Never Run Alone

This week on the pod the gang discuss the art of spectating as the weekends activities of supporting the latest half marathon in Sydney bring out some fun stories.We unpack a few audience questions during our warm-up as ever to kick things off, along with the pressure to bounce back quickly post race. And finally we finish of Australian athletics, Back Yard Ultra’s with some impressive performances in Melbourne this past week and the enormous Cocodona 250.A guest list this week including Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and Sissi Bergman. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Well then, what a week of running.Incase you’ve somehow missed it; two incredible men ran under 2 hours in the London Marathon whilst the female record was also broken on an incredible day in this years 3rd Major marathon.All of that plus a few final words on our Boston Build thanks to Oakley Meta, eyes on what’s next and a discussion around super shoes and fuelling.Line up this week of Matilda Donkin and Sissi Bergman with host Cam Merrick.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

It’s finally here - our post race reaction from Boston.Coming to you a little later than usual given the logistics of all of us running and then travelling a day later, but nonetheless a great summation of an incredible day here in Boston, and really, an incredible few months of work.Thanks for all the love and support since the start of this block and we hope you enjoy this audio only episode.A guest list this week including Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Matilda Donkin, Sissi Bergman. Hosted Rien MacDonald. Plus a few words with Ella Boudakin, Bailey Dalton, Josh Wainstein, Belle Hawtin and super woman Kirsty Farrenkothen.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTubeCover photo by Kris Farrenkothen

WE’RE IN BOSTON!It’s the 130th Boston Marathon and our first as race week is here and it’s a stacked line up on the couch here on Boylston street just 1km (0.6 miles) from the finish line as we unpack the journey to get here.Excuse the interesting audio at the beginning but we hope you enjoy the ep and thank you to all for the brilliant questions via our IG.All that and more with Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Matilda Donkin, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

A 5 star line up this week as Ash returns a mere 12 days (at the time of recording) out from the 130th Boston Marathon. It’s taper time and the team chat their highs and lows of the block along with how they’re dealing with the taper.Our next episode will be from Boston so if you have any questions before then, please hit us up via any of the links below!Enjoy the episode!All that and more with Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

On the pod this week we welcome two-time Olympian and five-time Commonwealth Games runner, mother of 3 and charity co-founder, Eloise Wellings!In the conversation with Elzy we unpack her incredible journey to representing Australia in the 2006 Commonwealth Games after years of heartbreak through injury that would’ve turned most away from the sport. We learn about her perseverance, her mindset when it comes to racing in front of huge crowds, as well as the incredible Love Mercy Foundation that she co-founded over 15 years ago.We also briefly discuss the Ballarat Marathon, along with this past weekends Maurie Plant meet and the Berlin Marathon’s pacer who could’ve/should’ve won it?All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the pod, we break down the marathon mindset, answering a slew of questions in an old fashioned mailbag style. Thank you all so much for the incredible questions! We got through most but the others we didn’t, we’ll do our best to answer over the coming weeks as Boston Marathon looms.Less than 4 weeks now and the gang share their weeks of training, as well as giving their time predictions for themselves, and as always, warm-up questions (similarly brilliantly submitted in abundance) buy/sell and another edition of Sissi’s Speed Round!All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the pod, we’re joined by Australian elite runner, Pat Tiernan. Pat is a 3 time Australian Olympian amongst a host of other impressive feats in the running world, and we were stoked to spend some time with him on the podcast unpacking a bit of his running career, plus previewing Boston Marathon where he’s due to run once again this coming April for the 130th edition of one of the world’s most famous marathons.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the pod, we’re joined by Mary McCarthy who has graced the shores of Australia for the past few months, and our screens sharing her running journey for the last few years.But as it turns out, she’s been running for a tad longer than a few years. We unpack that as well as her recent stress fracture, how her running journey began and the content which has seen her race into the public eye copping some negative attention with her recent injury.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

A full cast this week on the podcast as we discuss our favourite running content and creators in the space, an area we’ve all dabbled in more so in the past few months.We also unpack the incredible Harry Styles x Haruki Murakami interview on Runners World Magazine and the implications it has for running, music, the podcast. All of it.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Join us as we delve into the Tokyo Marathon, our Boston Blocks and another week of Sissi's Speed Round.In this episode, the crew discuss their marathon training progress, the challenges of weather conditions, mental discipline, and the importance of consistency. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM [us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/neverrunalone/), and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/never-run-alone/id1823577633) Watch and listen on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/7ieYEbVzgnM4OecCoUJGcq?si=19e62dd98ee84252) and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@never_run_alone)

PLEASE NOTE: In this episode of Never Run Alone, it includes discussion about body image, eating habits, calorie counting, and other topics that might be triggering for some listeners. Please take care while listening, and if you need support, we’ve included some helpful resources in the show notes.After an increase in injuries across the running community both online and in person, we’re joined this week by Nutritionist and Dietician and repeat guest on the pod, Grace Liebelt. Grace joined us back in October 2025, as she was just coming back from an injury herself. In this conversation, the team discuss the best ways to fuel, body image, ‘Skinny Tok’ and other related questions around how they approach their training and living a healthy and happy life.All that and more with Grace Liebelt, Cam Merrick, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.If you need more resources around the topics discussed in todays conversation, please check out butterfly.org.au as well as Grace’s Instagram plus gramsofhealth.com and the Grams of Health InstagramThanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Mac is back this week hosting a trio of legends to unpack a host of listener questions as well as how speed work for the crew has developed over the years. We also discuss training with Boston Marathon less than 10 weeks out, our Winter Olympic sport and ultimate running tunes along with the buy/sell of the week.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Suss The Long Run Playlist here.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

The crew dive into all things Boston Marathon prep, Australian Athletics and a deep-dive on the rise of instagram doctors diagnosing every man and their dog.

Things are heating up ahead of Boston as we get run coach Matty Abel on to discuss all things running preparation, fuelling and how to approach training for a race. Matty is generous with his time and in answering your questions - we hope you enjoy and find them useful in future!All that and more with special guest and run coach Matty Abel along with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Visit Matty’s website here.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

The boys are back with a big Boston breakdown this week, along with sharing personal running goals for this calendar year. In it, they share some key mistakes and learnings they’ve made at the start of training blocks as well as buy/sell and some interesting would you rather’s to kick things off.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Just the boys on this weeks ep as we unpack a a fast week of running with 3 major talking points. The World Cross Country Championships in Florida, the Valencia 10k and Houston’s Marathon. As always, a few warm up questions to get us going and a buy/sell that’ll get you talking.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

Our first outing for 2026 as we discuss plenty already happening in the world of running with the Hakone Ekiden last week showcasing the best of university running in Japan and a truly elite level across the nation, we discuss how it’s come to be at a high level. The team also preview the World Cross Country Championships and Sissi also debuts her Speed Round with a flurry of running ‘Would You Rathers’.All that and more with Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

We round out 2025 with a full house to preview and predict plenty that is awaiting us in the new year. We discuss building the ultimate runner from other sports, what Aussie records could fall and running trends closer to home.Thanks for listening along with us this year and we hope you all have a safe and fun start to 2026.All that and more with Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

A special edition of the pod this week, as we hosted inaugural Never Run Alone Christmas Quiz, or as Sissi Bergman delightfully dubbed, "Quizmas". Joined by a few dedicated listeners with plenty of others missing through having dinner plans or sleeping (odd) we ran through a series of questions that you may or may not know based on listening/watching the pod this year.We hope you enjoy and if so, we’ll bring it back again next year.All that and more with Quiz master Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the podcast the boys reminisce over a big 2025 and recap the best moments in running. We also answer a few Christmas related questions, along with one from YouTube on what to do in a 18-20 week block leading in to a marathon. Amongst all of that, Zatopek over the weekend threw up an incredible performance from Seth O’Donnell, with many across multiple posts online dubbing him the Aussie Prefontaine. All that and more on this weeks ep of Never Run Alone.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

5 on the pod this week in an expansive show with 3 guests in Sydney, 1 in Dubbo and another on the Sunny Coast coming together to discuss the Valencia Marathon with Jess Stenson taking the Aus Record as well as a debut pop quiz from the Sweet Prince. We also preview our builds with the girls starting their Boston block in short order, as well as the warm-up questions and buy/sell as always.All that and more with Ash Wiseman, Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

We’re back with a bang as we preview this weekends Valencia Marathon with a very special guest, the Australian marathon record holder, Andy Buchanan. Andy ran a 2:06:22 in this race last year, eclipsing the previous record held by Brett Robinson from 2022 by over a minute.Joining Andy via the magic of the internet the boys discuss his feelings as his record and Sinead Diver’s female record are both under threat, with a strong Aussie elite contingent joining a huge international field for one of the world’s fastest marathons.Tune in for that and plenty more insight from Andy and the boys.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

A different episode this week as we hit ep 51 and some sad and simultaneously exciting news.The boys sit down in Cam's living room (disco ball and all) to discuss the future of the podcast and invite your feedback ahead of 2026 and beyond.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the podcast, we’re celebrating episode 50 and recording remotely!Up for discussion; coffee orders, unbiased watch opinions and the future of mainstream running. The crew also discuss their learnings from over a year now of running their first marathon, and 3 things they could tell themselves if they could go back…With over 15 marathons between the 4 since July 2024, hopefully some of the advice helps you prepare for your next race. Marathon or otherwise.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman and host Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple PodcastsWatch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by father, DJ and runner, Nick Drabble to discuss his running journey amongst a career as a DJ and half of electronic duo, Setmo. Unpacking a recent injury and his learnings from that. We’re also joined by the wonderful and supremely speedy Sissi Bergman post her NYC Marathon PB to hear directly from her how she found the worlds biggest marathon.All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeFollow the regulars on IG: Cam Merrick Kris Farrenkothen Rien MacDonald

PLEASE NOTE: Sadly this weeks episode encountered some untimely technical glitches. We have only 1 camera angle and the audio is average for the first 24 minutes but then gets largely better/normal from there. We’re hopeful it’s still worth your time!On today’s episode of Never Run Alone, we’re joined on debut by Belle Hawtin and Producer Lily gets on the microphone with the boys and triathlete Matilda Donkin to discuss a few great questions. Are marathons being normalised, is strava all performative or can it be used purely for good? And we of course unpack the iconic New York Marathon that happened at the weekendThanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeFollow the regulars on IG: Cam Merrick Kris Farrenkothen Rien MacDonald

This week we’re joined by special guest Ash Wiseman with Kris Farrenkothen alongside returning Cam Merrick to unpack a big New York Marathon elite field. Plenty of people from the Sydney community are running this weekend and the weather looks primed. We also answer listener questions including one from our intern producer Lily, who can’t seem to wrap her head around the fact that people enjoy running. Who would’ve thought?Buy/sells as always are rock solid so please enjoy listening and enjoy your run wherever you may be this weekend.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeFollow the regulars on IG: Cam Merrick Kris Farrenkothen Rien MacDonald

Today’s episode is one wholly focused on female sport, following Rien’s poorly worded and timed comment on Megan Chapple’s Instagram reel back in September.Grateful to be joined by her today along with Matilda Donkin for both ladies debut podcasts, and as ever by the brilliant Sissi Bergman and Kris Farrenkothen to answer a slew of audience questions along with that very race and reel from Megan which sparked a host of Instagram comments. View the reel here.Thank you all so much for the questions - we got through less than half of them so hopefully we’ll be back for a part 2 real soon.Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTube

5 days on from his elite debut in Melbourne, Cam Merrick unpacks the Melbourne Marathon in it’s entirety, sharing the seconds that stretched him and moments that mattered on the course, as he ran 10th overall.We’re also joined for her all time podcasting debut (and naturally Never Run Alone debut) with dietician and nutritionist, as well as 7 time marathoner (including a 9th placed finish in Melbourne in 2024 - shout out Cam), Grace Liebelt. She unpacks lots of fuelling wisdom as we answer plenty of brilliant community questions - so thanks to all who asked!Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps!Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

An incredible day in Melbourne and a very raw recap from the finish line inside the MCG.We speak of course first and foremost with the sweet prince Cam Merrick, crossing the finish line in 10th pace with a time of 2:21, and following that, a roaming mic including immediate thoughts from Andres Cubides, Colm Fitzgerald who finished 9th ahead of Cam after running together on the Gold Coast earlier this year.We also spoke with Steve McKenna after his pod debut Friday, and Steve absolutely crushed his race, executed arguably to perfection finishing in 2nd place.We're also joined by Joseph Pignataro, Magic Moments Productions, Mitch Dyer, Zac Bautista and a few strangers.Thanks for listening! And if you enjoyed it, please share with a friend and subscribe wherever you listen.

As part of his elite debut, Cam and Rien attended the elite briefing by the Melbourne Marathon team, lead by Tim Crosbie.Following that, we were allowed onto the hallowed (and naturally covered ahead of the race) turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, jumping into row two of the members stand to chat ahead of Cam's 5th marathon in the space of 11 months, 3rd race and 1st as an elite.We answered listener submitted questions submitted as always via our Instagram as well as two from the organisers, the door bitch herself and Tim Crosbie who came for a chat.Enjoy!#melbmara #eliterunning #neverrunalone

It’s the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year since last weeks guest, Lydia O’Donnell debuted in the marathon here at Melbourne. And on this fine Friday, we’re joined by a hatrick of M’s, the Triple M in fact of Mack Dewar, Steve McKenna and Cameron Merrick to preview all things Melbourne Marathon, the elite fields, the course, as well as generously sharing their respective race plans for this Sunday.We also touch on arguably the fastest of the seven major marathons, Chicago, which is happening on the same day as Melbourne (just later that night - 11.20pm kick off specifically courtesy of #timezones), and as always warm up questions + the buy/sell of the week!Thanks for listening, watching, and reading this longwinded pod description.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

After 2 weeks away, we’re back in the studio to kick off the best month of the year.This week we are joined by the brilliant Lydia O’Donnell, who is the Nike Pacific Head Run Coach and the Co-Founder and CEO of Femmi - the ultimate female running app and community bringing together knowledge for women to train with purpose and run with confidence.We discuss how Femmi came to be 5 years ago this month, as well as Melbourne Marathon, our classic buy/sell and of course answering some warm-up questions at the top.Enjoy as ever and thank you all for listening and contributing with questions via IG!A guest list of Ella Boudakin, Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Lydia O’Donnell. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.Follow Lydia and Femmi on Instagram.Check out their website femmi.co and download the app.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

It's Majors Season!!Tune in as the boys chat about whether or not Net Downhill races should count for PBs, the torturous weather in Berlin for the marathon, 130th Boston Marathon news and a quick field preview for Chicago Marathon. Enjoy as ever and thank you all for listening and contributing with questions via IG!This week brought to you by Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.Listen to our Tangents episode with Sydney Marathon Race Director, Wayne Larden via ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, Spotify and ⁠YouTube⁠.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you're there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ and SpotifyWatch on ⁠YouTube⁠This podcast is sponsored by the legends ⁠Aid Station⁠. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you've finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you're at it.

Down a member (Ella is a teacher and apparently they work really hard), the boys tackle everything World Athletics Champs and Cam's upcoming Elite start at Melbourne Marathon. Enjoy as ever and thank you all for listening and contributing with questions via IG!This week brought to you by Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.Listen to our Tangents episode with Sydney Marathon Race Director, Wayne Larden via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you're there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you've finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you're at it.

Spring has sprung and so has 12 months worth of rain on Sydney.Fresh after the news that Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan are doing the Farrenkothen-MacDonald (also known as the Sydney-New York double) we welcome back onto the show Sissi Bergman for her first studio appearance of 2025 as she enters the final 2 months of NYC training and shares exciting news about a recent partnership.We also breakdown our personal running history, have a good look at Tokyo World Champs which kick off on Saturday the 13th, as well as a brief preview toward Melbourne and NYC Marathons.Enjoy as ever and thank you all for listening and contributing with questions via IG!A guest list of Sissi Bergman, Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.Support Sissi and the Rise Against Hunger initiative - act.riseagainsthunger.org/runsisrunListen to our Tangents episode with Sydney Marathon Race Director, Wayne Larden via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

A conversation with Wayne Larden, who is the Sydney Marathon Race Director and CEO of Pont3, and over the last 2 decades has worked tirelessly to turn Sydney into an Abbott World Marathon Major. This past month, he did just that.Tangents are a chance to step off the usual path and dive into one‑off conversations with a special guest. Each conversation explores a focused topic, but just like in running (and in life), we’re bound to take a few unexpected turns along the way.Thanks to Wayne Larden for joining us. Hosted by Rien MacDonaldIn collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

Just like that, the 2025 Sydney Marathon is in the rear vision mirror. Months of training. Years of planning. Decades in the making. We can confirm it was a major weekend not only for Sydney but for Australia on the whole.The regular 4 return this week to answer all of your questions as well as recap in greater detail what was a big Sydney Marathon on Sunday, with all 4 speakers having a very different marathon experience.We also unpack the elite fields, with a special eye on our homegrown heroes. And as always, we finish with our buy/sell of the week.Thanks so much for listening and asking loads of questions - we appreciate it a great deal!A guest list of Ella Boudakin, Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

What a day in Sydney. Hundreds of thousands in the streets. Resplendent sunshine. Cramps all over the gaff. Even more PBs. And an all time day. Reaction from the finish line with a proper recap to come next week. Enjoy! Special shout out to Rich Hawtin and the DONKINS!Featuring a dozen or so legends. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.Cover photo courtesy of Kris Farrenkothen.

Recorded 48 hours prior to the Sydney Marathon (but sadly released post marathon due to an enormous week for the producer) we sat down with the Aus 10k record holder and marathon debutant, Sam Clifford.The 23 year old from Tassie earlier this year broke the 10k record and with a his new home town of Sydney becoming a major.As humble and honest as they come. Congratulations to Sam on his debut Marathon - thank you to him for joining us less than 48 hours before the day and sharing all he did. We hope you enjoy listening and watching!A guest list of Sam Clifford, Ella Boudakin, Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

2 days now until Sydney becomes a major. We sat down with 2 special guests from out of town to discuss all things Sydney Marathon.Enjoy the podcast!A guest list of Roberto Mandje, Mack Dewar, Ella Boudakin, Kris Farrenkothen and Cam Merrick. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

Just 9 days out from the first ever Major Marathon in our beautiful country, what has no doubt been a multi decade journey for the city is now just single digits of days away, and we’re stoked to chat all things Sydney Marathon in a pre-preview, including breaking down the breakdown of our beloved Kris Farrenkothen, the course itself, as well as the elite field.It has been raining all week in Sydney but the forecast is looking up, as we also answer plenty of brilliant questions so thank you all for asking them. Included in this is a brief breakdown of some of the best things you can do next week in Sydney, which is proving to be a jam packed schedule.Thanks to all for submitting questions, and to you for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A Game by Emma Murray - Referenced on the episodeMichael Jordan - Founders - Also referencedA guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Ella Boudakin. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.In this episode, Builders. Conversations with game changers building new words, all whilst running at pace, we speak with photographer, runner, husband and father, Joe Greer.An undeniable force in the world of photography, Joe hasn’t always had it his own way, and whilst there is clear success, he isn’t someone who is about to rest on his laurels. In this conversation held back in January 2025, we discuss the roots of his obsession for photography, and how 10 years outside of running fueled both an enormous return and the man he is today. That and so much more in this episode of Builders.PLEASE NOTE: We are aware of the audio issues in this episode prior to publishing. Sadly due to a faulty XLR cable connected to Joe’s mic, we had some issues but did our best to clean it up so that you could enjoy the thoughts from this great man. We hope you enjoy despite the less than optimum quality.Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.Check out Joe’s vlog from his time in Brisbane.Joe’s doco - Moving Still - that we discussed in this episode.

What a week for the pod. They’re all great weeks let’s be honest - thanks for tuning in once again.This week, we answer plenty of questions from you the audience in our warm up segment to kick things off - getting so many now it’s not possible to answer them all.We chat City2Surf and how our sweet prince Cam Merrick uncovered a Red Bull competition post last weeks recording, to then go on and face controversy in taking the W and booking himself a trip to Japan in 2026.As always, we unpack the Sydney Marathon build being almost 2 weeks out, an Aussie Athletics update and what we’re buying and selling.Thanks to all for submitting questions, and to you for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Ella Boudakin. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

Never Run Alone is a podcast exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of humans refusing to stand still.In this episode, Builders. Conversations with game changers building new words, running at pace. We speak with serial entrepreneur, Ironman and Ultraman athlete, James McCleery.We discuss how Jimmy’s innate loves from an early age, have compounded into a life where he has built his 7th business fuelling the nations athletes. How business is the ultimate endurance sport, maintaining performance through athletic endeavours and the importance of those you love.Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening.Listen on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyWatch on YouTubeThis podcast is sponsored by the legends Aid Station. Jimmy, Mets and the team there have the motto that the first discipline is nutrition, and via Aid Station they seek to fuel you to your next finish line, so once you’ve finished listening or watching this episode, head on over to aidstation.com.au and make an order - and be sure to use the code mentioned in this episode to support us whilst you’re at it.

This weeks pod we share some exciting news! That thanks to regular uploads and lots of you listening (let’s be honest if you’re reading this you’ve likely listened to hours upon hours of us yapping) we are now in partnership with the legends at Aid Station with them coming on to sponsor the podcast for the next 3 months. Call it a loan deal. Call it a warm up. You should most definitely call everyone you know to listen to the pod and for all of your nutrition needs, go to aidstation.com.auIn the episode, we promised a code and due to a hectic week on our end, it’s yet to arrive. But please check back soon or stay tuned to socials for some fun announcements soon.In this weeks ep we chat the world famous City2Surf with a fun pop quiz, being 3 weeks out from Sydney Marathon the team discuss handling some nasty niggles that have popped up for many a runner at this time, we of course hear from Cam on not just Aus Athletics but a world wide update, plus of course we finish with a buy/sell of the week.Thanks to all for submitting questions, and to you for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Ella Boudakin. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast triumvirate exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of eclectic humans the world over.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Keep an eye out on our Instagram to submit questions for the next show.This episode is proudly brought to you by Aid Station - Nutrition is the First Discipline.

Another Never Run Alone conversation this week coming to you slightly earlier thanks to a midweek and late night recording! The dawgs answer plenty of questions in The Warm Up, the past weekends Harbour 10k gets a recap with everyone hitting PBs. The importance of consistency at speed sessions, 4.5 weeks out from Sydney Marathon, a cheeky Apple event + the latest in buying/selling. Plus poorly timed jokes and plenty of yapping.Thanks to all for submitting questions, and to you for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Ella Boudakin. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast triumvirate exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of eclectic humans the world over.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all, come running.Keep an eye out on our Instagram to submit questions for the next show.

Never Run Alone is building. Back this week with arguably our most prepared podcast thus far. Momentum builds for us all us proper warm ups help ease any niggles. We discuss that amongst a host of your questions in a new segment aptly named. Sydney Marathon only six weeks out, pro and cons of coaching (you’re welcome M. Abel), Australian Athletics, Harbour 10k Sunday and plenty more.Thanks to all for submitting questions, and to you for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Ella Boudakin. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Never Run Alone is a podcast triumvirate exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of eclectic humans the world over.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all.Keep an eye out on our Instagram to submit questions for the next show.

Sissi Bergman makes her 2025 debut following a brief hiatus for the pod off the back of a double episode during the Gold Coast marathon week. Plenty to discuss in the world of running on the main Never Run Alone show, with a final recap of the GC Marathon weekend, upcoming running targets, Sydney Marathon looming large, Australian Athletics, Buying/Selling and plenty more random tangents.Thanks for watching, listening and all the rest of it. We hope you enjoy!A guest list of Kris Farrenkothen, Cam Merrick and Sissi Bergman. Hosted by Rien MacDonald.Thanks for listening.Never Run Alone is a podcast triumvirate exploring the definitions of the word "run", through the eyes, mind and souls of eclectic humans the world over.An eclectic group of people answering questions, sharing thoughts and running amok.In collaboration with Unofficial Run Club and Powered by Fortem Media.Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there.Come one, come all.Keep an eye out on our Instagram to submit questions for the next show.