Run With It

Morgan McDonald (aka “Chicken Boy”) joins Elise to talk through a change in coaching, his return to racing at the World Cross Country Championships, and how he’s approaching training and competition in 2026.

Morgan unpacks representing Australia in Tallahassee, the chaos of a feature-filled cross-country course (yes, including the alligator logs!), and what it meant to wear the green and gold again. He also opens up about the tough decision to step away from the On Athletics Club to take a more individualised approach to his training. Now reunited with college coach Mick Byrne, he shares why trust, patience and a more collaborative training model are central to this new phase, guided by the mantra “start early, progress slow.”

We also dive into NCAA glory days in Wisconsin, injury setbacks, why he’s gone a little anti-Strava in 2026, as well as and some big goals ahead, including the Commonwealth Games and the road to the LA Olympics in 2028.

Plus: coffee orders, book club scheduling sagas, adventures with partner Sinta, double threshold chat, and an elite lunch recommendation. A fun-filled chat to kick off the year!

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Morgan McDonald is an Australian distance runner originally from Sydney, and now based in Boulder, Colorado. A former NCAA champion at the University of Wisconsin, Morgan won the NCAA cross-country title in 2018 and completed the rare indoor 3000m/5000m double in 2019. He has represented Australia at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, and is a regular member of national teams across track, road and cross-country. Known affectionately as “Chicken Boy,” Morgan co-hosts The Coffee Club Podcast with Olli Hoare and George Beamish, and has his own YouTube channel.
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Follow us on Instagram:
@morganmcdonald__
@runwithit.pod
@elisebeacom

Check out Morgan's YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MorganMcDonaldisaloser 

The Coffee Club Podcast: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/coffee-club-a-running-podcast-about-nothing/id1587508622 
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom

Graphic design by Kate Scheer

To close out the year, I wanted to package up the ultimate gift! The 12 Days of Runmas brings together 12 "gifts" from past Run With It guests – short reflections, recommendations and ideas that have stayed with me since the podcast began. I’ve gone back through the archives and chosen a mix of voices spanning elite sport, advocacy, media and community (and I'll do another bunch next year). 

You’ll hear from:

Ed Goddard (Episode 12)

Grace Tame (Episodes 30 & 31)

Marcus Brown (Episode 18)

Gen Gregson (Episode 23)

Avish Sharma (Episode 3)

Brit de Groot (Episode 14)

Jaryd Clifford (Episode 15)

Izzi Batt-Doyle (Episode 2)

Mitch Dyer (Episode 11)

Calli Hauger-Thackery (Episode 28)

Haftu Strintzos (Episode 26)

Lucy Bartholomew (Episode 29)

Each clip is a small piece of a much longer conversation. If one resonates, I really encourage you to head back and listen to the full episode it came from.

Finally, a genuine thank you for listening to Run With It this year. Thank you for the kind words, the shares, the reviews, and for making time for these conversations. This episode felt like a simple, uplifting way to finish the year, and I’m really grateful you’re here.

See you in 2026!
Elise x
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
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Follow us on Instagram:
@runwithit.pod
@elisebeacom
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom

Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Alice and Elise are back on Sole Sisters with a very important update: Alice Baquie is now a sub-3 marathoner! AB ran 2:58:33 at Valencia Marathon last Sunday, and it was tough going but she gritted it out all the way to the blue carpet.

A potted history of race week includes hours spent perusing Aldi (apologies for harping on about this throughout the pod), stolen race shoes and elite-level commitment to carbohydrates both before and during AB’s stellar run. This episode is a fun-filled debrief of a gutsy marathon day, plus all the lessons you learn only once you’ve survived 42.2km. Enjoy!

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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!

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Follow us on Instagram:

@runwithit.pod

@alicebaquie

@elisebeacom

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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom

Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Newly crowned Australian marathon record holder Jess Stenson joins Elise to unpack her stunning 2:21:24 run for fifth place in Valencia. Jess takes us through her lead-up and race week in Spain, the mental tools she relied on out on the course, and all the feels from that iconic blue-carpet finish. It’s also a story about self-belief – and the people who helped her find it, including husband Dylan and coach Adam Didyk.

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Jessica Stenson has represented Australia in the marathon at three Olympic Games and is a multiple Commonwealth Games medallist, including gold in Birmingham in 2022. She’s mum to Billy and Ellie, a qualified physiotherapist, and a keynote speaker.

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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!

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Follow us on Instagram:
@jess_tren
@runwithit.pod
@elisebeacom

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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom

Graphic design by Kate Scheer

Alice checks in from Valencia in the final stages of her prep for the marathon this weekend. She’s full of steam (colourless carbs) and mixing with some of Australia’s best marathoners over there. Meanwhile, Elise continues to move through the world in a state of brain fog. The pair are upbeat and full of optimism for Alice’s sub-3 marathon attempt, and predict the stage is set for some big elite performances too, despite some warmer than ideal conditions! 
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Subscribe to Run With It wherever you get your podcasts, so you don’t miss a thing!
--
Follow us on Instagram:
@runwithit.pod
@alicebaquie
@elisebeacom
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Intro/outro music by Dan Beacom
Graphic design by Kate Scheer