On this week’s episode Emma is joined by Damian Hall, ultrarunner, and co-founder of the Green Runners.

A record-breaking runner, Damian is often found on a podium at iconic races like the Spine Race, Dragon’s Back Race, the UK Ultra Trail Championships, Mozart 100 and Ultra Tour Monte Rosa, and most recently won the Montane Lakeland 100. He also has a ton of FKTs, but why does he run?

We chat about that very question and much more including:

• Running his first marathon as a toilet
• What's like representing Team GB
• Taking on the Barkley Marathons
• Mixing running with environmentalism

• The biggest environmental issues in running
• Can sport ever be sustainable

It’s an eye-opening episode about the beauty of running far, combining your passions, and, most of all, sticking to your values.

Check out Damian on socials @ultra_damo and the Green Runner's @the.green.runners. You can also join the Green Runners here.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you check out your host Emma Cole @emmasecole to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

What is textile performance? Why is a sewing machine so loud? Does technology have a place in art?

This week, Emma is joined by Harriet Riddell, a textile performance artist who creates art with her sewing machine. Harriet stitches stories and portraits in public places as she sees them - think life drawing blended with free‑motion embroidery.

Harriet has travelled the world with her sewing machine, stitching in bustling Indian markets, the humidity of Taiwan, and the joyful chaos of Glastonbury festival, as well as many other places.

Her work is spontaneous, she doesn't have a plan before she starts, instead she draws creativity from connection with people and places. To bolster this, people can pedal a bicycle alongside Harriet which powers her sewing machine, and this connection and conversation also influences her creative process.

In this episode Harriet shares:

• How she became a textile performance artist
• Her evolving creative process
• What it’s like working in public places
• The importance of connection and spontaneity
• Her views on the future of embroidery and impact of digital technology

Harriet’s warmth, passion and energy is contagious, and you don’t need to be into sewing or embroidery to enjoy this episode. By the end, you might just find yourself itching to pick up a needle or try out a sewing machine, or at the very least, look at the world a little differently.

Check out Harriet on socials and explore her website InStitchyou where you can try a free mini class on free motion embroidery.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

This week Emma is joined by breathwork coach, mentor, and former professional rugby player David Jackson, known as Jacko.

After a traumatic brain injury ended his rugby career, Jacko discovered breathwork. Now a Master Oxygen Advantage coach, he’s on a mission to make breathwork more accessible and help others use their breath as a tool for self-connection, healing, and high performance. Based in the rugged beauty of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdonia), Jacko is also an ultra runner who thrives on his local trails.

In this episode, we explore Jacko’s deeply personal journey with breathwork, from his TBI recovery to working with elite athletes, and being present for his father’s final breath. His passion for breathing and breathwork is both powerful and moving.

We dive into:

• What breathwork is
• Why learning to breathe better changes everything
• How breathwork enhances both everyday life and peak athletic performance
• The art of nasal breathing
• Breathwork’s role in endurance and ultra running

Whether you're new to breathwork or looking to deepen your understanding of breathing, this episode is absolutely fascinating. Be prepared to be more conscious of your breath even while you listen.

Follow Jacko on instagram @jacko.david.jackson and his Youtube channel @thebreathrunningcoach. You can also access his free foundations of breathwork course here and explore his workshops and other resources here. His book on running and breathwork is out April 2026.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

This week on the Passion Stories podcast, Emma is joined by Dr Sarah Ruggins, who recently smashed the LEJOGLE there and back overall record - cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again in just 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes.

That’s over 2,700 kilometres with 18,000 metres of elevation. Insane.

Sarah beat the men’s record by 6 hours 43 minutes, which was previously held by James MacDonald, and the women’s record by 4 days 17 hours 40 minutes which was held by Louise Harris. She also raised over £18,000 for the Bike Project and Bikes for Refugees at the same time.

In this conversation, we dive into:

• How she became an endurance cyclist 2.5 years after first picking up a bike
• What drove her to take on the outright record
• How she refined her mindset
• The highs and lows of the challenge (cue delirium and riding in circles)
• What’s next on her radar

• Sarah’s dream dinner party guest list and menu (spoiler: it’s hilarious)

It’s a wild and inspiring episode filled with grit, honesty and plenty of heart.

Follow Sarah on instagram @sarah_ruggins to keep up to date with her next challenge.

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

Can you be a professional athlete in two different sports?

In the latest episode Emma is joined by Annabel Fisher who is both a pro gravel cyclist and pro nordic skier. From March to October Annabel rides her bike, and in the winter she cross country skies for Switzerland.

Annabel is a real force, from studying at Cambridge university and flying planes in the RAF, to winning the Gravel Earth Series in 2023 and the British gravel championships in 2024, to skiing for Switzerland, but most of all she’s infectiously passionate about what she does and how she does it.

We chat about who she came to be a professional athlete, her skiing career and her gravel cycling career, why she chose those two sports and how she balances it all.

She also shares about coping with pressure, the importance of giving herself space for opportunities, and, of course, the origin of her formidable nickname, Shotgun.

Annabel is full of energy and incredibly inspiring - listen now on all platforms!

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✨🎙️ Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast. Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

In this episode, Emma is joined by legendary animator, director, and filmmaker Aaron Blaise, best known for his work on Disney classics including The Lion King, Brother Bear, and Beauty and the Beast.

Hand drawn over three years, Aaron opens up about his latest film Snow Bear which tells the story of a polar bear’s journey through a melting Arctic and explores the themes grief, climate change and resilience.

He also reflects on his 21 years at Walt Disney and co-directing Brother Bear for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.

From bringing iconic Disney characters to life to creating CreatureArtTeacher, Aaron shares how he hopes to inspire others to get involved in animation and hand-drawn storytelling, as well as what continues to drive his passion after decades in the industry.

It’s a a candid and inspiring conversation about creativity and staying connected to your passion, even when the path changes.

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#passionstories #podcast #animation #disney #storytelling #snowbear

Is indoor cycling a cult? Why is spinning so popular but also so divisive? Is there a difference between the two?

This week, Emma is joined by Melissa Power, indoor cycling instructor and founder of Cadence Indoor Cycling in North London. With 17+ years in the fitness industry, Melissa shares what it’s really like on the instructor’s podium, how indoor cycling differs from spin classes, and what it takes to build a thriving fitness community.

We also dive into:

• The rise of indoor cycling and its cult-like following
• What it takes to be an instructor, from the music, motivation, to the lights and vibe
• Creating sustainable, inclusive fitness spaces, both online and offline

Melissa's passion for group exercise and indoor cycling is awesome, as is her insight into the evolving fitness industry.

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Follow and share the Passion Stories Podcast 💥 Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.

This week Emma is joined by Mark Beaumont. Best known for holding the Guinness World record for cycling around the world in under 80 days, Mark has rowed oceans, been to over 130 nations and territories and written 6 books, all of which has cultivated another passion, impact investing. Mark shares how he got into investing early stage companies in science and technology, what he looks for in entrepreneurs and how he mitigates risk. He talks about greenwashing, the evolution of ESG, and why impact investing matters. Mark also shares how his expeditions have formed his view on the world, and what he hopes to achieve now.

It’s a fascinating insight into transitioning from an athlete to business advisor and investor, as well as into the world of ESG and responsible investing.

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Follow, subscribe and share the Passion Stories Podcast 💥 Plus make sure you follow your host Emma Cole @emmasecole on socials to find out who the next inspiring and passionate guest is coming to your ears in a fortnight.