Every runner has a unique journey to lacing up their shoes - Leo Vitelli certainly fits that bill. From living out of his car and suffering from severe mental health challenges to embracing life, adventure, fitness and running, leading him to successfully complete the 2024 Divide 200-mile race, the former professional gamer (we said he was unique!) shares the insights and learnings from his journey along the way. Host John Shep had so much fun, they are going to do a Part Two next week, all about Leo Vitelli coaching happy and healthy runners - stay tuned!

Find out all about Leo at: https://www.instagram.com/leo_vitelli/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

Coaches change lives. Allison Forsyth of Generation Safe joins John Shep on the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to discuss how coaches can positively influence change and build community in their athletes and teams, from the everyday to high performance. Her passion and charisma for coaching speak volumes as we dive into how to keep coaches and athletes safe in sport.

Find out all about Allison at: https://www.instagram.com/allisonforsyth/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

Brendan Carpenter started his running journey by losing 160lbs and ever since, has been an inspiration to runners of all bodies. Today, he is a run coach and run club lead, bringing that joy of running to others. He joins us on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast to spread the new year's enthusiasm and joy for running!

Find out all about Brendan at: https://www.instagram.com/brecarperuns/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

Our first Athletics Ontario Running Podcast episode of 2025 is a great one with Marathon2Sobriety and Sober Striders Run Club founder Luc Zoratto, who is an avid runner and alcohol-free life coach. His journey is an inspiring one and this conversation is full of honesty, community, and love of life and running. For any runner who drinks, doesn't drink or who is sober curious, this conversation is for you. Welcome to 2025!

Find out all about Luc and Marathon2Sobriety at: https://www.instagram.com/marathon2sobriety/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

We wrap up our gift giving season with a gift that you can give yourself: race registrations! Sinister Sports is starting a 200 Mile Race in Ontario for 2025: the SOO 200. They are bringing their 15 year racing expertise to a wonderful part of our province - and our host John Shep speaks to Kirsti Dolson and Kevin Duriaux of the Sinister Sports team about whether he should spend his holiday pennies on the adventure!

Find out all about Sinister Sports' SOO 200 at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soo200miler/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

Snowshoes are not scary! We start to wrap up (see the pun there!) our gift giving season with Derrick Spafford of Spafford Health and Adventure and the Dion Snowshoe Racing Series. He gives host John Shep recommendations for snowshoes, trail running gear and headlamps, along with sharing his trail and running adventures (including running along the Yukon Territory) on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast.

Visit Derrick Spafford on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/spaffordadventure

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

What is a Backyard Ultra? We get the explanation on this week's episode of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast from a panel of experts: Stephen Parker, author of There is No Finish: The Backyard Ultra Story, Persistence Racing's Neil McKay and 2024 Backyard Ultra World Championship competitor Justin Wright! Listen to stories about this amazing oddity of a running event, including the appearance of anti-cheerleaders, completing laps while wearing a tutu and the event where all runners received a DNF!

Connect with Stephen Parker on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/thebackyardultrastory/

Check out Persistence Racing on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/persistenceracing/

Connect with Justin Wright on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/justin_wright74/

BlackToe Running is a fixture in the Ontario and Toronto running communities. Mike Anderson is a Co-founder of BlackToe Running Inc. and the BlackToe Holiday 10k. We get his insights on great gifts for runners (and for our host John Shep, specifically!), along with this weekend's BlackToe Holiday 10k, a great event supporting great runners and a great cause: Centre 55 Toronto.

Connect with BlackToe Running on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/blacktoerunning/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2025-membership

Atiqa Mohammad is part of the Movember Canada team in the role of Program Manager, Personalised Cancer Care. She always does Move for Movember and this year is running 100km throughout the month. Host John Shep speaks with Atiqa about why men's mental and physical health is not just a problem for men. How can all genders support Movember throughout the year?

Connect with Atiqa on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/atiqam/

Find out more about Movember Canada: https://ca.movember.com/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership

Tyler Shaw is a Canadian musician taking on the 60km Movember running challenge to raise awareness for men's Mental Health. A self-professed newbie runner, Tyler speaks with host John Shep about how he'll accomplish this challenge amidst fatherhood and a busy Christmas music tour! Mental Health matters, so Tyler is up for the challenge.

Connect with Tyler on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/tylershawmusic/

Find out more about Movember Canada: https://ca.movember.com/

Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership