New Zealand’s Matt Rayment has many roles: father of three, husband, psychiatric nurse, runner, race director, and “a type of ‘Filth Church Radio’ guys.” For the previous six years, alongside his good mate Eugene Bingham, Rayment has been placing out a near-weekly path operating podcast known as “Filth Church Radio.”
With company starting from Kiwi runners doing extraordinary issues domestically, to high-profile worldwide stars of the game like Courtney Dauwalter, and to sport leaders equivalent to iRunFar’s personal Bryon Powell, the company are as different because the subjects they focus on. And with Rayment and Bingham on the helm of the present, every episode seems like a gaggle of buddies getting collectively for a chat.
However after six years, change is in — or, as an alternative, on — the air for the favored podcast.
Eugene Bingham (left) and Matt Rayment presenting a stay episode of “Filth Church Radio.” All pictures courtesy of Matt Rayment.
Whereas New Zealand is a comparatively small nation with a fair smaller inhabitants, it has all the time punched above its weight in sports activities, together with path operating. With the nation’s inhabitants a mere 5.2 million, it’s produced a few of path operating’s greats, together with Jonathan Wyatt, Anna Frost, Scotty Hawker, Ruth Croft, and Daniel Jones. This crop of expertise comes from a rustic the place a good portion of the inhabitants embraces sport as a lifestyle. It appears pure {that a} small operating podcast that began at a kitchen desk has grown into a lot extra.
What began as an concept between two buddies on a weekly Sunday run generally known as their “grime church,” the podcast has turn out to be a staple of listening within the New Zealand path operating neighborhood — and past. Through the years, it has expanded to stay reveals, race protection, a Substack publication, and extra.
However after practically six years and 300 episodes of co-hosting, Bingham determined to name it quits to concentrate on different components of his life. His stepping away nearly ended the podcast earlier this 12 months, as Rayment was left to ponder: How does one proceed with a podcast you’ve been doing together with your good friend weekly for greater than half a decade? How do you make it completely different sufficient that it doesn’t really feel such as you’re simply changing a bunch? How do you do all that whereas sustaining the essence of what makes the present distinctive? Is it well worth the effort?
It took a head harm throughout a path race — and the next restoration — for Rayment to understand how important the podcast was to him and the New Zealand path operating neighborhood. And from there, there was no turning again.
Matt Rayment operating the Kepler Problem, an iconic New Zealand path race.
Rayment’s Working Origins
Rayment wasn’t all the time a runner. He was first a musician who didn’t actually partake in lots of sports activities rising up, however then he grew to become a mountain biker and moved from town to Rotorua, a mountain biking sizzling spot. However with a transfer again to Auckland, the nation’s capital and largest metropolis, on the horizon, he realized that he wouldn’t be capable to get the identical period of time using on the paths that he used to, and he knew he needed to keep lively. He’d lived the sedentary life earlier than and wasn’t about to return to it.
So, he began operating.
First, it was simply right down to the tip of his gravel driveway and again, after which twice there and again, and slowly, over time, he constructed up operating health in preparation for his transfer again to town. As soon as in Auckland, he adopted the closest path system, Riverhead Forest, northwest of town, as his playground.
Of the world, he says, “It’s not a operating vacation spot. It doesn’t have the most important peaks or the nicest views, nevertheless it has good trails, from doubletrack to technical singletrack.” His love and appreciation of the world are obvious when describing the paths.
He rapidly began operating with a gaggle on Sundays. One of many group’s members would say, “Nicely, I’m off to grime church at the moment,” giving the group its title. Eugene Bingham was in that group of runners.
Throughout this era, Rayment was editor of the “Kiwi Path Runner” publication and labored full-time as a psychiatric nurse. Each jobs required the power to attach with folks to assist them inform their tales, one thing Rayment loved doing.
Matt Rayment (left) and Eugene Bingham on a run.
Begin of “Filth Church Radio”
Bingham was the one who initially prompt beginning a podcast. The pair have been out on a run when he requested Rayment, “What would you do in case you didn’t have ‘Kiwi Path Runner’ anymore?” This assertion was quickly adopted by suggesting they begin a podcast collectively. Bingham, an completed author whose work spans all the things from smaller regional publications to the “New Zealand Herald” nationwide publication, additionally had a knack for telling tales — and serving to others inform theirs.
That they had no grand ambitions with their fledgling podcast. They recorded a fast pilot and invited their good friend Paul Charteris, the founding father of the Tarawera Ultramarathon, a fixture within the New Zealand path world, to be their first visitor. That was in July of 2018. “It was the three of us across the kitchen desk recording,” says Rayment of the low-key affair of which he had no expectations moreover having a great time together with his buddies.
Subsequent up was Kiwi Fiona Hayvice, who has made her mark within the operating world specializing in multiday races, like yard ultras. Then there was Kiwi Grant Guise, who has completed the Hardrock 100 twice and likewise accomplished nicely on the Tarawera 100 Mile.
Their first worldwide visitor was American Dean Karnazes, who appeared on their seventh episode, Jeff Browning chatted with them three episodes later, then Lucy Bartholomew on episode 14, Scotty Hawker on episode 15, Dylan Bowman on 17, Ruth Croft on 21, Courtney Dauwalter on 24, and Anna Frost on 25.
And that was all inside the first six months. Rayment laughs at their star-studded lineup of company on the present, “We had a fairly good run early on of individuals.” He goes on to say, “We have been good at cold-calling folks and asking in the event that they needed to be on our podcast.” Possibly it was their accents or the depth of the dialog that made this podcast completely different, however folks have been saying sure.
For 2 guys recording at their kitchen desk, they have been rapidly creating one thing nicely past expectations. However that is, in any case, the Kiwi means of doing issues.
Bingham (left) and Rayment recording an episode of “Filth Church Radio.”
“Filth Church Radio” Grows
The podcast’s recognition grew rapidly, particularly in New Zealand, a rustic full of runners able to hearken to a great yarn, and Rayment and Bingham had a knack for locating good tales. Whereas they by no means had a transparent imaginative and prescient of the place to take the podcast, it appears their expertise was speaking concerning the tangents slightly than the primary storylines.
They interviewed Kathrine Switzer, the primary girl to run the Boston Marathon, and took a deep dive into what it was wish to be accosted by the race officers in the course of the race. Rayment mentions the interview as considered one of his most memorable, saying, “[She had] an expertise that, as a person, I’d by no means have to fret about.”
Because the podcast grew, so did the pair’s ambitions of what it may flip into. Whereas they’d traveled to the Tarawera 100 Mile, the most important 100-mile occasion within the nation, to document, they dreamed of touring internationally to do their present, with eyes on races like Western States 100 and UTMB.
However then the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, the world shut down, and goals of touring internationally have been rapidly placed on the again burner as New Zealand’s borders closed and required an intensive quarantine to journey. “Filth Church Radio” shifted its focus from the world stage to New Zealand and Australian runners, and from elites to regular folks doing extraordinary issues.
They’ve had Malcolm Legislation, a Kiwi fundraiser, race organizer, and founding father of a community-driven listing of trails within the nation known as “Wild Issues;” Kerry Suter and Ali Pottinger, who function the coaching platform Squadrun have been company; the founding father of the Tarawera 100 Mile has featured prominently; and elite runner and Kiwi Nancy Jiang has chatted with the pair on a number of events.
Ali Pottinger along with her son, Sebastian. Pottinger would go on to turn out to be co-host of “Filth Church Radio.”
Whether or not the pair are speaking to a celebrity within the sport, somebody thought of world-famous in New Zealand, or somebody with a great story, the one fixed is that the listener will get to really feel like they’re listening to a set of buddies spin a yarn whereas sitting collectively and having a great time.
The pair has recorded in a wide range of areas — indoors, outside, on the aspect of a lake in the course of the night time — a recording Rayment notes was considered one of his favorites. Whereas they lack the skilled studio or recording gear of different well-liked podcasts, it has by no means inhibited their potential to inform a narrative, relate to their company, or join with their viewers.
Adjustments of Course, Adjustments of Coronary heart
In June 2024, Bingham requested Rayment to talk at a restaurant. Bingham mentioned then that, for numerous causes, he felt that it was time for him to maneuver on from “Filth Church Radio” to pursue different elements of his life.
Rayment was devastated. He says, “It felt like I used to be being damaged up with.” After six years of doing the podcast collectively, Rayment couldn’t fathom doing it with out his good friend. He determined that if Bingham was out, he wasn’t going to maintain on going with the podcast.
He mentioned on a later podcast, “I felt too outdated to start out once more.” It simply wouldn’t be the identical. However Rayment understood the place his good friend was coming from and was accepting, saying, “Simply since you perceive somebody’s resolution doesn’t imply you must prefer it.”
Then, in July 2024, Rayment lined as much as race the WUU2K, a 45-kilometer race exterior of Wellington. Partway by means of the run, Rayment fell exhausting, hitting his head on the bottom. Getting up, he was decided to complete the race. He admits it was half ego, of not desirous to be the “Filth Church Radio” man who didn’t end the race, that saved him going to the end line. It wasn’t till he returned to work the next week that he must admit that he’d given himself a concussion and was scuffling with fundamental duties involving reminiscence.
It was a four-month restoration interval from the crash, giving Rayment ample time to mirror on the issues in life that have been vital to him. Sure, his work, household, and all the things else he was engaged on, but additionally “Filth Church Radio.” He realized how a lot the podcast, and the neighborhood constructed up round it, meant to him. With this new readability, Rayment determined the podcast wanted to stay on for himself and the New Zealand path operating world.
Like together with his refusal to give up the WUU2K, he says he “didn’t wish to be the ‘Filth Church Radio’ man who didn’t end ‘Filth Church Radio.’”
New Hosts, New Views
Rayment knew he didn’t wish to carry the podcast alone and wanted to discover a new co-host, or possibly two. He needed one thing completely different sufficient that it didn’t really feel like he was simply changing Bingham. “It wasn’t going to be the identical as earlier than as a result of it wasn’t going to be Eugene,” however an enormous change-up would guarantee a brand new heading for the podcast.
Rayment known as up two of us who’d been concerned with the present for a very long time, Andrew McDowall and Ali Pottinger, to see in the event that they have been taken with internet hosting with him.
Andrew McDowall stepped up as “Filth Church Radio” co-host in 2024.
McDowall had been a good friend of the podcast from the start. A sound engineer, he’d known as up Rayment and Bingham after their first episode and advised them, “Your sound sucks.” He’s been within the periphery ever since, doing music for the present and being a visitor a number of occasions surrounding his run on the 2024 Western States 100.
Rayment additionally known as up Ali Pottinger. Pottinger and her associate Kerry Suter had based the teaching firm Squadrun. They met Rayment and Bingham in 2020 once they have been all at Tarawera, and so they all rapidly grew to become buddies. Pottinger and Suter started taking on the microphone on the occasion to assist announce the occasion’s end line and naturally match into the podcast’s banter. Pottinger and Suter continued to remain concerned with the podcast over the subsequent a number of years, providing insights into the race scene and coaching.
Pottinger and McDowall appeared like an ideal match, turning what was initially a two-person podcast right into a three-person one and bringing in exterior views. Rayment says that he was fortunate when “I known as them up and so they have been each eager,” and can also be fast to notice of the addition of Pottinger, “Ali brings a girl’s voice, which is so vital.”
The Future
Kiwis have a saying that one thing could be world-famous in New Zealand, a considerably self-deprecating nod to the truth that they’re on a small island in the course of the ocean with not all that many individuals dwelling there. Nevertheless, that small island has not solely produced a few of the greatest path operating athletes on the planet but additionally created a tight-knit path operating neighborhood, and “Filth Church Radio” has performed a big half in bringing folks collectively. Whereas Rayment continues to be recording in a small area between his mattress and his closet, there’s a way that the podcast is destined for higher heights.
With the primary episode with Pottinger and McDowall launched in early November 2024, Rayment doesn’t know the place the podcast will go or the way it will evolve. He speaks of rekindling the unique goals of recording from Olympic Valley, California, throughout the Western States 100 or Chamonix, France, throughout UTMB.
For now, “Filth Church Radio” continues, offering a platform for folks to share their tales. Rayment says of podcasting, “Once you begin these conversations with folks, you’re standing at a threshold, and also you don’t know the way it’s going to go.” He will get to make a connection together with his company on the present, one which he values.
Important life modifications are by no means straightforward for anybody, however Rayment appears dedicated to persevering with with the podcast, saying, “’Filth Church Radio’ has turn out to be a part of my identification.” And whereas he acknowledges that possibly it’s not the very best concept to have your work wrapped up in your self-view, he says, “I feel it’s in a wholesome means.”
If “Filth Church Radio” has turn out to be a part of Rayment’s identification, it’s additionally honest to say that it has turn out to be a part of the New Zealand path operating neighborhood’s identification as nicely. And it looks like each are higher off due to it.
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