Welcome to season 6 of the Runner’s Round Table. This is the Beyond Pace season and features stories that capture each guest’s favorite running memory. In this episode Stephanie speaks with Athena Farias (@Endurafitsatx) about her 38-year relationship with running, advocating for herself as a female athlete, and the memory that makes you want to say yes to taking risks in the name of running. Please support this podcast with a rating, review, or a share. Until next time, don’t forget to run happy, run strong, and run true to you. To watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/okR_FtSWkPU About Stephanie Diaz:Stephanie is an RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) and McMillan Running certified running coach with over 10 years of running experience. Additionally, Stephanie is a yoga teacher with advanced certifications in yoga for athletes, Yoga For All, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra. Stephanie believes that to be a runner is to believe in your possibility as a human through movement. Her favorite running distance is the half marathon (13.1 miles/21 kilometers). https://instagram.com/thecookierunner/https://thecookierunner.net About Athena Farias:I am a Research Exercise Physiologist, endurance coach, and advocate for helping athletes build strength, resilience, and confidence through movement. I serve as the multi-site lead on a federally funded research study focused on improving return-to-duty decision-making following musculoskeletal injury, bringing evidence-based strategies from research to real-world performance. I have a Master's degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and certifications as a Certified Personal Trainer, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, RRCA Level II Run Coach, UESCA Ultra Running Coach, and Menopause for Athletes Coach, I help runners of all levels—from first-time 5K participants to ultramarathoners train smarter, recover stronger, and thrive through every stage of life. I've completed 18 marathons, including five Boston Marathon qualifiers, 12 ultramarathons, countless half marathons, and multiple first-place obstacle course race finishes and many other outdoor adventures. I am passionate about creating a more inclusive and diverse running community and I mentor emerging Women of Color certified run coaches through Team Game Changers. Whether I am coaching, conducting research, or speaking to audiences, my mission is to empower people to move well, stay durable, and discover the freedom that comes from lifelong movement. https://instagram.com/Endurafitsatx