For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running

Maria Chevalier has run a marathon in 48 states, finished the Boston Marathon 17 times, and a few weeks ago ran it twice in the same day, starting at 3 a.m. in reverse from Boston to Hopkinton, resting for a few hours, and then lining up with everyone else for the actual race. 52.4 miles total.

But the distance is almost beside the point. What makes this conversation worth listening to is how Maria thinks about hard things and why s...

Dan Green is a trail athlete for Salomon who grew up running in West Virginia, spent years working at a running shop, and recently finished Cocodona 250 — a race he'd wanted to do for years before finally deciding to stop waiting. In this conversation, Dan talks about how running has given him everything that matters in his life, what it actually took to get sponsored, and why being yourself is both the simplest and hardest thi...

Dr. Teddy Bross is a practicing family medicine physician at Highpoint Direct Care where he focuses on the treatment of athletes and active adults in Colorado and select surrounding states. He is an avid mountain ultra trail athlete, husband and father. Happiest in the company of friends and indulging in small joys, Dr. Teddy is a seeker of wild flowers, avid reader and consumer of poetry, and frequent DIY project manager, includin...

Joe Corcione is an ultrarunner, coach, and host of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, where he helps runners of all levels improve not just physically, but mentally. His path into the sport didn’t follow a traditional trajectory. He found running during a period of major life change, using it as a way to rebuild structure, discipline, and a sense of direction.Since then, Joe has gone on to complete some of the most demanding races in the ...

After transitioning from oncology physical therapy to full-time running, Rachel Entrekin discovered her true calling was not in conquering traditional hundred-mile races, but in pushing the boundaries of human endurance across multiple days and hundreds of miles.

Rachel has been running since 2009, gradually making her way up from road 10ks to multi-day trail races. While born and raised in the southeast US, she currently resides in...

Brendan Morgan is an ultrarunner who found running in 2023 by doing something most people avoid. He started because he hated it.

Since then, he’s gone all in. From completing a 4x4x48 just months after starting to running across Pennsylvania, Brendan has quickly built a reputation for taking on challenges that push both his body and mind to the edge. But what stands out isn’t just the distance. It’s the mindset behind it.

In this con...

Stevie Lyn Smith is a registered dietitian, board certified in sports nutrition, endurance athlete, and one of the most trusted voices when it comes to practical, realistic fueling advice for runners.

As a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Stevie combines her passion for endurance athletics with evidence-based nutrition practices to help individuals reach their health and performance goals. She’s also an ultra-enduranc...

From immigrating to the U.S. at 12 years old to representing Cape Verde at the Olympics, Ruben Sança’s story is one of consistency, patience, and staying in it long after most people step away.

Ruben Sança is a Cape Verdean Olympian and elite distance runner who competed in the 5,000 meters at the 2012 Olympic Games in London after previously representing Cape Verde at the 2011 World Championships. He is a former standout at UMass L...

From hitting rock bottom to building a life of recovery through running: Meet John Shep.

John is a Canadian ultrarunner, teacher, and host of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. He’s also the creator of “Outrun the Darkness,” a project centered around a 142.2K ultra-double, completing the Sulphur Springs 100K and the Ottawa Marathon on back-to-back days to raise awareness for youth mental health.

John’s journey into running didn’t...

From questioning what’s considered “normal” in professional sport to speaking up about what actually needs to change: Meet Grayson Murphy, a professional runner bringing clarity to conversations around pregnancy, contracts, and what real support for athletes should look like.

Grayson is a world champion trail runner and professional athlete who has built her career at the highest level of the sport. But beyond performance, she’s usi...

From a finance pro who decided to chase what scared him, to a trail runner who's pushed the boundaries to 200 miles: Meet Dom Bubri, who discovered that the most extraordinary transformations happen when you stop thinking and just start running.

Dom is a trail and ultra runner who loves the grind of long miles and the clarity that comes from spending time outside. By day, he leads finance teams, but his favorite lessons come fro...

Nutrition expert Alex Larson reveals how one simple timing shift in daily eating can dramatically transform sleep quality, recovery, and performance for endurance athletes — but most runners are doing the exact opposite of what actually works.

Alex Larson is a Minnesota-based registered dietitian who felt her calling the moment she crossed the finish line of Ironman Wisconsin and has leaned into this mission of serving endurance bas...

The formula for elite running performance lies in the consistent application of stress and recovery - repeatable things that you can sustain over time.

Cliff Pittman serves as the Coaching Development Director for CTS, where he leads the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff. With a deep passion for ultrarunning and a commitment to excellence, Cliff specializes in coaching athletes at all levels—from beginners to elite runners. 

Jo...

When pro ultrarunner Hayden Hawks faces challenging conditions on the trails, he doesn't just endure them—he transforms them into opportunities for growth, proving that sometimes the hardest moments forge the strongest athletes.

Hayden Hawks has been a professional ultra runner for 10 years competing at and winning some of the biggest races in the world. He is sponsored by HOKA, AG1, Precision Fuel and Hydration, as well as many...

Legendary ultra-marathoner Pam Reed has a simple solution for people who feel tired: stop sitting and start moving.

Pam Reed is an accomplished ultra-runner who has been competing since 1992. She is a hyperactive person who strives to get every moment out of every day, structuring her schedule as full as possible because she considers time the most valuable asset.

Beyond racing, Reed directed the Tucson Marathon for 30 years before p...

There's a common misconception in ultra running that it's all about toughness, but Shea Aquilano believes gentleness is more important.

Shea currently resides in Boulder, CO and focuses on ultra-distance trail events. At 24, she is a 2x US Mountain Running team member, and pro runner for Nike ACG. Shea loves a good pickle and has a knack for rationalizing almost any experience into a good one.

Jon chats with Shea about:

• se...

From suppressing emotions as a military veteran to finding freedom on Colorado trails, here’s how Jonathan Mejia discovered that running isn't just exercise, it's therapy in motion.

He came to Colorado after film school when the stars aligned and he conquered his first marathon. He’s now looking to take on his first ultra in 2026.

Jonathan talks about:

• Running as freedom and a therapeutic escape

• His military background ...

From residency training to ultramarathons - discover how Dr. Lauren Puretz balances life as a gynecologic surgeon with competing at the highest levels of trail running, including her breakthrough performance at UTMB and the mindset shifts that fuel both operating rooms and mountain peaks.

Lauren Puretz, DO is a board-certified OB/GYN, elite ultrarunner, and mom of 2 based in Colorado Springs. She is the co-founder of Mountain View O...

At 20,000 feet, running feels like moving through molasses… but Erin Ton has found that climbing Colorado's highest peaks in stilettos actually makes her a more thoughtful athlete.

Erin was born and raised in Colorado. After graduating from Cornell University in 2020, she moved back to Colorado to pursue professional mountain running. Her primary focus is on Fastest Known Time (FKT) speed records, specializing on steep, technica...