887. Re-Run: The 2019 CIM OTQ Pacers

"We put ourselves on the line to help other people accomplish their dreams, and that was pretty freaking awesome."

It's another Throwback Thursday, and this time we're going back to December 2019 for one of my all-time favorite episodes. At the 2019 California International Marathon (CIM), 72 women ran faster than 2 hours 45 minutes, officially qualifying to run the 2020 Olympic Trials in the marathon. Leading several dozen of those women were Menso de Jong, Chris Stehula, and Ken Rakestraw — the official sub-2:45 pace group leaders. None of them had ever run a 2:45 marathon before. This is their story.

(This is such a lovely, wholesome conversation with three men who took their roles at CIM that year incredibly seriously, and who had the utmost respect for the women in the field chasing their biggest goals. The women who ran with Menso, Chris, and Ken spoke so highly of them after the race, and I was delighted to get to interview all three of them together.)

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Episoder(897)

894. Alyssa McElheny, Hyrox World Champion & OTQ Marathoner

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893. Rachel Entrekin, 2026 Cocodona 250 Champion

"If the winner thinks that everyone's important, then goddamnit I must be right." Rachel Entrekin arrived at the start line of the Cocodona 250 ultramarathon in May having already won the women's race...

2 Jul 1h 22min

892. Emma Coburn & Parker Valby, Training Partners

"We're basically the same person, just 12 years apart." Emma Coburn and Parker Valby are professional runners, Olympians, New Balance athletes — and now, they're training partners. In this conversatio...

25 Jun 1h 11min

891. Laura Thweatt, On Athletics Club Assistant Road Team Coach

"When she said those words to me on that run, I was like, 'It's the same thing, Laura. You're gonna do the same thing that you've done. You were OK after every decision, after every scary thing you di...

23 Jun 1h 27min

890. Lee Glandorf, Creator of The Sweat Lookbook

"I don't think that the run girlies are respected within the sport the way they should be!" As a longtime marketer and creator of The Sweat Lookbook, Lee Glandorf truly has her pulse on industry trend...

18 Jun 1h 10min

889. The Latest Life Update From Ali

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12 Jun 1h 2min

888. Re-Run: Ellie Kemper, Actress & Marathoner

"If you're writing my obituary, whoever's in charge, please include this! Because I feel very proud of it!" For this Throwback Thursday episode, we're headed to January 2023 with actress and marathone...

4 Jun 1h 36min