Running Times

Philly Runner Center City is back and opening soon! So I stopped by to see Liz and take a sneak peak at their new store. We had a quick chat and she walked me through their new space, explained the vision for the store, and reinforced why Philly Runner is the hub for our local fitness community.Visit one of their five store locations or shop local with them online at www.philadelphiarunner.com.

 Use promo code GAGZ or drop my name in store and receive $15 off your next purchase!

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Philly's top running brass into the studio for a lively discussion about community building, race planning, and all things running related in Philadelphia. 

They wax nostalgic over the humble origins of Philly Runner and the annual Philly 10K; explore the gender inclusivity efforts of the Philadelphia Distance Run and what it means to say "All Runners Welcome"; and laugh about nipple chafing, cat litter, and that time Liz was Gagz's bodyguard. 

This conversation is a must listen for anyone who wants to learn more about, or grow their appreciation for, the vibrant and unique running culture here in Philadelphia.

Don’t forget there’s still time to register for the Philly 10K and the Philly Distance Run using discount promo code GAGZ21 

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Bob Law into the studio for an honest discussion about addiction, transformation, and altruism. 

Bob used to weigh 300+ pounds and was consumed by a compulsive eating disorder and depression. These days, however, Bob has a much healthier relationship with food and himself. 

His physical, mental, and spiritual metamorphosis have taken root and blossomed into a life of service that is centered around running. 

Simply put: Bob runs for those who can't. 

Bob is a familiar face in our local running community, is an active member of Ainsley's Angels, and spearheaded numerous charitable endeavors for wheelchair bound children. He is joined in studio by his wife, Jane, for this conversation and just like Bob, our chat is honest, relatable, and inspiring.  

To learn more about Bob and the work he does, please visit:

#iRun4Annie

https://bit.ly/3zXNqH9 

Donate

https://bit.ly/3BOMjLj 

Ainsley Angels

https://www.ainsleysangels.org/

Back On My Feet 

https://backonmyfeet.org/ 

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Vanessa Kline to share her experiences at The Last Annual Heart Of The South - a 334 mile race she completed only 5 days before our conversation. Just 4 days later she was back on a plane to complete The Volstate 500k, a 314 mile race, for a 2nd consecutive summer. During her 9 day gap in between races, she was the race director for The Hainesport Hundred/24 Hour/12 Hour Races! 

“Livin' like a stray dog” is a term of endearment used by Race Director Gary Cantrell, aka Lazarus Lake, to describe the runners who participate in his legendary road races. To hear Vanessa, who is joined in studio by her partner, John Swanson, tell her tales is the very essence of Ultrarunning. She is also the founder of Beast Pacing, and together they own and operate Beast Coast Productions. Stay tuned until the end of our conversation to learn all about the exciting plans they have in store!

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Michael Gazaleh and Rich DIGIACOMO, of City Running Tours, into studio to celebrate Independence Day with a conversation about odd Philadelphia history and running your everyday surroundings with a tourist's eye. 

Join us as we review the popular and not-so-popular charms of the city, and discuss the forgotten history of the Wood Street Steps and 95 corridor, why Billy Penn faces away from the city, and many familiar but over looked neighborhoods and airports. Whether you're born and bred in Philly or have yet to run the Rocky Steps, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Michael is the Owner of City Running Tours, a company that offers guided runs throughout 11 major cities, including Philadelphia. I've been a running tour guide with them for nearly 3 years now and Rich, aka The Professor, has been leading tours for a decade. 

 Visit https://www.cityrunningtours.com/ to book your tour using promo code RTWG during the month of July to enjoy 10% discount off any tours. #sweatandsightsee

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes living legend Trishul Cherns to discuss his role as a pioneer in the sport of Ultrarunning. Trishul was an original member of the fabled Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team and a trusted confidant of the famed Guru himself, Sri Chinmoy, until 1986 - when he was abruptly and unceremoniously expelled from the monastic life after 11 devoted years. Trishul is joined in studio by his wife Käären Schilke-Cherns to complement The Seeker’s story.

 Originally born Lorne Cherns, Sri Chinmoy named him "Trishul" in 1981, which in Sanskrit means "Trident" or “an ignorance piercing weapon which conquers all the wrong forces of the world for god.” Now, at age 64, Trishul is a multi-day race specialist who has become Canada's most prolific Ultrarunner, having logged almost 45000 miles in nearly 290 ultras, including the 3100 Transcendental Marathon three times! Trishul served as the Statistician for Ultrarunning Magazine for 30 years and in his prime ran step for step with the best in the world, beginning in 1978 when he ran his first ultra. These days, however, his focus has shifted from competition to completion as his sights are set on breaking the 59-year longevity record.

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes Padraig Mullins to the studio for a conversation about representing his country on the international stage. Padraig speaks with a brogue, and the Irish wit & humor are on full display as he shares his story of competing for Ireland at the IAU World 24-Hour Championships. Also told is the harrowing tale of being written off for dead at Badwater; how a 24 Hr race around a quarter mile track can be infinitely more entertaining than a scenic 100 miler; and why The Spartathlon in Greece is the greatest ultra finish in existence. 

If running is an analogy for life, and not every race goes according to plan, then Padraig's inspiring journey to qualify and compete for the Irish National Team has been anything but linear. A self-proclaimed Irish couch potato when he arrived in America nearly 20 yr ago, Padraig transformed himself into a fierce competitor who runs every mile with the singular goal of competing for Ireland. To date, he's run over 100 races of a marathon or greater, has the heart of a champion, and shows no signs of slowing down.

On this episode of RTWG, Gagz connects with The North Face Endurance Running Athlete, Hillary Allen, to discuss her new book, Out and Back: A Runner’s Story of Survival Against All Odds. Hillary is a fierce competitor with an infectious personality and an indomitable will who beat the odds to run again.This powerful, raw, and relatable conversation makes clear that the road to recovery is a personal journey that is anything but linear. Hillary holds nothing back as she explains how she used the healing power of positive thinking, community, and a well-balanced life to reset and rebuild both mind and body after her death defying accident. 

In 2017, Hillary Allen was ranked first in the prestigious Skyrunning World Series. She was enjoying a season of trail races in Europe while on summer break from her job as a college science professor. But during the last race of the summer, the Hamperokken Sky Race in Norway, Hillary fell off a steep rocky ridge. She fell 150 feet, bouncing off the mountain on the way to what she believed was her death. She was airlifted to a hospital with two broken arms, two broken vertebrae in her back, two broken ribs, a popped ligament in her right foot, multiple severe lacerations and a sprained left ankle. Ten days and two surgeries later, Hillary flew home and underwent three more surgeries in Colorado. She was told she might never run again.

To learn more about Hillary, and all the exciting ways you can connect with her, be sure to visit: www.hillaryallen.com

On this special Mother's Day episode of Running Times, Gagz welcomes to the studio one of Philly's most treasured running matriarchs, Lauren Siegel, to discuss her run streak that began in the 90's and is currently the 10th longest active female streak in the world!

Lauren tells her story with candor and grace, to reveal how streaking gave her the fortitude to provide for her family, confront her abuser, and save her life.Lauren is a Masters Runner who has run over 100k miles in her 46+ year career, is Secretary of the USATF Mid-Atlantic Association, sits on their board of directors as well as the Long Distance Running Committee, and is a Mother whose love of life and family is boundless.

DISCLAIMER: This episode deals with sensitive subject matter, specifically emotional abuse, physical threats, and intimidation. Listener discretion is advised.

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz sits down with Pat Heine to discuss his passion for Alpine racing, what inspires him to push his limits, and how he recently tamed Pennsylvania's Wildest Trail.

Pat is a Video Producer for Bicycling and Runner's World, and a Beast Coast ultrarunner who just set the fastest known time on the 327 mile PA Mid State Trail! When he's not testing the latest & greatest shoes & gear, he conquers the longest, toughest races he can find, including Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and Tor des Géants.

Follow @derhaselv on IG to learn more about Pat, and be sure to visit hike-mst.org to learn how you can support the PA Mid State Trail.

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz sits down with Cole Crosby to discuss his transition from a scrappy D1 collegiate athlete to sponsored elite runner, what it's like to battle sleep deprivation and hallucinations while running, where he sees the future of Ultrarunning, his place in the sport, and his ardence and passion for people to become a better version of themselves.

Cole Crosby is an Oklahoma Sooner who earned his spot on their track team as a walk-on in his sophomore year. After graduating in 2012, Cole went on to fulfill the mystic prophecies of his famed coach and has amassed a career so impressive - he landed the month of April in Ultrarunning Magazine's 2021 Calendar! After his most recent accomplishment of running the entire 197 mile length of New Jersey in just over 44 hours, Cole has deciphered his coach's words, and is hungrily eyeing future challenges.

Cole is a member of the USA Snowshoe Team, the Mountain Peak Fitness / Red Newt Racing Team, and is sponsored by: Nathan Sports, Coros, Janji Apparel, 361 Degrees, Fits Socks, Boom Nutrition, and Dion Snowshoes. You can learn more about Cole @colecrosby41.And to help raise funds for the Road Runners Club of America, specifically 'Kids Run the Nation', please consider visiting Cole's GoFundMe page:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/nj-point-2-point-run

On the Season 2 Premiere of Running Times, Gagz sits down with local ultra-legend, Jim Blandford, to discuss mountain running, accomplishing lofty goals, the importance of giving back, how to manage burnout, and the psychology of successfully returning from a DNF. 

Jim is a highly regarded Beast Coast runner from Hamburg, PA, who broke 1,000,000 feet of vertical gain in 2020!!! Over the course of his career, he has become a staple in the PA ultra running scene having set numerous course records and many podium finishes. Jim is also joined in studio by a very special guest….

You can learn more about Jim by following him on Instagram or Strava @jimblandford.

On this episode of Running Times, Takia McClendon, talks about founding City Fit Girls, an all levels running and fitness community for cis and transgender women, and her role as a USATF Run Coach.

With a degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from West Chester University, Takia changed career paths after starting a Philly food blog critiquing grocery stores. It turned into a job where she had access to health and wellness resources.

Takia is currently part of the Well City Challenge which gives her the chance to help tackle the increasing rate of bad mental and physical health in millennials. She created the program Strides for this challenge that will combat this crisis in fitness, mind, and body. If her program is selected, she will be awarded $10,000 to execute her plan. 

The Running Times theme song is brought to you by StudioD productions.

To close out this season, host Michael Gagliardi, AKA Gagz, and Christopher Plant talk about accomplishing Season 1, what they’d like to see for next season, and what they love about producing the Running Times podcast. Follow Gagz on Instagram and stay tuned for Season 2.

In the season finale of Running Times with Gagz, Eddie Gieda returns to chat with Gagz about Season 1 and to update the listeners on his very personal - albeit public - quest. Eddie is a high-mileage endurance runner who uses running to process grief and loss. Eddie and Gagz wax poetic as they reflect on the three C’s of running: community, comradery, and competition. 

Danielle Kocher also stops by to talk about her company Plants on Fire. Plants on Fire is “simple plant-based nutrition for active people. There's no added sugar, no fake sh*t.” Plants on Fire produces protein balls, each containing six grams of protein, in three flavors: Cookie Dough, AB&J, and Snickerdoodle. Danielle and Gagz talk about running, how and why she started her company, and introduce a contest giveaway featuring Plants on Fire.

Plants on Fire is hosting a big holiday giveaway for a chance to win a double variety pack of protein balls! To enter, follow Plants On Fire and Gagz on Instagram, comment on their IG giveaway post, and tag a friend. Also, share the post to your story and tag Plants On Fire and Gagz for an additional entry!

Thank you for listening to Running Times Season 1 and stay tuned for Season 2!

In this inspiring episode of Running Times, Gagz sits down with running prodigy, Nate Viands, and his father, Scott.

Just before Nate’s 4^th birthday, he was diagnosed with Leukemia and underwent strenuous chemo treatments for the next 18 months. Now, at age 10, and 6 years in remission, Nate is not only winning races outright, he is breaking world records! To top it off, Nate is also a sponsored skateboarder and enjoys recreational bmx biking when he’s not shredding trails or skate ramps. Follow Nate on Instagram at @3south.