Joe Hale has won the Dallas Marathon twice — and in 2025 came back from a year battling an Achilles injury to finish third in one of the most competitive fields the race has seen. In this episode, Joe takes us through his full running journey: from summer track in Grapevine at age seven, to building a marathon career on 140-mile training weeks. He breaks down race day 2025, the frozen glove incident on the lake, how the front pack split apart in the final miles, and what it actually takes to compete at the front of a major marathon as a non-professional. Honest, tactical, and packed with insight for runners at every level.

Braden Keefer's running story is one of redemption and consistency. After running mediocre times in high school and never making varsity, Braden quit running entirely in college—gaining 40 pounds, smoking American Spirits, and developing some unhealthy habits along the way.

But in December 2019, a girlfriend got him back on the track. What started as casual runs slowly turned into something more serious. Fast forward to November 2024, and Braden just ran 2:47 at the Indy Monumental Marathon—a 10-minute PR and a testament to what happens when talent meets structure.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why he never made varsity despite running cross country and track all four years
• The five-year gap where running wasn't part of his life
• Running his first marathon (3:08) with zero structured training
• The turning point: hiring coach Jeff Cunningham and joining Pegasus Running
• Building up to 80-mile weeks and learning to run easy
• His tactical mistake at Indy that cost him in the final miles
• Why he's targeting sub-2:40 at the Boston Marathon
• The importance of running for yourself, not comparing to others

Braden's message is simple but powerful: it doesn't matter where you start or how long you've been away from the sport. With the right community, coaching, and mindset, you can accomplish things you never thought possible.

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At just 20 years old, Jera Crandall ran 3:05:39 in her first-ever marathon at the 2025 Dallas Marathon—shattering the Boston qualifying standard by over 20 minutes and finishing 13th overall women and 6th in her age group. This race became deeply meaningful when Jera lost her father in early September during her training cycle, turning the marathon into a tribute to him and a way to process her grief.

This episode is brought to you by Rise Racing Co.

Join us for the inaugural Panther City Ultra at Marion Sampson Park on April 4th, 2025! Race director Rob Goyen is bringing true trail running to Fort Worth with distances from 5K to 50K. Experience natural trails, rocky terrain, and real elevation gain—capped at just 300 runners for an intimate trail racing experience.

This will sell out, so register now at https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra and use code DFW for 10% off your registration.

In this episode, Jera shares her unconventional path from competitive figure skater to distance running phenom. She opens up about running her first 5K in 19:28 with absolutely zero training knowledge, taking nearly a year off from racing to focus on skating, then deciding to become a "seriously competitive distance runner" after the 2024 Turkey Trot.

We discuss her methodical approach to the marathon—hiring coach Alfonzo Gonzalez Jr (Fonz) before even attempting the distance, nailing her carb loading and nutrition strategy, executing perfect pacing starting conservatively at 7:15 pace, and fighting through the brutal final 5K to achieve her goal.

Jera also talks about overcoming past struggles with disordered eating, the mental toughness developed through figure skating and her powerlifting background, her harrowing 14-mile training run where she got lost on the trails and had to be rescued by the Train Pegasus crew, joining the running community at White Rock Lake, and why she's waiting until 2027 Houston Marathon to race the full distance again so she can build raw strength and speed at shorter distances first.

Key Stats:

• First marathon: 3:05:39 (Dallas Marathon 2025)
• 13th overall women, 6th in age group
• Half marathon PR: 1:26:56
• 10K PR: 40:08
• 5K PR: 19:28
• Age 20

Topics Covered:

• Running 3:05:39 debut marathon and qualifying for Boston
• Dedicating the race to her late father
• Transitioning from figure skating to distance running
• Working with coach Alfonzo Gonzalez Jr (Fonz) and Train Pegasus
• Marathon nutrition: carb loading, fueling, hydration strategy
• Race pacing and execution through adversity
• Building 60-70 mile training weeks at age 20
• Overcoming eating disorder history through healthy training
• Running through grief and loss
• The importance of finding your running community
• Future plans: focusing on 5K-Half Marathon speed through 2026