Podcast · Sport

The Back Straight Podcast

by The Back Straight Podcast · English · Sport

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

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 8 min
Latest: 30 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

30 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 17 min

Ep. 80 - Luke Dinsmore Interview - Belfast Half Results - Seaton Classic - XC Season Opening Fixture

I know we say this every time, but there sure has been a lot on running-wise the past two weeks! In episode 80 we have a great interview with Annandale Strider's Luke Dinsmore fresh off a brilliant Half Marathon debut in Copenhagen. In addition that we packed the episode full of results and talking points from all of the great road racing and off-road events that have occurred since we last released. Not an episode to be missed, thanks for being here! If you are interested in checking out the great offerings from Precision Fuel and Hydration, please support the pod and use our discount code…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

16 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Ep. 79 - Ultimate Champs Recap - New ANI XC League - Local Results
Plenty on for episode 79 of the Back Straight! We begin with some great results from the Laganside 10k, Derry HM, Dromiskin 5k before moving to a preview of the Belfast Half marathon this weekend! Alongside these great discussions we get chatting about the Ultimate Championships in Budapest, the new ANI XC league for 26/27 as well as preview the Irish contingent at the World Road Running Championships this weekend in Copenhagen. Plenty in there to satiate the hungry athletics ears, we hope you enjoyed it! If you are interested in checking out the great offerings from Precision Fuel and…
2 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 48 min
Ep. 78 - Antrim Coast Half - Coleraine Campus 5k - Zurich Diamond League ft. Stephen Connolly
It's a really long format episode this week so bear with us! We had lots to go through including all of the main talking points from the local road racing action at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon as well as the Colerain Campus 5k + more! In part 2 we welcome friend of the podcast, Stephen Connolly, on to chat about his trip to the Zurich Diamond league where he was able to get up close and personal with the athletes and provide some brilliant insights! The sport is on fire in such a good way at the moment, we hope you enjoyed this episode! Hooroo. If you are keen to try some Precision Fuel…
19 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Ep. 77 - The European Championships catch-up ft. Conor Curran
The title says it all! In this week's episode Michael is joined by Conor Curran, friend and frequent contributor to the podcast, for a catch-up on all the action from the European Championships! The fellas go deep on all of the major highlights with specific focus on the key Irish performances from the meet. In addition that we have some chat about the recent road racing and what is coming up on the Isle! Until next week hooroo! Check out Precision Fuel and Hydration if you want to level up your nutrition nd hydration game like Dan did in his race. Use this ⁠link ⁠ or the code TBS15 for 15%…
12 Aug 2026 · 55 min
Ep. 76 - European Champs 2026 - Comm Games Recap - Dan's 100k race recap - Local results
The Back Straight hosts might be trotting across the globe a bit currently but that is not going to stop the show from going on! In this episode we recap Dan's 2nd place at the Fjällmaraton 100k, some local results from the Carlingford 5k and Feile 10k, the Commonwealth games as well as some impressive track performances in GB as well as Europe. The episode then rolls into a full recap of the distance events at the European Champs thus far where Michael was in attendance to see the return of the king, Jakob Ingebritsen. We throw out two cents at how Nick must be feeling after his impressive…
29 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
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 always a great guest and one of our favourites, we wish him well! In addition to the interview we have a full run-down of the distance results at the Irish National Track and Field Championships and a cap of the London Diamond League where Dan was there in person to witness the Mile World Record fall! As always, a big thanks to Precision Fuel and…
17 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 28 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 part 2 we are joined by 2.19 marathoner and winner of the Rathmullan 5k for 2026, Jasper McDowell! Jasper has a very interesting story and he chats us through his Northern Irish roots, his running career so far being based in Geneva and what he thinks of the content creation world in relation to running! Big thanks to Precision Fuel and Hydration…
8 Jul 2026 · 1 hr
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 he got into running, the journey it has taken him on so far and the specific training requirements for his discipline. This was a great interview and we thank Zak for his time! If you have another athlete you want us to chat to, let us know! Keen on some Precision Fuel and Hydration products, feel free to use our discount code TBS15 for 15% off or…
3 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
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 sport, how he trains, his coaching set up and what he hopes to achieve in the future! In addition to the brilliant interview we recap a bunch of local road races as well as some action internationally on the track and in the Diamond League circuit. As always, big thanks to Precision Fuel and Hydration for sponsoring the podcast! If you're keen to…
24 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Emmett Dunleavy on the Back Straight
We are stoked to be joined by Emmett Dunleavy for an interview on the Back Straight this week. For those that aren't familiar with Emmett, he is one of Ireland's leading coaches and has a roster of athletes competing the very pinnacle of the sport. Emmett chats to us all about coaching; how he got into it, his philosophies and where he hopes it leads Athletics Ireland as we rocket towards LA 2028. In addition to the great coaching chats, Emmett shares is boundless knowledge on lactate threshold training among other pivotal training tools and additives that many of the top athletes are…
17 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 72 - Diamond League Reviews (ft. special guest) - NI & Ulster Senior Track Champs - Road Races - How to run 85 miles in a day
Episode 72 is absolutely bursting at the seams with race results from three diamond leagues (including a special guest that attended two of them), local road races, the NI and Ulster Senior Track and Field Championships as well as the European Off-road Championships and a long long trail race in France that Danny had the pleasure of attending as support crew. If that doesn't get you up and about, I don't know what will! Don't forget to check out Precision Fuel and Hydration for some brilliant nutrition and hydration products - use this link - https://visit.pfandh.com/thebackstraight - or…
10 Jun 2026 · 53 min
Bonus Interview - Emily Haggard-Kearney
Hey Back Straight Family! This week we are treating you all to a great interview we recorded with North Belfast Harrier's Emily Haggard-Kearney! Emily is a 4 time Irish Senior Team representative as well as the current 10km National Champion and winner of the 2026 Armagh International Road Races 3k! We really enjoyed this interview with Emily and hope you do too. Don't forget, if you're looking for some top quality nutrition and hydration products make sure to check out Precision Fuel and Hydration and use our discount code TBS15 for 15% off. Alternatively, just click this link and it'll…
3 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 71 - Luke Kelly interview - Track Results - Dan's race recap
It is a long auld episode this week but with the amount of results and news flying about this past couple weeks we had to cover it all! Add onto that a brilliant interview with Luke Kelly and you've got yourself a tidy episode 71! In this one we get chatting about the recent BMCs, Rabat Diamond League, local athletes abroad, a race recap from Dan and plenty of chat about standards for Comm Games and Worlds next year! Big thanks for Luke Kelly for joining us for an interview, he is certainly on a heater at the moment! We hope you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out our partner…
22 May 2026 · 59 min
Ep. 70 - Belfast BMC ft. Mark Kirk - Partnership announcement! - Local and International Results
It might not be what you expected, but it's episode 70 of the Back Straight featuring Mark Kirk! We decided to put this episode together in advance of the Belfast BMC this coming weekend, and since there has been so much happening on the roads and track locally as well as abroad! Mark was a great guest as always and talks us through what to expect at this year's iteration of the Belfast BMC, and then we get stuck into the results and some controversy about the local prizes at the Belfast Marathon. We are also stoked to announce our partnership with Precision Fuel and Hydration. Check out our…
13 May 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Ep. 69 - Judith Storm Interview - Belfast Classic Recap - Belfast Marathon Recap
In episode 69 of the Back Straight Podcast we keep it pretty simple with a recap of two recent events; The Belfast City Marathon and the Belfast Classic, whilst also featuring an interview with the recent national marathon champion, Judith Storm. The action in the marathon and at the Belfast Classic was unforgettable and it was great fun delving into it together. We also really enjoyed the chat with Judith, someone that we didn't know too much about but are now eagerly watching for all of the future events she signs up to. Thanks go to Judith for joining us on the episode and also to our…
8 May 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 10 - The FINALE!
Well, what can we say! Both Paddy and Dearbhla ran fantastic races and came away with podium places locally! It has been an absolute joy catching up with these legends for the past 10 weeks and I know all the listeners feel the same! In this final episode we get a blow-by-blow recap of how the race played out for both of them, get some questions answered both from the fans and from Danny and hear what is next! Thanks to everyone that has listened and supported Dearbhla and Paddy during the block and on race day - it was truely special! We are already looking forward to the Road to Belfast…
1 May 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 9 - Race week and everything fuelling feat. Dr. Lindsey Hunt
It's race week everyone, get pumped! This episode we get stuck into the taper and how it has gone so far! Paddy and Dearbhla tell us about how they rate their block and what they are looking for on race day. After that we are joined by Precision Fuel and Hydration's Dr. Lindsey Hunt to talk us through the carb load, electrolytes, race day nutrition as well as some listener questions. Thanks to Lindsey for the great chats and as always we hope everyone enjoyed the episode! Make sure to get out there and cheer out runners on this weekend! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast…
29 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Ep. 68 - Belfast Marathon Preview - London Recap - Superhero Aaron Beggs - The Belfast Classic ft. Eamonn Christie
Phew, what an episode! Huge agenda this week with lots of marathon chat including a Belfast preview and London recap. After that we are joined by Aaron Beggs from North Down AC who has recently shot to fame with his heroic antics at the Boston Marathon. In part 2 we are joined by none other than the mastermind behind the Belfast Classic - Eamonn Christie! Eamonn chats to us all about the big runners in this year's iteration of the event, new sponsors and what to expect on the day! It is always a pleasure to chat to Eamonn and we appreciate him coming on at this busy time! Good luck to…
24 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 8 - Marathon regulations and pacing strategies
It's episode 8, mate! This is the penultimate episode before the big day and both Paddy and Dearbhla are putting the finishing touches on what has been a brilliant prep! To that end, we chat about race day, the dos and don'ts and how they are going to approach the race. The exact strategies are somewhat vague but glean what you can from the superstar duo and watch it unfold on race day! Thanks for listening, see you next week! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
17 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 7 - The psychology of marathon training ft. Michael McKnight
Tick-tock, tick-tock!! The clock is slowly winding down for the big day but there are still plenty of great episodes left with the amazing duo that is Dearbhla Cox and Patrick McColl! In episode 7 we chat about the training weeks as usual and then get the podcasting stalwart and brilliant coach coach that is Michael McKnight on to chat running psychology! We hope you enjoy this episode and we will see you next week! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
15 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 25 min
Ep. 67 - A variety of athletics chats ft. Conor Curran and Connor McCann
It was about time we got the Conor/Connor's back on for an episode and they really came through with the goods! In episode 67 we get chatting on a range of topics from Lille road races to Larne 10 miler, European Indoor Masters to Danny meeting Mondo Duplantis in the airport. It is not an episode to be missed and big thanks to both of the fellas for joining us. Stay tuned until the end for a surprise guest who talks us through an exciting new book about the history of NBH! Thanks for listening and we will be back soon! Hooroo. Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email:…
10 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 6 - Training weeks and loads of craic!
The weeks are flying by as well as the miles! Episode 6 is another absolute banger episode where Dearbhla and Paddy take us through their brilliant training weeks. After we finish with the recaps we then get chatting about all things from Easter chocolate, what they are looking forward to post Belfast Marathon, running influencers, inspiration + loads more! We hope you all enjoyed this episode, see you next week! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
3 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 5 - Omagh Half recap + favourite running gear
Episode 5 fresh out of the oven! It's a funny old episode this one with a good few laughs amongst the training week recaps and chat about running gear essentials! Dearbhla did Omagh half marathon so she talks us through that and Paddy ticks off another huge week where he learned a lot. Thanks for listening everyone, we hope you enjoyed it! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
1 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Ep. 66 - Stephen Mc Auley - World Indoors - Omagh Half - Maurie Plant Meet
The seasons are changing, and I don't mean Winter and Spring, it is marathon season! To commemorate this change we have the brilliant Stephen Mc Auley of Letterkenny AC. Stephen has been making waves both locally and farther afield for his unique approach to training that has seen him progress from a 3.19 marathon a couple of years ago to now having run 2.15 in the 2025 Valencia Marathon. We hope you enjoy this interview alongside the recent race results and track operating discussion! As always, thanks for listening and we will see you in a couple of weeks! Contact us here: Instagram:…
27 Mar 2026 · 57 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 4 - Recovery and max mileage!
It's just over 5 weeks to go until race day and both Dearbhla and Paddy are smashing it! Huge long run workouts from both the athletes and highest weekly mileage for Dearbhla, EVER! Paddy talks us through his week and some new shoes from the Running Bubble that have been giving him that extra pop! Dearbhla on the other hand has been getting it done whilst dodging sickness from all angles, she even ran a massive 20 mile workout with fellow Annadale Strider, Lea Adamson. Once we get done with the weekly recaps, it is time to chat about recovery. Let us know about your thoughts on recovery and…
20 Mar 2026 · 56 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 3 - Nutrition in Training
Feast your ears on episode 3 of the Road to Belfast ft. Patrick McColl and Dearbhla Cox! They are absolutely smashing their training at the moment and the topic for this week was an average day of eating + other tidbits about nutrition whilst marathon training! We hope you enjoy it! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
19 Mar 2026 · 59 min
Ep. 65 - Road Racing Season - World Indoors Preview - Danny's Barcelona Recap
Monster episode this week for episode 65! We recap a load of races and talk about all of the big stories including the Queen's 5k, Craic 10k and the Inter Counties Cross Country Nottingham + heaps more! In part 2 we preview the World Indoors happening in Poland this coming weekend and Danny gives us a recap of his Barcelona Marathon experience where he went under the 2:30 barrier! Thanks for listening and we look forward to catching up in a fortnight's time! Hooroo. Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected]
13 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Road to Belfast - Episode 2 - Race Recaps & Training Block Chat
Dearbhla and Paddy are back after brilliant weekends competing against some awesome competition! Dearbhla is fresh off the back of competing in the Inter-counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham where the NI ladies team took silver! Paddy, well he only went and ran a PB down in Bohermeen running 68:16 - some pup! It was a great chat for episode 2 where we recapped the races and then spoke about must-haves session ad structure wise for a marathon block. Rounding out the episode we spoke about the brilliant setup at the Running Bubble Lisburn and their gait analysis technology! Book…
6 Mar 2026 · 55 min
Road to Belfast 2026 - Episode 1 - Meet the Marathoners!
The Road to Belfast is back for another year and we are stoked! This year we will be joined by none other than Annadale Strider's finest, Dearbhla Cox, and the young gun, Patrick McColl, from RoadRunners AC. Dearbhla and Paddy will be sharing their weekly training updates and giving their perspective on different marathon topics as they get closer to race day. Belfast Marathon is about 8 weeks away so there will be plenty of ground covered, we hope you enjoy it! Contact us here: Instagram: @thebackstraightpodcast Email: [email protected] Intro and outro music: Antidote by Tim…
4 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Ep. 64 - Irish Indoors - Lughaidh Mallon - Trafford and Castellon 10k - Tokyo Marathon - USATF HM Champs - Race Previews
Big old episode this week with a tonne of stuff happening on the indoor track on the roads! We go deep on the results from the Irish National Indoor Championships and even get chatting to the 2026 1500m champion, Lughaidh Mallon! After this it is a tonne of other results from Tokyo, the United States, Spain and more! We round out the episode with some things we are looking forward to and one of those things is the 2026 Road to Belfast Series! Stay tuned for the first episode dropping on Friday! We hope you enjoyed this episode, feel free to give us a rating if you did! Hooroo. Contact us…

About The Back Straight Podcast

The Back Straight Podcast is a English sport podcast from The Back Straight Podcast. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Back Straight Podcast
Language: English
Category: Sport
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 8 min
Latest episode: 30 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1704914140
Rights: The Back Straight Podcast

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