The ZenRUN Podcast

Well, this is a little different.

I’m usually the one asking everyone else about their Delirious training, but Ben Pyman has decided it’s my turn to answer the questions. 😂

So for the next six months, Ben is taking over the interviewer’s chair and following my own journey towards the Delirious W.E.S.T. 200 miler.

For this first chat, we go right back to where running started for me, from growing up on King Island to rediscovering it in my twenties and eventually wondering whether I was stubborn enough to take on something as ridiculous as Delirious.

We also revisit my slightly complicated history with this race, including the very different experiences of 2025 and 2026, and what I think needs to change before I line up again in March.

Apparently I’ve now publicly committed to more strength training, losing a few kilos and actually fixing the cable machine that has been providing me with a very convenient excuse not to use it.

Ben may regret agreeing to hold me accountable. 😂

This is the start of my Delirious West 2027 journey, and this time I’m on the other side of the microphone.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

• Delirious WEST event website: deliriouswest200miler.com.au
• Event Facebook group: Join the Delirious West Facebook group

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💛 Feel Like a Runner Again

Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.
2. I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you (or someone you know) has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

Jacqueline Catania already knows Delirious W.E.S.T. pretty well.

She’s finished the 100 miler, attempted the 200, and in 2027 she’s coming back with one fairly simple goal: get to the finish line.

Although, after what happened last time, there’s now an awful lot more science involved. 😂

In this first catch-up for the Delirious West 2027 series, we go back to Jackie’s sporting background, how running somehow became the chosen sport despite being the weakest part of her triathlon days, and why these ridiculously long events actually give this very busy mum something she doesn’t get much of in everyday life.

We also talk about her 2026 Delirious attempt.

Things didn’t exactly go to plan, and what happened has turned Jackie into what she describes as her own “science experiment”, complete with sweat testing, calculations, spreadsheets and a whole lot of lessons she’ll be taking into 2027.

There’s also Feral coming up, training squeezed around three very busy kids, and a strong argument that life at the back of the pack might actually be where the party is.

Plenty to follow with Jackie over the next few months.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website: https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/

Event Facebook group: Join the Delirious West Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do - Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1️⃣ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast - it helps more runners discover these conversations.

2️⃣ I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you (or someone you know) has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

What do you do the moment your run finishes?

This week’s ZenRUN Moment is all about those first few minutes after you stop running. For many of us, the run ends with a tap of the watch and we immediately switch back into life mode. We pull out our phone, think about what’s next, jump in the car, or rush home. But what if you gave yourself just a minute or two before moving on?

When your run finishes, slow down instead of speeding up. Walk gently for a couple of minutes. Feel your breathing settle. Notice your heartbeat gradually slowing. Look around and take in where you are. Let your body absorb everything it’s just done. This small transition helps your mind catch up with your body, turning the end of your run into a moment of reflection rather than an abrupt stop.

It’s a simple habit, but it can completely change how you feel about your run. Instead of feeling like you’ve rushed from one task to the next, you create a sense of completion. You give yourself permission to enjoy what you’ve just achieved before stepping back into the rest of your day.

On your next run, resist the urge to rush off. Give yourself those extra couple of minutes and notice how different it feels when you truly finish your run, rather than simply stopping it.

Small moments of awareness like this can completely change the way running feels.

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💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 https://www.zenrun.app/courses/feel-like-a-runner-again

---

A couple of small favours

1️⃣ If you're enjoying the podcast, a quick follow, like, or review helps more runners discover it.

2️⃣ Got a running story - or know someone we should chat with? I'd love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club

or email hello@zenrun.club

Craig Jeffrey is back for another Delirious W.E.S.T. journey.

Craig finished the 200 miler in 2025, but his planned return the following year never made it to the start line when life had other ideas.

Now he’s back, preparing for 2027 and very happy to be part of the Delirious madness again.

In this first catch-up, we talk about what keeps drawing Craig towards ridiculously long distances, why his slightly unusual run-train-run commute actually makes pretty good ultra training, and what he learnt from spending three days pushing himself further than he’d ever gone before.

And then there’s the small matter of what happened to his brain.

Craig remembers most of his 2025 race. But not all of it. 😬

We get into sleep, competitiveness, hearing voices when you desperately need another human being, and whether there might be a slightly smarter way to tackle Delirious next time.

He’s also been working hard on getting stronger.

Possibly a little too successfully, judging by the current situation with his trousers. 😂

This should be a very interesting six months.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website: https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/

Event Facebook group: Join the Delirious West Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1️⃣ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.

2️⃣ I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you (or someone you know) has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

When we think about nutrition for a 100 or 200 miler, it’s pretty easy to jump straight to race day.

What goes in the drop bags? Gels or real food? How much do I need to eat?

But Gaby Villa reckons we need to start much earlier than that.

Gaby is a dietitian, sports nutritionist and endurance athlete who works with ultra-endurance athletes, and in this special Delirious West 2027 episode we chat about how nutrition fits into the whole training journey, not just the few days we’re out on course.

We get into why simply eating “healthy” isn’t necessarily the same thing as fuelling an ultra runner, the sessions runners often forget to fuel, and why the way you practise your race nutrition matters more than simply discovering that a particular food doesn’t upset your stomach.

There’s also some interesting chat about gels, real food, carb loading, hydration and my apparently very useful Delirious craving for iced coffee. 😂

And if this episode leaves you with a question for Gaby, send it in. She’s agreed to come back if we collect enough listener questions.

👉 Send your nutrition questions to Gaby here

This one gave me plenty to think about.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website: https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/
Event Facebook group: Join the Delirious West Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do - Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1️⃣ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast - it helps more runners discover these conversations.

2️⃣ I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you (or someone you know) has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

We’ve got something new for the Delirious West 2027 series!

Once a month I’ll be catching up with Delirious race medic Kat Booth for a quick chat about the things that might help keep you moving during the 100 or 200 miler, and hopefully mean you need to visit Kat and the medic team a little less often. 😂

For our first chat, we’re talking feet.

More specifically, should you be pre-taping known hotspots before Delirious?

Kat has some fairly strong opinions on this one.

We get into how you can start figuring out your own problem areas during training, why something that works perfectly well on a normal run might be a very different story after many, many hours on your feet, and why even one tiny grain of sand can cause considerably more trouble than you’d expect.

There’s also some chat about shoes, socks, gaiters, bunions and a certain blister treatment Kat would very much like you to leave at home.

And apparently I’m now having a monthly “quickie with Frosty” with Kat.
Her words, not mine. 😂

Got a question for Kat?

We want to hear from you! If you’re preparing for Delirious West, or another big ultra, and have questions about looking after yourself from a medic’s perspective, send them through.

Kat will be answering listener questions in our upcoming monthly catch-ups.

👉 Submit your questions for Kat here: Send Kat your questions

If you’re training for Delirious, your feet might want you to listen to this one!

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website: https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/

Event Facebook group: Join the Delirious West Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1️⃣ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.

2️⃣ I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you (or someone you know) has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

Nikki Frost is back for another Delirious W.E.S.T. series.

And yes, she’s also my daughter, which means there is absolutely no shortage of opinions about who is responsible for any of this. 😂

Nikki’s relationship with running started long before she had much say in the matter, thanks to a childhood spent being dragged along to running events by her mother. Then, after barely running for years, things escalated rather quickly from getting her 10,000 steps a day to ultras.

In this first catch-up for the Delirious West 2027 series, we get into that slightly accidental return to running, Nikki’s rather relaxed approach to planning enormous events despite being ridiculously organised in every other part of her life, and what happened when she took on the Delirious 200 in 2026.

That attempt didn’t quite go to plan.

Now she’s coming back to finish the job, with a 100 miler at Kosciuszko along the way and a potentially questionable new member of her crew learning the ropes.

This could be an interesting six months. 😂

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website
Event Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Find out more about Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.
2. I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you, or someone you know, has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

Stuart Rainbow has already had a rather complicated relationship with the Delirious W.E.S.T. 200 miler.

There’s been a DNF, a return trip, a finish line… and at one point a very definite “never again”.

So naturally, he’s coming back in 2027. 😂

In this first catch-up for the Delirious West 2027 series, we go back to how Stuart somehow progressed from running 10K on a treadmill to deciding that 200 miles sounded like a reasonable idea.

We also get into the Delirious experiences that have shaped how he approaches the race now, including one fairly memorable lesson about feet, sand and just how much trouble a blister can cause.

But this build has another challenge.

After spending the past six months dealing with a ruptured plantar fascia, Stuart is only just starting to put some bigger runs together again. And, rather neatly, the day we recorded this was exactly six months until Delirious.

The countdown has officially started.

And yes, Stuart still has very strong opinions about gaiters. 😂

Stuart’s video of the blister year:
Watch Stuart’s Delirious West video

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Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website:
https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/

Event Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428304207182387

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.
2. I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you, or someone you know, has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

Shane Connolly is currently travelling around Europe, lives out of a Troopy when he’s back in Australia, and has signed up for his first 200 miler.

This feels entirely consistent with the rest of his life. 😂

In this first catch-up for the Delirious West 2027 series, we get to know Shane and how a bloke who discovered he was pretty handy at a 5K rather quickly found himself wanting to run much, much further.

There’s a travelling lifestyle that has taken him around Australia and now Europe, a love of exploring places on foot, and a tendency to choose running challenges that scare him just enough to keep things interesting.

We also chat about why Shane spent three months living near the course before his first 100 miler, what he’s learned from volunteering at Delirious for the past two years, and the slightly unusual Delirious training block currently happening somewhere between the Dolomites, France and whatever country comes next.

There is one small complication involving a knee.

And Shane is also, by his own admission, very competitive.

This could get interesting.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website
Event Facebook group

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do, Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 Feel Like a Runner Again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast. It helps more runners discover these conversations.
2. I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you, or someone you know, has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.

Ashling Rogan isn’t entirely sure she’d call herself a runner.

Which is interesting, because she’s currently training for the Delirious W.E.S.T. 100 miler. 😂

In this first catch-up for the Delirious West 2027 series, we get to know Ash and how running went from something easy and convenient to something that became much more important in her life.

There were some pretty tough years along the way, and running gradually became a place where Ash could get some time for herself, disappear onto the trails for a few hours and discover she might be capable of more than she thought.

Somewhere in there, things escalated rather quickly into ultras.

We also chat about the Delirious 100, why an event that once seemed completely unreachable started to look a little different after Ash experienced it from the other side, and the fact that this adventure is becoming something of a family affair.

Oh, and apparently Ash runs to terrible music.

Her words, not mine. 😂

There’s plenty to follow between now and March, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

Thinking about taking on Delirious West yourself?

If the stories in this series are giving you that little itch to be part of it, have a look at the event details and see whether 2027 might be your year.

Delirious WEST event website:
https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/

Event Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428304207182387

---

💛 Running used to clear your head. Now it’s another thing weighing on it. Let’s change that.

If you’re tired of dragging yourself out the door, feeling guilty when you don’t, or comparing every run to what you used to do - Feel Like a Runner Again is for you.

This practical program helps you quiet the mental noise, drop the pressure, and rediscover running as time for yourself.

Less “I should go for a run.” More “I’ve missed this.”

👉 https://www.zenrun.app/courses/feel-like-a-runner-again

---

🙏 A couple of big favours

1. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast - it helps more runners discover these conversations.
2. I’m always looking for runners to interview. If you, or someone you know, has a running story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @ZenRUN.club
or email hello@zenrun.club

---

🎧 Don’t miss an episode

Subscribe to the ZenRUN Podcast in your favourite podcast app so new conversations land straight in your ears.