This episode is from my IG Live convo with renowned coach James McKirdy of McKirdy Trained on the exciting upcoming Bakline McKirdy Micro Marathon & 10K on 10/14/23 at Rockland State Park, NY.

The Why: to provide the greatest opportunity for athletes to achieve the Olympic Trials qualifying time and faster.

We discuss: bottle support for all participating marathoners, tangents, pacers, and why this course reported by Runner's World as "the fastest loop in the country" gives runners the best opportunity to earn their place on the Olympic Trials marathon starting line, February 3rd, 2024.

In the second half, we explore the McKirdy Trained origin story—the ethos and DNA that has helped build such a strong and powerful team. Plus, a few athlete success stories.

For anyone still dreaming of earning their OTQ—or looking to gain some valuable McKirdy Trained coaching insights—this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 James:

Bakline's McKirdy Micro Marathon & 10K: http://mckirdytrained.com/baklines-mckirdy-micro-marathon-10k

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckirdytrained

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Andrea Pomaranski grew up idolizing Lisa Fernandez and dreamed of one day pitching for the US Softball Team. On March 12th, she set a Masters American Record, scorching a 3:07:48 50K at 6:03P per mile, and won her first USATF National Championship!

It was the 2nd fastest US 50K time behind the great Des Linden and 3rd fastest for any woman at any age in the world—but most importantly, it earned Andrea that coveted honor she dreamed of as a little girl, representing Team USA.

Andrea's running resume is beyond impressive:

What's more awe-inspiring is how this mom-of-three has endured and bounced back from the personal tragedy of losing her first two children.

"10 years ago, we lost our first two children in a very heartbreaking way. For a year after our second son died, I considered it a win for the day just to get out of bed in the morning. It was far and away the darkest time period of my life, but also one that I am the most proud of because I never gave up. Even though I felt like my world had ended the day they died, I refused to believe there weren't better things ahead. And little by little, the small wins started to turn into big wins and now I find myself with 3 healthy, beautiful children, an incredible husband and friends, and I'm even able to run and set PRs at the age of 40."

Andrea was told by one of the best doctors in the country that she would never run more than a few miles again due to osteoporosis... and she overcame that, too.

I think she is just getting started and can't wait to follow along. For all the moms out there juggling so much for your family, I know you'll find so many good takeaways in this one.

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Andrea:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreapomaranski

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

"I pledge to be a role model and inspire others to always think beyond their limits to achieve things they never dreamed were possible."

-Lisa Weightman, Associate Partner at IBM Australia, Olympian, and High-Performance Coach

Meet Lisa Weightman, business leader, badass mom, 4X Olympian, and one of the fastest, most inspiring humans I've been blessed to meet.

Lisa has overcome a lot to reach the fastest, best version of herself. She is quick to credit those in her inner circle for the key roles they play: her husband Lach for always keeping things light and providing much-needed massage services, coach Dick Telford, and son Pete—who we all know is secretly calling all the shots.

Lisa put together a near-perfect training block and then proceeded to pull off one of the most amazing marathon doubles in history—scorching a 2:23 4th place Osaka Marathon (just 10 seconds from 2nd place) followed by a 2:31 13th place finish at Tokyo just 7 days later!

Her secret to recovery? A family visit to Tokyo Disneyland between races, where she likely put in more steps than at either marathon...

It was so FUN to catch up with Lisa on her PB breakthrough and what goals she is chasing next—running in her 5th Olympics, 10K & half-mile PB attempts, finishing off her Six-Star in Boston next year.

For more on Lisa's inspiring journey, check out episode 97 and give her a follow!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Lisa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaweightman

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

"After I had my first child, I suffered from postpartum depression. It was really sad, dark, and scary. Running literally saved me—along with medication, therapy, and help from friends and family. Ever since then, I have never been the same and I still struggle with mental health issues... But because I had to dig myself out once, I know what to watch out for and how to best help myself if I feel darkness coming again."

Meet Kaydi Bolos, mom of three and introvert who made the brave decision to share her postpartum depression struggles on Instagram.

Kaydi noticed that running stroller miles with her son would instantly help her feel better and she forged a deeper love and connection to running. By sharing her postpartum journey to connect with and help other moms, it truly transformed Kaydi and provided a deeper sense of purpose.

Kaydi loves to grind, chase down big goals, and is a huge David Goggins fan. She is training hard and has a sub-2:50 goal set for her next marathon at Mt Charleston in April.

We discuss: her coaching partnership with Emily from Praxis Running, nutrition, injuries, Goggins, mindset, goals, drive, challenges, and community service.

I'm SO grateful to Kaydi for stepping out of her comfort zone and sharing her inspiring journey!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Kaydi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaydiruns

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Jenny Hitchings, Masters running icon, 2022 USATF Masters LDR (Long Distance Runner) Athlete of the year, and USATF Hall of Fame runner.

In her 50s, Jenny started running faster than ever, breaking barriers for herself and her age that she never thought possible. She holds FIVE (55-59AG) American Records—5k, 10k, 10-mile, 1/2 marathon, and marathon—and 1 World's best time, 2:45:32 at the 2021 Boston Marathon! These races and experiences shaped her and stoked her competitive fire to keep striving for more.

We discuss: how Jenny found running; goals, race anxiety, and expectations; where her drive and fire come from; trying to defy the aging process and inspire others; losing her mom; coaches who've had an impact; giving back, coaching youth running clubs and other runners.

Jenny's WHY: "Part of me is trying to defy the aging process. I want to show that we can still be competitive and have these crazy goals and show others what's possible as a woman and mother at near age 60... I don't necessarily run for my mom, but part of me keeps on going because it helps me defy what defines aging and the stereotypes that go along with it. Who knows what my mom would be doing from 50 on, but I am creating my own path. She would have been so proud, and I wear a ring of hers every time I race."

I'm so stoked to see what's next and to continue following Jenny's INSPIRING journey!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Jenny:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyhitchings

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Jereny Rivera, who has been on an inspirational, transformational journey from a childhood in poverty where she learned grit and developed her toughness and fire from watching her mom in the most challenging of circumstances.

Jereny struggled to connect with others in college. She was inspired by watching a True Life episode of a girl who completed a Tough Mudder and signed up for a race, but didn't make it more than a quarter mile on her first training run and had to walk home. That led to her joining a local running club—the Orlando Track Shack—losing 50 lbs, transforming her body with running, strength training, and a better diet, and finding a welcoming community.

From a 3:52 half marathon to smoking a 2:47 in Houston, Jereny is on a journey and dreaming big to one day lace 'em up at the Olympic Trials!

We take a deep dive into her dreams, exploring the importance of having people around you and coaches who are fully onboard and believe, her two-year run streak, daily habits, and how doing the hard things post-run (foam roll, stretch, hydrate) are so important.

We talk about mindset and the Goggins approach. There are no hacks. Show up every day like Jereny and get it done!

I'm so inspired by Jereny and am stoked to share our convo!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Jereny:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolspacemonkey

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Allan Dias, former real-life rock star, bass guitarist, and songwriter for Public Image Ltd (PiL). After twenty years of touring, the performing, partying lifestyle had taken a big toll on him—and he finally stepped away for health reasons.

He came back stateside, walked into a bike shop, bought a bike, started riding again, and reconnected with his love of motion. That inexplicable feeling when propelling yourself forward through space and time. After entering a trail duathlon, he fell back in love with running after a twenty-year break.

That began an incredible endurance athletics journey for Allan, immersing himself deeply into the rituals of training and mindset and focusing on pursuing his absolute best.

Allan has freakish running range: he ran a 68-second 400M to place 3rd at Masters Nationals in March 2022 and ran 3:54:06 at Baystate Marathon—a 25-minute BQ at age 71, on 10/16/22.

We took a deep dive into how qualifying for Boston meant so much and how he tapped into that in his training and on race day to make that dream come true. We also cover how grateful and blessed he feels to still be out there competing—running to inspire and giving back to the endurance sports community that has given him so much.

Allan has also competed at the highest levels in cyclocross, mountain biking, road cycling, and once ran 65 miles on his 65th birthday.

I'm absolutely blessed to call Allan a friend and supportive CPTC teammate. I'm so grateful to him for coming on and sharing wisdom from his inspiring journey.

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Allan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allandia

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Amelia Rivera-Wong, DPT by day, badass endurance athlete, wife to Andy, and new mom to her beautiful son Cameron all the rest of the time.

Amelia's competitive drive was forged as a kid doing crunch competitions with her twin before bedtime and spending long hours at their town community pool. Her mom ran 3 NYC marathons—one for each of her daughters—and that left an indelible mark. All those pool hours prepared her to swim D1 in college and led her to triathlon—where she signed up for an Ironman at Lake Placid on a dare—completing her very first marathon to finish in a monsoon. Her hardcore, badass credentials were fully established.

But when she qualified for her 1st Boston—and subsequently got pregnant and calculated the timing—she knew she was in uncharted waters. It felt like she was going down a rabbit hole. Seemingly everyone with no medical creds had an opinion on what was 'safe' or could potentially harm her baby. Even some of the medical advice didn't make sense and she ultimately decided to follow the same rule she tells her patients as a DPT and as a runner: "listen to your body."

She found a sherpa on Facebook who shared her marathon running pregnancy journey and exchanged tips on finding a good pelvic floor PT, taping, belly braces, and even some advice on the Boston course. She kept her circle super small and found a local training partner to lean on and travel to the start line with.

Amelia ran Boston at 31 weeks pregnant, had an incredible experience, and got it DONE with baby Cameron in tow. (I think he deserves a medal, too!)

I am so grateful for Amelia coming on, being so open, and sharing the emotional roller coaster of her experiences so candidly.

We took a deep dive into the challenges of breastfeeding, how she cross-trained and tried to mitigate injuries, and postpartum running. Amelia is now sharing her experiences on Facebook with other moms to help pay it forward.

For every mom-to-be or mom with children already who might be facing this decision, there are so many lessons to unpack in this episode. Please share with anyone that you think this could help!

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Amelia:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameriver8

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2023 Ron Romano

Meet Neely Gracey, 4-time Olympic Trials Qualifier (12, 16, 20, 24), top American at the 2016 Boston Marathon, and the 11th American female EVER to break 70 minutes in the half marathon. Neely is fresh off her 9th place finish at CIM—this year's USATF Championship Race—where she rocked a sizzling 2:30:29 PR (5:43 per mile)!

Neely opened up about not being able to run during her first pregnancy, losing her "identity" as a runner—going from one of the top distance runners in the country to "no one" for years, despite being sponsored and feeling a pressure to return to a high level.

It was a rough phase from 2017-2020, but feels she is a better person on the other side—ultimately feeling that her body needed that break—and has completely reframed her relationship with running and her approach to training and racing.

We discuss:

-Reframing her identity and relationship with running

-Evolving her approach and mindset to training and racing

-The husband & wife coaching dynamic & partnership (complete with a funny story from the Indy Monumental 1/2M)

-How coaching helps inspire her to keep chasing big goals as a runner, coach, and mother

-Mantras: "You're right where you're meant to be" and "trust the process"

-Her new book: Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart where she shares her experience from both an athlete and coach perspective to provide a road map for women runners who are chasing big goals

Such big INPSO and so many great takeaways! I look forward to following Neely’s amazing journey as a runner, coach at Get Running Coaching, and author.

If you enjoy the episode, 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 Neely:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neelysgracey

Website: https://getrunningcoaching.com/

Neely's book, Breakthrough Women's Running: https://getrunningcoaching.com/breakthrough

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc/

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc/

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai/

© 2023 Ron Romano

Imagine you have a favorite race—one you continually dream about winning one day—and on every hard training run and day that you're dragging, you visualize being out there and making it happen.

Sarah Biehl kept grinding and manifested her dream—not only breaking the tape at the 60th JFK50, but also shattering Ultra legend Ellie Greenwood's course record by over 6 minutes, running a BLAZING fast 6:05:42!

We discuss: going from the huntress to the hunted; learning from past JFK experiences; staying upright on the AT; working with some men in sections and enjoying the company; the mental battles on the towpath; trusting her race plan from her coach, Michael Owen, but also going with her gut; where the fire comes from; mantras—fall down get back up, play your own game; how more prep work on the AT with training partner Rachel Lemcke helped; why pushing her limits in Ultra gets the juices flowing more than chasing a faster marathon (2:39:01 current PR); and running in her 2nd Olympic Marathon Trials.

Sarah has HUGE gratitude for the JFK50 community, the volunteers, and for the running community overall. She is so easy to root for and I'm excited to see her chase down some big Ultra goals in 2023!

If you enjoy the episode, 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: https://www.instagram.com/biehlharas

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: [email protected]

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2022 Ron Romano