Making A Runner

The training is done. COMRADES 2026 is here. In the final episode of the Making A Runner Comrades Mini Series, Nic shifts the focus away from training and towards the things that matter most during race week: staying healthy, staying calm, trusting your preparation, and arriving at the start line ready to execute. With race numbers issued and final race instructions now released, Comrades suddenly...

With just two weeks to go until Comrades , the training is largely done. The focus now shifts towards arriving at the start line healthy, confident, and ready to execute. In Episode 2 of the Making A Runner Comrades Mini Series, Nic takes a deep dive into the final stages of preparation for race day. Drawing from his own experiences on the road to Comrades, as well as years of coaching athletes to...

With Comrades just weeks away, the hard work is largely done — but for many runners, this is when the nerves, doubt, and overthinking really begin. In this episode of this special Making A Runner Comrades mini-series, Nic dives into the emotional and physical realities of the final few weeks before race day. Drawing from both his own experiences running Comrades and years of coaching athletes thro...

In this episode of Making A Runner , Nic sits down with one of the most exciting emerging names in South African endurance running — George Kusche . From competing as an NCAA middle-distance athlete in the United States while studying actuarial science and statistics, to stepping away from running completely for a period of time, George’s journey through the sport has been anything but conventiona...

What does it really take to stay strong in running for years — not just months? In this episode, we sit down with Shaun Meiklejohn, former winner of the Comrades Marathon, to unpack the principles behind true longevity in the sport. Shaun’s career is nothing short of extraordinary — with 33 Comrades finishes to his name, 32 of them at Silver medal standard or faster , and even at 64 years old, sti...

For years, runners have been told to follow structured training phases — base, build, peak, taper — but is traditional periodisation still the best way to train? In this episode of Making A Runner , Nic sits down with Coach Mike Roscoe to unpack one of the biggest debates in endurance sport right now. Together, they explore whether periodisation has been misunderstood, overcomplicated, or simply m...

In this episode of Making A Runner, Host Nic sits down with an old friend of the podcast, Coach Andy Brodziak , to explore one of the most powerful—and often misunderstood—tools in endurance training: heat adaptation . From mimicking altitude benefits to improving performance in both hot and cooler conditions, Andy breaks down the science and practical application of heat training for runners and...

To kick off a new year of Making A Runner , Host Nic Acampora is joined once again by one of the podcast’s most trusted voices — S ports Nutritionist (MSc), Running and Strength Coach , Annie Bothma — for a community-driven Q&A episode. Questions were gathered directly from runners, and together Nic and Annie unpack six of the most common topics currently circulating in the endurance world. Th...

Welcome to the last Making A Runner Episode of 2025. In this engaging conversation, our host Nic and former co-host Davey catch up and reflect on their running journeys throughout the year, discussing various races, personal bests, and the challenges they faced. They delve into the changes they made to their training, the experiences of different marathons, how they bounced back from setbacks and...

In this episode of Making a Runner , Nic Acampora is joined once again by Sports Nutritionist and Elite Athlete Annie Bothma for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood pillars of endurance performance: Protein . Annie Bothma is a Performance Sports Nutritionist (MSc), Running & Strength Coach and Elite Long-distance Runner. Known for her evidence-based yet practical approach, Annie com...

What happens when you’ve done the training, visualized the finish line, and race day is suddenly taken away? In this timely and deeply personal episode, Nic sits down with mental performance coach Giovanni Bianco to unpack the emotional impact of the Cape Town Marathon cancellation—and how runners can bounce back when their race plans fall apart. Together, they explore how to process disappointmen...

With just weeks to go until Cape Town Marathon, this episode is your go-to guide for race day success. Host Nic Acampora sits down with Mike Roscoe from SBR Sports Coaching to unpack the critical details that can make or break your marathon performance. From mastering your final long runs and fine-tuning your nutrition plan, to tapering strategies, gel selection, caffeine use, and mental preparati...

In Part 2 of this powerful two-part series, Nic Acampora continues the conversation with Dr. Matt Silver—Doctor of Physical Therapy, Performance Coach, and Author of Built to Run . This episode dives deeper into the transition from rehabilitation to peak performance, exploring the key elements that help runners move from pain to potential. Together, Nic and Matt unpack the practical tools and mind...

With just 10 weeks to go until race day , this episode of Making A Runner is your go-to guide for final preparations ahead of the Cape Town Marathon . Your Host Nic — a three-time CT Marathon finisher — sits down with Coach Mike Roscoe from SBR Sports Coaching to unpack everything you need to know to get to the start line feeling confident and ready to run your best race yet. Whether you're tr...

In this insightful episode of Making A Runner , Nic Acampora sits down with Dr. Matt Silver— Sports Physical Therapist, Running Coach and author of Built to Run —for a powerful conversation that redefines how we think about running injuries, movement, and performance. Together, they explore why runners often stay stuck in injury cycles and how a whole-body , system-first approach can offer lasting...

In this episode of Making A Runner , host Nic sits down once again with Annie Bothma – IOPN Performance Sports Nutritionist (MSc), Running and Strength coach, and Endurance Athlete – to tackle a topic that’s often misunderstood in the running world: sustainable weight loss and body composition change for athletes. Annie unpacks the science behind weight and performance, busts common myths about “l...

In this inspiring episode of Making A Runner , host Nic sits down with runner and content creator, Chanel Cronje, to talk about one of the most relatable topics in the sport: injury. After building strong momentum in her training, Chanel hit a wall with ITB syndrome during her Cape Town Marathon 2024 campaign — a race she courageously completed despite pain from as early as kilometer 3. In her 18-...

In this episode of Making A Runner, Nic sits down with one of the sport’s most respected voices — Jason Fitzgerald, coach and host of the Strength Running Podcast . From his humble beginnings showing up to his first cross-country practice in basketball shoes, to becoming a 2:39 marathoner and leading coach, Jason’s journey is filled with lessons every runner can learn from. Together, they dive dee...

Davey is back on the show and with Nic they go over all you need to hear in the build up to the 2025 Comrades Down Run. In this fun and lighthearted episode you can expect to find some golden nuggets of wisdom which are sure to help get you fully prepared for race day along with many laughs from the stories shared. They cover: - Their own Comrades journeys and how they go to the start of this year...

In this episode of Making a Runner, host Nic Acampora sits down with South African running icon, Irvette Van Zyl, as she prepares for her very first Comrades Marathon. In this inspiring and deeply honest conversation, Irvette opens up about her rollercoaster journey to the start line, navigating serious injuries, relentless setbacks, and the mental and emotional battles that come with being an eli...

Ready to make the most of your Comrades Down Run? In this episode of Making A Runner, host Nic Acampora sits down with living legend Barry Holland—the only person to have finished 49 consecutive Comrades Marathons and a current CMA Board Member. Drawing on five decades of experience, Barry unpacks the route like only he can, sharing hard-earned tips on pacing strategies, breaking up the daunting 9...

What does it take to chase some of the world’s biggest running dreams—while juggling careers, travel, setbacks, and the everyday demands of life? In this inspiring episode of  Making A Runner , host Nic Acampora sits down with Jade De Sousa and Dominique Webb, two South African runners who not only earned the coveted Abbott Six Star Medal, but met on this journey, pushed their personal boundaries...

In this episode of Making A Runner, host Nic welcomes back Annie Bothma, a frequent guest with profound expertise in nutrition, especially in the context of running. Annie dives into the intricacies of carbohydrate consumption and its pivotal role in endurance sports. Having previously covered pre race Carbo-Loading strategies as a topic as well as general nutritional advice for runners today we f...

In this conversation, Host Nic and Andy Brodziak delve into the critical aspects of hydration and sodium intake for ultra marathon runners. They discuss the importance of understanding individual sweat rates, the role of sodium in performance, and practical strategies for maintaining optimal hydration levels during training and races. The conversation emphasises the need for personalised hydration...

In todays conversation your host, Nic, chats to Dr. Philip Batterson, a Physiologist, Coach and Endurance specialist from Oregon, USA. Phil holds extensive knowledge in the field of exercise physiology and it's application when it comes to endurance sports. Today we chat in detail about heat and altitude training for endurance runners. We focus on: The science behind these methodologies of tra...