Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My name is Rob Pope, although a lot of people know me as “that Forrest Gump guy”, after I ran over 25,000 kilometres, over 422 days recreating the run Tom Hanks made famous in the movie…On the way I picked up a lot of great stories and also lessons that I’m now able to pass on to anyone who wants to listen. My podcast How to Be Superhuman in collaboration with Red Bull is a platform for adventure and endurance athletes from a hugely diverse set of backgrounds to bring their incredible stories to a global audience, whether they’re looking for inspiration or just to be entertained and “wowed”. It’s got a unique and immersive storytelling format that brings you straight into the heart of absolutely mind-boggling adventures. Trust me – listen to these stories and you can’t fail to be amazed. You never know, we might just show a few people the key to the door to becoming Superhuman – we’ve all got magic in us somewhere.

Rob Pope, host of How to Be Superhuman

How did the idea for How to Be Superhuman come about?

Red Bull have always been at the forefront of adventure, and podcasts lend themselves so well to the headspace of people off doing wild things, so it was a natural progression from the incredible video content they’re famed for.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I feel like I’ve been listening to podcasts for so long, they just kind of filtered into my orbit. Coming from Liverpool, I often found myself listening to Andy Grant’s amazing LEG IT podcast which tells the story of people from a real variety of backgrounds and the Blood Red pod from the Liverpool Echo, so probably one of those.

Ryan Sandes – trail runner

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

There’s so many great ones out there, I usually go down a wormhole of whoever is interviewing me next, or ones that have recently featured a Superhuman guest. I do like the variety of guests you get on Chris Williamson and Rich Roll’s podcasts and have recently got into Happy Hour too. Chris has had me on, so I’ve got those two to tick off!

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

We’ve had a lot of them on already, you lucky lot! As a runner, I’d love to chat to Courtney Dauwalter – she’s a force of nature and seems a heap of fun. Climbing terrifies me and inspires me in equal measure so I’d love to rope up with Janja Garnbret or Alex Honnold and with Red Bull being synonymous with motorsport, Sam Sunderland or Max Verstappen would be brilliant, though they’d have hugely different stories. Maybe most of all though – Felix Baumgartner. Jumping to earth from SPACE? Check. Wait…actually? Yes. That’ll do for me.

Do you have a favourite episode of the podcast, or one you are proudest of?

I guess the first one I ever recorded, as a complete novice, was an adventure in itself. I interviewed Mollie Hughes, the British mountaineer who became the youngest woman to climb both sides of Everest and it was wonderful to follow up this year with Cathy O’Dowd, the first woman ever to achieve the feat. Interviewing Mark Beaumont was a real privilege as his was the first ever adventure book I read – his story about riding around the world in 80 days is so impressive. Phileas Fogg with quads for days…

Cathy O’Dowd – the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both the south and north sides

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Dougie Lampkin’s story about wheelieing around the TT course of the Isle of Man. I was a bit sceptical initially as though I knew of Dougie and how amazing he was, it seemed more like a novelty than a superhuman feat. The thing is – this episode taught me two things: “Superhuman” comes in many forms and that this podcast series has a ton of surprises in store for the audience. If you want to hold fire till the opening of series 3 – Abdullah Zeinab, the Australian endurance cyclist and adventurer is a perfect start. His story is WILD.

As you look back on your podcasting journey, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them to keep the show growing?

When I started, I had no idea on how everything worked, but the incredible crews at Samizdat and Red Bull have been phenomenal, and while I’ve always been a great storyteller in a social situation, I’m pretty confident in saying now that I’m keeping my head above water in the more refined air of broadcasting. We have tried to keep our guests varied, unearthing stories from now, but also deeper back. There is a deep seam of adventure gold that we will continue to mine in the coming years to keep you all on the edge of your seat.

Can you tell us more about what to expect from the new series of How to Be Superhuman?

Well the guest list is stellar, from my area of expertise, we have two incredible ultrarunners, Tara Dower and Ryan Sandes, one of the greatest climbers in the world, Jesse Dutton, who just happens to be blind, as well as Brette Harrington, whose story is as emotionally charged as it is impressive. We’ve got Martin Strel – the Big River man – possibly the greatest endurance swimmer in the world and is brilliantly bonkers. Andrew Cotton, the mega wave surfer whose comeback from adversity rivals that of another of my favourite guests from series one, the triathlete Tim Don – make sure you check that out, as well as the series two slot with Lael Wilcox – before you check out her latest globe spanning feat on season three. We have death defying (literally) kayaker Nouria Newman. You want high – we go as high as we can probably get as Tom de Dorlodot paraglides around the biggest peaks in the world. He could have waved at Cathy! However, we start the series with the insane feats of Abdullah Zeinab and his descent into madness in the Namibian desert. Just listening will make you thirsty, before we get a lot more “chill” at the South Pole with “Polar” Preet Chandi! Like I said, if you can’t get inspired by that lot, you must have done something beyond compare – maybe we could get you on the show – get in touch!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

There’s a great article on the Red Bull site that you can check out.

If anyone wants to say hi, or chat more about adventure, they can message me on my website – www.goingthedistancerun.com or follow me on social media at @runroblarun. I reply to all messages myself – I may present the greatest adventure pod on the planet, but I’m still who I’ve always been and love chatting to people with big ideas and bigger smiles.

Listen to How to Be Superhuman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

The post How to Be Superhuman returns for season 3! appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Sixty years ago, academics considered football hooligans as Marxist freedom fighters. Forty years ago, they were Britain’s folk devil. Twenty years ago, we were told they were gone. But in 2024, we realised they never went anywhere. The media has portrayed football hooligans as some of the most deviant and dangerous characters in British society – but what can we find out if we dig a little deeper beyond the stereotypes and tabloid headlines?

The English Disease is the latest podcast from Stak, and the second documentary series on their new narrative feed, Legacy. This gripping series traces a remarkable movement through British culture, dissecting the legacy of ‘hooliganism’ through fashion, music, football, politics, and policy. From football’s dark old days in the 1980s to the increasing prevalence of the Far Right across football and wider society, the movement has morphed and transformed, but never vanished. This new 6-part series will take listeners straight to the centre of these dark spaces.

Written and presented by football writer Sam Diss, this documentary shares open conversations with former hooligans, some who say they were ‘the best days of their lives’. Others openly voice their regret, including a 21-year-old man who writes from prison charged with manslaughter after being involved in football-related disorder. Sam will take listeners inside some of the biggest online football fan groups, as well as speaking to the leading experts who have devoted their lives to understanding this complex yet primal instinct to fight for something beyond yourself.

The English Disease shines a light on football and British society. Embedded in the UK’s national sport, this is a story of class consciousness, rebellion and adventure turning to embittered violence, tribalism and greed. It is a story of what happens when society disenfranchises its people, dismantles social structures and a void is left – and what fills that void.

We caught up with Sam Diss to talk about the creation of The English Disease and dig a bit deeper into what ‘hooliganism’ means to him.

Hi Sam! So firstly, what made you want to make The English Disease?

I felt there was a gap in how people understood football hooliganism. It’s often portrayed as ‘mindless violence’, which never rang true to me. Growing up on a council estate in the East End, I spent years observing how young men found identity and belonging in places society ignored.

Now, I wanted to explore the story of why these subcultures existed, what they provided, and what they’ve turned into.

Has the media portrayal of football hooliganism evolved at all?

Not enough. You still see the same headlines: lobotomised monsters beyond redemption. Years ago, academics saw hooligans as ‘Marxist freedom fighters,’ but now they’re the soldiers of far-right agitators. The media dismissed that evolution because they were too busy pretending it all went away.

What was your most memorable moment making the podcast?

Seeing just how raw our impulse to connect is. Take Riaz Khan: a second-generation Pakistani-Afghani lad growing up in National Front-era Leicester, who found his way through football violence. He told me he was a respectful Asian boy at home but became a football casual as soon as he stepped out the door. Slowly, the mask started to eat the face. The most fascinating part: He told me he hated the National Front, but at least they stood for something.

What do you hope listeners take away from The English Disease?

I hope people walk away with some empathy. I want this to be a show that doesn’t go for easy routes: I wanted to ask awkward questions and hear uncomfortable answers, in a way that hopefully speaks to people across the political spectrum.

Listen and subscribe to The English Disease wherever you get your podcasts. Episode one and two were released on October 1st.

Listen to The English Disease on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

The post The English Disease: What attracts people to football violence? appeared first on POD BIBLE.