In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by ultrarunner Ann Ongena — an athlete whose presence, resilience, and joy leave a mark on every race she touches.

At 61, Ann finished the Hardrock 100 as the final official finisher, kissing the rock with minutes to spare — not as someone barely hanging on, but with strength, composure, and form that reflected decades of experience. Since then, she’s continued to line up with curiosity and confidence, adding races like Mammoth Trailfest and the Dragon’s Back Ascent to an already remarkable endurance journey.

Ann’s story stretches across continents and decades — from her early running days in Belgium, to podium finishes at UTMB races in the Alps, to nine finishes at the TransRockies stage race. Along the way, she’s embraced stage racing, mountain running, and the power of team formats and community to sustain long-term engagement in the sport.

We talk about how 50Ks and 50-milers became the foundation for her 100-mile finishes, running strong through menopause and into her 60s, and how strength training helped her hold form late into Hardrock. Ann shares what it means to finish as the “last official finisher” — not as a consolation, but as a badge of honor that represents persistence, pride, and belonging.

More than anything, this conversation is about why we keep running as we age: for the mountains, for the people, and for the joy of movement itself. Ann’s mantra says it all — keep wiggling, keep pushing.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by ultrarunner and endurance phenomenon Pamela Chapman-Markle — known to many as @UltraPam100.

Pamela began racing at 55 and chose a 100-miler as her first event. Since then, she’s built one of the most extraordinary late-life endurance résumés in the sport: multiple finishes at Badwater 135, a perfect 10-for-10 record at Keys 100 (the only person in the world to do so), finishes at Brazil 135, and a continued pursuit of the longest, hottest, and hardest races on the calendar.

At the time we recorded this conversation, Pamela was 69 — and since then, she’s turned 70 and kept right on moving forward. The perspective she brings here reflects not a moment in time, but a way of living and training that continues to evolve.

Before all of this, Pamela spent more than four decades as a CRNA delivering anesthesia — a career that shaped her discipline, precision, and respect for recovery. In this conversation, we go deep into what it actually takes to run long at this level later in life.

We talk about coming back from a total hip replacement, including the role of AlterG training and progressive loading.

We dig into flatland training for mountain races, heat

adaptation, sodium and fueling strategies, strength work for masters athletes, hormone health, and the realities of crewing and pacing when races stretch through the night.

What stands out most isn’t just Pamela’s achievements — it’s her clarity, humor, and grounded confidence. She sets big goals not to chase records, but to stay engaged with what makes her feel alive.

This episode is a masterclass in smart longevity — a blueprint for running long, strong, and joyfully, no matter when you start.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by Dr. Tonya K. Olson — the go-to foot expert in ultrarunning and the steward of Fixing Your Feet, the essential resource trusted by runners around the world.

Tonya is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, a Doctor of Education, and the person athletes turn to when blisters, maceration, taping, shoe fit, or foot failure threaten to derail a race. But this conversation goes far beyond surface-level foot care.

A few years ago, I read the 7th Edition of Fixing Your Feet cover to cover, highlighted it, built my blister kits, and tabbed every “Tonya’s Tip.” In this episode, we dig into what makes foot care such a critical — and often misunderstood — part of endurance running, especially as we age.

We talk about maceration versus blisters, sweat and prevention, toe socks, taping strategies, and how aging feet change over time. Tonya brings her signature mix of deep science, practical experience, and quirky curiosity to explain not just what to do, but why it works.

We also explore proprioception, balance, falls after 40, menopause and women’s sports research, shoe fit debates, and the philosophy behind keeping runners moving — no matter the distance. Tonya shares stories from years at Western States aid stations, including Michigan Bluff, and how prevention has become the true focus of long-term endurance.

This episode is informative, nerdy, practical, and genuinely fun — a reminder that understanding your feet isn’t optional if you want to keep running long.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by endurance athlete David Dicks — and the conversation unfolds a little differently than usual.

This is the only episode in the series that doesn’t begin with a running intro. Instead, I recorded my intro sitting quietly on my patio, relaxed and unhurried, creating space for a deeper conversation about mental health, attention, and how endurance shows up beyond training and racing.

David and I talk openly about ADHD — including my own diagnosis — and about the ways focus, restlessness, curiosity, and self-regulation intersect with endurance over time. We explore how movement can support mental health, but also how slowing down, pausing, and changing cadence can be just as important.

Because of that setting, the audio on this episode is especially clear — and the tone is calmer, more reflective, and intentionally different. It’s a reminder that endurance isn’t always about forward motion; sometimes it’s about stillness, awareness, and choosing presence.

This conversation is about perspective, honesty, and staying engaged with the work of understanding ourselves — not chasing outcomes, but building clarity and compassion along the way.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter — even when that movement looks different.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode. This episode, with a recorded intro in a quieter setting, reflects a different rhythm and tone.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by ultrarunner, race director, and endurance outlier Pete Livingstone.

Pete’s path into ultrarunning wasn’t linear — and that’s exactly what makes it compelling. After years working in mining and spending long stretches in demanding environments, Pete chose a different kind of life: one built around movement, exploration, and endurance at the far edges of what’s considered possible later in life.

We talk about reinvention — not as a dramatic pivot, but as a series of quiet, intentional decisions. Pete shares how long-distance hiking evolved into ultrarunning, how freedom and simplicity began to matter more than traditional milestones, and what it’s like to orient your life around time on your feet rather than a calendar or career ladder.

We also talk about directing races, building community, and the perspective that comes from repeatedly placing yourself in difficult situations by choice. Pete’s story isn’t about chasing accolades — it’s about choosing alignment, curiosity, and purpose, even when that path looks unconventional from the outside.

Since this conversation, Pete’s continued to explore the outer limits of endurance — signing up for major events, directing races of his own, and showing what’s possible when experience and intention replace urgency.

This is a conversation about freedom, self-trust, and running toward what actually matters — not because it’s easy, but because it’s honest.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by runner, coach, and community builder Lisa Pozzoni.

Lisa is a Master Certified ChiRunning Instructor and the founder of TheRunningUniversity, which recently marked its tenth year of training, coaching, and supporting runners across all stages of life. Her work reflects a long-term commitment to strength, durability, and thoughtful preparation — especially as athletes age.

Lisa is also the heart behind what many know as the “Purple Tribe” — a community of women, often over 50 and sometimes well into their 70s and 80s, who show up consistently for training, races, and events. Their presence exemplifies what real community looks like in the ultrarunning space: inclusive, supportive, and grounded in shared effort rather than outcomes.

We talk about training with intention, the role of strength and recovery in long-term endurance, and how consistency — not intensity — sustains progress over decades. Lisa shares her perspective as a coach, mentor, and organizer, and why building connection can be just as important as building fitness.

Since this episode first aired, it’s been a joy to watch @TruCoachLisa step more fully into sharing her work publicly — opening up her voice, her experience, and her community through social media with warmth and generosity. It’s a reminder of how powerful encouragement and visibility can be, at any stage of life.

This is a conversation about leadership, resilience, and showing up — not to chase trends or numbers, but to create spaces where people can keep moving, learning, and belonging.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by elite endurance athlete Ray Sharp.

Ray spent years competing at a high level as a race walker and later transitioned fully into running — an evolution that reflects both continuity and reinvention across a long athletic life. Our conversation centers on what it takes to continue showing up with intention as goals evolve, bodies change, and experience deepens.

We talk about how endurance shifts over time, why consistency and curiosity often matter more than intensity alone, and how identity can evolve without losing commitment or purpose. Ray shares his perspective on training, mindset, and the quiet discipline required to stay engaged without burning out.

This is a conversation about durability — physical, mental, and emotional — and about choosing to stay in motion not to prove something, but because movement continues to add meaning and structure to life.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by runner, triathlete, coach, and endurance pioneer Julia Esther Jones.

Julia’s athletic life spans more than four decades. From her first marathon in 1990 to a second-place age-group finish at Ironman Austria at age 64, her story is one of consistency, curiosity, and evolution. Although she grew up in California, Julia has spent the past 40 years living, training, and racing in Italy — building a life shaped by movement, culture, and community.

We talk about what it means to keep evolving as an athlete over time. Julia shares her experience running marathons on every continent, pioneering early online coaching long before social media existed, and helping tens of thousands of women discover running through clinics and training programs across Europe.

We also talk about decision-making later in life — including why she turned down a Kona slot, what she chose instead, and how clarity, health, and long-term joy now guide her choices more than external validation.

This is a conversation about longevity, reinvention, and staying deeply connected to movement — not chasing accolades, but choosing what truly matters.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, curiosity, and challenge still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this first episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by trail runner, race director, and community builder Stephanie Irving.

Stephanie began running at 40, transitioned from road marathons to trail running, and has since completed dozens of ultramarathons, including 100K and 100-mile races around the world. At age 63, she became the only woman in her age group to finish the 257-mile Cocodona 250.

Fourteen years ago, she and her collaborator created the Wild Woman Marathon — the first all-women trail race of its kind — a destination event that continues to thrive and shape community today.

We talk about starting later in life, discovering the trails, adapting expectations over time, and building community through endurance. This conversation is about curiosity, resilience, and staying engaged with the process — not chasing hype or outcomes.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by ultrarunner, podcaster, and endurance storyteller Sam Hill.

Sam is known for his thoughtful approach to long-distance running, his openness about setbacks and his first, recent Did Not Finish ("DNF"), and his ability to balance curiosity, humility, and ambition deep into the endurance journey. Our conversation starts in the present — how Sam is training, thinking, and adapting right now — before selectively tracing the experiences that shaped how he runs and why he keeps coming back.

We talk about:

• What it really means to “run long” over time — physically and mentally
• Learning from a DNF without letting it define you
• Adapting training, expectations, and identity as years stack up
• Media, storytelling, and why endurance athletes are drawn to sharing their experiences
• The quiet discipline that sustains long-term progress

This is not a conversation about shortcuts, podiums, or hype.

It’s about durability. Perspective. And staying engaged with the process.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things — not to prove something, but because movement, curiosity, and challenge still matter.

Each episode intro starts in motion -- on a run -- because this show isn’t about talking around endurance. It’s about living it.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega
🎙 Run Long After 60