The Rambling Runner Podcast

Resilience can present itself in many forms and situations. It's a quality that is necessary to achieve great things. Or sometimes even the most mundane. Sarah Wiliarty is overflowing with this essential quality.

Sarah started running after giving birth to her two children. Like so many of us, she quickly eyed the marathon and, despite it's challenges, fell in love with the sport and the distance. After one fateful race she headed to Germany as part of her work as a college professor. While there she racked up the miles in some beat-up daily trainers on the rugged Berlin cobblestones. Her enjoyment was short-lived as she developed a nasty case of the dreaded plantar fasciitis. The "vampire bite" of running injuries sunk it's teeth deep into her feet. The injury lead of a year long odyssey of treatments and gadgets as well as nine months of non-running. After all was said and done, the injury returned nearly as quickly as it had disappeared.

In this episode Sarah and I dive into injury recovery, the mental/physical/emotional characteristics of the experience, the challenges of cross-training when it doesn't match what we love to do, running in oppressive heat and humidity, and setting new goals and reaching them as a masters runner, and so much more.

You can follow Sarah at www.instagram.com/wiliartyand https://seesarahrun.com.

Sponsors:

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Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

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Steve Kirkwood is here and he has an amazing story to tell. A self-described food addict, Steve had always been a bigger guy. Type 2 diabetes started to affect him at an early age his friends did what they could to help him turn it around be couldn’t seem to change his ways. At a high of 360 pounds Steve knew he needed a change. As a pastor, it’s fitting that he found the light on a Sunday at church.

In this episode you will learn about his incredible transformation into a avid runner, how he shed nearly 200 pounds and has kept it off, facing fears and the unkind words of others, imposter syndrome, an so much more.

You can follow Steve at www.Instagram.com/stevekirkwood.

Sponsors:

This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic, a wellness company that mixes mushrooms and adaptogens with coffee, cacao, latte, protein powder. They have a special offer for the Rambling Runner audience. Receive 10% off your Four Sigmatic order. Just go to www.foursigmatic.com/RAMBLINGRUNNER or enter code RAMBLINGRUNNER at checkout.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

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I love following Natacha Scherf's running journey. She is pure excitement and enthusiasm. For running. For others. For the running community at large. For the possibility of improvement and continuing to get better and better.

Natacha started running three years ago and promptly fell in love with a sport that she used to hate. She didn't merely love running but also the feeling of accomplishment that running gave her. 

In this episode Natacha puts her enthusiasm on display. We talk about how she approached running with an open mind and how she grew to love it, finding joy in celebrating others, attaching goals with energy, and much more.

You can follow Natacha at www.instagram.com/runningfrenchipino.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With running on the shelf since February 9 (except for a brief two week return that was quickly discontinued) it is time to do a full review of the first 10 months of Mastering 40. I didn't pull any punches in this solo episode. Fist we go through things that I feel good about that happened this year. Then we dive into the many things that I don't feel good about. I'm categorizing them that way on purpose. I don't want to say things went well or poorly - no need to judge, just here for the learning and growing. Lord knows, there is plenty of growing and learning that needs to be done.

The genesis of this episode started on February 22 when I received a message from a listener that really struck a chord with me. She asked point blank, "(A)re you just interested in your goals or committed? It seems like the former. To an outsider following the podcasts of course." This quote put me on my heals. I returned to it nearly every day for three months but didn't reply with an answer. Until last week. I wrote her back and thanked her for her candor and insight. What else did I say? You'll have to listen to find out.

Mastering 40:

I had just completed the worst athletic year of my life. One beset by injuries and a 25 lb. weight gain. Finally, I decided enough was enough.

With the help of a professional coach - James McKirdy and sport psychologist - Adrienne Langelier, I am determined to have the best athletic year of my life. One that will end, hopefully, with a sub-40:00 10k. This is a huge stretch goal and I am determined to get it done. Over the course of this year I will also be turning 40 years old and become a masters runner. Hence the “Mastering 40.”

We will be documenting the journey with a podcast every three weeks. The podcasts, like this one, will include calls with the experts I will be leaning on, and learning from, throughout the process.

Hopefully you enjoy and learn from my year of reclaiming my fitness and pursuing an entirely new level of performance while trying to maximize my schedule as a dedicated amateur runner.

Thank you to the Mastering 40 partners:

- Supplements/Protein: Previnex - code: RUNNER15 for 15% off

- Health Analysis: InsideTracker - Go to www.insidetracker/ramblingrunner to save 25% on their Ultimate Package by using code GIFTFROMRAMBLINGRUN

- Attire: Tracksmith - code RAMBLINGRUNNER for 15% off first purchase over $75

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

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Sleep. We all need and most of want (read: need) more of it. That's why I was eager to speak with Dr. Shelby Harris. She is board certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (BSM) by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and treats a wide variety of sleep disorders (insomnia, nightmares, circadian rhythm disorders, narcolepsy, apnea treatment noncompliance) using evidence-based non-pharmacological treatments. Before going into private practice, Dr. Harris was the longstanding director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center.

Dr. Harris currently holds a dual academic senior-level appointment as Clinical Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in both the Neurology and Psychiatry Departments. Dr. Harris has published and presented research on the neuropsychological effects of insomnia in older adults as well as behavioral treatments for insomnia, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and excessive daytime sleepiness. 

Dr. Harris has been an invited columnist for the New York Times "Consults Blog," Dr. Oz's website "You Beauty," and Psychology Today and is frequently quoted in the media, including such publications as The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, and New York Magazine. She has appeared on the Today Show, World News with Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, ABC7-NY's Eyewitness News, CBS News and ABC's Primetime: Live.

She is also a marathoner who got involved in running after her college years and immediately started hunting down marathon-based goals. 

You can learn more about Dr. Shelby Harris at www.drshelbyharris.com.

Sponsors:

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm elated to welcome elite professional runner Taylor Ward to the show. One of the main reasons I love having pro's on the show is when they can share info about topics that directly relate to amateur runners. With that in mind, I was eager to speak with Taylor about her recovery from hip surgery that sidelined her for months something she continues to rehabilitate. Recovering from injury is something that nearly every runner has, or will, experience. The road back to health is almost never a straight line. In addition to twists and turns there can be plenty of dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that can test a person's will, confidence, and optimism. 

A little about Taylor. She is:

2:30:14 Marathoner

3 x Top 10 at Chicago Marathon

2 x Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier

Winner of the Philadelphia Marathon

In a addition to her impressive running resume, Taylor is also an assistant professor of radiologic science at Weber State University. 

Sponsors:

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rhandi Orme is back. Get your pen and pad out and be ready to take plenty of notes.

As you may have heard in Rhandi's previous appearances on the show (episodes 35 and 112) she is a serious badass with five kids in tow. A year ago Rhandi gave birth to baby number five. After deliberately progressing through her post-partum life Rhandi was ready to try one of the only challenges she had yet to tackle - a 100 mile race. She had already completed an IRONMAN, a 24 OCR race, marathons, ultras, and so much more. So how did the 100 miler go? Unbelievably well. Rhandi dipped under the 24 hour mark and finished on the podium.

In this episode Rhandi let's loose an hour's worth of tips for anyone looking to return from injury, pregnancy, and achieve the remarkable no matter the circumstances. 

You can follow Rhandi at www.instagram.com/run_rhandi_run/ and visit her website at www.rhandi.com.

Sponsors:

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you imagine turning your 5K racing speed into your half marathon speed? How about finally mastering the marathon after you’ve given birth to two kids? What about becoming the runner you always wanted to become despite having a family and a challenging full-time job? Katie Rey has been able to all of this, and more. Not only that, she is one of the most supportive members of the running community that I’ve ever met. Today I’m so excited to share this conversation with a person I’ve admired for some time. 

You can follow Katie on Instagram at www.instagram.com/babiestoboston.

Sponsors:

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Antonucci, RDN, CSSD, CDE, CDN, is the owner and director of Nutrition Energy, where she creates individualized plans that fit the lifestyle of each client, helps them develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies, and guides them to reach their nutrition and health goals. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), is certified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD), and is certified by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators as a diabetes educator (CDE).

Antonucci has been running, swimming, and cycling for as long as she can remember and has completed 13 marathons (PR 3:09), three Ironman Triathlons, and countless other running and triathlon races. She is a sought-after presenter on the topic of sports nutrition and hydration, and she has presented at many professional conferences, including American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), USA Triathlon International Coaching Symposium, the Greater New York Dietetic Association (GNYDA), and many New York Road Runners (NYRR) events and New York City Marathon Expos. She has also presented to numerous collegiate athletic teams, most running and triathlon teams and clubs in New York City, and many corporate organizations.

Prior to writing the wonderfully comprehensive High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes, Antonucci wrote a nutrition column for Triathlete magazine for three years and wrote for New York Road Runners magazine for over a decade. She has appeared on several television programs to provide practical advice on a wide array of nutrition and health topics, and her advice has also been featured in Runner’s World, Ironmanlive.com, NYTimes.com, Diabetes Self-Management, Time Out New York, Metrosports, and many other publications.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from Binghamton University, was awarded a fellowship in nutritional biochemistry at University of California at Berkeley, and earned a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children and is a proud Masters athlete.

Sponsors:

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire Bartholic wasn’t always a runner. She started running in her mid-30s simply to get in shape for her high school reunion. It wasn’t about getting faster or racing; it was, to be honest, mainly about vanity.

But something changed in her as the miles slowly added up. The reunion came and went and she kept running.

Already plant based, she finished her first marathon at age 38 in 4:02 and was immediately hooked. She became a student of the marathon using Jeff Gaudette’s training philosophy and RunnersConnect coaching. With dedicated coaching and training, she successfully shaved more than 30 minutes off her half marathon time and lowered her marathon PR to 2:58, remarkably without injury, and entirely plant-based. Claire is a multiple-time Boston Marathon qualifier and competitive Master’s athlete.

Claire is also the host of one of the most popular running podcasts, The Run to the Top. With over 5 million downloads, thousands of runners listen to Claire interview the best in the sport each week!

Learn more about Claire at https://theplantedrunner.com/.

Sponsors:

This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic, a wellness company that mixes mushrooms and adaptogens with coffee, cacao, latte, protein powder. They have a special offer for the Rambling Runner audience. Receive 10% off your Four Sigmatic order. Just go to www.foursigmatic.com/RAMBLINGRUNNER or enter code RAMBLINGRUNNER at checkout.

Are you looking to reach your short-term and long-term running goals while enjoying the sport you love? Then McKirdy Trained is for you. As a coach on this esteemed roster I'd love to work with you as you set the biggest goals you can imagine and have fun doing it. Learn more at https://mckirdytrained.com/get-trained/.

Follow Matt:

Instagram - @rambling_runner

Twitter - @rambling_runner

Rambling Runner Podcast Community Corner private Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/125544686229661

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices