Not everyone loves running for the running itself — and that’s okay.

This week on The Pace Invader, I speak with Matt, a Weymouth runner who describes his parkruns as “40 minutes of pain” that he doesn’t exactly enjoy. But what he does enjoy — and what keeps him coming back — is the community, the friendships, and the boost to his mental health.

Matt shares:

How signing up for Race for Life in memory of his parents kick-started his running.
Why the first parkrun will always mean the most to him.
The role running plays in his mental wellbeing.
How running with family and seeing his sister-in-law thrive has inspired him.
This is a story about connection, resilience, and finding joy beyond the stopwatch.

We discuss a few other podcasts such as
Off Menu - https://open.spotify.com/show/0azMejb7zrmAqctVsUSAdq?si=eba1e2cdeedf43a2
Five Brilliant Things - https://open.spotify.com/show/1iK5KBPvzHA8AjvRfZhrUP?si=75866c6bc7264af6
Strangers on a Bench - https://open.spotify.com/show/5stjSreUX9Y9iUYv0KSxBH?si=e98e9a626655490d
The Dollop - https://open.spotify.com/show/3m9c2ibJOYiigvVuswYSgU?si=112e022edffd433e

Running since 1980, today’s guest has completed 126 marathons and 44 Ironmans across 22 countries, including two starts at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. He ran the first London Marathon in 1981 and is aiming to return for the 50th anniversary in 2031.

We had a chat after Dunstable Downs Parkrun and in this episode, we cover four decades of running: how marathons felt in the days before technology, the pride of competing shoulder to shoulder with athletes like Hugh Jones, the importance of setting new challenges, and what keeps him coming back year after year.

We also dive into the mental game of endurance: why resilience often matters more than speed, how to push past the wall, and the lessons he’s learned about motivation, community, and finding balance through sport.

This is an inspiring, wide-ranging conversation with someone who has seen running evolve over generations — and who still has unfinished business on the start line.

You can find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ironmate_coaching/

Tom’s only five parkruns in — but he’s already hooked. What started as a way to prepare for Hi-Rox has turned into chasing personal bests, early-morning 5Ks, and testing himself against friends in the gym.

In this conversation, we talk about the buzz of parkrun, the role of competition in training, why running is so powerful for mental health, and how nutrition, supplements, and even Netflix documentaries have influenced his approach.

Whether you’re brand new to running or chasing your next milestone, Tom’s story shows what happens when you just get out and give it a go.

Richard has been running for over 20 years, ever since training for a Kilimanjaro trek led him to charity 10Ks and then marathons, ultras, and orienteering adventures. In this conversation, we cover his proudest races, the mental tricks he uses to keep going, the balance between running solo and with others, and why focus is his superpower.

Whether it’s beating the clock, navigating unknown terrain, or racing a boat along the Thames, Richard proves that endurance is as much a mental game as a physical one.

Hetan doesn’t call himself a runner — but with almost 250 parkruns under his belt, I’d disagree.

He started before COVID with Couch to 5K, and now rarely misses a Saturday. We talk about his proudest moment (a surprise PB at Bushey Park’s 1000th!), tourism challenges, why he listens to podcasts when he runs, and how parkrun became a weekly ritual for him and his wife.

This is a gentle, honest chat with someone who just keeps showing up — and found clarity, consistency, and community along the way.

Jason started running at 48, just to keep in touch with some mates — and now he’s done over 110 different parkruns across Australia and the UK. We met at Seaton parkrun (pebbles, pain, and a lovely sea breeze), and caught up after his run.

We talk about getting into running later in life, half marathons that “just sort of happened,” the joy of parkrun tourism, and why sometimes your best pace is “just finishing.”

Apologies for the slight audio echo in places — but it’s a fun, thoughtful conversation with a runner who’s covered a lot of ground, literally.

Matt hasn’t run since August last year — and today, he came back.

We catch up after Weymouth Parkrun at the end of June 2025. In this honest and often funny conversation, he shares what it took to get there. We talk illness, motivation, mental health, community, and the tiny victories that mean everything. There’s no dramatic finish line moment here — just a quiet, powerful comeback.

In this episode, I talk with Ray—66 years old and running for the joy of it. He shares how he got back into running thanks to a neighbour, and why he values going solo, a steady pace, and peaceful surroundings over personal bests.

We reflect on running as therapy, the beauty of simply moving forward, and the memory of a lost loved one who now inspires every run.

A gentle, thoughtful conversation about what running gives us—and why we keep coming back to it.