Hayles and Jussie are recording straight from their hotel room at the Marriott Circular Quay in Sydney after approximately 47 failed intro attempts and far too much laughing over absolutely nothing. The girls recap a big week of Gold Coast Half Marathon training including long runs with race pace efforts, interval sessions, sub-threshold workouts, and a rainy Vivid run around Circular Quay dodging umbrellas.
They also chat about birthday celebrations, Hayley finally getting her dream backyard sauna, and why race weekends should be about more than just chasing PBs. The episode dives into all the ways to make running events feel more fun, memorable, social, and joyful....from glitter planning and matching outfits to VIP race upgrades, playlists, post-race recovery plans, and embracing the chaos of race weekends with your friends.
Plus: executive lounge hotel hacks, toaster and microwave race prep stories, marathon FaceTime calls, mid-race dancing, airplane arms, and the importance of rewarding yourself for the training journey.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome To The Women’s Running Collective
01:32 Sydney Hotel Room Chaos & Failed Intros
03:18 Gold Coast Half Marathon Training Recap
05:26 Long Run Race Pace Efforts
07:10 Vivid Run Around Circular Quay
09:08 Hayley’s Backyard Sauna Recovery Era
11:18 Birthday Celebrations & Recovery Week Vibes
13:07 Sydney Course Weekend & Upcoming Long Run
15:10 Romeo + Juliet vs Off Campus Debate
16:44 Why Running Events Should Feel Fun
18:25 Choosing The Right Race & Destination
20:32 Training Enough To Actually Enjoy Race Day
22:14 Temu Glitter Planning & Race Accessories
24:09 Running Tours & Travel Groups
27:03 Organising Your Race Weekend Crew
29:18 Nutrition Practice & Race Morning Prep
31:52 Why Hayley Packed A Microwave To UTA
34:26 Woolworths Orders, Toasters & Race Hacks
36:15 Matching Outfits, Braids & Race Nails
39:08 Fun Race Games & Shared Playlists
41:22 Complimenting Other Runners & Course Energy
43:10 Costumes, Themes & Lorax Race Fits
45:17 Recovery Bookings & Post-Race Dinner Plans
47:42 Gold Coast Marathon VIP Gold Pass Chat
50:03 Medal Monday & Post-Race Walking Tours
52:14 Finish Lines Not Finish Times
54:08 Playlists, FaceTiming Mid-Marathon & Recording Memories
57:01 Staying An Extra Night After The Race
59:18 Reward Yourself For The Training Journey
01:01:26 Airplane Arms, Mid-Run Dancing & Singing Out Loud
01:04:10 Compliments, Smiling & Reading The Signs
01:06:12 Running Farts & Other Essential Race Advice
01:08:15 Hotel Robes, Executive Lounges & Recovery Snacks
01:11:02 Current Book Recommendations & Off Campus Obsession
01:14:05 Final Thoughts & Happy Running