Adam is a 12-year combat veteran of the Air Force with deployments to Iraq & Afghanistan as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team leader. In 2007, while working to disarm a roadside bomb (IED) in Afghanistan, Adam was injured by a secondary IED—resulting in the amputation of his right leg above the knee.

Adam is a Purple Heart recipient, Tillman Scholar, and now an eight-time Guinness World Record holder, and became the first above-knee amputee to complete a 100-mile ultramarathon within 30 hours in 2016. He has five 100-mile finishes and set an amputee record time of 16:13:43 for 100 miles in 2024. Adam also has the fastest marathon time for an above-knee amputee at 2:57 and completed a full Ironman in 11:03:06.

Adam is one of the most humble, most inspiring people you will ever meet. It was an honor to host this conversation. I hope you all will enjoy the listen and be moved to rise above and achieve beyond!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Adam:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eodpopp

Website: https://adampopp.com

All Other Links: https://linktr.ee/adampopp

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

This was a FUN live interactive expo chat with one of my running besties Kelly Willis! Kelly is an inspiring former guest (episode 64), fellow 3X Six-Star finisher, and 4X World Age Group competitor!

Kelly and I discussed what inspires us, what keeps the fire burning, the biggest challenges we've had to overcome, and how we handle race day challenges. Our goal was to provide tips and best practices for the large amount of first-time marathoners taking on Sydney and we finished off by taking some questions from the audience!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Kelly:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_brown_willis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

James expertly broke down the exciting new course, the Fan Zones that will be bringing the hype, community engagement, support from sponsors and volunteers, as well as the vision, hard work, and steps taken by the team to be on the doorstep of becoming the 7th World Marathon Major.

We cover all that and so many more insights on how to have your BEST Sydney marathon experience on Sunday! Please share with anyone running or planning to run in 2025!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With James:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/that.guy.who.runs

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

"At my best, I was trying to be competitive with myself to get the best out of what I could do."

-Alan Ruben

Alan Ruben is an icon in the NYC running community—a paragon of consistency and an inspiration to so many in the masters running world for his remarkable running resume.

Alan has completed 35 straight NYCs, with 25 consecutive sub 3s from 1989-2014, and—the most astounding of all—15 consecutive sub 2:40s from 1991-2005! Alan ran his fastest marathon 2:29:54 at age 41 and placed 48th overall in the 1998 Boston Marathon.

Alan gives a lot of credit for his success to joining Central Park Track Club in 1990, where he enjoyed grinding twice-weekly workouts with fast teammates that helped push him. In the storied 100th Boston in 1996, he ran 2:30:30 with teammates Peter Allen and Andreas Nolte and they captured the Team Masters Title.

Key coaches/mentors who helped guide him: George Wisniewski & Tony Ruiz of Central Park Track Club.

Alan has run 704 races—100 half marathons, 67 marathons, and about 95,000 lifetime recorded miles—but the most inspiring thing about Alan is that he is still going strong and out there every day. I'm so proud to be his teammate and I thoroughly enjoyed discussing his epic running journey!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

"You just have to be so grateful for the races that go according to plan and where you do set a dream goal and achieve that dream goal. Nobody's written anybody's future—it's not scripted, so you have to make the most of the moments that you have in running. That can be true in any era, at any age, at any stage, and any talent level and accomplishment level. It's one of the great lessons of running."

-Gordon Bakoulis

Gordon Bakoulis is a 5-time Olympic Trials marathoner and one of the most accomplished runners I've had the pleasure of speaking with.

Gordon qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, & 2004 and was a finalist in the 1992 U.S. Olympic 10,000m Trials. She has represented the U.S. internationally at the 10K, half-marathon, & marathon distances, and has run a 1:11 half-marathon and a 2:33 marathon.

We discussed the enormous growth in women's running, the runners who inspired her, and how much the sport has evolved.

Gordon's most memorable race was the 2001 NYC Marathon, which was held less than 8 weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Gordon won the masters division in 2:41 and it was really emotional hearing her reflect on what it felt like running through her beloved, broken, yet resilient city.

Gordon has also been coaching since 1985 and has worked in the media and for NYRR since 2002—which affords her a really unique perspective. I'm so grateful to Gordon for sharing so many great lessons!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Gordon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gordonbakoulis

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

It was a HUGE honor to host and share this live convo from Grandma's with rockstar Olympian and 2X Grandma's Champ, Dakotah Lindwurm!

We discussed Dakotah manifesting her Paris Olympic dream, what it means to be called an Olympian, her buildup for Orlando & plan for Paris, and why Grandma's is so special and will ALWAYS be on her race calendar!

Dakotah shared tips on the course and we finished with Q&A from the Destination Marathons dinner crowd.

Thanks for sharing your INSPIRING journey and time with us, Dakotah! We are all rooting for you in Paris!!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Dakotah:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotahlindwurm

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

It was a HUGE honor to host and share this live convo from Grandma's with marathon LEGEND, Dick Beardsley!

We discussed his iconic 1982 'Duel In the Sun' with Alberto Salazar, his co-win in the 1981 inaugural London Marathon with Inge Simonsen, and his 2:09:36 course record at Grandma's in 1981 that stood for a remarkable 33 years!

Dick is a great motivational speaker, a gifted storyteller, and an all-around amazing human. I'm so grateful for him sharing his time to lead our shakeout run, take photos, offer advice, and answer questions after our chat. Sharing some solo miles and stories with Dick will be something I'll always treasure!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Dick:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dick.beardsley

Website: https://www.dickbeardsley.com

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano

We're talking ALL things Sydney Marathon in this IG Live Convo with 2X Olympian Eloise Wellings, Race Director Wayne Larden, and Digital Marketing Manager James Constantine.

The Sydney Marathon is a candidate race, poised to become the seventh of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

We broke it all down—way too many topics to list. The stoke level is HIGH as they get ready to host the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Champs and their largest Sydney (24K runner) yet!

I hope this content will help prepare you to have your best Sydney Marathon experience!

If you enjoy the episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate the podcast or write a review and share feedback wherever you get your podcast groove on.

Connect With Eloise, Wayne, & James:

Eloise: https://www.instagram.com/elzywellings

Wayne: https://www.instagram.com/waynelarden

James: https://www.instagram.com/that.guy.who.runs

Connect With Ron:

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronrunsnyc

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runchats_with_ronrunsnyc

Facebook: https://fb.me/runchats

Website: https://ronrunsnyc.com

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Produced by: David Margittai | In Post Media

Website: https://www.inpostmedia.com

Email: david@inpostmedia.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/_margittai

© 2024 Ron Romano