Rise and Run
Rise and Run
200: The Rise and Run Ohana: A Celebration of 200 Episodes featuring Jeff Galloway
For our landmark 200th episode, we're joined by a running legend who needs no introduction—Jeff Galloway, Olympian, author, coach, and the revolutionary mind behind the Run-Walk-Run method.
Jeff takes us back to his humble beginnings as an overweight eighth-grader who could barely run half a mile before "hitting the wall." From those inauspicious starts, we follow his journey through collegiate running alongside peers like Bill Rodgers and Amby Burfoot, through military service, and ultimately to the 1972 Olympic Games. What's most revealing isn't just Jeff's athletic accomplishments, but the character behind them—like selflessly pacing his teammate to Olympic qualification while stepping back at the finish line himself.
The heart of our conversation explores how Jeff developed his famous Run-Walk-Run method in the early 1970s. What started as a practical solution for beginning runners blossomed into an approach that has helped countless people cross finish lines they never imagined possible. Jeff shares fascinating insights, including that the very first Olympic marathoners all "walked significant portions of the race," and how his method has evolved through data from over 500,000 runners.
We also discuss Jeff's special relationship with runDisney from its inception, his remarkable recovery from a heart attack, and his goal to run the Honolulu Marathon at age 80—potentially becoming the first person ever to run marathons across eight decades of life.
Throughout the episode, we take time to reflect on our own 200-episode journey, sharing memories, listener messages, and thoughts on how this podcast has grown from a simple idea into a global community. The Rise and Run family now spans 127 countries, with over 5,200 members sharing friendship, support, and a mutual love of running.
Join us for this special celebration of resilience, community, and the simple joy of putting one foot in front of the other—whether you're running, walking, or using Jeff's proven combination of both.
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Expo lights and cheering lines, costumes, bright and hopeful signs. We're not alone. This path is wide, with every listener by our side, from training tips to tales that shine Inspiration in every line. We may fall, but we rise again, fueled by community and friends. The road is long, but we belong In this rhythm, in this song. Rise and run From start to the run. Together we shine like the morning sun. Rise and run. We rise and run. We rise and run.
Speaker 2:Come on everybody, let's rise and run. Come on everybody, let's rise and run. The podcast that makes all the miles fun Training updates, guest speakers, Disney news and more. Family feud, March Madness and race reports galore. Jimmy the Cricket, plastic cheese, let's get in our Mandalorian. I can't wait till race season so we can all see each other more again. So lace up your sneakers, let's get in our Mandalorian. I can't wait till race season so we can all see each other more again. So lace up your sneakers, let's go have some fun. Listen to our friends and we run. So we know we are your friends at Rise and Run. Hey, this is Debbie from Gainesville, Florida. See you all on Marathon Weekend. Bye-bye.
Speaker 3:Well, that's a little different, isn't it? Bye-bye Well, that's a little different, isn't it? Hello, my friends, and a big Rise and Run. Welcome to the 200th episode of the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 4:We're glad you're here.
Speaker 3:Yay, we hope you enjoyed that. John and Greg have been in the studio for weeks recording that. Editing, re-recording Did a heck of a job, I think.
Speaker 5:Even though it sounds nothing like either one of us.
Speaker 3:Shh, I thought it did. I even thought I heard. I think I heard Alicia playing bongos in the background.
Speaker 7:I thought yeah, you know, I'm a percussionist for like seven years.
Speaker 3:I did a little something, something too A little on the timpani, a little tinkling with the timpani. Friends, welcome to this episode. We've been looking forward to this for a couple of weeks. I'm Bob. I'm here on this special episode with Alicia. Hello With Jack.
Speaker 10:Hiya.
Speaker 3:Allie is back with us for this one.
Speaker 10:Hey friends.
Speaker 3:And Greg is here. Hey, hey, hey. This week a special interview with our friend, jeff Galloway. We spent about an hour talking with Jeff. We didn't hit him up with a whole bunch of hey, how do I do run, walk, run, questions. We just got a chance to talk with our friend and I know I enjoyed it and we hope you will also. And then after that we're going to take a little time to reflect on what these 200 episodes have meant to us, where things are, where we see them going. We're just going to have fun.
Speaker 10:If you enjoy the Rise and Run podcast and I know you do please share us with your friends and introduce them to the Rise and Run podcast and I know you do. Please share us with your friends and introduce them to the Rise and Run family. You're part of it. We're part of it too. We want to share in their Run Disney journey. Please remember to follow us on Facebook Rise and Run Podcast and on Instagram Rise and Run Pod, and then check out our YouTube channel. Visit our webpage, riseandrunpodcastcom. There's so much where you can find us everywhere, and if you have any questions, comments or race report, or you want to introduce an upcoming episode which is really fun call us at 727-266-2344 and leave us that recorded message on the line.
Speaker 7:We also want to thank our Patreons, whose support helps us keep the rise and run podcast rising and running. So if you'd like to join the patreon team, please check out patreoncom slash rise and run podcast. And we got two new members this week.
Speaker 3:We have a cat who is at the plastic shoes and amy who's at the how you doing this episode of the Rise and Run podcast and all the episodes I should have looked up when Magic Bound Travel joined us. It wasn't from the very beginning, but they've been with us for a while now. But Magic Bound Travel is the proud sponsor of the Rise and Run podcast and we're happy to have them along. It's been a fun journey. We from the Rise and Run podcast and we're happy to have them along. It's been a fun journey. We from the Rise and Run podcast want to wish a happy anniversary to Brad and Maggie this week. Happy anniversary kids, founders and owners of the Magic Bound Travel. We're just glad they're on board with us. Magicboundtravelcom is the website for all your Disney Universal travel needs, cruise all that good stuff. And remember, magic Bound Travel services are free to you. All right, friends, let's open this one, like we do most all the others, and take a look at the training schedule.
Speaker 3:Disneyland Halloween out in Anaheim now six weeks away. You're getting there, gang. You're getting there. If you're running the challenge. You're in training week 12 and you've got a double up the three mile walk followed by the 11 mile run walk. As you get close to reaching the distances you're going to run that weekend Wine and Dine not terribly far away now. We went under 100 days last week. We're 13 weeks away. We're in training week five. We're back on a short one this weekend three miles on the training schedule. Marathon weekend is 24 weeks away. Training week number four this week's long run is five and a half miles.
Speaker 3:Another note on the training schedule the last registration of the year springtime surprise is coming up, five days from the day of release, one week from the day that we're recording this. What I'm telling you is it's next Tuesday, july 29th, which means Club Run Disney registered. Today 29th is for us regular folks, for us regular folks, a reminder that if you're registering, join us In our Facebook community chat group For springtime surprise weekend. We do Help one another get registered and we kind of have a good time. I've got people now who look forward to registration Instead of fearing it. It's kind of fun. I will set up a Zoom call for that so we can chat with one another.
Speaker 10:It does kind of get the nerves out, doesn't it?
Speaker 3:It does. It's really helpful, allie. It really is. We get to talk with one another while we're complaining about how come this thing's not open yet, what's going on, but it is. It's a whole lot better than sitting by yourself at the computer screen and going gosh. I wonder what's going on.
Speaker 7:It was honestly so much more relaxing the last time. My first and last time I've done it it was great.
Speaker 3:I can't believe. I look forward to registrations now, but I do. Anytime I get a chance to visit with our friends who listen, I have a good time, I enjoy that. Our friends who listen, I, I have a good time, I enjoy that. So that's the training schedule. That's what's coming up. Let's take a quick peek. How's the training been going, friends?
Speaker 4:I have a really exciting update, um, so I talked a couple of weeks ago how I've been doing the restorative yoga and hopefully getting back into running, and today I did my first run and I don't have any back pain, which is really, really good. So I'm going to continue to do the restorative yoga and doing my small strength training that I'm doing, but I'm really hopeful that I'm back on track, because it's actually been two months to the day since my last run. I didn't realize I thought it had been a month, not two months to the day since my last run. I didn't realize I thought it had been a month, not two months. So I'm really grateful that I'm able to move in the right direction and that I took the time to listen to my body and knew what it needed, and now I feel stronger and better for it.
Speaker 3:So Good, good for you, yes. That is exciting and I'm happy. And, yeah, I hope you continue on Wine and Dine your next scheduled event.
Speaker 4:Yes, I might throw in something local, if things go okay. But yes.
Speaker 5:Well, speaking of Wine and Dine. Training Allie, how's your training going?
Speaker 10:Well, I'm doing it, but it's been kind of rough the last couple of weeks. It's been like very, very hot in like the nineties hundreds stuff like that Like it feels like Florida weather and we've been getting rain. It's been really muggy and it's just been kind of miserable. So I've been going very slow. Um, I know, during some of my long runs I've been texting people being like I'm running, like I can't believe I'm running.
Speaker 10:Um. So it feels kind of crazy, but I didn't get my last long run. Last week's long run I didn't get in, so I got to try to fit it in sometime this week. Or you know, message coach and see um if he wants to change my, my training. But I think tomorrow's looking pretty good. So I think I'm gonna sneak out tomorrow morning and do my five miles good for you so what you're saying?
Speaker 10:it's not sweater weather, uh up in uh up in hampshire right now. Not quite yet it's sweating weather. Yeah, I don't know where this heat wave came from, but we have been going through it, that's for sure.
Speaker 3:A lot of the country has really, if you look at the weather map, a lot of, but we have been going through it, that's for sure. A lot of the country has really, if you look at the weather map, a lot of the country has been going through a heat wave.
Speaker 10:Yep. So all I can say is just just stay on the bus, even if you've like missed a couple, you know, walk more. Just try to. Just try to keep up with something. Something's always better than nothing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm going to add and I'm not going to tell you the numbers from around here. Some of you may have seen them. Yeah, I'll go back to what I talked about last week. You get into survival mode If you're out there in a temperature where it's just crazy and maybe even dangerous to go ahead and run. Yeah, do what you can Back it down and walk if you have to. Talking about the heat and talking about slowing down, I had this conversation with Jeff and we're going to hear a whole lot more from Jeff in a little bit, but we didn't talk about this this week. You know he has his rule slow down 30 seconds for every five degrees over 60, a feel-like temperature of 60. And I joked with him once. I said, jeff, I'd have to run backwards to do that and he pointed out and as always he was correct that it is folks who are acclimated and feel like they're used to the heat who are more likely to get in trouble in the heat.
Speaker 3:It's not the folks from cold weather who go oh you know no, because they'll back it down. But you get guys now I'm not one of them, but you will get folks who will go oh, I'm tough enough, I can handle this, I'm used to it, I've been doing it all my life and they'll get in trouble. So don't let you be one of them. Back it down if you have to. The weather will cool off, you know that. And summer training, even slow summer training, leads to fall PRs. Trust me, trust me, it'll work. Caution runners. Change of topic ahead.
Speaker 3:Oh, there you go. There's another one, we kind of like that. That is our friend Riley Claremont, who you hear doing the caution runners, caution athletes, caution, whatever they're calling them this race season at the Run Disney event.
Speaker 5:So, thank you, riley, thank you, thank you so much, Riley, for entertaining my crazy, crazy idea.
Speaker 3:It was great and very, very nice of you and you will hear him again in the episode and in the next couple of episodes. We kind of like that. We're going to keep playing it. But, as he said, this is a topic change we're going to visit. We were so excited that Jeff was able to join us for episode 200. He actually joined us a couple of weeks ago. We've held on to it till now. I know I had a blast recording this one. We think you're going to enjoy it. Also For episode 200, we welcome back someone who really needs no introduction to our listeners.
Speaker 3:That doesn't matter, I'm going to do it anyway. Our friend Jeff Galloway is here, olympian author, coach and the voice and the impetus behind the RunWalkRun method. He's been called and I genuinely believe this to be true the most influential person in the history of recreational running, and that's saying a mouthful. He has helped thousands, probably even hundreds of thousands, of runners cross the finish line upright and with a smile on their face. Jeff's the official training consultant for Run Disney has been since the very get-go. He's been an inspiration and a guiding force for so many of us in the Run Disney family and whether you've met him on the expo floor or out on the course, that trademark encouragement and enthusiasm. You know Jeff's passion for running is contagious and we are just delighted to have him here on this episode. Jeff, welcome back to the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 21:Well, bob, thank you so much and gosh, congratulations on 200. Who would have really projected that in the beginning? Who would have thought it? And you're just getting started because of the people you know your team that puts all of this together, and then the members who show up and who support Rise and Run. What a great group of people.
Speaker 3:Thank you, jeff, thank you. We couldn't be prouder. We love what we do here, but we are so proud of the family that's grown up around it and I always go back and give you credit for that too. I mean, you've set the tone. You set the Run Disney tone and we're just trying to carry on that legacy. You set the run to Disney Tome and we're just trying to carry on that legacy.
Speaker 3:You've been with us before and in the past we've done a bunch of running questions, which makes sense. But we talked to our buddy, coach Twiggs, a couple weeks ago and he answered a bunch of running questions, episode 200,. I think I'd like to make this one, this opportunity, a little bit more about you, jeff, and let our friends get to know you a little better. So I want to kick off. We do a thing called the Race Report Spotlight and we have friends that we invite to come and spend 10 or 15 minutes with us, and I always start off with this question how did you get started in running? And I always start off with this question how did you get started in running, mr Galloway? How did you get started in running?
Speaker 21:Well, I was forced to. My father was in the Navy through my seventh grade year and when I entered the eighth grade year he got out of active duty service. We went to a new school where he taught. The new school required boys to go out for strenuous athletics after school. I had never had that happen, because I had gone to 13 previous schools.
Speaker 21:I had no skills in anything really because I was bouncing around so much and I floundered around in a whole lot of ways at this new school In terms of athletics. I tried football in the fall, which was a total disaster. I mean, I was a very overweight kid and so it was a good choice that I go out for the football team, but I didn't have any skills and it was just really a bad experience for me. But in the meantime I fell in with a group of kids who were cross-country runners because they were funny and we played jokes on one another and gave our editorial comments about what was going on in school throughout the day and they dragged me out kicking and screaming during the winter to go out for winter cross-country. Screaming during the winter to go out for winter, cross country. I was under the impression that I could jog out to the woods and hide out in the woods and not have to do the workouts.
Speaker 21:Because some of the kids were actually doing that. Jeff, where?
Speaker 3:was this? Pardon the interruption? Where was this?
Speaker 21:It was in Atlanta, okay, thank you. At Westminster Schools in Atlanta and I got caught by one of the older kids and he said, galloway, you're going to run with us from now on. And I was really shaking in my Converse, all-star shoes, yes.
Speaker 21:Chuck Taylor. So I get out there on that next day and I didn't make half a mile, but I was totally exhausted and I had hit my wall. I had no vision of how I could possibly go any further than that, and it hurt bad. So I walked back and I was expecting as what happened in football that the other kids who were on the cross country team would come back and make fun of me, but that didn't happen. It was just the opposite. They patted me on the back. Some of the older kids came up and said we're so glad that you're with us, you're part of the team now.
Speaker 21:It's a totally different philosophy and one that I deeply appreciated, but everything hurt so bad. I was willing to try to find some other sport to do, but within 15 to 20 minutes after finishing that run, I suddenly got all those brain benefits that we do in running. I had a good attitude, I had energy. I went home and just aced my homework assignments, which I hadn't been able to do, and I said you know, maybe there's something going on here.
Speaker 3:And those types of benefits have continued now for more than 66 years, jeff, I'm thinking that that kid who said, galloway, you're running with me, changed all of our lives, isn't? That something our lives Isn't?
Speaker 21:that something. His name is Andy High School. He's still alive, he's still running Just a great guy, and he was our leading runner for three years at the school, andy, on behalf of a whole bunch of us, thanks a lot.
Speaker 3:We appreciate it.
Speaker 10:So you ran a half a mile and then you walked a half a mile and that was the beginning, I'm assuming, of the intervals, but you probably didn't start. Did you start with like full running and then you evolved into what we kind of do now with the interval running?
Speaker 21:I didn't do any of my run, walk run for a long time actually, when I ran longer and was running by myself. Even back in that day I did take walk breaks. I realized that when I was huffing and puffing, things would get a whole lot worse if I didn't take a walk break scuffing things would get a whole lot worse if I didn't take a walk break, and so I was doing that on longer runs through high school and college and beyond, but on the regular runs with the team I would just try to stay up with them as long as I could and realize that I showed absolutely no promise as a competitive runner. I did not even qualify to go to the state championships in Georgia until my senior year. I spent almost five long years working as hard as I could, awful workouts, hurt on every one of the fast ones and didn't really show much for it. But I had a great group of friends. I had all of these mental benefits that I didn't want to go away, and so that's what kept me in the game.
Speaker 10:Friends make everything better, don't they? Even the hard things.
Speaker 21:Yes, especially in my case because it was my 14th school. I was not in any one school very long at any time, so, and I was the new kid in class, so I didn't meet many friends. I mean, you know, I just didn't have time to do that, and this was the first time that I really had friends and they were just really good friends to this day.
Speaker 10:I love this story. That's so great.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's the life of some military children not all, but that can be the life of a military child. Somewhere along the line, though, something clicked, something changed. You didn't go from high school to the Olympics. When did all of a sudden this become? Not all of a sudden. When did this become? Hey, I am pretty good at this.
Speaker 21:Well, I did not get any offers for scholarships, so I went to a highly academic school, and that ends up being a major point in my life because at this school, which was Wesleyan University in Middletown, connecticut, I was joined by two other runners that you may know. One was Ambie Burfoot, who, in his senior year at Wesleyan, won the Boston Marathon. He is the only collegiate runner in history to have won the Boston Marathon. And the other runner that you may know is a fellow named Bill Rogers. I heard of him. Three of us were there at a school that had 1,200 people and no scholarships. They had absolutely no athletic big support program, and we were there because we loved running. We really enjoyed the camaraderie that we had with one another.
Speaker 3:To this day, I was going to say yeah, yeah, Fantastic.
Speaker 19:So all that hard work paid off you actually competed in the 72 Olympics in the 10,000 meters. So what are some of your memories and experiences of that event?
Speaker 21:Well, to bridge the gap between my Wesleyan experience, I was part of the military draft generation. I had a low draft number, my birthday and I was going to be sent to Vietnam. So I enrolled in a naval officer program and in the process got shipped over on a ship to Vietnam, which is a whole nother story. I was in for three years. The best part about my naval career was that my second tour of duty was the. I was the executive officer of a mine sweeper that was stationed in Pearl Harbor, but it was going through the shipyards because it had a lot of work that needed to be done and things kept going wrong with the shipyard and I wasn't. We didn't go to battle. We were scheduled to go over to Vietnam again, but in the meantime I was able to get my running back on track, and I did.
Speaker 21:I finished my naval career being able to run in Honolulu, which is one of the reasons why I picked Honolulu as my marathon coming up this year. But I came out of the Navy running as well as I had before I went in and it was really a major change, because off Vietnam I couldn't run a step and I got really out of shape. I gained weight and the time in Honolulu was just wonderful to get back into running. Now, in terms of the Olympics, the whole scenario there was when I got out of the Navy in 1970, I had two years to get in shape if I wanted to try to move to that next level and I did. I joined the Florida Track Club as a charter member of that club I think there were six or seven of us when I joined in the club and I was able to access a lot of good information from Jack Batchelor, who had been on the 68 Olympic team, and Frank Shorter, who I'd actually trained with a bit during college days because he went to Yale and during the winter Wesleyan didn't have an indoor track and I got permission to go down and run on the Yale track and worked out with Frank several times. But I have to say that Frank and Jack really helped me step up. And Frank was able to find some low-cost housing in Vail, colorado, for two months before the Olympic trials.
Speaker 21:And that really was the crowning touch because I needed to qualify for the 10K. I needed a minute and a half PR. I only had one more chance. It was in the national championship. So after my two months of very hard training up at FAIL, I drove out to Seattle for the national championship. Last chance to do it. I set a PR by two minutes, qualified for the Olympic trials and on Olympic trials day everything came together.
Speaker 21:It was an extremely hot day and most of the runners there were just really thinking about keying off other runners that they wanted to beat and move up to possibly get a place on the team.
Speaker 21:I knew how awful over 90 degree heat was when you ran a 10k, and so I started out in last place for the first mile. For the first four laps I was in dead last, and then they started coming back to me and I just would pass one and then I'd look at the next one. He was my next victim and I'd stalk him and pass him and I kept doing this. And you know, even though it was awfully tough and awfully hot, I had paced myself well and at about four and a half miles I did an accounting, realized that I was in third place and if I didn't blow it I was going. I came in ranked 12th in that race and to be able to then move up into second place and qualify for the team was the greatest exhilaration in competitive running that I have ever had in my life and it was just a wonderful situation.
Speaker 3:I imagine Now, at this point in your life. Correct me if I'm wrong. Of course you expected to make the team on the marathon and not necessarily the 10K. Is that correct?
Speaker 21:That is correct. The way that Bill Bowerman who was our Olympic coach in 72, set up the Olympic trials was just as it was in Munich. In other words, he had the same schedule, day by day, and the same time that each event was run. Because he said, if people are going to be doubling or tripling in various events, they need to show that they can do that in the Olympic trials. Well, what this meant for distance runners is you would run your 10K and then seven days later would be the marathon, and Bowerman was heavily, heavily criticized for doing that. And it was said by media folks and coaches and athletes by the hundreds that this was the worst thing that you could possibly do for distance running. And we're just going to have a very weak team in the marathon as a result of that very weak team in the marathon.
Speaker 21:As a result of that, well, as it happened, I chose not to run my own race but to help my teammate, jack Batchelor, qualify for the Olympic team, because he had not been able to do so in the 10K and he wasn't a good pacer and that's what usually got him into trouble. He also didn't think he was going to have to run the marathon, so his longest run had only been 15 miles. Well, I knew how to pace and I knew that a conservative pace might be able to get Jack qualified. But I had to hold him back because Jack's instincts were to take off like a rabbit and get a lead and that would have killed his opportunity. There were places during the first 10 miles when I had to grab his singlet and hold him back physically.
Speaker 21:We were in about 100th place at the first mile. We moved up at mile five to 61st place and we just kept moving up and moved into a tie for third place at 21 miles, into a tie for third place at 21 miles, and Jack was beat. I mean, he was hurting bad and so I was his cheerleader and his brother confessor for past sins and running and all types of things and the lookout to tell him that nobody was coming up on us. We had really run away from everybody. So we entered the stands and the whole stand was standing up and they were cheering and it was loud and it was amazing. They were thinking well, there's one place left to make the team. Here are two guys, they're going to duke it out and that's the greatest amount of power I've ever had in running I was the only one in that stadium that knew how that race was going to end.
Speaker 21:I ran with Jack right to the end and backed off at the end so he could be the official qualifier, and that's given me more satisfaction than anything else that I've done competitively in running. Now, the bottom line on this story, in which Bill Bowerman was criticized heavily for staging this, is that in the Munich Olympics the US finished first, fourth and Jack was ninth. That is the best finish that any country has ever done before or since. Yeah, so his critics were wrong and Bowerman was right.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Vindication yes, outstanding Absolutely.
Speaker 21:Vindication yes.
Speaker 3:Outstanding.
Speaker 21:And, by the way, we in the Florida Track Club were very proud to have had the three of us in the top four, my goodness, absolutely.
Speaker 3:What a wonderful sense, yeah, what a wonderful source of pride.
Speaker 21:It should have been. How about the Olympics themselves, jeff? Anything you'd like to share about the 72 games? Well, in my competitive time period, quite honestly, I knew that I wasn't ready to compete against the faster runners that I was going to have to compete against, and sure enough, that was the case. I have 98% slow twitch muscle fibers.
Speaker 21:The marathon was definitely my forte and the 10K was not, but it was just an amazing experience to talk to so many runners and to get their take on training and where the better races were and what their life was like in running. It was a wonderful experience for me. So I and what happened immediately after, that is, I knew what running had done for me, which was so many things mind, body and spirit. It changed me as a person and I wanted to pass this on to other people. And so, as I thought about what will be the next major theme in my life, it was how can I help people improve the quality of their life through running, as I have experienced? And so what I ended up doing the next year is opening my Fidivity store, and through the store, we had all types of clinics and training programs and connections with races, putting on races and so forth, and that was just a wonderful, wonderful thing to do for the running community.
Speaker 3:The first running store in the US it was. That was in Tallahassee right, it was.
Speaker 21:We started in Tallahassee. I moved the store to Atlanta.
Speaker 5:Unless we forgot a coupon is how we.
Speaker 3:Oh yes.
Speaker 4:As Mrs Galloway gets involved in the story.
Speaker 3:The lovely Barbara Galloway gets involved.
Speaker 5:That was still my favorite story from the last time we had you on, Jeff.
Speaker 21:Well, I appreciate that Absolutely Sadly. Last time we had you on Jeff Well, I appreciate that Absolutely Sadly we have had to close Fidipides. The COVID really got us, really did. We just couldn't compete with the online companies and put us way behind, unfortunately, but it was really a great run of 51 years. Wow.
Speaker 3:Wow. So following the Olympics, instead of really staying as a professional athlete runner, you dedicated to train to try to compete at the world-class level and I had some success at that.
Speaker 21:The following year I made the US national team and competed against the Russians in Russia and the Africans in Africa and several other European countries Winter of the first Peachtree Absolutely, and that was just a wonderful heritage thing for me being an Atlantan and it really has become an amazing event.
Speaker 3:Oh, worldwide.
Speaker 21:You know absolutely my contribution to the race went beyond winning the very first one. I came back in 75 and was one of the management team that ran the race for three years. Of the management team that ran the race for three years, we brought in the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a sponsor, who really made things happen, and our race grew from 1,200 to 12,000 in three years and we were on. That's really what allowed the race to take off. But that was also just a great series of experiences Never looked back.
Speaker 3:Also, at one time the American record holder in the 10 mile run.
Speaker 21:That's right, and if I had to say what event during my key years competitively would have been my best event, I think it would be the 10 mile. I ran 47, 49 and um broke the American record.
Speaker 3:That's outstanding. I'm only chuckling because at 47, 49, I'm around mile four. But it's all relative. It's all relative and it's all good.
Speaker 4:So, jeff, we talked a little bit about your coaching and a big part of what you do now is to tell people about the run, walk, run method. It's been really a milestone for people to be able to get out there and be runners. Can you tell us how you first found this approach and developed it?
Speaker 21:Yeah, it was sort of a self-defense type of thing. I was asked to teach a class, coach a class of bare beginning runners in 1973, 74 timeframe. I had never worked with runners before I had coached before, but not beginners and so as I started working with the beginners, I realized that they would start out often too fast and then the next symptom that you'd hear would be a lot of huffing and puffing. Symptom that you'd hear would be a lot of huffing and puffing, and then they would start walking. So the thing that hit me right from the very start when I met with these my class is, if you put the walk brakes in before they have to walk, that they might want to continue running. And I wanted them to continue running, if for no other reason, to be customers in my store.
Speaker 21:The first rule that we had in Run Walk Run was when anyone in one of the pace groups huffed and puffed, everybody walked and, as a result, everybody walked and, as a result, at the end of the 10-week class, every single one of the people there not only finished a 5 or a 10k, but none of them got injured, and I'd never been with a group of more than 20 runners in which there were no injuries at all in three or four weeks. But this was 10 weeks and everybody was really jazzed about running because I went out with each pace group every week and enforced the walk breaks when anyone was huffing and puffing. So that's how it started. And then I immediately realized that the reasons there weren't any injuries was the incorporation of strategic walk breaks before they had to do it, and so I started using it in my beginning programs in the store, using it in my beginning programs in the store, and within three years we had Galloway training programs in 30 cities around the country and it just started growing from there.
Speaker 5:Jeff, you developed such an amazing method that has again, as we have talked in this episode and the several times we've had you on the past, that it's really transformed lives and it's transformed running. When you first started developing this method, what type of criticism or skepticism were you met with from the running community to say like, yeah, sure, like this might be working. But you know we're taking walk breaks here and you know, was that considered a fashion faux pas when you were, you know, had this idea in development?
Speaker 21:Even back in my day, competitively during the 70s, at the world class level I had met a number of Africans when we went over to Africa who admitted with pride that they took walk breaks and long runs and then they would come up and whip my butt in races. And so I realized that walking was not anything that was just for beginners, that it was whenever anyone really needed to use it. And I will tell you that right from the beginning, when I started writing for Runner's World Magazine and I was a monthly columnist for 21 years, and I was a monthly columnist for 21 years but when I started writing, there were a number of people on the staff there who openly told me that they didn't believe one bit in my run, walk, run method and that they thought it was a bunch of BS. Well, one of those people Well, one of those people corralled me one time at a big expo where both of us were.
Speaker 21:He came up to me and he said you know, I've got to hand it to you. I've got a story to tell you. I was on the press truck in the story, but about 17 miles the leader, who was primarily a 10K runner, started walking and of course everybody said well, we've got to start looking for who's going to win this race. Well, he walks a little and then he gets his mojo back and he runs, and then he walks again, and he repeated that five or six times and he ended up winning the race, which was a huge race over there with a lot of prize money.
Speaker 21:And all of a sudden, a guy who had been a big critic of mine said you know, maybe there's something to this. But yes, there were a lot of people who said that there's no way that this can work. And I said well, I've been collecting data and at the time in the late 70s, when I started getting a lot of criticism, I already had over 10,000 people in the database and I said you know, we've got about 98% of them that have shown me that they're running faster by using RunWalkRun than they did non-stop. And that would shut up some of the critics. But what also happened? Was.
Speaker 21:I was part of a tour over to the Athens Marathon for 19 years in Athens, greece, and we went to the major museums over there and the big museum was the National Archaeological Museum. There was newspaper article that was written in the first marathon race in history, which was the Olympic marathon in 1896 in Athens, and it was written in Greek, so I brought over our guide who read it to me word for word, and the phrase that I will remember to the rest of my life and also defused criticism was this guy followed all the runners from marathon into Athens, from marathon into Athens, and his quote was every one of those Olympic marathoners walk significant portions of the race. And so when I tell people who have some qualms about this that the founders of our sport walk significant portions of that race that founded our sport yeah, absolutely they usually shut up.
Speaker 21:The other thing that I say, though that was effective is. You know, I joined running because it was a free form activity and allowed me to go at the pace that I wanted to, to do whatever I wanted to when I ran, and this is what attracts a whole lot of people here. But you tell me that taking walk breaks is against the rules of running, which a lot of people told me, and so I go on to say there must be a rule book that you're following. Could you please show me the rules that say that you can't take walk breaks, Right?
Speaker 3:I find some irony in the fact that there are rules for competitive walking but there are rules for competitive running.
Speaker 3:That's exactly right walking, but there aren't rules for competitive running. That's exactly right and that's kind of funny. Hey, I want to shift gears a little bit and let's talk some about the way many of us have come to know you, jeff, and that's through Run Disney. Now, I said in the intro, you've been associated with Run Disney from the get-go. I'm not sure you were the chief trainer at the time of the first marathon, but I know you were their first chief trainer. How did that come to be?
Speaker 21:Well, the first marathon in 94, I was there and I ran it. The marathon was the only event and a lot of people, of course, are surprised by that, but the fact is that Disney did a great job in promoting the marathon and also in bringing in a number of legends in the sport Frank Shorter, bill Rogers, a lot of my friends, a lot of world-class folks, a lot of my friends, a lot of world-class folks, jim Ryan, myler and so forth. So it was a big deal and as the years went by and they kept having it, they invited me back and several of the folks who were on the management team for the races which were not called Run Disney at the time it was Disney Endurance Series. But these folks on the staff said you know, you're the only guy that I think addresses training for the people that we're attracting to our events, and so we want to keep bringing you back. And so they did, year after year. So I've been to every single one of the January Walt Disney World Marathon weekends and I'm very proud of that World Marathon weekends and I'm very proud of that, and it's just so great to see people transform their lives, as you mentioned earlier, through the Run Disney events and through running itself.
Speaker 21:But when Run Disney was founded, they were looking for somebody to be a spokesperson and they really looked outside of the group that was coming, including me, and then they came back to me and said you know, we have looked around but I think you might be the best person for this job.
Speaker 21:So we started working together and it has been just an amazing coming together of mutual benefits. They provide this great platform of people who want to be a part of a Disney event and also they want to get in shape too, and so many of the beginners at the Run Disney events are bare beginners in exercise. They're really novices and my method can get them to do whatever event they want to the run, walk, run particularly. But there's so many other aspects of my training method the longer long distance events that can be walked, the mental training part of it, the avoidance of injury and so forth. But anyway, it's just a great teamwork effort between Galloway and now our PACE groups. There, as you know, they've taken on a life of their own. They really will take people who had no hope whatsoever of getting there before the balloon ladies, and we get them there. It's wonderful stuff.
Speaker 10:I love the story that you told at the beginning about how you felt like you were really bad at running and then your friends were like no, you did an awesome job, this is you're doing it.
Speaker 10:And then you kind of have honed your your craft and trained more. And the more you train, the more you felt like you could do anything, including being an Olympian. And I'm paraphrasing a brilliant television show called Adventure Time, where the little dog says and I'm going to paraphrase it because he kind of says a swear, but he says being bad at something is the first step to being sort of good at something. Right? So you have to get through that mental toughness, part of it to say like, okay, you know what, it's okay that I'm not great at it at first. I'm going to keep training and I'm going to like do it step by step and you give us the guides, step by step, to get there, which, honestly, I never thought I could be a marathoner. And I know I've cried, hugging you at the end of the races before probably babbling something about that. Thank you so much, thanks for helping me get here. I can't believe I did it and you would always say you did all the hard work right?
Speaker 21:Well, there are two points that you brought up. The first one is that I can identify with all these novices because I was one of them and I felt all of the doubts that anyone could ever have and I had a whole lot of other stress on me the son of a teacher at the school and I was at the bottom of my class in risk of flunking out of the school. So I got on the cross-country team and you know how it is in running groups you end up having discussions and arguments and you end up trying to well have a debate really on a run. And I realized that in presenting my cases for things as I argued my points, that I wasn't any dumber than any of those other runners in my group and they were on the honor roll at the school and I was at the bottom of the class, and so it really reset my expectations of myself and I ended up on the honor roll too.
Speaker 10:It's like not only what you could do on the course as far as your times go, but what you can do in life and what you can do all sorts of things as far as training for the run Disney races. If there's somebody that is a first-timer running a 5K or first-timer running a half marathon or any distance, what would you say to them for the training that we're coming up on?
Speaker 21:Well, the most important thing is to be regular with your training. The second most important thing is to get in all of the longer workouts. You can actually walk every single one of the longer workouts and you will get the same endurance as if you had run it. But you don't have to be beaten up by that Now in order to stay ahead of the balloon ladies. Up by that Now in order to stay ahead of the balloon ladies. There's another set of things you can do on the shorter distance days that can allow you to improve your speed. But the combination of the very slow or walking long ones and being regular with those three workouts a week, we'll get you there.
Speaker 3:We know it, we do.
Speaker 10:Yeah, all of us, I think, are testament to that. Compared to other races that you've run or that you would train people in running, what's unique about training for a run Disney race compared to a traditional road race? You might see.
Speaker 21:The run Disney races, first of all have such a supportive philosophy and atmosphere and we at Galloway are part of that team and we're very proud to be a part of the team. Welcome whoever wants to come. We will support you, we'll give you the training, we'll pull you along in races through our pace groups. I'll be at the expo practically the whole time, answering questions, helping you, supporting you along the way, and this is something you just don't see in other races.
Speaker 21:The other major thing is that, with the run-walk-run being used in all the pace groups, there are so many aha moments of people who have struggled to get in the long ones and realize that with the run walk run method they can probably cover any distance they want to if they regularly build up to it. And you know there's not any other race that I know of that brings run Walk Run into prominence, and we will never say that this is the only way to do these races. You can run nonstop. We support anyone who has questions about training or whatever, and if they want to run nonstop, that's absolutely fine. But with the Run Walk Run we're bringing in so many people that would never have a chance to be part of these events in any city around the world if they didn't use Run, walk, run.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, Jeff. Here's a quick one. What's your favorite part of a Run Disney race weekend? Jeff, here's a quick one. What's?
Speaker 21:your favorite part of a Run Disney Race weekend? It's the being at the expo and the direct communication with several thousand runners solving problems, hearing their stories. It's just a bonding experience that touches my heart Going back to the Run Walk Run.
Speaker 19:The Run Walk Run method has helped thousands of runners stay injury-free.
Speaker 21:What are some of the common mistakes you see new runners start and do. The first mistake is that a runner will leave out some of the three workouts a week. Our program of three workouts a week is minimal and it's doable. But if you don't get in three and you're only doing one or two every week, there's going to come a point when you just can't stay up with the pace that you need. You lose that conditioning. So three days a week are important. That's a mistake. Then, once that there's some conditioning that comes up, the mistake is going out too fast.
Speaker 21:It's so easy to do in any race because you see these people around you. They're really going by you, passing you, and some of them are a whole lot bigger than you are or a whole lot older than you are, and so a lot of beginners will get drawn in with this and it'll pull them along, to their detriment, as we know. And then, finally, the next mistake is not setting the next goal after you do a race, because having that goal on a calendar can keep your momentum going. You have really spent months training for this event. You're accomplishing it on race weekend and you don't want to lose that along the way. So having it on the calendar is the best thing I've found. It's a cognitive tool, gets your human brain working and it'll get you out there more often.
Speaker 3:Well, we see that, with so many of our friends, after Dopey weekend, after the marathon weekend, oh boy, that's right. All right, my friend, look, hey, you just passed a milestone birthday. Happy birthday, mr Galloway. Well, thank you.
Speaker 21:I'm very pleased to be here to have celebrated that birthday.
Speaker 3:I understand that and we are also very pleased. Of course we have an agreement. I'm sure you have this agreement with others. You've still got 20 years till you run to your 100. And I've got about 27, 28. But look, we know you're not done. We know you've many good running years ahead. But we're going to finish up this chat by asking you to look back a little bit on your last six or seven decades in running.
Speaker 10:What does that mean to you? To know that you've introduced so many people to the world of running, many who never thought it was possible for them, myself included, and I'm sure you know a bunch of us, I think also share that sentiment.
Speaker 21:Well, it's really magical at these Run Disney weekends, the stories that people come by and tell me about, and it really is a wonderful series of things that people have been able to do because they went out there and trained regularly for several months and they say you know, there is no way that I would have ever been able to go this distance if it weren't for your run, walk, run.
Speaker 10:Yeah, I'm sure you hear that over and over. Do you ever get tired of hearing that?
Speaker 21:I never have a bad day because of that. I mean either by email or in person. I was in the supermarket a couple of days ago and somebody recognized me and came over and thanked me, and this you know, I never take any of that for granted.
Speaker 21:It's just absolutely wonderful stuff. But the crowning event that highlights that whole situation occurred during one of my very last Disney World marathons, in which I was running with my wife Barb and I had to go to the restroom. So she went on and was running and I caught up with her. And when I caught up with her she said did you hear what that guy said just a minute ago? Did you run by and hear that? I said no, what was it? He said he was talking to a friend of his and he said that guy going by us is Jeff Galloway, and it must be amazing to help so many people be able to do this and then be out there with them while they're doing it. It really is true, it's a wonderful experience and I'm so fortunate and thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5:Jeff, I feel like this episode is like your own personal. This is your life, but it but in in podcast version. And you have been a trailblazer and have achieved so much in various topics that we have, you know, talked in this interview being an olympian, opening the first running store, becoming the official consultant for run disney, and then there's plenty of other things we haven't chatted about, like an incredible comeback from a heart attack and to be able to continue to put your foot to the pavement day after day after day. You have achieved such incredible things in your professional career. If you had to pick one of them, that would be your most memorable. What would it be?
Speaker 21:Well, it has to be Run Walk Run and you have to realize that before I started publicizing Run Walk Run, people were using it in races, particularly the longer ultra races, where it's been a theme right from the get-go. But what my contribution is I've collected the data on it, I've set up the parameters as to how you figure out what pace you should be doing through my magic mile, which has more than 100,000 data points on it. And then what run walk run strategy is going to work best. Well, that has more than 500,000 data points on it and people that have reported in what worked best, based on paces per mile. Well, we've databased that and we can tell people very accurately how it works. So we really give people step-by-step ways to not only get in this but to enjoy it and to be able to keep enjoying it. Because the thing about Run Walk Run and the old thought that Bob and I have of running until we're 100 is that you can keep adapting Run Walk Run as you get older.
Speaker 21:In my case, when I had my heart attack, when I started back two months after having my heart attack later, I couldn't run more than three seconds and I was willing if that was all I could ever run. I was willing to do that because of the brain benefits I was getting from every run. And, by the way, my surgeon, who put in the five stints when after my heart attack, said that running saved my life because he followed up with some tests and found out that I had developed collateral circulation around my 100% blockage into my heart. And the other miracle actually was a week later after my heart attack in which my heart failed and fortunately I was in the hospital and I was dead for about four and a half minutes. But because I was in the hospital, they tried CPR. It didn't work.
Speaker 21:If I had had that heart failure anywhere else, I would not be alive today. I wouldn't be here. I am so lucky and so fortunate I wouldn't be here. I am so lucky and so fortunate, but I will say that the support of so many people like Rise and Run folks is just an amazing thing. That keeps me going. And thank you, thank you and thank you again.
Speaker 4:So you alluded to it earlier, but we all know that you are running the Honolulu Marathon in December. Why did you decide to choose that marathon and decide to celebrate running doing that one?
Speaker 21:host of reasons, from the fact that Honolulu is where I started my comeback after coming out of the Navy and I had so many wonderful experiences with the running community over there and I've wanted to give back. I've run, I've run that marathon a number of times. I won that marathon in the second year. I didn't know that. Yeah, I won the second year and I beat my friend Frank Shorter oh wow and my friend Kenny Moore. The only time that I beat Frank Shorter was in that race, star-studded field man, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 21:Well, I have to admit, they had run the Fukuoka Marathon a couple of weeks before.
Speaker 3:Edit that out, greg, edit that out. We were still tuckered out.
Speaker 21:But my wife Barbara and I got engaged out there during Marathon Weekend and that will be 50 years commemorating the Marathon Weekend. It's a very special place for us and there are a number of other things that I could list about Honolulu are a number of other things that I could list about Honolulu, but the one that's at the top of the list is the fact that it has no time limit and, quite honestly, the damage that I suffered due to Agent Orange when I was in the Navy uh has produced permanent damage in my heart and I will not be able to uh come close in most marathons to being able to stay up with the 16 minute uh time. I would get swept.
Speaker 10:Well, I don't know if you know this, Jeff, but many of the marathoners at the original marathon walked a significant portion of the race.
Speaker 21:Absolutely. Thank you for reminding me of that, but it's going to be a celebration and it's going to be a wonderful celebration. It's such a celebration in that I've got a chance to do something that I don't think anybody has done. My friend, ambie Burfoot, and I have done a little research on it. We don't believe that anybody has run a marathon in eight decades of life, and now that I am 80, of life, and now that I am 80, I've got a chance to do that. I started running in my teenage years and have run marathons in every other decade of life, and now, with my new decade, I'm ready to go, and Honolulu is the one. What a great thing.
Speaker 3:I'm excited to be out there with you, Jeff. I'm looking forward to it. Super yeah. I also think not many folks have finished a marathon after they died. That's right. That's exactly right.
Speaker 21:Yeah, and actually I've spoken with a couple of medical researchers who looked into my case and they said that the odds that I would come back from my heart failure was four to one. I only had about a 24% chance of being able to continue living after that heart failure and, thanks to my wife and my wonderful medical team, I'm planning on running until I'm 100.
Speaker 3:Let's drop the mic. That's awesome, jeff. Just as we said before we started the recording, we're not setting you off into the sunset. This is not the Jeff farewell to Rise and Run. We certainly hope we'll have you back, maybe even later this year when we get close to Dopey, but for this episode, for this landmark episode to follow up a landmark birthday with one of my heroes, it's been a real honor and we thank you so much for sharing your time with us.
Speaker 21:It's always an honor for me to be on the show. You guys affect so many people in a positive way and I'm one of them. Thank you.
Speaker 8:Caution Runners. The topic is about to change right now. The topic is about to change right now.
Speaker 3:We asked and, as always, you delivered. We asked you if you would please call our hotline and leave us a reflection, a nice story, your own personal point of view on the first 200 episodes, and you came through for us and we're going to play a couple of them. We'll start right now.
Speaker 25:whether it is your first race or more. Think the miles are easier with friends. Congratulations on episode 200 and look forward to the future.
Speaker 9:It's alan from anaheim 200 episodes of rise and run. Wow, that is almost four years of excellent podcast. And enjoying it on my training from Andrew in Atlanta.
Speaker 11:Hi Rise and Run crew. Congratulations on 200 episodes. That's a huge accomplishment. Cheers to your next 200. This is Beth calling from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I'm honored to say I was the first person to leave a race report back on June of 2023. I love this podcast. I love this community. Congratulations, Keep on keeping on.
Speaker 26:Hey, Rise and Run friends. This is Brandy from Houston, Texas. Congratulations on your 200th episode. I'm so proud of you. That's such a huge accomplishment and I really want to say thank you. I've listened to every episode. You guys are so encouraging. I was a 10K runner when I started. Now I've gotten all this way, through several marathons and a dopey going for dopey. Number two Could not have done it without your knowledge and your encouragement. You guys are so kind. I back of the pack runner and you just make me feel so great and like I can do anything. I'm so happy for you. Congratulations, Happy running.
Speaker 18:Hey, it's Chrissy from Bedford, Pennsylvania, and I'm super excited about your 200th episode. Just wanted to tell you guys how great this podcast has been, and my fondest memory is running my first marathon in Philadelphia and seeing Rise and Run friends for the first time cheering me on and giving me hugs along the way, and I've just really enjoyed listening to your podcast on my long run and forward to many more episodes.
Speaker 27:Hey friends, it's Debbie from North Carolina Just wanted to come on to say that I am so grateful for the Rise and Run family because through this family I've met others with similar interests I would have never gotten to meet otherwise and I am so glad to have these friends from across the country in my life. And the hosts are fantastic and really set the tone of acceptance and community for the group. And I want to encourage everyone to go to Race Weekend meetups because I've had so much fun meeting the hosts at Race Weekend. One weekend we were talking to Chris Twiggs and we heard Lexi's voice and that's how we met and identified Lexi was by her voice and that was so much fun. And the podcast keeps me company on my run. So congratulations y'all on episode number 200, and keep rising and running.
Speaker 16:Hello, this is Denise Scott Eisenhower and I'm in Hickory, North Carolina, and I just wanted to leave a memory for your 200th episode. I have discovered Rise and Run around a year and a half two years ago on a Run Disney Facebook page, and it just so happened that they were talking about Jeff Galloway being on your podcast, and so the next time I looked up Rise and Run, Jeff Galloway was your guest. So I not only found a great podcast, but that started my Jeff Galloway running journey. Happy running y'all. Thanks a bunch.
Speaker 3:Well, there you go, friends. That's the first of our series of episode 200 messages that you sent to us, and thank you so much for those to us and thank you so much for those. You're going to be hearing them interspersed throughout the podcast and they're great. They helped all of us go down memory lane. Thank you so much for that. We, as always, we're grateful to you for doing that. Friends, we're going to spend a lot of time this evening. The gang is talking about the first couple hundred episodes of the podcast and what it means to us, and we'll get into it.
Speaker 3:But one of the things I want to jump into right now, one of the things that is just extremely special to me, is the friendships we've made, and the fact that I get to call Jeff Galloway my friend is astonishing. What a wonderful person he is, what a great person to know, what an asset to all of us. I've had a chance to visit with Jeff on numerous occasions. The last time I had a chance to talk with him one-on-one, I shared something with him that I will share with you now. You know, my father passed away seven years ago. He lived to be almost 90.
Speaker 3:But I sincerely believe that since I lost my dad, the most influential male role model in my life is Jeff. I mean, not only have I learned things about running from Jeff, but a whole lot of what goes into this podcast comes just from knowing Jeff Galloway and his approach to his runners and his approach to life, and it's been fantastic. So let's, guys, let's chat for a minute. Let me throw out some numbers 200 episodes, a little less than four years. We come up on our fourth anniversary on October 22nd, which is significant because it's also my 48th wedding anniversary, A date that you should never ever forget in your lifetime.
Speaker 5:Yes, If not, you're sleeping on the couch that night.
Speaker 3:Well, here is why I will never forget our wedding anniversary date. Becky and I got married in interior Alaska. There was nothing there, nothing. We had to drive to Fairbanks to rent tuxedos. Becky got her wedding dress through probably through the Sears catalog probably but there was no printers in town. So I hand wrote a hundred wedding invitations. You are invited to the wedding of the on the 22nd of October 1977. I haven't forgotten it and I'm not likely to forget the fact that this first episode dropped the 22nd was just coincidence. We didn't record it on the 22nd, but that's coming up. That's four years. In that time the Rise and Run podcast has been downloaded 454,000 times. We're approaching half a million. We should get to it around Thanksgiving.
Speaker 7:Hey, just in time for the Thanksgiving episode.
Speaker 5:That's so funny.
Speaker 3:Jack.
Speaker 7:Thanks.
Speaker 3:Yeah, hey, friends, if you want to help us, just recommend us to one of your friends.
Speaker 5:Or download the episode on every single device that you own.
Speaker 3:That would really help but you got to play it in order for the download to count. I tried to look this up with the Facebook history. At least the Facebook history I could find doesn't go back far enough. But the Facebook group now has 5200 and some odd members in it. I don't know where it was that episode 100. I would certainly less than half of that, maybe 1,500 or so. So that's grown. We've been downloaded in 127 countries.
Speaker 7:How many countries are there in the world.
Speaker 3:Well, that's actually. Someone asked me that question not long ago and it's actually an interesting question because you can find four or five different answers Really. Yeah, Like, if you look at the number of people in the not number of people number of countries in the United Nations and then compare that to the number of countries that are registered with FIFA, the International Soccer Football Association, there are more countries in FIFA than there are in the United Nations, but the best ballpark number is about 200. Right around 200. Different things get counted different ways. You got little islands that get counted as territories and sometimes they get counted as countries.
Speaker 5:So, jack, your homework for next week is to learn how to say the Mandalorian in each one of those different languages.
Speaker 7:You give me a challenge. You never know. It might take me a decade, but I can get there.
Speaker 3:But 127 countries Now, obviously US, canada, england, netherlands, mexico. Those are towards. That's off the top of my head, those are towards the top of the list. And there are several countries we have only been downloaded once for all, I know was by mistake, but and we've got soldiers throughout the world too, who will download episodes in in foreign countries. According to listennotescom, which is a fairly well-known source for podcast data, the Rise and Run podcast is one of the top 1% most popular shows of all the podcasts in the country in the world the podcasts in the country in the world. Now, before you guys get a big head on that, okay, they list about 3.6 million podcasts that they consider in their database, so that puts us in the top 36,000. That's okay.
Speaker 7:It's really good, still, still a bunch of those 3.6 million probably.
Speaker 3:They don't publish regularly anymore. They were counted, don't count.
Speaker 3:But all that being said, jason kelsey, we're coming for you yeah, we're not, but I did look up some others and I couldn't find any others that I well. Top 1% is pretty good. I'll leave it there. Top 1% is pretty darn good, so we're proud of that. Before we get a little further, I want to thank some people who do a lot of behind the scenes work for us in these 200 episodes. Let's start with the ladies who worked our logo for us, and that's quite a while ago Devin and Carrie. You know them. You know them from the t-shirts, from.
Speaker 5:Zippity.
Speaker 3:Tees. Thank you, it escaped me for a minute. Lovely people, but they've been a big help. Our friend, Rob does something you probably even the folks here I'm talking to probably don't recognize. Rob helps me a lot with the race report. Rob will go into the Facebook group file. If somebody has a race that's upcoming he'll go ahead and put it into the file for me and that's very helpful. I get some of them, but a lot of times I'll look in there and Rob's already done them and I appreciate it.
Speaker 3:You know, Mark, Mark shows up every Christmas to sing for us before not every Christmas, that's about it, it's before every dopey to sing for us. But Mark, you see Mark every week. He does those great job on the training schedules and posing those thoughtful questions schedules and posing those thoughtful questions which stimulate discussion. Mark's been with us for a while and Judy. Judy's been with us for oh, hasn't been that long, but Judy's took up the mantle from Allie and is distributing our merchandise and she does a heck of a job. She gets stuff out in a hurry. I think judy does everything in a hurry. But uh, I wanted. I wanted to thank those folks and at least give them some recognition on this episode. Well, talking about growth and listeners, let's uh, let's listen to a couple more messages from our friends hey, all this is doug in brooklyn, new York.
Speaker 12:I want to wish you a happy 200th episode. That's an amazing accomplishment. But most of all, I want to thank you for creating just this awesome, loving, wonderful, supportive community. I've made so many good friends and my best memory of being involved with Rise and Run and the community is coming down to a race weekend and not having any family come with me and just basically sight unseen, being adopted essentially by Kara and Rachel and many others too many to name and having too many dining reservations. And so much fun, eating lots of food and laughing and waking up early with everyone being in the parking lot and now looking forward to every race weekend and spending time with those wonderful people and all of the people in this community. So thank you for creating something wonderful out of nothing. Love it.
Speaker 28:Hey y'all. This is Emily from Baton Rouge wishing the Rise and Run gang a happy 200 episodes. That's 200 episodes of inspirational stories, race reports, running advice and just a good time. I honestly don't think I'd be the runner I am today without this podcast and its amazing community. Through the community, I've learned so much about how to train, fuel and recover. I never would have thought I could run a marathon without all the support, including the introduction to Coach Kristen at RunFit. Mama, here's to 200 episodes and hopefully 200 more Happy running friends.
Speaker 20:Hey, rise and Run. This is Erin from Buffalo, new York. I've been a listener since the early days and it has been so much fun seeing this podcast continue to grow in support of the Run Disney community. It doesn't matter if you are on Team hashtag 99 or a hashtag zero to the hero. You guys motivate us by providing tips, laughs and inspiration to keep us moving during our long training miles. Congratulations on your 200th episode. I can't wait to hear where the next 200 take you Happy running.
Speaker 29:Hey, rise and Run crew. This is Heidi Drum and I'm out near Lake Tahoe, california and Nevada, and I am absolutely amazed that you are reaching the milestone of 200 episodes, and I want to just say that the community that you've created is amazing. I'm so happy to be a part of it. I love the meetups at the race weekend, I love the Thursday Zoom and I love that there are so many of us helping each other out on this stressful race day registration. Keep up the amazing work and keep building this amazing community. Thank you for everything.
Speaker 9:Hello there, rise and Runners. This is John from beautiful Huntington, west Virginia. I'm out on a run along the beautiful Ohio River this morning. I hope, whether you're training on a run, recovering from a run, wherever you're at in your journey, that you are continuing on moving forward. Let me tell you Rise and Run has been a pivotal part.
Speaker 9:Let me tell you Rise and Run has been a pivotal part of my journey running as a journey and transformation. As a runner, it's good to know, as Bob says, that we have friends all around the world. On those 18-degree December days when many of us are gearing up for races and marathon weekend, I want to share with you a Martin Luther King quote that keeps me going. You know when the days get rough, and sometimes they do. If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward, and whatever that looks like for you, whether it's a half mile or 30 miles, I hope that you will keep going. I'm sure you are an inspiration, an influence, an example to someone. So keep on finding joy, keep on pursuing excellence in running, and here's to the next 200 episodes of Rise and Run. Hey, everyone's Emmy.
Speaker 13:And Julie from Cincinnati Thanks for all your support of the Flying Pig and it's great to see everyone this year and we hope to see even more of you next year. And thanks for your fun, uplifting, positive episodes that we listen to while we train. We appreciate you and thank you so much for everything you do for our community.
Speaker 3:You know, friends, as we, as we approach this episode, as the gang here, we're at about 185, 190. We didn't think a whole lot about it. 200 is coming up. You want to do anything? We had planned a lot for 100, but 200, we kind of went ah, you know, we'll see how it goes.
Speaker 3:And, as I've mentioned in other episodes, we kind of stumbled in to this at about 195, visiting with friends from the past, and it's been fantastic and it's really got all of us, I think, thinking about the magnitude of as I, as I told my friends as I came out here this evening, I said I'm here for the 198th time at this table getting this started. I did miss two. We always get asked the question I didn't put it on Did you ever see this coming, this coming? And we all agree that we know never saw it coming. I like let's let's get into that later, let's think, let's think back, think about a couple of your favorite moments. Anything in the first 199 that you can think of, that kind of stands out to you, or things that you remember, maybe some interviews or maybe some stuff that hit the cutting room floor.
Speaker 4:I know we talk about it a lot, but when we first had Brittany on, that one always sticks out to me because we were all nervous for it and within like two minutes we all collectively knew that she was one of us. And that moment and that memory is so special because she's I mean, she's a great friend of ours, um, and it just really sticks out to me, um, how much of a family we are, that somebody that seems so off in an elite status can be just the same as us and be our friend.
Speaker 3:Um yeah, yeah, you nailed it, alicia, I agree 100 two eye-opening episodes for me, stumbled back to.
Speaker 5:You know the theme. You know that we've been doing the last two months or so of revisiting with old friends and and the first is jeff in terms of I'm not specifically talking about one particular episode. You know, maybe you could say the first time we had him on, but like behind the scenes when we you had our planning meetings, or like when we chat during a recording about you know, how do we want to plan out the next couple of weeks, we all had some serious doubts in the back of our head of could we get?
Speaker 5:jeff oh yeah like I don't, like we're like, okay, bob knows I'm the best, like we'll let bob be the. You know, the ringleader on this one to the try and get it, and I think it's the graciousness of people that I think, even 200 episodes later, still continues to really provide shock and awe to me. And you know, you can even say, you know, like you were saying alicia about britney, you know that was, you know, again we I don't even think we had 20 episodes under our belt by the time that she said yes and she made run disney history and was featured
Speaker 5:in runners world magazine for her accomplishment. I mean, heck, I can. Going back to Britney, I can even remember we were in the middle of that recording and one of my roommates from college who has no ties to run Disney whatsoever he'd sent me an Instagram message and it was the post that Runner's World had put out highlighting Britney's accomplishment and their upcoming interview with her. And he was the post that runners world had put out highlighting Brittany's accomplishment and their upcoming interview with her. And he was like did you see this? And I'm like dude, I'm talking to her right now. Like no joke.
Speaker 5:So you know, like so the fact that you know we got Brittany and we got Jeff. You know there are people who we were pretty sure we'd be able to get you know to come on you, whether that be coach twigs or, you know friends who you know became part of our council of costumes and such like that but then there's other people like like take martina sevens, for example.
Speaker 5:You know a, a big name in the running space and is, you know, has agreed, you know to, to come on the podcast not once, but twice, right. Or the fact that in a couple of weeks, you know spoiler alert, here we're getting meb, we're talking to meb what like yeah, like that, like the.
Speaker 5:So the fact that people continue to say yes to us has been really awesome.
Speaker 5:And then the other eye-opening point in this whole journey is and again goes back to someone who we just had on a couple of weeks ago and that's the Balloon Ladies.
Speaker 5:The OG episode of when we had the balloon ladies on episode 51 is our most downloaded episode in the span of rise and run and it has like a 500 download lead on like what is our second most popular episode. Second most popular episode, and I credit that episode with what has created the growth of run disney, because there was, you know, there was such a stigma whether it it be a positive one or negative one around the balloon ladies that the number of people, whether they knew about us or were following our facebook page or following us on Instagram, would always send out that link. No, you got to listen to this because they're going to give you the true story about the Balloon Ladies, and that's why I'll always be extremely grateful to those women, because if we never have done that episode, I'm not sure Our family was sizable at the time, but I couldn't imagine how much smaller it would have been if we would have never even chatted with them.
Speaker 10:You could be right. You mentioned talking to people like Brittany and Mr Galloway, and the other part that blows my mind is that whenever I see them, whenever I saw them on the course, they were excited to see us and I was like that is so cool, because you shouldn't really even remember who I am.
Speaker 10:I'm always surprised. I'm also always surprised by me and Greg have had this experience. I mean, it wasn't me, it was Greg, but someone would recognize his voice while we were talking on the course or whatever, and they'd be like are you Greg from the Rise and Run podcast? And he's like, yes, I am. And then, and then they're like, oh, are you Lexi?
Speaker 3:And I'm like Allie, you reminded me of one of my favorite on the course stories because you were there with me. We were in the crowd together, we saw it was it was dopey weekend, because it must have been the marathon, because we saw Brittany at the start, remember, yep. And then I did what I do most. Most times we run down Main Street. I've told this story before. I will go to the crowd at some point and say something along the lines like strangers who I've never met before and we'll never meet again, I love all of you. You make this special. And I did that and I looked in the crowd and I gave my speech and I said and especially you over there, brittany was standing over there yeah that was fun.
Speaker 7:I just remember, like the meetings up until we even just started the first episode. We were just so excited and giddy we're like, oh, it won't last long. I mean, how much is there to talk about? Run disney for like over 100 episodes and jokes on us? Um, but I actually I I listened to some of our first few episodes like a few weeks ago, and I love that we have the same excitement now as we did back then that that's a good point, Jack.
Speaker 7:And there's just so much love for the community and to think that, oh, you know, maybe five or ten people might listen, or, like our first meetup, I was really nervous. I was like I don't know if anybody's going to come.
Speaker 7:Not that we're not cool or anything, but I don't know, I don't know, anything about podcasts I mean, I don't even know if I really I didn't start listening to much podcasts too much before we started doing this one. Um, I remember there was only one. I I remember researching to see if there was any run disney podcasts out there way before we started this and I only found one and it was a very small one. She and then she like had like five ten minute episodes and they were just more informational, like hey, this is where you go for the bus stops, here's the transportation. It was very simple but I loved running to it, but then she just stopped oh, that's, and it was just one person.
Speaker 10:She stopped. You know, I like always think about making it when, when we were making the podcast, I'd be like what is the podcast I would have wanted to listen to when I started doing Run Disney, or while I was doing Run Disney, and I think about that. That's so like what goes on in my brain sometimes.
Speaker 3:That is exactly what this is. This is the one I wanted to listen to right, totally you know.
Speaker 7:What's crazy, though, is after 200 episodes, you still think I figure out. How. How do you do my audio like my first one, like the first, like I think 20 or 30 they were. Just I'm sorry I want to publicly apologize for my audio and just I honestly thought I was like, oh, hold on, can we?
Speaker 5:talk about the evolution of your audio issues, though. Well, I'm still working on it, so so first I was like, oh Jack, hold on, hold on Jack, can we talk about the evolution of your audio?
Speaker 7:issues, though. Well, I'm still working on it.
Speaker 5:So, first of all, it was no microphone. Yeah. Then she finally got the microphone. Folks. I'm not kidding you. This woman recorded I don't know how many episodes with her microphone, facing the wrong way so we were hearing great audio of everything that was happening behind jack, just not what was coming out of her mouth yeah, there's.
Speaker 7:There's also been a few times where I I know it was right before we started recording. I'll be like you guys I don't understand why my audio is not working and then we just record because I would turn up my volume and it turns out I never plugged in my mic my mic was off for at least a few episodes there and they were recent, you guys.
Speaker 10:We're all doing our best.
Speaker 3:Jack, I talked about cutting room floor stuff. Allie suggested one time that we gather it all up and start a new podcast called Stuff. That Jack Says oh, she didn't say stuff.
Speaker 7:It's a niche variety yeah.
Speaker 3:There's always something, the Mandalorian being the best of the best.
Speaker 7:Oh shucks. So one of my favorite messages to reach out to somebody to see if they would want to be on the podcast was a very specific pirate if they would want to be on the podcast was a very specific pirate and I took like 30, 45 minutes crafting the most perfect message in pirates language.
Speaker 3:You can say who it is. It doesn't hurt anything.
Speaker 7:Okay, it was Jogging, jack Sparrow, and I'm like I don't know if we'll ever respond. But ye be Jack here, who's also a pirate. I'm a pirate captain as well. Captain Jack and I go in the waters of Universal and I don't remember. I have to look at the specific message, but I remember it took me like 30, 40,000 minutes to craft it. He actually responded. He did.
Speaker 7:He wasn't able to go. Obviously come on. But I was so proud of myself to even with that message gosh captain jack universal would be very proud of that so jack, if you are listening, because we, we know you, you like to live, captain.
Speaker 3:Captain, don't offend him, yeah correct.
Speaker 5:If you're out, the offer is still on the table my friend.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we'd love to have him anytime.
Speaker 7:To Captain Jack. I met you one time, captain Jack. You were wonderful to chat with on the course, and you'd be ready for another conversation.
Speaker 3:We haven't seen him for a little while.
Speaker 7:Yeah, I know, I'm sad.
Speaker 3:But he was always very accommodating for folks and photos and all that oh, he's wonderful. He was a disney icon part of run disney sure was.
Speaker 30:Let's hear from a couple more friends hi friends, this is k from florida saying a huge congrats on your 200th episode, which sounds to me like a celebration where Greg rides 200 times on the magic carpet ride and Alicia provides 200 free margaritas. Cheers to the next 200,. Guys Love y'all.
Speaker 23:Hi folks, this is Kelly McCubbin, your friend from California and the only person that makes Bob look short. I started listening to your show as I was training for my first marathon, 2024, at Disney World. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I wouldn't have completed it without what I learned from Rise and Run. I'm so grateful for you all. I'm thinking about doing my first dopey for my 60th birthday in 2027. If I do it, I know Rise and Run has got my back. Happy 200 episodes. This is Kevin and Jessica from Texas.
Speaker 20:We would like to salute all podcasts, but mostly the Rise and Run podcast on our monumental 200th episode. We have a glorious 200-hour tribute planned. You've got 10 seconds.
Speaker 24:Oh well, congratulations, friends on a fantastic 200 episodes. Tribute planned. You got 10 seconds. Oh well, congratulations, friends on a fantastic 200 episodes. Happy running.
Speaker 6:Howdy friends. This is Kim from Houston. I just wanted to say congratulations on 200 episodes. It's a very huge accomplishment.
Speaker 6:You guys came into my life right after I ran my first Run Disney 10K at Wine and Dine 2023. I was roped into it by a friend. I had never run before and had actually broken my leg the year before, and I ran that race and I enjoyed it and I wanted to do more. But I also had really close friends that were by far advanced in their running journey than somebody like me who had just started. I don't know how I got so lucky to find you guys, but truly this podcast has kept me rising and running. It has been wonderful to meet so many outstanding people and it's been encouraging to learn so much about everybody's varying walks and runs of life. Thank you for bringing such an awesome community together.
Speaker 6:It has been my privilege to be part of this family. Thank you and again, congratulations on 200 episodes. Looking forward to it.
Speaker 31:Hi Roger, it's me, sam and Sam's mom still trying to catch him after he sprints to the finish, we want to say congratulations on 200 episodes In miles. That's like running the Dopey Challenge four times.
Speaker 30:Thanks for all the miles smiles and fun and, as you always say, happy running.
Speaker 17:Hi, this is Lisa, part of your Rise and Run family in Canada, and I'm calling to let you know that I have been listening to this podcast since 2021. And I have learned so much about Disney and running and just all kinds of stuff. I love the positivity and the community from this group. It's absolutely amazing and I can't wait to hopefully meet you guys in person one day. Thanks for everything and happy running.
Speaker 3:All right, thanks guys. Hey, I thought it might be interesting, friends, if we tell the folks who are listening what goes into recording an episode. And I don't know, I don't know who wants to start this out tender love and care bob.
Speaker 7:Tender love and care.
Speaker 3:Tlc on a tuesday night, that's true uh to.
Speaker 5:To quote one of my favorite movies uh, ghostbusters. Uh, as peter vankeman says in the, uh, the office of the mayor at city hall, it's dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria.
Speaker 10:I will say we'll give Bob a lot of credit for it, because I think that you know he spends a lot of time organizing not only the the episodes and you know how, what the format is of the episodes but also organizing us, because we are wild, feral children and we derail the train constantly and he always is the one to kind of whisk us back together. And.
Speaker 10:I can't tell you how much I appreciate Bob for that, because I can come in and I can't put it, and I can't even put a sentence together. My ADHD is strong and so, having everything bullet pointed and put together, I know a lot of work goes into it and I know maybe it seems like it's off the cuff, but he definitely puts a lot of thought and care into everything that we do here.
Speaker 5:Well, that and since we're waxing poetic about bob here for a second, I mean the other thing too is on those two episodes, those two episodes that bob couldn't make it, where, uh, where I, I graciously uh stole his login information so I could act as the quote-unquote host. Uh, let me tell you, doing the preparation for the race report is a daunting, daunting task, yeah, and I cannot thank you enough for the time and the effort that you put into that, because you know, every time you think you're at the end there's another one there, another one there, and even though it's like, okay, let me get back to this, but the race report is a constant reminder to me about, number one, how large our community is.
Speaker 5:Number two, how involved they are. Number three, how proud they are of their accomplishments. And and then, finally, how much they want to share their journey and support the journey of others in the community. So sure, you know, granted, folks not going to sugarcoat this, you know there are some times where, like we're sitting here at like 10, 55 PM Eastern, and we still got about, you know, 10 race reports to go through, and like we all want to go to bed, but at the same time, you all do a wonderful job of reminding us that you know there's a reason why you continue to put these out and we're going to continue to, you know, to give those reports now, grant, maybe we'll become so large where we can't give as much detail, but just know that we appreciate all the time and effort that not only you putting in the posting, but Bob for you and organizing them so we can share them with our friends.
Speaker 3:Well, thanks for saying that and I appreciate the people who do it and I kind of wish we could give it more time, but we can't. But you get a chance to read them on Facebook and I don't it because I'm retired, I can put that kind of time into it. But I start. Well, I start on. I guess, when do you want me to start my week? I kind of picture my week starting on Friday when I do that Facebook post that says who's running this weekend and I put that up Then, starting Saturday, sunday, monday, even into Tuesday, I'm gathering race reports Sometime in there, and all of us have helped out in this.
Speaker 3:but sometime in there I'm lining up a guest getting the guests the information that they need to know to join us coming up with questions for the guests. Again, I'm not the only person that does that, but I've done it quite a lot. I, by the time I go to bed Tuesday night, wednesday I don't usually do too much, but that's about it. But Wednesday actually we do. Wednesday is when Greg really goes into high gear and boy, the professional editing job that makes this podcast. That puts us into a different league. I'm not going to cast aspersions on anybody, but the editing quality on this podcast is second to none as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 10:Again, we are like completely out of control sometimes, and so Greg has to put together all of the things that need to be put together for us, and it's not an easy task, that's for sure.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I wanted to say it shouldn't go without recognition how much that Greg does too. Yes, his job is also to help and edit recordings, so I can't imagine going from that in your everyday job and then doing it for us. But we're very, very grateful for what you do and I know our listeners are grateful for what you do.
Speaker 5:Well, thank you, gang. I will say, editing a podcast about Run Disney is a hell of a lot more fun than editing a podcast about run disney. Uh is a hell of a lot more fun than uh editing a podcast about retinal diseases so come on so it definitely is a labor. Love both rds there you go, that's so good I mean, I mean probably really the only crossover I've ever had is when we talked to our VIP, kayla, because it's probably the only time we ever talked about eye diseases and run Disney.
Speaker 3:So, kayla, that's why you always hold a special place in my heart, the treadmill queen, yeah, and the other thing is I said Wednesday is a day off, but it's not, because Wednesday night John and I will get a message from Greg that says we are processing and then John goes into creating the graphics that we use to promote the episode, and life has gotten a little easier. And again, no secrets we use AI to do a lot of our summaries. Now, when we first started using that, it was not great. I remember there were a couple where I just didn't use it at all. But instead of having come up with a summary on my own, now we start with AI and it takes a little tweaking, so that certainly helps.
Speaker 5:Although AI still has not figured out, though, that Run Disney is spelled without a space and has a capital d in it, but eventually it will get there it might, I don't know it's.
Speaker 5:It's kind of miraculous how fast they can come up with a summary yeah, I know it's wild and it's especially helpful on those nights where I'm editing very late and we need to push it out and they're like like I don't really. You know, back in the olden days, you know, I remember Bob and John would go to bed and I'd be like okay now I've just spent four hours editing this thing. Now I have to come up here and come up with a small book report on what this episode is about.
Speaker 3:We do the episode summaries. It goes up on Buzzsprout and it's available on Spotify and Apple. I'd be surprised. I don't know how many people read the episode summaries. But we also pop them onto Facebook and Alicia helps us popping them onto Instagram, and so they just give an idea what's going on. But yeah, I was thinking I take Wednesday. I don't really take Wednesday. Greg does the hard work Wednesday, but we work Wednesday nights together and then I don't do much on Thursdays. I usually listen to the episode on Thursday. You guys listen to the episode Well you're doing the Zoom.
Speaker 3:Yeah, oh, we do the Zooms on Thursdays. That's you talk about labor of love, man, I look forward to that. I've listened to every episode. I think, boy, I really had fun. I was listening to the 199, and I was laughing my tail off listening to it again, just listening to.
Speaker 5:That Bob is so funny.
Speaker 3:I guess you're right now that I think about it.
Speaker 5:That Bob fellow, he's really going places.
Speaker 3:There's somebody else who I don't think we've dropped this name yet tonight Alan and Grace. Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Friends that we wouldn't have otherwise. I'm going to stop mentioning friends we wouldn't have otherwise, because I've got about 5,200 names I'd have to list off friends we wouldn't have otherwise because I've got about 5,200 names I'd have to list off. But yeah, I just enjoy talking with the two of them. And when Alan and I get to talking, you know it's inside old guy stuff, you know, so we get to laugh at things you kids wouldn't understand. It's all good, let's hear from a couple more friends.
Speaker 6:Hey friends, this is Michelle from Erie, pa. Just wanted to let everyone know that one of my favorite memories of the Rise and Run podcast was making it to my very first meetup. I had an absolute blast. I got to meet tons of new people and we just had an absolute great time. I can't wait to meet everybody again at the Rise and Run meetup for Wine and Dine. I hope to have some more friendship bracelets for everybody, and one of my favorite Rise and Run moments was very recently when they told us that the Rise and Run episode was hosted by Depends. I was out on a run when I heard that and I openly started laughing out loud. Happy running, keep everyone smiling, keep everyone laughing. Thanks.
Speaker 29:Hey, rise and Run, friends. This is Monica, and from Harmony Flora. We wanted to say congratulations on your 200th episode. Thank you for all the love, laughs, stories and advice over the years. Cheers to the next 200.
Speaker 22:Hey gang, this is Nona from South Carolina. I'm calling in to say congrats on the upcoming episode celebration. My favorite episodes are always the March Madness ones. Really wish we could get some started in the fall as well. Those are awesome. Love all of you guys. You are fantastic on my long runs to listen to Happy running.
Speaker 24:Hey everybody. It's Rob, from New Jersey. Wanted to wish everyone a on a wonderful 200th episode, to thank you for the years of entertainment and enthusiasm and support and for being the running team that I didn't know I needed have a great one. Here's to another 200 episodes, all the best.
Speaker 8:Hey guys it's Rob from Fort Myers with my dogs Beckham and Ash, and I'm calling to celebrate the 200th episode of the Rise and Run podcast and to say how thankful I am to have discovered you all, to met all of you, not just the host but the community as well, and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon, hopefully at wine and dine you all again very soon, hopefully at one and nine.
Speaker 3:Well, there, we've heard from some more friends, and that segues into what I'd like to talk about now, which to me, is golly the essence of the rise and run podcast, and that's the rise and run podcast family. How do you think I mean when people say did you ever expect what happened to happen? This is the part. The family is the part that I couldn't have imagined. Could I have imagined us talking for a couple hundred episodes? Yeah, I could have imagined that, but the way the family has grown, gosh, that means more to me than I will ever be able to express. But let's give it a try.
Speaker 4:Yeah, bob, I think about how it first started with the Facebook group and I knew that we had a community, knew that we had a community. But when you asked if I would like to be part of this podcast thing, I thought to myself, well, I don't listen to podcasts, I don't really know what a podcast is, but I guess let's try it. And I was like, well, it will be a fun little hobby for a little bit. I didn't think it was going to last very long. And then the community started and we were growing and we're meeting people and the connections and the family grew. And I know we've heard from some of our friends talking about the lifelong friends that they've made because of this community. And honestly, when I was listening to the recordings that you all put out there, I was crying because it's really touching how connected we are and when we talk about family, like we truly are. So the answer is no. I never thought it would be this, but if I had to guess, it's even better than I could have imagined.
Speaker 10:But if I had, to guess it's even better than I could have imagined. I feel very similarly and I'm trying to choke back some tears because I want to say all of these stories about people who I've met through Run Disney. But I know I would leave people out because I'm just flooded every single day like I think about. I think about somebody in the run Disney family every single day. It's not like a once in a while I'll think about, it's like literally every single day and I can't. I just everything reminds me of my friends, like these are just hundreds and hundreds of friends that we've made and I know that I'm going to stay friends with them. Even if I stopped running, I still would stay friends with them.
Speaker 7:You know, yeah, this community is a forever family, for sure. Um, I just want to first off, I want to say thank you so much to this community because for someone so I know I sound very extroverted, obviously when we're recording, but it's really easy to be when you only see like five, six faces. You know what I mean. It's people you see all the time and I am very much an introvert or Lexi calls it an introverted extrovert and I truly believe if I never got to be one of the hosts I don't know I have a hard time putting myself out there trying to speak to somebody because I get nervous and I don't know what to say and I end up psyching myself out and then I probably won't say anything.
Speaker 7:But you know, and I just want to say thank you to this community because it's opened me up to so many different friendships and relationships and family members, and to someone who has, at times, social anxiety. I'm not going to lie, when there's one like sometimes, when it's like big groups, I do get anxiety, but it's so helpful when someone comes up to you and starts talking to you because that just relaxes me and be like yeah, I'm with family, I'm with friends and that is such a huge blessing to have and really I want to say thank you to. I think it was Alicia who suggested my name. Was it you who suggested my name to be one of the hosts? Yes, bob.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, we kind of came together out of those early Zoom meetings, Jack. Yeah, because I met you guys. You were an active person in the early Zoom meetings.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and I just want to say thank you to you guys because you guys let me be a part of this family, and this is a lifetime family. You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm putting a lot of miles on the car going back and forth to Disney Because that at Interstate 4 is a little better and it is a little better. People are saying, hey, I'm going to be over, can you come visit, and I cannot make them all, I can't, but I was there yesterday. So, yeah, it's fun and I'll be there. Becky and I and Becky's been coming too We'll be there next week and then we'll be there later in August. So so I got that going too.
Speaker 10:I was thinking about the early um meetups that we had and how I have. I'm also an introvert and I've learned how to talk to people because you have to live in the world Right, so I had a couple of things that I would say, you know, when I was talking to people where are you from? What race are you doing? What are you most excited about? What have you seen so far, like all these things that are just, you know, questions to open people up to talking to us. And.
Speaker 10:I would go to the next person. Hey, where, where are you from? What do you? What race are you doing? What have you seen? So for the next person.
Speaker 10:and now we go to the meetups and it's just like instant inside jokes, coming up, running up to people, hugs, like we'll pick each other up and like spin in circles like it's just this different thing now, where we are like just good friends and if someone's new, we don't have to, we don't have to like go through those like awkward things again. Now we're just like hey, you know, you're part of our family immediately and like, what's up, this is so and so this is-so, this is so-and-so. Like these are all the people that we and like they all join in the conversation and it's just like I don't know, it just feels like a big party.
Speaker 3:Thanks, sally, and thanks for saying that, because I wanted to point that out to our friends who are listening. Half of them are going oh yeah, I know what you're talking about and the other half haven't done this yet. But please avail yourself of it, you.
Speaker 5:we promise you won't regret it I have had a lifelong goal of mine. You know, if I had to like start all over in life and, you know, come up with a new career, one of the the things that I always wanted to pursue, especially when I was in high school, is in school, I was involved in a lot of student leadership organizations and I got to experience a lot of motivational speakers, and there was always a part of me that was like God, I want to be able to do that. I want to be able to inspire positive change into people's lives on a daily basis. But the thing that I always reminded myself was that that wasn't going to be possible for me, because whenever I would hear these stories, when I would go to these conferences, it would all come back to some traumatic event in that person's life or winning a gold medal, all these things that that you know little high school, greg.
Speaker 5:OK, I wasn't that little, but you know, you know wouldn't, wouldn't really be able to, to achieve in life. And then Rise and Run came along.
Speaker 5:and then rise and run came along and you know sure we all had our, our own doubts of you know who outside of our immediate family members were going to listen to this right, but I, my life, is fulfilled each and every single day when you hear the audio messages, when you read the posts on Facebook, when you send us an Instagram message or a Facebook message, or you give up time of your vacation at probably one of the most expensive vacation destinations in the world and you people are willing to give up precious moments of your time when you could be riding Big Thunder Mountain, but instead you're standing out getting fried by the sun in the food truck area of Disney Springs because you want to participate and support this community, and that just makes me forever grateful and I'm fulfilled now because I was part of something that helped instill that.
Speaker 5:And so, you know, I wish I could go back in my Mandalorian and talk to you know, 17 year old Greg, and be like listen, pal, in 21 years you're going to get your chance and I think what you know, what keeps me going, even after 200 episodes, is sure. We have made tons of friends of all varying levels, people that you think about every single day or people that you're so excited to see during a particular race weekend, during a particular race weekend, and I feel like you could. From a community standpoint. I feel like you could really rest your laurels on that and be like, okay, well, you know, we have almost half a million downloads, 200 episodes and we could just airmail it in. But I know I'm not going to be doing that, nor are any of my amazing co-hosts going to do that, because there's still that new run Disney runner or heck, there's still even that runner or that person who is walking and thinking to themselves I want to run, or I want to be able to run a Disney who has not heard of this community yet, and we owe it to that person to be able to support them and give them that warm virtual hug and those virtual cheers each and every single day, and that excites me and I'm just so darn grateful for that each and every single day.
Speaker 5:You took the words right out of my mouth. I literally think about some aspect of the Rise and Run community every single day, whether that's a conversation that we all internally have within our chats or, oh, there's another Instagram story of tony with a shirt off like I, I have, I, I have, you know, these constant daily reminders of you know, an important sport and important people in my life and their fond memories too exactly, and and the fact that I have you know to to make like an inside out reference the fact that we have like a long-term memory of wonderful memories, but again, the really exciting part is that we're going to continue to make them, and that's equally as exciting, and again, I'm just forever grateful for each and every single one of you.
Speaker 10:So core memories.
Speaker 5:Yes, core memories for sure.
Speaker 8:Caution runners. Change of topic ahead. Thanks, rodney. Caution runners. Change of topic ahead.
Speaker 3:Thanks, rodney. Friends, I want to ask you for a memorable and I'm going to call them caught in the wild reflection. Have you been recognized outside of a run Disney event? And I'd like to hear that story event, and I'd like to hear that story. And if not, what's your favorite recollection of being recognized at a?
Speaker 5:run disney event. Well, one just happened to me, maybe a couple of weeks ago it was early june, I know it was.
Speaker 3:I know where you going.
Speaker 5:I got recognized in my local grocery store.
Speaker 7:That's amazing.
Speaker 5:And I.
Speaker 10:In what section?
Speaker 5:Okay, so here's the funny story about that. I was actually in the alcohol section.
Speaker 10:You big drinker, you.
Speaker 5:And see, and that was the thing is I was trying. I spent an extended amount of time in there because I was looking for, I wanted to venture into the idea of non-alcoholic, either beers or, like canned cocktails or something like that. So of course, you know there's only a very small section of them.
Speaker 5:Yeah, and you know, I was trying to find it and I remember I think I was wearing like a polynesian resort t-shirt and then all of a sudden I hear greg and I turn around and I'm, and I was like this can't be happening, like I'm, I'm, you know, 2500 miles away from walt disney world right now, what, what is going on, and of course, the whole time it's going through my, my head is okay. Does this person think that I'm cool because I'm in the alcohol section? Or boy, he spent a lot of time in this section. Maybe he has a problem and should get help. But, um, so yeah, so that was probably the most unique situation Now, the funniest one I know.
Speaker 5:We try not to, you know, especially on an episode like this, we try not to mention names too much, but this one goes specifically out to David Bennett.
Speaker 5:This was marathon weekend of 20.
Speaker 5:It would have been 22 because we had just started the podcast and I remember we were walking to get in line for the People Mover and him and his wife Greta were in line and as we're zigzagging, david sees me and he, like jumped the line and I'm surprised he didn't trip over the chain link fence that you know that was there and he was so excited to come up and introduce and say hi. And you know we just started having this conversation. I feel like I had seen David on the Zoom call but we had never met in person, in person, and at that point I I told my wife and daughter I was like you know, just just go ahead, I'll, I'll catch up after I'm done talking to this fine young gentleman. And I remember catching back up to mary and riley and they just looked me dead in the eye and they were like, well, how's it going, mr d minus celebrity, and they would not stop harassing me the entire rest of the trip. So for that particular instance, david, thank you very much.
Speaker 3:The interesting asterisk to your story about the fellow in the supermarket is like two weeks later I'm at Blizzard Beach. It's not a race weekend. I'm at Blizzard Beach, I'm in my swimming shorts and this fellow says to me Bob, yeah, nice to meet you. He said I met Greg last week at the supermarket. And golly, greg, I can't remember his name. Odds are very good that he's listening. I feel bad. I do feel bad because he was so nice of him, but yeah.
Speaker 4:I've had only a couple of times where somebody has recognized me. The first one I was at an event. That's at Swan and Dolphin Hotel and it was actually Jack and Lexi's friend, cindy. She was checking me in for the event and she was like are you Alicia from the Rise Around podcast? I said yes, I am. It was the first time that anybody had ever recognized me in my voice, so that was really special. And then I've had a couple during race weekends. One I was waiting to get into Brown Derby Lounge and a young lady had come up to me and recognized me. And then another one happened marathon weekend. One of our listeners was on the same bus as me and overheard me talking and recognized my voice. And then, after we got off the bus, she was like Alicia.
Speaker 3:So that was fun, it is fun, it is fun.
Speaker 7:My few surprise ones was when I was a boat captain at Universal. Oh yeah, People come up to me and be like Jack hi.
Speaker 3:I understand that.
Speaker 7:So that was always exciting. There was more often than not, there was a few times it wasn't even during a race weekend. And then um, because at the time in 2023, I was working at um, I was living in orlando, obviously, working at yeah, yeah, it's at universal, so, like. And then when it was like the run disney weekend, it was funny because you'd see people with their run disney shirts on at universal and it's like that's too funny because, like, honestly, sometimes the hotels be cheaper at universal than they are at disney so you see the run disney.
Speaker 7:Uh, folks come coming through and so it was always good seeing them. Um, but yeah, I and then obviously race to run. Disney weekends are always a great time, uh, to chat with many people. I remember one time I was in the parks with my parents. It was later in the evening. We were shopping and someone had come up to me. She's like Jack hi, Hi.
Speaker 7:I listened to you and like it was a great conversation and I really loved that moment. My mom and dad was like who is that? And I'm like it's one of our listeners, because my mom listens to us every so often. David, david would listen to us every so often as well. But yeah, it's always special when someone comes up to you and recognizes your voice.
Speaker 3:It's a huge compliment. I have two favorite stories. I'll be quick. Most unusual place to be recognized in the wild A Bucky's parking lot in southern Kentucky.
Speaker 7:Oh, I love that. That's very specific Bob.
Speaker 3:The other one, and this was relatively early. I'm at home one night and our neighbor next door a nice fella, we were good friends About nine o'clock he knocks on the door. He could tell we were awake. I got to tell you a story. I got a friend here. She happened to be from Kentucky. Also, that's just coincidence. I've got a friend I've known for a long time. We were out this morning. We took a four mile walk. She says to me I've been listening to this podcast, this Rise and Run podcast this guy named Bob and my buddy next door, chris, says to her nothing. He didn't say anything to her. And then nine o'clock that night he came knocking on the door. He told me this story. He said and I said to her yeah, you want to meet him. So we went over and we chatted over there.
Speaker 7:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:It's fun it's always fun meeting our friends. It is Whether we've mentioned before. The only thing that embarrasses me is that I will meet a friend, let's say at the expo, and maybe it's someone I've met, been meeting for the first, maybe second time Don't really know all that well yet and then I'll meet him again at a meetup and forget that I had seen him at the expo. All I can say is I see a lot of people during the weekends, so I hope you can forgive me.
Speaker 10:I was wearing a Rise and Run shirt and I went into the Walgreens near my work and somebody was like oh, I listened to that podcast because I'm because I'm me and I'm awkward. I just was like, yep, me too, and then like trying to disguise my voice a little bit because I just I'm like very awkward, no you.
Speaker 5:You should have pulled your famous line. Yeah, I'm Lexi.
Speaker 10:Yes, I'm.
Speaker 5:Lexi, no Allie. I'm surprised you didn't talk about the formation of the Allie Fan Club from Springtime Surprise a couple of years ago.
Speaker 10:That was my, that's my. Yeah, I was telling.
Speaker 3:Becky about that just yesterday.
Speaker 10:Oh my gosh, that's one of my favorite, my favorite things ever, and it was like my birthday and we were having ice cream at the. Boardwalk. Beaches and Cream. Someone came up and recognized Bob, I think.
Speaker 3:It was you, me, Greg. Who was it? There were a bunch of us there. Was it Casey yeah?
Speaker 10:Who was it that recognized Bob? Can't remember, I don't remember it's on the tip of my tongue, um no was it natalie, melanie, melanie, I grant. I remember we have a joke samantha, oh yes, natalie, melanie, natalie, mel. And came up and said I just I love listening to you guys. And then I, you know, do my typical eeyore thing, which is like yeah, but nobody likes me, and she was like, and she was like she's like no, you're my favorite, and so we made up this thing of that she was.
Speaker 10:You know that she was the official first member of the alley fan club and now official, first member president and then um a couple other people.
Speaker 13:Very sweet people have been like I want to be in the alley fan club too.
Speaker 10:It's not really a real thing, but I appreciate it. We can all be yours together it's gonna it's going to rain. It's going to rain today. Nobody liked me.
Speaker 7:So I totally forgot about this story until now. But, like one of the this past year was one of the run Disney events. I actually was it Princess, I don't remember which one it was. I had just gone off the plane and everything and I went straight to the expo and whatnot Did? I was at the plane or did. Yeah, I had to open the plane, so and and I went to the expo. I was waiting in line for the bibs.
Speaker 7:I had met one of our listeners, had a lovely conversation, and then, right after, I'm trying to figure out why is my email and that's not working, why I can't get my bib. I can't get my bib, I can't show them what I need to show on my registration or whatever. And I was talking to her about it. She was so sweet, we took a picture. I got to do it on her phone and then she tried sending it to me and I realized I couldn't get any phone calls, I couldn't get any messages, I couldn't get any emails, and it took me like, oh God, at least five, ten it had been at least five minutes trying to figure out what was going on with my phone. And she was so sweet, and then I realized I had my phone on airplane mode. Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, I remember that.
Speaker 7:So we had a good laugh and she's like oh, you did a jack and I was like yeah, I did. I just said that to one of my clients the other day. I was like you pulled a jack.
Speaker 3:Oh that's remarkable. Oh, that's fun. Hey, let's hear from some more of our friends. Good morning.
Speaker 30:Rise and Run gang. This is Troy and Christina from Spring Hill, Florida.
Speaker 25:Hey, we're just calling to say happy 200th. You guys are awesome, Keep up the great work. We love taking you along on our long runs each week and we are super excited to be booked on the inaugural Rise and Run podcast crews. Hey, happy running and happy podcasting.
Speaker 3:Hey this is JJ and Valeria. Congratulations. Rise and Run gang on hitting 200 episodes.
Speaker 14:Thank you for building such a fun and supportive community. Here's to the next hundred and many, many more Happy running.
Speaker 15:Hey Rise and Run family. This is Valerie Marble from Melbourne, on the space coast of Florida. I signed up for my first Dopey Challenge in the summer of 2020 and joined the Hashtag Run Dopey group that summer around their first anniversary. The first time they were on the Rise and Run podcast was the first time I listened and I ended up binging the earlier episodes and have listened ever since.
Speaker 15:This podcast has been a gateway to Coach Twiggs and the Customized Training Group, other podcasts such as We'll Run 4 and 321 Go, and it introduced me to Fitz Kohler and the Fitzmas Show, this group and all of the other groups. It has led me to have gotten me through countless training runs for multiple run, disney races, a Boston marathon, many Space Coast half marathons and so many other fun races. It has introduced me to shenanigans, fireball shots on course, pineapple ciders on Disney Expo days and an evolving immersion into running in costumes. This family has also been super supportive during not one, but two cancer journeys in just the past eight months. I couldn't have kept my positivity without this amazing running family, knowing that, although I normally run solo and deal with social anxiety, I am not alone. Thank you for everything you've done for me and others in the family, and I look forward to more involvement in the future. Congrats on 200 episodes and to many, many more. See you at Wine and Dine and happy running.
Speaker 3:Oh golly. I expected we would have fun doing this and I trust our friends are having fun listening to it, but it's getting a little long and I'd like to wrap it up here and get your thoughts. We didn't see this coming 200 episodes ago. What do you think is going to happen in the next 100 episodes or so? Where do you see the podcast going and what do you see happening to space, to infinity and beyond?
Speaker 10:I'm just grateful any time that someone wants to listen to us. So I mean, I feel like if any day that we can wake up and have conversations with our friends and interview really interesting people and hang out with each other, I'm going to take that as a blessing.
Speaker 3:I actually got this question yesterday. I told you I was over visiting friends, one of the things. Just from the technical point of view. I don't know what's going to happen in five years. Five years ago, I think, podcasts were probably not markedly different. Ten years ago I don't think we could have done this. I mean, we sound like we're sitting in the same room. Ten years ago the bandwidth wouldn't have supported that. So I don't know what we're going to see in five years. Some type of this medium will still be out there, but I don't know what it will be. But that's not really the question. The question really is what do you think will happen to Rise and Run?
Speaker 4:I see us continuing to grow and just our family getting bigger, and I mean we already have so many events like Flying Pig and Bird in Hand that you guys are doing in the upcoming weeks where there's large groups of our friends coming and doing it together. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And so.
Speaker 4:I think it will just continue to grow and become even bigger than it is, and I can't wait to meet even more friends. Oh, I agree with that. Couldn't agree more with that. Yeah, support and friends.
Speaker 3:That's the heart of it all. Um, I'm I'm a little different in that. Uh, I don't know how. I mean I'm not ready to quit. You guys know that. But you also know that I'm a realist and I'll. I'll use our friend Jeff as an example. Jeff is a world-class athlete who just turned 80. And he told us he's doing Honolulu because he can't make the 16-minute mile cutoff anymore.
Speaker 3:I'm certainly not going to. Jeff Galloway can't do it. I ain't going to do it. So it's hard to think about that. But at one point I figured oh, a while back I thought maybe you know, something happens and this will go away. I'm not sure that the podcast or some version of it won't be around as long as there are Disney runs, won't be around as long as there are Disney runs. And that doesn't necessarily mean that I'll be on it or that you'll be on it. I joke about my little buddy, sam, laura's son, and yeah, I'm kind of grooming him to take my spot here in another 10 or 15 years. So I don't know what will happen. I agree with you, alicia. I certainly hope that's true. That's my absolute. That's my reason for being. I agree with you, alicia. I certainly hope that's true. That's my absolute. That's my reason for being. I absolutely love that, but that's where I see it going. Hopefully we'll get some more interesting guests too. I'm excited about talking to them.
Speaker 7:So, bob, you know what If a 92 year old can finish the Ironman like last month? Yeah, I think. I think you got so much time of running in you it's not impossible.
Speaker 3:But I I would say two things. You don't see many people my size running marathons and you don't see many people my age running marathons. And I may be the only person oh, my buddy ke. Well, kelly's not my Kelly's 10 years younger than I am. But it's tough and I'm not trying to make excuses. You know I want to do things and you know I hope I still can. But I'm also a little bit realistic. But I appreciate the enthusiasm, jack, thanks.
Speaker 7:Well, also, if you think about, maybe in the future, I think we might be outgrowing our spot, our meetup spot, I think we're going to have to find a new spot.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've thought about that I don't want to say anything out loud because I've not done any work on it, but I have given some thought to doing that Bob just whisper it then yeah right, right, well, I don't. Then yeah right, right, well, I don't know. The other thing is that's weather dependent. Yeah, I don't like the fact that we have to, and we've been very lucky.
Speaker 7:Oh gosh, yes, We've had close calls.
Speaker 5:We've had very close calls.
Speaker 3:yes, yeah, In fact, the closest call was that marathon weekend where they cut the half in half. I thought there was no way and the weather turned out to be great. Yeah, it was beautiful, but yeah.
Speaker 5:In terms of growth, bob, I'm right there with you. I'm a realist in the sense that do I want the community to grow Absolutely, but at the same time, though, I understand that we are a podcast, or a niche podcast, that talks about running geared towards an extremely niche audience, of running at disney, and obviously that fandom can only go out so far yeah sure are there.
Speaker 5:Are there new runners? Are there hundreds or thousands of people who walk around a run disney expo and see a rise run shirt and wonder what that is? I'm sure there are plenty, but I also understand that we we could also not be someone's cup of tea, and that's completely and that's completely fine and understandable. So, while as much as I want the community to continue to grow, I think what I'm more focused on in the next 100 episodes is taking what we have and making it even stronger, and I think if we can accomplish that, I think that was just going to be awesome. And for me, I think that starts in April of next year, when we're going to try something that we have never tried before in our lives and that's the rise and run cruise. I mean, obviously, I know not all of the current state rooms that are booked. You know, I'm sure there will be some people that are like, oh yeah, I had all these grand aspirations of doing that, but but by the time final payment comes, I'm sure some of those you know might go away, but like the fact that, as of this given time, we have over 40 state rooms booked on the utopia of the seas. That's pretty phenomenal. To me, it's going to be equally exciting and nerve-wracking to have that event and see how we pull it off and and how magic bound is going to help us with it and how it's received by our podcast family that you know can we grow from that and I think that's really exciting. I mean, you know there's lots of parts of it.
Speaker 5:You know, obviously today's episode is the start of something that I've been incredibly nervous about in terms of introducing all you know, this brand new audio package you know, into into the lexicon of rise and run, and if people hate it, then maybe after a couple of episodes, maybe we'll switch it back to the old stuff.
Speaker 5:We'll we'll have to wait and see, but you know it's little things like that, like the audio package, the, the crews, you know, I would love, I would love for us to like upgrade our website and, you know, even like work with, like other friends that are equally amazing talents in um, you know, in this community, to help support one another, like I would love to do a t-shirt collaboration with zippity t's and I would, you know, I, I think it was, I forget where I saw it, but you know people are now maybe was the the hashtag run dopey group, like I would love for us to come up. You know, collaborate with someone to make rise and run ears, because we all know how mickey ears are huge during, you know, race weekends. You know little things like that that you know will help enhance this podcast even more, and again with the sole purpose of growing the community how we can, but but more importantly, making it a stronger bond.
Speaker 3:I remember in the early days, Greg, when we were a little competitive but I got out of that a long time ago and when someone from the Run Disney community approaches me and says, hey, can I use the podcast to publicize this? As long as it's not in direct competition with someone who is paying us as a sponsor, I'm all for it. You know, if I can help other podcasts, if we can help other podcasts, we can help other Facebook groups, or yeah, I'm all for that.
Speaker 5:Oh, you're right, I mean absolutely. I mean it's, it's great to see that you know in these last almost four years how, how the space has grown. I mean that you know you mentioned before disney with the ducks then, you know, you have you know kristin and devin.
Speaker 5:You know they now have the run fit fab podcast, the stride sisters podcast. Uh, you know, I think just in the last week alone there have been two other podcasts that have been formulated who have requested to follow us on Instagram. You're absolutely right. There is no competition. I love the quote. A rising tide lifts all boats and that's extremely important. With the exception of Will Runfor, I will always be in competition with them.
Speaker 27:He will always be far superior than them. So suck it, Tom.
Speaker 10:That's my family, feud family that you're talking about.
Speaker 3:I was going to give you the business for leaving them out, greg, but no, all right, friends, we got to put this to bed. Let's wrap it up and hear from more of you.
Speaker 14:As I jump in my Mandalorian and venture back to episode one of the inaugural Rise and Run podcast, I find a group of friends who've come together on the podcast for the first time and yet sounded like they've been friends for years and that this was a long running podcast. Anyone who listened to the group became immediate followers and friends. I know I immediately clicked that follow button and started listening to the Rise and Run podcast. I remember that first race back at Disney after so many months of no-run Disney races.
Speaker 14:I was eager to meet the members of the Rise and Run podcast at Margaritaville at Disney Springs during Wine and Dine weekend. I was nervous and didn't know what to say, but Bob, of course, welcomed me immediately. Then I chatted up Greg Zier talking all things Disney and Aulani. I was thrilled to finally meet Jack, lexi, alicia and Ali. They were all so kind and genuine. I truly am so grateful that these amazing people started a podcast together, allowing so many runners to come together, support each other, encourage each other and grow this wonderful family of Rise and Run podcast. From Tara, the one up north in Canada, I want to wish you a congratulations on your 200th episode. I look forward to many more episodes and many more race weekend meetups, possibly with more of Becky's cookies.
Speaker 31:Happy 200, Rise and Run gang. This is Margaret from Wintergarden, Florida. Wow, it's been such a blessing to be a part of this amazing running community. So many great memories. First off, I've been inspired listening to so many stories. It's also quite interesting getting to hear everyone's race reports and I've enjoyed listening to my own race tales be shared. I remember earlier on during the first couple years of the podcast, it was hilarious when y'all created some friendly competition amongst Joe and me with how many races we ran. I would literally just giggle. It was then such an honor to be the spotlight guinea pig and be featured as the first one to recount my own race report.
Speaker 31:The Rise and Run gang and friends have not only been there through the good times. You all have also provided your love and support to many of us through the tough times. Through some recent times I've had some family losses, health issues and suffered a prolonged injury drastically halting how much I could run, but you all have continued to provide so much encouragement and support and always a good time at our hangouts. My hubby Don agrees, Even after he went on a wild goose chase for crickets he thought had sneaked in our house, which then prompted Bob to explain that he records the podcast outdoors. Through the podcast I've also made some great friends, Friends that are there for each other, from anything in between saying hi on the course to going out of their way for each other, Like the time that Alan and Grace literally stopped mid-training run while listening to the podcast, I must add, to help me get my luggage from my first hotel to the Grand Californian on a Disneyland visit.
Speaker 31:That wasn't even for a race weekend, as all of you know, whether it's a Disney or a local race, my passion for running and playing dress-up runs deep. The outfits add pixie dust and put a pep in our step. Getting to share this passion with the rest of the running community, both on the course as well as by being a member on the Council of Costumes, is really an ultimate highlight for me. Thank you for allowing me to contribute, gang.
Speaker 3:Friends. Again, thank you for all the messages. We love you. We appreciate it. Episode 201, Jodi Chase will join us. What you don't know. Who Jodi Chase is? Yes, you do. You've seen her. If you've done a Disney run, you've seen Jodi. She's out there as you're coming up the hill on the marathons or the half marathon at the. As you're coming up the hill on the marathons or the half marathon, she's out there doing the tailgating with her friend. Jody's an entertainer who works a lot at Disney. Oh, and she's John Pelkey's wife, so we'll be glad to have her with us next week. And now, Please stand clear of the door.
Speaker 3:It's time for a race report.
Speaker 10:Por favor, manténganse alejado de las puertas.
Speaker 3:Race report is sponsored by our friend Thomas Stokes of Stokes Metabolic Training. Stokesfit slash rise and run coaching is his primary website. We're in the middle of the eight week summer challenge. I have done okay with it. I could do better. Life gets in the way. You know how it is. So I've I've managed probably two of my three workout days the first two weeks. Alicia, you doing well with it.
Speaker 4:I've been doing kind of my own strength training within his program. Yeah, I think that's cool. Yeah, I love seeing the messages from the friends.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in a way, just the fact that he's there and that the program exists keeps me going, so I appreciate that. All right, let's start this race report. This one's interesting. Our friend, debbie, was on a run. This isn't a race, okay, but she was out on a run over at Port Orleans at Disney World, and she's coming from Port Orleans Riverside. She's heading to French Quarter and the boat the boat that navigates the river is alongside of her and the boat captain's navigates the rivers alongside of her and the boat captain's gun in the engine and racing her.
Speaker 3:So I love that yeah, it was kind of cool.
Speaker 5:It was a neat post I remember seeing the instagram video of the of a very, very similar thing a few years ago, so the fact that she got to participate this in real life was awesome, and I hope you celebrated by getting some mickey beignets at the end.
Speaker 3:So so congratulations. We're going to give debbie a half mile pr because she says she's sure that's the fastest she's ever run a half mile. She did get to the dock before the boat and here's the uh. Here's another interesting twist on that story. I, by marriage a nephew and his wife who live about three miles from here. They go to Disney all the time. They were on the boat because they told me hey, yeah, we saw this Rise and Run friend. It was kind of neat, they were racing and it was hilarious, it was fun. So, Debbie, congratulations. Tuesday last week it was fun. So, Debbie, congratulations. Tuesday last week Pete was doing the Run the Vineyards Rock, the Night Away 5K in Hamilton, New Jersey. Anna, over in the UK on Wednesday, did the Summer Turkey Trot in Camborne. I probably butchered that, Anna. You know I can't pronounce English words.
Speaker 3:Isn't it a little early for Thanksgiving. That's them British folk, greg. Well, I don't know when. You know most countries have a Thanksgiving. I don't know when Britain has theirs. I'll have to look it up. I'm sure we'll find out when it comes along. Let's see.
Speaker 3:Still on Wednesday in St Charles, illinois, the Summer Sunset 5K. Caitlin ran it along the river in St Charles. Learned to expect some hills on this one. When I read that I was a little surprised. Most runs along rivers stay relatively flat, but got some hills here. Had a pizza party at the end. That's a great way to celebrate being second in her age group. Nicely done, caitlin.
Speaker 3:Caitlin's back in the report on Saturday, I believe. Again, more of the weekday runs. I think this was interesting. These have come up the last two weeks had a couple on Thursday the JCC run, sweatin' Beers 5K and Boca Raton Holly did it. 7 o'clock temperature I looked. I don't know if that's 7 in the morning or 7 in the evening. The temp was 86. Dewpoint was 79. That sounds familiar. There had plenty of water on this one. I'm guessing, since it was a weekday run it's probably in the evening. Plenty of water, gatorade, food and beer at the end. So it was a good race, well put together. Last year she ran this one in 48 minutes. This year, despite having some trouble having a bad third mile, she ran it in 38 minutes, setting a new 5k PR. She ran it in 38 minutes, setting a new 5K PR. She also used it for her magic mile shaved 40 seconds off there. You know what that means, Holly. Coach Chris is going to change your training times.
Speaker 3:We talked about this one last week. It's a race series, the Angry Chicken race series. I know you remember that Angry Chicken series. This one's called Berna's Great Legs 5K. It's up in Lowell. How come you weren't there, allie? It's up in Lowell, massachusetts. That's where I'm from. Yeah, I thought it sounded familiar. Rachel was there and Sophie and Audrey were there. Let's see, this was the one that had the sports fan theme. Okay, sophie and Audrey also had their mom, robin. She was there.
Speaker 3:The highlight for Audrey on this one was that her daughter, melody, did the Little Miss Fun Run before the 5K, since that was Melody's first 400-meter run. Melody, that's a PR. We have some wonderful pictures in the Facebook group of children. This week this picture of Melody was just adorable. So you've got the picture of Melody and then the picture of Allison, melissa's daughter. Those two are just adorable, both of them. Let's see Audrey ran this one. Audrey and Sophie took advantage. It's an early start option. Let's them get ahead of the speedy people before the course narrows and they got a long uphill. Audrey says she probably wouldn't have survived without the freeze pop at the end. But this was Audrey's first 2.62 mile race, so I think that's why they do it. They get the PR Still.
Speaker 3:On Thursday in the UK, again In the Durham city run festival 10 K. And he did it. Beautiful city, not the easiest to run in full of Hills. Uh, some of them even had an, even cobblestones on the road, believe it or not. I run into that in St Petersburg sometime. Didn't notice last time because they were under a foot and a half of water. But Andy wasn't happy with last year's results. He was determined to do this one in under 60 minutes and he did. He knocked it out in just a little over 59. Good for you, andy. Friday in Elk Grove I think this is Elk Grove, illinois.
Speaker 3:Tiffany was in the Margarita Mayhem 5K. She'd been gunning for a sub 25 5K, which is smoking as far as I'm concerned Finished this one in 24-17. Sixth overall, second in her age group, margarita's at the finish and if you finish in under under 25 minutes you get your choice because they're all still there. Uh, they're setting up for the christmas in july run on saturday. So she took some pictures of the deflated santa claus blow-ups that were out there. They kind of made her laugh.
Speaker 3:Doug was running in queens at the Trials of Miles 5K on the beach at Rockaway Beach in Queens Hot, sunny, double out and backs on each end. So they packed 3.1 miles into a relatively short stretch of the boardwalk. Race ended with lays instead of medals, that's cool. Walk Race ended with lays instead of medals that's cool. And the finish line was a ramp that headed right down to the beach so you could cool off. Kind of a light schedule.
Speaker 3:On Saturday, the Donut Dash 5K in Batavia or Batavia I think it's Batavia, illinois. Caitlin was there. Another fun looped course around the Fox River had some kids races at this one. Of course there were donuts. At the end with coffee had to have donuts. It's a donut dash. And on top of it, this time Caitlin finished first in her age group. Congratulations, caitlin. That's cool. Stephen did a Spartan race in Grand Rapids, michigan. This is state number 16 for Steven in the obstacle course race series.
Speaker 3:Out in Seattle Washington, lace with her son did the Microsoft Redmond 5K First race report for Lace. Thank you, lace, I'm glad you submitted this one. Let's see Flat fun course through the Microsoft campus Celebration. At the end on the athletic fields, lace's son hit his goal, which was to finish a 5K without complaining about it. Greg, that's a goal you need to set. 5k without complaining about it, greg, that's a goal you need to set. Okay, thanks, lace. Now, lace, I'm not sure that we've met before and if you pronounce that Lacey, l-a-c-e, I apologize, but I'm going with what I see here and I hope I got it right. I really do.
Speaker 3:But a weekend long event, the Full Moon 25K. They also had a 50K option and I believe it is Huichita National Forest in Arkansas, o-u-i-c-h-i-t-a. I think that's Huichita, shelby Allison SA did this one? Haven't heard from SA for a while. Glad to hear from you again. My friend. 1800 feet of elevation gain took its toll. That's a significant number. Sa. Gravel and rocks kind of wrecked her feet, but she had the most delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the turnaround. See, jack, they are worth something. It was almost spiritual peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the turnaround. See, jack, they are worth something. It was almost spiritual. And then she chugged a Mountain Dew for the first time in years. So good to hear from you again. Shelby Allison and your fun Arkansas race team that's right, she created that acronym on purpose. Lori's up in Barrington, nova Scotia, doing the Nova Scotia marathon. She did, she did. She knows about it. She did the fun Arkansas race team. Let's see, lori. Lori's been really active.
Speaker 5:In fact I think.
Speaker 3:Lori's on every race report, isn't she Pretty close? Most likely? Yes, Pretty much. Let's see More elevation than she expected. Her goal was 208. Let's see more elevation than she expected. Our goal was 208. She knocked it out in just a few seconds over that. That's pretty good. Now, nice story here.
Speaker 3:After it was an earlier race, Lori had met a young woman who said that she had been using the young woman, had been using Lori as a pacer. You know, I'll keep that woman in my sights and if I can stay with her then I'll finish, and that's what she did. So now, lining up at the start line for this weekend's race, same young woman comes and says hey, can I use you as a pacer this time? So they stayed together about 18 kilometers and for those of you who are metrically challenged, the half marathon is 21.1 kilometers About 18 kilometers, the young lady took off and when Lori finished she saw her sitting in a chair and she was sobbing. She went over and said are you okay? What's wrong? Oh, these are happy tears.
Speaker 3:I finished in 206 and never thought I could do that. And, Lori, you have been an inspiration to me. Well, that's great, Laurie, that is fantastic. Laurie asked can I give you a hug, and of course they did, and now they've exchanged information. They're Instagram friends and Laurie she better, this young lady better be listening to the podcast next week. That's all I have to say. So actually, you ever had a chance to do something like that, friends, to pace somebody? They just kind of caught you on the course and said, hey, can I hang with you? Yeah, that's how I met.
Speaker 10:Heidi, we were both going through the heck together through a race and we just kept staying with each other and at the end we kind of thanked each other for getting each other through it. It wasn't necessarily a competition thing, more than it was survival and like if that person can do it, I can do it too.
Speaker 5:And the rest is history.
Speaker 3:I can't imagine Heidi staying with you. I imagine Heidi's there and then a couple minutes later she's gone and then she comes back. Yeah.
Speaker 10:She comes back with donuts or whatever A cup of coffee.
Speaker 3:All right, We'll wrap up the race report. In Erie, Pennsylvania, Our friend Michelle did the Presque Isle half marathon. Michelle got a chance to pace somebody. A woman came up to her and said she was having a tough time. Michelle told her about what she was doing with her run-walk intervals and at mile 12, Michelle's pacing partner said this is the first race I've completed since I finished my cancer treatments, stopped right there and hugged At the end. Michelle says you go, you sprint to the finish line. Your husband, your two-year-old son, are waiting there for you. You've earned this one. So there you go. There's two pretty good stories coming out of Sunday. Good stuff.
Speaker 3:All right, my friends, 200 episodes. Let me take a minute here. I mean, we spent plenty of time, but I just wanted to wrap up, just leave you with a couple of thoughts. We approach this as just another episode, but as it got closer the significance of it grew and I think the past few weeks of revisiting friends kind of had a little effect on all of us. I want to say, and if I didn't say it before, my life has changed because of you, because of my friends I visit with every week here on this podcast and my friends who listen and who I see when we get to Disney World and I love it.
Speaker 3:Sometimes when I sit back and reflect, that's all that's happened in the last couple hundred episodes. All the amazing, wonderful people I've met, the number of become great friends and the number of friendships that you have formed amongst yourselves I just I literally sit here and shake my head. That's got to be the biggest thing that I didn't see coming. Look at just how many community chats we have. Just scroll through those and look how many people are talking to one another. I know there are hundreds more of you we haven't met yet, that's okay, but just know we would love to have you as members of this community. I know we'll be around for a while. I'm not going to think about the long-term future right now. I'm just going to celebrate 200 and look forward to 201. There's no Zoom call this week. We had one last week. We'll have one next week, so I hope to see you there. If not, we'll see you real soon at Disney World. Happy running.
Speaker 5:The Rise and Run podcast discusses general information about Run Disney and is in no way affiliated with Run Disney or the Walt Disney Company. Any information or advice discussed on this podcast should not be considered medical advice and should always consult with your healthcare provider or event organizer.
Speaker 1:Morning sun rise and run, we rise and run, we rise and run.
