The Runaround Podcast

In the second part of this conversation with Coach Paul Vandersteen, he dives into his current endeavors as a coach. He shares the differences between coaching collegiate/adult athletes and coaching high schoolers, in addition to the surprising things both groups have in common. He also informs about ways for any athlete to be successful in and beyond high school. This is an extremely informative...

This is the first episode of a two-part conversation with Coach Paul Vandersteen. He has so much to share about what separates the good athletes from the great ones and how to foster a positive, committed culture within a team. This is a must-listen for high school and college athletes looking to excel in their sport. Coach Vandersteen has been coaching runners for 36 years. Most well known for hi...

Daniel McArthur is competing at the Track & Field Olympic Trials starting tomorrow, June 21st! He was a collegiate thrower at the University of North Carolina, where he became a 5-Time All-American, 4-Time ACC Champion, the indoor & outdoor North Carolina School Shot Put Record Holder, the ACC Indoor Championship Meet Record Holder, and earned the #7 All-Time mark ever thrown in the NCAA....

My grandfather has been running since he was a freshman in high school and has continued to find joy in the sport into his seventies. I sit down with him to hear about his journey in running: from high school, to college, to coaching. His advice on longevity in athletics is beneficial for every athlete. He taught me so much of what I know about running, and I am so excited to share this episode wi...

I had the amazing opportunity to conduct an interview with professional runner, Dani Jones, during an event with New Balance at Naperville Running Company. This is the live recording of that interview.  Dani became a pro runner in 2020 for New Balance. She is a member of the Colorado training group, Team Boss, which is coached by Joe Bosshard. She also ran at the University of Colorado, where she...

Kelsey O'Connor shares her experiences in playing softball, getting recruited to compete in college, and dealing with injuries throughout her career. Kelsey shines a light on the less glamorous parts of high-level competition and how she learned to live a fulfilling life outside of softball. She also shares what it was like to give North Carolina State's commencement speech in 2023 and w...

Jimmy Choi shares his journey from being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at 27 years old to being an American Ninja Warrior Competitor, ultramarathoner, and Guinness World Record Holder. Jimmy dives into how fitness changed the trajectory of his life and why pursuing things that scare him has led to the greatest results. 

Current collegiate runner and former Neuqua Valley athlete, Jessie Bailey, shares her journey from competitive dancer to elite runner. Jessie walks through her extremely successful senior year of high school and her experiences while running in college. This is a longer episode, but Jessie shares such important insight into how she has grown her mindset and learned to deal with high-pressure momen...

I have a conversation with two of my best friends and media classmates, Lauren and Mridula. We discuss how sports have shaped our childhood, how we fell in love with making stories through video, and what our favorite memories with each other are. In this fun, lighthearted episode we share many laughs and stories about high school so far. 

I sit down with one of Illinois' best high school basketball players, Drew Beutel to discuss his time competing over the past twelve years. He shares the intricacies of wheelchair basketball and his plans for the future, including pursuing a professional career in the sport. 

I talk to my former all-state teammate, Carissa Hamilton, about her successful high school running career and her goals for competing in college. As a person who has overcome many injuries, Carissa shares her insights about how to persevere through obstacles that come up, not just in your athletic career, but also in life. 

In this introductory episode, I share the goals of The Runaround Podcast and what you can expect in each episode! I want to help share my guests' stories through exciting conversations and, in turn, provide motivation for you in your own endeavors.  My friend, Katie Chapman,  and I discuss the ins and outs of our high school athletics experiences, our plans for the future, and our tips for ha...