Conversations About Running
By Running Trips
A podcast all about running from the team at Running Trips.
Gavin and Callum host the podcast and are joined each episode by a guest from the running world, from elite athletes to world class coaches and sports performance experts.
An informal, informative, wide ranging discussion between people who love the sport of distance running.
Gavin and Callum host the podcast and are joined each episode by a guest from the running world, from elite athletes to world class coaches and sports performance experts.
An informal, informative, wide ranging discussion between people who love the sport of distance running.
Conversations About RunningJun 14, 2021
00:00
57:49
Callum Elson - The Distance Project
In today's episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by British elite middle distance athlete, Callum Elson. Callum is a 1500m specialist with a personal best of 3.35, who tasted his first global success at the inaugural road running world championships in 2023 where he took the silver medal behind Hobbs Kessler. Callum has enjoyed a spectacular rise up the ranks of British middle distance running and until recently had his sights firmly set on gaining an Olympic qualifying spot.
Callum then went on to qualify for the world indoor championships where disaster struck as he was spiked through the Achilles tendon by a fellow competitor.
With the Olympic dream put to one side, Callum is now focusing on rehabbing a torn achilles.
Callum's rise to the top table of British distance running has been achieved partially by his unique approach to social media and content creation. Both the injury and Callum's YouTube channel are topics of this podcast episode.
We hope you enjoy our chat with Callum Elson.
Callum then went on to qualify for the world indoor championships where disaster struck as he was spiked through the Achilles tendon by a fellow competitor.
With the Olympic dream put to one side, Callum is now focusing on rehabbing a torn achilles.
Callum's rise to the top table of British distance running has been achieved partially by his unique approach to social media and content creation. Both the injury and Callum's YouTube channel are topics of this podcast episode.
We hope you enjoy our chat with Callum Elson.
Apr 25, 202458:01
Tom Boardman - Running Coach
In this episode of Conversations About Running we stay 'in house' with a trio of our own Running Trips team members.
Usual hosts Callum and Gavin are joined by, Tom Boardman, an experienced and highly skilled running coach who works with runners of all levels. Tom brings a wealth of experience to the team with more than 2 decades in the sport where he has excelled as both an athlete and coach. As a junior, Tom represented Great Britain at the World Cross Country Championships before attending Butler University in the USA on an athletics scholarship and he continues to train and race at a high level to this day.
In his professional career, Tom has been coaching athletes from middle distance to the marathon and everything in between since 2006. He is a qualified TASS Athlete Lifestyle Support practitioner and manages the England Athletics Youth Talent Program based out of Loughborough University. Managing and mentoring elite young athletes has given Tom a range of transferable skills that he has successfully brought into his private coaching.
In this podcast episode we get to know Tom a little better with stories from his racing/training background and later dive into the broad and varied topic of 'coaching'. We chat about our own experiences of both coaching other athletes and being coached as runners ourselves and how this has shaped our running journeys.
Enjoy 🏃
Usual hosts Callum and Gavin are joined by, Tom Boardman, an experienced and highly skilled running coach who works with runners of all levels. Tom brings a wealth of experience to the team with more than 2 decades in the sport where he has excelled as both an athlete and coach. As a junior, Tom represented Great Britain at the World Cross Country Championships before attending Butler University in the USA on an athletics scholarship and he continues to train and race at a high level to this day.
In his professional career, Tom has been coaching athletes from middle distance to the marathon and everything in between since 2006. He is a qualified TASS Athlete Lifestyle Support practitioner and manages the England Athletics Youth Talent Program based out of Loughborough University. Managing and mentoring elite young athletes has given Tom a range of transferable skills that he has successfully brought into his private coaching.
In this podcast episode we get to know Tom a little better with stories from his racing/training background and later dive into the broad and varied topic of 'coaching'. We chat about our own experiences of both coaching other athletes and being coached as runners ourselves and how this has shaped our running journeys.
Enjoy 🏃
Mar 11, 202401:04:47
Amy-Eloise Neale
In this episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by professional On Athlete, Amy-Eloise Neale.
Amy is a British middle to long distance runner with an impressive track record, including a European Indoor Championship Gold medal 🥇 and multiple British track and field championship medals. Her podium finishes are backed up by some seriously fast times too, including 14.56 over 5000m and 31.17 over 10,000m - a distance she has focused on a little more over the past few months in the hope to improve this time even further.
Having just returned back to the UK after a stint of high altitude training in Iten 🇰🇪 along with her team mates and coach, Rob Denmark, she is now preparing for a period of winter racing which includes the British indoor championships and a 10,000m race in March at Sound Running Festival 'The Ten'.
We chat with Amy about her altitude camp, her preparation for the upcoming season, the British Athletics selection policy, and her thoughts on the latest On spikes.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Conversations About Running 🏃
Amy is a British middle to long distance runner with an impressive track record, including a European Indoor Championship Gold medal 🥇 and multiple British track and field championship medals. Her podium finishes are backed up by some seriously fast times too, including 14.56 over 5000m and 31.17 over 10,000m - a distance she has focused on a little more over the past few months in the hope to improve this time even further.
Having just returned back to the UK after a stint of high altitude training in Iten 🇰🇪 along with her team mates and coach, Rob Denmark, she is now preparing for a period of winter racing which includes the British indoor championships and a 10,000m race in March at Sound Running Festival 'The Ten'.
We chat with Amy about her altitude camp, her preparation for the upcoming season, the British Athletics selection policy, and her thoughts on the latest On spikes.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Conversations About Running 🏃
Feb 17, 202444:50
Jordan Donnelly - Inside On
In this episdoe of Conversations About Running we are excited to be joined by Jordan Donnelly - Athlete Product Creation Lead at Swiss sportswear brand, On.
Jordan leads the Lightening Team at Zurich based On Labs, and his remit is to help On deliver the best possible shoes, apparel and performance environment for their elite athletes.
Jordan talks to us about the specifics of his role including his work with On Athletics Club (OAC), talks about On's unique approach to athlete development and the athlete centered approach they take as well as delving into the specifics of some of the products including the upcoming CloudBoom Echo 3. On’s first serious player in the top tier supershoe market.
It was a fascinating insight into both the shoe industry and world of professional running and we hope you enjoy this conversation about running with Jordan Donnelly from On.
Jordan leads the Lightening Team at Zurich based On Labs, and his remit is to help On deliver the best possible shoes, apparel and performance environment for their elite athletes.
Jordan talks to us about the specifics of his role including his work with On Athletics Club (OAC), talks about On's unique approach to athlete development and the athlete centered approach they take as well as delving into the specifics of some of the products including the upcoming CloudBoom Echo 3. On’s first serious player in the top tier supershoe market.
It was a fascinating insight into both the shoe industry and world of professional running and we hope you enjoy this conversation about running with Jordan Donnelly from On.
Jul 04, 202355:10
Narve Nordås - How to Run a 3.29 1500m
Norwegian middle distance runner, Narve Nordås, recently became part of history at the Bislet Games, running in potentially the highest caliber 1500m ever seen, with 8 men running under 3.30.
In finishing 8th in 3.29, Narve became the second fastest Norwegian 1500m runner of all time behind his former training partner Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴
He joins us on Conversations About Running to talk us through this incredible race as well as share some insights about his training, coaching set up, and plans for the rest of the season.
We talk about his double threshold training approach, the important role coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen has played in his success, as well as how training with team mate, Per Svela, has helped him become one of the top distance runners in the world 🥇
In finishing 8th in 3.29, Narve became the second fastest Norwegian 1500m runner of all time behind his former training partner Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴
He joins us on Conversations About Running to talk us through this incredible race as well as share some insights about his training, coaching set up, and plans for the rest of the season.
We talk about his double threshold training approach, the important role coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen has played in his success, as well as how training with team mate, Per Svela, has helped him become one of the top distance runners in the world 🥇
Jun 23, 202356:58
Victor Smångs on the Double Threshold System
In Episode 33 of Conversations About Running we chat with Swedish elite distance runner, Victor Urquhart Smångs. 🇸🇪 Victor started running at the beginning of 2019, and in just 4 years of training brought his 10km time down to 29.30 and his half marathon time to 66 minutes. In the podcast we talk about the Norwegian double threshold system and how Victor's quick progression can be attributed to following this system to the letter. We talk about some of Victor's most successful races, goals for the future, and get a deep insight into the science behind his current training schedule.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Apr 12, 202301:00:07
Episode 32 - Ben Felton
Ben Felton (also known as Ben_in_Running on his social channels!) recently travelled to Iten, Kenya 🇰🇪 to join our team for a Kenya Experience camp. He returns to Conversations About Running Podcast for a second time to chat about his experience of high altitude training in the Home of Champions, how it compared to his expectations, and some of things he will now implement into his own program back home.
Aside from chatting about Ben's Kenya Experience Camp we touch on the recent news of Zane Robertson's ban from the sport due to testing positive for EPO, Ben's thoughts on some of the latest shoe releases and some comically frustrating Instagram posts comparing cross fit athletes to Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🤦♂️
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed listening to this episode of Conversations About Running please share and leave a review to help us spread the word 👊
Aside from chatting about Ben's Kenya Experience Camp we touch on the recent news of Zane Robertson's ban from the sport due to testing positive for EPO, Ben's thoughts on some of the latest shoe releases and some comically frustrating Instagram posts comparing cross fit athletes to Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🤦♂️
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed listening to this episode of Conversations About Running please share and leave a review to help us spread the word 👊
Mar 26, 202355:03
Adelle Tracey
In Episode 31 of Conversations About Running we chat with international middle distance runner, Adelle Tracey, from her high altitude training camp in Iten 🇰🇪 Her current training camp and reasons for heading to Iten feature heavily in this episode and we delve into some of the do's and don'ts of altitude training. We chat about her charity work with the British Dyslexia Foundation and Dementia UK and why these charities are close to her, and also talk about some of her hobbies that help her to 'relax' between training sessions, including interior design and makeup artistry, to which we admittedly struggled to ask meaningful follow up questions! We finish the episode talking about Adelle's move to represent Jamaica at international competitions and we look ahead to the goals for the upcoming season. We hope you enjoy this episode with Adelle Tracey 🇯🇲 🇬🇧 🇰🇪
Jan 21, 202356:01
Marathon Maverick - Jake Smith
In episode 30 of Conversations About Running Gavin & Callum talk to professional athlete for Nike and NN Running Team, Jake Smith. Jake is the 3rd fastest British Half Marathon runner of all time with a PB of 60:31 set when finishing 18th in the world championships in 2020.
He has been running at an elite level for a number of years now, but shot to mainstream recognition when he won the Cheshire Elite Marathon in 2021 in 2:11:00, despite entering the race as a pacemaker with no intention of finishing.
That day Jake earned the moniker 'Marathon Maverik' and today we discuss with Jake the pros and cons of his maverik approach to distance running.
Amongst other topics, we discus the newly announced Olympic Qualifying standards, Jake's recent injury and his current comeback, his new coaching set up with Gavin and Jo Pavey and his time spent in Uganda training with world record holder Joshua Cheptegei.
Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode of Conversations about Running with Jake Smith.
Dec 23, 202258:33
Emelia Gorecka
In Episode 29 of Conversations About Running we chat with Emelia Gorecka, 2x European junior XC champion, European Junior 3000m champion, and World junior bronze medalist over 3000m. Her 5000m pb is 1507! Emelia talks to us today about her success in athletics from a young age, the realities of signing a pro athlete contract as a 16 year old, and allows us a unique insight into her retirement from the sport. Emelia shares with us the reasons behind her retirement and explains why closing that chapter of her life was not a sob story and shouldn't be viewed as a negative experience. We discuss Emelia's career in detail as well as her continued involvement in the running world through her new career with the innovative running brand On ☁️🏃🏼♀️
Nov 26, 202201:12:33
Ben Felton - YouTube & Fast Running
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by professional YouTuber, content creator, and fast runner - Ben Felton, perhaps more commonly known as Ben_is_Running! We chat with Ben about his extremely quick progress from relative beginner to 67 minute half-marathon runner and discuss some of the training methods that have led to this improvement 📈 We also look ahead to Valencia Marathon where Ben will target a 2h20 clocking. What does his training look like with this target in mind? Is it working? Do we think he can run 2h20!? 👀 Aside from the running, we ask Ben about his journey as a successful YouTuber and content creator, and how he balances the different aspects of his life ✅ 🙌 If you enjoy listening to this episode please feel free to share or leave a review to help us spread the word 👊
Nov 05, 202201:09:46
Simen Halle Haugen Pt. 2
Simen Halle Haugen, one of the top Norwegian distance runners, joins us for part two of our discussion on the Norwegian double threshold training system. We suggest listening to part 1 before this episode if you haven't already done so. In this episode we go into more detail about how to implement double threshold work into a training program, the type of runners it might be suitable for, and where this system came from in the first place. We also ask the all important question - does it really work? Simen once again gives us some unique insights into his own training and the training of other top runners in Norway and we discuss how his training philosophy could be applied by runners of all levels. If you have enjoyed listening to Simen on Conversations About Running, please share with friends in the running community!
May 04, 202201:06:17
Simen Halle-Haugen on The Norwegian Training System
In this episode of Conversations About Running, Gavin and Callum are joined by one of Norway's top distance runners, Simen Halle-Haugen. Simen has a personal best over 5000m of 13.37 and has represented Norway at numerous international competitions, both on the country and track. Included among his accolades are team gold at the European Cross Country Championships and individual gold at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country as an U20 athlete. Simen takes his inspiration from his desire to break his family 5k record of 13.27, set by his Grandfather (who now coaches Simen) a year after finishing 7th in the '72 Olympic Games in Munich. We chat with Simen today about his background as a runner and cross country skier and get into the what's and why's of the Norwegian double threshold training system that has seen a huge amount of success over recent years, highlighted in particular by the rise of the Ingebrigtsen brothers and Jakob's dominance on the track last summer. This is part 1 of our chat with Simen Halle-Haugen 🇳🇴
Apr 10, 202201:02:15
Episode 25 - Coach Hugo
We are joined again by world renowned coach and ex-pro marathon runner, Hugo van den Broek, this time to answer some questions sent in by our listeners. How should training be adjusted for master's athletes? What is the best way to approach strength and conditioning for improved running performance? What are some of the key differences in the lifestyle of top performing athletes that allow them to reach the peak? We answer these questions and more in this episode of Conversations About Running 🏃 we hope you enjoy!
Dec 02, 202101:05:06
Episode 24 - Kevin Seaward
Join us for Conversations About Running with 2x Olympian, Kevin Seaward. Kevin is a full time assistant principal and a 2h10 marathon runner who represented Ireland at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Despite competing at a world class level and running upwards of 120 miles per week, he puts his career as a full-time educator first and foremost and describes himself as an educator first and runner second. In this episode we discuss Kevin's development from someone who ran purely for the enjoyment of the sport to one of Europe's top marathon runners, and how he combines a professional level of training with a full time teaching career 🤓🏃📙
Nov 07, 202157:37
Episode 23 - Coach Hugo van den Broek
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by regular guest Coach Hugo van den Broek. Hugo is the Head Coach at Kenya Experience camps and has decades of experience both as a professional marathon runner himself, and as a coach to runners of all levels. In this episode, Coach Callum and Coach Hugo discuss some of their training principles and philosophies and share insights into how they go about designing training programs for the athletes they coach. Callum talks about the pros and cons of following generic online programs - can they be useful, are there things to be aware of, and is there a limit to their effectiveness? And Hugo discusses what we can learn from the training principles of elite runners and tells us why we should avoid simply copying their workouts. We hope you enjoy listening to Conversations About Running, and if you do, please share and spread the word!
Sep 06, 202101:07:51
Episode 22 - Coach Hugo van den Broek
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by regular guest, Coach Hugo van den Broek. Coach Hugo is the Head Coach at Kenya Experience camps and has guided some of the best runners in the world along their path to success during his time as a professional coach, including Gladys Chesir who in 2015 set the fastest 10k time in the world under Hugo's direction. Today we catch up with Hugo about a range of topics, including his views on the recent Olympic Games where his friend, Abdi Nageyee, took the silver medal in the Men's Marathon. We also ask whether the games were a success from a Kenyan perspective and delve into the psychology, the financial implications, and wider social issues that may affect Kenya's success at the games.
Callum recaps us on his latest races and future plans and Hugo welcomes a new arrival to the van den Broek clan. If you have enjoyed listening to our Conversations About Running, please share with your friends and training partners to help us spread the word further 🏃
Callum recaps us on his latest races and future plans and Hugo welcomes a new arrival to the van den Broek clan. If you have enjoyed listening to our Conversations About Running, please share with your friends and training partners to help us spread the word further 🏃
Aug 16, 202101:12:17
Episode 21: Tom Evans - Ultra Runner
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we are joined by professional ultra marathon runner, Tom Evans. Tom is a former captain in the British Army and kicked off his career as an ultra-runner in 2017 when he finished 3rd in the Marathon des Sables, despite only entering as a bet! He quickly established himself as one of the best ultra runners in the world when he went on to win the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and finish 3rd in the iconic Weston States. Your hosts, Callum and Gavin, chat with Tom about his approach to nutrition and fueling both during training and day to day life as a professional athlete. We also chat about his mindset and approach to racing as well as Tom's vision for the future of the sport. If you enjoy listening to Conversations About Running then be sure to share with your friends in the running community to help spread our podcast further.
Jul 31, 202101:11:15
Episode 20 - Coach Hugo van den Broek
In this episode of Conversations About Running your hosts Gavin and Callum are joined once again by regular guest Coach Hugo van den Broek. Together we share our thoughts on the recent disappointing news from Bowerman Track Club of Shelby Houlihan's failed drug test, before moving onto more positive topics such as the training and racing of one of Coach Hugo's former international team mates - Sifan Hassan, who has shown some seriously impressive form lately! We also talk about Callum's recent 5000m personal best and the reasons behind his success on this occasion. Hugo and Callum give their insights on the race itself as well as the training leading up to the race, while Hugo shares some interesting research on pain and pain perception that runners of all levels may find beneficial when it comes to racing. If you enjoy this episode of Conversations About Running please share with your friends and club mates to help us spread the word ✅
Jun 23, 202101:21:46
James Thie - Running Coach and Sub 4minute Miler
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we chat with elite running coach James Thie. James is a lecturer and the Director of Athletics at Cardiff Met University, where he coaches a team of runners including 2018 Commonwealth Games athletes Tom Marshall and Ieuan Thomas and the 3rd fastest British half marathon runner of all time, Jake Smith. In this episode we chat about some of the challenges (and some unexpected positives) that James has experienced as a coach during the pandemic, Jake Smith's training and racing over the past few years, including the build up to his 'off the cuff' marathon Olympic qualifying time that led to him being dubbed the 'marathon maverick', as well as James' former career as a professional runner, including a few maverick moments of his own that have gone down in history!
Jun 14, 202157:49
Matt Bergin - Elite Runner and Physiotherapist
In this Episode your hosts, Gavin and Callum are joined by Matt Bergin, elite runner and physiotherapist. Matt has represented his country on numerous occasions and has a personal best over 5km of 13.47. He also trained as a physiotherapist at the highly regarded Witty Pask & Buckingham Physiotherapy Clinic, where he continues to work and treat runners of all levels, from international athletes to club runners. We get an insight into Matt's training and how he integrates high level running with a demanding career. We also get his views, as a physiotherapist who works primarily with runners, on the new breed of 'super shoes' and the effects these are having on athletes from a biomechanical point of view. Matt will be one of our Sports Performance Specialists at Training Focus Camps.
May 29, 202101:13:32
Coach Hugo - Mentally Preparing to Race
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we are rejoined by Head Coach of Kenya Experience camps, Hugo van den Broek. After a quick catch up and a chat about an American football player attempting the US Olympic trials 100m qualification time, we turn our attention to what is quickly becoming a very relevant topic in the domestic running world - how to mentally readjust to racing. Many runners have gone months or even years without the chance to race or put their training into practice, and now, with races starting to pop up again here in the UK, how can we make sure we are mentally best prepared for the transition from a long period of training, to suddenly having to run hard on race day. Are there things runners can do to help push through the pain of racing? Or to stay calm on the start line? How can we make sure our hard training doesn't go to waste with a bad performance when it matters most. We hope you enjoy listening to our Conversations About Running 🏃
May 16, 202101:18:09
Myles Edwards - on Running in Kenya
This part two of our Conversations About Running with Myles Edwards, elite middle distance runner from Scotland who spent many months training in the Home of Champions and later set up a successful charity, the Gathimba Edwards Foundation, who's aim is to help provide children and families in Kenya with better lives and opportunities. In this episode, we talk about the journey that led to Myles setting up the Gathimba Edwards Foundation and delve into what his life, training and work was like while in Iten.
Apr 23, 202101:02:20
Myles Edwards
In this Episode of Conversations About Running we introduce our very first special guest - Scottish senior 1500m champion and founder of the Gathimba Edwards Foundation, Myles Edwards. In part 1 of this 2 part podcast your usual hosts, Gavin Smith and Callum Jones chat to Myles about his training during lock down and how he has approached a year of running without races. Like many other runners across the world, Myles' mentality towards running has changed dramatically, but surprisingly, almost entirely in a positive way 🤔 is what Myles talks about in this podcast something we should also aim to implement in our running even once racing and training returns to normal? In part 2 we will find out more about Myles' experience of living and training in Kenya and how his charity work has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of Kenyan families.
Apr 15, 202151:37
Kenyan Approach to Training
In this episode of Conversations About Running we follow up on our ramblings about 'How the Kenyans Really Train'. In our last episode we spoke with coach Hugo van den Broek (who lives and coaches in Iten, Kenya) about the typical Kenyan training program. This time we take a closer look at how most Kenyan athletes execute that plan and their philosophy and attitude when it comes to training. If you want to truly understand how the Kenyans train, your best bet is to join us for a Kenya Experience running camp, but second best - settle down and listen to the team behind the running camps get stuck into some Conversations About Running 🇰🇪 🏃
Mar 27, 202101:05:28
How the Kenyans Really Train
One of our most popular episodes of Conversations About Running so far is Episode 3: Myths of Kenyan Training, where we discussed some common misconceptions about Kenyan training methods. Of course, that begged the question, " so how do the Kenyans really train?". In this episode your usual host Gavin Smith, along with Kenya Experience coaches Hugo van den Broek and Callum Jones, discuss the typical training routines of Kenyan athletes and what runners of all levels can learn from their program 🇰🇪
Mar 06, 202101:08:04
Don't believe the hype part 2: Running Form
In the last episode of Conversations About Running we discussed some of the things we believe are over hyped in the running community, but forgot to mention one the biggest contenders in this category: running form. Online and on social media you can find dedicated running form coaches and even entire companies dedicated solely to helping runners 'improve' their technique. But we believe this has gone too far. In this episode we talk with our coaches about why running technique should not be seen as the 'be all and end all' and how there are far better, more sustainable, and more constructive ways of improving your technique than doing complicated running drills and intricate exercises. In many cases, a more efficient running form can help improve performance, but not to the extent we see it sold online and there is certainly no magic 'one size fits all' formula.
Feb 05, 202146:01
Don't Believe the Hype
Running is a sport that you can get the most out of by really nailing the basics. Yet many runners turn their attention to the 1%'s, the small details which, while they can help you to become a better runner if done correctly, pale in comparison to consistently executing the fundamentals. In this episode of Conversations About Running, the team behind the Kenya Experience running camps discuss the reasons why some of the finer details of the sport, such as running drills, and abstract recovery methods, have become the focus of attention for many amateur runners 🤔 are people searching for the icing on the cake when they've forgotten to buy the flour?
Jan 31, 202101:02:34
Valencia Records, Professional Contracts and Super Shoes
Join coaches Callum Jones and Hugo van den Broek alongside founder of the Kenya Experience running camps, Gavin Smith, for more Conversations About Running. In this episode we chat about the record breaking performances in Valencia which, of course, led to the hottest topic in running right now - shoes! We said we wouldn't dwell on it, but with new players in the game, the topic is just too irresistible. Hugo gives us an insiders view on the world of professional running; contracts, sponsorship, management - what's the deal? And we finish with a debate about what our sport needs to do to get people more excited! Listen to Hugo and Gavin have a good old argument about Lord Sebastian Coe 🤔
Dec 10, 202001:08:52
Is there a 'Best' Intensity?
In this Episode of Conversations About Running the team behind the Kenya Experience running camps follow on from episode 8 and discuss how their own training fits with various theories and models. Gavin gives some insight into his most important weekly training runs and talks about why his key workout is designed to be comfortable and controlled 🤔 Hugo sheds some light on different types of threshold training and tells us why it's so important for runners of all levels to include some in their program 🏃
Nov 16, 202001:00:39
The 80/20 Method: 80% Nonsense, 20% Truth?
Could the 80/20 method be holding you back? In this episode of 'Conversations About Running', distance coaches Hugo van den Broek and Callum Jones, along with founder of the Kenya Experience running camps, Gavin Smith, dissect the highly popularised 80/20 training method. Many amateur runners have heard about and even practice the 80/20 method and the theory of polarised training but very few have read the research behind it. Luckily, Hugo has, which is why in this episode, like a child's wind-up car, we wind him up and let him go on the subject. Hugo pulls apart the theory and sheds some much needed light on what the research really says and how it should be interpreted by the vast majority of runners 🏃
Oct 20, 202001:04:00
Running With The Norwegians
Join us, the team behind the Kenya Experience running camps, for episode 7 of Conversations About Running.
In this episode we look back on some exciting races that have taken place in recent weeks, including Joshua Cheptegei's incredible 5000m world record. How much help was the new LED peacemaking system when going for a world record attempt? And how on earth do you find pacers who can keep up that pace!?
In the second half of the episode we turn our attention to the rise of Norwegian distance running, calling on Callum's recent experience of training with some of the top runners in Norway. How have the Ingebrigtsen brother's influenced the training approach of a nation? Could this be a country to keep an eye on in the coming years as times get faster and faster 👀
In this episode we look back on some exciting races that have taken place in recent weeks, including Joshua Cheptegei's incredible 5000m world record. How much help was the new LED peacemaking system when going for a world record attempt? And how on earth do you find pacers who can keep up that pace!?
In the second half of the episode we turn our attention to the rise of Norwegian distance running, calling on Callum's recent experience of training with some of the top runners in Norway. How have the Ingebrigtsen brother's influenced the training approach of a nation? Could this be a country to keep an eye on in the coming years as times get faster and faster 👀
Sep 12, 202001:05:44
Racing with the Kenyans
Join the team behind the Kenya Experience running camps for episode 6 of Conversations About Running. In this episode Hugo, Gavin & Callum chat about their experiences of racing in the distance running capital of the world 🇰🇪 before this podcast we each chose a photo that we would use to help describe our most memorable race, you can find our photos on our Instagram page (@the_kenya_experience) and Facebook page (The Kenya Experience). Callum recalls one of the most painful races he's ever ran, looking back with mixed feelings of being humbled & inspired and also slightly embarrassed to finish near last 😳 Gavin shares a few classic Kenyan racing stories, including running alongside a worker in full office clothes and shoes during a hard 10km cross country race. While Hugo tells us about a 5k track race that got the Kenyan crowd on their feet as he started picking off stragglers one by one. We recommend having the photos to hand whilst listening so you can see what we are referring to. Enjoy!
Aug 14, 202001:11:58
(Vapor)Flight or Fight: Embracing or Rejecting Carbon Fibre Shoes
How is new shoe technology changing our sport? Are athletes training harder and longer as a result of better shoes? Is this a new era of racing? Can we compare today's race performances to those before the dawn of Vaporfly Technology? In this episode of 'Conversations About Running', Callum, Gavin & Hugo get stuck into conversation about the pros and cons of carbon fibre plates in shoes and discuss the changes this technology is having on our sport. Hugo talks about the difference between the trainers he raced in as a top class athlete 'back in the day' and the injury issues these types of shoes have caused for many athletes over the years. Surely introducing better trainers is an over all positive for all levels of athletes? What affect is it having in the world of professional running? Join us for episode 5 to hear our thoughts!
Jul 23, 202056:30
The All-Important Questions
Join us for episode 4 of the 'Conversations About Running' podcast where Gavin, Callum & Hugo put each other on the spot with some thought provoking (mainly running related) questions. Hear about Gavin's experiences of running a business while training as an athlete, Hugo's thoughts on modern tech in the running world, and why Callum feels somehow disheartened and inspired when training with elite Kenyan runners!
Jun 29, 202001:02:57
Myths of Kenyan Training
In episode 3 of The Kenya Experience Podcast Gavin, Callum and Hugo debunk some common misconceptions that many westerners have about the way Kenyan athletes train. In particular we take a look at the well known workout 'Kenyan Hills' and why they have probably been given the wrong title. We discuss a type of recovery run which has become known as a 'Kenyan Shuffle' and why this should not be the one thing we take away from Kenyan training. And finally we talk about running form and drills; how do Kenyan runners have such great form without paying much attention, if any, to running drills? Enjoy!
Jun 11, 202001:10:30
Taking Control of Your Motivation
Join Gavin and Callum for a chat about the latest in athletics, including the 'Ingebrigtsen 5km road race' and what differences the latest running shoes make to performance. In their own training Callum attempted a solo 10k time trial later to find out he had just edged inside Gavin's pb of 31.06. It looks like a race might be on the cards 🤔 Gavin discusses his return from injury and the fluctuations in motivation he has experienced during 'lock down' as a result of not being able to run. The team delve further into the topic of motivation when they are joined by Coach Hugo van den Broek from his home in Iten who sheds some light on how to train at your best even when you lack the motivation to do so - an issue encountered even by the most elite athletes in the world.
May 27, 202059:03
Running during a global pandemic
Show Notes:
The world is in the midst of a world-wide pandemic, and in this, the first episode of The Kenya Experience podcast we discuss what it's like to be a runner during this time of uncertainty. Gavin and Callum discuss their experiences as athletes in the UK during 'Lockdown' and Hugo joins us live from Iten, where he updates us on the situation in Kenya and how coronavirus is effecting life for him and the professional runners who are based in Iten.
For Callum it's been fairly plain sailing and without any races on the horizon he has been able to enjoy a relaxed approach to his serious training (he's run 14:20 for 5k!). For Gavin, it's been a tricky few weeks having picked up an injury early during the UK's lockdown and subsequently being unable to access treatment. After sulking for a few weeks, he has since hit the bike in an attempt to retain some sanity and some fitness. Whilst for Hugo much of day to day life remains unchanged.
In the first half of the podcast Gavin and Callum also give some background info on themselves, and recall their own journeys to Kenya's 'Home of Champions' in Iten. In the second half Hugo considers the differing motivations of athletes in Kenya which may depend on their own level of running and their financial situation. As well as letting us know what it's like to coach elite athletes during this period, Hugo also gives his advice for runners of all levels who want to emerge on the other side of the pandemic as better runners than before.
Thanks for tuning in and we hope you find something of value during our chat.
About us:
Gavin and Callum make up the UK Office of The Kenya Experience, Gavin having founded the company in 2010 and Callum joining us in late 2017 initially to help with content production and social media work in what is now an ever evolving role. Hugo van den Broek is Head Coach at The Kenya Experience. He is a 2:12 marathon runner originally from the Netherlands who has lived in Iten Kenya for over a decade where he is married with 2 children. Hugo has a masters degree in Human Movement Science and alongside his work with The Kenya Experience he also coaches elite athletes including the Indian Distance Project and professional runners from Europe and Africa as well non elite athletes from around the world.
Learn More:
Visit www.traininkenya.com to learn more about our running camps in Iten Kenya and view our blogs to read more from Gavin, Callum and Hugo. You can also check us out on Insta, Facebook and Youtube
May 15, 202055:06