We are so excited to welcome Lauren to the podcast! Lauren is a fellow nurse and describes herself as an everyday athlete. She recently started her own coaching business, Off The Trail Coaching and today she's reminding us that running and training can serve as tools for enhancing mental health and overall well-being.

Lauren actually took a step back from running and training because she realized she was starting to lose the joy that running brought into her life. Then she found trail running and she said "Trail running was freedom again. I wasn't focused on my pace. I wasn't focused on where I should be or how it should look or how it should feel. It was just the pure joy of doing it."

This is such an important reminder that we need to be aware of pushing ourselves to the point of burnout in pursuit of PRs and really advocate for a balanced approach that includes recovery, mindfulness, and consideration of the impact of training on the body and the mind. If it's not bringing you joy, it might be time to reevaluate. 

Running provides value to our lives in various ways. Lauren reminds us that our training should add value to our lives rather than consume us entirely. She plans to continue running and training for as long as it serves her, taking into account the physical and mental resilience needed to fully experience life.

Connect with Lauren:
Off The Trail Guide
IG: @offthetrailrn

[00:03:10] Pursuing athleticism as a tool.
[00:06:19] Starting in team sports.
[00:10:58] Finding joy in running.
[00:15:09] The joy of running.
[00:17:51] Transitioning to trail running.
[00:24:03] Training for a 100K.
[00:26:06] Power hiking in trail running.
[00:31:28] Learning the distance.
[00:37:20] Training for life, not performance.
[00:39:32] Longevity mindset and burnout.

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

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