#325 John McDonnell: From Stroke To Sub 3 Hour, How Running Saved His Life
13 April 2026

#325 John McDonnell: From Stroke To Sub 3 Hour, How Running Saved His Life

Any Given Runday

About

In this episode, we welcome marathon runner and coach John McDonnell (@jmruncoach on Instagram), who shares his incredible journey from getting into running, his journey to the Boston marathon, health struggles to sub-3 hour marathon runner, overcoming a life-threatening stroke and heart surgery along the way.


14:00 We welcome John McDonnell
18:30 The Transformation: From Overweight to Marathon Runner
23:36 The Emotional Impact of Running: Family and Tragedy
28:33 Chasing the Boston Marathon: The Quest for Qualification
33:39 The Mental Game: Overcoming Challenges in Marathon Training
38:27 Breaking Barriers: The Sub-3 Hour Marathon Goal
43:17 Life After Boston: New Goals and Aspirations
48:20 The Unexpected Fall: A Personal Journey Begins
52:14 The Stroke: A Life-Altering Experience
56:13 Recovery and Realizations: The Aftermath of a Stroke
60:29 Back to Running: Overcoming Physical and Mental Barriers
68:17 Training Smarter: Lessons Learned in Running and Life

You can learn more about John and his coaching at:

https://jmruncoach.com/

https://achieverunningclub.com/

As well as purchasing his book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ie/Heart-Running-How-Saved-Life

You can follow us on Instagram:

@anygivenrudaypodcast

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In the intro of this podcast, we also talk about Forever 19. Learn more by following their Instagram Page @aidansforever19 and https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/tomowens1



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