The RMA Podcast

On Episode 49 of The RMA podcast I chat to 59 year old runner and mum, Jill McClintock! We chat about all things running, how this entered Jills life and how running led her to a deep bond with her dog Harry!  We discuss the companionship that Harry gives to Jill and how this lasting relationship has kept Jill running for many years and the bond that they share!  For any canine lovers out there, t...

On Episode 48 of the RMA Podcast we speak with mum and ultra runner, Isobel Ross. Isobel came to running from mountain biking, where she was after a new adventure that wouldn't leave her broken, yet would still provide her with a challenge. Soon after she ran her first few races she was hooked, and she quickly learnt that she not only had talent for racing in mountains (she won her first ultra at...

On episode 47 of the RMA podcast we speak with an incredible woman, Heather Hawkins. Heather is just like you and I. She is an everyday mum of two children, but she has been on some incredible adventures after finding herself diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at the age of 41 in 2007.  Five years post diagnosis, after the shock and subsequent treatment for her cancer, Heather took up running by traini...

On Episode 46 of the RMA podcast we discuss all things trail running safety. With so many RMA being in love with the outdoors and trail running, we thought it would be a great idea to bring to light the things you need to consider when heading out on the trails in order to keep yourself and others safe.  Our guest on this episode is Tova Gallagher, a mum, runner, explorer and qualified Aviation Of...

On Episode 45, on the week of International women's day 2022 we interview one of our favourite RMA ladies, Katie Wood. Katie is an RMA volunteer admin for South Australia and has been on the RMA journey for quite a few years now.  Having begun her running journey to get fit and challenge herself, running has taken Katie all over, and to some amazing places around the world, where she has met the c...

On episode 44 of the RMA Podcast we talk about Grey Area Drinking. In 2017 RMA, Sarah Rusbatch was just like many other working running mums. She lived a busy life with her family in Perth, and tried to juggle all of the things. She considered herself fit and active, yet she had a problem with alcohol. She didn't really know it at the time, but alcohol was ruling most of her days, thoughts, and em...

Running to Pay The Rent.  . Episode 43 of the RMA podcast is my proudest episode so far. I’ve wanted to tell this story, and I’ve found the perfect guest to share it. In this episode I talk to Janelle Da Silva. A multi-disciplinary artist, runner, philanthropist and racial literacy educator, among many other things. We discuss how racism formed part of Janelle’s every day growing up as a woman of...

On episode 42 of the podcast we chat with Sunshine Coast mum, Reesha Lewis. Reesha is a new name on the trail and ultra running circuit. In what seemed like her coming out of nowhere, Reesha has been turning heads with her stellar performances in the last 18 months at some of Australia's best ultra races, breaking records and gracing podiums. But it wasn't always all trophies and podiums for Reesh...

On episode 41 of the RMA Podcast we speak with our second male guest, Runs of the World, commonly known as Run Down Under founder, Travis Ireland.  I talk with Travis about his journey into running, and most importantly the catalyst of events that led to the formation of Run Down Under, a hugely successful running platform and app that takes you on a running journey around Australia and beyond!  T...

On Episode 40 of the RMA Podcast I sit down with world class trail and ultra runner,  Lucy Bartholomew . I wanted to tell the story of Lucy’s amazing talent for trail and ultra running from such a young age, but more importantly, I wanted to tell the story about how running can eb and flow, and how you can almost lose your love of running when you aren’t true to yourself. This is the story of a wo...

On this episode of the RMA podcast we chat to 4 x Olympic and commonwealth games medalist and swimmer, Libby Trickett! We chat to Libby about her career in sport, her struggles finding her passions out of the pool after retirement, and her journey to motherhood and beyond.  We discuss the highs of her sporting career, and the crushing lows of finding her identity after retirement, navigating mothe...

On Episode 38 of the RMA Podcast we talk to Brisbane mum, Sandra Ehlers about her experience as a foster carer. Sandra was 15 when her parents fostered a friend of hers from her local school. She saw firsthand the difference foster care could make in a child's life. The kindness and love that was given was so easy, and so effortless for her parents. Later in life as a grown woman with children of...

On Episode 36. of the RMA Podcast we chat with dual Olympian, 4 x times Commonwealth Games representative, mum, humanitarian, public speaker and soon to be author, Eloise Wellings.  On this episode of the podcast we dive into Eloise's journey with running from her roots as she ran along-side her mum on the trails around her local national park, to the tracks of little athletics, and onto the world...

On Episode 35 we talk all things parkrun. If you have been running for a while you might have heard of parkrun. parkruns are free, weekly, community events all around the world. parkrun began in October 2004, with the first ever event in Bushy park, Teddington, UK, after its founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt was sidelined by injury and decided to gather his local running mates to do a 5k time trial. Not...

With women's participation in trail running on the rise over the past few years, so many women would have heard about one of the most sought after trail running events on The Australian running calendar - Ultra-Trail Australia.  With entries opening THIS THURSDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER, 2021, we thought it would be good to give you a bonus episode, a little chat with RMA coaches Nicole Bunyon, Jenny Morri...

On episode 34 we discuss issues around infertility, a condition which affects so many Australian women. We chat with Kelly McManus, from Sydney about her long journey to becoming a mother.  We talk to Kelly about the struggles she and her partner went through to become parents. We discuss the financial, physical, emotional and spiritual burden of the rollercoaster highs and lows of fertility treat...

In Episode 33 of the RMA Podcast we chat to RMA Ambassador and four-time olympian, Lisa Weightman about her latest experience of the road to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We dive deep with Lisa about how she navigated the trials of training for this extended olympic campaign, the challenges of the long Victorian lockdown, and the ever changing goal posts of training,...

On episode 32 of the RMA podcast I speak with long time RMA member Harmony Waite. Harmony talks with us about her journey into running, particularly after becoming a mum and her rise into ultra running. We talk about what she loves about endurance events and how they not only test her ability and strengths, but how they challenge her, and what she loves most about the adventures she embarks on.  W...

On episode 31 (Part 2 of the Running for premature babies podcast) we talk to Running for Premature Babies Founder and Director, Sophie Smith. 15 years ago Sophie and her late husband Ash were excited to be expecting the first of their children, triplet boys. At 21 weeks Sophie went into early labour. 5 days later her first born son Henry was born at 21 weeks. Henry lived for one precious hour and...

On Episode 30 of the RMA podcast, our 1 year anniversary special, we are talking about running for premature babies! We interview Proud running mumma and RMA Ambassador, Amy O’Halloran who is mum to two darling premature babies, her first born Henry, who came at 34weeks and Jemima who entered the world at 33 weeks gestation!   I chat to Amy about her silent struggle with the guilt and the trauma s...

On episode 29 of The RMA Podcast we speak with mum, runner and all round beautiful spirit, Samantha O'Farrell. I met Sam a few years ago when she was part of our local RMA sisterhood and instantly fell in love with her infectious love for life. Not long after we met, Samantha was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and began her journey through treatment.  Fast forward only a few short yea...

On this episode of The RMA podcast I speak with Running mum from Northern Qld, Angela McKenzie (Furneaux). Angela is a triathlete who was introduced to the world of triathlon as a child and has been competing ever since.   Back in 2018 while Angela was training for her Ironman, she was tragically hit by a vehicle while training on her local country road. This left Angela with devastating injuries...

In this episode of the RMA podcast we talk again to one of our favourite guests, RMA Ambassador and lover of adventures, Michelle Hooper.    Michelle isn't new to the podcast, having been interviewed on episode 8 about her self-supported adventure on the Cape to Cape track in WA. This time I chat to Michelle about her most recent adventure in May 2021 traversing a supported attempt of the Larapint...

Shona Stephenson has been one of Australia's best trail and ultra endurance runners, having ranked among the top 10 on the Ultra-Trail World Tour. With over 10 years experience in the health and fitness industry, as an athlete, coach, nutritionist, mentor and personal trainer.    Shona began her journey running after having children when she entered her the City to Surf pushing a pram along its' t...

Today on the podcast we chat to serving police officer, runner and mum Melissa Dinneen. Mel resides in Melbourne where she is wife to Steve Dinneen from well known running group Dinneen Runners, and together they have three beautiful children.   Last year, during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, at only 25 weeks pregnant with their third baby, Mel was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding...