Any Given Runday

In this episode of the Any Given Runday podcast, Ray Shah (@rayshah on Instagram) shares his journey from being unfit and overweight during Covid to becoming a competitive athlete in Hyrox with multiple podium wins and World Championship appearances. 
He discusses his weight loss transformation, the importance of diet and training, and the role of community in fitness. Ray emphasises the significance of pacing and strategy in races, the value of coaching with Jake Dearden and Sean Noble, and the lessons learned from early competitions. He talks about Tryka, a new fitness event that aims to be more inclusive than Hyrox, with their second event happening this weekend in the RDS, where he competes and was the MC of the first event back in October.
Ray shares his top tips for success in Hyrox races and the importance Ray highlights the importance of enjoying the journey and the experiences that come with it.

06:00 Welcome to the Podcast, Ray Shah
07:36 Ray's Journey into Fitness
10:03 The Impact of COVID on Health and Being Unfit
13:09 The Importance of Diet and Losing 25kg
15:14 Training Regimen and Challenges
18:02 Discovering Hyrox
24:54 First Race Experience in Madrid
28:39 Success at Hyrox Dublin and first podium finish
32:54 The Competitive Edge in Racing
36:53 Training Smarter, Not Harder
42:38 The Rise of Tryka: A New Fitness Community and Inclusive Hybrid Race Series in Ireland
51:14 Enjoying the Journey in Fitness
You can follow us on Instagram:
@anygivenrundaypodcast

Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit
The NI Running Show is coming on 7th & 8th of February in the Eikon Centre, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets
You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com

In this episode of the Any Given Runday podcast, after DNF'ing Art O'Neill in 2023, Seán talks about his second attempt at it over the weekend... and why he didn't tell Eric about it beforehand
If you're looking for the top tips and inside scoops on how to complete AON, Seán is probably not the best example of that, as he talks about his experiences running through the night and the following morning in all sorts of conditions, terrain and challenges he faced
It's a fantastic, well organised event full of challenges and definitely an adventure element to it.
In the second half of the podcast, the lads both open up with their struggles in their journey right now, setbacks, challenges, routine and more. 

00:53 Seán's Decision to take on Art
04:02 The Start of the Race and Historical Context to Art O'Neill
09:43 Early Challenges and Steep Climbs
14:49 Checkpoint Reflections and Weather Woes
19:55 The Struggles of Navigation, Terrain & Climbing
24:48 Final Stretch and Silly Mistakes
29:51 Reflections on the Experience and Future Plans
30:19 Facing Injuries and Embarrassment
31:44 The Mental Battle of Training
34:16 Finding Community in Running
37:15 The Importance of Goals and Accountability
40:31 Embracing the Journey of Running
49:05 The Reality of Training and Motivation
54:56 Looking Ahead: Future Races and Goals
You can follow us on Instagram
@anygivenrundaypodcast

Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit
The NI Running Show is coming on 7th & 8th of February in the Eikon Centre, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets
You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com

In this episode of the Any Given Run Day podcast, mountain and trail runner Zak Hanna (@zakhanna on Instagram) shares his journey from cycling to becoming a competitive mountain runner at the highest level. He discusses his experiences in various international competitions, the challenges of downhill running, and the importance of mindset and training in harsh conditions. 
Zak reflects on his achievements, including his fifth-place finish in the World Mountain Running Championships, and emphasises the significance of enjoying the journey as an athlete. He also shares insights on training strategies, injury prevention, and his future goals.
07:00 Introduction to Zak Hanna & The Journey to Trail Running
11:34 Transition from Cycling to Running
16:07 First Experiences in Competitive Running
19:03 The Challenge of Downhill Running
25:07 Mindset in Extreme Sports
26:11 Training Consistency in Winter
28:11 Running with a Canine Companion
31:59 The Joy of Running with Dogs
32:34 Training Locations: From Kenya to Italy
35:16 Becoming 5th in the World in Thailand
41:59 Celebrating Achievements and Future Goals
46:19 Training Strategies and Injury Prevention
51:20 Upcoming Races and more

You can follow us on Instagram:
@anygivenrundaypodcast

Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit
Coming on 7th & 8th, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets
You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com

In this episode of the Any Given Runday podcast, Paul Pollock (@ppmarathon on Instagram) shares his journey from a junior runner to becoming an Olympian and elite marathoner. He discusses the challenges of injuries, the transition from shorter distances to marathons, winning the National Championships in 2012 and the impact of training with elite athletes. Paul also delves into his unique approach to training, including the role of cycling in his preparation, and reflects on his experiences at the World Championships, the Rio and Tokyo Olympics and training in the NN Running Team alongside some of the top runners in the world. As a coach, he emphasises the importance of individualised training and building a strong foundation for marathon success.

18:00 We welcome Paul Pollock to the AGR podcast
22:03 Injuries and Comebacks: The Road to the Marathon
24:25 Transitioning from 5k to the Marathon Distance and winning the national Championships
36:14 World Championships and Olympic Dreams
42:38 Training with the Elite: Insights from the NN Running Team
44:27 The Impact of Cycling on Marathon Training
54:14 Navigating Injuries: The Achilles Experience
57:29 Tokyo 2020: A Unique Olympic Experience
63:12 Coaching Philosophy: Individualised Training for Success
You can follow us on Instagram:
@anygivenrundaypodcast

Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit
Coming on 7th & 8th, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets
You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com

The second half of 2025 brought a different kind of energy to Any Given Runday from race-day nerves and strategies, post marathon blues and pitfalls, big challenges, and honest conversations about what really goes into endurance sport.
From first time marathoners to elite athletes, to caffeine, strength work, climbing the tallest peaks in the world, and ballsy strategies to endurance challenges, this episode captures some the lessons and the craic on the podcast from July through December.
Whether you’re deep in winter training, recovering from a big year, or already eyeing your next start line, this Best Of is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from one perfect session, it comes from showing up, learning, and staying curious.
Thanks again for making 2025 our biggest year yet. This one’s for the runners, the thinkers, and the ones still figuring it out.

2:01 Anne & Jamie on what to expect on Dublin Marathon morning
5:49 The Fantastic 4, with Cliodhna on signing up for her first ever marathon
10:46 Rob Dwyer, who does lane swimming on a Monday
11:15 Niamh Culhane on caffeine and performance: benefits, timing, and pitfalls
18:50 Learning about The Speed Project and the lads’ ballsy approach to it
25:55 Sarah Kelly on why women’s training is different and how research lagged behind on purpose
34:10 Mick Fox’s Dublin Marathon approach from our first-ever YouTube Live episode
38:55 Kevin English with post marathon advice most runners ignore
45:51 Will Boyle on the turning point that started his running journey
55:37 Enda Kilgallon breaks down the strength exercises runners should actually be doing
63:24 Andy Nolan on why Denali was the hardest peak he’s climbed so far

You can follow us on Instagram:
@anygivenrundaypodcast
Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit
Coming on 7th & 8th, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets
You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com