In this episode of the Fast & Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with marathoner Kassie Harris just days after the Houston Marathon—where she dropped a massive 12-minute PR and beat her Boston Qualifying time by eight minutes.

Kassie takes us through her long arc with the marathon: starting back in 2012, burning out after a quick run of races, then returning a decade later only to get derailed by recurring lower-leg injuries and “stock plan” training that pushed too much volume and intensity at the wrong time.

From there, the conversation gets practical. They break down what changed in this build: slower, smarter progression, using cycling to build aerobic volume without breaking the body, fuelling properly, and focusing on durability instead of chasing flashy workouts. Kassie also shares what it felt like to execute a true negative split—letting the 3:30 pace group go early, then reeling them in late when most runners are hanging on for dear life.

This one’s for anyone stuck in the injury loop, frustrated by plateaus, or convinced the answer is always “more.” Kassie’s takeaway is simple: it’s not more—it’s the right work, for you, done consistently.

Relevant Links
Get coached by Brant Stachel – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/
Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com/
Fuel your training – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant

About the Fast & Free Podcast
The Fast & Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—talks with athletes and coaches about training smarter, thinking clearly under pressure, and building sustainable performance over time.

Follow Fast & Free Coaching:
Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching
YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
Website: http://runfastandfree.com

Follow Kassie Harris:
Instagram: @KatieIsRunning

Episode Chapters
00:00 – Kassie’s Houston Marathon PR (12 minutes)
02:09 – From 2012 burnout to returning 10 years later
05:18 – Why stock plans weren’t working (and what changed)
09:14 – Managing recurring lower-leg injuries + building with cross-training
13:15 – The “big workout” that confirmed fitness
16:50 – Easy running, durability, and the fuelling upgrade
22:56 – Race week: weather window, nerves, and visualisation
26:21 – Pacing strategy: starting controlled and negative splitting
33:11 – The moment she knew it was a special day
37:31 – Long-term goals, patience, and “gap closing”
39:24 – Advice for runners stuck in injuries/plateaus
47:09 – What it felt like to finally hit the standard

In this episode of the Fast & Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with endurance athlete and coach Corey Turnbull to talk about late starts, hard lessons, and what actually matters in long-term development.


Corey shares how he found running later in life as a way to manage anxiety, and how the running community became a place of real connection and support. From memorable races to costly training mistakes, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his approach to both racing and coaching.

They dig into why runners often underestimate their fitness, the role of patience and adaptability—especially for busy athletes—and why easy runs are not optional, even when they feel “too easy.” Corey also breaks down his coaching philosophy, centred on honesty, consistency, and understanding the individual behind the training plan.


This conversation is for runners who feel behind, doubt their progress, or are trying to balance ambition with real life. It’s a reminder that improvement isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, consistently.


Relevant Links
Get Coached by Corey Turnbull: https://teamrunrun.com/coach/corey-turnbull-ottawa-running-coach/
Get coached by Brant Stachel – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/
Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com (https://teamrunrun.com/)
Fuel your training – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant


About the Fast & Free Podcast
The Fast & Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—talks with athletes and coaches about training smarter, thinking clearly under pressure, and building sustainable performance over time.


Follow Fast & Free Coaching:
Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching
YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
Website: http://runfastandfree.com


Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Corey Turnbull

03:27 – Finding Running Later in Life

11:18 – Memorable Races & Mental Strength

20:26 – The Boston Marathon Experience

26:34 – Lessons Learned From Racing

32:40 – Coaching Philosophy & Athlete Development

36:14 – Adapting Training to Real Life

39:10 – Fitness Myths, Easy Runs, and Honesty in Training

In this episode of Fast and Free, Brant turns the mic toward Elaina to explore a running journey shaped by grit, setbacks, and the kind of durability you can’t fake. They talk about the early days of running without structure, the string of breakthrough marathons that proved she had real potential, and the tough moments that nearly derailed everything — from a DNF at Grandma’s to discovering a 75% stress fracture that left her in a full leg cast and rebuilding her trust in her body from the ground up.

What makes her story land isn’t just the 2:46 breakthrough in Chicago, but the way she stayed patient through the chaos: the bad races, the injury spiral, the long cross-training grind, and the slow return to running that eventually set up her best season yet. Now she’s pushing past old limits with a 50K and 50-miler, using curiosity, consistency, and a little bit of audacity to rewrite what she thought she was capable of. If you’re in a rough patch or rebuilding from something hard, this one is going to hit home.

Get coached by Brant – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/

Get coached by Elaina – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/elaina-raponi-kingston-ontario-running-coach/

Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com

Get the best fuel for your runs – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.

Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

For the first time, Fast & Free Performance Coach Elaina Raponi takes the mic to interview Brant Stachel, co-founder of Fast & Free Coaching. Together, they explore the messy, rewarding, very human side of coaching — mentorship, patience, communication, and why slowing down might be the fastest way to grow.

They share candid stories from years of coaching runners of all levels, lessons from their mentors, and what it really takes to build athletes for the long run — not just the next race.

Get coached by Brant – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/

Get coached by Elaina – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/elaina-raponi-kingston-ontario-running-coach/

Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com

Get the best fuel for your runs – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.

Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with ultrarunner, coach, and Team RunRun co-founder Matt Urbanski to explore the mental and physical mechanics of going long—really long. From UTMB to Hardrock to 24-hour loops, Matt has raced some of the toughest courses in the world, and just weeks before this conversation, represented Team USA at the IAU 24-Hour World Championships, covering 255 kilometers in one day.

Brant and Matt dive deep into the unique demands of ultra and trail running—from mastering downhill technique and training the aerobic engine to building a fueling plan that actually works after 10 hours on your feet. They also unpack the mental side of endurance—staying present through the highs and lows, managing the moment when things go wrong, and training your thoughts as deliberately as your legs.

Whether you’re training for your first trail ultra, looking to sharpen your marathon fitness, or just fascinated by what the human mind and body can endure, this episode is a masterclass in how to run far, stay focused, and perform free.

Matt Urbanski is an ultrarunner, coach, and co-founder of Team RunRun, a global network of over 300 running coaches dedicated to making personalized coaching accessible to every athlete. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Matt has finished some of the sport’s most iconic races, including UTMB, Western States, and Hardrock, and has represented Team USA in the 24-hour World Championships. Known for his data-informed yet human-first approach, he blends technical training with the psychological tools runners need to thrive in both sport and life.

Get coached by Brant – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/

Get coached by Matt – https://teamrunrun.com/coach/matt-urbanski-boulder-colorado-virtual-running-coach/

Learn more about Team RunRun – https://teamrunrun.com

Get the best fuel for your runs – https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.

Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

• Get coached by Brant - https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/
• Get coached by Martina - https://teamrunrun.com/coach/martina-nadeau-salt-lake-city-virtual-running-coach/
• Get the best fuel for your runs - https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.

Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with one of Canada’s fastest-rising marathoners, Thomas Nobbs. With personal bests of 63 minutes in the half and 2:15 in the marathon, Thomas is chasing the dream of representing Canada at the LA 2028 Olympics—all while balancing 200km training weeks and a full-time career.

Thomas opens up about the highs and lows of his journey: from the pressure of being a national youth champion, to hitting rock bottom with injuries and disordered eating in college, to rebuilding stronger than ever. Brant and Thomas also dig into the mental battles of solo training, learning to slow down on easy days, and finding confidence in the process rather than the outcome.

This is a candid and inspiring conversation about resilience, consistency, and chasing audacious goals. Whether you’re a beginner chasing your first marathon finish or an experienced athlete dreaming big, Thomas’s story will leave you motivated to trust the process and keep showing up.

Thomas Nobbs is a Canadian distance runner and one of the country’s fastest-rising marathoners. With personal bests of 63:06 for the half marathon and 2:15 for the marathon, Thomas is part of a new wave of Canadian athletes chasing international standards and breakthroughs on the roads. Balancing 200km training weeks with a demanding full-time career, he exemplifies consistency, grit, and the pursuit of excellence.

• Get coached by Thomas - https://teamrunrun.com/coach/tom-nobbs-ottawa-running-coach/ 
• Follow Thomas on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nobbs.not.knobs/?hl=en 
• Get the best fuel for your runs - https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant 

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.



Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with running coach and athlete Jess Hadley to dive into the mental side of endurance sports. From building confidence in workouts to shifting how we approach long runs, Jess shares her journey of embracing mindset shifts that take pressure off performance and bring joy back to the process. Together, Brant and Jess unpack how reframing workouts, finding balance, and trusting your training can unlock better results on race day—and make the sport more sustainable and enjoyable along the way.

Jess Hadley is a seasoned runner, coach, and passionate advocate for helping athletes push past mental barriers. Drawing from her own experiences balancing training, racing, and everyday life, Jess emphasizes confidence, perspective, and resilience. She works with athletes to not only build physical strength but also to enjoy the sport for what it brings beyond the finish line.

• Get coached by Jess
• Follow Jess on Instagram
• Get the best fuel for your runs

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.



Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching 
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com

In this first episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with sports psychologist Dr. Cassidy Preston to explore the power of competitive identity and mental performance in endurance sports. From rewriting limiting narratives to developing an alter ego, Brant and Cassidy break down how athletes can reframe their mindset to perform at their best on the ice, the trails, or the marathon course. You’ll also hear insights on balancing data with intuition, protecting your mind from “junk food” thoughts, and how to truly enjoy the sport you love.

Dr. Cassidy Preston is the founder of CEP Mindset, one of the largest sport psychology firms in North America. A Ph.D. in Sport Psychology, Cassidy blends academic expertise with elite athletic experience to help NHL players, Olympians, and high performers in business and sport maximize their potential. He is also the author of Mindset First, where he shares practical tools for building confidence, resilience, and clarity in competitive environments.

• The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
• Mindset First by Dr. Cassidy Preston
• Learn more about CEP Mindset
• Get the best fuel for your runs

The Fast and Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each week, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—dives into conversations with Olympians, elites, and everyday athletes chasing their goals. From running strategies to psychology tools, every episode delivers practical insights to help you train smarter, think stronger, and perform at your best.

Follow Fast and Free Coaching:

• Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching
• YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching
• Website: runfastandfree.com