Better with Running

Welcome to Episode 302 of the Better With Running podcast! .Zac and Chris provide their own training updates, sharing an honest look at their recent weeks. Chris reflects on his experience with the "Mona Fartlek," admitting it was one of the slower efforts he has recorded, highlighting the importance of listening to the body’s recovery needs. Meanwhile, the conversation turns to the upcoming community event at Calder Park—the "Thunderdome"—and they throw up some ideas about about whether a 1km "drag race" could be the next big innovation in running.This week's #teamrun2pb guest is Bradley Moylon a young running sensation and talented sports photographer. Bradley shares his incredible journey into the sport, which began in late after a challenging medical setback, myocarditis, forced him to take an extended break from exercise. He was then invited to try a 5k fun run and hasnt looked back. His progression has been nothing short of inspiring, dropping his 5K time from 23:21 to an impressive 16:47 under the guidance of coach James Hansen. Beyond the track, Bradley offers a fascinating look into his life as a content creator and social media manager. He discusses the surreal experience of balancing his own training with his professional work capturing elite sports, including AFL matches at the MCG and basketball courtside. Bradley shares how he manages his demanding training schedule—hitting 80km weeks alongside pool sessions—while maintaining his passion for photography and his growing partnership with his coach, James Hansen. We wrap up the episode with our quick-fire questions, touching on everything from photography advice to the best things about social media.Finally, this episode is brought to you in partnership with Oat Running Socks. Bradley is rewarded for jumping on the show with a pair, you can score some using the run2pb discount code : Run2pb15, for 15% off the range visit www.oatrunning.com.auYou can follow: and view bradleys work: https://www.instagram.com/bradleymoylonphotography/

Welcome to episode 284 of the Better With Running podcast, hosted by Run2PB coaches Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman. The show kicks off with the weekly training wrap-up, where Chris shares his 77km week, highlighted by a grueling session of hill repeats transitioned into a 5km threshold. Despite a tiring two-hour long run and a particularly memorable encounter with an oversized dog at Parkrun, Chris managed to maintain his consistency. Zac also shares his progress as he navigates some back management with help from fellow coach James Telford, reporting a much-improved 100-minute long run at Yarra Flats that signaled a positive turn in his recovery.The heart of the episode features an interview with Drysdale based athlete Dylan Smith, who joined the Run2PB community in early 2025. Dylan discusses his rapid progression under the guidance of coach James Telford, moving from a self-described "post-COVID runner" to a serious competitor hitting major milestones. His transformation is evidenced by his significant PB improvements, including dropping his 5km time from over 22 minutes to a swift 20:11 and shaving nearly seven minutes off his half-marathon best. Dylan reflects on the importance of structured coaching and the community support that has fueled his journey from his first around the block truggle to completing the Sydney Marathon. Dylan speaks candidly about his motivation for running, which stems from a desire to be a healthy role model for his son. This personal "why" has helped him stay disciplined through the early morning sessions and the inevitable "grind" of marathon training blocks.The episode wraps up with a signature round of quick-fire questions that reveal Dylan’s life outside of the sport. Listeners get a glimpse into his "cheeky" hobby of gaming, his preference for Garmin over Coros and he shares his current shoe rotation.To close the show, the coaches offer a special treat for the listeners with a discount for Oat Running socks. By using the code Run2pb20 through the end of March, supporters of the podcast can grab 20% off their next kit upgrade. Go to www.oatrunning.com.au

In this episode, we welcome back Australian marathon record holder and Olympian Andy Buchanan for a candid conversation about the high-stakes reality of elite distance running. We kick things off with a major update on his body and where he is at with his return to training. After rushing his return for Valencia—an error he likens to putting a "band-aid over a hole in a bucket"—Andy embraces a "humbling" and highly conservative 6-week program set by Patrick Stow, starting with just one-minute jogs at a local oval.The heart of our discussion explores the "rehabilitation grind" and the psychological toll of the sidelines. Andy reflects on the unique shift in identity that occurs when an Olympian and national record holder is forced to stop moving, admitting he had become perhaps too attached to his record as a part of his personality. He shares how this "injury reset" has demanded a level of long-term patience far beyond the quick mental shift needed after a single race-day disappointment.Andy talks through where things went off the rails with his return and also whats in place going forward and "it’s okay if you make a mistake, as long as you learn from it". Finally, Andy talks through the importance of "doing the time" for his injury without taking shortcuts and rounds out the chat with a some advice for those starting marathon blocks.The show finishes up with a quick update on both Chris and Zacca's training as they continue to stack weeks together.With thanks to Oat Running our partner,Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

This week, Run2PB coaches Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman are joined by returning guest and "pod veteran" Chris Hillhouse. Fresh off a massive track debut in Hobart, Chris shares his journey from setting PBs on a school footy oval to becoming a 2:38 marathoner. TThe training talk starts with Chris Armstrong navigating a 66km week and a particularly "uncomfortable" set of Deeks Quarters. On the other side of the mic, Zacca is finding serious momentum with a 94km average over the last month. Zac details his BT Fartlek session at Albert Park and continues to build with a spicy long run.Returning Guest Chris Hillhouse joins the conversation to unpack his recent 16:10 debut in a 5000m track race down in Hobart. This performance marks a significant milestone in a rapid progression that began in May 2024. Coached by Josh Harris. He reflects on his Melbourne Marathon debut, where he crossed the halfway mark feeling strong in 79 minutes before facing the inevitable "wall" and emotional struggle that hits at the 27km mark, he rallied and managed to run 2:38.Beyond the running stats, the episode explores Chris’s life as a landscaper and the face of "Over the Hill Gardening". Follow Here: https://www.instagram.com/overthehillgardening/?hl=enThe banter continues as the boys dive into the world of icy pole reviews. Chris shares his thoughts on the infamous Juicee icy poles, giving them a lowly 1/10 for taste.The episode wraps up with a discussion on a bizarre story from the Hong Kong Marathon, where a runner was disqualified at the 15km mark. Race officials pulled the participant off the course after realizing he was carrying an infant in a front carrier—complete with its own official race bib. The crew discusses the absurdity of the "baby-bouncing" logistics and compares it to more traditional (and legal) pram running.With thanks to Oat Running our partner,Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au

To kick off the new year, episode 278 of the Better With Running podcast begins with a catch-up between coaches Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman, followed by a detailed interview with athlete Matt Watts and his coach, Forest Robinson.The episode opens with Chris and Zac discussing the challenges of the current Australian heatwave, which has forced many local runners to adjust their training significantly. Chris shares that he recently completed a session of 8 x 1km reps, averaging 3:29 per rep, with a particularly strong final effort of 3:19. He felt much smoother than in previous months, noting that he spent two hours recovering as a "vegetable" after a sweltering 25km long run. Meanwhile, Zac is making steady progress in his "rebuild" phase, hitting back-to-back 80km weeks and finding his rhythm again at Albert Park. He averaged 3:30s during a recent 6-minute interval and is starting to contemplate a return to road racing,This weeks run2pb guest interview is with Matt Watts who describes his relatively recent and rapid progression from a team sports background in footy and cricket to marathon running. After a long hiatus from fitness, he returned to activity via a "Couch to 5K" program, initially motivated by a desire to be a healthy role model for his young daughter. His progression was swift; he went from completing a 27-minute 5K to training for his first marathon in his hometown of Ballarat. Matt reflects on his early experiences as a "cookie-cutter" plan user, explaining that while those generic programs got him started, he eventually reached a plateau where he needed more structure and personal accountability.A major theme of the interview is the transformative effect of working with coach Forest Robinson. Matt explains that the biggest shift from "Old Matt" to "New Matt" is the move away from chasing arbitrary numbers to trusting a long-term developmental process. Forest chats about, focusing on building Matt’s volume safely and keep easy runs easy. Matt has embraced this new structure, finding that having a coach in his corner has changed his perspective on training blocks, turning them into sustainable journeys rather than just countdowns to a single race day.With thanks to Oat Running our partner,Listeners of the show can get a a 15% discount using "run2pb15" at the check out. Visit www⁠.oatrunning.com.au