Run Your Story Podcast

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison Gaillard and Sharonda Shula have a close friendship centered around their shared passion for running. They reminisce about their running adventures and the joy of running together. Sharonda's running journey began in fourth grade when she joined the cross-country team with her brother. She enjoyed it but stopped when her school didn&apo...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Jordon DuBose began running with the aim of losing weight, which initially was motivated by the wrong reasons. Overcoming an eating disorder and hip surgery, she found running therapeutic. Her first marathon was in 2015, and she's become addicted to the sport. She emphasizes the importance of celebrating victories, even small ones, and the valu...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Chrissy shares that she felt accepted and supported when she joined a running group, which motivated her to keep running. She recalls her first experiences with running groups, feeling lost and left behind. Chrissy started running during her college years to join the soccer team and discovered her love for running. Chrissy's main lessons from r...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Keith Evans hated running until a friend introduced him to it. He signed up for his first 5K race, but without proper training, he struggled and finished in 24 minutes, much better than expected. Intrigued by the experience, he decided to train seriously and participated in more races, gradually improving his times. He started tracking his progress...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison and Bre Vigor share an interest in ending human trafficking. Bre talks about her journey in running, starting from her inspiration from her mother's running career. She initially thought she was a sprinter but eventually fell in love with running longer distances. Bre shares that she faced challenges and a lack of support from her high...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison and Michelle Onderdonk are friends who’ve shared many experiences together, including coaching and participating in races. Michelle has been a runner since she was a child, finding inspiration and encouragement from her uncle and using running as a way to connect with her faith. Michelle had a traumatic accident four years ago while training...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Lance Johnson, a happy and family-oriented runner, shares his experiences and lessons from running. He talks about starting running 10 years ago and falling in love with the sport. Lance discusses the mental challenges of endurance races and the importance of humility and supporting others in the running community. He also mentions his favorite loca...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Kimberly Richardson began running after being encouraged by a dentist to join a six-mile race. With the support of friends, she completed the race, leading her to new social circles and ultimately meeting her husband through the running community. Despite setbacks from a car accident causing a serious back injury, Kimberly persisted through therapy...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Christine Huffman shares her journey of overcoming addiction, achieving sobriety, and embarking on a fitness journey. She started by walking on a treadmill and gradually progressed to running, eventually setting goals and dropping from 200 to 115 pounds. Christine also talks about her entry into obstacle courses, particularly Spartan races, where sh...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison Gaillard interviews Richard Conner, a runner and obstacle course race enthusiast. Richard shares his running journey, starting from his high school days when he participated in cross country and track. After a break from running, he rediscovered his passion for the sport a few years ago when he joined an obstacle course race team. Richard ex...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison and Kate have known each other for several years, initially meeting through a mutual acquaintance at their church. Kate started her running journey because of knee issues and was inspired by a friend who walked a half marathon. She gradually progressed from a 20-minute mile to completing multiple half marathons and even a full marathon by wa...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Jessica Jones is an accomplished runner who has participated in marathons and ultra-marathons. Her running journey began in middle school and continued through high school and college. Despite facing setbacks and injuries, Jessica became serious about running and even completed the World Marathon Challenge, running seven marathons on seven continent...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison Gaillard interviews Coach Susan Jones, Charlie Ann Phillips, and Taylor Jackson about their running experiences and interests. Coach Jones shares her running journey as a way to take care of herself and finds joy in coaching. Charlie Ann and Taylor discuss their passion for running, with Charlie Ann carrying on her late uncle's legacy a...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Peyton Gaillard is the son of Allison Gaillard, who is about to graduate high school and has been a competitive swimmer and a recreational runner. Peyton shares his running journey and his lessons, particularly about endurance and pacing. He mentions his favorite races, such as the Battleship 12k and the Azalea Trail Run 10k. Allison highlights the...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison interviews Jack Hester about his unique run story. Jack was never a runner in his early years and only began running in his late twenties and early thirties. After a while, he decided to sign up for a marathon despite never having run a 5k or 10k before. He trained using a program but did not do it with intentionality. The marathon was both...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Suzanne started running when a co-worker asked her to train for a 5K race. After completing the race and placing fifth in her age group, Suzanne became hooked on running. She then progressed to running half marathons and marathons, including the First Light Marathon, which was special to her because she has a brother with Down Syndrome. Suzanne also...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison Gaillard and Rhonda Hayden meet and talk about their running stories. Rhonda talks about how her dad's passion for running inspired her to start running, and she has been running and cycling ever since. She has also overcome Hashimoto's disease, a thyroid disorder, and is now able to do long-distance running again. Rhonda shares th...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Kim Garrett talks about her running story and how it has been a therapeutic and healing experience for her. She talks about the lessons she has learned from running, particularly in the season she is in now, which is to have a mindful pace in life. She emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment and not rushing through life. She also me...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Heather Atchison started her run story when she joined a girls' soccer team in high school despite never having played soccer before. She continued running after high school, participated in a 5K for breast cancer awareness, and eventually joined the running community in Mobile, Alabama. She met her husband through running and has since complet...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Delaney Zimlich, an adaptive athlete, shares her run story in an interview. Her parents started training for the 2014 Forest Gump run and saw another girl in a wheelchair using gloves to participate in a 5K race. Delaney became fast friends with this girl, Shandy Oliver, and got involved with the running community team called Ainsley's Angels....

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Lee Moons talks about his experience in the military.  He talks about how he struggled during his first Army physical fitness test, and how he was sent to "fat boy school" because he was not meeting the Army's fitness standards. Ultimately, he was able to improve his physical fitness and pass his PT test. When he left the military in...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! In this podcast, Allison Gaillard interviews Anna Szymanski, an athletic trainer for Saraland High School. The podcast is a special episode for National Athletic Training Month. The two hosts were previously classmates and friends, and they catch up on their lives since school. Anna has a run story to share, which starts back in middle school when s...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Pam shares that she was never a runner growing up, and she hated running even when playing softball. However, she started walking regularly with a friend, and when her brother started running and lost a lot of weight, she decided to try it as well. She and her friend signed up for a 5k race and ran the whole way, which was a great feeling for Pam. S...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Erica Spann is a runner who changed her life after deciding to lose weight in December 2016. Erica shares that she was never athletic and that her social life was her main activity. When she got pregnant with her daughter, she gained almost 70 pounds, and after adding more weight over the years, she decided to make a change. One day, while sitting o...

Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! In this bonus episode, Mike Wattigny talks about his recent experiences in organizing various races in different locations. It has been a busy few months for him, starting with the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge in January, followed by the Baton Rouge General Mardi Gras Mabo in February. After Mardi Gras, Mike and his team went to Auburn to put o...