Through Their Stride – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Through Their Stride, I sat down with Adriana Ducharme (@runningthelife_ on Instagram) to unpack a journey that many runners experience but few talk about openly.

Adri shares how a toxic college coaching environment led to burnout and a loss of identity within the sport – and how stepping away from that structure helped rediscover what running could be. Through joining a club cross country team at the University of Georgia, she rebuilt her relationship with competition, community, and herself.

That renewed perspective translated into serious performance gains. Adri went from a 3:14 marathon debut to a 2:54, proving that growth doesn't always come from pushing harder — it comes from finding joy again.

We also talk about balancing competitive goals with a full-time teaching career, and how Adri uses her platform to show that chasing big goals is still possible, even with a busy life.

This episode is for anyone who's felt burned out, stuck, or unsure of what's next – and needs a reminder that a comeback is always possible.

#running #podcast #marathons #teaching #trackandfield 

It started as a way to become a better version of himself after gaining more weight than he felt comfortable with. Now, he's a 3:28 marathoner pursuing a Boston Qualifier in the near future.

As a kid, pursuing fast times in marathons, half marathons (he's a sub 1;28 guy), and 5Ks (he's also an 18:46 guy) wasn't something he ever thought he'd do. But once he started back in 2020 just for health, he soon became quite the fan of the sport.

Now, not only is he pushing himself to do hard things, he's also inspiring his wife, who finds joy chasing her own PRs, and his kids, one of which is doing triathlons at 7 years old and another who can ride a bike without training wheels at just 3.

Niko's a perfect example of when you make the choice to get consistent and put out that energy, not only will you change your own life, you'll inspire those around you to chase theirs.

If this episode inspired you to do something hard today, let me know in the comments and share it with a friend. Thanks for listening to Niko's story on Through Their Stride.

As an adult, you get the privilege of choosing a running coach rather than having one assigned to you. And one of the best coaches to choose from is Jeff Cunningham.

In this episode, Jeff Cunningham, founder of Cunningham Running and Bat City Track Club, as well as host of The Consistently Good Podcast, discusses what it's like preparing 15 runners for the Boston Marathon, the philosophy that guides his coaching, and why he values staying grounded and living in reality when it comes to the process of training. It's a great look into the mindset of a coach who cares deeply about the athletes he works with and the journey they take to get to the start line.

Listen to The Consistently Good Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZePWjQ89Yg094167R1bpo
Learn more about Cunningham Running:  https://www.cunninghamrunning.com/about

Gabby Hentemann joins Through Their Stride to talk about her incredible debut marathon at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon where she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials alongside her friend Alyssa McElheney.

In this conversation, Gabby shares how she stays grounded with her "it's not that serious" philosophy, opens up about overcoming an eating disorder during her college career, and reflects on finding joy in both running and life.

In this deeply personal episode of Through Their Stride, my wife turns the mic on me to ask about my running journey, the grief I've experienced after losing my mom, and the lessons running has taught me about life, resilience, and moving forward.

We talk honestly about the highs and lows, what grief has changed in me, and what's next from here. If you've ever found strength in running, or needed a reminder that life isn't linear, this episode is for you.

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• Listen to my mom's episode: https://youtu.be/ESg8ncMqWyU?si=_0urO_Ff0X-0_rra
• Follow my journey to breaking 20 minutes in the 5K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUHIvgVHDbw&list=PLbMBdg7_Bdt6cDNTSeLmfwGYmNRKJn3tP&pp=sA

In this episode of Through Their Stride, I sit down with three-time Austin Marathon champion Joey Whelan. A Buffalo, NY native and former Syracuse runner, Joey stepped away from the sport after college due to injuries, only to rediscover his love for running while working hard labor for a rock milling company in the Texas Hill Country.

He made his marathon debut at the Buffalo Marathon, finished second, and never looked back. Since then, Joey has made two Olympic Trials appearances, won multiple races, set a PR of 2:09:42, and this year set a new course record at the Austin Marathon with a time of 2:13:18.

This is a conversation about perseverance, rediscovering your passion, and what it takes to compete at the highest level of American distance running.

Did you enjoy this episode? Find more at https://www.throughtheirstride.com/.

Photo credit: Marco Portal Fotografia

McKay Nelson had never trained for a race in his life. His athletic background was in high school baseball and football — not exactly the resume of a marathoner. But armed with an unshakeable belief that the human body and mind are capable of more than we give them credit for, he set out to prove just that.

90 days. 26.2 miles. Under 3 hours.

In this episode, McKay takes us through the full journey — the training, the doubt, the moments he wanted to quit, and what it actually felt like to toe the start line knowing everything he'd put on the line to get there. His story isn't just about running. It's about what becomes possible when you stop believing in your own limitations.

Whether you're a runner, an athlete, or someone who's ever talked yourself out of something before you even started — this one's for you.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and leave a review if McKay's story moved you.

If you're looking for a fun and beautiful destination race this spring, there's no place like running through the historic streets of Fredericksburg.

Hosted by Create Healthy, the 32nd Wildflower Run will take place in downtown Fredericksburg at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 25. Races include a 5K and 10K run, as well as an untimed 5K walk. There will also be a kids' fun run before the main event!

Do you have an interesting story from running this event in the past? We'd love to hear it! Send us a message at throughtheirstride@gmail.com, and we'd be happy to share your story.

Sign up for the Wildflower Run today for a chance to run through historic streets along beautiful bluebonnets this spring! Register at www.createhealthy.org/wildflower-run.

After years of suffering Achilles flare ups in track and cross country, high schooler Alberto Quintero Ayala was tired of feeling like he wasn't in control of his running journey. So, in 2025, he decided to commit fully recovering and shifted his focus to one hard thing: getting back in shape to run his first marathon at just 18.

Alberto documented his entire journey to the Austin Marathon on his YouTube Channel, Road To Marathons, where he showed the highs, lows, and tips he learned along the way to finishing in a time of 3:54:52.

Going forward, Alberto plans to take what he learned and continue pushing forward until he breaks 3:30, 3 hours, and beyond. He hopes others can become inspired by his journey and take on the hard things that feel daunting in their lives as well.

Follow Alberto's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RoadToMarathons

Follow Alberto's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roadtomarathons/

A running influencer, a storyteller of running history, and oftentimes a comedian of the sport, Hillary Burgess has made a name for herself in the sport of running. And it all started with a bit of curiosity.

When Hillary started her Instagram channel, @running_up_that_hillary, she didn't even consider it could turn into a popular running page. But she kept posting content that was funny, true and authentic. No games. Nothing fake. That authenticity has attracted a ton of running fans.

Similarly, as she became more of a fan of the sport of running, her curiosity made her do more research into the sport's history. She found a lot of interesting stories and thought, "Why not share this with more people in a podcast?" And now, "Today in Running History" is a household name in the running podcast space, and it has a ton of great stories and interviews with runners of all eras.

Hillary is the example that if you stay true to yourself and pursue your interests to the fullest, there's no telling what you'll accomplish.

FOLLOW Hillary Burgess: https://www.instagram.com/running_up_that_hillary/

LISTEN to Today in Running History: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rkAEqdOzfAH8Nw2myaCKm