We hear some incredible stories in the running community about the life-altering effects of running, but this one will blow you away! Jason Gardner was always the “big kid” — you know, a little extra hefty. At his heaviest, about 10 years ago, he was 426 pounds! He decided to make a change. It started with diet and exercise… and now includes running. We’ll let him tell you how he did it — and where he ended up in his “1 man, 1 year, 150” personal goal.

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If your back hurts, everything hurts. And if you’re one of 65 million Americans who suffer from back pain, you know how important it is to get relief. A chiropractor can help! Whether you’re a serious runner or just a weekend warrior, your back will need care to keep it strong and healthy so you can stay fit.

The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon is proud to partner with one of the premier chiropractic clinics in the Carolinas — Greenapple Sports and Wellness. Dr. Doug Bradberry is an athlete himself, who has worked with Olympic-bound athletes from the U.S. and Canada. His partner, Dr. Eric Goodman, is an active crossfit athlete who has worked with a number of professional and collegiate athletes. Both perform at the highest levels with athletes and regular folks alike. They’re going to help us help YOU stay fit and healthy with some insight about proper back care.

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Running a marathon is tough, and training for it can be a real challenge — We know that, right? Now imagine training for a long race or a triathlon if you are visually challenged. How would you do it? You would need a great training partner and coach, for sure.

In Charlotte, you’re in good hands. Para Guides offers a training program for athletes at any level of fitness and ability, who need guidance because of a visual disability. Shannon Houlihan was inspired to start Para Guides in 2017 after working with a similar service at her training group in Texas, and now she oversees training for dozens of visually impaired athletes here. We’re honored to have Shannon with us today on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast, to tell us about Para Guides and how you can be a part of them.

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It was great to be back! We’re talking — of course — about the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. After a year of running virtually because of COVID, it was really nice to be back under the sunshine and crisp fall air of the Carolinas at our in-person race. We had a great turnout for the marathon, half-marathon, and 5k … and we had a new winner, too!

Adam Jones crossed the finish line first in 2 hours and 23 minutes, and we bet we’re going to hear his name a lot more now. He was a runner at both Samford University in Birmingham and at Iowa. He joins us here on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast to let us get to know him a little better.

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Many of us have had a hard 2021. Our Ambassador Blair Kitrick is no exception – she’s lost several friends and family this year. She’s here to share her a little about her grief and how running and the community have helped her heal – and even find some joy along the way.

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We LOVE football, and 3 cheers to the Charlotte Sports Foundation for bringing 3 big college games to the Queen City every year. The ACC Championship, Duke Mayo Classic, and Duke Mayo Bowl, each bring “that little Southern something that makes good things better” to Bank of America Stadium in the fall, to the delight of ACC football fans everywhere.

But the Charlotte Sports Foundation is more than just football — it supports sports and events all over the region because it knows that from youth to pro’s, athletics make our community stronger. Will Lawson, Director of Sponsorship Sales at Charlotte Sports Foundation, is with us on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast to share some of their exciting events with us.

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If you’re a regular reader of our RunCharlotte blog, you may have been “wowed” by this story back in April. Richard Sexton of Concord — a former furniture e-commerce entrepreneur, digital marketer, occasional substitute teacher, and last-but-not-least ultra runner — ran a full month of marathons last May with a 25-pound weight ball in his rucksack. Yes, we said a Full. Month. Of. Marathons. With a weighted ball named “Slappy.” Yes, Wow.

He did it all to raise money and awareness for Carolina CAN — or Champion Autism Network. His trip was long — from the mountains of Murphy to the beaches of Myrtle — and his goal was $50,000 dollars. Along the way, he threw in a stop at home in Charlotte, his daughter’s dance recital, and his 25th wedding anniversary. Now he’s joining us on the Running Around Charlotte podcast… which, in comparison, probably feels like a short sprint… to tell us how it went.

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The numbers detailing America’s health can be staggering. According to the CDC, 42 percent of Americans are obese. You heard that right — 42 percent — a 12-point jump compared to 20 years ago. And the highest percentage of obesity when broken down by race is found in Black adults.

Those are the kind of statistics that prompted the creation of Black Men Run — a running group especially designed to combat health problems common in the African-American community. High blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease are culprits that affect the longevity of Black men, and Gregory Washington is Charlotte’s captain for Black Men Run. We’re delighted to have him with us on Running Around Charlotte today to share the important message that running is for everyone and beneficial to all.

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If you ever needed proof about how running changes lives, just look at the nonprofit RunningWorks. The programs are designed to promote healthy lifestyles for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and poverty. And RunningWorks acts like the BEST running buddy — not only fostering relationships through running, but helping connect its team members with community resources in healthcare, jobs, and housing… to name a few.

RunningWorks also encourages rehabilitation and dignity for its members through volunteering. Serving others will get you on your feet to stand a little taller — and the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon is proud to say RunningWorks team members serve as volunteers on race day. Their Chief Operating Officer Matt Sharp is here with us today on Running Around Charlotte to bring us up to date on new programming since the group worked through the difficult times of COVID.

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We love our ambassadors — the guys and girls who spread the word about the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, and train, and post about us all year. And they come from all walks of life, with the common threads of running and positivity.

Joe Smith is one of those ambassadors, even though he looks more like a defensive lineman than a marathon runner. But he’s also an incredibly multi-faceted guy, business owner, entrepreneur, photographer … and runner. And he’s here with us on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast today to bring some of that energy into the room.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:52 — 10.2MB)

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