Run With It

Sarah Billings is on fire! As we wait for Australia’s 2026 Commonwealth Games team to be announced, the Aussie middle-distance runner is well and truly in the mix for selection.
Sarah sits down with Elise to discuss her recent form, including two massive PBs – a 3:58.81 in the 1500m at the Shanghai Diamond League, and a 1:57.61 in the 800m in Rabat, which is the second fastest time ever run by an Australian woman!
But these results have been a long time in the making. Starting her career as a sprinter before moving into middle-distance in her junior years, Sarah has always been an excellent runner. But in her first years as a senior athlete, Sarah felt like she wasn’t getting the performances she had hoped for. Then the injuries hit. They hit hard. And repeatedly.
When Sarah was able to finally break that injury cycle, she could at last string some good consistent training together and sought the help of a performance coach to work on her mental approach to racing. She said it’s made all the difference.
We talk about what she learnt during those tough injury-riddled years, her breakout 2024 season, and how her persistence, mindset and consistency is now paying dividends in the results she is seeing on the track.
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Sarah Billings has represented Australia multiple times, including at World Juniors in 2016 and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in 2025. She is currently coached by Nic Bideau at Melbourne Track Club, and is sponsored by New Balance.
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

British athlete Calli Hauger-Thackery didn’t even know she was pregnant when she ran (and won) Honolulu Marathon in December last year. She uncharacteristically vomited during the race, which she later realised was morning sickness!
Calli then went on to win Houston Marathon in 2:24:17 in January. But only she and husband Nick knew she was carrying a plus-one through the tape! Most recently, while 22-weeks pregnant, Calli ran Boston Marathon in 2:43:58, despite needing to stop four times (to release a pinched nerve and to pee). Boston especially captured the attention of so many people around the world, inspired by what Calli has been able to do during her pregnancy.
It was an absolute joy to have Calli back on the podcast to discuss her pregnancy in detail, the planning process for athletes trying to start a family and to debrief the three marathons she’s now run with baby Evan on board.
If you’d like to learn more about Calli’s story (she’s the 2nd fastest British woman of all-time over the marathon distance by the way!), go back to episode 28.
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Former pro-cyclist Jimmy Whelan reveals where he intends to run his debut marathon later this year – you’ll have to listen to find out!
Dialling in from his home in Barcelona, Jimmy talks about his transition from pro cycling to a brief stint as a triathlete and his newfound status as a professional runner sponsored by Salomon. He’s never been happier as an athlete! And we tap into what that’s all about.
We talk about his breakout 61:37 half marathon in Valencia, the disappointment of Berlin half, the chatter centred on his scorching potential, and why he’s not afraid to say big goals out loud, including his ambition to be in the marathon conversation for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Jimmy also gives us a unique window into pro cycling on the European circuit. Aside from the joys of long group rides, living in Europe and café stops, the other headlines are: stress, contract pressure and terrifying crashes, which all ultimately pushed him away from the sport and back towards his first love of running.
It’s a full-circle moment for Jimmy, and what a pleasure it was to talk through his evolution and reinvention as an athlete on the pod! Enjoy!
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James “Jimmy” Whelan is an Australian athlete whose career has spanned professional cycling, triathlon and now distance running. Jimmy made a real statement last year when he ran a 61-minute half marathon in Valencia, attracting the attention of the athletics community and major sponsors alike. Now signed with Salomon, and coached by Andy Henderson, Jimmy has his sights set on the marathon distance, hoping to make his debut later this year. Jimmy’s professional cycling career included affiliations with renowned teams such as Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Anicolor/Tien21 Cycling Team and EF Pro Cycling. Jimmy is currently based in Barcelona, Spain.
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Check out Jimmy’s YouTube: youtube.com/@jimmywhelan
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Follow us on Instagram:
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Elise and Alice get together to debrief all things Copenhagen Marathon, including the perfect conditions, incredible vibes, some fuelling trials and tribulations, and a surprise encounter with Jakob Ingebrigtsen (his little brother Kristoffer ran 2:29 by the way)! Elise gives a play-by-play breakdown of the race and how she felt finishing her 11th marathon in a city that means so much to her (with 2:53 on the clock).
Meanwhile, AB is set to line up for her debut half marathon in Brooklyn this weekend, but is probably most looking forward to the swim post-race.
Though this episode starts with a discussion on hair washing and canned foods, we promise it goes up a notch after a couple of minutes! Enjoy!   
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Elise and Alice are finally back for a chaotic cross-continental catch-up, with Elise in Copenhagen preparing for the marathon this weekend, and Alice living her best semi-Carrie-Bradshaw life in New York.
There’s plenty discuss in their usual unhinged way, from Alice’s Boston Marathon game show debut to Elise’s commentary at the Bendigo 5k Frenzy, and Copenhagen Marathon build (including the changes she and coach Kate made compared with Ballarat last year, and some Etsy magic behind the scenes). Alice also gives the full story behind her win at the Canyons 25k trail race in California (which she did without trail shoes in a unitard through poison oak).
Also, buckle up for some side quests featuring characters like Dorothy the Dinosaur and the unsung heroes on vomit clean up duty! Enjoy.  
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Follow us on Instagram:
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@alicebaquie
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Physio, runner and friend of the pod Sam Slykhuis joins Elise for a whistle-stop tour of one of the most dreaded words in distance running: stressie!
Using Elise’s own grade one tibial stress reaction from last year as a case study, Sam breaks down what bone stress actually is, why it happens, the warning signs runners should never ignore, and how to approach rehab without losing your mind.
There is plenty of practical gold in this one, including tips on lifting heavy, how plyometrics can support bone health, and why uphill running is not always the safe rehab option people think it is.
Plus: Aqua jogging survival tips, treadmill myths, why runners need deload weeks, the problem with chasing numbers on Strava, and the very real danger of skipping long run progressions and then jumping straight back in.
A must-listen for any runner.
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Sam Slykhuis is a practicing physiotherapist, runner, surfer and co-owner of Marna Physio in Armstrong Creek and Belmont Physiotherapy Centre in Geelong. With a special interest in running-related injuries, Sam works closely with athletes to help them manage niggles, recover from injury and return to full training. Sam also offers VO2 max and lactate threshold testing to help runners better understand their training zones. He completed his Physiotherapy degree with Honours at Monash University, is a qualified ASCA Strength and Conditioning Coach, and is currently studying a Master’s of Sports Physiotherapy through the University of Bath.
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Follow us on Instagram:
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Marna Physio website
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Sage Canaday joins Elise for a wide-ranging chat on trail running, YouTube, speaking out on social media, and starting again after major setbacks, including a surviving life-threatening blood clots in both lungs.
If you have been running for a while, chances are you are already acquainted with Sage. In addition to his running accolades, Sage is one of the OG running YouTubers with a very successful channel called Vo2 Max Productions. We reflect on some of his earliest vids (hello Nipple Tips!) and how the scene has changed today.
We hear about Sage’s running career, spanning Cornell University, and his first pro contract as part of the Hansons-Brooks team (which also included a musical side quest), and his long-term partnership with Hoka from 2014 onwards on the roads and the trails. He has a marathon PB of 2:16:52, is a two-time US Olympic Trials qualifier, and placed in the top-20 at Boston and Chicago. On the trails, he is a three-time US National Champion (12km Mountain Running, 100km Trail Running and Trail Marathon events), as well as the 2014 World Long Distance Mountain Running Champion, among many other achievements.
In 2021, Sage suffered inconceivable adversity – he was diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary embolism, and soon after, he and his partner Sandi Nypaver lost all their belongings in a devastating house fire in Boulder, Colorado. It has been a long road back for Sage since. But he recently finished seventh at Black Canyon 100K in a performance that he says felt like a return to form. Sage shares what still drives him, now aged 40, and where he hopes running will take him next.
Plus: Doping in trail running, the running boom, influencer culture, coaching in the AI era and a life built around adventure.
Sage will line up at Ultra-Trail Australia in a couple of weeks’ time, so make sure to give him a cheer if you’re out there!
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Check out Sage’s You Tube channel: youtube.com/@Vo2maxProductions
And his coaching business with Sandi Nypaver, Higher Running: higherrunning.com  
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Follow us on Instagram:
@sagecanaday
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Julia Paternain joins Elise to talk about the kind of year that changes everything. In 2025, Julia went from marathon debutant to World Championships bronze medallist, thanks to a stunning run in Tokyo where she surprised even herself. In doing so, Julia also became the first Uruguayan athlete to win a medal at a World Champs EVER!
In this episode, Julia takes us inside that extraordinary rise, from her debut 2:27 marathon to the chaos, disbelief and pure emotion of crossing the line for bronze in Tokyo. We hear how she handled the brutal conditions, why she focused so hard on running her own race, and what was actually going through her mind in those now-ICONIC finish line moments.
We get to know Julia’s love of naps, fizzy drink and flat roads. There’s also plenty on her fascinating international story – born in Mexico, raised in England, with Uruguayan roots and now representing Uruguay on the world stage. Julia shares why making the switch felt right, what that bronze medal meant for her family and country, and why returning to England for the London Marathon later this month feels especially full-circle.
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Julia Paternain is a distance runner who represents Uruguay and is sponsored by Saucony. She won a bronze medal in her second marathon ever at the World Championships Marathon in Tokyo in 2025. She holds the national record in the marathon for Uruguay (2:27:09), which she ran on debut. Julia grew up in the UK and moved to the United States in 2018 to study and run for Penn State University before transferring to University of Arkansas. She is now based in Flagstaff, Arizona with professional running group, McKirdy Trained. Julia is set to run London Marathon at the end of this month.
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Follow us on Instagram:
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Elise hosts a special live panel with 2x Olympic medallist Jemima Montag, 4x World Champs marathoner Sarah Klein, and forRunners founder Alice Baquie, who all share honest insights on performance, pressure and finding balance in running/race walking and life.
From Olympic medals to sub-3 breakthroughs, the conversation covers:
Racing on gratitude vs expectation
The mindset shift from needing results to simply wanting them
Navigating pressure, identity and longevity in sport
Why balance (not perfection) might be the real performance edge
Plus: raw finish-line reflections, race-day tips and an essential discussion on keeping girls in sport.
This International Women’s Day – Running Connection event was held in partnership with Love the Run at Collingwood Athletics Track. Thanks to Campbell Maffett and his crew for their fantastic support, and for everyone who joined us for a run, pilates and the panel on the day.
We loved seeing you there!
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Follow us on Instagram:
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@athleteedu
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Izzi Batt-Doyle is back for a chat! And she’s been really busy since she and Elise last spoke. Between running two Australian records on the roads, competing at the Olympics, running a few marathons (all within 40 seconds of each other), getting engaged, buying a house and becoming a dog mum – Izzi certainly hasn’t been twiddling her thumbs!  
We cover all those things, and go in depth on her Nagoya Marathon and Valencia Marathons, including the Australian Record pressures, Izzi’s reflections on a big year of training and racing, and the overtraining hole she was in at the end of 2025.
We then turn our attention to Boston Marathon, where Izzi will line up on 20 April, and the appeal of not racing for a fast time, but running free instead. We hear how training is going, including ramping up strength and nailing her carb intake.
Always a pleasure to catch up with IBD!
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If you liked this conversation, go back and listen to Episode 2 of Run With It for more Izzi action.
Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Follow us on Instagram:
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Watch Izzi's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IzziBatt-Doyle 
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer