In this episode, we speak with longtime Academy member Cari Masek, who ran her first marathon after being inspired by an episode of this podcast. Running has changed her life — giving her the confidence to set goals, dream big, and inspire others.

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

June 3 is Global Running Day and UCAN is doing their biggest sale of the year! Get 40% OFF sitewide with code MTA40. Stock up on long-lasting, easy-on-the-gut fuel, including the NEW Strawberry Kiwi and Citrus Energy Gel + Electrolytes.

Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed with the Altra Fit, with room for your toes for comfort, balance, and strength. Use code MTA10 for 10% off. And Stay Out There with Altra.

AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2.

Cari Masek is an avid runner, race pacer, and coach. She races every distance from 5k to 50k, with her favorite being the Half Marathon. Having completed over 100 half marathons, she is currently working on a ONE STATE goal to run every half in Ohio.

She volunteers as a pacer at seven local half marathons, a race director at two local races, and as a coach for three different kids programs. She has been the head coach of the Centerville Striders Elementary Cross Country team for fourteen years. Knowing she is making a positive impact on the next generation of runners (k-6th grade) means more to her than any personal accomplishment.

Cari ran her first marathon after being inspired by an episode of the Marathon Training Academy and would say running has absolutely changed her life too, teaching her to set goals and dream big. The running community is the best and she is grateful to be a part of it.

In this episode we share our top three gear picks, running books, favorite marathons, runners we admire, interesting things we’ve found on a run, embarrassing running mishaps, daily healthy habits and more!

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

Previnex -makers of Joint Health Plus and Muscle Health Plus -two products I take every day that help me maximize my recovery and performance as a long distance runner. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order.

Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed with the Altra Fit, with room for your toes for comfort, balance, and strength. Use code MTA10 for 10% off. And Stay Out There with Altra.

IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.

In this episode we speak with bestselling author Martin Dugard about the inspiring people who made running mainstream. The first NYC Marathon only had 127 runners (only 1 woman). Now it draws over 50,000 runners (half of whom are women) and over 2 million spectators. Martin Dugard explains how we got here. Hear about Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit, Grete Waitz, Bill Rogers, Jim Ryun, and others.

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed with the Altra Fit, with room for your toes for comfort, balance, and strength. Use code MTA10 for 10% off. And Stay Out There with Altra.

AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2.

Lagoon Sleep -With Lagoon pillows, you’ll fall asleep faster because you’re matched with the pillow that will be most comfortable for your sleep position and body type. Use the code “MTA” for 15% off your first purchase.

Martin Dugard is the author of a dozens #1 NYT bestsellers. He is a Fellow of Great Britain’s Royal Geographical Society, board member of USA Track and Field Foundation, and a high school distance running coach.

His new book is called The Long Run: Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit, Grete Waitz, and the Decade That Made the Marathon Cool.

In this episode Angie and Trevor discuss the watershed moment that just happened at the London Marathon when two runners smashed the 2 Hour Barrier in the marathon. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya ran 1:59:30 and Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia finished 2nd in 1:59:41! How did we get to this moment and what can we learn from it?

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

MetPro.co -get a complimentary assessment and consultation with a metobolic coach.

Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed with the Altra Fit, with room for your toes for comfort, balance, and strength. Use code MTA10 for 10% off. And Stay Out There with Altra.

IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.

AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2.

Trevor and Angie here just jumping into your podcast feed with an important announcement! Do you dream of running the Authentic Athens Marathon? This coming November we are teaming up with Dean Karnazes for a special tour for listeners to the MTA Podcast. Join us in Athens, Greece, for 7 days of running, sight-seeing, trying amazing cuisine, and hanging out with other likeminded runners (and spouses).

The trip starts on November 5th and ends November 13th 2026. The tour is near capacity so please email us soon if you want to go!

SEE THIS PAGE FOR DETAILS: https://www.marathontrainingacademy.com/athens-marathon-tour-with-mta-and-dean-karnazes

The Authentic Athens Marathon follows the historic route from the seaside village of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. This route commemorates the legendary feat of the marathon runner Pheidippides, who, according to tradition, ran from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to announce the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon, before collapsing and dying of exhaustion.

Our host Dean Karnazes is author of the book The Road to Sparta -Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run That Inspired the World’s Greatest Footrace. Dean has been featured on The Today Show, 60 Minutes, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS News, CNN, ESPN, The Howard Stern Show, NPR’s Morning Edition, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the BBC, and many others. He has appeared on the cover of Runner’s World, Outside, and Wired magazine’s, and has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, Men’s Journal, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal and the London Telegraph, to mention a few.

In this episode we speak with Sara Hall about her new memoir ‘For The Love Of The Grind’! Sara won the Master’s Division at the 2026 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:31:55.

Sara Hall has been competing for over twenty years and has been nationally ranked for almost three decades. She is a previous American record holder in the Half Marathon when she ran 1:07:15 at the Houston Half in 2022. Sara and Ryan Hall live in Flagstaff, Arizona, and have four adopted daughters from Ethiopia.

For the Love of the Grind is a love letter to running, and the story of Sara’s growth as an athlete, wife, and mom.

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

UCAN -Try the FREE UCAN Trial Sample Pack which includes bars, powders, gels, and hydration products — 6 total items. Just pay shipping. Save 25% on your entire order with code MTA.

Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed with the Altra Fit, with room for your toes for comfort, balance, and strength. Use code MTA10 for 10% off. And Stay Out There with Altra.

IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.

AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2.

In this episode, Trevor and Angie take you behind the scenes of what happened after Trevor completed his first marathon in 2011. Flashback with us to a sub-4 breakthrough in New Orleans, road trips to Alaska, running through the Olympic Stadium in Munich, trail adventures in the Alps, and the incredible listener community that literally hosted us in their homes from Missoula to Switzerland. You never know what running a marathon will lead to next!

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

Lagoon Sleep -With Lagoon pillows, you’ll fall asleep faster because you’re matched with the pillow that will be most comfortable for your sleep position and body type. Use the code “MTA” for 15% off your first purchase.

Previnex -makers of Joint Health Plus and Muscle Health Plus -two products I take every day that help me maximize my recovery and performance as a long distance runner. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order.

Drury Hotels -where the extras are not extra! Use our link to save 10% on your stay.

In this episode we speak with Mike Wardian -the 51 year old adventure runner who recently set the record for fastest 50k on Seven Continents in Seven Consecutive Days! He’s also planning to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA Running Coach.

Air Doctor Pro air purifier: use promo code MTA to get UP TO $300 off today! AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty—an $84 value, free!

IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.

Michael Wardian short bio: Husband, Father, Ship Broker, Sponsored Elite Runner (sponsored by Teva), Speaker, Running Coach, Chess Player, Pickleballer, Beekeeper, Guinness World Record Holder, Race Director, Dog Runner. Wardian has set 25 Fastest Known Time running records in five countries and he races frequently at multiple distances. He has won national championships at 50k, 50 miles, and 100k. He has completed the 7 Continents Challenge three times, set a FKT on the AT, and has run across the US.