When the Run Ends, the Truth Starts
There’s a moment after a run and it is usually when you’re holding a coffee that’s way too hot and your legs are starting to stiffen when something shifts. The watch comes off. The pace doesn’t matter anymore. And without anyone planning it, the real conversation shows up.
That’s the energy behind The Clubhouse Roundtable.
Why This Conversation Exists
Episode two reminded me exactly why I wanted to build this space in the first place. No scripts or polished soundbites. No pretending we’ve got life neatly color-coded in a training spreadsheet. Just me, Santino Williams, Joe Hardin, Derek Sprau, and our guest Ryan Reynolds. All of us are showing up to be honest and a little exposed.
The idea came from frustration. I was tired of the highlight reels. Tired of pretending endurance sports exist in some bubble where trauma, addiction, identity, and growth don’t tag along for the long run. So we ditched the studio vibe and leaned into something messier. Think, coffee shop after a run than podcast panel.
The Question That Changed Everything
Derek kicked things off with a question that landed heavy:
What happens when you change, but the people who knew the old version of you can’t accept the new one?
That question hit all of us.
Ryan talked about being angry and bitter twenty years ago, mocking people who were trying to change. Joe shared what it meant to burn bridges through addiction and how recovery taught him empathy. Derek opened up about relapse, trauma, sobriety, and finding his way back through ultramarathons. Santino talked about cutting toxic ties and choosing himself without apology.
And me? I talked about walking away from corporate America, quitting drinking, surviving two divorces, moving across the country, and building Run Tri Bike from scratch. Casual stuff. Tuesday energy.
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Confidence Markers Matter
Things really cracked open when we started talking about confidence markers. You know, those moments when you realize change is real. Ryan running his first mile without stopping. Joe speaking publicly about recovery. Derek finishing a marathon at 152 pounds after years of self-destruction. Santino standing in the Bellagio art gallery and realizing he had options.
Mine was Lori telling me to stop shrinking. To be Puerto Rican. To be a New Yorker and to take up space.
Becoming Is the Point
This episode isn’t about splits or training plans. It’s about becoming. About outgrowing old versions of yourself. About choosing growth—even when it makes people uncomfortable.
That’s The Clubhouse Roundtable.
Pull up a chair.
