The Running Voyager – Details, episodes & analysis

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In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Wayne Hunter to explore his life, career, and remarkable transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a background in engineering, Wayne came to Japan at the age of 23 and has since spent most of his 37 years in the country working in private membership club management. He is married with two daughters and has had the unique experience of living in a four-generation household with his in-laws in Chiba.

Wayne’s running journey began as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At his heaviest, Wayne weighed 185kg, and after witnessing deaths within his work circle, he made the decision to change his life. Over an 18-month period starting in the summer of 2020, Wayne lost an extraordinary 54% of his body weight — around 100 kilograms.

He initially took up rowing, training for hours a day in his home which he credits as the foundation of his weight loss. He later transitioned into running, taking part in road races but finding his true passion on the trails. In this episode, Wayne shares his journey into running, his training, and his experience tackling the Nagawa Trail.

Whether you're looking for motivation, perspective, or simply a powerful human story, this episode delivers on all fronts.

Links:

Centennial — by James A. Michener

Nagawa Trail

COVID-19

Breaking Bad

Tokyo American Club Japan

Shōgun- by James Clavell

The Godfather

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In this episode, Kiyoshi a Tokyo-based running community organizer and avid runner, discusses his journey with running, the famous Hakone Ekiden relay race, and his involvement in the Doyou (土曜） Club, an open learning and running community. Kiyoshi shares insights into the cultural significance of the Ekiden race in Japan, its impact on university students, and how it fosters community spirit. He also touches on his own experiences, struggles, and the importance of running in his life. This episode is a deep dive into how running and learning intertwine to build connections and personal growth.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Casual Conversation
01:19 Meet Kiyoshi: The Learning Enthusiast
02:52 Kiyoshi's Running Journey
03:24 The Birth of a Video Producer
04:33 Language Exchange and Friendship
06:11 Exploring the Japanese Ekiden
07:59 Hakone Ekiden: The Ultimate Relay Race
14:14 The Significance of Hakone Ekiden
16:06 Comparing Global Running Events
18:01 Cheering and Strategy in Hakone Ekiden
23:56 Advertising and Marketing in Ekiden
24:27 Nike Vaporfly and Shoe Technology
26:31 Comparing Marathon Runners
29:35 University Teams and Qualifications
32:43 Ekiden in Japanese Schools
38:14 Book Recommendations
39:53 Movie and TV Series Recommendations
44:23 Closing Remarks and Appreciation

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

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Ingrid wishes she were a polymath like Leonardo da Vinci, but alas. She is however a German born, South African raised furbaby mom, trail runner, parkrun Regional Ambassador (for Northern Gauteng, South Africa), a bookworm with a newly launched bookstore, a Payroll expert for over 20 countries, multilingual and as of last year a cancer survivor. Does that make her a polymath? Not quite. But it does make for a diverse life view which has been shaped with some of the hardest things life can throw at a person. She is also grateful for a life that is being lived well and in service of people who she hopes her legacy is building the communities they deserve to have and thrive in. All whilst loving her friends, husband and dogs as hard as she can."

In this episode we talk about Parkrun and how it is a starting point for a lot of runners, we also talk about cancer in particular skin cancer - the signs and symptoms, how to try live a full life, books, mental health and so much more. 

Links

Parkrun South Africa

Brene Brown 

Thursday Murder Club

Deon Meyer

Deep Blue

Tony Park 

San Andreas

Twister

La Palma

The Aeoronauts

Ingrid's Instagram

The Bookbar

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

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Linda has three decades of ultra-distance running  experience, she has raced trail, through canyons, on beaches, deserts, islands, glaciers, salt flats, over mountains, escarpments and peaks. Linda is a very experienced Ultra Runner, but in addition to that she is also a coach. This episode is for any new runners we talk about
* helpful strategies for new runners
* how to get started
* how to avoid injury 
* how to stay motivated
* how to set goals

Links
Jesse Eitzler - Misogi

Linda's Instagram
Linda's Facebook Page
Linda's Webpage

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

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Daluhlanga Majeke is a father, husband, ultra runner and the head of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury.
In this episode we talk to Dalu about his start in running ultras, growing up in the Eastern Cape, the importance of family as well as resilience and achieving big goals.

Links
Addo
Ultra trail Drakensburg
Books
The Mamba Mentality - by Kobe Bryant

Dr Bhekisisa J. Mthembu

Set Your OWN GOAL To Achieve Your Dreams: The Leadership Journey Imagined

Tv series
Money Heist

Dalu’s Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010492982877

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!

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This is a series of bonus episodes where I interview 3 coaches. Episode 1 is with Prodigal Khumalo. The advice is for help in setting running goals and acheiving them. We talk about:

• Starting out as a new runner
• How to set running goals
• Common mistakes that runners make

Prodigal is an Ultra distance runner both on road and trail. He is a Comrades gold medalist and hast won the UTCT 100k twice. He founded ORCAS running academy in Durban, where he coaches and mentors young runners

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!

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German born, British bred, Eritrean blooded and Spanish based, Alan unwittingly stumbled into thru-hiking after sitting on a plane on his way back from visiting his brother in Japan.  A Maths teacher by profession, he now exclusively tutors privately online, which affords him the time between hikes to work on converting his camper-van and produce videos of his walks for YouTube.
Links
Let's try something new - Alan's YouTube channel

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!

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Naomi, is an adventurer, through and through. She is a Vet, extremely accomplished ultra runner, conservationist and an artist. Naomi has created her name in trail running with epic results at Ultra Drakensberg, Ultra Trail Cape Town, Ultra Trail Australia, San Pans Ultra, Tarewera, UTMB - to name a few. Naomi lives in New Zealand with her partner Xavier

In this episode we talk about ultrarunning as a woman, especially at that compeitive level, moving to a new country, navigation life when things don't go according to plan and so much more.

Links
Ultra Trail Cape Town
Ultra Trail Drakensberg
Amanda Basham
Naomi's Instragram
True Grit - Bear Grylls

Buzzsprout
For a $20 credit when you sign up with Buzzsprout using the link below
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1803626

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!

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Drew Damron grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and he has been living in Japan for six years. He spends his time running a library and running trails, climbing walls and waterfalls, and writing occasional articles for the Japan Times.
Links
Japan times cocktails
Drew's Instagram
What I talk about when I talk about running - by Haruki Murakami
Sun and Steele - by Yukio Mishima
On Trails: An Exploration - by Robert Moor
The Easy Life in Kamusari (Forest) - by Shion Miura
Before The Dawn - by Nicholas Wade

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!

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Keletso, is one of the guys to complete AMUK in 2022. Keletso grew up in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and is now based in Namibia where he runs a practice, is a dad and also somehow manages to squeeze in ultra running.
Keletso has run races all over the world and in this episode we talk about how he manages a hectic career, runs crazy distances and still makes time for family. We also talk about his experience running AMUK.

Links:
Keletso's Facebook
Keletso's Instagram
Keletso's Twitter
Matopos Hills
Addo Elephant Trail Run
Ultra Trail Drakensberg
Karkloof
Mr Harrigan's Phone
Terminal List - Stephen Carr

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in!
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow us on Instagram @therunningvoyager we’d love to share your story next. You can DM us or send an email to linda@therunningvoyager.com to get in touch.

Your support keeps this show going! If you’d like to help us grow, you can become a supporter on Patreon - every contribution goes directly towards hosting and production costs on Buzzsprout.

Thanks again for listening, and see you in the next episode!