Tales from the Valley Podcast

Sam catches up with Katie and breaks down the final week before Shellharbour Marathon 🎙️ Sam’s six days out from Shellharbour after a huge marathon block averaging 95K/week post-baby, but taper week took a turn after rolling his ankle during an easy run. Thankfully, the signs are positive — walking normally, hopping pain-free, full mobility still there — so the focus now is staying calm, recovering properly, and not doing anything stupid before race day. The marathon prep itself has been strong: – 4 x 4K at marathon pace averaging 4:05s – Half marathon efforts around 4:07 pace inside long runs – Multiple 35–36K long runs – A surprise 9:54 3K time trial PB off mostly marathon training 💥 Sam talks through race strategy, the reality of racing without personal drinks on course, and why carrying his own fueling could end up being a major advantage. Katie also gives an update on her return from injury after six weeks off running. After building back carefully with strength work, Pilates, mobility and Zwift, she’s now back running pain-free and building consistently again. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Tennis Ball IT Band Release – White Toast & Vegemite Carb Load Special – Nike Lava Loops Half Tights 📣 News & Shoutouts • Shellharbour Marathon weather watch — warmer temps potentially on the cards • Marathon fueling chat — why Dr. Hydrate on-course nutrition raised eyebrows 👀 • Wollongong Running Festival plans starting to take shape • Big discussion around sustainable mileage vs constantly chasing huge volume • Katie’s take on social media, injury perspective shifts, and learning to enjoy running again A proper marathon week episode — taper madness, ankle panic, carb loading, injury comebacks, and trying to hold it together before race day.

Sam catches up with Angela Jebb and Liam Mahoney 🎙️ Angela’s been building quietly into something serious — 17:14 (5k), 37:43 (10k) — and at Ballarat she stepped up for her half marathon debut, running 1:22:12. Despite getting caught behind the staggered start and losing her group early, she ran solo for most of the day and held strong when the legs started to go around 14–15k. No specific half marathon block either — just consistent training and backing her fitness. Liam went all-in on the marathon and came away with a breakthrough 2:49:59 💥 The first half felt smooth, but things turned late — cramping hit hard from 36k, leading to multiple stops (including lying down mid-race). Even with that, he held it together to sneak under 2:50. Proper grit. Sam’s two weeks out from Shellharbour and locking things in — focus is on running smart, controlling the first half, and giving himself a shot late. No personal drinks means carrying everything, so race execution will matter more than ever. ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Never Running Hat – Precision Fuel 90g Carbs – Nike Lava Loops Belt 📣 News & Shoutouts • Ballarat Marathon wrap — big PBs across the board despite tough conditions • Melbourne Marathon entries + rising race costs becoming a real issue • “Flat and fast” race marketing under fire (Geelong… we’re looking at you 👀) • Ed Goddard gets it done at Hoka Hafa in 66 mins Big one to wrap the Ballarat series — debut breakthroughs, marathon carnage, and a reminder that even when it goes wrong, you can still come away with something big.

Sam catches up with Harm Schaap and Jessica Burke 🎙️ Jess has made the move from Sydney to Wollongong (and picked up a fiancé along the way 💍). After getting her start at Pace Athletic surrounded by names like Ben St Lawrence, Katie St Lawrence and Sam Hopper, she’s built into a serious runner — 10:28 (3k), 18:10 (5k), 38:09 (10k). Fresh off Ballarat Marathon, Jess ran 41 minutes in tough conditions, soaking up the rare chance to race in front of family. Harm’s been quietly stacking a huge year — 14:43 for 5k at NSW Championships and a win in the Mile at Beaton Park. Training is rolling at 130–140km weeks with a simple but savage structure: track Tuesdays, tempo Thursdays, race pace Saturdays. Sam’s deep in the Shellharbour Marathon build — 92km week, gym ticking over, and a monster session: 14k easy → 6k / 6k / 7k @ ~4:07/km off float jogs All adding up to a 1:27 half in training 👀 ☕️ Café Kit of the Week – Raycon Essential Earphones – Suunto Watch - Asics Superblast 3 📣 News & Shoutouts • Run Shellharbour – TFTV20 (May 17) • Wollongong Running Festival – SAMH20 (June 7) • Ballarat Marathon wrap — from elites to the local legends • Jaylah Hancock-Cameron breaks the Aussie road mile record (4:26) • London Marathon chaos — Sebastian Sawe (1:59:30) & Yomif Kejelcha (1:59:41) rewrite what’s possible Big episode — local stories, big performances, and a few signs that the marathon world is moving very, very fast right now.