Chill Track Friday

The Doctor Is In: A Conversation with Dr. James Kinderknecht, MD

Dr. James Kinderknecht, MD is a physician of Primary Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. Dr. Kinderknecht has 30 years of experience caring for athletes of all ages and levels. He is a team physician for the New York Giants; the current medical director for the HSS outreach program for high schools participating in the Public School Athletic League in New York City; the medical co-director of the HSS Sports Safety Program and he is the program director of the Primary Sports Medicine Fellowship at HSS. With all of these appointments and accolades, you could say that youth athletics, education, and helping to support and facilitate active lifestyles for the New York City community are all important to Dr. Kinderknecht.

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This is a fascinating and intriguing conversation about health, athletics and injury. It is also a delightful conversation about coaching, the importance of mentorship in creating opportunities for diversity in sports, the value of fun over achievement, as well as the importance of the human element in medicine.

Special Episode: Ask A Coach

You asked, we answer. Join us for a special episode in which Ann and Ali answer all of your training questions. We cover topics such as stretching and tapering, the benefits of caffeine, as well as offering a few mental tricks for race day performance. This episode is filled with experience and suggestions, a few gaffes and even some unedited bloopers. We hope you enjoy this special edition show.

Grit and Grace: A Conversation with Megan Foster

Artist, teacher, Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, and now mother, Megan Foster returns to the podcast. A lot has happened since we first interviewed Meg in October 2019 (see Episode 29: "The Artist at Work"): two knee surgeries, one c-section, and a pandemic. Meg has resumed toeing the line, however, getting to that line has not been easy. We talk about it all in this beautiful episode. This is a conversation about grace, resiliency, competition, adapting, and coming to terms with the very real possibility that a passion could have become out of reach.

 

Meg was also one of four women featured in our live panel discussion at Custom Performance in New York City on February 9, 2020. To listen to the recording see Episode 37: "Women Run The World."

Craving Community: A Conversation with Stephanie Shiau

When Stephanie Shiau moved to South Orange, New Jersey in the autumn of 2019 she left her New York running community behind. Having trained with a group for several years, Stephanie knew the magic and transformation that comes through training with others. Not wanting to miss out on this camaraderie and growth, Stephanie immediately searched for a running community in her new neighborhood. What she found, however was an opportunity to create a running community and, thus, SOMA Fox Running Club was born.

Stephanie Shiau is an epidemiologist at Rutgers School of Public Health where she teaches and mentors graduate students. It’s not a surprise that she would teach and mentor individuals in another realm about which she knows a lot: running. Stephanie is a founding member and head coach of SOMA Fox Running Club, which serves South Orange / Maplewood and the surrounding New Jersey neighborhoods. SOMA Fox Running Club is not just any running club, though. Their mission is twofold: to promote and extend the joys of running to everyone, and to give back to the community. As such, and because they believe that all people should have access to healthy food to achieve their own goals, a percentage of all funds raised by SOMA Fox Running Club goes to their charity partner, MEND - Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity.

This is a story about leadership, courage in creating community during a global pandemic, inclusivity, service, compassion and the power and joy that arise when a community supports one another.

”Runnin‘ Down A Dream”: A Conversation with Ana Johnson

Part of the elite field at the 2021 New York City Marathon, Ana Johnson has been a talented runner from her very first race. At this year’s marathon, which was not only the 50th Anniversary of the New York City Marathon, but also a five-borough celebration of the city itself, Ana ran 2:44:11 - thirty seconds faster than her time on the same course in 2019.

Ana moved to New York from Torreon, Mexico at the age of 18 to learn English. She is now an oncology nurse at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center. Raised by marathoners, Ana's running achievements are impressive and inspiring. So is her determination and will in the rest of her life. This is a story about chasing dreams, falling in love, falling in love with running, being open, being positive and how one woman used running to cope with a terrifying year as a healthcare worker during the pandemic in New York City.

Greg McMillan: The Art of Coaching

Chill Track Friday is back with legendary coach, Greg McMillan, M.S. Greg holds a masters degree in exercise physiology with a research focus on the determining factors of distance running performance. Greg is one of the best running coaches around, using his expertise in exercise science to create scientifically-based training programs that are individualized to runners of all abilities, from new runners all the way to age group and pro runners.

Greg is also an accomplished runner. His accolades include: National Trail Marathon Masters Champion (2009); 2:31:58 marathon; 1:10:28 half marathon; 30:57 10000m; 14:55 5000m; 3:57 1500m; and 1:57 800m. He has coached over 10,000 Boston Qualifiers (and counting); 14 National Champions; athletes training for the Olympic Trials; Olympic Games; World Championships; Pan American Games, to name a few. Greg is the creator of the McMillan Running Calculator and the head coach for the McMillan Run Team. He has authored five books, was a senior writer for Running Times Magazine and is a consulting expert for numerous publications such as Runner’s World Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Outside Magazine, and Men’s Health. Greg is currently creating a McMillan Coaching Certification program.

This is a practical and helpful conversation with one of the best distance coaches alive. Greg shares with us his journey from runner to coach. He explains the importance of adhering to training paces, developing a racing strategy, and the power that the mind has on our performance. If you are looking for thoughtful, methodical and intelligent guidance, this is the conversation for you.

Sean Hamilton: "Running Through The Woods, The River Gentle On My Mind"

In November 2020 Sean Hamilton went to secluded Dunn Lake, British Columbia looking for something. What that something was he did not know, but he followed the strong pull that was begging him to retreat into nature. Sean remained alone in the woods until the end of December. The lessons gained from his solitude may only ever be fully known to him, but while spending this time by himself, Sean ran mile after mile and produced a beautiful book of poems, or as he refers to it, “a training log and corresponding field notes.” “Running Through the Woods, The River Gentle on My Mind” is a poignant personal meditation on a particular place and time. Though the book holds the reflections of one man, the questions raised are perhaps universal questions and ones to which immediate answers may not be available. Perhaps, instead, as Rainer Maria Rilke wrote in “Letters to a Young Poet” we will “gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” This is an intimate conversation about transformation, solitude, loss, creativity, inner strength, the beauty of nature, and one man’s reflections on his relationship to all of it.

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Shoulder Season:

“I am a wanderer,

lingering between homebody and vagabond,

unfixed to a permanent address.

 

I am a shoulder season,

shifting without prolonged expectation,

untethered from assumption or prediction.

I am March 20^th,

hovering on the final page of the chapter,

unpredictable as to what may come.

 

I am at a loss,

lusting to be freed from the cage of specificity,

unchained to title, category or subspecies.

 

It’s just earth and weather and water and beings.

I am a part of it.”

 

Running in Retrospect: A Conversation with Jason Suarez and Duy Nguyen

Jason and Duy are professional photographers who became friends through social media. When COVID-19 paralyzed the globe, they decided to collaborate on a project that would memorialize the moment while providing work for their photographer colleagues. Thus "Long Distance" was born.

“'Long Distance' is a collection of stories and photographs, told and taken by runners across the world during the pandemic. 176 pages on uncoated recycled paper; featuring 28 cities and 34 stories; perfect bound, offset-printed” with contributions from 25 photographers and more than 30 writers.

Our conversation with Jason and Duy is a story about a project that defies its subject; a project that allows people all over the world who have been forced into isolation to come together in a new way. The conversation is also a reflection on friendship, creative partnership, and the intricacies and surprises that occur when two photographers venture into magazine publishing. "Long Distance" is more than a magazine: it is a love letter to running during a time that none of us will ever forget.

Renegade Running: A Conversation with Victor Diaz

Victor Diaz and his business partner, Bolota Asmerom, recognized that something very important was missing from their Oakland, CA, running community: representation for people of color. They founded Renegade Running with the mission of creating a welcoming space that’s responsive to the diverse population it serves. Located among retail stores and artists’ work-spaces, Renegade Running is much more than a place to buy shoes. It is a community hub, a destination, and an ethos. It is a space where people can ask questions, discuss current events, and push the sport of running forward in ways that appeal to more people and include all people. With a slick aesthetic, cool programming, and a carefully curated list of brands, Renegade Running is edgy and elegant; more importantly, the store actively engages with the surrounding neighborhoods and supports all of that community’s members.

With over twenty years of public-education experience, community organizing, and competitive running under his belt, Victor knows how to listen to his neighbors and understand their needs. (Oh, and by the way, he’s also really fast!)

Renegade Running is about activism, artistry, creativity, functionality, expression, merchandise, and partnership, and it’s definitely making running cool again. Through this unique venture, Victor Diaz is contributing vast amounts of time and energy to his sport, his community, and far beyond.

Faster As a Master: A Conversation with Jen St. Jean

Jen St. Jean has been running since she was 12 years old. She joined the middle school cross-country team with only three meets left in the season and came in third at that year’s league meet. Jen went on to achieve All-New England status by the end of high school. She subsequently ran track and cross-country at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she was Conference Champion in several events.  After college Jen ran for an Olympic Development team during which she ran her PRs of 2:08 in the 800m and 4:19 in the 1500m. Jen took a long break from running to pursue a career and to raise a family. In 2013 she decided it was time to return to racing and by 2016 she had decided on a new goal: to become faster as a master. Jen is currently an elite masters runner with a master’s mile PR of 4:54 and 4:37 for 1500m. Jen’s success is due no doubt to raw talent, but it is her wisdom, experience, determination and her mental toughness that allow her to get the most from her talent. In this conversation Jen offers a plethora of information about training and racing but what shines through the most is her unique outlook on running, success, pursuing goals and making tough decisions. 

Leadership in Service to Others: A Conversation with Coach Chris Forti

Chris Forti, also known as “40” is an integral member of the New York City running community. As a Team Coach for the Dashing Whippets Running Team, and in his capacity as a USATF official, Chris helps to enrich the lives of so many people in New York City, and beyond. Chris is a true leader, understanding that teamwork is about inclusivity, both in background and in pace, and that coaches have certain responsibilities to their athletes and teams. Chris discusses in great detail, and with expertise and humor, all things track, including how to deal with the current state of racing. We are in a challenging time right now and this conversation about camaraderie and finding joy in what we do is a welcome reprieve. 

Massage Therapy for Maintenance: A Conversation with Claudia Chapel, BCMT, ISP

Massage therapy is a crucial ingredient for reaching peak performance. Runners are good at running. We are disciplined and dedicated. We pound miles and miles on the roads and trails hoping that our body will perform at its best on race day. When our dedicated workout time ends, however, we often rush off to jobs, families, and other responsibilities. In all the hustle and bustle, recovery and injury prevention can slip through the cracks but how can we expect our body to reach peak performance if we don’t give it the time and resources to recover from our training efforts?

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Meet Claudia Chapel. Claudia is a muscular therapist and sports performance specialist who has been in practice for over 25 years. Claudia combines muscular therapy, strength and conditioning, motivational coaching, and nutrition to help her clients tap into their potential. Claudia has worked multiple times as the therapist to the US Olympic Rowing Team, the US Olympic Track and Field Team, and the US Paralympic Cycling Team. She has worked also with the US Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Teams, and has been the coordinating therapist for the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation since 1994. Claudia is also an animated story teller and one of the most nurturing people you’ll meet. A client of hers for more than seven years, we consider Claudia a dear friend as well. This is an enlightening conversation about taking a holistic approach to training, and the importance of incorporating soft tissue work into your recovery regime. Thank you for all the miles, Sparky. Love, CTF.

Growing Up Alongside Sport: A Conversation with Judy Stobbe

Judy Stobbe is a dynamic individual and a world class runner. On the track she is steady, strong, and at the top of her game, regularly producing race times of 90 percentile and above. Judy specializes in the 800m, the 1500m and the mile. In August, Judy was named the USATF Masters Track Athlete of the Month. Off the track, Judy is similarly engaged and successful. She is kind, nurturing, informed, intelligent and funny. Judy knows what she is doing and is generous in sharing her wisdom and experience. Discovering her love of running during the implementation of Title IX, Judy has been a pioneer from the beginning. This is a lively conversation about longevity, showing up, and remembering the joy in running. It is also a hopeful reminder of how far we have come and how, with interest, hard work and focus, we can continue evolving and improving.

Meet Ann Restak, Chill Track Friday co-host.

From a shy kid to a courageous risk-taker, Ann Restak’s journey is full of stories that personify the ideals of grit and hard work.

Listen to Ann as she unpacks the various stages of her life with an appreciation of the journey and its teachings along the way. Whether it be on the tennis court at the age of 10, as a student of art history, or running the best race of her life, Ann is a competitor at heart. But what’s most amazing is her take on what competition means and how she uses it to improve not just herself, but also to help others on the journey with her.

This is an episode full of heart and passion that will encourage listeners to say “YES” to any challenge that may seem a little too scary for now.

Live and Learn: A Conversation with Enzo Amara

A few hallmark values at Chill Track Friday are: hard work, the pursuit of excellence, enjoying the journey, and using the process of training and racing to learn about the sport, and ourselves. The running career of today’s guest perfectly exemplifies these values.

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Enzo Amara is a recreational runner who began his running journey as a result of observing those of others. Ever since, Enzo chooses a race goal, commits to his project completely, learns as much as he can and then applies that newfound knowledge to the next goal. This sounds so easy, but it is not. Enzo has a humble and matter-of-fact approach to his training and racing that will keep him excelling. He is open to learning, to taking risks, and he doesn’t get stymied by unexpected or disappointing results. Enzo does not give up, however his experiences have taught him how to “bend in the wind” in order to get the best out of himself. Enzo is a really interesting person who has a great outlook on life and a self-aware sense of humor from which his running clearly benefits. This is a really enjoyable episode that is inspiring and funny.

The Art of Mentoring: A Conversation with Bobby Asher

“Great mentors help others understand why they do what they do, and urge them on. Through the ups and downs of life, motivation can be gained from setting a good example for others. Knowing that people look to me for advice inspires me to explain why it is that I get out the door to run. Some days its simply better than sitting on the couch. Other days it may be to test the limits of my body and spirit.”

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Bobby Asher is a talented coach. He takes pride in coaching everyone - from the novice runner to the experienced marathoner.  He brings to his coaching style a deep gratitude for his own coaches and mentors. A hallmark quality of Bobby’s coaching philosophy is that he learns as much from his athletes as they learn from him. This humble approach creates an athlete-coach relationship that fosters trust, confidence, true transformation, and a willingness to take risks - all of which are hallmark ingredients for success in running.
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Bobby has 23 years of experience as a competitive runner and over ten years of experience coaching. He runs all distances from the mile to the marathon. Notable personal bests are: 4:29 indoor mile; 15:05 indoor 5K; 30:54 outdoor track 5K; 1:09.49 half marathon; 2:38.35 marathon (ING NYC Marathon 2009). Bobby was assistant coach for the 2007 SUNY Plattsburgh Women's Cross Country National Runner-Up. He has coached multiple Boston Qualifier athletes and multiple first-time marathoners.

Fanning the Competitive Flames: A Conversation with Mark Williams

Mark Williams is one of the nicest people we’ve ever met. He is also one of the fastest. An elite masters track and field middle distance runner, Mark holds many New Jersey state and national titles in the 800m, the 1500m and the mile, both indoors and outdoors. He is the USATF Masters 2019 Middle Distance Athlete of the Year and he is a member of the world record indoor M40-49 4 x 800m team (7:49.90 with 1:55.75 split). Mark loves competition and he loves inspiring others to seek it for themselves. As we enter the sixth month of canceled races due to COVID-19, competition seems like both a distant memory and a far-off goal. This episode will remind you of all that it means to the toe the line: the dedication, the passion, the nerves, the thrill, and the curiosity. Thank you, Mark. May we race now?

The Philosophy of Running: A Conversation with Mike Scher

We’re honored to share this thoughtful conversation with our friend, who is also one of our very first coaches, Mike Scher. Mike is a post-collegiate runner who specializes in the mile and the 5K and who has since tested the waters of longer distances.

 

This episode deviates slightly from our usual format - we’re not the only ones asking questions! Join us as we discuss running, life, coaching philosophy, goals, the pros and cons of GPS watches, and THE MARATHON! 

 

Stay home. Stay safe. 

Positively Sixth Street: A Conversation with Stacey Younge

Running is a great outlet for a broad spectrum of emotions. It can be the foundation of a beautiful life, helping us learn and grow and heal. Sometimes, however, when things are particularly challenging, we may need more than just the rhythmic and comforting sounds of our own footfall. Sometimes we need to learn skills and insights from a professional who can help us navigate stressful times. These are stressful times requiring us all to reorient and adjust. We at Chill Track Friday want to support you during this difficult time and so we thought it would be nice to speak with Stacey Younge, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Sixth Street Wellness in New York City. In this episode Stacey shares many tools for navigating the uncertainty in which we find ourselves. Stacey is a compassionate therapist with a practical and warm approach to living through the current global pandemic. Grab a cup of coffee, wrap yourself in a blanket, and enjoy this episode at home, on the couch.

Virtual Healing: A Conversation with Custom PT

Thousands of businesses all over the world are trying to navigate the current COVID-19 public health crisis during government-mandated closures of “non-essential” businesses. How do you serve your clients though, when your business is all about physical touch, and manual therapy and manipulation? Custom PT is a leading physical therapy business in the heart of New York City…and the heart of the running world. Always at the forefront of therapeutic technique and innovation, Custom PT has adapted to this new virtual world in ways that allow them to support and empower their patients in creative and engaging ways. If you’re an athlete wondering what to do with your training during this pandemic, this episode is for you. Custom PT’s virtual programs extend beyond the boundaries of geography and athletic experience. This is a really wonderful conversation that reminds us that we are not alone, that our support teams are eagerly and quickly adapting to a new world, and that wherever you are in your journey, both in life and in athletics, there are wonderful people running small businesses who are excited to help.
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Featuring: Dr. Kathleen Leninger, PT & DPT; Wendy Winn, PT, OCS, and Director of Operations; Greg Laraia, Athletic Trainer and Running Consultant.