This week on the Any Given Runday podcast, we welcome Matthew McConnell (@mrmattmcc on Instagram). Matthew is 2 time and current Irish mountain running champion, with countless podium finishes in trail and IMRA races around the country over the years, as well as representing Ireland on the World stage and recently represented Ireland in European 50k Trail Championship. He discusses training strategies, overcoming injuries, the role of community, and insights into performance optimisation for trail and road racing as well as his goals for the 2026 Dublin Marathon
12:10 Introduction to Mountain Running and Matthew McConnell 14:51 The Journey into Mountain Running 17:48 Progression and Competition in Trail Running 20:51 Healthy Competition and Training Partners 23:55 Getting Started in Mountain Running 26:58 Consistency and Coaching in Training 29:48 Experiences at the European Championships 32:52 The Role of Videography in Running 35:59 Transitioning to Road Running 38:56 Trials and Tribulations in Training 44:27 Recovery and Cross-Training Strategies 52:27 The Role of Cycling in Running Performance 57:34 Sauna Benefits and Heat Training 64:44 Experiencing High-Level Competition 70:47 Balancing Training with Life and Business
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