A Runner’s Life

#157 - Katja Takala on resilience in business, motherhood and marathon running

A Runner’s Life

Show Notes

In episode 157, I speak with Katja Takala, we discuss the following:

- Her own runner story. How she started out running. And how different life events, from the COVID-19 pandemic and motherhood has impacted her running. - Sharing the Stolt founding story. Including how it started and what she and her partner Keijo are building with Stolt. - She can also speaks about being a female business founder in endurance sports where almost all businesses are founded by men.

If your want 20% off your purchases please use discount code arunnerslife which gives 20% discount across the site (www.stoltrunning.com).

You can follow Katja on Instagram via @katjatakala and Stolt is @stoltrunning

Thank you to Soar Running (www.soarrunning.com) who supported this episode. You can get 15% off your purchases at Soar Running until the end of May 2023 by using code:

MARCUS15

Here’s a shareable link also.

https://www.soarrunning.com/discount/MARCUS15

Thank you to my patreons who support the show. If you value the content you can become a patreon by clicking the following link. www.patreon.com/ARunnersLife

More from A Runner’s Life

Jan 10, 2026

In this short conversation recorded at the new Puma store in Oxford Street, I sit down with Rose Harvey to talk honestly about returning from injury.

Apr 28, 2025

Today’s episode is a short, personal debrief on one of the most meaningful projects I’ve ever been part of launching a race from scratch in under three months.

Apr 21, 2025

In this episode, I chat with Leon 'Sweets' Lewis about his upcoming challenge: racing the Boston and London Marathons back-to-back. Leon also shares his plans to run across Jamaica and how he stays motivated running 10K a day. He talks about the mental and physical side of distance running training and what keeps him moving forward. Be sure to follow his journey on Instagram @sweetslewis for updates and inspiration.

Feb 18, 2025

With race day just around the corner on March 16, 2025, at Victoria Park, we’re in full prep mode! In this episode, I take a lighthearted look at the Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us train that is is not slowly down at all. And how he flips the script on the whole “don’t be a hater” thing and shows us that sometimes, being a little bit of a hater can actually get you ahead. And let’s be real—some many people are jumping on trends, from endless videos of the Not Like Us shuffle to everyone trying to replicate that swagger. Plus, a quick chat about the new half marathon world record.

Feb 8, 2025

What does it really take to bring a brand-new race to life? In this episode, race director Marcus Brown takes you behind the scenes of the Hackney Legacy Half Marathon, sharing the highs, the lows, and the countless moving parts of organising a major community-driven race. From securing permits to selling tickets, building hype, and making sure race day is one to remember, we dive into the journey so far.

See all episodes →