Why are so many runners drawn to pain, suffering and extreme endurance challenges after going through trauma? In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, mental health nurse Paul Regan explains why running, marathons, ultras and hard physical goals can help people cope — but also when they can become avoidance.This is a conversation for runners who use training, racing and endurance challenges to stay sane, find purpose, build confidence and prove to themselves they can still do hard things.

💪🏻 Join the Rokman Community - Running Challenges, Training, Support, Advice, and Apparel: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_Podcast&utm_source=Spotify&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=👕 Buy Rokman's "Too Stubborn to Stop" Active T-Shirt: https://rokman.co.uk/collections/all-products/products/too-stubborn-to-stop-mens-active-t-shirt-black🏃‍➡️ Download The No-Nonsense 12-Week Running Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/running-plan-35🎙️Get notified when new Rokman Podcast episodes get released: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/podcast-alerts

In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, I speak to Dave Tonge, owner of Heathwood Swimming, a multiple Ironman athlete and world record holder for a 24-hour wetsuited swim in an endless pool.We dig into what runners can learn from triathletes about building endurance without breaking themselves. From swimming fitness, running fitness and bike fitness, to breathing control, low impact aerobic training, fuelling mistakes, Ironman disasters and Dave’s ridiculous 24-hour swim world record.We also get into Dave’s work with Matt Pritchard from Dirty Sanchez, why strong athletes often struggle in the pool, and the brutal lessons endurance sport teaches you when things go wrong.If you’re a runner who wants to build a bigger engine, avoid injury and train smarter, this one’s worth a listen.

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In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, I’m joined by running coach and Easy Run Club founder Tommy Burnell to break down how to train properly for a faster half marathon.

We cover how to structure a half marathon training plan, why so much of your running should feel easy, how to use Zone 2, threshold, tempo runs, hill work and VO2 max sessions, plus the biggest mistakes runners make when trying to improve.

Tommy also shares his own training week, advice for heavier runners, how to fuel properly on race day, and why run clubs have exploded in popularity.

No magic hacks. No influencer nonsense. Just practical running advice from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.

In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, I sit down with Max Glover, former Royal Marine and record-breaking strength-endurance athlete.

Max has carried a 160kg piano up a mountain, pulled a car for a marathon distance, dragged a truck, and taken on the sort of challenges most people would quite reasonably avoid for the sake of having functioning knees.

We talk about how he built that level of strength-endurance, what extreme challenges teach you about preparation, and why real fitness is about far more than just running further or lifting heavier.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Max carried a piano up a mountain
• The brutal reality of pulling cars and trucks
• Why planning matters more than ego
• How to train for strength-endurance
• What Royal Marine training teaches you about real fitness
• How to build a body that keeps going under fatigue
• Why endurance, strength, and grit need to work together

If you want to build real-world fitness, improve your endurance, and become harder to break when life gets uncomfortable, this one is worth a listen.

In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, I sit down with BJ Stagner to break down one of the most debated topics right now — toxic masculinity, the rise of the manosphere, and why so many men feel lost, stuck, and unfulfilled.We look at what’s really going on beneath the surface.Men today are being pulled in two directions. On one side, they’re told masculinity is toxic, dangerous, and something to suppress. On the other, they’re sold an extreme version of masculinity built on ego, dominance, and material success.So what’s the truth?We unpack why the rise of the manosphere isn’t the root problem — it’s a reaction. A reaction to a lack of direction, lack of role models, and a lack of real masculinity.And more importantly, we break down what real masculinity actually looks like.
💪🏻 Try Rokman's Online Running & Fitness Challenge Platform: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_YouTube&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=50-BJ-Stagner🏋🏻 Free 6-Week Total Body Strength & Fitness Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/free-bodyweight-plan🎙️Get notified when new Rokman Podcast episodes get released: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/podcast-alerts

Connect with BJ: https://www.bjstagner.com

In this episode, I sit down with ultra runner, former soldier, and coach Lee Davies to break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in running: how to run faster by slowing down. We dive deep into MAF training (Maximum Aerobic Function), why most people are running their “easy” runs too hard, and how building a proper aerobic base can transform your speed, endurance, and long-term consistency. Lee shares how this approach helped him go from constant injuries to running a 2:57 marathon and consistently podiuming ultra races — all while training at a lower intensity.

💪🏻 Try Rokman's Online Running & Fitness Challenge Platform: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_YouTube&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=49-lee-davies🏃‍➡️ Download The No-Nonsense 12-Week Running Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/running-plan-35

What does it actually take to train like an elite athlete?

In this episode, I sit down with former Welsh international and current strength & conditioning coach for the Wales senior rugby team, Robin Sowden-Taylor, to break down how professional athletes really train… and more importantly, how normal people can apply it without living in a gym.

We get into what a real pro training week looks like, why most everyday athletes are doing too much (and getting nowhere), and how you can get better results with less time if you train smarter.

Robin also shares stories from his career playing for Wales, what it was like competing with legends, playing alongside Jonah Lomu, and the brutal injury that nearly ended everything.

Key takeaways:

• Why elite athletes only spend ~2.5 hours per week on gym work
• The biggest mistake everyday athletes make (trying to do everything at once)
• Why simplicity and consistency beat “perfect” programmes
• How to structure your week like a pro
• Why ego is quietly ruining your progress
• What actually separates good athletes from elite performers

In this episode of the Rokman Podcast, I sit down with strongman champion Jamie Nelson to break down how he built real strength.

Not bodybuilding strength. Not influencer strength. Actual pick-up-ridiculous-weights strength.

Jamie is 6'6", weighs around 170kg, and has a 330kg deadlift, a 285kg squat, and has just been crowned Wales’ Strongest Man.

We talk about:

• The training principles that actually make you stronger

• Why most people train completely wrong in the gym

• The key lifts that build real strength (and the ones that don’t matter)

• How strongmen structure their training weeks

• Why consistency beats everything else

• The biggest mistakes people make when deadlifting and squatting

• What it takes mentally to become one of the strongest men in the country

And yes… we also discuss eating 10,000 calories, lifting 160kg logs overhead, and carrying 200kg Atlas stones.

💪🏻 Try Rokman's Challenge-Driven Training Protocol: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_YouTube&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=47-Jamie-Nelson🏋🏻 Free 6-Week Total Body Strength & Fitness Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/free-bodyweight-plan🎙️Get notified when new Rokman Podcast episodes get released: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/podcast-alerts

In this episode, Terry sits down with James Thie — former world-class middle-distance runner, British champion, and coach to Olympic and international athletes — to break down what actually makes runners faster.James explains why most runners chase the wrong things, why quick fixes don’t exist, and how real speed is built through smart training, recovery, and patience. If you want to run faster over 5K, build proper endurance, or stop plateauing at parkrun, this episode is a masterclass.We get into:– The biggest mistake runners make when trying to get faster– Why rest and recovery are just as important as training– How to structure a week if you want to improve your 5K time– The balance between speed, endurance, and threshold work– Whether tech, shoes, and marginal gains actually matter– The mindset required to keep improving over yearsListen now and start building real speed.

💪🏻 Try Rokman's Challenge-Driven Training Protocol: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_YouTube&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=46-James-Thie🏃‍➡️ Download The No-Nonsense 12-Week Running Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/running-plan-35🎙️Get notified when new Rokman Podcast episodes get released: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/podcast-alerts

To celebrate hitting 1,000 subscribers, this solo Q&A episode dives into discipline, motivation, building Rokman, growing a podcast from scratch, and the stuff in fitness I think is wildly overrated.We talk about falling off the wagon, balancing training with family life, why paying for challenges makes you more likely to do them, and the turning point that forced me to sort my life out.💪🏻 Try Rokman's Challenge-Driven Training Protocol: https://rokman.co.uk/?utm_campaign=Rokman_YouTube&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=1k-subs-q-a🏋🏻 Free 6-Week Total Body Strength & Fitness Plan: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/free-bodyweight-plan🎙️Get notified when new Rokman Podcast episodes get released: https://mailchi.mp/rokman/podcast-alerts#️⃣ Get in touch in the comments below or head to...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terryrosoman/