The Running for Real Podcast

It truly hurts my heart every time I see yet ANOTHER documentary talking about our climate change and how we are still not doing enough to change it. Well, people like Clare ARE doing great things for the environment and I loved learning how she tries to have an impact for the better on our Earth. She is also an incredible ultra runner being the fastest known time on the Zion Traverse Trial.

I truly loved this honest, true, and funny conversation with Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!”, author, and father. He points out times when it can be hard to find the time to run but when he misses a run his day is off. Sound familiar? Since he is getting older, as well all do, he finds reaching a PB/PR goal is out of reach so he finds new ways to stay motivated to run. I hope you enjoy this easy going conversation with an amazing guy, who has a lot to share with us.

On today's episode we have an unusual duo with a runner and her coach on. Hayley had just started running in 2016 at a Parkrun no less and has taken on running by storm. Today we learn the dynamics of how she started running and how she is still enjoys it without getting burned out. And of course with her incredible London Marathon finish this year, crawling. A true example of giving it your all!

Angelo Poli has been through his fair share of difficulties when it comes to managing weight when you don't have the opprotunity to workout regularly. What else do you have? Nutrition. Now, this is definitely a subject I don't like to talk about because I don't like telling people to restrict certain foods, but what works for me won't work for other people. Angelo speaks on how we are all different! Come and learn how to manage your metabolism as it constantly changes in order to fulfill our goals.

Today we were able to enjoy answering questions from you for my husband Steve Picucci, my running coach and a collegiate coach. The quesitons went from how it truly is being my coach and my husband at the same time to quesitons about our lovely Bailey. Come and have a listen!

Now, are you a great listener? Not just toward other people but toward your body as well? Do you even think you have to listen to your body in order to have great mindfulness? Well, according to Jonathan Fader "Fader", you do. How are you able to push yourself to your body's limits if you don't even know what they are? A lot crazy questions that we go through, in this episode of the Running 4 Real Podcast.

Now, no matter where you are in your running journey, whether you are running to lose weight, it's your sport, or it use to be your sport's punishment, Carla Meijen, may be the episode for you! In discovering these small little tips she shares to help us ENJOY running again. Whether you like to know it or not from newbies to elite runners we have all wondered WHY are we doing this to ourselves? Why am I putting myself in this much pain? So let's learn about some solid information to make running our friend.

Have you ever thought, HOW am I even going to try and run a marathon? How can I do this job? How can I possible be a good friend, mother, father, etc? Simply put, as Ben Newman says it, one step at a time. No one has ever done anything outstanding right away, it has to be worked on and perfected. With Ben's experience in working with Fortune 500 companies and professional athletic teams, he knows how to tackle those huge hills that may be in front of us.

It's one thing to be able to prepare for a race for only the positives and to have a positive attitude but what if things don't work out the way you wanted them to? Justin Su'a, who has been able to help many NFL teams beef up their mental game, also creates way for them to be grateful for what they are able to accomplish. I truly loved this episode and I hope you do too.

As we go through life we have different stages of our competitiveness, in Ross's words you are a Rusher, Crusher, and an Usher. Ross Bernstein, who has been a keynote speaker and author of more than 40 sports books has been able to pinpoint why professional athletes may be so successful. He said it comes down to desire and hard work, lots of hard work! The best thing to take away from this episode is working hard to achieve goals shows our gratitude that we have the opportunity to do the things we enjoy.

As we sat down to interview Josh today, we learned new tips on setting goals, dealing with nerves, and embracing the hard days. Now, about the hard days you may have, whether they are training days, hard life days, or just on the race day itself! What if there were ways we can use the nerves to help us embrace what we are about to do? Josh Lifrak being the Director of the Mental Skills Program for the Chicago Cubs and as a fellow runner has great insight on how we can combat those thoughts and feelings.

If you think that you may have hit the lowest of lows in your life, whether it is a race time you just can't reach, an injury, or something in your personal life which just keeps you down. Damon West may be the one for you to hear, from starting out as a college football star to winding up in prison with a LIFE sentence. Come and listen to how he has decided to make his life useful, in his words, to help anyone and everyone who will listen to his story.

Have you ever had those days where you just keep having these negative thoughts about yourself? Whether it is about your running, your home life, your work life, or even your personal life. How do we guard ourselves from these thoughts? Deena has great insights on how to handle negativity and how we can make ourselves be more than just runners, because we are!

Brad Beer is one of the best physiotherapists out there and a dear friend of mine. He has a wonderful perspective on ways to run injury free, because he has been there. Going through the struggle of not being injury, being frustrated, and not knowing how to fix it. Brad has been able to experience pain free running as well and knows it is possible to achieve. Come and listen to his ideas and wonderful perspective on pain free running.

Alright I have had professionals on the Running 4 Real Podcast to talk on eating disorders but this may be our first time to have someone on who went through it. Sarah Canney, someone who I have admired for awhile now, and rightfully so, she is an incredibly brave and amazing woman. She went through both Anorexia and Bulimia for years and her recovery went on for 9 years. She talks on her experience and the challenges she had to go through. She is the example that full recovery is possible!