Running New Mexico Podcast

Episode 110 - Gabrielle Arsiaga; Head Coach University of the Southwest

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Gabrielle Arsiaga. She is the new head cross country coach at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico. She is also a graduate of USW and holds the women's 5k record.

It was fun getting to hear her journey as a runner for Hobbs High School and then running for USW. She talks about getting a second chance when she was in high school and then wanting to make sure she is able to do the same for future runners coming into the program.

She is bringing excitement and freshness to the program and looking for new runners. So if you know someone that is looking for a place to run next year, check out the University of the Southwest. And email Coach Arsiaga at garsiaga@usw.edu.

We are still looking at fires destroying large areas of land in the Northern parts of the state. It's a sad thing, but there are plenty of places that you can donate to help. So stay safe, stay hydrated, help others, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 109 - Matt Thompson; Watermelon 100 Project for the Friends of the Sandia Mountains

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Matt Thompson. He is in the Air Force and is  currently stationed in Albuquerque at Kirtland Air Force. Before he is transferred, he had an idea to benefit the Friends of the Sandia Mountains. He decided he would run 100 miles in the Sandias to raise money for them. Welcome to the Watermelon 100.

Starting May 13th, Matt will traverse 100 miles in the Sandia Mountains, without loops or backtracking. He will be accompanied by friends and family when they can and it's all for a good cause. You can follow the Facebook page here and the YouTube channel here.

Matt wanted to find a way to give back to the community before being transferred and I think this is a great way to give back. He talks about his start in running and trail running. How his chance encounter with a now famous trail runner helped lead him down this path. He also talks about the group he's been able to be a part of while in Albuquerque and his love of the trails.

If you want to help out check out the Friends of the Sandia Mountains above, or click here for the Go Fund me page. 

The weather is getting hotter, the fires are still burning, and I know there's a lot of people and organizations that could use your help. This is highlighting one of the many. So, help where you can, stay hydrated, stay safe, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 108 - Jacque Pinon; Vanderbilt University Track & Field Athlete

This week I had the pleasure to talk with Jacque Pinon. She is a senior runner at Vanderbilt University and a graduate of St. Pius X in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

She was a standout distance running, earning individual state titles in the 1600, 3200, and Cross Country, during her time at St. Pius X. We talk about her start in running and making the move from soccer to running.

Jacque talks about her struggles through injuries and staying motivated as well as staying balanced between school work and training. We also talk about picking Vanderbilt and her major.

It was a lot of fun to get to know Jacque and learn about her future plans. If you are curious about her final race, you can click this link to see the results.

We are nearing the end of the track season in both high school and collegiate forms. I hope that you have had a chance to support and watch your favorite teams and that you are excited about the upcoming professional season with the World Championships being hosted in Eugene this summer.

I also want to continue to acknowledge the fires devastating North New Mexico. Words cannot express the feeling of having the places you grew up in and still visit just being gone. Not to mention the displaced people. Obviously this hits close to home for me, literally. There are plenty of resources available, if you would like to help, or would just like more information, you can click here. Otherwise, I hope you keep everyone in your thoughts. 

Stay safe, stay hydrated, and keep running, New Mexico.

 

Episode 107 - Dawn Meyer & Rebekah Weems Talking the Gunther Run

I'm excited to be able to return to the podcast this week with two amazing ladies to talk about an upcoming event at Sandia High School on April 30th.

Dawn Meyer and Rebekah Weems join me to talk a little about their start in running and then to give us some insight about the upcoming Gunther Run to Remember.

If you never knew Sandia's former baseball coach who passed away from cancer in 2017, you get an opportunity to hear from one of his good friends, Dawn Meyer, about what kind of person he was and why we are putting together this event to honor his memory. All donations go toward the Gunther scholarship, which is given to two graduating seniors and all donations over $15 get a shirt.

I'm happy to be a part of this and I encourage anyone looking to get out and move, to come on by. The run takes place through Sandia's campus and though it doesn't offer the fastest course, it offers you an opportunity to be a part of the community. There will be vendors and activities at the finish, so come and join us.

I couldn't be more proud to be able to bring attention to this event and be able to highlight it as I come back from my hiatus. I'm looking forward to bringing more stories from people in and from our great state and I hope you're excited too.

While we highlight great things going on in the state, let's keep in mind those that are in terrible situations with the fires forcing evacuations and devastating land and property throughout the state. Stay safe, stay helpful, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 106 - Margaret Gordon; Recent Arrowhead 135 finisher, Mt. Taylor 50k Race Director

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Margaret Gordon. She's a race director for the Mt. Taylor 50k, working with her husband Ken (a previous guest), and recently finished the Arrowhead 135. It's a winter ultra marathon taking place in Minnesota along a snowmobile trail.

We talk about her start in running and a little bit of her triathlon days. She's had a lot of experiences and we cover just a bit. She talked about her fueling and being lucky enough for her stomach to handle anything at this point, which makes getting the right nutrition for these longer efforts easier.

We do really delve into her experience in this race and what it was like to be out on a trail in the cold and snow. She talks about getting confidence with a training session in Chama a fews weeks out from the race. It was fantastic to hear about her preparations for the race, but also her ability to adapt when things got unpredictable. Listening to her talk about getting to ride her sled down some hills was fantastic as well.

The race website says they limit the number of entrants to maximize solitude on the trail. Margaret talks to this solitude and the joy of accomplishing something like this. It was truly great to hear from her and everything that went into this race.

Track season is here! Meets were held this last weekend and the wind and cold blew in. It's fun to watch kids chase times and compete against each other. It's also tough watching athletes hurting when things don't go their way. It's a universal feeling. I encourage you to take the time to support a school this season and cheer on some kids. Take time for yourself, enjoy the weather, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 105 - Mbarak Hussein; Marathoner, USATF Road Record Holder, Coach, and Friend

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Mbarak Hussein. He is a marathoner, he's held multiple USATF road records, he's been a coach, and he's been a mentor and a friend of mine for the past 7 years.

If you know Mbarak, then you know that an hour talking with him is much too short. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to running. In this episode we talk about his upbringing and his start in running. We talk about his college career a bit and when he moved into marathoning.

His brother was a big influence on him and Mbarak talks about him a lot in this episode and it was fun to hear that side of his life. He talks about settling in Albuquerque and his time in Texas and Arizona. It was interesting to hear how he talked about training in Kenya at the time he was preparing to come to America. 

There's a lot here, and yet we barely scratch the surface of his amazing story. I hope you enjoy listening to Mbarak and that he inspires you on your runs this week.

Thank you for bearing with me as I try and get episodes out on somewhat of a normal schedule in spite of house renovations going on. I hope everyone is as excited about track season as I am. Whether it's seeing pros like former UNM athlete Josh Kerr smash British records (best free link I can find), catching up with current UNM athletes and NM collegiate athletes looking for births to indoor championships, or if you are getting ready to support local kids at track meets, I hope you take advantage of the amazing atmosphere we have here and show local talent that we are behind them. Enjoy the sun, enjoy the process, and keep running, New Mexico

Episode 104 - Solo Episode; 2 Years, Houston Recap, and the Future

This week, I give you a little update on me and my running, talk about my race at the Houston Half Marathon in January, and ask about your opinion of the show.

We are doing some remodeling in our house, so finding a quiet place to record has been difficult, but I sat down and gathered some thoughts in an echo-y room. I want to thank you all for being with me for the last two years, whether you're new, or started listening from the beginning. It's been a fun ride and I don't imagine dropping it any time soon.

Houston was an amazing experience. I couldn't have done it without my wife, Carrie, who I wouldn't be able to do the running, coaching, and this whole podcast without. Shoutout to Taos Bakes for fueling my weekly mornings, and Organ Mountain Outfitters for their awesome performance wear, including the performance tank, thanks to Teresa for customizing, which was my tank of choice for the race.

Lastly, what are you liking about the show? Is there anything you'd like to see going forward? I've considered a newsletter, YouTube, and possible TikTok components. But what are you interested in? Send me a message and let me know.

Thanks again for the last two years. I'm hoping for many more. So enjoy the weather, enjoy your family, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 103 - Kenny Henry; Head Cross Country and Boys Track Coach at Cleveland High School

This week I had the pleasure to talk with Kenny Henry, the head Cross County and Boys Track Coach at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho. Kenny comes from a running and coaching background and has established himself as one of the top New Mexican coaches with multiple Cross Country and Track Championships.

We talk about his own running and where he stands now. We also talk about the previous cross country and track seasons, as well as the recent third place finish for his boys and girls in cross country and what we can look forward to in this upcoming track season.

It was great to hear his insight about his runners, how differently he looked at the boys' and girls' teams heading into cross country and how it turned out for both of them. His love of the sport and for his athletes is something I really enjoyed hearing.

We talked about recruiting kids into distance running; it's not as easy as it looks. And how the most important person on the team isn't always the top runners.

I really enjoyed this conversation with a fellow coach and I hope you do too. It was great to touch base with Coach Henry as we enter the track season. It's such a fun time for kids and we get to see so many different disciplines. If you can make it out to meets to support our young athletes, I would highly recommend it.

I hope you enjoyed some of the warm weather and that your training is going well. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 102 - Andrea McArdle & Sean Abeyta; Talking Coach and Runner Dynamics

This week I had the pleasure to bring back Andrea McArdle and Sean Abeyta. Two previous guests that have been working together as a coach and athlete. It was fun to talk about the dynamic, how they decided to work together, and the build up to the Houston Marathon and prior.

In the past year, Andrea has started Running with Confidence, with the idea to help runners become more confident in their abilities. She has worked with some local high school teams, including Rio Rancho and Sandia High. She has also been coaching with the Duke's Track Club Youth Team. 

Part of her work also includes training adult runners. This is where Sean comes in. They were able to work together to create a great working relationship to complete a successful Houston Marathon for Sean. 

They are both great people who are doing good things for the running community. It was a lot of fun hearing them talk about their dynamic, while also listening to it. They really do work well together. I hope you enjoy their conversation with me.

It finally snowed in Albuquerque and across most of the state this last week. It was a great time to get a few quiet and cold miles in. I hope you had the opportunity to take advantage of the hush that follows freshly fallen snow. It's a great time to forget about goals and times and just enjoy the art of putting one foot in front of the other. As we continue the thaw I hope that you dress warm, stay safe, and keep running, New Mexico.

Episode 101 - Amber Zimmerman; 2024 USA Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier

This week I had the pleasure to speak with Amber Zimmerman. She is a UNM grad and recent qualifier for the 2024 USA Olympic Marathon Trials. She earned that honor with a 2:36:26 at the Houston Marathon.

Amber recently has moved to Philadelphia, but talks about her love for New Mexico and Albuquerque and her hope to make it back out here. We talk about her journey to Albuquerque to run for UNM and her journey into triathlons and trail running.

It was fun to hear Amber talk about these other adventures in her running career that have kept it fresh for her. I love her honesty about not wanting to go through the pain of the marathon again, but training partners and friends keep pulling her back. 

She is self coached and has learned what works for her, but running slow when she needs to is a great take away. I hope you enjoy our conversation and follow Amber as she does awesome things.

Track season is really upon us. I spent Saturday afternoon watching the Millrose Games. Such amazing performances and accomplishments. It was great to see a couple of former Lobos competing at that level, but it's equally as amazing to watch local races and high school track meets. Everyone is out there doing their best to accomplish goals. It's a great time. So good luck with your goals, stay safe, and keep running, New Mexico.