Human Race

For Human Race's final episode, we share several of your stories. This episode of Human Race is brought to you by . Credits: Host: Rachel Swaby Producers: Rachel Swaby, Brian Dalek, Christine Fennessy Theme music: Danny Cocke Human Race is a proud part of Panoply Special thanks to: David Willey, Christine Fennessy, Brian Dalek, Sylvia Ryerson, Audrey Quinn, Mervyn Deganos, David Weinberg, Danielle Thomsen, Kit Fox, Casey Martin, Willow Belden, Tennessee Watson, Scott Carrier, Karen Given, and Cindy Kuzma. 

In his 20s, after running cross country in high school and college, Tim Manzer swore off running completely. Then, in his early 40s, his doctor told him that running would not be a part of his future. “I wasn’t running anyway!” Tim laughed. In 2010, Tim was trimming some apple trees in a little orchard right next to his front yard, when he backed up into a wasp’s nest. “They're after me. I'm zigzagging across my yard and over in the neighbor's yard.” After 10 or so stings, Tim finally loses them. As he recovers on his front porch, he thinks to himself, “You can run. You just need the right motivation, but you can run!” Tim’s is an unbelievable tale: it has a summer camp, a motorcycle club, poop, and wasps, of course. Oh, and love. This episode of Human Race is brought to you by . Episode Credits: Host & producer: Rachel Swaby Editing help: Brian Dalek Theme Music: Danny Cocke Human Race is a proud part of Panoply. 

​When Amy Downs thinks about her life, it splits into two distinct sections: before the bombing and after the bombing. Before the bombing, Amy’s life had fallen into a predictable pattern. She went to work, came home, ate dinner, watched TV and went to bed. After she moved away from her hometown and gotten married a few years earlier, she’d gained weight quickly—100 pounds in one year. “And I was too embarrassed to come home,” says Downs. “This was before cell phones and email and all of that.” Relationships with her friends and family suffered. But then, one spring day, when Amy was 28, a tragedy ripped Amy’s life in half. She vowed to change her life completely. This episode of Human Race is brought to you by . Credits: Host and Producer: Rachel Swaby Editing help: Christine Fennessy, Brian Dalek Theme Music: Danny Cocke Human Race is proud part of Panoply

In 2011, at the .

I'm taking this week off. But you'll get a new episode of Human Race next Tuesday (8/8). In the mean time, I want to hear from you. Email me stories about why you started running and you could be included in a future episode. You can email me at RWaudio@rodale.com.