Hear Every Mile

Laura Thornton sits down with Camille Fernandez, an analyst, charity runner, and proud representative of both the Philippines and the United States, to talk about how running became a way to honor family, support cancer causes, and collect a few unforgettable race memories along the way. They cover Camille's path from hating running to racing marathons abroad, plus the food, travel, and mindset that keep her coming back for more.In this episode, Camille shares how a half marathon in California changed everything, why Sydney's hills were brutal, and what it means to race in honor of family members affected by cancer. Laura and Camille also compare marathon personalities, swap race travel stories, and talk about the power of encouragement when the miles get hard.

• Camille explains her day job as an analyst for a health system and how running gives her a mental reset after long hours at a desk.
• She shares life outside running, including reading, tennis, volunteering with the Toast to St. Jude committee in Boston, and spending time with friends and family.
• The conversation goes straight to the carbs, with Camille naming chicken parm as her post-marathon favorite and honey stinger gels plus Chocolate Outrage GU as race fuel.
• Camille and Laura trade racecation stories, including Berlin, Oktoberfest, Munich, and Milan, and joke about planning race trips around food.
• Camille reflects on how she went from quitting track in high school to discovering running as a mental health outlet in college, then falling in love with the sport after a 2019 half marathon in California.
• She talks about becoming a charity runner after family experiences with breast cancer and prostate cancer, and how those personal connections fuel her in hard race moments.
• Camille describes Sydney Marathon as a dream race in Australia that came with unexpected hills, a long bathroom line, and the decision to listen to crowds instead of music for the first half.
• Laura and Camille compare major marathons as if they were people in a group chat, with Sydney as the perpetually stressed one, Boston or New York as the friend that makes bad decisions, and Philly as the one that gets blocked.
• Camille shares that London 2027 will be her next big race, and that she is running for Team Paws Chicago in memory of her dog, who recently passed away.
• The episode closes with advice for charity runners on raising money through networks, raffles, events, and even sourdough sales.

Ruth and Christian’s New York City Marathon Journey After Cancer

Laura Thornton talks with Ruth and Christian, a husband and wife team preparing to walk the New York City Marathon together in support of Think Pink Rocks. Their story moves between marathon training, cancer recovery, marriage, caregiving, and the small routines that have helped them keep going.This conversation matters because it shows what endurance can look like when life has already asked a lot of you. Ruth and Christian share how they trained through illness, leaned on each other, and reframed the marathon as a celebration instead of a test of ego.

Key topics

• In this episode, Laura introduces Ruth and Christian and sets up their story as one about breast cancer, healing, purpose, and running 26.2 miles through New York City.
• Ruth describes Christian as the person you want around when things go wrong, someone who brings levity, strength, and humor in hard moments.
• Christian describes Ruth as a sensitive, service-minded person who gives back to everyone around her.
• They talk about their current marathon taper, the shift from peak training into rest, and the nerves that come with reducing mileage.
• They share how training has become a family event, with their three kids, Ruth’s mom, and Ruth’s sister all traveling to New York to cheer them on.
• Ruth and Christian explain that they do long walks together, share AirPods, and build playlists from similar 90s dance and hip-hop tastes.
• Fitness became a lifeline during COVID, starting with daily walks, Peloton, and a focus on mental health that eventually led them toward marathon dreams.
• Christian shares how the New York City Marathon became a vision-board goal, complete with old 2018 marathon sweatshirts bought as a tangible reminder.
• Ruth opens up about being diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2024 and how the experience forced her to trust her body again.
• She explains how a therapist prompted her to build a post-cancer vision board, which included Hawaii, sunrise yoga, family time, and the New York City Marathon.
• They discuss choosing to walk the marathon because of Ruth’s hormone therapy side effects and Achilles tendinitis, and why walking is still a valid strategy.
• Ruth talks about the emotional challenge of sharing her cancer story publicly and how it creates purpose by helping others who are coming up the road behind her.
• Christian reflects on caregiving, saying the hardest part was the lack of control and watching someone he loves so much move through pain and treatment.
• Ruth shares the phrase “gifts in the garbage,” later reframed as “glimmers,” as an anchor that helped her notice small moments of joy during treatment.
• They talk about chunking hard things into smaller pieces, whether that’s chemo rounds or marathon miles, as a way to stay grounded.
• The conversation closes with encouragement for anyone facing hard things, especially around the idea that walking, slowing down, or adjusting plans is still worth celebrating.

Mike Bridges—host of At Your Own Pace and Mike Runs Marathons—returns to the Abbott World Marathon Majors as a runner, coach, and new dad. His second six-star journey is about more than races: it’s a story of how life changes the way we define progress, courage, and success. Laura Thornton and Mike trace his unlikely path from hating sports to running marathons. After a difficult stretch involving loss, surgery, and a health wake-up call, a simple 20-minute treadmill challenge sparked a journey that grew from a 5K to the NYC Marathon, a first six-star medal, and now a second attempt at the majors—with a different mindset. In this episode, Mike shares how he got started, what he learned from race-day mistakes and fueling challenges, and why comparing your pace to someone else’s can get in the way of finding your own. He also reflects on the mental health experiences that shaped him, earning his first six-star medal in Boston, and how fatherhood has changed his perspective on strength, purpose, and showing up. Whether you’re chasing a marathon, navigating a major life change, or wondering if you’re “a runner,” this conversation is a reminder that progress isn’t always linear—and your pace can evolve as your life does.

Most runners are chasing speed. Kyle from The Back of the Pack Podcast is chasing something bigger, from World Marathon Majors to a first half Ironman, and he’s doing it with brutal honesty, a wicked sense of humor, and zero patience for fake “real runner” nonsense. Laura sits down with Kyle for a deeply relatable, wildly entertaining conversation about the miles that change you. From Sydney’s punishing hills and brutal sun to London’s six-star finish, from race-day bathroom disasters to the thrill of a medal that means you did the hard thing, this episode is packed with the kind of stories every runner recognizes and every new runner needs to hear. You’ll discover:

• why Sydney humbled even experienced marathoners
• how Tokyo’s cutoffs turn a race into a mental chess match
• why the back of the pack deserves as much respect as the front
• how running became Kyle’s way through divorce, grief, and health struggles
• what it really means to build a community where every pace has a place

Kyle also shares the story behind Back of the Pack Podcast and Chasing Rabbits Run Club, where his mission is simple: make the mistakes so you don’t have to, welcome every newcomer, and remind runners that finishing is finishing, whether you run, walk, or do both. Laura brings her own candid race stories, from Sydney and New York to Boulder’s legendary 10K, plus the shared frustration of trolls who think pace determines worth.This one is for anyone who has ever felt too slow, too late, too out of place, or too intimidated to call themselves a runner. If you need permission to start, to keep going, or to be proud of the finish line you earned, press play.

The advice around weight loss and self-belief is wrong when it tells you to wait until you feel ready. Jennifer Brown, better known as this Iowa mom, shows how progress actually starts: with honesty, repetition, and a decision to keep going even when the scale, the clock, and your own head say otherwise.Laura Thornton opens this deeply personal conversation with Jennifer Brown, a mom, runner, creator, health coach, and Runner’s World contributor whose candid online presence has resonated with a huge community. What follows is a raw, often emotional look at the mental shift behind Jennifer’s transformation—from 342 pounds, type 2 diabetes, and a season of fear about her health to marathon finishes, a stronger mindset, and a life she says she never thought was possible. You’ll discover how Jennifer built momentum with the simplest starting points: walking, drinking water, and a 30-day one-mile challenge on a clearance treadmill in her basement. She breaks down why she stopped treating one bad day like a total failure, how she uses food, water, movement, and sleep as her coaching framework, and why her mantra—“the finish is the win”—matters far beyond running.Laura and Jennifer also get real about the emotional side of change: validation, body image, parenting, setbacks, and the inner voice that can keep you stuck for years. Jennifer shares how running changed her relationship with herself, why she thinks mindset is the true engine behind lasting health, and how she learned to stop looking for permission from everyone else.They also tackle the GLP-1 conversation head-on, including the practical reality of using medication as part of a broader health journey. Jennifer explains why she sees it as support, not identity, and Laura adds her own lived experience to make the conversation even more honest and useful for listeners navigating similar decisions.Jennifer Brown is the creator behind this Iowa mom, a health coach, and a runner whose story has built a loyal audience through candor and consistency. Laura Thornton is the host of Hear Every Mile, where she spotlights the voices and moments that carry us through life’s hardest miles.Essential listening if you need a reminder that you do not have to be perfect to begin, and that finishing—in running, health, or life—is still a win.

Hillary Burgess, better known as Running Up That Hillary, is making the case for every runner who has ever wondered, do I actually belong here? From middle-of-the-pack miles to marathon majors, she shares why the most powerful running stories are often the ones that aren’t polished, perfect, or glamorous.Laura Thornton sits down with Hillary for a candid conversation about humor, ambition, audiobook-fueled runs, and the very real chaos of chasing big goals while juggling work, motherhood, and a packed race calendar. Hillary opens up about what it means to be a self-described average runner who works hard, why the running world often overlooks the middle of the pack, and how honesty can be more validating than inspiration.You’ll hear about:

• Her six-star World Marathon Majors journey, including Chicago, Toronto, and Tokyo
• Why she listens to thrillers on runs and saves music for goal races
• The support system behind her training, from her husband to her parents and kids
• Her favorite mantras for hard miles, including “just keep moving forward”
• The unforgettable summer trail race that turned into a showdown with a water moccasin

Hillary also shares how she stays grounded when people tell her her voice makes them feel seen, and why she believes finish lines matter even when the race doesn’t go to plan. Whether you’re chasing a PR, coming back from a rough race, or just trying to feel a little more at home in running, this conversation is a reminder that you do not have to be elite to be serious.Essential listening for runners who love honesty, humor, and the kind of encouragement that actually helps on the hardest miles.

Laura Thornton shares her thoughts and feelings as she prepares for the Sydney marathon, reflecting on her training, fears, and excitement for the race. She also discusses the significance of the voices and memories she carries with her to Sydney, including the impact of her father's passing on her decision to run the marathon. Laura Thornton shares her personal journey and reflections as she prepares for a race in Sydney. She discusses the impact of her father's passing, her evolving mindset, and the importance of encouragement and support from others.

Takeaways

• Ready is a decision, not a feeling
• Discipline is the secret ingredient for achieving goals Healing and reflection: Laura's journey to Sydney is intertwined with her healing process and reflection on her father's passing.
• Encouragement and support: The voices and encouragement of others play a significant role in Laura's preparation and mindset for the race.

Chapters

• 00:00 Preparing for Sydney
• 03:08 Training and Fears
• 06:36 Excitement and Reflection
• 38:10 The Impact of Loss
• 39:23 Healing and Reflection
• 43:40 Evolution of Mindset
• 46:17 The Power of Encouragement
• 49:25 Defining Victory
• 57:51 Presence and Awareness
• 01:03:44 Messages of Hope and Encouragement

What does it look like to keep going when life keeps giving you reasons to stop?

In Episode 3 of Hear Every Mile, Laura Thornton sits down with LiAnn Anderson—mom of four, marathon runner, and a woman whose miles have carried her through divorce, grief, a traumatic birth, serious health challenges, and a life-changing car accident.

For LiAnn, running became more than exercise. It became a lifeline.

Now, as she prepares to take on the Sydney Marathon, LiAnn shares the people, words, memories, and even songs she carries with her when the miles get hard.

They talk about being separated from her newborn son for nearly a month, why her children are at the heart of her running, carrying her late father Jim’s dog tags across finish lines, meeting her husband Mike on Strava, and the daughter who paces her, sings at stoplights, and gives her someone to chase.

And because every runner has their rituals, there’s also chocolate milk, pickles, Pop-Tarts, steak—and the song that has become part of LiAnn’s story: “Unstoppable.”

Through everything, one message has stayed with her. It’s written on her Road ID, and it’s how she tries to live:

Keep going.

This is a conversation about far more than finishing marathons. It’s about the voices we carry, the people who help us forward, and what it means to discover that you can keep moving even after life changes the course.

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In this episode, Laura sits down with Stephanie Londo — middle school special education teacher, 14-year mentor with Students Run Philly Style, and five-time Dopey Challenge finisher — to talk about the quiet power of showing up for others.

From training students to run their first marathon to crossing finish lines together through a global pandemic, Stephanie's story is a reminder that the most lasting impact we have on people rarely comes from our biggest accomplishments. It comes from the ordinary choices we make every day to keep going, keep encouraging, and believe in someone before they believe in themselves.

Plus: Dick Beardsley's mantra that Stephanie carries into every race, what it's like to run Disney in full costume, and why the marathon is not the hardest thing you've ever done.

Ep. 1: Stubborn Enough to Finish

What keeps you going when every part of you wants to stop? For Kathleen, the answer is equal parts stubbornness, grief, and love.

In this first episode of Hear Every Mile, host Laura Thornton sits down with Kathleen — a New York City-based IT professional who works on Broadway by day and logs predawn miles before the rest of the city wakes up. She's run five marathons, completed a 50K ultra, and is weeks away from toeing the line at the Sydney Marathon. But her running story isn't really about pace or mileage. It's about loss, healing, and the quiet decision to keep moving forward.

Kathleen opens up about losing both parents in the span of a year, how grief became a reason to lace up instead of shut down, and why Sydney is a race she was always meant to run. She also shares the moment at mile 20 of her first marathon — soaked, freezing, and begging a medic to pull her — when she found out just how stubborn she really is.

In this episode:

• Running as therapy, escapism, and something in between
• Training with smoke-filled skies, a career-defining deadline, and a taper tantrum on the horizon
• The mindset shift from "mental toughness" to "mental strength"
• Her race-day song, her pre-run fuel (Red Bull + s'mores Pop-Tart), and the local news habit that has Laura speechless

Hear Every Mile is presented by Rally — powering the ability to hear every mile.