Episodes

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Today we’re excited to welcome professional runner Ben Flanagan back to the show! It was about this time last year that we first got to know Ben (episode 95) after he signed his contract with On Running, but during this conversation he delivered an absolute masterclass on everything related to World Championships. Not only is Ben a wealth of knowledge on all things track, he also recently qualified for his first ever World Championshi...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Kara Leinweber is a trail and mountain runner from Calgary, Alberta where she lives with her husband and two children. In addition to working in the oil & gas sector, Kara is also the owner and race director of Lewiston Ultra Events through which she enjoys hosting trail running events and socials for all levels of runner. Kara is active in both the road and trail running community and is devoted to encouraging others, giving back...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text It’s time for another Couple of the Quarter episode! This time we welcome Reinier & Melissa Paauwe from Calgary, Alberta to the show. They are quite the power couple who met at work at a lunch run club. Both have excelled at both cycling & running. Reinier placed second at Canadian Nationals in the Duathlon in 2017 before he ran his first marathon in 2018 and soon found himself podium finishing at trail ultras.&nbs...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Janelle Brade is a running & mindset coach from Calgary, Alberta. She founded her business Motivated in Motion when she became aware of the transformative impact running had on her own life, both physically and personally. Recognizing the immense value it brought, she aspires to share this gift with fellow runners. She firmly believes that anyone, regardless of their pace, can embrace the joy of running and accomplish their aspira...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Patrick Seymour is a 39 year old oil and gas engineer, mountain runner and proud father of two boys. He lives in Bragg Creek, a quaint little town surrounded by provincial parks, mountains, and trails not far from Calgary, Alberta. Like a true Canadian kid, he has spent his fair share of time on the ice playing hockey, but over the last few years has found he has a natural ability to move efficiently in mountainous terrain.&nbsp...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Derek Kaufman is a trail runner and business owner who lives in the beautiful Vancouver Island running local of Comox, BC. He began running in 2017 with the goal of completing a ½ marathon goal and steadily progressed into long distance trail running. Although Derek has experienced races in Utah and Kelowna, he states he absolutely loves running on Vancouver Island where he has twice completed the Finlayson Double (50 miles on Sat fol...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Priscilla Forgie is a trail ultramarathon runner currently living in Edmonton, AB. She discovered running during a period of her life when she felt the need for connection and quickly found the trail running community provided exactly that! A few weeks ago she was the top Canadian and 8th female to cross the finish line at Western States Endurance Run! Priscilla broke onto the elite scene in 2021 with a first place finish...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Nancy Gajdosik has been volunteering with the Manitoba Marathon for the past 41 years, nearly as long as the event’s 45 year existence! At this year’s Manitoba Runners’ Association Hall of Fame Banquet, she was honoured as the very first recipient of the Excellence in Volunteering Award, where she brought many in the crowd to tears with her heartfelt acceptance speech. Large scale events like the Manitoba Marathon require an army of d...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Angela Maciocia is a soon-to-be 48-year-old masters runner from just outside of Montreal, QC. On May 27th she competed in the elite field of the Ottawa 10K, which also served as our Canadian Championships. Alongside Olympians and international level athletes, Angela was proud to be the oldest runner in the field and one of only eight women over the age of 40. Not only did she win her 45-49 age group and finish 6th master, she also ran a rea...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Jamie Nott is a 48 year old mountain trail ultra-runner and father-of-three from Calgary, Alberta. He is a Senior Safety Codes Officer in Rocky View County and Race Director for Iron Legs Mountain Races and Racing Dusk. He was inspired to host these races as a way to showcase the amazing trails in and around the Elbow Valley and Bragg Creek and provide world class racing opportunities in the beautiful mountains close to his home...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Robyn Penner is a 42 year old runner and Mom of two young children ages 4 and 1. She took a much longer and more thoughtful approach with her return to postpartum running after baby #2 and it really seems to be paying off. She is coming off one of the most brilliantly executed half marathons in Fargo and is now gearing up to run the Chicago Marathon this fall, where she is raising funds for Girls on the Run. Carolyn has an extra special inv...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Today we are pleased to welcome Laura Sherrer-Townsend to the show. Laura is a 48 year old #motherrunner of 5 children ages 10-18. She has a history in social work, currently operates her own business and is the founder and race director of Survivorfest, a 24 hour running event in Sherwood Park, Alberta where she also resides. Always a woman on the move, Laura is also on a mission to run 50 ultramarathons before she turns 50 years old...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Jenny Quilty is a 34 year old running coach and ultra runner from Abbotsford, BC where she lives with her partner Matt and their 2 dogs. Jenny and her friend & business partner Katrina started their coaching company Pacific Pine Running Co. in 2018. At this time she was practicing as an occupational therapist, but left her OT job in 2021 to coach and run full time. While in university, Jenny ran a few half marathons and a ro...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Meet our Couple of the Quarter, Bo Huang & Mingdi Zhao, who recently celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary at the 2023 Boston Marathon where they both finished with personal bests. Bo crossed the line in 3:13 and Mingdi ran 3:34, which requalifies them by over 21 and 30 minutes, respectively, for their upcoming 55 age category should they wish to return. Mingdi excelled at running straight out of the gates and eventually inspired Bo...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Jen Segger is a FORCE. She has spent the last 20+ years travelling the globe competing as a world class adventure racing athlete and ultra runner. For decades she has pushed her body and mind to the extremes, exploring her true potential and going beyond what she thought was previously possible. Jen shares her experiences and knowledge with those that she works with. As a full time endurance coach to athletes of all levels from around the w...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Arli Cruikshank is a 40 year old runner from Manitoba and a mother of two preteens. She is also currently halfway through her second pregnancy as a surrogate mother. Her first journey with surrogacy began in 2016 and after three long years of emotional highs and lows, she gave birth to surrobabe Noah in October of 2019 for a woman named Aleah. Getting pregnant the second time around was much more seamless, and at the time of this reco...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text In this episode we welcome Sarah Seads back to the show. She is one of Kim’s closest friends and was one of our first guests in episode 4. In that 2020 episode she talked about tackling her “Year of Fears” and in this one she shares the experiences and wisdom she has gained from her “Year of Following My Heart.” Sarah has completely redefined herself over the last few years and it is hard to put a label on her. Once a tree plant...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Paula Wiltse is an elite 55-year old masters runner from Carolyn’s hometown of Brockville, ON. She has personal bests of 17:02 for the 5k all the way up to 2:48:50 for the marathon, and has even held some Canadian masters age group records throughout the years. At the age of 50 in 2017, Paula became part of a rare group of women to break 3 hours for the marathon, running an impressive 2:58:52 in Chicago. Carolyn interviewed Paula abou...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Chris Fenlon-MacDonald is an adventure racer and father, living in Calgary AB. He is the owner and founder of Rocky Mountain Adventure Racing and also played a huge role in the creation of the Swamp Donkey events in Manitoba. Recently he completed the Expedition Canada Adventure Race in the Okanagan in 2022 and is currently training for 2023! After serving as a full-time reservist with the Canadian Armed Forces in Winnipeg and Edmonton and ...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text In honour of the 10 year anniversary of the Boston bombings, we’ve decided to re-air our conversation with Cassandra Bonn, who ran the marathon on that fateful day back in 2013. Cassandra is 47 year old Account and Sales Executive with Quinte Broadcasting in Belleville ON. She took up running in her early 30s and even though her two children were young at the time, she went all in on training to the point that she qualified for the Boston M...

Erika Kemp is making her debut at the Boston Marathon! Erika was first on the show on episode 298 in January 2021. At that time, she was training for the Olympic Standard while training with the BAA. She recently announced that she sponsored by Brooks. Erika is queen of the roads. She won the USA 20k champs in 2021 and she won the USA 15k champs in 2019 and placed 2nd at the USATF 5k road champs in 2018 and 2022. She was also 2nd in the 25k champs in 2021. She is now being coached by Kurt Benn...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Today we welcome Hollie Lawder to the show to discuss Lauren Fleshman’s new book, Good for a Girl. A mother-of-three including two girls, Hollie is not only the genius behind the “Reading on the Run” Instagram and blog, she also works at a library, and is an accomplished road and trail runner. Unfortunately, Hollie also has firsthand experience with many of the difficult subjects presented in Lauren’s book. Good For a Girl is bo...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Recently named “Canada’s Greatest Female Distance Runner” by Canadian Running magazine, Lynn Kanuka won medals on numerous international stages and set almost every Canadian middle distance record during the height of her storied career in the 1980s. Born and raised in Regina, SK, Lynn now lives just outside of Vancouver where, until 2021, she coached our current Canadian record holder in the marathon, Natasha Wodak (episode 124).&nbs...

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text André Belibi Eloumou is a mindset coach, personal trainer and extreme athlete from Switzerland who was in Calgary recently to train in the cold. While he was there, he ran shirtless and barefoot and performed some ice plunges in the river. His goal is to break the world record for ice immersion, currently set at 3 hours and 28 seconds. He has completed a run across the US and from France to Morocco, but while in Calgary his goal is to train...