Tales from the Valley Podcast

TFTV - 3k PB, Rolled Ankle Chaos & Desperate Housewives

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.

TFTV Rat Race ft. Angela Jebb & Liam Mahoney

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.

TFTV Rat Race ft. Harm Schaap & Jessica Burke

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 jogsAll 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.

TFTV Rat Race ft. Stefan Deane-Smith & Sam Jones

Sam catches up with Sam Jones & Stefan Deane-Smith ahead of the Ballarat Marathon weekend, where both are lining up in the Half Marathon with similar goals — and likely to push each other all the way.
Sam Jones is coming in hot off a strong start to the season, clocking two big PBs: dropping his 1500m from 4:03 to 3:56, and running 14:44 for 5000m at State Champs. His preparation for Ballarat has been very targeted, with plenty of threshold work under JT Running and alongside Greg Frost. He also recaps a lighter race week heading into the Wollongong Fitness 5, where he cracked the top 10 in a stacked field.
Stefan Deane-Smith reflects on a solid block that included a 2:36 at Valencia Marathon. He’s confident there’s more to come over the marathon distance but has shifted focus toward Ballarat with some serious sessions: a Mona Fartlek (6.2km), a 3k tempo, and a tough 10 x 1k set averaging 3:15/km off one-minute recovery.
Sam also breaks down another big training week: 10 miles at marathon effort (4:05/km), a demanding track session (4k @ 3:32, 4 x 400m in 77s, plus 10 minutes at 3:48/km), capped off with a 34km long run.
Café Kit of the Week
Nike Vaporfly 4s
Vicks Shower Drops
Bandit Split Shorts
News & Events
Wollongong Running Festival is coming up on June 7
Use code SAMH20 for a discount
Plus, a quick recap of Run Wollongong from the past weekend

Cafe Kit of the Month (ep 3)

Riley joins us back on the podcast and gives us an update on his training, then reviews:
 
- Asics Megablast
- Precision Carb Mix
- On Zero Half Tights

TFTV Rat Race ft. Dane Ottesen & Liam Manton

Sam catches up with Dane Ottesen and Liam Manton just two weeks out from the Ballarat Marathon.
The last time we spoke with Dane was after his 2:46 marathon debut at Ballarat last year. Since then, he’s settled into a new routine with JT Running and built into this block while balancing a new job and fresh Sydney Park routes. Dane talks us through his latest week, featuring a session of 6 minutes, 7 x 600m, 6 minutes, and a big Sunday long run of 30km at 4:12/km, including marathon effort blocks of 8k, 6k, and 4k. He’s lining up with his sights firmly set on breaking 2:40.
Liam last joined us after his marathon PB at the Sunshine Coast Marathon. Since then, he’s dipped well into the 16-minute range for 5k and tackled the Gold Coast 50k. Now working with coach Sarah Billings, Liam has put together an impressive marathon block—consistently hitting his paces and stacking multiple 3-hour long runs. He recaps a week including kilometre reps and a long run with marathon pace work, also targeting sub-2:40.
Sam rounds out the episode with a solid 98km week, including 8 x 1km at 3:37/km, some quality track work, and a 36km long run.
Café Kit of the Week
Nike Lava Loop Half Tights
Satisfy Running Hat
ASICS Metaspeed Edge
Shoutouts & NewsTFTV are proud to be ambassadors for the Wollongong Running Festival: https://www.wollongongrunningfestival.com/Use code SAMH20 for 20% off
Mitch gives a quick preview of Run Wollongong on April 18th: https://runwollongong.com.au/
We also recap the Canberra Marathon, including a 4th place finish from Myles Gough and strong performances in the 10k from Brad Croker and Greg Frost.

TFTV Rat Race ft. Mitch Ryan & Josh Engel

Ballarat is getting closer and the marathon builds are starting to peak 🏃‍♂️
Sam catches up with Mitch Ryan & Josh Engel to break down their training ahead of Ballarat.
Mitch RyanMitch reflects on his Valencia Marathon build from last year where Achilles issues made things challenging. Since then he’s been patiently building back up and getting consistent again. Before locking in for Sydney Marathon later this year, Mitch is planning to pace the Wollongong crew chasing 2:40 for as long as he can before finishing off his own race.
His week totaled 95km, highlighted by 30 minutes on the track Tuesday running around 3:20/km pace.
Josh EngelJosh is fully committed to this marathon block, putting the shorter racing aside through summer and focusing solely on the build. He’s added strength work plus quicker midweek long runs to make sure he’s strong deep into the marathon.
His week included:• 16km either side of marathon pace at the Crit Track averaging 3:43/km• A Blue Mountains long run with nearly 1,000m of climbing, still sticking to the workout and matching marathon effort across the hills
Sam HodgesAnother strong week banked for the Shellharbour Marathon build with 96km on the board.
Key sessions included:• A compromised workout in hot conditions featuring 3k, 2k, 1k at roughly 3:45/km off 2 mins rest, followed by 4km at marathon pace• Sunday’s 31km long run including 4 x 4km right on 4:05/km pace
☕ Café Kit of the Week• Adidas Boston 13• ASICS Sonicblast• K Tape for chafe• Squirrel Nut Butter• Blacksheep Singlet
📣 Shoutouts & News• TFTV will be ambassadors for the Wollongong Running Festivalhttps://www.wollongongrunningfestival.com/Use code SAMH20 for 20% off
• Mitch chats through Run Wollongong on April 18thhttps://runwollongong.com.au/
• Check out Wollongong Track Club on Instagram if you want to line up with elites like Tommy De Canto, Gen Gregson, Jye Edwards, Luke Hince and Eloise Wellings while chasing a sub-20 5k
• Mitch shouts out Kristina from Coast to Mountain Running & Lauren Mitchell for the work they’re doing to bring more females into running. Tuesday mornings at Beaton Park Track have become a fantastic starting point for women joining the sport.
• Josh shouts out wife Hannah as she gears up for her first Half Marathon 👏

TFTV Rat Race ft. Mel Jefferis & Pete Naseby

TFTV Rat Race – Ballarat Build (5 Weeks Out) 🎙️
Sam catches up with past guests Mel Jefferis & Pete Naseby as the Ballarat Marathon edges closer.
Mel is gearing up for the Half Marathon and building strong after overcoming hamstring issues. She takes us through her recent block, including an 86km week featuring sessions like 6 x 1k + 4 x 400, 3 x 10 mins, and a 2-hour long run. She’s lining up with confidence and chasing a PB in Ballarat.
Pete is set for the full marathon, joining a strong contingent of Illawarra locals. Off the back of a 3:04 in Sydney, he’s targeting improvement with a consistent block — highlighted by a 93km week, including 15 x 400m off 30s and a big 37km day incorporating the Huskisson Elite Energy Half (1:29) after 13km pre-fatigue.
Sam also shares his own prep for Shellharbour, with a 99km week including:• 16 x 400m @ 3:26 (45” rest)• 4 x 2k @ 3:45 (500m jog)• 34km long run + 2 gym sessions
Café Kit of the Week ☕️Running gear that doubles as post-run swim kit:• Nike Vomero Plus• 250ml pop top
Ballarat is coming 👀