Runbelievable

Carly Barkle’s running journey isn’t a straight line... it’s a true masterclass in persistence. From elite junior sport and state-level netball to months of illness with glandular fever, chronic fatigue, single parenting, and a staggering run of surgeries, Carly’s story is defined not by uninterrupted success, but by her refusal to stay down (as she says, get knocked down seven times. get up eight...

Shona Farr didn’t set out to become a runner; she just wanted to walk 5k in under 50min. What started as power-walking at the back of the pack quietly turned into running, racing, injury setbacks, and a deep love for the running community. Along the way, Shona navigated a broken ankle (in fact, twice), torn ligaments, post-menopause training, and the self-doubt that comes with starting later in li...

Will Pattinson didn’t ease into change; he went all in. After years of a destructive lifestyle, Will reached a point where something snapped. No dramatic trigger. No slow build. Just a day where he’d had enough. What followed was a radical lifestyle overhaul that began with daily steps and quickly evolved into marathon running, ultra distances, and an uncompromising commitment to change. In this r...

Nat Rischin never saw herself as a runner. She grew up doubting her physical ability, struggled with confidence, and spent years stopping and starting; both in running and in believing in herself. What began with a 5km "fun run" in 2008... while still smoking... slowly evolved into something far deeper. Through knee pain, health scares, heart surgery, near-miss goals, and plenty of self-...

Nothing says Christmas like dragging your festive pudding to parkrun and sticking a microphone in people’s faces (we literally did that!). In this very special Christmas episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty take the podcast out of the studio and straight to their local parkrun for a festive vox-pop extravaganza. From milestone runners and volunteers to semi-elites and everyday legends who w...

Natasha Sneddon never imagined she’d be a runner... and was embarrassed to even walk her first parkrun. Yet somehow, one step at a time, she found herself racking up over 100 parkruns, training with a coach, and lining up for the Sydney Marathon in honour of her late grandfather. Along the way, running became more than exercise. It became connection, purpose, and a way to navigate the emotional we...

Garry Jackson has lived two lives: one before running… and one after. At ~120kg, smoking up to 70 cigarettes a day and drinking hard, Garry never imagined he’d become a runner. But between his father’s terminal illness and the birth of his second child, life forced a reckoning. One day (whilst mixing tunes) he stepped onto a treadmill, ran 200 metres, and everything changed. What followed wasn’t j...

Crystal Barnes walked every school sports event. Struggled with asthma. Hated anything remotely physical. Yet somehow... became an ultra-runner. Crystal has one of the most unexpected running journeys you’ll hear. From joining a run club at 21, to smashing out a half marathon, full marathon, and then an ultra just weeks later, Crystal’s rise was fast, determined, and fuelled by a love of community...

Running isn’t always about pushing harder; sometimes, it’s about knowing when to pull back. For Melbourne-based runner Eva Bertram, running has always been about joy: no Strava, no data, no watch... just the feeling of getting out the door. From conquering Point to Pinnacle (the world’s "toughest half marathon"), to a New Year’s Eve “Run the Clock” adventure at the You Yangs complete wit...

For carpenter and father of three Craig Parsons, running began in a rather unique way. Balancing long hours, physical work, and family life, Craig has faced anxiety, alcohol, and self-doubt head-on... proving that strength isn’t about muscle, it’s about mindset. In this raw and honest episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty talk with Craig about the challenges of opening up in a tough, masculi...

Some running stories start with a race. Nicole’s started with a pair of worn Reeboks and a cotton T-shirt. The day before her 40th birthday, she went for her first jog; a spontaneous decision that changed everything. From San Rafael to New York, Nicole discovered how running could rebuild confidence, reshape body image, and connect her to a global community. In this funny, fearless, and deeply hum...

Some runners live for data. Andy Reddiex isn’t one of them. The chicken-breeding, surfing, DIY-loving accountant has battled abdominal injuries, ankle problems, and even heart surgery; yet somehow keeps running with quiet determination and minimal fanfare. Not on Strava, not chasing medals, just running for the love of it. In this grounded and inspiring episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty...

Running injuries can break your body and spirit. After back-to-back wins at the Guzzler 21K, trail runner and paediatric physio Ash O'Loughlin was flying. Then, a complex knee injury brought everything to a halt; forcing her to swap long runs for long rehab sessions and rethink her relationship with running. In this raw, emotional and inspiring episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty sit...

Runners slow down with age, right? Despite being tech-savvy, Mark Wigglesworth never got that brief. After taking up running in his early 60s, Mark has gone from casual jogs and the occasional parkrun, to routinely clocking over 100 kilometres a week; regularly topping his age group and rewriting what’s possible later in life. But behind the stats lies a story of grit, resilience, and true self-be...

After years of addiction, poor mental health, and tough life choices, Mighty Mark found running almost by accident... and it changed everything. In this powerful episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty sit down with a man who went from rock bottom to becoming his parkrun community’s “Runner of the Year.” From his first tentative jog to his 100th parkrun, Mighty Mark’s story is one of redemptio...

Forty-one kilometres into a marathon, Hamid's body stopped... but somehow, he crossed the finish line. In this unforgettable episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty sit down with Hamid to hear the incredible running story of a marathon finish he doesn’t even remember, and the community spirit and sheer determination that carried him across the line. From the build-up to race day, to the s...

From finish-line bling to faceplants… welcome to Runbelievable . In this pilot episode, Joshie and Matty lace up for the very first time to share why they run, what keeps them going, and how this running podcast will celebrate the weird and wonderful world of everyday runners. It’s part warm-up lap, part participation award, and all about finding the joy (and the mishaps) that make running truly R...

Running on fumes, bargain shoes, and one unforgettable start-line moment. In this first full episode of Runbelievable , Joshie and Matty sit down with Lisa Bird to hear the hilarious, gritty, and downright unbelievable stories behind her running journey. From pacing a half marathon on just 30 minutes’ sleep, to tackling an overseas marathon in $60 shoes, to that plastic bag incident you have to he...

🏃 Running Changes Us. Runbelievable is the running podcast that explores how running shapes who we become. Hosted by Josh Rischin, runners from all walks of life — from elites to first-timers — share what first got them lacing up and the moments that have defined them. These are stories of resilience, reinvention, adversity, connection, identity and growth. Stories about the challenges we face, t...