Everyday Runners

EDR #74: /Athlete Profile/ Bilal Nour: Laughing, Training Hard and Using AI for Race Prep

Hello and welcome to Episode #74 of Everyday Runners. I’m Andy Fuller, the host of this podcast and a co-founder of Reading Sideways Press. 
Thank you to the supporters of this podcast: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao and Bob. And, a special thanks to the latest supporter: Bob Nederpel. Bob has been a regular listener since the start of the podcast. He’s an 800m and 1500m athlete based at Leiden Atletiek and recently came 3rd in the Dutch Championships in the 40+ category. All supporters give me added enthusiasm in making one episode per week. 
Admittedly, I took the week off from podcasting last week as I had published five episodes in seven days the week before leading up to the BIG5. I personally finished in a time of 16:39, which was a little disappointing because I was aiming for at least a sub-16:30. Friends of the show: Nesrine Leene, Merel van der Marel, Lysanne Wilkins, Pim Bijl and Emiel Berghout all had strong performances. So, congratulations to you guys. 
This episode features Bilal Nour an athlete and student based in Leiden. I barely knew Bilal before interviewing. But, as he also trains at Leiden Atletiek, I was quite familiar with his running ability. During running drills exercises we’ve also had a bit of banter and I thought, the way he makes jokes and ironic remarks about his own or my own running, he’d be good to have on the show. He always brings a positive vibe to training and that can’t be undervalued. For indeed, I think some of us have a tendency to take training a bit too seriously, but Bilal always seems to be the athlete who is most likely to break out into laughter.
For context, Bilal has a time of 3:48 for the 1500 and 1:52 for the 800. So, we talk about all the important running matters: training at Leiden Atletiek, racing strategy and the inspiration he gains from racing with his training mates. We also start the conversation with a few thoughts about how he uses AI tools in regards to racing. 
So, that’s all for now. I’d love it if you could give the podcast a rating on Spotify and, if you are inclined, to support the show through the Buy Me a Coffee platform. 
Until next time, doei doei 
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #73 /Atletenprofiel; BIG5/ Friese kracht en jonge benen: het loopverhaal van Vera de Vries

Hoi en welkom bij aflevering 73 van Everyday Runners! Ik ben Andy Fuller, de host van deze podcast en mede-oprichter van Reading Sideways Press. Super bedankt aan de supporters van deze podcast: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao en Bob—dank jullie wel!
In deze aflevering praat ik met Vera de Vries, een 23-jarige marathonloopster uit Sneek, Friesland. We hebben het over hoe ze is begonnen met hardlopen en hoe ze al op jonge leeftijd de marathon is gaan doen. Ze traint onder begeleiding van Guido Hartensveld. Natuurlijk komt ook de mooie Friese taal voorbij, en we delen onze bewondering voor de onovertroffen Sifan Hassan. Tot slot praten we over de BIG5, waar Vera aanstaande zaterdag aan mee zal doen.
Dat was het voor nu. Bedankt voor het luisteren, en ik hoop dat je met plezier naar deze aflevering luistert. Doei doei!
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #72 /BIG5, Running Media/Pim Bijl: Rotterdammer, journalist, athlete

Hello and welcome to Episode 72 of Everyday Runners. I’m Andy Fuller: the host and a co-founder of Reading Sideways Press. 
Thanks to the show’s supporters: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao and Bob who have made a contribution via the Buy Me a Coffee Platform. Thanks to everyone also who has started to follow the podcast on Instagram.
This is the 4th episode of the week and it features Pim Bijl who is also participating in the BIG5 this coming weekend. He’s a proud Rotterdammer, a 2:23 marathoner and a podcaster. He hosts the de Pacer podcast which has been going a whopping six years. 
I really enjoyed speaking with Pim. And, I hope you enjoy this episode. 
Doei doei 
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #71 /Athlete Profile, BIG5/ Merel van der Marel: "You don't know what to expect and that keeps it really fun"

Hello and welcome to Episode 71 of Everyday Runners. I’m Andy Fuller, the host of this podcast and a co-founder of Reading Sideways Press. 
Thank you to the supporters of this podcast: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao and Bob. Your support gives me added enthusiasm in making one episode per week. Or, in the case of this week, about five. 
This is the third episode in a series featuring discussions with athletes who are participating in the BIG5 or the BIG MILE this coming Saturday in Utrecht. This episode features Merel van der Marel, who is an athlete based in Haarlem, the capital of the province of North Holland. 
Merel shares her stories about cross-country racing, training in San Francisco, mitigating her chances of getting injured and her new training plan which basically involves a fair bit more Zone 2 running as a means to increase her weekly mileage. 
So, thanks a lot for sharing your running stories and background, Merel, and I look forward to racing with you on Saturday. 
Until next time, doei doei!! 
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #70 /BIG MILE Preview/ Jack Anstey: “I have good instincts and, during the mile, they take over”

Hey! And welcome back to Everyday Runners - I’m Andy Fuller, a runner, coach and podcaster based in Leiden, The Netherlands. 
Thanks to the supporters of this podcast: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao and Bob. I’m trying to keep this podcast free from advertisements and wholly listener-supported. If you believe that this is a worthy podcast, you can support the podcast via the Buy Me a Coffee platform. 
This podcast is also supported by my publishing house, Reading Sideways Press, which I co-founded with Nuraini Juliastuti. 
This episode is the second in a quick series leading up to the BIG5 and BIG MILE taking place in Utrecht on Saturday 28th June. 
My guest for this episode is Jack Anstey, the current Australian record holder for the mile on the road. Jack is an Under Armour athlete and is based in Flagstaff, Arizona. He competed for Illinois State University during his college years. 
We talk about how he came to running in the first place and then to the States on an athletic scholarship. Jack tells us about how contracting Covid inadvertently led to him getting his contract with Under Armour. I asked Jack also about how he races and what he finds so magical about the mile. 
I want to thank Jack specifically for his availability for this conversation, which I enjoyed very much. I hope you enjoy it too. 
Until next time, doei doei
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 
 

EDR #69 /BIG5 Preview/ Emiel Berghout: Heat adaptation (or not), the moustache and YouTube Career

Welcome to Episode #69: I’m Andy Fuller, the host of Everyday Runners and a co-founder of Reading Sideways Press. 
I love making this podcast: it is the most satisfying ‘work’ that I have done. And that’s why I want to thank the supporters of the podcast in helping me make it sustainable: Dominic, Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, Joao and Bob. Dominic is the latest supporter and he ran a 10,000m and Club Record last week at the Gouden Spike in Leiden. So: massive congrats to you. 
Noah Schutte, another friend of the podcast and regular guest, became national champion again for the 10,000m, on his home track, so it was a sweet victory for him. 
This episode is the first in a series of episodes in which I interview athletes taking part in the BIG5 in the Nedereindse Berg in Utrecht. 
In this episode I speak with Emiel Berghout who is rapidly becoming one of the most well-known athletes in the Netherlands largely through his popular YouTube channel and consistent high level performances. I generally like the way Emiel goes about his running - in both a serious and not-so-serious manner. 
So, we discuss his recent training and racing, his adaptation (or not) to the heat and what he is looking forward to do at the BIG5. 
I hope you enjoy the show and if you are so inclined, please consider supporting the show via the Buy Me a Coffee platform. 
Until next time, doei doei 
***
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #68 /Event Preview/ Gouden Spike in Leiden with Norbert Groenewegen

Yo! Welcome to this special edition of Everyday Runners where we speak with Norbert Groenewegen of Leiden Atletiek and the key organiser of the Gouden Spike (14th June 2025). 
Norbert shares his perspective on the development of the GS, how it works for Leiden Atletiek, it's place in the Dutch athletics calendar and of course some of the highlights over the years. 
We also discuss some of his perspectives as a runner in general (i.e. his views on Strava) and the coach-athlete relationship. 
Enjoy and tot de volgende - doei doei
 
***
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #67 /Race Preview/ Noah Schutte and Cas Kopmels on their preparation for the Gouden Spike

Yo! Welcome to Episode #67
Noah Schutte (episodes #34 & #14) and Cas Kopmels (episode #16) discuss their preparation for Leiden's premier European-level event, the Gouden Spike (Saturday 14th June). 
We discuss racing for time versus racing for position and when it is handy to have a pacer; Cas's adaptation back into the Netherlands and his maintenance of his US-based coach; Noah's doubles and race-week chilling strategies. 
The show finishes with some relatively, but not quite, rapid, rapid-fire questions about the usual running hot topics: Strava time predictions, Garmin coaching and Running (You) Tube 
Until next time! Doei doei 
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Music by Jeroen Rondeel of Cymbaline 

EDR #66 /Atletenprofiel/ Martijn Rijsenbrij: Running Blind

Hoi hoi! Welkom bij aflevering #66 van Everyday Runners. Ik ben Andy Fuller – jouw host – en een van de oprichters van Reading Sideways Press.
Het is lente hier – wat betekent: veel wind, af en toe een zonnetje, en natuurlijk zijn mensen weer massaal hun huizen aan het schilderen en verbouwen. Dus als je wat vreemde geluiden op de achtergrond hoort… tja, dit ‘studiootje’ is nog niet helemaal geluiddicht.
Even een dikke dankjewel aan de supporters van de podcast: Nesrine, Levi, Gianluca, João en Bob – supertof van jullie. Wil jij de show ook steunen? Check dan even de link naar Buy Me a Coffee in de show notes. En dankjewel ook aan iedereen die een rating op Spotify heeft achtergelaten – heel fijn!
Vanavond doe ik mee aan een estafette in Lisse met m’n team van Leiden Atletiek. Elk team heeft vier lopers, en we lopen allemaal 5 km. Als langeafstandsloper is het best ongewoon om eens in een teamwedstrijd te staan, dus ik heb er echt zin in. Ik werk nog steeds aan mijn 5 km-tijd – het doel is om onder de 16 minuten te duiken – dus hopelijk gaat dat deze zomer lukken.
In deze aflevering spreek ik met Martijn Rijsenbrij. Ik leerde Martijn kennen via twee gemeenschappelijke vrienden – Marit Hiemstra en Lysanne Wilkens, die ook meedoet aan het gesprek. Martijn is rapper, DJ én hardloper met een visuele beperking. We praten over zijn hardloopverhaal en hoe hij zijn sport heeft aangepast toen zijn zicht slechter werd. Ook praten we over zijn band met zijn buddy’s en hoe ze tijdens het rennen communiceren. Lysanne vertelt hoe het voor haar is om met Martijn te lopen.
Volgende week heb ik een paar afleveringen over de Gouden Spike, die op zaterdag 14 juni plaatsvindt in Leiden. Ik spreek dan met twee echte Leiden Legends – Noah Schutte en Cas Kopmels – over hun voorbereiding op de 10.000 meter.
Okee, dat was ‘m weer voor nu. Tot de volgende keer – doei doei!
Links: 
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com

EDR #65 /Running Studies/ Laura Gubby: Women Trail Runners and Feelings of Empowerment and Vulnerability

This episode features an interview with Dr Laura Gubby of Canterbury Christ Church University. 
I got in touch with Laura after reading her article, “Women trail runners’ encounters with vulnerability to male harassment in rural off-road spaces”, which she co-authored with Joanne Hill in 2024. 
I guess I was curious about her research because I wanted to think more about the kind of privilege male runners can experience by virtue of their gender. This article fits in with my thinking that running isn’t always an egalitarian or equitable sport for everyone, all of the time: women runners need to negotiate feelings of empowerment and vulnerability at the same time while performing the ‘morally good’ practice of looking after their health in green spaces. 
So, in this interview, I asked Laura about her own running practice, her research, her use of the work of scholars such as Henri Lefebvre and Doreen Massey, what made her informants feel vulnerable or threatened during a run and how male runners could be more aware of how their presence might or might not affect other runners. Anyway, that’s all for now. I hope you enjoy this episode. 
Until next time 
Doi doi
***
Thank you to Nesrine, Levi, Joao, Gianluca and Bob for supporting the show and helping to cover some of the costs via the Buy Me a Coffee Platform. 
Shout out to the legend Paul Waye, who was featured in Episode 52, who has almost finished his 12 Steden Plog: running more than 42km per day, visiting 12 cities and picking up trash along the way. Always with an immovable smile on his face and with a sense of humour as he runs through the Netherlands in a banana suit
Thank you to the listeners who have smashed the ratings function on Spotify
Links: 
Andy Fuller/Reading Sideways Press
Strava: Andy Fuller
Instagram: Everyday Runners Leiden
Email: everydayrunnerspodcast@gmail.com
Support the Podcast via Buy me a Coffee