Your strongest running might not happen in your 20s. It might show up after kids, after career pivots, after moving towns, and after you have learned what your body actually needs. That is why I loved talking with Mary Ellen Lemieux, a lifelong recreational runner who says her running is better now at 64 than it has ever been, even if the pace is slower.
We get into the details runners actually wrestle with: why the half marathon hits the perfect balance of challenge and doable, how treadmill running can feel like time slows down, and why run walk can be a great tool and a tricky habit if walking makes you want to keep walking. Mary Ellen also shares her favorite races, from the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati to the Steamboat Springs Half Marathon, and what makes great crowd energy and scenery matter when the miles get long.
The biggest turning point is fueling and hydration. Mary Ellen tells the story of running the San Francisco half without a plan, bonking hard, and finishing miserable, then coming back the next year with electrolytes and consistent fueling that actually worked for her. We also talk mindset, mental health, and longevity: using running to manage ADHD, letting “a mile is a mile” be enough, and staying in motion so you can keep doing what you love, including skiing. And you will hear the wild, inspiring pandemic challenge that jumpstarted everything: 100 miles in 30 days, completed through heat, wildfire smoke, and pure commitment.
If you care about half marathon training, race day strategy, running after 50, and staying active for life, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more runners can find the show.
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