The Running for Real Podcast

Recording as Six Missing, ambient artist TJ Dumser creates music that encourages mindfulness and positive lifestyle habits. He combined both practices through running, but a few years ago, he lost both his love of the run and the mental clarity that came with it. He explores that period of his life in Six Missing's upcoming project, "Gentle Breath."  Photo credit: Andrea Mendoza For complete show...

Stefanie Flippin is one of the fastest women in the world at the 100 mile distance, but she isn't exclusively a record-setting ultra runner. She's also a running coach, writer, co-host of the "Making Strides" podcast, and a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, who gets as much or more satisfaction from helping others achieve their goals as she does from reaching her own. For complete show notes...

Jessie Zapo is passionate about creating a space for all runners, and especially about bringing women into the sport. Under her leadership, the adidas Runners community in the US has evolved to be over 60% female, with equal or more representation of women coaches. Girls Run NYC, the women's running collective that she founded, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in September. Photo credit: K...

When Drew Petersen ran the Leadville 100 in 2022, he had a mantra written on each hand: "Feel It All" and "Celebrate." The first one became the title of his new documentary. Feel It All chronicles Drew's journey from suicidal depression to finding purpose and strength by running the iconic ultramarathon. Drew has already saved lives by sharing part of his story in Ups and Downs . With the release...

As Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Director at New York Road Runners, Aly Criscuolo is able to channel her passion for environmentalism into positive action. She's clearly making an impact; NYRR's latest sustainability initiative, Team for Climate, sold out within two minutes of its launch. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode411 .   T...

Summer is the time for taking a break from work! Tina went to Colorado with her family, so instead of recording an interview for this week, she's sharing some updates on what's been going on and what's coming up in her personal life and at Running for Real. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode410 .   Thank you to Runna, Tracksmith, and Precision Fuel &...

July 21, 2024 was recorded as the hottest day ever globally. The record was broken the next day, a fact which will come as no surprise to runners. They experience the consequences of climate change daily as they log their miles, which is why Dr. Madeleine Orr has found them to be the ideal subject for her research into the impact of the climate crisis on athletics, which she writes about in her ne...

In 1998, the groundbreaking artist Gordon Parks brought 177 rappers and hip hop artists, some of them rivals, together for his photograph, "A Great Day in Hip Hop." When it was included in an exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum, Adrian Octavius Walker was chosen to continue Parks' story by photographing a gathering of 116 members of the St. Louis music scene. His photo, "A Great Day in Saint Louis...

Many people attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon for years before they succeed, and many more never achieve that goal.  Robert Jackson BQ'd with his first marathon, and this year he not only ran the iconic race for the third time, but was one of the panelists on a Black Unicorn live podcast at the Expo. Now he has his sights set on the 2028 Olympic Trials, but that's not the only challenge h...

If you've recognized your running self in a raccoon meme, you've seen the work of Izzy Seidel. She's the founder of the Sad Girl Track Club on Instagram and Strava, and a content creator for running brands, a skill she honed during her time in the corporate world. While that may seem like a dream job, it isn't without its downside. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningfor...

Hard as it may be for young women today to comprehend, this summer will mark only the 11th time that a women's marathon has been held at the Olympic Games. Had women been allowed to participate just two Olympics sooner, they would have had to do so without the benefit of a sports bra, which wasn't invented until 1977.  In her new book, "Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know...

Isaiah Stofferahn's 10 million+ followers know that he's up for almost any kind of challenge. Lately he's been focusing on running, whether that's racing a marathon in Crocs or taking on his DoorDash driver in a head-to-head competition. What they didn't know until recently was the story behind his drive to accomplish crazy goals and to have fun doing it. For complete show notes and links, visit o...

When Alex Hermanson, a.k.a. "Herm Runs," started following other runners on social media, "I didn't really see anyone that I personally related with wholeheartedly," he recalls. "So I was like, 'I'm just going to go make that myself.'" That was in late 2022, and now the self-described "big dude who runs a lot" has an online community of almost 100K and an in-person running group, the Not Yet Named...

Tyler Swartz believes that running should be fun, and that it's more fun when you're part of a community. That's why he founded Endorphins Running , "to inspire and empower people to live happier and more fulfilled lives through movement and exercise." For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode402 .   Thank you to AG1, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Tracksm...

After being diagnosed with Haglund's Deformity, Tina wrestled with how to treat the debilitating pain. After doing extensive research and exhausting the more conservative options, she decided to have surgery. Now she's sharing what she learned so that others with the same condition will have an easier time determining the best course of action for themselves. She spoke with her chiropractor, Dr. B...

Chef Dan Churchill uses food as a way to inspire people to live the best life possible. He has a Masters in Exercise Science and was a strength and conditioning coach before switching his focus to nutrition. His recipe for success, whether he's training for an ultramarathon or developing an actual recipe for his new cookbook, "Eat Like a Legend" or his Brooklyn restaurant, The Osprey, is simple: "...

Tina ran her first ultra, the Bryce Canyon 50 Miler, a year ago. She finished first female and third overall, and felt good afterwards, except for one thing - her heel. She learned that she had a Haglund's Deformity which impacted her Achilles tendon. After exhausting every other option, she had surgery last month. In this episode, she shares about the operation and her plans for the future, espec...

Andrea Lytle Peet went from completing a half Ironman to needing a cane to walk, less than six months later. She was ultimately diagnosed with ALS, at the age of 33. Doctors told her that she had two to five years to live, and that before she died, she would lose the ability to walk, talk, move, eat and breathe. Now, ten years later, she is the first person with ALS to have completed a marathon in...

Cheering on others as they pursue their goals means more to Lorna Mann than her own accomplishments. It's a mindset that she attributes to the encouragement of Charlie Dark and the Run Dem Crew. Now she mentors others, helping them to discover their full potential. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode397 .   Thank you to Tracksmith, AG1, and Precision...

Tiffany K. Martin believes that "health" is about much more than the traditional elements of healthcare. She recognized that the existing system doesn't adequately address the needs of many people, and so she founded Elevated Health and Community to provide resources for those who need them the most. Elevated's "Not Just for Runners" event includes a 5K and one-mile run/walk/roll that are designed...

Roberto Mandje believes in meeting people where they are, which is also where he believes running will meet you. His philosophy stems from his multi-cultural upbringing and his professional running career, when he competed in the 2004 Olympics, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and twice in the XTERRA Trail World Championship.  For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runn...

Mikah Meyer is the first person to experience all 419 U.S. National Park Service sites in a single journey. He also made a different kind of history along the way, becoming the first openly gay man featured in an outdoors recreation campaign, for REI. Now he advocates for greater inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the outdoor space. His documentary short film, " Echoes in the Canyon ," will have...

Fiona O'Keeffe raced into the record books in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials this year. In her debut at the distance, she smashed the previous record, set by Shalane Flanagan in 2012, by over three minutes. She also became the youngest woman to claim victory. She's focusing on her performance, but she's also embracing the opportunity to champion environmental advocacy, leveraging her running pla...

As a runner and fitness professional herself, Erin Bailey understands how difficult it can be for athletes to represent themselves on social media and in their brand relationships. Her talent agency, Momentum Management, helps them present themselves authentically and forge business relationships that align with their values. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.c...

Many people define themselves in one way: "I am a runner." "I am a DJ." "I am an artist." Matt Green, on the other hand, describes himself as a "multi-hyphenate." The co-founder of the  District Running Collective (DRC) combines his talents to explore different ways of impacting the world. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode391 .   Thank you to Precis...