Hey Conscious Runners! Today, I’ve got an amazing interview for you! It is with health and fitness nerd, Steve Kamb. Steve is the heart and soul behind the mega-fitness and wellness site, Nerd Fitness. Through workout quests, yoga videos, fitness tips, healthy meals and a camp that is out of this world, Nerd Fitness, gives people who are struggling to get heathy, a fighting chance. Steve started exercising back in high school without really knowing what he was doing. To add to it, he was intimidated by gyms, a complete newbie in the kitchen, and was overwhelmed by conflicting and confusing information. It wasn’t until he graduated college and learned the right way to train, that he started to see positive changes.

Steve figured if he needed six years of mistakes to find success, there had to be thousands of others who were struggling to see positive health and fitness changes as well and he wanted to help. Since he considered himself a nerd and he liked fitness…he combined the two and turned life into one giant wellness video game. In five years Steve took Nerd Fitness from a simple one-man blog into a passionate “Rebellion” of over 300,000 email subscribers and over 1.5 million monthly visitors. He has also had the pleasure to guest lecture at Google and Facebook, and deliver a TEDx talk on his approach fitness.

This is definitely an episode you DON’T want to miss! It is jam-packed with wisdom that will have you running a whole lot lighter.

[Tweet “”The best workout plan is the one that you follow.” ~Steve Kamb”]

[Tweet “”You don’t have to ask for anyone’s permission to change anything about yourself.” ~Steve Kamb”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! Another week has gone I’ve got another fantastic interview for you. Yes, I know I keep saying this, but it’s true. It’s just that my guests are so awesome! This week I’ve got meditator, teacher, personal development coach and Author Linda Hall on the line with me to show us how we can take our running to another level, by running with the mind of mindfulness meditation.

Linda teaches meditation and mind/body awareness for patients at The Optimum Health Clinic, an award winning clinic specializing in M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia Linda’s work is informed by having had M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome herself for almost a decade, during which time she developed a gentle, sensory based approach to meditation that takes into account the hypersensitivity and cognitive impairment caused by the condition.

Now fully recovered, Linda is passionate about helping others with this much misunderstood illness to manage their symptoms and support their recovery. Her meditation audios for relaxation and personal growth are distributed globally and her guided meditation videos on YouTube have been viewed over a million times. I met Linda through Jack Thompson, creator of Running Deep, an album of guided meditations for runners. Linda has a couple of tracks on that album, so I thought it fitting to have her on the podcast as a guest.

If you’re feeling down, depressed, burned out, overly tired or a bit frustrated with life and it is affecting your running or if you want to incorporate more mindfulness into your running this episode is for you.

[Tweet “”When you reorganize mind, body reorganizes.” ~Linda Hall”]

[Tweet “”All it takes is a willingness to be with yourself consciously.” ~Linda Hall”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! I’ve got an amazing episode for you! I know I say that about every episode, and it’s true. But honestly, this one is takes it to a another level! Today, I’ve got first time marathoner Brian Madden on the line with me. I met Brian a couple of years ago. He reached out to me about being interested in running a marathon. I didn’t hear from him for two years.

About two months ago, I got a message from him saying that he was going to run a marathon and that he wanted my help. I immediately said yes! To say coaching Brian was an adventure is an understatement! First of all, he came to me never having run over a 5k and in 7 weeks, he wanted to complete his first marathon in 6 hours. But for Brian it was about much more than this. It was about crossing the finish line before he turned 40 years old, it was about challenging himself in a way never had, it was about becoming one of the few who could say they ran 26.2 miles.

Brian knew little to nothing about running. We worked closely together as I coached him towards his goal. There were long solo runs, runs in the bitter cold and runs that began at 2:30 am and lots of doubts to overcome.  Through Skype calls, phone calls, emails, pep talks and even a quick call to easy his nerves the night before his race, Brian was able to accomplish his goal and learn so much about himself and running along the way.

[Tweet “”I enjoy what running has done for me ~Brian Madden”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey, Conscious Runners! Today I’ve got another fantastic interview for you! I’ve got runner, meditator and producer of guided meditations for runners, Jack Thompson! I met Jack a few weeks ago when he reached out to me about coming on the podcast. Jack is a part of a major running project that I absolutely LOVE. A few years ago, I searched the for guided mediations for runners. One site came up. It looked like the site hadn’t been updated since 2007. Before I bought the album, I decided to contact the site owners.

When I didn’t hear back, the second time, I gave up searching for guided meditation for runners.  So, when Jack approached me about Running Deep, I knew I had to interview him. While I was waiting for the interview, I listened to several tracks on the album and I LOVE THEM! Honestly, this album is a dream come true! It was exactly the kind of guided meditations I was looking for two years ago when I began my search. I am so excited about Runners Deep and sharing it with you! It’s got guided mediations that can be used for easy runs, harder workouts, recovery, stress reduction and sleep!

We talk about all this in the interview and much more.

[Tweet “”I try to be conscious of how my five senses are taking in the world around me as I run ~Jack Thompson”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Today I’ve got another fantastic interview for you! It’s with one one of my good friends, runner and yogi PJ Ann Aguilar. PJ started running several years ago as a way to ‘take time out for herself’ and is about to embark on her first half-marathon. Over 12 years ago PJ discovered yoga and in 2010, she started her yoga business, Simplicity Retreats as a way to nurture herself and others. In addition to the yoga retreats, PJ hosts the Women in Wellbeing Podcast, providing business coaching for women with a passion for health, healing and happiness.

PJ lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband and their two young boys. If you’re getting ready to embark on your running journey, run your first half marathon on want to know more about how yoga can help you becoming a stronger, faster more injury resistant runner, this show is for you!

[Tweet “”You are where you need to be ~ PJ Ann Anguilar”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Today I’ve got a fantastic interview for you! It’s with one of my good friends Sicco Rood of Meditation Freedom and the Meditation Freedom Podcast. I was interviewed for Sicco’s podcast when I was writing The Conscious Runner Book.

Sicco spent a good portion of his childhood and early adulthood struggling to understand and appreciate the point of life and the pain we cause each other. He also felt very alienated and separate and had a sense of being, “bad”.  He was so miserable at one point as a teen, that he tried to find a meditation solution to help him escape life.

Fortunately, through great meditation teachings and practice (with ethical, wise, and compassionate teachers and community), Sicco learned to savor, enjoy, and become more intimate with the present and loosen the conditioned boundaries that kept him in a self-limited prison of his own own mind.

[Tweet “”The world around us is reflective of the world inside of us ~ Sicco Rood”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! I’m so excited to bring you this episode. Today, I’ve got our very own Michel Dion on the line with me! You may have seen him in The Conscious Runner Academy private Facebook Group. I met Michel last year when I was writing The Conscious Runner book. If you don’t have a copy, get one! His belief in me was instrumental in keeping me motivated. And it turned out, he is a runner too! Michel discovered the joy of running at age 42 and has since run distances up to the half marathon. Last year, I had the opportunity to coach Michel through an injury and to a personal best in the half marathon. This year he’d like to improve on that time.

Michel and I have wanted to record an episode together for awhile. He thought it would be a great idea to get the perspective of a newbie runner starting later in life and I agreed! This episode is a bit of a different kind of interview. Michel asks me questions on everything from shoes to nutrition, to training plans, to barefoot running. Nothing is off limits. This is a really powerful episode! It’s Coach’s Corner to another level!

I completely enjoyed my chat with Michel and know you will enjoy it too.

[Tweet “”There is No Tough Day That Can’t Be Solved By a Good Run ~ Michel Dion”][Tweet “”Running being a nice way to empty the mind~ Michel Dion”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! I’m so excited to bring you this episode. Today, I’ve got runner, editor at Trail Runner Magazine and creator of the Mindful Running Training system and running and wellness retreats.

Using a mindful approach to training and recovery, Elinor helps runners break free from cycles of chronic injury, burnout and the constant struggle to reach fitness and racing goals.

Elinor’s Mindful Running Training System will help you find your training “sweet spot,” where you are doing just the right amount necessary to reach your goals while maintaining optimal health. This approach emphasizes the importance of building a foundation of good health upon which to build fitness.

As a result, you will be able to reach new levels of fitness and running success while become injury resistant, cultivating more energy, more time for rest, sleep and self care.

I completely enjoyed my chat with Elinor and know you will too.

[Tweet “”Tapping into deeper levels of yourself and finding that will to finish when you think you have nothing left” – Elinor Fish”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! I’m so excited to bring you this episode. Today, I’ve got legendary runner, winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon, author and Editor in Chief at Runner’s World magazine, Amby Burfoot on the line with me. I was so nervous before recording this interview. I’ve heard the name Amby Burfoot for decades and was thrilled to have this opportunity to speak with him about his running career and his new book First Ladies of Running: 22 Inspiring Profiles of the Rebels, Rule Breakers, and Visionaries Who Changed the Sport Forever.

First Ladies of Running tells the inspiring stories of pioneer runners from 1958 until the moment when Joan Benoit crossed the finish line to win the 1984 first Olympic Marathon for women. In a special additional chapter, Burfoot runs the Marine Corps Marathon with Oprah Winfrey 10 years after Benoit’s Olympic triumph. Winfrey’s successful finish opened the floodgates for millions of midpack women runners.

By refusing to quit in the face of adversity, the pioneer runners inspired the next generations of women both on and off the track. First Ladies of Running is a tribute to the trailblazers of women’s running, and a gift of empowerment for female runners everywhere!

I completely enjoyed my chat with Amby Burfoot and know you will too.

[Tweet “”What I wanted most was to become a marathoner and win the Boston marathon” – Amby Burfoot”]

“I get slower literally every single day and that will continue the rest of my life, but I can’t let that get in the way of the number of positive things running does for me every day, every week and every year.” ~ Amby Burfoot

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.

Hey Conscious Runners! I’ve got a super inspiring show for you. Today, my guest is Stephen Lee from Zerometers Running and The Average Runner Podcast. If you are want to using running to help lose weight, quit smoking, turn your life completely around or become a serial ultra-marathoner or trail runner, this episode is for you.

In February of 2014 Stephen was in his office and feeling like he was going to pass out. A longtime coworker and asked him if he was okay. Even though he said that he was, she took him to the local clinic, where he discovered that his blood pressure was through the roof at 215/160.

The doctors worried that he was about to stroke out and gave him a prescription, but the prescription did not agree with him. It was at that time that Stephen decided that enough was enough. He joined his local community center and started going to the gym everyday before work and drastically changing his diet. Although he was having good results, he was getting bored and craving something new.

A friend of his suggested he run a 5K charity race that his friend and his family were doing in a few weeks. At that time the most Stephen remembers doing was about 2 miles of fast walking on the treadmill. He did the race, and although he was exhausted after it, he fell in love with running (he had run back in my Army days but hated it then).

So he ran a few more 5Ks and did better at each one of them. The 5Ks turned into 15Ks and then Half Marathons, Full Marathons and in less than 2 years, Stephen has competed in an ultra marathon and is planning on running a 50 miler in April 2016.

I completely enjoyed this  interview and know you will too.

[Tweet “”The biggest thing you learn is about yourself” – Stephen Lee”]

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.