Run The Race

I'm not a dancer, but i play one on TV. Dance is actually a different and entertaining way to get fit! Actually, I was picked as 1 of 13 contestants in this year's "Dancing Stars of Columbus" in our Georgia city, a dance competition that is a month from now! And we're raising money to help fight Alzheimer's Disease, which you can help with: https://act.alz.org/site/TR?px=22073268&pg=personal&fr_id=16244.

(3:22) Our latest guest on the podcast (go subscribe to it now) is my pro partner and dance instructor/choreographer Tracie Chamblee, who began dancing at age 5 and has been teaching dance for a total of two decades. She talks about how the two of us have been doing with the 90 second routine to NSync music, practicing daily at her Cottrell Dance Studio.

(7:18) Dance can be a workout! And it's a more fun one than other fitness routes, using muscles you may not normally use. And it's vital to have a strong core for dancing. When Tracie was younger, she would practice dance 20 hours per week. Injury halted her dreams of being a professional dancer, but she loves to teach, (11:20) which is what she's doing with this podcast host. She's a pro in this local "Dancing Stars" competition for the 5th season, involved because of the heartbreak of seeing both her grandmothers go through dementia. This is a way to raise money to help caregivers, families. As for our dancing, I've got to get sharper and keep perfecting the muscle memory with our dance moves.

(20:52) Why is she so passionate about helping others learn how to dance better? Tracie also says there are lessons of life and faith in it. Losing her dad when she was 19, my dance partner says what pulled her out of weeks of depression was dance. She describes how it saved her life! She's also very competitive, not only at dance, but as a (30:42) sports fan and off-ice official for the Columbus (GA) River Dragons hockey team. She also calls dance a sport that requires training just as hard as football.

I close with a little talk about how dancing mixes with the Bible, as seen in movies like Footloose...and then my closing prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and all past episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

A revival broke out from a regular Wednesday chapel service at Asbury University in the small town of Wilmore, Kentucky. It led to approximately 16 straight days of nonstop worship, prayer, preaching at their church, drawing thousands of people from around America, even the world. Our guest on this week's "Run The Race" podcast, a major Christian leader who's planted 5 churches, went to Asbury and we ask him about what it was really like there.

(4:50) Free Methodist Church (FMC) Bishop Keith Cowart - who's based in Columbus GA - overseas 1/3 of the U.S. and Free Methodist world Missions in Europe and the Middle East. Was the revival that made headlines out of Kentucky authentic? He says one of the reasons it was real and of God was because the worship team and sermons were "unremarkable." And even with people praying for months or years for revival, this event was not planned. College students continued leading this, not big time Christian artists and preachers that showed up too.

(14:55) Dr. Cowart describes what a "move of the Spirit" is - how it involves hearts being softened and obedience. He also talks about the profound response of people flooding to the altar, many dealing with broken relationships and immediately going to ask for forgiveness, How exactly did it start on that Wednesday night in February?

There's also been criticism about (22:39) how the revival ended, but Bishop Cowart says the intention is to GO and multiply, for us to build OUT not up (like they did and were punished for at the Tower of Bible, as told in the Bible).

(29:15) One of the potential results of revival is breaking down denominational walls, bringing unity to churches, being Kingdom oriented not political. Dr. Cowart also calls this a "thin moment" that we shouldn't miss, so what's next?? He says it's changing our mindset about Heaven - that it's not a far away place to go when we die, but God wants to transform our world and bring it here, a restoration that started with Jesus.

As a FMC Bishop, (37:14) he believes it would help for more of us to have a global perspective, after seeing the miraculous ways people are coming to Christ in the Middle East. A key factor to see that in America is...desperation or wanting Jesus more than anything else! Dr. Cowart saw that in the Generation Z kids at Asbury and says we could all die more to our comforts.

(42:46) Aren't there enough churches? He explains why planting churches bring a freshness that brings more people to faith and explains the life cycles of churches. (46:32) And what can we as individuals do to help keep this revival going? Bishop Cowart says it's about surrendering to the Lord and being available to be used and impact those that are part of our everyday life. Part of that is churches agreeing on certain basic principles he lists off, then being authentic and loving each other as Christians. He closes us out in prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

As we close out Black History Month soon, my guest is an African-American man who has worked for Boys and Girls Clubs for nearly 28 years, being President and CEO of the non-profit in Columbus GA for more than a decade now. He's got a lot to say about faith and fitness in this episode of "Run The Race," which we hope you subscribe to!

(3:01) Rodney Close describes what the Boys and Girls Clubs does, such an important organization especially with youth violence on the rise, including a recent crime in our city with 9 children shot at a gas station. Like many of the kids that comes through the clubs he leads, Rodney had a single mom, but talks about the community support he got - from people that did not look like him. We dive into that more,

This leader also discusses (12:20) how Christian faith plays a role in mentoring and race relations. He has a belief about things being meant to be or not, trusting God to guide him to do the right thing and to help kids with direction. Rodney shares a story about how the Lord stepped in when he was hungry as a student and baseball player at the University of Georgia.

Growing up, he also saw blacks and whites getting along, but (21:33) is concerned now about the obstacles for African-Americans in baseball, for which he was briefly drafted by MLB, and a sport his 15-year-old son now plays. His experiences in sports and having a single parent gives him tools as a mentor, one that's faced trials on the road to success.

(28:31) Rodney and his wife also get up at 4:30am to get in a workout, but why that early? He explains that and an injury when he raced his son. Rodney also completed a full Ironman in KY, talks about that experience and the training.

(37:00) We close our chat talking about his life of serving others, the importance of being genuine and being guided by God. And Rodney still has hope for the future. He'll tell you why. I close this episode out, like we always do, in prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and all past episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

The Super Bowl is this Sunday! History is being made with 2 black starting quarterbacks in this big game. One one of my shortest episodes ever of the "Run the Race" podcast, I talk about the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Eagles' Jalen Hurts being outspoken about their Faith in God, on and off the football field.

Super Bowl commercials are also huge, and one from "He Gets Us" will have a compassionate message related to Jesus, on the biggest stage. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to this pod and tell your friends about it, for weekly content on faith and fitness!

As the song goes, love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. How about gym and marriage? Just around the corner from Valentine's Day, this week's guests are a couple that's been married for 2 years, both with leadership jobs in popular gym. They offer some wisdom on fitness, faith and marriage on our podcast that I hope you subscribe to!

(2:40) JR and Jaime Askew, both personal trainers with higher level jobs with Max Fitness in West Georgia, start off talking about how they met at the gym and fell in love, but not at first. They share a passion for fitness and helping others, but do they work out together?

(8:20) They provide some keys to how we can all believe in ourselves and get "motivated" (not their favorite word) to get fit. It's about going deeper with your WHY, not just surface level of how you look but changes you want to make in life. The Askews also talk about common roadblocks that keep people from going to the gym. (12:00) And they agree, there are a lot of parallels between fitness and faith journeys. We can fall off on both, but hopefully the Holy Spirit's conviction doesn't send us further away...but knowing we are washed new often. One of Jaime's life mantras is "Chase God." She explains.

6 weeks into the new year, (17:51) some people may not be as pumped to go the gym as they were on January 1, but their take: it's never too late to start, and hopefully in a judgment-free fitness facility. They discuss helping others with workouts...overcoming fears...challenging yourself...and the benefits of hiring a personal trainer. The benefits of workouts are increasing physical and mental strength. (27:15) And can exercise help with your financial health and time management?

(32:14) Losing weight is a goal for a lot of people, and food is said to be 50-80% of the battle, since "you can't outwork a bad diet." JR and Jaime discuss nutrition success and the differences between men and women. (37:35) They also share some things they've learned about marriage. One key word: compromise. And they set all kinds of goals - together.

We close out with (43:26) a discussion on not caring about what other people think! Ordinary people can do special things, in the Bible and now. But who defines what's extraordinary? Some may build their life on a foundation of sand (like seeking approval of others), while ignoring outside opinions brings freedom. It took a long time for Jaime to learn that, opening up about how that's partly because she lost her dad before she was a teenager.

I close out with a "Parting Gift" - reminding you how the Word inspired the name of this podcast - then a prayer. Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

"One step in a run is one step out of the grave."

That's one of the mantra's this week's Run The Race podcast guest has. The former art teacher and retired Marine, now chi running instructor, just ran a marathon in his 35th state, and I was there with him, running that super challenging race in Las Vegas! He talks about that meditative & efficient style of running, along with facing adversity - like divorce and injuries, his roller coaster faith journey, and what he learned about fitness from the military.

(3:15) After giving his quick take on our Red Rock Canyon marathon in Vegas (my recap on the previous episode), Scott Mayfield explains what Chi Running is and how it can make you a better athlete suffering through fewer injuries. It can also have a big impact on your heart rate.

(12:16) This 60-year-old talks about how fitness helped him through 2 divorces, one of them last year, during which he rediscovered God. (19:19) Scott's faith, for many years, has been up and down, but he's learned God has never left him. And he believes sports can help reconnect us. (23:25) Now, he wants to continue sharing that positive impact with others, especially those who are discouraged. He's working towards being a personal trainer, after a lot of experience coaching different sports.

(26:27) Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Scott has learned that mantra the hard way, dealing with injuries, but he has some tips on how to stay healthy with running or whatever exercise you do! It may involve resistance bands and swimming.

(32:03) And why is he challenging himself to run a marathon in all 50 states, like me? Some of that goes back to one of his teachers...and his dad. (34:18) He also got positive reinforcement as a runner in the military. Scott explains why the Marine Corps Marathon is still his favorite! And he loves all the people he meets at races. We both often wear Team RWB red eagle shirts for our marathons, we'll explain that.

(51:05)My "parting gift" comes from the Bible, about seeing cleraly through or after the fog. And, as we do with all episodes, we close in prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

What was it like to run uphill 1,000 feet to the top of the Red Rock Canyons in Las Vegas? Check out the recap of my marathon in my 21st state, Nevada. And make sure you subscribe to the "Run The Race" podcast for weekly inspiring content on fitness and faith!

I talk in this shorter "Friday Food 4 Thought" episode about Calico Racing's Red Rock Canyon Marathon, about a 30 minute bus ride from downtown. During the race, we climbed a total of around 3,000 feet of elevation gain, but it was worth it for the majestic scenery. And I had some fellow runners, strangers, that motivated me to keep pushing. I talk about how they helped me, the leadup to this 26.2 miles in Vegas, how the race went overall, the view from/of the canyons,

I close the podcast with a recap of the cool sites and shows I enjoyed during my first time ever to the Las Vegas strip, then my prayer to finish off this episode.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

She's a mom of 5, having given birth to 4 of those children, all under the age of 6, including a now 2-week-old baby! It's a busy life, but this wife and mother is compelled to keep her body fit and, more importantly, share the Gospel wherever she goes, and wants to help you do the same.

(4:35) Ellen Chalmers is married to Andrew Chalmers (who was our guest on this podcast for episode #6, about 3 years ago) and they lead the Take The City nonprofit ministry based in Columbus GA. They also have 5 children (so far). She gets emotional talking about motherhood, how much Father God loves us, and Him giving her/us this amazing responsibility to be parents ourselves. Being a mom also can give us new perspectives on faith.

How does she (12:30) balance this busy life at home, while finding room for herself, God, their marriage? It comes down to giving thanks. Ellen also says a clean house is not required for her to have peace. And they have built in babysitters. She also talks about the effectiveness of really limiting screen time for their kids.

Growing up near Boston, (17:50) Ellen was also not around as many Christians, giving her more of a hunger for reaching the lost. Some can stay silent, but she can't, feeling accountability to share what God reveals to her while walking in the fear of the Lord.

How can all Christians be bold and share about Jesus, no matter our personality? She explains. (24:58) She and Andrew also feel called to spread God's love in drug areas and also the Middle East, where they've traveled and lives multiple times. Does she have fear being in "dangerous" places? Ellen also explains how the "challenge philosophy" she taught at horse camps can help us share faith.

(35:35) She also had a big change in her "Why" for fitness! We can be too hard on ourselves. For Ellen, it used to be about looking good, with her attitude based on how she felt about herself...but now she wants to be strong and fit and be able to play with her kids. She talks about her daily routine as a busy mom and how they generally eat clean.

This mom of 5 also (43:23) has a passion for discipling others, especially young women. Who in your life can you mentor that's hungry to improve? The new Take The City Harvest Equipping School is helping students live like Jesus. (49:41) And Ellen closes this episode in prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

This woman, who grew up poor in from Alabama, went from college softball player...to Army officer...to bodybuilding competitor...to beauty queen and advocate for Gold Star families. She has some inspiring stories and has wisdom to help you overcome challenges, meet those goals you've set for the New Year! You can hear more chats like this by subscribing to this podcast.

(3:00) Captain Angie DiMattia-Veith, an active duty space officer in the only space unit in the entire Army, first talks about how you're much more capable then you think, and failing often is part of the process. What got her over the hump? Fitness, She talks about collecting small wins along the way and testing yourself.

Nutrition became a priority for her as a young girl, (13:35) growing up with not much, a mom sick with diabetes, and obesity in the family. DiMattia-Veith talks about joining the Army more than a decade ago, getting more fit, and (19:13) the many life lessons the military has given her, including a mindset that fitness is a priority. Running her first marathon in Georgia also led her to a dedication to help Gold Star families.

(24:27) With more opportunities now for women in the Army, this inspiring woman talks about getting her hands dirty as a soldier but also still being able to keep her femininity. She proved that as a soldier who won United States of America Ms. Colorado 2019 and USOA Mrs. Colorado 2000, even though she's more of a tomboy than pageant girl. She's used the platform to help military causes, like (35:43) Angels of America's Fallen that she's now a national spokesperson for. They support the dreams of kids who lost parents to war, funding extracurricular activities. She explains how you can help.

She's not in the space force - that's a separate branch - (32:21) but DiMattia-Veith describes what space command does with valuable assets not on this planet to help warfighters do their job.

(41:50) This fitness coach also says anyone can complete a full Ironman, like she did, an achievement that changed her outlook on life. It was the key that unlocked her confidence to join the Army and set bigger goals. What's next? A baby! Listen up to see how you can contact her for any questions you have about getting fit or the military causes mentioned. (54:33) I close out the episode with prayer.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

Did you make New Year's resolutions? I don't call them that, but I give you my goals for 2023 in this shorter "Friday Food 4 Thought" episode, a great way to start your weekend.

We also have expert advice on how to stick to those goals. What if you fail or fall short, especially early in the year? Don't worry. You can get back up again and continue on!

Remember, when we are weak, He (God) is strong. There are some Bible verses on that. I talk about weakness, which you're allowed to be, and rebounding from that.

Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.