Run The Race

A week before Christmas now, a Columbus GA pastor is remembering (2:15) a special Christmas Eve service he led for many soldiers in Saudi Arabia amidst war in 1990 when it was, at least briefly a "Silent Night." The story will move you. He gets emotional talking about service members singing that song, in a Muslim country, as the Gulf War began. (9:05)This week's podcast guest, Pastor Bud Rupel, t...

After being a football star for Harris County High and the University of Georgia, Jordan Jenkins was drafted into the NFL almost a decade ago. (4:44) Fast forward to now, an injury forced him out of the sport and he's helping veterans in his hometown - after growing up being the son of an Army Sgt major. As the latest guest on our podcast, Jordan Jenkins talks about that charity effort...UGA footb...

You know the holiday classic Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Story" - with Scrooge at the center. A longtime evangelist and Columbus GA native has been playing that role for a decade now in "The Ebeneezer Experience." Pastor Joe Phillips took a break from the shows and sermons to join me on the podcast to also talk about using comedy to spread the Gospel...how his rough childhood and God whispers an...

A popular singer shares a lot about faith, his songs, and their current Grace & Glory Tour on our “Run The Race” podcast. Nationally known Contemporary Christian artist David Crowder aka CROWDER joined me via Zoom. He will be in concert this Sunday night 7pm at the Columbus (GA) Civic Center, along with more big names Zach Williams and Matt Maher on stage. They call it country grit...

This week’s podcast guest is the all-time leader in interceptions in arena football – 117 of them by the former player nicknamed “Night Hawk.” Columbus GA native Damian Daniels is now the head coach of the Columbus Lions, the same team he won 4 championships with! We talk on “Run the Race” about football, fitness, changes coming for his Lions, and more. (5:51) W...

It is now again the biggest marathon in the WORLD with more than 59,000 finishing the New York City Marathon this past Sunday! Wow. It was my first time running this race, my 40th marathon overall and in state #37. For this mega race recap, I got help from my college friend Michael Rodgers who just ran his 12th NYC Marathon and worked for almost a decade for the New York Road Runners that are in c...

I'm in the hot seat for this one, as I play for you Raven Fairbanks' interview of me on her "Raven In Real Life" lifestyle show/podcast. Before that...a quick recap of my first time running the ATH Half Marathon through Athens GA and the University of Georgia campus with my son, who's a senior at UGA. (6:25) This is a chance for you to get to know more about your "Run the Race" host. Raven asks me...

After a nearly 14 year Army career, being a leader most of that, this combat vet is leading in a new way - as an associate pastor and leadership coach in Columbus GA. We talk about what he learned in the Afghanistan War...why health concerns ended his time in the military...getting the call from God...what football taught him about being a leader...and co-hosting a podcast based in the Bible. (2:3...

He's taken on diabetes almost his entire life, and now this 21-year-old college student is running his first marathon for a cause related to his disease, and not just any race but the New York City Marathon a month from now! We talk in this episode about his daily health challenges, having Type 1 Diabetes...the benefits of exercise for diabetics and misconceptions...preparing for 26.2 miles and wh...

She's an Uptown girl (in Columbus GA) and the founder, leader of an online magazine and platform called "Electric City Life" for more than a decade. Through it, she promotes positive things happening in the community - local events, music, films, more. Jacy Jenkins is also on a new journey of sobriety and faith. (2:29) Jacy says she's not an alcoholic but has done plenty of social drinking, but no...

She's the national director of the world's largest Christian humanitarian organization that's been helping people in poverty for 75 years, across 100 different countries. And later this week, this mom and recent cancer survivor is running the Berlin Marathon for the cause...while I'm training now to run the NYC Marathon this fall for Team World Vision too! (3:20) Lyndsey Dean Ratchford aka "LDR" l...

After a recap of my 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb - going up 2200 stairs alongside first responders and others in memory of the firefighters that died in the September 11 attacks - we talk another very pivotal event for our nation: the Vietnam War and special events this week and beyond in Columbus GA on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. (7:55) But first, military historian and...

A decade after injuries ended his Army career, a man known as “SGT Big Country” is succeeding in adaptive sports – with parts of his legs missing – and placing 3 rd at track and field nationals recently in seated disc throw, while a documentary about his inspiring journey will be streaming soon. (2:38) Disabled veteran and Pro Para athlete Brian Conwell took a break from tr...

It's been almost 24 years since the attacks on America that tragic day of September 11, 2001. Columbus GA is hosting its inaugural Memorial Stair Climb at the Columbus Civic Center on Saturday morning, September 6 and the organizer of that event is my "Run the Race" guest. Dr. Ken Calain also talks about the cause that event with 2,200 steps benefits...how he helps people as a chiropractor...havin...

It was our first time to Alaska! This is a recap of running a marathon in state #36 for me but so much more in the "final frontier." Check out this solo episode with travel ideas for when you and your family go to the 49th state, but also plenty of stories about adventures with my son: flightseeing over the massive 6 million acre Denali National Park and landing/walking on a snowy glacier...runnin...

She won Miss Georgia in June and she will compete to be Miss America in early September but says there are other wins besides the crown, namely amplifying the Gospel of Christ through the opportunities on this journey. On this podcast (subscribe), Audrey Kittila opens up about winning...being a UGA student...how food/fuel is a top priority in he journey to stay fit, strong...her message to others...

Police officer by day, power lifter when off duty, he just recently lifted or bench pressed 656 pounds! That's a new record at the competition he was at in Birmingham - the World Police and Fire Games. How does that strength fit into his law enforcement job? What's his training and meals look like? How can the rest of us have a similar "never satisifed" mindset in the gym? (2:50) Sgt Garrett Willi...

The new Superman movie just hit theaters and there's renewed talk about parallels between the famous superhero and spiritual figures like Jesus. I saw the movie. It's a message of hope in a dark world. On this solo episode of "Run The Race" (make sure to subscribe), along with faith symbolism on the big screen, I also talk about how you can get jacked up with workouts like the latest actor playing...

From music and spreading the Gospel to transforming prayer and lessons from sports...this episode of "Run The Race" has it all. A ministry serving West GA and East AL is rebranding from "Take The City" to "Harvest Movement." Their leader is this week's guest, Jeremy Northington sharing about that transition and the Biblical meaning of the new name...plus his past prodigal sinful ways leading to a...

With this episode coming out on the the eve of the 4th of July, it makes sense that the guest is all about the American flag, In fact, this military veteran has carried it on nearly 750 races across almost 12,000 miles. Incredible! Why and how does he do it? Give this a listen and subscribe to the podcast, tell others about #RunTheRace. (3:54) I met Billy Richards (from NY) at "mainly marathon" ra...

I did it! A lot of Firsts for me earlier this month. This solo episode of "Run the Race" is the recap of me running 3 marathons (26.2 miles) in 3 days in 3 different states in New England. That's 80 miles over the span of 15.5 miles of races. God made us to do hard things! You'll hear the ins and outs of my trips to run in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine - three states I'd never been to before th...

For our 250th episode, we have a special duo sharing a lot about their up-and-down journey to redemption. These guys have both had leadership roles in churches for decades. They find God lessons in everyday life...have faced adversity with both recovering from addictions, one of them also battling cancer and the other losing his marriage, but they lean on faith and each other and their family and...

Some may call him marathon man or the "Moses of running" lately. This 58-yr-old proud Christian from Colorado has completed an astounding 456 marathons or ultras in his life. He's on target for his goal of running 100+ marathons or 50Ks in 2025 including the completion of all 50 states several more times! (2:50) Having met Keegan Haga more than a year ago and run a few races alongside him, I first...

Closing out National Bike Month with a young man from Auburn who just completed "Bo Bikes Bama" for the 4th time. We have more on that event (started by the famous Bo Jackson) and (5:15) avid cyclist Jared Bowles shares about the importance of doing challenges for causes, this one for storm relief victims in Alabama. It was instilled in him early in life about lessons of discipline - for all of us...

In the heart of this graduation season, one young man took a nontraditional route to his degree and into a life of ministry. Matthew Sanchez is a content creator, entrepreneur, speaker and podcast host who aims to help people step into their God-given purpose. We talk about the Lord changing his mindset of doubt and feeling unworthy...how obedience can bring clarity in knowing God's hand is in wha...