Better with Running

In Episode 314, Chris and Zac return for another massive show, kicking things off with a deep dive into an unforgettable piece of sporting history right in Melbourne's backyard. Chris shares an epic, firsthand recap of the historic NFL regular-season game packed into the MCG, where a staggering 100,021 fans turned out to make it the 7th biggest crowd in NFL history. From the seamless outer-perimeter entry gates and a buzzing atmosphere featuring daytime fireworks and fighter jet flyovers, to the 49ers taking down the Rams 27–7 on the back of Brock Purdy's massive 40-yard touchdown pass, it felt every bit like an AFL Grand Final or Super Bowl. Chris even braved the post-game merch madness at Bourke Street, finding out just how fast 49ers gear flew off the shelves.The second half of the show welcomes back three-time guest Andy Catchlove for a brilliant catch-up on his stellar running progression under Run2PB coach Sammy McLean. Andy reflects on his journey from a sub-20 minute 5K runner to dropping a blazing 16:30 on the track and logging a massive 34:50 10K PB at the Geelong River Run. He opens up about the tactical shifts that unlocked his brilliant 2:41 marathon performance at the Gold Coast Marathon—including moving away from strict watch fixation to running by feel, battling brutal headwinds on the back half of the course, and nailing his race-day fueling. Plus, Andy shares his unfiltered, hilarious thoughts on why running "doubles" ranks even lower than cleaning out the kitchen S-bend.We wrap up the episode with our signature quick-fire questions with Andy—touching on everything from magpie avoidance to eliminating Garmins.This episode is brought to you in partnership with Oat Running Socks and listeners can score some using the run2pb discount code "Run2pb15" for 15% off the range by visiting ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au.Oat Running is a proud partner of better with running podcast and run2pb, Engineered for peak performance, Oat running socks feature Anatomical Fit: Left- and right-specific designs that match the natural shape of each foot to completely eliminate bunching or slipping. Thermoregulating Fabric: Advanced materials designed to keep your feet cool during hot summer miles and warm through winter starts. Technical Mesh Support: Strategically placed mesh zones that support your foot securely through the entire gait cycle. Blister Prevention: High-performance, moisture-wicking fibers that minimize friction and keep skin irritation at bay.Shop Here: ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au.⁠

Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman kick off this week very differently, as they aunch into NFL fever, as Chriso excitedly talks through upcoming NFL match in Melbourne featuring his lifelong team, the San Francisco 49ers, versus the LA Rams. This week's #Teamrun2pb interview features athlete Casey Dean alongside her Run2PB coach, Elise Beacom. Casey catches up with the team from Melbourne, We hear about her athletic background starting from high school cross-country, her introduction to running during COVID-19, and her unfortunate introduction to Elise when she tore every ligament in her foot playing footy and the delayed start around that.Casey unpacks her running progression, moving away from unstructured volume and couch-to-5k plans into formal coaching with Elise, leading to a stellar 3:38 PB at the Ballarat Marathon and her recent first major marathon experience at the Sydney Marathon. Despite hitting the wall hard at Centennial Park and a late training block disruption involving a humid treadmill in Vietnam, Casey pushed through to finish in 3:40, sharing laughs about her dad making friends on the course and the unmatched atmosphere of race weekend. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted round of rapid-fire questions covering duck encounters on the run, nana-ish crafting hobbies like crochet, and shoe rotations, before closing out with a gift from our friends at Oat Running Socks to Casey. Oat Running is a proud partner of better with running podcast and run2pb, Their Socks feature: Anatomical Fit: Left and right-specific designs match the natural shape of each foot to reduce bunching or slipping.Thermoregulating Fabric: Keeps feet cool during summer and warm during winter. Technical Mesh: Supports your foot through the entire gait cycle.Blister Prevention: Moisture-wicking fibres eliminate friction and skin irritation.

Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman kick off Episode 312 of the Better With Running podcast by catching up on recent training blocks, including dropping volume to freshen up and tackling a strong Mona Fartlek entirely on feel. Zac dives into his full Sydney Marathon race-weekend experience. This #Teamrun2pb interview features Finn Crethar 23-year young gun, who debuted in the marathon running 2:38. We hear about his journey with run2pb, what promoted him to join and his intial meeting with his Coach James Hansen. Finn unpacks his build to Sydney Marathon and the experience of the day.The episode wraps up with the usual round of lighthearted rapid-fire questions covering everything from egg preferences and shoe rotations to weird encounters on the run, before closing out with a shout out to including a shoutout to Jess from Oat Running for smashing an 8-minute PB to run 3:43, and their continued support of the podcast, where they gift Finn the guest a pair of Oat Socks.

Episode 311 of the Better With Running Podcast begins with hosts Chris Armstrong and Zac Newman discussing the immense anticipation surrounding the Sydney Marathon. Chris shares a vivid recap of the National Cross Country Masters 4km in Ballarat, battling ankle-deep mud, freezing weather, and call-room logo-taping logistics to finishing an epic race. Zac manages a minor calf scare with the help of Physio and fellow run2pb Coach James Telford. The main interview features professional touring drummer and Run2PB athlete Tim Firth. Tim details his running journey from an initial 4:40 marathon disaster to chasing a sub-3:30 at Sydney, alongside his progression to a 3:35 personal best. As a freelance drummer and music teacher—with a degree from the University of New South Wales and Sydney Conservatorium—Tim opens up about what it is like balancing parenting and a demanding professional music career touring with iconic Australian acts like Dragon and Thirsty Merc, as well as jazz artists like James Morrison. He explains how he navigates unpredictable late-night gig schedules, irregular travel, and early morning runs to maintain a consistent routine without letting his music or family life slip. Finally, Tim and the hosts dive into coaching adjustments with Brady, shifting from high-mileage weeks that left him broken down to fresher, targeted 80km weeks built around marathon-specific quality. The episode concludes with a fun quick-fire round comparing the endurance of a marathon to musical performances, thoughts on modern running tech, and cricket chats. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Oat Running Socks and listeners can score some using the run2pb discount code "Run2pb15" for 15% off the range by visiting ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au.

In their weekly training updates, Chris shared details of his 62km week, highlighted by a scorching session of 7 x 1km with 1-minute standing recoveries averaging 3:37/km. Meanwhile, Zac logged 79km while recovering from the Ballarat Half Marathon, managing a 30-minute threshold session on Kew Boulevard’s rolling hills and a support-ride for his athlete despite a minor mid-week calf scare. The featured interview welcomes back returning guest Matt Miller, a Run2PB athlete from Tatura who made the leap from a scratch golfer to a dedicated runner in just two years. Matt discussed his incredible journey joining the Division 1 Bendigo Bats cross-country team, where he anchored the squad under immense pressure at Jells Park. Under Chris Armstrong's coaching, Matt has shattered his personal bests across the board in 2026, dropping his 5km time to 15:37, his 10km to 32:18, and his half marathon to 1:12:39 at the XCR Ballarat event.Matt also opened up about his physical hurdles, including a tough day at the Ballarat Marathon where hydration issues forced him to walk and shuffle through the latter stages before triumphantly bouncing back to race a strong 5K just two weeks later. Beyond his own breakthroughs, The episode wrapped up with valuable training takeaways on running to feel rather than staring at split times, keeping easy runs honest, and prioritizing consistency over complex volume.This episode is brought to you in partnership with Oat Running Socks and listeners can score some using the run2pb discount code "Run2pb15" for 15% off the range by visiting ⁠www.oatrunning.com.au.