Why I Run

In this special one-off episode ahead of the 2024 Wings for Life World Run on May 5, Why I Run host Ayo Akinwolere sits down with the awe-inspiring Nims Purja. Nims is an ex-Ghurka and one of the world’s best mountaineers. He’s achieved some incredible physical feats – including summiting the world’s 14 tallest mountains at record-breaking speeds. And while they look like different skills, running has been super important to Nims’s mountaineering, so today we hear about how he runs to help him achieve his goals. 

And you can run to achieve your goals too! Be part of the largest running event in the world and run with us on May 5 – you can take part with the Wings for Life World Run app wherever you are around the world. Sign up and join our special Why I Run team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com. 100% of your entry fee goes towards spinal cord research.

Did you run with us this year in the Wings for Life World Run 2023? Even if you didn’t but are curious how it was for our hosts, Erin and Ayo, plus all the guests and listeners who ran it too… well, get listening to this bonus episode! They take a moment to chat with previous guest and GPS runner Jeric Yuen, hear about Ayo’s experience (spoiler: he didn’t run!) as well as Erin’s App Run drama.

The 2023 Wings for Life World Run took place on Sunday, May 7, with more than 200,000 runners taking part across the globe. Together, they ran in 165 countries and covered 1,573,221km for those who can’t. And most importantly, they raised 5.8 million euros to go towards spinal chord injury research.

All news, results and reactions from the run can be found at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com as well as info on how to register for 2024.

It’s the last episode until the big run and we are going out with a bang with the inspirational Bobbi Gibb. Bobbi was the first woman ever to run the Boston marathon and her story is one of resilience, perseverance and blind optimism. She broke every boundary around to run this race in 1966 and showed women everywhere they were capable of running much more than the 1.5 miles they were told they could by doctors of the time. When it comes to women and running we’ve really come so far – listen here to see why.

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest… whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review, or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

The simplicity of running is something we often praise on this podcast. Not needing anything but a pair of trainers and the outside world makes running one of the easiest sports for exercising, that’s for sure. However, it is kinda nice to geek out on good gear from time to time, and while Erin is away, self-confessed tech geek Ayo is doing just that.

To help him he has Head of Product Team – Philips Sound, Diederik Houtman, on the show. Diederik has been in charge of the creation of Philips Sound’s new bone-conduction headphones and, as Ayo will attest, they are a thing of beauty. Listen to today’s episode to discover how these headphones cater to everything a runner might need to listen to their music (or podcasts!) safely, and the fascinating process of trial and error that helped this be the case.

On the topic of listening, we are compiling a playlist for the Wings For Life World Run! Let us know your favourite running tracks @wflworldrun. We can’t wait to hear them.

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the WhyI Run Podcast team atwww.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam.


We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest…whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

Kanoa Igarashi is one formidable surfer and loves running to help him keep agile for the waves. His name translates to the ‘the free one’, so naturally he loves running for the freedom it gives him. In this episode, Ayo hears all about this, as well as the burgeoning Japanese surf scene, which is about to take the world by storm, and also what it was like for Kanoa getting a silver medal for Japan in the 2020 Olympics in the event’s first-ever surfing competition.

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the WhyI Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam


We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest…whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

Here’s something very special for all the Why I Run listeners. Hosted by Amy Lane, Well Far Daily is a daily dose of tips and tricks to help you crush your running goals, one day at a time. Whether you're just starting out or looking to hit a new marathon PB, Well Far Daily combines advice from experts in the industry and Amy's extensive knowledge to make running accessible for you at every stage of the running journey.
You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/well-far-daily/id1651212526 [podcasts.apple.com]

Erin talks with tenacious rock climber Emily Harrington. Emily fell in love with rock climbing when she was a child and has never looked back (or down!). She’s a force to be reckoned with on the cliffs and is five-time US National Champion in sport lead climbing. But when rock climbing is your job it can be hard to associate exercising with leisure time. Enter running. Emily loves running as a way of switching her perspective from a competitive one to a more meditative one and is here to teach us how to do the same. Emily regularly uploads her outdoor exploits, including walks with her new son, on Strava, the largest community of active people. Follow her here. https://www.strava.com/pros/3052716

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest… whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam, leave a review or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

It’s always nice to find time to celebrate your wins and running should be no exception – two people who know this all too well are today’s guests, podcasters Marcus Brown and Helen Thorn.

Marcus is a running coach and host of the sensational A Runner’s Life podcast. He’s been on a massive journey with his running, which has even helped him get a diagnosis of autism – something he says has changed his life for the better in many ways. Listen to hear how.

Helen is a comedian and host of hit show Scrummy Mummies. Helen uses running as a break from parental duties as well as to pump her up for first dates, weeks away on tour – whatever life brings. She’s a huge advocate for using running as a tool for self-care and is full of top tips to help you do the same.

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest…whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

Franz Tost is the team principal of Formula One's Scuderia AlphaTauri, or as Ayo puts it, ‘the boss... the head honcho of the team’. Franz has a no-nonsense coaching style like no other, believing that dedication and passion are vital to success – both as a driver and as a person. (He also practises what he preaches and gets up every day at 5am for a run before work!) This F1 legend absolutely loves running and considers it the key to a better life. Listen to hear why.

Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest… whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review, or message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere

London-based web developer and running enthusiast Jeric Yuen shares his passion for GPS art – making pictures out of running routes. Host Erin Azar hears all about how the idea came about and how he uses it to spread joy among his running community and beyond. Still can’t get your head around it? Follow Jeric at @coderunnerguy to discover the joy of GPS art yourself.

Be part of the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam and start training on the Wings For Life app!

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your run this week or let us know what you thought of our guest…whatever it is, you can drop us a note on our team feed at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/teams, leave a review, or, message us at @wflworldrun @immrsspacecadet @ayoakinwolere