Why I Run

If you love stories about going to the very edge of human endurance, then you’re in for a treat. We’ve just launched Season 3 of our adventure podcast How to Be Superhuman, with 12 new jaw-dropping stories. This episode features ultrarunner Tara Dower, who set an absolutely blistering fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail. That’s over two thousand miles of relentless terrain, brutal weather,...

Did you run with us this year in the Wings for Life World Run 2023? Even if you didn’t but are curious how it was for our hosts, Erin and Ayo, plus all the guests and listeners who ran it too… well, get listening to this bonus episode! They take a moment to chat with previous guest and GPS runner Jeric Yuen, hear about Ayo’s experience (spoiler: he didn’t run!) as well as Erin’s App Run drama. The...

It’s the last episode until the big run and we are going out with a bang with the inspirational Bobbi Gibb. Bobbi was the first woman ever to run the Boston marathon and her story is one of resilience, perseverance and blind optimism. She broke every boundary around to run this race in 1966 and showed women everywhere they were capable of running much more than the 1.5 miles they were told they co...

The simplicity of running is something we often praise on this podcast. Not needing anything but a pair of trainers and the outside world makes running one of the easiest sports for exercising, that’s for sure. However, it is kinda nice to geek out on good gear from time to time, and while Erin is away, self-confessed tech geek Ayo is doing just that. To help him he has Head of Product Team – Phil...

Kanoa Igarashi is one formidable surfer and loves running to help him keep agile for the waves. His name translates to the ‘the free one’, so naturally he loves running for the freedom it gives him. In this episode, Ayo hears all about this, as well as the burgeoning Japanese surf scene, which is about to take the world by storm, and also what it was like for Kanoa getting a silver medal for Japan...

Here’s something very special for all the Why I Run listeners. Hosted by Amy Lane, Well Far Daily is a daily dose of tips and tricks to help you crush your running goals, one day at a time. Whether you're just starting out or looking to hit a new marathon PB, Well Far Daily combines advice from experts in the industry and Amy's extensive knowledge to make running accessible for you at every stage...

Erin talks with tenacious rock climber Emily Harrington. Emily fell in love with rock climbing when she was a child and has never looked back (or down!). She’s a force to be reckoned with on the cliffs and is five-time US National Champion in sport lead climbing. But when rock climbing is your job it can be hard to associate exercising with leisure time. Enter running. Emily loves running as a way...

It’s always nice to find time to celebrate your wins and running should be no exception – two people who know this all too well are today’s guests, podcasters Marcus Brown and Helen Thorn. Marcus is a running coach and host of the sensational A Runner’s Life podcast. He’s been on a massive journey with his running, which has even helped him get a diagnosis of autism – something he says has changed...

Franz Tost is the team principal of Formula One's Scuderia AlphaTauri, or as Ayo puts it, ‘the boss... the head honcho of the team’. Franz has a no-nonsense coaching style like no other, believing that dedication and passion are vital to success – both as a driver and as a person. (He also practises what he preaches and gets up every day at 5am for a run before work!) This F1 legend absolutely lov...

London-based web developer and running enthusiast Jeric Yuen shares his passion for GPS art – making pictures out of running routes. Host Erin Azar hears all about how the idea came about and how he uses it to spread joy among his running community and beyond. Still can’t get your head around it? Follow Jeric at @coderunnerguy to discover the joy of GPS art yourself. Be part of the big movement an...

Jumping across rooftops is all in a day’s work for the world’s foremost female freerunner, yet Hazal Nehir claims running is a lot tougher. Known for her gravity-defying acrobatics and movie stunt work, she always squares up to a challenge. In this episode Ayo talks to her about managing her doubts, coming back to parkour after injury and why running is a challenge Hazal has learned to love. Be pa...

We all have good days, bad days, a rough patch or a few months of feeling on top of the world – perhaps no one more so than Australian TikTokker Jimmy Jan. In this episode, Jimmy speaks to Ayo about how running has helped him through the ups and downs of life. Suffering an accident in 2021 that paralysed him from the waist down, Jimmy shares what it’s been like reframing running to suit him as wel...

Ever had a natural buzz after really pushing yourself at something? Well that’s achievable no matter who you are according to this week’s guest, multiple Ironman champion Lucy Charles-Barclay. Lucy is a professional swimmer-turned-triathlete, so she knows first-hand the joys that adding running to your training regime can offer, and she’s here to share some tips and tricks for how to stay motivate...

It’s our first episode of season 2 and hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere couldn’t be more excited about it. To mark this ceremonious occasion, Ayo chats with highly decorated yachtsman Jimmy Spithill. Jimmy has won world championships, been named World Sailor of the Year and currently leads the U.S. team on the global SailGP tour. Jimmy tells us about growing up in the Australian outback and how...

We’re back with Season 2! The Why I Run podcast from Red Bull celebrates the extraordinary and the everyday stories of running, to inspire you to pick up those running shoes and just get going! Runners of every skill level are welcome, from passionate regulars, to runners who struggle to get out the door – and everyone in between. We had some incredible episodes in Season 1: an F1 driver, a writer...

Erin and Ayo, along with over 161,892 participants from 192 nations at runs in 165 countries around the globe, were part of the ninth annual edition of the Wings for Life World Run this May and together they raised 4.7 million euros for spinal cord research. They’re taking a moment to chat with each other about their individual runs, and to hear from some of the Why I Run team about how they got o...

It’s our last episode before the Wings for Life World Run on Sunday May 8! Erin and Ayo sit down for a round-table chat with international sports director and record-breaking Olympic hurdler Colin Jackson, and wheelchair tennis superstar Nico Langmann, to hear about what that idea of ‘running for those who can’t’ means to them both and to share some of their most memorable running experiences. The...

This week is all about putting the fun back into your run. Erin and Ayo speak to Wesley Butstraen. If you’ve ever encountered a big bearded man in a bright pink suit on a Wings for Life World Run, that’s Wesley, and it’s completely joy-inducing. We hear about how he started running for health reasons but found his mindset shifting as his running progressed. As the 2022 event draws nearer, Erin and...

Climber Sasha DiGiulian and runner Erik Ahlström join hosts Erin and Ayo to explore the connection between running and nature. Sasha is a world champion professional rock climber from the USA, while Erik is the Swedish creator of ‘plogging’ – running and picking up litter. Find every episode on redbull.com/WhyIRunWant to run? Join the Why I Run Podcast Team on https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/...

Freeskier Kelly Sildaru and hobby runner Adolfo Salgueiro chat with Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere about sharing the running experience with others. Adolfo talks about how his father’s running inspired him as a child. Adolfo Senior was running in Venezuela in the 70s, long before the trend of running evolved to what it is today – he was running marathons in tennis shoes! We’ll hear how their journey...

BMXer Matthias Dandois and runner Hellah Sidibe share their passion for running with hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere. Matthias Dandois was crowned the world’s best BMX flatlander at the age of just 19, using running as his cardio exercise to keep his energy high during the flat runs. Hellah Sidibe has been running every day for the past five years, and is showing no sign of slowing down! They b...

DJ Charlie Dark and ultrarunner Dylan Bowman join Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere to discuss their shared love of being part of a running community. Charlie Dark, DJ, poet and youth mentor, is the founder of Run Dem Crew, the London-based running collective. Erin and Ayo are also joined by Dylan Bowman, an ultrarunner, to discuss their experiences of running to feel connected as well as to keep fit....

Runner Rahaf Khatib and F1 driver Pierre Gasly talk to Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere about what running means to them. Rahaf Khatib made headlines when she graced the cover of Women’s Running magazine in October of 2016 as the first hijabi to appear on the cover of a fitness magazine. She’s a huge advocate and inspiration for Muslim women running all over the world. Pierre Gasly is a French racing...

Athlete Mario Rigby and racer Ida Mathilde Steensgaard talk with hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere about where running has taken them. Mario Rigby is a former professional track and field athlete, turned adventurer and explorer. He completed an epic two-year-long walk across Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo. Ida Mathilde Steensgaard is a Danish environmental engineer and professional obstacle cour...

Wheelchair-user Sandile Mkhize and street dancer Angyil share their running experiences with hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere. Sandile Mkhize, from South Africa, shares his story of entering the Wings for Life World Run to raise money for spinal cord injury research after a motorbike accident that paralysed him. Then, Angela ‘Angyil’ McNeal, winner of Red Bull Dance Your Style USA, discusses her...