Listening is the key to so many things in life. From learning, to your job, to your relationships, to being a good human and even being a good race director. Chris Swenke knows this, and for him, everything starts there. He began running as a way to get in shape for his first love of curling, but soon discovered that running was his real passion. It didn’t take long before he had completed marathons, ultramarathons, then 100 mile races and crazy adventures like running across the state of MN. It also led him to starting the St Croix Running Company and directing his own race events. I catch up with him on all this, how his day at the 2026 FANS Ultra 24hr went, how his training for the iconic MN Superior 100 race is going and what’s the latest with the SCRC. So, grab your Hanes socks, your shoes and head out for your run. But whatever you do, don’t forget to “listen”.

SCRC website: https://www.stcroixrunningcompany.com/

(Blog): https://www.stcroixrunningcompany.com/blog

SCRC on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stcroixrunning

Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swenke

Chris Swenke personal website: https://www.chrisswenke.com/

Chris’ book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCK1B22R?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_KYENSNCRQYZ7XZYGRMXD&bestFormat=true

Joey's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Run_Joey_Run

Running Behind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running.behind_pod

Joey's Strava Profile: https://www.strava.com/athletes/111237895

Artwork by Ed Linder

In the Navajo culture, there is a sacred ceremony called a Kinaaldá. It happens when a girl transitions to women hood. As part of the ceremony they must run to the east three times a day, songs are sung, and prayers are given. Like many of their rich traditions, it is rooted in communal participation and focuses on teaching the young women about generosity, endurance, strength and community. My guest, Wynonna Fulgham, went through this ceremony and it sowed the seeds for how she would live her life as a Navajo woman, a wife, a mom, and it helped strengthen her love and connection to running. And oh the places her running has taken her. From the simple start of a 5K to eventual ultramarathons, including a starring role in The Cutoff film when finishing the Cocodona 250 last year and creating a whole new 200+ mile adventure at Cocodona this year. In this conversation we learn about her journey and how her Navajo lineage has shaped her life and her running.

Wynonna on IG: https://www.instagram.com/blacksheep_running/

Native Women Run on IG: https://www.instagram.com/native_women_run/

Native Women Run on linktree (lot of great links here): https://linktr.ee/NativeWomenRunning18

Cocodona 250 races: https://www.aravaiparunning.com/cocodona/

Online article about the history of The Long Walk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Walk_of_the_Navajo

Article in the Navajo Times about Kinaaldá : https://navajotimes.com/opinion/essay/kinaalda-coming-of-age-in-traditional-dine-ceremony/

Resources and information on missing and murdered indigenous women: https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwr-awareness

Joey's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Run_Joey_Run

Running Behind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running.behind_pod

Joey's Strava Profile: https://www.strava.com/athletes/111237895

Artwork by Ed Linder

There is currently an estimated 12-14 million law abiding immigrants in the US, living in fear. Not knowing if they will be taken away from their families or forced into a detention center. Someone you know is afraid to travel, to work to even go on a trail race or run, not knowing if they will be safe, even though they are legal and have done nothing wrong. Because of the color of their skin and the way they speak, they have been told they are not good enough, they are criminals and they don't belong. This is dehumanizing...and this must stop.

This is a special panel discussion for the Grace To The Finish campaign. Grace To The Finish was started by Joey Metzger and Neeraj Egbert as an awareness campaign to raise support for immigration advocacy, inclusion and anti-discrimination, especially among the running and trail running communities. We are here to allow voices to be heard and steer supporters to relevant organization, causes and efforts that can help make a difference. Besides Joey and Neeraj, the panel includes Carolina Rubio-MacWright, founder of Touching Land, Cristina Regalado, co-founder of Wasatch Trail Collective and former board member of the Women of the Wasatch, Francisco Segovia, Executive Director of COPAL MN and Jason Bahamundi, owner and founder of The Everyday Athlete Podcast Network and RunTriBike.

It's time to speak up, it's time to listen, and it's time to take action.

Grace To The Finish website: https://www.gracetothefinish.org/

Carolina on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stories/carustol/

Touching Land : https://www.touchingland.org/

Cristina on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stories/runchachi/

Wasatch Trail Collective: https://linktr.ee/wasatchtrailscollective

Women of the Wasatch: https://www.womenofthewasatch.com/

Francisco Segovia (COPAL): https://copalmn.org/leadership-and-staff/francisco-segovia/

COPAL on IG: https://www.instagram.com/mncopal/

Jason Bahamundi on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cooktraineatrace/

Run.Tri.Bike : https://runtrimag.com/

Everyday Athlete Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/everyday_athlete_podcast_ntwrk/

Neeraj on IG: https://www.instagram.com/egbertne47/

https://openingdoorsinc.org/

https://immigrantdefensenetwork.org/

https://www.crc4me.org/

https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/

Running Behind Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/running.behind_pod/