Salt and Flickers

Darcy Budworth didn’t wait for permission — she made her own lane. As the founder of Take the Bridge, she’s spent the last 10 years building an underground race series rooted in grit, creativity, and community. What started as a scrappy summer experiment in New York has now grown into a cultural touchstone for runners who crave something more personal, more present, and more free.

In this conversation, Darcy opens up about the journey from competitor to collaborator, the importance of creating space for women in racing, and the tough but necessary shift toward protecting her own peace. We talk about the thrill of unsanctioned races, the role of sponsors and integrity, and why slowing down might be the next phase of both movement and meaning.

Whether you’re a run-clubber, a trail dreamer, or just trying to stay aligned with your values, this one is a map for building something lasting on your own terms.

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Street artist and marathoner Jay Shells joins Salt and Flickers to explore how running became both his creative catalyst and spiritual reset. From his early Spartan races to chasing down his fifth World Major in London, Jay’s story is one of evolution — from metrics to meditation, from chaos to flow.

We talk about the connection between movement and meaning, why laughter might be the ultimate race fuel, and how urban runs inspire his poetic street art. Jay reflects on the tension between solitude and community, his changing relationship with spirituality, and the quiet power of showing up for yourself one mile at a time.

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This week we have our first live episode with Olympic medalist, American record holder, and bestselling author Deena Kastor. With a career spanning decades at the highest level, Deena shares how she’s used positivity, curiosity, and gratitude as performance tools — and how those same qualities sustain her today. We dive into the mental shifts that helped her break barriers, the joys of masters running, and the rituals that ground her daily life. It's a lively conversation about longevity, reinvention, and why the most important training happens between the ears. Stay to the end for the audience Q&A.

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In this episode we're joined by painter, writer, and runner Scout Zabinski to talk about healing — physically, emotionally, and creatively. After coming back from a major injury and battling eating disorders and addiction, Scout shares how movement has evolved from punishment to a practice of presence. We explore how running fuels her art, why sobriety has made life more vivid, and what it means to truly listen to your body. A candid, moving conversation about finding joy after struggle, the importance of community, and embracing stillness as strength.

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On today's episode we're joined by writer, coach, and cultural instigator Knox Robinson for a wide-ranging conversation on movement, creativity, and community. From the founding of Black Roses NYC and Capri Collective to reflections on sustainability, authenticity, and the future of running culture, Knox shares his expansive view on what it means to build something lasting. We talk about the parallels between writing and running, the spiritual side of movement, and how today’s generation is reconnecting with the physical world in an era of digital distraction. An episode about feeling deeply, moving intentionally, and questioning what really matters.

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In this episode, Howie sits down with Anna Bulbrook, a brand strategist, music curator for TED, and half-Ironman racer, whose relationship with movement is anything but ordinary. From the fluidity of trail running to the discipline of violin practice (and playing with bands like The Airborne Toxic Event and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), Anna shares how she found freedom in letting go of structure and embracing the joy of motion.

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Today's guest is Eric Junker — an artist and lifelong runner who has never competed in a race. He shares how movement serves as his meditation, connecting him to nature and fueling his creativity. From judo to flyfishing and painting murals, Eric discusses the cross-pollination of art and endurance, the potential dangers of casual mindfulness practice, and the rituals that keep us moving.

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Randy Clement is the co-founder of Silver Lake Wine, Everson Royce, and Highland Park Wine — a hospitality visionary who helped shape Los Angeles’ modern food and beverage scene. For Randy, business has always been about more than wine: it’s about creating spaces where people feel welcome, connected, and part of something larger than themselves.

In this conversation, Randy shares the story of moving to LA at 19 with his wife, building Silver Lake Wine on the ethos of independence and joy, and navigating the evolution of the neighborhood’s creative culture. We explore his entrepreneurial spirit, his paradoxical approach to ideas, and his belief that momentum — when it arrives — should be chased with everything you’ve got.

Randy also opens up about his relationship to movement: from baseball and bike rides to transcendental swimming and the flow state he now finds in running. Along the way, he reflects on parenting, community resilience after the Altadena fires, and his new project, the Altadena Foothillers run club. This is a wide-ranging, free-flowing conversation about business, creativity, and the power of simply showing up.

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Simon Freeman is the co-founder of Like the Wind, a print magazine that celebrates the culture, emotion, and deeper meaning behind running. What started as a simple blog has grown into a globally respected publication rooted in storytelling, community, and the shared experience of movement.

In this episode, Simon joins Howie to talk about the origin of Like the Wind, the power of slow journalism, and why he believes the best stories in running often have nothing to do with speed. They explore Simon’s own evolution as a runner — from chasing PRs to discovering purpose — and the magazine’s mission to give voice to the runners who are shaping the sport, from elites to everyday strivers.

We also dig into the business of independent publishing, the role of vulnerability in writing, and what it means to build something that endures. Whether you’re a marathoner, a trail runner, or simply someone who finds peace in motion, this conversation will remind you why we run — and why the stories we tell along the way matter.

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