Why i Run - Stories

This is Britt Caling - one of the Gold Coasts most talented ultra runner, physical business owner and a member of The Australian Olympic Physio Team.I have wanted to learn about Britt’s running story for a long time now and was thrilled that she agreed to chat about her sporting life.We talked about her early days in Armadale as a hockey player and Junior Australian Representative, her move to Sydney where she met some of the most influential sports doctors and physics in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics and her decision to relocate to the Gold Coast and establish her own physio practise.Britt delves into her love of Adventure Racing, her enjoyment of running uphills and down hills in ultra running and shares with us some of her thoughts about amateur runners and their approach to nutrition and recovery.One note, I would like to mention that as we recorded this interview, sitting on the grass at Pizzey Park on the Gold Coast, looking over the athletics track, we were hit by a few gusts of wind at times throughout the interview which unfortunately can be heard on the microphone. I always like to chat with runners outdoors when I can and unfortunately on this occasion, it has affected the audio somewhat and I apologise for that.However, that being said, sit back and enjoy our Running Story with Britt Caling as she shares with us some fascinating tales from the olympics of London and Rio to the trails of Nerang.

This is Brad Aird, an ultra runner and coffee lover from the Gold Coast. During the past few years, Brad has chalked up some outstanding results in local Ultras such as the Scenic Rim Ultra, Glass House 100 and the Nerang 100 - however, most notably and recently, he became the second person to reach 100km on the infamous Goat Loop and the first to run 16 laps.In this chat, Brad and I grab a coffee and find a seat inside Nerang National Park and chat about his running story. His past in Muay Thai fascinated me with his stories of his first fight through to the trip to Japan to fight for a world title. He discusses how these years have shaped him as a runner and how he balances training and family life. So, grab a coffee and go for a run with Brad Aird, as he relives the Ghosts of Goat Loop past and even mentions his reason for taking the single track on the last three laps.

Take a run with Samantha Hughes - a champion of our sport here on the Gold Coast. Samantha was a winner of the Gold Coast Marathon in 2000 and the Melbourne Marathon in 2001. Samantha’s influence on the Gold Coast running scene has been and continues to be enormous. During this podcast we discuss her training days during her most successful years in marathon running and a the chance occurrence that led to her answering a phone call from the founder of parkrun in England, enquiring about the possibility of starting parkrun here on the gold coast.Nower days Samantha is coach of one of the largest training groups in Queensland, the Good Times Running Club. So, sit back, relax and enjoy this chat about all things running with Samantha Hughes

Let's run with Henri Coombs, the most successful Kokoda runner in recent times. His record in the 96km Teams event held on the Gold Coast every July is unparalleled, with 4 overall victories. I’ve had the pleasure of running with Henri on many occasions and his influence on the trail running scene on the Gold Coast is widespread and significant.As well as his achievements in the hinterland every winter, Henri also has a number of notable finishes in Australia premier 50km race at Ultra Trail Australia where in 2018 he finished 7th overall and again in 2019.For this podcast, Henri took me out to the infamous Hellfire Pass, one of the key stages of the Kokoda event for our run and chat. His knowledge of the history of the Kokoda event and the origins of it are fascinating to hear. Listen out for Henri’s method of building a successful team each year, how he manages the different runners on the day, his role within each team he has run, the drama of 2019’s lead up, how to tow a teammate up a hill, his toughest opponent and his thoughts on the course itself. So download this episode, and come for a run with Henri Coombs, the toughest Kokoda runner in the history of the event.

This is Rory Morgs, a local runner and emerging triathlete who is looking to take on the gruelling Ironman Triathlon distance. What makes Rory’s story a motivating one is not only his willingness and desire to achieve in his chosen sport, but that Rory must deal with the daily implications of Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fybrosis, or CF, is a life changing respiratory disease that has wide ranging implications on one's ability to complete and function fully in daily activities. To meet and be able to run with someone like Rory, who is a pioneer for Cystic Fibrosis was a trilling experience and I really felt his passion for not only achieving his own goals, but to be a role model for young children and adolescents with CF. So download this episode, lace up the shoes and join Rory as we jog through the Paradise Point parkrun course and discuss his CF and running.

Go for a run with Zoe Hawkins, a Comrades Marathon finisher in 2019. I first met Zoe a number of years ago when we trained together for the Canberra Marathon. Zoe was attempting to break the illusive 3 hour marathon mark that had narrowly avoided her in recent attempts. As we trained and chatted about life, I became amazed at Zoe’s determination and attitude towards her training.Last year Zoe was accepted into one of the world most sought after ultra marathons - The Comrades Marathon in South Africa. I met up with Zoe recently and we ran together while discussing how she trained, prepared for and raced her debut Comrades Marathon. Her recollections will motivate any runner to add this race to their bucket list in the years to come.So, download this episode, lace up the shoes and join Zoe as she runs us through the Comrades Marathon.

I recently met Rob at the GC 50 in December and although he was unable to run because of an injury he was excited to be there watching and cheering on his fellow athletes. We managed to meet again a few weeks ago for a walk and talk around his local area. What I discovered on this walk is that Rob is a passionate runner who truly loves the sport that he pursues. And, his approach to running is a unique one - the way he uses his boxing background to work out how to race his opponents his fascinating to hear. I really felt that racing to Rob is a game and that running is something to be played at rather than something to do. Race day for him seems more like a boxer figuring out when to attack and when to defend than a runner aiming for a certain time. So, lace up the shoes and join Rob as he shares with us his love of running and his unique approach to the sprit that he loves.

In the lead up to 2019’s Ultra Trail Australia, a young runner from the northern suburbs o the Gold Coast materialised and began to train with some of the most experienced trail runners in his area. Young and unsure of his potential, he tackled the 50km race in Katoomba and for the greater part of the race, was keeping pace with the best of the best in Australia and threatening to break into the top 10. His name is Jake Davis.To say 2019 was a remarkable debut year is an understatement. As well as competition at the top level in the UTA 50, Jake went on to run the Honolulu Marathon, his debut in December, recording a finishes time of 2:50 minutes - an extraordinary achievement for a first up marathon.I was fortunate enough to run with Jake recently and we discussed the year, in partiuclar those two races, but also what he has gained from training with experienced, race hungry and determined athletes, and the influence this has had on his short but successful running story.So, join Jake on a run as his shares with us his running story.

In this episode of Running Stories, Rowan Miller shares with us his remarkable transformation into an Ultra Marathon Runner. Rowan opens up about his health and weight problems that were a result of his professional life and how an invitation from a friend to join him at the gym was the moment that turned his health on its head.This episode will speak beyond the boundaries of the running community. Rowan's story is perhaps one that will motivate and encourage a friend, family member or work colleague to begin their own journey towards better health.So download this episode, lace up the shoes and join Rowan on a run through the wetlands of Coombabah on the Gold Coast as he shares with us his own extraordinary Running Story.

On this episode of Running Stories, we chat to Kyle Weise, the 3-Hour Pacer at the 2019 Gold Coast Marathon. For every runner, there is something magical about breaking that 3-hour mark and their trust and dreams often lie at the feet on the selected pace runner. Kyle Weise takes us through his preparations for guiding these dream chases towards their moment of glory. He discusses the build up, targeting that pace in training, how the race unfolded and his emotions in those final few kilometres. He also tells us how it all began. How a simple gift lead him down the path of ultra running and towards a moment this year in the final minutes of the marathon that he describes as he greatest kilometre of running.

Paul Tierney is one of Australia's premier Amateur Half Marathon and Marathon Runners. He has a passion and desire to better himself and to find out what his capabilities are.In this episode of Running Stories, I share a run with Paul along the beautiful coast trail near Main Bach on the Gold Coast. He talks about what running means to him, his marathon goals, breaking the age barrier by training with younger and faster athletes and how running has helped him to break the cycle of over thinking.

Come run with Lou Ramsey - winner of the 100 Mile Brisbane Valley Rail Trail or BVRT as it is better known. I was lucky enough to be out on course this year and witnessed Lou’s extraordinary performance in her maiden miler. She ran with so much determination, courage, resilience and a willingness to mix it with the men’s leaders for the majority of the race. So I made contact with Lou and asked her if she would mind sharing with you what it is like to run a 100 miler for the first time and win. Her recollections of the day I know you will find fascinating. We discussed where the idea for entering the race came from, the wide array of people resources she used including picking the minds of past winners, how she went about choosing the most crucial element of the day, her support crew. I loved hearing about her realisation that a lead that was at one stage 60 minutes, was cut to 14 minutes and how the barking of neighbourhood dogs alerted her to the location of second place. Lou talks about her family and how the thought of her kids waiting in the darkness of the finish line spurred her on and then finally how she was caught off guard by the mental challenges that follow the euphoric high of finishing an ultra.During our run, I really got a sense of how important running is in her life, her warmth and love for her running friends and her family shone through each of our smaller conversations. So I hope you can download this episode, pop the headphones in and head out for a run with Lou Ramsey and get inside the mind of a 100 mile winner!

Every runner has faced the DNF - the Did Not Finish. How do we as runners come back from these heart breaking moments. In this episode of Running Stories, we run with Ben Dennien. An Ultra-Runner who has faced his fair share of running challenges and DNFs out there on the trails and in Ultras. He shares with us his story. His heart break and the ways in which he has bounced back from DNFs. He offers his suggestions, his thoughts and his ideas on how we can face a DNF and come back stronger. So download, put the ear phones in and head out on the trails with Ben.

Episode Two of Why i Run's Running Stories is a road runners delight. Recently I had the pleasure of joining Corrina Black, one of Australia’s best ultra distance road runners for a jog on the southern end of the Gold Coast. I have followed Corrina’s performances over the past few years and have been fascinated by her results and really wanted to get to know more about her running background and the characteristics that make her tick. What I discovered on our run was Corrina is a gifted athlete but her greatest weapon is her strength of mind and her determination to succeed. On a grey and rainy day, we ran together and Corrina talked to me about her love for the weekly long run, how she began running and her usual old fashioned run timer before garmin watches became popular, how she stumbled into race success very early, her unique thought process about how to run longer races and the impact running has on her as a mother and her family. Corrina tells us about her journey to the World Championships for road running and her hopes for her future racing and training.Corrina is truly an inspiring runner and the manner in which she talks about running is infectious and fascinating. So download this episode, hit the road and join one of Australia’s premiere road runners as she talks us through her running life.

Luke Lythgoe is a mate whom the running world threw in my direction only 6 months ago and an incredible human being with an amazing story that has shaped his life. I first met Luke as a member of the sub- 3hour Gold Coast Marathon project that would meet each Tuesday morning for a tempo run in the lead up to the race in July. He quietly joined in each session, was well-spoken, polite and gracious within each session. After getting to know Luke more closely, I learnt a little of his story and the challenges that he had faced . After witnessing his performance on race day at the Gold Coast marathon, I asked Luke to join me on a run and asked whether he would be willing to share his story with the running community as the first story in the why I run podcast series. So I invited you to come along for a run with Luke , lace up your shoes, get out the door as he tells us about his abusive upbringing, becoming homeless and living on the streets at the age of 13, his addiction to ice at 14 and a life of drug addiction and crime that continued for the next 10-15 years of his life. He shares with us how an invitation from is father inlaw to a local park run changed his outlook on life and began a new addiction in his life; that of running.