Strides for Strength

Today we have Jessie on the podcast! She is a certified personal trainer and holistic fitness coach and we chat all about supporting yourself through your menstrual cycle and increasing your physical strength.

Jessie discusses hormones and their fluctuations during a female's menstrual cycle and emphasizes that regular exercise and focusing on hormones, mindset, physical strength, and stress management can all help improve overall health and wellness.

We also talk about the different phases of a female's menstrual cycle and how to best support yourself during each one.


00:03:17 Hormones fluctuate throughout month.
00:05:13 Female hormones fluctuate monthly.
00:15:35 Sync hormones with workouts.
00:17:40 Listen to your body.
00:26:08 Build muscle for health.
00:27:15 Strength training boosts health.
00:34:05 Push yourself to try new things.
00:41:04 Address stress before exercise.
00:43:03 Mental health is important.

Connect with Jessie:
IG: msjessielockhart
Podcast: The Swoleistic™ Show
Facebook Group: The Swoleistic™ Collective

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

We are so excited to have Makenzie on the podcast today! She shares her experience with running as a way to control something during a difficult time in her life and the amount of physical and mental strength it's taken for her to be successful.

She describes herself as an average everyday runner from Rochester, New York. Mackenzie shares her favorite running song, her go-to shoes, and even shares an embarrassing on-the-run moment. 

We have loved working with Makenzie and are so proud of all the progress she's made!

[00:02:23] Favorite Run Song.
[00:04:15] GI issues while running.
[00:08:23] Advice for new runners.
[00:11:33] Consistency in training.
[00:16:11] Easy running and training impact.
[00:19:11] Excitement for improving weather.
[00:25:21] The Importance of Community.
[00:26:44] Running community support.
[00:30:38] Experimenting with Running Nutrition.
[00:35:07] What makes a strong runner.
[00:38:17] Consistency in Running Performance.

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Today we are chatting with Christine, co-founder of Relentless Runners and a certified run coach, about the benefits of working out and running while pregnant.

We cover the myth that pregnant women should not run, while acknowledging there are reasons why running may not be suitable for every pregnant woman. Christine shares her expertise on how to safely and effectively incorporate running and exercise into a pregnancy routine.

[00:00:03] Running While Pregnant.
[00:05:27] Time management for busy moms.
[00:06:26] Time management for moms.
[00:10:01] Partner support for athletes.
[00:13:44] Don't compare your hard.
[00:17:02] Running through pregnancy safely.
[00:20:36] Running while pregnant.
[00:25:41] Pelvic floor health.
[00:28:41] Pelvic floor during pregnancy.
[00:32:36] Pelvic floor and running.
[00:36:40] Postpartum running.
[00:40:11] Postpartum Run Walk Method.
[00:42:55] Running during pregnancy.

Connect with Christine on IG:
@Chirssy.nich.runs
@bumprunner

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Today we are SO excited to have Michael Gabriel on the podcast! Michael was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is a tech professional who stumbled into running and costuming while running.

He was a soccer player in school, but when he did not make the team, he turned to track and field. He and his friend Elizabeth, who he met during college, decided to do the Atlanta Track Club's 10-mile race and he enjoyed it so much that he did a half marathon two weeks later. Following that he put his name in the New York City lottery and ended up getting in for that marathon. That was it, he was hooked!

This led to Michael completing the World Marathon Challenge -  that's 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in 7 days...! He takes us through each of the races along with the challenges that each brought.

00:04:38 Running can be fun.
00:08:41 Start slow and steady.
00:10:09 Slow down to speed up.
00:14:44 Give up control.
00:21:46 Time management is key.
00:25:00 Stressful marathon travel conditions.
00:30:59 Encourage each other through running.
00:35:34 Take control of your life.
00:36:06 Control the controllable.
00:43:29 Prepare for the unexpected.
00:48:37 Run easy for success.
00:49:17 Find your comfortable pace.
00:53:56 Challenging physical and mental.
00:59:23 Carry less and dress up.
01:04:43 Be positive and listen to your body.
01:11:37 Be kind to flight attendants.
01:14:08 Believe in yourself and others.
01:17:10 Incredible journey of self-discovery.
01:23:16 Train for better results.
01:28:07 Empower girls to make world better.
01:30:25 Passion leads to progress.

Donate to She's The First

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Today we are chatting with one of our very own athletes, Amelia! She is a full-time ER nurse, a new wife, dog and cat mom, and loves a good true crime podcast.

Amelia and Coach Erin met as ER nurses and connected through running! She started her running journey following the Couch to 5K as a way to get in more movement and prepare for the Tour Du Mont Blanc hike she and her husband planned to do for their honeymoon.  

She then decided to reach out to Coach Erin to start training for her first half marathon! Her transition was super smooth given the training she'd already done but sometimes just having that other person to believe in you and give you a little extra push is what we need to get to the next level.

Amelia said that the accountability of having a coach and a plan was what drove her to start with Strides For Strength. Being a fellow nurse she knew that both Coach Erin and Coach Michaela could connect and understand that side of things as well. She loves that her programming is scheduled to fit her (nurse) life. 

Having that strong coach/athlete relationship is key! It's important that boundaries are set both with your working life and athlete life and a coach that supports that will make a big difference. 

 When it comes to physical and mental shifts, Amelia shares that she feels more comfortable now knowing when she can push herself more. She's made big mindset shifts when it comes to her training, food, work, etc., and all of that plays into her success as a runner.

Amelia was part of our first athlete retreat and we absolutely LOVED having her there and getting to all be together in person! Big things are ahead for her and we cannot wait to see all she accomplishes!

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Today we're recapping the very first Strides For Strength retreat that we just hosted, and let's just say, it exceeded all our expectations!

From the very moment we arrived, everything was perfect and we saw the vision we had had for so long actually coming to life. As a rewind moment, Strides for Strength became an LLC in November of 2021 and a retreat was something we always wanted to do.

Community is so important within running and the backbone of Strides For Strength so planning this was something we knew we wanted! We really broke the planning down into bite-size pieces and definitely learned a lot along the way.

We hosted the retreat in Florida and when we both arrived we went on a run (obviously) and then to a little dive bar to eat, where we purchased our first meal on our business credit card... that moment was a full circle moment for sure! During the retreat we also received our very first paycheck - up until now we've invested everything we've made back into the business in order to make it what it is.  

The next morning we both had long runs and when our alarms went off, it was a struggle... But we made it happen. After that, we decided to film some content, which was absolutely hilarious and so much fun. Then we got the house ready for everyone and headed to CostCo for all the food!

The airbnb we stayed at was AMAZING - it had literally everything we needed and so much more. We were so excited to welcome everyone and our hearts were so full when they arrived. 

The morning after everyone arrived we had a 3 mile shake out run and then after breakfast we had someone come to lead us in yoga and breath work (which was amazing! Catching a theme? Amazing... lol). 

Our dinner before race day we catered Olive Garden and before bed we laid out everyone's race day stuff and it was so much fun to watch everyone get so excited! 

Race day morning we got up before the group and started getting breakfast ready and set the vibe for the day before heading to the start line. Lots of pump-up jams!  

One of our favorite things was seeing the group truly come together and support each other! Of course, the two of us were an absolute vibe and we totally brought the energy. Getting to support our athletes was everything.

Just ask Erin - she literally busted her hand trying to make sure she didn't miss one of her athletes crossing the finish line! 

That final morning we sent everyone off and took a moment to hold onto the feeling - this is what we worked so hard for and we will never forget it! 

If you have FOMO and want to be part of our next Strides For Strength retreat, slide into our DMs and we'll chat about how you can be there!  

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Toni is a fellow Running Coach and a wealth of knowledge! Transitioning from a college athlete playing soccer, she tore her ACL and was looking for what could be next. Running was not on her radar but she jumped into the Pittsburgh Half Marathon and it hooked her!

So many athletes can relate to the transition when you stop your sport and aren't sure what's next. Toni signed up for her first marathon and started training and we love how she reflects on her journey that got her to where she is today.

She never could have imagined that running would become her career... but that's exactly what happened, but not without a few bumps along the way. 

In 2019 Toni experienced an ankle injury that took 3 years to work through. She found out she had chronically stretched-out ligaments and eventually had surgery after getting conflicting advice from professionals. 

Toni said meditation really helped her by looking at her specific situation and detaching from her history and focusing on the facts. That's when she knew surgery was the best route for her.

After her surgery, she focused on the things that made her happy - cooking and her business were at the top of the list. Although she missed running it did allow her to find new things that made her happy! She really worked on her mindset and worked up to training hard again.

She started training for the Columbus Half Marathon and absolutely loved it! Seeing the road it took for her to get there is so inspiring to us. 

 She is currently training for the Bayshore Marathon this spring and we can't wait to cheer her on!

Follow Toni @tonikengor

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Ready for us to dish on all the Q&A's that you have, or maybe didn't even realize you had?!

Q. How'd we get started running?
A. Erin - Dated into a family of runners - yep I was that meme that people talk about not wanting to marry into a family that runs 5ks on holidays...  And fun fact, I got cut from track in high school... twice. SO much to unpack here, including being a female and navigating your period and other related things that we don't talk about!

A. Mich - Started track in middle school and quit... But in high school, I was a sub for the 4x4 where I found myself running in a heat and qualifying time that I should not have been in... and that pity clap at the end lives on in my brain still to this day! I picked running back up in college, but it was on my terms this time.

Q.  What's your favorite race?
A. Mich - Chicago Marathon! The energy of Chicago is unmatched. 

A. Erin - Peach Tree! But also loved Berlin... Tough decision.

Q. How do you stay motivated to run?
A. Erin - I don't... I know I'm my best self after I move my body in a way that I want to. I try to keep the bigger picture in mind.

A. Mich - It's important to hold both discipline and self-compassion. I also remember that I am blessed to be able to run and that means everything.

Q. Recovery after runs.
A. Erin - Eat after your run! That is my one piece of advice.

A. Mich - Eating that protein after your run helps so much with your recovery process.

Q. Fueling for long runs with nutrition.
(We will be bringing on an expert to chat about this topic!)
A. Erin - Find what works well for you and try new things. Also, track how you feel.

A. Mich - Don't practice it on your long runs. Try it out on short runs first to see how your body reacts. 

We'd love to hear your questions! Fill out this Google Form and we'll collect and answer them on a future episode.

Link for recommendation for sample nutrition packs

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

In this weeks episode we chat with Tyler, one of Coach Erins athletes! Tyler came to Erin with no running background (excluding some OrangeTheory here and there) and now he is an Atlanta Track Club Peachtree Finisher, training for his SECOND half marathon and even now talking about potentially setting the goal to run a full marathon! We talk with Tyler about how he made training work while being a bedside nurse, then transitioning to a non bedside role that includes adapting to multiple travel days/week. He shares some mindset shifts he's had since getting more in to running and how important community has been to him along the way. We love getting to interview our athletes because it's so cool for them to have a chance to reflect on where they started vs. where they are now. Athlete interviews are meant to show you that being a runner has NO requirements outside of being willing to suck at first, show up and stay consistent through the highs and lows of what all comes with training! 

Follow us on IG: @stridesforstrength
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
Coach Erin: @the.running.rosen

Check out our website https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

With the turn of the calendar you might be looking at 2023 and wondering what goals do you set? What races do you sign up for? How do you keep making forward progress without losing momentum? What things are actually important to you vs. what is the goals/beliefs you are adopting because of what others are doing?

In this weeks episode Coach Erin and Michaela talk about some of their 2023 goals and how their mindsets have shifted over the years from focusing only on shiny objects like race day medals and PRs to really adopting a LONGEVITY mindset and taking the time to focus on small habits that will impact performance down the road.

Most importantly- we talk about setting goals for YOU, embracing the SUCK and HARD when it comes to starting something, especially when you're a newbie. It's not about perfection, it's about consistency and learning to show up even when it's not convenient or feels hard.

Whatever your 2023 goals are on the run and beyond, we are here to support you every step of the way!

Follow us on IG: @stridesforstrength
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
Coach Erin: @the.running.rosen

Check out our website https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

CONNECT WITH US:
IG: @sfsrunners
Coach Erin: @therunningrosen
Coach Michaela: @michaela_robertson_
WEBSITE: https://www.stridesforstrength.com/

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST