I run to switch my perspective – Emily Harrington

We’re back with Season 2! The Why I Run podcast from Red Bull celebrates the extraordinary and the everyday stories of running, to inspire you to pick up those running shoes and just get going! Runners of every skill level are welcome, from passionate regulars, to runners who struggle to get out the door – and everyone in between. We had some incredible episodes in Season 1: an F1 driver, a writer, an activist, a BMX rider. They discuss topics such as running to spend time with others (including your dog), running to clear your mind, running to be creative and much more! In this season we’ll be meeting even more unexpected runners, where we’ll be asking them why they run and building our team for the 2023 Wings for Life World Run. We really hope you can join us! Episode 1 drops Thursday, January 12! We’d love to hear if you’re joining us this season, so get in contact on Instagram at @wflwordrun or with our hosts @ayoakinwolere and @immrsspacecadet.

It’s our first episode of season 2 and hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere couldn’t be more excited about it. To mark this ceremonious occasion, Ayo chats with highly decorated yachtsman Jimmy Spithill. Jimmy has won world championships, been named World Sailor of the Year and currently leads the US team on the global SailGP tour. Spithill tells us about growing up in the Australian outback and how he uses running to get back to basics on busy sailing trips. Want to run with us? Join the Why I Run Podcast Team at https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

Ever had a natural buzz after really pushing yourself at something? Well that’s achievable no matter who you are according to this week’s guest, multiple Ironman champion Lucy Charles-Barclay. Lucy is a professional swimmer-turned-triathlete, so she knows first-hand the joys that adding running to your training regime can offer, and she’s here to share some tips and tricks for how to stay motivated and get that running buzz, no matter your ability. Want to run with us? Join the Why I Run Podcast Team at https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

We all have good days, bad days, a rough patch or a few months of feeling on top of the world – perhaps no one more so than Australian TikTokker Jimmy Jan. In this episode, Jimmy speaks to Ayo about how running has helped him through the ups and downs of life. Suffering an accident in 2021 that paralysed him from the waist down, Jimmy shares what it’s been like reframing running to suit him, as well as his delight at finding out you can still achieve a runner's high on wheels! Be part of the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

Jumping across rooftops is all in a day’s work for the world’s foremost female freerunner, yet Hazal Nehir claims running is a lot tougher. Known for her gravity-defying acrobatics and movie stunt work, she always squares up to a challenge. In this episode Ayo talks to her about managing her doubts, coming back to parkour after injury and why running is a challenge Hazal has learned to love. Want to run with us? Join the Why I Run Podcast Team at https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

London-based web developer and running enthusiast Jeric Yuen shares his passion for GPS art – making pictures out of running routes. Host Erin Azar hears all about how the idea came about and how he uses it to spread joy among his running community and beyond. Still can’t get your head around it? Follow Jeric at @coderunnerguy to discover the joy of GPS art yourself. Be part of the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam and start training on the Wings For Life app!

Franz Tost is the team principal of Formula One's Scuderia AlphaTauri, or as Ayo puts it, ‘the boss... the head honcho of the team’. Franz has a no-nonsense coaching style like no other, believing that dedication and passion are vital to success – both as a driver and as a person. He also practises what he preaches and gets up every day at 5am for a run before work! This F1 legend absolutely loves running and considers it the key to a better life. Listen to hear why. Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

It’s always nice to find time to celebrate your wins and running should be no exception – two people who know this all too well are today’s guests, podcasters Marcus Brown and Helen Thorn. Marcus is a running coach and host of the sensational A Runner’s Life podcast. He’s been on a massive journey with his running, which has even helped him get a diagnosis of autism – something he says has changed his life for the better in many ways. Listen to hear how. Helen is a comedian and host of hit show Scrummy Mummies. Helen uses running as a break from parental duties as well as to pump her up for first dates, weeks away on tour – whatever life brings. She’s a huge advocate for using running as a tool for self-care and is full of top tips to help you do the same.

Kanoa Igarashi is one formidable surfer and loves running to help him keep agile for the waves. His name translates to the ‘the free one’, so naturally he loves running for the freedom it gives him. In this episode, Ayo hears all about this, as well as the burgeoning Japanese surf scene, which is about to take the world by storm, and also what it was like for Kanoa getting a silver medal for Japan in the 2020 Olympics in the event’s first-ever surfing competition. Join the big movement and run with us as part of the WhyI Run Podcast team atwww.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

The simplicity of running is something we often praise on this podcast. Not needing anything but a pair of trainers and the outside world makes running one of the easiest sports for exercising, that’s for sure. However, it is kinda nice to geek out on good gear from time to time, and while Erin is away, self-confessed tech geek Ayo is doing just that. To help him he has Head of Product Team – Philips Sound, Diederik Houtman, on the show. Diederik has been in charge of the creation of Philips Sound’s new bone-conduction headphones and, as Ayo will attest, they are a thing of beauty. Listen to today’s episode to discover how these headphones cater to everything a runner might need to listen to their music (or podcasts!) safely, and the fascinating process of trial and error that helped this be the case. Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam.

It’s the last episode until the big run and we are going out with a bang with the inspirational Bobbi Gibb. Bobbi was the first woman ever to run the Boston marathon and her story is one of resilience, perseverance and blind optimism. She broke every boundary around to run this race in 1966 and showed women everywhere they were capable of running much more than the 1.5 miles they were told they could by doctors of the time. When it comes to women and running we’ve really come so far – listen here to see why. Join the big movement and run with us as part of the Why I Run Podcast team at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam

Did you run with us this year in the Wings for Life World Run 2023? Even if you didn’t but are curious how it was for our hosts, Erin and Ayo, plus all the guests and listeners who ran it too… well, get listening to this bonus episode! They take a moment to chat with previous guest and GPS runner Jeric Yuen, hear about Ayo’s experience (spoiler: he didn’t run!) as well as Erin’s App Run drama. The 2023 Wings for Life World Run took place on Sunday, May 7, with more than 200,000 runners taking part across the globe. Together, they ran in 165 countries and covered 1,573,221km for those who can’t. And most importantly, they raised 5.8 million euros to go towards spinal cord injury research. All news, results and reactions from the run can be found at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com as well as info on how to register for 2024.