Your breathing is not just background noise. It is a lever you can pull to change your heart rate, calm your nervous system, and stay in control when a run starts to feel “spicy.”

I’m joined by Lynn Kinney, LCSW, longtime endurance athlete, and the steady voice behind our Mindful Moment Wednesdays. Together we unpack breathwork and meditation in a way that actually fits real life: quick two to three minute resets, guided options for racing thoughts, and a simple rule that makes breathing practices more effective for stress and recovery. We also talk heart rate variability (HRV) and wearables with a healthy dose of perspective so you can use your data without giving up your own intuition.

Then I take it straight to the roads and trails. We dig into nasal breathing as an easy-run and zone 2 intensity check, plus what to do when nasal-only breathing is not realistic because of allergies, congestion, or a deviated septum. You’ll learn practical, run-specific rhythmic breathing patterns (3-2 for easier efforts, 2-1 for hills and intervals), how to avoid panic breathing, and the form cues that make better breathing feel more natural: tall posture, relaxed jaw, soft shoulders, and a steady exhale.

If you want better endurance training, smoother pacing, and a stronger recovery routine, start with the one tool you always have with you.

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It’s Day 3 of Mayday Miles: Wind-Down Wednesday. ✨

Today is your permission slip to let your body and mind exhale.

Your mission: add gentle movement, mobility, or recovery. Try a recovery walk, stretching, yoga, foam rolling, mobility work, or a few easy movement snacks throughout the day.

Today’s add-in: add stress release.

That could be breathwork, meditation, journaling, a breathing break, quiet time outside, legs up the wall, gentle stretching before bed, or choosing the lower-pressure version of movement today.

Check-in prompt:
Today I’m winding down with ________.

Suggested workout playlist is included with today’s Mayday Miles email.

To be entered for today’s prize, complete the prompt and check in by 10 PM ET by replying to the daily email or commenting on the dedicated daily thread in The Stride Collective.

Recovery counts. Gentle counts. Breathing counts.

Not signed up yet? You can still join and be eligible for the days you complete.

Join here:
https://runningnewsletter.myflodesk.com/maydaymiles

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Welcome to Day 2 of Mayday Miles! ✨

Today’s theme is Fuel & Flow, because we are not powering through Maycember on stress, vibes, and leftover coffee alone.

Today’s mission: add easy movement or a strength snack. Walk, run, run-walk, stretch, do mobility, strength train, or sprinkle in exercise confetti throughout the day.

Today’s add-in: add fuel or hydration.

That could be protein, produce, extra water, electrolytes, a balanced snack, or a real meal instead of the classic “standing in the kitchen and calling it lunch” situation.

Check-in prompt:
Today I’m fueling with ________.

Suggested workout playlist is included with today’s Mayday Miles email.

To be entered for today’s prize, complete the prompt and check in by 10 PM ET by replying to the daily email or commenting on the dedicated daily thread in The Stride Collective.

You can still join Mayday Miles and be eligible for the days you complete.

Join here:
https://runningnewsletter.myflodesk.com/maydaymiles

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Day 1 of Mayday Miles is here! ✨

Today’s theme is Mayday Mission, and we are starting exactly where we are.

Your mission: add 10 to 30 minutes of intentional movement. Walk, run, run-walk, stretch, strength train, dance in the kitchen, or sprinkle in exercise confetti throughout the day.

Today’s add-in: choose one thing you want to add this week to feel more supported.

More water? More protein? More sunshine? More movement? More recovery? More consistency? More connection? More grace?

Check-in prompt:
Today I’m adding ________.

Suggested workout playlist is included with today’s Mayday Miles email.

To be entered for today’s prize, complete the prompt and check in by 10 PM ET by replying to the daily email or commenting on the dedicated daily thread in The Stride Collective.

Not signed up yet? You can still join and be eligible for the days you complete.

Join here:
https://runningnewsletter.myflodesk.com/maydaymiles

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Maycember hits hard, so we build a free five day reset that protects your rhythm with small movement and small add-ins that actually fit real life.

We trade perfection and restriction for support, community, and a plan that helps you feel better heading into summer.
• Why May feels like “Maycember” and how calendar chaos derails routines
• What Mayday Miles is and what it is not
• The “add instead of cut” question for movement, hydration, fuel, and grace
• Flexible options for walking, running, run walking, stretching, and mobility
• The five daily themes from Monday through Friday

Community, accountability, celebrating small wins, and why prizes are included

Join Mayday Miles here: https://runningnewsletter.myflodesk.com/maydaymiles

You're welcome to invite a friend. In fact, please do.

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Your toughest mile rarely needs a lecture. It needs a voice that cuts through the noise at the exact right time. Coach Christine sits down with Emily, co-founder of the Hollarhype app, to talk about what happens when encouragement stops being a post-run comment and becomes real-time support that lands in your ears mid-hill, mid-workout, or mid “I might quit.”

Emily explains how Hollarhype works: you go live before you start, your people get a notification, and their short voice messages stream over your music without you touching your phone. No typing, no scrolling, and no pressure to respond. We unpack why the one-way design is the secret sauce for accountability and motivation, especially for runners who want community but do not want another chat thread to manage. If you have ever wanted race-day energy on a random Tuesday track session, this is for you.

We also go deeper than running. Emily shares how the same real-time voice messages can support someone through weekly medical treatments, caregiving, and other uphill moments when in-person connection is not possible. We talk about the practical side too: how choosing the right group, adding an honest status, and giving a little context helps your hype squad show up with more personal, meaningful messages. Then we look at how nonprofit endurance teams use tags and shared communities to connect runners across races and fundraising missions.

If you want a smarter way to stay consistent with training, mental health-friendly movement, and real community support, hit play. Join the Extraordinary Strides Hollarhype community here.

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Coming back to running after a break can mess with your head in a way nobody warns you about. You’re not just rebuilding fitness, you’re facing the memory of what running used to feel like and the fear that maybe you “lost it.” I’m Coach Christine, and I’m back behind the mic after my own unexpected hiatus to say the quiet part out loud: most of us don’t quit, we just lose momentum, and once it slips, everything starts to feel harder than it should.

We talk about why that happens, how the running routine fades one busy week at a time, and why the gap grows when you wait for the perfect moment to restart. I also pull inspiration from the biggest moments in the running world like record-breaking marathons and the simple truth behind them: extraordinary performances are built on years of showing up, layer after layer, not one magical day. The good news is you don’t need to chase a PR for that principle to change your life. You can use it to rebuild your own consistency, even if your next win is a run walk around the block.

You’ll leave with practical mindset shifts and doable next steps to restart running without overthinking: lowering the bar so you can start today, leaning on community for accountability, and making it fun again when “Maycember” chaos makes everything feel urgent. I also share what’s coming next for Extraordinary Strides, including a runDisney series on the vibe of each race weekend, the return of Murder Mayhem And Miles with Cold Cases and Hot Paces, plus a little “The Comeback” playlist gift to help you press play and move.

If this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a comeback, and leave a review. And seriously, send me a text or voicemail with what you want to hear next and what you’re rebuilding right now.

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What if collecting your stars didn’t require juggling hotel hunts, expo lines, and start-time puzzles? We sit down with Destiny2Sport founder Victor Ortiz to unpack a smarter way to run the world; from Berlin’s fast streets and Chicago’s walkable logistics to New York’s electric maze, Tokyo’s quiet precision, Boston’s legendary grind, London’s all-out roar, and Sydney’s shiny new major status.

As a former soccer player turned triathlete and marathon tour operator, Victor shares the practical moves that save energy when it matters most: stay near the start in Tokyo, arrive by Thursday in Berlin to beat jet lag, fuel for NYC’s long pre-race wait, budget for Boston’s premium finish-zone hotels, and time the London expo so you can enjoy the Tower Bridge crescendo without missing aid stations.

We get tactical about course profiles, pacing traps, and on-the-ground choices that make or break the weekend. You’ll hear how room blocks close to finish lines change everything, why a Friday shakeout is more than a photo op, and how flexible group itineraries let introverts and social butterflies thrive. Sydney’s expo lessons, smarter merch runs, and those finish-line photos by the Opera House? Covered. Plus, a peek ahead at Cape Town and Shanghai as likely new majors, and what that means for entries, pricing, and planning your next racecation.

If you want your training to show up on race day, cut the logistics noise and protect your focus. Tap into Victor’s blueprint, choose hotels that serve your legs, and surround yourself with a community that knows the route from lobby to start corral to the medal. Want to learn more about a tour package with Destiny2Sport? Head to their website here.

Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, share this episode with a friend chasing their stars, and leave a quick review to help more runners find us.

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