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Michigan Runner Girl

The Michigan Runner Girl podcast is where you'll find a passion for running, hiking, paddling, and cycling crosses paths with a love of nature and outdoor exploration in the beautiful state of Michigan — and beyond. A mother, writer, gigantic Great Lakes fan, and book lover Heather Durocher, creator of the running and travel site MichiganRunnerGirl.com, hosts the show. Expect to hear informative, engaging, and inspiring conversations with others also on their own health and wellness journey. The Michigan Runner Girl podcast is about finding our way, through movement. Season One of 2022 now underway, with a theme of Reconnection.
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Now displaying: October, 2019
Oct 24, 2019

The idea of running further than 26.2 miles is a daunting thought for many of us. It also may intrigue you, given that ultra running is less about speed and more about endurance and pushing your body and mind in an entirely different way. Getting out on the trails, immersing yourself in nature, also are big draws for ultra runners and ultra runners wannabes.

Three ultra runners and one soon-to-be ultra runner join Heather on the show to talk about the allure of going long--really long. These four runners have gotten to know one another even better through their love of ultra running training and racing. Ali Lopez, a frequent guest on the show, returns to talk about her ultra running adventures of late (you also can find her detailed race recaps, as well her story of coming back to running after a serious eye injury, on the blog). Her first ultra was a looped course, which she says is a nice way of entering the world of ultra running. Zach Sayre, 21, has wholeheartedly jumped into the ultra running world in the last year or so—and he's since run six ultras and won two of them. He's done one 50-miler as well as 55Ks and 50Ks. 

Britt Gervais has run three ultras, including a recent one with Zack in Canada. Both agreed this race—Ultra Trail Stokely Creek 55K—was among their favorites because of the challenging terrain, beautiful fall color, attention to detail by race organizers, and camaraderie among the runners. "The community that comes with ultra running is the absolute best," Britt said. "At that race you could totally feel it ... it was the best." Britt talks about how she didn't necessarily think she'd do more than one ultra. But that changed after she finished her first one. "I ran it and when I was done, I thought, oh, no, this is it. This is the thing. I am going to keep going with it."

Jonny Tornga, a producer of the MRG podcast, is gearing up for his first ultra, the Yankee Springs Winter Challenge on January 4, 2020. Jonny started running and racing a few years ago, getting really into the sport after moving to the Big Apple. "I grew up as a runner in New York City, where it was very competitive. It was all, 'go, go, go' and tons of speed work. 'Get faster, faster, faster and stronger,'" he said. "And coming back here [to Michigan] and getting injured for the first time, which took me out for pretty much the entire summer, really kind of changed my mindset. What am I really doing here? I'm pushing myself too hard. And for an ultra, you cannot do that. It will destroy you. You will fail. So for me, in a lot of ways, it's me trying to become a better runner. To teach myself to slow down, to not worry about these things that don't ultimately matter."

These friends also are behind the Iceman Runneth (Unofficial Fun Run) event this Nov. 3. This route, the same as the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race course, is 30 miles. Runners will start in Kalkaska and finish at Timber Ridge on the east side of Traverse City. You can learn more about this run on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/459997464859133/

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If you enjoy what you’re hearing on the Michigan Runner Girl show, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a few moments to write a review on iTunes. This will help more runners and Michigan lovers like yourself find the podcasts. Thank you!! Also, the quickest way to get the podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes or via Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. 

A special thanks to Mike Moran, Mike Youker and Jonny Tornga of Quarter After Productions in Traverse City, Mich. for producing the show.

Oct 13, 2019

Pouring rain, a lightning delay, lots of cowbell, little sleep, scenic views, snacks and stinky eggs, re-connection, and a (speedy) finish...all the makings of a super-fun and successful Ragnar Road Michigan for Kelly Yauk and her teammates at this year's Muskegon-to-Traverse City relay event.

Kelly returns to the show to talk with Heather about this year's epic Ragnar Road Michigan, which took place a couple of weeks ago, and also to catch us up on this year's The Great Beerd Run 5K, a run that celebrates all things Michigan craft beer and beards each November. Kelly is the race director of this northern Michigan fun run that's now in its 6th year. 

If you took part in this year's Ragnar that follows a gorgeous course along Michigan's west coast, you'll love re-living race moments with Kelly. If you haven't yet jumped onto the Ragnar wagon, her experience likely will get you thinking about signing up for one -- Ragnar now hosts two relay events in Michigan, in the summer on the trails near Grayling, Mich., and in the fall for the road event that takes runners the 200-ish miles between Muskegon and Traverse City.

Heather and Kelly also reminisce about the fun they've had over the last several years at The Great Beerd Run -- and Heather invites listeners to sign up for this year's event, set for Nov. 9. A race discount code is shared, too!

This fun run is designed to celebrate all things beer and beards. This is an untimed run with on-course beer tastings featuring Beards Brewery, Short's Brewery and Right Brain Brewery.

Additionally, a Best Beard competition with both natural and assisted categories is part of the festivities.

Registration fee includes race entrance, knitted beard beanie, bottle opener/race medal, 3 beer samples, one glass of beer during the post-race party and entrance into post-race party featuring live music.

Make it a weekend and stay the night with great room rates. Call 800-236-1577 and use code BEER.

A $30 registration fee with all of the great race perks minus the beard beanie is available.

Participants must be 21 or over. Must provide ID.

Use the code MIRUNNERGIRL to receive $5 off your race entry. Register here »

Oct 2, 2019

We take a deep breath and sign up for that race. We register for that fitness class, or go outside our comfort zone and try a different form of exercise altogether. We take steps to change what we eat, we vow to drink more water, to get more sleep. We decide to take better care of ourselves—both mentally and physically—and slowly and surely we reach out goals, whatever our individual fitness and wellness efforts may be and wherever our journey takes us.

But do we celebrate these milestones along the way? Perhaps. But longtime personal trainer Amy Puckett, who lives in Holland, Mich., believes we can do a whole lot more of this. 

"I love seeing people gain an amazing sense of pride and accomplishment," says Amy, who surveyed thousands of women and asked what they do to celebrate when they reach a milestone. "To my shock, most of the responses were that they have never thought about celebrating. This didn’t sit well with me. I see so many women getting frustrated or burned out while on this betterment journey. I’ve narrowed it down to either they just aren’t celebrating or they are celebrating the wrong way—maybe a cheat day with the wrong or too much food, and I don’t mean kale. Naturally this would leave them feeling discouraged and worse yet, the next workout may suffer causing more frustration. This cycle has the potential to derail their whole health journey. I believe that there is a right way and a wrong way to celebrate. The right way will propel you forward on your journey not lure you off track."

Heather met Amy earlier this fall at the Holland Haven Marathon, Half Marathon and 8K. Both had booths at the race expo, which is held on race day. Amy's business is Milestones Gift Co., which designs meaningful gift boxes. Products are "handcrafted, beautiful, indulgent pieces – many of which are made exclusively for our Milestones customers," says Amy, who started the business about a year a half ago with her sister Kelly. "Every one of our items is carefully selected to bring you what you need to reach your next health milestone and help you celebrate at the same time. Each item is designed to help make your next workout better." 

Along with talking about Milestones Gift Co., Amy shares her own personal health and wellness journey, including how she had a hip replacement at a young age, and why she has such a passion for helping women reach their fitness and life goals. Most recently, she has taken an interest in working with women who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause—and what this means for their workouts.

Amy offers a special discount code to MRG Podcast listeners interested in a Milestones Gift Co. item, whether it's to celebrate a personal milestone or one reached by a friend. Learn more and view products here: https://milestonesgiftco.com

Find Milestones Gift Co. on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/milestonesgiftco/

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