After hundreds of runs, there had never been a single one that wasn’t mostly a mental challenge. Until now.

This is a reflection on a speed run that felt different. The resistance was still there before getting out the door, but once the run began, something had changed. No bargaining. No internal negotiation. Just rhythm, effort, momentum and the feeling that the training was finally paying off.

(00:00) - A specific run, and why it mattered
(00:55) - The mental barrier vs the physical barrier
(02:19) - Cadence, posture and finding the rhythm
(02:36) - Hitting familiar markers with confidence
(02:58) - The final sprint and controlled aggression
(03:58) - Final motivation: hug your loved ones and get after it

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Episode 13 of the Marathon Series is about the ugly side of progress.

This was meant to be a 16km run. It became 13km and 80 minutes of sweat, resistance, self-talk, and grinding through the inner voice that wanted to stop almost from the very beginning.

(00:00) - Drenched Before the Day Is Done
(00:22) - 80 Minutes and 13km
(01:21) - Just Getting Out the Door
(01:33) - Trying to Start Slow
(02:29) - Channeling the Goggins Mentality
(02:41) - Do The Loop Again
(02:55) - Recording the Reality of the Moment
(03:39) - Seven Weeks Until the Marathon
(03:51) - If It Sucks at the Beginning, That’s Okay

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Episode 12 of the Marathon Series is a reminder that endurance is earned in the boring moments.

This one is all about the reality of preparation: running in unexpected heat, adjusting the plan, and still finding a way to get the work done.

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In this episode of the Marathon Series, we get brutally honest about what marathon training actually demands. This is not about fantasy plans, heroic delusion, or pretending you can bluff your way through 42.2 kilometres. It is about fatigue, pacing, discipline, broken sleep, heavy legs, and the deep respect required to take on a marathon properly.

Also forgive the crappiolo audio, tried to fix as best I knew how.

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I reflect on why I always seem to overdo leg day, especially when squats are involved, even while training for a marathon. It’s a personal look at discipline, ageing, recovery, and the tension between pushing hard and training smart.

(00:00) - Early Morning Start
(00:24) - Why I Always Overdo Leg Day
(00:52) - The Bigger Lesson Behind Doing Too Much
(01:10) - From Two Leg Sessions to One
(01:32) - Squats Are Where It Gets Out of Hand
(01:57) - Marathon Training Changes the Equation
(02:15) - Recovery Hits Different as You Get Older
(02:35) - Knowing I’ll Ignore My Own Plan
(03:23) - The Trade-Off Between Ambition and Injury
(04:09) - Enjoying Heavy Training While I Still Can
(04:30) - Recording More of Real Life and Training
(05:12) - Discipline Is Strongest Early in the Week
(05:30) - Use the Good Days While You’ve Got Them

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In this Mere Mortals in Motion episode, I reflect on the reality of training early, especially when life gets full and the margins get tight. This is about discipline over convenience, working with your natural rhythms, and recognising that long-term consistency builds a body and mindset that can be maintained with less than what it took to build them. Connect with Mere Mortals:

(00:00) - Training in the Dark at 4:38AM
(00:34) - When You’ve Got Kids, You Train When You Can
(01:17) - I’m Built for Early Mornings, Not Late Nights
(01:39) - Stop Fighting Your Nature
(02:04) - Marathon Prep: Movement, Kilometres, Consistency
(03:06) - Decades of Effort Created This Freedom
(03:24) - Final Message: Train Whenever You Can

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 10 weeks to go.
This marathon update is a raw one. Training has been messy, life has been full, sleep has been hit hard with the baby, and the distance still feels intimidating. But the mission is simple now: build enough endurance, get to the start line, and finish what I started.

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 11 weeks to go.
In this marathon training update, I break down a surprisingly strong 29km week, the chaos of balancing training with a newborn, and the brutal truth that I’m already feeling over the long-distance grind.

(00:00) - Welcome Back
(00:18) - 29km in a Week With a Newborn
(01:05) - The Treadmill Session That Fell Apart
(01:24) - The Honest Truth: I’m Over the Long Runs
(01:43) - Do Marathoners All Feel This?
(02:20) - Chasing ‘Local Legend’ on the Loop
(02:47) - Missing the Segment and Getting Crushed
(03:00) - Tiny Motivations Matter

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 Twelve weeks out from the marathon. Four days into life with a newborn.

This is where the fantasy dies. No perfect routine. No full night of sleep. No clean, optimised training block.

In this episode of the Mere Mortals Marathon, I’m stepping back into training after the birth of my second daughter. Not with confidence. Not with momentum. But with a decision: start anyway.

(00:00) - 12 Weeks Out
(00:32) - Life With a Newborn
(01:07) - Recovery Is Different Now
(01:16) - Time to Start Again
(02:13) - The 1km Restart
(02:38) - No Ego, Just Movement
(03:03) - Training Around Real Life
(03:43) - Consistency Over Performance
(04:13) - The Hard Part Is Coming
(04:36) - One Day or Day One

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 For ten weeks straight, I’ve been running.

Better times. Better movement. Slightly more efficiency.

And yet… it still feels just as hard as week one.

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