Joe Wicks 'The Body Coach' on Running, Mental Health & Happiness

This week on The Runna Podcast, Ben and Anya sit down with Joe Wicks, recorded ahead of Joe racing London this year, to talk about how to start running, marathon training, and the run-walk method ('Jeffing') that's changing how people approach distance running.

Whether you're deep into marathon training or just figuring out how to start running for the first time, this episode is packed with running motivation to help you get moving and feel better mentally and physically.

Joe breaks down why he's on a mission to get 50,000 people moving in 2026, and why he believes exercise is medicine for the mind as much as the body.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🏃‍♂️ Running as Medicine: How exercise transformed Joe from childhood and why it can change anyone's life.
🚶‍♂️ What Is Jeffing?: The run/walk method making marathon running accessible to everyone.
💪 PE with Joe Behind the Scenes: The story behind the lockdown sessions that reached millions.
🧠 Mental Health & Movement: Why movement is such a powerful tool for your wellbeing.
🎯 50,000 People Moving: The ambitious goal driving everything Joe does this year.

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⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – Exercise as medicine: why movement changes everything
1:15 – PE with Joe: the idea, the first morning and a million live viewers
3:00 – PE teachers: Joe's first positive male role models
7:37 – Old Deer Park 2012: turning up when nobody came
8:07 – The power of consistency: from Lean in 15 to PE with Joe
13:53 – The "zero to one" person: why the sedentary person matters most
17:18 – Why running is the perfect gateway into an active life
18:01 – Sub-20 5K with Mo Farah: seven attempts and a brutal finish
20:29 – Jeffing explained: celebrating the run/walk method
24:55 – Half Ironman: finding peace in the longer, slower stuff
27:42 – Getting kids active: why you can never force it
33:34 – Public goal setting: why sharing changes everything
34:21 – Running London: training with a very famous co-runner
39:36 – 50,000 people moving: the goal that matters more than any PB
47:26 – "What would younger you be most proud of?"