In This Episode:

* Why Martinus Evans started running in the first place* How his idea of a runner changed at the starting line of his first race* Why Toastmasters played a bit part in his decision to play bigger* How he’s defining his brand on his own terms

My now-husband and I agreed on our second date: we are not people who run for fun.

Run to escape zombies, sure. Run as a necessary part of a pickup game of basketball, okay.

But run for miles on end chasing some feeling of inner contentment? Hell no.

It was much to his dismay, then, when I started running 3 years ago.

I started running because I wanted to move my body more and practice personal accountability. Running seemed the easiest way to do it—no gym membership, no expensive equipment. Just sneakers and pavement.

But still, I was not running for fun. I was not one of those people.

Now, let’s pause for a second and imagine what those people look like and sound like.

Maybe you picture Rob Lowe’s character from Parks & Rec—high energy, frenetic, obsessive, and very trim.

Maybe you picture marathon runner Des Linden who became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years back in 2018. She’s petite, wiry, and has that stare of someone completely focused on her goals.

Maybe you picture a friend of yours, a coworker, or a family member who has been running their whole life.

That’s how I pictured those people—the people who run for fun—a few years ago too.

When I started running races, however, I realized that the picture of a runner that I had in my mind couldn’t be further from the truth. I mean, sure—there are plenty of wiry, high-energy, trim people who toe the starting line.

But there are also people of all different shapes, personalities, and backgrounds who race, too.

We’re all runners—no matter how “off brand” any of us might seem.

Now, I know I use running & fitness metaphors quite a bit on this show. But today, there’s a very good reason why I’m talking about running.

Back on that second date with my husband, I had a certain idea of who a runner was and how someone got to enjoy running. Think of that as the brand of “running.” When I started running, I didn’t feel very on-brand.

Now, my guest is Martinus Evans, the host of the 300lbs And Running podcast and the founder of the Slow AF Run Club.

Martinus isn’t very “on brand” either if you consider a runner someone wears short shorts and only eats salads. But Martinus is very much a runner. And Martinus has built a brand around rebranding who you think of when you think of a runner.

Today, we’re talking about building a brand that defies convention and stereotypes.

Martinus and I chat about how he got started sharing his journey to become a runner, how his first race changed his own idea of who a runner is, and why Toastmasters played a big part in him finding the confidence to go big. We also talk about dealing with negativity online and why he chose to create the Slow AF Run Club as a standalone community instead of a Facebook group.

Now, let’s find out what works for Martinus Evans!

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