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On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes into studio Rachel Bambrick, a local ultrarunner, community member, and co-founder of Why We Run Crew.    Rachel recently completed the Cocadona 250 - an extraordinary, life changing 250 mile race that meanders up down and all around the scenic deserts and mountains of Arizona.    Take delight as Rachel waxes poetic about the duality of glitter and grit in her life and in the world at large. She expounds this psychology and explains how her mindset has facilitated her to tackle many larger than life challenges, such as running across the country of Haiti and establishing a 64 mile Female - supported FKT along the Cape Cod Traverse.    The path of accomplishment is never linear. What's more, the trail is seldom lonely when community is at the heart of one's actions. Rachel's journey, and her mission to make the ultra world more accessible to women, is no exception.   To learn more about Rachel visit @rachel_lynn07 on IG.   RTWG is proudly sponsored by www.PhiladelphiaRunner.com

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Valentina Viana and Aaron Nixon into the studio for a spirited discussion centered around the word "Equilibrium," or the idea of using movement to stay balanced.    Equilibrium is also the title of a new mural prominently featuring Valentina & Aaron - two cherished members of Philly's vibrant running community.      Valentina emigrated from Valencia, Venezuela, at age 23, due to overwhelming social and political issues. She left behind her family and friends to pursue the American dream. Valentina is 30 now and has made Philly her home for the last 5 years.      Aaron is an ambassador and tech rep for On Running, who discovered his equilibrium by having the courage to accept and welcome his queer identity. Aaron became an inspiration for others when he learned to be who he is and realized that his story, a gay black man living in America today, is just as important as anyone else’s story.     Equilibrium was painted by prolific Philly muralist Erik Okdeh, curated by Mural Miles, and  is located at 907 S. 7th Street in South Philly.      To learn more about:     Valentina please visit: @valvianac     Aaron please visit: @aaronleon111     Erik Okdeh visit: @okdehmurals     Mural Miles visit: @muralmiles     Running Times with Gagz is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz is joined in studio by friend and listener favorite, Eddie Gieda, along with ultrarunner and bearded wiseman, Michael Koehler.    The trio dissect the cosmic forces that brought them together and ultimately led them to partake in the Howl Ultrarun, a 93-mile spiritual odyssey through NJ & NYC that celebrated the life and legacy of American poet and counterculture icon, Allen Ginsberg.   Later in the conversation, Gagz updates the listeners with a few announcements that you won't want to miss!   Michael is a local photography teacher and ultrarunner who has made the Wissahickon his schoolyard playground. Hear for yourself why Ultrarunning Magazine recently described him as the bearded, wizened soul who runs to a higher vibe.   Eddie is a devotional runner currently ensconced in a 3+ yr streak averaging almost 11 miles per day. He runs for Diadora and is affectionately known as the Cosmic Shuffler. He is also the front man for An Albatross and a treasure within the Philadelphia Running Community.   Please visit  www.ultrarunning.com to read about the Howl Ultrarun.    To learn more about Allen Ginsberg visit  www.allenginsberg.org   To learn more about:    Eddie Gieda visit @ebgiii    Michael Koehler visit @michaelmkoehler    Todd Aydelotte visit @toddaydelotte    Michelle Goldberg visit @mrmribbit   Gagz visit @bdg123    To learn more about Red Bull Wings For Life please visit:  www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com   Running Times with Gagz is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com   Cover photo: Armando Diaz @outtherenj

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes into the studio local Endurance Athlete and Ultrarunner, Nate Dirvin. For 2 years in a row Nate has completed the Triple Crown of 200s - plus Badwater 135 both years, Cocadona 250, Drift 100, and a slew of other graduate level 100 milers!  Nate is a devoted father, member of the Coast Guard Reserves, 20+ year Ocean Lifeguard and Guidance Counselor who has spent most of his adult life in service to others.  Nate runs to set an example for his son, help motivate others, and pays it forward through charitable acts. Since 2020 he has routinely run Ultras to raise awareness and support for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, an organization that provides financial aid to Coast Guard members in need.  To learn more about CGMA please visit: www.cgmahq.org Follow Nate on IG @natedirvin Follow Gagz on IG @bdg123  RTWG is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com Cover art www.scottrokis.com

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes local powerhouse couple, Kellen and Cass Matthews, into the studio for a heartfelt discussion about the pitfalls of addiction and the slippery slope of recovery.   Kellen is a standout hybrid athlete on the precipice of solidifying his reputation in the Philly area and beyond. He is joined in studio by his wife, Cass - better known as Cass and the City to her followers on social media and her viewers on Fox 29's "The 215."   Slippery Slopes takes a raw, honest, and personal look at the prevalence of prescription opioids while placing an emphasis on the humanity of addiction and the power of love.    To learn more about Kellen & Cass, please visit them on all social media platforms: @kellenmatthews_ @cass_andthecity

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz is joined in studio by the 2022 King of The PA Triple Crown of Mountain Running, Dr. Kevin Scott. A robust conversation ensues as the duo discuss Kevin's guiding mantra - Passion Over Performance - and how that mindset helped him become the newest member of the exclusive PA Blacklist Club.    Kevin is a standout local runner who dutifully balances his roles as husband, father, and Emergency Room Doctor and Educator at Penn Hospital. Yet somehow, despite limited training time and nontraditional work hours, he has managed to amass a stout resume with numerous podiums and top 10 finishes in his relatively short ultrarunning career.    In stunning fashion he completed this year's PA Blacklist - a series of 4 legendarily grueling, graduate level, classic PA Trail Races: Hyner 50k, World's End 100k, Eastern States 100, and Black Forrest 100k - and did so with the fastest cumulative time.    Kevin is also a fellow Tailwind Trailblazer and is enjoying his 4th year on the RADrabbit Team.     To learn more about Kevin please visit @kr_scott on IG.   RTWG is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com.  

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes his new mate, Tom Batrouney, into the studio for a laid-back conversation about his unique interpretation of environmentalism and life in the land Down Under as an Eco Runner.    Tom resides in Sydney, Australia, but his work with the Seabin Project - a groundbreaking global initiative aimed at cleaning our oceans one marina at a time - brought him to Philadelphia late last spring for a few weeks.    When Tom is not working to rid our oceans of micro-plastics and save the environment, he is a trail runner and sponsored Salomon Athlete who uses his platform to promote environmental awareness.    Hear for yourself why Tom is the real deal.   To learn more about Tom please visit: www.tb-photog.com   To learn more about the Seabin Project please visit: www.seabinproject.com   RTWG is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com

On this special episode of Running Times, Gagz is joined in studio by well-known Philly artist, Rita Carroll, and CCO of Legacy of Hope, Gina Mancuso. Together, the trio unveil a unique fundraising effort that took root with Gagz and his summer spent on the iconic Ben Franklin Bridge.  This fundraiser will directly benefit local families in need and support the RTWG Podcast; and this conversation is as much a celebration as it is a call to action for a one-of-a-kind opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Rita is the owner-operator of Out&Back Creative – a studio that specializes in event branding and creative solutions for the running and fitness space. Rita’s body of work is recognizable and speaks for itself - much like the philanthropic efforts of Gina and her team who provide emergency support for Philadelphia’s most financially distressed cancer patients. Legacy of Hope steps in when patients and families have exhausted all other resources, and no longer have the capacity to provide themselves with basic necessities.   RTWG is a labor love. Your support makes it all possible. This energy is cyclical. Thank you for your consideration. For info on how to support the show and order a shirt please visit @bdg123 on IG or send an email to [email protected]. To learn more about Legacy of Hope, or make a direct donation to PHL24, please visit: www.legacyofhope.life/phl24 To learn more about Rita and her studio, please visit: www.outandbackcreative.com RTWG is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes friend and local Ultrarunner, Michelle Goldberg, into the studio for a lively exchange centered around her breakout 2022 season and long-term trajectory in the sport.  Michelle's abounding gratitude and positivity, butrressed by intellect and determination, have allowed her to carve a home for herself in the Ultra community.    Michelle has the resume of a seasoned vet with numerous podiums, a course record, an FKT, and multiple sub-24-hour 100-mile finishes. But in reality her first ultra was a virtual 50k in early 2020. Prior to the Philly Marathon 2019, her biggest running accomplishment had been organizing a team of apprehensive suburban moms for a 5k community mud run.    Let that sink in...    To learn more about Michelle please visit @mrmribbit on IG   Running Times with Gagz is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com    To register for The RAF Trail Series on 10/22, please visit www.ramesfoundation.org/rafultra

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz is joined in studio by accomplished Trail and Ultrarunner, Sophorn Choup. Sophorn has quietly amassed a stout resume tackling some of Ultrarunning's most prestigious and grueling races, including Western States and HURT 100. Sophorn was born in Cambodia but fled the country with her family in the late 70s. By the mid 80s all had settled in Central, PA - but this harrowing experience is more than a footnote in Sophorn's story. Rather, it has become the root of her strength, the source of her power, and the opening lines to The Legend of Sophorn. Whether she's climbing the Rocky Steps for 24 hours, or running her own 100 mile fatass race through the Wissahickon, Sophorn's resolve has been forged in iron and is displayed with a smile for the world to admire. To learn more about Sophorn and support Legacy of Hope PHL 24 STAIRCLIMB please visit: https://bit.ly/3oUy1DN Running Times with Gagz is proudly sponsored by www.philadelphiarunner.com

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Craig Oppenheimer, founder of Mural Miles, and acclaimed Philadelphia muralist, Eric Okdeh, into the studio.    Mural Miles is a social and educational club that runs miles to murals in Philadelphia - a city with over 4,000 murals and more public art than any other in the world. Craig's group learns about art while on the move and builds community through runs that are catered to all fitness levels. Just wait until you hear what's next for this club!   Eric is a lead muralist with Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and has over 150 public art commissions throughout the Northeast United States, as well as murals in Hawaii, Spain, Jordan, and Norway. Eric has seen his projects provide a sense of inclusion and accomplishment amongst its participants that in turn empower entire communities. It's little wonder that institutions, city governments, and organizations around the country have hired Eric to consult on projects in their cities.   To learn more about these guests and their work, please visit:   www.muralmiles.org www.ericokdeh.com www.muralarts.org  

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes fellow HOKA Flyer, Cain Leathers, into the studio to discuss his recent run across the entire state of Pennsylvania to fundraise for The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth.  Cain is also the Founder and Executive Director of Queer Run, a running group for LGBTQ2IA+ and Allies, which meets on Monday nights, 8pm, at Rittenhouse Square.  To learn more about Cain, visit @cainlaethers on social media or queerrun.com. To learn more about the Trevor Project or make a donation, please visit thetrevorproject.org or runacrosspa.com. Running Times with Gagz is proudly powered by philadelphiarunner.com