DFW Running Talk

Barely able to walk after a car crash. Now chasing a sub-three-hour marathon. This is a story about rebuilding, finding community, and giving the next starting line everything you have.

From living in a car in Los Angeles to a 3:25 Dallas Marathon debut, this journey has taken some unexpected turns—including accidentally running a half marathon and completing a 33-mile run from Dallas to Fort Worth.

We explore the lessons from hitting the wall at mile 23, how running friends help build consistency, and what’s different heading into the Indianapolis Marathon. The conversation closes with the crash that forced everything to stop—and the gratitude that followed.

CHAPTERS
00:00 The road to marathon number two
05:09 Living in a car and finding a new direction
10:05 Finding community through Dallas running clubs
15:11 A 3:25 marathon debut and lessons from the wall
24:23 Preparing for Indianapolis
26:15 A 33-mile Dallas-to-Fort Worth run
29:53 Chasing sub-three
31:05 The crash, recovery, and gratitude

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Cheryl Haynes’s first run lasted five minutes. Her goal was to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. What followed was a journey through mountain summits, setbacks, a first marathon, and finding comfort in running after losing her mom.

In this episode of DFW Running Talk, Cheryl joins host Chris Detzel to share how she built endurance as a beginner in flat South Florida, prepared for Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc, and returned to summit Aconcagua after an unsuccessful first attempt.

We explore the mental side of endurance, the lessons that came from starting small, and how a welcoming DFW running club became something Cheryl looks forward to each week. It’s a story for anyone wondering whether they’re capable of more—even if a single mile feels far away.

What’s one running or adventure goal you once thought was out of reach?

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Burnout and injuries pushed her away from running. Years later, Jacquie Mannhard became the women’s Leadville 100 champion.

This is an honest conversation about rebuilding a relationship with running—and discovering that your best performances might still be ahead.

We explore the pressure of collegiate running, underfueling, returning to competition after children, and the confidence it takes to line up against elite ultrarunners. Hear how changes to fueling, cross-training, and mindset shaped her comeback and helped her win Leadville in 2023. 

Then follow her return in 2026, when a battle through mile 95 produced a second-place finish she treasures even more than her victory.

Whether you’re recovering from a setback, considering your first ultramarathon, or trying to find joy in training again, this story will give you plenty to think about.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet a Leadville 100 champion
12:06 Collegiate running, underfueling, and burnout
19:53 Stepping away and rebuilding
31:52 Returning to running after children
41:47 Coaching and learning to believe
49:18 Injury recovery and rethinking fueling
55:23 Winning the Leadville 100
1:03:19 Masters running and the fight for second place

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A double iron-distance triathlon. 31 hours and 31 minutes. Discover the story behind the finish—and a life built around adventure.

Before becoming a Fit 4 Adventure co-owner, this Texas athlete spent years caddying on professional golf tours and finding races wherever work took her. She shares stories from a Double Anvil finish and extreme triathlons in Alaska and Iceland, plus the weekly swim, bike, and run challenge that keeps her active today. We explore Boston Marathon travel, turning a destination race into a vacation, and choosing adventures that match your fitness. Along the way, a trip planned for friends becomes the beginning of a new career—and lasting community.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Growing up active in Texas
07:12 Life as a professional golf caddie
15:56 A weekly challenge to keep moving
18:07 The 31-hour double iron-distance triathlon
25:54 Boston Marathon travel and race weekend
30:37 Running and exploring Iceland
38:25 From golf to owning an adventure travel company
47:37 Choosing your next race vacation or adventure

FEATURED COMPANY
Fit 4 Adventure

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DFW Running Talk — the stories behind Dallas–Fort Worth’s runners.
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A Dallas–Fort Worth runner turned two marathon blowups into a 2:36:11 breakthrough at Houston. This DFW Running Talk runner interview reveals what changed in his marathon training—and why it took more than fitness.

Kevin Barr returned to running in 2023 after nearly seven years away. His first marathon ended in a painful 3:10. He tried again, bonked again and finished in 3:02.

Kevin eventually broke three hours with a 2:57, joined Completely Sloth and began training with some of the fastest runners in DFW. At the Houston Marathon, he caught the women’s Olympic Trials qualifying pace group, negative-split the race and finished in 2:36:11.

Kevin explains how he:

• Increased his mileage and consistency
• Learned from two marathon blowups
• Changed his pacing to finally break three hours
• Used faster training partners to reach another level
• Balances nine to ten hours of training with work and four children
• Plans to chase a 2:29 marathon next

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Running coach Rafa Aguilar explains how he quit vaping, went from throwing up after his first 5K to running a 2:45 Houston Marathon, and earned a Boston Marathon qualifying time in less than three years.

Rafa shares the marathon training, strength work, fueling plan, running community and negative-split pacing strategy behind his transformation—including how he saved his hardest effort for the final 10K and closed Houston with sub-six-minute miles.

Follow Rafa at @rafarunz and discover more Dallas–Fort Worth running stories at https://dfwrunningtalk.com.

David Slear shares the training, mileage, and racing decisions behind his 64-minute transformation.

David traces his journey from Princeton lightweight rowing through triathlon and into competitive marathon running. We discuss the fueling mistake that destroyed his first Dallas Marathon, how the DFW running community gave him confidence to chase faster times, and what changed when he began running more than 100 miles per week.

David also explains why he uses two-a-day runs, how he balances training with work and family, and why he races by effort instead of locking onto a specific pace. Whether you’re chasing a Boston qualifier, building marathon mileage, or trying to break through a plateau, this conversation offers an honest look at what major improvement requires.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Meet 2:23 marathoner David Slear
(13:38) The 3:27 Dallas Marathon blowup
(24:35) Finding the DFW running community
(27:29) Winning his second marathon in 2:39
(44:00) Building toward 110-mile training weeks
(47:43) Running 2:28:41 at the Chicago Marathon
(52:05) Breaking the rules at the Boston Marathon
(1:01:23) Self-coaching, two-a-days, and staying healthy

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DFW Running Talk—the stories behind Dallas–Fort Worth’s runners.
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The former TCU runner, CFO, and father of two explains how he progressed from a 3:28 marathon debut to a Boston qualifier—and ultimately one of the strongest races of his life. We get into the marathon training volume that changed everything, why 55–60 miles per week wasn’t enough for his goals, how the DFW Sloths pushed him toward 70–90-mile weeks, and the race-day pacing decision that saved his CIM.

Jeff also shares what runners chasing a sub-3-hour marathon, Boston qualifier, BQ, or major marathon PR can learn from his long plateau: improvement comes from patience, community, fueling, recovery, and years of consistent work.

(00:00) Jeff Pels and the long road to 2:37
(12:25) From a 3:28 debut to a sub-3 Boston qualifier
(17:24) What finally broke the 2:58 marathon plateau
(22:44) Increasing from 55 to 90 miles per week
(28:38) How the DFW Sloths made him faster
(33:37) Rebounding from a difficult Boston Marathon
(38:06) The race strategy behind his 2:37 at CIM
(50:18) Patience, community, and long-term improvement

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Rate the show—it’s one of the biggest things you can do to help new runners find us.

Know a DFW runner we should feature? Send us a message at [email protected].

DFW Running Talk—the stories behind Dallas–Fort Worth’s runners.

https://dfwrunningtalk.com
https://youtube.com/@DFWRunningTalk
https://instagram.com/dfwrunningtalk
https://dfwrunningtalk.substack.com

Kai Michelle, founder of Sweaty and Steady Curvy Girl Run Club, joins DFW Running Talk to discuss beginner running, body confidence, marathon training, and building an inclusive women’s running community in Dallas.

Kai shares how she went from completing casual 5Ks to training for the BMW Dallas Half Marathon, documenting her journey through the Curvy Girl Running Chronicles, and inspiring women who never considered themselves runners. That momentum eventually became Sweaty and Steady—a Dallas run club created for curvy women, slower runners, run-walkers, and anyone who has ever felt left behind.

In this conversation, Kai explains why pace-inclusive run clubs matter, how running can support women through major life changes, and what it takes to create a safe and encouraging fitness community. She also talks about running with Strava during New York City Marathon weekend, preparing for her first full marathon, and celebrating every runner from the front of the pack to the final finisher.

This episode is for beginner runners, back-of-the-pack runners, women interested in running, and anyone searching for running motivation or a supportive Dallas run club.

Learn more at www.DFWRunningTalk.com.

Kaitlin Moore once believed running a mile was too far. Years later, the former Division I soccer player, working mom of three, and Dallas-area runner crossed the Houston Marathon finish line in 2:57.

Kaitlin joins Chris Detzel on DFW Running Talk to share how she went from casually running to completing her first marathon in 3:27, qualifying for Boston, running 3:08 in Houston, 3:01 in Chicago, and eventually breaking the three-hour marathon barrier. She also discusses her 1:21 half-marathon, 5:24 mile, and the training changes that helped her become one of the fastest masters runners in the DFW running community. 

Her progress was far from easy. Kaitlin opens up about recovering from a torn IT band at the hip, a torn hamstring, and a torn calf. She explains why strength training, physical therapy, recovery, patience, and knowing when to rest have become just as important as running the miles.

In this episode, Kaitlin and Chris discuss:

•  Qualifying for Boston in her first marathon 
•  The journey from a 3:27 marathon to a 2:57 
•  Balancing 70-mile training weeks with work and three children 
•  Training with Matt Campbell and the DFW running community 
•  Returning stronger after serious running injuries 
•  Strength training and injury prevention for masters runners 
•  Why every training cycle continues to build 
•  The friendships and support systems created through running 

Kaitlin’s story is a powerful reminder that improvement is rarely linear. Every training block, setback, recovery, and comeback contributes to the runner you become.

Learn more about DFW Running Talk, local races, running clubs, training resources, and inspiring runner stories at www.dfwrunningtalk.com.

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