DFW Running Talk

Scott Manis didn't start running until his early 40s, and he started in a swimsuit. Twenty years later, he's logged 45 marathons, five Boston appearances, a full Ironman, and become one of the most well-known and well-loved figures in the Dallas running scene through the White Rock Running Co-op.

In this conversation, Chris and Scott trace the whole journey — from a lonely job transfer to West Palm Beach that accidentally ignited a running obsession, to a 4:33 first marathon that stung enough to spawn a second attempt just 12 weeks later (and nearly an hour faster). Scott talks honestly about what it felt like to finally stand on the Boston start line, what it took to drop from 3:38 to 3:09, and why the running community — not the miles — is the whole point.

They also dig into the WRRC's famous "run my hood" summer tradition, two knee surgeries and the stubborn determination to pace a race right after recovery, what Ironman training actually does to your body and your soul, and Scott's now-iconic Gatorade bottle pre-race bathroom strategy that belongs in the runner's hall of fame.

Scott is marathon-retired, officially. But if Tokyo calls — or one of his kids wants company at the start line — all bets are off.

A great listen for anyone who started running late, anyone who's part of a running community, and honestly anyone who just loves hearing from a guy who's been quietly putting in the work for two decades.

Sergio Mena grew up running cross country in Spain, earned a full D1 scholarship to the University of Kentucky, got his MBA in Texas, and is now one of the most dominant half marathon runners in the DFW area — all while working full-time as an accounting manager.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Sergio to talk about his journey from Spain to Kentucky to Texas, his years-long quest to win the BMW Dallas Half Marathon (which he finally achieved in December 2025), and how he followed it up with a win at the Cowtown Half Marathon. Sergio also tells the incredible story of how running literally got him his job — thanks to a Dallas Morning News article before the 2019 BMW Half.

Topics include D1 college running, self-coached training, balancing racing with a full-time career, race strategy, and what keeps you lacing up when you've already hit your biggest goal.

A great episode for DFW runners, half marathon fans, and anyone who runs because they just love it.

Dallas runner Jodi Jordan is back at Boston for her third time — and she's never felt more ready. In this conversation recorded live at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the 2025 Boston Marathon, Jodi shares how she went from partying on weeknights to qualifying for Boston with a 3:23 at St. George in 2015, the health scare that almost kept her from her second Boston, and how she's evolved into one of DFW's most consistent marathoners with a 2:57 Cowtown PR. She talks training with Coach Matt Campbell at Train Pegasus, balancing running with swimming and cycling, and why she believes enjoying the journey with your community matters more than obsessing over a BQ. Plus — kids on trampolines mid-race. You'll have to hear it to understand. 

Eli Rodriguez went from tearing his rotator cuff as a bodybuilder to qualifying for Boston — twice — in just a few years of running. In this live episode recorded at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the 2026 Boston Marathon, Eli shares how he went sub-3 in only his second marathon, what he learned from his first Boston, and why he's chasing a 2:49 this year. Plus, his take on how run clubs like Trained Pegasus changed everything. 

Recorded live at the Hilton Park Plaza in Boston, Chris sits down with Train Pegasus coach and Dallas running legend Alfonzo "Fonz" Gonzales on the eve of his 10th Boston Marathon. Fonz breaks down why he keeps coming back year after year (hint: it's not for himself), shares his race-day strategy for 2026 — a disciplined progression run targeting around 2:45 while using Boston as a tune-up for the Sendai Half Marathon — and drops timeless advice on how to survive the Newton Hills and attack after Heartbreak. If you've ever gone out too hot at Boston, this one's for you. 

Jana Kizakova ran her first marathon in 2017 on a New Year's resolution dare — finished in 3:44 and swore she'd never do it again. She meant it. Five years went by with zero marathons. Then a quiet moment on a seawall in Vancouver changed everything.

Inspired by the memory of a former manager named Alex who ran alongside her on her worst training days, Jana set a single condition: if she was going to run again, she had to qualify for Boston. What followed was nine marathons, a pair of shoes that literally fell apart mid-race, a heartbreaking near-miss on the cutoff, and finally — a 3:19 at the Mountain to Beach Marathon in Ventura, California.

This is her first Boston, and she's running every mile with Alex's name on her shirt.

We sat down with Jana at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the race. Don't miss this one.

Nick Pencil moved to Dallas knowing nobody, found Train Pegasus, and ran a 2:44 in his very first marathon. Now he's toeing the line at the 2026 Boston Marathon after battling an IT band injury that sidelined him for six weeks just months before race day. Chris catches up with Nick live from the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the race. They talk about going from fourth-grade track meets to high school cross country to marathon running, how a running community became his social lifeline in a new city, and why his simple mindset — "there's always another race" — is what keeps the nerves in check. 

Recorded live at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, Kevin Hebert joins Chris Detzel to talk about what it feels like to finally be here — at the Super Bowl of marathons. From his CIM debut to a tougher training block with double workout weeks, Kevin opens up about running with his wife Brooke and 10-year-old son Gus, the electric Boston energy, and chasing a sub-3:00 on one of the hardest courses in the world. 

Chris sits down with Megan Brown at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the 2026 Boston Marathon. Megan shares what it's been like to run Boston five times, including once while three months pregnant and again just five months postpartum — and why she's never stopped chasing the streak. Now eyeing a sub-3 breakthrough with a training partner to push her, Megan talks about how motherhood reshaped her relationship with running, the mental wall between her 3:05 PR and the barrier she's been knocking on, and why she believes Boston is the Super Bowl of marathons. If you're chasing a BQ, her advice is simple: don't give up. 

Nathan Rankin grew up watching his dad Greg run Boston — so many times it stopped feeling special. Then he qualified himself, debuted with a 2:38 at Eugene, came to Boston chasing a PR, and blew up at mile 16. Now he's back. This time staying in the city, riding the yellow bus, soaking in everything he skipped last year — and locked in on one number: 2:46:40. That's his dad's Boston PR, and Nathan wants it.

We caught up with Nathan the day before the 2026 Boston Marathon at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza. He talks about growing up in Plano, wrestling and cross country being the sports "that didn't have a size limitation," coaching college wrestlers while training for marathons himself, and why having a goal race keeps him honest as a coach.