Paul Ward is the visionary behind The Nine Four, a groundbreaking running crew that has redefined the running culture in Cape Town. Paul’s journey began with a bold mission: to break down the social and racial barriers that once divided communities. At a time when people of different skin colours were rarely seen running or socialising together, Paul founded The Nine Four—a crew that has grown into a powerful symbol of unity and inclusivity.
With just 30 members, The Nine Four isn’t just about running—it’s about creating a space where diverse individuals come together to connect, share experiences, and celebrate their love for movement.
In this conversation, we dive deep into Paul’s personal journey, the evolution of The Nine Four, and the impact of creating a space that celebrates togetherness, inclusivity, and breaking barriers.
This is an inspiring story of how running became a catalyst for change and connection in Cape Town, and how a small crew is helping reshape a community, one step at a time.
Follow The Nine Four: @theninefour
Follow Paul: @wardgeous
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In the first of our marathon special episodes, we dive into our top training tips and answer your marathon training related quandaries.
We’re also joined on the sofa by our new 5ME producer, Georgie, who will also be running London marathon this year! With 8 weeks to go until race day for Georgie and Rose and just 5 weeks to go for Steph, we chat through the highs, lows and learnings from our training over the last few weeks, including battling flu, freezing temperatures and a very very long run.
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How do you prepare for races that last hours and hours? Does sleep deprivation affect you running through the night? Does being a professional trail runner provide a sustainable full-time income?
In this episode we are joined by GB ultra runner, Fi Pascall. Fi runs for Salomon, whilst also working as a strength coach and Pilates instructor, living and training in the stunning Quantock Hills of Somerset. But that’s not all – Fi and her husband, Matt, have just launched Trail Retreats, all inclusive trail running weekends in the heart of nature, just 2 hours from London.
Having always been active, Fi’s journey as a pro ultra runner began with the legendary Bob Graham Round in the Lake District, sparking further curiosity about where she could go with the sport. We delve into what goes into preparing for ultra trail races, what it’s like to be running on no sleep and what it is about trail running that’s attracting everyone to the scene!
If you would like to book your Trail Retreats weekend away, use code '5miles20' for 20% off your trip at trailretreats.co.uk!
Follow Fi: @fipascall
Follow Trail Retreats: @trail.retreats
Follow us on Instagram & YouTube: @5mileseasy
This is not just about pregnancy! 1 in 3 women are affected by pelvic floor dysfunction. Urinary leakage, urgency and even lower back pain may be signs that your pelvic floor could use some help! Top pelvic health specialist, Emma Brockwell, shares exactly what we should be doing to improve our pelvic floor health - and it's surprisingly simple.
Pelvic floor issues can affect anyone, at any age, regardless of whether they’ve had children or not. Whether you’re a recreational runner, an elite athlete, or somewhere in between, your pelvic floor plays a huge role in your performance, recovery, and overall well-being.
It's a topic that should be on everyone's radar. Through Emma's incredible work with professional women’s football teams and contributions to the FIFA Female Health Project, she is playing a leading role in providing education about pelvic floor health and de-stigmatising pelvic floor disorders to achieve just that.
Follow Emma on Instagram: @physiomumuk
Follow us on instagram & YouTube: @5mileseasy
In this episode we are joined by a true force in the world of endurance sport, Gerda Steyn.
Gerda started her running career later than many after leaving the corporate world and quickly rising to become one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport.
With three Comrades Marathon victories, including record breaking performance on both the up and down runs, as well as five wins at Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, Gerda has cemented her place as a national hero in South African distance running.
But her achievements don’t stop at ultras. In 2024, Gerda achieved the seemingly impossible—winning Two Oceans in April, taking her third Comrades title in June, competing in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, and finishing her year with a strong performance at the Valencia Marathon. We’ll be unpacking how she managed such an incredible schedule, what drives her success across distances, and how she balances the physical and mental demands of being a professional distance athlete.
Follow us on Instagram and YouTube: @5MilesEasy
WE'RE BACK! And we're kicking off the new season in Cape Town. Both of us are on training camp in South Africa working towards some exciting goals for 2025. We catch up on what races we're aiming for, 2025 goals and highlights from Cape Town. But it's not all been drama free on the trails...
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We can hardly believe it, but that's a wrap on 5 Miles Easy for 2024! For our Christmas special, we're joined by no other than our long suffering partners, Charlie and Joe. We run through our highest highs, biggest fails, and most important learnings of 2024 as well as hearing about all the running (or not running) Charlie and Joe have been doing this year.
Grab a mince pie and settle in for some festive fun!
Follow us on Instagram @5mileseasy and if you’re enjoying the show, please do us a big favour by leaving us a lovely rating!
Thanks to our sponsor of this episode:
ENERTOR:
The revolutionary running insole that absorbs 51% of the force of each foot strike. Designed for and with elite runners, Enertors not only protect you from injury but also boost your energy return, helping you run faster for longer, pain-free.
Want to experience the Enertor difference? Try them out risk-free on their website with their 60-day money-back guarantee. And for our lucky listeners, you can get 15% off, using the code “5MILESEASY” at checkout.
Follow us on Instagram and Youtube @5mileseasy and if you’re enjoying the show, please do us a big favour by leaving us a lovely rating!
Thanks to our sponsor of this episode:
ENERTOR:
The revolutionary running insole that absorbs 51% of the force of each foot strike. Designed for and with elite runners, Enertors not only protect you from injury but also boost your energy return, helping you run faster for longer, pain-free.
Want to experience the Enertor difference? Try them out risk-free on their website with their 60-day money-back guarantee. And for our lucky listeners, you can get 15% off, using the code “5MILESEASY” at checkout.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hannah is an ultra runner, adventurer and co-founder of the fitness and wellness Instagram account, Twice the Health. Hannah has pushed her limits on trails and roads around the world, and is now embracing the challenge of her new role as a mum.
Through Twice The Health, Hannah has shared her journey of balancing her love of endurance sport with the joys and challenges of motherhood. She’s candidly shared the realities of running through pregnancy and her exciting plans for postpartum recovery.
In this episode, Hannah discusses her personal experiences and offers tips for navigating fitness during and after pregnancy. Whether you’ve followed TTH for years or interested in the insights to pregnancy and running, this episode will inspire you to embrace your own adventures.
Follow us on Instagram and Youtube @5mileseasy and if you’re enjoying the show, please do us a big favour by leaving us a lovely rating!
Thanks to our sponsor of this episode:
ENERTOR:
The revolutionary running insole that absorbs 51% of the force of each foot strike. Designed for and with elite runners, Enertors not only protect you from injury but also boost your energy return, helping you run faster for longer, pain-free.
Want to experience the Enertor difference? Try them out risk-free on their website with their 60-day money-back guarantee. And for our lucky listeners, you can get 15% off, using the code “5MILESEASY” at checkout.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we sit down with British marathon runner, Becky Briggs, who has just completed Valencia Marathon in an incredible time of 2:32.
Becky’s passion and insights into her running journey are inspiring. At just 24 years old, Becky has already been running for 15 years and has had many notable achievements including multiple GB vests, participating in the 2022 European Championships and a marathon personal best of 2:29.
We talk through Becky's running journey since a junior, the challenges she's faced along the way and how they have shaped her resilience, as well as her preparation for the Valencia Marathon and race day goals.
🎙️ Available on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Sixth Mile is back! This episode was recorded just before Steph ran Valencia marathon - we go through how she was feeling right before the race, the mindset tactics that she planned to utilise and her race day goals.
And while Steph has been nailing marathon sessions, Rose has finally done some proper running and discusses what the build back has looked like. We also chat about our running highs, lows and learnings over the last 4 weeks and share some great listener running stories.
Follow us on Instagram and Youtube @5mileseasy and if you’re enjoying the show, please do us a big favour by leaving us a lovely rating!
Thanks to our sponsor of this episode:
ENERTOR:
The revolutionary running insole that absorbs 51% of the force of each foot strike. Designed for and with elite runners, Enertors not only protect you from injury but also boost your energy return, helping you run faster for longer, pain-free.
Want to experience the Enertor difference? Try them out risk-free on their website with their 60-day money-back guarantee. And for our lucky listeners, you can get 15% off, using the code “5MILESEASY” at checkout.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.