The Marathon Podcast is now proudly sponsored by Saysky Copenhagen. Use code TMP15 for 15% off at saysky.com.

Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN

Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb

Kristian sits down with Greg Schaefer, a 20 time Ironman finisher, former college basketball player, and Kona qualifier who was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's at 48 and has no intention of being defined by it.

Greg takes us from his first Ironman in Nice to the Kona race where his body started "whispering before it screams," through the phone call on a family vacation that gave him his diagnosis, and the strange sense of relief that came with finally having answers. He talks openly about medication, balancing advocacy with not wanting Parkinson's to be his whole identity, and how he fought his way back to training. We also get into running the Boston Marathon as an adaptive athlete two years in a row, including a first ever negative split on a sore Achilles, and what he's looking forward to at Kona this year.

In this episode:

- Racing Ironman Nice while recovering from surgery

- From college basketball to 20 Ironman finishes

- The Kona race where his body started sending warning signs

- The phone call that brought his Young Onset Parkinson's diagnosis

- Why he felt a sense of relief, and what the disease actually is

- Not wanting to be defined by Parkinson's

- Getting back to training and racing after diagnosis

- Running Boston twice as an adaptive athlete

- Raising over $100,000 for the Ironman Foundation

- Why Kona is the Super Bowl of the sport

Content note: this episode includes an open discussion of a serious medical diagnosis and living with a neurological disease. Please take care while listening.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and why this conversation stayed with Kristian

01:26 Kristian's own training update

11:08 A quick word on Saysky and the TMP15 code

11:59 Welcome to Greg

12:26 Racing Ironman Nice after hernia surgery and a torn ankle

16:19 Greg's introduction: 21 Ironmans, business, and family

18:44 Letting go of the basketball dream

29:15 How he got into Ironman

36:10 How his perspective changed over time

37:24 Kona 2019 and the first signs something was off

40:03 Kona: the race where his body "whispered"

42:33 The phone call: diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's

43:35 Feeling relieved as everything finally made sense

44:45 What Young Onset Parkinson's actually is

49:24 Medication and its trade offs

52:14 Not wanting to be defined by the disease

54:37 Getting back to training after the diagnosis

58:17 Running the Boston Marathon as an adaptive athlete

1:00:27 Qualifying with a downhill marathon in Vegas

1:02:23 Boston again: a negative split on a sore Achilles

1:16:48 Kristian's first Ironman and what Kona is really like

1:20:49 Kona, the Super Bowl of the sport

1:22:35 Raising over $100,000 for the Ironman Foundation

1:23:04 Closing thoughts and good luck at Kona

Greg's website: https://gregoryschaefer.com

Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwick

Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns

Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs

Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY

The Marathon Podcast is now proudly sponsored by Saysky Copenhagen. Use code TMP15 for 15% off at saysky.com.

Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN

Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb

Kristian brings you a bonus episode just hours after recording, sitting down with Charlie Sweeney, who became the fastest American in Berlin Marathon history with a 2:09:33, for a conversation Kristian says he's never been more excited to share.

Charlie walks through his path from a disappointing Olympic Trials experience, where he arrived under fueled and banged up after failing to properly recover from the high of qualifying, to nearly stepping away from the sport entirely. He opens up candidly about the period that followed, working a normal job and running just a few easy miles a day, and how pacing his now partner Elise's workouts reignited his love for running and eventually led him back to racing marathons. The conversation covers his current training with coach David Roche, peaking around 150 miles a week, the uphill treadmill sessions that have become central to his build, and his approach to simulating race effort using a treadmill grade calculator.

In this episode:

- Becoming the fastest American in Berlin Marathon history

- A difficult Olympic Trials experience and the fallout that followed

- Nearly stepping away from running altogether

- How pacing his now partner Elise's workouts brought him back

- Returning to the marathon and rediscovering the love of the sport

- Training under coach David Roche and peaking at 150 miles a week

- The uphill treadmill sessions behind his breakthrough

- Using a treadmill grade calculator to simulate race effort

- Balancing elite training with a full time job at Coros

- What comes next as he looks to keep improving into his thirties

Timestamps

00:00 A preview: what a good day on the track looks like now

00:18 Welcome and introducing Charlie Sweeney

02:02 Kristian's own training update

04:23 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen

05:16 Welcome to Charlie and why this episode means so much

11:38 Charlie's background and his job at Coros

20:55 Working at a running brand that takes hiring seriously

21:17 The Coros and treadmill integration, explained

45:24 Introducing Elise and her role in his coaching

46:42 Qualifying for the Olympic Trials on the first attempt

48:13 Riding the high of qualifying, then crashing afterward

50:01 A difficult Olympic Trials experience

50:36 Finding a new coach and stepping away from running

51:48 Pacing Elise's workouts and falling back in love with the sport

52:00 Deciding to return to the marathon

53:13 Training under coach David Roche and peaking at 150 miles a week

2:11:20 Building toward three races in one block, including Berlin

2:13:17 The uphill treadmill sessions behind his training

2:17:33 Using a treadmill grade calculator to simulate effort

2:23:48 Looking ahead to getting even better in his thirties

2:24:19 Closing thoughts and thank you to Charlie

Treadmill grade calculator: https://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/

The other episode mentioned, for more on Charlie's training: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qF8kurf3VzibAsJYWnmty?si=cdfb5255ec2d4d3b

Charlie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cls1423/

Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwick

Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns

Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs

Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY

The Marathon Podcast is now proudly sponsored by Saysky Copenhagen. Use code TMP15 for 15% off at saysky.com.

Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN

Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb

Kristian sits down with Rebecca Schmitt, the winner of Puma Project 3's Berlin cohort, fresh off a 2:27:38 marathon that made her the first American and 17th overall, just two and a half years after barely breaking three hours in her first Boston.

Rebecca shares her late start in competitive running, coming back to the sport at 29 after years away, and how a sub three hour Boston in 2024 became the turning point that pushed her from 40 mile weeks into serious marathon training. She walks through the rapid mileage progression that followed, her experience as part of Puma Project 3 in Berlin, from the gear and nutrition resources to race day itself, and the moment she crossed the finish line not even realizing she'd just run the fastest American time of the race.

The conversation closes with her honest, ambitious outlook on what's still ahead in her thirties, including a dream of breaking 2:26:50.

In this episode:

- Coming back to competitive running at 29 after years away

- Running a sub three hour Boston in 2024 and the turning point that followed

- Going from 70 mile weeks to 100 mile weeks within a year

- Being selected for Puma Project 3 and what the support actually included

- Nutrition and gear resources she didn't expect from the program

- Race recap: running 2:27:38 and becoming the first American finisher

- Not realizing she'd finished first American until after the race

- Fueling strategy on race day: gels, electrolytes, and pacing

- Why she believes she's still far from her ceiling in her thirties

- Chasing a dream of breaking 2:26:50

Timestamps

00:00 SaySky discount code and podcast sponsorship

00:45 Welcome and introducing Rebecca Schmitt

02:04 Kristian's own training update

03:21 Welcome to Rebecca and congratulations on Berlin

04:27 Reflecting on her breakthrough performance

05:12 Being part of Puma Project 3's Berlin cohort

06:36 Nutrition and gear resources she didn't expect

09:32 Rebecca's background as an engineer and late start in running

13:12 A sub three hour Boston in 2024 and the turning point

13:38 Going from 70 to 100 mile weeks within a year

26:46 Crossing the finish line and not realizing she'd finished first American

27:42 What it felt like to find out she was the first American

43:59 What's next and how fast she can go

44:30 Her dream of breaking 2:26:50

45:03 Finding inspiration in women racing well into their thirties

Rebecca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaschmitt0/

Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwick

Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns

Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs

Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY