In this inspiring episode, host Chris Detzel brings together five remarkable women runners from the Dallas-Fort Worth area who recently completed the 2025 Boston Marathon. Julie Rembold (2:56), Liz Northern (sub-3:00), Rebecca Roush (3:11), Maddie Stier (2:55), and Jill Wolf (2:54) share their personal journeys to Boston and experiences on the iconic course.
The conversation covers their diverse training approaches—from high-mileage weeks (Jill's 100-mile peak) to quality-focused training (Liz's focus with young children)—and explores how these dedicated runners balance serious marathon training with family life. Rebecca candidly discusses her postpartum comeback with just 34 days of training, while Julie shares how the right nutrition strategy transformed her race experience.
The women recount memorable moments: Liz high-fiving spectators with a permanent smile, Maddie losing her phone at mile three (and amazingly getting it back!), Julie navigating water stations, and Rebecca balancing breastfeeding with marathon logistics. They also share practical Boston-specific advice about everything from booking hotels early to managing the deceptive course profile.
Whether you're a Boston qualifier yourself, aspiring to get there, or simply enjoy hearing authentic stories from passionate runners, this episode captures the electric atmosphere, supportive community, and magical experience that makes the Boston Marathon truly special.
As a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience, I specialize in building and nurturing thriving communities both running and technical
Jill Wolf is an accomplished marathon runner based in Dallas, Texas. Her running journey began in seventh grade with cross country, where she excelled as a varsity athlete throughout high school. After taking a complete break from running during college, Jill rediscovered her passion for the sport in her mid-twenties, initially signing up for a half marathon in 2015. Since then, Jill has transformed herself into an elite marathoner through consistent training and strategic racing. Her marathon progression is remarkable – from her first marathon time of 3:44 to breaking the 3-hour barrier with a 2:59 at Houston in 2022, and ultimately achieving a personal best of 2:48 at Houston in 2024. In December 2023, she captured the overall women's championship at the Dallas Marathon. Jill is an integral member of the Pegasus training group, which she helped establish with coach Fons around 2019. Beyond her impressive race results, she's known for her methodical approach to marathon racing, particularly her ability to negative split races by pacing conservatively early and finishing strong. When not running, Jill enjoys supporting her husband's various athletic pursuits and contributing to the Dallas running community.
Maddie Stier is an accomplished marathoner based in Allen, Texas who has balanced elite running with motherhood. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Maddie began running at an early age, influenced by her running-enthusiast mother and competitive siblings. Her remarkable journey includes completing 20 marathons, highlighted by a personal best of 2:50 at The Woodlands Marathon in 2021. Maddie qualified for the Boston Marathon in her very first marathon attempt, running a 3:26 at the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati in 2013. Among her notable achievements, Maddie won the women's ultramarathon at the 2022 Cowtown event with a time of 3:36:58 Running USA, and she also claimed victory at the 2020 Cowtown Marathon. Her most recent accomplishment includes finishing the 2023 Dallas Marathon in 3:01:01 while taking a moment during the race to kiss her young daughter. Maddie now trains with "Completely Slothed" (sometimes written as "Completely SLOTH'd"), an elite running group in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that includes other accomplished runners like Jennifer Pope, who qualified for the Olympic Trials DFW Running Talk. Previously, she trained with several local running groups including the Frisco Running Club and White Rock Co-op. She's known for her disciplined approach to training, incorporating high mileage weeks and strength training, even while raising three children under the age of two (including twins). Currently preparing for the Boston Marathon, Maddie continues to inspire the running community with her dedication to the sport and ability to balance family life with elite athletic performance.
Rebecca Roush is a Dallas-area marathon runner who transformed early setbacks into athletic success through smart training and resilience. After breaking her pelvis in high school cheerleading and requiring hip surgery with two screws, Rebecca discovered distance running and went on to compete at Dallas Baptist University. Following a college career marked by both achievements and injuries—including making the NCAA nationals team after ACL surgery—Rebecca found her stride in post-collegiate running. She learned that high-mileage training wasn't sustainable for her injury-prone body and developed a successful low-mileage approach centered around cross-training, strength work, and recovery. Rebecca has consistently improved her marathon times, progressing from a 3:16 debut at the 2019 Dallas Marathon to a personal best of 2:57 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. She's completed marathons at Indianapolis, Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, and Boston, while also representing Dallas in the prestigious Sendai International Half Marathon in Japan. A regular with Dallas running groups Train Pegasus and Completely Sloth, Rebecca trains primarily on four days per week, incorporating cycling and Peloton strength workouts to stay healthy. She's shown that sustainable training can lead to significant improvements, even while navigating major life changes. Currently living in Rockwall with her husband (also a competitive runner) and their son George, Rebecca continues to pursue marathon goals while balancing motherhood and demonstrating that smart training trumps high mileage. Her story resonates with runners seeking injury prevention strategies and parents learning to maintain athletic pursuits alongside family life. Key Achievements: 2:57 marathon PR (2023 Chicago Marathon) NCAA Division II nationals team member Dallas representative at Sendai International Half Marathon (Japan, 2023) Consistent marathon PRs across multiple races Successful postpartum running comeback
