Alexis is running her first-ever 5K time trial and the whole Marathon Handbook crew is showing up to document it.

In this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis break down exactly how a beginner runner should prepare for a race-pace effort: pre-race fueling, sleep, shoe choice, and a full pacing strategy to chase a sub-30-minute (and maybe sub-29!) 5K. Plus: weird interactions on the run, the headphones-or-not debate, an update on Alex's build toward the Canadian Half Marathon Championships, and a listener Q&A on getting your partner into running.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro: setting the "annoying pacer" ground rules
0:59 Welcome to For Better or For Worse
1:15 Weirdest run interactions: cat calls & a street preacher
7:57 Headphones on the run: yes or no?
11:31 Today's topic: Alexis's first 5K time trial
13:22 What actually is a "time trial"?
15:36 The plan: the MH crew descends on Toronto Beaches
17:34 Alexis walks through her full pre-race routine
21:31 Sleep, rituals, and pre-race nerves
25:40 Race morning fueling and timing
29:00 Shoe rotation: Asics, Saucony, or Hoka?
30:13 Building Alexis's pacing strategy
33:11 Why even pacing beats a fast start
38:53 New challenge: sub-30 to sub-29
42:45 Alex plans how to be the "annoying" pacer
45:33 Alex's training update: 150km week & marathoner hunger
48:48 Prepping for the Canadian Half Marathon Championships
49:38 Balancing wedding season with marathon training
55:00 Listener Q&A: getting your partner into running
1:02:32 Comment section: the ice cream fueling debate
1:04:10 Karaoke song picks for Alex's bachelor party
1:09:00 Wrap-up: predict Alexis's 5K time

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What happens to your running motivation after a huge life event? We got married a few weeks ago, and while Alex went straight back into his toughest training block ever, Alexis hit a full week of "bride blues" and zero desire to run. We break down why that split happened, whether running couples should target the same race season, and what's next for both of us.

Chapters:
0:00 Cold Open
0:51 Welcome to For Better or For Worse
1:18 Old Man Breakfast Roast
1:54 Hiding in the Bathroom for Josh Kerr's Mile
5:37 Breaking Down the New Mile World Record (3:42.66)
7:33 Today's Topic: Two Versions of Post-Wedding Running
9:25 Alexis's "Bride Blues" and Missing Motivation
12:24 What Are "Bride Blues"?
14:20 Should Running Couples Race the Same Season?
19:06 Alex's Fall Plan: Chasing a Lifetime-Best Half Marathon
21:53 The Chase for a Team Canada Worlds Spot
23:30 Inside Alex's Toughest Training Block Ever
24:29 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
29:16 Why Valencia? Picking a "Business Trip" Race
31:51 The Half Marathon "Golden Ticket" Into Major Marathons
36:46 Wedding Crashers Update
38:34 His vs. Hers: Pregnant Mile Record vs. Marathon PR
45:09 Listener Story: Betty & Chaz
48:10 Shoe Talk & Upcoming Reviews
49:51 Outro

After 8 episodes of wedding-season training talk, Alex and Alexis are officially married! In this episode of For Better or For Worse, the running couple breaks down their entire wedding week in Prince Edward Island: a 16-act talent show, a surprise 5K run for 90 guests, a burnt wedding veil, an unexpected blessing from the Pope, and six uninvited wedding crashers.

They also cover how they each balanced training with wedding week chaos, share their Rose & Thorn moments, debate whether crashing a wedding is ever okay, and answer a listener question on training by heart rate vs. pace.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:30 Is Alexis changing her name?
2:04 Wedding Week Recap Begins
3:22 Are We Happy We're Married?
5:06 Wednesday: Guests Arrive in Charlottetown
6:08 Alex's Acadian Hometown Tour
8:58 The Wedding Talent Show (16 Acts)
14:15 We Hosted a 5K at Our Wedding
19:33 Why We Had a Big Wedding
20:33 The Wedding Veil Disaster
23:36 Walking Down the Aisle & The Vows
26:10 Blessed By the Pope?
28:14 Rose & Thorn: The Handmade Wedding Ship
31:04 Rose & Thorn: The Hotel Breakfast Fiasco
33:11 Rose & Thorn: Best Day of My Life
35:11 Alexis's Biggest Mileage Week Ever
36:43 Turning a Wedding Into a Fitness Goal
38:08 Finding Your Running "Goldilocks Zone"
40:46 Skipping Double Runs on Wedding Week
42:13 Turning Down a 32K Run Pre-Wedding
43:33 Homework: Finding New Motivation
45:03 Homework: Weekly Date Nights
46:30 His or Her Debate: Are Wedding Crashers OK?
53:00 Listener Q&A: Heart Rate vs. Pace Training
56:57 Outro

Follow along:
Instagram: @alex.is.pod
marathonhandbook.com

Got a question for the show? Drop it in the comments!

We're recording from Prince Edward Island, Alex's childhood home and the site of our wedding in ONE WEEK!

Alex walks Alexis through 6 key categories every new runner struggles with: building mileage, nutrition, run intensity, Strava and the social pressure of running, sticking to a routine, and running with friends. The answers are honest, sometimes surprising, and genuinely useful for anyone who's just getting started.

We also read listener comments, discuss the viral reel of a girlfriend who secretly trained for a half marathon without her runner boyfriend noticing, and tease what's coming next week (hint: a wedding 5K).

We're two days out of our bachelor and bachelorette parties and Alex ran through his. Every morning. Hungover. Was that crazy, or completely reasonable? Alexis has strong thoughts, and you get to decide who's right in our new "His or Hers" segment.This week on For Better or For Worse, Alex Cyr and Alexis D'Souza get into it about running on big life days, how to stay motivated when your next race is four months away, whether AI coaches are going to replace human ones and why Alex is convinced that distance runners physically cannot dance.Chapters:0:00 – Cold open: the AI coach question0:48 – Welcome to For Better or For Worse1:08 – First solo episode (no videographer)2:17 – Bachelor & bachelorette party highlights6:09 – The Goan Ros ceremony: coconut milk, blessings & a rogue beer10:11 – His or Hers: should you run on your bachelor party?15:04 – Alexis's case for designing your own celebration18:06 – Alexis runs with a friend for the first time19:00 – Motivation check-in: two runners, opposite problems24:51 – Alex's mid-season motivation crisis (19 weeks to Valencia)26:11 – The fix: sign up for more races & the Buffalo proposal31:18 – AI running coaches: hot or not?33:27 – Alexis would go AI first, human coach second37:44 – What happens when your run goes wrong — human vs. AI42:05 – Should we try an AI-assisted training plan?44:45 – Homework review: Alexis's longest run & Alex's wedding planning grade47:11 – New homework: Alex must learn to dance48:18 – The slow-twitch theory: why runners can't dance53:32 – Could Rory Linkletter do the worm? A serious discussion55:36 – Alexis's big running milestone: out of clean kit56:51 – Wedding 5K in PEI + what's coming next

Alex and Alexis are back, and this might be their most chaotic week yet. Alex face-plants at a sushi restaurant two days before racing the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa, then has a close encounter with Hell's Angels on the highway. Somehow, he still finishes 7th... his best-ever national championship result.

Chapters:0:00 Cold Open — Fight or Flight

1:00 Welcome to For Better or For Worse

2:00 The Week That Was

5:47 Alex Faints at a Sushi Restaurant (ER Visit)

14:16 Hell's Angels on the Highway

17:34 Ottawa Race Weekend — Canadian 10K Championships

21:43 Should Partners Attend Race Weekends?

29:00 Alexis's Running Update

30:07 Finding the Runner's High

33:23 Running Neurosis & the Mileage Plateau

36:30 Homework: The Long Run

40:52 Wedding Planning Check-In

43:29 Mutual Homework Assignments

47:09 Hot or Not: Running Posture

51:49 Hot or Not: The Enhanced Games (Doped Olympics)

1:00:14 Plugs & Outro

Alex Cyr and Alexis D'Souza are back for Episode 4 of For Better or For Worse, the show where a beginner runner and an elite runner, soon to be married, chase goals together (and occasionally argue about hockey and boiled eggs).This week, Alexis just finished her biggest training week ever: 21.2km over four runs, but keeps getting post-run headaches. Alex breaks down the nutrition basics every new runner needs to know, from macronutrients and meal timing to electrolytes and why calories aren't the enemy.Plus: the running and alcohol conversation nobody wants to have, Alex's honest take on run club culture, a PB in the track 10K, and a hot debate on run/walk intervals vs. pushing through.Follow the show on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/alex.is.pod/Follow Alex:https://www.instagram.com/cyresy_10/Follow Alexis:https://www.instagram.com/alexisdsouza.to/

For Better or for Worse is a weekly podcast following Alex Cyr and Alexis D'Souza: a couple soon to be married, each with a goal to run the best race of their lives this fall. Alex is an experienced competitive runner. Alexis is just getting started. Together, they're navigating wedding planning, first long runs, training blocks, and everything in between.New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss a mile

🎙️ Follow the journey

📍 Alex Cyr — elite runner, soon-to-be husband

📍 Alexis D'Souza — beginning runner, soon-to-be wife

#RunningPodcast #ForBetterOrForWorse #MarathonTraining #CoupleGoals #RunningCouple #BeginnerRunner #WeddingSeason

Chapters:

0:00 - Did Alexis run in Paris?

7:43 - Running while traveling

9:00 - Did Alexis catch the marathon bug?

14:00 - Pace of life in Europe

19:25 - Type A vs Type B runners

23:15 - Alex should read The Notebook

25:05 - Alexis does a workout

34:45 - Wedding planning update

38:00 - Alexis chugs Nomio (next week Alexis tries Bicarb)

43:35 - Hot or Not: Sub 2-hour marathon

49:35 - Should Alexis take creatine?

54:20 - Guessing Gordon Ramsay’s marathon time

58:10 - Closing remarks