The Runna Podcast

"Last year, I was learning about myself. Now, I am myself." This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya speak to dancer, content creator, and marathoner Austyn Farrell.Austyn Farrell's online feed is full of joy, from hilarious skits to viral dance videos. But this conversation goes deeper.Austyn shares his history of mental health struggles, substance misuse and a loneliness that performing couldn't fix - and how everything changed two years ago when he started running. He joined us in the studio having just run a sub-3 marathon in London!This episode is a perfect mixture of inspiring honesty and comedic gold.Listen for more on:🎭 From Rock Bottom to Sub-3: Two years from substance misuse to 2:58🧠 "You Can't Fake a Run": The one thing that was entirely his💜 Running for Mind: In memory of Nathan Williams and Cherry Valentine🌈 Running as Identity: Big Games Run Club, Rainbow Road, HYROX in a Pride vest🏃‍♂️ "It's All Mental": Mindset, marathon PB, sobriety - all connected🎯 "You Cannot Fail Unless You Try": For anyone who feels where he was*Please note, this episode contains discussion of substance misuse and suicide, which some listeners may find upsetting. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support.*🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://join.runna.com/lKmc/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

"My passion has always been in helping people achieve their active goals - which is how this all started."After 5 years building Runna from an idea to the world's top-rated running coaching app, Coach Ben has made the decision to move on and take a well-earned break. In this special farewell episode, Ben and Anya look back at over 100 weekly episodes together: the most inspiring conversations, the moments that had them in stitches, and the guests they'll never forget. And in true Ben style, he signs off with two coaching tips to help you keep running for life.Ben's passion has always been helping people achieve their active goals - it's what started Runna, and it's what will shape whatever comes next for him. For now, he's stepping back to focus on his own training, spend more time with Jess and Scoobie, and work out the next chapter.The Runna Podcast isn’t going anywhere. But this episode is our chance to say thank you - for the coaching, the laughs, and everything Ben has built. We hope to see you on the start line soon.Listen for more on:✨ Ben’s most inspiring moments: Alex Yee & Lucy Charles-Barclay😂 The moments that made us laugh: Harry Judd & Romesh Ranganathan🧠 Why nerves mean you're ready to race💚 Why enjoyment is the only sustainable training plan🔮 What's next for Ben: His 10th Ironman, coaching, and life beyond Runna🎙️ Share your thoughts on The Runna Podcast: https://runna.typeform.com/to/QaEpqhlk🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Mike Wardian's ultra marathon training schedule is unlike anything you've heard.Full-time job. Two kids. 4:45am starts. And at 52 years old, he recently won the World Marathon Challenge for the third time - breaking the world record for seven 50Ks on seven continents in seven days by almost four hours!This week Kayla sits down with Mike to find out exactly how he does it. From early morning alarms to his positive mindset and focus on fun, this is a masterclass from a man who's stayed at the top of ultra marathon running for nearly 30 years.Whether you're training for your first ultramarathon or trying to fit marathon training around a full-time job and family, Mike's approach to consistency, recovery, and longevity will change how you think about the sport.In this episode: 🌍 The 7-7-7 challenge: What it takes to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days 💼 Training around a full-time job: His daily routine from 4:45am 🏃 The depletion mile: His unconventional recovery method after 100-milers 🧠 "Just be water": The mindset behind 30 years of consistent ultra racing 🎯 Longevity at 52: How Mike stays competitive, injury-free and motivatedFor anyone who wants to run further, last longer, and never stop enjoying it.🎙️ Share your thoughts on The Runna Podcast in our new audience survey here: https://runna.typeform.com/to/QaEpqhlk 🎧 New episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices from the running community.🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26 And if you're just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast 

Reggie Yates thought a 5k would finish him. Then he trained for a marathon - and fell completely in love with running.In this episode of The Runna Podcast, British broadcaster and filmmaker Reggie Yates joins Anya Culling for an honest conversation about his first marathon training journey. The early treadmill sessions that nearly broke him with boredom. The outdoor runs that set him free. The race day that didn't go to plan - and why he wants to race again more than ever.Reggie has spent his career stepping into uncomfortable environments - prisons, refugee camps, war zones. This time he made himself the subject. And what he discovered about running, identity, and his own limits is worth hearing.In this episode:🎙️ From 5k Fear to Marathon Start Line: The beginner running journey that changed everything 🧠 Marathon Training Reality: Treadmill sessions, long runs, ego - and the moment it clicked 🏃‍♂️The Runner's High: Why running outside became "so freeing and so liberating" 💜 Sickle Cell Society: Why running for a cause makes the hardest training days meaningful🌡️ Race Day: What really happened and what comes next 🎯 What's Next: 10k PB, half marathon PB - and a runner for lifeWhether you're just starting out or wondering if marathon training is really for someone like you - this episode will make you think differently about what's possible.🎙️ Share your thoughts on The Runna Podcast in our new audience survey here: https://runna.typeform.com/to/QaEpqhlk 🎧 New episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices from the running community.🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26 And if you're just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast 

Whether you're chasing a marathon PB or simply wondering what you're actually capable of - Olly Murs just raised the bar for everyone.The X Factor star ran, rowed, and cycled 400km across England in 5 days, raising over £1 million for Soccer Aid for UNICEF! No marathon experience. No route until each morning. A knee that's had five operations. And he loved every horrible second of it.Anya Culling and Coach Ben dive deeper into his Into the Unknown challenge, the endurance feat that pushed him further than anything in his career, and what every runner can take from it.In this episode:🎤 From Stage to Start Line - zero running background, zero marathon experience. How Olly built an endurance mindset from scratch 🦵 The 50-Year-Old Knee - five operations, 400km. Training through injury for the biggest endurance challenge of his life 🧠 Fitness Mindset vs Physical Training - what actually carries you to the finish line when your body says stop 🎯 What's Next? - Half marathon fear, marathon dreams, will he follow in the footsteps of Harry Styles?  🚀 For even more, watch Olly Murs: Into The Unknown on ITVX: https://www.itv.com/watch/olly-murs-steps-into-the-unknown-for-soccer-aid/10a7768a0001B/10a7768a0001 🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community. 🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Tatiana Forbes started running postpartum in 2023, unable to run for more than 30 seconds. She joined us on The Runna Podcast after crossing the finish line of the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon.Anya Culling and Kayla Jeter sit down with runner, content creator, and founder of the Best for Last Run Club. The self-proclaimed 'slow runner' shares the struggle of being left behind at a run club, and not seeing herself in the runners around her.Tatiana will help you answer the question most beginner runners quietly ask themselves: am I actually a runner? Tatiana's answer - and her journey to get there - is worth hearing. In this episode:🏃‍♀️ Postpartum running: starting from zero, 30 seconds at a time 🚶‍♀️ Run/walk strategy: why it works from mile one - not just when you're struggling 💬 Left behind: the run club moment that built Best for Last 🧠 Watchless racing: ditching GPS at the NYC Half - and what happened 🪞 Runner identity: pace, body confidence & belonging in the sport 🏁 Race inclusivity: what races need to do to actually serve slower runnersWhether you're just starting out, returning after a break, or have always wondered if running is really for someone like you - this one's for you.🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community. 🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Keira D’Amato broke the American marathon record at 37.She did it after a decade away from the sport - while raising two kids, building a real estate career, and rediscovering what running meant to her.In this episode, Keira sits down with Anya and Kayla to unpack one of the most remarkable stories in modern running. From the injury that forced her out of the sport, to the identity crisis that followed, to the mindset shift that helped her run faster than ever before.They talk about motherhood, longevity, learning not to fear failure, and why having fun became the key to her success.Now 41 and recovering from hip surgery, Keira is chasing even bigger goals - including the 2028 Olympic Trials - and proving there’s no single path to greatness. In this episode:🏃‍♀️ How she went from walking away from running to breaking a 16-year-old American record🧠 Why the mindset of "I don't care if I fail" makes you dangerous to race against💥 Mile 16 of the Houston Marathon - the deal she made with herself to keep going👶 What motherhood taught her about perspective, identity, and choosing your "hard"🔄 Why she refuses to call this a comeback - and what she calls it instead🎯 Her 2028 Olympic Trials goal and why she's more excited now than ever🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community. 🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

From a devastating back injury to a 3:29 marathon at 50 - Ben Shephard just ran his first marathon in 16 years.Whether you're returning from injury, chasing a marathon comeback, or trying to stay fit as you get older - this conversation will make you rethink what's possible.Just days after crossing the finish line in London, the beloved British TV presenter sits down with Ben and Anya to talk honestly about the back injury that stopped him running, the long road back, and why consistency - not perfection - was the thing that got him there.In this episode:🏃 Why Ben's ADHD became his biggest asset in sport, his career, and marathon running💔 The back injury that stopped him running -  and the marathon comeback nobody expected 🎯 How he trained for a 3:29 marathon at 50 around a full-time TV career 🧠 Why consistency beats strictness - and how to apply it to your own training 👨‍👦 What he hopes his sons take from watching him fail, and keep going🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community. 🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Calli Hauger-Thackery won a marathon at 8 weeks pregnant. The world had no idea.She joined us before lining up in Boston at 22 weeks - with her husband, coach, and training partner Nick Hauger racing alongside her.This episode goes behind the scenes of one of the most unusual high-performance partnerships in elite running: how they train together, compete individually, and what it really means to chase world-class performances while stepping into parenthood.In this episode, you'll hear:🤫 The Houston secret - winning a marathon 8 weeks pregnant, and what Nick said at the finish line🏃‍♀️From unsponsored and working every job going, to 2nd fastest British marathoner ever🧠 How Calli's mindset broke the ceiling other coaches had put on Nick 👶 What training through pregnancy actually looks like week by week🤝 How being each other's coach, competitor, and life partner works in practice🎯 What elite athletes get right about balancing training with real life, and what most runners get wrong🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community. 🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast