Work, Play, Love with Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas

Lauren and Jesse are finally getting used to balancing Work, Play, and Love in…is it year 9 of stay-at-home? They catch up about family life during the pandemic, Jesse’s retirement as a triathlete and Lauren’s first race in over a year. They also answer questions about how to deal with high-stress situations, how to fuel when you’re burning a ton of calories, what is Lauren’s “dream” day, and how much does effort vs. luck (and privilege) play into where Jesse and Lauren are today.

77. Recovering From Injuries, Moving In Together, Eating Post-Exercise, Side Hustles

It’s been a tough month for everyone. Some folks are losing their sh*t on Zoom. Some folks are trying to keep their spirits up without sweet exercise. And some folks are getting into shouting matches with their neighbors about who should be on leash—your dog, or your child?! Lauren and Jesse give an update about their life over the past month and answer your questions, like what are their craziest race stories, how do you stay motivated in the pandemic, how can you be a better ally, and more.

One day you’re busy at work or training for your next race, the next you’re buying huge boxes of Lucky Charms and trying to convince yourself to buy that foot massaging doormat at Costco. Yep. The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically affected most aspects of our daily lives. Jesse and Lauren share how they’re balancing work, play, and love in quarantine with a host of new challenges. Plus, they field questions about how to train during a pandemic, how to communicate your worth to your boss, and more.

Appearances are deceiving and the things you don’t know can be surprising—like the fact that Lauren used Excel spreadsheets to cook up the first Picky Bar. in this episode, Jesse and Lauren give a behind the scenes look at why athletes might decide to DNF at the Olympic Marathon trials, they discuss how the first Picky Bar recipe was created, Jesse talks about how optimization gets in the way of his happiness, and the two consider their past decisions and share what they would do differently today.

Jesse called and y’all answered! Lauren and Jesse field questions that are a bit out of the work-play-love ordinary. They offer advice to a married person who finds themselves in flirty situations at work, they talk about raising kids to appreciate and understand diversity, they consider when to trade sleep for working out, and they talk about breaking up with (and getting back together with) a long-term partner. Plus, Lauren gives an update on her book and Jesse celebrates some Picky Bars successes.

How do you know when you’re overdoing it? When do your efforts start to result in diminishing returns? It’s not easy to know, especially when balancing work, play, and love. Jesse and Lauren answer questions about persistent soreness during a training cycle (are you over-training?), how to handle relationships with exes, and what it means when you start to backslide in your marathon performance. Plus, they discuss the intersection of inclusivity and competition when it comes to trans athletes, and more.

It’s easy to fall in love with chasing athletic goals. But what happens when your love of sport affects your love life? Jesse and Lauren celebrate Valentine’s Day by answering questions about the intersection of love, intimacy, and sport. They dish the dirt on what happens to your libido when you’re training for a triathlon. They give advice on cultivating a healthy sex life amidst work, training, and family. Plus, they help a high school student who feels lonely in pursuing her athletic goals.

Jesse and Lauren consider whether ultra-endurance events are “good for you” or not, they discuss signs of overtraining vs. constructive fatigue, they offer some advice on how to mix up speed-work training, and they consider what to do when your partner suggests a vacation ahead of your “A” race. Plus, they talk wedding planning, Picky Bars and braces, and more.

Lauren’s got an announcement about a new partnership and Jesse’s got updates about the Picky Bars Co-exist campaign, the all-new AmBADASSador program, and his knee (is it an injury after all!?). The duo also answers questions about what to do when your partner is super focused on competing, how to get motivated when you don’t have a coach, and how to “retire” as an avid runner. Plus, they offer advice about strength training exercises, running cadence, working on your strengths vs. weaknesses, and

Lauren are Jesse are BACK with all the 2020 vibes to answer your questions about work, play, and love. But first?! Rewind. In November '19, New York Times published Mary Cain's op-ed about the culture of body shaming and abuse in Nike’s Project Oregon. Lauren and Jesse dedicated an episode (WPL 63) to discuss the article, eating disorders, RED-S, and body shaming. Now they answer more questions about Cain’s story, and offer advice for cultivating health and positivity for yourself and your communities.

Advocating for yourself can be challenging and intimidating—especially in the workplace, with family, or in a competitive team environment. And for many of us, setting boundaries isn’t the most well-honed skill. Lauren and Jesse answer questions about asking a coach for more support, how to not feel like a pushover in the workplace, and what boundaries you can model for your kids around time spent with devices and technology. Plus, Lauren shares her experience growing up with alcoholism in her family,

The holiday season is in full swing and your favorite Work, Play, Love hosts are going bananas with packed schedules for Picky Bars, sport, and family. Lauren and Jesse catch up and then talk meditation, visualization, training while sick, and sponsorships. Plus, the Work, Play Love duo goes deep on developing a healthy relationship with food, dealing with a sibling taking over the title of “runner of the family,” fitting music into your life, training and information overload, and much more.

Around the holidays, everyone’s thinking about family, food, exercise, and work, and Lauren and Jesse answer your hard-hitting questions. Things like, what’s their favorite Thanksgiving food? And why are age-groupers peeing on the bike during triathlons? Plus, the Work, Play, Love duo talk about gift ideas for young athletes, how to fit in exercise in an already packed schedule, when to have kids, and how to work with a partner who has wildly different reactions to some situations than you do.

It can take a long time to achieve a goal. You might train to run a marathon for years, but injuries and life stuff may keep you from your goal performances. But the long game can prepare you for best races, relationships and achievements. Lauren shares the story behind her recent New York Times Op-Ed and explains how decades of experiences as a female athlete informed the article. Jesse and Lauren also answer questions about improving marathon performance, finding love, avoiding burnout, and more.