Skip to content
Artwork for The Stubborn Tortoise
SportsRunning

The Stubborn Tortoise

Donna Pazdera

People often ask me why I love trail running. It's all about the stories. You meet a different kind of person on the trails: connects with nature, doesn't mind slowing down if someone is in need, says, "Good job, runner." Trail runners are competitive, for sure. But it's also egalitarian. Seldom will you find the elites separated from the regular folk. Everyone gets lost at some point. Everyone falls. These are our badges of passage. This is my take on trail culture. Logo: Kevin Stich Music: "Our Sky," by Overland (via Free Music Archive) Contact
Play
  • 25 episodes
  • Avg 29 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Aug 11, 2025 · 31 min

    Season 7, People!

    I arbitrarily decided to start the seventh season of the podcast because...why not? This week, I give some pro tips to beginners, share the experience of running my first trail race all year and why I think my two listeners (/s) like what I do here.

  • Aug 4, 2025 · 27 min

    It's about time.

    I did my first race of the year on Saturday. Wasn't great but wasn't awful. Emboldened, I've signed up for a few more races in the upcoming months. It's about time. Plus, a raccoon update and watch the video below for me doing "push ups" at Camp Eagle in 2016. **photo shot in 2017 at Mission Trails in the RGV at my going-away run. I found some race flags and decided to wear them.**

  • S6 · E28
    Jul 20, 2025 · 27 min

    Lots of DRAMA

    Geez, Louise, it's been a wild few days. My car began vibrating like it did last year when the front control arm/bushing (listen to me talking like I know what I'm talking about) cracked. I fear that the rear version is faulty and did not feel great about driving up to Killeen for last night's Hill Country Strong race. Putting the car in the shop on Wednesday after my summer class (Podcasting!) ends. Meanwhile, I look back at another time when another car failed me on the way to a summer race and the resulting drama about that. As if that wasn't enough, it's been Wild Kingdom around here. A couple of weeks ago, a squirrel got stuck in my chimney but found its way out. A few days ago, a family of raccoons moved under my house. They're cute, sure. Not fun though as they scamper under my bedroom and tub at night. I have a trapper coming by tomorrow to estimate the cost and remove and relocate them somewhere in the wild. I definitely don't want them killed. It's not their fault. And, I had to go three rounds yesterday with health care folks in order to get a prescription they claimed was a duplicate. I got it, but, boy, what a process. I did run-walk a mile 30-30 today and fast hiked another. It's humbling to return to the start, but here I am. Grateful to have that ability, to be honest.

  • S6 · E27
    Jul 14, 2025 · 20 min

    Giving Back

    The Kerrville flood remains a horrific piece of Texas/national history. I have signed up for a couple of races to help give back to that community. I even kicked in some extra at HEB's fancy Central Market to help. I also signed up for a race in San Antonio next month called Poker 5K. I misremembered the name of the org benefiting from this. Also, a big shout-out to my dear friend, PJ Izaguierre, for all that he is doing for the recovery effort. He had to move the Colorado Bend race to another venue, marked it, and it got flooded. Undeterred, he found a new place and I hope to see you out there on Saturday night!

  • S6 · E26
    Jul 6, 2025 · 14 min

    The Dark

    I have been gutted all weekend by the news of the floods in Hill Country, my playground. I weep for the families of lost children and my former police-reporter sensibilities kicked in this morning when I thought of all of the funerals and small caskets. It's a little too much. There are a lot of factors that played into this disaster. Most are political, unfortunately. I can only hope this unites us to work toward our best interests instead of those that benefit the few. If you wan to help, sign up by the end of the day today and all proceeds will benefit the victims.

Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes