Run Your Story Podcast

Allison Gaillard
  • 5.0 (19)
  • RUNNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Where Every Story Needs to be Heard! Runners and walkers are interviewed to tell their run/walk stories, share fun memories, and provide great advice for those interested in this sport!

  1. Stephen Havard - "Accept there will be discomfort and accept the challenge."

    5D AGO

    Stephen Havard - "Accept there will be discomfort and accept the challenge."

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! On the podcast, Allison interviews Steven (“Big Papa”), a fast, humble runner and new dad, about how he started running after high school to stay in shape and to eventually beat his older brother in races. Steven describes shifting from mostly trail running in Georgia (especially 2017–2021) to more road running after moving to Mobile in July 2021, noting differences in pacing, muscle strain, anxiety, passing on single-track trails, and the need for more cushioned shoes on pavement. He shares lessons from running—discipline, consistency, focusing on your own race, negative splits, and not overthinking—plus favorite races like the Mobile Half, War Eagle Half, Bayou Half, and Tunnel Vision 5K, and worst experiences dropping from marathons (Nashville 2012, Savannah 2012, Big Beach 2023) and a tough Duncan Ridge 50K attempt. Steven details his pre-race routine (early wake-up, coffee, eggs, warm-up), his suitcase-and-backup-gear habits (including wearing three socks and carrying multiple shoes), minimal fueling for halves, and marathon fueling with dates for his upcoming Knoxville Marathon (April 12). He emphasizes gratitude, faith, community, sleep as recovery, and advice to new runners to get properly fitted shoes, accept discomfort, and build mental fortitude. Stephen Havard - https://www.facebook.com/shavard6132 Races Mentioned Cheaha 50k War Eagle Half Marathon Mobile Half Marathon Bayou Half Marathon Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon Huntsville Marathon Double Tunnel Vision 5k Big Beach Marathon Nashville Marathon Savannah Marathon Boston Marathon Knoxville Marathon Duncan Ridge 50k Shout Outs Jordy Valerie Guy Justin Guy Port City Pacers Emily Havard Pierre Scott Thornhill Dave McDonald Lily Havard Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    1h 7m
  2. Jackson Wolf - "I'm gonna let the rougarou out."

    MAR 25

    Jackson Wolf - "I'm gonna let the rougarou out."

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Jackson discusses how he started running competitively later in life—his first marathon at 33 after dabbling in mountain biking, triathlons, and five Ironmans—and quickly progressed into trail ultras, including signing up for a 100-miler before completing a 50K. He shares his love of technical trails, boredom as a key weakness, and how moving between Mississippi and places like Flagstaff shaped his training. Jackson explains how Live Oak 50K began as a low-key group run that grew into an organized race, and his goal to expand trail events in Mississippi and Louisiana with new formats. He covers favorite races, shoe sponsorship with Mount to Coast, fueling strategies and backup plans, recovery and cross-training, lessons from Oregon 200 challenges, coaching philosophy emphasizing problem-solving and controllable goals, and a mantra-style “rougarou/werewolf” mental tool, ending with a quote about welcoming adversity. Jackson Wolf - https://www.facebook.com/jasonbyronwheat Races Mentioned Live Oak 50k Mississippi Trail 50-miler Blood Rock 50-miler Fonder Urban Ultra Mississippi 100 Coca Dona 250 Ute 100 Oregon 200 Mamba 100 Tahoe 200 Bigfoot 200 Leadville 100 Mountain 100 Shout Outs David Tasha Jeff Browning (Bronco Billy) Carl Meltzer David Goggins Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    1h 8m
  3. Laura Green - "Motivation is nothing. It's just dedication."

    MAR 18

    Laura Green - "Motivation is nothing. It's just dedication."

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Laura Green, a mom, comedian, and runner, shares how she started running at 12 through cross country, trained seriously in high school in New York, and later ran at Northeastern while majoring in physical therapy. After college, she shifted to more recreational trail and road running, completing under 10 marathons, including a first marathon in Nashville to raise money for a friend’s wheelchair, and repeated Boston mainly to visit friends; she especially enjoyed New York City and the Paris Marathon. She prefers cross country and trails for their playful feel and reduced focus on the clock, and says discipline and consistency matter more than motivation. As a parent, she often “wakes up and goes,” uses electrolytes, Maurten gels, and recovery calf sleeves, cross-trains with Peloton and CrossFit due to hamstring pain, and emphasizes proper shoes, feasible volume, and that marathons aren’t required to be a runner. Laura Green - https://www.instagram.com/lauramcgreen/ Races Mentioned Rock N Roll Marathon Nashville Boston Marathon New York Marathon Paris Marathon Louisiana Marathon Shout Outs Chase Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    52 min
  4. Rhonda Hayden - "It's a passion that I've had for a long time."

    MAR 11

    Rhonda Hayden - "It's a passion that I've had for a long time."

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Allison welcomes back Rhonda, who runs Kinda Gritty, to discuss her background directing races and fundraising, and how her company creates experience-focused events with strong community impact. They recap Kind of Gritty races including Salute Red, White, and Blue at Camp Shelby benefiting the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, and the Molten Mohawk Niner at Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm featuring hand-blown glass medals and fundraising beneficiaries that have included a prosthetic leg, medical bills for injured athletes, and Oak Grove High School’s cross country team. Rhonda also shares her role with the Huntsville Track Club on Rocket City Marathon’s 50th anniversary, plus the Hat Trick (5K, 10K, then half or full). Rhonda Hayden - https://www.facebook.com/rhonda.hayden.14 Kinda Gritty - https://www.kindagritty.com/ Races Mentioned Molten Mohawk 9-Miler Salute Red White and Blue 5k Norwegian Foot March Extra Miles Marathon Hattiesburg Half Marathon Run the Rainbow Rocket City Marathon Shout Outs Jeremy Thomley Mohawk Steel Selena Daniel Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    34 min
  5. Travis McCalla - "That sense of belonging"

    MAR 4

    Travis McCalla - "That sense of belonging"

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Podcast host Alison interviews Travis, a veteran whose running story spans childhood trauma, military service, alcoholism, sobriety, and ultra-distance racing. Travis describes hating running in high school, escaping an abusive home by joining the Marine Corps in 1997, developing a heavy drinking habit, later joining the Army Reserve in 2006, and seeking help in 2014 because he feared dying. After getting sober, deployments and a 2017 convoy crash in Germany revealed health issues, prompting him to start running, progressing quickly from 5Ks to marathons, 50 milers, and 100 milers. He became focused on multi-day, unsupported “journey runs,” especially the Fool’s Ultra (now 420 miles across New York), his favorite race. He shares lessons on belonging, consistency, embracing discomfort, planning resupplies and sleep, safety gear for dark runs, shoes, fueling, recovery, music, a key injury perseverance story, a 160-mile DNF at Infinitus 250, advice to start simple and volunteer, his mantra “you’ve been through worse,” and future goals after a 2026 deployment. Travis McCalla - https://www.facebook.com/travis.mccalla1 Races Mentioned The Fool's Ultra 420 Infinitus 250 Battleship 12k Arizona Monster 300 Coca Dona 250 Shout Outs Joshua Swank Christie Andy Weinberg Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    43 min
  6. Selena Daniel - "I need new friends"

    FEB 25

    Selena Daniel - "I need new friends"

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! In this conversation, Allison interviews Selena, a runner and the race director of Run the Rainbow, a multi-distance race event in Jackson, Mississippi that benefits the state’s only children’s hospital. Selena shares how she began running in her early 30s as a personal goal, progressed from 5Ks to marathons, and grew passionate about the running community. She discusses taking on trail running at longer distances, including a goal sequence with the local Muts Group (Frosty 15, Big Butts 50K, Clear Creek 50K) and an attempt at her first 100-miler (reaching 100K but missing the cutoff), with plans to complete a 100-miler and earn “Big Dog” status this year after a back issue affected her last attempt. Selena explains that Run the Rainbow started after the hospital’s former 5K ended during COVID; she expanded it from 5K/10K/half to include a full marathon and a new 50K, with an earlier start option for slower runners and a commitment to supporting participants through the final finisher. She details that all proceeds support children’s hospital needs not covered by standard funding, citing examples like patient iPads, specialized playground space, NICU “angel eyes,” transportation gaps, and hopes to add another trained facility dog like "Hollywood." She highlights Run the Rainbow’s challenging hills, frequent aid stations and entertainment (including bands and mile-by-mile encouragement), safety planning with Capitol Police, JPD, and campus police, a course feature that includes passing a castle, and an after-party. Selena also describes the event’s swag structure (shirts, kid-designed medals, towels, cups, hats/beanies, quarter-zips, and affordable donation-based expo items) and a new educational panel featuring a dietitian (Elizabeth), trainer Megan Cook, and runner Chuck Engle. Selena Daniel - https://www.facebook.com/selena.lockwood Races Mentioned Run the Rainbow Frosty 15 Fondren 50k Big Butts 50k Clear Creek 50k Mamba 100-miler Rocket City Marathon Shout Outs Muts Group Dina Boyles James Boer Jeremy Jungling RunStrong Hollywood Dana Pothole Runners Jackson Run Club Elizabeth Megan Cook Chuck Engle Dina Bulls Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    1h 9m
  7. Josh Coleman - "The race is never over"

    FEB 18

    Josh Coleman - "The race is never over"

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! Alison interviews ultra runner and author Josh Coleman about his book, Moving Forward: Running With Grief, which centers on his grief after his wife Erin’s death and the importance of community support for those grieving. Josh explains he wrote the book to keep Erin’s legacy alive, capture who she was for those who never met her (including the trail running community), help process his own grief, and share how he grieved without prescribing a “right way” to others; he emphasizes that grief doesn’t end but is carried as you move forward. They discuss Erin’s passion for theater and Broadway, how she and Josh supported each other’s different pursuits, and how Josh honors her through a Broadway playlist and by carrying Erin’s obituary card during races. Allison highlights a quote from the book about runners carrying “invisible memorials.” Josh recounts his running background from childhood through marathons, qualifying attempts for Boston, and his transition to trail and ultra running after Erin’s passing in June 2022, including his first 50K (Sweat, Swat, & Swear) in May 2023 and his first 100-miler (Bighorn 100), where he drew strength from Erin’s tenacity. He describes becoming more open about grief on the trails, which encourages others to share their own trauma and loss, and frames himself as an unexpected “grief advocate.” Josh shares lessons from ultras—patience, relentless forward progress, not quitting unless injury requires it, breaking big challenges into aid-station segments, and the value of community encouragement, recovery, cross-training, and gear. In closing, Josh advises people to start small, volunteer to get involved, and highlights that supporting grief is about showing up and being present rather than trying to fix someone’s pain. Josh Coleman - https://www.facebook.com/joshpcoleman Races Mentioned Boston Marathon New Jersey Marathon Miami Marathon Sweat, Swat, Swear 50k Bighorn 100 Tahoe 200 Bigfoot 200 Moab 240 Leadville 100k Black Canyon 50k Chicago Marathon Coca Dona 250 Old Ephraim 200 Shout Outs Erin Coleman Jan Caleb Olson Ann Trason Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    1h 1m
  8. Blake Hughes - "Running isn't what most people think that it is"

    FEB 11

    Blake Hughes - "Running isn't what most people think that it is"

    Like the episode? Let us know with a quick text! In this episode, Blake shares his incredible transformation from viewing running as a form of torture in his youth to becoming an ultramarathon runner. Blake discusses his initial attempts at running, propelled by a friend's encouragement, leading up to completing his first 5K and ultimately participating in marathons and ultra-races. He reflects on the lessons learned through running, emphasizing mental and spiritual aspects. Blake also delves into his training routines, gear preferences, and the pivotal role of his supportive wife. With personal anecdotes about races and the importance of a community, Blake provides advice for aspiring runners and underscores the importance of remembering the 'why' in running. His inspiring journey highlights perseverance, community support, and keeping a balanced perspective. Blake Hughes - https://www.facebook.com/blake.n.rachel.hughes Races Mentioned Lost Falls 50k Twisted Ankle Half Marathon Sloppy Floyd Race Georgia Jewel Last Man Standing, Rome, Georgia Mid-State Mile Pinhoti 100 Shout Outs Chad Wright Brooke Wright Rachel Hughes Andrew Peterson Support the show For more details on Run Your Story happenings, visit https://runyourstory.com/ For web development or tech services, visit https://gaillardts.com/ Go Run Your Story and take a piece of this story with you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on upcoming episodes. Support me on Patreon! Can't wait to hear Your Run Story!! Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Kristen Rather Steve Taylor Mary Trufant Suzanne Crist Suzanne Clark Anna Szymanski Dave McDonald Karla McInnis James Contratto Jordan DuBose Cristy Evans Sharonda Shula Nell Gustavson Meredith Nations Allyson Swann Chris Strayhorn Karen Saldivar Stefan Clayton Rachael McRae Scott Thornhill

    38 min
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5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Where Every Story Needs to be Heard! Runners and walkers are interviewed to tell their run/walk stories, share fun memories, and provide great advice for those interested in this sport!

Information

  • Creator
    Allison Gaillard
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    181
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Run Your Story Podcast
  • Show Website
    Run Your Story Podcast

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