"I call them my big dances." Natalie Pertz describes the running adventures - sometimes in the form of races, other times a bit broader than that definition - that she highlights each year on her calendar. The list is nothing short of epic, including the Chicago Marathon, the Javelina Jundred, setting a "Fastest Known Time" on the WO&D trail. (By the way, I did fact check. FastestKnownTime.com has been around longer than Strava.) Natalie is both earnest and funny talking about her runni...

Welcome back! This episode I spoke with Kris Sooklal. I lost a bet this Fall at the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile - you'll hear about it if you listen. The result was this roughly thirty-minute conversation that covered *a large range* of topics - a bit different than the last few episodes, an equally good listen. We touch on how Kris began running in high school - track was a sport with low barrier to entry, so he went for it. We talk about how he works with the US Postal Service, and the organizati...

"I didn't tell the regular world I was pregnant because I didn't really want to hear it...frankly, I just talked to my doctors and asked, "I want to run a marathon. Is it safe for the baby? If not, I won't do it." First of all, a big congrats to Sami Tewolde Rowley who recently had her baby Teddy - he is absolutely adorable! This episode was recorded a few weeks before that major life event though, and we delve into another of Sami's accomplishments - running her first marathon in Chicago th...

If you've been to a Pacers track workout or race, you've probably met Xiuya Yao, a Pacers Run Club leader. She's smiley, welcoming, and encouraging while also being a super badass runner. I was thrilled to have her on the podcast to talk about her running journey - from how she got involved with Pacers as a side hustle to what her upcoming goals are. We talked marathon training - from how Xiuya increased her mileage to how her fueling strategy has shifted (hint: no longer candy bars). We als...

"I just think [running] is a really cool thing that those of us in DC have the opportunity to do." Hello! Happy New Year! Welcome back to Micromobility DC. I am attending the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting (#TRBAM as the cool kids call it, I am told) and was called out yesterday for my lack of recent episodes! So here it is - the first episode of 2024! (And in my humble opinion, it is a great listen.) I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah Johanek on all things running and ...

"Showing up consistently over time with B+ work... is what actually brings you longevity in the sport." Hello, and welcome back to Micromobility DC! You are about to listen to an episode recorded way back in AUGUST. I know, I know, I am slacking on the editing process. In my defense I've been traveling to England, Germany, and random cities around the US. All in the name of RUNNING! The good news is that this episode has aged like fine wine. It is just as relevant as people go for big goals...

If you've come to a Pacers Social Run on Monday or Thursday, you've probably come across Sam Burmester. He will introduce the workout, probably tell a few jokes, and cheer you on the whole way. Sam is the community lead for Pacers Running. In this episode we delve into what that role means, how Sam became involved with Pacers, and how Pacers engages with the community through its social runs and a variety of activations meant to make running more accessible and less intimidating in the...

"Actually my training for the marathon was quite a disaster." Bettina described signing up for a marathon as "a treat" for herself for completing her LSAT studying. She ran a 50 miler just for kicks, with friends and family as a support system after graduating from Smith College. She is a true student of the sport, mentioning how she coached herself through the process of training for these events by researching the science behind why we do certain types of runs and how they benefit us...

Welcome back to Micromobility DC! For episode 25 we have the first of two episodes with runners on the move from DC to NYC. I had the chance to sit down and chat with Danielle Zarnick, a marathon training buddy and good friend. At the time of the recording, Danielle was a few days from making her move away from the District. She reflects on her time navigating around the district - running, walking, and forming community. In this episode, we also got into how Danielle began running (in Ohio)...

Welcome back to Micromobility DC - officially one year old now! Happy birthday, pod! This episode I had the opportunity to speak with my former colleague and wonderful friend, Nate Steele, who is a wealth of knowledge on all things transportation. We did discuss EVs and EV charging for the "macromobility" fans out there. In this vein, we discussed challenges around EV charging in urban spaces (like DC!) and integrating cars into larger transportation ecosystems. We also talked about Nate's b...

Hello, hello! Hope everyone is staying safe during this very polluted week in Washington, DC. I've heard that listening to a podcast about running gives the same endorphin boost as going for a run itself, so hopefully this podcast does the trick until we can get back to exercising outside.* This episode is with resident Pacers Run Club Leader, Dan Kalinowski! Many of you know him from the Pacers Monday 6 mile route or Banneker Track circles on Thursdays. On this episode he discusses how he g...

Hello, hello! Welcome back to Micromobility DC. This week we hear from Willis Chen, a dedicated amateur runner who recently broke the 3 hour mark at the 2023 London Marathon. This episode is a full-on running deep-dive. For those who don't know Willis, he can often be found trotting along the C&O Canal and around the National Mall or pacing NETC track workouts. I first met him while doing laps in front of the National Gallery of Art about 14 months ago and remember him being both friendl...

We are back! (Took both a podcasting #springbreak during April and am feeling refreshed and excited for what's next!) This episode is with Amanda Earl - a running pal for a few years now. Amanda discusses how she got into running, then trail running, then ultra trail running while living in DC on this episode. Quite the progression! We also spend a lot of the episode discussing Amanda's most recent race - the Big Sur Marathon. I've fact checked the elevation gain, and officially it is...

For this episode, I had the joy of speaking to Tim Choi - one of my first running friends in DC. Tim is a staple in the DC running community. You can catch him organizing happy hour runs with friends and circling the track in his Altras. (He also has an amazing food Instagram @timwich.eats.) During this episode, we covered his experience at the Tokyo Marathon, along with all the lead up including the immigration protocols and best food spots, his experience running the North Carolina Krispy ...

"I credit [running] with my sense of placemaking and belonging..." This week I had the opportunity to sit down at my dining room table and get back to recording podcasts with Louisa Sholar. We talked about running in Georgetown (where Louisa lives and studies); we chatted about how Louisa started running solo and then became involved in the DC running community after years as a dancer; we chatted about Louisa's job at Pacers Running and her current go-to running shoes; we delved into more se...

Hello! Welcome back to Micromobility DC! It has been a while since the last episode because I've been doing a lot of non-podcast work and travel (that has led to a whole host of new understandings around micromobility)! This podcast has covered micromobility mostly from a sport perspective the past few episodes (many marathon training episodes!), but this episode delves into our daily movements from an infrastructure accessibility angle. For this episode, I had the opportunity to speak to th...

Hello! Happy New Year! Many exciting things to come on the pod, and to kick off the year, we have Sarah, aka Sarita, aka Beanz talking about fresh starts and big goals. Two big goals turned accomplishments for Sarah last year were completing both the High Bridge 50K and Marine Corps 50K. We talk about the ultras, and we go beyond the races themselves to talk about how Sarah got here - able to run multiple speedy long distance races in the same month. There were the more obvious aspect...

"Because you can do it...and I think just believing you can do it is a challenge." Happy holidays and last episode of 2022! To finish off this season of podcasting, I spoke with Liz Grufferman, who offers both joy and wisdom to the conversation. She also offers a deep dive into what it was like to run the 2022 New York City Marathon (in a Boston Marathon qualifying time and PR)! Liz is an accomplished runner, and in her year of living in DC, she's become an integral part of the running comm...

Another duo episode! In this one I spoke with Tim Hughes and Tatsu Osada - accomplished marathoners and triathletes in the DC area. The two have been friends since 2014, when they met at the fateful polar vortex run referenced in Mike Katz's episode. Tatsu and Tim are supportive friends AND intense competitors. For many of their races, they have "bets" over who wins. This includes betting on whose version of a peanut butter jelly sandwich is "correct" and betting on which of them will hav...

"I've always prioritized training and running in a way...I've just continued to do it no matter what." Hilary Cairns is a staple in the DC running and triathlon community. She is the founder and leader of Track Pack, a group of hearty runners who meet at 5:45am on Wednesday mornings year round. She sits on the board for Run Hope Work, an organization founded by Jose Ortiz (and modeled after his own experiences) that combines running, mindfulness , and workforce development. She casually "jum...