Running Fast, Living Fully

What happens when running stops being about finish times and starts being about perspective, joy, and the people who carry us through hard miles?

In this episode of Fireside Chat on the Run Tri Mag Podcast, host Jason Bahamundi sits down with everyday athlete Natalie Lutz for a conversation that goes far beyond race results. Yes, Natalie is a 2:54 marathoner and multiple-time Boston qualifier but that’s just the headline, not the story.

This episode dives into running burnout, mindset, and what it really means to become a better version of ourselves through endurance sports. Natalie shares why she walked away from competitive running for 15 years, how patience and consistency helped her finally break three hours at the Chicago Marathon, and why running should be something you do, not something you are.

You’ll also hear about the emotional side of training. The stories of honoring loved ones, staying grounded, and finding motivation that isn’t measured by pace charts or data. Along the way, there’s talk of injury prevention, recovery habits, dessert-fueled joy, and why having fun still matters when goals get serious.

If you’re an endurance athlete looking for inspiration, balance, and permission to keep perspective while training and racing then hit play and enjoy.

🎧 Tune in. Have Fun. Follow Your Own Path.

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Welcome back to What’s In Your Earbuds?, the podcast where endurance training meets music, laughter, and conversations that absolutely do not stay on track and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

In this Animals Edition, Joe Hardin and I dive into songs that feature animals in the title, lyrics, or artist name, and what starts as a simple playlist idea quickly turns into a full-blown musical safari. From iconic classics like Eye of the Tiger to unexpected community deep cuts, this episode proves that animal-themed songs might be the most underrated training fuel out there.

We talk about why playlists matter, how lyrics can change your mood mid-run, and why the weirdest songs often carry us through the hardest miles. Along the way, our live community shows up with chaotic brilliance, turning the conversation into a shared experience that’s equal parts fun and motivating.

What’s In Your Earbuds? is about more than music. It’s about connection, joy, and remembering that training should still make you smile. No podiums required. Just miles, music, and a little chaos.

🎧 Press play, then tell us: what animal song are you training to right now?

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What happens when endurance sports stop being about pace splits and start being about the work no one sees?

In this episode of Enduring Minds, Jason Bahamundi and Evan Birch sit down with Hal Jankowski for an honest conversation about mental health, fear, and what it really means to become who you’re meant to be.

Hal didn’t start running until age 41. Before endurance sports entered his life, anxiety did and it was intense enough to feel like a heart attack. What followed wasn’t a highlight-reel comeback, but a deeply human journey through therapy resistance, perfectionism, and learning to redefine “good enough.”

This episode explores the messy middle. You know, the space between realizing you need help and actually changing. We talk about why therapy isn’t “woo” when you understand you’re in control, how professional perfectionism bleeds into running and relationships, and why fear is information, not identity.

The conversation expands beyond running into risk, consumerism, comparison, and betting on yourself later in life, when the stakes feel higher. Hal doesn’t just reflect he also commits, putting a stake in the ground for growth and accountability.

This is Enduring Minds:
Not podiums.
Not personal records.
But the internal work that endurance athletes everywhere are quietly doing.

If you’re navigating anxiety, change, or the courage to start—this conversation is for you.

🎧 Tune in, reflect, and keep moving forward...one honest mile at a time.

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• Run Tri Bike on Instagram
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• Hal Jankowski on Instagram