My First Marathon
Join host Taylor as she sits down with runners from all walks of life to delve into their unforgettable first marathon experiences. From the nerves at the starting line to the euphoria of crossing the finish, each episode offers a candid look at the highs, lows, and unexpected twists of preparing for and conquering 26.2 miles for the first time. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or just considering lacing up your running shoes for the first time, this podcast is your go-to source for motivation, inspiration, and real-life insights from those who've been there, done that. Tune in as we celebrate the triumphs, share the struggles, and uncover the lessons learned along the road to that unforgettable first marathon finish line.
Episodes
31: Survival Guide To Running Your First Marathon (Mini Episode)
This one's for all my fall marathoners who are deep in training right now!! I'm pulling together my full survival guide for running your first marathon, five things I wish someone had told me before my own first one. We're talking fueling strategy (and why the back half of the race is where it really matters), why respecting your easy pace is about more than just your fitness, and why the bad run
138: "Fail Forward": Finding Strength Through a Marathon Gone Wrong w/ Barry Scruggs
Barry Scruggs came to running with his wife after some health struggles when they decided to make change happen together. It started with a Spartan race , and that single decision opened the door to a running life neither of them expected, eventually pulling them into Charlotte's trail and ultra running community and setting Barry on the path toward his first marathon.By the time race day arrived
137: Watching Someone Else's Finish Line: How a Stranger's Marathon Story Became Her Own w/ Abia Mallick
Abia Mallick never planned to run a marathon herself until she volunteered at the finish zone of the New York City Marathon, where a woman stopped by the fence near her to catch her breath and ended up sharing her story, a story that stuck with Abia so much she threw her own name into the marathon lottery, assuming she'd never get in.But spoiler alert: she did. Her training tested her more than s
30: Why I Program Speed Work (Mini Episode)
I get this question all the time from my first-time marathoners: if I don't have a time goal, why do I need to do speed work? In this week's mini episode, I'm breaking down exactly why I still program speed work for athletes who aren't chasing a specific finish time, what it's actually teaching your body and mind, and how something as simple as picking up the pace at a colorful mailbox can prepar
135: "Anybody Could Do This": The Chicago Marathon, Take One w/ Sara Shimala
Sara played tennis all through high school, but running stayed casual for her, a mile here or there, until 2023, when she signed up for her first 5K and then got sidelined by a health complication for most of the year. By summer 2024 she was back on the trail outside Chicago, and after watching the para-athletes and half marathoners at a local race, she reached out to a charity for a Chicago Mara
134: "What If I Just Stopped": Hitting the Wall at Mile 12 and Finishing Anyway w/ Julie Satterthwaite
Julie grew up in a sports-obsessed family, her dad a longtime Broad Street runner, her brother a former D1 lacrosse player turned distance runner. She played soccer growing up, but sports also came with real anxiety for her, and by college she thought that part of her life was over. It wasn't until her senior year of college that she started easing back into running, and she found herself thinkin
29: How I'm Approaching Returning To Running (Mini Episodes Are Back!)
I took a two month break from running dealing with personal issues we'll get into in this episode. These personal issues forced me to take 2 full months off of running for the first time in my running journey, and today we're breaking down what it's actually looked like to come back from that, not just physically, but mentally too. I'm walking you through the exact plan I built for myself, the mi
133: Finding Her People: How BAR Run Club Changed Everything w/ Rachel Howard
Besides the dreaded mile in high school PE class, running was fairly casual for Rachel for a long time until the stress of working front lines at a hospital during COVID turned it into a huge stress reliever for her. A few years later she set her sights on a half marathon, and after three tries and a few injuries, she finally got there. Shortly after, she found BAR Run Club, and being surrounded
132: The Race She Had to Run Twice: Redemption at the Eugene Marathon w/ Gina Loschiavo
Gina didn't grow up loving running. In fact, she hated it, right up until a spontaneous half marathon at Disneyland in 2017 changed her mind for good. After two kids and a long break from racing, she found her way back through a run club that pushed her further than she expected, and a new goal started forming in the back of her head: a marathon.She signed up for the Eugene Marathon and built a t
131: Slow and Steady, Keep to the Left: A Late Bloomer's First Marathon w/ Jude Harper
Jude didn't grow up as an athlete. She spent her childhood with a violin in her hands instead of running shoes, and didn't run her first step until she was 38. From there, the goals kept coming: a 5k, then an 8k, then a half marathon at 40 that she ran through a painful foot injury. After a decade away, she came back to the half at 49, and that race at Melbourne's MCG planted a seed she couldn't
130: "You Don't Have to Put a Period at the End of the Sentence": From Trauma to Trail Ultras w/ Mikaela Gomez
Mikaela Gomez is a mom of three, a Navy veteran, and somehow, until last July, not a runner at all. She found running through the unlikeliest of doors: a dark romance book rabbit hole on TikTok that led her to an ultra runner known as the Ghost Runner. What started as a way to move her body for her mental health turned into something much bigger once Mikaela started processing the loss of her fat
129: It Fell on My Actual Birthday: Why Maggie Finally Signed Up for Chicago w/ Maggie Lowenthal
Maggie Lowenthal grew up a gymnast and a sprinter, but spent most of her life convinced that long distance running just wasn't for her. She ran a couple of halves, got into HYROX, built a strength training foundation, but kept watching the Chicago Marathon from the sidelines every fall. She never planned to run it herself, but that changed when she realized the 2025 race would fall on her actual
128: You Owe It to Yourself to Try: Training for a Marathon She Almost Didn't Start w/ Alyssa Newman
Alyssa didn't grow up as a runner. After graduating college in 2023, she found herself with free time and a Planet Fitness membership, and slowly worked her way from the weight machines to the treadmill to a half marathon finish line. A run club and a few convincing friends later, she was signed up for her first marathon, telling herself that if she'd already done 13.1, she might as well see what
127: Go Stupid Slow: Finding Running, Community, and Her People in the Ultra World w/ Keneshia Raymond
Keneshia came to running the way a lot of us do, not because she set out to become a runner, but because she needed somewhere to put everything she was carrying. A former dancer and professional roller skater, she found herself battling depression after adopting two teenagers and needed something that could get her out of her own head. A local Mother's Day 5K with her mom was the answer, and once
126: Scarier Than a 50K: A Trail Runner's First Road Marathon w/ Jon Hwang
Jon Hwang came to running the way a lot of us do, sideways and by accident. A 5K with coworkers turned into a half marathon, and then a rough year in 2017 where a relationship ended and his mom was diagnosed with cancer solidified running as the thing that got him through each day.By the time Jon signed up for the San Francisco Marathon, he had already met his wife through Spartan racing, tackle
28: How To Not Panic Running In The Summer (Mini Epsiode)
If you've stepped outside for a run lately and thought "why does this feel so much harder than it did two months ago," this one's for you. Summer running is humbling, and if you're in the middle of a training block right now, it can feel like everything is going backwards. It's not. You're just doing the hardest training of your cycle in the hardest time of year to do it.In this Wednesday mini ep
125: $10 Walmart Shoes to Marathon Finisher: Running the Austin Marathon w/ Ashley Bree
Ashley never considered herself a runner. As a kid she dabbled in sports, hated cross country, and didn't think twice about it. It wasn't until her early thirties, going through a divorce and looking for somewhere to put all that energy, that she laced up a pair of $10 Walmart shoes and headed out onto the country roads behind her house with nothing but cheap earbuds and an Eminem playlist. She h
124: 4:30 AM, No Bib, No Crowd: Running the Anniversary of Her Surgery w/ Carly Schrom
Carly Schrom grew up in a running family and carried the sport all the way through college, where she also quietly battled years of stomach issues that nobody could explain. What eventually got diagnosed as Crohn's disease derailed her senior season, and just when she thought she was finally turning a corner after graduation, a routine scan revealed something scarier waiting on the other side.Wha
27: What If Removing the Goal Got You the Result? (Mini Episode)
I just got back from my honeymoon in Portugal, ran a half marathon a week later, and somehow walked away with a two minute PR. In this mini episode, I'm breaking down what this training block actually looked like, why I made the call to drop my sub-two goal weeks before race day, how a heat wave, a wedding, and a week of zero running in Portugal accidentally became the best thing that could have
123: The Last Song on the Playlist: Grief, Sobriety, and 42K w/ Jose Martinez
Jose Martinez has always had a complicated relationship with running. Growing up in Vancouver, it was something he returned to in waves, usually when life got messy and he needed somewhere to put it. When 2021 took his cousin and then his father, Jose found himself somewhere he didn't quite recognize. It wasn't until he and his wife started talking about making a change that he gave himself a rea
122: Throwback Episode: Ariel Greenstein
Hey friends! I'm officially off getting married and soaking up every second of it. I'll be back with brand new episodes on May 4th, but in the meantime I'm bringing back one of your all-time favorite episodes for you to enjoy. Thanks for all the love and support. It means everything. Now let's get into it!Ariel Greenstein didn’t grow up as an athlete. She didn’t fall in love with running early. A
121: Throwback Episode: Gabby Averill's First Marathon Story
Hey friends! I'm officially off getting married and soaking up every second of it. I'll be back with brand new episodes on May 4th, but in the meantime I'm bringing back one of your all-time favorite episodes for you to enjoy. Thanks for all the love and support. It means everything. Now let's get into it!Gabby’s running journey didn’t start with a finish line goal or a desire to be fast. It star
120: He Ran Because She Couldn't: Running the Houston Marathon w/ Ryan Trask
Ryan Trask has always been a runner at heart, even when life kept pulling him away from it. From getting cut from his middle school basketball team and stumbling into cross country, to running through job loss, a pandemic, and the chaos of raising four kids, running has been the thing he keeps coming back to. So when he decided it was finally time to run a marathon before 40, it felt less like a
119: The Worst Day of My Life: Running a First Marathon That Didn’t Go to Plan w/ Ilana Dunn
Ilana Dunn didn’t grow up a runner. In fact, she was the person who walked the mile and avoided it whenever she could. But after accidentally getting into treadmill classes, discovering run-walk intervals, and slowly building up, she found herself chasing something she once thought was impossible: the marathon. What followed wasn’t a perfect training block. It was injuries, setbacks, and figuring
118: Don’t Quit on a Bad Day: A Marathon Journey Through Pain and Persistence w/ Cass Robinson
Cass Robinson’s path to her first marathon was anything but straightforward. Growing up with undiagnosed Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, she spent years dealing with injuries, pain, and being told nothing was wrong. Running came in waves throughout her life, but it eventually became the place where she could process everything she had been through and start taking back control.In this episode, she shares
26: Mindset and Running w/ Nick Savin (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode brings back coach Nick Savin for a conversation that goes way beyond splits, paces, and perfect training plans. Instead, it’s all about mindset and the role it plays in how we show up for our training, especially when things don’t go the way we expected. From missed runs to tough workouts, Nick breaks down why those moments aren’t failures at all, but actually part of the
117: Why Not Me?: The Road To 45 Marathons w/ Krissy Murphy
Krissy Murphy didn’t grow up as an athlete. She started running in her early 20s with a Couch to 5K plan, thinking it might be a one-time thing. But somewhere between a spontaneous 10K, a Disney half marathon, and a first marathon in Richmond, something shifted and she realized she belonged in this world. What started as a way to move her body turned into a long-term relationship with the maratho
116: Starting Over: From Career-Ending Surgery to a First Marathon w/ Maya Struhar
After a hip surgery at 17 ended her competitive dance career, Maya Struhar spent years away from structured movement. Running wasn’t part of the plan until a St. Patrick’s Day 5K with coworkers pulled her back in. One race turned into a 10K, then a half marathon, and before long Maya found herself training for her first marathon at Grandma’s in Duluth. Along the way she discovered a runner’s high
25: How To Dial In Your Fuel Strategy (Mini Episode)
Fueling is one of the most common questions that comes up for first-time marathoners, and it can feel overwhelming when you’re not sure where to start. In this mini episode, we break fueling down into three simple steps: choosing a texture you can tolerate, testing it on lower-risk runs, and dialing in a strategy that works for your long runs and race day. We also talk through the differences bet
115: How Hard Could It Be?: From Spectating London to Running Chicago w/ Holly Kabler
Holly Kabler spent years cheering for her husband at marathons, convinced running just wasn’t for her. But after spectating the London Marathon and asking the question “how hard could it be?”, she decided to find out for herself. What started with Peloton treadmill classes and a spontaneous half marathon turned into a full training cycle and a start line at the Chicago Marathon.In this episode, H
24: How Your First Marathon Changes You (Mini Episode)
Anyone can run a marathon, but running a marathon is not just a race. In this episode, I break down how that committing to training for your first marathon builds discipline, resilience, perspective, and a quiet confidence that carries into the rest of your life. You start showing up differently at work. You stop tying your entire identity to your job. You realize it is not selfish to prioritize
114: From Ballet to the Marathon: Reclaiming Movement at 42 w/ Kristine Owen Wood
Kristine Owen Wood grew up in the world of elite ballet, where movement was disciplined, aesthetic, and high pressure from a young age. After earning a spot in Alberta Ballet and ultimately stepping away for the sake of her health, she had to rebuild her relationship with her body from the ground up. Running started quietly, as something private and unstructured, before slowly becoming the place
23: How To Nail Weeks 10-15 Of Marathon Training (Mini Episode)
In this week’s Wednesday mini episode, I’m walking through Phase Two of the First Marathon Buddy program and breaking down what actually matters during weeks 10 to 15 of a 20 week marathon training plan. This phase isn’t about testing your fitness or grading every long run. It’s about treating those miles like practice, experimenting and refining your fueling, protecting recovery as fatigue build
113: Chicago 2025 and Finding Family with Team to End AIDS w/ Annie Rasmussen
Annie thought about running a marathon for nearly ten years before finally lining up at the Chicago Marathon in 2025. After withdrawing from the race the year before due to injury, she rebuilt from the ground up, committed to strength training, and found something even bigger than a finish time through Team to End AIDS. What started as a comeback became a summer of long runs on the lakefront, new
112: Remission Miles: From Crohn’s Diagnosis to a Cowtown Marathon Finish w/ Norah St Peter
Norah St Peter never saw herself as an athlete. She grew up in the performing arts, ran cross country in high school but didn’t connect with it, and later spent years very sick before finally being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Once she reached remission, movement became something to celebrate. Rock climbing led to running, running led to a half marathon, and not long after crossing that finish
111: Introducing The First Marathon Buddy Program
What started as a love for reading first marathon race recaps turned into two years of collecting runner stories, and eventually into seeing the first marathon experience from the other side through coaching and helping my mom train for her first. Somewhere in all of that, a pattern became impossible to ignore.I share the thinking behind the First Marathon Buddy Program, why it’s meant to walk al
22: How To Nail Your First 5 Weeks Of Marathon Training (Mini Episode)
In this week’s Wednesday mini episode, I’m walking through Phase One of the First Marathon Buddy program and breaking down what actually matters during the first five weeks of a 20 week marathon training plan. This phase isn’t about crushing workouts or proving anything. It’s about setting expectations, learning how to read your plan without panicking, building a routine that fits your life, and
110: Running Towards Gratitude: How a Busy Mom Found Her First Marathon w/ Nancy Pauley
Nancy never thought of herself as a runner. She was the kid who hated playing outside, grew up believing only “people chased by bears” ran, and spent most of her adult life focused on raising six kids. Running didn’t enter her life until her late 30s, when life got heavy and she started running down the country roads near her home just to clear her head. What began as a mental reset slowly turned
21: Introducing the First Marathon Buddy Program! (Mini Episode)
This Wednesday mini episode kicks off a new short series built around something I’ve been quietly working on for the last few months: the First Marathon Buddy Program. It’s a 20-week companion meant to sit alongside your training plan and make marathon training feel less overwhelming, less isolating, and a lot more doable. In this episode, I walk through what the program is, why it exists, and ho
109: The Peloton-to-Marathon Pipeline and Proving Your Own Doubt Wrong w/ Rose Meadows
Rose never saw herself as a marathon runner. Growing up, movement felt punitive, something she was forced into rather than chose for herself. In her twenties, that complicated relationship with exercise and food followed her, until consistency, Peloton, and a shift toward body-positive movement slowly changed the way she saw fitness. What started as cycling turned into running, then a half marath
108: The Privilege of Being Tired: Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship with Running w/ Lena Cords
Lena Cords' first marathon came after years of rebuilding her relationship with movement. After a childhood spent as a competitive swimmer, Lena moved through seasons of overexercising, underfueling, injury, and anorexia recovery that forced her to step away from running entirely.In this episode, Lena shares how she slowly found her way back through walking, 5Ks, trail races, half marathons, and
20: You'll Hate Running Until You Don't (Mini Episode)
This week’s Wednesday mini episode is one I really wish someone had told me back when I was first trying to get into running: You're going to hate running until the day you don't. In this episode, I talk through my own start and stop relationship with running, why I hated it for years, and what finally changed when I stopped trying to prove something on every run. We get into the glamorization of
107: Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon w/ Gabby Averill
Gabby’s running journey didn’t start with a finish line goal or a desire to be fast. It started after stepping away from Division I college sports, when the structure she’d built her identity around suddenly disappeared and movement no longer had a clear purpose.In this episode, Gabby walks us through what it looked like to relearn running on her own terms. From seeing running as punishment growi
19: How To Set Your Next (or first) Marathon Goal (Mini Epsiode)
It’s a New Year mini episode and we’re talking marathon goal setting! In this episode, I break down why time goals are not the only goals that matter and how relying on a single goal can set yourself up for failure.We walk through a simple three-layer approach to marathon goals: outcome goals, process goals, and the personal why that actually carries you through the long runs and hard weeks. If y
106: 26 Before 26: Trusting Yourself Back to Running w/ Kelly Waddleton
Kelly Waddleton never thought she was a runner. She was the slowest kid on the team, hated conditioning, and fully stepped away from running in college. Years later, during a tough mental health season and a moment where she needed something solid to hold onto, running quietly found its way back in. What started as a scary decision to sign up for a half marathon with her dad turned into momentum,
105: When Peak Week Breaks You: Dropping to the Half and Coming Back for 26.2 w/ Andie Becker
This week Andie Becker is sharing a story that will feel painfully familiar to anyone who’s ever made it deep into a training block only to have everything fall apart right at the worst moment.Andie didn’t grow up a runner. She found running later, first as something to do during lockdown, then as a way to feel more connected to her body and her community. What started as “just running for fun” qu
18: Guided Body Scan For Your Next Long Run (Mini Episode)
This Wednesday mini episode is for those long runs where your mind starts wandering, the miles feel heavier, and everything turns into pace math and quiet spirals. I'm guiding you through a simple body scan you can use while you’re running to check in from head to toe, soften unnecessary tension, and come back to the moment you’re actually in. It’s a gentle reset you can return to anytime you need
104: Running Without Rushing: A Joy-First Marathon Journey w/ Ariel Greenstein
Ariel Greenstein didn’t grow up as an athlete. She didn’t fall in love with running early. And for a long time, movement just wasn’t part of her life. But in her early 30s, something shifted. What started as Broadway-themed Peloton classes during the pandemic slowly turned into outdoor runs, then half marathons, and eventually a very intentional, very patient build toward her first marathon at the
17: My Top 3 Winter Running Hacks (Mini Episode)
This week’s Wednesday mini episode is all about making winter running a little more bearable. I’m breaking down my top three cold weather running tips that I’ve been sharing in my December daily running tip series, from keeping your hands and feet warm, to starting your run slightly cold on purpose, to fueling earlier than you think when temps drop.I also share a simple bonus tip that makes a huge
103: Running as Resistance: Health Battles, Healing, and a First Marathon w/ Heather Anderson
Heather Anderson’s running journey didn’t start with a training plan or a finish-time goal. It started with survival. From growing up running with her mom, to using running as a lifeline through trauma, chronic illness, surgery, and multiple injuries, Heather’s first marathon was built on years of resilience. In this episode, she shares how running became an act of resistance against everything tr
16: BE TOO MUCH (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode dives into something a little different: the power of being too much. I grew up hearing that phrase constantly and spent years trying to shrink myself so no one would think I cared too much or tried too hard. But running marathons, hosting this show, and setting big goals flipped that script for me. Today I’m sharing how embracing that “too much” energy has pushed me towar
102: Carried by Community: Fundraising, Representation, and a First NYC Marathon w/ Karina Chiqui
This week, I’m chatting with Karina Chiqui, whose first marathon story is layered with community, culture, and a whole lot of heart. Karina started running at 12 after getting cut from her middle school soccer team, which led her into a lifelong relationship with distance running and eventually a collegiate career she accidentally signed up for. After graduation she moved across the country, rebui
16: How A Coach Guided Me Through Injury w/ Victoria (Train Smart Run Strong) (Mini Episode)
This mini episode looks back at the first few weeks of working with my coach, Victoria from Train Smart Run Strong, when I showed up unsure, uncomfortable, and trying to figure out if my body could handle another marathon. We walk through how she approached my situation, the way she separates normal training fatigue from true red-flag pain, and why building a pain free foundation matters more than
101: New Beginnings at 53: Her First Marathon After Beating Cancer w/ Sheila Molony
Sheila started running at 53 with nothing but a Couch to 5K app and a feeling that something in her life needed to change. What she didn’t know then was that running would carry her through one of the hardest chapters of her life. After a breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, radiation, and chemo, she rebuilt her strength mile by mile until she found herself standing on the start line of her first mar
15: 3 Benefits of Running a Marathon on Your Period (Mini Episode)
A couple weeks ago I shared a post about starting my period the day before my marathon, and the response from female runners was huge. So many of you had questions about how it went, what I researched beforehand, and whether running a marathon on day two of your cycle is actually doable. In this mini episode I walk through what the experience was really like and dig into the research I did leading
100: MY 5th Marathon (Solo Episode - HAPPY 100 EPISODES!!)
This week I am breaking down my fifth marathon and closing the chapter on what has been one of the most chaotic, emotional, and growth filled years of running I have ever had. Richmond came together after an injury filled spring, a party pace summer, and zero plans to race again in 2025. Then an unexpected opportunity popped up, three weeks of prep began, and suddenly I was lining up for a maratho
14: Expect Training to Never Go Perfectly (Mini Episode)
Getting sick a week out from a marathon used to send me into full panic mode. But after five marathons, I’ve learned that training never goes perfectly, and it doesn’t have to. In this episode, I’m sharing how my mindset has shifted over time, why one missed or modified run won’t ruin your race, and the three questions I ask myself anytime things go off plan during training.Follow along with the s
99: A Quarter, a Timex, and a Lifetime of Miles: 34 Years of Running Lessons w/ Stephanie Dyer
When Stephanie Dyer started running 34 years ago, it wasn’t love at first sight. As a former tennis player, running felt like punishment. But surrounded by the energy of Marathon Monday at Boston College, she gave it another chance and found a lifelong passion.In this episode, Stephanie shares how her first marathon grew into decades of lessons about patience, simplicity, and self-trust. From trai
98: MY 4th Marathon - Chicago Marathon Recap
In this episode, I’m sharing my side of the 2025 Chicago Marathon story. This was my fourth marathon and the one I ran alongside my mom for her first. After missing out on the lottery, I joined the American Cancer Society charity team and used this race as a way to rebuild my confidence after a tough experience in Eugene. I talk about the highs, the setbacks, and what it was like pacing my mom thr
13: Progress Doesn’t Have to Be Measured by Time (But It Can Be) (Mini Episode)
In this week’s mini episode, I’m tackling a question that came my way recently: “What’s the point of running a race if you’re not measuring progress by time?” After four marathons, I’ve learned that progress isn’t always about pace or PRs. It can show up in the way you fuel, how you handle the tough miles, or how you keep your mindset strong when things don’t go to plan.If you’re training for your
97: Lottery to Finish Line: Becoming a Marathoner in Chicago w/ Monique Sayles
Last fall, my mom and I ran a half marathon together in North Carolina, the first time she’d really laced up again in years. Not long after, I sent her a text about the Chicago Marathon lottery and told her to throw her name in just to see what happens. She wasn’t convinced, but she humored me. Months later, she opened her inbox to find an email that started with one word: “Congratulations.”That m
12: Tips on Post-Marathon Recovery (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode is all about post-marathon recovery, and I’m speaking from experience. Fresh off the Chicago Marathon, I’m breaking down what I’ve learned across four marathons about how to actually recover well (and what not to do after your first one). From the “marathon flu” to why you should never stop moving right after you cross the finish line, we’re covering it all. Plus, my one h
96: Erin Phifer returns to the show: Maple gels, run walk strategy, and a Berlin finish through the Gate
Our podcast editor, Erin Phifer, is back for her second episode to recap her wild ride at the 2025 Berlin Marathon. What started as a race that just happened to fit her work schedule turned into her hottest, hardest, and most meaningful marathon yet.Erin opens up about juggling a foot injury, getting certified as a run coach mid-training, and learning when to trust herself instead of an app. She s
11: Making the Most of Your Long Runs – Why the Hard Runs Matter (Mini Episode)
Long runs are about more than just building mileage. In this mini episode, we’re breaking down how to use your long runs as dress rehearsals for race day—from testing your fueling and pre-run meals to figuring out your outfit and mental strategy. We’re also talking about why the hardest, most frustrating runs often end up being the ones that matter most when it comes to marathon day.Follow along w
95: Why the Race Isn’t the Point: Loving the Training More Than the Medal w/ Steven Salefske
This week’s episode dives into a runner who has been logging miles for nearly three decades, from high school cross country to Navy decks to marathon training on a treadmill in the middle of the ocean. Steven shares what hooked him on running early on, how his first marathon came together through a Groupon deal and a deployment timeline, and why the joy of running has always come from the training
10: We're Talkin' Race Strategy (Mini Episode)
On this weeks episode, we're breaking down common race strategies for you fall marathoners gearing up for race day! As always, I recommend consulting with a coach or experienced running to develop the perfect strategy for you. Follow along with the show: 👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays 🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod 📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast 🌐 Website & extras: m
94: Losing, Returning, and Finding Strength in the Marathon w/ Myka Laukea
Myka’s road to 26.2 came with plenty of detours. After years of stopping and starting, she found her stride again on the Raleigh greenways and signed up for the Tobacco Road Marathon. Her training leaned heavy on mileage, peaking at 60 miles a week with little recovery or fueling, which left her constantly tired and wondering if that was just part of marathon prep.Race day brought its own challeng
9: Battling The Taper Crazies (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode is all about taper. Fresh off my 20-mile peak run, I share what taper has felt like across my marathons - from the taper crazies to finally learning to enjoy it.We talk about why taper feels so strange, how to keep yourself busy without overdoing it, and why this is the perfect time to rest, reset, and thank your support system before race day.Follow along with the show: 👣
93: Postpartum to Pittsburgh: Running for Herself w/ Rebecca Simonic
What does it take to go from postpartum depression and doomscrolling on the couch to crossing the finish line of your first marathon? For Rebecca Simonic, it all started with a TikTok edit of the New York City Marathon that sparked something she couldn’t ignore. She set her sights on 26.2 and never looked back.In this episode, Rebecca opens up about the messy, emotional, and rewarding journey of t
8: My Mental Health Journey (Mini Episode)
In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, I’m sharing my story of how the pressure of sports turned into anxiety, burnout, and depression, and how running eventually helped me find my way forward again. It wasn’t an overnight change, but step by step I started to rebuild my confidence and sense of purpose. If you’re going through something similar, I want you to know you’re not alone, and there is alw
92: Poison Ivy to Philly: Leaving the Past at the Finish Line w/ Asher Brummel
Asher didn’t grow up playing sports and definitely didn’t picture himself as a marathoner. His running story started in a pretty unusual way: after a poison ivy rash left him restless, he laced up a pair of basketball shoes and went out for a mile. That quick decision snowballed into signing up for the Philadelphia Marathon just 17 weeks later. What followed was a crash course in marathon training
91: From 90 Seconds to American Record: The Reinvention of Keira D’Amato
Keira D’Amato’s running journey is a true comeback story. After almost a decade away from the sport, she started again as a new mom who could barely run 90 seconds and started her slow build back. That patient rebuild gave her a new perspective on running and eventually carried her from her first marathon in Missoula to breaking the American record.In this episode, Keira talks about what it meant
7: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Running My First Marathon (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode is all about the five biggest lessons I’ve picked up after interviewing nearly 100 runners about their first marathons! From starting slow and taking the pressure off your debut race, to finding the right community, building strength, knowing your why, and ultimately just signing up and doing it, these themes came up again and again across countless conversations. If you’r
90: The Great Turkey Detour: Surviving a First Marathon w/ Molly Van Herwynen
What do you do when mile 21 of your first marathon throws more at you than fatigue? For Molly, it wasn’t just the wall, it was four full-sized turkeys blocking the course. Her first 26.2 in Milwaukee was already a journey years in the making, starting with recovery from a near-death illness, a 17-mile charity walk with her dad, and a surprising half marathon finish she never planned to run. From s
6: Update On Training For The Chicago Marathon! (Mini Episode)
In this mini episode I share a training update as I prepare for the Chicago Marathon. After battling injuries and barely finishing Eugene, I took May off, started working with a coach, and focused on getting back to running pain-free. Since then I’ve built mileage safely, added strength work, and slowly regained confidence. With 50 days to go, I’m feeling healthy, grateful, and more excited about
88: Finish Happy, Finish Healthy, Finish Strong: Running the Philly Marathon w/ Rachel O'Brien
Rachel O’Brien never thought she would call herself a runner. After quitting lacrosse in college following a thyroid diagnosis, she hated exercise and avoided running for years. That changed in 2023 when she saw the Broad Street Run on TV and decided to train for it. What started with a shaky half mile turned into 5Ks, a half marathon, and eventually the Philadelphia Marathon. Her first 26.2 was f
5: Mind Over Miles: 6 Mantras to Push Through Tough Runs (Mini Episode)
This week’s mini episode is all about running mantras. Whether you’re struggling through a long run, hitting the wall during a race, or just need a little mental boost, these six phrases can help you push through and keep moving forward.Follow along with the show:👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast🌐 Website & ext
87: Forward is a Pace: Lessons from Disney w/ Katelyn Fox
Katelyn Fox never thought she’d call herself a runner. A swimmer for 19 years, she once saw running as punishment until a family step challenge led her to buy a treadmill, prove her mom wrong, and slowly discover a love for the sport. Walking turned into jogging, jogging into running, and eventually training for her dream Disney race.That journey took her to the Walt Disney World Marathon, where s
5: World Major or Local Race: Choosing Your First Marathon (Mini Episode)
Choosing your first marathon can feel like picking a college or buying a house — exciting, overwhelming, and full of “what ifs.” In this mini episode, I break down the pros and cons of local races, mid-sized events, and big-ticket world majors so you can pick the race that actually fits your personality, training style, and budget.From crowd support and race logistics to time cutoffs and travel co
86: The Goal is the Spark, Not the Measure: Lessons in Letting Go w/ Brandon Hicks
Brandon Hicks didn’t start running marathons the “traditional” way. He skipped the gradual 5K-to-half-marathon pipeline and went straight for the big goal. Along the way, he learned that the real value of a goal isn’t in the finish time, but in who you become while chasing it.In this episode, we talk about running for community, hitting the wall (and bouncing back), and how Brandon turned a small-
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