Episode
Running for Alex: Jana Kizakova's Emotional Road to Boston
- Podcast
- DFW Running Talk
- Published
- Apr 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 374
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Summary
Jana Kizakova ran her first marathon in 2017 on a New Year's resolution dare — finished in 3:44 and swore she'd never do it again. She meant it. Five years went by with zero marathons. Then a quiet moment on a seawall in Vancouver changed everything. Inspired by the memory of a former manager named Alex who ran alongside her on her worst training days, Jana set a single condition: if she was going to run again, she had to qualify for Boston. What followed was nine marathons, a pair of shoes that literally fell apart mid-race, a heartbreaking near-miss on the cutoff, and finally — a 3:19 at the Mountain to Beach Marathon in Ventura, California. This is her first Boston, and she's running every mile with Alex's name on her shirt. We sat down with Jana at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza the day before the race. Don't miss this one.