What does it look like when someone doesn’t just run marathons… but helps shape the experience for thousands of others?

This week on Finish Line Moments, we sit down with Gary Kutscher - marathoner and co-owner/Race Director of the Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival.

Gary didn’t grow up a runner. He found the sport later in life, from a spontaneous Bay to Breakers to a 3:20 debut marathon in Honolulu, a Boston qualifier soon after and a sub-3 performance at New York City just 54 days after 9/11. What started as a personal journey became something much bigger.

Today, Gary helps lead one of California’s most impactful race weekends - an event that has raised nearly $10 million for charity and created thousands of meaningful finish line moments.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Finding running later in life and why that matters

• The power of community and connection through the sport

• Why being a runner shapes how he leads

• The small details that make race day unforgettable

• The human stories that keep him deeply connected to the work

Gary is thoughtful, grounded and incredibly generous - giving a full hour of his time during race week to share his story and perspective.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating a race that truly honors runners, this conversation is for you.

A special expanded Finish Line Moments from the 130th Boston Marathon - one of the most historic, emotional and unforgettable race weekends in the world.

This episode begins with reflections from the streets of Boston: the reverence of Marathon Monday, the unmatched crowd energy, blue and yellow everywhere and why this race feels different from anything else in sport.

Then, a powerful lineup of guests who lived it:

• Shaun and Shamus - 2nd overall duo, record-setting fastest American duo, and their fastest Boston yet. Inspired, grateful and full of perspective.

• Campbell Ross - fresh off winning the Rock ’n’ Roll D.C. Half Marathon and then running a strong first Boston.

• Berk Fhara - Boston local sharing the heart of why this city loves Marathon weekend the way it does.

• Dave McGillivray - former longtime race director, generous leader and 54-time consecutive finisher who ran this year with his kids.

• Julie Weiss, the Marathon Goddess - bringing heart, purpose, and another beautiful Boston experience.

• Alberto Colin - completing his 130th marathon at the 130th Boston Marathon.

From course records and champions to family, gratitude, perseverance, and purpose - this is just a small sliver of the many stories that came out of Boston.

Because Boston isn’t just a marathon. It’s emotion. It’s history. It’s humanity.

In this special race recap episode, Gretchen takes you inside the 40th running of what many consider the best non-marathon event in the country, a race that has quietly shaped the modern running landscape while staying deeply rooted in its local community.

First, meet Howard Duncan, one of just seven Legacy Runners, who has lined up at the start every single year since 1986. His story is a powerful reflection on consistency, community and what it means to grow alongside a race for 40 years.

Then, San Diego-based endurance industry insider Dan Cruz shares the bigger picture - how Carlsbad helped redefine road racing, why its spectator-friendly, wave-based format changed the game and how it continues to balance being both a hometown, homegrown event and a truly world-class competition. He also highlights just how deep the competition runs, with multiple records falling in the 70+ age divisions this year.

Finally, Masters champion Meriah Earle brings it back to the roads with a standout performance and a powerful reminder: there is both life beyond the sport and still plenty of speed within it. Her perspective on longevity and continuing to show up adds a meaningful layer to an already unforgettable weekend.

From legacy runners to elite performance, from community connection to industry impact, all of these stories coming together on one road, on one day.

Gretchen is joined by Annie Schultz of Benaroya Research Institute (BRI), a leader in autoimmune disease research and human immunology. Living with type 1 diabetes, along with multiple autoimmune conditions, Annie shares her personal journey from diagnosis to daily life, alongside the generational impact of autoimmune disease within her family.

At the core of the conversation is BRI’s mission: to predict, prevent, reverse and ultimately cure diseases of the immune system. Through bold questions, innovative science and a commitment to understanding the immune system as a whole, BRI is advancing breakthroughs that have the potential to transform how autoimmune diseases are treated - and one day, prevented.

The episode also reflects on the two-year anniversary of “2 Halfs, 2 Coasts, 2 Days”, Gretchen’s cross-country endurance challenge that became far more than miles. What began as a physical test turned into a powerful effort to raise awareness and funds for BRI’s autoimmune research, connecting stories across cities, diagnoses and experiences, and reinforcing a shared sense of resilience and hope.

This is a conversation about living with autoimmune disease, the power of community, and the momentum created when personal purpose meets scientific progress.

Because a finish line isn’t the end - it’s the moment that shows you what’s still possible.

She was told Multiple Sclerosis would likely take away her ability to walk. Instead, Sagirah Ahmed Norris ran all six World Marathon Majors.

Diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS after experiencing alarming symptoms during the 2018 Chicago Marathon, Sagirah’s world changed overnight. Within a year she was facing mobility loss, using braces and preparing for life in a wheelchair. But a discovery about stem cell treatment (HSCT) set her on a different path - one that required courage, science, relentless physical therapy and a belief that movement was still possible.

What followed became her “Keep Moving Forward” journey. Relearning how to walk, then how to run and eventually crossing finish lines in Boston, New York, London, Berlin, and Tokyo to complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

Along the way Sagirah proved something powerful:

“If you start, you finish.”

She may not be the fastest runner in the race, but she refuses to be the last to believe in what’s possible.

In this energetic and deeply hopeful conversation, Sagirah shares the dark days after diagnosis, the fight to rebuild her body and why she now runs miles for people who cannot.

On this powerful episode of Finish Line Moments, Gretchen sits down with ultrarunner, survivor and servant leader Aaron Lee Burros for an unforgettable conversation about faith, perseverance and choosing to move forward when life changes in an instant.

After transforming his health through running and preparing for elite ultramarathons, Aaron survived being shot five times while saving his coworkers during a workplace shooting. What followed were years of physical recovery, PTSD, and unimaginable challenges - yet Aaron continued to search for purpose, eventually launching an audacious quest to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 weeks while serving and encouraging others along the way.

In this immersive race recap podcast, Finish Line Moments takes you beyond the miles of the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Washington D.C. into the energy, the people, and the defining moments of race weekend in Washington, D.C..

Race Director Adam Zocks on what it takes to deliver a world-class runner experience Men’s half marathon champion Campbell Ross on strategy, patience and knowing when to goSt. Jude Hero Jess Sikorski on running with purpose and what it means to represent St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

From first-time finishers to seasoned runners chasing personal bests, this episode captures the full spectrum of the race weekend experience making it perfect for anyone looking for running motivation, race day insight or half marathon inspiration.

More than just a race, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series delivers a true celebration, blending music, community and purpose into every mile.

Huge thanks to the team behind the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Washington D.C. for an incredible weekend and for welcoming Finish Line Moments/KSVY into the heart of it.

In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Scottie shares how a personal commitment to health turned into a passion for endurance sports - leading him to complete more than 25 half marathons, earn the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame distinction in his first year of racing and run major marathons around the world. With the London Marathon ahead, he’s well on his way toward completing the Abbott World Marathon Majors. As a leader in the District Running Collective, Scottie has helped bring runners - especially those who haven’t always felt welcomed in endurance spaces - into races, relays and adventures they may never have imagined. From introducing teammates to their first RAGNAR relay to helping friends take their first flight to travel for a race, Scottie believes the true power of running lies in the memories created and the doors opened along the way.

Kaitlin Heck is one of the endurance industry’s sharpest marketing minds and she shares how being a lifelong athlete and understanding finish lines from every angle shapes the way she builds races, brands and community around the miles.

Growing up in Phoenix in a family steeped in running, Kaitlin first built her athletic foundation as a competitive swimmer before eventually finding her stride in distance running. That runner’s perspective has shaped a remarkable career helping build and elevate some of the most recognizable endurance brands in the world - from the Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series at Ironman to the obstacle-fueled universe of Spartan and Tough Mudder, and now as Chief Marketing Officer at Mascot Sports, where she’s helping lead culture-shaping events like Diplo’s Run Club and the Run Travis Run series.

In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Kaitlin shares how her athlete’s mindset informs everything she does - why marketing races is really about storytelling and connection, not just promotion and how the most meaningful events are built when you truly understand what runners experience on the course.

In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Gretchen sits down with Staci Brown, endurance fundraising powerhouse, volunteer champion, and one of the most enthusiastic supporters the race industry has ever known. With more than 25 years shaping the people and partnerships behind iconic endurance events, Staci has helped scale charity programs at Team In Training, Crohn’s & Colitis, the American Cancer Society, Rock ’n’ Roll, and right here in Sonoma County with Napa to Sonoma. She lived the early boom of charity running, the evolution of ambassador programs, and the COVID-era pivot that reshaped the entire industry.This fast-paced, joyful conversation is packed with mic-drop moments, including:

• Why volunteers are the heartbeat of every race and how loving on them elevates the entire event
• How half marathons and accessible entry points open the endurance world to more people
• What really makes fundraising successful (hint: it’s not just money)
• Why showing up with enthusiasm is part of the job in the race industry
• How all of this work - fundraising, volunteering, community-building is ultimately in service of something bigger

This episode isn’t just for runners. It’s for anyone who’s ever volunteered, donated, cheered from the sidelines, or wondered how events actually come to life. Because finish line moments don’t happen by accident, they’re built by people who care deeply, serve generously, and believe that when you take care of the community, everything else rises.You’ll laugh, you’ll nod along, and you’ll walk away seeing races - and service - in a whole new way