<p>Have you ever met one of those people who seem to have endless energy and optimism? Tanya Carrier is one of those people. She has run 39 half marathons (PR-1:32), 14 marathons (PR-3:11), teaches first grade, and is a mom and wife. &nbsp;We had a great conversation about how she has improved as a runner and maintained such an energetic and positive outlook. Tanya also revealed some of the struggles that she endured as a child that led her to being there for so many others. You can learn more about Tanya at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/track.tanya.run/ ">www.instagram.com/track.tanya.run</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Often times running around on a track can serve as a metaphor for our own training. At first it may seem novel and result in fitness gains, but it can also become tiringly monotonous. Beyond that, we can also fall into a repetitive rut that finds us craving PR‘s while disengaging from the beauty of our pursuits.&nbsp; This is exactly what happened to Jenny Donnelly after four years of running in college and a few more working hard for new records while working 80 hour work weeks. At the prodding of her boyfriend, she set out on a new adventure that changed everything. Running 155 miles in five days over 30,000 feet of elevation gain in New Zealand, Jenny rediscovered her love running through a paradigm shifting experience.</p> <p><br></p>

<p>When Greg Macken began running he was close to 250 pounds. He started that run by saying to himself, “Just jog to the stop sign, once you get there you can walk.” Later that year, Greg finally made the decision to get sober and, in doing so, reversed the trajectory of his life which was headed towards “prison, a psych ward, or death.” Since then, he has completed countless road races including 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, and a handful of marathons. Greg recently set a new marathon PR with a smoking 3:00:50! In this episode, Greg takes a deep dive into the depths of his life and how he got himself out, all with the help of running.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>When runners get injured we often hear that we should cross train to maintain fitness. Sarah Bishop, an Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon, took it to the extreme. After racing nearly every weekend in the fall she was sidelined with leg injuries. True to her personality, she dove into cross training with both feet. Not long after, she signed up for her first triathlon - IRONMAN Chattanooga 70.3. Sarah proceeded to finish second overall and earn her pro card. In this episode we talk about how somebody with little to no biking and swimming experience achieved such a remarkable result.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Lauren Floris is an elite whose love of the sport was first sparked watching the start of the Boston Marathon every spring in her hometown of Hopkinton, MA.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lauren ran four years of Division I Cross Country &amp; Track for Pepperdine University. During her time as a Wave, Lauren set 5 school records in the 1500m, 3000, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, and DMR - all 5 records still stand today. Since college, Lauren has shifted her focus to the roads, but she still makes appearances on the track every once in a while.</p> <p>She currently runs for rabbitELITE and holds personal bests of 16:50 5k, 35:16 10k, 1:18:39 half marathon, and 2:44:16 in the marathon, which qualified her for the USA Olympic Marathon Trials, which she will be running in February 2020.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lauren lives in Southern California with her husband and two daughters Lavinia and Marigold (born January, 2019). Lauren is a full-time coach with Lift, Run, Perform (<a href="https://www.liftrunperform.com">www.liftrunperform.com</a>) and has a Masters in Kinesiology.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>It was an honor and a privilege to speak with Katie Arnold, one of the best writers and runners in the country, for this episode. Her new book <em>Running Home: A Memoir </em>had an immediate and profound effect on me in many ways.&nbsp;</p> <p>An elite ultra runner, Katie is the 2018 women's champion of Leadville Trail 100 Run, where she finished 11th overall in field of more than 700 runners. She won the 2018 Jemez Mountains 50 Mile, 2014 TransRockies 3-Day Trail Run, Jemez Mountains 50K, the Mount Taylor 50K. She is two-time overall champion and course record holder at the&nbsp; Angel Fire 100K. Katie is a sponsored athlete for GU Energy Labs and Balega Socks.&nbsp;</p> <p>Katie is a contributing editor and former managing editor at <em>Outside</em> Magazine, where she worked on staff for 12 years. She created and launched the popular Raising Rippers column, about bringing up adventurous kids, which appears monthly on Outside Online and has grown to become one of the site’s most popular blogs. Her 2014 story "Don't Let Youth Sports Hijack Your Life" was one of the most-read posts on Outside Online. Her 2018 essay in Outside Magazine, “Want a Strong Kid? Encourage Play, Not Competition,” was nominated for a National Magazine Award in service journalism.</p> <p>In addition to&nbsp;<em>Outside</em>,&nbsp;her stories have appeared in <em>The New York Times</em>,<em>&nbsp;Men’s Journal</em>,&nbsp;<em>ESPN the Magazine</em>,&nbsp;<em>Marie Claire</em>,&nbsp;<em>Runner’s World</em>,&nbsp;<em>Elle</em>, and&nbsp;<em>Sunset</em>, among others. Her essays have been anthologized in <em>Woman’s Best Friend, Another Mother Runner, </em>and <em>P.S. What I Didn’t Tell you</em>.&nbsp;</p> <p>You can learn more about Katie at <a href="https://katiearnold.net/">https://katiearnold.net</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Ron Romano may be the happiest guy in running. Not only that, he’s worked hard to become one heck of a runner. He’s run 42 marathons (with a PR of 2:40) and is a veritable wealth of knowledge on all things running. After taking a nine year break from racing he roared back with abandon and is now one of the best runners in the country for his age (58). You can learn more about Ron at <a href="https://instagram.com/ronrunsnyc?igshid=1q4jmhckgdjt7">www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>When it comes to comeback stories, there aren't many better than Alys DiMercurio's. From 2011-15 Alys lived a life consumed by drug and alcohol addiction with trips to the ER, mental hospital, and jail. After all of that Alys transformed her life. Now, instead of being the patient she has focused her life on being a healer. She works as a medical assistant while studying to be a physician assistant and is also a trained EMT. She is also a newly dedicated marathoner who set a new PR of 3:45 at the Eugene Marathon a mere 13 days after running the Boston Marathon. Here about this amazing journey, and much more, in this episode. You can learn more about Alys at <a href="https://www.runwithalys.com/">www.runwithalys.com</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>In this episode, my friend Carrie Tollefson and I talk about some of the topics in the running community that have really drawn our attention. This is a slight departure from the normal episode that I do but I was excited to speak with Carrie given her expertise in so many areas of the sport. We touch on pressures and eating disorders that affect high school and college runners, the state of female coaching at the college and elite level, the road to the Olympic Marathon Trials, her recent broadcast of the Hoka One One Project Carbon X, and much more. You can learn more about Carrie, and her amazing podcast, at www.ctollerun.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>&nbsp;When Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel ran the 2019 Boston Marathon she competed for far more than PR or a time goal. Jordan had 26 names in her prayers, and paint on her face and legs, to bring attention to the violence that indigenous woman are facing on a daily basis. For each mile of the marathon, she said a prayer for an indigenous woman who is either missing or was murdered. Jordan was also running for Wings of America, which helps native youth to become the next generation of leaders. In this episode, Jordan discusses this vital topics as well as the her family's dynastic running background, how she fell in love with running in college after she dealt with her eating disorder, and her vision, both running and socially, for the future. You can learn more about Jordan at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nativein_la/">www.instagram.com/nativein_la</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Special education teacher, mother of three, and consistent marathoner, Lisa Etter sets a great example for what can be accomplished in the short and long term. In this episode, Lisa talk about how and why she started going full-time into running in late-2015, successfully and unsuccessfully balancing training with the other areas of her life, setting marathon PR's from 3:52 to 3:25, and much more. You can learn more about Lisa at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/running_lisa_3">www.instagram.com/running_lisa_3</a>.</p> <p><br></p>

<p>The Boston Marathon can be a brutal race, especially when the weather takes an unexpected turn. That is why I am excited to have Teri Hutcheon on the show. She recently negatively split the course, and set a 10 minute marathon PR, on her way to a time of 3:17:50. Not only that, she endured a devastating 24 hours before her race started. You can learn more about Teri at <a href="https://www.afoodiestaysfit.com">www.afoodiestaysfit.com</a></p> <p><br></p>

<p>Several years ago Michelle Roos was convinced that she would never break 3:40 minutes in the marathon. She had tried three times without success. In this episode, Michelle recounts how she became a 3:05 marathoner, how she dealt with the body pressures of the NYC fashion industry, the highs-and-lows that come with months of dedicated training, and balancing that training with a demanding job. Michelle does all of this with wonderful openness and honesty. You can follow Michelle at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elleroos">www.instagram.com/elleroos</a>.</p> <p>While attending NYU, Michelle penned an article for Runner's World detailing her decision not to join an NCAA running program: <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20787477/the-decision-to-run-in-college-is-not-easy">www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20787477/the-decision-to-run-in-college-is-not-easy</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>There are few people, if any, more plugged into the running scene than Mario Fraioli. It was a pleasure to have him on the show to talk about his background in running media and his recent running resurgence. &nbsp;We also talk about how the elite runners fared at the 2019 Boston Marathon and what the future looks like for those runners looking to be at their best for the 2020 Olympic marathon trials. &nbsp;You can learn about Mario and &nbsp;subscribe to his newsletter at www.the morningshakeout.com.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>It is an honor to welcome the great American runner Ryan Hall to the show. This week Ryan releases “<em>Run the Mile You're In: Finding God in Every Step.“ </em>A tremendous book sheds light on so much of Ryan’s life. In this episode, Ryan really opens up about the vision that started his running journey, how his faith has helped him through the ups-and-downs of his career, and how he continues to become the best version of himself.</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Who better to talk to in a lead-up to the Boston Marathon than Bronson Venable? This native New England-er set his marathon PR of 2:37 in the brutal 2018 race (finishing 84th) and has experienced everything that running in this area has to offer. In this episode he provides great tips for anyone looking to do well in Boston.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Bronson's other PR's, 5k (Road) = 14:48, 5k (Track) - 14:28, 5 Miles = 24:54, and 13.1 = 1:10:19, illustrate the just how well-rounded he has become in recent years. Not only that, New Balance recently made plastered his face on billboards all along the course. I've gotten to know Bronson well over the years, as we've raced together over a dozen times, and I truly appreciate his wonderful perspective on the sport he loves.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Susan Loken is who I want to be when I grow-up. Susan started running at the age of 35, after having three kids, and was striving for the Olympic Trials just a few years later. Not bad for someone who used to skip gym class. She has now qualified for the Olympic Trials three times and is a four time masters champion. With that said, she is far from done setting and achieving goals. Susan is currently aiming for the World Marathon Major’s Age Group World Championship in the 55-59 division. With a recent 2:55 at the Los Angeles Marathon, she is well on her way.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>The Funny Running Stories are back! My co-host for this episode is Colleen Quigley. Colleen is a 2016 Olympian in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and the reigning U.S Indoor Track Champion in the mile. We read through dozens of hilarious stories (a big thank you to everyone who submitted one) before providing our commentary on the best of the bunch while also sharing some of our own experiences.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Laura Pierce is back and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Laura just smashed her long-standing goal of breaking 90 minutes in the half marathon and was willing to discuss every aspect of the preceding 16 months that led to this performance. Laura transitioned from a burnt out runner in need of recovery to an athlete who is no longer beholden to positive workouts and races in order to appreciate the sport the loves. Along the way she started working with a therapist who helped her manage the anxiety that held her back in the past. We also discussed the benefits of leaving the typical spring marathon training cycle and opting to make the half marathon her “A” race. Laura talks about all of this, and more, with her fabulous humor and insight. You can learn more about Laura at www.instagram.com/nebraskarunner.</p> <p><br></p>

<p>Tamarynn Bennett is one of the most requested guests we‘ve ever had, and she exceeded even those lofty expectations. Tam has PR’d both the marathon and the 10k this year, but that isn‘t what makes her story remarkable. It was the twists and turns that led to those performances, coupled with her amazing spirit, that makes her success story so much fun to dive into.&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p>

<p>The title of this episode says It all: 7 days, 7 marathons, 7 continents. Eric Tozer conquered the amazingly difficult World Marathon Challenge, a historic feat under any circumstances, while managing his type 1 diabetes. Eric‘s story is filled with inspiration, achievement, and the understanding that our potential is far greater than we imagine. Learn more about Eric at www.erictozer.com</p> <p><br></p>

<p>If you have consumed any running-related content in the last three years then you probably know Chris Chavez. An elite running and track writer for Sports Illustrated, co-creator of Citius Mag, host of the Citius Mag podcast, and co-host of the Runners of New York City podcast, Chris is literally everywhere in the running community. Not only that, he just set a marathon PR of 3:16 at Tokyo while earning his sixth, and final, Abbott World Marathon Major star. We talk about all of this, and plenty more, in this wide-ranging episode.</p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p>

<p>Mary Wright is a mother, run-lover, and co-founder &amp; director of Arete Women’s Running Club: an all-women’s running team geared toward intermediate and advanced runners, with chapters all over the country. She’s a 2:57 marathoner with aspirations of getting faster while having fun and spreading her love of women’s running community near and far. In this episode we talk about creating and maintaining culture, the benefits of community for runners, and the entrepreneurial spirit she, and her co-founder, have used to grow Arete. You can learn more at www.runarete.com.</p> <p><br></p>

<p>David Roche is the Renaissance man of the running world. An elite runner, writer, and coach, David has a wealth of knowledge on nearly every area of the sport. The running community/coaching business that he formed with his wife Megan, called “Some Work, All Play,” is the home of elite athletes, and everyday runners, looking to perform at a high level while also improving their lives. In this episode we discuss achieving happiness and high performance simultaneously, why belief is the most important thing a runner can have, Big Harry Audacious Goals, understanding what talent is and is not, mental health, and many other fascinating topics.</p> <p><br></p>