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019: He Went From Addiction to ASICS FrontRunner Captain

May 27, 2026 · 1 h 26 min

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David Fick went from gym bro to 2:35 marathoner. Running saved his life after addiction his cousin dragged him to a run club in Durban and everything changed. Seven years later, he's the team captain of ASICS Front Runners South Africa, coaches over 20 athletes, and is chasing sub-2:30 at Berlin with a newborn due weeks before the race.


But this conversation is really about what he thinks SA runners are getting wrong. His take: we're chasing distance when we should be chasing speed. Everyone wants Comrades but nobody wants to run a fast 5K first. We're building the roof before the foundation.


We also get into what it takes to become an ASICS Front Runner, how to train while being a full-time dad, why he quit a marathon on purpose because of wind, and the illegal shoe debate for everyday runners.


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