For Real, Though

In the running world we have witnessed some really heart-wrenching events. When you work for years to come seconds short of a podium position, the contention and controversy can quickly rise. Running is a beautiful sport, but it's not always pretty. It's simple, instinctive, and accessible; but it's also competitive, agonizing, and at times, mercenary. Athletes such as Kara Goucher have faced the media and brands head-on in an attempt to play by the rules and work hard. Dealing with doping, fame, and money has made the sport of running occasionally cringeworthy.

Shanna Burnette has seen firsthand everything that comes with the pressure to be great, to stay clean, and to work with the right brands. She is a longtime friend of Kara Goucher and also represents her as her agent. Shanna keeps herself extremely busy between being a wife and mother of three, running her own PR agency, and leading her non-profit, Clean Sport. A successful runner herself, Shanna has been in the game a long time, and today she is working hard to pull running back home to its innocent and exciting state.

Take the Right Path

Together, Shanna and Kara co-host the podcast for Clean Sport, along with Chris McClung. Clean Sport's mission is to encourage athletes around the world to compete fairly. They work with pro athletes and brands to raise awareness and share stories that are positive. This podcast and non-profit helps runners feel confident in choosing the right path, knowing that there are others just like them and a whole slew of fans and consumers who value their values.

Shanna feels like she has always been a bit unconventional. Both her and Kara haven't taken the easy or most widely accepted routes. She has seen Kara make difficult decisions that affect her income and her image, but she has also seen the incredible amount of peace that comes with it.

Shanna shares just how much Kara was shouldering before she decided to leave Nike. "She made this giant leap, to go to this company whose values she believed in" says Shanna, "I had so much admiration for her for that. The weight off her shoulders was so palpable, [and] we really didn't realize what a strain and a toll that was."

Being true to yourself is always worth it. You too may be faced with difficult decisions, ones that may turn your life upside down. In the end, the regret is never about taking the right, although difficult, path.

Gain Ownership of Your Running

Being true to your own version of running is also important. Shanna has had a complex relationship with running, but it's been positive when she has taken control of what running is supposed to be for her.

Growing up, Shanna was a great runner from the beginning. She was one of the best in middle and high school, and was expected to turn it into a career after college. Things changed drastically when she suffered six stress fractures during college. Even worse was when her mother knocked on her university housing door to let her know her father died while running.

For a time, Shanna loathed running. It had taken her dad and given her injuries and disappointments. It wasn't until later, when she used running to support her, that she began to appreciate it again. "I would be able to go on a run and just cry my head off," she says, "to be angry and go fast, or go really slow and walk and jog and cry. I think that's what's so beautiful about running."

Play the Long Game

When it comes to deciding how you want to run, or what brands you want to support, Sharra recommends playing the long game. One run, or one purchase may not seem like a big deal, but a lifetime of runs and a collective effort to support clean sport makes a huge difference.

Choose the best path, whether or not that seems like the popular or simple or easy route. Be true to yourself, and be true to your running. The more of us that choose the best path, the easier and more rewarding it will become.

Resources:

Shanna on Instagram

Shanna on Twitter

Clean Sport Collective

Altra Running Shoes

Kara Goucher's Website

Modcraft

Thank you to my wonderful sponsor Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

I am now taking 3 months off to take some time to get to know my new baby, there is only ONE thing I will be continuing to work on while I am away, and that is my newsletter. I send it out once a week with just my thoughts, any updates, something I am appreciating, and it is just a way for me to stay connected with you all. :) If you want to join go here to sign up! Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Shanna, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

If there's one message that I could get across to athletes at every level, it's simply the idea of "You are enough." It's a beautiful message because it applies to you no matter how many awards you've received, your age, your goals—really anything.

If you are a person that has experienced a fairly trial-less life, maybe you consider yourself lucky or a natural, it may feel like you areyour accomplishments. On the other hand, maybe you feel like your life is going from one trial to another, none of which seem to make life any better, but you aren't your failures either.

Most all of us are somewhere in the middle. We've had our share of positive experiences and setbacks. Learning how to use the failures to our advantage takes practice, and so does realizing that we are more than our greatest accomplishments. It takes a mature person to understand their self-worth, something that young runner Grayson Murphy has done early in her career.

Grayson Murphy

Grayson grew playing many sports, but navigated toward soccer as she grew older. She had the opportunity to play on a college team her freshman year. When she switched schools the following year, she decided not to play soccer but still wanted to join a team. She knew that she loved being a part of a team and decided that running wasn't too far of a stretch from playing soccer.

Turns out she was right. For the next three years it was an anomaly when Grayson didn't PR not only in an event, but in all her training sessions. She transferred schools once again to take advantage of her new found skills and received a scholarship at the University of Utah. She finished her degree in civil engineering as a 5x All-American and signed with NAZ Elite.

Believe in Your Personal Journey

To this point, Grayson was enjoying everything that came with her running career. She loved the comradery of her team, being in the running community, and the act of running itself. It was after she started training with the NAZ Elite in Flagstaff, Arizona when things starting feeling different for her.

"I told everyone I felt like a puzzle piece, that was almost the right piece," says Grayson, "I needed community and I needed family. Flagstaff felt like an extended training camp. It wasn't a home."

After one year of training as a professional runner in Flagstaff, Grayson decided to call it quits and head back home to Salt Lake City. "I decided I wanted to build my life how I wanted it to be from the ground up," she says.

Of course, this was not an easy task. She was anxious about how people would look at her. From an outside perspective, it looked like she was giving up a wonderful opportunity, doing something she enjoyed and was good at. Not only that, but she would be losing out on her sponsorships, heading home to no job or income.

Grayson showed incredible maturity in this decision. She chose to do what she knew was best for her. During this time, she continued to run and realized that it was being out in nature that made her happy. She picked up trail running and three months later, won the Mountain Running Championship.

Six months after being home she signed with Saucony. She believed she could be a good rep for any running sponsor; she just needed to keep believing that and the time would come. Now she looks back at these six trying months, and considers them a funny story. The relatively short stressful time, made it all worth it.

Follow Your Heart

"Success is never final; failure is never fatal." This quote belongs to NCAA basketball coach legend, John Wooden. He understood that showing up every day, after every win or loss, had more to do with the person performing the acts than the failures and the successes themselves.

Remember, you are enough. You are more than what things you do or what things happen to you. Follow the path that is true to you, not necessarily the one that will give you the most accomplishments or please the most people. In Grayson's words, "If you follow your heart, you will end up with the days you have day dreamed about."

Resources:

Grayson on Twitter

Grayson on Instagram

Grayson's Website

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Athletic Greens and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well.

Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!

Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

Hey friends, I know it has been a tough year, so much we can not control so much going on and we can't see the end in sight. If you are someone who is needing a guide into the job world, if you have a fear of losing your job, lost your job, or don't know where to start in finding a job, I have created a job guide for runners. Giving away a lot of advice, 20 pages worth, along with a bonus episode on the podcast which you can listen to here. I also have incredible advice for small businesses, if you want to check those guides out click below.

Job Guide

Small Business Guide

Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Grayson, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Mindfulness. Meditation. Being present. Enjoying the journey. These are the trending approaches to everyday life, and for good reason. We don't live on the podium; we live on the street, the trails, the concrete, the pavement. If life is to be enjoyed, shouldn't we try to enjoy as much of it as possible?

I'll Be Happy When...

Have you noticed that life can often be a string of when's and what if's? For example, "I'll be happy when I get my driver's license," turns into "I'll be happy when I graduate." From there it's, "I'll be happy when I graduate," or get married, or have kids, or when my kids leave the house.

Most likely, we don't notice all these thoughts, and so we live from podium to podium and miss out on so many joyous moments. Not to mention, what if the podium moments don't come? Living from disappoint to disappoint is that much worse. But if we learn to enjoy the journey, the end results have less weight, and the we can soak up the process.

This doesn't mean we ought to do away with goals. In fact, it's the working toward each goal that can bring so much joy. The direction we head is still important, even if the destination itself is trivial. The daily effort to get there probably brings you more joy than you realize, so let's tune into it.

Tyler McCandless

This week's podcast guest is a fabulous example of setting big goals and enjoying the journey. Tyler McCandless has had his fair share of podium moments—finishing second in the 2017 USA Marathon Championships and winning several national marathons. He is also a Meteorology PhD Scientist, a husband, and a father. However, the accolades don't do it for Tyler, it's the work in achieving the goal that brings him joy.

Sharing Your Goals

Tyler is an advocate of letting others know about your goals and dreams, even ones that seem impossible to achieve. Joy comes not only from working toward your goals, but sharing them with others.

Making your goals known is not a popular suggestion. In fact, you can find many opinions that tell you to keep your goals to yourself. There is some reasoning behind it such as avoiding negative comments you may hear if you share your goals. This negativity can definitely dissuade you from going after your dreams.

So why should you consider sharing your goals? And if you do, how should you go about it?

Think about the people you consider your friends and peers. If they told you about their goals, would you support them? If they struggled through them, would you give words of encouragement? I assume the answer is yes. On top of that, think about someone you consider an equal. If that person achieved something great, how much more would you believe in yourself, knowing that you could do great things as well?

That's one of the biggest advantages of sharing. You can inspire the people around you. "You can set internal goals and never share them, but I personally believe that's a little bit cowardly," says Tyler, "You want to share to inspire people [and] to have people hold you accountable."

It's important to understand that the people you inspire will be different from the people your parent inspires, or a professional athlete inspires, or your child inspires. We all have people we look up to, and we all have people that are watching us. Simply sharing, whatever your level of influence or achievement you believe you have, will inspire others and keep you accountable to your goals.

When You Fail

If you are working your hardest, it's not a matter of if you fail, it's a matter of when. You don't find your potential until you go over the edge, and failing teaches you much more than winning. Tyler learned this from his coach shortly after setting a PR. "I think you are missing the boat," his coach said at their first meeting after his PR. At that time, everything Tyler was doing, he was succeeding at, including every single training. His coach wanted to see him push himself to the limit.

Embrace failure, share your goals, and enjoy the journey. Each one of these will pull you to new levels, inspire others, and put a smile on your face.

Resources:

Tyler on Instagram

Tyler on Twitter

Altra Running

Steve Jones: RFR Episode 20

Tyler's Favorite Altra Shoes:

Superior 4.0

Escalante

Vanish

Escalante Racer

Solstice

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Altra, Generation UCAN, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

I am thrilled to announce my exciting partnership with Altra, as an athlete and a sponsorship, I have loved their shoes as well as what this company stands for. So as a special treat to Running4Real listeners they are going to give away a pair of shoes every month this year!

Go HERE to enter to be a winner a free pair of shoes. And once you have entered once you will be entered for the entire year.

Generation UCAN has been with me through a lot of my races and in my every day life. This product has been my go to nutritional product for marathon training and racing when I was getting all of my best times. It gives you a steady energy without the sugar, so there are no sugar high or crashes!

Use code TINAMUIR25 for 25% off.

Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Tyler, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

The first pair of Altra Running shoes probably don't look anything like what you have in mind. In fact, the first several hundred pairs of running shoes that co-founders Golden and Brian worked on had a variety of logos on them. Altering other running shoes is how they got their start in the shoe-making business and how they came up with their name, Altra. With a goal to fix the running shoe industry, Altra did whatever was necessary to help runners feel great and perform well.

Meet Brian

Brian Beckstead is a lifelong runner, but running hasn't always been an enjoyable experience for him. He ran competitively in college but sustained four stress fractures in a short period of time that stopped him in his tracks. He took a year off of running about that time, and decided to pursue other hobbies such as fishing. However, he never escaped the running community, working at a running store all the while.

Zero Drop

After Brian finished college, his friend Golden took over the running store they had been working at, and Brian left to work for another company. Not long after, Brian received a call from Golden telling him that he had altered a shoe by cutting off the heel and noticed how much better the running mechanics were. Soon, they came up with the term "Zero Drop" and were using a variety of methods to remove the heels from shoes including bandsaws and belt sanders.

Golden began suggesting this alteration to chronically-injured runners that were coming into the store, and the reviews were outstanding. Longtime injuries were disappearing, and before they knew it, Golden and Brian had altered 1000 pairs of shoes for customers.

Altra is Born

At the time, they didn't really look at these alterations as a business opportunity. They simply wanted to help runners. Soon they realized that shoe brands were not interested in changing their shoes to incorporate the positives of zero drop. If these shoes were going to be made, Brian and friends either needed to buy more bandsaws, or create their own shoes.

One thing led to another; soon Golden found an advanced prototype company in Oregon while Brian landed their first angel investor. "We got really lucky," says Brian, referring to the timing of the investment. It was 2009 and startup investors were hard to come by. However, everything seemed to work out, and one inheritance and a lot of hard work later, they had their first pair of Altra running shoes—this time with their brand name on the side.

Fixing the Running Industry

In Latin, Altera is "to fix or mend something that is broken." From the beginning, that has been the goal of Altra. Even before it existed as a shoe company, its founders were doing unconventional things to try to help runners. Creating a wide toe box by skipping the bottom two eyelets when lacing a shoe, or literally cutting off pieces of a shoe—these were simply the best improvements they could do at the time.

Now Altra is a global company, with resources to make the best possible shoe for all runners. Their goal is to question and challenge the status quo in the running industry in order to help everyone run injury free. "[Altra] is not for the elite, fast runners," says Brian, "Beginning runners are our favorite people to get into Altras." Helping runners is the goal, and they have been willing to challenge many norms in that pursuit.

A Changing Industry

The running industry is changing and Altra has definitely been a part of that thus far. Nearly every big brand company that makes running shoes has some type of zero drop option. Creating a shoe that encourages great running mechanics is just the beginning. Treating those they sponsor with equality is hopefully something else that starts to gain momentum in the running world.

One of Altra's core values is "disruptive." Sometimes not a popular term among their investors, it can have a bit of a negative connotation. But the goal isn't to be disruptive just for disruptive's sake; it is the way to create big change. This has proved successful for Altra thus far, and should only create more positive change in the future.

Resources:

Brian on Instagram

Brian on Facebook

Altra Running Shoes

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Athletic Greens and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well.

Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!

Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

One of the things that I truly LOVE to do every week to get to know my audience better is my Newsletter I will cherish and guard your email. It is a way that I can get to know you all and to build a true connection with you, as social media has been tough on me lately. I know how annoying it is when you sign up for something and suddenly find yourself on 50 other email lists. This is just you and me. I promise.

If you are interested go here to sign up!

Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Brian, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Mountain races and trail runs are becoming more and more popular within the running community. Something about the connection with nature, and wanting to know what lies in the next valley satisfies our spirit and our curiosity simultaneously. This type of running often keeps both our ticking watches and our social media notifications subdued. It really is one of the best ways to move our bodies.

Anna Frost was born in New Zealand to a family that would all jump in a bus and go on an adventure at the drop of a dime. Whether it was multiple-day backpacking trips, horseback riding, or kayaking, traveling and being in the outdoors was a common activity. When your entertainment as a child is running along trails, climbing up mountains, or camping with your family, trail racing is bound to be in your blood. Although it didn't come through till after she started college, Anna felt at home when she discovered mountain racing.

Later on, Anna discovered that running fulltime wasn't exactly what she planned or expected it to be. She knew she loved running and traveling, but she was no longer finding joy for either. Tune in to this week's episode to learn how Anna became a world-renowned trail runner, why she gave up running, and what she is doing now.

Live to Run

After Frost (often nicknamed "Frosty) participated in her first mountain race she qualified to compete on the New Zealand team in Italy at the world championship. It was then that she realized that people were doing this type of running fulltime. Her eyes were opened and her take away as she traveled home was simply, "maybe I could do that."

One thing led to another, and before she knew it, Anna was being invited to races around the world. She ended up quitting her job and traveling from one race destination to another. Without a steady income, she would often jump on a train to the next race, find a good spot to camp, and train around there until the next race called.

Anna's first sponsorship was from Inov-8, and all she received was a pair of shoes. But to her, it was amazing. She was in it solely for the running experience. Her new shoes gave her confidence and allowed her to be a better runner, which was all she cared about.

Running to Live

Not long after Inov-8 started sending her gear, she had an opportunity to be sponsored by Solomon. Inov-8 knew they couldn't sponsor her in the same way, and encouraged her to go for it. Anna took her first trip with Solomon to Nepal to compete in the Everest Marathon. Life couldn't get better.

Quickly, running became a fulltime job for Anna. Things became stressful, but it wasn't the running that was difficult for her. To keep up with sponsorship requests, Anna had to travel frequently, participate in press conferences and push herself when her body might not have been ready. She had discovered the sponsorship lifestyle, and it wasn't what she signed up for.

Run Because You Love It

Now Anna had to worry about how many likes she was getting on her social media accounts. Pausing during a run to take a good picture was becoming more important than the actual run. "I have to go running because I love it," says Anna. Running for someone else's agenda just wasn't working for her.

About this time is when Anna chose to let the "runner" in her die. She decided to quit. Her sponsors supported her and told her to take the time she needed. She rested, she met with a physiotherapist, and she discovered a deeper love for herself.

She came back to running with an expectation of no expectation. What others thought of her didn't matter, if she didn't run a certain time she didn't care, and she began sharing what was genuine and honest. She was Anna, a person that loved to run—no longer a runner named Anna.

Anna's message today is a combination of what she has learned along the way. "You are enough" she says, "everything else you do is extra." "Falling is not failing," and "[You have to] try and try again, because it's too easy not to try."

Keep running for the love of running, get up when you fall down, and spread those good themes as much as you can. You are enough, and you love to run.

Resources:

Book: Rushing Women's Syndrome

Anna's Website

Anna on Twitter

Anna on Instagram

Sisu Girls

Thank you to my wonderful sponsor Athletic Greens and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well.

Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!

Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Anna, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

There are moments when life seems out of our control. The loss of a loved one, the inability to find employment, or a broken relationship are examples of trials that can make us feel powerless. The spiral of depression can take us even further down as any attempt to better our situation is overcome by unfortunate events.

Seven years ago, this was the exact situation Alison Desir found herself in. Her dad was sick, she lost her job, and her relationship ended all within a short period of time. Happily, her story since then has gone a completely opposite direction. After learning that a friend of hers was training for a marathon, she decided to give it a go as well thinking, "If he can do it, maybe I can do it."

As you'll find out, the rest is history. Alison has gone on to run in many races and has created her living around running. She used running to pull herself out of depression and has since used it to inspire others and bring them together.

Alison's story is not uncommon. We've seen time and again that running can pull people out of their deepest places. This change often starts with an example of a friend. Today we continue to celebrate running and friendships and what they can do to change the world. Follow along!

Get Started with a Run

Feeling like you are in complete control of even one aspect of your life can make a huge difference for your wellbeing. Running does that for millions around the world. If you feel unmotivated, trapped, or powerless, go for a run. You can decide to put on your shoes, you can decide where you run, how far you run, and how fast you run. You're in control.

Another beautiful thing about running that Alison loves is the pay-off relationship. "What you put in, is what you get out of it." Generally speaking, the more effort you put into your running, the better you will become. It's this one-to-one relationship with effort and results that often starts off a chain reaction of success for many people.

Once Alison discovered running, she built on it. Her runs were getting her out of the house consistently, slowly helping her meet new people and building her confidence. She noticed pretty quickly that she was not the typical runner. As a woman of color she was in the minority of marathoners, and she wanted to do something about it.

Consistency Builds Trust

Alison couldn't keep her love of running to herself. Just six months after her first race she organized "Harlem Run." It was her way of wanting to share what she had found, and help people feel comfortable running. However, for the first four months, nobody came to her meetups. Her mom would reminder her that if she built it, people would come.

Today she looks back on those four months and knows that she was just proving to the community that she would be there, week after week. When the first person came to her meetup, she was glued to them.

Having the "why" support her during four months of no-shows is what helped Alison stay consistent. When we go after something with a solid purpose, it will give us energy to stay with it during the tough times when the money isn't coming or the people aren't supportive.

What to Do If You're in the Majority?

Most of us are (obviously) in the majority. It means that when the minority is fighting for themselves, they can really benefit from people in the majority to help them out. As a runner, an entrepreneur, and a woman of color, Alison is sometimes in the minority.

So how can we help if we aren't in the group? How can men help women? How can citizens help refugees? It starts by recognizing who is around us and who is in influential positions. Do what you can to include the minority. Sometimes a minority is only a minority in leadership. You don't have to pretend to be someone else, but you can raise your voice around others in the majority and ask to include others and to treat them equally.

In short, let's include others. Everyone should feel welcome in the running community, after all, we all have the ability to run. The more, the better.

Resources:

Alison's Website

Alison on Twitter

Alison on Instagram

Harlem Run

Run 4 All Women

Global Womxn Run Collective

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Athletic Greens, Janji, Tracksmith, and Altra for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well.

Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!

I am thrilled to announce my exciting partnership with Altra, as an athlete and a sponsorship, I have loved their shoes as well as what this company stands for. So as a special treat to Running4Real listeners they are going to give away a pair of shoes every month this year!

Go HERE to enter to be a winner a free pair of shoes. And once you have entered once you will be entered for the entire year.

Today I get to announce my brand new partnership with Tracksmith! Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly.

You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.

Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Alison, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

We all know the economic fallout of this virus is going to be huge, and many companies have already gone out of business, with many many more expected to not make it through the year. Rather than just cutting employees, this time, big, "untouchable" corporations have also gone under. And what about the small businesses out there, who are not sure if they can even make it through the year? When you and your family have sacrificed so much for your dream, it can be paralyzing to think of how to move forward.

Even if you have not lost a job or a business, you could still be affected by the fear of losing your job or business, being a college senior who is about to enter the working world with no prospects, or just someone who fears for the unknown nature of our economy. In addition to that, we all want to be there in the best way we can for those who are going through one of these tough life situations. This podcast episode features two parts, two interviews, with two experts who could address the different angles we may be experiencing this from.

The first interview is for those who thought they were in a safe, stable job, and all of a sudden, that is either gone, or at risk of being gone. A psychiatrist was the obvious choice for me to bring on the show, specifically one who works with clients who have dealt with issues like this before. Dr. Michael Dulchin of Union Square Practice is a board-certified psychiatrist with an expertise in both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. He works with patients with a range of difficulties including depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder, as well as relationship issues and work-related problems. Michael is also a runner, so he can speak to other areas of our lives too!

Changing our mindset, our approach, our mental state is going to be the best way to approach this. A financial expert could not really give advice for the destroyed self confidence that comes with these situations around losing a job. At the end of the day, our self confidence and belief in our skills and abilities will be what gets us a job, or secures the job we are already in.

The second interview is with business coach, Alli Worthington. Alli is here to give advice to the small business owners who find themselves in a very unsettling situation. Alli is a bestselling author of three books, speaker, podcaster, and business coach. Her goal is to help women reach the next level. Alli has helped individuals, small business owners, and Fortune 500 companies be more successful. Alli's no-nonsense, guilt-free take on business, family, and balance lead to appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America. As a small business owner myself, I feel this strongly, and knew Alli would be perfect for spinning perspective, and helping us to feel in control again.

Resources:

Michael Gervais handling panic podcast episode

Coronavirus for runners podcast episode

Get the Job Loss and Financial Stress Written guide (Dr Mike's answers are transcribed, plus 20 other superstars contributed their advice for handling job loss).

Own a small business? Get the Small Business Survival Guide, which contains transcribed advice from Alli and a 4 page worksheet to get you back on track.

If you want to support me and the businesses who support me:

Altra (enter to win a free pair of Altra every month here)

Athletic Greens (with my link, you will get 20 servings for free)

Generation UCAN (get 25% off with codeTINAMUIR25 if you are a new customer. If you're already a UCAN fan, save 15% with code TINAUCAN15)

As an athlete, odds are you have heard the name Meb Keflezighi. But as a runner, not only have you heard of him, you've idolized his abilities and been inspired by his amazing career. Meb, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon, winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon, and winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, cementing his legacy as one of the best long-distance runners in history, joined the Running for Real Podcast to discuss training, staying motivated during these difficult times, not letting circumstances define who you are, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that believe in you.

Your Training Won't Disappear

With the Coronavirus spreading across our globe many races are being cancelled. Races which people have invested months and possibly even years of training in to. Whether you are at the peak of your training or have recently gotten off the couch to run your first 5K, having your race cancelled can be disappointing. However, the investment you've put into your body throughout your training, the miles, speedwork, and recovery runs don't disappear because of a race cancellation. Take the proper time for recovery and get ready for your next race.

Meb suggests that now is the perfect time to identify weaknesses in your training and begin strengthening these areas. While your running may be limited, now is a perfect time to work on your core, do crunches, pull-ups, and push-ups. A lot of great training drills to assist you in these areas can be found in Meb's book, Meb for Mortals.

At what Meb believed was the pinnacle of his training, he had been preparing for one of the biggest races of his career: the 2012 New York Marathon. Due to damage done to New York by the Sandy Hurricane the race was cancelled. While Meb said this was devastating he realized it was a good time to recover and refocus. If you are struggling to take the next step because you lack motivation, realize you are in a better position than most others. You will be back! It is just a matter of time.

Life is a Challenge

Many people are struggling right now, and life is extremely challenging; however, your mentality towards the current issues is something you can control. When it comes to your training you can have the "I'm done" mentality or you can realize that your health is very important and use this as a time to reset. Right now is a perfect time to scale back, calm down, and ask yourself, "What have I done right with my training?" and "What have I not done right?" Then go out and maximize your training. Take this time to refocus and remember why you run.

Meb suggests that we look at the bigger picture and realize that sometimes we have to take two steps back to gain ten steps forward. A cancellation of a race can be disappointing, but it also gives you a chance to discover new ways you can come back stronger. We need to remember how important our health is to running and that our health comes first. It is easy to get caught up in thinking about the right now when we need to be thinking about the long term. Continue to be diligent, encourage others, and be there for one another.

Don't Let Other People or Circumstances Define You

We've all encountered roadblocks in our training or running careers, and Meb is no exception to this. In 2011 Meb was dropped by his sponsor, Nike. He said this loss was tough for him. His self-worth was devastated and believed his running career was over. He'd done the best he could for his country, but those days were behind him. Meb said many athletes dream about wearing the Nike Swoosh on their uniforms because it lets you know that you've made it.

But as opposed to let the loss of this contract make him think he wasn't good enough, he decided he would prove them wrong. In 2011 Meb went on to set a personal record at the 2011 New York Marathon, afterwards he set a new personal record at the 2012 Olympic Trials, followed by a fourth place finish in the marathon at the 2012 London Olympics. And, in 2014, Meb went on to win the Boston Marathon two weeks short of his 39thbirthday!

It is important not to let other people or circumstances define you. You determine who you are going to be and what you are going to make of yourself based on the circumstances you are dealt.

Surround Yourself With People That Believe in You

In 2011, shortly after losing his Nike sponsorship, Skechers offered Meb a contract. Other companies such as Ucan, CEP compression socks, and Maui Jim also offered Meb sponsorships. Meb said his sponsors really cared for him and wanted to see him succeed. They were instrumental in helping him achieve his goals and wanted to see him be the best that he could be. He said the powerful and kind words spoken to him by his fans and sponsors are what encouraged him to continue to run. When Meb won races, he said it was not a victory just for him, but a victory for the masses.

At meet and greets Meb also stated that people bring him gifts, snacks, and share fascinating stories of losing weight through running. Runners have even approached him and told him his victory at Boston has inspired them to start running and train for a marathon. Kind words and inspirational stories can go a long way in motivating you to continue to train hard and look forward to the next race.

Whether your race was recently cancelled, you've experienced a setback, or you are finding it hard to become motivated to get out the door again remember: Most of us have enough areas in our lives where we have to meet other's expectations. Let your running be about your own hopes and dreams. Recall why you started running, reminisce about the feelings you experienced during your "runner's highs" and start training for your next race!

Resources:

(Book) Meb for Mortals

(Book) 26 Marathons

(Book) Run to Overcome

(Book) The Moment of Lift

Meb's Twitter

Meb's Instagram

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Vital Farms, Tifosi, and Generation UCAN for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

I have been a BIG fan of Vital Farms for years for their eggs, because they truly do care about their products and where they get them from. It is a brand that I trust, it is Lactose and casein free! With a new product of Ghee butter, it is a clean and versatile butter oil for all your culinary needs.

Go Here for a chance to win a year supply of Pasture-Raised Ghee.

I am very excited to have found a sunglass brand that are super durable and can be used to for athletic and leisure life styles. They even come in MANY colors and shades for the not so sunny days out there as well. The ones that I like is the Swank Series, go and check them out! Go here with coupon code TINA for 10% off. Generation UCAN has been with me through a lot of my races and in my every day life. This product has been my go to nutritional product for marathon training and racing when I was getting all of my best times. It gives you a steady energy without the sugar, so there are no sugar high or crashes! Use code TINAMUIR25 for 25% off. Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Meb, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Have you ever considered using running as a way to tell people what you care about? If not, I'm sure you've seen people that have. Maybe a neighborhood boy or girl on the cross-country team has asked you to pledge a certain amount of money for each lap they run during a fund-raising event, or maybe you've seen a 5K go through your city with every participant wearing pink to raise breast cancer awareness.

When you run, you stand out from the crowd. Try going for a run in a new city and see how many people do a double take as you zip past them coming out of a coffee shop or notice the heads that follow you as you play leap frog with a public bus in traffic. We all find running curious, and those willing to run draw the eyes of many.

Thousands of people line the streets to watch city marathons, runners and non-runners alike. There is something noble about running, a simple but strenuous act. Strangers give shouts of encouragement along a race course and volunteers are on the ready to hand out water and quick energy. It's a beautiful thing. The running community is made up of much more than just the runners.

Running for a Cause

When Rosalie Fish found out she could use running in this way, she felt excited, nervous, and powerful. She knew that running was the way for her to tell others about her story, and the stories of people in her community.

Rosalie grew up on an Indian reservation in the state of Washington. Her community is made up of about 500 members of the Native American Cowlitz tribe. Unfortunately, a lot of prejudices and stereotypes about Native Americans still exist, and Rosalie was often on the receiving end of unfair treatment in public schools.

Things came to an all-time low when Rosalie attempted suicide after the bullying, abuse, and harassment wouldn't stop. She was transferred to a new high school and decided that she would take up running again, remembering how it made her feel as a middle schooler.

"The only thing that really kept me grounded […] and kept me going was running," Rosalie said, "I found that when I ran, physically, I was unable to feel sadness." At that time, it seemed that running was saving Rosalie's life, but running would give her life even more purpose later on.

MMIW

Rosalie kept running, and with the help of a dedicated coach, she was able to enter (and win!) races that she was being denied previously because of her heritage. She continued to race and her success helped her to feel empowered.

However, it wasn't until she first saw Jordan Marie Daniel run that she truly felt inspired. Jordan is a Native American from the Kul Wicasa Oyate tribe in South Dakota. When she ran the Boston marathon, she painted a red hand over her mouth and the letters MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) down her legs.

Jordan and Rosalie were able to meet and Jordan was inspired to paint the same symbol and letters on herself when she ran at Washington's track and field state championship. She said she was nervous, but her actions have been well received and given her even more motivation to run, giving a voice to those that don't have one.

Every Runner Can Be Seen

You may think that only the elite runners can use their platform to raise awareness. While it's true that media outlets won't interview every runner that crosses the finish line, there are other ways to be seen. You can't tell me that if you run the New York City Marathon in a giant homemade single-use plastic water bottle that you won't turn the heads of thousands of people. Even if your picture doesn't end up in the New York Times, thousands of people will see you run past and conversations will be had.

Just think about the people dressed up as Santa Claus or Wonder Woman as they sweat through the 5K or 26 miles of their race. You and I have seen them. Whether it made us think about going to see the latest super hero movie is another question, but we definitely saw them.

If you have something you care about, why not use running as a way to talk about it? Wear a costume, organize a group run, or maybe go big and try to plan a community awareness race. Choose to be like Rosalie and be proud of who you are and what you care about. We'll all be watching.

Resources:

Beyond Running: Suicide with Shelli Gordon- R4R 143

Urban Indian Health Institute

Sovereign Bodies Institute

Rosalie's Tedx Talk

Rosalie on Instagram

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors Butcher Box and Athletic Greens for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.

Butcher Box is a company that provides a delivery service of fresh and high quality meats. They are free of antibiotics, added hormones, and each box has 9-11 pounds of meat. You can even customized your choices or cuts of meats from beef, chicken, fish, pork, and bacon. This is a great way to get healthy, humanly raised, grass-fed, and free range meat. I am going to be giving you a special as being a listener for new Butcher Box members by giving away ground beef for LIFE of your subscription that will be included in your box order, as well as $20 off your first order.

Go here to sign up now or enter code RUNNING at checkout.

Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well.

Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!

I am very excited to have found a sunglass brand, Tifosi that are super durable and can be used to for athletic and leisure life styles. They even come in MANY colors and shades for the not so sunny days out there as well. The ones that I like is the Swank Series, go and check them out! Go here with coupon code TINA for 10% off. Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.

Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from)

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one.

Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here.

Thank you to Rosalie, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

There is a lot of stress, fear, anxiety, overwhelm in our world right now. We have no idea what the future will look like, and that can be hard for us to function, especially when we are all told to stay inside our homes, which can make things even more intense.

I knew there was only one expert I wanted to bring on the show to talk us through, help us understand what we can do right now to make things feel a little more under our control. Dr Michael Gervais is extremely busy right now, with his expertise and wisdom being requested all over the world, but he was kind enough to join me in a 20 minute conversation to reassure the Running For Real community.

The episode last week with Dr Emily Stoneman on COVID19 was helpful for many, but what you seemed to enjoy just as much, was the second half of the episode where I talked about how to handle cancelled races. I would love to hear if you want to hear more of these episodes over the coming months. They are outside my nature (I love to record ahead of time), but if it is good for the community, I am happy to get outside my comfort zone.

If you are feeling overwhelmed and don't feel you have anyone to talk to, many of my psychologist and mental health professionals have offered to connect with Running For Real listeners FOR FREE at this time. Enter your email here and I will get one of them to reach out to you. Please do not suffer in silence. I see you, and I am here for you.

Resources:

Struggling? One of my psychologist/mental health professional friends will reach out to you, just let me know here

CDC website

Information for pregnant women

COVID19 podcast and race recommendations

Get a written version of the COVID19 podcast, along with a guide for how to approach your training for the rest of the year

Michael's Finding Mastery Podcast

Michael on Twitter

Michael on Instagram

Michael on LinkedIn

Compete to Create