5 miles easy by Rose Harvey & Steph McCall
Sports nutritionist Siân Seccombe joins us to unpack how Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) can impact both health and performance. We talk about the different signs to look out for in female and male athletes, why under-fuelling is more common than you think, and how to make sure your training isn’t doing more harm than good.
What would you do if, at 18, you were told you might never walk again? For Esmée Gummer, that moment became the starting line - not the finish. In this episode, we sit down with one of the most positive and driven forces in the running world.
It has been TWO YEARS since we recorded our first episode of 5 Miles Easy! In this episode, we look back at where we were, what’s changed (and what hasn’t), and what we’ve learned along the way - in training, racing, life, and podcasting.
We sit down with Olympic middle-distance athlete, Adelle Tracey, as she shares the journey of her running career and identity.
Top sports psychologist, Josephine Perry, has helped everyone from world champions to amateur runners overcome mental barriers to perform better - and she's written 5 brilliant books on the subject too. So if you’ve ever felt it's like your mind holding you back on race day, this episode for you.
When most runners think of physios, they think of injury rehab. But as we’ve both learned over the years,, there’s so much more to the physio-athlete relationship - from strength training and biomechanics to recovery and long term performance.
What advice would you give your younger running self? We answer exactly this question, looking back at the most important lessons we've learned over the years.
This week, we’re joined by presenter and ultra runner, Jess Furness who this year, is taking on an incredible 42 marathons.
When do we ACTUALLY need electrolytes? And how many carbs should we be taking for endurance events?
You’ve crossed the finish line, collected your medal, and maybe even smashed a PB — but now what?
From running this year's London marathon in a 25kg weighted vest to conquering the gruelling 246km Spartathlon, Vassos is always looking for new challenges to push him out of his comfort zone. We find out why - along with what it took to run a marathon with 25kg on his back, how he pushed through the hardest moments of the Spartathlon and why he never wears underpants to work!
Four weeks after finishing the Two Oceans marathon, Steph lined up for her first 100k as part of an England team, and in this episode she tells us all about it!
The BIG London Marathon debrief! Rose shares what it was like lining up in the pro field, the highs and lows of her race, and what it meant to make a comeback with a 9th place finish in 2:25:01.
Race week is HERE! And with it, comes the taper - the nerves, the maranoia and a LOT of carbs. We talk about it all, plus how to prepare for the logistics of the big day itself. Plus, we answer the most googled questions about the marathon taper!
Steph is joined by Carla Molinaro, as they both chat through their Two Oceans experience.
What's more daunting - performing on Ru Paul's Drag Race or running your first marathon?! Not a question we've asked on the show before, but this week's guest has the answer.
In this episode, we're chatting with Dr. Becca Salmon, a guest whose story is especially relevant as we've just had the 5th anniversary of the UK’s first Covid lockdown. It was during the pandemic that Becca’s career took a significant turn. At the time, she was a junior A&E doctor, but burnout led her to step back and reassess her path.
Rose is on (another) training camp in the sun - this time in North Carolina with the Puma Elite running team as she prepares for the London Marathon. We get the inside scoop on how it's going and what it's been like to swap her London life for a pro training camp during this marathon build.
With just a few weeks until race day, it’s all things London Marathon! In this special episode, we’re handing the mic over to YOU – sharing your stories, training experiences, and answering your marathon-related questions.
Paul Ward is the visionary behind The Nine Four, a groundbreaking running crew that has redefined the running culture in Cape Town. Paul’s journey began with a bold mission: to break down the social and racial barriers that once divided communities. At a time when people of different skin colours were rarely seen running or socialising together, Paul founded The Nine Four—a crew that has grown into a powerful symbol of unity and inclusivity.
In the first of our marathon special episodes, we dive into our top training tips and answer your marathon training related quandaries.
How do you prepare for races that last hours and hours? Does sleep deprivation affect you running through the night? Does being a professional trail runner provide a sustainable full-time income?
This is not just about pregnancy! 1 in 3 women are affected by pelvic floor dysfunction. Urinary leakage, urgency and even lower back pain may be signs that your pelvic floor could use some help! Top pelvic health specialist, Emma Brockwell, shares exactly what we should be doing to improve our pelvic floor health - and it's surprisingly simple.
In this episode we are joined by a true force in the world of endurance sport, Gerda Steyn.
In this episode we are joined by a true force in the world of endurance sport, Gerda Steyn.
WE'RE BACK! And we're kicking off the new season in Cape Town. Both of us are on training camp in South Africa working towards some exciting goals for 2025. We catch up on what races we're aiming for, 2025 goals and highlights from Cape Town. But it's not all been drama free on the trails...
WE'RE BACK! And we're kicking off the new season in Cape Town. Both of us are on training camp in South Africa working towards some exciting goals for 2025. We catch up on what races we're aiming for, 2025 goals and highlights from Cape Town. But it's not all been drama free on the trails...
We can hardly believe it, but that's a wrap on 5 Miles Easy for 2024! For our Christmas special, we're joined by no other than our long suffering partners, Charlie and Joe. We run through our highest highs, biggest fails, and most important learnings of 2024 as well as hearing about all the running (or not running) Charlie and Joe have been doing this year.
Hannah is an ultra runner, adventurer and co-founder of the fitness and wellness Instagram account, Twice the Health. Hannah has pushed her limits on trails and roads around the world, and is now embracing the challenge of her new role as a mum.
In this episode, we sit down with British marathon runner, Becky Briggs, who has just completed Valencia Marathon in an incredible time of 2:32.
The Sixth Mile is back! This episode was recorded just before Steph ran Valencia marathon - we go through how she was feeling right before the race, the mindset tactics that she planned to utilise and her race day goals.
Do we really need to warm up for a run? What's the most effective way to fix running injuries? Would a physio recommend super shoes?
Do we really need to warm up for a run? What's the most effective way to fix running injuries? Would a physio recommend super shoes?
How can a one minute breathwork practice boost performance and recovery? What's the science behind ice baths? And how can cold exposure and taking control of our breathing improve our overall health and wellbeing?
What is the most common mental barrier runners face? Can you think your way to performance goals? How do we recover better and reduce our injury risk using the power of the mind?
Rose had a bike accident, Steph hit the wall, and both their Garmins haven't been happy with them.
This week, we're joined by Phily Bowden, who is fresh off an incredible 2:25 marathon and her boyfriend, business partner and also our fantastic editor of 5ME, Daniel!
How does sleep affect physical and cognitive performance? How do sleep cycles work? And what you should NEVER do if you can't fall asleep...
How should you set your next race goals? Should you take an off season? And are you running your recovery runs too fast?
We’re introducing The Sixth Mile!
Fresh off breaking the world record for the most marathons run on sand, Spencer Matthews is back in the studio to debrief on his incredible 30 in 30 challenge. On 29th July, Spencer set off at 4am to run across the Jordanian desert in pursuit of the world record and raising money for the incredible charity, Make Some Noise. Despite scorching temperatures, sleeping on the desert floor and some scary encounters with snakes, Spencer crossed the finish line 30 days later - an incredible achievement. We hear all the details of how Spencer tackled the challenges of the heat and the sand, what the camp set up looked like and how it feels now that the journey is complete.
This week we are joined by Juliette Denny; a trail runner, ultra runner and all round adventurer.
This week we are joined by Lloyd Kempson; CEO at Trackstaa, broadcaster, event host, coach and runner!
We are back and kicking it off with Rose's Olympic experience!
Do we ever have days when we don’t want to run? How often do we stretch? Did we pick our dog breeds specifically to run?
Recovery is key. Not only for injury prevention, but to adapt to our training, get fitter and improve performance. So how can we recover better? What are the most effective tools and how do we know when to rest, do a recovery run, or crack on with hard a workout?
We’re joined by soon to be 4x Olympian, 2x World Championship finalist and Australian record holder, Genevieve Gregson, as she prepares for the marathon at the Paris Olympic Games.
Sophie Power is a campaigner and a GB ultra athlete. Sophie recently broke the female World Record for running the length of Ireland, which she did in 3 days, 12 hours and 8 minutes. In this conversation we talk about the highs and lows of going through this experience, what she was hoping to achieve and support received along the way.
We are joined by 2 time Olympian and Oceania record holder in the marathon, Brett Robinson.
This week we’re joined by 24 year old World Record Holder, Imo Boddy, just a few weeks after finishing her mind blowing 3 Peaks challenge. On 21st May, Imo dipped into the Welsh sea after running 680km and climbing over 10,000m of elevation in just 6 days 5 hours and 43 minutes, breaking a 45 year old record for the fastest female to run the UK Three Peaks in the process. Despite being just 24, Imo is no stranger to ultra challenges and also holds the record for the youngest female to have run the length of the UK, from John O’Groats to Lands End.
In this week's episode, Steph and Rose catch up and share training insights from the last few weeks. With just 8 weeks to go until the Paris Olympics, Rose is out in Font Romeu on an altitude camp and shares why she's there, what training she has been doing and how it's been going so far. Meanwhile, Steph is taking a considerable step down in distance, from ultras to 5k training. She's been working hard on the track in London to re-find her fast legs. She shares what training she's been doing to increase her speed as well as some top tips for tackling tough track sessions.
In this episode we are live at Wild Goat Festival where we were incredibly lucky to talk to a legend in the sport, Paula Radcliffe.
Intrigued by the Marathon des Sables? Imagine running it 5 times over…
How closely are our brains and bodies linked? How much of our mindset can we change? How can we overcome negative thoughts during a session or race?
Not every journey to the top is the same and Georgia Bell is living proof. Georgia is setting her sights of qualifying for the Paris Olympics, but just 5 years ago she had quit running entirely.
Every body is different, including our hormones. Yet so often, women are following the same training plans or being coached in the same way as men.
Rose is going to the Olympics!
Sticking with the ultra marathon theme, in this episode we are joined by Team GB ultra runner and Hoka athlete, Carla Molinaro. This is Carla's second time joining 5 Miles Easy (see episode 3), but we have lots to catch up on!
In this episode, Steph is back in South Africa and gives Rose the inside scoop on her experience at Two Oceans Ultra Marathon; a 35 mile/56km race in Cape Town with over 2000ft of elevation, where she finished 10th place for a gold medal!
This week, we’re back at Puma HQ in Boston to delve into the science of running fast. What is running efficiency, how is it measured and how do we improve it? How much quicker can shoes actually help you run and do they work for any runner?
Why is having a structured training plan important? What are the most common mistakes people make in training for a marathon? How do you get the taper right?
How can you harness the power of your mind for good, rather than allowing it to hinder your performance? In this episode we are joined by Olympian and Under Armour athlete Stephen Scullion. He’s the second fastest Irish marathoner in history, having run 2:09:49, but it hasn’t come easy. Stephen is incredibly open and honest about the mental health challenges he’s faced over the years, which previously resulted in alcohol and drug abuse. However, after hitting rock bottom in 2017, he shares how he started to turn things around; a path which led him to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics just over 3 years later.
If you have ever doubted your ability to change the course of your path, by any degree, we can guarantee that this conversation will change your mind.
What and when should we eat to perform at our best? What's REALLY in a typical "healthy" protein bar? What do ultra processed foods do to our bodies?
Why do we get injured? What are the best ways to prevent injuries? Should we ever run through pain?
How are running shoes made?
5 Miles Easy is back! We have both been dodging the British winter for a few weeks, swapping London for the mountains and a little extra Vitamin D.
It's the season finale and.. THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! For this festive edition of the pod, we are joined by the two people in our lives who put up with living with a house full of running kit. Rose's fiancé, Charlie and Steph's boyfriend, Joe share everything from their first impressions to the worst presents we've bought them...
Just a few years ago, Jonny didn’t like running at all. Now, he runs ultras as part of his job, including running the entire length of the London Underground (which is 572km/255 miles!) in 11 days. We hear all about Jonny’s Run the Line adventure, how he trained for it and how he got into running in the first place. Jonny also tells us what's next for him and why aiming for big challenges is a massive part of his running journey.
Kevin's first motivator to run was from experiencing loss as a child. Over 30 years later he has run a sub 15 minute 5k and a 2hr22 marathon, but incredibly, his best performances came after undergoing major heart surgery to repair 4 holes in his heart.
She's an ultra runner, run coach, author, podcaster and founder of the community and charity Black Trail Runners, yet Sabrina only started running after giving birth to her 4th child.
On this week's episode, we're joined by Rob Martineau, co-founder of Tribe. We hear how Rob quit his job as a corporate lawyer at the age of 27 to begin a life of epic adventure. He completed the famous Marathon des Sables and then went onto completing an incredible 1000 mile journey across Europe, which was just the beginning of this new chapter.
This week, we're joined by specialist running physio and strength coach, Aidan O’Flaherty (aka the Irish Physio on Instagram) to find out exactly why we need to be strength training as runners and what we should be doing to not only stay injury free, but to get faster too.
Having been a pro athlete since she was a teenager, Charlotte Purdue has competed internationally multiple times on the road, track and cross country. Now focusing on the marathon, Charlotte recently lowered her PB to 2:22:17 in Berlin, putting her 2nd on the UK all time list.
To kick off season 2, we are catching up on Steph’s experience at Frankfurt marathon after a promising block of training. Rose is now easing back into sessions after recovering from Chicago marathon, so we chat about what the recovery period and return to training looks like after a big race.
It's the FINAL episode of Season 1 and to mark the occasion, we asked our listeners to send in some questions!
Our very own Rose Harvey talks us through her experience of Chicago marathon, where she set a 4 minute PB of 2:23:21, which is well within the Olympic qualifying time and put her 5th on the British all time list for the marathon.
Fresh off an incredible track season, we catch up with Olympian and Under Armour athlete, Katie Snowden. Katie has been competing at a top level since she was a junior, but this summer saw some standout performances. Katie became British Champion over 1500m and went 2nd on the all time list clocking 3:56:72, which broke the English record previously held by Dame Kelly Holmes.
This week we chat to Ben Parker - co-founder of Runna, the first fully automated running coaching app.
From the BBC studio to the 5 Miles Easy studio... this week, we are joined by BBC presenter, journalist and self-confessed running addict, Sophie Raworth. We hear all about how Sophie discovered her love for running at 37 and where it's taken her since - including through desserts, up mountains and on a quest to just keep getting faster every year.
This week, we chat to Sports & Exercises Medicine Consultant, Dr George Bownes. George has worked with a number of elite sports teams including Team GB, Harlequins Rugby and as a Tournament Physician at Wimbledon. George also has a pretty impressive sporting CV of his own, having podiumed at numerous Ultras and completed multiple Ironmans.
A few days after the Big Half, we catch up on the high, lows and learnings of the race including:
At Love Trails Festival earlier this summer, we caught up with Carla Molinaro, fresh of her incredible 3rd place finish at Comrades Marathon. Carla is a professional ultra runner for Hoka, a World Record holder for LEJOG (running!) and has a successful business, Strength, Conditioning and Yoga for Runners. Carla has had an incredible year and we delve into what she's changed up in her training to get there. We also hear about Carla's journey into her pro career, which started with a totally insane idea during lockdown to run from Land's End to John O'Groats - and go for the World Record in the process.
Jack Rowe is a professional runner for Puma competing in distances from 1500 to half marathon and has an incredible 5,000m PB of 13:20. He shares insights into how he balances his training with regular racing to achieve optimum performance, his mindset on and off the track, how he deals with bad races and his views on the importance of focussing on the process. Jack is also a coach for Belgrave Run Club which is helping to break down barriers for people getting into running and wanting structured training.
