Michigan Runner Girl

Five years. Hundreds of inspiring conversations. Countless words of wisdom (thank you, amazing guests!). Three super talented producers (and musicians!). Multiple return guests and co-hosts. Several live audience recordings. Kind and generous celebrity runners and athletes. So many incredible stories of everyday individuals finding their way through this messy, beautiful life -- with help from friends and families and a solid, sweaty workout (or three).

Welcome to the 200th episode of the Michigan Runner Girl Podcast, a show that began five years ago by Heather Durocher, mother, runner, lover of all things Michigan and movement, and founder of MichiganRunnerGirl.com.

Heather highlights the memorable moments over the past five years -- the guests, the topics, the motivation we all loved -- and talks honestly about the past few months and how the pandemic has impacted the running community and life for anyone who is looking to stay active, find their exercise groove, become a healthier person, and become the best version of themselves. She also shares what COVID has meant for MRG -- and she shares an all-new way listeners and readers can be part of this podcast.

"If you chase anything in life, chase the things that get you excited about living. Chase the things that give you hope, happiness and a glimpse of a better life. Chase the things that make you want to be a better person. Chase the things that inspire you to think, create and live joyfully. Chase the things that reinforce in your soul that you can make a difference. Chase the things that make you want to transform your heart from selfish to selfless. When you chase that kind of storm you are chasing rainbows." ― Shannon L. Alder

FIND HEATHER:

@michiganrunnergirl on Instagram

@michigan-runner-girl on Facebook

--

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.

When it comes to trails, there's no place like Michigan. We are home to more than 13,000 miles of state-managed trails, plus thousands of miles of local, county, and federally managed trails and pathways. We all love exploring these trails, and over the next 8 days, a new event that's part of this year's Michigan Trails Week gives us more reasons to get outside and hit the trails.

Michigan Trails Week kicks off today, Sept. 20, and runs through Sept 27. New to trails week this year: the 2020 Michigan Trails Challenge, which invites trail veterans and newcomers alike to join the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance on a mission to collectively travel 100,000 miles.

Michelle Coss, a runner and race director who works at the Michigan DNR, talks about the Challenge and its expected 5,000 participants. Whether you run, hike, ride, or paddle, the Challenge works like this:

-Register for the event (it's free to do so!) here.

-Self-report your treks on nonmotorized trails and earn badges (no limit) for different milestones. Badges enter you in a drawing for cool outdoor gear and Michigan branded prizes -- and help toward the event's 100,000-mile goal.

-Earn a badge when you log at least one mile, as well as every time you horseback ride for 5 miles; or walk, run, or hike for 5 miles; or bike for 10 miles; or paddle for 2 miles.

-Share your miles with the hashtag #everymilecounts

FIND HEATHER:

@michiganrunnergirl on Instagram

@michigan-runner-girl on Facebook

--

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.

Getting outside, enjoying nature, breathing in the fresh air and exploring both familiar and new-to-us places in Michigan -- we've all realized just how important these activities are for our mental and physical well-being over the past several months. We see more people out and about walking, hiking, running, and biking in our neighborhoods and in our communities, and we've also seen lots of this as we've taken trips throughout the state with our family and friends, particular, you may have found, during trips to northern Michigan and in the upper peninsula. The U.P. has indeed witnessed a significant uptick in its visitors this summer, as more families venture across the Mighty Mac, sometimes for the first time ever, according to travel industry experts.

Travel is transformative, and now more than ever is helping us cope with so much uncertainty in the world. Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, believes travel also has the power to connect us with one another in positive ways. "You look at all the disharmony in America right now. People distrusting each other because of politics or our skin color -- what I call stupid reasons to not trust each other or like each other. Travel is the biggest exporter and importer of peace the world has ever known. As much as I want people to stay in this state, spend their money here ... man, people need to travel around our country, because I'll tell you, what I've learned is in my many, many travels around, mostly on behalf of Pure Michigan, we are the same. We all want a better life for children, for our grandchildren. And in many other ways, we are the same."

"The travel industry, through immersion, teaches people because it's deeply felt when you travel and when you meet different people -- that's the biggest benefit of travel...and it's going to be one of the most important things in the next several years."

Dave Lorenz, along with Maia Turek, resource development specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, join Heather to talk about exploring during the pandemic, how to do so safely during COVID, the enduring strength of the Pure Michigan campaign, the future of travel (in Michigan and outside of our state), and why both Maia and Dave believe this fall is going to be big for traveling in Michigan.

Dave and Maia also talk about the Pure Michigan Pledge, the "Two Peninsulas, One Pure Michigan" message, and their ideal way to spend the day in Michigan.

FIND HEATHER:

@michiganrunnergirl on Instagram

@michigan-runner-girl on Facebook

--

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.

"I've been running every morning at 6 a.m. and then walking every afternoon or night with my daughter. I've run more since we shut down on March 16 than any other time in my life, I think -- like 500+ miles. So you can tell how I'm coping."

West Michigan runner Vicki Cavanaugh joins Heather to talk about life during these interesting times. Vicki, who is involved with Total Trek Quest (TTQ), a program that assists third-, fourth- and fifth-grade boys in learning to run a 5K in the 5-county area in and around Grand Rapids, Mich., last was on the MRG show in 2017. More than 4,800 boys and their families have taken part in this program, which held a summer session for the first time this year.

"TTQ is adapting, adjusting, and pivoting. We sent out an email-based program 'TTQ@Home' the week of March 23 to try and provide some fun and movement in those first few weeks and month. When it started to look like this wasn't going away, we began to develop a virtual summer TTQ program—complete with GoPro-filmed tips, virtual parent support meetings, and activity meetups, a modified curriculum to get the whole family involved, moving, and learning new things—and then we've added in person meetups. And to finish the season—a virtual 5k called the Challenge, Inspire and Achieve 5K the weekend of August 15-16. This has not been easy—we've all learned so much about everything we took for granted."

Vicki also shares what's kept her going strong throughout the past few months, as well as her hopes for the program and for all of us as we move forward.

"Movement can help us cope, brings us together, and helps make us healthy so we can withstand what we are going through."

FIND HEATHER:

@michiganrunnergirl on Instagram

@michigan-runner-girl on Facebook

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Total Trek Quest

-

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.

I haven't done one of these episodes in awhile and I figured it was long overdue! Summer is winding down and life keeps marching on -- kids are heading back to school, beach days are numbered (nooo!), and our upcoming fall race schedules are, well, they're like nothing we've experienced before. Life is strange -- continues to be strange -- but we're all hanging in there, right?

We ARE making the best of things and doing what we can to keep moving forward. In this episode, I share 4 things that are keeping me smiling and feeling strong. This includes some of my favorite podcasts (including a new one hosted by, yep, Rob Lowe), the all-new MRG Book Club (please join the conversation!), and a special call-out for all of you listeners.

FIND HEATHER:

@michiganrunnergirl on Instagram

@michigan-runner-girl on Facebook

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

MRG Book Club

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Making Oprah

Hurdle with Emily Abbate

Ali on the Run Show

Chris Heuisler

Armchair Expert

Literally! with Rob Lowe

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend

--

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.

"It's been tough. And I think we're right smack dab in the middle of it and we don't really know what to expect. And you know, what is the phrase we heard early on? We don't know what we don't know."

Lisa Taylor, lifelong runner and longtime running coach, talks about the pandemic and how it's impacted daily life and the running community. As executive director of the Traverse City Track Club, which is behind the widely popular Bayshore Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K, Lisa and her team like so many race organizers have had to make hard decisions about their events. The Bayshore races, normally held the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, didn't happen this year. It was the first time in its 37-year history that it was cancelled.

But Lisa says her team and members of the Traverse City Track Club not only stepped up to the challenge of having to cancel the spring event, they've also found ways to keep one another motivated to stay active and keep moving throughout the past several months of COVID-19 and the quarantine.

What she's witnessed among family, friends, and fellow runners: "How important it is to keep moving, to stay strong and find creative ways to do that … and at the same time be easy on yourself and not expect too much, and ease into finding new ways of doing things."

The Traverse City Track Club, with its some 700 members, is the largest Road Runners Club of America running club in the state. (Kalamazoo Area Runners previously held this title, and Lisa shares how there's been friendly banter about this with Kalamazoo club members.)

A runner for some 45 years, Lisa is a firm believer in the power of walking and running to change lives. She talks about the lifestyle being something that we find, keep, and can learn from.

--

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to Mike Moran, Mike Youker and Jonny Tornga of Quarter After Productions in Traverse City, Mich. for producing the show.

Joel Gaff and his family -- wife Laura and their two little girls -- have spent the past several months in Portland, Ore., adjusting to quarantine life while juggling parenting with jobs in healthcare (Laura) and in the running and endurance sports industry (Joel). (Listen all the way through to hear an adorable interaction with Joe's daughter's Hazel, age 2 1/2, and Penelope, age 1 1/2).

As the co-founder and owner of Endurance Evolution, a race management and timing company, Joel and his team, like so many others, got creative with their race events, like the Traverse City Trail Running Festival, this spring and summer. This meant transitioning to virtual races and creating all-new events -- a couple with real-time engagement from Joel and his team. New virtual events included the Backyard Ultra, The Mitten Run, and The Oregon Run, as well as the Lake Michigan Ride, a cycling event.

Joel, who also serves as race director of IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City, shares how he's been staying active, what it's like to not have an IRONMAN on his own training schedule this year, and just how many hours a week he can actually work with two adorable little girls underfoot.

Eddie Kline and his team are working hard to make this fall's Holland Haven Marathon, Half Marathon and 8K an in-person event. Now in its 7th year, these west Michigan races are set for Sunday, Sept. 13.

"As race day approaches, we are putting together our plan to keep runners safe," Eddie says, adding that efforts are evolving as government recommendations and regulations continue to change.

As of late July, the race is on -- with some changes to ensure participants stay safe during the pandemic. "We cannot eliminate all the risk -- this is a public event with hundreds of people -- but we're putting safety measures in place."

Eddie joins Heather on the show to share these safety measures -- reduced capacity, no-contact aid stations, prepackaged finish line food, among other efforts.

He also shares what he's been up to during the quarantine and this summer, why he's doing more cycling these days after successfully finishing a 50-miler in Big Rapids last fall, and what he likes best about his new temporary part-time job delivering packages for the U.S. Post Office.

A race discount code for listeners -- $12 off race entry to the Sept. 13 Holland Haven races -- also is shared during the show.

***

More details about race precautions to be taken at the 7th annual Holland Haven Marathon, Half Marathon & 8K:

Holland Haven Marathon 2K20 Covid Safety Plan

• Reduced capacity - We have cut the overall amount of runners in half for 2K20. The registration totals for each race: Full 300, Half 300, 8K 200.
• Masks on buses - All runners riding the bus to the full and half starting lines are required to wear a mask on the bus. The front 2 seats of every bus are reserved for seniors 65 and above.
• Masks for runners - All runners must wear a mask until they enter their starting corral. Runners do not need to wear a mask while running.
• Masks for volunteers - All volunteers are asked to wear masks during the event.
• Starting line corrals - Large corrals are set up at the starting lines to separate runners. Each corral can hold 100 runners and keep them 6' apart. Runners choose a corral at the starting line based on their running pace.
• No contact aid stations - Aid stations this year mainly just have water and Gatorade. The cups are filled and set out on tables by volunteers for runners to pick up. Volunteers do not hand runners the cups.

• Prepackaged finish line food - Runners receive a boxed lunch upon finishing their race. The boxes are prepackaged and set out on tables by volunteers for runners to pick up. Volunteers do not hand runners the food boxes.
• No after party or race expo - By eliminating these gatherings this year we are limiting the exposure of our runners, staff, volunteers and spectators.

Triathlete and race director Eva Solomon, co-founder of Epic Races in southeast Michigan, returns to the show to talk about the future of racing. Having cancelled and reimagined the races her company organizes -- Epic Races is behind numerous running, cycling, and swimming events held all year round in Michigan -- Eva and her team had to think fast and get creative these past few months. As she explains, it happened quickly for Epic Races, which had three events in March that were affected by the pandemic and subsequent quarantine.

Eva also is heavily involved in running and triathlon organizations on a national level, and she's been talking a lot about the future of our beloved sport with her race director counterparts. She shares what she has learned, how races may look in the future, and how Epic Races has adapted and pivoted to continue offering opportunities to stay healthy and active during this time. Ceasing her business operations has never been an option: "It's what we do -- we put on races," she says.

Along with adjusting current races on their roster, Epic Races has gotten creative with new events, too. This includes the virtual Oh MI Goddess Half Marathon & 5K -- "that woman race from Michigan -- which is underway now.

Eva and Heather also talk about favorite mantras as well as the gifts and interesting family aspects that came with the quarantine.

It's always a special treat to have Jonny Tornga -- ultrarunner, MRG podcast producer, talented musician and all-around great guy -- get behind the mic and join Heather on the show. And even better yet: Jonny and Heather catch up on location at the new Traverse City Lululemon "pop-up shop," which just opened on Front Street downtown.

Jonny, who previously worked for the popular athletic and yoga wear retailer while living in New York City a little over a year ago, is serving as assistant manager of Lululemon's first northern Michigan store. The company plans to run the 2,000 square-foot "pop-up" store at 204 East Front Street through at least the 2020 holiday season and possibly beyond.

Jonny talks about what it's been like to open a store during a pandemic, how this assistant manager opportunity was "serendipitous" following a job loss this spring, how his training and running have changed throughout the quarantine and as summer got under way ("I had a full summer of ultras planned, and so that has obviously changed a lot"), why he loves trail running so much, and what he's looking forward to this summer.

They also talk about the grief process related to races being canceled.

"I had a great ultra plan going when both of my races were canceled. One of them was the Marquette Trail 50 -- it was a 50K and I was going to use it as a tune-up race for Ultra Trail Stokely Creek, my big one. It's an 85K. That was cancelled as well and that was hard. The emotions I had ... I am starting to come around and now I am just into planning an adventure. I just want to go and find a cool place to camp in the UP and go run for a day or so and get lost in the woods and get my 50-miler in that way."

Of course, Heather and Jonny also talk about the latest and greatest Lululemon items ideal for summer running and outdoor fun.

In addition to online sales, Lululemon also operates 460 stores worldwide and 11 in Michigan, all in the southern part of the state. Traverse City's store is the company's first location north of Grand Rapids.

NOTE: You'll notice a bit of audio quality issues in the first several minutes of the show, but please keep listening. We had a few on-location technical difficulties, but got them worked out!

-

If you enjoy what you're hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we'd be so, so grateful if you'd take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A special thanks to Mike Moran, Mike Youker and Jonny Tornga of Quarter After Productions in Traverse City, Mich. for producing the show.