RunPod

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.