Tales from the Valley Podcast

Fresh from a huge weekend of racing, Sam is joined by Luke Hince and Pat Miller to recap their performances at Sutherland to Surf and the Harbour 10. Luke breaks down his commanding Sutherland to Surf victory before backing up with a brilliant 28:51 for second place at Harbour 10. He discusses his race selection, pre-race primer sessions, competing against one of the strongest fields in the country and what comes next—including City2Surf, Zatopek and a possible move up to the half marathon. Pat reflects on his breakthrough 34:48 PB in his first major 10K event. He shares how he navigated the crowds, committed to the sub-35 pacer and resisted checking his watch while battling through the course’s difficult gravel section. Sam also reviews his own 37:20 official PB—an encouraging result despite falling short of expectations—and explains why he plans to stay patient, continue focusing on 5K and 10K sessions and gradually build his mileage. The episode covers race-day strategy, training in groups versus training alone, the challenges of the Harbour 10 course and whether Luke and his training partners should launch a podcast of their own.

Sam is joined by returning co-host Karen Blay to chat with one of the Illawarra's fastest middle-distance runners, Tom March. Tom opens up about his running journey—from discovering the sport as a nine-year-old through to becoming the 2024 NSW 1500m State Champion and running personal bests of 1:51 for 800m, 3:45 for 1500m, and 14:29 for 5km. The conversation also dives into the reality of elite sport, as Tom shares the challenges of dealing with a long-term osteitis pubis injury, how he's adapted his training with cross-training, gym work and lactate testing, and why he believes he's fitter now on lower mileage than when he was running 170km weeks. We also cover: Tom's coaching journey and training philosophy Lactate testing and threshold-based training Managing injuries and avoiding common training mistakes Bicarb supplementation—when it works and when it doesn't Favourite running gear and injury management tools Karen's Melbourne Marathon build and biggest training week of the year Sam's Harbour 10 preparations A classic Strava rant and the latest local running results Whether you're chasing a PB, managing an injury, or just love hearing how elite athletes train, there's plenty to take away from this episode.

🏃‍♀️ NEW EPISODE – Lauren Percival ⚡ This week Sam & Katie catch up with NSW representative sprinter and Australian Under-23 international Lauren Percival. Lauren takes us through her rapid rise from training on grass in Ulladulla to running 23.51 for 200m, representing Australia in Taiwan, and setting her sights on the World Championships and ultimately the Olympics. We dive into the world of sprinting, covering: ⚡ Why the 200m has become her favourite event 💪 Sprint-specific gym work, power development & plyometrics 🏃 Track sessions, block starts & overspeed training 🧊 Recovery routines including sauna & ice baths 🇦🇺 Representing Australia on the international stage 🎯 Chasing the next big breakthrough toward global competition As always, we finish by comparing everyone's training weeks, chatting through recent sessions, and a few running rants—including track etiquette and some frustrating close calls with drivers. A huge thanks to Lauren for joining us and sharing an inside look at elite sprint training. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

Sam & Katie catch up with William Wei 🎙️ William’s had a huge few months on the roads and track, highlighted by a breakthrough 16:27 for 5K at the WRF 5K, where he finished 3rd overall, before backing it up with a 34:13 at the Sydney 10 — a race he describes as the best performance of his career so far. We chat about balancing big performances with a frustrating metatarsal injury, why his coach pulled the handbrake on training after burnout, and how he’s approaching recovery while juggling Year 12 and HSC prep. We also dive into the world of Hyrox, where William recently raced both Brisbane and Sydney. He teamed up with his brother Tian to run 1:01:56 in the Brisbane doubles before tackling the Sydney singles in 1:10:07, sharing what surprised him most about the event, which stations hurt the most, and why being a lighter athlete can be a disadvantage. William opens up about his running journey, from discovering cross country during COVID to dropping his 5K from 20 minutes to 16:27 in little over a year. He talks through training under Geoff Stalker, favourite sessions like Deeks Quarters, the classic Aussie Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday structure, and the workouts that have driven his improvement. The conversation also covers William’s growing social media presence, how one Instagram Reel reached 70,000 views, and the frustrating story behind YouTube shutting down his channel due to age verification requirements. Sam and Katie then wrap up with their own training updates, Gold Coast Marathon results, Hyrox performances, Strava pet peeves, recovery strategies, a chat about calorie tracking and fuelling, plus Sam's bargain pickup of the Nike Zoom Fly 6. ☕️ Café Kit of the Weik 🏆 Congratulations to Daniel Meta, winner of this month's $100 Café Kit Co. voucher! 👟 Question of the Month: If you could only wear one running shoe brand for the rest of your life, which would you choose? 🎾 Recommendation of the Weik: Rafa on Netflix. 🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Podbean.

Sam catches up with Max Gordon 🎙️ Max's running has come a long way in a short time. After only starting structured training in 2023, he's already run 2:43:07 at the Boston Marathon after first clocking 2:44 at Sydney. Now the focus shifts to chasing a 2:38 at this year's Sydney Marathon. 💥 His training has evolved too. Long runs have moved to Saturdays with a full rest day on Sunday, workouts are now done on the flat at Windang instead of the rolling roads at home, and he's currently being coached by Ryan and Jen Gregson after initially getting guidance from ultra coach Tim. A typical week includes marathon pace work on Monday, easy mileage Tuesday and Friday, speed sessions on Thursday, and a hilly long run around Kiama on Saturday, building 80–90km weeks. Before all of this? Max was simply running a couple of hard 5–10km efforts each week with no real structure, before signing up for Canberra Marathon with his sister Charlotte. That first marathon ended in a 2:55, and the progression since has been remarkable. We also chat about: • Boston Marathon and what it really took to qualify • Why moving key sessions to flatter terrain made such a difference • Running naturally lean and whether body composition gets overlooked in distance running • Using the treadmill for intervals and why he's become a fan • Upcoming races including City2Surf and the Sydney Marathon ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Low Calorie Iced Frappe - A bag of Woolies Finger buns - Metaspeed Edge A great conversation about smart training, rapid progression, and how a few simple changes can unlock the next level.

🎙️ Sam and Katie catch up with Jess Pascoe Jess recently took out the Wollongong Running Festival 10K and joined the podcast to talk through her journey from country NSW to NCAA competition and back to running after years of injury setbacks. Growing up in Forbes, Jess played just about every sport before eventually focusing on running. That decision led her to the University of Florida, where she built an impressive résumé including PBs of 15:34 for 5000m and 34:08 for 10,000m. Jess spoke about the challenge of moving to the US as a young athlete, adapting to higher training loads, and the lessons learned under Gerard Ryan in Canberra and later Chris Solinsky at the University of Florida. A breakthrough training block in 2018 helped take her running to another level, with patient, consistent training becoming a key theme throughout her career. Unfortunately, injuries eventually took their toll. Jess opened up about tearing her plantar fascia, suffering stress fractures, and spending years caught in the cycle of rehab and setbacks before stepping away from competitive running altogether. Now, after around eight months back running, Jess has rediscovered her love for the sport. With no pressure around performances, she's focused on building a strong foundation through consistent mileage, gym work, cross-training and enjoying the process again. A half marathon could be on the cards later this year, with Canberra, Olympic Park and Shellharbour all discussed as potential options. 🏃‍♂️ Weekly Training Updates Sam worked through a solid 85km week despite illness in the household, juggling training with baby duties and plenty of kilometres alongside Twix. The discussion also touched on calorie tracking, nutrition and balancing performance goals with weight management. Katie provided an update on her return to running following a torn meniscus. Strength work, Pilates and careful progression continue to form the backbone of her training as she weighs up whether surgery is still necessary. 👟 Gear, Racing & Running Culture Jess shared her current shoe rotation, including the Vomero Plus, Vomero Premium, Superblast 2, Cloudmonster Hyper, Deviate Nitro Elite and Megablast. The group also reviewed recent results from the NSW Cross Country Championships and the inaugural Parramatta Half Marathon, before wrapping up with a rant about fitness influencers filming entire workouts with tripods and the eternal frustration of groups walking four-wide across shared paths.

Sam and Katie catch up with Sam Sprowles 🎙️ Sam's only been running since early 2024 after taking on the March Charge fundraiser for Cancer Council following the loss of his father to cancer. What started as a goal of running 200km in a month quickly turned into something much bigger. Since then he's run 18:21 for 5k at Husky Parkrun, 1:24:41 for the half marathon (including a 39:49 10k split), and is now building towards the Sydney Marathon with a sub-3-hour goal in sight. 🏃‍♂️ Working with coach Brady Nankervis, he's currently running around 80km per week and building towards 100km. Long runs have progressed to 28km with marathon pace efforts included, while race-day fueling is being dialled in with Pure gels, sodium targets and beachside bottle drops around Callala. The journey hasn't been straightforward either. A torn ACL from a motorbike accident cost him the 2024 Sydney Marathon and required months off running. Through rehab, strength work and a shift from heel striking to a more mid-foot landing, he's been able to return stronger while managing ongoing knee issues. Sam and Katie also recap their training weeks. Sam battled illness throughout the week but still managed 79km, including an 18:55 win at Bega Parkrun and a 24km long run with 250m of climbing. With Sydney Harbour 10k approaching, the focus is now on getting healthy and back into consistent training. Katie put together her biggest week since September with 52km, including a 5×800m + 5×400m track session and plenty of strength work. Pilates continues to play a big role in managing her knee while postponing meniscus surgery. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Nike AeroSwift Half Tights – Costco Compression Boots – EKO Bone-Conduction Bluetooth Sunglasses ($19 Big W special 😎) 📣 News & Shoutouts • Discussion around Zone 2 training and the importance of genuinely easy running • Sydney Marathon build-up and marathon pacing strategies • Michael Donald and William Hilston both complete Comrades Marathon in 10:35:02 • Debate around racing shoes, stability and marathon-day choices • Running with headphones in group runs — practical or social crime? 👀 A great chat with one of the South Coast's rapidly improving runners — from fundraising challenge to chasing a sub-3 marathon in little over a year. Plenty of lessons on patience, consistency and adapting when injuries threaten to derail the journey. 💪🏽🏅

Sam catches up with Jordan Miles from the Good Good Running podcast 🎙️ Jordan has become one of the familiar voices in Australian recreational running through Good Good Running, but his own running journey has been anything but straightforward. A self-coached runner balancing life as a paramedic, husband and dad, Jordan joins the podcast to discuss his progression from struggling through 2.5km fitness runs after footy to running 15:55 for 5K and 33:13 for 10K. After finishing his football career, Jordan initially took up running as a way to stay fit, racing events like Bridge to Brisbane and gradually building consistency around a demanding paramedic roster. A breakthrough came after addressing significant iron deficiency anaemia, leading to rapid improvements that saw him progress from a recreational runner into a 33:13 10K and 15:55 5K athlete. The conversation explores the training that underpinned those performances, including early morning threshold sessions, mile repeats around the famous Swamp Loop, and consistent 25–30km long runs. Jordan explains how training alongside Macca, Chris and the wider Gold Coast crew elevated his running without the need for formal coaching, despite working rotating 12-hour shifts and long commutes. Jordan also opens up about a difficult run of injuries, including a proximal femur stress fracture, a subsequent stress reaction, and most recently an ATFL ankle tear after rolling his ankle on driftwood. Five weeks removed from the injury, he discusses his gradual return to training, plans to build back towards 70km per week, and why he'll be treating the upcoming Gold Coast 10K as a controlled threshold effort rather than an all-out race. The discussion also dives into the origins and growth of Good Good Running. Jordan reflects on the imposter syndrome he felt before recording their first episode, the evolution from a casual podcast recorded over beers into one of Australia's fastest-growing running shows, and the unique accessibility that makes the running community special. From interviewing athletes like Andy Buchanan, Jen Gregson, Izzy Doyle and Moose to sharing coffees with elite runners after races, Jordan believes running remains one of the few sports where everyday runners can interact directly with the country's best athletes. Along the way, the pair discuss balancing training with family life, lessons learned from injury setbacks, race-week preparation, the realities of shift work, footy culture, running pet hates, and why consistency remains the most important ingredient in long-term improvement. A great chat with one of the most relatable voices in Australian running. 🎧🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Sam catches up with Chris Littlejohn from the Good Good Running podcast 🎙️ Chris has quietly become one of the most recognisable voices in Australian recreational running. A 2:44 marathoner, running store manager and co-host of Good Good Running, he joins the podcast to chat about his progression from an injured hockey player to a consistent 100km-per-week marathoner, the evolution of one of Australia's fastest-growing running podcasts, and the realities of balancing training, work and family life. After a knee injury brought an end to his hockey career, Chris found running through parkrun and quickly became hooked. What started as an 18:30 parkrunner eventually developed into PBs of 15:45 for 5K, 32:58 for 10K, 1:13:45 for the half marathon and 2:44:10 for the marathon. We discuss the key training periods that shaped his progression, including his years training with Run Crew Sydney alongside athletes like Benny St Lawrence, Tom DeCanto and Harry Summers. The conversation dives deep into Chris' training philosophy, including his preference for fartlek sessions over traditional track workouts, the value of strides for maintaining speed and resilience, and why consistency always trumps chasing hero sessions. We also unpack his current Sydney Marathon build, balancing 100km-plus training weeks with work, family life and the Queensland climate. Chris also shares the story behind Good Good Running, which began when Matt McKenzie floated the idea while living in Amsterdam. What started as three mates chatting about running has grown into one of Australia's most popular running podcasts, built around authentic conversations, relatable experiences and the feeling that listeners are simply joining a long run with friends. We discuss memorable guests including Brett Robinson, Andy Buchanan, Maudy Skyring and Jack Rayner, along with the unexpected growth of the show and its impact on the running community. Sam also provides an update on his return from injury, reflecting on recent training sessions, managing load as a new father, and finding the balance between rebuilding fitness and staying healthy. There is discussion around marathon preparation, run clubs, shoe technology, social media, Queensland humidity and the ever-changing culture of Australian running. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Bailey Nelson sunglasses – Good Good Running hat – Erniold collaboration singlet 📣 News & Shoutouts Sydney Marathon preparations ramping up Gold Coast Marathon build-up heating up around the country The continued growth of Australian running media and podcasts Future collaboration opportunities between Good Good Running and Tales from the Valley 🎧 Follow Good Good Running: Instagram: @goodgoodrunning Spotify: Good Good Running Apple Podcasts: Good Good Running Podcast A great conversation covering marathon training, podcasting, family life, running culture and why showing up consistently week after week remains the most important ingredient for long-term improvement.

Sam & Katie catch up with Matt McKenzie from the Good Good Running Instagram podcast 🎙️ Matt’s progression has been rapid — from a COVID runner in the Netherlands to running 2:38:14 at Gold Coast and building into one of the stronger recreational marathoners in the country. After starting out with a 3:30 fundraiser marathon in 2021, he dropped a huge PB to 2:57 at Gold Coast before linking up with Dave McNeill in 2023. Since then the focus has been consistency, controlled training and avoiding the overcooking that used to derail blocks. We recap his Ballarat Marathon where he ran 2:39 in tough conditions — close to his PB but with the feeling there’s still more there. Rather than sitting on the result, Matt’s already moved on mentally and is heading into Gold Coast with a “send it” mindset, planning to roll the dice with the 2:35 pace group six weeks after Ballarat. The episode also dives into the rise of Good Good Running — from post-run beers at Brew Loops to somehow interviewing names like Eliud Kipchoge, Andy Buchanan and Sinead Diver. Matt shares the story of nearly missing his Kipchoge interview because his phone was on 1% battery and he didn’t realise he actually had media access 😅 Katie gives an update on her meniscus injury and gradual return to running, while Sam unpacks the Shellharbour Marathon DNF, ankle issues and trying to rebuild confidence heading into Wollongong Running Festival and Harbour 10. There’s also discussion around MeteoPace, Queensland humidity, marathon pacing, running influencer culture and the state of Strava. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – SHYU Quarter Socks – Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 – MeteoPace 📣 News & Shoutouts • Sydney 10 results — Luke Hince takes the win in 29:10 • Entire Hince Stable under 31 minutes • Isaac Shaw runs 30:20 and titles the Strava activity “20:20 WR” • Gold Coast Marathon prep heating up across the board • Good Good Running pop-up event with Erniold locked in for GC weekend 🎧 Follow Good Good Running: Instagram: @goodgoodrunning Spotify: Good Good Running on Spotify Apple Podcasts: Good Good Running Podcast Big episode covering marathon progression, podcast growth, injuries, training philosophy and why sometimes the best thing you can do is just keep showing up consistently.

Sam catches up with Katie and breaks down the final week before Shellharbour Marathon 🎙️ Sam’s six days out from Shellharbour after a huge marathon block averaging 95K/week post-baby, but taper week took a turn after rolling his ankle during an easy run. Thankfully, the signs are positive — walking normally, hopping pain-free, full mobility still there — so the focus now is staying calm, recovering properly, and not doing anything stupid before race day. The marathon prep itself has been strong: – 4 x 4K at marathon pace averaging 4:05s – Half marathon efforts around 4:07 pace inside long runs – Multiple 35–36K long runs – A surprise 9:54 3K time trial PB off mostly marathon training 💥 Sam talks through race strategy, the reality of racing without personal drinks on course, and why carrying his own fueling could end up being a major advantage. Katie also gives an update on her return from injury after six weeks off running. After building back carefully with strength work, Pilates, mobility and Zwift, she’s now back running pain-free and building consistently again. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Tennis Ball IT Band Release – White Toast & Vegemite Carb Load Special – Nike Lava Loops Half Tights 📣 News & Shoutouts • Shellharbour Marathon weather watch — warmer temps potentially on the cards • Marathon fueling chat — why Dr. Hydrate on-course nutrition raised eyebrows 👀 • Wollongong Running Festival plans starting to take shape • Big discussion around sustainable mileage vs constantly chasing huge volume • Katie’s take on social media, injury perspective shifts, and learning to enjoy running again A proper marathon week episode — taper madness, ankle panic, carb loading, injury comebacks, and trying to hold it together before race day.

Sam catches up with Angela Jebb and Liam Mahoney 🎙️ Angela’s been building quietly into something serious — 17:14 (5k), 37:43 (10k) — and at Ballarat she stepped up for her half marathon debut, running 1:22:12. Despite getting caught behind the staggered start and losing her group early, she ran solo for most of the day and held strong when the legs started to go around 14–15k. No specific half marathon block either — just consistent training and backing her fitness. Liam went all-in on the marathon and came away with a breakthrough 2:49:59 💥 The first half felt smooth, but things turned late — cramping hit hard from 36k, leading to multiple stops (including lying down mid-race). Even with that, he held it together to sneak under 2:50. Proper grit. Sam’s two weeks out from Shellharbour and locking things in — focus is on running smart, controlling the first half, and giving himself a shot late. No personal drinks means carrying everything, so race execution will matter more than ever. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Never Running Hat – Precision Fuel 90g Carbs – Nike Lava Loops Belt 📣 News & Shoutouts • Ballarat Marathon wrap — big PBs across the board despite tough conditions • Melbourne Marathon entries + rising race costs becoming a real issue • “Flat and fast” race marketing under fire (Geelong… we’re looking at you 👀) • Ed Goddard gets it done at Hoka Hafa in 66 mins Big one to wrap the Ballarat series — debut breakthroughs, marathon carnage, and a reminder that even when it goes wrong, you can still come away with something big.

Sam catches up with Harm Schaap and Jessica Burke 🎙️ Jess has made the move from Sydney to Wollongong (and picked up a fiancé along the way 💍). After getting her start at Pace Athletic surrounded by names like Ben St Lawrence, Katie St Lawrence and Sam Hopper, she’s built into a serious runner — 10:28 (3k), 18:10 (5k), 38:09 (10k). Fresh off Ballarat Marathon, Jess ran 41 minutes in tough conditions, soaking up the rare chance to race in front of family. Harm’s been quietly stacking a huge year — 14:43 for 5k at NSW Championships and a win in the Mile at Beaton Park. Training is rolling at 130–140km weeks with a simple but savage structure: track Tuesdays, tempo Thursdays, race pace Saturdays. Sam’s deep in the Shellharbour Marathon build — 92km week, gym ticking over, and a monster session: 14k easy → 6k / 6k / 7k @ ~4:07/km off float jogs All adding up to a 1:27 half in training 👀 ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Raycon Essential Earphones – Suunto Watch - Asics Superblast 3 📣 News & Shoutouts • Run Shellharbour – TFTV20 (May 17) • Wollongong Running Festival – SAMH20 (June 7) • Ballarat Marathon wrap — from elites to the local legends • Jaylah Hancock-Cameron breaks the Aussie road mile record (4:26) • London Marathon chaos — Sebastian Sawe (1:59:30) & Yomif Kejelcha (1:59:41) rewrite what’s possible Big episode — local stories, big performances, and a few signs that the marathon world is moving very, very fast right now.

Sam catches up with Sam Jones & Stefan Deane-Smith ahead of the Ballarat Marathon weekend, where both are lining up in the Half Marathon with similar goals — and likely to push each other all the way. Sam Jones is coming in hot off a strong start to the season, clocking two big PBs: dropping his 1500m from 4:03 to 3:56, and running 14:44 for 5000m at State Champs. His preparation for Ballarat has been very targeted, with plenty of threshold work under JT Running and alongside Greg Frost. He also recaps a lighter race week heading into the Wollongong Fitness 5, where he cracked the top 10 in a stacked field. Stefan Deane-Smith reflects on a solid block that included a 2:36 at Valencia Marathon. He’s confident there’s more to come over the marathon distance but has shifted focus toward Ballarat with some serious sessions: a Mona Fartlek (6.2km), a 3k tempo, and a tough 10 x 1k set averaging 3:15/km off one-minute recovery. Sam also breaks down another big training week: 10 miles at marathon effort (4:05/km), a demanding track session (4k @ 3:32, 4 x 400m in 77s, plus 10 minutes at 3:48/km), capped off with a 34km long run. Café Kit of the Week Nike Vaporfly 4s Vicks Shower Drops Bandit Split Shorts News & Events Wollongong Running Festival is coming up on June 7 Use code SAMH20 for a discount Plus, a quick recap of Run Wollongong from the past weekend

Riley joins us back on the podcast and gives us an update on his training, then reviews: - Asics Megablast - Precision Carb Mix - On Zero Half Tights

Sam catches up with Dane Ottesen and Liam Manton just two weeks out from the Ballarat Marathon. The last time we spoke with Dane was after his 2:46 marathon debut at Ballarat last year. Since then, he’s settled into a new routine with JT Running and built into this block while balancing a new job and fresh Sydney Park routes. Dane talks us through his latest week, featuring a session of 6 minutes, 7 x 600m, 6 minutes, and a big Sunday long run of 30km at 4:12/km, including marathon effort blocks of 8k, 6k, and 4k. He’s lining up with his sights firmly set on breaking 2:40. Liam last joined us after his marathon PB at the Sunshine Coast Marathon. Since then, he’s dipped well into the 16-minute range for 5k and tackled the Gold Coast 50k. Now working with coach Sarah Billings, Liam has put together an impressive marathon block—consistently hitting his paces and stacking multiple 3-hour long runs. He recaps a week including kilometre reps and a long run with marathon pace work, also targeting sub-2:40. Sam rounds out the episode with a solid 98km week, including 8 x 1km at 3:37/km, some quality track work, and a 36km long run. Café Kit of the Week Nike Lava Loop Half Tights Satisfy Running Hat ASICS Metaspeed Edge Shoutouts & News TFTV are proud to be ambassadors for the Wollongong Running Festival: https://www.wollongongrunningfestival.com/ Use code SAMH20 for 20% off Mitch gives a quick preview of Run Wollongong on April 18th: https://runwollongong.com.au/ We also recap the Canberra Marathon, including a 4th place finish from Myles Gough and strong performances in the 10k from Brad Croker and Greg Frost.

Ballarat is getting closer and the marathon builds are starting to peak 🏃‍♂️ Sam catches up with Mitch Ryan & Josh Engel to break down their training ahead of Ballarat. Mitch Ryan Mitch reflects on his Valencia Marathon build from last year where Achilles issues made things challenging. Since then he’s been patiently building back up and getting consistent again. Before locking in for Sydney Marathon later this year, Mitch is planning to pace the Wollongong crew chasing 2:40 for as long as he can before finishing off his own race. His week totaled 95km, highlighted by 30 minutes on the track Tuesday running around 3:20/km pace. Josh Engel Josh is fully committed to this marathon block, putting the shorter racing aside through summer and focusing solely on the build. He’s added strength work plus quicker midweek long runs to make sure he’s strong deep into the marathon. His week included: • 16km either side of marathon pace at the Crit Track averaging 3:43/km • A Blue Mountains long run with nearly 1,000m of climbing, still sticking to the workout and matching marathon effort across the hills Sam Hodges Another strong week banked for the Shellharbour Marathon build with 96km on the board. Key sessions included: • A compromised workout in hot conditions featuring 3k, 2k, 1k at roughly 3:45/km off 2 mins rest, followed by 4km at marathon pace • Sunday’s 31km long run including 4 x 4km right on 4:05/km pace ☕ Café Kit of the Week • Adidas Boston 13 • ASICS Sonicblast • K Tape for chafe • Squirrel Nut Butter • Blacksheep Singlet 📣 Shoutouts & News • TFTV will be ambassadors for the Wollongong Running Festival https://www.wollongongrunningfestival.com/ Use code SAMH20 for 20% off • Mitch chats through Run Wollongong on April 18th https://runwollongong.com.au/ • Check out Wollongong Track Club on Instagram if you want to line up with elites like Tommy De Canto, Gen Gregson, Jye Edwards, Luke Hince and Eloise Wellings while chasing a sub-20 5k • Mitch shouts out Kristina from Coast to Mountain Running & Lauren Mitchell for the work they’re doing to bring more females into running. Tuesday mornings at Beaton Park Track have become a fantastic starting point for women joining the sport. • Josh shouts out wife Hannah as she gears up for her first Half Marathon 👏

TFTV Rat Race – Ballarat Build (5 Weeks Out) 🎙️ Sam catches up with past guests Mel Jefferis & Pete Naseby as the Ballarat Marathon edges closer. Mel is gearing up for the Half Marathon and building strong after overcoming hamstring issues. She takes us through her recent block, including an 86km week featuring sessions like 6 x 1k + 4 x 400, 3 x 10 mins, and a 2-hour long run. She’s lining up with confidence and chasing a PB in Ballarat. Pete is set for the full marathon, joining a strong contingent of Illawarra locals. Off the back of a 3:04 in Sydney, he’s targeting improvement with a consistent block — highlighted by a 93km week, including 15 x 400m off 30s and a big 37km day incorporating the Huskisson Elite Energy Half (1:29) after 13km pre-fatigue. Sam also shares his own prep for Shellharbour, with a 99km week including: • 16 x 400m @ 3:26 (45” rest) • 4 x 2k @ 3:45 (500m jog) • 34km long run + 2 gym sessions Café Kit of the Week ☕️ Running gear that doubles as post-run swim kit: • Nike Vomero Plus • 250ml pop top Ballarat is coming 👀

Sam chats with Jarrod Boyd and Greg ‘Frosty’ Frost as both line up for Ballarat in five weeks. Jarrod makes his first appearance on the podcast, bringing some serious credentials with PBs of 16:44 (5k), 33:38 (10k) and 1:16 (half). Coming from a high-level rugby background, Jarrod transitioned into triathlon and reached peak fitness around 2017. After stepping away from running during COVID while starting a family, he returned in 2024 and ran 3:04 at the Gold Coast Marathon off just six months of training. Now, with a full block behind him and support from JT Running, he’s targeting well under 3 hours at Ballarat. Frosty returns fresh off a huge run at Valencia, clocking 2:28 for the marathon and shaving 40 seconds off his PB. He’ll be stepping down to the half at Ballarat, chasing another personal best. Training weeks Frosty talks through a typical 130km week across seven runs, including broken kilometre reps on the track Tuesday and a 35-minute progression on Friday with Myles, working down from 3:30 to 3:10 pace. Jarrod shares a key marathon session of 3 x 5km after 17km easy, hitting 4:12, 4:08 and 4:04, showing strong progression deep into the run. Despite a lighter week due to work travel, he still put together a solid set of workouts including a Saturday progression. Sam reflects on the challenge of balancing training with a newborn but still gets the work done, including 26km midweek with 10 x 1k on 1k off averaging 4:11/km across 20k, and a 28km long run featuring 5k, 3k and 3k efforts around 4:10 pace in tough heat. Café Kit of the Week Mileage Mate Asics Superblast 2 Asics Superblast 3 Shoutouts & News Jarrod gives a shoutout to his old Wollongong training group Project M. JT Running are launching a new recreational session every Thursday morning at Bulli Beach (6am), giving runners an entry point into structured training with James Tunbridge and Charl Jansen Van Rensburg.

Sam & Katie catch up after a couple of weeks off while Sam welcomes his daughter Elena into the world 👶 Katie shares an update on her injury and the expected timeline for surgery. In the meantime she’s making the most of the situation by getting fully set up on Zwift and learning the ropes with the full home setup. Sam talks about the early days of balancing newborn life with marathon training, and how the two are already starting to influence each other. Despite the sleep disruption, he jumps straight back into a big training week with 102km, including: 8 × 800m session 6 × 6 minutes threshold work 35km long run workout on Sunday ☕ Café Kit of the Week Devanti Ice Maker Bike Shorts from Lokamo Looking ahead, the podcast will begin interviewing athletes preparing for the upcoming Ballarat Marathon over the next few weeks.