Running Industry Alliance Podcast in association with supersonic - Episode #15 featuring James Thurlow now live!

Matt and Tom are in conversation with James Thurlow, MD of Open Tracking.

James’ journey in the running industry stretches back nearly two decades, initially as an event organiser but now providing the largest live GPS tracking service to some of the industry’s biggest brands and foremost events.

Having been encouraged to keep his product alive after initial challenges, Open Tacking is now regarded as the market leader and James and his team as the go-to experts. James shares his thoughts on how trackers can best benefit an event or brand, the need to be able to support up to half a million people dot watching at one time, and where he believes the technology will go in the future.

Thank you for listening and do subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and to join us on this journey for a deeper insight into the running industry.

There is a link on the homepage of the website and the podcast is also available to listen to on all the major the platforms including:

Apple | Spotify | Amazon

Hosts & Guest:

• HOST & ANCHOR: Matt Ward LINKEDIN
• HOST: Tom Kerry LINKEDIN
• GUEST: James Thurlow LINKEDIN

Useful links:

• Open Tracking: WEBSITE
• Running Industry Alliance WEBSITE
• Running Industry Alliance ON INSTAGRAM
• Running Industry Alliance ON TWITTER
• Running Industry Alliance ON YOUTUBE
• The Running Conference presented by haku #TRC24 WEBSITE

Running Industry Alliance Podcast in association with supersonic - Episode #14 featuring Lia Fyles now live!

Matt and Tom are in conversation with Lia Fyles, Race Director of the London Landmarks Half Marathon.

"When you think about who are the faces of the LLHM, it’s not the celebrities or the athletes, it’s the fundraisers. We’ve always awarded Bib Numbers 1-10 not to our fastest runners but to special fundraisers who have gone above and beyond."

In this episode we speak with Lia Fyles, Race Director of the London Landmarks Half Marathon. We discover how maths graduate Lia with a passion for salsa dancing went from being a former English teacher and fundraiser to leading of one of the biggest and best half marathons in the UK.

Having raised a staggering £50,000,000+ for charity since the inaugural event in 2018, the event organised by pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s to benefit many good causes continues to go from strength to strength. Lia shares some insights into the inception of the event and expertly brings to life the importance of charity fundraising, participant experience, positive female participation, industry collaboration, and ambitions for the future.

Thank you for listening and do subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and to join us on this journey for a deeper insight into the running industry.

There is a link on the homepage of the website and the podcast is also available to listen to on the following platforms:

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Deezer

Hosts & Guest:

• HOST & ANCHOR: Matt Ward LINKEDIN
• HOST: Tom Kerry LINKEDIN
• GUEST: Lia Fyles LINKEDIN

Useful links:

• London Landmarks Half Marathon: WEBSITE
• Tommy's: WEBSITE
• Running Industry Alliance WEBSITE
• Running Industry Alliance ON INSTAGRAM
• Running Industry Alliance ON TWITTER
• Running Industry Alliance ON YOUTUBE
• The Running Conference presented by haku #TRC24 WEBSITE

Running Industry Alliance Podcast in association with supersonic – Episode #13 featuring Vicki Turner now live!

Matt is in conversation this month with Vicki Turner, Sales & Marketing Manager at Bridgedale.

“All we are trying to do is keep people comfortable on the trails, whether they are walking or running. That’s it, that’s our end goal to make durable, comfortable socks. It’s a small ambition if you like but it makes a big difference to people.”

Vicki Turner, Bridgedale

In this episode we discuss the history and heritage of the brand with Vicki, and how Bridgedale doesn’t just design socks but makes them. Their factory at the tip of the Strangford Lough, Newtownards, near Belfast in Northern Ireland has been knitting socks since WW1, when the first army socks were made. The strong heritage in hosiery is a feature of the Bridgedale brand and several of the team have been working in the factory for over 40 years, so they definitely know their socks!

Matt and Vicki discuss Vicki’s journey and background in the outdoors, the brand’s strapline of why “Little things matter”, how trail running has contributed to the growth of the brand, and the success of their collaborative product development process with the end user that also led to the latest Trail Run range. We also learn about the environmental side, yarn suppliers, and Bridgedale’s commitment to the highest standards of animal welfare.

Thank you for listening and do subscribe to be the first to hear about future episodes, and to join us on this journey for a deeper insight into the running industry.

There is a link on the homepage of the website and the podcast is also available to listen to on the following platforms:

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Deezer

Hosts & Guest:

• HOST & ANCHOR: Matt Ward LINKEDIN
• GUEST: Vicki Turner LINKEDIN

Useful links:

• Bridgedale: WEBSITE
• Bridgedale Animal Welfare
• Running Industry Alliance WEBSITE
• Running Industry Alliance ON INSTAGRAM
• Running Industry Alliance ON TWITTER
• Running Industry Alliance ON YOUTUBE
• The Running Conference presented by haku #TRC24 WEBSITE