RUN RiOT podcast - talking all things running, mental wellbeing, and physical benefits

RUN RiOT - a running brand focused on Running Is Release

The RUN RiOT podcast - a series of conversations with runners talking about what Running is Release means for them. As part of the RUN RiOT brand, this series contains frank discussions about personal endeavours, mental wellbeing, physical challenges - basically, loads of good content related to running. This podcast is for all runners - those new to running, those who've competed in ultra marathons, and those who just lace up and go for a run to enjoy being outside in their own or in a group.

  1. May 27

    Episode XIII - why running sucks with Raz Rauf

    Anyone who runs thinks it sucks at least some of the time. Those first couple km in particular suck, when your legs, heart and brain haven't yet got their act together. But that suckiness is at the centre of why running is so good too. Type 2 fun they call it - a little bit grim while you're doing it, but totally excellent and rewarding in retrospect. In this episode, we talk to Raziq Rauf, runner and writer, and author of the most excellent substack Running Sucks. (Not to mention a great new book on running culture called THIS IS RUNNING.)

    34 min

  2. May 12

    Episode XII - Mental Health Awareness week with Ben Grey

    The theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness week is Action. Perfect for Ben Grey as his work involves getting people running and/or walking to help with their mental wellbeing. Dom talks about a recent new study that looks at how running can be as effectives as CBT or anti-depressants at helping with depressing. AND we announce an upcoming initiative that Run Riot is collaborating on with Run Talk Run. If you're interested in how exercise can be medicine for the mind, have a listen.

    28 min

  3. Apr 16

    Episode XI - the Run Talk Run episode with Ben Grey

    A great discussion about the Run Talk Run initiative - on a mission to increase accessibility to mental health support through running & walking peer support groups - with Ben Grey. There is a link to the published paper references in this talk in the comments below. We talk about everything related to getting into running, the importance of running for your mental wellness, the upcoming London Marathon and the preparation for AFTER any big run when you need to consider your physical, emotional, and mental recovery.

    47 min
  4. Episode X - the unrace episode

    Mar 11

    Episode X - the unrace episode

    At the heart of this episode is Danny Bent’s idea of the Unrace, a philosophy that challenges the traditional view of running events as competition. Instead of focusing on times, rankings, or podiums, the Unrace is about shared experience, exploring landscapes, building community, and discovering what happens when running shifts from “I” to “we”. We get there by taking a slightly unexpected route. The conversation begins with Danny describing his most recent adventure only a couple weeks ago, where 20 people spent a week living together on a remote island in the Maldives. Danny explore how people change when the usual structures fall away, and how quickly a group can move from individual survival to collective effort. From there, the conversation turns to Danny’s work creating adventure-led running experiences like the Great Norse Run. The Unrace philosophy runs through it all - running not as something to win, but as a way to explore, connect with others, and discover what happens when the journey matters more than the finish line.

    40 min

  5. Trailer

    Running vs Alcohol - trailer for RUN RiOT podcast Episode IX

    Jeremy Kuhles talks very openly to Oliver Childs about his struggles with alcohol and how running proved a great release and opportunity to find balance in his life. Very grateful for Jeremy's candour AND his journey spanning over 2 decades in Tokyo learning about Japanese running culture.

    1 min

  6. Trailer

    All things Ekiden - trailer for RUN RiOT podcast episode IX

    This episode follows Jeremy K, a Westerner who arrived in Tokyo as a non-runner, but found himself slowly immersed in that world - from city streets to university tracks, and increasingly, into the under-recognised sphere of women’s Ekiden. Supporting a university team while training within elite circles, he brings a rare inside perspective to a culture built on teamwork, respect, and the symbolic weight of the tasuki.

    1 min

  7. Feb 23

    Episode IX - the Ekiden episode with Jeremy Kuhles

    What happens when an outsider stops observing Japan and begins to understand it through running? Japan’s running culture is rich, structured, and deeply rooted - from neighbourhood clubs to university powerhouses and the Ekiden relays that captivate the nation each winter. To those on the outside, it feels uniquely Japanese: disciplined, collective, steeped in tradition - and almost impossible to fully grasp from afar. This episode follows Jeremy K, a Westerner who arrived in Tokyo as a non-runner, but found himself slowly immersed in that world - from city streets to university tracks, and increasingly, into the under-recognised sphere of women’s Ekiden. Supporting a university team while training within elite circles, he brings a rare inside perspective to a culture built on teamwork, respect, and the symbolic weight of the tasuki. It’s a conversation about belonging earned over time, and the under-recognised stories within Japanese distance running.

    35 min

  8. Jan 12

    Episode VIII - the one with Vassos Alexander

    The first podcast of 2026, we started with a very special guest: author, broadcaster, radio presenter, sports reporter, and pretty decent runner - Vassos Alexander. We delve into what makes Vassos tick, getting our of your comfort zone, ultra running, and the importance of running for mental wellbeing.

    53 min
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The RUN RiOT podcast - a series of conversations with runners talking about what Running is Release means for them. As part of the RUN RiOT brand, this series contains frank discussions about personal endeavours, mental wellbeing, physical challenges - basically, loads of good content related to running. This podcast is for all runners - those new to running, those who've competed in ultra marathons, and those who just lace up and go for a run to enjoy being outside in their own or in a group.

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