Paula's Run Club

This week we’re in Thommo's garden on the hottest day of the year and are joined by Geoff and Susan Wightman - parents to World Champion Jake Wightman - to discuss the joys of running as a family. Plus ’The Honours Board’, advice for running in the heat, a look back at Faith Kipyegon’s 4 minute mile attempt and Thommo channels his inner ‘Gareth from The Office’. New episodes every Monday and you can get in contact at paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk You can watch episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulasrunpod Instagram - @paulasrunpod X - @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re Back! World Record breaking runner Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian Chris Thompson are back and this time it’s not just about the Marathon. This podcast is for ALL runners. A running community where we come together to share advice, tips, stories and why we love running so much. On this episode: dealing with injuries, London alternatives and can a woman break the 4 minute mile barrier? Get in touch  paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World record-breaking runner Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian Chris Thompson guide you through a crucial stage of marathon training—week seven! They discuss long-run strategies, fuelling for performance, and how to train your gut for marathon day. Paula also shares insights on overcoming illness while training and her fuelling experiments leading up to Tokyo. Plus, expert guest Wendy Rogers breaks down the science behind gels, hydration, and how to avoid the dreaded marathon wall.  Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com Timecodes: 4:25 – How Paula's adjusted her running after illness. 10:00 – The science behind glycogen depletion. 12:06 – Expert Wendy Rogers on Gels & Hydration 25:00 – Why plain water isn’t enough. 35:18 – Should You Use Caffeine Gels? 39:40 – Should you wear your carbon racing shoes in training? (Q&A) This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World record-breaking runner Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian Chris Thompson guide you through week 6 of marathon training. For this episode, they're joined by model-turned-impressive runner, Nell McAndrew - who went from running just for fun to clocking a 2:54 marathon! She shares her training secrets, biggest lessons, and how she balanced running with life as a busy mum. Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com Talking Points: 1:50 – The Importance of Timing Long Runs Around Race Day 4:37 – Morning vs. Evening Running – Which is Better? 6:07 – Recovery Tips After Long Runs & Balancing Training Load 8:22 – How Paula Structured Her Marathon Training Week 10:13 – Adapting Training Due to Injury or Illness 13:21 – Knowing When to Push & When to Rest 15:50 – How Nell McAndrew Went from Running for Charity to Breaking 3 Hours 18:04 – How Nell Trained for a Huge Marathon Time Drop 25:38 – Why Nell Trained 100 Miles a Week & Her Speed Work Strategy 34:15 – Listener Q&A: Should You Add Speed Work to Your Training? 39:03 – Listener Q&A: How to Avoid Cramping in the Marathon 42:14 – Listener Q&A: How to Run Back-to-Back Marathons Without Injury This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World record-breaking runner Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian Chris Thompson guide you through week 5 of marathon training. For this episode, they're joined by renowned sports physiologist Dr. Andy Jones, who has worked with elite marathoners (including Paula!) and even played a role in the Breaking2 project. Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com Timecodes: 10:15 – Why economy matters more than VO2 Max 14:00 – Should you change your running form? 17:30 – The importance of running faster than marathon pace in training 22:45 – Marathon fuelling strategies & how avoid the hitting the ‘wall’ 28:00 – The Kenyan secret to marathon success 32:40 – How to adapt your training as you age (Listener Q&A) 37:50 – Training for a marathon in a different time zone (Listener Q&A) 42:15 – Keeping your heart rate in check during training runs (Listener Q&A) This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World record-breaking runner, Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian, Chris Thompson guide you through week three of your marathon training, with expert Dr. Georgie Bruinvels. They share the best strategies for recovery, nutrition, and managing the mental and physical stresses of running. From the science behind ice baths to the link between hydration and glycogen replenishment. Plus, discover how hormones impact training, the best ways to stay healthy during winter, and the small daily habits that make a big difference. Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com Timecodes: 1:40 - The importance of letting go of fear in marathon training 5:00 - Dr. Georgie Bruinvels shares top recovery tips 7:52 - Fuelling and sleep: The two pillars of marathon success 12:47 - Self-monitoring tools: Resting heart rate, hydration, and mood 19:04 - Signs of overtraining and how to adjust 22:44 - Nutrition tips to boost immunity and avoid illness 29:19 - How hormones affect training for both men and women 34:00 - Ice baths: When, why, and how they benefit recovery 40:00 - Small habits for sustained training improvements This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World record-breaking runner, Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian and 2010 European 10,000m silver medallist, Chris Thompson guide you through your second week of marathon training, tackling the challenges of winter marathon training. In this episode, they're joined by former middle and long-distance runner, founder of the Brighton Marathon and commentator, Tim Hutchings, to share their tips to stay motivated, especially when facing setbacks. Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com Timecodes: 5:00 - 7:30: Tips for running safely in icy conditions and when to consider cross-training. 10:00 - 12:00: Paula shares her personal marathon mind games and fueling strategies. 14:29 - 15:40: Tim Hutchings on staying motivated and the mental benefits of running. 20:00 - 23:02: Chris' embarrassing race story and the lesson it taught him about perseverance. 30:00 - 32:00: Listener tips and mantras for marathon success. This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our road to London continues with some brilliant advice from Georgie Bruinvels who's an expert in sports physiology. She's got plenty of tips on nutrition, supplements, boosting our immune systems and how to know we're doing the right things. There's also a good discussion about using creatine. She talks to Paula and Thommo about gut health and probiotics and there's a discussion about pelvic floor exercises for women and men...something new for Thommo! And then there's HRV. Heart Rate Variability - what is it and what does it mean? We welcome to the podcast BBC Newsreader Sophie Raworth to talk about her preparation for London - she'll be logging her journey with us for the next 3 months. Her pedigree is top notch having run the leading marathons all over the world. We're also excited to announce we'll be working with Wild Nutrition over the build-up to the London Marathon with some great nutrition advice.  Wild Nutrition are giving Paula’s Run Club listeners an exclusive 50% off for three months and a free personal consultation with a nutritional therapist. Just go to ⁠wildnutrition.com/paula⁠ to get started. We also have a message from the British Heart Foundation who are inviting you to take part in some of the UK's most memorable events, including the London Marathon. Every step you take is a step towards hope, progress and keeping hearts beating across the country. There are training plans and fund raising tips too. For more information visit www.bhf.org.uk/events We'd love to hear from you with your questions, comments and nominations for the Honour's Board which has now moved to The Shakeout episode.  EMAIL: ⁠⁠⁠paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠  TEXT: +447564747914  INSTAGRAM: ‪@paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our build up to the London Marathon continues with more of your questions in the weekly shakeout. Paula and Thommo begin today with some reflections on the World Cross Country Championships. This week the topics include running with bunions and recovery after surgery...a subject Paula knows all too well. Paula and Thommo chat about whether you should train in miles or kilometres and surprising things you might need to consider, especially if running events in Europe. There's a discussion about supplements and the array of recommendations out there...from Collagen to Creatine and various vitamins. And a query about returning to running and building up a training plan. You can get in touch with us with a question or a comment or a nomination for the Honours Board by email or whatsapp. Email: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +44 7564 747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Week 2 of our Road to London and we have the PERFECT guest as we're joined by Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon events. He tells us about some London Marathon exclusives, gives us his top tips for race day, advice for first time runners and gives us his marathon times predictions - World Records anyone?! Hugh also talks to us about how the LM is a celebration of humanity and we can't help but catch his contagious excitement for the event! PLUS Nessy, random massages and rainbows.  We also talk to our first time marathon runner Charlotte Davis who we will be following all the way through to April 26! We're also excited to announce we'll be working with Wild Nutrition over the build-up to the London Marathon with some great nutrition advice.  Wild Nutrition are giving Paula’s Run Club listeners an exclusive 50% off for three months and a free personal consultation with a nutritional therapist. Just go to wildnutrition.com/paula to get started. We'd love to hear from you with your questions, comments and nominations for the Honour's Board which has now moved to The Shakeout episode.  EMAIL: ⁠⁠⁠paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠  TEXT: +447564747914  INSTAGRAM: ‪@paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the first weekly Shakeout in the 16 week run-up to the London Marathon. Paula and Thommo are giving out advice to all your running questions. They discuss aiming for two marathons in 2026 whilst recovering from a four month lay-off. There's a discussion on strength and recovery sessions to help rehab and improvement...with a focus on the back and calf. There's a question on arms and elbows whilst running which leads to a chat about balance and stability. Paula and Thommo go on to hear about a medical student who's injured with stress fractures and wants to know more about aqua-jogging and also nutrition during recovery from injury. And they give their views on a training plan on a listener aiming for the virtual London Marathon followed by an ultra marathon. You can get in touch with us with a question or a comment by email or whatsapp. Email: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +44 7564 747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year! Today kick's off our road to the London Marathon with 16 weeks of tips and plans in the build-up. The year has started with Paula being awarded an OBE for her services to running and broadcasting. So congratulations Paula! Today's main guest is someone was such a popular medal winner at the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025. Uruguay's Julia Paternain entered the race ranked 288th in the world. It was only her second marathon and she has some great insights. We also hear from three people we're following on their London journey. McFly drummer Harry Judd, BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth and our young runner, Charlotte Davis. We've got a special discount for the National Running Show at the NEC Birmingham on 31st Jan + 1st Feb 2026 where you can pick up great running and marathon advice. If you use the code PRC at checkout you can get a £5 weekend ticket - more info at nationalrunningshow.com We're also excited to announce we'll be working with Wild Nutrition over the build-up to the London Marathon with some great nutrition advice. We'd love to hear from you with your questions, comments and nominations for the Honour's Board. EMAIL: ⁠⁠⁠paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk⁠⁠⁠ TEXT: +447564747914  INSTAGRAM: ‪@paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year! On this first weekly Shakeout of 2026 we talk resolutions and answer your questions. There's a question about trying to break 3 hours for a marathon and another query from someone looking to come home in under 4 hours who wonders if they're missing somethingn to help them record a PB. In the discussion, there's a side issue about the use of new tech in running shoes and how much it helps a slow runner. Paula and Thommo are asked to give views on a training plan and a struggle to improve speed and there's an unusual questions about a strange smell in the nose after a long run. And finally tips to avoid cramps on a long run. You can get in touch with us with a question or a comment by email or whatsapp. Email: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +44 7564 747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices by visiting podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's guest is the former England women's footballer Jill Scott MBE, who was part of the Euro winning squad in 2022. She's also a winner of I'm a Celebrity...and also winner of the junior Great North Run and the North East Junior Cross Country Championships. We recorded this ahead of a charity quiz we were all part of. Jill talks about her junior running career and what it taught her along with the influences it had on her successful 16 year football career. She still runs, but she struggles to run more than 5k because of injuries to her knees from playing football. Jill also reveals Paula was her idol growing up...and wanted to be an athlete because of her. Paula tells Thommo she always goes on a run on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day to consider resolutions and goals for the 12 months ahead. And she's got advice on how to keep yours! We love to hear from you! Drop us a line if you want to get on the Honours Board. EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk TEXT: +447564747914 INSTRAGRAM: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas! As this episode drops on Christmas Day Paula and Thommo chat Christmas Dinner, Christmas Stockings and a Christmas Day run. With so many colds and so much flu about there's a timely question about whether to run and when to rest. It's not an easy answer! Thanks for your questions... other subjects we look at today include how to pace runs to make them a little easier; There's the dilemna of a man who's got places at both the Rome and London marathons and wondering which one to target for a PB and advice on race strategy and running downhill. We'd love to get your questions and comments - contact details below! Thanks to our sponsor HIGH5 for Paula's Run Club: The Shakeout. HIGH5 are sports nutrition specialists helping people get the most out of their training and races. Don't forget our special offer - details below. Remember to comment, get in touch with the club to ask any questions on tips for running marathons, half marathons, 10k, 5k or just a job. We can help with nutrition, recovery and how best to put one foot in front of the other! Head to https:\\highfive.co.uk to use your exclusive Run Club discount of 25% with the code PAULA25 You can get in touch with us by email, whatsapp or comment EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +447564747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paula and Thommo bring you a special Christmas Edition. They talk about running on Christmas Day - when do they run and why? And they share how they spend Christmas and how much they eat! Thommo insists on doing Christmas cracker jokes...which he loves. There's a reflection on 2025 and some of the people that have been on the podcast...like Chelsea Clinton, Dr Steve Peters, Jake Wightman, Brendan Foster and Julia Paternain live from Tokyo. There's excitement as Paula and Thommo exchange presents during the podcast. And we want to thank you for all your support and encouragement with a shout out to those who came and ran with Paula on the shakeouts. Happy Christmas! We love to hear from you! EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk TEXT: +447564747914 INSTRAGRAM: @paulasrunclub And get 25% off HIGH5 products with our exclusive Run Club discount. Head to https://highfive.co.uk and use the code PAULA25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paula and Thommo's pre-Christmas shakeout answers your running questions and reveals a quirky injury Paula picked up just before a world record breaking run. There's a fair amount of marathon talk, including dealing with the mental aspect of setbacks and decline. One of the community is pondering running the Manchester and London marathons, which are within a week of each other. Family and friends are telling him not to do it, but Paula and Thommo put an alternative view. There's also a question about breathing exercises and using a chest heart rate monitor. We'd love to get your questions and comments - contact details below. Thanks to our sponsor HIGH5 for Paula's Run Club: The Shakeout. HIGH5 are sports nutrition specialists helping people get the most out of their training and races. Don't forget our special offer - details below. Remember to comment, get in touch with the club to ask any questions on tips for running marathons, half marathons, 10k, 5k or just a job. We can help with nutrition, recovery and how best to put one foot in front of the other! Head to https:\\highfive.co.uk to use your exclusive Run Club discount of 25% with the code PAULA25 You can get in touch with us by email, whatsapp or comment EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +447564747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's guest is Ricky Wilson, the front man of the Kaiser Chiefs. It's a lot of fun as he talks about his love of running and his disastrous marathon. Ricky tells Paula and Thommo about his London marathon experience - he finished the course in over 5 days...after collapsing at mile 24 on the day of the event. Now Ricky runs for himself, every day, to give himself headspace...but it's also inspired some lyrics. He reveals he likes to run before he performs on stage and he loves the feeling it gives him. Ricky also loves running whilst touring with the Kaiser Chiefs and happily wandering off track in foreign cities. We've got the Honours Board and our sponsor for it is HIGH5 – the sports nutrition specialists helping people get the most out of their training and races. They want to give you goodies so please get in touch with your nominations. Don't forget to head to ⁠⁠https://highfive.co.uk⁠⁠ to use your exclusive Run Club discount of 25% off with this code: PAULA25 EMAIL: ⁠⁠paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk⁠⁠ TEXT: +447564747914  INSTAGRAM: ‪@paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paula and Thommo are back on the South Coast with our sponsors HIGH 5 in Brighton. Any more south and they'd be in the sea! They're answering questions from our invited audience covering the best ways to stay hydrated; the reasons layering your running gear is good...but also bad; and how to take 20 minutues off your PB. Plus we'll look at the best ways to approach your first marathon if it's 3 months away and you're petrified! We'd love to get your questions and comments - contact details below. Thanks to our sponsor HIGH5 for Paula's Run Club: The Shakeout. HIGH5 are sports nutrition specialists helping people get the most out of their training and races. Don't forget our special offer - details below. Remember to comment, get in touch with the club to ask any questions on tips for running marathons, half marathons, 10k, 5k or just a job. We can help with nutrition, recovery and how best to put one foot in front of the other! Head to https:\\highfive.co.uk to use your exclusive Run Club discount of 25% with the code PAULA25 You can get in touch with us by email, whatsapp or comment EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk Whatsapp: +447564747914 Instagram: @paulasrunclub Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been great to have Innes FitzGerald chat with us ahead of the European Cross Country Championships. She's part of the new generation of British Athletes going for a third success title in the under 20's race. Innes talks about her rise from finishing way back in the pack(176th) in the English Schools Championships to where she is now. Her career has moved quickly under the guidance of Jo and Gavin Pavey. She's had a breakthrough season posting a qualifying time in the London Diamond League to make the GB team for the World championships in Tokyo. Innes gives a refreshing take on competing at the start of what hopefully will be a long and successful career. We've got our regular Honours Board from out sponsors HIGH5, the sports nutrition specialists helping people get the most out of their training and races. They want to give you goodies! So get your nominations to us EMAIL: paulasrunclub@momentumbroadcast.co.uk TEXT: +447564747914 INSTRAGRAM: @paulasrunclub And get 25% off HIGH 5 products with our exclusive Run Club discount. Head to https://highfive.co.uk and use the code PAULA25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices