Real Life Runners with Angie and Kevin Brown

On today’s bonus episode, we talk to Nima Palma Maples, a real life runner who is keeping hope alive through running. Nima talks to us about her battle with cancer and autoimmune disease, and how running has helped her to make healthier choices and to take control of how she feels as much as possible. She brings us into her story, of how running has helped her cope with the death of her beloved fa...

In this week's episode, we answer some of the questions posed to us by our listeners. Tune in to hear the answers!   Highlights of the Episode   Tips for new runners How to choose the right running shoe for you What’s a good running shoe How to avoid IT band pain Fueling on longer runs How to stretch hamstrings   Thanks for Listening!! To join the RLR Training Team,  click here.  To download...

For a distance runner, food is a source of energy before a workout.  It is vital nutrition during the long run.  It is a critical aspect of recovery following hard workouts.  On the other hand, food is so much more than macromolecules.  As much as food feeds our bodies, a meal can feed our mind and soul.  There is something about getting together over coffee, drinks, or a meal that draws people cl...

In this BONUS episode, we had a great conversation with Danielle Taylor, Executive Director of the Girls Gotta Run Foundation. She discussed the origins of GGRF and the accomplishments that transformed and developed young girls in the community. GGRF is the first and only organization investing in girl changemakers through running and education in Ethiopia.   Highlights of the episode   The origin...

I’m sick, now how am I supposed to run?  I was hurt, so how do I get back on a schedule.  Sickness and injury can derail the best of training intentions and plans.  So how do we adjust?  When is it ok to continue to push, and when do we pull back?  Once we have decided to pull back, how do we get back into running and working out?   Highlights of the episode   Coping with sickness or injury Should...

Your run is cruising along nicely until you feel a twinge in your side.  It’s subtle at first but quickly builds to a sharp pain just below the ribs.  You walk for a bit, but as soon as you start running, it pops right back up.  The dreaded side stitch.  Most runners have experienced this painfully annoying nemesis.  It can show up on any type of run and just takes the fun out of the workout.  In...

When it comes to running, we all want to be strong and injury-resistant.  The last thing we want is to be sidelined with pain or injury.  We want to be able to run faster and longer and not feel limited.  One way to do this is by building a strong running foundation, and we’re not talking about mileage.  Today, we are focusing on one of the most important joints that runners need to focus on: the...

Today, we speak to Guy Fitzgerald, about his life and running journey:  a journey from a kid with asthma, through a decade of severe addiction and 2 near-death experiences, through motocross racing, into running, out of running due to injury, through weight gain, and his current path back into running, weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.  We talk about how he is learning to move away from his all...

Sometimes finding your “why” can be the difference between heading out the door or not.  In this episode, we want to look more specifically about why you run any particular workout.  Tuning into your body’s effort levels and realizing that different runs should have different efforts and different purposes can unlock major gains in your running journey.  When you become aware of the specific reaso...

Most runners understand the idea of consistency and how small consistent steps can pay off with a huge reward.  Major milestones are not reached overnight, and meteoric rises are usually followed by similar falls.  Runners, especially long distance runners, understand the idea of grinding out for rewards.  We search for the appropriate inspiration and motivation to keep training.  Motivation wanes...

In this week's episode, we answer some of the questions posed to us by our listeners. Tune in to hear the answers!   Highlights of the Episode   What’s the best way to keep running as I age? How do I maintain speed/pace as I age with less injuries?  How to go from walking to running How to stop blisters How to introduce strength training without decreasing running miles per week and not getti...

Everyone wants the secret to proper fueling during a race and the exact nutrition plan following a workout or race.  While there are certain guidelines and general methods that work better than others, a major part of the picture is overall nutrition.  In this episode we will highlight some details that you can take away as tips, but focus on the big picture.  We also cover how nutrition, like mos...

You have decided to run a race and are aiming for a new personal best.  So you ask your friends what they have done for training.  Then, you check out google and see what that suggests.  You do the best you can to combine both pieces of information and plan out your next few months.  You end up missing some days, skipping some workouts, and adding in a few different things.  When you show up at th...

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...