The Runna Podcast

Reggie Yates thought a 5k would finish him. Then he trained for a marathon - and fell completely in love with running.

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, British broadcaster and filmmaker Reggie Yates joins Anya Culling for an honest conversation about his first marathon training journey. 

The early treadmill sessions that nearly broke him with boredom. The outdoor runs that set him free. The race day that didn't go to plan - and why he wants to race again more than ever.

Reggie has spent his career stepping i...

Whether you're chasing a marathon PB or simply wondering what you're actually capable of - Olly Murs just raised the bar for everyone.

The X Factor star ran, rowed, and cycled 400km across England in 5 days, raising over £1 million for Soccer Aid for UNICEF! No marathon experience. No route until each morning. A knee that's had five operations. And he loved every horrible second of it.

Anya Culling and Coach Ben dive deeper into his Into the Unknown challenge, the endurance feat that pushed him further than anything in his career, and what e...

Tatiana Forbes started running postpartum in 2023, unable to run for more than 30 seconds. She joined us on The Runna Podcast after crossing the finish line of the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon.

Anya Culling and Kayla Jeter sit down with runner, content creator, and founder of the Best for Last Run Club. The self-proclaimed 'slow runner' shares the struggle of being left behind at a run club, and not seeing herself in the runners around her.

Tatiana will help you answer the question most beginner runners quietly ask themselves: am I actually a...

Keira D’Amato broke the American marathon record at 37.

She did it after a decade away from the sport - while raising two kids, building a real estate career, and rediscovering what running meant to her.

In this episode, Keira sits down with Anya and Kayla to unpack one of the most remarkable stories in modern running. From the injury that forced her out of the sport, to the identity crisis that followed, to the mindset shift that helped her run faster than ever before.

They talk about motherhood, longevity, le...

From a devastating back injury to a 3:29 marathon at 50 - Ben Shephard just ran his first marathon in 16 years.

Whether you're returning from injury, chasing a marathon comeback, or trying to stay fit as you get older - this conversation will make you rethink what's possible.

Just days after crossing the finish line in London, the beloved British TV presenter sits down with Ben and Anya to talk honestly about the back injury that stopped him running, the long road back, and why consistency - not perfection - was the thing that got...

Calli Hauger-Thackery won a marathon at 8 weeks pregnant. The world had no idea.

She joined us before lining up in Boston at 22 weeks - with her husband, coach, and training partner Nick Hauger racing alongside her.

This episode goes behind the scenes of one of the most unusual high-performance partnerships in elite running: how they train together, compete individually, and what it really means to chase world-class performances while stepping into parenthood.

In this episode, you'll hear:

🤫 The Houston secret - winning a marathon 8 weeks pregnant, and what Nic...

Russ Cook, ‘Hardest Geezer’,  joins Coach Ben and Anya Culling for a special live recording in London, chasing a blistering 2:35 marathon goal. Despite running across a continent, he shares how marathon training is pushing him in new ways.

From raw, often hilarious stories from Africa to his broader journey from rock bottom, Russ reflects on completing one of the toughest endurance feats in history - admitting he could never do it again.

From raw, hilarious stories of life on the road in Africa to his broader journey from rock bottom, Russ reflects on the g...

"Everyone told me I'd peaked. Then I ran my fastest marathon at 40."

Whether you're questioning your running longevity, chasing a marathon PB after a setback, or wondering if the best is really behind you - this conversation with Sara Hall will make you think differently about what's possible.

Sara raced in Boston this week and called it the most painful race of her life. Hours later, she sat down with Anya - honestly, openly, and with the kind of perspective that only comes from two decades competing at the elite level. At 43, she's...

If you’re underfuelled, you will underperform. 

Most runners are unintentionally holding back their PBs because of "carb fear"-this week, we’re fixing that.

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, sports nutritionist Sian Seccombe explains why underfuelling is one of the most common mistakes runners make. From ‘hitting the wall’ to the serious risks of RED-S, Sian breaks down sports nutrition for runners in a way you can understand and apply.

Whether you're training for a marathon or just started your running journey, this is your ultimate guide to how to...

What should you actually do before a marathon?

And how do you stay calm, confident, and in control on race day?

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, Coach Ben and Anya guide you through your entire marathon race day - from the night before to the start line, through the race itself, and into post-race recovery.

Whether you're running London, Boston, your first marathon or your fiftieth, this episode is your complete marathon race day guide. We cover how to prepare, what to eat, how to pace, and how to...

**Please note, this episode contains discussion of drug addiction, substance misuse, and suicide, which some listeners may find upsetting. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support.**

"Discipline is the only thing that will set you free"

He beat opioid addiction. Then ran a 2:29 marathon at 50.

Ken Rideout is the fastest masters marathon runner in the world - and this week, he brings his story of addiction recovery, discipline, and complete reinvention to The Runna Podcast.

This isn't just a running tips episode...

"It's a home Olympics. The goal is to WIN."

So why did a 2x Olympic medalist choose a race where success wasn't guaranteed?

Grant Fisher joins us the day after his half marathon debut at the United Airlines NYC Half - where he ran 1:00:53, one of the fastest American-born debuts ever. But this wasn't a perfect race. He went out hard, took risks, and learned more because of it.

This is a real-time look at how an Olympian approaches a new distance - the pacing decisions, the mindset under pressure...

Zouhair Talbi just ran 59:41, placing 1st American at the United Airlines NYC Half - and we got the inside scoop. 

Fresh off a 2nd place finish last weekend, elite runner and Olympian Zouhair Talbi joins us to break down the mindset, decisions, and race instincts behind elite performance - and what it means heading into Boston in five weeks.

Zouhair takes us inside the race - sharing how he reads his body within the first mile, how he decides when to surge, and why sometimes the smartest move is not to follow the p...

Who is running really for? Can everyone be “a runner”?

This week, beginner runner and performance artist Scottee joins us on The Runna Podcast the day after his first half marathon to talk running confidence, mental health, and why he almost never started.

This is a raw, funny and honest conversation about starting running when the sport hasn’t always felt welcoming. 

Highlights include: 

🏃 Why running in public feels so exposing, and how Scottee pushed through it

🧠 The mental health shift that running quietly created

🏅 What he wi...

Can you run while pregnant? And how do you safely return to running after having a baby? 

In this International Women’s Day special of The Runna Podcast, we’re joined by two incredible women redefining what strength looks like in women’s running. Anya speaks to Hannah and Em from Twice The Health about running during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and balancing motherhood with performance.

Hannah shares her experience returning to competitive running postpartum, while Em shares her experience running whilst pregnant, both offering lived experience and professional insight as qualified nutritionists.

Toget...

“If you put more work in, you will see the results.” But how much is enough?

In this inspiring episode of The Runna Podcast, Coach Anya sits down with 2:17 marathoner and content creator Hugo Fry - serious about speed, but not about himself. 

From lockdown 5Ks to becoming one of the UK’s fastest sub-elite marathoners, Hugo reveals his training secrets around sleep, fuelling, and the ‘delusional self-confidence’ that keeps him pushing forward. Plus, hear how he broke Guinness World Records dressed as Super Mario and Santa! 

A self-confessed running addict, Hugo...

Is marathon training meant to feel this hard?🏃‍♂️ 

If you’re halfway through your training block and suddenly your legs feel heavier, marathon pace feels daunting, and your confidence has dipped - you’re not alone.

In this episode, Ben and Anya bring you a mid-marathon training check-in for anyone building towards a spring race like London or Boston (or any marathon, really). We break down why this stage of training often feels tougher than expected - both physically and mentally - and what’s actually normal.

From cumulative fatigue and slower paces...

Can a pro cyclist simply swap the bike for running shoes? 🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, hosts Ben and Anya sit down with Manon Lloyd, former Team GB pro cyclist and GCN presenter, as she swaps the velodrome for the road and trains for her first half marathon with Runna.

Manon shares the brutal reality of being a beginner again after years at the top of elite sport. She opens up about stepping away from performance-driven goals and shares specific challenges cyclists face when transitioning to running, including impact tolerance and the ‘ego trap’.

Are elite runners born, or built?

This week on The Runna Podcast, 1500m World Champion Jake Wightman reveals the training secrets and mindset shifts that helped him beat Jakob Ingebrigtsen and conquer the world stage.

Jake shares the reality of middle-distance running at the highest level with Coaches Ben and Anya. From the "Nature vs. Nurture" debate and the unique pressure of being coached by his father, to the exact tactics used to win Gold in 2022, this episode is a masterclass in elite performance.

Highlights include: 

👟 Father-Son Coaching: Navi...

This episode contains discussion of eating disorders, which some listeners may find upsetting. If you or someone you know needs support, help is available. In the UK, Beat Eating Disorders offers confidential support at beateatingdisorders.org.uk. In the US, you can contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at nationaleatingdisorders.org.

“It’s about what your body can do - not what it looks like.”

Recorded in Chicago following the Marathon, Coach Anya Culling sits down with NCAA Champion Allie Ostrander to explore what happens when performance comes at the cost...

"I didn’t think running was for someone like me" 

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya speak to journalist, bestselling author, and mental health advocate, Bryony Gordon.

Bryony didn’t grow up sporty - in fact, exercise often felt like punishment. But during some of the hardest moments of her life, while battling mental illness and alcoholism, she turned to running out of desperation - and everything changed.

And after a chance conversation with the Princess of Wales, Bryony found herself starting a marathon training plan for the L...

“The number one thing that helps me mentally is physical movement”.

This week on The Runna Podcast, hosts Ben and Anya sit down with broadcaster and presenter Roman Kemp as he begins his Return to Running journey with Runna.

Listen as Roman shares why he’s picking up running again, and how movement truly improves his mental health - providing structure, perspective, and anxiety relief. 

Roman shares how running sparks his best ideas, why removing vanity has changed his training approach, and the damaging impact of rigid life goals.

From...

How do you actually build running confidence?

This week on The Runna Podcast, Coach Ben sat down with content creator and runner Anna Sitar to unpack her journey from beginner runner to training for the marathon in New York back in November.

What started as a simple goal to finish her first marathon turned into a deeper commitment to structured marathon training, performance, and proving she was capable of far more than she believed.

Ahead of her third marathon, Anna reflected on the importance of doing hard things before feeling...

Starting running is easy. Sticking with it is the hard part.

In this New Year episode, Ben and Anya break down exactly how to build running consistency and avoid another stop-start cycle that fades by February.

Whether you’re looking for beginner running advice, returning after time off, or setting your goals for 2026, this episode is designed to help you build consistency without burnout, avoid the all-or-nothing mindset, and finally make running part of your life - not just your race calendar. 

What You'll Learn: 

👟Why most runners struggl...

Ready for your ultimate 2025 Running Wrapped? 🎄 

Join us as Ben & Anya share their biggest lessons, set ambitious 2026 running goals and give you the ultimate running motivation ahead of the New Year.

In this episode, we cover:

🎧The Runna Podcast Wrapped: Your favourite moments from 2025

🏆 Best of 2025: Top running gear, races, and PBs

⭐ Guest Highlights

📊 Strava Year In Sport Showdown: Ben vs Anya

🎯 2026 Goal Setting 

🎁Christmas gift exchange!

Thank you to everyone who has listened, subscribed, and shared the podcast this year - we...

Want to know an Olympic Champion’s formula for success? 

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya sat down with Max Whitlock OBE - one of the most successful gymnasts in Olympic history. After walking away from the sport, Max explained why he’s back from retirement with unfinished business, and setting his sights on the 2028 LA Olympics. 

Alongside his gymnastics comeback, Max has taken up running - bringing an Olympian’s discipline and a laser-sharp routine to a brand new challenge. And we gain exclusive insight into his 5k PB attempt...

What if the secret to becoming a world champion wasn’t talent, data, or pressure… but joy, curiosity, and the freedom to fail?

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya sit down with Chrissie Wellington OBE - four-time Ironman World Champion, undefeated in 13 Ironman races, and one of the most iconic endurance athletes in history with a largely untold story.

Chrissie didn’t touch triathlon until age 30. She discovered running by accident. She trained by feel, not data. And she rose to the top of the world by relying on joy, intuit...

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Kayla Jeter - NEW Runna Coach, sports psychologist, ultramarathoner, and the powerhouse behind 100 Miles of Summer, the global running movement followed by hundreds of thousands.

A former Division I volleyball standout, her path shifted after a career-changing ACL injury, the loss of both parents, and the heavy reality of stepping away from the sport that once defined her.

What began as running to explore a new city became running for community and purpose - and ultimately a mission to help others grow...

From 250 lbs in rehab to 11 consecutive Marathons in NYC: Zac Clark's addiction recovery story that raised $750,000 for mental health treatment.

At 27, Zac entered addiction recovery weighing 250 lbs, broken and searching for purpose. One morning, he walked up a small hill outside the treatment centre. Two weeks later, he ran it. That single hill became the catalyst for 14 years of sobriety and a marathon training journey that changed everything. 

In this episode, Zac - founder of the Release Recovery Foundation, ultramarathoner, and former The Bachelorette finalist - sits down with marathon coach Ben Parker t...

Shin splints, runner's knee, and IT band syndrome explained by expert running physio Adrian D'Costa - discover how to prevent and fix the most common running injuries with proven strength training and recovery strategies.

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, hosts Anya Culling and Ben Parker sit down with Adrian D'Costa, Head Physio at Runna and one of London's leading running injury specialists. Learn the science behind patellofemoral pain syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, and IT band pain and the prevention and load management techniques to keep you injury-free.

What you’ll le...

When Uly Morazan signed up for his first half marathon, he didn’t even own running shoes. Four months later, he crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon, joining the 1% of people who can call themselves marathon runners.

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, Coach Ben Parker sits down with Uly - actor, comedian, and LGBTQ+ creator - to unpack his chaotic, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt journey from “I hate running” to marathon finisher.

Uly brings the raw, relatable reality of training for your first marathon - from his first...

Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel sits down with Coach Ben to share her journey from high-school prodigy to making marathon history in Tokyo.

Molly opens up about her courageous decision to withdraw from the NYC Marathon, what it truly takes to compete at the highest level, and the lessons that have shaped her career - including the hardest one: knowing when to stop.

In this raw and honest conversation, she reflects on rebuilding after setbacks, balancing passion with pressure, and why she keeps coming back to running - despite injuries, self-doubt, and constant...

Winter running doesn't have to be a struggle. 

Ben and Anya share 6 essential coaching tips for running through winter - helping you stay motivated, healthy, and consistent when it’s dark, cold, and easy to skip your runs.

Whether you’re training for a spring marathon or just keeping your running routine on track, this episode covers everything from cold-weather gear and nutrition to goal-setting, recovery, and mindset.

What You'll Learn: 

❄️ How to stay motivated when mornings are dark and cold

🏃‍♂️ Goal-setting strategies to keep your training on track

🧠 Th...

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Schooner Scorer, the sub-3 marathoner with 500K+ followers who turned a pub joke into an internet sensation. 

From rating beers to running a 2:51 in Chicago, Alex proves you can chase PBs and pints without losing your love for the sport. Fresh off his marathon PB, he shares how Schooner Scorer went from a uni in-joke to a 500K+ community. 

We discuss: 

🔥 Running a 1:20 half marathon in Copenhagen on 4 hours’ sleep

🎥 Fresh off the finish line: his sub-3 Chicago Marathon debrief 

Olympian Rory Linkletter breaks down his 2025 Chicago Marathon race - chasing the Canadian record (2:06:49), hitting the pain cave at mile 13, and still running a PB. Learn what it really takes to train 4,000 miles a year and compete at the elite level.

Fresh off the finish line, Rory shares the mindset, consistency, and decade-long journey behind world-class marathon running. From training with Conner Mantz & Clayton Young at "Marathon University" to debating data vs. instinct, this is your inside look at elite training.

What You’ll Learn:

💪 The real secret to elite running: consi...

Jess Furness has done it all — from winning a 250 km ultra marathon in the Sri Lankan heat, to breaking sub-3 in Berlin. But her biggest challenge yet? Running 42 marathons in a single year to honour her brother Eddie, who would have turned 42 this year.

In this special World Mental Health Day episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Jess Furness - runner & presenter at The Running Channel - to explore how running became her therapy after losing both parents and her brother Eddie.

Jess reveals the mindset behind her biggest achievements an...

This week on The Runna Podcast, we sat down with Helen Glover - two-time Olympic champion, triple world champion, and the first British mother to return to elite rowing and stand back on the Olympic podium.

Incredibly, Helen didn’t pick up a rowing oar until age 21. Within just 4 years, she won Olympic gold - going on to hold every major title in her event and lead an unbeaten global streak between 2014 - 2016. By Rio 2016, she was the #1 ranked female rower in the world.

Raised in a fiercely competitive Cornish family, Helen didn’t to...

They ran across Australia. Then the UK. Over 4,000 miles, 120+ marathons, and more than $350,000 raised for cancer research.

Meet The Lambros - Stefan and Lachlan Lamble, the first brothers to run across Australia AND the UK. In this raw and inspiring episode, we unpack what drives two Melbourne brothers to attempt the world’s toughest endurance challenges.

From conquering the Nullarbor Desert to being hospitalised with a rare blood infection, this is a brutally honest story of brotherhood, mental resilience, and showing up when it matters most.

We discuss:

🏃‍♂️ 85 marathons a...

Two-time Olympic gold medallist. World Champion. Marathon debutant. And now - breaking exclusive racing news, live from Runna HQ!

In this special episode of The Runna Podcast, Olympic legend Alex Yee joins us in front of a live audience to share his journey from Lewisham to the world stage. 

From breaking records in Paris 2024 to finishing 14th in his marathon debut (2:11:08), Alex reveals the mindset, training secrets, and lessons that have shaped his career - and drops exclusive news about his next race plans, heard here first.

What You’ll Learn:

What happens when the world’s biggest fitness platform buys one of the fastest-growing running apps?

In this exclusive episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Strava CEO Mike Martin and Runna CEO Dom Maskell to uncover the full story behind the Strava x Runna acquisition - from lockdown side hustle to global fitness tech takeover.

Whether you’re a runner, startup founder, or tech lover, this conversation is packed with behind-the-scenes insights and actionable lessons.

In This Episode:

🚀 How Runna grew from a lockdown side hustle...