Best Nic Acampora Podcasts (2025)

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EP. 112 | Rolling With The Punches, Learning To Overcome ; Irvette Van Zyl’s inspiring journey through multiple setbacks & return to elite level running as she lines up for her first Comrades Marathon 1:04:00

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6d ago1:04:00

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In this episode of Making a Runner, host Nic Acampora sits down with South African running icon, Irvette Van Zyl, as she prepares for her very first Comrades Marathon. In this inspiring and deeply honest conversation, Irvette opens up about her rollercoaster journey to the start line, navigating serious injuries, relentless setbacks, and the mental…

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EP. 111 | The Gold Mine for Comrades Down Run Success ; 49 time consecutive finisher & CMA Board Member, Barry Holland, shares the strategy, route & mindset to guide you to your strongest finish yet. 1:14:44

13d ago1:14:44

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Ready to make the most of your Comrades Down Run? In this episode of Making A Runner, host Nic Acampora sits down with living legend Barry Holland—the only person to have finished 49 consecutive Comrades Marathons and a current CMA Board Member. Drawing on five decades of experience, Barry unpacks the route like only he can, sharing hard-earned tip…

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EP. 110 | Two Runners, 6 Stars, One Comrades Dream; Behind the medals with Jade and Dom. An inspirational story of friendship, setbacks and glory as they now prepare for their biggest challenge yet. 1:01:03

22d ago1:01:03

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What does it take to chase some of the world’s biggest running dreams—while juggling careers, travel, setbacks, and the everyday demands of life? In this inspiring episode of Making A Runner, host Nic Acampora sits down with Jade De Sousa and Dominique Webb, two South African runners who not only earned the coveted Abbott Six Star Medal, but met on…

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EP.109 | Carbohydrates and Endurance Performance. Understanding the optimal running fuel source with Coach, Sports Nutritionist and Elite Athlete - Annie Bothma. 1:30:04

2M ago1:30:04

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In this episode of Making A Runner, host Nic welcomes back Annie Bothma, a frequent guest with profound expertise in nutrition, especially in the context of running. Annie dives into the intricacies of carbohydrate consumption and its pivotal role in endurance sports. Having previously covered pre race Carbo-Loading strategies as a topic as well as…

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EP. 108 | Understanding your sweat - a Key to Mastering Hydration for Ultramarathon Success ; with Coach and Fueling Expert, Andy Brodziak. 1:07:02

3M ago1:07:02

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In this conversation, Host Nic and Andy Brodziak delve into the critical aspects of hydration and sodium intake for ultra marathon runners. They discuss the importance of understanding individual sweat rates, the role of sodium in performance, and practical strategies for maintaining optimal hydration levels during training and races. The conversat…

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EP. 107 | Understanding Heat and Altitude training ; with Physiologist, Coach and Endurance Specialist - Dr. Philip Batterson. 1:10:07

3M ago1:10:07

1:10:07

In todays conversation your host, Nic, chats to Dr. Philip Batterson, a Physiologist, Coach and Endurance specialist from Oregon, USA. Phil holds extensive knowledge in the field of exercise physiology and it's application when it comes to endurance sports. Today we chat in detail about heat and altitude training for endurance runners. We focus on:…

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EP. 106 | The 'Down Run' Masterclass; A Comrades Training Roadmap with Coach Lindsey Parry 1:02:21

4M ago1:02:21

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In this conversation, Nic chats to the official Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry, as they look to unpack the essential preparations for runners gearing up for the upcoming 'Down Run' Comrades Marathon. We explore the different types of runners (from novice to sub elite), the importance of training habits, the risks of overtraining, and the significanc…

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EP. 105 | The Two Oceans Marathon Masterclass; with Sports Scientist and Coach, Devlin Eyden from Coach Parry. 1:09:09

4M ago1:09:09

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Like any good training program - the off-season is the key part of returning hungry and ready for more! This is the start of a the new year for us and we are planning for big things in 2025! After a 6 week break 'Making A Runner' returns with a conversation surrounding one of the most beautiful and challenging races in the world - The Total Sports …

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EP. 104 | Rising to the Desert Challenge; Kim Sonntag's Ultra Journey Balancing Running, Medicine and Charity. 55:10

6M ago55:10

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Today we're diving into the inspiring journey of Dr. Kim Sonntag, a dedicated Runner and Obstetrician & Gynecologist from Cape Town. Kim has not only conquered the grueling Two Oceans and Comrades marathons this year, but she recently took on the extraordinary challenge of a 250 km self-supported race through the Namibian desert ; The Desert Ultra.…

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EP. 103 | Return to Running Postpartum; Professional Triathlete and Dietitian , Mariella Sawyer, and her intuitive journey of self discovery a year on from the birth of her first child. 48:55

6M ago48:55

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Today, we have the privilege of hosting Mariella Sawyer, Professional Triathlete, Dietitian and new mother, days after she took the win at the Mossel Bay Ironman 70.3, to discuss her transformative journey of returning to competition a year postpartum. Join hosts Nic and Leah in this episode of Making HER Runner, as they delve into Mariella's exper…

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Ep. 102 | Dreamers Keep Trying; Kamo's motivational journey to his first sub 3 hour marathon. 1:09:33

7M ago1:09:33

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Today, we're thrilled to have Kamo (you may know him as @Kamo.runs on social media) a passionate runner and finance professional, share his incredible journey from a gym enthusiast to achieving a sub-3-hour marathon at Cape Town this year after running over hours in the 2023 version of the race ( a massive 1 hour+ improvement). We'll delve into his…

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Ep. 101 | Pharmacological approaches to running-related pain and alternative solutions to pain management with Dr Martin Khoury. 1:14:38

7M ago1:14:38

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In today's episode Nic chats to one of our all time favourite deep dive guests, Dr Martin Khoury, as we shift our focus to understanding pharmacology and how it relates to managing running related pain. We'll explore everything from the efficacy of analgesics and the placebo effect to the challenges and ethics of chronic pain management. Whether yo…

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100 Episodes of Making Memories with your hosts; Nic , Davey and Leah. 58:09

7M ago58:09

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Tune into todays episode for a walk down memory lane as we reminisce over the last 100 episodes of Making a Runner spanning the last 2 and a half years. We chat about some of our favourite guests, go into details and learning outcomes from episodes gone by and dive into how our own personal running journey has been influenced by what we have learne…

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S3|E30 - Mental Strategies for Race Day Success with Mental Performance Coach and 2:23 Marathoner, Giovanni Bianco. 1:00:44

8M ago1:00:44

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An often overlooked or underestimated element of training is mental strength. We delve into the depths of our STRAVA stats and are pretty clued up about nutrition, right down to grams of crabs per hour, but how do we deal with negative thoughts? Those nagging mental niggles that creep up when we're on the verge of doing something epic. As Giovanni …

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MHR- Beating Burnout with Co-Host, Leah; learning from our setbacks and the importance of mindful nutrition. 1:02:59

8M ago1:02:59

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It's been a good few months since our last 'Making Her Runner' episode but we are excited to be back sharing in Leah's running journey over the last year. A journey that started with low energy availability prior to Cape Town Marathon in 2023 along with hormonal issues and ended in a completely different runner crossing the finish line of the Karkl…

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The South African Trail Running Scene; prepare for the upcoming local Races plus the latest training updates from the world of Ultra Trail with Coach and Trail Running Legend, Linda Doke 1:07:51

9M ago1:07:51

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We’re thrilled to have the legendary Trail Runner and Coach, Linda Doke, back on the pod. In this episode, Linda shares her profound insights into the ultra-running world, diving into specific race strategies, challenges, and the personal impact of trail running. We chat about the latest news coming from UTMB, David Roche's Leadville 100miler recor…

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The Cape Town Marathon Round Up 52:37

9M ago52:37

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In this episode we welcome Davey back onto the pod as we catch up with how life as a parent is treating him whilst touching onto both Nic and Davey's training for the Cape Town Marathon. We focus on: providing our listeners with insights and tips on what to expect from the last 6 weeks of training the route changes and what to expect come race day …

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S3|E26 - What You Can Learn From Your Feet; a masterclass in foot biomechanics with Podiatrist, Nelfrie Kemp 1:01:25

9M ago1:01:25

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In this second part of our conversation Nic and Nelfrie Kemp go into the details of foot anatomy, biomechanics, common injuries and answer some of the questions from our listeners. Nelfrie discusses the importance of everyday shoe wear, the complexity of foot biomechanics, and the significant impact it has on running mechanics. From addressing comm…

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S3|E25 - Pre Race Carbo-Loading 101; all you need to know with Sports Nutrition Expert, Annie Bothma 1:03:10

10M ago1:03:10

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In this episode, Nic sits down with sports nutrition expert Annie Bothma to delve deep into the world of carb loading for runners. Together, they explore the essential role carbohydrates play in endurance exercise, tracing the history and evolution of carb loading as a strategy for athletes. Topics Discussed: Why Carb Loading Matters: Annie explain…

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S3|E24 The Right Shoe for the Right Occasion - A masterclass in running shoewear with Podiatrist, Nelfrie Kemp 1:07:22

10M ago1:07:22

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What is the right shoe for me? This is the most commonly asked question by runners all around the world and yet the answer to this simple question is far from straight forward. In today's conversation we chat to Nelfrie Kemp, Podiatrist and long time friend of the podcast as we dive deep into the topic of helping runners find the right shoe. We ask…

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S3|E23 - Discover Your Full Running Potential with Nick Bester, 2:20 Marathoner, Running Coach and Founder of Best Athletics. 52:39

10M ago52:39

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Today's conversation is one of those chicken and egg scenario's, what came first? Where some runners lace up and strike gold on their first try, others spend years in the single pursuit of a goal. So is it potential that requires hard work or hard work that unlocks potential? Nick Bester, running coach and founder of Best Athletics, helps us naviga…

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S3|E22 - World Class Trail Racing in South Africa with Professional Trail Runner Admire Muzopambwa 1:06:10

10M ago1:06:10

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In this conversation Hosts Nic and Davey chat to one of the best Ultra Trail Runners in the country right now - Admire Muzopambwa. Coming from a road running background Adie discovered his ability on trail and has never looked back winning and podiuming at many of the country's biggest trail running events such as UTD, Karkloof, MUT and Skyrun to n…

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S3|E21 - Exploring Road VS Trail Running with Ultramarathon Runner and Coach, Jo Keppler 55:07

10M ago55:07

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Jo Keppler is a familiar voice on the show and with this episode we welcome her back to help us unpack some core differences between Road and Trail Running - Jo being an accomplished ultra-distance trail runner herself, who trained for her very first Comrades Marathon this year. We cover some interesting ground including the difference in intensity…

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Unlocking the Hip Joint, a Deep Dive with Dr Martin Khoury, Chiropractor and Pain Management Specialist 1:16:02

11M ago1:16:02

1:16:02

Dr Martin Khoury is no stranger to the podcast and his expertise have already been shared in previous deep dive episodes on the lower leg and knee but as he will tell you: "The hip joint is his favourite joint of the body". His enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject matter is unmatched. We had a fantastic conversation covering: Hip Joint Anatomy a…

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S3|E19 - What It Takes To Win The Comrades Marathon with 2024 Male Winner, Piet Wiersma 1:20:20

11M ago1:20:20

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We are back after a small production break with one of the most anticipated conversations of the year - The 2024 Comrades Marathon Winner, Piet Wiersma. After narrowly missing out on the win in 2023 by 2 seconds the 'Unknown' Dutchman was the talk of the South African and global running community. We had the pleasure of chatting to him back then (S…