Thomas Panek

Thomas Panek is blind, a frequent marathoner, and President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild, a national nonprofit providing services to the visually impaired. Panek is the first person with vision loss to lead Lighthouse Guild.

In addition to running marathons tethered to human guide runners, he has finished the New York City Half Marathon with a team of guide dogs. He is also working with Google engineers to develop a phone app that can help the blind "see" the road and various obstacles around them.

In this podcast, Panek got George's attention by talking about "blind baseball"--a sport George is eager to witness. Amby was drawn to Panek's comments about how running can prove especially powerful at improving the independence and mental health of physically challenged individuals. 

Learn more about Thomas Panek and Lighthouse Guild here.

Some key moments in the podcast:

00:00

Introduction to Thomas Panek

11:31

Life as a Visually Impaired Athlete

14:10

Childhood and Vision Loss Journey

17:51

Inspiration from Blind Icons

19:41

Passions and Family Life

21:40

Running with Visual Impairment

25:10

Understanding Visual Impairment Terminology

28:09

Experiences as a Guide Runner

30:07

Running Pace and Competitions

31:44

Paralympic Aspirations and Community Engagement

33:45

Running with Guide Dogs: A New Frontier

37:00

Innovative Technology in Running for the Visually Impaired

41:12

The Psychological Benefits of Running

43:38

Expanding Opportunities for Visually Impaired Athletes

45:30

Encouraging Sighted Runners to Support Visually Impaired

46:41

The State of Running: Inclusivity and Challenges

50:58

Wishes for the Future of Visually Impaired Running

54:19

WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT"

Use your smartphone to download podcast apps from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport."

With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links.

Apple

Spotify

Audible

Pandora

I Heart Radio

YouTube

"Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels.

"Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

David Roche

David Roche is producer of one of the world’s most popular podcasts, “Some Work, All Play,” with his cohost and wife, Megan. He’s also a contender to win the Western States 100 Miler at the end of June. That’s a rare combination.

His back story is even more amazing. A little more than a year ago, Roche was seriously injured when struck by a car while bicycling a favorite road near Boulder, CO. At that time, the Duke Law School grad and ultramarathon coach had never even attempted a 100-mile. But last summer he broke a longstanding course record in the Leadville Trail 100, and several months later scored a convincing win (in torrid temps) in the Javelina 100.

A fan of “Hamilton” the musical (“I’m not givin’ away my shot”) and Simone Biles (“F___ around and find out”), Roche professes to believe that almost everyone’s “amazing” and should reach high for their personal goals. Megan is both his coach, a champion ultra runner on her own, and an M.D. and PhD graduate from Stanford University. Every week, their pod covers the latest research findings about running, as they attempt to “science the sh__” out of endurance performance.

You can learn more about David & Megan Roche at their SWAPrunning.com website, or at David's Instagram page.

David's quest to win Western States has been chronicled here in a YouTube series by video producer Cody Bare.

Key Sections Of The Podcast

0:00

Introduction to David Roche: The Rise of an Ultra Runner

10:33

David's Background: Life, Family, and Coaching

13:43

The Dynamic Duo: David and Megan Roche

16:47

The Birth of a Podcast: Authenticity and Popularity

19:44

Language and Honesty: The Explicit Nature of the Podcast

22:37

Uplifting Messages: The Importance of Kindness

25:55

Science vs. Intuition: Balancing Training Approaches

28:42

Training Insights: The Art of Adaptation

31:44

Overcoming Challenges: The Impact of a Serious Accident

34:39

Life Lessons: Embracing Mortality and Racing

37:43

The Athletic Journey: From Football to Ultra Running

38:46

The Journey to Natural Running

40:13

Genetics and Athletic Performance

43:01

Rapid Rise in Ultra Running

47:35

Mental Resilience and Self-Confidence

51:32

The Competitive Landscape of Ultra Running

54:28

Key Factors for Success at Western States

56:58

Reflections on the Evolution of Running

01:01:09

The State of the Sport of Running

01:03:53

Wishes for the Future

WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT"

Use your smartphone to download podcast apps from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport."

With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links.

Apple

Spotify

Audible

Pandora

I Heart Radio

YouTube

"Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels.

"Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

Alistair Cragg, coach of Puma Elite

In this episode, we chat with Alistair Cragg, coach of the highly successful Puma Elite Running team based in the Research Triangle of North Carolina. Cragg was a 3-time Irish Olympian with a lifetime best of 13:03 for 5000 meters. His wife and co-coach, Amy Hastings Cragg, represented the U.S. in the 2016 Olympic Marathon after winning the Olympic Marathon Trials that year. 

In February, 2024, Puma runner Fiona O'Keeffe won the Marathon Trials in Orlando in her very first marathon (she qualified with a fast half-marathon time. In early 2025, Puma runners continued to excel on the roads.

At the USA Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, both Taylor Roe and Alex Maier took the individual titles. Roe subsequently ran an eye-popping 49:53 in the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile, while Maier won the Dusseldorf Marathon in 2:08:33.

Meanwhile O'Keeffe has healed from the injury that sidelined her at the Paris Olympics, and is training hard again. In our conversation with Alistair Cragg, he said that he could see her getting down to 2:15 in the marathon.

Podcast segments include:

Introduction to Alistair Cragg

01:26

Life as a Co-Coach and Family Man

04:41

Building the Puma Elite Running Team

06:10

Spotlight on Fiona O'Keeffe

12:16

Challenges at the Paris Olympics

19:05

The Future of Puma Athletes

25:31

Fiona's Journey and Team Dynamics

27:38

Success of Male Athletes in Dusseldorf

28:45

Alex Maier's Potential and Training Philosophy

31:27

The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance

36:07

Balancing Training and Injury Prevention

39:56

Training Philosophy and Building Strength

46:25

The State of Distance Running

49:44

Puma is now claiming to have the world's fastest running shoe. Its athletes appear to be equally fast.

For more about the Puma Elite runners, check out PumaEliteRunning.com and follow the team on Instagram.

WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT"

Use your smartphone to download podcast apps from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport."

With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links.

Apple

Spotify

Audible

Pandora

I Heart Radio

YouTube

"Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels.

"Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:26 marathon runner.

Lisa Weidenbach Rainsberger

In this episode of “Running: State of the Sport,” Lisa Weidenbach Rainsberger reflects on her Boston Marathon win 40 years ago in 1985. She also traces the amazing arc of her running career from All American swimmer to college track star to youthful marathon standout.

Lisa is widely known for her three consecutive fourth-place finishes in the Olympic Trials Marathon, but she doesn’t shed any tears over these disappointments. Instead, she celebrates the many positive aspects of her long racing and coaching career. 

She also discusses how she and her daughter, Katie, negotiated a healthy mother-daughter, coach-athlete relationship. This is a big story in running now, due to the highly publicized Ingebrigtsen family lawsuit in Norway.

Some highlights moments in the podcast

00:00

Celebrating a Marathon Legend

10:00

Lisa's Journey: From Swimming to Running

13:20

The Boston Marathon Experience

16:13

Olympic Trials and Career Highlights

19:02

Transitioning from Swimming to Running

22:20

Coaching Insights and Modern Training

25:04

The Evolution of Running Technology

28:04

Reflections on Female Sports and Future Aspirations

51:07

Lisa Rainsberger: A Journey Through Running

53:21

Coaching Dynamics: The Parent-Child Relationship in Sports

56:13

WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT"

Use your smartphone to download podcast apps from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport."

With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links.

Apple

Spotify

Audible

Pandora

I Heart Radio

YouTube

"Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels.

"Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:26 marathon runner.