Percell Dugger is a NYC-based wellness consultant, certified strength coach, and NIKE running coach. The founder of GOODWRK , Percell helps athletes of all abilities reach their potential, creates thriving spaces that celebrate movement, and champion health equity. Percell's sprint to share his message of health equity has since turned into a marathon. He recently trained actor Winston Duke for his role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , and he launched Fit For Us , a wellness-focused creative ...
Mar 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Spring is now here and with it comes in an increase in running, outdoor fun, and marathon training. Fueling our longer efforts can provide several challenges. That is especially true for those of us who are preparing for a marathon by stacking up some serious long runs. With that in mind, Holley Samuel RD, CPT, is here to guide us through the process. Holley is a registered dietitian with a BS in Dietetics from the University of New Hampshire. She also has a Masters in Health Education and Promo...
Mar 28, 2023•46 min
In our second conversation with Nico Montañez on the Road to the Trials Podcast, Nico shares an amazing amount about training and racing. First, Nico does a nearly 30 minute breakdown of his recent training heading into the United Airlines NYC Half and the upcoming Boston Marathon. In the second half of the podcast Nico discusses his 7th place performance, and 2nd U.S. finisher, at the stacked United Airlines NYC Half. It was a freezing day in which Nico ran well against some of the world's bes...
Mar 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min
We are re-releasing our conversation with Andrea Pomaranski from October, 2021 after she finished as the 10th American woman at the Boston Marathon at the age of 39 because Andrea is at it again! She just won the 50K national title along with setting a new American masters record at the distance. Andrea's story is much more than merely running well as a masters athlete. Here is her post after the 2021 Boston Marathon that puts her accomplishments into the context of her life: "My heart is so ful...
Mar 20, 2023•59 min
Kim Levinsky has one of the most unique running-related stories and lives that we've every learned about on the Rambling Runner Podcast. She is the owner and race director for Sassquad Trail Running, a running community based in NJ/NY. Kim has helped elevate trail running in that area by providing month "trail parties" while fostering an atmosphere of fun and inclusion that make Sassquad events enjoyable and challenging. Kim is also an exceptional athlete. She played both basketball and softball...
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 14 min
I am now an ultramarathoner! On Saturday I competed in the Squatchapple 33 miler at the South Mountain Reservation in West Orange, NJ. It was a muddy and glorious experience that I will remember forever. In this episode, my good friend and fellow Relay contributor Peter Bromka helps me analyze the experience. We discuss the distance, hills, mindset, running vs walking, and the mud. Oh the mud!!! Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by UCAN nutrition which is powered to deliver steady, long lasting...
Mar 14, 2023•39 min
Jeff Cunningham has quietly become one of the best running coaches in the America over the past 20 years. The native Texan coaches some of the best athletes in the country (including recent guest Mitch Ammons) and those aspiring to complete their first marathon, or even 5k. In this episode we have a wide-ranging conversation about how he got into coaching after running at Baylor University, principles that can help runners of all abilities and backgrounds, the definition of "talent", and so much...
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Jereny started running in 2015 and ran her first marathon in 5 hours and 25 minutes. Since then, she's lost over 50 lbs. and knocked 2.5+ hours off her time. Last month she ran a 2:47 in Houston and she has been smashing several shorter races in-and-around her local Orlando running scene. Jereny is in a similar position to where Stefanie Flippin was in season one of Road to the Trials - her big stretch goal is to qualify for the trials. An enormous feet and one that will require all of Jereny's ...
Mar 07, 2023•49 min
I love all the interviews I've done on the Rambling Runner but this one may have have been one of the most fun. Chris Mancini is former college acquaintance of mine who is now preparing after for the Boston Marathon. He is a man of many passions including performing music, theater, running, his non-profit work, and his family. Above all, he is a joyous human being who goes after his goals with passion, vigor, and a sense of wonder. I'm in awe of Chris Mancini, and after you hear this episode you...
Mar 04, 2023•53 min
Today on the Rambling Runner Podcast we are introducing a new kind of episode that will become part of our normal rotation: Sport Science Corner. These episodes will feature a prominent guest who will walk us through some of the significant research that can effect many amateur runners. Our guest in this episode is Christine Yu. Christine is an award-winning journalist. She writes about sports, science, and health. She especially love telling stories about the intersection of sports science and ...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Two months ago Mitch Ammons achieved the seemingly impossible. He qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon at the California International Marathon with a time of 2:16:48. In this episode we dive into everything that went into that special day. You can hear more about Mitch's tumultuous and uplifting background in episode 456. Here is what Mitch wrote about that special day. It encapsulates his journey perfectly: "I don’t even know where to start with this one. Thanks all of y’all for the overw...
Feb 24, 2023•42 min
Carolyn Su is back for our monthly For the Love of The Run feature and we are doing a follow-up to our New Years Goals show. In this episode, we talk about where we are with our running, how that relates to our 2023 running goals (and how they've already shifted a bit), and take a deep dive into our family-related goals that are already paying dividends. For the Love of the Run is presented by Tracksmith. Both Carolyn and I been wearing and loving Tracksmith for years and we couldn't think of a ...
Feb 20, 2023•53 min
This episode featuring Abiye Okuchaba is perfect for runners who are trying to navigate the beginning of their running journeys and those who are trying to recapture the magical feeling that running first put into their lives. Abiye is a bright light in the Denver running community despite starting the his running journey a few years ago. In 2023 he improved his marathon time from 5:30 in May to 4:30 in December. A remarkable feet, to be sure. However, this improvement is even more noteworthy wh...
Feb 17, 2023•56 min
In this episode we are re-airing one of the best conversations in Rambling Runner history, and for good reason. Heather Knight Pech was once told that her peak was gone. It was in a class she was taking at Stanford 18 months ago. It sparked a deep conversation with her coach, James McKirdy, and her support team. Dejected, she was reminded that there's simply no chart or metric that can measure the power of the human spirit. This past weekend, just a few days before turning 61, Heather ran her se...
Feb 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min
The February episode of Coach's Corner LIVE on Relay is out and it may have been our best one yet. Many Relay subscribers sent in questions about the mental side of running/racing and they were fantastic. Over the course of an hour we answered the following questions: "I enjoy running far, but am looking at making the leap from doing 50 milers as my longest ever distance to my first 100 miler in the fall. How do I conceptualize and build mental strength in training, knowing I'll be running twice...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 4 min
We are starting off season three of Road to the Trials with one of the best and most versatile runners in the U.S. - Nell Rojas. In this episode we talk about her 2022 marathon performances and take a deep dive into the tumultuous last two months of her life that nearly ended her 2023 Boston Marathon before it began. Nell is a professional marathon runner for Nike. She grew up in Boulder, CO with two older brothers and her dog Starblaze. She walked on to the Northern Arizona University cross cou...
Feb 07, 2023•47 min
The Road to the Trials has returned for season three and we are fired up! We will be bringing you a yearlong, behind the scenes, look at the training and racing of some of America's best runners as they prepare for the Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3, 2024. In this amazing season we will be following Nell Rojas, CJ Albertson, Sara Vaughn, Dani Moreno, Nico Montañez, Carmen Graves, Ramiro “Curly” Guillen, and Jereny Rivera. In this episode we are joined by Stefanie Flippin and Peter Bromka....
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Miguel Peralta is the kind of enthusiastic and galvanizing person that can bring runners of all abilities together. He is also super fast! In this episode Miguel talk about how he originally pushed running away when his dad tried to get him to run as a teenager, embracing running in his 20's, how taking a "no days off" mentality fit his personality, the magic of 10 mile runs, and how he went from a 3:27 marathon all the way down to 2:47! Miguel also talks about bringing runners together to help ...
Jan 30, 2023•43 min
Dr. Jess Mena, DPT is here for our monthly collaboration and this time we are talking about she went from an ultramarathon newbie to dropping two hours off her 50k time. Jess breaks down her race and improvement with her unique blend of insight, wit, and high-energy. Here is a poem Jess wrote after her experience: That sound of dirt under my feet The smell of crisp mountain air Mountain rugged dirt roads That stimulates the senses aware. My soul overwhelmingly full My legs on agonizing fire The ...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Today we have a special episode of Coach's Corner. Almost all of us had made running goals in our lives. Many of those are almost certainly time-based goals. These types of goals can have huge positives and just as many negatives. In this episode, James McKirdy and I dive into all of them. James McKirdy is the founder and head coach of McKirdy Trained. You can learn more about his amazing coaching company and dozens of elite coaches at www.mckirdytrained.com . Sponsor: This episode is sponsored ...
Jan 23, 2023•57 min
Carolyn Su is back for our monthly For the Love of The Run feature and we are leaning into the new year. In this episode, we talk briefly about how our process of setting goals/resolutions has changed over time before getting into all of our goals for athletic and personal lives. We both bring some serious honesty and frankness in this episode as we talked for well over an hour and didn't even get to our professional goals! For the Love of the Run is presented by Tracksmith. Both Carolyn and I b...
Jan 20, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Jason Fitzgerald, the host of the top rated Strength Running Podcast, is back on the show! Jason has been on the show several times to talk about the importance of strength training, improving as an athlete, and the various ways becoming stronger can help runners achieve their goals. In today's episode, Jason and I discuss some different and exciting topics. First we dive into the occasional imposter syndrome that can overcome runners as they try to take up strength training for the first time a...
Jan 16, 2023•59 min
Holy cow - 500 episodes!!!! For the last five and a half years I've been bringing you the Rambling Runner podcast and it's been one of the greatest joys of my life. In this episode I'm joined by my friend and fellow media member Dylan Bowman. We take a deep dive into everything that goes into the work, the joys, the challenges, and plenty of things that happen behind the scenes in our fun and interesting industry. Dylan is the founder of Freetrail - the best place for trail running media. You ca...
Jan 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Hi folks! We are a week into 2023 and I hope everyone is nailing all of their process goals and staying aligned with what you hope to pursue in new year! With that in mind, we have the fantastic guest on today's show - Alli Felsenthal. In 2022 Alli had one of the best years I've ever seen from an amateur runner. She set a PR in every distance distance she raced, including smashing her 3:00 marathon goal at Chicago. Alli swam competitively as a teenager before stepping away from organized sports....
Jan 09, 2023•53 min
The new year is here and all of us are focused on the things we want to accomplish in 2023, and beyond, and the ways in which we hope to get there. With that in mind, we have the perfect guest to help us illuminate the way - Sara Manderscheid. In 2022 Sara set a PR in every distance (see the list below) and did the same in 2021. In this episode she details just how she was able to reach those heights as a dedicated amateur runner just like you and me, lots of Boston Marathon talk, and how she ov...
Jan 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Emily Heller, one of my favorite people, is back on the show! In this episode we talk all about the 2022 running shoe revolution. It was a year that was paradigm shifting in many ways. Emily's YouTube channel, Run Like Heller, has some of the best shoe reviews on the internet so she was the perfect person to help break it all down. Specifically we dove into the new super max category, the explosion of new and varied carbon plates, a new and exciting take on stability shoes, and the elimination o...
Jan 03, 2023•58 min
2022 has been a banner year for my running and I couldn't be more excited about it! I'm about to eclipse 2,200 miles with 100,000 feet of elevation gain - nearly double what I've done in any previous year. All at the age of 41... and I'm just getting started. In this episode, I take a deep dive into the five lessons (plus one extra) that I'll take from this year to help me in 2023, and beyond. No matter your skill or fitness level, I think you'll be able to take plenty from this episode as you p...
Dec 23, 2022•34 min
Carolyn Su is back for our monthly For the Love of The Run feature and we are joined by my good friend, and consistent guest, Maurice "Marathon Panda" Lowman. In this episode the three of us each share five unpopular opinions that we feel strongly about. We have plenty of running related topics, some food topics, clothes, and much more. Most of all, TONS of laughs as all of us had an absolute blast recording this episode! For the Love of the Run is presented by Tracksmith. Both Carolyn and I bee...
Dec 16, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Today I am psyched to have my good friend, and occasional running partner, Ted Jordan on the show. Ted's journey as an amateur runner began the same way as most folks - he started running a couple times a week to stay fit while in his 20's. Things progressed quickly for Ted in his late 30's when he decided that he wanted to complete a marathon before his 40th birthday. From there, Ted improved every year and isn't slowing down anytime soon. In fact, he set a five minute marathon PR at the Philad...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 1 min
This past weekend we took the Rambling Runner Podcast on the road to the California International Marathon! This fantastic race brings in runners from all over the country who are itching to reach a big goal. The energy surrounding the event is palpable and it's always one of the highlights of my year. In this episode we have four back-to-back live shows featuring: Alison Mariella Desir : Discussing her book "Running While Black" Mike "Kofuzi" Ko : Talking about running three marathons and eight...
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 7 min
