Gabby Hentemann joins Through Their Stride to talk about her incredible debut marathon at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon where she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials alongside her friend Alyssa McElheney.

In this conversation, Gabby shares how she stays grounded with her "it's not that serious" philosophy, opens up about overcoming an eating disorder during her college career, and reflects on finding joy in both running and life.

In this deeply personal episode of Through Their Stride, my wife turns the mic on me to ask about my running journey, the grief I've experienced after losing my mom, and the lessons running has taught me about life, resilience, and moving forward.

We talk honestly about the highs and lows, what grief has changed in me, and what's next from here. If you've ever found strength in running, or needed a reminder that life isn't linear, this episode is for you.

LIKE, SUBSCRIBE,  COMMENT, or SHARE with a friend!

• Listen to my mom's episode: https://youtu.be/ESg8ncMqWyU?si=_0urO_Ff0X-0_rra
• Follow my journey to breaking 20 minutes in the 5K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUHIvgVHDbw&list=PLbMBdg7_Bdt6cDNTSeLmfwGYmNRKJn3tP&pp=sA

In this episode of Through Their Stride, I sit down with three-time Austin Marathon champion Joey Whelan. A Buffalo, NY native and former Syracuse runner, Joey stepped away from the sport after college due to injuries, only to rediscover his love for running while working hard labor for a rock milling company in the Texas Hill Country.

He made his marathon debut at the Buffalo Marathon, finished second, and never looked back. Since then, Joey has made two Olympic Trials appearances, won multiple races, set a PR of 2:09:42, and this year set a new course record at the Austin Marathon with a time of 2:13:18.

This is a conversation about perseverance, rediscovering your passion, and what it takes to compete at the highest level of American distance running.

Did you enjoy this episode? Find more at https://www.throughtheirstride.com/.

Photo credit: Marco Portal Fotografia

McKay Nelson had never trained for a race in his life. His athletic background was in high school baseball and football — not exactly the resume of a marathoner. But armed with an unshakeable belief that the human body and mind are capable of more than we give them credit for, he set out to prove just that.

90 days. 26.2 miles. Under 3 hours.

In this episode, McKay takes us through the full journey — the training, the doubt, the moments he wanted to quit, and what it actually felt like to toe the start line knowing everything he'd put on the line to get there. His story isn't just about running. It's about what becomes possible when you stop believing in your own limitations.

Whether you're a runner, an athlete, or someone who's ever talked yourself out of something before you even started — this one's for you.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and leave a review if McKay's story moved you.

If you're looking for a fun and beautiful destination race this spring, there's no place like running through the historic streets of Fredericksburg.

Hosted by Create Healthy, the 32nd Wildflower Run will take place in downtown Fredericksburg at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 25. Races include a 5K and 10K run, as well as an untimed 5K walk. There will also be a kids' fun run before the main event!

Do you have an interesting story from running this event in the past? We'd love to hear it! Send us a message at [email protected], and we'd be happy to share your story.

Sign up for the Wildflower Run today for a chance to run through historic streets along beautiful bluebonnets this spring! Register at www.createhealthy.org/wildflower-run.

After years of suffering Achilles flare ups in track and cross country, high schooler Alberto Quintero Ayala was tired of feeling like he wasn't in control of his running journey. So, in 2025, he decided to commit fully recovering and shifted his focus to one hard thing: getting back in shape to run his first marathon at just 18.

Alberto documented his entire journey to the Austin Marathon on his YouTube Channel, Road To Marathons, where he showed the highs, lows, and tips he learned along the way to finishing in a time of 3:54:52.

Going forward, Alberto plans to take what he learned and continue pushing forward until he breaks 3:30, 3 hours, and beyond. He hopes others can become inspired by his journey and take on the hard things that feel daunting in their lives as well.

Follow Alberto's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RoadToMarathons

Follow Alberto's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roadtomarathons/

A running influencer, a storyteller of running history, and oftentimes a comedian of the sport, Hillary Burgess has made a name for herself in the sport of running. And it all started with a bit of curiosity.

When Hillary started her Instagram channel, @running_up_that_hillary, she didn't even consider it could turn into a popular running page. But she kept posting content that was funny, true and authentic. No games. Nothing fake. That authenticity has attracted a ton of running fans.

Similarly, as she became more of a fan of the sport of running, her curiosity made her do more research into the sport's history. She found a lot of interesting stories and thought, "Why not share this with more people in a podcast?" And now, "Today in Running History" is a household name in the running podcast space, and it has a ton of great stories and interviews with runners of all eras.

Hillary is the example that if you stay true to yourself and pursue your interests to the fullest, there's no telling what you'll accomplish.

FOLLOW Hillary Burgess: https://www.instagram.com/running_up_that_hillary/

LISTEN to Today in Running History: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rkAEqdOzfAH8Nw2myaCKm

After being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder in 2021, made a choice. Instead of becoming a victim to her problems, she decided to get up and live her life to the fullest by taking on a new, scary sport: running.

Since then, she's run multiple half marathons — including the Galveston Half Marathon five times, several marathons, and has become an ambassador of the Houston Marathon.

Her main mission with running is to show people that even when it gets hard and it feels like you're alone, you can still get up and show up for yourself. She also wants people to know that they aren't alone. There are so many people who are suffering through similar problems you are and are willing to help if you ask.

I am so appreciative to Sarah for coming on the podcast, sharing her story, and being such an inspiration to so many. You can follow Sarah on Instagram at @SAS_Runs: https://www.instagram.com/sas_runs_/?hl=en

Like this podcast? Please subscribe and share with a friend! You can find more episodes at throughtheirstride.com.

Carlos Sanchez began running marathons way back in 2008. At that time, he thought running one shouldn't be humanly possible. Little did he know he'd be towing the start line of the Boston Marathon with his own granddaughter one day.

Mia Sanchez, the aforementioned granddaughter, has been running competitively for a while now, most recently at St. Edward's University in Austin. It had always been a dream to run a marathon with her grandfather, and in 2025, they did just that. On Carlos's 38th attempt and Mia's first, they simultaneously qualified for the 2026 Boston Marathon.

They already know this is going to be a moment they'll never forget. I'm so excited to share these two amazing people's stories with you guys. If you liked it, please subscribe, share, and give it a like or a comment wherever you get your podcasts.

A marathon build doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. And that is the story of Rafael Aguilar's journey to the Houston Marathon this past January.

He nearly got deported. He was broken up with by his girlfriend a week before race day. And through all of that adversity, he still pulled out a PR of 2:45:52 at the Houston Marathon in January.

Adversity isn't something Rafa is new too, though. In high school, he found himself thrusted into the starting goalie position on his soccer team. Even though it was his first time starting, he dedicated himself to becoming the best player on the team, and he did just that, earning MVP at the end of the season. And in 2023, when he decided to make a change in his life, he quit smoking, picked up running, struggled at times, and found his way to becoming a consistent sub-3 marathoner.

Adversity doesn't have to win if you just beat it with positivity and consistency. That is Rafa's story.