DFW Running Talk

Sergio Mena grew up running cross country in Spain, earned a full D1 scholarship to the University of Kentucky, got his MBA in Texas, and is now one of the most dominant half marathon runners in the DFW area — all while working full-time as an accounting manager.In this episode, Chris sits down with Sergio to talk about his journey from Spain to Kentucky to Texas, his years-long quest to win the BMW Dallas Half Marathon (which he finally achieved in December 2025), and how he followed it up with a win at the Cowtown Half Marathon. Sergio also tells the incredible story of how running literally got him his job — thanks to a Dallas Morning News article before the 2019 BMW Half.Topics include D1 college running, self-coached training, balancing racing with a full-time career, race strategy, and what keeps you lacing up when you've already hit your biggest goal.A great episode for DFW runners, half marathon fans, and anyone who runs because they just love it.

Bobby Mack of Aubrey, TX didn't lace up his first pair of running shoes until he was nearly 40. Now he's a two-time Boston finisher, Abbott Six Star chaser, and Berlin PR holder (3:11) — and on April 20, 2026, he's heading back to Hopkinton with one goal: a clean, healthy sub-3:20. In this episode of our Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series, Bobby opens up about qualifying for Boston with a razor-thin margin, getting cut not once but twice, running two marathons in four weeks, catching COVID in peak week, and how running with the Endorphins group at White Rock Lake reignited his Boston fire. He even ran Tokyo — as a long training run — just weeks before race day. Perfect for: marathon runners,Boston qualifiers, Abbott Six Star chasers, late bloomers, and anyone who knows the sting of being cut from the field you earned. 📬 Newsletter: dfwrunningtalk.substack.com 🏅 Panther City Ultra May 16 | Code: DFW for 10% off | Rise Racing Co. Register here: https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra

Angela Awald didn't start running until her thirties — already a mom of six. After a miscarriage, postpartum depression, and seasonal depression, she turned to running to trust her body again. She pushed a double jogging stroller through her early miles, worked through an IT band injury, and still ran a 3:45:21 at the Philadelphia Marathon to qualify for Boston. Then she ran 3:39 at Buffalo. Then 3:37 at Wineglass. Now she's heading to her first Boston Marathon as a mom of seven.In this episode, Angela talks about balancing marathon training with a big family, hiring a coach for the first time, and why investing in yourself is one of the best lessons you can pass on to your kids.Part of the Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series — 10+ DFW runners, one iconic race.Brought to you by Rise Racing Co. — Panther City Ultra, May 16th, Marion Sansom Park, Fort Worth. Use code DFW for 10% off. Register today https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra Subscribe at dfwrunningtalk.sub.com

Carrie Varner didn't even know what a BQ was when she ran one by accident in Las Vegas. A phone call from a friend that night changed everything — and sent her on a journey that now spans 13 consecutive Boston Marathons, with number 14 just weeks away.But her story isn't just about streaks and finish lines. Carrie's first Boston was 2013 — the bombing year. She crossed the finish line six minutes before the explosions. In this episode, she opens up about what it felt like to be there that day, why it made her more determined than ever to come back, and how that single race shaped everything that followed.At 66, she's still chasing sub-4. She still qualifies at Boston almost every year. And she's already signed up for 2027 to chase number 15.We talk about the Rockwall Running Club community that's grown around her Boston streak, the Boston Buddies run club, pre-race church services and blessings of the athletes, the Unicorn Club experience, and her number one piece of advice for first-timers: respect those first downhill miles — they will come back to haunt you.If you've ever dreamed of Boston, or you're already in the middle of your own streak, this one's for you.🎙️ Part of the Road to Boylston series — DFW runners chasing the 2026 Boston Marathon 📬 Newsletter: dfwrunningtalk.substack.com 🏅 Code DFW saves 10% at the Panther City Ultra — May 16, Marion Sanso Park, Fort Worth, TX — presented by Rise Racing Co. https://www.riseracingco.com/panther-city-ultra boston marathon | marathon running | running podcast | DFW running | boston qualifier | running streak | marathon motivation

Jane Buthod has run Boston five times — and in two weeks, she lines up for number six. In this episode of the Boston Bound: DFW's Road to Hopkinton series, the Allen-based runner shares how she BQ'd at a no-frills Fort Worth marathon on just her second marathon ever, what made her COVID-era Boston debut the most unforgettable race of her life, and why she keeps coming back year after year.Jane opens up about her favorite race week rituals — the Tracksmith shakeout run that reunites the entire DFW running community, revisiting the Boston neighborhood where she lived for four years, and the insider moves that make race weekend special. She also delivers straight-talk advice on taper, race week nutrition, managing the expo on your legs, and running whatever weather Boston decides to throw at you.If you're chasing your first BQ, heading to Hopkinton for the first time, or already a Boston veteran, Jane's story and race week wisdom will resonate.Topics covered: How to qualify for Boston Marathon · Boston Marathon race week tips · DFW runners at Boston · Tracksmith shakeout run · Boston Marathon taper advice · Craig Ranch Allen TX running group

Tats Arai has run Boston nine times. But his 10th is unlike anything he's done before.In Episode 2 of our Boston Marathon Special, the Dallas-area runner shares how he's heading to Hopkinton this April to push his friend Scott — a graduate school buddy living with ALS — in a wheelchair across all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon course.Tats walks us through his running journey, from his first Boston in 2011 to rediscovering his passion after moving to Dallas in 2014 and training with the local running community. But the heart of this episode is Scott — the friend he always joked would one day run Boston — and the promise Tats made to get him there.They ran the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon together in 3:08 as their proof of concept. Now Boston is next.If you've ever run for something bigger than a finish time, this episode is for you.🎧 New episodes daily during Boston Marathon week. Subscribe so you don't miss one.

Fort Worth runner, TCU alumna, and nutrition professor McKale Montgomery has one of the most remarkable stories in the DFW running community — and probably all of American distance running.At her peak, McKale was running 2:34 marathons, chasing Olympic Trials qualifying standards by seconds, and competing against the best women in the country. Then in 2022, her right leg stopped working mid-run. No warning. No explanation.After three and a half years, dozens of doctors, MRIs, and dead ends, she was finally diagnosed with runner's dystonia — one of only 48 confirmed cases in the United States.In this episode, McKale and host Chris Detzel cover:Growing up in rural Oklahoma and running 7 miles a day to make a basketball teamEarning a full scholarship to run at TCU and winning a conference championshipRunning a 2:48 in her first Chicago Marathon while targeting the Olympic TrialsThe Woodlands Marathon disqualification — what may have been the fastest 26 miles of her lifeHer runner's dystonia diagnosis and the experimental medication with a 3-hour half-lifeTraining 90-100 miles a week on a treadmill to maintain her balanceWinning the Cowtown 50K outright — beating every man and every woman — in her first-ever ultraThis is a story about resilience, ego (her word), and what it means to keep running when your body fights back.DFW Running Talk is your podcast for stories from the heart of the DFW running community. New episodes weekly. Subscribe, follow, and leave a review.Sponsored by Rise Racing Co. Use code DFW for 10% off Panther City Ultra on April 4th, 2026