The Best Athletics Podcast

Fresh off an outstanding performance at Comrades, Nick, founder of Best Athletics, sits down with elite runner George Kusche to discuss training, racing, fuelling and what it takes to perform at the highest level.
From race day tactics to balancing training and recovery, George shares practical insights that runners of all abilities can apply to their own training.

In This Episode
00:00 – 01:31 Intro & first reactions
01:31 – 02:32 Which is harder: the Up Run or the Down Run?
02:32 – 07:30 When did George know the record was possible?
07:30 – 10:51 Experiencing Comrades from the front of the race
10:51 – 15:36 Fuelling strategy on race day
15:36 – 19:30 Did the race unfold as planned?
19:30 – 25:00 The relationship between speed and ultramarathon performance
25:00 – 34:30 A deep dive into George's training
34:30 – 37:20 Balancing training, life and performance
37:20 – 39:50 Sleep, recovery and daily habits
39:50 – 41:40 Life as a full time athlete
41:40 – 44:40 What's next?
44:40 – 46:30 The best advice George has received
46:30 – 48:44 What everyday fuelling looks like
48:44 – 52:23 Outro

💙 Whether you're training for your first 5K or your next ultra, this episode is packed with insights from one of the sport's most exciting athletes.
🎧 Listen now and let us know your biggest takeaway

Nick Bester, the coach and founder behind Best Athletics, joins Jake from Ran to Japan to talk training, recovery, motivation, and chasing marathon dreams. They cover everything from 280k weeks and smart cross-training to fuelling, heat adaptation, and whether YouTube helps or hinders performance. A must-listen for runners who love to train hard and smart.

In this episode, Nick Bester sits down with Cole Gibbens to unpack an incredible run at the Berlin Marathon going sub 2:30 despite tough conditions.
We dive into how the race unfolded, handling the heat, and what it’s like to experience Berlin compared to London.
We also cover the realities behind the performance: tummy issues, training blocks, mileage for mental health vs. overdoing it, and whether chasing the kind of mileage we’ve seen from the likes of Ran to Japan is worth it.
We chat coaching (and a possible announcement 👀), calorie monitoring, and social media from Insta to YouTube.
Plus, what it’s like stepping into the world as a sponsored adidas athlete, and what’s next in terms of training philosophy: mileage or more quality?
An honest, insightful look behind the grind, the mindset, and the future 🙌🏽

In this episode of the Best Athletics Podcast, Nick Bester sits down with Robin Hughes, founder of Getahead an app that provides Mental Training Plans, to explore the often-overlooked side of performance - your mindset.

They dig into questions every runner has wondered:
Is there such a thing as mental talent, just like physical talent?
Can you actually train your mental strength to push further?
How much untapped potential lies in your mind?
What’s the ideal pre-race mindset?
Are some people simply untrainable from a mental perspective?
Whether you’re chasing PBs or just starting out, Robin shares practical insights to help you level up your mental game.

📲 Follow Robin: @getaheadmindset

In this episode, Best Athletics founder Nick Bester sits down with strength and conditioning coach Kate from Valere Endurance to unpack everything runners need to know about strength work.
From how often you should train, whether you really need a gym, to tackling persistent injuries like Achilles pain. This conversation is packed with practical advice. Kate shares her expert insights on injury prevention, muscle maintenance beyond age 25, and the one exercise no runner should skip.
Whether you're a beginner or elite, this episode will help you build a stronger, more resilient running body.
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your running community. To learn more or work with Kate, follow @running.on.island.time on Instagram or visit the Valere Endurance website for details on their programs and contact info. Thanks for listening – and remember, strength is speed in disguise!
https://www.valereendurance.com/