RunPod

Some people discovered a love for running in lockdown, others found it in recent years but the guest on this week’s RunPod has been loving running as long as he can remember. In fact growing up, his dream was to be a triathlete.... Well, Daniel MacPherson is indeed a pretty nifty triathlete and runner but he’s also very well known as an actor. In the UK, he’s most recently been on our screens in ‘Strike Back’ but first grabbed our attention when he bagged his debut acting role in Neighbours. Ever since, he’s carved a hugely successful, international career alongside maintaining incredible fitness and has also added being a dad to the mix. He’s a busy boy but he made time to talk to Jenni and join the RunPod Run Club....whilst locked in quarantine in a hotel in Sydney!! So in this episode, they chat coping with 2 weeks isolated in a hotel room without getting out for fresh air and exercise. Why running is so much more than smashing PBs and the 3 words you need to repeat over and over on the days you’re struggling for motivation. A great listen that will inspire you to just get out there. Enjoy.

Whether you’re a new runner or you’ve been lacing up those trainers for years, we all know it can sometimes be difficult to fit in that run with work, life and family getting in the way, especially if you’re a mum. So this week Jenni speaks to the lady who’s responsible for setting up the world’s largest community for Mums, This Mum Runs. Joining the RunPod Run Club is Mel Bound. In this episode Mel discusses how and why she set up This Mum Runs, her mission to get a million mums on board in the next couple of years, the importance of community, her love of trail running and safety whilst running at night. An inspiring listen that'll make you want to get out there!

This long Easter weekend Jenni is joined by two reluctant runners and our first sibling duo on the podcast! Radio X's Toby Tarrant and Heart's Fia Tarrant not only share profession and parents, but both blame Jenni for getting them into trainers and pounding the pavements. They talk Toby's marathon motivation (beating his fiancées time), Fia's marathon to come and her enviable treadmill, how Jenni left Toby panting outside a Pret à Manger on a run, their competitive nature, the incredible pace of improvement that running allows and we find out which celeb loves a chicken nugget from the kids' menu.

Joining the Runpod run club this week is someone who shares more in common with Jenni than just a love of running, he also works in breakfast radio! Vassos Alexander is part of the Virgin Radio breakfast team, and isn’t one to shy away from turning up to work in running shorts. In this uplifting episode hear Vassos and Jenni talk about their shared early mornings, the return of parkrun, how he started just running down his road and ended up breaking 3 hours in the marathon, how he’ll miss when his daughter no longer runs alongside him holding his hand and his new love of fresh water swimming!

As runners we are often obsessed about whether or not we are eating the right food to fuel our runs. Are we eating enough? Are we eating too much? Should we be avoiding certain foods? Well this week joining the RunPod Run Club, we have someone who can guide us along the right path when it comes to all things nutrition... Charlie Watson is an NHS dietician as well as a very keen runner...and she has the answers to many of our food related questions! So what should we eat before a run? How should we refuel afterwards? Should we carb load? When does Charlie recommend we eat roast potatoes?! These questions and more are answered in this episode. Jenni and Charlie also talk about losing your running mojo and more importantly, how to get it back...and if you are training for your first ever marathon, there are tips on how to get started. A great listen, with lots of handy hints and recommendations along the way! Enjoy and happy running.

This week on RunPod, joining the RunPod Run Club is top hairdresser to the stars, and longtime friend, Richard Ward. Richard tells Jenni all about picking up running in his 30s, travelling the world (always with trainers), the freedom that running affords him, his new found addiction to podcasts (including Runpod of course!), getting aches and niggles, how he’ll miss exercising outdoors every day once lockdown is over and we couldn’t let Richard onto the podcast without his haircare tips, especially for runners. A fun listen that will make you smile and want to get out there pounding the pavements!

This week, Jenni is joined by Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete of all time. Yes, it’s Eilidh Doyle. She’s seen the podium at European, World, Commonwealth and Olympic levels, and not only dominates in 400m, but 400m hurdles too. Eilidh is one of the few thanking lockdown for an extra year in preparation for the Olympics after giving birth a year ago. In this episode of RunPod, Eilidh and Jenni chat about how pregnancy and birth affected her running and training afterwards, her hopes to add the the medal collection in Tokyo, the very impressive just 3 second addition to her 400m time that hurdles adds, plus a ton of helpful tips for hill running and new runners alike. A fantastic listen with another incredible athlete who we’ll all be cheering on in 2021.

This week RunPod recruits its first fighter pilot as we welcome Squadron Leader Martin Pert to the RunPod run club. Martin has been in the RAF for over 20 years and has just finished his 3 year tour of duty leading the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, also known as the Red Arrows. In this episide we get an insight into life as a Red Arrow pilot and why fitness is so crucial in this role. Martin is a passionate runner and he shares stories of some of the incredible places he has been able to run and reveals which races he would love to tick off the bucket list. It is a fascinating episode that truly is a must-listen and will absolutely urge you to get your trainers on and get out there.

This week on RunPod, Jenni is joined by Dr Zoe Williams, NHS GP, regular on ITV’s This Morning and of course, a runner. They talk all things running and at this time of COVID-19, get the lowdown on the impact of Coronavirus on your fitness. They also discuss running whilst pregnant as Zoe has recently revealed that she’s expecting her first baby. She explains what you can and can’t do when preparing for motherhood. What’s more, did you know Zoe was a Gladiator? Yup, she was a regular on the show battling contestants as Amazon. She talks Gladiator fitness and reveals secrets about the show. So, in my best voiceover voice RunPod run club ready? Gladiator ready? 3, 2, 1, listen! Happy running. X

Joining the RunPod run club this week is someone who is having a great year so far. She’s just run her first ever sub 4 minute 1500m indoors and nabbed herself a British Record in the process. She’s one to watch for sure. Not only that, alongside her intense training she also managed to graduate from uni and qualify as a vet. There is no end to her talents! It is 1500m European and World medallist, Dr Laura Muir. Laura talks all things running, training and shares her top tips on how you can run that first 5k, or how you might improve on it. We discuss juggling studies with training, nerves at the start line and how it felt to break Dame Kelly Holmes’ Olympic gold winning record. A truly great listen with a brilliant athlete who we’ll all be cheering on in 2021.