The People Run Podcast

#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/ [https://www.instagram.com/healthy_living4god/] Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

#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/ [https://www.instagram.com/oliviacoxlondon/] Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

#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/ [https://www.instagram.com/takethestairs1/] Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

#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/ [https://www.instagram.com/stefcorgel/] Follow The People Run Podcast: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

#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/