RunChats with @RonRunsNYC (Ron Romano)

TW: This episode contains content that may be triggering to some. We have a very open discussion around a number of sensitive topics, including drug/alcohol abuse, violence, eating disorders, self-harm, suicide, and sexual violence. These topics are discussed in the hopes that it can help those who may be struggling in similar ways, but I understand that not everyone may be able to safely listen.

By all accounts, Lindsey Clemens shouldn't be with us anymore—but I'm so grateful and appreciative that she is and that she was so willing to share so much of her story in the hopes that it could help others who might be in need.

I was transfixed listening to Lindsey walk through her story and could feel the pain and trauma she had experienced via multiple suicide attempts, stays in psych hospitals, jail, drug/alcohol abuse, violence/assault/sexual abuse. At her lowest moment, she felt she had turned her back on everything her parents had taught her, made every mistake under the sun, and that there was no way to comeback from this. That no man would ever love her and there was no way out.

In her 2nd rehab attempt, forced to detox from psych meds, drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, she felt that God started working on her heart. After the two rehabs, she was lucky enough to be a part of an incredible Christian discipleship school for two years. Lindsey had to look at the pain and work on forgiving herself and others to finally begin moving forward. She met her husband there and feels it was all part of God’s beautiful plan for her life.

Lindsey is now happily married with two beautiful children, is an accomplished Ultra runner, and feels most connected to God while running on trails in nature. Her dream is to one day run the Western States 100 redemptively—an iconic Ultra that takes place in many of the areas where she could’ve died.

Lindsey has also been a Key Spouse, which is a "commander appointed role that serves as a resource to support the Air Force families," over the last several years and will continue at their new duty station in Georgia. She has been trained in suicide prevention and has been able to intervene and help some through emergency situations and hopes to go speak in colleges or high schools in the future.

I’m grateful for Lindsey sharing her powerful story to help others and hope you enjoy the episode.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Lindsey:

Instagram: @bamrclemens

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

We're talking ALL things Sydney Marathon in this IG Live Convo with 2X Olympian Eloise Wellings, Race Director Wayne Larden, and Digital Marketing Manager James Constantine.

The Sydney Marathon is a candidate race, poised to become the seventh of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

We broke it all down—way too many topics to list. The stoke level is HIGH as they get ready to host the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Champs and their largest Sydney (24K runner) yet!

I hope this content will help prepare you to have your best Sydney Marathon experience!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Eloise, Wayne, & James:

Eloise: https://www.instagram.com/elzywellings

Wayne: https://www.instagram.com/waynelarden

James: https://www.instagram.com/that.guy.who.runs

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

Megan Flynn is resilience redefined, overcoming SIX stress fractures in her high school and college running years and one post-collegiately before a monster breakthrough at CIM, where she scorched a 2:46 marathon! That many injuries could've broken the will of even the most hardcore runner, but only served to strengthen Megan's resolve and send her on a quest to learn more about anatomy and nutrition, influencing her to pursue a career as a DPT, physical therapist.

Growing up in a close-knit, super competitive family no doubt forged her competitive fires. Megan radiates positive energy and is excited about the opportunity to take a big swing at the new Olympic Trials marathon standard of 2:37, either returning to CIM or the Philadelphia Marathon in the fall. Megan recently joined Garden State Track Club, where she looks forward to racing on the track, developing her speed, and having fast friends to accompany her on long runs in her buildup.

We discuss: family life, the competitive fire, mentors, injuries, nutrition, Inside Tracker, mindset—staying positive through all of it, getting healthy & stronger, breaking through, mantras, future goals, community service, and so much more.

I'm so stoked to follow Megan's inspiring journey! Hope you all enjoy her infectious energy as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Megan:

Instagram: @meganflynn02

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

London Marathon tips with one of my running besties, Kelly Brown Willis, fellow 3X Six-Star finisher and inspiring former guest (Episode 64).

This episode is a deep dive into all things London! Weekend logistics, fun events, shakeouts, fueling, course strategy, mindset tips, and more.

Please share with anyone running London on Sunday! We hope you enjoy the listen and this helps prepare you to have your best London Marathon experience!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kelly:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_brown_willis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

I'm stoked to have my 1st KIWI guest on the pod, the Flying Fi, Fiona Hayvice! Fiona has a wonderful accent and I love the energy, passion, and enthusiasm she has for life. She’s been killing it at both the National and International level and it was a treat to take a deep dive on all things Ultra.

Some of the things we discussed include:

-Growing up on a farm, her love for exploring, adventure travel, and seeing the world on two feet

-Where her fire, drive, and competitiveness come from

-Running with her son, Spike, in the buggy—which built a bond and made her stronger

-How Mom is with her on every step of her runs

-How her mom’s organizational skills helped her become a good problem solver when races go sideways

-Patience, drawing on previous experience to succeed

-Mindset, mantras—"make Mom proud"

-Fueling, nutrition, and race planning

“Ultra is a very mental sport. The mind is the most powerful of the tools that we’ve got. Be confident in its power and use it. Sometimes we have to trick the mind”

This is one of many great insights Fiona shared. She’s inspiring  and empowering adults on their running journeys and is active with the Go Run Girls Coaching Team and finds it deeply fulfilling.

I'm inspired by her story and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did. If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Fiona:

Instagram: @fionahayvice

Go Run Girls Instagram: @gorungirls

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

In February of 2021, Heather Pech tore a portion of her plantar fascia and it took until September 2021 before she could run again. It was a physically and emotionally exhausting journey. It was 1.5 years since her last race and 3 years since she toed the line at Boston.

"I started to run 3 or 4 weeks before and just had so much gratitude. Pure, unalloyed delight that I could run. I wanted to Forest Gump. I wanted to run all day. Everywhere. Fast. I ran 3 or 4 workouts leading into Boston that were the fastest of my life. I had been deprived of running and was rediscovering the possibility. I stepped into the Boston corral with confidence I was whole, calmness that I didn't have anything to prove, overwhelming gratitude, and hope from a conversation with coach James McKirdy. And that's kind of powerful stuff!"

Heather ran 3:03:47 this year at age 60, setting the Age Group course record, breaking the GOAT Joan Benoit Samuelson's previous mark. Her Age Grade Score is 99.88%, which equates to a 2:15 Marathon! Mind. Officially. Blown.

Heather is now a 4-time Boston Marathon Age Division winner!

We Discuss:

-the influence of her dad—how he is still out there racing with her and how Heather can feel his presence and has seen him fly by on runs

-the role Heather's family plays, what it means to have them out there on the course in Boston cheering and supporting

-her team that keeps her healthy

-how being coached by James McKirdy has freed her up as an athlete to be her best

-the advice she gives to her athletes and how they kept her going when she was sidelined with injury: "Anything is possible if you commit, if you are relentless in the pursuit. We limit ourselves. If you think about who you want to be and take action, make choices, stay curious, and fearless, and are open to the possibilities... well, then we can truly find our best!"

-nutrition and fueling—how making big changes with UCAN has been a game-changer

-what's next... chasing more AR's and WR's.

I'm so INSPIRED by Heather's running journey and all the great nuggets she shared! I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Heather:

Instagram: @heatherpech

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

"You just have to be so grateful for the races that go according to plan and where you do set a dream goal and achieve that dream goal. Nobody's written anybody's future—it's not scripted, so you have to make the most of the moments that you have in running. That can be true in any era, at any age, at any stage, and any talent level and accomplishment level. It's one of the great lessons of running."

-Gordon Bakoulis

Gordon Bakoulis is a 5-time Olympic Trials marathoner and one of the most accomplished runners I've had the pleasure of speaking with.

Gordon qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, & 2004 and was a finalist in the 1992 U.S. Olympic 10,000m Trials. She has represented the U.S. internationally at the 10K, half-marathon, & marathon distances, and has run a 1:11 half-marathon and a 2:33 marathon.

We discussed the enormous growth in women's running, the runners who inspired her, and how much the sport has evolved.

Gordon's most memorable race was the 2001 NYC Marathon, which was held less than 8 weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Gordon won the masters division in 2:41 and it was really emotional hearing her reflect on what it felt like running through her beloved, broken, yet resilient city.

Gordon has also been coaching since 1985 and has worked in the media and for NYRR since 2002—which affords her a really unique perspective. I'm so grateful to Gordon for sharing so many great lessons!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Gordon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gordonbakoulis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

This was a FUN live interactive expo chat with one of my running besties Kelly Willis! Kelly is an inspiring former guest (episode 64), fellow 3X Six-Star finisher, and 4X World Age Group competitor!

Kelly and I discussed what inspires us, what keeps the fire burning, the biggest challenges we've had to overcome, and how we handle race day challenges. Our goal was to provide tips and best practices for the large amount of first-time marathoners taking on Sydney and we finished off by taking some questions from the audience!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kelly:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_brown_willis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

I had a blast talking all things Marathon and Ultra running with Laura Swenson from Tucson, AZ. Laura has worked in the fitness industry since the age of 20 and really enjoys helping her clients meet their goals. Many of her top clients have been with her for 15+ years, which is a testament to her positivity and enthusiasm for life! 

Laura worked with the great Ultra runner, Pam Reed, who inspired and influenced her to get involved with marathoning. After having two kids she felt ready and got her start in 2001. By 2013, she had run 47 marathons, including 5 Boston's. In 2013, she took the leap and ran her first Ultra and fell in LOVE, winning her first ever race -- a 50K, at that!!

I really enjoyed hearing her racing adventures with her mom and kids, enjoying camping, s'mores, and long drives together. 

If you’re thinking of checking out an Ultra or Trail Race, you are gonna LOVE this episode. Laura will probably convince you to join her at race somewhere, like she did me.

I hope a bunch of folks will want to join us at the Grand Canyon in October. 

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Laura:

Instagram: @swensurfers

Website: https://www.desertgirldesigns.com

Laura’s blog post on much needed gear for Grand Canyon Running Adventures

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

In 2006, Karin Reemts lost a dear friend to leukemia. She founded "Joggin for Jenn," and over the next 4 years raised $10000+ for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by running half/full marathons. The key race was the 2006 Chicago Marathon. Karin trained for and ran that race for Jenn—and for all those that couldn't run. Karin had found her "why" and discovered running for a greater purpose!

During the pandemic, Karin felt like she was running around in circles and felt a bit rudderless. She learned about RIVS plight from brother Jacob and took to heart something he said, "lets breath life into RIVS by running, walking, and moving our bodies."

Karin hired Jacob as her coach and he taught her to focus on effort & time, add variety to her paces, and to trust the process. For the past 18 months, Karin has put all her energy into spreading awareness and raising funds for RIVS and completed the PRP Virtual Race series of Team Peak Run races: 25K, 50K, 50M, 100K—which benefitted Bigger Than The Trail—all while staying healthy.

Karin and husband Patrick had a 5+ year IVF journey to have their children, Baxter and Cassidy. Because it was such a rough, uphill battle to get pregnant, Karin poured every last ounce of herself into being the best mom. Ultimately, that took a big toll and she lost herself along the way. Her husband insisted she schedule 10 minutes a day for herself—which slowly grew to an hour—and the "Happy Mama Project" was born.

Soon Karin was running again, which had always helped her manage anxiety. When home schooling during the pandemic, her kids helped out too, suggesting when Mom "needed to get in a run." This part will resonate with all the moms out there that we love, who take on so much for their families.

We discuss: family life, youth sports, swimming, running, triathlon, mentors (Coach Showers & Coach Holm), running for a greater purpose, Joggin for Jen, Team RIVS, Bigger Than the Trail, hiring a new coach and positive changes made with Jacob Puzey, the Happy Mama Project, anxiety, how Running for RIVS galvanized so many, the running community.

I'm so grateful for Karin coming on and sharing her inspiring story! I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Karin:

Instagram: @the_happy_mama_project

All Links: https://campsite.bio/thehappymamaproject

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

I am so stoked to welcome back episode 63 guest Michelle Baxter!

Michelle chased down an 8-Year Dream, running a 2:58:24 at CIM, completing her sub-3 quest! I'm so inspired by her perseverance, grit, and commitment to her goals. The fire burns bright in Michelle and she has continually tweaked her training to get faster and stronger while increasing her mileage to a peak of 100M in her CIM buildup.

We discuss: fueling tweaks, being patient, running her race/pace, on-course CIM support vs running in smaller races in AK, having her family there, strength training and how it helped her close a CRAZY fast the last 5M, perfect negative split execution (1:30:08 --> 1:28:16), the community at CIM, and the super positive support she has received from her blog/IG supporters.

"For 8 years, I've been trying to run a sub-3 hour marathon. 8 years filled with injuries, pregnancies, postpartum time, and a lot of hard work. Sure, I wondered if it was actually possible—especially after 4 failed attempts—but I was also willing to take the risk because I knew if it did happen, it would be that much sweeter and one of the highlights of my running career. And boy is it sweet!"

I'm so inspired by Michelle's breakthrough and am excited to see what's next!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Michelle:

Instagram: @therunnersplate

Website: https://www.therunnersplate.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I am so stoked to share Shelby Moleskie’s INSPIRING story!

In her 1st marathon, she qualified for Boston. In her 1st Ultra—the JFK 50 Miler—Shelby ran 9:27 and placed 8th in her age group. Truly remarkable stuff!

Like so many badass moms, Shelby was spending all day, everyday giving everything to everybody else. She was looking for something to identify with as a mom—something that was just for her—and came back to running.

Some of the things we covered include:

-Growing up as an athlete (where she played soccer, tennis, basketball, was a competitive swimmer, and made the 6-Minute Mile Club in gym class)

-How she got back into running again because of a bar bet

-Training with a local running club and qualifying for the Boston Marathon in her 1st Marathon! (Led my Mike Spinnler, the JFK 50 Miler Race Director)

-Tackling weaknesses

-Taking on huge scary challenges

-Training through injuries

-Her previous longest run of 50K and facing her fears and doubts about whether she could make it 50 miles

-Her JFK Race day experience (fueling, race plan, execution, mantras, etc.)

For all the badass moms out there (and single fathers) that are doing it all and feeling overwhelmed — this one will resonate and hopefully INSPIRE you to get moving again!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Shelby:

Instagram: @smoleskie

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

"In 2021, I had a really hard year of life and racing. Nothing seemed to go right, and I was desperate for answers. I feel like I trusted God, took a leap of faith and it's paid off big time." -Rory Linkletter

After strengthening his faith, following his heart, and betting on himself, it paid huge dividends for Rory Linkletter in 2022. Rory set the Canadian half-marathon record at Houston in January, scorching a 61:08. Rory also competed gamely and ran 62:19 in the NYC Half, placing 10th in a stacked field. These and many other great results led to him being named to World Champs Oregon 2022 Team for Athletics Canada for the marathon, where he will have the great honor of competing for his country.

On working with Ryan Hall: "Ryan has rewired my brain through his charisma, his wisdom, his faith. I couldn't have drawn up a better person to guide me through this transition in my career. In 7 months of working together, I couldn't have imagined someone working so quickly to change who I am as an athlete and as a person. Feels divine, super grateful it all worked out signing with Puma Running."

Topics covered include: his coach & mentor, Ed Eyestone; online coaching with the Bruces (Steph & Ben); favorite races; Boston learnings; defining moments; Houston and breaking the Canadian record; mindset; his NAZ Elite experience; taking a leap of faith; Ryan Hall; exploring edges and reaching new limits; his respectful rivalry with Ben Flanagan; the lone wolf mentality; signing with Puma; drive, spirit, and the underdog mentality; deepening his faith; therapy; community service

I'm stoked to continue following Rory's inspiring journey. This was such a fun chat with so many takeaways!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Rory:

Instagram: @rory_linkletter

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

I'm stoked to share Diane Neubauer's inspirational story! Diane just ROCKED a 2:45 at the McKirdy Micro Marathon, destroying her previous PR of 3:07 by an astonishing 22 minutes—just 13 months after having her 2nd son, Noah.

Diane was living on a military base in Germany with her Air Force husband, Andrew, and their newborn baby, Luke, and was struggling with postpartum depression/anxiety. A chance invite to a 7-mile race from a mother-based running group (Stroller Warriors) changed everything! She nursed Luke before and after the race and it was the first time Diane felt she could breathe in so long! In her own words, "finding running again in motherhood has saved me."

We discussed:

-Growing up in a competitive, athletic, military family

-The influence her dad had on her (former marathon coach at West Point, ran Boston (with a PR of 2:51)

-High school/college running

-Key coaches/mentors—Erin Flynn, Joe Dare, James McKirdy

-Community—Girls On the Run, Stroller Warriors, helping other mother-runners, coaching high school cross-country, & giving back

-Race day mantras, fueling, goal-setting, chasing your dreams—OTQ

Connecting with James McKirdy via a referral from Coach Joe Dare brought them together. For the past 13 months, they’ve pushed hard, with a focus on remaining healthy as the #1 priority.

"Having a coach who believes in your dreams has been life changing. He was able to bike me in for the marathon and that is something I will cherish forever."

Working together for 23 miles with teammate Michael Perley helped them both achieve their goals and 1st place finish for Diane!

The power of community and the role running plays in helping us find the best version of ourselves truly resonates in this episode. Hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Diane:

Instagram: @diane_neubauer_

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

It was an honor and a blast to chat with and learn more about nationally recognized sports medicine physician, best selling author of Running Strong, and founder of IronStrength Community Fitness Program, Dr. Jordan Metzl. The positive energy and stoke level is high and I appreciate Jordan bringing the fire.

Jordan’s NYC-based practice has served over 20K patients, with a focus on keeping them moving and preventing injuries. Jordan himself has completed 35 marathons and 14 Ironman tri’s, so he definitely practices what he preaches.

Some of the things we discussed include:

-Jordan's Midwest roots

-A family legacy of medical care and taking care of people and community

-The intersection of his sports medicine practice and his athletic journey

-Staying active through injury

-Patient care: diagnosis, treatment, prevention

-Running mechanics, shoes, and running on hard/soft surfaces

-Marathon vs Ironman

-Fueling and nutrition

-The IronStrength community

Jordan brings such positive energy and shares so many valuable insights; no wonder he’s a frequent contributor on GMA, the Today Show, CBS Early Show, and CNN American Morning.

I'm inspired by Jordan's story and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did. If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Dr. Metzl:

Instagram: @drjordanmetzl

Website: https://drjordanmetzl.com

The IronStrength Community Fitness Program: https://drjordanmetzl.com/ironstrength

Dr. Jordan Metzl's Running Strong: https://amzn.to/3t30BmO

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Andrea Pomaranski grew up idolizing Lisa Fernandez and dreamed of one day pitching for the US Softball Team. On March 12th, she set a Masters American Record, scorching a 3:07:48 50K at 6:03P per mile, and won her first USATF National Championship!

It was the 2nd fastest US 50K time behind the great Des Linden and 3rd fastest for any woman at any age in the world—but most importantly, it earned Andrea that coveted honor she dreamed of as a little girl, representing Team USA.

Andrea's running resume is beyond impressive:

• 3X Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier
• 2nd American Berlin
• 1st Masters New Haven 20K
• 2:31:06 Marathon PR Houston, 7th place
• American Masters Record Holder in the mile at 4:47
• 50K USATF Champion, Masters American Record of 3:07:48

What's more awe-inspiring is how this mom-of-three has endured and bounced back from the personal tragedy of losing her first two children.

"10 years ago, we lost our first two children in a very heartbreaking way. For a year after our second son died, I considered it a win for the day just to get out of bed in the morning. It was far and away the darkest time period of my life, but also one that I am the most proud of because I never gave up. Even though I felt like my world had ended the day they died, I refused to believe there weren't better things ahead. And little by little, the small wins started to turn into big wins and now I find myself with 3 healthy, beautiful children, an incredible husband and friends, and I'm even able to run and set PRs at the age of 40."

Andrea was told by one of the best doctors in the country that she would never run more than a few miles again due to osteoporosis... and she overcame that, too.

I think she is just getting started and can't wait to follow along. For all the moms out there juggling so much for your family, I know you'll find so many good takeaways in this one.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Andrea:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreapomaranski

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Gamble + Grit + Sparkle = 2:36:43 OTQ! These are the founding principles of every race plan for Kim Horner, and she channeled them all brilliantly at Grandma's to make a 7-year dream come true!

As early as 5K into the race, Kim was struggling with the pace/effort and let her Mill City Running teammate, Doron Clark, know that there could be some dark moments ahead and this was going to be a test of will as well as fitness. Good thing she worked equally hard at her mental/mindset game to prepare for that moment and being on the OTQ edge all day.

Gamble - "Any big race is worth the gamble. I am toeing the line to put it all out there." Kim channeled the fierce self-belief of college coach, Yarrow Pasche, and current coach, Kyle Bennett, that she could hit the new, challenging 2:37 OTQ standard. Kim also tapped into how many family members, friends, and teammates like Gabi Rooker were betting on her and knew she had to bet on herself and go all-in for this race.

Grit - "Being tenacious is something I value and want to be part of my core identity. Someone who will grind and be excited about it and I look forward to how my body and mind will respond." Despite being on the edge all race—and behind pace at certain points—Kim continued to grind and believed she would make it!

Sparkle - Her college coach Yarrow sprinkled some glitter on the team's spikes as they toed the line at a national cross-country meet. She wears it on her face today to tap into race day magic.

They say a rising tide lifts all boats... and I'm hoping Kim and Gabi's amazing back-to-back OTQ journeys will INSPIRE many ladies to keep grinding and get after their OTQ dreams over the next 18 months! Big INSPO, gratitude, and so many great takeaways in this one!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kim:

Instagram: @signed.rae

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Meet Sam Roecker, nurse and sub-2:30 marathoner! Sam will be toeing the line at the 126th Boston Marathon in Moxie scrubs to support the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers. Sam will try to break the Guinness Book of Records marathon time of 3:08 while running in nursing scrubs to raise awareness and funds for the American Nurses Association for their well-being initiative.

When Sam's physician assistant friend's NYC Pediatric Hospital was converted to an adult COVID care unit to accommodate the overflow, she put her life on the line to care for patients. She now suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression as do so many others. When Sam couldn't find resources to help, she decided to combine her two passions to raise money and awareness.

We also discussed: running at Providence College, CIM, US Marathon Champs, Pan American Games (5th in Lima, Peru, repping the US), and going sub-2:30 at the Marathon Project

The funds Sam will raise will go towards the American Nurses Foundation's Well-Being Initiative programs, supporting the mental health and wellness of Registered Nurses in the United States. Program support includes complementary therapy resources, expressive writing programs, financial consulting, podcasts and mobile apps dedicated to mental health and well-being, as well as content dedicated to grief and bereavement.

You can find more information at: https://givetonursing.networkforgood.com/projects/152794-samantha-roecker-marathon-fundraiser

Kudos to Sam for taking action on this important initiative! If you see her out there on Marathon Monday give her some well-deserved love!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Sam:

Instagram: @samroecker

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Casey Kilareski is a stay-at-home mom to 2 beautiful girls—Ella-Kate age 8 and Julie age 3—who SCORCHED a 2:43 in only her 2nd marathon at CIM, to punch her ticket to Atlanta for the Olympic Trials!

After the birth of Julie, she battled mild postpartum depression and felt selfish about needing so much time to train and be away from her girls. We covered how she learned to create routines that work for them and give herself grace, which empowered her as a mom and runner.

We explored the role her 1st coach, Brian Clevenger, played as advocate, role model, and father figure. As well as how her current coach, Brendon O’Leary, and Casey have great communication and are meshing so well together today.

We also talked about how she learned to stop looking for magic parenting moments and started focusing on finding your light that makes you shine. (I'm pretty sure Casey has found her light!)

If you’re looking for a coach, why not work with one who is a U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier ;-)

It was so fun getting to know her better as a mom, runner, coach, and O’Leary Racing teammate. Casey was nervous about coming on and I’m eternally grateful she stepped out of her comfort zone to share her AMAZING story! I have no doubt it will RESONATE with and INSPIRE running moms and dads everywhere!

Casey’s an absolute rock-star and someone I’m super proud to call friend. I'm so excited to follow her running journey to the Trials and beyond.

Please take a listen and hear Casey’s AMAZING Story! If you’re deeply moved like I was, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Casey:

Instagram: @caseykilareski

ORT Instagram: @olearyracingteam

ORT Facebook: https://www.fb.me/Olearyracingteam/

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com/

Additional Mentions:

Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor: https://amzn.to/35ZPVct

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com/

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

"I pledge to be a role model and inspire others to always think beyond their limits to achieve things they never dreamed were possible."

-Lisa Weightman, Associate Partner at IBM Australia, Olympian, and High-Performance Coach

Meet Lisa Weightman, business leader, badass mom, 4X Olympian, and one of the fastest, most inspiring humans I've been blessed to meet.

Lisa has overcome a lot to reach the fastest, best version of herself. She is quick to credit those in her inner circle for the key roles they play: her husband Lach for always keeping things light and providing much-needed massage services, coach Dick Telford, and son Pete—who we all know is secretly calling all the shots.

Lisa put together a near-perfect training block and then proceeded to pull off one of the most amazing marathon doubles in history—scorching a 2:23 4th place Osaka Marathon (just 10 seconds from 2nd place) followed by a 2:31 13th place finish at Tokyo just 7 days later!

Her secret to recovery? A family visit to Tokyo Disneyland between races, where she likely put in more steps than at either marathon...

It was so FUN to catch up with Lisa on her PB breakthrough and what goals she is chasing next—running in her 5th Olympics, 10K & half-mile PB attempts, finishing off her Six-Star in Boston next year.

For more on Lisa's inspiring journey, check out episode 97 and give her a follow!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Lisa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaweightman

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Anh Bui has been on a quest to break sub-3 and would dream about what it would feel like while pushing through her toughest workouts. When she arrived in Chicago—off what felt like the perfect buildup—the universe had other ideas and she had to walk off the course at mile 14 and take her 1st DNF. It was physically painful, humbling, and Anh felt like she had let herself, her coach, and her closest supporters down.

Anh asked her coach Matt Hensley of Boulder Underground if they could take another sub-3 crack at CIM and he advised her to focus on getting healthy. This is where Anh put her unique skills as a DPT & CSC to use.

She built her own rehab program, with a big focus on PT & strength, and worked tirelessly to get back to running. It wasn't a certainty she would run until 5 days before CIM, but through incredibly hard work, she arrived healthy, with no expectations, just 8 weeks after Chicago.

She met up with Ana (from NYC) and friend Kim at mile 3 and they worked beautifully together as a team. Against all odds, she got to have that day she had been dreaming about, running 2:58:33 and SMASHING the sub-3 barrier.

The agony and ecstasy of running, just eight weeks apart. Tears of joy, hugs, and celebrating with her assistant coach Nicole and coach Matt, who were both there to support her in Chicago and now at the finish line at CIM. So many lessons learned in this one.

When Anh isn't crushing races, she's deeply involved in the running community operating her PT Practice out of Renegade Running in Oakland, leading Wellness Wednesday workouts focused on injury prevention, strengthening, and mobility.

She's also a USATF1 Run Coach who understands how all of these areas need to come together to be the best running version of yourself. Here's to hoping she follows through and publishes that rehab program we discussed *wink wink*

I'm so excited to follow Anh's inspiring journey and I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Anh:

Instagram: @runresilientlydpt

Website: https://www.runresilientlydpt.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

This week we talked with an amazing frontline family, Necia & Tim McQueen.

I’ve gotten to know them through our running community and via a fundraiser I started to #feedhealthcareheroes (be sure to check out the link below)

Necia works in Respiratory Therapy at Overlook Medical Center in Summit and Tim in Clinical Engineering at Morristown Medical Center, both part of Atlantic Health System.

They shared some incredible stories of what it’s like on the front lines today and how they are managing family life in such stressful times. I greatly appreciated spending time with them, meeting their children, and the sacrifices they are making. 

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Stay In The Fight-Feed Healthcare Heroes Fundraiser: https://bit.ly/2VQ1xNp

Connect With Necia & Tim:

Instagram: @lifeasamcqueen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/necia.mcqueen

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

"I love my crew, I love this community, and I've never been more satisfied crossing a finish line than I was holding my daughter on Saturday night at Placer High. Love you all. God is good!"

-Adam Kimble

Adam is a high-energy, super positive professional ultrarunner, motivational speaker, and running coach, who is so easy to root for. His joy for running is infectious, whether on the course at Western States interacting with volunteers at aid stations, his beloved crew, or fellow runners. Adam has a big appetite for adventure and chasing down big goals with his MVP crew and the support of his brands, HOKA, BUFF, Rabbit, COROS, and Tahoe Mountain Realty.

Adam has run across the USA (60 days, 2500 miles), run the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the 171-mile Tahoe Rim Trail—with 28K of climbing—in 37 hours, 12 minutes, and 15 seconds—beating the LEGEND Kilian Jornet's record—but he will be hard pressed to surpass the iconic moment of crossing the Western States Finish Line in 17:28:33 with his beautiful daughter Kaia in his arms. (MAJOR photo creds to Paul Nelson)

We discuss:

-the huge impact of the Western States live-stream by Billy Yang, Dylan Bowman, and Corrine Malcolm

-2018 vs 2022 Western States—learnings, on-course feels, the finish of a lifetime

-the power of team—how they push and pull him through his darkest and brightest moments

-gratitude for his amazing NASCAR-like crew, his brands, and the sport of Ultra

-TRT FKT—lessons learned & applied from his first failed attempt to smash the record and share it with the local community

-his run across the USA to break a record, falling well short, finishing the job, but learning & inspiring many more

-community—the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, crewing, pacing, coaching

I greatly appreciate Adam bringing the fire and I'm stoked to follow his upcoming adventures!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Adam:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamkimble818/

Additional Links: https://zez.am/adamkimble818

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2022 Ron Romano

This episode is from my IG Live convo with renowned coach James McKirdy of McKirdy Trained on the exciting upcoming Bakline McKirdy Micro Marathon & 10K on 10/14/23 at Rockland State Park, NY.

The Why: to provide the greatest opportunity for athletes to achieve the Olympic Trials qualifying time and faster.

We discuss: bottle support for all participating marathoners, tangents, pacers, and why this course reported by Runner's World as "the fastest loop in the country" gives runners the best opportunity to earn their place on the Olympic Trials marathon starting line, February 3rd, 2024.

In the second half, we explore the McKirdy Trained origin story—the ethos and DNA that has helped build such a strong and powerful team. Plus, a few athlete success stories.

For anyone still dreaming of earning their OTQ—or looking to gain some valuable McKirdy Trained coaching insights—this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With James:

Bakline's McKirdy Micro Marathon & 10K: http://mckirdytrained.com/baklines-mckirdy-micro-marathon-10k

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckirdytrained

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Sydney Devore, 2x OTQ and 7th American in Boston in the strongest field ever assembled in the storied race's 127-year history. Sydney set a goal of top 10 and showed up big time, rocking a 2:31:08—closing strong in the hills to get it done!

Sydney has overcome a lot of adversity to get to this point and is just starting to scratch the surface.

Multiple stress fractures, tragically losing her mom, and training through brutally tough Michigan winters. Those struggles have made her stronger.

Joining McKirdy Trainied as a coach connected her with so many athletes, where she encourages them to find joy in the process and their wins return that joy. Her mom imparted that valuable lesson and it helps her reframe her toughest moments.

Sydney also shares her big goals with her athletes and she can feel them as she is crossing the timing mats, knowing they are tracking her on race day.

"I ran this race with so much joy that no matter the outcome, I was going to be happy. I am so damn proud of my 7th-place American finish. I am proud of my time of 2:31:08 and the way I ran the race. We always want more, but I am grateful to be making sustainable gains in the right direction."

Sydney personifies the "Stay In the Fight" ethos and is SO easy to root for!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Sydney:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydneytdevore

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

In one of the most inspiring running stories of the year, Tammy Hsieh ran 2:37:00 at CIM and hit the OTQ standard on the number to qualify for the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, FL on Feb 3, 2024!

When Tammy turned the final corner, the finish line clock read 2:36:50 and she kicked for home with everything she had left and crossed the line at 2:37:03.

There were a few uncertain moments before friends showed Tammy her chip time and someone from the CIM team draped her with the coveted OTQ banner so she could celebrate her huge accomplishment.

Tammy became the 173rd woman to earn her spot in this year's race.

She has been on quite a tear over the past two years—just look at her amazing progression:

2:48 - CIM 2021

2:45 - Indy 2022

2:37:44 - Ottawa 5/28/2023

2:37:00 - CIM 12/8/2023

We covered:

-Coaching & her training approach with Kim Conley

-Her Ottawa build vs CIM—her 1st time logging 100M weeks

-Her start in NYC training with Central Park Track Club

-Moving to Boston & training with the Boston Hares

-Her drive/passion/fire—where it comes from

-Mindset, mantras, & self-talk on the course

-Her plan for Orlando

-Community service

There are so many great nuggets to unpack in this one and I'm stoked to keep following Tammy’s inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Tammy:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letammm

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

At the age of 12 in junior high school, at her 1st track meet, Jill Kuhn was hit in the head with a shot put that crushed her skull. The first facility couldn’t treat her injury properly, so she was airlifted to a trauma center where they performed 2 surgeries on her brain to remove a blood clot. Though Jill had to wear a helmet for a year for protection, she convinced her parents and doctors to allow her to go back to school in just two weeks! I believe this is the moment where "Iron Will, Iron Jill" was born—strong, determined, and resilient!

After her 4th boy was born, Jill realized she needed something for herself and found JOY in running, discovering that movement was her therapy. Completing her 1st marathon in Houston was a milestone and Jill came to realize how much she loved competing. When her boys needed swimming lessons, she joined in and learned to swim at the age of 38 and her Ironman dream was born.

Since her 2nd pregnancy, Jill had been struggling with autoimmune ailments, but it took 7 long years to finally correctly diagnose her with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). During training for her 1st Ironman, Jill suffered an avulsion fracture of her ankle, bouts of UTI’s, and pneumonia—all from managing medications and a compromised immune system. Despite the odds being heavily stacked against her, Jill tapped into the tremendous support from her family and friends and her mindset/mantra: I can. I will.

Crossing that @ironmantri finish line taught Jill she was stronger than she could’ve ever imagined and is teaching her boys how to keep going and be resilient in life!

"As long as I am capable I will continue to do so. I do not take for granted that movement is a gift. And despite any challenges I may have, as painful as it can be, I CAN and so I WILL. And I will do so with gratitude."

Jill is an RA Warrior, Ironman, and Ultra runner who INSPIRES and I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jill:

Instagram: @ironwillironjill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ironwillironjill

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm honored to introduce four-time Australian Olympian, Lisa Weightman, to the RunChats pod!

Professional runner for Asics Running, associate partner at IBM where she oversees a team of 236 consultants, and mom to 7-year-old Pete, Lisa could write a book on how she juggles it all, but is quick to credit her incredibly supportive family, running community & colleagues at IBM.

Her running journey is truly inspiring and nothing short of remarkable. Time and time again, Lisa was told she wasn't good enough or couldn't do something and has used that to fuel her enormous competitive fire! Lisa has a personal best of 2:25:15 in the marathon, 1:08:43 in the half marathon, 31:20 in the 10k, and was a bronze medalist in the 2008 World CrossCountry Championships. Lisa recently placed 2nd at the Gold Coast Marathon in early July, running 2:25:55 at age 43! Can you say #fasterasamaster??

Lisa grew up in an athletic family and enjoyed netball as a kid until one too many crashes with the concrete caused her to shift her focus to running. In her teens, Lisa would run sessions with her dad's Aussie footy team, the Fitzroy Lions, so he could keep an eye on her. No doubt trying to keep up or outrun Dad's athletes helped forge her competitive fire. It was also a full-circle moment, as she used to sneak into the locker room with her sister to try and listen to the halftime speeches from her dad who coached the Fitzroy Lions in Australian rules football.

Topics: managing her training, her IBM team, and family during the pandemic; youth sports, netball, finding running; trying to stay healthy, finding orthotics, persisting through stress fractures; meaningful race moments—Gold Coast, 8th place at NYC, 5th at London Marathon, 2022 Sydney 10K 31:20 (the fastest time ever run in Australia), World Cross Country team medal in Edinburgh; athletes who inspired—Lisa Ondiecki, Benita Willis; mindset, her darkest hole; impactful coaches—Jeff Hawkins (junior coach), Pam Turney (coach in her 20s), Dr. Richard Telford (her mentor since 2000 and coach from 2009, who coached Lisa’'s dad in Australian Rules Football; community service—being an ambassador for Running Mums Australia and for a sustainability company called ZeroCo.

I'm stoked to meet Lisa and Lachlan at the Berlin Marathon and am rooting hard for her to chase down a new PR! It was truly a privilege to host this convo and share Lisa's incredibly INSPIRING journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Lisa:

Instagram: @lisaweightman

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

© 2022 Ron Romano

Meet Angela Maciocia, an inspiring elite Canadian Masters runner from Montreal.

"You're Built From Hard Things" is the title of this episode and it perfectly personifies Angela's fire, drive, and spirit.

She was in severe pain running the Chicago Marathon and her husband and coach, Bruce Raymer, pulled her off the course at 29K—where she left on crutches, with a 50% plantar fascia tear and a broken heart.

Angela kept the faith through some dark moments—grinding long hours on pool runs and on the elliptical, with a team of therapists to help her rebuild physically, and a mindset coach to build her up mentally.

Fast forward 7 months: Angela rocked a 39:19 at the Canadian 10K Champs on a super hot day—good for 1st place in her age group and 6th female Masters—putting into practice everything she's been working on.

Angela is inspired by her autistic son, Noah, and the many obstacles and challenges he's overcome. Her Stay In the Fight Moment:

"Advocating for Noah every day—that time period, those ten years, shaped me into who I am now."

Angela credits her mom for instilling her fierce work ethic, drive, and fire; and her husband/coach, Bruce, who changed her approach to training and passionately believes that her best racing days are ahead.

Angela had a 23-year career as an adult educator, working with adults with disabilities. She regularly communicates with autistic parents to help guide them as a way to give back and is super grateful for the magical team of people that support her running journey: Raymer Running, Physiomentum, Kevin Longpre, Dr. Sean Landry, Sports Specialists, and West Island Therapy Centre.

I hope you're all inspired by Angela's incredible journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Angela:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelamaciocia

Website: https://raymerrunning.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Maggie Rettelle has been on a quest to run a sub-3 marathon. Having qualified for IronMan Kona twice and run a 3:30 marathon off the bike, Maggie believed she had the strength and grit to get it done. Race experiences and her fire to achieve it shaped her to dive deeper into nutrition, fueling, sleep, mantras, and her mental game.

As athletes, we all hope for a perfect training cycle. We root for the best weather and optimal conditions to help us smash our goals. On Saturday 5/21 in Chattanooga, Maggie CRUSHED a sub-5 Half IronMan, running her fastest 1/2 (1:36) off the bike and WON her age group by an astonishing 12 minutes! 7 days later, on 5/28, she laced 'em up at the Bayshore Marathon where she ROCKED a 2:58:02, smashed down the sub-3 door, and made her dream come true.

Maggie is a board-certified health & wellness coach and USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach at TS2 Coaching and is all about community and giving back. So much of our RunChat centers on gratitude. For anyone who has struggled with their nutrition, race day fueling plans, or mindset, there are SO many great takeaways.

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Maggie:

Instagram: @coach_ironmag

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Brandi Dawson was a talented high school and D1 college runner that never fully hit her stride because of injuries and putting to much pressure on herself. After raising four kids, her marathon running grandfather (Papa) suggested she sign up for a local 5K. Brandi knew she couldn't let her biggest running fan down, so she signed up and decided to jump in with zero expectations. She ran freely, with no goals or pressure, won the race, and felt energized to begin running again.

Having her grown children back home during the pandemic was a blessing. They played board games, reconnected, and Brandi’s training thrived. She started a 100-day running streak, patiently built her base, and got comfortable with running 70 miles per week. As her fitness kept building, she set a big goal to take on her 1st 50K at the Get Lucky 50/50 Event on 3/20/21. Brandi ran a STELLAR 3:55:31 (a 7:34 pace for 31.1 miles), WON the Women's Race, and ran the 4th fastest 50K in the US ever recorded as of that date!

Some topics we covered include: youth sports, high school and college running, mentors, role models, drive, mindset, and mantra’s.

Brandi was raised by a strong mom who has battled cancer and inspires her every day. She is also deeply moved by her sisters fight with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and her niece, who shows strength and faith daily living with Asperger’s syndrome.

Brandi is a Special-Ed teacher by day and always encourages her students to practice, be consistent, and never give up. I see big things coming for her as she continues to get Faster as a Master. We are both qualified to run in the London Marathon Wanda Abbott World Age Group Championships and I’m stoked to see her lace 'em up against the very best!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Brandi:

Instagram: @bld301

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandi.dawson.5

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Meet Neely Gracey, 4-time Olympic Trials Qualifier (12, 16, 20, 24), top American at the 2016 Boston Marathon, and the 11th American female EVER to break 70 minutes in the half marathon. Neely is fresh off her 9th place finish at CIM—this year's USATF Championship Race—where she rocked a sizzling 2:30:29 PR (5:43 per mile)!

Neely opened up about not being able to run during her first pregnancy, losing her "identity" as a runner—going from one of the top distance runners in the country to "no one" for years, despite being sponsored and feeling a pressure to return to a high level.

It was a rough phase from 2017-2020, but feels she is a better person on the other side—ultimately feeling that her body needed that break—and has completely reframed her relationship with running and her approach to training and racing.

We discuss:

-Reframing her identity and relationship with running

-Evolving her approach and mindset to training and racing

-The husband & wife coaching dynamic & partnership (complete with a funny story from the Indy Monumental 1/2M)

-How coaching helps inspire her to keep chasing big goals as a runner, coach, and mother

-Mantras: "You're right where you're meant to be" and "trust the process"

-Her new book: Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart where she shares her experience from both an athlete and coach perspective to provide a road map for women runners who are chasing big goals

Such big INPSO and so many great takeaways! I look forward to following Neely’s amazing journey as a runner, coach at Get Running Coaching, and author.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Neely:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neelysgracey

Website: https://getrunningcoaching.com/

Neely's book, Breakthrough Women's Running: https://getrunningcoaching.com/breakthrough

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

*Please Note: This podcast includes a discussion about eating disorders that may be upsetting to some listeners.*

I am so excited to share Beth Marzigliano's amazing story! Beth ROCKED a big PR running 2:45 in the Boston Virtual Marathon, placing 1st overall!

Beth’s running journey has seen some remarkable highs and lows and I’m so thankful she was open to sharing all of it.

At Red Bank High School, she was part of a DMR team that WON Penn Relays and set the national record at Adidas Outdoor National Championships in the DMR.

After missing most of the indoor season her senior year with a stress fracture, Beth was freaking out before her state meet that she was “too fat” and ended up making herself throw up her dinner the night before the meet. The next day, after being injured all season, she shocked herself winning the 800m, running a PR of 2:19 (the only race she EVER won on a track).

This race got her noticed by colleges and helped get her a scholarship to run for LaSalle University.

It was here that Beth’s running started to become an unhealthy obsession. She began feeling that to run fast she had to be skinny and developed an eating disorder. Measuring body parts, doing tons of sit-ups, not eating enough, and making herself throw up before races, bulimia put a strain on her relationships with friends, family, and teammates, and left her feeling exhausted, depressed, and completely burned out to the point where she thought she might never run again.

Fast-forward five years and Beth wanted to lose a few pounds before her upcoming wedding. She started a couch to 5K program and made three major commitments this time around in her journal:

A. She would never make herself throw up. Period.

B. Make sure she gets her period every month.

C. Keep running FUN.

Six years later, Beth has completely reframed her relationship with food, running, and is having FUN! Her husband and family have been there to help every step of the journey and she is now a mom of two young boys, who were out there cheering her on!

For anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder, I hope you’ll take a listen and be inspired by Beth’s remarkable running and life journey...and it’s just getting started! I'm proud of Beth for sharing her previous struggles so candidly on such an important health issue.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Beth:

Instagram: @bethmarzig

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Ben Flanagan grew up in a super close knit, highly competitive family environment, loving Mats Sundin, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and all things hockey. To this day, on 12/24, his family and community still gather for a Dads vs Kids hockey game. Body checks, punches, & bloody noses were all fair game. He was a hockey player trapped in a runners body!

Ben burst on the national scene winning the 2018 10,000 meter in a career best 28:34.53 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he unleashed a 56 second last 400 to outkick Vincent Kiprop over the final meters of the dramatic finish. Ben came in seeded 23rd of 24 runners and, against all odds, became Michigan's 1st 10,000m national champ since 1989.

Ben was also a big underdog at the Falmouth Road Race in 2018 against a stacked pro field—including 4x champ Stephen Sambu, Scott Fauble Leonard Korir—covered a late Fauble surge, closed hard, and came FLYING across the finish line with panache!

In 2021, Ben returned & recreated his FLYING Falmouth finish and became part of a select group of repeat Falmouth champions. They've adopted Ben in the community and he treasures the connection and long-standing traditions of this great race.

We discuss: his high school/college days, key coaches & mentors (Krestena Sullivan in high school, Pete Grinbergs as his Club coach, and Kevin Sullivan in college), key race highlights, PR's, meaningful moments, NCAA Championships in 2018, OFSAA Champs in HS, Falmouth Road Race 2018 & 2021, Big Ten Champs 2014-2018, his sub-4-minute mile in 2018 (3:57), mindset during races, mantras, bouncing back from injuries, changing his training approach to remain healthy, what’s next on the docket for him, his community service (helping facilitate exercise programs for children & adults with autism spectrum disorder & meeting  with college running programs over Zoom throughout pandemic to share story and encourage collegiate runners)

Ben is grounded, humble, and someone you can easily root for. I'm all-in on Ben and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Ben:

Instagram: @ben_flanagan

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm stoked to share Ginny Cataldi’s inspiring story! Art School teacher and bad ass mom by day, crushing TRI’s and making age-group podiums at World Championship races on weekends. Ginny took us out on the course and shared so many powerful stories and the moments that have truly shaped her. And one thing powerfully resonates—gratitude! We GET to do this!

We talk coming back to racing after bike crashes, riding in a bikini due to road rash, racing World Champs days after her stitches were removed. In other words, doing whatever it takes to get in the arena and compete for podiums and AG World Championships.

We talk about her Kona IM lava field experiences, an amazing story of Pele offerings, metaphysical events, and a stranger she met on the course at her weakest moment. (Or did she?)

So much grit and grind...and how it all magically came together at IronMan Maryland for a 2nd place finish and a 9:42! A day where Ginny collapsed shortly after crossing the line and truly left it all out there.

Ginny has the fire and passion to be the best, even when it comes to injuries (inside episode joke), and I have no doubt her story will INSPIRE many, including her children! Ginny has such a deep passion for the sport and is all about gratitude and community. I'm honored she shared her story.

I'm inspired by her story and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did. If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Ginny:

Instagram: @ginnylovestri24

Facebook: https://facebook.com/ginny.cataldi

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

When your fire burns so bright and your only desire is to see how far you can push your limits, to find out just how good you can be... you'll drive 3000 miles across the country with no money, sleep on a floor with no bed and no furniture on the odd chance that you can catch on with Dark Sky Distance, make their team, and take a full swing to try and chase down your dream.

Against all odds, after not racing for 1061 days due to chronic achilles issues, Brandon Doughty lined up under the lights at Icahn Stadium at the Trails of Miles Racing meet and ROCKED an 8:29 Steeple PR, placing 3rd, and punching his ticket to the Olympic Trials in Eugene!

Some topics we covered include: injuries, self-belief, mindset, depression, alcohol, therapy, meditation, gratitude, coaching philosophy, love of the grind, and the quest to find out how could he can be.

"I just love to grind, I love to hurt to find out if I can do it. Like, with four laps to go in a steeple you’re like, 'there’s no way I’m gonna finish. I feel awful.' But if you stay in the moment, 'I can do this right now, I can do this for one more step, one more hurdle,' and time goes by and it’s just amazing the things you can figure out about yourself. I just love finding out where I can go, how much I can hurt, and where that next line is... I’m gonna put myself out there more the next race and just keep going and keep finding out."

For anyone that’s ever thought about giving up on your dream, please listen and share this powerful conversation, follow Brandon's journey, and maybe even hire him as coach. I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Brandon:

Instagram: @dodes_xc

Website: https://dodesxc.wordpress.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Julieta Liebhoff has been under the brightest of lights and pressure to perform on Chopped on the Food Network and came out the champion! Working as a private chef & caterer for discerning—and sometimes demanding—A-List clients prepared her well. As a mom of three, she has to be a master juggler and running is what keeps her grounded and adds tremendous balance to her life. She recently lived out her dream, running a PR at the 125th Boston Marathon!

At the age of 7, growing up in Rosario, Argentina, she began spending a lot of time in the kitchen & garden with her mom, watching her make breads & pastas from scratch, helping her trim the basil leaves to make pesto. She developed her deep connection with food, learned lots of recipes, and honed her knife skills.

We discuss: playing sports as a kid, the value of team sports, traveling, experiencing other cultures, food, wine, coming to NYC, getting started at Balthazar, becoming a private Chef, her Chopped appearance, finding running & triathlons after becoming a mom, her experience of a lifetime at Boston, how her creativity sparks on runs, and community service, including volunteering at local races and donating her Chef services for NJ/NY charities.

I'm so INSPIRED by Julieta's journey and look forward to seeing what's next for her! As a fellow foodie and wine lover, I enjoyed this one immensely!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Julieta:

Instagram: @juliechefnyc

Website: https://www.juliechef.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Yulady Saluti is one of the strongest people you will ever meet. Over a 10-year period, she endured 27 abdominal surgeries for colorectal pain, trying to correctly diagnose the source. She suffered severe pain, infections, adhesions, constipation, and the inability to have regular bowel movements, finally resolved by clearing a large intestinal blockage of scar tissue on the 27th procedure. She could finally breath normally and opted to keep her colostomy bag for life to mitigate potential infections.

Then, breast cancer came calling and Yulady decided to share her journey with the world. Blogging, posting photos & videos of the emotional rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, connecting and building out a powerful, supportive community helped saved her. Her husband Gerald is her rock and biggest supporter. Despite the scarring and PTSD from all of it, she has learned to look past her scars and poop bag, to see beyond convention and love herself.

Fast forward & Yulady discovered running during the pandemic—running on her Peloton at first with Becs' Beasts, finding yet another strong community to tap into. Progressing to the roads where she WON her first 5K, placed 2nd in the Atlantic City 1/2 Marathon, running 1:27:05, and running 3:12 in her debut marathon at Philly!

As I'm typing this post for our POD drop, she just won 1st place in the 3000M at the Armory in NYC, running for Bella N Motion at the USATF Masters National Championships! In a word, AMAZING!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Yulady:

Instagram: @yulady

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

2x 5000M Olympian and former podcast guest (Episode 71), Kim Conley returns to RunChats to discuss the launch of Next Best Run. Kim and her coach/husband Drew are building an exciting, personalized online coaching service and community for runners.

This conversation is from an IG live I hosted with Kim. We focused on the positive community they're aiming to build and her plan to connect with more runners at major races on Kim's calendar.

Since the launch, they've been sharing their athletes' success stories and journeys and have added NAZ Elite pro Lauren Hagans and Devin Elizondo as coaches.

I'm SUPER excited to watch them continue to build their community and I hope you all enjoy the listen!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kim & Next Best Run:

Kim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kfconley

Next Best Run on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/next_best_run

Website: https://nextbestrun.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

It was such a treat welcoming back my friend Marcus Brown, aka @themarathonmarcus, for a deep-dive on his sub-3 breakthrough at Dorney Lake! What an INSPIRING journey it’s been following Marcus from 4:55 marathoner to 2:56.

We discussed his last 3 races that were building blocks to achieving his breakthrough at Dorney Lake:

-Manchester, where he ran a 3:05 DESPITE getting sick both the night before and at the finish line.

-Berlin, where he ran a 3:01 off a substandard training cycle. 

-New York, where he finished with a 3:00:19 on, unquestionably, the toughest course.

We reviewed:

-Marcus' race buildup. Where there any changes in key workouts?

-Lessons learned throughout the process.

-The last night's meal and his pre-race breakfast.

-His fueling strategy.

-The race day blow-by-blow. Marcus takes us through it ALL.

-His mental game, mindset, and mantras.

I'm so thrilled for Marcus and I’m sure you’re all gonna be inspired hearing him take us through it!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Marcus:

Instagram: @themarathonmarcus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marathon.marcus

Website: https://marathonmarcus.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Emily Durgin has always been driven, set big goals, and dreamed of earning a scholarship to run in college while in middle school. Her love affair with distance running was forged in the 4th grade when she won a 1500M race and she can still remember that amazing feeling today. How it inspires her to run from the front today as a professional runner for Adidas Running.

Emily has a bunch of 2nd place finishes and is fearlessly chasing her 1st big victory. She ran a 67:54 at Houston this winter—the 6th fastest Half Marathon for American women—and is excited to be building for her NYC Marathon debut in November.

Topics: coaches who've had an impact—Andrea Grove, Amy Begley, JJ Clark, Terrence Mahon—her collegiate running experience, working with Mark Coogan and the New Balance Boston team, transitioning to a professional runner, key race highlights, meaningful moments that shaped her, where her drive comes from, community service—running to inspire aspiring pro's—speaking to high school/college runners to help them navigate the landscape.

We also discuss the unique approach Emily and Terrence are taking with her build for the NYC Marathon.

I'm so excited to follow Emily's inspiring journey and am rooting for her to rock it in November!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Emily:

Instagram: @em_durgin

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Melissa Malani PhD, has had an incredibly impressive running journey, progressing from a 5:12 marathoner to a 3:27 marathoner and 2X Boston Marathon finisher! It's been a circuitous route, filled with huge challenges that nearly ended where it started.

In college, while in a toxic, controlling relationship, her ex-husband pushed her to run and closely monitored what and how much she was eating. That kind of trauma leaves scars. It could've broken her will and permanently damaged her relationship with food and running, but thankfully it only served to make her stronger and more resilient.

After finishing her dissertation—feeling like she was permanently glued to a chair—Melissa felt the need to jump on the treadmill at 9:30 at night. Winded and struggling to breathe (she's asthmatic), she pushed through and began to reframe her relationship with running.

Melissa on running today:

"It truly brings out not only the best in me, but constantly makes me want to be better and do better in all aspects of life; it makes me want to do more, serve more, be more—I just can't imagine not being that way and having that drive."

We discuss: healing from a toxic relationship, healthy relationships with food & running, how these things and having a child with special needs shaped her drive, energy, spirit, and service for others, pushing through the tough and dark spots to get to the light, race experiences, coaching, mentors, fueling, mantras, goal-setting, community service, giving back, and more.

Melissa's story is so INSPIRING and I'm so excited to follow along on her big goals to get faster and have an even greater impact in her community as a speech-language pathologist.

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Melissa:

Instagram: @isamarathoner

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to share Darcie Brodsky's INSPIRATIONAL story! Darcie is a total rockstar, an elite educator, badass runner mom, and someone I’m super proud to call friend.

Darcie dreamed of being a teacher from her childhood days and we dialed it back to 2008, Savoonga, Alaska, where she first discovered her love for helping children read. After moving to Texas, she began working as a reading specialist focusing on kids that required more attention. After completing certification to become a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, Darcie began working with small groups of dyslexic students (1st-5th grade) that needed more help sorting, recognizing, and organizing language. To hear the pride in her voice when they master how to unlock words and read on their own is deeply moving! 

She launched Run HBE, a passion project, with the help of three colleagues, Sara Head, Kate Olsson, and Vanessa Del Valle, to get children engaged with running. They've seen incredible growth and success so far and I'm so excited to see how they can build this out even further.

To no surprise, all of this led to Darcie being nominated by her peers and awarded Teacher of the Year in 2019!

And, of course, this wouldn't be a true RunChat if we didn't talk at least a little shop. We talk about her being overtrained and fighting burnout in her running and how she found the joy again, leading to a 2-minute Marathon PR in Houston. Darcie recently began working with Lindsay Flanagan who placed 9th in the 2019 Boston Marathon and I'm so excited to follow their work together to get Darcie that coveted BQ.

Where would we be in our lives without great teachers? When we pursue our true passions in life, great things are bound to happen!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Darcie:

Instagram: @mommarunsmarathons

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darcie.brodsky

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Amanda Brooks is a boss and a true OG in the running community. She's also a tireless researcher of products and training methodologies, all focused on injury prevention and keeping her runners and followers healthy. Amanda and her team of 8 coaches have built a community platform to support middle-of-the-pack runners and help them find joy in running or walking at any pace.

Amanda's coaching mission:

I want us all to think beyond the clock. To love the run for what it gives us. To love our bodies for what they can achieve. To take the extra few moments to keep us running injury-free and happy. In fact, that's the major portion of the first 1/3 of my new book, Run To The Finish: The Everyday Runners Guide To Avoiding Injury, Ignoring The Clock, And Loving The Run (a great resource for ALL runners)

We discuss: her youth, team sports, the impact of good and bad coaches and how that shaped her approach and the coaches she hires, building a community, finding joy at any pace, overcoming a major health crisis and how it led to a focus on lower-heartrate training, her focus on health and injury prevention, InsideTracker—awareness of what's happening on the inside, helping others with her platform, and community service.

I've been a big fan of Amanda's impact in the running community, so it was a real treat to learn more of her inspiring story!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Amanda:

Instagram: @runtothefinish

Website: https://www.runtothefinish.com

Her Book: https://www.runtothefinish.com/book

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Brendon O'Leary epitomizes Boston strong and proved it in the 2012 Boston Marathon, where temps hit 89 degrees and there was carnage on the course. In a race of attrition, he was shocked to pass Geofffey Mutai, the 2011 winner—who ran 2:03:02, on the side of the road and kept his focus on getting in enough fluids and showed us all how to stay in the fight, running 2:34, placing 41st overall & 25th American.

In 2014, the year after the bombing, Brendon had his breakthrough race, running 2:29, feeding off the crowds who were chanting "USA!" for Meb—who broke the tape in 2:08—and that big energy helped carry him home over the last 3 miles! Truly epic to rock your PR on such a historic day!

We discussed Brendon's experiences running in the sub-elite field at the New York Marathon in 2016, 17, & 18 and compared and contrasted the courses and what they require.

We closed focusing on the close-knit, family culture they've created at Team ORT and examined three big breakthroughs by their athletes:

-The Soto's father/son team from Guatemala, who both ran sub-3 in 2018 at the Chicago Marathon, qualifying to run Boston together.

-Stephanie Plummer running 5 marathons in 63 days, earning her Abbott World Marathon Majors Six-Star medal and finishing the last race at CIM with her fastest time, 3:42.

-Erin Genova smashing through the sub-3 barrier at CIM, running 2:58 for an 18-minute PR.

I'm stoked to see Brendon get fully healthy and start racking up some fast times again soon. And I'm equally excited to watch him and Casey Kilareski, who ran the Olympic Trials marathon in ATL, continue to grow Team ORT!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Brendon:

Instagram: @olearyracingteam

Coaching Intake, Team Store, Running Plans, & More: https://linktr.ee/Olearyracingteam

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Meet Rob Dalto, Six-Star finisher, Abbott ambassador, and running community builder.

When Rob's dad was battling cancer in 2017, running marathons with his sister, Nicole, became a way for his family to bond together. His dad enjoyed watching them race and they made him a big part of their Six-Star journey. And though he didn't make it to their finish line, Rob runs with his dad's name—Joseph—on his singlet, and uses running as a way to honor and stay connected with him.

Rob has run all 5 Abbott Majors in 2023 and only needs to finish off his hometown race in NYC to complete an Abbott Slam. There are currently only 84 runners in the world who have completed one, and around 10 on the Abbott Slam journey this year, hoping to join this illustrious group after NYC.

Rob had a breakthrough day in Chicago, ripping a 2:56 PR, fueled by a powerful letter his dad sent in 2017 sharing how inspired and proud he was of Rob and Nicole's running journeys.

Rob works hard to engage in the community—doing workouts with a multitude of groups, performing sweat tests for runners to help them understand fueling, and trying to give back to the sport that brings him so much joy.

Huge thanks to Rob for bringing such positive energy!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Rob:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pursuitofperformance__

All Other Links: https://linktr.ee/pursuitofperformance__

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Jereny Rivera, who has been on an inspirational, transformational journey from a childhood in poverty where she learned grit and developed her toughness and fire from watching her mom in the most challenging of circumstances.

Jereny struggled to connect with others in college. She was inspired by watching a True Life episode of a girl who completed a Tough Mudder and signed up for a race, but didn't make it more than a quarter mile on her first training run and had to walk home. That led to her joining a local running club—the Orlando Track Shack—losing 50 lbs, transforming her body with running, strength training, and a better diet, and finding a welcoming community.

From a 3:52 half marathon to smoking a 2:47 in Houston, Jereny is on a journey and dreaming big to one day lace 'em up at the Olympic Trials!

We take a deep dive into her dreams, exploring the importance of having people around you and coaches who are fully onboard and believe, her two-year run streak, daily habits, and how doing the hard things post-run (foam roll, stretch, hydrate) are so important.

We talk about mindset and the Goggins approach. There are no hacks. Show up every day like Jereny and get it done!

I'm so inspired by Jereny and am stoked to share our convo!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jereny:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolspacemonkey

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

In 2010, Adam Lowe was not happy about how he looked or felt. Adam was an extremely active kid in high school, playing soccer, lacrosse, & basketball, and wanted to get back in shape—so he turned to running. His sister had run the Marine Corps Marathon, inspiring him to sign up and give it a try. Adam ran his first 10K in 48:07 so he could register for his first Marine Corps Marathon and ran a 3:58 in his debut. Immediately after, he swore—while lying on the ground, praying to die—that he would never run again.

Fast forward to 2021, running the JFK 50 Mile, Adam came off the AT (Appalachian Trail) in 64th place and proceeded to rock a 3:13 marathon split on the C&O Canal, and continued closing hard over the last 8.5 miles on the road to finish 21st overall and leading his CVAC Team to their 2nd consecutive 1st place finish! Adam finished in 6:38:19, a 17-minute PR at JFK (2020, 6:55:29) and it was his 2nd straight year being 21st overall.

What a journey! Adam went from feeling self-conscious about his weight, appearance, what to wear, and having no clue how to train or fuel his runs. Now he's deeply involved in the running community as a race director of the Fire On The Mountain 50K, and started a running club for 3rd-5th graders at his elementary school, encouraging them to join and get active.

Adam has big gratitude for Andy Mason writing an article about him in the Herald-Mail about a 70M run he did during Covid that led Mike Spinnler (the JFK50 Race Director) to ask him to run for his CVAC team. Mike believing in Adam was a big turning point. The unwavering support and partnership with his fiancée, Katie, crewing Adam for races, working together race directing, and raising their kids as a team has made all the difference.

I hope you all are moved by Adam's inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Adam:

Instagram: @adamlowe9940

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

With the Boston Marathon registration opening last week, it was perfect timing to have Elizabeth Clor on RunChats. Elizabeth is the Author of "Boston Bound," chronicling her 7-year journey to overcome mental barriers to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Some of the topics we discussed include:

-Eating disorders, anorexia, and her experiences with therapy

-Perfectionism

-The comparison trap

-Race times—worrying what others think

-Sports Psychology—process goals vs outcome goals

-Tackling race anxiety

-Breaking through and sharing it all via Boston Bound

For anyone that has ever wanted something so badly and short circuited their efforts, this pod is for you! SO many valuable takeaways. I hope you all enjoy the convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Elizabeth:

Instagram: @elizabethclor

Website: https://www.elizabethclor.com

Boston Bound: https://amzn.to/3u7Bj7J

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BostonBoundBook

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

At age 13, Erin Genova's appendix burst, and she was hospitalized for a week. While she was there, she watched the Boston Marathon on TV and was so inspired she said, "I am going to run that one day!" That is where her amazing running journey began! Erin made good on that promise, running 3:42 in her 1st Boston in 2002, during her senior year of college at BU, on a sponsor's invitation bib from John Hancock.

We discuss:

-Post kids: her 8-year Boston streak (2005-2012) being broken from surgical complications on Violet's childbirth and the physical and mental trauma from an artery being nicked during her C-section and missing the race

-The Bombing: how she felt guilty for not being there and how she stopped running completely until 2016, when a work colleague convinced her to join him on lunch runs at their gym and on the Charles River

-Boston Marathon 2018: how she ran on the Charles River in the monsoon that day and came back inside to work and watched Des WIN, inspiring her to want to run Boston again

-The Come Back: running a 3:18 in Erie in 2018, BQing, and then plateauing at 3:14. Reaching out to Brendon O'Leary because she sees his athletes hitting big goals and hires Olympic Trials Marathoner Casey Kilareski of O'Leary Racing Team, who makes key tweaks to her training and runs PR's in 5K & 10K before everything shuts down for Covid

-Bec's Beasts: her stress level was very high with Covid, working from home, running outside with a mask, and not being able to race. She found an INSPIRING instructor, Becs Gentry, of Peloton and connected with a core group of athletes (Bec's Beasts) and super-positive community that kept her going and reinvigorated her running again

-Her comeback post-COVID: CIM Race Day. Diving deep into an AMAZING, breakthrough performance where she ran a 2:58—a 16-minute PR! Trusting in the belief of a friend and training partner, Tyler, to take the big swing and run with the sub-3 pace group. Having the support of Team ORT and their runners, who were there that weekend, and family from home

-Post CIM: Winning a 5K, continuing to get faster and stronger

-Community Service: How Erin is a Girl Scout troop leader for daughter and 16 girls

I'm so INSPIRED by Erin's 2:58—a 16-minute PR—at CIM and am stoked to follow what comes next! Erin is incredibly goal-driven, fiercely competitive and strong, and is setting a great example for her two children, Violet & Cooper, to follow (and they are 2 of her BIGGEST fans)!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Erin:

Instagram: @eringenova

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

At the tender age of 23, Annie Hughes burst onto the Ultrarunning scene like a supernova! She won the brutal and storied Leadville 100 and Moab 240 and was ranked 3rd Ultrarunner of the Year by UltraRunning Magazine.

Annie resides in Leadville, CO, and became the race's youngest winner—made sweeter still by running in front of her friends, family, and local community. Annie feels blessed that Hoka took a gamble on her and signed her and it looks like Hoka made a great addition to their pro roster!

Annie is a fierce competitor fueled by exploring her limits, trying to find out just how far her feet and mind can take her. She is on a quest. Next up is the Cocodona250 and I'm stoked to follow!

We discuss: her start in running, moving to the mountains, running at Adams State, burnout, climbing all 58 of the 14ers, moving to Leadville, finishing school, finding Ultra, the Silver Rush 50 Miler, qualifying for the Leadville 100, her 160M Collegiate Loop FKT, the Leadville 100, recovery, the Moab240, running at night, sleep-running, managing sleep in multi-day races, and her recovery strategy for the Cocodona250

My favorite parts from this conversation were Annie taking us out there on the courses at Leadville and Moab, sharing all the highs and lows of those two epic races! I'm so stoked to continue to follow Annie's exciting Ultra running journey!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Annie:

Instagram: @outdoorable_annie

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Kate's remarkable journey is powerful and inspiring.

Kate was bullied as a child and battled crippling anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts. While in college, in an unhealthy relationship, she was searching for an outlet and had been running 3 miles a few days per week. She decided to run 11 miles—to try to literally run away from her troubles—and was flooded with emotions when she finished.

From that moment everything changed.

12 miles the next day. 27 miles a couple of days later.

She searched for an Ultra in the spring and her unhealthy boyfriend at the time said it was too soon—she'd get injured or never finish.

This was the first of many times Kate would use a challenge as fuel to her fire and she moved the timeline up—signing up for the McNaughton 50M race. She showed up in cotton clothes and sneakers from TJ Maxx, met her future husband, Mike, on the course (he gave her lifesavers on her 3rd loop), and went on to finish 2nd that day—in her very 1st race!

Kate's as old-school as they come. Paper logs over Strava. Lives for the grind. The tougher the course and weather, the better—as was the case at the 2018 JFK 50M, where the AT was covered in snow and footing was a serious challenge. She came from over 20 minutes down and rallied to take the win!

Kate takes greater pride in grinding out a crazy tough workout on the treadmill with no fan than she does from breaking the tape. Even the amazing JFK50 Silver Cup she received for winning the 2018 race can be found in a closet.

Kate homeschools their three beautiful children and makes many sacrifices to ensure family always comes first.

When one of their best friends, Oz Pearlman, broke the FKT record for running 116M in Central Park (and fundraised over 100K for children in Ukraine!), she encouraged me to have Oz on RunChats to help spread the word because she knows how much impact community events like this can have.

Mike was out there running all day and night and Kate—only 4 weeks removed from delivering Goldie—ran 19M with Oz at 7:30 pace, because she would do anything for a friend.

This is a transformative journey of overcoming demons, fear, and anxiety—from feeling weak and powerless, to becoming strong, powerful, and a force of nature.

I'm deeply grateful to Kate for opening up and sharing her journey on RunChats to help others and I'm so proud and beyond excited to read her upcoming novel!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kate:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katepallardy/

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2022 Ron Romano

When Kristyn Smith sets her mind on a goal, watch out! Growing up in Texas, she sang in choir, enjoyed performing in musical theater, and dreamed of making it to Broadway. By the tender age of 18, she had moved to NYC, began working in the performing arts on Broadway, and made her dream come true.  Kristyn is driven, competitive, and enjoys setting big goals and getting after them!

Her path to running was unusual. Kristyn decided to form a group to raise awareness for health/healthy living in her workplace, which included doing charity races. They were all beginners, but she really enjoyed the community aspect. As her runs grew longer, she sought out company to share the miles and break up the boredom. She soon realized she could do her best problem solving on the run and was hooked.

We discuss:

-Her 1st marathon—running a 4:15 in Philly after totally winging her training

-Joining the Dashing Whippets and flourishing in a group environment

-Running a 3:33 in her 2nd marathon, earning her BQ

-Her quest to prove she belongs

-Hiring her Coach, mentor and friend Paul Carmona, who shaped and inspired her over the years

-Learning the value of prescribed training to develop her systems

-Running her 1st run after a pelvic stress fracture at Boston and finishing against all odds—a truly transformational experience

-Mistakes made & lessons learned

-Her coaching philosophy and how good it feels to help others achieve their goals

From not understanding the purpose of a track workout, tempo, or Fartlek run, to becoming a student of our sport, fully fluent in running terminology; to ending her fall marathon season with a 3:07 London Marathon, 3:08 Boston Marathon and 3:02 NYC Marathon over 35 days—Kristyn's running & coaching future looks bright!

I'm so excited to follow her inspiring journey and I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kristyn:

Instagram: @krisrs

Website: https://coachkrisrs.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Kelly Brown Willis is a paragon of positivity and is perseverance personified! Growing up in a family of nine no doubt forged her grit, toughness, hustle, and drive. As a mom of four with a big appetite for travel, running adventures, and community, these qualities serve her well.

Kelly traveled the world for 18 months on the cheap with her husband, Rich, before having children—soaking in the culture & experiences in Syria and Guatemala—and learned she could do hard things like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro & Mt. Ranier (which took two tries because of the technical difficulty and extra challenges from having epilepsy).

Kelly spent a full year working on her strength and agility and came back a year later and got it done!

She struggled in her first year of law school, but pushed through with encouragement from her dad (who was also her mentor) to achieve her career dream of becoming Assistant District Attorney of Atlanta.

We discuss: the influence of growing up in a big family, her dad/mentor, traveling the world, climbing adventures, law school becoming an ADA, finding running & the marathon, the running community, AbbottWMM Majors, WAG Champs, chasing another sub-3, community service, and more.

Kelly loves all things Abbott World Marathon Majors and is one of just 45 to earn TWO Six-Star medals, one of 85 to run an Abbott Slam (all six in the same calendar year, 2018), and qualified and ran in the first AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships in London.

I had the honor of sharing the stage with Kelly on a panel at the London Marathon discussing our Abbott World Marathon Majors adventures and her positive energy really shined through and connected with the crowd!

What a journey from 4:15 marathoner to her current 2:57 PR! Kelly's dreaming of taking another big swing at sub-3 in Berlin and I'll be there running & rooting for her to get it DONE! Mad RESPECT for this badass mom of 4, running at this level and putting out so much positive energy into the running community!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kelly:

Instagram: @kelly_brown_willis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

It's never too late to find your passion in life! Though Shana Miller grew up in Framingham, MA on the Boston Marathon course and works today near Heartbreak Hill, she never ran until the age of 40. Shana met some girlfriend's at the gym, got inspired, and signed up for a 1/2 marathon 3 months from then realizing she had no idea what she was doing. She used a Hal Higdon training plan, ran all the training miles at the same pace, and finished the 1/2 marathon saying it was the hardest thing she had ever done—crying, emotional, and proud of her accomplishment. The next day she woke up and said, "when's the next one?" Shana was HOOKED!

Her running journey has been filled with big challenges! We discuss:

-Overcoming a missed medical diagnosis that sidelined her often over 18 months (piriformis syndrome)

-A hysterectomy, hormones, hair loss, & depression

-Hiring a coach (Victoria, @run4prs)—finding someone who believes in you, forging a partnership, & building a plan to stay healthy & strong

-Being inspired to get her RRCA Coaching Certification to learn more about running & give back to the community

"When I started running 10 years ago, that is what truly had me believing in myself, gave me confidence, and I started to become comfortable living in my own skin. Running has definitely shaped my life with a new perspective for self-image and how amazing our bodies are."

Shana has cut an astounding 38 minutes off her marathon, and ran a 3:49 marathon PR at the Baystate Marathon, which would’ve easily been a BQ in any year but last year's historical 7:47 record cutoff. She has a big goal to run sub-3:40 at the Chicago Marathon, which would give her a 15 minute BQ cushion. I'm looking forward to seeing Shana make her dream come true!

There is SO much inspiration in this one and I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Shana:

Instagram: @stilettorunning

Website: https://www.stilettorunning.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to to share my incroyable friend, Sarah Bachand’s, story. She’s a single mom of two belle girls, Naomi and Gloria, working in the O.R. on the front lines of COVID-19.

When the Nunnery nearby in Sherbrooke, QC had an outbreak, she was the first to volunteer to work the graveyard shift and learned so much from the nuns and the experience.

Sarah shared some profound stories about loss, helping patients die with dignity, and how she is managing the stress from it all. She runs 8K back and forth to the hospital to help manage the stress and ensure she isn’t missing time with her precious girls.

I think my mouth is still open hearing some of her stories...

-Trying out with 400 girls for the Canadian National Handball Team and how that experience shaped her

-Hitchhiking across Canada

-Moving to Australia to start a school for autistic children

-Traveling from South Africa to Kenya with her sister

-Contracting and surviving Malaria

-The loss of twins and writing a book to help other mom’s 

-Words from the Heart: a book on perinatal loss (linked below)

Sarah is fearless, lives life to the FULLEST, and loves travel, adventure, and the outdoors.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Sarah:

Instagram: @sarahbachand

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.bachand1

Words from the Heart: a book on perinatal loss: http://www.borealispress.com/Author/aid/442/Sarah%20%20Bachand

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Kim Conley has had a storied career as a professional runner, proudly repping the USA eight times, including at the 2012 Olympic Games in London & 2016 in Rio! Kim has won two national titles—10,000m & 1/2 marathon—and earned the bronze medal at the 2019 Pan-American Games in the 5000m. Kim holds PR's of 15:05 (5K), 31:35 (10K), & 69:44 (1/2M)—all pre-carbon shoes!

After a 10-year sponsorship run with New Balance, Kim is a free agent and is excited for her next chapter as she moves up to the marathon with the goal of running in the 2024 Olympic Trials, shooting for her 3rd Olympics.

In 2021, Kim began Coaching with McKirdy Trained and is currently finding joy helping her athletes build their plans, hit big goals, and is drawing inspiration from the work ethic of her 29 athletes.

We discuss:

-Key coaches who had an impact: Larry Meredith, Mr. Walsh, Drew Wartenburg (her husband)

-Key Races: 2012 Trials (coming from 5th to 3rd in last lap with a lean at the tape), 2014 US Champs edging Jordan Hasay in front of a hometown crowd and her whole family who were in town for her sister's wedding in Sacramento

-Her 2012 & 2016 Olympics experiences

-Finding joy & inspiration coaching

-Creating a running camp

-Community service (in 2018 Kim joined the board of the USATF Pacific Foundation, which awards grants to Olympic hopefuls)

Kim's journey and story are so damn inspiring! I'm stoked to follow the next chapter.

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kim:

Instagram: @kfconley

Website: https://kimfconley.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

I had the best time talking all things running with ROCKSTAR Karen Howe aka @howeaboutarun. Karen is CFO of a Medical Device Company by day, and told one of the best intro stories on how she got her start in our sport—don't worry, I won’t spoil a word of it ;-) 

Originally from Alaska, then to Boston for grad school, and finally settling in Rochester, NY with her husband and two children, some of the things we explored include:

-Self-coaching vs being coached

-Staying positive in COVID-19 times

-Options for cross training

-Charity/community engagement

-Her Six-Star journey (only Tokyo & London to go!)

-Finding the silver lining

Karen wasn’t an athlete or runner as a kid and is truly just starting to hit her stride. As a self-coached runner in 2017, she had a huge breakthrough in Erie, dropping 10 minutes off her PR, and ran a 3:18. Friends encouraged her to explore working with a coach in 2018 and she connected directly with James McKirdy of @mckirdytrained where, to that point, she had never set foot on a track! She had no clue of distances/speedwork/paces, so she just RAN and trusted the process. She ended up throwing down a 3:03 in Berlin and there is no doubt more to come.

To validate the point even further, Karen threw down a VIRTUAL 3:15 on the @bostonmarathon course yesterday with the family out there for aid station and photo support! Definitely giver her a follow to track her sub-3 journey!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Karen:

Instagram: @howeaboutarun

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.burnettehowe

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I am honored to share Jennie Clark Brackens' INSPIRING story. It’s a long pod, but is full of so many valuable life lessons that we needed extra time to explore Jennie’s journey!

In Jennie’s words:

"Two friends reminded me of my years when I hid myself away from the world. Life was always hard. I stumbled too much. Nothing was ever fair. Carrying burdens is exhausting.

Then, everything changed in the first days of 2013. I found an impetus to lighten my baggage: literal movement. I stopped living like a victim. Stopped making excuses. Stopped looking at what others had that I didn’t. I forced myself back into owning my life and created patterns of activity that became habits; practices still holding strong nearly 8 years later.  That year, I also met empowering likeminded people and in 2014, I leaned on them to teach me to run, something I swore that I’d never be able to do. I’ve never been more wrong about anything."

Some of the topics we discussed include:

-Her dad, who was her mentor, and their adventures on the trail

-Losing a fiancé at an opioid treatment center

-Depression and shutting out the world

-Going to the gym for the first time

-Learning to run

-Falling in love with trail running

-Meeting like-minded people

-Creating a tribe and building a community

-Facing a huge fear...taking on the JFK 50

I'm so happy our paths crossed at the JFK 50 at mile 40 and we shared some positive energy! Jennie faced down her fears and absolutely CRUSHED her 1st Ultra, running a 9:48:57 and finishing 11th in her age group!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jennie:

Instagram: @brackensbird

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Amy is a total badass who sets audacious goals and exceeds them. She targeted 50 marathons by age 40 and already has 53 at age 38 and, naturally, is now shooting for 60!

For the past 5 years, she’s been a member of the Air Force Marathon Team and qualified to run in the prestigious World Military Games in China. She slipped a disc in her back the day before flying 14 hours to China and it seemed unlikely Amy would race, but after a “forced taper” and a little sports chiro care, she was able to line up for the US squad and ROCKED a 2:53 PR performance!

Amy tackled her first Ultra in a deep and meaningful way, completing the Civil Rights March route from Selma to Montgomery in under 8 hours! She then stood on the Capitol steps with her husband, daughter, and running community and cried.

We rounded the conversation out talking about homeschooling, haircuts, and healthcare fundraising in these unprecedented pandemic times. 

I see BIG things ahead for Amy (like an Olympic Trials Qualifier...*wink wink*)

Please take a listen and hear Amy’s awe-inspiring story! If you enjoyed the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on. Amy and her husband have also started a side hustle and are now in the coaching game (Natural Athlete Training Systems), so be sure to check out their links below!

Connect With Amy:

Instagram: @usafamyruns

NATS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturalAthleteTraining

NATS VDOT: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/NaturalAthlete

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Leah Jantzen is a total badass who is truly sucking out all the marrow of life! A mom of four, performance coach, & business strategist who helps endurance athletes train their brains for peak performance, Leah is a 5x Boston Marathoner & 2x IRONMAN Finisher who qualified for Kona in 2020!

Considering Leah didn’t run her 1st Marathon until age 42, her running & triathlon resume is even more mind-blowing!

We talked:

-Mindset

-Goal-setting

-Facing your weaknesses

-Where her competitive fire comes from

-Group training -- working with faster people in the water, on the bike, & on the run

-Mantras

-Slaying dragons

Leah is also a motivational speaker & self-help author. Please check out her website, leahjantzen.com, to learn more & engage her services.

We easily could’ve talked for a few more hours & I hope you’ll enjoy Leah’s energy as much as I did

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Leah:

Instagram: @leahjantzen

Website: https://www.leahjantzen.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Good times catching up with Tim Hadzima and Lorna Campbell, the Global Marketing Leaders of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. It was a ton of fun to get to know them better, learn about their running histories and career paths taken in life. We took a deep dive on the topics below to better understand all things AbbottWMM.

-Roles, running histories, career journeys

-AbbottWMM overview

-Six-Star program

-Age Group World Rankings/World Championships

-Global Run Club/Virtual Racing/Global Marathon

-2021 Majors

-What's next for the AbbottWMM

-Free marathon training plans by Andrew Kastor

If you want to learn more about Global Run Club, Six-Star Program, Global Marathon, Wanda Age Group World Championships, or exciting new (free!) marathon training plans by Andrew Kastor, then you'll love this episode!

This is ALSO the first episode to air on my YouTube Channel, for those who’ve been asking: https://youtu.be/P1tuGvlt8nA

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Tim, Lorna, & the Abbott World Marathon Majors:

Instagram: @wmmajors

Website: https://www.abbottwmmglobalrunclub.com

The 2021 AWMM Global Marathon: https://app.abbottwmmglobalrunclub.com/en/challenges/details/21-01-awmm-global-marathon-2021

Free Marathon Training Plans: https://app.abbottwmmglobalrunclub.com/en/blog/category/training-plans

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

If you're a fan of the underdog, Laurie Paretti Dymond’s story is for you. Nothing ever came easy for her in life. As the second of six children, she was like a second mom to her family. Those poor, humble roots truly shaped her grit, grind, and love of community.

Powered by her huge heart and ability to endure and suffer, Laurie has set three American Age Group records as a Masters runner in her 50s. She has achieved truly remarkable things as a runner and has had an even bigger impact on those in need. Giving away prize money from local races, befriending local migrant workers, and donating supplies to them are just a few of the things that really stand out and make her such a treasured member of her Chambersburg community.

When Laurie moved from Catholic School to public in high school, she had a difficult time fitting in. She was self-conscious about her Wrangler jeans, Kmart sneakers, and lack of cool clothes to wear. And then, at her most vulnerable and awkward time, she had a chance encounter with Mr. Cook, who told her he needed her on the track team. Being seen and needed completely changed the course of Laurie’s life.

In her own words: “Yes, I’ve learned that I can keep going even when I’m at my lowest. And more importantly, I’ve learned that I’m not defined by a finish time on a clock. None of us are. We are defined by the light we give to others and those we help along the way. Having a great race here and there makes the journey a little more interesting. The failures, I think we need those to keep us humble and ambitious at the same time.”

I'm so thankful to Devan Zeger, Communications Director and Mike Spinnler, Race Director of the JFK 50 for sharing info on Laurie, which led me to invite her on the show.

I'm honored to share Laurie's amazing story and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did. If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Laurie:

Instagram: @lapdymond

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.dymond

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Meet Dr. Gaby Go, sports & performance physical therapist, run & injury prevention coach, Boston Marathon qualifier, and founder of Go Run Stronger.

Gaby joined me for a FUN and informative IG Live RunChat, where we discussed the value of adding PT and strength training to your running to be the strongest, best version of yourself.

We had a well-engaged audience and Gaby did a great job answering questions!

Other topics included the role nutrition plays in injury (and injury prevention), the importance of getting regular blood work done (shoutout Inside Tracker) the value of supplements (like Previnex) can play in getting that dialed in for peak performance.

Gaby recently launched Go Run Stronger to help runners reach their goals without injury. They will be offering monthly subscriptions to strength and rehab programs, 1:1 premium run & strength coaching, physical therapy services, and more!

This is the first of my Summer Series RunChats with running practitioners focused on keeping runners healthy and on the roads. Hope you all enjoy the listen!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Gaby:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.gabygo

Go Run Stronger: https://gorunstronger.com

All Other Links: https://linktr.ee/drgabygo

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Catching up LIVE at ON Studios with NYC Legend, David Kilgore. Kilgore continues to RIP, take huge swings, and rally the run community to raise money for important causes. The mood was electric and we had people banging on the ON NYC HQ storefront windows in true NYC fashion.

We talk:

-OSR30 Race Breakdown (getting lost, staying ON BRAND) and the huge vibe that OSR Races bring

-GreenBelt FKT — Shore-2-Shore Race Breakdown. Partnering with Cooper from Trials of Miles Racing and Brenden Clarke, who captured the event

-Wings for Life World Run (@wflworldrun @wingsforlife) — a virtual global run sponsored by Red Bull to raise money for spinal chord research. Red Bull USA will have a car outfitted with DJ booth chasing Kilgore around NYC. David hopes to run 40 miles, starting from the iconic Tortoise and the Hare sculpture at Van Cortland Park, all thru NYC, hoping to raise much needed money for research. The event will be live-streamed on https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

-His upcoming LA to Las Vegas Run—340 Miles—in May, with a goal to run it in just 3 days!

If you live in the NYC area and haven’t yet met David, please come to the Wed 6:30pm Social Run (many paces), which starts at the ON Running Store on Lafayette St where we recorded. Give this awesome human with a huge heart a follow on IG and Strava (links below to races we discussed and a bonus FKT around Manhattan!). I greatly appreciate David’s positive energy and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

OSR 30, 33M - https://www.strava.com/activities/5028734285

FKT at GreenBelt Shore-2-Shore, 31.51M - https://www.strava.com/activities/5114707928

Manhattan FKT, 30.05M - https://www.strava.com/activities/5136654852

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With David:

Instagram: @davidkilgore

ON Runnning: https://www.on-running.com/en-us/athletes/david-kilgore

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/15953860

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Meet Dani Moreno, 3rd place woman at UTMB OCC, the FIRST American to make the podium! Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (OCC-Orsières-Champex-Chamonix) is a 55km race with 3500M+ of climbing and is one of seven races featured in the event that takes place annually at Chamonix in France.

Dani found herself in 20th place in the first half as she began the climb up Champex & moved into 15th place when she crested the top. Despite being so far back at this point, Dani never lost faith, kept grinding, and battled her way all the way to the podium!

"It's one thing to have the race plan, but to actually be on the starting line and trust the plan. The plan was to build confidence throughout the race because I race more ferociously and fierce when I’m building confidence."

Dani's inspiring story is one of patience, self-belief, trusting the process, and having huge gratitude for family, friends, and sponsors who love and support her journey.

It began 5 years ago when she met and formed a powerful partnership with her coach, Terry Howell, who believed in her from their 1st meeting.

I'm so excited to continue following Dani's ascent in the world of Ultra running!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Dani:

Instagram: @dan_yell_a

All other links: https://linktr.ee/danimoreno

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Janey John is STRENGTH personified and a FORCE of nature. Janey stared down cancer twice—and nearly died on the table during double mastectomy surgery on her 59th birthday—but LIVED to tell the tale and share her INSPIRING story!

As a young girl, Janey dreamed of being crowned Miss America, but never imagined it happening in the cancer wing, rocking the crown with no hair on her head.

After reviving her (having to reattach the breast they had started to remove in order to do so), she awoke in pain with her head swollen and her entire body connected to a sea of wires and tubes, surrounded by her mom, sister, Angela, and her surgeon. Janey learned that the isosulfan blue dye they injected into her tumor bed to trace back to the lymph nodes had caused her to go into anaphylactic shock.

3 weeks later on 8/4/20, they went back in and successfully completed her surgery.

Despite the enormous physical and emotional toll, Janey laced up her sneakers on 9/11/20, just 38 days later, and RAN the virtual Boston Marathon on her treadmill due to raging fires in the Lake Tahoe area near her home, no doubt securing her lifetime badass warrior status!

Fast forward to January 2021 and Janey had been suffering from severe joint pain, high fevers, brain fog, and other ailments to the point she considered driving off a mountain and ending it all. Thankfully her dogs were with her in the car, preventing her from following through.

She walked in crying her eyes out, with no idea what her next step would be. When she logged on to Facebook that night, God was watching over her and she noticed a running friend discussing breast implant illness. As she read the symptoms, it was EVERYTHING she had! Janey had the implants removed and within 4 days, 80% of her ailments were gone!

Onto the 125th Boston, her sister Angela made her a promise in the ICU that she would qualify for her 1st Boston and run together. Though Janey had almost no training leading in, she wasn't going to miss out even if she had to walk most of it. Janey felt like she was floating and God was gently blowing her towards Boston. It was the most peaceful, happy, gratitude-filled 26.2 miles of her life made more special by sharing it with her sister. Boston was the final healing and culmination of scratching and clawing her way back to me!

Some of the topics we discuss include: radiation, chemo, hair loss, the cancer community, caregivers, losing friends to cancer, why it's tougher on family & friends, physical vs psychological trauma, gutting her home during treatments, legacy, the Goggins mindset, clawing her way to running the 125th Boston with her sister Angela, fighting through it all to find her way back.

Janey's story is one of remarkable resilience and I'm so grateful she chose to share her experience here to pay it forward and help others.

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Janey:

Instagram: @theswansnestinc

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

© 2021 Ron Romano

After gorging himself at a dinner eight years ago with his wife, Jeremy Bush didn't like how it made him feel and knew something had to change. He downloaded a Couch to 5K program and couldn't believe that running for only 30 seconds could feel so hard. He stayed with it and eventually worked his way up to 10 minutes of running.

Jeremy watched Meb's historic win at Boston in 2014 and said, "I'm gonna run that race one day." And the die was cast.

For those who know him best, when he sets his mind on a goal, he will move heaven and earth to get it done. Many small incremental changes led to continuous improvement. Becoming a student of the sport, honing his craft listening to the Running Rogue Podcast with Steve Sisson and Chris McClung, joining the Renegades—a virtual training group—working with a community of like-minded individuals.

Then, working one-on-one the past 2 years with coach Steve Sisson, aka the Sorcerer, of Telos Running to further enhance his development, culminating with a 2:47 PR on Marathon Monday at Boston.

Jeremy truly manifested his Boston dream. He's made amazing progress in his eight-year running journey and I'm stoked to see where he takes things next!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jeremy:

Instagram: @jb_running26.2

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

What an amazing, inspiring journey Mary Denholm has been on! From aiming for a BQ in her 2nd marathon and nailing a 3:03 in 2016, to running a 2:42 at CIM in 2019, punching her ticket to run the Trials in Atlanta. Mary's time seeded her 189th for ATL, where she rocked a personal-record time of 2 hours, 41 minutes, 8 seconds on a demanding course in swirling winds, finishing 51st! That outstanding result on a tough day against a stacked field earned her a start in the PRO field this year in Boston.

Her progress and journey haven't been linear and all of those races and life experiences have forged her mental grit and resiliency. Mary had a tough day at Grandma's, nearly dropped out, and decided to help a bunch of other women go sub-3 that day.

At Twin Cities, Mary ran with her friend Liz Camy for 25M, but couldn't stay with her the last mile. Liz qualified and Mary missed her OTQ by 13 seconds!

By far the most impactful, in February, just a month before her big Trials race in Atlanta, she was asked to move out of her marital home, ending her 10-year marriage. She loaded up her truck and dog, Max, and moved to Flagstaff, bouncing around, crashing on friends couches and airbnbs, getting very little sleep due to the stress. Not running for a week and missing a last key long run workout piled on even more anxiety. She opened up to her coach, Nick Klastava—who reassured her that the fitness was there—and to some of her close training partners, who gave her support, and made her feel loved at a time she needed it most.

Mary is a beacon of positivity and a great ambassador for our sport. She dreams big, shares her goals, and inspires and encourages others to believe in themselves and get to work! She has a great partnership with her coach and is also coaching and helping athletes hit their goals for Lift Run Perform.

I'm stoked to see Mary get after it in the pro field at Boston and take aim at the new trials standard of <2:37!

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Mary:

Instagram: @eatrunandbemary

Coaching & Other Links: https://linktr.ee/marydenholm

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

James expertly broke down the exciting new course, the Fan Zones that will be bringing the hype, community engagement, support from sponsors and volunteers, as well as the vision, hard work, and steps taken by the team to be on the doorstep of becoming the 7th World Marathon Major.

We cover all that and so many more insights on how to have your BEST Sydney marathon experience on Sunday! Please share with anyone running or planning to run in 2025!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With James:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/that.guy.who.runs

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

I am so stoked to share NYC Running Legend David Kilgore's story to kickoff 2021!

David has rock star run creds, having the unique experience of running for 3 elite schools; Colorado, Florida and Oklahoma State. He excels from 5k up to 100 miles and competed for the US Team at the 50K Trail and Ultra World Championships in Portugal.

What makes David so endearing is his easy going, surfer chill vibe. But don’t be fooled, he’s also been known to hurdle barriers on the FDR in OSR Races with no prize money on the line, and finish trail races bleeding all over the course—in other words, my kinda guy.

During the pandemic, David stepped up with two huge fundraising campaigns, running 100 miles for the 1st time in the Florida, raising over 20K for frontline workers and engaging his employer, On Running, in the campaign to provide shoes to nurses and doctors and help out the running stores he has a relationship with.

More recently, David ran 73 miles through all 5 boroughs to provide 2.5 million meals for the NYC Food Bank. He engaged with his followers on FB and IG Live and appeared on ESPN and CNN.

David’s joy for life is infectious and his ability to rally the run community for greater causes is truly EPIC! It’s not only the most FUN I’ve had on a RunChat, but so damn INSPIRING!!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With David:

Instagram: @davidkilgore

Visit his On Running profile here

Check out his filmmaking partner, Brenden, here

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

By all accounts, Don Snellings is very lucky to still be with us. I'm grateful he is and that he chose to share his addiction/recovery & endurance sports journey in the hopes it could help inspire others!

For 9 clean years, recovery via meetings and outreach to others has come first, followed by training, which has been his anchor and kept him grounded. He began walking/running on the treadmill because he loved running in high school and it added balance to his life. It took him another 4 years to break his smoking habit and his results have been truly remarkable since.

From a 3:30 debut marathon down to 2:42 at CIM, working with former 10K Olympian & 2:15 marathoner, Coach John Henwood, to dipping his toe in the triathlon waters due to a chance meeting with his Coach Brian Hammond at a spin cycle class at the onset of the pandemic, and GRINDING hard for 18 months to qualify for the Ironman World Championships at the 70.3 distance.

We discuss: addiction & recovery, his running & triathlon journey, the NYC running community, nutrition, fueling, the importance of blood work, his coaches/mentors, community service with others in recovery, Achilles, FICS Bespoke Recovery Studio, Ironman 70.3 Champs, and a TON more.

I know Don from the local NYC running community and I’m so thankful he came on and was so open about his inspiring journey.

For all listeners of this episode who need a pre/post NYC Marathon treatment at FICS NYC, you can use code: ronrunsnyc for 20% off any treatment.

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Don:

Instagram: @donsnellings

FICS NYC: https://ficsnyc.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Meet Claudia Becque Johnston, radiation oncology nurse by day, and one of a handful of women to qualify and complete three (2008/2012/2016) Olympic Trials Marathons! Claudia also qualified and repped the USA in the 2016 50K World Championships.

It takes a serious commitment to your craft to compete at this level, many times having to run at 4:30AM before seeing patients. Whenever a workout didn't go as well as planned, the positive attitude and determination of her cancer patients would immediately help provide much needed perspective.

We took a deep dive into her favorite races and she shared some wonderful and inspiring stories. A journey of learning self-belief from her key coaches, Tom McGlynn, Brad Hudson, and a fellow OTQ runner and friend, Dana Coons Thiele, who encouraged her that she too could make that dream come true.

The journey from imposter syndrome to 'I belong.'

The epic chase to nail a sub-2:40!

Her husband, key teammates, athletes that inspire her, and therapists that have supported her on this amazing ride.

Claudia suffered a triple femur break in June 2021 and is working hard to get back.

I'm so inspired by her amazing journey and looking forward to watching her #stayinthefight and grind her way back!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Claudia:

Instagram: @clauds712

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

Karen Dunn walked off the court at basketball practice with her good friend and teammate in 7th grade, walked directly onto the track team, and never looked back. She loved her coach, the camaraderie and routines with teammates, and discovered she had a talent for running; winning races, setting XC course records, and earning a college scholarship.

But it's as a Masters runner, at age 43, where Karen has truly hit her stride and personifies #fasterasamaster. Progressing to the tune of 3:16–3:10–3:08–3:00–2:57–2:43 at the Chicago Marathon to earn her OTQ, digging deep, mining all she can on coaching methodology (Vdot and RRCA certified) and on mindset and visualization

We discuss: Mindset books (Elite Minds by Dr. Stan Beecham & Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor), her high school coach/mentor, why the fire burns brighter as a master, the 2 year buildup/grind/journey for an OTQ, her Chicago PR breakthrough & OTQ, what it meant to have her family and run club friends in Atlanta and on the course, what’s next, her coaching platform & athletes.

On qualifying for and running in the Olympic Trials Marathon:

"For me it’s a once in a lifetime experience and the epitome of my running career. I want my kids to walk away from it and see me as good role model and hopefully an inspiration to them, as well. Seeing how hard work pays off and if it’s something you want and is worth fighting for, you go after it and go all in!"

There is SO much inspiration in this one and I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Karen:

Instagram: @strengthenyourstride

Website & Coaching: https://www.strengthenyourstride.coach

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Meet Lauren Hagans, the 2024 Grandma's Marathon Champion, who made a sensational marathon debut, scorching a 2:25:55—running the fourth-fastest U.S. debut of all time!

Though Lauren has coached many marathoners—and is surrounded by strong, NAZ Elite rockstar marathoning teammates who shared helpful nuggets—this was truly uncharted territory.

"You never get to a starting line by yourself! Little pieces of magic were shared with me at moments of doubt along the way to my first marathon. They helped me develop trust."

We discussed:

-Her build—Lauren was concerned about pushing her mileage too high due to past injuries, so her coaches built her a plan that played to her strengths

-Mentors/coaches who've had an impact—Todd Harbour at Baylor, Ben Rosario, Jenna Wrieden

-Her most meaningful races—1:09:46 4th-place finish debut at the USATF Half Marathon Championships

-Her perfectly executed Grandma's race plan and how awesome it was to share the joy with her coach Jenna at the finish line.

-Her "stay in the fight" moment

-And what’s next

Lauren has competed in 3 Olympic Trials on the track and is stoked to compete in the marathon trials in February. She is hoping to rock a fast half at Valencia before then.

I'm looking forward to following more of her inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Lauren:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haagendazs_86

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Just two guys sharing a bag of Cheetos talking all things running, and dropping some seriously colorful language.

(Disclaimer: this one is really rated E as an Explicit+)

One of us was a highschool state 3200M champion, a 3X All-America, ran in the 1st World 1/2 Marathon Champs for Team USA where they threw down a 1:03:50, and has PR’s of 13:50 in the 5K, and 28:50 in the 10K—and also coached a multitude of All-American women at Texas in XC/Track and is a legendary podcaster. You'll have to tune in to find out who ;-)

I'm honored to have had the chance to sit down with “The Sorcerer,” Steve Sisson of Telos Running and Running On Purpose.

Please take a listen and hear Steve’s burning passion and love for running!

It would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Steve:

Instagram: @sisson

Telos Instagram: @telosrunning

Website: https://www.telosrunning.com/

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com/

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com/

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2019 Ron Romano

Jen Bigham is an inspiring, bad ass mom of 4, who chased down her 8-year Olympic Trials qualifying quest by breaking the tape, scorching a 2:41 in the Eugene Marathon.

Jen grew up watching her dad race 5K's and marathons, started running in middle school, and never looked back. She competed in high school and in college at Ohio State, where she battled injuries, but enjoyed working with Coach Sparks, who believed in Jen and also went on to coach two of her siblings and Molly Seidel at Notre Dame.

After having her daughter in 2010, she started training again, and surprised herself by running a 5K PR in her 1st race back postpartum, which really shaped the athlete she is today. Her older brother planted the seed that she could qualify for the Olympic Trials. His strong belief in Jen—and being a multiple time qualifier himself—helped give Jen the courage to believe it too, even though she couldn’t run 3 miles at the qualifier pace at the time!

We discuss: coaches/mentors, belief & self-belief, hitting plateaus, breaking through them, health challenges, mindset/visualization, Atlanta Olympic Trial's with her family and dad being everywhere she needed him, the traumatic birth of her 4th child, bouncing back, finding her speed, knowing your WHY, chasing the best version of herself, being a high school coach, giving back, & mentoring.

Talk about a crazy fast family. Her younger brother also qualified for the Trials and is now coaching Jen. Jen would love for them all to run the next trials and I'm HERE for it and will definitely be hosting that family POD when it happens.

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jen:

Instagram: @localelite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenbigham

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

Sara Girotto on mindset, learning, and working with her coach Steve Hranilovich to accept "I Belong" in the American Development Corral—along with CRUSHING a 2:55 Chicago Marathon and winning her Age Group in a World Marathon Major.

For every runner out there that has gotten a late start, Sara's inspiring journey is for you!

After moving to the US from Italy, the family ran a 5K together and she was hooked. In her mid-30s with no background in the sport, she had some remarkable results early on—running a 3:06 debut marathon! But running all her runs at the same tempo pace and distance led to some setbacks.

After meeting her coach Steve Hranilovich at a race, they started working together—adding structure to her training and he helped Sara work on her mindset after struggling with imposter syndrome at USATF Masters Championship races to slowly believing she belonged.

This successful partnership has helped Sara become a 4X USATF AG National Champion and set PRs of 18:18 5K, 1:01 10M, 1:24 1/2M, and 2:55 Marathon in 2022.

We discussed: adjusting to living in the US, where her drive comes from, mindset, imposter syndrome, working through injuries, Master's running, mantras, gratitude, her 'Stay In the Fight Moment', being open, and more.

There are SO many lessons to unpack in this one! Hope you all enjoy the listen!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Sara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my.happy.places.paces

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

"After I had my first child, I suffered from postpartum depression. It was really sad, dark, and scary. Running literally saved me—along with medication, therapy, and help from friends and family. Ever since then, I have never been the same and I still struggle with mental health issues... But because I had to dig myself out once, I know what to watch out for and how to best help myself if I feel darkness coming again."

Meet Kaydi Bolos, mom of three and introvert who made the brave decision to share her postpartum depression struggles on Instagram.

Kaydi noticed that running stroller miles with her son would instantly help her feel better and she forged a deeper love and connection to running. By sharing her postpartum journey to connect with and help other moms, it truly transformed Kaydi and provided a deeper sense of purpose.

Kaydi loves to grind, chase down big goals, and is a huge David Goggins fan. She is training hard and has a sub-2:50 goal set for her next marathon at Mt Charleston in April.

We discuss: her coaching partnership with Emily from Praxis Running, nutrition, injuries, Goggins, mindset, goals, drive, challenges, and community service.

I'm SO grateful to Kaydi for stepping out of her comfort zone and sharing her inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kaydi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaydiruns

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

I'm stoked to share Heather Lee’s inspiring story! Heather’s an intrepid explorer, who is deeply passionate about travel and trail/mountain running. She grew up in the beautiful mountains of Alberta, Canada and has lived in 8 different countries between North America, Europe, and the Middle East, and has filled many passports visiting 55 countries.

Her IG feed captures her passion for running, adventure, and photography and brings you along on her experiences learning about the architecture, culture, and people she’s encountered along the way.

Heather was part of a 4 woman team, The Desert Roses, that set out to RUN the ENTIRE perimeter of Qatar—500K on trail in 5 days! Like any lengthy stage race, they encountered numerous obstacles—huge temperature shifts, injuries, and unforeseen circumstances—and had to work together as team to problem-solve on the fly. Their collective goal was to inspire young girls and women in Qatar to participate in sports, get active, and introduce them to Ultra running. THIS is getting involved in your community and making an impact. Bravo, Heather!

Some of the topics we covered include:

-Her work experience in Qatar—getting her doctorate, being a psychologist, psycho-educational assessments, working with kids and adolescents with learning disabilities

-Sports from her youth—basketball, volleyball, and badminton

-Finding running

-Falling in love with trail/mountain running and connecting with the awesome beauty and power of nature

-The vibe of Ultra—everyone supporting one another and aid-station FUN

-Her time in Sri Lanka—travel adventure and a special connection

-Strategies for staying positive in COVID times

-Desert Roses 2021—running the perimeter of Qatar (500K on trail in 5 days)

If that hasn’t piqued your interest, I'm hoping these words from Heather (after completing her 1st Ultra (50K)) will:

"I loved it. I just loved being out there all day, the feeling of pushing yourself to that extreme and I remember the feeling I had after that 1st Ultramarathon—if I can do that, I can do anything. I don’t think I’ve ever had that feeling as much as I did at that point. And from there I was kinda hooked."

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Heather:

Instagram: @heatherruns_trails

The Desert Roses: @thedesertroses2021

Interview on Qatar Living: https://bit.ly/3ecyZqK

Article in Qatar's Daily Newspaper: https://bit.ly/30h97lv

Heather's Blog: https://www.heatherrunstrails.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

We've got tons of Tokyo tips & questions answered from yesterday's IG Live convo with Naomi. Big thanks to all who joined—we look forward to seeing you in Tokyo!

Naomi was a great co-host and is running for her Six-Star, like so many others. She asked me her top-of-mind questions and we answered many more from our engaged audience, as well.

We covered:

-Starting area logistics

-GPS & why you should turn OFF auto-lap on your watch

-Course layout & strategy

-Aid stations/on-course fueling with water & Pocari Sweat

-Spectator viewing options

-Finish line Six-Star process

-Charity area at the finish

-Favorite dining & shopping options

-The Expo

-The best shakeout spots

-And more!

This is my 5th trip to Japan. I ran Tokyo in 2019 & 2023 and I shared my experiences and best practices to help everyone be better prepared for a great race day and travel experience to Japan. Ganbatte!!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Naomi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/njmiles13

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

Meet Polly Moody, mom of two, full-time teacher, and 2:46 marathoner!

Polly tore her ACL and meniscus two years ago when her running had been on an upward trajectory. She tackled a long, difficult rehab where she faced a number of setbacks and had serious doubts about whether she would make it back to her previous form.

Polly injected more long runs on trails and shifted her focus to process versus outcome. Along the way, she found more joy and discovered the fastest, best version of her running self.

Polly just turned 40 and her speedy 2:46 time earned her 9th in her age group in Chicago and a free bib through the American Development Group for 2024.

I'm so stoked to follow Polly's inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Polly:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mommytosubthree

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

What an honor it was to sit down for a RunChat with the great Michael Wardian. Mike’s running resume is truly remarkable, excelling at seemingly any distance on any terrain. Mike’s also known for being super approachable and encouraging to all runners and there's no doubt why top brands like Hoka One One, T-Mobile, NATHAN Sports, GU Energy, and Polar support Mike’s adventures around the globe.

Some of the things we touched on in this episode include:

-What races/adventures still excite him

-Some of his favorite Ultra’s around the globe

-His proudest accomplishments

-How much training is required for a first-timer to take on a 50K or 50M

-His 7 Continents in 7 Days experiences (2017 & 2019, where he averaged a time of 2:45 -- not to mention running the ONLY sub-3 in Antarctica!)

-Averaging 2:31:09 in the six Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2016

-Learning from mistakes

-Clean eating and his seeming super power of RECOVERY

We also discussed how Mike and Dan from Old Dominion Racing came up with The CannonBall Run/Ride Challenge concept and how we can promote that year long challenge (running/riding/trail running) better to help support Tommy Riv's family.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Michael:

Instagram: @mikewardian

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwardian

Website: http://mikewardian.com

The CannonBall Run Challenge: https://www.olddominionracing.com/cannonballrun-challenge

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Meet Dr. Stephanie Plummer—Dr. by day, pilot, skydiver, world traveler, big adventure junkie, and co-host of the Airline Pilot Guy Show, an aviation podcast. At the center of her crazy busy life is running. It keeps her grounded and chasing huge life goals.

Steph just completed 3 World Marathon Majors in just EIGHT days to earn her coveted Six-Star! Running London, Chicago, and Boston, she flew 11,168 miles (paging American Airlines... sponsor plug. What are we doing here??), ran 81.7 (including a quick 5K in Chicago just to keep things spicy), all while jumping through all the COVID test hoops.

Steph brings a big smile and the most positive, playful energy to life. We broke it all down Tuesday AM post-Boston

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Steph:

Instagram: @drstephplum

Podcast: http://airlinepilotguy.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I had such a blast talking with rockstar Angel Piccirillo that we set a new PR for longest RunChat!

Angel is a professional track athlete for Oiselle, specializing in the 1500m and 800m. She ran collegiately for Villanova, where she owns the NCAA 1000m record and was a 9x Penn Relays Champion!

Angel grew up in a small rural town in PA and currently lives in Philadelphia with her dog, Bailey, and fiancé, Patrick Tiernan, who runs professionally for Nike Australia.

Some of the topics we discussed:

-Her high school (Michael Gentile) and college (Gina Procaccio) coaches and their roles as mentors in her life

-Team dynamics

-Her competitive fire and drive

-Systemic racism

-Black Lives Matter

-Allyship

-Finding her voice

Angel is bright beyond her years and has truly found her voice! Please read her two part blog series for Oiselle, Black Female in America, linked below.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Angel:

Instagram: @angelp_1010

Black Female in America: Part 1 | Part 2

Learn more about Oiselle: https://www.oiselle.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I met Grace Plassche exiting the 50th NYC Marathon finish line, where she was beaming with that first-time marathon finisher glow and had just rocked an AMAZING 3:28 debut marathon!

Grace ran in honor of her Grandmother—who passed from Cancer in 2019—and had her initials on her sneakers and could feel her out there on the course when things got really hard. Running and fundraising for the American Cancer Society made things even more meaningful.

Grace comes from a super close-knit, supportive family and is grounded in gratitude. She's an aspiring doctor/surgeon and I'm excited to follow her amazing journey.

We discuss: 

-Youth activities: dance, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, travel LAX in middle school, being coached by her dad, bonding moments, finding a passion

-Receiving a scholarship to Brown University for D1 Lacrosse, invaluable learnings, team bonds, workload, time management, overcoming obstacles, leadership, finding her voice, becoming a team captain during her senior year

-Mentors: From Pro-Activity PT & Gym, Eric Eisenhart and Chris Gahagan; Kristen Prendergast, "one of my greatest role models as an amazing marathoner, doctor, and mom of three;" Dr. Ira Kirschenbaum, who "helped me realize the magnitude of my passion for medicine and set in motion the path I am on now"

-Being part of a strong team in both sports and medicine

-A full breakdown of her race and the incredible on course support she received from family & friends (who were EVERYWHERE)

-Her career path and community service

I'm so excited to share Grace's inspiring first-time marathoners journey and I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Grace:

Instagram: @grace_plassche

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

"Breaking 3:00 wasn't just about one race. It was about the nine years of marathoning and overcoming injury, the thirteen years without running and racing, and the hope tucked away in 1999 when I was just a girl who thought 'someday.'" -Hidi Gaff

When Hidi hit the 26-mile mark at Grandma's, she saw the clock and had 1:26 left to break sub-3! This mom of six had to dig deep, channel every ounce of grit, and turn on the jets to get across the line in 2:59:52 and make her sub-3 dream come true!

Hidi has overcome many obstacles along the way.

Back surgery.

Knee surgery to remove a tumor.

A divorce from her 1st husband who was cheating on her—who left her with 4 kids in diapers and newly relocated to Fort Wayne, In.

She had no degree, job, money, vehicle, or even a driver's license.

Working with her therapist, Hidi wrote down a list of where she saw herself in 5 years, what she wanted for herself & children, mapped out every step needed to achieve those goals, and set out to do the work.

5 years later, she had achieved everything on it. And a big part of that was coming back to running, connecting with runners in her new community.

Finding her tribe.

Meeting her new husband and having two more children.

We discuss: key coaches/mentors: Highschool/college running; her favorite coach, Diane Philipp; favorite race moments; her progression; mantras; darkest moment; her Grandma’s breakthrough; becoming part of Three Rivers Racing Elite Team; community service; & so much more!

It was beautiful to hear the raw emotion in Hidi's voice describing her race! How it was slowly slipping away and how she had to channel the dark side and think about how she would feel if she missed by a few seconds or a minute. So INSPIRING!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Hidi:

Instagram: @hidigaff

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

It was so much FUN sitting down for a chat with The Marathon Marcus, Marcus Brown. Marcus is truly one of the good guys in the running community and he embodies all that is good in our sport!

Our chat covered a lot of ground, including: how he started his inspiring running journey from being a 4:55 marathoner, to knocking on the door of sub-3. How he’s built a powerful, deeply engaged community and platform through social media. His use of a Performance Coach, Duncan Foster (who can be found on IG @dsfcoaching or his website https://www.dsfcoaching.com/), mental strategies, mantras, our man David Goggins, and some funny running stories.

Please take a listen and share Marcus’s inspiring story!

If you’re moved like I was, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Marcus:

Instagram: @themarathonmarcus

Facebook: https://fb.me/marathon.marcus

Website: https://marathonmarcus.com/

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com/

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com/

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2019 Ron Romano

This episode is for anyone running the 128th Boston Marathon and everyone who has it on their long-term radar. Coach Brendon O'Leary of O'Leary Racing Team joined me on an IG live and we took a deep dive into all things Boston. Race logistics, the Expo, weekend activities, shakeouts, fueling, and, of course, we dug in on course strategy and how best to approach the hills!

We're coming at you with a wealth of experience - Brendon has run Boston 6X’s with a course PR of 2:29, and I've run 10X's and have a 2:41 course PR.

Brendon's mile-by-mile Boston Marathon Course Breakdown is one of the best I've read and is linked here: https://olearyracing.com/ort-blog/f/boston-marathon-mile-by-mile-course-breakdown

Good luck to everyone on Marathon Monday!

Please join us at the ORT Shakeout on Sunday (4/14/2024) at 8:30am on the corner of Newbury St/Exeter St outside of the Nike store.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Brendon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olearyracingteam

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

Allison Cleaver is a pediatric nurse by day, momma to a 6-month-old baby girl, Molly, and an elite runner. It's certainly a lot to juggle. She's still figuring out the stroller miles, is working hard to rebuild her body, and is giving herself grace. She is fiery, feisty, & fast!

At 32, Allison has already put together an amazing running resume; she's run the past 2 Olympic Trials marathons (2:36 PR at CIM), won the Indy Monumental 1/2 marathon (1:12:47, a 5:33 pace) & even bigger things lie ahead!

Someone with those creds usually had a prodigious high school career, was highly recruited to a top university, and hit the pro circuit...

...but what makes Allison's story so inspiring is that she didn't start running until 16.

In her youth, she tagged alongside Dad on her bike on his 2 mile loop and ran it for the first time in 3rd grade. They bonded, she enjoyed the feeling it gave her, started running track at 16, and never looked back. She ran 2 years of high school and then Mom calls coach Steve Sisson on his 2nd day on the job at the University of Texas to ask what it takes to run there. He tells Mom he'll keep an eye out, watches Allison run, likes her fire, and tells her he believes in her and wants her on the team. From a dream to run at UT to making it as a walk-on against all odds! They formed a strong, 9 year partnership and he became a key mentor.

"Steve was awesome and his energy helped me propel to the athlete I am today."

After moving to Houston in 2016 for nursing school before coming back HOME to Austin, Allison met and began working with another great coach, Steve Magness and they're accomplishing great things together today.

Some of the topics we cover include: mom life, pediatric nursing & trying to make a difference, coaching mentors (Toby Howell in high school, Steve Sisson at UT, Steve Magness post-collegiate), coaching styles, where the grit comes from (Grandpa Mendez, who ran in 1980 Boston Marathon), her intro to running with Dad, running in 2 Olympic Trials marathons, her experiences in LA & ATL, the big family presence cheering for her in ATL, the ATX running community, running for herself without sponsor pressure, rebuilding from the ground up, how the Tokyo Olympics re-lit her fire to get after even FASTER times and qualify for another Olympic Trials in the marathon.

I'm so excited to follow Allison's INSPIRING journey to another Olympic Trials marathon qualifier and to becoming the fastest version of herself. I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Allison:

Instagram: @aminicleaver

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to share this inspiring convo with badass mom and Maternal Mental Health Warrior, Kristen Garzone. After battling postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter Ellie, Kristen got involved in 2018 with the local chapter of Every Mother Counts and started Run To Believe and the KNT Foundation to honor her friend Kristin Nicole Thorsen, who lost her battle with PPD, to raise awareness and money for moms experiencing hardship through the prenatal and postpartum period.

Kristen was a 4-sport athlete growing up and played D3 soccer and LAX despite never playing before college! Though she took great pride in being an athlete and an integral part of her teams, she had struggled with anxiety and depression since her teenage years. In her words:

"I don't feel as if I was born with natural skill or talent; never the most gifted athlete and living with mental illness (that I hid and was ashamed of) made me feel as if I was an outsider—never capable of any good—but I've always prided myself on the simple fact that no one ever worked as hard as I did."

Kristen was feeling empowered having competed her 1st 50-Miler with a friend in November at the JFK 50 Mile. Her running is a great outlet for stress and anxiety and she’s using it both personally and within her community to help others and raise money.

I'm inspired by her story and hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did. If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kristen:

Instagram: @mellank

Twitter: @mellank

Kristen’s Oiselle Article on Post Partum Depression: https://www.oiselle.com/blogs/oiselle-blog/fierce-flyer-kristen-on-postpartum-depression

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I feel doubly blessed to have had the chance to sit and talk all things running with Andi & Zach Ripley from the awesome AtoZrunning Podcast.

We don’t title our episodes, but if we did, this surely would be A to Z, because we truly covered it from end to end in a fun point-counterpoint style. And thanks to Zoom, we got to hang in each other’s living rooms (and they even got to meet Princess Coco!)

We dialed it all the way back to where they got started:

How Andi was on fire for running as soon as she was upright and how she enjoyed beating anyone on the playground in races—including the boys—and owned the Middle School’s Mile record.

How Zach flirted with soccer in high school before coming to his senses and qualifying for States in Cross Country and becoming a top runner in college (while earning major bonus points with me for running steeple!)

We also talked about what feeds and fuels️ their competitive drive and their experiences running in the last two Olympic Trials—Zach in LA in 2016 and Andi in ATL in 2020.

We chatted about Andi’s build for Chicago, how she ran and rehabbed through 2 hip labrum tears, and her unique race strategy that worked so well in the Windy City and helped punch her ticket to the historic race in Atlanta!

They are super talented runners, terrific coaches, amazing content creators, and Mom & Dad to two young, beautiful boys, DJ & Miles.

I hope you enjoy this convo as much as we did! If you do, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Andi & Zach:

AtoZrunning on Instagram: @atozrunning

Andi on Instagram: @andiripley

Zach on Twitter: @zripley

Website: https://www.atozrunning.com/

Podcast: https://www.atozrunning.com/podcast/

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com/

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com/

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Meet Teddy Levarda, Licensed Acupuncturist at Morningside Acupuncture M.S., L.A., Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM)

Teddy joined me for a FUN and informative IG Live RunChat, where we discussed the value of utilizing dry needling, acupuncture to treat chronic pain, running, and sports injuries.

Teddy & Morningside are well known in the NYC running community for helping runners work through and solve challenging injuries and keeping us out there pursuing our big goals and dreams.

We discussed and learned Teddy & Morningside's origin story, the most common types of running injuries acupuncture and dry needling can address, how Teddy has personally helped me through a bout of ITB Syndrome, and other various ailments over the past two years.

This is the second of my Summer Series RunChats with running practitioners focused on keeping runners healthy and on the roads! Hope you all enjoy the listen!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Teddy & Morningside Acupuncture:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningsideacupuncturenyc

Website: https://www.morningsideacupuncturenyc.com

All Other Links: https://linktr.ee/morningsideacupuncturenyc

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Allan Dias, former real-life rock star, bass guitarist, and songwriter for Public Image Ltd (PiL). After twenty years of touring, the performing, partying lifestyle had taken a big toll on him—and he finally stepped away for health reasons.

He came back stateside, walked into a bike shop, bought a bike, started riding again, and reconnected with his love of motion. That inexplicable feeling when propelling yourself forward through space and time. After entering a trail duathlon, he fell back in love with running after a twenty-year break.

That began an incredible endurance athletics journey for Allan, immersing himself deeply into the rituals of training and mindset and focusing on pursuing his absolute best.

Allan has freakish running range: he ran a 68-second 400M to place 3rd at Masters Nationals in March 2022 and ran 3:54:06 at Baystate Marathon—a 25-minute BQ at age 71, on 10/16/22.

We took a deep dive into how qualifying for Boston meant so much and how he tapped into that in his training and on race day to make that dream come true. We also cover how grateful and blessed he feels to still be out there competing—running to inspire and giving back to the endurance sports community that has given him so much.

Allan has also competed at the highest levels in cyclocross, mountain biking, road cycling, and once ran 65 miles on his 65th birthday.

I'm absolutely blessed to call Allan a friend and supportive CPTC teammate. I'm so grateful to him for coming on and sharing wisdom from his inspiring journey.

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Allan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allandia

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

Roberta Groner is a 2:29 marathoner, full-time nurse, and mother of three teenage boys. And if that wasn't already enough to juggle, she recently became the road coach of my club team, Central Park Track Club.

Roberta is a fiery competitor who runs with heart and pure grit. The tougher the conditions, the better she performs. On 9/27 in the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where real-feel temps were 105, she finished 6th overall, and was TOP American! Only 34 days later, Roberta came back and scorched a 2:30:12 in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon, where she was 13th overall, and 4th American.

The big themes:

-Staying curious—pushing her limits to find the fastest version of herself

-Being fearless—taking risks, accepting the chance to rep the USA at World's in Doha despite knowing she would also be running NYC 34 days later

-Community—giving back, sharing her journey to inspire her boys & others

-Bringing awareness to autism and Soles4Souls

-Tapping into the big energy from her running community

-Paying it forward—coaching

-Imposter syndrome, her favorite races, milestone moments, and personal growth along the journey.

On her decision to race World's and NYC 34 days apart:

"Being invited to a World's team and putting on your country's colors, who gets to do that? I wanted my boys to see that anything is possible if you work hard, be consistent, and don't give up. Sometimes we have to make a decision on something and I chose it without questioning it. Being fearless and taking a risk and having an opportunity and doing it. Sometimes you just have to say yes, and look what happened."

Roberta Groner may have set out on her running journey to inspire her boys, but has accumulated an army of fans and is so easy to root for!

I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Roberta:

Instagram: @bad_boys104

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano

In this bonus episode, I was honored to be interviewed by Lorna Campbell, Head of Communications for Abbott World Marathon Majors for her series, In Conversation with... Six-Star Finishers from around the Globe.

We chatted about how I prepared to tackle all 6 Majors in 2019, how fortunate I was to be one of 7 in the world to accomplish this goal, and how blessed I was to remain so consistent, averaging 3:15 per race.

We also talked about what makes the Six-Star quest so special and some of the charitable endeavors I’ve focused on during COVID-19.

Lorna rocks and has the best Scottish accent. I hope you’ll pop over to the Abbott World Marathon Majors Facebook page to see the Zoom interview, too!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Learn more about Abbott World Majors:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wmmajors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wmmajors

Website: https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I'm PROUD to sit down this week for a deep dive discussion with Coffey, aka @thatcoffeyboy. Coffey is a husband, father, actor, filmmaker, Nike pacer/coach, and the founder of Define New York Run Club. Coffey is the epitome of cool and is well-known in the NYC running scene.

After taking part in a late night protest on a Friday, he ran a solo, unplanned marathon on Saturday in deep thought, struggling with what he could do, from his side, to help educate people. He came up with an idea to get people engaged and get a dialogue going, created a flyer, and launched Running To Protest. Calling All Run Crews-All Crews One Crew. There are many different ways to protest. Ours is to RUN. He put the word out on social and thought 40-60 people would show. Spoiler alert — around 800 people came out!

Some of the topics we discussed:

-Growing up in rural Aurora, NC

-Sports — from hoops, to how Coffey found his love for running

-RunningToProtest & finding his purpose

-Systemic racism, Black Lives Matter, & getting justice for victims

-Representation

-Keeping the conversation going

-And his short film, About the People

Coffey’s big filmmaking project has been a much acclaimed short film About the People which hosts an extremely powerful, candid conversation about social justice and the inequalities by black men at the hands of police brutality. Coffey was the co-writer, co-producer, casting director, acted in the film, and was inspired to write it after discussions about the topic with his 17 year old son.

This is a moving, POWERFUL conversation, and I’m so grateful for Coffey’s candor on all that we covered!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Coffey:

Instagram: @thatcoffeyboy

Follow Define New York Run Club: @definenewyorkrunclub

More on About The People: @aboutthepeoplefilm & https://aboutthepeoplefilm.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

At Ironman Coeur D'Alene, on a brutal day with temps over 100 degrees that caused an attrition rate of 27%, Jennifer Vollmann battled the elements, dug deep, executed her race plan brilliantly, and made her Kona dream come true! Can you say GRIT?!

And to do it in front of her cheering 6-year-old daughter, stepdaughter, and partner was truly amazing. 

Jennifer felt she had lost a lot of who she was after leaving her job as CEO of an education nonprofit to stay home with her daughter. She loved being a mom, but didn't know who she was anymore. 

"Triathlons gave me a place to put my energy and rediscover who I was. I am not kidding when I say it changed my life. I am a different person because of it. I am a better mom, friend, partner, person because of it. It is a defining part of my life and through it I have discovered so much about myself that I didn't know—my resilience, endurance, ability to push through pain to see what is on the other side."

Jennifer connected with her coach and mentor, Marilyn Chychota, four years ago while doing CrossFit and lifting and Marilyn suggested giving TRI a shot. Jennifer was hooked, found her passion, and in four short years has gone from a TRI newbie to qualifying for KONA. Talk about INSPIRING!

Today Jennifer also coaches athletes, helping them define and meet their goals and discover the athlete they know lives inside.

On Jennifer's WHY...

"She knows how hard I train, knows it's my dream, knows what a big deal it is, and for her to see me do it, it's really powerful. Powerful for her because she is so proud of me and got to see that my dreams came true with so much hard work and with time and tears and sweat and she saw that come together and I can't think of a better experience to have with your child than experiencing that with you."

There is SO much inspiration in this one and I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Jennifer:

Instagram: @jennifervollmann

Website & Coaching: https://findingendurance.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

At 3PM Sunday, most running the 125th Boston Marathon were getting ready for a carb-loading dinner and sorting through their pre-race anxiety and rituals.

Stephen England, a type one diabetic, had far bigger aspirations in mind, and had just set out to run 100 miles to commemorate the development of insulin 100 years ago! (Hello, Quad Boston!)

Stephen is an accomplished distance runner, having completed the Western States 100, Tor des Géants, and the Cocodona 250, but what would make this infinitely more challenging; he would have to run 4xBoston unsupported—with no crew and no aid stations open except for during the 4th marathon.

We discuss: highs & lows, funny moments, unexpected meetups with cyclists riding the course through the night, run-ins with Boston's finest using a vending machine at 2am, a late night pizza and snacks delivery from friend Mike Saleh, who also ran Boston in morning, meeting another Quad runner, Henry Ward, on his 5th in a row, fueling at CVS and Dunkin Donuts, and sharing miles with two women (one 14-weeks postpartum) and NYC friend and Sherpa, Terrence, on the final leg of the hugely INSPIRING Quad Journey.

We closed the convo on 'what is you why?' It's powerful stuff. Stephen's why: To inspire and empower Type 1's that there are no limits.

What an accomplishment! Give Stephen a follow for more INSPO and look for him pacing the 3:30 group at the 50th NYC Marathon.

I hope you all enjoy this convo as much as we did!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Stephen:

Instagram: @rundiabetes

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to share bad ass mom Michelle Baxter’s aka @therunnersplate inspiring story!

Michelle fell in love with running all the way back in the 1st grade and it's played an important role in her life ever since. Michelle is a mom of two young boys, Cullen (age 6) and Bjorn (age 15 months), and lives and trains in Anchorage, AK (so no more complaining about harsh-weather running, peeps). Just 9 months after having Cullen, she WON the RunFest Marathon in Anchorage!

Michelle started a blog, The Runner’s Plate, 10 years ago and it's help her forge connections all over the world. Those connections have helped keep her going, to start coaching athletes who follow her, and keep the fire stoked for her chasing down her sub-3 marathon dream.

Directly from Michelle: "Some may say my current marathon PR of 3:02 (6:57 pace) is close enough, but I can’t let go of this goal that keeps inspiring me every day to get out there and train. I know it takes the daily grind of workouts, two-a-days, strength sessions, etc. to get me to my goal, so I’ll keep working toward it until I’m satisfied."

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Michelle:

Instagram: @therunnersplate

Website/Blog: http://www.therunnersplate.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: @_margittai

© 2021 Ron Romano