The Run Around Iowa

Lance starts the podcast with his views on the marathon, which was celebrating its 25th running on Sunday, Oct. 25. The athlete interviews then start with women's marathon champion Danna Herrick. The former Boone High runner comments on the work she and training partner Casey McDermott accomplished prior to the race. McDermott, a former Drake University and Newton runner, is asked about her runner-up finish. Men's marathon winner Evan Jamrozy speaks about leaving it all out on the course during his debut in the marathon. The next person interviewed is women's half marathon champion Missy Rock. She talks about her big goal at the California International Marathon in December. Her coach at Wartburg College, Steve Johnson, also ran in the half marathon and he shares a story of how the new cross country course came into existence. Runablaze Iowa's Matt Lorenz discusses his personal record while finishing second in the men's half marathon. Women's 10K winner Susie Duke is asked about the course and chasing goals at age 46. The podcast ends with men's 5K winner Josh Prohaska speaking. He coaches at Dallas Center-Grimes and is circling some fast times in shorter races this winter.

Carson comes on the podcast to talk about his new business venture, Stridelane, which he started last track and field season when he was competing at the University of Iowa. Stridelane provides LED pacing lights for purchase or rental to college programs or organizations. He tells how a manufacturing partnership with a company in China has improved the durability of his product and describes some of the features with the lights. Carson mentions why his company is well positioned to attract American customers. The Johnston graduate chats about his running goals and training partners he's found in Flagstaff, Arizona. He tells a challenge with the product when it arrives. Carson shares the story of how a family road trip improved his reputation with college recruiters. He also talks about great products he's found since visiting China.

Jack comes on the podcast to tell the story of how he returned to the Wartburg program as a full-time assistant coach. He looks back at the 2025 cross country season and if the Knights had a realistic shot at winning the national title after taking third overall in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Jack talks about the difficulty of sitting out the 2024 season with an injury. He looks back at his two best races as a Knights runner and why one of the races was frowned upon by the Wartburg coaches. Jack gives the outlook for the 2026 Wartburg men's and women's cross country teams. He gives an update on what his girlfriend, ex-Wartburg standout Ellie Meyer, is up to now. The former Liberty High standout gives details into the state title-winning 4x800 relay team his senior season. Jack tells of the turning point in the Wartburg men's program that led to runner-up national finishes in 2022 and 2024. He gives a strength of the Wartburg program beyond the large roster numbers and offers a couple of his interests outside of running.

Kyle, the head cross country coach at Bondurant-Farrar, comes on the podcast to talk about where the top seniors in the Class of 2026 will be running at this fall. Kyle, a regular on the IATC Exchange Zone podcast on Sunday nights, and Lance take a deeper dive into where those athletes have signed. The list of prestigious universities include Oregon, Arkansas, Iowa State, Texas and Tulsa. The conversation shifts to the top runners, including seniors, to watch for the 2026 high school cross country season. Kyle also gives his view on the teams to beat in the four Iowa classes for boys and girls cross country.

Erin comes on the podcast just days after her daughter, Evelyn, committed to run for Iowa State in the fall of 2027. Erin remembers the time when Evelyn, her middle child, had to choose between volleyball and cross country and a breakout race to remember her sophomore season. Erin talks about the motivation that drives Evelyn and why she stopped her from competing in her first half marathon. The three-time Iowa Conference champion for Wartburg tells of the great support from the Mount Vernon community. She remembers a memorable visit with Iowa State's coaches and why the Cyclones won out in a fierce recruiting battle. Erin chats about the difficult path for her youngest son, Kellyn, after he was born with spina bifida and his new athletic pursuit. She also tells of oldest son Ryne's influence on his siblings and what could be next for the Iowa State senior. Erin goes back to remember training with fellow Wartburg Robyn Friedman for the first time in Oregon and before the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She recounts that memorable race and how it wasn't going well ... until it did. Erin tells of a surprise guest waiting for her in the finish chute at those trials in Boston. She reluctantly talks about an injury that derailed her 2012 Trials marathon when she was in the best shape of her life. Erin also looks back at the "rock star" Wartburg teammate who has been honored with her name on a facility for the college's cross country teams in Waverly. She also talks about Evelyn's epic finish in the Class 3A 800 final when she ran down a Mount Pleasant runner to claim the title by .01 of a second and help hand Mount Vernon a state team championship.

Lance opens this mish-mash podcast by featuring two interviews from the 52nd annual Bix 7 road race in Davenport on July 25. He interviewed former Iowa State NCAA champion Wesley Kiptoo of the HOKA NAZ ELITE squad based in Flagstaff, Arizona, and seven-time Loras College NCAA champion Kassie Parker of the Crown Running squads and finds out what will be their fall plans. Then, he talks about track and field coaching changes involving Iowans and former Iowa collegians before bringing NJCAA national champion coach Brent Ewing on for an interview. Ewing talks about why he felt it was the right time to leave Indian Hills Community College after 10 years to join Kansas State as the program's mid-distance coach. He mentions what sold him on making the move and why he believes the Wildcats program isn't far from being elite. The podcast concludes with an update on the 515 Run Club in Des Moines.

Chase comes on the podcast just days after a very memorable Midnight Madness 5K in Ames. He tells why it was special. He talks about health issues that prompted his return to Iowa. Chase set a new best for the marathon of 2:26:40 at the IMT Des Moines Marathon in October, but he mentions why that race was a bit disappointing. The former Manson Northwest Webster prep gives his next goal and why he believes a change in diet has improved his times greatly. The Northwestern College grad describes his journey into coaching and why his first coaching job was terrible. Chase talks about landing at NAIA Campbellsville University in Kentucky and the challenges that came with the job. He details a challenging Boston Marathon experience in April that gave him more than he expected and how an Uber Eats saved the day during his stay in Boston. Chase tells about the good and bad during his prep wrestling days and why he went with running in college instead of wrestling. He is asked about his many tattoos and he talks about what some of them mean to him. Lance is asked a question for once and Chase briefly stumps him about the topic.

Adam and Flannery, both former Luther College standouts, come on the podcast to talk about their recent races as part of the Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, Minnesota. Adam dropped 10 more seconds off of his Iowa masters record for the marathon and talks about his pursuit of other Iowa records. Flannery, a top Iowa distance runner for many years, is asked the same question about her goals as she approaches age 40 in December. The Runablaze Iowa team members talk about how business at their farm in rural Cresco impacts their racing calendar and how many events they hold each year at Tailwind Acres, which includes the upcoming Runners' Retreat. They speak about the big change they made several years ago and enjoying a farm-to-table food lifestyle. Adam talks about leaving the teaching profession a year ago and his special conversations he has now with runners on his team and assisting seniors with massages at a hospice center. They tell of the frequent challenge to find time to squeeze in workouts between their work schedules and parenting. They talk about their kids taking up organized sports. They give their views on Luther College's move away from the American Rivers Conference starting in August. They tell the story of how they met and describe their why in running as middle-age runners.

Max comes on the podcast to tell why he is back in the Quad-Cities after graduating with a masters from the University of North Carolina. Max talks about injuries he had at Chapel Hill that derailed the final two years of his college career, but also special relationships he formed with coaches and teammates. The 2019 Iowa state cross country champion for Pleasant Valley High School goes into detail about bond he has with a current Hawkeye. Max talks about his childhood growing up with two brothers and the sports he played before settling on cross country and track. Max tells of a growth spurt that took him from 4-foot-11 as a freshman in high school to 6 feet. He looks back at the transfer portal process and talks about Iowa's prospects for winning the Big Ten title and building a college roster. Max explains where he ideally would like to live and looks back at his thrilling 2019 state cross country title. Max is also given a quiz on big people on the eve of the NBA Finals.

Lance goes solo on this podcast and opens with the controversial 515 Run Club's feud with the city of Des Moines. Lance gives his viewpoint on the dispute. He talks about some of the freshmen in college who have impressed him during this track and field season. He also looks ahead briefly at the NCAA Division III meet where disgraced former Iowa State runner Seth Clevenger of Rowan could spoil the fun again for several top Iowans. Lance gives praise to an Iowa last chance meet that brought top talent to their city. He finishes the show to talk about two big changes in his life and a new running challenge for him in the fall.