The RunThrough Podcast

RunThrough

Join Ben Sheppard as he chats with some of the most inspiring voices in the running world — from elite athletes and your favourite running influencers to everyday runners with incredible stories to tell.

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33 episodes
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Tuesday · 49 min
#186 - Running With Type 1 Diabetes, Beating Burnout & Chasing Boston | Kelly Ruck
Kelly Ruck is a mum of four, a bagel business owner, and the runner behind a nearly 60,000-strong Instagram community, all while living with type 1 diabetes. What started as a couch to 5K done alone in the woods (because she hated training with other people) snowballed into marathons, ultras and a full-blown love of endurance racing. In this episode, Kelly joins host Ben Sheppard to talk candidly about what it's really like to train and race with type 1 diabetes, including the Valencia Marathon that went badly wrong and the online negativity that followed. She also opens up about the hardest year of her life, her dad's cancer diagnosis, losing her nan, and the burnout that eventually forced her to step back from YouTube (she's now back making content and loving it again) and why she's now chasing a new marathon PB and a Boston Qualifier with a fresh love for speed work.
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October 27 · 42 min
#185 - Running Berlin in a 10kg Weighted Vest & Turning Nothing Into Something | David Zakwan
David Zakwan is a content creator known for running, boxing, hiking and is the man behind the 'A Lot of Nothing' running community. He started posting online in 2023 while working through a difficult period in his life, using boxing and running to rebuild his confidence and find his people. In this episode, David joins host Ben Sheppard to talk about running the Berlin Marathon in a 10kg weighted vest to raise awareness for a mental health charity, running the London Marathon in memory of his aunt, growing Lot of Nothing from four people to over a hundred, and pushing into ultramarathon territory with his first 100K. He also opens up about conditioning, negative self-talk and why 2027 is the year he turns every goal into something real.
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October 20 · 53 min
#184 - Ayesha Pervaiz: My Hijab Isn't My Barrier, It's My Biggest Strength | The RunThrough Podcast
Ayesha Pervaiz is a digital creator, hijabi athlete, and the voice behind @active.ayesh, where she's spent the last two and a half years combining her Muslim faith with a growing love of fitness and running. What started as content made for herself during a tough period for her mental health has grown into a community of thousands of women who see themselves in her journey, proof, as she puts it, that her hijab isn't her barrier; it's her biggest strength. In this episode, Ayesha joins host Ben Sheppard to talk about her path from a shy, performing-arts-loving kid to an online voice for hijabi women everywhere, the emotional high of crossing the line at her first-ever 10K, and why she's swapped chasing 5 am starts for listening to her body instead. She also opens up about training for the London Marathon, fundraising for Charity Right, and the mantra, " There's nothing I cannot do - that's carrying her into 2027.
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October 13 · 45 min
#183 - On The Go Chlo: From Zero Confidence to 114km Backyard Ultras
Chloe's two online lives couldn't look more different. She started a cosmetics page at 17 that grew to half a million followers almost overnight, then spent years without the confidence to even show her own face on camera. It wasn't until lockdown pushed her into running, training up from not being able to finish a single street with her mum and auntie, that she found a totally different kind of page, now known as On The Go Clo, and a very different kind of confidence. In this episode, Chloe joins host Ben Sheppard to talk about building a cosmetics following as a teenager, why it took years to find the confidence to speak on camera, learning to stop comparing herself to other runners, and the backyard ultra that saw her and her friends cover over 114 kilometres together. She also opens up about juggling two very different "jobs," chasing a 24-hour ultra next, and why she wants to be the person other women look up to in running.
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October 6 · 49 min
#182 - Jordan Purdy: Ultra Marathons, Solo Mountains & Why He'd Never Change His Past
Jordan Purdy has been a barber in Nottingham for over a decade, but these days he's just as well known for the hiking, wild camping and ultra-running content he shares as @purdsoutdoors. A life-changing road trip around Slovakia pulled him out of pub culture and into the mountains, and a tough childhood, including a violent attack as a teenager, taught him early on not to take anything for granted. In this episode, Jordan joins host Ben Sheppard to talk about growing up on the move, the night that changed the course of his life, and why he'd never change his past even if he could. He opens up about completing his first ultra marathon at Lulworth Cove with RunThrough Trails, chasing dark tourism destinations like Chernobyl and the world's most dangerous train journey, and why he's such a vocal advocate for men's mental health.
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September 29 · 47 min
#181 - Jemma Owen: The Secret Half Marathon Surprise for Her Granddad
Jemma Owen had never really been a runner. A busy mum of two young girls, she wasn't sporty growing up, and for years joked that her partner Dave "ran for the both of them." But turning 29, with a year ahead that would see her turn 30 and get married in the same week, she decided she wanted to reach that milestone as the happiest, healthiest version of herself, and quietly set out to make it happen. In this episode, Jemma joins host Ben Sheppard to tell the full story behind her secret nine weeks of training, swapping her sofas for a treadmill and running up and down the stairs while her daughters napped, all building towards a surprise nobody saw coming: running the Warrington Running Festival half marathon alongside her 77-year-old granddad Eddie, who was raising money for the Lilac Centre where her nan is being treated for stage four ovarian cancer. She talks through revealing her race number to him on the start line, holding his hand over the finish, and why a marathon is already next.
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September 22 · 47 min
#180 - Delivering Babies, Lifting Heavy & Staying in the Present I Rayma Risquet
Rayma Risquet's path to becoming an obstetrician and gynaecologist specialist trainee wasn't exactly a straight line. It started with a childhood love of robots and prosthetics, a spell as an air cadet dreaming of designing limbs for injured soldiers, and finally a front-row seat to her first birth that changed everything. Now a specialty trainee, she delivers babies for a living and spends her downtime chasing half marathon PBs, lifting heavy and working towards her first muscle-up as @dr.rayisfit. In this episode, Rayma joins host Ben Sheppard to talk about the emotional weight of her job, from the highs of every birth to facing death for the first time as a young doctor, why it's okay to be a beginner even once you've got the title, and the imposter syndrome so many healthcare professionals carry. She also opens up about why she's stopped chasing the next goal and started finding joy in the present, on the wards, in the gym and everywhere in between. Follow Us. Rayma Risquet - https://www.instagram.com/dr.rayisfit/?hl=en Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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September 15 · 55 min
#179 - How Running Helped Me Through Grief & the 230KM Icefields Parkway FKT | Harry Marshall
Four and a half years ago, Harry Marshall was not a runner. Now, he holds the fastest known time for running the 230 kilometre Icefields Parkway through the Canadian Rockies. Harry joins host Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast to share the deeply personal story behind his journey into ultrarunning. After losing his brother to suicide and his mum shortly afterwards, Harry found himself in the darkest period of his life. Running gave him somewhere to put his thoughts, a reason to get up each day and a way to feel connected to them both. His journey began with a challenge to run at least 5K every day for a year, spanning three continents and raising £14,000 for a local mental health charity. He finished that year with his first marathon before going on to complete seven marathons in seven days and a series of increasingly ambitious ultramarathons. Harry also takes us inside his biggest challenge yet, running 230 kilometres from Lake Louise to Jasper in 30 hours, 2 minutes and 31 seconds to set a new Icefields Parkway FKT. Expect stories of grizzly bear preparations, running beneath a full moon, being caught in a biblical thunderstorm and finding the strength to keep moving when every step hurt. Follow Us. Harry Marshall - https://www.instagram.com/scrambledlegs___/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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September 8 · 49 min
#178 - The 100km Cricket World Record That Took Over the Internet | Sam Bodoano
What happens when you combine a love of running, cricket and slightly ridiculous endurance challenges? Sam Bodoano, better known online as IronBodz, joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast after breaking the world record for the longest cricket run up. Sam ran 100 kilometres from Lord’s Cricket Ground to Valley End Cricket Club in full cricket whites, carrying a cricket ball the entire way. After 14 hours of running, he arrived one minute before the match was due to begin and completed the record by bowling a legal delivery to his dad. Sam shares how a conversation with a friend became a world record attempt in just five weeks, attracted widespread press attention and raised around £6,000 for the Ruth Strauss Foundation. He also takes us back through his running journey, from completing his first parkrun at nine years old and the London Marathon at 18 to taking on Ironman Wales, ultramarathons and a backyard ultra alongside Russ Cook. Expect plenty of stories about running through London in cricket whites, surviving a jellyfish filled Ironman swim, playing cricket after running 100 kilometres and why your first 5K can mean just as much as somebody else’s first ultra. Follow Us. Sam Bodoano - https://www.instagram.com/ironbodz/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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September 1 · 56 min
#177 - Inside the Mind of Elite Trail Runners Joe Farrelly & Jordan Rowe With Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2
In a special collaboration between The RunThrough Podcast and The RunThrough Trails Podcast, host Ben Sheppard heads to the Peak District for two conversations with trail athletes Joe Farrelly and Jordan Rowe, in partnership with Samsung and the new Galaxy Watch Ultra2. Joe shares how turning his life around led him to running and ultimately competing on the international trail running stage. He opens up about the experiences that continue to drive him, balancing training with work and family life, and his ambition to compete amongst the world's best. Jordan's journey took him from school cross country to the NCAA system in America and years of track racing before a switch to the trails helped him rediscover his love for the sport. He discusses his competitive mentality, his desire to win and the challenge of stepping into a completely new side of running. Along the way, they discuss racing, recovery and pushing their limits while putting the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 through its paces on the trails. And if you want to win a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 of your own, plus a £200 RunThrough Kit Voucher, enter our Trail Bundle competition for everything you need for your next adventure. Enter here: https://www.runthroughtrails.com/forms/trail-bundle
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August 25 · 53 min
#176 - Discipline, Self Belief & Staying Ready | Theo Ching
Model, actor and fitness creator Theo Ching joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast for a conversation about discipline, self-belief and staying ready for every opportunity after completing the RunThrough Summer Triple. Theo shares how a childhood spent practising martial arts developed into a career spanning fitness modelling, acting and specialist action work. After being scouted at university, he found a way to combine his physical abilities with his creative ambitions and build a career around the things he genuinely loves doing. He explains why self-belief comes from knowing that you can depend on yourself, how discipline allows him to perform whenever an opportunity arrives, and why luck is simply what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Expect honesty as Theo discusses how to recognise your value without losing your humility, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and building self-respect through movement, consistency and accountability. Theo also takes Ben inside the Great Wall Marathon, his first attempt at the distance and one of the hardest physical challenges he has ever faced. He reflects on the heat, elevation, relentless steps, and moments of gratitude that carried him towards the finish. Theo Ching - https://www.instagram.com/theoching_/?hl=en Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/?hl=en
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August 18 · 49 min
#175 - From 125KG To My First Marathon, Beauty Was Never the Goal, Health Was I Pia Blossom
Content creator and Twitch partner Pia Blossom joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast for an honest conversation about perseverance, health, and discovering what her body could achieve. Pia shares how she continued creating videos despite being bullied at school, why she treats every piece of content like a lottery ticket, and how one TikTok video receiving 12 million views transformed social media into her career. She also opens up about losing more than 100 pounds, the hurtful comments she received, and why health was always more important to her than appearance. Pia explains how her pursuit of weight loss eventually developed into body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and how therapy and running helped her rebuild a healthier relationship with food, exercise, and her body. After completing her first 5K in October, Pia progressed to a 10K and then signed up for the Shakespeare Marathon. Just six months after beginning her running journey, she crossed the finish line in under five hours. This is a powerful conversation about starting again after setbacks, refusing to overcomplicate running, and proving that looking after your health can unlock possibilities you never knew your body had. Follow Us. Pia Blossom - https://www.instagram.com/piablossom_x Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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August 11 · 56 min
#174 - Why You’ll Never Be Happy If You Keep Moving the Goalposts | Daisy Wilson
Fitness creator and body positivity advocate Daisy Wilson joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast for an honest conversation about mental health, self acceptance and learning to love the life you have today. Daisy opens up about growing up with anxiety, using food and alcohol to escape difficult emotions and reaching a point where she no longer believed she had a future. She shares how therapy, antidepressants and discovering fitness helped her begin rebuilding her life, and how a medical emergency in 2024 completely changed her relationship with her body. After years of believing she needed to become smaller to be worthy, Daisy decided to stop moving the goalposts and accept herself as she was. That shift towards authenticity transformed her social media presence into a community of more than 100,000 people, where women can speak honestly about body image, fitness and the difficult days as well as the good ones. Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93 Daisy Wilson - https://www.instagram.com/daisywilso
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August 4 · 56 min
#173 - How Sport Helped Me Win The Great British Bake Off | Peter Sawkins
Great British Bake Off winner, cookbook author and lover of all things sport, Peter Sawkins joins Ben Sheppard on this week’s episode of The RunThrough Podcast for a conversation about the two passions that have shaped his life! Peter reflects on growing up in a sports-mad family, discovering competitive badminton and why physical activity has always provided him with community, confidence and an escape from the pressures of everyday life. He also shares how running became another important part of his life, from completing his first parkrun as a child to experiencing the unique atmosphere of major running events! (He even recently WON a RunThrough 5K) Of course, Ben and Peter also revisit his unforgettable journey on The Great British Bake Off. Peter opens up about watching the programme as a child, applying twice before earning his place in the tent and the mindset that helped him become the show’s youngest ever winner in 2020. Together, they explore the similarities between sport and baking, from preparation and discipline to managing pressure, staying present and finding joy in the process, a brilliant conversation about competition, creativity and why sport remains the grounding force that allows Peter to keep doing what he loves. Peter Sawkins - https://www.instagram.com/peter_bakes/?hl=en Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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July 28 · 50 min
#172 - How Running Helped Me Rebuild My Confidence After A Stroke At 17 | Leah Ball
Content creator and runner Leah Ball joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast to share the incredible story of how a life-changing stroke at just 17 years old completely changed the direction of her life. Leah reflects on recovering from a stroke as a teenager, rebuilding her confidence after discovering two holes in her heart, and how those experiences ultimately led her to rediscover sport, fall in love with running and build a career as one of the UK's most relatable fitness creators. Ben and Leah also discuss the power of optimism, learning to embrace different seasons of life, navigating social media as a full-time creator and why running has become so much more than chasing PBs. From marathon breakthroughs to hosting run clubs and building genuine community, this is a conversation about resilience, perspective and finding joy in the everyday. If you've ever questioned your confidence, faced an unexpected setback or needed a reminder that life can still surprise you in the best possible way, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Leah Ball - https://www.instagram.com/leahballlifts/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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July 21 · 47 min
#171 - Sometimes Your Greatest Setback Is Your Greatest Opportunity I James Lattanzio
Running creator James Lattanzio joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast for an honest conversation about resilience, identity and how running became the thing that helped him rebuild his life. After a serious hip injury brought his rugby career to an abrupt end, James opens up about navigating major surgery at just 18 years old, losing the sport that had defined him and finding a new purpose through running. What started as a way to clear his head has since evolved into a passion that's led to impressive performances on the track and a thriving career as one of the UK's most recognisable running content creators. Ben and James also discuss the art of storytelling, building an authentic community online and why creating meaningful content is about far more than chasing views. They reflect on injury setbacks, the importance of movement for mental wellbeing and how learning to embrace change has shaped both James' career and outlook on life. James Lattanzio - https://www.instagram.com/jlatt.fit/?hl=en Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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July 14 · 53 min
#170 - Can Hybrid Training Make You Fitter Than Ever? I Josh Harrison On The RunThrough Podcast
Josh Harrison joins Ben Sheppard on the RunThrough Podcast to share his journey from rugby player to one of the UK's fastest-growing HYROX athletes and fitness creators. After injuries brought his rugby career to an early end, Josh made a decision that would change his life. Picking up a camera and documenting his training eventually led to a thriving coaching business, a successful clothing brand and an audience of hundreds of thousands following his hybrid fitness journey. Josh opens up about building a career on social media, the reality behind creating content full-time, balancing multiple businesses and why authenticity has always come before chasing views. He also explains what hybrid training really means, how combining strength and endurance has transformed his performance and why consistency beats perfection every time. The conversation also dives into HYROX racing, goals to qualify for the World Championships, race strategy, marathon ambitions, coaching athletes to podium finishes and why sometimes the biggest step forward comes from focusing on one goal at a time. Josh Harrison - https://www.instagram.com/joshharrisonfit/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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July 7 · 55 min
#169 - Why Fitness Has Always Been My Anchor | Naomi Heffernan
Nike Trainer, coach, presenter and HYROX athlete Naomi Heffernan joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast for a brilliant conversation about building a career you're passionate about, embracing change and finding confidence in yourself. Growing up with elite athlete parents, fitness has always been part of Naomi's life, but her journey into the industry wasn't a straightforward one. From pursuing a career in acting to becoming one of Nike's leading trainers, she shares how following what brought her joy completely changed the direction of her life. Ben and Naomi also chat about the incredible rise of HYROX, why community has become such a huge part of the fitness world, competing at the HYROX World Championships and why she's now swapping sled pushes for swim sessions as she prepares for her next challenge, an Ironman 70.3. The conversation also goes far beyond training, touching on self-worth, knowing when it's time to move on, making difficult decisions and why trusting your instincts can often lead to the biggest opportunities. Naomi Heffernan - https://www.instagram.com/naomi_heff/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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June 30 · 46 min
#168 - She Never Felt Like She Fit In… Until She Found Running | Beth Dennis, The NEW Host Of The RunThrough Trails Podcast
What does it look like when running completely changes the direction of your life? Beth Dennis is a trail runner, intensive care nurse and the new host of The RunThrough Trails Podcast. In this episode of The RunThrough Podcast, she joins Ben Sheppard to share her journey from struggling to speak up in school and never feeling at home in traditional sport, to discovering parkrun, falling in love with movement and eventually finding trail running through the Alpine Run Project. Together, they talk about confidence, community, breaking down barriers in sport and how running can become so much more than training or racing. Beth opens up about finding her voice, why trail running gave her a sense of belonging, and the moments that completely changed the way she saw herself and the world around her. They also dive into the magic of Chamonix, dream races, UTMB, racing Mont Blanc Marathon, creating more inclusive start lines and why opening doors into the outdoors can genuinely change lives. Beth Dennis - https://www.instagram.com/_bethdennis/ Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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June 23 · 44 min
#167 - How Full Time Teacher Charlie Sandison Became A 2:15 Marathon Runner
Charlie Sandison joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast to share how he's balanced life as a full time teacher with becoming a 2:15 marathon runner. Juggling early mornings, long days in the classroom and a demanding training schedule, Charlie has built an incredible running career alongside his profession. He talks about finding consistency, making sacrifices and why being kind to yourself is just as important as chasing ambitious goals. The pair dive into Charlie's journey from competitive swimming to marathon running, and how a love of the sport has taken him further than he ever imagined. Charlie reflects on his London Marathon experience, where things got tough midway through the race. Instead of focusing solely on times and splits, he chose to embrace the atmosphere, soak up the support and enjoy one of the biggest days of his life. Now, with performances that once felt impossible already achieved, Charlie explains why his relationship with running is evolving. He still wants to run faster, but creating memories, enjoying the process and making the most of every opportunity are becoming just as important. This is a conversation about balancing ambition with a busy career, finding joy in the pursuit of big goals and proving that extraordinary performances can come from ordinary people who are willing to put in the work. Charlie Sandison - https://www.instagram.com/charlie_sandison/?hl=en Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/
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