Athletic Trainer Turned Marathon Mom: Amy Lyles on Bone Density, Peloton & PRs

Chris Detzel is the passionate host and creator of "DFW Running Talk," the premier podcast dedicated to showcasing the vibrant running community across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Since launching the show in October 2024, Chris has established himself as a central voice in North Texas running culture, conducting in-depth conversations with elite athletes, coaches, race directors, and inspiring everyday runners who define the region's diverse running scene. As both interviewer and active participant in the DFW running community, Chris brings an authentic perspective shaped by years of personal running experience. While he describes himself as primarily a half marathon runner rather than a marathoner - citing the extensive training commitment and unpredictability of marathon race day - his deep knowledge of running culture spans the full spectrum from 5Ks to ultramarathons. His preference for half marathons stems from their balance of challenge and accessibility, allowing him to race monthly without the intensive training demands of longer distances. Chris's connection to elite running runs through his family - his wife Lea Ivy is an accomplished marathoner who has completed the Boston Marathon 12 times consecutively, achieving a personal best of 3:14 at age 45. This personal connection to high-level competition, combined with his own running journey, gives Chris unique insight into both the elite and recreational sides of the sport. He often travels to Boston to support Lea's racing and has become part of the broader running community that gathers around major events like the Boston Marathon. Through DFW Running Talk, Chris has created more than just a podcast - he's built a platform that celebrates the depth and diversity of North Texas running talent. His interviews reveal the stories behind local legends, from sub-3:00 marathoners to innovative coaches, from race directors creating memorable experiences to everyday runners achieving extraordinary personal transformations. The show has featured conversations with accomplished athletes like Shantel Cloud (sub-3:00 marathoner), Travis Dowd (Dallas Marathon winner), and Mimi Smith (Olympic Trials competitor), alongside community builders and running industry professionals. What sets Chris apart as a host is his ability to connect with guests on multiple levels - as a fellow runner who understands training cycles and race strategy, as a community member invested in the local running scene, and as a skilled interviewer who draws out both technical insights and personal stories. His approach prioritizes authentic conversation over surface-level inspiration, resulting in episodes that offer genuine value to runners of all levels. Based in the Dallas area, Chris continues to grow DFW Running Talk's reach across multiple platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube, while maintaining strong connections to local running organizations like Dallas Running Club and participating in the broader Texas running community. His work documents and celebrates a running culture that he believes is "way more badass than it has any right to be."

Amy Lyles is an athletic trainer at Plano West High School and accomplished marathon runner who embodies resilience in the face of adversity. A native of Pojoaque, New Mexico (north of Santa Fe), Amy began her running journey in seventh grade and went on to compete at the collegiate level at Western New Mexico University. After earning her master's degree in Athletic Training from Texas Tech University, Amy has dedicated her career to helping high school athletes prevent and recover from injuries. Her medical expertise has given her unique insights into her own running challenges, including ongoing battles with stress fractures and bone density issues that have required her to completely reimagine her approach to training. Amy's greatest running achievement came at the 2024 Houston Marathon, where she ran a stunning 3:14:25 PR - a seven-minute improvement that came after a full year away from running due to pregnancy-related injuries. This comeback marathon qualified her for Boston and represented the culmination of careful coaching, nutrition planning, and cross-training with Peloton. As a mother of two young boys, Amy has become an advocate for realistic expectations around postpartum running. She's refreshingly honest about the challenges many women face returning to the sport after childbirth, often sharing that "returning to running postpartum is hard, and that's okay." When not chasing PRs or chasing toddlers, Amy can be found on her beloved Peloton bike "Lola," lifting weights for bone health, or connecting with the tight-knit Dallas-Fort Worth running community through Ray's Track Club. Her motto, borrowed from Lil Wayne: "Real G's roll in silence like lasagna" - a reminder to focus on your own journey without the noise of outside expectations. Amy currently lives in the Carrollton area with her husband and two sons, plotting her eventual return to Boston Marathon as a mom of two.