This week, we’re sharing our conversation with Claire Green, a member of the Peninsula Distance Club, Tracksmith Amateur Support Program athlete, and substitute math teacher. Claire had a breakout 10,000 race at the Sound Running meet back in March – her first crack at that distance. We talk about balancing training with a full-time job. From winters on the treadmill in Milwaukee to racing sub-32 in her first-ever 10,000m, she’s redefining what it means to pursue personal excellence with joy, self-awareness, and community support. Claire will be competing in the 10,000 meters at the USATF National Outdoor Championships on Thursday, July 31st.
Some highlights from our conversation:
❄️ Treadmill miles and mental training—what winter in Milwaukee taught her about focus and flexibility
⏱️ Swore she’d never run a 10K… until she ran a sub-32 in her first-ever attempt on the track
🧠 How she trained her brain as much as her body to handle the longer distance
😌 Comparing the 5K to the 10K—why the former is all pain and the latter is all flow
🎓 How her NCAA experience centered joy and intrinsic motivation rather than pressure and performance
🏃♀️ Building her relationship with running through family, coaches, and donuts at Nike Cross Champs
💬 “There was not a second of the race where I doubted what I was doing in that moment.”
👕 The power of a Tracksmith Amateur jersey—feeling part of a team without having a sponsor
📞 How a cold call to coach Dena Evans led to joining Peninsula Distance Club, a team of “the kindest, hardest-working people” she’s ever known
Follow Claire on Instagram and Strava.
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
This week, we’re sharing our conversation with Chris Schierholtz, the creator of Rally Wednesday—a movement that’s part run club, part social experiment, and all about building community through shared experience. From helping launch Airbnb Experiences to reimagining hump day as the most fun day of the week, Chris brings his love of the outdoors, his background in brand-building, and his belief in the power of play to everything he does.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🧭 How growing up in a van life-before-van-life family instilled a deep love of adventure and connection
🏃♂️ The inspiration behind Rally Wednesday—reclaiming the week and creating a reason to move, connect, and explore
💬 What Airbnb and Lululemon taught him about building experiences that deliver on their promise
🌁 Why he picked Wednesdays—and why every day should be a little more fun
👨👩👧 How he and his partner juggle careers, athletic goals, and raising a daughter with grace (and a little chaos)
🧘 The importance of authenticity, “California radness,” and using tech to get people offline
🔁 How failure and collaboration helped him evolve his ideas and build something that lasts
🛠️ Applying lessons from counterculture sports and startup life to rethink how we gather
🤝 Why doing something active with others leads to deeper conversations and stronger bonds
📣 "Take the emergency brake off"—his advice for anyone thinking about joining the next Rally Wednesday
A conversation about movement, meaning, and building community on your own terms.
Join us on June 18... This one is gonna be good! A 12 mile MTB ride, a 5 trail run, or a 2 mile hike! Pick your Jam! After the run and ride, we’ll gather on the beautiful Filoli grounds for their Summer Nights series: food trucks, live music, art exhibits, and plenty of space to picnic and hang.Whether you’re new to Rally or a regular, this is the perfect night to run or ride, chat, and meet more of the community. Join to get the weekly Rally Wednesday text with all the details - www.rallywednesday.com
Check out Chris on Instagram and Strava, and follow Rally Wednesday on Instagram and sign up to join!
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
In this episode, Mimi and Stephen from Skechers team up at the Bay to Breakers expo to talk all things Bay Area running, the joyful chaos of Bay to Breakers, and what makes the new Skechers AERO Series so exciting for runners chasing speed and fun. Highlights include:
🦍 Pontificating how fast you can actually run in a gorilla suit
🎭 Why Bay to Breakers is the most uniquely human race in the world
🌁 What makes the Bay Area running community so welcoming and wonderful
💡 The fascinating, wildly talented people you meet while running in the Bay Area
👟 The science behind the Skechers AERO Series — next-gen shoe tech making fast feel fun again
❤️ How running is evolving — and why community will always be at the heart of it
Learn more about the Skechers AERO series.
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
This week, we’re talking to Sylvie Abel, a superstar trail runner and incredible human who found her sense of belonging on the trails of a new country. Sylvie’s journey wasn’t just about discovering running—it was about navigating a new country while finding her strength, her people, and ultimately, herself. Sylvie is an open book and shares what resilience and bravery looks like in the face of uncertainty and struggle.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🌍 How moving to a new country challenged Sylvie to navigate new social norms
💭 The feeling of being lost and how a race gave her the sense of home she was searching for
🏞️ Running as a way to break through tough times, and finding freedom and self-expression on the trails
🏁 The journey to Quicksilver, navigating motherhood and racing
💡 How motherhood reshaped Sylvie’s perspective on both life and running
🏅Finding redemption at Quad Dipsea and being as close to satisfied as she’s ever been in a race
📅 Her goal to revisit every race she’s DNF'd—showing her child the value of resilience and perseverance
Follow Sylvie on Instagram
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
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#runningpodcasts #runnersofthebay #bayarearunning #sfrunning #sanfranciscorunning #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Some reflections on the past 5 years and an exciting announcement.
We’re teaming up with @skechers to bring the hype for this year’s Bay to Breakers! Come hang with us for a LIVE podcast on Saturday 5/17 at 2:30pm at Sports Basement Stonestown (📍🎙️).
🏁 HAYES HILL CHALLENGE IS ON! 🏃♀️🏃♂️🏃♀️
This is your chance to crush the most iconic climb at Bay to Breakers and score some serious gear.
We’re talking a “race within the race”—powered by @skechersperformance 🔥
📍 Laguna St ➡️ Pierce St
📈 Strava segment is LIVE
📊 We’re keeping a real-time leaderboard
🎁 9 FREE pairs of Skechers AERO Series up for grabs for the winners!
🏆 Top 3 fastest up and down Hayes Hill
💥 Categories: Male, Female, Non-Binary
Oh—and we’ve got something for YOU! (👟🎉)
GIVEAWAY TIME!
Win a FREE pair of the new Skechers AERO Series shoes 👟 and a race entry to Bay to Breakers 🏁!
How to enter:
On Instagram,
(Hint: It’s legendary.) 🏆
Winner will be chosen at random from correct answers.
Giveaway ends Tuesday at 5pm PT! ⏰
Let’s goooo! 🏃♀️🔥 See you Saturday!
This week, we’re sharing our conversation with Katie Douglas, founder of Running Wylder, designer, and lifelong athlete who found her way to running through a love of movement and community. From growing up in a family of runners to working at Lululemon, she’s always followed her instincts—even when that meant taking a leap into something new. In this episode, we dive into her journey from fashion to founder, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and how Running Wylder is so much more than just a run store.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🏀 How basketball drills made her fall in love with running
🤝 Why high school cross-country felt different than other sports
🏃♀️ How running a marathon for college PE changed her perspective on the sport
🌎 How living in Vancouver and working at Lululemon made running a bigger part of her life
💡 How Lululemon showed her the power of aligning personal values with a company’s mission
🛍️ From considering her own brand to starting a running store, and the moment she knew it was time
🌟 Sourcing unique brands and why fashion matters in sports
🏡 How she manifested Running Wylder–even down to the exact location!
🎨 How her lifelong love of fashion, magazines, and creativity still influences her today
❤️🔥 What it means to build a space that prioritizes women and is inviting to all
Check out Running Wylder and join one of their community runs. Follow Running Wylder on Instagram
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
Runner and Photographer Steven Anderson joins Mimi to talk about his experience as a credentialed photographer at the New York City Marathon and his own journey as a runner.
Some highlights from this episode:
- Steven seeing his work in a Topo Athletics ad at a NYC Subway Station
- His plan to capture all the best shots on race day
- How his photography reflects his environment and subjects
- His path to the marathon and being the literal poster boy for the LA Marathon (for better or worse)
- Running with Marina Run Club and what the Bay Area running community means to him
- Setting big goals and working backwards to achieve them
You can follow Steven on Instagram @sjandersonla and on Strava.
You can find us on Instagram and X @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
On today’s episode we chat with Arman Soleimani and Patrick Hynes of the Golden State Racing Collective. This was a great conversation exploring the why behind GSRC and talking about the gaps they hope to fill in both racing and running culture. We learn more about Arman and Patrick’s journey as athletes and as runners and talk about how running is way more than just an activity. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements about upcoming races!
Some highlights include:
📘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
👟Accessibility in racing and the running community
🎽The evolution of running culture
🔁Coming to running at different times in life
🌠The importance of focusing on more than just time and distance
🎨Running events as a complete experience
🍕Team Pizza 4-ever
You can find the Golden State Racing Collective on Instagram and on Strava at goldenstateracingcollective.
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
This week we are sharing our conversation with Cindy Smith, runner, mother, and founder of Pen and Paces. Cindy started running to manage burnout while working in tech and the challenge and process immediately resonated with her. In this episode we talk about how her love of running has guided her, developing her artistic talent, founding Pen and Paces, becoming a mother, and how running is one thing AI can’t replace!
Some highlights from our conversation:
❤️🔥 How professional burnout inspired her to go on her first run
🎽 Discovering her creativity in her 30s
🤸 Founding Pen and Paces in 2020 and how it’s grown
⚙️The story behind what inspired her to develop a customizable race bib
🪩 Her new and ambitious mission for her company!
🤝Falling in love with the puzzle of racing
💡Why AI can’t replicate the magic of running
You can find Pen and Paces on Instagram @penandpaces and visit her store https://penandpaces.com/
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
This week we talk to Dr. Jason Tso, a board-certified cardiologist with the Sports Cardiology Program and the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease and Stanford’s Medical director of the Sports Cardiology Program. We talk about his path from road cycling to sports cardiology and advancing research to learn more about heart health in endurance athletes. Dr. Tso shares research on endurance sports and longevity, how heart rate data can inform training, and his own experiences as a marathoner! In addition, we talk about the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease’s 5k race on April 21st and we encourage all of our listeners to sign up!
Some highlights from our conversation:
🧬What the research tells us about heart health in endurance athletes
🤷Is there such a thing as too much exercise
🫶How fast and how long to run to optimize for longevity
🩻Maintaining cardiovascular health when you have to take a break from running
🫀What HRV can and can’t tell us
⌚️What metrics to pay attention to
🎽Spots are going fast for the My Heart Counts 5k race. Sign up now!
You can find us on Instagram and X @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
This week we are sharing our conversation with 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻, a road and trail runner, member of the Impalas, OTQ 2020, and 2022 Team USA Gold Medalist in the 100K. We have a fun and fascinating conversation about the power of teammates, going all in on running this year, training with a coach, and going after big goals when the fire is stoked!
Some highlights from our conversation:
👟Training for Black Canyons and doing her first 115 mile week!
🎽 Taking a year off from work to focus on running
🥳 Finding the right coach and how she’s keeping training fun
🦌Learning about the Impalas while at a bar in SF
🤩 The power of running with a team and believing in others as a way to believe in yourself
📈How she went from a lifetime goal of breaking 3 hours in the marathon to qualifying for the Olympic Trials in 2020
🌎Falling in love with ultrarunning and learning about new goals and bucket list races
🏋️♀️How fueling and strength training have been her superpower!
You can find Anna on Instagram @akacius and follow her training on Strava
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
In this episode we talk to Abbie McNulty just a few days after she ran the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando! Abbie is a former Stanford Track & Field and Cross Country Athlete. After college, Abbie ran for the Reebok Boston Track Club (based in Charlottesville, VA) before making her way back to the Bay Area. Abbie overcame injuries and other challenges to toe the line at CIM this past December to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials in her first marathon. Abbie works full-time and trains with other talented runners in San Francisco.
Some highlights from our conversation:
💪 Staying tough during the last few miles of the trials when things started to get hard
💫 Expectations of what being a professional runner was supposed to look like when she graduated college
🌉 Training in San Francisco with some of the most talented runners in the country
🩷 Meeting, training, and competing with her partner, fellow runner, Colin Bennie
🌲 The ultimate Stanford Cross-Country team
🎽 Her future marathon plans
You can find Abbie on Instagram.
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
In this episode we talk to Cal Calamia fresh off their win at the New York City Marathon! Cal is a marathoner, educator, poet, and an inclusivity activist for trans and nonbinary athletes. In November, Cal became the first trans nonbinary athlete to be granted a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone by the US Anti-Doping agency. This trailbreaking first is a complicated story that Cal generously shares with us. Cal recently got their masters in creative writing from USF and talks about the interplay between creativity and running. They share their work to get races to include nonbinary divisions and how important it is to make everyone feel recognized and celebrated and included!
Some highlights from our conversation:
✍️ How Writing and running allow them to connect with themselves and feel connected to others
😅 Finding joy in running and competition in high school
🤩 A sneak peek of the name of their upcoming collection of poems!
⏩️ How running may have accelerated their understanding of their gender identity
🌉 How Spain and San Francisco showed them the joy and connection within the trans community
🎓 The beauty and honesty of transitioning while teaching
✊ What pushed them to apply for the therapeutic use exemption
🏆 The joy of racing authentically and winning the nonbinary division at the San Francisco Marathon, New York City marathon, and Bay to Breakers
🥳 Making sure that we celebrate the winners for all divisions at races
You can find Cal on Instagram, Strava, and check out their website!
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
In this episode we talk to Emily Oster, fresh off her run at CIM! If you have a kid or are expecting, you know of Emily. Emily is an Economist, Professor, Writer, Podcaster, Parent, and now, a MARATHONER! Emily is the founder of the podcast and newsletter, Parent Data. Parent Data, along with her books Expecting Better, Cribsheet, and The Family Firm, takes a data-driven approach to questions around pregnancy and parenting. She blends economics, statistics, and common sense to make the journey of parenting just a little easier. Emily is also an avid runner and a huge fan of the sport. If you follow her on Instagram you get to see Emily at the end of her runs most mornings, dishing out the parenting advice we so crave.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🎽 Why Emily went from running for enjoyment (and mental health) to racing
🌟 What makes Emily a fan of the sport
🍩 What it’s like to run with Molly Huddle (and Shane Quinn)
📊 How working experts has changed how she approaches her training and fueling
💨 Why a bad workout impacts us more than a bad email or bad day at work
🏁 Her determination to finish CIM and who, in particular, was following along
😬 Why agreeing to give a talk the day after a marathon is a very bad idea
You can find Emily on Instagram @profemilyoster and make sure to subscribe to the Parent Data podcast and Newsletter. And check out the Parent Data website which also links to everything!
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
This week we are sharing our conversation with Zach Litoff, runner, artists, and Santa Clara Alumni. Zach ran a 14:13 at Tracksmith’s Twilight 5000 in San Francisco this summer and paced a blistering heat 1 at the Oakland Twilight 5000. We had a fascinating conversation about his experience falling in love with running, building team culture, creativity and taking chances to pursue the things he loves.
Some highlights from our conversation:
❤️🔥 Loving running first and learning how to be competitive
🎽 Helping build Santa Clara’s track and XC programs
🤸 How trampoline tricks made him into a steeplechaser
⚙️Finding balance between running and other parts of his identity
🪩 Useful delusion to manage the pain of racing
🤝How his running and creativity go hand-in-hand
💡Starting and growing his design firm Litoff Studio
🤩Holding on to the things that brought him child-like joy
You can find Zach on Instagram @zachlitoff, his deign studio @litoffstudio and follow his training on Strava
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
Jay Holder is back! We talked to Jay fresh off three very important events: the New York City Marathon; the announcement that he will be the new Executive Director of Running USA; and of course, 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
We kick things off by talking about the New York City Marathon and what his role was at the race. We then get into some exciting career news and what Jay’s future being front and center in the running industry will look like. There’s also some trials talk. We wrap it up getting to the real reason we came back together - 1989 (Taylor’s Version). We talk not only, Taylor, but about the impact of pop music in general, and about Jay’s love for the band Guster.
Some highlights from our conversation:
📈Why getting older as a runner is actually a great thing
🗽The New York City Marathon, specifically the women’s race
🇺🇸Why we’ll all watch the Trials, no matter what time they’re held (update: as of 11/15 they will be at 10am ET), and the amazing job the Orlando LOC does with their races
👋 Knowing when it’s time to make a change in your career and being ok taking risks
🩵Why 1989 is one of the best pop albums ever made
🕛The importance of nostalgia in music
💽 How Jay found Guster and his love (and commitment) for the band
You can follow Jay on X @@jauntingjourno, on Instagram @jayholderruns, and on Strava. Also be sure to check out Running USA.
This week we talked to Reisel Berger, runner, mother, and psychiatric clinical pharmacist. Reisel shares her experience with running, developing tools and an integrative approach to cope with mental illness, motherhood and running, her work as a psychiatric clinical pharmacist, and starting her own consulting business.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🥇How high expectations impacted her running performance
🌿 Her experience with an eating disorder
🔨 The downside of using running as therapy
💫 How a bigger life made her mental illness smaller
🐣 How motherhood has changed her relationship with running
♾️ Developing an integrative approach to mental health
Check out Reisel’s website for more information about her and her work. You can find us on Instagram and X @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
Welcome to a peak inside Mimi's brain a little over 24 hours post Berlin Marathon.
This episode is unedited, unfiltered, and probably a little all over the place.
Enjoy!
In this episode we talk to three participants in the SF Twilight 5000 pre and post race: Amanda Wiggenhorn, Kevin O'Connell, and Penelope Ferraro.
We talk about what led them to sign up for the race, what there expectations were, and how it all turned out! We also got to know Amanda, Kevin, and Penelope and what brought them to the sport. Each one of them had a very different journey to running and they all have big goals for the future.
David Lam is back! David had an incredible experience racing Western States for the first time and we couldn’t resist the chance to hear all about the build up, race, and his thoughts on equity, inclusion and diversity in trail running.
Some highlights from our conversation:
🤓 Training for Western States without a coach
🎽 Racing all of the oldest races in the US in his build up
📖 The book that helped him train his mind for the race
🎉How running 100-miles is like returning to childhood
✨ The sparks of joy he encountered during the race
🧑🤝🧑His amazing crew and how he picked those people to be by his side
❤️🩹How the running community helps him grieve
👋The importance of seeing people who look like you at races
🤗The work he’s doing with organizations to expand access to trail racing and running
You can find David on Instagram @davidtlam and follow his training on Strava
You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @runnersofthebay
Check out our website www.runnersofthebay.com and send us an e-mail at runnersofthebay@gmail.com.
Music is California by The Spectacular Fantastic.
Mixing and editing by Brian Walters at Singletrack Sound.
