The Rambling Runner

Melissa Guillen is quiet determination personified and a true marvel. In September 2020 Melissa stopped fighting gravity and decided to have hip surgery. It required a lengthy and difficult recovery that tested Melissa physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had plenty of low moments along the way but eventually found herself ready to resume running. Before she did so she took the bold step to start signing up for races. And not any old race, some of the most well-known ultramarathons in the country: Lake Sonoma 50, Barkley Fall Classic, and the Javelina Jundred 100. True to form, Melissa not only made it to starting line but excelled. She topped it off with a excellent performance in a stacked field at Javelina. You can checkout Melissa's first appearance on the show in 309 (It's under her maiden name, Melissa Danehey). Sponsors: Gift giving season is here and breo massagers have great gift ideas for family and friends. Especially the breo foot massager! Winter is coming, and we are the foot massager's a

Part III of Marathon Milestones with Alexis McCoy is here, and wow, what a performance! Alexis just conquered the New York City Marathon a mere 28 days after setting a PR at Boston. Not only did she run well and rebound from a huge performance - this badass just set another PR! In this episode we take a deep dive into the weeks between these to historic races and what propelled her to a race of a liftime. Now she's on to the California International Marathon! Background: Alexis is a dedicated amateur runner who is taking a big leap this fall. She is running the Boston, New York, and California International Marathons. Not only that, we will be following her every step of the way. Tune-in to Alexis's last appearance on the show by downloading episode #378. Sponsors: Gift giving season is here and breo massagers have great gift ideas for family and friends. Especially the breo foot massager! Winter is coming, and we are the foot massager's an unreplaceable choice to warm feet in the comfort of home. breo also

This summer Pan Sohmnot completed the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning. An 11 week journey that was over a decade in the making. The Grand Slam consists of four iconic 100 mile ultramarathons: Western States, Burning River, Leadville, and Wasatch Front. Pan became the 385th finisher since the Slam’s inception in 1986 and one of ten to finish this year. To quote Pan: "(t)his summer went by in a flash! I’ve encountered so many wonderful souls throughout this journey and am grateful for the many new friendships developed, as well as for old friends for coming out to help me realize this dream. This was my pie in the sky goal and I’m still finding it difficult to accept that I achieved it." You can follow all of journey at www.instagram.com/s0melikeith0t. Sponsors: Gift giving season is here and breo massagers have great gift ideas for family and friends. Especially the breo foot massager! Winter is coming, and we are the foot massager's an unreplaceable choice to warm feet in the comfort of home. breo also offers mul

Andrea McKinney waited years for her opportunity to run the Berlin Marathon. Finally, in 2021, her chance arrived and she was ready! They she flew half way across the world for a dream-like experience that she had been thinking about for years. Then, just like that, she wasn't able to run a step. In this episode you'll hear all about and it happened next that resulted in a marathon PR! --- *Yes, you read that correctly - the "Fail" in quotes.* For so many of us there have been times in our lives when we thought we had failed, or worse, that we were failures. Those moments can leave of questioning everything that came before and whether or not we should continue down our chosen path. Then, if we persist we may realize that with time those setbacks can be a gift. Rather than holding us down those "failures" prove to be a catalyst for growth. Not merely to a level which we have already reached, but one that exceeds everything that came before. If you have a story that would be a good fit for one of these episode

Cait Keen did it! Cait came back to the Flying Pig Marathon after a tumultuous two years that left her questioning many things about her life and running. She ended the day with a stirring win that pulsated with emotion. Here's what Cait several days before the race that sets the stage for what was to come later: "I’ve been waiting 2.5 years for a chance to run Cincy again and 610 days to run a marathon since the Olympic Trials. It’s felt like a lifetime. I often get told that I’m too hard on myself. I put too much pressure on myself & I have very high expectations. I couldn’t have seen coming what happened 9 weeks before my last Flying Pig. Getting attacked by a dog on a long run is not ideal. I couldn’t have foreseen a global pandemic, struggling with working from home & being isolated is also not ideal while it’s being raved about by others. But in these 2.5 years while it seems like so much has changed, I can tell you that what hasn’t is my love for this city, this marathon... I’ve clawed my way back into

Our first Shoe-isode Extravaganza is here and it's a doozy! In this episode we have some of best running shoe reviewers in the country on the show to discuss a topic that affects lots of runners but is rarely discussed. We select the best non-plated marathon shoes for folks who are looking for cushioning, pop, fun, and protection over hours of marathon paced effort. We hear all about the marathon super shoes that are all the rage. They are great, no question, but they don't feel great on foot for everyone. The shoes we discuss in this episode, however, can offer much better experience for runners who don't enjoy the super shoe experience. Here are the remarkable folks who share there expertise and fun-loving spirit: Thomas Neuberger - www.believeintherun.com Tommie Runz - www.instagram.com/tommie_runz Mike "Kofuzi" Ko - www.youtube.com/kofuzi Emily Heller - www.youtube.com/RunLikeHeller Ben Johnson - https://www.instagram.com/benjohnson763 Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @r

Tia Stone is the quintessential Rambling Runner guest. A dedicated amateur runner who has achieved truly amazing results while living a full and jam-packed life. Tia recently rocked the Chicago Marathon on a brutal day. She finished at the 7th masters female on a day that saw many runners melt in the final miles. Not only did Tia not melt, she sped up during the final 10k! She had this remarkable day after COVID put her low for nearly two months earlier in the year. She wasn't sure what the future held for her. It was the first spring that didn't include a marathon in over a decade. Tia rebounded slowly in the spring - then kept building little by little. Then, when autumn finally arrived she had one of the best races of her life. Follow Tia at www.instagram.com/arkansasrunnermom. You can also follow her friend Tessa who she ran with at Chicago at www.instagram.com/runrunrae. Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic, a wellness company that mixes mushrooms and adaptogens with coffee, cacao,

The first segment of "Fail" Forward Friday is with dual-Olympian alpine skier and marathoner Chirine Njeim. Chirine started skiing at age 3. At 12, she went to France to train for two of years with a personal coach. She then moved to Salt Lake City in ninth grade, when she was 13, to attend the Rowmark Ski Academy, former home of U.S. Olympian Picabo Street. She went on to study at, and compete for, the University of Utah. Later, while in Chicago, Chirine took up running, completing the 2012 Chicago Marathon in 3 hours 7 minutes and the 2013 edition of the race in 3:05.4. At the 2015 Chicago Marathon she posted a time of 2:46.41, placing her 29th among the women in the field. At the 2016 Houston Marathon, she completed the course in 2:44.14, securing herself a place on the Lebanese team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She finished the 2016 Olympic Marathon in 109th place with a time of 2:51.08. She set a new PR of 2:36:40 this past spring In the second segment we hear from Brad Lindeberg - an excellent amateur r

Emily Heller, one of my favorite people, is back on the show! Two weeks ago Emily ran the Chicago Marathon on a brutal day for so many. It was the culmination of months of training - training that has been documented weekly on her fantastic YouTube channel. In this episode we talk all about her training, the race, expectations, and of course, SHOES. Emily's YouTube channel has some of the best shoe reviews on the internet so we had to take a deep dive. Specifically into how sometimes carbon plated shoes might not be a great fit for all marathoners, no matter their pace. You can check out her awesome work at www.youtube.com/RunLikeHeller and follow her at www.instagram.com/runlikeheller. Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @rambling_runner YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ83E0U8M4V7klqZB8BF3wA Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For today's show notes I'm going to quote Andrea Pomaranki's Instagram post about her amazing finish at least week's Boston Marathon: "My heart is so full of gratitude …..10th American in the Boston Marathon in my very first pro start at a major marathon at the age of 39, which to be honest is the least of why I couldn’t stop smiling through the streets of Boston yesterday. Every step felt like such a celebration….8 years ago this week I had just given birth to severely premature twins and spent every single day for the next 5 months in a hospital room for hours upon hours until we eventually lost both of our sons. 11 years ago this week, doctors told me I’d never run another marathon. So to be here now, exactly 8 years later with 3 wonderful children and the love and support from such incredible family and friends, running through the streets of Boston in the fall after a worldwide pandemic I can’t help but feel utterly overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. I wouldn’t be here without so many beautiful people i

Part II of Marathon Milestones with Alexis McCoy is here and it's a doozy! Alexis just rocked the Boston Marathon for a PR of 3:13 and did it in unique fashion. This was no walk in park. Her race featured some huge highs and frustrating lows. She was well prepared to run well and showcased admirable toughness along the way. Now she's on to New York! Background: Alexis is a dedicated amateur runner who is taking a big leap this fall. She is running the Boston, New York, and California International Marathons. Not only that, we will be following her every step of the way. Tune-in to Alexis's last appearance on the show by downloading episode #368. Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @rambling_runner YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ83E0U8M4V7klqZB8BF3wA Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Fail" Forward Friday is back and we are brining you stories from two amazing people - Jared Ward and Maddie Alm. First up is Jared Ward. Jared is an Olympian, USATF running circuit champion, NCAA All-American, and one of the best and most consistent American runners of this generation. But don't let all of that fool you. Jared's story of "failure" will resonated with runners of any ability. In the second part of the show we hear from Maddie Alm. Maddie is a pro runner who trains with Team Boss and she is having a wonderful 2021. She made the final of the women's 5k at the Olympic Trials, ran a 15:19 in the 5k at the Track Meet in May, and finished 14th in a stacked field at the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in September. Like Jared, Maddie recalls moments in her college experience that set her on the path to get to where she is today. *Yes, you read that correctly - the "Fail" in quotes.* For so many of us there have been times in our lives when we thought we had failed, or worse, that we were failures. Those mome

Right now I'm fitter than I've been in a decade - and it is completely surprising. The last time I felt like this I was preparing for the Cape Code Marathon when I was 29 years old. That was over 10 years ago. All of this after not running in the spring due to knee bursitis and in August with an ankle spring. So, how did this happen? In this episode, I share the seven things that I've incorporated into my life that have gotten me to this point. All of them can be adopted by any runner - including you! Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @rambling_runner YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ83E0U8M4V7klqZB8BF3wA Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are in the midst of the wildest marathon season in a generation. Maybe ever. It seems like every runner is running one, or maybe even two or three! However, the truth is that the majority of runners will not be doing a fall marathon. Rather, they are easing back into racing and potentially opting to focus on a marathon in the spring of 2022. In this Coach’s Corner episode, fellow McKirdy Trained coach, and professional runner, John Raneri and I take a deep dive into what those runners can do to set themselves up for success, happiness, and optimum health during the remainder of 2021. Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic, a wellness company that mixes mushrooms and adaptogens with coffee, cacao, latte, protein powder. They have a special offer for the Rambling Runner audience. Receive 10% off your Four Sigmatic order. Just go to www.foursigmatic.com/RAMBLINGRUNNER or enter code RAMBLINGRUNNER at checkout. Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @rambling_runner YouTub

If you're anything like me you've had a chance to view some of the amazing YouTube footage that Sweat Elite has published over the past six months. They've chronicled the training of some of the best runners in the world in a captivating fashion. Runners like Eliud Kipchoge, Paul Chelimo, Nell Rojas, Molly Seidel, Jim Walmsley, Jake Riley, Joe Klecker, Frank Lara, Craig Engels, Parker Stinson, and many more. In this episode we speak to the man behind the camera - Matt Fox. Matt is a former 1:48 800m runner from Australia. Over the past five years he has taken on an entrepreneurial role in the running space that is paying dividends. Not only that, he is now a sub-elite marathoner! Matt will competing at the Chicago Marathon next weekend. With a PR of 2:24, he is looking to break the 2:20 mark. In this episode we talk about what he has learned from the worlds best, transitioning to the marathon, and embarking on a worthwhile entrepreneurial venture. Learn more about all things Sweat Elite at www.sweatelite.co a

We are back with our new bi-weekly segment on the podcast - "Fail" Forward Friday. In this episode we hear from Rebecca Mehra and Mario Mendoza, two of the country's best runners. Rebecca is one of the best middle distance runners in America with a focus on the 800m and 1500m. Mario is a four time USATF Ultrarunner of the Year and two time world record holder. Yes, you read that correctly - the "Fail" in quotes. For so many of us there have been times in our lives when we thought we had failed, or worse, that we were failures. Those moments can leave of questioning everything that came before and whether or not we should continue down our chosen path. Then, if we persist we may realize that with time those setbacks can be a gift. Rather than holding us down those "failures" prove to be a catalyst for growth. Not merely to a level which we have already reached, but one that exceeds everything that came before. If you have a story that would be a good fit for one of these episodes please email ramblingrunnerp

Dylan Bowman is a professional runner competing in trail and ultra races around the world. Dylan has also established himself a key member in the sport's media landscape. He has co-hosted the live coverage of the iconic Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and the Western States Endurance Run and created the amazingly popular Pyllars Podcast. It wasn't until after graduating from college, where he played division one lacrosse that running really entered Dylan's life. After graduating college, Bowman ran a marathon in 2009 with only a couple of weeks' preparation. Then he decided to take on something more challenging: the 2010 edition of the famous Leadville 100. Bowman gave himself a year to prepare and with no running background he stunned the field, and himself, with a third place finish. "It's been a non-traditional journey to get to where I am now, but I think that's good, because I don't have years and years of accumulated wear and tear," Bowman says. "I'm still incredibly motivated and excited by running." Over th

Hello marathoners! Now is your time and it's very exciting. The marathon majors are around the corner and loads of other marathons are also upon us. So let's talk tapering. In this episode coach James McKirdy gives us all the information we need. We discuss: Purpose of a taper Tapers for experienced marathoners Tapers for first-timers who peaked at ~40mi/w Folks who had a hiccup in training during the normal peak weeks What NOT to do And much more... James McKirdy is the founder and Head Coach at McKirdy Trained, the largest online coaching service in the country. McKirdy Trained also has a elite team that competes against and with some of the best runners in the world. You can learn more at www.mckirdytrained.com. Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling_runner Twitter - @rambling_runner YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ83E0U8M4V7klqZB8BF3wA Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph

Josh Alderfer is a Marine Corps Veteran with over 15 years of leadership experience, with a focus on positivity, and the founder of Mastermind Performance. Positive coaching is a scientifically based, intentional approach to coaching that empowers young athletes to prepare and perform at their best, both on and off the playing field. Positive coaching empowers young athletes to achieve success while emphasizing the development of both moral and performance character. As Josh says on his website, "[i]t’s often said that sports builds character in young athletes. However, sport itself is only one half of the equation. Sport provides an excellent environment for character development, but it requires an intentional, deliberate, principle based approach to coaching. Without this, sports has an equal ability to undermine and destroy the character of young athletes." When he’s not chasing his 7 year old son through the forest or dancing with his 3 year old twin daughters, you can find him mentoring athletes and coa

We have a new bi-weekly segment on the podcast - "Fail" Forward Friday. Yes, you read that correctly - the "Fail" in quotes. For so many of us there have been times in our lives when we thought we had failed, or worse, that we were failures. Those moments can leave of questioning everything that came before and whether or not we should continue down our chosen path. Then, if we persist we may realize that with time those setbacks can be a gift. Rather than holding us down those "failures" prove to be a catalyst for growth. Not merely to a level which we have already reached, but one that exceeds everything that came before. In our first episode of "Fail" Forward Friday we hear from two absolute badasses - Allie Wilson and Sabrina Little. Allie is one of the best middle distance runners in the country. Sabrina is one of the best trail and ultra runners in the country. But, for both of them, it wasn't always that way. If you have a story that would be a good fit for one of these episodes please email ramblingru