Best Donna Pazdera Podcasts (2024)

1
Still at It. 18:16

1d ago18:16

18:16

My return to running is not the stellar triumph I'd imagined, but it's there. And I don't suck as bad as before. Stories about the impending trip to Florida, smoke detector nonsense and the death of a bat. Not proud. But, I hope y'all can forgive me. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thestubborntortoise/support…

1
Annnnnd, I'm Back! 28:24

5d ago28:24

28:24

After six or so weeks, I am back at the podcasting thing. And the running thing, too. It's been a nice break but I'm glad to be back. I have pretty much restarted running from scratch. (Like, I'm in a 10K walk-run training group.) It's humbling but necessary. I've been dealing with some aggravations in the hip and lower back but am trying to ease m…

1
A Brief Hiatus and Big Plans 22:50

2M ago22:50

22:50

I've been doing this thing almost every week for close to five years. Admittedly, I've hit a wall: I'm not running, racing or volunteering like before, and it is getting to be a challenge to find weekly guests. So, I'm going to not force this for a couple of months, or until I have some more stories to tell. I do this as a labor of love, so it's no…

1
The Boston Marathon, Inside-Out with Coach Basilio Mendoza and Orlando "Hundo" Montalvo 1:16:59

3M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

This is such a fun chat with two of my RGV friends, Coach and Hundo. They drove 38 hours straight from Mission, Texas to Marlboro, Mass. on April 11. By the 13th, they were setting up 10-foot-long interlocking barricades that weighed up to 30 pounds apiece, alongside 70-something local women. The RGV duo were not volunteers. They were paid $350 per…

1
Master's Edition: Robert Gonzales. No Quitting, Always Aspiring. 1:24:44

3M ago1:24:44

1:24:44

Robert Gonzales ran his first 50K about a month ago. He is 74 years old. He had a mishap during that race that later required surgery, but he finished the race in 8:47, well ahead of others much younger. Gonzales tells me about his running journey, with credit to his coach, Christi Myers Faulk, and his daughter, Roxanne Lockhart. He is not ready to…

1
Getting Committed 14:13

4M ago14:13

14:13

I had Easter lunch with my friend, Jessica. Over the course of our conversation, we agreed to do the Wild Hare 50K in November. We also agreed to hold each other accountable in our respective training plans. Another form of commitment is that I am signing up to be the team captain for The Flying Chanclas relay team this year at Snowdrop. I'm lookin…

1
Remix: Trail Foes and Friends 24:49

4M ago24:49

24:49

I reached WAAAAAY into the archives and uprooted this old gem from the early days of this podcast. This is about the relationships you make while on the trails. It's fun, short and sweet. Enjoy! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thestubborntortoise/support

1
Master's Edition: Lisa Tuckwood 55:30

4M ago55:30

55:30

I have talked to my fair share of gritty runners, but Lisa Tuckwood may be the grittiest. Maybe it's her background in the Army or maybe it's just how she is, but regardless, Lisa is one tough lady. She's always been athletic, but didn't start running races until 2015 -- three months after back surgery. Her record speaks for itself. No DNFs, but en…

1
Basics for Beginners 29:46

4M ago29:46

29:46

This week, I thought it might be helpful to offer advice and tips to those who are new to trail running. You generally won't see people holding signs and cheering for you in the woods, like you might on the road. I go over things like shoes, hydration, sports watches and more. I don't cover everything, but there are some useful tidbits if you want …

1
Satan's Driveway in Plain Sight 28:59

5M ago28:59

28:59

After years of running at Colorado Bend State Park at night, I finally got to see it during daylight hours. It's almost more gnarly because you can see stealth rocks that catch your toes, the narrow, terrifying rock ledges and tombstone-sized rocks. I also found new parts of the park where I'd never been. I learned that you should never ignore the …

1
Extraordinary People: Olga Laque and Rustie Johnson 1:09:53

5M ago1:09:53

1:09:53

Two of my San Antonio Off-Road-Running friends joined me this week to talk about completing their first 100K (62 miles). What sets this effort apart from others is that they tackled it under extraordinary conditions: extreme water, mud and roots. Huntsville State Park, on a good day, is challenging with its crazy tree roots cluttering the trails. T…

1
Extraordinary People: Steve Carter 1:09:56

5M ago1:09:56

1:09:56

Steve Carter is a Michigan-born, San Antonio-based retired Air Force veteran. He is also an accomplished cyclist and ultrarunner.We chronicle his running and cycling career, including him crewing for Kenneth Anderlitch, who spent 19 days in 2022, running across Texas.Steve has some big ultra goals coming up, along with a couple of cycling events.Oh…

1
Extraordinary People: Kate Motsko 1:12:31

5M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Kate Motsko and I share a common conceit: we've both received the Spirit of Dan Keitz award, the highest honor bestowed by Tejas Trails. I won it in 2022 (and had no idea that it existed) and Kate got it this year. It is well-deserved. She has a storied career as an ultrarunner but also has sustained some epic injuries along the way. She's taken up…

1
Master's Edition: Timothy Sneed. Overcoming the RUSH 1:28:38

6M ago1:28:38

1:28:38

Timothy Sneed, admittedly, dealt with addiction to stimulants, off and on, for years. He is finally clean and is living away from bad influences in Kerrville, Texas. He is wicked fast on 50Ks and loves the trail scene. I cajoled him into doing the Cactus Rose 100K next year and offered to crew for him. I love that runners are so suggestible. (I sho…

1
Extraordinary People: Meg Eckert 1:10:38

6M ago1:10:38

1:10:38

Meg Eckert, a native of Spring, Texas, began her running career seven years ago. In that time, she has won a number of long-distance races. Over the New Year's weekend this year, she set the course record for female runners at the Snowdrop 55-hour event, running 100 miles in 16 hours and 6 minutes. She went on to complete 218.87 miles in hours - an…

1
Resolving, Rowing, Running 29:51

6M ago29:51

29:51

In this episode, I give a buncha shoutouts. (You might be mentioned) I give big kudos to my friend, Sara Dudzikowski, who finally got to bring home that 100-mile buckle for completing Snowdrop last week. I also shout out to Meg Eckert (who will be next week's guest), who set the 100-mile course record, course distance record (218.87 miles -- forgiv…

1
2023 roundup 27:25

7M ago27:25

27:25

This was a weird year: not much running, a lot of introspection, new gym challenges, new goals and dealing with the beast known as menopause. It's not kind, ladies. Also, re-ditched a person who was incredibly selfish and unkind in my life. I don't know why I let myself put up with this nonsense, but I saw through it and stopped it. Anyway, hoping …

1
The Buddy Chat: Angela Coppi Wojcik 39:47

7M ago39:47

39:47

I met Angela early on in the Wild Hare 10K at Bluff Creek Ranch. The reason I met her is because I heard this gutteral voice in the woods belonging to our mutual friend, David Salazar. She invited me to join her crew, doing an interval walk-run, which I appreciated. She is fairly new to the trail scene, but plans to do her first 50K next year! --- …

1
Master's Edition: Robbie De La Rosa. Runs for the Love of the Sport 1:16:01

7M ago1:16:01

1:16:01

Robbie has been a friend of mine for a few years. (He made a shirt that I gave to Orville Peck -- long backstory) And, he has proven that he is there for us all. He started out as a runner at a young age and later got into ultrarunning in his 40s. He and his significant other, Ann Ludewig, have gone on many adventures. For him, it's all about the l…

1
In Many Directions, But All Point Forward 26:23

8M ago26:23

26:23

I once had a colleague from Southeastern Kentucky who was a master storyteller. She's start in one direction, veer off into left field, go to center field, then right field and manage to tie it all up by the time she got to home plate. Weird analogy, but that's kind of where this episode goes. I talk about staying consistent in November, interval j…

1
The Race of Surprises 26:03

8M ago26:03

26:03

I ran my favorite race yesterday -- WildHare. I just did the 10K, but ran into a bunch of friends from the San Antonio Off-Road Runners. Later, I watched a longhorn give birth (see photo) and a marriage proposal. It was an uplifting day after a sort of dark one. Hip feels good, so there's that. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.c…

1
This one time at Band Camp 28:31

8M ago28:31

28:31

I was privileged to join the Band of Runners this past weekend in Leakey, Texas, for its annual Band Camp. It is a trail running event for veterans and their families. I was a pseudo-mentor, chronicling the event but participating in a group's activities: meal cleanup, prep, yoga, running form, running various courses/miles. I enjoyed it so much. I…

1
Aid Stationing, a Race, and Awards! 24:18

8M ago24:18

24:18

Today, I worked a couple of aid stations at the Hill Country Trivium in Marble Falls, Texas. I also got to hand out medals at the finish line. It was so fun to meet people, hear their stories and see them complete their first half, full or 50K. Yesterday, I ran/hiked an 8K (5.2) out at Government Canyon. It felt pretty good, although the arthritic …

1
Special Guest: Christine Foster 43:57

9M ago43:57

43:57

Christine Foster is only 29 but she's already tackled three 50Ks. The Cincinnati, Ohio native has always been active and figured doing ultras was a natural next step. She's eyeing 50-milers in the future. Oh, and she said it was a dream to be featured on a podcast. I was happy to oblige. :) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/p…

1
Special Master's Edition: Brad and Pamela Toelle. Jiking the Javelina Jundred (K) 1:04:44

9M ago1:04:44

1:04:44

It took me a minute to come up with a themed headline that played off of the Javelina Jundred, but here we are. Anyway, Brad and Pamela Toelle, of Kerrville, will tackle this race this coming weekend in Arizona. It will be Brad's first 100K. Pamela, who has finished the Rocky Raccoon 100M, will join her husband on a hike through some beautiful scen…

1
Volunteer Fun and...Body Image Issues 29:56

9M ago29:56

29:56

I had a great time volunteering on Saturday at the inaugural Great Springs Trail race in San Marcos. I was the person handing out medals. We got to witness the annualar solar eclipse and everyone finished! Good times. Switching gears....I had an annual physical the other day and it triggered my eating disorder issues, big time. I was deemed "overwe…

1
Forging Ahead, Slowly, Very Slowly 20:41

9M ago20:41

20:41

I'm still only running very little once a week, but am optimistic this will gradually increase now that the torrid heat has left for the season -- I hope. I look back on captaining an aid station after its anniversary popped up in my FB memories last week. Oh, and I managed to lock myself out of FB for two, long days after attempting to publish las…

1
The Cedar Choppers and Why I Am Not Cut Out for Trail-Building 21:55

10M ago21:55

21:55

I discovered over the weekend that while I can lop branches from cedar trees, doing so in almost 100-degree heat with little shade is not my thing. I learned a few things and enjoyed myself, but once I became overheated, I realized I'm better off serving up drinks and sandwiches and encouragement at aid stations. It's a good discovery to make and i…

1
The Mental Sherpa and Other Stories 23:55

10M ago23:55

23:55

It's coming up on the nine-year anniversary of my first 20-miler, with my friend, Orly (aka Hundo). I look back on that experience and talk about the importance of having another person to mentally help you get through something hard. I've mentally Sherpa'd a couple of friends through 100-milers (doing a 20-mile or 31-mile segment -- usually in the…

1
The Top 10 Trails in Texas -- Donna's Version 29:00

11M ago29:00

29:00

I didn't have a ton to talk about and then it hit me: why not share my Top 10 favorite places to run trails in Texas? This is highly subjective and limited to my experience. Hint: I'm not a huge fan of those gnarly, super-technical courses, so don't come at me. The majority of these places are venues patronized by Tejas Trails races. BUT, there are…

1
Special Master's Edition: Julie Haynes 54:01

11M ago54:01

54:01

Julie Haynes was having pain and sought help from her doctor. "Just don't run," was the advice. Haynes, like a lot of women, hear this sort of thing more often than we'd like. I've had a chiropractor mutter, "We'll see," when I mentioned that I wanted to run again. And, of course, there was a recent incident with an X-ray technician who pointedly a…

1
Master's Edition: Liz Casa Perez 49:21

11M ago49:21

49:21

Liz Casa Perez is sort of infamous in the Trail Racing Over Texas community because she occasionally puts up a canopy emblazoned, "You Are Not Alone." She is also an accomplished ultrarunner, who currently lives in Victoria, Texas and loves the 100K distance. She recently attempted the 100M race at Habanero Hundred, but did not finish. Still, she i…

1
The DNS That Shouldn't Have Happened 18:13

11M ago18:13

18:13

I missed going to Habanero Hundred last weekend because two Interstates were closed and traffic was being funneled onto service roads, creating a ridiculous backlog of traffic. I was already cutting it close to arriving on time -- my theory is I didn't want to get there too early and then be stuck hanging around in the heat. When it became clear I …

1
On the Comeback -- I Hope! 20:11

11M ago20:11

20:11

Things have been progressing regarding my stiff, injured left hip. Physical therapy is making a difference. (shoutout to Optimum Physio Sports) for being the one place that has accurately addressed my dang issue. I've been through another PT program that is famous and starts with an "A," along with a buncha sessions with chiropractors. The truth is…

1
A Masochist's Paradise 17:11

12M ago17:11

17:11

So, I did a thing last week. I signed up for the Habenero Hundred on Aug. 12. I'm *only* doing the 20K because I'm crazy, but not insane. The real masochists are doing the 100-mile and 100K. Here's the rub: the race starts at high noon for the big distances. For the rest of us, we start at 12:30. PM. In August. In Texas. I'm hoping to not throw up …

1
The Tortoise Goes West 21:16

12M ago21:16

21:16

I spent a few days in Southern Utah where I hiked at Zion National Park, sandboarded down a white-hot dune, soaked in a river and hung out on a pontoon boat with my sister and her family. Oh, and I saw this place that had haunted my dreams for years. It was a road that ran alongside a mountain. I knew it was out near California but wasn't Californi…

1
Happy Season Five! (And more personal stuff) 30:26

1y ago30:26

30:26

This episode is about the humble origins of this podcast four years ago to all about YOU listeners! And, stick around for a personal update involving self-esteem, the injury that hasn't gone away, image, and some embarrassing, yet helpful, information about why you should not use a debt consolidation settlement company. I'll be OK but it's been a t…

1
Extraordinary People: Sara Dudzikowski - The Comeback Kid 39:18

1y ago39:18

39:18

Sarah attempted her first 100-miler in December/January at Snowdrop. She had some serious health issues and was pulled by the medical staff, two loops short of finishing. Unfortunately, the time cutoff was called and she couldn't go back out and finish. Fast-forward to June, when she traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and spent six days inside the Pe…

1
Paz n' Hundo: The Great Reset 37:41

1y ago37:41

37:41

It's been a while since I've caught up with my friend, Orlando Montalvo (Hundo). This year, after finishing his fifth Snowdrop 100-mile race, he and his lovely wife, Kathy (Babe) are dialing it back this year. We reflect on past races, talk about the future and more. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thestubborntorto…

1
The Buddy Chat! A new wrinkle (or scale?) in this podcast where I talk to some of my buddies. 47:40

1y ago47:40

47:40

Jessica Kestermann loves to remind me that she is exactly half my age. Ha ha. Still, we met on a cold, January morning a few years ago at Pedernales State Park, where we warmed up inside a mutual friend's Prius and got to know each other as our other friends finished their longer miles.Since then, we've tackled Rocky Raccoon half-marathon prior to …

1
Master's Edition: Karen and Manny Olivo -- the ultrarunning power couple 53:11

1y ago53:11

53:11

There's an old saw in ultrarunning that you shouldn't crew or pace your significant other. Too much potential drama, they say.Well, Karen and Manny Olivo have proven that to be wrong. This couple, married three years, support each other through 100Ks, 100-milers and more. Sometimes in the 125-degree heat of Death Valley in July. In a few weeks, Man…

1
Extraordinary People: Ann Ludewig and Vicki Allen -- Always Learning 1:04:39

1y ago1:04:39

1:04:39

Two friends decided to attempt the Cocodona 250, an arduous 5-day race set in the mountains of Arizona. Despite their best efforts to train appropriately, both were pulled by race officials on the first day. After processing this devastating situation, they stuck around and continued running/hiking parts of the course, while cheering on the remaini…

1
Master's Edition: Gordon Montgomery, the Intellect With Two Replaced Hips 1:35:13

1y ago1:35:13

1:35:13

Gordon Montgomery, 54, is originally from Ireland and ended up in the US. He is a longtime rugby player who turned to trail running. He has a storied career as a runner and was sidelined with the need to replace both hips. He's on the comeback trail and pursuing his PhD in transpersonal psychology. He is a leadership coach and practices Transcenden…

1
Master's Edition - Bill Luttrell Won't Stop 52:28

1y ago52:28

52:28

Bill Luttrell was told he no cartilage in his knee and that he shouldn't run. Instead, he signed up for the Bandera 50K not long after. He made it 21 miles before he called it quits. Undeterred, he signed up for it again the following year. A few months before the race, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. That didn't stop him, either. Race day w…

1
Extraordinary People: Cyrus Walker 1:04:57

1y ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Cyrus Walker lived a sedentary lifestyle her entire life. She left a corporate job after 24 years, lost 100 lbs with diet and exercise and found her true love - trail running. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thestubborntortoise/support

1
Master's Edition: Mark Benefiel 1:21:06

1y ago1:21:06

1:21:06

He started his ultra journey in 2019 completed a few 50k s, a 100k in Zion in 2021, and a host of other shorter races. In Oct 2021, he was injured training for a 100miler in Colorado, which resulted in knee surgery, followed by a bad septic infection that landed him in the hospital for a week and was in bad shape. Subsequently, he suffered five inf…

1
Extraordinary People: James Boler 49:58

1y ago49:58

49:58

James Boler is a lifelong Memphis resident who has had a lifelong love of being active. He says he's always been an athlete mainly in the baseball world. He played competitive softball from age 22-38. After that, he started running, at age 40 .He made a bet with his wife that he could run a half marathon without training. He ran the race and regret…

1
Extraordinary People: Amanda Eaton 47:29

1y ago47:29

47:29

Amanda Eaton has only done a few races, but she has won a few of them. Most notably, she won the Habanero Hundred in August 2022, along with her fellow Rio Grande Valley compadre, Art Hurtado. Amanda talks to me about her running adventures, wins and future plans. I also talk about "active listening" and upcoming events. --- Support this podcast: h…

1
Master's Edition -- Kenny Gardner: Change is Good 1:04:59

1y ago1:04:59

1:04:59

After the devastating loss of his longtime partner, Kenny Gardner got more bad news: he was overweight and diagnosed with diabetes. He had to change his habits from eating junk food as a comfort to finding joy in eating clean and working out. He's also returned to running and plans on conquering his first 50K this fall. As of this recording, he is …

1
Extraordinary People: Aurora Kerr 33:23

1+ y ago33:23

33:23

Aurora Kerr ran her first 50K in February at Jackalope Jam. She turned 11 in November. Aurora, who has the cutest giggle, recounts that race and what led up to it in her running career. She likes math and science and has some ideas about what she wants to be later in life. Oh, and there will be more 50Ks. --- Support this podcast: https://podcaster…

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