Tales from the Valley Podcast

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.

Sam catches up with Luke Hince, 12 months after he was last on the podcast — and for the same reason. Luke takes out the NSW 5000m Championships in 14:00, agonisingly close to cracking sub-14. They kick things off by discussing Luke’s strong run of form, including his impressive 29:03 over 10,000m at the Melbourne Track Classic (part of the Athletics Grand Prix Series) last year. Luke recaps his taper week leading into the race and the atmosphere of an exciting night of racing. After a slow opening lap, Luke made the call to take it from the front, turning the race into a largely solo effort. While he was initially gutted to see 14:00 flash up on the clock, that quickly shifted to excitement when his training partner and Run Havoc teammate secured second place in 14:23. In the B race, the rest of the Hince stable delivered strong performances: Nathaniel Brisbane broke 15 minutes for the first time, running 14:54 Harm Schaap placed second in 14:43 Sam also recaps his own week — 83km all up — featuring: 3km hard in 10:27 at the crit track on a windy morning 6 x 500m A big 32km long run with 2 x 10km efforts sandwiched in Café Kit of the Month Luke gives his latest gear and fuel reviews: Saucony Triumph 23 On Running Winter Vest Rhise Hot Chocolate Luke lines up at Box Hill Athletics Track this Thursday night for another crack at sub-14 — this time in a pack. Keep your eyes peeled!

Sam & Katie catch up on their training this week with no guest on the mic, and also dive into some listener ChatGPT Q’s along the way. 🤖🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Katie continues her cycling block, hits squat PB’s, and keeps the running load sensible — while also unpacking Sam’s incredibly inconvenient offer to “help” her through one of her track sessions. 😅 Sam bounces back from a bit of a lull with a strong week featuring speedy 400s, sharp threshold work and mile repeats while down the coast for a wedding. Tune in for Café Kit of the Week ☕️, ChatGPT Q’s, and a fresh round of Yeah/Nah rants… though Katie is still not over Sam breaking her rhythm at the track.

Sam & Katie catch up with Charl Jansen Van Rensburg, who makes his return to the podcast with plenty of updates since last time. Charl has rewritten his Half Marathon PB, clocking a 1:15 at the Gold Coast Half Marathon last year. Alongside his running, Charl has also launched his business Mileage Mate, and walks us through the product—designed to help runners stay warm, dry, and clean before and after training and racing. 🏃‍♀️ Training Weeks Katie Recaps her win at the Aquathon 5k 🥇 Backs it up with more strength training Plenty of cycling to round out the week Sam Talks through a bit of a down week Coming off the back of a heavy training block with some big workouts in the legs Charl Runs through his week as fitness starts to return Recently managed a calf injury picked up at the GONG5000 Feeling positive as things begin to click again ☕ Café Kit of the Week Tune in for this week’s Café Kit and the always-divisive Yeah / Nah segment. 🙌 Shoutouts & Congrats Congrats to Erin Hargrave, this month’s winner of the Run Havoc Café Kit of the Month Voucher 🎉 🔗 Check out Charl’s business here: 👉 https://mileagemate.com.au/ If you want, I can: Shorten this for Instagram / Spotify show notes Add a punchier opening hook Match formatting exactly to the previous Chris Stone episode for consistency

Sam and Katie are joined by Ethan Spears and Cody Bramich from the 360 South Project. Ethan and Cody are relatively new to running but are passionate about building a movement in the Illawarra through community, challenge, and shared suffering. Their flagship event is a unique 360 km relay from Wollongong to Huskisson and back, completed by teams of six over a 30-hour window, with legs split however teams choose. Despite being early in their running journeys, both are getting quick. Ethan recently clocked a sub-20 5 km time trial, while Cody has run 1:28 at both the Shellharbour and Husky Half Marathons. In the lead-up to the May 15 event, the crew discusses the vision behind the project, the logistics of the relay format, and what’s planned around it — including merch, community runs, and launch events. 👉 More info: https://www.instagram.com/360southproject/ Training Weeks Sam breaks down an 81 km week featuring hilly mile reps and another YoYo Tempo. Ethan & Cody battle the flu but still manage track work, HIIT and RIG sessions at the Yard Gym, run-club easy jogs, and even consult an Etsy witch to keep the rain away for Sunday’s long run. Katie logs 41 km including another “Moana” fartlek, absurdly long core sessions, and 4 hours of cycling. Café Kit of the Week Mileage Mate — https://mileagemate.com.au/ Megablasts New Balance Elite Slam Ball News ASICS trade-in event ahead of the Nimbus 28 at Centennial Park Cam Myers runs 3:49 for the mile at UW Indoor Jake Derdon clocks 2:22 at the Houston Marathon

Sam and Katie are joined by Chris Stone, who shares his running journey—from early runs with his dad, to a long hiatus through university, and then a spark moment after lining up at City2Surf that reignited his love (and natural knack) for running. Since returning to the sport, Chris has clocked some impressive road PBs: 5km: 19:32 10km: 39:56 Half Marathon: 1:29 Marathon: 3:21 at the Sydney Marathon More recently, Chris has found his passion on the trails, completing UTA100 in 15 hours and 31 minutes. Chris’ favourite place to run is the Wollongong Escarpment, he loves a strong mountain-culture status quo, and his go-to sessions are tempo and threshold workouts. 🏃‍♂️ Training Weeks Sam 75km week Yo-Yo tempo session 3-minute reps Plus approximately 1000 beers on Friday night 🍻 Katie Continues her Zwift racing and strength work Quick kilometre reps and 400s on the track Gets out for a threshold session in the heat Chris Plenty of time riding his new mountain bike on local trails Progressive tempo session with the JT Running crew K reps and 400s on the track with JT Running teammate Michael Donald ☕ Café Kit Bella’s Nutella Protein Balls Buff for neck coverage Lee & Me blended coffee (Wollongong) 🙌 Shoutouts Training partners: Michael Donald, Michael Bilboe, Josh Boxell Coach: James Tunbridge Wife: Amanda

On this episode of Café Kit of the Month, Sam sits down with Isaac Shaw. Isaac breaks down his outstanding performance, finishing 2nd in the State 3000m, and walks us through his summer of training. He also shares his experience with precision gels, gives an early review of the up-and-coming NVR running apparel—with a focus on the Ghost Singlet—and chats about the Puma MagMax. To round things out, Isaac gives us the inside word on the upcoming Run Havoc community runs and their latest testing partnership.

Sam and Katie kick off the New Year with a proper catch-up, chatting New Year’s resolutions and recapping their training weeks as usual. Café Kit of the Week Nike Vaporfly 4 Brooks Glycerin Max Zwift subscription Huge congrats to Alex Bui, who takes out this month’s Run Havoc $100 voucher 🏃‍♂️🎉

Sam chats with Tim Manuel, a huge part of the KJ’s community. Tim rediscovered his love of running during the Covid lockdowns after first lacing up in his junior years—and he’s been flying ever since. From a 2:11 PB over 800m through to an agonisingly close sub-3 marathon attempt at last year’s Sydney Marathon (3:00:50), Tim’s range is seriously impressive. A standout Masters athlete, he’s won multiple Cross Country and Track titles for KJ’s and played a key role in numerous podium finishes throughout the season. Originally a middle-distance runner, Tim tackled the marathon with guidance from those around him, plenty of reading, and jumping into long runs with the WTC group as part of his Sydney build. Training Weeks Sam Another solid week of training Yasso 800s Friday session: 5-4-3-2-1 off a one-minute jog Sunday long run: 2 hours Total volume: 80km Tim Running purely for enjoyment through the end of the year Mixing in swimming ahead of the Australia Day Aquathon/Duathlon Around 60km of running, including some pool-to-run transition practice Café Kit of the Week T8 Sherpa Shorts (order a size up) ASICS Metaspeed Edge – Ekiden colourway Milo cereal Shoutouts Tim gives a shoutout to Joe Crawford, who does a mountain of work behind the scenes for KJ’s while also running some seriously impressive times across the marathon and beyond.

This week, Katie takes over hosting duties and puts Sam in the hot seat for a change. Sam runs through his personal bests — including a 9:57 3 km time trial where a shoelace came undone mid-run, a gritty 1:18 half marathon at the Western Sydney Half, where he came third after running through the field and picking off competitors throughout the second half, and his 2:56 marathon, which capped off his original ambition of breaking three hours. Katie then debuts a brand-new segment: Rapid Fire Questions, putting Sam on the spot with some quick hits. 🏃 Training Weeks Katie recaps a varied week of strength training and cycling, before having a crack at the JT Running 5 km on the track Tuesday night. Sam successfully paces the JT Running 5 km group through to sub-20 minutes, but spends the rest of the week jogging easy while battling a head cold. 🎄 Thank you to all our listeners for the support this year — wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and happy running!

Sam and Katie sit down with Rene Collins, a familiar face in the Illawarra running scene who wears many hats — from coaching local ultra-marathon athletes, to pacing at major city marathons, and most recently leading the run sessions for SAVVY. Rene’s running journey began with the Canberra Marathon, an initiation he describes as brutally tough, famously hitting the wall around 32km. From there, things escalated quickly. He tackled the Six Foot Track (45km) in the Blue Mountains, followed by the UTA 100km, a race Rene recalls as a comedy of errors — yet still an unforgettable and enjoyable experience. Momentum carried him into the Southern Sydney 100km on the track, where he finished an incredible 2nd place, before stepping up again to the 100-mile distance. This progression ultimately led to his selection for Coast to Kosciuszko (C2K) in 2022. Rene reflects fondly on completing C2K and walks us through the demanding selection process, including how he worked deliberately to earn selection again for C2K 2025. A key part of that journey was taking on the Alpine Challenge, a gruelling 100-mile race at Falls Creek, to ensure he made the cut. 🏃‍♂️ Training Weeks Katie outlines a conservative training block, combining a strength-focused program with 6 × 800m reps working down conservatively, plenty of gym work, and cycling. Sam continues with Yasso 800s (7 reps on Tuesday) alongside a long tempo session on Friday, keeping mileage steady in the 70–80km/week range. Rene is easing back post-C2K, mixing cycling, Savvy sessions, parkruns, and Thursday track. ☕ Café Kit of the Week 3D-printed stand to air out soft flasks Katie’s Day Planner ASICS Kayano 🔁 Around the Club Rene shouts out Bob Oganovski Growing anticipation for the JT Running 5km Time Trial

Sam & Katie sit down with Edwin Smith – a relatively new runner who’s dived deep into the world of trail running over the past few years. Edwin recently ran Mudgee Marathon in just over 4 hours, and he’s chasing that sub-4 early next year 👀 He also completed the Pilliga Grand Slam (10k, 50k, 20k spread across 3 days!) and is now building a running community through his social content. Edwin talks us through how he documents his journey and how his Pub Half Marathon concept ended up gaining huge traction online. Check out Edwin here → @running_with_edwin Upcoming for Edwin: Six Foot Track 105k self-guided course early ‘26 Red’s Backyard Ultra on the radar 🏃 Training Weeks Edwin 4 runs per week Tempo work 2hr trail long run on weekends Katie 3 day run-strength plan 12×400m, 3×8min Zwift sesh + heavy gym work Sam Half-Yasso 800s Tempo + Threshold + k-reps Hilly long run with a spicy finish on Sunday 😮‍💨 ☕ Café Kit of the Week Toppo Trail Shoes Injinji Toe Socks “Warming up” before your run Recovery Base Shellharbour 🏔️ Round the Clubs Edwin shouts out The GOATs Trail Running Club 🔥 Valencia Results – huge congrats to the WTC crew! Greg Frost – 2:28 Jacob Foster – 2:28 Stefan Deane-Smith – 2:36 Russ Dessaix-Chin – 2:38 Mitch Ryan – 2:46 Liam Henderson – 2:50

Sam catches up with James Tunbridge to celebrate the first birthday of JT Running

Sam & Katie sit down with Joe Mallat, who’s had a breakout year on the roads. Joe’s dropped his 5 K to 16:43 at Sandon Point parkrun, clocked 34:55 at Sydney 10, and finished 2nd at Shellharbour Half in 1:21:54. A former basketball and rugby player, Joe dabbled in cross-country through high school but only recently found structure after joining JT Running. He credits the group’s training environment and guidance from coach James Tunbridge—who just celebrated one year of JT Running—for his rapid progress. Joe now has his eyes set on a sub-33 10 K and a strong marathon debut. We unpack training weeks from all three hosts: Katie builds mileage, tackles a sharp VO₂ Max track set (400/300/200s), and rolls through 4 × 6-minute tempo efforts while exploring strength work for her knee. Sam logs a fast 1 K + 300s session and a surprise set of 2 K reps on Saturday. Joe mixes running with swimming and gym, plus some snappy 600 m and 300 m intervals on the track. ☕ Café Kit of the Week: Vomero Plus shoes, Shokz Over-Ear Headphones, and Way of the Hero Half Tights 🏃‍♂️ Round the Club News: A look at the Kosciuszko Ultra Trail weekend and congratulations to Robby Jay, first winner of the Run Havoc voucher!

Sam & Katie sit down with Brad Milosevic — the podcast’s fastest marathoner yet. Brad lives in Canberra and in 2015 pulled off something wild: winning both of Australia’s biggest fun runs, taking out City2Surf in 42:12 and the Melbourne Marathon in 2:16:00. Over the next few years he chased the Olympic qualifier, ran another 2:16, and represented Australia at the 2017 World Championships. Across 2017–2018 he rewrote PBs from 3000m through to the Half Marathon, crediting much of that rise to training in Ken Green’s stable with a strong group of high-level runners. Brad also shares his “phone book” analogy — years of consistent training stacked together so you might rip out a few pages, but you can’t tear the whole book. After one last shot at a fast time at Lake Biwa, Brad moved into a new career as a primary school teacher. Now he runs for fun, though somehow finds himself back in sub-16 5km shape off a few weeks of jogging and jumping in with Phillo Saunders’ group. Katie builds steadily with a 97km week and some conservative track work. Sam is in Sydney running 70km with a couple of solid sessions in daily trainers. Brad recaps four jogs. Café Kit of the Week: Adidas Evo SL Avocado Zinc sunscreen Singlets / Tank Tops Round the Club Shoutouts: Brad shouts out the Girraween Athletics Club where it all started for him. Sam reminds listeners of the monthly $100 Run Havoc Gift Voucher.

Sam & Katie sit down with rising talent Cate Giason, who works at Run Havoc and has just wrapped up school with plans to study something in the sports world. Cate already owns some incredible PBs — 4:53 (1500m), 10:16 (3000m) and 7:08 (2000m steeple) — and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Cate shares how she first got into running through her family and Kembla Joggers at age eight, her first ever track race in Year 8, and how she now balances training for Triathlon under coach Ben Bell. She takes us through a full training week: • 2k threshold efforts • Jogging & cross-training • Track workouts • A Sunday long run • Plus her hit-out at the GONG5000 Sam puts together his best 543215 session yet, DNF’s the GONG5000 at 3km due to chest tightness, and then redeems the week with a strong Sunday long run. Katie is officially back — 91km, track reps, and her debut Mona Fartlek (5.3km). Café Kit of the Week • Foam Roller • Neo Vista 2 • Asics Megablast thoughts • Zooper Doopers

Inspired by the vulnerability of our past guests, Sam, Stefan Deane-Smith, and Rohan Laurendet sit down for a raw and honest conversation about their own mental health challenges — and how running has both supported and complicated those experiences. Rohan also hosts The 11th Hurdle podcast, where he explores mental health and performance with incredible depth and empathy. You can check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PhiwHspaGGke77HEkYca4 This episode includes discussion of distressing mental health themes, so please take care while listening and consider whether it’s the right time for you to tune in.

Sam and Katie catch up on the podcast and dive into fresh ideas for the new year — including the expanding partnership with Run Havoc. It’s shaping up to be a big 2026 with more episodes, more collaborations, and some new concepts brewing behind the scenes. Katie drops a huge training update with an 83km week, highlighted by a brutal 12 × 200m on / 200m float session and some smooth, controlled tempo work on Friday. Sam checks in with a 58km week, featuring 6 × 1km on gravel at 3:30–3:40 pace, plus an 18km long run alongside Jack Ratz, rolling the Run Shellharbour course and getting a feel for the terrain ahead. Café Kit of the Week Cans of Energy Drink A vintage Tempo Training article from the 80s

Sam sits down with Riley Kilham for the first instalment of our new monthly segment. Riley has generously thrown in a $100 Run Havoc voucher for one TFTV listener each month — absolute legend 🙌 This month we dive into Riley’s training week — including some spicy continuous track work and pacing his mate to a 1:25 half at Husky. Shoe of the Month: Nike Vomero Plus (early contender for shoe of the year 👀) Nutrition of the Month: Pillar Performance Triple Magnesium Apparel of the Month: Never Running Race Singlet Big thanks to Riley and the crew at Run Havoc for the support 💥

Sam catches up with Hamish “Kerns” Simpson, fresh off 30 loops at Reds Backyard Ultra (203.7km). Hamish has lined up at Reds three years in a row, but this year looked different — after linking up with super coach Barry Keem, he’s built consistency, structure and serious momentum. The results speak for themselves with PBs across the board this year, including 17:58 for 5k and 3:08 for the marathon. Hamish breaks down the physical, emotional and nutritional demands of Backyard Ultra racing, and how he’s refined his training across multiple attempts. There’s no time to feet-up though — he’s rolling straight into the Kosciuszko 100-miler in just four weeks. He also shares a peek into a peak week featuring: Backyard simulation loops 32km Kiama Coastal Trail long run Hard 3km effort + 6km tempo Sam recaps his own week logging 57km, nailing the workout but battling through the long run. Segments this episode Café Kit of the Week Vomero Plus review City Cave magnesium float Round the Club shoutouts Run Huskisson podium recap And of course — huge shoutout to Barry Keem.

This week, Sam & Katie chat with up-and-coming triathlete Jack Caldwell. Hailing from Eden on the Far South Coast of NSW, Jack has been training from a young age. A naturally strong swimmer who also shone in school cross country, Jack eventually combined both strengths—adding cycling into the mix—to discover his talent in triathlon. After playing a range of sports growing up, Jack began racing Sprint Triathlons throughout high school. Earlier this year, he claimed the Men’s Junior Title for the Oceania Region in Devonport—clocking a blistering 15:15 5K off the bike. He also boasts a 14:56 PB from a Sydney workout, and fondly recalls defending his Panboola Wetlands parkrun course record. Jack was all set for World Tri in Wollongong, but a pair of stress fractures and other setbacks have forced some recovery time. He’s now building back gradually, with eyes on moving to the Gold Coast in 2026 to train full-time. 🏋️‍♀️ Training Weeks Katie hits 3 x 1K off 90s (3:20 splits) plus some 400s off a 200 float. She’s taking a weekend off with suspected iron deficiency, rounding out at 63 km for the week. Sam clocks 43 km running across four sessions and 105 km cycling on the off days. Jack shares a look at a massive training week from when he was fit—30 hours total, including 30 km swimming, 63 km running, a 5K PB, plus gym and cycling. ☕ Café Kit of the Week Japanese U-Turn ASICS Metaspeed Ray Heavy Lifting 🏆 Round the Club Shoutouts Matt Hauser — for taking out the World Triathlon in Wollongong Reds Backyard Ultra — huge props to everyone clocking some wild distances out there!

This week, Sam & Katie sit down with the incredibly inspiring Taya Mae. Fresh off a huge PB streak — 42:51 for 10K at Shellharbour and a 3:20 marathon in Melbourne just last weekend — Taya shares her unique journey through running, bodybuilding, and powerlifting. Having dabbled in running during high school and more consistently in 2023, Taya spent much of 2024 focused on bodybuilding, backing her running with serious gym strength. However, a recent ramp-up in running volume has brought on a battle with shin splints. What makes Taya’s story even more remarkable is her resilience in the face of multiple health challenges, including celiac disease, degenerative joint disease, and fused joints in her lower back. Yet despite it all, she never stops moving and continues chasing big goals. Up next? The Husky Half Marathon and a Hyrox event later this year. 🏃‍♂️ Training Talk: Sam slots in 3 runs and 3 rides this week, highlighted by a spicy 543215 session (off 1-minute walk recoveries) with paces from 3:57 down to 3:23/km. Katie’s week includes sharp 82-second 400s, a strong 4x5 min @ ~3:35/km, and her biggest week back post-injury — 87km total! ☕ Café Kit of the Week: LSKD 4-inch shorts ICE sleeve for shin relief Waterdrop Hydralite Microlite 🗞️ Round the Clubs News: Liam Manton smashes the GC50 50km in 9th place Gong5000 hits the track on Nov 15 Husky Marathon Festival lands the first weekend of November

Sam catches up with past guest Rede Carney, who’s turned 2025 into a PB-fest: 16:55 at a KJ track night, 34:42 through 10k at Sutho2Surf, 1:18 for the half — then a surprise 2:46 at Sydney Marathon (9-minute out-performance on the day) and a 2:51 for 2nd at Shellharbour on tired legs. We talk training density, racing with family, and rebuilding with a conservative approach that still totals 16–18 hours between swimming and gym. Training diaries: Katie joins late with a week of track, Hyrox, and her longest post-injury run (21km). Sam’s mixing three runs with cycling & swimming, and sneaks in a gravel session in Bega for JPM CC — splits trending the right way. Café Kit of the Week: Pinnacle Podiatry insoles, Saucony Endorphin Pro, and the humble K-mart singlet. Round the Clubs: Shoutout to Lea and the Carney clan after a big Shellharbour weekend; plus past-guest updates from Melbourne, and a Valencia roll call (Russ Dessaix-Chin, Mitch Ryan, Josh “JOSH10” Engel, Stefan Deane-Smith, Greg Frost, Jacob Foster). Event plug: GONG5000 — Nov 15 at Unanderra Crit Track. Multiple seeded 5k races. Enter via Run Havoc / Wollongong Track Club IG or Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/gong5000-tickets-1767755667789

Sam & Katie sit down with Karla Maganto, co-founder of the DK Society Run Club alongside Toby Upton. Karla shares how running has completely transformed her lifestyle — from thinking she’d never run a half or full marathon to now balancing Hyrox workouts, strength training, and swimming. She’s passionate about movement, recovery, and building community in Canberra, investing serious time in compression, sauna, and structured training. Looking ahead, Karla’s got her eyes on a few shorter events and potentially a triathlon in the near future. Training Weeks Katie continues to train smart, holding herself back just enough with descending intervals — from 3:30–3:40/km reps down to 36s 200s. Sam braves the cold on his NZ travels, starting his return-to-run sessions and sneaking in some early pace work. Karla fits in a massive week of double sessions, mixing running, Hyrox, and even Salsa dancing. Café Kit of the Week OG Nike Sports Bra Dr Hydrate I Love Ugly Half Tights News & Shoutouts Huge results from Run Shellharbour last weekend, capped off by Rhys Thorpe’s 2:41 marathon debut — solo effort in hot conditions.

Sam & Katie welcome their first official guest from Canberra — Dan Dreher. Dan has some seriously fast PBs, including 14:33 for 5k and 29:53 for 10k, all achieved off relatively low mileage and a relaxed, body-aware approach. He sees himself as a 5k/10k specialist, rarely running further than 21km, but with a strong emphasis on speed across his career. Dan shares his journey through Canberra’s running groups — from training under Gerard Ryan to now being part of Philo Saunders’ squad. Training Weeks Katie is flying on the track, hitting some sharp 400m splits and building consistency. Sam continues to manage his shin with cross-training, including a 100km bike ride to round out his week. Dan had a quiet week while under the weather, but finished strong with a broken km session of 600m reps off 400m jogs. Café Kit of the Week Goggles that actually keep water out SIS Gel Coles Baby Beetroots Shoutouts & News Jared Clifford & Angus Hincksman Shellharbour Run this coming weekend Katie’s recap of the World Champs

Episode Summary Sam & Katie chat with Mark Langley, who moved to Wollongong late last year and quickly made his mark by winning the Run Wollongong Marathon in 2:36 earlier this year. Mark’s road PBs include 15:57 for 5K and 2:32 for the marathon, but his range stretches further — he also claimed victory in the Manly to Bondi Ultra. Mark only began running in 2019, debuting with a 3:27 marathon. When Covid hit, he used the lockdown period to steadily build his fitness, eventually turning his daily work commute into high-mileage weeks. Training-wise, Katie is back into consistent running, logging 61km while mixing in yoga, Hyrox workouts, and some track sessions. Sam managed 40km with the treacherous “Shinjury” returning, but still got through a couple of decent workouts alongside plenty of cycling. Mark is easing back into longer runs after taking 10 days off post-Sydney Marathon. Café Kit of the Week Runners Knot Winners Gels Vomero 18 (Black & White) Round the Club Shoutouts Back of the packers NSW Half Marathon Champs at Olympic Park Sarah Carli & Jess Hull at World Champs

Sam and Katie sit down with Ben Bell, a versatile athlete with an incredible story. After years of rowing, Ben moved into triathlon at age 35 — and what followed is nothing short of remarkable. Ben has run a 70-minute half marathon (2019) and a 2:36 debut marathon. He recorded strong showings at the M7 half marathon and marathon, often finishing just outside the prize money. He is also a Hawaiian Ironman finisher, with 1st and 3rd place age group finishes, and was runner-up at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. In this episode, Ben shares his journey through running and triathlon, the highs and heartbreaks of racing, and reflects on the end of Sydney’s M7 marathon era. Training weeks: Ben ran every second day and alternated swimming or cycling on the off days. Katie logged 54 km, mixing in Hyrox workouts and a 5-4-3-2-1 interval session. Sam managed his shin splints and walks us through his plan to incorporate more cycling into training moving forward. Café Kit of the Week: A sandbag for weight training, the Brooks Glycerin Max, the Asics Metaspeed Ray, and a good pair of undies. Round the Club Shoutouts: Luke Jones and Scott Ashcroft from IAS.

Episode Description Sam and Katie sit down with Jeff Cheso to dive into his impressive running journey. Jeff shares his standout personal bests—8:56 for 3k, 15:17 for 5k, 69:39 for the half marathon, and 2:29 for 3rd place at the Canberra Marathon—while reflecting on how his sporting career began with rugby league before shifting to competitive running. He credits consistency and a touch of healthy rivalry with fellow runners like Russ as key to his success. The conversation traces Jeff’s evolution from a talented young athlete to a competitive masters runner, highlighting both his achievements and the challenges of sustaining performance with age. Training Weeks Cheso runs over 100km this week with 2 tempo sessions below 3:40 pace and a solid long run featuring 26km at 4:05 pace. Katie continues to work through her achilles tendinitis, but manages a few wins in the Hunter Valley and gets in two 6km runs. Sam starts to feel the effects of intense training and backs things off with an 85km week, though still nails 3:20–3:35 per km paces in his 2 x 2k, 2 x 1k, and 2 x 500m session on a very windy morning. Cafe Kit of the Week Tennis ball, Thailand knock-off Nike split shorts, OG Saucony trainers, Scraper. Round the Club Shoutouts This week’s spotlight is on Xavier Wilson, a vision-impaired runner who sits at the very top of his category and is the reigning Australian Cross Country Champion. Sam also rattles off some strong local results from the Sydney Marathon, celebrating standout efforts across the community.

Sam sits down with Chloe to unpack her recent racing success. Chloe reflects on her breakout 5K at Sandgate parkrun, where she surprised herself with a 16:26, boosted by the energy of 800 runners and a smooth staggered start. She also shares the story behind her win at the Sunshine Coast 10K in 34:40, a race where she focused on keeping a steady rhythm and delivered a performance she’s proud of.

In this episode, Sam shares exciting updates for Tales from the Valley — from setting up merchandise (including new crewneck jumpers and a launch discount) to expanding podcast coverage into the Canberra/ACT region and refreshing the club shout-out segment with race updates from past guests. He also talks about continuing the Down-the-Track Feed mini-series to follow up on guests’ progress. Katie ran 40 km this week while resting her Achilles ahead of upcoming training weeks. Sam logged his biggest week of 2025, hitting 112 km with sessions including a treadmill Moose Fartlek, hill repeats, and a 3k-2k-1k workout on Saturday. This week’s Café Kit of the Week features Milo products as a go-to fuel for training runs, and there’s plenty of chat about the upcoming Sydney Marathon, including a few locals set to hit the start line.

James Alexander’s Triathlon Journey In this episode, Sam sits down with James Alexander to unpack his impressive endurance sports career. James first joined the Savvy Running community around 2012 before making the leap into triathlon in 2013–2014, inspired by watching top athletes train locally. Since then, he’s built a strong résumé that includes a 9:12 personal best at his debut Ironman in 2019, a World Championship finish over the Olympic distance in 2018, and running PBs such as a 3:06 marathon in 2016. James takes us inside what 12 hours of triathlon training looks like across swim, bike, and run—including a key brick workout at the Unanderra crit track: 20 minutes of varied intensity on the bike, straight into 5 x 2km run reps. He also shares his thoughts on a possible return to marathon running in the future, while keeping triathlon as his main focus. Sam rounds out the episode by reflecting on his own training week—backing up after City2Surf with 400m reps on Tuesday, grinding through fatigue, relying on the treadmill for two threshold sessions, and hitting 106km in total. Café Kit of the Week Die Guilty album by LOW Step-up box for plyos Round the Club Shoutouts Gavin Campbell – Illawarra Tri Club Doug Simpson – Illawarra Tri Club Daniel Roe - Sapphire Coast Runners

Bravehearts Marathon Challenge – Glenn’s 7 Marathons in 7 Days In this episode, we celebrate Glenn’s incredible achievement in the Bravehearts Marathon Challenge, where he completed seven marathons in seven days across seven states – raising an impressive $47,000 for child protection. We dive into the story behind the fundraising, from the community-driven “Glenathon” hosted by Sapphire Coast Runners that contributed over $4,000, to the weekly cooking nights at the Bega Country Club where Glenn and his team of volunteers served 120 meals every Friday. Glenn shares insights into his training, the role of cross-training in his preparation, and the mental battles he faced in the lead-up – including moments of doubt just two nights before the challenge began. Despite the hurdles, his determination carried him through to the finish line, leaving behind a powerful message of resilience, community spirit, and the impact one person can make.

Sam & Katie sit down with Phil & Ady, the founders of Parola Run Club. Since summer 2023, the crew has been meeting at the North Gong Kiosk every Tuesday at 6 am – rain, hail or shine. What started as a way to keep their uni friend group connected and accountable has grown into a thriving community, with 30 runners turning up to the very first session. Phil shares how the club boosted his basketball fitness and led to a half marathon, while Ady talks through running a sub-4 marathon time trial around Wollongong and balancing her training with strength and HIIT work. Training Weeks Ady’s week includes a mix of strength training, HIIT sessions, and three runs, giving her a well-rounded approach to fitness. Phil is getting back into the rhythm of run club and regular gym sessions after returning from a long holiday in Europe. Katie logs 50 kilometres for the week, fitting in track K reps on Tuesday, a Friday threshold run, bike cross-training, and Hyrox. Sam starts the week with mile repeats, follows up with an iron infusion on Wednesday, and rounds it out with a gritty but solid City2Surf in 56 minutes. Café Kit of the Week Low bun hairstyle Body Glide Vital+ Steam Sauna Round the Club Shoutouts Amy O’Halloran – RMA Pete Naseby – Wollongong Track Club The whole Parola Run Club crew

Down the Track – Episode 1: Lucy Holman We're kicking off the very first episode of Down the Track with none other than Lucy Holman — a powerhouse on the local distance running scene. Lucy stamped her authority in 2024 by winning both Shellharbour Marathons — in April and September — and clocking a rapid 2:56 marathon in the process. But she didn’t stop there. Just recently, she took on the Huskisson Ultra, running an incredible 110km in 10 hours and 13 minutes, winning the women’s race and finishing 2nd overall. We chat about her evolution as a runner, the mental and physical demands of ultras, and what keeps her chasing the next challenge. A perfect guest to launch our new series and set the tone for what’s to come.

This week, Sam & Katie chat with James Constantine — a well-known face in the running scene as the Digital Marketing Manager for Pont3, the team behind Sydney Marathon’s push for World Major status. James shares insights into the campaign, his personal running journey, and how he’s now balancing training with family life. With standout PBs including 16:06 for 5K (solo lockdown TT) and 2:52 for the marathon, James is setting his sights on Ballarat Marathon 2026 with a new PB in mind. James also takes us back to a memorable training week from two years ago, packed with solid sessions alongside his run crew. Training Recap • Katie clocks 24km while juggling a house move and maintaining cross-training consistency on the bike. • Sam hits his biggest week in a while with 108km, including a 17:55 5K TT and a "not-quite-hilly" tempo run dodging a bit of traffic. ☕ Café Kit of the Week Nike Trail Pegasus Meteo Weather App (for runners) Arm Sleeves by One Running 🏃‍♀️ Round the Club Shoutouts Kaitlin Gleeson Alex Bergan Lauren Reid

Katie and Sam chat with Liam Henderson, a talented runner with standout PBs including 3:56 for 1500m and 15:11 for 5000m. After a 4-year hiatus, Liam returned to racing with a 32:00 at the Sydney 10 and a 74-minute half at Gold Coast. He shares proud moments from his junior career, including a 3rd place at National XC, and reflects on his time training alongside Olympian Jess Hull in Europe. Liam also breaks down his best training week of the year, featuring a track session with the Hince stable, 3x2k reps on a cross-country loop, and 6x1k at 3:12 pace. Katie gives an injury update — staying active with the bike, gym, and pilates — but still sneaks in 14km for the week at a good clip. Sam recaps a down week and his run at the Sydney Harbour 5K. 🎒 Café Kit of the Week Nike Vaporfly 4 Asics Novablast 5 Chin-up bar ("You got a door? You got a gym!") 🎉 Round the Club Shoutouts Mack Hunter – JT Running Holly Howell – JT Running Tim Barnett – Wollongong Track Club

In this episode of Tales from the Valley, Sam and Katie catch up with Darwin-based distance runner Darcy Hennessy, who recently clocked an impressive 1:10:39 at the Gold Coast Half Marathon. Darcy shares his journey from growing up with the Kembla Joggers and being coached by his grandfather Jim Hennessy, to stepping away from running to pursue AFL — and eventually finding his stride again in the Top End. Now self-coached and training with Rapid Creek Track Club, Darcy walks us through his current marathon prep, his weekly structure in the Darwin heat, and how community, coaching, and old-school inspiration have shaped his return to the sport. We chat about: His background in elite junior running and AFL Training through Darwin’s heat and humidity Coaching experiences with Savvy Run Club Nutrition and hydration for long runs Building toward his marathon debut at Sydney A genuine, down-to-earth chat with one of the rising names in distance running. Café Kit of the Week YESOUL Exercise Bike Adidas Evo SL Victus Gel Asics Metarun Shorts Round the club Shoutouts Pat Miller – JT Running Brendan Smith – JT Running Colt Phillips – Kiama Running Club

This week, Sam & Katie catch up with Mel Hodges — founder of the Bermagui Run Club and a passionate community builder on the South Coast. Mel first laced up while working a desk job in Canberra, and since then has completed four half marathons and is now deep into training for her debut Sydney Marathon. We dive into: Her 28km long run from Narooma to Dalmeny How she's balancing strength work, run programming, and nutrition Getting coaching certified and supporting others in her club What it’s like growing a coastal run community, with Bermagui Run Club meeting Sundays at 7am from Honorbread for 2.5k or 5k options. Also in this episode: Katie reflects on her Hyrox recovery and a tough knee update. Sam logs his biggest week back, hitting 105km with 12x400s, a hilly tempo, and some longer intervals — all while shaking off a cold. Café Kit of the Week: Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 – Mutant White Asics Glideride Max w/ custom insoles Nike Pegasus Plus Round the Club Shoutouts: Alex Bui – Wollongong Track Club Rede Carney – JT Running Will Page – Never Lazy Run Club Frances Matters – Bermagui Run Club

Sam & Katie chat with Bridie Temple — a rising star in the trail running scene. Bridie’s already stacked an incredible resume: she won her trail debut at just 17 at the Alpine Summit in Victoria, claimed victory at the Kiama Coastal Classic 21km, set the women’s course record at the 2024 Jabulani Challenge 45km, and finished 2nd in both the UTA22k and Buffalo Stampede 100km. Bridie first found trail running exploring her family property just outside of Wollongong and hasn’t looked back. With eyes on the 100-mile distance later this year, she’s training with serious intent — clocking 131km of running, 50km hiking, 20km cycling, and 4 hours of strength work weekly, including some sharp sessions on the track. Sam battles a cold but gets through a big week with a 45-minute yo-yo tempo and 8 x 800s to hit 95km. Katie recaps her brutal Hyrox Pro Sydney effort — 8th place overall and a fresh round of knee trouble. Café Kit of the Week: Posture Correcting Brace Heel Lifts Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Shorts Swiftsick Socks Round the Club Shoutouts: Bradley Sawyers – Nowra Athletics Club Jeremy Quinn – Kiama Running Club Rhys Murray – [Club not listed]

Sam & Katie chat with Riley Kilham Riley boasts some impressive PBs including a 16:33 5k at a Christmas Eve parkrun, 34:48 for 10k, and a 1:17:33 half marathon time trial. He got into endurance sports in his late teens after using CrossFit to get healthy and quickly realised he excelled at the running portion. From there, Riley began working with a coaching group via Peter Clifford in the Sutherland Shire to fully embrace triathlons. These days, his focus is purely on running, though he still cycles for cross-training. Riley runs Evolve Human Performance, where he manages running programming alongside strength development. Excitingly, Riley joined us just before the highly anticipated launch of Run Havoc, a boutique running store opening in Wollongong on Saturday, July 12th. Riley and his team aim to bring premium, high-quality running gear to the Illawarra running community, reflecting the strong depth of talent in the area. Training Wrap: Katie gears up for Hyrox Sydney with some sharp 800s on Tuesday and a 5/4/3/2/1/5 session on Friday, hitting 86km for the week with plenty of Hyrox intervals baked in. Sam balances a cold and his return from Bali, still clocking 83km including 6 x 1km at 3:32s and an 8km tempo. Riley, just back from Greece, walks us through a typical training week including lactate testing and double threshold sessions. Café Kit of the Week: On Hat Choccy Milk Alphafly 3’s Tattoo Round the Club Shoutouts: Amir Hashemi Pour – Never Lazy Run Club Jamie Bartolotta – Kiama Running Club Holly Bond – Evolve Human Performance Don’t miss the Run Havoc opening! 🗓️ Saturday July 12th, 8am 📍 126 Crown St, Wollongong Group run from the store, coffee, and an e-bike giveaway! Visit runhavoc.com.au for more info.

Mack has impressive PBs of 17:11 for 5K, 35:16 for 10K, and 1:19:40 for the half marathon—set just a couple of weeks ago at the Wollongong Running Festival. Originally from Canada, Mack moved to Australia nearly a decade ago to begin medical school and now works in the ICU at Wollongong Hospital. He’s on a demanding schedule—one week of 12-hour (sometimes overnight) shifts followed by a week off—but continues to find ways to train and improve. A former triathlete, Mack still spends plenty of time on the bike. He shares the story of a crash down Macquarie Pass that led to a significant injury and how he came back from that. Mack now has his sights set on breaking 17 minutes for 5K and 35 minutes for 10K in upcoming races, and he talks through how he plans to adjust his training as he settles into his new work rhythm. Katie hits the track for a controlled 6 × 1K session, follows it up with a 12/10/8-minute threshold effort later in the week, mixes in some Hyrox training, and rounds out a strong 96 km week. Sam gets back into some lighter workouts as his body begins to tolerate running again. He logs 80 km for the week, including an impromptu fun run while on holiday in Bali. Mack walks us through a chaotic training week that included short runs and bike sessions off just two hours of sleep, a hard parkrun hit-out at North Gong, and a cheeky cycling segment claim. Café Kit of the Week Yoga Bolster Tarkine Autopilot On Echo 3 Round the Club Shoutouts Pat Miller – JT Running Glenn Edmonds – Sapphire Coast Runners Trudie Barnes – Wollongong Track Club