Dr. Tony Kovatch, known as "Slow Tony" after being the last to cross the finish line at the 2025 Pittsburgh Marathon, shares insights from his 40+ years as a pediatrician and his philosophy on living a meaningful life shaped by personal struggles and professional triumphs.
• Early exposure to his mother's battle with Huntington's disease influenced his decision to become a doctor
• Viktor Frankl's logotherapy provided a framework for finding meaning in suffering throughout his life
• The importance of treating doctors as humans, not expecting superhuman perfection
• How obsessive-compulsive personality traits can be channeled positively
• Pediatricians need to focus on the "little things" that patients remember—returning calls, showing kindness
• Parenting advice: use positive reinforcement abundantly and recognize your words become children's inner voices
• Running as both physical discipline and spiritual practice, even when finishing last
• The metaphor of marathon running: "Your times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged"
• Finding meaning in retirement
Never stop doing good for goodness' sake alone, without expecting any return on your investment of kindness.
Dr. Kovatch writes on Medium-
https://medium.com/@kovatcha42/stopping-the-hemorrhage-a-warm-well-lighted-place-b8e8ce27cbd4
"Out of the Old Black Bag" by Dr. Anthony Kovatch
https://issuu.com/ssmsdept/docs/bulletin_22.sept_final/s/16962787
https://www.facebook.com/tony.kovatch.12
WPXI News Article Pittsburgh Marathon
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://amzn.to/4lIiYbK (paid link)
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- Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks.
👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (paid link)
👉Atomic Habits by James Clear (paid link)
👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (paid link)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sherry Ehrin (00:00):
Hey, This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers.
Today's guest is one of thoserare souls who makes you feel
better just by listening to himtalk.
Dr Tony Kovach is a retiredpediatrician, marathon runner,
writer and deep thinker whoselegacy stretches far beyond exam
rooms and finish lines.
You might know him as Slow Tony, the last runner to cross the
(00:22):
finish line at the 2025Pittsburgh Marathon, cheered on
by strangers and surrounded bysquad cars, sweepers and smiles,
but there's so much more to DrKovatch.
You may have seen the viralphoto, you may have heard the
cheers, but what you might nothave heard is the heart and
humility behind Slow Tony.
(00:43):
Today, we're honored to give himspace to reflect on a lifetime
of healing, running, parentingand doing good for goodness sake
.
In this episode, we talk aboutwhat it means to live a good
life, how suffering shapes ourpurpose and why finishing last
might actually mean you'rewinning at the things that
really matter.
Whether you're a parent, acaregiver or just someone trying
(01:07):
to keep going.
This conversation will remindyou you are not alone and you
are absolutely still in the race.
We were hoping to start with alittle bit of your personal and
professional journey.
If you could kind of lay outsome of the pieces of who is
Tony Kovach and how you got towhere you are today.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (01:26):
Yes, in retrospect, now that you're in
retirement and you look back onyour legacy, you kind of have
different perspectives on things.
I think I was sort of born tobe a pediatrician.
I just had one brother, but wehad a large extended family.
In those days people tended tostay in the same area where
their parents grew up, so youhad a lot of your family around
and a lot of cousins.
And I had an uncle.
My mother's older brother was afamily practitioner in Hazleton
(01:49):
, Pennsylvania.
Both my mother and my fathergrew up in Hazleton Pennsylvania
, which is in sort of the coalarea of Northeast Pennsylvania.
So my uncle was a generalpractitioner in Hazleton and
they all wanted me to go back toHazleton to also be a general
practitioner.
But at that point we had movedto New Jersey.
I went to school in Jersey Cityand I wanted to spend my life
(02:11):
in New York City, but it didn'tturn out that way.
I liked the big city, but Iwent to a Jesuit prep school in
Jersey City.
Then I went to the Universityof Pennsylvania which was a big
change, going to a public schoolrather than a
religious-oriented school.
And then I went to DrexelMedical College in Philadelphia
also it was called Honan andthen now it's called Drexel.
I did my residency at LongIsland and I'll tell you later
(02:33):
about how I got to Pittsburgh Ithink one of the main backdrops
of my childhood.
My mother suffered from aneurodegenerative illness called
Huntington's disease.
It's a genetic disorder whichaffects 50% of offspring.
She developed symptoms when Iwas about 9, 10 years old.
So much of my later childhoodwas concerned with taking care
of my mother.
Me and my brother had to helpbecause my father was working
(02:56):
all the time and there wasdangers of losing our home, and
eventually my mother was put inan institution.
That colored my later childhoodand adolescent years, even my
young adult years.
So, on the other hand, I thinkthat suffering and stress did
contribute to my own desire toenter the medical profession,
the healing profession.
If I had to say what was theone factor that made you enter
(03:18):
the medical field, it would bethat when I started my medical
career, I wanted to be aneurologist, thinking that I
could help people with the samecondition that my mother had,
but I was spared the disease.
I would have had symptoms whenI was in my mid-30s if I was
going to have the same disorder.
Me and my brother were bothspared.
Many of the people in mymother's family were not spared
and I think it was trying tohave some redemption by working
(03:41):
as healing people who weresuffering to pay back the divine
powers that spared me from thatillness.
I consider myself lucky, as Ilook back on it years later,
that I was not affected and thenI did get through all my
training properly.
One of the important features ofmy young adulthood and in my
adolescence was finding theknowledge that we all received
(04:02):
from Viktor Frankl.
Viktor Frankl was an Austrianneurologist.
He was a survivor of theHolocaust, he spent years in
concentration camps and hedeveloped a theory called
logotherapy, which he eventuallychampioned when he was a
practicing neurologist.
The goals of logotherapy werethat you have to find a meaning
(04:24):
for your life, especially ameaning for your suffering, and
his main saying was those whohave a why to live can bear with
almost any how.
So that no matter what thingshave befallen me, you know, like
all of us, when these events ofsuffering would happen, I would
always go back to Viktor Frankl.
His main work was called Man'sSearch for Meaning right,
(04:44):
Absolutely Man's.
Jodi Chestnut (04:44):
"Man's Search for Meaning right,
Dr. Tony Kovatch (04:45):
Absolutely.
"Man's Search for Meaning.
That was his main book.
He's written others, one of themost influential books, they
say, in the American literature.
But his logotherapy has helpedmany people, I'm sure, not only
the survivors of the Holocaustbut people all along the way,
since we all experiencesuffering at some point,
especially when it's not reallysomething we caused ourselves
but it's part of the humancondition.
One of his sayings I alwayschampioned myself was without
(05:08):
suffering and death, human lifecannot be complete, and I always
took that seriously that we allhave to have a certain amount
of suffering, and I'd also bringthat up with my colleagues Now.
You hear about physician burnout, which is suffering probably
involved with losing your senseof purpose as you're caught up
in all the sort of the busy workof practicing medicine.
And I think physician burnout,which is suffering, probably
involved with losing your senseof purpose.
You're caught up in all thesort of the busy work of
practicing medicine, and I thinkit's the same idea.
(05:30):
This is suffering.
If we have the rightperspective on it and we can
control our emotions regardingthat, we can successfully combat
burnout.
Also, it's hard to deal withthe external circumstances in
the medical field that promoteburnout among physicians.
So I think physicians have towork within themselves, and I
think that that's the core ofmany things.
It's just that dedication andmindfulness is so important.
Sherry Ehrin (05:53):
It is that perspective that is so powerful,
to be able to find the meaningin what you're going through and
be able to use the perspectivethat you gain to help others and
staying grounded.
Jodi Chestnut (06:05):
Yes, absolutely.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (06:06):
I mean, that's the best way to put it simply.
You have to have something, ahigher meaning that keeps you
grounded, and I think you haveto practice it.
You have to practice it everyday.
It's easy to sort of fallastray and get into that
negative self-thought.
You know, like you're a loser,you're never going to really
(06:26):
accomplish what you should, andI think you have to pray often.
I still say prayers, like Isaid when I was a little kid,
before I go to bed at night, andit's just something that has to
be pervasive in your life.
It takes a lot of working itinto your life schedule and also
, I think gratitude is somethingthat I have absolutely so many
things to be, gratitude for,yeah, I have a wonderful wife.
(06:50):
We met when I came toPittsburgh.
I have four really wonderfulchildren.
The last one just got married.
Wonderful CongratulationsDaughters, sons-in-laws,
grandchildren that are healthy.
I really have nothing tocomplain about and we all
complain, of course, but whenthere's tough times and being a
(07:12):
doctor nobody would doubt thatbeing a doctor is a tough
profession but it is definitelygreat payback or whatever and I
feel that, due to my luck, Ialways think of, like, whether
you get a genetic disease, it'sjust like the luck of the coin
toss If you toss a coin, it's50-50, whether you have a normal
, healthy life or whether youhave a life that could be cut
(07:34):
short by all kinds of symptoms,both physical symptoms and
psychiatric symptoms.
So I think we have to havegreat gratitude that we stay
healthy.
We're sort of winning the cointoss, if you want to put it that
way.
If we're lucky enough to win thecoin toss, then we have
everything to be grateful for.
Sherry Ehrin (07:54):
You're absolutely right.
Jodi Chestnut (07:55):
Have there been any unexpected turns along the
way in your journey?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (08:00):
I think once I was a practicing pediatrician
and I had established my family,I was between jobs it was
probably like when I was about12, 13 years into practice the
organization I worked for sortof disintegrated as this was
happening in medicine peoplewould be buying out different
(08:20):
medical groups and stuff outdifferent medical groups and
stuff.
In that transition there was aperiod of about a month when I
wasn't working and in thatperiod being I'm the kind of
person who gets a lot ofanticipatory anxiety, so I
started dwelling on that andworrying and it threw me into a
period of sort of anxiety andpanic.
So it's funny, once I startedworking again I got back into my
(08:43):
normal shape of working.
But I remember talking to apsychologist trying to get some
cognitive behavioral therapy totry to reverse this anxiety and
I was quite worried because mykids were all little and I was
worried that my wife had to takecare of all them and I didn't
want to have to quit working asa pediatrician.
I felt so anxious.
(09:04):
But I never forget the curativeremark she made.
She asked me why are youanxious?
And I said I'm anxious becauseof my family and I'm anxious
that my wife might see that I amweak.
And the therapist saidsomething that I'll never forget
.
She says your wife will not seeyou that you are weak, she will
(09:27):
see that you are human.
And that threw me out of thewhole thing.
All human beings have periods ofanxiety, with big transitions,
and I said I'm no different andI've always used that philosophy
with the younger doctors oftoday.
When they say that they haveburnout, use that philosophy
with the younger doctors oftoday when they say that they
(09:48):
have burnout.
I said you have to realize allus doctors are human.
We can't be super doctors orsuper mothers and super fathers,
which we all try to be and wejust have to realize we're all
human and subjected to the samelimitations of all our humanness
.
So that was a big, it was asmall thing, but it had long
lasting consequences.
When I'd have stressfulsituations like that, which we
(10:10):
all do in the future, I was ableto handle them better and that
was kind of on the heels of myexperience with Viktor Frankl
and Logotherapy.
So these are the kind oflessons you learn in life that
hold you and keep you afloat.
Sherry Ehrin (10:25):
Right.
So to me it sounds like you'redescribing the role that
resilience has played, what'ssomething that people often
misunderstand about your field.
I think that's kind of whatyou're saying.
Doctors are human.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (10:39):
Yes, I think doctors have the same fears and
insecurity that all people have.
Medical training tries toinstill in doctors a facade of
confidence and of vast knowledge, but any doctor who practices
for a long time realizes there'salways things that are over
(11:02):
their head.
There are all situations thatyou can control and the most
important thing is to alwaysoffer words of comfort and to
make the most effort to cure asituation, and that you can't
always do that, but the mostimportant thing is to always
(11:23):
again offer comfort, be kind,and I think one of the most
important things, as I alwayssay, be kind.
And I think one of the mostimportant things that I always
say, especially forpediatricians, is to never stop
doing the little things forpeople.
It's the little things you dofor people that they remember.
It's not the big diagnoses youmake.
You know, it's returning phonecalls.
(11:45):
You know, especially withpediatrics, pediatrics is 99% of
your day at work is basicallythe same small little things
over and over, and it's how youdo it.
It's being compulsive to cleanearwax out of some kid.
We know they're going to hateit and they're going to scream
because you know they need toget that wax out so that their
hearing isn't affected.
(12:05):
It's comforting a nervous childwho's having trouble getting
back to school, maybe after anillness.
It's comforting a parent who'sworried about something that
they really should not beworried about, but they cannot
overcome it.
It takes time to realize theimportant things that you do for
people and the healing isn'talways healing of just physical
(12:29):
problems.
It's just healing a lot ofproblems that stem from anxiety
and insecurity or whatever.
So pediatricians need to bekind, they need to be
nonjudgmental.
That's crucial these days,because so many times in
medicine these days people aretelling you what you must do and
people have their own ideas onthings.
(12:50):
They want to control your ownhealth measures.
It's probably true today I'veseen this through my children
they want to maybe deviate alittle bit with the vaccinations
and stuff like that.
So I think the main thing for apediatrician, and probably for
any doctor, is that you have tobe just another member of the
family, except that you have alittle more medical knowledge
(13:10):
than the other family membersand that you're just in there
with everybody else supportingthem.
That's what pediatrics is.
You're basically a cheerleaderfor families and getting them
through their tough times.
Sherry Ehrin (13:24):
Yeah, it takes a village, and the doctor is
certainly an important part ofit.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (13:28):
People were using that term about.
It takes a village with themarathon, with running too.
They say they have theserunning groups and they say it's
easier to get to be dedicatedto running and get all your
requisite time in there if youdo it socially, with other
people.
That's something I've neverbeen able to do.
I don't run with a group.
(13:49):
I find it interesting with thisthing with other people.
That's something I've neverbeen able to do.
I don't run with a group.
I find it interesting with thisthing.
With the marathon, I was kind offast across the finish line.
I'm getting so slow now as I'm74 years old, but I've been
running marathons for 25 yearsand not always as slow as I did
in 2025.
But there have been people whohave run marathons in a far
better time than me, who were intheir 80s, and I think Hot
(14:13):
Harry was one of them.
Hot Harry was a fellow whostarted running in.
I think he was 45 or 50, sortof like me, and he had a running
group in North Park, which iswhere I run a lot of times.
He got a bunch of his friendstogether and they would just run
around the park and he wouldgive them beverages to drink to
rehydrate and not hard drinksand snacks and stuff like that.
(14:34):
Everybody knew hot harry.
Hot Harry Kirsch was his name.
He died at the age of 94.
He ran into his 80s you know,I'm nowhere near the endurance
or the longevity of Hot Harry.
Maybe I can be someday.
It'd be one of my goals if Icould run into my eighties.
But you need to start going ata certain point.
Jodi Chestnut (14:53):
Well, I was going to say so what keeps you going?
Because I know myself.
I keep trying to exercise alittle harder and as soon as I
get uncomfortable I'm like Idon't know if I could do this.
What?
Keeps that motivation for you.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (15:08):
I think if I had to answer in one word, it
would be my obsessive,compulsive personality.
Remember I mentioned when I wasa kid I had anticipatory
anxiety, which is a good thing,they say.
A good doctor tends to beobsessive, compulsive, so you
don't let things slip and youalways pay attention to the
things you have to do.
And but I think thatpersonality trait has kept me
(15:28):
dedicated and I think if Ididn't run I would feel remiss,
left out, that I was harming myhealth.
So I run for health reasons,but I think that it keeps you
more mentally sharp.
I like to think that it impedesthe development of little
dementia traits.
(15:49):
I think my memory is definitelybetter after I run and the
little things start happening toyou in the 80s and 80s.
So I think I'm trying topreserve my health, especially
my mental health, and just sortof stay sharp.
One of the main tenets ofstaying healthy and keeping your
memory as you grow older is themost important factor is
staying active, and it may justneed to be like walk every day,
(16:15):
but I think the more you do thebetter.
Even though I'm slow, I do havethe endurance, after 25 years
of running, that I can run longdistances and even swim without
tiring too much.
Sherry Ehrin (16:24):
Yeah, that's pretty incredible.
What was your time for themarathon?
Hey it's faster than me.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (16:34):
People always say it's faster than the people
who are at home watchingtelevision.
The important thing for arunner isn't the time when the
clock starts, it's from when youcross the start line, and one
of the reasons I was fortunateenough to get this fame about
being the last to cross thefinish line is because I was one
of the last to cross thestarting line, so that if you
(16:58):
get by net time like when youcross the starting line to
finish line I was like just overseven.
That's really slow.
I've never been that slowbefore, but it's over seven
hours.
If you go by when they actuallystarted the whole race, it
would be seven hours and 41minutes, but because it takes
that long, you don't have thedifferent pods at the start of
the race.
Jodi Chestnut (17:18):
It's still a really long time to keep going.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (17:23):
You put the fast runners in A and then E is
like where I was and E is likewhere I was.
One of my compulsive traits isthat I want to be absolutely
sure, when I cross that startingline, that I have emptied my
bladder so I don't have to keepgoing throughout the course.
You're running for seven hours.
Even if you're fast and you'rerunning for three, four hours,
you still have to go.
You have to drink a lot offluids, of course, to stay
(17:43):
hydrated, and you're inevitablygoing to have to go to the
port-a-john and you don't wantto stop and wait in a line to
get into a port-a-john,especially if you're an elite
runner and your time isimportant.
For me it doesn't matter, butwith my slow times, but still,
you spend your time out on thetrail with the other people, not
sitting in a port-a-john can Ijust say yeah, you want to start
that line and get a littleprayer and that kind of thing
(18:04):
yeah, you've mentioned somethingthat I really am impressed by
and want to point out.
Jodi Chestnut (18:09):
I love that you mentioned being a little bit
obsessive, compulsive as a traitand not a negative thing.
And I know about anxiety aswell, and I feel like there's
such a negative connotation allthe time.
We treat everything like adisorder instead of just part of
who we are.
I think it's refreshing to hearsomeone describe that as just
(18:30):
part of who we are.
I think it's refreshing to hearsomeone describe that as just
part of who you are.
These are things about us thatmake us unique.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (18:38):
One of my philosophies and what I would
convey to parents is that youhave three groups of people, but
two big groups of people, twobig groups of kids when they
start emerging personality-wise.
There's the ones with attentiondeficit disorder, who are very
active.
They have very positive traitsbecause they're very dynamic and
animated, but they have a lotof trouble with the
(18:58):
concentration.
So there's a big group of those.
There's another big group ofpeople that have anxiety and
obsessive compulsive, who are alittle more restricted,
inhibited in what they do.
They have to learn how to dealwith that.
Then there's a little slitherof people that are a little more
restricted, inhibited in whatthey do.
They have to learn how to dealwith that.
Then there's a little slither ofpeople that are a combination
of attention deficit disorderand anxiety.
There's a little slither ofpeople in the middle that
(19:19):
balance out.
So there's for people thatbalance out.
Everybody has, you know.
I realized as I go back to theHuntington's disease.
It is a very devastatingdisease because it starts so
early in life and it progressespretty quickly.
But if you look at it, thereare many hidden psychiatric
disorders in almost every family.
(19:40):
Every family has something.
You see this out of practicingmedicine for 40 plus years, you
see that no family is spared,and it's better to know what
you're dealing with than to havethis stuff come up as a
surprise.
Sherry Ehrin (19:55):
Yeah, and I think it's important for people to
know that, because in so manycases it's something that
families carry a lot of shameand guilt around.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:05):
Absolutely.
Sherry Ehrin (20:07):
Yeah, and it helps for people to know that you're
not alone and every family, asyou said,
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:13):
absolutely
Sherry Ehrin (20:13):
has somebody dealing with something.
Jodi Chestnut (20:15):
we all have more in common than not
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:17):
absolutely yes
Sherry Ehrin (20:19):
yep
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:20):
like you said that before, jody people, what a
class of compulsive.
They're the professionals ofthe world.
You got to have dedication andthat's part of dedication.
People say ocd and think of itin a negative connotation, but
really it's.
I mean, you learn how tocontrol it so it doesn't
overwhelm you.
But I always thought in my mindyou know, here's some typical
toddler comes in, ears are fullof wax.
(20:41):
Should you go through thesuffering for yourself, the
parents and the kids to get thewax out, or just ignore it?
And a compulsive person wouldsay I am obliged to remove that
wax.
That is part of my job oranything of that nature.
I'm going to go ahead and getthis ingrown toenail.
I'm going to correct this.
My kid's not going to like it.
These are older kids and I'mgoing to do it, but I'm not just
(21:04):
going to punt it over to aspecialist.
It's how, sometimes a negativetrait will produce positive
results.
Sherry Ehrin (21:12):
Well, as a person who didn't have Tony Kovatch as
my pediatrician, I can say thatcompulsion is one of the things
that have made you such awell-loved person, because I
heard about you, obviously fromthe marathon, but as I started
to read the articles and yourname was popping up all over my
Facebook from so many friends, "Dr Kovach, oh Dr Kovach.
(21:35):
It is just so clear how wellloved you are and how those
traits have served you well andhave served your patients over
the years.
So there's something to be saidfor that, for sure.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (21:46):
It's a matter of longevity, too because when
you're practicing in onecommunity for 40 plus years, you
get to know a lot of people andbecome a member of their
extended family.
It was very, very difficult forme when I retired, but I was
sometimes generations.
Sherry Ehrin (22:02):
It's part of your identity.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (22:02):
I would be seeing like that the
grandparents were my patientsand then their kids would be the
parents and then thegrandchildren would be like my
younger, newer patients.
So I think that I was verylucky in the sense that many of
the kids that I saw in practicewent to school with my children.
They played in sporting eventswith my children, so you get
around.
(22:22):
Another thing is I alwaysenjoyed going to sporting events
, even with my patients.
So some patients said we'rehaving a big hockey game.
Do you want to come?
I would always go, my wife.
I would tell my wife, just gofor a little bit.
I would go and you know Iwasn't much of an athlete.
I liked watching sports.
I was a big Yankee fan andstuff.
(22:43):
As a kid you know it wasdifferent and that sports were
your main entertainment.
You played on the sandlotsplaying baseball, you followed
the teams.
Every game you would listen.
I was a New York Yankee fan.
I would watch every game thatwas on TV and if it wasn't, I
listened to it on the radio.
I mean, nobody does that thesedays.
Sherry Ehrin (23:04):
Yeah, yeah.
My dad did at the end of hislife.
He had glioblastoma, and it wasonly like six months from
diagnosis to when he passed away.
But that was what he enjoyedwas listening to the pirate
games because he couldn't seewell, but he liked listening to
the Pirate games and followedthat way, and he would even
(23:25):
listen on the phone with hisbrother.
They would put it on and theywould sit on the phone and be
just connected to each otherwhile listening to the games.
Jodi Chestnut (23:33):
Remember, like maybe at midnight, listening
when the Yankees were out on theWest Coast and you'd hear the
voices of the old, famousannouncers.
And as these announcers wouldget older, I would notice too
they became more philosophicalabout life in general too.
It's all of our experiences givethose perspectives and you
start to see things a little
Dr. Tony Kovatch (23:52):
Yes
Sherry Ehrin (23:53):
Sometimes differently and sometimes more
clearly.
Jodi Chestnut (23:56):
Vince Scully, who's the announcer for the Los
Angeles Dodgers.
I think he was announcing untilhe was in his late 80s, and one
of his sayings was .
.
.
H e was reading about who wasinjured and it said something
like one, "of the players islisted from day to day with a
lower extremity injury.
And he pauses and then he says,"aren't we all?
(24:19):
Which means, aren't we all justgoing from day to day?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (24:28):
You know, especially after the crises that
we see in the world today.
Sherry Ehrin (24:31):
Yeah, speaking of that, what message do you want
people to hear and believe mostabout themselves?
Through all of your experiencesin your personal life, and then
as well, as a pediatrician, isthere something that comes to
mind?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (24:45):
Yes, I think much of this is very
simple-minded stuff.
Mind it is simple but verybasic.
It's at the core of everythingand that is all their people,
with kindness I mean, that'spart and parcel being a
pediatrician, but kindness is soimportant in this day and age.
I think always, always bemindful of that.
There is a Higher Power.
It's sometimes hard to knowwhat that higher power actually
(25:10):
is.
We all have our own what weknow of God.
I think it's important to staygrounded, but to always look up
to that higher power.
Keep Believing.
It's very easy to become cynicalin this day and age and not
realize that we're indebted to aHigher Power.
When I look back, I must admitthat the three years I've been
in retirement were verydifficult.
I was sort of preoccupied withmy own legacy, like "how will I
(25:34):
be remembered, even though I wasstill working and still writing
and running and stuff like that.
I said how will I be remembered?
Will my children even rememberanything about me?
Sherry Ehrin (25:43):
And so what do you want them to remember?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (25:45):
And I think that just that you were a good
father, good husband, as good asyou can be A good grandparent,
became very important,especially when they weren't so
close, you know.
And, just to be a good humanbeing.
Always look upon every otherhuman being with kindness, know
that all of us are human andthat we just have to always keep
(26:05):
that in the back of our minds.
Jodi Chestnut (26:07):
What about for parents today?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (26:09):
Yeah, parenting has changed so much
since when I was a kid to when Iwas a parent and now even as a
grandparent.
I think the main message isalways use positive
reinforcement and I try to dothis with my grandchildren.
I think so much of our lives wesabotage our own happiness by
(26:33):
our own negative self-thoughts.
And this is typical people oh,that's a compulsive people like
me.
I do something wrong with thecomputer or whatever and I'm
immediately calling myself adunce and you know and say
what's wrong with you, could youdo anything right?
And that kind of negativeself-thoughts you've got to
eliminate.
And, it's hard to eliminate.
If I had to give a message toparents, always reinforcement.
Every opportunity to saysomething positive to encourage
(26:56):
your kids.
not when it's not appropriate.
But, you know, anything goodthat they do.
I try to do that with mygrandchildren, even if it gets
to the point of being absurdsometimes.
Sherry Ehrin (27:07):
It's the ratio.
It's 10 positives for every onecorrection or something.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (27:13):
That's a good way to say it.
You've got to increase theratio of making it higher for
positive interactions and lessfor negative interactions.
Sherry Ehrin (27:22):
Because what you say becomes their inner voice.
Jodi Chestnut (27:26):
I would just say anything to be positive.
A good example are thenonverbal children with severe
autism.
They don't talk, you have noidea what they're thinking, but
I think they understandaffection, just like other kids.
So sometimes, just like holdingtheir hand if they're scared or
giving them a little treatwhich I'm really at fault I just
(27:48):
can't stop giving them littlecandies when I see them.
I mean little things like thatwhich they'll not even know you
did it.
Doing things without expecting apayback is important.
If we learn in life not toexpect and I was pretty bad with
this I always want to kind ofreturn on my investment.
If I put effort into things,you can't look for any return on
(28:08):
your efforts and anycompensation.
You just got to do it for goodsake.
That's probably the end of allthings.
What's the most important thingis doing good for good sake
alone.
Sherry Ehrin (28:20):
Yeah, understanding that you're a part
of something bigger, and thesooner you can get out of that
self and just do the right thing, because it's the right thing.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (28:29):
Yeah, that's true.
We have to denigrate to thefocus on our own self, our own
pleasures, and just accept thesuffering that we have.
And I think every human beingreally is a physician.
We're all there.
We could all heal the wounds ofsociety, the illnesses of our
relatives, friends and even allpeople just by how we act.
(28:51):
I've become much more aware ofthat as I've gotten older.
It's just something as simpleas talking about, even about
running.
I talked a little bit aboutGeorge Sheehan in the past.
George Sheehan was a guy whostarted running in late life.
He was like the patron saint ofthe philosophy of running.
His idea was that it's aspiritual enterprise running and
(29:17):
I'm just going to give a quotehere.
That's pretty well known aboutGeorge Sheehan, sure, and this
is something that, as I getolder and I get so slow, I kind
of comfort myself with.
But he had a very famous bookcalled "Running and being about
the spirituality of running.
One of his last books wascalled Going the Distance.
He wrote this as he was dyingof prostate cancer.
This is his philosophy, he saidno matter how old I get, the
race remains one of life's mostrewarding experiences.
(29:41):
My times become slower andslower.
I can certainly understand that.
"My time becomes slower andslower, but the experience of
the race is unchanged.
Each race a drama as well as adream.
Each race a challenge, eachrace stretching me in one way or
another and each race tellingme more about myself and others.
(30:05):
I think running, especiallylong distance running, it's a
metaphor for life.
You asked before why do youkeep running?
Not only for, hopefully, thephysical, because you can't
guarantee that, it's justkeeping you grounded in the
determination to have a goodlife.
I mean, the simpler things thebetter.
Living a good life is not thateasy these days.
(30:27):
You would think that it wouldbe easy, but you got to have a
mindset.
You'll have constant challenges.
Yeah, you're always challenged,and I think you just have to
keep a very firm commitment.
And I think one thing aboutrunning at any age is that you
have that commitment.
It keeps your determination.
Jodi Chestnut (30:48):
Sure, it probably helps with all the external
noise too.
We have so much externallydistracting us all the time that
you have to quiet that andrefocus.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (31:01):
It seems like every time I run in North Park I
run into an old patient orsomebody that I know.
But most of the time you canrun on trails.
In the summer it's so hot andso sunny that I run on abandoned
trails.
That's, I think, the most.
I want to call it spiritual.
You're out there with nature.
The only thing you'reinteracting with are the gnat.
The trails at North Parkespecially are full of gnats and
(31:21):
they're always in your ears andyour nose and your eyes.
You got to keep swatting themaway.
But that's not the only thingyou're really dealing with.
The rest of it you're justrunning, watching the rocks,
watching them trip on a route.
You're surrounded by trees andjust the sky all the things of
nature that we want to integrateourselves with.
Sherry Ehrin (31:38):
Yeah, yeah, I wanted to loop back to the race.
You finished last, correct?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (31:44):
It became evident to me when I hit the
midpoint.
I was with the crowd of thehalf marathoners and then all of
a sudden we crossed theBirmingham Bridge.
They all went left down thehill to the city, and I was with
all these people.
I'm on the right side, going upto Shadyside area and Oakland,
and all of a sudden I findmyself alone.
I realized at that point that Iwas last in the race.
(32:05):
I wasn't sure, but I was withthe stragglers at the end.
And then I reached a pointwhere somewhere around mile
maybe 15, 16, where they usuallyhave, like that entourage
Sherry Ehrin (32:15):
the sweep
Dr. Tony Kovatch (32:16):
the sweepers.
And all of a sudden all thosesweepers were behind me.
I guess they had figured thisSlow Tony guy had read my bib.
I always put on my bib, SlowVatch.
But this time SlowV atch wasn'taccepted.
It comes from Slow Kovatch.
(32:37):
I got it from my oldest son whocalled the brothers.
He was just at the wedding.
The three brothers calledthemselves BroVatch.
He's sort of along that line,but anyway.
So I made up the Slow Vatchthing.
But they wouldn't accept that,so I put Slow Tony.
That was accepted.
But all of a sudden ,everybodyhad this "Slow Tony's coming or
whatever.
And at that point behind methis entourage, the sweeper bus
that picks up people at the endwho can't finish, a whole bunch
(32:58):
of cop cars that open the roadsand an ambulance.
They all were running behindme, and they stayed behind me
the whole second half, and Irealized that I was last.
But, I was trying at the end tolike pass some of the people
because I had no idea that I wasgoing to be the last across the
finish line and get any kind offame because of that.
(33:19):
But it just happened to turnout that at the end I really
couldn't overcome anybody, so Iwound up being last.
So the entourage of thevehicles just stayed behind me.
They were at my heels almostthe whole second half of the
marathon.
Sherry Ehrin (33:31):
Yeah, and I'm sure it's like in your mind, "while
they're there, I can hop in.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (33:35):
Yeah, yes, yes , you're right.
I saw in front of me the sevenmile pacers and I said, "I got
to stay with those pacersbecause I was afraid they might.
They'll suggest that you getoff the course if you're so slow
.
I said if I stayed within themI'll be okay.
But I didn't realize at thatpoint that I, with my chip, time
would have been from thestarting because I started late
(33:57):
to crossing the finish line.
I really didn't realize that Iwas last.
But there were probably somepeople whose time was more, but
at that point I was in last.
In the last few years I've beenlast in so many races.
In the last few years I've beenlast in so many races.
I think one of the things I sayis that there's a lot of perks
to finishing last Becausethere's a crowd they want to get
the race over with.
So they're all cheering you onGet them over the finish line.
(34:18):
So the race is over.
And then the people arecheering, they hang around.
I guess they have a little warmspot in their heart for the
person who's coming in last.
And then in many races theyhave so much food and they want
to get rid of it.
So they said, hey, give it tohim and they would give me a big
box of bananas or oranges ordrinks and stuff like that.
So you get a lot of publicityjust by being last.
So I mean it's desirable andonly in that way, not that you
(34:41):
want to come in last when youknow you're going to be last.
Like me, you don't feel badabout it anymore.
I stopped being bad about beinga long time ago.
Sherry Ehrin (34:54):
Yeah Well, it's nothing to feel bad about.
Jodi Chestnut (34:56):
Like we said, there are all of us sitting home
on the couch.
Sherry Ehrin (34:57):
Yes, we're behind you still.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (34:59):
And the other thing is, I think when they see
that entourage behind the LastRunner, the people that are on
the sidelines they cheer.
There's a lot of people thatcheer in the people at the end
and there was a lot here.
And, as I said, I think when Ifinished my arms were tired from
waving to the spectators at theend of the race and just saying
(35:20):
thank you, thank you.
I think my voice and my armswere more tired than my legs
from all that waving and stuff.
But I'm used to running.
I must say, even though I'mslow, I'm in probably good
enough condition that I could dothese without being hurt.
I think, because I'm short, itdoesn't put as much wear and
tear on my knees as it would ona taller runner, or maybe it's
(35:41):
I'm short, squat, you know, andmy legs are very long.
It makes you slower, but on theother hand, I think it causes
less pain.
Sherry Ehrin (35:48):
Yeah, you can do it for longer.
If you want people to connectwith you or follow your work.
Where can they find you?
Would you rather go back intojust everybody leave me alone
now.
Jodi Chestnut (36:03):
What's next for Dr Kovatch?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:09):
I'm on Facebook.
I don't put out much.
I do do write blogs.
I write for the AlleghenyCounty Medical Society.
I write for them probably everyother month.
I get an article in there and Iwrite for the American Academy
of Pediatrics.
But I write for Medium, likeyou do, Jodi, right?
Jodi Chestnut (36:20):
Yeah.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:20):
You know what?
I wrote an article.
Between the wedding and allthis marathon stuff.
I haven't really writtenanything.
I used to comment almost everyday on somebody's article
because they have a wholesection on running and about
like slice of life type of stuff.
So I want to get back to that.
Jodi Chestnut (36:35):
I read an article you wrote on Medium that was
really impressive.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You're very talented at writing.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:45):
Oh, thank you.
Sherry Ehrin (36:45):
Well, we can put a link to that in our show notes.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:48):
I just started a couple of months ago.
I started very diligent andreading every day, you know.
And then with this whole stepand I just look at them and I
like reading them I want towrite more.
I have old things I put onthere right away, but I just
been sidetracked by what we callit, my 15 minutes of fame or,
as I call it, my 16 minutes permile of shame or whatever you
(37:08):
want to say, or infamy, orwhatever you know.
Sherry Ehrin (37:12):
Yeah, what's next?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (37:14):
I must say that as I've been in retirement
the last three years, I've doneeverything in my power to sort
of keep busy, keep involved andstill try to practice the
healing arts of pediatrics.
I work part time, just threedays a week, at a mental health
center.
I work at what are calledresidential treatment facilities
(37:34):
.
I'm just a pediatrician there.
I don't do psychiatry, but itkeeps me practicing and I also
strive to write.
I write articles for theAllegheny County Medical Society
and American Academy ofPediatrics every so often.
I try to write whatever I canand I write for a platform
called Medium.
I just started doing that, butI try to keep active.
(37:55):
I keep up my running but inorder to keep some of the wear
and tear off my knees.
I try to also cross train bydoing some swimming, and I love
to kayak.
I find that to be a veryrewarding kind of supernatural
type of endeavor, you know goingout on the lake in nature.
It's really cool and me and mywife, like most old couples
(38:19):
whose children have left thenest, when we're not visiting
them, we love watching oldTurner classic movies.
I think of my years ofretirement as being hopefully
restful, but I think of it aslike for the foot.
You hear about the three R'sreading, writing, arithmetic.
I try to incorporate into myretirement years running,
(38:40):
writing, reading, audio books,which I love to do, especially
stuff I never read before.
When I was younger I went backand read something like On the
Road by Jack Kerouac, an oldbook about the beach generation.
So I'm trying to catch up on myold reading.
So I have running writing,reading audio books and then,
lastly, resting on the sofa withmy dear wife watching Turner
(39:05):
Classic Movies.
Jodi Chestnut (39:06):
That's great.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (39:06):
So it's the news, but Turner Classic movies
are definite every night.
Sherry Ehrin (39:13):
It sounds like a life well lived.
Jodi Chestnut (39:14):
That's right.
Sherry Ehrin (39:16):
We're thankful to be able to share you and your
stories with our listeners.
So we really appreciate yougiving us this time.
Jodi Chestnut (39:23):
I look forward to seeing your next race.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (39:27):
Well, yes, you know, I ran a half marathon a
couple couple weeks after themarathon in Ogden, Ogden
Newspaper Classic Wheeling, WestVirginia.
I've run it many times.
I probably came in last inthat, too.
Sherry Ehrin (39:39):
Camera's following you around that time?
Jodi Chestnut (39:42):
No, no, no buses, no cop cars.
no, nothing.
There were very few peoplebehind me, if there were any at
all, and I want to focus ondoing the triathlon, because
that's a big challenge forsomebody who's a slow swimmer
like me.
I need to get out there and getarms going and bike.
I haven't biked in nine months,so I got to get out there and
(40:03):
get my body adjusted to thedemands of the triathlon.
Sherry Ehrin (40:07):
Yeah, your story, your honesty and your lifelong
commitment to serving othershave truly moved us.
You may have finished last inthe race, but you lead with
kindness, and now hearing thatyou're training for a triathlon,
that says it all.
You're still growing, remindingus that purpose doesn't end,
even with retirement.
It just keeps evolving.
(40:29):
You've lived a life of impactbecause you stayed consistent,
compassionate and grounded.
We're grateful for you andwe're cheering you on every mile
ahead.
Dr Tony Kovach reminds us thata full life doesn't come from
having a perfect pace.
It comes from a meaningfulpresence.
Whether tending to families inhis care or showing up mile
(40:51):
after mile, he's lived a liferooted in purpose, proving that
small acts done with heart cancarry lasting impact.
If you're in the thick of it,feeling slow, uncertain or
searching for what's next, letthis be your reminder.
Meaning can be found in steadypresence and quiet service to
others, and resilience is thecourage to keep going even when
(41:14):
it's hard.
Stay in the race.
Thank you, Tony, for remindingus what matters most.
Jodi Chestnut (41:19):
Dr Kovach, thank you for your time today.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (41:22):
You're welcome .
Sherry Ehrin (41:23):
This podcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
The content shared is based onpersonal experiences and
perspectives.
Nothing shared on this podcastshould be considered
professional advice.
Thriving Answers LLC, its hostsor any associated parties are
not liable for any actions takenor consequences arising from
the information provided.
The views expressed by thehosts and guests are their own
(41:43):
and do not necessarily reflectthose of any organizations or
affiliations.
If you or someone you know isin crisis, please reach out to a
trusted professional.
(42:03):
Thank you services offer 24-7crisis intervention and
stabilization services to allAllegheny County residents.
You can reach them by calling1-888-796-8226.
If you are struggling withmental health, addiction, grief
or any other serious personalchallenges, we encourage you to
seek support from a qualifiedprofessional.
Jodi Chestnut (42:23):
I'll never forget .
That's what pediatrics is.
It's fun forget.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (42:30):
Yeah, that's what pediatrics..
It's fun.
You almost gotta have some funinvolved.
Sherry Ehrin (42:33):
yeah same with life, same with life, because
it's good stuff
Dr. Tony Kovatch (42:37):
I know absolutely.
Hey, This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers.
Today's guest is one of thoserare souls who makes you feel
better just by listening to himtalk.
Dr Tony Kovach is a retiredpediatrician, marathon runner,
writer and deep thinker whoselegacy stretches far beyond exam
rooms and finish lines.
You might know him as Slow Tony, the last runner to cross the
(00:22):
finish line at the 2025Pittsburgh Marathon, cheered on
by strangers and surrounded bysquad cars, sweepers and smiles,
but there's so much more to DrKovatch.
You may have seen the viralphoto, you may have heard the
cheers, but what you might nothave heard is the heart and
humility behind Slow Tony.
(00:43):
Today, we're honored to give himspace to reflect on a lifetime
of healing, running, parentingand doing good for goodness sake
.
In this episode, we talk aboutwhat it means to live a good
life, how suffering shapes ourpurpose and why finishing last
might actually mean you'rewinning at the things that
really matter.
Whether you're a parent, acaregiver or just someone trying
(01:07):
to keep going.
This conversation will remindyou you are not alone and you
are absolutely still in the race.
We were hoping to start with alittle bit of your personal and
professional journey.
If you could kind of lay outsome of the pieces of who is
Tony Kovach and how you got towhere you are today.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (01:26):
Yes, in retrospect, now that you're in
retirement and you look back onyour legacy, you kind of have
different perspectives on things.
I think I was sort of born tobe a pediatrician.
I just had one brother, but wehad a large extended family.
In those days people tended tostay in the same area where
their parents grew up, so youhad a lot of your family around
and a lot of cousins.
And I had an uncle.
My mother's older brother was afamily practitioner in Hazleton
(01:49):
, Pennsylvania.
Both my mother and my fathergrew up in Hazleton Pennsylvania
, which is in sort of the coalarea of Northeast Pennsylvania.
So my uncle was a generalpractitioner in Hazleton and
they all wanted me to go back toHazleton to also be a general
practitioner.
But at that point we had movedto New Jersey.
I went to school in Jersey Cityand I wanted to spend my life
(02:11):
in New York City, but it didn'tturn out that way.
I liked the big city, but Iwent to a Jesuit prep school in
Jersey City.
Then I went to the Universityof Pennsylvania which was a big
change, going to a public schoolrather than a
religious-oriented school.
And then I went to DrexelMedical College in Philadelphia
also it was called Honan andthen now it's called Drexel.
I did my residency at LongIsland and I'll tell you later
(02:33):
about how I got to Pittsburgh Ithink one of the main backdrops
of my childhood.
My mother suffered from aneurodegenerative illness called
Huntington's disease.
It's a genetic disorder whichaffects 50% of offspring.
She developed symptoms when Iwas about 9, 10 years old.
So much of my later childhoodwas concerned with taking care
of my mother.
Me and my brother had to helpbecause my father was working
(02:56):
all the time and there wasdangers of losing our home, and
eventually my mother was put inan institution.
That colored my later childhoodand adolescent years, even my
young adult years.
So, on the other hand, I thinkthat suffering and stress did
contribute to my own desire toenter the medical profession,
the healing profession.
If I had to say what was theone factor that made you enter
(03:18):
the medical field, it would bethat when I started my medical
career, I wanted to be aneurologist, thinking that I
could help people with the samecondition that my mother had,
but I was spared the disease.
I would have had symptoms whenI was in my mid-30s if I was
going to have the same disorder.
Me and my brother were bothspared.
Many of the people in mymother's family were not spared
and I think it was trying tohave some redemption by working
(03:41):
as healing people who weresuffering to pay back the divine
powers that spared me from thatillness.
I consider myself lucky, as Ilook back on it years later,
that I was not affected and thenI did get through all my
training properly.
One of the important features ofmy young adulthood and in my
adolescence was finding theknowledge that we all received
(04:02):
from Viktor Frankl.
Viktor Frankl was an Austrianneurologist.
He was a survivor of theHolocaust, he spent years in
concentration camps and hedeveloped a theory called
logotherapy, which he eventuallychampioned when he was a
practicing neurologist.
The goals of logotherapy werethat you have to find a meaning
(04:24):
for your life, especially ameaning for your suffering, and
his main saying was those whohave a why to live can bear with
almost any how.
So that no matter what thingshave befallen me, you know, like
all of us, when these events ofsuffering would happen, I would
always go back to Viktor Frankl.
His main work was called Man'sSearch for Meaning right,
(04:44):
Absolutely Man's.
Jodi Chestnut (04:44):
"Man's Search for Meaning right,
Dr. Tony Kovatch (04:45):
Absolutely.
"Man's Search for Meaning.
That was his main book.
He's written others, one of themost influential books, they
say, in the American literature.
But his logotherapy has helpedmany people, I'm sure, not only
the survivors of the Holocaustbut people all along the way,
since we all experiencesuffering at some point,
especially when it's not reallysomething we caused ourselves
but it's part of the humancondition.
One of his sayings I alwayschampioned myself was without
(05:08):
suffering and death, human lifecannot be complete, and I always
took that seriously that we allhave to have a certain amount
of suffering, and I'd also bringthat up with my colleagues Now.
You hear about physician burnout, which is suffering probably
involved with losing your senseof purpose as you're caught up
in all the sort of the busy workof practicing medicine.
And I think physician burnout,which is suffering, probably
involved with losing your senseof purpose.
You're caught up in all thesort of the busy work of
practicing medicine, and I thinkit's the same idea.
(05:30):
This is suffering.
If we have the rightperspective on it and we can
control our emotions regardingthat, we can successfully combat
burnout.
Also, it's hard to deal withthe external circumstances in
the medical field that promoteburnout among physicians.
So I think physicians have towork within themselves, and I
think that that's the core ofmany things.
It's just that dedication andmindfulness is so important.
Sherry Ehrin (05:53):
It is that perspective that is so powerful,
to be able to find the meaningin what you're going through and
be able to use the perspectivethat you gain to help others and
staying grounded.
Jodi Chestnut (06:05):
Yes, absolutely.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (06:06):
I mean, that's the best way to put it simply.
You have to have something, ahigher meaning that keeps you
grounded, and I think you haveto practice it.
You have to practice it everyday.
It's easy to sort of fallastray and get into that
negative self-thought.
You know, like you're a loser,you're never going to really
(06:26):
accomplish what you should, andI think you have to pray often.
I still say prayers, like Isaid when I was a little kid,
before I go to bed at night, andit's just something that has to
be pervasive in your life.
It takes a lot of working itinto your life schedule and also
, I think gratitude is somethingthat I have absolutely so many
things to be, gratitude for,yeah, I have a wonderful wife.
(06:50):
We met when I came toPittsburgh.
I have four really wonderfulchildren.
The last one just got married.
Wonderful CongratulationsDaughters, sons-in-laws,
grandchildren that are healthy.
I really have nothing tocomplain about and we all
complain, of course, but whenthere's tough times and being a
(07:12):
doctor nobody would doubt thatbeing a doctor is a tough
profession but it is definitelygreat payback or whatever and I
feel that, due to my luck, Ialways think of, like, whether
you get a genetic disease, it'sjust like the luck of the coin
toss If you toss a coin, it's50-50, whether you have a normal
, healthy life or whether youhave a life that could be cut
(07:34):
short by all kinds of symptoms,both physical symptoms and
psychiatric symptoms.
So I think we have to havegreat gratitude that we stay
healthy.
We're sort of winning the cointoss, if you want to put it that
way.
If we're lucky enough to win thecoin toss, then we have
everything to be grateful for.
Sherry Ehrin (07:54):
You're absolutely right.
Jodi Chestnut (07:55):
Have there been any unexpected turns along the
way in your journey?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (08:00):
I think once I was a practicing pediatrician
and I had established my family,I was between jobs it was
probably like when I was about12, 13 years into practice the
organization I worked for sortof disintegrated as this was
happening in medicine peoplewould be buying out different
(08:20):
medical groups and stuff outdifferent medical groups and
stuff.
In that transition there was aperiod of about a month when I
wasn't working and in thatperiod being I'm the kind of
person who gets a lot ofanticipatory anxiety, so I
started dwelling on that andworrying and it threw me into a
period of sort of anxiety andpanic.
So it's funny, once I startedworking again I got back into my
(08:43):
normal shape of working.
But I remember talking to apsychologist trying to get some
cognitive behavioral therapy totry to reverse this anxiety and
I was quite worried because mykids were all little and I was
worried that my wife had to takecare of all them and I didn't
want to have to quit working asa pediatrician.
I felt so anxious.
(09:04):
But I never forget the curativeremark she made.
She asked me why are youanxious?
And I said I'm anxious becauseof my family and I'm anxious
that my wife might see that I amweak.
And the therapist saidsomething that I'll never forget
.
She says your wife will not seeyou that you are weak, she will
(09:27):
see that you are human.
And that threw me out of thewhole thing.
All human beings have periods ofanxiety, with big transitions,
and I said I'm no different andI've always used that philosophy
with the younger doctors oftoday.
When they say that they haveburnout, use that philosophy
with the younger doctors oftoday when they say that they
(09:48):
have burnout.
I said you have to realize allus doctors are human.
We can't be super doctors orsuper mothers and super fathers,
which we all try to be and wejust have to realize we're all
human and subjected to the samelimitations of all our humanness
.
So that was a big, it was asmall thing, but it had long
lasting consequences.
When I'd have stressfulsituations like that, which we
(10:10):
all do in the future, I was ableto handle them better and that
was kind of on the heels of myexperience with Viktor Frankl
and Logotherapy.
So these are the kind oflessons you learn in life that
hold you and keep you afloat.
Sherry Ehrin (10:25):
Right.
So to me it sounds like you'redescribing the role that
resilience has played, what'ssomething that people often
misunderstand about your field.
I think that's kind of whatyou're saying.
Doctors are human.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (10:39):
Yes, I think doctors have the same fears and
insecurity that all people have.
Medical training tries toinstill in doctors a facade of
confidence and of vast knowledge, but any doctor who practices
for a long time realizes there'salways things that are over
(11:02):
their head.
There are all situations thatyou can control and the most
important thing is to alwaysoffer words of comfort and to
make the most effort to cure asituation, and that you can't
always do that, but the mostimportant thing is to always
(11:23):
again offer comfort, be kind,and I think one of the most
important things, as I alwayssay, be kind.
And I think one of the mostimportant things that I always
say, especially forpediatricians, is to never stop
doing the little things forpeople.
It's the little things you dofor people that they remember.
It's not the big diagnoses youmake.
You know, it's returning phonecalls.
(11:45):
You know, especially withpediatrics, pediatrics is 99% of
your day at work is basicallythe same small little things
over and over, and it's how youdo it.
It's being compulsive to cleanearwax out of some kid.
We know they're going to hateit and they're going to scream
because you know they need toget that wax out so that their
hearing isn't affected.
(12:05):
It's comforting a nervous childwho's having trouble getting
back to school, maybe after anillness.
It's comforting a parent who'sworried about something that
they really should not beworried about, but they cannot
overcome it.
It takes time to realize theimportant things that you do for
people and the healing isn'talways healing of just physical
(12:29):
problems.
It's just healing a lot ofproblems that stem from anxiety
and insecurity or whatever.
So pediatricians need to bekind, they need to be
nonjudgmental.
That's crucial these days,because so many times in
medicine these days people aretelling you what you must do and
people have their own ideas onthings.
(12:50):
They want to control your ownhealth measures.
It's probably true today I'veseen this through my children
they want to maybe deviate alittle bit with the vaccinations
and stuff like that.
So I think the main thing for apediatrician, and probably for
any doctor, is that you have tobe just another member of the
family, except that you have alittle more medical knowledge
(13:10):
than the other family membersand that you're just in there
with everybody else supportingthem.
That's what pediatrics is.
You're basically a cheerleaderfor families and getting them
through their tough times.
Sherry Ehrin (13:24):
Yeah, it takes a village, and the doctor is
certainly an important part ofit.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (13:28):
People were using that term about.
It takes a village with themarathon, with running too.
They say they have theserunning groups and they say it's
easier to get to be dedicatedto running and get all your
requisite time in there if youdo it socially, with other
people.
That's something I've neverbeen able to do.
I don't run with a group.
(13:49):
I find it interesting with thisthing with other people.
That's something I've neverbeen able to do.
I don't run with a group.
I find it interesting with thisthing.
With the marathon, I was kind offast across the finish line.
I'm getting so slow now as I'm74 years old, but I've been
running marathons for 25 yearsand not always as slow as I did
in 2025.
But there have been people whohave run marathons in a far
better time than me, who were intheir 80s, and I think Hot
(14:13):
Harry was one of them.
Hot Harry was a fellow whostarted running in.
I think he was 45 or 50, sortof like me, and he had a running
group in North Park, which iswhere I run a lot of times.
He got a bunch of his friendstogether and they would just run
around the park and he wouldgive them beverages to drink to
rehydrate and not hard drinksand snacks and stuff like that.
(14:34):
Everybody knew hot harry.
Hot Harry Kirsch was his name.
He died at the age of 94.
He ran into his 80s you know,I'm nowhere near the endurance
or the longevity of Hot Harry.
Maybe I can be someday.
It'd be one of my goals if Icould run into my eighties.
But you need to start going ata certain point.
Jodi Chestnut (14:53):
Well, I was going to say so what keeps you going?
Because I know myself.
I keep trying to exercise alittle harder and as soon as I
get uncomfortable I'm like Idon't know if I could do this.
What?
Keeps that motivation for you.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (15:08):
I think if I had to answer in one word, it
would be my obsessive,compulsive personality.
Remember I mentioned when I wasa kid I had anticipatory
anxiety, which is a good thing,they say.
A good doctor tends to beobsessive, compulsive, so you
don't let things slip and youalways pay attention to the
things you have to do.
And but I think thatpersonality trait has kept me
(15:28):
dedicated and I think if Ididn't run I would feel remiss,
left out, that I was harming myhealth.
So I run for health reasons,but I think that it keeps you
more mentally sharp.
I like to think that it impedesthe development of little
dementia traits.
(15:49):
I think my memory is definitelybetter after I run and the
little things start happening toyou in the 80s and 80s.
So I think I'm trying topreserve my health, especially
my mental health, and just sortof stay sharp.
One of the main tenets ofstaying healthy and keeping your
memory as you grow older is themost important factor is
staying active, and it may justneed to be like walk every day,
(16:15):
but I think the more you do thebetter.
Even though I'm slow, I do havethe endurance, after 25 years
of running, that I can run longdistances and even swim without
tiring too much.
Sherry Ehrin (16:24):
Yeah, that's pretty incredible.
What was your time for themarathon?
Hey it's faster than me.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (16:34):
People always say it's faster than the people
who are at home watchingtelevision.
The important thing for arunner isn't the time when the
clock starts, it's from when youcross the start line, and one
of the reasons I was fortunateenough to get this fame about
being the last to cross thefinish line is because I was one
of the last to cross thestarting line, so that if you
(16:58):
get by net time like when youcross the starting line to
finish line I was like just overseven.
That's really slow.
I've never been that slowbefore, but it's over seven
hours.
If you go by when they actuallystarted the whole race, it
would be seven hours and 41minutes, but because it takes
that long, you don't have thedifferent pods at the start of
the race.
Jodi Chestnut (17:18):
It's still a really long time to keep going.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (17:23):
You put the fast runners in A and then E is
like where I was and E is likewhere I was.
One of my compulsive traits isthat I want to be absolutely
sure, when I cross that startingline, that I have emptied my
bladder so I don't have to keepgoing throughout the course.
You're running for seven hours.
Even if you're fast and you'rerunning for three, four hours,
you still have to go.
You have to drink a lot offluids, of course, to stay
(17:43):
hydrated, and you're inevitablygoing to have to go to the
port-a-john and you don't wantto stop and wait in a line to
get into a port-a-john,especially if you're an elite
runner and your time isimportant.
For me it doesn't matter, butwith my slow times, but still,
you spend your time out on thetrail with the other people, not
sitting in a port-a-john can Ijust say yeah, you want to start
that line and get a littleprayer and that kind of thing
(18:04):
yeah, you've mentioned somethingthat I really am impressed by
and want to point out.
Jodi Chestnut (18:09):
I love that you mentioned being a little bit
obsessive, compulsive as a traitand not a negative thing.
And I know about anxiety aswell, and I feel like there's
such a negative connotation allthe time.
We treat everything like adisorder instead of just part of
who we are.
I think it's refreshing to hearsomeone describe that as just
(18:30):
part of who we are.
I think it's refreshing to hearsomeone describe that as just
part of who you are.
These are things about us thatmake us unique.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (18:38):
One of my philosophies and what I would
convey to parents is that youhave three groups of people, but
two big groups of people, twobig groups of kids when they
start emerging personality-wise.
There's the ones with attentiondeficit disorder, who are very
active.
They have very positive traitsbecause they're very dynamic and
animated, but they have a lotof trouble with the
(18:58):
concentration.
So there's a big group of those.
There's another big group ofpeople that have anxiety and
obsessive compulsive, who are alittle more restricted,
inhibited in what they do.
They have to learn how to dealwith that.
Then there's a little slitherof people that are a little more
restricted, inhibited in whatthey do.
They have to learn how to dealwith that.
Then there's a little slither ofpeople that are a combination
of attention deficit disorderand anxiety.
There's a little slither ofpeople in the middle that
(19:19):
balance out.
So there's for people thatbalance out.
Everybody has, you know.
I realized as I go back to theHuntington's disease.
It is a very devastatingdisease because it starts so
early in life and it progressespretty quickly.
But if you look at it, thereare many hidden psychiatric
disorders in almost every family.
(19:40):
Every family has something.
You see this out of practicingmedicine for 40 plus years, you
see that no family is spared,and it's better to know what
you're dealing with than to havethis stuff come up as a
surprise.
Sherry Ehrin (19:55):
Yeah, and I think it's important for people to
know that, because in so manycases it's something that
families carry a lot of shameand guilt around.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:05):
Absolutely.
Sherry Ehrin (20:07):
Yeah, and it helps for people to know that you're
not alone and every family, asyou said,
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:13):
absolutely
Sherry Ehrin (20:13):
has somebody dealing with something.
Jodi Chestnut (20:15):
we all have more in common than not
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:17):
absolutely yes
Sherry Ehrin (20:19):
yep
Dr. Tony Kovatch (20:20):
like you said that before, jody people, what a
class of compulsive.
They're the professionals ofthe world.
You got to have dedication andthat's part of dedication.
People say ocd and think of itin a negative connotation, but
really it's.
I mean, you learn how tocontrol it so it doesn't
overwhelm you.
But I always thought in my mindyou know, here's some typical
toddler comes in, ears are fullof wax.
(20:41):
Should you go through thesuffering for yourself, the
parents and the kids to get thewax out, or just ignore it?
And a compulsive person wouldsay I am obliged to remove that
wax.
That is part of my job oranything of that nature.
I'm going to go ahead and getthis ingrown toenail.
I'm going to correct this.
My kid's not going to like it.
These are older kids and I'mgoing to do it, but I'm not just
(21:04):
going to punt it over to aspecialist.
It's how, sometimes a negativetrait will produce positive
results.
Sherry Ehrin (21:12):
Well, as a person who didn't have Tony Kovatch as
my pediatrician, I can say thatcompulsion is one of the things
that have made you such awell-loved person, because I
heard about you, obviously fromthe marathon, but as I started
to read the articles and yourname was popping up all over my
Facebook from so many friends, "Dr Kovach, oh Dr Kovach.
(21:35):
It is just so clear how wellloved you are and how those
traits have served you well andhave served your patients over
the years.
So there's something to be saidfor that, for sure.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (21:46):
It's a matter of longevity, too because when
you're practicing in onecommunity for 40 plus years, you
get to know a lot of people andbecome a member of their
extended family.
It was very, very difficult forme when I retired, but I was
sometimes generations.
Sherry Ehrin (22:02):
It's part of your identity.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (22:02):
I would be seeing like that the
grandparents were my patientsand then their kids would be the
parents and then thegrandchildren would be like my
younger, newer patients.
So I think that I was verylucky in the sense that many of
the kids that I saw in practicewent to school with my children.
They played in sporting eventswith my children, so you get
around.
(22:22):
Another thing is I alwaysenjoyed going to sporting events
, even with my patients.
So some patients said we'rehaving a big hockey game.
Do you want to come?
I would always go, my wife.
I would tell my wife, just gofor a little bit.
I would go and you know Iwasn't much of an athlete.
I liked watching sports.
I was a big Yankee fan andstuff.
(22:43):
As a kid you know it wasdifferent and that sports were
your main entertainment.
You played on the sandlotsplaying baseball, you followed
the teams.
Every game you would listen.
I was a New York Yankee fan.
I would watch every game thatwas on TV and if it wasn't, I
listened to it on the radio.
I mean, nobody does that thesedays.
Sherry Ehrin (23:04):
Yeah, yeah.
My dad did at the end of hislife.
He had glioblastoma, and it wasonly like six months from
diagnosis to when he passed away.
But that was what he enjoyedwas listening to the pirate
games because he couldn't seewell, but he liked listening to
the Pirate games and followedthat way, and he would even
(23:25):
listen on the phone with hisbrother.
They would put it on and theywould sit on the phone and be
just connected to each otherwhile listening to the games.
Jodi Chestnut (23:33):
Remember, like maybe at midnight, listening
when the Yankees were out on theWest Coast and you'd hear the
voices of the old, famousannouncers.
And as these announcers wouldget older, I would notice too
they became more philosophicalabout life in general too.
It's all of our experiences givethose perspectives and you
start to see things a little
Dr. Tony Kovatch (23:52):
Yes
Sherry Ehrin (23:53):
Sometimes differently and sometimes more
clearly.
Jodi Chestnut (23:56):
Vince Scully, who's the announcer for the Los
Angeles Dodgers.
I think he was announcing untilhe was in his late 80s, and one
of his sayings was .
.
.
H e was reading about who wasinjured and it said something
like one, "of the players islisted from day to day with a
lower extremity injury.
And he pauses and then he says,"aren't we all?
(24:19):
Which means, aren't we all justgoing from day to day?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (24:28):
You know, especially after the crises that
we see in the world today.
Sherry Ehrin (24:31):
Yeah, speaking of that, what message do you want
people to hear and believe mostabout themselves?
Through all of your experiencesin your personal life, and then
as well, as a pediatrician, isthere something that comes to
mind?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (24:45):
Yes, I think much of this is very
simple-minded stuff.
Mind it is simple but verybasic.
It's at the core of everythingand that is all their people,
with kindness I mean, that'spart and parcel being a
pediatrician, but kindness is soimportant in this day and age.
I think always, always bemindful of that.
There is a Higher Power.
It's sometimes hard to knowwhat that higher power actually
(25:10):
is.
We all have our own what weknow of God.
I think it's important to staygrounded, but to always look up
to that higher power.
Keep Believing.
It's very easy to become cynicalin this day and age and not
realize that we're indebted to aHigher Power.
When I look back, I must admitthat the three years I've been
in retirement were verydifficult.
I was sort of preoccupied withmy own legacy, like "how will I
(25:34):
be remembered, even though I wasstill working and still writing
and running and stuff like that.
I said how will I be remembered?
Will my children even rememberanything about me?
Sherry Ehrin (25:43):
And so what do you want them to remember?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (25:45):
And I think that just that you were a good
father, good husband, as good asyou can be A good grandparent,
became very important,especially when they weren't so
close, you know.
And, just to be a good humanbeing.
Always look upon every otherhuman being with kindness, know
that all of us are human andthat we just have to always keep
(26:05):
that in the back of our minds.
Jodi Chestnut (26:07):
What about for parents today?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (26:09):
Yeah, parenting has changed so much
since when I was a kid to when Iwas a parent and now even as a
grandparent.
I think the main message isalways use positive
reinforcement and I try to dothis with my grandchildren.
I think so much of our lives wesabotage our own happiness by
(26:33):
our own negative self-thoughts.
And this is typical people oh,that's a compulsive people like
me.
I do something wrong with thecomputer or whatever and I'm
immediately calling myself adunce and you know and say
what's wrong with you, could youdo anything right?
And that kind of negativeself-thoughts you've got to
eliminate.
And, it's hard to eliminate.
If I had to give a message toparents, always reinforcement.
Every opportunity to saysomething positive to encourage
(26:56):
your kids.
not when it's not appropriate.
But, you know, anything goodthat they do.
I try to do that with mygrandchildren, even if it gets
to the point of being absurdsometimes.
Sherry Ehrin (27:07):
It's the ratio.
It's 10 positives for every onecorrection or something.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (27:13):
That's a good way to say it.
You've got to increase theratio of making it higher for
positive interactions and lessfor negative interactions.
Sherry Ehrin (27:22):
Because what you say becomes their inner voice.
Jodi Chestnut (27:26):
I would just say anything to be positive.
A good example are thenonverbal children with severe
autism.
They don't talk, you have noidea what they're thinking, but
I think they understandaffection, just like other kids.
So sometimes, just like holdingtheir hand if they're scared or
giving them a little treatwhich I'm really at fault I just
(27:48):
can't stop giving them littlecandies when I see them.
I mean little things like thatwhich they'll not even know you
did it.
Doing things without expecting apayback is important.
If we learn in life not toexpect and I was pretty bad with
this I always want to kind ofreturn on my investment.
If I put effort into things,you can't look for any return on
(28:08):
your efforts and anycompensation.
You just got to do it for goodsake.
That's probably the end of allthings.
What's the most important thingis doing good for good sake
alone.
Sherry Ehrin (28:20):
Yeah, understanding that you're a part
of something bigger, and thesooner you can get out of that
self and just do the right thing, because it's the right thing.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (28:29):
Yeah, that's true.
We have to denigrate to thefocus on our own self, our own
pleasures, and just accept thesuffering that we have.
And I think every human beingreally is a physician.
We're all there.
We could all heal the wounds ofsociety, the illnesses of our
relatives, friends and even allpeople just by how we act.
(28:51):
I've become much more aware ofthat as I've gotten older.
It's just something as simpleas talking about, even about
running.
I talked a little bit aboutGeorge Sheehan in the past.
George Sheehan was a guy whostarted running in late life.
He was like the patron saint ofthe philosophy of running.
His idea was that it's aspiritual enterprise running and
(29:17):
I'm just going to give a quotehere.
That's pretty well known aboutGeorge Sheehan, sure, and this
is something that, as I getolder and I get so slow, I kind
of comfort myself with.
But he had a very famous bookcalled "Running and being about
the spirituality of running.
One of his last books wascalled Going the Distance.
He wrote this as he was dyingof prostate cancer.
This is his philosophy, he saidno matter how old I get, the
race remains one of life's mostrewarding experiences.
(29:41):
My times become slower andslower.
I can certainly understand that.
"My time becomes slower andslower, but the experience of
the race is unchanged.
Each race a drama as well as adream.
Each race a challenge, eachrace stretching me in one way or
another and each race tellingme more about myself and others.
(30:05):
I think running, especiallylong distance running, it's a
metaphor for life.
You asked before why do youkeep running?
Not only for, hopefully, thephysical, because you can't
guarantee that, it's justkeeping you grounded in the
determination to have a goodlife.
I mean, the simpler things thebetter.
Living a good life is not thateasy these days.
(30:27):
You would think that it wouldbe easy, but you got to have a
mindset.
You'll have constant challenges.
Yeah, you're always challenged,and I think you just have to
keep a very firm commitment.
And I think one thing aboutrunning at any age is that you
have that commitment.
It keeps your determination.
Jodi Chestnut (30:48):
Sure, it probably helps with all the external
noise too.
We have so much externallydistracting us all the time that
you have to quiet that andrefocus.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (31:01):
It seems like every time I run in North Park I
run into an old patient orsomebody that I know.
But most of the time you canrun on trails.
In the summer it's so hot andso sunny that I run on abandoned
trails.
That's, I think, the most.
I want to call it spiritual.
You're out there with nature.
The only thing you'reinteracting with are the gnat.
The trails at North Parkespecially are full of gnats and
(31:21):
they're always in your ears andyour nose and your eyes.
You got to keep swatting themaway.
But that's not the only thingyou're really dealing with.
The rest of it you're justrunning, watching the rocks,
watching them trip on a route.
You're surrounded by trees andjust the sky all the things of
nature that we want to integrateourselves with.
Sherry Ehrin (31:38):
Yeah, yeah, I wanted to loop back to the race.
You finished last, correct?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (31:44):
It became evident to me when I hit the
midpoint.
I was with the crowd of thehalf marathoners and then all of
a sudden we crossed theBirmingham Bridge.
They all went left down thehill to the city, and I was with
all these people.
I'm on the right side, going upto Shadyside area and Oakland,
and all of a sudden I findmyself alone.
I realized at that point that Iwas last in the race.
(32:05):
I wasn't sure, but I was withthe stragglers at the end.
And then I reached a pointwhere somewhere around mile
maybe 15, 16, where they usuallyhave, like that entourage
Sherry Ehrin (32:15):
the sweep
Dr. Tony Kovatch (32:16):
the sweepers.
And all of a sudden all thosesweepers were behind me.
I guess they had figured thisSlow Tony guy had read my bib.
I always put on my bib, SlowVatch.
But this time SlowV atch wasn'taccepted.
It comes from Slow Kovatch.
(32:37):
I got it from my oldest son whocalled the brothers.
He was just at the wedding.
The three brothers calledthemselves BroVatch.
He's sort of along that line,but anyway.
So I made up the Slow Vatchthing.
But they wouldn't accept that,so I put Slow Tony.
That was accepted.
But all of a sudden ,everybodyhad this "Slow Tony's coming or
whatever.
And at that point behind methis entourage, the sweeper bus
that picks up people at the endwho can't finish, a whole bunch
(32:58):
of cop cars that open the roadsand an ambulance.
They all were running behindme, and they stayed behind me
the whole second half, and Irealized that I was last.
But, I was trying at the end tolike pass some of the people
because I had no idea that I wasgoing to be the last across the
finish line and get any kind offame because of that.
(33:19):
But it just happened to turnout that at the end I really
couldn't overcome anybody, so Iwound up being last.
So the entourage of thevehicles just stayed behind me.
They were at my heels almostthe whole second half of the
marathon.
Sherry Ehrin (33:31):
Yeah, and I'm sure it's like in your mind, "while
they're there, I can hop in.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (33:35):
Yeah, yes, yes , you're right.
I saw in front of me the sevenmile pacers and I said, "I got
to stay with those pacersbecause I was afraid they might.
They'll suggest that you getoff the course if you're so slow
.
I said if I stayed within themI'll be okay.
But I didn't realize at thatpoint that I, with my chip, time
would have been from thestarting because I started late
(33:57):
to crossing the finish line.
I really didn't realize that Iwas last.
But there were probably somepeople whose time was more, but
at that point I was in last.
In the last few years I've beenlast in so many races.
In the last few years I've beenlast in so many races.
I think one of the things I sayis that there's a lot of perks
to finishing last Becausethere's a crowd they want to get
the race over with.
So they're all cheering you onGet them over the finish line.
(34:18):
So the race is over.
And then the people arecheering, they hang around.
I guess they have a little warmspot in their heart for the
person who's coming in last.
And then in many races theyhave so much food and they want
to get rid of it.
So they said, hey, give it tohim and they would give me a big
box of bananas or oranges ordrinks and stuff like that.
So you get a lot of publicityjust by being last.
So I mean it's desirable andonly in that way, not that you
(34:41):
want to come in last when youknow you're going to be last.
Like me, you don't feel badabout it anymore.
I stopped being bad about beinga long time ago.
Sherry Ehrin (34:54):
Yeah Well, it's nothing to feel bad about.
Jodi Chestnut (34:56):
Like we said, there are all of us sitting home
on the couch.
Sherry Ehrin (34:57):
Yes, we're behind you still.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (34:59):
And the other thing is, I think when they see
that entourage behind the LastRunner, the people that are on
the sidelines they cheer.
There's a lot of people thatcheer in the people at the end
and there was a lot here.
And, as I said, I think when Ifinished my arms were tired from
waving to the spectators at theend of the race and just saying
(35:20):
thank you, thank you.
I think my voice and my armswere more tired than my legs
from all that waving and stuff.
But I'm used to running.
I must say, even though I'mslow, I'm in probably good
enough condition that I could dothese without being hurt.
I think, because I'm short, itdoesn't put as much wear and
tear on my knees as it would ona taller runner, or maybe it's
(35:41):
I'm short, squat, you know, andmy legs are very long.
It makes you slower, but on theother hand, I think it causes
less pain.
Sherry Ehrin (35:48):
Yeah, you can do it for longer.
If you want people to connectwith you or follow your work.
Where can they find you?
Would you rather go back intojust everybody leave me alone
now.
Jodi Chestnut (36:03):
What's next for Dr Kovatch?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:09):
I'm on Facebook.
I don't put out much.
I do do write blogs.
I write for the AlleghenyCounty Medical Society.
I write for them probably everyother month.
I get an article in there and Iwrite for the American Academy
of Pediatrics.
But I write for Medium, likeyou do, Jodi, right?
Jodi Chestnut (36:20):
Yeah.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:20):
You know what?
I wrote an article.
Between the wedding and allthis marathon stuff.
I haven't really writtenanything.
I used to comment almost everyday on somebody's article
because they have a wholesection on running and about
like slice of life type of stuff.
So I want to get back to that.
Jodi Chestnut (36:35):
I read an article you wrote on Medium that was
really impressive.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You're very talented at writing.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:45):
Oh, thank you.
Sherry Ehrin (36:45):
Well, we can put a link to that in our show notes.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (36:48):
I just started a couple of months ago.
I started very diligent andreading every day, you know.
And then with this whole stepand I just look at them and I
like reading them I want towrite more.
I have old things I put onthere right away, but I just
been sidetracked by what we callit, my 15 minutes of fame or,
as I call it, my 16 minutes permile of shame or whatever you
(37:08):
want to say, or infamy, orwhatever you know.
Sherry Ehrin (37:12):
Yeah, what's next?
Dr. Tony Kovatch (37:14):
I must say that as I've been in retirement
the last three years, I've doneeverything in my power to sort
of keep busy, keep involved andstill try to practice the
healing arts of pediatrics.
I work part time, just threedays a week, at a mental health
center.
I work at what are calledresidential treatment facilities
(37:34):
.
I'm just a pediatrician there.
I don't do psychiatry, but itkeeps me practicing and I also
strive to write.
I write articles for theAllegheny County Medical Society
and American Academy ofPediatrics every so often.
I try to write whatever I canand I write for a platform
called Medium.
I just started doing that, butI try to keep active.
(37:55):
I keep up my running but inorder to keep some of the wear
and tear off my knees.
I try to also cross train bydoing some swimming, and I love
to kayak.
I find that to be a veryrewarding kind of supernatural
type of endeavor, you know goingout on the lake in nature.
It's really cool and me and mywife, like most old couples
(38:19):
whose children have left thenest, when we're not visiting
them, we love watching oldTurner classic movies.
I think of my years ofretirement as being hopefully
restful, but I think of it aslike for the foot.
You hear about the three R'sreading, writing, arithmetic.
I try to incorporate into myretirement years running,
(38:40):
writing, reading, audio books,which I love to do, especially
stuff I never read before.
When I was younger I went backand read something like On the
Road by Jack Kerouac, an oldbook about the beach generation.
So I'm trying to catch up on myold reading.
So I have running writing,reading audio books and then,
lastly, resting on the sofa withmy dear wife watching Turner
(39:05):
Classic Movies.
Jodi Chestnut (39:06):
That's great.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (39:06):
So it's the news, but Turner Classic movies
are definite every night.
Sherry Ehrin (39:13):
It sounds like a life well lived.
Jodi Chestnut (39:14):
That's right.
Sherry Ehrin (39:16):
We're thankful to be able to share you and your
stories with our listeners.
So we really appreciate yougiving us this time.
Jodi Chestnut (39:23):
I look forward to seeing your next race.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (39:27):
Well, yes, you know, I ran a half marathon a
couple couple weeks after themarathon in Ogden, Ogden
Newspaper Classic Wheeling, WestVirginia.
I've run it many times.
I probably came in last inthat, too.
Sherry Ehrin (39:39):
Camera's following you around that time?
Jodi Chestnut (39:42):
No, no, no buses, no cop cars.
no, nothing.
There were very few peoplebehind me, if there were any at
all, and I want to focus ondoing the triathlon, because
that's a big challenge forsomebody who's a slow swimmer
like me.
I need to get out there and getarms going and bike.
I haven't biked in nine months,so I got to get out there and
(40:03):
get my body adjusted to thedemands of the triathlon.
Sherry Ehrin (40:07):
Yeah, your story, your honesty and your lifelong
commitment to serving othershave truly moved us.
You may have finished last inthe race, but you lead with
kindness, and now hearing thatyou're training for a triathlon,
that says it all.
You're still growing, remindingus that purpose doesn't end,
even with retirement.
It just keeps evolving.
(40:29):
You've lived a life of impactbecause you stayed consistent,
compassionate and grounded.
We're grateful for you andwe're cheering you on every mile
ahead.
Dr Tony Kovach reminds us thata full life doesn't come from
having a perfect pace.
It comes from a meaningfulpresence.
Whether tending to families inhis care or showing up mile
(40:51):
after mile, he's lived a liferooted in purpose, proving that
small acts done with heart cancarry lasting impact.
If you're in the thick of it,feeling slow, uncertain or
searching for what's next, letthis be your reminder.
Meaning can be found in steadypresence and quiet service to
others, and resilience is thecourage to keep going even when
(41:14):
it's hard.
Stay in the race.
Thank you, Tony, for remindingus what matters most.
Jodi Chestnut (41:19):
Dr Kovach, thank you for your time today.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (41:22):
You're welcome .
Sherry Ehrin (41:23):
This podcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
The content shared is based onpersonal experiences and
perspectives.
Nothing shared on this podcastshould be considered
professional advice.
Thriving Answers LLC, its hostsor any associated parties are
not liable for any actions takenor consequences arising from
the information provided.
The views expressed by thehosts and guests are their own
(41:43):
and do not necessarily reflectthose of any organizations or
affiliations.
If you or someone you know isin crisis, please reach out to a
trusted professional.
(42:03):
Thank you services offer 24-7crisis intervention and
stabilization services to allAllegheny County residents.
You can reach them by calling1-888-796-8226.
If you are struggling withmental health, addiction, grief
or any other serious personalchallenges, we encourage you to
seek support from a qualifiedprofessional.
Jodi Chestnut (42:23):
I'll never forget .
That's what pediatrics is.
It's fun forget.
Dr. Tony Kovatch (42:30):
Yeah, that's what pediatrics..
It's fun.
You almost gotta have some funinvolved.
Sherry Ehrin (42:33):
yeah same with life, same with life, because
it's good stuff
Dr. Tony Kovatch (42:37):
I know absolutely.
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