You Are A Big Deal with Becca Jay

Laura Cortez (she/they) is a trail runner, community builder, advocate and guardian of Selena the dog. She grew up playing soccer in San Antonio. Her experience playing soccer led her to running. Laura walked on to the track team at the University of North Texas where she connected with people through running. Feeling the draw toward longer distances, Laura pivoted toward trail running where she t...

Michael Harralson (he/him) is a dad, a partner, runner, advocate, activist and founder of ReNew Earth Running. He moved to Minnesota from southern Indiana 19 years ago to pursue a career in Federal Indian Law. For the first half of his legal career he represented Indigenous parents in the child protection system, and then worked in-house for a Tribal government. He recently stepped away from his p...

Seonjoon Young (they/them/he/him) is a partner, an educator, and an advocate for LGBTQ+ equity and rights. They are an athlete, an ultrarunner (they completed their first ultra in April of 2022: Desert Rats 50k), a trail runner, a writer and a creative, especially when it comes to sewing and crocheting. They are a book lover and a crossword puzzle doer. SJ is a former nun, practicing 9 years in So...

Meralee Hoffelt (she/her) is a mom, partner, music lover and athlete. She is a community organizer, educator and fierce advocate for equity and justice. She is a Judicial Law Clerk at Colorado Court of Appeals. Meralee is full of positive energy and is an incredible and fun human being who I very much hope ends up in a powerful decision-making role in office someday. We discuss the value of mentor...

Sergio Avila (he/him): is a runner, crazy cat person, supporter of Toby the Tortoise (desert knowledge holder), wildlife Biologist and Detribalized Indigenous born in Mexico. He has lived in O'odham and Yaqui lands (Tuscon, Arizona) for almost 20 years. Sergio is an advocate and an activist who supports many runners either as a crew member or pacer. He is a ReNew Earth Running Teammate and Bo...

Lindsey Herman (she/her) is an elite ultra and trail runner. She is a running coach and founder of Running Wild, her coaching business. During her undergraduate career she ran at Western Colorado University on the trail running team. Her goal is to build authentic relationships with athletes and uplift their goals no matter the size. Lindsey won the 2021 and 2022 Silver Rush 50 mile run, setting t...

Ludgina Dieujuste (she/her) is a mom of 3, Jesus-lover, and a proud military spouse. She has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and is a Speech Language Pathologist. Ludgina has been running for 23 years and ran her first race after 10 years of running. She directed two 5ks that raised over $15k for families in need.  She is an RRCA Certified Running Coach and a treadmill expert with a popular YouTu...

Melissa Cornelius (she/her) is a mom, wife, friend, beauty professional and owner of Salon MelMarie. She is a prayer warrior, laugh creator, a fun instigator, the life of the party, the person most remembered by everyone. Mel is a human that can always find the positive and she is one of my most favorite people.   We talk about how psychology and counseling are interconnected with Mel's beaut...

Jae Berry (he/him) is a partner, hiker of mountains, chef, player of ultimate frisbee, former monk, guardian of Tori the dog and Trip the dog. He is a gentle and kind human filled with depth of thought and feels. Jae works and empowers as a middle school social worker! Jae talks about his time as a monk in South Korea and how that time influenced much of how he moves through the world. He speaks a...

Kelsey Long (she/her) is a runner, athlete, activist, and my ReNew Earth Running teammate. Kelsey uses running as a form of advocacy. She is co-founder of Dirtbags Run: a team of 20 BIack, Indigenous and People of Color trail runners from around the U.S. seeking to expand their presence in the sport while honoring Indigenous lands and amplifying diversity at races and beyond. She and her team move...

Lindsley Kump (she/her) is a mama, wife, fur baby mom, and a runner. She is an advocate and activist who elevates the BIPOC communities in the outdoor space where they can feel safe and welcomed, having equitable access to outdoor spaces and equitable leadership and employment opportunities within the outdoor industry. She started running again as an adult as a part of her weight loss journey and...

Ryder Jay (he/him) is a son, brother, friend, leader, runner, athlete, and mountain goat. He is a student, a learner, a question-asker, a challenger. Ryder is curious about the world and the people in it. He is very concerned with fairness and injustice. We talk about all things running and how he prefers to be the chaser not the one being chased. Ryder talks about how he became inspired to hike m...

Natalie Tafoya (she/her) is a friend, a creative, a former yoga instructor and current practitioner, a creator of beauty, a scrum master, a motorcycle-rider, a soccer player, a fantastic dancer especially when it comes to rock-a-billy music. She is curious, always willing to and leaning in to learning something new. Nat is guardian of Buster Brown the dog. She is a badass and one of my very dear f...

Travis Macy (he/him) is a dad, husband, son, brother, advocate, speaker, pro-adventure racing athlete, ultra-runner (finisher of over 130 ultradistance races), burro racer, participant in the world’s toughest race: Eco Challenge Fiji. He is a former educator, endurance coach, podcaster and author. Travis talks about his and his family's journey with his dad who is living with Alzheimer's...

Sára (she/her) is a partner, a creative writer, a rock climber, and one of my ReNew Earth Running (renewearthrunning.org) teammates. She holds 12 FKTs (fastest known times) and is an endurance athlete currently based in the mountainous west. Sára is an activist and advocate, using her movement to raise funds for various organizations. She obtained her B.A. in Creative Writing, with an emphasis in...

Amita Agrawal McClain (she/her) is a mom of two, advocate, activist, entrepreneur (creator of five different business), supporter and funder of Amrita Orphanage in Nepal, speaker of 5 languages, helper of all people, fantastic cook, a host to everyone, a creative, and one of the people in my life who has taught me so much about how to exist in the world. Amita talks about growing up in Nepal and h...

Max Jay (he/him) is a son, brother, leader, advocate, lacrosse player, mountain climber, runner, student, learner.    Max is a leader on his cross country and lacrosse teams. He has hiked 29 Colorado 14ers. He has won 4 championships with his flag football team. He enjoys reading and getting curious about the world. Max lives on Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱, Tséstho’e, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land.   Book recommenda...