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What makes a marathon truly iconic? Is it the history, the challenge, the crowds — or the story behind the miles?

In this episode, Lewis and Mitch explore the most historic and legendary marathons from around the world. From the ancient origins of the race in Greece to modern greats like Boston, London, Chicago, and New York, they unpack what makes these events so meaningful to runners everywhere.

🏛️ The Ancient Athens Marathon — where it all began
🏃‍♂️ Boston & Yonkers — America’s oldest races
🌍 London, Chicago, Marine Corps & more — global legends with timeless appeal
💬 What makes a race worthy of every runner’s bucket list?

Join the conversation and tell us — which marathon do you think has the most history or heart? Drop your answer in the comments, and maybe we’ll feature it in a future episode.

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In this episode, Lewis survives grasshopper season 🌱🦗 and discovers a wild new fitness challenge — combining golf and an ultra run. Yes… someone ran 92 miles and played 810 holes of golf in 24 hours. New life goal? Maybe. 😅

Meanwhile, Mitch celebrates a BIG win — not running today — and reflects on rebuilding fitness, embracing rest, and hitting his first 5-mile run again. 👏

Then, we dive into the Running Paradox: how different cultures view running — from spiritual journeys in the Himalayas, to barefoot ultrarunners in Mexico, to elite Kenyan and Ethiopian communities, and the disciplined relay traditions in Japan. How does our Western, tech-heavy running culture compare?

Topics in this Episode
🏃‍♂️ Mitch’s comeback + rest day success
🦗 Lewis vs. grasshopper season
⛳ Ultra-golf challenge (92 miles + 810 holes!)
🌍 Exploring global running cultures
🧠 Running as lifestyle vs hobby
🎧 What would runners from other cultures think of our GPS watches, headphones & Strava obsession?

Challenge for listeners:
Try running without your watch or headphones this week — and tell us how it went! 👇

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Like, subscribe & share with a running friend
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👇 Comment of the Week

Why do you run? Community? Fitness? Adventure? Therapy? Let us know!

🎙️ Thanks for listening to the I Don’t Know Running Podcast — where we share what we love about running… and all the things we still don’t know.
Happy running! 🏃‍♀️💨

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This week on the I Don’t Know Running Podcast, Mitch shares his journey back from injury using a run-walk approach and the lessons he’s learning along the way. Meanwhile, Lewis dives into his 100K training, the grind of running in the summer heat, and why Zone 2 training has become the key to staying healthy.

We also cover:

Injury recovery, knee pain, and learning when to actually rest

How slowing down can make running more enjoyable (and social!)

Stretching & recovery routines that fit into real life

Fueling & hydration mistakes (and fixes) for long runs

The thrill of watching athletes push through at the final hours of an Ironman

Jeff Garmire’s unsupported Appalachian Trail FKT attempt

Whether you’re new to running or a seasoned ultra veteran, this conversation is packed with relatable stories, lessons learned, and reminders that—no matter how long you’ve been running—we’re all still figuring it out.

👉 Who do you think this podcast is for—beginners, veterans, or both? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

#Running #TrailRunning #Zone2Training #Ultrarunning #Podcast

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We all reach it at some point in the north. The dreaded winter blues. We talk about a few things to help kick you out of that at least with regards to running. Also...vote on the beard!!

Check us out on Patreaon!! Help support the show or join for free. We want to build a team there. Check it out!

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PLEASE!! Share this podcast with someone. Help inspire and motivate others.

Join us on a journey to see what it's like to compete against the toughest Ironman course in the world along side the top athletes in the world. Team Agar is an inspiration to all. Not just athletes or people who do endurance sports but rather to everyone! They embody the spirit of not setting limitations on yourself no matter what your circumstances are. Sit back and listen to the story of Johnny Agar and his IMPossible Mile. Check out the book he and his mother, Becky, wrote. You will come away with a new sense of purpose in your life.

The IMPossible Mile book on Amazon

Please consider helping to support Team Agar here
Checkout more about Johnny Agar's story here

Thanks so much for listening and sharing the podcast. As always be sure to check us out on Facebook and Patreon. If you like the podcast consider supporting us so we can continue to grow the show. 

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We are partnering with PT Sports Pro to bring you these Wednesday episodes that we hope will actually teach you something. Join us as Terence and Dave tell us a little about what gear you need to get started for your first race. 

Have a question? Write it in the comments or shoot us an email to either Idontknowrunning@gmail.com or info@ptsportspro.com. Be sure to like and share this episode with someone. Also subscribe to the channel so you don't miss the next one!

Join our Patreon! Become part of the team and join our patreon. 
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Ever wonder how many cups go the the landfill after a marathon? Or how many make it to the landfill after you plane ride to and from the marathon? Well that's what Kristina Smithe wondered too, and it was way too many, so she started a company to STOP just that. Welcome to the amazing company called, Hiccup Earth. 

Please take a minute and share this with the race director of your favorite race. Send it to all who want to do a little something to help make our planet cleaner and produce less waste. 

Thanks all for listening and sharing the podcast. Take a quick second to like, subscribe and share this episode. It really only takes a second! Also go check out our patreon and consider joining the team. 

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Why not get out and join a group? Running groups and communities are a great place to get started or continue to advance your journey with running. You can find so many welcoming and supportive people in some of these places. We list some of the groups you can join in the west Michigan area in this episode. 

Thanks so much for listening and supporting the podcast. We appreciate all you do to help share and grow the podcast. Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Patreon. 

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We have a great talk with a friend on his new goals for 2024. He'll be running farther than he ever has and is going to share his experience along the way. This will be an intro into some short updates we'll be getting along his journey this year. All the highs and lows from training to the finish line of some of these adventures. 

Thanks so much for following, listening, and sharing the Podcast with others. Please take a minute and like, subscribe and share this episode. 

Become a member of our Patreon group. For as little as FREE you can join the team. We're looking forward to so much this year and the Patreon group is part of what will help make it all happen. 

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It's the time of year where we take a look back and we excited look forward. We'll review what happened in 2023 and look at some of those numbers. We'll also talk about what's to come for the podcast in 2024 and we are VERY excited about that. 

Check out our Patreon where you can subscribe for free or choose to help support the show in a financial way for as little as 10 cents a day to the Ultra level where we just can't say thank you enough! 

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Thanks so much for following and listening to the podcast. Please be sure to like, subscribe and share this with someone else that enjoys running.

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