You don't get to choose if your race goes sideways — you only get to choose what you do when it does.

Episode 69: what to do when your race turns to shit. How to know when plan A is gone, when to switch to plan B, and how to make mid-race decisions that keep you in control. Matt breaks down the A/B/C framework he uses at every distance — pacing, nutrition, gear, crew comms — the warning signs telling you to pivot, and why a plan B doesn't always mean giving up the goal. Plus listener questions on trail running quads, pram running, and the 5k after the marathon.

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Trail running is the great equaliser — no one's asking your time, they're just asking if you got it done.

Matt's guide to trail running and how to train for your first trail race. The gear you actually need, the difference between fire trails and single track, what changes from 10k to 50k to 100k, and the 10 training priorities Matt pulled out of his UTA 100 debrief — including the one a mate exposed at 98k he's never going to forget. Run the runnable, power hike like you mean it, total recoverable volume, and why ultras are won by horsepower, not bounce.

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The ultra Matt was never supposed to finish.

The full UTA 100 race recap. Matt walks Georgia through every aid station — the perfect first 40k, the toe-punted rock at Nellie's Glen that he was sure had broken his foot, the ruptured ligaments he ran the back half on, and the 50k internal war between a brain screaming "quit" and a body that wouldn't. Plus the why he didn't share until now: chasing the point where mind and body both run out at the same moment.

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Everything you wanted to ask about marathon training — chafing, carbon plates, race vests, taper colds, and what to do when you're three weeks out and your longest run was 32k.

Part 4 of the Marathon Mini Series: the listener Q&A. Matt and Georgia get through your questions on holiday training, knee injury comebacks, time-based vs distance-based long runs, strength training, heat adaptation, race vests, carbon shoes, taper sickness, and post-race recovery. The catch-all episode that closes the series.

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Stop training like a jogger and start racing your marathon.

Part 3 of the Marathon Mini Series: how to train for a time goal. Matt and Georgia get into the difference between finishing and racing, how to set a goal that actually fits your athletic makeup, the type A / type B / hybrid framework, and why Ash and Jason ran sub-3 in Boston on three-and-a-half runs a week. Minimal effective dose, long run back-ends, and the race day execution mistakes that blow up PBs.

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You can't bullshit your way through a marathon the way you can a half and that's where most first-timers come undone.

Part 2 of the Marathon Mini Series: everything you need to know before your first 42.2.

Matt and Georgia get into why 16 weeks is the floor for a first block, why the wall is just a spotlight on every shortcut you took in training, and why nutrition is the fourth discipline.

Plus Georgia's red-Powerade meltdown at 28km on the Gold Coast, the case for walking the aid stations, and how to define a successful first marathon.

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The halfway point in a marathon isn't 21K — it's 32K.

Episode one of the BTFL Marathon Mini Series. Matt and Georgia bust 10 marathon myths that are costing runners on race day — from the outdated 32K long run cap to why walking at aid stations is strategy, not failure. Plus listener questions on training with limited time and managing multi-sport load.

Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Marathon Mini Series 13:28 Highs and Lows: Personal Updates 14:17 Debunking Marathon Myths: Long Runs 18:42 Daily Running: Is It Necessary? 21:09 Carb Loading: The Night Before a Race 24:44 Stretching: The Right Approach 26:27 Half vs Full Marathon: The Reality 28:31 The Importance of Preparation and Recovery 30:07 Training in Adverse Weather Conditions 31:38 Race Pace in Long Runs 32:57 Walking During a Marathon: A Strategy, Not a Failure 38:50 Quality Over Quantity in Training 43:21 Pre-Race Routine: The Day Before a Marathon 46:20 Balancing Marathon Training with Life Responsibilities 53:27 Managing Load for Multi-Sport Athletes

💻 Join The Performance Project Coaching: https://performanceproject.typeform.com/Apply

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It’s Listener Question Month — our favourite episode where we answer your biggest questions around training, performance, mindset, and everything in between.

We dive into the realities of endurance training, from bad sessions and confidence dips to how to actually improve your 5K, structure your training, and stop overthinking the small stuff.

Plus, Matt breaks down some no-BS coaching insights, and Georgia keeps him honest (as always).

– Matt’s confidence rebuild after a rough race
– The reality of “feeling unfit” mid-block
– Why most runners overthink training details
– How to actually improve performance (without doing more)

– Is Kipchoge’s new running app actually any good?
– Are recovery runs better than full rest days?
– How do you combine trail running with marathon prep?
– What’s the best breathing technique for running?
– When should you invest in a running coach?
– How do you improve your 5K time?
– Does foot strike actually matter?
– Does running surface impact performance?
– Why do morning runs feel harder than afternoon runs?
– How do you run with a partner at a different level?

00:00 Introduction to Listener Question Month
00:16 Re-recording the intro & setting the tone
01:12 Why all runners have the same fears and questions
03:09 Matt’s training update & rebuilding confidence
06:13 Mental resilience and pushing through bad sessions
09:18 Enjoyment vs suffering in endurance training
12:13 Georgia’s pregnancy journey & body image
15:09 Listener Questions begin (apps & tech)
17:31 Recovery runs vs full rest days
20:49 Trail running in marathon prep
23:28 Breathing techniques explained
29:27 How to control breathing under fatigue
32:19 When to invest in a running coach
35:05 Finding the right coaching style
38:43 How to improve your 5K
44:14 Foot strike: does it matter?
45:29 Does running surface matter?
47:34 Morning vs afternoon training performance
51:57 Running with a partner at different paces