Why do so many runners tie their identity to pace, mileage, race results and social media?

In this episode of Enduring Minds, Jason Bahamundi and Evan Birch sit down with ultrarunner, coach and creator Tommy Lewis for one of the deepest conversations we've had about endurance sports, identity and mental health.

Tommy shares how running helped pull him through one of the darkest periods of his life, why success can become a trap, and why chasing PRs, podiums and online validation often leaves athletes feeling empty.

Together they explore:

• Finding your identity beyond running
• Why social media creates unrealistic expectations
• Learning to trust your body instead of your watch
• Why slowing down may actually move you forward
• How failure creates confidence
• Building a meaningful life outside race results
• Defining success on your own terms

Training for your first marathon, your tenth ultramarathon or simply trying to become a healthier version of yourself? Press play and enjoy this conversation as it reminds you that your worth has never been measured by a finish line.

Because endurance isn't just about running farther.

It's about becoming more yourself.

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Mélanie Katcher didn't start cycling until she was 31.

Five years later, she's still discovering just how much she's capable of.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, Mélanie joins Jason Bahamundi for a conversation about finding cycling as an adult, becoming a stronger athlete in her 30s, and why there's no expiration date on discovering something that changes your life.

They talk about women in cycling, representation in endurance sports, finding community, and the importance of seeing people like yourself at the starting line. Mélanie also shares how she discovered duathlon and realized there was another way into multisport including the very important revelation that you can, in fact, skip the swim.

But this conversation is about more than bikes, races, or finish lines.

It's about belonging.

It's about trying something before you're completely convinced you belong there.

And it's about realizing you don't need a childhood athletic résumé, a certain body type, or somebody else's permission to call yourself an athlete.

Mélanie started at 31.

She didn't miss her opportunity. She found it.

Listen to this Fireside Chat and then ask yourself: What have you been telling yourself it's too late to start?

Take Risks. Bet On Yourself.

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We decided to combine musicians, Oreo cookies and with absolutely no adult supervision?

This is what you get in this episode of What’s In Your Earbuds?

Jason Bahamundi is joined by Santino Williams and Joe Hardin to answer one ridiculous question:

If musicians had their own Oreo flavors, what would they taste like?

Bob Marley gets the Neapolitan treatment. Sabrina Carpenter gets espresso crème and Pop Rocks. Prince gets purple wafers and raspberry filling. And yet, things only get stranger from there.

The best part? The Everyday Athlete community helped build the menu by submitting musicians and joining the conversation.

Some of these cookies sound legitimately delicious.

Others should probably never leave the group chat.

Listen to the episode, then tell us:

Which musician deserves their own Oreo and what goes inside it?

Follow the Everyday Athlete Podcast Network and Run Tri Bike for more conversations about music, endurance sports, food and the wonderfully weird things that connect us.

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What happens when the sport that helps define you suddenly disappears?

Dr. JoAnne Bullard is a sport and performance psychologist who has spent years helping athletes navigate injury, confidence, identity and the mental side of endurance sports. Then she became the injured athlete.

After years of unexplained pain, JoAnne was eventually diagnosed with bilateral chronic compartment syndrome. What followed wasn't the clean comeback story athletes like to imagine.

There were doctors who didn't have the answer. Physical therapy. Three surgeries. An infection. A stress fracture. Months on crutches. Missed races. And a question that became harder to ignore:

Am I still a runner if I can't run?

In this Fireside Chat, Jason Bahamundi talks with JoAnne about something bigger than injury. They discuss what happens when part of your identity disappears, why athletes need to advocate for themselves when something doesn't feel right, the importance of having people in your corner and how acceptance is different from giving up.

JoAnne also shares the emotional side of watching her family continue traditions she desperately wants to return to and why sometimes the goal isn't a marathon or a PR.

Sometimes you just want to walk your dogs again.

If injury has ever made you question who you are without your sport, this conversation is for you.

Listen, then tell us: Have you ever had an injury make you question whether you were still an athlete?

Why do we run?

For New Balance athlete and ultrarunner Mikey Kratzer, the answer isn't complicated.

You don't need a why.

In this episode of Enduring Minds, Evan Birch sits down with one of trail running's most unique personalities to explore why joy—not performance—is what keeps him moving.

From skateboarding and DJing to alcohol, depression, fatherhood, The Speed Project, UTMB racing, and finding peace in the mountains, Mikey shares how life continually reshapes who we become if we're willing to let it.

Together they discuss:

• overcoming depression and alcohol
• why running shouldn't become your identity
• finding purpose without obsessing over race results
• why community matters more than competition
• balancing elite performance with family
• The Speed Project culture
• vulnerability in ultrarunning
• why chasing joy beats chasing Strava segments
• raising children while pursuing big dreams
• staying playful in endurance sports

This conversation isn't about podiums.

It's about becoming a better human.

If you've ever questioned your purpose, struggled with mental health, lost your joy in running, or wondered if there's another way to approach endurance sports...

This episode is for you.

Because maybe the goal isn't finding your why.

Maybe it's simply allowing life to happen.

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What happens when curiosity becomes your passport?

In this episode of Fireside Chat, I sit down with Lisa Nichols, co-founder of ALLMYNE, psychologist, entrepreneur, and someone who has explored 152 countries across the globe.

But this conversation isn't really about travel.

It's about collecting experiences instead of possessions.

Lisa shares how a simple conversation with her grandfather turned into a personal mission that has taken her around the world. Along the way, she discovered that the best memories rarely come from tourist attractions. They come from conversations with strangers, meals shared with locals, unexpected friendships, and moments that can't be recreated.

Lisa and I explore why color, music, food, and culture shape the way we see the world, why every trip should tell a story, and how those stories inspired the creation of ALLMYNE, a travel journal app designed to help people preserve the memories that matter most.

From eating street food in India and pizza in Naples to learning surprising lessons inside post offices and discovering hidden restaurants around the world, this episode reminds us that every destination has something to teach us...if we're willing to slow down and pay attention.

Are you training for your next marathon, planning your next vacation, or simply looking for inspiration to experience life a little differently? Hit play because this conversation will leave you wanting to explore more than just new places.

It might just inspire you to become a better observer of the world around you.

Joe Hardin is back after completing the legendary Vol State 500K, and what starts as a simple question: "If you could only listen to three songs for eight and a half days, what would they be?" and that turns into one of our favorite conversations yet.

From ultrarunning and self-talk to coffee, London Fogs, community stories, terrible song choices, and surviving long races one town at a time, this episode feels like sitting around a coffee shop after a long run with friends.

Because sometimes the best conversations don't stay on topic.

They're simply where runners go.

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Most runners have never stopped to think about what it's like to race in a wheelchair.

Mary MacDonald is changing that.

At just 17 years old, Mary is already the 2026 Sports 'N Spokes Junior Athlete of the Year, the Massachusetts Ms. Amazing winner, and an aspiring Paralympian. But this conversation isn't about medals. It's about perspective.

Mary shares how depression, bullying, and a difficult childhood eventually led her to adaptive sports and how racing gave her purpose, confidence, and a dream bigger than she ever imagined.

Mary and I discuss the realities most runners never see:

• Why racing chairs can cost more than $20,000
• How airlines regularly damage racing equipment
• What race directors can do to create safer events
• Why wheelchair classifications are far more complicated than people realize
• The biggest safety mistakes runners make when wheelchair racers are passing
• What true inclusion at races actually looks like

Along the way, the conversation is filled with laughter, from Dunkin' coffee debates to chocolate cake, Kit Kats, and brownies, making this one of the most enjoyable and educational Fireside Chats yet.

Whether you're a runner, cyclist, triathlete, race director, volunteer, or simply someone who believes sport should be accessible to everyone, this episode will leave you seeing endurance sports through a completely different lens.

Because there really is a spot at the starting line for everybody and every body.

Subscribe, rate, review, and join the Everyday Athlete Community at RunTriMag.com.

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Marshall Ulrich has climbed Everest, crossed Death Valley, run across America, and helped define ultra-endurance. But this conversation is about something deeper than results.

Marshall joins Enduring Minds to talk about grief, family, legacy, DNFs, vulnerability, and the people who carry us through hard things.

From his wife Heather’s support to the legacy of Mark Macy and Badwater Ben, this episode reminds everyday athletes that the finish line is never the whole story.

The miles matter, but the people matter more.

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What if becoming a better athlete had nothing to do with doing more?

On this episode of Fireside Chat, Jason Bahamundi sits down with endurance coach Nic Hipp for one of the most honest conversations we've ever had about fitness, recovery and the pressure to always be pushing harder.

Nic shares her personal journey through orthorexia, rhabdomyolysis, recovery and rebuilding her relationship with food, training and performance. Together they unpack why social media has convinced so many athletes that faster is always better, lighter is always healthier and suffering is somehow the price of success.

Instead, they explore a different path.

One built around consistency instead of perfection.

Recovery instead of guilt.

Community instead of comparison.

You'll also hear discussions about:

• Why "just a 5K" doesn't exist

• Why boring routines outperform flashy fitness hacks

• How endurance athletes fall into all-or-nothing thinking

• The truth behind lighter-is-faster

• Why recovery is something athletes train, not something they earn

If you've ever felt like you weren't doing enough...

If you've ever compared yourself to social media...

Or if you've forgotten that endurance sports are supposed to be fun...

This episode is for you.

Because there really is a spot at the starting line for everybody and every body.

Keep Connected:

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Running, Triathlon, Ironman, Women's Fitness, Strength Training, Nutrition, Sports Psychology, Recovery, Mindset, Endurance Sports, Healthy Living, Running Coach, Fitness Coach, Everyday Athlete, Community