Top 10 Guests on the Any Given Runday Podcast in 2023

We had our biggest year yet for downloads for our podcast in 2023. Far surpassing the previous three years combined, especially in the latter half of the year. With New Year's resolutions in mind, some of our previous guests might give you the spark you need to kick-start your 2024 goals.

With that said, here are our top 10 most downloaded episodes (from guest appearances only) in 2023

10. Ironman 70.3 World Championship with Rachael Smyth

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

After coming 19th in her age category for the Ironman World Championships, Rachael joins the lads on this week's episode of the Podcast to talk about her experiences in Finland.

We talk about:

- Her training leading up to the Ironman 70.3 and anything she would have done differently

- Whether she followed her fitness statistics on her watch to monitor her progress and how she decided when to take days off/monitor her training load

- Her approach to each stage of the Ironman and whether she had any pre-race nerves

- Why there were so many people in the penalty tent and how you can get disqualified from the race

- Crossing the finish line and setting new goals for herself.

Congrats again to Rachael on a phenomenal race! 

9. Brendan Dowd (@KildareSportsMassage) on IronMan Hamburg, Mondelo 24 plus goto SportsMassage Tips and more

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

In this episode, Seán announces his next fitness challenge before interviewing Brendan Dowd (@kildaresportsmassage) on his training and Sports Massage

As well as having completed 7 IronMans and countless half marathons, Brendan has a sub 3 hour marathon under his belt as well as competed in such events as the Mondelo 24. That, combined with being a qualified sports massage therapist (clinic in Donadea as well as working with numerous Kildare sports clubs), makes this a very unique episode of the Any Given Runday Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the following:

 - Brendan's approach to training for a sub 3 hour marathon, including using dropped runs

- Competing in Ironman Hamburg a few weeks ago

- Transitioning from full to half Ironmans and getting ready for Tri Tyrone 70.3 - Middle Distance National Series - in a few weeks' time.

- The Mondelo 24hr cycling event - how his team approached it, why it cycling at night may actually lead to faster times and how he might/might not rethink strategy if he was to do the group relay again

We then get into sports massage and Brendan's thoughts on recovery boots, massage guns, acupuncture, cupping, foam rollers (including foam rolling the IT Band) and much more.

You can find Brendan on Instagram @kildaresportsmassage or message on 086 103 0727

8. Easiest Way to do 100 Miles in 24 Hours... with Dara O'Brien

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

With Seán Backyard Ultra coming up this weekend in Glencullen, we are delighted to welcome Dara O'Brien back to the Any Given Runday Podcast to discuss his previous experiences doing the Backyard Ultra with Eric and Seán and much more.

With having done the backyard ultra twice before, as well as other ultra marathon events such as the Wicklow Way and setting a FKT along the Barrow Way, Dara is no stranger to long-distance events and there are A LOT of takeaways from this episode, especially if you want to take on an Ultra event in the future.

Even if ultra distances are not appealing to you, we are sure you will find quality info in this one as Dara discusses:

- His Top Tips for taking on the BYU including; nutrition, camp & crew, running shoes, mistakes to avoid and much more
- Why Seán has another DNF in his future!
- Why he was kicking himself after his first two BYUs
- His insane warm-up event before this upcoming BYU along with what he is really training for in June! 
- How events such as a Backyard Ultra and Barkley Marathons got started
And much more

It's always a please to have Dara on the Podcast and he certainly delivers on this one

7. Keith Russell On: Assisted BYU World Records, BYU World Championships 2023& Much More!

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

On this week's episode of the Any Given Runday Podcast, the lads chat with Keith Russell, a former number 2 (now number 6) in the World for Backyard Ultra Running on his training for the World Championships in Tennessee in October and much more.

Keith is an absolute inspiration and, as well as hearing his incredible story to date, there's no way that this episode is not going to help inspire you to get the running shoes on and get out running.

In this episode, expect to hear about:

- How his daughter, Alanna, who had spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, inspired him to start running in 2016 and do the Dublin Marathon in 2017, pushing Alanna in a special running chair.

- Running a sub-3-hour Marathon

- Winning his first-ever BYU and running on 8 minutes of sleep!

- His unique approach to lockdown in 2020 and the insane running challenge in undertook

- His approach to training for Backyard Ultras and how all his training for events is "specific".

- Assisting the World Record in Germany in 2022 for BYU at 89 hours and why he was disappointed with that feat.

- Representing Ireland in the 24-hour European Championships

- Injury setbacks and how it changed his perspective on running and dealing with things.

- How he is training for the Backyard World Championships in October and the goal he has set for himself

Keith is documenting his training right up to World Championships on his Instagram @Keith___Russell

6. Ricki Wynne On: Trail Running & Setting World Records

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

This week on the Any Given Runday Podcast we have trail runner Ricki Wynne (@rickiwynne10 on Instagram)

Ricki set a World Record in 2022 for ascending the most metres and descending the most metres (24,000 total) in 24 hours by running up and down Croagh Patrick 15 times and raising over €37,000 for Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association Ireland

The YouTube video we discuss on the podcast can be found here: https://youtu.be/WiGmlcr81e8?si=b7wO5Vyir1yKrC4b

He has also competed and gained podium positions in numerous races throughout the country, including a second-place finish in the 80k EcoTrail Wicklow and winning both the Seven Sisters Skyline 50k in 2022 and the Maurice Mullins 80k in 2023. 

In this podcast, Ricki talks about his approach to running, nutrition, races and much more. 

5. Celina Stephenson On: Slow Running, Training for your first marathon & more

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

This week on the Any Given Runday podcast, the lads are joined by Celina Stephenson to talk about all things slow running in the lead-up to the London Marathon in April.

You can follow Celina's journey through her Instagram page @celinastephens0n as well as her Runners High Running Club @runnershighlondon

4. Running Coach Kevin English On: Being Specific in your Running Training, Dublin Marathon advice and more

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

We have running coach Kevin English on the podcast this week, which makes for a great listen, especially if you are entering your final stages towards the Dublin Marathon

Kevin trains runners of all ability levels, from achieving your first marathon to breaking. sub 3 and more. 

- Berlin Marathon with his athletes over the weekend and why Kipchogue may not be the greatest of all time...

- How Kevin got into marathon running...

- Why people don't like 5ks and the training they should be doing to get better at them

- The Great World Race

- How Kevin's approach to coaching marathon runners has evolved over the last 5 and a half years

- How to make your training more specific to your goal

- Approach to tapering for a marathon

- Kevin's number 1 rule for his athletes

- Thoughts on cross-training

- Why 80/20 approach to running may not always be the answer

- A plan for nutrition for the Dublin Marathon

- Why 'carb loading' should not be left until the night before the marathon

- Hidden Gem races in Ireland

For more details on getting coaching from Kevin, you can follow him on Instagram @Kevin_English29 as well as his website kevinenglishrunning.ie

Kevin is also a seller of Maurten gels, which Eric has been using for his IronMan training, that are available on his website as well

3. Michael Fox On: Losing 30kg to a 2:24 Marathon PB, Running for Mental Health and more

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

We welcome Michael Fox (@runningfox26.2 on Instagram) to the Any Given Runday Podcast to talk all things Marathon Running as well as balancing family life with running his own business and accumulating over 110 miles a week towards his running goals, which include a 15:01 5k and achieving a PB in the Dublin Marathon this year with an incredible time of 2:24

On this episode, we also discuss:
- How he went from being a cross country champion growing up to emigrating, putting on weight and losing it all again through marathon training and changing his lifestyle
- What motivates him to get out early in the morning and run
- Being self-coached
- Thoughts on 'burnout' and different types of training runs
- Changing routine when having kids to get the training runs in and the importance of having a good support network
- Why Mick prefers running the Dublin Marathon over the Berlin Marathon (and he has the PB numbers to back it up)
- Thoughts on other marathon races Mick has done, including London, Manchester and Cork
- His favourite half marathon in the world
- Finding what works for Mick for nutrition during a marathon and where he went wrong before
- How he breaks down his training week
- Michael's 'why' for running and how running can be good for your mental well-being
- What's next for Michael in 2024

2. Anthony O'Brien On: 2023 Irish Duathlon Champion, Ironmans, Marathon Training & More

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

Anthony O'Brien (@anthonyobrien1991 on Instagram) is a Smart Endurance Triathlon Coach as well as the 2023 Irish Duathlon Champion, and 2023 Irish Sprint Champion joins the lads on this week's episode of the Any Given Runday Podcast

Anthony discusses how he transitioned from boxing to triathlons as well as:

- Pushing himself by running with some elite athletes in Ireland and running a half marathon in 70 minutes
- Going from his first Ironman in Dun Laoghaire to achieving a 9 hour 19 min PB Ironman
- His approach to training
- Handling social media along with training
- How he fared in Hell Week
- His lofty standards for the Seville marathon next February and what 2024 holds for him
- And so much more...

Including how he got that black eye to start the podcast!

1. Dublin Marathon 2023 Preview with Kevin English

Listen on Spotify HERE & Apple Podcasts HERE

After being our most downloaded guest ever a few short weeks ago, we welcome Kevin English (@kevin_english29) back to the Any Given Runday Podcast to discuss all the tips you need for the Dublin Marathon this Sunday.