The People Run Podcast

Fitz Mayi

5.0 (2)
Running
Updated Weekly

The People Run Podcast is about the lives behind the miles. Hosted by Fitz Mayi, this show features real conversations with runners at every level from pros to parents, coaches to community builders about training, identity, discipline, setbacks, ambition, and what the sport gives back. Every runner has their own world. This is where we step into it.

1d ago

#58 This Wasn't the Plan: From 3:15 to a 2:46 Marathon | Sydney Levenfeld

Sydney Levenfeld never expected running to change the direction of her life. After being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2020, running became a safe space during a difficult period. What started as a way to cope eventually led to a 3:15 debut marathon in Chicago, a growing belief in what she was capable of, and ultimately a 2:46 marathon PR. Sydney joins the podcast to talk about finding confidence through running, her rapid marathon progression, learning to love the training process, the workouts that helped her improve, racing Chicago, Boston and Eugene, and the unique pre race ritual she uses to visualize her goals. We also talk about leaving teaching, navigating uncertainty in her career, betting on herself, and co-founding Lead Pack Athletics as running became more than something she did it helped shape the person she wanted to become. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sydney Levenfeld's Running Journey 02:07 How Running Helped Build Confidence and Self-Belief 04:03 Sydney's First Marathon and Its Significance 05:52 Overcoming Health Challenges and Running Safely 10:01 Breaking 3 Hours and Improving Marathon Times 11:59 Key Training Strategies and Mental Models 14:07 The Love for Threshold Work and Speed Training 16:03 The Role of Visualization and Rituals in Racing 20:08 Memorable Races and Personal Highlights 24:56 Building Lead Pack Athletics to Address Industry Gaps 29:58 Future Goals and Vision for Running Industry Follow Sydney: instagram.com/sydney.b.fitness/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jul 21

#57 This Professor Is a 2:13 Marathoner | Kristoffer Mugrage

What does it take to balance teaching at a university while running a 2:13 marathon? In this episode, I sit down with Kristoffer Mugrage a professor at Adams State University, sports psychology lecturer, and one of America's top marathoners. We dive into the mindset, consistency, and training principles that have helped him become an elite marathoner while balancing a demanding career outside the sport. We talk about Boston Marathon, running 120+ mile weeks, altitude training, fueling, sports psychology, managing stress, confidence, and why enjoying the process might be the biggest key to long term improvement. Whether you're chasing your first marathon or your next PR, Kristoffer shares practical insights that runners of every level can apply. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Kristoffer's quote on planning and belief 02:09 Kristoffer's race experience and mental preparation 04:03 Being in the race tent with elite athletes 06:51 Training progression and early marathon times 10:54 Balancing a busy career with elite training 16:55 Training for mental toughness and pain management 21:58 Common misconceptions about marathon training 24:04 Nutrition strategies and daily calorie intake 36:11 Simplified principles for marathon training 38:05 Altitude necessity and its nuances 43:04 Disparity between easy and speed runs 46:11 Lessons from students and teaching 51:03 What excellence means in running and life 54:04 Closing remarks and future goals Follow Kristoffer: instagram.com/kris_muggi/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jul 14

#56 He Had One Month of Rent Left... Then Under Armour Called | David Mullarkey

David Mullarkey left the Isle of Man to chase a dream that most people thought was impossible. After moving across the world to compete in the NCAA, spending months without a sponsor, and burning through his savings with only one month of rent left, he finally got the email that changed everything—Under Armour was signing him as a professional runner. In this conversation, David shares what it was really like leaving home, adapting to life in America, competing in the NCAA, coaching himself after college, racing for Great Britain, and why patience has been the biggest advantage throughout his career. We also talk about high-mileage training, altitude in Flagstaff, becoming part of Mission Run Dark Sky, why championship racing means more than fast times, and the mindset behind the word “Relentless”—the tattoo he carries as a reminder to keep moving forward no matter what. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to become a professional runner, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and David's background 01:24 Growing up in Isle of Man and early dreams 04:14 Signing with Under Armour and turning pro 06:50 Transitioning from NCAA to professional athletics 11:55 Training at altitude and its effects 18:54 Representing Great Britain and major competitions 22:50 The importance of patience and long-term goals 30:01 Daily training routine and managing workload 40:06 Mental resilience and overcoming setbacks 45:01 Future goals and upcoming races Follow David: instagram.com/david.mullarkey/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jul 2

#55 Born With One Arm. Couldn’t Swim 15 Feet. Now He’s Racing 140.6 Miles. | Casey Watson

He Couldn’t Swim 15 Feet. Now He’s Racing 140.6 Miles | Casey Watson Born With One Arm. Couldn’t Swim 15 Feet. Now He’s Racing 140.6 Miles. Casey Watson once jumped into a pool believing his marathon fitness would carry him through a lap. Fifteen feet later, he was standing up, out of breath, and realizing he had no idea how to swim. That moment became the start of something much bigger. In this episode, Casey shares how he taught himself to swim, adapted a bike he could race safely, survived the fear of open water, and went from finishing his first triathlon to standing on podiums at 70.3 races and the Boston Marathon. Now he is preparing for the biggest challenge of his life: 140.6 miles at Challenge Roth in Germany. This is Casey Watson on The People Run Podcast. Chapters 00:00 From 15 Feet to a 2.4-Mile Triathlon Swim 07:59 Building a Triathlon Bike He Could Ride 13:39 Surviving the Swim, Taking Third in His First Triathlon 26:26 His First 70.3: Breaking Six Hours and Winning His Division 33:40 Why He Has to Work Twice as Hard 43:07 Training for Triathlon Without Losing Family Time 46:28 What His Kids See When He Races 48:37 Racing Boston Marathon Alone at the Front 52:50 Challenge Roth: 140.6 Miles in Germany Follow Casey: instagram.com/healthy_living4god/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jun 30

#54 Run Clubs, Hyrox & The Search For Community | Olivia Cox

This week on The People Run, I’m joined by Olivia, a former British Army soldier, fitness presenter, runner, and HYROX athlete. We talk about the rise of run clubs, why HYROX has exploded in popularity, and what so many people are really searching for when they sign up for races, join a community, or take on hard challenges. Along the way we discuss Olivia’s path from the Army into fitness media, how running became more than exercise, racing around the world, the culture surrounding HYROX, social media authenticity, and why community might be the most underrated part of endurance sports. Chapters 00:00 HYROX, Half Marathons & Why Everyone's Obsessed 08:49 The Accidental Path: Army, Media & Staying Busy 12:51 How Running Became Her Identity 19:31 Why We Fly Across The World To Run 25:36 Preparing For HYROX 31:07 HYROX: Online vs Reality 39:40 What's The Point? Social Media & Authenticity 45:41 Why We Keep Doing Hard Things Follow Olivia: instagram.com/oliviacoxlondon/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jun 23

#53 From Paralysis to Leadville 100 | Sean Casey

At 13 years old, Sean Casey was told he may never walk again. After being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, Sean went from playing football with his friends to spending 94 days in the hospital, learning how to walk, use his hands, and rebuild his life from the ground up. Just as he recovered, he faced another serious illness that put him back in the hospital. Today, Sean is running marathons, chasing a sub-3, and taking on one of the toughest races in the world: Leadville 100. In this episode, Sean shares his journey through paralysis, recovery, identity, endurance sports, and why movement is something he'll never take for granted again. Chapters 00:00 From Football to Paralysis 06:38 The Recovery Nobody Sees 17:09 How Running Changed Everything 22:09 Why Leadville Became the Dream 27:47 100 Miles of Chosen Suffering 31:41 Tokyo, Failure & The Sub-3 Chase 41:25 What Makes Someone Strong? 42:28 Defining Strength: Consistency Through Adversity 42:58 Preparing for Leadville: Lessons Learned 44:21 The Leadville Dream and Community Impact 47:38 Authenticity in Running: Staying True to Oneself Follow Sean: instagram.com/takethestairs1/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jun 16

#52 How Far Can We Push Our Potential? | Stefanie Corgel

Stefanie Corgel is a runner, strength coach, entrepreneur, and founder of Good Pain LA. In this conversation, we discuss her journey from college strength coach to online fitness entrepreneur, what marathon training has taught her about longevity, and why getting faster sometimes means staying healthy rather than pushing harder. We dive into injuries, marathon majors, Boston and New York, chasing ambitious goals without losing yourself in the process, and the lessons learned from nearly blacking out during the London Marathon. Stef also shares her approach to strength training for runners, balancing performance with long term health, and how running has evolved from a personal pursuit into an opportunity to lead and build community. Chapters 00:00 College Strength Coach to Online Fitness Entrepreneur 04:02 Training for Life at 70 12:19 Getting Faster: Injuries, Tokyo & Marathon Goals 22:00 Why Boston Is Running's Super Bowl 32:09 Why New York Will Always Be Special 34:32 How Far Can We Push Our Potential? 42:59 Chasing Sub-3s Without Losing Yourself 47:04 Strength Training for Runners 53:55 Building Good Pain LA & Becoming a Leader 59:18 Evolving as a Leader in the Running Community Follow Stef: instagram.com/stefcorgel/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/
Jun 11

#51 The Running Gamer: From Video Games to a 2:37 Marathon | Malik Jordan

Malik J, better known as The Running Gamer, found a way to combine two passions that don't often overlap: running and video games. In this episode, Malik shares how a simple challenge led him into the sport, why he nearly walked away from running after college, and how Detroit's running community helped bring him back. We talk about building a unique identity online, racing two 5Ks in less than 12 hours, traveling to Spain for the Seville Marathon with ASICS, and the lessons he's learned chasing faster times. Most importantly, Malik explains why runners get into trouble when they start comparing themselves to everyone else and why trusting your own process matters more than copying the pros. Whether you're training for your first race, chasing a marathon PR, or trying to find your place in the running community, this conversation is a reminder that there is more than one path to success. Chapters 00:00 Back to Back 5Ks & Chasing Sub 17 06:25 The Running Gamer: Combining Gaming & Running 11:10 How Running Changed His Life 15:51 From Spartan Races to a 2:37 Marathon 20:56 Don't Train Like Everyone Else 26:23 Experiencing the Seville Marathon 32:56 NYC Half Marathon Experience 42:12 Berlin, Bigger Goals & What's Next 46:25 The Detroit Running Community Follow Malik: instagram.com/mjordan5.0/ Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

The People Run Podcast is about the lives behind the miles. Hosted by Fitz Mayi, this show features real conversations with runners at every level from pros to parents, coaches to community builders about training, identity, discipline, setbacks, ambition, and what the sport gives back. Every runner has their own world. This is where we step into it.

Creator

Fitz Mayi
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

62
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 The People Run Podcast
Show Website

The People Run Podcast