Jun 22, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min · 13 segments
Mikaela Gomez is a mom of three, a Navy veteran, and somehow, until last July, not a runner at all. She found running through the unlikeliest of doors: a dark romance book rabbit hole on TikTok that…
Mikayla GomezGuestTaylorHostHello, and welcome back to the My First Marathon podcast, where we interview runners in all stages of their running careers about their first marathon experiences to prove to you that anyone can run a marathon.
My name is Taylor, and today's runner is someone who skipped the first marathon entirely and went straight for her first 40-mile ultra.
She found running, like a lot of us, at a time of unimaginable trauma that led her through a TikTok rabbit hole, a documentary about another runner named Maddie, and a trip to Fleet Feet for a pair of running shoes.
That was 11 months ago, and she hasn't been able to stop since.
Mikayla came into this race carrying a lot: loss, grief, and a mission to raise awareness for suicide prevention in honor of her dad.
She had six weeks to train, a knee that had already given her trouble, and a 40-mile course in Arizona waiting for her.
What happened out there on those trails and what she was carrying when she finally made it to the finish line is something that you'll wanna hear for yourself.
Without further ado, let's jump into the episode.
Please welcome Mikayla.
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Hello, and welcome back to the My First Marathon podcast, where we interview runners in all stages of their running careers about their first marathon experiences to prove to you that anyone can run a marathon.
My name is Taylor, and today's runner is someone who skipped the first marathon entirely and went straight for her first 40-mile ultra.
She found running, like a lot of us, at a time of unimaginable trauma that led her through a TikTok rabbit hole, a documentary about another runner named Maddie, and a trip to Fleet Feet for a pair of running shoes.
That was 11 months ago, and she hasn't been able to stop since.
Mikayla came into this race carrying a lot: loss, grief, and a mission to raise awareness for suicide prevention in honor of her dad.
She had six weeks to train, a knee that had already given her trouble, and a 40-mile course in Arizona waiting for her.
What happened out there on those trails and what she was carrying when she finally made it to the finish line is something that you'll wanna hear for yourself.
Without further ado, let's jump into the episode.
Please welcome Mikayla.
