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This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we kick off a brand new February series focused on what it really means to keep running as the years add up and the miles add character. As more of us find ourselves stepping into the Masters category, we explore how aging changes our training, recovery, and mindset, and why getting older doesn’t mean slowing down but getting smarter. From learning to respect rest days to embracing strength work, mobility, and experience-earned wisdom, we talk about how we adapt, evolve, and continue chasing goals without chasing our younger selves. Because this stage of running isn’t about proving anything, it’s about longevity, community, and still showing up at the start line together. We may have a few more creaks and a slightly longer warmup, but we’re still here, still moving forward, and still very much in the race.

We welcome back Julie Gilmor to preview Run Liberty’s 10th anniversary race day on March 28, 2026—now featuring an all-new 10K. We dig into how the 10K starts with the half at 8 a.m., swings through Seaport, and finishes with the 5K, giving runners fresh scenery without heavy new infrastructure. We clear up the name-and-logo shuffle: the race is now “Run Liberty,” proceeds benefit the Liberty Live Well Foundation, and Liberty Hospital’s new partnership with The University of Kansas Health System strengthens local care. We talk presenting sponsor Give Me Liberty, the America 250 tie-in, and why this nonprofit race keeps 100% of proceeds in the community. Expo fans rejoice: we’re staying at William Jewell, Omni Apparel returns with merch (including an inaugural 10K shirt), and those beloved Liberty gloves live on. We cover medals (6-inch half, 5-inch 10K, 4-inch 5K), generous cutoffs around 16-minute miles, and safety upgrades on the frontage road. Big River Race Management joins the team this year, bringing major-league timing and logistics. We also plug our March 12 Chasing Rabbits Run Club x BOTP four-year party where Run Liberty will be on site with swag and a few race entry giveaways. And yes, we celebrate Fret Row’s eternal lukewarm beer stop and the on-course pass by the TreeHouse, a visible reminder of where dollars go. Hills included, community amplified—register, show up, and we’ll see you at the finish.

We sit down with Randy Taylor—runner, coach, and creator of Team 816 Run Club—for our ten-question Runner Stories spotlight. Randy traces his pivot from the wrestling mat to the roads and trails, and how that competitive grit shaped a coaching style built on consistency, community, and smart stress. He opens up about chasing speed later in life, including a 4:57 mile at age 39 and a 2:40 marathon at Chicago, and how those lessons translate for everyday runners. We dig into the ultra toolbox too: fueling, pacing, and mental resets from a 14:29 hundred at Tunnel Hill and a scorching 3:35 50K on gravel. Randy shares what he looks for when writing plans, the red flags he shuts down early, and the simple cues he gives athletes on workout days vs. easy days. We talk Team 816’s origin story, why group culture beats lone-wolf heroics, and how to welcome first-timers without scaring them off. Most of all, this is a conversation about building durable joy in the sport, whether you’re gunning for a PR or finishing with friends.

We’re heading to Jackson, Mississippi for a deep dive on Run the Rainbow, the growing 50K/Marathon/Half/10K/5K set for Saturday, March 21, 2026. Joining us are the race director, the assistant race director, and the CEO of the state’s only children’s hospital, which this event proudly supports. They walk us through a course that mixes historic neighborhoods, a scenic museum trail, and plenty of honest hills, complete with live bands, themed aid stations about every two miles, and cheers as you pass the hospital itself. You’ll hear how the “Memory Mile” near the finish turns grit into goosebumps, why generous cutoffs and an early start make this event back-of-the-pack friendly, and how no finisher is ever short-changed at the line. We talk post-race fun too: a true Southern spread, coffee, and cookies shaped like Mississippi, with a finish-line party that lasts until the last runner celebrates. The expo brings local shops, other races, and an expert panel on training and fueling. Swag hounds, rejoice: big kid-designed medals, quarter-zips for longer distances, and finisher towels are on deck. From community volunteers to unique prizes (yes, even tires for the champs), it’s an event built by runners who care about runners. If you’re looking for a spring race with heart, hills, and hospitality, this episode is your invitation to Run the Rainbow.

We flipped the script this week on Second Wind: with our guest delayed, Kyle sat in the hot seat and answered our ten signature questions himself. From a decade-plus of start lines and almost 370 finish-line stories, he digs into the run that changed him, the day that nearly broke him, and why he still laces up when motivation goes missing. You’ll hear about the people who shaped his journey, the weird and wonderful moments only runners collect, and what “setback and comeback” looks like from the back of the pack. Kyle talks community, identity, and the quiet wins that matter more than PRs. There’s practical advice for newer runners and a candid look at how the sport evolves alongside life. Think of it as a fireside chat with your favorite race buddy—equal parts honesty, humor, and heart. After you listen, hit us with your own answers to the Big Ten and we’ll share a few on next week’s show!

We’re back this week with a full breakdown of the Battle of the Bean 5K in Kansas City, Missouri, a race that reminded us winter running doesn’t mess around. From the pre-race jitters to frozen fingers at the start line, we recap what it was like to toe the line with a real feel of –1°F. But the race itself is only part of the story. The rest of the episode dives deep into what running in extreme cold actually does to the body. We talk about how sub-zero temperatures affect muscles, joints, breathing, circulation, and overall performance. We explore why pace feels harder than effort suggests, why warming up is such a challenge, and why post-race recovery can be just as tricky as the run itself. We also touch on the mental side of running in brutal conditions and how cold weather forces runners to adjust expectations. This episode isn’t about chasing PRs. It’s about resilience, preparation, and knowing when showing up is the victory. If you’ve ever questioned whether a run was worth it once you stepped outside, this one’s for you.

This week on Second Wind, we’re bringing in Kyle’s buddy Joe Klassen, a pastor with a microphone history and a “let’s do the hard thing” streak that somehow led him straight into CrossFit. Joe shares the moment that sparked his whole transformation, and it’s the kind of story that hits like a kettlebell to the feelings. From there, we get into what it actually looks like to start from zero, rebuild after setbacks, and learn to check your ego at the door when your body isn’t doing what your pride thinks it should. Joe talks about dropping 147 pounds, finding purpose beyond the scale, and why community inside a CrossFit box can feel a lot like the best version of a church. We also get a peek into the weird, wild, and sometimes horrifying side of gym life (yes, there are “earmuffs, kids” moments). But the heart of this episode is simple: becoming the kind of person who can keep showing up, keep moving, and keep being there for the people you love, for decades to come. And because it’s Second Wind, we’ve got plenty of laughs too including “Bless Your Heart” awards, old-man divisions, and a legendary hospital BBQ decision that probably shouldn’t have happened. If you’ve ever wondered whether CrossFit is for “people like us,” this conversation might surprise you. Hit play and come hang with us.

No race weekend in Kansas City? Fine. We made our own chaos. This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we’re swapping the usual race recap for a Tokyo Marathon countdown update and a deep dive into the workout that can make or break a cycle: the long run. Kyle takes you to Lexington Lake Park for a “virtual half marathon” powered by laps, a trunk-made aid station, and sheer stubborn consistency. Along the way, we talk confidence when you’re training solo, why time-on-feet might matter more than mileage (especially for us real-life runners), and the myths that need to be tossed straight into the nearest trash can. We also get real about mental endurance, emotional rollercoasters mid-run, and the little “run-walk hacks” that help you stay ahead when time limits are staring you down. Plus, there’s some spicy frustration when a beloved tradition gets its date moved and threatens the podcast’s annual anniversary plans. Don’t worry, we’re adapting like runners do, and the new celebration plan might actually be even better. If you’re training for a spring marathon or just trying to survive winter miles with your sanity intact, this one’s for you. Lace up and come hang with us.

We sit down with runner and American Heart Association advocate Molly McGuire from Muncie, IN, and her story grabs us from the first mile. We open on maternal heart health as Molly explains preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, the warning signs people miss, and why quick action saves lives. We dig into how grief and survival reshaped her outlook, then pivot to the run: the 50-states quest (45 down), pacing in Indiana, and the Honolulu marathon that made her believe she could go the distance. We laugh about costume runners and Converse-at-the-parade blister mistakes, then get real about New York’s tough day and the 12-week grind back from a wrecked gait. We talk origin stories, the first half that taught her the power of good shoes, and the community she’s built coast to coast—even when the local scene didn’t fit. We celebrate a 100-pound weight-loss journey, labs turning around, and choosing a few miles over a few drinks on stressful days. We shout out the partners and best friends who make these trips possible, and why “your only competition is yourself” might be the best newbie advice we’ve heard. We wrap with Molly’s A-number-one race pick (Key West in January), plus practical takeaways: know the red flags, check your BP, and speak up for the people you love. It’s heart health, hard lessons, and the joy of showing up—Second Wind style.

We kick off 2026 with double race vibes and fresh resolve. We headed to Overland Park for the Hangover Half Marathon, then jumped the timeline to Parkville for the Time Travel 10K, trading late-night confetti for early-morning miles. We talk course feel, start-line energy, and why these New Year races are sneaky-good fitness barometers. There’s honest chatter about rebuilding after a rough 2025, the small wins that signal a comeback, and what “encouraged” actually feels like when you’re clawing back consistency. Then we set our 2026 running goals on air, invite you to do the same, and explain how our goal-card idea will circle back in December. Tokyo prep is officially real, flights booked, fire lit. Hit play for race-day stories, practical momentum, and a community check-in to start the year right.

Happy New Years everyone! 2026 is going to start off with a very special guest! This week on Second Wind, we hand the mic to Lisa Watkins, host of Behind the Bib, whose mantra is simple: do it scared, then do it again. From a first solo half during lockdown to building a fiercely welcoming run community, Lisa shares how showing up—imperfect and honest—can change your running and your life. She lets us peek at a live-wire moment moderating a conversation with a certain legendary mastermind of sufferfests, plus a pacing story that turned nerves into someone else’s breakthrough. We talk tribe over times, vibes over splits, and why a good laugh (and the right friends) can carry you farther than any gel. If you’ve ever wondered whether you “belong” in this sport, Lisa’s answer is a resounding yes—and the way she gets there might surprise you. Come for the stories, stay for the spark to register for the thing that scares you a little.

In this episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast, we crack open our 2025 race calendar like a scrapbook with sweat stains and start pulling out the stories. Forty-eight races, forty-seven race days, and enough finish lines to make our bib drawer file for workers’ comp. We dig into the “stat snacks” too: 339.95 miles of racing, an average rhythm of basically a race every week, and a whole lot of half-marathon living. We relive the highs (hello Top City Half as our fastest 13.1), the gritty ones (yes, Summer Argo, we remember you), and the weird little coincidences that only show up when we actually look at our year in one big pile. Like running two different halves and landing on the exact same finish time, or clocking the same 5K time twice like our watch got stuck in a time loop. There were double-header weekends, holiday races, travel races, hometown classics, and at least one event whose name tried to convince our spreadsheet we ran farther than we did. But the real story isn’t the pace, it’s what each course dragged out of us: patience, pride, stubbornness, gratitude, and a few laughs when the plan went off the rails. If you’ve ever wondered what consistency looks like for a back-of-the-pack runner, this episode is the honest, imperfect, strangely beautiful proof. Come for the numbers, stay for the stories.

This week we welcome Rex Hunt and Sydney Sorkin for a candid tour of the ultrarunning life. Rex shares how trails became his classroom, why he chased six 100-mile finishes in a single year, and what those long nights taught him about patience, pacing, and grit. Sydney adds her own perspective as a runner and group-run leader, answering our ten signature questions with stories that feel equal parts practical and inspiring. Together they unpack crewing vs. being crewed, what actually keeps you moving at mile 80, and how community makes impossible goals feel possible. It’s a lively, in-studio conversation that demystifies ultras without glamorizing the sufferfest. If you’ve ever wondered what’s on the other side of 26.2—or just need a nudge to try something bigger—this one’s your green light.

We kick things off with a quick dash through a festive December 5K vibe, then unwrap our year-end Naughty & Nice List for 2025 races. On the Nice side, expect roaring crowd energy, buttery-smooth logistics, aid stations that absolutely delivered, medal-and-swag that made our racks smile, a course that felt like a postcard, and events that genuinely lifted the community. The Naughty list keeps it playful but honest: late starts that chilled the bones, confusing cones and signage, dry tables where water should’ve been, traffic a little too close for comfort, rinse-and-repeat swag, and a couple weather days straight from the North Pole. We share what worked, what needs a tweak, and quick fixes any race can use next year. Bring your own picks—one Nice and one Naughty—and let’s stuff the show mailbox with holiday cheer (and a few gentle lumps of coal).

This week on Second Wind, we sit down with Sam, a Kansas City runner whose quiet grit and generous spirit light up every start line. You’ve probably seen her out there: compact, powerful, and moving with purpose as she shares the course with her son, mile after mile. Sam walks us through our ten core questions with disarming honesty—how she started, what keeps her coming back, the hard days that taught her the most, and the community that makes each finish line feel like home. She talks about joy as a discipline, finding strength in small routines, and redefining “tough” in ways that go beyond pace or podiums. It’s an hour of heart, humor, and practical wisdom from a runner who leads by example. If you need a reminder that running can be both simple and profoundly brave, this conversation is your spark.