#198 Callam Smith: From Smoking and Drinking Daily to a 2:55 Marathon

Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN

Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb

Kristian sits down with Callam Smith, whose transformation from smoking, daily drinking, and recreational drugs to running a 2:55 marathon and placing fifth in a 50k beach ultra is nothing short of remarkable.

Callam opens up about the wake up call that changed everything: ordering a beer for breakfast in front of his mum, and realizing he'd slipped further than he wanted to admit. He shares how he channelled his all or nothing personality into running instead, working night shifts while training for the marathon majors, and the years long chase to finally break three hours. He also introduces Run For Your Mental, the running brand he and his partner started to connect mental health and running, and shares advice for anyone looking to turn their own life around.

In this episode:

- Life before running: smoking, drinking, and recreational drugs

- The wake up call that started everything

- Finding running (and later boxing) as an outlet

- Training around a rotating shift work schedule

- Chasing sub three: three attempts, three near misses, then a breakthrough

- Race recap: a 2:55 marathon and dialing in his pacing strategy

- Racing a 50k ultra along the Dutch coast

- Building Run For Your Mental, a brand connecting running and mental health

- His honest advice for anyone trying to change their lifestyle

Content note: this episode includes an open discussion of past substance use and mental health. Please take care while listening.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and a preview of Callam's story

00:52 Kristian's running update

03:14 Introducing Callam, straight off a night shift

04:15 Balancing shift work with serious training

06:31 How Callam first got into fitness

10:16 Getting serious about training

10:51 Life before running: smoking, drinking, and recreational drugs

13:01 The wake up call: a beer for breakfast with his mum

13:54 Going all in on running and fitness instead

16:14 His all or nothing personality

16:59 His first marathon and getting hooked on chasing sub three

19:52 Getting a coach and seeing real improvement

20:27 Missing sub three by six seconds

22:47 Switching coaches and building bigger long runs

22:55 Race recap: finally breaking sub three with a 2:55

25:31 How friends and family reacted to the transformation

27:53 His honest advice for anyone trying to change

29:14 Taking on a 50k beach ultra along the Dutch coast

34:41 Building Run For Your Mental, his running and mental health brand

37:19 Ambitions for the brand and future charity runs

52:07 Where he sees himself going next

53:05 Closing thoughts and where to follow Callam

Callam on Instagram: instagram.com/trainwithcallam

Run For Your Mental: https://www.instagram.com/runforyamental/

Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwick

Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns

Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs

Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY