Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

Trail running talk and banter, delving deep to gain insight and inspiration from interesting runners in New…

by Matt Rayment

About Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

Trail running talk and banter, delving deep to gain insight and inspiration from interesting runners in New Zealand, Australia and the world. Learn more: dirtchurchradio.com

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Episodes

Latest 200 episodes in the feed

Nov 13, 2026 · 44 min

Burnout Aint A Badge Of Honour | DCR AidStation 065

This week, Ali and Matt really get into the nitty-gritty of the toll that the unceasing grind of 2026 is taking on the running industry and all of us—injuries, Sickness, and the relentless burden of having to have something, ANYTHING to say we are training for lest we be seen as someone who runs, rather than a real runner. It’s hectic out there, and they go deep into what gives us meaning, what we’d like to see for…
Nov 4, 2026 · 1 hr 21 min

Dan Jones Rulz OK? | Dirt Church Radio 396

There is nothing we enjoy in Aotearoa more than two little Latin words: per capita. We may not have the economy of scale, or GDP or any of those other things that big countries have, but by hokey me, per capita, we’ve got the goods. This is especially true in the elite trail running space, which is pretty cool if you think about it. You practically can’t swing a dead cat in some parts of NZ without hitting a Terrex…
Oct 30, 2026 · 57 min

Backyard Schmackyard | DCR AidStation 063

This week, Ali and Andrew run (ha!) down the notion that suffering in something you choose to do may not even be suffering at all. They peer into one leg of the ultrasphere's bifurcation and decide that, whilst looking fun, and all, Backyards may not be their thing. Influencers get a dishonourable mention, and as a bonus we’ve got interviews from Ali’s stint crewing the Vanilla Gorilla at the River Run Backyard…
Oct 20, 2026 · 1 hr 44 min

The 2026 Crater Rim Ultra Live Show Special | Dirt Church Radio 394

I think we understood how epic the Crater Rim was, but we didn’t know it. This weekend changed all that—my Goodness, this was an incredible weekend of excellent trails and trying times. Some of us hurt ourselves, and some of us went to Taupo and rekindled our love for trails. For your pleasure, we also bring you the 2026 Crater Rim Live Show, all the way from Further Faster. Matt and Ali bring you a rollicking…
Oct 16, 2026 · 37 min

Wild and Free? | DCR AidStation 062

This week on the AidStation, our heroes gather once again to dissect the thorniest issues in the ultraphere. For some of us, strictly following doctor’s orders is the go; for others, it’s all coming up fondue, or fon-don’t, as it were. Beyond that, we’re pondering why you’d cancel a 240-mile race or even start one; we’ve got cold opens, hot takes, and dramatic music to boot—all this and more at the AidStation. Dirt…

Earlier episodes (195)

Oct 6, 2026 Corrine Malcolm. Here For It.. | Dirt Church Radio 392
Corrine Malcolm aspires to be trail running's biggest super fan. She’s also been described as a Swiss Army knife of knowledge about the sport and culture. You’ll have heard her on countless live streams at massive races such as Western States. Corrine is part of the Freetrail family and the Trail Society Podcast. With a background in winter biathlon that led to top-tier trail and ultramarathon running, coaching,…
Oct 2, 2026 The 2026 Blue Lake Special | DCR AidStation 062
This weekend was about love. Love of the trails, Love of the sport, Love of grassroots events (Yes, CTC, we mean you too) and love of the people who dream up these foolhardy endeavours. Long story short, we all ran a bunch of loops of Blue Lake, and it ruled. We did a tonne of interviews, and they were great too. It all got very Scottish. Give it a hoon. All this and more at the AidStation. Dirt Church Radio – Best…
Sep 22, 2026 Katharina Hartmuth. Giant Killer | Dirt Church Radio 390
The boundaries between what is possible and what was once thought impossible are crumbling by the day. This is especially true in the ultra space. This week, Ali and Andrew speak to the mighty Katharina Hartmuth about her journey to Tor des Géants, and what she hoped to achieve before her incredible, emphatic win. Pragmatic, driven and engaging, Katharina has delivered some incredible performances in the past,…
Sep 18, 2026 Sports | DCR AidStation 061
Look, we’ve lately taken to welcoming the heat death of the universe, or a comet, to rid us of the continued madness of the ultrasphere. Our dudes, it’s getting bad. We’re in a hectic headspace, and we’re here to chat shit. What’s that alternative to the Sweeny-ness of it all? Can you have your OnlyFans and eat it too? (Sorry). Why is golf? WHILE WE ARE AT IT, what is the furthest you’ve ever walked? And why, as…
Sep 8, 2026 Roger Hanney : Type 1 Fun | Dirt Church Radio 388
All we are is a collection of stories. As hard as we may try, we scream a narrative. It seeps from our pores. Everything speaks, from our genetics to our blood markers; our history written for us, and the history we make ourselves. We became who we are by telling stories, and at the end of the day, all any of us really want is that sense of excitement, understanding, and connection that a story gives us. Who then,…
Sep 4, 2026 The 2026 Firies Climb For MND | DCR AidStation 060
Community gets bandied around too much these days. Everything is a community, even though around us our worlds get smaller, our networks become increasingly online, and our horizons narrow. Even accounting for our jaundiced views, this weekend was a true display of what community can and should be. MND sucks; this has been established. The fight that people like Professor Dominic Rowe, Gavin Clifton, Matt Pridham,…
Aug 25, 2026 Jeff Browning: No Hitch In The Giddyup | Dirt Church Radio 386
This week we’re delighted to welcome returning DCR champion Jeff Browning, one of our OG guests, featured in episode 10 waaaaay back in 2018. Ali and Matt speak to Jeff about his amazing career and how, since 2018, he’s continued to move forward, smash races, and roll with the punches. Fresh off an age-group record at Western States and looking towards TDS, Jeff was in fine form. This conversation covers his…
Aug 21, 2026 Running Wife Running Life | DCR AidStation 059
This week, Ali and Matt stock the AidStation with all the goodness you need. We have a very special conversation with Gavin Clifton, one of the leading voices for the Firies Climb for (against) MND. We are so excited to be joining this amazing event for the second time and look forward to being there in The Blue Mountains next week. Then we hit on the totally non-complicated and 100% non-minefield of engaging in…
Aug 14, 2026 Sophie Woods: Via Alpina FKT | DCR BONUS POD 385
In this special bonus podcast, Ali Pottinger talks to Sophie Woods about her incredible 28-day, 17-hour, 59-minute Via Alpina FKT. This is a very special conversation, and we hope you enjoy it. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- --- Episode Links Sophie Woods Instagram Sophie Woods DCR episode 101 La Sportiva Sign up for the DCR AidStation newsletter and never miss an episode! Join us today. Dirt…
Aug 11, 2026 Lucy Bartholomew : Time For Livin' | Dirt Church Radio 384
The Champ is back! This week, Ali and Andrew have the pleasure of speaking to Lucy Bartholomew. It’s strange to call someone as young as Lucy a veteran of the sport; however, with her years of racing experience at the highest levels, that’s just what Lucy is. Fresh off her Brisbane Marathon win and her stunning second place at Laverado. Lucy talks us through her continued evolution in the sport, what she has…
Aug 7, 2026 I Got Really Angry About The State Of Trail Running Online And All I Got Was This Stupid T Shirt | DCR AidStation 58
There is a lot to be exercised within the ultrasphere if you let it. Clickbait, AI Slop, and the rules-don’t-apply-to-me of it all. I mean, are races just about the livestream now? And how does it feel to be in a place where attention, and not performance, is the main driving factor? On the other hand, have you been for a run on the trails lately? We did, and can confirm it’s still AWESOME. What about all the…
Jul 28, 2026 Jeff Garmire : Free Outside | Dirt Church Radio 382
This week, Matt and Ali have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Jeff Garmire. Jeff is well known for his achievements in the thru-hiking world, having set many incredible Fastest Known Times on the Colorado, John Muir, and Arizona trails (among others). Having completed 6 Cocodona 250-mile top ten finishes and fresh off a month-long “bachelor party” in Europe, knocking off a GR20, a Tour De Mont Blanc, and a…
Jul 24, 2026 State Of The Nation | DCR AidStation 057
This week, Ali, Matt, and Andrew get together to set the record straight (ish). The state of the trail-running multi-nation is laid out. We discuss (gulp) goals and, if we could have our druthers, what our ideal trail race would look like. Andrew is partial to any gel except the ones that taste like acid. Matt closes the loop on the circle pit with a glorious celebration; Ali is building, building, building, PLUS…
Jul 14, 2026 Audrée Lafrenière: A Life Extraordinary | Dirt Church Radio 380
This week, Matt and Ali have the pleasure of speaking with Audrée Lafrenière. Audrée is a coach, athlete, and dedicated lover of our sport and culture. You may know her best from the popular trail-running video series that Audrée and her partner, Jeff Pelleier, create. These videos document their adventures, be that fastpacking in the Dolomites, racing UTMB, Crewing Jeff at Moab 240, or Audrée’s most recent 100km…
Jul 10, 2026 Birthday Pony | DCR AidStation 056
This week, Matt and Ali carry the torch, as Andrew said he was popping out for soy milk and went to Australia. We run down Vertual July, the controversy with the Six Foot Track Marathon finishing times, and a Hardrock Preview. We debate one of the great trail-running conundrums: shakka vs. goat horns? What would a grand slam of NZ ultramarathons look like, we wonder? We marvel at the momentum that momentum can give…
Jun 30, 2026 The Cost Of Ultramarathon | Dirt Church Radio 378
This week, it’s Ali, Andrew, and Matt rolling as the power trio we are, without an interview, because we wanted to cover something important and increasingly on people’s minds. This started with a response to a Yaboyscottjurek post, where he’d come up with slogans for various personalities in the ultra world, including the race director of an ultra-ultra distance race, with “you wouldn’t want it to be affordable,…
Jun 26, 2026 The 2026 Western States Endurance Run | DCR AidStation 055
This week is all about Western States. The history, the myths and legends, and how Ali, Andrew, and Matt first got drawn into the orbit of this incredible race. Andrew, who ran the bloody thing in 2024, confirms that the hype is indeed justified and talks us through the ins and outs of the iconic course. We have interviews with Caitlin Fielder, Holly Ranson, and Lachlan Colbatch, all of whom are toeing the line on…
Jun 16, 2026 Dr Pelle Kempe and The 2026 UTA Women in Trail | Dirt Church Radio 376
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, we bring you a double header of epic proportions. First, you’ll hear the 2026 Ultra Trail Australia Women in Trail panel. This episode features elite trail runners Beth McKenzie, Charlie Simpson, Lydia O’Donnell, and Olympian triathlete Sophie Linn. Next, Ali speaks to Dr. Pelle Kempe, a specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist based in Palmerston North. He is the Medical Lead for…
Jun 12, 2026 Denny's Marathon | DCR AidStation 054
This week is a tribute to togetherness that running can bring us. Ali, Andrew, and Matt celebrate the experience of heading out for a run with your mates, be it a marathon relay, a Denny’s Marathon, or a Coast to Coast to Coast. We explore (literally) some of the cool places you can get to in a city on foot. We salute and welcome Freden, Auckland’s new maunga-based running activity, and reveal our fondness for the…
Jun 3, 2026 Ian Sharman : The Art Of Ultrarunning | Dirt Church Radio 374
Kia ora e te whānau. Ian Sharman is a straight-up Legend in the sport of ultramarathon running. A Coach and Athlete hailing from the Golden Age, before 4K cameras in everyone’s pockets and when fans had to pass around a pirated copy of Unbreakable, Sharman and his kin were like trail gods, foreshadowing and inspiring the current crop of legends and doing things us regular people could only imagine, and we had to,…
May 29, 2026 Apex Predator |DCR AidStation 053
This week, Ali, Matt, and Andrew get philosophical: if an influencer were to influence the woods and no one were around, would anyone GRWM? We take a shot at amateur doping (and why this sucks), and share our undying admiration for the NZ 24-hour championship team. We address some of the curliest issues afflicting trail running in the 21st century. While we are at it, why is Andrew so calm? It worries us when he…
May 19, 2026 The 2026 Ultra Trail Australia Live Special | Dirt Church Radio 372
Kia ora e te whānau. We ran away and joined the circus. And it was cool as hell. No, not that dork-fest in the desert, but a true example of community and fellowship at the 2026 Hoka Ultra Trail Australia by UTMB. These are incredible four days in the majesty of the Blue Mountains. Ali and Matt were privileged to lead a brilliant conversation with some of the biggest talents in Trail and Ultra Running on Friday,…
May 15, 2026 Cult of Personality | DCR AidStation 052
We’ve had some big weeks in the running world. With some incredible performances and a new normal being established across the board, from 42.2 to 250 miles. Ali, Andrew, and Matt are here for it, and we have some questions as well. Is our sport, and the big tent that it has become, lost some of its sparkle, its unpredictability, its wonder? Now, every elite performance must surely hinge on the 1%ers. When is too…
May 5, 2026 The 2026 Ultra Trail Australia Preview- With Ian 'easy' Meyer | Dirt Church Radio 370
Kia ora e te whānau. Who is excited for UTA? Gosh, we certainly are. This week, Join Ali and Matt as they preview the elite fields in the miler, 100km, 50km, and 22km events at Ultra Trail Australia, as well as answer those last-minute questions that athletes have when staring an event like this in the face. This year, we’ve decided to do things a little differently, and Ali speaks with Ian ‘easy’ Meyer- one of the…
May 1, 2026 DCR AidStation 051 | The Rant Bank
We’re not going to lie, there was a lot on the docket this week, and boy did Ali, Andrew, and Matt rip through it. We, the aforementioned, declare that Tamaki is now the distance-running capital of Aotearoa. And also that it is “mad nice” (Friedland, 2026). We charge that big companies should stop doing things that make them look like dicks, and that the Boston thing was sort of okay, and also we wonder if that…
Apr 21, 2026 Matt Bixley Rides Again | Dirt Church Radio 369
Way back in 2023, when Eugene and Matt first spoke to Matt Bixley (on DCR 228 if you are interested), they were impressed not only by the attention he paid to detail in planning his adventures, the scope of the adventures - 18 Keplers (at the time) , a Barkley Marathons, a million rogaines, and an astounding back story, but the sheer ability of the man to spin a great yarn. Fast forward a couple of years, and we…
Apr 17, 2026 Return Of The M(A)C(K) | DCR AIdStation 050
Goodness me, we got through a bit on the Aidstation this week. From hard choices to boners (Yes, you read correctly). Better mental health and running strategies you can use every day. Paying to pace? yep, we go there too, and yep, Backyards aren't dead. Also, most importantly, I know, it’s not Mack or Mac, it’s Mc, as in McDowall, but goshdarnit, Andrew is back, and we’re all the better for it. Did we mention…
Apr 8, 2026 Annie Hand. Blasting in the Blueys | Dirt Church Radio 367
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger chats with Annie Hand, fresh off her second-place finish at the Six Foot Track Marathon. Hand, a Blue Mountain stalwart, completed the Ultra Trail Australia Miler in 2025 and is off for a lap of Mount Blanc in 2026. Annie and Ali talk about performance, Annie’s abiding love of the Blue Mountains, and the pleasant surprise of ending up on podiums in this excellent…
Apr 3, 2026 The 2026 Tussock Traverse | DCR AidStation 048
The Tussock Traverse and/or the Ring of Fire is an event that you must do. 100%. We can’t really jazz it up more than that. If you like a unique mountain-running adventure that is both a grassroots event and offers the most incredible scenery, and world-class trails. After a tough couple of years, 2026 saw the event organisers putting it all on the line again. Ali and Matt run through the weekend and all the…
Mar 24, 2026 Paula Griffin- Through The 'Ferns Onto The Trails | Dirt Church Radio 365
Kia ora e te whānau. Paula Griffin is among the many professional athletes we’ve spoken to over the years who have pivoted from their original sport to trail running. Paula Griffin is the first professional netballer we’ve had on the podcast, so that’s really something. Paula speaks to Ali Pottinger about her life in professional netball (including becoming a Silver Fern), her pivot to MMA (of course), and then,…
Mar 20, 2026 Girls & Boys | DCR AidStation 047
I don’t know, man. What’s in a name after all? We’re lucky enough that Matt’s youngest daughter isn’t called Skipper or Queenie (both names he went in hard for). Trying to decipher the lore behind a trail name is hard enough, right? This week on the AidStation, Matt and Ali talk about everything. From monetizing gravel *spoiler alert* Don’t do it! Salomon, we’re looking at you, to the end of the world, headlamps,…
Mar 10, 2026 Jack Harris. Horizons | Dirt Church Radio 364
Kia ora e te whānau. In our sport, we often hear stories of when people found trail running. Seldom do we hear of moments where trail running found us. Jack Harris was, as he tells it, going through a bit of a hard time, and one day decided to go for a hike along the Routeburn Track. By happy circumstance, that hike coincided with the running of the annual Routeburn trail run. It would be neater, if not less…
Mar 6, 2026 UnSatisfyed| DCR AidStation 046
On this week’s AidStation, we have a most excellent conversation about the LoopHer relay in Riverhead, a 3, 6, or 12-hour female-only relay. We talk about the upcoming Tussock Traverse and Ring of Fire, and our unreasonable excitement to be involved. We discuss the chase for the Western States Endurance Run and whether the field should be deeper. Is there a place for a Sportiv-style event? Or should we leave it…
Feb 24, 2026 The 2026 Old Ghost Ultra Special | Dirt Church Radio 362
Kia ora e te whānau. This episode has been a long time coming. DCR has been wanting to get down to the mighty Old Ghost Ultra for years, and this year, Ali P made it happen. The stoke is evident in her retelling of the event. If that isn’t enough, we’ve got interviews with Race Founder and 2026 participant Phil Rossiter, Mr. Original Ben Kepes, Third-place runner Sarah Kearns, and iRunFar founder Mr. Bryon Powell.…
Feb 17, 2026 The 2026 Tarawera Ultra Trail Special | Dirt Church Radio 361
Kia ora e te whānau. Holy Hecka, what a weekend with the filth, fury, and triumph of Tarawera Ultra Trail New Zealand by UTMB. Join Ali Pottinger and Matt Rayment for a wonderful conversation with some of the leading lights in our sport for our annual live show—amazing insights from Ruth Croft, Beth McKenzie, Dan Jones, Petter Engdhal, Sam Harvey, Hannah McCrae, Liam Mierow, and Emily Hawgood. We run down the…
Feb 11, 2026 Lucy Bartholomew, Tom Heath, and Wanaka Ultra | DCR AidStation 45
On this week’s AidStation, we have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Race Director Tom Heath about the exciting new event on the calendar, Ultra Wanaka. Ali and Matt also speak to the most powerful returning champion, L. Bartholomew of Diamond Creek, Victoria, about her go-to Rotorua trails, Race week self-care, and the update on her Dad, Ash, after his recent stroke. Matt has been accused of many things,…
Feb 3, 2026 Jackson Cole. Fight The Power | Dirt Church Radio 359
Kia ora e te whānau. What a way to kick off 2026 with this awesome conversation with Goat Tongariro winner Jackson Cole. Jackson spoke with Matt from his base in Missoula, Montana. We touched on the usual topics like training and racing. Still, the conversation primarily centered on Jackson’s history and ethos—from Wellington to Colorado and beyond —rooted in adventure, the joy of experience, and a love for wild…
Jan 30, 2026 The Goat Tongariro w/ Michael Sutton | DCR AIdStation
On this week’s AidStation, we bring you an excellent chat Ali P had with Michael Sutton at The Goat Tongariro. Michael, if you will remember, has represented New Zealand multiple times at the World Mountain Running Championships, and has recently launched The Kea Mountain Running Series to bring the shorter, harder, vertier stuff to the people. You may also be familiar with Michael from his excellent conversation…
Jan 20, 2026 The 2026 Tarawera Ultra Trail Special with Kerry Suter | Dirt Church Radio 357
Kia ora e te whānau. We’re back again for the third annual DCR Tarawera Ultra Trail by UTMB special. Joining Ali and Matt at the helm is a special guest, two-time Tarawera champion, and running coach extraordinaire, Mr Kerry Suter. What a treat you have in store for yourselves this episode, as we dive deep into the history of the event and its impact on the global running scene. We also talk about our own histories…
Jan 16, 2026 Let the Runger Games Begin |DCR AidStation 43
Maybe we were all a bit too hopeful that 2025’s madness would not continue into 2026. Maybe these first two weeks are a post-credit scene, or maybe, just maybe, this is 2026 saying “hold my beer” in response to last year’s antics. Anyway you cut it, it’s probably best to get yourself out for a run. It’ll probably help. The WTF?! quality of early ‘26 hasn’t stopped at the door of the ultrasphere, so for our first…
Jan 6, 2026 Sam Harvey & Stephen Redfern | Dirt Church Radio Summer Series 002
Kia ora e te whānau. Welcome to the second of our DCR Summer Series episodes, where we’ll be bringing you our most popular conversations from 2025. This week, we’ve got a double header, throwing it back to July when Sam Harvey made his DCR three-peat and spoke to Andrew McDowall about (literally) running himself to a standstill as the assist in the world-record-breaking 118-hour/790 km knock at Dead Cow Gully.…
Dec 30, 2025 Jasmin Paris | Dirt Church Radio Summer Series 001
Kia ora e te whānau. Welcome to the first of our DCR Summer Series episodes, where we’ll be bringing you our most popular conversations from 2025. Kickin' it off this week, we are taking it back to March, and episode 318, when Ali and Matt spoke to the one and only Jasmin Paris. Jasmin Paris entered the wider public consciousness when she became the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, with just 99 seconds…
Dec 23, 2025 Damian Watson. Layer Upon Layer Upon Layer | Dirt Church Radio 355.
Kia ora e te whānau. The path to success is seldom simple. It’s often multiple overlays of experience, each building upon the other until the goal is reached, be that setting course records at 200-mile events like the Wild Horse or becoming an expert pastry chef and deli owner. Damian Watson is someone with overlays of experience. Andrew McDowall travelled out to Muriwai Beach on Auckland’s rugged West Coast to…
Dec 19, 2025 Live, Laugh, Love-Your-Mat-Time-Not-Your-Strava-Time, You Dorks | AidStation 42
Kia ora e te whānau. It’s the last Aid Station of 2025, and we're in a reflective mood. Matt wishes he could run faster, Ali wishes she could move house automatically, and Andrew wishes he had feelings like a real boy. Apart from these aspirational goals, our heroes run down the year that was, listing what they’ve loved, learnt, and what they wish to take forward into 2026. Never free from the hottest of takes, we…
Dec 12, 2025 The 2025 Kepler Special | Dirt Church Radio 354
Kia ora e te whānau. In this week's second episode, join Andrew McDowall for the 2025 Dirt Church Radio Kepler live show. Andrew took up the baton from Matt and Eugene, journeyed down to Te Anau to host a vibrant live show, and then tackled the 60km Kepler Challenge the following day—which, in typical AMCD style, he knocked out of the park. Settle into your long run this weekend, and enjoy Andrew’s conversation…
Dec 9, 2025 The 2025 Spectacle Special | Dirt Church Radio 353
Kia ora e te whānau. If, as a winsome youth, you’d had your heart broken at a Swedish wedding in Nelson, what would it take to shift the unconscious response when the town was mentioned from “yeah, nah” to “Hell Yes”? Turns out, a weekend packed with as much awesomeness as you could shake a stick at. Happily, we can report that this circumstance eventuated for Matt at the 2025 edition of The Spectacle. In this…
Dec 2, 2025 Ultra Trail Kosciuszko with Lucy Bartholomew| Dirt Church Radio 352
Kia ora e te whānau. Join us for the first of three live specials as Ali heads off to the Snowy Mountains for the fourth edition of Ultra Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB. Featuring interviews with Running Mums Australia founder Nic Bunyon, The Honey Buzzard himself, Martin Gaffuri, DCR Fan and Kosci frother, Bel, and the incredible Lucy Bartholomew. Excellent Stuff. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- ---…
Nov 28, 2025 Inside the Wai2k- The Toughest Race In Town | Aidstation 41
Kia ora e te whānau. It turns out, the Wai2k is hard mahi. I mean, we always thought that, but to have our suspicions confirmed by AMCD as he valiantly sent it in the weekend’s 100km was oddly satisfying. Gareth Thomas builds hard races, as those who have had the pleasure of attempting the WUU2K will attest. To hear that compared the the WAI, the WUU is “a kid’s run” apparently. AMCD’s pain is indeed our gain. This…
Nov 18, 2025 Ruth Croft- Hail To The Chief| Dirt Church Radio 351
Kia ora e te whānau. We want to invite all who can be upstanding to welcome one R. Croft of Greymouth back for her Tenth appearance on Dirt Church Radio. We are Ruth fans. If there was a RAT for it (Ruth Antigen Test), we’d be positive. Or is that CAT? (Croft Antigen Test?). ANYWAYS. It’s been a minute since we’ve talked to old mate, and after an abortive attempt post UTMB (Thanks, French Internet, you dork), Ali P…
Nov 14, 2025 100 miles is 100 miles is 100 miles| Aid Station 40
Kia ora e te whānau. Things we learned on this week’s episode. We suck collectively at Maths, there is such a thing called a Wet Globe Bulb Temperature (WHAT?!?!?), We are all pro-Kipchoge winning Western States. Despite their relative masses, Andrew and Matt cope conversely in the heat (at least psychologically) and are aligned in our distaste of the UTMB kilometre effort industrial complex. The gang is back…
Nov 4, 2025 Michael Sutton - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | Dirt Church Radio 349
Kia ora e te whānau. We’re baaaaack and beyond excited to bring to you Matt’s conversation with the most excellent Michael Sutton. The words “mountain,” “trail” and “ultramarathon” are somewhat interchangeable in the lexicon of the outdoors-themed pursuit. Michael Sutton, however, is the real deal. A 6 x NZ representing, 4:28 Mile running, Steeple chasing, sub three minute per km Mountain Machine. Matt goes to…
Oct 21, 2025 Helene Barron- Beyond The Finish Line | Dirt Church Radio 348
Kia ora e te whānau. Best laid plans and all that…We had a bumper episode lined up for you this week, with a lot of stuff to talk about, and an amazing GRE, that was even before we got to Andrew’s conversation with the mighty Helene Barron. Annoying story short, our entire episode got zoinked by the AWS outage. Perfect. So please enjoy this distilled episode of DCR, with the one and only Helene Barron, elite trail…
Oct 17, 2025 Shoey-Doo-ey-Do! | AidStation 41
Kia ora e te whānau. Even by our standards, this episode of the DCR AidStation is a lot. Future Andrew makes a record number of appearances to preface, foreshadow, recommend, and otherwise act as a lexographical zamboni for Ali and Matt (we all know it is mainly Matt). From last week’s epic Taupō Ultramarathon and some interviews Ali conducted whilst running, crewing, and slapping fives, to a lively debate about…
Oct 7, 2025 Tanya Carroll- I’m For The Trails | Dirt Church Radio 346
Kia ora e te whānau. Did we compare Tanya Carroll to The Lorax in the title? Maybe. Is Tanya Carroll worthy of such an accolade? Yep. Tanya is for the trails. Having run over 100 trail events and over 45 ultra marathons, including 10 Ultra Trail Australia 100s and a couple of UTMBs (not to mention a stack of other amazing results). Tanya is currently the Oceania Operations Manager for Ironman Trail events, bringing…
Oct 3, 2025 One Year Of Three People | AidStation 040
Kia ora e te whānau. We had a particularly nice time on this week’s AidStation podcast, celebrating one year of Ali and Andrew jumping on board. Matt had the opportunity to ask them a mix of longer-form and quick-fire style questions about the last 12 months, and what they were looking forward to in the next 12 months and beyond. If you are after an under-the-hood look at what makes the two “new” co-hosts of Dirt…
Sep 23, 2025 James Inwood vs. the Badwater 135 | Dirt Church Radio 344
Kia ora e te whānau. James Inwood is no stranger to challenge. The Greytown runner has completed numerous ultramarathons, including the infamous Coast to Kosci; however, nothing could have prepared him for the challenge of Badwater 135. 217 kilometers of road from Death Valley Basin, finishing on the road to Mount Whitney, the race starts at the lowest point in the contiguous USA and ends on the road to the…
Sep 19, 2025 The Good,The Bad & The Ugly | Aid Station 39
Kia ora e te whānau. Mistakes were made. The first of many in this week’s episode of the AidStation was Andrew McDowall describing Matt as having a “water off a duck’s back” mentality. This is not true. Especially when the water is the wider response to the Joyline Chepgnego doping saga.That water really sank in. The duck was soaked. . Ali, Andrew, and Matt discuss this thorny issue and where responsibility for…
Sep 9, 2025 Justin Grunewald - The Only Way Out is Through | Dirt Church Radio 342
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger speaks with elite ultra runner and physician Justin Grunewald. Fresh off a second-place finish at the Leadville 100, Justin talks to Ali about managing his life as a parent and doctor when his wife, Amanda Basham (DCR 311) is also an elite runner. Justin’s story is intertwined with the loss of his first wife, Gabe Grunewald, to a rare form of cancer in 2019. Ali and…
Sep 5, 2025 Hail To The Chief | Aid Station 38
Kia ora e te whānau. We make no bones about it. Dirt Church Radio is, was, and always will be Ruth Croft Positive. Over the (at least) 7 times Croft has appeared on DCR, there has always been one constant- a focus on moving forward. Ruth is on par with the best to take the gig, a wonderful human being, and an asset to our sport. The only criminal element? You aren’t going to hear about her on the news back in…
Aug 26, 2025 Sean Conway– Beard, Belief, and Bad-Assery | Dirt Church Radio 340
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger and Matt Rayment speak to Sean Conway, the Zimbabwe-born, UK-based endurance adventurer whose life has been one long refusal to do things by halves. Sean’s palmarès reads like a dare whispered at closing time: cycling around the world, swimming the length of Great Britain, running across it, and then becoming the first person to complete a length-of-Britain triathlon.…
Aug 22, 2025 For Those About To Rock, We Salute You | Aid Station 37
Kia ora e te whānau. It’s that time of year when we start to see the end of winter and the earliest glimpses of spring. Thoughts turn to the new year, big events, and the lead-up to those events. Does one size fit all when it comes to peak months and loading during the macrocycle? This doesn’t even begin to touch on the double-edged sword of Strava and the world of socials. Luckily, Andrew and Matt get to hang out…
Aug 12, 2025 Phil Gore – To Infinity And Beyond | Dirt Church Radio 338
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall sit down with the one and only Phil Gore. You’ll know Phil from his two epic showdowns with our very own Sam Harvey at Dead Cow Gully — both times pushing themselves to the ragged edges of what we thought humanly possible. This time, they didn’t just flirt with the record — they obliterated it. Both sailed past the previous world mark, with Phil…
Aug 8, 2025 The Olympics, Overtraining, and that F*%king Kelpie Dog I AidStation 36
Kia ora e te whānau. I mean, the co-hosts of your third favourite trail and ultrarunning podcast haven’t gotten together for a chinwag for a while, and, if the universe has had a say in 2/3rds of our days, things are bound to get chaotic. Ultras at the Olympics, The legacy of Backyard Ultras, Overtraining and being Over Training, Plus Andrew’s bad ankle, Ali’s tumultuous toddler, and the dead dolphin under Matt’s…
Jul 29, 2025 Sage Canaday – Any Surface, Any Distance | Dirt Church Radio 337
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali and Matt sit down with the legendary Sage Canaday. Since turning pro in 2012, Sage has been a defining presence in the trail and ultrarunning world. With a strong background in road racing and tidy marathon times, he helped usher in a new era of professional athletes in trail running. An outspoken advocate for clean sport, Sage has long used his platform not only to race but to…
Jul 25, 2025 Maree Connor – Spartathlon, Badwater, and Beyond | AidStation 35
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, we’ve got another special edition of the AidStation for you. Ali and Andrew caught up with Australian endurance legend Maree Connor to talk about her amazing ultramarathon career. From the iconic Spartathlon to the punishment of Badwater 135 to the World 24-Hour Championships, Maree has conquered some of the most incredible races in our sport. We couldn’t wait to bring you this…
Jul 15, 2025 Marianne Hogan – The Will to Endure | Dirt Church Radio 335
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger catches up with the mighty Marianne Hogan. We first tried to record this conversation before Tarawera Ultra Trail, but a patchy internet connection and a tight schedule meant we had to hit pause. Thankfully, we’ve picked it back up—and what a time to do it. Marianne has just come off an epic third-place finish at this year’s Western States Endurance Run, cementing her…
Jul 8, 2025 Dan Jones. Western States Endurance Run And The Year Ahead- AidStation Special.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week we’ve something super special for you. Ali and Matt had the chance to catch up with Dan Jones about his third consecutive top-five finish at the Western States Endurance Run. We talk about the day that was, the lead up, his recovery, and what’s in store for the coming year in this extra special edition of the DCR AidStation. Dirt Church Radio- Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- --- Episode…
Jul 1, 2025 Sam Harvey and Stephen Redfern- To The Well We Go. Dirt Church Radio 333.
Kia ora e te whānau. As the sport of trail and ultramarathon running evolves, we find ourselves searching for that extra 1%. Whether it's in efficiency and speed (just witness the spectacle of the elite aid stops at Western States) or pushing that bit further, it seems like we are heading towards uncharted territory. This week on Dirt Church Radio, we bring you two interviews with athletes who know how to go the…
Jun 27, 2025 119 Not Out- AidStation 033.
Kia ora e te whānau.This episode of the Aidstation leaves more questions unanswered than answered. Is finding your attention waning at a race with no end the same as disliking it? Why does Test Cricket suck? What’s wrong with Corriander? Will it be a kiwi double at Western States? Hey Andrew, can we see your buckle? Did the wikipunishment meet the wikicrime? IS putting your intention out there ultimately a bad…
Jun 18, 2025 Camille Herron. Dirt Church Radio Episode 331.
Kia ora e te whānau. It would be easy to start this post off with something like “the internet sucks” and again, that would date us. In today’s context, the internet is, and with that comes its joys, its horrors, and the amplification of the worst angels of our psyche. In the physical world, moments come and go; in the digital world, a senseless act is immortal. Camille Herron, who returns to Dirt Church Radio for…
Jun 13, 2025 The 2025 Ultra Trail Australia Women in Trail Live Show Special. AidStation 32.
Kia ora e te whānau. Join Ali Pottinger, Lucy Bartholomew, Jessie Speedy, and Nicole Bunyon for the Ultra Trail Australia Women in Trail Panel. As our Ali says at the top, there is always more to say, and this is a good place to start. Join our incredible panel for this awesome discussion on the current state and the hopeful future of women in trail. This episode is Ali going solo, running amok, as she says, and…
Jun 3, 2025 Gary House-Cutting Through The Noise. Dirt Church Radio 329.
Kia ora e te whānau. You’d need to have been living under a rock over the last year not to have seen one of Gary House’s videos in the ultrasphere. From satirical stitches that poke fun at the absurdity of running media to no-nonsense and practical advice to aid in your running, e.g., “Stop being so British when climbing hills” Ali and Matt speak with Gary about his somewhat circuitous route into running, his…
May 30, 2025 The Ultrasphere Is Getting Spicy. Aidstation 31.
Kia ora e te whānau. All Matt knew is that he went to Ultra Trail Australia, got home, and then a couple of hours later went to work. What he missed in that very full-on week was a cavalcade of what Men In Blazers’ podcast would only describe as sheer ultrarunning shithousery. From the William Goodge trans-Australia beef, to the Avaripa running saga and consequential PR home-run, to whatever the heck Camille was on…
May 20, 2025 The 2025 Ultra Trail Australia Live Special. Dirt Church Radio 327
Kia ora e te whānau. It’s always a party in the Blue Mountains. From the out-of-this-world scenery, to the amazing people, to the exceptional country that carries you, the Blue Mountains have it all. Add to this mix the atmosphere and celebration of Ultra Trail Australia being a UTMB world major, and you have a recipe for an incredible time. This year’s UTA live special is in three parts. In part one, Ali and Matt…
May 16, 2025 Hanny Allston- More Than The Sum Of Our Parts. Aidstation 30.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Ali Pottinger speaks with Hanny Allston for a special addition to the Aidstation Podcast. Hanny is a returning champion to DCR who was with us for episode 121, all the way back in December 2020. Back then we said Hanny is based in Tasmania and is a high performance coach, owner of Find Your Feet Outdoors, former junior and senior world champion orienteer - elite trail runner and now…
May 6, 2025 Bryon Powell- Transcendent Trails- The Ultra Gobi 400. Dirt Church Radio 325
Kia ora e te whānau. Bryon Powell is a legend. The founder of iRunFar, an Ultramarathon runner and returning Dirt Church Radio Champion. In this week’s episode of DCR, Bryon speaks with Ali and Andrew about the lessons he learnt and the stories he shared in his lifetime, packed into three days, winning the incredible Ultra Gobi 400km. Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running Bryon Powell on Instagram iRunFar Sign…
Apr 29, 2025 The 2025 Ultra Trail Australia Preview Special - Dirt Church Radio 324
Kia ora e te whānau. Anyone with a passing relationship with Dirt Church Radio will know that Ultra Trail Australia has wormed it’s way firmly into our hearts as one of the must-do events on the planet. That love was deepened when Ali P jumped on board as a co-host in 2024. This week, Matt has the pleasure to speak to Ali and Kerry, the brawn-and-brawn behind Squadrun, about this year's event being one of the three…
Apr 22, 2025 Jean Beaumont.-Quiet Riot. Dirt Church Radio 323
Kia ora e te whānau. Jean Beaumont is a legend in Aotearoa ultramarathon circles that you’ve probably heard of, or maybe thought you did, because Jean keeps to herself. It’s taken years to get her to come on DCR and we’re so glad she did. Eight Northburn 100 finishes, and six wins from those eight, on top of masses of other feats of endurance that would make a mortal quail, including The Revenant, The Spectacle,…
Apr 18, 2025 Aidstation 29- The Lightning Round
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, we’re all back in the same country (for the time being) and thought that we would switch it up on this week’s Aidstation with a Lightning Round of questions that are, frankly, all over the place. From mental strategies for ultramarathons to Andrew’s neighbour, who may be the incredible hulk, through to the best races for newbies, specificity, the pros and cons of modern fuelling,…
Apr 8, 2025 The Kunanyi Mountain Run Special- Dirt Church Radio 321
The Kunanyi Mountain Run Special. Dirt Church Radio 321 Kia ora e te whānau. Lutruwita/Tasmania is legend. A hard place with warm people nestled off the east coast of Australia. Our legend, Ali Pottinger was lucky enough to travel to Nipaluna/Hobart to participate in this year’s Kunanayi Mountain Run. Whilst she was there Ali did what all good podcasters do, which was get some great content, from the race director…
Apr 4, 2025 Grass Roots Radicals- Aidstation 28
Kia ora e te whānau. We get the band back together after ages for this week’s AidStation Podcast. Fresh from Kunyani, Northburn 100, and kicking about at Riverhead Relaps, Ali, Andrew, and Matt discuss their love of the Grassroots event and the challenges and opportunities for amazing experiences that lie within. This week, we've got some bonus audio that Matt recorded at the Relaps Backyard. First, you hear from…
Mar 25, 2025 Michael Dunstan- Uncharted Territory. Dirt Church Radio 320
Kia ora e te whānau. Originally from Western Australia, growing up surfing and playing footie, Michael Dunstan has turned his hands to many things, including music, photography, and trail running. It turns out Michael is pretty (very) good at this whole trail running thing and has won the inaugural GPT100 mile race, Third place at Ultra Trail Snowdonia in Wales a win at the 2023 Hounslow Classic Marathon. Now based…
Mar 21, 2025 AidStation 27 Mid Pack? Middle Aged? or Just Mid?
Kia ora e te whānau. The first clue to Matthew having an inkling that his faculties might be slipping is when he starts announcing every episode of the AidStation as number 25, just like this week. Age is a tyranny that we all face, and this week-old mates Andrew and Matt run down the question of when it is time to accept that you are not 25 anymore and if you should be. or would you want to go back to being 25…
Mar 11, 2025 You Have A Voice, Use It - Jasmin Paris. Dirt Church Radio 317
Kia ora e te whānau. Jasmin Paris was rocketed into the wider consciousness when she became the first woman to finish Barkley Marathons, with 99 seconds to spare. Ironically, for a race that eschewed publicity for so long, the photos of Paris sending the final 100 metres or so to the yellow gate are arguably more famous than the Barkley itself. Whilst this may be Jasmin’s best known achievement, it’s far from her…
Mar 7, 2025 Aid Station 26: The 2025 Women in Trail Panel with Ali Pottinger, Corrine Malcolm, and Lucy Bartholomew.
Aid Station 26: The 2025 Women in Trail Panel with Ali Pottinger, Corrine Malcolm, and Lucy Bartholomew. Kia ora e te whānau. Please enjoy this incredible conversation with three wahine toa about women in trail. The conversation discussed different means of platforming women in the trail, the things that foster discussions that can progress the sport, and some of the challenges which women face in our community.…
Feb 25, 2025 The Trail To Western States Starts On The Road- Adrian MacDonald. Dirt Church Radio 315
Kia ora e te whānau. When Adrian MacDonald moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, he didn’t do it for the trails, he did it for love and the chance to run hills at altitude. With a background in road and track, MacDonald didn’t hit the trails until the pandemic canceled races and he thought he’d try his hand at an FKT. The rest, as they say, is history. Andrew and Matt speak to Adrian about his back-to-back wins at the…
Feb 18, 2025 Speed Dating With Speedy People. The 2025 Tarawera Ultra Trail Live Special. Dirt Church Radio 314.
Kia ora e te whānau.St. Valentine’s Day is for lovers, and we thought what better way to celebrate our love for Tarawera Ultra Trail and the people at the pinnacle of our sport than to change up your standard interview format to something that vibed with the day. Our pros had three minutes each, randomly drawn questions, some about running, some not, and one opportunity to pass. We spoke to Caitlin Fielder, Dan…
Feb 11, 2025 The 2025 Tarawera Ultra Trail Preview Special, with Kerry Suter and Lucy Bartholomew. Dirt Chruch Radio 313.
The 2025 Tarawera Ultra Trail Preview Special, with Kerry Suter and Lucy Bartholomew. Dirt Chruch Radio 313. Kia ora e te whānau. It's that time of year again!!! The circus has rolled into town, the tents are being set up, the sawdust is being sprinkled, the elephants have those funny headdress things on, and all we are waiting for is a bunch of clowns to show up. In what is one of our favourite episodes of each…
Feb 7, 2025 AidStation 25. Chaotic Good, Bucket Lists, and The War on Wellington.
Kia ora e te whānau. You know the feeling when you are running down a trail and it gets so good that you feel that you are flowing and then you push it just that little bit and you suddenly figure out that you are holding onto the dirt and sanity by your fingertips? Yeah. This episode is like that but in podcast form. In this episode, our heroes discuss what it truly means to commit to a big race, and how they can…
Jan 28, 2025 Amanda Basham. It's A Family Affair. Dirt Church Radio 311
Kia ora e te whānau. We’ve discussed on Dirt Church Radio in the past that the pros walk amongst us, however witnessing their drive, discipline, and ability to seemingly dance away on the most challenging of terrain is a sight to behold. And, look, not to put too fine a point on it, but Amanda Basham rules. A professional trail runner and endurance coach, who has raced at the highest heights of the sport, including…
Jan 24, 2025 AidStation 24 Taper Madness and Other Animals.
During the taper phase common side effects include (and are not limited to): Madness, phantom pain, irritability, insatiable hunger and thirst, endless worry, and comparison. You will be a dick to your family at some point. You will be self-indulgent and mope in a Zoom call going “No one even knows what I’m going through”. You will stress about your training, and your gear choice, and you will have regrets. You…
Jan 14, 2025 Erin Colebatch- Run Further and Faster with an Ultra Appetitie. Dirt Church Radio 309
Kia ora e te whanāu. For the first DCR pod of 2025, we bring you a conversation Ali recorded with sports dietitian and ultramarathon runner Erin Colebatch. With race season fast approaching it’s time to get your nutritional strategies dialed in (and who couldn’t be a little more dialed in, right?). Ali and Erin talk about how nutrition can be simple, which is difficult from easy, a practical approach to…
Dec 24, 2024 IT'S THE 2024 DCR CHRISTMAS SPECIAL- Dirt Church Radio 308
Kia ora e te whanāu. Holy moly it's been a long year, and we are STOKED to share the 5th episode of the Dirt Church Radio Christmas Special!! Matt, Ali, and Andrew run through the highs, the lows, (well, we cut those out), and the legends of the 2024 trail running world. This is coming out on Christmas day, so we'll keep the preamble short, but we wish you a wonderful 2025 filled with love, light, and dirty ankles.…
Dec 17, 2024 Abby Hall- Growth Through Adversity And Beyond. Dirt Church Radio 307
Kia ora e te whanāu.This week on Dirt Church Radio Ali speaks with the mighty Abby Hall. On the start line at the Kosciuszko 100km, Abby Hall was a picture of composure and radiated competence. Hall crushed the course, taking the W and fourth overall in a super impressive 10:43:24. Ali and Abby talk about Abby’s injury and recovery, her growth through this adversity, and her hopes for 2025. Hall, who runs for…
Dec 13, 2024 DCR AidStation 23- How Hot is Too Hot? Climate, Ultra Trail Kosciuszko, and Ben Berriman’s Trail Story Of The Century.
Kia ora e te whānau. On this episode of the DCR AidStation Podcast, Matt and Ali Pottinger reflect on a manic couple of weeks of trans-Tasman travel between Coast to Kosci and Ultra Trail Kosciuszko The topic of climate change is discussed (as it’s a nice, easy, non-controversial one) and how races and racers will manage in the future with increasingly extreme weather. We rip through our Ultra Trail Kosciuszko…
Dec 3, 2024 2024 Coast To Kosci Special:The Long Road. Dirt Church Radio 305.
Kia ora e te whanāu.This week on Dirt Church Radio we have a historic event. This is the first-ever DCR episode recorded without Matt or Eugene. Andrew McDowall and Ali Pottinger traveled to Australia to race and crew in the iconic Coast to Kosci. The 240-kilometre road and gravel road monster has been referred to as the Bad Water of the South as it goes from sea level to the highest point in Australia. With a…
Nov 26, 2024 Keep It Peripheral—Eszter Horanyi of iRunFar. Nolan’s 14, The Tour Divide, And A Life Of Possibilities. Dirt Church Radio 304
BONUS POD: Keep It Peripheral—Eszter Horanyi of iRunFar. Nolan’s 14, The Tour Divide, And A Life Of Possibilities. Kia ora e te whānau! Sometimes it happens. You speak with someone cool and interesting then you come away with a nagging stem of a question that you should have asked. When I spoke to Eszter Horanyi this was some variation of the following. “What does Coddiwompling even mean??” Well if you must know,…
Nov 19, 2024 Mike Wardian. Giant Steps: Adventure To The Moon And Back– Dirt Church Radio 303.
Kia ora e te whanāu.This week on Dirt Church Radio Ali and Matt speak to a colossus of our sport, Mike Wardian. Mike’s achievements in running are probably easier to document if you go back and look at what he hasn’t done. Mike is known for his phenomenal endurance, ability to recover from huge efforts (sometimes backed up the next day), and an all-consuming love for adventure. In this episode, we talk about…
Nov 15, 2024 Timing Your Kick: Things you need to think about four months out—with Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter of SQUADRUN
Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode of the AidStation podcast, Matt is joined by the brains trust of SQUADRUN, Ali Pottinger, and Kerry Suter to talk about how to plan the lead-up to your big event. We talk training, gear, logistics, nutrition, and distraction strategies, so your golden carriage doesn’t turn into a pumpkin when you’ve put so much effort to get to the ball. Enjoy! Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed…
Nov 5, 2024 The Future of DCR with Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall– Dirt Church Radio 301.
Kia ora e te whanāu. Please join Matt in welcoming the new co-hosts of Dirt Church Radio, Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall. Both have been regulars on DCR for some time now, so it should be little surprise that Matt would reach out to them to join him in the next chapter of Aotearoa’s third favourite forest-based running podcast. Both bring a wealth of experience to the table, are community-minded, and love a good…
Oct 30, 2024 Episode 300: We Made It. Dr Inia Raumati, Kia Mau Kia Ora, and Eugene's Last Show- Live From Small Gods
Kia ora e te whānau! Dirt Church Radio presents to you their 300th show! This is special because we spoke to the legend that is Dr Inia Raumati about his foundation Kia Mau Kia ora and the logistics behind his goal to be the first person in the world to to 8 stage races on 8 continents in one year. This show is special because it is the last time Eugene Bingham will take the mic at Dirt Church Radio. We say every…
Oct 22, 2024 Turn Downhill for What? The 2024 Crater Rim Ultra – Dirt Church Radio 299.
Turn Downhill for What? The 2024 Crater Rim Ultra – Dirt Church Radio 299. Kia ora e te whanāu. This week we bring you some of the action from the Crater Rim Ultra. A Grass Roots race with Champagne Hills. We speak with Dwight Grieve, Emma Timmis, Vicky Havill, Grant Guise, Chris Pike, Rocky Walker and Rebecca Short about this super challenging race. Dirt Church Radio - Best Enjoyed Running Crater Rim Ultra DCR…
Oct 18, 2024 The Inside Game - Resilience, Strategies, and Ch-ch-ch-changes
Kia ora e te whānau! In this episode of the AidStation Eugene and Matt are both huge Steve Magness fans, and are super excited about his new book Win The Inside Game, so naturally they talk through tips, tricks, and strategies that they both use when the going gets rough on the trails was on the cards. The big news of the episode is that Eugene has announced his departure from DCR after 6 years and 300 episodes,…
Oct 8, 2024 There Is No Finish - The Backyard Ultramarathon Story with Stephen Parker
Kia ora e te whanāu. This week, Matt is joined by Stephen Parker, the author of “There Is No Finish – The Backyard Ultramarathon Story”. Compelled to write a book whilst being inspired by a speaker at a conference, Stephen chose to focus on the story of the niche of ultrarunning that he loves the most, the Backyard. Nearly a year later, that book is here and ready to be read. For those unfamiliar, the Backyard…
Oct 4, 2024 Mistakes Were Made - With Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter of SQUADRUN
Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode of the DCR AidStation we are back with two of our favourite coaches and the brains behind SQUADRUN, Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter. The famous saying “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face” rings true with running. In fact, one could argue that 99% of our races have an element of the uncontrollable, but we are not going to talk about this. We are going to focus…
Sep 24, 2024 Daniel Jones: Reflections On The Journey of a Professional Athlete
Kia Ora e te whānau! Simply put, Daniel Jones is heaps good at running, so good that at the start of the year he transitioned from being an elite runner supported by a brand to being a professional athlete on an international team. Matt spoke to Dan from his home in Lower Hutt, off the back of his first USA and European season as part of the Adidas Terrex team. We discuss Western States, CCC, just how fast the OCC…
Sep 20, 2024 Fast Times and Strava Crimes: What's up with running's most popular app?
Kia ora e te whānau! Where were you when you first heard about the big orange S? On this episode of the DCR AidStation podcast, Eugene and Matt dive deep into the good, the bad, and the (very) ugly that is Strava. Our heroes discuss what they love and love less about the social fitness platform and the positive and less positive impacts it has had on their lives. What brought this topic up was the dawning…
Sep 10, 2024 Fire Fighters Everywhere! Part 2 of the Firies Climb for MND/ Helen Waterworth and Chris Newsome from His & Hers Endurance KITZ
Kia Ora e te whānau! If, as we posited last week, the collective noun for a group of Fire Fighters is a Calendar then in this episode we’ve got most of the months ticked off!!! First off, we’ve got all the action from day 2 of the Firies Climb for MND. Then in the second part of our show Matt had the pleasure of sitting down at home with Helen Waterworth and Chris Newsome from His & Hers Endurance Events KITS when…
Sep 3, 2024 AidStation Podcast 017 – The Firies Furber Stairs Climb For MND Live show
Kia ora e te whānau! We are not going to lie to you, this is a heavy episode, however it is absolutely one that you need to hear. Matt and Ali Pottinger ventured to Scenic World in Katoomba to facilitate this discussion for the Firies Furber Stairs Climb. We spoke to the original Firies Climb Organiser, Matt Pridham, about his personal experience with MND and how this drove him to start an event which raised…
Aug 27, 2024 Eugene and Matt talk 100 miles. The where, what, and why.
Kia Ora e te whānau! This week on the pod, Eugene and Matt settle in for a good old chat about Matt’s upcoming 100 mile event and Matt gets the opportunity to chat to one of his running idols (Eugene, and yes, we are leaving that in) about his process and engagement with the distance. Following on from last week’s AidStation when we spoke to coach Kerry and Ali from SQUADRUN, we discuss the where, the what, and…
Aug 23, 2024 Soft Feelings And Hard Numbers: The Mileage Question with Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger
Kia ora e te whānau! The great questions of our age answered by two of the greatest minds (and Matt and Eugene)!! When it comes to training, how much is too much? Or too little? And do we go by time or distance? And how will we know?!?! The answer? It depends … sort of ... This is a great discussion with SQUADRUN coaches Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger around the quantitative and qualitative approach to training for…
Aug 13, 2024 Lee Grabarek - From the Nutmeg State to Ōtautahi, a trail well travelled - Dirt Church Radio 289.
Kia ora e te whanau! This week Matt has the distinct privilege of speaking to Lee Grabarek. Lee (they/them) is a non-binary person who has been ripping it up on the trails and roads of Aotearoa for the last ten years, after travelling from Connecticut, where they enjoyed a very outdoorsy existence. Matt spoke to Lee about their life growing up, their initial foray into trail running and the sweet, sweet, sweet,…
Aug 9, 2024 Gareth Morris Plants His Feet in the Clouds: What it's like to knock off a Bob Graham Round
Kia ora e te whānau! This week we’re joined by DCR favourite guest Gareth Morris as he recounts to us how he knocked off a run he first dreamed of more than a decade ago when he read the DCR favourite book, Feet in the Clouds, by Richard Askwith. The famous Bob Graham Round, a fell running loop in the English Lake District, challenges runners to tackle 42 peaks over a 66 mile course in less than 24 hours. (Bob…
Jul 30, 2024 David Hellard - Podcast Baddy, Caffeine Daddy, And an Advocate for a Life on Two Feet
Kia ora e te whanau! David Hellard has had a long and varied history with running. From hashing with his army dad, to reclaiming fitness in his 20’s obstacle racing, adventure racing, a love of city exploration, running everywhere, ultras, to founding the long-running and wildly popular Bad Boy Running podcast. David has run many of the world’s greatest marathons and has a passion for a life on two feet. Lately…
Jul 26, 2024 Buckle Up: What happens when you finally get to run the race you've dreamed of
Kia ora e te whānau! We’ve had the pleasure of some salubrious recording locales with Mr Andrew McDowall and this time is no different. Fresh off a DCMF he’s hit the Forestry Road Subaru Studios with Eugene and Matt for a full rundown of his Western States experience. We even got to stroke the buckle. *Spoiler Alert* That’s a pretty flash buckle, alright. Sign up to the DCR AidStation Episode links: Andrew…
Jul 16, 2024 The 2024 WUU2K Special – Leaving it all out on the trail.
In its nine-year history the WUU2K has kicked many a runner in the ass. This year it kicked Matt in the head. Antecedently to the unfolding malarky, Eugene and Matt caught up with NZ trail legend Jenny Hirst, WUU2K race director and founder Gareth Thomas, and long-time collaborator Brent Robinson. You’ll get all the action from the start line, and Matt out on course, alongside Eugene’s interviews with Tailwind NZ’s…
Jul 12, 2024 Have you got what it takes? Coach Kerry and Ali on what to think about when planning your next goal
Kia ora e te whānau! On this episode, Eugene and Matt are joined by the brains trust of SQUADRUN Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter for a play-along-at-home adventure around the start of planning for a big adventure or event, in this case, Matt’s build up to the Tarawera Ultra Trail. As usual with these conversations, Kerry and Ali are wise beyond years, and a font of incredible knowledge. Not to be missed. Dan Jones…
Jul 2, 2024 Bradley Houghton – Trail Running NZ and the 2024 WUU2K Preview
Kia ora e te whānau! “At least I don’t have to listen to my own voice”. So goes the bio of Bradley Houghton, the maestro behind Trail Running NZ, the newsletter that has taken the scene by storm. Breaking his own rule, Bradley sits down with Eugene and Matt to discuss his own history with trail running, and the motivation to start Trail Running NZ. Bradley, like most of us who start something creative, juggles a…
Jun 28, 2024 Big race, Big Plans - How to Avoid Big Mistakes plus Andrew McDowall's WSER Dream
Kia ora e te whānau! Our mate Andrew McDowall is quite good at running. Eugene calls him (inexplicably) the fifth Beatle of DCR, which is absolutely true if not numerically suspect. Andrew has been trying to get into Western States for what has felt like 100 years, but is actually 9 years. Which can feel like 100 years, I’m sure. He only went and bloody got in this year, and we speak to him about what this means…
Jun 18, 2024 Anthony Kerr-Taylor: From zero running to an endurance record in just four years. How has he done it?
Kia ora e te whānau! Anthony Kerr-Taylor – Ant K-T – couldn’t tell you what got him out onto the Riverhead trails during the country’s first Covid lockdown, but that first run four years ago has lead to a string of incredible results including an 8th place at this year’s Tarawera Ultra Trail 100 mile and a couple weeks ago Ant ran 348kms (or 52 laps) at Kings Backyard to take the record for the farthest run at a…
Jun 14, 2024 Tasting Fitness, Finding Her Stride, and Running into the Teeth of the Gale
Kia ora e te whānau. This week we speak to the returning champion and guest on DCR episode 102 Coach Maree Leith of GoRunGirls. We talk to Maree about her efforts in writing and publishing her first book, Finding Her Stride, a compilation of 19 New Zealand woman runners and their stories. We also discuss our top tips for hitting the streets in the midst of winter, nerd out about headlamps (well, Matt does). We…
Jun 4, 2024 Caitlin Fielder - Rotorua’s Finest and Golden Trail Series Hotshot
Kia ora e te whānau! This week Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure of speaking to the incredible Caitlin Fielder. In her third year as a professional athlete for Salomon, Caitlin continues to go from strength-to-strength on the European trail circuit. With many strings to her bow, Caitlin discusses mindset, training, her fine art business, what it’s like to room with Courtney Dauwalter and are the Salomon…
May 21, 2024 2024 Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB Special + Live Show
Kia ora e te whānau! This episode of the pod finds Matt returning to The Blue Mountains for the UTA running festival. With 7000 athletes over 4 days this is a one-of-a-kind spectacle in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Down to one wing, the ever dependable Ali Pottinger of SQUADRUN fame jumped into the fray, along with Ben Berriman and Dave Stewart to recap each day’s event. Ali and Matt also handled…
May 7, 2024 2024 Ultra Trail Australia Preview with Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger
Kia ora e te whānau! This week, Eugene and Matt have got the band back together! We have the distinct pleasure of being joined by the brains behind SQUADRUN, Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter to preview the 2024 edition of Ultra Trail Australia. Ali and Kerry are two people who know this race intimately, they share their favourite parts of the course and memories with us before giving us an incredible run down of the…
Apr 30, 2024 The Inaugural 2024 Further Faster Live Show Special and the Skedaddle Weekend
Kia ora e te whānau! This week we’ve got something different for you. Eugene and Matt take a trip to Ōtautahi/Christchurch for our first ever live show at Further Faster. We were joined by the epic Jess Campbell and Michael Mitchell as we ran through some stories from the past six years. We rounded the evening off by challenging the audience to a rousing round of Rock, Paper, Scissors for a Crater Rim entry and…
Apr 25, 2024 Jeff and Jenny Vierling: Tailwind Tales - Taste-Testing and Airport Antics
Kia ora e te whānau! This episode we catch up with Jenny and Jeff Vierling, the founders of Tailwind. They were in Aotearoa for the Faultline Ultra on the weekend, and right about now they’ll be riding the Old Ghost Road. They live in the mountain town of Durango, Colorado, where they have made a deliberate decision to grow and keep their business. We talk about life in a small town and why it’s important to them…
Apr 23, 2024 Greig Hamilton - Worsley Warrior and Barkley Marathons Finisher
Kia ora e te whānau! This week, Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure to speak to Greig Hamilton and let us tell you this has been a long time coming! In case you don’t know, Greig Hamilton became the first Kiwi finisher of the Barkley Marathons. It was his third crack, having knocked off fun runs in 2019 and 2022. This year there were five finishers, including the first female finisher, Jasmine Paris. Barkley…
Apr 19, 2024 Our quads are shaking already: Taking on the Furber Steps in a Blue Mountains challenge
The Furber Steps are an iconic part of the UTA course in the Blue Mountains, more than 900 stairs that make up the only path to the finish line. This year, NSW Firefighters are going to climb it for 24 hours raising money for Motor Neuron Disease. And everyone is invited along, so Matt and Eugene and going to be there. We speak with the brainchild of this quad-shredding challenge, Gavin Clifton, about the event,…
Apr 9, 2024 The origins of trail running and other great yarns with Roger Robinson
Kia ora e te whānau! This week on the podcast Eugene speaks to returning champion and one of the most impressive human beings we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with, the one and only Roger Robinson. Roger is an age group world champion runner, an emeritus professor at Victoria University where he was in the English Department, he is a world-leading writer on running, a delightful, engaging teller of stories and…
Mar 29, 2024 Northburn100 BONUS POD with Gareth Morris!!! The Race Where Suffering is the Prize
Kia ora e te whānau! Enjoy this cheeky little bijou podcastette from this year’s Northburn 100. Llaingholm’s favourite son, Episode 33 alumni, and Commonwealth Games Medallist Gareth Morris went to Northburn to document the action (okay, so he was supposed to be running, but he was injured so we asked him for a favour …). Acting as our intrepid Mainland Correspondent Gareth captured conversations with Race Director…
Mar 26, 2024 Backyard ReLaps and Northburn and Barkley Marathons Special – A Weekend For The Ages
Kia ora e te whānau! WOOOOO some weekends in the calendar just stack up don’t they? This weekend certainly didn’t disappoint with the fourth running of Aotearoa’s original Backyard Ultramarathon, the Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra, the Northburn 100 mile, one of the most challenging 100 mile events in the country, and the Barkley Marathons, the Monster of Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. This week, Eugene and…
Mar 22, 2024 Suzanne McFadden: How Sandy Barwick set a record which took 34 years - and Camille Herron - to break.
Kiwi Sandy Barwick ran 549 miles in six days back in 1990, establishing a world record that stood for 34 years, until Camille Herron broke it, running 560 miles last week. How did Sandy do it, and what does she think of Camille’s run? Lockerroom founding editor Suzanne McFadden interviewed Sandy to find out. We caught up with Suzanne in this chat first released in our DCR AidStation podcast for paid subscribers…
Mar 12, 2024 Ali Pottinger - The future of Trail Running for Women in Australasia
Kia ora e te whānau! Our friend, fellow MC, and DCR away game co-host Ali Pottinger sent us a message wanting to talk about what the trail running community could do better (and is doing better) to support women in trail running. When Ali talks, we listen. So please enjoy this thought-provoking and engaging discussion with Ali Pottinger around the good, the bad, and the way forward for our trail running sisters,…
Mar 8, 2024 Of surgery and stuff: A quick catch-up with Kerry Suter
Just before Tarawera we caught up with Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger from Squadrun for our annual pre-race preview. Days later, as he told us, he was going in for surgery to help get some mobility back after his big crash two years ago. We knew you'd all be keen to hear how it went, and to get his views on the racing at Tarawera, since he's been involved since day one - so, here you go! This is part of our DCR…
Feb 27, 2024 Polly Taylor, unbroken: Hit by a car, she's back chasing her UTMB dream.
Kia ora e te whānau! She’s 90 lbs soaking wet and with a personality 150 feet tall: Polly Taylor is a force to be reckoned with. A guide in the Marlborough Sounds, past Northburn 100 mile winner, and someone who could talk the iron legs off a stove, Polly is someone who exemplifies that maximum growth occurs on the cusp of support and challenge. In 2019, with her ultramarathon dreams about to come true, she was hit…
Feb 23, 2024 Tarawera Bonus: Caravans of Courage and Curated Content
We went to Tarawera Ultra-Trail in 2024 and it was incredible. Moments so surreal you question reality. Simple pleasures, mundanity, joy, filth, pride, and noble stupidity (and this was just the car trip down). Please enjoy this episode of the DCR AidStation, recorded at some aid stations, among other places, and featuring Sam Harvey, Coach Eric Orton, Jenny Hirst, Ben Fraser and others, our reflections on the…
Feb 18, 2024 Tarawera Ultra-Trail 2024 Special
Kia ora e te whānau!! Holy Hecka ... the four-day three-ring circus that is Tarawera Ultra-Trail has rolled into town for 2024, and we couldn’t wait to get this out to you all as a wee bonus treat. First off, for your entertainment we have the 2024 Elite Q & A live show, featuring Ruth Croft, Daniel Jones, Kate Avery and an amazing conversation with Tim Day, the Tarawera Ultra-Trail Course Director. Next up we have…
Feb 13, 2024 Robyn Lesh – Putting the Puzzle Together: Life as a Pro Trail Runner
Kia ora e te whānau. Throughout this episode, Robyn Lesh talks about puzzles. From working out how not to drop a single point in her community college maths class, to graduating MIT whilst figuring out the ideal point of balance on her Olympic class foiling sailboat, to the ideal weight distribution for America’s Cup challenger American Magic, Robyn approaches life as a series of problems (in the truest sense of…
Jan 30, 2024 2024 Tarawera Ultra Trail Preview with Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger
Kia ora e te whānau. The Big Friendly is rushing up again and Eugene and Matt have the privilege of being joined by their fellow MC’s, friends, and the Squadrun brains trust Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger. Kerry and Ali continue to be a driving force in coaching in Australasia, as they coach and support thousands. We run down the shiny diamonds in the field, and dig into the weeds in a preview. Kerry and Ali also…
Jan 26, 2024 Bonus Ep: Our new AidStation podcast
AidStation 001 – Insert Something Cliche About Processes. A special taste for DCR listeners of our new subscriber-only AidStation podcast. We didn’t know this, but the second Friday in January is known as “Quitter’s Day”. This is the day that statistically, most people abandon their New Year’s Resolutions. Are you a resolution person? Or a Goal guy? Or someone who loves a good old intentional process? And why can’t…
Jan 16, 2024 David Haunschmidt - Life Is Short, So Live it.
Kia ora e te whānau. When David Haunschmidt was racing his brothers over the beaches of Westray in the Orkney Islands, he never dreamed that his life would one day take him to New Zealand and near to the top of his sport. Starting trail running in 2018 as a means of expediency (I mean, hey you can still see all the things, but just in less time) David has proven himself to be one of the most consistently high…
Jan 2, 2024 A running masterclass with Zachary Friedley and Eric Orton, Born to Adapt
Kia ora e te whānau. For our first podcast of 2024 Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking with Zachary Friedley and Eric Orton. Zach is a returning Champion on DCR, having spoken to Matt on episode 202, and also being part of our Tarawera live pod in 2023. Eric Orton is a first time caller but he will be no stranger to many of you. Together, they are coming down to New Zealand with 2 x Leadville Champ Adrian…
Dec 19, 2023 2023 Dirt Church Radio Christmas Live Special!!
Kia ora e te whānau. Gosh, it’s been a year, right? Do they get shorter and longer as we get older or is that just us. Fresh from Coviduszko, Thredbro, and Taipei, our heroes reunite with man-about-town Andrew McDowall to bring you the annual DCR Christmas Special!! Except this time, we head along to the Fridge and Flagon and the Beer Jerk Running Club at their clubhouse/headquarters. We talk through our top…
Dec 12, 2023 Ali Pottinger and the 2023 Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko Special.
Kia ora e te whānau. *We acknowledge the Monero Ngarigo people, the traditional custodians of the land that this podcast was recorded on, and pay respect to their elders past, present, and emerging*. STONE THE FLAMING CROWS! No, literally. They are terrifying. Join Eugene and Matt on this very special episode of DCR when our heroes travel to Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains for the second edition of Ultra-Trail…
Dec 5, 2023 Kristian Morgan: Southbound Appalachian FKT.
Kia ora e te whānau. Running is often seen as a solitary endevour, however we are always buoyed up by those around us. For those of us who attempt feats that many would consider impossible, or at best improbable, family are essential. Which leads us to our tale about the Appalachian Trail and the Captain. The Captain, ably abetted by Gun Section and The Iceman set out to conquer the southbound FKT (or Fastest Known…
Nov 21, 2023 Carly Webber from Runners NZ - The WHY
Kia ora e te whānau. Some of running’s biggest truisms are also the most tried and tested clichēs. And if you think about it, they are cliche for a reason. Because they are true. What’s your why? Have you thought about it? Like, really thought about why you run? Carly Webber and her husband Lee spent three years travelling in a camper-van with their three children before settling in Te Anau 18 months ago. Carly…
Nov 7, 2023 Scott Bougen - From local races to toeing the line with the best in the world.
Kia ora e te whānau. The phrase “from out of nowhere” is overused, and largely inaccurate in the sense that everyone, and indeed everything,came from somewhere. Everything (and indeed everyone) has a beginning, a middle, and an end. If this most pummeled term of art was applied to any individual correctly in the context of the Aotearoa trail and ultramarathon scene it would apply to Scott Bougen. From a personal…
Oct 24, 2023 Amy Whitehead - Adventure for Dementia and the Pipeline of Pain.
Kia ora e te whānau. Amy Whitehead’s Auntie Joan had dementia. And it killed her. Like most illnesses that effect the brain and function, the seriousness of dementia is little understood and often mischaracterised. Grateful for the support that Dementia Canterbury gave her family, Amy (who may blame others for the idea) decided that she would take on the charmingly named “Pipeline of Pain” in the Port Hills of…
Oct 10, 2023 Sarah Pendergrass: Light to Light in Scotland
Kia ora e te whānau. Sarah Pendergrass has changed. I mean, we all do, right? But Sarah’s journey has taken her from being a self-confessed “pom at bondi” to being an ultramarathon runner, podcaster, bike-packer, successful illustrator and all round adventurer. Sarah joined Eugene and Matt to discuss her epic run across Scotland, her history with running and cycling, and all the other cool stuff she does, and her…
Sep 26, 2023 The Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge 2023: Mud and Mayhem.
Kia ora e te whānau. This year, Matt was back at it at the Blue Lake for (what was supposed to be) 24 hours of challenge and excitement in the best worst kept secret on the Aotearoa trail running calendar. Toe’ing the line in the 100km distance, and amongst 700 other hardy souls across multiple levels of challenge from “Casual” to “The Claw” this event has it’s emphasis firmly set on self reliance, and this year…
Sep 12, 2023 Cath Wallis: Find your Adventure
Kia ora e te whānau. Cath Wallis lost herself in the midst of a career and the focus of raising family. Standing at the threshold of middle age, Cath honestly didn’t know who she was anymore, and felt “invisible”. Growing up not-sporty, Cath felt that her foray into the world of ultra endurance events may be short lived, but six years, 9 ultramarathons, an intercontinental swim, and countless adventures later, Cath…
Aug 29, 2023 Naseby: A great race, great distances, and lessons learned from a DNF.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week we feature the great, the good, and the not so good from the Great Naseby Water Race. This event has been an Aotearoa trail running institution and has been on the bucket list for us for ages, so it was a privilege to get down to Central Otago and experience the trails and community of this special event. We catch up with one of the race founders and surely one of the community’s…
Aug 15, 2023 Andy Carruthers: Tararua S-K, the movie and the magic
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Matt has the pleasure of speaking to Andy Carruthers, Wellington adventure lover, runner, and creator of the Tararua S-K movie. The S-K, or Schorman- Kaitoki, is a tramping route in the Tararua Range with a distance of approximately 80km and with 6800m of elevation gain. Conceived as a weekend challenge in the 1960’s by the four main tramping clubs in Wellington as to who could do it…
Aug 1, 2023 Ash Bartholomew: Wrong Turns, Redemption, and being Lucy's Dad
Kia ora e te whānau. This week by popular demand Eugene and Matt speak to Ash Bartholomew, who triggered a worldwide explosion of “it’s suddenly being very dusty in here” as he rolled into the Placer Track at the end of the Western States Endurance Run two minutes over the 30 hour cut off accompanied by his daughter, Lucy (yes, that Lucy). Ash had started strong but a wrong turn in the final stages cost him dearly…
Jul 18, 2023 Dan Jones, Living the Dream: From Whakatāne to Western States.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt have the extreme pleasure of speaking to returning champion Dan Jones about his incredible 5th place finish at the 2023 Western States Endurance Run. When last we spoke to Dan on DCR he’d journeyed to Kenya to hone his craft with the hope of representing New Zealand at the marathon. What was supposed to be a relatively short trip ended up being months when the world…
Jul 4, 2023 Sam Harvey, Never Surrender: The psychology and physiology of running for 101 hours
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt sit down to speak with Sam Harvey fresh off his return from Dead Cow Gully. Sam was competing at the Australian Backyard Masters and managed a world record equalling 101 laps over four days and 677-odd kilometres. We talk to Sam about being (in his words) unreasonable, and what he felt going in, versus what he learned going out. Sam is (again, by his own admission) a…
Jun 20, 2023 George Murray: How a “Weekend Warrior” became the UTA 100 Champion
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to UTA 100 Champion George Murray. Originally from the South Island town of Blenheim, George has taken a circuitous journey to be at the beginning of an amazing journey, from his first love of mountain biking, pivoting through to road marathons, then onto the trails. George’s approach to training could be considered unconventional due to his week-on-week-off…
Jun 6, 2023 Alex Bezzina, The Lost Hobbit: How to take on Te Araroa (and become Lord of the Rings)
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Eugene and Matt speak with Alex Bezzina who has completed the FKT for the northbound Te Araroa Trail – 3000km in 60 days travelling from Bluff to Cape Reinga. Alex fell in love with running during lockdown and was Inspired by hearing the story of Brooke Thomas’ Te Araroa Southbound FKT. The added impetus for Alex was that he is a massive LOTR fan and therefore is rather enamoured by…
May 23, 2023 Sophie Power: Taking it Back
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene speaks with Sophie Power. Sophie is an ultrarunner who has recently been announced in the Great Britain team for the world 24 hour champs, after setting a lifetime best of 235.739 km. Sophie shot to global fame after the 2018 UTMB when she was photographed breastfeeding her 3 month old at an aid station. The photo went viral and Sophie started speaking out - she had only lined…
May 16, 2023 UTA 2023 Special: 15 years of Blue Mountains Goodness
Kia ora e te whānau. *We acknowledge the Gundungarra people, the traditional custodians of the land that this podcast was recorded on, and pay respect to their elders past, present, and emerging*. Stop what you are doing and go run in the Blue Mountains … it’s really just that good … and what follows is a blast of a podcast detailing the epicness of the 15th running of UTA. Matt and special guest host Ali Pottinger…
May 9, 2023 Erchana Murray-Bartlett: Tip to Toe
Kia ora e te whānau. Running a marathon is difficult, be it a PR, a grind, a failure, or in training, 42.2km is a distance the demands respect. Imagine running one, then another, then another, then another 147 back-to-back, mainly off road, in some of the wildest country in one of the wildest places on earth. This is what we talk to Guiness world record holder (pending), nutritionist and author Erchana…
Apr 25, 2023 Malcolm Law: The Wild
Kia ora e te whānau. Mal Law is one of the best known names in the Aotearoa trail running. Mal has raised just shy of a million dollars for charity with his many multi-day adventures. Mal and his wife Sally are also known as the founders of Wild Things, the on-line trail running community beloved to many. Inspired by a fastpacking mission around the iconic Hardrock course, Mal came up with the concept for The Wild.…
Apr 14, 2023 Lazarus Lake - Barkley Marathons, Big’s, and Beyond.
Kia ora e te whānau. Out the gate with a bonus episode recorded with Lazarus Lake and Shaun Collins on the last night of Laz’s stay. Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell is a self described “Hillbilly from Tennessee” who for the better part of 40 years has been quietly putting on the most difficult foot races on the planet. On good form and ready to wax lyrical about the fellowship of miles, the peculiarity of regional…
Apr 11, 2023 Majell Backhausen - An End To An End
Kia ora e te whānau.Majell Backhausen is many things to many people. To Eugene and Matt Maj is, was, and always will be the 13th person ever to come on Dirt Church Radio. Speaking to Majell is always such a pleasure, like that time we bumped into him just below Wentworth Falls at UTA, all suffused in golden light, or that time we ran into him and Martin Gaffuri at the Redwoods (again, suffused in golden…
Mar 28, 2023 Martin Gaffuri - Athlete, Commentator, Coach: For the love of the sport.
Kia ora e te whānau. You can learn a bit about a person from standing on a finish line with them through the night, and we were super lucky to have had that experience at TUM with Martin Gaffuri. We are so unbelievably stoked to bring you this conversation. It’s been a minute in the making and is well worth the wait. We spoke to Martin on the shore of Lake Hāwea, in the cradle of the mountains, with a man who is a…
Mar 14, 2023 Richard Askwith - Fell runner and author of Feet In The Clouds on the race against time.
Kia ora e te whānau. Not to gush, but if Eugene and Matt did ever start a DCR book club, the first book in the curriculum would be Feet In The Clouds by Richard Askwith. For years we discussed inviting Richard on, but never had the courage to do so, until by happy chance we were prompted by a DCR listener. As well as being an author, Richard is a runner, journalist, and writer. He’s most famous for Feet in the…
Feb 28, 2023 Nancy Jiang - What it took to win Tarawera and the Golden Ticket
Kia ora e te whānau. Last time Eugene and Matt spoke to Nancy Jiang was way back in 2018 on DCR #16. Way back then Nancy was beginning her trail running story, having just carved it up at the CCC and coming 15th at the world mountain running champs. Fast forward five years and we find the 2023 Tarawera 102km champion finally in a place where she’s not continuously hungry, and her feet aren’t throbbing, having just…
Feb 21, 2023 Ryan Montgomery - Gunning for the Golden Ticket.
Kia ora e te whānau. Eugene and Matt had the privilege of speaking with Ryan Montgomery from Park City, Utah, whilst he was at the Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB 102km. Born and raised in the misty Pacific Northwest, Ryan is a lover of outdoor spaces. Ryan ran his first marathon at 15 years old and was immediately inspired by long-distance running. Since his debut ultra marathon in 2016, he has run races such as…
Feb 14, 2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon 2023 Special: If this isn’t nice, we don’t know what is.
Kia ora e te whānau. HOLY HECKA we’ve got a stacked show for you this week. From the shores of Lake Okataina (literally) to the village green where we interviewed a galaxy of this sport’s brightest stars, Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB always brings the goods and this year was no different. Eugene and Matt were on MC duties from Saturday evening until Sunday morning, and in between they managed to catch up with…
Feb 7, 2023 Daniele Danesin - Don’t be Like an Apple Tree
Kia ora e te whānau. An elite mindset is transferable across all ventures. Just ask Daniele Danesin. This week, Eugene and Matt sit down to talk with the five-time world champion rower and Olympian about his transition to running trails, his love of endurance, his background growing up in Italy, and what drove him to put down his football boots and pick up an oar. This conversation is an incredible insight into…
Feb 2, 2023 Top Tips to Help (Safely) Complete A Trail Race with Dr Tom Reynolds (re-release)
This is a DCR special bonus repeat episode. Back in Episode 126 we caught up with Dr Tom Reynolds, part of the medical team at the Tarawera Ultra. Now, in that episode, as well as talking to him about his own incredible endurance feats, we spoke to him about the top tips he has for athletes undertaking trail races of all distances - the things to do and to avoid to make it back home safely. Now, these are tips that…
Jan 31, 2023 Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger and the ultimate 2023 Tarawera Ultra preview
Kia ora e te whānau. It’s fair to say that Eugene and Matt are getting super excited about Tarawera coming up. And this week, they are super grateful to be able to catch up with their MC amigos Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter. Two absolute legends and the folk behind Squadrun, the coaching and running community phenomena. Ali and Kerry are the chief cheerleaders of trail running in Aotearoa and Australia, they coach…
Jan 24, 2023 Matt Bixley - Old Man Wisdom
Kia ora e te whānau. We’re BACK!! This week Eugene and Matt speak to Matt Bixley, a South Island trail running legend. Matt went from the couch to 18 Keplers, and a bunch of Rogaines and Barkley Marathons, in fact, Matt is the International Rogaining Association president. He was a Salomon athlete for a bit there too, and what he doesn’t know about the Kepler Challenge and the lord of the race ain’t worth knowing.…
Jan 17, 2023 DCR Summer Edition - Dr Stacy Sims
Kia ora e te whānau. Welcome to the third and final week of the 2023 DCR Summer Editions. And what a way to finish up. Dr Stacy Sims is a powerhouse of empowerment and agency for the female athlete, her books, Roar, and Next Level have been hugely popular. The statement that women are not just smaller men sounds QED, however it is one that has been largely ignored by the academic and sporting establishment. Stacy…
Jan 10, 2023 DCR Summer Edition - Christopher McDougall
Kia ora e te whānau. Welcome to the second week of the 2022/23 DCR Summer Editions. This week we bring you the amazing conversation we had with New York Times Best Selling Author, Christopher McDougall. Matt really wanted this one replayed as he was so riddled with Covid at the time it still feels like a fever dream. This is also the episode where one Lola Rayment was launched into the trail running podcast…
Jan 3, 2023 DCR Summer Edition - Ruth Croft via Between Two Beers Podcast
Kia ora e te whānau. We’re taking some time off as 2022 has been a whole mood (as the youth say). So for the next few weeks we’ve got our annual summer editions. This week we have a colab! This is an interview that the one and only Ruth Croft did with the team at the Between Two Beers podcast late last year. We heard it and thought, as many times as we’ve had Ruth on DCR this is something DCR listeners would love…
Dec 20, 2022 The 2022 DCR Kirihimete Special - With Andrew McDowall
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Matt and Eugene make the trek from Nor’ Westland into the wilds of the wilds of suburbia to join the Dwight to our Taupin, the Ridgeley to our Michael, The Afanasieff to our Carey, the indomitable Andrew McDowall, to look back with the beginnings of fondness (or at least a sense of thank fond that’s over) at the year that we didn’t need, nor indeed want … 2022. The highs, the lows,…
Dec 13, 2022 Dave Franks - Behind the other side of the tape
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Eugene speaks to Total Sport General Manager Dave Franks about his 17 years with one of the biggest event companies in Aotearoa. Dave came to the role as an internship during his degree and never left. Having all that experience across the endurance, trail and ultramarathon space, as well as being a passionate runner and outdoors person, this really is a fantastic discussion around…
Dec 6, 2022 2022 Kepler Challenge Special
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Eugene and Matt head to Te Anau for our fourth live show from the iconic Fiordland Lobster Room at the Te Anau Events Centre to be joined by (the-then) 4 x Kepler winner and Auckland Marathon winner AND Queenstown Marathon Winner Dan Jones, Sophie Grant fresh from her Tor Des Geants 4th place, and Brodie Kane of being on the tele and podcasts and being good at dancing and things…
Nov 29, 2022 Ben St Lawrence - The Boy From Bullaburra
Kia ora e te whānau. This week, Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure of speaking to the legendary Ben St. Lawrence. Ben is one of the greats of Australian distance running, a former Australian record holder of the 10,000 metre distance and Olympic and Commonwealth Games representative for his country. We speak to Ben about his longevity in running, his journey from talented youth, to university party boy, to…
Nov 22, 2022 Anna McKenna: The Long Haul.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Anna McKenna, the 2022 Ultra Trail Australia 100km champion. This is a brilliant conversation about making your way back to running and finding the joy in fellowship and the company that a running club can bring. We talk racing, surviving the pandemic as an employee of a major airline and the fact that whilst, yes, Katoomba is pretty ace, Chamonix is acer.…
Nov 15, 2022 Vlad Shatrov - The Road Back
Kia ora e te whānau. The first time we engaged with Australian running legend Vlad Shatrov was way back at Dirt Church Radio number 91. Matt caught up with Vlad after Australia and the world had gone to hell in a handbasket grappling with COVID-19. This time we got the opportunity to sit down with the man himself before he toed the line in the Ultra Trail Australia 100km in October this year. If you’d listened to…
Nov 8, 2022 Mel Brandon - Hanging Tough (and getting faster)
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Eugene has an epic conversation with Mel Brandon. Mel is a runner, WUU2K record holder, and road marathon speedster. This year she has accumulated a bunch of impressive PBs, and has gone from strength to strength. In this conversation we talk about hanging tough when the going gets tough, how she balances training with a busy corporate life working at Wētā Workshop and being a single…
Nov 1, 2022 Ultra-Trail Australia 2022 - International racing, local wildlife, and heaps of yarns
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt take a sweet as tiki tour into the backblocks when we jump on a waka rererangi (airplane) and head over to the seriously epic and epically beautiful Blue Mountains for the 14th Ultra Trail Australia. In addition to being privileged enough to be part of the commentary team with local boys Ben Berriman and Dave Stewart we got a ton of good running in, became involved…
Oct 25, 2022 Damian Hall - We Can't Run Away From This
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking to returning champion (and actual champion) Damian Hall about his new book We Can’t Run Away From This, which talks about the climate crisis we are now very much facing. We also speak about Tour De Geants, being a sponsored activist, just what makes Damian a self professed “climate hypocrite” and the ways that as we can contribute in a…
Oct 18, 2022 Inia Raumati - You Will Finish.
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking with Dr Inia Raumati (Taranaki) . Inia works in emergency medicine at Auckland City Hospital and is the only person from Aotearoa/New Zealand to complete the 4 Deserts Grand Slam, completing multi-day “raids” across the Sahara, Gobi, Atacama, and the Antarctic. Inia came to medicine after graduating as a physiotherapist, and has spent time…
Oct 11, 2022 Simon Cochrane - The Claaaaw
Kia ora e te whānau. This week Matt speaks to triathlete, strength and conditioning coach, and endurance athlete Simon Cochrane about his epic 34 laps at the 24 hours Blue Lake to win The Claw, in an impressive 22 hours for 202km, a feat that had never been accomplished. We discuss his history in endurance sport, how one prepares for such a task and his mindset as he traveled just one lap further. We have a chocka…
Oct 4, 2022 Andrius Ramonas – Play, Joy, and Maths
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Eugene and Matt talk to The North Face Australia and NZ athlete, doctor, physiologist, coach, and elite runner Andrius Ramonas about growing up playing in the outdoors of Lithuania, his love of movement, and the science and joy behind elite athletes. We also discuss Andrius’ research around nutrition and his recent line of nut butters, Roam Energy . In addition we discuss the recent…
Sep 27, 2022 Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge – Loop that Lake
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Matt runs down the odyssey that was the 2022 Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge, The atmosphere of this race is like nothing else. The brilliant thing about Blue Lake is that is an individual journey amongst friends. No timing chips, no distance limits or targets (if you want) and no expectations, the onus is most definitely on you. Show up, throw down. Get rad, challenge yourself, feel the…
Sep 20, 2022 Charlotte Milne – Stronger, Fitter, Faster
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Eugene and Matt talk to Charlotte Milne of Custom Made Fitness about the importance of strength training and how it really is about training smarter, not necessarily harder that makes the difference. We also rip through all the news, a run down of our respective marathon pacing and race directing at the weekend, and a Greatest Run Ever that highlights the importance of family over…
Sep 13, 2022 David Kilgore – Alligator Tales and New York trails.
Kia ora e te whānau. David Kilgore loves running on the trails in and around New York City. In 15 minutes he can move from The Bronx, where he lives, to the Hudson River Trails. David is the Trail and Ultramarathon Athlete Manager for On Running, a 4 x Florida state track and cross country champion and All-American runner. He’s also been a member of the USA Trail and Ultrarunning team. Fresh from having most…
Sep 6, 2022 Scotty Hawker - The Journey
Kia ora e te whānau. Matt sits down with Scotty Hawker to discuss his 2022 UTMB campaign. From 3rd place in 2019 to 2nd place at CCC last year, Scotty came into this year's race in the form and fitness of his life. We talk about his race, the lessons learnt and the positives that whilst hard-earned, made Scotty the better athlete. We have a rundown of the week’s racing and receive a dispatch from Lactic Turkey’s…
Aug 30, 2022 Chris Lucas - Fitness is For Everyone
Kia ora e te whānau. Chris Lucas owned a successful business. He worked very hard. Faced with the prospect of endless grinding because that’s what you do, and the anxiety of knowing deep down that every new thing that he attained, be it a car, or other fancy toy, would become obsolete and then need replacing, Chris walked away from it all to live in a bus, travel, and run with his partner, Charlotte. This idea…
Aug 23, 2022 Andrew Heyden - Running … it’s what we’re meant to do.
Kia ora e te whānau.This week Eugene and Matt take a deep dive into the life lived in movement with Andrew Heyden. Andrew is the current age group holder of the 50km distance with a whopping 3:05:53. Andrew has been on the Australian 100km team for multiple years and has also completed the grueling Coast to Kosci 240km. This is an incredible conversation with a self professed regular dad who believes deeply that we…
Aug 16, 2022 Tessa Chesser - Seize the Day, Sugar Velour, Sending it
Kia ora e te whānau.Tessa Chesser charges. An athlete from a super competitive background playing soccer to now a top-flight trail runner who had a huge 2021 placing in the top 10 at Canyons 100k and taking out third at Javelina Jundred Mile to earn a Golden Ticket to the 2022 Western States. A foot injury laid her low for the big dance even though she lined up at Olympic Valley. This conversation is a cracker,…

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Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

About Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

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