The Rambling Runner Podcast

In this two-part episode we have a feature story with official badass Gabby Wennerstrom and we catch-up with writer/runner/coach David Roche to learn more about a recent article he wrote for Trail Runner Mag.  Gabby Wennerstrom has steadily worked her way down from a 5:40 marathon all the way down to a 3:23. A remarkable feet that required nearly a decade of work and a boat-load of optimism. Gabby...

Five week after my last pain free run my knee is finally in working order. It took a couple weeks of no running nor cross-training followed by three days of easy run/walks. Now I've run three days in a row and it appears as though my knee has turned the corner. Next up, doing the same thing with my training. In this episode, coach James McKirdy details what's next and addresses my concern that may...

Michelle Baxter is a dedicated runner from Anchorage, Alaska with two young kids a drive to go sub-3:00 in the marathon. She has run 10 marathons including the Boston Marathon in 2013 and the NYC Marathon in 2018. Michelle has come a long way in just a few years, working her way up to 100 miles in a week, winning the 2013 Kenai River Marathon, placing 19th at the Twin Cities Marathon where she ran...

In this two part episode we meet Kevin Duffy and speak with Sarah Lorge Butler about her recent article for Runner's World entitled Why Aren't More Female Coaches in Charge of Pro Teams?  Kevin is Fireman in Yonkers, NY, 5 x Ironman, 50 miler finisher, plant-based athlete and cook. Here's a intro to Kevin in his own words:  "For most of my life I ate the standard American diet. This typical days,...

Have you ever had a goal that you worked for years to accomplish only to fall short by the slimmest of margins time and time again? It takes a strong person with a sense of mission to keep getting up and striving for that goal instead of giving in. That is exactly what Meaghan Murray-Neuberger did when she broke the 3:00 at the Woodlands Marathon two weeks ago. Meaghan is a three-time marathon win...

Kim Sundling is an avid marathoner, cross-trainer, pharmacist with a focus on mental health, a bundle of energy - and someone who continues to work through depression and lupus. Not only that, but she is back on the show to detail her completion of the brutal Goggins Challenge. She ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours. Kim didn't merely complete this amazing test of endurance she nearly se...

When I first had the idea for Mastering 40 I knew that one of the major steps I would need to take was a detailed blood analysis. A mirror, scale, and workout data can provide insight but it doesn’t tell the whole story. I needed to know my exact starting point then track my biomarkers throughout the year. I reached out to InsideTracker, the leader in this space, and they agreed to help me out. St...

Tommie Runz is making big moves with his own running and within the broader running community. Several years back Tommie was the picture of ill-health. He had an alcohol problem, was eating poorly, and was doing little exercise. They one-by-one he addressed all of these issues until he became the man and runner he is today - fast, fit, vegan, host of the Run Eat Sleep Show, and owner of Chip Time...

Erica Sara discovered her passion for jewelry design at just 10 years old, using scraps of leather to craft fabulous leather pins, earrings, and hair pieces for her family and friends. Two decades later, all grown up and armed with a degree in business and years of fashion experience from Barneys NY and Coach, Erica set out to design a jewelry line for today’s modern, driven, fashion savvy, and in...

Several years ago Kim had two lives. One during the day where she helped athletes reach their full potential. Another that consisted of living the kind of life that was the polar opposite of the one she preached. Then she decided enough was enough. Today she is an accomplished multisport athlete, marathoner, lifter, and all-around badass. Kim is certified physical trainers with masters degree in k...

We are back with Ramblings on the Run with Ali Feller and what a fun conversation this was. Per our usual conversation Ali, host of the amazing Ali on the Run podcast, and I start the show by discussing our current life on the run, what we are loving, and what we are excited about. In the second half of the show we try something new that we both were super excited about sharing. We each chose thre...

Man, lot's of stuff going on this edition of Mastering 40. The last three weeks have seen some strong workouts, a few skipped miles, and a minor knee injury.  In this episode, run coach James McKirdy and I have a blunt conversation on my need to step up the miles from the mid to high 30's well into the 40's. In his words, "if you aren't able to do this then you will not reach your goals." Then I s...

The Road to the Trials has returned for season two and we are fired up! We will be bringing you a behind the scenes look at the training and racing of some of America's best track athletes as they prepare for the Olympic Track Trials in June. Specifically, we will be following Keira D'Amato, Dana Giordano, Olivia Baker, Frank Lara, Tyler Day, and Abe Alvarado. In this episode we are joined by Lind...

There are certain people who choose to be a bright shining light and their impact on others becomes exponential because of that decision. That is exactly who Melissa Danehey has become. Melissa is a champion-level trail and ultra runner who started running in college and quickly grew to love the sport. Her evolution into a high-level runner took a turn when she was sexually assaulted over ten year...

Matt Fitzgerald is back for his third appearance on the Rambling Runner Podcast and this time he discusses his new book. A good comeback makes a great story. In The Comeback Quotient, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald shares the stories of top athletic comebacks, to give you inspiration and tools for your own comeback in sport or life. Every sports fan loves a great comeback. Is there a special qu...

It is a widely held belief that runners get slower with age. Ingrid Walters, an actress and elite masters runner, has turned that belief on its head. At the age of 47 Ingrid won the female open division of the Los Angeles Marathon in a scorching fast 2:48 - 22 minutes faster than her first marathon nearly a decade earlier.  Shortly after that race, as she was preparing for Grandma's Marathon, Ingr...

Wow, things are getting real. In this episode we dive into the last three weeks which in which the workouts have been altered significantly. The mileage will stay in the 40-45 mile range for the next couple months but the workouts have were switched to longer segments and it has thrown me for a loop. In addition, day-after longer easy runs have been added to the weekend routine. In this episode, c...

Kara Hepp is a mother of three, working full-time, taking an active role in her community, and training for a marathon in the freezing weather of a Minnesota winter. For these reasons, and several more, I've looked up to Kara for some time. In this episode, first dive into how she prepares herself to train during sub-zero temps at 5:00 a.m. and how she has worked with a running friend to ensure mu...

Sabrina Little is a renaissance woman nearly every way.  She runs at an elite level and has been selected to represent the United States on five national teams. She is also a full-time instructor of Philosophy and the Humanities at Morehead State University where she lives with her husband David and daughter Lucy. In 2020, she completed her PhD in Philosophy at Baylor University. Before Baylor, sh...

For Mariana Maldonado, 2020 was a year of amazing improvements in fitness with no races to test them. Several of her marathons were postponed and cancelled throughout the yeas as she continually altered her training and remained optimistic. It was a learning experience that she is hoping to capitalize on in 2021.  As Mari continued to improve, she started to reach whole new levels of speed and fit...

So many runners are passionate about their running while also working hard to advocate for a cause/mission they believe in. When we combine these two passions to help raise awareness and philanthropic support it can be a remarkable experience. It can also change how we connect to our running. No one knows this better than Jordan Marie Daniel. Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel – Kul Wič...

In 2020, with road races all over being cancelled, many runners decided to transition to trail running where races were much more prevalent and easier to align with COVID restrictions. But many of these folks weren't quite sure where to start. This is exactly why I was excited to speak with elite coach and podcast host Mario Fraioli. Mario coaches some of the best trail runners in the country in a...

While I have been chronicling my own Mastering 40 journey, I was excited to talk with Brian White who has been actively pursuing his own. Brian, who turned 40 last spring, has big goals for the marathon, 10k, and un-broken pull-ups. So far he is crushing it but don't let that fool you - he hasn't always been a runner extraordinaire. He was big into lifting for years before starting running in his...

In this episode we dive into the last three weeks which were supposed to be include an elevation of mileage into the 40's but turned out to be quite the opposite. As most of us know, craziness in our lives can sometimes supersede our running goals and require an even larger chunk of time and energy. With all of that coming to fruition, fortunately my fitness has continued to improve at a rapid rat...

We are back with Ramblings on the Run with Ali Feller and what a fun conversation this was. While 2021 is officially here, Ali and I decided to indulge ourselves in several of the off-beat things we enjoyed in 2020. Here are the categories we went with: Favorite podcast episode we listened to (sports and a non-sports) Favorite running performance  Favorite person to follow on IG Favorite binge wat...