The Running for Real Podcast

When have you felt that you needed permission to do something? The obvious may come to mind first, asking for a day off of work or an extension to pay a bill. These are life events that certainly require some communication if you want to avoid unfavorable consequences. However, there are lots of things we avoid doing in life because we feel we need some type of permission. Often the only permissio...

As a woman of color, a runner, and a marketing guru, Alexandria Williams knows what it means to be overlooked by brands. She sees untapped value in audiences that companies have been missing, whether intentionally or otherwise. Now, the environment is catching up to these companies, and those that don't act will miss out. Running on Accident Like many black runners, Alex didn't grow up with the id...

Have you given yourself time to truly reflect on the racism in this country? How about your own thought patterns that may not be completely positive? 2020 has turned into a year of reflection. With the additional time spent at home and alone, and the issues our world still faces, it would be a shame if we all didn't grow at least some during this time.  Many are wanting this year to be behind us,...

"I've been in love with America my whole life." These were the words of Knox Robinson as we took time to talk about running, America, and his insights into the movements happening around the nation. When you listen to Knox, you get lost in his words and realize that you probably don't spend enough time being alone with your own thoughts. This episode will have you contemplating and pondering – and...

Sarah Crouch Takeover What if the one thing you loved to do was taken away from you due to an illness or disease?  But, what if through hard work, dedication, and months and years of pain and suffering you were able to overcome the odds and do something that very few people have been able to accomplish?  That is the story of Brandon "B-Hudge" Hudgins.  Brandon is a professional runner, owner of a...

The world we live in is a different place to the last podcast I recorded. Although COVID-19 was here when I finished up for maternity leave, times are certainly changing, and fast (although maybe not fast enough with some things). I wanted to record an update of how things have been going, something you requested upon my return, and then an update on what I have been learning and working on during...

Sarah Crouch Takeover Our lives are full of ups and downs.  Each of us embark on our own journey that many other people may know nothing about.  Kate Landau, one of the fastest master's marathon runners in the world, is one of those individuals who has fought her own physical and psychological battles involving eating disorders and a constant need to be the best, which had major implications on he...

Sarah Crouch Takeover We all live in our own comfort zones or personal bubbles.  Stepping out of our realm of comfort can be extremely hard and even scary and will come with unexpected challenges. Sometimes these challenges overcome us and seem to be too much, but when we rise above these challenges and get out of our comfort zones amazing things can happen.  Kenyan born Aliphine Tuliamuk is one s...

When you hear the word "greatness," who do you associate it with?   A famous athlete?   An Oscar winning actor?   A parent or spouse? This word is often associated with other people, but never ourselves.   Why is that?   Professor Maja Jovanovic has a PhD. in Sociology and dedicated the past four years of her life to researching the reasons behind why we, specifically women, lack confidence and fo...

Sarah Crouch Takeover Have you ever wondered what it would be like to train with a group of elite runners?   To experience their daily schedules, workout routines, and eating habits?   Matt Fitzgerald, author of dozens of running books and owner of a 2:39 PR for the marathon had the opportunity to do just that!   Matt went to Flagstaff, Arizona and trained with a group of elite runners and documen...

Think back to the first time you tried something new.   Were you scared?  Nervous that you may embarrass yourself or even fail?  Or did you feel like maybe you didn't belong there?  Any one of these thoughts would be a perfectly natural response to trying something new.  However, changing our mindset from fear and nervousness to confidence in our abilities and believing in ourselves can help us el...

The declaration of Independence for the United States of America was formally declared on July 2, 1776, and signed on July 4, 1776.   However, it was not for another 144 years that Congress passed the 19 th Amendment and ratified it, granting women the right to vote.   It was not until nearly 70 years ago when the United Nations declared that women's rights are fundamental human rights, and that w...

We have all experienced moments of grief.   It is devastating and life changing.   It is emotional, but very physical.   It is heavy and comes with aches and pains.   But it has also been said that grief does not change us, it reveals us.   Katie Arnold, author of Running Home: A Memoir, and winner of the 2018 Leadville 100, is no stranger to grief.   She experienced a devastating loss when her fa...

What has been your personal timeline coming back from pregnancy? Were you anxious to get back out on the road or into the workplace? Or did you feel like you could have been happy never leaving the house again? Did you feel pressure to do things that weren't "just being a mom?" Or did you have mother's guilt as soon as you left your child in the care of someone else? However you felt, and whatever...

We talk about motherhood a lot on this show. It's probably second only to running itself, and for good reason. Since starting this podcast, our fearless host, Tina Muir, has been pregnant twice, and given birth to her beautiful daughter Bailey. Not only that, but Tina first stepped away from professional running to get healthy and start a family.   Here we talk about what it's like to be a mother...

You went out for another run this morning. It's habitual, religious almost. Running is more than exercise to you. You often crave it (though sometimes you curse it). It can be difficult to explain to a non-runner how you feel—watching the sun peak over the horizon, listening to your steady breath or footfalls, inhaling the clean air just outside the city, along the beach, or in the mountains. How...

We don't often talk about track and field events that aren't strictly running here, but this episode we took a slight metaphorical deviation. Hurdles: the thin barrier that stands somewhere between two and four feet tall, intentionally placed in between you and your next step around the track. It's a perfect addition to the running analogy, something we need to overcome,that stands between us as t...

In the running world we have witnessed some really heart-wrenching events. When you work for years to come seconds short of a podium position, the contention and controversy can quickly rise. Running is a beautiful sport, but it's not always pretty. It's simple, instinctive, and accessible; but it's also competitive, agonizing, and at times, mercenary. Athletes such as Kara Goucher have faced the...

If there's one message that I could get across to athletes at every level, it's simply the idea of "You are enough." It's a beautiful message because it applies to you no matter how many awards you've received, your age, your goals—really anything. If you are a person that has experienced a fairly trial-less life, maybe you consider yourself lucky or a natural, it may feel like you are your accomp...

Mindfulness. Meditation. Being present. Enjoying the journey. These are the trending approaches to everyday life, and for good reason. We don't live on the podium; we live on the street, the trails, the concrete, the pavement. If life is to be enjoyed, shouldn't we try to enjoy as much of it as possible? I'll Be Happy When... Have you noticed that life can often be a string of when's and what if's...

The first pair of Altra Running shoes probably don't look anything like what you have in mind. In fact, the first several hundred pairs of running shoes that co-founders Golden and Brian worked on had a variety of logos on them. Altering other running shoes is how they got their start in the shoe-making business and how they came up with their name, Altra. With a goal to fix the running shoe indus...

Mountain races and trail runs are becoming more and more popular within the running community. Something about the connection with nature, and wanting to know what lies in the next valley satisfies our spirit and our curiosity simultaneously. This type of running often keeps both our ticking watches and our social media notifications subdued. It really is one of the best ways to move our bodies. A...

There are moments when life seems out of our control. The loss of a loved one, the inability to find employment, or a broken relationship are examples of trials that can make us feel powerless. The spiral of depression can take us even further down as any attempt to better our situation is overcome by unfortunate events. Seven years ago, this was the exact situation Alison Desir found herself in....

We all know the economic fallout of this virus is going to be huge, and many companies have already gone out of business, with many many more expected to not make it through the year. Rather than just cutting employees, this time, big, "untouchable" corporations have also gone under. And what about the small businesses out there, who are not sure if they can even make it through the year? When you...

As an athlete, odds are you have heard the name Meb Keflezighi. But as a runner, not only have you heard of him, you've idolized his abilities and been inspired by his amazing career.   Meb, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon, winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon, and winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, cementing his legacy as one of the best long-distance runners in history, join...