October 6, 2026
Anyone Can Cross the Finish Line | Episode 252: Destiny Green
with Destiny Green, Executive Director, Williams Route 66 Marathon & Tulsa Run
27 min
Anyone Can Cross the Finish Line | Episode 252: Destiny Green
Never miss an episode
In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Destiny Green, the executive director of the Williams Route 66 Marathon and the historic Tulsa Run. I love that her path to this work didn't start in events at all — it started in IT. She grew from being the race founder's right hand into leading the whole thing, and now she gets to have what she calls a small part in helping people do things they never thought they could do.
We talk about how truly anyone can take part. You can walk a mile, walk a 5K, or volunteer — it takes about 1,200 volunteers to make race weekend happen, and there's a spot for every age and ability. And if you're sitting on the couch right now wondering where to begin, Destiny's advice is the kind I love: just get up after dinner, call a girlfriend, and walk around the neighborhood. You'll be surprised how many friends you find and how much your heart and mind thank you for it.
I especially loved hearing about Kicks for Kids, the program Destiny launched in 2019 that coaches and mentors elementary kids in Title I schools — teaching nutrition, confidence, and life lessons. Every kid who shows up earns a race entry, a medal, and a brand-new pair of running shoes, and some of them have never had new shoes before. It started with 4 schools and is now in 18. Destiny also shares, raw and real, how her running community carried her through losing her partner, and why she believes passion is finding something you're willing to work hard for. Keep going — this one will encourage you.
Key takeaways
- Anyone can take part — you can walk a mile, walk a 5K, or even walk a half or full within the time limits. It's not just for marathoners.
- The simplest first step is the real one: get up off the couch after dinner and go for a walk, call a friend, or join one of Tulsa's free run clubs.
- Volunteering is a meaningful way in — it takes about 1,200 volunteers to make race weekend happen, with four-hour shifts and spots for students, retirees, and every ability.
- Kicks for Kids coaches and mentors Title I elementary students in nutrition, confidence, and life lessons; every child who shows up earns a race entry, a medal, and a brand-new pair of shoes.
- You don't have to be a great runner to coach Kicks for Kids — you just have to show up. That stability and encouragement is what the kids remember.
- Community is what carries you — the people who run beside you become your biggest support system when life throws a curveball.
- Know your resources: build relationships before you ever need them, because when things go wrong you need to know who to call.
Chapters
- 0:00Coming up
- 0:45Sharing Passion and Purpose
- 1:02Meet Destiny Green
- 1:32From IT to running the show
- 3:0149 years of the Tulsa Run
- 3:35The Route 66 centennial
- 5:33Something for everyone: walk, run, volunteer
- 7:28Couch to one mile: just get up
- 9:56A word from Synergy Benefit Advisors
- 11:08Kicks for Kids
- 13:23"Some of these kids have never had new shoes"
- 14:26Coaching: "you just have to show up"
- 16:13Her own running + the directors' run
- 17:23Married couples at the start line
- 18:13The running community that carries you
- 20:12Rapid fire
- 21:01A song that got her through
- 21:46Know your resources
- 25:21Girls Behind the Bib + finding the races
- 26:31Until next time
“I get to have such a small part in helping people accomplish their goals... and it's amazing that I have the ability to do that and call it work.”
“Just get up off the couch, go for a walk after dinner. Call your girlfriend and gossip as you walk around the neighborhood.”
“You just have to show up. And I promise you, those kids won't forget you.”
“Passion is finding something that you're willing to work hard for to see big rewards.”
Resources mentioned
About Destiny
Executive Director, Williams Route 66 Marathon & Tulsa Run
Destiny Green is the executive director of the Williams Route 66 Marathon and the historic Tulsa Run. She grew into the role from a career in IT, working alongside the race's founder, and has led the organization for the better part of a decade. In 2019 she launched Kicks for Kids, a running, mentorship, and nutrition program in Tulsa-area Title I elementary schools where every participating child earns a race entry and a brand-new pair of running shoes — now in 18 schools.
Prefer another app? Open this episode on Spotify.
Free community
Connect, learn, and grow — together.
Listening is where it starts. The free community is where it sticks — Nancy, the conversations, and a circle of women cheering each other on. It's free to join, and there's a seat for you.
Join the free community →Keep listening
Sep 29, 2026
Show notesThe Empty Closet Theory: Why There's Never Room for What Matters | Episode 251: Susan McMurray
Episode 251 Susan McMurray spent 30 years in a classroom pouring into other people. This past summer she made something of her own: Kindred & Bloom, a magazine-style devotional for women with contributor articles in the front and a…
Sep 22, 2026
Show notesProtecting What Matters Most | Episode 250: Sara Gadd
Episode 250 What does it take to protect what matters most? Sara Gadd leads the Human Trafficking Education and Response Program at Ascension St.
Sep 15, 2026
Show notesThe Hard Yes Nobody Warns You About | Episode 249: Shelby Gardner
Episode 249 Shelby Gardner is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and mom of two spitfire daughters, and one of the most refreshingly honest guests I have had.