Cheeky Run Club

Sydney Marathon debrief with Jess Stenson

• Anna Coldham

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Hello and happy Monday :)

 We had the absolute privilege of sitting down with the one and only Jess Stenson again – this time for all things Marathon related.

We picked her brain about her performance at the Sydney Marathon event, from preparation to crossing the finish line, mental toughness and the difference a crowd makes, and even what her go-to cereal is before a race!

 And with the World Athletic Championships this week, we’ll keep you up to date on any big developments on our socials too – so be sure to give us a follow!

LINKS:

- Register for our Melbourne Marathon shakeout run with Lululemon here

- For all World Athletics Champs content check out @straightatit instagram page here

-   Read Jess’s Sydney Marathon recap blog post here

-   Check out our latest Substack, ‘The ‘good enough’ marathon diaries’.

-   Grab a Cheeky jumper for yourself here!

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts + Instagram, TikTok, Substack, Phoebe's Strava + Anna's Strava, and join our Strava community 🩵

Music produced by Hugh Raper & logo design by Michael Cotellessa. Podcast edited by Kiara Martin.

Anna intro/interview:

Cheeky Run Club recognizes that every day we live, work, and run on Aboriginal land.

Phoebe intro/interview:

This episode is sponsored by Lululemon supporting cheeky Runners every step of the way.

Anna intro/interview:

Welcome to Cheeky Run Club, the social running podcast, and community for your everyday amateur runner. Hello, Phoebe.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Hello, Anna.

Anna intro/interview:

and hello, listeners.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Today we are going to be interviewing the one and only. The great Jess Stenson. Woo-hoo. Woo. Get so excited. The crowd favorite, the Poho favorite.

Anna intro/interview:

my favorite,

Phoebe intro/interview:

Anna's personal favorite. Um, we're gonna be chatting to Jess, everything about Sydney Marathon running in general and asking a bunch of listener

Anna intro/interview:

Mm.

Phoebe intro/interview:

but before we get into that, as always, we're gonna kick it off with our best and worst runs of the week. Anna, give me your best run running

Anna intro/interview:

activity this week.

Phoebe intro/interview:

this week also. Um, we did it. We did it. We

Anna intro/interview:

Okay. We just went through that whole intro unscripted and I reckon if we didn't just say, you probably wouldn't have

Phoebe intro/interview:

realized that was really

Anna intro/interview:

I had to close my eyes'cause I felt like if I looked at you then I'd get distracted, but I was like, I know this, I

Phoebe intro/interview:

this. No, we did it. That was actually fun. Yeah,

Anna intro/interview:

that was fun.

Phoebe intro/interview:

It was

Anna intro/interview:

that

Phoebe intro/interview:

of, a bit of an adrenaline rush.

Anna intro/interview:

Just keeping things

Phoebe intro/interview:

interesting. Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

my best running related activity this week would have to be a walk run that I did. I got to do a walk run as approved by the physio, which is just like a two minute jog or a little bit faster than a jog just because

Phoebe intro/interview:

oh yeah. I

Anna intro/interview:

that my glutes will fly more if I run a bit faster. I got told that pretty much from just jogging and running slowly. That's why my, well, one of the contributing factors to my injury. So that was fun to run a little bit faster and then do a little walk. it was sore, but it didn't really get worse throughout and I am gonna try another one tomorrow.

Phoebe intro/interview:

I feel like those walk runs always feel so bad anyway. Running faster. I

Anna intro/interview:

I

Phoebe intro/interview:

can't imagine that would've felt good. Or was it, did it actually feel a little bit better?

Anna intro/interview:

It definitely felt better. I mean, I'm just, I think on the back of being sick and also not running for four months now, and even when I was running, I was barely running. Yeah. I am just, I'm so unfit like it is. So I really, really empathize with people who just say that running's really hard because it, honestly, even two minutes I'm like, oh my God, this

Phoebe intro/interview:

hard. It's feeling really

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah. Which is kind of crazy.

Phoebe intro/interview:

I mean,

Anna intro/interview:

It's not crazy, but it's just like, I don't know. I would hate to tell myself 18 months ago that this is how I would

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. But then also maybe think of you in 18 months time. True. When you're like, that was just the start of the journey. And it can feel a bit like overwhelming looking ahead, but So you've now got another one. Tomorrow.

Anna intro/interview:

Got another one

Phoebe intro/interview:

it's gonna be two in a week already. Huge. That is really exciting. Oh, I'm so happy for you. Yeah,

Anna intro/interview:

Yes, very exciting. And what was your best run or running related activity?

Phoebe intro/interview:

Mine was my Monday morning run. Nice. Which Monday mornings never get a shout on it for Best run of the week.

Anna intro/interview:

No, they don't.

Phoebe intro/interview:

But this was absolute best run of the week. I ran with our Spanish correspondence. Well, respondents and her husband. Yeah. Nick and Naz moved back to Melbourne.

Anna intro/interview:

Woo-hoo. The crowd goes wild.

Phoebe intro/interview:

it was just so fun having them back on runs. It's so nice having them back. It's so nice. Yeah. They're staying with you at the moment. Yeah. So you're getting some extra special, extra time. But yeah, from a Monday run, it just felt like the vibes were back. Yeah, energy was back. I was really, because my, well we mentioned in my worst run of the week over the weekend, I would had been feeling like really tired and sore, because of that run. And then but Monday I was like, oh, I feel completely fine, fully recovered, like so that was, that was quite nice as well. Little bonus. Was it

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah, definitely. And

Phoebe intro/interview:

And yeah, I just was running home from that run and I was like, God, I feel great. I'm so what a week? You know, when you're like excited for the week all of a sudden. Yeah. Which I'd been

Anna intro/interview:

that is the best

Phoebe intro/interview:

Super overwhelmed. Like Sunday night, Monday morning, then post that run. I was like, we're good. We're good. It was really nice.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah, I'm glad.

Phoebe intro/interview:

What was your worst running related?

Anna intro/interview:

mine was just same as last week. This bloody RSV has got me so good. I mean, I'm like starting to get better, but, I, I don't know. I feel like it wasn't that long ago, I think it was two weeks ago, you said, oh, you have a really strong immune system. Yeah. And I pretty much since then have been sleeping 12 plus hours a night. I only just started this week to be able to like, make myself food. Yeah. Actually wild. Anyway, so, yeah, that's, it can go in the bin.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. God imagine if I'd got an RSVI would not have slipped. Just tell the tale.

Anna intro/interview:

no. Oh no. You

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah,

Anna intro/interview:

have. I know. I am glad that I didn't see you when I was,

Phoebe intro/interview:

in the depths of it. Do you think,'cause you can get vaccinated against it, right? Do you?

Anna intro/interview:

you can. It costs, I mean, I would be fine now'cause I'd be protected for a few months, but then it costs$300. Yeah. but in saying that, I would, I actually reckon I would, I would rather pay$300 than have the last two weeks. Again. what was your worst run or running related activity? My

Phoebe intro/interview:

My worst run was my long run.

Anna intro/interview:

Mm

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh

Anna intro/interview:

Oh no. I like these better when they were in your best runs of the

Phoebe intro/interview:

I know, I know. My goal is to get them back in my best runs of the week. It was definitely better than the long run the previous week. Yeah. it was so much better. as in the previous week, I obviously just like I gave up on trying to do the paces. Yeah. This week I finished it, like I did the whole two hours, 45 minutes. There were four efforts in there. Yeah. I did them all, even if some of the efforts were like not very much faster than I was running for the rest of the run. it was just mentally and physically so hard, hard, like it's.

Anna intro/interview:

I

Phoebe intro/interview:

forgot how tough those big long runs can be in marathon training. Like even if I am,'cause the good, the good thing is I actually am feeling quite fit outside of that. Yeah. Like in my other runs, I'm really noticing like my heart rate's lower, I'm feeling like fitter, which is feels really nice. It's like really nice, but it doesn't mean those long runs are easy. They're still so hard. I also, I've been thinking about, our friend Izzy Hume actually was messaging me about she's on, has been on holidays and running and like just how easy running's felt. And we were talking about the mental load of work and how that can impact your perceived fatigue when running, which we spoke a little bit about last year in the lead up to Berlin. Um, and I think I'm really feeling that at the moment. It's so much harder to I feel like I'm mentally pushing myself so

Anna intro/interview:

in like Every facet of

Phoebe intro/interview:

cap life. Yeah. And then I just get to those runs and I'm running by myself and it's so hot and I'm like, I'm trying so hard to push myself, but my brain

Anna intro/interview:

I like don't

Phoebe intro/interview:

screw this. Yeah. Yeah. I don't have that same like energy

Anna intro/interview:

a bit of a reprieve.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yes, I do. Which I, because I'm racing next weekend, next week I've got like a full tape a week

Anna intro/interview:

Oh, of course.

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah. So that'll be great. And even this weekend, my long run is two hours, which feels like.

Anna intro/interview:

That

Phoebe intro/interview:

is gonna feel so easy. Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

Which is kind of crazy'cause that is such a long time.

Phoebe intro/interview:

And if it was literally not that long ago, that two hour runs were, I was finding really hard. Yeah. And now two hours feels like I hit two hours and I'm like, yeah, yeah. All good, all good. Like,

Anna intro/interview:

I could bloody join you.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

quite two

Phoebe intro/interview:

run for two hours. but yeah, I, that will be my longest run. I won't do any runs that hard again between

Anna intro/interview:

I feel like there's confidence to get from that and being like, okay, we have crossed over the hill. we're

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh, I think so. I think so. And,

Anna intro/interview:

And also that the fact, sorry to interrupt, but the fact that you were solo in Queensland as well, which is quite a lot hotter and more humid than it is here. And also you did it on the Friday, which you'd done a session on the Thursday and then again

Phoebe intro/interview:

on the Yes. I had, I'd actually done already two sessions that week. Yeah. So, and I think coming out the other side, not injured, not sick right now. Yeah. I like, feels good.'cause I'm like, okay, yeah. I've ticked that off. It's now like a. Normal week into an easy week into like a few gen Yeah. Gentle weeks and then some marathon. Woohoo.

Anna intro/interview:

Oh, I'm so excited. Crazy. Also, we need to talk. Woo-hoo. I've done it like

Phoebe intro/interview:

Have you been Woo Hooing

Anna intro/interview:

episode. I'm gonna be a woo-hoo girl.

Phoebe intro/interview:

so excited because we had just about to send a zoom link to Jess and get her on the call. Yay.

Anna intro/interview:

Yay. We'll be right back in your ears.

Phoebe intro/interview:

go? Okay. We are very excited to have We are very excited to have Jess Stinson back on the podcast to chat through her experience of the Sydney Marathon and to answer some listener questions about preparing for a marathon and also running in general.

Anna intro/interview:

For anyone who needs a reminder, Jess is one of Australia's best ever distance runners who has run professionally for over 10 years. She's a Triple Commonwealth Games medalist, has been to three Olympics, including finishing 12th in Paris last year. A mother to Billy and Ellie, a physiotherapist, writer, coach, and all round legend. Jess, great to have you back on. Cheeky. How are you?

Jess interview:

Good. Thanks. Well, that was a bit of a stretch, putting right in there.

Anna intro/interview:

I, I would say writer.

zoom audio/video:

writer,

Phoebe intro/interview:

We thought a fun question to kick us off might be, I mean, we like to start the episodes by going through our best and worst runs of the week, so we wanna hear about your best and worst runs. Over the last week, post Sydney Marathon,

Jess interview:

so there have been two, two runs. So I guess the worst one was the first one, um, which was on Sunday. So a whole week post-race. I was actually gonna get out on the bike. but. I don't know. I woke up that morning, I was like, maybe I'm feeling a little bit better. Because up until that point, walking had been pretty painful. And to be honest, still, when I get into a kneeling position, I try to get my bottom to my heels. It hurts. It's like the stretch on my quads or kind of feels like the compartment just, it's too tight. Um, but. Sunday, I was feeling a little bit better. I was like, let's just see how running feels. And it, it was pretty messy to start with. Like I, I felt like I was in the final stages of the marathon again, just like having trouble lifting my knees. I thought I'll just push on. We went down a hill and I, I walked. And then Dylan, my husband, my sister-in-law, Sarah sort of came back to me and I was like, oh, I don't know guys. But got going and I ended up going for about eight Ks and it got better towards the end. And then I woke up better for it on Monday. and so then I ran this morning and it was a little bit better. I feel like it's gonna exponentially improve from now on, but it just feels like. Terrible Doms and a bit of like a dead, like they're just not very active.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Wow. How does that compare to how you normally pull up post marathon?

zoom audio/video:

I

Jess interview:

probably could run fairly comfortable two or three days after Tokyo Marathon, which was. Earlier this year, um, I remember being really uncomfortable. my first and second ever marathons back in 2012. I remember. It was sort of walk for a week, so I pulled up really badly then, but that was before shoes were what they are today. I pulled up really sore after Birmingham in 2022 and New York, so definitely the hills makes it more painful, but this is the worst. I've pulled up still like usually a week afterwards, I can jog fairly comfortably.

Anna intro/interview:

yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

my gosh. Well, we'll obviously talk through the race itself and you know, why, why that might be. But before we do, we wanted to sort of start by talking through the lead up to the race and like what was your goal coming into Sydney and did you have sort of a race plan or, or strategy

Jess interview:

I knew Sydney's course was hilly and technical, and I was really looking forward to that. And to be honest, I loved the course. Even though it was a tough day out, I, it was one of my favorite. Courses of the 18 or so that I've done, and I really wanna go back to the event, knowing the ins and outs of the course now and being able to prepare for that properly. my goal was really to be competitive in the race rather than think about. A time. So there was obviously the, the overall race where we had, you know, Shan was probably a favorite up there with Bridged cos guy and then there was the Australian championships within that. But I really just wanted to focus on placing as high as I could in the field overall and. Treating it like a championship race. I wasn't focusing so much on splits in training. It was more about just getting myself, yeah, ready for a, a tactical, race. But as it was, I, I didn't probably appreciate house. Steep, the downhills were going to be in the first five Ks. there were a few reasons why I couldn't do as many hills as I wanted in my prep. I had some niggles, a patella tendon and a hamstring tendon injury. So I was avoiding hills to protect, those areas. But I thought I'd. Still done enough to prepare for an undulating course, but I think going forward I'll need to just belt down some downhills in training to really condition my legs for that part.

Anna intro/interview:

Part. Yeah. It's funny, isn't it?'cause I feel like most of the time when we think of hills and training for hills, you always think of training going up

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah,

Anna intro/interview:

yeah.

Jess interview:

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking for this race. I just didn't think I'd really need specific conditioning for the. Downhill segments, but I also didn't realize just how steep those early downhills were going to be. It was sort of almost a situation where your arms are flying. Similar to, um, after 30 Ks in the Paris Olympics course, there was a really steep downhill, I'd been in St. Mar's for three weeks prior, and I think that training prepared me really well. For that part of the course. Adelaide just doesn't have those everyday ups and downs in training that I, I had in St. Maritz's. Like everyone you do basically has some sort of heel, whether it be sharp or just a, a little one. So yeah, going forward I now appreciate that some of the hilly marathons I've done the St. Maritz's training beforehand. It wasn't just the altitude effect on my. Um, sort of heart and lungs. It was the conditioning of my legs. that was probably a benefit of that

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh wow. Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

That's so interesting,

Phoebe intro/interview:

That's such good insight.

Anna intro/interview:

the few days leading up to the marathon for everyone can be an anxious time and super nerve wracking with travel and minor hiccups, things not necessarily going to plan. was there anything in particular that went wrong in the lead up to Sydney and how do you deal with these little inconveniences and adversities that may come your way pre-race?

Jess interview:

It's a good question. I actually, typically there is something that comes up. So if I think of, before Paris, for example, I rolled my ankle on the Monday of race week and it kind of blew up and I was icing it and. It ended up being fine on the race, but it becomes a distraction and something I get really hyper-focused on and it kind of takes my mind off the race and leading up to Sydney, it was all just going s smoothly in race become, oh no. I always feel like this is making me more nervous. I'm used to having something. It takes my attention. One thing that happened was on the Thursday morning, prior to the race, we had a press conference and afterwards we were all outside and the media wanted to take some photos and the final photo in front of Sydney Harbor Bridge, a little gust of wind came and. Plucked my bib out of my hand and went straight into the harbor and I thought, oh, do I jump?

Anna intro/interview:

Oh, you race

Jess interview:

it was right there. There's, yeah, I, it wouldn't have been a good idea. Like it was quite a

Anna intro/interview:

if

Jess interview:

drop off, but it was

Phoebe intro/interview:

you imagine the photos, if you jumped and ended up in the harbor going after your,

Jess interview:

But I knew it had my chip in it. And um, so it was a waterproof bib, so it was, it was floating and you could kind of see boats off in the distance. Anyway, the team worked so hard to make me a new bib. They got, basically, they couldn't reprint the bib. They had to just go to a printer and print something that looked like the front of the bib and stuck it on a timing chip. And then the Australians all had a little green and gold stripped down the sides. They got like, I think they went to office works and got some art and craft things and made me a new bib. And it was all a bit of a. A bit of a drama. so that was a hiccup, but that was just funny. I think the way you deal with those things is to acknowledge that it's, it's pretty common for, for something to occur. And if, if it is a situation like rolling your ankle, you have. To do everything, within your power to, to get it right for race day. And it doesn't matter if you train really on race week. So it's the ultimate time to actually just rest and, and let it heal and, try and turn it into a positive and say, well, this is forced extra rest that'll freshen me up. Um, sometimes those little hiccups actually take the pressure off you a bit.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah,

Jess interview:

you have to just try and reframe them in a a positive way.

Anna intro/interview:

yeah, yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah, that's a nice way to think about it. what about the morning of the race, I guess Sydney specifically, like how are you feeling? How is your energy? And then generally do you do anything to focus yourself or get your head in the game? Any sort of pre-race rituals? Yeah,

Jess interview:

Yeah, I like to read messages from sort of family, um, members, close friends, my coach, um, on the, like, typically there's a bus ride to the start line, so before Sydney, uh, I was just sort of sitting on my own and reading through some of those messages. And I got this, um, text from Dylan. So I'd left our bedroom at three. 40 5:00 AM and the kids were still asleep. Um, but Dylan was sort of like, oh, the best. And went and had Breck jumped on the bus and he sends through this, message and it was just black. It was clearly like they were, it was dark in the bedroom, but it was Ellie's voice, so she's nearly two now. And it was just mommy. And it was like, run fast. She's just becoming a bit of a chatter box. I just, and I just started like. Getting really, um, teary on the bus and I shut my phone. I was like, I don't need to read any more messages. Like,

Anna intro/interview:

I'm

Jess interview:

I'm ready to go on the inspiration front. Like that really got me. And so did a few stretches when we got there. We all had a little pigeonhole that we popped our bags in. Um, went for a warmup, jog with Leanne and. I think there was someone else with us there. Maybe it was Tom Middleton who'd been designated as the Pacer. So he's a run crew athlete who had had the flu leading up to the race. And so his coach, Ben St. Lawrence, who was sort of helping to coordinate the elite field, he said, well, Tom, do you wanna

zoom audio/video:

Come

Jess interview:

in in a different role and um, actually pace the women? And so I think. Ben sort of said, what pace would you like? And I was like, I'm not really thinking too much about paces. He is like, I'll check with the other girls. And so it ended up being, um. Three 20 fives, like 2 24 pace. But anyway, we warmed up. it was a tiny little strip up and down, a few laps, and then everyone sort of does some drills and we had to go off separately, Leanne, Lisa and I, and three of the men, because we got introduced through a little LED archway to the start line. It was, it was pretty nerve wracking because. You kind of, there was a bit of a dissociation between what was being said on the mic and like a bit of a delay. You didn't really know when you were actually meant to run out. You're like, oh no, if I just popped out too soon. But, yeah, it was a cool novelty.

Anna intro/interview:

That reminds me of at, Paris of the Athletics and you know, in the finals how they do that thing and they introduce them and they come out and there's like smoking lights. Oh, that was really cool. That was cool. But it'd be so nerve wracking.

Jess interview:

Yeah, no one kind of had a, a specific action or

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah,

Jess interview:

that they pulled. We were all just sort of,

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah. You should have prepared A little move to

Anna intro/interview:

A little dance move or something.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah.

zoom audio/video:

Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

now getting into the race itself, if there was one, what was the best moment of the race for you?

zoom audio/video:

you?

Jess interview:

I mean, I was so excited to run across, um, the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I actually, like, I've been to Sydney quite a few times, but I haven't seen the Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge up close that many times. Like to me, it's still a bit magical and still. Definitely, yeah. It takes you straight back to the Olympics and it, it feels to me like a really sporting, there's sporting connections to it because of the Sydney Olympics. So I was hanging out to run over the bridge and it was really cool, like the gun fired. We, as we said, flew down here. I remember, um, Leanne was beside me on the downhill and I was like. This is crazy. Like we were just sort of surviving down the hill and then rolled up and over the bridge and that was sort of this silent moment. There weren't really spectators there. And then we came down the other side and you started to hear the cheers and. I did spot Dylan and the kids early on, so that was a really cool moment. I loved that sort of city section. Um, going around Hyde Park and then up Oxford Street. They had a pride corner. There were just people on megaphones yelling out and lots of sort of signs and people yelling are names because it was obviously an Australian race. I hadn't. Really considered before the race, how many people would actually be yelling at your name, kind of like they knew you. And then, yeah, so my brother Jack and, um, Sarah, his wife, and Hugo, I, I was happy with just how many people I actually spotted out there. and then Centennial, I love parks and it was as. Beautiful as I imagined, even though my legs were falling off at that point, I, um, I remember thinking, okay, this is going to be a really tough slog from here because at that stage, my quads had both really tightened up and weren't giving me much, but there was a Lululemon cheer zone at I was 31 or 32, like right as I was starting to think, I don't know if I'm gonna make it. And that was that their raws were unbelievable.

Phoebe intro/interview:

They would've

Jess interview:

the pack was sizable, but it wasn't crazy. But the amount of noise that pack of people

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh,

Anna intro/interview:

we are gen. That's so cool.

zoom audio/video:

cool.

Jess interview:

yeah, that, that was great. And then another highlight obviously was just crossing the line. I hadn. had the race I'd hoped for in that I really wanted to be strong and roll down Oxford Street. And then I thought that Mrs. Macquarie's chair section at the end, which was a bit hilly, I kind of had been visualizing myself. Just being strong through that section, and instead, I was everything, but I, I really, just battled to stay on my feet. So crossing the line was just such a relief. And then seeing Leanne and what she'd achieved, I was just, I was so happy for her. she really just absolutely nailed it. And, yeah, just, it was so cool to see her happiness in that moment too, when I crossed the line.

Phoebe intro/interview:

that is very special. I was gonna ask maybe, um, for any listeners who didn't follow along or haven't unlike us read your race blog, which they definitely should, do you wanna just give us a, high level like Overview of the race, like when the pain kind of hit, and then how you finished up as well?

Jess interview:

Yeah, I like, I like to write down all of those memories. It helps me to sort of reflect and then share how I felt with my coach Adam, so that then we can look at what areas we can improve on. And what really sort of stood out to me when I was writing that was that initial tightness came on, on the side of the patella tendon issue I'd had. It was after. Those initial downhills, so probably I think it was before 10 Ks. And that information's really helpful because if we look at, you know, the footwear I was wearing, which was like a new iteration and fueling all of those things, like they don't even come into play at that point. So it was clearly a conditioning thing. So it was valuable to sort of. Note that, um, so that's when the tightness came on in my right side. I was like, oh, well at least that muscle's firing and tried to stay positive.

Anna intro/interview:

Glass half full.

Jess interview:

hopefully it is just one of those things that will just settle as the race goes on. But instead it did just. To keep getting, a bit worse and it wasn't affecting my, pace at all. So I was able to work up that climb, at Oxford Street and then you roll onto Anzac Parade and we had a really good pack. It was. So Tom, as I said, was, um, pacing. There were a few other guys. There was a Japanese athlete, her soda. She was just, ticking along really nicely and, and Leanne was there, in the pack. And we would just, it felt pretty relaxed. We were all just moving and enjoying, the atmosphere. And, um, yes, there was discomfort there, but I didn't feel like it was affecting my pace. I just had to deal with. The discomfort. And then it was 25 to 27. I was like, oh, it's actually, it's on both sides now and it's starting to feel a bit like weak as well. And then by the time we got into Centennial Park at 30, I was like. Okay. It's actually, I, I'm not, um, getting as much bounce out of my legs now. And, um, that's when I dropped off the pack and it was just a bit of a solo effort from there and I was so determined to finish and because there was so much support out there, it made. What could have been like a decision to step to the side, just that wasn't an option. I was like, I've gotta do this, and just kept on trying to enjoy the cheers, but I couldn't really look at anyone or smile like usual. I had to just concentrate so hard to keep moving forward.

Anna intro/interview:

yeah. Wow.

zoom audio/video:

Wow.

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah, maybe let's talk about, and we should say you still finished second Australian

Anna intro/interview:

and eighth overall.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. So pretty incredible effort for that to be, the result there considering how much pain you were in. but let's maybe talk through some of the darker moments in the race, like wanna really understand what that is like for you. Maybe to come back to like that first moment when you started realizing you were falling off the pace and they weren't firing so well. where does your head go when you start to feel that slipping away?

Jess interview:

I think you go into a race with your a goal, and that was to be really competitive throughout. And 30 ks was actually where I wanted to start pushing. And instead at that point it was like, okay, it's not possible today, unfortunately. But the next goal is to just make sure I finish as strong as I can. So. I think you've gotta just make that call and not be disappointed or not have too much emotion associated with it that will drain your energy. You just have to go into action mode. It's like, okay, so what do I need to do now? I need to keep fueling. I've got someone said they were gonna be cheering at this point. Let's just get to that point and focus on your form and relaxing. And my mind admittedly, at particularly 34, 35 was going to. This is, this is really tough. Like, I'm not gonna make it. And I'd start, like, my thoughts would start to spiral and I, for some reason in this race, I can't always do it. I was able to just like, make my mind go blank a few times when that happened, um, which is really handy. Um, but that, I can't always do that for some

Anna intro/interview:

you, how do you do that? Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

What is, yeah,

Jess interview:

Yeah. I, I don't even know. And it happened a couple of times. I could just sort of go blank and. Look at something and, and totally cut that thought pattern. But there was a point where it, that wasn't working anymore. And I kept on saying to myself in the lead up to this race, like, remember you were out there watching the women's marathon at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. You were 12, 13 years old. Um. Like if it gets tough out there, imagine you are on the sidelines watching you run past kind of thing. And so that was something I tried to use to fire me up when I was really battling as well. It's like it doesn't matter and like what it looks like to get to the finish line, but you've just gotta show that you can keep going until you can't kind of thing. So. I did that and it's a bit of a blur from 36 onwards. That's when it became pretty uncomfortable because it was a downhill, and I'd always looked forward to that downhill, but I would've much preferred uphill at that point because, or running backwards or something. And then there was a sharp downhill at around 39, and that's when I had to just.

zoom audio/video:

just, my

Jess interview:

leg sort of buckled a little bit, and I've heard other race reviews and this was pretty calm, and that sharp downhill was really tough for people. But that's when I had to just have a couple of little walking patches just to find my feet and, and keep going. So in those moments, again, it was about not letting emotion in, just thinking, okay, this is what I have to do right now. Follow this process. Get a little bit more energy and then go again and you can spend all the time you like after the race reflecting on it, and I guess critiquing yourself and, and feeling emotion. But in the race, it's just, I think the only emotion you wanna feel is like inspiration to keep going and you can't afford to feel embarrassed either.

zoom audio/video:

I, yeah.

Jess interview:

I remember when I had to walk a little bit in the final downhill, so there was maybe 800 meters to go and the crowds were roaring, and I was like, this, I definitely have my tail between my legs here, but I really need to just gather

Anna intro/interview:

I envisioned.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah.

Jess interview:

and everyone kind of was like, oh. When I started walking and then started jogging in, it was like, yay.

zoom audio/video:

Oh,

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh, that's so nice.

Anna intro/interview:

nice.

Jess interview:

Uh. But yeah, I think that the main thing is to be quite just process focused, the whole way rather than judging what you're doing. You can save that for afterwards, but you can't afford to let all of those other complicated thoughts come in.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. That is such a good way to think about it.'cause I have to say, this maybe sounds silly, but I, I think, I didn't really think about elite runners ever having like doubts when they were running. Not to say that, of course, I know that you'd all find it hard at times, but to even think that, like, that's something, that's something that I battle through like every long run. And then to hear you say that yeah, you are having those thoughts too, and you can just kind of don't like give them too much airtime. Just switch into problem solving. Okay, what can we do right now? yeah, they're

Jess interview:

I think, yeah. The other thing that helps is before the race, really knowing what drives you so that when it gets tough and you're thinking, oh, should I just call it a day? You've gotta remember that, whatever it was that, drives you. And having it like right there to, to think about it. And um, even if it's just. Someone who's been a big part of your prep and, um, thinking of them at the finish line, it's

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh,

Jess interview:

it helps before the race to kind of have those things at the front of your mind to grab them when you need them.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah. When things get hard, they're right there. Yeah. Yeah. so now chatting about the finish, when you did cross the line, you did look like you were in a lot of pain, but there was also just this look of genuine joy on your face when you hugged and congratulated Leanne. how are you feeling in that moment?

zoom audio/video:

you feeling in that moment?

Jess interview:

Yeah, I didn't trust my legs. Like I remember trying to walk over to her

zoom audio/video:

like a,

Jess interview:

like a, a baby calf or something. but yeah, it was. really cool. Like, as I said, the Sydney Opera House, I haven't seen it up close that many times before. And that finish line was so beautiful and I couldn't enjoy it when I was finishing'cause I think I was just looking down. And then I've crossed the line and had a moment and looked up and there was Leanne and the Sydney Opera House and suddenly it was like, this is just, this has happened. And we'd spent a lot of time in in the lead up. And so to see her. Yeah, achieve that goal. It really is. Yeah. And just celebrating with everyone at the finish line, it's, it's such a, a moment that you've worked really hard for and a long time for, and I think you can all just really relate to each other at the finish line.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah, I can imagine as particularly, a marathon finish line over any other ones. You sort of, you know, the battle is between yourself and the road really more so than, you and your other competitors, I guess.

Jess interview:

That's it. Yeah. That's the beauty of the marathon is it is a big thing to kind of beat in itself and everyone's had a big. Sort of adventure to get to the start line. And then the race in itself is another whole story. And it, it just, it draws so much from you that I think when you get to the finish line, everything kind of pours out all the emotions and there's no filter because you just exhausted.

Anna intro/interview:

I will just on that, you did mention in your blog, that the, a marathon finish line is so special because it's when extreme physical exhaustion, greets mental relief and emotional elation. I really love that line, but I was just wondering if you could like talk us through it a little more.

Jess interview:

Yeah. Um. Well, probably if you just watch the videos of people crossing the line, you see those phases, so that physical exhaustion where your body's just, it's, it's pretty empty. Or, you know, some people do finish strong and that's, that's great too, but quite often you cross the line and you just,

Phoebe intro/interview:

Happy for you.

Jess interview:

yeah.

zoom audio/video:

And

Jess interview:

that relief is kind of, we got there because typically there are times when you, you just, you are like, why? Why am I doing this? Or you are sort of writing your retirement speech as you're coming down. Like there are times in a marathon when you're like, I don't think I'll do another one. Um, I think that's quite typical as well. And then you overcome all of those thoughts to get to the finish line. So that's the relief part. And then the elation is probably what I said before, you've just. Done something that's taken so much out of you, and you've got these other people around you who have been either a part of that, the supporters at the finish line, or the, the people who have also just crossed the finish line. And so there's that elation where you just, you're in a bit of disbelief and just so happy that you are there, in that moment. I think you're always just so present. You're not thinking about the future or anything. You just, yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. That is so true. You can't, yeah. You're not thinking about anything else, with that, and, and you spoke before about, just before the race, you got that audio, from your daughter, Ellie, what did it mean to you to have Ellie watching, Billy watching your husband Dylan there, them all at the finish line? Like what was that emotion like when you saw them? Yeah.

Jess interview:

that was really special and fortunately last year, they were there in Paris as well. So it was fun. Almost a year later, kind of having that opportunity again to share the race experience with them, uh, certainly makes a difference. I think of Tokyo earlier this year where it was me and, and my coach, and you sort of cross the line. You're like, alright, cool, and off you go. Whereas.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah.

zoom audio/video:

Yeah.

Jess interview:

whereas when you've got your family there, it probably does bring out a fair bit more emotion. And, um, certainly Dylan, it had been an exhausting few days for him leading up to the race because he was doing a lot of the parenting and running around after, the kids while I was going through the pre-race sort of routines and, um, some of the things that athletes are required to go to. So, uh, it was sort of a moment. To, yeah, just really celebrate with him what we'd both been through together.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah, I can imagine. Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

They would've been so proud of you. Yeah. Yeah.

Jess interview:

Yeah. I mean, Billy was just having a ball at the finish line, pulling faces at the camera, and Ellie didn't know what was going on. It's, uh, it's always funny just to see how, that like they know that I run and that that's sort of what I'm doing for my job, but I don't think. Yeah. They fully understand what's going on.

zoom audio/video:

Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

sort of be nice that ultimately, like they don't really care

zoom audio/video:

Mm.

Jess interview:

Yeah. Like I.

Phoebe intro/interview:

that would help things stay in perspective.

zoom audio/video:

perspective.

Jess interview:

Absolutely. Like I think they must feel my nerves and sense that I'm building up for something sort of big. And they've obviously woken woken up that morning and I'm not there. And Dylan would've said, mom's out running. They're like, oh yeah, that's pretty stock standard. But

zoom audio/video:

yeah,

Jess interview:

them seeing me at the finish line sort of in pain, I just, I don't know what they think of that. They haven't mentioned it since. The race, like Billy hasn't really talked about it, so I think they just sort of watch on and think, oh yeah, this is,

Phoebe intro/interview:

This is

Anna intro/interview:

is

Jess interview:

this is cool.

Anna intro/interview:

Everyone's

zoom audio/video:

mom,

Phoebe intro/interview:

Everyone's moms do this. Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

this. We'll be back again in a few weeks.

Jess interview:

It definitely just, yeah, brings everything back into perspective though, that's for sure. And I think when I crossed the line, a lot of people I saw initially, mom and dad, they were sort of like, oh, people didn't really know what to say. They thought I might be really disappointed, but, I was just so happy. And so then when you show that you are happy, it's like on the day that felt like a win. Everyone else is like, okay, phew.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah, I can

Jess interview:

Off we go.

Anna intro/interview:

what is your number one learning from Sydney? what are you most proud of as well, and, what will you take away to improve on for next time? Aside from the downhills?

Jess interview:

Yeah, that, that's the biggest learning I'd say was just that specific conditioning required for downhills. I, as I said, I, I love the course. If anything, it just reiterated to me how much I enjoy. A course, it's really engaging where you can break it into specific segments and there's variety and lots of people out on course and, where you're just sort of racing the race rather than looking at the clock. So I think Sydney just made me hungry for, for another shot at that kind of, race now knowing the course. So, learning outside of that is probably. I had never met, Kipchoge before and there were some events and press conferences leading up to the race, and I really. Love what he's doing for the sport of running. Like he, they, he would get inevitably asked about what he was hoping for in the race, how competitive he thought he would be, and he kept just going back to, I'm here just to promote movement and running and to leave our footprints and everyone wanted to see him and be up close to him. And he, he does have an aura and this sort of. His like smile just sort of lights up everything. So it was really fun just, just learning from him and seeing what you can contribute even if you are not running at your best, like

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah, yeah.

Jess interview:

amazing things.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Oh, what a great learning. we might move on from Sydney briefly. We've got a couple more questions for you and then we'll hit you with some listener q and as as well. but I guess off the back of running a marathon or event like that, we've all heard about the post-race blues Well, or if you haven't, for listeners, it's a period of sort of like semi temporary depression after a big race that you've been building to for a while. is this something that you experience or have ever experienced and how do you manage it, if so?

Jess interview:

I, I experienced it big time after, my first Olympics in London. So I'd run a marathon, sort of, it was my first marathon and that. qualified me for London. I can't remember experiencing it after my first marathon because I think it was all just made the Olympic and then there was just so much, um, involved with preparing for the Olympics. So I didn't have any downtime, but there was just such a big build for that Olympics in London and when I was there in the village, just soaking everything up and. Kind of got to race day race. I was like that. That was it. Like there's just this huge buildup and then the race was over and I remember feeling well. You often feel pretty horrible after a marathon anyway, so just feeling depleted, a bit unwell. The next day I remember feeling just a bit out of sorts, and then I had this holiday afterwards for a week in Europe and then got home and I just really felt lost for quite some time and. That, that was my first experience of sort of just waking up, like, what, what am I doing with myself now? And not feeling like I had any direction and I'd had such a life changing experience. But when you come home to normality, it's like that's, it's, you've changed, but nothing around you has, and you have to try and adjust. so following that, I always just made sure after a race, I had a period where I just. organized some social things and like had events to look forward to. But then about a week to two weeks after, I'd sit down with my coach and actually reflect on the race and then set some goals for the future.'cause I think having those goals kind of helps me to find some structure and routine again. And I think as runners we're so used to having these healthy. routines where you're going to bed early, you're eating well. And so then after a race, when that gets thrown out of whack, I think that impacts my mental health as well. Um, just not, not following those routines anymore. So it's a bit of a double whammy. You've sort of had this big life event. You body clocks out of whack. You're eating different food, you're not exercising and.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. Yeah.

Jess interview:

so having awareness of it is helpful. And then I think just planning ahead to give yourself some things to look forward to and to, to find a bit of structure again soon after the race.

Phoebe intro/interview:

I feel like even the process you said of writing and reflecting on the race, I could actually imagine that providing a fair bit of, particularly if someone like wasn't super happy with their performance or Yeah. Needed to do some processing of what actually happened in the race. I actually think that's such a nice thing, like ride it all out, process it. Almost like close the loop on it so you can start like looking ahead.

Jess interview:

Yeah, and that's often what I do on the plane home. Like with Sydney, the plane ride home, Ellie was asleep in my lap. I just started writing notes in my phone. I'm like, this might not go anywhere. And then I was like, actually, it was such a big event and one that lots of people can relate to. I'll. yeah, emailed my notes to myself and then fleshed it out and to, and there were so many cool photos of the event and just those images from, beyond the road of, or Natalie, of the, runners and the Sydney Harbor behind. So that's why it sort of turned it into a bigger piece. But I definitely will always jot down some notes after a race just to make sure those learnings are like captured and can benefit the next race.

Anna intro/interview:

Sydney Marathon, being a world major is obviously like such a huge deal for Australian running. What do you think the impact of it will be, on the like Australian running scene more broadly?

zoom audio/video:

broadly?

Jess interview:

I think it comes at a really good time for Australian Distance Runners one, so the Commonwealth Games. Won't have a marathon next year. Uh, I think just the cost of road events was going to be too high given that Glasgow sort of stepped in at the last minute to take over. So it gives, Australians a really exciting kind of alternative, um, major to aim for on home soil. Um, which is great. I think. financially, potentially it could really help, Australians to have, have an opportunity to, yeah, like earn some money from running and not having to travel to the other side of the world, which isn't always possible for people for various reasons, whether it be their work or,

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah.

zoom audio/video:

Yeah.

Jess interview:

uh, so I think it will only contribute to, better depth and, and a better standard overall, um, for marathon running here and. Again, it's just another I, I don't know, Sydney. It just exceeded all expectations. It's really exciting to have a race on home soil that just ma, it made you feel so proud to be an Australian

Phoebe intro/interview:

Wow. Yeah, it feels like, I mean, from the amateur running perspective, I mean, it just feels like there was so much energy around that event. All the brands put in so much work into activations in the lead up. But even like all some of my friends who don't run and don't, aren't involved in the running scene at all, it kind of penetrated through to the non-running layer. It seems to be like in the just general, collective like Australian psyche, people are now like, oh, we have this event. It's important. Yeah. So it's gonna be cool to see how that filters through as well over the next couple of years. Um, we might do a couple quick fire listener questions to finish us off.

Anna intro/interview:

Yep. I, I presume that you take carbs in the form of gels and also in your drink. Um, so how many grams in total of carbs do you have in a marathon roughly? Or how

Jess interview:

Yeah, so it would be written on my plan that my sports dietician comes up with me. I think we're aiming for like 80 or something. and so I'll have one on the start. Like I have breakfast that morning, which is usually where rice bubbles and toast, but the rice bubbles had run out on race morning, so I had cocoa pops, which were a lot sweeter. Didn't enjoy them as much.

Anna intro/interview:

pre-race adversities.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah.

Jess interview:

Yeah, it was. I couldn't let it stress me. I had to just say, look, there's more carbs in this, but I much prefer rice bubbles and honey, so that I'll definitely make sure next time, even if there have been rice bubbles every morning leading up, don't expect that they'll be

Anna intro/interview:

there.

Jess interview:

on rice morning. Um, and then, yeah, I have a gel on the start line, which is like 25 milligrams of carbs, but then the first gel I have in the race at 10 K is 40 milligrams of carbs, and then I'm having some carb drinks. In between like at five and 15 and then 20, I have a caffeinated gel. So yeah, I think I, I don't do the calculations myself, but I think that's sort of what we're aiming for. The, the 80, I'd have to, if I've got this completely wrong, I'll let you know. We can cut this out.

Phoebe intro/interview:

how this question's, next question's from Greta. How do you avoid picking up bugs from the kids while you're training

zoom audio/video:

training?

Jess interview:

Oh, that's a good question. I haven't done the best job of that this year. We've caught a few of the bugs and it has impacted the year a little bit, at times, but fortunately, leading up to. Sydney, I caught a cold two weeks out, and so if anything, it sort of fired up my immune system and meant that, like, I felt like I'd got that out of my system. And then going into the race I was fine. So as, as annoying as it might seem, if you catch a, a. Around that two weeks out, mark, I kind of see that as a positive.'cause it's like, okay, we've got the cold now that tick that box, like we'll be right for race week. and I think that's so typical when you start your taper, you sort of drop off your load and your body goes like, oh, okay. And yeah, just, that's been quite a common pattern for me. When I start the taper, that's when my immune system seems to. Drop off a bit. So one thing we did do is, our daughter, we kept her out of childcare for the week and a half leading up. So if you are in a position to do that, I think that can help.'cause they can just pick up the most random things out of the blue, their gastro hand, foot and mouth, which might not affect you, but affects their sleep. And so then you, you're missing out on sleep and yeah. So I think that was a good move.

Anna intro/interview:

this question is from listener Nicole. do you have any tips, uh, for running while breastfeeding? Um, in regards to the timing and I think just tips in general.

zoom audio/video:

Well,

Jess interview:

I think it's really important to take on the extra calories. For one, when when you're breastfeeding, you're burning a lot of energy in addition to your running. I think from a timing perspective, if you can feed immediately before the run, it helps to empty you out so that you don't feel like it's quite uncomfortable when you're. Full of milk and running. I mean, generally when you're breastfeeding and running, you, you'll need to double bra at the best of times, but it's a lot more comfortable if you can feed prior. and then that'll typically mean that your baby's sleepy and, and ready to have a, a nap when you head out to run. what are some of the other things? I mean, hydration is really important as well. I think when you are breastfeeding, it feels like you've got superpowers, like your hormones or everything's kind of running hot and you, you tend to be able to just cope with more, um, and more challenges, like you can handle less sleep. And I find it's that transition away from breast. Feeding where things can be a bit tough. That's typically when I've had some of my, um, injuries as well. I stop breastfeeding. It's like your body just, isn't kind of working, to keep everything afloat as much. And, and, um, I've had some bone injuries actually after finishing, so it is, it's a tough time, but it's also, um, a, a really special time as well.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Some great tips there. Okay. Next question is from L. What did you do in your pregnancies that facilitated a strong return to running well postpartum?

Jess interview:

I think Pilates really helped me this time around. So I started, the Pilates on the Ferras out with Alice, but we, when I was pregnant, um, with Ellie and just continued that right through. So there was always that. Foundation there, it was twice a week, one being more of a conditioning and she would adapt that. In fact, I think on the app now she's got specific pregnancy ones. and then I do more of a mobility one and continuing that through. When I, um, then gave birth and got back into running, it was quite difficult to get to a gym. So having the at home Pilates, just when your baby's sleeping to be able to, um. Jump on and, and fit that in their sort of 20 to 30 minute sessions as opposed to trying to find a babysitter while you drive to the gym, do your gym session. And, um, it's, yeah, nice to do it in the comfort of your home. That, and I think just getting quality nutrition, I think getting the calories in and, and getting the right sort of macronutrients, you know, lots of protein and everything really helped.

Anna intro/interview:

what is one marathon you would love to compete in?

zoom audio/video:

in?

Jess interview:

I think from an elite perspective, Valencia and Berlin and then from a just enjoy the course perspective, Queenstown Marathon.

Anna intro/interview:

oh,

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah, that one looks amazing.

Jess interview:

Yeah, it does.

Phoebe intro/interview:

Although lots of, lots of downhill in that one. I

Jess interview:

yeah, I think it is pretty undulating, but it just looks

Anna intro/interview:

It does. It would be so nice. I think they go off road a little bit as

Phoebe intro/interview:

Yeah. Little bit a trail.

zoom audio/video:

a

Anna intro/interview:

Mm.

Jess interview:

Yeah. You see a bit of like, yeah. Trail in there.

Anna intro/interview:

Yeah.

Phoebe intro/interview:

yeah. amazing. Well, Jess, thank you so much for your time for coming on and chatting to us and sharing all your wisdom and learnings with all our listeners as well. Um, we're very lucky and we really appreciate it.

Jess interview:

Thanks Phoebe and Anna.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

How good, how good's Jess. How good, how good's Jess.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

is amazing. She's just so authentic She's so honest and very generous. I feel like with all the, all of her sort of insights and everything as well, and very relatable, which for someone who runs so fast is, quite the feat.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

I know it is.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Thank

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

you so much. Jess for coming and chatting with us, and thank you so much Lululemon for organizing the chat and helping bring this episode to life. And in fact, speaking of Lululemon.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

nice segue.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

can finally, finally, finally, finally announce the details of the shakeout run that we're doing in the lead up to Melbourne Marathon. Yes. In partnership with Lululemon, so.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

so it's Saturday, the October 11, the day before the Melbourne Marathon.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Oh my God. I'm gonna be so nervous.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Yeah, I actually was singing that because that's not often that we, I don't know if we've ever actually hosted a shakeout run before. You've like done a marathon or

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

we always do it and we've both like already raced the half,

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

done the half. Yeah. On Gold Coast or

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

like that, where this is like. I'm gonna be

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Yeah.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Yeah. Hopefully I'll just be excited.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

A little bit toy. so yes, as we mentioned, we're doing the shakeout run with Lululemon at 8:00 AM at the terrace, which is inside the botanical gardens. Just Enter through the Anderson Street entrance. details are all in the show notes. Please register. So yeah, we'll put it in the show notes. We'll also put it in our Instagram, on our Instagram stories as well. But we are, wait, I'm actually so pumped. I wasn't, oh no, sorry we weren't here, but we didn't do anything. I remember for Melbourne Marathon last year you went here. That's right. I was gonna be like, I wasn't here.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

To yourself, you rode around and supported.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

that's right. but I just remember being like. Damn. I really wanna be doing something. So Yeah. We are so, so pumped.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

I know I can't wait. So after the shakeout run, you can stick around. There'll be free coffee, carb loading. There'll be good vibes. Yeah. Everyone is welcome. Whether you're running or not, if you just wanna get around the festivities of the Melbourne Marathon weekend, this will be the place to do it.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

So we can't wait to see you there. So last thing before, oh my gosh. Last thing before we finish up today. the World Championship. Yes. The World Athletic Championships in Tokyo started on Saturday, which is absolutely huge. We've already had quite a few Australians running. Definitely get around it. Um, it's on, it's live on Channel nine nine now, or SBS on demand.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Oh, you just reeled that off. That was very impressive.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

done my research.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

not reading this off anything. Um,

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

but yeah, it's so good. There's, well, there's already a couple of Australians through to a few semifinals. No, I shouldn't say

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

You dunno that, I

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

dunno that, but they

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

but Anna's trying to speaking coming from the future, because we know this will be coming out on Monday. Who do you think will be through to the semifinals by

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Okay, so there's the 1500 and the 100 meter heat this afternoon as well as the 10 K final. So we'll already know the result of that one. The pod comes out. but I actually, I reckon in the 1500 we've got Jess Har, Lynden Hall and Sarah

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Yeah.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Yeah, I think might

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

might we have three people through Might three. I agree. I think we might have three.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Jess and Lynden and hopefully Sarah,

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

reckon.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Yeah, I

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Yeah, I reckon through to semis for sure. Wow, that would be so

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Wow. Yes.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

And the good news is because it's only in Tokyo, the time zone's actually. Quite

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

yeah. They're only one hour behind.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Yeah. Although some races are at like 11:00 PM so

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

Yeah. But yeah, they're 10:00 PM

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yeah. I didn't know if I'll be, oh no, I might stay out

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

yeah, you gotta stay up.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

and we'll be posting heaps about it on our cheeky throws as well. Also recommendation. Follow straight at it if you're not already following straight at it. Yes. The best coverage of all of this, you're gonna get through straight at it. He does such a good job.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

athletics, events or content that is going on in the world at any time. He is. Mitch is the number one guy.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

He's the number one guy.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

number one guy. So we'll put his, the link to his Instagram in our show notes as well. And aside from that, that is it.

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

Yay. We can't wait to be in your ears next week. Bye bye.

ZOOM0006_Tr3:

This

ZOOM0006_Tr4:

is doing a weird thing we're, it's flashing. See, it's like, oh yeah. Every now and then it flashes. Oh, now it's stopped. No, I saw it before. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Anna intro/interview:

and then the last question from Annie is, sorry, this one's actually from me, but we just said Annie because

Jess interview:

I like it.

Phoebe intro/interview:

it sound like it's from, but Anna just wanted to ask it.

zoom audio/video:

I was

Jess interview:

I was like, what?

zoom audio/video:

Annie said?