Episodes

  • 107: Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon w/ Gabby Averill

    107: Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon w/ Gabby Averill
    Jan 12 2026

    Gabby’s running journey didn’t start with a finish line goal or a desire to be fast. It started after stepping away from Division I college sports, when the structure she’d built her identity around suddenly disappeared and movement no longer had a clear purpose.

    In this episode, Gabby walks us through what it looked like to relearn running on her own terms. From seeing running as punishment growing up, to signing up for a half marathon on a whim, to slowly building confidence through consistency, community, and letting go of pace expectations. Over the course of a few years, that approach led her to her first marathon at the Every Woman’s Marathon in Arizona, where she focused on fueling well, smiling often, and finishing strong without a time goal attached.

    We talk about pace inclusivity, why slow and steady actually works, how community shaped her training and race day, and what it meant for her to cross the finish line feeling proud without tying her identity to one result. This is a conversation about rewriting what success in running can look like, especially for former athletes learning how to move without a coach or a clock.

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me!
    https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    48 mins
  • 19: How To Set Your Next (or first) Marathon Goal (Mini Epsiode)

    19: How To Set Your Next (or first) Marathon Goal (Mini Epsiode)
    Jan 7 2026

    It’s a New Year mini episode and we’re talking marathon goal setting! In this episode, I break down why time goals are not the only goals that matter and how relying on a single goal can set yourself up for failure.

    We walk through a simple three-layer approach to marathon goals: outcome goals, process goals, and the personal why that actually carries you through the long runs and hard weeks. If you’re feeling motivated one minute and overwhelmed the next after signing up for a marathon, this episode is for you.

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me!
    https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    6 mins
  • 106: 26 Before 26: Trusting Yourself Back to Running w/ Kelly Waddleton

    106: 26 Before 26: Trusting Yourself Back to Running w/ Kelly Waddleton
    Jan 5 2026
    Kelly Waddleton never thought she was a runner. She was the slowest kid on the team, hated conditioning, and fully stepped away from running in college. Years later, during a tough mental health season and a moment where she needed something solid to hold onto, running quietly found its way back in. What started as a scary decision to sign up for a half marathon with her dad turned into momentum, confidence, and eventually a bold goal of running 26 miles before turning 26.

    In this episode, Kelly walks through her full journey to the Philadelphia Marathon, from rebuilding consistency, navigating injury and nausea, trusting her body without a rigid training plan, and leaning on family, faith, and self belief when things got hard. We talk about hitting the wall, redefining success on race day, and what it means to carry every past version of yourself across the finish line. If you’ve ever thought “maybe one day I’ll run a marathon” but weren’t sure you were capable, this one might feel uncomfortably relatable in the best way.

    Follow along with Kelly on Instagram at @kellysproductions !

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me:
    https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    39 mins
  • 105: When Peak Week Breaks You: Dropping to the Half and Coming Back for 26.2 w/ Andie Becker

    105: When Peak Week Breaks You: Dropping to the Half and Coming Back for 26.2 w/ Andie Becker
    Dec 29 2025
    This week Andie Becker is sharing a story that will feel painfully familiar to anyone who’s ever made it deep into a training block only to have everything fall apart right at the worst moment.

    Andie didn’t grow up a runner. She found running later, first as something to do during lockdown, then as a way to feel more connected to her body and her community. What started as “just running for fun” quickly turned into half marathons, run clubs, and eventually signing up for a full marathon in her home state of Oregon. But when peak week hit, her body said no. She made the tough call to drop down to the half in Eugene, trusting her fitness and listening to what her body needed, even if it wasn’t the original plan.

    In this conversation, Andie walks through the decision to start over, what she changed the second time around, and how community carried her all the way to the start line of the Marine Corps Marathon. We talk about balancing training with real life, learning when to listen to your body, and what it feels like to finish your first marathon on a day that doesn’t go according to plan, but still counts in every way that matters.

    Follow along with Andie on Instagram and Tiktok at @anderbecks!

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me! -> https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    55 mins
  • 18: Guided Body Scan For Your Next Long Run (Mini Episode)

    18: Guided Body Scan For Your Next Long Run (Mini Episode)
    Dec 24 2025
    This Wednesday mini episode is for those long runs where your mind starts wandering, the miles feel heavier, and everything turns into pace math and quiet spirals. I'm guiding you through a simple body scan you can use while you’re running to check in from head to toe, soften unnecessary tension, and come back to the moment you’re actually in. It’s a gentle reset you can return to anytime you need to feel grounded, steady, and reminded that forward is still forward.

    Follow along with the show:
    Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me! -> https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    5 mins
  • 104: Running Without Rushing: A Joy-First Marathon Journey w/ Ariel Greenstein

    104: Running Without Rushing: A Joy-First Marathon Journey w/ Ariel Greenstein
    Dec 22 2025
    Ariel Greenstein didn’t grow up as an athlete. She didn’t fall in love with running early. And for a long time, movement just wasn’t part of her life. But in her early 30s, something shifted. What started as Broadway-themed Peloton classes during the pandemic slowly turned into outdoor runs, then half marathons, and eventually a very intentional, very patient build toward her first marathon at the Chicago Marathon.

    In this conversation, Ariel walks us through what it looks like to take your time with the sport. She shares how releasing pace and time expectations helped her actually enjoy running, how documenting her slower-paced journey online helped other runners feel seen, and why community, strength training, and consistency mattered far more than rushing to the next distance. We talk about training with a run group, navigating the mental side of marathon prep, handling tough long runs, and what it was like to race 26.2 miles through her home city with zero pressure beyond finishing and having fun.

    This episode is a reminder that anybody can go the distance, that there is no timeline you need to follow, and that running can be something you build slowly, joyfully, and on your own terms.

    Follow along with Ariel at @arielgreenstein_ on Instagram and TikTok!

    Follow along with the show:
    Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me! -> https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    54 mins
  • 17: My Top 3 Winter Running Hacks (Mini Episode)

    17: My Top 3 Winter Running Hacks (Mini Episode)
    Dec 17 2025
    This week’s Wednesday mini episode is all about making winter running a little more bearable. I’m breaking down my top three cold weather running tips that I’ve been sharing in my December daily running tip series, from keeping your hands and feet warm, to starting your run slightly cold on purpose, to fueling earlier than you think when temps drop.

    I also share a simple bonus tip that makes a huge difference once you get home from a cold, sweaty run. If winter miles feel harder than they should, this one’s a quick listen with practical hacks you can use right away.

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me! -> https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    4 mins
  • 103: Running as Resistance: Health Battles, Healing, and a First Marathon w/ Heather Anderson

    103: Running as Resistance: Health Battles, Healing, and a First Marathon w/ Heather Anderson
    Dec 15 2025
    Heather Anderson’s running journey didn’t start with a training plan or a finish-time goal. It started with survival. From growing up running with her mom, to using running as a lifeline through trauma, chronic illness, surgery, and multiple injuries, Heather’s first marathon was built on years of resilience. In this episode, she shares how running became an act of resistance against everything trying to pull her away from herself.

    We talk about racing without time goals, rebuilding trust in your body after illness and injury, and why finishing your first marathon can feel more like a beginning than an ending. Heather’s story is a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep showing up.

    Follow along with Heather on Instagram at @hip_bean

    Follow along with the show:
    👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
    🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
    📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
    🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources

    Book a free 1:1 Coaching Call with me! -> https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=37408473&appointmentType=85354440
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    1 hr and 12 mins