The Comeback Trail: Why We’re Back, How I Messed Up, and 5 Rules for Consistent Running
Hey GMA family! It is officially time to shake off the winter chills because GMA running sessions are back! 🏃♀️⛰️
Moving to a new place can feel incredibly isolating, and our running group has always been about much more than just ticking off kilometers. It is a safe space to combat isolation, build resilience, celebrate our diversity, and foster deep connections with people who genuinely care about your journey.
Whether you are a seasoned marathoner, a casual walker, or someone who has never hit the trails before, our Semester 2 calendar is built for you. We are lacing up with some massive collective landmarks on the horizon—including the breathtaking Kunanyi Trail Series and the ultimate 2026 challenge: November's world-famous Point to Pinnacle.
But before we dive into the training schedule, we need to address the elephant on the trail. You might have noticed things have been quiet on the running front for the last few months.
That is entirely on me. I made some big mistakes, and I want to share them openly so you don't have to repeat them
Testimony By Thiago:
My Biggest Running Lesson: Overcoming "Ego" and Adductor Tendinopathy
Let's keep it 100%: I let my ego take the driver's seat
Even worse, just one week after finishing the marathon, I jumped straight back into intense training. Instead of taking a well-deserved month of rest to let my body structurally recover, I was hyper-focused on all the races I had signed up for in the first half of 2026.
My body finally said enough.
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I developed Adductor Tendinopathy, a frustrating overuse injury that causes a gradual, dull ache right in the groin and inner thigh. It happens when you subject your tendons to repetitive stress and high weekly mileage faster than they can biologically adapt.
I had to sit out for months. It was a humbling lesson, but it taught me that humility in training beats social media hype every single day
The Comeback Blueprint: 5 Tips to Keep Your Running Consistent and Healthy
Consistency is the absolute holy grail of athletic development
1. You ARE Your Brain—So Train It
This is not a journey simply about the body and what you can get it to do; the mind is just as important
At its core, your brain is trying to keep you safe in an evolutionary survival way, whispering: "Running?! Why would you do that?! You have to preserve as much energy as you can to survive."
When that negativity turns up, try these two methods
Name it: Give that negative voice a name (like 'Bob')
. When it turns up, say, "Hello, I wondered when you'd show up, I've got this covered thanks." Acknowledge it and send it on its way . The Cloud Method: Imagine negative thoughts or the urge to skip a run as a cloud in the sky
. Just watch the cloud pass . It doesn't stay; it’s simply a thought, not an instruction . Thinking about your thinking (metacognition) gives you the power to stay super consistent even during the hardest moments of life .
2. Get Good at the Mundane
People are always looking to reinvent the wheel in their training. Flashy sessions, massive volume increases, the newest training methods. But the truth is far more boring and not sexy at all. If you trained pretty much the same week after week and were able to stay super consistent you would make huge progress. Staying in the game beats everything else. So you need to find the tricks and strategies to allow you to keep on running. If it's dialling an intense session back to easy or cutting an easy session in half then that's what needs to be done. If it's focussing on strength work to allow you to train more regularly then that's what needs to be done. If it's reducing overall volume because you kept picking up injuries then that's what needs to be done.
Consistent training is all about getting good at the mundane week after week. Showing up and be happy with unsexy sessions! Obviously if your body can tolerate regular threshold sessions etc then crack on. But if that's where your issues are then maybe that needs to be switched to easy.
3. The Outcome Means Nothing (Focus on the Process)
Pinning all of your identity, hopes, and dreams on the outcome of a few hours on a single race day is "nuts". You can have a perfect training block, but a few degrees of temperature change can spoil 18 weeks of hard work. Training simply puts the odds in your favor; it does not guarantee a perfect race day.
Become process-focused. Attach your identity to the person you are behind the scenes when no one is watching—the person building a body of evidence of hard work, showing up, and trying to be better. When you love the weekly process, a poor result won't define you, and a great result will just be a quick celebration before you happily go back to work.
4. Hold, Don't Push
The times we get into the most trouble is by letting our ego drive and refusing to listen to our bodies. There is a massive difference between being a bit tired and pushing through genuine injury or illness. Taking 1 or 2 days off because of pain is infinitely better than being forced into 1 or 2 months off because you kept pushing.
Running 13km when the plan says 8km or pushing too hard on a speed session are silly ways we tip ourselves over the edge. Running is about running today so you can run tomorrow. Any session where you push too hard and compromise the quality of your next run is a session poorly executed.
5. Protect Your Biological Ecosystem
Sustainable running means treating your body like a sophisticated physiological engine. You cannot ignore structural recovery. Prioritize high-quality sleep, proper hydration, and strategic low-GI nutrition (like chickpeas, lentils, and fresh greens) to manage your energy levels and allow soft tissues to heal properly.
Our Semester 2 Goals: Kunanyi Trail Series & Point to Pinnacle
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Now that the engine is resetting, we have designed a beautiful, phased runway to get the entire GMA pack moving safely and progressively toward our goals. Our weekend sessions are strictly structured so you can start small and build up together.
⛰️ Phase 1: Winter Trail Intro (June - August)
Target Events: Knockers Solstice (Sunday 21/06) & Tolosa (Sunday 02/08)
The Focus: Trail running basics, getting comfortable on uneven terrain, and keeping active during the cold Hobart winter months.
Locations: Easy, highly accessible trails around Knocklofty, Wellington Park lower trails, and Tolosa Park. These will be short, social, and beginner-friendly.
👟 Phase 2: The Spring Endurance Build (September)
Target Events: Ross Running Festival (Sunday 20/09) & Ridgy-Didge Trail Run (Sunday 27/09)
The Focus: "Choose your own adventure". Since we have a flat road race and a rugged trail race back-to-back, our weekend sessions will offer split options. You can hit the flat bitumen on the Intercity Cycleway or tackle adjacent dirt paths depending on your goals.
⛰️ Phase 3: The Hill Climb / P2P Prep (October - November)
Target Events: Cascade Slide (Saturday 31/10) & Point to Pinnacle (Sunday 15/11)
The Focus: Inclines and vertical strength. This phase is all about building localized leg endurance and deep mental resilience for the "world's toughest half marathon".
Locations: The Pipeline Track, Mt. Nelson, or running key segments of Pinnacle Road itself.
Grab Your Discount and Join the Pack!
We want to make these experiences as inclusive and accessible as possible.
🎁 GMA PERK: We have partnered up to give our community a 10% OFF discount code for any of the Kunanyi Trail Series events! Use the code GMARunKTS26 at checkout when registering on kunanyitrailseries.com.au.
Remember: running with GMA isn’t about podiums or breaking records. It is about empowerment, moving forward at your own pace, and ensuring no one has to walk or run through their Australian journey alone.
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