FAQs
After signing up you're added to the Final Surge app where your programme is loaded. You complete your sessions, your GPS watch syncs automatically, and Wayne reviews your data. In Ask the Coach, you ask questions inside workout comments. In Personalised Coaching, Wayne analyses every session and contacts you with feedback plus scheduled video calls.
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How does online run coaching work?
A GPS watch is recommended so Wayne can see your pace, heart rate, and training load. Garmin, Suunto, Apple Watch, COROS and Amazfit all work. A basic model is fine to start, you don't need anything expensive.
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Do I need a GPS watch?
What distances and races does this cover?
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All distances — 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, and ultramarathon — on both road and trail. Whether it's your first 5K or a sub-4-hour marathon target, Wayne builds the programme around your specific goal.
Both programmes bill fortnightly with no fixed term. Wayne recommends a minimum of 12 weeks to see real results. Most athletes stay 3–6 months leading into a race, then continue after.
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How long is a coaching programme?
Yes. Wayne offers a free 30-minute video call to talk through your goals, your current training, and which programme suits you. Book your free call at runtherace.as.me
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Can I speak to Wayne before I sign up?
What's included in the running form analysis?
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Wayne analyses slow-motion video of you running and provides a full written report identifying your key form issues and a corrective action plan. This is included in both programmes at no extra cost.
Is coaching available outside Australia?
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Yes. All coaching runs through Final Surge online, so it works anywhere in the world. Wayne coaches runners across Australia, New Zealand, and internationally.
MARATHON TRAINING QUESTIONS
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TRAIN FOR A MARATHON?
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If you already run regularly, three or four times a week and comfortable covering 15 to 20km, you need 16 to 20 weeks to build safely to marathon distance. If you’re starting from scratch or coming back from a long break, add 8 to 12 weeks of base building first so you’re running consistently before the real block begins. Rushing this is the fastest way to end up injured six weeks out. I’d rather you arrive slightly under-trained and healthy than over-trained and broken. Everyone’s timeline differs depending on your running history, goal time, and how well your body absorbs load, and that’s exactly what a coach adjusts week to week. If you’re not sure how long you personally need, book a free 30-minute video call at runtherace.as.me and we’ll map it out around your race date.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK SHOULD I RUN FOR MARATHON TRAINING?
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For most runners, three to five days a week is the sweet spot, and four is where I start the majority of my athletes. It’s enough to build real fitness without overloading a body that also has work, family and sleep to manage. Beginners can absolutely finish a marathon on three quality runs plus a weekly long run. More experienced runners chasing a time goal push to five or six. What matters far more than the number of days is consistency and the mix: one long run, one or two harder sessions, and the rest kept genuinely easy. Piling on junk miles at the wrong intensity is how people plateau and break down. Quality beats quantity every time. If you’re unsure how many days your body can handle right now, book a free video call.
WHAT PACE SHOULD MY EASY RUNS BE?
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Slower than you think. Your easy runs should sit around 60 to 90 seconds per kilometre slower than your goal marathon pace, and the simplest test is that you can hold a full conversation without gasping. If you can’t talk in sentences, you’re running too hard. This is the single biggest mistake I see: runners turning every easy run into a moderate grind, then wondering why they’re flat for their key sessions. Easy runs build your aerobic engine and let you recover so you can actually hit your hard days. Around 80 percent of your weekly running should be at this comfortable effort. Slowing down feels wrong at first, but it’s what lets you train more, absorb more and stay healthy. If you’d like your exact easy pace worked out from your recent data, book a free video call.
HOW LONG SHOULD MY LONGEST RUN BE BEFORE A MARATHON?
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For most marathoners, your longest training run should reach 30 to 35km, done two to three weeks before race day. You don’t need to run the full 42.2km in training. That just digs a recovery hole you’ll still be climbing out of on race morning. What matters more than distance is time on feet: if you’re a slower runner, I cap the long run at around 3 to 3.5 hours rather than chasing a number, because the injury risk climbs steeply past that. We build the long run gradually, adding no more than 2 to 3km at a time and pulling it back every third week so your body absorbs the work. Run it easy, and practise your race-day fuelling while you’re out there. If you’re not sure how to build your long run safely toward your race, book a free 30-minute video call.
RACE DAY AND RECOVERY QUESTIONS
For a first marathon, finishing strong and healthy is the real win, but if you want a number, anything under 4 hours 30 minutes is a genuinely good beginner time. Most first-timers land between 4:30 and 5:15, which works out to roughly 6:24 to 7:28 per kilometre. If you cross the line in that range you are in very good company, because the biggest single group of marathon finishers sits between 4 and 5 hours. Do not get anchored to a time on debut, though. You have no idea how your body handles 42.2km until you have done it, and going out too fast in the first 10km is the classic rookie mistake that turns a good day into a survival march. Run the first half with discipline and you will pass people in the second. Once you have one marathon behind you, a specific time target becomes realistic. If you want an honest goal for your current fitness, book a free video call at runtherace.as.me
WHAT IS A GOOD MARATHON TIME FOR A BEGINNER?
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Aim for 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour once you are racing, which for most runners means one gel every 30 to 45 minutes, so a 4 to 5 hour marathon works out to roughly 6 to 10 gels. The single biggest fuelling mistake is starting too late. Take your first gel inside the first 30 minutes, well before you feel empty, because once you have run yourself flat it is very hard to claw back. Sip water with each gel to help it absorb, and never try a new brand or flavour on race day. Your gut needs training just like your legs, so practise your exact fuelling on your long runs for weeks beforehand. If your stomach rebels easily, split gels into smaller, more frequent doses or try chews instead. Get this dialled in early and you will finish strong instead of surviving. If you want a fuelling plan built around your race, book a free video call.
HOW MANY GELS DO I NEED DURING A MARATHON?
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The taper is the two to three weeks before race day where you cut your training volume so you arrive fresh, not fatigued. Reduce your weekly distance by roughly 20 to 30 percent each week, but here is the key most runners get wrong: keep some intensity in. Drop the volume, not the sharpness. A few short race-pace efforts keep your legs snappy while your body soaks up all the training you have banked. Your longest run should be two to three weeks out, and after that everything gets shorter. It is completely normal to feel sluggish, restless, or to pick up phantom niggles during taper week. That is your body recovering, not a sign you are losing fitness. Resist the urge to test your legs with one last hard session. You cannot gain fitness in the final fortnight, but you can absolutely lose freshness. Trust the work you have already done. If you would like a taper built around your race date, book a free video call.
HOW SHOULD I TAPER BEFORE A MARATHON?
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DO RUNNERS NEED TO DO STRENGTH TRAINING?
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Yes. Strength training is one of the most underrated things you can do for your running, and I build it into the week of nearly every athlete I coach. Two short sessions a week is enough to make a real difference. It will not bulk you up. The research in runners has not shown that strength work lowers your injury risk, so I will not sell it to you that way. What it does do is make every stride cost less energy, and hold your form together when you are tired late in a race, so you lose less pace in the final kilometres. You do not need a fancy gym: squats, lunges, single-leg work, calf raises and core exercises cover most of it. Go heavy enough that the last rep is genuinely hard and stop 1 to 3 reps short of failure. Keep the hard lifting away from your key running days so it does not blunt your sessions. Even 20 to 30 minutes twice a week pays off. If you would like strength work built around your running programme, book a free video call.
FIRST MARATHON QUESTIONS
Hitting the wall is the sudden, heavy slowdown many marathoners feel somewhere around 30 to 35km. Your legs turn to concrete, your pace falls away and your head starts negotiating with you. It happens when your stored carbohydrate runs low, and it is almost always caused by two things: starting too fast and fuelling too little. Both are fixable. Run the first half at a pace that feels almost too easy, because every second you bank early costs you a minute late. Start taking carbohydrate inside the first 30 minutes and keep it coming every 30 to 45 minutes, practised on your long runs so your gut is ready. Carb load properly in the two to three days before the race, and use your long runs to teach your body to keep moving on tired legs. I see far more walls caused by an ambitious first 10km than by a lack of fitness. If you have hit the wall before and want to know why, book a free video call.
WHAT IS THE WALL AND HOW DO I AVOID IT?
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Race in a shoe you have already done at least three or four long runs in, never a pair straight out of the box. Comfort over 42.2km matters far more than anything written on the box. For most first-time marathoners a well-cushioned daily trainer is the right choice, because it protects your legs over four or five hours on the road. Carbon-plated super shoes can save energy, but they suit runners with a stable, efficient stride and they reward a faster pace. If you do want to race in them, buy them early and wear them for your marathon pace sessions so your calves and feet adapt. Replace your training shoes every 600 to 800km, and have your race pair broken in, not worn out, with 50 to 100km on them by race day. Get properly fitted at a running store and allow a thumb’s width at the toe, because feet swell late in a marathon. If you are unsure what suits your stride, book a free video call.
WHAT SHOES SHOULD I RUN A MARATHON IN?
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Yes, if your timeline allows it. A half marathon six to ten weeks before your marathon is one of the most useful sessions in any first marathon build. It is a full dress rehearsal: the early alarm, the start line nerves, your pre-race breakfast, your gels and your pacing, all tested while the stakes are low. It also gives you a real fitness marker. Your half marathon time is a far better guide to a realistic marathon goal than any online calculator, and I use it with my athletes to set their race pace. If the half sits six or more weeks out, race it properly. If it is closer than that, run it at your goal marathon pace instead and save your legs. Either way, allow a few easy days afterwards before your next long run. It also takes away a lot of fear, because you will know exactly how the halfway point of your marathon should feel. If you want help fitting a half into your plan, book a free video call.
SHOULD I RUN A HALF MARATHON BEFORE MY FIRST MARATHON?
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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER AFTER A MARATHON?
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Give yourself at least one to two weeks of very light running, and expect three to four weeks before you feel properly back to normal. A marathon causes real muscle damage, and it takes longer to heal than the soreness suggests. For the first three to five days, rest or do easy walking, gentle cycling or swimming. After that, short easy runs of 20 to 30 minutes are fine as long as they feel comfortable. No speed work and no long runs for at least two weeks. An old rule of thumb is one easy day for every mile raced, which is roughly four weeks, and that is a sensible guide for when to do your next hard session. Eat well, prioritise sleep and do not rush into the next race while your legs are still rebuilding. The runners who come back strongest are the ones who were patient in the month after. If you want a return to running plan after your marathon, book a free video call.
MARATHON PREPARATION QUESTIONS
Build gradually and give your body easy weeks to catch up. A sensible guide is to add no more than 10 percent to your weekly distance, and never raise your long run by more than 2 to 3km at a time. The 10 percent figure is a guide, not a law. Lower mileage runners can add a little more, while runners above 70km a week should add less. Every third or fourth week, drop your volume by 20 to 30 percent so your body absorbs the work. Change only one thing at a time, distance, intensity or frequency, never all three together. Keep most of your running genuinely easy, add two short strength sessions a week and protect your sleep. If you have pain that does not settle, see a physio rather than pushing through. Most overuse problems I see come from doing too much too soon, not from a lack of toughness. If you want your build mapped out safely, book a free video call.
How do I increase my mileage without getting injured?
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No. For most runners, running every day carries more risk than reward. Your fitness improves during recovery, not during the session, and a body that never rests collects fatigue until a key session goes flat or something gives. Four to five days a week is where most of my athletes thrive, with at least one or two full rest days. Runners who do run daily usually keep most of those runs short and very easy, and they have years of base behind them. If you want more weekly volume, make your key runs a little longer and add an easy run before you remove a rest day. A rest day can still include an easy walk or some mobility work. Never add a run just to protect a streak. Consistency across 16 weeks beats a heroic fortnight that ends with a break from running. If you are unsure how many days your body can handle, book a free video call.
Should I run every day when training for a marathon?
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Carb loading means lifting your carbohydrate intake over the final two to three days so your muscles start the race full. Aim for 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day, so a 70kg runner targets 560 to 700 grams. That is a lot of food, so choose low fibre, easy to digest options like white rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, oats and bananas. You are mostly swapping fat and fibre for carbohydrate rather than simply eating more. Your taper helps, because you are running less while you load. Expect to feel heavier and to gain a kilo or two, which is stored water and completely normal. Skip anything new, keep the dinner before the race familiar and early, and eat a carbohydrate rich breakfast two to three hours before the start. Practise the whole routine before a long run. If you want a fuelling plan built around your race, book a free video call.
How do I carb load before a marathon?
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How should I pace a marathon?
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Run an even effort and aim for even splits, or a slightly faster second half. Pick your goal pace from a recent half marathon or your best long run, not from hope. Run the first 5km about 5 to 10 seconds per kilometre slower than goal pace to settle in, and let the first 10km feel almost too easy. Hold goal pace through to 30km and only race the last 12km once you are there. Every kilometre you run too fast early costs you far more than you gained, which is why most blow ups arrive after 32km. Run by effort on hills and into wind rather than chasing pace, use your watch lap for each kilometre and do not panic if one drifts. Rehearse all of this on a long run with marathon pace blocks. If you want a race pacing plan for your goal time, book a free video call.
TRAINING PLAN QUESTIONS
Eat a familiar, carbohydrate rich breakfast two to three hours before the start, and keep it low in fibre and fat. Aim for 1 to 2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, so a 70kg runner has roughly 70 to 140 grams. Good options are white toast with jam and banana, porridge made with water, or rice with a little honey. Add a coffee if you normally have one, and sip 300 to 500ml of fluid in the final two hours. If your start time is early, eat a smaller meal and top up with a gel or sports drink 15 to 30 minutes before the gun. Nerves can shrink your appetite, so practise this exact routine before at least three long runs. Race morning is the worst time to find out what your stomach tolerates. If you want a fuelling plan built around your race and start time, book a free video call.
What should I eat the morning of a marathon?
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You do it with a plan built around your week, not around motivation. Most of my working athletes run four days a week: two short easy runs of 30 to 45 minutes, one quality session and one long run on the weekend. Put the sessions in your diary like meetings. Lunchtime and early morning runs protect you from the days that blow out after work. Keep the easy runs genuinely easy so you arrive at the key sessions fresh, and protect your sleep above everything else, because a tired body adapts poorly. Do not try to squeeze in extra junk kilometres when you are busy. A consistent 40 to 60km a week across 16 to 18 weeks is enough to run a strong first marathon. When a work week goes sideways, drop the easy run, not the long run. If you want a plan that fits around your job, book a free video call.
How do I train for a marathon with a full time job?
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Most runners need 10 to 12 weeks to prepare for a half marathon, provided they can already run comfortably for 30 minutes without stopping. If you are starting from the couch, give yourself 14 to 16 weeks and begin with run and walk intervals. A sensible build has three or four runs a week, with one long run that grows from around 8km to 16 to 18km, plus one session of steady or tempo running. Hold your weekly increase to about 10 percent and take an easier week every third or fourth week. Finish with a 10 day taper where you cut volume by about 30 to 40 percent but keep a few short bursts at race pace. Run a 10km race around week six if you can, because it gives you a real pace marker. If you are unsure whether your timeline is realistic, book a free video call.
How many weeks do I need to train for a half marathon?
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What should I do if I miss a week of marathon training?
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Do not try to make it up. Missing a week of training costs you very little fitness, and trying to cram the lost kilometres into the next fortnight is how people get hurt. Simply pick up the plan where it sits in the calendar. If you missed a week due to a cold or a busy week, restart with the normal long run, but trim it by 10 to 20 percent. If you missed two weeks, step back one week in your plan and rebuild from there. If the gap is three weeks or more, you need an honest reset. Drop the goal pace, extend your timeline or switch to a shorter race. One missed week in a 16 week build is noise. Consistency over months is what builds a marathon. If your build has been broken up and you want to know your best next step, book a free video call.
More Training Questions
It depends on your experience, but here are the real numbers. A first half marathon finishing between 2 hours and 2 hours 20 minutes is a good result, which works out to roughly 5:41 to 6:38 per kilometre. Under 2 hours is a genuine milestone and needs 5:41 per kilometre or faster. Under 1 hour 45 minutes is a strong club runner time at about 4:59 per kilometre, and under 1 hour 30 is a serious goal that usually takes years of consistent training. Compare yourself to your own last result, not to someone else's. For your first half, aim to finish feeling strong and run the second half at the same pace or slightly faster than the first. Your recent 10km time is the best predictor, so multiply it by roughly 2.2 for a realistic half marathon estimate. If you want an honest goal time for your current fitness, book a free video call.
What is a good half marathon time?
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Yes, if you already run three or four days a week and can comfortably cover 12 to 15km. In that case 16 weeks is a solid block for a first marathon. Use weeks one to four to settle your base and lift your long run to around 18km. Build through weeks five to twelve to a peak long run of 30 to 32km, with your weekly volume reaching 40 to 60km. Keep weeks thirteen to sixteen for your final quality sessions and your taper. If you are starting from scratch or coming back from a long break, 16 weeks is too short and you will be forced to ramp up too fast. Add 8 to 12 weeks of base running first. Be honest about where you are starting, because that decides your timeline more than the race date does. If you are unsure whether 16 weeks is enough for you, book a free video call.
Can I train for a marathon in 16 weeks?
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Heavy legs on long runs usually come from running them too fast, fuelling too little or stacking them on top of tired legs. Slow down first. Run your long run 60 to 90 seconds per kilometre slower than goal marathon pace so it stays genuinely easy. Take 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate an hour, starting inside the first 30 minutes, and sip water with it. Eat a carbohydrate rich dinner the night before and a proper breakfast. Keep the day before your long run easy or a full rest day, and keep your hard sessions at least two days ahead of it. Sleep matters as much as the run itself. Build the long run by no more than 2 to 3km at a time and cut it back every third or fourth week. If the heaviness hangs around for days, drop your volume for a week. If you want your long runs reviewed, book a free video call.
How do I stop my legs going heavy on long runs?
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How many kilometres a week should I run for marathon training?
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Most first time marathoners peak between 40 and 60km a week, and that is enough to finish strong. If you are chasing a time such as sub 4 hours, expect to peak closer to 60 to 80km. Experienced runners going after fast times run 90km and above, but that takes years to build safely. Start from what you run comfortably now, not from what a generic plan says. If you run 25km a week today, build to 40 to 50km over 12 to 16 weeks rather than jumping straight to 60. Increase by about 10 percent a week and drop back 20 to 30 percent every third or fourth week. Your long run should make up around 30 to 35 percent of the week. More kilometres only help if you can recover from them, and consistency over months beats a few big weeks. If you want your weekly volume set around your history and race date, book a free video call.