Sam & Katie catch up with Stefan Deane-Smith. Stefan boasts PBs ranging from 1:53 for 800m through to a 70 minutes flat for the half marathon on a hilly Auckland course to come 3rd in the NZ Half Marathon Champs. Growing up in New Zealand, he ran competitively after starting out in a variety of sports through school. At his peak, he logged 160–200 km per week before stepping away from the sport for a time. After moving to Australia, Stefan gradually returned to high-level running and is now focused on the marathon—with the Gold Coast Marathon on the horizon and Valencia later this year.

Training Highlights Katie hit the track for a 7 x 1k session, progressing from the high 3:30s down to 3:15/km, then backed it up with a tough threshold session in windy conditions later in the week—totaling 125 km. Sam struggled through sessions with a sinus infection but took confidence from an effortless 2-hour long run at 4:26/km pace, finishing the week with 95 km. Stefan recovered from last week’s Ballarat Half Marathon with steady running and a strong hilly tempo around Lake Illawarra, clocking 103 km for the week.

Café Kit of the Week

• Nike Vomero 18

• BlackSheep Running Tee

• Clif Bloks Energy Chews

Round the Club Shoutouts

• Craig Turner – Kiama Running Club

• Phoebe Adams – Narooma Run Club

• Georgia Deane-Smith – Wollongong Track Club

Join us for two incredible stories from the Ballarat Marathon! Dane Ottesen shares his inspiring marathon debut, clocking a remarkable 2:46, while Greg Frost reflects on his 2:28 finish—achieving a lifelong running goal.

Get a feel for the course, the atmosphere, and why this event should be on your radar for 2026. Whether you're chasing a PB or your first marathon finish, this episode will get your heart pumping.

Sam and Katie chat with Sinead MacCana. Sinead is the founder of RISE&RUN Bali, a thriving community running group based in Canggu, Bali. Her running journey began alongside her career in Personal Training in Australia, where she also completed her first marathon.

Presented with a unique opportunity, Sinead took on the Bali Hope Ultra — an 84km charity ultramarathon. To prepare, she made the bold decision to move to Bali, start a run club from her home to fundraise, and then complete the event. After the ultra, Sinead chose to keep the run club going, which has since blossomed into a vibrant community of almost 100 expats gathering each week for a group run in Canggu, along with a hill interval session every Thursday.

Sinead also shares her best tips for running safely in Bali, including:

• Being cautious of stray dogs

• Navigating scooters and traffic

• Safety tips for female runners

• Finding a supportive running community upon arrival

She also walks us through her typical training week, which during the recent RISE&RUN Bali Retreat, included a full roster of running sessions, strength training, and fun activities across Bali. The retreat capped off with a Sunday Half Marathon — and a 50km long run for Sinead!

Meanwhile, Katie faced a rough trip back to Australia, losing a day in transit and battling some knee swelling post-flight. Despite the setback, she pieced together 82km for the week, including some strong threshold work. Sam put in a solid and social 88km week, with his key session — 4 x 8-minute threshold reps — integrated into the Wollongong 10k, navigating through a busy race environment.

Café Kit of the Week:

• MapleRoo Gels

• LSKD Tights and Shorts

• Voltaren Cream

• Hirudoid Cream

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Cameron Bailey – Four Endurance

• Reece Nikitaras – Your Local Run Club

• RISE&RUN Retreat Attendees

Find out more about RISE&RUN Bali here:

https://www.instagram.com/riserunbali/