Today's guest is Anya Mullen - she's not a pro runner, she's not a PT or a coach, but she is a regular runner just like you and me.

She also has been working for Strength Running for the better part of a year now, helping me refine some of the content that you see on our various channels. We first met back in 2015 at a group run and started working together earlier this year.

Her running career spans nearly a decade and her life has changed quite a bit over that time, along with her running. Anya has run everything from a 5K to an ultra, including an unsupported, unofficial 50 miler that her partner talked her into (listen to the podcast for the full story!).

Anya Mullen lives in Colorado and has been juggling running with her work, family and home life. And that's a big part of what we're talking about today: just how we fit it all in, plus reflections on whether or not you're a "real" runner, goals and how they evolve over your running career, especially after you have a family.

This episode is more personal and explores some of the issues that prevent us from training as much as we'd like. I hope you're left with a few ideas on how to fit your running into your schedule, plus affirmation that yes, you are a real runner.

Show Links & Resources:

• Connect with Anya on Instagram
• Learn more on her website
• See the training plans that Anya used
• Inspiring books on ultra running:
  • Finding Ultra by Rich Roll
  • Eat and Run by Scott Jurek

Thank You PATH Projects!

PATH Projects continues to be a great supporter of this podcast! I'm grateful for their partnership and want to share more about their products that I've been loving because they so functional and comfortable.

In particular, I've just started wearing their 3" Sykes shorts and they're a little different from the 5" Sykes shorts (you can see those in action here). The material is thinner and lighter, which is perfect in a performance short, and they're obviously shorter. I'm not sure if my wife thinks they're too scandalous or loves them, but I'm wearing them constantly. And now that we've partnered for a few months, I can confidently say that their gear is durable.

PATH Projects is an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel. That means there is no retail markup, making their products quite affordable.

PATH uses new technical fabrics, like the Japanese fiber called Toray Primeflex, to create award-winning apparel for endurance athletes. In fact, their Brim shorts and Tahoe base liner won Runner's World's 2018 Gear of the Year award. And the Pyrinees hoodie was named one of the best six sweatshirts for running in the cold by Gear Patrol.

You know you'll be wearing the best when you select PATH Projects!