The Rambling Runner Podcast

In one of the most iconic race finishes that I can remember, Hayley Sutter crawled across the finish line to finish with a chip time of 2:45:00 at the California International Marathon - a potential Olympic Trials qualifying time. The strength, toughness, and composure she showed was awe inspiring and emotional to witness. In this episode, we dive into the race, the running background that prepare...

Crystal Harriss was running the race of her life, a stunning 25:40 PR, and was mere seconds from achieving a long held dream or crushing disappointment. She dug deep and crossed the line at the California International Marathon at 2:44:59 - securing a spot at the Olympic Trials by one second in one of the most dramatic finishes you will ever see. In this episode we discuss not only this amazing ra...

The second live show from the California International Marathon is here and I couldn’t be more excited. The expo was packed for this panel discussion with Heather Schulz, Jill Deering, Kim Clark Underwood, and Patrick Cutter. All of them are experienced marathoners with different stories to tell and advice to share. Each of them have alreday been on the show so you can learn more by listening to t...

This interview with the amazing Sarah Crouch was done at the California International Marathon expo on the Friday night before the race. Sarah dives into her experience returning from having a tumor removed from her quad before finishing as the first American woman at the Chicago Marathon. We also talk about breaking limits, limiting running technology, striving for a personal best even if it’s be...

Sara Hendershot, a 2012 Olympic rower for the U.S.A., breaks down the steps she took to reach the highest level of her profession. In doing so she discusses mental strength, anaerobic vs aerobic training, and preparing for the 2018 NYC Marathon. We also talk about supplements, how we were both hesitant to use them, and how they can be most effective.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

West Point graduate, Harvard grad school, mother of two, and boss athlete - Erin Williams does it all. In this episode we talk about her journey, prioritization, mental toughness, and how she has accomplished so much in so little time (including setting a PR on roughly 20 miles a week!).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

In this episode I am joined by Theresa Breslin to talk about her recent PR’s after taking a seven week break this summer, why she stepped away, the role weight training has played in her build-up, and her hopes for the future. After that conversation there is a Coach’s Corner segment with James McKirdy in which we go over my recent health issues, talk about how I can improve my mindset, trading sl...

“It took me five marathons to qualify for Boston, and when I did it was a time that wasn’t even fast enough for me to run it.” In this episode, Lindsey McSwain talks about how she improved from a runner who tried and failed to qualify for the Boston Marathon to running a scorching fast 3:06 marathon. Not only that, Lindsey brings her trademark humor and love if all things fun. You can learn more a...

How badass is Karen Howe? Well, she just beat fellow masters runner Meb Keflezighi in the New York City Marathon by 12 seconds in a time of 3:10:22. In doing so she finished 210th out of 22,112 women and 25th in her age group. Karen is a working mother of two and getting better as a runner every year. In this episode we talk about that performance, her decade of marathoning, along with how and why...

It is my pleasure to welcome the amazing Melissa Becker back to the show. This past weekend Mel dropped a 12 minute PR by running a 3:07. Not only that, her second half was only 10 seconds slower than her half marathon PR. This accomplishment came after working through serious health issues at a few points in 2018 and before. If you want to learn more about Mel you can listen to episode #31 and fo...

For most people, their first marathon is a learning experience. For Rachel Schilkowsky it was a payday. She won the Hartford Marathon in a scorching 2:41 in her amazing debut. In this episode we dive into her All-American steeplechase background, training while holding a full-time engineering job, her pre-race body image hardship, and her open and candid approach to social media. You can follow he...

Who doesn’t love a comeback story? In 2018 Rhandi Orme created a great one. In this episode, we dive into how she was able to bounce back from some physical challenges that forced her into her first DNF and had her searching for answers. Not only did she bounce back, she achieved new levels of fitness. In October she recaptured her trademark energy and set a new half-marathon PR in a scorching 1:2...

“If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.” - Samuel Johnson. How badass is Crystal Seaver? She recently climbed up Stratton Mointain 17 times in less than 24 hours, the equivalent of climbing of Mount Everest, and it’s not even the hardest thing she has ever done....

All you need to know about Thomas Paquette is that he is just starting to scratch the surface of his immense potential. A strong, if unspectacular, Division III runner, Thomas has improved year-after-year since he graduated from Keene State. Over the last three years he has improved his marathon time from 3:07 to 2:36 and there is plenty more where that came from. In this episode, we talk about th...

Erin Strout is one of the best journalists in the running world and can be found writing for Runner’s World and Outside. In this episode, we discuss the state of elite women’s and men’s running in the U.S., it’s impact on younger runners, and how social media is changing the relationship between professionals and their fans. We also take a deep dive into her article detailing the state of female c...

Brian Reynolds is the marathon world record holder for bilateral below knee amputees and owns a personal record of 3:03:22. Despite those remarkable achievements already, Brian is not resting on his laurels. He is driven to break the three hour marathon barrier and was on the cusp of doing just that at the 2018 Chicago Marathon before disaster struck at mile 22. Learn all about that experience and...

“You’re done. You’re done with running.” When Hollie Hughes learned of her Addisons diagnosis she was confronted with these words. A couple years later this incredibly strong, and strong-willed, person ran a 3:08 at the Wineglass Marathon. Not only that, she did so while pushing her son Jonah. Jonah’s Journey began on September 2, 2010, when he was delivered prematurely at 29 weeks following a pla...

Hearing great people talk about how they reached an important stretch goal is one of the joys of this show. Janae Baron has spent years dreaming, writing, and talking about running a sub-3:00 marathon. Then, at the St. George Marathon, she finally turned her dream into reality. Janae has one of the most popular running blogs in the country, www.hungryrunnergirl.com, and she has written countless w...

What a pleasure it was to talk with my professional role model, and amazing person, Lindsey Hein. Lindsey is the host of the I’ll Have Another podcast - one of the most popular and inspiring running podcasts in the country. She is also a talented runner who just gave birth to her fourth boy in six years. We take a deep dive into how she is feeling, getting back into running, future running goals,...

In this episode, Heather Jenson dives into how she worked her butt off to go from a 4:35 marathoner to a six time Ironman finisher and 17 time marathoner. There were plenty of hurdles along the way, including a near miss for the Boston Marathon that left her heartbroken days before the St. George Marathon. How did she respond? With the race of her life. We also talk about her appearance on Quest f...

This edition of the Coach’s Corner segment with my coach, James McKirdy, touches on a broad range of topics. We discuss how sickness can affect race performance, the drive and dedication necessary to reach your athletic potential, the new Boston Marathon qualifying standards, and James’s strong opinion in banking time in the marathon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Like many of you, I had heard of Tony Post’s exploits long before I knew his name. Specifically, that he ran both the NYC and London Marathons in dress shoes (in 2:47, to boot!). In this episode we discuss what it was like to see his story chronicled in the famous book “Born to Run,” his college conversion from scholarship golfer to runner, his experience in the Boston-area during the running boom...

“When you know your why you can bear any how.” With those words Stefanie Flippin sets the stage for how she, or anybody, achieves remarkable running success. On September 15 she ran a 50 mile trail race through tough terrain. A week later she set ran a 1:30 half marathon in the wind and rain - a new PR. This amazing double header was after a year of nonstop racing. Not only that, she is also a foo...

100 episodes. Can you believe it? I am truly grateful for the amazing guests who have come on the show. They have imparted countless pointers and lessons and in this episode I dive into the most impactful. These six have made an impression on me and I’m excited to share them. Here’s to another 100! This episode is brought to you by Mercury Mile. You can get a box of apparel and goodies that any ru...

Prohibited from playing sports as a kid to dreaming and training for an Olympic trials qualifying time in the marathon. Jenn Kistler-McCoy is nothing if not on fire for her goals. This amazing woman is getting faster at an amazing rate and there is plenty more where that came from. In this episode we talk about that transition, her last three years of serious racing that included remarkable improv...