How To Make Race Day extra FUN

Hayles and Jussie are recording straight from their hotel room at the Marriott Circular Quay in Sydney after approximately 47 failed intro attempts and far too much laughing over absolutely nothing. The girls recap a big week of Gold Coast Half Marathon training including long runs with race pace efforts, interval sessions, sub-threshold workouts, and a rainy Vivid run around Circular Quay dodging umbrellas. They also chat about birthday celebrations, Hayley finally getting her dream backyard sauna, and why race weekends should be about more than just chasing PBs. The episode dives into all the ways to make running events feel more fun, memorable, social, and joyful....from glitter planning and matching outfits to VIP race upgrades, playlists, post-race recovery plans, and embracing the chaos of race weekends with your friends. Plus: executive lounge hotel hacks, toaster and microwave race prep stories, marathon FaceTime calls, mid-race dancing, airplane arms, and the importance of rewarding yourself for the training journey. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome To The Women’s Running Collective 01:32 Sydney Hotel Room Chaos & Failed Intros 03:18 Gold Coast Half Marathon Training Recap 05:26 Long Run Race Pace Efforts 07:10 Vivid Run Around Circular Quay 09:08 Hayley’s Backyard Sauna Recovery Era 11:18 Birthday Celebrations & Recovery Week Vibes 13:07 Sydney Course Weekend & Upcoming Long Run 15:10 Romeo + Juliet vs Off Campus Debate 16:44 Why Running Events Should Feel Fun 18:25 Choosing The Right Race & Destination 20:32 Training Enough To Actually Enjoy Race Day 22:14 Temu Glitter Planning & Race Accessories 24:09 Running Tours & Travel Groups 27:03 Organising Your Race Weekend Crew 29:18 Nutrition Practice & Race Morning Prep 31:52 Why Hayley Packed A Microwave To UTA 34:26 Woolworths Orders, Toasters & Race Hacks 36:15 Matching Outfits, Braids & Race Nails 39:08 Fun Race Games & Shared Playlists 41:22 Complimenting Other Runners & Course Energy 43:10 Costumes, Themes & Lorax Race Fits 45:17 Recovery Bookings & Post-Race Dinner Plans 47:42 Gold Coast Marathon VIP Gold Pass Chat 50:03 Medal Monday & Post-Race Walking Tours 52:14 Finish Lines Not Finish Times 54:08 Playlists, FaceTiming Mid-Marathon & Recording Memories 57:01 Staying An Extra Night After The Race 59:18 Reward Yourself For The Training Journey 01:01:26 Airplane Arms, Mid-Run Dancing & Singing Out Loud 01:04:10 Compliments, Smiling & Reading The Signs 01:06:12 Running Farts & Other Essential Race Advice 01:08:15 Hotel Robes, Executive Lounges & Recovery Snacks 01:11:02 Current Book Recommendations & Off Campus Obsession 01:14:05 Final Thoughts & Happy Running