#53 From Paralysis to Leadville 100 | Sean Casey

#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/

#50 The Secret Behind an OTQ and Elite 15 Hyrox Athlete | Alyssa McElheny

Olympic Trials qualifier. Elite 15 Hyrox athlete. Most athletes spend their entire careers chasing excellence in one sport. Alyssa McElheny is doing it in two. In this episode, Alyssa shares her journey from spending more than a decade chasing an Olympic Trials qualifier to becoming one of the fastest Hyrox athletes in the world. We talk about finding the sport she was built for, balancing elite marathoning and hybrid racing, and why success often comes from leaning into your strengths rather than forcing a path that isn't meant for you. We also dive into racing across Europe, dealing with pressure when everything is on the line, the lessons learned from years of marathon training, and how a two-minute penalty ended up changing the course of her season. It's a conversation about patience, resilience, self-belief, and what can happen when preparation finally meets opportunity. If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another runner. Chapters 00:00 What Is The Secret? OTQ + Elite 15 Hyrox 03:13 The Accidental Path Into Hyrox 07:37 10 Years Chasing An Olympic Trials Qualifier 15:20 The Advantage Of Being The Underdog 24:17 Can You Be Great At Both? 32:12 The Threshold Effect: High Rocks Training Benefits 33:15 Comparing Endurance Sports: High Rocks vs. Marathon 37:11 Training Challenges: Overcoming Weaknesses in High Rocks 38:18 The Art of Photography: Capturing Athletic Momentselite 39:07 Culinary Adventures: Food and Travel in Competition 41:18 Traveling with Purpose: Balancing Competition and Exploration 44:22 The People Behind The Performance 52:07 All Eyes On Hyrox Worlds Follow Alyssa: Instagram: instagram.com/alyssamcelheny/ Follow The People Run Podcast: Instagram: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube: The People Run Podcast Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

#49 How Zach Bitter Thinks About Training

In this episode of The People Run Podcast, I sit down with Zach Bitter, one of the fastest 100 mile runners in history, to talk about training, longevity, recovery, and what it really takes to improve over the long term. We dive into why Zach has incorporated cycling into his training, how he thinks about consistency versus hero workouts, and why many runners may be overemphasizing mileage at the expense of quality. Zach also shares his thoughts on recovery, gut training, super shoes, the evolution of endurance sports, and what he’s learned after years of competing and coaching at the highest level. Whether you’re training for your first 5K, a marathon, an ultra, or simply trying to stay healthy and consistent, this conversation is packed with practical insights that apply far beyond running. Chapters 00:00 Why Zach Bitter Replaced Miles With the Bike 05:23 Super Shoes, Gut Training, and the New Era of Training 13:05 How Fast Can a Human Run 100 Miles? 17:37 Why Zach Loves Running in Circles 20:40 The Risk of Chasing Personal Bests 26:50 When Do Runners Actually Peak? 28:44 Why Fitness Is Built in Layers 33:14 The Only Workouts Zach Cares About 38:15 Balancing Training, Work & Family 41:19 The Problem With Chasing Volume 49:20 Why Running Advice Gets Lost Online 54:16 Where Is Running Technology Headed Next? 01:05:38 Has Zach Solved the Puzzle Yet? Follow Zach: Instagram: instagram.com/zachbitter/ Follow The People Run Podcast: Instagram: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/ Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube: The People Run Podcast Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/