Embracing Change: Finding Your 'Why' and Motivation in Running

In the 10th episode of Season 3 of the Women's Running Collective podcast, hosts Hayley and Justine celebrate their milestone and discuss their weekly running experiences, talk about the challenges of increasing their training and the joy of personal bests. The guest, Dr. Jen Cartwright, PhD health scientist and health coach, shares invaluable insights on motivation, behavior change, and the importance of aligning goals with personal values. Topics covered include handling identity shifts during transformation, dealing with a plateau, leveraging strengths for habit formation, and creating supportive environments. Through motivational interviewing and personal anecdotes, Dr. Cartwright reveals how to spark and maintain one's 'motivational fire' and achieve lasting success in one's running journey and beyond.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Milestone

00:48 Weekly Running Updates

01:44 Running Challenges and Achievements

02:41 Upcoming Events and Plans

07:21 Special Guest Introduction: Dr. Jen Cartwright

08:22 Health Coaching and Motivation

12:52 Behavior Change and Setting Goals

18:20 Tips for Making Habits Stick

22:44 Role-Playing for Lasting Change

23:04 Starting a Habit: Overcoming Unsupportive Environments

24:42 Creating a Supportive Community

26:42 Understanding Motivational Fire

27:40 Levels of Motivation

32:33 Pursuing Goals and Identity Change

35:46 Recognising Readiness for Change

37:54 Advice for New Runners

40:40 Overcoming Plateaus in Running

44:37 Conclusion and Resources