Back of the Pack Podcast

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Running MythBusters series continues as we take on the training lies runners keep believing. With summer training heating up and fall marathon cycles getting underway, we break down the idea that more suffering automatically means better training. This episode tackles myths like “more miles always means better,” “rest days are weakness,” “no pain, no gain,” “every run needs a purpose,” “the watch is always right,” and “walking ruins the workout.” We talk about why mileage only helps if our bodies can recover from it, why rest is where training actually cashes...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we head south to learn all about the Rocket City Marathon Weekend coming up this December in Huntsville, Alabama. We are joined by Eric Fritz and Rhonda Hayden from the Rocket City Marathon team to talk about the history of the race, the growth of Huntsville, and why this 50th running is shaping up to be something special. We dig into what makes Rocket City such a strong destination race, from its mid-sized field and downtown host hotels to the rare indoor finish at the Von Braun Center, complete with food...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we kick off our June series, Running MythBusters, by taking on one of the oldest and most ridiculous myths in the sport: the idea that there is a magical checklist we have to complete before we can call ourselves “real runners.” We break down the nonsense that says real runners have to be fast, never walk, look a certain way, run long distances, race every weekend, or love every single mile. Spoiler alert: myth busted. Whether we run, walk-run, race 5Ks, chase marathons, train on our own, or simply lace...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we kick things off with a quick review of the KC Run for the Cup 5K, a World Cup-themed race in Martin City that brought soccer energy, steady rain, soggy shoes, and a reversed version of a familiar Kansas City Running Company course. With Kansas City hosting World Cup action and the summer heat starting to settle in, this race gave us a wet but welcome reminder that sometimes rain on race day is not the enemy, it is the cooling system. From there, we shift into the main topic of...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we wrap up our May Run Your Race series by asking the question that ties everything together: how do we define success for ourselves? After a month of talking about runfluencers, comparison traps, goals that actually fit us, and what happens when the plan falls apart, this finale brings it all home with one simple truth: success is not one-size-fits-all. For some runners, success is a PR, a new distance, or an age group placement, but for others it might be finishing healthy, getting back to a start line...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we celebrate Memorial Day with two race reviews from a hot, humid, hilly Kansas City weekend. First up is the Hometown Half Marathon in the Northland, where what looked like a friendly park course quickly turned into a roller coaster of hills, humidity, bike paths, confusing signage, and one very large license-plate-sized finisher medal. We talk about the good, the tough, and the “wait, are we supposed to turn here?” moments from a race that definitely made everyone earn their finish. Then we head to Loose Park for the Going the Dist...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Run Your Race series continues with a topic every runner eventually faces: what happens when the plan falls apart. We talk about missed training runs, bad workouts, illness, family chaos, work conflicts, weather, fatigue, injuries, stomach issues, and those mysterious “why do my legs feel like wet cement?” days that show up out of nowhere. The truth is, no one gets a perfect training cycle, not everyday runners, not elites, and not the perfectly filtered folks online. Instead of panicking when things go sideways, this episode focuses on adju...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we head to Waterloo, Iowa for an event that sounds simple until the clock starts laughing at you: Death by 5k. The concept is one 5k every two and a half hours for 24 hours, totaling ten separate races and 31 miles through George Wyth State Park. What started with pancakes, cool morning air, and a smart conservative pace slowly turned into a battle against heat, humidity, mosquitoes, storms, sleep deprivation, and one surprisingly bold raccoon. We talk through each round, from the early confidence of race one to the brutal darkness of...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our accidental-but-apparently-working Run Your Race series continues with a simple question: do our running goals actually fit us? After talking about runfluencers and the comparison traps that come from friends, watches, race results, and old PRs, we shift into rebuilding something better: goals based on our real lives. We look at the many pieces that should shape a running goal, including current fitness, schedule, health history, motivation, recovery, season of life, and the reason we run in the first place. From Death by 5K to Sydney Marathon training, we...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we head back to Bucyrus, Kansas for the 2026 Running with the Cows Half Marathon. After a few years away from this race, we return to see how this beloved local event is holding up, and whether we could finally make peace with a course that has not always been kind to us. The morning started nearly perfect, with cool temperatures, a strong crowd, smooth race morning packet pickup, and that familiar small-town energy that makes this race special. Of course, as the sun climbed higher over the wide-open Kansas roads, things...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Run Your Race series continues with a look at one of the sneakiest traps in running: comparison. Last week, we talked about the loud pressure of runfluencer culture, but this week we dig into the quieter ways comparison creeps into our minds through faster friends, local race results, Strava posts, Garmin data, and even old versions of ourselves. We break down how seeing someone else’s PR, “easy run,” or big training week can make our own progress feel smaller, even when we’re doing exactly what we need to...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we finally get back to race reviews after several weeks of tackling some of the running world’s heavier topics. Kyle recaps the always-popular CCVI Trolley Run in Kansas City, a fast and fun four-mile race supporting children with visual impairments, complete with beautiful spring weather, packed streets, and one pacing mistake that somehow still ended in a PR. The episode also revisits the “Too Slow for Boston” Marathon situation and what the future may hold as the chase toward completing the World Marathon Majors continues. Then it’s off to Topeka f...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we kick off May by asking a big question: are running influencers helping the sport, or quietly making it harder for everyday runners to feel like they belong? We dive into the growing world of “runfluencer” culture, where marathon training can look effortless, high mileage looks normal, rest days get treated like weakness, and every run becomes a piece of content. But for most of us, running has to fit around jobs, families, stress, sleep, recovery, and real life. We talk about the danger of comparing our behind-the-scenes to some...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we dig into the Nike controversy that lit up Boston Marathon week after a storefront sign declared, “Runners welcome. Walkers tolerated.” What might have looked to some like a careless joke felt to many runners like a flashing neon sign for a much deeper problem in the sport: elitism. We break down why that message landed so badly, especially in a city like Boston, where resilience, adaptation, and the full spectrum of the running community should matter. We talk about why walking is not the opposite of running, but often a very...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we wrap up our Back of the Pack Survival Guide series by flipping the script on what it really means to run at the back of the pack. This episode is for all of us — the everyday runners, the grinders, the comeback stories, and the ones who refuse to quit. We explore how perspective changes everything, from actually experiencing the race course to appreciating the volunteers, the moments, and the miles that others might miss. We talk about how time shifts from pressure to freedom, allowing us to run wi...

With no race review on deck this week, we take a different route and dive into a topic that matters deeply to so many everyday runners: which races truly welcome the back of the pack. Fresh off a weekend in Las Vegas, we use this episode to spotlight marathons, half marathons, and shorter races that make room for runners and walkers who need extra time, extra grace, and a finish line that still feels alive when they arrive. We break down what actually makes a race Back of the Pack friendly, from no-cutoff events like Honolulu to early-start options at...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, our Back of the Pack Survival Guide continues with a deep dive into one of the toughest parts of running — when the miles feel slow and the progress feels invisible. We break down the mental battle that so many runners face, from the comparison trap to that frustrating feeling of “I should be better by now.” But this time, we’re not just talking feelings — we’re bringing the science to back it up. From understanding how your body adapts through General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to the truth behind the SAID pri...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, Kyle is juggling a full plate of spring running chaos, big announcements, and a weekend that turned into more than just one race story. He kicks things off with updates on upcoming podcast appearances, run club plans, future races, and a chance for listeners to connect with the show in person at the Outpacing Melanoma 5K. Then it is on to a lively, detailed recap of the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon, where great weather, familiar faces, and one of Kansas City’s signature spring races helped deliver Kyle’s third-fastest half...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we kick off our April mini-series, Back of the Pack Survival Guide, by going back to where it all begins — the first mile. Whether you’re brand new to running or finding your way back after time away, this episode is your reminder that every runner starts exactly where you are. Kyle breaks down the real, unfiltered truth about starting (or restarting) your running journey — the awkwardness, the doubt, and the feeling that maybe you don’t belong. We talk about the biggest mistakes new runners make, from doing too much...

This week, we take a step back and ask a bigger question—who is running really for? After a recent experience got us thinking, we dive into the growing tension between the business of big races and the heart of the running community. We explore how expos and events have evolved, what drives decision-making behind the scenes, and where everyday runners fit into it all. Along the way, we remind ourselves that while sponsors may shape the experience, it’s the runners who give it meaning. From first-timers to back-of-the-pack finishers, we talk about why every mile matters and why ever...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we sit down with the people behind the Outpacing Melanoma 5K to talk about a race that means far more than pace, place, or finish time. Kelly Klover shares the deeply personal story that led her to found the Outpacing Melanoma Foundation after losing her husband Richard to melanoma just seven weeks after his stage 4 diagnosis, turning heartbreak into fifteen years of action and advocacy. Dr. Gary Doolittle helps break down the realities of melanoma, explaining why early detection matters, how this cancer can spread quickly, and why runners...

This week, we head to Liberty, Missouri for a full recap of the 10th anniversary Run Liberty Half Marathon, a race that continues to carve out a special place in our running calendar. We talk about the community feel that makes this event more than just another stop on the race schedule, from the expo to race morning to the people behind it all. We break down the course mile by mile, including the sneaky climbs, the glorious downhills, and the hills that seem personally offended by our existence. We also get into the weather drama, after a freeze advisory...

In this episode of The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we take a deep dive into one of the most frustrating controversies in recent running memory: the 2026 US Women’s Half Marathon Championship in Atlanta. What should have been a showcase of elite competition turned into chaos when the lead women were directed off course in a national championship that also carried major world-team implications. We walk through exactly what happened, how the mistake unfolded, and why the fallout hit so hard across the running community. From the role of race officials and emergency response to the failures of...

We head south to Jackson, Mississippi for the Run the Rainbow Marathon, a race with a powerful mission supporting the state’s only children’s hospital. From the moment we arrive, it’s clear this event is fueled by heart, kindness, and a community that truly cares about its runners. The weekend kicks off with an eventful expo experience, complete with great swag and memorable conversations with runners from all over. Race prep takes an unexpected turn with a late-night food delivery adventure that adds a little extra character to the trip. On race morning, we toe the line with a uniq...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we welcome back the team from The Good Life Halfsy in Lincoln, Nebraska for a conversation we have somehow never had before in nearly 300 episodes: post-race surveys. Instead of just sending out feedback forms and letting them disappear into the void, the Good Life Halfsy team breaks down how they actually use runner input to improve the race year after year. We dig into what runners loved about the 2025 expo, from the layout and flow to the family-friendly atmosphere and easy packet pickup process. We also talk about some...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we settle back into a more normal Monday after finally putting Tokyo in the rearview mirror. We open with a few updates from around the Kansas City running community, including a heartfelt recap of Scott’s Extra Mile and the incredible turnout for a run honoring the memory of Scott Green. From there, we also look ahead to the Run the Rainbow Marathon in Jackson, Mississippi, where rising temperatures could make for a tough spring race day. But the heart of this episode centers on a controversy that lit up the ru...

Four years ago, on March 13, 2022, The Back of the Pack Podcast released its very first episode. What started as a simple idea to talk about running, races, and the everyday runner has grown into something much bigger over time. Today we celebrate four years of the podcast and roughly 260 episodes along the way. In this special anniversary episode, we take a moment to look back at how the show began and where the journey has taken us. Along the way, we explore some fascinating statistics about the podcasting world and just how rare it is for a show to last...

This week, The Back of the Pack Podcast is finally back in studio as we unpack the full experience of the 2026 Tokyo Marathon and the unforgettable trip to Japan. From navigating Tokyo’s massive train system and the marathon expo, to the friendship run, race morning chaos, strict cutoff pressure, crowded course conditions, and the emotional relief of crossing the finish line, we break down the entire adventure with honesty, humor, and plenty of hard-earned perspective. Beyond race day, we also share stories from the rest of the trip, including Kyoto, Hiroshima, Mount Fuji, sumo, knife-making, and the culture shock of...

While Kyle is off in Tokyo chasing World Major dreams, guest host Lisa Watkins (The Behind the Bib Podcast out of Huntsville, Alabama) grabs the mic for a full review of the Every Woman’s Marathon, a traveling marathon built to make runners feel seen, supported, and wildly welcomed, especially first-timers. Lisa breaks down what makes the event unique, from year-long communication and pop-up runs to an expo that’s basically a runner-care theme park (Rabbit gear everywhere, free coffee, yoga, braiding, and “they thought of everything” amenities). Then she gets real about race day in Scottsdale: bus gridlock drama, a “net d...

This week, while we’re overseas, we’re still showing up for the Kansas City running community with a spotlight episode on the Going the Distance 5K & 10K at Loose Park on Memorial Day (May 25), benefiting the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City. Heather Carbaugh shares what the organization does as a statewide resource hub for brain injury survivors and families, from advocacy and education to support groups and connecting people with services, emphasizing that brain injury is a lifelong journey and far more common than most of us realize. Retired KC Running Company race director Brad Zieg...

In the final chapter of The Long Run: Aging and Athletes, we step back and reflect on what it truly means to keep running as the years go by. The finish lines may look the same, but the reasons we chase them evolve. Running stops being about proving something and starts becoming part of who we are. We talk about longevity, perspective, and the quiet pride that comes not from speed, but from simply continuing to show up. This episode is about honoring the miles behind us, embracing the uncertainty ahead, and recognizing that the real victory was never a...

This week, we go all-in on the Tokyo Marathon with our final preview before wheels up. We dig into what makes Tokyo such a bucket-list race, from its place in marathon history to the major-event energy that makes it feel like more than just another 26.2. We also take a virtual tour of the course and talk through the landmarks, neighborhoods, and moments that make this race feel like a guided sprint through the heart of the city. Of course, we spend time on the topic that has so many runners sweating before they even reach the start line: the Tokyo...

As runners, we spend so much of our early years chasing the clock, measuring progress in minutes and seconds, always believing the next personal best is right around the corner. But eventually, something changes. In this episode, we explore what happens when success is no longer defined by speed, and how our relationship with running evolves as we grow older. We talk about the emotional shift that comes when personal records become less frequent, and how we begin to discover new meaning in consistency, resilience, and simply showing up. Running becomes less about proving something and more about preserving something...

This week, we start with a quick trip into the wilderness where common sense goes to die: the Barkley Marathons went down again, and the course reminded everyone who’s boss. Then we bring it back home for a race review of the Sweetheart Run 10K in Overland Park, Kansas, complete with the moments that felt smooth, the parts that bit back, and what the day taught us going forward. From there, we head straight into the pre-Tokyo nerves that a lot of us are feeling right now. If you’ve heard whispers about Tokyo’s cutoff mats and thought, “Wait… cu...

This week, we move deeper into our Running & Aging series by getting practical about what training actually needs to look like as we get older. As runners in our mid-40s and beyond, we can’t rely on brute force or outdated plans anymore, but that doesn’t mean we’re slowing down or giving anything up. We break down what physically changes as we age, the most common mistakes masters runners make, and how to train smarter through better structure, strength work, recovery, and intentional intensity. From building weekly schedules that respect recovery to understanding why strength training and sleep...

This week we kick things off underground with a full recap of the Groundhog Run at Subtropolis, one of the most unique races around and one that has us literally running through caves. We talk about the good, the weird, and the wildly frustrating, especially the annual bus and parking chaos that leaves runners standing in the cold longer than we’d like. Once inside, though, the event shines with a warm cave atmosphere, great volunteers, and a community vibe that keeps us coming back year after year. We break down the Tunnel to Tunnel Challenge, tackling both the 5K an...

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we kick off a brand new February series focused on what it really means to keep running as the years add up and the miles add character. As more of us find ourselves stepping into the Masters category, we explore how aging changes our training, recovery, and mindset, and why getting older doesn’t mean slowing down but getting smarter. From learning to respect rest days to embracing strength work, mobility, and experience-earned wisdom, we talk about how we adapt, evolve, and continue chasing goals without chasing our younger selves. Because th...

We welcome back Julie Gilmor to preview Run Liberty’s 10th anniversary race day on March 28, 2026—now featuring an all-new 10K. We dig into how the 10K starts with the half at 8 a.m., swings through Seaport, and finishes with the 5K, giving runners fresh scenery without heavy new infrastructure. We clear up the name-and-logo shuffle: the race is now “Run Liberty,” proceeds benefit the Liberty Live Well Foundation, and Liberty Hospital’s new partnership with The University of Kansas Health System strengthens local care. We talk presenting sponsor Give Me Liberty, the America 250 tie-in, and why this nonprofit race keeps 100...

We sit down with Randy Taylor—runner, coach, and creator of Team 816 Run Club—for our ten-question Runner Stories spotlight. Randy traces his pivot from the wrestling mat to the roads and trails, and how that competitive grit shaped a coaching style built on consistency, community, and smart stress. He opens up about chasing speed later in life, including a 4:57 mile at age 39 and a 2:40 marathon at Chicago, and how those lessons translate for everyday runners. We dig into the ultra toolbox too: fueling, pacing, and mental resets from a 14:29 hundred at Tunnel Hill and a scorching 3:35 50K on gravel. Rand...

We’re heading to Jackson, Mississippi for a deep dive on Run the Rainbow, the growing 50K/Marathon/Half/10K/5K set for Saturday, March 21, 2026. Joining us are the race director, the assistant race director, and the CEO of the state’s only children’s hospital, which this event proudly supports. They walk us through a course that mixes historic neighborhoods, a scenic museum trail, and plenty of honest hills, complete with live bands, themed aid stations about every two miles, and cheers as you pass the hospital itself. You’ll hear how the “Memory Mile” near the finish turns grit into go...