Skip to main content
Conversation Pace

Conversation Pace

By V.O2

Conversation Pace is brought to you by the team at V.O2, a coaching app for runners of all levels, dedicated to making the world faster one runner at a time.

Our podcast brings you the stories behind athletes and coaches who have made a mark in the sport of running. We cover the circumstances, timing and situations that led them on this journey. Discover the keys to their success, what inspired them along the way and gain insights into the minds of these exceptional individuals.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Ann Centner

Conversation PaceMar 02, 2022

00:00
54:01
Ariane Hendrix
Aug 04, 202252:07
Sara Lopez
Jul 08, 202255:22
Blake Dircksen 2
Jun 15, 202252:31
Jason Martuscello

Jason Martuscello

Jason Martuscello is a researcher at BEESY Strategy, a behavioral science agency, conducting consumer and market research. After transforming his life by losing over 100 lbs. he became relentlessly determined to deeply understand the universal ingredients of behavior change. His weight loss has created a burning curiosity and passion to understand how we change and sustain behavior.

In just four years Jason got into running and completing marathons. He has since completed three majors (NYC, Berlin and Boston) with a PR of 2:46. He currently works coach Dylan Belles on V.O2.


Music Credit: Mike Quinn, Breakadawn

May 31, 202252:31
Pietro Gennenzi
May 18, 202253:28
Andie Cozzarelli
May 04, 202258:59
Chris Free
Apr 20, 202201:08:49
Leah Rosenfeld
Apr 07, 202258:25
Tom Black
Mar 25, 202249:07
Christina Welsh
Mar 16, 202225:34
Ann Centner
Mar 02, 202254:01
Dylan Belles

Dylan Belles

Dylan Belles is a distance runner and coach based in Flagstaff, AZ. He's currently one of the highest volume runners on V.O2 and also one of the most highly rates coaches on the platform. At the 2022 Houston Marathon he qualified for his second Olympic Trials with his 2:17:26 (6th American, 73.4 VDOT). 

Connect with Dylan at https://coaches.vdoto2.com/Dylan-Belles.

In this episode:  training leading up to Houston, living/training in Flagstaff, AZ, how he got into running/coaching, goals for 2022 and beyond and how he plans to approach them.

[Please note:  Due to technical difficulties volume is low on our host's audio using a back-up file]. 

Feb 23, 202259:37
Ron Loewen

Ron Loewen

Ron Loewen is an athlete and coach based out of Langley, British Columbia. He’s also a certified personal trainer with a specialization in biomechanics. He founded @GrittyRunClub, “running for the community,” and manages his private athletes on V.O2. In 2021, Ron was one of the highest mileage athletes on our platform so we connected to gain insights into his training.

“I’m obsessively interested in optimizing my own running patterns, economy of movement, and staying injury free.” Read more at news.vdoto2.com.

Feb 16, 202255:38
Kim Conley
Feb 09, 202253:48
John Reniewicki
Jan 19, 202249:47
Jared Hazen
Jan 13, 202257:48
Jessica Hofheimer

Jessica Hofheimer

Jessica Hofheimer is the founder of Pace of Me, an online coaching business helping athletes of all ages and experience levels, including her custom artwork for runners. She is an RRCA and VDOT Certified Coach and currently coaches her private clients on VDOT O2.

As a young woman fresh out of college, Jess struggled with depression influenced by a lack of self-belief and sense of purpose. Immersing herself in running empowered her to feel healthy, happy and strong. Since then she has completed over 20 marathons (ranging from 5:58 to 3:11) and countless other races from the mile to 50 miles. After a decade of being a distance runner (and getting married and having two kids), she decided to learn more about the science and principles behind running and racing your best. She got her first coaching certification in 2010 and she’s been coaching athletes of all abilities ever since.

In this episode we discuss:

-Her move to Raleigh and juggling work/family/virtual school during pandemic
-Starting and growing her online coaching business Pace Of Me
-Blending her passions, art and coaching (connect @paceofme)
-Her coaching philosophy and how she serves her athletes with a holistic approach


Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Mar 09, 202101:16:58
Stan Linton

Stan Linton

Stan Linton is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. In June 2019 he ran 2:18:45 at the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN. His 27-minute personal best at Grandma’s earned him a spot at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. He would go on to place 91st at the Olympic Trials despite not being ranked in the top 200. Since the Olympic Trials he has set personal bests in the 800m, 5000m, and half marathon.

While training on his own as a freshman in college Linton was determined to walk onto the cross country and track teams at Florida St. University. Linton started reading “Daniels' Running Formula” to learn more about training and devise his own training plans.

In March of 2014, Linton ran 15:04 in the FSU Relays, which earned him a spot on the FSU roster.

During his time running for the Seminoles, Linton transformed from local high school standout, to one of the best runners in the South Region. In his senior year, Linton picked up All-ACC and All-South Region honors in cross country, helping the Seminoles win the DI South Region Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division I XC Championships.

Current personal bests:

-5000m (Track) – 14:25 (Nov 2020, Solo Time Trial)
-Half Marathon – 1:04:31 (Jan 2021, Las Vegas Gold Half)
-Full Marathon – 2:18:45 (June 2019, Grandma’s Marathon)

In this episode we discuss:

-His experience in the Navy and fitness standards
-Settings PRs during the pandemic
-His athletic story and how he trained prior to reading Daniels’ Running Formula
-His success in college and beyond and his keys to going from 2:45 to 2:18 in the marathon


Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  
Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Feb 26, 202101:15:16
Caitlin Alexander

Caitlin Alexander

Caitlin Alexander, PT, DPT, CAFS is a physical therapist, multisport coach, and VDOT Certified Run Coach based out of Boulder, Colorado. She holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Certification in Applied Functional Science from the Gray Institute. She currently works as a physical therapist and biomechanical specialist at BUILD Sports Performance Labs outside of Boulder. She enjoys being able to help athletes reach their goals on multiple levels, whether it's curating a rehab plan to recover from an injury, or analyzing their running mechanics to make performance gains. Caitlin is also an elite amateur long-course triathlete and will be competing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii this fall.

In this episode we discuss:

-Her athletic story and transition to training at altitude
-Balancing triathlon training and how runners can benefit from cross training
-The future of PT
-The secret to better running, “Mostablity” or mobility + stablity, a term coined by the Gray Institute
-Nerve pain, referring as muscle, tendon or soft tissue problems, and how it represents 20% of injuries she treats
-The foot-brain connection

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Feb 17, 202101:08:22
Heather Knight Pech
Feb 10, 202101:01:17
Chris Miltenberg

Chris Miltenberg

Chris Miltenberg is one of the top collegiate coaches in the country. He is currently the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at the University of North Carolina. He held the same position at Stanford University from 2012-19.

Miltenberg is a 2003 graduate of Georgetown University and he earned a master’s in exercise science from Columbia in 2005. He captained the Hoyas’ track and field/cross country team for two seasons, was a two-time All-America and three-time Academic All-America. He went on to coach women’s cross country and track at his alma mater where he won the national title and was named National Coach of the Year in 2011. 

His teams have earned 10 podium finishes in NCAA Championship competition – Stanford men’s cross country had four, women’s cross country had two, women’s outdoor track had one and men’s indoor track had one and Georgetown women’s cross country had two. Stanford had nine NCAA top-five finishes in cross country (five consecutive for the men from 2014-18) and a dozen NCAA top-10 performances in track and field during his tenure.

In this episode we discuss:

-Moving to Chapel Hill and managing during the pandemic
-The recruiting process and the types of athletes he looks for
-When he developed his desire to coach
-Coaching style and how it's changed
-Transition to Stanford and lessons learned
-Challenges of rebuilding a program and growing a winning culture
-Expectations for his team in the short term

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  
Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Feb 03, 202101:09:12
James McKirdy
Jan 28, 202101:15:38
Amanda Rego

Amanda Rego

Amanda Rego is a professional runner and coach. She was a seven-time All American & NCAA runner-up at Florida State. In 2014 she was ranked 7th fastest American all-time in the indoor mile. She's a VDOT Certified Coach, a certified personal trainer and USTFCCCA Strength Coach.

Amanda currently lives and trains in Colorado Springs. She's an assistant coach at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and coaches athletes privately on VDOT O2. Much of her perspective on the sport, both training and coaching is driven by the adversity she has faced with injury setbacks.

Personal bests:  800m (2:04), Mile (4:26), 3,000m (8:56), 5,000m (15:54).

In this episode we discuss:

-Her personal experience getting COVID and how she manages mental health during the pandemic
-Her athletic story and what she’s learned along the way
-Her injury battles and dealing with hamstring syndrome

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Jan 21, 202101:09:05
Andrew Bumbalough, Part 2

Andrew Bumbalough, Part 2

Andrew Bumbalough, aka ‘Bumbi’, as he is affectionately referred to by friends and teammates, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee aspiring to be a soccer player. When he discovered his real talent was his ability to outrun opponents, he switched over to track and never looked back. In high school he was a two-time Footlocker finalist (runner-up in 2004) and also set the state record in the 3200m (8:46.47).

After graduating from Georgetown University in 2010 he moved to Portland to join the Bowerman Track Club. His first year as a professional he made the World XC Team and ran 13:16 in the 5000m. That year he also finished 4th at USA Champs in the 5000m and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Track Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Throughout his career he has been a consistent performer finishing in the top 5 at USA’s in the 5000m every year from 2011 to 2014.

Bumbi then shifted his focus to the marathon. He debuted at Tokyo 2017 with a 2:13:56 and followed that up in the fall with a 2:14:03 in Chicago. He also finished 5th at the legendary 2018 Boston Marathon.

At the beginning of 2021, Bumbi officially retired from competitive running and launched his new coaching business
HighGear Running.

In this episode (Part 2 of our conversation) we discuss:

-Becoming a professional runner and signing with Nike - 0:48
-Getting to Portland - 6:52
-Bowerman Track Club & the Nike Oregon Project -  6:39
-Controversy in the sport - 20:34
-Starting a family - 27:33
-Bowerman Track Club Youth - 35:20
-Launching HighGear Running - 42:38


Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Jan 14, 202153:30
Andrew Bumbalough, Part 1

Andrew Bumbalough, Part 1

Andrew Bumbalough, aka ‘Bumbi’, as he is affectionately referred to by friends and teammates, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee aspiring to be a soccer player. When he discovered his real talent was his ability to outrun opponents, he switched over to track and never looked back. In high school he was a two-time Footlocker finalist (runner-up in 2004) and also set the state record in the 3200m (8:46.47). 

After graduating from Georgetown University in 2010 he moved to Portland to join the Bowerman Track Club. His first year as a professional he made the World XC Team and ran 13:16 in the 5000m. That year he also finished 4th at USA Champs in the 5000m and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Track Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Throughout his career he has been a consistent performer finishing in the top 5 at USA’s in the 5000m every year from 2011 to 2014.

Bumbi then shifted his focus to the marathon. He debuted at Tokyo 2017 with a 2:13:56 and followed that up in the fall with a 2:14:03 in Chicago. He also finished 5th at the legendary 2018 Boston Marathon.

At the beginning of 2021, Bumbi officially retired from competitive running and launched his new coaching business
HighGear Running

In this episode (Part 1 of our conversation) we discuss:

How Andrew got into running - 1:53

Middle school practice - 9:17

Starting high school - 14:01

Using DyeStat as a motivating factor - 15:41

Winning the TN State title - 21:25

Competing on the national level - 27:30

College recruiting process - 33:08

Adapting to college training - 40:29

Favorite college race - 46:01

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Jan 12, 202149:38
Becki Spellman
Dec 26, 202058:17
Joost De Raeymaeker
Dec 21, 202001:05:08
Dan Green
Dec 03, 202056:43
Bob Kennedy
Nov 19, 202057:04
Kelly Roberts

Kelly Roberts

Kelly Roberts is the creator of the "Run, Selfie, Repeat" podcast, the free fitness movement the Badass Lady Gang and body-positive initiative #SportsBraSquad.

In 2009, Kelly’s younger brother unexpectedly passed away, and struggling to manage her grief, she gained more than 75 pounds. With the weight gain came insecurities and a new fight to regain her sense of self. Then one holiday morning, in an attempt to cope with her brother's absence and manage her grief and anxiety, she decided to go for a run. “I didn’t even reach the end of my block when, out of breath, I had to stop to walk. An hour and a half and three miles later I was home, feeling a sense of ease and clarity that I hadn’t felt since his passing.” Running has given her a way to manage her grief and remove the crippling shame from her body image.

Named by Women's Running as one of 20 women changing the sport of running and gracing the cover of the 2017 body issue, and by Competitor Magazine as one of 12 Influential and inspiring runners under 30, Kelly's mission is to inspire others to get embrace a healthy lifestyle and pursue the strongest version of themselves possible all while making them laugh hysterically.

In this episode we discuss:

-The Badass Lady Gang and how it evolved into such a powerful movement across the world
-How she got into running and coaching
-The types of runners she’s connecting with
-Growing her business
-Combatting the pervasiveness of diet culture in our society (this is her mission)
-Staying connected and motivated during the pandemic

Connect at https://www.balgcommunity.com/. Follow Kelly on Instagram @kellykkroberts

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Nov 12, 202001:01:48
Stephen England
Oct 29, 202001:12:16
Olivia Affuso
Oct 15, 202001:07:04
Dan King
Sep 25, 202001:13:38
Mary Johnson
Sep 14, 202057:37
Alvina Begay

Alvina Begay

Alvina was raised in the small town of Ganado on the Navajo Reservation. She grew up watching her father run and her mom pursue a nursing career. While her mom worked at the hospital in town, her father trained for marathons. Her parents and her community instilled a strong work ethic.

After running for Adams St. and Arizona St. and graduating with a BS in Nutrition, Alvina continued to run competitively as a Nike N7 Ambassador. This gave her a platform to give back to her community by promoting physical activity and proper eating.

Alvina is now a registered dietitian, private running coach and nurse with a masters in health administration.

In this episode we talk about her community, and how and why it has been so negatively impacted by COVID-19. We discuss getting into running, which at first thought, some might think would have been unlikely growing up on the reservation, but it turns out she was raised to run and endure. We get into her transition to college and how she endured some rough patches in the sport and then went on to give back to her community as an N7 Nike Ambassador.

Alvina's Running Resume:

  • Eight Top 10 U.S. road championships
  • 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials in the marathon
  • 10th female overall in the 2008 New York City Marathon
  • Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters
  • 10,000m: 32:34
  • Half Marathon: 1:12.25
  • Marathon: 2:37:14

You can connect with Alvina at:   https://coaches.vdoto2.com/alvina-begay

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Sep 01, 202001:10:46
Pete Rea
Aug 16, 202001:16:31
Matt Debole
Jul 16, 202001:17:23
Janet Cherobon-Bawcom
Jul 10, 202001:02:09
Cory Leslie
Jul 01, 202001:00:37
Rebeka Stowe

Rebeka Stowe

A native Kansan, Rebeka attended the University of Kansas, where she competed and trained from 2008-2012. Under the direction of Coach Michael Whittlesey, Rebeka's career as a Jayhawk flourished, earning a Big 12 Steeplechase Title in addition to Academic and Athletic All-American Honors. Her time as a Jayhawk came to an end 2012 US Olympic Team Trials, as a finalist in the Steeplechase.

Off the track Rebeka earned a number of honors, being recognized as a University of Kansas Woman of Distinction, Female Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, and University of Kansas Outstanding Female in Athletics. Rebeka was also named to the Big 12 Community Circle of Champions Circle.

Following her time at Kansas, Rebeka moved to the East Coast to pursue her professional running career under the supervision of Frank Gagliano, Tommy Nohilly, and the New Jersey New York Track Club.

Three years later, after narrowly missing the 2016 Olympic Trials she chose to stay on the East Coast to build as a coach. Athletically, she continued training with the direction of Jason Vigilante at Princeton University.

In 2017 Rebeka qualified for her 7th US Outdoor Championships where she competed in the Steeplechase. She is currently training for the 2021 Olympic Trials.

She continued to learn and diversify as a coach upon her move to the East Coast. Stowe began working with local youth programs, and spearheaded the development of a high school running program in the Princeton, NJ area.

Rebeka currently works with runners of various backgrounds, ages and aspirations, both individually on VDOT O2 and as a coach with NIKE Running in New York City. You can learn more about her private coaching at:  https://coaches.vdoto2.com/rebeka-stowe

Producer:  Andre Laboy
Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Jun 24, 202001:05:05
Luck of the Draw, Part 2
Jun 04, 202001:15:11
Luck Of The Draw, Part 1
May 22, 202001:18:41
Tobias Christensson
May 13, 202045:03
Esther Atkins
May 07, 202053:06
Stephen Kersh

Stephen Kersh

Stephen Kersh is a co-founder and photographer at rabbitwolf creative. He’s a former collegiate runner for the University of Portland and Georgetown. Upon graduating from Georgetown, he headed west to Flagstaff, Arizona to pursue his dream of competing at the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. Since then he’s called Flagstaff home, become a VDOT Coach and transitioned to ultra-marathon running.

In this episode, we explore the different training philosophies and methods Stephen endured. He was a bit undertrained in high school, then ran at two top caliber collegiate teams with very different approaches. Stephen talks about how he adapted and then transitioned into one of the best ultra runners in the country.

Beyond competing as an athlete he’s busy contributing to the sport as an author at CITIUS MAG and through his photography and videography at rabbitwolf. This summer his team will unveil, “A Time and a Place,” a film documenting HOKA NAZ Elite’s journey to the Olympic Trials in the Marathon.

Connect @stephenkersh or at his coaching page: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/stephen-kersh

Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Apr 28, 202059:08
Blake Dircksen
Apr 22, 202052:59
Harvey Nelson
Apr 15, 202052:57
Malindi Elmore
Apr 08, 202001:02:02
Checking In With Jack

Checking In With Jack

First up, the legend Dr. Jack Daniels. How could we launch our podcast with anyone else? Jack is a partner in VDOT O2, an inventor and scientist behind the formulas that power the VDOT paces and equivalent performances. Many of you already know a lot about Jack and his background as an Olympian and world-renowned exercise scientist and famous running coach. 

In this episode we check in with Jack to see how he’s holding up during this tumultuous time. He’s turning 87 next month. We talk about his daily routine now, shoveling snow in upstate NY, physical education and why he became a running coach. As always with Jack, the conversation leads to some great coaching and running tips. 

Song:  Breakadawn, by Mike Quinn

Mar 29, 202036:52