From Childhood Grief to Running Marathons: How I Became the Man I Always Needed When I Was a Kid

In this deeply personal and motivating conversation, marathon runner Ryan Carney opens up about the experiences that shaped him — from getting cut from his childhood soccer team, to losing his father at just ten years old, to discovering running as a lifeline, a discipline, and eventually a mission.

Ryan shares how running became the place where he could confront grief, build identity, and learn who he truly was. He explains why he believes running is the only sport where everyday people can truly measure themselves against the best in the world, and why “never finding your ceiling” is what keeps him pushing harder.

The episode dives into fatherhood, resiliency, and mental health as Ryan reveals the real stories behind his self-belief: the shame of hiding his father’s death as a kid, the lessons his mother taught him about holding pain, and how running became both therapy and purpose. He talks about burnout, discipline, and the myth that fitness can fix everything — emphasizing that running alone doesn’t solve mental health struggles.

By the end, Ryan reflects on what it means to show up for your kids, how self-belief borders on healthy delusion, and why ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things by simply — and consistently — taking the next step.

It’s raw, emotional, inspiring, and a powerful look at what running, fatherhood, and healing truly teach us.

You can find Ryan on Instagram here:   / ryjcarney  

As well as the Hudson Valley Track Club:   / hudsonvalleytrackclub