Welcome to Trail Culture, the podcast set against the stunning backdrop of the mountains in the Jonkershoek Valley. The mission is to share stories, research, and insights sourced from the wealth of knowledge within the trail running community, spanning both South Africa and the wider world.
Trail Culture explores the heart of trail running and outdoor adventure. From interviews with coaches, athletes, and researchers ...
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Welcome Brendan Lombard! From racing across the globe to coaching runners of all levels, Brandon shares his expert insights on purpose-driven training, strength & conditioning for runners, and overcoming injuries. 🎙️ In this episode, you'll discover: 🔥 How to build strength for trail running – Key exercises, common mistakes, and how to integrate strength into your routine without overloading yourself. 🏃♂️ Brendan's journey from South Africa to Spain – Why he made the move and how it’s shaped his training and coaching philosophy. 🏋️ Strength training myths & best practices – Why “leg day” isn’t enough and how periodization can change your performance. 🤕 Injury prevention & recovery – Lessons from his Achilles injury and the breakthrough method that got him back to running. ⛰️ Racing in Europe vs. South Africa – Insights on courses, competition, and what it takes to perform on the world stage. Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to Season 2! 01 :38 - Meet Brendan Lombard: Sports Scientist, Coach & Trail Runner 04:30 - Why Brendan moved to Spain & how it’s impacted his training 08:00 - Brendan’s running journey – From swimming to world championships 13:20 - First trail race reality check – How road speed doesn’t always translate to the mountains 18:30 - Full-time coaching & digital nomad life 23:00 - Brendon’s Achilles injury & breakthrough recovery technique 27:50 - Mental battle of injury & staying motivated 31:40 - Brendan’s 2025 race goals – Tenerife, Eiger Ultra, UTCT & more 36:00 - The importance of training with purpose 9:00 - Biggest mistakes runners make with strength training 45:20 - How to structure strength workouts around your running 51:10 - Beginner’s guide: Strength training for trail runners 56:40 - How long does it take to see strength training results? 01:03:00 - Final advice: Brendan’s favorite training philosophy 🌍 Connect with Trail Culture: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ Support those who support us: Carbon Endurance Instagram Carbon Endurance Wesbite 📩 Follow Brendan Lombard (Instagram) 🔔 Subscribe & Follow for More Trail Running Insights! Don’t forget to hit LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more epic trail running and strength training content! Let us know your biggest strength training struggles in the comments below!👇
You asked & we listened. This weeks episode with @dewaal.simon is a hot topic. We unpack some of need to knows around super shoes. We talk about advanced footwear technology (AFT), what we learn from road runners, what research on super shoes tells us & more 💥 What you’ll gain from this episode: 🌟 Insights into the research on super shoes for both trail & road 💡 Tips on what to consider when getting a pair of super shoes 🏞️ Inspiration to follow the research on super shoes in the trail running space 🎥 Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to 2025: Season 2 continues 03:07 Vapor flies: Personal dabbling in the super shoe scene 06:50 - Shoes vs Barefoot: Why should we care about our footwear 10:27 - Design & definition: Advanced footwear technology (AFT) 14:35 - Super shoe benefits: Are they real or perceived? 19:15 - The carbon plate: Potential energy & carbon improvements 22:21 - Early research: The 4% benefit & Nikes research 30:12 - The influence of speed: How much of a role does speed play 35:20 - Running environment : Is there a place for super shoes on trail 40:30 - The Salomon study: Current research for the trail space 55:05 - Windlass Mechanism: Foot mechanics in an uphill condition 59:18 - Future research: Making it more trail specific
This week I’m stoked to welcome an expert to the podcast. She is all knowing when it comes to physiology & sports nutrition 🍎🍰🥤 The founder of @fuel_form, Louise joins us this week to talk about piecing together the fuelling puzzle. Where to start, what to avoid & the origin story behind some classic nutrition myths 💭 What you’ll gain from this episode: 🌟 Insights into fuelling for Ultra running & how to get started . 💡 Tips on the types of things to eat & when to fuel when training and racing 🏞️ Inspiration to put the fuelling puzzle piece together to suit your goal 🎥 Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to 2025: Season 2 continues 02:10 The sports journey: Finding research & a passion for rugby 05:25 - PhD & international partners: Supplementing with ketones for physical & mental recovery 11:15 - The Cape Epic: Research in the field 14:15 - Fuel Form: Starting a business & real food focus 17:09 - Common struggles: GI distress, liquid nutrition & planning 22:10 - Electrolytes: When and how should athletes use them? 27:58 - Carbs are back : What is possible vs what is necessary? 34:25 - High fat low carb : What works for ultra runners 38:02 - Fuelling for sessions: Timing & fasted training 45:02 - Gut training: How to get start & what progress looks like 51:26 - In race fuel: Putting together your fuelling plan
This week I’m stoked to welcome Skye Clark to the podcast. He’s the perfect guy to chat to about consistency & finding sustainable training rhythms. His hard work over the last few years is paying off & he’s quickly becoming a household name for the SA trail scene. In this episode we talk about Skyes history with the sport, how he’s chipped away at his race performances, what consistency in training will do for you & more. From strava banter with Petrus de Klerk, to training runs with Flat Rock Endurance - community & support is definitely a common theme that comes through. I hope you enjoy the episode What you’ll gain from this episode: 🔥 Motivation to conquer your own goals & stick to the plan 🌟 Insights into staying consistent & finding sustainable rhythms 💡 Tips on balancing high-performance sports with family life 🎥 Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to 2025: Season 2 continues 01:45 - Growing up : The Comrades inspiration 04:46 - Finding Ultras: The roadmap to long distance 08:34 - The 100km stoke: Finding races that inspire him 10:00 - UTMB: The lotto & an unexpected adventure 15:10 - Strava wars: Petrus de Klerk & the segment banter 20:22 - Consistency always wins: Showing up & working on weaknesses 29:30 - The race mindset : Focus & considerations 35:25 - 100km rollercoster : UTCT & working through the challenges 40:02 - 2025 game plan: What’s next on the horizon 45:47 - The juggling act: Adaptability & support 49:45 - External perspective: Working with a coach & learning where to land 🔗 Links & Resources: Skye Clark: Instagram
Marz van der Merwe: A commitment to adventure Join us this week as we chat to a local favorite, a tremendous talent & a well rounded athlete. So stoked to have @marz_merwe on the podcast this week 🎙️ We’ll be talking about everything from her sports journey to her professional development. 🤙🏼 🎥 Chapter Markers: 00:00 - Welcome to 2025: Season 2 continues 02:36 - Goal orientation: Finding trail running 04:37 - Early days: Racing & early mistakes 08:05 - The Coaster: Race directing & the Canada adventure 16:37 - International Events: Navigating UTMB & Western States 23:38 - Working with the GOAT: Jim Walmsley & sports media 31:03 - Western States: Backpack sprints & race highlights 39:32 - The comeback: Injuries & mindset 45:35 - The race calendar : Wildstrubel & racing emotions 52:55 - Outro: What’s next for Marz in 2025 🌄 Whether you’re a seasoned ultrarunner or simply love incredible stories of human endurance, this episode is packed with inspiration, practical advice, and captivating adventures. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes featuring extraordinary guests like Mars van der Merwe. 🙌 🔗 Links & Resources: Trail Culture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailcultureza/ Trail Culture Coaching: https://www.trailculture.co.za/ From the Ghosts Above : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G0fNkk4g0A Sherpa : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMWtu8Gb_HU Marz van der Merwe website: https://www.marzellephotography.com/