Making A Runner

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 through the journey, this episode focuses on how to approach the taper period with confidence, perspective, and calmness.
Nic unpacks:
What runners should realistically expect to feel during the final weeks
Why fatigue, flatness, and self-doubt are completely normal
The Comrades Up Run Race Breakdown (https://www.instagram.com/p/DYhETIdDrm1/?igsh=Y25weHdvdHlsc243)
Common mistakes athletes make late in a Comrades build
How to manage emotions, comparison, and race anxiety
The importance of arriving healthy, fresh, and mentally ready
Why restraint and recovery become the real training in the final phase
The episode also explores the emotional significance of Comrades itself — why this race is different, what makes it so special, and why trusting the process matters more now than ever before.
Whether you’re preparing for your first Comrades or returning for another medal, this conversation is designed to help you slow down the noise, trust your training, and approach race day with clarity and confidence.
We hope you enjoy the episode and find it insightful.

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 conventional. But over the last few years, he has quietly rebuilt himself into an elite endurance athlete, running 2:13 for the marathon and an outstanding 5:41 debut at the Comrades Marathon.
Together, Nic and George unpack:
His transition from middle-distance track racing into marathon and ultra running
The lessons he took from the NCAA system and his time in the US
His decision to self-coach and how he structures his training
Building endurance without losing speed
The importance of long-term thinking and consistency in development
Balancing elite-level training with work, life, and family commitments
Nutrition, race strategy, and lessons from his first Comrades Marathon
More than anything, this episode is a conversation about patience, progression, and trusting the process. George’s story is a reminder that performance doesn’t always follow a straight line — and that sometimes the best athletes are still quietly building towards their full potential.
Whether you’re training for your first marathon, chasing a Comrades goal, or simply trying to improve over the long term, this conversation is packed with practical insight and perspective from one of South Africa’s rising endurance talents.
We hope you enjoy the show, make sure to give the pod a follow and leave a review.

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, still knocking on the door of a sub-3-hour marathon. It’s a testament to what’s possible when consistency, smart training, and a love for the process come together over decades.
We dive into:
How to train smarter as you get older
Managing injuries without losing momentum
The mental side of racing and preparation
Breaking down Ultra Marathons into manageable segments
What it takes to run the perfect Comrades
Why consistency is the ultimate performance tool
This is a conversation about playing the long game — building a sustainable approach to running that allows you to keep improving, stay injury-free, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process.
Whether you’re training for your first ultra or chasing your next PB, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can apply straight away.
We hope you enjoy the episode!

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 misapplied — especially for everyday runners juggling work, stress, and real-life demands.
This conversation moves beyond theory and into practical application. Mike shares how training should adapt to the individual, why consistency often matters more than chasing the “perfect” plan, and how to use simple training levers like volume, intensity, hills, and long runs to drive long-term progress.
They also dive into:
Why traditional periodisation models don’t always translate to real-world runners
The importance of building a strong aerobic base
How to avoid overtraining and burnout
Whether you actually need deload weeks and how to use them effectively
The role of intuitive and flexible training approaches
What the latest insights — including Nordic training models — are teaching us about performance and longevity
Whether you’re a beginner looking to avoid common pitfalls or an experienced runner aiming to train smarter and stay injury-free, this episode will help you simplify your approach and focus on what really matters.
At the end of the day, it’s not about having the perfect plan — it’s about building a system you can stick to consistently, over time.
You can give Mike a follow on @mikeroscoe_sbrsport or visit his website www.sbrsport.co.za
Enjoy the episode, share it with a running buddy and don't forget to hit that "Follow" button.

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 endurance athletes. The conversation dives into how the body adapts to heat, including increases in blood plasma volume, improved thermoregulation, and more efficient sweating.
Together, they unpack:
Why heat training can be a game-changer for endurance performance
The key physiological adaptations that take place
How to implement both active and passive heat protocols
The importance of hydration and managing heat stress
Why individual responses to heat vary—and how to adjust accordingly
How to maintain heat adaptations over time
Whether you're preparing for a hot race or simply looking to gain a performance edge, this episode offers practical, science-backed strategies you can start applying immediately. Below are some links that Andy talks about in the conversation.
🎥 Learn more about heat training:
https://youtu.be/yzqvypG6Hcw
📊 Heat strain & training insights:
https://help.corebodytemp.com/en/articles/10447107-heat-strain-index
https://help.corebodytemp.com/en/articles/10447113-heat-training-load
📚 Heat training protocols & resources:
https://help.corebodytemp.com/en/collections/11455763-heat-training-protocols
We hope you enjoyed the podcast! Make sure to share it with your running buddy and give us feedback on how your heat training block goes!