Runners of HOU

Meet Jacqueline Stephens aka @jacque_istheone on Instagram! A Heights native, Jacqueline now lives in Missouri City and didn't really get into running until her 50th birthday. Twenty plus half marathons later and I think it's safe to say she has found her place. In this episode, we talk through what first got her into running, how she chooses her destination races, and why she keeps going even when everyone is telling her to slow down. 

Instagram - @jacque_istheone

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Meet Laura Mantilla! Originally from Cartagena, Colombia, she moved to Houston 10 years ago. A self-proclaimed tiny but mighty endurance junkie, Laura is a full time mom, consultant, coach and athlete! So busy! In this episode, we talk about her virtual 2021 Houston Marathon, that she ran in 3:13! and what it was like to compete at the 2021 Half Ironman World Championships. Laura also takes me through the differences for training for everything from a half marathon to a full Ironman, why her favorite race fuel is mini baked potatoes and why, if she could run with anyone, it would be Molly Seidel. 

Instagram - @tinyirongirl

Strava - Laura Mantilla 1

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Meet Julie Nguyen! Julie took time out of her day on her BIRTHDAY to chat with me, having just returned from running a 30+ minute PR at the Berlin marathon! Julie first got into running just under 10 years ago as part of rehab for a knee injury. After initially hating it, she found a couch to 5k program, signed up for a race...and never looked back. Julie says her first race - the Houston Turkey Trot - was the gateway drug to running for her. Julie is now an officer in the Sugarland Running Club, has run 10+ marathons, enjoys traveling to races and hopes to one day run all of the World Marathon Majors. But she will always have room in her schedule for her hometown Houston Marathon. 

Instagram - @sweetstickyrice

Strava - Julie Nguyen

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Meet Fredis Benitez! Fredis is the Vice President of the Houston Harriers, is coached by Cal Neff of Hardloop, and is a member of the Brooks Run Happy Team. In this episode, we talk about how he first got into running at 16, how meeting Starla Garcia brought him back to running, his quest for an official sub 3 hour marathon and so much more! 

Instagram - @fredis_b 

Strava - Fredis Benitez

Portfolio - fredisb.com

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Meet Louie Zuniga. Louis is a pilot, member of the City Centre and Freaks Running Clubs, and Team Catapult Ambassador. A Katy-area resident, we chat about his run club obsession - seriously, he has a run club every day of the week and more on his schedule - what being a pilot does to his training, and his five-year goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. 

Instagram - @captlouruns

Strava - Louie Z

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Welcome to Ask Me Anything! For my first edition, we've got questions about what my running journey has looked like, if I'll ever let anyone interview me, how do I fuel and what's my favorite workout, what it was like to work for USA Track & Field, which fall marathon I'm most excited for, and what races are on my bucket list. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. Enjoy! 

If you want to be a part of future Ask Me Anything episodes, shoot me a DM or email at [email protected]. 

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Meet Andrew Torma. A Rice University grad student studying Applied Physics, Andrew moved to Houston in 2019. A soccer player growing up who first got into running in undergrad, it wasn't until he moved to Houston that Andrew really started logging the miles. In this episode, we chat about his move to Houston, how he started running long - and by long I mean the random, unplanned marathon! - why he will never do the Goggins Challenge again, and so much more. 

Andrew is currently training and fundraising for the Chicago Marathon and Houston Marathon and we will both be running the Lululemon Seawheeze 10K and Half Marathon this September! Links below for how to support! 

Instagram - @tormaandrew

Strava - Andrew Torma

Chicago Marathon Fundraiser for AFSP

Houston Marathon Fundraiser for A 2nd Cup 

lululemon SeaWheeze 2021 Virtual Half Marathon and 10K

Houston lululemon Seawheeze After Party

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Originally from California, Caroline moved to Houston two weeks before Hurricane Harvey. Having grown up a swimmer, she didn't get into running until 2019. She then ran her first half marathon in 2020 and never looked back. Listen in as we talk about what it looked like when she first started running, how she got involved with the BON Running Club, what led her to the trails and how much fun we're going to have at the in-person activation in Houston for the 2021 Lululemon Seawheeze Virtual Half & 10K. 

Instagram - @cynicalcaroline

Strava - Caroline Loveall

Bon Running Club

Lulelemon Seawheeze Half & 10K

Houston Seawheeze After Party

Houston After Party

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A Houston transplant, Correy found his running family at Zone Fitness Training. He grew up playing the typical American sports and found running in college and started consistently running after graduation. We chat through his intro to running, when he joined ZFT, the gains they've seen in the last three years, and what he has planned for 2021-2022.

Instagram - @unocp_

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Veronica Goebel started running in 2016 when her cousin, Aracely Richardson (episode #23), convinced her to run a marathon! Over the last five years, Veronica has run three marathons, 13 half marathons, become a member of Champions Run Club and the Houston Harriers, and cut over an hour off her marathon PR. With a new goal of running sub-4, Veronica has now also joined Hardloop and is coached by Cal Neff. Listen in as we also talk about her time as a #HouMarathon Ambassador, what that was like in 2020 with the virtual race, and a cool event coming up this fall - the Lululemon Seawheeze Virtual Half Marathon & 10K that will have an in person event on Sep. 25th! 

Instagram - @vgoebruns

Strava - Veronica Goebel

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