Runpod

Looking for a pep in your step? You’re in luck! Today's guest on RunPod is Geoff Wightman – a 2.13.17 marathon runner, commentator, and coach to his son Jake Wightman (who is the second fastest Briton EVER at 1500m)! Geoff has been running since he was in Cubs, it’s how he met his wife, what all his family does, and in his words is “the best, simplest, nicest and healthiest activity you can do”. So should you carry water when you’re running? When should you have some rest? What’s the optimum amount of sleep you need before a race? And are Energy Gels actually a good idea? These are the kind of questions we’re asking so you’re prepared for any Race Day or run you’re going on. As Geoff says, “98% of starters do make it to the finish” – so ignore your doubts, get out there, and just concentrate on having good form! You can do it!

In this episode, you’re going to be put through your paces, with special guest Akram Shalabi! Akram’s running story is a brilliant one, and the phrase “he’s a natural” definitely springs to mind. Akram hadn’t done much running since he was younger (maybe 100 and 400-metre sprints), but when a friend had to drop out of the Berlin Marathon he took their place and did the whole thing in 3 hrs 10 minutes with NO TRAINING WHATSOEVER. In the last 7 years Akram has gone on to do 100 marathons, and now sacrifices his race for other people because he is officially known as a ‘pacer’ - one of those lovely people who keep you motivated, and run beside you until you reach the finish line! So if you’re looking for the motivation to push yourself to the end of your run today, Akram is your guy.

Mark Heyes, Jenni’s long-time friend and the glue of ITV’s Lorraine is our amazing guest of the week. If anyone is going to bring you your daily dose of positive energy, and recommend you some nice athleisure, it’s him. Mark has come a long way since faking sick notes in PE, and now really enjoys running NAKED (not that kind of naked) at 6 am along the River Thames. He’s even into Marathons… but that may be because his inner Mariah Carey loves people screaming his name. If you’re looking to train your abs, as well as your legs - you’ll love this one. Mark is hilarious!

On RunPod we discuss the feelgood of running, why we do it, how it makes us feel and what it is that keeps bringing us back for more. We all have our own reasons to run and in this episode, Jenni is joined by someone who is quite simply incredible, inspiring and an absolute action man. Colour Sergeant Brian Wood MC is a former soldier in the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. During his service in Iraq he led the first bayonet charge in 25 years and for his gallantry, he was awarded the Military Cross. Woody now has set himself a new mission, to help drive and motivate others, to encourage us all to step outside our comfort zone by running a bit further or faster and by pushing ourselves a little more than we’re used to. If you need a boost to get you out the door and on that run today, then this is absolutely the episode you need. Happy running.

Today’s guest is the well-loved Helen Thorn - comedian, author and fellow podcaster, widely known for her hilarious take on parenting and being single in mid-life. But is she hilarious when it comes to chatting about running? The fast answer is YES! Sometimes the catalyst for change is finding out your husband of 22 years has been having an affair behind your back… At the time it blows up your life, but then one day you wake up, put on your running shoes, and realise life feels better than before. Sure, your boobs may deflate (listen to the episode), but you have grit like no other, and the sudden body confidence to pull off shorter clothes on Instagram. That’s Helen’s story anyway, and she’s here to tell you that the mental and physical health benefits of running have positively changed her life. PS. If you need a formal excuse to eat more carbs you should listen now.

For runners, the basics are get up, get out, get running. If only every sport was as straightforward. Take golf for instance, it’s a tad more complex…If it’s left - it’s a hook, If it’s right - it’s a slice, and if it’s straight - it’s a miracle! This is probably the reason why the guest in this episode of RunPod is grateful to have running as his escapism….Today, Rick Shiels joins the RunPod Run Club. Rick is a former professional golfer, who has an impressive fan base of over 2.2M subscribers on YouTube, and his own successful podcast called ‘The Rick Shiels Golf Show’. Rick is also a runner and can’t deny how much the latter is a huge part of his life. It truly doesn’t matter whether or not golf is your passion, this episode is a discussion about the joy of running, the reasons to get out there and an appreciation of its simplicity with incredible benefits. Without doubt listening will make you want to get up, get out and get running. Enjoy.

We’re serving an ace episode of RunPod this week because Jenni has gone to Wimbledon - the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world to record with the legendary sports commentator Andrew Cotter. When Andrew isn’t commentating on a Centre Court match and enjoying overpriced bowls of strawberries, you can find him running through leafy SW London parks and climbing up hills with his gorgeous dogs Olive and Mabel. Running is Andrew’s saviour between work, and if anything is going to motivate you to run today, it’s probably the dulcet tones of a Scottish Broadcaster... NB: this is a LIVE recording, so please forgive the joyful crowds, occasional tennis ball, and the sound of sprinklers… that grass has got to stay green somehow!

Runners and… Horses? Unite! In today’s episode of Runpod we’ve got two very special guests Bob Greenough and Ricky Lightfoot who are going to talk to us about one of the most unique races you could ever sign up for…Man vs Horse. This internationally acclaimed event began in June 1980 following a chat over a pint, and has now galloped its way into the hearts of hundreds of runners looking to win a jackpot amount of money. If you one day fancy running over mountainous terrain, and trying to beat a horse’s PB…you won’t want to miss this one.

RunPod is the podcast where runners unite - all of them, the fast, the slow, the gazelles, the terminators, the short distance, the long distance, the sprinters, the ultra marathoners…. The motivated and the lazy! Yup, if you run, you are a runner…even if you struggle to get out the door from time to time. This week’s guest is perfect to chat about all thing motivational, she calls herself lazy girl running yet she is far from lazy. Laura Fountain is a running coach and personal trainer but more than that, she just loves running. A brilliant episode full of tips, dos, don’ts and plenty of reasons why you should get the trainers on and get out for a run. Enjoy.

There is a phrase, trust me i’m a doctor - well joining the RunPod Run Club this week is someone who we can truly trust. He has been a TV doctor for 30 years, chatting daily on breakfast television throughout the pandemic, he’s now an author and he is also a runner! In this episode, Dr. Hilary discusses the benefits of exercise as well as his own reasons to run and by doing so will only motivate you to get up and give it a go. There are excellent tips for new - and more experienced - runners, plenty of motivational chat to get you up and out there and finally, Hilary reveals why he has been banned from one of the greatest sporting events in the world! It’s a fascinating listen and will keep you company out on your next run. Enjoy.

Joining the Runpod run club this week is a man who’s been mentioned many times on the podcast, his wife is already part of our club and finally Jenni sat down with coach, elite duathlete and former international runner Martin Yelling. Martin and Jenni chat about his reason for running, setting your intention for each run, coaching, training plans, ultra runs, his experience running Comrades in South Africa and running with his wife Liz. An insightful and fascinating listen that’ll have you reaching for your runners.

On RunPod we love to chat about running kit, and this is one for the ladies. We're chatting bras. Mari Thomas, founder of sports bra brand MAAREE joins Jenni this week to chat all things boobs and bras; why it's important to wear a sports bra, the impact running an have on your boobs, the importance of the right size bra, how her brand MAAREE started, the brilliant Overband that is a staple across her range, plus how to wash your sports bra properly.

Since a photo of this week's guest breastfeeding her baby whilst competing in a 106 mile mountain race went viral around the world, she's been passionate about empowering women to be active for their mental and physical wellbeing. Sophie Power joins the Run Pod Run Club this week and she and Jenni discuss running an ultra only three months post-partum, how integral running is for her mental health, prioritising her run, showing her children and especially her daughter that women can lead fit, healthy active lifestyles, how we can work with races to entice more women to them, ultra running and finding power from motherhood to get through the toughest challenges.

Now if you thought running one marathon was a big achievement…what about running 106 marathons is 106 days? Well that is the challenge today’s guests have set themselves. Fay Cunningham and Emma Petrie from Match My Workout join Jenni on Runpod. They chat all about the challenge, the highs, the lows, the feet, the food, the landscape, the wildlife, what they’ve loved, what they’ve been listening to (we’ll give you a hint, they’ll be listening to this!), and why they love to run.

This week joining the Runpod Run Club is actress, broadcaster and tv presenter Caroline Quentin. Caroline recently fell ill with Covid and is slowly returning to the joys of running, and loving it. Jenni and Caroline chat about discovering running in her late 50s, the Couch 2 5K process, the realisation that running isn’t just for fitness, it can play a big part in your headspace and mental health, the joy of being able to take running with you no matter where you are, her changing perceptions of runners and running, what her first ever run was like and that runners nod we all use when we spot one another.

This week RunPod goes on the road. Jenni thought it was about time to record an episode in front of a live audience and so took the opportunity to do so at the National Running Show. A great venue filled with a ton of running enthusiasts and also she is joined by a couple of truly wonderful superstar guests: Paula Radcliffe and Jo Pavey join Jenni on stage. A great episode filled with top tips and answering many of your questions. Enjoy. Happy running. X

Everyone can run. That is the message that this week's guest is spreading. Richard Whitehead is a Paralympic Champion, IPC World Champion and IPC European Champion and has run countless races across the globe. This week he chats to Jenni about his experience on Hunted with fellow member of the RunPod Run Club Iwan Thomas, how smiling when running can change your outlook, how he found running as a double amputee, the first day he wore prosthetics and ran 10 miles and his own run. Run with Rich is on the 25th June in Nottingham, raising money for the Richard Whitehead Foundation - helping people live a life without limits and enabling disabled people to believe and achieve. https://www.whitehead.foundation/news/your-chance-to-run-with-rich

This podcast is all about the feel-good of running and this week’s guest agrees whole-heartedly that fitness, and running helps change his outlook for the better and to feel amazing. Matt Goss is a household name, bursting onto the scene as part of Bros and now a hugely successful solo artist, dubbed the ‘King of Vegas’ and venturing into the world of acting…yes, it’s Matt Goss. Matt chats to Jenni about his outlook towards fitness and nutrition, how he loves anything with explosive strength, whether that’s running, boxing or recently venturing into dancing, his competitive nature, using mantras whilst running, staying motivated and driven, how he’s fitter now than he was 10 years ago, a new film he is to star in and how movement is everything.

Fitness and being a part of a music sensation sometimes don't go hand in hand. But not for this week's guest. Leon, aka Locksmith aka Locky from Rudimental joins Jenni this week to chat about the joy of running. They chat about the beginnings of Locky's running career, coming from working on his weakness being part of the Arsenal academy, which was running, he chats about how running becomes escapism, keeping fit on the road, how creative ideas flow when running, nutrition, running with a weighted vest, his time on SAS Who Dares Wins and his new book 'About This Boy: Growing Up, Making Mistakes and Becoming Me'. Happy running!

This week on RunPod is a double Olympian and Commonwealth medalist, world class marathoner and highly respected running coach Liz Yelling. Liz and Jenni talk about how her running focus has shifted from training for performance to running for sanity, health and fitness, the joy of running based on feeling, she gives insight into training as a long distance runner, what it’s like being the first person to cross the finish line of a marathon, appreciating your fitness in the moment and for favourite marathon. Plus she chats your through the importance of a training programme for a marathon, types of rune, how to know what your marathon pace is, rest days and her coaching. One that will definitely have you perusing upcoming races and maybe even signing up!