Back of the Pack Podcast

Lace up your sneakers, grab your favorite headband, and toe the starting line! The signal has fired and the “Back of the Pack Podcast” is up and running! Are you a fan of running 5k’s just because the finisher medal looks cool? You are not alone there! Join the show that is all about the race swag and running on a Saturday morning to get the most out of your race registration. We will talk about local races in the Kansas City area. We will give you a heads up if you’re wanting to go farther outside the area to run the big races. Host Kyle Walker has fourteen full marathons, over eighty half marathons, and hundreds of 5k’s and 10k's. Take it from us, you are among friends here if you’ve gotten to the finish line to find all the bananas gone!

Episodes

Run the Nation: Grit, Gators & Southern Hospitality

July 18, 2025 • 30 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Run the Nation series heads south — where the miles are sweaty, the smiles are big, and every finish line feels like a family reunion. Kyle shares his personal stories of running the humid roads of Memphis, Gulf Shores, Biloxi, and more — including the only DNF that still nags at him (and why he’s going back for sweet redemption). We’ll break down ten must-run Southern rac...

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Miles, Meals & Mistakes: You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet

July 14, 2025 • 31 mins

Ever wondered if you can just add more miles to cancel out late-night pizza and gas station snacks? Spoiler: you can’t — and that’s exactly what we’re tackling this week on The Back of the Pack Podcast. We kick things off with a quick rundown of the Sunglasses 5K from this past Saturday — sun, fun, and a few shady characters (pun intended). Then we get real about that classic saying: “You can’t outrun a bad diet.” No lectures here ...

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Run the Nation: Grit, Glory & the East Coast

July 11, 2025 • 30 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Run the Nation series heads to the birthplace of American road racing — the East Coast. From the roaring bridges of New York City to the heartbreak hills of Boston, we’re diving into what makes East Coast running so iconic, gritty, and fiercely proud. Kyle breaks down ten must-run races, from massive urban marathons with tens of thousands of runners to legendary hill climb...

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Run, Regret, Repeat: The Packy’s Debut

July 7, 2025 • 33 mins

What do pit bulls, frozen hurricanes, and minus-14 wind chills have in common? They’re all part of the wild ride that’s been the first half of 2025 for The Back of the Pack Podcast. In this episode, we lace up to break down the Stars and Stripes 5K in Overland Park — the race that let us run off the BBQ calories just in time for fireworks. But we don’t stop there. We’re rolling out our very first Packy’s: the official, totally unse...

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Run the Nation: The Wild West Coast

July 4, 2025 • 26 mins

This Fourth of July, The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind kicks off its Run the Nation series by heading out West — where the freedom to run wild is as big as the coastline itself. From misty coastal boardwalks to rugged mountain trails, the West Coast running scene is all about adventure, grit, and epic scenery that makes you grateful to lace up in the land of the free. Kyle breaks down iconic bucket-list races like Big Sur, ...

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Run the Race You Want

June 30, 2025 • 33 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, Kyle takes you to the start line of the All-American 8 Miler in Independence, MO, with a full breakdown of hot miles, hometown vibes, and a celebration of what makes small-town holiday races so great. Then, he pulls back the curtain on how this podcast picks races—controversies and all—and reminds everyone that Back of the Pack stays true to itself and the listeners who keep the miles (and...

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Miles with Meaning: Running Through the Struggle

June 27, 2025 • 41 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we wrap up our Mental Health Awareness Month series with an episode rooted in resilience, reflection, and finding your “why.” After exploring men’s mental health, women’s mental load, and the emotional weight of recovery, we’re ending with a motivational reminder that running is often born from struggle—and becomes a powerful tool for purpose. Host Kyle Walker shares personal ...

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Behind the Mic with Behind the Bib

June 23, 2025 • 46 mins

While Kyle is out of town, The Back of the Pack Podcast welcomes a first-time guest host to the mic—Lisa Watkins from the Behind the Bib podcast! Broadcasting from Huntsville, Alabama, Lisa brings a fresh voice and Southern perspective to this week’s episode. She shares her personal running journey, what inspired her to launch Behind the Bib, and how her show highlights races throughout the Southeast. Lisa also gives us a deep dive...

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Benched, Broken, and Building Back

June 20, 2025 • 41 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we tackle the quieter, tougher side of the comeback: recovery. Whether you're healing from injury, surgery, burnout, or a personal storm, the mental game can be the real mountain to climb. Kyle opens up about his own recovery journey after two open-heart surgeries and explores how running—and not running—affects our identity, confidence, and hope. From lost pace to rediscovere...

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Running Through Soup: Humidity, Heat & Race Day Reviews

June 16, 2025 • 40 mins

Week one of ultramarathon training is in the books—and it was a sweaty one! In this episode, we kick things off by checking in on how training is feeling so far, especially as the summer heat settles in. Then we dive into two weekend race recaps, starting with Saturday’s Fighting Fentanyl 5K in Shawnee, KS—a meaningful event with a powerful cause. Sunday brought the Village Shalom Father’s Day 10K, where the course was fast, but th...

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The Invisible Finish Line: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Miles

June 13, 2025 • 50 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we’re flipping the script and handing the mic to the women. Kyle is joined by special guest Hillary Burgess—a San Antonio-based runner, influencer, wife, and mom of two—who opens up about the wild mental marathon of motherhood, burnout, body image, and invisible labor. From emotional load to lacing up, we dive into how running offers not just endorphins, but escape routes. Hil...

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Running Through the Storm: St. Louis Strong with The Happy Pace

June 9, 2025 • 43 mins

While host Kyle is out of town, we're thrilled to welcome Gretchen and Elaine from "The Happy Pace Podcast" out of St. Louis as our guest hosts! These incredible women have mastered something that frankly boggles our minds – they record their entire podcast while actually running. That's a level of multitasking that would have Kyle gasping for air and forgetting his own name by mile two. In this episode, Gretchen and Elaine are joi...

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Man Up or Speak Up: Running Through Men's Mental Health

June 6, 2025 • 38 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we launch our June Mental Health Awareness Month series with the most personal episode Kyle has ever recorded. In an unfiltered, no-interview format, Kyle opens up about his 15-year journey through mental health struggles stemming from divorce, single parenting, two open-heart surgeries, and the complex layers of modern masculinity that often leave men suffering in silence. Dr...

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Conquering Hospital Hill: Race Review, Milestone Celebration, and Air Quality Awareness

June 2, 2025 • 25 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we dive deep into the 52nd running of the legendary Hospital Hill Half Marathon in Kansas City, Missouri – Kyle's ninth time tackling this challenging course that's been testing runners for over five decades. From the notorious hills that give this race its name to the unique atmosphere that makes it a Kansas City tradition, we break down every aspect of this iconic event and what keeps ru...

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Behind the Microphone: Why Every Dollar Makes a Difference

May 30, 2025 • 20 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we take a brief look ahead to this weekend's Hospital Hill Half Marathon before diving into a heartfelt conversation about the behind-the-scenes reality of podcast creation. We open up about the costs, time, and passion that go into bringing you twice-weekly episodes, and introduce you to our Patreon community at patreon.com/TheBackofthePackPodcast where listeners can directly...

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Catching Up and Slowing Down: Racing Injuries and Recent Conversations

May 26, 2025 • 26 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we deliver a comprehensive update on everything happening in our running world, starting with Kyle's volunteer experience at this morning's Going the Distance 5K & 10K where he witnessed the race from the other side of the finish line. We then dive into a sobering reality check about the true physical toll of back-to-back racing, using Kyle's recent calf injury from the Fly Over Challe...

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Vertical Adventures: How Rendezvous Climbing Gym Elevates Your Fitness

May 23, 2025 • 20 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we break new ground with our very first on-location recording at the incredible Rendezvous Climbing Gym in Leawood, Kansas! Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with owner Mark Messner, whose fascinating journey from educator to runner to climbing gym entrepreneur will inspire anyone chasing their passion. Mark expertly draws the surprising connections between...

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Running Through the Generations: Village Shalom's Father's Day Tradition

May 19, 2025 • 26 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we celebrate the perfect Father's Day gift – a community run with purpose. We're joined by an inspiring panel from Village Shalom retirement and memory care facility in Overland Park, as they prepare for their annual Father's Day 5K & 10K on June 15, 2025. Board Chair Bob Gerson shares the heart behind this tradition, while we're treated to wisdom and wonderful stories from 95-year-old...

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Running for Awareness: The Critical Mission of the Fighting Fentanyl 5K

May 12, 2025 • 29 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we bring you a conversation that transcends running and touches on an urgent public health crisis affecting our communities. We sit down with Libby Davis, founder of "Keepin' Clean for Coop" and the Cooper Davis Memorial Foundation, who shares the heartbreaking story behind her mission after losing her son to fentanyl poisoning. Libby reveals the shocking reality that Kansas leads the nati...

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Growing Tomorrow's Triathletes: Inside JCPRD's Team Tri913

May 9, 2025 • 51 mins

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we dive into the exciting world of local multisport events with special guests Josh and Katy from Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department (JCPRD). These race directors extraordinaire pull back the curtain on organizing some of the Kansas City area's most beloved endurance events, including the Kill Creek Triathlon, Shawnee Mission Park Triathlon, and Heritage Park dista...

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Back of the Pack Podcast

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Run the Nation: Grit, Gators & Southern Hospitality

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Miles, Meals & Mistakes: You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet

Run the Nation: Grit, Glory & the East Coast

Run, Regret, Repeat: The Packy’s Debut

Run the Nation: The Wild West Coast

Run the Race You Want

Miles with Meaning: Running Through the Struggle

Behind the Mic with Behind the Bib

Benched, Broken, and Building Back

Running Through Soup: Humidity, Heat & Race Day Reviews

The Invisible Finish Line: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Miles

Running Through the Storm: St. Louis Strong with The Happy Pace

Man Up or Speak Up: Running Through Men's Mental Health

Conquering Hospital Hill: Race Review, Milestone Celebration, and Air Quality Awareness

Behind the Microphone: Why Every Dollar Makes a Difference

Catching Up and Slowing Down: Racing Injuries and Recent Conversations

Vertical Adventures: How Rendezvous Climbing Gym Elevates Your Fitness

Running Through the Generations: Village Shalom's Father's Day Tradition

Running for Awareness: The Critical Mission of the Fighting Fentanyl 5K

Growing Tomorrow's Triathletes: Inside JCPRD's Team Tri913

Popular Podcasts

Run the Nation: Grit, Gators & Southern Hospitality

Miles, Meals & Mistakes: You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet