Rephonic
Artwork for Trail Culture

Trail Culture

Emily Robertson
Trail Running
Ultra Trail Cape Town
Uphill Running
Nutrition
Oxygen Consumption
Phd Research
Low Energy Availability
UTCT
VO2 Max Testing
Running Efficiency
Training
Consistency In Sports
Research On Footwear Technology
Salomon
Ultra Running
Boulder, Colorado
Endurance Sports
Downhill Running
Western States
Adventure Racing

Welcome to Trail Culture, the podcast set against the stunning backdrop of the mountains in the Jonkershoek Valley. The mission is to share stories, research, and insights sourced from the wealth of knowledge within the trail running community, spanning both South Africa and the wider world.

Trail Culture explores the heart of trail running and outdoor adventure. From interviews with coaches, athl... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes80Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Health & FitnessFitnessSportsRunning

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Trail Culture

Latest Episodes

Known for going the extra mile, getting himself into interesting situations on the mountain & always have a smile on his face, Athenkosi Nkonki joins us to share story.

One run at a time - this is the way that Ruben has been giving back to the commu... more

The topic of this weeks trail science episode 💭 Simon de Waal & I sat down to discuss durability in our sport. Should trail runners focus on developing resilience & how does that happen? 📈 Think UTMB, two victors, one coach & a whole lot of weighte... more

.Dirt Nerds Do Forecasting ⛰️💭

The 2025 season had some highlights. From the Reillys family podium at MUT to Nicolette redefining what’s possible in the miler space to Ryan Sandes making us proud at Cocdona 250. The list goes on & we only scratche... more

Finding our way - Nora Serres

This week we welcome a guest from one of the most beautiful places in the world 🌎 🇳🇴

Nora Serres is a PhD fellow with a green thumb, musical ear & love for the outdoors. In the episode we talk about her research, li... more

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.

The Real Science of Sport Podcast
The Real Science of Sport PodcastProfessor Ross Tucker and Mike Finch
Singletrack
SingletrackFinn Melanson
Trail Runner Nation
Trail Runner NationTrail Runner Nation
Some Work, All Play
Some Work, All PlayDavid Roche and Megan Roche
Trail Society
Trail SocietyKeely Henninger

Recent Guests

Ruben Nkonki
Trail runner, race organizer, youth mentor
Trail Culture, Eastern Cape community initiatives
Episode: One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki
Sean Robson
Local trail running figure and guest on the episode
Trail Culture / Cape Town trail running scene
Episode: Dirt Nerds Do Forecasting: 2026 Hot Takes | Sean Robson
Nora Serres
Athlete for Teryx, PhD student in Norway
Teryx; University of Oslo (Center for Cross-departmental Research in Rhythm, Time and Motion)
Episode: Finding our way | Nora Serres
Dr. Simon de Waal
PhD in trail science, researcher
University of Gloucestershire
Episode: The PhD Recap | Simon de Waal : Trail Science
Alyssa Clark
Athlete, Coach at ON, podcast host
ON
Episode: Time to work | Alyssa Clark
Charlie Hamilton
Elite trail runner from Canberra and member of Team Terrex.
Team Terrex
Episode: Cowboys, Carbs & Croissants | Charlie Hamilton
Stu McConnachie
Race director of Ultra Trail Cape Town and experienced athlete.
Episode: UTCT: A 10 year Journey | Stu McConnachie
Tarrin van Niekerk
Physiotherapist and ultra athlete
Episode: Still running brave | Tarrin van Niekerk
Brett Harrison
Athlete, race director, and endurance sports advocate
Episode: The African Adventure | S3E2: Brett Harrison

Host

Em Robertson
Host of Trail Culture, tied to Trail Culture family of shows; appears across many episodes.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 53 ratings
  • Great science, stories and production.

    The trail science episodes are my favourite, but it’s also so good to hear the stories behind the athletes.Add on great production value and this has become a firm favorite.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PhilipViljoen
    South Africa2 years ago
  • Awesome Trail Running Content

    Informative, nice and great trail running insights and content. Absolutely love this show

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    michaelvdheerik
    South Africa2 years ago
  • Amazing!

    Love this show! So encouraging when on the trail!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Robs_Phipps
    South Africa2 years ago
  • Stoke Levels Are High

    I can’t wait to hear the stories that each trail has to share!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tyytyy🚬
    South Africa3 years ago
  • Trail Culture

    What a preview - can’t wait for more 👏🏽👏🏽

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sue J Robertson
    South Africa3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is seen as authentic, with hosts and guests offering practical insights.
Community-focused and inspiring for runners and aspiring guests alike.
Listeners praise the blend of science and storytelling and the production quality.
Fans enjoy personal journeys alongside technical discussions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#54
United Arab Emirates/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts
#61
South Africa/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts
#64
Brazil/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts
#68
Taiwan/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts
#200
Sweden/Sports/Running
Apple Podcasts
#218
Belgium/Sports/Running

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki
Q: What keeps you motivated to keep expanding the work in the Eastern Cape?
Seeing parents and kids rally around the event, the joy and pride in the community, and the belief that small, consistent efforts can scale into meaningful opportunities for youth.
One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki
Q: How did the first year feel compared to where the event is now?
It felt like the start of something bigger; although it was the first year, the response and participation quickly grew as more community members got involved.
One run at a time | Athenkosi Nkonki
Q: Ruben, can you tell us why June 16th was chosen for the youth race?
The date was picked to honor Youth Day, aligning the event with the community's focus on empowering young people and reinforcing that the next generation is the priority for his efforts.
Finding our way | Nora Serres
Q: How do you balance a demanding academic schedule with a professional running career and travel?
She describes balance not as a static state but as a ongoing negotiation of attention, where she prioritizes concentrated race blocks and aligns research tasks to fit around peak training and racing periods, often working from home to protect energy and scheduling focused times for writing and editing manuscripts.
Finding our way | Nora Serres
Q: And is your ongoing research intersecting with your trail running, and how do you navigate sharing about your work given institutional constraints?
Nora explains that her work at the Center for Cross-departmental Research in Rhythm, Time and Motion seeks to map the skills used in trail running and how cognitive timing, predictive mechanisms, and motor control influence performance; she emphasizes that running and research inform each other, with neither providing a true break from the other.

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 Trail Culture

What is Trail Culture about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on trail running culture, science, and community, with episodes ranging from athlete journeys and coaching insights to physiology research and race dynamics in South Africa and globally. Listeners often hear deep dives into training, nutrition, sponsorships, and event development, anchored by personal stories, practical tips, and a curiosity about how science and real-world racing intersect. A standout aspect is the blend of high-level athletes, researchers, and event organizers, creating a well-rounded picture of modern trail culture that's both inspirational and actionable for practitioners, sponsors, and emerging guests alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Trail Culture?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Trail Culture. 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 Trail Culture and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Trail Culture get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Trail Culture, 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 Trail Culture?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Trail Culture, 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 Trail Culture have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Trail Culture 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 Trail Culture?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Trail Culture:

1. The Real Science of Sport Podcast
2. Singletrack
3. Trail Runner Nation
4. Some Work, All Play
5. Trail Society

How many episodes of Trail Culture are there?

Trail Culture launched 3 years ago and published 80 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 Trail Culture?

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 Trail Culture?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Trail Culture 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 Trail Culture?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Trail Culture. 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 Trail Culture?

Recent guests on Trail Culture include:

1. Ruben Nkonki
2. Sean Robson
3. Nora Serres
4. Dr. Simon de Waal
5. Alyssa Clark
6. Charlie Hamilton
7. Stu McConnachie
8. Tarrin van Niekerk

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