How We Both Ran Half Marathon PBs (and Actually Enjoyed It) | Gold Coast Race Strategy That Worked

How We Ran Half Marathon PBs (and Actually Enjoyed It): Gold Coast Race Strategy, Taper, Fueling & Mindset

What does it actually take to run a half marathon PB... and still cross the finish line smiling?

This week on the Women's Running Collective, Hayles and Jussie unpack the training, mindset and race-day strategies that helped them both achieve personal bests at the Gold Coast Half Marathon—without blowing up or suffering through the final kilometres.

After a quick catch-up on life after Gold Coast, they dive into the lessons from their 12-week training block, including why threshold training around goal race pace became the cornerstone of their preparation, the importance of keeping easy runs genuinely easy, and how consistency always beats perfection.

The girls chat about trusting their coach, resisting the temptation to "make up" missed sessions, and why a well-executed taper left them feeling fresh, confident and ready to race.

They also break down the exact negative-split race strategy they followed, how they practised their fueling well before race day, and why controlling the controllables helped keep nerves at bay. Plus, they share the positive self-talk that carried them through the toughest moments and helped make the race one they genuinely enjoyed.

As always, they finish with their weekly recommendations and a thank you to ASICS for sponsoring this episode.

In this episode:

00:00 – Thanks to ASICS & the new GEL-KAYANO™ 33

00:36 – Welcome back & post-Gold Coast catch-up

01:32 – How the body is feeling after race week

02:53 – Why we're breaking down our PBs

05:45 – Setting realistic goals for Gold Coast

06:58 – Trusting our coach & training specifically for the event

07:33 – Why threshold training around race pace was a game changer

09:17 – Keeping easy runs easy (and why it matters)

10:57 – Consistency beats perfection every time

12:55 – Why we never "made up" missed sessions

13:43 – Trusting the taper and arriving fresh

15:13 – Our negative-split race plan explained

18:13 – Fueling, gels & race morning preparation

19:19 – Controlling the controllables on race day

20:51 – The positive self-talk that got us through

22:38 – Our biggest lessons from running PBs

24:09 – ASICS GEL-KAYANO™ 33 sponsor break

24:58 – Weekly recommendations GoodR BEATG

27:54 – Wrap-up & see you next week!

If you're training for your next half marathon or chasing a new PB, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you train smarter, race with confidence, and actually enjoy the experience.

Follow the Women's Running Collective for weekly running tips, inspiring conversations and plenty of laughs with Hayles and Jussie.