Welcome to 'Road to Kwinana Freeway' Episode 01.

This WA Running Podcast Training Series follows 4 athletes as they work toward their goals at the 2025 Perth Running Festival. The training series title pays homage to the infamous out and back along Kwinana Freeway is in our opinion the toughest segment of any road race in WA.

In episode 01, we're joined by the poster girl of the WA Marathon Club Nita Traeger as she prepares to take on the half marathon where she hopes to hit a PB in the lead up to a big marathon later this year. We're also joined by Matt 'Smithie' Smith, who not only claims to be the best looking bloke on this podcast (3/10), but is not shabby in the marathon running a 2:22 with big dreams of going well below the coveted 2:20 mark.

We talk about their whys, their previous Perth Running Festival experiences and their plans for the 2025 edition.

Finally, we're joined by specialist Gaby Villa from Intenseatfit (@intenseatfit on insta) who provides some important nutritional advice as we head into our peak weeks of training.

We wouldn't have this training series if it weren't for these guys:

The Running Centre: Whether you’re gearing up for Sydney, City2Surf, Melbourne or the Perth Running Festival, the Running Centre is your destination for sports nutrition and all your running gear. Use code WARP15 at checkout to score 15% off all running gear and nutrition in store or online. The Running Centre. Let’s move together. https://therunningcentre.com.au/

Bix Nutrition: Supporting the likes of Stewy McSweyn, Matt Ramsden, Rose Davies, and trail superstar Philemon Kiriago, BIX products deliver the perfect balance of carbs, electrolytes and micronutrients with a light, clean, natural taste ideal for endurance training, racing and recovery. BIX Nutrition & Hydration. Keep showing up. Use 'WARP' to get 20% off Bix Nutrition & Hydration Products. https://bixvitamins.com/

Reach PB Sports: Cofounded by Vlad Ixel from Bix, Reach protein products give you what it takes to push beyond your reach, setting new benchmarks, breaking them, over and over again. Redefining & reinventing your limits with the essential nutrition you need to reach higher. Use 'WARP' to get 20% off Reach products. https://reachsports.shop/

Reach out and connect! Instagram: @warunningpod Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 18th August 2025

With Chris on WARP annual leave, relief guest hosts Vici Richardson and Curtis McEntee from Wolves Run Club joins Simon this week as we talk about their final preparations leading into Sydney Marathon on the 31st August.

We recap what is quickly becoming one of the biggest races in the WA running calendar, the 5th edition of Transcend and find out whether Team WARP finished the race or whether they DNF’d due to Simon’s inability to swim. Mountain goats Christie Lori and Michael Dimuantes take out the 67km solo races.

We also cover the WAMC Cyril Norman Run down at Lake Gwelup, as well as the marathon over in Christmas Island.

Michael Edgar’s farts, Braeden Pantling , Colin Dismuke, Nick Bamford and Dane Sproxton and mum Amanda feature in this week's weapons of WARP.

Socials

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 11th August 2025.

This week we’re joined by former NCAA Div 1 athlete and fresh off his stellar half marathon debut at the state half marathon championships just over a week ago, Frontrunner's Max Mahon.

This episode we also cover the Backroads Gravel Ride & Run (well the run bit anyway) up in Chapman Valley as well as the Birdy's Backyard Ultra down in Lake Towerrinning.

We cover some WARP admin that includes our next Community Run on Wednesday 3rd September with The Running Centre, with New Balance and Bix joining us for a wear test and post run hydration.

Joe Murphy, Will Pethick, Renee Ioppolo and the Road Toll at Sydney's City to Surf feature in this week's weapons of WARP.

Results

• Gavin Anderson & Shaye Pett win the Backroads Grave Run Marathon
• Colin Moulden takes the W at Birdy's Backyard Ultra with 59 yards with Simon Bannett with the assist; Margie Hadley the top woman with 33 yards.

Socials

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 4th August 2025

This week, we’re joined by accomplished trail runner, exercise physiologist, recent podcaster and race director of Transcend Shane Johnstone as we preview the 2025 edition of Transcend Trails.

We also recap the State Steeplecha…wait no it was the State Half Marathon Championships aka. the WAMC Perth Half down at the WAMC clubrooms that saw Dean Menzies and Lauren French take out the wins in brutal conditions.

Loz French, Ashlee Ritson and Adam Loughnan feature in this week’s weapons of WARP.

Join us this Wednesday for a shakeout run with Shane down at F45 Duncraig at 5pm before some brews at Rocky Ridge Duncraig at 5:45pm.

Check out Shane’s ‘Transcendent Few’ Podcast on all the podcast platforms.

Casual Kudos Mark Griffiths.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 28th July 2025.

The man with the hair, and this year's inaugural Todd Ingraham Legacy Trophy winner Max Davidson joins us on the pod to chat about his 2025 Rotto marathon win, his running journey and progression, and the story behind the inaugural Rotto marathon bib on his back.

This week we cover results from the City to Surf Karratha edition, the State Cross Country Championships with some close results, and PTS Truth and Consequences.

We preview the upcoming state half marathon championships aka the Perth Half this Sunday, where we make wild and most likely inaccurate predictions.

In WARP admin, we tease our upcoming training series, and Carl Harrison, Colin Dismuke, Pamela and Mikaela from WAMC, and Vlad’s dog Lily feature in this week’s Weapons of WARP.

Results:

• Lachlan Hansen and Alycia Manissier take out the 12km at City to Surf Karratha
• Mackenzie Burgoyne and Isabel Traill take out the PTS Truth and Consequences Double Black 50km
• Jake Nowicki and Nikita Fredonnet take out the Black 24.6km
• Boy wonder Dane Sproxton and Nicky McPherson take out the Blue 10.1km
• Amy Buckingham edges out Coco Smargiassi in the open women's state cross country title
• Luke Bate takes out the open men's state cross country title.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 21st July 2025

The ‘man who doesn’t breathe’ Matt Smerilli joins us this week as we cover results from the Kalgoorlie Pipeline Marathon with course records in the men’s 50km and marathon falling as part of a Rams Running sidequest that also included Smithie taking out the Cable Beach 5km dash for cash up in Broome.

Meanwhile course records continue to fall in Perth with Dean Menzies breaking the 10km WAMC Shelley course record in 30:47.

We discuss a final change to our Transcend team who not only brings the mean average age of the team down, but we hope will steer us to a good Team Relay result on August 16.

Jackie Kellerman, David Perich, Ansen Soon and Simon saying the C word to warrant an explicit content rating in the episode upload feature in this week’s Weapons of WARP.

Results:

- Vlad Ixel and Jackie Kellerman take out the Goldfields Pipeline Marathon 50km running a 3:17:10 (CR) and 3:50:07 respectively

- Karlos Aquino and Kiarra Nazaroff running a 2:44:49 (CR) and 3:21:37 respectively

- Dean Menzies and Rebecca Bolster taking out the WAMC Shelley Loop 10km in a time of 30:47 (CR) and 36:14 respectively

- Oliver Stempfl-Macdonald and Coco Smargiassi taking out the 3km in 9:09 and 10:08 respectively.

- Matt Smith and Sian Munks taking out the Cable Beach Tri 5km Dash for Cash in 17:37 and 20:17 respectively.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Bristol Stool Chart:

Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like nuts (difficult to pass).

Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy.

Type 3: Sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface.

Type 4: Sausage-shaped or snake-like, smooth and soft.

Type 5: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges.

Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, mushy stool.

Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces, entirely liquid

So did Karlos' aura farming work? In our final episode of the Road to Paradise Training Series, we check in with the team 10 days after the Gold Coast Marathon to debrief the aura, the good, the bad and the outright cruel.

We break down Karlos’ PB of 2:27, Lauren’s 2:50, Rosie’s 3:17 and Simon’s 3:01, their race weekend experiences, key takeaways, their upcoming plans for the rest of 2025 and find out who had the worst accommodation in the Gold Coast.

In the finale, we:

• learn about the importance of reading hotel reviews prior to booking accommodation
• find out if Simon really appreciated the reggae singer in Broadbeach
• find out what a good night's sleep the night before a race does to Karlos
• find out if Lauren will ever drink an expresso martini.

Again, we would like to extend our appreciation and thanks to The Running Centre, BIX Nutrition and Reach PB Sports for their support these last couple of months.

The Running Centre: Whether it’s the latest shoes, nutrition, gear or their personalised biofit process to help you pick the right shoe for you, the experts at TRC are the ones to trust to help you achieve your running goals. The Running Centre. Let’s move together. Use 'WARP15' for 15% off the TRC online store (excludes electronics and nutrition). https://therunningcentre.com.au/

Bix Nutrition: A local WA company developed by athletes, for athletes, BIX Nutrition products deliver the perfect balance of carbohydrates, electrolytes and micronutrients with a light, clean, natural taste ideal for endurance training, racing and recovery. BIX Nutrition & Hydration. Keep showing up. Use 'WARP' to get 20% off Bix Nutrition & Hydration Products. https://bixvitamins.com/

Reach PB Sports: Cofounded by Vlad Ixel from Bix, Reach protein products give you what it takes to push beyond your reach, over and over again. Setting new benchmarks, breaking them, over and over again. Redefining & reinventing your limits with the essential nutrition you need to reach higher. Use 'WARP' to get 20% off Reach products. https://reachsports.shop/

Reach out and connect! Instagram: @warunningpod Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 13th July 2025.

We’re back with our weekly episode of the WA Running Podcast and as Chris prepares for his colonoscopy and Simon recovers from Bluey World, we reflect and recap a huge weekend in the Gold Coast, our Gold Coast Marathon performances along with some listener questions about the weekend's festivities.

Locally, a big couple of weeks in WA running that included the Bibra Lake Running Festival, WAMC King of the Mountain, WA Coastal Running Festival, Bravehearts 777 Marathon, Red Dirt Backyard Ultra and PTS Jolly Jumbuck

Laura Firth, Bryan Lip, Allira Hanczakowski, Sarah Paduano and the guy in Chris’ finishing photo feature in this week’s Weapons of WARP

Results:

- Martha Mellor and Oli Wright take out the WAMC King of the Mountain

- Charles Bosveld and Delanie Williams take out the Perth leg of the Bravehearts 777 Marathon

- Chris Lewinski takes out the Red Dirt Backyard Ultra in 26 yards with Jacinta Homann with the assist

- Lloyd Allen and Lee Anne Flugel take out the Bibra Lake RunningWorks Festival marathon

- Daniel Kerr and Kirsten Buist take out the Black Course at PTS Jolly Jumbuck

Socials

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP