Masters On The Move

If you want to build real stamina and improve your lactate threshold without burning out, you need to understand steady-state running. Steady-state training sits at the low end of threshold training. It’s one of the most overlooked workouts in distance running — yet it forms the foundation of marathon and half marathon performance. In this episode of Run Faster with Coach Justin, you’ll learn: • W...

What do you do when quitting isn’t an option? In this episode of Masters On The Move, I sit down with Ty Gipson — lifelong Type 1 Diabetic, triple organ transplant recipient, entrepreneur, public servant, and national speaker. Ty’s journey is extraordinary. After facing life-threatening health battles and receiving three organ transplants, most people would focus solely on survival. Ty built two t...

Most runners are training in the wrong zone — and it’s costing them performance. Here’s how to accurately find your lactate threshold and fix it. In this episode of Run Smarter with Coach Justin, I break down how to measure your true threshold intensity using a simple 20-minute test — so you can stop guessing and start training with purpose. You’ll learn: What lactate threshold really is (and why...

Celebrating Movement, Community, and Resilience with Maria Easterbrook Join us in this inspiring episode featuring Maria Easterbrook, a dedicated community advocate, athlete, teacher, and guiding force behind multiple initiatives in Whangarei. Maria's journey showcases the power of movement, volunteerism, and resilience—demonstrating how one person's passion can ripple through an entire community....

Many runners wake up, check their Garmin HRV, and assume the number tells them exactly how ready they are to train. But heart rate variability is one of the most misunderstood metrics in modern endurance training. In this episode of Midweek with Justin, we break down what HRV actually measures and why many runners are interpreting their data incorrectly. You’ll learn why HRV numbers are highly ind...

What does it take to keep running strong into your 70s? In this episode of Masters on the Move, I sit down with inspiring Whangārei runner Steve Fairley from Hātea Run Club, a man who proves that consistency and passion can keep you fast for decades. Steve has completed 320 parkruns, run a 19:34 5K, and even now in the 70–74 age group he’s still running times close to what he was doing nearly a de...

If your running hasn’t improved in months, you might be experiencing a running plateau — something almost every runner encounters at some stage of their training. In this episode of Midweek with Justin, running coach Justin Hill explains why runners plateau and the most common training mistakes that stop progress. You’ll learn: • Why running progress can suddenly stall • The five most common cause...

We talk a lot about training plans, VO₂ max, and recovery protocols — but rarely about sleep environment. In the latest Masters on the Move episode, I interviewed Derek Hales, Founder of NapLab , who has tested over 500 mattresses using a structured, data-driven framework (10 tests, 43 data points per mattress). We discussed: Why mattress matching is individual How pressure relief and spinal align...

In this episode of Midweek with Justin, I share exactly how I increased my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) from consistently low and unbalanced to trending upward and stable — and why this metric could be the missing link in your recovery and performance. Links to Sleep Specialist Katrina Aubrey:- https://youtu.be/5B4BO1hwUpM?si=x4jYPLQVUXHTZzSa https://youtu.be/kJWPYdnK1Rc?si=1_dI1jRn3RnZy_oq We bre...

Is chronic pain after 50 really inevitable — or is there a better way? In this episode of Masters on the Move, we explore chronic pain and aging with licensed physical therapist and international bestselling author Eileen Kopsaftis, author of Pain Culprits and Aging Culprits. If you’re dealing with joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, or declining mobility after 50 or 60, this conversation will ch...

Can 15 minutes twice a week really make a difference to your running after 60? In this midweek episode, I share the simple at-home strength routine I believe played a major role in helping me run a 19:19 5K parkrun personal best at age 61. No gym membership. No fancy machines. Just dumbbells, resistance bands, a Swiss ball, a step — and for the most important part, a towel and a tennis ball. We di...

Denis Langford is one of the driving forces behind the running community in Whangārei, New Zealand. A passionate runner, cyclist and speed golfer, Denis is a parkrun Run Director, club captain of the Hatea Run Group, organiser of the Hatea Grand Prix, and a dedicated masters athlete. Most recently, he initiated and led a successful parkrun relay record attempt — proving what can happen when commun...

Zone 2 training is the missing link for most masters runners. If you’re over 40 and trying to run faster, recover better, and stay injury-free, building a strong aerobic base is essential. In this episode of Masters On The Move, we break down the science of Zone 2 running, why it matters more as we age, and how to apply it correctly in your training. Many runners spend too much time in the “grey z...

What happens when a lifelong runner is told he needs a knee replacement? For many, it would signal the end. For Colin Smith of Whangārei, it became the start of a new chapter. In this episode, Colin shares his journey from running impressive marathon times in his younger years to facing the reality of chronic knee pain and ultimately undergoing knee replacement surgery. We talk about the mental ba...

If you want to run a faster 5K, especially as a masters runner, this episode breaks down the single most important workout you should be doing — and how to do it without overtraining or getting injured. Many runners over 40 train harder, not smarter. In this Midweek Masters On The Move episode, certified running coach Justin explains why controlled interval training at 5K pace, supported by a stro...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Alan Coulter, a 68-year-old ultra-distance runner who has completed 30 Comrades Marathons, around 300 marathons, countless half marathons, and numerous ultra-trail events — a lifetime of endurance few will ever match. But Alan’s story goes far beyond finish lines. He shares the brutal reality of Comrades Marathon, the mental toll of decades of training, a...

Running has quietly transformed from a solo grind into a social movement — and it’s changing the way people train, stay motivated, and stick with the sport. In this episode, certified running coach Justin Hill unpacks why running has exploded in popularity again, from the rise of run crews to the shift away from pace obsession and toward connection and community. You’ll learn why belonging matters...

Also available to view on YouTube  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKw1-hbRSfGA7IjvRawczTJjMM4DuQFiK&si=4tITCL6Dg2l6b0ie What happens when running isn’t just a sport — but a shared life rhythm? In this episode, we sit down with Francois Williams of Tygerberg Running Club, one half of a rare running partnership. For years, Francois and his wife Antoinette have trained side by side, lini...

After all the alarms, injuries, and early mornings, why do we keep lacing up? In Why We Keep Coming Back, Justin reflects on the real reasons runners return again and again. It’s not just about fitness — it’s about community, resilience, and proving to ourselves that we’re still moving forward. A heartfelt, humorous episode that captures what keeps older runners inspired, grounded, and grateful —...

In this episode, we sit down with Christian Reynolds an inspiring endurance cyclist who completed the legendary Cape Reinga to Bluff ride — a journey spanning the full length of New Zealand. What makes his story truly powerful is how he took on this massive challenge while managing diabetes, proving that a health condition doesn’t have to limit what’s possible. We explore his early love for cyclin...

The medals are shining, the endorphins are flowing — and everyone’s walking like penguins. In The Finish Line Shuffle, Justin celebrates that beautiful, awkward aftermath of race day. He shares the science behind sore muscles and the art of the recovery hobble. Equal parts relatable and hilarious, it’s a gentle reminder that the shuffle is part of the journey — a badge of honor for effort well spe...

Also available to view on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKw1-hbRSfGA7IjvRawczTJjMM4DuQFiK&si=4tITCL6Dg2l6b0ie When a serious injury at the Tekapo Half Marathon threatened to end his running journey, Mark Anderson of Whangārei had every reason to hang up his shoes. But instead, he fought back — one careful step at a time. In this episode of Masters on the Move, host Justin Hill sit...

It’s taper week — the training’s done, the legs are restless, and the brain has gone rogue. In The Taper Madness, Justin hilariously captures the paranoia that grips runners before a big event. Did you train enough? Are you too tired? Too rested? Do you even remember how to run? With humor and perspective, he reminds us that tapering isn’t losing fitness — it’s gaining freshness. The hardest part...

Also available to view on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKw1-hbRSfGA7IjvRawczTJjMM4DuQFiK&si=4tITCL6Dg2l6b0ie Ever wake up feeling exhausted, even after a full night’s sleep? In this episode of Masters on the Move, Justin Hill talks with Katrina Aubrey, a registered clinical sleep and respiratory physiology technician, about what’s really happening while you sleep — and why qualit...

Every runner has them — the pre-race routines that range from practical to borderline mystical. In Race Day Rituals, Justin unpacks the strange habits and lucky charms that give us comfort before the starting gun. From favorite socks to exact breakfast timings, he reveals how rituals calm the chaos of competition. A funny and affectionate look at the quirks that make runners human — and why we’ll...