This week on Tales from the Valley, Sam is joined by Harm Schaap to talk fast running, big training weeks and QK Running’s growing presence in Australia.

Harm takes us behind the scenes of the Sydney Marathon Expo, from the popular “I hate running” wall to the logistics of building the stand—and how his partner Jess’s engineering expertise came in handy. We also chat through QK’s expanding range, including quick-drying MasterWick singlets, sunglasses and marathon editions.

We give an honest review of the Elastic Monster Men’s Max Pocket Running Half Tights, covering fit, comfort and how the pockets handle gels, a phone, keys and other essentials on the run. We discuss getting the sizing right, whether everything stays secure without bouncing, and how they stack up on value.

On the running front, Harm reflects on his recent 10km PBs, including a sharp 30:32 at Lorne, and talks us through a 119km week despite illness and four missed runs. We unpack his training with Coach Hints, balancing speed, threshold, hills and doubles as he builds towards a summer racing block.

There’s also a clear target for the GONG5000: break 15 minutes—and get the better of Nathaniel.

We round things out with a Melbourne Marathon weekend recap, covering the marathon, half marathon and shorter races, including Jimmy Whelan’s aggressive start and some big breakthrough performances.

Check out QK Running and use Harm’s discount code SCHAAP10 at checkout.

🛍️ Shop QK Running: qkrunning.com 📸 Follow QK on Instagram: @qk_running

🎧 Tune in for training talk, race rivalries and an honest look at the gear making its way onto Australian start lines.