In 2023, Polow suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm while out on a run.

He woke up in the hospital days later, spent weeks in the ICU, and had to relearn how to walk before he could even think about running again. The first attempts back were brutal tears, panic, fear that it could happen again, and the question of whether he would ever feel like himself as a runner again.

Eventually, he kept showing up.

Polow talks about the emotional side of recovery, survivor’s guilt, therapy, the first runs he couldn’t finish, and the moment running finally started to feel normal again. He also shares how the experience completely changed his relationship with training, ego, sleep, recovery, and what it means to actually take care of himself.

We also get into Run N Brunch, the Atlanta running community he built around making sure nobody feels left behind, his return to 13.1 at SeaWheeze, and why his next challenge means more than any race he has done before.

Now, Polow is training for the New York City Marathon in support of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

For him, getting to that start line is about much more than 26.2 miles.

“It means I made it.”

Chapters

00:00 Surviving a Brain Aneurysm & Returning to Running

01:57 The Fear of Running Again

03:58 The Day Everything Changed

08:00 Waking Up in the ICU

11:56 Learning to Walk Again

16:07 When Running Finally Felt Normal Again

19:59 Working From a Place of Rest

24:03 Building Run N Brunch & Running for the Back of the Pack

28:08 Leaving Ego Behind & Returning to Racing

33:04 The Road to the NYC Marathon

Follow Polow:

instagram.com/polizzy/

Support Polow’s NYC Marathon:
Polow is running the NYC Marathon in support of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. You can support his fundraising efforts here:

https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/polow-lynn

Follow The People Run Podcast:

instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Madey is a 2:28 marathoner chasing even bigger goals while working full time as a nurse and regularly training up to 100 miles per week.

In this episode, we talk about how she balances 12 hour hospital shifts with high level marathon training, 4 a.m. runs, and the discipline required to make it all work. Madey shares how working in healthcare has changed her perspective on running, why she refuses to take her health for granted, and how she’s learned to race more aggressively and “close the gap.”

Fueling 100 mile weeks, body image in distance running, recovery, relationships, the sacrifices behind chasing big goals, and why she wants other nurses and everyday runners to see that a demanding career doesn’t mean giving up the things you love.

A conversation about running fast, making time, and appreciating the opportunity to do both.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Madey: Nurse, Runner & 100-Mile Weeks
03:51 Managing Fatigue, Recovery & Fueling
09:18 Mental Toughness & Race-Day Mindset
16:22 From the Mile to a 2:28 Marathon
22:23 How Working in Healthcare Changed Her Running
24:42 4 A.M. Runs, Friends & Strength Training
28:57 Getting Faster & Building Confidence
36:50 Chasing the Olympic Trials & Staying Healthy
39:52 Two Full-Time Jobs: Work, Running & Sacrifice
43:33 The Bigger Why Behind Her Running

Follow Madey:

instagram.com/madeydickson/


Follow The People Run Podcast:

instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/

Joey Whelan was running 2:13 - 2:15 marathons while balancing running with work when he decided he had one more shot to see how good he could become. With the support of his wife, he quit his job, went all in on running, and eventually broke 2:10.

Joey talks about what changed when running became his full time pursuit, racing multiple marathons a year, recovering quickly enough to keep coming back, and what each race has taught him. We get into Berlin's brutal heat, winning and setting course records, representing Team USA, training at 100+ miles per week, and the small details he's learning as he tries to close the gap to the next level.

Now, after winning 11 marathons, running under 2:10 and holding five course records, Joey isn't interested in staying where he knows he can win. He's headed to Chicago to find out how he stacks up against some of the best runners in the country and he's not finished yet.

This one is about betting on yourself, finding another level, and seeing what happens when you go all in.



Chapters

00:00 Going All In on Running

09:21 Chasing Sub-2:10: Berlin, CIM & Going Full-Time

16:16 Learning to Race Like the Elites

21:17 Racing the Best & Chasing the Majors

28:30 What Every Marathon Has Taught Him

35:54 What Separates a 2:09 Marathoner?

44:46 Recovery, Fueling & Life as a Pro

52:34 Nothing to Lose: What Comes Next

Follow Joey:

instagram.com/jpwhelan23/


Follow The People Run Podcast:

instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/