In just her second marathon ever, Katherine runs an evenly paced 2:45 (6:17/mile) in Chicago. What makes this performance perhaps even more impressive? She trained up to this all while balancing a full college lifestyle from sorority life, to rigorous honors classes at Emory, and now landing a post-grad full time job offer in NYC.
Katherine tells us,
“Right now marathons and long running is very, very trendy…there’s this trend and ideology that people are able to run marathons like five, six marathons a year, And like, I just don’t think that’s realistic for a number of reasons…I personally don’t follow that. I like to do a much more chill one [per] year max.
Actually, I was planning on doing Boston this spring, 2026, had qualified in my prior marathon last year and decided not to just because I have my whole life to run Boston. And yes, I qualified and I had qualified again this year so if I decide to do it in 2026, sure.
But at this point in my life, I have my life to run marathons. I have a semester left of college.”
While she may stick to one per year, there is no doubt that when Katherine sets out to run a marathon she makes it COUNT.
Tune in as we dive into the full race weekend from exploring the city, soaking up the expo for the first time, and attending Bretts Bites Run Club. We’ll then hear her full recap of the race itself from miles 1 to 26 including the new friends she made (and even ran with!) along the way. Beyond marathon weekend itself, Katherine also shares what her marathon training block looked like, from key workouts and carb loading to how having a coach changed her approach to training.
For those who stay through the end, we’ll catch up on her life as a senior at Emory University and wrap things up with a fun speed round full of the pressing (totally super important) questions, including our hot-takes on Thanksgiving food.
I hope you all love this episode as much as I now want to run a marathon!!!
LET'S CONNECT:
ADELE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
KATHERINE:
https://www.instagram.com/running.and.raspberries/?hl=en
“It felt so rewarding to have that race back and then be able to see success in my first season back knowing that I was doing things the right way…I was fueling properly, taking care of my body, physically and mentally doing all the things I needed to do.”
Angelina Perez has been having what many have labeled a "comeback season", but what does this comeback really mean? In this episode, we'll sit down with one of the NCAA's top distance runners, who shares the struggles she's gone through leading up to where she is now, racing happier and healthier than ever. From the University of Florida, to a Gap Year, to where she now calls home at Wake Forest, Angelina is not just back to the competitive running scene, but better. Angelina discusses her struggles with injuries, mental health, and an eating disorder, and how these challenges led her to take a gap year for recovery. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing health first and foremost, and finding joy in running. Angelina's story highlights resilience, the power of support, and the ongoing process of recovery, ultimately leading to her recent successes in cross country at Wake Forest.
Both a fun conversation, but also a vulnerable one covering deeper topics that makes this well worth sharing. Angelina is a testament to the fact that nobody's path to success comes easily, and will often be anything but linear. If you are reading this and struggling, you are not alone and I hope this gives you hope. Things will always get better when you push beyond your comfort zone and fight to make change <333
Love you guys!
XX,
Adele
LET'S CONNECT:
Adele's Socials
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
Angelina's Socials
In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Makenzie Steele, also known as @goodfoodgoodrun, who has built a loyal community of over 44k followers on Instagram, along with a YouTube and TikTok presence. Makenzie and I first connected years ago through our shared love of food and running, and now that friendship has come full circle into today’s conversation.
We dive into her journey from high school soccer player to walking on at Clemson and earning a roster spot on the cross country and track team, and what it was really like to embrace the challenges of being a D1 athlete. She opens up about her premature retirement due to injury, and how that setback ultimately allowed her to lean further into photography, content creation, and now a creative media role with @GoDucks while pursuing her MBA at Oregon.
Makenzie also shares how she resonates with the idea of the "Third Lap", navigating the difficult but often glamorized early 20s while balancing athletics, creativity, and career growth. This is such a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy!
LET'S CONNECT!!!
MY SOCIALS:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
MAKENZIE'S SOCIALS:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/goodfoodgoodrun/?hl=en //
https://www.instagram.com/msteele.media/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkK0ahmhHeIjHggyKJ2yeqA
Hey everyone! After an incredible first month of the podcast, 4 guest episodes later, I’ve decided to bring it back to basics this week, coming at you with my first full solo episode :) Before recording, I asked you guys on my Instagram to send in some questions about anything that I could answer in an episode. So in the first half, I dive into a little life update including those questions about life, work, running and more!
In the second half of this episode, we’ll get into as many tips as I can provide for how to get into distance running. Of course I’m no expert, but I’ll take any opportunity to share the things I wish I knew ahead of time before I began running so that I can help whoever needs to hear this most. We’ll cover how to start building base mileage, why consistency matters, and the importance of focusing on either speed or distance to avoid injury. I also talk about navigating setbacks like low iron or injuries, the role of cross training, my approach to nutrition and fueling, race day anxiety and more.
I hope you all enjoy this more laid back type of episode and as always, if there’s any topics or guests you’d like to see in a future episode please send them my way!
P.S. Pardon the delay (I know it’s Saturday!) as I’m doing my best to keep up during these busy weeks. Just know there will be more guests and more topics to cover in upcoming episodes every other week from this point on hehe. Thanks for being here!!!
LET'S CONNECT:
First of all, THANK YOU all for your patience in this delay of Third Lap "Thursday". The weekly upload cadence can be a tough squeeze, but all of the support in the podcast so far makes the hard work worth it :) The next episode will be a solo to slow down and talk through allll my updates, so stay tuned for that!
Now, in this 4TH episode of The Third Lap Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with my former teammate, Dominic Mastromatteo, to dive deep into his vast knowledge of distance running and the ever-evolving world of the sport. We kick things off by breaking down the distance events at Worlds in Tokyo, sharing medal predictions, and exploring how the distance running scene is continuing to level up. Dom brings a fresh perspective on where the sport is headed, what’s fueling its rise, and what it will take to keep that momentum growing.
From there, we rewind to his own college running journey, where Dom reflects on navigating the abrupt shutdown of his season during COVID, battling injuries, and learning the tough lessons of accountability. He shares how those challenges shaped his senior year and beyond, ultimately fueling growth on and off the track. We also unpack what The Third Lap means to him before wrapping with a fun speed round, where he discusses his favorite spots now as a Boston local. This episode is a unique blend of storytelling with a former teammate of mine and insightful discussions on the current running landscape. Hope you enjoy it!
LET'S CONNECT:
In this episode, I sit down for a full circle conversation with one of my closest friends and former teammate, Tori Mariano, to reflect on lessons learned through college running.
We dive right into discussions on the reality of under fueling and how crucial it is to keep fueling simple (food is fuel), why getting a regular menstrual cycle is essential for female athletes, and debunking long-standing myths around nutrition and performance. We also swap stories from our most memorable cross country meets, reflect on the highs and lows of being student-athletes, and Tori shares what she’s learned through her nonlinear five years in the sport.
I am so excited to share this conversation with you all as we unpack many of the things that nobody told us before college running - filled with laughs, reflections and maybe even helpful insight for anyone who may need it!
Don't forget to provide a review, drop a follow and let me know what topics or guests you'd like to see in the future!
LET'S CONNECT:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
In this episode, I sit down with Grace Hartman, one of the NCAA’s most accomplished and versatile distance runners running for NC State, to talk about the highs, lows, and everything in between. Grace takes us behind the scenes of her journey, opening up about the battles that shaped her standout year. From fighting through sickness during a tough stretch of the indoor season, to bouncing back with a fire that fueled record-breaking outdoor performances. We hear her perspective on opening this past spring 2025 outdoor season by winning Raleigh Relays in the 10k with a new meet record, NC State school record, and the third-fastest time ever run by a woman in NCAA history, and then breaking 15 minutes in the 5k at Duke with the #4 all-time NCAA mark.
After a remarkable string of seasons, Grace’s body was begging for rest. Despite qualifying for USA’s in every event from the 1500 to the 10k, she made one of the toughest calls of her career: pulling out to prioritize her health. While not the decision she imagined, Grace reflects on how this choice brought clarity about what the sport truly means, perhaps reinforcing that athletes are not machines, and that thriving long-term requires joy, balance, and an identity beyond running.
She also emphasizes the role of the mental side of sport, sharing how navigating pressure, maintaining perspective, and leaning on her NC State team culture have been just as critical to her success as the training itself. Oh, and of course we discuss her favorite gluten-free staples and an analogy about bread! Enjoy the episode :)
LET'S CONNECT:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
In this first-ever guest episode of The Third Lap Podcast, I sat down for a fun, jam-packed conversation with Katherine Kennedy! She is a former D3 collegiate runner turned sub–3-hour marathoner, senior at Emory College, Consulting intern, and Creator behind Running and Raspberries.
We chat about the evolution of the “foodstagram,” her experience navigating the decision to leave collegiate running, rediscovering love for the sport, and balancing life in corporate consulting with marathon training. Katherine shares her advice for athletes facing tough transitions, redefining her relationship with running, and how to juggle it all in a busy schedule.
Plus, at the end we'll dive into a speed round of fun questions and hear Katherine's interpretation of what “Third Lap” moments means to her. Whether you’re an athlete, student, or someone navigating your own in-between chapter, this conversation will likely resonate with you. And at the very least, pop in your headphones, go for a walk or run, and enjoy this chat like you're on a phone call with us :) Don't forget to like, subscribe and let me know what topics or guests you'd like to see in the future!
LET'S CONNECT:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/an.athletes.appetite/?hl=en
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@adele.alexander
Welcome to the Third Lap Podcast -- a space for ALL runners in all walks of life to feel connected in life's "third lap moments". Otherwise known as the uncomfortable "In-between" periods of time. For the full explanation, listen to this episode of the pod to find out :)
I'm your host, Adele Alexander, and am a recent college graduate and distance runner currently navigating finding my post-graduate purpose in life. This can be a time where the unknown feels scary and isolating. But, I know I'm not alone. So let's talk about it!
