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.

1

How does online run coaching work?

A GPS watch is recommended so Wayne can see your pace, heart rate, and training load. Most athletes use Garmin. A basic model is fine to start — you don't need anything expensive.

2

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.

4

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

5

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.