Snail & Pace: A Sportlink podcast

Snail & Pace - Episode 14: Comrades dreams, wedding weekends and the road Wroxham

Logan Smith and Mark Armstrong return with a more upbeat edition of the Snail & Pace podcast. Logan reflects on a busy fortnight of training, including strong tempo sessions, thunderstorms, coffee stops in Holt, stag-do weekends, wedding celebrations and the challenge of balancing life with running. With the Wroxham 5K just around the corner, he discusses whether his form is finally starting to come together at the right time. Meanwhile, Mark shares stories from an unforgettable return trip to South Africa for the Comrades Marathon. Supporting friend Adam Baker, soaking up the incredible atmosphere and witnessing inspiring performances from runners of all abilities, he explains why Comrades remains one of the most special events in the world. As always, thank you for listening. If you’re enjoying the podcast, please leave a review, share it with a running friend and get in touch with your questions for future episodes.

Snail & Pace episode 13: Relay races and running through the heat

This week Mark and Logan are back in the cupboard to talk hot-weather running, tough sessions, race-day reality checks and a busy weekend at the Alex Moore Relay. Logan talks through a testing spell of training, the impact of the heat, his win with Gangway Run Club at the Alex Moore Relay, and why 5K training is currently testing his patience. Mark reflects on his run at the Hatfield Broad Oak 10K, why conditions made pacing difficult, and how the heat can change effort levels almost overnight. There’s also a round-up of recent local and national racing, including Henry Jonas, Will Percival and Michael Clark, plus the usual Running Icks - featuring phones in hands, flies in eyes, chafing, and some questionable running fashion. We also answer a listener question on whether Logan feels he has a psychological edge over local competition. Running chat, honest training talk, local racing, and the usual nonsense.

Snail & Pace - episode 12: You'll never look at a bottle of Orangina in the same way

You will never look at a bottle of Orangina in quite the same way again… Episode 12 of Snail & Pace is here - and it turns out Logan has a story that completely changes how both of us now view Orangina forever. Alongside that… we dive into a seriously competitive Great Yarmouth 5 Mile, with Logan talking through the tactics, surges and what it was like racing some of Norfolk’s quickest runners after already doing a hard session earlier in the day. Also in this episode: • Full Yarmouth 5M debrief • Local racing round-up • Running icks • The usual chaos Brought to you by Sportlink.

Snail & Pace - episode 11: The one from the shoe cupboard

Welcome to Episode 11 of Snail & Pace - coming to you from a slightly different location this week as Mark and Logan swap the usual physio room for the Sportlink shoe fitting area. It’s a busy one. Mark gives an update on life after the Two Oceans Ultra, including his return to running, a testing Holkham parkrun and what comes next with the Great Yarmouth 5M and Wroxham 5K on the horizon. Logan talks through his return to bigger mileage, building back towards Valencia Marathon, training with the Norwich Distance Squad, early morning runs, London Marathon weekend with On, and why spectating a marathon might actually be harder than running one. The lads also get stuck into the London Marathon, including the historic sub-two-hour performances, the wider discussion around elite marathon running, and some brilliant local results from runners across Norfolk and beyond. There’s also a full race round-up, including Great Yarmouth 5M, GEAR 10K, Ipswich Twilight 5K and Breckland 10K. And of course, Running Icks are back. As always, please follow, share, and leave us a five-star review if you enjoy the episode.

Snail & Pace episode 10: What got Mark through Two Oceans... wasn't what you'd expect

In Episode 10 of Snail & Pace, Mark Armstrong gives the full lowdown from his Two Oceans adventure in South Africa - from travel, taper nerves and stunning views to the moment a cola-flavoured ice lolly unexpectedly became the real hero of the race. Elsewhere, Logan Smith shares how his training has been disrupted by a frustrating set of niggles… including an ankle roll after a game of chicken with other runners on Marriotts Way. There’s also plenty of race chat, with discussion around the Manchester Marathon, Norfolk Marathon, and other local results, plus the return of running icks - including one from Mark that is impressively random, even by his standards. If you enjoy the episode, make sure you follow, share and leave a review.