Olympian Carrie Tollefson joins Coach Amanda and Coach Nick days after broadcasting the 2026 Chicago Marathon. Carrie made the 2004 Olympic team in the 1500m, won five NCAA titles at Villanova, and now runs her mouth more than her legs (her words) as a marathon broadcaster and host of the C Tolle Run podcast.
In this episode, we cover:
• What the Chicago Marathon looks like from the finish line broadcast position
• Why Carrie ran three marathons just to commentate them better
• The human stories behind Hawi Feysa, Clayton Young, and Vinny Mauri
• How to handle negativity and why running needs a “positive thread”
• What everyday runners can learn from pros (you deal with the same mile 21)
• Running identity after competition, plus balancing career, kids, and 20-minute runs
• Prize money, the running boom, and celebrity run clubs
• Why success comes from finding your joy, not your finish time
• The Secret Interview Questions (and a story her mom will not love)
Come Join Amanda and I for the NYC Marathon Webinar and Live Q&A on 21 October from 6-730 EST. We will answer all your questions and walk you through EVERYTHING you need to know about the NYCM from the second you arrive to when you leave. Learn more and sign up here
Today's episode is sponsored by CEP and Running Explained listeners get 15% off their entire order when shopping CEP Running online through November 15! Shop CEP Running or enter code LRL-NYC-15 at checkout.
Offer ends November 16, 2026, at 3:00AM EST. Limit one use per customer. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Key timestamps
06:58 Chicago Marathon 2026 from the booth
19:17 What everyday runners can learn from pros
23:16 Running identity after competition
33:28 What the running community gets right
40:33 Redefining success
42:01 Secret Interview Questions
Find Carrie:
• C Tolle Run podcast, the RunDot Podcast, ctollerun.com, Instagram @carrie_tollefson
Training plans and coaching: https://runningexplained.com
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