The Big Run

Hello and welcome back the mid-week entry to TBR.

Firstly some house keeping… *elevator music*

If you are enjoying TBR please do leave us a review on apple or Spotify, it helps the show, plus give our Instagram a follow, where our DMS are open for feedback, collaboration and ideas. 

Ok, that's enough of that….

In today's episode…we don’t actually talk about running…

but runners dont talk about running all the time…well sometimes we do…but sometimes we want to be inspired, hear new stories and perspectives and get switched on to an individual, company or worthwhile endeavours that we might not have heard of.

So with that in mind, today id like to share the story of the 'Early Majority'. 

They are an outdoor apparel brand, that wants to adopt a degrowth business model where the clothes are only part of the story and the community is at the forefront of how it intends to grow.

What is degrowth? well in a nutshell - we need to make less stuff.

That's why Early Majority have crafted a select set of outdoor apparel garments and accessories that they dub “tools for leaning out”.

It's a super exciting proposition that comes from the mind of founder and CEO Joy Howard who is joining me today.

Joy has had a fascinating trajectory to get to where she is. From a Seattle grunge band to an MBA, to Coca Cola, Converse, Patagonia to taking the plunge and bringing her own company to fruition.

It’s a fascinating story with a lot to take from. So if you’ve ever debated a career change, whilst running, pondered how fashion can do it’s bit to help the environment whilst on the long run, or just like a fascinating person on a podcast then today's ep is for you!

Podcast cover photo's by Paris Howard and Product shots by Magdalena Wosinska

Welcome to a bitterly cold Victoria park for a second time this week where I am joined by runner, coach, six-star finisher and London Community manager for Tracksmith  Amritpal Ghatora. 

We recommend listening with headphones for the full experience

In this episode, recorded live in the park, Amrit and I took a stroll to chat about his running journey, his love for the sport, how it changed his life, how it allows him to show others a path they might not have seen before and why he *intake of breath* races at parkrun. 

Joining us and taking the imagery that accompanies the episode is Arran McAskill of Curated for Runners. 

Amrit is leading the charge for the London efforts of Tracksmith's community program supporting runners getting ready for the marathon with their "100 days" programme. 

You can learn all about it and find out what events they have coming up via the link below, or on Amrit's or @tracksmiths Instagram.

Thank you to Tracksmith for providing the kit that kept us warm.

Welcome back to the big run. Since the Valencia marathon, I’ve been struggling with my running. a niggle has been hanging around in some shape or form. it derailed my race. The weeks after haven’t been the best, I've ignored and tried to run through it. Made it worse….textbook.

Its’ topic is a familiar one for many of us - running injuries. Whether it's a nagging pain in your knee, a twinge in your ankle or a strain in your back, we've all been there. But fear not, because we're here to talk about the next step in your injury recovery journey - visiting the physio! That's right, it's time to put on your bravest face and head to the land of heat packs and ultrasound machines. Buckle up, because this might be a bumpy ride, but the end result is worth it promise!

So, one windy and wet morning I headed to the Victoria Park Harriers clubhouse in Victoria park to see Matt who was in London for clinic sessions.

Matt is a 5000m and 10000m athlete who has competed for Ireland both on the roads and the track. he was English Schools 3000M champ and had a scholarship to complete a Master of Science degree at the university of new Mexico in the united states. 

He co-founded the performance team alongside Mark Buckingham and works closely with several past, present, and future Olympians and Paralympians, with Athletics Ireland, the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation, and a professional track team overseas. 

However, most of Matt's work is done supporting recreational runners, club-level athletes, and newcomers to the sport looking to stay injury-free, keep fit and remain healthy. He’s worked with Wiggle and Hoka as well as organising running camps in Kenya.

This episode was recorded live during the session and offers insight into how physiotherapists assess, diagnose and treat running related injuries. We also about running mechanics in general, the "right way to run" Matt's own history with running and injury and more. 

A big thank you to Matt and the performance team for being part of the episode. 

You can find out more about their services at: https://www.performanceteam.co.uk/

Images courtesy of Charlie Wheeler @breakfeast_.at._tiffany and @running_trips_official 

DISCLAIMER

This is based on my running past, and my own personal history. Each runner has their own set of circumstances and requirements when it comes to treatment. If your looking to get treatment then get in touch with the performance team.

Welcome back to The Big Run...

Today, we are joined by, Sanjay Rawal. 

Sanjay is an accomplished filmmaker, runner and proponent of meditation, spirituality and the teachings of Sri Chinmoy. In this conversation, we discuss how he discovered meditation, its benefits, and how it has helped him in his spiritual journey and his running. 

We also share some tips on how to get started with meditation and how to make it a regular practice as well as talk about Sri Chinmoy. 

Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) was an Indian spiritual teacher, philosopher, and musician who emigrated to the United States in 1964. He founded the Sri Chinmoy Centre, an international organization that promotes meditation and self-development through spiritual practices, athletics and the arts. He wrote over 1,500 books on spiritual and philosophical topics and composed over 22,000 songs. Chinmoy was also a prolific artist and poet. He was a proponent of self-transcendence, the idea that individuals can transcend their own limitations through spiritual practice and service to others. He also promoted the idea of inner peace as the foundation for world peace and held events to promote peace such as peace meditations, peace concerts and peace runs.

One of his most famous events is the 3100 aka the longest race in the world and the subject of Sanjay's documentary of the same name.

The 3100 Race is a self-transcendence ultramarathon race held annually in New York City. The race is organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team and is considered one of the longest-certified footraces in the world. The race starts on June 17th and runs for 52 days until August 7th, participants run as many miles as they can within this time frame.

The 3100 Race is unique in that it is not a traditional race with a set distance or course. Instead, participants are given the opportunity to run as many miles as they can within the 52-day time frame. The goal of the race is for participants to push their own limits and "transcend" their previous personal bests.

the documentary is available for streaming on the following platforms:

Vimeo on Demand (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/3100)

Amazon Prime Video (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QZJ9XRV)

Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=B07QZJ9XRV)

Apple TV (https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/3100-run-and-become/umc.cmc.2mq8hgqwqcq3f6mqkj6q8zp9r)

It's also possible to rent or buy the film on other platforms such as YouTube and Microsoft Store. It's worth checking the availability on streaming platforms in your country as they might have regional restrictions.

Hello and welcome back to TBR and welcome to another mid-week dispatch, this time, hot of the press from Houston Texas with American distance runner Parker Stinson.

Parker toed the line on Sunday and ran an insane race.

There was some brilliant racing and he caught the pack by mile 15 and stayed competitive till 24 coming in 4th with a time of 2:12:11 seconds. This marks another impressive step in the right direction for Parker who has been trending in the right direction since joining Roots Running in Boulder colorado with his sights set on the Olympics.

In this conversation, recorded the morning after the marathon, we break down the race in granular detail, the last-minute racing strategy alterations, how it played out and what he’s taking from an incredible run. 

We also reflect on his past year with Roots Running, the culture there, how he’s remained strong through tough times, what lies ahead race-wise, and his edges towards Paris in 2024.

Follow Parker @_parker_stinson_

Welcome back to The Big Run...

This week's guest is photographer, filmmaker and writer Emily Maye. She has been capturing beautiful imagery for major brands for years and lists Rapha and Nike as former clients. 

Her work is honest and rich and maintains her perspective of the sports she loved for many years and the sports she has grown to love as she's documented them.

She's a stalwart at the running brand Tracksmith where her most recent work 'Church of the Long Run' is a celebration of the ritual many runners hold dear. 

In this conversation we discuss the film, being instinctive as a  photographer, maintaining your perspective, storytelling in sports and so much more. This was such a rewarding conversation and I'm grateful to Emily for taking the time.

You can follow Emily @

Watch the film at  https://www.tracksmith.com/gb/journal/article/church-of-the-long-run-film

Hello and welcome to this mid week edition of The Big Run...

On today's episode Im joined by Pippa Wolven. 

2x English Schools & 4x British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Champion Commonwealth Games, European XC & World XC athlete

As Founder of Project RED-S, Pippa is beyond passionate about moving the dial on this issue in sports. Competing in international athletics for over a decade while studying in the UK and USA brought Pippa's fair share of highs and lows - including RED-S. It was through her struggle to find the resources she needed to diagnose and overcome the issue that she realised the extent of the problem in sports. She subsequently became a mentor and qualified Positive Psychology Coach to help others make sense of their own diagnosis and recovery process.

In this episode, we track through Pippa's own experience of the condition, debunk some major myths surrounding it and offer some practical advice for people who may be struggling with it or worried about other athletes that are.

Hello and welcome back to The Big Run and Happy New Year!

We are kicking off 2023 by catching up with the Australian distance running sensation Ed Goddard. Ed took on multiple marathons last year and is only getting started. Regularly seen pounding the pavements, phone in hand listening to rock music in his native Australia Ed has been turning heads in the space and getting stuck into the marathon distance. 

In this conversation we reflect on the aftermath of CIM, his training, his journey into the sport, owning the Chicago cubs and why buying a running belt and some wireless headphones is not on the to-do list for 2023.

Photo by @chrishuang95

Hello and welcome back to The Big Run...today's guest is Elise Cranny. 

Elise Cranny is an American middle and long-distance runner.

She is the world record holder in the women's 4x1500 meters relay and holds the Indoor 5000 meters American record. An Olympian, she placed 13th in the 5000 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Cranny is a two-time US National Champion in the 5000 meters capturing the title in 2021 and 2022.

In this conversation we check in prior to Christmas to look back on her year, take some key reflections from her running journey, look ahead to 2023 and why we can all take value in cultivating joy and running for Ice Cream.

Today's guest is the CEO and content director of Sweat Elite Matt Inglis Fox. 

Matt is a 2:20 marathoner after being an 800 - 1500m in his younger days in his native Australia. His curiosity to understand what makes great performance lead him to observe some of the world's best and document that experience. This was the start of Sweat Elite an online emporium of training insight and perspective for the world's best runners that has proved wildly popular. 

In this conversation we check in on Matt's running, get a deeper understanding of how he has built the brand, working with companies, forming a business whilst also chasing his own running goals.

You can find out about what the business has to offer at sweatelite.co where you can find links to their YouTube and podcast.