RunChats with @RonRunsNYC

I'm PROUD to sit down this week for a deep dive discussion with Coffey, aka @thatcoffeyboy. Coffey is a husband, father, actor, filmmaker, Nike pacer/coach, and the founder of Define New York Run Club. Coffey is the epitome of cool and is well-known in the NYC running scene.

After taking part in a late night protest on a Friday, he ran a solo, unplanned marathon on Saturday in deep thought, struggling with what he could do, from his side, to help educate people. He came up with an idea to get people engaged and get a dialogue going, created a flyer, and launched Running To Protest. Calling All Run Crews-All Crews One Crew. There are many different ways to protest. Ours is to RUN. He put the word out on social and thought 40-60 people would show. Spoiler alert — around 800 people came out!

Some of the topics we discussed:

-Growing up in rural Aurora, NC

-Sports — from hoops, to how Coffey found his love for running

-RunningToProtest & finding his purpose

-Systemic racism, Black Lives Matter, & getting justice for victims

-Representation

-Keeping the conversation going

-And his short film, About the People

Coffey’s big filmmaking project has been a much acclaimed short film About the People which hosts an extremely powerful, candid conversation about social justice and the inequalities by black men at the hands of police brutality. Coffey was the co-writer, co-producer, casting director, acted in the film, and was inspired to write it after discussions about the topic with his 17 year old son.

This is a moving, POWERFUL conversation, and I’m so grateful for Coffey’s candor on all that we covered!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Coffey:

Instagram: @thatcoffeyboy

Follow Define New York Run Club: @definenewyorkrunclub

More on About The People: @aboutthepeoplefilm & https://aboutthepeoplefilm.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I had such a blast talking with rockstar Angel Piccirillo that we set a new PR for longest RunChat!

Angel is a professional track athlete for Oiselle, specializing in the 1500m and 800m. She ran collegiately for Villanova, where she owns the NCAA 1000m record and was a 9x Penn Relays Champion!

Angel grew up in a small rural town in PA and currently lives in Philadelphia with her dog, Bailey, and fiancé, Patrick Tiernan, who runs professionally for Nike Australia.

Some of the topics we discussed:

-Her high school (Michael Gentile) and college (Gina Procaccio) coaches and their roles as mentors in her life

-Team dynamics

-Her competitive fire and drive

-Systemic racism

-Black Lives Matter

-Allyship

-Finding her voice

Angel is bright beyond her years and has truly found her voice! Please read her two part blog series for Oiselle, Black Female in America, linked below.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Angel:

Instagram: @angelp_1010

Black Female in America: Part 1 | Part 2

Learn more about Oiselle: https://www.oiselle.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to to share my incroyable friend, Sarah Bachand’s, story. She’s a single mom of two belle girls, Naomi and Gloria, working in the O.R. on the front lines of COVID-19.

When the Nunnery nearby in Sherbrooke, QC had an outbreak, she was the first to volunteer to work the graveyard shift and learned so much from the nuns and the experience.

Sarah shared some profound stories about loss, helping patients die with dignity, and how she is managing the stress from it all. She runs 8K back and forth to the hospital to help manage the stress and ensure she isn’t missing time with her precious girls.

I think my mouth is still open hearing some of her stories...

-Trying out with 400 girls for the Canadian National Handball Team and how that experience shaped her

-Hitchhiking across Canada

-Moving to Australia to start a school for autistic children

-Traveling from South Africa to Kenya with her sister

-Contracting and surviving Malaria

-The loss of twins and writing a book to help other mom’s 

-Words from the Heart: a book on perinatal loss (linked below)

Sarah is fearless, lives life to the FULLEST, and loves travel, adventure, and the outdoors.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Sarah:

Instagram: @sarahbachand

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.bachand1

Words from the Heart: a book on perinatal loss: http://www.borealispress.com/Author/aid/442/Sarah%20%20Bachand

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to share my rockstar Central Park Track Club teammate Judy Stobbe’s INSPIRING story!

It was fun learning Judy was the youngest of five children—with FOUR rambunctious older brothers—and how that led her to sports and shaped her competitive spirit.

We dialed it back to her high school and college days, where Judy was a trailblazer and helped get girls cross country teams started at both schools.

Fast forward to today, where Judy is one of Master’s Track and Field's truly great ambassadors. She has a deep passion and love for our sport and her enthusiasm is infectious.

Discovering National & World Championship meets and the exposure to incredibly talented runners from around the globe has fueled her competitive drive. Judy ran a 5:02 1500m in 2016, well over 90% age-graded time, which is not only world-class, but also FASTER than her best D1 time! Judy is truly #fasterasamaster

Judy is an amazingly accomplished Masters Runner, who’s won the USATF New York NY Master’s Athlete of the Year in 2015 and holds 2 American 4x800m records with teammates listed and tagged below.

W50+ Club 4x800m Record Outdoor: on 6/16/18

Time: 10:26.85

Tania Fischer: @trixie2222

Kathleen Cushing-Murray: @katcushingm

Kirsten Leetch: @kirstenleetch

Judy Stobbe: @judithannstobbe

W50+ Non-Club 4x800m Record Indoor on 1/24/20

Time: 10:12.69

Dominique Saint Louis: @dominiquesaintlouis

Judy Stobbe: @judithannstobbe

Jen Harvey: @jenjenjenthejen

Sue McDonald: @suemcdonaldfitness

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Judy:

Instagram: @judithannstobbe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judith.ann

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Wakenda puts the bad in badass and is a total rockstar. When she isn’t saving lives in the O.R. as an Orthopaedic Surgical Oncologist, she’s crushing it on the roads, track, and cross country trails as one of Central Park Track Club’s top Masters Runners.

Wakenda has a huge post as Division Chief of Orthopedic Oncology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

We discussed when she first decided to pursue Medicine and the role two key mentors, Ed McCarthy, a Bone Pathologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Carol Morris, an Orthopedic Oncologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, played in guiding her towards her unique specialty.

We also talked about the changing landscape of Medicine in COVID-19 times and the challenges it has brought to her practice and her life:

-No elective surgeries and the stress that causes for patients and families. 

-Managing 30 residents being rotated into ICU and front-line areas. 

-The PTSD, stress levels, fatigue, and frustrations her team is facing daily. 

-What keeps her up at night? What's her biggest fear?

-Where and how she fits running in and how it makes her a better person, Doctor, and wife. 

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Wakenda:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wakenda

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I'm so excited to share Darcie Brodsky's INSPIRATIONAL story! Darcie is a total rockstar, an elite educator, badass runner mom, and someone I’m super proud to call friend.

Darcie dreamed of being a teacher from her childhood days and we dialed it back to 2008, Savoonga, Alaska, where she first discovered her love for helping children read. After moving to Texas, she began working as a reading specialist focusing on kids that required more attention. After completing certification to become a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, Darcie began working with small groups of dyslexic students (1st-5th grade) that needed more help sorting, recognizing, and organizing language. To hear the pride in her voice when they master how to unlock words and read on their own is deeply moving! 

She launched Run HBE, a passion project, with the help of three colleagues, Sara Head, Kate Olsson, and Vanessa Del Valle, to get children engaged with running. They've seen incredible growth and success so far and I'm so excited to see how they can build this out even further.

To no surprise, all of this led to Darcie being nominated by her peers and awarded Teacher of the Year in 2019!

And, of course, this wouldn't be a true RunChat if we didn't talk at least a little shop. We talk about her being overtrained and fighting burnout in her running and how she found the joy again, leading to a 2-minute Marathon PR in Houston. Darcie recently began working with Lindsay Flanagan who placed 9th in the 2019 Boston Marathon and I'm so excited to follow their work together to get Darcie that coveted BQ.

Where would we be in our lives without great teachers? When we pursue our true passions in life, great things are bound to happen!

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Darcie:

Instagram: @mommarunsmarathons

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darcie.brodsky

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

I was so blessed and excited to share Dr. Bill Johncock’s powerful, inspiring story! Many have been fortunate to witness and bask in the joy that Bill and his beautiful son Logan deliver running as a duo team for Ainsley's Angels.

This is a generational father-son love story, bound and shared together through running, filled with adventures, amazing stories, and so much love.

Bill ran his first marathon at 15 and his dad, Jerry, at 52. They shared a one-of-a-kind experience running their first Boston’s together at 19 and 55. I was captivated by the stories.

Jerry: 116 Marathons—starting after the age of 50—and holder of many National and World Age Group Records.

Bill: 104 marathons, 6 Boston’s, with a lifetime PR of 2:34.

Logan has Angelman Syndrome, an appropriate name since he may well be an angel on Earth. If you're lucky enough to meet this rock star, you'll know exactly what I mean. When they found out their opportunity to run their first Boston Marathon together had been postponed, they took action and created Team Logan's Marathon of Hope!

For any families out there that have a special needs child, this episode will hit home. Bill is an amazing human and such a pillar in his community. This chat may be a long one, but it's filled with love and inspiration.

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Bill:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.johncock

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

This week we talked with an amazing frontline family, Necia & Tim McQueen.

I’ve gotten to know them through our running community and via a fundraiser I started to #feedhealthcareheroes (be sure to check out the link below)

Necia works in Respiratory Therapy at Overlook Medical Center in Summit and Tim in Clinical Engineering at Morristown Medical Center, both part of Atlantic Health System.

They shared some incredible stories of what it’s like on the front lines today and how they are managing family life in such stressful times. I greatly appreciated spending time with them, meeting their children, and the sacrifices they are making. 

If you enjoy the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Stay In The Fight-Feed Healthcare Heroes Fundraiser: https://bit.ly/2VQ1xNp

Connect With Necia & Tim:

Instagram: @lifeasamcqueen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/necia.mcqueen

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Amy is a total badass who sets audacious goals and exceeds them. She targeted 50 marathons by age 40 and already has 53 at age 38 and, naturally, is now shooting for 60!

For the past 5 years, she’s been a member of the Air Force Marathon Team and qualified to run in the prestigious World Military Games in China. She slipped a disc in her back the day before flying 14 hours to China and it seemed unlikely Amy would race, but after a “forced taper” and a little sports chiro care, she was able to line up for the US squad and ROCKED a 2:53 PR performance!

Amy tackled her first Ultra in a deep and meaningful way, completing the Civil Rights March route from Selma to Montgomery in under 8 hours! She then stood on the Capitol steps with her husband, daughter, and running community and cried.

We rounded the conversation out talking about homeschooling, haircuts, and healthcare fundraising in these unprecedented pandemic times. 

I see BIG things ahead for Amy (like an Olympic Trials Qualifier...*wink wink*)

Please take a listen and hear Amy’s awe-inspiring story! If you enjoyed the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on. Amy and her husband have also started a side hustle and are now in the coaching game (Natural Athlete Training Systems), so be sure to check out their links below!

Connect With Amy:

Instagram: @usafamyruns

NATS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturalAthleteTraining

NATS VDOT: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/NaturalAthlete

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano

Amanda is a total bad ass with a burning passion for our sport! Our paths first crossed when I flew down to Austin to join the Team Rogue crazies for a 30 mile no-nutrition run. I’ve been following her running journey enthusiastically since then.

We dialed it back to five years ago, when Amanda had a Half Marathon PR of 1:34 and had a goal of breaking 1:30. Fast forward to the Woodlands Half Marathon where she SCORCHED a 1:24:18!

Then we took a deep dive into her training to examine what’s been moving the needle:

How all of these areas, plus grinding the miles helped take Amanda’s running to another level. Working with a Witch Doctor and a Sorcerer is clearly a good combo.

And finally, finding the love in running and how it keeps us grounded -- which has never been more important than in these crazy Covid19 times.

Please take a listen and hear Amanda’s AWESOME story! If you enjoyed the conversation, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the episode or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Amanda:

Instagram: @run_with_amanda

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Abfly123

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: @ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: @runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com/

Additional Links:

Team Rogue Running: https://www.roguerunning.com/

The Human Nutrition Project: https://thehumannutritionproject.com/

A New Day Hypnosis: https://www.anewdayhypnosis.com/

The Woodlands Marathon: https://www.thewoodlandsmarathon.com/

----

Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com/

Email: [email protected]

Social: @_margittai

© 2020 Ron Romano