#311 Zak Hanna: Elite Uphill Mountain Runner
12 January 2026

#311 Zak Hanna: Elite Uphill Mountain Runner

Any Given Runday

About

In this episode of the Any Given Run Day podcast, mountain and trail runner Zak Hanna (@zakhanna on Instagram) shares his journey from cycling to becoming a competitive mountain runner at the highest level. He discusses his experiences in various international competitions, the challenges of downhill running, and the importance of mindset and training in harsh conditions. 

Zak reflects on his achievements, including his fifth-place finish in the World Mountain Running Championships, and emphasises the significance of enjoying the journey as an athlete. He also shares insights on training strategies, injury prevention, and his future goals.

07:00 Introduction to Zak Hanna & The Journey to Trail Running
11:34 Transition from Cycling to Running
16:07 First Experiences in Competitive Running
19:03 The Challenge of Downhill Running
25:07 Mindset in Extreme Sports
26:11 Training Consistency in Winter
28:11 Running with a Canine Companion
31:59 The Joy of Running with Dogs
32:34 Training Locations: From Kenya to Italy
35:16 Becoming 5th in the World in Thailand
41:59 Celebrating Achievements and Future Goals
46:19 Training Strategies and Injury Prevention
51:20 Upcoming Races and more

You can follow us on Instagram:

@anygivenrundaypodcast


Shop ultrapurelabs.ie to shop the muscle recovery range and get 10% off by buying the Muscle Recovery Kit

Coming on 7th & 8th, check out AnyGivenRunday.com for more info on tickets

You can now get 20% off all Perform Nutrition products, including their new Electrolytes+, using the code 'AGR' at checkout

PerformNutrition.com