Michigan Runner Girl

This very special Bayshore 40th anniversary episode of the MRG Show features a conversation with well-known podcaster and professional race announcer Ali Feller of the Ali on the Run Show.

Ali and her family, who live in New Hampshire, are making their very first visit to Michigan later this month for the Bayshore races, which are celebrating 40 years in a big way: the marathon, half marathon, 10K, and kids fun run all return in person after a two-year break because of the pandemic, and Ali is not only serving as the finish line race announcer, she's also hosting a live podcast recording featuring elite athlete and northern Michigan resident Des Linden the Thursday before race day on May 28.

If you've been listening to the MRG Show for awhile now, you know how meaningful the Bayshore races are to Heather and her family. These Memorial Day weekend races likely are very special to you as well — the half marathon fills quickly each year, as does the 10K. And the marathon is one for the books — incredibly scenic, flat, 26.2 miles of northern Michigan running at its best. These races attract runners from all across the country and even the world.

If you're a newer listener and maybe not quite as familiar with the Bayshore races here in Traverse City, you're going to love this episode just as much as those who have been along for the ride these past nearly 7 years of the MRG show. This conversation with Ali covers not only her involvement in this year's Bayshore race weekend, but also so much more—how she became a runner while living in New York City, how she met her husband through this sport, her career transition and growing a successful blog and podcast, the passion she has for supporting the Chron's & Colitis Foundation, and in more recent time, the opportunity she's had to serve as race announcer at both the New York City and Boston marathons.

With more than 500 episodes, 13 million downloads, and 2,500+ five-star ratings on iTunes, the Ali on the Run Show is one of the leading running podcasts in the world. Every week, Ali talks with inspiring people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond, from the fastest runners in the world (Des! Molly! Aisha! Emma!), to everyone's favorite running couples (Steph and Ben! Sara and Ryan!), to the runners who make up the middle and back of the pack. As she explains it, on her podcast, every runner is seen and celebrated, and we all get to pick up the pace together.

"When we don't live in alignment with our core values, that's when we open up these little cracks for disappointment, for sadness, and—I'll go so far as to say—for depression and for anxiety. A lot of these negative things do creep into our lives when we've lost the focus on all the positives."

Dai Manuel, an award-winning digital thought leader and author, joins Heather to talk about his journey of finding out who he really is at his core, identifying the life he wanted to live—for himself and for his family—and what it took to make the big changes and connect in meaningful ways with others.

"I was more afraid of not changing than I was of the idea of changing."

Dai is a Distinguished Toastmaster & TEDx speaker, former partner and Chief Operating Officer of a multi-million dollar retail company, and a sought-after lifestyle mentor and executive performance coach.

Learn more about Dai, his life, and his coaching at http://www.joinwlfm.com/

Today's conversation is going to motivate you to keep going, with whatever you're pursuing right now, whether it's training for a spring or summer race, or simply sticking with your everyday running and exercise routine.

It's also going to remind you it's never too late to try something new, to start doing something completely different and even something so outside of your comfort zone.

Pat Butler, at age 72, signed up for her very first triathlon, Tri Goddess Triathlon in southeast Michigan. And 14 years later, Pat is still going strong with completing triathlons — she's even competed in senior Olympics and has finished half marathons, sometimes with her kids, who are IRONMAN finishers.

Eva Solomon, co-founder of Epic Races, which puts on Tri Goddess Triathlon, joins the conversation, too.

Pat's 85th birthday is this July and she'll again be taking part in tri Goddess Triathlon, held on Saturday, June 25th this year.

Pat lives in Saline with her husband. As she shares during our conversation, spending time with her family — enjoying outdoor adventures together like long hikes, swimming, and road races — is very important to her.

**Race discount code is shared during this episode, for Tri Goddess Triathlon**

"I realized I thought I was writing a book about a middle-aged woman who ran a marathon, and what I was actually writing about was a woman trying to save her life."

Nita Sweeney, the award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink, joins Heather to talk about her journey of becoming a runner — and her journey of finding herself. Before she discovered running, Nita was a 49-year-old chronically depressed, occasionally manic, and unable to run for more than 60 seconds at a time. Using exercise, she unearthed an inner strength she didn't know she possessed, and with the help of her canine companion, she found herself on the way to completing her first marathon.

A former lawyer-turned-author, Nita has a new book — Make Every Move a Meditation — that comes out this summer and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. A certified meditation leader, mental health advocate, ultramarathoner, and former assistant to writing practice originator Natalie Goldberg, Nita founded the groups Mind, Mood, and Movement to support well-being through meditation, exercise, and writing practice, and The Writer's Mind, to share using writing practice to produce publishable work. Nita also publishes the writing resource newsletter, Write Now Columbus. She lives in central Ohio with her husband, Ed, and their yellow Labrador retriever, Scarlet.

You can downtown your free copy of Nita's eBook Three Ways to Heal Your Mind.

We've all heard about, or even taken part in, college classes that immerse us in real-life situations — these classes teach us in an entirely different way compared to sitting in a lecture hall, taking notes, and reading thick, heavy textbooks. But this one, the professional communications class at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, does something especially different for its students — it provides a way for them to bring a running event to life, from start to finish, while also giving back to the community in interesting and truly unique ways. The 7th annual Big Little Hero Race returns Saturday, April 23 to NMC's main campus with a theme of Mentorship Matters. This race — a perfect primer for the Bayshore races over Memorial Day weekend, by the way, if you happen to be signed up for any of those distances — features a 10K, 5K, one-mile fun run or walk, as well as a virtual option. NMC students Ayden Shore, Cristina Melgoza, and Matthew Bodner join their instructor Kristy McDonald in sharing the story of this spring's Big Little Hero Race.

"I think there are models of experiential learning, but not one that gives back to the community. And that was important to me, that they weren't just growing as business communicators, but that they were growing as people and they were giving back to the community," says Kristy. "They're so engaged, they care so much. They're just good humans and they're showing that and that's awesome. They care — they really, really care."

For Matthew, helping with this race holds special meaning given his connection to Big Brothers Big Sisters. He was involved with the program as a child after his dad passed away.

"A program like Big Brothers Big Sisters helped me stay on track. It's very easy as a young boy to get into the wrong things at the wrong time, so to speak. And Big Brothers Big Sisters just gave me a place to go where I could actually be myself. I could get mad, I could talk to someone who understood. And they didn't make me feel bad about it. And I think that is so important and underrated. And we have thousands and thousands of kids around here who need that hope of help. So that's why I think this is one of the best causes you could choose."

Learn more about the Big Little Hero Race at biglittleherorace.com

"A big part of managing my mental health — beyond therapy and meds — is moving my body and spending time outside. I feel my best when on our family camping trips. While some might see these trips as a lot of work, which they are, I find them to be everything I need: connection, fresh air, no Wi-Fi…"

Megan Eddinger is a runner and founder and host of the podcast The No BS Mama. She joins Heather to talk about her mental health journey and the ways being self-aware changes us and our relationships for the better. They talk about noticing our "warning signs" -- the perhaps not-so-healthy ways we cope with everyday stress -- and how shifts in our mindset (and prioritizing sleep and making room for the little, meaningful things in life) can help us feel better and improve our overall well-being.

Megan Eddinger, who lives in Delaware, is a 35-year-old mom of three who married to her high school sweetheart. She first became a mom just two weeks after her 18th birthday and had her last baby at just 23 years old. She was thrown into motherhood before she really had a chance to figure out who she was.

Her life has been everything but traditional and she shares all the ups and downs with raw transparency. Her ultimate goal is to normalize all the parts of motherhood that no one tells you about so that other moms don't feel so alone in their own journeys.

You can learn more about Megan by following her on Instagram. You can also join her free membership for weekly tips and tricks. FInd her podcast The No BS Mama whereever you listen to your podcasts.

Also featured in this episode: race discount codes! If you're starting to fill your calendar with races, be sure to check out the race discount codes we've got at Michigan Runner Girl.com We have race savings for events throughout Michigan, including Rivertown Races in Grand Rapids next month, the North Mitten Half Marathon, 10K & 5K here in northern Michigan over Memorial Day weekend, the Goddess Race Series of events from Epic Races — these include the Ann Arbor Goddess 5K next month, Tri Goddess Tri in June, and Women Run the D Half Marathon, 10K and 5K this fall in Detroit — Tulip Time in Holland this spring, Holland Haven Marathon, Half Marathon, and 8K this fall, and others. Head over to Michigan Runner Girl.com and click on Races and Events.

"There's a difference between being depleted and empty, and being depleted and full. I am depleted and full all the time. I cannot squeeze anything else out of my day. But when my head hits the pillow, I think 'God, that was amazing.'"

Mel Charbonneau — entrepreneur, writer, runner, mother and inspiration powerhouse who creates spaces for women to own their stories — sits down with Heather to talk about discovering what fills us up, becoming aware of our values and living a life in alignment with them, surrounding ourselves with supportive people who help hold us accountable (what Mel describes as "filling the runway"), and so much more.

"The more work I have done personally and professionally to define my values, and to make decisions based on what those values are to live the kind of life that I want to live — when I started doing that, everything changed in work, in my personal life, how I approach fitness and movement but also how I parent my kids."

Mel launched Fellow Flowers in 2012 with a collection of colorful flowers to help women honor the reasons why they run. Since then, she has turned the company into a national movement, 30,000-women strong. Through programs such as the goal-setting Declare It Day, Breakthrough & Begin oceanside retreats and Tell Her cards that encourage women to lift one another up, Mel has created a sisterhood of empowerment and support that proves to every woman that she is a story worth telling.

Most recently, Mel launched the Made to Move Women's Race Series. Made to Move honors not just race day, but each woman's journey to it, celebrating goals, competitive spirit, community and stories every step of the way. Made to Move actively works to remove barriers that can prevent women from running and to create a welcoming and inclusive experience for all women.

Mel lives in McFarland, Wisconsin, with her husband and three daughters.

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This episode will get you thinking about reconnecting with your community, your tribe, your people — however you define community. Heather talks with Eddie Kline, a west Michigan runner, cyclist, husband, and race director, who is overseeing one of his own community's well-known and popular races: the Tulip Time Run, a 10K, 5K, and kids fun run on Saturday, May 7 — the first day of the weeklong Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan. Eddie shares race details — the event is in-person this year after being entirely virtual last year — and he and Heather also talk about why community races and events like this one are so important to us and how they help us re-connect.

So many of us are craving the opportunity to get back out there, be with others, especially those who share a passion for the outdoors and movement.

Tulip Time Run takes place in Holland, Mich. May 7, 2022. Experience the beauty of Holland as you run through the tulip-lined streets. The Tulip Time Run offers an event for everyone — a 5K, 10K and Kids' Fun Run. A special MRG listener race discount code is shared during the episode.

Heather also talks about her own plans for an upcoming community race, as well as a recent reconnection moment she shared at a surprising place: the gym.

If there ever was an episode that packs in just about everything the MRG podcast is all about — especially now — this one would be it. The Michigan Runner Girl Show returns after a short break in a big way with this episode featuring a LIVE recording from the 4th annual Michigan Runner Girl Winter Weekend Getaway, a retreat held a couple of weeks ago in northern Michigan on the shores of North Higgins Lake that included 40+ women.

This episode marks a milestone for the show, too: this is Season One of 2022 — the first time the MRG podcast, since its start in 2015, has released episodes by season and following a particular theme. Season One's theme is Reconnection. Over the course of the next 8-10 weeks, listeners can expect to hear inspiring stories of people and places in Michigan (and beyond) that explore what it means to reconnect — with ourselves, with nature, with friends and family, with our communities.

This first episode features Maia Turek, a familiar podcast guest, who is known for her vast knowledge of Michigan state parks (she is an innovations and engagement specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources). This time, though, she gets more personal; she bravely shares a wellness journey she's been on over the past year with Leah Doriot, a certified health coach who has become a great friend of hers. Leah shares her insight, too, as well as her own journey to follow her passion and make a big (and scary) career change during COVID. Together with Heather, the women talk honestly about the challenges of living in a toxic diet culture, particularly for women, the importance of tapping into our inner strength and recognizing and honoring what we want for ourselves, and ultimately recognizing the power that comes when we change our mindset about what it means to be strong, able, and beautiful-just-as-we-are women.

Thanks to the amazing women who joined us for the MRG Winter Weekend Getaway and took part in the LIVE podcast recording — and asked fantastic questions, too! What a weekend it was. (Learn more about this annual event at MichiganRunnerGirl.com. Be sure to sign up for the MRG newsletter to hear about upcoming events, including the 2023 winter weekend.)

In this latest episode featuring Heather and her 21-year-old daughter, Emma, life transitions — facing them, going through them, learning from them — is the focus. And if there's ever been a time when life changes take center stage, it's these past couple of years as we've all endured so much, personally and professionally, as a result of the pandemic.

Emma shares big news at the start of this episode, and how where she's at now and what's ahead is the culmination of a lot of hard work, dedication … and, yes, stress and self-reflection. She shares how she traversed this time of her life and the things she's learned about herself.

Emma asks some interesting and personal questions of her mom, and Heather responds with stories that touch on becoming a mom, the role of creativity and work along this journey of raising three kids, and the generational differences Emma and Heather are observing as Emma enters her early 20s and begins thinking about her future plans.

They wrap up the show by sharing a letter from a listener, and encourage the comments and feedback to keep on coming. What life transition are you experiencing right now? How are you navigating the ups and downs of this time? How does running and movement help you? We'd love to hear from you. Email your thoughts, or record a voice memo, and send to [email protected]