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In this episode we talk about our favorite races, hidden talents (or lack thereof), stories and reflections on what makes the marathon so special!

And in the quick tip segment we explain how to get to the root cause of a running injury.

Get to Know Your Podcast Hosts

At the time of this recording we are in the midst of moving from Missouri to Pennsylvania . . . so we are thankful to our friend Tina Muir for allowing us to replay this interview with us from her podcast Running For Real.

We’ve done guest interviews on a few dozen podcasts but Tina definitely asked us questions we’ve never answered before.

Hidden Talents?

• Angie loves to play the piano although she refuses to perform in front of others. I play the guitar though I won’t call it a “talent”. I’m actually a better downhill skier than a runner. I grew up near the Sierras and my dad could get free lift tickets.

How does it work to run MTA as husband and wife?

• Recalling our interview with Gretchen Rubin and her teaching on the 4 tendencies, Angie is an upholder and I’m a rebel. As long as we understand what makes each other tick (and ticks each other off) we do fine. Angie is the head running coach and content creator and I’m the technical guy behind MTA -which means I maintain the website, customer support, and production of the podcast.

Most Unusual Marathons?

• Angie picked the Shadow of the Giants 50k because of its foul-mouthed, politically incorrect race director. I picked the Tupelo Marathon because their motto is “Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead”.

Race headquarters at the Shadow of the Giants 50k. Going back to school reminded Trevor of his love of breaking rules.

Best Post Race Food at a Marathon?

• Angie picked the Missoula Marathon which she remembers having a nice spread (watermelon) and the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY. I think The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon did a great job with post race food (the bagels were fresh) but another mention should be The Des Moines Marathon which had more food than I had time to grab.

Toughest Marathon?

• Without hesitation Angie chose the Leadville Trail Marathon -which starts at 10,000 feet and at one point takes nearly 30 minutes to go one mile. She found this harder than her 50 miler. I chose the Tupelo Marathon (again) because of the beastly Mississippi heat in September.

Favorite Podcast Episode or Guest?

• We have been podcasting for seven years and love all the guests who’ve been on the show! Dr. Tim Noakes never fails to explode my brain. The Boston Marathon Race Recap was a popular episode and fun to record. Angie always enjoys speaking with Gretchen Rubin but she doesn’t listen to the finished episodes that we’ve done because she doesn’t like to hear herself.

Moment that is Non-Instagramable?

• On a recent run Angie stopped to use the bathroom at a park and got stung by a wasp nesting in the toilet paper roll! I had to DNS the 2015 Tupelo Marathon because of my achilles pain. It always sucks to skip a marathon.

What Makes the Marathon So Special?

• The marathon still has the power to WOW people. Your first marathon will probably be the hardest physical challenge to date.
• It is an intensely personal challenge that will reveal what’s inside you both mental and physical.
• Less than 1% of the population will ever run a marathon.
• You can’t “wing it” like you could a 5k or even a half marathon.
• The marathon is tough but we believe it is a challenge within reach of all people. You have what it takes!
• To your non-running friends you will be viewed as super human if you can run 26.2 miles!

Spencer Family (Trevor, Angie, Riley, Gavin, Liam)