Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

Episodes

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  Dan Jones Rulz OK? | Dirt Church Radio 396 05.11.2026 1h 21m

  There is nothing we enjoy in Aotearoa more than two little Latin words: per capita. We may not have the economy of scale, or GDP or any of those other things that big countries have, but by hokey me, per capita, we’ve got the goods. This is especially true in the elite trail running space, which is pretty cool if you think about it. You practically can’t swing a dead cat in some parts of NZ without hitting a Terrex Athlete. That’s not to say it’s easy to cultivate relationships with professio...
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  Backyard Schmackyard | DCR AidStation 063 31.10.2026 57m

  This week, Ali and Andrew run (ha!) down the notion that suffering in something you choose to do may not even be suffering at all. They peer into one leg of the ultrasphere's bifurcation and decide that, whilst looking fun, and all, Backyards may not be their thing. Influencers get a dishonourable mention, and as a bonus we’ve got interviews from Ali’s stint crewing the Vanilla Gorilla at the River Run Backyard this weekend—all this and more at the AidStation. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enj...
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  The 2026 Crater Rim Ultra Live Show Special | Dirt Church Radio 394 21.10.2026 1h 44m

  I think we understood how epic the Crater Rim was, but we didn’t know it. This weekend changed all that—my Goodness, this was an incredible weekend of excellent trails and trying times. Some of us hurt ourselves, and some of us went to Taupo and rekindled our love for trails. For your pleasure, we also bring you the 2026 Crater Rim Live Show, all the way from Further Faster. Matt and Ali bring you a rollicking journey through the back alleys of DCR and speak with Chris Pike and Jules Christie...
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  Wild and Free? | DCR AidStation 062 17.10.2026 37m

  This week on the AidStation, our heroes gather once again to dissect the thorniest issues in the ultraphere. For some of us, strictly following doctor’s orders is the go; for others, it’s all coming up fondue, or fon-don’t, as it were. Beyond that, we’re pondering why you’d cancel a 240-mile race or even start one; we’ve got cold opens, hot takes, and dramatic music to boot—all this and more at the AidStation. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- --- Episode Links Sign ...
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  Corrine Malcolm. Here For It.. | Dirt Church Radio 392 07.10.2026 1h 22m

  Corrine Malcolm aspires to be trail running's biggest super fan. She’s also been described as a Swiss Army knife of knowledge about the sport and culture. You’ll have heard her on countless live streams at massive races such as Western States. Corrine is part of the Freetrail family and the Trail Society Podcast. With a background in winter biathlon that led to top-tier trail and ultramarathon running, coaching, and mentorship. Corrine is a force to be reckoned with and is a fierce advo...
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  The 2026 Blue Lake Special | DCR AidStation 062 03.10.2026 1h 14m

  This weekend was about love. Love of the trails, Love of the sport, Love of grassroots events (Yes, CTC, we mean you too) and love of the people who dream up these foolhardy endeavours. Long story short, we all ran a bunch of loops of Blue Lake, and it ruled. We did a tonne of interviews, and they were great too. It all got very Scottish. Give it a hoon. All this and more at the AidStation. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- --- Episode Links Blue Lake 24 Hour...
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  Katharina Hartmuth. Giant Killer | Dirt Church Radio 390 23.09.2026 1h 35m

  The boundaries between what is possible and what was once thought impossible are crumbling by the day. This is especially true in the ultra space. This week, Ali and Andrew speak to the mighty Katharina Hartmuth about her journey to Tor des Géants, and what she hoped to achieve before her incredible, emphatic win. Pragmatic, driven and engaging, Katharina has delivered some incredible performances in the past, including the record on the Bob Graham Round. The gang discusses all this and...
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  Sports | DCR AidStation 061 19.09.2026 44m

  Look, we’ve lately taken to welcoming the heat death of the universe, or a comet, to rid us of the continued madness of the ultrasphere. Our dudes, it’s getting bad. We’re in a hectic headspace, and we’re here to chat shit. What’s that alternative to the Sweeny-ness of it all? Can you have your OnlyFans and eat it too? (Sorry). Why is golf? WHILE WE ARE AT IT, what is the furthest you’ve ever walked? And why, as older runners, must we be cognizant that whatever residual strength we had warps ...
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  Roger Hanney : Type 1 Fun | Dirt Church Radio 388 09.09.2026 1h 23m

  All we are is a collection of stories. As hard as we may try, we scream a narrative. It seeps from our pores. Everything speaks, from our genetics to our blood markers; our history written for us, and the history we make ourselves. We became who we are by telling stories, and at the end of the day, all any of us really want is that sense of excitement, understanding, and connection that a story gives us. Who then, is better to have on the pod this week than Roger Hanney? Ali and Matt speak to...
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  The 2026 Firies Climb For MND | DCR AidStation 060 05.09.2026 1h 15m

  Community gets bandied around too much these days. Everything is a community, even though around us our worlds get smaller, our networks become increasingly online, and our horizons narrow. Even accounting for our jaundiced views, this weekend was a true display of what community can and should be. MND sucks; this has been established. The fight that people like Professor Dominic Rowe, Gavin Clifton, Matt Pridham, and others are waging against this disease, and the advocacy for the community ...
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  Jeff Browning: No Hitch In The Giddyup | Dirt Church Radio 386 26.08.2026 1h 39m

  This week we’re delighted to welcome returning DCR champion Jeff Browning, one of our OG guests, featured in episode 10 waaaaay back in 2018. Ali and Matt speak to Jeff about his amazing career and how, since 2018, he’s continued to move forward, smash races, and roll with the punches. Fresh off an age-group record at Western States and looking towards TDS, Jeff was in fine form. This conversation covers his storied racing career, how his coaching philosophy has evolved as he’s aged, the spor...
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  Running Wife Running Life | DCR AidStation 059 22.08.2026 53m

  This week, Ali and Matt stock the AidStation with all the goodness you need. We have a very special conversation with Gavin Clifton, one of the leading voices for the Firies Climb for (against) MND. We are so excited to be joining this amazing event for the second time and look forward to being there in The Blue Mountains next week. Then we hit on the totally non-complicated and 100% non-minefield of engaging in trail and ultramarathon with a member of the opposite sex who is not your partner...
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  Sophie Woods: Via Alpina FKT | DCR BONUS POD 385 15.08.2026 1h 7m

  In this special bonus podcast, Ali Pottinger talks to Sophie Woods about her incredible 28-day, 17-hour, 59-minute Via Alpina FKT. This is a very special conversation, and we hope you enjoy it. Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running. --- --- --- Episode Links Sophie Woods Instagram Sophie Woods DCR episode 101 La Sportiva Sign up for the DCR AidStation newsletter and never miss an episode! Join us today. Dirt Church Radio on Instagram Dirt Church Radio on Facebook Further Fast...
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  Lucy Bartholomew : Time For Livin' | Dirt Church Radio 384 12.08.2026 1h 39m

  The Champ is back! This week, Ali and Andrew have the pleasure of speaking to Lucy Bartholomew. It’s strange to call someone as young as Lucy a veteran of the sport; however, with her years of racing experience at the highest levels, that’s just what Lucy is. Fresh off her Brisbane Marathon win and her stunning second place at Laverado. Lucy talks us through her continued evolution in the sport, what she has learned this season, and her goals for the latter half of the year. It’s not lost on ...
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  I Got Really Angry About The State Of Trail Running Online And All I Got Was This Stupid T Shirt | DCR AidStation 58 08.08.2026 40m

  There is a lot to be exercised within the ultrasphere if you let it. Clickbait, AI Slop, and the rules-don’t-apply-to-me of it all. I mean, are races just about the livestream now? And how does it feel to be in a place where attention, and not performance, is the main driving factor? On the other hand, have you been for a run on the trails lately? We did, and can confirm it’s still AWESOME. What about all the beauty, pain, and noble folly of this sport? What about Carmen Maria Perez, Max Joli...
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  Jeff Garmire : Free Outside | Dirt Church Radio 382 29.07.2026 1h 15m

  This week, Matt and Ali have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Jeff Garmire. Jeff is well known for his achievements in the thru-hiking world, having set many incredible Fastest Known Times on the Colorado, John Muir, and Arizona trails (among others). Having completed 6 Cocodona 250-mile top ten finishes and fresh off a month-long “bachelor party” in Europe, knocking off a GR20, a Tour De Mont Blanc, and a 100km ultra in Germany, we speak to Jeff about his roots in the sport, connection...
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  State Of The Nation | DCR AidStation 057 25.07.2026 55m

  This week, Ali, Matt, and Andrew get together to set the record straight (ish). The state of the trail-running multi-nation is laid out. We discuss (gulp) goals and, if we could have our druthers, what our ideal trail race would look like. Andrew is partial to any gel except the ones that taste like acid. Matt closes the loop on the circle pit with a glorious celebration; Ali is building, building, building, PLUS we have a special check-in from the man himself, Bradley H from Trailrunning.NZ ...
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  Audrée Lafrenière: A Life Extraordinary | Dirt Church Radio 380 15.07.2026 1h 29m

  This week, Matt and Ali have the pleasure of speaking with Audrée Lafrenière. Audrée is a coach, athlete, and dedicated lover of our sport and culture. You may know her best from the popular trail-running video series that Audrée and her partner, Jeff Pelleier, create. These videos document their adventures, be that fastpacking in the Dolomites, racing UTMB, Crewing Jeff at Moab 240, or Audrée’s most recent 100km effort at Lake Sonoma. Assured, Knowledgeable, and engaged, Audrée’s conversatio...
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  Birthday Pony | DCR AidStation 056 11.07.2026 33m

  This week, Matt and Ali carry the torch, as Andrew said he was popping out for soy milk and went to Australia. We run down Vertual July, the controversy with the Six Foot Track Marathon finishing times, and a Hardrock Preview. We debate one of the great trail-running conundrums: shakka vs. goat horns? What would a grand slam of NZ ultramarathons look like, we wonder? We marvel at the momentum that momentum can give you, the joy of urban trails, and plan world domination. All this ...
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  The Cost Of Ultramarathon | Dirt Church Radio 378 01.07.2026 1h 6m

  This week, it’s Ali, Andrew, and Matt rolling as the power trio we are, without an interview, because we wanted to cover something important and increasingly on people’s minds. This started with a response to a Yaboyscottjurek post, where he’d come up with slogans for various personalities in the ultra world, including the race director of an ultra-ultra distance race, with “you wouldn’t want it to be affordable, would you?” on their cap. Matt saw this, laughed, nodded, and moved on wit...