Never Run Alone

It is Never Run Alone.

A full gang on the pod this week as Cam and Sissi unpack their journey to Sub-Elite in New York, as we’re just 10 days out from arguably the most popular marathon on earth. They duo share their journeys to sub-elite after making their marathon debuts less than 3 years ago.

We also answer some fun listener questions and unpack the incredible World Team Championship for Big’s Backyard Ultra 2026.

All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald.

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

Well then. What a week! And a huge episode of Never Run Alone to boot.

Firstly, thanks to all who came out to our live show on Friday night pre the weekend - we failed to mentioned it on the call, but it was a great show and we loved chatting with you all afterwards. Congrats to all who ran across the weekend too!

In this ep, Cam and Rien chat with two special guests! Up first, the newly crowned Australian Marathon Queen, Izzi Batt-Doyle, who ran Chicago Marathon on Sunday night faster than any Aussie female before her in a lightning 2:20:38 to go one better than fellow South Australian, Jess Stenson. She joins us on her first day back in Australia as we fire the questions her way.

Following that, we’re joined on the streets by speedster and social short-form dynamo Seth O’Donnell to chat through his win at the Melbourne Half Marathon, on what was a monumentous day with Eliud Kipchoge winning Melbourne Marathon, only to be soured by some unfortunate scenes later in the race.

All that and more on a HUGE Never Run Alone with Izzi Batt-Doyle, Seth O’Donnell, Cam Merrick with host Rien MacDonald.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

A live show at 19-21, the home of Tempo Journal ahead of this weekends Melbourne Marathon. Thanks to all who attended!

We chat the rise of running and if it's ever going, the media opportunities in the sport, of course this weekends race as well as some rad audience questions. All that and more with Steve McKenna, Mack Dewar and Cam Merrick, with host Rien MacDonald.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

A short and sharp episode this week ahead of a marathon weekend with Melbourne and Chicago happening this Sunday.

We've also got our live podcast happening tomorrow night (Friday night, 9th of October) at the home of Tempo Journal in Collingwood.

Full details can be found here.

All are welcome! We hope to see you there as Rien and Cam are joined by a few special guests and plenty of audience interaction - hopefully!

All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

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Come one, come all, come running.

The team recap the chaos of Berlin, hear from Queen Sissi about the girls on parade at the Nike After Dark Sydney Edition, chat about the Melbourne Marathon course updates and reminisce on their Boston Marathon journey as entries have just been confirmed for the 2027 edition.

We also of course answer some warm-up questions submitted by you - our amazing listeners - as well as discussing a huge weekend of racing across the world and buy/sell to round out the show.

All that and more with host ⁠Cam Merrick⁠, and usual suspects ⁠Kris Farrenkothen⁠, and ⁠Sissi Bergman⁠.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM ⁠us on Instagram⁠, and follow us whilst you’re there.

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Watch and listen on ⁠Spotify⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠

Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

A full house + a brilliant guest this week as we welcome Charlotte (Char_running) onto Never Run Alone.

We chatted of course about her running journey, her life prior to it spent playing high level field hockey in Germany and how she managed an incredible debut marathon in Berlin in 2024 but how she’s not been able to better that since.

We also of course answer some warm-up questions submitted by you - our amazing listeners - as well as discussing a huge weekend of racing across the world and buy/sell to round out the show.

All that and more with Charlotte Veitner-Rösch, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

This week on the pod we’re joined once again by former guest, all round legend, co-founder of Femmi and Nike Pacific Head Run Coach, Lydia ODonnell! Lyds joins us ahead of a big period for Nike in Australia, with After Dark later this month and the Melbourne Marathon taking residence across a full weekend in October!

We discuss speed work and how to develop it, the long game of ultra and trail running with all sorts of training, along with a few words on the importance of women and safe spaces in sport.

All that and more with Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and special guest Lydia ODonnell with host Cam Merrick.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Check out some of Lydia’s great work here.

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is a special live edition of Never Run Alone.

Last week in Sydney, we co-hosted our very first live podcast with the legends at Grams of Health, Nikki and Grace, during their Fuel Your Race 2.0 event.

After a brilliantly led information session by Grace, Cam and Sissi were joined by 4 experts in differing fields to offer insights into fuelling around races (incase the title didn’t give it away).

All that and more with Grams of Health Dietician Grace Liebelt, run coach Matty Abel, Psychologist Harriet Iles and former professional athlete Holly Mills, alongside co-hosts Cam Merrick and Sissi Bergman.

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

This week on the pod we’re sans Kris for a 2nd week (running?). We discuss the importance of running recovery with our sweet prince Cam fresh off running home from work, as both Sissi and Rien share more learnings post their Sydney marathon experience.

There’s a few rogue listener questions in the warm up (we promise we’re not a conspiracy podcast usually) and some great chat on mental resilience.

All that and more with Cam Merrick and Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald.

Fuel Your Race 2.0 will be linked here once it’s out on Monday - check back then for an updated link!

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.

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Come one, come all, come running.

It is Never Run Alone.

We’re off the back of the 2026 Sydney Marathon and coming to you with a slightly lesser team than usual. Sissi Bergman is out post her enormous effort pacing on Sunday. Kris is out being a Dad / logistics.

Hosting is Rien lower on energy than usual, but thankfully with the wonderful Grace Liebelt joining Cam to unpack the marathon that was and discussing how to best fuel in preparation and recovery for a race of any kind, really.

We also answer some cracking warm up questions from the audience, as well as a quick word on the goat of BYU’s, Phil Gore.

All that and more with Cam Merrick and Grace Liebelt with host Rien MacDonald.

Get your Fuel Your Race 2.0 Tickets here! The link has all the details but is on Thursday September 10 at 6pm.

Listen to previous episode with Grace;

The Underfuelling Epidemic

All Things Diet & Nutrition

Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!

Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.

Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Come one, come all, come running.