The Back Straight Podcast

Belfast Marathon

Nick Griggs

European Cross Country Championships

Belfast

Irish Athletics

Precision Fuel & Hydration

Northern Ireland Athletics

Running

Belfast Irish Milers Meet

Carbohydrate Loading

Hydration Strategies

National Cross Country Championships

Training

Diamond League

Armagh International Road Races

Nutrition

Queen's Parkrun

Inter Counties Cross Country

Marathon Training

Callum Morgan

A fortnightly podcast based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Join Daniel Squires and Michael McKnight along the 'Back Straight' as they discuss the running scene in the Isle of Ireland and shine a light on great stories domestically as well as abroad. We'll throw our running hats into the ring and talk gear, training and racing often in the company of studio guests. Contact us at our email address th... more

101 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	108	Founded	3 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	RunningSports

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Hosts Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

Ep. 75 - Nick Griggs - Irish National Champs - London Diamond League

Welcome to episode 75 of the Back Straight Podcast! This episode is a real cracker as we are joined by Nick Griggs for a chat prior to him competing at both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the European Championships in Birmingham. Nick is alway... more

29 Jul 2026 • 1 hr 13 min

Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Big old episode this week with a tonne of results from Cork City Sports, Morton Games, Watford BMC, Prefontaine Classic and the Monaco Diamond League! We round out part 1 with some speculations of what might happen in the London Diamond League. In pa... more

17 Jul 2026 • 1 hr 28 min

Zak Hanna on the Back Straight

This week's interview features one of Ireland's leading mountain runners, Zak Hanna. Zak hails from the edge of Slieve Croob, is a Newcastle AC athlete, and sponsored runner for New Balance and Precision Fuel and Hydration. Zak talks us through how h... more

8 Jul 2026 • 1 hr

Ep. 73 - James Gormley Interview - Local Results and Track Action

Another great interview on the Back Straight! This week we have James Gormley from Carmen Runners to chat about his career in running which has led to his selection for the mile at the Commonwealth Games. James breaks down his journey through the spo... more

3 Jul 2026 • 1 hr 12 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Accepts Sponsors

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Paula's Run ClubMomentum Media & Broadcast

Sweat Elite PodcastSweat Elite

Runners DiaryBrian Ahern, Damian Kenneally, Andy Goulding

UNTAPPED with Spencer MatthewsHigh Performance

RunPodGlobal

Recent Guests

Jasper McDowell

Geneva-based runner with Northern Irish roots and Swiss connection; Rathmullen 5K winner

Swiss-based athlete (Geneva)

Episode: Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Zak Hanna

Newcastle and District AC runner, World Trail Championship representative, NB Elite team athlete

New Balance

Episode: Zak Hanna on the Back Straight

James Gormley

Commonwealth Games-bound middle-distance athlete

Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team / Ireland athletics

Episode: Ep. 73 - James Gormley Interview - Local Results and Track Action

Emmett Dunleavy

Performance Endurance Coach for Athletics Ireland

Athletics Ireland

Episode: Emmett Dunleavy on the Back Straight

Conor McCann

Guest, track and field athlete who attended Stockholm and Oslo Diamond Leagues

Northern Ireland athletics

Episode: Ep. 72 - Diamond League Reviews (ft. special guest) - NI & Ulster Senior Track Champs - Road Races - How to run 85 miles in a day

Emily Haggard-Kearney

Northern Ireland and Irish national team representative; Irish 10K National Champion 2026; member of North Belfast Harriers

Ireland Athletics / North Belfast Harriers

Episode: Bonus Interview - Emily Haggard-Kearney

Luke Kelly

Up-and-coming athlete from the Mark Kirk/Candor Training Group

Candor Training Group

Episode: Ep. 71 - Luke Kelly interview - Track Results - Dan's race recap

Judith Storm

Northern Ireland and Ulster Marathon Champion, City of Derry Spartans runner

City of Derry Spartans

Episode: Ep. 69 - Judith Storm Interview - Belfast Classic Recap - Belfast Marathon Recap

Aaron Beggs

Notable Northern Ireland marathon runner highlighted for a media-savvy finish-line moment at the Boston Marathon

North Down AC / Northern Ireland running scene

Episode: Ep. 68 - Belfast Marathon Preview - London Recap - Superhero Aaron Beggs - The Belfast Classic ft. Eamonn Christie

Hosts

Daniel Squires

Host of The Back Straight Podcast; frequent in Belfast running scene discussions; long-running figure in NI athletics coverage.

Michael McKnight

Co-host; provides coaching, training insights, and chemistry with the host; frequent guest in episode discussions across NI running topics.

Dearbhla Cox

Co-host and guest interviewer; appears as club runner and elite-level guest sharing training and race experiences.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#152	United Kingdom/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts	#80	Singapore/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts	#91	Mexico/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts	#132	Ireland/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts	#179	New Zealand/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts	#245	Denmark/Sports/Running

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 73 - James Gormley Interview - Local Results and Track Action

Q: What is James Gormley's background and how did he come to run for Ireland?

James explained that he was born in Sheffield, has Irish roots through his father, and initially ran for GB as a youth. After experiences in Birmingham and Oregon, and considering several international opportunities, he chose to represent Ireland at the senior level to align with his roots and aspirations, seeing a clearer path to competing for Northern Ireland/Ireland at major events.

Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Q: What are your goals for the next couple of years, especially with the Frankfurt Marathon on the horizon?

I'm aiming to run a strong Frankfurt, ideally with a fast time as a major PB target, while staying mindful of staying healthy. I'll be balancing high mileage with a more structured plan closer to competition, possibly targeting a Belfast or Antrim Coast Half as tune-up events if timing aligns.

Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Q: There's a discussion about social media and branding; how do you view the balance between sponsorships, content creation, and training?

Brands often contact me due to reach and visibility, which helped me secure sponsorship from Seyskye and others. While I appreciate the exposure, I think teams should hire videographers/editors to handle the content so athletes can focus on training and racing. Social media has become essential in modern sponsorships, giving fans a window into the training and preparation beyond race day.

Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Q: You mentioned Northern Irish roots and that you've built a Swiss-Geneva base; how did you get into running, and what was your path to marathon running?

I grew up in England and moved to Geneva when I was 16. I started running seriously after my dad trained for a local race; I began with short distances, moved up to 10K, then half marathons, and finally marathons. My journey included a peak of high mileage, a shift toward structured coaching with a Canada-based coach for Valencia, and later refining the focus around peaking for European Championships and Berlin/London-type events.

Ep. 74 - Jasper McDowell Interview - Cork City & Morton Games Results - Diamond League chats

Q: So, you were up in Rathmullen and essentially travelled by boat to the start line; can you talk us through that plan and how it fit into your calendar?

I hadn't expected Rathmullen to have a race, but once the family invited me up for the long weekend, we found a quick transport plan involving a family boat to cross the lock, which saved so much time and let me arrive with enough minutes to sign up and warm up before the starter. It was a fun, spontaneous setup that ended in a comfortable win and a great memory.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Back Straight Podcast

What is The Back Straight Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on the running scene in Ireland, with a steady rhythm of race recaps, training blocks, gear talk, and race-day strategy. Episodes frequently feature in-depth interviews with standout athletes, coaches, and organizers, alongside practical discussions on fueling, pacing, recovery, and race logistics. A recurring strength is the way hosts connect local Belfast and NI racing with broader international action, weaving personal stories of progression, grit, and teamwork into actionable takeaways for serious hobbyists and competitive runners alike. Notable strengths include high guest diversity (elite athletes, coaches, scientists, and event organizers) and a consistent emphasis on training psychology, club culture, and the busin... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Back Straight Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Back Straight Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Back Straight Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Back Straight Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Back Straight Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Back Straight Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Back Straight Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Back Straight Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Back Straight Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Back Straight Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Back Straight Podcast:

1. Paula's Run Club
2. Sweat Elite Podcast
3. Runners Diary
4. UNTAPPED with Spencer Matthews
5. RunPod

How many episodes of The Back Straight Podcast are there?

The Back Straight Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Back Straight Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Back Straight Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Back Straight Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Back Straight Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Back Straight Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Back Straight Podcast?

Recent guests on The Back Straight Podcast include:

1. Jasper McDowell
2. Zak Hanna
3. James Gormley
4. Emmett Dunleavy
5. Conor McCann
6. Emily Haggard-Kearney
7. Luke Kelly
8. Judith Storm

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.

Try it free for 7 days