We join Paul and Rob in Chesham where they head off into the Chilterns in the first of the four episodes that make up this epic run - but will they make it to twenty miles? Featuring Paul's pack, Herbert's Hole, many a muddy morass, a fun parkrun, happy campers at the MDS, salt tablets, stopping and starting, posh places, Chiltern love and how to solve a drinking problem. Part Two is also available now, and there'll be two more chapters next week; you're welcome, long-runners! SUBSCRIBE for earl...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 444
The boys head off the Heath towards Primrose Hill, Regents Park and beyond, on a windy, muddy Tonks' MDS training run. Featuring Paul kitting himself out for the MDS - technically AND spiritually, Rob mis-identifying a classic car, tough talk, the what the why and the guy on high, top hat, white tie and tails, Susie Chan and Lisa Arscott, fear of heights (untested by Primrose Hill), Rob's posh minibreak, Paul's many guests, a legendary moment of slapstick, foot talk, long run report, strength tr...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 442
A return to Edgbaston parkrun for Rob, and a chance to properly meet Lisa Arscott after they did a panel at the National Running Show last year. Featuring plenty of chat about Threshold events, Lisa's many running friends, ice underfoot, Ultra 50:50's quest for gender parity, accessibility to running in general, the Why and the Want, going back to work on Monday after running many-a-mile at the weekend, top training tips, Race To The King information, and lots of talk of food, glorious food. Thr...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 443
Rob and Paul are already a few miles in - particularly Paul - as they head through Hightgate towards the softer parts of Hampstead. Featuring long runs on consecutive days, being buffeted by Spring, parkrun report (good), gig report (bad), Rudi's party, the beautiful - but waterlogged - Heath, lovely films, a romantic wrist injury, abstemiousness and its observation, when running feels like wading through mud, and when running IS wading through mud, the adventures of 'Natalia', the late, great S...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 441
Tragic news broke on the sunny morning Rob and Paul ran out on this week - the untimely death of the world's fastest marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum, and his coach Gervais Hakizimana; RIP. This episode, for what it's worth, is dedicated to those guys. Also featuring memories of Abebe Bikila, Rob running with his wife, a bad beginning to a friendship, watching runners go by, not loving long training runs, phantom-and-real physical fears, our regular booze-and-gig reports, Paul's family in the four ...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 440
Rob takes Paul round the Alexandra Palace parkrun course for a review of his latest Saturday morning adventure. Also featuring party time at Tonkinson Towers, daughters going global, sociable strangers, Deering's driving adventures, gig report, your PBs and whether/how much to smoke during marathons. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - ...
Feb 15, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 439
As per tradition, Paul and Rob see the new month in by taking a turn around Hampstead Heath. Featuring theatre review, max-ing the mileage and feeling the fitness, making it to parkrun then staying for the art, magpie multiples, stepping off the wagon, champagne and cinema, restaurant beef and in-car tension, pals and PBs - and signs of spring! SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/boo...
Feb 08, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 438
On the morning after the storm, Rob and Paul check out the sunny woods. Featuring weekend report, the clash of a training schedule with real life, struggling comedians, film talk, what lockdown did to us, Rob's next Ultra, another canine moment, Paul finding his training and his trainers, some tempting wine, a performative plank and a runners' hook-up service. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.wat...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 436
Rob ran round Battersea Park with Julia Chi Taylor, and the impressive, exciting and fun story of her running life meant neither of them noticed the rain, heavy though it was. Thanks again to Julia - her Youtube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/@RunWithJulia BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - and you can get Paul’s book 26.2 Miles to Happiness here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/26-2-m...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 437
Blue Monday schmoo Monday! A beautifully bright, cold, long run round Alexandra Palace and environs brings nothing but joy, pals and big plans for Rob and Paul. Featuring gig report, the irritating value of abstemiousness, concert-and-movie review, boring one's children, Rob finding his fitness, Paul's MDS prep, bumping into an old friend with a nasty bag and making a new friend with a nippy PB, parkrun socials, an avian trip hazard, running in space, voices, trees, rehabilitation and recovery, ...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 434
Rob and Paul run round Wanstead Flats on the wintriest day of the year so far. Featuring the world going back to work, domestic doldrums, getting-and-staying muddy, gig-and-no-gig report, to-do and to-don't lists, strange men in the woods, no-parkrun report, taking it slow, a little bit of snow, the man from the White Rose, noisy foxes, packing up Christmas, training in your fifties, Rob's next Ultra, parenting adults, keys and PBs SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening, exclusive intervi...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 433
Rob runs around Greenwich Park with Laura Mugford, creator and star of the play 26.2 Reasons To Stay Alive, to find out her story - without plot-spoilers, of course... Featuring her journey from lackadaisical lockdown runner to marathoner and beyond, how to stage a marathon in a small space, going on from London to Amsterdam and... Reading, all the wonders of the park, some crap history, and surprise appearances from Thor and Batman. Thank you Laura - good luck with the show! BUY OUR BOOKS; you ...
Jan 18, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 435
Once again, Happy New Year! In a moment of surprisingly clement weather post-storm Henk, Rob and Paul catch up for a festive debrief. Featuring the darts, twixtmas gigs, good and bad shows seen, New Year's Eve adventures, parkruns attended - and not attended, getting out and about in England's beautiful North, party habits of the younger generation, the timing of the bongs, tree trouble, some impromptu impressions and a little bit of outside-y transcendence. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free l...
Jan 11, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 432
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Rob and Paul start it off on Hampstead Heath, as per tradition. Featuring Paul prepping for the MDS, and writing about it, then racing all the way back to York, Rob's beef with Axl Rose, Paul's sympathy with a teeny-weeny dog, Rob running Brighton again, then maybe an Ultra... and running all the way back to York, stand-up plans, out-with-the-old, doom scrolling - or not - and all the other items on the 2024 manifesto. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and mo...
Jan 04, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 431
Paul's poorly and Rob's not much better as the year draws to a close, and the rain is unrelenting, but a review of the year can't help but lift the spirits. We look at how far Paul has come, Rob's ascetic mission to the mountains, the road through Cannock Chase back to York, running as a portal to emotions, the hope held out by Health Month, the life events that shaped our years in surprising ways, being careful not to cut your own rut, how running-and-chatting is good medicine, families in flux...
Dec 28, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 430
As we head for the Winter solstice and Christmas itself, Paul and Rob had into the damp and gloomy woods. Featuring new insight into training-for-your-training, festive film-and-show round-up, celebrating 'winter defence festival', Rob getting ill every December, Paul's big media-and-facial-hair push, a lost rucksack and other sundry items, finding out who's naughty or nice, fatherhood expressed through the medium of toast, 'if in doubt go out', and the all-important Christmas menu. Why not SUBS...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 428
Rob catches up with Brighton's finest, the brilliant Zoe Lyons, for a running chat that features christmas parties - and hangovers, Zoe's year - including joining the SAS, the surprising shyness and social discomfort of some show-offs, 2023 event report - with a South Coast focus, why trail-running in particular is good for the soul - although it gets your shoes dirty, Brighton events past and future, billionaire behaviour - and other big beasts, diving and other innuendos, and Zoe's bravery and...
Dec 15, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 429
December's turn around Hampstead Heath sees gorgeous winter sunshine and a poorly podcast presenter. Featuring the sad end of health month, gigs in the midlands, parkrun report, a festive shopping excursion, getting into good habits, planning for just a little moderation at Christmas, not-quite parkrun tourism, trouble underfoot, getting cross about cross country, MDS training, making the best of the last of the year, and a celebration of... this. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening an...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 427
It's the end of November for the boys, and there's much to report - including progress on Health Month, Paul's adventures in Australia, gig report - how comedy has changed! - double parkrun report, some brilliant birds, a painful loss for Rob, and all your PBs and other celebrations. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - and you can get P...
Dec 07, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 426
More inspiring questions for Rob and Paul in part two of our Autumn Q&A, on a few loops through the beautiful autumn-tree scenery of Clissold Park. Featuring dream events, social runs, wrong-doing, dog wrangling, more finish line chat, race recommendations, aims for the future, pre-run rituals - and more from parkrun the musical. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-t...
Nov 30, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 425
Really inspiring questions set Rob and Paul right off in this first part of our latest Q&A sesh, aided by stunning scenery in sideways sunshine. Featuring running realisations, what we can learn from the elite, Race To The Stones memories, advice for you - and our younger selves - and, of course, parkrun the musical. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-dee...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 424
Paul and Rob run unusually late in the day, which leads to rare and surprising sightings of the Tonkinson progeny. Featuring a long-awaited photo shoot, a posh secret acer, gig-and-parkrun report, Adriene and Michael Caine, football thrills, and some anticipation of Paul's exciting Australia trip. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - and...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 423
On the first of November - and at the optimal moment for Autumn's leafy display - Rob and Paul return, like salmon, to Hampstead Heath. Featuring more new routes through familiar country, Rob's playful progression run, Paul's MDS training, a little abstemiousness, Harvey Lewis and the Backyard Ultra, aims for the rest of the year, mourning Matthew Perry and bringing a little bit of joy through comedy, trail shoes and other gear, Paul not soliciting Rob's Ultra advice but Rob giving it anyway, pl...
Nov 09, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 422
Rob and Paul run out round Ally Pally and start to feel their post-marathon strength. Featuring a little bit of gradient, autumn festivities, 'health month', celebrating when things go another way, the philosophy and reality of ultra training, catharsis on the course, the gravity of the group, the future of the Parkland Walk, method acting and the madness of the Backyard Ultra. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here...
Nov 02, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 421
Paul and Rob - and everyone else's - Yorkshire Marathon and more. Featuring RunCom socials, community love, magic shoes, chunking it into quarters, Rob and Paul's different experiences, plans for the future, and an incredible load of PBs. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - and you can get Paul’s book 26.2 Miles to Happiness here: https...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 420
On a gorgeous loop round Regents Park, Paul and Rob enjoy the tapir, and compare notes for the last time before running the Yorkshire Marathon. Featuring Rob's health, autumn sights, Kelvin Kiptum's Chicago jazz, parkrun report, Paul's new shoe plans, Rob's run in Southampton, marathon pace thoughts, footwear focus, some exciting art, vaporfly memories, drink report, gold, silver and bronze predictions - and some more of your excellent PBs. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more....
Oct 19, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 419
October's 'state of the nation' run around Hampstead Heath turns out to be a sunny treat. After a nice start, Rob and Paul talk final training runs, the psychological power of a bit of repetition, whether Paul's done enough long runs, his parkrun report, twitter trouble over 'meaningless' marathons, Rob's Grandad and other family resemblances, an impressive junior RED record, and how hard runs help in tough times. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you c...
Oct 12, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 418
Exactly a year after she last joined us, brilliant Helen Thorn runs round Victoria Park with Rob for a chat - featuring last year's London Marathon, partial nudity, training plans, mountain puns, a Himalayan trek, her Copenhagen and - very fresh - Berlin marathons, looking forward to New York and other Marathon Majors, a beautiful surprise and her next book. Thank you Helen! Unbreakable will be available soon. And talking of books, you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterst...
Oct 06, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 417
Rob and Paul meet, once more, on the Parkland Walk and head up to and round the North London woods. Featuring dual parkrun report, last long runs before Yorkshire, shabby old trainers vs the shoes of the future, Rob's mysterious malaise, Paul's potential pace, Berlin Marathon talk, York socials, hills in general, mantras and little jumps, a bit of dream interpretation and more of your fantastic PBs. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening, exclusive interview episodes and more... and BUY O...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 416
Autumn is blowing in as Paul and Rob take a trip back east to Wanstead Flats. Featuring a surprise detour into Joe Swash, Paul's track session, plans for the last leg of Yorkshire Marathon training, Rob's Leek running adventure, big moments in parenting, hotel review, where Britain stands on children and dogs, controlling your beast, the catharsis of a long long run, a little moomin lore and your excellent PBs. SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can ...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 415
