Episode 47: New York City Marathon & Achilles International, with Blair McConnell

Episode #47 can be found most places podcasts are heard, and topics can be explored more through the links below!

Achilles Athlete Blair McConnell in Center,
Guides Anton to left and Mark to right

The TCS New York City Marathon is a race like none other, and many train for years in expectation of being able to take part, including this episode's featured guest Blair McConnell of New Zealand, who came as part of the Achilles International Delegation from his home country. Having been thwarted by the pandemic in 2020, he waited three years longer to run his ultimate destination race, and first marathon, through the 5 boroughs: starting in Staten Island and proceeding over the Verazzano Bridge into Brooklyn, then the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. In this episode, we have a few live clips from just before and just after the marathon alongside Anton McLean (his guide from Christchurch) and Mark Lane-Holbert (myself, guide from USA). However the majority of the episode is recorded with Blair a few weeks after the marathon with him back in Christchurch, adding some perspective. 

Blair was recently featured in a local Christchurch article also, you can read here. 

Achilles Tent/Prep area just before start of the 2023 TCS NYC Marathon,
Verazzano Bridge sunrise in background!

In this episode, we explore what it's like to join an Achilles Chapter and why he runs with them, how he found his guides, and several high points and considerations of traveling internationally for a marathon. We also discuss some of the challenges of being a visually impaired running in a crowded big city marathon, but alongside this the joy and thrill of immense crowds along the course, with music and languages from many different cultures represented in NYC. We also touch on the phenomenon of Park Runs, his recent accomplishment of 100 Park Runs, and his upcoming adventures. If you would like to explore Achilles International, you can visit their website.  Here, you'll find chapters around the US and the world, and find out more about both athlete and guide opportunities.

If you have a corner of running culture you are exploring or would like to, share with us on Facebook or Instagram. Until next time, Happy Running!

Episode 73: Running with Richelle Weeks, Physiotherapist

 

Richelle Weeks, Physiotherapist, MSc.

Our guest this episode is a talented Physiotherapist and accomplished runner in her own right who has helped many reach their full potential and stay happy and healthy in their running, who also happens to be running the Chicago marathon this week! Richelle Weeks specializes in the treatment and prevention of running injuries and has her own practice in Ottawa, Canada. She is trained in Physiotherapy (Masters degree from Dalhousie Univ.), and also holds a degree in Kinesiology degree. Her dual loves of running and Physiotherapy fermented in 2009 as she combined her passion for running with her career, and began focusing almost exclusively on helping runners achieve their best and avoid injury. She started a popular training program in person and online to help individuals prevent injury, which is how we found her. She also practiced in Goose Bay, Labrador for 10 years at a rural hospital, then in 2018 I moved with her family to Ottawa where I began working in private practice.

As we all know, distance running can strain and damage soft tissue like tendons, ligaments, smaller muscles and nerves. An expert sports physical therapist or physiotherapist can perform soft tissue treatments to relieve swelling and pain in these areas and increase functionality for better running, and can provide elements of strength training and "pre-hab" to prevent injury in problem areas. They may also advise runners on proper form, training methods, strategies for preventing injuries, and proper shoe selection and work with them to develop a plan, tailored to their specific needs, for successful running. This is ideally done in tandem with a trained distance running coach, and in some cases, like today's guest, may be one in the same! She loves finding solutions for others and helping others to become more patient runners, to meet their goals via small pieces in each build. She also helps runners to making running "sustainable, consistent and see the big picture". 

We hope that all runners find a Physio or PT they can trust, that specializes in running or can relate as runner to the struggles we have!  This episode may be the beginning of the journey. Please feel free to reach out to Richelle with any questions:

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/runningwithrichelle/

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/ottawarunningphysio

Facebook Strength Series: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4045984508874158

** People need to email me or write on FB to join. It'll be open for another 6 weeks. 

Website: 

https://ottawarunningphysio.org/

Instagram: Richelle Weeks (@runningwithrichelle)

Email Holistic Wellness Physiotherapy: rweeks@hwhealth.com

Episode 72: Cross Country Training Tips, and Transition to Collegiate Running

Episode 72 can be found nearly anywhere you find your podcasts, including Apple & Spotify.

College XC Teammates at Emory, "Tents and Trails"

KJ Karver's High School accomplishments

An Ode to Cross Country: 

On grassy fields, golf courses, wooded paths, around ponds, in the mud, in the rain, in the snow... Moving fast and past autumn leaves, wind blows through my hair around each bend as my shoes grip the curved earth.

We raise our spirits as we empty our lungs. I stretch to keep the pace with finish line in sight.
As soon as I cross, I cannot wait to run again.
And I know I am right where I'm meant to be.
-by Mark Lane-Holbert, Inspired by Rock Creek Runners

This month we dive into the joys of cross country and collegiate running in general, especially training tips, in an interview with KJ Karver, a successful high school runner who is starting his collegiate running career at Emory. Flashback 4 years: We had the pleasure of first meeting him on Running Anthropologist just before he entered high school, in an interview with his training partner and father, Dr. Marc Karver. Since then, he has won multiple awards and was among the best cross country athletes in the state of Florida, and now seeking to be the best in his NCAA division. He has had several private coaches but still trained and run with his dad often until leaving for university, and this relationship has instilled a sense of dedication, sometimes friendly competition and always a safe place for conversation.

September 2023 NCAA competition

In this interview with Kirin solo, we spend a great deal of time discussing what went right in his high school career, what he learned the hard way, and what he would recommend doing differently. He gives some simple tips that represent a treasure trove of knowledge in training for any age, including for the unbounded energy of high school runners. We also touch on some youth-specific topics, including the basics of college recruiting and how to think about the process ahead of time. Hope you enjoy this peek into what makes a successful runner transitioning to college, both in attitude and practical skills. We are very grateful for his time and wish KJ luck in all his endeavours! 

Please leave us a message about your favorite collegiate runners and cross country courses, below or on FB/Instagram!
Here are a few resources to read more about cross country in general, from Runners World and Marathon Handbook: 

Another great resource for workouts and coaches is LetsRun.com

Until next time, wishing you and yours Happy Running!

Trail Running Film Fest Global Tour, Mathias Eichler

 Episode 71: Trail Running Film Fest Global Tour, with Executive Producer Mathias Eichler, is available just about anywhere Podcasts can be heard!

 Do you ever wish you could get a birds-eye view into all the unique stuff going on with trail running around the globe? The Trail Running Film Fest thought of just that, and has films from independent filmmakers covering people in every walk(-run) of life! In this episode, the Trail Running Film Festival's executive producer Mathias Eichler and I discuss it  all, how it started and he shares about the "why" behind their work. We also discuss how it all comes together, and a bit about the films featured this year.

This year, a focus on diversity both in terms of runners culture and geographic landscapes makes for a beautiful lineup. Many stories and voices that are not traditionally found in the cinema can now be seen in cities everywhere through their host-sponsored Global Tour. Check the website for a location near you, 50+ cities including Tampa Bay's USF in mid-April. After the tour ends at the end of April, one can also purchase a home pass and watch the entire film festival from the comfort of home, if you cannot make it to one of the theater venues.

Mathias also shares his own background and how he got into trail running and fell in love with the pacific Northwest of the US. He gives us the best places to run and some insider tips for how to avoid crowds and find the best trails at two national park areas in Washington state, near Olympia!  Below is a quick announcement of what you can expect in the film fest this year:

"The Trail Running Film Festival is back on tour around the world, and coming to somewhere near you for a great night of films, inspiration, and community.

You're invited to celebrate with us running as a universal practice. Come explore our collective and individual potential, and let's pursue our wildest dreams. 

We're excited to bring you stories from around the world by filmmakers sharing their work of adventure, inclusivity, wilderness, art, and diversity across the trail and ultra community!

More information at: trailfilmfest.com

You can also of course find us and message us about unique corners of running culture, or your favorite trail runs, at @runninganthropologist on IG or Facebook!  Until then, Happy Running!

Episode 70: Ragnar 101 & All About Florida Trail

by Mark Lane-Holbert, PhD, Educational Psychology, Cert. Logotherapist & USATF Coach

BOOK LOGOTHERAPY APPOINTMENT NOW

 

What is this Ragnar thing exactly and where does it fit in the running world?

Immortals Medals, after 12+ Ragnar relays in 2023

 Florida Trail Team of 8

Well, that's a surprisingly difficult question to answer, it turns out... In old norse it means "warrior", yet today it means so many different things to different people, and the experience is not the same from one team to the next either, which heavily depends on the particular location and event. There were over 30 this year to choose from. One thing is the same across them all, "experiencing true camaraderie", according to Ragnar.  And lest I forget: you get to run, and see some places you would probably never see by foot.

This included the end-of-the-year Florida Trail Ragnar, which I had the opportunity to participate in December 2nd-3rd, 2022.  Could this be an Ultra with a team of 4, or be a marathon with a team of 6, or something more fun with a team of 8? 

Yes, yes, and yes. That's one of the reasons Ragnar is so hard to understand from the outside, with so many possibilities and combinations of skill, experience, and speed, each story is unique on the other side of the relay experience.  We formed a team of 8 to accomplish the Florida Trail Ragnar in about 24 hours held outside of Tampa Bay at Alafia State Park, but our team dropped down to 7 after an early ankle injury. Those who accepted this challenge included Team Captain Mike Grinnell (interviewed for this episode), Justin Yarbrough, Justin Morris, Joe Bridges, Tito Velasquez, Igor Kornienko and our in-house musician / volunteer, Bob Shea. 

Trail Music Support by Nurse Bob Shea

In this episode, I start by interviewing the veteran team captain to see what it takes and how one gets into this Ragnar thing initially, and keeps it going for years. I also interview a relatively new Ragnar runner who is also volunteering to make coffee and hot cocoa as she keep the troops energized, just around the corner from the all night campfire and exchange zone where one "hands off the baton" between runners. We then hear from one of the organizers facilitating the sprawling event, informing us about topics from Ragnar route setup to "circus travels".  And lastly we touch base with a group of folks known as "immortals" (note the norse mythology continuation), as they have earned the title by completing over 12 of these Ragnar events in one year, and find out from them some of their lessons learned and favorites. Forty-five time Ragnar alum Rick Harold told me while cheering on fellow "immortals" that it wasn't really about finishing or times or even running necessarily, but about the community and feeling of challenge accomplishment together, after he had just finished cheering for over 24 hours! 

Exchange area at Ragnar Florida

Oh, and there are Road Ragnars and Sprint Ragnars as well. Perhaps more on that in a future episode, when I'm tempted to travel in a team van for 24 hours plus trading non-van time to run in who knows where!  To summarize, a quote from Ragnar webpage: "Set a crazy goal. Gather your tribe. Divide and conquer. Bask in the joy of achieving something together that you could never do alone (very true). With more cowbell, baby. Always more cowbell. "

You can find everything else you need to know at: www.runragnar.com  

Please reach out and share, connect with us on Facebook or IG: RunningAnthropologist

Episode 69: Writing about Running, with Terrell Johnson

 Episode 69 of the Running Anthropologist can be heard nearly anywhere you find your podcasts, including Apple, Google, Spotify and Anchor!

This episode focuses on the work of Terrell Johnson, running-focused author and journalist, founder of The Half Marathoner, which covers the most unique half marathons across the US, and beyond. For many runners, half marathons are much more manageable for goalsetting and running multiple races throughout the year than 26.2. One can for example work in a small, unique half marathon at a national park vacation, or find one in just about any state any weekend of the year! 

Tens of thousands of runners read his weekly posts on Substack, contribute and explore for themselves. He is not able to run all of these, but does his homework, and makes it to as many as he can. This episode is less about specific half marathons, and more about the process of researching, writing about and building the community around Half Marathoner over the 17 years. He often focuses on the internal life of runners in his work, and how running helps improve our lives all around. At times, his Substack newsletter reads as not just about half marathons or directly about running at all, but about our shared humanity and what inspires us, that runners also happen to be a part of.  

For any aspiring writers, this episode also has some hidden gems. For anyone hoping to run a half marathon, he explains why and how to find a good one- including using his own Substack site weekly to learn and share our own favorites! While this episode is certainly not a how-to guide of half marathons, there are some useful resources in his training plan and half marathoner online community. 

Terrell fills a void in those of us searching to find corners of running culture, that is the half marathon is often neglected in articles and writing. In fact, before he started one in 2006, there was not website dedicated to half marathons specifically. Most of the content of his newsletters are completely free, although one can subscribe and get much deeper if you find you like it and want more. 

You can find Terrell's The Half Marathoner Substack at www.thehalfmarathoner.com and you can find us on IG or Facebook @RunningAnthropologist

Hurricane Ian Rebuilding "Miles for Dollars" Challenge

Hurricane Ian Rebuilding "Miles for Dollars" Challenge:

We in the distance run-walk community are organizing a solidarity "miles for dollars" fundraiser to support families through Convoy of Hope, including serving those not covered by FEMA such as community/civic centers, and spiritual centers/churches in the area, which can distribute aid quickly to their communities, help with housing, etc.

Basics: You can pledge/dedicate a certain amount per mile you hope to walk/run through the end of 2022- donations will be MATCHED by a generous donor in Tampa Galloway and added to Convoy of Hope every week at the end of the week (you donate on your own), which folks can do/view online with this Google Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19k94vpJmb0pp9JJzknVWW6A6fdPgDqo0HJfzRDJjKh8/edit#gid=0

This aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Florida. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)