repeat like a race because ultimately it's never the same, it's never quite the same feeling. Yeah, I know what you mean.
Speaker 1:I mean, the only reason I can go back to UTS really is because I want to get back up to that grade. Yeah. Yeah exactly I mean Badwater. Oh yeah, that would definitely see your start, because that's just brutal If anybody doesn't know what Badwater is. That's 135 miles in Death Valley.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah, I mean logistically, I think that one would be sort of very tough where it's so hot in the desert. And a lot of what I do depends on my partner as well, because quite often you'll see Anna and she might be driving me about and I can jump out of the car and then I can sort of take those quick photographs. But logistically, if I've got to worry about parking and all this sort of thing, it can really sort of take it, take it's toll. But yeah, we'll see. For sure I'd like to go to like another European race whether it's UTMB again, I'm not sure. Part of me doesn't want to go back to UTMB next year because I've done it for years running and it's going to be more of the same. But yeah, we'll see, we'll see. On that front, I probably will be back out in Chamonix.
Speaker 1:We all say that, yeah yeah, I'm hoping to get out there for the first time this this next year. So, yeah, we'll see. It's what race? Probably CCC, yeah, yeah, probably CCC. That would kind of cap my sort of almost cap my year quite nicely. I've got UTS, lakeland and then hopefully CCC, and if not, if not, then we'll see. There's so many good races out there Gray races really.
Speaker 2:It's. I know UTMB. It's a good point to say this actually, because obviously UTMB has had a lot of bad press recently and I'm sat on the wall with UTMB because from day one they've been really, really good to me, they've given me the opportunities. But I think on the communication front of what's happened out in the Whistler, they can do better. I think there's there's things they can do to work with the community and these race companies better than what they are. But I think you know, if you haven't been to Chamonix or you're planning to go, when you actually see UTMB you would never see anything like it. It's, it is literally the community together. You know everyone and it's, it's, it's, it's, it's really a special.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm quite early and sort of by UTMB, I've got a bit of a headache and maybe you want to go home, but I think, yeah, if I was a spectator out there, I would definitely embrace it.
Speaker 1:Sure, yeah, no, I'm with you. I think they've made some pretty stupid moves in the last last few months. You know the whole data thing from an environmental perspective and you know Whistler from an ethical perspective, and I even talked about this on the podcast I think it's the last episode I did and yeah, things like UTS, I mean you know what the terrain is like at the, it's brutal, it's yeah, I mean it's, it's dangerous. And for them to not have qualifying criteria for, yeah, you know just a case of. I think the disclaimer on the website is if you enter this race, you, you know, you must have some sort of mountain experience and that's kind of it. That's the disclaimer done. I absolutely think they should have some sort of qualification criteria.
Speaker 2:But I think UTS is really sort of overlooked and again, the terrain is much harder than UTMB.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, it's very technical Grave one scrambles in places and yeah, to be letting loose. I mean I'm on the I don't know if you're on the UTS Facebook group and I see people on there constantly posting oh, I'm in for the 100k, I mean for the. I even saw one saying I'm in for the 100 mile. Never done a trail race before, of any kind.
Speaker 2:What trail shoes should I wear?
Speaker 1:Yeah there's anybody got a plan I can follow. Like I plan you need to, like you need to get some serious mountain experience because it is it is a tough gig up there.
Speaker 2:Well, I have complaints about parking at UTS just because it's in Lanbury.
Speaker 1:I didn't think it was that bad. Although I was in the 50k and maybe in me, I got there super early and there was loads of parking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I never have that problem. I just parked around the back of the start finish. But yeah, I think, with how busy the 50k is this year, like these events. So now be interested and see what they do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'd be interested to see if they change the course actually this year with with Mike the race director moving on, because he was quite adamant that he wanted the race to be very tough. He didn't want loads of finishes, but I don't think that's what UTMB wanted, so I'd be surprised if they don't change it.
Speaker 2:It would be very interesting to see if UTMB have another race in the UK, because there's a lot of talks about that at the minute, potentially in the Lake Districts. I know they're looking at the lakes? I wonder if it'd be the lakes of Scotland. Yeah, it won't be Lakeland. I think they've sort of confirmed that that won't be taken over by UTMB.
Speaker 1:Oh, hopefully not, because I hear Lakeland. I'm looking forward to that because that's a real, that really is a community event. They have different themes and stuff there every year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was there this year for that and I just turned up and it was just full of cowboys.
Speaker 1:I'm like well, yeah, it was a Western theme, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just didn't realise the themes, though. I didn't realise that was a thing every year, Sort of being a sub-unit. We're like what the hell's going on? It was like a really long drive and all of a sudden there's a load of cowboys. Yeah, it's really funny.
Speaker 1:I interviewed Andy Berry who won the 100 mile. He came on and he said he went into every age stage and he said he should go and yeah, you know the start Coniston and then there's this road which goes to checkpoint two.
Speaker 2:We drove along that road. It's called Wasdale Pass. Yeah, apparently it's the most dangerous road in the UK, and when we are on it. There was almost like a 30% incline, yeah, and I felt like a roller coaster. Yeah, sounds about right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll see what UTMB do. Yeah, if they want to continue with this scoring system to be able to qualify for the big dance in Germany, I think we're probably going to have to change it, because we can't just have one race and I think Snowdonia National Park they're probably going to say something at some point. With the amount of runners yeah, I think it's 2,200 on the 50k this year. Yeah, next year, it's crazy numbers.
Speaker 2:I guess they go off elevation rather than distance as well. So almost setting someone up on the south coast. For people living in London it's going to be very difficult, isn't it? And again, you could potentially go on the coast path, because I think there's a lot more elevation on the coast path than what people think. But the trouble is all these doors hitting Cornish villages. I don't think they would embrace the UTMB event.
Speaker 1:No, not that many runners? No chance. No, david's been awesome having you on. Thank you. I'd like to ask how can people find you?
Speaker 2:I reckon the best place is Instagram. That's where all the creatives seem to be. So DavidMillerphotography, yeah yeah. And I hopefully see you out on the trails next year.
Speaker 1:Or this year.
Speaker 2:I'm actually going to the Windsor Downs, the Centauri, on 200 miles.
Speaker 1:I thought about that earlier. Actually, I didn't say you. Surely you must be going there because that's the UK's real first 200 mile ultra, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Very last minute, but I'm only going to be there for the first day, but I plan to be there all day, through the day and night. So, yeah, hopefully see some of you there.
Speaker 1:But, again.
Speaker 2:That was only very last minute, while I'm a bit forward.
Speaker 1:Yeah, nice. Well, I'm sure you'll get some shots of people, even if it's just the first day. That will suit your style, which, yeah, look forward to continuing to see how your style evolves, or great. Yeah, thank you very much for coming on, dude.
Speaker 2:Thanks, nick. Thanks for having me Appreciate it. Cheers mate, thank you.
Speaker 1:Well, folks, there we go. There you have it. That is the last maximum mileage running podcast of 2023. I want to thank everybody who has listened, downloaded and those of you who have followed every single episode of some people. It's been amazing to get the feedback that have had to consider when it started, totally by accident, I'm just delighted to have had people like Holly Stables, beth Pascal, joe Smith, james, scott, david you just heard. It's been amazing. So many great guests and I just want to say thank you all and we'll see you in 2024.