How the F**** Did we become runners?

Angela Anderson Connolly
  • 5.0 (1)
  • RUNNING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Meet Robert and Ange —two longtime friends who thought "cardio" was a four-letter word until their 50s, when they realized age was more than a number; it was a reality, and they needed to do something to get more out of it. Now? They’re runners - even they are shocked at that sentence. Join them as they dish out brutally honest, occasionally helpful advice about how they stumbled into running (literally), what keeps them lacing up their shoes, and why logging miles together has become the weirdest, most wonderful part of their friendship. Expect laughs, hot takes on chafing, zero patience for toxic fitness culture, and more than a few gasps for breath. This isn’t about marathons—it’s about moving forward, one sarcastic step at a time.

  1. Post-Marathon Blues & Paris Brags

    12/09/2025

    Post-Marathon Blues & Paris Brags

    In this episode of How the F&^%$ Did We Become Runners, Robert and Ange officially enter the emotional hangover portion of marathon life — you know, the part no one warns you about. The finish line confetti has settled, the medals are collecting dust, and suddenly there’s… no plan? No spreadsheet? No coach yelling “hydrate”? Just two former Dublin Marathon legends spiraling because the glory days of training are over. Robert copes by casually dropping (every five minutes) that he went to Paris and ran seven miles there — did he mention he went to Paris? Paris? Meanwhile, Ange took a week off to rediscover what “rest” feels like and is easing back into running like a responsible adult, which frankly feels rude. Together, they wade through the sadness, the weird aimlessness, and the uncomfortable truth: nobody talks about the gaping void that appears after a marathon. The hype train stops, the adrenaline dies, and you’re left asking, “Now what the f**k do we do?” Spoiler: they don’t know. But they’re going to complain about it — and maybe laugh through it — with you.

    16 min
  2. Team Joyce: Walking, Healing, and Inspiring the Miles Ahead

    12/02/2025

    Team Joyce: Walking, Healing, and Inspiring the Miles Ahead

    Season 2 is all about what’s next — and the people who shoved, guided, or lovingly bullied us into becoming runners. This week, Robert and Ange sit down with Joyce Connery: breast cancer survivor, global security powerhouse, and Robert’s friend of nearly 40 years. Joyce opens up about her journey, the origins of Team Joyce, and what the Susan G. Komen Walk has meant to her and to the many survivors who look to her as proof that strength can look tender, gritty, and sometimes very pink. She shares how those early miles helped her heal — and how her resilience inspired not just Robert’s eventual leap into marathon madness, but countless others walking their own post-diagnosis roads. It’s honest, warm, slightly chaotic, and full of the kind of real talk only friends can deliver. You can donate to Team Joyce through the link below: https://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2025/20253Day?team_id=283481&pg=team&fr_id=2323

    28 min
  3. Finish Line? Found It. Guinness? Still Missing

    11/18/2025

    Finish Line? Found It. Guinness? Still Missing

    In this nostalgia-soaked fever dream of an episode, Robert and Ange rewind to the moment they—purely by accident—became marathoners in Dublin. Yes, Dublin, because nothing says “excellent life choices” like flying across an ocean to run 26.2 miles while jet-lagged, overwhelmed, and committed to a trip that felt like The Amazing Race meets EuroTrip meets a group vacation nobody fully signed up for. They relive the highs (the Irish were dangerously charming, the vibes were immaculate) and the lows (someone’s back staged a full walkout at mile 23). And of course, the ultimate betrayal: that promised Guinness on the course? Never happened. Not a drop. Not even a pity splash. Just electrolytes and crushed dreams. Meanwhile, Ange kept Scott running and dancing at the same time whenever music drifted through the streets—because why choose between marathoner and pop-star-on-tour when you can be both? Despite the chaos, the back pain, and the Guinness disappointment, the two of them powered through, crossed the finish line, and each grabbed a medal like absolute champions. And here’s the wholesome twist: the entire ridiculous, unhinged adventure actually made Robert and Ange even better friends. Tune in for laughter, chaos, questionable life choices, back pain, spontaneous dance breaks, and the warm glow of two friends who survived 26.2 miles—and somehow came out closer (and snarkier) than ever. For details on the Marathon Trip Planner, check out https://www.activeodysseys.com/

    19 min
  4. Running on Faith, Friendship, and a Pint

    11/11/2025

    Running on Faith, Friendship, and a Pint

    Pack your running shoes and your pint glass — because Robert and Ange decided the perfect place for their first-ever marathon was, naturally, across the ocean in Dublin, Ireland. Who doesn’t love adding jet lag, questionable carb loading, and a five-hour time difference to 26.2 miles of pain? In this pre-race episode, the tables turn as Ange becomes the anxious one, Robert is the calm one, and Ange tries to hide a minor “it’s fine, totally fine” injury. Between overthinking pacing plans, testing the limits of Irish Guinness as an electrolyte replacement, and wondering if they accidentally joined a sightseeing tour instead of a marathon, our favorite running duo are about to find out what reality feels like when the starting gun goes off. Grab your pint, lace up, and get ready to laugh at two best friends realizing that the phrase “How the F*** Did We Become Runners?” has never been more literal. For details on the Marathon Trip Planner, check out https://www.activeodysseys.com/

    24 min
  5. Running on Low Battery (and High Anxiety)

    10/25/2025

    Running on Low Battery (and High Anxiety)

    In this episode of How the F** Did We Become Runners*, Robert and Ange go full nerd on the ever-evolving world of running tech. What started as “just need good sneakers” has spiraled into a borderline NASA-level setup—Garmins, headphones, and enough apps to track their sleep, steps, and probably bowel movements. As Dublin looms, will Robert’s gadgets survive a full marathon without imploding? And will Ange ever actually learn how to use her fancy Garmin—or will she just keep pressing buttons until it beeps approvingly? Tune in to hear two lifelong friends overanalyze the tech that was supposed to make running easier… but mostly just gave them more things to charge.

    24 min
  6. Running From Our Feelings (Literally)

    10/17/2025

    Running From Our Feelings (Literally)

    In this episode of How the F** Did We Become Runners*, Robert and Ange dive headfirst into everyone’s favorite mid-run pastime: crippling anxiety. Robert puts on his Psychologist Hat™ (it’s probably sweat-wicking), while Ange admits that crowds make her want to disappear faster than her electrolytes on a long run. Meanwhile, Robert’s convinced every pothole is plotting his demise and doesn’t trust the “supportive” roar of the crowd — because who needs encouragement when you can have intrusive thoughts? With the Dublin Marathon looming like a finish line mirage, these two friends of 40 years are still figuring out how to outrun not just 26.2 miles, but also their own emotions. Tune in for anxiety, banter, and maybe a few coping mechanisms that don’t involve beer.

    29 min
  7. When 20 Miles Breaks Your Body and the Taper Breaks Your Soul

    10/11/2025

    When 20 Miles Breaks Your Body and the Taper Breaks Your Soul

    In this episode of How the F*&#! Did We Become Runners, Robert and Ange limp their way through the aftermath of a 20-mile run — because apparently, that’s what “fun” looks like now. Whose recovery disaster will you relate to more: Robert’s “I can’t move” saga or Ange’s “I swear I’m fine but also everything hurts” drama? Plus, Robert learns about the dark art of Taper Tantrums — that magical time when runners lose their minds because they’re running less. Buckle up, it’s peak chaos and chafing season.

    18 min
  8. We turned 20!

    10/06/2025

    We turned 20!

    On this episode of How the F**k Did We Become Runners, Robert and Ange tackle that dreaded 20-mile run — the one every marathoner whispers about like it’s a haunted house you have to survive to earn your medal. Spoiler: it wasn’t pretty. Getting to 18 miles felt like crawling through emotional quicksand, fueled mostly by bad decisions and sheer stubbornness. But somehow, against all logic and muscle fatigue, they pulled it off. Now these two slightly broken but weirdly proud friends are one painful step closer to the Dublin Marathon — and probably in desperate need of carbs, ice, and therapy.

    20 min
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About

Meet Robert and Ange —two longtime friends who thought "cardio" was a four-letter word until their 50s, when they realized age was more than a number; it was a reality, and they needed to do something to get more out of it. Now? They’re runners - even they are shocked at that sentence. Join them as they dish out brutally honest, occasionally helpful advice about how they stumbled into running (literally), what keeps them lacing up their shoes, and why logging miles together has become the weirdest, most wonderful part of their friendship. Expect laughs, hot takes on chafing, zero patience for toxic fitness culture, and more than a few gasps for breath. This isn’t about marathons—it’s about moving forward, one sarcastic step at a time.

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