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

Sam & Katie speak with Carl Ernst. Carl has had a long and successful running career, having run 29 marathons including ultra marathons (3-time Comrades Marathon finisher), and impressively will be lining up in a few weeks for his 16th consecutive Gold Coast Marathon. With PBs of 35:45 for 10k, 1:18:30 for the half, and 2:49 for the full marathon, Carl has been performing at a high level for many years.

Carl speaks about receiving coaching previously from Barry Keem and now James Tunbridge—he likes to simply turn up and do the training prescribed. When it comes to mileage, Carl has taken a very conservative approach, which might be the secret to his longevity. He’s currently training the house down and is a very good chance at a PB at the Gold Coast Marathon.

Sam speaks about the pinched nerve in his lower back which has been the cause of his glute pain, but manages to get through two short runs and 200+ km of cycling. Katie gets back to running later in the week with a combination of longish runs and Hyrox training. Carl runs us through his peak marathon week, including a JT Running session at the track on Tuesday with 10 x 400m off 200m float, and a very specific marathon session on Sunday with blocks at 102% and 98% of marathon pace—which he nailed.

Café Kit of the Week Right Street Loans Beanies Deep Heat heating belts Saucony Endorphin Pro (for Hyrox)

Round the Club Shoutouts Vanessa Donald – Narooma Run Club Graeme Errington – Narooma Run Club Angela Saville – Savvy Run Club Chloe Grund – Bega Valley Run Club

This week, Sam and Katie sit down with the unstoppable Fraser King, who just clocked a blazing 19:51 5K at the Wollongong Running Festival—a huge leap from his earlier 20:47 at Run Wollongong. Aside from running, Fraser is also a standout basketballer and shares how he juggles both sports while staying in peak condition.

Fraser opens up about his journey with Autism, the importance of routine, and how he manages a full-time job alongside an intense training schedule. He’s currently fundraising for Aspect, a cause close to his heart, and recently featured on WIN News to talk about his upcoming 5K event at the Sydney Marathon.

🔗 Fraser’s Links:

• 🎥 WIN News Interview

• 🌟 Donate to Fraser’s Aspect Fundraiser

• 📸 Follow Fraser on Instagram

💬 This Week in Training:

• Sam is still nursing a glute issue but clocked 240km on the bike to keep his fitness up.

• Katie is pushing through low energy levels linked to some recent blood test findings, yet still made it to pilates every day and squeezed in a few solid runs.

☕ Café Kit of the Week:

• Adidas Ultraboost Lite

• Prebiotic Collagen Protein

• Talktomebro Singlet

🏃 Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Ruby McPhillips – HIRT Squad

• Phil Balding – NLRC

• Ryan Sheefee – Kiama Running Club

• Antonio Kairis – Uni Run Club

• Joseph Passaliokis – Parola Run Club

Visit www.talesfromthevalleypodcast.com for more information

This week, Sam & Katie catch up with rising middle-distance star Isaac Shaw, who’s just dropped a 30:37 PB at the Launceston 10k. While Isaac sees himself more as an 800/1500m specialist — with sharp PBs of 1:54 (800m) and 3:50 (1500m) — his recent form on the road is showing versatility and serious potential.

We chat about:

• His transition from the HIRT squad to Brendan Hince’s Stable

• Training structure and benefits from the new coaching setup

• A last-minute aggressive race plan in Tassie

• Upcoming goals: cross country season, Albert Park GP 10k, and a big summer on the track

• a gun footy career with the Shellharbour Swans

Sam is ticking off his training sessions but has been hit with a Glute Med strain, putting him on the sidelines temporarily. Katie, despite feeling flat post-Noosa Half, pulls out a gritty win at the Wollongong Running Festival 10k in 38:40.

🏃 Café Kit of the Week

• Spiky Foam Roller

• Hoka Running Hat

• Traak Running Socks

📣 Round the Club Shoutouts

• Fraser King – Never Lazy Run Club

• Russell Dessaix-Chin – Wollongong Track Club

• Holly Howell – JT Running

Sam & Katie are joined this week by the dynamic and multi-talented Debbie Bruce — a true one-stop shop for health, fitness, and wellbeing. Debbie recently smashed a new PB at the Noosa Half Marathon, finishing in 1:43, and shares insights into her journey as a runner and health professional.

Having taken up running 14 years ago after the birth of her first child, Debbie’s running journey has been on-and-off — until early 2023 when she committed to training for her first marathon. She teamed up with coach and former guest Karen Blay, a holder of numerous Australian records, and hasn’t looked back since.

Debbie balances a full schedule raising three kids while working across several professions, bringing a grounded and wise perspective on athletic performance, recovery, and mental health. We get great tips on:

• Strength & conditioning

• Nutrition for busy athletes

• Making time for self-care

🧘‍♀️ Learn more about Debbie’s services — from Doterra products to PT, remedial massage, and health consultations — at debbiebruce.com.

🏃‍♂️ Sam's Week: Sam’s training week was a little out of the ordinary with a conference and campervan getaway for his birthday in the mountains, but he still managed to nail his Wednesday session and log some quality training at altitude.

🏃‍♀️ Katie’s Week: Katie walks us through her race at Noosa Half, where she ran an impressive 1:20:43 — a strong result and great benchmark ahead of upcoming races.

🎯 Debbie’s Noosa Debrief: Debbie reflects on her PB performance, how she prepared, and what her recovery plan looks like as she now shifts her focus to the Sydney Marathon later in the year.

☕ Café Kit of the Week:

• Crocs Clogs

• Nike Vaporfly

• Archies Thongs

• Kmart $24 Crocpot (you heard that right)

🎖 Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Rohan Laurendet – Mels Angels

• Sharon Sutherland – Kiama Running Club

• Liam Manton – Wollongong Track Club

In this episode, Sam and Katie chat with Flynn Addicott, a recent arrival to the Bega Valley who moved from Melbourne to take on a paramedic role at Bega Hospital. Flynn boasts impressive personal bests, including a 16:05 for 5K on the track and a 2:56 marathon. His running journey began in high school, where he tested his limits in cross country before developing a structured training routine. Notably, Flynn is known for his ability to run while holding his phone, even managing to switch songs during hard efforts.

Katie shares her strong lead-up to the Noosa Half Marathon, highlighted by a 36:10 at the Sydney 10. Meanwhile, Sam battles through illness during a down week but still completes two solid sessions. Flynn, despite a hectic schedule as a paramedic, unintentionally clocks a half marathon personal best during a Tuesday tempo run on the rolling Merimbula Bike Path, maintaining his 110km weekly mileage.

Café Kit of the Week:

• SIS Beta Fuel Gels

• Precision 90g Gel

• 2XU Running Gloves

• Green LSKD Half Tights

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Ethan Tierney – Kembla Joggers

• Bridie Temple

• Jackson Addicott

In this episode, Sam and Katie catch up with Mel Jeferris. Mel, based in Narooma, has been in impressive form lately, recently running a marathon personal best of 3:08:06 at Ballarat. Mel began running in 2015, completing her first marathon that same year in Melbourne. After taking a break to have two kids, she returned to running with structured training from her brother, Greg Frost, in 2020. Since then, Mel's progress has been consistent, with key workouts like 8x1km repeats, long tempos, and Sunday long runs with kickdowns alongside the Narooma Run Club. As she prepares for the Melbourne Marathon later this year, Mel plans to add strength training to target a sub-3-hour finish.

Katie recovers from her longest run in a while, following it up with spontaneous track intervals (1200, 800, and 200 meters) and a strong threshold workout: 20 minutes at 3:43 pace, plus two 5-minute efforts at 3:32 and 3:22 pace. Meanwhile, Sam logs 95km for the week, still shaking off the remnants of last week’s sinus infection but successfully completing his 400s session and threshold workout.

Café Kit of the Week:

• Maurten Gels

• Narooma Run Club AS Hoodie

• Skins Compression Arm Sleeves

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Amy O’Halloren – Wollongong Track Club

• Marie St-Germain – Narooma Run Club

• Joshua Binks – Kembla Joggers

Sam & Katie catch up with Stefan Deane-Smith. Stefan boasts PBs ranging from 1:53 for 800m through to a 70 minutes flat for the half marathon on a hilly Auckland course to come 3rd in the NZ Half Marathon Champs. Growing up in New Zealand, he ran competitively after starting out in a variety of sports through school. At his peak, he logged 160–200 km per week before stepping away from the sport for a time. After moving to Australia, Stefan gradually returned to high-level running and is now focused on the marathon—with the Gold Coast Marathon on the horizon and Valencia later this year.

Training Highlights Katie hit the track for a 7 x 1k session, progressing from the high 3:30s down to 3:15/km, then backed it up with a tough threshold session in windy conditions later in the week—totaling 125 km. Sam struggled through sessions with a sinus infection but took confidence from an effortless 2-hour long run at 4:26/km pace, finishing the week with 95 km. Stefan recovered from last week’s Ballarat Half Marathon with steady running and a strong hilly tempo around Lake Illawarra, clocking 103 km for the week.

Café Kit of the Week

• Nike Vomero 18

• BlackSheep Running Tee

• Clif Bloks Energy Chews

Round the Club Shoutouts

• Craig Turner – Kiama Running Club

• Phoebe Adams – Narooma Run Club

• Georgia Deane-Smith – Wollongong Track Club