Run Culture Podcast

For those of us living in a society that increasingly prioritises productivity, speed, efficiency and endless optimisation… this episode of the Run Culture Podcast feels more relevant now than ever. Honestly, this is still one of my favourite conversations I’ve had on the podcast.In a world overflowing with AI, ChatGPT, data, metrics, tests, strategies and endless “second-hand information”… I think this discussion with Dr Carl Woods is incredibly important listening.Carl is a scientist and researcher at Victoria University who explores learning, skill and performance through an ecological and anthropological lens.One idea from this episode that has really stayed with me:“Certain non-western societies don’t use words like efficient, rapid or fast to describe expert performance… they use words like cautious, attentive and responsive.” That says a lot.We discuss:- the overload of “second-hand information” in modern sport.- why lived experience and “inhabitant knowledge” still matter deeply.- embracing uncertainty and the wisdom of not always knowing.- slowing down enough to properly attend to the environment around you.-what actually defines mastery, expertise and skill.A lot of truly skilled performers aren’t just great information collectors - they’re deeply attuned to context. They know what to pay attention to, when to act, and when to patiently wait.I genuinely think this is one worth sitting down with over the weekend.Thanks again Dr Carl Woods for such a fascinating conversation. It honestly feels even more relevant today!

Welcome to Episode 5 of ‘Boom or Bust’! A podcast documenting the build ups of 4 athletes aiming to run the 2025 Ballarat Marathon! There was a bit happening this week!Aaron and Dane kick things off by sharing their experiences from the Inverloch Half Marathon. Despite falling ill right after last week’s episode, Aaron took a pragmatic approach, focusing on recovery and lighter training to bounce back. Meanwhile, Kate had quite the adventure at school camp in Dartmoor, facing challenges like 4hrs of sleep most nights, lightning and bushfires! After a lighter week running wise she finished the week with a confidence-boosting marathon-specific session!Ned enjoyed a planned down week as he nervously awaited a 35km progressive run over the weekend around his favorite loop.Even though I’m the host of this podcast I personally enjoy sitting back and listening to everyone’s weeks. It’s great to see everyone adapting and pushing through their unique challenges!And a little teaser for next week— we might just have an Intro for the podcast, possibly featuring a 'B-side' from Aaron’s rockstar past! So stay tuned for that!

Welcome back to Episode 4 of the Run Culture podcast mini-series, “Boom or Bust!” Join us as we track the journey of four athletes gearing up for the 2025 Ballarat Marathon, just under seven weeks away! This week, we have Kate Mason sharing her experience from a tin shed during a storm at school camp in Dartmoor—talk about dedication! While she faces a down week due to camp and a frustrating workout on Friday, her spirit remains unbroken.Ned Verwey updates us on his dietitian appointment and his impressive long run on Sunday, truly living up to our podcast's title! Meanwhile, Aaron ‘Throbber’ Sim continues to crush it with a solid 3 by 5k workout at goal marathon pace, preparing for a head-to-head showdown with Dane at the Inverloch half marathon next weekend.Dane Verwey wraps up the episode with details of his consistent week, including a double threshold session and a marathon workout with Pete on the bike. While he’s pleased with his endurance, he’s working on finding that extra speed.We hope you're enjoying the show! We’d love to hear your thoughts or any listener questions for next week's episode! #RunCulture #BoomOrBust #BallaratMarathon2025

Guess what? It’s time for Episode Two of “Ballarat Marathon Buildups!” I’m excited to have Aaron, Kate, and Ned back on the show. This episode starts with our favorite training sessions and workouts that help us gauge our fitness.Ned and Aaron then detail their first marathon-specific workouts, while ‘Kate 5am Mason’ shares the crazy things she sees during her early runs (I still can’t believe what she saw in the ocean?!) She also shares a powerful lesson from her Gold Coast marathon experience when she faced ‘heat stroke.’Unfortunately we lost the last 10 minutes of the recording due to a software glitch (one technologically savvy person had so many podcast recordings saved to their computer that their storage reached capacity, sorry all!) Nonetheless, Dane, jumps back on and wraps it up with details of another motivating training week! We cover a lot in this episode, and I hope you find it entertaining! All 4 of us would love to hear your thoughts! Drop your listener questions or name suggestions in the comments below.

NEW EPISODE OUT TODAY!‘Marathon Excellence for Everyone’ — with John Davis.Back by very popular demand… John Davis returns to the Run Culture Podcast!Last month, John released his new book ‘Marathon Excellence for Everyone’, and today we dive straight into how to build a smart, adaptable marathon training plan.If you heard John’s first appearance (Ep 52, Season 2: What is Full Spectrum Training?), you’ll know why it became one of our most-shared episodes ever. So many runners reshaped how they structured their training after that chat. Today is the perfect extension of that hit episode — but focused entirely on marathon training.We unpack key ideas from Chapter 7, including:• how to structure a marathon plan from the finish line backwards• supportive vs. specific phases• long tempos, Kenyan progressions & double-threshold balance• how to make confident decisions when sculpting your plan• the principles behind the workouts that actually matter.If you’re a marathoner or coach wanting clarity, insight, and practical guidance — this one’s gold. Tune in, enjoy it, and if it helps you, send John a thank-you. He’s incredibly generous with his knowledge. About John J. DavisJohn J. Davis is a coach, writer & scientist with 12+ years of experience coaching runners from beginners to elite-field competitors. He holds a Ph.D. in human performance and has presented internationally on running injuries and performance. He owns a 2:29 marathon PB. Links Buy the Book Amazon (US): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNRPHLRY Amazon (Metric): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNRPHLRY(Available on most local Amazon sites) Book Landing PagesMarathonExcellence.comMarathonExcellence.com (Metric) John’s WorkWebsite: RunningWritings.comNewsletter: RunningWritings.com/newsX/Twitter: @JDRunsInstagram: @runningwritings