Real Life Runners with Angie and Kevin Brown

We've got a special bonus episode with one of our real life runners, Shelly Bernot!  Shelly shares her running journey with us, and we talk more about the idea of growth mindset.   Shelly realized that she was operating from more of a fixed mindset throughout her life, so when she shifted to a growth mindset, it opened up new possibilities and identities for her.   Today we talk more about: ...

I need to run faster so I will run faster.  I will run farther.  I will sleep less so I can fit in more.  I will squeeze in the workout because that is what the calendar says.  Without the workouts, the rest of my training is pointless, because this is everything or nothing.  This training style sounds dedicated and powerful, but actually misses a major component of any quality plan. Today we are...

You want to run fast.  You want to run far.  You also want to look amazing as you run along the trail or down the street.  Maybe you have heard that you are born with your running form.  Maybe you have heard that running more will naturally fix your running form.  This is only somewhat true and somewhat misguided.  The truth is you can improve your form.  Running is a skill that you can train.  To...

Runners tend to have strong legs muscles built from miles on the roads or trails.  We often tout the importance of maintaining strong core muscles, which is very important.  However, today we are going to focus on a pair of muscles and their neighbors, who propel every step while also cushioning every landing.  In this episode, we put the calves on center stage and discuss why this dynamic duo is...

Gratitude is a very positive character trait, but a gratitude practice or an “attitude of gratitude” is both more simple and more complex than it first seems.  Beginning the day or ending the day with a journal practice of gratitude for one or three items has become very popular in the personal development world.  This is great, but might not be the whole picture.  While there is a clear benefit t...

You want to run faster, so you practice running faster.  You want to run faster, so you push every run just that little bit extra.  You want to run faster, so you live by the motto “no pain, no gain.”  You want to run faster, but now you are exhausted, sick, burnt out, or injured.  When you are ready to start back up and bring more joy to your running, consider that most improvement coming during...

It’s August, and that means back to school for us, as well as any of the teachers and parents we have listening.  In previous years, this would mean printing out the supply list and heading to the store to track down folders and pencil cases.  It would mean a return to early mornings and greater structure and routine to the day.  This year, it means less control and greater uncertainty.  While the...

Runners like to run and when they cannot run the way they want, they are not their best.  Injuries can often stand in the way of a runner reaching his potential.  Unfortunately, many runners deal with injuries by pretending they don’t exist or treating symptoms.  We take a break from running, but when we ramp back in mileage or speed, the pain comes back.  How can we get better without consistency...

Breaks in training consistency can happen for so many reasons.  You can get sick, go on vacation, get busy at work, need extended recovery after a race, or find yourself injured.  The key to long term improvement is not that you cannot ever take a break, it’s how to come back successfully.  The road back to running will not be identical for everyone, but there are some safer guidelines to follow. ...

Deep down we have a set of values, actually a very small number of them, that define who we are.  When we face choices in our life, we rely on those values to help choose the path to follow.  On this episode, we cover the importance of discovering your core values, the exhaustion of faking our values, what to do when both sides of a choice seem to align with our values, and of course how this play...

It's our first "Best of" archive episode.  This one definitely warrants a re-listen.  So many good nuggets of information here.  We will be back next week with a new episode, but until then, stay safe out there, friends! Summer is here!  It’s important to be aware that heat and humidity can change running in many different ways.  Down here in Florida, we understand the importance of...

There is an often repeated saying:  “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”  In the world of running, the ability to go fast and far are often goals simultaneously chased.  After some amazing track meets over the weekend, it seems like a good time to reflect on the ability to work together to achieve tasks that may be viewed as impossible or crazy when working solo...

Is it better to jump into a new situation without full preparation and see what happens or to keep learning, practicing, and mastering your craft before testing it out.  What if you take your shot and miss?  What if you wait and miss your opportunity.  Practice, or put yourself out there?  When is it time to take your shot? And yes, you guessed it.  This episode was partly inspired by Hamilton .  ...

There are a couple of differing schools of thought floating through the world of self improvement.  Doing good enough consistently will add up to monumental and drastic changes.  Alternatively, we should not be satisfied with being good enough and should be striving for greatness.  So which is it.  Does consistently good create great, or does a sense of satisfaction with being good prevent you fro...

They say that insanity is repeating the same action and expecting different results. However, change is incredibly hard, so we seek excuses and hold tightly to our self-imposed limits.  We do things the way we always have and hope that if we keep going for long enough the outcome will be different.  How big is your potential once you open your eyes to a world outside of your comforting habits? Res...

We talk about running as a universal sport.  It has a low barrier for entry and not a lot of rules to follow.  You can participate solo or in a group.  You can run races of many distances and on various terrain, or not race at all.  We believe that races highlight the best aspects of running, in which many people come together to accomplish the same goal, but by following their own path.  In the r...

There is some prevailing wisdom in the personal growth world that taking action will guide you in what to do next.  The thought is rooted in the idea that staying frozen while clinging to perfection will not get you anywhere, so you simply need to do something.  This striving for constant action can become counterproductive when the action is treated as the end goal.  Action should inspire the nex...

Running should be an act of unity.  It is a sport with a low barrier of entry and people of all races, ages, and abilities can connect over the challenge of a run.  While we are currently without races, we are not without challenges.  Now seems like an important time to step back and see that the powerful statement “I am a runner and runners do hard things” applies to the roads and the trails, but...

Personal statements that begin with “I am” carry power and strength.  They define us and lead our actions.  They are our label, often empowering, but sometimes limiting.  We also put labels on the world around us.  We group people together as though they are the same person.  We put simple labels onto situations and the people around us to make life easier.  While this is often done subconsciously...

Structure and plans matter if you actually want to be successful.  Raw talent will take you pretty far.  Working really hard will get you pretty far.  Most people are not born with Olympic level running prowess.  Even runners who do hard things would appreciate some things being easier.  Today we cover the importance of structure in reaching your goals plus why you may be resisting structure in th...

  Lack of motivation is a real issue that many runners are facing.  While it’s easy to simply say, choose to be motivated, it’s a little more complicated that just that.  We live in a world full of options and choices.  We are often bombarded with endless possibilities.  Choice creates a feeling of freedom.  In this current time period, the power of choice is becoming strikingly clear.  Today, we...

Running has a way of bringing down some of the privacy walls we put up around us.  There is a saying that everything comes out on a long run.  Sharing personal experiences and feelings can be very cathartic and we have mentioned that before.  Today, we go intimate, but not in a super emotional way.  We cover the areas of running that most people just do not understand unless they are a runner.  Fr...

Runners love to run and if you talk to them about building a foundation, they will give you all sorts of stats about base mileage and speed workouts.  However, the complete picture of a well rounded foundation needs to include strength and mobility.  Without these ingredients our running is held back from its maximum potential.  Runners don’t want to be told that they have a limit on their potenti...

Runners love other runners.  We love to talk about running and training and racing.  We will compare shoes and workouts and anything else we can think of.  Running, at its best, breaks down barriers because we all know that we run and we have that in common.  In this time we are physically distant, it is important to remember the value of community.  Resources: Click here to request to be added to...

While much of the world is locked down, stuck at home, and quarantined, in many locations runners are still able to get out and exercise.  In this episode we cover some practical issues related to running and exercising during the quarantine. Simple guidance that you could put into practice today.  We offer 9 practical tips to maintain safety when running during this era of COVID.   Resources: 12...