In the final episode of 2025, I go back through the year and pull out the highs and lows with the lessons I learnt and will take forward to 2026.
I reveal my race plans for next year and also that I will be joining the NI running show as a speaker in February.
I hope to see a lot of you at the show - to get £3 off your tickets use the code RunningRules at checkout or use the link below: www.eventbrite.com/e/1347804041169/?discount=RunningRules
You can get help with your spring races with the master the marathon course or a one to one coaching at www.therunningrules.com/services
Thank you for all your support in 2025! Today's episode is a short one reflecting on how busy Christmas can get and to make sure running is enhancing your holiday period and not adding a bigger stress to it.
The days after Christmas can be a good time to get back on track quickly but it's about getting the balance right. This is also a time when I reflect on how lucky I am to have your support for what I do.
Have a wonderful time, look after yourself and keeping running (when you can!)
Today's guest is 2:33 marathoner and coach Nick Weston. He is also a 4 time iron man finisher and 6 time 100mile ultra finisher and we talk about his transition into the marathon.
Nick opens up about his experience of chronic underfuelling and the consequences early in his endurance journey. This was an incredibly powerful conversation that could affect many runners pushing their miles up.
We talk about good fuelling practices as well how Nick ran his personal best in the marathon without looking at any pace or elapsed time.
Nick is also the 3 hour pacer at the 2026 Belfast marathon and he shares some insights into what to expect if you join him on the day or before in the lead up to the race.
Find out more about Nick on his website rnnng.co.uk or linktree at https://linktr.ee/rnnng_nickweston
On 7th and 8th February 2026 there will be a brand new NI running show at the Eikon Centre.
Today's guest is the event's director Oonagh Cattigan. She has a background of many years putting on big events in England and is combining that with her passion for running.
Oonagh got into running through a local 5k after returning to Northern Ireland as a new mother and describes the amazingly positive mental benefits she gets from running.
We talk in detail about the plans for the NI running show, what to expect and how to get involved as well as Oonagh's first marathon experience and her planned second in Belfast next year.
Get more information and adult tickets for a reduced price of £10 with code SPECIAL (kids are free) at www.nirunningshow.com
Keep up to date on socials at
www.instagram.com/nirunningshow and www.facebook.com/nirunningshow or send Oonagh a message at oonagh@nirunningshow.com
Today's episode is a recap of my race at the Seeley Cup 10k from the weekend past and the takeaways from it.
Coming 4 weeks off the back of NYC marathon, I always viewed this race as one that might not happen for me, but having something in the calendar really focused my recovery efforts.
With near perfect conditions, a flat(ish!) course and a fast field, I felt I could get close to my best but maybe more importantly, take part in a big local race that I hadn't done for 10 years.
To get the Master the Marathon course or enquire about coaching go to www.therunningrules.com/services
The biggest thing that can hold you back in running is not running. Whether it's an injury, illness or lack of motivation, failing to achieve consistency is the reason most people won't fulfil their potential.
That's why recovery is so important. It doesn't have to be fancy but getting a lot of the basics right will get you most of the way to guarding against injury or illness and making sure you are mentally prepped to go every session.
In today's episode I talk about physical and mental recovery and why both are important and what you can do on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.
To get the Master the Marathon course or enquire about coaching go to www.therunningrules.com/services
Unbelievably Christmas is around the corner again so in this episode I run through the gear, shoes and nutrition products I've been using this year and what to look out for on those Black Friday deals.
Whether you're looking for present ideas for a runner or just looking for an excuse to get something for yourself (you never need an excuse!) this episode reviews everything from stocking fillers to the best tech and shoes out there.
These are all products that I have used this year to help my training and racing and have led me to 2 marathon PBs - the first time I've ever achieved this in a calendar year.
To get 10% off your Awesome Supplements basket use code LADD10 at checkout.
To get the Master the Marathon course or enquire about coaching go to www.therunningrules.com/services
This month is diabetes awareness month and Friday is world diabetes day. It is also a year since I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).
In this episode I recap what diabetes is, how I got diagnosed and how I have balanced my blood sugar management with running.
I also talk about the emotional side of learning about a completely new life and dealing with a chronic condition day after day.
As well as raising awareness of the condition I talk about the hope and inspiration I have gained from seeing others thrive with the condition and hope that can extend to people with other situations and conditions they are facing.
Wow - New York city marathon was incredible! It was my 16th marathon, 5th different world major and 1st New York marathon and it didn't disappoint. I was also representing @pumarunning as part of the Project3.
This episode gives the full rundown of the experience with the days and prep leading up to a mile by mile breakdown of the course.
I share all the ups and downs (literally and metaphorically) and tell you why this is one of the best marathon experiences I've had but also a race not to be taken lightly!
One-to-one coaching slots are filling up fast for spring. If you are interested in finding out more go to www.therunningrules.com/services
New York marathon will be my 5th world major marathon and 2nd since my type 1 diabetes diagnosis. I will also be running as part of the Puma project3 team.
In this episode, I talk about my last couple of weeks leading up and what will happen this weekend. I share my expectations and challenges.
I also talk about how to prepare for something huge like this and also how to recover and reassess your goals after a big race.
One-to-one coaching slots are filling up fast for spring. If you are interested in finding out more go to www.therunningrules.com/services
This week I'm discussing three of the hot topics in big marathons that has divided opinion.
Dublin marathon has changed its general entry process to ballot only, Paris has announced no cups or bottles on course and Cape Town, the 8th candidate major was cancelled at the weekend.
I give my view on each highlighting how marathons have changed and are continuing to change and how you can try to prepare yourself for these changes or disappointments.
I also talk about what 2026 marathons are available to enter and how far ahead of time you need to be thinking about them.
You can get help with your upcoming race with the master the marathon course or a personal race prep call at www.therunningrules.com/services
This week I am 3 weeks away from New York marathon so things are starting to get real! There's still a few big sessions to go but also most of the work is done and recovery and tapering are key.
Today, I share some of my tapering principles and focuses, how we need to lean into the uncertainty of what is going to happen on race day and how to cope with stress using 'flow activities'.
This episode will provide you with some pitfalls to avoid and tips to get you through the taper and to the start line, fit and healthy and raring to go.
You can get help with your upcoming race with the master the marathon course or a personal race prep call at www.therunningrules.com/services
Today's episode is a Q+A covering questions sent to me through instagram, from clients and podcast listeners. To send a question for a future episode, message me @therunningrules on IG.
To skip to a particular question, go to:
02:30 - Will my marathon time suffer if I spend a cycle tackling shorter races?
18:05 - Why should I run in different shoes for different sessions?
32:55 - What snacks do I recommend when travelling to a big marathon?
39:04 - What are XC spikes?
48:00 - Should I book a half marathon now in the build up to my spring marathon?
You can get help with your upcoming race with the master the marathon course or a personal race prep call at www.therunningrules.com/services
Today's episode is all about how to pace yourself on race day. I look at different possible pacing strategies and why going out slower in longer races is likely to help you get your best race time.
I talk about how to get around GPS inaccuracies and how to prepare mentally for the end of a long race to stop you losing a lot of time.
I also look back to a rare race victory this weekend at the Annaghmore 10k and how it was a completely different mental approach than simply time trialling a race.
You can get help with your upcoming race with a personal race prep call at www.therunningrules.com/services
Today's episode is an update on what's happening inside the Puma Project3 in terms of the help we've been getting as well as the first drop of gear including the Fast R3s.
I'll go through why I've had to make some changes to my marathon preparation even though Belfast went so well. Sometimes you might be forced into changes but it's also worth looking at what improvements you can make.
I round off with a bit of an insight into how I'm trying to manage my T1 diabetes slightly differently given the difficulties I had in my previous races.
The master the marathon course will get you ready and confident for your upcoming race by helping you plan your fuel, mindset and pacing. Sign up now at www.therunningrules.com/master-the-marathon
Today's episode gives you a look into my latest half marathon race whilst looking forward to Belfast half marathon and giving some tips for first time half marathoners.
I let you into some of the mistakes I made in my first half marathon in 2014 as well as reflections and learning points from the weekend.
Best of luck to everyone running the half marathon this weekend whether it's your first time, a big PB attempt or along the way to an autumn marathon.
The master the marathon course will get you ready and confident for your upcoming race by helping you plan your fuel, mindset and pacing. Sign up now at www.therunningrules.com/master-the-marathon
Autumn marathons are just about on us but there is still time to make a difference in your next race!
Today's episode is all about things you can do right now to improve your chances of running your best in the marathon.
I cover aspects of nutrition, mindset, pacing and planning as well as an overview of the master the marathon course that will get you ready and confident for your upcoming race.
Sign up now at www.therunningrules.com/master-the-marathon
Today's episode is half race review of the GRC Coastal 5k and half my thoughts on the pros and cons of running races.
With 9 weeks left to New York marathon, the 5k race on Friday past is likely to be my penultimate tune up race before the big day as we're now getting into the big work of the marathon cycle.
I share my thoughts going into the race and how it panned out and where it leaves me for the next block of training.
It also got me thinking about how there is a fine line between racing enough and too much and the pros and cons of doing a race. I give you a rundown of what to think about and how to plan your races.
If you want to improve in your marathon this autumn, check out my course 26.2 days to master the marathon at www.therunningrules.com/master-the-marathon
This November I will be taking on New York marathon as part of the Puma Project3. I was very fortunate to even get a place in New York nevermind be a part of this exciting programme.
In today's episode I reveal how it's taken me 7 years to get to New York with some of the ups and downs on the way.
I give an overview of what's in store with the Puma Project3, what I'm excited for and the things I'll need to optimise for New York.
And as always, I'll be talking about how this can relate to your own marathon journey and share some of the takeaways I've had in the early part of this marathon cycle.
If you want to improve in your marathon this autumn, check out my course 26.2 days to master the marathon at www.therunningrules.com/master-the-marathon
Today I talk all about parkrunning with guest Linda Harley.
Linda is closing in on 400 parkruns and has run over 100 different parkruns including all the Northern Ireland parkruns at various times (new ones are continually added).
Linda also writes a brilliant blog of all her experiences and details of the parkruns at www.dancingatlunacy.com
We discuss milestones and different parkrun challenges as well as how to get involved as a volunteer and what to know about if you are going to a new parkrun.
If you need help and accountability with your own training for your next race along with personalised guidance in nutrition and mindset, message me at www.instagram.com/therunningrules or see www.therunningrules.com/coaching