Shows
The Runaround PodcastFirst Solo Episode! What Was I Doing in Oregon?In my FIRST solo episode, I take you along on my recent trip to Oregon — a wonderful trip filled with family, time outside, and lots of running. From quality time with my family and running among beautiful scenery in Bend to witnesseing track and field history in Eugene, this trip will always be a core memory for me. I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Prefontaine Classic — a bucket list event for any track and field fan. Tune in as I reflect on the moments that made this trip so meaningful and why Oregon will always hold a spec...2025-07-1727 minThe Runaround PodcastFinding Success in Collegiate Running and Pursuing a Career in Sports Media with Ashley RobinsonIn this episode, I’m joined by Division I runner at George Washington University and former Neuqua Athlete, Ashley Robinson. She's chasing more than just fast times on the grass and track. While competing at the collegiate level, she’s also pursuing a degree in journalism — with her sights set on becoming a sports reporter.In this candid episode, we dive into how she undertook the transition from high school to collegiate athletics, how her past failures have fueled recent successes, and how her experience as a student-athlete gives her a unique edge in the world of sports...2025-07-041h 00The Runaround PodcastGraduated High School, Now What?In this special episode, I’m joined by two of my closest friends, Lauren Varak and Mridula Natarajan, as we reflect on a major turning point in our lives—finishing high school and stepping into what comes next. We open up about how we chose our colleges, what factored into those decisions, and what lies ahead for each of us. We also share some honest advice for anyone still navigating the halls of high school, and I give a quick update on my own running journey and what’s in store for the podcast this summer. Whether you’ve...2025-06-2057 minThe Runaround PodcastCapturing the Sport and Telling Stories with Running Industry Creative Kevin GunawanIn this episode, I sit down with professional industry creative Kevin Gunawan, whose work has become a staple in the running world. He shares his journey from discovering the sport in high school to competing as a Division I athlete and how that background influenced his unique perspective as a visual storyteller. We dive into his bold decision to leave college early to pursue a full-time career in photography and videography, and the challenges and rewards that came with it. Now working closely with top athletes, brands, and events, Kevin talks about his latest projects, the stories he's most...2025-05-041h 03The Runaround PodcastPart 2: The Story of Naperville Running Company with Kris HartnerIn this special two-part episode, I sit down with Kris Hartner, founder and owner of Naperville Running Company, to hear the incredible journey of how a dream became a thriving reality.In Part 2 of my conversation with Kris, we dive into the philosophy that drives Naperville Running Company’s success. While NRC is a running store at its core, Kris emphasizes that it’s for everyone—whether you run or not! He also shares the incredible culture that has led many employees to build decades-long careers with NRC, with some team members...2025-03-0942 minThe Runaround PodcastPart 1: The Story of Naperville Running Company with Kris HartnerIn this special two-part episode, I sit down with Kris Hartner, founder and owner of Naperville Running Company, to hear the incredible journey of how a dream became a thriving reality.In Part 1, Kris takes us through his early love for running, how his college studies shaped his passion, and his experiences in the running industry—all leading up to the decision to open NRC in 2000. His story is one of perseverance and an unwavering love for the sport.Whether you're a runner, entrepreneur, or simply enjoy hearing stories of...2025-02-1847 minThe Runaround PodcastThe Runaround Podcast 20th Episode! | Reflections from 2024 and Goals for 2025 with Katie ChapmanTo celebrate the 20th episode of The Runaround Podcast, I’m bringing back my very first guest, Katie Chapman! Together, we take a trip down memory lane to reflect on the best and worst moments of 2024 and share what those experiences taught us.We also dive into our goals and plans for 2025, with plenty of laughs along the way (because it wouldn’t be a conversation with us without them). Kick off your year with this honest and inspiring episode that’s all about growth, reflection, and looking ahead.2025-01-0646 minThe Runaround PodcastFinding Fulfillment in Running and Marketing with Paige CarterPaige Carter is a former collegiate runner who competed for both UCLA and Boston College. After her time in the NCAA, Paige was the Director of Marketing for Heartbreak. Though it is not addressed in this episode due to it being recorded about two months ago, she recently accepted a new position as a Lead in Global Digital Marketing for Nike Running. In this episode, Paige relives her six-year collegiate running journey! She shares how she walked away from her competitive running career feeling fulfilled and without regrets. Additionally, she walks through her role at Heartbreak and h...2024-12-201h 21The Runaround PodcastA Quick Conversation With Adidas Pro Runners Katelyn Tuohy and Elly Henes | 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Madison, WisconsinFrom Heartbreak & Adidas’s pop-up shop in downtown Madison, professional runners Katelyn Tuohy and Elly Henes join me for a quick recording ahead of the 2024 NCAA D1 Cross Country Championships taking place tomorrow, November 23rd, at Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.The girls reflect on their experiences as athletes and teammates at NC State, one of the most established distance programs in the NCAA. Katelyn and Elly both left their marks – Elly was a 10-time NCAA All-American, 6-time ACC Champion, and NCAA Champion (Outdoor 5000M) while Katelyn still holds two NCAA records, earned 4 NCAA individual title...2024-11-2326 minThe Runaround PodcastPosting on Social Media and the Effects of NIL with Heartbreak Love Squad Athlete Dylan BrilliantOn this episode, Dylan Brilliant dives into why he started posting running content on social media, how he grew his platform, and the ways NIL has changed college athletics. Dylan is a fellow Heartbreak Hill Running Company Love Squad Athlete and a sophomore distance runner at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. He has almost 55,000 followers on Instagram and 34,000 on Tiktok. He simply hopes to provide relatable content to everyone who comes across his videos. His perspective on being an influencer and a runner is both refreshing and inspiring!2024-11-0540 minThe Runaround PodcastCreating Social Media Content and Navigating Injury with Heartbreak Love Squad Athlete Natalie HarrisHurdler at the University of Iowa, Natalie Harris, dives into her love for track and field, posting on social media, dealing with a major injury, and balancing athletics with being a regular college student. Natalie is the most positive person, and her honesty about the ups and downs of life in this episode is inspiring. She is also a fellow member of Heartbreak Hill Running Company's "Love Squad", in which college and high school track athletes create content for their nationwide brand. We dive into what Heartbreak means to us, and how we hope our platforms influence others in...2024-10-211h 09The Runaround PodcastQualifying for the Olympic Marathon Trials and Being a Mom with Marisa HirdMarisa Hird is a mom, elite runner, and the Director of Culture at Naperville Running Company. In this episode, she recaps her high school and college running careers, dives into her eleven-year pursuit of running an Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying time, and being a pivotal part of creating the meaningful community that can be found at Naperville Running Company. Marisa is the epitome of "mom strength" and she shares so many insights about how she has adapted running to fit into her life in each of its stages. Don't miss this one. There are MANY moments where it will...2024-09-031h 06The Runaround PodcastRecapping Bowerman Running Camp with Mckayla ChildsMckayla Childs is a rising senior cross country and track athlete from Houston, Texas. This past year she competed at Nike Track Nationals in Eugene, Oregon in the 800 meters. Mckayla and I got to know each other over the past two summers at Bowerman Running Camp in Bend, Oregon. This past July, we were assigned to be roommates and got to know each other even better! In this episode, Mckayla dives into her experiences from growing up running in Texas, and we share all of our favorite moments from this year's running camp. 2024-08-1952 minThe Runaround PodcastCompetitive Running and Transitioning to Triathlon with Danny WinekDanny Winek was a runner on Neuqua Valley's cross country and track & field state championship teams in 2016 and 2018 and a collegiate athlete at the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently one of the best Ironman triathletes in the world. Regarding high school, Danny shares how special it was to be a part of such a successful team, how he dealt with injuries, and the things he learned from Coach Vandersteen (the guest on my previous two episodes). He also dives into his unique journey to become a walk-on athlete at Berkeley and the ins and outs of...2024-07-261h 08The Runaround PodcastPart 2: Coaching and Fostering Success with Hall of Fame Coach Paul VandersteenIn the second part of this conversation with Coach Paul Vandersteen, he dives into his current endeavors as a coach. He shares the differences between coaching collegiate/adult athletes and coaching high schoolers, in addition to the surprising things both groups have in common. He also informs about ways for any athlete to be successful in and beyond high school. This is an extremely informative episode for athletes and coaches alike. Coach Vandersteen has been coaching runners for 36 years. Most well known for his 26 years as Neuqua Valley's head men's cross country and assistant track and field c...2024-07-0646 minThe Runaround PodcastPart 1: Coaching and Fostering Success with Hall of Fame Coach Paul VandersteenThis is the first episode of a two-part conversation with Coach Paul Vandersteen. He has so much to share about what separates the good athletes from the great ones and how to foster a positive, committed culture within a team. This is a must-listen for high school and college athletes looking to excel in their sport.Coach Vandersteen has been coaching runners for 36 years. Most well known for his 26 years as Neuqua Valley's head men's cross country and assistant track and field coach, Vandersteen helped lead the Wildcats to three state championships in cross country and assisted...2024-07-0243 minThe Runaround PodcastThrowing Professionally and Having Fun with Thrower Daniel McArthurDaniel McArthur is competing at the Track & Field Olympic Trials starting tomorrow, June 21st! He was a collegiate thrower at the University of North Carolina, where he became a 5-Time All-American, 4-Time ACC Champion, the indoor & outdoor North Carolina School Shot Put Record Holder, the ACC Indoor Championship Meet Record Holder, and earned the #7 All-Time mark ever thrown in the NCAA. He took some time away from throwing to pursue a career in the WWE after graduating, but he has returned to track & field to compete at the Trials. After listening to this episode, you won't be able to...2024-06-2050 minThe Runaround PodcastRunning and Coaching for Over 60 Years with Jim McEneaney (my grandfather)My grandfather has been running since he was a freshman in high school and has continued to find joy in the sport into his seventies. I sit down with him to hear about his journey in running: from high school, to college, to coaching. His advice on longevity in athletics is beneficial for every athlete. He taught me so much of what I know about running, and I am so excited to share this episode with you!2024-06-1159 minThe Runaround PodcastLive Interview with New Balance Pro Runner Dani JonesI had the amazing opportunity to conduct an interview with professional runner, Dani Jones, during an event with New Balance at Naperville Running Company. This is the live recording of that interview. Dani became a pro runner in 2020 for New Balance. She is a member of the Colorado training group, Team Boss, which is coached by Joe Bosshard. She also ran at the University of Colorado, where she won multiple NCAA National Titles, including in the Indoor 3k, the Distance Medley Relay, the Outdoor 5k, and even the Individual Cross Country Title in 2018. 2024-03-271h 00The Runaround PodcastPlaying Softball and Finding Meaning Outside of Sports with Kelsey O'ConnorKelsey O'Connor shares her experiences in playing softball, getting recruited to compete in college, and dealing with injuries throughout her career. Kelsey shines a light on the less glamorous parts of high-level competition and how she learned to live a fulfilling life outside of softball. She also shares what it was like to give North Carolina State's commencement speech in 2023 and why she has since pursued a career in motivational speaking. This is such an important episode about athlete mental health and not letting your performances define you as a person. 2024-03-041h 05The Runaround PodcastFinding Joy in Fitness and Living with Parkinson's with Jimmy ChoiJimmy Choi shares his journey from being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at 27 years old to being an American Ninja Warrior Competitor, ultramarathoner, and Guinness World Record Holder. Jimmy dives into how fitness changed the trajectory of his life and why pursuing things that scare him has led to the greatest results. 2024-02-201h 10The Runaround PodcastDealing with Pressure and Making the Most of Opportunities with Jessie BaileyCurrent collegiate runner and former Neuqua Valley athlete, Jessie Bailey, shares her journey from competitive dancer to elite runner. Jessie walks through her extremely successful senior year of high school and her experiences while running in college. This is a longer episode, but Jessie shares such important insight into how she has grown her mindset and learned to deal with high-pressure moments. It is worth it to listen all the way through! 2024-01-271h 01The Runaround PodcastGrowing Up Playing Sports and Pursuing Media with Lauren Varak and Mridula NatarajanI have a conversation with two of my best friends and media classmates, Lauren and Mridula. We discuss how sports have shaped our childhood, how we fell in love with making stories through video, and what our favorite memories with each other are. In this fun, lighthearted episode we share many laughs and stories about high school so far. 2024-01-1149 minThe Runaround PodcastOver A Decade of Playing Basketball and Plans for the Future with Drew BeutelI sit down with one of Illinois' best high school basketball players, Drew Beutel to discuss his time competing over the past twelve years. He shares the intricacies of wheelchair basketball and his plans for the future, including pursuing a professional career in the sport. 2024-01-0224 minThe Runaround PodcastOvercoming Adversity and Looking Forward to College with Carissa HamiltonI talk to my former all-state teammate, Carissa Hamilton, about her successful high school running career and her goals for competing in college. As a person who has overcome many injuries, Carissa shares her insights about how to persevere through obstacles that come up, not just in your athletic career, but also in life. 2023-12-0946 minThe Runaround PodcastWelcome to The Runaround!In this introductory episode, I share the goals of The Runaround Podcast and what you can expect in each episode! I want to help share my guests' stories through exciting conversations and, in turn, provide motivation for you in your own endeavors. My friend, Katie Chapman, and I discuss the ins and outs of our high school athletics experiences, our plans for the future, and our tips for handling the pressures that sports can bring. Katie is currently a varsity and club soccer player in her junior year of high school. 2023-11-2731 min