The Aussie Runner Podcast

Geoff & Neil speak to the French man responsible for one of Sydney's booming performance focused running clubs, Jerome Dupuy.  Hear how the Delta Running Project has scaled from 4 to 100+ members over a short period of time, how they fill a pre-elite inclusive performance based niche in the community & amazingly how all 70 of their runners managed to run sub 40 min at the recent Sydney 10k event.

It's not often you meet someone who landed their dream job … but that's true of Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley.  Jez & Damo chat with the man that's presided in the top job during some amazing times for our beloved sport … a rich upward streak of success for our athletes, COVID & recently the puzzling Peter Bol testing story.  Learn about Peter's athletic past, his pedigree in executive business leadership, the task they've set for the Sydney Marathon as a world major, how engaging with Aussie sporting legends helps & what he learnt during COVID that's repaying in spades.

Damo and Jez talk to cowboy hat wearing, holder of the fastest known time for running across Canada, previous World Record for 24-Hour Treadmill Run champ, Author, charity founder / fundraiser, master of the mind trick, massage therapist and all round nice guy Dave Proctor … hear about his mammoth crossing of a continent, his book ‘untethered', the vault, his four mind animals, the highs and lowest lows of running an epic challenge and last but by no means least … Dave delivers quite possibly our best treadmill related toilet challenge EVER :-)

Geoff & Neil talk to Tamworth local & gym owner, 400m Masters athlete, strength & 100m - 5000m running coach, past Athletics NSW Club Coach of the year & TV's Ultimate Tag semi-finalist … Jay ‘Carved from' Stone.  Learn if spewing during training is a good thing, why a kettle ball is his go to & why you really shouldn't play join the dots with Neil.

Jez & Damo chat to Nike Head Coach, elite marathoner with a handy 2:17:20 PB, Melbourne based Kiwi Dave Ridley.  Learn how he's leveraged consistency to keep injury at bay, how trail running is easy :-) … why his clients must have a long term training mindset if he's going to work with them, why his wife put him in a wheelchair the day before the Seoul marathon and how drafting an elite poo-jogger wasn't an ideal race strategy.

Neil & Geoff chat to elite trail runner, coach, sports doctor, sport nutrition company co-founder and, until recently, UTA 50k record holder Dr Andrius Ramonas.  The boys learn about the ethos behind Roam's all natural alternatives to the dreaded sports gel, how Andrius incorporates sports medicine into his & his clients running and provides a fascinating insight into how you should balance carbs and fat during training & racing.

Jez & Damo round out the year by chatting to up & coming Castle Hill local 800m speedster, National Champ, 2 x World U20 Championships Silver medallist, European Diamond League competitor & US University of Washington Athlete Carley Thomas.  Learn the tips & tricks she learnt at the elite Diamond League, how she recovered from a horrific leg injury involving a speed boat, rubber ring & some concrete water, recovering almost miraculously to take her first jog 4 months in & racing 9 months later!  Learn how her team of sports professionals & several leading edge technologies came together to get her up & running again.  A lovely Aussie youngster with bags of talent & a heartwarming recovery story.

How do you take 5 hrs 12 mins off your 88 km Comrades time? ... by running a smoking 5 hrs 42 mins, coming first in the 50 year-old + age group and breaking an 11 year old masters record … that's how!  Geoff & Neil talk to Aussie 50k World Champs rep Wayne Spies, a man who just seems to get better the older he gets, who embraces a highly endearing & infectiously positive mindset based on getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  The boys learn about his progression through 11 Comrades attempts culminating in his epic last run, running out of water with an hour to go at a sweltering World Champs in India & Wayne shares some of his most hard earned tips & tricks for pushing your distance running to the next level.

Jez & Damo speak to Olympic, Commonwealth Games & 6 time defending Australian 400 metres champion speedster Steve Solomon.  Learn of his meteoric rise at a young age, his junior records, US College time at Stanford, being the first Aussie man in 24 years to reach the 400m Olympic final & also the first Aussie since Cathy Freeman to do so.  Steve lays out exactly what he needs to do to beat the current Aussie record, delves in to how he utilises mental strength & how a sock came in handy for our number 2 favourite question :-)

Geoff & Neil reappear from a mysterious hiatus and sit back down with ‘The Bull' Chris Turnbull after his epic 3856 km, 100 km+ per day (!!!), 39 day record run from Perth to Sydney.  Learn about the logistics, the closed road, the emotional, physical & mental stresses, how he worked through them plus the thousands of boiled eggs and A LOT of sandwiches.

Jez & Damo speak to the inspirational ex-military ultra-running near death accident survivor Rodney ‘Rocket' Cottam.  Hear how Rod went from an elite soldier involved in a serious motor vehicle accident sustaining several injuries (including spinal nerve damage) to 12 months recovery and ultimately becoming a big run specialist focused on raising awareness for some excellent causes like Invictus & the ZERO600 challenge.  Learn about the struggles many involuntary discharged ex-service people face & how this incredibly impactful challenge is helping them & many others too.

Jez & Damo chat with a prolific Aussie legend of the 70s, 80s & 90s track scene, 1500m specialist, 15 year career, dual Olympian, dual world championships, 4 Commonwealth Games & one time Australian 1500m champion.  A man with the most sub 4 min miles in Australian history & the only person to have run an all time fastest top 10 mile actually in his home country … a ripper of a top bloke, Pat Scammell!

A chug special! … Jez and Damo speak to Melissa Vandewater, the mastermind behind the Aussie Beer Mile.  Explore the collision of elite runners and drinkers, the notorious 11 am Chunder Mile, the 100 Beer week long 100-miler, delve into strategic beer choices, the "dregs controversy" and training your stomach with a watermelon.  Hear the essential beer mile do's and don'ts and whether Mel successfully dodged a vomit-propelled-high-velocity meat pie.

Geoff & Neil catch up with local Sydney ultra-runner Chris ‘Bullie' Turnbull before he heads off on a once in a lifetime run.  They chat all things Vegemite sandwiches, dingo bait and running ‘East'.  In his time Bullie has put his body through some EPIC adventures from Kayaking across the Tasman to running from Sydney to Melbourne … hear about them & learn how he's now set his sights on a 3940 km ‘holiday run' from Perth to Sydney.  Learn why, how & when this top Aussie bloke is lacing up his runners & heading East (spoiler:he kicks off next week).

Jez & Damo speak to one of Australia's top 10 fastest marathoners of all time, a man that's also pretty handy at 1500m, 5000m, cross country and landed himself in that top 10 in only his 3rd marathon! … ladies & gents … Andy Buchanan, one of our most exciting prodigious marathon talents, all round top bloke & connoisseur of high-end contemporary Australian bakery.  Andy takes us through his training, the recent & genuinely magnificent 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Jelly Slices & Snot Blocks.

Neil & Geoff talk to avid runner, podcaster, ex Athletics NSW mar-comms guru, Pont3 Digital Marketing Manager & NSW athletics Track favourite James Constantine.  The boys get the the inside track on how Pont3 are battling to get the Sydney Mara recognised as a major over the next few years, how they need your help rocketing spectatorship to new levels, go behind the scenes at a few of Sydney's biggest running events, find out why he loves running hills, how volunteering is chicken soup for the soul & why not to use Parkrun as your weekly time trial.

4 years, 1 baby, another on the way & a scintillating Commonwealth Games Gold victory … Jez & Damo once again catch up with Lululemon ambassador, Olympian, mum & proud South Australian running gem, the delightful Jess Stenson.  Find out how motherhood has given her running/training an extra edge, hear a fascinating blow by blow trip through her Commonwealth Games Gold medal run, what baby #2 means for Paris & what the future might hold.

It's Australia's biggest trail running festival week! …  it's time for the amazing Ultra Trail Australia and Neil & Geoff catch up with a UTA legend Scotty Richmond … 10 x UTA 100km with 3 finishes in the top 10 … but wait, this guy's no slacker … graphic designer, children's entertainer 'Ozzie', YouTube sensation, AFL coach & local Shire boy.  Will he add Guinness World Record holder to that list? … find out how he's planning on combining 300km, 43 km a day & dribbling a football to make history, his tips for competing/completing UTA 100 km & the moving reason that keeps him motivated to run & to never give up.

Geoff & Neil speak to a man that's made a name for himself in multi-day, frozen, sled carrying ultras … the kind where your back up plan if things go wrong is you & only you … oh & he's also an high altitude mountaineer, Dad, author, TEDx presenter, nerd, Pharmacist & MBA.  Meet Paul Watkins, climber of the major peaks on all seven continents, the second Aussie to finish the 6633 Arctic Ultra & the first to win it.  Learn about his most recent race in Lapland, how he manages to train for super-cold races in the Australian climate, how he balances training with the typical family responsibilities and how a average mid-pack ultra runner wins long tough cold stuff halfway around the other side of the world.

He's off!!! Aussie ultra-running's most prolific living legend, Pat Farmer, has kicked off a monster run around Australia … AGAIN … this time he's running to help raise awareness for The Voice referendum and Jez & Damo catch up with him just before he grabs his runners and gets going.  Learn what it takes to plan & train for a 14,400 km 6 month multi-day ultra-run, what he's been doing since we last spoke in 2019 (spoiler:a lot), how time & action have become his most important tools, what changes in his training have been driven by age and how the secret to being an ultra-runner is really just ‘the ability to keep running while feeling like a bag of dog poop' :-) … and the boys also get an early view on the new Under Armour carbon plated Flow Velociti Elite shoes & some shiny new running gear.

Jez & Damo speak to ‘Boobs on the run' founder Mel Warman, a fantastically unique spin on a running group & a lovely human being to boot.  Learn how her Mum inspired her to set it up, how it works, the success stories & why pace / distance are importantly, not a thing.  Learn how they keep their members going mentally, avoid common pitfalls of getting started with running, the magic number of runs per week and the self care required to keep on running.  Learn why determination trumps motivation every time, why you should steer clear of Mel & her morning tea & we unearth another VERY important running concept … what's your #pootrigger?

Geoff & Neil speak to the one & only Claudine Chicheportiche, the high performance mindset coach behind many successful athletes, leaders & entrepreneurs.  It is no coincidence that this karate mad mind boggler has coached the last two male Coast to Kosciuszko 240km winners.  Learn exactly what mindset training is, how to become a super-coachable human, what winning from freedom not fear is, the secret of mindset by design, what real self-awareness & growth mindset is & ultimately how to both know & create the runner you want to be.  Jump on the comfy chair, lie back & tune in, this one is for all of your little grey brain cells.

Jez & Damo go way back to the beginning, chatting once again to local Sydney marathon legend & speedster David Crinti … learn how his ground breaking Run Beyond Project has developed, how fatherhood has impacted his running, answer: he now has a 17 min park run with a pram PB :-), his thoughts on the coast to Kosciusko reboot, Deek's record going, our first Kona-ironman-loo story and we create a new & exciting niche area for data analysis, run-poo-nalytics.

Episode 100!!! … Jez & Damo mark the occasion by chatting with one of Bondi Rescue's favourite Lifeguards, Andrew ‘Reidy” Reid.  This guy packs a lot in to life, runner, cyclist,  swimmer, open ocean paddler, ironman, TV star, Dad, MC, event director, photographer, ex garbo & a genuine true blue top Aussie bloke.  Amongst many fascinating insights & stories learn how Reidy transformed from a 120 kg chain smoking drinker to what he is today, how Bondi Rescue & running changed his life and … !newsflash! … do we finally have an origin story for the infamous poo jogger?

It's not often you hear someone unpack how they went from back-of-the-pack to podium athlete, a truly fascinating insight for runners of all distances ... hear Geoff & Neil discover an emotional love story starring the premier invite only 240km Coast to Kosciuszko (c2k) ultramarathon & its 2022 winner, athlete, fireman, passionate husband & Dad, Rob Mason. A story 12 long years in the making, 6 c2k finishes later, 12 hours off his first attempt of nearly 40 hrs & ultimately sowing the seed that led to an ‘all in' declaration in 2022 to not just take part, but to win.   Find out what the ‘all in' approach actually involved, what he learnt from previous winners, why he employed a mindset coach, how to turn your support crew into professionals & exactly which 3 questions he asks himself hundreds of times mid-race.

3 years on, Geoff & Neil sit back down with Australian Ultra running's equivalent of Russell Crowe, prolific International podium snatcher & super-coach, bro from across the ditch, Scotty Hawker (NZ).  With a recent 2nd spot at UTA100 the boys speak to Scotty about the changing landscape of UTA, what he's learnt about training, injury, nutrition, check-point tips/tricks & multiple cycles of plant vs meat based diets (may include traces of egg :-)). 

Jez & Damo chat to the ACT Brumbies most capped player, publican & parkrun fanatic Ben Alexander, a power-house prop with 154 Brumbies appearances & 72 Wallabies caps.  Learn how his parents steered him from the precipice of Uni & Rugby abject failure to a barn-storming 10 year career in the top flight, how running helped him through retirement & some tough times, what a PB leg press attempt & diarrhoea have in common & which Royal survived a meet & greet with the Wallabies on neat gin :-) 

Geoff & Neil catch up with Allicia Heron, the up & coming star of Aussie 24/48hr track running who recently took home the bronze medal at the IAU 24hr Asia and Oceania Championships in India.  Learn how her 15+ years in military service has helped give her the edge, how she deploys the Buddha/Bad arse strategy, how the Bad arse gets her in & out of trouble, how to train for ultra events when all you have is a small boat or a 1.6km loop (that she spent 6 hrs or 60km on recently!) and how she's preparing for Australia's premier ultra running event, the one & only 240km Coast to Kosciusko. 

Jez & Damo speak to a lady who in the 1988 Seoul Olympics delivered one of Australia's finest gold medal performances … it's the final straight of the 400m hurdles final, Debbie Flintoff-King OAM faces a Russian runner with a seemingly insurmountable lead, and BOOM, with ‘a heart bigger than Phar Lap' she surges and grabs a sensational victory on-the-line … go watch the video on YouTube, you won't be disappointed, then listen to this fascinating episode :-) … a lovely lady & true Aussie running legend.

Neil & Geoff speak to back yard ultra specialist & champ Phil Gore.  A man that's won the last 10 ultra marathons he's taken part in over the last 2 years, learn how COVID transformed this 5k streak runner (1132 5k days in a row!) and park run fanatic in to quite possibly Australia's best last man standing competitor.  Learn about the back yard ultra race format, Phil's sleep strategies, tips & tricks, what he hopes to take on next and how ‘practicing boredom' for this kind of race is essential.

Damo & Jez talk to the 'Flying Fickel' ... a true people's champ of Aussie running … the legend, the one & only Bob Fickel! … the master of the race running streak, a man who recently celebrated running his 300th marathon, has 31 6ft track marathon finishes under his belt, 40+ City to Surf, 70+ ultra marathons, 30+ Canberra maras & a bonafide Blue Line Legend.  Find out Bob's why, his adventures in the famous Sydney to Melbourne ultra-marathon with legends such as Cliffy Young, Yiannis Kouros & Pat Farmer.  Also hear how this plucky septuagenarian still powers through his training & what he's planning next.

Geoff & Neil chat to the lovely Aussie ultra rep & International 24 hr team gold medal winner Nikki Wynd.  Learn what a fantastic & broad running record she has across so many distances, in just over a decade she's notched up victories at 50km, 50miles, 100km, 100miles, 135miles, 6hrs, 24hrs & 48hrs.  Notably taking on the gruelling hottest race on earth, Death Valley's Badwater 135 (mile) ultramarathon 3 times in total with 3 podiums & one a win!  Listen to how Nikki trains, how she landed in the sport & how she's preparing for a return to Australia's premier long form road race, the legendary Coast to Kosci 240km.

Jez & Damo chat to Shuan Kaesler, the knockabout WA local legend responsible for bringing 200 miler ultra races to Australia.  The man who gave up his construction business to build an impressive series of trail races in WA, to create the Delirious West 200 miler, the triple crownunder and his very own running shop.  Jez kicks off the trail vs. road running debate early & Shaun puts him in his place and also shares a fascinating insight in to his journey through running, how it transformed him & how it's driven him to give so much back to the Aussie running community.

Geoff & Neil have a cracker-jack chat with THE runner you want with you in a dark alley … ex MMA cage fighting amateur boxer, Aussie rep, Guinness world record holder, AURA VP, 24 hr treadmill vomit specialist Matt Eckford, a man who's perfectly translated the discipline required for excellence in martial arts, deployed it to 24 hr track racing, often trains 100% on a treadmill & carries a mantra of ‘Whilst I can be beaten, I will never be broken'.  Listen for some Aussie running gold.

Damo & Jez ask … what is the 440? … take 1 former iron man bronze medalist, 1 former rugby player, a solution borne out of the depths of Trent & Todd's dark periods of life & you have something very special … something that is now a global running movement but started out when a troubled man looking for some answers decided to get up early & run up a hill in the dark with his mates … listen to how this simple idea has helped hundreds of people, how it all started, how these stellar Aussie legends grew their mateship & how the boys can help you nail your next city to surf.

Geoff & Neil speak to Ewan Horsburgh … AURA president, long standing Aussie ultra distance rep, running community stalwart, Blue Mountains local & self confessed coffee loving shoe fiend.  The boys learn about his recent run at the Western States 100 mile race in the US, previous victories at various ultra disciplines, winning the Coast to Kosci 240km race 3 times back to back, his role at AURA & way back when, the journey he took from normal running to the dark side :-)

On the eve of his first 200 mile race Jez & Damo speak to one of NSW's ultra running stalwarts & local legends, Kevin ‘Brick' Heaton.  Under his belt sit 13 x 6ft track, 11 x Ultra trail Australia & 11 Coast to Kosci 240km races finishes.  A man that once got helicoptered rescued out of the Blue Mountains mid race with a totally ripped off quad, only to toe the start line of a 240km run 6 months later.  Brick generously shares his mental mindset for overcoming injury & achieving exactly what you want, when to walk in an ultra & of course, why this fantastic running community battler is called Brick. 

Geoff & Neil speak to THE ironman of the moment, Under Armour athlete Ali Day.  Learn how a massive, almost inconceivable, comeback from injury led to a unique history making 6 from 6 wins in the 20/21 championship.  Hear about the crazy monkey bar incident that saw him break both wrists and surgery that saw 24 plates & screws turn Ali in to a REAL ironman.  Ali talks about his journey from nippers to the highest level of surf competition, how running plays a key part of his training regime, what distances he'd love to tackle competitively in the future and why surf life savers are fascinated by sprinting across sand for a bit of garden hose :-)

Jez & Damo talk to top bloke, US based Queenslander & Dual Olympian Patrick Tiernan … the man that left NOTHING in the tank at the Tokyo 10,000m and established master of road, track & cross country running.  The boys learn how Pat came to terms with a performance that resonated with the nation but left him not trusting his body, what the marathon is doing to talented 10,000 runners and … hold the front page! … the boys get a big scoop ;-)

Neil & Geoff speak to Aussie Comm Games & World Champs rep Sarah Klein.  A very driven athlete that lives & breaths the marathon, learn about the single biggest challenge to her identity, a 4 year ban from competition, how did she cope, why the ban was reduced to 2 years, what led to it & what she would have done differently if she could go back in time.  Hear how she's educating athletes about the testing processes so they don't go through the same nightmare, how she's back & focusing on pulling on the green & gold once more, a lovely Aussie athlete with a fascinating story & a booming return to the sport she truly loves.

The boys talk to 1500m Olympian, first Aussie lady to break the massive 4 minute barrier & Puma athlete Linden Hall … learn what  breaking 4 meant to her, why she took the risk with a new & unproven coach at a critical pre Olympic time, THAT race at the Olympics, negotiating her way out of an Indian toilet, what her favourite lunch-leaver track session is & exactly what role jigsaws, needles & wool play in her life ;-)

A talented smart young athlete & accidental marathon world record holder? … occasionally we interview someone & all we can say is WOW … Damo & Jez speak to 22 year old lightening quick Paralympian Jaryd Clifford! … a seriously wise head on young shoulders, this guy has been able to unpack so much that's happened to him & use it to drive & motivate himself … what's more he's also easily able to articulate exactly how & wrap it in some great stories … the accidental WR, his poo story & a classic Tokyo Olympics run-vomit experience.  Stop, download & listen now!

Neil Light-foot & Geoff Twinkle-toes talk to the very talented Joasia Zakrzewski … where to start with this NSW based GB athlete & GP? … Comm Games rep, Comrades 3 golds & 1 silver, 100k champs, 6ft track & coast to Kosci to name but a few, but more importantly the only person we know whose race prizes include a metre long dried fish, a toastie machine & 50 litres of blue sports drink.

Jez talks to beach sprinting star Bree Masters, one of the very few to transition from beach to track & recently laying down some very impressive 100m times.  They discuss how she uses social media to both influence but just as importantly engage with her followers, the key lessons a recent injury taught her, how beach sprinting perfectly marries running & beer … and most importantly why her nickname is marshmallow :-)

Geoff & Neil speak to a true Aussie ultra running legend … athlete, coach, Aussie rep & race timer extraordinaire Martin Fryer, a man that's smashed his way through 25 years of top class local & international long form running … he's run 433 km in 48hrs, has 21 6ft Track ultras under his belt & once took part in a 2741 km 43 day Tour de France on foot race.  The boys learn about his mental strategies, how continuous improvement is key, how his background as a scientist & toxicologist has influenced his coaching and critically some fascinating insight in to some crazy 48 hr / 6 day race ‘toilet' arrangements :-)

Jez & Damo speak to inspiring Tasmanian youngster Meriem Daoui, who at 22 was recognised with the Peter Norman humanitarian award (following legends like Deeks & Wellings),  holder of multiple Aussie age based marathon records, Type 1 Diabetic, Oncology nurse & distance running fanatic, a lady that ran Tassie's hardest half marathon 7 days in a row, clocking up the equivalent elevation gain of climbing Everest.  Learn how running is a significant tool she uses to manage her mental health & how starting to run helped her out of some deep dark places while being bullied at school.  This young lady has achieved so much already, her eloquence & grasp of what running does & means to us all is beyond her years, we've no doubt we'll all be hearing a lot more about Meriem's work for decades to come!

If you have run, crewed or supported NSW's flagship UTA 100km race over the last decade you will know that one man has smashed himself in to the top 10 on TEN occasions … Geoff & Neil talk to local ultra legend Jono O'Loughlin! … learn how he's going to finish a race even if he's broken, how blowing up has taught him to race better, how he had to say goodbye to the gym before jumping in to running, his favourite race & why, and the boys get the answer to the big question: how does he train for UTA? what he's learnt has worked & whether he crams his training is true.  This man knows how to both suffer & enjoy what makes running great, a cracking chat with a lovely bloke.

Responsible for THE MOST EPIC Aussie 800m victory EVER, Ralph won our last male track gold medal at an Olympics over 50 YEARS AGO … the time he ran that day was so fast it would have got him gold in 5 of the following 10 Olympics, what's more that time was only just recently taken by another Aussie, a certain Mr Bol.  Learn what made Ralph tough, race strategy ready, mentally prepared, hear what he thinks our athletes need to do to succeed & why he brushed his teeth with beer at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.  Step back in time & take a look at how hard work, sheer determination & belief in being a world class old school athlete paid off for this Aussie legend.

Wow, what a story! … from 142kg to winning 6 of her first 7 ultra-marathons.  Neil & Geoff talk to rising star Reesha Lewis, hear about the moment she decided to turn her fitness around, a decision that saw her drop 75kg, the critical role her amazing Mum played, the grit that saw her up 3 times a week at 3 am climbing her local mountain for weeks on end & finally why “it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle” is a key mantra for this lovely up & coming ultra champ.

Jez & Damo speak to performance dietitian Pip Taylor, former pro triathlete, Snr Sports Dietitian: Firebirds Netball, Chair AFL Sports Dietitians Assoc., Director of the Board, Sports Dieticians Australia (SDA) & acclaimed Author of The Athletes Fix.  The boys tackle: beer, the sports drink, fluro yellow wee, 3 things you must build in to your nutrition plan, insight into the mind of a pro athlete, do pies, beer & training with a hangover make a good athlete & why sports nutrition is so hard, we're all different!

Neil & Geoff chat to Brisbane to Sydney Ultra-runner, Aussie rep, coach, feral pig whisperer, C2K podium hopeful & founder of the Manly Beach Running Club, Joe Ward.  The boys learn why Joe chose to run 1000km in silence, how he has a coach for almost everything he does, how to tackle your inner running scientist, mongrel & hippy, micro-dosing your training & why hiking/walking  is a must for those tackling ultras.