Dylan Truesdale served as an Army Ranger before eventually leaving the military. Later, a devastating car crash changed the course of his life. He lost his right eye, suffered lasting damage to his remaining vision, and had to rebuild from a point where even basic movement looked completely different. What followed wasn’t a straight-line comeback. It was a decision to find out what he was still capable of.

That decision eventually led Dylan to ultramarathons, a 3:03 marathon, HYROX, heavy strength training, and a life built around doing difficult things with purpose. In this conversation, he talks about becoming an Army Ranger, the crash and recovery, running his first ultra with limited vision, why he wakes up at 3:30 AM, how he balances strength and endurance, and the mindset behind “nobody’s coming.” Pasted text Pasted text Pasted text

The conversation also turns to the mission behind his next challenge: attempting to ruck 100 miles in 24 hours to raise money for veterans. Dylan opens up about PTSD, his own mental-health crisis after leaving the military, the veterans he has lost, and why carrying that weight has become about far more than completing another endurance event.

Content Note: This episode includes discussions of PTSD, mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, and suicide loss. Please take care while listening.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Chapters

00:00 Perseverance

01:14 Why He Joined the Army

04:26 Becoming an Army Ranger

14:39 The Crash That Changed Everything

22:22 “The Baddest Motherfer Ever”*

28:03 From Recovery to Ultra Running

35:42 His First Ultra: Heat, Falls & Getting Lost

41:30 “Nobody’s Coming”

43:00 How He Trains, Works & Lives at 3:30 AM

49:05 6'5", 200 Pounds & a 3:03 Marathon

58:40 100 Miles in 24 Hours for Veterans

1:01:16 PTSD, Suicide & Why the Mission Matters

1:08:42 What Comes Next

SUPPORT DYLAN'S 100-MILE RUCK FOR VETERANS

Dylan Truesdale is taking on a 100-mile ruck in under 24 hours, with a goal of raising $100,000 to support veterans.

If you'd like to support his mission or learn more about the fundraiser, you can find the link below.

Donate or learn more: donate.mission22.org/campaign/814545/donate

Follow Dylan:

instagram.com/dylanctruesdale/

The People Run Podcast:

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

What does it really take to become one of the best Marathoners in the world?

Zouhair Talbi joins The People Run Podcast for a conversation about the years of work, belief, sacrifice, and environment behind competing at the highest level of distance running.

Fresh off winning the Great North Run in 59:47, Zouhair reflects on his journey from Morocco to becoming one of America's top distance runners, and why his ambitions now extend far beyond his accomplishments so far.

We talk about the mindset required to compete against the world's best, how training alongside Olympians changed his perspective, and the Boston Marathon performance that helped him see what was possible.

Zouhair also opens up about the difficult years of training alone, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, and why his current training is the product of 17 years of consistent work rather than one breakthrough season.

With the New York City Marathon ahead, he shares what he's chasing next, what success means at this stage of his career, and the legacy he hopes to leave for the next generation of runners.

A conversation about running, ambition, and everything that goes into pursuing something bigger.

Every runner has a story.

Chapters

00:00 Winning the Great North Run

06:46 Learning How to Race the World's Best

12:44 From American Elite to World-Class Ambitions

15:26 What Separates the World's Best Runners?

22:13 Boston Marathon: The Fight Through Mile 23

25:00 What Boston Taught Him About Belief

28:28 17 Years Behind a 130-Mile Week

32:00 Consistency, Recovery & Training Around Life

34:42 Why You Need People Around You

36:54 New York City Marathon & the Bigger Picture

44:58 The Legacy He Wants to Leave

Follow Zouhair Talbi:

instagram.com/zouhairathle/

The People Run Podcast:

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

João returns to The People Run after making his half marathon debut at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, running 1:11:58.

We talk about why the race became the hardest effort of his life, fighting through the final kilometers, losing his bib mid-race, finishing second in his age group, and what he learned about himself when things started to hurt.

João also shares what life has been like since moving to the UK to study sports science at St. Mary’s, why he chose recovery over another race, and what comes next as he turns his focus back toward the shorter distances.

Chapters

00:00 Running 1:11:58 in His First Half

03:26 How Long Can I Hurt For?

06:12 The Result and What Made Him Proud

09:54 Losing His Bib & Copenhagen Atmosphere

15:00 Recovery, Restraint & the Next Training Block

18:50 Life at St. Mary’s & What Comes Next

Follow João:

instagram.com/joao._runs/

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

“I Am a Runner”: Living and Racing With Cystic Fibrosis | Katie

Katie O’Grady has spent much of her life trying to answer one question: How far can she go?

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at six years old, Katie found running alongside her dad and discovered a talent that would eventually earn her a college scholarship. But repeated infections, pneumonia, hospital stays, and the loss of her mother continually interrupted the running career she wanted to pursue.

Through it all, Katie never stopped seeing herself as a runner.

In this conversation, Katie shares what it felt like to repeatedly lose fitness and start again, the doctor who saw her as an athlete while she was hospitalized, and the medication that allowed her to take a deep breath in a way she hadn't before.

We also talk about her journey to the Boston Marathon, training under Nell Rojas, her 3:19 marathon and recent half-marathon PR, learning when to back off, and the voice of her late mother that she still hears during difficult miles.

At the heart of it all is Katie's pursuit of her potential not simply a number on the clock, but the opportunity to keep discovering what her body can do.

Every runner has a story. This is Katie's.

Chapters

00:00 The Question of Potential

01:20 Finding Running and Discovering Her Talent

05:15 Losing Her Mother and Rebuilding in College

08:49 The Cycle of Illness and Starting Over

10:17 “I Am a Runner”

11:55 A Doctor Who Saw the Runner

14:41 Taking a Deep Breath for the First Time

19:33 Racing, Training, and Recovery

25:51 A 3:19 Marathon and the Joy of Running

29:02 Potential, Indianapolis, and the Future

37:04 Why Katie Wants to Keep Running Forever

Follow Katie:
instagram.com/katies_race_to_breathe/

Follow The People Run Podcast:

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

Fran Kilinski is all in on the pursuit of HYROX Elite 15.

At 32, Fran is chasing a place among the sport’s elite while navigating the demands of training, racing, and life outside competition. He’s even left his second job to give himself more room to pursue that goal.

In this episode of The People Run Podcast, we get into his journey through running and HYROX, what it takes to compete at this level, the decisions he’s made along the way, and what he’s learning as he pushes toward Elite 15.

Every runner has a story.

Chapters

00:00 Going All In on HYROX Elite 15
04:04 Balancing Work, Training & Recovery
08:49 Where Fran Needs to Improve
12:54 Zone 2, Speed Work & Running Training
20:02 Are We Too Afraid of Fatigue?
26:00 HYROX Growth & the Future of the Sport
43:46 Finding Community Through Fitness
48:09 HYROX World Championships in Sweden
58:00 Race Goals & the Next Challenge
01:03:53 Running PRs & Life Beyond Racing

Follow Fran:

instagram.com/fran_kilinski/

Follow The People Run Podcast:

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

Adriana Prince is a full time middle school teacher, a 2:54 marathoner, and a runner who regularly logs 70-90 miles a week. But what makes her story interesting isn't just how much she runs. It's how much she loves doing it.

In this episode of The People Run Podcast, Adriana shares how she found her way into running, stepped away from competitive racing, and rediscovered the joy that eventually led her to a sub three hour marathon. We get into her early morning routine, balancing training with teaching, learning when to back off, and the role faith and community play in her life.

Now, with the Chicago Marathon approaching, Adriana is preparing to chase a new personal best. We talk about what's changed in her training, what she's learned from previous races, and what she hopes to take away from Chicago beyond the finish time.

Chapters

00:00 Why Adriana Loves Running

04:20 From Casual Runner to Competitor

10:05 From 3:14 to 2:54

19:43 What the 2:54 Finish Meant

21:55 13 Miles Before Teaching

31:00 Workouts, Treadmills & Tough Days

40:04 Running as Worship

43:12 When Running Stops Being Fun

48:19 Chicago Marathon: Chasing Sub-2:50

52:52 What Makes a Successful Race Weekend?

Follow Adriana:

https://wwwinstagram.com/runningthelife_/

Follow The People Run Podcast:

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

At 16 years old, João Guilherme left Brazil for the UK and found himself navigating a new country, school, training, and stretches of living on his own.

Running had only recently entered his life. What started as 20-minute treadmill runs eventually became something much bigger. Three years later,

João is 19, has run 32:17 for 10K, is preparing for his first half marathon in Copenhagen, and is about to begin studying sports science at St Mary’s University surrounded by one of the strongest running environments in the UK.

João shares how running gave him confidence and community, the early coach who saw his willingness to suffer before she saw his talent, learning the hard way that every workout shouldn’t be a race, and how a more science-based approach to training has changed his development.

With his first half marathon ahead and ambitions of one day representing Brazil, João still has no idea where his ceiling is.

He just knows he wants to find out.

Chapters

00:00 From Brazil to a 32:17 10K

02:09 Finding Running & Breaking 17 Minutes

04:22 Moving to the UK & Breaking 16 Minutes

05:42 St Mary’s, Coaching & a New Environment

10:17 How Running Changed João’s Life

13:20 Inside João’s Science-Based Training

18:03 Racing the Brazilian U23 Championships

19:13 The Hardest Race He’s Ever Run

22:14 Winning a 32:17 10K & Chasing More

31:48 Preparing for His First Half Marathon

Follow João:

instagram.com/joao._runs/


Follow The People Run Podcast:

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

At 25, Gio Cerisier is balancing 70 mile weeks, 5AM runs, a full-time job, marriage, and fatherhood all while chasing the fastest times of his life.

Gio shares how a self-funded trip to Flagstaff changed what he believed was possible, his progression from a 17-minute 5K runner to running 69:50 in his first half marathon, and how he rebuilt after hernia surgery. He also breaks down his approach to double-threshold training, fast long runs, and why he refuses to prove his fitness in workouts.

But running is only part of the story. Gio opens up about becoming a father while still competing in college, breaking his school steeplechase record just days after his daughter was born, the role faith plays in his life, and his dream of one day representing Haiti.

Now, with even bigger goals ahead, Gio is finding out just how far he can take it without losing sight of what matters most.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Gio Cerisier

02:00 5AM Runs, Work & Fatherhood

06:03 The Flagstaff Trip That Changed Everything

09:58 From 17-Minute 5K to College Running

15:02 The Breakthrough

20:01 Why Your Environment Matters

25:04 Hernia Surgery & the Comeback

29:50 Double Threshold & Fast Long Runs

35:03 Save It for Race Day

40:00 How Far Can Gio Take This?

45:00 Fatherhood, Faith & Running

Follow Gio:

instagram.com/gio_venchy/


Follow The People Run Podcast:

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