Run Spesh Podcast by Frontrunner Colombo

A personal best doesn't always feel like success. For Matt Baxter, running 2:10:57 at the Valencia Marathon came with the realisation that his professional running career was coming to a close.
In this episode of The Rundown, Oska and Tom sit down with Matt to explore the journey behind that moment—from his early days in New Plymouth to NCAA team titles with Northern Arizona University, professional running with HOKA NAZ Elite, and a return home to Taranaki.
Matt shares the school-racing setbacks that nearly pushed him out of the sport, the unexpected chain of events that took him and Emily to America, and why the people and culture at NAU meant more than the trophies.
There's plenty of banter along the way, including college rivalries and press-conference comments that took on a life of their own. But this is also a candid conversation about pressure, injury, family, identity and learning to recognise the value of a journey that didn't end exactly as planned.
Now coaching through RunZing and managing Front Runner New Plymouth, Matt is focused on helping others experience the belonging and support that shaped his own running life.
We cover:
Finding running—and almost giving it away
Breakthrough performances and visualisation
The move to Flagstaff and the American college system
NAU's championship culture and memorable rivalries
The transition into professional running
Marathon lessons from New York, Gold Coast, CIM and Valencia
Life with Emily, raising a family and returning to New Zealand
Building stronger teams and a more connected running community
Follow The Rundown wherever you listen, and share this episode with someone navigating a big goal or a new beginning.
Content note: Contains strong language and discussion of bereavement.

Tom, Theo and Oska break down Auckland Marathon weekend, Almgren's New York win on debut, World Athletics lifting the stack limit on cross country spikes, and a full Nike Vomero+ review.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro + the Facebook Marketplace con
2:45 Auckland Half Marathon recap
10:20 Auckland Marathon: Toby's course record debut
21:45 Almgren wins New York on debut
30:10 Cross country spike stack limits scrapped
34:30 What we're wearing this week
37:50 Nelson shake out + Adidas Adios Pro 5 wear test
40:05 Kiwi results round-up
43:10 Test Run + Run Club news
46:00 Nike Vomero+ review
HIGHLIGHTS
Auckland: Toby runs 2:15:29 on marathon debut to break the course record and win by eight minutes. Bridgette Denehy wins her third Auckland Marathon in a row (2:42:49). Will Sinclair breaks the half marathon course record on debut, and Eva wins the women's half in 1:13:37. A record 18,500+ people registered.
Andreas Almgren wins New York on marathon debut in 2:06:01.
World Athletics has removed the stack limit on cross country spikes.
Nelson shake out: Thursday 3 December, 6pm, corner of Trafalgar and Bridge Street, with the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 to wear test and hats to give away.
Test Run: $15 to book a pair for two days, refunded when you return them. On Cloudsurfer 3 is next.
Run Club: Tuesday 6pm hill reps up Hackthorne from Princess Margaret Hospital, plus easy runs in Richmond, Nelson and New Plymouth.
Nike Vomero+ review.
LINKS
Frontrunner Colombo: https://frontrunnercolombo.co.nz
Watch on YouTube: [paste YouTube link]
The Run Down by Frontrunner is a weekly NZ running specialty podcast, new every Friday.
Music: "I Say When (Instrumental)" by Vicki Vox, via Epidemic Sound.

Andy and Logan are joined by Scotty Hawker, New Zealand ultra-trail runner and online coach, about to line up for a 100K in Antarctica with a crack at the 9:20 continental record.
In this episode:
- Logan's 292 km bike ride and Andy's 2:59:52 50K at Hagley Park
- Scotty's Auckland Marathon as an Antarctica tune-up
- How fast and professional trail running has become
- Doping and drug testing in the sport
- From the Coast to Coast to ultras: how Scotty got started
- The Antarctica 100K, new fatherhood and staying motivated
- The Vibram sponsorship story
- Why Scotty keeps going back to UTMB
- Advice for athletes who want to go pro, and coaching in the age of AI
- Tales from the Trails: the Blue Mountains rescue
- No Free Ads and what's coming up on the NZ calendar
Segments: Athlete Spotlight, Tales from the Trails, No Free Ads.
This episode contains explicit language.

Pip, head coach of the Frontrunner Run Club and one of our new regular reviewers, joins Oska and Theo this week.
We recap the Timaru Ten, the real nationals: flat, fast and perfect conditions, with Toby Gualter's course record, seven men under 30 minutes and a string of big PBs for the women. Theo walks us through his race morning and his 32:39 PB, and we talk about the pacers who made it all work.
Then we look ahead to the Auckland Marathon and Half Marathon. Toby Gualter makes his marathon debut chasing the course record, defending champ Dan Balchin has plenty of experience on his side, and we go through the women's and half marathon fields.
We also cover Georgie Grgec's NZ 10K road record, the Peres Jepchirchir doping case and its effect on LA28 qualifying standards, Mark Kiptoo's M50 marathon world record, and a tribute to coach Arch Jelley.
Then it's the Run Club update, the Adidas HyperBOOST Run as the most underrated shoe of 2026, and the Saucony Endorphin Speed 6 scored on our new Run Culture Scale.
New episodes drop every Friday at lunchtime.
frontrunnercolombo.co.nz

Andy and Logan crack open the mystery beers from Trail Running NZ and run through a huge weekend of racing. Taupo Ultra produced a new 100K course record from Gary Carlton, and Crater Rim had fast times in great conditions. Logan wins the 22K, with finish-line interviews from Jack Payne and Tim Jorgensen, our Athlete to Watch. Ruth Croft takes out Diagonale des Fous.
Also this week: lactate testing at Hagley, a review of the Norda 005, the new Test Run demo shoe system at Frontrunner Colombo (frontrunnercolombo.co.nz/pages/test-run), and Coach's Corner questions on travelling for hills and the longest run for a 100K. Next episode is our first human in-studio guest.
Off Track is the trail spinoff of The Run Down, recorded at Frontrunner Colombo in Christchurch.