Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

Pat Davies served in the Gulf Wars and conflict zones such as Afghanistan and the Falklands during his military career. Starting off as a 17-year-old in the RAF, he eventually ended up moving with hi…

Guyon Espiner is a legend of New Zealand journalism. From his time in the Press Gallery, to his work as TVNZ’s political editor, to the host of Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report, to his current work…

It’s uncertain times, right? And certainly at the moment it feels like we are all faced with multiple challenges. Climate change and extreme weather events seem to be playing a major part in that unc…

Returning 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 s…

Barefoot Ted McDonald is a shaman. In 2009 he became a central character in Christopher McDougall’s best selling book about natural  running and movement, Born To Run. Ted was initially portrayed (pe…

This week Eugene and Matt come charging out of Level Four (well, figuratively) for an excellent conversation with Scotty Hawker.  If you’d asked Scotty if he would have been in Europe 8 months ago, l…

This 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 performa…

We have a first on this week’s Dirt Church Radio. We’ve never spoken to an actual (literal) shepherd before. Let alone a shepherd who goes after it as hard as Ryan Carr does. Rocketing onto the trail…

This 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 ra…

Seven years ago on a trip to Brazil Chloe Wickman noticed the overwhelming explosion of body positivity and vibrancy which saw all shapes and sizes embrace colour and celebration. Wanting to capture …

Kia Ora Whānau. Some would say that Gareth Thomas has enjoyed a magic run of weather in the four years that WUU2K (Wellington Urban Ultramarathon) has been run. We all hoped that 2021 would be an ext…

Stephen Redfern decided to run a half marathon in 2014. It went well. He then ran 100km a few months later. FIVE WEEKS after that Stephen completed his first 100 mile race. From there … well. World 2…

Kia Ora Whānau. 150 episodes!!! That’s like three years of Dirt Church Radio! Everything comes up gold with this one, as Matt and Eugene speak with Western States runner-up and all round LEDGUND Ruth…

Kia Ora Whānau. This week Eugene speaks to Caitlin Fielder about her long road back from serious injury to her course record at Tarawera 50km, her burgeoning shoe painting business, the insanity of E…

Kia 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…

Kia Ora Whānau. Fall down twice, get up three times... That's how it goes isn’t it? This week on the pod Eugene talks to former professional Ironman and Ultraman champion Carl Read about his road to …

Kia Ora Whānau. “For our first episode of Dirt Church Radio we are privileged to sit down with Paul Charteris, the founder of Tarawera Ultramarathon …” That was three years and 145 episodes ago. Thin…

Kia Ora Whānau. Lots of people say that they have run all their lives but by the time Te Anau’s Mark Green was 12 years old he had run 20 half marathons. Mark really HAS been running for nearly his w…

Kia Ora Whānau. There is trail running and then there is getting after it in the wild places. The places where no matter what, your pack will be kinda heavy, you will have a beacon with you and there…

Kia Ora Whānau. Runners love routine, right? The overriding wisdom for most of us is consistency consistency consistency. Habit is an absolute strength, however habits can become just that, habit. Ka…