DFW Running Talk

Michael Ryan didn't come to running through a 5K — he came through a half Ironman in Panama, a full in Arizona, and a 3:24 debut at Kiawa three weeks after finishing the iron distance. Now he's standing on the eve of his first Boston Marathon, fired up, a little uncertain, and ready to feel every mile of it. Chris and Michael chat about his sub-2:50 breakthrough at Pegasus, the coaching relationship with Fawn that changed his trajectory, and what it means to race the Super Bowl of marathoning for the first time. Recorded live at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, the night before the gun goes off. 

What does it take to go from nearly 200 pounds and no fitness routine to crossing the finish line of the world's most iconic marathon? For Kathy Smith, it took 16 years of walking, jogging, stress fractures, 100+ half marathons, two volunteer stints at the Boston finish line — and finally, a lottery win through her employer, Bank of America.

Recorded live at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza during 2026 Boston Marathon weekend, this conversation with Chris Detzel is raw, emotional, and deeply motivating. Kathy talks about what it meant to help wheelchair athletes at the finish line, why she never chased a BQ, and the corner near the medical tent she plans to run to the moment she crosses Boylston Street.

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start running or too big a dream to reach Boston — Kathy's story is your answer.

🎙️ DFW Running Talk | Part of the Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton Series 📬 dfwrunningtalk.substack.com

The "Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton" series ends here — with Alan Schonborn, one of the most beloved figures in DFW running. At 67, Alan is heading to his 11th Boston Marathon. He literally lives around the corner from the finish line. He guides blind runners with Achilles International.

And it all started with a mastiff who wouldn't let him quit. Alan opens up about finding community through Dallas Running Club and White Rock Running Co-op, getting his Boston Qualifier with the help of a stranger who took his watch mid-race, and what it truly means to run Boston year after year — not for the time, but for the people. This is the final episode before race day, April 20, 2026. If you're running Boston, chasing a BQ, or just love stories about why running changes lives — this one's for you.

Panther City Ultra (May 16 | Marion Sansom Park, Fort Worth) — Use code DFW for 10% off 
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DFW Running Talk | Hosted by Chris Detzel Subscribe at dfwrunningtalk.substack.com

Bobby Mack of Aubrey, TX didn't lace up his first pair of running shoes until he was nearly 40. Now he's a two-time Boston finisher, Abbott Six Star chaser, and Berlin PR holder (3:11) — and on April 20, 2026, he's heading back to Hopkinton with one goal: a clean, healthy sub-3:20. In this episode of our Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series, Bobby opens up about qualifying for Boston with a razor-thin margin, getting cut not once but twice, running two marathons in four weeks, catching COVID in peak week, and how running with the Endorphins group at White Rock Lake reignited his Boston fire. He even ran Tokyo — as a long training run — just weeks before race day. Perfect for: marathon runners,
Boston qualifiers, Abbott Six Star chasers, late bloomers, and anyone who knows the sting of being cut from the field you earned. 

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Dr. Mark Denny has run Boston 11 times. He's completed 100+ marathons across all 7 continents. And he was on a bus to the starting line the morning the 2013 bombs went off. In this episode, the 67-year-old DFW runner opens up about the moment an 81-year-old doctor — on his 41st Boston — leaned in nose-to-nose and quietly dismantled everything Mark thought running was about. Heading back to Hopkinton for the 2026 Boston Marathon on April 20th, Mark reflects on a running life built on friendship, discipline, and learning to enjoy the journey over the finish time.

Part of our "Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton" series — 10 episodes, 10 DFW runners heading to Boston.

Panther City Ultra | May 16 | Marion Sansom Park, Fort Worth | Code DFW = 10% off: Register here: https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra

Newsletter: dfwrunningtalk.substack.com

Angela Awald didn't start running until her thirties — already a mom of six. After a miscarriage, postpartum depression, and seasonal depression, she turned to running to trust her body again. She pushed a double jogging stroller through her early miles, worked through an IT band injury, and still ran a 3:45:21 at the Philadelphia Marathon to qualify for Boston. Then she ran 3:39 at Buffalo. Then 3:37 at Wineglass. Now she's heading to her first Boston Marathon as a mom of seven.

In this episode, Angela talks about balancing marathon training with a big family, hiring a coach for the first time, and why investing in yourself is one of the best lessons you can pass on to your kids.

Part of the Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series — 10+ DFW runners, one iconic race.

Brought to you by Rise Racing Co. — Panther City Ultra, May 16th, Marion Sansom Park, Fort Worth. Use code DFW for 10% off. Register today https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra 

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Will Christensen went from running his first marathon at the BMW Dallas Marathon in 3:55 to qualifying for Boston with a 2:47 at a tiny under-100-person race in Grand Island, Nebraska — and now he's heading to Hopkinton with an A goal of 2:40.

In this episode, the Army veteran and Dallas-based runner shares his full journey: a near-miss BQ at Big Sur (2:57 when he needed 2:55), finding the Nebraska State Marathon as his secret weapon, peaking at 100 miles per week with Addison Circle Running Club, and why he's running Boston with no music — just pure vibes, the Wellesley Scream Tunnel, and a turn down Boylston Street.

This episode is part of our Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series, featuring DFW runners chasing the 2026 Boston Marathon on April 20th.

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🏁 Presented by Rise Racing Co. — Don't miss the Panther City Ultra on May 16th at Marion Sansom Park in Fort Worth. Four distances: 5K, 10K, 25K & 50K. Use code DFW for 10% off: www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra 

Carrie Varner didn't even know what a BQ was when she ran one by accident in Las Vegas. A phone call from a friend that night changed everything — and sent her on a journey that now spans 13 consecutive Boston Marathons, with number 14 just weeks away.

But her story isn't just about streaks and finish lines. Carrie's first Boston was 2013 — the bombing year. She crossed the finish line six minutes before the explosions. In this episode, she opens up about what it felt like to be there that day, why it made her more determined than ever to come back, and how that single race shaped everything that followed.

At 66, she's still chasing sub-4. She still qualifies at Boston almost every year. And she's already signed up for 2027 to chase number 15.

We talk about the Rockwall Running Club community that's grown around her Boston streak, the Boston Buddies run club, pre-race church services and blessings of the athletes, the Unicorn Club experience, and her number one piece of advice for first-timers: respect those first downhill miles — they will come back to haunt you.

If you've ever dreamed of Boston, or you're already in the middle of your own streak, this one's for you.

🎙️ Part of the Road to Boylston series — DFW runners chasing the 2026 Boston Marathon 📬 Newsletter: dfwrunningtalk.substack.com 🏅

Code DFW saves 10% at the Panther City Ultra — May 16, Marion Sanso Park, Fort Worth, TX — presented by Rise Racing Co. https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra 

boston marathon | marathon running | running podcast | DFW running | boston qualifier | running streak | marathon motivation

Jane Buthod has run Boston five times — and in two weeks, she lines up for number six. In this episode of the Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series, the Allen-based runner shares how she BQ'd at a no-frills Fort Worth marathon on just her second marathon ever, what made her COVID-era Boston debut the most unforgettable race of her life, and why she keeps coming back year after year.

Jane opens up about her favorite race week rituals — the Tracksmith shakeout run that reunites the entire DFW running community, revisiting the Boston neighborhood where she lived for four years, and the insider moves that make race weekend special. She also delivers straight-talk advice on taper, race week nutrition, managing the expo on your legs, and running whatever weather Boston decides to throw at you.

If you're chasing your first BQ, heading to Hopkinton for the first time, or already a Boston veteran, Jane's story and race week wisdom will resonate.

Topics covered: How to qualify for Boston Marathon · Boston Marathon race week tips · DFW runners at Boston · Tracksmith shakeout run · Boston Marathon taper advice · Craig Ranch Allen TX running group