From his very first marathon to clocking a sub-3-hour finish, Dave the Runner has taken his passion for pavement pounding and turned it into a full-blown mission—to help everyday athletes chase their goals, push their limits, and fall in love with the grind. With a background in personal training and a growing YouTube channel dedicated to race prep and running life, Dave’s influence in the Aussie running community is growing as fast as his PBs.
We caught up with Dave to chat all things running—from what a typical training week looks like, to how he fuels for performance (hint: it includes Beforeyouspeak Performance Unsweetened), and his best advice for beginners who want to lace up and get moving. Whether you’re eyeing your first 5K or dreaming of a marathon finish line, Dave’s mindset and experience are guaranteed to spark motivation.
You transitioned from being a personal trainer to focusing on your own running journey. What motivated this shift, and how has it influenced your approach to training?
I ran my debut marathon at the Gold Coast and it was such a terribly great experience. After I decided to make a YouTube channel to document my journey to becoming a somewhat decent runner. So people can learn from my mistakes and be motivated to get outside and challenge themselves.
As a coach, how do you balance the technical aspects of training with the mental and emotional support runners often need?
As a running coach, communication plays a huge part in the success of my athletes. Knowing when to give them an extra rest day or when to push harder is a skill that takes time with each individual. Learning how my athlete ‘tics’ is super important.
What does a typical training week look like for you, and how do you incorporate variety to keep things engaging?
In a typical training week outside of a marathon training block. I run everyday with Tuesday/Friday’s being session days, Sunday long run and all other days are easy runs that vary in distance. My strength work consists of 3x a week broken into 2x legs / 1x upper body. The variety can be challenging with running as it is very repetitive. Finding a good group to run with helps keep the monotony to a minimum and makes life a lot more enjoyable!
How do you approach nutrition and recovery to support your training and performance goals?
Nutrition is very important to me. I'm even marrying a nutritionist! Fuelling your body correctly should be a top priority for everyone, it doesn't matter if you're a beginner or an elite athlete. I don’t follow a certain diet but rather I stick to wholefoods and no sugar (unless in a gel 😅) Recovery I would say is equally important. Great sleep and an on point diet is said to improve performance more than any other factor. It's a no brainer!
You've built a presence on social media as "Dave the Runner." How do you use this platform to connect with the running community and share your journey?
I create a video series where I break down my entire preparation for a certain running event. I document workouts, answer questions and engage with the community who are either training for a race themselves or aspire to in the future.
Reflecting on your running career, is there a particular race or moment that stands out as especially meaningful?
Running my first Sub 3hr marathon at the gold coast was pretty special! Having my friends and family there at the finish line is something I will remember for the rest of my life.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their running journey?
Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s you versus you. Learn to love the game and enjoy it!
What are your future goals, both personally as a runner and professionally as a coach?
I will run under 2:30 for the marathon in the next 5 years. I would love to have a flourishing community of athletes all with the same passion for running as I do.
And last but not least, what’s your go-to Beforeyouspeak blend?!
Performance Unsweetened all day!