DFW Running Talk

Chris Detzel
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  • RUNNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"DFW Running Talk" is a podcast dedicated to the vibrant running community in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Each episode features in-depth conversations with local running experts, including coaches, athletes, race directors, and dieticians. We explore training tips, upcoming events, nutrition advice, and inspiring stories from the DFW running scene. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or a casual jogger, tune in to connect with and learn from the diverse voices shaping our local running culture.

  1. DFW Running OG Scott Manis on Ironman Training, Knee Surgeries & the WRRC Community That Changed Everything

    1 DAY AGO

    DFW Running OG Scott Manis on Ironman Training, Knee Surgeries & the WRRC Community That Changed Everything

    Scott Manis didn't start running until his early 40s, and he started in a swimsuit. Twenty years later, he's logged 45 marathons, five Boston appearances, a full Ironman, and become one of the most well-known and well-loved figures in the Dallas running scene through the White Rock Running Co-op. In this conversation, Chris and Scott trace the whole journey — from a lonely job transfer to West Palm Beach that accidentally ignited a running obsession, to a 4:33 first marathon that stung enough to spawn a second attempt just 12 weeks later (and nearly an hour faster). Scott talks honestly about what it felt like to finally stand on the Boston start line, what it took to drop from 3:38 to 3:09, and why the running community — not the miles — is the whole point. They also dig into the WRRC's famous "run my hood" summer tradition, two knee surgeries and the stubborn determination to pace a race right after recovery, what Ironman training actually does to your body and your soul, and Scott's now-iconic Gatorade bottle pre-race bathroom strategy that belongs in the runner's hall of fame. Scott is marathon-retired, officially. But if Tokyo calls — or one of his kids wants company at the start line — all bets are off. A great listen for anyone who started running late, anyone who's part of a running community, and honestly anyone who just loves hearing from a guy who's been quietly putting in the work for two decades.

    37 min
  2. Running Gave Me My Job" — Sergio Mena on Winning Dallas, Cowtown & Life in DFW

    28 APR

    Running Gave Me My Job" — Sergio Mena on Winning Dallas, Cowtown & Life in DFW

    Sergio Mena grew up running cross country in Spain, earned a full D1 scholarship to the University of Kentucky, got his MBA in Texas, and is now one of the most dominant half marathon runners in the DFW area — all while working full-time as an accounting manager. In this episode, Chris sits down with Sergio to talk about his journey from Spain to Kentucky to Texas, his years-long quest to win the BMW Dallas Half Marathon (which he finally achieved in December 2025), and how he followed it up with a win at the Cowtown Half Marathon. Sergio also tells the incredible story of how running literally got him his job — thanks to a Dallas Morning News article before the 2019 BMW Half. Topics include D1 college running, self-coached training, balancing racing with a full-time career, race strategy, and what keeps you lacing up when you've already hit your biggest goal. A great episode for DFW runners, half marathon fans, and anyone who runs because they just love it.

    44 min

  3. 20 APR

    Third Time's the Charm: Jodi Jordan's Boston Marathon Journey

    Dallas runner Jodi Jordan is back at Boston for her third time — and she's never felt more ready. In this conversation recorded live at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the 2025 Boston Marathon, Jodi shares how she went from partying on weeknights to qualifying for Boston with a 3:23 at St. George in 2015, the health scare that almost kept her from her second Boston, and how she's evolved into one of DFW's most consistent marathoners with a 2:57 Cowtown PR. She talks training with Coach Matt Campbell at Train Pegasus, balancing running with swimming and cycling, and why she believes enjoying the journey with your community matters more than obsessing over a BQ. Plus — kids on trampolines mid-race. You'll have to hear it to understand.

    10 min

  4. 20 APR

    2:44 in His First Marathon at 24 — Nick Pencil's Wild Road to Boston

    Nick Pencil moved to Dallas knowing nobody, found Train Pegasus, and ran a 2:44 in his very first marathon. Now he's toeing the line at the 2026 Boston Marathon after battling an IT band injury that sidelined him for six weeks just months before race day. Chris catches up with Nick live from the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the race. They talk about going from fourth-grade track meets to high school cross country to marathon running, how a running community became his social lifeline in a new city, and why his simple mindset — "there's always another race" — is what keeps the nerves in check.

    9 min

  5. 20 APR

    From 2:38 Debut to Boston: The Wrestling Coach Chasing His Dad's Time | Nathan Rankin

    Nathan Rankin grew up watching his dad Greg run Boston — so many times it stopped feeling special. Then he qualified himself, debuted with a 2:38 at Eugene, came to Boston chasing a PR, and blew up at mile 16. Now he's back. This time staying in the city, riding the yellow bus, soaking in everything he skipped last year — and locked in on one number: 2:46:40. That's his dad's Boston PR, and Nathan wants it. We caught up with Nathan the day before the 2026 Boston Marathon at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza. He talks about growing up in Plano, wrestling and cross country being the sports "that didn't have a size limitation," coaching college wrestlers while training for marathons himself, and why having a goal race keeps him honest as a coach.

    10 min

  6. 20 APR

    First Timer at Boston: Michael Ryan's Road from Ironman to Hopkinton

    Michael Ryan didn't come to running through a 5K — he came through a half Ironman in Panama, a full in Arizona, and a 3:24 debut at Kiawa three weeks after finishing the iron distance. Now he's standing on the eve of his first Boston Marathon, fired up, a little uncertain, and ready to feel every mile of it. Chris and Michael chat about his sub-2:50 breakthrough at Pegasus, the coaching relationship with Fawn that changed his trajectory, and what it means to race the Super Bowl of marathoning for the first time. Recorded live at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, the night before the gun goes off.

    8 min

  7. 20 APR

    5x Boston Qualifier, Mom, and Sub-3 Chaser: Megan Brown's Boston Marathon Journey

    Chris sits down with Megan Brown at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the 2026 Boston Marathon. Megan shares what it's been like to run Boston five times, including once while three months pregnant and again just five months postpartum — and why she's never stopped chasing the streak. Now eyeing a sub-3 breakthrough with a training partner to push her, Megan talks about how motherhood reshaped her relationship with running, the mental wall between her 3:05 PR and the barrier she's been knocking on, and why she believes Boston is the Super Bowl of marathons. If you're chasing a BQ, her advice is simple: don't give up.

    10 min

  8. 20 APR

    Running for Alex: Jana Kizakova's Emotional Road to Boston

    Jana Kizakova ran her first marathon in 2017 on a New Year's resolution dare — finished in 3:44 and swore she'd never do it again. She meant it. Five years went by with zero marathons. Then a quiet moment on a seawall in Vancouver changed everything. Inspired by the memory of a former manager named Alex who ran alongside her on her worst training days, Jana set a single condition: if she was going to run again, she had to qualify for Boston. What followed was nine marathons, a pair of shoes that literally fell apart mid-race, a heartbreaking near-miss on the cutoff, and finally — a 3:19 at the Mountain to Beach Marathon in Ventura, California. This is her first Boston, and she's running every mile with Alex's name on her shirt. We sat down with Jana at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the race. Don't miss this one.

    6 min
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About

"DFW Running Talk" is a podcast dedicated to the vibrant running community in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Each episode features in-depth conversations with local running experts, including coaches, athletes, race directors, and dieticians. We explore training tips, upcoming events, nutrition advice, and inspiring stories from the DFW running scene. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or a casual jogger, tune in to connect with and learn from the diverse voices shaping our local running culture.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Detzel
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © @ 2026 DFW Running Talk
  • Show Website
    DFW Running Talk

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