90: The Great Turkey Detour: Surviving a First Marathon w/ Molly Van Herwynen
Update: 2025-09-01
Description
What do you do when mile 21 of your first marathon throws more at you than fatigue? For Molly, it wasn’t just the wall, it was four full-sized turkeys blocking the course. Her first 26.2 in Milwaukee was already a journey years in the making, starting with recovery from a near-death illness, a 17-mile charity walk with her dad, and a surprising half marathon finish she never planned to run. From spin classes to walking loops around her apartment, she slowly built the strength and belief that led her to the start line.
In this episode, Molly shares how she fell in love with the half marathon distance, learned to ditch the pressure of pace, and found her community along the way. We talk about Wisconsin winter training, fueling with fruit snacks and Nerds gummy clusters, and how her family made race weekend unforgettable. And of course, we break down the unforgettable mile 21 turkey showdown, a story that proves the marathon is never just about the miles.
Follow along with Molly on Instagram at @marathonmolly_
Join my coaching waitlist! - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FPqUiZnVWcXaD-N14Qpcf4YL7zejJqcWEMUslPAAbw4/edit
Follow along with the show:
👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources
In this episode, Molly shares how she fell in love with the half marathon distance, learned to ditch the pressure of pace, and found her community along the way. We talk about Wisconsin winter training, fueling with fruit snacks and Nerds gummy clusters, and how her family made race weekend unforgettable. And of course, we break down the unforgettable mile 21 turkey showdown, a story that proves the marathon is never just about the miles.
Follow along with Molly on Instagram at @marathonmolly_
Join my coaching waitlist! - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FPqUiZnVWcXaD-N14Qpcf4YL7zejJqcWEMUslPAAbw4/edit
Follow along with the show:
👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays
🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod
📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast
🌐 Website & extras: myfirstmarathon.co & myfirstmarathon.co/resources
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