I Quit ____ and Started Running
By Antonia de Heinrich
I Quit ____ and Started RunningDec 22, 2020
205: Meet My TriBe
In today's Episode, I am excited to introduce you to some of my favorite people on the planet. This is my running, cycling, triathlon TriBe (get it?) Erin, Staci and Sophie. Carol, unfortunately, was unable to join us this time but we hope to have her on in the future.
I was introduced to Erin Devincenzi in 2012 when I moved to Sonoma County after I had run my first and only marathon in Big Sur, in 2012. She received a well-deserved shoutout in my trailer for this podcast on coaching me to an age group 3rd place in my very first triathlon in 2013. Not only is Erin an incredible athlete and coach but also a mother of 3 and 4th grade teacher. Staci Fricker is in corporate finance and went from weighing 300lbs to completing 7 half and a full Ironman. Sophie Marion is a Mom of 2, a certified nutritionist and teaches French to pre-school kids. She is a beast of an athlete but just beginning to fight her way back after a very tough 2020….
This episode is the recording of a live Zoom we did on Sunday. Keep in mind, I haven’t seen Erin or Staci at all and Sophie only twice in over 18 months. Our plans to get together for a holiday gathering were foiled by the latest stay-at-home-orders in California so this is what we came up with. What a wonderful reunion it was – like no time has passed at all. While so much has happened in our lives over the most recent months, we did not miss a beat. With this, I invite you to tune in to our very personal, fun and lively catch up session, exchanging our stories of how we got into running and endurance sports, our friendship and plans for training and future races together.
Contact Info:
- Podcast Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/IQuitXandStartedRunningPodcast
- Join our private Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/quitsomethingstartrunning
- Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/antoniadeheinrich
- Share your story: quitxstartrunning@gmail.com
MY RACE Series - EP 3: 7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days
Welcome to Episode 3 of the “MY RACE series”. Have you ever heard of the World Marathon Challenge? In this race, you get to run 7 marathons in 7 days across all 7 continents. 7 consecutive days, that is. That’s over 183 miles within a 168 hour window. Runners cross 16 timezones and only have time to recover in between races on their flight to the next location. I had not heard about this race that starts in Antarctica and ends in Miami until I prepped for my interview with BethAnn Telford.
I was so fascinated with this World Marathon Challenge that I wanted to dedicate a My Race episode to it. And who better to tell the story of this incredible adventure than BethAnn herself. She ran the World Marathon Challenge in 2017 to raise funds and awareness for pediatric brain cancer research and dedicated all 183 miles to children battling with brain cancer. The 2017 itinerary started in Antarctica, then continued to Punta Arenas in Chile, followed by Miami, Madrid, Marrakech, Dubai and concluded with the final race in Sydney. I am so excited to welcome BethAnn back to recount her epic 2017 World Marathon Challenge. Her story was featured in Womens' Health magazine and countless news outlets before and after the race.
If you haven’t listened to my first interview with BethAnn, I encourage you to re-visit Episode 203 “BethAnn Telford: Running with Brain Cancer". You can also read up on her online, on her website teambt.org and follow her on Instagram @hope.is.my.word.
If you have any extraordinary race experiences you would like to share as a guest on this podcast, please email us at QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com or leave us a voice message with a brief introduction and an overview of your race story. On Facebook, head over to the I Quit X and started Running Podcast page and/or join the Quit Something Start Running! group to follow and share stories. It’s a great place to be inspired and inspire others with your transformation.
Womens' Health Article on BethAnn: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g19950462/world-marathon-challenge-bethann-telford/
BethAnn on ABC News:
- https://www.abc27.com/news/cumberland-valley-grad-to-run-world-marathon-challenge/?fbclid=IwAR1kxLirjYpVbvqsiNs2GrUJgzH80znkm99a7vpOzisOpFRATbjeyjdTrSU
- https://www.abc27.com/news/telford-successfully-completes-world-marathon-challenge/?fbclid=IwAR0UmpnHIhf3dKIDtBUFpMlFnILQa-LyvMDHLMxfU7OpHjaxL1zCkYmutYA
World Marathon Challenge: worldmarathonchallenge.com
204: A Chat with my BFF Shannon Rahlves about Life and Running
My guest today is one of my best friends, Shannon Rahlves. Sister of Worldcup Skier and Olympian Daron Rahlves, Shannon opted out of a career in ski racing after winning NCAAs and gaining the title of All American Skier at UC Boulder. Illness and injury were factors but neither deterred Shanon to pivot and explore her other athletic talents of which there are many, as I have witnessed myself. Not only is Shannon smart and beautiful inside and out, she’s as badass as they come. She’s a competitor through and through in whatever sport she tackles, yet she truly finds joy and peace in running, especially when she share the experience with her friends. And her dog, of course. I’m lucky to be able to call her one of my closest friends and to continue to make great memories skiing , running and traveling together.
To learn more about this podcast and my guests' stories, head over to the I Quit X and started Running Facebook page and join the Quit Something | Start Running group to follow and share stories. It’s a great place to be inspired and inspire others with your transformation and express interest in joining me as a guest on my podcast. Or you can simply email your story to quitxstartrunning@gmail.com.
203: BethAnn Telford: Running with Brain Cancer
BethAnn Telford from Fairfax, VA has been an athlete her whole life and started running when she moved to Washington DC for her job. While running the 2004 Marine Corps Marathon, she felt a popping sensation in her head at mile nineteen. The diagnosis was dire; she was told she had a malignant brain tumor, and was forced to take a time out from her normally active lifestyle to undergo surgery. Immediately after the surgery, although she had to teach herself how to walk again, BethAnn was determined to run again. A month after surgery, BethAnn entered a local 5K race, the first in what would be a long string of acts that would prove her unique strength and determination. A few months later, BethAnn completed the Marine Corps Marathon. Since then, she has not missed an MCM, completed several Ironman triathlons, including the Kona IronMan World Championships and was the only female with cancer to finish the World Marathon Challenge. Through her nonprofit fundraising organization Team BT, she raises money for the National Brain Tumor Society.
To learn more about this podcast and my guests' stories, head over to the I Quit X and started Running Facebook page and join the Quit Something | Start Running group to follow and share stories. It’s a great place to be inspired and inspire others with your transformation and express interest in joining me as a guest on my podcast. Or you can simply email your story to quitxstartrunning@gmail.com.
202: MS Might Take my Eyesight But it's Not Taking Away my Spirit
Kevin Maijer from Bunschoten, the Netherlands is 28 years old and earlier this year, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Damage to areas of the CNS (central nervous system) may produce a variety of neurological symptoms that can vary among people with MS in type and severity. In Kevin’s case, the part of the CNS that was damaged was his optic nerves. Within just a few months, he has lost 88% of this vision. Now, almost blind, Kevin is not only coping with adjusting to his new circumstances but he’s doing it with a positive attitude and by inspiring others with his experiences. He recently started a YouTube channel in which he documents his journey navigating MS through running with his guide runner and friend Leon, Crossfit and other exercise and daily tasks. Not only are his videos well made, they are informative, fun to watch and very inspiring! You can also follow Kevin on Instagram @kmaijer!
If you have had challenges in your life, that you have conquered by getting into running and/or have an extraordinary race experience you would like to share as a guest on this podcast, please email us at QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com or post your story in the Quit Something | Start Running Facebook Group.
201: From Shooting Up to Shooting for Kona
Kicking off Season 2 is today's guest, Noel Mulkey from Tulsa, OK. If you follow Noel on social media, you know the kind of athlete that he is. In only 5 years doing triathlon, he holds multiple Olympic Distance overall wins and course records in the south Midwest region. He was awarded All American triathlete for the past 3 years in a row and on his very first attempt at a Half Ironman distance, he qualified for the 2019 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice. And it all started with running in an attempt to lose weight and find himself again after detox and recovery from a hard battle with heroin abuse at a very young age. To follow Noel, check him out on Instagram at @noelmulkey and Tik Tok at @noelmulk0.
If you have had challenges in your life, that you have conquered by getting into running and/or have an extraordinary race experience you would like to share as a guest on this podcast, please email us at QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com or post your story in the Quit Something | Start Running Facebook Group.
MY RACE Series - EP 2: You know how Runners say "I'm just trying not to die". I actually did die.
On the morning of May 16, 2010, Ken Byk headed out of his house in Menlo Park to run the 99th Bay to Breakers, an annual 12K in San Francisco that stretches across the city from the SF Bay to the Ocean. The B2B is an iconic footrace that attracts over 60,000 participants every year, and for many, is more of a party than a running race. Ken had run this race with friends for years and, as he had every year, that morning, pulled on an orange Bucknell University T-shirt and dropped off his Golden Retriever Riley at a friend's house in the city before heading to the start area. Unlike other years, however, not only did his friends not run with him this time, Ken has no memory of this particular race. He may have had good reason to bail on the race as well. He recalls that he had gotten winded on one of his training runs. He wasn't too concerned though, since it occurred while running in Tahoe at over 6,000 feet of elevation and he had run a number of 12Ks before. And so he ran those 12K at the Bay to Breakers on May 16, 2010 but something terrible happened right after he crossed into the finish area....
112. I quit eating, started running and lost half my body weight within 1 year
111. When I drank, I worked out to stay fit. Now I run to stay healthy.
Jake is 27 years old and up until recently has battled with alcoholism fueled by anxiety that, according to him, was most likely related to his abusive childhood. From an early age on, he always enjoyed exercise as a way to get catch a break from the volatile home situation and cope with the stress that came with it. But it wasn’t until recently that he discovered the healing power of running - it surprised him.
MY RACE Series - EP 1: A 6-day marathon through the Moroccan Sahara
Welcome to episode 1 of my new sub-series titled “MY RACE”. Starting today, August 3 and going forward, every first Monday of the month, we will feature a specific race and my guest’s experience at that race. When David realized that the training required to break the 2:45 marathon time would impact his family and work life, he decided to increase his distance instead and began racing Ultras. His first being the Comrades Marathon in South Africa (89k/55mi) in 2012 and his latest the 2018 Marathon Des Sables, a 250k, 6-day marathon through the Moroccan Sahara which he is telling us about in detail in this episode
If you have any extraordinary race experiences you would like to share as a guest on this podcast, please email us at QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com or leave us a voice message with a brief introduction and an overview of your race story. We’re excited to hear from you!
110. My Truth on "Movement is Medicine for the Mind"
You may have heard Tricia's name in my very first episode when she was given a shoutout about talking me through the last few miles of my first (and only) marathon in Big Sur over 8 years ago. We’ve been friends for almost half our lives and while most of our friendship has been long distance between the US and the UK, we have been pretty great about keeping in touch. While we will always cherish our mid 2000s glory days in New York City, we are now growing even closer over launching into entrepreneurship and, of course, our passion for running and inspiring others to get moving. I had an idea then that Tricia was pretty remarkable but her mission now to motivate people to get off the couch AND give to charity just solidifies this belief. Stay tuned on the development of her app and let's help build her community on Instagram and Facebook!
109. Running Taught Me Resilience. And I'm only 19.
At 19, Tayler is my youngest to date and my first international interview, coming to you from Wales. For her young age, she has already been through more than many twice her age. In addition to spending almost all of her childhood in foster care and battling a eating disorder, she and her sister became victims of child abuse… by their own aunt. It took years but Tayler eventually turned to running to heal her emotional pain and now is running for Team NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty towards Children) and is training for the London Marathon.
108: I Ran to Be Skinny. Now, I Run to Be Healthy
Mackenzie is 26 years old and up until recently has battled with bulimia and, with that, an addiction to laxatives. While she ran on the Cross Country and Track teams in High School, Mackenzie’s relationship with running was certainly not a healthy one. Throughout her recovery, Mackenzie re-discovered running and has re-shaped her thinking around it. She was able to turn something that she used as a tool to enable her eating disorder into a passion that now helps her find mental peace, healing and relief.
107. What Running Taught Me about Self Worth
Suzanne was happily married with 2 beautiful daughters working as a nurse. She had what seemed like the perfect life. However, her inner demons had the upper hand until, one day, she said "no more". She lost the weight, she began her journey to sobriety and then trained for her first race. It was 18 miles and she never turned back.
106. Running For Positive Change
How can running be a positive driver for change? It starts with us, our individual mindset and mental disposition. If running can free us from feelings or stress, frustration, anger, fear and sadness, we can make space for feelings of joy, empathy and understanding. Maybe the willingness to understand others, being inquisitive rather than fearful and empathetic rather than defensive could solve some of the issues around ignorance, and insecurity that often can result in bullying and racism.
Authors referenced in the podcast are Brene Brown (Daring Greatly) and Mitchell S. Jackson (Twelve Minutes and a Life)
If you have had challenges or obstacles in your life, that you have conquered by getting into running, whether related to racism or other, we would love to hear your story. To enter, just email us at QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com with a brief introduction and an overview of your story.
105. From AA to saving my life One Day At A Time
At his young age of 32, Miguel has quite a bit of life experience under his belt. He started working at 14, witnessed alcoholism and drug abuse in his family, had twins at the age of 18 followed by legal trouble that put him on a road, he swore he would never take. In only 2 years, Miguel was able to turn life around, in large part thanks to running. Now, he is determined to help others do the same - check out his Facebook Page Staying Fit ODAAT.
104. I Quit Smoking and Ran in the Olympic Marathon Trials
“Just because I’ve been a smoker for over 10 years, doesn’t mean I cannot also become an athlete. Allow yourself to believe that that’s who you can be. You never know what you’re capable of doing until you try.” Paraphrased, not a direct quote from my conversation with Stephanie Andre, who ran in the Olympic Marathon Trials just this past February only 7 years after quitting smoking.
If you are a smoker or a future ex-smoker who wants to learn more about my program “Quit Smoking | Start Running”, go to www.antoniadeheinrich.com or join my Facebook Group Quit Smoking|Start Running!
103. Running helped me heal from grief. Now, I run for others.
Jacob started running seriously after his good friend and boss passed away from cancer. He was a cyclist and triathlete for cancer research and his journey to help others inspired Jacob to start his own. He started running, initially, to process his own thoughts and feelings. Running helped him cast away self doubt, saying that “it wasn't do much that I couldn’t do it, I just didn’t do it." Today, Jacob, is stepping up his training, working with a coach to run faster. Not only for himself, but more importantly, always for others, whether it be as a tribute in training or fundraising for a cause in a race.
102. Running gave me the courage to leave my abuser
Emily started running as a way to get out of the house and away from her abuser, literally and figuratively. Even during her darkest days, running was her anchor, the one thing she could count on. Join me as Emily recounts her remarkable journey from relationship hell to losing her children and being homeless to getting herself back on her feet and regaining happiness. All powered by…. RUNNING.
101. Antonia and her Podcast
Why I started running again and decided to make a podcast about it.
For more information, you can find me on Instagram (@antoniadeheinrich) and Facebook on my Podcast Page and my Quit Something | Start Running group.
Trailer - Introducing "I Quit ___ and Started Running"
Inspiring weekly stories from people who have turned to running to overcome obstacles in their lives.
If you have a story you would like to share with the world, please email QuitxStartRunning@gmail.com or leave us a voice message here!