All Episodes

April 21, 2025 107 mins

This week on the 🎙️ Gill Athletics Connections Podcast🎙️ , we dive into the behind-the-scenes world of one of the most historic track meets in the world—the 🏟️Penn Relays🏟️!


Join host **Mike Cunningham** as he sits down with **Claire Hewitt**, the **Director of Operations for Penn Relays and the University of Pennsylvania Track & Field**. Claire pulls back the curtain on what it takes to execute this massive event and shares her fascinating journey through the sport.


In this episode, we discuss:


🏃‍♀️ Claire’s unique running background—from soccer player to collegiate distance runner at Penn

💡 The transition from coaching to operations and how she found her true passion

📅 The meticulous planning that goes into organizing **THE** Penn Relays

🚨 The behind-the-scenes chaos that fans and athletes never see

💪 How the meet continues to evolve while preserving its rich history


Plus, Claire shares some hilarious race-day stories (including a steeplechase moment you won't believe!) and what keeps her motivated year after year.


🎧 **Listen now** to get a fresh perspective on what makes the Penn Relays a can’t-miss event for athletes, coaches, and fans alike!


#PennRelays #TrackAndField #GillConnections #Coaching #Athletics #BehindTheScenes


🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.


📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at mcunningham@gillathletics.com, or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍


Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.