Runnerd Library Podcast

Season one of the Runnerd Library Podcast comes to an end. Listen in as I recap the season and look ahead to 2024. This one-person discussion is "a stream of consciousness, a veritable fartlek exercise of an episode." What are your recurring running dreams? I'll give you my top three pre-race dreams. Can you relate? I announce my Mount Readmore of running books. The top five, must-read running books, in my humble opinion. I'll be putting the RUN back into runnerd in 2024, as I discuss my goals for the upcoming year. Until we kick off season two, I'll see you on the roads. Run. Read. Repeat.

Special thanks to Odd Squad Productions for their professionalism and talent in the production of this episode.

In Segment 1 we get to know more about Dr. Karp's running background. His love of running started with the Presidential Fitness Test. His ability to finish in the top couple of students in the 600 yard run gave him the confidence to run in middle school and on to high school. He developed a love of researching running topics and has a penchant for writing books. Segment two, listen in as he talks periodization, debunks 80/20, and expands on the value of speed before endurance. We wrap up with segment 3 where you can learn more about his teaching and coaching at Georgia Southern and other projects on his to do list!

Martinus Evans is the author of The Slow AF Run Club, a practical, hands-on guide for getting started as a runner. Martinus wrote the book that he wished he had when he first began running. The basic underlying premise is that regardless of body type or ability, he believes there is a place in the running community for anyone who wants to participate. And the book does a fantastic job of laying out "must know" elements of becoming a runner. Martinus covers mindset, training, goal setting, nutrition, and so much more. So far over 20,000 people have joined the movement. Listen in as Martinus shares stories from his own running experience as a 6' 4" 300+ pound runner, how being black impacts the way he thinks about training logistics, and his next big undertaking, starting a not-for-profit to assist runners in underserved communities. Runnerd Library supports inclusivity and is proud to share Martinus's message with our audience.

Our first two time guest on the podcast, Bill returns to discuss his newly published collection of short stories, Tiny Little Running Shorts. Listen in as we discuss his inspiration for these stories, the complexities of teenage years, and the long-standing bonds of teammates.

Catching up with Westfield High School Girls Cross Country Coach, Scott Lidskin. Scott returns to the helm of the Shamrocks for the 2023 XC season. In this episode, we talk about coaching philosophy, his growth as a coach, why Yoda may have had it wrong, building a program, what it feels like to be 500m away from the finish line at the state meet watching your team finish (and win a championship), and more. You will hear Scott describe the importance of finding joy in the sport as we discuss Curly's "one thing," a reference to the movie City Slickers. Tune in and get ready to take notes as Scott shares his lessons from the Cross Country Course.

In episode 7, I speak with Lenecia Nickell, Director of the University of Cincinnati Sports Psychology and Wellness Department. This is the 3rd installment of our 3 part series for Mental Health Awareness Month and a follow-up to episode 4. Lenecia shares her background as a mental health practitioner with experience helping people with their fitness goals as well. She talks about how she was able to marry those passions to land the role she is in now and build her department from the ground up. Lenecia provides many actionable tips for student-athletes and coaches to open communication about mental health and performance mindset. In addition to leading her department, she is a PhD candidate and teaches classes for mentalhealthfirstaid.org. You can find her on LinkedIN if you want to connect.

We hope that you have found value in this series featuring Todd Corbin speaking about mindfulness; Josh Wachtel and Ryan Collins reflecting on the novel, What Made Maddy Run; and the follow-up on What Made Maddy Run with Lenecia. If you like what you heard, give us a rating and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

NFHS offers a free course for Middle School and High School Coaches needing continuing education--

https://nfhslearn.com/courses?searchText=Student+Mental+Health+and+Suicide+Prevention

What Made Maddy Run and mindfulness for student athletes are available in the ⁠Runnerd Library Store⁠. Order your copies today!

Join us as we discuss how she got started in running, her love of pencils and notebooks, BQ'ing, and finding her identity as a queer person.

Endeavoring to break the 4:00 minute barrier in the 1950s, when no one else had done so, was a bold quest. Three men waged an epic battle to become the first man to accomplish the feat. Sir Roger Bannister of England, John Landy of Australia, and Wes Santee of the USA were living and training on three different continents but shared the same goal. In the book, The Perfect Mile author Neal Bascomb tells the story of the build-up to May 6, 1954 and the eventual showdown between Bannister and Landy in Vancouver to see who was the fastest man alive. Listen in as we discuss the personalities of each man, triumph, failure, and what it was like for Neal to walk the Iffley Road Track with Roger Bannister nearly fifty years after Roger ran 3:59.4.

Episode Content

Segment 1: Neal's background in athletics and writing. Hockey, Cross Country, Marathoning, Zen runs, knowing he wanted to be a writer early on, and a rough start to writing novels.

Segment 2: Neal doesn't have a favorite child but he might have a favorite book from his catalog. We discuss one of the books that makes my Mt. Rushmore of running titles and also happens to be one of Neal's personal favorites of his work: The Perfect Mile.

Segment 3: What's up next for Neal? A book about Gandhi, a TV series, and ascending Mt. Kilimanjaro.

When the book What Made Maddy Run was first brought to my attention by my daughter Emmeline, she was talking about it over a family dinner, I took notice. Our entire family took notice. My wife Liz began reading the book soon after that conversation. We bought a second copy of the book. Over the next couple of months, the entire family had read the book. It's not uncommon for Liz or me to have read a book the kids are reading for school or to read along with them. It is uncommon for all four of us to read the same book. When deciding on a list of books to discuss in an episode of this podcast, What Made Maddy Run was at the top of the list.

What Made Maddy Run was written by bestselling author Kate Fagan. The author expertly navigates the delicateness of the subject matter, mental health and suicide. The story of Madison Holleran, Maddy to her family and friends, is one of a gifted student and athlete. She is described as beautiful, funny, and popular by those who knew her. Her social media accounts portrayed her as being full of life. And yet, as Maddy transitioned to her freshmen year of college she was met with feelings, internal struggles that she hadn't encountered before. Maddy contemplates quitting sports which was always a big part of her identity. She also considers transferring to a different college as she seeks to be happy again. Kate uses letters to and from Maddy; social media posts; first-person accounts; and elements of her own mental health concerns and experiences to describe Maddy's state of mind.

Throughout the book you will root for Maddy to find the answers she needs. You will relate to Maddy, her family, her friends, her coaches, and her teammates at different times. You will be left feeling empathetic for all of those folks in her life who will forever mourn her. We are reminded after reading this book to be kind to everyone you meet because you don't know what struggles they are facing. And as a parent, I am reminded to hug my kids and tell them I love them often.

My guests for this episode are Mr. Ryan Collins and Coach Josh Wachtel. They are the gentlemen who created the high school reading assignment that brought Maddy into our lives. Ryan and Josh are English teachers at Westfield High School (Indiana). The three of us discuss the scope of the student choice assignment. You will find out why What Made Maddy Run was added to the list of novels to choose from. We dig into student reactions after reading the book. We explore the impact of social media on the perception of happiness. And we talk about the importance of having someone to be able to open up to. None of us knew Maddy or her family personally but we were all moved by their story.