In this special bonus episode, Stephanie talks to her run coach Jessica Reyes about her 2025 Chicago Marathon experience. Stephanie and Jessica talk about the prep for Chicago, the race itself, and how shifts in mindset helped turn an unexpected Chicago Marathon experience into memorable one full of gratitude. Enjoy our conversation and thanks for listening.

• To watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tZ5zr28oTzM

About Stephanie Diaz:

Stephanie is an RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) and McMillan Running certified running coach with over 10 years of running experience. Additionally, Stephanie is a yoga teacher with advanced certifications in yoga for athletes, Yoga For All, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra. Stephanie believes that to be a runner is to believe in your possibility as a human through movement. Her favorite running distance is the half marathon (13.1 miles/21 kilometers).

• https://www.instagram.com/thecookierunner/
• www.thecookierunner.net

About Jessica Reyes:

Jessica Reyes is an RRCA certified running coach, NASM certified personal trainer with additional corrective exercise and pre/postnatal certifications. My primary goal is to assist athletes of all abilities in reaching their running goals and dream, all while providing unwavering support to my team of accomplished femalecoaches.

• www.sugarruns.com
• https://www.instagram.com/sugarruns
• https://www.instagram.com/teamsugarruns

Season five of the Runner’s Round Table will be all about Hot Takes and this episode is The Mental Side of Running Edition. In this episode Stephanie speaks with PT and run coach Leah Avery about perfectionism in running, how our worth as humans isn’t connected to how we perform as runners, and how to find joy in your current season of running.

(Excuse my cough breaks that sound like extended silences; my cold wanted to make a last stand!)

Please support this podcast with a rating, review, or a share. Until next time, don’t forget to run happy, run strong, and run true to you.

To watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uZthil5Q_EI

About Stephanie Diaz:

Stephanie is an RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) and McMillan Running certified running coach with over 10 years of running experience. Additionally, Stephanie is a yoga teacher with advanced certifications in yoga for athletes, Yoga For All, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra. Stephanie believes that to be a runner is to believe in your possibility as a human through movement. Her favorite running distance is the half marathon (13.1 miles/21 kilometers).

• https://instagram.com/thecookierunner/
• https://thecookierunner.net

About Leah:

Leah has been a practicing PT for over a decade which is also when she began her running career. Prior to that she was a competitive swimmer starting at the age of 8 and retired her senior year of college. During her career she was a D1 All American and competed at the Olympic Trials. Leah’s athletic career was anything but linear and she faced many hardships which originally led her to a career in physical therapy. However, after starting her running journey, it was clear she had an unhealthy relationship with athletics largely because of past as a young athlete. Her mission is to help runners reach their potential in a healthy manner by treating the person, not just the runner. And help them understand that running adds value to our lives but it is not what makes us valuable.

• https://www.instagram.com/leah.runs.dpt/
• https://www.trainsmartrunstrong.com/work-with-leah

In this Bonus episode of the Runner’s Round Table Stephanie speaks to runner and newly minted author Robyn Godfrey about her recently published book, “Running the World”. This conversation covers Robyn’s journey to achieving a Six Star Finisher medal and explores themes of being a runner, the importance of self-care, running as an adventure, and how running prepares us to handle the hard moments in life.

Please support this podcast with a rating, review, or a share. Until next time, don’t forget to run happy, run strong, and run true to you.

To watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2ECHQFk1LpE

About Stephanie Diaz:

Stephanie is an RRCA (Road Runner’s Club of America) and McMillan Running certified running coach with over 10 years of running experience. Additionally, Stephanie is a yoga teacher with advanced certifications in yoga for athletes, Yoga For All, and Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra. Stephanie believes that to be a runner is to believe in your possibility as a human through movement. Her favorite running distance is the half marathon (13.1 miles/21 kilometers).

• https://instagram.com/thecookierunner/
• https://thecookierunner.net

About Robyn Godfrey:

Robyn Godfrey is an accomplished runner, RRCA Certified Level 1 coach, and motivational speaker who began her running journey at the age of 47. What started as a personal quest to improve her health and overcome her relationship with alcohol soon evolved into a remarkable achievement: completing seven marathons, including the prestigious World Marathon Majors — London, Chicago, Berlin, Boston, New York, and Tokyo.

A dedicated member of the Wilmington Road Runners Club since 2013, Robyn has made a significant impact by coaching and pacing runners, helping them unlock their potential and reach their goals. In addition to her coaching, she has volunteered with organizations like Girls on the Run, empowering young girls to grow both physically and personally through running.

Robyn's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. She proves that success is not about speed or placement but the courage to keep going, regardless of the challenges. Her story inspires others to find strength in the process and pursue their dreams, one step at a time.

• https://www.instagram.com/beachy_runner
• https://www.worldmajormarathonfinisher.com/
• "Running The World" book