In this episode, Finlay is joined by Harry Bolton, the product designer behind Ronhill's first range of trail footwear. Based near Keswick in the Lake District, Harry lives and breathes off-road running with several major race wins to his name, including being crowned both English and British U23 Fell Running Champion in 2022. Combine his fell running prowess with his Sports Engineering credentials and it's easy to see why Harry is perfectly placed to design and test trail running footwear for renowned brand Ronhill. Harry explains how he got into running, where his passion for product design ..read more

What is pronation? Are you an "overpronator" or an "underpronator"? How does it affect shoe choice? In this episode, Finlay and James try to answer common questions and dispel common misconceptions about foot pronation and biomechanics – looking at the importance of the gait analysis process in finding the right running shoes. Episode info starts at 09:56 Key takeaways: Pronation is simply the rolling inwards movement of your foot when it strikes the ground, and your body's natural shock absorption mechanism.  Pronation is a normal movement for runners and not something to be feared or ..read more

With autumn marathons fast approaching, Finlay and James talk through some key marathon training sessions to help build speed and endurance for the marathon, and prepare your body to be in prime shape come race day. Recent happenings covered first. Session info starts at 21:20.  James’ favourite sessions: Marathon-pace intervals with moderate recovery. 5K-4K-3K-2K-1K with 5-3 min recoveries. 15K total work. 4 x 2 mile-1 mile workout, alternating between 2 miles at 105% of marathon pace and 1 mile at 90%-95% of marathon pace. 12 miles total work. Renato Canova’s “Special Block”: 20K in ..read more

In this episode Finlay is joined by former Podcast guest and Maybury Shop Manager, James Dunn, to shed light on training with heart rate, and help you decide whether it is right for you. Donning their sports scientist hats, they explain how heart rate can be used as a useful tool and measure in defining and differentiating runs by level of intensity (from easy to moderate to hard), to create a varied and well rounded training routine - conducive to better overall fitness and endurance. Key takeaways:  In general, the lower zones are best for building your aerobic base and facilitating r ..read more

In this episode, Finlay and Jack talk through four key components of running training: Frequency Consistency Duration Intensity Explaining how constructing your running training plan around these four pillars – week-to-week and month-to-month – will lend to aerobic development and improvement.  In covering frequency and consistency, they touch on the importance of creating habits and routine by sticking to designated 'run days' as far as possible. In covering duration and intensity, they warn against the potential risks of a 'feast or famine' type approach, where massive weeks are foll ..read more

In this episode, Finlay and Jack talk super shoes and imposter syndrome – exploring the sense or perception runners often have that so-called "super shoes" are just for elite or fast runners, and putting forward reasons why that's not the case and how they can help everyone improve their running. Finlay runs through the features we expect with super shoes and exactly how they work to improve performance. Whilst Jack shares his experience of a recent 5k run in the Saucony Endorphin Elites. Whether you're after running shoes to make faster and harder running more sustainable, or running shoes ..read more

We’re back! In this episode, Finlay and new co-host Jack discuss the science behind tapering: what tapering is and why tapering is so important before race day.  While (as you’ll hear) every taper is highly individual, it typically involves the gradual reduction in training load (both distance and intensity) in the final two to three weeks ahead of an event, such as a marathon. Finlay and Jack delve into why running and tapering are equally essential parts of a complete training cycle – covering the dos and don’ts of how to taper effectively, why rest and recovery leads to improved perfo ..read more

In this episode Chris and Finlay run through the fundamentals of putting together your winter running wardrobe.  Whether this is your first winter as a runner, or it's always a season that blights your progress, this episode will run through how to build you running wardrobe to withstand the wind, rain, and cold.  To get in touch, email: the pod@run4it.com ..read more

Finlay wears his sports scientist hat in this episode while Chris grills him about heart rate variability (HRV) - the long-celebrated metric in sports science that measures the time variance between heartbeats to give an indication of stress and how prepared the body is to perform.  The new Garmin Forerunners 255 and 955 both come with long-term HRV tracking functionality, meaning Garmin watches are now providing something recreational athletes previously needed a Whoop band and subscription to monitor. Fortunately, Finlay's been using a Whoop band for sometime, and recently upgraded his ..read more

Trail running can vary from well manicured gravel roads, all the way up to braving the elements across challenging skyline routes. In many ways, it's road running without the concrete, but steeper gradients and inconsistent terrains can make the physical and logistical demands of the trails completely different. In this episode Chris and Finlay discuss everything you need to know to get started in trail running, whether you're just looking to mix up your surroundings and break the monotony of pounding the same old pavements, or you have ambitions to take to the mountains and tackle monster di ..read more