The Runna Podcast

Does heat training actually make you faster?

Running in hot weather isn't about pushing harder - it's about adjusting smarter. This week, Ben and Anya break down the science behind heat acclimatisation: what's happening to your body when temperatures rise, why adaptation kicks in faster than most runners expect, and the five practical adjustments that actually make the difference - when and where to run, how to reset your pace, what to wear, how to hydrate, and when to dial it back.

What You’ll Learn:
☀️ Why running in the heat feels so hard - and why that's actually a good sign
🧠 The science behind heat adaptation and VO2 max gains
👟 What to wear to stay cool, comfortable, and chafe-free
💧 How to hydrate and fuel properly in hot weather
🥵 How Runna's Adapt for Heat feature automatically adjusts your paces
🚨 Safety tips and knowing when to stop

Want to give Runna a go?
🆓 Try it FREE for 2 weeks with code: PODCAST26
👉 https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26

📱 Follow for more running content:
Instagram → @runna
TikTok → @runna

📺 Watch more episodes → @therunnapodcast

Data sources: Runna Customer Product Survey (2026), Lorenzo (2010) via GOREWEAR & Runners Connect - runnersconnect.net/heatacclimatization, The Weather Channel (2025) - weather.com, iRunFar (2021) - irunfar.com/handle-the-heat-heat-acclimation-for-endurance-running
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"I knew exactly what was wrapped under the tree. I just had to go downstairs and open it." 🏆

This week on The Runna Podcast, Izzy speaks to Olympic and World medallist Josh Kerr just days after he broke the men's world record for the mile.

Josh's run made history: the first British-held mile world record since Roger Bannister's era, run in front of a home crowd of 60,000 people. But this conversation goes beyond the stopwatch. Josh shares how he came back from a serious calf injury in Tokyo, why he announced his goal to the world before he knew he could pull it off, and how he learned to sit with doubt instead of fighting it.

In this episode:
🏆 The Fastest Mile Ever: 3:42.66, and what it took to get there
🧠 "Analysis Is Your Paralysis": The Mindset Behind a World Record
📣 Going Public: Announcing the Goal Before He'd Achieved It
💔 The Comeback: Coming Back From a Serious Calf Injury in Tokyo
🎯 "Don't Let Anyone Tell You, You Can't Do It": His Advice for Anyone Chasing a Big Goal

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26:
https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26

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

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

Tilly Ramsay is one of the most joyful people you'll meet. She's also quietly one of the most competitive.

You probably know her from her cookery shows and as Gordon Ramsay's daughter. What you might not know is that she beat both her parents in a triathlon, set her 10K PB during her first marathon, and is already hunting for the next scary thing to sign up to.

This week, Anya sits down with TV presenter, cook and marathon runner Tilly Ramsay to talk about her 16-week training block, the recipes that fuelled it, and why running and cooking have more in common than anyone expects.

In this episode:
🍕 Recipes for Runners - Tilly's top 3 meals from her 16-week marathon training block
🍳 Cooking & Running - Why practice, discipline and mistakes connect them - and Gordon Ramsay’s running advice
💃 Strictly to Start Line - What the youngest ever Strictly contestant learned about doing scary things
🎯 "When I Commit I Give It My All" - The mindset behind every race and every recipe

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

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Most people found her two years ago. She's been running for 19.

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya sat down with running content creator Mary McCarthy to go behind the times, the content, and the self-belief of one of the UK's most exciting marathon runners right now.

From competitive swimmer to cross-country champion to 2:50 marathoner. From zero followers to hundreds of thousands of women who started running because of her. And a sub-2:30 marathon goal she's only just getting started on.

Whether you're chasing your own marathon PB, searching for running motivation, or just curious how someone builds that kind of quiet belief - this one's worth your next long run.

In this episode:
🏊 The Hidden Base: The 19-year athletic base behind a 2:50 marathon
🎯 Training First, Always: Marathon training and her race day strategy
🍽️ Fuelling Like an Athlete: Why underfuelling is quietly holding your running back
💬 Beat the Boys: Beat the Boys: where it came from, and why it resonates far beyond running
🏃‍♀️ Motivating Women to Move: Why "I started running because of you" means everything

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
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"Last year, I was learning about myself. Now, I am myself."

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya speak to dancer, content creator, and marathoner Austyn Farrell.

Austyn Farrell's online feed is full of joy, from hilarious skits to viral dance videos. But this conversation goes deeper.

Austyn shares his history of mental health struggles, substance misuse and a loneliness that performing couldn't fix - and how everything changed two years ago when he started running. He joined us in the studio having just run a sub-3 marathon in London!

This episode is a perfect mixture of inspiring honesty and comedic gold.

Listen for more on:
🎭 From Rock Bottom to Sub-3: Two years from substance misuse to 2:58
🧠 "You Can't Fake a Run": The one thing that was entirely his
💜 Running for Mind: In memory of Nathan Williams and Cherry Valentine
🌈 Running as Identity: Big Games Run Club, Rainbow Road, HYROX in a Pride vest
🏃‍♂️ "It's All Mental": Mindset, marathon PB, sobriety - all connected
🎯 "You Cannot Fail Unless You Try": For anyone who feels where he was

*Please note, this episode contains discussion of substance misuse and suicide, which some listeners may find upsetting. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support.*

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://join.runna.com/lKmc/redeem?code=PODCAST26
📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.