Best Heather Durocher Podcasts (2024)

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250: Just Keep Moving: Heather shares a new path for Michigan Runner Girl 26:57

1+ y ago26:57

26:57

How exactly do you stop doing something you’ve committed so much time, mental energy, and heart to, for so many years? Do you shut it down completely? Can some parts of it remain while others are shelved indefinitely, maybe forever? Is it possible this beloved endeavor can be re-worked, re-born into something similar yet different and new … and hop…

1
249: Sammie Bennett, mental health advocate and SHE RUNS Grand Rapids race ambassador: ‘There’s a place for everybody’ 55:38

2y ago55:38

55:38

“I kind of just hit this point where I was like, I am not living authentically. What do I even like? I sort of had a relationship with myself but not really. Also, I was kind of battling my own sexuality at the time as well, too. And I just hit this moment where I was like, I can’t do it any more — I can’t live the way that I am living, I am not li…

1
248: Awesome Ideas for Fall Adventures at Michigan State Parks 1:13:43

2y ago1:13:43

1:13:43

Fall ziplining along Lake Michigan. Yurt camping. September boating. Equestrian shoreline riding. These are just a few of the autumn and early-winter activities shared by Maia Turek, who returns to the show to talk all things state parks and the many ways we can explore the Great Lakes State over the next several months. Maia, who works for the par…

1
247: Taking Care of Our Hearts: 3 Women Share Their Stories 48:17

2y ago48:17

48:17

“I tried not to dwell on it, I tried to learn from it. And I took care of myself. I looked at it as a new beginning, with new opportunities … and I still do after all these years, try to do something positive with it. I tried to take something that was tragic — I couldn’t have any more children — not only for me, but for my family, and we’ve tried …

1
246: Quitting Chronic Dieting + Recentering through Running with Dietician Amelia Sherry 41:04

2y ago41:04

41:04

“When my relationship with food improved and I started to heal I didn’t let go of the running. I noticed that it was crucial to me feeling more relaxed, centered, more in touch with how I actually felt inside my body. I used intuitive eating as part of my recovery from chronic dieting, which is all about listening and honoring and respecting the se…

1
245: Reading, Traveling + Moving Forward with Emma and Heather 1:09:45

2y ago1:09:45

1:09:45

The Michigan Runner Girl show returns from its mid-summer break with Heather and her 22-year-old daughter Emma at Emma's new apartment in Grand Rapids, Mich. talking about all things books (they share their top reads this summer), traveling (a visit to Nantucket in July!), and how they're both feeling heading into fall. They record their conversati…

1
244: Finding the Pleasure in Eating, Moving, and Living Well 58:47

2+ y ago58:47

58:47

“My work, my passion is helping women lose unwanted weight, but from the inside out — by changing their eating behaviors from a place of deep satisfaction and pleasure, instead of focusing on diets, or counting calories, or carbs or anything like that.” Life coach Lia Pinelli joins Heather on the MRG Show to talk about a lot of things — our relatio…

1
243: The Ripple Effects of Pursuing a Healthier Life with Stephanie Lueras 43:40

2+ y ago43:40

43:40

“When we’re improving ourselves in one area, the rest of us comes along for the ride, as a whole person — physically, emotionally, spiritually … There is a ripple effect. When we start to change habits in one area — I started with a cup of water — and as we continue to build those habits, that ripple effect into every area of life is so significant…

1
242: Updates from Heather + Searching for—and Finding—Ease and Flow in Life with Jem Fuller 1:15:32

2+ y ago1:15:32

1:15:32

“I practice gratitude every single day. I am super grateful for my life. But 10 years ago, I was in a world of pain.” Jem Fuller has lived a colorful, global life—from barefoot backpacker to corporate leader, fire-dancer and traditional tattooist, kindergarten teacher to motorcycle courier, masseuse and reflexology to labourer and travel consultant…

1
241: Life Can Keep Getting Better, with author Lynne Bowman 56:07

2+ y ago56:07

56:07

Author and health advocate Lynne Bowman, a 76-year-old mom of three and grandmother of two — joins Heather for a conversation about the things we do today — our sleep, eating, and movement — and how they impact our future selves. Lynne reminds us that life doesn’t end at 60 or 70, as she says, but the quality of our last 25 or 30 years can be all o…

1
240: BAYSHORE SPECIAL: Ali Feller on Celebrating Finish Lines, Making Connections + Staying True to Ourselves 1:20:02

2+ y ago1:20:02

1:20:02

This very special Bayshore 40th anniversary episode of the MRG Show features a conversation with well-known podcaster and professional race announcer Ali Feller of the Ali on the Run Show. Ali and her family, who live in New Hampshire, are making their very first visit to Michigan later this month for the Bayshore races, which are celebrating 40 ye…

1
239: Getting Clear on Our Core Values with Dai Manuel 44:00

2+ y ago44:00

44:00

"When we don’t live in alignment with our core values, that’s when we open up these little cracks for disappointment, for sadness, and—I’ll go so far as to say—for depression and for anxiety. A lot of these negative things do creep into our lives when we’ve lost the focus on all the positives.” Dai Manuel, an award-winning digital thought leader an…

1
238: Pat Butler reminds us it’s never too late to go after it 49:36

2+ y ago49:36

49:36

Today’s conversation is going to motivate you to keep going, with whatever you’re pursuing right now, whether it’s training for a spring or summer race, or simply sticking with your everyday running and exercise routine. It’s also going to remind you it’s never too late to try something new, to start doing something completely different and even so…

1
237: Enduring more than we think we can with author Nita Sweeney 1:12:38

2+ y ago1:12:38

1:12:38

"I realized I thought I was writing a book about a middle-aged woman who ran a marathon, and what I was actually writing about was a woman trying to save her life." Nita Sweeney, the award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink, joins …

1
236: Discovering our superpowers while helping our communities 46:55

2+ y ago46:55

46:55

We’ve all heard about, or even taken part in, college classes that immerse us in real-life situations — these classes teach us in an entirely different way compared to sitting in a lecture hall, taking notes, and reading thick, heavy textbooks. But this one, the professional communications class at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, do…

1
235: How to be self-aware + the positive ways it changes our lives with Megan Eddinger 55:20

2+ y ago55:20

55:20

"A big part of managing my mental health — beyond therapy and meds — is moving my body and spending time outside. I feel my best when on our family camping trips. While some might see these trips as a lot of work, which they are, I find them to be everything I need: connection, fresh air, no Wi-Fi…" Megan Eddinger is a runner and founder and host o…

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234: Made to Move + ‘Filling our Runways’ with Mel Charbonneau 1:42:37

2+ y ago1:42:37

1:42:37

"There's a difference between being depleted and empty, and being depleted and full. I am depleted and full all the time. I cannot squeeze anything else out of my day. But when my head hits the pillow, I think 'God, that was amazing.'" Mel Charbonneau — entrepreneur, writer, runner, mother and inspiration powerhouse who creates spaces for women to …

1
233: Why We Love Our Community Races + Tulip Time Run in Holland 49:28

2+ y ago49:28

49:28

This episode will get you thinking about reconnecting with your community, your tribe, your people — however you define community. Heather talks with Eddie Kline, a west Michigan runner, cyclist, husband, and race director, who is overseeing one of his own community’s well-known and popular races: the Tulip Time Run, a 10K, 5K, and kids fun run on …

1
232: New Season + LIVE from Up North: How to Reconnect with Yourself 1:26:45

2+ y ago1:26:45

1:26:45

If there ever was an episode that packs in just about everything the MRG podcast is all about — especially now — this one would be it. The Michigan Runner Girl Show returns after a short break in a big way with this episode featuring a LIVE recording from the 4th annual Michigan Runner Girl Winter Weekend Getaway, a retreat held a couple of weeks a…

1
#231: Navigating life transitions 52:50

3y ago52:50

52:50

In this latest episode featuring Heather and her 21-year-old daughter, Emma, life transitions — facing them, going through them, learning from them — is the focus. And if there’s ever been a time when life changes take center stage, it’s these past couple of years as we’ve all endured so much, personally and professionally, as a result of the pande…

1
#230: A Transformative Trip: Paige Lackey shares her Project Rustic experience 1:16:53

3y ago1:16:53

1:16:53

“At first it was hard because I felt like I was in this snowglobe that had been shaken up. And all of a sudden I had space, and then all the snowflakes were falling around me, and I was like, there’s that thing I ignored for six months, and there’s that thing I don’t want to think about because it stresses me out. But the more I was out there, the …

1
#229: Running + racing Mackinac Island 25:15

3y ago25:15

25:15

Heather and Jonny share the Mackinac Island running paths they explored — the 8-mile paved path around the island and the winding trails weaving through its interior — during this special bonus episode. They also talk about the island’s annual races, including one coming up later this month. On the island for the annual Mackinac Island Policy Confe…

1
LIVE from Mackinac Island: Reimagining a Healthy Michigan 1:09:49

3y ago1:09:49

1:09:49

As we all keep moving forward during the pandemic, charting a path to recover, heal, and thrive as a state is critical, say organizers of the 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference, which served as a platform to hear from national thought-leaders on the significant issues that Michigan and the nation is facing at this critical time in history. This year’s…

1
#227: A deeper, more personal conversation with Heather and Emma 53:22

3y ago53:22

53:22

Moving our bodies. Dealing with anxiety. Finding what inspires us. Cultivating and maintaining family relationships. Tending to our mental health. These are among the topics Heather and her 21-year-old daughter Emma touch on during this decidedly more personal episode. While Heather has had a wide range of discussions with guests over the past 6 ye…

1
#226: Inside IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan in Frankfort 57:59

3y ago57:59

57:59

In just under two weeks, a few thousand athletes and their family and friends will travel to the quaint and beautiful Lake Michigan coastal town of Frankfort to take part in IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan — an event that’s had its share of twists and turns over the past year and a half during the pandemic. You can’t exactly call this 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile …

1
#225: 'Nature helps us in every way': Janice Davidson on the return of the Betsie Valley Trail Run 27:12

3y ago27:12

27:12

At the start of 2021, Janice Davidson took a big leap of faith when she quit her longtime position as the director of recreation at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, Mich. to start her own business, North Mitten Events. Eight months later, Janice describes life as full and busy — and better than ever. “It can be scary for sure, but it feels…

1
#224: Going green with runner and innovator Kristina Smithe 43:24

3+ y ago43:24

43:24

"The idea came to me after running a marathon—the California International Marathon—in December of 2019. I ran the marathon and the next day had a five-hour flight back home. Back home, while drinking coffee, I realized I had used six plastic cups for both coffee and water on the plane the day before. Then I thought about my marathon and how many c…

1
#223: Michigan West Coast running + racing 40:29

3+ y ago40:29

40:29

An epic mountain backpacking trip with fellow veterans, getting back to racing in person (and snagging a podium finish), race planning during a pandemic — these are some of things west Michigan runner Eddie Kline has been up to so far this summer. Oh, and there's that new podcast he also just launched: Run MI West Coast, a show for runners interest…

1
#222: Become a trail runner this summer 17:32

3+ y ago17:32

17:32

Following her recent trail race — her first in-person trail race in over a year and a half, Ragnar Trail Michigan, at the end of June — Heather shares the joy (and, OK, occasional pain) of going off road and into the woods for a run (maybe even in the middle of the night, as was the case at Ragnar). Knowing that trail running can feel intimidating …

1
#221: Run for Cherries: Festival of Races in Traverse City returns! 35:23

3+ y ago35:23

35:23

It’s safe to say that the Michigan race scene is really getting back on its feet, now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted. And for those of us who have greatly missed toeing start lines, cheering one another on through the miles, and triumphantly crossing finish lines, it’s exciting to be adding summer and fall race events to our calendars.…

1
#220: Maria Yeager on going your own way, starting new chapters + persevering 1:05:28

3+ y ago1:05:28

1:05:28

"You're not meant to be a runner." "You don't have to run to lose weight." "You should find something else to enjoy." These are the statements that ran through Maria Yeager's mind — actual comments made to her in the past — earlier this year when, after crushing the miles on her treadmill and pushing herself hard during high intensity interval trai…

1
#219: A triathlon for all of us: inside this month's Tri Goddess Tri 58:43

3+ y ago58:43

58:43

Five years ago this month—June 2016—Heather did something she'd never done before: she completed a triathlon. After a decade of running and adding distance to her races, up to the marathon distance, she'd decided it was time to try something new, to shake things up a bit. "I wanted to stretch myself, go outside my comfort zone … and also, honestly,…

1
#218: Listening to your body, making new friends + traveling for Ragnars with Emily White 46:37

3+ y ago46:37

46:37

Runner, mom, fan of craft beer, wine, and traveling — this is how blogger Emily White describes herself on her Instagram account, where she shares her love of movement, racing (23 Ragnar Relays and counting!), and staying connected with the many friends she’s made throughout her running journey. Emily, who grew up in Flint, Mich., has a deep love o…

1
#217: Setting big race goals — to help others 43:50

3+ y ago43:50

43:50

“It was absolutely the best day.” This is how Tony Anderson, who began a journey of completing a marathon in all 50 states to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan, an organization near and dear to his heart, describes his final 26.2 mile race. It was the culmination of 17 years of running marathons -- he ultimately ran …

1
#216: Listener Journeys: ‘My first half for the second time’ 12:22

3+ y ago12:22

12:22

“I’ve been making healthier choices for me and feeling better about myself ... I feel like I have a lot more mental strength now than what I had in my 20s.” Petoskey, Mich. runner Spencer Tulk reflects on the past few years of her journey as a runner in this special listener running journey episode. Spencer, 31, is among the MRG podcast listeners a…

1
#215: Three race directors get honest about pandemic racing + what’s to come 1:01:22

3+ y ago1:01:22

1:01:22

“We just want to put on a safe event and get back to racing.” ~Andrew Buikema, west Michigan race director, marathoner, recent BQ-qualifer(!). Andrew shares this sentiment — and many other heartfelt thoughts — during a candid conversation with two other experienced Michigan race directors, that touches on so much: the current state of racing, the u…

1
#214: When your running goes down a different path 20:42

3+ y ago20:42

20:42

"But I think there’s something else at play. I feel my running evolving. I’m not exactly sure what this means, what it’ll look like. Some days I feel sure my speedier and marathon days are behind me. Other days I think, 'What makes me think I don’t have more in me and will be conquering some amazing things yet?'" Heather gets honest about her runni…

1
#213: Project Rustic - 77 state forest campgrounds, 1 RV, 1 epic summer 48:20

3+ y ago48:20

48:20

If you could spend your summer exploring rustic state forest campgrounds all across Michigan — traveling to these scenic spots in both the lower and upper peninsulas by RV, your best four-legged companion joining to keep you company — would you jump at the opportunity? Would you maybe even propose such a trip to your boss? Paige Lackey, a Huron Pin…

1
#212: Jonny and Heather get real — and go long — while answering your questions 2:04:37

3+ y ago2:04:37

2:04:37

When we put the call out for questions — the burning questions, running and otherwise — that you wanted to ask Heather and Jonny, who knew you’d ask so many? And that Heather and Jonny’s conversation would go on for as long as it did?! Well, we kind of had a feeling there would be a bunch of questions (the MRG community is awesome like that) and as…

1
#211: Joel Gaff launches Traverse City Run Co. 53:04

3+ y ago53:04

53:04

“I always like to think that when you have all the freedom in the world, creativity maybe doesn’t come so easily. But when you have constraints placed upon you, that’s when you have to get creative. And that’s what I think happened to the world, to much of the world, in 2020.” ~Joel Gaff, Jr., dad of two, triathlete, and race director, small busine…

1
#210: Updates from Heather + sweet February deals 14:02

3+ y ago14:02

14:02

Upcoming virtual races and challenges, in-person events planned for this summer and fall, and special savings -- this short and sweet episode packs a punch! Tune in to hear updates from Heather, including what you can expect on upcoming episodes of the podcast (all the details for this summer and fall Ragnar Michigan relays coming soon!). Also shar…

1
#209: Maia Turek on upgrading, reframing + road biking around Michigan lakes 50:20

4y ago50:20

50:20

Maia Turek considers herself a positive person (those who know her undoubtedly would agree), but she recently realized something else about herself, thanks to working closely with a health coach: she has had a habit of talking negatively -- in a self-deprecating way -- to herself and to others, when it comes to how she views her relationship with f…

1
#208: Fresh starts with Janice Davidson of the North Mitten 34:47

4y ago34:47

34:47

Life during a pandemic can lead us down paths we may not have gone down otherwise — some not so good, of course, but also some that ultimately change our lives in positive ways. For Janice Davidson, these past several months have been a time of big life changes, one of which was leaving her job at a northern Michigan ski resort after 20 years. Jani…

1
#207: How to be strong mentally + goodbye 2020! 45:43

4y ago45:43

45:43

“My mind was just not in it for some reason, and I go through that a lot — my brain just doesn’t want to do it, even though my legs, and physically, I feel completely fine. Sometimes in your head, you don’t want to get out there for some reason. But I love what Des Linden always says. She says, keep showing up. And you know she’s also said before, …

1
#206: Holiday Special: Supporting our local athletic stores + winter gear tips 1:10:10

4y ago1:10:10

1:10:10

As local businesses in Michigan and across the U.S. continue to adjust and adapt to pandemic-related closures and pauses, and resulting in-store capacity restrictions, the holiday season marches on. Things just look decidedly different this year, to say the least, for shop owners and their customers. The great news: stores are getting very creative…

1
#205: Going through COVID, recovering + running again 46:15

4y ago46:15

46:15

As of today, Dec. 8, 2020, the U.S. has a rate of close to 200,000 confirmed new infections of coronavirus per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control data center, which is updating daily. Cases in the last seven days alone top one million, and all told, more than 280,000 lives have been lost to COVID-19 in this country. We’re all experie…

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#204: Janelle Haselhuhn: ‘This can be a good time of our lives’ 1:16:56

4y ago1:16:56

1:16:56

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, when face coverings became scarce, Janelle Haselhuhn decided to put her impressive sewing skills to work. The southwest Michigan mom of two young kids, ages 5 and 3, made some 700 masks in just a few short weeks with the help of a small group of volunteers. Janelle, who shares her sewing creations — including memo…

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#203: Moving Through It: Running, cooking, reading (and Abby Wambach) for the win 18:51

4y ago18:51

18:51

Life just keeps getting more and more interesting, doesn’t it? Between the surge in COVID cases, ongoing uncertainty with how things will unfold, a turbulent and divisive political climate, and our efforts to just keep moving forward with our lives, life can feel quite overwhelming. Oh, and the holidays — a very different holiday season — is nearly…

1
#202: Sasha Wolff of Still I Run on defeating the mental health stigma 49:24

4y ago49:24

49:24

“Giving myself grace throughout 2020 has helped me exponentially.” The lovely and inspiring Sasha Wolff, founder of Michigan-based Still I Run, returns to the MRG Show — she last joined Heather for an honest conversation about mental health and wellness just after starting her non-profit in late 2016 — to share how Still I Run has grown. This “comm…

1
#201: 'Soul-centered weight loss' with Tara and Erin of Love Body 47:43

4y ago47:43

47:43

Erin Goldman, a yoga/ meditation teacher, and Tara Rybicki, a registered dietician nutritionist, return to talk about taking care of our heart, our mind, and our body. Erin and Tara are behind northern Michigan-based Love Body, a program that focuses on the practice of self-love. We all know the importance of treating ourselves well, but in reality…

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