Run To Paradise

E3 - Incubus

This is a wedge. Its a really silly silly episode. An hour of yapping that’s wedged between more clever and serious episodes (also bullshit, but here we are) like chats with Erchana or interviews with other talented smart people.
 
As you can hear I’m still getting over my obligatory mid tour illness. I also managed to buy the worst podcast mic in the world before leaving Australia so the sound is not super great.
 
This is pretty much 50 minutes of me recapping all the running related goss from my last three weeks touring Europe and the UK, but getting completely sidetracked by my new fixation; sleep paralysis. But take my hand and we’ll eventually make it out of that freaky psychedelic tundra in time to talk about cool stuff thats actually running related like big fat dogs and treadmill sessions and the Green Runners (founded by Damian Hall and Jasmin Paris etc). There's also an ambient backing track because I heard it on the Blind Boy Podcast and it made everything so soothing and nice in my ears so I figured I’d rip it off. I’ve got a fairly abrasive Western Australian squawk that could do with something gentle to land on anyway. Did the Australian accent come from crows, or did they adopt on our accent? I believe it’s the latter because I swear English crows have an English accent.
 
As always this podcast is a Tarkine production and I thank them profusely. I never wanted too be a “podcast guy” because it feels lame as hell, but with their encouragement I’m finally starting to just be comfortable with it. Plus they make great gear and are lovely people so stuff it, I’ll try.
 
Theres a Patreon page now too if you wanna make a small contribution. It really really helps. Every extra five bucks a month gets me closer to being able to make Run To Paradise heaps better and heaps more regular. No pressure but it’s really nice hey!
 
Hope yr all well and this is a good accompaniment to a walk or jog or practicing hanging by your teeth from a rope under a bridge covered in peanut butter. Stay Hard!!
 
Love, Nick :)

Run To Paradise E2 S3 - On My Feet

This year i had the huge privilege of joining in on some of the weekly training sessions as the women of On My Feet trained for the WAMC Womens Classic 10k.
On my feet is a not for profit organisation helping those experiencing or at risk of homelessness to get back on their feet with confidence and independence through health, education, running and community. Participants and volunteers all work together as true friends and fellow runners - it's a horizontal and bilateral exchange - and they're part of the most wonderful, compassionate and supportive run club i've ever seen. 
These women were so so generous with their time and stories and i felt so welcomed.
I joined in for a bunch of wet and wooly training sessions and then a parkrun, and made some brilliant friends. 
Honestly, this was the best experience this podcast has provided me with and i feel so lucky. 
Please support On My Feet because the work they're doing is incredible. It's a hand up, not hand out. 
If you wanna support them think about buying some of their socks! they're very cool and all the proceeds go to supporting On My Feet. 
https://tarkine.com/products/on-my-feet-orange-running-socks-unisex?srsltid=AfmBOop-ZbcX_jlUiy5kAeGnz-k8b9D8R0WKndxVRQiHWF_9JH1zsirS

S3 E1 - Girl Eats World

This is how we're doing it from now on ya muppets!
Nick Allbrook and Erchana Murray Bartlett will form the odd couple you never asked for but are gonna get anyway. 
Nick is a musician and part time fairly average runner. Erchana is a highly accomplished extremely good runner and coach and nutritionist and the loveliest person you're probably ever going to meet. Together they're gonna chat about the beautiful, hilarious and sometimes very silly world of running. This week its the pilliga ultra, fracking, double long run weekends, the International Sports Competition That Happens Every Four Years TM, the joys of quitting and being less of a boneheaded freak when yr feeling run down or tired, and what you should listen to and read this week. 
I (Nick) am so bloody excited to have a compadre on this podcast especially one that can act as a foil to my gaping lack of knowledge, expertise and credibility, and maybe also a ray of light to drive away the clouds of dark cynicism that might grip me when talking about Texan gas giants exploiting very pretty and ancient Australian landscapes. ANYWAY !
Here's the debut of the most brilliant Australian duo since savage garden, Run To Paradise season 3.
giddyup suckas!!
heres the patreon if you want to chuck in a few bucks. its a huge help and really makes it easier to carve out the time to keep this podcast more regular https://www.patreon.com/RunToParadise3000
heres the albums i recommend at the end :) https://www.caamamusic.com.au/four-classic-albums-from-the-archives-re-released/
 
 

Run To Paradise Podcast update with host Nick Allbrook

Soundscape RTP update.

S2 E10 - SHANE JOHNSON - Bibbulmun Track FKT Attempt Roundup

Hello! welcome to run to paradise and my chat with Shane Johnson, the newest member of the Tarkine Athletics team!
We talk about his Bibbulmun Track FKT attempt, knowing when to stop, dealing with disappointment, building community, trail history and love, the transience of records, and Shane's very own raceTRANSCEND, which is on this weekend, so good luck all you blunderbusses who are tapering yr wee tootsies off and stuffing sugary goop into tiny sacks in anticipation. May your run be joyous, yr socks be dry and yr undies be clean. Thank the volunteers and bow to a wallaby please. 
This is a continuation of the last episode talking to Rhys Crosswell about his FKT attempt on the Cape to Cape. Both blokes were attempting their records at the same time, Rhys trying to beat Shane, and both of them had beautifully aligned experiences out there. 
Blessya!

Season 2 Episode 9 - Bad Trips and Watermelon Lips with Rhys Crosswell

Sixty what minutes!? What is this, the dang blasted Bro Jogan podcast? Who has time to listen to this shit? Who has time to make it?? Me? So many questions that’ll have to wait for another day.
This episode is about Rhys Crosswell trying to do the Cape to Cape track in record time, but we also chat about --- the very special place trails hold in our mammalian hearts and minds, how to do your very own ultra adventure, what's more important than running, family, the vibe, and eventually how to prepare for your goals changing, sometimes more callously referred to as FAILURE. 
Thanks very much Rhys, Geoff and Julie Crosswell, thanks Billie, Frankie, Rosie, Ben, Grant, Will, Annika and thanks Shane Johnson! And of course massive thanks to Tarkine the Fremantle based running shoe company. Their shoes are indestructible in my experience, and that's the best kind of sustainable apparel you can have - stuff you don’t have to throw away. It’s a terrible business model, but one I have a lot of respect for!!
And mostly thanks to whoever listens to this :)
- Nick

Season 2 Episode 8: Peter Bibby - Strong, Noble and Astonishingly Good Looking

Firstly, APOLOGIES! I’ve been touring and whatnot and it is proving very difficult to finish episodes of this podcast while driving around America playing rock-band-shows. I’ll get back to it when I’m back :) thanks for your patience (there must be in excess of 5 people who care!)
ANYWAY this might be the most stuffed episode I’ve ever made, so hold onto yr jocks!
What can I say about Peter Bibby that hasn’t been said before. He is a legend of the DIY punk? metal?? scene when I first met him and his completely bizarre band called Frozen Ocean - the most original music from Perth ever made. A true expression of what happens if you give 2 weirdos from Midland a lot of red cordial and weed and a whole lot of time to get insanely tight and follow their madness and talent down whatever feral rabbit holes they please. 
Pete is a big big strong boy, a plasterer, a smart and generous friend and a fabulous songwriter and I’m not just saying that because I love him dearly (which I do), but he is. His music is consistently inspiring and open hearted and interesting and hooky, and he’s releasing a new record soon called Drama King. Pete beat me when we did the first Jog Dogs half marathon. Pete ran a big trail race in Tasmania recently and we didn’t even talk about it in this episode coz we’re fools. It was in the Tarkine rainforest which is great coz this podcast is sponsored by the shoe company called Tarkine who make sick and very durable shoes. I just busted a pair of asics to smithereens in about 3 months and my Tarkine Goshawks were fine after 4000 kilometres (no shit). Thanks Tarkine xxx
This is a very very very silly two way interview (as in, he interviews me too) which is replete with panting and wind noises, so if you are an audiophile in any way, probably don’t listen to this. We tried to go at a conversational pace but we panted haaaard nonetheless. Probably because I was suffering from a terrible, cruel and dumb self-inflicted sickness, conceived in the nighttime and born in the morning. We also swear quite a lot so watch out if the littlies are in the room. 
We talk about Titus, songwriting, running slowly, Pete giving up drinking alcohol, Australian tradie culture, getting punched, plasma and a bunch other stuff. I put in spooky noises too because I guess we’re spooky boys. 
Much love and thanks for yr patience :) 
Nick
 

Season 2 Episode 7 : Talking About Running and Songs with Margaret Glaspy

I saw Margaret Glaspy’s trio play in LA and was soooooooo inspired (jealous) of their dynamism and subtlety, her voice, the depth of emotions totally stuffed me, so upon finding out that Margaret was a runner I almost expired with adoration. So, needless to say, I was pretty stoked when we finally got to meet and talk about all the good stuff - balancing life, art and running, training while on tour, her pal Courtney Dauwalter (!), shwagger and mojo and Margarets predilection towards the immediacy of live recording sessions. 
If you want to actually support Margaret - which you definitely should because she is awesome and hard working and talented duh - get on that tharr internet and buy her record or some merch! Or, even better, go to your local record store and march up to the weird sweaty clerk in a trench coat who smells like a conepiece, hold your head up high and say, “I’ll take one copy of Echo the Diamond by Margaret Glaspy!”
Have a good one! Seeya next time!
Much love to Tarkine for sponsoring the show and initiating the whole thing, giving me an opportunity for me to chat with these amazing people. They also make great shoes. 

Season 2 Episode 6: Deo Kato - Cape Town to London

Hi Champions! It’s me, Nick, howsitgarn? Great to hear. I’m coming to you from my hotel room mid rock band tour so excuse the grubby sound quality in the intro. 
This episode is a chat with Deo Kato, a ridiculously strong runner, community leader and activist. Inspired by the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, when African Americans in Alabama staged a civil rights protest for 381 days Deo started the Running for Justice movement, where he ran 10ks every day for 381 days. This movement was taken on by other members of the running community and has now become some kind of epic protest relay that has been going for 4 years! The longest continuous protest of its kind I think!? The ripples this has caused is a testament to Deo’s strength as a leader and his ability to rally people around a cause and inspire with a positive message. 
But now he’s taken on something waaaaaaaaaay bigger. He’s running from CAPE TOWN TO LONDON. My mind ist blown. Deo is tracing the path of human historical migration, as our species spread across the globe from our roots in Africa. He is showing the world that we are all one people, who have - and can again - achieve incredible things. The elegance and power of this message is unlike anything I’ve seen or heard to be honest. It feels almost artistic in its scope and message. 
Anyway enough of my jabbering, listen to Deo explain it heaps better than me, then click the link below and donate to his cause because it is of great significance to all of us! And Deo is a lovely lovely person even though he's probably heinously tired. 
https://www.gofundme.com/f/first-person-to-run-from-cape-town-to-london
Thanks for listening!
And thanks Tarkine for the support you guys firkin rock 

Season 2, Episode 5 - Blank Bruno; Non-Being In The Flesh

In this episode Blank Bruno and I discuss the Saddles 100 ultra, living a balanced and fun life, letting go of races, becoming the first non-binary finisher of the Chicago Marathon (2.47!!) and the myriad profound and spiritual experiences that grow from a life dedicated to running, learning, art and the Buddhist practice. 
Bruno is an immensely deep thinker, and approaches running with not only athletic talent, but philosophy, spirituality and humour. Time unravels. Ego dissolves. Ancient bodies are inhabited. Rain is suckled. Feet kiss earth with foot lips. Human becomes dog. 
Bruno is a gentle and deep soul, who will gently kick your ass on the track. 
 
This episode of Run To Paradise was made by Nicholas Allbrook on the unceded lands of Wadjuk Nyoongar people. We thank them for their continued custodianship of this beautiful place where we run work and play.