Episode 59: NYC Marathon & NYRR's Team for Kids, with Coach Glen Wiener

Episode 59 with Coach Glen Wiener from NYRR's Team for Kids can be found on most podcast apps, including Google, Spotify, Apple and Anchor! 

Coach Glen (front and center) on one of hundreds of runs with Team for Kids!

In this episode we sat down with famed coach Glen Wiener, who has been with Team for Kids and New York Road Runners since 2008, coaching thousands of runners training for their first NYC Marathon. In this episode, he shares with us about what the NYC marathon experience is like, what makes it unique: from the early morning Staten Island Ferry to cheers along mile 18-25. Some nuggets of simple wisdom from empowering so many to finish their first marathon, and specifically on a difficult parts of the course in New York, are the highlight of the podcast! As a Team for Kids Coach, he also gets to see the life-changing work T4K does on the ground every day in the New York City area and across the country, and for this reason has remained with T4K so long. 

Glen is a lifelong runner with an undeniable passion for the sport and coaching others, and has ran over 25 marathons, including Boston five times, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. While he found running early and was a collegiate runner, he took up marathons later in life (25 years after college). Glen is a Road Runner’s Club of America and Jack Daniel’s VDOT certified coach, part of the USA Track & Field coaching program as a Level 2 Endurance Coach. In 2009 Glen’s training program was featured in the New York Times alongside the programs of luminaries like Jeff Galloway, and Greg McMillan. He believes that “coaching is an art based on science and works closely with runners of all abilities to help them achieve goals they never thought possible”(1). 

*If you’d like to contribute to Team for Kids this year or consider running/fundraising for them in a future major marathon attempt (New York, London, Boston, etc.), you can check out my fundraiser page to give, learn more, or just see what the platform is like: https://runwithtfk.org/Profile/PublicPage/92722

As always, we’d love if you would reach out to us and let us know more about your corner of running culture, share inspiration and learning! Leave a comment here below or DM on Instagram or Facebook @RunningAnthropologist 

--Happy Running--  Mark Lane-Holbert

1. Team for Kids Coaches Profiles (October, 2021). https://www.runwithtfk.org/Profile/OurCoaches

Episode 58: Running on Faith, Books and Goals with Thomas Dean

EPISODE 58 with guest Tom Dean can be heard on Google, Spotify, Apple, Anchor or most podcast apps!

Hood To Coast Relay Team, 2021

Tom Dean surrounded by books in his work as a publisher, including themes of faith and running!

 Tom Dean is one of the rare individuals who are able to connect their life work to their passion areas, in creating synergy between running, faith and work life! He sets the bar high for those of us exploring running culture and what it is to make a good life. From the perspective of a running anthropologist, this is not one to miss! Hear about some of Tom’s favorite runs, books, and join us as we journey through a few decades of devotion to running. 

For Tom, the ability to work with and publish the likes of Ryan Hall (Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step) and Sanya Richard Ross (Chasing Grace) has been a gift and learning experience he has applied many lessons to his faith and personal life. With an incredible background and skill set in book publishing and marketing, Tom then took this and applied it to sharing the gospel (of running and his faith). Integration of various aspects of our being and what we value may seem hard to do at times, yet running is a passion which parallels so many other life and happiness factors. This is a reminder of one of my favorite spiritual psychology quotes from logotherapist Dr. Viktor Frankl, “Happiness cannot be sought, but must ensue from the search for meaning.”

In this conversation, we cover a wide range of topics in work and running, but focus on his most recent Hood to Coast endeavour and meeting his goal of 1,000 miles per year for over a decade! What motivates him, allows him to reach his goals and keeps him running each day? Well, some of it you’ll have to listen to find out, but one tip is setting a monthly goal and having target races, and not getting too distraught if  ‘our best-made plans don’t turn out the first time’.  For Tom, the important thing is setting both reasonable and attainable goals that we can build on over time, and keeping his spiritual life at the center of all he does. Reflecting on our conversation, I realize this applies to not only running, also career challenges and life transitions, which we’ve all had a lot of the past 2 years during Covid! And his wisdom shared here certainly translates to family and other relationships we value. 

Tom can be found on social media @thomaspdean or find his publishing company at https://www.adropofink.pub/ As always, look forward to hearing your impressions and what you have to share in the world of running, spirituality and running as therapy!  Please private message us @runninganthropologist on IG or FB, or leave a message in the comments section of our blogsite. Until next time, Happy Running!

Episode 57: Paralympian Jaleen Roberts, On The Tokyo Games, Track & Field, and Life!

"Episode 57 of Running Anthropologist" drops September 22nd, 2021 and is available on most podcast apps, including Google, Apple, Spotify and Anchor!

Did you know that over 4,400 paralympians competed in the Tokyo games, with over 1,800 female athletes across 22 sports and 23 disciplines? And that this was the biggest field ever for women in the Paralympics as well? It also saw the introduction of the 4x100 Universal Relay in track and field, which symbolizes the true diversity of athletic abilities at the games. Team USA has participated in every Summer and Winter Paralympic Games since 1960 and is currently first on the all-time medal table. A whopping 60% of the medals brought home this year at the Olympic games were from women...  

Jaleen Roberts, post-100m run that won silver in Tokyo!

Twenty two-year-old Jaleen Roberts, our guest today, brought home medals in two track and field events, specifically the long jump and 100m silver medals. She also boasts multiple World Championship medals in 2017 and 2019, including a gold in the universal relay, mentioned above, at its international debut. She is originally from Washington state and began para competition late in her high school career, where she "took a chance" and followed the advice of her coaches when someone from the local para-sports club reached out to her. She went on to attend college at Eastern Wash State University in physical/health education, where she continued training with the Spokane-based ParaSport club and international competitions. 

Posing with double-silver, in 100m and long jump in division T-37.

We caught up with Jaleen for this interview took place just over a week after her return home and move to San Diego, where she is completing her student teaching and starting a new life as an independent athlete, and training with a new club soon. She reflects on her racing and jumping origins/roots (which involved wrestling), and the culture around those who want to have the highest level of competition but also have a disability. Jaleen was born with cerebral palsy, but was always competitive among all fully-abled athletes growing up. She enjoys sharing the origins of competing and how she found the sports she has now mastered, running and long jump. And many other events and sports in between that led her to this, learning the dedication it takes to succeed, from soccer to wrestling to basketball, to name a few.

One thing is clear from our conversation: Just "doing life" can be difficult for an Olympian or Paralympian who are not paid like other professional athletes, as she relates how she juggles work/school commitments, student teaching and training. Jaleen also shares what it was like to compete in Tokyo during Covid restrictions, and what magic the Olympic village held in terms of connecting to her Team USA, Japanese and Chinese fellow competitors especially. She also explains some of the different categories of paralympic competition (see more here), and how she fits into these classifications based upon ability level for ambulatory disability. She also shares the transition from Paralympics to Olympic Games in general, and how much she desires to be a role model as her primary job, even above being an athlete.

How do we succeed in life and in running?  Well, in closing, she shares her mantra as an athlete since high school, to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and "take a chance" on something new!

Please share your corner of running culture by tagging us @runninganthropologist on Instagram or Facebook, or send us a DM, we'd love to hear from you!

*Source: https://www.paralympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-sets-record-most-athletes-and-women-paralympic-games

Episode 56: Reflecting on the Olympics, with USATF Coach Gary Aldrich

 Episode 56,"Reflecting on the Olympics with Coach Gary Aldrich" is available on most podcast apps, including Google, Anchor, Apple, Spotify and Anchor!

In this episode, we interview Coach Gary Aldrich about his international coaching career spanning decades, and what it was like to coach with USATF, Team USA Track and Field in the Olympics. Coach Aldrich was specifically responsible for the throwing: javelin, shot put, discus! You know, the things flying around on the infield. We don't get into the technical aspects of the different events, but rather focus on what the Olympic environment was like, the events and the Olympic village spirit. We also discuss the friendly rivalries and the joy of competition.

At several points in the podcast, coach Aldrich gives advice to younger track and field athletes, about post-high school and post-college life. He asserts that the love and joy of sport should be what carries us, despite our level of competition or ability to turn running or field events into a professional career. While it may be a narrow slice of individuals that ever compete or coach at the Olympics, Coach Aldrich demonstrates that one doesn't have to have an elite attitude, but rather an attitude of flexibility and hard work- and most of all willingness to be dedicated and train through difficult periods. To keep dedicated to a sport when even the Olympics was in question was certainly difficult for many athletes, and we commend them for their strength and stick-to-it-iveness to make to to Tokyo and celebrate this international exhibition of sport together. We were proud to watch and even more grateful to share some of the Olympic spirit in this episode with an outstanding coach!  

USA Wins Gold and Silver, Ryan Crowser (OR) and Joe Kovacs

US Women relay team Win Gold

New Season: "Earth Day: Earth Year: On Healing & Recovery", Walk/Run Therapy & Recovery Caminos! (Episode 55)

In our season's first episode, "Earth Day, Earth Year" (dropping on April 22nd) we will feature ultra trail runner Michael Wardian (about an Earth Day 5K and upcoming 100 miler), Peter Maksimow (on Plogging), and a special interview with writer/music therapist Bob Shea about Recovery Camino(s): ""back to nature for healing and the path(s) of recovery", as potentially found thru a multi-day pilgrimage! In Bob Shea's interview, we approach the purpose of pilgrimage and the importance of connection (to our natural world and fellow pilgrims). As we seek recovery and healing for our planet in 2021, there is a parallel inner journey we can embark upon. Much like multi-day ultras in the running world, a walking pilgrimage is about movement of body-mind-spirit in unison towards a higher or common goal, which presents unexpected difficulties when we meet ourselves and our thoughts full force along "The Way".  Reach out to Bob to learn more or register for free Summer Recovery as Pilgrimage training!

Before then, you can check out Jenni Jalonen's interviewing me for her ULTRA RUNNING COMMUNITY Run with Love, link below...

On a coastal multi-day Pilgrimage

This season, we will feature several running therapists and pilgrims on journeys of recovery, bringing to bare their unique capacity for self-transformation and gifts/insight they have to offer others!

Michael Wardian describes his journey of healing from an injury, and what slowing down during the pandemic has given him time for. He shares his philosophy towards healing, and why he supports the local (and virtual) Earth Day 5K put on by Little Sesame (in cooperation with planting new life by Casey's Trees) every year. Instagram: @mikewardian

Peter Maksimow is the ATRA Outreach Specialist, a mountain runner/skier/walker/hiker and part of the global PLOGGING movement to make a physical/mental effort to notice and respond to our earth while run/walking- by picking up trash and recycling! A former US Distance Trail Running Team silver medalist, he knows trails! He's also the founder of the intense PLOGGING group in the Northwest United States, and shares with us his own philosophy as a trail enthusiast and environmentalist, about the growth of this community. App for checking out companies/scan products to learn their eco-score and background: buycott.com/get Instagram: @petermaksimow  Some of his American Trail Running Assn. sustainability writing: https://trailrunner.com/trail-news/author/petermaksimow/

FLIPPING THE TABLES: I would also like to share this interview (link below) I did with RUN WITH LOVE, an ultra community podcast- which explains the practice of Walk/Running Logotherapy specifically and Running as Therapy in general. In it, I also discuss some of the basics of how walk/running helps with recovery from addictions, trauma and loss, as well as daily reprieve through habit formation (treating anxiety and depression). Building a community of support is key, and 1:1 or small group work with a therapist "moving together towards a common goal" could be a great path forward for many. 

https://runwithlove.com/podcast/32-mark-lane-holbert-running-as-therapy

Live Sessions with Community: Lastly, if you would like to build your community of practice with walk/run meditation and some live sessions offered weekly on Tues/Thursdays by me, and everyday by other great teachers, I invite you to join our Insight Timer community with the free App:  insighttimer.com/laneholbert

"The Way" shell marker along the Camino de Santiago

Bob Shea's RECOVERY CAMINO website: www.recoverycamino.com

Episode 54: Life According to Grandma, featuring Jan Dennis

 Episode 54 is available on most podcast apps, including Google, Spotify, Anchor and Apple...

3 Generations: G-ma (Jan Dennis), her daughter Paula and granddaughter (my sister) Kelsey

This episode is all about G-ma, our family nickname for my late grandmother, Jan Dennis. The interview featured here took place over a year ago, and I actually spoke with her several times about her life stories and running to make it- with many bloopers throughout the process (on me). I remember as a teenager I oohed and ahhed over the crates full of race t-shirts she had accumulated, forming a colorful patchwork of training years and adventures with friends and family over the years. Each t-shirt had a story, which she could recall at a moment's notice, and probably tell you the youth and adult contenders and their stories too! Many of those years in her adult life were marked by training for and traveling to races, and then cheering for the next generation at cross country and track meets. She adopted all of us and encouraged/followed us as if we were her own children, even married-to grandchildren like myself. In this interview, we also discuss what it was like to grow up on a farm and memories of the great depression, and a bit about being a woman in sports and college life shortly after WWII. 

Holidays were always large affairs, squeezing as many of us as possible into Gma's living & sleeping spaces.

Aside from the running though, G-ma was a lifelong endurance athlete: raising 5 children of her own and managing and early-rising bakery, as well as a builder of community and family. She had a knack for knowing everything about each of us, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. As I finished college and started my own career (and completed my first marathon in Detroit International), I recall how I began to recognize her abundant wisdom in dedicating so much time to these few commitments, but making them truly quality ones; Her purpose in life was easy to see as she invested in each of us continually. And I would say it paid off. Speaking for myself, I always felt like I had someone in my corner, and someplace I could escape to if I just needed a break from the hectic world of striving and being tested. Here I was unconditionally accepted (and teased, and taught to remember to laugh at myself). This is probably the greatest skill and lesson I have learned from my "Dennis extended family": if you can laugh at yourself and your mistakes (not take myself and my goals too seriously, which I naturally do), you'll not only have much less stress, but also no one can surprise you by revealing your foolishness and foibles- you already know them! I try to do the same in my life now, not over-extending but asking myself daily what I truly value and committing the lion's share of my time to that. 

Perhaps this is the best testament to G-ma: All of her grandchildren and great grandchildren adore her and I daresay even listen to her (actions more than words), venerating her "ancient" values of honesty, hard work and keeping commitments. I saw this in small ways that spoke loudly: when she/grandpa would drive hours to attend one of my important races or games throughout high school and college, or more recently make it to my wedding in her later years despite not driving (thanks to my uncle), as she suffered from macular degeneration. She also showed us true resilience and strength when my grandfather passed suddenly in the late 90s, rallying and connecting even more with extended family and friends. She was a member of "The Red Hat Society", and loved to share life in big and small ways with others. This also led her to take countless trips to national parks and historic places on bus trips with friends after my grandfather passed away, as she just loved learning and sharing journeys with others. Her faith life was also simple: full of fellowship and concern for others but never preaching. She would never criticize or rest in things of the past when you admitted some avoidable blunder to her or demonstrated bad judgement, she just let you know you could do better and nudged you to re-think it next time: Experience is the best teacher. Bumps in the road were always just that, signposts along the route to improvement. I know her love will be carried on by all of us in the future roads we travel, and for me her spirit will carry on as a gentle voice of encouragement and stable compass in this often confusing and unpredictable world. I couldn't be happier to share this interview with you, and would love to hear more stories about everything and from everyone - please feel free to leave some in the COMMENTS section below! www.runninganthropologist.com

Me with nephew and G-ma, recent visit "up north"

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Episode 53: Conscious Running in 2021, with Functional Movement/Performance Specialist LISAH HAMILTON

 Happy New Year!  Episode 53 is available on most podcast apps, including Google, Apple, Spotify and Anchor!

Lisah after a recent race, with her father back on the island of St. Croix

Lisah Hamilton is interested in helping us be more conscious of our movements and mental approach to running, as well as how we see ourselves. Her perspective on gives us insight into the emerging culture of conscious running, and is yet another example of the incredible diversity of that serves to make our distance running community better: holistic and more sustainable. 

Among others, she also sees some promise and opportunity arising from our Covid-changed world, and what we as runners have/have not been able to do during this past year. It might be a time of reorientation and being conscious of our training, our routines. In our first episode of 2021, she talks about how she sees the culture of running changing to be more inward-looking, and what we can do to join this process. 

She has been helping runners for 20 years as "The Conscious Runner", to recondition and re-frame, prevent injury and meet individual goals- but mostly empowering others to fully enjoy movement and running again! She herself has been a competitive distance runner for over 25 years, and working in the field of functional movement / performance specialist. 

Finally, Lisah offers the perspective of "an outsider" as a competitive swimmer from her beginnings, who came to the mainland US from the Virgin Islands, of St. Croix at 18 years of age. Her alternative perspective on body-mind-spirit connectivity thus give us insight as well, and adds to endurance athletics more knowledge of our movement and overall health. She also knows there is much more to be done, and wants to make us a part of it, thus she provides some training for free around these methods (or options to have more in-depth 1:1 services at a cost).  Please find her at www.consciousrunner.com and reach out with any questions about her practice!

Lisah at Chasing the Unicorn Marathon

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