Tales from the Valley Podcast ft. Brad Dryburgh

Gear up for a packed episode this week as Sam and Katie chat with Brad Dryburgh. Brad hosts his own podcast, A Lot to Talk About, but today we focus on his running journey.

Brad shares his experiences living with cystic fibrosis, which didn’t hinder him too much until he was 18, when he began to experience lung-related effects. His distance running journey started with the Active Boys (the previous name of Never Lazy Run Club), where he completed a month of 5km runs. Afterward, he had a health episode and found himself in the hospital. Determined to complete a marathon and raise funds for cystic fibrosis research, he launched 42forCF, preparing for his first marathon in just a few months. Brad started running four times a week and hitting the gym twice a week. However, another episode occurred a month before the race, forcing him to begin an early taper.

On race day, Brad completed 42.2km in 4:17, an unforgettable achievement for him and his family. He continued with 42forCF, completing multiple marathons and raising over $100,000 for cystic fibrosis research and development, while also improving his marathon time to 3:55 at the Melbourne Marathon in 2022.

Sam has returned from New Zealand after an exhausting week spent in four different cities. He feels he has turned a corner, with his pacing improving. He completed his Sunday long run in Taupo, logging 102km for the week, along with a gym session and 27 holes of golf.

Katie also caught the travel bug and has been in Bali. Now back, she’s resumed treadmill sessions while battling the humidity, totalling 70km for the week and showing a lot of positive signs.

Brad was gearing up for the Shellharbour Marathon this week, but due to issues with gout, he is now planning for a marathon in early to mid-2025. He discusses his typical training structure and considers whether he should introduce speed work into his routine to further improve his personal best.