Sam & Katie sit down with Phil & Ady, the founders of Parola Run Club. Since summer 2023, the crew has been meeting at the North Gong Kiosk every Tuesday at 6 am – rain, hail or shine. What started as a way to keep their uni friend group connected and accountable has grown into a thriving community, with 30 runners turning up to the very first session. Phil shares how the club boosted his basketball fitness and led to a half marathon, while Ady talks through running a sub-4 marathon time trial around Wollongong and balancing her training with strength and HIIT work.

Training Weeks Ady’s week includes a mix of strength training, HIIT sessions, and three runs, giving her a well-rounded approach to fitness. Phil is getting back into the rhythm of run club and regular gym sessions after returning from a long holiday in Europe. Katie logs 50 kilometres for the week, fitting in track K reps on Tuesday, a Friday threshold run, bike cross-training, and Hyrox. Sam starts the week with mile repeats, follows up with an iron infusion on Wednesday, and rounds it out with a gritty but solid City2Surf in 56 minutes.

Café Kit of the Week Low bun hairstyle Body Glide Vital+ Steam Sauna

Round the Club Shoutouts Amy O’Halloran – RMA Pete Naseby – Wollongong Track Club The whole Parola Run Club crew

Down the Track – Episode 1: Lucy Holman

We're kicking off the very first episode of Down the Track with none other than Lucy Holman — a powerhouse on the local distance running scene.

Lucy stamped her authority in 2024 by winning both Shellharbour Marathons — in April and September — and clocking a rapid 2:56 marathon in the process. But she didn’t stop there. Just recently, she took on the Huskisson Ultra, running an incredible 110km in 10 hours and 13 minutes, winning the women’s race and finishing 2nd overall.

We chat about her evolution as a runner, the mental and physical demands of ultras, and what keeps her chasing the next challenge. A perfect guest to launch our new series and set the tone for what’s to come.

This week, Sam & Katie chat with James Constantine — a well-known face in the running scene as the Digital Marketing Manager for Pont3, the team behind Sydney Marathon’s push for World Major status. James shares insights into the campaign, his personal running journey, and how he’s now balancing training with family life. With standout PBs including 16:06 for 5K (solo lockdown TT) and 2:52 for the marathon, James is setting his sights on Ballarat Marathon 2026 with a new PB in mind.

James also takes us back to a memorable training week from two years ago, packed with solid sessions alongside his run crew.

Training Recap • Katie clocks 24km while juggling a house move and maintaining cross-training consistency on the bike. • Sam hits his biggest week in a while with 108km, including a 17:55 5K TT and a "not-quite-hilly" tempo run dodging a bit of traffic.

☕ Café Kit of the Week

• Nike Trail Pegasus

• Meteo Weather App (for runners)

• Arm Sleeves by One Running

🏃‍♀️ Round the Club Shoutouts

• Kaitlin Gleeson

• Alex Bergan

• Lauren Reid

Katie and Sam chat with Liam Henderson, a talented runner with standout PBs including 3:56 for 1500m and 15:11 for 5000m. After a 4-year hiatus, Liam returned to racing with a 32:00 at the Sydney 10 and a 74-minute half at Gold Coast. He shares proud moments from his junior career, including a 3rd place at National XC, and reflects on his time training alongside Olympian Jess Hull in Europe.

Liam also breaks down his best training week of the year, featuring a track session with the Hince stable, 3x2k reps on a cross-country loop, and 6x1k at 3:12 pace.

Katie gives an injury update — staying active with the bike, gym, and pilates — but still sneaks in 14km for the week at a good clip. Sam recaps a down week and his run at the Sydney Harbour 5K.

🎒 Café Kit of the Week

• Nike Vaporfly 4

• Asics Novablast 5

• Chin-up bar ("You got a door? You got a gym!")

🎉 Round the Club Shoutouts

• Mack Hunter – JT Running

• Holly Howell – JT Running

• Tim Barnett – Wollongong Track Club

In this episode of Tales from the Valley, Sam and Katie catch up with Darwin-based distance runner Darcy Hennessy, who recently clocked an impressive 1:10:39 at the Gold Coast Half Marathon.

Darcy shares his journey from growing up with the Kembla Joggers and being coached by his grandfather Jim Hennessy, to stepping away from running to pursue AFL — and eventually finding his stride again in the Top End. Now self-coached and training with Rapid Creek Track Club, Darcy walks us through his current marathon prep, his weekly structure in the Darwin heat, and how community, coaching, and old-school inspiration have shaped his return to the sport.

We chat about:

• His background in elite junior running and AFL
• Training through Darwin’s heat and humidity
• Coaching experiences with Savvy Run Club
• Nutrition and hydration for long runs
• Building toward his marathon debut at Sydney

A genuine, down-to-earth chat with one of the rising names in distance running.

Café Kit of the Week

YESOUL Exercise Bike

Adidas Evo SL

Victus Gel

Asics Metarun Shorts

Round the club Shoutouts

Pat Miller – JT Running

Brendan Smith – JT Running

Colt Phillips – Kiama Running Club

This week, Sam & Katie catch up with Mel Hodges — founder of the Bermagui Run Club and a passionate community builder on the South Coast. Mel first laced up while working a desk job in Canberra, and since then has completed four half marathons and is now deep into training for her debut Sydney Marathon.

We dive into:

• Her 28km long run from Narooma to Dalmeny

• How she's balancing strength work, run programming, and nutrition

• Getting coaching certified and supporting others in her club

• What it’s like growing a coastal run community, with Bermagui Run Club meeting Sundays at 7am from Honorbread for 2.5k or 5k options.

Also in this episode:

• Katie reflects on her Hyrox recovery and a tough knee update.

• Sam logs his biggest week back, hitting 105km with 12x400s, a hilly tempo, and some longer intervals — all while shaking off a cold.

Café Kit of the Week:

• Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 – Mutant White

• Asics Glideride Max w/ custom insoles

• Nike Pegasus Plus

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Alex Bui – Wollongong Track Club

• Rede Carney – JT Running

• Will Page – Never Lazy Run Club

• Frances Matters – Bermagui Run Club

Sam & Katie chat with Bridie Temple — a rising star in the trail running scene. Bridie’s already stacked an incredible resume: she won her trail debut at just 17 at the Alpine Summit in Victoria, claimed victory at the Kiama Coastal Classic 21km, set the women’s course record at the 2024 Jabulani Challenge 45km, and finished 2nd in both the UTA22k and Buffalo Stampede 100km. Bridie first found trail running exploring her family property just outside of Wollongong and hasn’t looked back. With eyes on the 100-mile distance later this year, she’s training with serious intent — clocking 131km of running, 50km hiking, 20km cycling, and 4 hours of strength work weekly, including some sharp sessions on the track.

Sam battles a cold but gets through a big week with a 45-minute yo-yo tempo and 8 x 800s to hit 95km. Katie recaps her brutal Hyrox Pro Sydney effort — 8th place overall and a fresh round of knee trouble.

Café Kit of the Week:

• Posture Correcting Brace

• Heel Lifts

• Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Shorts

• Swiftsick Socks

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Bradley Sawyers – Nowra Athletics Club

• Jeremy Quinn – Kiama Running Club

• Rhys Murray – [Club not listed]

Sam & Katie chat with Riley Kilham Riley boasts some impressive PBs including a 16:33 5k at a Christmas Eve parkrun, 34:48 for 10k, and a 1:17:33 half marathon time trial. He got into endurance sports in his late teens after using CrossFit to get healthy and quickly realised he excelled at the running portion. From there, Riley began working with a coaching group via Peter Clifford in the Sutherland Shire to fully embrace triathlons. These days, his focus is purely on running, though he still cycles for cross-training.

Riley runs Evolve Human Performance, where he manages running programming alongside strength development.

Excitingly, Riley joined us just before the highly anticipated launch of Run Havoc, a boutique running store opening in Wollongong on Saturday, July 12th. Riley and his team aim to bring premium, high-quality running gear to the Illawarra running community, reflecting the strong depth of talent in the area.

Training Wrap: Katie gears up for Hyrox Sydney with some sharp 800s on Tuesday and a 5/4/3/2/1/5 session on Friday, hitting 86km for the week with plenty of Hyrox intervals baked in. Sam balances a cold and his return from Bali, still clocking 83km including 6 x 1km at 3:32s and an 8km tempo. Riley, just back from Greece, walks us through a typical training week including lactate testing and double threshold sessions.

Café Kit of the Week:

• On Hat

• Choccy Milk

• Alphafly 3’s

• Tattoo

Round the Club Shoutouts:

• Amir Hashemi Pour – Never Lazy Run Club

• Jamie Bartolotta – Kiama Running Club

• Holly Bond – Evolve Human Performance

Don’t miss the Run Havoc opening! 🗓️ Saturday July 12th, 8am 📍 126 Crown St, Wollongong Group run from the store, coffee, and an e-bike giveaway! Visit runhavoc.com.au for more info.