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

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 Stephanie Bruce, a professional runner of over 15 years and now the head of Project Stamata, supported by Tracksmith, for a conversation Kristian calls pure gold for runners at every level.

Stephanie shares her path from a reluctant, unmotivated high school runner to a national champion and longtime pro at HOKA NAZ Elite, and opens up about the sudden loss of her father during her senior year of high school, a moment that changed how she approached the sport. She talks candidly about building a life around running as a mom of three and serial entrepreneur, from co-founding Picky Bars to now leading Project Stamata, a program supporting women chasing the 2028 Olympic Trials. The conversation turns into a genuinely useful masterclass on marathon training, including the one thing Stephanie says matters more than any workout: fueling.

In this episode:

- A special Boston Marathon cutoff time announcement

- From an unmotivated high schooler to a national champion

- Losing her father suddenly during her senior year of high school

- Building a life in running as a mom of three and serial entrepreneur

- Co-founding Picky Bars and years as a pro with HOKA NAZ Elite

- Leading Tracksmith's Project Stamata for future Olympic Trials qualifiers

- Finding the balance between hardcore dedication and living a full life

- Why fueling, not training, is the biggest thing that makes or breaks a marathon cycle

- The most common under fueling mistake she sees in athletes

- What's next: a national team spot and racing New York in the pro field

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introducing Stephanie Bruce

02:10 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen

02:17 A special Boston Marathon cutoff time announcement

06:52 Welcome to Stephanie and the idea behind this series

09:05 How she landed the role leading Project Stamata

11:19 Stephanie's introduction: 15 years as a pro, mom of three

14:00 An unmotivated high school runner living on Chick-fil-A

14:10 Her father's cancer diagnosis and declining health

14:53 The sudden loss of her father during her senior year

29:07 Finding the right level of dedication for each phase of life

31:07 Diving deeper into her professional running career

36:34 What it means to have Olympian next to your name or not

51:11 The most important thing in marathon training

51:54 Why fueling makes or breaks a training cycle

52:44 The most common under fueling mistake she sees

2:13:10 What's next: a national team and racing New York

2:14:20 Closing thoughts and thank you to Stephanie

Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephrothstein

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 is back from the Berlin Marathon with a special solo episode: a recap of the elite race, followed by an honest look at what race weekend in Berlin is really like for a runner.

He starts with the elites: Tigst Assefa's course record 2:11:04 and the Achilles injury that came to light afterwards, Guye Adola's 2:02:50 personal best, and former Nordic combined athlete Jakob Lange running 2:13:57. Then Kristian walks through his own weekend, from the expo and the Puma and Saysky activations to the Run and Rave shakeout, and the mistakes and lessons he'd pass on to anyone racing Berlin. He wasn't racing it, so his own run was a 16k progression inside a marathon that ended in 2:53, followed by a candid reflection on why that still left him feeling mediocre.

In this episode:

- The elite race: Assefa, Adola, and a big result from Jakob Lange

- Why Sabastian Sawe missed the race

- Meeting the Saysky team at the Berlin expo

- How the Berlin expo works and the wristband tip that gets you free public transit

- The Puma activation and the Run and Rave shakeout

- Race morning: when to actually show up at the start

- Why the plastic cups and one sided aid stations are a problem

- Running a 16k progression inside a marathon

- Comparison culture and feeling mediocre after a 2:53

- Would he recommend Berlin?

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and what this episode covers

00:50 Meeting Tony from Saysky in Berlin

03:41 The elite women: Tigst Assefa's course record

05:31 Assefa's Achilles injury and surgery

06:05 Women's results and the fastest German woman

07:15 The men's race: Adola wins in 2:02:50

07:46 Sabastian Sawe out injured

09:56 Jakob Lange: from Nordic combined to 2:13:57

11:36 Dextro Energy and the Pfeiffers' withdrawal

13:44 Kristian's own Berlin weekend begins

14:43 The expo at the old airport

15:38 Keep the wristband on: free public transit

18:44 Big brands and the Wahoo Kickr Run

21:27 The Puma activation and the sub 4 challenge

22:52 Meeting the Puma Project 3 team

24:15 Running with Ron Runs NYC and a bottle service tip

26:03 Why he likes Berlin more this time

27:39 Saturday shakeouts and marathonweekend.com

30:23 The Puma Run and Rave

33:14 Watching the inline skating race

33:42 The mistake of forgetting throwaway clothes

36:07 The plan with his coach: a 16k progression

40:04 Race morning and how early to arrive

45:14 A flat, fast, crowded course

46:03 Aid stations and the plastic cup problem

51:54 Running the progression too fast

56:23 Dancing with the crowd through the last 10k

57:31 Finishing through the Brandenburg Gate

58:34 Feeling mediocre after a 2:53

1:01:57 Congratulating the Puma Project 3 winners

1:02:45 Final thoughts on Berlin and what's next

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 Rachel McCardell, a Puma Project 3 athlete and Olympic Trials qualifier, just days before she lines up at the Berlin Marathon.

Rachel shares what it's meant to be part of Puma Project 3 and the running community around it, and opens up about the incredible influence of her college coach at Northwestern, a conversation that Kristian says gave him chills.

She talks through her Olympic Trials qualifying race in Chicago, a six minute personal best run with her teammate pacing her the entire way, and how the mindset lessons from her college program have stayed with her well beyond running.

The conversation closes with her honest, low pressure approach to goal setting heading into Berlin, and the sub 2:30 time quietly sitting in the back of her mind.

https://www.instagram.com/rachel_mccardell/

In this episode:

- Being part of Puma Project 3 and the community around it

- The Northwestern cross country coach who transformed her mindset

- Lessons on teamwork, gratitude, and making hard work fun

- Qualifying for the Olympic Trials with a six minute PR in Chicago

- Having a teammate pace her through the entire race

- Learning to stop putting pressure on time goals

- Fueling and nutrition lessons from the Puma Project 3 resources

- Her honest, low pressure approach to Berlin

- The sub 2:30 time quietly in the back of her mind

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introducing this Berlin special with Rachel

01:38 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen

01:50 Welcome to Rachel, seven days before Berlin

03:28 How it felt to be selected for Puma Project 3

05:09 Fueling: the biggest takeaway from the project

10:05 Deciding to run marathons to stay with her community

10:19 Qualifying for the Olympic Trials in Chicago with a 2:34

11:11 Her teammate Mitch pacing her through the entire race

11:52 The Northwestern coach who gave Kristian chills

17:35 Lessons on teamwork, fun, and gratitude that stuck with her

37:09 Fueling and nutrition lessons from the project

58:03 Race day nutrition strategy explained

1:04:10 Sharing the Chicago moment with her teammate

1:04:51 Her goal for Berlin and why she won't verbalize a time

1:07:03 The sub 2:30 quietly in the back of her mind

1:07:19 Closing thoughts and good luck in Berlin

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 Christopher Brenk, a Puma Project 3 athlete heading into the Berlin Marathon off the back of a 2:17 personal best in Eugene, for a genuinely unique running story: from Division 3 college racing to training at altitude in the highest city in the United States.

Christopher shares how a spontaneous application with his college teammate turned into a Puma Project 3 selection, and what it's meant to suddenly have shoes, gear, and a community built around his marathon racing for the first time. He walks through his path from a small Division 3 program at St. Olaf, through years spent in Sitka, Alaska and Utah, to now living and training in Laramie, Wyoming, the highest elevation D1 city in the country. The conversation covers what it's actually like adapting to serious altitude training, how he thinks about carb intake and race nutrition heading into Berlin, and the strange in between space of running elite times without seeing himself as a professional.

In this episode:

- Getting selected for Puma Project 3 alongside a college teammate

- Having shoes, gear, and a community for the first time

- A Division 3 college running background and an unconventional path

- Years spent living in Sitka, Alaska and Utah before Wyoming

- Moving to the highest elevation city in the US for altitude training

- What it's actually like adapting to serious altitude

- Balancing running with a full time job at the university registrar

- Race nutrition strategy and carb intake heading into Berlin

- Chasing a new personal best at the Berlin Marathon

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introducing Christopher Brenk

01:00 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen

02:13 Kristian's own training week update

08:26 Welcome to Christopher and a wifi mishap

10:08 How it felt to get selected for Puma Project 3

14:04 Running a 2:17 marathon while not seeing himself as a pro

19:12 A Division 3 college running background

19:59 Years spent in Sitka, Alaska before Wyoming

20:00 Moving to Laramie for altitude training and his girlfriend's masters program

52:15 Living and training in the highest city in the US

53:39 Adjusting workouts to account for the altitude

57:07 Whether the altitude benefits are finally paying off

1:16:46 Race nutrition strategy and carb intake for Berlin

1:19:02 Closing thoughts and good luck in Berlin

Christopher on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_brenk/

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 welcomes back coach Brant Stachel for his third appearance on the podcast, this time to answer a question sparked by his own wife: why does low intensity training actually work?

Brant and Kristian dig into the physiology behind easy running, from mitochondrial density and capillary growth to the honest caveat that a lot of the exact science still isn't fully settled. They discuss why low intensity training has become such a hot topic in the sport, what elite programs seem to be finding through trial and error even without perfect research to back it up, and how to actually judge whether your easy runs are truly easy. The conversation closes with practical advice on using the talk test, ignoring your watch, and getting past the ego hit of running slow on Strava. Kristian then shares a full recap of his own training week, including a look ahead to Puma Project 3 athletes racing Berlin.

In this episode:

- Why Brant's wife inspired this episode's big question

- The physiology behind low intensity training, explained simply

- Mitochondrial density, capillary growth, and what the research actually shows

- Why elite training groups keep coming back to low intensity work

- What "easy" is actually supposed to feel like

- Using the talk test instead of your watch

- Getting past the ego hit of slow paces on Strava

- Kristian's own training week recap

- A preview of Puma Project 3 athletes racing the Berlin Marathon

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and the question that sparked this episode

02:10 Announcing the podcast's sponsorship with Saysky Copenhagen

04:51 Welcoming Brant Stachel back for his third appearance

08:10 The alphabet soup of training zones and paces

20:22 An honest look at what the research actually shows

25:03 The capillary system explained through a father's advice

39:36 Why zone two became such a hyped up trend

46:55 Ditching heart rate and pace altogether for a season

51:30 What easy is actually supposed to feel like

52:07 Using the talk test to judge your effort

55:21 Getting past the ego hit of slow Strava times

56:11 Wrapping up and planning a future episode on hard training

57:39 Kristian's own training week recap begins

1:02:33 A breakdown of his easy runs and average heart rate

1:08:19 Looking ahead to Puma Project 3 athletes racing Berlin

1:13:01 Closing thoughts and thank you for listening

Brant on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brant_stachel/

Brant on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Nd1yg5n94puosXxjeL5FQ

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