Twiggs Family in Ukraine: Humanitarian Relief and Kyiv Marathon

Episode 78 is available nearly anywhere podcasts are heard, including Apple and Spotify... Please share this with a friend who might enjoy learning about the culture of running with inspiring stories from across the globe!

Chris, Brendan and Diana Twiggs in Ukraine

This episode features the inspiring story of Chris Twiggs, Diana Twiggs, and their son Brendan Twiggs, who relentlessly dedicate their time to relief work in Ukraine and perhaps more importantly build friendships of solidarity.

Diana Twiggs, a practicing physician, started volunteering with International Medical Relief, providing essential medical care and support in urgent regions. The organization’s initiatives are focused especially now on Ukrainian refugees at border areas and the internally displaced, helping where it’s needed most.

Chris & Diana post-Kyiv Marathon, with Medals!

Through Diana’s example, Chris and Brendan have joined the cause. Chris, well known in the running community as the National Training Director for the Galloway Run-Walk-Run program, partners with Diana on trips to Ukraine, bringing medical supplies and supporting humanitarian efforts, and spreading the word. Their latest visit included both Lviv—a vital base for relief work close to the Polish border—and the capital Kyiv, where they participated in the Kyiv Marathon, standing in solidarity with Ukraine’s resilient spirit and thousands of fellow runners. They also brought medical relief supplies most recently to Traveling Colonels, a group of military veterans providing critical medical relief to the front lines where  through dedicated people across the country.  

Brendan Twiggs stands out for his ongoing commitment, joining us from the streets of Lviv as we hear the sounds of everyday life in his daily commute. He is now living in Lviv and working primarily at the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen—founded in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea by caring individuals; created from the community itself, rather than an NGO or large international relief effort. It serves as a voice and a hub for internally displaced people and place to connect relief workers to needs on the ground. 

The Twiggs' reflections in this episode emphasize how showing up for others can bridge divides and demonstrate in person that Ukrainians are not forgotten, underscoring the meaningful impact of personal diplomacy by also sharing the realities of war with friends and family back home in the United States. They also emphasize the harrowing actions that everyday Ukrainians are taking to support their neighbors and countrymen as they fight to regain peace while striving to live a meaningful life each day.

***Get Involved, Advocate, Give or Learn More***

• International Medical Relief: https://internationalmedicalrelief.org/
  Medical supplies were also brought to Kyiv through Traveling Colonels:  https://thetravelingcolonels.com/
• Lviv Volunteer Kitchen Charity: Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lvivkitchen/ or through local Ukrainian relief networks.
• Kyiv Marathon:
  Event info at https://kyivmarathon.org/ and through charity run directories.

***Take Action: Contact Your Representatives***

Your voice matters. Get informed and then urge continued support for Ukraine by contacting your US representatives:

• Find Your Elected Officials: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
  Direct link for Senate and House contacts.

• 

  Lviv Volunteer Kitchen in Action!

  
  

  

  Family Affair: Arriving With Supplies in Tow from USA Donations 

As fellow Galloway run-walk-runners, it’s an honor to witness Brendan, Chris and Diana’s commitment—on running courses and in humanitarian work. Their story is a testament to how each person, by showing up and sharing, can contribute to hope and resilience in meaningful ways. Small actions—being informed, making contact, sharing stories—add up to remarkable collective impact. 

-Post by Mark Lane-Holbert

Talking Running Therapy with Sepideh Saremi, and Mini Handbook Launch!

 

Moving Forward: Run Walk Talk® Therapy with Sepideh Saremi & Launching the Mini Handbook of Running Therapy - available nearly anywhere podcasts are found!

In this very special episode, we sit down with Sepideh Saremi, founder of Run Walk Talk® Therapy—a trailblazer whose approach brings movement and therapy together in the most accessible way possible. Sepideh’s Run Walk Talk® method invites people to experience the power of therapy while moving side-by-side, turning a walk or run into a safe space for honest conversation, healing, and personal growth.

Whether you’re a seasoned runner, a total beginner, or simply curious about how our bodies and minds are connected, this episode will inspire and equip you. Sepideh shares how running therapy breaks down barriers, supports mental health, and welcomes all bodies and ability levels—with no performance pressure and every pace celebrated. You’ll also discover the research behind why walking (or running) while talking can unlock insight, reduce anxiety, and build deeper connections.

And that’s not all! We’re thrilled to announce the e-publication of the Mini Handbook of Running Therapy: How Movement Becomes Medicine for the Mind. Drawing from the latest science, real-world stories, and practical tools, this concise guide is for anyone seeking hope, motivation, or new ways to cope with our modern mental health problems. Whether you’re a runner, walker, therapist, coach, or just looking for a fresh start, the handbook meets you right where you are.

The Mini Handbook of Running Therapy is now available on Kindle and Amazon, or you can download a PDF with linked resources for free, below.

Tune in, download the handbook, and join us as we explore Running Therapy and the movement for mental health—with Sepideh Saremi. Let’s move minds, together.

Download to read on Kindle/Amazon for $.99

Free PDF Mini Handbook download (link here)

TB Training & Running Logotherapy/Coaching

I. Join for a "Run Walk Talk" Logotherapy Session or a Local Galloway Run-Walk-Run Training Program

Whether you’re aiming for your first half marathon or your next marathon PR, you’ll receive expert run-walk-run training with a unique focus on meaning, mindset, and motivation!

• Tampa Bay- Group run sessions for all levels and paces (beginner to advanced)

• Holistic support: training, purpose-building, and community

• Info Session to be held at "The Running Center of TB", or join virtually

• Olympian Coach Jeff Galloway hosted a mini-clinic on Saturday, Sept. 20th in Tampa Bay!

• + Opportunities for one-on-one Running Logotherapy, see below:

Ready to Find Your Purpose—On and Off the Road?

Discover Running Logotherapy: Finding Meaning, Motivation, and Purpose

Have you ever wondered how running can not only strengthen your body, but also help you discover deeper meaning and purpose in your life? As a certified USATF running coach and logotherapist—a purpose-based approach to positive psychology—I am excited to offer Running Logotherapy to local runners seeking more than just miles or medals.

What Is Run-Walk-Talk Therapy and Running Logotherapy?

Run Walk Talk (read more) is a method developed by mental health professionals that combines movement with traditional modalities of therapy. In my case, I have been certified in both Run-Walk-Talk and Logotherapy to practice my own Running Logotherapy, which combines purpose-driven coaching with the proven psychological benefits of movement. This is pastoral (non-clinical) therapy, inspired by Viktor Frankl’s work in Logotherapy, this approach helps individuals:

• - Clarify personal values and find meaning, even in the midst of challenges and suffering

• - Translate everyday movement into purposeful, emotionally fulfilling action

• - Builds resilience, optimism, and a sense of agency both on and off the road

Whether you’re beginning your journey or training for a big race, every step can become an opportunity to engage with, and “run towards,” what matters most to you.

Who Can Benefit?

• Individuals navigating transitions, recovery, or loss: Harness running as a gentle tool for rediscovering hope, strength, and direction.

• Runners losing motivation or feeling stuck: Reconnect with the deeper “why” behind your goals.

• Anyone longing for community and authentic connection: Experience supportive, reflective group or one-on-one sessions in a welcoming environment.

How It Works

• Purpose Conversations: Start each session with a brief check-in on values and intentions, shaping each intervention and run around what truly motivates you.

• Guided Runs and Reflections: Experience running with prompts to encourage self-discovery.

• Goal Support: Personalized plans align your physical training with your broader life goals—because crossing a finish line means even more when it’s tied to your purpose.

Contact: tampagalloway@gmail.com  or  Instagram DM: RunningAnthropologist

Happy running, and may you find faith, hope, and love along the way!

For more information and weekly updates, visit me at RunningAnthropologist.com, or RunningAnthropologist on IG or Facebook, or your favorite podcast platform where you can also listen to interviews and insights from many of the athletes featured.

May Day Poem: Laugh at me Running

Laugh at Me Running

You may want to laugh at me, that’s OK—
It was on my training plan.

I’m used to the sideways glances,
the double-takes from dog walkers and delivery drivers
as I shuffle by at dawn,
sweating profusely,
wearing as little as possible,
in colors that clash on purpose
because I want to be seen, and they were on sale.

You’ve probably seen me,
arms flailing in some wild attempt at “form drills,”
or skipping or walking in place at a red light,
because stopping completely would mean “losing my momentum”,
and, let’s be honest-- it wasn’t on the training plan!

I am surely training for something
that demands me looking like this—
a race you’ve never heard of,
with a medal I’ll wear around town, cherish for a week
and then hang on a doorknob,
and clank every time I open the closet.

You may have caught me
staring at my wrist,
so engrossed in my GPS watch
that I run straight into a mailbox,
or a low-hanging branch,
once, a near miss with a very patient cat. 

(and a pulled hammy as it sauntered away, no doubt laughing at me)

Yes, I wave at strangers with the enthusiasm
of a politician on parade—
because we runners have a code:
if you cross paths you acknowledge that stranger,
even if you’re both gasping for air
struggling for "hi" with a nonchalant nod at the top of a hill.

Laugh. That's OK-- I do have gels and beepers
tucked into places that would confuse a TSA agent,
and yes, I have mastered the art of drinking from a cup while running...
which mostly means spilling it down my shirt, or on my shoes,
and pretending it’s part of the plan.

You might see me "stretching and strengthening" unproductively at a park bench,
grimacing in ways that alarm small children,
or talking to myself—
perhaps negotiating with my legs,
promising them rest and carbs if they just get me home from my long run.

Yes, my toenails are often a mosaic of black and blue,
and I can recite the location and reputation of every public restroom
within a ten-mile radius of my home...

And yet, despite all my careful planning and laughable evidence to the contrary,
I often take myself far too seriously—
debating shoe models like a rocket scientist,
agonizing over split times

as if Olympic gold were on the line,

when really, my only prize for all this effort... a banana?
If I’m lucky, a knick-knack age group award on my dusty shelf?

OK, I’m in!

So yes, you may want to laugh at me,
and that’s OK— it is all pretty funny.

Along the way I've made a few friends

who are just as stalwart, quirky and ridiculous as me.

And maybe, after all, some laughter is exactly what was on the training plan.

by Mark Lane-Holbert

2025 Boston Marathon with Dennis Lavoie

 Podcast Episode 79- Dennis Lavoie, "Team with a Vision" Runner & 6 Star World Marathon Majors Finisher

Dennis and Mark at Tracksmith House

Most marathon partnerships are forged over months of planning, but sometimes, fate steps in with a last-minute twist... Just a week before this year’s Boston Marathon, I received a message: A very dedicated and talented runner’s regular guide was sidelined by injury; would I be able to get to Boston? Suddenly, I was given the opportunity to guide Dennis—a runner whose story I knew only in passing, but whose determination I would come to know intimately over these 26.2 storied miles.

Dennis is no ordinary runner, and no ordinary individual. He lives with Usher Syndrome Type 2, a condition that has left him profoundly deaf and legally blind, with just a sliver of vision remaining. Yet, in the past six years, he has managed to run marathons in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and Tokyo—earning the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal, and becoming, as far as records show, the first person in his category (legally blind/profoundly deaf) to do so! His journey from early retirement to this elite club of fewer than 20,000 runners worldwide is nothing short of remarkable.

Dennis is a native French speaker, who grew up figuratively bridging the border between Canada and the US as his parents moved to northern Maine for work in the paper industry; to the furthest northeastern town in the continental US, Madawaska. Despite initially struggling in school due to hearing issues, once they figured it out his family did all they could to support him and help him grow as a student. He became an engineer and applied his skills in the field inherited from his father, but his vision continued to decline throughout his career due to his condition. He knew from a young age that he would eventually lose vision completely, and hence leaned into life (and running) even more passionately to enjoy and traveled to see everywhere that he could, while he could.

Our Boston weekend began with a dinner that felt like a gathering made of running legends. Dennis and I joined one of our mid-Michigan icons and running mentor Mark Bauman—who now holds the Marathon Streak World Record at Boston at an incredible 56 Boston finishes in a row!  As a primer for the 26.2+ mile day to come, we had a meal filled with stories, some advice, and laughter. Mark, as it turned out, would be the official starter at Hopkinton the next morning, a surprise that added to the sense of historical connection and camaraderie as we retired.

Race day itself was electric. We woke early and navigated our way to the para athlete buses, followed by likely the only time in my life I would have a police escort through a major highway and city. As guides in the competitive para athletes division, we also found ourselves camped out at the athletes village together, and lining up just behind the elite women. In the AWD tent we connected with incredible people and heard their stories, including paralympians and some famous guides for the record setting para athletes like Mike Wardian, who all shared recent adventures and inspiration. Time flew by and in a few hours we were processing to the start line, fully fueled and excited to punch into the roads for 26.2+ mile journey. The proximity to legends like Des Linden, Sarah Hall, and Paula Radcliffe was surreal; we exchanged a few words of encouragement, though it was probably us who needed it more. Boston marathon is unique in that, as para athletes, we started ahead of thousands of the country’s fastest runners—meaning we were passed, cheered, and swept along by a tide of speedsters for hours, a humbling and exhilarating experience.

For those unfamiliar, qualifying for Boston is a feat in itself. Runners must achieve a certified time well below the already-tough standards for their age group, and in recent years, the cut-off has been even more competitive—sometimes requiring runners to be nearly seven minutes faster than the official qualifying time. For para athletes, the standards are equally rigorous, and the field is capped, making every spot hard-earned. I was grateful to be among them, and respectful of the incredible amount of hard work everyone had put in to earn a spot there on the roads. 

Dennis’s journey to the Six Star Medal is even more daunting. Completing all six World Marathon Majors—Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and Tokyo—requires not just speed, but also perseverance, resources, and a bit of luck. Very few runners ever achieve it, and Dennis did so in a relatively short running career, despite the added challenges.

The Boston course itself is legendary and beguiling, winding through small towns whose residents line the streets with unmatched enthusiasm. The crowds cheered us every step of the way, from Hopkinton to the roar of Boylston Street. Wellesley College, with its infamous “scream tunnel,” was a jolt of energy and humor—the signs this year were especially creative, and Dennis and I couldn’t help but laugh as we passed, and I read a few of the signs. 

Despite a nagging hip flexor injury, Dennis pressed on through the second half of the course, even as those infamous Newton hills took their toll. His grit was unwavering, and together we crossed the finish line—Dennis meeting his main goal to qualify for next year’s Boston and have another crack at it, a testament to his resilience.

Looking back, the experience was profound. In a marathon where tradition runs deep (longest running in the US) and every mile echoes with history, I was reminded of the power of connection—between runners, guides, mentors, and the cheering masses. I recognize Boston is more than a race; it’s a celebration of perseverance, community, and the human spirit. I am grateful to have played a small part in Dennis’s extraordinary journey, and to have witnessed firsthand how this particular marathon’s traditions leave an indelible mark on all who take part.

For more on Dennis’s story and his Six Star journey(link), see a recent Bangor Daily News article or another story from WAGM just a few weeks ago, linked here about his paving the way for other vision-impaired runners!

- Article by Mark R. Lane-Holbert, Team with a Vision & Achilles International Guide Runner