Trail Culture

Emily Robertson
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Running
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Trail Culture, the podcast set against the stunning backdrop of the mountains in the Jonkershoek Valley. The mission is to share stories, research, and insights sourced from the wealth of knowledge within the trail running community, spanning both South Africa and the wider world. Trail Culture explores the heart of trail running and outdoor adventure. From interviews with coaches, athletes, and researchers to discussions on training tips, gear recommendations, and tales of triumph, our podcast covers all aspects of this great sport. Every trail has a unique story to tell. Whether you're a seasoned trail runner, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the world of outdoor sports, "Trail Culture" has something for you. So, come along as we venture through the Jonkershoek Valley and beyond, guided by the stories we find along the way. Lace up your shoes, tune in, and embark on a journey of inspiration and exploration.

  1. MUT 2026 | Elite Interviews: Lodelia Kombrink, Rebecca Kohne & Jacques du Plessis

    3d ago

    MUT 2026 | Elite Interviews: Lodelia Kombrink, Rebecca Kohne & Jacques du Plessis

    .

    37 min
  2. MUT 2026 | Elite interviews: Brandon Keeling, Daniël Claasen, Johardt van Heerden, Brandon Hulley & Mila Geldenhuys

    May 29

    MUT 2026 | Elite interviews: Brandon Keeling, Daniël Claasen, Johardt van Heerden, Brandon Hulley & Mila Geldenhuys

    Behind the scenes with some of the elite athletes lining up for tomorrows race. Ranging from the 100km to the marathon, from local legends to visitors - all of them are hoping the legs show up & all the pieces fall into place for their races tomorrow. #TrailCulture Brandon Keeling - Marathon Daniël Claasen - 100km Johardt van Heerden - Marathon Brandon Hulley - 100km Mila Geldenhuys - Marathon

    54 min
  3. MUT 2026 | Race Directors Report: Zane Schmahl

    May 29

    MUT 2026 | Race Directors Report: Zane Schmahl

    Race weekend is finally here & things are about to kick off at the race village for George MUT by UTMB. First up we have a few words from race director Zane Schmahl. He's put in a massive shift to make the 2026 edition of MUT possible. From flooding, crazy winds, getting into the mountains with chainsaws and co-ordinating volunteers. But it was all worth it for him to see people who've set MUT as their life goal, toe the start line and take on the Outeniqua mountains. Our race directors report is here, enjoy! #TrailCulture

    22 min
  4. One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki

    May 4

    One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki

    Known for going the extra mile, getting himself into interesting situations on the mountain & always have a smile on his face, Athenkosi Nkonki joins us to share story. One run at a time - this is the way that Ruben has been giving back to the community he grew up in. Qolora by Sea started off as a small project for the children from Rubens home. He's been going back every year to grow it and create an opportunity for the kids to travel to Cape Town and share the vision for what life and work oppourtunities could look like after school. 0:00 - Welcome 02:35 - Meet Ruben - growing up in the Eastern Cape 11:14 - The career story - how Ruben found himself in Cape Town 31:24 - Event growth - where it’s come from & where it’s going 34:08 - Giving back - how to get involved 36:50 - The running side - racing goals for Ruben 39:34 - International travel - infinite trail series & a dream come true 47:20 - Closing remarks 🔗 Links & Resources: - Trail Culture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ - Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ - Ruben Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dewaal.simon/ - Qolora by the Sea: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/qolora-by-sea-fun-run - Precision Hydration Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_endurance/ - Precision Hydration: https://www.carbonendurance.co/precision-hydration-2 // SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST! iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trail-culture/id1709631577 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4eLM3gAMxZBOjUHAaGcBeu

    51 min
  5. Trail Science: Physiological durability in trail runners | Simon de Waal

    Apr 17

    Trail Science: Physiological durability in trail runners | Simon de Waal

    The topic of this weeks trail science episode 💭 Simon de Waal & I sat down to discuss durability in our sport. Should trail runners focus on developing resilience & how does that happen? 📈 Think UTMB, two victors, one coach & a whole lot of weighted vest sessions 🏆 this is what got us thinking about the concept durability within our sport & do we test under conditions of real fatigue? Chapter Markers: 0:00 - Welcome & catch up - the arc of attrition 09:25 - Scientists who run - what we learn from doing the thing 13:18 - Research - what is Dr de Waal immersed in currently? 16:04 - The 4th dimension - physiological resilience and endurance sport 25:04 - Fatigue narratives - physiological fatigue resilience vs mechanical fatigue resilience 32:38 - General to specific - Where to start with building your base/making these gains 47:19 - Current research - gaps in study design and what can we hope to see in the future 51:45 - Uphill running capacity - the metabolic cost of uphill running 55:04 - Further exploration - better research design 01:01:40 - Closing remarks

    1h 3m
  6. Dirt Nerds Do Forecasting: 2026 Hot Takes | Sean Robson

    Feb 27

    Dirt Nerds Do Forecasting: 2026 Hot Takes | Sean Robson

    .Dirt Nerds Do Forecasting ⛰️💭 The 2025 season had some highlights. From the Reillys family podium at MUT to Nicolette redefining what’s possible in the miler space to Ryan Sandes making us proud at Cocdona 250. The list goes on & we only scratched the surface 💭 It’s always good chatting to Sean Robson 🎙️ tune in for an hour and a bit of celebrating past performances, dreaming about what’s next & some comments on areas where we’d love for the sport to do better 💯 Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome & no more seasons 01:09 - Hi Sean: On athlete & global explorer 04:37- The coaches of CT - kick a bush and one will fall out 06:23 - The previous season - reflections & the rise of womens sport 13:23 - The social media space - ‘influencing’ eclipsing performance? 22:10 - Evolution of running - are the explosions real? 34:10 - A graceful win & great poentialt - Sam Reillys Journey 38:15 - Cocodona - Ryan Sandes taking on the ultra milers 41:05 - The Ultra debut - the rise of Rebecca Kone 45:10 - The family champion - Doug Pickard and the UTCT masterclass 55:37 - Womens sport - growing support and the space 01:03:20 - Closing remarks 🌍 Connect with Trail Culture: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ Support those who support us: Carbon Endurance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_endurance/ Carben Endurance Wesbite: https://www.carbonendurance.co/precision-hydration-2 📩 Follow Sean Robson Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sean.l.robson?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== #TrailCulture

    1h 13m
  7. Finding our way | Nora Serres

    Feb 21

    Finding our way | Nora Serres

    Finding our way - Nora Serres This week we welcome a guest from one of the most beautiful places in the world 🌎 🇳🇴 Nora Serres is a PhD fellow with a green thumb, musical ear & love for the outdoors. In the episode we talk about her research, life in Norway, her journey as an athlete & more. Noras story speaks to the idea that each of us is in the process of finding our way. Our paths and experiences look different and she shares some moments that form a key part of her story and her process of finding her way in the sport, in research and in friendship. Her kindness and warmth as a person are two distinct things that stand out for me from this conversation. She advocates for connection, thought and people. I can't wait to see how her trail running season unfolds and what she grows next in her garden. Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to Season 3! 01:09 - Meet Nora Serres: Terrex athlete with musical talent 02:46- UTCT - impressions of South Africa 08:52 - Finding our way - finding the outdoors through music 12:30 - The playlist sessions - the early days of running 18:18 - Family history - activity vs training 19:41 - Research - the intersection of running and music 24:36 - The work informed - personal experiences and her work 29:32 - Divided focus - growing into space, running and research 36:28 - Team Terrex- what did it change ? 41:24 - Mentorship - women in sport & working together 45:18 - Winter training - the benefits of skiing and rest 52:49 - The planning - how does Nora structure her year 01:05:20 - Closing remarks 🌍 Connect with Trail Culture: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ Support those who support us: Carbon Endurance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_endurance/ Carben Endurance Wesbite: https://www.carbonendurance.co/precision-hydration-2 📩 Follow Nora Serres Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/noraserres?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

    1h 10m
  8. The PhD Recap | Simon de Waal : Trail Science

    Feb 9

    The PhD Recap | Simon de Waal : Trail Science

    drum roll please not because Trail Science is back but it’s back with Dr Simon de Waal 🧑‍🎓 He did it folks. The stellies shakeout starting, research loving, half marathon machine successfully defended his PhD & is officially a Dr. Proud is an understatement. We talk about his hand in, the defence, what the practical application of his research looks like, what is next in the research space for Dr de Waal & more. 00:00 - Still in Season 3 01:52 - Welcome back to Dr de Waal 06:13 - Excellence within the ebbs & flows 09:18 - Progress in research within the SA context 11:10 - What are the research take homes? 20:40 - Challenges within the research design 25:37 - The next project: Where will Dr de Waal go next 32:18 - What are we seeing in field and in the lab 36:40 - Feedback from the experts 44:50 - The “so what?”: how to apply the research to our programs 51:47 - The publication pipeline & final thoughts 54:54 - Personal goals & rooted in dirt 🔔 Subscribe for more deep-dive episodes on trail running science! 💬 What research would you like to see next? Let us know in the comments! 🔗 Links & Resources: - Trail Culture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ - Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ - Simon de Waal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dewaal.simon/ - Rooted in Dirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedindirt/ - Carbon Endurance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_endurance/ - Carbon Endurance Website: https://www.carbonendurance.co/precision-hydration-2 - Alberto Minetti research: - Frederik Sabateur // SHARE AND RATE THE PODCAST! iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trail-culture/id1709631577 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4eLM3gAMxZBOjUHAaGcBeu

    59 min
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About

Welcome to Trail Culture, the podcast set against the stunning backdrop of the mountains in the Jonkershoek Valley. The mission is to share stories, research, and insights sourced from the wealth of knowledge within the trail running community, spanning both South Africa and the wider world. Trail Culture explores the heart of trail running and outdoor adventure. From interviews with coaches, athletes, and researchers to discussions on training tips, gear recommendations, and tales of triumph, our podcast covers all aspects of this great sport. Every trail has a unique story to tell. Whether you're a seasoned trail runner, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the world of outdoor sports, "Trail Culture" has something for you. So, come along as we venture through the Jonkershoek Valley and beyond, guided by the stories we find along the way. Lace up your shoes, tune in, and embark on a journey of inspiration and exploration.

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Robertson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Emily Robertson 2023
  • Show Website
    Trail Culture

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