Better with Running

his week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by returning guest Chris Hillhouse, just two weeks out from his debut at the Melbourne Marathon. Chris Armstrong kicks off the show with his training update, logging a solid 75kms and crushing a 7x1km session with reps dropping into the 3:19/km range,

Returning to the show this week is Chris Hillhouse, a self-employed gardener, is an athlete who has made a transformative shift from running a self-devised half marathon that left him unable to walk for two weeks, to a 73min man under the guidance of run2pb coach Josh Harris.

The interview delves into Chris’s unique journey, beginning with a quick recap of his progression from a novice runner to a competitive athlete. They discuss how he manages the significant challenge of balancing the physical demands of his gardening job with hitting key marathon sessions and long runs. Chris emphasizes the value of the structure provided by his coach, Josh Harris, noting that it's a huge relief to "just open Final Surge and here's what I'm doing today," allowing him to eliminate mental fatigue. This contrasts sharply with his early "self-devised" approach, highlighting the mental and physical shift required for a successful debut.

Finally, the discussion focuses on the Melbourne Marathon debut itself. Chris shares some of the big workouts he’s tackled, which his coach confirms have prepared him perfectly, carrying early-season form into the final taper. They discuss his race strategy, including his target time before wrapping up with a look at his race day gear and a profound question: what will success truly look like for him when he crosses the finish line at the Melbourne Cricket Ground?

With thanks to Oat Running our partner, Chris will be gifted some Oat Running Socks.

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by Run2PB athlete Jamie Soares, an electrician, father, and a dedicated runner who just smashed his 10km PB over the weekend. He has been coached by Brady Threlfall since January and he shares his unique journey, detailing how he balances his demanding job as an electrician and family commitments with a young daughter to find time to train. The conversation dives into his running progression and PBs, including his recent time of 36:39 at the Run Prix 10km. Jamie offers a great recap of the race and discusses what it's like being coached by Brady and the lessons he's learned.

The episode wraps up with a fun quick-fire round where Jamie reveals his favorite training sessions and answers a series of questions that give listeners a peek into his personality and life outside of running.

This show is in partnership with ⁠Oat Running Socks.⁠

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by returning guest and Run2PB coach, physiotherapist James Telford, for a deep dive into the most challenging part of an athlete's journey: injury. Chris shares his personal update, having a solid 73km week which included a key workout and a 90-minute long run on his new favorite race shoe, the Asics Megablast. He talks about the satisfaction of putting four weeks of consistent training

The conversation with James Telford starts with the relatable dilemma every runner faces—a slight niggle that can escalate into a full-blown injury. They explore the psychological factors that make runners hide pain. James and the hosts discuss the critical importance of a coach's role in creating a safe, non-judgmental space for communication.

The discussion provides practical advice for both athletes and coaches. He emphasizes the coach's role as a "hub," connecting the athlete to the right professionals—not playing doctor, but facilitating a collaborative process of rehabilitation. This includes setting new, short-term goals, like milestones in physical therapy, to provide a positive psychological focus during the recovery process

This show is in partnership with ⁠Oat Running Socks.⁠

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by athlete Rory Flanagan and his coach, Ben Stolz, for an insightful conversation on marathon preparation.

The main interview features Rory Flanagan, who is in the final stages of his build for the Berlin Marathon. Rory and his coach, Ben Stolz, discuss the training block, highlighting Rory's consistent 95-100km weeks that have been key to his progress. Rory talks about his meticulous race preparation, including his fueling strategy and the importance of sweat testing.. Beyond the race, Rory shares the emotional drive behind his effort: his fundraising campaign for Haplo-insufficiency Syndrome with the Mefties Run Club.

Support Rory Here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-my-berlin-marathon-run-for-mefties

Sweat Testing with Ben : https://www.benstolzmyotherapy.com/general-8

This show is in partnership with ⁠Oat Running Socks.⁠

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman sit down with Run2PB athlete Mitch Wilson to unpack his incredible marathon breakthrough at the Sydney Marathon. The hosts open with their own updates, with Zac returning from his time in Sydney and Chris sharing his plans for the half on the weekend.

Mitch shares his journey to the Sydney Marathon, starting with Run2PB in early 2025 with the ambitious goal of breaking 2 hours and 50 minutes, a significant leap from his previous PB of 3 hours and 27 minutes. He recounts his training block, which was carefully structured to build volume gradually and avoid a history of injuries. The conversation highlights his big PB in the 3k at the Box Hill Classic and a great progression run at the Ballarat 15k, which gave him the confidence he needed for the Sydney start line. Mitch credits a new emphasis on a balance of load, rest, and recovery for his success.

The discussion delves into the Sydney Marathon itself, which Mitch executed to perfection. He reveals that after a few key sessions, he and his coach landed on a target pace for a sub-2:50 finish. He hit his splits with incredible consistency, finished strong, and successfully managed his nutrition with seven gels. Mitch also shares his philosophy as a "student of the sport," explaining his curiosity about the "why's" of training and how his constant feedback makes his coach's job easier.

This show is in partnership with ⁠Oat Running Socks.⁠

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week on the Better With Running podcast, we welcome a true community legend, Dale Fuda! Dale, a marathon runner and fruit shop owner, has taken his marathon PB down to an impressive 3:36. Run2PB coach Brady Threlfall describes Dale as someone who "would give the shirt off his own back," a testament to his recent act as a courier, delivering medals to runners in Moama.

We hear about Dale's unique journey, from how he first got into running and his time with the Sydney Striders, to his decision to be coached by Brady and what he has learned from their collaboration. The conversation explores the discipline required to train at "silly o'clock in the morning" and the connection between the demands of his fruit shop and his running career.

We get the inside scoop on his life as a fruit shop owner.Tune in to hear how Dale's passion for running.

This show is in partnership with Oat Running Socks.

Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au⁠

Hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by returning guest and Australian record holder, Andy Buchanan.

This week, we dive into Andy's post-Gold Coast Half Marathon recovery, his groundbreaking heat training in Cairns, and his mental and physical preparation for the World Championships in Japan. Andy also recaps his impressive race record at the Sunshine Coast Half, all while answering listener questions about training, nutrition, and his life beyond running.

The show kicks off with a quick recap on how Chris and Zaccas training is going before, getting into the The main interview with Andy Buchanan, who shares the strategic thinking behind his recent heat training camp in Cairns. He describes a day up there with training partners like Tim Vincent, detailing some key sessions and protocols used to prepare his body for the conditions in Japan. Andy also recaps his new race record at the Sunshine Coast Half Marathon, finishing in an incredible 1:02:13. He explains that he was looking for a "controlled hard effort" and was also blown awa by the crowd support, and his interactions with Buddy Franklin.

The conversation then turns to Andy's mental and physical mindset ahead of the World Championships. Andy also answers a series of fun and insightful questions, including a listener questions and The episode wraps up with a quick-fire round on his dinner party wish list guest.

With thanks to our partner : Oat Running Socks

Welcome to Episode 259 of the Better With Running podcast! Hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by 2 guests, run2pb athlete Charles Jacobson and run2pb coach and physio James Telford.

Firstly, Hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman kick off the episode with personal updates. Chris shares a difficult week, logging only 30km as he battles an illness. After attempting a few easy runs over the weekend, he's taking a day-by-day approach to his potential race at Ballarat this Sunday. Zac provides a positive update on his continuous progress with his return to running, having a nice run at the tan with Kiwi Steve, and he's now building consistency and looking forward to the rest of his running year. The hosts also touch on some inspiring results from the run2pb community at Sunshine Coast, Madeline Heiner's 2:52 marathon, and Andy Buchanan's course record over the half. The conversation highlights a new study from Latrobe University and Zoe Delaney on sports nutrition and disordered eating for runners, more details here https://redcap.latrobe.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=DA7Y3JF3RX3EEKKC

Run2PB athlete Charles Jacobson returns, who last joined us in June 2023. Since then, Charles has achieved a significant personal bests and of late running a 2:52:07 at the Gold Coast Marathon. He discusses his build and the race recap, and we hear what Charles attributes his success to and what he has learnt from his coach Andy Buchanan. He also shares that his future plans include another marathon at Melbourne and continuing to race the XCR series because he loves the atmosphere.

Next, we up is James Telford, a physiotherapist and owner of PhysioLife Australia. James brings his expertise on a variety of topics. He discusses his coaching philosophy, emphasizing honesty and realistic expectations with athletes, particularly those attempting ambitious back-to-back marathons. He offers his perspective on the rise of "Instagram physios" and AI advice, stressing that while people are more informed, nothing replaces hands-on, professional guidance. The episode also features an exciting announcement about PhysioLife's title sponsorship of the Willinda Classic 10,000m track race in September, which serves as a Zatopek qualifier, with entries now open, you can enter here: 
https://www.valleyaths.org/events/register/293078

With thanks to Oat Running Socks our partner, visit ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au⁠

Welcome to Episode 258 of the Better With Running podcast! Join hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman as they recap their own training weeks before sitting down with returning guest and Run2PB coach, Jonny Squire.

Hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman kick off the episode with personal updates. Chris shares his experience at the Albert Park 10km, where he finished in 37:33. He describes an exhilarating start at 3:35/km, quickly realizing the pace was unsustainable, but managed to persevere with the crucial help of coach James Telford, who "pretty much dragged me around for 8kms". Despite having "nothing left at the finish" , Chris was very pleased to exceed his own expectations of 38:30, expressing gratitude for simply being able to compete again after injury. Zac also provides an update on his consistent progress in his return to running, diligently following coach James Telford's walk-jog program and consistently incorporating strength work, noting his body is adjusting well to continuous running.

The weeks main interview features Run2PB coach Jonny Squire, 2:25 marathoner, who fresh off a new 10km road pb, jumps on for an update. He starts by reliving ballarat marathon and then shares insights from his recent Gold Coast Marathon pacing gig. He then delves into his fresh 10km PB at Albert Park, representing MUAC, discussing the race details and his performance. Jonny outlines his ambitious goals for the upcoming Berlin Marathon and provides a glimpse into his current training block as he prepares for this major event. His insights into balancing elite competition with pacing duties and training for future PBs offer valuable lessons for runners of all levels.

With thanks to Oat Running Socks our partner, visit ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au⁠

Run2PB Links:

www.run2pb.co for coaching

Socials Run2PB YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJxkh-FgU2Wsork-18PfSUA⁠

Find us here at: https://www.run2pb.co/better-with-running-podcast

Review on us: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-with-running/id1506419354⁠

Join hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman introduce new Run2PB Coach Forest Robinson. Chris shares his consistent 65km week, focusing on easy efforts due to post-cross-country fatigue, and looks forward to racing the Albert Park 10km. Zac also provides an update on his return to running, making solid progress with coach James Telford, building his base, and gradually increasing his continuous running time.

Forest introduces himself as a new Run2PB coach, detailing his remarkable running journey which began back in 2019, initially for soccer fitness, and was intensified during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He candidly shares his progression from an unofficial 2:52 marathon to a 2:44 in his first official event, eventually learning proper training methods from Evolve Run Club in 2022. Forest now boasts impressive personal bests, including a 31:07 for 10km, a 1:08 half marathon, and a 2:24 marathon, with the Osaka Marathon being a particular highlight he delves into.

Forest emphasizes "keeping it as simple as possible" to help individuals achieve their running goals, highlighting his love for understanding different personalities and life demands. He credits Dion of Evolve Run Club as a significant influence and shares insights from his experience pacing the 2:45 group at the Ballarat Marathon. Forest also walks listeners through a typical week of his current training, including demanding Tuesday track sessions at Albert Park and continuous tempo runs on Fridays, all while balancing his professional life.

The episode lightens up with a "Quick Questions" segment, where Forest reveals his preference for Garmin watches and iPhones, and shares that a pleasant surprise in running is the endless learning and unique individuality of every runner. He answers the classic "Run, Forest, Run!" question (he's lost count, probably over 300 times!), gives his 18-year-old self the advice to "start running now," and picks blueberries as his favorite fruit due to their brain benefits. Discover his unique shoe rotation and his surprising go-to everyday food: hot chips with British curry sauce!

This episode offers a comprehensive blend of personal running narratives, elite training insights, and practical advice. From understanding the mental battle of injury recovery to the joy of continuous progression, Forest, Chris, and Zac provide valuable perspectives for runners of all levels.

You can be coached by Forest Robinson > https://www.run2pb.co/coach-forest