Kia Ora whanau. This week, Eugene and Matt have the pleasure to sit with Marianne Elliott, for what really is an interesting conversation with an interesting runner. Like most of us, you won’t find Marianne topping any podiums or with a laundry list of sponsors to fund her globetrotting lifestyle, however Marianne’s story is no less interesting in terms of using running to engage with others, perhaps more so. Marianne is the Author of Zen Under Fire, which details her work as a head of the UN mission in Herat, Afghanistan. In her writing, and wider life, Marianne focuses on narrative to foster engagement. The more we engage with each other, rather than ascribing set presumptions to a viewpoint, the more we see the complexity, subtly, and humanity of the other. This fosters understanding, which can only be a good thing, right? In addition to being an author, Marianne is a human rights lawyer, advocate for mental health, restaurateur, entrepreneur, yogi, and also curates Wilder Running, a series of retreats in the USA that combine writing and running. In addition to Afghanistan, Marianne has worked in Timor Leste and the Gaza Strip. AND, she runs trail, having completed multiple ultramarathons and other trail events. We spoke to Marianne from her home base of the Aro Valley in Wellington in what was an enriching and wide ranging conversation that covered all the things we’ve just written about and more, including how Marianne is training to run her fastest 1600m ever. This conversation truly is a gem, and we’re thrilled to bring it to you.