My First Marathon

Episodes page 2 of 4

1. 21: Introducing the First Marathon Buddy Program! (Mini Episode)

   28 Jan 2026 · 7:31 · Episode 21 · Bonus

   This Wednesday mini episode kicks off a new short series built around something I’ve been quietly working on for the last few months: the First Marathon Buddy Program. It’s a 20-week companion meant to sit alongside…

2. 109: The Peloton-to-Marathon Pipeline and Proving Your Own Doubt Wrong w/ Rose Meadows

   26 Jan 2026 · 52 min · Episode 109

   Rose never saw herself as a marathon runner. Growing up, movement felt punitive, something she was forced into rather than chose for herself. In her twenties, that complicated relationship with exercise and food…

3. 108: The Privilege of Being Tired: Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship with Running w/ Lena Cords

   19 Jan 2026 · 1 h 13 min · Episode 108

   Lena Cords' first marathon came after years of rebuilding her relationship with movement. After a childhood spent as a competitive swimmer, Lena moved through seasons of overexercising, underfueling, injury, and…

4. 20: You'll Hate Running Until You Don't (Mini Episode)

   14 Jan 2026 · 6:43 · Episode 20 · Bonus

   This week’s Wednesday mini episode is one I really wish someone had told me back when I was first trying to get into running: You're going to hate running until the day you don't. In this episode, I talk through my…

5. 107: Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon w/ Gabby Averill

   12 Jan 2026 · 48 min · Episode 107

   Gabby’s running journey didn’t start with a finish line goal or a desire to be fast. It started after stepping away from Division I college sports, when the structure she’d built her identity around suddenly…

6. 19: How To Set Your Next (or first) Marathon Goal (Mini Epsiode)

   7 Jan 2026 · 5:56 · Episode 19 · Bonus

   It’s a New Year mini episode and we’re talking marathon goal setting! In this episode, I break down why time goals are not the only goals that matter and how relying on a single goal can set yourself up for failure.…

7. 106: 26 Before 26: Trusting Yourself Back to Running w/ Kelly Waddleton

   5 Jan 2026 · 39 min · Episode 106

   Kelly Waddleton never thought she was a runner. She was the slowest kid on the team, hated conditioning, and fully stepped away from running in college. Years later, during a tough mental health season and a moment…

8. 105: When Peak Week Breaks You: Dropping to the Half and Coming Back for 26.2 w/ Andie Becker

   29 Dec 2025 · 55 min · Episode 105

   This week Andie Becker is sharing a story that will feel painfully familiar to anyone who’s ever made it deep into a training block only to have everything fall apart right at the worst moment. Andie didn’t grow up a…

9. 18: Guided Body Scan For Your Next Long Run (Mini Episode)

   24 Dec 2025 · 5:07 · Episode 18 · Bonus

   This Wednesday mini episode is for those long runs where your mind starts wandering, the miles feel heavier, and everything turns into pace math and quiet spirals. I'm guiding you through a simple body scan you can use…

10. 104: Running Without Rushing: A Joy-First Marathon Journey w/ Ariel Greenstein

    22 Dec 2025 · 54 min · Episode 104

    Ariel Greenstein didn’t grow up as an athlete. She didn’t fall in love with running early. And for a long time, movement just wasn’t part of her life. But in her early 30s, something shifted. What started as…

11. 17: My Top 3 Winter Running Hacks (Mini Episode)

    17 Dec 2025 · 4:06 · Episode 17 · Bonus

    This week’s Wednesday mini episode is all about making winter running a little more bearable. I’m breaking down my top three cold weather running tips that I’ve been sharing in my December daily running tip series,…

12. 103: Running as Resistance: Health Battles, Healing, and a First Marathon w/ Heather Anderson

    15 Dec 2025 · 1 h 12 min · Episode 103

    Heather Anderson’s running journey didn’t start with a training plan or a finish-time goal. It started with survival. From growing up running with her mom, to using running as a lifeline through trauma, chronic…

13. 16: BE TOO MUCH (Mini Episode)

    10 Dec 2025 · 8:13 · Episode 16 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode dives into something a little different: the power of being too much. I grew up hearing that phrase constantly and spent years trying to shrink myself so no one would think I cared too much or…

14. 102: Carried by Community: Fundraising, Representation, and a First NYC Marathon w/ Karina Chiqui

    8 Dec 2025 · 1 h 09 min · Episode 102

    This week, I’m chatting with Karina Chiqui, whose first marathon story is layered with community, culture, and a whole lot of heart. Karina started running at 12 after getting cut from her middle school soccer team,…

15. 16: How A Coach Guided Me Through Injury w/ Victoria (Train Smart Run Strong) (Mini Episode)

    3 Dec 2025 · 24 min · Episode 16 · Bonus

    This mini episode looks back at the first few weeks of working with my coach, Victoria from Train Smart Run Strong, when I showed up unsure, uncomfortable, and trying to figure out if my body could handle another…

16. 101: New Beginnings at 53: Her First Marathon After Beating Cancer w/ Sheila Molony

    1 Dec 2025 · 1 h 01 min · Episode 101

    Sheila started running at 53 with nothing but a Couch to 5K app and a feeling that something in her life needed to change. What she didn’t know then was that running would carry her through one of the hardest chapters…

17. 15: 3 Benefits of Running a Marathon on Your Period (Mini Episode)

    26 Nov 2025 · 8:17 · Episode 15 · Bonus

    A couple weeks ago I shared a post about starting my period the day before my marathon, and the response from female runners was huge. So many of you had questions about how it went, what I researched beforehand, and…

18. 100: MY 5th Marathon (Solo Episode - HAPPY 100 EPISODES!!)

    24 Nov 2025 · 26 min · Episode 100

    This week I am breaking down my fifth marathon and closing the chapter on what has been one of the most chaotic, emotional, and growth filled years of running I have ever had. Richmond came together after an injury…

19. 14: Expect Training to Never Go Perfectly (Mini Episode)

    12 Nov 2025 · 5:31 · Episode 14 · Bonus

    Getting sick a week out from a marathon used to send me into full panic mode. But after five marathons, I’ve learned that training never goes perfectly, and it doesn’t have to. In this episode, I’m sharing how my…

20. 99: A Quarter, a Timex, and a Lifetime of Miles: 34 Years of Running Lessons w/ Stephanie Dyer

    10 Nov 2025 · 55 min · Episode 99

    When Stephanie Dyer started running 34 years ago, it wasn’t love at first sight. As a former tennis player, running felt like punishment. But surrounded by the energy of Marathon Monday at Boston College, she gave it…

21. 98: MY 4th Marathon - Chicago Marathon Recap

    3 Nov 2025 · 30 min · Episode 98

    In this episode, I’m sharing my side of the 2025 Chicago Marathon story. This was my fourth marathon and the one I ran alongside my mom for her first. After missing out on the lottery, I joined the American Cancer…

22. 13: Progress Doesn’t Have to Be Measured by Time (But It Can Be) (Mini Episode)

    29 Oct 2025 · 5:53 · Episode 13 · Bonus

    In this week’s mini episode, I’m tackling a question that came my way recently: “What’s the point of running a race if you’re not measuring progress by time?” After four marathons, I’ve learned that progress isn’t…

23. 97: Lottery to Finish Line: Becoming a Marathoner in Chicago w/ Monique Sayles

    27 Oct 2025 · 1 h 21 min · Episode 97

    Last fall, my mom and I ran a half marathon together in North Carolina, the first time she’d really laced up again in years. Not long after, I sent her a text about the Chicago Marathon lottery and told her to throw…

24. 12: Tips on Post-Marathon Recovery (Mini Episode)

    22 Oct 2025 · 14 min · Episode 12 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode is all about post-marathon recovery, and I’m speaking from experience. Fresh off the Chicago Marathon, I’m breaking down what I’ve learned across four marathons about how to actually recover…

25. 96: Erin Phifer returns to the show: Maple gels, run walk strategy, and a Berlin finish through the Gate

    20 Oct 2025 · 1 h 07 min · Episode 96

    Our podcast editor, Erin Phifer, is back for her second episode to recap her wild ride at the 2025 Berlin Marathon. What started as a race that just happened to fit her work schedule turned into her hottest, hardest,…

26. 11: Making the Most of Your Long Runs – Why the Hard Runs Matter (Mini Episode)

    8 Oct 2025 · 7:08 · Episode 11 · Bonus

    Long runs are about more than just building mileage. In this mini episode, we’re breaking down how to use your long runs as dress rehearsals for race day—from testing your fueling and pre-run meals to figuring out your…

27. 95: Why the Race Isn’t the Point: Loving the Training More Than the Medal w/ Steven Salefske

    6 Oct 2025 · 54 min · Episode 95

    This week’s episode dives into a runner who has been logging miles for nearly three decades, from high school cross country to Navy decks to marathon training on a treadmill in the middle of the ocean. Steven shares…

28. 10: We're Talkin' Race Strategy (Mini Episode)

    2 Oct 2025 · 8:42 · Episode 10 · Bonus

    On this weeks episode, we're breaking down common race strategies for you fall marathoners gearing up for race day! As always, I recommend consulting with a coach or experienced running to develop the perfect strategy…

29. 94: Losing, Returning, and Finding Strength in the Marathon w/ Myka Laukea

    29 Sep 2025 · 55 min · Episode 94

    Myka’s road to 26.2 came with plenty of detours. After years of stopping and starting, she found her stride again on the Raleigh greenways and signed up for the Tobacco Road Marathon. Her training leaned heavy on…

30. 9: Battling The Taper Crazies (Mini Episode)

    24 Sep 2025 · 8:26 · Episode 9 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode is all about taper. Fresh off my 20-mile peak run, I share what taper has felt like across my marathons - from the taper crazies to finally learning to enjoy it. We talk about why taper feels…

31. 93: Postpartum to Pittsburgh: Running for Herself w/ Rebecca Simonic

    22 Sep 2025 · 1 h 00 min · Episode 93

    What does it take to go from postpartum depression and doomscrolling on the couch to crossing the finish line of your first marathon? For Rebecca Simonic, it all started with a TikTok edit of the New York City Marathon…

32. 8: My Mental Health Journey (Mini Episode)

    17 Sep 2025 · 16 min · Episode 8 · Bonus

    In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, I’m sharing my story of how the pressure of sports turned into anxiety, burnout, and depression, and how running eventually helped me find my way forward again. It wasn’t an…

33. 92: Poison Ivy to Philly: Leaving the Past at the Finish Line w/ Asher Brummel

    15 Sep 2025 · 47 min · Episode 92

    Asher didn’t grow up playing sports and definitely didn’t picture himself as a marathoner. His running story started in a pretty unusual way: after a poison ivy rash left him restless, he laced up a pair of basketball…

34. 91: From 90 Seconds to American Record: The Reinvention of Keira D’Amato

    8 Sep 2025 · 1 h 08 min · Episode 91

    Keira D’Amato’s running journey is a true comeback story. After almost a decade away from the sport, she started again as a new mom who could barely run 90 seconds and started her slow build back. That patient rebuild…

35. 7: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Running My First Marathon (Mini Episode)

    3 Sep 2025 · 8:51 · Episode 7 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode is all about the five biggest lessons I’ve picked up after interviewing nearly 100 runners about their first marathons! From starting slow and taking the pressure off your debut race, to…

36. 90: The Great Turkey Detour: Surviving a First Marathon w/ Molly Van Herwynen

    1 Sep 2025 · 53 min · Episode 90

    What do you do when mile 21 of your first marathon throws more at you than fatigue? For Molly, it wasn’t just the wall, it was four full-sized turkeys blocking the course. Her first 26.2 in Milwaukee was already a…

37. 6: Update On Training For The Chicago Marathon! (Mini Episode)

    27 Aug 2025 · 10 min · Episode 6 · Bonus

    In this mini episode I share a training update as I prepare for the Chicago Marathon. After battling injuries and barely finishing Eugene, I took May off, started working with a coach, and focused on getting back to…

38. 88: Finish Happy, Finish Healthy, Finish Strong: Running the Philly Marathon w/ Rachel O'Brien

    25 Aug 2025 · 53 min · Episode 88

    Rachel O’Brien never thought she would call herself a runner. After quitting lacrosse in college following a thyroid diagnosis, she hated exercise and avoided running for years. That changed in 2023 when she saw the…

39. 5: Mind Over Miles: 6 Mantras to Push Through Tough Runs (Mini Episode)

    20 Aug 2025 · 6:51 · Episode 5 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode is all about running mantras. Whether you’re struggling through a long run, hitting the wall during a race, or just need a little mental boost, these six phrases can help you push through and…

40. 87: Forward is a Pace: Lessons from Disney w/ Katelyn Fox

    18 Aug 2025 · 1 h 00 min · Episode 87

    Katelyn Fox never thought she’d call herself a runner. A swimmer for 19 years, she once saw running as punishment until a family step challenge led her to buy a treadmill, prove her mom wrong, and slowly discover a…

41. 5: World Major or Local Race: Choosing Your First Marathon (Mini Episode)

    13 Aug 2025 · 14 min · Episode 5 · Bonus

    Choosing your first marathon can feel like picking a college or buying a house — exciting, overwhelming, and full of “what ifs.” In this mini episode, I break down the pros and cons of local races, mid-sized events,…

42. 86: The Goal is the Spark, Not the Measure: Lessons in Letting Go w/ Brandon Hicks

    11 Aug 2025 · 1 h 16 min · Episode 86

    Brandon Hicks didn’t start running marathons the “traditional” way. He skipped the gradual 5K-to-half-marathon pipeline and went straight for the big goal. Along the way, he learned that the real value of a goal isn’t…

43. 4: 3 Pieces of Running Advice That Changed My Running (Mini Episode)

    6 Aug 2025 · 15 min · Episode 4 · Bonus

    In this week’s mini episode, I’m sharing three pieces of running advice that actually made a difference for me. Not the obvious stuff, but the kind of tips that stuck with me through injuries, setbacks, and training…

44. 85: Sour Candy, Solo Miles, and the Making of Noogs w/ Paige Foote

    4 Aug 2025 · 1 h 06 min · Episode 85

    This week, I’m joined by Paige Foote, who ran her first marathon on a half-mile loop at an Air Force base after the 2020 NYC Marathon was canceled. We talk about what it was like training solo during lockdown, fueling…

45. 3: My Mom’s Running a Marathon… and It’s My Fault (Mini Episode)

    30 Jul 2025 · 20 min · Episode 3 · Bonus

    This week’s mini episode is a fun one! We're welcoming my mom, Monique, to the show who is currently training for her first marathon (Chicago 2025!) We talk about how things are going so far, what’s changed since she…

46. 84: Everything Went Wrong: Why Paige ran another marathon anyway w/ Paige Spangler

    28 Jul 2025 · 1 h 00 min · Episode 84

    Paige Spangler’s first marathon had all the ingredients for a disaster: a solo start, limited aid stations, an unexpectedly hilly course, and an 80-degree forecast she definitely didn’t plan for. But somehow, through…

47. 2: 5 Injury Mistakes to Avoid in Your Next Marathon Block (Mini Episode)

    23 Jul 2025 · 18 min · Episode 2 · Bonus

    In this solo mini episode, I’m breaking down five injury-related mistakes I made during my third marathon training block—so you don’t have to. From rushing recovery to trusting the wrong training plan, I’m sharing what…

48. 83: “I’m Not Athletic, But I Ran a Marathon”: Rewriting the Runner Identity w/ Emily Bailey

    21 Jul 2025 · 1 h 02 min · Episode 83

    Emily Bailey never saw herself as athletic. She played sports growing up but didn’t feel like she was naturally good at any of them. Over the years, she stayed active and even ran 5Ks for fun, but it wasn’t until 2022…

49. 1: Your First Marathon, Answered: Top FAQs from New Runners (Mini Episode)

    16 Jul 2025 · 22 min · Episode 1 · Bonus

    In this mini episode, I’m answering the most common questions I get from first-time marathoners. Whether you’re deep into training, thinking about signing up, or just trying to figure out where to begin, this is for…

50. 82: Marathon Therapy and Ultra Weirdos: What Running Gave When Life Got Hard w/ John Calabrese

    14 Jul 2025 · 58 min · Episode 82

    John Calabrese turned to running during one of the hardest seasons of his life. After a difficult divorce and a period of personal reflection, he signed up for a marathon as a way to process pain and find purpose. What…