Back of the Pack Podcast

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we take you behind the scenes and onto the course of the celebrated Rock the Parkway Half Marathon weekend! Join us as we recount our adventures at the bustling expo where we connected with fellow runners at our podcast table, and then follow along for our comprehensive review of this iconic Kansas City race - from the rolling hills to the fantastic crowd...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we dive into the mental battlefield of endurance running after surviving the brutal El Dorado Half Marathon in Kansas. Join us as we recount our harrowing experience battling the unholy trinity of running conditions: 40-degree temperatures, punishing 50mph winds, and relentless rain that left us questioning our life choices by mile nine. After breaking do...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of virtual races and challenges, inspired by a listener request! We explore how these accessible alternatives to traditional racing evolved from niche events into a global phenomenon during the pandemic, and why they've maintained their popularity even as in-person events return. From single-day virtual 5Ks to year-long...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we tackle the highs and lows (quite literally) of the Liberty Half Marathon in Missouri, sharing our unfiltered experience with those notorious hills that tested every runner's resolve. From course highlights to post-race celebrations, we give you the complete rundown of this challenging event. Then, inspired by some race day struggles, we dive into a pow...

This week, The Back of the Pack Podcast brings you the colorful world of Andrew, better known throughout Kansas City as the KC Cosplay Runner. From 5Ks to half marathons, Andrew transforms the race course into his personal runway, sporting a different themed costume and curated playlist for every event. Discover how this unique approach to running began, how Andrew crafts his elaborate outfits, an...

The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind dives into the legendary Barkley Marathons this week, an ultramarathon so brutal it's been dubbed "The Race That Eats Its Young." Join us as we explore this mysterious 100+ mile event through Tennessee's unforgiving Frozen Head State Park, where runners navigate by compass through briar-filled terrain with 65,000 feet of elevation change. Discover the ecce...

Join us for a special anniversary episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast as we celebrate three years of running adventures! Host Kyle recaps the festive Westport St. Patrick's Day 4 Mile race while expressing heartfelt gratitude to the friends from "The Happy Pace Podcast" who traveled from St. Louis to join the celebration. This milestone episode offers a nostalgic look back at the podcast's hum...

Join Kyle on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind as he finally unpacks his unforgettable Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas weekend from February. From touchdown in Sin City on his birthday to crossing two finish lines over two days, Kyle delivers an unfiltered account of what happens when birthday festivities collide with racing ambitions. Experience the thrill and challenges of Vegas's iconic nightti...

Join Kyle on this poignant episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast as he unpacks the bittersweet second annual B.E.A.R.D. Run 10K – a race created to honor local running legend Scott Green's 300th career race while battling terminal cancer. What began as a powerful community celebration with 500+ runners last year dwindled to just 156 participants this year, raising difficult questions about how w...

Join us for an episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast that tackles a surprisingly common runner's nemesis – dogs on the chase! Host Kyle dives into "When Good Runs Go Ruff," inspired by a listener's harrowing experiences with canine pursuers during her training runs. This entertaining yet practical episode unpacks why dogs chase runners in the first place and equips you with a complete survival g...

Join us for an immersive recap of the 2025 "La Petite Roche" Marathon weekend as The Back of the Pack Podcast takes you behind the scenes of Little Rock's Mardi Gras-themed race extravaganza! Host Kyle pulls back the curtain on his double-race challenge – conquering both the 5K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday – while also sharing the excitement of connecting with runners at the two-day...

Join Kyle on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind as he lives up to the show's unofficial motto: "I make the mistakes, so you don't have to." In this eye-opening episode, Kyle candidly shares his Las Vegas birthday blunder when celebrating turning 45 coincided with the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas 5K. Follow his perfect storm of pre-race errors – from early morning travel and desert dehydration to...

Join us for an enlightening episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast where we welcome back our beloved guest host and award-winning podcaster, Karin Velez from the Just Grow Something Podcast. While Kyle continues his Las Vegas running adventure, Karin takes the reins to demystify the science behind VO2Max - a topic our listeners have been eager to understand. Known for her exceptional ability to b...

Join us for an illuminating journey through Las Vegas's unexpected running paradise on this week's episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind. Beyond the dazzling casino lights and entertainment shows, we explore the vibrant running community that calls the desert city home. From the iconic Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon that shuts down the famous Strip at night to the challenging trai...

Buckle up for a triple-header of race reviews that's more action-packed than a Presidents Day mattress sale! Join host Kyle as he burrows underground for the Groundhog Run's Tunnel to Tunnel Challenge, sprints to the finish before the Super Bowl kickoff, and laments the mysterious case of the phantom ice storm that stole the Sweetheart Run. But wait, there's more! Kyle dives into the art of spotti...

Ever feel like one weekly dose of The Back of the Pack just isn't enough? Well, grab your recovery shoes because we're about to double your running podcast joy! Welcome to The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind - where we're breaking free from the race course to explore all the paths that make up a runner's life. In this debut episode, host Kyle unveils his vision for this Friday favorite-to-be...

This week, we're diving deep into the world of hills, hills, and... oh yeah, more hills! Join host Kyle as he chats with Michael Russel about the upcoming Liberty Half Marathon and William Jewell 5k - where 'flat' is apparently a four-letter word. From the pre-race expo to the post-race celebrations, Michael spills all the details about this Hy-Vee sponsored event that's doing more than just tortu...

Join host Kyle as he takes you on a wild southern road trip that somehow involved two races, one dolphin-themed medal, and enough BBQ stops to fuel a small army. From Kansas City to Gulf Shores, this episode chronicles the Big Beach Marathon Weekend where Kyle tackled both the Safari 7k and Half Marathon to claim the coveted Dolphin Challenge. Whether you're here for the race stories, the travel m...

She's BAAAACK! Our great friend Karin, from the Just Grow Something Podcast is back to drop her knowledge! This time she is going to talk to you about strength training. Now before your chicken butt runs off, Karin is going to make this so simple, even Kyle can understand! Now that's simple! So tune in while Karin breaks it all down for you. She will keep your running career going, we can promise...

Brrrr! Well that was cold! This past weekends Battle of the Bean 5k was sure an eye opener! Or an eye freezer depending on how you want to look at it! Most of the US is in the ice box right now, with more cold air on the way. Let's talk about cold weather running. I know, I know, but we have to cover it at least once a year. It's reverse psychology, because if we talk about it now, we won't need i...

Let's put the finishing bow on 2024. Here we will cover every race we did in the last year. Get a the speedy review on all the places we've been. The good, the bad, and the ugly! If here is anything you want to hear more about, reach out to the podcast! We'll get you covered. We finish out the year and get heading full speed into 2025! Don't forget our big push on Intagram! Give us a follow @backo...

Happy New Year! After a week off, we are back with our first episode of 2025! We already have one race under our belt, as we ran the Time Travel Half Marathon in Parkville, MO to start the New Year. We will tell you all about this race and get everything lined up for 2025. We had a great year in 2024, but this boat doesn't sail without your help! Enjoy the review, then hear all the ways you can he...

We are back from our trip to Mississippi. In three words, things went NOT AS EXPECTED. We will break down all the events of the weekend. We will wrap up 2024 with a little bow and send everyone into their Holiday season! Thank you for a great year with The Back of the Pack Podcast. We can't wait to continue on in 2025!

While Kyle is in Mississippi, we are being taken over this week by Gretchen and Elaine from The Happy Pace Podcast! The only podcast recorded while running! This week they are going to bring on a guest and talk about virtual racing, running on the treadmill, and more running knowledge from the other side of Missouri. The St. Louis Legends join us, so tune in and find YOUR Happy Pace!

It's a little more somber week for The Back of the Pack Podcast. We will discuss a great new race we did in Kansas City, KS that was unfortunately born out of tragedy. We will discuss how to try to create a triumph even in the most difficult of situations. It is not easy and it is not immediate. We will also honor our 2024 Rexy Maddox who has finished his battle with cancer while gaining his wings...