Sam Skinner on the WD200: “Close, but not Close Enough…”

Sam Skinner has quickly risen through the ranks in the realm of ultrarunning. With a background in football and boxing, Sam has always had a passion for fitness; however, in 2014, they took some time away to “nurse some demons.” 

After coming back a short time later, he described his return to fitness as a “classic case”, starting with 5kms and slowly increasing his fitness. His weight had risen in his time off, so he started running to manage the weight and restart his sports career. 

“I’ve met many ultra runners in the last few years, and they have similar stories to mine. I did my first marathon in 2017, the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon; I got a semi-good time for that. I think it was about 335 or something like that. Really struggled. Classic. No nutrition or anything like that.”

It wasn’t until lockdown that Sam began setting himself new challenges, signing up for the South Downs Way 100-mile, which was postponed. However, Sam decided to do it independently: “That was my first introduction to endurance running. Since then, I’ve done various 50 kms and 100 kms. It wasn’t until last year I really knuckled down.”

He took part in the Race Across Snowdonia in 2021, coming in third place, recounting it as his first podium position. He met Simon Roberts there, who encouraged him to do the famous Montane Dragons Back Race, which he also completed in 2021. 

“I’m one of those who slog it out and I’m learning; I’ve learnt the hard way. But, I’ve had some good results the last two years.” 

Sam completed the Lakeland 100 in July 2023 at 22:07:10 and was quickly approached by Precision Hydration to collaborate for the event. I have been doing a bit with them and working on sodium intake and salt and did the sweat test and all that. I felt really good for Lakeland in July.”

The father and roofer from Southampton recently astonished everyone with his incredible race at the Centurion Winter Downs 200. The 200-mile race takes in both the South Downs and North Downs way in a loop in the South East of England. 

Leading up to the race, Sam said he and his coach worked a lot in zone 1 and zone 2 training, working on longer, back-to-back runs. Sam had recently started a running club in Southampton and would meet them halfway through his training runs for the company. He would often imitate how he would feel coming onto the South Downs Way and reccy those sections.