Young Hearts Run Free Podcast

Well this is a spectacular episode, why? Well, not only are we joined by a brilliantly entertaining guest we also have a HUGE competition announcement!!  Season 2, Episode 15 is unmissable! Our guest this week is Nikki Johnstone, a fella who is making a big splash in the marathon distance, a fella who is addicted to racing. Nikki is a proud Scotsman who's lived in Germany for the last 15 year...

John & Steven expose themselves....yikes!!! Amidst the plethora of awesome guests who come on to the pod and give us their craic, words of wisdom and inspiration every now and again we like to just have a wee catch up, just the two of us. So that’s what is in store in this episode. We shoot the breeze about all sorts of stuff, incredibly most of it is running related!! So, here’s an hour that...

It's March, time for another treat, let's go Episode 13, Season 2!! And it's a huge huge welcome back to the pod to Debbie Martin-Consani. Ultra runner Debbie first appeared on YHRF in Episode 4 of Season 2.  She was busy prepping for The Spine Race (it got postponed) whilst juggling the social media rigours of the wonderful Marcothon. We catch up with Debbie this time around about all the st...

We're back for another blether. And this episode we're joined by yet another inspirational guest. Alan Cormack started running when he was 39 years old. Alan hasn't stopped running since. And what an incredible journey he's been on. Since his first 10k back in 2006 he's followed a steady but relentless rise through the distance landmarks. Half marathons became marathons. Marathons quickly became u...

In this brilliant episode John & Steven catch up with not 1 but 2 incredibly talented Scottish Ultra Runners! Iona Mackay and Jo Murphy join us to talk about the importance and benefit of training partners.  At a time when all we can do is run with one other person, thanks for that COVID, we hear all about how Iona & Jo inspire, motivate and drive each other on to reach new heights. I...

Episode 10 of Season 2 already?!?! The weeks are just melting away as we continue to enjoy the paradise of lockdown (convincing?) It's another belter of an episode as we're joined by James Waldie.  James enjoys running, like us all, but he's also not bad at it. not bad at all in fact. As you'll be able to tell when he modestly lets us know his 5k PB. James though is a man who prefers the stee...

Mel Sykes is a Yorkshire girl who hates being indoors.  She spent lots of that time outdoors last September completing a solo walk of our fav trail, the West Highland Way in Bonnie Scotland. In Season 2, Episode 9 John and Steven welcome their first ever guest from south of Hadrians Wall as Mel joins us for a brilliant natter about her WHW adventure. Listen on for some precious tips and point...

In this episode we welcome a guy who has a seriously good way of telling a serious personal story.   Graham Connolly competes at the sharp end of ultra marathons, battling for those cherished podium places for which he's enjoyed a few.  John & Steven caught up with him to find out more about how he found his spark in running and how he went from newcomer to competitor in a surprising...

We've held back the release of our next planned podcast, this week we were rocked by the news of the passing of John Kynaston. John was a well kent face in the ultra running community, in fact he was a well kent face in lots of communities. Our planned next podcast had already been recorded when we heard the extremely sad news about John. Like many other of our podcasts, John was mentioned in it....

A massive Happy New Year from us to you! And we've got your next episode as a welcome to 2021 treat! We're joined by GB 24 Hour team member, Grant MacDonald, for a fascinating look at his amazing foray into running and running and keeping on running. What makes Grant's story all the more remarkable is that he recovered from a brain haemorrhage in 2014 to then get to the qualifying standard for the...

2020, what a feckin year!! But it's one that has absolutely united the running community, right?!? In our final (?) episode of 2020 we catch up to look back on what has been the most unique year of our lives.  We try our utmost not mention the C word!! And we've our FIRST EVER COMPETITION!!!!!! We look at some of the highlights of the year (there were many) as well as some of the lowlights (t...

Season 2 keeps rolling, the guests keep showing. You're in for a festive treat as we welcome to the podcast ultra 'ultra marathon runner' Debbie Martin-Consani. Now, we could've spoken to Debbie for hours on end, her passion, insight and humour for running seem absolutely boundless.  So, instead of having an epic 5 hour long podcast we focussed on two things, the Montane Spine Race and Marcot...

We all love a quickie right??!! (fnrr fnrr) In episode 3 of Season 2 John and Steven have a catch up on the topic of December Running Challenges!! Many of you will be taking part in these, with Marcothon being a particular favourite. Many of you won't be partaking in them too. Whatever camp you're in we try to cover the bases. Find out what hair brained challenge John is in the midst of!! No prize...

John and Steven pick up the chat where we left off in the last episode with James Stewart. And if you enjoyed part 1 you will LOVE part 2. We delve further into James' career finding out about his recent John Muir Way FKT, his involvement in the amazing Dan Lawson's LEJOG effort and (in a first) we actually get talking about some proper running stuff like training load and focussed recovery! There...

It's the hotly anticipated Young Hearts Run Free Season 2 opener!! We did say we had a cracker for you and if you enjoy this one half as much as we did recording it then you're in store for a treat! John and Steven chew the fat with one of Scotland's finest long distance runners James Stewart.  James has enjoyed an absolute inspiring journey from middle of the pack marathoner to elite ultra m...

It's time to bring the curtain down on Season 1!! And we do so in style with Episode 20....... Steven catches up with John about his recent birthday treat, a 55 mile solo lapped ultra marathon in Perth. Did John manage to complete another unique choice of birthday celebrations? Listen to find out John was raising funds for the c200 Fund as he tackled 55 miles on 11 November 2020.  Read more a...

Welcome to Episode 19 of our wee podcast.  We really hope you're enjoying our chats so far! If you are let us know on our instagram https://www.instagram.com/youngheartsrunfreepodcast No guest on this episode but still plenty reason to give it a listen as John and Steven chew the fat about a ton of exciting stuff happening. First John, he's set himself a ludicrous target to 'celebrate' his up...

We first met Windy Wilson back in Episode 12. Known as the 'Scotland's Greatest Amateur Weatherman' the colourful meteorologist has amassed an epic sized following across his social media channels. But underneath all that wind an inspiring runner has evolved.  Already with marathons and an ultra under his belt his latest challenge was altogether different. And the reason for doing it was all about...

It's been a few weeks since our last pod, but this episode is worth the wait, Episode 17 of Young Hearts, Run Free is a belter. We're joined by Owain Williams aka @scottishrunner on insta.  Owain talks to John @J0hnCassidy & Steven @wattinperth about his running journey, and it's one worth hearing, trust us. From a standing start in 2008 Owain has taken his running to the next level, chop...

In this bumper episode (our longest pod to date) John & Steven are joined by a couple of very special guests.  Frank McGaffney and Ewan Stewart were lucky enough to be able to take part in the iconic Lairig Ghru Hill Race on Sunday 6 September 2020.   It marked Frank's 2nd attempt at the run but for Ewan it was a whole new experience, not only his first Lairig Ghru but also his first...

The episodes keep coming thick and fast.......join us for Episode 15 and our 4th Virtual Auchterarder Running Festival Special!! Steven was lucky enough to catch up with Chartered Physiotherapist Cammy Marr aka @PhysioCammy twitter link https://twitter.com/physiocammy Cammy (he's the one on the left in the podcast cover pic) gives us superb tips and advice on some of the most common running injuri...

It's part 3 of our Virtual Auchterarder Running Festival Specials!! In this brilliant episode Lynne Hoggan, better known as Pure Radio's Lynne on the Radio, joins John & Steven to speak about her own foray into the world of running. Not even a year ago Lynne took up running, convinced it wasn't for her but willing to give it  bash anyway. She had 'barely ever run the length of herself' be...

Join us for the 2nd edition of out Virtual Auchterarder Running Festival specials.  In this episode Steven catches up with marathon runner Andy Lochhead for some tips on pacing and motivation. Andy is in a good place to give out advice, in 2019 he completed pacing duties during the Auchterarder Half Marathon.  Asked to cross the finish line in under 2 hours he came in with just a few sec...

Oh ya hoor sir!!! In the first of our Virtual Auchterarder Running Festival episodes John and Steven catch up with Scotland's Greatest Amateur Weatherman Windy Wilson. Windy tells us about his own running journey including some awe-inspiring achievements , his participation in this years running festival and we delve into some of his amazing fundraising feats.  There's a few belly laughs along the...

In episode 11 we take the chance to find out a little bit more about on of your hosts. It's John taking the questions as he's interviewed by his co-host Steven Find out what brought John into running (clue......it's food related and some), his running inspirations, his progression through the distances from 5k right up to the West Highland Way Race Ultra Marathon and what he's got in store next! W...