Clean Break Chats

Turning 50, mountains on the mind, and no longer chasing a single “peak.” In this solo chat, Rich guides Andy through Part 1 of his origin story - from Bristol roots, rugby and Scouts, to pub-life chaos, backpacking the world, moving to Spain, and becoming a Dad.

Andy shares why “peaking” is a myth, how running taught him to love the process, why depth beats width, and how gratitude and positive psychology re-framed the last decade.

He also connects the dots between ADHD, spontaneity, job-hopping, and the old chase for dopamine.

 Part 2 (coming soon) dives into the Spain years and his evolving relationship with alcohol.

Highlights

• 50th reflections: joy > happiness, journey > destination
• Peaks & valleys: why the high is brief and what to do after
• ADHD threads: rejection sensitivity, spontaneity, and work
• Parenting, purpose, and simplifying life for more depth

If this resonates: follow, rate, and share with a friend who’s redefining midlife.

On the eve of Andy’s 50th, Rich and Andy welcome Kelly Harman for a grounded conversation about turning a so-called midlife crisis into a midlife awakening. Kelly shares how removing alcohol gave her clarity to recognise misalignment in career and relationships, and why she’s now building Fire & Soul around values-led work and trauma-informed conscious connected breathwork.

Together we translate the science into plain English - how stress “shortens” the breath, what a safe, facilitated session looks like (including breath analysis, acupressure and affirmations), and how polyvagal theory helps you spot when you’re in green/amber/red and use the breath to return to calm. You’ll get a live 4-7-8 downshift you can use before meetings or bedtime, a practical chat on running and breathing (nasal vs. mouth and why easy runs should feel easy), and a look at modelling alcohol-free norms for kids and schools.

We close with smart guidance on choosing accredited facilitators in a fast-growing space and a reminder that midlife isn’t a cliff; it’s a powerful pivot when habits match your values.

HOW TO WORK WITH ANDY AND RICH - Check out the Website - take-a-cleanbreak.com and grab a 30 day FREE Group Coaching experience with our Silver Starter membership.

Coaching the Ego: Acceptance, Consistency, Adaptation

Rain on the skylight, a snotty nose, and a missed run—perfect conditions for an ego flare-up. In Ep22, Andy and Rich get brutally honest about the ego we all carry and how to coach it rather than let it coach us.

We dismantle the “minimum 5K” myth, dig into why easy ≠ pointless, and show how the 80/20 split + Zone 2 protects the only sessions that need to be hard: your long run and your quality workout. We talk practical execution—leave 1–2 reps in the tank, keep your intervals even—and map that to the body’s energy systems (ATP/CP, lactate, aerobic) so gains compound instead of stall.

Rich shares a 5K PB (–16s) while running less weekly mileage than his last block, thanks to truly easy recovery and a smarter plan. Andy opens up about moving back to the UK, training for Valencia, and the mindset swings that come with ADHD, self-worth, and FOPO (fear of people’s opinions). There’s a shout to first-timers lining up in Berlin, a debrief on inclusivity vs elitism in big-city marathons (rhino suit memories included), and a riff on The Power of Now—why chasing outcomes can’t fill the hole the ego promises it will.

If you run, you’re a runner. Your job? Acceptance. Consistency. Adaptation. Ours? Giving you the plan and the community to make that stick.

In this episode

• Coaching the ego: from comparison to acceptance
• 80/20 & Zone 2: the science behind running slow to run fast
• Quality sessions that stay quality (stop burning all your matches)
• PBs on lower mileage, and why it works
• Gatekeeping, FOPO, and building an inclusive running culture
• Brick-by-brick progress: cutback weeks and long-game thinking

In EP21 of Clean Break Chats, Andy & Rich sit down with Jimmy Watkins - co-founder of Running Punks, ex-elite middle-distance runner, and over 2,000 days alcohol-free - for a candid conversation about identity, creativity, and choosing a life that actually fits. Jimmy opens up about the moment he realised the live-music lifestyle was costing more than it paid back, and how going AF didn’t shrink his world - it amplified it.

We unpack the transition from late-night gigs to early-morning miles: swapping the buzz of the crowd for the rhythm of breath, using music as a metronome for mindset, and building a community where pace is secondary to joy, expression, and showing up. Jimmy breaks down practical AF strategies - ritual replacements, environment design, crew accountability and how to convert a big milestone like 2,000 days into ordinary daily wins.

Expect real talk on cravings, social pressure, and the myth that you need stress to perform. We get tactical on pre-race nerves, post-gig comedowns, and how to turn “I’ll just have one” moments into momentum. Most of all, this is a story about creating a loud, creative, sober life and inviting others to run alongside.

What you’ll take-away:

• How to turn a milestone (2,000 days AF) into sustainable habits you can repeat tomorrow
• Practical “swap this for that” rituals for nights out, race days, and weekends
• Using music to regulate effort, mood, and cadence—on runs and in life
• Why community beats willpower, and how to find (or build) your crew
• Mindset shifts that make running more fun and performance more consistent

In our first-ever face-to-face recording, things start off a bit awkward… footsie under the table, intense eye contact, and lots of laughs — but this quickly evolves into one of the most heartfelt, honest, and reflective episodes we’ve recorded to date.

Andy’s just moved back to the UK after 21 years in Spain - and he opens up about the emotional chaos that comes with big life changes: new schools for the kids, lack of routine, bubbling anxiety, and a sense of not being quite "where he wants to be." Rich shares a powerful moment watching his son embrace the transition into high school - and how it reminded him of the quote: "No man ever steps in the same river twice."

Together, we explore:

• 🎙️ The closure of the Over the Influence podcast and what it teaches us about boundaries and burnout in community-building
• 🧠 ADHD, anxiety, and how change hits different when your brain works a bit differently
• 📱 The dilemma of smartphones and parenting in a digital world
• 🏃‍♂️ Our new AI-enhanced coaching system using RunDot - and how it’s helping us (and our runners) train smarter, not harder
• 💬 Why connection (to others and ourselves) is everything during life transitions
• 🙌 Huge shoutouts to our Clean Break runners tackling the Great North Run & upcoming marathons

This episode is for anyone navigating change - whether that’s a career shift, a lifestyle transition, becoming alcohol-free, or just facing the reality that life never stays still.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “not quite where you want to be”… you’ll want to hear this.

Why do some of us seek out the hard things - 100km ultras, sleep-deprived 4x4x48s, blizzards on high ridges - when life already hurts? In this deep, honest conversation, Tony Stopforth (founder of Peaky Runners) traces how grief, lockdown and a drifting sense of identity pulled him to the trails…and how doing “crazy” challenges became a way to heal, connect, and lead.

Tony takes us from the moment his father died and running was simply a release “at first it felt like running away” to the point it became running towards purpose. You’ll hear the pivotal vignettes: the NHS fundraiser where he “ran to London” (then to France, adding lake swims for the Channel), the David Goggins 4x4x48 endurance challenge that broke his sleep but built his mind, a spontaneous first marathon on a windy coastline, and a searing hot Lake District race where he learned the hard way about self-reliance (and drank from a stream to finish).

We explore the freedom before structure phase - why curiosity and play often come before plans and data and the moment Tony fell in love with the Peak District: sunset solos, a whiteout epiphany on Derwent Edge, and the simple joy of a coffee by a lone tree. From a 7-person WhatsApp group chat to a thriving movement, he unpacks how Peaky Runners grew organically around three ground rules: no egos, no comparisons, no one gets left behind. It’s not a club; it’s a community - where first-timers mix with elites, and everyone’s win counts (from Mark’s Spine Race to Robin’s Dragon’s Back, to your first trail 10K).

Then comes the hard pivot: two years sidelined by a major knee surgery and early arthritis. Tony shares the anger, the identity wobble, and the slow rebuild (a tentative 10K, a changed gait, gym sessions with his partner) and how witnessing others keep the community alive became the lifeline that pulled him back. The lesson: resilience isn’t only forged in finish lines; it’s also built in the background, together.

If you’re navigating loss, stuck on life’s hamster wheel, or wondering whether a “mad” challenge might just be your doorway to meaning—this episode gives you a map: start messy, find your people, and let hard things reveal who you are.

In Episode 18, it’s just Andy & Rich - no guests, no script, just two mates talking honestly about change, expectations, and connection. Andy shares what it’s been like moving back to the UK after 21 years in Spain, while Rich opens up about parenting, letting go of control, and finding gratitude in the chaos.

They also explore why September feels like a bigger reset than January, the importance of focusing on one intentional thing each day, and how staying alcohol-free underpins it all.

Plus, a huge announcement: the first-ever Clean Break Retreat is coming to Spain in February 2026 - five days of running, mindset, yoga, breathwork, and connection in the sunshine. Get more information HERE - https://portal.take-a-cleanbreak.com/cleanbreak-retreat

In this special episode of the Clean Break Podcast - recorded live when Jodi Clark joined us as a guest inside the Clean Break community - Rich dives deep into Jodi’s powerful alcohol-free journey. From her first steps into sobriety to embracing running, connection, and a more balanced lifestyle, Jodi shares openly about the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the joy she’s found along the way. Her story is proof that going alcohol-free isn’t about giving something up - it’s about gaining so much more.

In this raw and reflective episode, Andy and Rich dive deep into the emotional whirlwind of midlife – from moving countries and raising teens to caring for aging parents and navigating life alcohol-free. They unpack the stress of the "sandwich generation," the evolving meaning of success, and why the question “What’s the rush?” has become central to their mindset.

Expect honest chat about:

• Big life transitions (including Andy’s UK move)
• The emotional cost of parenting teens and losing parents
• Midlife stress and mental health
• Letting go of the pressure to achieve
• Finding purpose beyond profit
• And why slowing down might actually be the path to real growth

Plus, the guys talk retreats, AI-supported coaching, and getting excited about helping people fall in love with running and life again.

A must-listen if you’re juggling a lot, chasing goals, or just need a reminder to breathe and be present. 🙌

In this powerful guest episode, we’re joined by Mark Dobbs – a design manager, husband, father, and ultrarunner – who opens up about his life-changing decision to go alcohol-free and how that decision ultimately led him to complete one of the world’s toughest endurance events: The Summer Spine Race.

Mark talks about his early struggles with alcohol, the influence of the book Finding Ultra, and how trail running became his new healthy obsession. He shares what it was like tackling 268 miles on the Pennine Way with little sleep, raw feet, and brutal self-doubt — and what it really means to suffer, endure, and evolve.

We discuss identity, regret, community, ultra-emotion, barefoot blisters, and how sometimes, the quietest moments of connection are the ones that save us. If you've ever questioned your relationship with alcohol, struggled with self-worth, or wondered how far you can really go — this episode is for you.