From 135kg to 2:52 Marathon: How El Burrito Proved Everyone Wrong

What happens when you don’t just challenge expectations—but set out to break the rules entirely?

In this episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Oli Paterson (aka El Burrito) just days after running a 2:52 marathon. Having turned his life around from addiction and weighing 135kg, Oli is now on a mission to defy the limits that coaches, data, and even physics claim a 100kg+ runner can achieve. He proves that not being built like a typical runner doesn’t define your speed, strength, or potential. With an outlandish, daring, and fiercely competitive mindset, he’s rewriting the rules and proving anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

We unpack:

🧨 Oli’s transformation from alcohol, gambling, and tobacco addiction to chasing personal bests

⚡ 135kg to Sub-3 – The story behind his dramatic weight loss and breakthrough marathon time

🧠 Oli’s interesting perspective on the power of running

🎯 His Next Guinness World Record

⚖️ Finding YOUR Balance – A raw chat with Anya, Ben, and Oli on how to live fully while training hard

🍔 How Oli manages to still enjoy the crazy food he makes whilst going after ridiculously quick times

Oli’s journey is bold, inspiring, and refreshingly honest—a reminder that progress isn’t linear, and sometimes the best path is the one no one thought was possible.

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