October 14, 2025 • 46 mins
Episode Description:
After years of addiction, poor mental health, and tough life choices, Mighty Mark found running almost by accident... and it changed everything.
In this powerful episode of Runbelievable, Joshie and Matty sit down with a man who went from rock bottom to becoming his parkrun community’s “Runner of the Year.” From his first tentative jog to his 100th parkrun, Mighty Mark’s story is one of redemption, resilience, and rediscovering joy through running.
From the dark days that sparked his transformation to the finish lines that now fill his weekends, this is a story about how running can rebuild far more than just fitness.
In this episode:
- How Mark turned his life around through running
- The parkrun community that lifted him up
- What his 100th parkrun meant
- The agony of a premature celebration
- The small daily wins that keep him moving forward
Runbelievable — real runners, unreal stories.
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rnblv_official/
Got a Runbelievable story or interested in being a guest on the show? Hit us up on socials or email us at joshua@runbelievable.au
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Josh (00:07):
Adrian mentioned that he had uh quite the mishap, I
think, last year, where he wasat the start line, noticed that
the shoelace was undone, and whyyou would pick this particular
moment to do up your shoelace aseveryone starts moving.
And yeah, apparently he he gotcompletely rear-ended.
Hello everybody, and welcome toRun Believable, the podcast
(00:33):
where everyday runners sharetheir not-so everyday stories.
I'm your host, Josh Rishan, andI'm here to bring you stories
of grit, glory, and overcomingadversity.
Each episode we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what keeps themlacing up day after day.
From the laughs and the lessonsto eating deep heat, we're here
(00:53):
to share what makes running atruly human experience.
And later in this episode,you'll meet a runner who's
working through an incrediblelife transformation.
From parties to park runs andendless PBs, his story is
nothing short of remarkable.
Maddie, welcome back.
Just like the cat that you are,you've sprung back into the
(01:15):
studio for some more fun.
How are you?
Matt (01:18):
Great, mate, great.
Happy to be here.
Um, quite excited um to talk toour guests later on.
Um but yeah, yeah, um, thingshave been really good.
So yeah, thanks for having me.
Josh (01:31):
Yeah, so look, let's get stuck into the Run Believable
rundown, Maddie.
And as you know, this is wherewe share highlights, mishaps,
and those little wins, the kindof stuff that Strava simply
can't capture.
Matt (01:42):
Yeah.
Josh (01:43):
Now we actually have had something submitted from one of
our lovely followers.
Um, Adrian mentioned that hehad uh quite the mishap, I
think, last year where he was atthe start line, noticed that
the shoelace was undone, and whyyou would pick this particular
moment to up your shoelace aseveryone starts moving off.
(02:06):
Oh what?
And yeah, apparently he he gotcompletely rear-ended.
Um I'm not not exactly surewhat the outcome was, but uh
yeah, I'll tell you what,shoelace mishaps um they can be
the end of you.
Matt (02:20):
Okay, that that that would have been like running to the
balls, like he would have gonedown and bang, and gee, yeah,
not not the ideal moment tochoose to action that.
Josh (02:33):
Yeah.
Yeah, you wouldn't find me atPamplona.
I'd well, if I was there, I'dbe running for the nearest fence
and jumping before those ballscame along.
Um yeah, look, I'm lucky that Ihaven't had any major mishaps
with when it comes to shoelaceswhen running.
I mean, I've had the shoelacescome undone plenty of times
before.
Once when pacing at parkrun,that wasn't ideal because I had
(02:55):
to kind of allow for well, whatdo you reckon it takes?
15, 20 seconds by the time youstop, do up the shoelace and
keep going.
Yeah.
Uh perhaps the worst I've hadthough, when I was a kid and I
was cycling, my shoelaces cameundone.
Yeah, and around the pedal.
Yeah, exactly right.
And it was uh it was a fixie.
And so if you stop pedaling, umwell, you can't try and
(03:19):
backpedal.
But I was going down a hill andI had this movement, and I just
felt the shoelace get tighterand tighter around my foot as it
got caught in the pedal, and iteventually ground me to a hole
and kind of looked like uh youknow, cow tipping.
I felt like I was a cow thatjust suddenly got tipped onto my
side.
The kids are a bit older, justhappened to be walking past at
(03:39):
the time.
And do you think they stoppedto lend me assistance?
Of course not.
Absolutely not.
No, they just pointed theirfingers and laughed as as any
older kid would do.
Matt (03:47):
That's right.
Josh (03:48):
So look, we better keep moving, Maddie.
We've got our guest patientlywaiting for us.
So if you've got something thatyou'd like to contribute to the
unbelievable rundown, then sendit our way.
And Maddie, you won't believeit.
Over and under is back.
Matt (04:04):
Ah, okay.
Josh (04:06):
Now this I got three out of three on this, didn't I?
Well, you did get three out ofthree, and then the last time
you got two out of three.
And I'll be honest, it's onlybecause you got one wrong that I
am continuing with thissegment.
I really, really do want tokeep trying to trip you up if I
can.
And just a quick reminder aboutwhat this segment is all about.
(04:26):
I'm going to throw out somerunning related stat or trivia,
and Maddie has to guess if thereal number is over or under.
Feel free to play along athome.
Today's questions are all aboutParkrun Australia.
Matt (04:41):
Ooh, okay.
Josh (04:43):
Are you ready?
Matt (04:44):
Yes, I am.
Josh (04:45):
Question number one.
As at now, there are 487parkrun events in Australia.
Is the real number higher orlower?
Matt (04:57):
It's actually higher, I think.
I think it's uh did they hit500?
Josh (05:03):
You are correct.
523 at last count.
Matt (05:07):
There we go.
There we go.
Okay.
Josh (05:09):
Well, for someone that doesn't do a lot of park runs,
I'm truly impressed.
Matt (05:13):
Slightly covered at the same time.
I asked the question to someonethe other day or the other
week.
Um, so that's yeah.
Josh (05:20):
Yeah, oh how I wish uh I was a party to that
conversation.
I wouldn't want to put this onein.
He's on fire.
Question number two A total of158,564 people have volunteered
at Parkrun.
And that's a unique number ofindividuals, and that's Parkrun
Australia, by the way.
Matt (05:41):
I'd say it's way higher than that.
Josh (05:44):
I wouldn't say way higher, but you are correct.
187,165.
Matt (05:50):
Okay.
That's a lot of people.
Josh (05:53):
It is.
Yeah.
Gosh, he's on fire.
Question number three.
The average parkrun finish timein Australia is 34 minutes and
12 seconds, is the real number.
Higher or lower.
And in fact, I'll say eitherfaster or slower, just so that
there's no confusion.
Matt (06:10):
Okay, well, that's going to confuse me because okay, so
it's going to be faster.
Josh (06:16):
You are correct.
Not much faster though.
33 minutes and 25 seconds isthe average.
Matt (06:22):
I read that on the weekend.
Josh (06:24):
Oh, this is ridiculous.
When you get inside your mindor hack your computer or
something, that is trulyincredible.
How did you go at home?
Feel free to let us know.
Today's guest has turned hislife around one brutal session
at a time.
After years of battlingsubstance abuse, addiction, and
poor mental health, he foundrunning at the end of 2023, and
(06:47):
his transformation has beennothing short of remarkable.
From smashing out sub-19parkruns to donning the
volunteers vest, often at thesame event, Mark's journey is
equal parts grit, gratitude, andgrace.
He's Chermside Parkruns 2025Parkrunner of the Year, a sub
330 marathoner, and a firmbeliever that running is for
(07:09):
everyone, no matter how you doit.
Please let's all welcome MightyMark.
Matt (07:15):
Hey, how are you, mate?
Josh (07:16):
Thanks so much for joining us.
And dude, fresh and fresh fromhis latest incredible PB, a sub
4010K, which I know you've trulybeen working really hard
towards, man.
You know the vibes, what amassive achievement.
Congratulations, dude.
Mark (07:33):
Congratulations.
Yeah, thanks, guy.
Yeah, that 10k, mate.
What a run.
Talk about um everything like alining in one at one time.
Like my training on my watch.
I was on the on the way on thebus on the way into the bridge
to Brisbane and um I checked mytraining status.
I didn't realize it on thewatch, and it says peeking, and
I'm like, oh, this is awesome.
And then a week before that, myVO2 match chopped off.
(07:55):
I said I said to myself, mate,I think I'm on track here.
I think the training's paidoff.
Had a little mini taper, youknow.
Um, yeah, and what a run.
Yeah.
Josh (08:06):
Well, one thing I've noticed is you've really sort of
that, you know, you you backedoff your um, yeah, you you sort
of really backed off your volumein the last few months, which
looks like it was a really goodstepping stone to set you up for
success for this one.
Mark (08:19):
Yeah, I did.
Matt (08:20):
I agree, yeah.
Mark (08:21):
Well, I mean, I finished all my marathon, I finished all
my my big runs, and um, I reallylike this year, I really wanted
to concentrate on getting that316 at the Gold Coast.
So, like, that's what I trainedso hard for.
And once that was kind of done,once I finished the sunny half,
once that was done, I'm like,you know, I don't need to be
running this much anymorebecause I had so I had some
(08:42):
crazy weeks during that build.
Um, I was up to 150Ks at onestage, it was ridiculous.
Matt (08:47):
You did, yeah, you did.
Mark (08:48):
Yeah, yeah.
And after that, I've been Itook my first week off, almost a
full week.
I think I ran a couple of days,but I took a pretty much a
whole week off after the sunnycoast, and I was like, okay,
reset.
And then I knew I had to breachthe prison.
I said, okay, I've got fiveweeks now after that week off.
I said, let's go.
And I just I just cut my volumedown.
So I did what 60 to 70k's aweek in training.
(09:10):
Um, it's probably too muchpeople were saying for a 10K,
but like I need to run a lot,um, regardless whether or not
training.
I need to run.
So to me, it wasn't much.
Um, and but I just focused inon my my key sessions really,
and the rest was pretty mucheasy.
Well, a tempo park run, butyeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt (09:30):
I agree, like everyone's different.
Um, like you need to run a lot.
I'm someone as well.
I don't do that volume thatyou've been doing, but I'm
someone that has to run a lot aswell.
Um, it's it's yeah, it it'sit's part of part of your life,
and it actually the benefit youget from it.
Um, there's so many differentbenefits um apart from fitness
(09:51):
and you know training.
Josh (09:53):
Uh Mark, you've been quite uh quite open about your
journey before running.
Um what would you say was theturning point for you?
That led me into running.
Mark (10:03):
That that turned me to runner.
Um it was mental health, it wasmental health battles and
struggle.
I was struggling with my mentalhealth.
Um Yeah, it was like it itdidn't it didn't just well it
kind of just happened, but itwas over, it was gradual.
Like it's yeah, I was dealingwith mental health issues.
I I used to get panic attacks alot.
(10:23):
Um and that's how I startedrunning.
So I think it was end of 22,start 23, somewhere around
there.
And I got diagnosed with acouple, a few mental health
issues, um, which was goodbecause that helped me to manage
things better.
Prior to that, I was I wasdoing it myself with drugs and
alcohol.
So um, yeah, so sort of knowingwhat I was dealing with helps a
(10:46):
lot.
Um, and then and then yeah,that sort of led into running
because yeah, I was I was I Iwasn't good mentally, so um, I
was getting panic attacks a lot.
That's what sort of started it,and uh and just the anxiety.
So I started going out forwalks.
Um, and then that that was allhours in the morning sometimes.
It depends when it happened,you know.
You'd sort of you're not incontrol of when they have when
(11:07):
they then they come to you, butum, yeah.
So yeah, I just started runningwalks, just little walks first.
Um, and gradually that turnedinto something bigger.
That's sort of how I got intothe how I sort of ended up
running.
Yep.
Josh (11:23):
That's incredible.
And from you and I met beforewe uh before we sat down to talk
today, and you you youmentioned it was almost an
accidental discovery that Ithink you were in the in the in
the midst of a panic attack andyou had to get out of the house
and got on the phone to you.
I think you said your brotheror something.
You went, Oh, I'm actuallystarting to feel really good.
Has he got your heart rate upwalking around the block?
Mark (11:42):
Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right.
Yeah, so that's right, yeah.
Although I think it was mybrother on my mate, yeah.
I rang him and I said, mate, Ithink I'm dying.
And um, but yeah, it was Istarted walking and then walking
and talking, and um that I justgot relief from that.
And I just that's when Irealized this is helping.
And the next time it happened,I did the same thing again, you
know, didn't always ringeveryone at three in the
(12:04):
morning, but I sort of juststarted going out by myself, and
um yeah, that that that's howthat helped me.
That started helping, and thatyeah, that eventually turned
into into a run.
Um, I started sort of just runwalking, just the benefit I was
getting from it.
I was like, what if I keepdoing more of this, you know?
And yeah, and it wasn't easy atthe start, but it got it got
(12:26):
better.
Matt (12:29):
Yeah.
Josh (12:31):
And I guess along the way, Mark, you've um you know you've
told me that you've had a fewpeople that have you know either
either doubted you or doubtedthat you'd ever be a a runner,
um, which you know it soundslike you've been able to use for
for for inspiration.
I mean, what's helped you, Iguess, stay the course and stay
focused on on achieving yourgoals when you know you've had
(12:51):
so so many other factors thatwould potentially be you know
trying to derail you.
Mark (12:57):
Um just just self doing better for myself.
Um and and then when you likewhen I discovered Park Ryan, um
that really that really changedchanged my um attitude as well
because I wanted to get better.
Um I wanted to be a betterrunner.
Um and then just wanting tojust self just self-improvement,
(13:18):
like because for those yearsprior to all that, I had been
feeling like absolute crap.
Like I don't know how you canexplain it, but I wasn't good,
you know?
Matt (13:28):
And um it's yeah, it's it's destructive rather than
rather than positive, um,healthy um achievement or
purpose or um you know aspiringto be a better person um through
running.
I think they're very aligned.
Running and um, you know,trying to better yourself are
very, very much aligned.
Mark (13:49):
Yeah, definitely.
Well, that's right.
And I used to like back back inthose early, those dark days, I
call them all when it was whenI was bad.
Like I used to pride myself onhow long I was like, oh, you've
been awake for three days, andthen acting like a hero and
write my mental health out thewindow, and just you know what I
mean.
But now I'm just like yo, I'mrunning five days a week.
Like I've I've flippedeverything around.
Um and it's better, it's 150times better for me.
(14:12):
So um, and I just focus onthat.
I focus on just getting better.
Um, and I feel good doing it.
That's that's the good thing.
Like, and the more I keepdoing, like, the better, like
I'm getting like like I'm seeingresults, it makes me feel
better.
And um, that's what that's whatthat's my drive, I guess.
That's the drive, just to keepimproving.
And and and I look back and Isee how do you ever sorry, do
(14:36):
you ever look back?
Matt (14:38):
And I know you and I have had this conversation, but do
you ever look back to where youwere in those dark times?
And if someone said to you,this is who you were going to be
in three, four years' time, doyou ever think to yourself, oh
my god, like look where I am,look where I was, I could never
imagine.
Mark (14:58):
Yeah, mate.
Do you ever think back?
Do you ever think back to thatthough?
Um, like I've had thoughts likeback then, like now, thinking
back, like, yeah, there's no wayin the world that I thought I'd
be running.
Like, there's yeah, you gotthere's no chance, mate.
Like, there's no chance, but Icould barely like it.
Matt (15:16):
That's the last thing you can think of.
Mark (15:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you would never thinkrunning.
I I actually I remember I usedto be at the casino a lot, but I
remember sitting on theverandas and seeing people
running around in the morning,like I'd still be awake the next
morning.
And I just these guys are crazyas if you'd be doing that.
You know what I mean?
I remember heckling them,thinking that's just stupidity.
Not knowing, like, you know,five, four or five years later
(15:38):
or whatever, that um that that'sthat's me.
It's me doing it now.
So it's crazy.
Yeah, it is crazy.
Matt (15:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Josh (15:47):
Your your um transformation's been truly
incredible.
I remember, you know, when Ifirst met you a couple of years
ago, maybe two and a half yearsago, you were sort of I think
running around the 22-ish minutemark and always knew that
you're much you know morecapable than that.
You you had speed.
I think it was only uh maybe ayear ago that you finally got
yourself a watch as well, likefor a lot of that time running
without a watch and sort ofworking it all out to for
(16:08):
yourself.
Um what you've been able toachieve in just uh in such a
short period of time has beenincredible.
Um one thing I did want to sortof check in with you about is
you know, with what you've beenthrough, um a lot of people
probably don't appreciate thethe journey, and so they'd see
Mighty Mark now and think, youknow, oh yeah, he he's done, you
(16:30):
know, he's he's got his hislife in in in order.
But it sounds like you know,for you uh that your your
journey is very much that.
There's no destination thatthere you're on this um ongoing
transformation that's acontinued process.
Mark (16:46):
Yeah, I've definitely I don't know about yeah, I don't
know if there's a destination,but I know that I'm not going
back to what I how it used tobe, that's for sure.
Um I just gotta keep movingforwards um and just keep doing
better.
Like that's why running is sogood, right?
It's because you can always seta new goal.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like I'm I'm gonna like like agoal's out of track.
(17:08):
I want to run a sub three hourmarathon, like that's on my
to-do list.
Um like I might get that nextyear, it might take me two
years, but like that's somethingI want to achieve.
So I'm gonna keep workingtowards that, and then once I
hit that, then let's let's lookat the next goal.
But running just keeps that'slike if you want to give a
destination, that's mydestination, it's just
self-improvement, keep gettingbetter, keep managing mental
health, and um and just yeah,move forward, you know, not stay
(17:32):
not stay stuck.
Because when you get stuck, yousort of you don't go anywhere.
Matt (17:37):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
Josh (17:40):
Now, one thing, Mark, is you haven't just jumped into the
the running side, and you know,you're you're you're well
deserving of all the the runningaccolades that you have, but I
think no sooner had you startedrunning um you also immersed
yourself in the in giving backand being part of the run truly
being part of the the runningcommunity.
(18:01):
And you know, I don't thinkI've seen anyone that has so
been so quickly and w willinglytaking up a volunteer
opportunity.
Um you know, you're you'reyou're certainly well and truly
deserving of the uh ChernsideParkruns Park Runner of the
Year.
Well, what can you tell usabout that that day?
Because it sounds as though youweren't exactly prepared for
(18:23):
that acknowledgement.
Mark (18:24):
No, I wasn't at all.
Um I'm not surprised.
I'm just like I'm so happy thatlike the day the the run
directors and that nominated meand they recognized me.
That was so cool.
Um yeah, I was just recordingthat day.
I was making it I was making avideo for my YouTube channel for
the 10th birthday.
Um yeah, and then Rodney, therun director that day, was
giving the the the speech, youknow, on the 10th birthday, they
(18:45):
always pick someone every yearum for whatever reasons, you
know, and he he he listed a few.
And um, I didn't know it wasgonna be me.
And um because this persongives back to running, and you
know, he's going on aboutthings, and you might see him
zoom past you, and then you knowyou'll be barcoding or you
know, whatever.
There's a few things he wassaying that were nice, and then
when he said, You know thevibes, I was like, Oh no, it's
(19:06):
me.
And then, you know, and then hequickly at me and he goes,
Papa, you know, mighty my and Iwas like, Wow! So yeah, caught
me by surprise.
Um, but it felt good that I waslike recognized by the
community, you know.
And it is true, like I dovolley when I can.
Um, yeah, and I get I give backto running.
(19:27):
I like like running's done somuch for me, so I love to like
give back wherever I can.
And um, yeah, and I show a lotof interest in people's running.
Like, I like to hear theirstories, I'm always keen on
their times, how you how shouldwe be running?
And like I find it interesting.
And um, I'm a runner, so I Iunderstand when they when they
tell me things, I'm like, Yep, II I relate to that.
So, and um, I think you build agood connection with people
(19:49):
through through running.
Um, I know, I know I definitelyhave.
Matt (19:52):
You do.
Mark (19:53):
Yeah, yeah.
Josh (19:55):
For you know, for a relatively new runner, you're
incredibly durable.
I mean, uh and I'm speakinghere from personal experience as
well.
When I first took up running,my body didn't respond very
well, and I spent uh a lot oftime on the sidelines and
wondering if I'd ever be ableto, you know, run a 5k, let
alone a marathon.
And yeah, it sounds as thoughyou you worked really hard on
(20:17):
the the stuff that'scomplementary to running with
strength and conditioning.
Um, I think you you swear byfoam rolling before every run.
I mean, what can you tell usabout your regime that sort of
has um led you to be probablythe the envy of my running peers
uh being such a durable runner?
Mark (20:34):
Well, yeah, I mean, as like let me say this what it's
it's been it's a lot of hardwork.
Like you see me turn up now,and like I'm sort of running
sub-20s pretty consistently now,like which is was one of my
goals.
So I'm really happy about that.
But like prior to all that,like this is before I had Strava
and everything.
So when I first started, andafter you know, getting off the
drugs and alcohol and that itwas tough.
(20:55):
It was like a solid six monthswhere I was in in pain, and I
was like, I'm talking vomitingwhen I was running, um,
headaches, yeah.
I just aches, pains.
Um, I just I went through allthat stuff.
People didn't see that.
I've got some video footage ofit somewhere, it might be early
in my YouTube channel somewhere,but um, but I went through all
that, and then I discoveredparkrun, and then that's where I
(21:16):
still got my appetite or mylike comp uh compulsiveness to
get better, and then I startedfrom there, and then I started
working on my times, you know.
I think my first park runactually was around 25 minutes,
something like that, 20 25 to 36minutes when I first started,
and I got that time over thetwo-year period or two and a
(21:37):
half years down to down to downto the 20 minute under a
20-minute time.
But it was just all thetraining, it was the hard work
getting there.
And running's running's ajourney, and you learn stuff.
And I know when I started, lotsof people tell you stuff
because you know everyone runsand they've got their own ideas.
You gotta run slower, mate, torun faster, and the you know,
the 80-20 rule, and there's likeyou've got to do your long runs
and this and that.
(21:58):
Like, I was hearing so muchstuff left, right, and center,
and you've got to keep yourheart rate low.
I was like, yo, what are youall talking about?
So I I learned and I used towatch YouTube, yeah, yeah.
And I take in stuff from otherrunners and I go and watch what
they're saying.
Like, I remember I didn't evenknow what half the terminology
meant.
I didn't had no idea.
Um, but I just taught myselfeverything and um watched
watched heaps of running videos,um, YouTube runners and like
(22:21):
Olympic runners, and yeah,that's how I sort of got to
work, like I sort of taughtmyself from those things.
Um, and then like lessons likeread, like stuff I do now,
because I taught my meniscus inthe first six months um when I
started, and that was just fromwrong shoes and probably not you
know strength training oranything like that.
So they all that all taught melessons.
(22:43):
Um yeah, and then I rememberwatching, I think it was Matt
Matt Hansen.
He had a video one day aboutdoing the one doing the 1%
stuff, you know.
And um, because I didn't reallydo much warm-up before runs,
sort of thing, you know.
Um, and I was getting I for thefirst probably year, I had this
pain.
I ran through this likesciatica pain or down my left
(23:04):
calf.
It was tight, but I just keptrunning through it.
Hey, I just like but I was in alot of pain all the time.
Um, and then one day I watchedMatt and he's like, You get all
these 1% stuff.
He and he said he phone rollsbefore and after every run.
I was like, you know what?
Matt (23:16):
I can't, yeah.
Mark (23:18):
And I mean, I said I can start doing that.
So I just started doing it, andat first you miss a few times,
you know.
I do it religiously now.
Like that I I've barely missedbefore now.
I'll do a like I'm not going,I'm not doing a heavy phone
roll, but I'll I'll do enough toget like blood flow to the
areas.
Um, and I do that sort of, Ihave a little routine.
So I'll do that before everyrun, whether it's a just a
casual jog, like a tempo run,whatever I'm doing, I'll do a
(23:43):
like this morning.
I'll got up early.
Before Bridge to Brisbane, Igot up early.
So I'll do that foam rolltechnique.
Um and I'll just do some basicstretches.
Um just activate the musclesbefore I do it, and then then
obviously then you do a warm-uprun and all that stuff once
you're going.
But yeah, that's what I alwaysdo before every run.
Um and I find, and you knowwhat, I've been I've been injury
free.
I like touch wood, but I'vebeen injury free.
(24:04):
I've had no problems likeduring that whole build.
Um, all those mileage that Iwas doing, like so.
I don't know, I'm not sayingit's gonna work for everyone,
but it's definitely working forme doing these little things.
Josh (24:14):
So yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I certainly uh admireyour your discipline, Mark.
The the regime that you have uhis is truly incredible.
And it's pro you have provensuccess as well in the in in the
process and well well deservingof all those achievements.
And yeah, one thing I did wantto check in with you is uh yeah,
you you you've achieved a hellof a lot, uh you know, sub 330
(24:38):
marathon, which I think you'vedone a couple of times now.
I mean you you did that onceand you went, oh no, no, no,
330, sorry, 327, I think 328,and you're like, ah no, I'm not
happy with that.
I'm gonna go and smash that byyou know 10 minutes or something
like that.
Um wow, what what keeps youmotivated to to back up uh you
know again and again?
Because for some people, evenjust the idea of a marathon is
(25:02):
way too extreme a thought toeven contemplate putting in the
work towards.
I mean, what what keeps youmotivated to back up again and
again?
Mark (25:10):
Um what keeps me it's a pretty good question.
I just I just want to getbetter.
I want more and I want thosetimes.
I want to prove to myself thatI can physically like I can do
this.
Like, because when I started, Ididn't think I could.
I even I remember like it was acouple of the boys from from
the park run and they said yougotta just enter me into the
Brisbane fall.
I was like, man, shouldn't I dolike a half first?
(25:30):
Or just do a bone?
I'm like, okay, mate.
Matt (25:34):
You did a fall before a half, yeah.
Mark (25:37):
You know, and then and I ran three, I ran a 335 on the on
the on my first one.
And after I did it, like it wassuch an eye-opener.
I've got that first video on myYouTube too, and it was such an
emotional time because I justnever thought I would even
finish it like that time, youknow.
I I had a goal, I was like fiveminute patient.
I was like, maybe I can get330.
But yeah, 335 was the firsttime um I did that marathon.
(26:00):
And then after that, it taughtme so much.
And I'm like, you know, I cando this again, I can do this
better.
And I just wanted to prove tomyself, you know, and that and
that that's and that's what Ikept doing.
And that that's like a snowballeffect, I guess.
Okay, now I've done that.
Yeah, let's do the next one.
Let's try to better that time.
And then so I did.
So I did the uh 24, I did theBrisbane full first, three, and
(26:20):
then I went, I can I want sub330.
And then I trained againbetween that and the sunny coast
full, and I I got 327 for my umfor my half.
I mean for my full.
So yeah, I was like, yes, and Iproved to myself I did it
again, you know.
Um yeah, then then the yearjust part this year just gone.
Uh I got a bit smarter.
I went, you know, I'm not gonnado two marathons this year.
(26:42):
I'll just choose one marathonand just concentrate all my
energy into this one and justlet's see what I can do.
And yes, I went from 327 downto 316.
So yeah, 11.
That's crazy, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Um and that's just that's justwell, yeah.
(27:02):
I just kept pushing myself andI just wanted to see if I could
what I can do, and um and Istill feel I can do more.
I really do.
Josh (27:09):
Yeah, that's cool.
Well, correct me if I'm wrong,but I think you're sort of uh
harbouring ambitions, and Ithink you're well and truly
capable of this of one dayrunning a a sub three-hour
marathon, which would be a trulyincredible achievement.
Um is that something that is onthe horizon uh next year or a
couple of years?
What's your sort of timehorizon looking like?
(27:30):
Because I know that that's ahuge goal for you.
Mark (27:33):
Yeah, I've been thinking about it now after the 360.
Like I've been thinking, I waslike, no, this is this this is
in reach, you know.
Like I took 11 minutes off lastyear.
So, you know, if I take another11 off, it's very achievable.
Um, picking the right course aswell.
So like Gold Coast is prettyflat.
Um, I was even contemplatingBelgium next year, somewhere,
somewhere because if I go there,I really want to turn up.
(27:53):
So um, but look, next year, Idon't know.
I'm not gonna say no, but Iknow I know what I've learned so
far in these like last few anda half years, two and a half
years or so of running that youneed to have running economy.
Like I need you need to be on,you need to have a lot of
running under your belt, so tospeak.
You know what I mean?
You need to be at have a lot ofrunning.
Matt (28:13):
Yeah.
Um I don't know if I've doneenough to yeah, I don't know if
I've done enough yet.
Mark (28:19):
That's that's my only takeaway.
I'm not saying that I couldn't,but yeah, but I'm not gonna I'm
gonna try, but I'm gonna getclose to as close to as possible
three three um hours next yearfor sure.
Um, and if I go under would beawesome.
But realistically, I think it'sgonna take me two years, but
let's see what happens, youknow.
Matt (28:38):
Yeah, okay.
Mark (28:39):
Yeah.
Matt (28:40):
I mean, the the the beautiful thing with running is
um it's continual teaching.
Like it's you learn lessons umno matter how far you are into
running, or no matter you knowwhat sort of distances you can
run.
You learn lessons aboutyourself, about your character,
um, about you know, pushing yourbody and and doing things that
(29:00):
you I know for myself perceivedimpossible.
Um and then you have thosethose events or races that you
go in um that don't work out,that are horrible.
And you can take so much out ofthat as well.
Um it's yeah, it's such a greatthing.
Mark (29:16):
Yeah, that's true.
Um, you know what?
Every time I've finished, everytime I finished like a race or
a run, um, when I've competed orwhatever, I'm gone for a time,
I've always taken something awayat the end of it, whether
whether it's been okay, I didn'tdo enough strength in that that
that run, because it let medown.
I I felt what you know, youlook at your body, you go, what
let me down then?
(29:37):
You know, and uh it could bethat I didn't do four runs.
I needed to get, oh man, Ishould just got a couple more
long runs in at 35ks, and Ididn't, and then you sort of
you'll tell as you as you runmore, you start to learn your
body.
Well, that's what I I've beenlearning a lot, and that's what
I take away.
Josh (29:52):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, one thing that it's quiteeasy when we don't achieve what
we set out to that we beatourselves up, and obviously, I
don't know whether or not you gothrough that same thought
process.
I mean, outwardly you're Seemto be quite reflective and take
a lot of positives away fromevery experience, even if it's
not achieving the goal that youwant it to.
(30:14):
But is that something thatyou've found easy, or have you
found it challenging to takeaway those experiences and
accept them from what they are?
Um, or or have you had thepropensity to you know be unkind
to yourself?
Mark (30:28):
Um yeah, sometimes I try to stay positive these days.
Like in all situations, I tryto see the good thing because I
never used to.
Um, but like I'm a human, likeeveryone else.
I beat myself up sometimesabout things, um, and that just
drives me to like want to dobetter.
But I I try not to let it umlike dictate how I am, if that
(30:49):
makes sense.
Like I don't yeah, okay.
I was pretty I was prettyannoyed at myself um at the on
the Brisbane half this yearbecause I wanted to get closer
to 130, and I beat my PB by 30seconds, which is great, like
it's a PB, but I just reallythought I would have ran better,
but um I didn't.
So that kind of I got a littlebit there, but then people were
running on me, like dog bro, isit still a PB well done?
(31:11):
But like me, I put so much hardwork in, and I knew that I
could have ran better, but it'sjust one of those days, like
sometimes you just don't runwell, you know, you your body's
just not that's right, yeah,yeah.
So, I mean, yeah, it's happenedat park runs, it happens
sometimes on my lot, just anormal casual jog of going out
(31:34):
with full intention, and youjust start running, and you're
like, oh man, you know, but youcan look, I'm gonna finish the
run.
I'm not gonna like just quit.
I'm gonna finish it, and yeah,okay, it didn't wasn't how I
felt when I started, but youknow, it is what it is, and
let's just run till I know youknow what?
Because I know the next day youwake up and mate, it just could
you could just have the thisthe ultimate run, you know.
Yeah, yeah, it that happens alot too.
(31:56):
Yeah.
Matt (31:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Josh (31:59):
Yeah.
I hope you give yourself enoughcredit for your for your
journey, Mark, because even onthose days where you're not
necessarily hitting the goalsthat you you set for yourself,
you you're still turning up andyou're giving it your all, and
you really should be truly proudof yourself for the for the
journey and what you've beenable to achieve, no matter
whether or not you're hittingthe goals that you that you set
out to.
Mark (32:19):
Yeah, yeah, no, I'm definitely um yeah, I know I
agree.
Yeah, I definitely um I'mdefinitely proud of what I'm
doing.
Um and while I'm doing it, it'sinspiring people.
Like I was getting peopletelling me, yeah, and that's
what I love that more too.
Like I love hearing makingsomeone happy.
They're like, I'm just running.
I'm just running, but like itmakes people happy.
(32:39):
That's right, yeah.
Yeah.
And they can see me doing it.
And you know, I'm sharing myjourney.
Um, because everyone knows whatit's like to run, and it's not
easy for everybody.
And I'm not saying it's easyfor me either.
Like, I I I have my hard daystoo, but it's something that we
can all relate to, and um, Ithink sharing it with people is
really good because you can takesomething out of it.
Matt (32:59):
Yeah, definitely.
Running's not an easy sport.
Josh (33:02):
No, it's not.
And you know, you hear a lotabout the agony and the uh and
the ecstasy, and you've hadplenty of those those highs,
Mark, but you've also had the umand look, we've all had these
moments of the uh the the earlycelebration where we think we
think we've crossed the finishline and we and we haven't.
You're gonna are you happy toshare that experience because uh
um I haven't heard this.
Mark (33:26):
Yeah, so it was the um it was last year.
It was in um the gold, the GoldCoast um half, I think it was.
And um um I've come through andlike still a bit of experience,
and I wasn't paying attentioneither um in my running, but
yeah, I come through and I Ithought the finish line was the
I thought the finish line waswhere it said 250 kilometers.
(33:46):
He said 250 kilometers to go,but you know when you're in the
zone, you're running, you're notreally paying to catch it.
And I got through that and Ithought I listened, I thought I
actually finished.
And I go right down to prettymuch just to stopping.
I'm standing around, I've seenother people running past still,
and they've got people in thecrowd looking at me, and someone
were laughing, and they'relike, keep going, like this is
not the finish line.
I went, oh no, and then it'shit me, taken off.
(34:08):
So yeah, I um I I I I thoughtI'd finished, but it wasn't the
finish line.
So that happened.
Josh (34:14):
So a mental note now of uh did it cost you did it cost you
a PB that day?
Mark (34:20):
Um so did that cost you a PB?
That was my first half that onin two that so on 2024 I did I
did the uh sunny half.
Uh sorry, I always geteverything back to my so 2024.
I did um Brisbane Fall, GoldCoast half, Sunny Fall, yeah,
and and the half I did I justtook on because um someone
(34:41):
offered it to me.
I wasn't even gonna do it to behonest.
Um then someone goes, You wantto do the half Gold Coast?
I was oh yeah, I'd love to doit.
So yeah, I didn't know didn'tknow much about the course then
or anything, and I just took it,so yeah.
Um and yeah, so I but I didn'thave a I didn't have a half time
then, a proper half uh marathontime until then, really.
Yeah.
Matt (35:02):
I still think it's funny and crazy that you ran a full
marathon before a half marathon.
Mark (35:09):
Yeah, don't listen to your mates, bro.
They're talking to anything,but yeah.
Josh (35:21):
I don't know if you remember telling me this, uh
Mark, but it might have been ayear or two ago.
I think you you paced at uhChernside.
I can't remember if it was the20-minute pacer or 2230, but uh
I think you came a little bitunder the uh the pace timer.
You're like, what are peoplecomplaining about?
They should be thanking me.
Mark (35:38):
Well you think so, right?
No, no, yeah.
A couple times I put my handup.
I think I think in my earlystages, yeah, it was a
25-minute, they didn't have onethat day.
And they go, did anyone want tobe the pace?
I didn't like I still didn'tknow really what I was doing.
I didn't even have a watchthen.
I was using my phone because Ididn't have a watch.
I was using my Strava map whileI was running.
Anyway, yeah, I said, Yeah,I'll do the 25-minute peso, and
(35:59):
I just took off.
And uh yeah, I got back.
I think I got back in 23minutes or something, and yeah,
a few people went back in.
Matt (36:06):
It's like Oprah, everyone gets a PB.
Mark (36:09):
Exactly.
Josh (36:10):
Yeah, so how ungrateful were all those people were.
Mark (36:14):
Yeah, and then I talked, I said, look, I so I'm sorry, and
then I did and I did it againum a while later, maybe I did
another one.
I don't know what time thatwas, and again I was going out
too fast.
And I had one, I think one ofthe guys go, just give me the
vest, I'll do it.
And I said, Oh, just slow down,and I still slowed down.
So yeah, apologise guys for myum my um non-pacing skills, but
(36:40):
I'm getting better.
I should be able to pace a bitbetter now.
I've come a come a long waysince then, hopefully.
Yeah, yeah.
Josh (36:48):
Oh, good on you.
You're doing great now.
Look, um Mark, I couldn'tfinish up without exploring a
little bit about your uh yourDJing days.
Now I know you don'tnecessarily like to focus too
much on your um on your lifebefore running, but my goodness,
you've lived quite the life.
Um uh from what I know, you'verubbed shoulders with some of
the biggest in the world.
Matt (37:08):
Really?
Yeah, mate.
Um tell us, Mark.
Mark (37:12):
Yeah, I had a um yeah, I've always DJed.
Well, I haven't done any more,but I DJed through my all
through from like 2000 up until2016, and then I was still
involved after that just with afew events and stuff, concerts.
But um, yeah, I've always DJed,so I just made a name for
myself in the local scene.
Um, predominantly a hip hop andRB DJ, you know.
(37:34):
So I was resident at some ofthe big nightclubs back then in
the valley and that in the city.
And um, yeah, I was just veryfortunate.
I think it was the right timeat the right place coming up,
you know.
Um, and yeah, got to open upfor some big names, um, just
like hip-hop names, and therewas festivals also I played at
as well.
Um, but yeah, like yeah,Naughty by Nature, um Ja Rule,
(37:55):
T-Pain.
Matt (37:56):
Wow.
Mark (37:56):
Um, oh, there's there's there's there was heaps that I
met him at the club.
Sean Paul was another one.
Um oh yeah, man.
Yeah, it's been a bit of crazy,right?
And then and then G Jang,something that I was really
passionate about.
So I like that creative side ofthings.
Like, same with my YouTube.
Like, I like making thethumbnails, I like the video
editing side of it as well.
Same with the with the music,same thing.
(38:18):
I used to love doing mixtapesand and and and mixing music and
and watching people'sreactions, and yeah, that that
that used to, I used to lovedoing that.
So, but yeah, it took me a lotof places.
I got to travel a lot.
I traveled overseas, I playedat a lot of clubs overseas.
Um, yeah, like it's a beautifulthing, really.
But just just the whole otherside of it, um, because I had no
(38:40):
self-control, you know, so thatkind of ruined it a little bit
for me.
But but the whole music side ofit and the DJing, yeah, I loved
it.
It was great.
And yeah, and I'm I was solucky to meet all these people,
and um yeah, what an experience.
Hey, it's crazy to think aboutit, actually.
Matt (38:57):
Yeah.
Josh (38:58):
So who would you say was the I guess of all the of all
the the big names that you met,who would you say was the was
was the the most genuine?
Was were there any that youseemed to just connect with?
Mark (39:09):
Like yeah, like KG, the DJ from um from Naughty by Nature.
So when he came, we we had todo a setup uh before the club
opened, you know, do a soundtest and all that.
And he was cool.
He was very like down to earth.
He talked to me, even gave me aUSB stick with some of his new
tracks he'd be working.
Yo, Mark, you know, we so thatwas cool.
Like he kg was cool.
Um T Payne was probably themost, out of everyone that I've
(39:32):
met, was the most nicest to me,as in just as a human to human
without all the celebritystatus, you know.
Um, he was cool, he was justyo.
Because I was down the GoldCoast that night and he turned
up and um and my friend wasDJing from Sydney.
And um he just goes, Yo, youguys want to come and like
party, hang out with us?
We're like, Yeah, for sure,mate, you know.
Um, and then he picked us upfrom the hotel.
(39:54):
We drove back with him from theGold Coast, all the way back to
Brisbane.
He was staying in the Emporiumthen, and we hung up with him
for like three days, you know,up in his uh up in the penthouse
there and just chatting,talking, he was showing us two
songs.
He was yeah, like that was sucha that was such a great moment.
I'll never forget hanging outwith him.
And um Wow.
Yeah, just getting, yeah, justand he and just as just
(40:15):
forgetting all that.
It was just a human, just likehow we're talking now.
Like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, some of the I've beenaround other artists, and
they're not like that.
They're like, you know, you'rebeneath, well, I'm not saying
you're beneath me, but you knowwhat I mean.
We're celebrities, you're notyeah, I know what you mean.
I'm not trying to be rude, butyeah, yeah, but he he he's one
person that was just so um justso down to earth and yeah, just
treated treated treated me likesomeone I'm like a normal
(40:38):
person, so yeah, I appreciatedthat.
I'll never forget that.
Yeah.
Josh (40:41):
So do you do you miss the the DJing at all, or do you feel
as though you've been able to,I guess, release your creative
side enough through the theYouTube videos you do?
And I do want to explore a bitabout your YouTube channel as
well before we finish up.
But yeah, do you do you missthe DJing, or do you feel as
though you have enough creativepursuits through the amazing
(41:01):
videos that you've worked on?
Mark (41:04):
Yeah, like yeah, I don't miss Djang anymore.
Like I've I've I've I thinkI've had my run and I've like I
like I've never I've still gotmy staff, but I never turn it on
anymore.
Um I think I've just grown outof it, so to speak.
Like I probably would still mixif it was open and I had a shot
to play somewhere, like notplay somewhere, but just jam
again, you know.
Um but yeah, I don't reallymiss it.
(41:27):
I guess because with the wholeside of music now, and and
because I believe in God aswell, like for all those years,
like I don't really agree withsome of the songs I used to play
anymore.
Yeah like some of the lyricsand what it promotes, and um,
yeah, so anyways, but yeah, no,I don't I don't really miss it
to be honest.
But with the creative side ofthings, yeah, I definitely found
that within on with all theediting and other stuff that I'm
(41:49):
doing.
Like I find it it's the samemental um what do you call it?
Like I need the same uh about Ineed the same amount of um
mental effort as I would if Iwas doing a mix, you know what I
mean?
As though if I was editing avideo.
I I get that um reward fromdoing that, yeah.
For making the videos.
Wow.
Matt (42:09):
Yeah, that's that's really cool.
Josh (42:11):
And those videos that you make are a fan.
I don't know how you how you'reable to so quickly turn them
around from a run.
It's almost as if you'reproducing them as you're
running.
Um for those for those who whoare listening, um certainly make
sure you check out MightyMark's YouTube channel.
And correct me if I'm wrong,it's at Mighty Mark Runner.
Is that correct?
Mark (42:28):
Yeah, that's it, mate.
Yeah, just one word, yeah.
Mighty Mark Runner on YouTube,yeah.
You'll see me there.
Um yeah.
Well, we thought about thevideos.
Josh (42:40):
Yeah, go for it.
Um we we'd love to hear aboutyour your inspiration.
I mean, we know that you're uhsort of really trying to get
your your message out there andum you know get get people to
sort of follow along yourjourney.
So um, yeah, what what can youshare with us about um uh about
your channel and what that meansto you?
Mark (42:56):
Yeah, so I started the channel because I had others, I
had like Instagram and thatfirst, but I got off all of
that.
I kind of find well for mepersonally, I find that stuff a
bit toxic and Facebooks and allthat, like I just I got away
from all of it, and then I waslike, yo, well, I still want to
promote myself, so I was gonnatry this YouTube avenue, you
know.
Um, and that's why I startedmaking my little videos.
(43:17):
And I when I first started,that was back when I was a very
not a good runner, and I used tomake these ones with just words
coming up anyway.
Got past all that, and then Iwas like, I want to share my
journey more of where I'm comingfrom now because like running's
helping me heaps, and yeah, Ijust started making other videos
like park runs.
That's how it all started andthe creativity side of it.
And I just used I just used ohmy gosh, I can't talk.
(43:39):
I used to use my phone torecord because that's all I had,
you know.
Um, and it was just a learningprocess getting through all
that.
Um, so I used to put videosthere, and then eventually I
upgraded.
I got gifted a um a GoPro forChristmas one year, and then
yeah, that's changed everythingsince that.
And I've been able to make somegood quality sort of videos.
Um, and it's just a learningjourney, again, self-taught,
(44:02):
like how I sort of learn how torun, like watching videos and
learning a lot of stuff.
I've watched a lot of editingvideos on YouTube, how to make
videos, and yeah, look, I'mgetting better.
Um, I'm I know that that couldbe a lot better, but I'm getting
better at them.
Um, and then denying what I'mgonna sort of promote.
Yeah, so yeah, I'm yeah, I amgetting quicker though.
Josh (44:23):
You're doing a great job.
So yeah, certainly everyone,make sure that you check out
Mighty Mark's YouTube channel atMightyMarkRunner.
Mark, it's truly been a joyspeaking with you today.
Thanks so much for joining uson Run Believable.
Your journey has beeninspirational and we'll continue
to follow follow you along foruh as as long as you're going to
be running.
Yeah, thank you guys.
Mark (44:43):
Thank you, Runbelievable, for having me on.
Hey, such a privilege, guys.
So I hope um people getsomething out of this.
Yeah, hopefully, yeah, they getsomething out of this, take
away something that thatinspires them or helps them.
Um yeah, yeah, check out mychannel, guys.
And hopefully there's somethingin there as well that might um
that you know might hit home toyou.
So yeah.
Josh (45:04):
Fantastic.
Matt (45:04):
It's awesome.
Josh (45:05):
Thanks again, Mighty Mark, and yeah, look forward to
seeing you out there.
Matt (45:08):
Yeah, cheers, boys.
Thank you very much.
Thanks, mate.
See you soon.
Josh (45:10):
See ya.
Wow, Maddie, I don't know aboutyou, but Mighty Mark's story is
perhaps the most inspirationalI've I've heard.
Matt (45:19):
Yeah, yeah, same here.
Yeah.
Um, I was really lookingforward to that to hear more
about his journey.
Um yeah, amazing.
Josh (45:26):
Yeah.
I mean, it never ceases toamaze me that the amount of
people that have incrediblejourneys and stories to share.
I mean, mighty Mark, if I if Ididn't know, for you know, if we
didn't stop to have a chat withhim, we'd be none the wiser
about his his journey.
And that's it for today.
(45:47):
Got a run believable story ofyour own?
We'd truly love to hear it.
And if you'd like to be a gueston the show, feel free to hit
us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
So please follow, rate, andshare with your running mates,
and we'll see you for the nextrun believable adventure.
Adrian mentioned that he had uh quite the mishap, I
think, last year, where he wasat the start line, noticed that
the shoelace was undone, and whyyou would pick this particular
moment to do up your shoelace aseveryone starts moving.
And yeah, apparently he he gotcompletely rear-ended.
Hello everybody, and welcome toRun Believable, the podcast
(00:33):
where everyday runners sharetheir not-so everyday stories.
I'm your host, Josh Rishan, andI'm here to bring you stories
of grit, glory, and overcomingadversity.
Each episode we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what keeps themlacing up day after day.
From the laughs and the lessonsto eating deep heat, we're here
(00:53):
to share what makes running atruly human experience.
And later in this episode,you'll meet a runner who's
working through an incrediblelife transformation.
From parties to park runs andendless PBs, his story is
nothing short of remarkable.
Maddie, welcome back.
Just like the cat that you are,you've sprung back into the
(01:15):
studio for some more fun.
How are you?
Matt (01:18):
Great, mate, great.
Happy to be here.
Um, quite excited um to talk toour guests later on.
Um but yeah, yeah, um, thingshave been really good.
So yeah, thanks for having me.
Josh (01:31):
Yeah, so look, let's get stuck into the Run Believable
rundown, Maddie.
And as you know, this is wherewe share highlights, mishaps,
and those little wins, the kindof stuff that Strava simply
can't capture.
Matt (01:42):
Yeah.
Josh (01:43):
Now we actually have had something submitted from one of
our lovely followers.
Um, Adrian mentioned that hehad uh quite the mishap, I
think, last year where he was atthe start line, noticed that
the shoelace was undone, and whyyou would pick this particular
moment to up your shoelace aseveryone starts moving off.
(02:06):
Oh what?
And yeah, apparently he he gotcompletely rear-ended.
Um I'm not not exactly surewhat the outcome was, but uh
yeah, I'll tell you what,shoelace mishaps um they can be
the end of you.
Matt (02:20):
Okay, that that that would have been like running to the
balls, like he would have gonedown and bang, and gee, yeah,
not not the ideal moment tochoose to action that.
Josh (02:33):
Yeah.
Yeah, you wouldn't find me atPamplona.
I'd well, if I was there, I'dbe running for the nearest fence
and jumping before those ballscame along.
Um yeah, look, I'm lucky that Ihaven't had any major mishaps
with when it comes to shoelaceswhen running.
I mean, I've had the shoelacescome undone plenty of times
before.
Once when pacing at parkrun,that wasn't ideal because I had
(02:55):
to kind of allow for well, whatdo you reckon it takes?
15, 20 seconds by the time youstop, do up the shoelace and
keep going.
Yeah.
Uh perhaps the worst I've hadthough, when I was a kid and I
was cycling, my shoelaces cameundone.
Yeah, and around the pedal.
Yeah, exactly right.
And it was uh it was a fixie.
And so if you stop pedaling, umwell, you can't try and
(03:19):
backpedal.
But I was going down a hill andI had this movement, and I just
felt the shoelace get tighterand tighter around my foot as it
got caught in the pedal, and iteventually ground me to a hole
and kind of looked like uh youknow, cow tipping.
I felt like I was a cow thatjust suddenly got tipped onto my
side.
The kids are a bit older, justhappened to be walking past at
(03:39):
the time.
And do you think they stoppedto lend me assistance?
Of course not.
Absolutely not.
No, they just pointed theirfingers and laughed as as any
older kid would do.
Matt (03:47):
That's right.
Josh (03:48):
So look, we better keep moving, Maddie.
We've got our guest patientlywaiting for us.
So if you've got something thatyou'd like to contribute to the
unbelievable rundown, then sendit our way.
And Maddie, you won't believeit.
Over and under is back.
Matt (04:04):
Ah, okay.
Josh (04:06):
Now this I got three out of three on this, didn't I?
Well, you did get three out ofthree, and then the last time
you got two out of three.
And I'll be honest, it's onlybecause you got one wrong that I
am continuing with thissegment.
I really, really do want tokeep trying to trip you up if I
can.
And just a quick reminder aboutwhat this segment is all about.
(04:26):
I'm going to throw out somerunning related stat or trivia,
and Maddie has to guess if thereal number is over or under.
Feel free to play along athome.
Today's questions are all aboutParkrun Australia.
Matt (04:41):
Ooh, okay.
Josh (04:43):
Are you ready?
Matt (04:44):
Yes, I am.
Josh (04:45):
Question number one.
As at now, there are 487parkrun events in Australia.
Is the real number higher orlower?
Matt (04:57):
It's actually higher, I think.
I think it's uh did they hit500?
Josh (05:03):
You are correct.
523 at last count.
Matt (05:07):
There we go.
There we go.
Okay.
Josh (05:09):
Well, for someone that doesn't do a lot of park runs,
I'm truly impressed.
Matt (05:13):
Slightly covered at the same time.
I asked the question to someonethe other day or the other
week.
Um, so that's yeah.
Josh (05:20):
Yeah, oh how I wish uh I was a party to that
conversation.
I wouldn't want to put this onein.
He's on fire.
Question number two A total of158,564 people have volunteered
at Parkrun.
And that's a unique number ofindividuals, and that's Parkrun
Australia, by the way.
Matt (05:41):
I'd say it's way higher than that.
Josh (05:44):
I wouldn't say way higher, but you are correct.
187,165.
Matt (05:50):
Okay.
That's a lot of people.
Josh (05:53):
It is.
Yeah.
Gosh, he's on fire.
Question number three.
The average parkrun finish timein Australia is 34 minutes and
12 seconds, is the real number.
Higher or lower.
And in fact, I'll say eitherfaster or slower, just so that
there's no confusion.
Matt (06:10):
Okay, well, that's going to confuse me because okay, so
it's going to be faster.
Josh (06:16):
You are correct.
Not much faster though.
33 minutes and 25 seconds isthe average.
Matt (06:22):
I read that on the weekend.
Josh (06:24):
Oh, this is ridiculous.
When you get inside your mindor hack your computer or
something, that is trulyincredible.
How did you go at home?
Feel free to let us know.
Today's guest has turned hislife around one brutal session
at a time.
After years of battlingsubstance abuse, addiction, and
poor mental health, he foundrunning at the end of 2023, and
(06:47):
his transformation has beennothing short of remarkable.
From smashing out sub-19parkruns to donning the
volunteers vest, often at thesame event, Mark's journey is
equal parts grit, gratitude, andgrace.
He's Chermside Parkruns 2025Parkrunner of the Year, a sub
330 marathoner, and a firmbeliever that running is for
(07:09):
everyone, no matter how you doit.
Please let's all welcome MightyMark.
Matt (07:15):
Hey, how are you, mate?
Josh (07:16):
Thanks so much for joining us.
And dude, fresh and fresh fromhis latest incredible PB, a sub
4010K, which I know you've trulybeen working really hard
towards, man.
You know the vibes, what amassive achievement.
Congratulations, dude.
Mark (07:33):
Congratulations.
Yeah, thanks, guy.
Yeah, that 10k, mate.
What a run.
Talk about um everything like alining in one at one time.
Like my training on my watch.
I was on the on the way on thebus on the way into the bridge
to Brisbane and um I checked mytraining status.
I didn't realize it on thewatch, and it says peeking, and
I'm like, oh, this is awesome.
And then a week before that, myVO2 match chopped off.
(07:55):
I said I said to myself, mate,I think I'm on track here.
I think the training's paidoff.
Had a little mini taper, youknow.
Um, yeah, and what a run.
Yeah.
Josh (08:06):
Well, one thing I've noticed is you've really sort of
that, you know, you you backedoff your um, yeah, you you sort
of really backed off your volumein the last few months, which
looks like it was a really goodstepping stone to set you up for
success for this one.
Mark (08:19):
Yeah, I did.
Matt (08:20):
I agree, yeah.
Mark (08:21):
Well, I mean, I finished all my marathon, I finished all
my my big runs, and um, I reallylike this year, I really wanted
to concentrate on getting that316 at the Gold Coast.
So, like, that's what I trainedso hard for.
And once that was kind of done,once I finished the sunny half,
once that was done, I'm like,you know, I don't need to be
running this much anymorebecause I had so I had some
(08:42):
crazy weeks during that build.
Um, I was up to 150Ks at onestage, it was ridiculous.
Matt (08:47):
You did, yeah, you did.
Mark (08:48):
Yeah, yeah.
And after that, I've been Itook my first week off, almost a
full week.
I think I ran a couple of days,but I took a pretty much a
whole week off after the sunnycoast, and I was like, okay,
reset.
And then I knew I had to breachthe prison.
I said, okay, I've got fiveweeks now after that week off.
I said, let's go.
And I just I just cut my volumedown.
So I did what 60 to 70k's aweek in training.
(09:10):
Um, it's probably too muchpeople were saying for a 10K,
but like I need to run a lot,um, regardless whether or not
training.
I need to run.
So to me, it wasn't much.
Um, and but I just focused inon my my key sessions really,
and the rest was pretty mucheasy.
Well, a tempo park run, butyeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt (09:30):
I agree, like everyone's different.
Um, like you need to run a lot.
I'm someone as well.
I don't do that volume thatyou've been doing, but I'm
someone that has to run a lot aswell.
Um, it's it's yeah, it it'sit's part of part of your life,
and it actually the benefit youget from it.
Um, there's so many differentbenefits um apart from fitness
(09:51):
and you know training.
Josh (09:53):
Uh Mark, you've been quite uh quite open about your
journey before running.
Um what would you say was theturning point for you?
That led me into running.
Mark (10:03):
That that turned me to runner.
Um it was mental health, it wasmental health battles and
struggle.
I was struggling with my mentalhealth.
Um Yeah, it was like it itdidn't it didn't just well it
kind of just happened, but itwas over, it was gradual.
Like it's yeah, I was dealingwith mental health issues.
I I used to get panic attacks alot.
(10:23):
Um and that's how I startedrunning.
So I think it was end of 22,start 23, somewhere around
there.
And I got diagnosed with acouple, a few mental health
issues, um, which was goodbecause that helped me to manage
things better.
Prior to that, I was I wasdoing it myself with drugs and
alcohol.
So um, yeah, so sort of knowingwhat I was dealing with helps a
(10:46):
lot.
Um, and then and then yeah,that sort of led into running
because yeah, I was I was I Iwasn't good mentally, so um, I
was getting panic attacks a lot.
That's what sort of started it,and uh and just the anxiety.
So I started going out forwalks.
Um, and then that that was allhours in the morning sometimes.
It depends when it happened,you know.
You'd sort of you're not incontrol of when they have when
(11:07):
they then they come to you, butum, yeah.
So yeah, I just started runningwalks, just little walks first.
Um, and gradually that turnedinto something bigger.
That's sort of how I got intothe how I sort of ended up
running.
Yep.
Josh (11:23):
That's incredible.
And from you and I met beforewe uh before we sat down to talk
today, and you you youmentioned it was almost an
accidental discovery that Ithink you were in the in the in
the midst of a panic attack andyou had to get out of the house
and got on the phone to you.
I think you said your brotheror something.
You went, Oh, I'm actuallystarting to feel really good.
Has he got your heart rate upwalking around the block?
Mark (11:42):
Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right.
Yeah, so that's right, yeah.
Although I think it was mybrother on my mate, yeah.
I rang him and I said, mate, Ithink I'm dying.
And um, but yeah, it was Istarted walking and then walking
and talking, and um that I justgot relief from that.
And I just that's when Irealized this is helping.
And the next time it happened,I did the same thing again, you
know, didn't always ringeveryone at three in the
(12:04):
morning, but I sort of juststarted going out by myself, and
um yeah, that that that's howthat helped me.
That started helping, and thatyeah, that eventually turned
into into a run.
Um, I started sort of just runwalking, just the benefit I was
getting from it.
I was like, what if I keepdoing more of this, you know?
And yeah, and it wasn't easy atthe start, but it got it got
(12:26):
better.
Matt (12:29):
Yeah.
Josh (12:31):
And I guess along the way, Mark, you've um you know you've
told me that you've had a fewpeople that have you know either
either doubted you or doubtedthat you'd ever be a a runner,
um, which you know it soundslike you've been able to use for
for for inspiration.
I mean, what's helped you, Iguess, stay the course and stay
focused on on achieving yourgoals when you know you've had
(12:51):
so so many other factors thatwould potentially be you know
trying to derail you.
Mark (12:57):
Um just just self doing better for myself.
Um and and then when you likewhen I discovered Park Ryan, um
that really that really changedchanged my um attitude as well
because I wanted to get better.
Um I wanted to be a betterrunner.
Um and then just wanting tojust self just self-improvement,
(13:18):
like because for those yearsprior to all that, I had been
feeling like absolute crap.
Like I don't know how you canexplain it, but I wasn't good,
you know?
Matt (13:28):
And um it's yeah, it's it's destructive rather than
rather than positive, um,healthy um achievement or
purpose or um you know aspiringto be a better person um through
running.
I think they're very aligned.
Running and um, you know,trying to better yourself are
very, very much aligned.
Mark (13:49):
Yeah, definitely.
Well, that's right.
And I used to like back back inthose early, those dark days, I
call them all when it was whenI was bad.
Like I used to pride myself onhow long I was like, oh, you've
been awake for three days, andthen acting like a hero and
write my mental health out thewindow, and just you know what I
mean.
But now I'm just like yo, I'mrunning five days a week.
Like I've I've flippedeverything around.
Um and it's better, it's 150times better for me.
(14:12):
So um, and I just focus onthat.
I focus on just getting better.
Um, and I feel good doing it.
That's that's the good thing.
Like, and the more I keepdoing, like, the better, like
I'm getting like like I'm seeingresults, it makes me feel
better.
And um, that's what that's whatthat's my drive, I guess.
That's the drive, just to keepimproving.
And and and I look back and Isee how do you ever sorry, do
(14:36):
you ever look back?
Matt (14:38):
And I know you and I have had this conversation, but do
you ever look back to where youwere in those dark times?
And if someone said to you,this is who you were going to be
in three, four years' time, doyou ever think to yourself, oh
my god, like look where I am,look where I was, I could never
imagine.
Mark (14:58):
Yeah, mate.
Do you ever think back?
Do you ever think back to thatthough?
Um, like I've had thoughts likeback then, like now, thinking
back, like, yeah, there's no wayin the world that I thought I'd
be running.
Like, there's yeah, you gotthere's no chance, mate.
Like, there's no chance, but Icould barely like it.
Matt (15:16):
That's the last thing you can think of.
Mark (15:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you would never thinkrunning.
I I actually I remember I usedto be at the casino a lot, but I
remember sitting on theverandas and seeing people
running around in the morning,like I'd still be awake the next
morning.
And I just these guys are crazyas if you'd be doing that.
You know what I mean?
I remember heckling them,thinking that's just stupidity.
Not knowing, like, you know,five, four or five years later
(15:38):
or whatever, that um that that'sthat's me.
It's me doing it now.
So it's crazy.
Yeah, it is crazy.
Matt (15:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Josh (15:47):
Your your um transformation's been truly
incredible.
I remember, you know, when Ifirst met you a couple of years
ago, maybe two and a half yearsago, you were sort of I think
running around the 22-ish minutemark and always knew that
you're much you know morecapable than that.
You you had speed.
I think it was only uh maybe ayear ago that you finally got
yourself a watch as well, likefor a lot of that time running
without a watch and sort ofworking it all out to for
(16:08):
yourself.
Um what you've been able toachieve in just uh in such a
short period of time has beenincredible.
Um one thing I did want to sortof check in with you about is
you know, with what you've beenthrough, um a lot of people
probably don't appreciate thethe journey, and so they'd see
Mighty Mark now and think, youknow, oh yeah, he he's done, you
(16:30):
know, he's he's got his hislife in in in order.
But it sounds like you know,for you uh that your your
journey is very much that.
There's no destination thatthere you're on this um ongoing
transformation that's acontinued process.
Mark (16:46):
Yeah, I've definitely I don't know about yeah, I don't
know if there's a destination,but I know that I'm not going
back to what I how it used tobe, that's for sure.
Um I just gotta keep movingforwards um and just keep doing
better.
Like that's why running is sogood, right?
It's because you can always seta new goal.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like I'm I'm gonna like like agoal's out of track.
(17:08):
I want to run a sub three hourmarathon, like that's on my
to-do list.
Um like I might get that nextyear, it might take me two
years, but like that's somethingI want to achieve.
So I'm gonna keep workingtowards that, and then once I
hit that, then let's let's lookat the next goal.
But running just keeps that'slike if you want to give a
destination, that's mydestination, it's just
self-improvement, keep gettingbetter, keep managing mental
health, and um and just yeah,move forward, you know, not stay
(17:32):
not stay stuck.
Because when you get stuck, yousort of you don't go anywhere.
Matt (17:37):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
Josh (17:40):
Now, one thing, Mark, is you haven't just jumped into the
the running side, and you know,you're you're you're well
deserving of all the the runningaccolades that you have, but I
think no sooner had you startedrunning um you also immersed
yourself in the in giving backand being part of the run truly
being part of the the runningcommunity.
(18:01):
And you know, I don't thinkI've seen anyone that has so
been so quickly and w willinglytaking up a volunteer
opportunity.
Um you know, you're you'reyou're certainly well and truly
deserving of the uh ChernsideParkruns Park Runner of the
Year.
Well, what can you tell usabout that that day?
Because it sounds as though youweren't exactly prepared for
(18:23):
that acknowledgement.
Mark (18:24):
No, I wasn't at all.
Um I'm not surprised.
I'm just like I'm so happy thatlike the day the the run
directors and that nominated meand they recognized me.
That was so cool.
Um yeah, I was just recordingthat day.
I was making it I was making avideo for my YouTube channel for
the 10th birthday.
Um yeah, and then Rodney, therun director that day, was
giving the the the speech, youknow, on the 10th birthday, they
(18:45):
always pick someone every yearum for whatever reasons, you
know, and he he he listed a few.
And um, I didn't know it wasgonna be me.
And um because this persongives back to running, and you
know, he's going on aboutthings, and you might see him
zoom past you, and then you knowyou'll be barcoding or you
know, whatever.
There's a few things he wassaying that were nice, and then
when he said, You know thevibes, I was like, Oh no, it's
(19:06):
me.
And then, you know, and then hequickly at me and he goes,
Papa, you know, mighty my and Iwas like, Wow! So yeah, caught
me by surprise.
Um, but it felt good that I waslike recognized by the
community, you know.
And it is true, like I dovolley when I can.
Um, yeah, and I get I give backto running.
(19:27):
I like like running's done somuch for me, so I love to like
give back wherever I can.
And um, yeah, and I show a lotof interest in people's running.
Like, I like to hear theirstories, I'm always keen on
their times, how you how shouldwe be running?
And like I find it interesting.
And um, I'm a runner, so I Iunderstand when they when they
tell me things, I'm like, Yep, II I relate to that.
So, and um, I think you build agood connection with people
(19:49):
through through running.
Um, I know, I know I definitelyhave.
Matt (19:52):
You do.
Mark (19:53):
Yeah, yeah.
Josh (19:55):
For you know, for a relatively new runner, you're
incredibly durable.
I mean, uh and I'm speakinghere from personal experience as
well.
When I first took up running,my body didn't respond very
well, and I spent uh a lot oftime on the sidelines and
wondering if I'd ever be ableto, you know, run a 5k, let
alone a marathon.
And yeah, it sounds as thoughyou you worked really hard on
(20:17):
the the stuff that'scomplementary to running with
strength and conditioning.
Um, I think you you swear byfoam rolling before every run.
I mean, what can you tell usabout your regime that sort of
has um led you to be probablythe the envy of my running peers
uh being such a durable runner?
Mark (20:34):
Well, yeah, I mean, as like let me say this what it's
it's been it's a lot of hardwork.
Like you see me turn up now,and like I'm sort of running
sub-20s pretty consistently now,like which is was one of my
goals.
So I'm really happy about that.
But like prior to all that,like this is before I had Strava
and everything.
So when I first started, andafter you know, getting off the
drugs and alcohol and that itwas tough.
(20:55):
It was like a solid six monthswhere I was in in pain, and I
was like, I'm talking vomitingwhen I was running, um,
headaches, yeah.
I just aches, pains.
Um, I just I went through allthat stuff.
People didn't see that.
I've got some video footage ofit somewhere, it might be early
in my YouTube channel somewhere,but um, but I went through all
that, and then I discoveredparkrun, and then that's where I
(21:16):
still got my appetite or mylike comp uh compulsiveness to
get better, and then I startedfrom there, and then I started
working on my times, you know.
I think my first park runactually was around 25 minutes,
something like that, 20 25 to 36minutes when I first started,
and I got that time over thetwo-year period or two and a
(21:37):
half years down to down to downto the 20 minute under a
20-minute time.
But it was just all thetraining, it was the hard work
getting there.
And running's running's ajourney, and you learn stuff.
And I know when I started, lotsof people tell you stuff
because you know everyone runsand they've got their own ideas.
You gotta run slower, mate, torun faster, and the you know,
the 80-20 rule, and there's likeyou've got to do your long runs
and this and that.
(21:58):
Like, I was hearing so muchstuff left, right, and center,
and you've got to keep yourheart rate low.
I was like, yo, what are youall talking about?
So I I learned and I used towatch YouTube, yeah, yeah.
And I take in stuff from otherrunners and I go and watch what
they're saying.
Like, I remember I didn't evenknow what half the terminology
meant.
I didn't had no idea.
Um, but I just taught myselfeverything and um watched
watched heaps of running videos,um, YouTube runners and like
(22:21):
Olympic runners, and yeah,that's how I sort of got to
work, like I sort of taughtmyself from those things.
Um, and then like lessons likeread, like stuff I do now,
because I taught my meniscus inthe first six months um when I
started, and that was just fromwrong shoes and probably not you
know strength training oranything like that.
So they all that all taught melessons.
(22:43):
Um yeah, and then I rememberwatching, I think it was Matt
Matt Hansen.
He had a video one day aboutdoing the one doing the 1%
stuff, you know.
And um, because I didn't reallydo much warm-up before runs,
sort of thing, you know.
Um, and I was getting I for thefirst probably year, I had this
pain.
I ran through this likesciatica pain or down my left
(23:04):
calf.
It was tight, but I just keptrunning through it.
Hey, I just like but I was in alot of pain all the time.
Um, and then one day I watchedMatt and he's like, You get all
these 1% stuff.
He and he said he phone rollsbefore and after every run.
I was like, you know what?
Matt (23:16):
I can't, yeah.
Mark (23:18):
And I mean, I said I can start doing that.
So I just started doing it, andat first you miss a few times,
you know.
I do it religiously now.
Like that I I've barely missedbefore now.
I'll do a like I'm not going,I'm not doing a heavy phone
roll, but I'll I'll do enough toget like blood flow to the
areas.
Um, and I do that sort of, Ihave a little routine.
So I'll do that before everyrun, whether it's a just a
casual jog, like a tempo run,whatever I'm doing, I'll do a
(23:43):
like this morning.
I'll got up early.
Before Bridge to Brisbane, Igot up early.
So I'll do that foam rolltechnique.
Um and I'll just do some basicstretches.
Um just activate the musclesbefore I do it, and then then
obviously then you do a warm-uprun and all that stuff once
you're going.
But yeah, that's what I alwaysdo before every run.
Um and I find, and you knowwhat, I've been I've been injury
free.
I like touch wood, but I'vebeen injury free.
(24:04):
I've had no problems likeduring that whole build.
Um, all those mileage that Iwas doing, like so.
I don't know, I'm not sayingit's gonna work for everyone,
but it's definitely working forme doing these little things.
Josh (24:14):
So yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I certainly uh admireyour your discipline, Mark.
The the regime that you have uhis is truly incredible.
And it's pro you have provensuccess as well in the in in the
process and well well deservingof all those achievements.
And yeah, one thing I did wantto check in with you is uh yeah,
you you you've achieved a hellof a lot, uh you know, sub 330
(24:38):
marathon, which I think you'vedone a couple of times now.
I mean you you did that onceand you went, oh no, no, no,
330, sorry, 327, I think 328,and you're like, ah no, I'm not
happy with that.
I'm gonna go and smash that byyou know 10 minutes or something
like that.
Um wow, what what keeps youmotivated to to back up uh you
know again and again?
Because for some people, evenjust the idea of a marathon is
(25:02):
way too extreme a thought toeven contemplate putting in the
work towards.
I mean, what what keeps youmotivated to back up again and
again?
Mark (25:10):
Um what keeps me it's a pretty good question.
I just I just want to getbetter.
I want more and I want thosetimes.
I want to prove to myself thatI can physically like I can do
this.
Like, because when I started, Ididn't think I could.
I even I remember like it was acouple of the boys from from
the park run and they said yougotta just enter me into the
Brisbane fall.
I was like, man, shouldn't I dolike a half first?
(25:30):
Or just do a bone?
I'm like, okay, mate.
Matt (25:34):
You did a fall before a half, yeah.
Mark (25:37):
You know, and then and I ran three, I ran a 335 on the on
the on my first one.
And after I did it, like it wassuch an eye-opener.
I've got that first video on myYouTube too, and it was such an
emotional time because I justnever thought I would even
finish it like that time, youknow.
I I had a goal, I was like fiveminute patient.
I was like, maybe I can get330.
But yeah, 335 was the firsttime um I did that marathon.
(26:00):
And then after that, it taughtme so much.
And I'm like, you know, I cando this again, I can do this
better.
And I just wanted to prove tomyself, you know, and that and
that that's and that's what Ikept doing.
And that that's like a snowballeffect, I guess.
Okay, now I've done that.
Yeah, let's do the next one.
Let's try to better that time.
And then so I did.
So I did the uh 24, I did theBrisbane full first, three, and
(26:20):
then I went, I can I want sub330.
And then I trained againbetween that and the sunny coast
full, and I I got 327 for my umfor my half.
I mean for my full.
So yeah, I was like, yes, and Iproved to myself I did it
again, you know.
Um yeah, then then the yearjust part this year just gone.
Uh I got a bit smarter.
I went, you know, I'm not gonnado two marathons this year.
(26:42):
I'll just choose one marathonand just concentrate all my
energy into this one and justlet's see what I can do.
And yes, I went from 327 downto 316.
So yeah, 11.
That's crazy, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Um and that's just that's justwell, yeah.
(27:02):
I just kept pushing myself andI just wanted to see if I could
what I can do, and um and Istill feel I can do more.
I really do.
Josh (27:09):
Yeah, that's cool.
Well, correct me if I'm wrong,but I think you're sort of uh
harbouring ambitions, and Ithink you're well and truly
capable of this of one dayrunning a a sub three-hour
marathon, which would be a trulyincredible achievement.
Um is that something that is onthe horizon uh next year or a
couple of years?
What's your sort of timehorizon looking like?
(27:30):
Because I know that that's ahuge goal for you.
Mark (27:33):
Yeah, I've been thinking about it now after the 360.
Like I've been thinking, I waslike, no, this is this this is
in reach, you know.
Like I took 11 minutes off lastyear.
So, you know, if I take another11 off, it's very achievable.
Um, picking the right course aswell.
So like Gold Coast is prettyflat.
Um, I was even contemplatingBelgium next year, somewhere,
somewhere because if I go there,I really want to turn up.
(27:53):
So um, but look, next year, Idon't know.
I'm not gonna say no, but Iknow I know what I've learned so
far in these like last few anda half years, two and a half
years or so of running that youneed to have running economy.
Like I need you need to be on,you need to have a lot of
running under your belt, so tospeak.
You know what I mean?
You need to be at have a lot ofrunning.
Matt (28:13):
Yeah.
Um I don't know if I've doneenough to yeah, I don't know if
I've done enough yet.
Mark (28:19):
That's that's my only takeaway.
I'm not saying that I couldn't,but yeah, but I'm not gonna I'm
gonna try, but I'm gonna getclose to as close to as possible
three three um hours next yearfor sure.
Um, and if I go under would beawesome.
But realistically, I think it'sgonna take me two years, but
let's see what happens, youknow.
Matt (28:38):
Yeah, okay.
Mark (28:39):
Yeah.
Matt (28:40):
I mean, the the the beautiful thing with running is
um it's continual teaching.
Like it's you learn lessons umno matter how far you are into
running, or no matter you knowwhat sort of distances you can
run.
You learn lessons aboutyourself, about your character,
um, about you know, pushing yourbody and and doing things that
(29:00):
you I know for myself perceivedimpossible.
Um and then you have thosethose events or races that you
go in um that don't work out,that are horrible.
And you can take so much out ofthat as well.
Um it's yeah, it's such a greatthing.
Mark (29:16):
Yeah, that's true.
Um, you know what?
Every time I've finished, everytime I finished like a race or
a run, um, when I've competed orwhatever, I'm gone for a time,
I've always taken something awayat the end of it, whether
whether it's been okay, I didn'tdo enough strength in that that
that run, because it let medown.
I I felt what you know, youlook at your body, you go, what
let me down then?
(29:37):
You know, and uh it could bethat I didn't do four runs.
I needed to get, oh man, Ishould just got a couple more
long runs in at 35ks, and Ididn't, and then you sort of
you'll tell as you as you runmore, you start to learn your
body.
Well, that's what I I've beenlearning a lot, and that's what
I take away.
Josh (29:52):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, one thing that it's quiteeasy when we don't achieve what
we set out to that we beatourselves up, and obviously, I
don't know whether or not you gothrough that same thought
process.
I mean, outwardly you're Seemto be quite reflective and take
a lot of positives away fromevery experience, even if it's
not achieving the goal that youwant it to.
(30:14):
But is that something thatyou've found easy, or have you
found it challenging to takeaway those experiences and
accept them from what they are?
Um, or or have you had thepropensity to you know be unkind
to yourself?
Mark (30:28):
Um yeah, sometimes I try to stay positive these days.
Like in all situations, I tryto see the good thing because I
never used to.
Um, but like I'm a human, likeeveryone else.
I beat myself up sometimesabout things, um, and that just
drives me to like want to dobetter.
But I I try not to let it umlike dictate how I am, if that
(30:49):
makes sense.
Like I don't yeah, okay.
I was pretty I was prettyannoyed at myself um at the on
the Brisbane half this yearbecause I wanted to get closer
to 130, and I beat my PB by 30seconds, which is great, like
it's a PB, but I just reallythought I would have ran better,
but um I didn't.
So that kind of I got a littlebit there, but then people were
running on me, like dog bro, isit still a PB well done?
(31:11):
But like me, I put so much hardwork in, and I knew that I
could have ran better, but it'sjust one of those days, like
sometimes you just don't runwell, you know, you your body's
just not that's right, yeah,yeah.
So, I mean, yeah, it's happenedat park runs, it happens
sometimes on my lot, just anormal casual jog of going out
(31:34):
with full intention, and youjust start running, and you're
like, oh man, you know, but youcan look, I'm gonna finish the
run.
I'm not gonna like just quit.
I'm gonna finish it, and yeah,okay, it didn't wasn't how I
felt when I started, but youknow, it is what it is, and
let's just run till I know youknow what?
Because I know the next day youwake up and mate, it just could
you could just have the thisthe ultimate run, you know.
Yeah, yeah, it that happens alot too.
(31:56):
Yeah.
Matt (31:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Josh (31:59):
Yeah.
I hope you give yourself enoughcredit for your for your
journey, Mark, because even onthose days where you're not
necessarily hitting the goalsthat you you set for yourself,
you you're still turning up andyou're giving it your all, and
you really should be truly proudof yourself for the for the
journey and what you've beenable to achieve, no matter
whether or not you're hittingthe goals that you that you set
out to.
Mark (32:19):
Yeah, yeah, no, I'm definitely um yeah, I know I
agree.
Yeah, I definitely um I'mdefinitely proud of what I'm
doing.
Um and while I'm doing it, it'sinspiring people.
Like I was getting peopletelling me, yeah, and that's
what I love that more too.
Like I love hearing makingsomeone happy.
They're like, I'm just running.
I'm just running, but like itmakes people happy.
(32:39):
That's right, yeah.
Yeah.
And they can see me doing it.
And you know, I'm sharing myjourney.
Um, because everyone knows whatit's like to run, and it's not
easy for everybody.
And I'm not saying it's easyfor me either.
Like, I I I have my hard daystoo, but it's something that we
can all relate to, and um, Ithink sharing it with people is
really good because you can takesomething out of it.
Matt (32:59):
Yeah, definitely.
Running's not an easy sport.
Josh (33:02):
No, it's not.
And you know, you hear a lotabout the agony and the uh and
the ecstasy, and you've hadplenty of those those highs,
Mark, but you've also had the umand look, we've all had these
moments of the uh the the earlycelebration where we think we
think we've crossed the finishline and we and we haven't.
You're gonna are you happy toshare that experience because uh
um I haven't heard this.
Mark (33:26):
Yeah, so it was the um it was last year.
It was in um the gold, the GoldCoast um half, I think it was.
And um um I've come through andlike still a bit of experience,
and I wasn't paying attentioneither um in my running, but
yeah, I come through and I Ithought the finish line was the
I thought the finish line waswhere it said 250 kilometers.
(33:46):
He said 250 kilometers to go,but you know when you're in the
zone, you're running, you're notreally paying to catch it.
And I got through that and Ithought I listened, I thought I
actually finished.
And I go right down to prettymuch just to stopping.
I'm standing around, I've seenother people running past still,
and they've got people in thecrowd looking at me, and someone
were laughing, and they'relike, keep going, like this is
not the finish line.
I went, oh no, and then it'shit me, taken off.
(34:08):
So yeah, I um I I I I thoughtI'd finished, but it wasn't the
finish line.
So that happened.
Josh (34:14):
So a mental note now of uh did it cost you did it cost you
a PB that day?
Mark (34:20):
Um so did that cost you a PB?
That was my first half that onin two that so on 2024 I did I
did the uh sunny half.
Uh sorry, I always geteverything back to my so 2024.
I did um Brisbane Fall, GoldCoast half, Sunny Fall, yeah,
and and the half I did I justtook on because um someone
(34:41):
offered it to me.
I wasn't even gonna do it to behonest.
Um then someone goes, You wantto do the half Gold Coast?
I was oh yeah, I'd love to doit.
So yeah, I didn't know didn'tknow much about the course then
or anything, and I just took it,so yeah.
Um and yeah, so I but I didn'thave a I didn't have a half time
then, a proper half uh marathontime until then, really.
Yeah.
Matt (35:02):
I still think it's funny and crazy that you ran a full
marathon before a half marathon.
Mark (35:09):
Yeah, don't listen to your mates, bro.
They're talking to anything,but yeah.
Josh (35:21):
I don't know if you remember telling me this, uh
Mark, but it might have been ayear or two ago.
I think you you paced at uhChernside.
I can't remember if it was the20-minute pacer or 2230, but uh
I think you came a little bitunder the uh the pace timer.
You're like, what are peoplecomplaining about?
They should be thanking me.
Mark (35:38):
Well you think so, right?
No, no, yeah.
A couple times I put my handup.
I think I think in my earlystages, yeah, it was a
25-minute, they didn't have onethat day.
And they go, did anyone want tobe the pace?
I didn't like I still didn'tknow really what I was doing.
I didn't even have a watchthen.
I was using my phone because Ididn't have a watch.
I was using my Strava map whileI was running.
Anyway, yeah, I said, Yeah,I'll do the 25-minute peso, and
(35:59):
I just took off.
And uh yeah, I got back.
I think I got back in 23minutes or something, and yeah,
a few people went back in.
Matt (36:06):
It's like Oprah, everyone gets a PB.
Mark (36:09):
Exactly.
Josh (36:10):
Yeah, so how ungrateful were all those people were.
Mark (36:14):
Yeah, and then I talked, I said, look, I so I'm sorry, and
then I did and I did it againum a while later, maybe I did
another one.
I don't know what time thatwas, and again I was going out
too fast.
And I had one, I think one ofthe guys go, just give me the
vest, I'll do it.
And I said, Oh, just slow down,and I still slowed down.
So yeah, apologise guys for myum my um non-pacing skills, but
(36:40):
I'm getting better.
I should be able to pace a bitbetter now.
I've come a come a long waysince then, hopefully.
Yeah, yeah.
Josh (36:48):
Oh, good on you.
You're doing great now.
Look, um Mark, I couldn'tfinish up without exploring a
little bit about your uh yourDJing days.
Now I know you don'tnecessarily like to focus too
much on your um on your lifebefore running, but my goodness,
you've lived quite the life.
Um uh from what I know, you'verubbed shoulders with some of
the biggest in the world.
Matt (37:08):
Really?
Yeah, mate.
Um tell us, Mark.
Mark (37:12):
Yeah, I had a um yeah, I've always DJed.
Well, I haven't done any more,but I DJed through my all
through from like 2000 up until2016, and then I was still
involved after that just with afew events and stuff, concerts.
But um, yeah, I've always DJed,so I just made a name for
myself in the local scene.
Um, predominantly a hip hop andRB DJ, you know.
(37:34):
So I was resident at some ofthe big nightclubs back then in
the valley and that in the city.
And um, yeah, I was just veryfortunate.
I think it was the right timeat the right place coming up,
you know.
Um, and yeah, got to open upfor some big names, um, just
like hip-hop names, and therewas festivals also I played at
as well.
Um, but yeah, like yeah,Naughty by Nature, um Ja Rule,
(37:55):
T-Pain.
Matt (37:56):
Wow.
Mark (37:56):
Um, oh, there's there's there's there was heaps that I
met him at the club.
Sean Paul was another one.
Um oh yeah, man.
Yeah, it's been a bit of crazy,right?
And then and then G Jang,something that I was really
passionate about.
So I like that creative side ofthings.
Like, same with my YouTube.
Like, I like making thethumbnails, I like the video
editing side of it as well.
Same with the with the music,same thing.
(38:18):
I used to love doing mixtapesand and and and mixing music and
and watching people'sreactions, and yeah, that that
that used to, I used to lovedoing that.
So, but yeah, it took me a lotof places.
I got to travel a lot.
I traveled overseas, I playedat a lot of clubs overseas.
Um, yeah, like it's a beautifulthing, really.
But just just the whole otherside of it, um, because I had no
(38:40):
self-control, you know, so thatkind of ruined it a little bit
for me.
But but the whole music side ofit and the DJing, yeah, I loved
it.
It was great.
And yeah, and I'm I was solucky to meet all these people,
and um yeah, what an experience.
Hey, it's crazy to think aboutit, actually.
Matt (38:57):
Yeah.
Josh (38:58):
So who would you say was the I guess of all the of all
the the big names that you met,who would you say was the was
was the the most genuine?
Was were there any that youseemed to just connect with?
Mark (39:09):
Like yeah, like KG, the DJ from um from Naughty by Nature.
So when he came, we we had todo a setup uh before the club
opened, you know, do a soundtest and all that.
And he was cool.
He was very like down to earth.
He talked to me, even gave me aUSB stick with some of his new
tracks he'd be working.
Yo, Mark, you know, we so thatwas cool.
Like he kg was cool.
Um T Payne was probably themost, out of everyone that I've
(39:32):
met, was the most nicest to me,as in just as a human to human
without all the celebritystatus, you know.
Um, he was cool, he was justyo.
Because I was down the GoldCoast that night and he turned
up and um and my friend wasDJing from Sydney.
And um he just goes, Yo, youguys want to come and like
party, hang out with us?
We're like, Yeah, for sure,mate, you know.
Um, and then he picked us upfrom the hotel.
(39:54):
We drove back with him from theGold Coast, all the way back to
Brisbane.
He was staying in the Emporiumthen, and we hung up with him
for like three days, you know,up in his uh up in the penthouse
there and just chatting,talking, he was showing us two
songs.
He was yeah, like that was sucha that was such a great moment.
I'll never forget hanging outwith him.
And um Wow.
Yeah, just getting, yeah, justand he and just as just
(40:15):
forgetting all that.
It was just a human, just likehow we're talking now.
Like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, some of the I've beenaround other artists, and
they're not like that.
They're like, you know, you'rebeneath, well, I'm not saying
you're beneath me, but you knowwhat I mean.
We're celebrities, you're notyeah, I know what you mean.
I'm not trying to be rude, butyeah, yeah, but he he he's one
person that was just so um justso down to earth and yeah, just
treated treated treated me likesomeone I'm like a normal
(40:38):
person, so yeah, I appreciatedthat.
I'll never forget that.
Yeah.
Josh (40:41):
So do you do you miss the the DJing at all, or do you feel
as though you've been able to,I guess, release your creative
side enough through the theYouTube videos you do?
And I do want to explore a bitabout your YouTube channel as
well before we finish up.
But yeah, do you do you missthe DJing, or do you feel as
though you have enough creativepursuits through the amazing
(41:01):
videos that you've worked on?
Mark (41:04):
Yeah, like yeah, I don't miss Djang anymore.
Like I've I've I've I thinkI've had my run and I've like I
like I've never I've still gotmy staff, but I never turn it on
anymore.
Um I think I've just grown outof it, so to speak.
Like I probably would still mixif it was open and I had a shot
to play somewhere, like notplay somewhere, but just jam
again, you know.
Um but yeah, I don't reallymiss it.
(41:27):
I guess because with the wholeside of music now, and and
because I believe in God aswell, like for all those years,
like I don't really agree withsome of the songs I used to play
anymore.
Yeah like some of the lyricsand what it promotes, and um,
yeah, so anyways, but yeah, no,I don't I don't really miss it
to be honest.
But with the creative side ofthings, yeah, I definitely found
that within on with all theediting and other stuff that I'm
(41:49):
doing.
Like I find it it's the samemental um what do you call it?
Like I need the same uh about Ineed the same amount of um
mental effort as I would if Iwas doing a mix, you know what I
mean?
As though if I was editing avideo.
I I get that um reward fromdoing that, yeah.
For making the videos.
Wow.
Matt (42:09):
Yeah, that's that's really cool.
Josh (42:11):
And those videos that you make are a fan.
I don't know how you how you'reable to so quickly turn them
around from a run.
It's almost as if you'reproducing them as you're
running.
Um for those for those who whoare listening, um certainly make
sure you check out MightyMark's YouTube channel.
And correct me if I'm wrong,it's at Mighty Mark Runner.
Is that correct?
Mark (42:28):
Yeah, that's it, mate.
Yeah, just one word, yeah.
Mighty Mark Runner on YouTube,yeah.
You'll see me there.
Um yeah.
Well, we thought about thevideos.
Josh (42:40):
Yeah, go for it.
Um we we'd love to hear aboutyour your inspiration.
I mean, we know that you're uhsort of really trying to get
your your message out there andum you know get get people to
sort of follow along yourjourney.
So um, yeah, what what can youshare with us about um uh about
your channel and what that meansto you?
Mark (42:56):
Yeah, so I started the channel because I had others, I
had like Instagram and thatfirst, but I got off all of
that.
I kind of find well for mepersonally, I find that stuff a
bit toxic and Facebooks and allthat, like I just I got away
from all of it, and then I waslike, yo, well, I still want to
promote myself, so I was gonnatry this YouTube avenue, you
know.
Um, and that's why I startedmaking my little videos.
(43:17):
And I when I first started,that was back when I was a very
not a good runner, and I used tomake these ones with just words
coming up anyway.
Got past all that, and then Iwas like, I want to share my
journey more of where I'm comingfrom now because like running's
helping me heaps, and yeah, Ijust started making other videos
like park runs.
That's how it all started andthe creativity side of it.
And I just used I just used ohmy gosh, I can't talk.
(43:39):
I used to use my phone torecord because that's all I had,
you know.
Um, and it was just a learningprocess getting through all
that.
Um, so I used to put videosthere, and then eventually I
upgraded.
I got gifted a um a GoPro forChristmas one year, and then
yeah, that's changed everythingsince that.
And I've been able to make somegood quality sort of videos.
Um, and it's just a learningjourney, again, self-taught,
(44:02):
like how I sort of learn how torun, like watching videos and
learning a lot of stuff.
I've watched a lot of editingvideos on YouTube, how to make
videos, and yeah, look, I'mgetting better.
Um, I'm I know that that couldbe a lot better, but I'm getting
better at them.
Um, and then denying what I'mgonna sort of promote.
Yeah, so yeah, I'm yeah, I amgetting quicker though.
Josh (44:23):
You're doing a great job.
So yeah, certainly everyone,make sure that you check out
Mighty Mark's YouTube channel atMightyMarkRunner.
Mark, it's truly been a joyspeaking with you today.
Thanks so much for joining uson Run Believable.
Your journey has beeninspirational and we'll continue
to follow follow you along foruh as as long as you're going to
be running.
Yeah, thank you guys.
Mark (44:43):
Thank you, Runbelievable, for having me on.
Hey, such a privilege, guys.
So I hope um people getsomething out of this.
Yeah, hopefully, yeah, they getsomething out of this, take
away something that thatinspires them or helps them.
Um yeah, yeah, check out mychannel, guys.
And hopefully there's somethingin there as well that might um
that you know might hit home toyou.
So yeah.
Josh (45:04):
Fantastic.
Matt (45:04):
It's awesome.
Josh (45:05):
Thanks again, Mighty Mark, and yeah, look forward to
seeing you out there.
Matt (45:08):
Yeah, cheers, boys.
Thank you very much.
Thanks, mate.
See you soon.
Josh (45:10):
See ya.
Wow, Maddie, I don't know aboutyou, but Mighty Mark's story is
perhaps the most inspirationalI've I've heard.
Matt (45:19):
Yeah, yeah, same here.
Yeah.
Um, I was really lookingforward to that to hear more
about his journey.
Um yeah, amazing.
Josh (45:26):
Yeah.
I mean, it never ceases toamaze me that the amount of
people that have incrediblejourneys and stories to share.
I mean, mighty Mark, if I if Ididn't know, for you know, if we
didn't stop to have a chat withhim, we'd be none the wiser
about his his journey.
And that's it for today.
(45:47):
Got a run believable story ofyour own?
We'd truly love to hear it.
And if you'd like to be a gueston the show, feel free to hit
us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
So please follow, rate, andshare with your running mates,
and we'll see you for the nextrun believable adventure.
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.