Our co-host Alex Cyr finally did it — broke 30 minutes in the 10K before his 30th birthday. But in this deeply personal episode, he, Katelyn Tocci, and Michael Doyle go beyond splits and finish lines. They unpack the mental toll of public goals (13:00), the crash after big wins (25:00), and how to redefine motivation (40:00). It’s a story of resilience, racing, identity, and the strange emotional alchemy of chasing big dreams.

🎙 Topics Covered:

10K race strategy & pacing breakdown
Running through exhaustion and travel fatigue
The danger of public goals + social media pressure
Imposter syndrome at every pace
Post-race blues and dopamine crash
Why your best race isn’t always your fastest
Shifting from chasing times to racing people
Finding purpose after you hit your big goal
How to manage running motivation long-term

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“The Hardest 10K of My Life”