Micromobility DC with Edie

"I call them my big dances."Natalie Pertz describes the running adventures - sometimes in the form of races, other times a bit broader than that definition - that she highlights each year on her calendar. The list is nothing short of epic, including the Chicago Marathon, the Javelina Jundred, setting a "Fastest Known Time" on the WO&D trail. (By the way, I did fact check. FastestKnownTime.com has been around longer than Strava.)Natalie is both earnest and funny talking about her running. She describes training for an ultra in the Southwest of the United States in a "suburban lawnmower hat." We discuss our childhood love for capture the flag. We discuss her experience growing up on a farm in Ohio and her first official 5K, the Run for Refugees in New Haven. And we talk about WERC, not to be confused with work. West End Run Club kicked off in 2021, and the Friday morning running, chatting, and coffee drinking crew has been a DC staple ever since. It's so welcoming, that it has grown quite a bit!This episode was recorded in July, but I've been a bit slower with both recording and editing these days. Thank you for your patience - you know life (and another bout of marathon training) keeps you busy! Anyhow, thank you (and happy birthday) to a very kind and speedy community leader, Natalie Pertz!

Welcome back! This episode I spoke with Kris Sooklal. I lost a bet this Fall at the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile - you'll hear about it if you listen. The result was this roughly thirty-minute conversation that covered *a large range* of topics - a bit different than the last few episodes, an equally good listen.We touch on how Kris began running in high school - track was a sport with low barrier to entry, so he went for it. We talk about how he works with the US Postal Service, and the organization's plans to electrify its fleet of delivery vehicles. We speak about Kris's venturing into the DC running community - he has become a staple in the DC running community.We discuss public transit, cars, etc. Kris drives twice as much as the average American (according to his calculations) and lives in one of the most transit accessible and walkable regions of the US. I still haven't figured out how this makes any sense whatsoever. But you can listen to hear him talk about it... and the roots of April Fools!A few links for additional reading:Thailand's First Car Rebate Scheme 2011Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan RegionBeijing Subway HistoryNY Times on need for MTA Subway UpgradesHistory of the Interstate Highway System"How to End Americans' Obsession with Driving"Electrifying the US Postal Service Fleet

"I didn't tell the regular world I was pregnant because I didn't really want to hear it...frankly, I just talked to my doctors and asked, "I want to run a marathon. Is it safe for the baby? If not, I won't do it."First of all, a big congrats to Sami Tewolde Rowley who recently had her baby Teddy - he is absolutely adorable! This episode was recorded a few weeks before that major life event though, and we delve into another of Sami's accomplishments - running her first marathon in Chicago this Fall! (While several months pregnant; she's a badass.)We delve into what training and exercise has looked like for Sami over the past several months. We talk about her experience joining Northeast Track Club - going from working out quietly on the track to finding a few of her best friends and serving as a leader in for the group. We cover it all.I found this conversation incredibly meaningful. Onlookers from the internet are quick to espouse opinions on what pregnancy and motherhood should look like (often without much qualification). Yet despite the ever present pressures on parents and soon-to-be parents to fit specific molds, we are seeing more and more of them doing things their way. We saw the likes of Makenna Myler finishing in the top ten of the Olympic Marathon Trials ten months after giving birth and Maegan Krifchin running eighteen miles of the trials while pregnant. We are seeing powerful people demonstrating that pregnancy is a natural condition that can still allow for new and exciting experiences including and beyond those associated with parenthood. It is inspiring to see these role models in our communities and beyond.Anyways, emotional spouting over - this is a wonderful episode full of whimsy, joy, and DC running!

If you've been to a Pacers track workout or race, you've probably met Xiuya Yao, a Pacers Run Club leader. She's smiley, welcoming, and encouraging while also being a super badass runner. I was thrilled to have her on the podcast to talk about her running journey - from how she got involved with Pacers as a side hustle to what her upcoming goals are.We talked marathon training - from how Xiuya increased her mileage to how her fueling strategy has shifted (hint: no longer candy bars). We also talked using running as commuting and what it is like to get all around DC on foot. (Small shoutout to the Metro!)Xiuya discusses her favorite shoes (we are both big fans of the Adidas Bostons) and what it is like to work for Pacers. We laugh about sharing life stories on the run before knowing someone's name. This conversation is a wonderful listen, and Xiuya is truly a wealth of knowledge. I hope you enjoy! 

"I just think [running] is a really cool thing that those of us in DC have the opportunity to do."Hello! Happy New Year! Welcome back to Micromobility DC. I am attending the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting (#TRBAM as the cool kids call it, I am told) and was called out yesterday for my lack of recent episodes! So here it is - the first episode of 2024! (And in my humble opinion, it is a great listen.)I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah Johanek on all things running and DC in December. We cover her big breakthroughs at the DC Half and Chicago Marathon (she ran 1:20 and 2:52 respectively). We speak about her experience moving to DC during the pandemic upon returning from Peace Corps, and later running her first marathon on the C&O trail. We speak about how she's found community around movement through Northeast Track Club. We cover how she gets around, best spots to run (first person in a while who didn't choose Rock Creek Park!), and how she has fun with running and getting strong (she shouts out Doc Sarah on the last point).Sarah is incredibly friendly, humble (she tries to tell me she doesn't know anything about running at one point), and fun loving. You can tell she chases joy and camaraderie in all she does. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!I am excited to be covering runners, bikers, walkers, and the people who help provide the infrastructure to make those things possible this year! Have a big goal of 24 episodes for 2024! Name it for accountability they told me!

"Showing up consistently over time with B+ work... is what actually brings you longevity in the sport."Hello, and welcome back to Micromobility DC! You are about to listen to an episode recorded way back in AUGUST. I know, I know, I am slacking on the editing process. In my defense I've been traveling to England, Germany, and random cities around the US. All in the name of RUNNING!The good news is that this episode has aged like fine wine. It is just as relevant as people go for big goals, get inspired by marathon majors, and decide to pursue a new training regimen this Fall. In this episode, I speak to Laur Hudson and Devon Genua. These two met at Northeast Track Club and hit it off. They realized that they had similar philosophies around training and with Devon's extensive marathoning experience (she's a sub 3 hour marathoner!) and Laur's experience as a D1 high jumper, running local races, and working as a Solid Core coach, they decided to start a coaching business. B+ Run Club was born!The two have many nuggets of wisdom, but one of the things I took away was their ability to jump at opportunity. Devon talks about encountering Northeast Track Club by chance at the track one day and just joining. Laur discusses agreeing to go with Molly Applegate (featured on Episode 4) to the track group without knowing too much about what was in store. I hope you enjoy and learn from this episode. Maybe it will inspire your training for your next big race.

If you've come to a Pacers Social Run on Monday or Thursday, you've probably come across Sam Burmester. He will introduce the workout, probably tell a few jokes, and cheer you on the whole way. Sam is the community lead for Pacers Running. In this episode we delve into what that role means, how Sam became involved with Pacers, and how Pacers engages with the community through its social runs and a variety of activations meant to make running more accessible and less intimidating in the District. One of the ways Pacers has made running more accessible this year is through its free training plans (and corresponding social runs) for various race distances. The current half marathon training plan is culminating with this weekend's DC Half Marathon. Catch members of the running community racing, pacing, cheering, and water stopping (I think think this is called thirst trapping?).Along with talking shop about Pacers, we delve into Sam's own journey with movement, as a runner and swimmer growing up and eventually as a triathlete. We talk about the training, the coping with injury, the PRs, the Ironman attempt, and all of the lessons learned along the way. Sam give a bit of helpful tips for those attempting multisport events. (Spoiler: Don't forget your nutrition plan!) We talk a lot of connections: movement, mental health, supportive community, feeling confident enough to go after big goals.

"Actually my training for the marathon was quite a disaster." Bettina described signing up for a marathon as "a treat" for herself for completing her LSAT studying. She ran a 50 miler just for kicks, with friends and family as a support system after graduating from Smith College. She is a true student of the sport, mentioning how she coached herself through the process of training for these events by researching the science behind why we do certain types of runs and how they benefit us. I absolutely loved picking her brain on her training strategies (she used a modified version of the SWAP plan to train for the OC Marathon), how she got into running (she wanted to be a sprinter, her coach threw her in the mile), her advice for other runners pursuing long distance events (tl;dr: enjoy the process).In this episode we also covered a lot about fueling and how that is such a big puzzle piece in marathons and ultras, the transition from college to post-college racing, best spots to run in the DC area, and how - despite getting sick during training - Bettina's first marathon turned out to be a great success. (She ran a 3:12:09!!)I loved getting to chat with Bettina, and I hope you find a bit of inspiration for Fall race season in this conversation!

Welcome back to Micromobility DC! For episode 25 we have the first of two episodes with runners on the move from DC to NYC. I had the chance to sit down and chat with Danielle Zarnick, a marathon training buddy and good friend. At the time of the recording, Danielle was a few days from making her move away from the District. She reflects on her time navigating around the district - running, walking, and forming community.In this episode, we also got into how Danielle began running (in Ohio), the trials and tribulations that came with elementary school cross country races, her decision to run at Colgate University, navigating injury, creating running friendships after graduating, marathon training (she's run Philly and Wineglass, and now she's gearing up for Chicago!), race pace, and her hobby mentality.I am very sentimental about this episode, and I hope you enjoy it! Also, send Danielle all of your favorite NYC running routes!

Welcome back to Micromobility DC - officially one year old now! Happy birthday, pod!This episode I had the opportunity to speak with my former colleague and wonderful friend, Nate Steele, who is a wealth of knowledge on all things transportation. We did discuss EVs and EV charging for the "macromobility" fans out there. In this vein, we discussed challenges around EV charging in urban spaces (like DC!) and integrating cars into larger transportation ecosystems. We also talked about Nate's bike commute up Klingle Hill, making cities pedestrian friendly, train comparisons with other cities, bike lane comparisons with other cities, and general impressions about getting around in DC on a daily basis. This was a fun (non-running-centric) one! I hope you enjoy!

Hello, hello! Hope everyone is staying safe during this very polluted week in Washington, DC. I've heard that listening to a podcast about running gives the same endorphin boost as going for a run itself, so hopefully this podcast does the trick until we can get back to exercising outside.*This episode is with resident Pacers Run Club Leader, Dan Kalinowski! Many of you know him from the Pacers Monday 6 mile route or Banneker Track circles on Thursdays. On this episode he discusses how he got into running, his journey to run marathons on every continent (he's run marathons in North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and Antarctica so far), his recent foray into triathlons, and how he goes about his role as an official pacer in local DC races (just like race day, don't try anything new on pace day!). This episode was a ton of fun, and even having known Dan for a while, I learned quite a bit. I hope you enjoy!*Not scientifically proven.

Hello, hello! Welcome back to Micromobility DC. This week we hear from Willis Chen, a dedicated amateur runner who recently broke the 3 hour mark at the 2023 London Marathon. This episode is a full-on running deep-dive.For those who don't know Willis, he can often be found trotting along the C&O Canal and around the National Mall or pacing NETC track workouts. I first met him while doing laps in front of the National Gallery of Art about 14 months ago and remember him being both friendly and humble. He is incredibly knowledgeable about running - from knowing what pros are breaking national records to keeping track of (and cheering for) his DC friends' PR successes. If asked, Willis will happily provide very useful and well informed training advice, and he knows all of the best races to run. In this episode, we talk about how Willis started running - he was not a high school or college athlete. We get into how Willis went from being an over 5 hour marathoner to a 2:58 marathoner. (His first marathon was local Marine Corps Marathon!) We discuss the ins and outs of the World Major Marathons. And we get an in depth recap of Willis's London Marathon quest. Thanks so much to Willis for taking the time to speak on the pod (and matching my enthusiasm for the sport). And thanks as always to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack.

We are back! (Took both a podcasting #springbreak during April and am feeling refreshed and excited for what's next!)This episode is with Amanda Earl - a running pal for a few years now. Amanda discusses how she got into running, then trail running, then ultra trail running while living in DC on this episode. Quite the progression! We also spend a lot of the episode discussing Amanda's most recent race - the Big Sur Marathon. I've fact checked the elevation gain, and officially it is 2,182 over the course of the 26.2 miles (but many internet runners report that they believe it is more). Amanda discusses how she prepared for this race, dealing with injury mid training cycle, and the race experience itself - think 3am pitch dark bus rides with no cell service and a piano man several miles in. We talk about running as a de-stressor from DC work life, Pacers Running marathon training community, and big next goals. I really appreciate Amanda's curiosity drive in the running space, and I hope you do too.Thanks to you for listening, Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack, and Amanda for the conversation. Enjoy! (PS: The podcast is enough episodes deep for a post race beer!)

For this episode, I had the joy of speaking to Tim Choi - one of my first running friends in DC. Tim is a staple in the DC running community. You can catch him organizing happy hour runs with friends and circling the track in his Altras. (He also has an amazing food Instagram @timwich.eats.)During this episode, we covered his experience at the Tokyo Marathon, along with all the lead up including the immigration protocols and best food spots, his experience running the North Carolina Krispy Kreme Challenge (and the best strategies for crushing a dozen donuts quickly), his favorite DC races and a pre Parkway Classic tale, and his advice for running the Berlin Marathon. I hope you enjoy! (Also, I am pretty sure we got a few digits of pi wrong while speaking, but I'll leave it to the audience to call the pod out for fake news.)Thank you to Tim for taking the time to speak with me. And thank you, as always, to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack.

"I credit [running] with my sense of placemaking and belonging..."This week I had the opportunity to sit down at my dining room table and get back to recording podcasts with Louisa Sholar. We talked about running in Georgetown (where Louisa lives and studies); we chatted about how Louisa started running solo and then became involved in the DC running community after years as a dancer; we chatted about Louisa's job at Pacers Running and her current go-to running shoes; we delved into more serious topics of women's health in the movement community, the good and the bad - and the serious lack of information on period health for athletes who menstruate; then we moved to topics on policy for micromobility and ease of getting around. As a runner and a policy graduate student, Louisa has deep insight and passion for ways in which we can improve access, welcomeness, and awareness to information and community in the movement space. I really appreciated this conversation, which really covered a lot, and I hope you will too.Thank you to Louisa for the conversation and to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack.A note: This conversation touches on sensitive health topics, including eating disorders. If this is not something you're feeling ready to listen to, this could be an episode for you to skip - the topic comes up a bit after minute 15. Additionally, the few minutes we spend speaking about women's health issues are no substitute for consultation from a medical professional - if you are concerned about your health, we encourage you to speak with your doctor. Lastly, Louisa passed along two resources for additional learning that I have linked below:Runners World Article on AmenorrheaProject Heal

Hello! Welcome back to Micromobility DC! It has been a while since the last episode because I've been doing a lot of non-podcast work and travel (that has led to a whole host of new understandings around micromobility)! This podcast has covered micromobility mostly from a sport perspective the past few episodes (many marathon training episodes!), but this episode delves into our daily movements from an infrastructure accessibility angle.For this episode, I had the opportunity to speak to the Urban Institute's incredibly knowledgeable Beatrize Stephen-Pons. I met Beatrize at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting (TRBAM) in January.  During this conversation, Beatrize covers how she began studying public transportation accessibility and its effects on previously incarcerated populations, viewing transportation through a feminist lens, her experiences traveling around the US and learning about different cities' public transportation offerings, and a bit of what she learned from attending TRBAM.It was a joy to delve into public transportation and beyond with Beatrize - I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.Thanks to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack! Thanks to you for listening!

Hello! Happy New Year!Many exciting things to come on the pod, and to kick off the year, we have Sarah, aka Sarita, aka Beanz talking about fresh starts and big goals. Two big goals turned accomplishments for Sarah last year were completing both the High Bridge 50K and Marine Corps 50K. We talk about the ultras, and we go beyond the races themselves to talk about how Sarah got here - able to run multiple speedy long distance races in the same month. There were the more obvious aspects, running and strength training. Then there were the more intangible aspects... a sense of community, a feeling of pride in identity and greater comfort embracing that identity, resiliency after repeated injury... Sarah talks about being Latina in the distance running space, joining Northeast Track Club for the first time, and her moves from Mexico City, to Texas, to Minnesota, to DC. She absolutely loves the district, where she works making maps. I loved this conversation with Sarah, who is incredibly open and authentic. I hope you do too. Thanks as always to Dan Hoffman for the music.

"Because you can do it...and I think just believing you can do it is a challenge."Happy holidays and last episode of 2022! To finish off this season of podcasting, I spoke with Liz Grufferman, who offers both joy and wisdom to the conversation. She also offers a deep dive into what it was like to run the 2022 New York City Marathon (in a Boston Marathon qualifying time and PR)!Liz is an accomplished runner, and in her year of living in DC, she's become an integral part of the running community. Prior to moving to DC, Liz began running inspired by her mom and ran at university in Scotland. She describes exploring the Scottish countryside through running with friends. Upon moving to DC, she began training with Northeast Track Club. A few months later, she joined Sara (Episode 13) in training with Coach Mo. This Fall, she decided to go for that sub 3:30 time and went all in on training for New York City Marathon - as she grew up on the NYC Marathon course, the race already held a special place in her heart. On race day, she was served up some of the hottest weather the NYC Marathon has ever seen, and she still managed to crush the race.Liz offers insight on the mental side of getting over the 3:30 barrier, how training with a coach has helped her, why the running community is amazing, and how she appreciates training for a big goal.As always special thanks to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack. And thanks to YOU for listening!

Another duo episode! In this one I spoke with Tim Hughes and Tatsu Osada - accomplished marathoners and triathletes in the DC area. The two have been friends since 2014, when they met at the fateful polar vortex run referenced in Mike Katz's episode. Tatsu and Tim are supportive friends AND intense competitors. For many of their races, they have "bets" over who wins. This includes betting on whose version of a peanut butter jelly sandwich is "correct" and betting on which of them will have to buy the other a beer every month for the rest of their month. (Listen in to find out who won what.) Tim talks about going from an 4+ hour marathoner to a 2:35 marathoner. Tatsu discusses crushing six ironman triathlons. The two mention their favorite races and what advice they have for those hoping to get faster and stronger.Shoutouts to Pacers Running and YTri Program in this episode!

"I've always prioritized training and running in a way...I've just continued to do it no matter what."Hilary Cairns is a staple in the DC running and triathlon community. She is the founder and leader of Track Pack, a group of hearty runners who meet at 5:45am on Wednesday mornings year round. She sits on the board for Run Hope Work, an organization founded by Jose Ortiz (and modeled after his own experiences) that combines running, mindfulness , and workforce development. She casually "jumps in" many local races. Most recently, she jumped into the Army 10 Miler and won her age group. Hilary has a bit of a different relationship than many others on this shows. Rather than loving the marathon or going after ultras, her favorite distances to race range from the 10K to 10 mile. While her mom was a runner - who ran Grandma's Marathon, a favorite destination race amongst DC runners - Hilary played tennis growing up. She found running in college. While she is an accomplished runner and an organizer in the sport, she approaches training with a bit of lightness. She doesn't overthink the Track Pack workouts she plans, she finds local races on RunWashington, and being a mom of three, she understands that she understands that sometimes you have to adapt to what life throws at you.I really appreciated hearing about how Hilary has found longevity in running and triathlon and managed to prioritize the sport over decades - I think she provides a strong example for those of us who are faced with pressures from all directions and still want to be part of the larger running community and go after big goals. She doesn't overthink running, she just does it and adapts where needed.

If you've seen a smiley blur with a ballet bun whizzing around town, it is probably Sara Borrasso. Sara is an active member of the DC running community, participating in Northeast Track Club (NETC) and Friday West End Running Club (WERC) regularly. She also recently started working with Coach Mo'ath Alkhawaldeh, fondly referred to as Coach Mo, in order to go after some big goals. She accomplished a significant one when she ran 3:08, an over twenty minute PR, at the Berlin Marathon and Chicago Marathon this Fall - races that are only two weeks apart.Sara ran her first Chicago Marathon in 2014 and has continued participating in it every iteration since. Coming from Chicago, she describes it as her hometown race. She also mentions not really knowing other marathons existed when she first signed up. Strangely enough, Sara learned about NETC in a corral at the 2021 Chicago Marathon from a fellow NETC runner. She decided to check it out and immediately loved being part of a club. Other runners in the group suggested that she work with Coach Mo. With the ambition to qualify for as many World Major Marathons as possible, Sara went for it. In this episode, we talk about Sara's 10k first race (all uphill), why she decided to run her first marathon, her first NETC run, how her training has shifted since working with a coach, her aim to run all of the World Majors, and how having running friends has made the sport really fun.As always, thank you to Dan Hoffman for the music! Enjoy!

This month, I had the opportunity to take part in the Detroit Free Press International Marathon weekend with several of my close DC friends. One of said friends was Savannah Beck, someone I met in 2019 in circumstances completely unrelated to running or any sort of movement. Over the course of our friendship, running entered the picture at some point. At a later point, we plotted this trip to Detroit with pals. Then Savannah trained and completed her first half marathon, crossing the Canadian border along the way.Savannah is endlessly creative, kind, and fun. She works as an editor at the Goethe Institute where she's written on a host of topics, including DC's large rat population. She hosts her own podcast on books called Slow Burn. And like many of the guests on this niche podcast, she runs! Savannah started running in school for one of the ball sports - we discuss why gym class running kind of stunk. After college, she began running 5Ks and worked her way up to an 8K. Now she's conquered the 13.1 mile distance and the sky is the limit!We also talk about training for the first half; going from hating gym running to loving Saturday morning runs; finding run groups are not as intimidating as expected; how the cat Fizz views Savannah's running; and more. Thanks so much to Savannah for chatting and to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack. And shout out to Detroit - the marathon + half marathon weekend was amazing, and I want to talk about it endlessly.

"That was the moment I was like...could I do it? I'm having a lot of success cutting my marathon time down? Could I cut it down more and qualify for the trials""I think now running for me is a lot of curiosity... I'm not necessarily putting in the high level of work but I'm putting in some work. And it's been really interesting to see what I can do at that level."Caitlyn Tataishi is an accomplished ultra marathoner and marathoner - so accomplished in fact that she qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials. One of her more recent accomplishments though has been off the run in becoming a mom. One of the refreshing things you will notice in speaking with Caitlyn about running and everything surrounding the sport is how driven by curiosity she is. During this conversation we covered Caitlyn's running beginnings as a "middle schooler" in Hawaii; how she gave up running while teaching in Japan to explore what her identity would be like without it; how she returned to running during Peace Corps in Zambia and ran an unofficial ultra marathon just to see if her body could go that far; her buying a one way plane ticket to DC and signing up for her first official ultra at the same time; her journey with the marathon and deciding to go for the Olympic Trials qualifying time at Grandma's Marathon (the same race at which Keira D'Amato qualified for the trials); and how here relationship with running changed and remained the same in different aspects throughout pregnancy and new motherhood. We both agree that DC is a wonderful running city when it comes to both places to run and people in the running community. Caitlyn shouts out Track Pack specifically.  We talk advice for setting big marathon goals - Caitlyn says even if it is a "bad day" (think rainy, windy weather) you might surprise yourself and have a good day! 

"It's about movement. It's just about getting your body out of the door, moving it, and continuing...it's just about persistence."Matt just came off pacing the DC Half 1:40 pace group. He's an experienced pacer, and it was fun to hear about his first experiences pacing (including a port-a-potty stop) in comparison to this month's event. Matt is a wealth of knowledge about shoes, race management, and running in general. He is also very humble about this and doesn't try to force knowledge on anyone. (But I did manage to get him to nerd out on shoes for a few minutes.)Matt has become a staple in the DC running community after moving to DC from Florida in 2020, and he is a great pal to have on the run. He will hammer out mile repeats on the track or jog a slow 3 miles with you. You can tell he loves the sport for more than just breaking PRs and winning races - he loves the community. 

"The more confident and empowered we feel, the more likely we are to speak up and use our voice."This week, I had the opportunity to speak with activist Keshia Roberson. Keshia is a community advisor for Run4AllWomen (an organization founded by activist Alison Desir; Run4AllWomen ambassadors Mikka Kei Macdonald and Elyse Braner were on earlier episodes of this podcast). Keshia has been involved with the organization since its beginning and participated in a leg of the organization's first journey from Harlem to DC!If Run4AllWomen sounds familiar, it may because you've been hearing all about their Women Run The Vote 3.0 Virtual Relay supporting Black Voters Matter.  This iteration of the relay runs on the virtual map from Cuba, Alabama to Phenix City, Alabama. This event uses the Racery app, which allows participants to record intentional movement (think running, walking, biking, cooking, housework...) and learn historical facts from the Alabama Black Belt.  You still have a few days to sign up, so grab a group of 6 friends and register while listening to the podcast.Outside of discussing Keshia's involvement in Run4AllWomen, we also discussed how Keshia began combining movement with activism; her founding of Major Knox Adventures, an outdoor series that promotes radical joy of cycling and other outdoor activities while continuing to celebrate the legacies of Major Taylor, Kittie Knox, and countless lesser-known Black outdoor enthusiasts; and finding one's place in the activism space.Keshia is a wealth of knowledge and someone who takes action to make her community a better, more inclusive space. I really enjoyed getting to learn from her, and I hope you do as well.As always, thanks to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack you hear.

"I made up a plan which was run a distance, and then run a little bit more, and then run a little bit more...then run even more miles in a week."Mike Katz was one of my first DC running friends upon moving back to the district in 2019, and I am lucky because he is a genuine and wonderful human. He is also a very smart scientist in DC! For this episode, we sat down in Logan Circle to discuss how Katz got into running (his friend, Laura, bullied him a lot), turning from a sitter to a mover, his running adventures with college pals turned post-college pals, Tatsu and Laura, his first Pacers group run in a polar vortex, dealing with injury (some sage advice at the end of this episode), training for long distance races, biking and walking around DC, and Katz's role as Skechers Ambassador!Special thanks to Katz for testing out the new mic with me. And always-thanks to Dan Hoffman for the audio. I hope you enjoy and stay engaged with the pod! Good luck to everyone running the DC Half this weekend!

"What I really took to from the beginning was the team aspect. I really love having this group of friends. I loved the release you get from running...And it really brought out my personality."If you're a member of the DC running community, you've likely heard of Pacers Running. Perhaps you've bought a pair of shoes from one of their stores, run a Pacers race, or participated in a Monday night group run. Behind the scenes, Elyse Braner, Pacers Running Director of People and Culture, is the one organizing events and building community.  In this episode, Elyse delves into how she grew into her current role and has worked to make the running group more inclusive. She also highlights details about the upcoming DC Half and other upcoming Pacers events.Elyse also talks about her personal movement journey, from being a shy 14-year-old with sneakers from K-Mart to a 3:06 marathoner to (most recently) a triathlete. We spoke about the courage it takes to try something new (maybe an open water swim or your first half marathon), and we speak about the fun stuff (hokey pokeys before races...).As always, thanks to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack, and thanks to Elyse for recording.

"When I was in Tennessee, I worked at a camp over the summer, and I ran their biking program - because we were on a hill, and I was the only one who had the energy and interest in biking up and down the hill multiple times a day who had endless amounts of energy. So I quickly became pigeon holed as the biking guy."This week I had the opportunity to record the first in-person episode of the pod with Eli Minter (@noahsamuel on Instagram). If you've been to a running group in DC, you've probably come across Eli. He has been in DC for over eight years now, and has gotten to know different facets of the movement community. (Eli highlights DC Capital Striders, Mid City Runners, Pacers Run Club, NE Track Club, and District Running Collective in this episode, so if you're new to DC and looking for running pals, those are a few to explore.)Eli is friendly, super speedy, and a wealth of knowledge on bike infrastructure. In this episode, we spoke about how Capital Bikeshare has evolved over the years; European biking infrastructure and why it's difficult to just transport what's there to DC; WABA's role in DC; and how organizations such as Families for Safe Streets are striving to make roads safer. We of course talked a lot about running too! We spoke about how Eli got started running, tagging along to track workouts with his dad and older siblings; his experience starting cross country - it wasn't what he expected; his favorite marathon; and the calendar of ultras he has coming up this Fall.As always, credit to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack. And extra credit to Eli for helping me edit this episode. Thanks so much for listening and staying engaged with Micromobility DC!

“I think I've always been kind of intrigued by how far people can run.”In Episode 5 of Micromobility DC, I spoke with Joe Snowaert, a handyman + contractor DC (hit him up on Instagram @joeinthedistrict for your handyman needs). He is an active member of the district's running community—you can catch him at an early morning November Project workout or speeding along the Pacers Monday 7 mile route. If you thought the last two episodes were ultra-crazy, in this edition of the pod we talked about Joe's recent success at the Burning River 100 Mile Race (where Joe completed 101 miles!). Joe first attempted this race in 2020 and made it over 90 miles before his ankles swelled up like grapefruits. He wanted to attempt the race again in 2021 but had stress reactions in both tibias—those tibias, man. Third year is a charm as they say though. In 2022, Joe ran the race in (significantly) under 24 hours! While able to crush mile after mile after mile, Joe is an incredibly humble and kind human. You can tell he genuinely appreciates living in DC and the movement community he has found here. As he says, “I've always said that I will stay in DC as long as I like it. And I still like it four years later.”This episode is all about trying things out, trying again if a first you don't succeed, seeing where your body can take you, and enjoying the ride (or run) with your friends. 

"It's so special how runners are the happiest, most welcoming people...they just make so much room for you to be yourself and express yourself..." (Molly)"Nationally, when people talk about running cities DC gets forgotten...but DC has something really cool where I feel like we're on the precipice of something like being known for club running, fast but also fun." (Bre)This week I spoke with Bre Brukalo and Molly Applegate. These two have been speedy friends since they ran track together as part of William and Mary's D1 program. (They both did the jumping over stuff events. Molly ran the longer distance steeplechase; Bre hurdled 400 meters.) The two were roommates for years. (Until just a couple weeks ago actually, and they still live down the street from each other.) Like college, where they ran different events, they've both become involved in the DC running community in their own ways but come together to support each other and cheer for each other. Bre runs with the Pacers New Balance Select Team, something she began doing after working at Pacers. She describes this as "a group of friends who like to run fast and then have a beer." She's also the coach x plan designer for the Pacers Social Runs DC Half Marathon Training Plan. You can catch her plan on Instagram @pacersrunningsocialruns. Molly is a captain for Northeast Track Club (fondly shortened to NETC by many). She is the smiling face that will greet you at a Track Tuesday or Hump Day Run. (Fun Fact: She started the Hump Day Run.) As a captain, she is a speedy but steady pacer for track workouts. You can check out what NETC is up to at their Instagram @ne_trackclub. These two are fast, hardworking, and a lot of fun to be around. They both radiate joy and sunshine, and you can tell from speaking with them how deeply invested they are in the DC running community. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.A few links for referenced topics:Virginia Happy Trails Running Club RoutesNortheast Track ClubPacers RunningGeorgetown Running Club (GRC)Citius Mag Runners of NYC

"It's where I've always felt the safest and the happiest, so it's hard not to go back."In this episode of Micromobility DC, I had the chance to speak with Mikka Kei Macdonald  her relationship with movement. Mikka is an incredibly accomplished distance runner in the DC area. (She finished second overall in the 2021 Devil Dog Ultra and second woman in the 2021 Baltimore Marathon.) She is also very humble about all of this.Mikka describes herself as the weird girl who really liked running in high school. She speaks to how using one's body can be a political act, longevity of women and nonbinary people in distance running (as policy develops and understanding of sport grows), community in ultra running, and more. We also discuss bee allergies and elementary school race strategies.We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, and I've attempted to link to many of our conversation topics below. I know I will miss a few, so please feel free to reach out to @micromobilitydc on Instagram with follow up curiosities.Alison Desir's new book: Running While BlackRun4AllWomenNIH Revitalization Act of 1993Title IXTrack Pack DCRock Creek ParkAs always, thank you to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack you hear.

"Then he yells, 'Don't go slow; go fast!'" This advice from Nick Mai's dad seems to permeate Nick's approach to running. Nick didn't grow up running competitively or biking. In fact, he just learned how to ride a bike this year! But for all those who know his approach to running, it comes as no surprise that Nick is already whizzing around the city on his new Trek.  Nick is an avid runner who threw himself into both the sport and the surrounding community. In this episode he speaks on how he became a regular runner because of the friends he made at Pacers DC Run Club. (These same friends convinced him to run a marathon. Great pals.) He speaks on learning new skills as an adult, overcoming injury, and his favorite spot to log a few miles. Oh, and we nerd out about Yasso 800s and shoe technology a bit at the end. Thank you so much for listening at attempt number 2 of this podcast. I hope you enjoy!

"There's something about the long run...it's like this is what my body was meant to do, just cranking along for long periods of time."For my first attempt at this whole talking heads podcasting situation I interviewed my long time running buddy, Sy Doan. Sy is an education policy researcher in DC and an active member of the DC running community. He speaks on his favorite places to run in DC, aspects of running he finds more challenging, how he began running, and why you should not be intimidated to run with your local running group. (Pacers Running is the group referenced most in this podcast as a local DC group - there are many runs and groups to check out in our area! Sy also brings up East Nasty, a Nashville run group he loved.)Many thanks to Sy for agreeing to be the first interview in this passion project exploring people's relationship with moving their bodies and forming active communities in the District. And special shouts to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack you hear.