Shows
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe 2025 Spectacle Special | Dirt Church Radio 353Kia ora e te whānau. If, as a winsome youth, you’d had your heart broken at a Swedish wedding in Nelson, what would it take to shift the unconscious response when the town was mentioned from “yeah, nah” to “Hell Yes”? Turns out, a weekend packed with as much awesomeness as you could shake a stick at. Happily, we can report that this circumstance eventuated for Matt at the 2025 edition of The Spectacle. In this episode of DCR, join Ali P and Matt as they bring you their conversations with returning 100-mile champ, Reefton's favourite daughter (and Guinness Wor...
2025-12-092h 08Dirt Church Radio Trail Running100 miles is 100 miles is 100 miles| Aid Station 40 Kia ora e te whānau. Things we learned on this week’s episode. We suck collectively at Maths, there is such a thing called a Wet Globe Bulb Temperature (WHAT?!?!?), We are all pro-Kipchoge winning Western States. Despite their relative masses, Andrew and Matt cope conversely in the heat (at least psychologically) and are aligned in our distaste of the UTMB kilometre effort industrial complex. The gang is back together for the literal and figurative heat of the Grapian’s Peak Trail and Arrowtown Ultra. Join Mat...
2025-11-1437 minDirt Church Radio Trail RunningMichael Sutton - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | Dirt Church Radio 349 Kia ora e te whānau. We’re baaaaack and beyond excited to bring to you Matt’s conversation with the most excellent Michael Sutton. The words “mountain,” “trail” and “ultramarathon” are somewhat interchangeable in the lexicon of the outdoors-themed pursuit. Michael Sutton, however, is the real deal. A 6 x NZ representing, 4:28 Mile running, Steeple chasing, sub three minute per km Mountain Machine. Matt goes to school with Michael and gets all the lore and in-and-outs about what sets the mountain apart from the trail in this most epic facet of our sport. Dirt Church Radio. Excellent Stuff.
2025-11-041h 22Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningShoey-Doo-ey-Do! | AidStation 41Kia ora e te whānau.Even by our standards, this episode of the DCR AidStation is a lot. Future Andrew makes a record number of appearances to preface, foreshadow, recommend, and otherwise act as a lexographical zamboni for Ali and Matt (we all know it is mainly Matt). From last week’s epic Taupō Ultramarathon and some interviews Ali conducted whilst running, crewing, and slapping fives, to a lively debate about what is worse for you, port-a-loo stained grabbers sliding into nasty communal chippies for 100km vs drinking some beer out of a shoe. I guess ever...
2025-10-1746 minDirt Church Radio Trail RunningTanya Carroll- I’m For The Trails | Dirt Church Radio 346Kia ora e te whānau. Did we compare Tanya Carroll to The Lorax in the title? Maybe. Is Tanya Carroll worthy of such an accolade? Yep. Tanya is for the trails. Having run over 100 trail events and over 45 ultra marathons, including 10 Ultra Trail Australia 100s and a couple of UTMBs (not to mention a stack of other amazing results). Tanya is currently the Oceania Operations Manager for Ironman Trail events, bringing her years of passion and expertise as a participant to the biggest stages. Tanya is legit. She’ll go the extra mile for r...
2025-10-071h 16Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe Good,The Bad & The Ugly | Aid Station 39Kia ora e te whānau. Mistakes were made. The first of many in this week’s episode of the AidStation was Andrew McDowall describing Matt as having a “water off a duck’s back” mentality. This is not true. Especially when the water is the wider response to the Joyline Chepgnego doping saga.That water really sank in. The duck was soaked. . Ali, Andrew, and Matt discuss this thorny issue and where responsibility for supporting athletes accused of doping sits, and is the response from sponsors and the wider bodies in the sport is up to scratch. Furthermo...
2025-09-1940 minDirt Church Radio Trail RunningSean Conway– Beard, Belief, and Bad-Assery | Dirt Church Radio 340Kia ora e te whānau.This week, Ali Pottinger and Matt Rayment speak to Sean Conway, the Zimbabwe-born, UK-based endurance adventurer whose life has been one long refusal to do things by halves. Sean’s palmarès reads like a dare whispered at closing time: cycling around the world, swimming the length of Great Britain, running across it, and then becoming the first person to complete a length-of-Britain triathlon. He’s broken the world record for the most Ironman triathlons completed on consecutive days, and carved out a niche as one of...
2025-08-261h 19Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe Ultrasphere Is Getting Spicy. Aidstation 31.Kia ora e te whānau. All Matt knew is that he went to Ultra Trail Australia, got home, and then a couple of hours later went to work. What he missed in that very full-on week was a cavalcade of what Men In Blazers’ podcast would only describe as sheer ultrarunning shithousery. From the William Goodge trans-Australia beef, to the Avaripa running saga and consequential PR home-run, to whatever the heck Camille was on about, through to Stephanie Gage’s win at UltraTrail Snowdonia, and a Sea Slug winning a 200-mile race, Matt asks to be caught up, a...
2025-05-301h 24Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe 2025 Ultra Trail Australia Live Special. Dirt Church Radio 327Kia ora e te whānau. It’s always a party in the Blue Mountains. From the out-of-this-world scenery, to the amazing people, to the exceptional country that carries you, the Blue Mountains have it all. Add to this mix the atmosphere and celebration of Ultra Trail Australia being a UTMB world major, and you have a recipe for an incredible time. This year’s UTA live special is in three parts. In part one, Ali and Matt speak to UTA miler athletes, Vlad Shatrov, Kellie Angel, and UTA22 guns Ben Duffus and S...
2025-05-201h 31Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe 2025 Ultra Trail Australia Preview Special - Dirt Church Radio 324Kia ora e te whānau. Anyone with a passing relationship with Dirt Church Radio will know that Ultra Trail Australia has wormed it’s way firmly into our hearts as one of the must-do events on the planet. That love was deepened when Ali P jumped on board as a co-host in 2024. This week, Matt has the pleasure to speak to Ali and Kerry, the brawn-and-brawn behind Squadrun, about this year's event being one of the three global majors and what to expect both in terms of the courses themselves, with the inclusion of what will be a v...
2025-04-291h 01Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningGrass Roots Radicals- Aidstation 28Kia ora e te whānau. We get the band back together after ages for this week’s AidStation Podcast. Fresh from Kunyani, Northburn 100, and kicking about at Riverhead Relaps, Ali, Andrew, and Matt discuss their love of the Grassroots event and the challenges and opportunities for amazing experiences that lie within. This week, we've got some bonus audio that Matt recorded at the Relaps Backyard. First, you hear from RD Shaun Collins about the event's history, changes, triumphs, challenges, and where the backyard goes. We’ll speak to Helen Waterworth and Chris Newsome from His&Hers events regar...
2025-04-0455 minDirt Church Radio Trail RunningAidStation 27 Mid Pack? Middle Aged? or Just Mid?Kia ora e te whānau. The first clue to Matthew having an inkling that his faculties might be slipping is when he starts announcing every episode of the AidStation as number 25, just like this week. Age is a tyranny that we all face, and this week-old mates Andrew and Matt run down the question of when it is time to accept that you are not 25 anymore and if you should be. or would you want to go back to being 25 again? what keeps you going into middle age and beyond? and what's Matt's obsession with 25 anyway? But look. D...
2025-03-2129 minDirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe Future of DCR with Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall– Dirt Church Radio 301.Kia ora e te whanāu. Please join Matt in welcoming the new co-hosts of Dirt Church Radio, Ali Pottinger and Andrew McDowall. Both have been regulars on DCR for some time now, so it should be little surprise that Matt would reach out to them to join him in the next chapter of Aotearoa’s third favourite forest-based running podcast. Both bring a wealth of experience to the table, are community-minded, and love a good yarn. This is going to be sweet-as. This week we learn a bit about Ali and Andrew’s backstory, what they are excit...
2024-11-0555 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThere Is No Finish - The Backyard Ultramarathon Story with Stephen ParkerKia ora e te whanāu. This week, Matt is joined by Stephen Parker, the author of “There Is No Finish – The Backyard Ultramarathon Story”. Compelled to write a book whilst being inspired by a speaker at a conference, Stephen chose to focus on the story of the niche of ultrarunning that he loves the most, the Backyard. Nearly a year later, that book is here and ready to be read. For those unfamiliar, the Backyard format is 6.76km on the hour, every hour, until there is one person standing. This format seems as old as time itself and also sit...
2024-10-081h 11
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningAidStation Podcast 017 – The Firies Furber Stairs Climb For MND Live showKia ora e te whānau! We are not going to lie to you, this is a heavy episode, however it is absolutely one that you need to hear. Matt and Ali Pottinger ventured to Scenic World in Katoomba to facilitate this discussion for the Firies Furber Stairs Climb. We spoke to the original Firies Climb Organiser, Matt Pridham, about his personal experience with MND and how this drove him to start an event which raised millions of dollars, We spoke to Professor Dominic Rowe of Macqurie University. A consultant neurologist with a fury to find a cure, a...
2024-09-031h 21
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEugene and Matt talk 100 miles. The where, what, and why.Kia Ora e te whānau! This week on the pod, Eugene and Matt settle in for a good old chat about Matt’s upcoming 100 mile event and Matt gets the opportunity to chat to one of his running idols (Eugene, and yes, we are leaving that in) about his process and engagement with the distance. Following on from last week’s AidStation when we spoke to coach Kerry and Ali from SQUADRUN, we discuss the where, the what, and most importantly the why around an event that has bludgeoned itself into the running discourse and is more popul...
2024-08-271h 12
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningSoft Feelings And Hard Numbers: The Mileage Question with Kerry Suter and Ali PottingerKia ora e te whānau! The great questions of our age answered by two of the greatest minds (and Matt and Eugene)!! When it comes to training, how much is too much? Or too little? And do we go by time or distance? And how will we know?!?! The answer? It depends … sort of ... This is a great discussion with SQUADRUN coaches Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger around the quantitative and qualitative approach to training for your next big event. Matt reminds us how context is everything, Ali refuses to be judged for completionism, and Eugene and Ker...
2024-08-2354 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningLee Grabarek - From the Nutmeg State to Ōtautahi, a trail well travelled - Dirt Church Radio 289.Kia ora e te whanau! This week Matt has the distinct privilege of speaking to Lee Grabarek. Lee (they/them) is a non-binary person who has been ripping it up on the trails and roads of Aotearoa for the last ten years, after travelling from Connecticut, where they enjoyed a very outdoorsy existence. Matt spoke to Lee about their life growing up, their initial foray into trail running and the sweet, sweet, sweet, transgression of wearing road shoes on the trail. We discuss Lee’s attendance at Out Trails, a trail running retreat for queer and trans people, and th...
2024-08-131h 10
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe 2024 WUU2K Special – Leaving it all out on the trail.In its nine-year history the WUU2K has kicked many a runner in the ass. This year it kicked Matt in the head. Antecedently to the unfolding malarky, Eugene and Matt caught up with NZ trail legend Jenny Hirst, WUU2K race director and founder Gareth Thomas, and long-time collaborator Brent Robinson. You’ll get all the action from the start line, and Matt out on course, alongside Eugene’s interviews with Tailwind NZ’s Mark Drew, Carly Webber from Runners NZ and many more. Best Enjoyed Running.WUU2kSign up...
2024-07-161h 11
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningHave you got what it takes? Coach Kerry and Ali on what to think about when planning your next goalKia ora e te whānau! On this episode, Eugene and Matt are joined by the brains trust of SQUADRUN Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter for a play-along-at-home adventure around the start of planning for a big adventure or event, in this case, Matt’s build up to the Tarawera Ultra Trail. As usual with these conversations, Kerry and Ali are wise beyond years, and a font of incredible knowledge. Not to be missed. Dan Jones also checks in after his remarkable fourth-place run at Western States last weekend, and we debate the merits of s...
2024-07-121h 02
Dirt Church Radio Trail Running2024 Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB Special + Live ShowKia ora e te whānau! This episode of the pod finds Matt returning to The Blue Mountains for the UTA running festival. With 7000 athletes over 4 days this is a one-of-a-kind spectacle in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Down to one wing, the ever dependable Ali Pottinger of SQUADRUN fame jumped into the fray, along with Ben Berriman and Dave Stewart to recap each day’s event. Ali and Matt also handled the elite Q&A, with Lucy Bartholomew, Charlie Hamilton, and Michael Dimunates. Matt and Ali discussed the Women in Trail Panel and the...
2024-05-211h 55
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe Inaugural 2024 Further Faster Live Show Special and the Skedaddle WeekendKia ora e te whānau! This week we’ve got something different for you. Eugene and Matt take a trip to Ōtautahi/Christchurch for our first ever live show at Further Faster. We were joined by the epic Jess Campbell and Michael Mitchell as we ran through some stories from the past six years. We rounded the evening off by challenging the audience to a rousing round of Rock, Paper, Scissors for a Crater Rim entry and finally found the answer to the oft-asked question, “What is worse, being bitten by a shark or doing The Revenant?”. Then, ou...
2024-04-301h 14
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningBackyard ReLaps and Northburn and Barkley Marathons Special – A Weekend For The AgesKia ora e te whānau! WOOOOO some weekends in the calendar just stack up don’t they? This weekend certainly didn’t disappoint with the fourth running of Aotearoa’s original Backyard Ultramarathon, the Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra, the Northburn 100 mile, one of the most challenging 100 mile events in the country, and the Barkley Marathons, the Monster of Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. This week, Eugene and Matt do their best to pinball between all three places, with Matt enjoying the delights of the ReLaps and fifth Beatle Andrew McDowall taking on the Northburn 100, we’ve looped in...
2024-03-261h 18
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningBonus Ep: Our new AidStation podcastAidStation 001 – Insert Something Cliche About Processes. A special taste for DCR listeners of our new subscriber-only AidStation podcast. We didn’t know this, but the second Friday in January is known as “Quitter’s Day”. This is the day that statistically, most people abandon their New Year’s Resolutions. Are you a resolution person? Or a Goal guy? Or someone who loves a good old intentional process? And why can’t we have all three? On the first episode of our brand-new, subscriber-only AidStation podcast (but free for January), Eugene and Matt sit down to discuss if they are on...
2024-01-2633 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningA running masterclass with Zachary Friedley and Eric Orton, Born to AdaptKia ora e te whānau. For our first podcast of 2024 Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking with Zachary Friedley and Eric Orton. Zach is a returning Champion on DCR, having spoken to Matt on episode 202, and also being part of our Tarawera live pod in 2023. Eric Orton is a first time caller but he will be no stranger to many of you. Together, they are coming down to New Zealand with 2 x Leadville Champ Adrian MacDonald to hold a Born to Adapt clinic and trail race in Rotorua on February 9th and 10th. Born to Ada...
2024-01-021h 05
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningThe Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge 2023: Mud and Mayhem.Kia ora e te whānau. This year, Matt was back at it at the Blue Lake for (what was supposed to be) 24 hours of challenge and excitement in the best worst kept secret on the Aotearoa trail running calendar. Toe’ing the line in the 100km distance, and amongst 700 other hardy souls across multiple levels of challenge from “Casual” to “The Claw” this event has it’s emphasis firmly set on self reliance, and this year the self reliance was put to the test when the stormiest year in the race’s history got a vote in and turned the...
2023-09-2659 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningAndy Carruthers: Tararua S-K, the movie and the magicKia ora e te whānau. This week Matt has the pleasure of speaking to Andy Carruthers, Wellington adventure lover, runner, and creator of the Tararua S-K movie. The S-K, or Schorman- Kaitoki, is a tramping route in the Tararua Range with a distance of approximately 80km and with 6800m of elevation gain. Conceived as a weekend challenge in the 1960’s by the four main tramping clubs in Wellington as to who could do it in a single weekend, the desire for people to travel faster and lighter has only grown in the preceding 60 years. Matt speaks to And...
2023-08-151h 21Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningRichard Askwith - Fell runner and author of Feet In The Clouds on the race against time.Kia ora e te whānau. Not to gush, but if Eugene and Matt did ever start a DCR book club, the first book in the curriculum would be Feet In The Clouds by Richard Askwith. For years we discussed inviting Richard on, but never had the courage to do so, until by happy chance we were prompted by a DCR listener. As well as being an author, Richard is a runner, journalist, and writer. He’s most famous for Feet in the Clouds, a gorgeous book about the fell-running scene in the United Kingdom, but he’s publi...
2023-03-141h 16Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningMatt Bixley - Old Man WisdomKia ora e te whānau. We’re BACK!! This week Eugene and Matt speak to Matt Bixley, a South Island trail running legend. Matt went from the couch to 18 Keplers, and a bunch of Rogaines and Barkley Marathons, in fact, Matt is the International Rogaining Association president. He was a Salomon athlete for a bit there too, and what he doesn’t know about the Kepler Challenge and the lord of the race ain’t worth knowing. Matt is well known for his opinions and his straight- talking style. This is a brilliant conversation with a very wise hu...
2023-01-241h 15
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Summer Edition - Christopher McDougallKia ora e te whānau. Welcome to the second week of the 2022/23 DCR Summer Editions. This week we bring you the amazing conversation we had with New York Times Best Selling Author, Christopher McDougall. Matt really wanted this one replayed as he was so riddled with Covid at the time it still feels like a fever dream. This is also the episode where one Lola Rayment was launched into the trail running podcast consciousness, and where we learned about Born to Run II - Enjoy!Episode Links Christopher McDougall Hom...
2023-01-101h 20
Dirt Church Radio Trail Running2022 Kepler Challenge SpecialKia ora e te whānau. This week, Eugene and Matt head to Te Anau for our fourth live show from the iconic Fiordland Lobster Room at the Te Anau Events Centre to be joined by (the-then) 4 x Kepler winner and Auckland Marathon winner AND Queenstown Marathon Winner Dan Jones, Sophie Grant fresh from her Tor Des Geants 4th place, and Brodie Kane of being on the tele and podcasts and being good at dancing and things fame. We were also joined by race director and all round good bugger Steve Norris for a rip-roaring good time. Eugene a...
2022-12-061h 29
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningBlue Lake 24 Hour Challenge – Loop that LakeKia ora e te whānau.This week Matt runs down the odyssey that was the 2022 Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge, The atmosphere of this race is like nothing else. The brilliant thing about Blue Lake is that is an individual journey amongst friends. No timing chips, no distance limits or targets (if you want) and no expectations, the onus is most definitely on you. Show up, throw down. Get rad, challenge yourself, feel the love, have fun. With conversations with Andrew McDowall, Allan Ure, Lola Rayment, and the race organisers Chris and Kurt. Enjoy. Epi...
2022-09-271h 03
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 198 - Christopher McDougallKia ora e te whānau. Eugene and Matt spoke to New York Times Best Selling Author Christopher McDougall, and it ruled. Far from a traditional conversation, this one veered all over the map, with McDougall just having returned from a run to the hardware store for things to pack up his house pending his imminent move to Hawaii. We discuss the impetus for writing the follow-up to Born to Run with coach Eric Orton. In a fever Matt offers violence, Christopher talked about drinking one’s own urine, and Eugene put it out there that whilst not everyone might...
2022-06-211h 33
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 172 - Mikki Williden 2021This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak to triathlete, ultra runner, podcast host, and nutritionist Dr Mikki Williden. This is Mikki’s second go ‘round on the old DCR and this time we really wanted to get into the weeds about some specific nutrition topics around the silly season, including how do we enjoy ourselves and not go off the rails (too much)? What’s the latest thinking around race nutrition and how does one go about dialling that in? Tips for finding out what works for you, and also a discussion around the topic of RED-S, or Rel...
2021-12-141h 37
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 170 - Matt FennThis week on the podcast Eugene is again ganged up on with he and Matt speaking to the incredible Matt Fenn. Matt is an athlete who focuses on running as a means to spark conversation, unite, and inspire. In March 2021 Matt ran 654km, one kilometre for every Kiwi who lost their life to suicide in the last year, breaking the New Zealand distance running record in the process. Not content with this, on the first of December Matt will begin running and won’t stop until there has been 1 million comments on a single social media post. Matt has com...
2021-11-301h 33
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 159 - Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter, SquadrunReturning champions Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger from Squadrun are back at it to drop the knowledge bombs and provide the necessary lockdown inspiration for the people! With Eugene and Matt’s live show with the dynamic duo scuppered because, well…reasons, we thought that it was no better time to tap into the huge knowledge base that the two founding coaches of Squadrun bring to the table. An almost incomprehensibly tired Matt (road running is hard, ok) and Eugene discuss how to set goals when there is no consistency in modern life, how to enliven flat training, and prep...
2021-09-071h 23
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 156 - Mary FisherThis week Eugene and Matt have the privilege and pleasure to speak with Aotearoa/New Zealand Para swimmer Mary Fisher! Prior to her retirement from the structure, rigor, and scrutiny of high performance sport in 2018, Mary won Gold at the London and Rio Paralympics in world-record times. After that, Mary chose to do something relaxing, like run the Tarawera 87 km. Eugene and Matt speak to Mary after her recent running of the (completely heckers) WUU2K, which Mary finished with her guide, Carrie Buckmaster. We speak to Mary about her love of the trails, advocacy and inclusion in sport...
2021-08-171h 34
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 154 - Bryon PowellThis week Eugene and Matt head back to the Mountain Time Zone for an amazing conversation with iRunFar editor-in-chief Bryon Powell. We talk recovery from Hardrock, how good it is to be back at it racing post COVID, and how 2020, whilst very challenging, did allow a chance for a reset. Matt has a legitimate fanboy moment and shows Bryon his dog-eared copy of Relentless Forward Progress that Powell signed in 2014. Bryon’s passion for the sport and knowledge of the culture is legend, and this discussion touches on a lot of it, from Bryon’s athletic beginnings and the start...
2021-08-031h 18
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 148 - Martin "Rocky" WalkerKia Ora Whānau. This week Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Martin “Rocky” Walker of Further Faster. Rocky has been a force to be reckoned with in the outdoors scene for the last 30-plus years, making his way to Aotearoa, and setting up his outdoors store Further Faster. We have a great chat with him about his love of the outdoors, dogs, gear, racing, snow, doom metal, and beer on this episode of Dirt Church Radio. We’ve also got all the racing results you need, we look forward to Western States and we’ve got a...
2021-06-221h 19
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 141 - The Sports Lab live showKia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt bring you our DCR X Sportslab live show. We had the pleasure of speaking with Loren Abel, Vaughan Craddock, and Luke McCallum from Sportslab at Hallertau Tap Haus about all things preventative. This is a wide ranging discussion touching on injury prevention, the importance of recovery, and how small habits factored into our active lives can do so much to improve our long term wellbeing and running enjoyment. We discuss the importance of running on all surfaces, and how this can make us into a better runner. B...
2021-05-041h 29
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 140 - Fran McEwenKia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt have a conversation with the indefatigable Fran McEwen. Where to start with Fran? She’s someone who gets things done. She’s an ultramarathon runner, but if you’d said that to her teenage self, she’d have laughed at you. After a self-described idyllic kiwi childhood in Lower Hutt, she experienced what many teenagers did, drifted away from school, activity, and home life. But she found her way back, and she not only lives out what she would once never have dreamed of, she helps others achieve th...
2021-04-271h 23
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 139 - Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra Special 2021Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off after the love-in/mud pit /festival that was the 2021 Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultramarathon and Relay. This episode has the record for most people interviewed in one show, with Shaun Collins, Brooke Thomas, Adam Keen, Mike White, Andrew McDowell, and Chris Bisley. We also have additional bonus audio with Olympic marathon runner Deena Kastor discussing her transition to marathon running (courtesy of Anna Hughes and Books That Work). Also ice cream, house music, and did we mention results? Yep, we got r...
2021-04-201h 47
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 138 - Dawn Tuffery 2021Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt jump in for a sweet little chat with running legend Dawn Tuffery. We talk about her stellar 2021 of racing, including 3rd place at the Tarawera 100 miles, the IAU 6 hour solidarity run, and 3rd at the Coastal Ultra just last weekend. We romp through the bumper crop of results from the weekend’s racing,go through the details of our upcoming live show, knock out a scenic Greatest Run Ever, receive more evidence that the pukeko is indeed a shifty murder chicken, and Matt continues the great hot cros...
2021-04-1354 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 137 - Ben and Yonni KepesKia Ora Whānau. This week on the podcast we have our first Father-Son double header! Eugene speaks to Ben and Yonni Kepes. Ben and Yonni are an ultra trail running father and son from Canterbury. They are both volunteer firefighters, both involved in the family business which Ben co-founded, Cactus Outdoors, and both involved with the organisation Speed Freaks. Ben has also been recognised for his leadership by the Sir Peter Blake Trust, he’s a technology expert, a business advisor and entrepreneur. Yonni celebrated his 21st by running the Northburn 50 km recently, and then crewed home his dad...
2021-04-061h 26
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 136 - Matt GirvanKia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast, Eugene and Matt have an engaging conversation with New Plymouth’s Matt Girvan. Matt lives in Edinburgh these days and managed to time the back half of his OE with spending nearly a year indoors. Frustrated by this and wanting to experience the wild spaces of Scotland, Matt put in place an FKT attempt on the Scottish National Trail - 864km and 20,000 metres of vertical gain. We talk to Matt about the challenges and joys, the literal (and figurative) ups and downs of such an attempt. We talk through the cha...
2021-03-301h 24
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 135 - Jamie HawkerKia Ora Whānau.Jamie Hawker ran his first 100km at 18 years of age. He waited 40 years to do his second. This week, Eugene and Matt have their hearts lifted and their minds blown with this amazing conversation with Jamie Hawker. Jamie is a local legend. He’s turned to engagement in the community to supplement his running buzz. From his involvement in the Port Hills Athletic Club in Christchurch, to guiding low vision and blind runners with the Achilles Foundation and coaching the Speed Freaks running group via Odyssey House, Jamie exemplifies the line “proud of a life where...
2021-03-231h 30
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 134 - Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter, Ask the CoachesKia Ora Whanau. One of the most enjoyable things about spending such a long time on the mic with Squadrun founders Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger at Tarawera ultramarathon was the off-mic talk about training, race craft, and physiology. They were dropping science like Galileo dropped the orange (Yauch Diamond & Horowitz 1989). We thought it would be an excellent idea to get the pair back onDirt Church Radio for a deep dive into some coaching knowledge. What follows is a wonderfully informative discussion around training plans, specificity, Why your watch sucks, strength training, are junk miles real, and what separates...
2021-03-161h 30
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 133 - Charles WilliamsKia Ora Whanau. Charles Williams (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi) is a walking anti-stereotype machine. This conversation is incredible, covering his journey from a young man making street art “in the shadows” (as he describes it) to a 20-year partnership with his wife, Janine, making the most incredible urban art possible. Charles is a bird nerd, you’ll see why when you take so much as one look at the amazing Tui that adorn walls around the country. Charles is an ultramarathon runner, linking the planning, dedication, and patience of long distance running directly into the applic...
2021-03-091h 27
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 131 - Matt UrbanskiKia Ora Whanau. From atop a small wardrobe in Riverhead, and a campervan in Bannockburn, Matt and Eugene bring you Dirt Church Radio Episode 131. Matt Urbanski. That’s right folks, we are across the miles yet again this week, separated by the tyranny of holiday and NOT pandemic. Take that, COVID. We crack through the rundown of whatever else the rest of the country was doing whilst Auckland was in level 2, including the Shotover Moonlight Marathon and the mighty Old Ghost Ultramarathon. For our conversation this week, Eugene had the distinct pleasure to speak to the 2021 Tarawera 100 mile winner, Ma...
2021-02-231h 15
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 129 - Andrew RobinsonKia Ora Whanau.Andrew Robinson stood looking at the sign halfway between Mangatepōpō road and Soda Springs which encourages travellers to complete the Northern Circuit if the sky is blue and clear and to turn back if the path is shrouded in cloud. Knowing that he and his team had gambled with the weather on their first day Robinson stood contemplating whether to continue or not in his quest to be the first person to complete the 10 great walks of New Zealand in 10 days. Initially wanting to make the circuit, commonsense won out and the team turned back ha...
2021-02-091h 25
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 128 - Brooke ThomasKia Ora Whanau. Falling behind the schedule that she’d set for herself, suffering the effects of low iron, arguing with her support crew who were imploring her to stop and seek medical attention Brooke Thomas lost control during her Te Araroa attempt. Or rather, she gave up control, attended to what she could attend to, and focussed on enjoying the process and journey. In doing so, Brooke collected a lifetime of amazing experiences, new friendships, and found depths of strength that even the former competitive rower and Registered Nurse didn’t know she had. In giving up control, Broo...
2021-02-021h 26
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 127 - Ian EvansKia Ora Whanau. Ian Evans loves games, literally any type of game - Monopoly, Cluedo, football, croquet, The Revenant. One of these things is not like the others, right? Not the way Ian approaches it. This week Matt and Eugene have the distinct pleasure of speaking to Ian Evans about his love of the mountains, process, play and his refreshing approach to training. Ian, who has a background in outdoor education and sports physiology, moved to Wanaka four years ago after spending years abroad from his native Birmingham. Ian had planned to just swing through on his plan to...
2021-01-261h 22
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 123 - Sarah BouckomsKia Ora Whanau. For our second-to-last show of the year Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of bringing you a conversation with Sarah Bouckoms. This episode is a first for a couple reasons: It’s the first time that we’ve ever recorded a podcast in a hotel lobby (Distinction Te Anau, no less), and it’s the first time that we’ve ever had an astro-physicist on the podcast. Do you know what an Ice Cube Neutrino Detector is? Neither did we. Sarah, in addition to being an astro-physicist, also has a Post Graduate Degree in Antarctica Studies and has...
2020-12-151h 10
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 120 - Markus TorgebyKia Ora Whanau. This week Matt sits down for a conversation with author and runner Markus Torgeby. Torgeby was 20 years old, a talented, and deeply unhappy runner when he decided to live in the the woods near the arctic circle, to hone down his life to what was important to him. Moving with the rhythm of seasons and his surroundings, Markus learnt to truly hear his body on his long daily runs. Markus spent four years living in the woods by himself in a tent and during that time found freedom, joy, pain, and fear. All of these emotions...
2020-11-241h 10
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 119 - Kunal KumarKia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt sit down with the one and only Kunal Kumar to talk about his love of photography and trail running. Kunal is well-known in New Zealand for his beautiful documentation of our landscapes and trail running events. An avid trail runner himself, Kunal explains how photography and running are intrinsically linked for him. We also press Kunal on just what makes the ideal running shot, and how to do it. Also, how does one take a selfie good? SPOILER ALERT: it’s easier than you think. There is also our usual Stuff Yo...
2020-11-171h 22
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 118 - Zoë Rom.This week Eugene speaks to Zoë Rom. Zoë Rom is an Associate Editor of Trail Runner magazine in the US, and host of the DNF Podcast, a podcast about failure. Which is actually awesome. If you were going to cheat on us with another podcast, well... we’d still be upset, but we’d understand. In addition to being a journalist, Zoë is a trail runner, having set a couple of FKTs this summer, including on Colorado’s 14er Capitol Peak, a section of which has had multiple fatalities. Zoë talks about failure, and whether the ability to not give up sh...
2020-11-101h 06
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 117 - Glenn SuttonKia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt are stoked to get to speak with Glenn Sutton. We tried last week, however Glenn was out supporting his mates on a 91km push from Geraldine to Tekapo and whilst up for a chat, the reception wasn’t. Golly, this is worth the wait. We talk about Big’s Backyard, and how the man who is the only New Zealander to finish Badwater 135 three times (!!!) considers himself a “beginner” at the format, because … of course he does. This is a great yarn, Glenn, in his understated way lays out his philosophy on enduran...
2020-11-031h 21
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 115 - Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, AotearoaKia Ora Whanau.This week...this week... gosh, it’s been a lot. It’s been a lot for many reasons, but concerning the casting of the pod, it’s mainly been about the Aotearoa/New Zealand iteration of Big Dog’s Backyard Ultramarathon, or Satan’s Zoom call ( if you will). Matt, Rebecca, and Rigby went on an overnight adventure to capture the start of Big’s and get some conversations with the participants. It was magic. The next day, they came back armed with a picnic, minus Rigby and plus Eugene and continued to document the amazing spectacle, i...
2020-10-201h 30
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 114 - Amy SprostonHEY! THERE’S BEEN RACES ON THIS WEEK!!! WOOOOOOOO. Matt and Eugene get amongst it with all the action from the Taupo ultramarathon, Three Peaks Plus 1, The Abel Tasman Coastal Classic and the Wairarapa Country Marathon..There’s also an excellent Greatest Run Ever and don’t even get us started about Amy Sproston. Oh, go on then… Amy is an elite trail and ultra marathon athlete based in Jordan. Amongst many amazing feats Amy has four top ten Western States finishes under her belt (finishing 2nd in 2016), a TDG finish and a IAU 100km world championship title. Generous, and cons...
2020-10-131h 10
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 113 - Meghan HicksKia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Meghan Hicks. Meghan is the managing editor of iRunFar, until very recently,( like, the Friday we spoke to her) the holder of a new woman’s supported FKT on the Nolan’s 14 line, a link-up of two trailheads and 14 mountains taller than 14,000 feet in Colorado’s Sawatch Range.94.5 miles long and had roughly 45,000 feet of climb in 50 hours and 32 minutes. Meghan is also the previous winner of MDS, author of Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running. Meghan is one of the handful of American athletes that have c...
2020-10-061h 15
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 112 - Phil RossiterKia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Phil Rossiter,Old Ghost Ultramarathon Race Director and Chairman of the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry trust. In an often-heard tale of people who travel to the West Coast, in 2005 Phil pitched up to undertake a one-year contract as an environmental scientist. Fifteen years later, he’s still there, having fallen in love with the people and the landscape of this remote and hardy place. To cut a long story short, Phil and his mates set about connecting two pieces of track that were carved out of the bush to connect Mokihinui to...
2020-09-291h 13
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 111 - Craig KirkwoodKia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt and Eugene take a deep dive with coach extraordinaire Craig Kirkwood. Craig has been a life-long student of running, immersing himself in the works of Arthur Lydiard when Craig was in his early teens in Timaru. From there Craig went to Oklahoma on a college track scholarship, then to London to work with Olympic runners to further hone his coaching skills. As an elite athlete himself Craig has competed many times on the world stage at the highest level. Craig launched himself full time into coaching in 2013 after being made...
2020-09-221h 21
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 110 - Mel Aitken2020Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt and Eugene have another returning champion on the show. Mel Aitken. There was a time last year when it seemed like every couple of weeks we’d be talking about what Mel had won or podiumed next. Dominant across roads and trails, Mel was the 2018 Oceania half marathon champion, represented New Zealand at the World Trail Running Champs, and has won the Queenstown Marathon and won her age group at the Gold Coast Marathon. But this feels like the episode of Seinfeld right? Mel was dominant….Yadda yadda yadda..Covid. We t...
2020-09-151h 18
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 109 - Brad Dixon 2020Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt talks to one of Dirt Church Radio’s original guests, Brad Dixon. Brad is a coach, runner, triathlete, coach, physiotherapist, father, husband, and now… author. For years, Brad has contributed to Kiwi Trail Runner Magazine and other publications around wellbeing and performance. Over the last few years Brad began to chip away at compiling his wisdom and that has led to his first book, Holistic Human - Enhancing Habits for Expansive Wellness. This feels like a conversation for our times. Brad’s focus on wellbeing is explicitly holistic: The sum of the...
2020-09-081h 40
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 108 - Damian Hall returns, triumphantKia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Eugene talks to returning guest Damian Hall about his Fastest Known Bimble of the 431 km Pennine Way. Damian set out on his meticulously-planned attempt a week after his friend, John Kelly, broke the 31-year-old record of 2 days, 17 hours, and 20 minutes by 40 minutes. Damian lowered the record to 2 days, 13 hours, and 34 seconds. If you’ve heard Damian on Dirt Church Radio (episode 067) you’ll know that he is committed to addressing climate change and limiting the impact that we have on this planet. Damian set out to make his attempt as impact neut...
2020-09-011h 26
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 104 - Big's Backyard Big FourKia Ora Whanau. Sometimes you get an opportunity that is too good to pass up - like when Will Hayward messages you at 4pm on a Friday with the idea to set up a Zoom call between Hong Kong, Colorado, Alberta, and Palmerston North to reunite the top four Big’s Backyard finishers before the Riverhead Backyard Relaps... And hey, did you guys want to jump on too? One expletive laden outburst (Matt) and heaps of negotiation (Eugene and Will) later and we had the immense pleasure to sit with returning champions Maggie Guterl, Will Hayward, Dave Proctor, and Ka...
2020-08-041h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 103 - Mirna ValerioKia Ora Whanau. Matt was never as happy as when he woke up at 0130 for the chance to speak to the most wonderful Mirna Valerio. Mirna, now residing in Vermont, is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator, cross-country coach, ultrarunner, obstacle course enthusiast, and author of the recently published memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. Although she began running in high school, she recommitted to the sport after a health scare in 2008. It was then that her love for running and all its attendant benefits were reignited. She soon started her blog Fatgirlrunning, about her experiences as...
2020-07-281h 27
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 102 - Maree LeithKia Ora Whanau.This week Matt flies solo on the main interview and has the privilege to speak to Maree Leith, founder of Go Run Girls. Like many people who start to run, Maree was looking for a change. Unlike many who start to run, Maree’s start came from a place of great sadness and loss. Six years ago, Maree gave birth to a daughter, however this joy was preceded by years of heartache. In the years prior Maree had two stillborn babies and a newborn who passed away at six weeks old. Maree states that after this ti...
2020-07-211h 30
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 99 - Robbie BrittonKia Ora Whanau. Joining us this week from the mountains of Italy is Robbie Britton. Robbie loves pushing himself, from constantly running around playing sport as a child, to completing master’s degrees, to coming third at the world 24 hour champs in 2015 and helping his GB team take the gold. Robbie, whose run at Turin clocks in as a DCR first at being two guest’s Greatest Run Ever, radiates enthusiasm and good cheer as he discusses his love of finishing races fast, how he kept the boredom of injury away by signing up for 1000km cycle races, and how...
2020-06-301h 34
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 95 - Dave ProctorKia Ora Whanau. Together at last. After two months of lockdown, Matt and Eugene are finally able to record in the same room. There’s even a high five. And with just cause. Because this episode includes a remarkable conversation. Matt had the chance to speak to the one and only Dave Proctor, the relentless Canadian ultramarathoner. This is a conversation about running, yes, but it’s mostly about love, determination, how he would run to the end of the Earth for his son. Dave became known to listeners as Fast Dave-Canadian Dave at the after the incredible Big’s Back...
2020-05-261h 29
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 94 - Ben DuffusKia Ora Whanau. No longer Lockdown Larrys, but Level 2 Larrys, Eugene and Matt remain FOILED by Matt’s sore throat in their quest to podcast in the same room, let alone suburb. But if you had to do it remotely, you couldn’t find a more engaging fellow than two-time Australian Mountain Running Champion Ben Duffus. This conversation goes all over the place from race walking to quantum physics, climate change to Kawerau. Ben discusses his start in the sport, his love of the King of The Mountain race in said Kawerau, coaching, data, why not to burn down cell...
2020-05-191h 25
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 93 - Sarah HillaryKia Ora Whanau. This week we bring you a delightful conversation with Auckland Art Gallery’s Principal Conservator and ultra marathon runner Sarah Hillary. Sarah talks about her love of running the hills of the Waitakere Ranges and the trail that has her family name. We talk about art, ultramarathons, a life steeped in adventure and, her indelible links to Nepal (and Piha while we are at it) and how hopefully, when we emerge from being a nation in lockdown we can continue our (in some cases newfound) affinity for the outdoors. We ask what her father, Sir Edmund, wo...
2020-05-121h 12
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 92 - Chris HopeFrom our bedrooms to your bubbles, we bring you Dirt Church Radio in lockdown. Welcome. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Chris Hope, the founder of Running Calendar, Australasia’s most exhaustive resource for events. We discuss the history of Running Calendar, the current challenges faced by the racing community, plus a deep dive into running trends, just how niche is too niche, and Chris’ own history of running, his love of trail and ultramarathon running, and where he sees the trail community going post-pandemic. As per the regular, we have news, views, Stuff You Should Know, and a Gr...
2020-05-051h 14
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 91 - Vlad ShatrovKia Ora Whanau.We’ve been waiting for this one for a while. No, silly! Not Level 3. Vlad Shatrov!!! Initially we began engaging with Vlad around the time when Australasia went to heck in a handbasket grappling with COVID-19. It’s taken a couple weeks to get our respective water fowl lined up and boy was it worth the wait! Matt and Vlad engage in a wide-ranging discussion around Vlad’s upbringing, philosophy of racing, training, life,and everything in between. Vlad has done it all, track racing, professional triathlon, marathon, now ultramarathon. We discuss how Vlad has had to fle...
2020-04-281h 26
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 89 - Terry DavisKia Ora Whanau .Week Three of lockdown and this week we bring you race director extraordinaire Terry Davis. This is a ripping yarn from one of the stalwarts of the Aotearoa trail and ultramarathon community. Northburn 100 bills itself as a race that you don’t complete, you survive, one that despite being so fiendishly, awfully, difficult draws people back year after year. Terry talks about his love of adventure. And how adventure can turn our lives around. Adventure can ignite us, embolden us, and take us to the edge of what we believe that we can accomplish. Now, that so...
2020-04-141h 19
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 82 - Lucy Clark aka Adventurous LucyThis week, Eugene and Matt get the band back together and engage in our first joint conversation of 2020 with the wonderful Lucy Clark. Lucy spent 66 days 7 hours and 8 minutes setting a new female supported FKT on the Te Araroa trail, which runs from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Literally, like, the WHOLE of Aotearoa. Lucy was looking for a challenge and when the idea arose to shoot for the FKT she embraced it, training for 12 months without missing a single session (let that sink in) and undertaking the journey with her husband, Tommy, a camper van, and a whole lot o...
2020-02-251h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 80 - Tarawera Ultra SpecialKia Ora Whanau. To bastardise a Lao Tzu quote, A journey of 100 miles begins with one step, and this week on Dirt Church Radio Eugene and Matt sit down to deconstruct Eugene’s 100 mile success at the 2020 Tarawera Ultramarathon. Talking about himself does not come easily for Eugene, in fact, he hates it so much Matt had to surprise him with an interview at the pair’s one year live show. Despite this, and with his usual humility, reflection, and generosity, Eugene breaks his endeavour down into step-size chunks so that we could fully appreciate the magnitude of what he a...
2020-02-111h 32
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 79 - Aaron Smart and Tarawera previewThis week Eugene sits down to talk with film maker Aaron Smart about Chasing Pounamu, his stunning film about one man’s quest to finish the Tarawera 100 miler. Matt and Eugene also run down a full Tarawera preview, scooching through our hot takes on who’s in to win, the history of the event, just how Eugene will manage his cheese n’ pickle cravings and how many Spring Energy Gels is too much? We also have a musical treat, Stuff You Should Know about the bushfire relief effort and an amazing Greatest Run Ever. Enjoy!
2020-02-041h 09
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 78 - Ruth CroftKia Ora Whanau. This week we come bolting out of the gate with a Dirt Church Radio mega-special of incredibleniscity. Matt and Eugene are reunited in the same hemisphere and same room to run down the plethora of news, Greatest Runs Ever, Stuff You Should Know and also RUTH. FREAKING. CROFT. Matt spoke to Ruth about her triumphant 2019, the importance of looking after yourself and having periods of calm, hiking in Nepal (and unforeseen effects that altitude has on the *ahem* body), and the trifles of coming second at the world trail running champs and qualifying for the world...
2020-01-281h 32
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 77 - Dwight GrieveKia Ora whanau. Whilst down in Te Anau for the Kepler Challenge in December Eugene and Matt had the pleasure of sitting down at Dwight Grieve’s dining room table for a proper Southland yarn. You see, about ten years ago, Dwight was a painter-decorator living in Invercargill, overweight, a bit unhappy, and wanting to make changes in his life. As you’ll hear from our discussion, he certainly has: Dwight is now one of the local Te Anau Police, has represented New Zealand at the World Mountain Running Championships, and has a 5:29 Kepler PB that he was itching to pu...
2020-01-211h 07
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 76 - Mark WebberKia ora whanau! Eugene and Matt speak to nine-time Formula One Grand Prix winner and all round legend Mark Webber about his career, a performance mindset, his love of the outdoors, and his new company-Aussie Grit. It’s fair to say that neither Eugene or Matt are racing aficionados so it was a special treat to speak to Mark, who true to his reputation of being “a regular Aussie bloke”, was down-to-earth and generous with our naive questions about what it is like to be strapped into a rocket and drive it around a track at over 300 kph. This convers...
2020-01-1456 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 75 - Matt RaymentThis week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak to Matt Rayment...huh? Yes, that’s right. Eugene finally gets revenge on Matt, who, having cruelly ambushed Eugene at the live show last year (in cahoots with Shaun “The Integrator” Collins), was never going to get away without being a guest on the podcast. What unfolds is a conversation much like what you would have heard if you’d ever been on the trails with them - but with less puffing. Matt, mental health nurse, accomplished musician (eg playing with The Sneaks at Big Day Out), former editor of KTR, and...
2020-01-071h 21
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 74 - Mal Law, Will Hayward and 2019 wrap!Kia ora Whanau. This is the first Dirt Church Radio for 2020 and THE DECADE!!!!! 2019 was been a lot..Matt and Eugene find themselves scattered to the four winds this week and phone it in (literally, not figuratively) to run through their best of’s, highs and, well, more highs. We discuss some of the amazing athletes that we’ve spoken to this year and also bring you two interviews this show with Will Hayward, he of second place at Big’s Back Yard Ultra, and Mal Law, Head Wild Thing and who, amongst many other things, is running 1 million feet f...
2019-12-3157 min
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 73 - Billy WhiteKia ora Whanau. This week, we speak with chef Billy White about his debut cookbook Eat, Run, Enjoy. The book combines two of Billy’s biggest passions, trail running and delicious food and features such trail running stars as Courtney Dauwalter, Zach Miller, Ricky Lightfoot, Emily Forsberg, Ida Nilsson and Mimmi Kotka. Billy White was born in York and has been a chef for over 20 years. Initially buying into the hard living hospitality lifestyle wholesale. Billy worked in the kitchens of various Michelin star and world-renowned restaurants, including St John in London, and then later Fäviken and Rest...
2019-12-171h 25
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 64 - Sam McCutcheonKia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking to Wellington stalwart Sam McCutcheon. Sam loves running, and, whilst Sam would cringe to hear you say it, he is very good at it. Sam has won The Kepler Challenge twice, set the Wuu2k course record, and clinched third place at the Tarawera 102km. Sam has represented New Zealand at the world trail running championships, placed 7th at the CCC, and most recently banged out a 1:08:45 half marathon PB. And whilst, yes, this is all very impressive, Sam’s conversation with us highlights so much mo...
2019-10-151h 09
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 63 - Tim DayThis week, Matt has the pleasure of speaking to Dr Tim Day, the race director of Tarawera Ultramarathon. It took us a while to complete the set, with Tim’s partner Paul Charteris being our first ever guest on DCR, but boy was this worth the wait! Tim is a private person, who would prefer to let Paul do the talking about the race that they both love, so we thank Tim for his generosity in speaking to us.Matt talks with Tim about his journey from participant, to his role in the infamous 2014 Cyclone Lusi race, to...
2019-10-081h 17
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 57 - Dr John Onate IIKia Ora Whanau. Last time Matt spoke to Dr John Onate, they were sitting in Matt’s lounge in the heat, luxuriating after a beautiful trail run and drinking a cold beer. This time, Dr John is calling in from a sweltering Sacramento and Eugene and Matt are shivering in the Auckland rain. This episode of Dirt Church Radio covers the topics of running and depression. Mental health is an increasingly important topic in both the trail and ultra running world and the world in general, but how much do we really know about depression? and how can running af...
2019-08-271h 35
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 54 - Fiona LoveKia ora Whanau. This week, Eugene speaks to Fiona Love, Women’s winner of the 2019 WUU2k 63km. That’s right. The mighty DCR robot had to split into its component flannel shirts for this episode, with Matt on whanau duties Eugene had to bring it on home solo with the mighty Fiona Love. Fiona is relatively new to the ultra marathon scene, heck, WUU2k was her FIRST ONE (for those of you who’ve not run WUU2k forgive the emotion of capital letters, for those of you who have...right???). Fiona and Eugene discuss fitting running around...
2019-08-061h 19
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningEpisode 53 - Jason KoopKia ora Whanau. This week, Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking to Jason Koop, the Director of Coaching for Carmichael Training Systems. Jason is one of the premiere coaches in the ultramaraton world, and has coached many professional athletes to high levels of success within the sport. Koop’s roster has included such names as Kaci Lickteig, Dylan Bowman, Mike Foote, Timothy Olson, Jen Benna, Larisa Dannis, Dakota Jones, Missy Gosney, Alex Varner, Ford Smith...Gosh, the list goes on. Jason is known for his ability to convey quantitative data into a qualitative framework, which is especially im...
2019-07-301h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 52 - 1st birthday live show ft Andrew McDowall and Katie WrightKia ora Whanau. We would like to thank you for being with us for the first year of Dirt Church Radio. What follows is the live recording of our special at Hallertau Brewery. Eugene, Matt, and a barrell room full of enthusiastic trail runners reflect on the year that was, highlights, more highlights, and an enduring love of sharing interesting conversations with interesting runners. We speak to Andrew McDowall about backing up in the silver fern for the 24 world championships and moving his family to France for 3 months so that he can tackle UTMB. What follows after this is...
2019-07-231h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 50 - Gareth Thomas and the WUU2K SpecialKia Ora whanau!! For our second-ever race special Eugene and Matt took a tilt at the (if-not-by-now) soon-to-be-iconic WUU2K - The Wellington Urban Ultramarathon. The race is the brainchild of Wellington’s Gareth Thomas, a dyed-in-the-wool creative who decided that the trails he and his friends ran in the hills surrounding Wellington would make a pretty decent race if you strung them together and whaddayaknow? Four years ago the WUU2K was born. I mean, gosh…. This race is as brutal as it is beautiful and we had a blast. Eugene and Matt had the best adventure with thei...
2019-07-161h 15
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 47 - Mathieu DoreKia Ora whanau!! These days with running it can feel that is not just about running, you know? There is always someone around the corner saying that we need to do this, that, and the other thing to maximise our enjoyment of the thing we love the most. Can it be that to enjoy more of what we love, especially as we get older, we need to do other things? Well. Yes. If we take the view that running and movement is something that we are designed to do and our ancestors did it all the time and were f...
2019-06-181h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 41 - Katie Wright, Riverhead Backyard RelapsKia Ora whanau!! In 2018 Dr Katie Wright quietly moved to New Zealand. She’d quietly run around the coast of Wales and had quietly completed an Ironman as well as several road marathons. Katie quietly ran her first ultra marathon in October last year, the Taupo 100km, and what better way to back that up than to quietly place second this year behind Camille Herron at the Tarawera 100 mile run in February. Heck, might as well quietly back that up with a fourth at Northburn before quietly winning the 2019 Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultra Marathon, becoming the first woman in th...
2019-05-071h 49
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 39 - Zach MillerKia Ora whanau. This week it is Matt’s turn to spread his wings and wobble away from the nest on his solo conversation with the one and only Zach Miller. Exploding onto the ultra scene in 2013 out of nowhere (okay, a cruise ship) with a win at the JFK 50 mile, Zach followed up the next year with a win at Lake Sonoma, has gone on to become the first American man to win CCC and is the 2015 and 2016 The North Face Endurance Challenge champion. Cool. That’s the pro-by-the-numbers part over, as Zach Miller is nothing about Zach that...
2019-04-231h 28
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 33 - Gareth MorrisKia Ora Whanau. With Matt out the weekend after Riverhead Rampage, Eugene took the reins and steered the ship into shore (ummm?) with an incredibly interesting conversation with Gareth Morris. Gareth is an elite athlete in his own right, winning a silver medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games in 2018 as part of the Queen’s Prize Pairs rifle event for Team Cymru. Gareth is no slouch on the trails either, completing numerous road and trail marathons and this year coming 14th at the Tarawera 100 mile endurance run with a time of 23:33:49. Can an elite mindset translate from the range to...
2019-03-121h 26
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 30 - John OnateKia Ora Whanau. This week Matt speaks to Dr John Onate, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at the University of California Davis. John is an accomplished ultra runner, speaker at Rob Krar’s trail running camps, the Western States Endurance Run and UTMB. John is also the medical lead at the Devil’s Thumb aid station at Western States. John was in New Zealand to run the Shotover Moonlight Marathon and Matt had the pleasure to host John in the mighty Riverhead Forest and the repair back to Matt’s whare for a beer and a chat. And wh...
2019-02-191h 31
Dirt Church Radio Trail RunningDCR Episode 26 - Vajin Armstrong!Kia Ora Whanau. This week Matt and Eugene have the privilege and great joy to have a conversation with Vajin Armstrong. Vajin has been consistently at the top of the Aotearoa/New Zealand trail and ultra running standings for the last nine years, with three Kepler Challenge victories, multiple Tarawera Ultra podium finishes (including victory at the 62 km event in 2018) and a slew of impressive results in Europe over the last several seasons. And you know what? Those results are impressive, but they are by no means the reason we wanted to speak with Vajin. After an engaging and...
2019-01-221h 26