Tiffany K. Martin believes that “health” is about much more than the traditional elements of healthcare. She recognized that the existing system doesn’t adequately address the needs of many people, and so she founded Elevated Health and Community to provide resources for those who need them the most. Elevated’s “Not Just for Runners” event includes a 5K and one-mile run/walk/roll that are designed to ensure that everyone finishes with a sense of accomplishment. For complete show notes and...

Roberto Mandje believes in meeting people where they are, which is also where he believes running will meet you. His philosophy stems from his multi-cultural upbringing and his professional running career, when he competed in the 2004 Olympics, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and twice in the XTERRA Trail World Championship.  For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode395.   Thank you to AG1, Tracksmith, and Precision Fuel & Hydration...

Mikah Meyer is the first person to experience all 419 U.S. National Park Service sites in a single journey. He also made a different kind of history along the way, becoming the first openly gay man featured in an outdoors recreation campaign, for REI. Now he advocates for greater inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the outdoor space. His documentary short film, "Echoes in the Canyon," will have its world premiere later this month. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at...

Fiona O’Keeffe raced into the record books in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials this year. In her debut at the distance, she smashed the previous record, set by Shalane Flanagan in 2012, by over three minutes. She also became the youngest woman to claim victory. She’s focusing on her performance, but she’s also embracing the opportunity to champion environmental advocacy, leveraging her running platform to inspire change. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at...

As a runner and fitness professional herself, Erin Bailey understands how difficult it can be for athletes to represent themselves on social media and in their brand relationships. Her talent agency, Momentum Management, helps them present themselves authentically and forge business relationships that align with their values. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode392.   Thank you to HydraPak, AG1, and Precision Fuel & Hydration for sponsoring...

Many people define themselves in one way: “I am a runner.” “I am a DJ.” “I am an artist.” Matt Green, on the other hand, describes himself as a “multi-hyphenate.” The co-founder of the  District Running Collective (DRC) combines his talents to explore different ways of impacting the world. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode391.   Thank you to Precision Fuel & Hydration, AG1, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode.    Precision Fuel...

Whether it’s serving as Race Director of the Front Runners New York LGBT Pride Run, leading the Global Parkinson’s Genetic Program at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, or advocating for non-binary inclusion in races, J Solle supports and raises up others.  For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode390. Photo credit (podcast player inset): Da Ping Luo/NYRR   Thank you to AG1, HydraPak, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this...

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. To celebrate it, Tina reached out to some of the women who inspire her and asked them to answer one of these questions: What is one piece of advice you would give to women listening? What do you wish the women listening knew? What is your favorite thing about women supporting women? If you want to be inspired yourself, be sure to listen to this...

Ian Gonzalez is a trailblazer. He co-founded 7 on Sundays,  a run crew on Chicago’s South Side, an area where running as a pastime had been virtually nonexistent. 7 on Sundays created a community of runners, but there was nowhere for them to buy running shoes, clothes, or nutrition. Ian filled that void by opening Last Lap Cornerstore, the only running store on the South Side, and the only Black/Latino-owned running store in the city. He was forced to close the store, but is determined that...

There isn't a new Running for Real episode this week, and here's the reason why...

A conversation with her mother and a television documentary changed the trajectory of Vanessa Peralta-Mitchell’s life. They led her to take up running; become a Certified Run Coach; and create the Game Changers and L.E.A.D. programs, redefining who is seen as the experts and leaders in the run industry. This year she was honored with Running USA’s Award of Excellence, which recognizes “outstanding contributions, initiative, leadership or innovation in the running industry.” Vanessa checks all...

In October 2022, Tina released a podcast episode called “I Felt So Lost.” At the time, she knew she wanted to combine running with sustainability, but she wasn’t quite sure what direction that would take. Now, just a little over a year later, she says, “I feel like I've got my path; the train track is in front of me and I can see it, and I feel very excited about where it's going.” For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode386.   Thank you to...

On March 16, the Selma to Montgomery Relay will follow the route taken by Civil Rights Movement activists in March 1965, as they walked from Selma, Alabama to the state capital of Montgomery, to protest the blocking of Black Americans’ right to vote. It’s a history lesson, an opportunity to honor those who risked so much for justice, a way to give back to their communities, and a party for the runners, walkers, and cyclists who join together to celebrate the marchers and their actions.  For...

Before he was “Ricky from St. Louis,” Ricky Hughes was rapper and music producer Ricky Rock. He was also caught up in a wild lifestyle that he knew he needed to escape. As part of his evolution to a new version of himself, he started distance running and founded the St. Louis Run Crew, for “all faces, paces, and laces.” For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode384.   Thank you to Tracksmith, AG1, and Precision Fuel & Hydration for sponsoring...

Lucie Hanes is a professional ultra runner, a professional climber, a journalist, and a sports psychologist. Those potentially conflicting pursuits actually complement each other, as evidenced by her second place finish in her debut 100 mile race, the 2023 Leadville 100 Trail Run. Remarkably, that achievement came after health issues forced her to stop training the year before. She discovered how much mental health affects athletic performance and now helps other athletes through her mental...

Kayla Jeter has always been athletic: she was a professional volleyball player after a stellar high school and college career, and moved onto coaching at the University of Cincinnati. But running became an important part of her life when she was caring for her dying mother and was embraced by the running community. Since then, she’s helped that community grow through the 100 Miles of Summer challenge, and as Run Community Lead for AG1. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at...

It’s been an eventful year for Tina and Running for Real! In this episode, Tina looks back on the highs and lows of 2023, and in the tradition of Together Runs, offers space for you to reflect on your own experiences. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode381.   Thank you to Tracksmith, AG1, and Allbirds for sponsoring this episode.    Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. For years the brand has...

Jason Suarez dreamt of going to the Olympics. He ran track in high school and college, but when he went to Tokyo in 2021, it wasn’t as a runner, but as a photographer. He shoots for major running brands, has published three collections of running photos and stories, and his handle, @notafraid2fail, is well-known in the running world. But as in demand as he is, Jason still takes time to give back to others. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at...

William Faulkner said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” As James Fell recounts it, the past is alive, kicking, and throwing f-bombs. Volume I of his self-published, two-volume On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down has just been republished by Bantam Books. Before he became the "Sweary Historian" though, James was a fitness columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, and authored two books on fitness and motivation. And as befits a fitness writer, he’s a...

From the outside, Tim Tollefson appeared to have everything as a runner. He was a collegiate steeplechase champion, a 2-time US Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, and is one of the country’s most accomplished ultra runners. He podiumed at UTMB in both his 100K and 100 mile debuts, and went on to win the Javelina Jundred, Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K, and the Ultra Trail Australia 100K. But appearances can be deceiving, and a focus on appearances can be devastating. Tim suffered from body...

Two weeks ago, Kayleigh Williamson became one of the first, and quite possibly the first, women with Down syndrome to complete the New York City Marathon. She crossed the finish line alongside her mother, Sandy, and their friend, Tina Muir, both of whom had been with her for the entire 26.2 miles.  Kayleigh’s finish went viral, and she, Sandy, and Tina were invited to appear on the “Today Show” with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.  Breaking barriers comes at a cost, however; not only...

This guided run with Tina is the closest to running with someone else without actually doing it. Tina takes runners on a nature check in, body scan, senses check in, and mental health check in before sharing about all the excitement of the past few weeks. Being a part of a viral video with Kayleigh Williamson and the TODAY show, there has been a lot going on! Check out Kayleigh's viral video TODAY show interview  Order or leave a review for Becoming a Sustainable Runner Order Precision...

With wars raging in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan; political polarization; the after effects of the COVID 19 pandemic; and the climate crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the state of the world. With his new book, Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love, Oren Jay Sofer offers a practical guide to living a meaningful life in a time of great uncertainty and upheaval.  “Every day we are practicing something with how we...

This week we’re highlighting the third section of Tina Muir and Zoë Rom’s book, "Becoming a Sustainable Runner." We’ve shared chapters about sustaining your runner’s mind and body and your running community; in this episode, we’ll look at sustaining the planet.  In the “Be an Eco-Conscious Traveler” chapter, Tina and Zoë explain how you can develop a pro-environmental lens, consider the benefits of exploring closer to home, look at air travel options for the times that you do want to venture...