The Running for Real Podcast

In this chilly #TogetherRun, Tina takes us on a run in St Louis beginning as always, with a check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally. Before going into the conversation part of the run. This week, Tina talks about the relationship we have with our past selves. How do we learn to love and respect choices that now we would never have made. How do we come to peace with the behaviors of ours that we might not be too proud to show. We tlak through this, in this week's together run 42. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun42 Tina mentioned Vote for Running For Real as Best Fitness Podcast for Sports Podcast Award No sponsors today, trying to keep this authentic and like really running with a friend. If you want to support Tina and the Running For Real team: Through a monthly donation on Patreon. To sign up, click here. You can share on social media and let others know about what you are loving in these together runs. You can leave a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you for joining, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

In the summer of 2018, James Ro mentioned to some friends in their group chat that he wanted to start a running group. He posted an Instagram story and invited other people to join them. That informal gathering evolved into the Atlanta Run Club (A.R.C.), with a mission to change their community through love, solidarity, and running. Their vision caught the attention of big names in the fitness industry, which has enabled A.R.C. to produce countless weekly runs, global campaigns, social functions, and organized races. Today their ethos of inclusivity and the experiences they provide reach far beyond their home city. "Running communicates such a strong parallel in life; the sport of just moving forward and overcoming hurdles and testing your endurance and perseverance." James hasn't always been a runner; as a matter of fact, his earliest memory of running was "not actually a pleasant one." In elementary school, he recalls," I felt like I was always behind other kids doing mile tests and different physical exams and ironically,I learned to fall in love with it more so because of the benefits and the reward that you get from practicing it and continuing to do it." But, he says, "as I continued to evolve through different seasons and stages of my life, running became my ally in really just overcoming different hurdles and challenges in my personal life." "The entryway into that sport should be welcoming, should be all-embracing and inclusive." He wanted to share the benefits that he derived from running with others, and create a "space of community for others to feel included and to be able to conquer their own journeys through running." He and his friend Christian Haahs, now the creative director of A.R.C., started tossing ideas around. Their intention from the beginning was that A.R.C. would be a community of "social athletes, people that kind of come out and their primary reason of wanting to run is to simply interact socially with others, and fitness just happens to be something that we all know we have to do because it's good for our health. But first and foremost prioritizing that human connection element." "The best way to, I think, engage in diversity and inclusion is to simply walk alongside and symbolically and metaphorically and literally run alongside people in life." As an Asian-American, the son of Korean immigrants, James is no stranger to racism and discrimination. His goal, however, isn't to "all get on the same page," but rather to "appreciate that we're on different pages and still be able to run in the same direction." That, he says, is "when you'll find the synergy in understanding each other and appreciating each other's differences." A.R.C. has allowed him to "manifest and live out what we've always dreamed of, which is a space of inclusivity that is not mono-cultural, that is not exclusive in any sense." "Running can also be a metaphorical vehicle to communicate a larger message to the world." James has found that "when people are running towards something together, it kind of just draws attention to 'What are they like? What is the 'why' behind their miles? What is the reason why they're running?'" By exploring that, and getting "creative with how you use it in the community, it can scale out to something as big as getting people to stand behind and rally behind a message and make an impact on not just your community, but different communities around you too." "It's not that I really enjoy the process of running, but I love how I feel after it." It's the "benefits and rewards" of running that he embraces. "I love the discipline that it brings," he says. "I love the just the feeling of accomplishment and completion, and being able to deal with others and create goals and accomplish goals and track goals, and I think when you take such a multi-dimensional platform like running that can really touch different areas of your life, you can make it to be anything you want." "For me, the journey of holistic health and wellness has always started with the mind." Running and working out have always been "a form of therapy" for him. He believes in using "physical activity as vessels to strengthen the mind," and being outdoors is part of that too. "I love running out on the trails every now and then, and there's just something about being able to connect with nature and being in tune with your outdoor environment, and in those moments and experiences, it grants me such a feeling of inner peace and reflection." Just as he wants others to enjoy the benefits of running, he wants them to be able to experience the therapeutic effect of being in nature. He's become actively involved in fighting climate change, partly by joining the Allbirds Allgood Collective, "a collective of people coming together to make the world and our local spaces friendlier, more accessible, more inclusive and just better overall." "My approach and perspective is everyone has their source of inner peace and just learning to appreciate the differences in that, right?" The church plays a major role in the lives of Korean-Americans; as James explains, "It was such an immigration hub for our parents' generation to come together. It was the one place where people can gather consistently to just see each other and share cultures and eat the same foods together." Religion is often a source of division, but he's found that "it's expanded my view on people in a really good way. I think it's fueled me to really appreciate and see human connection from a different angle." People may not share a faith, but "the beauty is in the fact that we're all just on different pages." "We all represent different things, but we're still able to move forward and still appreciate the accomplishment of finishing a race, the accomplishment of 'hey, we're in this together.'" Resources: Atlanta Run Club Instagram James' Instagram Atlanta Run Club website Allbirds Allgood Collective Thank you to Allbirds, Athletic Greens, and InsideTracker for sponsoring this episode. Allbirds is all about doing things better, like collaborating with Adidas to create a performance running shoe, the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT, with only 2.94kg CO2 per pair. Their products are made from natural and recycled materials, and best of all, they know who they are. They are confident in what they do, and are changing the entire running industry before our eyes. You can see their entire collection on their website, and since the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT is still in limited supply, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter and we'll let you know when they become more widely available. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Have you not been feeling yourself lately? Gone down a lot of avenues but haven't really found clear solutions? That is where InsideTracker can come in for you. I have trusted this company for years to show me where I may be lacking and if I need a few tweaks here and there. I count on InsideTracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. Go here to get 25% off site wide. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to James. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

It has been a snow filled, bitterly cold week in St Louis, Jennifer took us on a run through a beautiful trail in Asheville for this #togetherrun. Jennifer takes us through the usual check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally and onto a conversation where we can get to know her and feel like we are running with a new friend for the first time. Join this fun run in the woods for something different on your next run. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Jennifer for #togetherrun41 Tina mentioned If you want to support Tina and the Running For Real team: Through a monthly donation on Patreon. To sign up, click here. You can share on social media and let others know about what you are loving in these together runs. You can leave a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you for joining, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Wyn Wiley, a.k.a. Pattie Gonia, and Ryan Montgomery are a couple with a shared mission. As Wyn says, "we are really open to learning new things and messing with systems and trying to change this world." Pattie describes themself as a "professional homsexual, queer environmentalist, and drag queen, building community for queer people, allies and our planet." Ryan is a record-setting pro ultra-runner who will be competing in the 2022 Western States on a Golden Ticket. Pattie is a founder and Ryan is a founding member of The Outdoorist Oath, an organization committed to taking action on climate change, actively working to ally all people in the outdoor community, and supporting a connection to the outdoors for everyone. Wyn: "We remind each other all the time that life isn't just the work you do or the sport you do, but it's having a person to spend time with." Looking back on the backpacking trips he's done, Wyn has realized that "it's never about the mileage, it's never about all this s*** that I think it is, it's about the people and the love of a thing." Ryan has the same perspective on running, which is rare, although as Wyn points out, that may be because "he's fast, so he can run in the daylight while everyone is running in the night time most of the time." Wyn: "I really look for North Star people in my life." Wyn credits his chosen family with teaching him about slowing down and enjoying life. His emotionally-invested friendships have made Ryan examine his own relationships and recognize that in the running community, "oftentimes we have friends that are just our running acquaintances and we only meet up to run and perhaps there's not actually a ton of depth there." But he's also come to the conclusion that that can be okay: "you served a purpose in my life and I've learned something and now there's another set of people in my life that have other purposes." Ryan: "I approached Javelina as a way of just celebrating who I am and just having fun with my crew and the people around me." The Javelina Jundred bills itself as "the original 100 mile trail run party" and as such, Ryan says, "it becomes this big celebration of diversity and uniqueness of expression. As someone who identifies as a queer trail runner who, you know, likes to paint his nails and maybe occasionally wears a crop top when I run, I loved the energy there." That energy and the support of his friends helped him to a second place finish with a time of 13:33:52, and secured him a Golden Ticket to the 2022 Western States. Ryan: "Running is a lifestyle for me and second is competition and performance, and I think making sure that I have that mindset as I approach my sport has been fundamental." Ryan has seen so many runners who jump into the sport and quickly get burned out because of the pressure from their sponsors to produce results. He believes that you need to ask yourself why it is that you're running; it shouldn't be just to win a race. Making it a lifestyle is key to longevity. "I want to be a 50 year old, a 60 year old, a 70 year old running races still," he says, "and having that mindset is going to make my sport and myself so much more sustainable." Wyn: "Never for a day underestimate the ability that all of us have to be a voice that other people listen to." The current running industry model, they both agree, is antiquated and needs to change. "The day and age of just sponsoring athletes is done," Wyn says. "I'm going to push for dollars to be put behind people who aren't just serving themselves but are serving their communities." He also encourages people to take action themselves. "I thought that allyship or advocacy or being a community voice was reserved for people only if they had a million followers or only if they had a blue checkmark by their name or only if they went to school for this stuff. What I'm seeing allyship and action actually look like is people taking their privileges and talents and skills and unique access to communities and people and truly making change happen." To that end, Wyn has founded The Outdoorist Oath, a non-profit that will provide free education on how to activate as an ally and create a community that can help shape the future of the outdoors. Ryan: "If you're passionate about something, you've just got to go ahead and do it yourself and tap the people in your circle that are also passionate about that." That means using the tools at your disposal, which for many people can mean the privilege that they were born with. Privilege is often regarded as a bad thing, but Wyn says, "it just means there's a lot less obstacles in my way than another person's way and so what can I do with that?" Wyn: "Look for opportunities to collaborate, to learn from other people." There's so much that we can learn from others, especially if we're open to diverse voices. As Wyn points out, "If you read different history books when you grew up, would you maybe understand different perspectives about the world?" Ryan's advice is "when you're met with otherness, when you're met with a difference, lead with curiosity and say, 'well, why is that?' or 'tell me more' or you know, 'tell me more about yourself and why you think that way.' When we enter a space where we're prohibiting new information from coming in to help us learn and grow is when I think there's something extremely wrong." Ryan: "I think that it is so much better to build a bridge rather than cause a crack between two people." Resources: Pattie's Instagram Ryan's Instagram The Outdoorist Oath Instagram The Outdoorist Oath website How to Save a Planet podcast episode with Wyn Jordan's Instagram Alison Desir's Instagram Thank you to Allbirds, Athletic Greens, and InsideTracker for sponsoring this episode. Allbirds is all about doing things better, like collaborating with Adidas to create a performance running shoe, the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT, with only 2.94kg CO2 per pair. Their products are made from natural and recycled materials, and best of all, they know who they are. They are confident in what they do, and are changing the entire running industry before our eyes. You can see their entire collection on their website, and since the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT is still in limited supply, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter and we'll let you know when they become more widely available. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Have you not been feeling yourself lately? Gone down a lot of avenues but haven't really found clear solutions? That is where InsideTracker can come in for you. I have trusted this company for years to show me where I may be lacking and if I need a few tweaks here and there. I count on InsideTracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. Go here to get 25% off site wide. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to Wyn and Ryan. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Join Tina for a tired run around St Louis where she shares which races she will be doing and why she was torn as to which ones to to. Tina also shares some things that have been weighing on her mind, and asks listeners to forgive thesmelves for things they have not been doing as well as they hoped either. Join us for a check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally and onto a conversation. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun40 Tina mentioned Vote for Running For Real as Best Fitness Podcast for Sports Podcast Award No sponsors today, trying to keep this authentic and like really running with a friend. If you want to support Tina and the Running For Real team: Through a monthly donation on Patreon. To sign up, click here. You can share on social media and let others know about what you are loving in these together runs. You can leave a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you for joining, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Brittany Charboneau's Instagram handle is @funnyrunner26.2. Once you know that, it's not surprising to learn that she chose to race at Disney World this month in costume - four costumes, actually. She was competing in the Dopey Challenge, which consists of a 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon on four consecutive days. Her goal was to have fun, which she did, but she accomplished more than that - she won all four races, becoming the first person in the series' 29-year history to do so. "The beauty of this whole race experience was I got to do exactly what I wanted to, which was race in costume." When Brittany pitched her coach on the idea of running the Dopey Challenge, she explained that it was "about keeping the joy and the fun with all of it." Her coach supported the plan, providing that she upped her costume game, which she did, running as Elsa from Frozen 2, Bing Bong and Joy from Inside Out, and breaking the marathon tape as Cruella de Ville. "I'm such a big believer of everything happens for a reason and hindsight; you get so many golden nuggets of things that are like, oh, you are on the right path." It was a freak accident that led to her running the Dopey Challenge. She was 10 days out from the Boston Marathon and crushing her training when she was knocked down by an off-leash dog while on a run. She suffered a concussion and injured her back, but was determined to power through the race. But by mile 15, she had to start walking, and she ultimately dropped out at mile 18. She took a week off and started thinking, "what do I want to do that's gonna bring me joy? How can I still use this fitness, but just go play and kick off the year in a different way because my 2021 ended this way; how can I kick off 2022?" Brittany runs with different themes for different days, and on the day that the dog collided with her, the theme was Disney. Looking back, she says, "I take it as it was putting me on my right path, because if I had run Boston, I would never have run Disney." "There are lots of roses but there's a lot of weeds too, that are part of this whole story and whole journey." When she first started racing as an elite, Brittany didn't anticipate all of the pressure that would go along with it, even though she acknowledges that in her case, much of it is self-imposed. She struggled with imposter syndrome after she got a contract with North Face, asking herself, "Do I deserve this? Like, why me? There's a lot of other fast people; was this a fluke?" "I have a lot more to offer as a person and what I can do vs. just my times or just winning certain races." In her moments of doubt, she reminds herself that "people get invested in different athletes just for who they are. Like my favorite athletes, if they have a bad race, it's like, yeah, but overall she's a badass and I think she's amazing and she's funny or something like that." She finds it hard to believe that people feel the same way about her, though. At Boston, she was sure that "the cameras are going to be on me as I'm sobbing on the sidelines." They weren't, and she realized that nobody cared except to reach out and make sure that she was all right. "It wasn't this whole dramatic thing that I had played out in my head of this big story of 'breaking news' that I dropped out of Boston." "When I started racing elite, I thought if I can just look like everyone else, I will race like everyone else. And for me, that meant being severely under-fueled." Dealing with imposter syndrome hasn't been Brittany's only struggle. For years she was determined to maintain a shredded physique, even though it was detrimental to her running and her health. She finally started working with a dietician, who has helped her change the way that she thinks about food. She recalls, "I had to print out this mantra for myself and I put it on my fridge when I first started working on fueling, that said, 'do you want to look like an elite athlete or perform like one?' because there's a big difference." She knows that she'll probably never conquer her feelings about food, but she won't let them control her. Instead she tells them, "you're gonna sit in the back seat, you're gonna be on this ride, you don't ever get to drive, but you're probably just going to be here and I acknowledge that." "It's not been like running on a rainbow and I'm just shooting glitter out of everywhere and I'm just like 'this is so easy, this is wonderful.'" Brittany's goal is to have fun with her running, and not allow her intensity to take the joy out of it, but that isn't always easy. She explains, "if you think about an artist, as they're creating different pieces, they're having to put a lot of intention and thought behind the pieces that they're creating and I feel like it's the same for my running." However, she says, "the fun is work, but like anything that is really hard work, it's so much more worth it if you can just stick it out and stick through it." " I hope [the listeners] chase their own joy. I hope they have a really great year, as well. I'm just putting all of those good vibes out for everybody in the running world too." Resources: Brittany's Instagram Brittany's website Mercuria Running Thank you to Tracksmith, Athletic Greens, and InsideTracker for sponsoring this episode. Tracksmith is a Boston-based company that truly cares about the quality of their running clothes. Running can be demanding on our clothes; they definitely go through wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers work with the finest materials and keep you in mind as a runner, with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can go here to check out my favorites! Go here and use the code TINA15, and Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase to Runners for Public Lands, and you'll get free shipping! AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Have you not been feeling yourself lately? Gone down a lot of avenues but haven't really found clear solutions? That is where InsideTracker can come in for you. I have trusted this company for years to show me where I may be lacking and if I need a few tweaks here and there. I count on InsideTracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. Go here to get 25% off site wide. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to Brittany. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

It has been very cold in St Louis this week, and today we have our third guest hosted #togetherrun. Join Superstar and community member Brendan for a run. Brendan takes us through a check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally and onto a conversation where we can get to know him, and talk through some of the things on his mind. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Brendan for #togetherrun36 Tina mentioned No sponsors today, trying to keep this authentic and like really running with a friend. If you want to support Tina and the Running For Real team: Through a monthly donation on Patreon. To sign up, click here. You can share on social media and let others know about what you are loving in these together runs. You can leave a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you for joining, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Fans of track and field know Dawn Harper-Nelson as the gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Olympic Beijing Games and as the silver medalist in London four years later and at the 2017 World Championships. In 2018 she announced that she was retiring to start a family, but was back on the track a month after giving birth to her daughter, Harper. Dawn is an inspiration not only to mother runners, but to all women who want to pursue their dreams. Her bid to make the Olympic team one more time is chronicled in the new documentary, Hi I'm Dawn Harper-Nelson. "When I was pregnant with my daughter, I just had this moment when I thought, when she sees these interviews, I do not want her to say, 'oh, so wait, all of mom's dreams had to stop because she was gonna have me.'" It wasn't long after Dawn announced her retirement that she realized that "I still have a desire and I'm fine physically; I'm capable; I'm actually gonna go back." It wasn't just about her aspiration to keep competing, she remembered conversations that she and her friends had about how their own mothers had stopped pursuing their goals after their children were born. She didn't want her daughter to feel that she bore that responsibility. "I'm going to chase this dream, you know, and we'll see where it goes." Dawn resumed her training after Harper's birth in pursuit of a spot on the 2020 Olympic team. She says, "I'm happy that now we will forever have Hi I'm Dawn Harper-Nelson, where she can look at that and see herself and see me and know I included you in every part of it; even when I was at track practice, mama was thinking of you… so she knows,' oh, I was loved,' even when she's not in my presence." "I just feel like now it's an outpouring of support because women are like, 'I don't know if you have someone to support you, and I don't know you, but I'll support you.'" Something that helped Dawn as she returned to competition was the support she got from other women. She's always made a point of being supportive herself, reaching out to help other women, and sharing with them what she's learned. That mentality has allowed her to establish "amazing relationships," even with the women she defeated on the track. After a race, her competitors would come to her, wanting to talk about what had happened. "It was weird," she acknowledges, "but I was like, I'm doing something right where I'm leaving the door open. I'm not cocky about the win." "I love track and field… I just love to see the guts and glory that's been poured out, you know? So yeah, I'm going to be involved in track and field." Whenever Dawn really does retire from running, she knows that track will still be part of her life. After years of being interviewed, she may take her place on the other side of the microphone: "I've had some discussions with people about being in front of a camera and so I'm excited, because that means I'll interact more with my community." She recognizes that "I've been blessed with other gifts that I did not nourish;I did not feed. And so now it's exciting to feed those things and really step out on a limb." "Whatever your dreams are, whatever your goals are, they're valuable; they're worth it. Most importantly, you're worth it." Resources: Running Realized episode with Dawn Hi I'm Dawn Harper Nelson Dawn's Instagram Dawn's Twitter Thank you to Athletic Greens, UCAN, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Thank you, UCAN. I have been talking about them for years and they are my ONLY source for fueling while I am training and racing. And without fail, I have a product of UCAN every day, whether it is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar or their delicious Cookies and Cream Protein Powder. I am also excited to share with you a NEW product, a gel! It's fueled with Superstarch and ready to go wherever you are headed. Go here and use the code TINAUCAN for 20% off your order! Tracksmith is a Boston based company that truly cares about the quality of their running clothes. Running can be demanding on our clothes; they definitely go through wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers work with the finest materials and keep you in mind as a runner, with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can go here to check out my favorites! Go here and use the code TINA15, and Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase to Runners for Public Lands, and you'll get free shipping! Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to Dawn. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Tina is back to running from her home in St Louis, reflecting on her trip home to England, why we need to make diffituclt choices that not everyone can understnad, and how she continues to follow her heart. Join us for a check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally and onto a conversation. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun38 Tina mentioned Vote for Running For Real as Best Fitness Podcast for Sports Podcast Award No sponsors today, trying to keep this authentic and like really running with a friend. If you want to support Tina and the Running For Real team: Through a monthly donation on Patreon. To sign up, click here. You can share on social media and let others know about what you are loving in these together runs. You can leave a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you for joining, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

This is the time when a lot of us are thinking about our running goals for the new year. Maybe you have a big race in mind, or you want to be more consistent in your training. Maybe you're struggling because you feel as though you "should" have a goal, but don't. Steve Picucci has coached hundreds of runners, many of whom have won championship titles and achieved their personal bests under his guidance - including Tina, who also happens to be his wife. In this episode they share their thoughts on setting goals, the way they shift over time, and how they might not always be what you imagine. Tina: "...those of you who say, 'I have this really big goal that I want to accomplish,' or 'I really want to make this year count,' or 'this has to be the year I do X, Y, Z,' whatever that may be, when we think of our running in those terms, we're kind of setting ourselves up for failure." For one thing, she says, "the fun is sucked right out of it." Unless you're a professional runner, by putting those pressures on yourself, you're taking something that should be an escape and a joy and making it one more stressor in your life. When you place a time limit on achieving something, or take the Eminem-like approach that a particular race is your "one shot," you're putting yourself in a position where it's unlikely that you'll reach your goal, and even if you do, you'll have missed out on so much along the way. As Tina says, "We already walk the line between commitment and obsession as runners, and I really think that having that need to commit pushes us over into the part of obsession." Steve: "I always tell the athletes I work with that a lot of the stuff we do outside of the running is just as important or more important than the actual running you do." The obsession with achieving a goal leads many runners to get so wrapped up in specific aspects of training that they neglect other parts. They get injured or don't recover sufficiently to reap the benefit of their workouts because they're overtraining, and as Steve observes, "people just kind of miss the fact that one of the most important things is you've got to be consistent and you're never going to be consistent if you're overtraining." Steve: "It's okay to have that big, top-step goal, but you've got to focus on the little goals, the intermediate steps, to get to that big goal." Runners often focus so narrowly on one big goal that they don't appreciate the smaller steps along the way and give themselves credit for accomplishing them. Those steps don't have to be time goals; they could be remaining consistent with your strength training or foam rolling. A goal doesn't always have to be a number. Steve: "You've got to figure out where your passions are and what you want to do and then also evaluate where your commitment is." One key element to achieving a big goal is being realistic about it. You have to be honest with yourself not only in terms of if you have the physical ability, but if you have the resources. Do you have the time to devote to it? Steve: "I think modifying [a goal] is a little bit of a hard thing because you want to keep that big dream goal, but I think it's okay to have a different route you can take, as well." Maybe your goal is to qualify for Boston, but you can't quite meet the standard. Might you be able to do it in a couple of years when you're in a new age group, or in a better position to do the necessary training? Maybe you're a masters runner and your fastest times are behind you. You have to "not forget the past, but not compare to it, just like you don't want to compare yourself to every elite athlete or every high-level Olympian." Steve also points out that "a goal doesn't have to be tied to a time or even a race." It doesn't have to be something that's obvious to other people; it just has to mean something to you. Goals aren't the only things that might need to be modified. When you know what you should be doing to achieve your goals but you're not doing it, Steve recommends asking yourself, "What's the one thing I can do today to help me down the path to get back to that?". Most importantly, "If you don't get everything right, don't beat yourself up about it." Tina: "I just want to remind you that even if things seem to be falling apart right now, even if you're not managing to do what you want to do and it's looking like once again you're letting yourself and everyone else down, you are not. You're out there doing it, even if it's not as much as you'd like. You are doing something that most of the population is not, and accomplishments and successes don't make you who you are." Resources: Tina's interview with Mary Cain Mile 20 Mental Training Course #Together22Goals Thank you to Athletic Greens and Zencastr for sponsoring this episode. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Zencastr is an all in one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how. I've tried all different platforms, I've tried all different types of things and I am obsessed with Zencastr. I love it. I encourage everyone I know to use it because it is just so easy. Go here to get 30% off your first three months. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to Steve. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.