Athletics Ontario Running Podcast

We told you he would be back! Recapping his running journey in Part One (check out last week's episode), this week, Leo Vitelli puts his personal trainer and run coach hats on to answer pressing questions for anyone engaging in running and fitness goals in 2025. From 5k to the ultramararthon distance (he and host John Shep are both training for Sinister Sports' SOO 200-mile ultramarathon in 2025!)...

Every runner has a unique journey to lacing up their shoes - Leo Vitelli certainly fits that bill. From living out of his car and suffering from severe mental health challenges to embracing life, adventure, fitness and running, leading him to successfully complete the 2024 Divide 200-mile race, the former professional gamer (we said he was unique!) shares the insights and learnings from his journe...

Coaches change lives. Allison Forsyth of Generation Safe joins John Shep on the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to discuss how coaches can positively influence change and build community in their athletes and teams, from the everyday to high performance. Her passion and charisma for coaching speak volumes as we dive into how to keep coaches and athletes safe in sport. Find out all about Allison...

Brendan Carpenter started his running journey by losing 160lbs and ever since, has been an inspiration to runners of all bodies. Today, he is a run coach and run club lead, bringing that joy of running to others. He joins us on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to spread the new year's enthusiasm and joy for running! Find out all about Brendan at:  https://www.instagram....

Our first Athletics Ontario Running Podcast episode of 2025 is a great one with Marathon2Sobriety and Sober Striders Run Club founder Luc Zoratto, who is an avid runner and alcohol-free life coach. His journey is an inspiring one and this conversation is full of honesty, community, and love of life and running. For any runner who drinks, doesn't drink or who is sober curious, this conversation is...

We wrap up our gift giving season with a gift that you can give yourself: race registrations! Sinister Sports is starting a 200 Mile Race in Ontario for 2025: the SOO 200. They are bringing their 15 year racing expertise to a wonderful part of our province - and our host John Shep speaks to Kirsti Dolson and Kevin Duriaux of the Sinister Sports team about whether he should spend his holiday pennie...

Snowshoes are not scary! We start to wrap up (see the pun there!) our gift giving season with Derrick Spafford of Spafford Health and Adventure and the Dion Snowshoe Racing Series. He gives host John Shep recommendations for snowshoes, trail running gear and headlamps, along with sharing his trail and running adventures (including running along the Yukon Territory) on this week's episode of the At...

What is a Backyard Ultra? We get the explanation on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast from a panel of experts: Stephen Parker, author of There is No Finish: The Backyard Ultra Story, Persistence Racing's Neil McKay and 2024 Backyard Ultra World Championship competitor Justin Wright! Listen to stories about this amazing oddity of a running event, including the appearance...

BlackToe Running is a fixture in the Ontario and Toronto running communities. Mike Anderson is a Co-founder of BlackToe Running Inc. and the BlackToe Holiday 10k. We get his insights on great gifts for runners (and for our host John Shep, specifically!), along with this weekend's BlackToe Holiday 10k, a great event supporting great runners and a great cause: Centre 55 Toronto. Connect with BlackTo...

Atiqa Mohammad is part of the Movember Canada team in the role of Program Manager, Personalised Cancer Care. She always does Move for Movember and this year is running 100km throughout the month. Host John Shep speaks with Atiqa about why men's mental and physical health is not just a problem for men. How can all genders support Movember throughout the year? Connect with Atiqa on IG at:  https://w...

Tyler Shaw is a Canadian musician taking on the 60km Movember running challenge to raise awareness for men's Mental Health. A self-professed newbie runner, Tyler speaks with host John Shep about how he'll accomplish this challenge amidst fatherhood and a busy Christmas music tour! Mental Health matters, so Tyler is up for the challenge. Connect with Tyler on IG at:  https://www.instagram.com/tyler...

Men talking about their feelings, talking about mental health, talking about running - men talking about Movember! In collaboration with Movember Canada, Kalil Magtoto joins host John Shep on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. This is Kalil's story about the power of running to promote connection between athletes, connection with our own feelings, and connection with the...

Justin Wright competed in the 2024 Backyard Ultra World Championships, facing off against countries all across the world. He joins us on this episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to detail his unlikely journey to running 240 miles in Moab and running the same loop for nearly 2 days (over and over and over and over!). Connect with Justin on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/justin_wright...

Rachel Hannah was the third fastest Canadian woman at the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The Elite Marathoner, Registered Dietitian and Sport Nutritionist shares her ten year journey through highs, lows with RED-S, stumbles and incredible learnings on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. Connect with Rachel on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/rachelhannahrd/ Find ou...

35 years of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and we are joined by Virginia Lee, who is the only woman to have run every Toronto Waterfront Marathon, including this past weekend! Virginia speaks on this week's episode of the AO Running Podcast, spreading her enthusiasm and inspiration for representation of women and asian women specifically in the running community. This year she is running for a ca...

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon celebrates its 35th anniversary this year - only 15 years shy of The 519, Canada's largest LGBTQAI+ community centre, which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary! On this week's edition of the AO Running Podcast, we meet Tom Spence, the Vice-Chair on the Board of Directors for the 519, who will be running his first half marathon at this weekend's TCS Toronto Wa...

It's the most wonderful time of the year: TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon time! We at the AO Running Podcast are celebrating all things TWM with a series of interviews leading into and following the event. For our first conversation, host John Shep meets Marcus Smith and his mom Alicia Smith, Executive Director from Dyslexia Canada, who will be participating in the half marathon this year to raise...

The Ontario Triple Crown of 100s: Sulphur Springs Trail Race, Tally in the Valley by Happy Trails Racing, Haliburton Forest 100. These are Ontario, Canada's three 100 milers and our host, John Shep, speaks to fellow Ontario Triple Crown finisher (and reigning champion!) Trevor Dale about taking on the challenge to complete them all in one calendar year. Who will take on the challenge in 2025?!?!?...

The Bruce Trail has an aura unmatched in Ontario running. On this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast, we bring on the expert, Nicola Ross, author of 40 Days, 40 Hikes, to give us the goods about the magic of the Bruce Trail and why sandals are her perfect hiking shoe! Find out more about Nicola Ross at: https://www.instagram.com/loopsandlattes1 Register to be an Athletics Onta...

CBC TV Personality David Carroll gives us one of the funniest and most engaging conversations ever on the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. Starting with his book Ultra, host John Shep and the ultrarunning author David reflect on the universal magic of good people and the lasting connections we make on the roads and trails. Find out more about David Carroll at: https://www.instagram.com/ultradavi...

Terry Fox is a Canadian Icon. His Marathon of Hope has inspiried millions and raised millions more for cancer research. Barbara Adhiya is shining a new light on the Terry Fox story with her book Hope by Terry Fox, comprised of interviews and Terry Fox's own journals. We dive into some of those stories in this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. Find out more about Barbara Adhi...

It is back to school season and what better way to celebrate than with books! It is the 10th anniversary of Girl Runner , a fantastic story about the 1928 Canadian Olympic team. Host John Shep is joined by author Carrie Snyder to explore the history of female empowerment in running and how the book's Olympic dreams speak to runners of all abilities. Find out more about Carrie Snyder at: https://ca...

Returning guest Molly Hurford took on the Leadville 100 Trail Race this August - and it did not go as planned! Listen to see how it turned out, how she still maintains a positive attitude through the clouds and silver linings and everything she learned in the process. Host John Shep and Molly talk about all the feelings that athletes have when they cannot exercise and how to navigate through those...

The Scarborough 5K is the epitome of a community race that is for the community, by the community. And as a result, it reflects the community. Learn from Melanie Murzeau of Black Runners of the GTA about how the 2024 edition of the Scarborough 5K brings the identity, the inclusion, the community, and of course, the fun vibes galore!! Find out more about the Scarborough 5K at: https://www.instagram...

Steve Fleck, endurance sport guru, joins the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to give a state of the union about the worlds of athletics and running. We dive into the stories from throughout 2024, including a great Olympic Games for Canada in Paris, and what the running world has in store for 2025 and beyond. Find out more about Steve Fleck at: https://www.instagram.com/steve.fleck/ Register to b...