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

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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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Pete Johnson ran 1:05:11 in his first half marathon, averaging roughly five-minute-mile pace at the Houston Half Marathon. Now, the former University of Tulsa and Central Arkansas runner is preparing for his marathon debut at the California International Marathon, where he hopes to begin chasing the 2:16 Olympic Trials qualifying standard.

In this episode of DFW Running Talk, Pete joins host Chris Detzel to share his complete running journey—from discovering cross country at Plano West to competing in NCAA track, cross country and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Pete explains how an honest conversation with a college coach changed his mindset, pushed him to take training more seriously and helped him recognize his potential. He also discusses running 90–100-mile weeks, recording an 8:49 steeplechase, completing an 8K cross-country race in 23:39 and making the transition from collegiate racing to elite-level half-marathon and marathon training.

The conversation covers:

•  How Pete ran 1:05:11 in his half-marathon debut 
•  His Houston Half Marathon race strategy 
•  Training at the University of Tulsa and Central Arkansas 
•  The impact great coaches had on his development 
•  Steeplechase, cross-country and track racing 
•  High-mileage training and staying healthy 
•  Preparing for his first marathon at CIM 
•  His long-term Olympic Trials ambitions 
•  Balancing a physical therapy career with competitive running 

This episode is for runners interested in half-marathon training, marathon preparation, elite running, NCAA cross country, steeplechase, high-mileage training and the California International Marathon.

Follow DFW Running Talk for conversations with runners, coaches, race directors and the people shaping the Dallas–Fort Worth running community. 

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Chris Detzel sits down with Chris Shelton of the McKinney Running Club for a story that starts with a competitive streak and turns into a full-blown love for running and community.

Chris shares how it began in 2018 when his boss signed him up for the RAR 5K, why his very first training run (1.32 miles at a 16:23 pace) proves everyone starts somewhere, and how joining the McKinney Running Club in 2021 changed everything — from a bloody-shirt lesson on his second group run to jumping straight from a 10K to the Houston Marathon.

We also get into running with a group to make the hard miles bearable, still chasing that sub-4-hour marathon, setting age-group PRs, what it actually takes to run a club, and the return of the McKinney Historic Half.

Whether you're brand new or a seasoned marathoner, it's a reminder that the sport is about a lot more than pace.

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How did former SMU football player Troy Castle go from a painful five-hour first marathon to a 2:34 finish at the Berlin Marathon? On DFW Running Talk, host Chris Detzel sits down with the Dallas runner and two-time Irving Marathon winner to explore the marathon training, Ironman endurance base, Boston-qualifying breakthrough, Texas heat preparation, threshold workouts, and relentless consistency behind his transformation. Troy also explains how he balances serious running with three young children, why the Dallas running community changed his training, and what runners can learn from his pursuit of a sub-2:30 marathon. 

Miranda Hyvl started running 14 years ago with a couch-to-5K program as a busy mom just trying to get in shape. Today she's run 23 marathons, finished Boston seven times, checked off five of the six World Marathon Majors, and become an RRCA-certified coach — all while raising five kids in a blended family.

But Miranda's biggest impact might be off the racecourse. When Rockwall's running community found itself scattered across grocery store parking lots with no home base, she and her husband built one: The Run House, a membership-based recovery lounge and running club that's become the heartbeat of running east of the lake.

In this episode, Chris and Miranda talk about:

• How she went from a couch-to-5K program to a 3:26 marathon PR
• Balancing training with five kids — and the scheduling system that saved her marriage miles
• Why she tells first-time marathoners to throw out their time goals
• The origin story of The Run House and its recovery lounge (compression boots, sauna, and all)
• Her coaching philosophy: weekly customized plans, not 16-week templates from ChatGPT
• Boston rituals, chasing the 10-year streak, and the one major left before six stars
• The Rockwall Mile and what's next for racing in Rockwall

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Neil Robinson started running seriously in his 40s, ran a 4:53 first marathon he swore would be his last, and then — at 52 — ran a 3:16:24 Boston Qualifier. This is the story of the slow build: years of run-walking, the nutrition and training lessons from the White Rock Running Co-op crowd, Pfitzinger plans, 1,960-mile years, and the mindset shift of learning to push through discomfort. A conversation about getting faster as you get older, the heart-health stakes that started it all, and why the running community is the real reason to keep showing up. 

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Eleven days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in North Texas, runners and soccer fans are converging on The Sound at Cypress Waters for the Countdown to the Cup 5K — and in this episode, I get the full story from the two people making it happen.

Cindy Solomon of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and Eric Lindberg of On Your Left Marketing & Events join me to break down the race: the cup-shaped finisher medal, the brand-new USATF-certified course with a downhill finish, age group awards featuring the official Dallas World Cup ball, the Flying Saucer after-party, and the virtual option that's pulling registrations from across the country.

We also go way beyond the 5K. Cindy walks through everything the Organizing Committee is doing — the FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park (free, open to the public, 96 of 104 matches shown live), the Unity Cup youth soccer tournament, 26 mini pitches going into underserved communities, Dallas hosting nine matches including the July 14 semifinal, and why this is the first World Cup on U.S. soil since 1994.

Eric also makes the case for why this is one of the last major DFW running events before the calendar goes dark for the summer — most races June through July moved their dates because of the World Cup.

Register: https://www.countdowntothecup5k.com/ Save 15%: Code DFWRG Adults: $60 | Youth (12 & under): $30

Dallas 5K, FIFA World Cup 2026 Dallas, North Texas running events, Countdown to the Cup 5K, On Your Left Marketing, Cypress Waters race, USATF certified 5K Dallas, virtual 5K 2026.

Drew Martig started running at 27 — talked into a 5K by his CMO at Checkpoint Software. Less than a decade later, he ran 2:28 at the Berlin Marathon while self-coaching from his home in Flagstaff, Arizona.

In this conversation, Chris Detzel and Drew (Tanium teammates and fellow distance runners) get into the nuts and bolts of building real marathon fitness on limited time. Drew opens up about leaving structured coaching to design his own plans, why he caps mileage around 70-90 per week, and how altitude in Flagstaff changes everything — including measurable shifts in red blood cell count and ferritin after just three weeks at 7,000 feet.

We cover: 
→ Drew's journey from no athletic background to 2:28 marathoner 
→ Why "running by feel" beat structured pace-chasing for him 
→ The Berlin Marathon: pre-race nerves, hip flexor niggles, negative splitting through 50,000 people 
→ Self-coaching vs hiring a coach — the real tradeoffs → Why strength training prevents most running injuries 
→ ChatGPT coaches, AI training plans, and the value of human mentorship 
→ Coming back from September hernia surgery for a Chicago Marathon fall goal 
→ Heat training in Texas vs altitude in Arizona 
→ Why community matters even when you train alone

A grounded, honest conversation between two working runners who balance demanding corporate careers, family life, and serious training goals.

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