Welcome to Episode 3 of the Road to the Checkered Bastard where Chris chats to Ian Gibbs and Megan Gianfrancesco from the Bunbury Runners Club ahead of the 44th edition of the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival on Sunday 12 April 2026, chatting race logistics, course records and what makes Bunbury a special race on the WA running calendar.

With all distances officially sold out, we dive into why this 44-year-old event is such a massive staple in the WA running calendar. From tackling the infamous lighthouse hill to the incredible local legends toeing the line this year, this is a must-listen before you head down that weekend.

This episode is brought to you by the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival. Famous for its beautiful, flat, and fast course, the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival offers ocean views up Ocean Drive, dolphin spotting in Koombana Bay, fast racing around Big Swamp and the challenge of the infamous Bunbury lighthouse - or as we like to call it - THE CHECKERED BASTARD.

With personalised drink stations, on-course entertainment, and a finish line vibe that captures everything great about the regional WA running community, the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival delivers an experience you’ll remember long after your legs stop aching.

So lace up, set your sights south, and make Bunbury your next race destination in April 2026. Find out more and enter now at runbunbury.com.au

Reach out and connect! Instagram: @warunningpod Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 16 March 2026

With Chris on annual leave downing ice cream sandwiches, Vici & Simon are joined by Savannah Rayner - who wears many hats in the running community, is one of the coaches of the Ogging Track Club, and on the comeback, trail following a big injury last year and hoping for big things in 2026.

Vici & Simon recap their Herdys Frontyard Ultra experience after Vici breaks her PB and runs 25 yards, while Simon fights some demons to make it to 16 yards, past the 100km mark and 16 soft serve ice creams for Chris when he returns from holiday.

In other results we had the Canning River Runningworks Festival with Alex Vickery providing us a quick recap of the event and his race (a podium in the marathon), as well as the Darlington Half and 8km with Oliver Jamieson and Jess Byrd also giving us a recap of their 8km wins for Ogging Track Club.

Chartt Miller, Alexander Schult, everyone who competed, crewed, volunteered or part of the organising team at Herdys, and the latest Margie Hadley update feature in this week’s weapons of WARP.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 9 March 2026

The gang are joined by Front Runner Performance coaches Zander Mostert and Raf Baugh to talk through the science of running and in particular lactate threshold testing, training zones and using data to help with your training goals.

We had the State Senior Track & Field Champs that featured the 1500m, WA runners running Shizuoka Marathon over in Japan and we talk Herdys Frontyard Ultra that begins this Friday.

Chris runs 38km before turning 39, Vici wraps her legs up with cling film and Simon runs a sneaky sub 18 parkrun.

Adam Kopp, Jess Byrd and a Margie Hadley update feature on this week’s Weapons of WARP.

Reach out to the guys at Frontrunner Performance via the Front Runner Sports website (including coaching blog) https://frontrunnersports.com.au/

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 2nd March 2026

Chris, Vici & Simon are joined by one of the most positive guys in the WA running community, Ashul Shah who recently won the WAMC’s inspirational runner of the year with Bryan Lip a couple of weeks back. We chat about Ashul’s love of running and one of his favourite quotes - “It’s never too late to start, and clearly, you can’t keep a good cockroach down”

In results we had the Perth Trail Series' Chitty Chitty Run Run, the Runningworks Lark Hill Party Ultra featuring a recap from Mark Griffiths (casual kudos), the WAMC Peninsula Twilight Run, and a local recap from Lauren French and Ashleigh Yee at the Tokyo Marathon.

Lauren French, Kat Watt and her son, the weekend’s Surf Life Saving 2km state champs and the latest update on Margie Hadley feature on this week’s Weapons of WARP.

We love you Laura!

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 23rd February 2026

Andy Carrington joins Chris, Simon & Vici as we chat all things backyard ultras ahead of Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra that starts on Friday 13th March.

In local results we had the Yaberoo Twilight Trail Ultra on Saturday 15th February, and Olivia Holmes and Daniel Ma help us recap the WAMC Point Walter Run.

Is Chris a running coach? Is Simon training for a secret marathon? Did Vici make it to Yo-Chi in time?

We have the upcoming HBF Run for Reason Community Run this Wednesday at 5:15pm with the guys from The Running Centre with giveaways and maybe some free tickets. WARP's Community Run is the following Wednesday with a chance to try out their new shoes pre official release. Justin Mulhair, Emma Haak, Matt Neves, Mitch Grey and an update on Margie Hadley feature on this week’s Weapons of WARP.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Chris travelled down to the Bunbury Runners Club last week to record Sean Cowan & Ashlee Ritson of Koombana Physiotherapy present a live seminar to the members of Bunbury Runners Club entitled ‘Going the Distance’, talking all things brain, body, fuel and how these work together in endurance training. Apologies for the first 7min with audio issues which are resolved shortly after.

Follow the Koombana Physiotherapy guys on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koombanaphysio

This episode is brought to you by the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival. Famous for its beautiful, flat, and fast course, the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival offers ocean views up Ocean Drive, dolphin spotting in Koombana Bay, fast racing around Big Swamp and the challenge of the infamous Bunbury lighthouse - or as we like to call it - THE CHECKERED BASTARD.

With personalised drink stations, on-course entertainment, and a finish line vibe that captures everything great about the regional WA running community, the Bunbury 3 Waters Running Festival delivers an experience you’ll remember long after your legs stop aching.

So lace up, set your sights south, and make Bunbury your next race destination in April 2026. Find out more and enter now at runbunbury.com.au

Reach out and connect! Instagram: @warunningpod Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Monday 9th February 2026

Chris & Simon are joined by the new Queen of Busso - Ash ‘Ritto’ Ritson taking out the women’s marathon in what some people call the hottest event in the WA Running Calendar, the Busselton Bay Run.

Some impressive performances across the marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km distances in mint conditions. We had foreign correspondents Ella Eastaugh and Matt Smith recapping their day along with some very important around the ground interviews with Brodie Clark, Michael Edgar, Jeremy Ng and Liam Phelps

Closer to Perth we had the WAMC John Forrest Run with Uncle Audwin Lee, Bec Bolster, Margie Hadley, and the man pissing mid race running 4:15min/km’s feature in this week’s weapons of WARP.

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP

Sunday 1 February 2026

Vici & Simon are joined by Sean McCrory - the brains behind the WA Coastal Running Festival, with a new suite of running events in the WA running calendar.

We recap the last couple of weeks in local running that included the State 5,000m championships, Bunbury Runners Club Australia Day Fun Run, PTS Swissmurdie and Sandman. We preview the Busso Bay Run with some wild predictions that have nothing to do with the form guide.

Smithie collects all the State Championship infinity stones from 1500m through to the Marathon, Vici will try to change her shorts at least once in the upcoming Herdys, and Emily Sandman is our favourite person of the week, participating in Sandman.

Vici plugs HBF Run for a Reason with early bird entries opening up this week. Jamie Harrington and Nita Traeger feature in this week’s Weapons of WARP.

Follow the @wacoastalrunningfestival

HBF Run for a Reason early bird entries are out this week: hbfrun.com.au

Reach out and connect!

Instagram: @warunningpod

Email: warunningpodcast@gmail.com

Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WARP