The ZenRUN Podcast

Guest: Natalie Beasley – trail runner, accidental ultrarunner, and all-round legend of the long game. Get Ready For: A raw, hilarious, and deeply moving journey through the highs and lows (and the DNFs and comebacks) of a runner who proves it’s never too late—and never too messy—to chase the joy of finishing what you started. Why You’ll Love This Episode: •The Power of Saying Yes: From hiding unde...

Guest: Nicola “Nikki” Frost – new ultra-runner, city-based trail dreamer, and daughter of podcast host Michelle Frost. (Yes, you read that right.) Get Ready For: What happens when your mum finishes a 200-miler and then invites you to do it with her? In this intro episode, we meet Nicola Frost, a relative newcomer to ultras who’s stepping (literally) into the wild unknown of Delirious West 2026—wit...

Guest: Craig Jeffrey – Academic, anthropologist, ultra-runner, and 2025 Delirious W.E.S.T podium finisher (yes, he came third—solo and uncrewed - i.e. Screwed!). Get Ready For: A refreshingly honest, intelligent, and quietly inspiring intro chat with Craig Jeffrey—who’s balancing ultra-training with academic leadership, fatherhood, and the occasional run-to-a-business-meeting-with-a-suit-in-his-ba...

Get Ready For: A grounded, refreshingly real chat with 2024 Delirious W.E.S.T finisher Ben Pyman—who’s coming back in 2026 not to redeem a result, but to experience the race better. From lessons learned to training tweaks, Ben shares how he’s balancing life, recovery, and the decision to do it all again. Why You’ll Love This Episode: 🏁 A finisher’s perspective: Ben opens up about his 2024 race—wh...

This week’s mindful moment turns an everyday action into a chance to reset: open a door slowly. Something you likely do without thinking becomes a full-body moment of presence. As your hand reaches for the handle, notice the texture, the temperature, and the way your fingers wrap around it. Breathe as you turn, push, or pull—and let that act of opening be your entire practice.   Each doorway becom...

Guest: Gabe Alves – multi-time Delirious contender, systems thinker, video chronicler, and reluctant toe breaker. Get Ready For: A refreshingly honest, entertaining, and grounded convo with returning Delirious athlete Gabe Alves—who’s back for another swing at the 200-miler that’s become more than just a race… it’s now a yearly ritual. Why You’ll Love This Episode: •The Most Relatable DNF Mindset...

Guest: Sym Mercer – Adventure racer, solo runner, systems expert, and snake-dodger extraordinaire. Get Ready For:A story as wide and wild as the Queensland paddocks Sym grew up on. In this intro episode, Sym shares her roots, her road to ultrarunning, and why she’s lining up for one of the gnarliest ultras in Australia—Delirious W.E.S.T 200. Why You’ll Love This Episode: •Outback beginnings: Sym’s...

This week’s mindful moment is beautifully simple and instantly energising: reach your arms to the sky. Whether you’re sitting, standing, or even lying in bed, pause and stretch your arms overhead. Open your palms, lengthen through your sides, and feel your fingers reaching tall. Inhale deeply as you stretch, and exhale as you slowly release. This gentle movement not only opens your body but also i...

Guest: Duc Do – AI expert, entrepreneur, author, and ultra-runner with a penchant for the “boring” and a training schedule that defies all conventional wisdom. Get Ready For: A wildly inspiring, deeply honest, and surprisingly hilarious conversation that proves there’s no single “right” way to be a runner. Duc’s story is a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and finding your own path. Why You’l...

This week’s mindful moment is a small shift with a big impact: press pause before you reply. In the middle of a busy day filled with conversations, it’s easy to react automatically. But what if you paused—just for one breath—before responding? That brief space allows your nervous system to soften, your breath to steady, and your awareness to return. Whether you’re talking with a loved one, a cowor...

In this powerhouse episode, we meet Gayle Cowling, who didn’t run a step until her mid-30s—and now? She’s completed multiple 100Ks, a 100-miler, and even a 500K multi-day stage race through remote South Australia (and danced into the finish line to Nutbush City Limits 🎶). Gayle’s story is full of grit, laughter, and pure love for adventure. From zero sport at school to racing Puffing Billy, conqu...

This week’s mindful moment brings your awareness to the smallest of movements: trace the shape of something with your finger. Choose a nearby object—your coffee mug, a pen, or even the corner of your notebook—and begin to slowly trace its outline with your finger. As you move, pay attention to the texture, temperature, and contours. Is it smooth or bumpy? Cool or warm? This gentle tactile practice...

Strap in—this is Part Two of our epic conversation with Aussie ultra-legend Kelvin Marshall, and trust us, you’re in for a ride. In this follow-up to Part One, we pick up mid-run—literally—on Kelvin’s 18-day running adventure across France. With just a backpack and a rough route, Kelvin recounts the highs, lows, chateaux visits, and sneaky hotel showers that made this DIY ultra unforgettable. But...

What do a 14-year-old laptop, a sub-3-hour marathon, and a vet-turned-race-doctor with a roll of Glad Wrap have in common? They’re all part of Kelvin Marshall’s wildly entertaining running life—and we’ve only just scratched the surface in Part One of this two-part ZenRUN Podcast episode! In this first instalment, Kelvin shares how a childhood spent walking Melbourne’s streets led to a lifetime on...

This week’s mindful moment invites you to transform the way you end your day: climb into bed with intention. Instead of collapsing into bed and reaching for your phone, take a moment to slow down and truly arrive. Feel the support of the mattress beneath you, the weight of the blanket as you pull it up, and the gentle shift in your breath as you settle in. This small act of presence signals safety...

What do you get when you mix fierce determination, Aussie grit, and a heart the size of a marathon course? You get Lee Troop—Olympian, race director, coach, father, and all-round legend. In this powerful, funny, and deeply human conversation, Lee takes us through his entire running journey—from chasing his dad around the streets of Geelong as a 10-year-old, to toeing the line at three Olympic Game...

This week’s mindful moment invites you to shift your awareness in a powerful and unexpected way: do one small task with your eyes closed. We rely heavily on vision to move through our day, but when you take it away—even briefly—your other senses step forward. Choose a safe, familiar task like brushing your hair, folding a towel, or sipping water, and try it with your eyes gently closed. You’ll lik...

Get ready to meet Phil Essam—a Tassie-born runner, race director, military man, walking enthusiast, historian of ultra running, and all-round top human. Phil’s journey started with laps around the block to beat bronchitis and somehow evolved into 24-hour track races, ultra marathons, and helping coordinate Jesper Olsen’s global runs. Yes, you read that right—he helped multiple runners run around t...

This week’s mindful moment invites you to reconnect with the world around you: step outside and notice the air. Whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go, take just 60 seconds to pause outside. Feel the temperature on your skin—is it warm, cool, breezy?  Breathe it in slowly and see if you notice any scents—the earthy smell of rain, fresh grass, or simply the scent of the day. Let your feet gr...

In this episode, we’re joined by Tasmanian adventurer-turned-runner Tom Lewis. From a childhood spent sailing and fishing on the northwest coast of Tasmania to hiking under glaciers in Canada, Tom has always loved moving through the world. But it wasn’t until later in life—after stepping back from full-time work—that he truly embraced trail running. Tom shares how the Gone Nuts trail event rekindl...

This week’s mindful moment is beautifully simple: put something down slowly. Throughout the day, we’re constantly picking things up and putting them down—coffee cups, keys, phones—usually without a second thought. Today, choose just one of those moments and slow it down. Feel the weight of the object in your hand, notice the way your fingers shift as you release it, and listen for the sound it mak...

From near death to ultra distances, Kelly Thrush’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. In this powerful episode of the ZenRUN Podcast, we sit down with Kelly—a recovering alcoholic and liver transplant recipient—who now runs ultras and has founded a non-profit to support transplant recipients and people struggling with addiction. Kelly opens up about hitting rock bottom, the turning point t...

This week’s mindful moment is all about bringing a little joy and rhythm into your day: move in time with music. Pick a song—any song—and let it guide your movement. You don’t have to dance (unless you want to). Whether you’re walking, doing chores, or just swaying while you wait for the kettle to boil, let the beat set your pace. Feel your breath sync with the rhythm, notice the way your body res...

What do you get when three generations of women lace up and hit the trails together? A whole lot of heart, laughter—and maybe the occasional friendly nudge to run a little further than planned. In this feel-good episode of the ZenRUN Podcast, we meet Sally Bower—the third (but not least!) runner in a family of past podcast guests. You’ve already heard from her daughter Harmony and granddaughter Ju...

This week’s mindful moment invites you to transform a chore into a meditation: clean one thing mindfully. Choose a single object—your kitchen bench, a mirror, your running shoes, even your keyboard—and give it your full attention. Slow down and notice the movement of your hands, the sound of the cloth, and the scent of the cleaner. Wipe, breathe, and observe. This simple act of presence turns a ro...