We all have our reasons for running -- for some of us it starts with wanting to get more exercise and lose a few pounds, right? Our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast is definitely one of those folks -- a Charlotte native who looked at his high school Senior photo, tipping the scales at 300 pounds -- and decided to do better. For the next 16 years, Mike Cooke decided to do better every day, but the journey was not easy. Along the way he made changes in his food, his drinking, and...
Sep 21, 2021
In just a few short weeks, our big race will be here! We couldn’t do it without a lot of help, and all of our enthusiastic friends we call Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors. Bekah Eljoundi is one of them, though you may know her as Run Coach Bekah. She has more than 13 years of running, coaching, and personal training experience to give you the boost you need for your fitness or racing goals.
Sep 14, 2021
It’s a diagnosis that no parent ever wants to hear -- your sweet, bouncy, fun-loving, child has a terminal illness and there’s no cure. But if you found out that you could have slowed the illness -- maybe even kept it at bay -- with a blood screen when your baby was born, your grief then might turn to anger and then to action. Today we’re talking to a Mom taking action, about a scenario just like that. Sarah Penney McDonald’s son, Nash, had a seizure when he was 5, and shortly after that, doctor...
Sep 07, 2021•17 min
You could simply describe our next guest as a math teacher who also runs -- but that would barely scratch the surface when it comes to Larry Frederick. Sure, he’s taught gifted math classes for the last 14 years, but before that, he was known to old-school Charlotte runners as the founder and owner of Run For Your Life stores (Hey, we know that place!) And before he even opened his first Charlotte store in 1989, Larry was a runner -- a very GOOD runner. His hometown paper, the Utica Observer-Dis...
Aug 24, 2021•29 min
If you need a bit of cheer, a motivating word, or a great running route around Charlotte, ask any one of our Ambassadors. The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors will make you want to run through a wall -- (we don’t recommend that) -- or at least get you out on the road putting one foot in front of the other on days your motivation falls short. And if you want your run to be full of colorful murals, we’ve got an Ambassador who knows that too. Laura Morrow is a runner whose Instagram alt...
Aug 17, 2021•15 min
In a traditional world, it is drilled into our heads that good nutrition is a balance of all food groups, which includes protein -- most often lean meat. Nothing against a good piece of grilled chicken, but our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte podcast says you don’t need to eat more chicken, or even eat meat at all! Matt Frazier is the author of No Meat Athlete, and his blogs and books chronicle the basics of being an athlete on a vegan diet -- namely, it can be done! In fact, Matt say...
Aug 10, 2021•29 min
I hope you got a chance to watch the Olympics this year. It was a tough year for athletes -- with an extra year of training -- and less-than-ideal running conditions in Tokyo in July. We know YEARS of training go into getting to that level, to even qualify for Olympic Trials, so we thought you’d like some insight from someone who’s been there. Scott Dvorak is known to local runners as the owner of Charlotte Running Company, but he also has a long career in running at the highest level -- includi...
Aug 03, 2021•23 min
We’re talking to another one of our amazing Novant health Charlotte Marathon! This ambassador is a runner, a banker, and dog mom! Meet Haley Heartley – and hear about everything she does when she’s NOT running!
Jul 27, 2021•19 min
It’s HOT outside! You might be exercising less, not drinking enough – and if you’re like us – don’t have much motivation to cook. Matt Dengler of RxRD Nutrition is here with us toay, with tips on eating (and drinking) healthy all summer long!
Jul 20, 2021•20 min
We’re lucky to be back with one of our Ambassadors, Arun You may remember his AAA plan and barefoot running – let’s see what he’s up to now!
Jul 13, 2021•16 min
You may have seen our next guests on Instagram as ThatCLTRunningCouple. They met while running, and now chronicle their runs through the Queen City. Magan Martignango & John Carriker cheer on each other and their friends. And we’re happy to have them as our guests on Running Around Charlotte.
Jul 06, 2021•23 min
Our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors are some of the best! And while they all have running in common, they come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Today on Running Around Charlotte, we get a glimpse into the life of a pharmacist who specializes in oncology pharmacy -- and even rides in the popular bike fundraiser for cancer support here in Charlotte, in addition to her running. Meg's 24 Foundation Fundraising Page
Jun 29, 2021•19 min
We’re blessed in our community to have a number of great colleges with sports programs, giving student-athletes a chance to excel at sports beyond the high school level. D-2 school Queens University of Charlotte is definitely one of those, with multiple sports like track & field, swimming, and lacrosse playing for, or even winning, national championships. Our next guest on Running Around Charlotte is at the helm of the school’s successful running program. Jim Vahrenkamp is the Director of Tr...
Jun 22, 2021•23 min
If you need a little extra motivation, go read the Instagram posts from our Ambassador C.J. Langley. He has every excuse in the book to not try as hard as he does - a busy job and a foot injury among them. But still, he runs - carefully at times - but he realizes reaching goals takes the right shoes, consistency, and no shortcuts. We’re glad he’s an Ambassador for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon again this year, and even happier he’s here on Running Around Charlotte to share some positive v...
Jun 15, 2021•24 min
We know runners love the great outdoors -- and our next guest on Running Around Charlotte not only runs in it, but DESIGNS outdoor spaces! Casey Cline is an artist, Landscape Architect, runner, and Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassador. She’s all about beautiful spaces as she explores -- and she’s here today to share her positive vibes.
Jun 08, 2021•20 min
What’s your idea of a nice, long run? Ten miles? 20? A marathon? Awesome. Our next guest on Running Around Charlotte, though, likes the Ultras. Chris Raulli was a member of Team USA for the 2018 World Trail Championships and other international races, and even more importantly -- took 2nd at our 2018 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon! Last summer, he picked up a win at the One NY Challenge -- the 1000k Virtual Race across New York… and has the US 50k Championship coming up. Welcome Chris!
Jun 01, 2021•21 min
We all know running is great exercise, but let’s be real -- it feels different during every stage of our lives. Men also experience training differently from women. Any workout you do to be a better runner is not one-size-fits-all -- so our guest today on Running Around Charlotte addresses some of the nuances for women runners. Wait, guys -- you need to hear this too. If you’re married to a runner, or in a relationship with one, it’s a good idea to be familiar with the aches and pains women face...
May 25, 2021•25 min
When we think of strong, toned legs, we probably think of two types of athletes -- runners, and dancers. They aren’t mutually exclusive, and our next guest on Running Around Charlotte is proof. Alessandra Ball James spent 15 seasons with the dance company at Charlotte Ballet, performing countless hours as a Sugar Plum Fairy and other incredible roles. She also runs. (It’s true!) And she’s an entrepreneur, retiring from the ballet company in 2020 to open everyBodies Ballet with fellow dancer, Sar...
May 18, 2021•23 min
This is a time of year we LOVE -- the cold finally breaks, but the heat hasn’t overtaken us. Of course it’s a great time to run, but it’s also a great time to enjoy patio dining at our favorite restaurant or brewery! And that means, we’d better get running or we’ll start packing on a few pounds. It doesn’t have to be that way though -- Matt Dengler of RxRD Nutrition is here to help keep us honest in our meals with fresh, in-season choices that don’t crash our diets.
May 11, 2021•26 min
A road race is a great way to raise money and awareness for a cause. We love that proceeds from the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon go to Hemby Children’s Hospital. Our next guest on Running Around Charlotte is not only an active runner and coach in the community, but he is the event director for a 5k with a great name -- called “Get Your Rear in Gear.” The name makes a lot more sense when you hear what it’s for, and Philip Sanford will be happy to tell us all about it.
May 04, 2021•17 min
We always love talking to our ambassadors, especially about how they got into running. We also love that so many of our ambassadors aren’t lifelong marathoners, but regular folks who picked up running as adults and found a whole new way to grow from it. Ambassador Emily Richardson is like that -- she started running her sophomore year at Michigan State and has grown with it ever since, even sharing the sport with kids as a Girls on the Run coach at her school.
Apr 27, 2021•21 min
If you are part of Charlotte’s huge running community, or have just wanted to be, you’ve probably tapped into the wealth of information at runCLTrun. It’s not a club, but a digital platform to get people connected -- a hub for gathering information, finding out how, when, or where to train or race, and has answers to a multitude of other questions runners often have. Now its creator Lisa Landrum has found a way to help our youth runners who were disconnected from their schools and teammates duri...
Apr 20, 2021•18 min
Let’s talk for a minute about WHY we run. Of course, it’s great exercise. If we run in groups -- we meet people, encourage each other, and get motivated to live our best, healthiest lives. That’s also the philosophy behind the group Black Girls RUN, whose goal it is to get African American women off the couch and connected to each other by running. We’re DELIGHTED to have two ambassadors from Black Girls RUN here with us today on Running Around Charlotte because their message is an important one...
Apr 13, 2021•19 min
Most of you have heard of Girls on the Run, that awesome learn-to-embrace-running (and yourself) program that started here in Charlotte and is now an international program. You may or may not know there is a similar program for boys -- started by a Girls on the Run coach -- that is celebrating 13 years as an organization. It’s called Let Me Run, and has more than 50 chapters around the country. Their Executive Director is here on the Running Around Charlotte podcast to tell us all about it -- We...
Apr 06, 2021•21 min
There are a lot of challenges to getting out for your run -- we know them all! Time, work energy, weather, family … you name it, they can all get in the way. Our next guest on Running Around Charlotte also has a few things pulling at her schedule, but she’s met the challenge and even took 3rd place at our 2019 half marathon! Meet our busy mom, Anne Fechtel.
Mar 30, 2021•20 min
To say this year was a weird one, would be an understatement. But if you’re a runner -- you already know that. So you probably know that presents some challenges to us at the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. How do you get people involved in this great event while keeping them safe? What can we do to make race day special, even for runners who want to run virtually? We knew we needed to find someone who could do that -- and we did. Alaina Williams is the new Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Eve...
Mar 23, 2021•16 min
Running is a great way to stay healthy -- and a great way to know if something just isn’t right. That’s exactly what happened to marathoner Tom Perri, who has run marathons in all 50 states -- more than once! -- and some ultras too. But in 2018, Tom sensed something wasn’t quite right and a visit to his doctor confirmed it. He had prostate cancer. And guess what else -- the resulting surgeries and treatment didn’t stop him from running marathons. In fact, he’s completed more than 100 of them sin...
Mar 16, 2021•27 min
We all have good reasons to run…. And some days, we tell ourselves we have plenty of good reasons not to. Work, school, kids, fewer daylight hours… our list goes on and on. Our next guest on Running Around Charlotte has all of those excuses, and still makes time to get out and get a few miles in before the sun comes up. Kerri Vardon is a busy marketing accounts manager and mom of 2 young kids, who calls herself an “average” runner, but has done 2 virtual half-marathons this year and one in-perso...
Mar 09, 2021•21 min
In a year with very few in-person marathons, one elites-only event allowed Charlotte’s Olympic Trials qualifier Paula Pridgen to hit the road with other runners. Only 50 men and 50 women were invited to take part in the Marathon Project on a closed course in Chandler, Arizona, in December. Pridgen has, of course, run a few marathons in her time, but this one was a little different -- and Pridgen says she learned some things about herself along the way. She’s our guest today on Running Around Cha...
Mar 02, 2021•20 min
Hopefully, we’ve all gotten off to a good start with our New Year’s Resolutions, right? The top resolutions, most of us know, have to do with diet and exercise -- but for runners, there’s even better news. If you’re trying to burn fat, running is the best exercise because runners burn more calories per minute than other sports like swimming or riding a bike. As a result, dedicated runners are leaner than most other athletes. Congrats to you if you decided to lose weight this year with running. W...
Feb 23, 2021•29 min
