The Running for Real Podcast

Join Tina for one of her first runs post covid, and while she still feels tired, the conversation is still strong. This is another good example of giving yourself compassion during physically stressful times. Join us for a check in with nature, body scan, senses check in, check in mentally and emotionally and onto a conversation. This week, Tina discusses what it is like to have you the listener know so much about her while knowing very little about you. She discusses the good and bad of this situation Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun32 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. Apple (iTunes) Podcast | Sticher | Castbox | Overcast | Spotify | Google Play | iHeartradio | 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.

What is the world's longest footrace? The answer might surprise you. It doesn't cross the Sahara desert, or follow the Iditarod trail. It takes place in Queens, NY, and covers only a tiny portion of that borough - one 883m block, to be precise. The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race circles that block 5,649 times, and runners have 52 days in which to complete it. That's the equivalent of running two marathons every day for 7 ½ weeks. Harita Davies has completed it three times, only the second woman to achieve that feat, finishing it this year in 50 days, 13 hours, 23 minutes and 14 seconds. "After I had that physical movement and the kind of adrenaline and everything that the team sport and just the movement brings, I would feel great, you know?" Harita struggled with depression as a teenager, but found relief in sports. There were times that she'd stay in bed all day, then drag herself to a 5:00 p.m. water polo match in her pajamas, thinking "God, we have to play water polo," but within a few minutes of playing, her depression would lift. "I always remember," she says, "how that to me was like a miracle." "Having this goal is so incredibly rewarding when you achieve it." Doing an Outward Bound course in her native New Zealand when she was 18 was a "huge influence" in Harita's life. Learning how to do new things and working with others helped her find something strong within herself. The course culminated in a half marathon, and she was worried that she wouldn't be able to complete it. When she did, "it wasn't that I thought 'I'm going to become a runner now,' but I was like, 'wow, that was an accomplishment.'" "It was kind of a no brainer; it was like you start meditating and you start running." A couple of years later,she went to a meditation class that followed the philosophy of Sri Chinmoy. He advocated athleticism, and the combination of meditation and exercise resonated with her. "I just started meditating and I started running," she recalls, "and the two of them have been the solid points in my life… from then on, I've never had the one without the other." "I really couldn't run for more than a couple of miles for quite a few years. I would just be exhausted. And so that was a really, really challenging time for me because running had always been such an important part of my happiness and my peace and my identity." By 2007, Harita was running ultramarathons. After one multi-day race, she didn't recover well, and the endometriosis from which she'd suffered for years became much worse. She was unable to run for five years, but it led to an unexpected discovery. Since she couldn't run, she had to walk. "I was always like, I hate walking, you know, I'm someone who runs and I don't like walking," she says, but she realized that "yeah, well maybe you need to learn to like walking." She wound up not just liking it, but loving it. "We limit ourselves so much by the way we define ourselves without even really thinking that much about it." The mental shift that came about when she had to stop running made her realize how "we so often put ourselves into a cage in the way that we define our happiness and what we need in our lives." Despite her health issues, Harita decided to do the Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run, the world's largest peace torch relay. She spent three months running around the United States, and by the end of it, the endometriosis had gone away. "It really all came down to being happy and following my heart and following my inspiration and not being bound by what I felt like I should do or what was the right thing to do." After the Peace Run, she no longer saw running as something that she needed to do, but as a blessing. In 2017, following her heart and inspiration led her to enter the 3100 Mile Race. At the start line, she thought, "this is outrageous; I can't believe it's me who's standing here," and says, "I was surprisingly surrendered to just having a disastrous experience my first time." Not only was it not a disaster, she completed it and did better than she had ever imagined she would. More importantly, it made her realize that by running it, she was part of something bigger. It takes a huge village to put on the race, and the runner's role, obviously, is to run. But as Harita points out, "there's no way you'd be able to do it without all these other people playing their role. And in the end that is just such a beautiful thing and that's a huge part of the beauty of this race is that we all play our roles and in the end it creates something." "I felt like this in a way added almost responsibility to womankind to do my best." The second and third times that Harita ran the race, she was the only woman and felt an added obligation to excel. She'd come to realize that as a woman there were elements that were very different than they were for men, but she couldn't really identify what they were. She contacted Dr. Stacy Sims, an expert in human performance, particuarly sex differences. They worked together on Harita's nutrition and hydration for the 2021 race, which resulted in her smashing her previous record by 20 hours and 11 minutes. "There's no way that I thought that I could do this and I could, so whatever your dreams are, whatever impossible fantasies in the back of your mind, just start and give it a go because you have no idea of your capacity until you try." Resources: Tina's interview with Sanjay Rawal Tina's interview with Latoya Shauntay Snell Dr. Stacy Sims' website Dr. Sims' book, Roar Thank you to Tracksmith, UCAN, and Athletic Greens 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! 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! 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. 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 Harita. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

No together run today. I explain why, and give you a few important updates I think we all need to keep in mind as we go into the holiday season. As always, honest, unedited, and real. Links I mentioned: Together runs archives Partners discount codes Gift guide with non traditional ideas

Accept where you are now to get to where you want to be. Long-term fulfillment is more valuable than short-term gain. Progress is nonlinear. Those are valuable principles for runners to follow, but they're relevant to every aspect of your life, as Brad Stulberg explains in his new book, The Practice of Groundedness. Everyone could benefit from practicing groundedness, but Brad's model for success is especially pertinent for driven, type-A people, which describes many runners. Following his advice will help you become a better runner and person. "Many people these days… are feeling a constant coming up short in a sense of never enoughness. I call this heroic individualism and I define it as a game of one-upmanship against self and others." So many people feel as though they always need to do more, achieve more. That could mean breaking a goal time in a race or getting a promotion, but whatever it is, it's accompanied by the belief that once you achieve it, you'll feel fulfilled. The solution to that arrival fallacy, Brad says, is what he calls "groundedness, which is a sense of strength and stability from where you are." "Groundedness does not eliminate goal setting or striving or even ambition, but what it does is, it situates it so that it's more durable and sturdy because it comes from a place of enoughness." Brad points to research that says that "if you play not to lose, you tend not to perform as well as playing to win... When we are feeling unmoored or frantic or like we need to do something and then we'll finally be content, generally you do that from a place of playing not to lose." If instead you feel as though where you are right now is enough but you want to get better, then you start playing to win. That's more likely to lead to a flow state or being in the zone, and is associated with more sustainable peak performance. "We often confuse excitement and ease, even though they're very different things." Excitement, Brad explains, is "feeling that rush in your body of how great it's going to feel if you nail that workout in two weeks, or you PR that race... Ease, on the other hand, is what you get when you're present in the middle of a workout and your sense of self just kind of melts away because you're just flowing into the run." "Excitement, if you actually feel physiologically what that's like, is a lot closer to anxiety than to happiness, whereas ease is a lot closer to happiness than anxiety." Excitable runners believe that if they nail a workout, they'll be happy all day, and they're filled with self-doubt if they miss a workout or don't hit their paces. A more easeful runner, Brad says, "is someone who can look at the entire process of improvement, of self discovery, of learning about themselves as a person, as an athlete, and kind of settle into the training." He offers Eliud Kipchoge as "the ultimate embodiment of ease." "Yeah, you're faster when you're lighter, but you're slower when you're on the couch with a stress fracture." Being an easeful, rather than an excitable, runner can mean the difference between long-term success and burnout. The excitable approach may work for a few training cycles, but it will be unsustainable in the long term. "Those hits of excitement are really powerful. But if you do those things over and over and over again, you start to feel like crap." Whether it's in running or other aspects of your life, you need to learn how to not give in to the craving for excitement. Outside of running, that might mean ignoring the urge to check your phone to see if you've gotten an email or a "like" on your social media. Instead, work on staying grounded and present in the moment, and not allowing yourself to be distracted by the momentary high of an affirmation online. That doesn't mean that you have to disconnect entirely. Brad believes that "trying to have a goal of just being present always… is really hard in the 21st century and I think you set yourself up for a lot of failure and then a lot of self judgment if you have such a goal." Instead, set aside blocks of time when you want to be fully present, and eventually you'll find that those blocks can get longer and longer. It may not be easy at first, but it will be worth it. As Brad says, "No one ever looks back and says a really happy moment was having a viral post. So I think it's really important to remember this." resources: Brad's website The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul Brad's Twitter Thank you to Insidetracker, Athletic Greens, and Zencastr for sponsoring this episode. 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 $200 off Ultimate + Free InnerAge, or 25% off site wide! 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 and use the code "runningforreal" to get 30% off for the 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 Brad. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Join Tina for a unique together walk (while you run) as she takes her time off running and is unable to compete in her 50k due to her children having Covid 19 (and now Tina has it too). You become Tina's therapist in this raw, vulnerable, open time together as she works through her feelings about missing her goal race becuase of her kids being sick. If this is your first together run, one of the others would be a better fit, but if you are a regular listener, or have learned to care about Tina and her journey, this together walk will be a way to connect. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun31 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. Apple (iTunes) Podcast | Sticher | Castbox | Overcast | Spotify | Google Play | iHeartradio | 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.

Guarina Lopez is a storyteller who uses not only words but also images to share stories of the land and indigenous communities. A member of the Pascua Yaqui tribe of Tucson, AZ, she currently resides on the present and ancestral lands of the Piscataway and Nacotchtank in Washington, D.C. She's a runner; the founder of Native Women Ride; a writer, photographer and filmmaker; and our guest on today's episode. "There's always storytelling; it's all over, you just have to listen for it." As Guarina explains, "we come from storytelling traditions because a lot of times our languages weren't translated into English for the wider populace." When she wanted information about her heritage, she had to ask somebody, and then, she says, "I never just got an answer, I got a story." Her father was a great storyteller, which, she believes, "really kind of broadened the way that I heard the words. So when I think of storytelling and language, before I write things down, oftentimes on my run I will hear the way words sound, like these words sound beautiful together, or it'll just appear in my mind." "I think that I was photographing a lot of things I was trying to understand, or things that I was passionate about." Guarina was already drawing and writing stories as a child, and then at age 12, she picked up a camera. Her mother was homeless for a long time, and she began taking pictures of unhoused people, "capturing stories that I was trying to figure out that ended up being related to my life." She started by shooting in 35mm, but eventually switched to a heavier, medium format camera. Photographing people was harder, and she had to think about composition in a different way, so she started to photograph the land. A pivotal moment occurred when she was on a road trip through the Pacific Northwest. "That's when I really made the shift of the way that I think about land, and how we use it and how we see it and perceive it is different." While driving through Oregon, she pulled over and "there was an abandoned lumberyard and it almost brought me to tears because I I saw all of these trees that had been killed for nothing, but they were stacked up in all these beautiful, like modern kinds of ways, just slats over slat over slat. And so there were all these gorgeous lines. And so I was at once mesmerized by the beauty of the natural shapes, and then angered, because why would you do this?" "It just stopped me in my tracks and I thought, this is the land fighting back. These are the trees saying, you know, 'this is our place.'" Guarina moved to Washington, D.C. and was overwhelmed by the greenery and the resurgence of life of the plants there. When she goes running and comes across a tree breaking through the sidewalk, she says, "I'm just like, 'yes!' because that is what you do'" - even though she knows it will probably trip her up on her next run. In her daily life, she tries to create a relationship, "whether it's with the land, or the waters, or the animals." "You can't just completely erase everything. That's not how Mother Nature works." The U.S. and much of the world has become accustomed to extracting as much as possible from the earth. Indigenous peoples, on the other hand, believe that you "only take what you need, and then you see the natural resurgence and natural growth processes of animals and plants and the entire ecosystem." "I want to tell stories and I think the stories that need to be told are the ones that have never been told." Stories are told about people who have done amazing things, but as Guarina says, "if that's the only person that's representing their particular community, it's really not representative." We need to recognize that everyone has a unique story, that "we're all just ordinary people, but you never know what stories people have." It's worthwhile to learn them. That, she says, "is where you'll find the thing you don't know." Guarina finds much of her inspiration when she's out for a run. After the first two miles or so, she says, "stories come to mind. I start thinking about what I want to teach, what I want to write about, what I don't know about." "Nature will always provide no matter where you are, and nature will never fail. You know, I will never know enough. I will never know it all. And it changes from day to day. And so my process when I go out there and run is to think about how can I make my day better, and the run, the run itself always does that for me." Resources: Guarina's Instagram accounts: Guarina Paloma Lopez Yaqui Rain Runner This Native Land Modern Natives' Personal Regalia Native Women Ride Call Me By My Name Project Thank you to Tracksmith, Athletic Greens, and goodr 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. I have been a fan of goodr for YEARS and I literally have their sunglasses all over my house. I recently had an episode with co-founder Stephen Lease where he talks about the true and real story behind his company and I appreciate him being honest with me about it. The design behind these sunglasses really takes into consideration look and comfort. They are 100% carbon neutral and a part of 1% for the Planet. Go here and use the code TINA for 15% off your order. 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 Guarina. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Join Tina for a very tired #togetherrun as she recovers post NYC marathon before her 50k next weekend. After connecting in with nature to start the run, join Tina for a body scan, senses check in, and conversation for this week's together run. While there is only one option for the run, it means we are all doing the same thing. Tina discusses the importance of recognizing when you are tired, and knowing it is okay to admit things are tough. Part meditation, part reflection, part check-in, join Tina for #togetherrun30 Tina mentioned Running Realized 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. Listen to the Running for Real Podcast here: Apple (iTunes) Podcast | Sticher | Castbox | Overcast | Spotify | Google Play | iHeartradio | 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.

Fernanda Maciel uses ultrarunning to draw attention to environmental and social issues around the world. She's completed the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) nine times, earning a spot on the podium four times and winning once; is an Ultra-Trail World Tour champion; and among other feats, holds the World Female Record for running up and down Mount Kilimanjaro. "In Brazil, I was always running on the trail. So my love for the waterfalls and the rivers and for the nature there was giant, so that was part of myself." Fernanda studied law at university because it was her dream to become an environmental lawyer and protect nature in her home state in Brazil. She practiced law for a time, but was dismayed by the role that politics play in determining environmental policy. "Maybe I can do something for the environment, but being outside, being outdoors… just inspire people to be a little bit more aware about what's going on." She decided that she could make a greater impact by committing herself to ultrarunning full time and bringing attention to environmental and social issues in the places where she runs. The White Flow project was born, and began with her becoming the first woman to run the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (860km in ten days), which she did to raise funds for children with cancer in Spain and Brazil. "I did this project in Aconcagua, running up and down the highest mountain in America, and then part of the project was also about the environment and how they recycle their rubbish in the park." Fernanda had dreamed of running up and down Aconcagua, in Argentina, and in 2016 became the first woman to do so. She used the feat to learn about and share how a huge national park can manage the garbage left by visitors. "I think more than the win, is for me just to finish. You suffer, you learn so much, you know, when you suffer, and during this race, you learn a lot." Fernanda has taken on a new challenge every year, but there's one that she's done multiple times - the UTMB. It starts and finishes in Chamonix, in the French Alps, and covers around 170 kilometers (106 miles), circumnavigating Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe. Although she lives in Chamonix now, the cold conditions are still a challenge for her; as she says, "I think because I'm from Brazil, I need to train three times more than European people." Although she's been victorious there, there have also been times when she hasn't finished, but she doesn't regret them. "The victory is cool," she says, "but I think I learned so much when I couldn't finish." This year Fernanda has had to forgo races and record-setting after suffering a brain injury in February, while belaying her boyfriend rock climbing. She's on her way to a full recovery, and says that as a result of the accident, "I'm really connected right now much more to the universe than I was before." "Just be grateful for where you are right now. I think the simple life is the most beautiful one and I wish the best for everybody. And yeah, just enjoy the mountains and the trails because this is a beautiful gift that you have." Resources: Fernanda's website Fernanda's Facebook Fernanda's Instagram Fernanda's Twitter Running Realized: Running and Climate Change with the UN Humanitarian Office Running Realized: The Sustainable Road Race Fernanda's video for the UN's World Humanitarian Day Thank you to Athletic Greens, goodr, and Insidetracker 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. I have been a fan of goodr for YEARS and I literally have their sunglasses all over my house. I recently had an episode with co-founder Stephen Lease where he talks about the true and real story behind his company and I appreciate him being honest with me about it. The design behind these sunglasses really takes into consideration look and comfort. They are 100% carbon neutral and a part of 1% for the Planet. Go here and use the code TINA for 15% off your order. 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 as a special for Running for Real listeners on their ENTIRE store. 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 Fernanda. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

A different take on together runs today, but equally as enjoyable. Join Tina and other runners from the community in New York as they complete a together run in Central Park the day before the TCS NYC marathon! Tina interviewed some runners in the community to have them share their story and inspire us with their journey. Feel the energy and buzz from the excitement and anticipation, and use it to rev up your run into something special. So join us for #togetherrun29 in New York Tina mentioned Running Realized 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.

Sonya Looney describes herself as a normal person who has been able to achieve extraordinary things through hard work, self-belief, determination, moxie, and grit. That includes being a World Champion mountain bike racer who has competed in over 25 countries, in places like the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas, and the Mongolian steppes. She's also a runner, a TEDx speaker, an entrepreneur, and host of her own podcast, The Sonya Looney Show. "I love the ultra endurance stuff just because I feel like you really get to know who you are as a person." Sonya's mountain bike races are usually 50 - 100 miles or 24-hour races. She loves the endurance aspect, and also that "you have a lot of time out there and it's so mental, and the range of emotions that you experience in the course of a day is so diverse, and you wouldn't necessarily feel those in your daily life." "If I can safely push through this thing, then that builds my confidence and my self- belief for the next time." The obstacles in endurance mountain bike racing require the rider to make a choice: do I go on, or do I quit? Life, of course, is the same. As Sonya says, "you learn over time that giving up makes you give up more," so she chooses to take on the challenges. You can look back on the hard things that you did and got through, and then "you can remember that and then you just keep going and going." "Optimism is accepting the difficult things as they come up, but knowing that with effort and maybe a little bit of grit that they can get even better." Sonya believes that to do those hard things, you need to train optimism. That doesn't mean "just blindly thinking that everything is going to be fine and ignoring all the difficult things." You need to be aware of your negative thoughts, but instead of giving into them, you can work on confronting and overcoming them. "The outcome isn't the most important thing about what you're doing." One of the greatest fears that people have is failing to meet the expectations of others, or even harder, of ourselves. Sonya emphasizes the importance of being focused on the process, because "you're not entitled to the outcome. Like you might think, "I deserve to win' or 'I deserve this,' but so does everybody else out there that's working just as hard as you, or maybe even harder than you. So really it's about being proud of your effort at the end of the day." "Our lives get over complicated, focusing on all these things that we think that we need to feel good." One thing that Sonya has learned through her travels in other countries is that "you don't really need that much to be happy." There are places where people live very simply, but they've found a way to make it work for them. Seeing that has made her ask herself what she really needs to feel fulfilled, and to appreciate all "the basic things we take for granted." "Ask yourself, what are the consequences if I don't speak up and will I regret it if I don't speak up or do the thing?" Sonya has chosen to compete in some smaller races in other countries because it's important to her "to have a different lens on life," even if that means passing up more prestigious races that could get her bigger sponsorships or more media coverage. She's found that when you don't follow your heart, "a lot of times you do regret it if you don't do it, and that's because it's clashing with something that you fundamentally believe in." "I think a lot of us do feel like people will love us more if you achieve more." Following your own path can be difficult, especially if it means doing something that you're afraid you might not be good at, or that other people won't approve of or understand. But Sonya believes that "if you have the courage to explore that curiosity, to just open a door or to try an opportunity that comes your way that sounds interesting, you're going to learn so much." As she says, "it's not my quote, but be brave enough to suck at something new." "Just focus on the joy of getting better, because there is a lot of fun in getting better at something, but it requires getting started, even if you're bad at it." Resources: Sonya's website The Sonya Looney Show Tina's interview on Sonya's podcast Sonya's TEDx Talk Sonya's Instagram Sonya's Facebook Running for Real NYC Marathon Watch-Along Thank you to Tracksmith and Generation UCAN 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! Thank you, Generation 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! 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 Sonya. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.