Making A Runner – Details, episodes & analysis

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Making A Runner

Nic Acampora

Sports

Frequency: 1 episode/11d. Total Eps: 133

Making A Runner is a podcast about the journey of becoming a better runner — physically, mentally, and over the long run. Hosted by Coach and Biokineticist Nic Acampora, the show brings together experts from the running world and everyday runners to unpack the realities of training, racing, injury, and performance. Expect practical insights, honest conversations, and a proudly South African perspective on what it really takes to build yourself into a runner; whether you are looking at improving your Parkrun run or running your first Comrades. Because great runners aren’t born — they’re made.

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🇨🇦 Canada - running
20/08/2026
#59
🇬🇧 Great Britain - running
16/07/2026
#85
🇬🇧 Great Britain - running
08/07/2026
#93
🇬🇧 Great Britain - running
07/07/2026
#77

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https://www.instagram.com/communitytrackclub
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https://www.patreon.com/MakingARunner
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Score global : 32%

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S3|E26 - What You Can Learn From Your Feet; a masterclass in foot biomechanics with Podiatrist, Nelfrie Kemp

Season 3 · Episode 26

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 • Duration 01:01:25

In this second part of our conversation Nic and Nelfrie Kemp go into the details of foot anatomy, biomechanics, common injuries and answer some of the questions from our listeners.

Nelfrie discusses the importance of everyday shoe wear, the complexity of foot biomechanics, and the significant impact it has on running mechanics. From addressing common foot problems to debunking the idea of quick fixes, this episode is packed with valuable information for every runner. So lace up your shoes and get ready to learn about the crucial role of foot mechanics in running.

Episode Timestamps:

05:43 Foot mechanics hinge on big toe activation.

11:17 Identifying foot wear patterns and calluses.

19:54 Managing Morton's Neuroma: footwork, support, shoe change.

26:31 Plantar fasciitis often misdiagnosed, consider broader causes.

29:50 Rest from running essential for injury recovery.

34:20 Pilates teacher's footwear change prevents foot problems.

39:07 Podcast discussing orthotics and their long-term use.

47:55 Addressing hip and foot imbalances for runners.

50:47 Lukewarm water and Epsom salts heal infections.

56:38 Consider various factors contributing to foot numbness.

01:00:07 Small piece in holistic approach to treatment.

We hope you enjoy the conversation and find it insightful! Feel free to reach out on our social channels @makingarunner or chat directly with Nelfrie @Nelfriekemp on Instagram or via her website www.nelfriekemp.co.za .

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S3|E25 - Pre Race Carbo-Loading 101; all you need to know with Sports Nutrition Expert, Annie Bothma

Season 3 · Episode 25

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 • Duration 01:03:10

In this episode, Nic sits down with sports nutrition expert Annie Bothma to delve deep into the world of carb loading for runners. Together, they explore the essential role carbohydrates play in endurance exercise, tracing the history and evolution of carb loading as a strategy for athletes.

Topics Discussed:

Why Carb Loading Matters: Annie explains the significance of carbohydrates in delaying fatigue during endurance events, especially those lasting over 90 minutes.
The Evolution of Carb Loading: The discussion covers how carb loading techniques have changed over time, and why modern approaches differ from older practices.
Guidelines for Effective Carb Loading: Nic and Annie outline practical steps for athletes to follow, including the recommended intake of 8 to 12 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight for 2 to 3 days leading up to the race.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls: They highlight the fine line between effective carb loading and overeating, ensuring that runners can maximize their energy stores without overindulging.
Choosing the Right Carbs: Annie advises on selecting high to moderate glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates that are low in fiber and fat to optimize performance and minimize digestive discomfort.
Hydration and Carb Loading: They discuss the importance of proper hydration during carb loading, emphasizing the need for adequate fluid and sodium intake as carbs store water in the muscles.
Personalized Nutrition: The episode wraps up with a conversation on the importance of individualization in nutrition plans, and how working with a sports nutritionist can provide tailored advice to meet specific needs.

Whether you're preparing for a marathon or an ultra-distance event, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help you fuel up effectively and cross the finish line strong. Your racing performance will thank you for it.

S3|E16 - Hydration for Endurance Running with Coach and Fueling Specialist, Andy Brodziak.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 • Duration 01:23:35

Are you willing to reconsider everything you think you know about hydration?

This episode had us diving into the deep waters of hydration for endurance sports, with multiple Kona Ironman World Championship contender, Sport Scientist and Coach, Andy Brodziak, who is a representative of Precision Hydration - an industry leader in all things, you guessed it, hydration.

What may appear to be a pretty straight forward topic is actually a lot more technical and subjective than we realised.

In today's episode Andy shares his wealth of knowledge and helps us understand how being well-hydrated goes far beyond just drinking enough water. By dialing in and finding homeostasis for our unique hydration needs - we could stand to feel and perform at out very best!

We chat:

The difference between dehydration and being over-hydrated and the risks associated with both.
Sweat, sweat rate and what we can learn from the quality and quantity of our sweat.
The 101 on Electrolytes.
All things sodium; table salt, salt tablets, salty snacks, sodium in hydration drinks and more...
The gist on caffeine/caffeine supplements and where they fit into the plan.
Homeostasis; discovering and meeting our carbohydrate, salt and fluid needs for ultimate performance in training and competition.
Precision Hydration testing and discovering your UNIQUE fuel and hydration requirements.

The work that Andy and the team at Precision Hydration are doing stands to change the game of endurance sport. We are honored to have had this conversation and know that there is still much to discover and discuss. If you'd like to continue learning about the subject or get hold of the team, here are a list of resources:

S3|E15 - Your Comrades Up Run Raceday Strategy and final preparation with Coach Lindsey Parry

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 • Duration 01:25:33

Overview:

In this episode Nic and Davey are back and chatting to Official Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry, discussing race day strategy and final preparation for the Ultimate Human Race.

In the conversation Lindsey emphasises the importance of getting to race day feeling fresh and pain-free advising runners to embrace the fatigue and understand that it is normal at this stage of training. He recommends a gradual tapering of training volume and intensity in the last two weeks before the race. Lindsey also highlights the mental aspect of running Comrades, including setting smaller goals during the tough parts of the race and trusting the training process. He provides insights into the up-run route and the challenges runners can expect at different sections of the course. The conversation provides a detailed breakdown of the Comrades Marathon up run, including key points along the route, pacing strategies, and tips for achieving specific goals.

Lindsey Parry explains the course and highlights the challenges and opportunities at each stage. He emphasises the importance of pacing, especially for those aiming for a Bill Rowan or Silver medal. He also discusses the possibility of breaking the up run record and provides overall advice for training and final preparation.

You can access more insight from Coach Parry on https://coachparry.com/?via=nic

Whether you are an experienced Comrades runner, Novice or non runner, this episode will hold all the insight you need to conquer the Ultimate Human race. Enjoy the conversation and all the best from the MAR Team.

Time Stamps:

15:00 - Getting to Race Day: Freshness and Pain-Free

20:14 - Tapering: Gradual Reduction in Training

39:30 - Understanding the Up-Run Route: Challenges and Highlights

47:23 - Course Overview and Key Points

01:02:25 - Understanding the Cutoffs

01:06:19 - Setting Goal Times and Pacing Strategies

S3|E14 - Master your Mental Game with Mental Performance Coach, Giovanni Bianco

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 • Duration 01:11:46

Every experienced runner knows that when the going gets tough you better be on top of your mental game! But mental strength is often only something that comes along with years of experience and some tough lessons learnt.

But mental gains can be trained and with developing the right habits, it could be the key to unlocking not only your best performance, but your perception of satisfaction too.

It all starts with deciding what kind of runner you want to be…

That’s where our guest today comes in, Giovanni Bianco, Mental Performance Coach and All-American Triathlete, helps us master our mental game. We chat:

Dealing with discomfort, failure and self doubt.
The power of deciding what kind of runner you want to BE and how this can transform your running experience good/bad.
Mental strength: having it vs developing it.
Creating the “perfect race conditions” vs waiting got everything to line up.

Give Giovanni a follow on Social Media @giovannimentalperformance and feel free to reach out to him if you are in need of a mental coach that knows how to get the best out of his athletes.

We hope you enjoyed the show!

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S3|E13 - Finding Homeostasis: Running, Nutrition and Your Hormones with Annie Bothma, Professional Athlete, Nutritionist and Coach.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 • Duration 01:23:12

In a modern society that thrives on comfort, choosing to run and push the boundaries on performance is inherently uncomfortable. It's going beyond what's normal and as athletes, our nutrition should reflect that...

Unfortunately this is often not the case and nutrition is an afterthought, second to training. But they are not actually separate things, they go hand in hand in finding hormonal homeostasis - balance - which is reflected back to us in our ability to maintain or improve our performance.

Today's episode takes a closer look at the effect that fuelling has on hormones and as a result our training. Our guest, Annie Bothma, a certified Master Sports Nutritionist, Running Coach and Professional Athlete helps unpack:

Hormones, what they are and why they matter.
Cortisol, stress and recovery.
Sex hormones and issues with energy availability; REDS, LEA.
The impact of fasting and calorie restriction.
How good nutrition and adequate fuelling can support hormonal health.
The difference between training for weight loss and training for performance and why it's vital to differentiate between the two.
And more...

This is the kind of episode that you can return to time and time again and learn something new every time.

As Annie mentions, if you suspect that a loved one or training buddy is suffering the consequences of poor nutrition or any of the concepts discussed in this episode, please encourage them to seek professional help! We cannot do this sport without taking care of our health.

If you'd like to reach out to Annie, find her at: https://www.anniesathletes.org/ and to learn more about her journey as an athlete and professional, we encourage you to follow her blog too - https://www.anniebothma.com/

Feel free to reach out to us at anytime on socials: https://www.instagram.com/makingarunner?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

S3|E12 - DEEP DIVE - Understanding Running Knee Injuries with Dr Martin Khoury

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 • Duration 01:13:35

We bring to you another deep dive with one of our favourite guests on the show, Dr Martin Khoury is not your average Chiropractor. His inquisitive nature and steadfast pursuit for answers make for an excellent combination in solving the puzzling problems that people present with - and give us the opportunity to bring you an even better conversation. Not only is he mega-smart, he also has an extensive running CV to boast.

Today we chat strictly to problems surrounding the knee, one of the most commonly injured areas for runners.

We talk through some unconventional theories about why people present with maladies in the first place and how the body tells a story through its biomechanical patterns…if we’re able to tune in and read the signs, we may be able to interpret and prevent some of the injuries that otherwise take us by surprise.

Our conversation addresses:

The anatomical structure of the knee.
3 common knee conditions, their symptoms and treatment options including: Patella Tendon pain, ITB issues and Patella Tracking issues.
How running can expose weaknesses that otherwise wouldn’t have been discovered.
Trail running as an alternative to road running and in which conditions it may be helpful/harmful.

We hope that today's episode gave you the insight you need to tackle any current and future knee injuries. If you have any questions feel free to reach out on info@makingarunner.com or give us a follow on our socials @makingarunner and don't forget to review and share with your running buddy.

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S3|E11 - DEEP DIVE - The Balancing Act of Endurance Running with Dr Jordan Leppan

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 • Duration 55:41

"We have to learn to bend before we break,"...

What started out as a finish line conversation after a particularly gruelling marathon (in one of Durban's finest displays of humidity), resulted in what you'll hear today. With those words, Jordy nudged us towards a reality that few are prepared to acknowledge, and ultimately forced the question to be asked: what are the limits of endurance?

Today is a deep dive and exploration into the human body and how it responds to endurance training with a special focus on HORMONES!

Thanks to Jordy's personal experience in covering ultra-distances and his medical training as a doctor, he is able to break down and help us understand how to tread the fine line between exercise being a helpful tool in the pursuit of health and longevity and when we may be short changing ourself and pushing boundaries at the potential risk of, serious and irreparable damage...

Today we learn about:

What are hormones and why are humans ultimately "hormone puppets" governed by them.
How hormones are created and how body fat, digestive health and nutrition are all intimately linked.
The 'exercise paradox' and using exercise as a form of medicine/drug.
The dark-side of training/or not being able to train and how it relates to our mental health.
Training, ageing and longevity in the sport.
Learning how to appreciate the plateaus and shifting the goal post when performance-based goals are no longer an option.

As you'll hear, Jordy is a master of his craft, both on 'the field' and in the office, he is also a fantastic story teller and will have you rethinking your 'why' when it comes to running - which is always a great idea to revisit and realign with.

We hope that today's conversation leaves you feeling both inspired and empowered about your running and your health.

Let us know if you enjoyed this 2 part conversation and make sure to share with a running buddy so that we can ensure that we are all able to run stronger for longer.

Enjoy!

S3|E10 - The TTOM Special Edition with Irvette van Zyl

Thursday, March 28, 2024 • Duration 01:01:18

Returning to the start line of The Total Sports Two Ocean Marathon this year we have Irvette van Zyl "aka The other South African in the ladies elite field", as Irvette jokingly recalls the 2022 race and how Gerda pipped her in the last 3km to take the win and break the course record.

In today's conversation - our most candid and authentic one to date (our apologies for all of the audio blips) - we hear about the past two years of injuries, and challenges that she's faced in her fight back up to the top.

With her incredible CV of experience in road running and the insights gained within the period of struggle, she was our top pick for a single episode on the TTOM and why it remains Africa's finest ultra-marathon.

We chat:

Race day planning and what to expect from the next 2 weeks
Nutrition and race day fuelling
The route and what to expect from the day
Pro tips including the best seconding spots and choosing the racing line to avoid the ITB_biting camber
Alternative training and staying fit recovering while recovering from injury
Inspiring sentiments and words of inspiration to get you psyched up to run your best TTOM

Need more info? Remember that in Season 2 (2023) we covered a 6 episode series on the Total Sports Two Oceans - feel free to go back and re listen to the magic from all our previous Two Oceans experts.

All the best for this years race!

Want to connect with us? Feel free to pop us an email on info@makingarunner.com or follow us on social media @makingarunner on Instagram or Facebook.

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S3|E9 - DEEP DIVE - The Balancing Act of Endurance Running with Dr Jordan Leppan

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 • Duration 01:09:59

"We have to learn to bend before we break,"...

Today is a deep dive and exploration into the human body and how it responds to endurance training. Thanks to Jordy's personal experience in covering ultra-distances and his medical training as a doctor, he is able to break down and help us understand how to tread the fine line between exercise being a helpful tool in the pursuit of health and longevity and when we may be short changing ourself and pushing boundaries at the potential risk of, serious and irreparable damage...

Today we learn about:

The cardiovascular and pulmonary systems - in short, what happens to your heart and lungs when you train to get fitter and faster.
The process of pre-race screening, why it matters and how it is evolving to benefit our sport and its participants.
'Earning the right to train hard' and how to get there, safely and sustainably!
The problem with thinking that 'better' is the only goal.
The 101 on falling ill and managing sickness + why we tend to get sick in a taper period and what we can do to avoid it.

We hope that today's conversation leaves you feeling both inspired and empowered about your running and your health.

Look out for Part 2 coming soon...(date tbc).

Making A Runner – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Making A Runner – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other34

Instagram8

Patreon2

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other34

Instagram8

Patreon2

Apple Podcasts

Spotify