Tom Dean is one of those rare individuals who are able to connect their life work to their passion areas, in creating synergy between running, faith and work (publishing) life! He sets the bar high for those of us exploring running culture and what it is to make a good life. From the perspective of a running anthropologist, this is not one to miss! Hear about some of Tom’s favorite runs, books, and join us as we journey through a few decades of devotion to running. For Tom, the ability to work with and publish the likes of Ryan Hall (Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step) and Sanya Richard Ross (Chasing Grace) has been a gift and learning experience he has applied many lessons to his faith and personal life. With an incredible background and skill set in book publishing and marketing, Tom then took this and applied it to sharing the gospel (of running and his faith). Integration of various aspects of our being and what we value may seem hard to do at times, yet running is a passion which parallels so many other life and happiness factors. This is a reminder of one of my favorite spiritual psychology quotes, “Happiness cannot be sought, but must ensue from the search for meaning.” --Dr. Viktor Frankl In this conversation, we cover a wide range of topics in work and running, but focus on his most recent Hood to Coast endeavour and meeting his goal of 1,000 miles per year for over a decade! What motivates him, allows him to reach his goals and keeps him running each day? Well, some of it you’ll have to listen to find out, but one tip is setting a monthly goal and having target races, and not getting too distraught if ‘our best-made plans don’t turn out the first time’. For Tom, the important thing is setting both reasonable and attainable goals that we can build on over time, and keeping his spiritual life at the center of all he does. Reflecting on our conversation, I realize this applies to not only running, also career challenges and life transitions, which we’ve all had a lot of the past 2 years during Covid! And his wisdom shared here certainly translates to family and other relationships we value. Tom can be found on social media @thomaspdean or find his publishing company at https://www.adropofink.pub/ As always, look forward to hearing your impressions and what you have to share in the world of running, spirituality and running as therapy! Please private message us @runninganthropologist on IG or FB, or leave a message in the comments section of our blogsite: www.runninganthropologist.com Until next time, Happy Running!

Running Anthropologist

Running on Faith, Books and Goals, with Thomas Dean

Did you know that over 4,400 paralympians competed in the Tokyo games, with over 1,800 female athletes across 22 sports and 23 disciplines? And that this was the biggest field ever for women in the Paralympics as well? It also saw the introduction of the 4x100 Universal Relay in track and field, which symbolizes the true diversity of athletic abilities at the games. Team USA has participated in every Summer and Winter Paralympic Games since 1960 and is currently first on the all-time medal table. A whopping 60% of the medals brought home this year at the Olympic games were from women... Twenty two-year-old Jaleen Roberts, our guest today, brought home medals in two track and field events, specifically the long jump and 100m silver medals. She competes in the T-37 category for those with some abulatory disability, and also boasts multiple World Championship medals in 2017 and 2019, including a gold in the universal relay, mentioned above, at its international debut. Jaleen is originally from Washington state and began para competition late in her high school career, where she "took a chance" and followed the advice of her coaches when someone from the local para-sports club reached out to her. She went on to attend college at Eastern Wash State University in physical/health education, where she continued training with the Spokane-based ParaSport club and international competitions. We caught up with Jaleen for this interview took place just over a week after her return home and move to San Diego, where she is completing her student teaching and starting a new life as an independent athlete, and training with a new club soon. She reflects on her racing and jumping origins/roots (which involved wrestling), and the culture around those who want to have the highest level of competition but also have a disability. Jaleen was born with cerebral palsy, but was always competitive among all fully-abled athletes growing up. She enjoys sharing the origins of competing and how she found the sports she has now mastered, running and long jump. And many other events and sports in between that led her to this, learning the dedication it takes to succeed, from soccer to wrestling to basketball, to name a few. One thing is clear from our conversation: Just "doing life" can be difficult for an Olympian or Paralympian who are not paid like other professional athletes, as she relates how she juggles work/school commitments, student teaching and training. Jaleen also shares what it was like to compete in Tokyo during Covid restrictions, and what magic the Olympic village held in terms of connecting to her Team USA, Japanese and Chinese fellow competitors especially. She also explains some of the different categories of paralympic competition (see more here), and how she fits into these classifications based upon ability level for ambulatory disability. She also shares the transition from Paralympics to Olympic Games in general, and how much she desires to be a role model as her primary job, even above being an athlete. How do we succeed in life and in running? Well, in closing, she shares her mantra as an athlete since high school, to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and "take a chance" on something new! Find more about this episode and other inspiration around running culture at our blogsite: www.runninganthropologist.com Please share your corner of running culture by tagging us @runninganthropologist on Instagram or Facebook, or send us a DM, we'd love to hear from you!

Paralympian Jaleen Roberts, On The Tokyo Games, Track & Field, and Life!

In this episode, we interview Coach Gary Aldrich about his international coaching career spanning decades, and what it was like to coach with USATF, Team USA Track and Field in the Olympics. Coach Aldrich was specifically responsible for the throwing: javelin, shot put, discus! You know, the things flying around on the infield? We don't get into the technical aspects of the different events, but rather focus on what the Olympic environment was like, the events and the Olympic village spirit. We also discuss the friendly rivalries and the joy of competition, and what it is like being the father of a college distance runner now! At several points in the interview Coach Aldrich gives advice to younger track and field athletes, about post-high school and post-college life. He asserts that the love and joy of sport should be what carries us, despite our level of competition or ability to turn running or field events into a professional career. While it may be a narrow slice of individuals that ever compete or coach at the Olympics, Coach Aldrich demonstrates that one doesn't have to have an elite attitude, but rather an attitude of flexibility and hard work- and most of all willingness to be dedicated and train through difficult periods. To keep dedicated to a sport when even the Olympics was in question was certainly difficult for many athletes, and we commend them for their strength and stick-to-it-iveness to make to Tokyo and celebrate this international exhibition of sport together. We were proud to watch and even more grateful to share some of the Olympic spirit in this episode with an outstanding coach! Message us on IG and FB @RunningAnthropologist, & find out/ read more and share on our blogsite: www.runninganthropologist.com

Reflecting on the Olympics, USATF Track & Field Throwing Coach Gary Aldrich

Welcome back! In our new season's first episode, "Earth Day, Earth Year: Healing & Recovery" we look at ways to heal our planet while healing ourselves, personally and collectively. We feature ultra trail athlete Michael Wardian (about Earth Day 5K and healing for an upcoming 100 goal), Peter Maksimow (on Plogging and sustainability), and a special interview with writer/music therapist Bob Shea about Recovery Camino: "this year brings us back to nature for healing and the path(s) of recovery". In Bob Shea's interview, we approach the purpose of pilgrimage and the importance of connection (to our natural world and fellow pilgrims). As we seek recovery and healing for our planet in 2021, there is a parallel inner journey we can embark upon. Much like multi-day ultras in the running world, a walking pilgrimage is about movement of body-mind-spirit in unison towards a higher or common goal, which presents unexpected difficulties when we meet ourselves and our thoughts full force along "The Way". Reach out to learn more or register for free Summer Recovery as Pilgrimage training! Michael Wardian describes his journey of healing from an injury, and what slowing down during the pandemic has given him time for. He shares his philosophy towards setbacks/struggle, and why he always returns to the local (and virtual local) events, like Earth Day 5K put on by Little Sesame (in cooperation with planting new life by Casey's Trees) every year. Instagram: @mikewardian Peter Maksimow is a mountain runner, U.S. Team silver medalist and big part of the global PLOGGING movement: making a physical/mental effort to notice and respond to our earth while run/walking- by picking up trash and recycling. He's the founder of an intense PLOGGING group in the United States, and shares with us his own philosophy as a trail runner/environmentalist, about the key to sustainable growth of this community. Instagram: @petermaksimow FLIPPING THE TABLES: Lastly, I would also like to share this interview I did with RUN WITH LOVE, an ultra community podcast- which explains the practice of Walk/Running Logotherapy and Running as Therapy in general. I discuss some of the basics of how walk/running helps with recovery from addictions, trauma and loss, as well as granting a daily reprieve through habit formation (treating anxiety and depression). To heal our world, we have to begin with ourselves! https://runwithlove.com/podcast/32-mark-lane-holbert-running-as-therapy Please Reach out to us @RunningAnthropologist on Facebook or Instagram, blogsite www.runninganthropologist.com and via the RECOVERY CAMINO's website to register for our summer Pilgrims training: www.recoverycamino.com

Earth Day, Earth Year: On Healing & Recovery

This episode is all about Gma, our family nickname for my grandmother, Jan Dennis. The interview featured here took place during our many hours of free time in the pandemic year, and I actually spoke with her several times about her life stories and running. I remember as a teenager I oohed and ahhed over the crates full of race t-shirts she had accumulated, forming a colorful patchwork of training years and adventures with friends and family over the years. Each t-shirt had a story, which she could recall at a moment's notice, and probably tell you the youth and adult contenders and their stories too! Many of those years in her adult life were marked by training for and traveling to races, and then cheering for the next generation at cross country and track meets. She adopted all of us and encouraged/followed us as if we were her own children, even married-to grandchildren like myself. In this interview, we also discuss what it was like to grow up on a farm and memories of the great depression, and a bit about being a woman in sports and college life shortly after WWII. Aside from the running though, Gma was a lifelong endurance athlete: raising 5 children of her own and managing and early-rising bakery, as well as a builder of community and family. She had a knack for knowing everything about each of us, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. As I finished college and started my own career (and completed my first marathon in Detroit International), I recall how I began to recognize her abundant wisdom in dedicating so much time to these few commitments, but making them truly quality ones; Her purpose in life was easy to see as she invested in each of us continually. And I would say it paid off. Speaking for myself, I always felt like I had someone in my corner, and someplace I could escape to if I just needed a break from the hectic world of striving and being tested. Here I was unconditionally accepted (and teased, and taught to remember to laugh at myself). This is probably the greatest skill and lesson I have learned from my "Dennis extended family": if you can laugh at yourself and your mistakes (not take myself and my goals too seriously, which I naturally do), you'll not only have much less stress, but also no one can surprise you by revealing your foolishness and foibles- you already know them! I try to do the same in my life now, not over-extending but asking myself daily what I truly value and committing the lion's share of my time to that. This is the best testament to Gma: All of her grandchildren and great grandchildren adore her and I daresay even listen to her, venerating sometimes "ancient" values of honesty, hard work and keeping commitments. I saw this when she would drive hours to attend one of my important races or games through high school and college, or more recently make it to my wedding in her later years despite not driving (thanks to my uncle). I couldn't be happier to share this interview with you, and would love to hear more stories about everything and from everyone- please feel free to leave some in the COMMENTS section at the website below! www.runninganthropologist.com

Life with G-ma, featuring Jan Dennis

Lisah Hamilton is interested in helping us be more conscious of our movements and mental approach to running, as well as how we see ourselves. Her perspective on gives us insight into the emerging culture of conscious running, and is yet another example of the incredible diversity of that serves to make our distance running community better: holistic and more sustainable. Among others, she also sees some promise and opportunity arising from our Covid-changed world, and what we as runners have/have not been able to do during this past year. It might be a time of reorientation and being conscious of our training, our routines. In our first episode of 2021, she talks about how she sees the culture of running changing to be more inward-looking, and what we can do to join this process. She has been helping runners for 20 years as "The Conscious Runner", to recondition and re-frame, prevent injury and meet individual goals- but mostly empowering others to fully enjoy movement and running again! She herself has been a competitive distance runner for over 25 years, and working in the field of functional movement, and is a trained performance specialist. Finally, Lisah offers the perspective of "an outsider" as a competitive swimmer from her beginnings, who came to the mainland US from the Virgin Islands, of St. Croix at 18 years of age. Her alternative perspective on body-mind-spirit connectivity thus give us insight as well, and adds to endurance athletics more knowledge of our movement and overall health. She also knows there is much more to be done, and wants to make us a part of it, thus she provides some training for free around these methods (or options to have more in-depth 1:1 services at a cost). Please find her at www.consciousrunner.com and reach out with any questions about her practice! Leave us a message on IG or Facebook @runninganthropologist. Also find photos and more links from this episode and all past ones at our blogsite: www.RunningAnthropologist.com

Conscious Running in 2021, with Lisah Hamilton - Performance & Functional Movement Specialist

In our last episode of 2020, we look for the light of hope just around the next bend, amidst great suffering & a year of global reckoning with the pandemic… none of us are immune and we all need an outlet. This has given the outdoor/trail and distance running community a unique perspective, if not a bitter-sweet boost. Today, Meghan and Mark discuss the theme of “emerging light from darkness” (winter solstice) across cultural traditions from around the globe, and throughout history, in the first half of the episode. In the second half we interview Fr./Brother Anthony Aarons, a former Franciscan and dedicated distance runner, who hails from Jamaica and applies his unique insight to his job as a chaplain. At the Running Anthropologist project and in our 2020 recap specifically, we try to take a reflective look at the cultures and peoples representing the diversity of our human experience, and then hone in on running and what these practices mean to us. Many of us have faced ourselves with a more sobering clarity in 2020, forced to slow down and look deeply at all our practices, often isolated from a community of support- we’ve learned much and have much to learn! Forming a tiny fraction of this communal knowledge, we share our favorite (audio)books, apps, and races of 2020. Here are the “Top of 2020” from Running Anthropologist by category: Audio Book- Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein; Print Book- Still “Epic Runs of the World” by Lonely Planet, Ap- Insight Timer (world’s largest & free meditation app- search “Lane Holbert” under teachers to find a few of ours produced this year); Races: X-country Marathon, Half Marathon and Ultra in Alafia, Florida, the Publix Atalanta Marathon and the Princess Challenge weekend at Disney (Meghan). Links to all these can be found on our website, we received no sponsorship or advertising credit for anything, just things we liked and we relied upon in 2020. ————— As always, please share this episode with others if you find it inspiring & subscribe or leave a review for us from wherever you are listening! Our blogsite is www.runninganthropologist.com and we can also be found @runninganthropologist on Facebook and Instagram!

Light Emerges from the Darkness & Our 2020 Run-Down

Beth is a champion endurance athlete and barely lets on when you meet her or talk to her about the sport she is now helping to shape, move forward and inspire change. She carries that magic with her, or perhaps gathers it to share back out, from Disney Races around the globe. Beth is from London, where it is hard to race a wheelchair around most streets and even harder during Covid times. But she has a lot of motivation in sharing the sport with the next generation and finding her happy place of sanity through movement. In a few short years, she has made a name for herself in the "most magical of racing locations". For her, Disney is the entire package and gives her a reason to keep training, something to look forward to around the next bend... Speaking of which, there are many bends on a track when one is training for distance events like the marathon and half marathon, which she has been doing the past year! Beth shares some of her perspectives on why the sport is growing and so important to people with disabilities and rare diseases like her own that prevent her from running or doing most other sports competitively. She tells the story of her own start, and how others encouraged and inspired her, starting with witness the London 2012 Paralympics which inspired me to get my first racing wheelchair. For Beth, the terms "running", "racing" and "wheeling/wheelchair racing" are interchangeable as she connects with and understands the challenges everyone faces in training for and completing a long distance endurance event. One of her greatest hopes is that she'll be able to help spread awareness and open up events for more young racers on wheels, including smaller and regional races that might not have thought it possible. She consults with many back in Britain and appreciates the opportunity to help, even in small ways. In this interview, she also recalls one of her highlights of being medaled at Buckingham Palace in the interview, as she was born and raised in London. At the age of 16 she started experiencing health problems, and 3 years later was diagnosed with the rare condition of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. Since she received her first racing chair, she has faced many struggles with training and anxiety around competitions, but has found her niche and now races all over her home country, but mostly participates in "Run Disney" events. In fact she has now won half marathon titles in 3 different countries and currently has 16 champion titles at Disney alone. A trip down photo lane reveals more medals than can be held up on one neck at a given time! Most of all, she says, "I like to share what I have learnt on Instagram at BethsWheels to help new wheelchair racers get in to the sport at an amateur level... and spreading the joy of running at Disney!" Follow her on Instagram @BethsWheels and find out simple ways to support newcomers to the sport! To support us, you can also subscribe, share the episodes you love and like/visit our Facebook page @RunningAnthropologist

Beth Evans, on Wheelchair Racing & The Magic of it All

This episode features the Chairman and Co-Founder of The Refugee Life Foundation Rush Darwish (pictured above), who shares with us how and why The Refugee Life Foundation started, and the Running Refugees Relays shortly thereafter to fill a great need. Rush's calling: "he works to help disenfranchised children from war-torn countries gain access to free medical care. Over the years, he has helped to raise over a million dollars for needy children through the formation of various fundraising efforts focused on 5K races and marathons." He is a natural leader for this cause and serves on the Board of Directors of AMVOTE PAC, an organization dedicated to promoting voter registration, voter information and voter empowerment. Rush is an avid runner, marathoner, and Iron Man Triathlon Finisher, and works especially hard to support refugee families. He hopes to expand the relays to be unique events that partner social justice, advocacy and help of our most vulnerable people in the world. To donate to the team & Refugee Families: https://bit.ly/31X1T7g This episode also featured four of the runners on our Relay team, Matt and Eila Buszco who ran/walked their miles in the mountains of Vietnam, where they do grassroots work supporting local farmers markets and independent farmers. They share their experience in Vietnam and why refugees and other people in movement are important to them. Second, Andrew Frey ran both Running Anthropologist's monthlong "5K A DAY" challenge and the final weekend of the Running Refugees Relay, which finished the challenge just before our US elections. Andrew is a british marathoner who came to the US as a Fulbrighter and stayed with his family to be an infectious disease researcher at the University of South Florida. He shares some of his thoughts on the international refugee crisis and why he joined, as well as differences between a traditional marathon and a 262 mile team relay! Finally, Kristy Powell Wynn joins us to talk about her Runners World Running Streak of just over 170 days, shooting to break 200 before 2020. Kristy is an inspiring member of the running community and shares her experiences in several challenges, running from her home town of Atlanta, GA- and why she believes in this particular cause. She offers some words of wisdom for others setting out on long distance challenges! The 5k a Day remembrance gave us a chance to honor those who have passed in 2020, as suggetsed by members of our Running Anthropologist community. These included health care workers and teachers who passed from Covid, along with pastors and distaster relief workers, those who serve the elderly and children, as well as those who serve others in addiction counseling/recovery work. Lastly, we included several individuals (representing many) who died for no good reason whatsoever from police violence or racial profiling in the United States. Finally, our final weekend we took up the Running Refugees Relay to finish with a 262 mile journey across Florida. Due to Covid and travel concerns many ran virtually, but about half of us did our miles on the ground in Flordia, and started on the coast in Tampa Bay, Florida- journeying northeast to our other coast near St. Augustine. We are grateful to all who have supported this fantastic cause, and encourage you to learn more at www.runningrefugees.com. We will post more updates about upcoming teams and relays in the spring on our facebook page @runninganthropologist! Until then, Happy Running!

Running Multi-Day Challenges & Relays, feat. Rush Darwish & Team members

Traversing 262 miles across the state of Florida with a team of 10, representing a global cause. From St.Pete beach up the coast, cutting inland through Ocala National Forest to St.Augustine! Some are on the ground in Florida and some joining virtually, our long weekend challenge participants are interviewed here as to the motivation behind the challenge, “for Refugees, and in honor of the many souls we've lost this past year, but especially for all those who are not free to move.” - host Mark Lane Holbert. In this episode Mark interviews Alex Vernon, Moody Elbarasi and Steffi Kauss... all of them give unique insight into our cause and why we run! Please share if you too find this a valuable venture, join/follow us on Facebook @runninganthropologist, through their website or www.runningrefugees.com and PLEASE consider donating to this worthy cause at https://bit.ly/31X1T7g

Running Refugees Relay across Florida

Dedicated to exploring the culture of running with mentors, icons and everyday explorers, and sharing the most impactful /unique runs across the US and the globe! Please join our movement and help us learn together about what motivates us to discover more about ourselves and communities we run through! We will have a new featured guest or group each episode and invite you to post / message us on social media to join & share your favorite running adventures & learning! Find us on Facebook or at https://www.runninganthropologist.com

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Running Anthropologist

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