In the beginning runs the Gold Coast Marathon. The full crew back on deck here, lace up running Supercoach, Benita, Willis, Bronte, our actually one feet capable horse for this race, Courtney and myself. Let's go straight to the runner. Let's go straight to the actual athlete. What's been happening, Bronte? Can't believe it. At time of recording less than two weeks and as I mentioned when I first saw you both boys, I said yeah, I'm I'm done. I'm I'm ready, I'm ready for
this thing to be here. It has been a long time coming. I don't know what in the last maybe week has changed my body's starting to feel it a little bit more. Had a moment of panic the other morning in bed when I was like stretching and did like a big stretch and felt my hamstring like I was like this is not how I go down This is not how I go down. I don't know this. I don't know if it's hormonal. My body is feeling the effects of, you know, six to six months, 12 weeks of intense.
Is that normal beneath? Oh, look, I I say that in, within the last few weeks, you always feel stuff that you don't think's there. Yeah. And I, I reckon it's more phantom than than actual, but yeah, because you sort of want everything to be perfect and, you know, nothing's gonna be perfect. But it's just one of those things that. Yeah, yeah, that's very common. OK, good. Yeah. Even for people to think they're injured in the last week, they go for a a 15 minute jog when
they normally do a 2 hour run. And they're like, oh, my leg. Yes. And it's impossible to be injured, but that's that's a thing. So. OK, this is really interesting there 'cause there will be people out there going through this exact thing. So how I'm, is there any way, is this purely just a mental game? Is there any way to kind of safeguard against that thing or, or or is there something you'd advise that they do particularly in that to overcome that idea of
a of a false injury? Yeah, look, I think just the main thing is not stress about it and try to keep doing what you normally do. So I think the biggest thing is thinking about the race as if it's just this big thing that I'll never, ever do again. And think of it more like a long training run that there's obviously going to be like a lot
more people and, and more fun. But, yeah, but I, I, it's a thing that I think when you overthink things and, and you don't, don't worry about everything being perfect because you'll be fine. And it's just, you know, you know, that there's two weeks, a less than two weeks to go. And you just like, oh, is this sore? Is, you know, have I eaten enough? Yes. And you just, yeah, you keep questioning yourself, but you're fine and you've done all the work and yeah, just be confident.
Yeah. But that happened to me too, when like when I was doing big tapers even before, you know, world championship races and things like that. Like within the last week you're running, you know, way less like, you know, maybe 3020% of what you normally do. And you feel more, you think you feel more tired. So it's it's just, it's just one of those things that mentally, I think with the taper you can feel a bit like that.
Do you think as because as you get more information and get educated on running, do you think that's more prevalent then because now you start to know what's going on, you hear all the. Things I'm like, I'm sorry, I've got gum. I think what I think I'm at the point of, I'm just scared that I'm going to do something that's going to undo everything that we've been working on and what we've been talking about and what I've been working with Bonita. So I think it's probably a bit
of pressure. I'm putting pressure on myself. And then obviously having had people kind of coming on this journey with us. Yeah, I think it's probably a little bit of pressure. And then obviously this being my first big marathon and then it being a marathon, like it's a big deal. So I think it's just me probably getting a little overwhelmed and just, yeah, trying to strip it back. No pressure, no pressure, no pressure, I mean. But some pressure, no? Pressure. That's the damn thing.
So yeah, pressure. I read you got to go back to why you did it in the first place and what was driving it, because that's what I mean. You've got all this new information, you've gone through the whole process, so that changes things in, you know, you think that changes things, but go back to what you were thinking before we even contacted. You. I think that's it. I think that's what I've got to remember. And then you've got Benita in your corner to stop you doing all those mistakes.
If anything, yeah, those two together, you should come. Out with a massive positive I think. So, and that idea of well, let's, that's a nice circle moment here. Let's go back. Why did you sign up originally? I signed up because I felt like my final half marathon that I did is in a race. I felt so good at the end of it that I needed the next challenge
and the next challenge. Unfortunately, there's nothing between 21 and 40. 2. So it has to be 42 and that's why I signed up because I am a competitive person, mostly with myself, and it felt like the next step. So with that in mind, you can't fail because the only person you're competing against is yourself. True, and you've never done this before, so whatever you do on race day is going to be a pee pee.
That's very. True. And then when you add to that, you've got 12 weeks behind you now with the great lace up running Benita Willis in your corner. It's funny, I someone told me to do this once. I think it was around my first or second Noosa triathlon because I was not a great swimmer and get anxious when I'm out there in the water.
And I'd done a training. I'd signed up with Spot Anderson down in Sydney and I'd gone through his triathlon coaching series and it might have been even been spotty or someone in the group said because it was getting to race down. I was still nervous about the swim and they, he said, look in your straw or your watch and look at how much swimming you've
been doing. Because I'd gone through the training and he said, and I'd look back and seeing the kilometres, like seeing the data that I'd gone through over the last three months or whatever it was, was such a soothing thing to go. You're not going to drown. You've swum however many kilometres in training over the last 1 1/2 K, you're going to be fine. And it was a nice, reassuring thing to look at. So imagine if you look back at the last 12 weeks and the running you've done. That's true.
It's also breaking it down because as soon as you get stressed in anything about the larger picture, you then just gotta go and then focus on what task can I just accomplish and know that I can get through. And all of those then add up to the end, you know, result. And the end result is still just trying to finish it as best you can. You know, here's, you know, Benita's got the process to go
through that to get you there. If the goal is change, which I'm sure it has to now, I've actually probably got, oh, I think I can run this time. It's still the same process of hey, I won't stuff that up if I do this, this and this, Yeah.
All right. Yeah. And look, I think you showed in that Gold Coast 30 race, like when you get in a race, you perform, you know, so I wouldn't be. There's a lot of people out there that get in races and they can't actually run better in a race and they can do in training and that's really hard to coach. So you know, you perform at races, you know, you perform when if we say it's a little bit of pressure, but in bigger, bigger events. So that's something to have
confidence in as well. Thanks guys. Well, OK, now, now that we've mayor, we give you the pump up, let's apply some pressure. Oh God. I I know you've been very cautious on this the whole way through, Bonita. What time do you think Bronte can run? Will run? Should aim to be running. Yeah. Look, I think going going back on from our last episode, I think we're gonna look at the 430 pace group. So that's, you know, around 624 pace. And look, I think you're gonna find that really slow.
Like that's gonna feel so easy at the start. But I think the risk is for us to move up to a pace group and then change up into a a, like a, a faster yeah, and into a different way too. So I think you know if we're. Max agree. That's not Bronte responding to the idea of running faster. That's that's Benita's young fella, Max. Make me run any faster, I'll be making those noises. He's just making a demonstration of what I feel feels like at the end if you have gone out on the wrong. Group.
If you go out too fast, you'll sound like Max at K-24. I think that's true. I think you're right. I think that's where I feel comfortable. I know it'll feel slow, but like you mentioned Liam in the last episode, I'd probably rather for the first one finish with gas in the tank. Something to give. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And look, you'll feel you run at the front of that pace group. I reckon the paces always start a little bit fast. So they might be going 620 maybe
or a little bit faster. Whereas if you go with the 6:15 group, they're gonna be faster again. Yeah. You know, it's, it's one of those things that, sorry, the 4:15 group, I mean, yeah, it's one of those things that I think, you know, we take more risk if you did another marathon. But yeah. But look, you're gonna be you're gonna be feeling good. And and then after, you know, 2530 K, you just do what you want. You don't have to stay with the group you see. See how you go. RIP.
Taper time? Yeah. What? What? What do we got? So Ronnie said that she's not feeling, you know, things aren't, you're feeling a bit tired. Today, a little tired. What do we got planned? What do we got planned? Yeah, look, we've just got a few strides, a few things to get the legs moving. So just, I think it's like 20 or 32nd efforts and then a few KS at race pace on Saturday within the long run. And yeah, only three runs, but that's pretty much what you've been doing most weeks anyway.
Yeah. So we're dropping the volume a lot, but it's important within a taper, I think, to get your legs moving faster than race pace. So that's why I put some strides in there for you and. Strides were fun. Yeah. Yeah. Hard but fun, yeah. Yeah. And look, strides, when I say that that's it's like 5K sort of pace, like it's not flat out. It's 20 seconds or 30 seconds and it might be like 6-6 or eight with like 30 seconds or a
minute jog between. Do you do then at the end of the session or was it a session in between or not warm down? Yeah, no, we're just gonna do a jog and then the strides. So it's not it's not actually like some people like Coach will might might be doing a bigger session. But for you Bronte, we're gonna do a couple of things this week. So we don't wanna do anything too, too much. So that's gonna be the actual session is strides.
Mm hmm. Now this is someone who early in the block when I think was the tempo runs. Yeah. Was that the one that you first time you did mine, you said I hate intervals. Intervals, sorry, not tempos intervals. So you didn't like intervals, but you're enjoying strides? I do. Well. I actually I like the programme that Bonita has created for me.
They seem achievable. I think with my intervals previously I was just going flat out for too long, whereas Bonita's times and how long I should be going for a lot more achievable. And you feel so good when you do them. I never understood Harry, who we work with, He kept saying how great intervals are and yeah, strides and things. I was like, I don't get it. And then when I used Benita's programme, I understood. It yeah, look, you're now getting all that OK, so some
some strides, yeah. And then just basically the keeping the legs moving. Yeah, Thursday, yeah. And then yeah. And then on Saturday it's just like AI think it's like maybe 65 to 80 minute run with maybe 2 to 4K at race pace. So that's still going to be feel slow too. But it's just one of those things just to practise the race pace running and and not running too far as well. Yeah, yeah, it's probably what I need to practise to be honest, is the race pace. Yeah. And then that.
Feeling, yeah. The final week, like if I mean, this is obviously Bronte, but for anyone who's thinking I don't know what to do, Do I keep running? Like, what's a general? Well, Bronte's plan, but then a general plan anyone can take. Yeah, look, I think within the last week it's good to do a little session. So maybe on say the Tuesday, Wednesday before a Sunday race. So for Bronte's, Bronte's got like a little tempo run.
So you've got like an 8 minute tempo run at marathon pace with two minutes jog and then some 20 seconds strides. So the strides are like, you know, like what you're going to do this week, so a little bit faster. And then two other runs that are like one run about 30 and one run about no, actually you only have one ranch. Oh, OK, I was gonna say yeah. OK, one other run. Yeah, yeah, so very. And then, you know, you do PT sessions and all sorts of things like that too.
So you know, maybe you could do one at the start of the week and then take the other ones off? Yeah, I was thinking about actually. Yeah, I'm not too. Like if you don't normally do Pilates, you could do a little bit of it. Don't feel like you have to go to all the sessions in the last week too. I was gonna ask about a massage as well, if you reckon. Yep, the week of or the week before. Is it worth it or is it? If you're gonna get a remedial massage, it'd probably be this week.
Yeah, look, if you're not, you usually get them, don't you? Yeah, every once in a while. Yeah, I can probably go late this week or early next week. That's. Good to me? Yep. And someone that you're familiar with, that's not gonna surprise you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll go to do. Not want to stick a needle. In here, Yeah, first time surprise. Yeah, they're dry needling before. I'll give it a crack. Just throw them in. This sounds like a running programme.
I mean, when you start talking about like from where, where we started, because I want to ask you later before you get the end result, what you've thought of the whole process, having a coach for the first time like giving you that. But like you're talking 8 minute, like we're in the taper and we're still doing an 8 minute effort. I mean this is running. You're like, you are, you are doing like a, like you know, this is running programme talk.
Is it too early to ask that? Question no go for an. So like, I mean before, because like in the end, you'll get the result you want, you'll be unhappy, you'll be maybe super happy or you'll just be like, that's what I expected, you know, and we hope, we hope for the the better side of it. But before you have that in your mind, like what do you think about the whole process of getting a catch?
Like if you were chatting to someone else in in your similar situation and been kind of like we've gone into running, we've been doing for a year, I'm like a couple of halves, but I'm now going to go and approach my marathon. What's the whole process being? It I felt very lucky to have Benita helping me through it. And probably in the beginning I was maybe a bit hesitant, and I don't know if I had voiced that, but we could tell. Yeah, thank you Enough.
I think I probably was. I was like, well, you know, like it's running. Like surely I can figure this out on my own. I think it was you, Courtney, who it was before we had started one of the podcasts. And I think maybe I had said something about that or we're still using another programme or whatever. And you're like, you shouldn't really use Benita. Like it's. Yeah. I could tell early on you hadn't given up on your app and you were kind of like coming in and doing it.
And I'm like, you've got to have one captain in this ship. Yeah, you got to choose AI or Benita. Yeah, exactly. But that was probably the tough love that I needed to hear to be like, yeah, why, of course, why am I not using this incredible opportunity? And I feel like once I was both feet in, it was it has changed my attitude towards running. I feel really accountable to somebody who's giving up their time and creating something for me. And now, you know, it's not a
pressure thing. I just want to do Anita and you guys proud on the day because, like I said, it's been a lot of people and even the community people messaging and things like it was just me 12 weeks ago running and now I've. Got a family? Oh, we're all behind you. Don't worry, We'll be watching and cheering and cheering. Just on that, I think going back to that point you made about the coach and the hesitancy towards the coaching thing for me as
well. And I've obviously I've had a different experience, not because of Bonita, but because of the injury stuff, but that idea of the coach. And I think for people running because the boom we're seeing and at the interest we're seeing, the participation in marathons and all the rest of it's going sky high. But to running is free, right? And then when you sign up for a race, you invest however much it costs you do invest in the race.
And I think for some people as well, the idea of going, well, I'm not a professional runner or I'm not a necessarily maybe a good runner. The idea of investing money into a coach, I think is, is, is a hurdle that presents itself for people because they're like, well, this is a free bit of exercise that I do. Why do I, why would I spend money on something that I can just do for free? And there are all these resources that do give you things for free and you can do it.
You can do it free. But I think you're an example and your experience and mine as well to a lesser extent, is proof of why. If you are, if you want to get the best out of it and you achieve, investing money into your health is never a bad thing. You think like, you know, you think my wife's always preaching this to me when, you know, if I'm signing up for a gym or whatever, she's like, great. You're investing in staying fit and healthy. Of course.
Yeah, that's worth spending the money on. That's worth. And I think from a running perspective, if you do have ambitions and you do have goals, investing in a coach is a really easy step to make. I think the bit I reckon I mean, the biggest thing too, when you compare it to like digital or something you find online and having a real person, it is that accountability like, and I don't think that you ever want to make it feel like pressure because
you're there in support. But at the same time, accountability is a beautiful thing too, right? Like you, you know, it's a lot easier to just, you know, turn the phone onto the next screen and go, I'm not getting up versus someone's actually taking the time to put, you know, this session and I've got to be accountable to tell them how I'm going. And to me, if that alone is part of the process that I think it's worthwhile doing.
And if I was to go and run like I don't get coached, but if I was to go and run a marathon, I'd be reaching out to Bonita myself now because I've seen the process. I want the. Accountability as well. You mean when? When you mean when? We gotta stop talking about this. There's too many people are. Running.
You mean when we actually, I've had a lot of people reach out after last week's episode with Michael Shelley saying, oh, I think In the Beginnings found its runner for 2026 because he's never run the Gold Coast Marathon. Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, he goes. Alright, but he's never. Yeah, and he's always pretty fit. Michael Shelley. Oh.
He's super fit at the moment. He didn't tell us in that episode, but I can tell you now he the day before because he came in saying, oh, you know, I run about 10 KA day. The day before, he'd gone out with a mate of mine and ran 39 K to help help him get ready for the marathon. Lee And I'm like, mate, you're still running. He's still. Yeah, yeah. Well, one year he jumped in and paced Lisa Wightman for a fair while and I didn't even, yeah, I didn't even think he was running
that much. He's just just one of those freaks. Yeah, it's just an incredible. Way better than I've ever kept. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank. You also with Benita, one of the things when I really was like, God, I'm so glad I have a coach and people would feel it in that moment.
If you get injured or you get sick, I remember when I got sick and if I was still following some AI programme, that's not really something you can communicate in order to adjust it. But Benita was so great when I was like, I'm still sick now I'm on antibiotics. How it was just the reassurance that someone was taking those things into account and adjusting the plan accordingly, because I wouldn't have known how to do that and came back
feeling even better. So I think that's definitely a testament to having a coach as well. How many athletes have you got in your in in lace up running running the Gold Coast Marathon? Oh yeah, Running Gold Coast Marathon. I think we have about 20, maybe 25. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So fair few. Yeah.
And they're from everywhere. Like, I've got a couple from America coming out to Brisbane on Friday, and so they're checking out Brisbane and Noosa, and then they're coming into the Gold Coast and they're going to Sydney. And I've coached one of them since probably 2010, just on and off, but yeah. And his wife's running, yeah. So it's just one of those things that there's people from
everywhere, yeah. Like Blue Mountains, We've got people from Adelaide, you know, obviously people around Queensland, but the majority of people are coming in from outside the Gold Coast. And how's? Like we've, we've been focused on Bronte and what all the trials and tribulations she's going through. Like as a whole, would you say? Like as a percentage, how many of them have gone through some type of mishap in that marathon you've had to deal with as well? Oh, yeah.
Because when you were talking about getting sick, Bronte. Yeah, like pretty much. I can't think of anyone that I haven't had to adjust some part of their programme. Yeah, Yep. So it's, it's one of those things that things always happen, whether it's, you know, you, you fall on a run and you've got to have a week off because you're hurt your ankle or something in the snow in Colorado to, you know, getting sick or, or even, you know, your
kids. I've got a lot of, I coach a lot of people with little kids and keep getting sick at daycare and then, you know. Speaking of little Max is like, that's me, but neither just on that. As a coach, you talk about the 20 to 25 athletes you've got running in this race. Do you sit down? And because if football coaches, they have wins and losses, right? They can measure. They can measure how you went. We, we either won the game or we
didn't. Will you sit down as a coach after the race and go through athlete by athlete and not call it a win or a loss, but also almost evaluate how you went as a coach for this race? Oh, look, yeah, to an extent. So I think with running, you know, it, it depends on so many factors, even even the weather, you know, So it's one of those things that you can have a look and see how they go compared to their PB and compared to their training. But yeah, I definitely assess how they go.
But there's so many variables, like some people may not have had the prep that like they might have had a very shortened prep for some reason. So they're not going to be anywhere near their best. So you evaluate how they ran, given what you know, what they could do in the prep. And you know, I always think one of my best ever races was was
not a win in a race. It was probably one of my worst results at the world Cross. But but given the amount of training I could do and and get done leading into it, it's probably one of my best performances. So with running, it's quite hard to look at stats and yeah, yeah, yeah, it's very hard to analyse completely like that. But I definitely will and certainly I don't coach everyone that's coming here within lace up running. So we have four other coaches that that work with us.
So I, I personally probably have about 10, yeah, maybe 10 people maybe. And then my other coaches have a few people. As well. Fantastic. But we don't coach hundreds because I don't think you can coach properly. You know, if you're one person and you're coaching 50 people, I don't think you can. You can have the amount of emotional energy for people and feedback. So I only coach 20 people at the moment.
That's another great lesson for people out there who might be jumping in on online programmes, thinking the point Bonita's made there about the emotional energy that you coach should be giving you. Yeah, if you're investing your time and money into having one. I was even just thinking when you said 25, how do you go the night before whenever I'm drinking you? Yeah, yeah. And look, most people are fine. Yeah. So some people are ring something.
A lot of people know what they need to do and yeah, they're pretty good. I'll I'll be catching up with people anytime from, you know, now to the race, but a lot of like we have, we have group catch UPS after the race too. I think I'll put you guys on our email about. Yeah, I got the email the other day. About where the 10 two, Yeah, yeah. This is you'll. Be down the finish line straight. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's a good. Place up running 10 Yeah, cheering.
Bronte, can I ask you because you've heard the the bus analogy, jumping on the bus, going for a ride. Mm Hmm. Last week after Michael Shelley episode we got a message on the pod from Brett Donaghy who really enjoyed the chat and he said he's using memories while he runs the marathon to keep himself motivated. He said when he gets to SeaWorld, the memories of trips with his kids there, when he gets to Main Beach, the annual trip to the Gold Coast 600, the V8 Supercar race, Cavill is
where he's going. His wife is going to be at that point and he's locked into something to think about every 5 to 8 KS. He used to live in Labrador as a kid, so when he gets to that north part of the course, he's got the childhood memories he's going to be using. Wow. Now you are GC born and bred. Yeah. Have you thought about this through the stages of the race? Have you started to give some consideration into how you might break it up like that or will you? You don't have.
To no, I think. Interestingly for me, thought and where my mind goes on a run has never impacted performance. I I like running because it allows me to think. I am a really big, like, visualisation person, so when I'm running I'm actually already thinking about the future Bronte, 510K's ahead and by the end of the 30 I'm thinking about the Bronte who's finished the marathon. Really. Yeah, I don't. That's cool. Why? But that's what works for me. So I'm always the brunt.
I'm always a couple of K's ahead in my mind and that's what works for me. I like seeing people I know on the side. Now obviously you've got your friend coming down as well from Townsville. Yep, she's coming from Townsville. She'll arrive Friday night next week. And have you, do you have any a mum and dad gonna come out and cheer? What's the are there any other people that have said, oh, we'll be there? We've got some signs being made up I. Don't know if my parents are coming down.
I don't think they realise how big a deal this is, so they're still tentative. My partner and his mum are going to be somewhere stationed along. In laws understand how important Yeah, she. Does they'll be there somewhere, people from work, if they're going to come down, yeah, No, I don't know who's going to be where, but they'll be around. Because, well, because this is what I would say for you and to anyone else who is running in this marathon for the first
time. If people are organising to, to be somewhere on the course, you think because it's a run and not a race car, a car race, like it's really, it's really quite difficult to spot people in a marathon. It's a lot harder than you think. And the idea of, oh, we'll wait here and we'll see them. There are so many people running past and there's so many people lined up on the side. It's actually a lot more difficult than you'd think to spot your loved ones and your
friends. So if possible for your partner and his mum and and friends, either have a really defined spot that's easy for you to recognise or have a big sign, say we'll be the ones with the sign with your, your face on it. We'll have an oversized Bronte head, yes, and that'll be us. Perfect, I did. This is probably my ignorance. Also in the court, the marathon course, which I still haven't looked at. Probably worth my time but my partners mum was like yeah no we'll probably like be around
that like Miami Broadbeach area. That's that's not that's that's nothing that is meaningless for you on the course. But also, I was like, we run down to Broadbeach Miami. Have we, have we not spoke about this in the 12 weeks? I. Don't know what the course is. I was like, oh OK, I guess I'll see you then. We. Were doing them in every second episode This. Is this is great, This is great. Let's do it live with Bronte now. Where am I running? So you, you know where you
start? Right at the Broadway Southport. Yeah, yeah, OK. That's where you start. And then you're gonna run down, but then you're gonna turn back up towards SeaWorld. Oh, OK, it's. A little little change. Little detour. So you go up towards SeaWorld and then you turn around there and you head South. Oh, and you basically head South all the way until Miami. Oh, I see. And this is where that turn around comes again, right? And then you head all the way back up north to Labrador.
Bay in that area, yeah. And then you turn around there and you come back and you finish where you started. Easy. Easy. But you do go a long way South. I'm glad that, yeah, as I'm learning, I'm glad it's just one lap, not repeating anything too much, right. I'm I would find lap races hard like the cans Iron Man that happened the other day. Their run is was like 4 laps of this course or something.
I was just triple checking we haven't got the wrong information like usually, Liam, actually when you go down, I didn't realise how far down SeaWorld Drive. So where the turn was at the Gold Coast 30, you run past that turn and keep going towards it. Nearly. It nearly looks like you get down towards the dolphin. Yeah, right. Oh my goodness. That that end, yeah. So the northern end of SeaWorld, but not quite to the SeaWorld Resort.
Drive of it. But so for everybody out there, if you are running it for the first time, if you're coming from Interstate particularly although I feel like the Interstate is a probably better at deciding and having a defined spot to see their friends because they don't know the area. I think it's probably the locals that are guilty of just saying, and I will see you somewhere
around Brody guilty. And then ultimately, even at, you know, 530 pace, 6 minute pace, you go, you go past people like that, Yeah. And then suddenly you hear them go, Brody, and you're turning around. You've got headphones on your focus. So also I'm like, what do you like? I'm I'll be excited to see you, whoever it is that I'm seeing. But I'm also like is the expectation. It's just like a quick finger guns and like out of there.
I, I reckon you'll be challenged to see someone on the course like that unless you've really, really knuckled down because I think how hard it was me, I was literally standing a foot from you at the Gold Coast 30. I know. And it took like, I just saw you run by and I said, I've got it. It's really, it is really difficult. I agree. And if you don't have it, like I think the other communication that we didn't say is make sure everyone around you send that photo this time of what you
wear. You wear it. I'm wearing bright orange. What you're wearing, it'll be no. I want the photo this time are. You are you sending bright orange? Bright orange because it matches my shoes. Yeah, I wore my kit yesterday on my run to see if it all fit and felt right. And what? What? Yeah. Good running bear top. Do you even shorts sockney? Do you even shorts do? You even good brand. I like them. I've. Never heard. Yeah. Where are there though? They're Australian.
She said she said with. Zero confidence, do you even okay? Do you even? So, so orange. French because my shoes are orange. Yeah. I wanted to find a top that match that's. Now here's what we'll say to the In the Beginning family, because no doubt there'll be a lot of listeners lining the course if you see a young woman with dark hair running in a full orange outfit just shouted it like it's Bronte. Yeah, exactly. Even if it's not I'll. Catch it, it'll be. It'll find me somewhere.
This is exciting, all right. Now I've got to get on to you. Me. What's Liam? I'm with you, Liam Flanagan. Before we get any further and when we got brownie in the room for a brownie, we got Bonita here for the last time. Ohh no. Are we gonna do a post show? Ohh. There's there's people asking about wrap up and results and all the rest they would. Probably wanna know what happened after all of this. Actually, if we never told them.
But we did get because on when myself and Liam were talking last week, Liam started to talk to me that he's thinking of running at the Gold Coast Marathon. I feel like I thought we'd put this to bed 110%. I knew we hadn't. But I got a message from Melanie Bark and she said Liam from a, from a sincere, genuine, genuine place. Don't do the Golden Marathon. Oh my God, go support Brody for her a race and just enjoy the vibes. Volunteer at an aid station.
You'll be the life of the party. Or better still, get amongst the finish line with interviews from people for the potty. Maybe that's your wrap? Up. That's not a bad idea. Actually, stick with the coach, stick with Benita and listen. The whole point of exercise is not worth it and it won't pay the dividends if you just go and and force force it. I think she's right. I, I think there's, there's it's it's head V heart right now. Like it's that whole thing of my heart wants to run this.
What? Would you do? I don't. I just I'd run and if I what if I got tired, I'd. Stop the marathon. Yeah, but I think I know it's head V heart at the moment. My head knows I shouldn't be running it. My ears heard you say the other week that it's not worth running it. But my heart is, do you know what didn't help actually, is that I made the mistake of speaking to Reedy, friend of the podcast AG1 Bondo Rescue. Oh, yeah. And Reedy is an animal.
He just, he he's like the answer to everything is more running. And I bumped into him at the Mick Fanning Charity golf day the other morning and we were having a chat and he said, are you going to run? And I literally verbatim told him what you told me in that. Yeah. You you don't need to run for a finish line anymore.
You're running for a time. You're not going to get that time in this, so all you're going to do is increase your chance of injuring yourself again and read his responses now, I reckon run it. And that's been ringing in my head for the last week. So I Melanie's right. I will be there on the day. It'll just it'll kill me. It's going to. Do we just flip you again, Mel? Mel from Wellington and New Zealand just flipped Liam.
I, I think, but I've been because I've got other friends coming up to run it as well and there's been a part of me going, Well, if I go and get my band, if I go and get my bib, maybe I'll just jump in with my mates for a bit and run like 10 KS and then pull out and just go find somewhere to sit and cheer. But then I'll, I don't know. I don't sound like an addict. Yeah, I know, right. Maybe I am a little bit. I can't figure out quite how I'm going to approach the day.
Talk me out of it. But yeah, talk me out of it. Oh, look, you know, it's one of those things that I can see what really where really is coming from in the sense that, you know, it's just for fun getting there.
Yeah, all that kind of stuff. But you know, if you're even thinking about ever, like even if you're thinking about doing Melbourne or you're thinking about doing something like for a time, I don't think it'll give you any satisfaction just to do 10K and sit on the sideline and cheer people. Like I think it'll be, I mean, but this is what I think. I mean, personally, I reckon it'll be cool to ride around and, and look for people, you know, on the course.
And maybe that's, you know, more so than like you just wouldn't want to be hobbling. Like I know you've done a few runs and I think because you've done a few runs, you know, like 10K or that sort of distance, you know, you're probably feeling OK, but it's a very different to just getting out there and running a little bit harder than even your 10K runs and then trying to trying to front up for a marathon. Yeah, stop nodding your head so much, Courtney. It's a long. Way.
Courtney's sitting there just. Mum and Dad said no. You're not. Yeah. Mum and Dad. That is exactly what's happening right now. Mum and Dad. Hey. Interestingly, from my running perspective, I am back running, which is. I'm really enjoying. Yeah, I the legends of Pola sorted me out with one of the chest straps. The heart rate monsters you've brought. You've heard all the noise about Zone 2 running, no doubt.
Yep. According we talked about this on an episode I ran for eight KS the other day and tried to keep it in zone 2 based on the chest strap, not my wrist which I've previously done. My zone 2 is so slow. My zone 2 is like 6 minutes. Like that's where and previously I'd thought oh if I'm running 5:15 I'm running easy. See, it's like to keep it in zone 2 is 6 minutes for me. I was. It was like, I kind of knew that it was probably slower than I thought, but that's like slow.
But is that the watch telling you that? No, when the chest strap. But how did you work out the zone 2? Oh yeah, the watch is dictating the zone. Is that not right? And you've just put in like a. Yeah, based on my my data, yeah. But it's worked it out from runs and runs, or you've put in. No, it's worked out from runs and runs. OK. Yeah, OK. But basically I've I now know that my heart, my zone 2 isn't as fast as I think it is. Yeah, which a lot of people
would make that mistake. Yeah. But having said that, I reckon in summer, you know, your heart rate's going beating a bit higher as well, a bit faster because it's hotter and more humid. So maybe even run slower in summer, but it seems seems really slow if, you know, compare that to your marathon pace. But but, you know, maybe you're always running a little bit fast. Yeah, anyway. So yeah, no, I'm not running Courtney. Thanks mate. We nailed that down. Is that?
Official because I feel like you're still. Well, I don't know above him to read again. Let's. Hold him to this. I don't. I don't think you should be going out there to hurt. I don't think you should be going running a marathon. Put it up. No, I agree. Yeah. I mean, what do you get out of running a team? Jumping in for a team? If you want to go in and be the cheerleader for the 10K, go. For it. No, no, I, I, I genuinely, I think you're right. I did this a couple of years ago.
I rode down to the start line from my place and ended up spending the day riding around and by the end of the day I was knackered actually. But I think I'll probably do that again. I'll probably bring the bike down and and ride around so I can get involved with some stuff. Yeah, and if, and look if the people, if the great people at EMQ Events Management Queensland who run the Gold Coast Marathon want to give me some tickets into the VIP section at the end where all the food and drinks
are. Yeah, we've got them all. Great, then I'll. Definitely. Then I'll definitely be there. Must be. And I won't be racing. Sorry, sorry Liam, the good people have they? They heard you weren't running and they've sorted it. They have sorted you out. So maybe a change of plan and a good brekkie. Well, in that case, I'm gonna take my phone and I'm gonna record some vox pops and some videos with people.
You can do it for Origin, you can at least do it for the Gold Coast Marathon. Absolutely. Yeah, He's Benita. While we got you here, I'm interested. We've talked about that. Have you been following along this breaking fall? Yeah, a little bit, yeah, yeah. Have you the lady who's trying to run up the form myself? Yeah, there's some 4 minute bomb, Yeah. What do you reckon? Like she's the best in the world, obviously, but she's been
injured. She hasn't been racing as much, but unless she's just been focusing all her training onto this particular race. So I'm not I'm not sure of that background. Like obviously she won the Olympics last year and she won everything last year, but she hasn't, I haven't seen her race much this year, right. So sometimes I think to run your best over a mile or 1500, you've got to have been running 8 hundreds or or, you know, you've got to be racing a lot, I think to to run that fast.
But I mean, maybe she has and she just hasn't been running in the races that, you know, diamond leagues or anything like that. Yeah, yeah. Does this because you just, I saw you light up and have you been following along and does this excite you now as a runner? Yeah, it does actually, more than all the trending things I talked about on the radio. Yeah, I found it really interesting. I think I saw a TikTok about it
that yeah. So she's trying to run a mile in under 4 minutes, which no woman has ever done. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's it's happening this week, isn't it? The 26th of June. So I'll definitely be I'll watch and see what happens, but I probably haven't followed the whole we have. Ruined Bronte. Now she's a, she's a running nerd Now quickly, because this is the last episode before the
race itself, can we do coach? Can you take us through sort of last minute checklist stuff with obviously the tapering? You've given us an insight into what that looks like for Bronte as well As for for people that might be running there. First, let's let's go into the night before. Let's go into that. Or even if it's 48 hours that you think the checklist should be applied. Let's assume everybody's gone to the Expo and got their bib and done that side of the admin for the marathon.
What as though, can you take us in those last 4824 hours in terms of prep just to make sure Bronte can run through her head and any questions she might have as well? Yeah, look, I think within the last two days, just make sure first of all, you're eating carbs with every meal. So OK, you know, if you normally eat a salad for lunch, just make sure you're having like a sandwich instead or adding some
pasta to a salad. It's just making sure that you're getting enough carbohydrates in there and making sure you're drinking enough to, to help absorb the carbohydrate as well. So the drinking's even if you don't feel that thirsty, just not, not excessive, but just making sure that that's. So that's probably the number one thing with nutrition. Mm hmm, just making sure that you keep doing what you normally do, but within the last 48
hours. So don't go walking around all day unnecessarily, but also don't stress if you've got to do something. And you know, because it's one of those things that I think a big problem is people just like 2 days before just doing absolutely nothing. Mm hmm. And lying in a hotel room. All day or lying on your bed all day and just going, I need to rest because you don't, you don't that, you know, you just
need to be relaxed. And so yeah, I think that's like making sure you've got everything ready to go for race day. So I think some mistakes people make is they they sort of, they don't have everything ready to go. So then on the Saturday afternoon, they're going, oh, I need to go and get this, I need to go and get that. And they're running around everywhere because they're sort of really stressed that they haven't got it. So get everything ready to go.
So you don't have to worry about doing that on Saturday because you want to be like, just having fun on Saturday. Have a few coffees with friends. Like, I think friends keep you relaxed or family or people that you normally hang out with. So don't isolate yourself from people, which is a mistake a lot of people make as well. Yeah. They sort of isolate themselves. And then all you do is think about the race. And so, you know, within the last 48 hours, don't think about the race.
I don't think about the race until when you're just about to warm up and, you know, and think about what you're gonna do. But the more times, and I heard Grant Hackett say this about swimming, but it's always stuck with me, even when I was an elite athlete, is the more times you think about a race over and over your head, it just makes you tired. And so if you if you think about the marathon constantly, it'll
just make you tired. So you don't need to keep thinking about it. Just sort of switch off, talk about other things. Don't. Yeah. Don't worry about. You know, and which I'm sure you're fine because you've got a lot going on anyway. Yeah. But for people out there that are quite intensely. I'm trying to get this pace some don't, don't stress. Everything will come together on, on the morning of the, the
race and, and on race day. But, and I think, look, if you've got a coach and you're sort of in two minds about anything, email them, call them, text them. Just make sure that you know what you're doing. So it doesn't get to be sort of that Saturday afternoon or Saturday night or Sunday morning and you're sort of still thinking, oh, should I do this? Should I do that? And that's, that creates like energy as well. And it just drains you when you're constantly thinking in
two minds about something. So if you like that, definitely yeah, reach out and just make sure you've made some decisive decisions. And then I think the night before have dinner like your night maybe about 5 or 6 at night. So not really late. And I just say that this so the morning of a race, you wanna make sure your bows move properly if you can. And if you have a really big meal, like 10 or 11:00 at night, the night before a marathon, I think that's a bit too late.
So just make sure you know, it's not not too late, but but then have some snacks too. I always find having a few snacks throughout the night. If you wake up, have like half a sandwich or you know, or get eat, wait what? Get what you're ready to eat before the marathon. You know what you're going to eat and and that kind of stuff ready. But don't stress the night before sleep. It doesn't really matter. So if you don't sleep properly the night before, don't worry.
I think it's always like 2 nights before and you know, the week before. So you know, don't like if you go to bed the night before the race and you're thinking about the race a bit or you're a bit anxious and you wake up the next morning, you're like, I really didn't think I slept that well. Don't think I'm going to run bad because that, that's nothing. And I've had so many races I've done, I've had terrible sleep the night before race and ran really well.
So that's nothing to stress about. But I think the main thing is keeping relaxed, you know, don't isolate yourself and make sure you have your food organised and you know, and don't have any last minute questions unanswered. I think they're probably the big tips. Good tips. Did you write all that down? Yeah, that's all. Yeah, I am what, the day of? So I've woken up. We'll have to get there early. So brekkie, like you said, about an hour, an hour and a half, two hours before the race.
It's going to be an early brekkie. What? How many gels am I then expected to have across the marathon? Yeah, look. And that's that's hard because I feel like every marathon you do, you're gonna feel differently. I would probably carry 6 to 8 and look, you, you might be just having a mouthful and then you might throw it away if it's annoying you. Like sometimes, you know, you feel that they're like sticky and you're like, I just don't wanna hold this or whatever.
So, you know, but I used to even put them in my top, in my bra top. Or, you know, carry them some way. Or if if you know someone on the course that's in a fairly isolated area, they could just give some to you as you run past. Too. It could be you. I'm, hey, Oh, no, no, no, I I don't know if I'm actually technically allowed to do it under the rules of the marathon. I think we, we, yeah, we. Discussed it but but but I am
more if you. If you want me to be your bike boy and carry extra gels, I'm there for officially you. Shouldn't. Officially you shouldn't, but I will do it in a manner by which it seems official is. It as in it's not allowed for anyone to do it, no. Basically the the we when we had what's his name from the Goldie marathon join us Ryan Ryan he explained that the elites have their aid stations which yeah and and as well as you're running yes I don't know if we can justify A personalised aid
station. Wow for the Gold Coast Marathon news for. Me. Yeah, definitely say, not for the elite, but yeah. And well, you know, if you can carry them, they always think if you carry them, they're gels. It may makes the gels warm and then they're easier to get down anyways, so you know if you can carry them it's it's always a bit easier. I can see your brain ticking over.
How am I gonna carry 6 days? I already have 4 like I've done runs with four and by the end I'm just a sticky mess and it's like all over. Me. Well, the good thing is you can throw them out because you're on the course at, at the, at the aid station, at the aid stations. Yeah, yeah. Where there's bins. So anything else left in you, Brian? So much. Well, and the great thing is if there is, you can text.
Yeah. Well, that was that was the great tip you just had there from Bonita, which is that don't have unanswered questions going into the race. Yet another advantage of having a coach. Yeah. It's exciting times for everyone. I mean, I know that everyone I know running the marathon at the moment is getting to that time where you're like, all the work's done. Yeah, the, the tape is starting and the excitement of, you know, next week, the Expo, you gotta go and get your key and all that
builds up to the big day and. It's happening. The the advice I, I can't remember where I heard it, but about these races is that the race is the victory of that the all the, the training, the block, whatever you've done. That could have been Benita. That's that. Well, you're a reward for all your hard work. Yeah. Yeah. For sure, Yeah. Yeah. And think of it like that. Like, exactly. Like, don't think of it like it's, you know, you know, I'm just running down the road like it.
It is. It's something to enjoy and and use the energy of the crowd, too. Yeah. There's a lot of people that watch this race. It's gonna be great. Yeah, and then go celebrate. And then go celebrate the music at the Broadbeach Surf Club's. Always great. There's always a fellow playing music out there. That's always a great spot. The turn around point down in Miami is always a highlight as well. Whether or not they take up my halfway house grandstand idea.
That's for next year maybe. But and then the energy as well as you run through, obviously the finish line's incredible, but the energies you run back through this bit, the Broadwater, sorry, past Australia Fair and everything that's kind of a really dense place for for spectators. So that's great energy through there as well. I've got. I've got three things that I'm looking. We'll ask everyone, what are you looking to forward to at the marathon?
Sure, I've got three things. Oh, here we go. I'm looking forward to seeing like a bit of a mental shoe count in my head. Of what? What everyone? 'S wearing. You know, because has it have has it started? Because I would say five years ago it would have been probably 50% Alpha flies 50% probably ASICS at this race. Yep. Maybe not exactly half, half, but you, you know where I'm going. I think that will skew this year. I think you're gonna see a lot more of those new brands.
Yep. Humans. Yep, On, yeah, all these different brands. I think there's going to be a lot a wider ratios. Second thing I'm looking forward to seeing is I love watching the finish, like you said, and seeing the celebration of people like, if you're not, I've, I've spent a lot of years racing at, you know, different levels of racing, different places around
the world. And nothing in, in like both Iron Man triathlon and marathon still equates to seeing the excitement of your everyday runner coming across the line to see, you know, their girlfriend, their family, whoever it is and, and, and the emotion of that. So this is the third. And then the third thing is I'm looking forward to seeing Brodie, how our star, our star athlete goes. Yeah, goodness, yeah. Me. Yeah, what are you looking for? What?
Are you looking for to? Something that made me very emotional that I didn't realise is the signs that people make all the like, real. Like there's the funny ones and the hit here for an energy boost, but there's ones that like really tap into the reason you start running and you know, they're just words of motivation. So I actually am looking forward to seeing the signs. Are you a crier generally? I think I I get a bit like a bit. But you don't know.
Yeah, but if you are like that, I'll put your over under it. 2 1/2 cries for the entire race. I've already It'll come. Visualise myself crying as I cross the line, no matter how it goes, that's what I'm looking forward to. That, that last stretch when you come onto the grass area and no matter what you're doing, the five, the 10, the half, that feeling when the crowd is just like, yeah, that's exciting.
And then, yeah, it's seeing the people that I know and love across the course, and that's, yeah, what I'm excited. For what about you Benita? You got a lot. As you mentioned, there's 20 to 25 odd athletes from laser
running running in the race. Yeah, look, I, I love seeing people not only before they run, 'cause like I feel like, you know, when they're coming to the tent just before the race, if they're coming to the tent, there's this nervous energy that's like really hard to, it's something that's hard to describe until you actually see the people with it before they race. So it's, it's that anticipation of what's gonna happen. Like that's, that's like, and it
makes me really nervous. Like it makes me more nervous for people that I have running than when I was running myself. So I can see, yeah, I can see where, you know, I and I never thought, thought that would happen. Like when I was competing as an athlete, you don't think about, you know, your support crew and how nervous they might be for you. So that's one thing that that,
you know, I love seeing. But obviously when people finish, like I love seeing people cross the line and yeah, that finishing shoot, it's fantastic. And, and it's one of those things that, you know, their journey to, and a lot of people don't know any particular person's journey. And as a coach, you know, what they've been through, what they've overcome. And, you know, just to, to get the training done for a lot of people is just absolutely phenomenal, you know, true.
So that's one thing to be celebrated regardless of the times and, and that kind of thing. But yeah, probably the third thing is at Gold Coast Marathon, you know, that the energy that you get. So when you're walking around, chatting to people, catching up with people I haven't seen for a long time, you know, they all come to these big events and, and it's the energy that, you know, everyone's there for the same reason. But loads of other stuff going on.
Yeah. So and, and, and bringing my kids to, you know, Max's, Max's first time and Poppy's. Poppy's. I'd love she's too young for the kids race. But but yeah, but it's nice to have them and that's cool. Yeah, I, yeah, Everything we just touched on I'm. I can't wait to see how you go, Bronte. I'm really genuinely excited. I can't wait to see you after the race just to just gauge how
you feeling about it all. And I look forward to hearing about it. From a personal perspective, I'm really looking forward to. I love the sub three Sprint. I love the people that are chasing that sub three time,
which is what I was gunning for. I love watching that finish line Sprint for the P athletes that are like, I've got 10 seconds to get there and and achieve this goal that I've just been searching for the last 12 weeks and the last 42.0 KS and now I've got to Sprint this last to try and achieve that. So that's always a fun one to watch. The other thing I love when you talk about the finishing shoot, the the finish line is a very individual moment for the
athlete. I love the the athletes that that find their friends and family in that finishing shoot and wander over them for the hug and the photo and all that sort of stuff. And then you see some people grab their kids and all that sort of, it's a really like for all. It's a very individualistic sport. It's a very selfish sport. It's all about you and your training and all the rest of it.
But when you get those moments to share with your, your friends and your family in that finishing shoot, it is, it's so cool. So, so I'll be perched up in the VIP section looking at all that. What a beer, man. That's my plan anyway. Good plan. All right, flip flop. Yeah, I've. Changed by the way, I'm not running. So I here's what I would say to everybody out there who is running this weekend. Do that exercise.
Think about the things you're looking forward to yeah, break up the race however you want to. If you've got friends and family that are coming out to sport, make sure you it's very clear on where you're gonna be and where for the athlete as well As for yourself because I guarantee they'll run past and you won't see them. But this is it. Enjoy, enjoy. It. Enjoy it. Thank. Everyone out there, Roddy, every, everyone. This is huge. Luck everyone.
Full Report Mm hmm. And well done to you Coach. Thank. You coach. You've been fantastic. You got handed. You got handed 3 lemons, 2 lemons and A and a pineapple. And you're the pineapple. And if you enjoyed listening, lace up running. Lace up running. Absolutely. Yep. And if you. Yeah, well, wait to see how Brody goes before Oh. My God, the press is back. All right.