Natalia Allen may have just officially announced her retirement from professional sport, but this brilliant lady has been planning her steps forward for much longer. After going all in and quitting her full-time job to put everything she had into running, Natalia made her dreams come true by lining up in the 1500 at the Tokyo Olympics. After that, she took a trip to Eugene for Worlds and a trip down under to run at the World Cross-Country Championships. We also chat a bit about her wedding and what she sees in her future now that she is entering new adventures.

Follow Natalia on Instagram @nataliahawthorn

Theme music: Joseph McDade

There is a reason that they call Rach McBride the most interesting person in triathlon. Because they just are. Rach is a five-time 70.3 Ironman champion and a highly accomplished runner, cyclist and gravel racer. Rach is one of a very small number of nonbinary elite professional athletes, and we talk a bit about the weight that comes with that. I loved learning about Rach's early starts in sport, their parents, their racing style and what makes them proud.

Find Rach on Instagram @rachelmcb

PHOTO CREDIT: @ironkhem

THEME MUSIC CREDIT: Joseph McDade

Interim Executive Director for Run Calgary, Jon Bird and I are digging into making running more inclusive for families. Jon comes from the world of elite sports: as a former professional triathlete, he moved into coaching and community sports events and joined the Run Calgary family in 2017. Jon talks about his fantastic team and the new programs they are bringing to the 2023 Servus Calgary Marathon, including a day camp for kids to participate in while their moms and dads race!

To register for the Calgary Marathon, visit calgarymarathon.com

Come hang out with me and everyone's favourite third-grade teacher Lyndsay Tessier. I haven't had the chance to chat with this Team Canada athlete since the pandemic, so we get caught up on what life was like remote teaching and her choice to focus on her students over running. We talk about how she worked through plantar fasciitis and the lesson learned with a nagging injury that only patience will heal. Lyndsay has had the chance to get back to racing for the joy of competition again, and we chat a little bit about what the fall might bring.

Join me for the latest Krista DuChene Fan Club meeting! Canada's one and only Marathon Mom recently ran the Tokyo Marathon checking the last box for her Abbott World Majors and officially hanging up her "elite" bib. Krista dives deep into all things Tokyo: from travel experience to race start and finish and the miles in between. She also reflects on her previous five star races and how her more than 20 years of marathon experience led her to this day. Krista may be retiring from professional racing, but she still has a zillion adventures ahead of her, and we talk about what might be next.

It's a mini deep dive with sports psychologist and high performance and leadership specialist Dr. Beth McCharles. When you visit the home page of Beth's website, you will see the words "be kind, be bold, be great": which tells you a lot of what you need to know about her work. Beth works with high-level athletes, coaches, artists and a variety of professionals helping them master their mental game. We scratch the surface of some of her philosophies for maximizing your time and efforts as a runner, and I hope it makes you think more about how you can reach deeper into your mental toolkit and be your most connected self.

The unbreakable Sage Watson is back! I have always known that Sage is a tough-as-nails performer who always gets the job done on the track. But in the last few years, she has experienced a work and personal life overshadowed by an unexplained injury. Sage has worked hard to find her way through this challenge and even turned it into an opportunity for personal transformation and growth. Sage is extremely open in discussing the mental, physical and spiritual journey that has brought her to the person she is today. Now, finally, with a diagnosis of injuries that have been wrestling with her fitness and performance, she discusses how she sees the path forward.

Follow Sage Watson on Instagram @sagewatson

Anne Chang may appear like everyone else, but don't let her modesty fool you. This mother of four is a determined, goal-oriented runner and run coach. Anne uses running to reclaim a bit of who she is outside of being a mom and a full-time employee and to see what might be possible. She wants to see how far she can stretch and where she can go if she moves out of her comfort zone and lets things get hard. Anne and I chat about the first leg of her journey to achieving the six stars of the World Marathon Majors and how the journey is changing her not just as a runner, but as a person.

Follow Anne on Instagram @the_running_critic

Shannon Coates is a dedicated member of the Winnipeg running community. Her smile lights up any race event or run group she is at, and her relentlessly cheerful attitude will carry you through all the miles. But since the fall, Shannon has been on a different journey. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she has been undergoing chemotherapy and is a few days away from a double mastectomy. Shannon and I chat about what this experience has been like, how she is trying to continue to fit in movement and running into her days as much as she can, and the constant battle she faces to stay optimistic and positive.

Follow Shannon on Instagram @livingwithshannon

I am thrilled to share the recording of our first-ever live virtual community event, Running and Reading with Alison Mariella Désir. We discuss her first book Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport that Wasn't Built for Us. If you haven't read this book yet, you can find it anywhere books are sold, and if the cost of books is a barrier, check your local library for a copy. This book is a really important read and you will be glad you made the time for it. A big thank you to Sasha Gollish and Quinton Jacobs who joined me to help lead the discussion. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

You can find Alison at http://alisonmdesir.com/ and on Instagram @alisonmdesir