Never Run Alone

The Art of Spectating, Back Yard Ultras and Cocodona 250

Never Run Alone

Show Notes

This week on the pod the gang discuss the art of spectating as the weekends activities of supporting the latest half marathon in Sydney bring out some fun stories. We unpack a few audience questions during our warm-up as ever to kick things off, along with the pressure to bounce back quickly post race. And finally we finish of Australian athletics, Back Yard Ultra’s with some impressive performances in Melbourne this past week and the enormous Cocodona 250. A guest list this week including Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and Sissi Bergman. Hosted by Rien MacDonald. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there. Come one, come all, come running. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube

More from Never Run Alone

Oct 23, 2026

It is Never Run Alone. A full gang on the pod this week as Cam and Sissi unpack their journey to Sub-Elite in New York, as we’re just 10 days out from arguably the most popular marathon on earth. They duo share their journeys to sub-elite after making their marathon debuts less than 3 years ago. We also answer some fun listener questions and unpack the incredible World Team Championship for Big’s Backyard Ultra 2026. All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen and Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube Come one, come all, come running.

Oct 16, 2026

It is Never Run Alone. Well then. What a week! And a huge episode of Never Run Alone to boot. Firstly, thanks to all who came out to our live show on Friday night pre the weekend - we failed to mentioned it on the call, but it was a great show and we loved chatting with you all afterwards. Congrats to all who ran across the weekend too! In this ep, Cam and Rien chat with two special guests! Up first, the newly crowned Australian Marathon Queen, Izzi Batt-Doyle, who ran Chicago Marathon on Sunday night faster than any Aussie female before her in a lightning 2:20:38 to go one better than fellow South Australian, Jess Stenson. She joins us on her first day back in Australia as we fire the questions her way. Following that, we’re joined on the streets by speedster and social short-form dynamo Seth O’Donnell to chat through his win at the Melbourne Half Marathon, on what was a monumentous day with Eliud Kipchoge winning Melbourne Marathon, only to be soured by some unfortunate scenes later in the race. All that and more on a HUGE Never Run Alone with Izzi Batt-Doyle, Seth O’Donnell, Cam Merrick with host Rien MacDonald. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube Come one, come all, come running.

Oct 9, 2026

It is Never Run Alone. A live show at 19-21, the home of Tempo Journal ahead of this weekends Melbourne Marathon. Thanks to all who attended! We chat the rise of running and if it's ever going, the media opportunities in the sport, of course this weekends race as well as some rad audience questions. All that and more with Steve McKenna, Mack Dewar and Cam Merrick, with host Rien MacDonald. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube Come one, come all, come running.

Oct 7, 2026

It is Never Run Alone. A short and sharp episode this week ahead of a marathon weekend with Melbourne and Chicago happening this Sunday. We've also got our live podcast happening tomorrow night (Friday night, 9th of October) at the home of Tempo Journal in Collingwood. Full details can be found here. All are welcome! We hope to see you there as Rien and Cam are joined by a few special guests and plenty of audience interaction - hopefully! All that and more with Cam Merrick, Kris Farrenkothen, Sissi Bergman with host Rien MacDonald. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM us on Instagram, and follow us whilst you’re there. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch and listen on Spotify and YouTube Come one, come all, come running.

Oct 2, 2026

The team recap the chaos of Berlin, hear from Queen Sissi about the girls on parade at the Nike After Dark Sydney Edition, chat about the Melbourne Marathon course updates and reminisce on their Boston Marathon journey as entries have just been confirmed for the 2027 edition. We also of course answer some warm-up questions submitted by you - our amazing listeners - as well as discussing a huge weekend of racing across the world and buy/sell to round out the show. All that and more with host ⁠Cam Merrick⁠, and usual suspects ⁠Kris Farrenkothen⁠, and ⁠Sissi Bergman⁠. Thanks for listening and watching. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you’re consuming the content, and leave a 5 star review - it all helps! Questions? DM ⁠us on Instagram⁠, and follow us whilst you’re there. Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you are listening. Listen on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ Watch and listen on ⁠Spotify⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠ Come one, come all, come running.

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