Run | Talk -talking all things running, mental wellbeing, and physical benefits

The theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness week is Action. Perfect for Ben Grey as his work involves getting people running and/or walking to help with their mental wellbeing. Dom talks about a recent new study that looks at how running can be as effectives as CBT or anti-depressants at helping with depressing. AND we announce an upcoming initiative that Run Riot is collaborating on with Run Talk Run. If you're interested in how exercise can be medicine for the mind, have a listen.

A great discussion about the Run Talk Run initiative - on a mission to increase accessibility to mental health support through running & walking peer support groups - with Ben Grey. There is a link to the published paper references in this talk in the comments below. We talk about everything related to getting into running, the importance of running for your mental wellness, the upcoming London Marathon and the preparation for AFTER any big run when you need to consider your physical, emotional, and mental recovery.

At the heart of this episode is Danny Bent’s idea of the Unrace, a philosophy that challenges the traditional view of running events as competition. Instead of focusing on times, rankings, or podiums, the Unrace is about shared experience, exploring landscapes, building community, and discovering what happens when running shifts from “I” to “we”.We get there by taking a slightly unexpected route. The conversation begins with Danny describing his most recent adventure only a couple weeks ago, where 20 people spent a week living together on a remote island in the Maldives. Danny explore how people change when the usual structures fall away, and how quickly a group can move from individual survival to collective effort.From there, the conversation turns to Danny’s work creating adventure-led running experiences like the Great Norse Run. The Unrace philosophy runs through it all - running not as something to win, but as a way to explore, connect with others, and discover what happens when the journey matters more than the finish line.

Jeremy Kuhles talks very openly to Oliver Childs about his struggles with alcohol and how running proved a great release and opportunity to find balance in his life. Very grateful for Jeremy's candour AND his journey spanning over 2 decades in Tokyo learning about Japanese running culture.

This episode follows Jeremy K, a Westerner who arrived in Tokyo as a non-runner, but found himself slowly immersed in that world - from city streets to university tracks, and increasingly, into the under-recognised sphere of women’s Ekiden. Supporting a university team while training within elite circles, he brings a rare inside perspective to a culture built on teamwork, respect, and the symbolic weight of the tasuki.

What happens when an outsider stops observing Japan and begins to understand it through running?Japan’s running culture is rich, structured, and deeply rooted - from neighbourhood clubs to university powerhouses and the Ekiden relays that captivate the nation each winter. To those on the outside, it feels uniquely Japanese: disciplined, collective, steeped in tradition - and almost impossible to fully grasp from afar.This episode follows Jeremy K, a Westerner who arrived in Tokyo as a non-runner, but found himself slowly immersed in that world - from city streets to university tracks, and increasingly, into the under-recognised sphere of women’s Ekiden. Supporting a university team while training within elite circles, he brings a rare inside perspective to a culture built on teamwork, respect, and the symbolic weight of the tasuki.It’s a conversation about belonging earned over time, and the under-recognised stories within Japanese distance running.

The first podcast of 2026, we started with a very special guest: author, broadcaster, radio presenter, sports reporter, and pretty decent runner - Vassos Alexander. We delve into what makes Vassos tick, getting our of your comfort zone, ultra running, and the importance of running for mental wellbeing.  

In this episode, we talk to Rhys King, aka the Heavy Mental Runner. Rhys is no stranger to podcasting, having previously recorded the Heavy Mental Podcast with his wife for several years, a show dedicated to normalising mental health discussions.Those who know Run Riot know we don't just say 'Running is Release', we mean it, and we live by it. For us, running is so much more than times and distances, but a positive way to support mental wellbeing. We talk to Rhys about how he uses running to help manage the everyday ups and downs of life, as well as his ADHD. We also cover addiction, heavy metal, and a lot more!Most important, we talk about Rhys' mammoth Blink 182-related running challenge coming up in November, and the very personal motivation for raising money for Maggie's Swansea.

Month 6. Episode 6. Six lessons that the Founders of Run Riot have learnt along the way.There is a distinct lack of running in this episode, as we step back and think about how far we’ve come and how far we need to go to build our running brand.We talk community, apparel design and obsessing about the detail. As well as – of course – what running means to us.

In this episode, we explore relationships, resilience, and what our mantra “running is release” truly means when life throws the unexpected your way.Our guest, Anna Gray, talks about how running has been more than just movement for her. It’s been a mirror reflecting her relationship with herself, a bridge to new friendships, and a steady rhythm through life’s toughest chapters. From the recently discovered camaraderie of run-club meet-ups to the quiet solitude of solo miles, Anna shares how running has deepened her connection to others, and to herself.Anna speaks candidly about her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, and how her relationship with running shifted as her health and priorities have changed.This episode is for anyone who’s ever laced up their shoes searching for clarity, healing, or just a moment to breathe.

Why do we run? It’s such a simple question, but the answer isn’t always so easy to articulate. And the answer can differ depending on the particular life and/or environmental context we find ourselves in.Our latest episode features David Thomas, a man who wears many hats (and we mean that in the professional sense, not the literal sense of the Run Riot beanie he’s wearing in this episode) – he is not only a performance coach and Associate Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Psychology, but also a gym founder and part-time farmer. David is passionate about regenerative farming at Nethergill Farm and how the environment intersects with the individual.In short, he’s brilliantly qualified to give his interpretation of our mantra ‘Running is Release’ and what that means to him personally, as well as touch on what the research says on the mental benefits of running.

Running is Release is more than just a tagline. We mean it. Running is that time to think, or that time for no thinking at all. Whatever you need on that particular day.One foot in front of the other, step by step, running supports mental and physical wellbeing.This latest episode features our friend Dan Russell, who talks about a terrific initiative he was involved in for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), featuring boxing legend Tyson Fury and footballer Declan Rice. Normalising discussions around mental health is so important, and it was a pleasure to speak with Dan, and of course run a little too.

You run. But why?Whenever you ask a runner this, you’re bound to get into a long conversation. Runners love talking about running.And in our second episode, we’re lucky to have spoken to Glenn Southam, Community Leader at Run Social, a platform for socialising, networking and exercising.Run clubs and moreGlenn might describe himself as an ‘average runner’, but our conversation shows he’s so much more than that. He’s certainly very eloquent in describing how running acts as his regular outdoor therapy.After a very chilly run together, we explore how personal tragedy led to a life-altering London Marathon experience in 2013 and a now entrenched relationship with running, as well as the recent explosion in run club culture.

This is our first episode where the founders of RUN RiOT talk about why they decided to launch a running brand in a world where there seems to be a new apparel brand almost every week.  The focus is less on times and distance and more on the mental wellbeing that running provides.  There is a place in the market for all types of runners, for those who run rather than necessarily those who identify as runners, and our story is one built upon many conversations with those inside the running culture and those who just like to go for a jog every now and then.  That said, our focus is very much on the details - to deliver premium running products that are are high performing running apparel with a unique aesthetic.