Meet the Athlete: Matthew Keeble Joins Team HFN

Ultra-marathon winner. Mountain explorer. Endurance athlete. We're delighted to officially welcome Matthew Keeble to the Highland Fuel Nutrition Athlete Team.

As we begin introducing our new arrivals to the Athlete Team, we're kicking things off with someone who has had an incredible year of racing, but whose approach to the sport goes far beyond results and podium finishes.

Matthew Keeble is an accomplished ultra-distance runner, a GB Ultras sponsored athlete and now officially part of Team HFN.

With victories at Manchester to Liverpool and Ultra Scotland 50 in 2026, Matt has established himself as a seriously competitive ultra-runner. But behind those results is someone who loves exploring new places, pushing his limits and, perhaps most importantly, enjoying the process.

We caught up with Matt to learn more about his journey into ultra-running, his biggest achievements, the lessons he's learned along the way and what comes next.

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From Rugby to Ultra-Marathons

Growing up, rugby was his main sport, but after suffering one too many concussions, he made the decision to step away. Triathlons and duathlons followed before running eventually took centre stage.

His first official ultra-marathon came about through a rather questionable birthday decision.

"I decided that it was a good idea to run 30 miles for my 30th birthday. Doing it around the track at Redbridge Cycling Centre was a less good idea!"

Despite the repetitive surroundings, Matt was hooked.

Initially focusing on road events, he soon discovered the freedom of taking his running off-road and into the mountains.

Today, running has become as much about exploring the world as it is about competition.

"I try and visit at least one or two new countries each year to run and explore. Most recently, I spent two weeks exploring and running around Malta."

It's an approach to endurance sport that we can certainly get behind.

A Breakthrough Year: Winning Manchester to Liverpool and Ultra Scotland

2026 has been a standout year for Matt.

With victories at both Manchester to Liverpool and Ultra Scotland 50, he's demonstrated his ability to compete at the sharp end of ultra-distance racing.

But when asked which performance meant the most, there was one clear answer.

Ultra Scotland 50.

"Winning was great, but this was the first event where I felt like I might be able to compete with some of the top runners."

For Matt, the race carried additional significance.

Being Scottish, competing on home soil brought an extra level of motivation and emotion.

"It was the first event where everything seemed to click together. The scenery was stunning, the weather was kind (for Scotland), and it was just an all-round great day chasing Liam Mills for nine hours!"

That combination of performance, confidence and enjoyment made it a particularly special victory.

However, not all of Matt's favourite running memories involve standing on a podium.

One of his proudest achievements was completing the Loch Ness Marathon alongside his two sisters.

"It was so nice to achieve such a big goal together."

A reminder that running achievements aren't always measured by finishing positions.

Learning the Hard Way

Like most experienced ultra-runners, Matt has had his fair share of difficult days.

And some of his biggest lessons have come from races that didn't go to plan.

In 2024, he travelled to Belgium to tackle a 100-mile race around a 4km loop.

Unfortunately, things unravelled.

"I set off way too fast and eventually called it quits after 40-odd miles. That was one of the first races I didn't finish, and it took me a while to even consider racing again."

His next Belgian adventure involved trying his hand at the Backyard Ultra format.

That didn't go quite to plan either.

"There's a reason Belgium has such a strong history in that format! I didn't like stopping and starting each hour, and although I thought I knew how to suffer, it turns out I don't like sleep deprivation. Your marathon PB doesn't count for much!"

It's an experience that will sound familiar to plenty of ultra-runners.

Fitness can only take you so far. Pacing, patience, nutrition and the ability to keep going when things become uncomfortable are equally important.

And sometimes the biggest improvements come from getting things completely wrong.

Training: Consistency, Volume and Strength

Before his recent injury, Matt was regularly running over 100km per week, typically training six or seven days.

His approach combines consistent mileage with structured intensity and regular strength training.

A typical week would include:

• One long, steady run.
  
• One interval session.
  
• One sustained higher-intensity effort.
  
• Easy running on the remaining days.
  
• Two to three strength sessions focusing on core stability, isometrics and lower-body strength.

Interestingly, while Matt prefers to do his running alone, the gym provides an important social element to his training.

"I'm part of a great community at the gym, so strength work was a great chance to socialise, since I always run alone."

It's a balanced approach that has helped him develop into a competitive endurance athlete.

But as he's discovered this year, knowing when to recover is every bit as important as knowing how to train.

Getting Nutrition Right: Why Matt Uses Highland Fuel

Even experienced ultra-runners don't always get their fuelling right.

And Matt is the first to admit that 2026 has involved plenty of learning.

At Chester 50, he discovered that relying on a handful of gels simply wasn't enough to sustain his performance.

The same lesson was reinforced at Manchester to Liverpool.

His biggest change?

Introducing Highland Fuel BareFuel into his racing nutrition strategy.

"The biggest change that I made was introducing HFN BareFuel and consuming gels alongside carb powder."

Matt now targets approximately 70–90g of carbohydrates per hour during races, combining carbohydrate drink mix with energy gels to meet his fuelling requirements.

He doesn't rely on solid food during races, preferring a straightforward strategy that he can practise in training and repeat on race day.

In the days leading up to an event, he keeps his diet deliberately simple.

"I make things very plain and boring to minimise the risk of any upset stomachs along the way."

It's a sensible approach and one we regularly encourage at Highland Fuel.

Nutrition doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be practised.

For Matt, finding a fuelling strategy that works has been an important part of becoming a more competitive ultra-runner.

And we're delighted that BareFuel has become part of that process.

The Road to Recovery and Looking Ahead to 2027

Despite an impressive 2026 racing season, Matt is currently navigating an injury that has forced him to reassess his immediate goals.

For someone accustomed to running more than 100km per week, stepping away from consistent training is never easy.

But rather than rushing back, he's taking a patient approach.

"The priority for 2027 is to get back to trusting my body and getting back to running consistently. I'm going to be super patient, but would love to race in the latter half of the year."

It's a perspective that deserves recognition.

Athletes are often celebrated for how hard they push themselves, but knowing when to stop, recover and rebuild is just as important.

While racing may be on hold for now, Matt certainly hasn't lost his appetite for a challenge.

One event has particularly captured his attention.

Spartathlon.

The legendary 246km race from Athens to Sparta is one of the most demanding road ultras in the world.

Matt has been researching the event and its qualification requirements, particularly the challenge of running 100 miles in under 15 hours and 45 minutes.

"I think this could be my next big challenge."

There's no rush, and recovery comes first.

But we certainly wouldn't bet against him.

More Than Just Running

Away from training and racing, Matt has a few other interests that keep him occupied.

He's a self-confessed coffee enthusiast who enjoys experimenting with different roasts, brewing methods and flavours.

His original AeroPress is apparently still going strong.

He's also a big science-fiction fan and rarely goes through a day without listening to music.

Running might occupy a significant part of his life, but there's clearly more to Matt than race results and weekly mileage.

Matt's Advice for First-Time Ultra-Runners

With multiple ultra-distance victories and plenty of difficult experiences behind him, we asked Matt what advice he'd give someone preparing for their first ultra-marathon.

His answer was refreshingly simple.

"It's important to celebrate how incredible it is to enter an event and join the start line. That needs to be celebrated massively."

He continued:

"Focus on the process rather than the outcome. There's no guarantee of a perfect day or a finish, but all of the steps that had to happen to start the race should be shouted about."

It's a message that resonates strongly with us.

Not everyone will win races. Not everyone will achieve their target time. And sometimes, despite months of preparation, things simply don't go to plan.

But the work, commitment and determination required to reach the start line should never be overlooked.

Welcome to Team HFN, Matt!

At Highland Fuel Nutrition, we've always said that our Athlete Team isn't simply about collecting fast runners or impressive race results.

We want to work with people who genuinely enjoy our products, share our approach to endurance sport and want to be part of what we're building.

Matt ticks all those boxes.

He's a seriously talented athlete with an impressive racing record, but he's also someone who understands the highs, lows and challenges that come with endurance running.

From winning ultra-marathons to learning from difficult races, adapting his nutrition and now navigating injury, Matt's journey reflects what the sport is really about.

We're proud to have him representing Highland Fuel Nutrition and look forward to supporting him through his recovery, his return to racing and whatever challenges come next.

Welcome to the team, Matt.