Dirt Church Radio Trail Running

Episode 158 - Barefoot Ted McDonald

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Barefoot Ted McDonald is a shaman. In 2009 he became a central character in Christopher McDougall’s best selling book about natural  running and mo...

Episode 157 - Scotty Hawker 2021

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Eugene and Matt come charging out of Level Four (well, figuratively) for an excellent conversation with Scotty Hawker.  If you’d asked Sc...

Episode 156 - Mary Fisher

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Eugene and Matt have the privilege and pleasure to speak with Aotearoa/New Zealand Para swimmer Mary Fisher! Prior to her retirement from th...

Episode 155 - Ryan Carr

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We have a first on this week’s Dirt Church Radio. We’ve never spoken to an actual (literal) shepherd before. Let alone a shepherd who goes after i...

Episode 154 - Bryon Powell

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Eugene and Matt head back to the Mountain Time Zone for an amazing conversation with iRunFar editor-in-chief Bryon Powell. We talk recovery ...

Episode 153 - Chloe Wickman

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seven years ago on a trip to Brazil Chloe Wickman noticed the overwhelming explosion of body positivity and vibrancy which saw all shapes and sizes em...

Episode 152 - WUU2K 2021 Special

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. Some would say that Gareth Thomas has enjoyed a magic run of weather in the four years that WUU2K (Wellington Urban Ultramarathon) ha...

Episode 151 - Stephen Redfern

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Redfern decided to run a half marathon in 2014. It went well. He then ran 100km a few months later. FIVE WEEKS after that Stephen completed hi...

Episode 150 - Ruth Croft 2021

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. 150 episodes!!! That’s like three years of Dirt Church Radio! Everything comes up gold with this one, as Matt and Eugene speak with...

Episode 149 - Caitlin Fielder 2021

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. This week Eugene speaks to Caitlin Fielder about her long road back from serious injury to her course record at Tarawera 50km, her bu...

Episode 148 - Martin "Rocky" Walker

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. This week Eugene and Matt have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Martin “Rocky” Walker of Further Faster. Rocky has been a f...

Episode 147 - Carl Read 2021

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. Fall down twice, get up three times... That's how it goes isn’t it? This week on the pod Eugene talks to former professional I...

Episode 146 - Paul Charteris 2021

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. “For our first episode of Dirt Church Radio we are privileged to sit down with Paul Charteris, the founder of Tarawera Ultramaratho...

Episode 145 - Mark Green

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. Lots of people say that they have run all their lives but by the time Te Anau’s Mark Green was 12 years old he had run 20 half mara...

Episode 144 - Elly Arnst

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. There is trail running and then there is getting after it in the wild places. The places where no matter what, your pack will be kind...

Episode 143 - Kay Bretz

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. Runners love routine, right? The overriding wisdom for most of us is consistency consistency consistency. Habit is an absolute streng...

Episode 142 - Jaime Stevenson

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week we have a chock full podcast for you. We run through the plethora of running events around the country, we run (ha!) through...

Episode 141 - The Sports Lab live show

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt bring you our DCR X Sportslab live show. We had the pleasure of speaking with Loren Abel, Vau...

Episode 140 - Fran McEwen

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt have a conversation with the indefatigable Fran McEwen. Where to start with Fran? She’s som...

Episode 139 - Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra Special 2021

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off after the love-in/mud pit /festival that was the 202...

Episode 138 - Dawn Tuffery 2021

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt jump in for a sweet little chat with running legend Dawn Tuffery. We talk about her stellar 2...

Episode 137 - Ben and Yonni Kepes

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau. This week on the podcast we have our first Father-Son double header! Eugene speaks to Ben and Yonni Kepes. Ben and Yonni are an ultra...

Episode 136 - Matt Girvan

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.This week on the podcast, Eugene and Matt have an engaging conversation with New Plymouth’s Matt Girvan. Matt lives in Edinburgh the...

Episode 135 - Jamie Hawker

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whānau.Jamie Hawker ran his first 100km at 18 years of age. He waited 40 years to do his second. This week, Eugene and Matt have their hearts...

Episode 134 - Ali Pottinger and Kerry Suter, Ask the Coaches

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. One of the most enjoyable things about spending such a long time on the mic with Squadrun founders Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger at Ta...

Episode 133 - Charles Williams

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Charles Williams (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi) is a walking anti-stereotype machine. This conversation is incredible, cov...

Episode 132 - Covid grab bag ft Jason Cameron and Katie Wright

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Lockdown Larries ride again!!! Back once again, just where you left us. Dismayed as we were that our holidays were interpreted by the ...

Episode 131 - Matt Urbanski

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. From atop a small wardrobe in Riverhead, and a campervan in Bannockburn, Matt and Eugene bring you Dirt Church Radio Episode 131. Matt...

Episode 130 - Tarawera Ultra 2021 special edition

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.We were somewhere around Ohinemutu on the edge of the lake  when the gels began to take hold. I remember saying something like ``I fee...

Episode 129 - Andrew Robinson

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.Andrew Robinson stood looking at the sign halfway between Mangatepōpō road and Soda Springs which encourages travellers to complete t...

Episode 128 - Brooke Thomas

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Falling behind the schedule that she’d set for herself, suffering the effects of low iron, arguing with her support crew who were im...

Episode 127 - Ian Evans

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Ian Evans loves games, literally any type of game - Monopoly, Cluedo, football, croquet, The Revenant. One of these things is not like...

Episode 126 - Dr Tom Reynolds

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.We’re close to bursting with excitement about the plethora of amazing late summer racing coming up, and we know you are too. There ar...

Episode 125 - Sarah Douglas

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. We are BACK and we are RUSTY, and Sarah Douglas is awesome … so it all washes out. Sarah has been involved with DCR from the jump, d...

Episode 124 - Dan Jones, Ruth Croft, Andrew McDowall and the DCR Kirihemete Ultra

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. For our last show of the year we can only say “Gosh, that escalated quickly”. For the first (and probably last) time we come to yo...

Episode 123 - Sarah Bouckoms

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. For our second-to-last show of the year Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of bringing you a conversation with Sarah Bouckoms. This epi...

Episode 122 - Kepler 2020 special ft Scotty Hawker and Fiona Love

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

 Kia Ora Whanau. The 2020 Kepler Challenge may not have been the race we wanted - what with the alternative course being in play for a second year on...

Episode 121 - Hanny Allston

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week is powerful. Eugene has the distinct pleasure of speaking with Hanny Allston. Hanny is based in Tasmania and is a high perfo...

Episode 120 - Markus Torgeby

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Matt sits down for a conversation with author and runner Markus Torgeby. Torgeby was 20 years old, a talented, and deeply un...

Episode 119 - Kunal Kumar

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt sit down with the one and only Kunal Kumar to talk about his love of photography and trail running. Kunal is...

Episode 118 - Zoë Rom.

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Eugene speaks to Zoë Rom. Zoë Rom is an Associate Editor of Trail Runner magazine in the US, and host of the DNF Podcast, a podcast about ...

Episode 117 - Glenn Sutton

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt are stoked to get to speak with Glenn Sutton. We tried last week, however Glenn was out supporting his mates...

Episode 116 - A DCR Short Sprint

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. One of the things that people say to us a lot is that they listen to DCR on their long run, because our shows are … long. This week ...

Episode 115 - Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, Aotearoa

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.This week...this week... gosh, it’s been a lot. It’s been a lot for many reasons, but concerning the casting of the pod, it’s mai...

Episode 114 - Amy Sproston

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

HEY! THERE’S BEEN RACES ON THIS WEEK!!! WOOOOOOOO. Matt and Eugene get amongst it with all the action from the Taupo ultramarathon, Three Peaks Plus...

Episode 113 - Meghan Hicks

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Meghan Hicks. Meghan is the managing editor of iRunFar, until very recently,( like, the Friday we s...

Episode 112 - Phil Rossiter

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Phil Rossiter,Old Ghost Ultramarathon Race Director and Chairman of the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry...

Episode 111 - Craig Kirkwood

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt and Eugene take a deep dive with coach extraordinaire Craig Kirkwood. Craig has been a life-long studen...

Episode 110 - Mel Aitken2020

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt and Eugene have another returning champion on the show. Mel Aitken. There was a time last year when it ...

Episode 109 - Brad Dixon 2020

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Matt talks to one of Dirt Church Radio’s original guests, Brad Dixon. Brad is a coach, runner, triathlete,...

Episode 108 - Damian Hall returns, triumphant

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week on the podcast, Eugene talks to returning guest Damian Hall about his Fastest Known Bimble of the 431 km Pennine Way. Damian...

Episode 107 - Kate Southern

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Kate Southern is known in her home of Palmerston North as “The Running Lady”. Not necessarily because she is out in all weather cl...

Episode 106 - Mikki Williden

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.We are back at it. Remote podcasting as the Lockdown Level III Larry’s that we are. This week Eugene has a banger of a conversation a...

Episode 105 - Jono Wyatt

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. New Zealand’s Jono Wyatt is a legend. The most decorated mountain runner in history with 6 world mountain running championships unde...

Episode 104 - Big's Backyard Big Four

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Sometimes you get an opportunity that is too good to pass up - like when Will Hayward messages you at 4pm on a Friday with the idea to...

Episode 103 - Mirna Valerio

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Matt was never as happy as when he woke up at 0130 for the chance to speak to the most wonderful Mirna Valerio. Mirna, now residing in...

Episode 102 - Maree Leith

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.This week Matt flies solo on the main interview and has the privilege to speak to Maree Leith, founder of Go Run Girls. Like many peopl...

Episode 101 - Sophie Grant

14 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Into our second century we are straight back to the mountains of Italy to speak to Sophie Grant. Sophie lived in the South Island unti...

Episode 100 - Tina White and Scotty Stevenson at the 100th ep live show

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to our 100th episode live show direct from the Barrel Room at Hallertau Brewery, Riverhead. We go down the rabbit hole (briefly) on the histor...

Episode 99 - Robbie Britton

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Joining us this week from the mountains of Italy is Robbie Britton. Robbie loves pushing himself, from constantly running around playi...

Episode 98 - Adam Keen

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. What do you say about Adam Keen? Adam and Katie Wright were the last two people at the Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultra Marathon and re...

Episode 97 - Andrew McDowall's Mountain Mission

16 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Best laid plans go awry, right? And we’ve certainly found that out more than often of late, but we’ve had a great run, so we aren’...

Episode 96 - Carl Read

09 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week on Dirt Church Radio Eugene speaks to fellow South Auckland kid and Ultraman champion Carl Read. Coming from a rugby and cricket background,...

Episode 95 - Dave Proctor

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Together at last. After two months of lockdown, Matt and Eugene are finally able to record in the same room. There’s even a high fiv...

Episode 94 - Ben Duffus

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. No longer Lockdown Larrys, but Level 2 Larrys, Eugene and Matt remain FOILED by Matt’s sore throat in their quest to podcast in the ...

Episode 93 - Sarah Hillary

12 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week we bring you a delightful conversation with Auckland Art Gallery’s Principal Conservator and ultra marathon runner Sarah H...

Episode 92 - Chris Hope

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

From our bedrooms to your bubbles, we bring you Dirt Church Radio in lockdown. Welcome. This week Eugene and Matt speak to Chris Hope, the founder of ...

Episode 91 - Vlad Shatrov

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau.We’ve been waiting for this one for a while. No, silly! Not Level 3. Vlad Shatrov!!! Initially we began engaging with Vlad around the...

Episode 90 - Rachel Smalley

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week from our bedrooms we are joined by journalist and broadcaster Rachel Smalley. One day, as a means of dealing with the stress...

Episode 89 - Terry Davis

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau .Week Three of lockdown and this week we bring you race director extraordinaire Terry Davis. This is a ripping yarn from one of the sta...

Episode 88 - Scotty Hawker's lockdown special

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. We’re all going through stuff at the moment, right? Distress, ennui, anger, denial, shock. All of these emotions and more as we cont...

Episode 87 - Dr Katie Wright's sensible prescription

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. We’ve just weathered our first weekend in New Zealand in lockdown and we are joined by Dr Katie Wright, fresh from her first shift a...

Episode 86 - Andy Good

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Andy Good is the New Zealand Mountain Running Champion. And the world has gone mad. New Zealand is in lockdown, and we are bringing th...

Episode 85 - Dr James Kuegler and Love (of running) in the Time of COVID-19

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora whanau. A week ago when we were speaking to John Ellis about caronavirus in Hong Kong it was in an abstract manner, this week it seems that pe...

Episode 84 - John Ellis

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. John Ellis moved to Hong Kong in 2010 and found himself unexpectedly drawn from the roads onto the city’s expansive network of trail...

Episode 83 - Scotty Stevenson

03 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Scotty Stevenson is a broadcaster and journalist best known for his rugby commentary and reporting which makes him automatically one of the most well-...

Episode 82 - Lucy Clark aka Adventurous Lucy

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Eugene and Matt get the band back together and engage in our first joint conversation of 2020 with the wonderful Lucy Clark. Lucy spent 66 ...

Episode 81 - Adam Kimble and Francesca Canepa

18 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. It’s another packed show this week, and one which touches on the losses that inevitably affect all of us in this life. We start by r...

Episode 80 - Tarawera Ultra Special

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. To bastardise a Lao Tzu quote, A journey of 100 miles begins with one step, and this week on Dirt Church Radio Eugene and Matt sit dow...

Episode 79 - Aaron Smart and Tarawera preview

04 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Eugene sits down to talk with film maker Aaron Smart about Chasing Pounamu, his stunning film about one man’s quest to finish the Tarawera...

Episode 78 - Ruth Croft

28 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week we come bolting out of the gate with a Dirt Church Radio mega-special of incredibleniscity. Matt and Eugene are reunited in ...

Episode 77 - Dwight Grieve

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora whanau. Whilst down in Te Anau for the Kepler Challenge in December Eugene and Matt had the pleasure of sitting down at Dwight Grieve’s dini...

Episode 76 - Mark Webber

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kia ora whanau! Eugene and Matt speak to nine-time Formula One Grand Prix winner and all round  legend Mark Webber about his career, a performance mi...

Episode 75 - Matt Rayment

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the podcast Eugene and Matt speak to Matt Rayment...huh? Yes, that’s right. Eugene finally gets revenge on Matt, who, having cruelly am...

Episode 74 - Mal Law, Will Hayward and 2019 wrap!

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia ora Whanau. This is the first Dirt Church Radio for 2020 and THE DECADE!!!!! 2019 was been a lot..Matt and Eugene find themselves scattered to the...

Episode 73 - Billy White

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia ora Whanau. This week, we speak with chef Billy White about his debut cookbook Eat, Run, Enjoy. The book combines two of Billy’s biggest passion...

Episode 72 - Kepler 2019 ft Vajin Armstrong, Nancy Jiang and more

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. What a weekend that was! This show was recorded live at the Fiordland Lobster Company meeting room (true story) during registration at...

Episode 71 - Tanya Bottomley

03 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia ora Whanau. Imagine being able to run because someone told you that was something that you were allowed to do. That running was something that you...

Episode 70 - Dave Beeche

26 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we speak with Dave Beeche, Managing Director of IRONMAN Oceania. Why IRONMAN, you ask? Because IRONMAN now owns two of the biggest races in...

Episode 69 - Chris Bisley

19 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Eugene and Matt talk to Chris Bisley about his Southern Seasons Miler campaign. That is four 100 mile races in the South Island in a calendar year. Th...

Episode 68 - Maggie Guterl

12 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Run 6.66666667 km within an hour. Then do it again. And again. Every hour. Do it 60 times until you are the last person standing at Bi...

Episode 67 - Damian Hall

05 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Most of us, at a certain time in our lives will undergo what noted developmental theorist Erik Erikson described as a psychosocial cri...

Episode 66 - Will Hayward and Katie Wright

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora whanau. Strap yourselves in for the biggest episode of Dirt Church Radio yet. We go all in with a double episode, two full conversations with ...

Episode 65 - Kerry and Ali from Squadrun

22 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Matt has the pleasure of speaking to Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger, founders of the coach lead running community SQUADRUN. The pair discuss ...

Episode 64 - Sam McCutcheon

15 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking to Wellington stalwart Sam McCutcheon. Sam loves running, and, whilst Sam woul...

Episode 63 - Tim Day

08 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Matt has the pleasure of speaking to Dr Tim Day, the race director of Tarawera Ultramarathon. It took us a while to complete the set, with ...

Episode 62 - Fiona Hayvice

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Fiona Hayvice was the second-ever guest on this-here podcast and this week Eugene and Matt have the pleasure of speaking to her again!...

Episode 61 - Lisa Tamati

24 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week Eugene and Matt speak with Lisa Tamati about love, loss, change, and whanau. Lisa’s list of accomplishments is well known,...

Episode 60 - Scotty Hawker, UTMB

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. This week, Eugene has the distinct pleasure of welcoming back to the show Scotty Hawker. Scotty had unfinished business with UTMB this...

Episode 59 - Speed Freaks

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kia Ora Whanau. Under the umbrella of mental health, substance dependence has a place that is most often misunderstood, reviled, largely silent. There...