Finish Line Moments on KSVY

KSVY Radio
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

Finish Line Moments with Gretchen, live from KSVY in Sonoma Valley. Your weekly front-row seat to moments that matter, the risks taken, the challenges faced, and the times to go for it. Gretchen is a seasoned runner of more than 200 races, and advocates for athletes and the endurance community. Finish Line Moments brings you conversations with athletes, race insiders with behind the scenes insights, recaps and moments that motivate whether you run or cheer from the sidelines. Reminding us that heart, humor and grit lead to our Finish Line Moments

  1. Jul 20

    Finish Line Moments: Seven Stars, Bigger Story – Mary Tawney Suarez

    In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Mary shares the highs, heartbreaks, and hard-earned lessons that shaped her path, from navigating epilepsy, Crohn's disease, degenerative disc disease and high blood pressure to the disappointment of a Tokyo Marathon DNF and the decision to return one year later to finish what she started.Mary also opens up about why Team Abbott became so much more than a race team, how the community transformed her journey and what she's learned about advocating for herself, adapting when life changes the rules, and choosing possibility over limitation.This isn't a conversation filled with clichés, it's filled with perspective. Throughout the episode, Mary drops one memorable insight after another, the kind of quotes you'll want to pause, replay and maybe even write down. It's an honest, energetic conversation about courage, community, motherhood, chronic illness and discovering that our greatest finish line moments often happen long before - or long after - we cross the finish line.This conversation isn't really about seven stars. It's about remembering that sometimes our greatest finish line moments aren't found at the end of a race, they're found every time we choose to begin again.

  2. Jul 20

    Finish Line Moments: Misogi, Fatherhood & Living Beyond Comfort Zones with Ian Ballentine

    In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Gretchen sits down with Sports Basement Senior Director of Marketing Ian Ballentine for one of the most authentic and thought-provoking conversations the show has had to date. From his childhood as a competitive swimmer and collegiate team captain to Ironman, mountain biking, Hyrox, functional fitness and fatherhood, Ian shares why being an athlete isn't something you do - it's part of who you become. At the heart of the conversation is the Japanese philosophy of Misogi: choosing one challenge each year that's big enough to push you beyond your comfort zone and transform you in the process. It's a mindset that has shaped Ian's approach to endurance sports, his career, his family and the way he continues to grow through every season of life. Together, Gretchen and Ian explore what it means to keep evolving after marriage and children, why movement can become a lifelong identity instead of a phase, how to model curiosity and resilience for your kids and why the most meaningful finish line moments often happen far from a race course. They also dive into Ian's 17-year journey with Sports Basement, the incredible community that surrounds it and the way it gives back, the emotional highs and lows that come with chasing ambitious goals and why discomfort isn't something to avoid - it's often where the most meaningful growth begins. Whether you're training for your next race, navigating a new chapter of life or simply wondering what challenge might help you become the next version of yourself, this conversation will leave you inspired to keep moving forward, keep learning, and never stop asking, "What's next?"

  3. Jul 14

    Finish Line Moments: Elizabeth Pehota | From Boston Dreams to Breaking Boundaries

    Before Elizabeth Pehota ever pinned on a marathon bib, she was immersed in the energy of Boston. As a Boston College cheerleader and sports journalist, she spent years encouraging athletes, telling their stories, and experiencing the magic of the Boston Marathon from the sidelines. Somewhere along the way, one simple thought took root: One day, I want to run this race.In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Elizabeth shares the journey that followed - from first-time marathoner to seven-time Boston qualifier, Seven Star Finisher and Guinness World Record holder for the Fastest Female Marathon with Multiple Sclerosis.Just days before the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Elizabeth received the life-changing diagnosis of MS. Rather than letting it define her, she chose to keep moving forward, eventually transforming her own journey into a source of hope and encouragement for others living with invisible illnesses.She also reflects on the remarkable partnership she shares with her husband, Matt. They met as cheer partners on their very first day at Boston College, Elizabeth the flyer, Matt the base. Years later, that same foundation has carried them through marathon training, diagnosis, recovery and some of life's biggest victories, offering a beautiful picture of what steadfast support can look like.

  4. Jun 25

    Finish Line Moments: Why We Run – Grandma's Marathon Turns 50

    In this special race recap episode of Finish Line Moments, Gretchen takes listeners to Duluth, Minnesota for the 50th running of Grandma's Marathon a race that is at once historic, prestigious, world-class and deeply beloved.First, Grandma's Marathon Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider joins the show to discuss the 50th anniversary celebration, the history behind the race's unique name, the culture that keeps runners returning year after year and what it took to bring this landmark weekend to life.Then, three-time Grandma's Marathon champion and Olympian Dakotah Popehn reflects on her historic victory in the 50th running of the race, her special connection to Duluth, lessons learned from Paris and Boston and how the energy of the community helped carry her to yet another unforgettable finish.Finally, Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon champion Kasandra Parker joins Finish Line Moments after her first visit to Duluth and her impressive 1:10:16 victory. She shares how she found the mental grit to race alone for much of the course, the perspective shift that carried her through the final miles and why she may already be thinking about returning for the full marathon.

  5. Jun 22

    Finish Line Moments: How PHX Run Club Built a Running Community Without Losing Its Soul

    Gretchen sits down with Josh Walker, founder of PHX Run Club, and Daniel Wong, Director of Performance and Coach of PHX Elite, to explore how a weekly downtown Phoenix run evolved into one of the most recognizable running communities in the Southwest. Josh shares how his perspective shifted from seeing himself as an athlete who ran to becoming a community builder, while Daniel reflects on the coaches who shaped his life and how those experiences inspired his passion for helping others pursue goals they once thought impossible. Together, they discuss the growth of PHX Run Club, the challenge of balancing community and performance, why runners are flocking to run clubs in record numbers and what it takes to create a culture where first-time runners, walkers, marathoners and competitive athletes all feel they belong. Along the way, they share stories of friendships, transformation, race weekends, coaching, leadership and the moments that remind them why this work matters. Whether you're a runner, a community leader, or simply someone looking for connection, this conversation is a reminder that some of life's most meaningful finish line moments aren't crossed alone, they're shared.

  6. Jun 18

    Finish Line Moments: Deena Kastor | Add Joy

    In this episode of Finish Line Moments, Deena reflects on the experiences and perspectives that shaped her journey, from a young girl exploring trails in Southern California to becoming one of the most accomplished distance runners in American history. Along the way, we talk about curiosity, discomfort, self-belief, excellence and the stories we carry with us through life. We explore why talent alone is never enough, how consistency shapes who we become and why some of our most powerful breakthroughs begin with a simple shift in perspective. One of my favorite moments comes when Deena shares how she learned to reinterpret race-day nerves. What others experienced as nervousness, she came to understand as readiness: her body, mind, and nervous system preparing for something meaningful. It's a conversation filled with wisdom, laughter, honesty and reminders that growth is rarely a straight line. And in the end, after a lifetime of chasing excellence, the belief Deena most wants to share is beautifully, powerfully simple: Add joy. Whether you're a runner, a dreamer, navigating a challenge or standing on your own starting line, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that the way we choose to interpret our experiences can change everything.

  7. May 27

    Finish Line Moments: The Finish Line Isn’t Always Where You Think It Is with Jen Murphy Parker

    Writer, runner, advocate and mother Jen Murphy Parker joins Finish Line Moments for a soulful and deeply human conversation about her extraordinary memoir Fault Line Boy, raising a child with severe epilepsy, and how life can simultaneously break apart and become more meaningful. Together, we explore running as refuge, motherhood as recalibration, uncertainty as a constant companion and joy not as something recovered, but redefined. Jen shares the evolution of her relationship with running from childhood runs with her father on quiet Massachusetts streets, to marathon racing, to using running as survival during the hardest years of her son Lew’s seizures. We also talk about the profound lessons Lew has taught their family, including one deceptively simple question that now guides so much of their lives: “How can I be happy today?” The conversation also explores the broader “blast radius” of epilepsy on an entire family system and how that experience ultimately led Jen and Dr. Joseph Sullivan to help launch the PECE Center at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital - expanding support for families navigating not only the medical realities of epilepsy, but the emotional and practical ones as well. This episode is about care giving, resilience, identity, advocacy, family and learning to love the version of life - and the version of your child - that ultimately unfolds before you. And in one of those beautiful full-circle moments that could only belong on Finish Line Moments, Jen shares that Lew’s favorite song is the very theme song of this show. Because sometimes the finish line isn’t where you thought it would be. Sometimes it becomes something far deeper than you ever imagined.

  8. May 27

    Finish Line Moments: 20 Years of Denver Colfax - Pride, Perseverance & the Power of the Finish Line

    On this episode of Finish Line Moments, we take you inside the landmark 20th running of the Denver Colfax Marathon, a milestone weekend that transformed Denver into a citywide celebration of running, resilience and community. With more than 28,000 runners across the marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, urban 10 miler, Saturday 5K, and Girls on the Run 5K, this became the biggest Denver Colfax weekend ever. And throughout the weekend, you could feel the radiating pride behind the event, from the electric WOW at Every Mile activations to the stunning anniversary medals to the unmistakable energy of Colorado runners taking on the altitude, hills and challenge of one of the country’s most uniquely local races. Leading that energy is Denver Colfax CEO Andrea Dowdy, who joins us to share the vision, intentionality and enormous behind-the-scenes effort that helped turn Denver Colfax into far more than a race weekend. From creating a true tour of Denver through the course itself to ensuring runners at every distance felt celebrated, Andrea reflects on what it meant to bring the 20th anniversary weekend to life and why this event has become such a source of pride for the city and the Colorado running community. Travis Arp shares how running became a source of light, courage and strength during unimaginable loss. After losing daughter Nora and spending 125 days in the NICU with daughter Rylee, Travis made himself a promise while watching the Colfax Marathon from a hospital room: one day, he would run it. This year he crossed the finish line of his first marathon while raising money for Love for Lily and honoring both daughters every step of the way. And finally, we celebrate David Rothenburger - the only person to have run all 20 Denver Colfax Marathons. Through evolving courses, unpredictable weather, altitude, hills, and two decades of race mornings, David’s remarkable consistency and love for the running community have become part of the fabric of this race itself. This episode’s about what happens when a city rallies around runners, when challenge creates connection, and when finish lines inspire not only the people crossing them but the people watching too.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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About

Finish Line Moments with Gretchen, live from KSVY in Sonoma Valley. Your weekly front-row seat to moments that matter, the risks taken, the challenges faced, and the times to go for it. Gretchen is a seasoned runner of more than 200 races, and advocates for athletes and the endurance community. Finish Line Moments brings you conversations with athletes, race insiders with behind the scenes insights, recaps and moments that motivate whether you run or cheer from the sidelines. Reminding us that heart, humor and grit lead to our Finish Line Moments

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