Buffalo Marathon

The Buffalo Marathon is one of the most welcoming races on the late-spring calendar, and nobody knows the course better than the man who designs it. In this episode, Steve Gonser of RunSmart, sits down with Buffalo Marathon Course Director Al Longo for a complete walkthrough of race weekend — from what to expect when you wake up Sunday morning, to every mile of the course, to where to find your pe...

In this interview, we explore the journey of a passionate runner and entrepreneur, Kelsey Gratien, who, with her husband Pete, transformed their love for track and field into a thriving community-focused business. From her early days in soccer to founding Snyder Track and Field, discover insights on youth sports development, community building, and balancing a full-time career with entrepreneurial...

Bill Armstrong, co-founder of Neversecond and the official on-course fueling sponsor of the Buffalo Marathon, joins the show to break down one of the biggest shifts happening in endurance sports today… fueling. For years, runners were told to take in 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour. That’s changed. In a big way. In this episode, Steve Gonser sits down with Bill to unpack what’s driving the move t...

What does it actually look like to train for your first half marathon when you're balancing real life, busy schedules, and zero prior experience at that distance? In this episode, we sit down with Kelsey Anderson and Chelsea Lovell from WIVB-TV as they prepare for their first 13.1. This is not a polished “runner story.” It’s the real version. How they got started, what pushed them to commit, w...

A 2X Buffalo Half Marathon champion and course record holder Elle Orie joins the show after running a 2:30 marathon while in medical school, a rare combination of elite performance and academic demand. In this episode, Steve Gonser sits down with Elle to unpack her path from a multi-sport athlete in Orchard Park, New York to Cornell distance runner, Colorado steeplechaser, and emerging elite marat...

Joe Whelan’s path to 2:09 was not linear. From breaking his kneecap in college to battling recurring stress fractures, he spent years navigating setbacks, under-recovery, and training imbalances. After stepping away from the sport and later returning through self-coached marathon builds, Whelan steadily rebuilt his engine—learning how fueling, sleep, controlled volume progression, and smarter inte...

In this episode, we sit down with registered sports dietitian Shannon Wilson to break down the most common fueling mistakes runners make—starting with chronic underfueling. Together, they outline practical ways runners can match intake to training load, recognize red flags of low energy availability, and shift away from weight-loss goals during a marathon build to reduce injury risk and protect pe...

In this episode of the Buffalo Marathon Podcast, host Steve discusses the intricacies of running shoes with John Sentz from Runner's Roost. They delve into John's extensive history with running, the evolution of running shoes, and the importance of finding the right fit. The conversation covers various aspects of shoe mechanics, including pronation, cushioning, and the significance of rota...

In this episode of the Buffalo Marathon podcast, host Steve Gonser, a physical therapist and running coach, discusses essential training principles for runners preparing for the Buffalo Marathon. He emphasizes the importance of injury prevention, consistent training, and a structured plan that accommodates individual fitness levels. The conversation covers training timelines, the significance of n...