The People Run Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

The Boston Marathon means something different to everyone.

For some, it’s chasing a PR.

For others, it’s years of work just to get to the start line.

And for some, it’s something much deeper than the race itself.

In this episode, four runners share their Boston experience from completely different perspectives  from a 2:31 performance, to a pro debut, to a dream years in the making, to a story of resilience and redemption.

Same race.

Different journeys.

Different meaning.

Chapters

00:00 Max - 2:31 PR at Boston

07:53 Polly - Pro debut at Boston

12:30 Emily - Chasing The Dream Race

17:19 Maurice Boston in a Suit

21:37 What Boston Marathon Meant

30:31 The Hardest Moments

38:17 The Magic of Boston

There are hard things… and then there’s choosing to run 100 miles in circles.

Sean Rhodes is getting ready for the Stoney 100, 400 laps around a track, but this isn’t just about distance. It’s about purpose. It’s about pushing into uncomfortable places and seeing what’s on the other side.

We talk about what it actually takes to train for something like this, the mental lows that hit in the middle of an ultra, and what happens when you come out of it stronger than you expected. But this goes deeper than running.

Sean shares the path that led him here  from a rough stretch earlier in life, to finding discipline through bodybuilding, to building something meaningful through running. We get into chasing big goals, balancing life outside of training, and why sometimes the hardest things we choose end up teaching us the most.

This one isn’t just about a race. It’s about the kind of person you become while chasing something that big.

Chapters

00:00 The Stoney 100 - More Than a Race

08:08 Training for 100 Miles on a Track

10:05 Building The Stoney 100

16:37 2:44 Marine Corps Marathon to BPN 50 Miler 6 Days Apart

22:05 Can You Do It ALL? Lifting + Running + Ultra

29:22 How Running Found Him

33:05 Faith Running & Purpose

36:46 Why He Chooses Hard Things

38:55 Being Present Beyond Running

40:33 Big Goals at Chicago Marathon after Stoney 100

45:50 How He Recovers From Big Miles

48:55 A Rough Past and a Turning Point

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Sean:
IG: instagram.com/sean.rhodes/


Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

Michelle Baxter has been running for more than 20 years and she’s still chasing progress.

In this episode of The People Run Podcast, Michelle shares what it really takes to stay consistent in running for decades. From early morning runs in −20° weather to raising a family while training for marathons, she talks about discipline, stacking years of consistent training, and the mental battles that show up late in the race.

We talk about falling in love with the process, learning through injuries and setbacks, and why progress in running is rarely linear.

Because after 20 years in the sport, Michelle is still asking the same question many runners are:

How much better can I still get?

Chapters

00:00 Running in −20° Weather

04:29 Training Consistency & Sleep

10:53 The 8 Year Journey to Sub 3 Marathon

17:05 The Sub 3 Finish Line Moment

19:18 Training Process & Balancing Running With Family

26:14 Getting Faster After 40

30:13 The Missing Piece: Mental Side of Running

32:49 Stacking Training Cycles

35:28 Houston PR Attempt & Mile 22 Incident

37:51 Boston Marathon & Choosing The Right Races

42:32 Long Term Ceiling & Why She Runs

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Michelle:
IG: instagram.com/therunnersplate/

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

Ultra runner Sierra DeGroff joins The People Run Podcast fresh off a podium finish at Jackpot 50 to talk about one of the wildest challenges in endurance running: racing Western States and Badwater just eight days apart.

We break down what that experience was really like  the recovery, the mental battle, and what it takes to compete at that level.

Sierra also shares her journey through ultra running, from podium finishes to the brutal Wyoming Range 100, pacing elite runners like Tara Dower, and balancing high level training with a full-time job.

We also talk about the rapid rise of the women’s field in ultra running, fueling strategies, recovery, and what keeps her chasing her potential.

Chapters
00:00 Jackpot 50 Podium and PR
06:53 Heat Training in Las Vegas
11:24 Western States → Badwater in 8 Days
23:00 The Western States Experience
34:22 47 Hours in the Wyoming Wilderness
37:52 Pacing Tara Dower at Black Canyon
43:12 The Rise of Women in Ultra Running
45:13 Experimenting with Nutrition and Recovery
48:18 Balancing Work and Ultra Training
53:05 The Toughest Race: Wyoming Range 100
58:39 Still Chasing Potential
01:00:48 Planning the Next Racing Season
01:04:23 Advice for New Ultra Runners

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Sierra:
IG: instagram.com/sdegroff/

URL: sierradegroff.com

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

At 26 years old, Nathaniel was diagnosed with cancer.

While sitting in a hospital room, a friend made him promise something unexpected run a marathon after he recovered.

He hated running.

Today, he’s known as “Cheezy” a smiling marathoner chasing big dreams and using his story to inspire runners and young cancer survivors that you are not defined by your diagnosis.

Chapters
00:00 Cancer at 26
04:04 The Marathon Promise in the Hospital
12:07 The First Marathon: Vancouver & The Cutoff Panic
15:45 Crossing the Finish Line
19:25 Cancer Changed My Perspective
22:03 Why He Keeps Running
23:24 Running Around the World
27:16 Indy Marathon: Full Circle & A Tough Day
34:39 A Diffrent Approach: Hiring a Coach
40:32 The Big Dream: Boston & BQ
43:39 Inspiring Others

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Cheezy:
IG: instagram.com/cheezy_run/

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

Bianca was once an elite athlete whose entire identity was built around performance.

When figure skating ended and running stopped being fun, she walked away from racing for nearly five years.

In this conversation, we talk about losing the joy of running, rebuilding a healthier relationship with the sport, separating performance from identity, and what it really takes to come back stronger mentally and physically.

Chapters
00:00 Meeting Bianca in Seattle
06:01 When Running Stopped Being Fun
16:39 Separating the Sport from the Disorder
20:25 Loosening the Grip on Goals
35:43 Training With Intention
41:04 Running on Vibes
49:15 You Can Do Anything Not All at Once
55:33 Why are You Running Today ?

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Bianca:
IG: instagram.com/b1ancagram/

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

Bianca references the “identity house” concept from author Brad Stulberg (via the Rich Roll Podcast)

Felicia Pasadyn, an accomplished runner with a background in competitive swimming. Felicia shares her journey from swimming to running, discussing the valuable lessons learned from her swimming career, her inspirations, and her commitment to endurance sports. She reflects on the mental and physical aspects of training, the importance of goal-setting, and her eventual return to running after a successful swimming career.

Felicia Pasadyn doesn’t train like most elite runners and that’s exactly why her story is interesting.

In this episode we talk about her Olympic Trials qualifying performance at the New York City Marathon, recovering from injury while preparing for Boston, and the unconventional approach she uses: lower run mileage, heavy cross training, strength work, and long term thinking instead of short term PR chasing.

🎙 The People Run Podcast The runs behind the runners.

Chapters

00:00 How She's Training Right Now
03:56 Entering The Pro Field
08:04 Why She Doesn't Train Like Other Runners
11:49 Balancing Elite Running & Becoming a Doctor
20:59 Training Outside Zone 2
23:40 The New York Marathon Experience
26:26 When She Realized She Qualified 
31:43 Sharing Life and Training on Social Media
38:06 Her Boston Marathon Mindset

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Felicia:
IG: instagram.com/wellfeliciafit/

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

This rebuild didn’t happen in one race  it happened over years.

In this episode, Max Sauers breaks down how he rebuilt his body to run 2:32 after injuries, setbacks, and hard lessons from multiple marathons along the way, including Chicago and most recently Buckeye.

This isn’t about chasing a perfect race. It’s about identifying weaknesses, committing to strength, increasing mileage the right way, and letting consistency do the work. We cover what actually changed, why it wasn’t nutrition at first, how fueling had to evolve with volume, and what it takes to stay sharp across distances.

We also get into what Instagram doesn’t show, the role of the Rebuild Running Team, and advice for runners focused on long term, sustainable progress.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Max Sauers

04:15 Where everything changed

08:15 Addressing injuries & weaknesses

12:29 Why it wasn’t nutrition, it was strength

19:33 From 1700 miles to 2500 miles a year 

33:38 Fueling had to grow with the mileage

40:46 Staying sharp at every distance

44:08 What Instagram doesn't show

49:34 Rebuild Running Team

52:22 Advice for Runners

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Max:
IG: instagram.com/run.with.max/

Strava: https://strava.app.link/79lq8eUaXZb

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.

In this episode of The People Run Podcast, I sit down with Maurice Lowman, a runner known for his consistency, positivity, and deep commitment to the running community.

Maurice has completed 44 marathons, including seven Boston Marathons, and often races in a suit to give back and raise awareness for causes he believes in. We talk about marathon longevity, training through setbacks, strength work, and the role community plays in long-term consistency.

Maurice also shares how running became a steady anchor during a major life reset not as a shortcut or fix, but as something that gave structure, accountability, and purpose over time. This conversation is a reminder that running isn’t just about finish times it’s about showing up, staying grounded, and continuing to move forward.

Chapters
00:00 The Journey Begins: From Sobriety to Marathons
03:27 The Boston Marathon: A Dream Realized
06:43 Running in a Suit: A Unique Challenge
09:27 The Power of Gratitude in Running
12:43 Exploring the Ultra Community
15:30 Training and Strength: Balancing Running and Lifting
32:02 The Journey of Strength Training and Injury Prevention
35:13 Facing Challenges: The Chicago Marathon Experience
39:01 The Importance of Community and Support
43:00 Giving Back: The Role of Charity in Running
46:55 Finding Purpose Beyond Running
57:37 Taking Small Steps Towards Change

Follow Us:
IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcast
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Follow Maurice:
IG: instagram.com/marathonpandamaurice/

👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.