"I call them my big dances."

Natalie Pertz describes the running adventures - sometimes in the form of races, other times a bit broader than that definition - that she highlights each year on her calendar. The list is nothing short of epic, including the Chicago Marathon, the Javelina Jundred, setting a "Fastest Known Time" on the WO&D trail. (By the way, I did fact check. FastestKnownTime.com has been around longer than Strava.)

Natalie is both earnest and funny talking about her running. She describes training for an ultra in the Southwest of the United States in a "suburban lawnmower hat." We discuss our childhood love for capture the flag. We discuss her experience growing up on a farm in Ohio and her first official 5K, the Run for Refugees in New Haven. 

And we talk about WERC, not to be confused with work. West End Run Club kicked off in 2021, and the Friday morning running, chatting, and coffee drinking crew has been a DC staple ever since. It's so welcoming, that it has grown quite a bit!

This episode was recorded in July, but I've been a bit slower with both recording and editing these days. Thank you for your patience - you know life (and another bout of marathon training) keeps you busy! 

Anyhow, thank you (and happy birthday) to a very kind and speedy community leader, Natalie Pertz!

Welcome back! This episode I spoke with Kris Sooklal. I lost a bet this Fall at the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile - you'll hear about it if you listen. The result was this roughly thirty-minute conversation that covered *a large range* of topics - a bit different than the last few episodes, an equally good listen.

We touch on how Kris began running in high school - track was a sport with low barrier to entry, so he went for it. We talk about how he works with the US Postal Service, and the organization's plans to electrify its fleet of delivery vehicles. We speak about Kris's venturing into the DC running community - he has become a staple in the DC running community.

We discuss public transit, cars, etc. Kris drives twice as much as the average American (according to his calculations) and lives in one of the most transit accessible and walkable regions of the US. I still haven't figured out how this makes any sense whatsoever. But you can listen to hear him talk about it... and the roots of April Fools!

A few links for additional reading:

• Thailand's First Car Rebate Scheme 2011
• Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region
• Beijing Subway History
• NY Times on need for MTA Subway Upgrades
• History of the Interstate Highway System
• "How to End Americans' Obsession with Driving"
• Electrifying the US Postal Service Fleet

"I didn't tell the regular world I was pregnant because I didn't really want to hear it...frankly, I just talked to my doctors and asked, "I want to run a marathon. Is it safe for the baby? If not, I won't do it."

First of all, a big congrats to Sami Tewolde Rowley who recently had her baby Teddy - he is absolutely adorable! This episode was recorded a few weeks before that major life event though, and we delve into another of Sami's accomplishments - running her first marathon in Chicago this Fall! (While several months pregnant; she's a badass.)

We delve into what training and exercise has looked like for Sami over the past several months. We talk about her experience joining Northeast Track Club - going from working out quietly on the track to finding a few of her best friends and serving as a leader in for the group. We cover it all.

I found this conversation incredibly meaningful. Onlookers from the internet are quick to espouse opinions on what pregnancy and motherhood should look like (often without much qualification). Yet despite the ever present pressures on parents and soon-to-be parents to fit specific molds, we are seeing more and more of them doing things their way. We saw the likes of Makenna Myler finishing in the top ten of the Olympic Marathon Trials ten months after giving birth and Maegan Krifchin running eighteen miles of the trials while pregnant. We are seeing powerful people demonstrating that pregnancy is a natural condition that can still allow for new and exciting experiences including and beyond those associated with parenthood. It is inspiring to see these role models in our communities and beyond.

Anyways, emotional spouting over - this is a wonderful episode full of whimsy, joy, and DC running!

If you've been to a Pacers track workout or race, you've probably met Xiuya Yao, a Pacers Run Club leader. She's smiley, welcoming, and encouraging while also being a super badass runner. I was thrilled to have her on the podcast to talk about her running journey - from how she got involved with Pacers as a side hustle to what her upcoming goals are.

We talked marathon training - from how Xiuya increased her mileage to how her fueling strategy has shifted (hint: no longer candy bars). We also talked using running as commuting and what it is like to get all around DC on foot. (Small shoutout to the Metro!)

Xiuya discusses her favorite shoes (we are both big fans of the Adidas Bostons) and what it is like to work for Pacers. We laugh about sharing life stories on the run before knowing someone's name. This conversation is a wonderful listen, and Xiuya is truly a wealth of knowledge. I hope you enjoy! 

"I just think [running] is a really cool thing that those of us in DC have the opportunity to do."

Hello! Happy New Year! Welcome back to Micromobility DC. I am attending the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting (#TRBAM as the cool kids call it, I am told) and was called out yesterday for my lack of recent episodes! So here it is - the first episode of 2024! (And in my humble opinion, it is a great listen.)

I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah Johanek on all things running and DC in December. We cover her big breakthroughs at the DC Half and Chicago Marathon (she ran 1:20 and 2:52 respectively). We speak about her experience moving to DC during the pandemic upon returning from Peace Corps, and later running her first marathon on the C&O trail. We speak about how she's found community around movement through Northeast Track Club. We cover how she gets around, best spots to run (first person in a while who didn't choose Rock Creek Park!), and how she has fun with running and getting strong (she shouts out Doc Sarah on the last point).

Sarah is incredibly friendly, humble (she tries to tell me she doesn't know anything about running at one point), and fun loving. You can tell she chases joy and camaraderie in all she does. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!

I am excited to be covering runners, bikers, walkers, and the people who help provide the infrastructure to make those things possible this year! Have a big goal of 24 episodes for 2024! Name it for accountability they told me!

"Showing up consistently over time with B+ work... is what actually brings you longevity in the sport."

Hello, and welcome back to Micromobility DC! You are about to listen to an episode recorded way back in AUGUST. I know, I know, I am slacking on the editing process. In my defense I've been traveling to England, Germany, and random cities around the US. All in the name of RUNNING!

The good news is that this episode has aged like fine wine. It is just as relevant as people go for big goals, get inspired by marathon majors, and decide to pursue a new training regimen this Fall. 

In this episode, I speak to Laur Hudson and Devon Genua. These two met at Northeast Track Club and hit it off. They realized that they had similar philosophies around training and with Devon's extensive marathoning experience (she's a sub 3 hour marathoner!) and Laur's experience as a D1 high jumper, running local races, and working as a Solid Core coach, they decided to start a coaching business. B+ Run Club was born!

The two have many nuggets of wisdom, but one of the things I took away was their ability to jump at opportunity. Devon talks about encountering Northeast Track Club by chance at the track one day and just joining. Laur discusses agreeing to go with Molly Applegate (featured on Episode 4) to the track group without knowing too much about what was in store. I hope you enjoy and learn from this episode. Maybe it will inspire your training for your next big race.

If you've come to a Pacers Social Run on Monday or Thursday, you've probably come across Sam Burmester. He will introduce the workout, probably tell a few jokes, and cheer you on the whole way. 

Sam is the community lead for Pacers Running. In this episode we delve into what that role means, how Sam became involved with Pacers, and how Pacers engages with the community through its social runs and a variety of activations meant to make running more accessible and less intimidating in the District. 

One of the ways Pacers has made running more accessible this year is through its free training plans (and corresponding social runs) for various race distances. The current half marathon training plan is culminating with this weekend's DC Half Marathon. Catch members of the running community racing, pacing, cheering, and water stopping (I think think this is called thirst trapping?).

Along with talking shop about Pacers, we delve into Sam's own journey with movement, as a runner and swimmer growing up and eventually as a triathlete. We talk about the training, the coping with injury, the PRs, the Ironman attempt, and all of the lessons learned along the way. Sam give a bit of helpful tips for those attempting multisport events. (Spoiler: Don't forget your nutrition plan!) 

We talk a lot of connections: movement, mental health, supportive community, feeling confident enough to go after big goals.

"Actually my training for the marathon was quite a disaster." 

Bettina described signing up for a marathon as "a treat" for herself for completing her LSAT studying. She ran a 50 miler just for kicks, with friends and family as a support system after graduating from Smith College. She is a true student of the sport, mentioning how she coached herself through the process of training for these events by researching the science behind why we do certain types of runs and how they benefit us. I absolutely loved picking her brain on her training strategies (she used a modified version of the SWAP plan to train for the OC Marathon), how she got into running (she wanted to be a sprinter, her coach threw her in the mile), her advice for other runners pursuing long distance events (tl;dr: enjoy the process).

In this episode we also covered a lot about fueling and how that is such a big puzzle piece in marathons and ultras, the transition from college to post-college racing, best spots to run in the DC area, and how - despite getting sick during training - Bettina's first marathon turned out to be a great success. (She ran a 3:12:09!!)

I loved getting to chat with Bettina, and I hope you find a bit of inspiration for Fall race season in this conversation!

Welcome back to Micromobility DC! For episode 25 we have the first of two episodes with runners on the move from DC to NYC. I had the chance to sit down and chat with Danielle Zarnick, a marathon training buddy and good friend. At the time of the recording, Danielle was a few days from making her move away from the District. She reflects on her time navigating around the district - running, walking, and forming community.

In this episode, we also got into how Danielle began running (in Ohio), the trials and tribulations that came with elementary school cross country races, her decision to run at Colgate University, navigating injury, creating running friendships after graduating, marathon training (she's run Philly and Wineglass, and now she's gearing up for Chicago!), race pace, and her hobby mentality.

I am very sentimental about this episode, and I hope you enjoy it! Also, send Danielle all of your favorite NYC running routes!

Welcome back to Micromobility DC - officially one year old now! Happy birthday, pod!

This episode I had the opportunity to speak with my former colleague and wonderful friend, Nate Steele, who is a wealth of knowledge on all things transportation. We did discuss EVs and EV charging for the "macromobility" fans out there. In this vein, we discussed challenges around EV charging in urban spaces (like DC!) and integrating cars into larger transportation ecosystems. We also talked about Nate's bike commute up Klingle Hill, making cities pedestrian friendly, train comparisons with other cities, bike lane comparisons with other cities, and general impressions about getting around in DC on a daily basis. This was a fun (non-running-centric) one! I hope you enjoy!