Running Life: A Fitness Protection Production

#AskAway 10/13/19: Heart Rate Training Questions, Answered

Runner Interrupted

• #weeklywins My post-surgery check up went probably the best it could go! I also got a 10 minute and a 25 minute walk this week.
• #weeklywins for me was healing from dental surgery and being able to run a few miles! My hubby's health is on a good stretch and we're sleeping a few hours at a stretch too!
• #weeklywins My post-surgery check up went probably the best it could go! I also got a 10 minute and a 25 minute walk this week.
• #weeklywins for me was using to time I would have normally spent running on other less physical hobbies I don't often take time to do. The result was successfully completing my first 2 tier semi naked cake for a bridal shower I was hosting.

Question. Can I run through "shin splints"? How do I mitigate them?

ReBuild

Totally fine if you don't want to get into this now - but just listened to podcast and so excited for NY! I want to know if you have advice for spectators…

Maintain

1. Hi coaches! After all my talk of my goal race being a 5k I signed up for a half on 11-23. Anything special I need to do between now and then? I missed about half the long runs in September. Thanks for everything!
2. Hi, wonderful coaches! I'm on the marathon ramp and am looking ahead a few weeks. I'm traveling for work and might choose to not run the M2 on the scheduled day so that I may use the day to do tourist stuff. Can I push it to Thursday and keep the SS 80/18-miler as scheduled on Friday/Saturday? (My preference!) Should I shift the whole week to keep the day off between the M2 and stride sandwich (not ideal)? Skip it altogether? (Gah! I couldn't possibly!) Depending on your answer, I may decide to shorten my tourist plans and run the M2 that afternoon anyway. Thanks!
3. Hi Coaches. Emma Ross, here. I've had a bit of a set-back. I strained my hamstring a bit and I'm seeing a PT who does not want me to try running again until Wednesday. That means I'm missing two long runs in a row and this is supposed to be week 2 of my marathon ramp. The PT is also a runner and she talked with me extensively about my training schedule and she says that there is no reason to think I won't be able to run CIM which is great and what I'm clinging too. I'm going to see her three times a week for the next several weeks. She said she would like to me to run next week just Wed, Fri and Sun (long run day). I wanted to hear your opinion of this approach. Also, I can ride a bike without pain so I'm going to do that to keep up fitness while I'm not running. Any advice, thoughts and moral support are appreciated. Thank you!
4. Hey coaches! Can't wait to hear all about Atlanta! So talk me off the ledge. Another bout of insecurity and pre race jitters. Both of my "running partners" who were going to run in the full marathon with me have shifted to the half. One was struggling with training- the other her husband (not that I would keep up with him a 7x IM) was diagnosed with gout. How do I put these insecurities at bay and toe the line? Love you both sooooo much. Kristy
5. Hi! I emailed actually to coach MK and coach Sarah but if you could answer me here that will be great. I never officially reverse taper after full marathon in the past simply because I don't know how to do it. All I did was eat and rest and walk few days a week in the last week after marathon. How to get back into regular routine? And how to jump back into the FP maintain program? Also, I received the email says "you are subscribed to maintain program" but when I sign in, I can't find the program. Thank you in advance 😊

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative, and anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

We are SUPER EXCITED to have our first guest on the show- Lindsey Hein! You have definitely heard of her podcast, "I'll Have Another With Lindsey Hein"; we loved her recent interview with Courtney Dawalter.

Lindsey says she likes conversations- and she is not kidding! As soon as we started chatting our conversation went ALL OVER the place, from the joy of 4 boys to skincare and back around to the original reason we wanted to talk to her in the first place- body shaming. Big thanks to Karen Schleuter for drawing our attention to that post, you made this all happen!

We hope you enjoy this casual, fun, sprawling conversation with Lindsey Hein and hope you can join us in NYC next month for her live podcast session at New York Road Runner Headquarters the Friday before the marathon.

SHOW NOTES

It was a PLEASURE and a privilege to speak with Lindsey Hein on the Running Life podcast this week! Lindsey is the host of the "I'll Have Another" podcast AND, more recently, of the Illuminate podcast. She has interviewed, oh, a few people you may have heard of before (most recently Courtney Dauwalter, winner of the 2019 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France). Lindsey is a longtime runner, a mom of four boys under age 7, and a running coach. She and Coach MK and Coach Sarah had a LOT to talk about, and it began with a story that Lindsey told her audience on social media this past summer. After a tough workout at the track on a hot day (2x800, 1600, 2x800), she said good morning to an older man walking the outer lane, and he responded by telling her that she was getting a belly and recommending that she try doing some crunches. Lindsey, just over a year out from having her fourth baby and feeling QUITE GOOD THANK YOU VERY MUCH about her body, says "I laughed a big hearty laugh and said I have 4 kids, the youngest of which isn't even one and I told him I am proud of my belly.⁣"

Lindsey's response was to hand him her phone and ask him to take her photo, and she went home, got her 4 kids breakfasted and bandaided and ready to go to the pool, and then she posted that photo on Facebook.

Many people were horrified at the story that went along with it. The idea that someone had commented on her body like that, recommended she lose 20-25 pounds...it was infuriating. And, frankly, destabilizing. Someone as fit as Lindsey Hein is getting heckled at the track? What hope is there for the rest of us?

This was the moment that connected us with Lindsey for the first time (and thank you Karen Schlueter for making that happen!) and this is where the conversation really begins.

Coach MK and Coach Sarah have talked about body image through a number of different cultural artifacts over the past several months: Beyonce's 22 Days video, the return of The Biggest Loser, the cultural response to Brittany Runs A Marathon. We were really inspired by Lindsey's perspective on this moment and what she found in herself when confronted with the judgment of a total stranger, and we LOVED talking with her about her relationship to running and her body, as well as her podcast, her audience, and her image.

We also talked skin care and self care and apologizing less and running out of fucks to give - aging is amazing, y'all. And, finally, we all squeal with excitement about Lindsey and MK both getting ready to run the NYC marathon together - it will be Lindsey's first New York, and both MK and Sarah take a second to wax poetic about their favorite parts of the course.

And speaking of marathons, don't miss the moment early on when Lindsey mentions (offhandedly) that she did no speedwork when she was training for Boston this year.

If you are going to be in New York City for marathon weekend, do NOT miss Lindsey's live episode of I'll Have Another with Roberta Groner, Sara Hall and Kellyn Taylor!!

(totally non-affiliate) Skincare Links from Coach MK:

I purchased this face wash, used it twice and it did make my skin glow, but it also broke me out. I've always had acne-prone skin so I wrote it off as not being able to have nice things. I mean, I run every day and wear sunscreen; more is not worth the effort if I'm just gonna head outside again, right?

Recovering from surgery with no tv, I searched for JVN on Youtube, and got this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJAZkC9d43c

Then this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zBkWRjc4RY

THEN THIS VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys1r-14fP1Q

and I was like OH MY GOD a double cleanse whaaaaat? and I went to my bathroom and started reading labels then was like, "I NEED A WATER-BASED CLEANSER!" and ended up on www.klog.com and bought this cleanser and this toner and this toner (because I couldn't decide, figured I'd try and return the other one) and they were like WOW so I kept both....within a week I had zero acne. The oil-based face wash is magic if you use it the way it was intended- by following it with a water-based cleanser.

How I went from a double cleanse to a whole morning AND NIGHTTIME routine that consists of completely different products will be the subject of a future podcast!!!!!

The first big fall racing weekend is here, and we have REPORTS!!!! We will be inviting these runners to speak about our free 10-week marathon ramps in an upcoming podcast, but tonight you'll get to hear us brag....after Coach Jennifer gives us an update on the first week of Runner, Interrupted's beta test. Don't forget to RSVP to the group run in Atlanta with the FPP Team next weekend! Anyone who wants to guide MK for 16 miles on Sunday would be APPRECIATED AF.

First come the #WeeklyWins from Runner, Interrupted. Questions from ReBuild and Maintain include: Chicago Marathon prep, being "ready" for Maintain, sleep, recovery paces, and the SUPER FUN STORY of our iconic theme song!

Runner, Interrupted

From FB:

• #Weeklywins:One member is recovering from dental surgery; weekly win was giving herself the rest and recovery she needed. She says she's giving herself the self-care she needs (also having some challenges in her family).
• Another member's weekly win is "counting on her support system." She has a new injury now, but her support system of PT, chiro, and others is already in place so she knows how to use those. That's really helpful in being able to "see the light at the end of the tunnel.
• #weeklywin I can get out of bed by myself after abdominal surgery
• Got Packed for Colorado and didn't miss the plane! [and embarking on something called the "American Adventure, which sounds something like the "amazing race']

Question: How do you balance the fear of failing at goals with the need to make goals do you have some hope of success?

ReBuild

1. How do I know if ReBuild or Runner Interrupted is a better fit?
2. Currently In rebuild and starting to get my feet back under me again. I just registered for a half in the spring which will be a huge group gathering girls weekend kind of event and my first half since October 2017. Course limit is 3:30, which I should have no issues with meeting, and otherwise it will be a low pressure/low expectation morning. With roughly 5 months to go, what would you recommend as far as goals on shifting lanes in rebuild and/or timing of jumping to Maintain? I want to be comfortable and relaxed, and not break myself along the way. Thank you!!
3. Y'all have been talking a lot lately about how the training cycle isn't where you gain speed. As a slow runner, I'm interested in how speed grows. I don't want to be speedy, I just want to get to mid-pack, maybe 10-11 minute miles most days, but from back here that feels very far away.
4. What is the podcast theme song? Is it available on any of the public stores?
5. What is the benchmark for a good nights sleep? Sometimes I feel like I'm playing into the advertising for sleep monitoring bc I can't objectively be able to tell if it was a "good" night of sleep. Is it worth all the extra data points? What about waking up to go to the bathroom or change positions, as long as you go back to sleep easily?

Maintain

SHOUTOUTS!!!!

WINEGLASS!!!! Amy Wilson, Yuzuko DeGrottole, Mary Lenczewski, Amanda Cannady, Michelle Emanuel (and shoutout to Colleen Daley-Lachance for deferring, HARD CHOICE but RIGHT CHOICE

TWIN CITIES!!!!! Amanda Williams, amazing 5k/10k/10 mile PR and called it when it was time!!

LOCH NESS!!!!!! Karen Schlueter!!!!! Hills, cramps, TRIUMPH!

St GEORGE!!!!!! Megan Duncan WOWWEEEEE!

1. CHICAGO IS NEXT WEEK and it will probably be either hot or like historic-level cold. OUR PEOPLE GONNA BE PREPARED AF.
2. Also, look at everyone who had HUGE WINS this week. All gain, no pain. Maintaining, not making huge changes, just getting it done
3. Hi! I'm going to ask you guys to put on your magic coach goggles and speculate with me. Ever since I raced a half last month, I've noticed my easy effort pace has slowed down by a good 20-30 seconds. Even though temps have cooled down. Is it possible it's related to the racing? I took a full week off from running post-race. Sleep, life, and nutrition are all more or less the same. Although I'm a long-time vegetarian and am suddenly craving a real burger big time. Maybe it's related! I don't know! I'm not taking the paces TOO seriously (i swear!) but i will admit to feeling a niggle of worry related to a loose time goal I have for an upcoming marathon. I'd love to hear your thoughts and encouragement. And man I really want that burger. Thank you!!
4. Hi coaches! Talk to me about winter running. Every year I *want* to keep going when it gets cold and then I don't... because i don't have gear or a plan. I want this year to be different. What do I need to consider in terms of injury prevention or anything else? It was a cold breezy 47 degrees this morning. I always end up "just" swimming in winter because it's free...I have a treadmill option but not great. I want to run outside as much as possible!
5. Hello Coaches! Today is marathon day! Can you talk through recovery post race and how to get back into Maintain! I know the basics but its nice to have a reminder. Thanks!
6. Can the optional EAT on week 8 of the Marathon ramp be moved to Week 9? It is supposed to pour tomorrow morning and I don't want to risk getting sick so close to my race.
7. New here- how do I print out the training plan once I've loaded on to Training Peaks? I'm a pen and paper kind of gal.
8. OMG the fall colors! I just want to be up in the mountains as much as I can right now! How do I incorporate this into my plan? My heart rate jumps when I hike.

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative, and anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

*PDF Download Included in Bonus Material*

Inspired by professional Jenga-players (YES THAT EXISTS!), Maintain was created to keep you fit enough year-round so you have #alltheoptions and none of the burnout. Make no mistake - with Maintain you will have ALL the options: you ramp up to run a marathon in 10 weeks, or ramp down when your badassery is needed elsewhere. In this podcast, you will meet 5 runners who are enjoying these ramps as much as their running.

The way we present these programs and talk about participants MATTERS: the transition between Maintain, ReBuild, and Runner, Interrupted is presented AS A LATERAL MOVE, a function of time. You will be in one of these three boxes throughout the course of your life as a runner, so all three products are accessible to all subscribers at all times. Life doesn't always synch nicely with calendars, we want you to have what you need when you need it.

Did we mention that our marathon training plans are free to subscribers? Because our marathon training plans are free to our subscribers, and you get fresh ones every summer.

SHOW NOTES

There is no one who says it quite like Viola Askey from Oregon in the morning to this podcast: this is MY START LINE. (and by the way, that Olympic-distance duathlon she's talking about? She started, she finished, and she crushed it - we featured her finish photo in the Coached and Loved newsletter a couple of weeks ago!)

We love what Viola had to say because it represents the great gifts of Fitness Protection so beautifully. The people in Maintain are doing WHAT THEY WANT TO DO...and they are all different people who want to do different things! Anna Sorenson from Wisconsin was once upon a time so injured she couldn't walk, but she's slowly and steadily built her fitness back up to the point where she has a rock-solid base and she can pick what she wants to do in any given season and pivot in that direction. This season, she is shoring up her strength in our Slow Burn strength beta, which will be opening to the public in 2020!

Cara Gerard from Quebec is a completely different runner who has similarly found her happy place amidst all the options Maintain presents. All she ever wants to do is be a person who can YOLO half marathons at the drop of a hat, she says, and Maintain gives her that. She runs through the freezing winters (you'll see her outside down to -25 degrees Celsius!) and she loves being fit enough to do exactly what she wants all the time.

And that is the intent of Maintain - keep you perpetually fit enough that you have CHOICES, without burning you out. And make no mistake - having choices means ALL the choices, and that includes the choice to do less if less is what you need right now. You can choose to listen to your body and decide that Maintain is too much, and that that's not a reflection on you or your worth or your morality but just where you are right now. Some runners like Alison Melley from Maryland choose to shift into Runner, Interrupted or ReBuild (make sure to listen to our ReBuild podcast) for a time while they focus on other things. Alison knows herself well enough to know that being able to do most of the work on the training plan matters to her, and when she shifted to ReBuild, her TrainingPeaks workout boxes were turning green again and that feeling of checking everything off the list was motivating and empowering to her. Meanwhile, Karen Sutton from Leicester, UK recently shifted from ReBuild to Maintain after recovering from a bout of plantar fasciitis. She has slowly worked up to a point where she can complete all the Maintain workouts, with the help of lots of patience and hard work. Karen runs because it keeps her blood pressure down without the need for medication, and with a family history of heart health problems, that is a HUGE success.

Whatever your definition of success - turning boxes green in TrainingPeaks or eliminating the need for blood pressure medication - it is so important to us that our people feel like they are succeeding as runners. This is everything. And it was particularly important to MK that the transition between Maintain, ReBuild, and Runner, Interrupted be presented AS A LATERAL MOVE. In her original livestream the day the pieces snapped into place in her brain, she drew three boxes. When she finished the livestream, she realized how critical it was for those boxes to remain next to each other, on the x-axis, a function of time. You will be in one of these three boxes throughout the course of your life as a runner, and the three boxes form the base subscription of products, all three accessible to you at all times so you have what you need when you need it since life doesn't always work with calendars.

From here, MK talks about some professional Jenga players she knows and the way they talk about high-level Jenga strategy. When removing blocks from the tower in order to build it higher, beginners will often start with the blocks on the bottom because they are the easiest to slide out at the beginning of the game, without realizing that they are setting themselves up for a very unstable tower when they neglect their baseline priorities: themselves. In Maintain, we urge our runners to prioritize running as self-care: the habits that make it possible, the real estate on the calendar that gives it space. We want to set you up so that you are able to make the best possible choices for yourself - that is NOT the same as accountability (we are not about that bullshit). We are here to give you validation, a framework for good decision-making, and a safe space in which to make those decisions, especially when they are difficult ones.

Sometimes, the decisions center around a big event, and we know that lots of our runners want to run marathons. That's why we give marathon training plans to our subscribers FOR FREE - we want to help them be as prepared as they possibly can be without putting an undue amount of pressure on themselves. Pat Brockman from Texas talks about how she trained for her first marathon after battling stress fractures on and off for years every time she tried to build enough volume to do it. Heart-rate-based training like we do in Maintain was the answer for her, and getting to the start line of her marathon was a glorious achievement. Emma Ross from California talks about her excitement to train for her first marathon in December of this year - after years of training by heart rate with Coach MK and encouraging other runners who have built up to their own marathons, Emma is READY for this!

We love seeing our people feeling empowered to run their FIRST MARATHON and choosing to do it for themselves, because they want to and because it will make them feel GOOD, not become a bullshit stick to beat themselves with.

The mindframe of Maintain, no matter what you want to get out of running, is that we are playing a long game. Patience, acceptance of where things are now, that you are where you are now and that it could not be otherwise...that is the first step to finding the comfort and peace that will ground you as you move in the direction you want to do. Karen Schlueter-Morland from Minnesota is the ultimate embodiment of patience, tenacity and grit. MK actually came up with the name, "Tenacious AF" (that's the name of one of our marathon training plans) thinking of Karen. She doesn't think of herself as patient, but she hasn't stopped trying, working or caring. THAT is tenacity- showing up when it hasn't come together YET. Showing up when the odds aren't good. Showing up every day, no matter what.

So, the marathon training plans are free- that was always intentional. MK said years ago "just give my plans away, no one can use them without me. You aren't paying for the plan." Now, we're really doing it - our revenue model is contingent upon boring, everyday subscribers, not selling flashy plans or making big promises.

And finally to close things out - Stacy Clark from Connecticut brings it home for us with a lovely reflection on her need for structure between training plans. No one is more diligent and hardworking than Stacy, but even Stacy had a tough time getting the runs in when it was just her out on her own. She has embraced the mindset of Fitness Protection in a big way this past summer, reminding herself to take the pressure off, give herself grace, and keep moving forward with no regrets.

We could not be more proud - of Stacy and of every single runner in Maintain. All of you are coached and loved and winning at life every day.

Fresh off of her first marathon in two years, Coach Sarah tells us all about the Clarence Demar Marathon (https://clarencedemar.com/) and #yurtlife with Shara Alpern and Liz Kinsella...who were in town to see Ros's braids and read her 19 stories. It's a big job!

We also discuss the Runner, Interrupted beta and announce that we will be returning to Three Days at the Fair in May 2020. Coach MK told Susan she would need one really good reason to go back...and Susan DELIVERED. When Coach MK is wrong she owns it, and man she was wrong on this one. Apologies Susan, you are getting your race!!

Click here to let us know if you are coming, too! We will take a poll about training plans once we get RI launched and take a MUCH deserved nap! https://www.fitnessprotection.com/events/Three-Days-at-the-FAIR

Maintain!

1. Not a question- just a request: Tell us all about your race, Coach Sarah! (and staying in a yurt- how cool was that?)

2. Hi Coach MK and Sarah! This is Emma. First of all I can't wait to hear all about Sarah's marathon! Second, I have a question about the charge workout. I'm about to start the 10 week build-up to CIM on Monday and I live in flatlandia now. There is an overpass not far away that is only about a 20 feet rise. Should I run up and over that for 20 minutes or is this one better to try to simulate rolling hills on the treadmill? If treadmill, what grade elevation do you suggest. Thank you!

3. Hello Coaches (and guests!!) Its race week for me whoo!!!! I have 2 questions. The first, thoughts on getting a flu shot during race week? Ideally I would do it after, but I go to Disney 10 days post race so Im weighing my options of how this might impact my race. My 2nd question is in relation to my heart rate strap. I have used it for 2.5 years without any problems but in the last few weeks have been chaffing and I now have a blister from rubbing. I have been using body glide but clearly its not cutting it. Any suggestions? A few side notes if this is important: I have a polar M400 so I don't even have an option for wrist based right now. Thank you all for your time!!!!!

4. Could you please give us some data points in Training Peaks premium that might be helpful to us and explain what they are measuring either in isolation or with each other? There are so many variables I find it overwhelming. At the same time if there are variables that are not helpful, I would appreciate knowing that as well. While I understand concerns about using data in a way that leads to discouraging feelings, I would appreciate being able to chart improvement or seeing if the data correlate with my experience. Plus it's fun to play with data. I watched the TP video you made and while it gave me an idea of how a coach could use the data, there were not a lot of specifics about the variables per se.

5. I just finished week 2 of tenacious af. I'm still doing the strength circuits per the maintain plan. At what point should I stop doing the strength to rest my muscles for the race?

6. Hello, coaches and guest coaches! First of all, congrats to Coach Sarah on your marathon today! I can't wait to hear all about it. My question is... when we have a target time on our run, whether it's a 46 minute short stride sandwich or a 2:15 long run, how imperative is it that we hit AT LEAST that target time? I find that I often misjudge my route and stop short of the designated time. When I see it's going to happen, I slow down to try to fill out the time but I still find I finish a few minutes early for many runs. Am I doing myself a disservice? Should I trot back and forth past my house to finish up and get the full number of minutes in? Is it better to misjudge on the other end and go long? THANKS!

ReBuild!

1. I am new to this group - hello!!! - and I struggle with fueling myself before runs. - timing for eating before a run, what to eat/drink and how long before a run - particularly for an early morning run. I usually wake up and get dressed while having an espresso, stretch for about 10 min, warm up for 5, and then head off, once I've used the bathroom (TMI?!). Often I don't eat before the morning run....and this seems fine as long as it's a short run - maybe half an hour. When I run later in the day or longer, I really struggle to find the right timing for running after eating (how long does one need to wait?). I'd love to hear your advice on this!

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative, and anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

"It's not fair that women look in the mirror and feel disgust because of what society has made them believe." - Jessica Simpson, c 2009

To be crystal clear: we LOVE Jessica Simpson. She is talented and has never gotten the credit she deserves for that. (we're not sure she's ever gotten credit at all)

We loathe the media narrative that has formed around her ever since she was known for being the ambitious (code for "gold-digging/famewhore") girlfriend of Nick Lachey. We only hear about her love life and weight loss. We do NOT blame her for attempting to capitalize on it. We are horrified at what she has been used to make women believe about themselves, how she went from rising star to cautionary tale.

Jessica Simpson is getting glowing praise from all corners of the internet...didn't you hear? She lost 100 pounds! Amy Trujillo has some thoughts about that. You may remember Amy from past episodes of the Fitness Protection Podcast: she's a middle-school teacher and a runner and strong-ass woman who has no plans to go on a crash diet in order to impress you.

Amy walks us through the Yahoo! News article (not linked here) about Jessica Simpson's weight loss and all the things that aren't being said. In order to lose 100 pounds in 6 months (postpartum or otherwise), a person would have to either severely restrict their caloric intake, exercise to a dangerous extent, or both (thanks for that, Biggest Loser). A thin person restricting and over-exercising would immediately be evaluated for a possible eating disorder. But the 240-pound Jessica Simpson (now 140-pound Jessica Simpson) is praised and idolized all over the internet. "Kudos to Jessica!" says Women's Health magazine.

Once again, we're told, weight loss is the answer. Rapid, unrealistic, unhealthy weight loss is the even-better, worthy-of-mass-celebration answer. Amy looks at this story and calls bullshit, and we are hanging on her every word.

Amy Trujillo is a science teacher at a local, public, high-performing magnet school in Denver. She believes in the importance of calling out these narratives because she sees how even her 6th graders have already absorbed implicit messaging from stories like this.

This was originally supposed to be a bonus episode, but Amy graced us with more time than the original 20 we thought we were going to get so we decided this warranted a full episode.

We start with a high-level discussion of 'life as performance art'- from the college kid who is SO EXCITED to correct Amy's pronunciation of bruschetta he forgets he's at TGI Friday's, and a cringe-worthy moment of performative wokeness in the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Drop Dead Gorgeous definitely has problematic themes, but when Coach MK was younger there weren't many stories on the big screen that truly represented her experience. Her rural Southern life was almost always the butt of the joke, Drop Dead Gorgeous made her feel like she was in on the joke. The difference was really important at the time- in 1999 she was a rural scholarship kid at Georgetown and felt like the butt of most jokes. She feels that sting every time someone fakes a Southern accent. There was one Narrative about people in the South, all of us could be associated with and summed up by that famous banjo twang from the movie "Deliverance". It was inescapable, she had to WORK to overcome that Narrative in people's minds once they heard the sound of her voice. Those well-traveled kids at Georgetown had been all over the world but had not once ventured beyond the confines of the suburbs; I was the only person from a place like Smith County most of them had ever encountered.

This is why the Single Narrative Theory matters- when we focus on the individual as the representative of a group, that single narrative is used to define all people who are perceived to be in the same group. It's the box I have to break out of once you hear my real voice. Do you want my story, do you care about my truth? Nah, you busy. Easier to lump me into whatever Narrative you already know. This is why we need more voices in the room when stories are written, when movies are produced, when fall tv slates are set. A new show or movie isn't breaking new ground if it isn't introducing a new Narrative about the faces and cultures presented in the movie, a litmus test Brittany Runs a Marathon totally fails in ways that we don't think were intended to be cringe-worthy.

We have come a LONG way in the depictions of disabilities and marginalized communities onscreen save one: fat people. This is why we wanted to speak to Amy: Brittany Runs a Marathon perpetuates the same Narrative about fat people being angry and sad and messy AND THEN they get their lives together, lose weight, and find love and happiness.

AHEM. no. This Narrative, and this movie, conflates internalized fatphobia with responsibility. It's why we feel ashamed of being even a little overweight and get ANGRY when fat activists demand we accept their bodies- you are doing work by caring while they flaunt their refusal to do work. This is why Shrill matters, it's important to see fat people living normal lives, being comfortable in their bodies. It gives us a new Narrative about fat people, and a Second Narrative about fat people is a critical step in ensuring the world will be a safer place for them...and for us.

We also need a New Narrative about eating disorders and how they CAN exist in people with BMIs over 17...but THAT podcast will take more time to prepare.

Runner, Interrupted is ready to launch! Click here to be added to the beta testing list!

Congratulations to Maintain participant Tamara Paton, who shall heretofore be referred to as "IronTam" for finishing the Barrelman Half Ironman today!

ReBuild

1. So how many more weeks is Uranus in retrograde? Asking for a friend. ;) More life happening in September than expected and I haven't run more than twice this month, and haven't been keeping up with walking much in the last week. But I managed work travel, got a raise and am replacing both cars at once. Am I still winning at life? Ann from Tx

• #choosethecheetos
• Remember that you're paying for the tether.

Maintain

1. Does anyone else suddenly want to eat ALL. THE. THINGS. during the taper? or is it just me? (I'm fine during the regular schedule)

• Coach Sarah: UM YES.
• Metabolic change = YAY!

2. Saturdays are getting busy around here. Can I flip-flop the Friday and Saturday runs or do I need to do more schedule re-arranging than that? I have Fridays off so they are great for long runs.

• YES THIS IS FINE!

3. If I want to swap out a run for a bike ride, is the heart rate cap the same? I think I heard somewhere that it should be 8-10 beats lower because you don't have to support your own weight?

• What matters is being safe - technically yes but we're not that worried about a firm 130 cap as opposed to 140. Safe and careful as possible!

4. My last run was August 24, and I've walked a handful of times since then. For the next few days, pain management is the priority, then surgery on Wednesday (laparoscopic cystectomy), recovery, and reintroduction to running. What would be the best plan for me to follow in October? Will runner interrupted be up then? I'm still hoping that the Kiawah HM can still happen for me in December. ❤️and thanks.

• Let's plan to be in RI and only take up more work when we are certain we are ready for more work - remember that you are NOT behind in any way

5. I "YOLO'd" a Ragnar Sunset race yesterday. It was two loops of 4.75 miles. I did okay but I was hot and I realized how important it is for me to maintain my long runs each week, as the past few weeks I cut them shorter due to time constraints. My question is: can you please remind me of all of the good recovery things I should be doing this week? Of course there will be foam-rolling and Avocado toast, but other tips/reminders would be appreciated too. Thanks!

• HYDRATION!

6. Sorry in advance for how long this is probably going to be! Is tomorrow (monday 9/23) the right time for the optional EAT in Tenacious if my race is 10/5? or did I miss the right time for it (last monday)? Also, I had a glorious 4 hour long run yesterday, and no matter what happens on race day, yesterday's LR will forever live in my memory as perfection. I'm not a bit sore today, but everything was stiff and tired yesterday by the time 4 hours had passed. to complete the distance on race day I will be staring down 2+ more hours on those tired achy muscles...any encouragement/mantras you can offer to make that seem less daunting would be SOOOO appreciated!

• Part 1 - YES
• Part 2 - I'm SO AWESOME!

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative, and anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

"Culture isn't a costume" has been a guiding theme for parents in assisting their kids in Halloween/school plays/etc. We know we don't need to make our skin darker to exude the essence of Moana or Harriet Tubman or Oprah or Sonia Sotomayor or Flojo so we are SHOCKED when people do. For the privileged, race, in so many ways, is easier to navigate than fatness conversationally, because the boundaries are more culturally accepted to be obvious to all; if you don't see how blackface is offensive, good luck explaining that or getting anyone to accept an apology. We know it's problematic to say to a person of color, "but this isn't about race". That's white privilege- it's rarely about race for some, but for others EVERYTHING is about race; your experience is actually defined by your race.

We do not extend that same grace to fat people. Maybe because we see fat as a problem to solve, we see obese bodies as something that needs fixing. Just a little love and concern, like an overgrown yard. A person can't change the color of their skin, but they can change the size of their body, right?

This is where Brittany Runs a Marathon begins for us, with a fat suit. The epitome of privilege. A burden to be discarded as the story progresses, revealing the treasure within. If the story isn't about weight loss, then weight loss shouldn't have been in the story. That's just where our objections begin as we break down all the themes we were disappointed to see in this movie...and the disordered eating patterns we cannot pretend weren't there.

Trigger warning: Fatphobia, eating disorders, eating disorder recovery, drug abuse, prescription drug abuse, are just a few of the things we saw in this 'feel good' movie about a woman who starts running and loses weight....and THEN realizes her issues were still present and proceeds to pretend her personal journey is still complete without doing the necessary internal work to manage them.

#AskAway with Coach MK and Coach Sarah is here! This week we wrestle with technology (Coach MK is still in the AirBnb with a great hot tub and terrible internet) while answering questions about The Struggle Bus, Predatory Bullsh*t disguised as "self-help", and Fall Marathon Strategies!

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative, and anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

ReBuild

1. So I'm on the struggle bus big time with balancing work commitments, family, and self-care. I know I need to make more time for me, because I'm suffering the most in this equation. It's also hard to keep all the negative comments about myself under control. So where is the line between pushing yourself to do better and berating yourself? Thanks so much for coaching and loving us. I really enjoyed the Re(Build) podcast; it really reaffirmed how happy I am to be here.

a. Self help is predatory bullshit - if it's making you feel bad, it's not working!!

Maintain

1. Hi Coaches I have 2 questions today. 1) I am doing a half in 2 weeks. Can you remind me what the week befores workouts should be? I am doing the all the strength and doing the harder workouts on the treadmill at the moment as it feels kinder to my Plantar Fasciitis even though it is mostly healed. Please can you talk taper. 2) the training peaks discussion is very informative and interesting. But I don't know what data I can pull without the premium version. Can you give a breakdown of useful or interesting data points that can be found in the free version ( if any) Thank you both for your love and support. It's wonderful to be #coachedandloved

https://help.trainingpeaks.com/hc/en-us/articles/204074014-Basic-vs-Premium-Athlete-Account-for-Athletes

2. Back to school has hit me hard this week! As a result I missed my LR (I do on Mondays) and the workouts (run and strength) on Thursday and Friday. Should I just pick up Sunday's run and Monday's LR as is, or ease back into it with a shorter amount?

3. Question 1: I know that sleep and nutrition are important. Can you explain why lack of sleep and not getting enough protein may result in that heavy leg feeling? I know that you have probably talked about this before but I could use a refresher. Question 2: 1x1s are starting this week for me and I was just wondering how we figure out what race effort is supposed to be. Are we supposed to use the "A" pace from the EAT? I know that you have said that our marathon pace will be somewhere between easy effort and the "A" pace from the EAT. My EE pace and my "A" pace are 2:30 minutes apart from each other.

4. My head is kind of playing games with me right now. I have one more 20 miler left before my marathon and had my best long run and final EAT to date so I am super curious to see how my run goes. PUMPED to be exact but I do have one question. My last 20 miler is this week which is just two weeks from my marathon. My heart is saying that is plenty of time to rest and recovery before race day since they are are a comfortable heart rate (140 most of the way) but my head is saying....hmmmm....seems like I should be cutting back not and tapering this week? Can you help ease my head (again) on a long run just two week away? I am assuming it is because we run them easy and have a NICE taper after? THANKS Coach

5. Hey coaches! I think few of us are in our last few weeks of race training. Can you talk through race strategies for our marathons? I know I saw a fb live you did last spring but now that it is fall can but could you walk us through the heart rate caps for the different stages of the race again? Thanks as always! Kristy