Explore every episode of the podcast Dirt Church Radio Trail Running
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Times and Strava Crimes: What's up with running's most popular app? | 20 Sep 2024 | 00:37:32 | |
Kia ora e te whānau! Where were you when you first heard about the big orange S? On this episode of the DCR AidStation podcast, Eugene and Matt dive deep into the good, the bad, and the (very) ugly that is Strava. Our heroes discuss what they love and love less about the social fitness platform and the positive and less positive impacts it has had on their lives. What brought this topic up was the dawning incredulity that people are hiring Strava Mules to run things fast for them for the purpose of kudos and followers. Oh, and we checked the date and it isn’t April 1st. Minds. Blown. Episode links: Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Fire Fighters Everywhere! Part 2 of the Firies Climb for MND/ Helen Waterworth and Chris Newsome from His & Hers Endurance KITZ | 10 Sep 2024 | 01:31:33 | |
Kia Ora e te whānau! If, as we posited last week, the collective noun for a group of Fire Fighters is a Calendar then in this episode we’ve got most of the months ticked off!!! First off, we’ve got all the action from day 2 of the Firies Climb for MND. We love these people, they are inspiring, down-to-earth legends who have devoted most of their adult life to serving the community as members of the New Zealand fire service, and now are serving the trail running community with their business, which is essentially to act as your running event concierges, and as event directors, not only with Kings Backyard- where the record for most laps on NZ soil was broken this year, and with Whangārei five one two challenge. What’s more, they are no slouches at endurance events themselves, with Chris having won the River run backyard in its inaugural year and Helen just back from a PB of 32 laps at Clint Eastwood in Australia. Best Enjoyed Running Sign up to the DCR AidStation newsletter The Squadrun 4 Week Training Trial for DCR Listeners! Jenny Hirst’s 60km for 60 Challenge Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Have you got what it takes? Coach Kerry and Ali on what to think about when planning your next goal | 12 Jul 2024 | 01:02:20 | |
Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode, Eugene and Matt are joined by the brains trust of SQUADRUN Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter for a play-along-at-home adventure around the start of planning for a big adventure or event, in this case, Matt’s build up to the Tarawera Ultra Trail. As usual with these conversations, Kerry and Ali are wise beyond years, and a font of incredible knowledge. Not to be missed. Dan Jones also checks in after his remarkable fourth-place run at Western States last weekend, and we debate the merits of standing in the way of Ruth Croft at UTMB (spoiler alert: Don’t). Episode links: Maree Leith Pledge Me for Finding Her Stride Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Episode 194 - Marty Lukes | 24 May 2022 | 01:22:51 | |
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Matt has the privilege and pleasure of sitting down over a cup of (virtual) tea for a conversation with the mighty Marty Lukes. The term “legend” gets bandied about a fair bit these days, but Marty more than qualifies for this criteria. This is a deep dive into the history of Aotearoa trail and road ultramarathon running with one of the true leaders of our sport. Marty has a three-peat at Kepler from 2007 to 2009, 6th at the 100km world championship in 2006 plus a slew of other accolades. But this conversation is more than running down Marty’s achievements, it’s a glimpse into the golden age of trail running in Aotearoa and a cast of epic characters and incredible races. Marty looks back on lessons learned, and brings it right back to the beginning, when he came down from the mountains for love. Enjoy! Episode Links The Speed Freaks Odyssey House | |||
| Episode 193 - Marcus Rentie | 17 May 2022 | 01:10:35 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. This week on the podcast Matt and Eugene call California to catch up with Marcus Rentie … a resident of LA where he grew up loving all sorts of sports including stunt roller-blading - yes, that is a thing - and started running, then found the trails and hasn’t looked back. One of the reasons we wanted to talk to Marcus was about the non-profit organisation he has founded called Trail Folx which aims to provide opportunities for underprivileged and underserved youth in Los Angeles. The goal is to increase representation in outdoor sports. We talk to him all about this, as well as the weekly trail runs he hosts in the Los Angeles hills, how spreadsheets and the running scene in LA intersect, and this trail dog named Batman! We also cover off some of the weekend’s racing including course records Down South. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 192 - Emma O'Loughlin | 10 May 2022 | 01:22:44 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak with ultramarathon runner, physiotherapist, and PhD candidate Emma O’Loughlin about her groundbreaking study into periodizing recovery around, well, women’s periods. We also discuss Emma’s history of Gaelic Football, why women are more prone to ACL injury, The Race Across America, and why if you work with your hands it’s better to injure yourself skiing not snowboarding. We cover Emma’s love of trail running, the WUU2k, strength work and so much more in this epic conversation. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 191 - Hayden Hawks | 03 May 2022 | 01:17:02 | |
Kia ora e te whānau..This week on the podcast Eugene speaks with Hayden Hawks. Hayden is a professional runner based in Utah who famously won the first trail ultra he entered, the Speed Goat 50km in 2016. For those that know, this is not just any race. Hayden has a clutch of other races including JFK 50 Mile in a course record in 2020, Black Canyon 2020, UTMB CCC in 2017 in a course record. He recently won the Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica too. Apart from life as a professional athlete, Hayden is an exercise science graduate, loves to go on riding adventures, and is a father and husband. Eugene had a deep dive into his training methods - and, importantly, recovery - we talked about the idea that US male athletes seem to have a thing about UTMB, which Hayden pushes back on quite strongly. Importantly, too, (for Matt) they discuss whether Hayden will be rocking his mustache when he lines up at Western States in June to get some revenge for last year when he was running in second until mile 92 until things went south. Enjoy! --- --- --- Episode Links | |||
| Episode 190 - Sam McCutcheon 2022 | 26 Apr 2022 | 01:23:42 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. This week’s podcast features returning champion Sam McCutcheon. If you don’t know Sam, he is one of Wellington Scottish’s finest. Last time we talked to him was way back in episode 64, where he had just moved to Edinburgh and was looking forward to hitting some of the best races that Europe had to offer in 2020. Despite his plans being changed somewhat, Sam continued to get after it, started a family, and eventually moved home to Wellington. This is a great conversation about priorities, enjoying the whole of where you are, and how pour-over coffee is the best coffee (fight us). For the racing heads out there, we dip fully into that world also as Sam has won The Kepler Challenge twice, set the Wuu2k course record, and clinched third place at the Tarawera 102km. Sam has represented New Zealand at the world trail running championships, placed 7th at the CCC, 3rd at Laverdo, has a 1:08:45 half marathon PB and was 6th place at the Madeira Island Ultra Trail last year. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 189 - Jono Lester | 19 Apr 2022 | 01:47:55 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt are joined from a hotel in Taipei by the incredible Jono Lester. Jono is a third-generation race car driver who specialises in the GT format. Jono is also a formidable runner, plant-based athlete, and ambassador for the SPCA. Please enjoy this immensely good chat about the rigours and grind of being a professional athlete, the challenges of having a career ripped away overnight (looking at you, COVID) and the challenges of training like Carl Read … With Carl Read. This is a ripping yarn, full of adventures on the trails, the red mist of competition, and also the beauty, grace, and peace that Jono experiences from running on trails. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 188 - Troy Sachs | 12 Apr 2022 | 01:19:43 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. When Troy Sachs was inducted into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame, he was one of just a few disabled athletes to have had the honour bestowed upon them. After playing wheelchair basketball professionally for 20 years, attending 5 Paralympics and winning two gold and one silver medal, Troy felt that he could finally be heralled as “just” Troy. He was there because of his sporting achievements, not because of his disability. This thought-provoking insight is just one of many in this excellent conversation. Troy turned his laser focus to running a few years ago, and since then has completed several ultra distance runs including the Oxfam trailwalker, a 310 kilometre “jog” from Canberra to Sydney and an attempt at the 2021 Ultra Trail Australia. For the ablest of us, running, especially long distances is not simply a matter of “lacing up the running shoes” Troy talks about the challenge of stump care, manufacturing his own carbon blades and having to run with tools for an on-the-go fix. Recovery, advocacy, and a general desire to send it, this conversation with Troy Sachs is a true blue ripper. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 187 - Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra 2022 | 05 Apr 2022 | 01:20:05 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. Put 77 people on a start line with the only caveat that they need to do one 6.7km loop an hour and stir. Continue to stir until the last person is standing. Add in beautiful conditions, challenging terrain, beer, moon dust, mind games, and non-stop banging tunes and you have the 2022 Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultramarathon, the race that nearly wasn’t. We spent the whole weekend in the forest and are pleased to bring you a rundown of the event alongside interviews with Shaun Collins, Wyatt Stevens, Katie Wright, Dougie Kyle, and more. .. Enjoy! --- --- --- Episode Links Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultramaraton on Instagram | |||
| Episode 186 - Katie Wright 2022 | 29 Mar 2022 | 01:22:10 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. Katie Wright has done a lot of cool stuff, probably the coolest thing we think she’s done is being on DCR the most out of anyone. Ok, she’s done cooler stuff, but not much. You could fit this year’s trip to the infamous Barkley Marathons as being in the more-cooler-than-DCR column, same with being the current Tarawera 100 mile champ, oh, and in the final four at Big’s Backyard AND that time she was the first woman in the world to win a Last Person Standing Event. Anyway … This conversation focuses on the Barkley Marathons and we take a deep dive with Katie into what makes this race so special, so difficult, and also (refreshingly) so much like any other race you’d do. We assert the fact that no-one wins in a Marmite war, and lament that Katie’s $1.60 entry fee to the Barkey is still lost in the post. Warm, engaging, funny, and effortlessly wise, Katie is one of our favourite human beings to talk to and this time is no different. Set the stoke levels to high and strap in for a right banger of a conversation about the limits of endurance, mindset, and preparation. Enjoy! Episode Links Katie Wright (@do_your_impossible) • Instagram photos and videos Speedy Spike’s mission for the coastlines | |||
| Episode 185 - Anna Frost 2022 | 22 Mar 2022 | 01:16:29 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. Exactly 160 episodes ago, when Anna Frost (or Frosty as she is known) came on our show, we gushed in the bio. Oh, how we GUSHED. And why not? Anna is, like, 100% one of the most successful trail and ultra running exports from Aotearoa. She burst onto the scene in what was the first wave of the professional ultra athlete, running for the mighty Salomon team. Going from spending weeks travelling around Europe partying and sleeping in the back of a station wagon to pulling on the white strip and racing for a European giant, Anna was catapulted into the media at the same time as other famous names such as Anton Krupicka, Scott Jurek,Geoff Roes, Kilian Jornet, and Tina Forsberg. Wait, we’re gushing again. It’s been a few years and we find Anna back in Dunedin with partner Braz and their daughter Skylar – enjoying the challenges of life, and reflecting openly on the privilege that whilst yes, things are tough at the moment (especially when you own a trail running tour company) at least bombs aren’t raining down outside. We talk to Anna about the inevitable changes that parenthood brings and take a deep dive into coaching, training with little humans, and The Wild, the epic 100 mile race taking place in Queenstown in December. Anna Frost rules, ok? Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Bradley Houghton – Trail Running NZ and the 2024 WUU2K Preview | 02 Jul 2024 | 01:27:29 | |
Kia ora e te whānau! Sign up to the DCR AidStation newsletter The Squadrun 4 Week Training Trial for DCR Listeners! Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Episode 184 - Michael Stuart | 15 Mar 2022 | 01:07:41 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. How do you do something that many have considered impossible? And does your thinking change over time from just what is impossible to possible? For Michael Stuart it was the competitiveness between siblings that ignited his passion for running. Squaring off in a half marathon against his older sister, Michael probably never considered that one day he would be completing an undertaking that has been described as “very very close to the most amazing,, audacious feat of endurance … ever”. Specifically, this audacious feat was a continuous run of the three S-K routes in the Tararua ranges, the Main Range, Tarn, and Valleys routes. Roughly 80 km each way with a combined elevation of 16,000 vertical meters for the three, this was an undertaking that very few thought was doable. About 87 hours and 240 km later, Michael triumphed. Hear about “no sleep ‘till Kaitoke”, trail angels, sore feet, hallucinations, and the impetus to complete such a legendary journey on this week’s episode of Dirt Church Radio. Enjoy! --- --- --- Episode Links Stuff Story on Michael’s Triple S-K | |||
| Episode 183 - Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger 2022 | 08 Mar 2022 | 00:55:04 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. Last week Eugene found himself on a call with Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter discussing the long, slow, and painful road out of the hell that they had found themselves in after the MTB crash which left Kerry paralyzed. Honest, raw, painful, this conversation is likely to get many of you in the feels. Accepting the whole experience, and as is typical with Kerry, the conversation is also life affirming, wry, and humorous. We make no apologies for the emotion in this conversation, we do however make apologies for the sound quality, and give our thanks to Andrew MacDowall for his stellar work as always. It’s an uncertain and unpleasant time of late, and whilst it’s hard at times to focus on how things could be better it’s certainly useful to reflect on the ways that things could be worse. So give thanks for what you have, and please … enjoy! Episode Links Whakarewarewa Forest's First Aid Response | |||
| Episode 182 - Charles Amoamo | 01 Mar 2022 | 01:09:40 | |
Charles Amoamo (Whakatōhea) finished his first ultra in November, a 50 km – 11 hours and 22 minutes at the Valley Ultra. And, yeah, it was tough - rain, cold, some decent hills. But you know what, he’s tougher than all of that put together. At one point, Charles was 182 kg, experienced anxiety and had four toes amputated after a work accident, so, yeah, he’s been on a journey. Why did he do it? Well, in Charles’ own words, he did it “for mental health, for suicide awareness, for health and well-being, to be a Māori role model for our next generation, to inspire people to go climb their maunga (mountain), to not go to the grave with their song unsung. Adventure awaits you, all you need is a little courage to take that first step. Believe me, it is so worth it!” Believe us, too, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss. Also this week, we encourage everyone to get in behind Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger as they embark on a steep climb themselves after Kerry’s MTB accident, and we have a pertinent Greatest Run Ever. Enjoy! Episode Links Whakarewarewa Forest's First Aid Response | |||
| Episode 181 - Sam Harvey | 22 Feb 2022 | 01:07:35 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. Sam Harvey stood toe-to-toe with Chris Bisley in the coral at the 2021 Riverhead ReLaps knowing he was running for true love and therefore he could not be beaten. He was running with the knowledge that the golden ticket was *literally* his golden ticket back to his fiance in Nashville. Having entered the race three weeks before, Sam had enjoyed the comradeship of the wider group and relay runners until he found himself running through the night beside Bisley in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Sam’s day was ended with bio-mechanical issues after 248 kilometers and Bisley took the day. We speak to Sam after his victory at the inaugural Pigs Backyard Ultramarathon in Dunedin about fighting, coaching rugby in Nashville, Ultramarathon running, tenacity, drive, and how the tall poppy syndrome can go jump in the lake . . . Enjoy! --- --- --- Episode Links The Crank House Bicycle Studio - Home | |||
| Episode 180 - Rob Hutchings | 15 Feb 2022 | 01:29:43 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. As a young man Rob Hutchings found joy in the suffering of triathlon. A manner to escape an increasingly unhappy and violent upbringing. Choosing his own suffering, on his terms, relishing the pain that it caused him, and reveling in the savagery of competition. Years later, Rob had an epiphany after a spectacular feat of self destruction during an ultramarathon. His love of suffering during competition was an attempt to control the pain he was experiencing in his other life, in this case, a fruitless and frustrating journey to adopt children. So Rob stepped away from the suffering of organized events and into the wild outdoors. We speak to Rob about his love of massive adventures, from swimming the 256km Clutha River, to multi-day, multi-sport events which take in a combination of trail running, swimming, and cycling. We discuss his book, Downriver Nomad: A Triathlete's Adventures and Adversities into the Rapids, which details his life of adventure, discovery, and heartbreak. Rob’s story is full of twists and turns, like any good adventure, and right to the end is filled with surprises. This is a worthwhile conversation for trying times with a singular individual . Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 179 - Rob Bathgate | 08 Feb 2022 | 01:25:19 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. For those who may be unfamiliar, Wild Things is the popular and successful trail community started by Malcolm and Sally Law in 2016. The group grew (and grew) to now number in the tens of thousands, the initial interest no doubt spurred by Malcolm’s huge following. In September of 2021 there was the shock news that Malcolm and Sally were stepping away from Wild Things and Rob Bathgate was taking over the reigns. We speak to Rob about his arrival in Aotearoa, his re-discovery of running and his love of the Kaimai Ranges. Rob has faced a real challenge in the last few years in regards to his health and doesn’t shy away from this discussion. We talk about the massive undertaking that is Wild Things, and the challenges of engaging with such an enthusiastic community after the founder stepped away. We look to the future with Rob and his vision for the next stage in the continued evolution of Wild Things and the community. As per the regular we’ve got news, race results and a cracking Greatest Run Ever to get you going. Enjoy! Episode Links Wild Things Rewards and Discounts | |||
| Episode 178 - Lucy Bartholomew 2022 | 01 Feb 2022 | 01:18:59 | |
Kia Ora e te whānau. This week Matt has the pleasure of another conversation with returning guest Lucy Bartholomew. We last spoke with Lucy in 2018, after she’d placed third at Western States. Lucy was full of passion for running, the outdoors, and eating plant-based food. It feels weird to be calling someone “an old head” at 25, but Lucy has been running endurance events since she was 15 and has the perspective to back this up. The last three years have surely pushed up some challenges - some global and some personal. Lucy discusses her evolving relationship with social media, and the place it plays in the culture. We discuss how the pandemic has enabled Lucy to take a well-earned break from a punishing travel schedule, and take some time to show people that there is a human being behind the instagram posts. The love of epic missions, plant-based food, and the community is so evident in this wonderful conversation. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 177 - Adam Keen 2022 | 25 Jan 2022 | 01:30:56 | |
Kia Ora e te whānau. When you need wisdom, you don’t always find it in a yurt on the shores of Lake Hawea. But sometimes you do, and in this episode Eugene and Matt certainly did. Aerobic Edge head honcho Adam Keen interrupts a much-needed holiday to drop wisdom about coaching Brooke Thomas and Emma Timmis, managing yourself in the summer heat, the appropriate mindset for training, and life. Adam talks us through the epic adventures he has had over the summer and hammers home the point repeatedly that ‘staying savage’ (just, you know, google him) doesn’t equate to ‘being stupid’. With the uncertainty that we are all facing at the moment with Omicron rearing its ugly head and many big races looking dicey at best, Adam’s simple and stoic advice is just the tonic you need. For those of you last week who suggested an Adam Keen drinking game it’s time to pour yourself a cold one. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 176 - Emma Timmis | 18 Jan 2022 | 01:29:17 | |
This Week On The Podcast we talk with Emma Timmis about just what it takes to come back from an injury that lasts years and run the length of New Zealand in a record time - Interesting Conversations with Interesting Runners. | |||
| Episode 175 - Summer edition with Scotty Stevenson (2020) | 11 Jan 2022 | 01:20:48 | |
Kia Ora e te whānau. It’s hot, eh? This week we’ve got another greatest hit for you. In fact, not that we really pay attention to the numbers, but we have our most popular episode on DCR ever, Number 83 with the legendary Scotty Stevenson. It was hot the night that we recorded the podcast. Scotty walked into Eugene’s lounge dressed up to the nines in full TV makeup (having just left the tele to come do the pod) and proceeded to lay down one of the most engaging, honest, and entertaining hours that we ever recorded. Scotty Stevenson A broadcaster and journalist best known for his rugby commentary and reporting which makes him automatically one of the most well-known New Zealand TV personalities. He’s a sports journalist with TVNZ, and also works with Spark Sport and Radio Hauraki, commentating on cricket and the America’s Cup. He’s also a sports writer, has ghost-written and written a string of some of the best sports books, from Straight 8 about Kieran Read, to Kiwi Pair about Eric Murray and Hamish Bond. Scotty has been previously known by his childhood nickname “Sumo” as, by his own account he was the “fat kid in speedos” at surf lifesaving. But things have changed. If you were to Google Scotty Stevenson, the number one thing that pops up on auto-search is “Scotty Stevenson weight loss”. It’s because Stevenson has changed. Markedly. He has noticeably shrunk. And for those who’ve been watching closely, he started running. He’s kept very quiet about it, but goodness me, the man is well and truly hooked. Three years ago, he couldn’t run 85m. In 2019, he ran 85km, no less, through backcountry New Zealand in the Old Ghost Ultra in just over 12 hours. For those who saw the TVNZ report he did on the event, you’ll know that he found it an extremely emotional experience. We talked to Scotty about that race, his life leading up to running, what sparked his decision to lace up, and the myriad of changes that this has had on his life.Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Big race, Big Plans - How to Avoid Big Mistakes plus Andrew McDowall's WSER Dream | 28 Jun 2024 | 00:44:38 | |
Kia ora e te whānau! Our mate Andrew McDowall is quite good at running. Eugene calls him (inexplicably) the fifth Beatle of DCR, which is absolutely true if not numerically suspect. Andrew has been trying to get into Western States for what has felt like 100 years, but is actually 9 years. Which can feel like 100 years, I’m sure. He only went and bloody got in this year, and we speak to him about what this means for him, his training, and what he is most excited about. We also crack into a game of Over and Under about the most over rated, and most underrated aspects of race preparation. Baller. Episode links: Maree Leith Pledge Me for Finding Her Stride Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Episode 174 - DCR Summer edition with Dean Karnazes and Lucy Bartholomew (2018) | 04 Jan 2022 | 01:36:56 | |
So we were out on a run on the weekend thinking about how best to kick off 2022. We’ve both got a bit on for the next couple of weeks, with some cool adventures and family holidays planned. We were going back over the catalog and remembered that we’ve had some cool guests over the years that a bunch of you might not have heard. So for the next two weeks we are going to be replaying three of those interviews as sort of a greatest hits collection. We plan to be back up to full speed January 19th. This week we are going to give you a sweet double header. We’ll take waaay back to our 7th ever episode for a conversation with ultra running legend Dean Karnazes. Then we’ll head on over to episode 14 and our discussion with Australian powerhouse Lucy Bartholemew. Dean Karnazes Over a 25 year career Dean has run more ultramarathons that one can count, set various endurance records, gained 11 one day buckles at Western States Endurance Run and has been a previous Badwater winner. Dean is a best-selling author, having written five books detailing his life and adventures whilst running, including his epic 50/50 - which detailed Dean running 50 Marathons in 50 states of the USA in 50 days and The Road To Sparta, which details his odyssey leading up to and including the Spartathlon in Greece. His latest book, A Runner’s High, covers Dean’s return to Western States after a long absence. Perhaps what Dean is best known for is his unrelenting positivity, advocacy, and love of running, activity and inspiring others to move and challenge what they thought possible. Lucy Bartholemew What were you up to when you were 22? Possibly (probably) not coming third at Western States Endurance Run and travelling the world exploring, running for Salomon, and espousing your passion for a plant-based diet like Lucy Bartholomew. Lucy joined us for a wide ranging conversation about her history with the sport, her ongoing successes and her beliefs that truly social and positive media can enhance experience, enjoyment and connection for young women rather than take away from it. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 173 - DCR 2021 Christmas special ft Ruth Croft and Andrew McDowall | 21 Dec 2021 | 01:29:09 | |
Matt, Eugene and Andrew McDowall sit in Andrew’s super fancy studio and run down the year that was. The highs and the lows, the struggles and triumph and all the amazing races and performances that happened in the 100 Year War that was 2021. We speak to the returning champion and actual champion Ruth Croft, all the way from the Best Coast about her massive year, and how whilst some things changed, most (thankfully) didn’t. We go through your nominations for performance of the year (Rhymes with Youth Loft) race of the year, and FKT of the year, we announce the winner of our Zero2Twenty sports co silent auction, with all proceeds going to Women’s Refuge and reflect on our highlights of what was a very memorable 12 months. We will be taking a well-deserved break and aiming to be back to you all mid January 2022. We want to thank you all for your fellowship and support and wish you and yours a festive season filled with love, happiness, and muddy ankles. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 172 - Mikki Williden 2021 | 14 Dec 2021 | 01:37:36 | |
This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak to triathlete, ultra runner, podcast host, and nutritionist Dr Mikki Williden. This is Mikki’s second go ‘round on the old DCR and this time we really wanted to get into the weeds about some specific nutrition topics around the silly season, including how do we enjoy ourselves and not go off the rails (too much)? What’s the latest thinking around race nutrition and how does one go about dialling that in? Tips for finding out what works for you, and also a discussion around the topic of RED-S, or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. Mikki is encyclopedic (Mikkipedic?) in her knowledge and delivers said knowledge in an engaging and entertaining manner. We also touch on Mikki’s training and preparation for the upcoming Kepler and Tarawera 100km races. Matt gets trapped in a parking garage (not a euphemism) and we run down all the race results, a cracking GRE and discuss our upcoming end of year extravaganza. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 171 - Madeleine Collins | 07 Dec 2021 | 01:29:17 | |
This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak to New Zealand representative orienteer, teacher, race director, and all-round legend Madeleine Collins. Madeleine is one half of Lactic Turkey events and tells us of the ongoing challenges of running an events company in the midst of a global pandemic. We also discuss her five year recovery from a traumatic brain injury, the adventures that the Collins whanau have had along the way, WUU2K, training for The Revenant, and the mighty Karamatura Accumulation Challenge (or, KAC) . This is an exceptional conversation with an exceptional human being and we hope you love it as much as we did. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 170 - Matt Fenn | 30 Nov 2021 | 01:33:26 | |
This week on the podcast Eugene is again ganged up on with he and Matt speaking to the incredible Matt Fenn. Matt is an athlete who focuses on running as a means to spark conversation, unite, and inspire. In March 2021 Matt ran 654km, one kilometre for every Kiwi who lost their life to suicide in the last year, breaking the New Zealand distance running record in the process. Not content with this, on the first of December Matt will begin running and won’t stop until there has been 1 million comments on a single social media post. Matt has committed to running a minimum of 1000 kilometres and will do so within the parameters that Guiness have set in an attempt to break a world record. Matt has a passion for storytelling and speaking to the immense impact resilience, alongside love and support can have on enabling us to achieve anything, including conquering inner battles. Matt shares his beginnings in high level sport, his struggles once he achieved what he thought were his goals, and the manner and methods by which he lives his life and looks to engage others around wellbeing, mental health, and connectedness. Enjoy! Episode Links | |||
| Episode 169 - Mat Grills (The Tattoo Runner) | 23 Nov 2021 | 01:21:06 | |
Matt and Eugene speak to the legendary Tattoo Runner, Mat Grills. This conversation is a wee rip-snorter: From uber-jacked frontman in a Christian Hardcore band to running his first marathon with his dad, to brain surgery, to the police, to ultramarathons, approximately 10000 tattoos to now being the proud co-owner of two cafes and having just come off the back of 50 days of consecutive marathons (with 10 x 50kms thrown in there), Mat’s story is incredible. Inspiring, positive, and rather epic if we do say so ourselves. Why would you do 50 days of marathon distance whilst trying to also have a normal working life? If you were training to run across Australia you might, which is what Mat is planning in 2022. All this and the usual Stuff You Should Know, race results and a love letter Greatest Run Ever. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 168 - Katie Wright 2021 | 16 Nov 2021 | 01:24:10 | |
Keeping up with the theme of returning legends on DCR this week Eugene and Matt are joined by Katie Wright. For those of you perhaps unfamiliar, Katie was the first woman in the world to win a Last Person Standing event at the inaugural Riverhead Relaps in 2019. From there Katie found herself at Big’s Backyard where she was one of the final four, romping to a massive 50 yards, or 332.8km. Last year, Katie won the 2020 Tarawera 100 mile race in ding-dong fashion ahead of Fiona Hayvice (and, oh yeah, Katie snatched second in 2019 behind Camille Herron). This time, heading to Big’s Backyard had a different feel to it, having been sidelined with a netball injury for most of the year and achieving a peak running week total of 35km. We speak to Katie about her year, her return to Big’s, how to Sous Vide Tofu in an MIQ kettle, and the strangeness of travel amidst a pandemic. We’ve got races (YES!) A Greatest Run Ever, and Eugene and Jaime and Andrew did a thing . Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 167 - Camille Herron 2021 | 09 Nov 2021 | 01:14:58 | |
This week Matt and Eugene are reunited with returning guest, ultrarunning legend and all-round legend Camille Herron!! This really does warrant two exclamation marks as Camille lays down the challenges that she has overcome in the last while in the lead up to her course record performance at the Javelina Jundred two weeks ago. Holding several world records (I mean, she’s honestly lost count) Camille talks to us how a very specific metabolic condition left her scratching her head after a string of fatigue-plagued performances and leaving her (and others) wondering if her days of high performance were behind her. Happily, this is absolutely not the case and Camille is now back, stronger and fitter than ever, and absolutely raring to go add some more world records to her bag. We dare you to listen to this conversation and not be completely inspired and stoked. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 166 - Harita Davies | 02 Nov 2021 | 01:18:39 | |
This week we catch up with the remarkable Harita Davies, fresh from her national record-breaking performance at the famous Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 mile race in New York (50 days, 13 hours, 23 minutes and 14 seconds). We learn the surprising things about recovering from such a long run, what you eat and drink when you’re in the middle of such an assault on the body (watch out for baking soda’s move into the world of ultra-running!), and the important things Harita learned in the build-up to the race, lessons which changed her perspective. Harita also talks about her spiritual journey, finding her way to Sri Chinmoy, how sport helped her with depression as a child, and how endometriosis stopped her from running for years. We also run through the news, including the new date for Kepler, Ruth Croft’s great win in France, and the results from Mission Mt Somers. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 165 - Hazel Harrison | 26 Oct 2021 | 01:26:13 | |
This week, the amazing Hazel Harrison. From an 800m-running army nurse to Marathon des Sables completing ultra runner (5th in her age group!), Hazel’s journey has been incredible. Navigating Covid, surviving cancer, and then actually getting to the race itself are just the beginnings of this epic tale. Hazel had to endure extreme conditions, the death of a fellow competitor, and major insults to her physical system to complete this amazing race. We also run through all the news from Big’s Backyard, a phenomenal Greatest Run Ever and consider changing the name of the podcast to Hair Church Radio because gosh, we need to get to the barbers. Enjoy! | |||
| Anthony Kerr-Taylor: From zero running to an endurance record in just four years. How has he done it? | 18 Jun 2024 | 01:19:19 | |
Kia ora e te whānau! Anthony Kerr-Taylor – Ant K-T – couldn’t tell you what got him out onto the Riverhead trails during the country’s first Covid lockdown, but that first run four years ago has lead to a string of incredible results including an 8th place at this year’s Tarawera Ultra Trail 100 mile and a couple weeks ago Ant ran 348kms (or 52 laps) at Kings Backyard to take the record for the farthest run at a backyard on New Zealand soil. Ant talks us through “going down the rabbit hole” in this amazing conversation. Honest, inspiring, and assured, Ant K-T is one to watch. Best Enjoyed Running Sign up to the DCR AidStation newsletter Tina Buch’s LEA and REDs Research Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Episode 164 - Andy Jones-Wilkins | 19 Oct 2021 | 01:33:25 | |
Matt and Eugene are joined by a true legend of our sport, Andy Jones-Wilkins. AJW (as he is known) began running ultramarathons in 1996 as a way to maintain fitness in between transcontinental cycling trips with his wife, Shelly. AJW was a stalwart top-ten finisher at Western States in the early 2000’s, finishing in the top ten seven consecutive times with a career-best second place to the mighty Scott Jurek in 2005. Andy has just celebrated ten years of his column “AJW’s Taproom” on iRunfar, and is a frequent contributor to the grandpappy of all trail podcasts Trail Runner Nation. Andy’s professional life has been in education and this shines through in this incredible conversation. We talk about his history in the sport, how he feels after 30 years in the sport, his first 12 hour race, his greatest beer ever, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the Western States Endurance Run course. Enthusiastic, affable, and so knowledgeable, this conversation was such a tonic and we hope you love it too. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 163 - Robbie Britton 2021 | 12 Oct 2021 | 01:32:34 | |
Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure of welcoming Robbie Britton back to Dirt Church Radio. Robbie first guested on episode 99 when we talked about representing Great Britain at the world 24 hour champs, being a coach, his master’s degree in science, and his absolute love of adventure. Robbie has now added the title “author” to his repertoire, with the imminent release of his book 1001 Running Tips - The Essential Runner’s Guide. Robbie is fresh from his first ultra distance running event in two years, full of a cold, and in excellent form. This is an engaging and energetic conversation which covers the evolution of coaching knowledge, athletic life in the new normal, the importance of academic rigour and also why you should keep your scabby paws out of the communal nuts at the aid station, ya filthy animals. Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 162 - Pat Davies | 28 Sep 2021 | 01:16:50 | |
Pat Davies served in the Gulf Wars and conflict zones such as Afghanistan and the Falklands during his military career. Starting off as a 17-year-old in the RAF, he eventually ended up moving with his family to New Zealand and joining the RNZAF, and now works for Defence. Along the way, it’s fair to say, he’s seen some things people shouldn’t have to. And those experiences take their toll. In this conversation, Pat talks candidly and openly about the mental health impacts of serving in those environments and how there was a time when it was not the done thing to talk about what you were going through and, instead, to self-medicate with alcohol (for some) or take a stiff upper lip approach (for others). These days, he knows how important it is to seek help, and it’s a message he wants to spread. He also knows that, for him, running makes a difference. He started running when he first joined the Air Force and he’s barely stopped, along the way running in some pretty amazing places, from having to carry a firearm to protect himself from wild dogs in Kuwait, to the stunning Coromandel in one of his favourite ultras, the Kauri Run, to running with the Night Ninjas. Our GRE this week is a throw-back to 30 years ago, and we round up some of the races and adventures over the weekend, some more revealing than others (looking at you, Dougie …). Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 161 - Guyon Espiner | 21 Sep 2021 | 01:23:14 | |
Guyon Espiner is a legend of New Zealand journalism. From his time in the Press Gallery, to his work as TVNZ’s political editor, to the host of Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report, to his current work as an investigative reporter producing impactful podcasts such as The Service and Red Line. What you might not know about Guyon is that he has completed over 20 marathons, several ultramarathons and many epic adventures around the world. Of late, Guyon has faced a new challenge, with his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, however he is rising to the challenge and continues to run. This is a rip-roaring discussion taking in Guyon’s running history, his journalism, his love and advocacy of te reo Māori, and all points in between. We have a seriously epic GRE, all the results for Tor Des Geants and an awesome running-related kīwaha from the man himself: Kei te pēhea koe? Kua pau te hau, e hoa, kua pau te hau. How are you? I’m stuffed, mate! Enjoy! | |||
| Episode 160 - Maz Krogh, Protect our Winters | 14 Sep 2021 | 01:29:33 | |
It’s uncertain times, right? And certainly at the moment it feels like we are all faced with multiple challenges. Climate change and extreme weather events seem to be playing a major part in that uncertainty. What can we, as trail runners who engage with the outdoors so regularly, do about this? Eugene and Matt speak to Maz Krogh, runner, physiotherapist, ski instructor, and lead advocate for Protect Our Winters Aotearoa. Protect Our Winters Aotearoa connects passionate outdoor enthusiasts and everyone who loves and needs winter to generate positive climate outcomes. PoW focuses on educational initiatives and community-based empowerment to preserve New Zealand’s alpine playground. This conversation covers the difference between climate change and weather, how we as trail runners can engage in positive environmental outcomes, how to engage with other people about climate effectively (and whilst being cool about it). We also talk Maz’s first summer in nine years, how difficult ski mountaineering is, the joy of running in the mountains, and how Maz went from growing up on a dairy farm in Dannevirke to the slopes of Whistler. As usual, we’ve a brilliant Greatest Run Ever, news of a massive FKT attempt on the Colorado trail and a celebration of kupu (words) that relate to trail running as it’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Ka Rawe! | |||
| Episode 159 - Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter, Squadrun | 07 Sep 2021 | 01:23:29 | |
Returning champions Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger from Squadrun are back at it to drop the knowledge bombs and provide the necessary lockdown inspiration for the people! With Eugene and Matt’s live show with the dynamic duo scuppered because, well…reasons, we thought that it was no better time to tap into the huge knowledge base that the two founding coaches of Squadrun bring to the table. An almost incomprehensibly tired Matt (road running is hard, ok) and Eugene discuss how to set goals when there is no consistency in modern life, how to enliven flat training, and prepare for a race that may not be. We cover just how different 100 mile training can be to a regular old hundie and break down some fundamental facets of a successful miler training plan. On top of our main conversation we’ve got all the regular DCR goodness with a brilliant Greatest Run Ever and all the news from the ongoing Golden Trail series plus an update on Aleksandr Sorokin’s amazing world 24 Hour record. Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 158 - Barefoot Ted McDonald | 31 Aug 2021 | 01:52:18 | |
Barefoot Ted McDonald is a shaman. In 2009 he became a central character in Christopher McDougall’s best selling book about natural running and movement, Born To Run. Ted was initially portrayed (perhaps unfairly) as the quintessential ugly American, a brash, larger than life counterpoint to the retiring Tarahumara, the legendary distance runners whom McDougall’s party had ventured to the Copper Canyons of Northern Mexico to engage with. Ted’s arc formed the emotional pivot of the book when McDougall described the bond between Ted and Manuel Luna, a Tarahumara man whose son had been brutally murdered by a drug cartel. Since the book’s publication Barefoot Ted (as he is now widely known) has become synonymous with barefoot running and an advocate for us investigating our atavistic potential for natural movement. Ted’s call that running should be a state of play; joyful and unhindered. First with Five Fingers and now with his own company Luna Sandals, Ted sells footwear that at periods in our history were ubiquitous, however now are considered iconoclastic or niche. The son of an LAPD detective, who grew up ensconced in the surf and skateboard culture of 1970’s California, Ted’s curiosity for what propels us has changed the course of his life - and arguably many others. Ted beamed in with us from the Republic of California in a sun drenched ray of pure joy. Answering our questions before they were asked, and riffing mighty on the microdosing of movement, how play is vital to life, and the holism of community. Ted talked about his recent adventures at Leadville, his evolution from pioneer to elder and all points in between. What is so evident is Ted’s love of life, and those strange critters that are human beings. At the end of our conversation, Ted hooted “LIVE JAZZ” and he’s not wrong ... This is the conversational equivalent of Sun Ra’s Space is the Place. Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 157 - Scotty Hawker 2021 | 24 Aug 2021 | 01:17:02 | |
This week Eugene and Matt come charging out of Level Four (well, figuratively) for an excellent conversation with Scotty Hawker. If you’d asked Scotty if he would have been in Europe 8 months ago, lining up for the 100km CCC, you probably would have gotten laughed at. In the last kilometre of his last run of 2020, Scotty sustained a potentially career-ending ankle injury. Further to this, and more importantly, Scotty was facing some personal issues which made the injury “the least of my problems”. As with other conversations we’ve had with Scotty you’ll hear through this how he has built himself back, with discipline, seeking wisdom, and connection with others. Kinda feels like the conversation we needed to have at the moment, right? We have a beautiful Greatest Run Ever and holy moly it’s 2014 all over again with Anton Krupicka running 100 miles. Who would’ve thought? Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 156 - Mary Fisher | 17 Aug 2021 | 01:34:12 | |
This week Eugene and Matt have the privilege and pleasure to speak with Aotearoa/New Zealand Para swimmer Mary Fisher! Prior to her retirement from the structure, rigor, and scrutiny of high performance sport in 2018, Mary won Gold at the London and Rio Paralympics in world-record times. After that, Mary chose to do something relaxing, like run the Tarawera 87 km. Eugene and Matt speak to Mary after her recent running of the (completely heckers) WUU2K, which Mary finished with her guide, Carrie Buckmaster. We speak to Mary about her love of the trails, advocacy and inclusion in sport, and how trail running can become more accessible. This conversation transcends “inspiration”, rather being a conversation with a person who enjoys trail running and has the mindset of an elite athlete who happens to have a visual impairment. And a bunch of gold medals.We have a great Greatest Run Ever and Matt rants a bit about how good late 90’s Swedish power-pop is. Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 155 - Ryan Carr | 10 Aug 2021 | 01:26:03 | |
We have a first on this week’s Dirt Church Radio. We’ve never spoken to an actual (literal) shepherd before. Let alone a shepherd who goes after it as hard as Ryan Carr does. Rocketing onto the trail running scene in 2017, Ryan has enjoyed a string of victories and podiums at Aotearoa/New Zealand’s hardest races including the Luxmore Grunt, The Tongariro Goat, and Mt Difficulty half. Eugene and Matt were able to put this together after Ryan got snowed in on the West Coast of the South Island after his win at the Resilience Ultra 62 km. We hear about Ryan’s love of being in the outdoors, and his many adventures in Europe, cycling between Sky Races in the European circuit and an impromptu S-K Main Range attempt which saw him miss the solo FKT by 30 seconds after CYCLING from Amberlea where he lives, to Tongariro to race the Goat and come second. We talk all this, fell running (including how long it takes to break in a pair of Walsh’s, the famous Northern fell shoe), bumbags, midnight dips in Lake Te Anau and just how full-on a Spanish ultra crowd can be. Enjoy. | |||
| Tasting Fitness, Finding Her Stride, and Running into the Teeth of the Gale | 14 Jun 2024 | 00:35:09 | |
Kia ora e te whānau. This week we speak to the returning champion and guest on DCR episode 102 Coach Maree Leith of GoRunGirls. We talk to Maree about her efforts in writing and publishing her first book, Finding Her Stride, a compilation of 19 New Zealand woman runners and their stories. We also discuss our top tips for hitting the streets in the midst of winter, nerd out about headlamps (well, Matt does). We announce our new competition with The Spectacle, Aotearoa’s newest running festival, taking place December 13th-15th in Whakatū/Nelson. Episode links: Maree Leith Pledge Me for Finding Her Stride Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Enjoy! Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake | |||
| Episode 154 - Bryon Powell | 03 Aug 2021 | 01:18:30 | |
This week Eugene and Matt head back to the Mountain Time Zone for an amazing conversation with iRunFar editor-in-chief Bryon Powell. We talk recovery from Hardrock, how good it is to be back at it racing post COVID, and how 2020, whilst very challenging, did allow a chance for a reset. Matt has a legitimate fanboy moment and shows Bryon his dog-eared copy of Relentless Forward Progress that Powell signed in 2014. Bryon’s passion for the sport and knowledge of the culture is legend, and this discussion touches on a lot of it, from Bryon’s athletic beginnings and the start of iRunFar, to what the future holds - both of the sport in general and for iRunFar. We also discuss how running can remain part of your life without being the defining part of your life. Once a runner, always a runner. As usual, we’ve got results, Stuff You Should Know, Greatest Run Ever and all the racing results you need. Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 153 - Chloe Wickman | 27 Jul 2021 | 01:32:34 | |
Seven years ago on a trip to Brazil Chloe Wickman noticed the overwhelming explosion of body positivity and vibrancy which saw all shapes and sizes embrace colour and celebration. Wanting to capture the joy and confidence of the mulit-coloured clothing she had experienced Chloe started Zeenya Clothing. If you’ve stood on the start line of any trail run or major ultramarathon in the last few years in Aotearoa you will have seen a woman rocking Zeenya tights. Even more recently, the brand has experienced a huge lift thanks to the enthusiasm of the Zeenya community and ambassadors. We speak to Chloe about her own running journey, body positivity, community, engagement, and her experiences working in Para sport and even volunteering at the 2016 Olympics. We also draw our Crater Rim competition winner, drill down through our mailbox (including a link to an exciting virtual race) smash through the race and FKT news, and the most lyric GRE we’ve ever had. Enjoy. | |||
| Episode 152 - WUU2K 2021 Special | 20 Jul 2021 | 01:13:11 | |
Kia Ora Whānau. Some would say that Gareth Thomas has enjoyed a magic run of weather in the four years that WUU2K (Wellington Urban Ultramarathon) has been run. We all hoped that 2021 would be an extension of that great weather however it was sadly not to be. Faced with difficult choices everywhere he turned, Gareth ultimately had the choice made for him by the Meteorological Service. So the whole field ended up battling the 21km course in the teeth of the most challenging conditions many had experienced. The episode starts at registration, with Eugene and Matt catching up with Gareth and Volunteer Manager, Cate Shave. We also have a catch up with Spike and Fiona Hayvice at the finish line on top of a freezing Mt Victoria. We reconvene the conversation the next day in far-drier environs (thanks, Rydges Wellington!!) to run down the race, go through results, Hardrock weekend, and all the good stuff. We also have a post-race catch-up with race director Gareth, who it would be fair to say has been through his share of professional and personal challenges over the past 12 months. Thanks Wellington for being O for Oarsome and thanks to all who shouted out on the course!! Enjoy. | |||