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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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May 5, 2025 • 32 mins
This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we tackle the grueling "Fly Over Challenge" - an ambitious weekend of back-to-back half marathons across two states in just 24 hours. Join us as we recount our journey from the rolling hills of the Top City Half Marathon in Topeka, Kansas on Saturday morning to the spirited streets of the Lincoln Half Marathon in Nebraska on Sunday. We break down every aspect of this double-header weekend:...
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May 2, 2025 • 20 mins
This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we roll out the red carpet for special guest host Karin Velez, the award-winning creator behind the "Just Grow Something Podcast." In this nutrition-focused episode, Karin brings her expertise to tackle one of running's most misunderstood rituals – carb loading. Far beyond the simplistic "pasta party" approach the night before a race, Karin delivers a comprehensive FAQ-based b...
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April 28, 2025 • 41 mins
This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we take you on our whirlwind adventure to the Bluegrass State for the Kentucky Derby Festival race weekend! Follow our journey as we road trip to Louisville, swing by the iconic Louisville Slugger Museum to see baseball history in the making, and then tackle not one but two races in 24 hours. We break down Friday night's KDF 5K experience, complete with its unique evening atmosphere, befor...
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