Carrie Oswald is a 56-year old postmenopausal woman who underwent a hysterectomy at age 33 for uterine fibroids that were causing constant periods and extreme blood loss. Although her uterus was removed and she no longer had a monthly menstrual cycle, she still has her ovaries and therefore experienced classic perimenopausal symptoms in her mid-to-late forties such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Once those symptoms completely subsided around age 50, Carrie made an active decision to get back into shape. She joined Orange Theory fitness and loved watching her body composition change, her energy return, and her confidence soar. A year or two later she decided it was time to return to sprinting on the track, something she hadn’t done since her teenage years. It was there that she met her people and took inspiration from like-minded masters track & field athletes, many of whom were much older and faster than she was. More recently Carrie hired a former Olympian to coach her for hurdles! Carrie has overcome a lot in her journey as a second-generation Trinidadian woman who was born & raised in Canada, but she’s also one of the most positive and optimistic people you will ever meet. This conversation left us hopeful about what the postmenopausal years can look like. Sponsor: Canadian Masters AthleticsWebsite: canadianmasters.caJoin the CMA Facebook Group: @cma.vca is the best place to continue the menopause conversation!Instagram: @canadianmastersathletics35Connect with Carrie:Instagram: @heycarreeannConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Sasha Gollish is a 42-year old elite middle and long distance runner who holds the masters world record in the indoor mile (4:38.73) and also represented Team Canada in the marathon at the 2023 World Athletics   Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Sasha has been very open on social media about the challenging perimenopausal symptoms she’s been navigating for the past several years and we just love her honesty & transparency on a subject matter that has historically been clouded in secrecy and shame. Seeing female athletes at the top of their game well into their 40s is a relatively new phenomenon and yet it’s starting to happen across many disciplines. Always one to stand up for what she believes in, Sasha is now using her platform to change the narrative about this stage of life and show women that we can absolutely kick butt into midlife and beyond.Sponsor: Canadian Masters AthleticsWebsite: canadianmasters.caJoin the CMA Facebook Group: @cma.vca is the best place to continue the menopause conversation!Instagram: @canadianmastersathletics35Connect with Sasha:Instagram: @sgollishrunsWebsite: www.sashagollish.com Resources we discussed in this episode:Our previous Inspired Soles interview with SashaThe Light We Give by Simran Jeet SinghConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Jill Moreash is a 56-year old who is absolutely thriving as a postmenopausal woman. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor at Variety Village in Scarborough, Ontario, and she owns & operates a fitness business, Your Wellness Warrior. A lifelong athlete who takes excellent care of herself, Jill figured she would sail through perimenopause but she still experienced some of the classic symptoms in her mid-to-late forties such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, moodiness, joint pain, urge incontinence and itchy skin. Instead of being a victim of her circumstances, Jill took it upon herself to learn about what was going on and share what she discovered with others. Jill is currently enrolled in Dr. Stacy Sims’ menopause 2.0 course and plans to create a menopause course for her own clients. Jill is a firm believer in opening up healthy dialogues about this stage of life so that women don’t have to suffer in silence the way they have in generations past.Sponsor: Canadian Masters AthleticsWebsite: canadianmasters.caJoin the CMA Facebook Group: @cma.vca is the best place to continue the menopause conversation!Instagram: @canadianmastersathletics35Connect with Jill:Instagram: @Jill_MoreashVariety Village: https://www.varietyvillage.ca/personal-training/Resources we discussed in this episode:Dr. Stacy Sims' Menopause 2.0 CourseDr. Peter Attia's Podcast: The DriveHormone replacement therapy and the Women's Health Initiative: re-examining the results, the link to breast cancer, and weighing the risk vs reward of HRT | JoAnn Manson, M.D.Training for The Centenarian DecathlonConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Danny Morin is a 38 year old Clearance Diver with the Canadian Navy who was born in Quebec and now lives in Toronto. Accustomed to striving for high levels of fitness as part of his military training, he became curious back in 2016 to see if he could meet the standard for the Canadian Armed Forces National 5k Running competition in Ottawa. He debuted with an 18:20 5k at Around the Bay and since then has gone all-in on his running goals. November of this year even marks his one year anniversary of giving up alcohol in order to squeeze every last second out of running performance. Danny now holds personal bests of 15:45 (5k), 33:14 (10k), 1:12:24 (½ marathon), 2:45 (marathon). On October 29th 2023, Danny was one of four male and four female athletes who represented the Canadian military on the CISM International team at the first World Military Half Marathon Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland. They competed against 39 militaries from around the world and toed the start line with Olympic level athletes. In this conversation we learn all about these military events, which aim to promote friendship through sport, including Danny’s 1:12:50 half marathon performance at the Swiss City Half Marathon. Be sure to listen to the very end to hear an exciting goal that Danny has his sights set on over the next several years.Resources we discussed in this episode:Learn more about CISM: https://www.milsport.oneOur interview with Mike Mueller (CISM team  manager)Our interview with Michael Bergeron (CISM running coach + world record-holding joggler)Connect with Danny:Instagram: @dannyshallrunConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Today we’re taking you back to the Divide 200 mile race with ultra trail running best friends Jon Paradowski and Heidi Schmaltz from Saskatchewan, Alberta. The inaugural Divide 200 took place in September 2023 along the Continental Divide in southern Alberta. Jon & Heidi completed a large part of the race together and we wanted to hear about the race from their unique perspectives. They laughed a lot, ate a lot, hallucinated a lot, and supported each other through the highs and lows that a race this long inevitably brings. Jon and Heidi both speak about having gratitude for the opportunity and privilege of experiencing a race such as this, and their need to honour the time spent on the trail despite the outcome. They speak of intense appreciation for everything from great views and stunning lakes to beautiful small rocks they chose to fill their packs with and the pizza they consumed to give them the energy to carry on!  While these two are a load of laughs, they are also a team with a solid friendship that carried them for many miles.  Connect with Jon & Heidi:Instagram: Jon: @dirtbagultrarunnerHeidi: @hIschmaltzFacebook:Heidi:Jon: Previous episodes on Inspired Soles:Jon: There's No Big RushHeidi: Exploring Your EdgesConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Instead of our regular “Couple of the Quarter” episode, we are bringing to you a “Duo of the Quarter.” On Sat, Oct 21 at 7am local time, the individual world championships of backyard ultra running commenced in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The format sees racers run a 4.17-mile loop, called a “yard” in backyard ultrarunning, within a one-hour time limit, after which all finishers within the allotted time are tied for first place, and must present on the start line on the hour to go again. This continues until there is only one runner left standing, who must complete a solo yard to be awarded the win.  After completing 107 yards & hours and covering 446 miles/718km, Ukrainian-Canadian and past guest Ihor Verys was the last person to DNF, assisting Harvey Lewis to a world record win.  Racers were allowed only one person to crew and support them for the duration of the race, and he entrusted 52 year old friend and fellow ultrarunner Marina Striker with that task.  To say she delivered is an understatement, and during this conversation you will hear how instrumental Marina’s experience and support was in Ihor’s success.  You will also be treated with a few stories of things Ihor does not remember during the 5 days of running and you will get a glimpse into the militaristic discipline and mindset required by both crew and runner to keep moving for 107 hours straight. Dubbed “The Dream Team” on social media, these two athletes reveal what an unlimited mindset and unwavering belief can achieve.Connect with Ihor & Marina:Ihor's Instagram: @ihorverysMarina's Instagram: @marinas_trailrunning_questsConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Ana Laura Fray is a 46 year old who lives North of Toronto now but was born in Mexico and spent the first 23 years of her life there. She also happens to be an exceptional marathon runner and earlier this month on Oct 1st, 2023 she broke her first tape by winning the P’tit Train du Nord Marathon in a blazing time of 2:47:41! P’tit Train is a breathtaking point-to-point course along a bicycle path starting in Val-David, Quebec, and finishing in Saint-Jérôme. In this episode Ana tells us: Why she decided to return to this race for the 4th timeHow her training cycle went with new coach Marc SennevilleThe importance of believing in herself, and What she and her partner Luke did to celebrate. Ana ran her first marathon at the age of 35, broke 3-hours for the first time at age 41, ran her PB of 2:46:40 (PTDN 2021, 4th place) at age 44, and is running as strong as ever at age 46. We had a fascinating discussion about elite standards in Canada (A, B, masters) as well as the pros & cons of some of the programs and championships aimed at age-groupers and sub-elites  (Athlete Foundation Program, American Development program, AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Championships).Connect with Ana:Instagram: @analau_77Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Have you ever noticed that runners have their own special language?  If you've been running a long time you may not even realize it, but if you are new to the sport or this podcast you know exactly what we mean.  You hear people speaking of workouts and zones, hitting the wall and negative splits.  Just when you think you’ve got the basic running terms figured out, you go on a trail run and discover you have no idea what anyone is saying when they talk about yoyos, FKTs, VKs and muling. There is another whole lexicon out there to learn!  True to our mission of bringing road and trail runners together, we decided to discuss and hopefully decode some of the things runners say.  While we are no means experts, we have been around a while and may just save you from having to google something you hear either on the show or out on a run.  We had fun with this episode and we hope you do too!Resources we discussed in this episode:Our episode with Ihor Verys (who did a "yoyo" of the Mantario Trail)Our episode on the Healthy Runner podcast with Duane Scotti (where Kim talked about "buffed-out single-track")Website to ratify an FKTOrigin of the Borg RPE Scale (6-20)Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Scott Cooper is an ultra-trail runner from Toronto although he’s been living in Calgary for the last five years.  Prior to moving to Calgary, Scott had an accomplished triathlon career and even spent a year racing professionally.  Only three weeks after he moved west, Scott found himself on a Sinister 7 relay team and as he says, “the rest is history.”   He found himself both loving trail running and excelling in really long ultramarathons.  Scott has earned top podium spots in almost every race he has done including Sinister 7 100 Solo, Fat Dog 120,  Black Spur Ultra 108K, Rivers Edge Ultra 100k, and the Calgary Marathon 50K. Most recently Scott won the inaugural Sinister Sports Divide 200 mile race in southern Alberta, Canada’s first event of its kind. The 201 mile (324k) course runs along parts of the Great Divide Trail, climbing 12,335m in elevation with a time limit of 100 hours.  By crossing the finish line in first place, he established a new course record of 49h47m59s  - one that will be hard to beat.  In this episode we learn about Scott and his running background, but spend most of our time discussing everything to do with the Divide 200.  He talks about his preparation and strategy leading into the race, how he managed his nutrition, hydration, sleep and feet, and we finish up with some great advice for anyone thinking of tackling a 200 miler next year.Two hundred miles is still a distance that is largely a mystery to most runners, however more and more people are becoming tempted to take on the challenge.  If you are curious to learn more about what this new level of craziness is all about and what it takes to excel in multi day continuous races, keep listening!Resources we discussed in this episode:Our episode with Reinier Paauwe (Scott's pacer)Ren's Toes Instagram: @rens.toesConnect with Scott:Instagram: @scottcooperultraConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Brittany Moran is a Toronto-based chiropractor with The Runner’s Academy, a 2:33 marathoner, and the founder of StrideWise Running, a coaching service for runners of all levels. While undergoing a recent rebrand of The Runner’s Academy, Brittany and her team were asked to reflect on what was important to them and it kept coming back to community & running for joy. From there they created Tracktastic, a fun, family-friendly track meet where the winners of each event aren’t necessarily those who come across the line in first place. The winner of The Prediction Mile, for example, is the one closest to their estimated finish time without any feedback from a watch or clock. The winner of The Slowest 100m is the last person across the line! Their inaugural Tracktastic in June 2023 was a big success, but what Brittany and her team did not foresee was the desire for Tracktastic to be replicated by others outside of Toronto. From the moment Carolyn saw the advertising for Tracktastic she knew it was something that could fly in Winnipeg. Brittany was more than happy to pass along her notes & lessons learned to support Carolyn, the Manitoba Runners’ Association and Athletics Manitoba in hosting a similar event in August. Judging by the smiles on their participants' faces, we can safely say that Brittany and The Runner’s Academy team are fulfilling their mission of spreading the running joy.At the time of this recording, Brittany was almost 20-weeks pregnant with her first child who is due in February 2024.Connect with Brittany:Brittany's Instagram: @torunningchiroStrideWise Running Instagram: @stridewiserunningStrideWise Running WebsiteThe Runner's Academy Instagram: @therunnersacademyThe Runner's Academy WebsiteConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Ethan Peters is a 25 year old software developer currently living in Fernie, BC.  He started his running career at the age of 19 by completing his first official race - that just happened to be a 100 miler! Since then he has excelled in mountain ultramarathons, earning multiple podium finishes amongst elite fields on some very tough courses.  Most recently Ethan was the first Canadian runner to cross the finish line at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix, France. Although the race didn’t go exactly as he had hoped, he finished strong and learned a lot, coming home with some great stories to share.  Ethan’s introduction to trail running is rather unique and his success at such a young age isn’t something you commonly see amongst ultrarunners.  He is passionate, self aware, and refreshingly relaxed in his approach to the sport.Connect with Ethan:Instagram: @run_ethanConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

If you’ve been running for any length of time, we’re going to guess that you’ve dealt with an injury or two along the way and if so, then you’re going to love what today’s guest has to share. Leanne Klassen is a 36 year old runner from Calgary AB, a coach with Skyline Run Coaching, and a 2:42 marathoner, yet at the time of this recording she was walk-running her way back to health from tendinosis of her quadriceps and patellar tendons. This is an important reminder that even those with high levels of knowledge and an excellent support team can still wind up on the sidelines from time to time, but there is hope! In this episode Leanne shares how she’s navigated this particular injury. We talked about the Lever running device which attaches to her home treadmill and can offload up to 45-pounds of body weight. We talked about the role that cross training can play, trusting her coach (Malindi Elmore) and physiotherapist (and actually doing what they recommend!), and leaning on her incredible support team more than ever before. We talked about being a role model for her own clients, exercising patience, and respecting the rehab process to best ensure that she has the longest career possible in the sport that she loves so much.Leanne comes from a team sport background and quickly found success in running after taking it up in 2016. Competitive by nature and someone to never shy away from a good challenge, Leanne qualified for Boston on her very first try and found herself on elite start lines shortly thereafter. Resources with discussed in the episode:Lever Device: https://believeintherun.com/gear-reviews/lever-review/Skyline Run Coaching: https://www.runcoach.orgOur episode with Skyline's founder, Lynsey RomanoConnect with Leanne:Instagram: @leanneklassen7 Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Greg Athayde is a 62 year old runner who was born in Uganda and immigrated to Winnipeg, MB with his family in 1972. He discovered track and cross country in junior high and took part all the way through his years at the University of Manitoba. In his 30s & 40s Greg dabbled in road running and even raced several marathons, but more recently he’s gone all-in again on the track. 800m is his favourite event and it turns out he’s just as good at it (if not better!) as a 62 year old than he was in his prime…relatively speaking, of course. Greg explains what age-grading is and how it can work to keep masters athletes striving for their goals. Greg runs with Tough Track, the same club that Carolyn's kids and husband (Johnny) belong to, so we had some fun discussions around what it’s like to train with and race against teenagers. In August 2023 at the Canadian Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships in Langley, BC, Greg was part of a world record setting 4 x 800m relay team for his M60-64 age category! This episode really opened our eyes to the many different ways one can enjoy running beyond marathons and ultramarathons. Greg is on several boards and committees aimed at growing our masters track and road running communities at the local, provincial and national levels. Connect with Greg or learn more about Masters Athletics:Greg's Instagram: @athayg1Athletics Manitoba Instagram: @athleticsmbLearn More: http://athleticsmanitoba.com/masters-athletics-2/Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Rory Linkletter is a professional Canadian athlete who lives and trains in Flagstaff, Arizona, is sponsored by Puma, and is coached by US half marathon record holder, Ryan Hall. At the World Championships marathon on August 27th in Budapest, Hungary, Rory was the top Canadian placing 19th in a season’s best time of 2:12:16. Unfortunately given the hot and humid conditions it was not a day for chasing personal best times. Out of a field of 94 men, Rory had the 65th fastest PB of 2:10:24 but he didn’t let that intimidate him or prevent him from competing as well as he could. He ran by feel, patiently & methodically picking people off throughout each of the four 10k loops until he was passing some of his own running heroes!We were on the edge of our seats as Rory walked us through his preparation, the details of the race, and perhaps most importantly, what he did to celebrate afterwards! Rory is such a great storyteller and such a fun athlete to cheer for. He’s as hard working as they come but also has a very full life with a wife and two young kids at home, one of whom is a newborn! You’ll have to stay tuned until the very end to hear about Rory’s trail running aspirations but let’s just say they made Kim very happy! Connect with Rory:Instagram: @rory_linkletter Strava Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Tyler Blaney is a husband, father-of-three, and a real estate agent from Calgary AB.  He also happens to be a thru hiker turned ultrarunner with a great story.  He started running cross country in high school while living in Kelowna, BC and fell in love with his ability to cover great distances in a short period of time and the sense of adventure this provided him.  After high school he stopped running and spent over a decade of cycling.  During COVID Tyler felt the need to reconnect with who he was and in 2021 found himself backpacking the Great Divide Trail from Waterton to Jasper - a distance of 850km in 35 days.  On the last day of the thru hike he decided to run the 44km Skyline Trail and found that it was easy!  Following his hike Tyler wanted to preserve the incredible base he had built and took up trail ultrarunning, completing three ultras in 2022.  As if this wasn’t enough of an accomplishment, he did it all with a significant back injury that added a level of complexity to his adventures.  Hiking and running didn’t necessarily help his back pain, but they didn’t make it worse. Tyler describes himself as a curious human who wants to see what he is capable of in all areas of his life while using a daily practice of gratitude. He utilized this mindset to accomplish feats of endurance that many would never even consider possible.We close this episode with a discussion on what still scares Tyler after all he’s experienced and his comments reveal the wisdom of someone who has spent many  miles exploring what it means to be the human he wants to be.Connect with Tyler:YouTube: youtu.be/wgQDH0bIrwwInstagram: @tyblaneyFacebook: @tyblaneyPodcast: Game ChangersConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Today we’re excited to welcome professional runner Ben Flanagan back to the show! It was about this time last year that we first got to know Ben (episode 95) after he signed his contract with On Running, but during this conversation he delivered an absolute masterclass on everything related to World Championships. Not only is Ben a wealth of knowledge on all things track, he also recently qualified for his first ever World Championship team. We recorded this interview just days before he travelled to Budapest Hungary for the 2023 World Track & Field Championships, where he represented Team Canada in the 5000m. On August 24th, Ben ran a strong & gutsy race finishing 11th in a field of exceptionally talented world class runners (in a time of 13:38.69). Unfortunately only the top eight advanced to the finals, but Ben has every reason to be proud of his debut performance on the world stage and we’re pretty confident that we’ll be seeing him in the Team Canada kit for many years to come. Connect with Ben:Instagram: @ben_flanaganResources we discussed in the episode:Ben's first interview (episode 95)Connect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Kara Leinweber is a trail and mountain runner from Calgary, Alberta where she lives with her husband and two children.  In addition to working in the oil & gas sector, Kara is also the owner and race director of Lewiston Ultra Events through which she enjoys hosting trail running events and socials for all levels of runner. Kara is active in both the road and trail running community and is devoted to encouraging others, giving back & sustainability. In this episode we talk about how Lewiston Ultra Events came to be and the vision that has guided the direction she has taken the company.  We talk about her own running experiences and explore the topics of sustainability and diversity & inclusion in the sport. Connect with Kara or sign up for one of her races:LUE's Instagram: @lewistonultraeventsKara's Instagram: @karaleinyWebsite: lewistonultraevents.comConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

It’s time for another Couple of the Quarter episode!  This time we welcome Reinier & Melissa Paauwe from Calgary, Alberta to the show.  They are quite the power couple who met at work at a lunch run club.  Both have excelled at both cycling & running.Reinier placed second at Canadian Nationals in the Duathlon in 2017 before he ran his first marathon in 2018 and soon found himself podium finishing at trail ultras.  Most recently he placed third in Sinister 7, his first 100 miler.  He is currently VP of Technology at Getty Images.Melissa is a coach, entrepreneur and CPA.  She is founder of We Run The World Coaching and the Run Lounge and is currently coaching Reinier!  She has had many notable athletic accomplishments of her own, including multiple top national finishes in the duathlon, top 10 Canadian in Marathon and Half Marathon Championships (2017-2019), 1st Lost Soul 50k (2021), 2nd Canadian VK Championships (2022) and currently has a marathon PR of 2:39.In this episode we talk about how Reinier & Melissa met, how they support each other and balance their priorities both daily and in their yearly training cycles, and how they challenge each other.  We talk about Reinier’s Sinister 7 race in July, Melissa’s non-stop energy and entrepreneurial adventures, and what’s coming up for them next!Connect with Melissa & Reinier (and their businesses!) on Instagram:Melissa: @puppymamrunnerReinier: @rens.toesWe Run the World Coaching: @weruntheworldcoachingThe Run Lounge: @therunloungeConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Janelle Brade is a running & mindset coach from Calgary, Alberta.  She founded her business Motivated in Motion when she became aware of the transformative impact running had on her own life, both physically and personally. Recognizing the immense value it brought, she aspires to share this gift with fellow runners. She firmly believes that anyone, regardless of their pace, can embrace the joy of running and accomplish their aspirations with the right motivation and unwavering determination.  Her mission is to empower runners of all levels to achieve their goals while nurturing a resilient athletic mindset.In this episode Janelle tells us about her running experience and explores the topics of mental health, well-being, resilience, and the power of mental preparation as part of your run training. If you’re looking to level up both your running and your life, this episode is for you!Connect with Janelle:Website: https://www.motivatedinmotion.com/Instagram: @motivated.in.motion or @motivated.mrsFacebook: @motivatedinmotioncoachingConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Patrick Seymour is a 39 year old oil and gas engineer, mountain runner and proud father of two boys.  He lives in Bragg Creek, a quaint little town surrounded by provincial parks, mountains, and trails not far from Calgary, Alberta.  Like a true Canadian kid, he has spent his fair share of time on the ice playing hockey, but over the last few years has found he has a natural ability to move efficiently in mountainous terrain.  All one has to do is check out his Instagram feed to understand why he has become a mountain running explorer as it is filled with stunning summit pics, rugged ridgelines, mountain meadows and lakes…and the odd Pepsi.  In this episode we talk about Patrick’s running origin story, what a perfect running day looks like for him, how running has helped his mental health, and what he has learned about himself over the last several years through running.  Connect with Patrick:Instagram: @seymourrunsRapid FireFavourite Mantra: Just Do ItFavourite Place to Run: Elbow ValleyBucket list Race:  Assiniboine, Hard RockFavourite Book/Movie: The Cane ScramblesFavourite Post Run Indulgence: SlurpeeConnect with Carolyn & Kim:Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.comInspired Soles InstagramKim's InstagramKim's FacebookCarolyn's InstagramCarolyn's FacebookCarolyn's websiteWe love hearing from you! Connect with us on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe or leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.