Front Runner Radio David Martin-Jewell

Gari John is a local Swansea man who's flavour of running is a lot more challenging that the standard 10k's, half marathon's or even marathons. Gari is known for undertaking challenges in excess of 100 miles and even attempting the Race Across Scotland, which is a 215 mile race. 

Gari chats about how he first got into running and how he made the journey from road running to developing his love of longer distances and undertaking remarkable challenges of 100m plus races. 

Gari provides as fascinating insight into what is needed to undertake such a challenge.He also talks about training with his team mates, Swansea Vale Runners. 

Enjoy

🎙📻🗣🎧

Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 29th December 2020 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics discussed may have already been concluded, have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown. 

Chris Pratt is chairman of Ogmore Phoenix Runners in South Wales.

He loves running with a passion and loves Parkrun even more. Chris is a busy man and also one that likes a challenge. As he pursues his entry to the 100 Marathon Club, Chris talks us through some of his most recent races and challenges.

We cover a lot of different topics from Chris’ TED Talk, turning around Ogmore Phoenix Runners, the importance of community as well as the year that’s just gone and what we hope to expect in the coming 12 months.

Enjoy

🎙📻🗣🎧

Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 29th December 2020 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics discussed may have already been concluded, have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown.

Will Whitmore is founder and managing director of DB Max who organise and provide event timing and other support services for their own and other event organisers. Will and I first met back in 2013 and worked together for a number of years across all the Front Runner Events.

It had been a while since we chatted and it was good to reconnect and chat with Will to see how he was doing and how DB Max were in the current climate. We chat about a number of things that go on behind the scenes for race organisers and some of the complications that we still face a year into this pandemic.

DB Max were fortunate enough to get a number of events to site since September 2020 and we chat about some of the additional logistical issues associated with event delivery during  a year where not many events did take place. 

Enjoy

🎙📻🗣🎧

Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 3rd January 2021 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics/content discussed may have already been concluded or have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown.

Jim Mann is a well established ultra and endurance runner. Jim loves challenging the fells and multi day races and has conquered some of Britains most challenging races.

Not content with conquering the fells and mountains across the UK,  Jim also has a passion for about then environment and what races, events and the corporate world can do to minimise their impact. As Co-founder of Trees not Tees which is an initiative where events offer the planting of a tree instead of a tee shirt, that may never get used or worn and are often given away. Jim talks us through the process, the impact and scale of the issue and what events are doing and can do to work with Trees Not Tees. 

This was a conversation that started in 2019 and will be continued long into the future once races return to the UK. As you will hear, there is growing demand for events to become more sustainable and environmentally aware. 

Enjoy

🎙📻🗣🎧

Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 6th January 2021 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics/content discussed may have already been concluded or have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown.

The Running Punk himself, Jimmy Watkins returns for a follow up conversation from last years chat when we first met (Can be found here)

Co-leader of the ever growing Running Punks, host of the Megabus to the Ritz podcast, coach, ex-international runner, ex-rock star and all round top man, it was great to welcome Jimmy back and just chat through what was a great 2020 for him.

We obviously talk about his amazing running reviews, the growth of the Running Punks, the return of the Megabus, and loads of other stuff. It seems that things can't be taken too seriously when chatting with such a positive man, this was a good conversation with plenty of laughter.

To find out more info on Jimmy and Running Punks, see below:

Twitter: @BiggyTimmkins
                   @RunningPunks
Insta:      Jimmy Watkins
Web:      RunningPunks.com
YouTube: Running Punks

Enjoy

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Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 13th January 2021 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics/content discussed may have already been concluded or have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown.

Episode 45 - Panos Gonos

Panos introduce himself as the Editor of RaceDirectorsHQ.com, but he's much more than that.

He started out in the running industry as a race director with the 2016, The Heroes Ultra, which sounds incredibly epic by the way, and  which covered 100 miles through the Cretan mountains and villages retracing the steps of a famous abduction of a wanted German commander and war criminal. To read more on this fascinating story, here's the link to its wikipedia page and the race was also inspired by the Chris McDougall book, Natural Born Heroes

Panos and I also chat about the RD Hub Group on Facebook, where likeminded race directors get to chat about current issues affecting races on a local or global level. 

This insightful discussion covers many topics including how will we feel when racing returns and the emotions that will accompany that first race. 

So here we go with episode 45 or Front Runner Radio

Enjoy

🎙📻🗣🎧

Music written, created and provided by Forever Vendetta © 
A Front Runner Events Production ©

*Note: This week's episode was recorded during lockdown on the 1st February 2021 via Zoom and in live household environments, so please excuse any background noises. Please also be aware that certain topics/content discussed may have already been concluded or have different outcomes since the recording of this episode due to the live and fast-moving nature of said topics during lockdown.