5 Miles Easy

Recovery is key. Not only for injury prevention, but to adapt to our training, get fitter and improve performance. So how can we recover better? What are the most effective tools and how do we know when to rest, do a recovery run, or crack on with hard a workout?Aidan O'Flaherty, aka The Irish Physio is back on the 5 Miles Easy sofa to answer all of our running recovery questions, delving into sleep, nutrition, and other common recovery tools like compression, heat and ice. Aidan shares tonnes of top tips on how to make small changes to our daily routines which can help boost our recovery and performance gains.Follow Aidan: @theirishphysioIf you're enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also check out our YouTube channel @5MilesEasy.Thanks to our sponsors of this episode:ENERTOR:The revolutionary running insole that absorbs 51% of the force of each foot strike. Designed for and with elite runners, Enertors not only protect you from injury but also boost your energy return, helping you run faster for longer, pain-free.Want to experience the Enertor difference? Try them out risk-free on their website with their 60-day money-back guarantee. And for our lucky listeners, you can get 15% off, using the code “5MILESEASY” at checkout. VELOFORTE: If you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

We’re joined by soon to be 4x Olympian, 2x World Championship finalist and Australian record holder, Genevieve Gregson, as she prepares for the marathon at the Paris Olympic Games.Gen’s last Olympics, Tokyo, was a heartbreak. At the last water jump of the 3000m Steeplechase final, Gen’s achilles fully ruptured. As she was taken off the track in a wheelchair, it was looking like her career was over. But in hindsight, it was one of the best things to happen to Gen's career.In the midst of two Achilles surgery and having her son, Gen decided to make a comeback - in the marathon. Fast forward to December 2023, Gen’s son is just 18 months old but she is crossing the finish line at Valencia marathon in an incredible time of 2:23:08, claiming a spot on the Australian marathon team for the Paris Olympics. Here’s how she did it. Follow Gen on instagram: @gengen_lacazeIf you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsor for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

Sophie Power is a campaigner and a GB ultra athlete. Sophie recently broke the female World Record for running the length of Ireland, which she did in 3 days, 12 hours and 8 minutes. In this conversation we talk about the highs and lows of going through this experience, what she was hoping to achieve and support received along the way.Sophie also founded the campaign, SheRACES, with a goal to educate races to be more inclusive to female athletes. One of the drivers for change came after a photo of Sophie went viral at UTMB of her breastfeeding her 3 month old baby, as she wasn't able to defer her place when she was pregnant. As a mum of 3, Sophie shares her experience of balancing running with motherhood and barriers women face in the running world.Follow Sophie on instagram: @ultra_sophieFollow SheRaces on instagram: @She.RACESIf you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsor for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

We are joined by 2 time Olympian and Oceania record holder in the marathon, Brett Robinson.Brett started running seriously as a junior and has been making world teams since his teens when he was a track athlete. He then worked his way up to the marathon distance and in 2022 broke the Australian record at the Fukuoka International Marathon of 2:07:31. This wasn't without setbacks, as Brett talks about overcoming struggles he faced with getting stitches in prior races. He also shares what has kept him enjoying the sport for so long.Rose had this chat with Brett in Font Romeu, where he is preparing for his third Olympics in Paris this summer. He talks about how he qualified for the Australian team and why he is out in Font Romeu to train.Follow Brett on instagram: @brett_robinson23If you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsor for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

This week we’re joined by 24 year old World Record Holder, Imo Boddy, just a few weeks after finishing her mind blowing 3 Peaks challenge. On 21st May, Imo dipped into the Welsh sea after running 680km and climbing over 10,000m of elevation in just 6 days 5 hours and 43 minutes, breaking a 45 year old record for the fastest female to run the UK Three Peaks in the process. Despite being just 24, Imo is no stranger to ultra challenges and also holds the record for the youngest female to have run the length of the UK, from John O’Groats to Lands End.We find out what Imo’s prep for the challenge looked like, how she got through the toughest moments and how she recovered after pushing her body to its limits. We also hear about the importance of a supportive team and the power of believing in yourself.If you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsor for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

In this week's episode, Steph and Rose catch up and share training insights from the last few weeks. With just 8 weeks to go until the Paris Olympics, Rose is out in Font Romeu on an altitude camp and shares why she's there, what training she has been doing and how it's been going so far. Meanwhile, Steph is taking a considerable step down in distance, from ultras to 5k training. She's been working hard on the track in London to re-find her fast legs. She shares what training she's been doing to increase her speed as well as some top tips for tackling tough track sessions. If you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsor for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.

In this episode we are live at Wild Goat Festival where we were incredibly lucky to talk to a legend in the sport, Paula Radcliffe.Paula shares the journey that led her to breaking the women's marathon world record in 2003 in a time of 2:15:25, which was held for 16 years. We hear what she believes set her apart from her competitors, how she kept her mind so strong and the importance of perspective and enjoying what you do.Follow Paula on Instagram: @paula_radcliffeIf you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsors for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.SOAR: If you are after ultra light, breathable and minimalist design with maximum performance running kit, check out SOAR’s collection at soarrunning.comPB Rewards - if you’ve run a verified PB between 1/3/24-31/5/24 then you can claim £50 Soar credit: https://www.soarrunning.com/blogs/news/soar-women-spring-pb-reward

Intrigued by the Marathon des Sables? Imagine running it 5 times over… This week, we are joined by someone who is doing pretty much that. We catch up with broadcaster, entrepreneur and running fanatic, Spencer Matthews ahead of his record breaking challenge which will see him run 30 marathons in 30 days through the 45 degree Jordanian desert.Spencer is no stranger to ultra endurance events, having already completed the Marathon des Sables and The Jungle Ultra, but on July 29th, Spencer will set off from the Wadi Rum desert to complete a mind-blowing five times the distance - yes, 5 x Marathon des Sables, back to back. If successful, he will earn himself a spot in the Guinness book of World Records, but more importantly aims to raise as much as possible for charities across the UK as part of Global’s Make Some Noise. We catch up with Spencer to find out how a life of alcohol and drug abuse eventually led him to discover running, what drives him to push his physical boundaries and how he’s preparing physically and mentally for 30 in 30.  Make Some Noise Global’s Make Some Noise provides much needed funding to many charities who are facing growing waiting lists and unprecedented demand for their services, whilst facing increased costs and a downturn in donations.  Donating £30 – £1 for every marathon – could mean a vital support session for a pre-school child with a physical disability from a dedicated specialist worker.  To donate £30, text SPENCER30 to 70766. 100% of your donation will go to Global’s Make Some Noise. Follow Spencer and Global’s Make Some NoiseIG: @spencermatthews and @globals_make_some_noiseStrava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/130623442?oq=Spencer%20MatthewsIf you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsors for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.SOAR: If you are after ultra light, breathable and minimalist design with maximum performance running kit, check out SOAR’s collection at soarrunning.comPB Rewards - if you’ve run a verified PB between 1/3/24-31/5/24 then you can claim £50 Soar credit: https://www.soarrunning.com/blogs/news/soar-women-spring-pb-reward

How closely are our brains and bodies linked? How much of our mindset can we change? How can we overcome negative thoughts during a session or race?Kaz Williams is a performance psychologist, running coach, speaker and ultra runner. Kaz is founder of Mettle, whose purpose is to provide coaching plans, mental strategies and support to make you the best trail and ultra runner you can be.Kaz shares why it is so important to work on your psychology when it comes to getting the most out of yourself physically. We hear the common challenges athletes face, as well as tips to combat pre race nerves, improve mental toughness and why visualisation is such a powerful tool.Follow Kaz on instagram: @mountainkazIf you’re enjoying our conversations, please do us a big favour and leave us a rating on Spotify/Apple. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @5mileseasy.A big thanks to our sponsors for this episode:VELOFORTE: if you’re looking for a natural way to fuel your training with real ingredients, no artificial nasties and no compromise on taste, Veloforte is for you. Veloforte has an incredible range of kitchen crafted bars, shakes and chews to power your performance and provide an optimal balance of essential ingredients to look after your overall wellness. Head to veloforte.com to check out the full range and use code 5MILES for 30% off.SOAR: If you are after ultra light, breathable and minimalist design with maximum performance running kit, check out SOAR’s collection at soarrunning.comPB Rewards - if you’ve run a verified PB between 1/3/24-31/5/24 then you can claim £50 Soar credit: https://www.soarrunning.com/blogs/news/soar-women-spring-pb-reward