The Runners Reunion Podcast

Hailed from Liverpool, Geoff Smith’s approach to training and racing mirrored the City’s reputation as tough, gritty, and resilient. In his youth soccer was his passion and he was good at it, running the midfield tirelessly. Join us for this episode as Geoff recounts his remarkable career from firefighter to Olympian then on to Providence College to join one of the best teams in the country at the...

In our 2nd episode of The Run for The Hoses 50th anniversary celebration from the City Side in Cleveland Circle we recorded Grant’s “Fireside Chat” with Jack discussing his 50 plus year relationship with the Boston Marathon.  The Chat covered Jack’s inauspicious start in running as a walk on at the University of Arizona, getting drafted, his stint in the Coast Guard, his time at Georgetown, Dana F...

Turning on Beacon Street - Marathon Reflections on the Eliot Lounge, Tommy Leonard, and the event as a civic moment with Don Callahan, Mike King, and the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy.  We would also like to thank Jack's wife Jan Ross for working tirelessly to set up these memorable events!  

Heartbreak approaches — Mile 16 (Lower Falls Wine Company), Perspectives like “When in Doubt, Less is More”, or “Don’t feel to slow? Then you’re going to Fast!”, and other musings as  the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Run for the Hoses tour moves ever closer to Boylston Street. Featuring Pat Gillooly, Philip Minervino, Tom Ratcliffe and Bill Rodgers. 

As a 10-year old Sue McNatt’s equestrian coach suggested she supplement her training with running to improve her endurance.  The next day she went for an endless run around the “block” and has never looked back.  Sue’s impressive competitive career spans decades as a high school all-American, Division One runner at Northwestern, and top masters runner.  Impressive as her running resume is, Sue's p...

In this episode the Runners Reunion podcast was at the Morse Tavern in Natick recording live on January 14th.  The Morse Tavern is the second stop on the 50th anniversary of the “Run For The Hoses” tour celebrating Jack Fultz’s memorable win.  The “tour” was organized by Jack’s wife Jan in celebration of Jack’s long and storied history with the Boston Marathon.  We hope you enjoy this episode that...

Growing up in the Bronx a young Matt Centrowitz was running with the wrong crowd getting into trouble before he entered high school. Fortunately, a move to Queens and a new start at Andrew Jackson High School running took on a new meaning when he joined the track team.  After transferring to the legendary sports powerhouse Power Memorial Academy Matt had a 4:02 mile and a 14:17 5k to his credit le...

As a senior at UVM Hank Pfeifle walked on to the cross-country team and instantly became one of the interchangeable top runners on a very competitive team.  The cross-country skier was inspired by the likes of Vermont legend John Dimick who encouraged him to give cross country a try.  Dimick was just one of the many mentors that Hank encountered during his elite running and cycling career that inc...

With more than 110,000 miles logged that included 130+ marathons and 10+ ultra-marathons it is safe to say that running has been a big part of Tom Egan’s life.  As time has passed Tom has reflected on his experiences throughout his adventurous life including a year long stint in Vietnam during the height of the war.  Fifty years later Tom found the courage to relive his experiences in Vietnam thro...

Growing up in Peabody, MA the inseparable twins Lesley and Lisa Welch decided to join the cross country ski team in middle school.  Unbeknownst to them the meeting they attended was for the cross country running team!  Before club sports dominated middle school sports and parents were, for the most part, hands off, the twins decided to give it a shot. From that point on the twins dominated the hig...

Born at the notorious Sean Ross Abbey, Richard Flaherty was forcibly taken from his mother hours after birth. Good fortune smiled when he was fostered by the Mulligan family. Despite the stigma, supported by his adoptive parents while living on their rural family farm, and possessing an internal drive he first seized on his athletic gifts in football, then to running where at 17 he wore the Irish...

Like many of us who started running in the 70’s and 80’s it was pure happenstance. After a stint on the west coast for college Kim Carlson Benner moved to the Boston area.  After a brief stay in Salem her sister’s apartment near the corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Mass Ave in Boston on the marathon course had an opening.  Moving into the Eliot Lounge neighborhood Kim was quickly swept up by the...

Our guest this episode is long time GBTC team member and recent author of “Two Clicks Above Mediocre:  An Athlete’s Story” Jon Berit.  Mediocre is an understatement in reference to Jon’s running resume and certainly his longevity in the sport.  For example his marathon PR of 2:29 would have placed in the top 117 finishers in the 2024 Boston Marathon which would hardly be considered mediocre by tod...

On December 3, 1995, the US Cross Country Championships were held at fabled Franklin Park.  Reuben Reina was the heavy favorite to repeat his title from the year before.  His plan was simple - stay with the leaders, unleash his signature kick and win two in a row.  Local fan favorite Brad Schlapak and Boston’s own version of Quenton Cassidy had different ideas.  Franklin Park was his domain, havin...

As we prepare for season four of the Runners Reunion Podcast, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on the first three seasons and the many interesting and inspiring guests that have been gracious enough to share their stories.  The Running Boom of the 70’s and 80’ was much more than a fad.  During that time, we experienced the democratization of running with women and men of all ages gett...

Mimi Fallon’s first road race was the NYC marathon in 1989.  She entered the lottery for a number on a whim thinking it would be a long shot to be selected.  As fate would have it, she was selected and off to NYC with a 10 mile long run on her limited resume.  Remarkably, she covered the distance with an impressive time of 3:09!  Join us on her journey through the running boom years and beyond as...

Swamscott, MA native Paul Gorman had a stellar career as a professional runner during the 80’s.  His journey to the elite level during the height of the running boom, however, was far from conventional.  After dabbling in the sport in high school, he attended Providence College where the likes of Mick O’Shea, Mick Byrne and John Treacy were solidifying the continuous stream of recruits from Irelan...

When Title 9 was signed into law in 1972 little did Janice Cataldo know how it would impact her life and the contributions she would make to one of the storied women’s track and cross country teams in the country.  Growing up with five sisters in a traditional italian family learning to be a good homemaker was the order of the day in the early 1970’s.  As fate would have it, a gym teacher at St. X...

Our guest this episode is 10 time All American Mark Robinson.  A graduate of Catholic University, and longtime coach of his alma mater, Robinson did not begin running until his senior year at McKinley Technical High School in Washington, D.C.  Despite a late start in the sport, he posted impressive results by clocking a 4:15 mile and 9:16 two mile in high school.  His success continued at Catholic...

In the 1970s and 1980s Johnson & Wales AC (JWAC) was the dominant road running club in Rhode Island.  Prior to becoming a four year college (now a university) JWAC had one of the top Jr. College teams in the country featuring standouts Hollie Walton, Roland Davide, Bob Hodge and Vin Fleming to name a few.  The then 4 year College team transitioned to an all comers club in the late 1970's durin...

Our guest this episode is the third pillar and one of the founders of the Runners Reunion event Charlie Breagy.  Charlie was a member of the second wave of Irish and British runners to attend Providence College that made up one of the most dominant cross country teams in the country during the early 80’s which finished second in the NCAAs in 1981 and 1982.  After graduating from PC Charlie remaine...

Our guest spent his formative years in the snow belt of Upstate NY. Glimpses of raw talent showed through championship success running on skis. After a successful collegiate career, the Clarion Call of Boston proved irresistible and he moved east, initially rooming with punk rockers before moving to the infamous River Street AC Commune. He went from working the cash register to a professional role...

While the Runners Reunion Podcast Team is planning for season #3, we are pleased to host Ocean State Running’s master of the media Steve Mazzone as he catches up with Siobhan Breagy to discuss the upcoming Ocean State Cross Country Invitational at Goddard Park on September 22nd and 23rd.  The Ocean State XC Invitational sponsored by Hoka and Marathon Sports is one of the most competitive and popul...

Our last guest of the season is Gerry Beagan, one of the founders of the Runners Reunion event.  Gerry’s story is perhaps one of the best examples of how the running boom of the 70’s impacted the lives of the 25 million Americans who fueled the growth of competitive road running.  By chance Gerry was at Fenway to watch the World Series bound 1975 Red Sox on Patriot’s Day and spilled out into the s...

Our guest this week is Olympian and Team New Balance Boston Coach Mark Coogan.  Mark’s running resume is impressive with range from the mile through the marathon and every distance event between.  Mark’s pro career included training with coach Bob Sevene and support from training groups in Providence and Boulder that included some of the best runners of the era.  Mark used these experiences to dev...