Matt Walsh aka. @Walshingtin on Instagram, is and isn’t your every day runner. Like many of us he started running to shed a few kilograms, but what he discovered was a surprising amount of talent. What sets Matt apart from other runners is his mindset and eagerness to learn. As you’ll hear in this episode, he has done the time both on the road and in his research, to understand exactly what he needs to do to perform at the top of his game. Although some of his methods may seem controversial, the...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Tackling the TTOM is a bucket list event for 1000’s of runners world wide. In fact 29000 participants are expected to hit the streets of Cape Town for the 2023 weekend running festival. But how do you know if you’re ready for an ultra marathon? And surely you’ve heard of the dreaded climb up Constantianek straight after Champan’s Peak? In this episode Nic and Davey get into the specifics of training for the TTOM, they cover: The different phases of a training plan. How to ensure your training is...
Feb 15, 2023•43 min
Runners are notoriously poor when it comes to adopting nutrition strategies during training and races with most of us leaving these decisions to last minute chance. As we move into a space where professional advice is no longer reserved for elite athletes, every day runners are benefiting from adopting nutrition strategies for their running goals - this is no easy task though. That’s why we sat down with dietician and pro triathlete Mariella Sawyer to give you a 101 crash course on running nutri...
Feb 08, 2023•55 min
What started as a training run for the mighty Comrades Marathon in 1970 with a mere 26 participants now holds the title of an IAU Gold Label Status Race, also known as Africa’s largest race and the world’s most beautiful race - The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon. In this first episode of the limited series we speak to TTOM Race Manager, Hilton Kearns, who expects 29 000 participants (cumulatively) to line up at the start of the 56km and 21km races in April. What goes into organising an event of...
Feb 01, 2023•32 min
Irevette van Zyl makes being a professional athlete look easy, but behind the fierce “race face” is a lifetime of passion and perseverance. Of course she has been gifted with the kind of talent that most of can only dream of but the road to success has had a few bumps along the way. In this episode we take a glance into the world of a professional athlete, world record holder and Olympian; over and above those title, she also holds those of mother, wife and primary school athletics coach. Stayin...
Jan 25, 2023•53 min
If you are running the 2023 Total Sports Two Oceans Marathon, 56km or 21km, this is the series you’ve been looking for. The 6 episode limited series aims to help you prepare for the start line, covering all you need to know form route breakdown to nutrition strategies. PLUS 1 episode specially dedicated to answering your questions (get in touch info@makingarunner.com). Jam packed with the usual Nic and Davey Banter that you’ve come to know and love, featuring some exciting guests to weigh in and...
Jan 18, 2023•16 min
After a break, it can be daunting to lace up and hit the road again. In this episode, Julie Rawdon, a physiotherapist and speedy marathon runner, helps us take it back to basics. Through her experience and expertise she helps remove the fear of making common mistakes and reassures us that human nature will get the better of us all, at some point in time, but we can allow our running to ebb and flow through the season of our lives. We talk about resistance to change, the importance of collaborati...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 2 min
In 2022 Brad McNeil realised a life long dream, he ran the Comrades Marathon (the ultimate human race) in the same year he was meant to die. He's been living with autoimmune disease since the second grade, battling years worth of pain, uncertainty and embarrassment in trying to lead a normal life. In 2018 he received a terminal diagnosis, or as he would see it, a blessing of foresight that allows him to live life to the fullest and act as a force for change through his work with the organ donor ...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr
Some prefer road running while others head for the trails, and then there’s the runners that seek out the path less travelled; exploring the furthest corners of the globe, covering 100’s of kilometre, on foot, for hours on end. Salomon athlete, Andrew Erasmus, is a competition trail runner and Jordi, a Sports Doctor with an impressive set of endurance genetics. They share an insatiable love for running and the outdoors. This episode is a journey through some of Africa’s wildest running - from we...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 3 min
The Startliners began when Matt, a Biokineticist, and Britt, an everyday girl that loves running, noticed that there was nothing in the market that allowed new runners to learn in a safe and guided environment, alongside other newbies. Three years later, they have helped 100’s of people take their first steps with their couch to 10km program. This episode covers the common barriers to entry and continuing, the avoidable mistakes we all make and the advice we all wish we knew starting out. A grea...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr
Linda has been a majorly successful ultra-distance trail runner since before trail running was even a"big thing". She's run (and won) all over the globe and although she’s currently making her way back from injury, she’s nowhere near done. She has lived her passion for running through her years spent on the trails (and road), her work as a journalist and now, through the athletes she coaches. This episode is rich in experience, insight and inspiration.
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Martin is a chiropractor by profession but a critical thinker by nature, his greatest gift as a practitioner (and human being) is his ability to ask the questions that no one else is asking. He has a special interest in “pain” and pain management, which he has studied at length. This episode provides deep insight into how pain is perceived by the human brain; we discuss chronic pain as a condition, pain specific to running and how Martin finally overcame his own challenges with pain and complete...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 24 min
What started as a weight loss journey led to a relentless passion for health and fitness. Lauren went from running Park Run’s to running the Comrades Marathon within a year and became an Iron Man World Champion contender. In this episode the 28 year ASICS Front Runner and school teacher talks about overcoming societal pressures, limiting self beliefs and how she’s used her story to guide and inspire not only her students but anyone who is too afraid to start. Lauren’s journey was almost brought ...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Zak is a 24 year old South African rising star who made his Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In this episode we gain insight into the lives of professional athletes and an understanding of the different mental and physical demands of sprinting vs long distance running. As a young talent, Zak has faced his fair share of challenges including the covid 19 pandemic and making a name for himself in a country where the road to success for our athletes is a rocky one, to say the least....
Oct 05, 2022•58 min
Since the running boom of the 70’s, there have been major scientific advancements that have helped forge some of the worlds greatest athletes. The same advancements have made running more accessible to the average person and injected a level of competition that is enjoyed by front runners and sweepers alike. In this episode we explore the latest science in running; from fuelling strategies to the best coaching philosophies used by the pro’s. We debunk myths and unpack a toolkit of advice to help...
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 17 min
Jenna Challenor stole the hearts of 1000’s when she crawled her way to a Comrades 4th place victory, yes 4th - why is this such a remarkable feat you may ask? Because of the broad smile that she wore across her face from start to finish. A year prior to lining up at the start of the 2022 Comrades Marathon, Jenna was clawing her way back from long-COVID. An experience that she feared may have brought a premature end to her professional athletic career. Beneath the iron-clad determination and perf...
Sep 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Your go-to source to get pumped up for the Comrades Marathon (whether you’re running this year or plan on tackling the beast in the future). Jam packed with inspiration, advice and special guest speakers with words of wisdom and encouragement including: Barry Holland (47 x Comrades Veteran) from episode 8; Prodigal Khumalo (2 x Comrades Gold Medalist) from episode 6 and our MVP novice, Sean Clarke aka. Gammie On The Go from episode 3. Laced with the Nic and Davey banter that you’ve come to know ...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 9 min
Travis Warwick-Olivier is a self-described madman, an all-or-nothing character who had his leg amputated below the knee after a motocross accident (he competed semi-professionally). True to form, 6 months post-amputation he traded his riding boots for trail shoes and a blade where he lined up at the start of the Karkloof 50 miler. A year post-amputation he stood at the start-line of one of South Africa's most gruelling Ultra Distance events, the UTD 100 miler. This is a tale of one man's mission...
Aug 17, 2022•1 hr 19 min
Lindi (founder of LIV2RUN), Coach Beckham & Coach Sinovuyo aka. “The Bullet” are paving the road to a better future for 100’s of children by using running as a vehicle for change and “common unity”. All 3 of them are passionate & talented runners who have decided their life’s work to passing on their gifts. They live & work at the LIV Village & surrounds. LIV village is a dedicated place of safety that cares for orphaned, abused & vulnerable children. They provide home in the...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Some intro’s are better left to the pro’s - so we’ll hand over to 9 x Comrades Marathon Winner, Bruce Fordyce, to tell you more about what you can expect to learn from Barry Holland. “Barry’s greatest achievements have not been his own. Literally dozens of runners have achieved their own goals and dreams in running because of the firm and guiding hand of Barry Holland. It is as a coach, mentor and amateur running psychologist that Barry has made his greatest contribution; it is for his caring at...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Nelfrie is a podiatrist, not a foot doctor but a health professional that specialises in the form & function of the feet. Her passion lies in biomechanics, ie. how you move. We typically pay very little attention to our feet when it comes to training & conditioning, but it is our feet that make contact with the ground and determine what happens next as we move up the kinetic chain. You can imagine that the shoes we choose to run in have a massive impact on our success and injury incidenc...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Prodigal Khumalo is a 2 x Comrades Marathon Gold Medalist, turned competitive trail runner, who won the UTCT 100km on his first attempt at trail racing. But Prodigal is so much more than the sum of his accomplishments - he is a humble athlete, dedicated mentor & founder of the Orcas Academy. This episode is jam-packed with wisdom & insights into his life’s work. Listen & be inspired, this is an episode with HEART. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to give us a rating and follow o...
Aug 14, 2022•53 min
There are many ways to make a runner, and with technology being what it is today, you have tons of information on the subject of running readily available at your finger tips. However, running is different for everyone and therefore every runner will respond differently to different training approaches - and then there are the universal truths that apply to everyone, like, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Listen as Nic and Davey catch up - from Comrades training progre...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Jo Keppler is a professional Ultra-distance Trail Runner with an astounding story. After battling with addiction and bulimia for most of her life, Jo’s story is one of triumph in the face of near-death. Listen and follow her journey of ruin to local running legend who has transformed her struggle into purpose and continues to inspire and serve her community. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to give us a rating and follow our journey on Instagram @makingarunner or visit www.makingarunner.com...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Running the Comrades Marathon is a lifetime achievement many dream of, but few achieve. It’s a grueling process that requires unwavering commitment and an above average pain threshold, both of which Sean Clarke has in excess. He also has a leg that doesn’t function from the knee down. Every step is painful and without the right equipment Sean can barely walk afterwards. Why endure this madness? How is it even possible? Listen and be inspired by Sean’s story of overcoming disability with the powe...
Aug 14, 2022•58 min
“The love of running that you social runners speak of doesn’t exist...it’s a job”, says Olympic Coach Andrew Booyens. Neheng Khatala is a Lesotho born athlete from humble beginnings, when her fathers battle with cancer left her with no other option but to abandon her schooling and enter the South African job market, running became her solace and eventually what secured her future. Listen and find out how Olympic runners are made and why you could be over complicating the art of training. If you ...
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 4 min
If you love running and, we mean LOVE, then you’ve come to the right place. In this first episode of Making a Runner, you’ll get to know your hosts, coach and athlete combo, @Nic_theBio and @Daveyontherun. A conversation that will leave you feeling like you’ve known them for years; they unpack how it all began (Davey slipped into the DM’s, of course) and how with the guidance of Nic, who is a Biokineticist and Running Coach, even a non-athlete (as Davey described himself in his school years) man...
Aug 13, 2022•42 min
