The Runna Podcast

Zouhair Talbi just ran 59:41, placing 1st American at the United Airlines NYC Half - and we got the inside scoop.

Fresh off a 2nd place finish last weekend, elite runner and Olympian Zouhair Talbi joins us to break down the mindset, decisions, and race instincts behind elite performance - and what it means heading into Boston in five weeks.

Zouhair takes us inside the race - sharing how he reads his body within the first mile, how he decides when to surge, and why sometimes the smartest move is not to follow the pack.

Highlights include:
🎯 How Zouhair ran a 59:41 PB
🏃‍♀️ Behind his 2:05 marathon breakthrough
🏅 His Olympic career and handling setbacks
🚀 His Boston strategy and goals

This episode is for runners who want to understand what elite performance actually looks like - and the mindset required when the margins are small and the stakes are high.

🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
And if you’re just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is running really for? Can everyone be “a runner”?

This week, beginner runner and performance artist Scottee joins us on The Runna Podcast the day after his first half marathon to talk running confidence, mental health, and why he almost never started.

This is a raw, funny and honest conversation about starting running when the sport hasn’t always felt welcoming.

Highlights include:
🏃 Why running in public feels so exposing, and how Scottee pushed through it
🧠 The mental health shift that running quietly created
🏅 What he wishes someone had told him as a complete beginner
💡 His honest advice to anyone who doesn't feel like a "real runner" yet

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in the running world, this episode might just change your mind.

🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
And if you’re just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you run while pregnant? And how do you safely return to running after having a baby?

In this International Women’s Day special of The Runna Podcast, we’re joined by two incredible women redefining what strength looks like in women’s running. Anya speaks to Hannah and Em from Twice The Health about running during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and balancing motherhood with performance.

Hannah shares her experience returning to competitive running postpartum, while Em shares her experience running whilst pregnant, both offering lived experience and professional insight as qualified nutritionists.
Together they explore the realities of running while pregnant, adapting training across trimesters, fuelling properly, and navigating the pressure to “bounce back” after birth. It’s an honest and empowering conversation about female physiology, motherhood, and staying connected to running through every stage of life.

Highlights include:
🏃‍♀️ Running while pregnant – how to adapt training, mileage and intensity safely
👶 Postpartum running – returning to running and balancing motherhood with training
🥑 Nutrition for runners – fuelling, hydration and supporting healthy performance

Whether you’re a runner, a partner, or simply interested in training hard and living healthily, this episode is packed with insight on nutrition, performance, and supporting runners through every stage.

We also want to acknowledge that pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and returning to running look different for everyone. Every experience is valid.

🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
And if you’re just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If you put more work in, you will see the results.” But how much is enough?

In this inspiring episode of The Runna Podcast, Coach Anya sits down with 2:17 marathoner and content creator Hugo Fry - serious about speed, but not about himself.

From lockdown 5Ks to becoming one of the UK’s fastest sub-elite marathoners, Hugo reveals his training secrets around sleep, fuelling, and the ‘delusional self-confidence’ that keeps him pushing forward. Plus, hear how he broke Guinness World Records dressed as Super Mario and Santa!

A self-confessed running addict, Hugo credits his rapid rise to one thing: he genuinely loves the process. Now building towards Boston and chasing 2:15, Hugo explains why balance isn’t constant - sometimes you have to go all in.

But long-term improvement isn’t built on intensity alone - it’s built on consistency, commitment, and protecting the joy that keeps you coming back.

Highlights include:
🏁 From 2:52 to 2:17 - the unglamorous progression
🧠 Marathon Mindset: balancing ambition and avoiding burnout
😴 The extra 1%s: sleep, mouth tape and cross-training

If you’re serious about improving, but don’t want running to become your entire identity, this episode will shift how you think about performance.

🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
And if you’re just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is marathon training meant to feel this hard?🏃‍♂️

If you’re halfway through your training block and suddenly your legs feel heavier, marathon pace feels daunting, and your confidence has dipped - you’re not alone.

In this episode, Ben and Anya bring you a mid-marathon training check-in for anyone building towards a spring race like London or Boston (or any marathon, really). We break down why this stage of training often feels tougher than expected - both physically and mentally - and what’s actually normal.

From cumulative fatigue and slower paces, to motivation dips and fuelling mistakes, this is your reminder to zoom out, trust the process, and make a few smart adjustments if needed. Whether you’re chasing a PB or just aiming to get to the start line feeling strong, this episode will help you reset, refocus, and keep going.

Highlights include:
🏃 Heavy Legs & Slower Paces: Why this doesn’t mean you’re losing fitness
🔥 Burnout vs. “Appropriately Tired”: Knowing the difference
🍝 Marathon fuelling Mistakes: The hidden reason your runs feel harder
💤 Recovery & rest days: where your marathon fitness actually happens

Most runners don’t quit at mile 20. They quit in week 8. If you’re in the messy middle of marathon training, this is the part you’ll be proud you didn’t quit.

🎧 Follow along for new episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record Holders, and inspiring voices form the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
And if you’re just getting started, our New to Running and Return to Running plans are totally free 💛

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.