I have been contracted for several projects by The Running Channel, one of the worlds largest running YouTube channels. The first of which was to follow Anna, one of their presenters, as she attempted her first ultra marathon race, the 7 Valleys Ultra in the Lake District. I capture Anna at strategic locations through out the race to document her progress and provide a cinematic element to complement the GoPro footage Anna captured. The major part of my shooting was carried out heading up Stakes Pass at the top of Langdale Valley. Firstly, I picked Anna out on my drone as she headed up the mountain towards me, and then I followed her right up to the summit of the trail. My approach for this shoot was fast and light so that I could keep moving with Anna, capturing her reactions as the terrain changed and the weather came in. In addition to the physical aspects of this challenge, I really wanted to capture the emotional side, as I feel that this is where the audience can most connect the athlete, and it really highlights the mental strength that is required. 

The second project I worked on was a collaboration with We Run Edinburgh, a Women's running club based in the city. The aim of this project was to create some social content to support several of the club members who were about to head out to Spain to run a marathon, which the channel were also documenting. We conducted a selection of interviews and I also ran the course with the club, capturing the vibe of the evening and the essence of the club.

I have since been asked to shoot twice more for the channel, however both contracts fell through due to the spotlight athletes pick up injuries just before their events.

Above: My 100km Ultra Did Not Go To Plan

Videographer: Jonathan Doyle

GoPro footage: Anna Harding

Editor: The Running Channel