The Running Rules Podcast

Today's episode is a deep dive into how I dealt with and tried to figure out my type 1 diabetes diagnosis to be able to run a marathon personal best 6 months later. Like a lot of things in life and marathon running, T1D is very individual but there were steps I took and principles I followed to try to simplify the challenge and give myself the best chance of success. And this extends to any ch...

Today's guest  Andrew McCrea ran his marathon best of 2:44 at this year’s scorching London marathon as part of the Puma Project3 group. We talk about his progression in the marathon from a debut of 4 hours to consistently breaking 3 and also what it was like to be treated like an elite by Puma as part of their Project3 group. He has paced the Belfast marathon twice and we talk about how the mindse...

Today's episode is a different type of race recap for me, a shorter distance, a new experience and sub-optimal preparation with lots of takeaways that come from that. I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to wear the NI vest again and also want to encourage more people to try to chase that dream. And if that isn't your goal then hopefully this episode will inspire you to take on t...

Today's guests Lee O'Boyle and Micky McAuley give amazing insight into training for mountain races and tackling some of Europe's biggest ultramarathons. Micky was the 39th person to run the Denis Rankin round and on that round he inspired Lee, now an Irish representative, to follow suit. They have both competed at UTMB, the mecca of trail running in Europe. We talk about how the highs...

What are the most important things to focus on for your next marathon cycle? Obviously training is key but how do nutrition, mindset and planning stack up? Today's episode is one not to miss if you're embarking on an autumn marathon as I give my top 10 list of things to focus on for your next cycle. If you want even more points to fully master the marathon, check out my 'Master the mar...

Can one 'good' running performance be a fluke? Can one 'bad' running performance be the new norm? In today's episode I explore the notion that we sometimes feel we have to prove that a breakthrough performance isn't just a fluke. I also question if a race that didn't go as well as we hoped is a blip or the new reality. The good news is that for most of us, we can keep r...

Today’s episode is all about proper day to day fuelling for your running. It can be easy to underestimate how important nutrition is for our training but it can also be easy to be overwhelmed with the advice and options out there. I give some history of how my views of nutrition and running have changed over the years and provide a framework to help you make sure you are getting everything you nee...

Today's episode is all about the belief we have in our own running and how it can affect us in what we try to achieve and the success we get or don't get. I look at my own experience and interactions with clients to discuss what can happen if we don't have belief or even f we have too much of it and I introduce the 'confidence bucket'. Finally I talk about how we think of ourse...

The 10k is a very popular race distance with good reason. It can serve as a natural stepping stone from 5k upwards, provide valuable racing experience for longer distances and can be a great challenge in its own right. In today's episode I discuss why the 10k race can be quite different for different people, how to train for it and how to get the best out of yourself on race day. I also reveal...

Autumn races are closer than you think and now is a great time to set new habits or go back to what has worked in the past as well as trying out new gear and supplements. Today, I step through 5 things to nail down now at the start of the training cycle so that you don't get caught out later down the line. From new shoes to revisiting your training plan, trying new gels to getting better sleep...

Today's episode is all about changing up little things in your training to have a big positive effect on race day. Consistency is always key especially if you have a good framework but there are always things for everyone to work on. My build for Belfast probably didn't seem much different to any other marathon cycle but I've highlighted 5 things that I felt really help me to break new...

This week's episode is a full rundown of my Belfast marathon race with a lot of takeaways to share. This one was always meant to be a bit of an experiment but thanks to all your support I was able to run a race I thought wasn't possible 6 months ago. Being diagnosed with T1 diabetes meant I had to rethink things I had taken for granted and initially I had variable success. But as I got thi...

This is part 11 of a series following my journey from T1 diabetes diagnosis to my next marathon. It's race week and in the last of this mini series I talk about how I'm feeling going into the race as well as reflecting on the block as a whole. I recap the last couple of weeks of training with a few mishaps with my insulin and glucose regulation and what my plan is for race day in terms of...

Last weekend was an emotional rollercoaster for anyone running and me as a coach. Tough conditions made people work even harder for that marathon medal. Whether the race went as you hoped for or not, it can be easy to have knee-jerk reactions and not objectively assess the race and training as a whole. It can also be tempting to jump into the next marathon or put off another marathon for a long ti...

This Sunday the 27th April 2025 will see a record 90000+ participants in the marathon with both London and Manchester being held on the same day. In this episode, I look ahead to what is going to be a really exciting day for marathoners, give some of my experience from previous editions and how it builds the anticipation for anyone still to run a marathon. I also look at how to get into these mara...

Today's episode is a Q+A style episode with questions from instagram, email and clients directly. If you'd like to submit a question for the next Q+A send me a message on instagram @therunningrules. Topics covered today are: Should I wear carbon shoes for training? Can I run a 3 hour marathon? How easy should my long run be? How do I deal with disappointment of missing a race? What are my...

This is part 10 of a series following my journey from T1 diabetes diagnosis to my next marathon. 20 days out you could say I'm officially on the taper but it doesn't feel like it. I still have a daunting week ahead and I'm pretty tired from poor sleep and potentially less than ideal fuelling day to day. That said, I've ticked off another really strong week which makes me feel that...

With the unseasonably good weather this week, I do a deep dive into the science behind sweating and hydration and its effect on running performance. In this episode you'll get tips on what to do to know if you are consuming enough fluid and electrolytes on your runs and how to manage this in long races too to avoid big slow downs and mitigate the chances and severity of cramps Hydration is eve...

This is part 9 of a series following my journey from T1 diabetes diagnosis to my next marathon. 4 weeks out from Belfast marathon, I'm feeling in really good shape but this is also when the doubts and niggles come in. I've hit some really good sessions and also ones where I didn't feel great at all. The diabetes management has got somewhat frustrating as well with some sensors that see...

Today's episode is all about the weeks leading up to the marathon taper and the taper itself. In these weeks you are pushing yourself to the limits trying to stay on the right side of the line. It's going to be tough! However, these weeks won't last forever and you aren't the only one finding it tough. There's almost always a point in the cycle where I wonder why I train for ma...

Pacing is as much an art as it is a science. Calculators are fun to look at to get an idea of how you might do over a certain race distance but the feel of it is important too. Then there is the extra incentive of a nice round number which can play into your thoughts and aims in a positive (and sometimes reckless!) way. Today I talk about factors to think about in your pacing such as how aggressiv...

This week's episode was a fun one discussing lots of things we as runners can get caught up worrying about and why sometimes the best thing is to ignore the noise. I talk about useless benchmarks provided by your watch, why there is so much more to training than weekly mileage and why comparing yourself to others (or even a former you) can be counterproductive. However, there is a difference b...

This is part 8 of a series following my journey from T1 diabetes diagnosis to my next marathon. Today's bonus episode was recorded right after my Sunday long run where I ran the last 20 miles of the Belfast marathon course. There were a few surprises both with the route and some personal issues! However, it was good to get a lay of the land and realise that my game plan might need to change a litt...

Today's episode is the full race recap and lessons from the Bohermeen half marathon that I ran at the weekend. I learnt plenty of things from a diabetes standpoint but also some more general principles that we can all learn from including logistics, pacing, racing and hydration. If you've a race coming up or are reflecting on a recent effort then there is definitely something here for you!...

This is part 7 of a series following my journey from T1 diabetes diagnosis to my next marathon. In this week's bonus episode I give an insight to how I'm feeling going into this weekend's Bohermeen half marathon off the back of a couple of really pleasing runs. I also go into the New York marathon debacle and discuss how changing plans can actually make you feel a bit more liberated in...