Early Call Time
The podcast where we discuss issues and news in the road race industry and get to know some of the people who keep it running! Hosted by Eli Asch (Race Director, Twin Cities In Motion/Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon) and Tony Yamanaka Brand Partnerships Director, BibRave), the ECT Pod features monthly interviews with some of the most interesting people in the running industry as well as lively banter about issues facing the mass participation endurance sports event industry. All opinions expressed on the ECT Pod are our own. So blame us for anything you disagree with, not our employers. Have any feedback for us or requests of who you want to hear interviewed on the show? Contact us at earlycalltimepod@gmail.com Facebook: @EarlyCallTimePod Instagram: @EarlyCallTimePod Twitter: @EarlyPod
Episodes
47 episodes
An Exit Interview with Virginia Brophy Achman (Outgoing Executive Director of Twin Cities In Motion)
The ECT Pod is back and better than ever after a longer than expected Eli-had-room-for-nothing-in-his-life-outside-of-planning-the-Twin-Cities-Marathon-and-then-a-new-Turkey-Trot enforced hiatus! And the first episode after our break is a doozy...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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1:04:56
Tanner Bell (CEO, Ragnar/General Manager of Events, FitLab)
After a bit of a hiatus Tony and Eli are back with a bang, with an in-depth interview with one of the most entrepreneurial people in the industry, Ragnar Co-Founder and CEO Tanner Bell! From a project th...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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57:17
Shelley Villalobos (Executive Director, Council for Responsible Sport)
In a special Earth Day episode, Eli and Tony couldn't be more excited to have Council for Responsible Sport Executive Director Shelley Villalobos on the pod for an interview. The guys fi...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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1:00:56
An Early Call Time Special Episode: What Does it Mean to be Back at Running USA?
In this special mini-episode, Tony caught up with almost twenty industry leaders at the Running USA conference last weekend in Florida and asked them what it meant to be back together with their industry peers at the Running USA conference. Enj...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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8:40
Inconsistency Is What Assures Our Success
In this episode, the guys discuss how events and event production companies can retain their talented people after as the industry emerges from a tough couple of years--they talk work-life balance, opportunities for growth and avoiding getting ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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49:53
Michael Luchsinger (Managing Partner and Co-founder, Event Southwest)
In the Season 3 season premier of Early Call Time, Tony and Eli interview Michael Luchsinger, President and Co-founder of Event Southwest, a Dallas-based event production company that works on some of t...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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1:03:21
The Triumphant Return of the Pod!
After a long hiatus, the guys return for their final episode of 2022! Want to know why the pod went dark for so long? Then you've gotta listen, because they discuss that--and also how it was related to Eli's facial hair getting crazy for a litt...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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58:02
Greg Haapala (Race Director, Grandma's Marathon)
In this month's interview episode Tony and Eli consider themselves incredibly privileged to have on the Race Director of the first major American Marathon to take place since the pandemic, Greg Haapala of
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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1:04:54
Alex Vander Hoeven (CEO, Race Roster and General Manager, Asics Running Apps)
In this month's interview episode Tony and Eli have on a man who is such a big fan of the podcast that he once sponsored it, Race Roster CEO and General Manager of Asics Running Apps Alex Vander Hoeven. Alex tells the guys about the ear...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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1:10:56
The Carousel
In the only episode the guys will be dropping this month, Eli puts his cards on the table and admits that even after talking about it for the better part of a half-hour last episode he still doesn't understand what Tony's new job is. It's only ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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56:42
Tony's Big News
In April's banter episode, Tony and Eli talk about a "triple crown" of Boston topics: the 70,000-runner virtual Boston Marathon, the addition...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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35:36
Mike Nishi (Chief Operating Officer, Chicago Event Management)
In their April interview episode Tony and Eli welcome Chicago Event Management Chief Operating Officer Mike Nishi to the ECT Pod. Mike was the man they had in mind when they created pod, and we can promise th...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:25:33
Caroline Fitzgerald (Vice President of Partnerships & Runner Experience, P3R)
In March's interview episode Tony and Eli welcome Caroline Fitzgerald, Vice President of Partnerships & Runner Experience at P3R and fellow member of the "one marathon club," to the pod. Caroline drops tons of...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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53:18
Data Points in the Return to Racing
In this month's banter episode, the guys start by wishing each other a happy podiversary, as it has now been over a year since we recorded the first ECT Pod! A huge thank you to all of our friends, guests, and listeners who have gotten us this ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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47:23
Valentine's Day with RD Wives Leslie Wise and Christina Yamanaka
In this special Valentine's Day (or is it Galentine's Day?) episode the guys hand off the mics to the women who tolerate them, Leslie Wise an...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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43:29
Story Time with David Katz (Owner, Finish Line Road Race Technicians)
In this week's episode the guys have on the one and only David Katz! The founder and owner of Finish Line Road Race Technicians, David is one of the world's foremost experts on the technical side of road raci...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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1:19:39
Over, Under, and All Around
Eli and Tony are back! The first episode of Season 2 of Early Call Time starts with the guys catching up about how they spent their nearly month-long break from podcasting (which, in Eli's case, included going on a mass non-industry...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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47:47
Early Call Time Episode 29: The Season Finale!
In the season finale, the guys start with a toast before discussing the industry news of the day: NYRR leadership turnover, mid-sized races returning (here's to you, Space Coast Marathon an...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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1:01:22
Early Call Time Episode 28: Learning About The Marathon Project with Matt Helbig (CEO of Big River Running)
In this month's interview episode Tony and Eli get to talk to Matt Helbig, CEO of Big River Running, whose Big River Race Management arm is producing
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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1:03:35
Early Call Time Episode 27: Start Line Impact and a Whole Lot More
The guys begin November's banter episode discussing Start Line Impact, a grassroots movement spearheaded by friend of the pod and past guest Kirsten Fleming to galvanize the industry's many players to call attention to running events' positive ...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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39:27
Early Call Time Episode 26: Jared Rohatinsky (CEO, Brooksee/OYO Racing)
In this month's interview episode, Tony and Eli talk to Jared Rohatinsky, CEO of Brooksee and and a member of Utah's famous "running Rohatinsky family." Brooksee, best-known for its series of screaming fa...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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1:10:31
Early Call Time Episode 25: JT "Just Truth" Service (Founder of Soul Focus Sports & CEO of Silverback) and a Surprise Guest!
In the final episode of an October jam-packed with bonus content Tony and Eli interview a man of many hats, JT "Just Truth" Service, the founder of Soul Focus Sports (parent company of
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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1:02:46
Early Call Time Episode 24: Tony Banovich Remembrance (by the BibRave Podcast)
Last week the Montana running community and the national running industry as a whole tragically lost one...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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1:18:30
Early Call Time Episode 23: Let's Talk About the Weather!
This week's episode kicks off with just what you all listen to this podcast for--an extended discussion of the weather! Once the guys get through that scintillating topic, the guys tease...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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48:55
Early Call Time Episode 22: Virtual Race Balderdash!
In this week's episode, the guys introduce a segment: Virtual Race Balderdash! During this segment the guys take turns reading descriptions of virtual races and make each other guess whether the description they've just heard is real or fake. I...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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57:38