In the final episode of Chasing Nick, Colin takes on the big one: trying to break 3 hours at the Belfast Marathon.

After weeks of structured marathon training, speed work, threshold sessions, long runs, taper madness, pacing talk, race nerves and questionable decisions, it all comes down to race day.

This episode is the final chapter in the sub-3 marathon journey with Nick — the running coach. From the early training blocks to the final attempt, Chasing Nick has followed the highs, doubts, lessons and reality of trying to turn a big running goal into something real.

Did Colin beat 3 hours?

Not quite.

But this episode is about more than a finish time. It’s about what marathon training teaches you, why pacing matters, how quickly a race can change, and why sometimes the real win is coming out the other side ready for even bigger adventures.

In this final farewell episode, we talk about:

• The Belfast Marathon race-day experience
• What went right and what went wrong
• The reality of chasing a sub-3 marathon
• Pacing, pressure and race execution
• What Colin learned from structured marathon training
• Why the journey mattered more than the clock
• Saying goodbye to Chasing Nick
• Looking ahead to 100 miles and the 350-mile Mizen to Malin run

A huge thank you to Nick — the running coach for guiding the chaos, giving the advice, and somehow agreeing to help an idiot chase a sub-3 marathon.

This may be the end of Chasing Nick…

…but the idiots are not finished yet.

Next up: 100 miles, then 350 miles across Ireland for MS.

Listen to Idiots Go Running for honest running stories, marathon training chat, ultra running adventures, endurance mistakes, and the ridiculous reality of normal people chasing abnormal goals.

marathon training, sub-3 marathon, Belfast Marathon, running coach, speed work, threshold training, long runs, endurance running, ultra running, trail running, race day, marathon pacing, running podcast, running motivation, MS Runs Ireland, Mizen to Malin, Idiots Go Running.

In this episode of Idiots Go Running, we chat about what actually goes into building a ridiculous endurance event like MS Runs Ireland — our 350-mile run from Mizen Head to Malin Head.

Crewmen, accommodation, sponsors, merch, route planning, fundraising, logistics, panic, spreadsheets… and somehow, Colin has ended up being called the race director.

Which is terrifying for everyone involved.

We talk about the behind-the-scenes work that turns a mad running idea into something that almost looks like a real event.

In this episode, we cover:

• Building the MS Runs Ireland challenge
• Planning a 350-mile run across Ireland
• Multi-day ultra running logistics
• Crew, support vehicles and accommodation
• Long-distance running preparation
• Sponsors, merch and event branding
• Ultra marathon mindset and planning
• Fundraising through endurance running
• Does being organised makes us any less stupid... it does not.

This is another honest, funny and slightly chaotic look behind the scenes as the team gets closer to the start line.

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Follow the journey:

• MS Runs Ireland
• Idiots Go Running

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This week on Idiots Go Running, it’s the last Chasing Nick episode before Belfast Marathon — and somehow, we’ve made it to taper week without fully falling apart.

In this episode, we chat with Nick — the running coach about the full marathon training process, what a proper training block should look like, and what happens when the hard work is done and the taper begins.

🏃‍♂️ Marathon training blocks

What actually happens during a marathon build, why the weeks are structured the way they are, and how the body adapts over time.

🧠 Taper week explained

What tapering is, why runners suddenly feel weird, tired, heavy, emotional or convinced they’ve lost all fitness overnight.

🍝 What to eat during taper week

How to fuel properly before a marathon, what to avoid, and why this is not the week to suddenly become a brand-new person with brand-new food ideas.

🎒 Marathon prep

Race kit, pacing, gels, hydration, logistics, nerves, sleep, toilet panic, and all the tiny details that suddenly feel life-or-death three days before race day.

☕ Marathon morning breakfast

What to eat before the marathon, when to eat it, how to keep it simple, and why your stomach deserves a calm morning, not a surprise buffet.

This is a proper marathon episode for anyone training for a marathon, chasing a PB, aiming for sub-3, preparing for Belfast Marathon, or just wondering why taper week makes runners act completely unhinged.

Part of the Chasing Nick series with Nick — the running coach, following the build-up to marathon day.

Hosted and produced by Colin Goodman.

Listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

🌐 idiotsgorunning.com

📱 Follow us: @IdiotsGoRunning

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