2023 Roundup The Stubborn Tortoise podcast

21:20

I've been making concerted efforts to return to running and volunteering, but sometimes life gets in the way. That said, I am determined to do the inaugural half marathon in December at the San Antonio Marathon. I also take a little time to get political, if you will. Not sorry. I am honestly concerned about what is happening and if you never hear from me again, I've told you why. Not crazy about the idea of being thrown into a prison but I am a childless Cat Lady who is outspoken and teaches journalism. I know I could be a target. Otherwise, life goes on.…

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Extraordinary People: Tia Banks 46:57

11 weeks ago46:57

46:57

Tia Banks is a former professional flag football and basketball player. Injuries caused her to switch gears. She took up hiking and in 2021, summited Mount Kilimanjaro in six days. She was sick with an unknown illness but persevered. She has translated that experience into a career as a resilience coach: helping people of all ages to reframe their negative thoughts. Her story is inspirational. To contact her or read more, go here: https://www.tiabanks.com/…

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Back to Square One, part ???? 20:59

13 weeks ago20:59

20:59

It's been a frustrating six or so weeks. Weather and arthritis in my hip and lower back are creating havoc for my return to running. In the last week, I managed to hike 2 miles until my hip yelled at me to stop. Later last week, I returned to the ol' walk-run format. It's a start, but not what I envision. Hoping to get back at it gradually until I can knock out a half or 25K without it killing me. Also, some tales about why you should not let your medications lapse after your primary care physician moves to another state. The former practice will not re-prescribe and without an appointment two months from now. Not great if you need it NOW. The story ends well, but the lesson is learned.…

The Stubborn Tortoise

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Found objects and other stories 21:12

19 weeks ago21:12

21:12

A dozen years ago I happened upon a book in the middle of a dirt road surrounding a cotton field. It was a Bible. In Spanish. I still wonder why someone who had likely carried it with them across the US-Mexico border suddenly dropped it and left it behind. Were they being chased by border patrol or some law enforcement agency? I will never know for sure. But it got me to thinking about all of the random things trail runners find discarded in the woods, like they'll magically disappear.…

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Three Events, Two Cancelations and One Great Experience 31:00

21 weeks ago31:00

31:00

A longish story about why I did not volunteer on Sunday at the Bandera trail race, plus some history. Also, why I won't be running Big Bend this weekend. But the real story involves a terrific indoor rowing event at my favorite workout spot , overcoming mental obstacles and treating it like an ultra. Oh, and I threw in a couple of journalism references, explained, along with a nod to my Documentary Film History class and the new Bob Dylan biopic.…

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Snowdrop Relay Experience 30:08

22 weeks ago30:08

30:08

I was reacquainted with some old friends from the RGV and made new ones during the Snowdrop 55-hour relay last week. It was a great experience and I made new friends and supported a great cause. Photo: l-r: Janelle Uroff, Silvia Garza, me, Shanty Rodriguez, Vicki Allen, Norma Lozano

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Spilling the Tea and Other Stories 17:22

23 weeks ago17:22

17:22

Hey, it's New Year's Eve, and I am looking back a little on the year. This episode gives you a very brief peek at Snowdrop, but more importantly, a look at some creeps from this past year. The last of which I skillfully avoided at Snowdrop. He does not deserve my time or attention, but here I am, outlining his creepy behavior. For 2025, I only want to meet decent men who aren't social retards or who think they're my last hope for romance. Yo: I'm good. I'd rather be alone than with a loser.…

The Stubborn Tortoise

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Reminiscing, Recommitting and Resilience 30:29

26 weeks ago30:29

30:29

As I ready to embark on the Snowdrop 55-hour relay event at the end of the month, I spent some time looking back at times when I needed to muster up my own resilience to help others reach their goals. It is a well I need to rely on for the coming year.

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Some Inconvenient Truths 25:10

29 weeks ago25:10

25:10

I ran my first race in almost six months. It went well, except for the men who decided not to alert me that they were passing me, or who scared the hell out of me when they passed, or who almost ran me over on the course. I am a 12-year veteran of trail races. I am accustomed to the "on your left," courtesy. Or "good job, runner!" Yesterday, I seldom heard this, as guys nearly mowed me over because they thought they were going to win a course record. It was a seismic shift in my experience with this sport and kind of concerned me. One of the reasons I love this sport is for its egalitarian nature, and support of each other. I didn't feel much of that yesterday at my FAVORITE race of the year. Once I finished, I spotted some political signs asking people to vote Republican and mentioned Trump, Vance and Cruz. The election was 11 days ago. Why are you showing these signs, much less at a dang trail race, where the expectation is to be egalitarian? The offenders claimed that the "wind" (2 mph) blew away their signs of support for runners and left behind the hideous political crap. They sat there for awhile, with those signs intimidating anyone who felt otherwise. They obviously cared little for anyone who wasn't invested in their "cause." Your team won. Yay. Just stop bringing your beliefs to MY happy place.…

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Some Political and Personal Stuff, But Some News! 24:01

30 weeks ago24:01

24:01

Essentially what the headline says. You may not like the first half because of my personal views. But, I encourage you to stick around.

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Reflecting on my Past and Looking Ahead 34:20

32 weeks ago34:20

34:20

I'm baaaack! Running/strong hiking is my new thing, which demonstrates that I am improving after a long hiatus. Happy to be back.

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Deepak Shukla: 100 Miles Isn't Enough 43:40

35 weeks ago43:40

43:40

Deepak Shukla has been a runner since he was a teenager. The sport comes easily to him, although he has had his share of finishes and DNFs. The 38-year-old digital marketing manager did the Chicago Marathon, his first, in 4:40. From there, he crossed over to the dark side: ultras. Rather than completing a 50K or 50-mile race, he opted for a 100K. From there, he tackled the hundo, with mixed results. In December, he will attempt his first 200-mile race: the Centurion Winter Downs, a single loop around the south of England (He is English, after all.) Runners get 96 hours to complete this feat. We talk about his running career, the ups and downs of ultras and whether he listens to music on race day. Very interesting person, now based in Northwest Italy.…

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Master's Edition: Mironda Meyer: Normalizing Menopause 58:43

36 weeks ago58:43

58:43

It's something that every woman will experience, yet we're left feeling overwhelmed, demoralized and confused when this life change hits. It is especially challenging when you're an active woman and it feels like overnight you've got a swim ring around your middle and your pants don't fit. Mironda Meyer, a Concord, Vermont-based coach, is one of the administrators of Facebook's Menopausal Athletes page. She has a great website full of resources. This is an episode for both women and men.…

The Stubborn Tortoise

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Re-pod for a cause 1:13:00

37 weeks ago1:13:00

1:13:00

I was fortunate to interview Kenneth Anderlitch in December 2022, shortly after he spent 19 days running 840 miles across Texas to raise almost $57,000 for Pay it Forward SA. This organization provides resources for those in recovery. On Sept. 20, Kenneth embarked on an even bigger challenge: to run from Washington, D.C. to San Antonio. He expects this 1,800-mile journey to take about six weeks. His goal is to raise money for a new program called Families in Recovery, which allows families to remain together while they heal in treatment. You can read about his journey, watch a documentary, and contribute here.…

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Discovering Romance Doing What You Love 31:50

39 weeks ago31:50