Best The Sapphire Running Zone Podcasts (2025)

1
IZZY RAISES £1655 AT HER FIRST RUNNING EVENT! 28:59

23d ago28:59

28:59

Izzy Hunter was diagnosed with scoliosis at 12 and after spinal fusion in 2015 was determined to do her bit for the Scoliosis Support & Research charity. Her New Year's resolution was to run her first event in 2025, her local 10k, so why not tick off both goals at the same time. She did this in style by running an uphill event in 30 degree heat in …

1
YOUR FUNDRAISING PAGE 18:09

10d ago18:09

18:09

Your fundraising page is at the heart of your fundraising efforts. Don't just stick with the template that the fundraising platforms provide when you first sign up. Spend a bit of time personalising it and you'll see a real difference really quickly. Keep it up to date and tell your followers what you're up to. This podcasts gives you some great in…

1
DOES IT GET ANY TOUGHER THAN THIS? 25:35

1M ago25:35

25:35

10 years after losing his son Mark is still running and still fundraising. He has just completed the 150km West Highland Way, an epic ultra, with breathtaking scenery and for this race alone he raised over £9000 and £27,000 across all his events! Listen to his account of this gruelling event and how he managed to battle to the finish line. If you'd…

1
HEADING TO LONDON 2026 AND SUPPORTING THE BACKCARE CHARITY 24:42

1M ago24:42

24:42

Mary Keane from Edinburgh first signed up to run the London Marathon for the BackCare charity in 2019. First Covid and then a number of injuries have prevented her from doing so. Now she is back and raring to go in the 2026 event. Follow her progress as she trains and fundraises for this very deserving charity. More episodes to come soon. You can s…

1
CHOOSING YOUR NEXT PAIR OF RUNNING SHOES 22:04

2M ago22:04

22:04

Thankfully runners don't need to invest in too much expensive kit, but one essential is a decent pair of running shoes and they don't come cheap. Have a listen to this podcast that outlines some of the must do's when choosing your next pair. Just make sure you don't fall off the back of the treadmill... For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphir…

1
OVERCOMING STRESS THROUGH RUNNING AND FITNESS 28:37

2M ago28:37

28:37

Chris has battled through some serious life challenges, including cancer, but he's come out the other side in the best shape of his life. He attributes this to his new found passion for running, fitness and fundraising. Previously a junior elite runner and with a sub 3 hour marathon to his name, running took a back seat while life took over and the…

1
BITTEN BY THE RUNNING BUG! 29:17

2M ago29:17

29:17

Chef Joel Mays III has been bitten by the running bug. He only started running in June 2022 and has already completed 3 marathons with Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. coming up next in October. On this podcast he shares his running journey with us, including what it's like to train in the heat and humidity of Dallas, Texas, as he heads to …

1
30 WORLD MARATHON MAJORS ANYONE? 31:49

2M ago31:49

31:49

Tapantosh Chakrabarty started running marathons in 2000 at the age of 50. 25 years later and he's still at it. With more than 30 of the Majors under his belt, the seven continents and many of the leading destination marathons ticked off, there is literally no stopping him. Listen to his marathon stories and his words of wisdom, as he prepares for h…

1
TAKING ON THE SCENIC LOCH NESS MARATHON 21:22

3M ago21:22

21:22

Grant only started up running again a couple of months ago but has already signed up for a Tough Mudder and the Loch Ness Marathon. He's a diabetic, so needs to be really aware of his nutrition intake as he increases his long runs. Follow his journey to one of the most famous lakes in the world. For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunning…

1
JON'S PURE GRIT AND DETERMINATION IN LONDON 23:00

3M ago23:00

23:00

Jon is a chef from the West Midlands and is a man driven by the desire to raise funds for Scoliosis Support & Research. His daughter Poppy suffers from the condition and was diagnosed before she turned one year old. She'll be proud of her dad. He raised over £3000 and battled the London heat in his first ever marathon. An inspiring listen. Here's J…

1
RIPPING UP THE RULE BOOK IN BELFAST! 22:09

3M ago22:09

22:09

How long does it take to train for a marathon? The general consensus is that you need to embark on a 16-20 week training programme, but what about if you've got 20 years of elite swim training under your belt? Adam has exactly that and he did things very differently... For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We have …

1
HOW DOES A 150KM ULTRA MARATHON SOUND? 27:26

3M ago27:26

27:26

10 years after losing his son Mark is still running and still fundraising. He's now in training for the 150km West Highland Way, an epic ultra, with breathtaking scenery and he's about to hit £20k of fundraising. Find out what's involved in running an event of this magnitude and the mental and physical commitment that's needed. If you'd like to sup…

1
SPEEDY GEORGE RACES THROUGH LONDON! 25:58

3M ago25:58

25:58

Race day in London 2025 wasn't a day for PB's, but George smashed his and only just missed going under 3 hours. Listen to how he progressed from 4.20 in his first marathon, to this new impressive landmark. For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We have four channels, one on training support, another on fundraising, …

1
FROM CORNWALL TO LONDON; JADE'S GREAT DAY IN THE CAPITAL 34:03

3M ago34:03

34:03

As a member of the Cornwall Hospice Care fundraising team Jade has a little more pressure than the other runners raising money for the charity. No problem. She raised well over the pledge amount and had an amazing day in the London sun. Her journey has inspired others to lace up their running shoes and now she's looking at an ultra! Here's Jade's J…

1
A LESSON IN DETERMINATION; SIAN BEATS LONDON! 28:53

3M ago28:53

28:53

Everything was going so well for Sian in training, but then she hit by a knee injury. It nearly prevented her from making the start line, but it didn't, just. She battled on and walked London in the sun, raising over £3000 and enjoying every single minute of it. Now it's off to the physio, to get ready for the next one... Here's Sian's Just Giving …

1
AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY IN THE LONDON SUN AND A FUNDRAISING TARGET SMASHED! 27:36

3M ago27:36

27:36

With a marathon as part of her training programme, back in December, Melissa had a different approach to traditional training and it really worked. With £3000 already raised her approach to fundraising also really worked, so it was no wonder her London Marathon adventure was so special. Here's Melissa's Just Giving page if you'd like to make a dona…

1
IT WAS NEVER IN DOUBT; MATT HAS A MEMORABLE DAY IN LONDON. 21:56

3M ago21:56

21:56

Matt trained well and fundraised well and that means one thing - a day packed full of positive memories. While the heat added a few minutes onto his time it just didn't matter. He loved every part of his training and it all went perfectly to plan on the day. Here's Matt's Just Giving page if you'd like to make a donation. If you'd like to follow in…

1
SUCCESS ALL ROUND: AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY AT THE LONDON MARATHON FOR MICHAEL! 19:17

3M ago19:17

19:17

Michael only got his London Marathon entry from Kidney Research UK in January this year, but he still managed to raise over £3500 and have the day of his life at the London Marathon 2025. His sub 4 hour time capped off a great campaign, with some innovative fundraising ideas and lots of new friends made at his local running club. Here's Michael's f…

1
DESPITE HIS INJURY CHALLENGES STEPHEN BATTLED TO A GREAT TIME IN LONDON! 20:49

3M ago20:49

20:49

Stephen had his fair share of injury challenges during his training, including a fall in a warm up event that led to badly bruised ribs and a bad knee that needed a cortisone injection a few days before the London Marathon...and there was the heat on race day. No worries, he still battled through to a great time and smashed his fundraising target! …

1
A MEMORABLE DAY IN LONDON AND A HUGE FUNDRAISING RESULT! 21:19

3M ago21:19

21:19

Riley is a fundraising superstar who developed a raffle that has helped him raise £4400 so far for Scoliosis Support & Research. Combine that with the day of his life in London on April 27 and watching his football team, Crystal Palace win an FA Cup Semi-Final the day before and this was a time in his life he will never forget. Here's Riley's Just …

1
LUCY TAKES ON LONDON 2025 AND COMES AWAY SMILING! 25:52

3M ago25:52

25:52

Lucy is one of the lucky few to get a ballot entry in the London Marathon 2025 and she made the most of it. Having undergone scoliosis surgery twice she wanted to raise funds for Scoliosis Support & Research and started with a target of £500. A few weeks later she has raised nearly five times that figure and had the day of her life on April 27. Lis…

1
RACE DAY ETIQUETTE - GET IT RIGHT 16:28

4M ago16:28

16:28

Make sure everyone has the best day possible by doing your bit to help create the perfect event. Start in the right area, get the most from your water stations, be careful where you answer the call of nature, keep moving at the finish and thank the volunteers. There is a lot to think about! For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.…

1
THE DREAM BUILD UP. WILL LONDON 2025 BE THE DREAM DAY? 26:51

4M ago26:51

26:51

Jade's London Marathon 2025 training and fundraising has all gone to plan and even a bit of 'Runner's Knee' didn't hold her back. With £3400 already raised can she combine an unforgettable day with £4000 for Cornwall Hospice Care? If you missed Jade's early training and fundraising stories you can hear them on Episode 1. Here's Jade's Just Giving p…

1
THE IT BAND CURSE - A COMMON RUNNING INJURY. SIAN BATTLES ON TO LONDON 31:22

4M ago31:22

31:22

Sian's training had been going so well. She followed her training plan to the letter, run the hilly Run Falmouth Half Marathon in Cornwall, got to 16 miles on her long run and then it struck - a knee twinge developed into the dreaded IT Band problem; 'Runner's Knee' as it's known. Will she able to get on to the start line in London? For more podcas…

1
TAPER TALES AND FUNDRAISING INNOVATION: MATT'S READY FOR ACTION 23:02

4M ago23:02

23:02

The taper is always a strange experience. After weeks of intense training, suddenly it all slows down. In Episode 2 Matt talks us through the challenges of dealing with the last 3 weeks of marathon training and also gives some great fundraising tips that could make a real difference to your fundraising efforts. He has had a great build up to the Lo…

1
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! A CHALLENGE COMPLETED, BOTH ON AND OFF THE ROAD 31:02

4M ago31:02

31:02

Frank White set himself a challenge, to run 3 half marathons in a month for the Young Lives vs Cancer charity. He started with his local half in Bideford, then took on Bath and finished off with London Landmarks, one of the UK's biggest. How did he get on and how did his fundraising go? You can listen to Episode 1 here To help Frank raise a little …

1
RUNNING HADRIAN'S WALL IN A DAY FOR CHARITY - THAT'S OVER 3 MARATHONS! 22:33

4M ago22:33

22:33

Mattie and his best mate Chris are running the length of Hadrian's Wall (that's 74 miles!) on June 14th to support Playskill, a charity that has given him and his family so much help over the last 18 months. Mattie's son Arthur and his twin were born on 5th September 2023 and so far he has had over 43 admissions to multiple different hospitals, und…

1
SELLING HIS SHIRT. UNIQUE WAYS TO FUNDRAISE FOR LONDON 25 25:21

4M ago25:21

25:21

Michael Woodward has only had 11 weeks of training, but he got himself a coach and fully committed himself to the challenge of running the London Marathon. He also came up with a great way of fundraising that made his £2500 much easier than he first thought. With plenty of time still to go the amount raised could get close to £3500. But will he hit…

1
A TEXTBOOK BUILD UP TO THE BIG DAY; MELISSA IS ON TRACK (TOUCH WOOD!) 23:59

4M ago23:59

23:59

After months of training and fundraising Melissa continues to follow the playbook on how to train and fundraise for the London Marathon. With her longest long run complete and £2400 already raised everything looks good for a truly memorable race day. Will she hit her target time of 5 hours and will she raise the magical £3000? If you missed it here…

1
BRUISED RIBS WON'T DETER STEPHEN'S SPEEDY LONDON MARATHON CHALLENGE 22:15

4M ago22:15

22:15

Lots of quality long runs had Stephen on course for a sub 3.30 London Marathon, but then a bad fall in a warm up event put his running on ice. Will he recover and storm the field at the end of the month and will he build on the £2000 already raised for Scoliosis Support & Research? If you missed it here is a link to Episode 1. Here's Stephen's Just…

1
LONDON CALLING. RILEY MAKES GREAT STRIDES TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE 25:14

4M ago25:14

25:14

In episode 2 Riley updates us on his progress, both training and fundraising, as he heads towards the London Marathon start line at the end of April. With £2000 raised in the last month he tells us how to develop the perfect raffle and how to make it the key part of your fundraising. If you missed it here is a link to Episode 1. Here's Riley's Just…

1
THE TAPER: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! 18:07

4M ago18:07

18:07

The taper is the last part of your training plan. It's 3 weeks before a full marathon and 2 weeks before a half. It's the period when you need to wind back the training and build up your energy reserves for the big day ahead. Get the taper wrong and race day will not turn out like you've planned. Ignore it at your peril! For more podcasts head to h…

1
FANCY RUNNING 100 HALF MARATHONS? 41:12

4M ago41:12

41:12

Andrew Ogierman is about to run his 100th half marathon. London Landmarks on April 6 2025 is a great way to bring up a fantastic milestone and there's plenty more to come. Listen to Andrew's account of his running journey that has taken him to some incredible destinations and also includes 14 marathons, including a Captain Tom style virtual maratho…

1
THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECTATORS 20:57

4M ago20:57

20:57

Spectators are an essential element of your event, and the further you're running the more important they are. They motivate and encourage and can make all the difference to your special day. But it can be tough to be out in cold and potentially wet conditions all day, so look after them, help them with their planning and show your appreciation! Fo…

1
TRAVELS THROUGH INDIA AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 20:38

5M ago20:38

20:38

Join us on episode 1 as International athletics commentator Tim Hutchings travels to some of his favourite race destinations. Commentating on marathons and race meetings means lots of travel and this episode covers the first two months of 2025 when Tim spent much of his time in the Middle East and the sub continent. What are the differences between…

1
ELIE'S ULTRA MARATHON CHALLENGE - 50KM FOR SCOLIOSIS SUPPORT & RESEARCH 24:00

5M ago24:00

24:00

A marathon is a serious challenge, but add another 8km on and that's what Elie will be tackling this May as she takes on the Run to the Sea 50km event in Brighton. Elie tells us about her scoliosis experiences, her surgery and how she is training for her biggest sporting adventure yet! If you'd like to follow in Elie's footsteps and run your next e…

1
FRANK'S TRIPLE HALF MARATHON MONTH: ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE 28:31

5M ago28:31

28:31

Frank White didn't think one half marathon for charity was enough. He didn't think two in a month was enough. So he decided to do three in a month and raise money for Young lives vs Cancer. Starting with his local half in Bideford in North Devon, we chat to Frank after his second half, in Bath. How would he cope after breaking his elbow three weeks…

1
THE LIFE OF AN ATHLETICS COMMENTATOR 30:48

5M ago30:48

30:48

Tim Hutchings has one of the most recognised voices in the running world. Whether it be at a Diamond League event in a leading stadium around the world, or at a top marathon, Tim is likely to be leading the commentary team. Following his highly successful running career, culminating in an Olympic Games 5000m final, Tim moved into the world of comme…

1
BORED OF RUNNING ON YOUR OWN? NEED SOME COMPANY? YOU NEED A RUNNING CLUB. 21:45

5M ago21:45

21:45

Natalie Edwards from Coulsdon Runners, in the London Borough of Croydon, began her running journey in September 2021 and progressed from a 3 minute run to running the London Marathon in 2024. She credits her progress and her enjoyment of running to being part of a community led running club, that not only has multiple beginner and social running gr…

1
EXPO ESSENTIALS: YOUR GUIDE TO THE PERFECT RUNNING EVENT EXPO 23:08

5M ago23:08

23:08

Many of the larger events (and some of the smaller marquee events) will have a running expo. This is where you go and pick up your race pack, that includes your running number and the chip that will record your time. There is also normally plenty of merchandise available as well as booths from sponsors and charity partners. Follow our essentials gu…

1
BEN'S WACKY RACES. WHEELBARROW ADVENTURES SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES 29:22

5M ago29:22

29:22

Ben Brindley is not your average runner. He's very fast, he's been impacted by mental health struggles and he spends hours running with a wheelbarrow. Due to the extreme stresses they face those working in the construction industry are four times more likely to commit suicide and they need support. That's what the Lighthouse, the Construction Chari…

1
THE BEATING HEART OF RUNNING. WHY TRAINING PLANS ARE SO IMPORTANT 22:52

5M ago22:52

22:52

Whatever your running aspiration you need a training plan. Whether your running your first ever 5k, to lose weight, get fit, or to do a sub 4 hour marathon you need to know what to do next. Don't wing it, get yourself a plan and do it the right way. Here we tell you why. For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We hav…

1
SURGERY? WHAT SURGERY? JEREMY IS STILL RUNNING DESPITE HIS MEDICAL SETBACKS! 27:05

5M ago27:05

27:05

Jeremy, a Cornishman living in north London, is no stranger to setbacks in his running career. Surgeries on both knees and two heart procedures would have been enough to end most people's running aspirations, but not Jeremy's. He still runs most days and shows us all that where there is determination and motivation it's still possible to deal with …

1
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE PERFECT RACE DAY AT YOUR NEXT RUNNING EVENT! 25:51

5M ago25:51

25:51

There are so many things that can go wrong on the day, but it doesn't take too much planning to make sure those don't happen. Tim Rogers, who is the first to admit he has made some of these mistakes in previous races, has learnt from them and shares his thoughts on how to make sure your race starts well...and ends well. For more podcasts head to ht…

1
PREPARING FOR YOUR NEXT RUNNING EVENT SHOULD NOT BE A LOTTERY! 26:11

5M ago26:11

26:11

After weeks and potentially months of planning don't leave your race day experience to chance. With hundreds of races under his belt Tim Rogers talks us through some must do race planning tips. Doughnuts anyone? For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We have 3 other channels, one on runner stories, another on fundra…

1
SHE RAN THE FURTHEST AND RAISED THE MOST. CAN ANYONE BEAT AOIBHEANN'S 30 DAY CHALLENGE?? 27:59

5M ago27:59

27:59

Aoibheann from Derry has scoliosis, but still managed to run 100km in a month during her 30 Day Challenge. She also raised an incredible £1000, a fantastic achievement, especially when you take into account everything else she had going on, including playing for her local football team! If you'd like to follow in Isabelle's footsteps and run your n…

1
MAKING SHORT WORK OF THE LONG RUN. THEY ARE THE KEY TO RACE SUCCESS! 25:40

5M ago25:40

25:40

With 73 marathons behind him Tim Rogers has done plenty of long runs. Whether it be in Antarctica, London or Cape Town the long run is a crucial part of distance running training. Here Tim talks us through the key elements of the long run and the importance of regarding each of them as a mini event, in preparation for the biggest long run of all, o…

1
ISABELLE MAKES FUNDRAISING LOOK EASY. HER FIRST 10K AND SHE'S ABOUT TO HIT £1000! 27:38

5M ago27:38

27:38

Isabelle Hunter from near Reading in Berkshire only decided to take on her local Wargrave 10k in January as a New Year resolution. Two days later she'd passed her £300 target. Soon after she passed £500 and is now just a few pounds from £1000, with more than three months still to go until race day. She has shown that scoliosis won't stop her comple…

1
FROM SYDNEY TO THE UK, ASH FIGHTS BACK 27:17

6M ago27:17

27:17

Ash in North Wales is determined to get into running to help her lose weight and to rediscover the excitement of finishing a road race. Her first experience of this was at the massive City2Surf event in Sydney ten years ago and now it's time to feel it again, with some fundraising as well. She has started by completing a 30 Day Challenge at home an…

1
WANT TO BE INSPIRED? LISTEN TO ALLY'S REASON FOR RUNNING LONDON AND YOU WILL BE! 29:05

6M ago29:05

29:05

Ally Lewis from Southeast London is running the 2025 London Marathon for Scoliosis Support & Research. Everything was going according to plan until a dreaded knee injury, leading to the first of many visits to her local physiotherapist. Listen as Ally tells us how she dealing with this setback and the amazing story of her nephew who is inspiring he…

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The Sapphire Running Zone Podcasts

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