The Zone 2 Podcast

Welcome to Episode 12, featuring a special race-day debrief with marathon debutant Rachel Ahlmark! Rachel comes from a background as a collegiate D3 short- and middle-distance runner, but after a few half marathons, she boldly (or foolishly?) decided to take on the full marathon. 

This past Saturday, host Brian and Rachel crossed the finish line at the Rhode Races Newport Marathon, wrapping up a long winter of training in Boston. In this debrief, Francis sits down with Brian and Rachel to unpack their first marathon experiences. We discuss training challenges, the highs, the lows, race strategies, lessons learned, and dreams of future races. 

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This Monday, there was a small local race in the Boston area ~ we want to congratulate all of the finishers of the 2025 Boston Marathon including former guests Cate Shultz, Nora Johnson, Haley Medeiros, and U.P. Nguyen!!

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Thank you for listening to the Zone 2 Podcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on ⁠instagram⁠. You can catch new Episodes streaming every Wednesday wherever you listen.

Created, Written, Edited, and Produced by hosts: Francis Criscione & Brian Coven

Guest: Rachel Ahlmark

Welcome to Episode 11 featuring Heartbreak Boston Coach and 15-time marathoner U.P. Nguyen! U.P.’s impressive running resume includes the 2022 Boston Marathon and the 2024 Chicago Marathon, and U.P. will be returning to the course to race Boston next Monday! In addition to her impressive running accomplishments, U.P. coaches as a part of the team at Heartbreak Hill Running Company. 

In this episode, we dive into the heart of the Boston running community. We chat about what it means to be a coach, explore the roots of the current running “boom”, and discuss how to find training consistency in the chaotic whirlwind of everyday life. U.P. shares lessons learned from 15 marathons and gives us a special look ahead to Marathon Monday. 

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If you’re planning on spectating, be sure to keep an eye out for U.P., who will be running Boston along with our previous guests: Cate Schultz, Nora Johnson, and Haley Medeiros. Be sure to get loud and celebrate their hard work and preparation. 

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Thank you for listening to the Zone 2 Podcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on instagram. You can catch new Episodes streaming every Wednesday wherever you listen.

Created, Written, Edited, and Produced by hosts: Francis Criscione & Brian Coven

Guest: U.P. Nguyen

If you went for a run but didn't log it on Strava... did it even happen?

Double digits: a huge landmark for runners and podcasters alike. To celebrate episode 10, we're taking a deep dive into the activity-based social media app that's become the go-to for runners: Strava! From data insights and training tools to social features and the perks of a premium subscription, we break down what makes Strava such an important part of the global running community. Whether you are a long-time Strava loyalist or an off-the-grid purist, this episode has something for everyone.

If you are interested in checking out Strava, it's available for free to download on the Google Play and Apple App stores. You can follow the hosts Brian and Francis!

Disclaimer: The Zone 2 Podcast is an independent production and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Strava. This episode is intended for editorial, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Any references to Strava are made under fair use, and all opinions expressed are our own. No sponsorships, promotions, or compensation were involved in the making of this episode.

Thank you for listening to the Zone 2 Podcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠. You can catch new Episodes streaming every Wednesday wherever you listen.

Created, Written, Edited, and Produced by hosts: Francis Criscione & Brian Coven

Welcome to Episode 9 featuring Nike Women's Running Ambassador Lily Toussaint! Lily has a resume including 4 half marathon finishes, a finish at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Marathon, a spartan race, and a host of others!

In addition to her running accomplishments, Lily is currently studying to be a clinical dietician. With her background as an athlete and her professional focus on nutrition, Lily offers unique insights for runners who may be looking to up their game. We talk everything from pre-run fueling, carboloading, hitting "the wall", hydration, and more!

Thank you for listening to the Zone 2 Podcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠. You can catch new Episodes streaming every Wednesday wherever you listen.

Created, Written, Edited, and Produced by hosts: Francis Criscione & Brian Coven

Guest: Lily Toussaint

Welcome to Episode 8 featuring Southie's own Nora Johnson! Nora ran her first marathon in Newport in 2019, and has since ran Providence ('21), Chicago ('22), NYC ('23), and is currently preparing to run Boston next month in support of GoodSports! In addition to her accomplishments as a runner, Nora founded the hugely popular Castle Island Track Club located in Southie! On this week’s episode, we discuss race day experiences, organizing running events, and more.

Support Nora’s cause and learn about GoodSports.

Find Castle Island Track Club on Strava and Instagram.

Thank you for listening to the Zone 2 Podcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on Instagram. You can catch new Episodes streaming every Wednesday wherever you listen.

Created, Written, Edited, and Produced by hosts: Francis Criscione & Brian Coven

Guest: Nora Johnson

Tommy Hinojosa's running story is one of grit, growth, and raw honesty. This week, we dive deep with Tommy, a former D1 track and cross country runner from the University of Texas, about his journey into running, the transition to collegiate athletics, and the role mental health plays in the lives of NCAA athletes. Get ready for an candid conversation that goes beyond the raw miles, exploring the challenges and triumphs of a dedicated runner.

Devin, Dev, Coach D… however you know him, Devin is a huge part of the running community here in Boston. Welcome to Episode 6 featuring Heartbreak Boston coach Devin Miller. With a background in Muay Thai, Devin discusses his transition into running and shares some insight into his process for identifying useful training knowledge. We discuss running origins, track races, middle distance running, coaching, and more!

Buckle up because this is a special one! This week, we're thrilled to welcome Russell Wells, a former D1 athlete, Heartbreak Running coach, and Nike EKIN! Join us as we explore Russell's incredible journey from competitive running to one of the 'coolest jobs' in the sneaker industry.

Get ready to dive into the tech behind running shoes, expert tips on choosing the perfect fit, what it really means to be a Nike insider, and Nike's vision of creating the ultimate running shoe for every runner!

Plus, we get Russell's insights on the new Vomero 18!

Welcome to episode 4 featuring marathoner Haley Medeiros! Haley ran the 2023 Newport Marathon and is currently training to run the 2025 Boston Marathon as a charity runner supporting the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health. Get ready to get inspired as we discuss everything from fundraising to training with Haley’s sights set on Marathon Monday.

You can read more about Haley’s journey here in the BAA Newsletter.

If you are interested in supporting Haley’s fundraising efforts, you can find her page at Given Gain.

If you are interested in learning more about the amazing work that the Brookline Center does for the community and ways you can support them visit their site here: The Brookline Center.

Join us in this episode as we talk about running easy with Ted Trozinski! Ted ran the 2024 Buffalo Marathon with a time of 3:25:56 and is currently training to run the M&T Vermont City Marathon alongside Francis. Ted Joins us this week to talk about his journey to running, race training, and notably beating Francis in the 2024 Paddy's 5k in Cambridge.