The Passionate Runner

Shannon Mulcahy is a mental strength coach with a Masters Degree in Sports & Exercise Psychology. She’s worked with clients ranging from world-champion swimmers to amateur and professional triathletes, runners and cyclists, to athletic departments and the military. Shannon knows the value of performing at your best when it counts most while having fun along the way.

Today, Whitney and Shannon discuss what it means to be mentally tough, tips and best practices for improving your mental strength, and understanding how the mind works in order to improve performance.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:59 – Whitney Heins welcomes Shannon Mulcahy to the show to share her background as a mental strength coach and how she works with her athlete clients

09:52 – Defining mental strength

16:20 – Shannon’s experience working with collegiate programs and the military

19:06 – Ice baths and other ‘toughness’ practices

24:18 – Everyday tips and best practices for improving our mental toughness

34:05 – Negative thoughts and strategies to override them

40:59 – Visualization

46:04 – Meditation and deliberate breathing

56:49 – Whitney thanks Shannon for joining the show

“A little bit with sports psychology is you have this side of it where it’s more mental-health based, and then you have the side that’s much more performance-based. And that’s where I fall.” (06:55) (Shannon)

“[Mental strength] is really just looking at the circumstances that you have, understanding that there’s stress, and dealing with it in whatever way is going to be best for you.” (13:01) (Shannon)

“I’m not necessarily a big biohacking fan and saying, ‘You don’t need to take this cold bath,’ or these very tangible, specific things. I am a person that promotes doing what’s going to work for you. I always say that step one is building awareness around you and your habits, your thoughts, and your emotions, so you can recognize when you’re starting to get uncomfortable and when you’re starting to feel out of control.” (24:53) (Shannon)

“When you’re doing something really hard, your brain to some extent is saying, ‘We can’t do this. We can’t keep going.’ And it feels impossible. Deep down, somewhere inside you, you know that you can, but your brain is telling you, ‘No, stop. We don’t like this.’” (30:26) (Shannon)

“Negative thoughts are very common; they are very normal. They are not necessarily bad. Yes, we maybe want to minimize them or shift them. However, you will not ever ever be able to get rid of all of your negative thoughts. So, if that is your goal, that will not happen. Brains do not allow that to happen. So, we need to adjust our expectations.” (34:45) (Shannon)

“We all know in the moment, when your brain is not in a great place, it is really hard to change it. And once you’re physically pushing yourself, especially pretty hard, you have less brain power essentially to argue with yourself or reframe those thoughts. It gets more challenging.” (40:00) (Shannon)

“The more stress that you have - whatever that stress is, whether it’s physical, work, training, family - the more that’s going on, the more self-care you have to do.” (54:57) (Shannon)

Shannon’s Website – https://www.mulcahyperformance.com/

Shannon’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mulcahy-19291830/

Books Mentioned:

Mind Gym – Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence

Do Hard Things – Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Dr. Sarah Colón Louie is a fellowship-trained Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in treating women runners with hip pain to enable them to return to running pain-free, faster, and with more confidence.

Today, Whitney and Dr. Sarah talk all about hip health, the role that hips play in our running, and tips and best practices for keeping them healthy. Dr. Sarah speaks to running hygiene, techniques for maintaining good hip health while running and advice for pregnant and postpartum runners.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

01:00 – Whitney Heins welcomes Dr. Sarah Colón Louie to the show to share her running origin story and what inspired her to become a physical therapist

07:43 – Why hip problems are so common among women

11:06 – The role of the hips in the gait cycle and exercises to help your hips while running

16:33 – How to know if you have full hip range of motion and promoting overall hip health

22:40 – Signs that you are suffering from hip issues

26:19 – Knowing what you can and cannot run through

29:36 – Home remedies for helping with hip discomfort after running

31:42 – Hip health for pregnant women and postpartum and advice Dr. Sarah would give to pregnant runners

37:58 – Whitney thanks Dr. Sarah for joining the show and sharing her wisdom

“How I describe our bodies at a joint level, whether it’s in the hip or the back or knees, like our skin wrinkles on the outside of our face, our body is going to wrinkle on the inside of our body. So, we’re gonna have osteoarthritis. We’re gonna have degenerative issues, potentially even bulging disks. We’re gonna have labral tears. And these things are somewhat normal in the degenerative sense. If you had an MRI on your body tomorrow, I’m sure you’d be amazed at all of the things that are going on in there degenerative sense. If you had an MRI on your body tomorrow, I’m sure you’d be amazed at all of the things that are going on in there.” (08:18) (Dr. Sarah)

“I would say that the hips - and even the low back going up one segment - is where everything stems from.” (12:03) (Dr. Sarah)

“So, for us to figure out their level of comfort and then build them up on that, I really take into consideration their personal running hygiene and how they can run more comfortably.” (21:23) (Dr. Sarah)

“I would say that the number one red flag as a runner that we want to watch out for is a bone stress injury, or a stress fracture to the hip. This is probably the number one thing that I am never going to ask a runner to run through. And so we just want to clear that and have peace of mind around that. The symptoms of that can really look different to different people, but it’s mostly unrelenting pain.” (26:46) (Dr. Sarah)

“Working on a pelvic symmetry muscle energy technique is something that I love to do for my pregnant mom runners just to help reset their pelvis. And then I give them a ton of either double limb or single limb exercises - whatever they can tolerate - that are gonna get them to gently recruit their abdominals, low back, and hips to maintain that stability of their pelvis.” (33:12) (Dr. Sarah)

“My word for the year is ‘hope.’ And I just want to bring hope to as many runners as I can and just get them to their goals no matter what their story looks like.” (38:23) (Dr. Sarah)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Dr. Sarah’s Website – https://linktr.ee/legacyrunning

Link to Dr. Sarah’s Runners Self Checkup – https://www.legacyrehabandperformance.com/runnerselfcheckup

Dr. Sarah’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/dr.sarah_thehipdoc/

Books Mentioned:

Running Rewired – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=running+rewired+jay+dicharry&hvadid=409935148686&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004216&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11486478823151308416&hvtargid=kwd-441854564809&hydadcr=24626_11409904&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_18addsr7w8_e

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Sara Hayes is the Founder and Head Coach of Mindful Miles, a women’s movement and wellness company that prioritizes mindfulness habits, personal development, and intuitive movement. Sara and the team at Mindful Miles use their knowledge and experience to promote the importance of body image, advocacy and movement for mental health.

Today, Whitney and Sara talk about the Mindful Miles Running community that Sara has cultivated throughout her journey, what it means to be ‘more than a runner,’ and the importance of setting intentions rooted in healthy and positive space.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

01:00 – Whitney Heins welcomes Sara Hayes to the show to share her running story and the origins of Mindful Miles Running

09:30 – The Mindful Miles Running community

14:30 – How Sara works with runners

17:26 – More than a runner

23:18 – What it means to get back to the person/runner you were

30:44 – Running to lose weight

42:05 – Dealing with data

46:13 – Sara shares some of her own mindfulness practices

54:56 – Whitney thanks Sara for joining the show and sharing her story

“When I graduated college I was really burnt out from the sport, and I was heartbroken because this thing that I love so much - and that has made me who I am and has given me the best moments of my life - has also brought me to my knees and it’s made me hate everything about myself. I just looked at myself in the mirror one day and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I can’t continually try to change myself. I can’t hate my body. I give up.’ In doing that, in hitting rock bottom, it was the best thing that could have ever happened for me because Mindful Miles, years later, came about.” (06:42) (Sara)

“For the most part, I think a blanket statement is that you have to have blind faith. That’s why it’s so important to choose a coach that right off the bat, you have that gut feeling. Because on the days you are doubting yourself, you’re going to return to that blind faith.” (15:02) (Sara)

“What I’ve seen in myself and others is we struggle to get back into running or a movement routine, because we have this idea of what running looks like. And oftentimes, it’s sparked from comparison of who we used to be, or the comparison of the runner that we know. And, you have to get really honest with yourself and redefine what running looks like. Life looks different after kids. Life looks different with each phase of having a child and how much they need you and rely on you.” (23:18) (Sara)

“What does it mean to get back to the runner that you were? Is it time? Is it a feeling? What is that specifically and is it reasonable? We start with these surface level goals and ideas, but will it actually bring us joy and is it actually reasonable and realistic for our lives.” (29:25) (Sara)

“This is my firm belief. If your body has weight to lose, it’s going to do so on its own. It’s going to find its own natural, healthy weight.” (34:33) (Sara)

“Data’s great, but the way you’re feeling and any symptoms that your body is presenting, that’s also data. And we can learn to work with that.” (45:03) (Sara)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Sara’s Website – https://www.mindfulmilesrunning.com/

Sara’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iamsarahayes/

Sara’s Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MindfulMilesRunning/

Sara’s Email – [email protected]

Sara’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradigiovanna/

Books Mentioned:

Good for a Girl – https://www.amazon.com/Good-Girl-Woman-Running-World/dp/0593296788/ref=asc_df_0593296788/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=598275089707&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14023107816994929933&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004216&hvtargid=pla-1685369101194&psc=1

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Makenna Myler, while pregnant with her first child, ran a mile in five minutes and 25 seconds— just 10 days before she gave birth to her daughter in October. Her husband, Mike, created a TikTok post that accumulated over 6 million views. Her story jumped to numerous other news sites around the world...and she just did it again, right before this recording---running a 5:17 just days before she’s set to have her second child.

The following spring after having her first, she started entering races to qualify for the Olympic trials. At the end of May, she finally qualified with a time of 32:03.62 in a 10,000-meter race in Oregon. Her time was almost three minutes faster than her best collegiate time.[2]

In the trials on June 26, 2021—seven months after having her first baby—she placed 14th out of 44 runners in a highly competitive 10,000-meter race. Although she didn’t go on to compete in the Olympics, she signed a contract to run professionally for Asics.

In her debut as a pro runner, she ran the Deseret News half marathon in 1:09.54, beating the old course record set by fellow BYU standout Sarah Sellers. Makenna competed in track and field for Brigham Young University from 2011 to 2014.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:58 – Whitney Heins welcomes Makenna Myler to the show to share her running story, including how she ran a mile in five minutes and forty-five seconds while 9-months pregnant

14:17 – Makenna reflects on her very first ‘Pregnant Mile’

20:09 – The genesis of The Naked Myler

21:45 – Key running lessons Makenna has learned throughout the years

27:53 – Changes Makenna has made that have helped her with running through her cycle

33:35 – The importance of showing up

35:28 – The ‘Internal Governor,’ explained

41:45 – Makenna reflects on her experience and the realities of running while pregnant

51:16 – Makenna shares the goals she has for her website

54:21 – Whitney thanks Makenna for joining the show and sharing her story

“So, we did the [pregnant] mile. It wasn’t really planned that well. I was jumping in the middle of this guy’s three-mile tempo. It wasn’t an official race. He was even late because he was trying to do a run before I even did the mile. And then he came, filmed it, thought it was funny so he tried to make a funny video to show our friends and family, and posted it on TikTok. And then half a day later he said, ‘You have half a million views and ESPN wants to post your video.’” (16:44) (Makenna)

“I think what hit me the most was the self-deprecating comments that happened so much. And that’s why we actually started The Naked Myler, which kinda led into this female-running guide for women because so many people - and especially women - were like, ‘Wow, I can’t even get off the couch and I’m a terrible person because I can’t run a five minute mile.’ I really wanted to help people and help them connect happiness with running.” (19:05) (Makenna)

“Now, we have the Naked Myler blog, which is a resource of women - four females - who are running through all things pregnancy, periods, all the hormonal changes to help them navigate how to do that with their cycles.” (20:34) (Makenna)

“First, just mentally understanding that was a huge game changer. I would still show up for the same workout, but I would have to understand, ‘Ok, my body is not responding today. I’ll cut the workout in half. That is ok and I’m not going to let that drag me down or ruin my training. I’m just going to continue on.’” (27:58) (Makenna)

“I think it’s also important to distinguish between adaptations and racing. Because, to me, training is where you’re trying to get your body to adapt to stimulus. And the race is more of the performance. It’s putting it all together. You’re not really trying to get an adaptation, necessarily, from the race.” (33:50) (Makenna)

“The first pregnancy I was training off of relatively high fitness and then just seeing what I could maintain. And this time around, it was more building fitness because, like I said, I took a break. I raced the first two months of pregnancy, took a break, and then had to build fitness. And that was way harder.” (47:23) (Makenna)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Makenna’s Website – https://www.makennamyler.com/

Makenna’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/benzmakenz/?hl=en

Makenna’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/makenna-myler-49471115a/

Makenna’s TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@themylers

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Dr. Todd McGrath is a primary sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He’s also an endurance athlete who works with runners at all levels, including elite to the ‘weekend warriors.’ Dr. McGrath has also served as team physician for the U.S. Soccer’s National Teams. Dr. McGrath has a strong personal and professional interest in endurance athletes. Today, Dr. McGrath joins the show to talk about running marathons closely together, what needs to be considered, and advice on how to recover faster and maximize the time in between marathons.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:57 – Whitney Heins welcomes Dr. Todd McGrath to the show to share his extensive background in sports medicine and advice he would give to those considering running back-to-back marathons

07:43 – The physiological impact of running back-to-back marathons

12:02 – How long is the ideal break between marathons after not running your best race

14:07 – Tips and best practices for ‘getting your legs back’ after running a marathon

15:32 – Identifying when a race isn’t going well

17:07 – Risks of running marathons too closely together

18:34 – Injuries and overtraining

20:31 – The six-week mark

22:06 – Why recovery is the key to running back-to-back marathons

25:27 – Whitney thanks Dr. McGrath for joining the show and sharing his experience

“If you decide early on during the New York City Marathon that things aren’t going how you wanted them to, and you decide to dial it back and take it easy and you make sure you’re not too beat up after the race, then it’s not unreasonable two to three weeks later to think about shifting to that ‘A’ Race. The training has been done. It’s still a little bit difficult though.” (08:30) (Dr. McGrath)

“There’s a few different physiological systems that are impacted pretty significantly. First off, your energy stored is completely depleted. You use up everything you have and then some, which is why you need to replenish during the race. You get a significant amount of muscle breakdown. You see things like your total KC - which is one of the enzymes that goes up in your bloodstream with muscle breakdown - that can go up incredibly high after a marathon. And it can stay high for days to a week or more after the marathon. Even after the muscle soreness is gone, you can still have elevation of that.” (10:08) (Dr. McGrath)

“You don’t run the risk of really hurting yourself, perse. You run the risk of not feeling well, negative performance because of it. You can get into the risk of potential injury if you just jumped back into training, but there are ways to do it if you’re gonna do it.” (13:32) (Dr. McGrath)

“I can find all the articles that will say that you should keep running with this injury or that, with the exception of a few. That’s because the health benefits of running - whether you’re racing or just running to run - far outweigh the negative effects of not being active at all.” (20:15) (Dr. McGrath)

“The recovery phase is critical. Look at it as the training was done. You’ve logged the miles. You’ve put the training into that first marathon. The gap in between the two really should be about recovery from the first marathon, getting plenty of sleep, rehydrating or replenishing all the nutrients lost in that marathon early on. Try to eat a well-balanced diet. Don’t try to crash, or lose weight, or anything like that in between. Fill the tank back up, basically.” (22:34) (Dr. McGrath)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Dr. McGrath’s Bio on HSS – https://www.hss.edu/physicians_mcgrath-todd.asp

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Andrea Ripley is a mother, running coach, and elite distance runner from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials with a Marathon best of 2:43. She’s currently coaching with her husband, Zach Ripley, at A to Z Running, where they help runners thrive. Today, Andi joins the show to share her own journey of running, overcoming injuries, and handling adversity. Whitney and Andi talk about how to battle significant running injuries with grace, patience, and perseverance. They share their own personal experiences with injury, how the running community has helped them, and other enlightening lessons and insights that will help with injuries or any challenges in life.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:56 – Whitney Heins welcomes Andrea Ripley to the show to share her running story, overcoming injuries and shifting her perspective on what running means to her

16:34 – Pregnancy, overcoming health conditions, and leveling up in the face of adversity

19:08 – It’s the process, not the outcome

22:23 – Returning to running post-pregnancy and Andi’s first labrum tear

31:43 – Maintaining a positive attitude through patience and perseverance

37:57 – Finding identity through running and ‘The Phantom Ponytail’

43:01 – Struggling with being surrounded by the running community while injured

45:36 – Self-protective habits to make sure you stay healthy when returning from injury

50:09 – Final thoughts and Andi’s mantra for this year

53:47 – Whitney thanks Andi for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

“My biggest growth has been through finding my own intuition as a runner, and really putting aside the expectations of others, and what I perceive they think I should do, or could do. But that has been kind of a journey, for me, to let go of the outward and really focus on what running needs to do to meet my satisfaction in the sport.” (13:15) (Andi)

“I ran until I was 20 Weeks, and then I was having really terrible Braxton-Hicks, and then I started getting the symptoms of my condition, which kept me from training. But I still walked a lot and I was still active. But that was disappointing for me because I thought if I tried hard enough and I was dedicated enough that I’d have this dream, fit pregnancy, and that was not the case for me.” (18:06) (Andi)

“I think that the most difficult moments, for me in my running journey, are the ones that helped me most in my development. And I feel that I leveled up - even if it took time, I leveled up - because of the challenges that I was experiencing, and pregnancy was one of those challenges for me.” (19:08) (Andi)

“My main goal is not the performance. That’s not my main goal. It’s fun, and I like to chase hard things. But my main goal of running doesn’t have to do with an outcome; it has to do with the process.” (21:09) (Andi)

“I call it the ‘phantom ponytail.’ I have had this imagery in my head for a long time of this girl and she’s myself. And I see her ponytail and she’s always ahead of me, and I can’t catch up to who I was at that ideal moment in my life. And, I chase after her and it’s unattainable, and it’s frustrating. And I compare myself to either something that I’ve been or achieved, or it’s what I hope I will be.” (39:30) (Andi)

“I feel like when you get back to running, it’s almost like you’re dating again. Yes, we know each other, but let’s get reacquainted with this discomfort and how this internal dialogue is going to go. And you kind of get back into a rhythm of self-talk.” (48:41) (Andi)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Andi’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/andiripley

Andi’s Podcast – https://www.atozrunning.com/podcast/

A to Z Running Website – https://www.atozrunning.com/

A to Z Running Email – [email protected]

A to Z Running Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/atozrunning/

A to Z Running Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/atozrunning

A to Z Running Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/atozrunning/

A to Z Running Twitter – https://twitter.com/atozrunning

A to Z Running Articles – https://www.atozrunning.com/articles/

Do Hard Things - https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Things-Resilience-Surprising-Toughness/dp/B09JYH5K33/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whLftCycXRfR0nvOLr4Zfc-ItGi97YDc9Bj9ucEUW0PpeXHJEuzq-4BoCbCwQAvD_BwE&hvadid=604545902569&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004216&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8192059622966791930&hvtargid=kwd-1676933467178&hydadcr=22568_13493238&keywords=steve+magness+do+hard+things&qid=1679325241&sr=8-1

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Andrea Pomaranski has been through so much in her road to becoming an elite runner and has learned an incredible amount about herself throughout the process. So much good can lie ahead even when we’re in the middle of a dark period. When Andrea was in the middle of hers, she refused to believe that was the end of her story. Today, Andrea joins the show to share how she was able to step through the dark times and the importance of putting in the work every day, even when it’s hard.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

01:00 – Whitney Heins welcomes Andrea Pomaranski to the show to share her running story and the importance of asking for help as a mother runner

19:36 – Filling your own cup

24:48 – Andrea’s Marathon progression

29:45 – Andrea’s mentality during marathon cycles

32:24 – Maintaining a healthy balance of competitiveness and the love of running

38:30 – Overcoming struggles with Osteoporosis

40:41 – Andrea opens up about a tragic and devastating moment in her life

45:19 – Lessons from a Masters Athlete

48:52 – What’s next for Andrea and how to connect with Andrea for coaching opportunities

51:34 – Advice Andrea would give to athletes who are struggling with internal pressure

54:12 – Whitney thanks Andrea for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

“It’s really hard. I struggled for years. Every single time I went out the door for years I would almost be on the verge of tears, telling myself, ‘You shouldn’t do this. You’re not as good of a mom as you want to be.’ And that’s just not the case whatsoever. I fully believe it makes me better.” (16:14) (Andrea)

“There have been a couple of marathons where I’ve taken off like twenty seconds. What’s funny is that, in that marathon cycle, I feel like I made these huge jumps and then I’m always happy of a PR of maybe 20 seconds. But then, sometimes it takes a cycle to catch up. So the next time, I’ll make these big jumps but you don’t always see them.” (28:39) (Andrea)

“There’s such a delicate balance between when you work so hard at something, and you need a break to kind of let your mind and body reset, and then you’re ready to jump back in full force again. But then there’s also this other side where sometimes you just have to push through those hard moments knowing that you’re really close to turning a corner and doing something great.” (36:24) (Andrea)

“This is why I’m so passionate about people being in sports and putting your kids in sports. A lot of the lessons I learned about perseverance and never giving up and always trying. I don’t know if I could have gotten through that experience as gracefully as I did without having those values instilled in me at a very young age.” (41:41) (Andrea)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Andrea’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/apomaranski/?hl=en

Team Run Run – https://teamrunrun.com/

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Hadley Sorensen is a health and fitness coach, lifelong runner and author who is looking to publish her first book, Confessions of a Picture Perfect Mom. Today, Hadley joins the show to share her journey to sobriety and how running played a pivotal role in helping her move past alcohol. Whitney and Hadley talk about navigating the complicated relationship with alcohol, Mommy Wine culture, and the increased glamorization of drinking in the running community.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:57 – Whitney Heins welcomes Hadley Sorensen to the show to share how she used running as a way to navigate the world without alcohol and the work she’s doing now to help others facing similar struggles

06:25 – Regret, shame, and alcohol

10:20 – How the pandemic impacted Hadley’s mental health

11:29 – Huge life challenges Hadley went through

13:48 – Mommy wine culture

16:40 – The role running played in Hadley’s recovery

25:24 – Backlash that Hadley received from her decision to stop drinking

27:58 – How running has helped Hadley in her sobriety

32:18 – Does running have a drinking problem?

39:46 – Key takeaways Hadley would like listeners to leave with

42:01 – Whitney thanks Hadley for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

“I say that I was an enthusiastic social drinker. I drank the same way everyone around me was drinking. I had a problem, but my problem was a problem for me. I don’t think it was me being self-aware. I realize that lots of people feel this way, but nobody who looked like me was talking about it.” (07:04) (Hadley)

“Things really seemed to escalate from 2020 on. And I know lots of women were in that same situation because, as mothers, we were put in this impossible position by Covid. We faced more stress than ever. We were making impossible decisions every day. And so, alcohol use among women rose dramatically during Covid.” (10:45) (Hadley)

“I was really excited to see what running would feel like when my body started healing and there were no more hangovers. Running is miserable if you’re hungover; you’re dehydrated. And I fought through a lot of runs like that. I was giving my body too many things to recover from. So I couldn’t wait to see what running was like.” (20:43) (Hadley)

“There was some attrition because I really changed my focus on my [Instagram] page. I was no longer talking about fitness for the average mom. I was talking more about my running and the alcohol-free life. I kind of grew a lot of followers in that alcohol-free space, which is a huge community on Instagram. I had no idea until I stumbled my way into it.” (26:56) (Hadley)

“Running was like my therapy. It gave me the space to think through so many tough situations that I was dealing with. It gave me a place to set goals that I could work for that really helped when I was going through this huge transition. It was the thing that was stable when everything else was in upheaval. And I leaned into it. It felt so good. It brought the joy back.” (28:57) (Hadley)

“There are ways to drink responsibly as an athlete or just your everyday runner. But my whole point is let’s stop glamorizing and highlighting this link between the two. Same with ‘Mommy Wine.’” (38:51) (Hadley)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Hadley’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/hadley_sorensen/?hl=en

Hadley’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadley-sorensen-3bbb979/

Link to Runner’s World Article – https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a42172932/running-alcohol-effects/

Link to the Lived App – https://lived.app/

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Dr. Haley Perlus is a sports psychologist with knowledge and personal experience as an elite athlete, coach, fitness professional, and entrepreneur. An overall wellness enthusiast, Dr. Haley Perlus provides her clients with the necessary mental toughness tools to quickly and consistently achieve their highest level of performance. Today, Whitney and Dr. Haley talk all about how we can believe in ourselves, get and maintain confidence, and overcome our mental blocks.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

00:55 – Whitney Heins welcomes Dr. Haley Perlus to the show to share the remarkable story of her inspiration to pursue sports psychology

13:07 – Your ‘Three Best Words’ and giving yourself grace

20:57 – Best practices for moving on from a bad day

27:08 – Quiet confidence, achieving ‘flow state,’ and pressure

35:14 – Overcoming anxiety and mental blocks

46:06 – Three solutions for overcoming mental blocks

56:19 – The reality of sports

57:50 – Whitney thanks Dr. Haley for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

“Usually when athletes call me it’s because they’ve tried everything else. They’ve tried their nutrition. They’ve tried their skillset or their conditioning. They’ve tried all of these things and nothing is helping them perform better or overcome that one thing.” (10:46) (Dr. Haley)

“You can gain the experience and the tools by doing. If you’ve been running for fifteen years without seeking out sports psychology, I guarantee you learned some mental toughness along the way. Or, you could just listen to Passionate Runner and listen to you and get educated so that you can get out on that training path and out on your run and start to utilize the tools immediately.” (11:35) (Dr. Haley)

“If you can bring back your three best words, at least one of them, often that allows you to push through a little bit more. And then, after that, if you find yourself not having your best performance, to me that’s still a sign that you put forth your best effort. And then it’s time to give yourself some grace. There’s a big difference giving yourself some grace and letting yourself off the hook.” (16:04) (Dr. Haley)

“Being upset tells me two things. It tells me, one, that you really care. And it actually, in my opinion, is a sign of confidence. If you’re upset, it means that you thought you could do better. And if you think you can do better, that’s a sign of confidence.” (21:57) (Dr. Haley)

“Pressure is earned. We don’t put pressure on ourselves for things we don’t think we’re good at. We don’t put pressure on ourselves for things we don’t care about. When we do the work - when we put in the time and the effort, and develop our skills, and see the progress - we put pressure on ourselves. It’s earned. We need to embrace it.” (34:00) (Dr. Haley)

“A mental block is also fear of success. This is huge. If you achieve a good performance, now you’ve got to keep doing it.” (45:19) (Dr. Haley)

“Every time we have a thought, we plant a neural pathway in our brain; it’s like a seed. But it’s just a seed. It’s just a thought until we start fertilizing it and giving it tender loving care. So, you have to repeat the thoughts that you like, the thoughts that help you. Repeat them and, with frequency and repetition, that seed - that neural pathway - grows. It’s a process called myelination. It grows and grows and grows and becomes your more dominant thought.” (51:11) (Dr. Haley)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Dr. Haley’s Website – https://drhaleyperlus.com/

Dr. Haley’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/sportpsychology

Dr. Haley’s YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8cH78p4ZaR_F-S7iLSE0PQ

Dr. Haley’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-haley-perlus-33ab2219/?originalSubdomain=ca

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast

Tricia DeNardis is a physical therapist, pregnancy & postpartum exercise specialist. She is an eating disorder survivor who is on a mission to help other women have a healthier relationship to food. Today, Tricia joins the show to discuss how to have a healthy relationship with food and running. She gets vulnerable and opens up about her own struggles, speaks to the warning signs that could indicate an unhealthy relationship to food, and best practices to implement that can help.

Runner Click Pro – https://pro.runnerclick.com/

01:12 – Whitney Heins welcomes Tricia DeNardis to the show who discusses her running background, her struggles with an eating disorder, and what it means to have a healthy relationship with food and running

16:03 – Warning signs that you may not have a healthy relationship with food or your body

19:15 – A moment of clarity and motivation

24:41 – Tricia shares strategies she uses to prevent herself from going down the spiral

29:17 – How Tricia teaches her children to have a healthy relationship with food

34:25 – Other red flags that indicate you may have an unhealthy relationship with running

37:32 – Advice Tricia would give to those struggling with an eating disorder or other issues with food

40:36 – The importance of being introspective and self-aware and understanding your personal motivations

46:27 – Whitney thanks Tricia for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

“I have three kids, so for me it’s so important that I am setting a very good example for them. I don’t diet. I don’t talk poorly about my body in front of them, period. I do think there’s a lot to be said about what you’re saying out loud.” (12:54) (Tricia)

“Particularly, if you’re someone that has had a history of eating disorders, I would strongly recommend that you stay away from any of the macro counting, measuring your food, getting on the scale, or even having goals like losing pounds. I think that can be a really bad downward spiral.” (16:43) (Tricia)

“I always had goals of being lean, and cut, and having muscle. And those things didn’t really happen until I stopped focusing on it so much. When I shifted and started focusing on the priority of fueling my body so I can do the things that I wanted to do, my body just got to a happy place.” (18:26) (Tricia)

“I am stubborn to the max, but I’m not afraid to admit when I’m totally wrong.” (25:54) (Tricia)

“The irritability thing is huge. If you’re constantly feeling irritable because your body is just run down, then that’s a red flag right there.” (35:55) (Tricia)

“I know from my point of view I was probably the most miserable in my entire life when I was the smallest because it was just a constant thought. And I was probably the happiest in my life when I was super pregnant.” (43:17) (Tricia)

Whitney’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-heins-02ba3b5

The Mother Runners Club – https://www.themotherrunners.com/

Tricia’s Website – https://www.mindbodysoldier.com/

Tricia’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/burpeesandburpcloths/?hl=en

Tricia’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-denardis-69075723/

Resources Mentioned:

Megan Robinson’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-robinson-ms-rd-cde-cssd-ldn-1966a352/

Amy Stephens’ Website – https://www.amystephensnutrition.com/

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Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast