Human Race

Two years ago, at the 2015 Fifth Avenue Mile, Witold Bialokur ran a seven minute time. He did it at 80 years-old. The second place finisher in his group came in a minute and twenty seconds later. Witold is what most of us can only dream of becoming at his age. He’s fit, not frail, and he runs faster that most Americans can run at any age.But greatness like this comes at a price.  We’ll visit Witold Bialokur, a Polish immigrant born before the start of WWII. Witold’s run nearly his whole life. When he was young, it was a way to survive as a kid in exile during the war. Later it became a path to notoriety as a promising athlete and national running coach in Poland. And, when he got older, running was a part-time passion—and an obsession—as an amateur in Queens, New York.Take a journey through the life of one of the most remarkable runners around. You’ll get a glimpse into the methods of a master running coach, see what it takes to achieve greatness, but also the perils of being super competitive and obsessed with being your best. And there will be dancing.This episode of Human Race is sponsored by Aaptiv, an on-demand audio fitness app that you can do at home, at the gym, outdoors - anywhere. Get your first month free when you sign up for a monthly subscription at and use the promo code "HUMAN."To see pictures of Witold and Urzsula and of the master coach in action, head to www.runnersworld.com/audio and check out the show page for this episode. Visit Witold's Runner's at:https://www.facebook.com/witoldsrunners/Episode Credits: Host: David Weinberg Producer: Mervyn DegañosEditing help: Christine Fennessy, Sylvia RyersonTheme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor in chief: David Willey Human Race is a proud part of Panoply.Follow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

When Keith Giroux decided to run the Boston Marathon he had a number of logistical hurdles to overcome. For starters, he hadn't run a qualifying race. In fact he'd never run any formal race ever. Then there was the issue of gear. He didn't own a pair of running shoes or running shorts. And he only had ten days to solve all these problems. Also he was in jail.This episode of Human Race is brought to you by Brooks. Sign up for the Brooks Big Endorsement and become a sponsored athlete at www.BrooksAthlete.com/rw.To support Keith's running goals visit:http://www.gofundme.com/a-run-for-meaningEpisode Credits: Host: David Weinberg Producer: David WeinbergEditing help: Christine Fennessy, Sylvia RyersonTheme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor in chief: David Willey Human Race is a proud part of Panoply.Follow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

We've got two stories this week. The first is about why we run, not just as runners but as human beings. In the 1980s a biologist named Dave Carrier came up with a controversial theory about human evolution. He called it the "Running Hypothesis" and it was based on the idea that humans became elite long distance runners so that we could hunt large game by chasing it on foot until the animal collapsed from exhaustion. So Carrier and his brother, a radio producer named Scott went to Wyoming to prove this theory by trying to run down an antelope until it collapsed. The second story comes from producer Karen Given and is about a runner who set a surprising marathon goal after volunteering for a major surgery to save his mother-in-law’s life. We also learn how to hide an engagement ring in your running clothes. Additional Listening:Producer Scott Carrier has a podcast called Home of the Brave. You can listen to more of his work at homebrave.com.Producer Karen Given works on a show called Only A Game. You can listen to more of her work for that show at http://www.wbur.org/staff/karen-given. This episode of Human Race is sponsored by Aaptiv, an on-demand audio fitness app that you can do at home, at the gym, outdoors - anywhere. Get your first month free when you sign up for a monthly subscription at and use the promo code "HUMAN."Episode Credits: Host: David Weinberg Producers: Scott Carrier, Karen Given Theme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor in chief: David Willey Human Race is a proud part of Panoply.Follow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

Sylvia Weiner is a prolific runner. She’s 85 years old, and she estimates that, during the course of her running career, she’s completed nearly 2,000 races—and she’s got an extensive collection of race medals and trophies to prove it. In 1975, Sylvia even claimed a very special spot in Boston Marathon history.But her most significant legacy has nothing to do with race accolades. When Sylvia runs, she shows others what’s possible. Her long-term dedication to the sport is impressive. “I have to stick to [running] for dear life,” she says. That’s because running is more than a passion; it’s a way of dealing with her traumatic past.In this week’s episode, Sylvia shares her incredible story. Let’s just say, there’s a reason Sylvia’s longtime running buddy greets her with an enthusiastic, “Sylvia! She’s our hero!”Episode Credits:Host: Rachel SwabyProducers: Rachel Swaby, Audrey Quinn, Christine FennessyEditing help: Brian DalekSpecial thanks: Gordon Asmundson from the University of Regina for sharing his research.Debbie Weiner for her help with this story.Theme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyHuman Race is a member of Panoply.

A story about a man who lost his heart. And what he gained in its place. On this episode, we meet Randy Shepherd, one very unlikely runner. Randy is 42 now, and never enjoyed running very much. He was more of a team sports guy. But beyond that, he had a rock-solid excuse for staying on the couch. Back when he was in his 30s, Shepherd’s already compromised heart rapidly began to fail. There was no time to match him with a transplant donor. Certain that Shepherd could die at any moment, surgeons removed his heart and replaced it with a machine called a total artificial heart. Right out of the surgery, he faced difficult questions. What happens when you lose such an essential part of yourself? What can you physically do (and not do) when a machine powers your body? His choice ultimately transformed his life.Visit the show page here for pictures of Randy in action. Episode Credits: Host: David Weinberg Producers: Rachel Swaby, Audrey Quinn, Christine Fennessy Editing help: Brian Dalek, Chris Kraft, Sylvia Ryerson Theme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor in chief: David Willey Human Race is a proud part of Panoply.

Candice Caesar is 44 years old with a son in college, a master’s degree, and a job as a speech pathologist. A dedicated runner, Candice spends her weeks training with several running clubs and her weekends traveling. She’s in the process of running 50 half marathons in 50 states by the time she’s 50.But 17 years ago, a life like this was unthinkable. First of all, she hated running. But then, a near fatal car crash left her paralyzed and unable to speak. But even in the darkness of her new reality, Candice realized she had to keep moving. When a doctor told her she may never walk again, Candice replied: “I’ll walk a marathon.” That reply set in a motion a process that allowed Candice to rebuild herself, to become someone new. Through running, she discovers what matters most to her may not have been lost in the accident after all. This episode of Human Race is sponsored by Stamps.com. Buy and Print official U.S. Postage using your own computer and printer. Get a 4-week trial plus a $110 dollar bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code “HUMAN.”Episode Credits:Host: Tennessee Watson Producers: Tennessee Watson, Rachel SwabyEditor: David WeinbergTheme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyHuman Race is a proud part of Panoply.For the transcript of this episode, click here.

A few years ago, Don Bravo was “one WrestleMania buffet” away from weighing 400 pounds. After his doctor warned that his weight would shorten his lifespan, Don started climbing stairs in his neighborhood...which led to the Harvard Stadium steps. And then the BAA 5k. His story of triumph is unexpected and funny. It might just make you stand up and cheer. It’s our election special—an uplifting story in what has certainly been a stressful time. This episode of Human Race is sponsored by Stamps.com. Buy and Print official U.S. Postage using your own computer and printer. Get a 4-week trial plus a $110 dollar bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code “HUMAN.”Credits: Host: Rachel SwabyProducers: Casey Martin, Rachel SwabyEditors: Audrey Quinn, David WeinbergTheme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyHuman Race is a proud part of Panoply

In April 2015, a viral post on Facebook about the Boston Marathon kicked off a wave of controversy. In this week’s episode, we explore how that controversy turned into a full-blown movement. Today, a league of at-home vigilante race investigators are changing the way we police marathons online for everyone to see. The story takes us from a race in Pennsylvania to the Boston Marathon to a set of spreadsheets (yes, really) to a runner in a suburb in New Jersey. For those outed online, we wonder if the punishment fits the crime.This episode of Human Race is brought to you by Brooks. Sign up for the Brooks Big Endorsement and become a sponsored athlete at www.BrooksAthlete.com/rw.Additional Reading:“Dozens Suspected of Cheating to Enter Boston Marathon” by Kit FoxMarathon Investigation, Derek’s blogEpisode Credits:Host: Rachel SwabyProducers: Kit Fox, Rachel SwabyEditor: David WeinbergTheme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyHuman Race is a proud part of Panoply.Follow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

Anthony Butler, a native of the Bronx in New York City, lost his sight eight years ago. For many people who lose their ability to see in adulthood, the decline is inevitable and gradual. Often a degenerative disease will chip away at someone’s vision to the point that they become legally blind.That’s not what happened to Anthony. One second, Anthony was hanging out with friends. The next second, his sight was gone.But even through a series of struggles—learning to navigate a new world, getting kicked out his home—Anthony found ways to turn his life around. One of those ways: running. It was last spring when Anthony met Kate Dixon on a group run in Central Park with Achilles International. Neither was a great runner, but something clicked when they began running together that made them decide to get serious for their own, important reasons.In this episode, we explore what happens when you lose something so essential. And what, perhaps, you might gain in its place.Episode Credits:Host: Rachel SwabyProducers: Mervyn Degaños, Rachel SwabyEditor: David WeinbergSpecial thanks to Doug Pedersen for research help and Dr. Steve Lomber. Dr. Lomber is the Canada Research Chair in Brain Plasticity and Development at the University of Western Ontario.Theme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyHuman Race is a proud part of Panoply.Extra Credit:Kate and Anthony are raising money for Achilles. If they top the donor list before the New York City Marathon on November 6, they’ll win a free trip to Disney World. If you feel so inclined, you can donate here.This episode of Human Race is sponsored by Stamps.com. Buy and Print official U.S. Postage using your own computer and printer. Get a 4-week trial plus a $110 dollar bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code "HUMAN."Help Panoply learn more about the podcasts you love, and how much you listen to them, by taking a short survey at Panoply.fm/survey. Thanks! Follow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

About half of all runners who enter the Leadville Trail 100 don't finish. What stands between them and a finisher's belt buckle? Sandy Monahan. In this episode of Human Race, we follow Sandy as she dashes runners' dreams by enforcing the event's very strict cut off schedule. As she breaks countless timing chips in two, there are tears, hugs, and only the occasional death threat. And yet, Sandy keeps coming back. And so do the runners. There's something special about Leadville.This episode of Human Race is brought to you by Brooks. Sign up for the Brooks Big Endorsement and become a sponsored athlete at www.BrooksAthlete.com/rw.Episode Credits:Host: Rachel SwabyProducers: Willow Belden, Rachel SwabyEditor: Audrey Quinn, David WeinbergThanks to Amanda Jamrogiewicz, Tom Kleinman, Caolan MacMahon, Jon Perz, and Scott SchaunamanTheme music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David WilleyAdditional Listening:Producer Willow Belden has a podcast called Out There. Here are two episodes she thinks Human Race listeners will like:Episode 11: Failure in SuccessEpisode 17: High on FailureFollow us on Twitter (@rwaudio) and Facebook (Runner's World Audio).

We have reached the end of the first season of Human Race. But don't worry. We won't be gone for long. Season two will resume in about a month.

Greg O’Brien is 66 years old and open about his struggles with early onset Alzheimer’s. When a story about Greg appeared on NPR detailing how he uses running to combat mental decline, Runner’s World editor Christine Fennessy reluctantly decided to reach out. Reluctantly because up until this point, Fennessy had done whatever she could to avoid personal stories about Alzheimer’s. They hit too close to home.This week, Fennessy meets O’Brien in person—and confronts her biggest fears about the disease.  Additional Resources: On Pluto by Greg O’Brien Outrunning the Demons by Greg O’Brien, edited by Christine Fennessy Inside Alzheimer’s: NPREpisode Credits: Host: Rachel Swaby Producers: Christine Fennessy, Rachel Swaby Editor: Audrey Quinn Production help: Mervyn Degaños Theme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor-in-chief: David Willey

The last time someone broke the record for the fastest crossing of America on foot was 1980. Frank Giannino Jr. traveled from San Francisco to the Brooklyn Bridge on foot in 46 days, 8 hours, and 36 minutes. His journey was marked by an almost military-like routine—a routine that has yet to be replicated.Three people have attempted to break Giannino’s record this year. Human Race goes out on the road with one of them. In the process, we find out what happens to your body when you run more than 50 miles every day, and what it is about this 36 year-old record makes it so tough to beat.Further Reading:Ultrarunning Newcomer Will Run Across America Trying to Break 35-Year-Old Record by Kit FoxRenowned Ultrarunner Attempting Trans-America Record by Kit FoxEpisode Credits: Host: Rachel SwabyProducer: Rachel SwabyEditor: Audrey QuinnProduction help: Mervyn DegañosTheme Music: Danny CockeHuman Race editor-in-chief: David Willey

In the Barkley Marathons' thirty years, only 14 people have ever completed it. But it’s not for lack of trying. Some 1000 runners have attempted to complete Barkley’s five loop course of agony through Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee. The route is supposed to be 100 miles, but Barkley veterans guess that it’s more like a very hilly 130. With no GPS, no course markers, and not an aid station to speak of, sleep deprived runners are challenged more than just physically. For the vast majority of runners, this race isn’t about finishing. It’s about pushing themselves to their absolute limits.This episode of Human Race is brought to you by Brooks. Sign up for the Brooks Big Endorsement and become a sponsored athlete at www.BrooksAthlete.com/rw.Further reading:The 2016 Barkley Marathons: One Person Finishes! by Brian DalekNotorious by Charlie EngleEpisode Credits:Host: Rachel Swaby Producers: Brian Dalek, Rachel Swaby Editor: Audrey Quinn with help from Christine Fennessy Production help: Mervyn Degaños Thanks to Pam Bede from Swim, Bike, Run, Eat! and Bryce Mander from UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory for their help on this story Theme music: Danny Cocke Human Race editor-in-chief: David Willey 

Human Race is taking a two week hiatus. We'll be back on July 5th with a new episode.