Run Spesh Podcast by Frontrunner Colombo

"Wear a kilt. The hill just kept on going. I stopped and got some whisky." One finisher's take on the Mackenzie Half Marathon — which pulled over 1,150 entrants the same weekend Kennett Cup's senior men's race had just five starters. We get into why cross country numbers are shrinking, and what might actually fix it.
Also this week: a full breakdown of Josh Kerr's mile world record, including the wild eight-years-of-data story behind his custom Brooks spike. Anna walks us through new EBU camera-angle guidelines aimed at reducing the sexualisation of women's athletics coverage. Maia Flint — in her second-to-last week with the Frontrunner crew — won the Kennett Cup women's senior race, and Tom's athlete Corbin Harding took silver at the Mackenzie Half. We round up cross country results from around the country, catch up on Kiwis racing well overseas, and give you the first real details on Run Unknown's return.
We close out with a proper tech deep dive on the Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 — what's actually been fixed since the divisive version 2, and who it's built for.
This episode covers:
What we're testing / wearing this week
Josh Kerr's mile world record and the tech behind it
New broadcasting guidelines for filming women's athletics
Kennett Cup results and a real conversation about cross country's participation problem
Corbin Harding's silver medal at the Mackenzie Half Marathon
NZ cross country round-up and Kiwis racing overseas
Run Unknown returns — mystery riddle race with On
Deep dive: Saucony Endorphin Elite 3
Winter Grind party, Run Club's return, and the New Balance store takeover
Got a question for the show? Drop it in our Instagram DMs or in the Run Club Facebook group.

Race starts while you're still in the porta-loo. No time to wipe. Wet day, had to catch up, discard the gear... still won." One of our listeners' most eventful event day stories, and just one of the reasons this week's episode is a good one.
Oska's just back from a whirlwind 10 days in Paris with On — factory tours, robot-sprayed shoes, and getting cold-shouldered out of a café for not ordering in French — while Tom's been out racing bikes and clocking solid triathlon training weeks. Anna talks us through her partner Henry's World Triathlon Series debut in Hamburg (41st on debut!), plus how Hayden and Saxon fared.
Back home, we're digging into your Instagram questions — your most eventful event day stories and the worst running advice you've ever been given ("you don't need multiple $300 shoes" — gtfoh) — before answering three of the most common shoe questions we get asked in-store.
The big one this week: Christchurch Marathon 2027 just leveled up. ASICS is coming on as headline partner, and Frontrunner is taking on a brand new role as Performance Partner — helping build a world-class elite athlete experience from the ground up. Entries are opening soon.
And of course, we close out with a full tech deep dive on the On Cloudboom Strike 2 — what's changed from version one, the real numbers, and who it's actually built for.
This episode covers:
What we're running in this week
Tom's Sector 6 bike race and triathlon training block
Hamburg WTS recap: Anna on Henry's debut, plus Hayden and Saxon
Oska's Paris trip with On
Listener Q&A: eventful event days + worst running advice
Shoe FAQ: replacing shoes, daily trainer vs super shoe, road vs trail
Christchurch Marathon 2027: ASICS partnership + our new Performance Partner role
Deep dive: On Cloudboom Strike 2
Winter Grind wrap-up, Winter Grind party (Tues 28th), Run Club returns (last Tues of August)
Got a question for the show? Drop it in our Instagram DMs or in the Run Club Facebook group.
Christchurch Marathon — entries open now
https://raceroster.com/events/2027/129745/2027-asics-christchurch-marathon
Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 review (Frontrunner blog)
https://frontrunnercolombo.co.nz/blogs/the-run-down-shoe-reviews/saucony-endorphin-elite-3
Winter Grind Party & Run Club Get Together — RSVP required, $15
https://luma.com/7d458rvx

Todd Andrews: From Outback Runner to S&C Coach — The Dream Run Across Australia for Cholmondeley Hosts Oska and Maia welcome Todd "Toddy" Andrews on The Front Runner Colombo's weekly running podcast to trace his path from a love-filled but financially tight childhood in Australia—frequent moves, single-parent upbringing, and finding stability through running—to a life-changing Melbourne school scholarship after coach Neville Sillitoe spotted his talent, mentored him, and even bought his first running shoes. Todd shares how he adapted academically, his competitive drive, and how marrying and becoming a parent young shifted his Olympic ambitions toward coaching and strength & conditioning. After moving to New Zealand in 2005, he qualified as a personal trainer, enrolled in a sport coaching degree at the University of Canterbury, graduated top of his class, entered S&C via post-earthquake opportunities with the Canterbury Academy, and completed a master's. He describes a midlife identity shift and outlines "The Dream Run": attempting three marathons a day for 30 days from Cottesloe Beach to Bondi Beach to inspire young people and raise funds for Cholmondeley Children's Centre, now aiming for next June after injury delays. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:45 Meet Todd Andrews 02:28 Family Life And Fatherhood 03:21 Outback Childhood And Moving 05:43 Growing Up With Less 09:22 Freedom And Early Memories 12:56 Finding Identity In Running 16:19 Scholarship To Melbourne 24:05 Overwhelmed But Determined 25:47 Neville The Mentor Coach 32:03 Imposter Syndrome And Resilience 34:20 Early Competitive Fire 36:29 Competitive Drive 37:01 Academic Survival Skills 38:58 Young Family Shift 41:33 Personal Training Pivot 43:28 University Breakthrough 46:46 Four Ps Framework 48:15 Earthquake Opportunity 53:21 Midlife Identity Reset 01:02:38 Three Marathons Plan 01:10:35 Cholmondeley Mission 01:19:55 Setbacks New Timeline 01:21:46 Closing Reflections

The crew kicks off this week's episode from a freshly moved (and very unfinished) Frontrunner office to bring you a massive mix of raw training realities, major global athletics news, and technical gear deep dives.
The biggest news of the week hits close to home: Oska shares his recent scan results, revealing a linear tear at the top of the proximal hamstring alongside severe high hamstring tendinopathy. It's a tough blow that likely sidelines him from competitive racing until around December, shaking up the training block but shifting the focus to a solid rehab phase.
On the racing front, the team recaps a blistering week of athletics. They break down Sam Tanner's clinical 3:33 season opener in Nice, celebrate the seven new additions named to the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team, and track standout Kiwi performances across the NCAA circuit. Plus, they dive into the Oslo Diamond League action featuring Zoe Hobbs, Peter Bol, and Imogen Ayris, and discuss the wild crossover of triathletes Alex Yee and Cassandra Beaugrand stepping onto the track for a Monaco Diamond League 5K.
To wrap it all up, the team checks in on the Wintergrind leaderboard, debates local track infrastructure wishes, and delivers a comprehensive review of NNormal's newest release, the Cadí trail shoe—Kilian Jornet and Camper's first true maximum-cushion, user-friendly daily cruiser.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to The Rundown

01:17 New Office Setup

02:20 Travel Plans and Staffing

03:44 Training Updates and Shoes

05:44 Tom's Routine and Movie Talk

09:28 Oska's Hamstring Diagnosis & Scan Results

14:37 Comm Games Selection & NCAA Highlights

18:34 Cross Country and Parkrun Hits 1 Million Events

21:01 London Marathon Goes Two-Day for 2027

26:06 Triathlon Dating Banter

26:51 Monaco Diamond League 5K Predictions

28:52 Steeplechase Pain and Heat Realities

29:46 The Betting Ethics Debate in Athletics

30:51 Cold Weather Running Gear Essentials

34:56 Caps In The Dark: Running Fashion Crimes?

36:31 Wintergrind Leaderboard Update

37:19 Christchurch Track Wish List

41:18 NNormal Cadí Shoe Deep Dive & Review

49:02 New Arrivals (On Drops, Saucony Endorphin Elite 3) & Wrap Up

Episode Highlights
The Injury Report: Oska's Hamstring
A tough reminder of the razor's edge of elite training. The MRI confirmed a linear tear at the top of the proximal hamstring coupled with severe high hamstring tendinopathy.
The Timeline: Competitive racing is on ice until roughly December 2026. The focus turns completely to active rehab, isometric loading, and supporting the local community from the sidelines.
Gear Review: NNormal Cadí
Kilian Jornet's brand departs from its ultra-minimalist, hyper-technical roots to launch its first highly approachable, max-cushion door-to-trail shoe.
Specs: 35mm heel / 29mm forefoot (6mm drop), 4mm lugs, weighing in around 270g.

The Verdict: Built on a wider, more accommodating last than the Kjerag or Tomir, featuring a supercritical foam midsole and a rock-solid Vibram Megagrip outsole. It sacrifices a bit of snappy, playful energy return in exchange for pure, protective comfort on smooth, rolling mountain miles.

Quick Hits & News
Sam Tanner: Opens his European campaign in style with a sharp 3:33 over 1500m in Nice.

London 2027: The iconic marathon announces plans to expand into a massive two-day weekend event to accommodate surging demand.

Parkrun Milestone: The global community movement celebrates a mind-boggling milestone of one million unique events worldwide.