Runified Podcast

Nico Ericksen-Deriso, Bailee Mulholland, Charlie Watson, Sadie Witt, and Ziv Epstein met up with Runified Podcast host Matt Sorenson while they were in Austin, TX on their Running Road Trip. The mission of The Running Road Trip is to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease research. Partnering with the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, their team is traversing all 48 contiguous United States, visiting and running in every state while spreading the word as they attempt to reach their donation goal. Before and during an easy run on a beautiful trail, Matt talks with the team about their favorite runs so far, how they have been able to connect with both the running and Alzheimer’s community, and has fun learning about stories from their adventure.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter The Running Roadtrip We

Roy Smalley is from Wisconsin and is a personal trainer, and group exercise instructor, volunteer firefighter, hazmat response team member, husband, father, musician, volunteer, and cook. When he’s not busy with these things, you can find Roy running, but this wasn’t always the case. Roy shares how he was never active until later in life, when he realized he needed to make a change. We learn how Roy went from 250 pounds to 170 pounds through a weight loss competition, eating smarter, triathlon, and running. Roy also shares about how it was also the pending adoption of his daughter that inspired him to live a healthier lifestyle. Roy has run several marathons, half Ironmans, half marathons, obstacle course races, and many other shorter distances. We also learn how Roy uses running and exercise to help others, whether it be at a substance abuse rehabilitation facility, starting a running club at a non-profit coffee shop, or raising money for adoption or cancer-related causes. Roy shares training advice and chal

This episode is Part II of our conversation with Kristen Kirkland (Part I is Episode 58). We continue talking with about her personal connection with the work that Every Mother Counts supports to help make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. Kristen shares a story about participating in the Hood to Coast Relay with Every Mother Counts. We learn about a number of ways runners can get involved with the organization, including running the New York City Marathon. Kristen shares training advice and challenges all our listeners to bring purpose to your running, no matter what it is.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Every Mother Counts Website, Facebook, Instagram, Team EMC Instagram, teamemc@everymothercounts.org

Kristen Kirkland lives in New York and has always been a runner. Running has always been a part of family activities and she ran her first marathon in college. Kristen has run 13 marathons, an ultra marathon, and has qualified for the Boston Marathon. Kristen tells us about an amazing non-profit called Every Mother Counts, a group with the goal of making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. We talk with Kristen about how running is integral to the efforts of Every Mother Counts and how the common theme of distance enables runners to connect with the purpose of the organization. This episode is Part I of our conversation with Kristen and be sure to listen to episode 059 for Part II.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Every Mother Counts Website, Facebook, Instagram, Team EMC Inst

Tania Glenn started running in college and trained for her first marathon at the age of 30 after going through a significant breakup. She has since run 10 marathons, including the Boston Marathon. As a crisis and disaster response therapist for first responders, Tania helps those suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Tania shares how running helps her patients recover from very significant events and diagnoses. As a runner, Tania shares running advice and stories from her races and challenges listeners to help veterans and first responders.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Tania Glenn’s Website, Facebook, Twitter

After suffering from a heart attack and cardiac arrest, Shane Johnson found himself with a number of side effects and taking 13 different medications. Through changing his nutrition and becoming physically active, including running, he was able to completely turn around his health. Shane has now run a number of marathons and ultramarathons, including the Twin Cities Marathon as a Medtronic Global Hero. His advice for runners is to not ever give up on yourself and to not let a medical diagnosis stop you from living life. Shane’s story provides inspiration and motivation for runners of all types and abilities, as he wants to be a beacon of hope for others diagnosed with heart disease as he continues running for his life.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Shane’s Facebook Profile, Wounded Heart Project

On this episode, we continue the theme of SportsBraSquad from the previous episode with Jessie Barnes, Teresa Krammer, and Vanessa Mitchell from Austin, TX. If you haven’t listened to episode 54 yet, please listen before listening to this one. We attended the Global Sports Bra Squad Day event on June 24, 2017, in Austin and we share sound bites and thoughts from the leaders of the event as well as participants. These ladies speak about having a positive body image, and how this movement and their community has helped them become more confident and strong in their own skin.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter #SportsBraSquadATX Facebook Group, Austin event, @thejessiest, @slimt1213, @sunshineface, Kelly Roberts original #SportsBraSquad post, Run, Selfie, Repeat Website, list of 2017 Global Sports Bra

On this episode, we have Jessie Barnes, Teresa Krammer, and Vanessa Mitchell from Austin, TX. After, learning about the growing #SportsBraSquad movement Kelly Roberts started, this group of running friends felt led to be a part of fostering a supportive place where women can shed their insecurities and step out of their comfort zone. In 2016 they hosted a Sports Bra Squad event in Austin, TX which encouraged women of all ages and body types, and they will be hosting their second event on June 24, 2017, for Global Sports Bra Squad Day. Jessie, Teresa, and Vanessa are honest and vulnerable, sharing personal stories about their own struggles with body image, and how this movement and their community has helped them become more confident and strong in their own skin. Our guests also share running advice and challenge our listeners to join a community and to base your self-worth and body image on your talents and strength, not the shape of your body.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by go

Bam Garcia is a husband, father, UPS truck driver, and all around great guy from Tyler, Texas. Bam’s competitive and addictive personality got the best of him when he was in his early twenties and he struggled with addiction for 15 years. After a friend introduced him to running in the fall of 2014 he quickly realized running is where he needed to be. Bam shares how running has helped him replace a destructive addition with a constructive one, and how he achieved his goal of going from the couch to losing fifty pounds and running the Boston Marathon. Bam describes how he loves to give back to the running community by encouraging others via social media and meeting new people at every race he runs. Listen as he provides helpful training advice and motivates our community to have a whatever it takes attitude.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runifie

Keighly Rector is a lawyer, proud cat mom, and former competitive Irish step dancer from New York. While Keighly started running while in law school as a form of stress relief, she also found that running helped with her long-term battle with an eating disorder. Keighly opens up and shares how running and a reframed view of fitness and nutrition has helped her develop a positive relationship with her own body. With a balanced and holistic approach to training, fitness, nutrition; she finds herself stronger and faster, but more importantly, with decreased disorder behaviors and less anxiety and depression. Keighly is a recently Boston Marathon qualifier and provides helpful advice and encouragement to our listeners, focusing on listening to your body and taking the time to care for yourself.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Inst

Runified Podcast host Matt Sorenson reflects on common themes that were present throughout the last 30 episodes of the Runified Podcast. He focuses the topics of the Boston Marathon, training, diversity, veterans, overcoming obstacles, epic adventures, and changing lives with running. This is a great chance to learn what Runified is all about! Our guests in the past 30 episodes are Audrey Springer, Victoria Phillippi, Chris Sanders, Shawanna White, Deyl Kearin, Stacy Holden, Sasha Wolff, Ben Jacobs, Kim Eagle, Arne Robertson, Marcel van der Kuil, Steph Cash Hogan, Martinus Evans, Bill O’Shields, Kate McKenzie, Martin Parnell, Thom Singer, BethAnn Telford, Ben Luke Smith, Nico Ericksen-Deriso, Mark Sutcliffe, Martina O’Connell, Bonnie Yesian, Eric Spears, Zuleyma Chazari, Adele Garcia, and Andy Cloud. We chat about the marathon, half marathon, ultramarathons, trail running, injury, training, running advice, coaching, challenges in life, mental health, education, technology, nutrition, and more.   This episode

Andy Cloud is a 39-year-old family man from Carthage, MO. When he’s not busy with his job, family, church, or other hobbies, he can be found running around southwest Missouri competing in everything from 5Ks to ultramarathons, but this wasn’t always the case. About five years ago Andy was very overweight, pre-diabetic, and had other health issues such as sleep apnea. He realized that he needed to change something. Though his faith, community, and inspiration from the 2013 Boston Marathon, Andy found the courage and discipline to improve his lifestyle. Andy shares how changes in his eating habits, exercising and connecting with other people enabled him to make this significant change in his life, losing over 130 pounds. He encourages our listeners to lean on others and your community, reminding us that running and life are hard and we don’t need to do it alone. Andy gives back to the running community by being a co-host of the Heartland Running Podcast and a race director for the Rallye 66 5K and Ranger Run be

Adele Garcia lives in Michigan and started running in high school but never really liked it. After being injured by a roadside bomb while serving in the Army, Adele returned home with post-traumatic stress and survivor's guilt. She grew to love running as she found it to be an effective tool for channeling the negative energy and stress in a positive way. Adele has since run marathons and ultramarathons, as well as used running for more than just herself, including starting an event called Upward Spiral, a 24-hour run/walk to raise awareness around depression, self-harm, suicide, bullying, and mental health. She shares her inspiration behind starting Upward Spiral, the impact they have made so far, and her dreams for the program’s future. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to listen to Episode 28 with Sasha Wolff from Still I Run.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our

Zuleyma Chazari is a hardworking student who is currently a biology major and junior at the University of Southern California. One of the ways she learned the power of hard work and setting goals was by training for and running her first marathon at the age of 12 with help from the Students Run LA program. Zuleyma tells us how the program and becoming a runner helped her become more socially and culturally aware since she was able to interact with some many different types of people while training and racing. Students Run LA and running has provided Zuleyma confidence and friends who are more like a family to her. Now having run seven marathons with the program, Zuleyma also gives back to the program by volunteering her own time to help students become who they want to be and to succeed in life and to make sure they know someone believes in them. If you want to learn more about the Students Run LA program, be sure to listen to the previous episode, 47, with one the founders Eric Spears.   This episode is host

Eric Spears started running by tagging along with his father as he was getting back to health after a heart attack, training for a 5K. Even though while as a kid he thought he would die when having to run the mile, it was children who inspired him to become a marathoner. While as a high school teacher in Los Angeles, he and a couple other teachers wanted to find a way to help at-risk kids. They started Students Run LA, a program that uses running to help students with character building and goal setting, by training for and running the Los Angeles Marathon. What started as a humble program has now grown to a program serving 175 schools. Eric tells us why he is so passionate about this program and how running has changed over 63,000 students lives, as well as his own.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

On this episode, host Matt Sorenson talks with three people he met while in Boston for the 2017 Boston Marathon. Listen as Jonathan “Scooby” Bolha, Jessica Marlier, and Kojo Kyereme tell Matt about their plans for the race and what Boston means for them. Matt also reflects on his own race and shares how previous Runified Podcast guests fared, such as Audrey Springer  (episode 21), Steph Cash Hogan (episode 33), Bonnie Yessian (episode 45), and BethAnn Telford (episodes 39 and 40).   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Jonathan “Scooby” Bolha’s Instagram, Jessica Marlier’s Instagram, Kojo Kyereme’s Twitter

Bonnie Yesian started running in order to stay healthy when she started college, and gradually increased mileage up to the marathon. Having now run 21 marathons, Bonnie has learned a lot about running and training. Bonnie shares how she first learned about and qualified for the Boston Marathon, and shares some stories about past races. Having now completed 10 Boston Marathons, and preparing for 11th in 2017, Bonnie provides our listeners some advice on qualifying for Boston and training for this amazing race! Bonnie trains with Gilbert’s Gazelles, a running group in Austin, TX.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Gilbert’s Gazelles

Martina O’Connell started running in her teens as a way to deal with stress and feel good. Little did she know that this would increase over the years and turn into marathons and now trail running and ultra marathon distances. We talk with Martina about how she loves the sense of adventure while running, and we even chat about porcupines. Martina shares how she finds balance with her very busy life, which also includes her five boys, her husband, and a full-time job. As she is currently battling significant injuries, Martina tells us how she stays motivated while she can’t run. Martina also inspires runners to have fun while they run and encourages them to not wait till they find the perfect time to run.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Martina’s Instagram @marathonergonerogue

At the age of 30, Mark Sutcliffe began to run to get in better shape and because he was bored of working out in the gym. For years, Mark worked towards a goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, which he accomplished in the 20th marathon he ran. Mark shares his running journey and the history of the Boston Marathon in his book, Long Road to Boston. We also learn about the magazine and podcast Mark started, iRun, as well as a story about Mark running with author Malcolm Gladwell. Mark also shares running advice, training inspiration, and a challenge for the Runified community.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!   Runified’s Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Mark Sutcliffe’s Website, Long Road to Boston Book, Twitter, Facebook, iRun Magazine, iRun Podcast

Nico Ericksen-Deriso is a senior at Case Western Reserve University, where he runs track and field. His grandfather helped him discover running at the early age of four by running the Bolder Boulder 10K in Colorado and his love of exploration has led him trail running and running longer distances. Nico shares stories about his running experiences as well as the inspiration behind The Running Road Trip, in which Nico and his friends are planning to run in all 48 contiguous states to raise money for Cure Alzheimer's Fund, a nonprofit funding research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer’s disease. Listen as Nico also provides advice and challenges for runners of all abilities. Nico will join the Runified podcast again after the Running Road Trip takes place.   This episode is hosted by Matt Sorenson and is sponsored by goodr. Use code “runified2017” at playgoodr.com for a special Runified discount and to help support Runified and our running podcast!