Pat Davies served in the Gulf Wars and conflict zones such as Afghanistan and the Falklands during his military career. Starting off as a 17-year-old in the RAF, he eventually ended up moving with his family to New Zealand and joining the RNZAF, and now works for Defence. Along the way, it’s fair to say, he’s seen some things people shouldn’t have to. And those experiences take their toll. In this conversation, Pat talks candidly and openly about the mental health impacts of serving in those environments and how there was a time when it was not the done thing to talk about what you were going through and, instead, to self-medicate with alcohol (for some) or take a stiff upper lip approach (for others). These days, he knows how important it is to seek help, and it’s a message he wants to spread. He also knows that, for him, running makes a difference. He started running when he first joined the Air Force and he’s barely stopped, along the way running in some pretty amazing places, from having to carry a firearm to protect himself from wild dogs in Kuwait, to the stunning Coromandel in one of his favourite ultras, the Kauri Run, to running with the Night Ninjas. Our GRE this week is a throw-back to 30 years ago, and we round up some of the races and adventures over the weekend, some more revealing than others (looking at you, Dougie …). Enjoy!

Guyon Espiner is a legend of New Zealand journalism. From his time in the Press Gallery, to his work as TVNZ’s political editor, to the host of Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report, to his current work as an investigative reporter producing impactful podcasts such as The Service and Red Line. What you might not know about Guyon is that he has completed over 20 marathons, several ultramarathons and many epic adventures around the world. Of late, Guyon has faced a new challenge, with his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, however he is rising to the challenge and continues to run. This is a rip-roaring discussion taking in Guyon’s running history, his journalism, his love and advocacy of te reo Māori, and all points in between. We have a seriously epic GRE, all the results for Tor Des Geants and an awesome running-related kīwaha from the man himself: Kei te pēhea koe? Kua pau te hau, e hoa, kua pau te hau. How are you? I’m stuffed, mate!  Enjoy! 

It’s uncertain times, right? And certainly at the moment it feels like we are all faced with multiple challenges. Climate change and extreme weather events seem to be playing a major part in that uncertainty. What can we, as trail runners who engage with the outdoors so regularly, do about this? Eugene and Matt speak to Maz Krogh, runner, physiotherapist, ski instructor, and lead advocate for Protect Our Winters Aotearoa. Protect Our Winters Aotearoa connects passionate outdoor enthusiasts and everyone who loves and needs winter to generate positive climate outcomes. PoW focuses on educational initiatives and community-based empowerment to preserve New Zealand’s alpine playground. This conversation covers the difference between climate change and weather, how we as trail runners can engage in positive environmental outcomes, how to engage with other people about climate effectively (and whilst being cool about it). We also talk Maz’s first summer in nine years, how difficult ski mountaineering is, the joy of running in the mountains, and how Maz went from growing up on a dairy farm in Dannevirke to the slopes of Whistler. As usual, we’ve a brilliant Greatest Run Ever, news of a massive FKT attempt on the Colorado trail and a celebration of kupu (words) that relate to trail running  as it’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Ka Rawe! 

Returning champions Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger from Squadrun are back at it to drop the knowledge bombs and provide the necessary lockdown inspiration for the people! With Eugene and Matt’s live show with the dynamic duo scuppered because, well…reasons, we thought that it was no better time to tap into the huge knowledge base that the two founding coaches of Squadrun bring to the table. An almost incomprehensibly tired Matt (road running is hard, ok) and Eugene discuss how to set goals when there is no consistency in modern life, how to enliven flat training, and prepare for a race that may not be. We cover just how different 100 mile training can be to a regular old hundie and break down some fundamental facets of a successful miler training plan. On top of our main conversation we’ve got all the regular DCR goodness with a brilliant Greatest Run Ever and all the news from the ongoing Golden Trail series plus an update on Aleksandr Sorokin’s amazing world 24 Hour record. Enjoy. 

Barefoot Ted McDonald is a shaman. In 2009 he became a central character in Christopher McDougall’s best selling book about natural  running and movement, Born To Run. Ted was initially portrayed (perhaps unfairly) as the quintessential ugly American, a brash, larger than life counterpoint to the retiring Tarahumara, the legendary distance runners whom McDougall’s party had ventured to the Copper Canyons of Northern Mexico to engage with. Ted’s arc formed the emotional pivot of the book when McDougall described the bond between Ted and Manuel Luna, a Tarahumara man whose son had been brutally murdered by a drug cartel. Since the book’s publication  Barefoot Ted (as he is now widely known) has become synonymous with barefoot running and an advocate for us investigating our atavistic potential for natural movement. Ted’s call that running should be a state of play; joyful and unhindered. First with Five Fingers and now with his own company Luna Sandals, Ted sells footwear that at periods in our history were ubiquitous, however now are considered iconoclastic or niche. The son of an LAPD detective, who grew up ensconced in the surf and skateboard culture of 1970’s California, Ted’s curiosity for what propels us has changed the course of his life - and arguably many others. Ted beamed in with us from the Republic of California in a sun drenched ray of pure joy. Answering our questions before they were asked, and riffing mighty on the microdosing of movement, how play is vital to life,  and the holism of community. Ted talked about his recent adventures at Leadville, his evolution from pioneer to elder and all points in between. What is so evident is Ted’s love of life, and those strange critters that are human beings. At the end of our conversation, Ted hooted “LIVE JAZZ” and he’s not wrong ... This is the conversational equivalent of Sun Ra’s Space is the Place.  Enjoy. 

This week Eugene and Matt come charging out of Level Four (well, figuratively) for an excellent conversation with Scotty Hawker.  If you’d asked Scotty if he would have been in Europe 8 months ago, lining up for the 100km CCC, you probably would have gotten laughed at. In the last kilometre of his last run of 2020, Scotty sustained a potentially career-ending ankle injury. Further to this, and more importantly, Scotty was facing some personal issues which made the injury “the least of my problems”. As with other conversations we’ve had with Scotty you’ll hear through this how he has built himself back, with discipline, seeking wisdom, and connection with others. Kinda feels like the conversation we needed to have at the moment, right? We have a beautiful Greatest Run Ever and holy moly it’s 2014 all over again with Anton Krupicka running 100 miles. Who would’ve thought? Enjoy. 

This week Eugene and Matt have the privilege and pleasure to speak with Aotearoa/New Zealand Para swimmer Mary Fisher! Prior to her retirement from the structure, rigor, and scrutiny of high performance sport in 2018, Mary won Gold at the London and Rio Paralympics in world-record times. After that, Mary chose to do something relaxing, like run the Tarawera 87 km. Eugene and Matt speak to Mary after her recent running of the (completely heckers) WUU2K, which Mary finished with her guide, Carrie Buckmaster. We speak to Mary about her love of the trails, advocacy and inclusion in sport, and how trail running can become more accessible. This conversation transcends “inspiration”, rather being a conversation with a person who enjoys trail running and has the mindset of an elite athlete who happens to have a visual impairment. And a bunch of gold medals.We have a great Greatest Run Ever and Matt rants a bit about how good late 90’s Swedish power-pop is. Enjoy.

We have a first on this week’s Dirt Church Radio. We’ve never spoken to an actual (literal) shepherd before. Let alone a shepherd who goes after it as hard as Ryan Carr does. Rocketing onto the trail running scene in 2017, Ryan has enjoyed a string of victories and podiums at Aotearoa/New Zealand’s hardest races including the Luxmore Grunt, The Tongariro Goat, and Mt Difficulty half. Eugene and Matt were able to put this together after Ryan got snowed in on the West Coast of the South Island after his win at the Resilience Ultra 62 km. We hear about Ryan’s love of being in the outdoors, and his many adventures in Europe, cycling between Sky Races in the European circuit and an impromptu S-K Main Range attempt which saw him miss the solo FKT by 30 seconds after CYCLING from Amberlea where he lives, to Tongariro to race the Goat and come second. We talk all this, fell running (including how long it takes to break in a pair of Walsh’s, the famous Northern fell shoe), bumbags, midnight dips in Lake Te Anau and just how full-on a Spanish ultra crowd can be. Enjoy.

This week Eugene and Matt head back to the Mountain Time Zone for an amazing conversation with iRunFar editor-in-chief Bryon Powell. We talk recovery from Hardrock, how good it is to be back at it racing post COVID, and how 2020, whilst very challenging, did allow a chance for a reset. Matt has a legitimate fanboy moment and shows Bryon his dog-eared copy of Relentless Forward Progress that Powell signed in 2014.  Bryon’s passion for the sport and knowledge of the culture is legend, and this discussion touches on a lot of it, from Bryon’s athletic beginnings and the start of iRunFar, to what the future holds - both of the sport in general and for iRunFar.  We also discuss how running can remain part of your life without being the defining part of your life. Once a runner, always a runner. As usual, we’ve got results, Stuff You Should Know, Greatest Run Ever and all the racing results you need. Enjoy.

Seven years ago on a trip to Brazil Chloe Wickman noticed the overwhelming explosion of body positivity and vibrancy which saw all shapes and sizes embrace colour and celebration. Wanting to capture the joy and confidence of the mulit-coloured clothing she had experienced Chloe started Zeenya Clothing. If you’ve stood on the start line of any trail run or major ultramarathon in the last few years in Aotearoa you will have seen a woman rocking Zeenya tights. Even more recently, the brand has experienced a huge lift thanks to the enthusiasm of the Zeenya community and ambassadors. We speak to Chloe about her own running journey,  body positivity, community, engagement, and her experiences working in Para sport and even volunteering at the 2016 Olympics. We also draw our Crater Rim competition winner, drill down through our mailbox (including a link to an exciting virtual race) smash through the race and FKT news, and the most lyric GRE we’ve ever had. Enjoy.