In the Beginning Podcast

Former elite Ironwoman Allie Lyndon joins the Gold Coast Marathon Series with one seriously interesting story.

After years in surf lifesaving — including chasing the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series, racing the Coolangatta Gold, and building a huge endurance engine — Allie is now all in on running.

She’s a mum of two, juggling training around family life, shift work, a cleaning business, and the chaos of everyday life, but she’s also aiming very high.

After winning the T100 Gold Coast 10km and running 1:18 for the half, Allie is now preparing for her first Gold Coast Marathon with a goal of going sub-2:35.

And she’s not afraid to say the big stuff out loud: LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 are not off the table.

In this episode, Courtney and Liam chat with Allie about:

​Her surf lifesaving and Ironwoman background
​Choosing surf over running as a junior
​ Returning to sport after two C-sections
​ Why running became her outlet from motherhood
​ Training around two young kids and a firefighter husband
​ The reality of marathon prep, nutrition, strength work and missed sessions
​ Why she’s learning to stay in her lane and stop chasing people in training
​ The dream of seeing how far this running journey can go

A brilliant chat about ambition, family, endurance, and why it’s still okay to chase something for yourself.

Keep up with Allie on Instagram

Follow the podcast on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inthebeginningpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Courtney on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Liam on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Liam is one week out from his 100 miler and the reality is starting to bite.
This week on In The Beginning, Courtney is back from Europe and the boys dive into Liam’s final UTA 160km race prep — nutrition bags, mandatory gear, night running, salt and vinegar chips, Pop-Tarts, crew spreadsheets and the growing nerves before heading to the Blue Mountains.
Courtney also shares what he learnt running in Europe with some of the best trail and endurance athletes in the world, including one big reminder for everyday runners: fast runners don’t always run fast.
The boys also build the unofficial In The Beginning Welcome to Running Kit Bag — the simple things every beginner runner actually needs before overcomplicating the sport.
Also in this episode:
Liam’s 100 miler nutrition plan
Why your crew should track what you actually eat
Night running, spiders and mental lows
Courtney’s Salzburg and Innsbruck trail running adventures
Why European trail running feels so big
The beginner runner toolbox
“Run your run”
London Marathon and the sub-2 barrier
Carbon shoes, injury risk and athlete responsibility
Wings for Life World Run
Southern Cross Uni’s Gold Coast Marathon webinar
Johan Botha’s Heysen Trail FKT attempt
Links mentioned:
Southern Cross University — The Final Kick: Getting You Race Ready
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-final-kick-getting-you-race-ready-tickets-1988292910619
Johan Botha — Heysen Trail FKT tracking / route info
https://fastestknowntime.com/route/heysen-trail
Wings for Life World Run
https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

Follow the podcast on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inthebeginningpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Courtney on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Liam on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

JET LAG, RHYTHM RUNNING & HALF MARATHON FUEL — GOLD COAST MARATHON SERIES

Courtney is back from Europe, jet lagged and already testing the rules of his marathon experiment.

This week we talk travel fatigue, why international flights can hit like a hard session, Courtney’s mountain running detour through Austria, and the big lesson he’s learning eight weeks out from Gold Coast: rhythm running matters more than ego pace.

We also get into practical half marathon and marathon tips — race nutrition, treadmill training, and why hills can be a smart strength tool if used properly.

Plus, Liam reveals a very specific rumoured Courtney marathon goal… and it is spicy.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @inthebeginningpodcast
Courtney on Strava
Liam on Strava

Courtney is in Salzburg while Liam is off the tools for the week, so we’re bringing back the best educational moments from the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon Series.

This episode pulls together the key advice from Benita Willis, Britt Caling and Michael Shelley — covering goal setting, pacing, long runs, injury risk, recovery, nutrition, race morning, warm-ups, cadence and how to approach the Gold Coast Marathon course.

Whether you’re chasing your first marathon finish, aiming for a PB, or trying to sneak under three hours, this is a proper practical refresher before the big day.

Follow the podcast on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inthebeginningpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Courtney on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Liam on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strava⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Gold Coast Marathon Series continues with Benita Willis from ‘Lace Up Running’ back in the coach’s chair.

With around 10 weeks to go, Benita breaks down where half marathon and marathon runners should be right now, how to structure the week, why hills matter, how to use parkrun properly, when to practise nutrition, what to do about niggles, and how to keep the whole build in perspective.

Liam also gets Benita’s take on London Marathon’s sub-2 breakthrough, super shoes, Courtney’s “experiment”, training around travel, and why the half marathon deserves way more respect.

A proper practical one for anyone building toward Gold Coast.