A Million Strangers Cheering Us On:

Chicago Marathon

By Blake Pratt

The Chicago Marathon is as major as a major marathon can get. This year, I joined about 55,000 runners filling the city streets while more than a million spectators screamed encouragement at us total strangers. It was loud, crowded, and a bit chaotic — and at the same time, oddly familiar. I got to see my best friends and training partners before, during, and after the race. In a strange way, that made it feel like just another Sunday long run on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

On my Chicago tracker app, I followed 17 runners from Greenville. Our core crew started training in early July, and for what felt like a full calendar year, We Ran @ Dawn in suffocating humidity. Track workouts, sustained threshold efforts, and mixed-pace Sunday long runs filled our weeks. We caught up on life and belted out late-’90s R&B somewhere between Sans Souci and Berea. The Greenville running community is undefeated — I’m lucky to run with a crew of driven and determined men and women who support each other on and off the SRT. Accountability quickly turned into friendship, and friendship made the accountability easy.

I try to think of any marathon as a “celebration of fitness,” because by race day, all the hard work is already done. I did the math — I ran just under 900 miles during my 14-week training block. When it was time for the field trip to Chicago, the race just felt like a bonus round. I’d spent months focused on that finish line in Grant Park, but afterward I realized the highlight wasn’t the time on the clock or even the race itself — it was all the early mornings that led there. The social time with my best friends. The 3:XX alarm clocks. It’s cliché, but it truly is the journey, not the destination.

I was pumped to have my family join me for the trip as well. We’re from Michigan and used to visit Chicago quite a bit, so it was fun to return to one of our favorite cities. We strolled the Magnificent Mile, visited Navy Pier and Lincoln Park Zoo, ate deep-dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, Garrett’s mixed popcorn, and Chicago hot dogs. Probably wouldn’t recommend gaining like six pounds and walking 18,000+ steps the day before the race — but it was so worth it.

Oh yeah, the marathon itself — I Icarus’d it and couldn’t quite hold pace toward the end like I hoped. I had to stop and stretch my locked-up hammies a few times. Many lessons about nutrition and strength training were learned. Tale as old as time. But no regrets! I snuck out a 20-second PR, proving there’s more than one way to… peel a potato.

• 90 year old Gene Bruckert proves that getting older doesn't slow you down, as he recently set a PR in a 50 mile race. READ HERE

• Mark Dredge from The Running Channel provides some good tips to help with your running form. READ HERE

• Mark your calendars and reschedule your dentist appointments, the 2028 Olympic Track and Field schedule has just dropped. READ HERE

You asked, Sticky answered

Q: Hi, Sticky, recently I've been invited to a wedding, but unfortunately most of the people there don't know that I'm a runner. What can I do to not only let them know I run, but also to talk about my race times?

A: Excellent question! In my experience, it's a faux pas to wear half tights and race shoes to a wedding, but there are alternatives. I suggest wearing your Garmin with the sound on, and casually throwing out as many references to your resting heart rate and VO2 max as possible. You can bring up how the price of the wedding doesn't compare to the price of your next race. Before you hit the dance floor, start up an activity on your watch, if it isn't on Strava, then it didn't happen. Also mention that you could PR your 5k in the time it took for the ceremony to wrap up, that will definitely go over well. Hope this helps!

Q: Hello Mr. McGoo, I've been training for my upcoming half-marathon and I wanted to know if you had a fueling strategy you use? Thanks!

A: Hello reader, thank you for writing in. I have tried a lot of gels and chews over the years and I have found that each one has its pros and cons. I started my journey with GU, then switched to Honey Stinger gels and chews, before finally settling on Maurten. I find that their products sit best on my stomach and go down easily enough without added water. On the Maurten website they offer multiple strategies based on your specific event. 

Fueling strategies will differ for everyone based on their individual needs, so it's best to read up and experiment with multiple products and find what works best for you!

Q: Hello Stick, hope all is well! How do you dress and prepare for the colder temperatures?

A: With the unpredictability of our weather in the Upstate, it can be challenging to adequately prepare, but I'll share my go to. Even when the weather is cold, after moving for a bit I heat up quickly so I try to dress in lighter layers so I can shed them when I warm up. I typically go with shorts or half tights (unless it's absolutely freezing, then I go with full tights), a long sleeve shirt in that is either perforated or in a performance material, and gloves. If the wind is biting, I will throw on a lightweight windbreaker to keep it out. A mile or two in, I usually roll up the sleeves and stow the gloves, but I like to keep them just in case. 

Arm sleeves are also an often overlooked piece of kit, especially if you are running or racing in a singlet!

Plan a few shorter runs and experiment with layering to figure out what works for you. Remember, you can always shed layers you have on, but you can't add anything you don't have. It's better to start with more layers than less.

Q: What shoes are in your rotation currently?

A: Quite a few. I have accumulated more shoes than I need, but I have found a few that really work for me. My go to is the Mizuno Neo Zen for most of my runs, but I like to sprinkle in the Neo Vista and Supercomp Trainer for long runs. I also rotate the Novablast and Superblast and I enjoy the feeling they provide. The ON Cloudspikes have worked well on the track and I like Arc'teryx or La Sportiva on the trail.

Head to your local running store and try a few options on to see what works best! Have fun out there!

For the chance to get your question featured in the next Newsletter, email it to

stickyscorner@gmail.com

Running With The Phases of Life

Stephanie Morgan

For Stephanie (Buffo) Morgan, running has always been more than a sport — it’s been a companion through every season of my life. From my first cross-country practices as a youth in Spartanburg Striders and Dorman High School to representing Clemson University on the collegiate stage in the steeplechase, running taught me discipline and resilience. But as life evolved, so did my relationship with movement. After college and into physical therapy school at the Medical University of South Carolina, I found myself drawn to the challenge and variety of fitness with cross training — discovering a re-ignited love for swimming and cycling that not only enhanced my fitness but redefined how I saw strength and endurance.

When pregnancy and motherhood entered the picture, my approach shifted once again. Gone were the days of rigid race calendars and all-out intervals — replaced by intentional movement, healing, and rediscovering my body through the lens of postpartum fitness. My return to sport wasn’t about “bouncing back,” but about honoring what my body had done and gradually rebuilding power, mobility, and confidence. With time (5 years after my 2nd child!), smart training (including more running community in run clubs and cross training), and patience, I returned not just to running — but to elite-level competition in the Half Ironman 70.3 distance, proving that motherhood and high performance can absolutely coexist. This takes very diligent training and a support system to allow the time and discipline. 

Now, as a specialized physical therapist in pelvic health physical therapy with Limitless Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, I can recognize the importance of symptoms such as hip and sacral pain, urinary and bowel dysfunction with leakage, or even pelvic pressure and how that is important in return to sport post-partum through personal experience and evidence based literature, assessment, and treatment. The physical and emotional tolls of parenting makes athletes prepare and prioritize fitness differently and more efficiently for training and goals towards races. Is any of it easy? Not At All. I am tired. But having a full time physical therapy job, being present for my husband, and running at soccer practices, shift the perspective and pivot the schedule but the goals are still present and alive. And I am here to say that they are not lost, as I finished 36th in my 35-39 age group in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain in November 2025.

That passion for finding and building within the running and triathlon community, now fuels our goals for White Tail Running, the coaching and community platform I co-lead with my husband Patrick (who himself was an elite miler in college and now an ultramarathoner on the trails seeking entry into the Western States). White Tail Running isn’t just about PRs or podiums — it’s about showing up for yourself and for each other as a community. As a HERD. We do 1:1 coaching in addition to our group runs, track nights, family-friendly events, and educational clinics to teach everyone about topics including: Intro to trail running, nutrition, dynamic mobility, agility training, strength training for runners, swimming for runners. We’ve built a space where everyone — from first-time 5Kers to seasoned triathletes — can learn, grow, and belong. From White Tail Running Wednesdays Track Routine (Track Workouts), White TrAIL on the Trails (Croft @ Dawn), and White Tail Fawns (youth programming TBD Fall 2026!) we want the community and families to all be involved together!

With White Tail Running, we believe fitness should be joyful, inclusive, and sustainable — rooted in family and community as Patrick and I are with our 2 children (Joseph, 9 & Kara Faye 7). As a native to the Spartanburg community, I want to give back to our “BURG” community to give resources that we deserve! Whether chasing your next race goal, rebuilding after a new life season, or simply looking for connection through movement, we’d love for you to join us out on the track, trails, or next clinic or event. Because every stride tells your story — and it deserves to be celebrated too.

Find Your Herd. Create Your Path.

“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” – Dr. George Sheehan

The Next Generation

By Matthew Hammersmith

By Matthew Hammersmith

In 1897, fifteen men lined up to run the first annual Boston Marathon. Only ten finished the 24.5-mile course. That alone is impressive—but what amazes me even more is what the race has become. Fast forward 100+ years and now over 30,000 people toe the line for one of the world’s greatest marathon spectacles, with participants traveling from every corner of the globe. As a coach, it’s incredibly inspiring to see events that promote a healthy lifestyle through running while challenging people with pace, distance, and even elevation.

I’m not a historian, but when I think about the evolution of running (especially running events) it’s clear a lot has changed since the days of all-male races in the late 1800s. Not only has the field of runners diversified, but the number and type of endurance events has exploded. We now have color runs, marathons, ultra marathons, obstacle races, mud runs, charity runs, runathons, relays, road races, trail races—the list goes on.

Since the early 1960s, the number of runners has generally grown alongside the population. I’m not old enough to remember it firsthand, but the jogging boom of the 1970s truly paved the way for recreational running. Some might argue that this shift toward recreation has hurt the purity or competitive nature of the sport, but that’s a debate for another day.

What I want to focus on here is something I see from my vantage point as a youth running coach: youth running opportunities, and youth participation. While adult running and recreational events have increased steadily over the years, we’re seeing a decrease in the percentage of youth runners during that same period.

When I talk with adult runners about how they found the sport, most of them discovered running later in life. In fact, almost half will tell you they were never athletes growing up, but in their 30s or 40s they wanted to embrace a healthier lifestyle—and obviously, playing tackle football wasn’t really an option anymore. The other half often come from another sport in high school or college.

That makes me reflect on my own experience. When I look back at my high school cross country and track teammates, I realize that almost none of them are still running. What gives? I think there are a few key reasons athletes lose interest in the sport early on:

1. Time and comparison.
In running, we measure ourselves with cold, hard numbers. Time doesn’t lie, and neither does the number of people who finish ahead of you. In many team sports, performance is more subjective and shared across the group. But in running, your result is literally right there on the clock. As coaches and parents, it’s crucial that we reinforce positive emotions around those numbers. We should focus on self-improvement and personal comparison

2. Lack of opportunity.
Another reason for the drop-off is simply fewer chances to participate. Not every school or community offers strong youth running programs. The good news is that here in Greenville, we’re lucky to have some tremendous youth running opportunities. I encourage you, as parents, to get your kids involved early and help them build a relationship with the sport that can be lifelong and self-rewarding.

3. Burnout.
Finally, there’s athlete burnout. Too many young runners are pushed to specialize too early in a single sport. Over time, they get tired, physically and mentally, or feel too much pressure to perform. I strongly encourage a multi-sport background. Let kids grow in several directions before they’re old enough to choose a specific path. Variety keeps them fresh, engaged, and less likely to quit altogether.

Introducing running to our youth is partly the responsibility of school programs, but it’s also on us as parents and community members. It has to be done in a way that’s fun and structured—an environment that makes kids want to come back. That doesn’t mean we avoid coaching, accountability, or high standards. It means we find ways to reach kids at all levels and abilities, so they can discover their own “why” for running.

Because they are the next generation. They’re the ones who will carry the history, stories, and camaraderie we all share as runners and pass those on to their own children someday.

I always tell people that as a coach, I could never give back to the sport of running what it has given me—but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.