The Running for Real Podcast

New listeners of the Running for Real podcast can find out the most popular episodes of the year, and get a recap on what has happened since Running for Real launched in mid 2017. I talk about the dramatic changes in direction that my life took from professional runner to choosing to not run a step for three months to pregnant, all within a short period of time.

I then go over your best podcast episodes of the year, including having you, the listeners tell us all which ones you liked through audio clips. Hear other runners within the community share what they loved and why it was so impactful on their running lives.

If you have missed episodes this year, this is a great way to catch up, and find out what you have missed.

No guest today! Just you and I discussing some of the favorite episodes of the year. I recruited some of you to help me talk about which episodes you loved the most.

James Dunne 

Cindra Kamphoff 

Bhrett McCabe 

Nicola Rinaldi & Heidi Greenwood 

Amelia Boone 

Evie Serventi

Magda Boulet 

My Husband, Steve Picucci 

Steve Jones

Danny Dreyer 

Nancy Clark

Phil Maffetone

Devon Yanko 

Tom Goom

Kelly Roberts 

Renee McGregor 

Nicole Detling

Sally Bergensen

Suzy Favor Hamilton

Last week's interview with Nick Butter

Tina and Drew's Strength Training Program

Tina and Steve's 5/10k Program

Tina and Steve's Half Marathon Program

Tina and Steve's Marathon Program

Running for Real Apparel

Enter the Bodyhealth Christmas Giveaway

Generation UCAN and BodyHealth sponsored this episode of Running for Real. Two products you can rely on.

Even if you are trying to tweak your diet to be ready for race day, Generation UCAN is the ONLY fuel I needed during my marathons. This is one product that can help you make sure you are well fueled, both in training and in races. I love the bars for every day training, and still have one every morning, they are great for pre-workout, ESPECIALLY if you are prone to stomach upsets. You can get 15% off with code RUNNING4REAL at Generationucan.com

BodyHealth Perfect Amino helped my body recover MUCH faster after runs and workouts, I couldn't imagine my training life without them. You can enter to win a free pack of 6 bottles or get 10% off at BodyHealth.com using coupon code TINA10. Click the banner for more information.

Want to hear something incredible?  Nick Butter ran a whole marathon at the young age of 11 years old.  Yes, I would say that is incredible.

This interview is for those who love adventure, endurance running, and are passionate about life.

After running 318 marathons, Nick still labels himself as nobody special.  From all these experiences, he gives us advice and unique tricks on what to do when we are hurting during a race.

He believes everyone should make the effort to push or challenge themselves.   He says he likes to push the boundaries.  He sees training not only for the body, but the mind, as well.  He also believes anyone can run a marathon if they have the desire to do so.

We discuss a process of adding more time to your life so you can be more productive with the short amount of time we have on earth.  It’s called getting up an hour or so earlier daily.  I do this, and encourage you to try this to accomplish more in your life.

He gets real while sharing one of his running failures and what he learnt from it.  He also shares ideas on staying mentally strong while struggling.  He provides specific examples of how he used mental toughness to get over his failure.

As a charity fundraiser, he describes the environment and safety obstacles he will need to take into consideration for his Running the World 196 running challenge.  This is his world record attempt to set 8 world records for running a marathon in every country starting in January, 2018 and to raise money for prostate cancer.

Nick Butter

Nick is someone who wears many hats.  He is an ultra runner, endurance athlete, adventurer, a charity fundraiser and motivational speaker.  He has run 318 marathons and around 70 ultra races, so far.  In January, 2018, he will be taking on the Running the World 196 challenge he created to raise funds for prostate cancer in the UK to support his friend, Kevin who has prostate cancer.

• What Nick means by leaving a legacy and why it is important to him.
• How you can get out of your comfort zone.
• How to help others or yourself change their/your negative outlook on life.
• How can you pick a challenge that your body can handle, but is still a stretch for you.
• Why he started Running the World 196 and what it is about.
• Why should humans push themselves?

The message is about living life with intent and purpose and really being aware of what you’re doing.

If you make that active decision to want to change A) You have to really want to do that yourself, B) Try and start saying yes to things.  The more you say yes, the more opportunities you are exposed to and the more positive your outlook on life, because you’ve done something you may never have done before.

We don’t fully value the time that we have on the planet.  We will assume that next day exists.

I want the legacy to be that DO NOT underestimate how valuable and how hugely privileged we are to have this amazing life that we have and this amazing world.

I go to bed every night and I say to myself have I lived today as happy as I should be?

You give yourself an extra month of time by getting up two hours earlier every day.  Use those two extra hours in a day to do what you really want and that will probably start to change your outlook on life.

I fundamentally believe that most people on the planet that are able bodied can get out of bed and go and run a marathon.  Now, it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be painful, but running I believe, again it’s only an opinion, but I believe is mostly in your mind.  What training does for me, yes, it trains my body, but actually all that’s doing every day I go out and train is it’s giving me an extra building block in my mind saying actually I’ve done this, I can do this.

If you believe in something, you can do it.

Things don’t work for a reason.  You need to identify why, work on it, and learn from it.

I kind of like the idea of failing. It sounds ridiculous, but I like the concept of doing stuff and not being able to do it and coming back again, because it means you truly pushed yourself.

Last week's interview with Emma Coburn

Nick's website 

Nick on Twitter

Nick on Instagram

Enter the Bodyhealth Christmas Giveaway

Thank you to my new running buddy VI and favorite recovery product BodyHealth for sponsoring this episode of Running for Real.

VI is there to encourage you on tough days, congratulate you on the days you crush it, and remind you of your goals when you need it. You can enter to win your own VI by visiting GetVI.com/running4real

When I was running 90 miles a week as a pro, I would take 5-10 BodyHealth Perfect Amino tablets every day without fail. They helped me recover faster, and feel better. Now they have Perfect Amino XP, which makes it even easier. Get 10% off at Bodyhealth.comusing coupon code TINA10

The steeplechase is not a race people normally talk about let alone know what is involved in it.  Do you?  Emma Coburn does.  Her specialty lies in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

Emma is as real as it gets, and shows the real side of herself here.  She tells us of her adventures from not liking to run to working hard to become a world champion.  She believes that all the various water and mountain sports she participated in growing up attributed to the steeplechase clicking with her.

She discusses her roommate and the unique culture at her university that bonded her teammates, made a huge impact on her career, and made her big goals seem more attainable.  I hope many of us can name at least someone who has inspired us or made an impact on us with running.

Emma goes into elaborate detail about what she was thinking and feeling during this year’s 2017 World Championships in London.  She shares her strategy during the race that led her to win.  The race was not all physical, as she recalls the mental shifts needed while dealing with things that unexpectedly happened.

Emma Coburn

Emma Coburn is the first woman to win a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in London, and received a bronze medal in the 3000 m steeplechase at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.  She is the organizer of the Emma Coburn’s Elk Run 5k in Crested Butte.

• How Emma learned about work ethic and professional attitude as part of her training.
• What her journey looked like that got her from being just a kid living in Crested Butte to receiving a gold medal at the World Championships.
• How Emma showed her support to her New Balance sponsor after her race. How she worked around Rule 40.
• What yearly event Emma and Joe organized to be held in Crested Butte.

I think what was challenging with running is that it’s really difficult, it hurts,  almost every day.

Running wasn’t always my number one thing, and it really wasn’t what defined me growing up.

What took me a while to really love running was getting over the fear of the individual side of it, and learning to cope with that stress and those pressures of having your performance completely rely solely on you.

I thought the water jump was super fun.  The very first time I tried it, I nearly cleared it, and it was like, oh, this is great. I wish I was doing this years ago.

I do think though there is a, um like a snowball effect.  If you see the  successes of people before you, and you just want to build on it.  And then when you’re gone, that people want to build on your success.  And it builds and builds.

The very first second I crossed the line, it felt incredible and it felt like a hard earned victory, but, umm, that I was incredibly proud of.  It still feels very special to this day.   And a little bit, still, of that dream come true.

Emma's win at the World Championships 

Emma's Elk Run 5k

Generation UCAN and BodyHealth sponsored this episode of Running for Real. Two products you can rely on.

Even if you are trying to tweak your diet to be ready for race day, Generation UCAN is the ONLY fuel I needed during my marathons. This is one product that can help you make sure you are well fueled, both in training and in races. I love the bars for every day training, and still have one every morning, they are great for pre-workout, ESPECIALLY if you are prone to stomach upsets. You can get 15% off with code RUNNING4REAL at Generationucan.com

BodyHealth Perfect Amino helped my body recover MUCH faster after runs and workouts, I couldn't imagine my training life without them. You can enter to win a free pack of 6 bottles or get 10% off at BodyHealth.com using coupon code TINA10. Click the banner for more information.

A split episode of the running podcast for runner safety and gift ideas for Christmas and Holiday celebrations.

The first half of this show we talk to founder of Run Angel, David Caren. I was always one of those runners who thought I was invincible, It would never happen to me. Thankfully, it didn't, but it could have, easily. Run Angel is a simple product that has the ability to save lives through the powerful alarm as loud as a rock concert it sends through the click of one button, while sending your "guardians" an SMS and email that you have triggered your alarm.

David tells us more about safety for runners, and this is extremely important (more than we realize) even beyond attacks, but also as we try to seek out more tranquil, peaceful moments away from our busy lives, this device could save your life.

Run Angel also features on the second half of the show, as one of the gift ideas for runners in 2017. I give over 25 of my favorite running products that I recommend you put on your list (or get for the runner in your life).

The first half is the same as a regular episode, and the second half is more conversational between you and I. Be sure to visit the gift ideas blog post associated with this to have further information and coupons for the products mentioned today.

Today's episode is for you if you ever run alone, especially out in remote places or during dark hours. If you are looking for present ideas for yourself or other runners this Christmas, this runner ideas special will have all you need.

David Caren

Founder of Run Angel, a safety product created in Cork, Ireland for runners to wear to have that peace of mind that they will be found if something goes wrong.

Feetures socks

Elliptigo 8C

Run Angel

Generation UCAN bars Use code RUNNING4REAL for 15% off

Garmin Forerunner 235

Ikea Silicon Baking Sheet

VI

The Brave Athlete book

Mindset Manifesto book

Life’s Too Short To Go F*cking Slow book

BodyHealth Perfect Amino here and use coupon code TINA10 for 10% off.

Saucony Vitarun Jacket

Lululemon Enlite Sports Bra

Varidesk Pro Plus Standing Desk

Hello Fresh

Sarah Marie Designs

Stridebox use either of these coupon codes: RunningForReal10 for 10% off of gift subscriptions or RunningForReal5 gives you $5 off of your first box of a regular subscription.

Gone for a Run as they have a lot of cool ideas for personalized race gifts for runners

Run Fast Eat Slow

Running for Real Apparel

Oh Ball  use the code tina15 for 15% off

Oakley Half Jacket  and Goodr Sunglasses

Road ID

Saucony Bullet Shorts and Tights

Flip Belt

Last week's interview with Suzy Favor-Hamilton 

Run Angel

Tina's 2017 Gift Guide in full

Thank you to my new running buddy VI and favorite recovery product BodyHealth for sponsoring this episode of Running for Real.

If I had to choose the person who I feel has been the most real, most honest and vulnerable of any of my guests, it would be Suzy hands down. She is a three-time Olympian who has been diagnosed with ADHD, Bi-Polar, Anxiety, and OCD. I admire her for being so brave for sharing all she has been through.

Suzy gives us an inside look at her struggles and successes with running and her mental health issues.

She looks back and tells us about her life running life through school. While in the 5th grade, she discovered her talent of running. Running was something that made her feel good. It was when she went to college that she realized she was talented enough to become an Olympian. She recalls how her first Olympics was the most thrilling of the three, and then how the pressure started. She mentions that knowing about her illnesses would have helped her to be able to enjoy her running career.

She recounts the men in her life who had the power to control her and her inability to stand up for herself. She recalls the sexual harassment she received from her college running coach about her body and breast size.

Looking back she says she would have done things differently. She would have had the courage and strength to stand up for herself and tell the coach what she needed.

Suzy talks about the ups and downs of her career. Bi-polar, ADHD, anxiety, and OCD are big parts of her story. She tells stories about how each of them affected her running career. During the days of winning, she says that championships led her to feel sky high, but not realizing it was part of the manic side of the bi-polar. Her anxiety and a panic attacks were so great that she fell on purpose in the 2000 Olympic final. She shares how she dealt with bi-polar, how it played a part in her becoming an escort in Las Vegas, how it affected her marriage, and how she is working through her issues.

Her advice to runners is to focus on the gift of running and maybe doing so will help with the anxiety and stress.

We discuss how running can be a negative addiction if it is controlling your life: takes us away from living, missing out on family life, or special events. I hope we all can see and distinguish the fine line between being committed and being addicted.

Today’s interview is for you if you have bi-polar or any of the mental health issues Suzy talked about or if you want to help someone who has bi-polar. Suzy’s advice for you is to get help for yourself. As you get healthier, you will be able to help others.

Suzy Favor Hamilton

A three-time Olympian who has been diagnosed with ADHD, Bi-Polar, Anxiety, and OCD. She advocates for mental health by doing public appearances and spreading the word.

• What is the importance of sharing family mental health history with your Dr. before medication is prescribed
• Why it is good to talk to a sports psychologist.
• Why balance and non-running activities in your life is important.
• Why she trained for the 2004 Olympics even though she didn’t want to.
• How to help a loved one who is struggling with a mental illness.
• What the difference is between being committed to running and being addicted to running.

Eating disorders aren’t about food, it’s about lack of control.

Eating disorders are a mental illness.

As runner’s, they realize they have an innate sense about how their body feels, but I don’t think they always have this sense about how their brain feels. We have to become more aware of that.

I really started to have the love hate relationship with running.

It hurt my running career, the brain not being healthy.

Running is so more than running a race.

Last week's interview with Sally Bergesen

Suzy's website

Suzy's book: Fast Girl

Mental Health America

By now you have probably heard of Oiselle, the running apparel brand for women, changing the running world through sharing their journey of vulnerability and openness, and celebrating the whole athlete, rather than just their athletic performance.

With athletes like Kara Goucher, Lauren Fleshman, and Stephanie Bruce proudly wearing their clothes, Oiselle is determined to show that success is so much more than medals, podiums, and rankings, for every runner.

Sally talks about how running saved her life in many ways, and how our communities and friendships can make all the difference to how confident we are as people. 

She tells us why she chose the name Oiselle, and I even ask whether it was worth the confusion of many people becoming confused by the word. We also get to hear the story of how Sally enticed Lauren Fleshman into their brand...and how the team responded when they knew Lauren had bought in (you will love their reaction!).

 Sally understands that running with joy is about the feeling of freedom and flight. When you are on a run, the ability to be present in moment and have our bodies taking us through the world is the most beautiful thing, and something only runners will understand.

We talk openly about the broken relationship between USATF and Nike (and how this partnership is locked in till 2040!!). You will learn many things otherwise untold about the dark side of running, and then how you can make a difference in your world, with the decisions you make to improve the running industry by helping with causes that are meaningful to you.

This episode is powerful and vulnerable. Sally does not do many interviews, so I was honored to talk to her today, and I think you will learn a lot too.

Sally Bergensen

Founder and CEO of Oiselle, an athletic apparel company. Known for being a running and women's activist who speaks up for athletes and is trying to make the running world a better and more fair place. 

Last week's interview with Nicole Detling 

Oiselle website

Oiselle Volee 

Thank you to Generation UCAN and BodyHealth for sponsoring this episode of Running for Real. Two products you can rely on.

Even if you are trying to tweak your diet to be ready for race day, Generation UCAN is the ONLY fuel I needed during my marathons. This is one product that can help you make sure you are well fueled, both in training and in races. I love the bars for every day training, and still have one every morning, they are great for pre-workout, ESPECIALLY if you are prone to stomach upsets. You can get 15% off with code RUNNING4REAL at Generationucan.com

BodyHealth Perfect Amino helped my body recover MUCH faster after runs and workouts, I couldn't imagine my training life without them. You can enter to win a free pack of 6 bottles or get 10% off at BodyHealth.com using coupon code TINA10. Click the banner for more information.