Mary Ngugi-Cooper has been a formidable force in the Kenyan marathon scene within the past decade. Mary's journey is not just about her remarkable achievements on the roads; it's about her unwavering commitment to empowering women through the sport she loves. In the wake of a tragic loss that shook the running community to its core, Mary took action by responding to the heartbreaking murder of Agnes Tirop by founding Nala Track Club in October of 2022. Named after the Swahili word for a powerful, successful woman, Nala Track Club is a sanctuary for female athletes.  But it's more than just a club; it's a beacon of hope. Mary's vision extends beyond the finish line, providing not only a safe haven for young women to train but also covering housing and education costs for those in need. Additionally, Nala Track Club has pioneered a groundbreaking coaches training program, empowering women to lead and mentor the next generation of Kenyan athletes. Nike has come on board with the to assist with funding the girls’ basic needs and in-residence scholarships to remove financial barriers Her story is one of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of sport. It was super nice to chat with her just days before she went on to finish sixth in the Boston Marathon in 2:24:24. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Mary Ngugi-Cooper | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@maryngugi on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 ON Experience the magic of Penn Relays with On. Races. Athletes. New kits. New faces. Try the latest On running shoe innovations, customize your gear and more. For the full events schedule, check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Penn Relays website⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you can't be there in person – follow @on for all the action. CITIUS MAG is a proud media partner to capture the atmosphere and excitement of the 2024 Penn Relays from April 25-27 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🩴 VELOUS RECOVERY FOOTWEAR  is the active recovery footwear brand that is designed to help you Restore, Revive and Reenergize before and after you train. They are launching two new styles to their recovery mix for Spring ‘24. The Active Slide and Active Flip collection. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoy a 20% discount by entering the code: CITIUSMAG20 at checkout at VelousFootwear.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 💵 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠