DCR AidStation

Kia ora e te whānau! Sometimes it happens. You speak with someone cool and interesting and then come away with a nagging stem of a question you should have asked. When I talked to Eszter Horanyi this was some variation of the following. “What does Coddiwompling even mean??” Well if you must know, to Coddiwomple means to travel purposefully to an unknown destination. And goodness me if that isn’t a raison d’etre for Colorado-based Horanyi. Growing up in the mountains as a free-range kid, and then racing bikes for a decade, including a 19-day Tour Divide FKT, transitioning to two feet to focus on the shiny things in the periphery, not “big goals”. Splitting her time between Colorado and Te Waiponamu  Eszter embodies the spirit of adventure and freedom that our sport can (sometimes) only touch on. Please Enjoy this bonus podcast while we are away in the Snowy Mountains. Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running.

Merch alert!

Rep your 3rd favourite trail and ultra marathon podcast whilst keeping cool and breezy in this technical trucker hat. Pleasing woodland vista, and one size fits most. Out now!

$NZ59.99 plus postage and packaging with a discount for DCR AidStation paid subscribers (who can scroll down for the code).

Available from the DCR website

Our mates at Squadrun have come up with a special four-week training trial for listeners of DCR. Now as you’ll know from listening to DCR over the years, Squadrun is the baby of Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger, and they have coached thousands of runners to success at a bunch of events we love and cherish and if you’ve been to any trail races on either side of the Tasman you’ll have seen the squadrun colours being represented strongly. So, if you want to give it a crack, here’s the link.

Missed out on episodes of the Dirt Church Radio podcast? Listen on your favourite app. There are more than 290 episodes.

And check us out on YouTube!

Dirt Church In The Wild :

Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th November- Ali and Matt will be commentating at Ultra Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB. Hi-fives and chats are most welcome.

Essay

Why Grassroots Events Rule and Why I’m (Just a little bit) Chimp Crazy

It’s 0312 as I type this. I’m aware that this is not optimal. I’ve gotta get up at 0330 tomorrow to get to the airport, but sometimes the brain fires up when it does. Just before I woke I was dreaming about the long corridor on the lower ground floor at North Shore Hospital but I was looking after baby Chimps and Oran Utans along it. As 0300 dreams go, It was pretty cool. As I’m up when I shouldn’t be, The dog is also up when he shouldn’t be, we are both a bit confused. 

I presume I dreamt about Uran Utans and Chimps because in the afterglow of Rage Against Riverhead at the weekend I’d lay on the grass, with Rebecca, Lily, Madeliene, Annie-Rose, and Meg and listened to them talk about what I consider the biggest cultural car-crash spectacles in a year of pile-ups. Chimp Crazy. 

I don’t advocate that you watch this program, however, if we follow the maxim that “there’s nowt so queer as folk” then at the same time I guess I do. 

What does Chimp Crazy have to do with trail and ultramarathon running you may ask? Well. Not that much. What do 0300 Chimp dreams have to do with a deep and abiding love of grassroots events like Rage Against Riverhead? Heaps. 

When we think about trail running, our minds often wander to epic races—those grand, jaunty spectacles filled with elite athletes dashing through breathtaking scenery at unbelievable speed. And sure, while those events capture the limelight, it’s the grassroots races—the small (comparatively), intimate gatherings of everyday runners—that are the true heartbeat of our community. These local events serve not just as competitions; they embody the spirit of our community, bringing together people of all skill levels and backgrounds. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love a big race, and I’m privileged enough to hang out at a bunch of them, but all the events I’ve done in 2024 (including the two I’ve been involved in putting on) have been grassroots. As it’s HOURS until my alarm goes off here are a couple of reasons to give a grassroots race in your community some support:

Community

Grassroots events are fundamental in fostering a sense of community. They create a welcoming environment where friendships are forged, stories are shared, and encouragement flows freely. Unlike larger races, where the focus often shifts to speed and competition, grassroots gatherings emphasize participation and inclusivity. Every runner, whether a seasoned ultra-marathoner or a newcomer tackling their first 5K, is celebrated. This camaraderie nurtures a supportive atmosphere, ensuring that everyone feels valued and connected.

Encouraging Local Engagement

These events often highlight local rippers of all ages and showcase unique trails that might not be on the radar of larger races, even if these trails are in a less-than-storied location. Grassroots organizations often partner with local businesses, fostering relationships that promote community engagement. This focus on local not only promotes the trail community in the area but will also transfer to the wider community (see: Riverhead Rampage). This engagement strengthens the trail-running ecosystem, making it sustainable and vibrant.

Kia ora e te whanāu.This week on Dirt Church Radio Ali and Matt speak to a colossus of our sport, Mike Wardian. Regarding Mike’s running achievements, it’s probably easier to go back and look at what he hasn’t done. He is known for his phenomenal endurance, ability to recover from huge efforts (sometimes backed up the next day), and an all-consuming love for adventure. In this episode, we talk about completing his first marathon with his son, his trip down to attempt Tour Te Waipunamu and the curiosity that drives Wardian to consider feats of adventure that truly boggle the mind.  Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running

Enjoy!

Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake

Listen to this week’s episode on your favourite app, or via the player above.

We’ve put this DCR episode into the AidStation podcast feed for free because the original DCR podcast you know and love will always be free. Paid subscribers get the AidStation podcast too.

Paid subscribers can read the rest of the newsletter, including Matt issuing a challenge, a book that tells a surprising story, and a tonne of stokety stokeness in The Stoke. If you haven’t already signed up for a monthly or annual subscription, we’d love to see you in the AidStation crew!

Merch alert!

Rep your 3rd favourite trail and ultra marathon podcast whilst keeping cool and breezy in this technical trucker hat. Pleasing woodland vista, and one size fits most. Out now!

$NZ59.99 plus postage and packaging with a discount for DCR AidStation paid subscribers (who can scroll down for the code).

Available from the DCR website

Our mates at Squadrun have come up with a special four-week training trial for listeners of DCR. Now as you’ll know from listening to DCR over the years, Squadrun is the baby of Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger, and they have coached thousands of runners to success at a bunch of events we love and cherish and if you’ve been to any trail races on either side of the Tasman you’ll have seen the squadrun colours being represented strongly. So, if you want to give it a crack, here’s the link.

Missed out on episodes of the Dirt Church Radio podcast? Listen on your favourite app. There are more than 285 episodes.

And check us out on YouTube!

Dirt Church In The Wild :

Wednesday 20th November -Ali and Andrew will be crewing and running (respectively) at the mighty Coast To Kosci ultramarathon a 240km beast that runs from Eden to Mt. Kosciuszko

Saturday 23rd November - Matt is lining up at the Rage Against Riverhead 8-hour race.

Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th November- Ali and Matt will be commentating at Ultra Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB. Hi-fives and chats are most welcome.

Essay

The Four Elements of Trail Culture- It has to be about more than running.  

I’ve been going back and forth on an idea all week, and I’m painfully aware that a middle-aged white dude putting this idea forth is possibly the most middle-aged and whitest thing ever, but hey, hell is empty and all the devils are here, right? 

It’s all training training training at the moment. It’s enjoyable and it’s same-y. Running (ha!) 100 miles is going to be pretty same-y in places too and that’s fine. And it’s a grind. Referring to this over and over again is also a grind, and I guess this is the bare minimum statement, So I’ll stop saying it. 

One of the things that has got me thinking about possibly the whitest and most middle-aged link ever was reading Jeremiah Johnson’s recent substack  On Consumption vs Production where he argues convincingly that you need a bias towards action, that making or doing things rather than consuming things leads to a greater sense of self-worth and that the internet makes all of this easier, and at the same time, much harder.

The concept of “doing stuff’ vs “not doing stuff” is also relative. Outwardly it may appear that I do a lot of stuff, I work, do my best to raise competent, fallible, and loving young adults, and maintain a relationship that is edging up to a quarter of a century in duration. I do a podcast about running, I do running, I write about doing a podcast about running, sometimes, I might also do the lawns. I think about painting my house, then I don’t. I think about strength work, and I do it sometimes. 

This list of things is more than some and a whole lot less than others. And as the saying that seems to be everywhere says “Comparison is the thief of joy”, and it’s hard not to compare ourselves to others, both in real life and on the internet. It’s particularly worrying that (for a guy who didn’t own his first cell phone until he was 23)  these two realms appear to be merging. 

I also worry that training and trying to keep up with the latest trends in the trail and ultra world is very inward-looking and in the case of the latter consuming other people’s content does nothing for your own sense of productivity. 

Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode of the AidStation podcast, Matt is joined by the brains trust of SQUADRUN, Ali Pottinger, and Kerry Suter to talk about how to plan the lead-up to your big event. We talk training, gear, logistics, nutrition, and distraction strategies, so your golden carriage doesn’t turn into a pumpkin when you’ve put so much effort to get to the ball. Enjoy! Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running.

Merch Alert!

Rep your 3rd favourite trail and ultra marathon podcast whilst keeping cool and breezy in this technical trucker hat. Pleasing woodland vista, and one size fits most. Out now!

$NZ59.99 plus postage and packaging with a discount for DCR AidStation paid subscribers (who can scroll down for the code).

Available from the DCR website

Our mates at Squadrun have come up with a special four week training trial for listeners of DCR. Now as you’ll know from listening to DCR over the years, Squadrun is the baby of Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger, and they have coached thousands of runners to success at a bunch of events we love and cherish and if you’ve been to any trail races on either side of the Tasman you’ll have seen the squadrun colours being represented strongly. So, if you want to give it a crack, here’s the link.

Missed out on episodes of the Dirt Church Radio podcast? Listen on your favourite app. There are more than 290 episodes.

And check us out on YouTube!

Where We’re At:

Saturday 16 November- Ali will be at the Queenstown Marathon, she’ll be at the start of the half marathon and at the marathon finish on the mic, come say hi!

Wednesday 22 November- Ali and Andrew will be crewing and running (respectively) the mighty Coast To Kosci Ultramarathon

Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 November- Ali and Matt will be commentating at Ultra Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB. Hi fives and chats most welcome!!

Essay

Hurts So Good. Managing Discomfort Vs. Pain in Running- and Knowing The Difference.  

For those of us who are heading towards Tarawera, we’re hitting some long weeks and/or consistently bigger loads around now. Bodies will be starting to tire and fatigue and pain may be rearing its head. I was clearing space on my drive the other day when I stumbled upon this piece I wrote a few years back.

It’s longer than what we usually put on here, but stick around, you might find some useful stuff, and, if I do say so myself, I used to be able to write good and stuff and it still stands up. Enjoy.

Any discussion around pain, especially that which is born through exertion is raft with several well-worn cliche’, such as “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” “Pain is mandatory, suffering is optional” “Pain is temporary, glory is forever” or the most common; “No pain, no gain”. Whilst everything worth doing indeed takes effort, the reality is that pain is not necessarily a mandatory component of success. If we are experiencing pain whilst we run, then this may indicate that we need to adapt or reconsider our training, form, or mindset. 

Pain is the result of a complex pathway of chemical and electrical impulses traveling at incredible speed through our body, which are disseminated in our thalamus (our information hub) to different brain regions. The main function of pain is to alert us to distressing or harmful stimuli, thus enabling us to protect ourselves from it. Pain, as part of the body’s defense system, is composed of many different types, indeed the very subjective nature of pain that we can perceive and attribute meaning to is what makes pain management such a complex process. 

If you were to consider us as a species and put us against most other predators you would find us wanting. We are not the fastest, nor the strongest, we don’t have the fangs, or claws or wings. Our success is driven by our big, beautiful, and immensely complex brains.

We are designed to make connections between things, be this socially or conceptually. With the development of our neocortex, or simply put our mammalian brain, we were afforded the privilege of amongst other things spatial reasoning, cognition, language, and sensory perception. Our limbic system, or our reptilian brain, which we share with fish and lizards, is responsible for feeding, fighting, fleeing, and well, you know..It’s where our emotions are from, and memory. It’s the part of our brain that allows us to stereotype our life so that essentially we can function without being overwhelmed by distress. The benefit of having both these parts of our brain is that we can conceptualize our emotional states, which is important when we consider pain. 

There is a myth that “fish do not feel pain”, however, studies have shown that fish have an amygdala, as do we, which makes sense considering that we evolved from aquatic beings. The amygdala is part of the limbic system. These two almond-shaped bundles of nuclei located deep within our brains are chiefly concerned with memory, emotions, and decision-making. The amygdala is to thank for how you know not to put your hand on a red hot stove element. The fact that both us and fish can perceive the stimulus of pain and the emotion that this correlates to; distress, fear, anger (as defense), and a means to avoid further distressing stimuli, is significant. However where we differ from fish (and other beings with less complex brains)is that we can “Feel” pain, rather than simply perceive it. That is we are able to put an emotional response and judgment to the perception of the stimuli. This can both work in our favour and against us when it comes to managing pain. 

Kia ora e te whanāu. Please join Matt in welcoming the new co-hosts of Dirt Church Radio, Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall. Both have been regulars on DCR for some time now, so it should be little surprise that Matt would reach out to them to join him in the next chapter of Aotearoa’s third favourite forest-based running podcast. Both bring a wealth of experience to the table, are community-minded, and love a good yarn. This is going to be sweet-as. This week we learn a bit about Ali and Andrew’s backstory, what they are excited about, the races they’ve run, and their upcoming jaunts to the Snowy Mountains.  Ali and Matt are heartened that Andrew may just be human after all, how much it sucks to run a marathon, and why Andrew would even need microspikes to run Coast to Kosci, he’s an Aucklander.  Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running

Enjoy!

Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake

Dirt Church Radio 300. Dr Inia Raumati, Kia Mau Kia Ora, And Eugene’s Last Show

Kia ora e te whānau! Dirt Church Radio presents their 300th show! This is special because we spoke to the legend that is Dr Inia Raumati about his foundation Kia Mau Kia ora and the logistics behind his goal to be the first person in the world to to 8 stage races on 8 continents in one year. This show is special because it is the last time Eugene Bingham will take the mic at Dirt Church Radio. We say every conversation is interesting and special because it is, but this one is super special, truly the end of an era at DCR. This one is full of stories, questions, more references to ablutions than you can shake a stick at, and everything in between. Inia Raumati Rules, and So Does Eugene. Thank you for everything Eugene and here’s to 300 more. Enjoy! Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running.

Turn Downhill for What?  The 2024 Crater Rim Ultra – Dirt Church Radio 299. 

Kia ora e te whanāu. This week we bring you some of the action from the Crater Rim Ultra. A Grass Roots race with Champagne Hills. We speak with Dwight Grieve, Emma Timmis, Vicky Havill, Grant Guise, Chris Pike, Rocky Walker, and Rebecca Short about this super challenging event that brought out over 1000 people into the hills of Ōtautahi for a stunning day of mountain running.  Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running.

AidStation Podcast 020 – The Inside Game- Resilience, Strategies, and Ch-ch-ch-changes.

Kia ora e te whānau! In this episode of the AidStation Eugene and Matt are both huge Steve Magness fans, and are super excited about his new book Win The Inside Game, so naturally a talk through tips, tricks, and strategies that they both use when the going gets rough on the trails was on the cards. The big news of the episode is that Eugene has announced his departure from DCR after 6 years and 300 episodes, you’ll read more about this in his announcement. Enjoy! Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running.

Kia ora e te whanāu. This week, Matt is joined by Stephen Parker, The Author of There Is No Finish- The Backyard Ultramaraton Story. Compelled to write a book whilst being inspired by a speaker at a conference, Stephen chose to focus on the story of the niche of ultrarunning that he loves the most, the Backyard. Nearly a year later, that book is here and ready to be read.  For those unfamiliar, the Backyard format is 6.76km on the hour, every hour, until there is one person standing. This format seems as old as time itself and also sits at the forefront of the sport in today’s context. Both a gateway to longer distances and a crucible in which human suffering is quantified, the Backyard faces many challenges if it is to grow and stay relevant in today’s culture. Matt discusses this and more with Stephen in this engaging and enjoyable conversation. Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running

AidStation Podcast 019 – Mistakes Were Made- With Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter of SQUADRUN

Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode of the DCR AidStation we are back with two of our favourite coaches and the brains behind SQUADRUN, Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter. The famous saying “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face” rings true with running. In-fact, one could argue that 99% of our races have an element of the uncontrollable, but we are not going to talk about this. We are going to focus when we’ve become our own Mike Tyson, and punched ourselves in the face. We rip through the gamut of bugger-ups, from the structural to digital, and how once you’ve dug the hole, jumped in, and covered yourself with dirt, you drag yourself back out. Dirt Church Radio- Best Enjoyed Running.

Daniel Jones: Reflections On The Journey of a Professional Athlete. Western States, CCC, and Beyond - Dirt Church Radio 295. 

Kia Ora e te whānau! Simply put, Daniel Jones is heaps good at running, so good that at the start of the year he transitioned from being an elite runner supported by a brand to being a professional athlete on an international team. Matt spoke to Dan from his home in Lower Hutt, off the back of his first USA and European season as part of the Adidas Terrex team. We discuss Western States, CCC, just how fast the OCC is, the surprises and challenges of being a professional runner, and his deep and abiding relationship with Hayden Hawks. We also discuss Dan’s newsletter, and the arc of the professional career. Dan Jones rules! And so does this conversation. Best Enjoyed Running.