Part 1: Chris Montgomery the Running Coach/Active Odysseys Founder Who Turns Vacations Into Marathons

Part 1: Chris Montgomery the Running Coach/Active Odysseys Founder Who Turns Vacations Into Marathons

Part 1 of our conversation with running coach and Active Odysseys founder Chris Montgomery! This week, Robert and Ange figure out how the hell Chris became a runner—and why he keeps convincing the rest of us to do it too. Chris shares advice for "master" runners (because apparently "over 40" needed a rebrand), talks about training smarter, and explains how Active Odysseys helps runners chase marathon finish lines around the world while making lifelong friends. Learn more: https://www.activeodysseys.com [https://www.activeodysseys.com] https://www.facebook.com/activeodysseys [https://www.facebook.com/activeodysseys] https://www.instagram.com/active_odysseys [https://www.instagram.com/active_odysseys]

Changing the Narrative

In this episode, Robert makes a surprising realization: he actually likes running again. After months of setbacks and recovery, the joy of running has finally returned. Meanwhile, Ange is back in marathon training after Edinburgh didn't quite go as planned. Because apparently the best response to a tough marathon is signing up for another one. The pair also dive into narrative therapy and how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our running journeys—for better or worse. From comeback stories to unfinished chapters, they explore how changing the narrative might just change the outcome. Join them as they catch up on where they are now, why they're still doing this to themselves, and what comes next on the never-ending journey of becoming runners... again.

The Winter of Robert's Discontent

After carrying injuries into the winter, Robert spent months doing the least fun thing a runner can do: recovering. The journey back challenged him physically and mentally, but also brought steady progress, new perspective, and plenty of hard-earned wins along the way. But somewhere during the comeback, something unexpected happened. Robert started finding his love for running again. Not because of pace goals or race medals, but because he remembered why he runs in the first place. Step by step, mile by mile, he wasn't just recovering—he was becoming a runner again. Now, feeling energized and motivated, he's set his sights on the New Orleans Marathon. Because apparently runners never learn. Join Ange and Robert as they talk recovery, resilience, rediscovering the joy of running, and what comes next.

Edinburgh, Heat, Hell, and Humility

Season 3 kicks off with Ange's long-awaited trip to Scotland for the Edinburgh Marathon. What was supposed to be a scenic race through a historic city quickly turned into a personal journey through the seventh circle of running hell. Armed with a training plan, a goal pace, and a shocking amount of optimism, Ange found herself battling heat, her stomach, questionable life choices, and the growing realization that the marathon she trained for was not the marathon she got. This episode is part race recap, part therapy session, and part warning label for anyone who thinks marathon plans survive contact with reality. The good news? She finished. The better news? She learned a lot. Join Ange and Robert as they break down what went wrong, what went right, and why sometimes the biggest lesson a marathon teaches you is how to keep moving forward when every cell in your body is negotiating for an Uber. Turns out surviving Edinburgh wasn't about running the race she wanted. It was about finishing the race she had.

Opps I forgot to edit - The Winter Version

Recorded in January. Published in June. Because apparently editing podcasts is harder than running marathons. This forgotten episode of How the F*CK Did We Become Runners? finds Ange and Robert setting ambitious goals for 2026 and confidently discussing what the year ahead will look like. Which is funny now, because life immediately laughed in their faces. The longtime friends are still runners, but their paths are diverging. One is chasing bigger races and faster times. The other is about to get introduced to the joys of injury, a winter that seemed determined to never end, and the humbling realization that sometimes the goal is simply getting back to the starting line. Think of this as a time capsule from a simpler era—back when January optimism was still undefeated and Ange thought she'd actually release this episode on schedule.