Ultrarunner Neil Rhodes (58) is quit a character, to say the least. I met him 10 years ago during the Gore-Tex Transalpine. His stories, his optimism, humour (dry!) and perseverance are contagious and kept me running ever since. De list of his ultra’s is long, very long, and the end of it – hopefully – not anywhere in sight.

• Living in: Yeovil, South Somerset, UK
• Job in daily life: private consultant Health, Business & Management
• Roll of honour: In 2011 Neil crossed 930 miles of mountains, with 180,608 ft of ascent, in 6 countries, on 2 continents, over 8 weeks, setting 3 new ‘World Firsts’. This was a combination of 4 races, TransAlp Bike, TransRockies bike(Canada), TransRockies Run(USA) & TransAlpine Run. He is also a 10 Times Transalpine competitor en 4 Time Transrockies competitor, the only person to have run across Alps & Rockies, back to back, 4 times. An 8 time GB squad competitor at World Indoor Rowing Championships. And, as a concept2 rower, Guinness World Record Holder for One Million Metres distance.
• Life motto: “Nothing worthwhile doing, is ever easy.”

The questions you’ll probably get over and over again… Why?

Neil Rhodes: “The first answer would be ‘Why not?’ The second answer ‘We’re on the planet for a short period of time, so go do something.’ And the third that I keep asking my body what it’s capable of and that I haven’t answered that question, yet! Then there is also that longing to fill Life with… something more. Most people who run races like the TransRockies Run, TransAlpine Run and the big marathons are not ‘elite’, they’re just normal folk who decided to challenge themselves. There are many inspirational stories out there. For the record, I am not an elite athlete, I call myself a ‘completer’, as my goal is to simply be able to complete the task.”

Were you always this sporty and determined?

“I believe I have always been ‘determined’. The people who’ve said ‘You’ll never do that’, have been inspiring me since I was 14 yrs old. I thank them for their pessimism. As a child, I was always active, running, climbing, cycling, swimming…. because that’s what my generation considered ‘play’. There was no children’s TV, or electronic games. At school we had no choice, we had to take part in ‘games’ lessons, whatever the weather. As an adult all that changed. When I was 17yrs old I had a girlfriend who smoked and almost everyone smoked, as it was ‘cool’, so I started smoking and I used to drink….quite a lot. This continued in my first career, in hotel and catering.”

When did that change again?

“A few months after my first son was born in 1984, I went out to play in the snow, with my dog and a toboggan. After coming downhill, I would walk back up, and the dog would pull the toboggan. On the third time of doing this I was out of breath. It made me realise that I was unfit, that I had a new son, so what would be like in 10yrs time when that son asked me to play football with him? That made me change, stop smoking and start recovering my health. At that time I had my own restaurant working every day with only 7 days rest in 6 years, so I could retire early. This plan changed when some of my older (50’s) friends suddenly died. I said to my wife ‘We may work until we’re 50 and then never get to enjoy life because we lost our health’, so we sold the business, I re-trained and made my interest my job (human anatomy & physiology). Our change in lifestyle probably also saved our lives, as my wife survived cancer in 2000 and in 2003 I suffered a medical event that only gave me a 7% chance of survival, a massive brain haemorrhage. After an 8hr craniotomy and 3 days in an induced coma, I woke up. The neurosurgeon said to me: ‘Whatever it is that you do, go back to it, as I believe your fitness saved your life’.”

Do you think there will be a point when you’ll say: that’s it, I’m ‘retiring’?

“Being able to be active is a joy, to have been able to run, cycle, swim and be active with my children. To have them, as young men, invite me to do things with them, which is only possible because they know I am healthy and active. I am profoundly happy that I am able to be outdoors taking part in life, instead of being sat indoors just watching other people enjoying life. I have always said that one of the reasons I want to be active now is because there will come a time when I will not be physically able to continue, which is a fact, it’s the cycle of life. Unfortunately I now know that this will come far sooner than I expected as I am losing my sight and there is no cure for my condition. I am also genetically predisposed to suffer with arthritis, which I’m seeing the early signs of now. So, in answer, I don’t plan on retiring, I think I’ll get retired. I have always known I will never do everything I want to do, because as I carry out my ‘to do’ list, I discover more, so the list is never ending.”

What’s your personal high and your personal low?

“I have been very lucky, experiencing many such moments and I genuinely cannot think of one that I consider greater than the others. My absolute low without a doubt was and is losing my mother. Nothing in my life prepared me for how devastating I found this and how it still affects me. I am used to being able to change things, but death is something one cannot change. My mother was a strong woman, I believe that my determination comes for her. So I try to remember as much as possible of experiences with my mother, to celebrate her life. Thinking ahead, I remind myself of Rose Kennedys words, she said, “It has been said, ’time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.”

What’s your favourite race and why?

The Gore-Tex Transalpine Run. I call it a ‘Life Event’, because the memories and friendships last a lifetime. Runners cross the Alps like a caravan of nomads, although we are competitors, we’re moving together, supporting one another. Over the eight days of sharing hardship, this band of runners, crew and sponsors becomes a family. It’s a race that changes lives. What makes this race different is the people involved, they have a passion for your enjoyment in the environment and, from the moment you sign in at registration, your success is as important to them as it is to you. They shepherd this moving group, safely through the mountains, guiding them to the finish, and share in our joy as we achieve our goals. This is a race crew who do not accept failure, they want you to leave the Alps feeling stronger, more confident and asking the question, ‘When can I come back?’ Gore-Tex shares the passion for trail running by racing with us, testing their products, discovering what competitors experience, whilst seeking runners opinion, to hear what trail runners need, so as to improve their products, searching for perfection. Their dedication to delivering the very best products and giving customer satisfaction is unrivalled. It is why they are recognised as one of the best companies in the world.”

Do you feel that you’re sacrificing things for your sport(s)?

“No. I’ve been able to blend being active, into our normal life. We made activity ‘fun’ for our children, so they never wanted to stay in and play on a computer. My children learnt to swim without really knowing, because they thought we were simply having fun. Whenever it’s possible my wife travels with me too. After a foot operation, she doesn’t run, so we adapt and if we’re together we’ll fast hike. That’s one of the keys to Life, learning to adapt. In 2009 my youngest son came to the start of the Transalpine Run and ran the first stage with me and my running partner, before flying home, to work. When I returned home he said to me, ‘That stage was fantastic, can I run the whole race with you next year?’ That’s exactly what we did.”

What’s your favourite training ground?

“I live near the Jurassic Coast and the South West Coast Path is a delight to run along, although quite testing. I was born and raised in Yorkshire, a place I love with a passion. This is the place my love for the ‘outdoors’ and wild environments came from and has some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK. and some of the harshest hills. Wensleydale has an added bonus for me, I can buy my favourite cheese.”

Your favourite gear?

“Gore Running Wear and all things Gore. Salomon shoes for trail running and Asics for road running. I have always used Garmin for my GPS, but I’m hearing very good things about Suunto so I may try them when my Garmin dies. I am not sponsored so my choice is based on my experience, not because they pay me.”

Anything else you want to share with outdoor enthusiasts?

“Being outdoors is going to keep you healthy and investing in your health is the best investment you’ll ever make and you will have a feeling that most people don’t get, you will feel ‘alive’. ‘To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all’, said Oscar Wilde. It’s important to experience life and have wonderful memories. Your brain is like a bank where you have an account to store memories, for this time in your life. Old age is like a bank account too, when you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. So to all those I’ve met on the Trail, including you, Sandra, thank you for your part in filling my memory bank. I am still depositing.”