Mindful Marathon Podcast

Have you ever crossed the finish line of a marathon, half marathon, or other big goal race and then found yourself wondering, Now what?

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Quirk explores the surprisingly common feeling of being "adrift" after a training cycle ends. Inspired by a message from one of her athletes after the London Marathon, this conversation dives into why the post-race transition can feel so uncomfortable, especially for high-achieving professionals who are accustomed to having a clear goal on the horizon.

You'll learn why this feeling is completely normal, how the structure of training becomes intertwined with our identity, and why the off-season isn't a void to fill but an important season of recovery, reflection, and growth.

Whether you've recently completed a race or you're approaching the end of a training cycle, this episode will help you navigate the space between goals with greater intention and self-compassion.

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

GLP-1 medications seem to be everywhere right now. From conversations in the physicians' lounge to social media feeds, these medications have become a major part of the discussion around weight, health, and wellness, but what do runners need to know about training while taking a GLP-1?

In this episode, I sit down with registered dietitian Ann Kent to discuss how GLP-1 medications work, who may benefit from them, and the unique challenges they can create for runners and athletes.

We explore how these medications affect appetite, fueling, recovery, muscle mass, and performance. We also discuss the importance of strength training, recognizing signs of underfueling, and knowing when it's time to talk with your healthcare team about adjusting your medication.

Most importantly, we dive into the bigger conversation around body image, diet culture, and the reminder that pursuing health should never mean ignoring your body's need for nourishment.

Hunger is a normal biological signal, not something to eliminate completely.

If your appetite is so suppressed that you can go all day without eating, it's worth discussing your medication dose with your healthcare provider.

Strength training and adequate protein intake are critical for preserving muscle mass while losing weight.

Runners on GLP-1 medications need to be especially intentional about fueling and recovery.

Weight loss does not automatically equal health.

You deserve nourishment at every body size.

You can connect with Ann on her website https://peasandhoppiness.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/peasandhoppiness/

Check out Ann's fabulous podcast episode on GLP-1s for additional info. https://app.peasandhoppiness.com/post/whats-up-with-glp-1-medications

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

Summer running can challenge your body and your mind. For many runners, especially high-achieving athletes and women physicians, summer running can bring frustration when paces slow or workouts feel harder than expected. 

In this replay episode, I’m revisiting one of the most practical and important conversations from the Mindful Marathon archives about how to train safely, confidently, and compassionately in the heat and humidity. This episode is your reminder that adapting to conditions is part of training wisely.

Whether you’re preparing for a fall race, rebuilding consistency, or simply trying to make summer running feel more manageable, this episode will help you adjust your training with intention instead of judgment.

Inside this episode, we discuss:

Every summer mile builds resilience both physically and mentally. What’s one adjustment you’re making to your summer running routine? DM me or email your questions about training in the heat. I’d love to hear from you and feature your question in a future episode.

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

Welcome to another installment of Mindfulness Moments on the Mindful Marathon Podcast. In this episode, we’re exploring something many runners and high-achieving women know well which is the inner critic.

That voice that tells us we should be doing more, we’re falling behind, we’re not doing enough, or that rest must be earned.

For many women physicians and professionals, self-criticism and hypervigilance were reinforced for years in training and in work environments where the avoidance of failure felt necessary for success. While those patterns may have helped us achieve, they can also leave us exhausted, anxious, and disconnected from ourselves.

This episode is an invitation to pause.

Together, we explore common patterns of self-critical thinking in runners and high-achievers, why the inner critic develops in the first place, how mindfulness can help us observe thoughts without immediately believing them, and a guided meditation designed to help you soften self-judgment and reconnect with self-compassion.

This practice can be used on an easy run or walk, during moments of stress, or before bed when your mind feels especially busy.

The goal is not to eliminate difficult thoughts but to create a little more space around them. You can care deeply about your goals and still speak to yourself with kindness.

If you want more Mindfulness Moments, check out and Episode 72 featuring a Guided Body Scan and Episode 80 featuring a Race Day Visualization.

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

In this deeply personal and vulnerable conversation, I sit down with my friend Dr. Jillian Rigert, to discuss her lived experience with anorexia nervosa, recovery, trauma, and running. Jillian shares the story behind her many career pivots, from military oral surgery to oral medicine, cancer care, coaching, and now training to become a marriage and family therapist with a focus on trauma.

Together, we explore the complicated intersection of endurance sports and eating disorders, how running both fueled and helped her heal, and the ongoing work of rebuilding a compassionate relationship with movement, fueling, identity, and self-worth.

We discuss:

Jillian also speaks candidly about the realities of recovery that often remain invisible including body dysmorphia, intrusive thoughts, nervous system dysregulation, and the challenges of healing in a culture obsessed with productivity and thinness.

This episode is a reminder that healing is rarely linear, and that strength can look like slowing down, asking for help, and choosing compassion over punishment.

Please note that this episode includes discussion of anorexia nervosa, eating disorders, suicidality, hospitalization, trauma, and compulsive exercise. Please listen with care and prioritize your wellbeing.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend, leaving a review, or sending it to someone who may need this conversation right now.

Connect with Dr. Rigert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-rigert/

And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJillianRigert

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

On this week’s episode of the Mindful Marathon Podcast, I’m recapping my weekend at runDisney’s Springtime Surprise Weekend 2026.

In this episode, I share my best takeaways from the weekend including why an adults-only run-cation with running friends can feel so restorative, why we chose to skip the parks entirely this trip, how I approached race strategy differently for the 10k vs the 10-Miler, the mindset shift that finally allowed me to stop for character photos during a Disney race for the first time ever in ten years of running Disney, and why letting go of pace and productivity actually made the experience more meaningful and fun.

Plus, we look ahead to runDisney's Wine & Dine Weekend this October. We discuss the upcoming Proof of Time deadline, why proof of time matters for corrals and race strategy, and upcoming Wine & Dine specific, Mindful Marathon training plans that are coming soon.

Links to older episodes mentioned in this episode: 

Episode 41: Running After Organ Donation - A Story of Courage & Comeback with Aly Giampapa

Episode 78: Planning Ahead for runDisney's Wine & Dine Race Weekend - A Quick Proof of Time Guide

Whether you’re training for your next race, planning a runDisney weekend, or trying to untangle productivity from your running experience, I hope this episode reminds you that a PR in fun is so important!

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

In this episode, I sit down with fellow run coach Gerald Collins, founder of Run Rev Coaching and host of Stronger Than the Struggle, a podcast which explores the intersection of running, grief, and mental health.

Gerald shares his deeply personal story of losing his mother and how that loss led him to running as a path back to purpose, connection, and healing.

Together, we talk about how grief shows up in our lives and our running, and why movement can be a powerful tool for processing difficult emotions.

This conversation is a reminder that grief is not linear, healing doesn’t follow a timeline, and that sometimes, showing up for even a few minutes is enough.

What we talk about:

A few key takeaways:

Connect with Gerald on his website: https://www.runrevcoaching.com

Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runrevcoach_gerald

And have a listen to his podcast: Stronger Than the Struggle

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

How should our relationship with exercise evolve as we move through different stages of life?

In this episode, I’m joined by physician, leadership coach, and consultant Dr. Tracy Asamoah to talk about how our fitness goals often shift as we age, especially for high-achieving professionals and women physicians.

Dr. Asamoah shares her personal journey with exercise, from early motivations around appearance, to a deeper focus on longevity, strength, and aging well. We also explore how identity and habits shape our relationship with exercise, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how our goals naturally evolve as life circumstances change.

If you’ve ever felt your motivation shift from chasing PRs to simply wanting to stay strong and healthy for decades to come, this conversation will resonate with you.

In this episode, we discuss:

Memorable takeaways from the episode include:

If you would like to connect with Dr. Asamoah, you can find her on her website: https://www.sageelementscoaching.com and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-asamoah-physician-leadership-coach/

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

Residency is one of the busiest and most demanding seasons in a physician’s career. Long hours, unpredictable schedules, and emotional intensity can make it feel nearly impossible to maintain healthy habits, let alone train for a marathon.

In this episode of the Mindful Marathon Podcast, I’m joined by pediatric resident Dr. Lily Stafford, who decided to take on the challenge of training for the Philadelphia Marathon during her second year of residency.

Despite an ever-changing clinical schedule, Lily found a way to balance marathon training with the realities of residency. By focusing on flexibility instead of perfection, she was able to stay consistent with her training, and even run a personal record on race day.

We talk about what it really looks like to train for a marathon while working long hospital hours, the mindset shifts that helped her stay on track, and the lessons she learned along the way.

If you’re a busy physician, or anyone balancing a demanding career with running, this episode is a reminder that your training plan should support your life, not compete with it. 

In this episode, we talk about:

If you would like to connect with Lily, you can find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlilystafford 

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***

Many runners focus on the miles in their training plan but overlook the nutrition that supports those miles.

In this episode of the Mindful Marathon Podcast, I’m joined by registered dietitian nutritionist May Tran, founder of All Year Nutrition. We talk about one of the most common challenges busy professionals face which is inconsistent fueling. When work schedules are unpredictable and life is full, it’s easy to unintentionally underfuel your training.

May shares practical strategies to help runners shift their mindset around food, from eating around their workouts to fueling their bodies to support performance, recovery, and overall health.

We also talk about how runners can build a more balanced and neutral relationship with food, and why consistency is the key.

Whether you’re training for your first race or balancing miles with a demanding career, this episode will give you simple, realistic ways to support your running through better fueling.

In this episode, we discuss:

If you would like to connect with May, you can find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Allyearnutrition

Check out her website: https://allyearnutrition.com/

Follow Coach Michelle on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/Mindful.Marathon

If you have questions about your own training, reach out on Coach Michelle's website, and let's explore working together for personalized support. https://mindful-marathon.com

*** The information contained in this podcast is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your primary care physician before undertaking any fitness regimen or exercise, which can pose serious health risks if undertaken or performed improperly. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in the videos is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/advanced practice provider. ***