Rise and Run

New York City doesn’t just host a marathon, it turns 26.2 miles into a full-body experience. We’re joined by Emily, Gretchen Rachael and Greg to unpack how this Abbott World Marathon Major actually feels from the inside: the Staten Island Ferry at sunrise, the overwhelming start village, the bridges you train for, and the moment the sound in Brooklyn gets so loud you can’t hear your own watch. Along the way, we talk real marathon training decisions, from coached plans to race-walk strategy, plus the fueling details that make or break a long day out there.
We also get honest about the stuff you don’t see in highlight reels: imposter syndrome around “world majors,” managing GI issues, carb loading with dietary restrictions, and the long, painful walk out of Central Park after you’ve already emptied the tank. You’ll hear how a huge PR comes together in the late miles, how an Achilles guide team keeps communication and safety tight in packed crowds, and why volunteers and spectators can change the entire outcome of a race. And yes, we have to talk about Poncho the Pigeon, because New York marketing is undefeated.
Then we shift from the biggest marathon in the world to the front of the pack at Walt Disney World with Sean Caster, winner of the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Sean shares his running origin story, what it’s like to stack Chicago Marathon with a runDisney race two weeks later, and the simple advice most of us need to hear during peak marathon training: trust your fitness, take recovery seriously, and stay consistent instead of trying to crush every run. 

If you enjoyed the stories and the tips, subscribe for more runDisney training talk and race recaps, share this with a friend chasing their next finish line, and leave us a review so more runners can find the Rise and Run community.

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Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Stoked Metabolic Coaching

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The Start Line Co.
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Mona Moon Naturals
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GoGuarded

They changed the Wine and Dine 5K and the ripple effects hit everything: corrals, character lines, course flow, and even the question nobody could stop asking… can you actually get swept? We’re sharing a full Rise and Run style weekend recap with the stuff you only catch when you’re there at 4 a.m., coffee in hand, watching three “separate races” unfold across one morning at Walt Disney World.

We head straight into the Wine and Dine expo, where we talk bib pickup flow, merch availability, why separating the pin queue mattered, and the wild Brooks shoe storyline that had runners scrambling for sizes. We also shout out the moments that make the runDisney community what it is, including vendor kindness and the joy of seeing familiar faces everywhere.

From there it’s race-by-race: the new 5K logistics experiment, a more “normal” 10K day, a half marathon with real congestion and course quirks around Blizzard Beach, and how weather and entertainment placement can change the feel of long road miles. We wrap with the Disney Springs meetup, after party strategy, and a quick reaction to rumored 2027 Wine and Dine themes that lit up the internet.

If you’re running runDisney this season, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a training boost, and leave us a review so more runners can find the Rise and Run family.
Rise and Run Links
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Rise and Run Patreon
Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off) 
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sponsor Links
Magic Bound Travel   
Stoked Metabolic Coaching

Affiliate Links
The Start Line Co.
Fluffy Fizzies
Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
Kawaiian Pizza Apparel
GoGuarded

Five years ago we hit record with a simple idea: talk running, talk runDisney, and share a few stories. Somewhere along the way, it turned into something much bigger - a real community that trains together, laughs together, and shows up for each other on the hard days and the best days.

To mark the fifth anniversary, we open the phone lines and tackle listener questions with our friend Brittany Charboneau. We get honest about motivation when your “why” disappears, how to let go of goals that no longer align, and why giving yourself permission to choose a different race can bring your joy back fast. Brittany also shares practical ways to keep training fresh through novelty, routes, themes, and mindset, plus a smart reality check on carbon-plated running shoes: form, strength training, fueling, and injury prevention come before a $350 “solution.” And, because we cannot help ourselves, we still debate peak runDisney essentials like the best resorts for Marathon Weekend and the most strategic bathroom stops on course.

Then we celebrate the five years worth of episodes that shaped us, the guests and moments that stuck, and the listener family that keeps us showing up week after week, race after race. We also spotlight the Chicago Marathon with stories from the expo to the finish line, including PRs, pacing lessons, crowd energy, and what it feels like to earn a World Marathon Major medal. 

If you’ve ever trained for a runDisney race, dreamed about a marathon major, or needed a reminder that running is about people as much as miles, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review with your favorite Rise and Run memory so we can carry it into the next five years.

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The Funny Runner Website
Brittany’s Coaching
Rise and Run Links
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Rise and Run Podcast Instagram
Rise and Run Podcast Website and Shop
Rise and Run Patreon
Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off)
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sponsor Links
Magic Bound Travel   
Stoked Metabolic Coaching

Affiliate Links
The Start Line Co.
Fluffy Fizzies
Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
Kawaiian Pizza Apparel
GoGuarded

Wine and Dine is almost here, and the combination of nerves, excitement, and last-minute “what if” questions is real. We talk through taper week decisions, how to think about weather in Orlando, and why hydration and fueling should start before you ever reach the corrals. We also dig into Marathon Weekend medals, what stands out, what feels a little too familiar, and why the small design details still end up meaning a lot once that medal is in your hands.

Then runDisney race announcer John Pelkey stops by for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about learning to run later in life and training for the St Jude Memphis Half Marathon with the Pelkey Running Club. We get into treadmill training vs Florida heat, pacing mistakes, fueling lessons, injury prevention for “mature runners,” and the surprising power of having the right people next to you on long runs. John also shares what it’s like to flip the script from being the voice that motivates thousands to being the runner who needs that extra push.

We round things out with a record-setting Wine and Dine roll call, community meetup reminders, and a packed set of race reports, including Chicago Marathon heat stories and a stormy Staten Island Half Marathon spotlight. Subscribe for the start of the 2026-27 runDisney season, share this with a friend who needs a confidence boost, and leave us a review with your favorite race-weekend lesson.

John Pelkey Instagram
Rise and Run Links
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Rise and Run Podcast Instagram
Rise and Run Podcast Website and Shop
Rise and Run Patreon
Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off)
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sponsor Links
Magic Bound Travel   
Stoked Metabolic Coaching

Affiliate Links
The Start Line Co.
Fluffy Fizzies
Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
Kawaiian Pizza Apparel
GoGuarded

A marathon on a treadmill sounds like a joke until the weather turns, the schedule collapses, and you still need the miles. We talk through the reality of late-cycle training as Wine & Dine gets closer, including how we handle pacing when humidity spikes, why long runs should follow a speed limit instead of a “prove it” pace, and what it looks like to protect sleep while still getting the work done.

Greg shares a detailed breakdown of covering 26 miles indoors by splitting it into two half marathons, stepping off regularly, changing socks, rotating media, and leaning on community content to stay out of his own head. If you’re training for a half marathon, marathon, New York City Marathon, or a runDisney challenge, this is the kind of practical, honest talk that helps you prepare for the mental side as much as the physical side.

We also shift into runner safety as darker mornings return, with reminders about visibility, awareness at intersections, and tools like reflective vests, live tracking, and safety apps. On the race weekend side, we cover Wine & Dine after-party tickets, smart ways to use your digital gift card during the party, Disney Springs meetups and discounts, plus a spotlight race report featuring Heidi’s strong weekend at the Milwaukee Lakefront events and her big Dopey plans ahead.

If you like these kinds of training stories and runDisney logistics, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review so more runners can find the Rise and Run family.

Rise and Run Links
Rise and Run Podcast Facebook Page
Rise and Run Podcast Instagram
Rise and Run Podcast Website and Shop
Rise and Run Patreon
Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off) 
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Sponsor Links
Magic Bound Travel   
Stoked Metabolic Coaching

Affiliate Links
The Start Line Co.
Fluffy Fizzies
Mona Moon Naturals
Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page
Kawaiian Pizza Apparel
GoGuarded