This week on the Better With Running podcast, hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman, start the show with a brief update from chrisos training and talk about the turf war on socials about callipos vs zooper doopers.

They then welcome back Run2PB Athlete Stephen Pate, he returns to discuss a phenomenal year of running, culminating in a massive three-minute personal best at the Melbourne Marathon 2025, clocking a 2:31:54. This follows a strong performance at the Ballarat Marathon and a 10k PB earlier in the year. Stephen shares insights into his training consistency through the winter, describing the mental side of the build as a "slog," yet acknowledging it felt better than his previous block. He credits his longevity and injury-free string of three marathon builds to cautiously increasing volume and the structure provided by his coach and training groups like the Ninch Track Club, which offer essential accountability and social support.

We get a detailed breakdown of his Melbourne Marathon race, revealing he was "seduced" into running with a massive 20-person pack, which included the lead female, for critical shelter and pacing efficiency in the first half. The mental crucible arrived around the 26-30km mark, a dark patch where he battled "inner voices" of self-doubt. He shares the raw self-talk and mental strategies he used to shut down the negativity and find his rhythm again, contrasting this intense focus with his less-stressed pre-race mindset compared to Ballarat. Steven's strong finish, where he passed multiple runners, is attributed to his consistent training and repeated hill work, which primed his legs for the taxing final kilometers.

Stephen confirms his dietary consistency, sticking to his famed steak poké bowls while maintaining a generally gluten-free approach, with the occasional pizza as a running fuel. We also hear about his preferred ASICS shoe rotation, favoring the Superblast for everyday miles and the Meta Speed Edge for races. Looking ahead, he is taking a short break to chase shorter-course PBs before shifting his full focus to training for the notoriously challenging, hilly Boston Marathon course

With thanks to Oat Running our partner,

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