Run This World with Nicole DeBoom Podcast: Recent Episodes

Nicole DeBoom

Welcome to my Run This World Podcast! I’m a former pro athlete turned entrepreneur and life adventurer. I feature visionaries who are creating change in the world; people who will inspire you to create positive forward change in your own worlds. You’ll hear from entrepreneurs, athletes, experts in health and nutrition, and amazing humans with a message to share. It’s time to get out there and Run This World!

It's not everyday that you stumble across a world champion athlete in Steamboat who isn't a snow sport athlete. Today you will hear a parallel perspective on what it takes to be the best - from my favorite person in the world - our current SSWSC mountain bike and skimo coach, former 2-time Ironman Triathlon world champion, consummate gear enthusiast, health and fitness guru, father of 6th grade SSWSC athlete Wilder, and my husband, Tim DeBoom.

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Tim is an elusive champion; he doesn't wear his accomplishments on his sleeve. When we moved to Steamboat in 2020, he didn't want to leverage his athletic past, so he started by volunteering to coach whichever ski program needed him. After a season of wrangling 6 year olds on cross country skis, the club figured out his skills would be better suited for a different level of athlete! Today he coaches the kids who have a proclivity for endurance - on the bike and on skis - notably starting the first-ever Steamboat Springs Skimo program (one of just a few kids' skimo programs in our country).

This interview was a blast - when's the last time to sat down with your spouse and asked them all the big questions about what makes them tick? After listening, please reach out if you have any questions about the programs Tim leads or anything else!

Today you will hear:

Tim's background: family, sports, philosophies and more
Swimming: How one sport set the stage for a future world champion in another sport
Trust in the process is key to success in everything.
Specialization vs diversification
Patience & Consistency
Identities: How they shift and change from Swimmer to Pro Athlete to Dad to Coach
"I wonder if I can finish?" The Power of Wonder

As always, please share your questions, comments, feedback and requests. Go to sswsc.org! Now get out there and support, lead or be a champion on and off the mountain!

Today we have my favorite guest in the world - you guessed it - Mirna Valerio! This is an obviously true statement due to the fact that she has been on this podcast more times than any other guest by far. 8 times! That means you can have hours of happy, mind-expanding Mirna listening by simply tuning in here. I am going to take you back in time so you can appreciate Mirna’s evolution and then, better appreciate our conversation today which really centers on a topic that we haven’t explored before. A topic that affects pretty much everyone I know. The topic of depression and anxiety. But first, let's hit memory lane...

In Dec 2016, episode 34 titled Mirna Valerio of Fatgirlrunning Promotes Health at Every Size. This was not too long after we first connected. Mirna was experiencing that beautiful thing we call momentum. It was around this time that I think I told her, this is amazing, and let’s keep it going as long as we can because one day we’re not going to be able to afford you anymore! Her message at that time was simply about the fact that people at any size can get moving for reasons above and beyond trying to lose weight but simply for the love and joy of movement.

Well people noticed and while many agreed with her, others decided to make her the subject of their anger so in Sept 2017 we recorded episode 69 - Mirna Valerio is not a Liar and a Fraud. You guessed it - as she gained popularity and inspired many people to try new things, she also gained the attention of some haters, one of whom took the time to email her that she is a liar and fraud.

Instead of stopping, the message fueled her to go even further. So she kept pushing, moving and breaking barriers. In June 2018, she was the star speaker at the Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat in Boulder, and since we had an in-person opportunity, i grabbed her and fellow ambassador Latoya Snell and we recorded episode 97 - Mirna & Latoya Uncensored - and had a fun, deep and raunchy conversation about all sorts of awesome topics like lady part chafing, how people project their fears on others, how we’re all nuts and more. At this point she was comfortable in this space of both empowerment and controversy, and she was learning how to navigate it successfully. We took a little podcast break, mainly because Mirna became insanely busy as a very sought-after speaker, athlete, and more. Our next podcast was in March 2020 - 163 - Mirna Valerio Leans Into Joy. The pandemic had just begun and I was desperate for a voice that could help pull me and my listeners out of the daily fear and figure out to embrace joy even during the toughest times. After today’s episode I wonder if I was among the many who have unrealistic expectations even for the most positive spirits in this world. The truth is that I needed her for more than the pandemic, I was also in my most turbulent professional crisis ever, making decisions about the future of Skirt Sports, and it was tearing me up - I needed every trick in the book.

Which leads me to episode 200 - Mirna Valerio Live and Unfiltered which we recorded in May 2021. I was on my honeymoon - only 9 months after I sold Skirt Sports and moved to Steamboat Springs, CO. This episode was basically a celebration - of how far we’ve come and how much there still is to explore.

And she made two bonus appearances on fun group podcasts:

In March 2017 she sang opera at my parents dinner table at a photo shoot in Savannah Georgia in episode 43 - Tales From the Shoot. There were 5 of us, Mirna, my parents Gail and Roger Molzahn, and Kim Cook, our amazing photographer. THe sound sucked but the conversation was awesome.

In January 2019, we recorded episode 119 - Body Talk - with 3 other amazing, strong women who were helping promote the launch of our new Plus Size collection, Jen Szabo, Katie Kelly and another frequent pod guest, Jill Angie. It’s that collection that Mirna credits with helping her learn what really goes into the creation of products that fit real women’s bodies, not mannequins, and I’m so proud that we were able to both create things that made women feel beautiful but also helped other women grow, learn and evolve.

So there you have it, an audio history of my friendship with this amazing woman who started as an educator from Georgia who had a health scare, decided to change her life, and turned into the force we know today as the Mirnavator - a woman who truly brings joy everywhere she goes even when she herself is struggling to find her own.

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We chat about ALOT today:

Perimenopause and how depression and anxiety (and other things) are really brought to light.
"What's the absolute worst case scenario?"
Being an observer of our own bodies
How being outside is the most therapeutic trick for Mirna
Manifesting your future
How to be many things - just not all at once

Finally - the big secret she couldn't share is already public! Check out Mirna's groundbreaking work to help show how women run FURTHER! Check out Lululemon's new project featuring 10 trailblazing women.

I hope you enjoyed the show. This episode effectively wraps up my 10-episode menopause series. I'm not sure what's coming next - or when it will come - if you have ideas, shoot me a note! Until then, get out there and Run This World!

Today I’m trying something new. I’m interviewing a friend, someone who has been on the show before - Elizabeth Kraus. Check out episode 139 - Elizabeth Kraus Asks Herself 3 Questions Every Day - an interview we did in July 2019. It's sooo good...and it also shows how much we go through and how much we can change in just 3+ years.

Elizabeth is a powerhouse business woman who I’ve often called when I need career advice and she always delivers. She’s strong. She’s brilliant. And she’s an incredible leader and role model to many. So when she reached out not too long ago and said she has a story that she wants to share and the best way to do it would be on the podcast, I didn’t hesitate. The hook? She didn’t tell me any details. I had no idea what she was going to share. Only that she had recently been through an experience that changed her life and she needed the world to know about it! So get ready to go through a ride with me today.

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Teaser - some high level topics we cover:

Mind & Body Breakdowns
Body image
Eating disorders
Hormones
The illusion of success
How our relationships can be affected by our body/mind journeys

Elizabeth also turns the mic on me and shares a great technique for helping others navigate their menopause journeys.

Today you will hear our version of the Girlfriend’s Guide to Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy. Our guest, Mary Jane Minkin, is possibly the best-suited person to speak on this subject and I’ll tell you why. She is a practicing gynecologist who has been teaching at the Yale University School of Medicine for over 41 years! She has ridden the menopause rollercoaster, experiencing society’s many changing beliefs and recommendations over the past 40+ years. She has treated 1000s of women to help them find hormone relief. She’s written 7 books on the subject. And she’s been through menopause herself. Plus, she is excited to share what she’s learned and help kick the stigma around menopause.

I first discovered Dr Minkin on Selene Yeager’s Hit Play Not Pause podcast in an episode called Happy Vaginas. Which led me to your fabulous, Information-packed website Madame Ovary. Finally I recently read the brilliant NY Times article by Susan Dominus titled "Women Have Been Misled About Menopause" that debunked some long-held myths about menopause and included some very powerful quotes from Dr Minkin. I decided I needed to get her on this show so we could help more women make sense of this crazy rollercoaster of a ride that we all go through.

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Today you will hear the following and so much more!

Dr Minkin's path to practicing medicine and in particular, women's medicine (spoiler: it all started with Sputnik!)
Her personal menopause journey two decades ago
Check out menopause.org - the 2022 Hormone Therapy Guidelines
The Girlfriend's Guide:
- How do I know when I'm perimenopausal?
- How long will it last?
- How can I help my symptoms?
- Can you recommend some natural remedies?
- What is HRT and how do I know if I'm a candidate for it?
- What are HRT risks? (and an explanation about the WHI study from the 90s that caused a breast cancer scare associated with HRT)
- What are HRT benefits?
- Does HRT help with cognitive issues (brain fog)?
- How do I know when to stop?
- What are the positives to menopoause?

For more on Dr Mary Jane Minkin, go to MadameOvary.com - you can reach her directly here.

As always, please leave a review on itunes, or reach out anytime with thoughts, ideas or just to say hi!

This episode is SO FLIPPING GOOD! If you don't know Dr Mindy Pelz, today be prepared for your mind to bend and possibly explode with happiness, hope and motivation. If you've been sitting around wondering how to move out of your current energy state, slump, universe of uncertainty, you will walk away with some tools to start RIGHT NOW!

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

I learned about Dr Pelz when I was walking my dog, Pickle, on the trail near my house. A couple of my friends walked up talking about this amazing doctor who was recently on Danica Patrick’s podcast sharing her expertise on women and fasting and how the number one thing we can do is plan our lives around our cycles. It was a new outlook that I hadn’t heard before - instead of trying to push through the waves that our cycles bring - she was suggesting that we honor our cycles and plan our schedules, productivity and brain power needs appropriately. She calls it “understanding the language of hormones.” I cold emailed her and then hounded her until she scheduled with me! We had the greatest conversation - my mind literally exploded multiple times, especially in regards to being a female athlete. And it was funny, we also had a couple glitches and we just decided to roll with them because that’s what hormones do - you’re going along just fine and then blam-o! They can hit you hard and sideline you for a second!

In addition to learning a ton of very interesting and valuable info, you'll want to check out Dr Mindy's work.

Peruse her website: drmindypelz.com

READ her new book Fast Like a Girl

LISTEN to The Resetter Podcast

JOIN her Reset Academy and get supported in your fasting journey

Fast Like a Girl: A Woman's Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy, and Balance Hormones

No, that's not a typo. My old friend, one of my college swimming besties (we're standing next to each other top row 5th & 6th from right), Lyn (Askey) Jutronich was recently attacked by a great white shark while swimming in Del Mar, CA. I had reconnected with her about a year ago when I was seeking advice on whether to start HRT. She sent me a note about her perimenopause journey in all its glory and I thought, "We should really feature her on a podcast!" Lo and behold I was reading the news a couple months ago and saw an article about the most recent shark attack in the world only to realize I was watching a video of LYN ASKEY from her hospital bed!

I immediately reached out to make sure she was okay and we both agreed that she needed to come on the show and share her story. Two months after the attack, we connected on so much more than sharks. Lyn is one of the most open, amazing women you'll ever meet. She shares life tips, beauty hacks, menopause wisdom and the tale of her crazy shark encounter - and I know you'll leave wanting so much more. Don't worry she shares her email - so send her a note if you want!

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Today we cover:

A fun beauty hack: The little-known nose hair wax!
Sobriety: Why & when it was time to stop drinking (for both of us)
The Penis Game: Note - this game does not involve any actual penises!
Perimenopause: How it manifested in Lyn, depression/anxiety, other unusual symptoms, why meds can be a really good thing, HRT & more
The Pessary Story! OMG!
The great white shark attack: Lyn's story will give you chills
When crazy things happen, sometimes other important things are discovered (like blood clots in your legs!)

Lyn is a rockstar. One of my favorite people on the planet. I'm so grateful she is with us today.

As always, please leave a review on itunes, or reach out anytime with thoughts, ideas or just to say hi!

Today is a big-time overshare episode. I am a huge advocate for learning about your body and taking control of your health - from the inside. One of the best ways to do this is to become an expert of your own blood metrics or biomarkers, something that seemed difficult to do in the past, but is now incredibly easy and cost-effective.

I stumbled upon InsideTracker a while back when I was trying to figure out how to get my blood drawn and tested from my small town of Steamboat Springs - without a required visit to my doctor to place the lab order.

Turns out InsideTracker believes that the work I'm doing to help women learn about their bodies, especially during this crazy menopausal time, is important. They became a sponsor of this series and gave me access to one of their Registered Dietitians to do a down & dirty discussion about what's really going on in my body based on my recent bloodwork.

I don't just share the positives, I share the stuff that needs work too. Today's discussion explores why some biomarkers are strong or need improvement, what I can do to work on things and how you can also take control of your health.

One of my biggest takeaways is that I'm just not getting the protein and iron I need at this point in my life - and that may necessitate some dietary changes! There are other things to work on, but this is my main goal after learning more about my inside!

Be sure to check out insidetracker.com/runthisworld for 20% off their entire site.

More on Michelle Darian :)

Michelle is a registered dietitian and Marketing Manager, Science & Product at InsideTracker. Michelle graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Dietetics and Global Health. Driven by her passion for disseminating accurate, actionable nutrition information on a population scale, Michelle completed master’s programs in Nutrition Interventions, Communications, and Behavior Change, and in Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

As a Registered Dietitian, you’ll find Michelle analyzing the research behind recent nutrition trends, bringing actionable food and supplement recommendations to the platform. When she's not myth-busting, you can find Michelle exploring new restaurants and creating in her kitchen.

Today you hear from Dr Jenn Salib Huber, one of the most infectious voices on food, menopause & nutrition today. I was listening to her podcast The Midlife Feast - the particular episode was titled something like Take Iron or Go Poop - Why do we have to choose? It actually had a better title, but that was the gist! I was immediately smitten by her humor, real-personality & willingness to share deeply on topics that can make a big difference during this menopause journey, but are not always popular to talk about (like how going KETO is a not-so-great choice during menopause).

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

We have a fun & informative conversation today focused mainly around an area that is very important to me and probably all of you: FOOD! As a Registered Dietitian, Naturopathic Doctor and Intuitive Eating Advocate this is her wheelhouse!

Enjoy today's conversation including these tidbits and more:

Why we give so much power to a number & how to say goodbye to the scale
The bullshittery of the diet cycle
How to release the attachment to an outcome that keeps us on the diet cycle
What the heck is gentle nutrition
The power of changing from a "Take away/restriction" approach to an "Add-in" approach to eating
A fun Mythbusting powwow on a number of topics including:
KETO and midlife
Protein
Cravings
And more!

For more on Dr Jenn Salib Huber, visit her site, join her Beyond the Scale group program and sign up for her Food Joy / Body Joy Retreat in April 2023.

Today I connect with an old friend who is doing really cool things for women - Jill Angie is empowering women to set and go after life goals they didn’t realize were possible. She calls herself a fat running coach as she runs her Not Your Average Runner empire. She’s also a life coach which is sort of obvious as we chat, a speaker, an author and the coolest person you’ll ever meet. She’s also through to the other side of menopause and has some awesome insights to share. I’m sure you’ll want to work with her after listening today. Head over to notyouraveragerunner.com and grab her free Start Running Kit on the site.

And I should add that my goal was to do an episode about what happens to our boobs during menopause. I couldn’t think of anyone better to talk breasts with than Jill Angie, but realized even before we started that we would need to expand the conversation to cover all things menopause and even a few more fun rabbit holes. So get ready!

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Today we pontificate on the following:

Jill's menopause journey including the fact that she thought she was crazy when she started having symptoms bc no one told her they could be tied to perimenopause in her early 40s!
Symptoms: heart racing in middle of night, sleep problems, vertigo, hot flashes, hair changes
What helped: stopping caffeine, a book she picked up by one of the Northrups, she did not do HRT
Boobs: We talk about our own breasts and some common ways that menopause may affect breasts, namely tenderness/pain, changes in size or shape, and the scariest one - lumpy breasts. If you have this symptom, see your doctor asap as it may be indicative of something other than menopause
Sex after menopause: yes, it can be amazing :)
And more

For more Jill Angie, go to notyouraveragerunner.com & do something great for yourself!

Selene Yeager is the host of the Hit Play Not Pause podcast which in my opinion, qualifies her for this title: Menopause Expert. Selene is also the content manager for Feisty Menopause, and a top-selling professional health and fitness writer who lives what she writes as an NASM certified personal trainer, USA Cycling licensed coach, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off road racer, and former All-American Ironman triathlete. Most recently she is the co-author of ROAR and Next Level with Dr. Stacy Sims.

All that aside, I've known Selene for almost 20 years back in the days when she was the voice for all things women at Bicycling Magazine. When I launched Skirt Sports in 2005, she immediately "got it," requested one of our cycling skirts and proudly rocked it (and reviewed it) as a way for women to carry their femininity on and off the trails.

I love that she's never stopped pushing for women to own their health & fitness journeys in whatever ways they need - at every stage of life. Today we talk all things menopause. I'm so grateful that Selene is an open book as she shares many nuggets of wisdom and advice in her own journey and through her conversations with other meno experts.

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Today you'll hear:

Selene's background & what sparked her interest in this topic
Menopause 101 discussion about our shifting hormones which start long before "actual menopause"
We can help make our menopause journeys more comfortable
Discussion about common ages, symptoms, products that may help and other things we can do to make things better
Lifting heavy shit: how on DAY 1 of lifting heavy, Selene experienced an immediate effect
And more really good stuff that will help you!

Check out her popular Hit Play Not Pause Podcast

For more on Selene and her work, check out https://www.feistymenopause.com/

Welcome to the first episode of The Body Summit - my way of providing accessible & powerful info to women who are dealing with the before, during or after of menopause. I created the series with the goal of learning more about what happens to our bodies during this time (which can start in our early 30s), but it's very clear that we're also affected emotionally, mentally and spiritually which you'll learn from all of my guests.

Today you hear all about hormones from my brilliant, funny, down-to-earth friend, Dr. Anna Lundeen. Anna is a board certified family medicine physician with a passion for helping women discover their greatest health. She has an extra interest in helping women manage their hormones, so get ready for some actionable info!

Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!

Today we talk about:

The hormone journey we all go through
How hormones change as we age: estrogen, progesterone, DHEA & testosterone
All sorts of sidetracks and rabbit-holes about the above!
Hormones and FOOD! Tips and tricks to manage your hormone changes through nutrition
The importance of your gut in managing inflammation
The impact of stress on digesting food
Genetic testing: Pure Genomics
The importance of finding a doctor who fits your needs!

Do Anna's Hormone Reboot launching mid September. Visit https://www.wellev8health.com/programs for more info.

More about Anna:

She has a BS in Bio-environmental Engineering from Cornell University and completed her medical doctorate at Drexel University College of Medicine in 2006. She has been practicing medicine in the Yampa Valley since 2009. She currently works at Northwest Colorado Community Health Center part-time and runs a virtual functional medicine practice called Wellev8 Health. As a certified CrossFit coach and nutrition enthusiast, functional medicine was an obvious next step as this approach uses nutrition, movement, stress management, and supplements to support our bodies’ natural processes and address the root cause of symptoms. When it comes to hormone health, this approach works wonders. Anna’s mission is to help busy women feel their absolute best as they tackle the peaks and valleys of every day life. I think you will find that she has that effect even through the airwaves.

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I reached out to Amy Kim from Kindtail when I was on the hunt for the best crate for our new french bulldog, Pickle. All I could see were those horrible cages that look like jail cells. Our old lab, Annie, once literally "chewed" her way out of one of those cages, Jaws-style, blood and guts included. When I saw a review that said, "Our puppy is dead. She got her neck halfway through and suffocated while we were gone for an hour," I know I needed another option.

At that moment, I saw my first PAWD - a beautiful, aesthetically-pleasing plastic crate by Kindtail. It looked like an end table, and it turns out, that's one of the uses Amy intended when she created it.

The pet industry is evolving but some areas are still in the dark ages. Amy Kim is an inventor, a product designer, a woman who sees things through the eyes of love and kindness, not just dollar signs. Her dog saved her life many years ago, and she is committed to creating products that will make his and other pets around the world happier.

Notables:

Amy Kim is a badass :)

How Amy started Kindtail

Faced with being a single parent, Amy found strength and love through her dog, Monkey

No-man's land is worse then learning hard truths

The toughest times can yield the greatest growth opportunities

Mindset reframe: Instead of asking "can I?" reframe to "Why can't I?"

Entrepreneurship is self-discovery: It takes resilience and constant retraining

Intuition & Courage are the key

What's your superpower? Amy's is laser focus (Amy) and that she loves the hardest (Yogi's feedback)

Go to kindtail.com and use the code RUNTHISWORLD for $15 off

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we come together to connect and share.

Jean Mellano is the founder of the Touched by Suicide series & Steve Tarpinian's surviving partner
Michael Lovato is the narrator & a friend of Steve's who was deeply touched by his tragic suicide
Nicole DeBoom is the series co-collaborator with Jean, podcast engineer & interviewer

This project was originally concepted as a single episode podcast with the objective of destigmatizing suicide and mental health. It turned into a 10-part series plus this epilogue with a much greater message to share - that suicide is so much more pervasive than we ever imagined and that we are not alone in our suffering.

We learned so much through creating this series & we hope you did too.

Notables:

In the weeks and months before he passed, Steve contacted several people that he was close to, but did not normally speak to on a regular basis. It almost seemed like he wanted to say goodbye, or "clean up his side of the fence" if there were any unresolved issues.
Everyone grieves differently. When a person is grieving one lost due to suicide, some loved ones may be unintentionally hurt by the actions taken by others who are also mourning the loss.
Adam Sud’s ("An Attempter" episode) quote "Suicide is not about someone trying to end their life, suicide is someone trying to end their pain" explains so much.
Kevin Hines ("A Golden Gate Jump Survivor" episode) had instant regret as soon as his hand left the railing. Did Steve have that regret before he took his own life?
As difficult and painful as it is to hear the stories of those touched by suicide, it helps us "get it".
It is human nature to be silent about the cause of death when it is suicide. This in turn propagates the stigma.
We combat helplessness by being helpful.
Suicide does not discriminate. There is no one profile type that can describe someone who may take their own life. People who die by suicide can be in the depths of despair or they can be at the pinnacle of their life (having it all).
There are so many who are silently suffering.
Steve’s legacy is helping others. He helped so many tap into themselves.
People cannot relate to mental pain like they can relate to physical pain.

We tried to finish the Epilogue on a happy note, but we were not able to. This podcast is not light listening and also is very painful for many to listen to. It was also very painful for us to create. In the podcast, Michael jokingly alluded to Steve's voice being not so great. To bring a smile to your face, click on any of these youtube links below to see Steve at his best - creative, funny and playful.

The Touched by Suicide Podcast Series demonstrates that there is so much collateral damage resulting from suicide. The interviewees bravely revealed their vulnerabilities and raw feelings. Hopefully, this project will inspire conversation about suicide. That in itself will help reduce the stigma. Thank you for listening, for your support and for sharing with anyone who needs to hear this right now.

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear the perspective of a man who attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. His name is Kevin Hines. He was 17 years old when he decided to take his life. Kevin shares his story, including the fact that he regretted his decision the second his body left the rail. He openly discusses his personal mental health issues, how he has learned to live with, but not act on, his suicidal feelings, and how connections and love form his foundation. Today Kevin travels the world sharing strategies for positive mental health, some of which you will hear right now. Please note - All of the resources Kevin shares are listed in the show notes for future reference.

Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/kevinhines

Award-winning video "It was an instant regret"

"The Art of Wellness 2.0" includes incredible daily life guidance

HINESIGHTS Podcast

Kevin Hines website

Notable quotes:

"The voice in my head said jump now, so I did"
"Your suicidal thoughts do not have to become your actions"
"I live with chronic thoughts of suicide. They plague me but will never kill me"
"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional"
"The millisecond my hands left the rail it was instant regret."

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear the perspective of a surviving partner. Her name is Jean Mellano. Steve and Jean met in 1981 and were together for over 33 years. Theirs was a love story and a tragedy. In 2013, Steve started slipping away and his depressions were becoming more frequent and longer in duration. Even though he sought professional help, he could no longer make decisions and was no longer capable of running his business.

For any survivor who is listening, this episode is so powerful because Jean shares her struggles before and after Steve’s death. Like many survivors, memories continue to surface at often unexpected times. After she finished this interview, Jean remembered something important that she wanted to make sure we include.

A few weeks before he passed, in a phone conversation, Steve shared with her that he was so afraid. When she asked what he meant, he could not—or did not want to—explain what he feared. Little did she know, he probably realized he was literally “losing his mind” and had no control over it. He felt he had no options left. Steve was her Ironman, her rock of support who got her through cancer and the passing of her parents—how could he possibly feel so vulnerable and alone? And how could she not know? These are the thoughts that continue to surface, even 7 years later. Sadly, this is common for survivors, so if you are going through this, you are not alone.

Notables:

Jean often says that she had no idea he would try to take his own life. Less than 30 minutes before he passed, she received this text message from him.
The things Jean remembers about their early days
- Belly laughs: Steve already made her laugh so much. A good belly laugh is how Steve helped diagnose her tonsil cancer
- Pity Parties: When Jean was going through a particularly tough chemo session, Steve took out some party hats and
- "What the f*ck is she so happy about?"
It's so easy to look back and wonder...
When you live with someone who is suffering, the changes can be so small and incremental that it's hard to really know when they change into something more serious.
Ativan was used to treat Steve's anxiety and depression - Jean believes it's possible that the drugs that helped early on stopped working
Parkinson's: Jean was diagnosed with Parkinson's shortly after Steve died. She believes the grief and stress triggered her Parkinson's.
Survivor's guilt is real and universal
Grief and recovery resources were not easy to find at that time
Jean feels she perpetuated the stigma about Steve's suicide by telling a local reporter not to include the cause of his death. Shortly after that initial response, she changed her attitude and openly shared about Steve's suicide.
As Jean says, "She put her head in the sand."
Steve's mission in life was to help people as evidenced by his career choices; lifeguard, applying to the FDNY, coach. He cared so much about helping others; it was tough to accept that he couldn't help himself.
Resources: Facebook groups for survivors are more available now and can be very helpful, the AFSP is doing great things to support survivors and raise awareness, the suicide prevention hotline does a great job to help direct people

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear from Mike Barone, one of Steve's friends. Mike met Steve in July 2005 when he decided to do a Half IRONMAN for his 40th birthday. He needed a group to train with; he found Team Total Training and joined them for a swim training session. He "just did what the long-haired guy on the surfboard told him to do." After post-workout drinks, he had found his crew! Mike was shocked to learn about Steve's suicide. He remembers Steve as a beautiful person who helped so many others.

Notables:

Steve's great talent was in building community
"Beauty is in the Balance" - a philosophy Steve touted but struggled to adhere to himself
Working together: fun & positive environment fostered by Steve
Steve cared so much how others were feeling
Warning signs: There really weren't any until Steve called Mike a month or so before his death
Suicide awareness seems to have increased: Mike feels more aware and open about suicide and mental health
How much pain was that person in to think suicide is the alternative

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear from a woman who was coached by Steve Tarpinian. Deb Savarese discovered triathlon when she decided to do a triathlon to celebrate her 50th birthday. She signed up for a tri clinic and shortly afterward joined Steve's training group, Team Total Training. Deb misses Steve greatly. She feels he is still with us. She can still hear his voice especially when she's swimming.

Notables include:

Steve really knew how to make beginners feel welcome
Steve loved and embraced all his athletes; he was a mentor and a friend
Steve impacted Deb in a huge way: she is not afraid to take on challenges, she is able to believe in herself more, she thinks bigger, works harder and really embraces discipline - all things she learned from Steve
Even when a person we know dies by suicide, they can still be with us. As Deb says, “Steve is still her coach”
It's difficult to know how serious a suicidal person's struggles are. At times Steve seemed moody, not easy to approach, withdrawn versus his usual bubbly, social self.
When Steve died, Deb knew right away that he took his own life because of struggles she had heard he was having. The last time she saw him, he did not look well. His appearance had changed, he was disheveled, distracted.
The only warning sign Deb can remember is that Steve called her twice right before he died which was not something he ever did. He never called to chat. In retrospect, she feels he was trying to say good bye.
The only way to open the door about mental health is to talk about it. Deb has since learned it's okay to ask someone if they are thinking of taking their own life. We shouldn't be afraid to pry.

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear from a former professional athlete and good friend of Steve Tarpinian. Rip Esselstyn knew Steve as an athlete, coach & a friend who was always up for an adventure. Rip's stories about their shared time together brings Steve, the inspiration behind this series, to life.

Notables:

Steve was an outgoing, approachable, empathetic person, both interested in others and interesting himself! The point is that people struggling with mental health issues can seem exactly the opposite of what we may think.
Steve opened up to Rip about his depression and hospitalization, and looking back, Rip says, "I think we all feel like we could have been better friends" when they're gone.
It seemed surreal that Steve would take his own life. This is a common reaction to so many people who attempt or die by suicide.
Rip feels there is still a barrier to discuss suicide because mental health is so private and can feel invasive to ask directly.
Rip's final thoughts, "I would tell Steve how much I love him, what an absolute gem of a human being he is. So sorry he is hurting this much and in so much pain. Let’s fly out to Kona and swim out to the buoy and see the dolphins again. You will be missed more than you know."

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Most of it doesn't really matter. But a few things do. Listen for 50 years of wisdom from Nicole!

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK). Suicide warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org).

Today we hear from Michael Stewart - a man who has been touched closely by suicide twice. Steve Tarpinian was a father figure to Michael, a man who helped guide him into the sport of triathlon which became his passion in his younger years. Michael raced at the highest level of triathlon from age 9 through 16 until he started to experiment with drugs and alcohol. He stopped racing triathlons, went off to college and didn't maintain an active relationship with Steve. When Steve died, Michael never truly processed his suicide.

Less than three years later, Michael suffered another terrible loss to suicide - his father Mike Stewart. On Michael's 61st day sober, he arrived home to two detectives who delivered the news.

Michael is a truly special person, so strong and vulnerable in his journey. His perspective of a son who lost a father and a father figure is important - the people left behind will forever struggle to pick up the pieces.

Notables:

Mental health, depression & addiction were open topics of communication, as his dad suffered from alcoholism and depression
Michael defines himself as having an addictive personality - discussion about whether this is genetic or a result of upbringing
Hindsight: Michael expresses a desire for closure, wishing he would have said or done something that may have helped
Don't take everything at face value: Steve was a good actor and people didn't know what he was going through
People younger than Michael are more open and things are better in terms of awareness and suicide stigma
Advice: Pick up the phone when you are suffering. There is always someone to talk to

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Music credit: "Forgiveness" by Sensho from Upbeatt.io

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK) It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed by certified crisis response professionals.

"Awareness generally precedes progress." - Dr. Andreski

Today we talk to a psychiatrist who has been treating suicidal patients and survivors of suicide loss for 45 years. Dr Stephen Andreski shares a clinical perspective on the different angles of suicide.

Dr. Andreski, MD, is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, the former Medical Director of the Crisis Unit Capital District Psychiatric Center, & the former Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services at Albany Medical Center Hospital.

Notables include:

Why people attempt suicide: largely due to depression, a great sense of suffering, feelings of aloneness & that their situations are hopeless
Warning signs to note: Signs of depression, changes in behaviors, withdrawal from normal routines and community
Why do some people consider suicide a selfish act? Suicide is often a self-concerned act, but the attempter feels it's the opposite of selfish, as they feel the world would be better off without them.
Do you think suicides can be prevented? Not all people can be stopped from killing themselves even if they see a mental health professional.
Effects on survivors: Children of parents who die by suicide are 300-800 times more likely to attempt suicide
How have awareness and stigma changed: awareness is much greater than 45 years ago, and discussions are more common, but treatment may actually be harder to get.

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK) It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed by certified crisis response professionals.

"Suicide is not about someone trying to end their life, suicide is someone trying to end their pain."

Adam Sud attempted suicide on August 21, 2012. He was 30 years old and he felt like his life was so difficult, he was so broken, so miserable, his suffering seemed so hopeless that he took a handful of pills and swallowed as many as he could. As his heart rate went up and down, he thought that was the last moment of his life, and he felt completely terrified.

When he woke up later, he had an unbelievable feeling of relief. He was glad he was still alive.

That was when he finally set forth a path to change. It started with a call to his family; a family he had effectively shut out and treated horribly, but who didn't hesitate to help.

Adam's story is powerful. His path today is a testament to the fact that we can change our lives even when they seem so hopeless and alone.

Notables:

Eating transformation: from piles of fast food every day to fully converted plant-based eater. Adam credits vegan eating for helping reverse many of the health problems he faced
Drug abuse: Starting with Adderall use in high school to treat ADHD, Adam spiraled to criminal drug behaviors over the course of a decade.
Family: Adam's story is a testament to the power of family. Adam blamed his dad (parents) for many of his problems. He admittedly treated them horribly, but they never stopped loving him and trying to help.
Rip Esselstyn's PlantStrong program: Adam shares the story of attending one of Rip's eating retreats at Whole Foods, and even though he didn't convert at that time, the experience was the foundation for a life metamorphosis.
Food as transformational "medicine:" When Adam entered a sober living facility, he got some great advice from his dad who said that he didn't know about the mental health diagnoses he had received, but he did know that some of the physical health diagnoses could be reversed. He told Adam to remember what he learned at Rip's retreat.
Make your new life habits as easy as possible to achieve: Adam created daily rituals that he could easily uphold to take away the guesswork and temptation.
And so much more.

You can find Adam Sud at @plantbasedaddict and check out his nonprofit @plantbasedforpositivechange - he is doing amazing things to help people!

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

I met Lizzie Larock at the Steamboat Springs Thrive Women's Leadership Conference. She did a talk called something like "how to live a perfectly imperfect life" - I knew I needed to meet her. But a funny thing happened before I stepped into her presentation - we talk about it at the beginning of this interview - sometimes if we just pay attention our new best friends are literally waiting to be connected to us through random associations!

Today we talk:

B minus work: Strive for mediocrity
Growth vs fixed mindsets for us and our kids
Codependency during spouse's issues
Positive psychology
Selling the shit that you no longer need
Twins
Stop living on the crumbs! Stop putting your needs last!
Ikigai - gotta listen for this one!
And so much more

Lizzie is a coach, keynote speaker and creator who uses creativity to help people eradicate stress, bend time, get out of perfectionism and uncover more meaning and purpose in their lives. She created the Life Feast online and in the wild program to infuse her student’s lives with curiosity, mindfulness, awe, and joy through the double lens of photography and positive psychology.

When Lizzie is not teaching workshops or embarking on creative adventures with her Life Feast students, you can find her sipping tea, hanging with her twins or performing her parodied mom life to 80’s rock songs.

Learn more about Lizzie, download her free photowalk guide, take the #smalljoys challenge or scope out the details of her Life Feast program at: thelifefeast.com.

And freebie alert for the Life-Feast-Curious! Want to try a photowalk with Lizzie? A photowalk is a way to look for the good in life, a way to see life through a new lens, a creative lens, a lens that isn't only smudged with to do lists, mortgage payments, school pickups/drop offs, work deadlines and every other headache we might encounter in any given day. It's the creative catapult you never knew you needed to get out of your inbox and into your life. It’s even good for your brain! Download the free guide and behind the scenes video right here: https://www.larockstarcreative.com/small-joys-with-photowalk-guide

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK) It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed by certified crisis response professionals.

Today we hear the perspective of a mom. Her name is Ruth Tepler-Roth. In 2012, Ruth lost her 21 year old son, Jonathan, to suicide. Ruth was devastated when Jonathan took his life. She felt so alone. She remarked at the time Jonathan died, treatment for mental health was in the Dark Ages, much like cancer treatment was in the 1950s. Over time Ruth has learned to share Jonathan’s story openly which is the only way we can break the stigma about suicide. For parents who are listening, this interview is so important because Ruth had no idea Jonathan was struggling with suicidal thoughts until he attempted suicide the first time. We may think we know what’s going on with our children, but we don’t always know until something bad happens. Ruth talks about warning signs but forgot to mention an important one, so she asked us to include it here. Many people who are suffering self-medicate with drugs and alcohol in their quest to end their pain. If you notice this sign or the others mentioned in this interview, intervene before it’s too late.

Notables:

When Jonathan first attempted suicide and was unsuccessful, they decided to keep it a secret. Ruth believes that keeping suicide a secret perpetuates the shame for everyone.
Hindsight warning signs: changes in friends, mood stability, sleeping and eating patterns, Jonathan and Steve both said ‘I am not a good person’, and they would get angry, which was unusual for them
Rejecting love: Jonathan got upset when Ruth said to him "You are my sun, moon and my stars." He would say, "That's too much for me. I am not going to live that long."
What makes it very hard to know if someone is suicidal is that many people, including Jonathan and Steve, were incredible actors. They didn't want people to know.
We must attack the stigma by making it acceptable to talk about mental illness and suicide.
Ruth still harbors resentment toward the doctors and clinicians. She questions the process in getting help. It was not easy, not cheap, and she felt that the medical professionals missed so many important things. They were fooled.
She also believes that schools are ill-equipped to help and manage students with mental health issues.
It was tough to get an initial mental health diagnosis which was eventually labeled bipolar 2.
When asked what she would say to Jonathan today, "What a loss. The world is poorer with you."
Ruth believes that the conversation is changing - a podcast like this wouldn't have existed 10 years ago - but those who need help are still generally underserved.

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

Trigger warning: This episode may include discussions about suicide, mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. If these topics are sensitive to you, proceed with caution. It may also contain strong language and is intended for an adult audience.

If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself, or are concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting himself or herself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255. (800-273-TALK) It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed by certified crisis response professionals.

Please be sure to share this podcast with anyone who needs to hear it right now. Thank you for listening.

You are listening to’Touched by Suicide’, a special podcast series inspired by the memory of Steve Tarpinian, a prolific figure in the sport of triathlon who positively impacted so many. Steve died by suicide in 2015.

Our goals are to raise awareness about and decrease the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health issues. And to let you know that you are not alone.

This series was sparked by Steve Tarpinian's surviving partner, Jean Mellano, is hosted by Nicole DeBoom on her Run This World Podcast and narrated by former professional triathlete, coach & event announcer, Michael Lovato.

Following is the Prologue transcription as narrated by Michael.

Due to the stigma that still exists with suicide, some suicide loss survivors feel ashamed talking about their loved one’s cause of death. They will not speak openly about suicide or the mental health issues leading up to suicide. When one takes their own life, there is a ripple effect that resonates to the clinicians, the co-workers, friends and family. Each week we will release an episode that offers a different perspective on suicide.

We believe that people suffering from mental illness are not necessarily defined by the disease. Their lives can be productive and filled with joy, laughter, and love. We hope to inspire conversation that will contribute to removing the stigma associated with mental illness and suicide. By doing this, we hope to help those who are struggling to find resources that may prevent them from moving forward with suicide. We also hope that if one is a suicide loss survivor, they will benefit from realizing they are not alone and they should not blame themselves for not doing more.

Suicide is much more prevalent than one would think. According the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over 47,000 Americans died by suicide in 2019.

No one is immune. The CDC believes that suicide has become a large and growing public health problem.

Attitudes about suicide are not likely to change for the better until we can speak as freely about it as we freely speak of cancer now. At one time cancer was stigmatized. Only when we can speak openly about suicide and mental health issues without shame or embarrassment will attitudes about suicide change for the better. The personal perspectives you will hear from our guests in the Touched By Suicide Podcast series, along with what I’m about to share, support the fact that change is happening, that suicide stigma has lessened since Steve passed away in 2015.

The power of celebrity has led to more open discussions about mental health and sucide. The families of those who took their own lives; Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington were not silent about the cause of their loved one’s death.
Many celebrities such as Carrie Fischer, Lady GaGa, Prince William, Demi Lovato and Michael Phelps have gone public and speak openly about their mental health struggles.
Suicide awareness has hit the mainstream. In 2017, Logic, a popular young singer, released a powerful suicide prevention anthem. The title of the song is the toll-free suicide prevention hot line: ‘1-800-273-8255'

Even though things have improved in the last several years since Steve passed, the stigma of suicide still exists. We have a long way to go.

When we lose people to suicide, their survivors often keep silent which further stigmatizes suicide. Today I have the honor of sharing the story of Steve Tarpinian. By celebrating his life and sharing views before and after his suicide, it is clear that awareness about suicide is changing. This is important because as one of our guests, Dr. Andreski, shares, “For most causes, awareness precedes progress.”.

Steve Tarpinian died by suicide on March 15th, 2015, the day after leaving an inpatient mental health facility. He was a beloved coach, swimmer, entrepreneur, friend and companion. Steve's vision established the landscape for triathlon on Long Island. However, his true legacy is the lives that he positively impacted while on his journey.

In his 20’s, Steve’s depressive episodes occurred maybe once or twice a year and lasted a day or so. As time went on, these episodes happened more frequently with longer durations. Steve would drive himself at a frenetic pace. He eventually became physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted.

Over the years, Steve won many battles in his private war. He appeared to most as a very happy, trouble-free person who had it all figured out. Steve had a very successful business, was a great athlete and a great coach, and he was loved by so many. He was very good at hiding his inner turmoil.

Steve started slipping away in 2013 when he was in his 50s. His depressive episodes were occurring more frequently and were becoming longer in duration. He was a good actor since no one knew he was suffering so much that he would take his own life.

In his final months, his mind was consumed by indecisiveness, obsessiveness, and regrets about not following certain paths in his life. Steve lost interest in the things he always seemed so passionate about. In his final few months, Steve frequently became so indecisive that he could no longer effectively live his life. He lost all hope for things to change for the better. Steve finally made the irreversible decision to leave behind his pain. He completed suicide on his second attempt to end his life.

Steve’s legacy is not that he died by suicide. His legacy is one of kindness and compassion to others in spite of his own personal struggles. He was someone who impacted so many lives in a powerful and positive way. He gave so much to so many with no expectation of a return. Steve was not just a coach of sport, he was a coach of life. He was a gift to all of us and that gift was only ours to borrow.

When someone dies by suicide, the loss survivors are left with many unanswered questions. They are often wracked with guilt and struggle to openly share about their loved one’s suicide, largely due to the stigma surrounding it.

We need to be more open in speaking about suicide, even though initially, it may be too uncomfortable to talk about. Silence perpetuates suicide stigma.

In Dr. Andreski’s interview, he indicated that not all people who are suicidal can be helped, but many can be. Freely speaking about suicide and mental health issues without shame or embarrassment is important to help to reduce the stigma.

Touched by Suicide features perspectives from nine people.

Ruth Tepler-Roth is a mom who lost her son Jonathan.
Adam Sud attempted suicide and survived. He shares his story to help others who are facing the turmoil he faced.
Doctor Andreski [ann DRESS key] is a psychiatrist who has been working with suicidal patients and suicide loss survivors for over 45 years.
Michael Stewart is a son who lost both his father figure, Steve, and later his father, Mike to suicide.
Ron Canner is a fan of Steve’s, someone who knew him peripherally and was deeply touched by his suicide.
Rip Esselstyn is a pro athlete friend and colleague of Steve’s who shares insights from the athlete mindset
Deb Savarese [SAV uh reese] is an athlete that Steve coached who will forever be impacted by him.
Mike Barone [buh RONE] is an employee, someone who knew Steve on a professional and friendship level.
Jean Mellano is the surviving partner of Steve, a man she still calls the love of her life. Jean is also the reason this series exists.
Nicole DeBoom is the interviewer. In the final episode, I sit down with her and talk about everything we learned from this project.

At times, we may feel helpless and not know what to say or do but there ARE some things that can be done to help those who are struggling.

Many people who contemplate suicide engage in behaviors that we can flag, if we know what to look for. These warning signs may help save lives. In every conversation, the power of hindsight is clear. Everyone involved in this project could identify at least one incident that would be considered a flag. Here are a few.

Contacting friends just to say ‘hi’,when it is not something they normally do. Typically this may happen when the person has made the decision to take their own life. They could be trying “to clean up their side of the fence” if there was a misunderstanding in their relationship or possibly just to say goodbye. Several of our guests received a phone call from Steve in the month or two before his death even though they had no contact with Steve for months.
Losing interest in the things they always loved to do
Pulling back from their social circles
Making a comment like their friends and family would be better off without them
And of course, previously attempting to complete suicide.

More warning signs can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (Afsp.org)

Too many are still being lost to suicide; it is so much more prevalent than people realize. Because of its stigma, no one wants to talk about it. Although things are improving with respect to awareness surrounding suicide and mental health issues, ignorance about these topics abound. Comments like “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” and “suicide is a selfish act” have no place in our society and only further contribute to the stigma. Anyone who makes these comments has no idea of the mental anguish one who takes their own life may be suffering; that it is so painful, they fear living more than they fear dying.

When someone dies by suicide, it is common for the survivors to remain silent about the cause of the death of their loved one. When this happens, it perpetuates the stigma around suicide which makes it harder for people to reach out when they need help. Steve Tarpinian died by suicide. He also left a beautiful legacy of love and support to many people. By sharing his story and the stories of others touched by suicide, it is our goal to educate and to help people who are struggling reach out for the help they need before it is too late.

If you have a loved one who is struggling, reach out to them. A friend of Steve’s, Peter Ventura, said that when he learned of Steve’s struggles, he sought help from a friend who was knowledgeable about how to help a person with suicidal feelings. Peter was given the following advice: “You just have to be intrusive. Don’t just walk through the door. Kick the door down and be there for your friend.” As one of our guests says, “You do not have to have answers. Tell them you love them and that you do not want them to feel alone. You are there for them. Don’t try to “fix” them.”

I will wrap up with a huge thank you to Jean Mellano for making this series happen. And thank you to Steve Tarpinian for lighting up the world with your smile and changing so many lives for the better. We wish you were still here with us today.

If you or someone you know is displaying suicide warning signs, please call the suicide prevention hotline at 800 273 8255. Thank you for listening. Please share this podcast - you never know who may need to hear it right now.

Medical Advisory:

The Run This World Podcast & the Touched by Suicide series does not provide crisis, counseling or direct services. The information and resources contained on this site are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult a mental health professional before making changes to your treatment plan.

Sara Vaughn is one of my favorite people on the planet. She was first on this podcast in Sept 2016. We talked about what it was like to be a mom of 3 kids and race at the top of the American track circuit in the 1500m. I jokingly asked if she thought she would pop out another kid before the next Olympic Trials and she said that was not in the plans.

Fast forward 5 1/2 years. She now has 4 kids, just wrapped her 4th Olympic Trials in the steeplechase, and just 4 weeks ago, had a Huge breakthrough performance in the marathon with the 5th fastest debut marathon by an American woman ever! At age 35! At the time of this publication, Sara can officially announce that she finally signed the deal that she has been seeking her entire career - she is now officially with PUMA!

Sara is someone you will want to root for, if you don't already. Enjoy this conversation and when you're done, follow her at @smevaughn on Instagram and donate to help a young woman continue her education through the Vaughn Family Endowed Child Care Scholarship Fund here.

Note: Run This World is now LIVE & occasionally has sound hiccups 😁

Amber Johnston is a semi-pro OCR athlete and fellow spondy warrior. Nicole found Amber not through the world of endurance sports, but on a 10k member facebook support group for spondylolisthesis. Amber had surgery 3 months before Nicole. Today they talk about what it means to be an athlete, to accept that sometimes you can't fix your body on your own, and all the blood, guts and glory that goes into having a life-changing surgery. Including but not limited to constipation, sex, drugs, Meal Train, accepting help, having down days, and the village you need to get you through it.

If you have gone through surgery or are considering surgery, this episode is a great one to help you both appreciate the process, prepare yourself for the future and help others who are going through a situation where they need some help now.

Note: Run This World is now LIVE & occasionally has sound hiccups 😁

Run This World is BACK! Taking breaks is important. They allow us to start new things, to miss old things, and to deal with things that we‘ve put off. Nicole talks about all of the above. Aesop: Nicole‘s new business is up and running! Run This World is back baby! Body Talk: Nicole shares the story of her spine and the surgery that looms ahead Sponsored by AESOP a business that helps you preserve and share the stories of your life. Go to aesopnation.com for 10% using code RUNTHISWORLD

I had never spoken to a real life shaman before my conversation with Makhosi Hefisah Nejeser. I was pretty sure it would be a mix of "woo woo" and spirituality with some chanting and drums on the side. So wrong!

Makhosi is a down-to-earth, beautiful, open, vulnerable human being with a genuinely authentic storytelling style. As she opens up, you find yourself wanting to open up alongside her. That is the magic of the shaman. It's in her energy more than her words.

Makhosi became a shaman after pursuing the rat race that is the "American Dream" left her sick, tired and questioning everything about her existence. She sought a deeper meaning to her purpose on the planet and began studying shamanism in the US and Africa.

Today she guides countless people through the process of self-exploration to help them arrive at their true purpose. Check out her website and take her free Level of Consciousness Quiz.

Our conversation includes one nugget after another. Too many to list here!

In the intro, I mention that this is my last Run This World episode for a while. I want to be a "Summer Grader" with my daughter, to enjoy my first summer in Steamboat Springs. I'm not sure when I'll start up again or if 200+ episodes was a good run and it's time to move on. If you want to send me your thoughts on this or ideas on what you'd like me to do next, please do! Email me at nicole@nicoledeboom.com

I also mention how much I love my Xero Shoes. If you want to give them a try, here's my affiliate link. Order through this link - it helps me too!

And please sign up for my emails. I've been having a blast sending newsletters chronicling all sorts of craziness going on in my life, my brain, my world! Link here.

Meet Neli Vazquez Rowland, the founder of A Safe Haven, a place where people in crisis can find the food, shelter, treatment, medical care, education, job training and job placement they need under one roof.

A first-generation American, the young Neli Vazquez Rowland, was a natural leader, becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. For 13 years, as an investment banker, Vazquez Rowland lead several firms across the nation. It was during her time as an investment banker, Neli had to rise up to the challenging and emotionally-draining task of overcoming an issue of alcoholism in her family.

This incident fueled a strong belief in Neli that no family should have to suffer through an already-tragic situation and in 1994, she established A Safe Haven with her husband, Brian Rowland. An organization determined to join forces with the private and public sector to ensure an efficient and sustainable approach to battle poverty and homelessness, A Safe Haven was welcomed instantly by business, academia and public policy leaders for its innovative and ground-breaking approach to an issue that has long plagued economies.

Neli is a go-getter. Her energy is limitless. Her goals are expansive. And they all revolve around making the world a better place for everyone.

Be sure to sign up for their big fundraiser this year - the virtual Run / Walk to End Homelessness from July 17-24. Click here to start your own team & raise money to help others!

Notables:

For more Neli - Read her Books:
- Neli's book "Healing" is powerful! Buy it now on Amazon!
- Her memoir "An Elegant Solution" coming soon
The power of volunteering
Stigmas: especially surrounding homelessness and addiction
The "invisible" population
Her background and how a walk into her school every morning sparked the seedling for A Safe Haven
How A Safe Haven works: The actual flow of the organization
"Housing as Healthcare" - You can't begin healing until you have a roof over your head.
Nugget: Be optimistic. Don't give up. I believe that the vast majority of people are good. Love will prevail. (Lots of nuggets!)

For the 200th Run This World episode in 5 years, I decided to do something epic - A LIVE SHOW! I needed to pull out the big gun for this; there's really only one big gun in my world - MIRNA!

Mirna Valerio, the Mirnavator, shares her journey in her 7th appearance on the pod. She is an evolving human like all of us, but what makes her special is how she shares her journey with the world. We talk about so much: bodies, trust, fear, vaginas, surfing, menopause, injuries, mountain biking, being new, skiing, and more.

If she wasn't so busy opening new doors, I would have kept her on all day!

The live format is fun and hilarious with comments from listeners that we can engage in real time and lots of play with the sound effects feature!

For more Mirna:

Follow her everywhere @themirnavator

Website: https://themirnavator.com/

Hope you enjoy this one - now let's get out there and Run This World with all the energy we built up from Mirna's presence!

Today I speak to a running legend, a legend who’s still running at the top level of the sport - Molly Huddle. I’ve been a fan and follower of Molly’s forever. I’ve been so impressed by how she has evolved her career so she can continue to do what she loves and improve while most athletes fade away from injury or the simple aggregation of so many miles over so many years. Molly is a 2-time Olympian. She ran the 5,000 in 2012 and the 10,000 in 2016. She's going for the 2020 Olympics (in 2021!) and currently training for the 10k. She has or has held 6 American records. She's been running competitively for around 20 years!

Not only is a she a badass pro runner who created her own formula for success, she is using her platform to advocate for social causes she believes in. Not every athlete has the courage to do this!

One of her keys to success is her ability to nurture strong relationships. I’m happy to share that today’s episode is sponsored by one of her sponsors: Gatorade Endurance! Use code RUNTHISWORLD20 for 20% off all Gatorade Endurance products through 2021.

Notables from our conversation:

"What was your backup plan?" - THE MCAT!

Control is an elusive concept for pro athletes during a pandemic

Breaking barriers

Training for the Olympics that didn't happen

In-the-moment decision to pull out of the Marathon Olympic Trials

Gatorade Endurance: The GX Patch - how we both used it and how it can help you

Importance of mentors: @shesthefirst

"Shut up and dribble" post sparked comments like "Just shut up and run Molly" - how she deals with the controversy and haters

"Don't just do what you're best at." - Molly Huddle

Listen to her podcast Keeping-Track with Alysia Montano and Roisin McGettigan

Follow @howshediditbook on Instagram - release coming soon, co-authored with Sara Slattery

Nugget: "Aim for progress and growth over perfection. Start before you're ready."

I've been deeply emotionally impacted by the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado in March 2021. So much that I made a post on my Facebook page asking for connections to people who are working to end gun violence in our country. That request quickly turned into a dispute about second amendment rights. I realized immediately that simply uttering the phrase "end gun violence" is a major trigger for many gun owners who believe that by simply attending a meeting, I would be trying to take away their guns.

It made me want to learn more about what is actually being done and if this assumption is in fact true. I reached out to the person this debate often centers around, Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action which she launched shortly after the Sandy Hook massacre of 20 elementary school children and 6 educators in December 2012.

Before we talked, I attended my first Moms Demand Action meeting. One of the first things they said was, "We are anti-gun violence. We are not anti-gun." It was such a simple statement that immediately got to the very heart of the often contentious debate that springs up whenever guns are mentioned as a possible factor in the gun violence that plagues our country.

I went into the conversation with the goal of educating myself and hopefully everyone listening. Shannon and I had just under 30 minutes to hit on as many topics as possible and we tackled a lot. If you want to learn more about Shannon's work and what Moms Demand Action is doing, please check them out here.

Notables:

How Shannon deals with the gun violence horrors that our country faces on a daily basis: She channels it into activism. "Activism is the rent we pay to live on this planet."

Moms Demand Action was started after Shannon couldn't find a group like MADD to support in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings. She couldn't find one so she started her own.

Power of Women: She knew that the change she was pushing for needed to come from an army of women fighting together.

There are many misconceptions in regards to the mission of Moms Demand Action, namely that they are trying to "take away people's guns."

Change doesn't happen overnight. Our country was set up for incremental change which is happening.

Fear is the underlying emotion behind many people's pushback on change.

Shannon's book, "Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women will Change the World," donates proceeds to Everytown for Gun Safety & other non-profits dedicated to ending gun violence.

Many friends have been asking me, "What can I do?"

Start by texting "Commit" to 644-33

Get involved. Donate to organizations like Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety. Become a member. Buy Shannon's book and educate yourself. Think about what's truly important to you and if ending gun violence is, then volunteer, run for office, become an advocate of the movement. Don't let another act of gun violence go by with the same reaction you've had in the past - sadness, horror, then guilt that you didn't do anything.

Trigger warning & little person listening warning: This episode may trigger people who have gone through sexual trauma. We talk about sexual abuse. Please be aware of your environment when listening.

Yet another insanely smart, insightful, brilliant woman who was put on this planet to help others, or in Britt's case, to help others' heal and move forward in their lives from whatever is holding them back.

Britt Frank is a therapist, teacher, speaker, and trauma specialist who is committed to dismantling the mental health myths that keep us feeling STUCK and SICK.

Her work focuses on empowering people to understand the inner mechanisms of their brains and bodies and how they connect. When we know how things work, the capacity for CHOICE is restored and life can and does change.

Plain and simple: Britt is the therapist we all wish we had. And we could have her! You can work with her through her business - the Greenhouse in Kansas City, or thx to a pandemic, anywhere virtually. I was introduced to her by my friend and previous guest Meredith Atwood of the Same 24 Hours Podcast. Meredith, I think I owe you a big one - having a personal connection to Britt is one of the highlights of my life right now. After you hear from her, I'm sure you'll feel the same. Be sure to get over to Instagram and follow her right now @brittfrank. Today I took the liberty to have a personal therapy session that I think you'll both enjoy and relate to the various angles.

On that note, get ready for a good one. It's time to get Britt on the show.

Notables from our conversation:

Trauma definition: "There are Big T and Little T traumas. We all have trauma. It just depends on what degree."

Sexual abuse: Communication is the key to helping stop or identify abuse when it is happening

The Fuckery of Life: I just like this concept :)

Guilt is actually important

Stages of grief were actually designed for people who were dying. Britt uses the "4 tasks of grief."

"The opposite of trauma is choice."

"The Road to Happy starts with neutrality."

Guilt is a gift. Shame is "I am bad." Guilt is "I did something bad."

The floating head: The feeling of being disconnected from your body. The goal is to find happiness in our bodies.

Start by assuming you're not crazy.

The word perfect is a beast!

For more Britt Frank:

Connect with her on The Greenhouse

Follow her on Social at @brittfrank

Keep an eye out for her 2022 book "The Science of Stuck"

Dr. Marisa Porges might be the most impressive person I've ever talked to. Here goes.

Today Dr. Porges is the the eighth Head of School of The Baldwin School, a 130-year-old all-girls school outside of Philadelphia, that is renowned for academic excellence and preparing girls to be leaders and changemakers. She is an alumna of Baldwin and personally understands the power of its approach to educating girls: it provided the foundation for her own military service and work on national security and foreign affairs.

Prior to joining Baldwin, Dr. Porges was a leading counterterrorism and national security expert. Most recently, she served in the Obama White House as a senior policy advisor and White House Fellow at the National Economic Council, where she oversaw the development of domestic cybersecurity and consumer protection policies. She also has served as a research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and at the Council on Foreign Relations, where her research focused on counterterrorism. In these roles, she traveled alone throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan to conduct research, interview former members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, meet with Syrian rebel fighters in hiding, and serve as an embedded civilian advisor at NATO military headquarters in Afghanistan. She also worked as a counterterrorism policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Treasury and as a foreign affairs advisor in the U.S. Department of Defense. In all these roles, she stood out as one of a few – if not the only – women present, at any given time.

Dr. Porges started her career on active duty in the U.S. Navy, flying jets off carriers as a naval flight officer on EA-6B Prowlers. Ten years after the Navy first allowed women to fly jets into combat, she pursued her dream of being launched off an aircraft carrier while serving her country. She earned a B.A. in geophysics from Harvard, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in war studies from King’s College London. Her awards include the National Committee on American Foreign Policy 21st Century Leader Award and the NATO Medal for service in Afghanistan. Dr. Porges lives outside of Philadelphia, with her family.

See what I mean? I was literally reading Marisa's bio to Tim the night before I interviewed her and he said, "That's the most impressive thing I've ever heard. So she's basically Carrie from Homeland?" [minus the personal issues!]

I believe the coolest part about her is that she took all of this badassery and decided to use it to help create the next generation of badasses!

Notables:

In the navy she was the Goose to another's Maverick when she was flying jets off carriers.

She's enjoyed a "choose your own adventure" career - we could all use this for inspiration

Buy her book! What Girls Need: How to Raise Bold, Courageous and Resilient Women

Sports nurture a competitive drive that transfers into careers: 92% of successful c-suite women were athletes!

Skills needed for girls to be successful later in life: Speaking up/Self-advocating, How to ask for what you need, How to adapt to change, How to collaborate

Adaptability is TEACHABLE! The goal is to have a high Adaptability Quotient

Quick fact: Women are more likely to be interrupted than their male peers

Girls/women need both mentors and SPONSORS. Mentors give advice. Sponsors create opportunities.

Tactics to start while your kids are young: Read fiction (this creates empathy - an ability to see from the other character's point of view), Give your child tasks that may seem above her "pay grade" (I.e. have your kid call and order the pizza. Empower her to use her voice.)

For more Marisa Porges:

Follow her at @the.baldwin.school @marisaporges

Buy her book What Girls Need

Marisa is AMAZING!!!!

This is a special release in response to the Boulder mass shooting which occurred on March 22, 2021. Every shooting has hit close to home for me, but this one was literally three blocks from my old house in Boulder, at the grocery store we visited multiple times a week.

I found myself processing many emotions including deep sadness, anger, frustration, guilt and helplessness. I've been up at night, unable to shut down the fear-driven thought cycle spiraling through my mind.

So I did what I need to do to heal. I reached out. I sent out an emotional email to my community. I posted on social media. And I asked one of my upcoming guests, a widely-known psychologist, to change her plans and talk to me with only a moment's notice about how to process the aftermath of this shooting and all the emotions I've been feeling.

I'm so grateful for Dr Margaret Rutherford. I actually lied above. I didn't reach out to her. She saw that I was hurting and she sent me a note that said, "What can I do? Can I come on and talk to you about this?" That's the kind of person she is.

So in the middle of a Sunday, I found myself having a personal therapy session with Margaret that I believe will be helpful to you too.

Important points from today's discussion:

Grieving is unique to all of us. The important part is to continue moving through the emotions. To not get stuck on any particular emotion in the process.

Trauma exhaustion is a real thing: like a car pile-up that never ends

Trauma builds Resilience: "The tree that bends will survive the storm" [Margaret's version of a Chinese proverb]

You can get PTSD even if the event didn't happen to you

"Take it in small batches." -Margaret

Create a Worry Journal or a Grief Journal. Get the thoughts out of your mind and onto paper.

Listen to The Self Work Podcast

NOTE: The intro to this episode was recorded three days after the Boulder shooting and includes some profanity and opinions by me about mass shootings. Please note that the content may not be work or young-child friendly.

Kaycie Grigel sent me an email in the midst of chemo treatments for her recently diagnosed breast cancer. Through the difficulties and the darkness, she had stumbled upon inspiration that she knew she needed to share. I suggested we wait until her treatments were done in case she gains more perspective, clarity and momentum on her next big work. We connected four weeks after her last treatment. We jump right in and Kaycie shares the details of her journey as well as the bigger picture messages that have surfaced with grace and clarity.

Notables from this episode:

Her breast cancer treatment included a lumpectomy, an MRI machine with boob holes and the (not FDA approved) "Cold Cap" that allowed her to keep her hair.

Support: The #1 key to having a positive journey through a dark diagnosis

Movement: Kaycie set this goal - Exercise EVERY DAY DURING TREATMENT. She did it and credits movement as being mission critical to her success.

Advocate for yourself! Find the medical team that is the best fit for you.

Hormone talk! There's an enlightening discussion that Kaycie shares in layman's terms about how our estrogen shuts off as we age and our adrenals take over. This leads to adrenal fatigue in many menopausal women.

The #1 thing we can do for our hormones is manage our stress. That includes sleep, eating good food, moving, getting outside, nurturing good relationships, releasing negative relationships

What is YOUR Big Work? Don't leave this world without embracing and moving forward with your big work.

Nugget: "Whatever brings that camera into focus for you, run toward it."

More Kaycie: Visit her at the Golden Naturopathic Clinic

Book a 15 minute Discovery Call

Sign up for the Women's Hormone Health Masterclass - starts in May 2021

Follow her on FB to learn more about her future community to support breast cancer patients during and after their journeys

Once upon a time Sara Gross was a Women's Studies and World Religions student. Right around the time she was working on her dissertation about female history, she discovered triathlon, which led to a 10ish year hiatus from her work in women's empowerment.

The funny thing is that she entered the sport of triathlon just as I was leaving it, so we never competed against each other which is probably good, because we have no competitive history that would create tension now! Sara had a baby partway through her career and a few years later came back to win her second Ironman in Brazil. After that win, she knew she was done with triathlon.

Her passion had shifted. It was time for her to become a voice for women athletes - to help share what sport had given her. Strength. Courage. Confidence.

She founded Live Feisty - a media brand targeted toward helping active women improve their lives - and their performances. She's breaking ground with each step including the upcoming Womxn's Performance Summit on March 26-28. Be sure to grab a ticket - the speaker lineup is killer!

Notables from our conversation:

How Sara's feminism was grounded by this thought as a little girl when she noticed the subtle differences between men and women in the workplace: "Something is not quite right in the world."

The importance of "The 5 people you surround yourself with"

"People who don't have power will take power wherever they can."

The importance of community, of finding our people, picking our corner and growing our tribe.

Sara's 10ish year break to pursue triathlon: We almost forgot to talk about this!

What the heck is TikTok! Watch Sara's hilarious Tampon Vid here!

What the word Feisty means to her

Feisty Womxn's Performance Summit: Grab a ticket now!

For more Sara Gross:

Instagram @sara.gross

TikTok: @feistymedia

Live Feisty: Check out the podcasts, videos and more

Catherine McCord is the co-founder of One Potato and the founder of the popular Weelicious brand, a trusted content resource synonymous with family and food. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she has created online how-to videos that have amassed more than fifty million views and celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar & Keri Glassman, RD, swear by her food as a medicine approach to healthy tonics. She has written three cookbooks including her latest Smoothie Project. Catherine has appeared on TODAY, Good Morning America, California Live, The Doctors, and is a regular on the Emmy-winning NBC show Naturally, Danny Seo as well as Food Network’s #1-rated Guy’s Grocery Games. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

I came to know about Catherine and her lifesaving work for parents with picky kids when my best friend gave me two of her Weelicious cookbooks. I was complaining about how all Wilder will eat is "Cheese on White" (we talk about this in the interview!) and the minute I opened one of her cookbooks, I knew there was another way!

I started by making Chewy Granola Balls. They have peanut butter! Something Wilder would never eat on her own. But lo and behold, she ate these! Then I tried Spinach Ricotta Bites and Spaghetti Pie and Spanakopita Bites. And they all won! As I cooked, I realized that the true point of Catherine's work was to make meals that the entire family can enjoy.

Tim and I had gotten into the habit of making our food and Wilder's food separately. Everything we liked was too zesty or "spicy" or looked weird or had texture that would make her gag! Every time I got brain blocked, I started pulling out Weelicious cookbooks until one day I finally realized that it didn't end there.

Catherine started One Potato food delivery service after realizing there was a whole in that budding industry. No one had created a meal delivery company that considered the entire family. One Potato has a family-friendly menu with recipes that the kids can actually help make.

There's no doubt that Catherine is a thought leader in the world of family culinary arts, but what's an extra bonus is just how much fun she is on top of it all. Catherine has an incredible personality that was obviously shaped by a grounded family life and the fact that she is doing something every day that she loves.

Notables from our conversation:

Catherine faced adversity at a young age (health problems) and learned to find a different positive path (modeling)

How Catherine managed to develop a healthy body image and healthy relationship with food despite being very successful in a career that puts a priority on being extremely thin

Transitions: Didn't quit her day job while going to culinary school

On the path to Weelicious, Catherine tried many different things that didn't work. Weelicious was successful because Catherine was solving a problem.

How to "break" picky kids!

Cheese on white syndrome

Food is curative. If something is not right, try first to cure yourself or your kids with food.

"Around the back sneak attack" getting her kids to try recipes - ask for their help so they feel empowered not defensive

Creative cooking prompt: Make a list of 10 foods you all love. Build a menu from there.

How to break the groundhog day cooking cycle - esp during pandemic.

"What gets you up in the morning?" - ND

"I just jump out of bed everyday!" - CM

Nugget: "If you don't know how to do something that you want to learn how to do , don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask your mother's cousin's brother. Ask your neighbor. Ask anyone. Don't be shy because everyone wants to help someone else to feel good and be successful."

GIVEAWAY: To win a Weelicious cookbook, go to @nicoledeboom on Facebook or Instagram and answer this question, "What food can you not live without?" Winner will be chosen Sunday, March 14, 2021.

For more Catherine McCord:

@weelicious and @onepotato

Weelicious & One Potato

We all talk about wanting to turn our passions into work. I'm personally attempting to do just that right now during my sabbatical from life. First, we need to identify our passions and then we need to honestly assess whether our skills align with our passions.

Today's guest Ryan Van Duzer has done just that. He lives his passion every day - and has fun doing it. I have wanted to interview him since the day I met him at Skirt Sports. He was supporting our mutual friend Dana D (Episode 30 "From Drug Addict to Love Addict") as she delivered the first ever Women Run The World talk that would later become a multi-year monthly speaker series.

Ryan was totally at home at the event, even as one of the only men in a packed house of passionate women. I observed him and realized why he was so comfortable. There was something emanating from him that I like to call pure intentions. He was there to support and celebrate his friend. He didn't even notice that he was one of two men, because his intention wasn't to draw attention to himself. It was about being there for someone else's important event.

Everything Ryan does is based on pure intentions. That's what makes him so special. He's relatable and vulnerable, something many men struggle with. He puts it all out there. Like truly all out there through his super popular, inspiring YouTube Channel DuzerTV, through his other projects including tv shows like Carbon TV's "Tough Jobs," Discovery's "Out of the Wild," & more.

Notables from this episode:

"I may not be able to get you everything you want, but I will get you everything you need." - Donna Jobert (Ryan's mama)

The gift of being a mama's boy: Watch Donna get to the top of Machu Picchu in "Mama Picchu"

Dana D & the Gratitude March

Sobriety: Why Ryan needed to end his drinking relationship

How to deal with haters

Trail Magic & Trail Angels

Have as much fun as possible as you're doing whatever you do.

Just Get Outside!

For more Ryan Van Duzer:

His website! https://www.duzertv.com/

DuzerTV on YouTube

This video sums up his philosophy. Watch it!

I met Emily Holland in October 2019. She interviewed me about my entrepreneurial journey on her Stokecast Podcast. Toward the end of the interview, we talked about my sobriety journey and I did what lots of podcasters pull on other podcasters - I turned one of her questions back on her. I asked her if there was anything in her life that she felt that she wanted to let go of. She replied, "I'm in the process of thinking about letting go of alcohol. I just haven't done all the thinking I want to around it yet." Or something very close! The point is that she was on the verge of starting the journey that has taken her life in a new direction. Sobriety.

Emily is an emerging thought leader in the world of alcohol and sobriety. She embarked on her sober journey over a year ago. In fact, she hit the one year milestone just a few days ago and wrote a powerful blog with 9 powerful takeaways. Emily is a very deep thinker. She is not taking her sobriety journey lightly. She has become so passionate about what sobriety has brought to her life, how much it has helped her grow, that she decided to start a new venture, a podcast called Nature Untold. Her goal is to normalize and destigmatize the discussion around sobriety, addiction, and recovery in the outdoor community and industry. And she is doing just that!

Notables:

The "Bristle" Trigger: What is bugging you? What is it time to examine?

Prioritizing Partying: Why this becomes important and when it's time to shift priorities

Question asked in therapy: "Have you grieved the loss of alcohol?"

Drinking is a relationship that brings you comfort or fills a void of some sort. It makes sense that the loss of it needs to be grieved.

Euphoric recall: Nostalgia for the memories & community that were part of one's drinking life

She believes there is a line between calling oneself an alcoholic and recognizing drinking isn't a positive part of one's lives and it's time to stop.

The habit of drinking: we riff a bit on the example used in the book "Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg

Destigmatizing sobriety: It starts with having open conversations.

Replace the drinking addiction with something else like exercise or adventure

3 things that were key to Emily's decision to stop drinking: 1) Therapy, 2) Someone who loves you unconditionally and wants to support the changes you decide to make, 3) COVID

Best gateway (drug 😂) to sobriety? "Taking time off is incredibly awesome." Consider testing out a sober life for Dry January (or any month)

Sober support resources: Start with Grace, Praise for yourself, Therapy; then move on to community resources like AA, the Luckiest Club, Tempest Group, Phoenix Multisport (we mention Scott Strode too!)

Nature Untold Podcast: Emily has a passion to help people with their own journeys

Recommended books about sobriety: "Sober Curious" by Ruby Warrington & Holly Whitaker's "How to Quit Like a Woman"

Nugget: Stay curious. About yourself. What am I feeling, who am I, what do I want? knowing yourself. Curious about others too, about things you don't understand. This can only lead to positive discovery and growth.

Join the Nature Untold Podcast Facebook group

Follow Emily and Nature Untold on Instagram

I discovered Yuma Haidara when she was an ambassador for Skirt Sports. I think I stumbled upon a photo of her crossing a finish line in a Lioness Skirt, all smiles and happiness. Then I dug deeper and saw this gorgeous, tall, glowing woman standing in front of a huge truck only to learn that she is both a runner and a trucker. I was even more intrigued and reached out to feature her for Skirt Sports. She blew me away with her positive outlook and her focus on love; for others but more importantly for ourselves.

Just over a year later, I saw another post. This time she was holding a container of something I can only describe as mysteriously delicious-looking. Turns out that's the perfect way to describe her new product: Yummy Butter! Yuma started A Yummy Life after countless friends begged her to make her soothing body lotions for them too. One thing led to another and suddenly, Yuma was an entrepreneur!

Her journey has been tough, but through it all, she only shines brighter each day. Just for you, she is offering 15% off all products at A Yummy Life. Use code LOVE for 15% off at checkout!

Notables from our conversation:

Trigger warning: Yuma is a survivor of child sexual abuse, something I didn't know before we talked.

How serving in the military gave her the family environment she had always craved

22aday: Each day 22 veterans take their lives. Yuma is passionate about raising awareness to help veterans so we can decrease this shocking statistic

"I'm glad you exist."

How to be a healthy trucker: cook your meals in a crock pot in your truck!

Recommended books: "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins & "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Nugget: To Just Love...

Broccoli Soup recipe forthcoming!

More Yuma: @yumahaidara on Instagram

Don't forget to use code LOVE for 15% off Yummy Butters and new Yummy Lips!

I reached out to Tasha in July 2020. I didn't have a topic in mind when I discovered her; I just knew that I needed to talk to her. It finally hit me. She is on the journey. We don't share enough stories from people who are literally in the middle of the journey. We like to share stories from people who have been "enlightened," who have "gotten there." Tasha is a work in progress which reminds us that we are all works in progress.

Her overriding mission is to help women connect back to their power through movement. She uses the phrase "connect back" because women have always had the power, they just lose the connection to it.

Notables:

Priorities and connection: When Tasha lost half of her clientele in 2020. what she found is that she had time to connect to the people who were left.

"My space is the conversation around why we believe what we believe, and why are we following who we are following. What is our why? What do we really want in life and how do we get out of the bed from the depression and stress of 2020? How do we even get out of bed to talk about movement?"

"Mind your own mat" concept: How do you feel and perform if no one is looking?

Optimum health is the goal: It's not entirely tangible. It's not about a certain weight. It's about functioning the best we can be as our bodies constantly change.

Stop comparing! Especially to our younger selves

What the heck are "morning abs?"

Tasha's 2021 word is POWER

"Trust yourself. Your intuition will not lead you the wrong way."

Tasha's nonprofit: See Her Healthy @seeherhealthy on Instagram - Follow now!

Tasha's Website Hip Healthy Chick

Work with her: https://www.hiphealthychick.com/services

Check out her fitness workouts on John Garey TV

Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Youtube @hiphealthychick

"You have a calling and a purpose. I have insights and answers."

This is the first thing you read on Debra Silverman's website and for those of us who are in a confused space in life, possibly made even more so by our current health and political climates, we want insights. We want answers!

I took an interest in astrology when I first met Tim. I think that happens to a lot of us. We find the love of our life, we get all romantic and we want to learn more about how we were meant to fit together. I bought a book on astrology and started reading. At some point I put the book away and for years my only connection to astrology was through the daily horoscope in the paper. But the foundation of the practice still tugged at my heart; I had a feeling I would come back to it at some point.

It's been well over 20 years since I bought that book, so when I discovered Debra Silverman and her work helping people fall in love with themselves, I knew the time was now.

Debra is a perfect blend of scientific and cosmic knowledge. She is both a Clinical Psychologist and a master Astrologer. I liken it to a blend of Eastern & Western practices that can help you find what you're looking for. Or gain peace from what you know you already have.

We talk about so many things today, but the foundation of our conversation is about the four elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Water. Turns out I'm a whole lotta Fire and Air but I'm missing Water. Water is the place where you go inside and float (I made up the floating part but it sounds about right!). It also turns out that Tim is a whole lotta Water. So going back to my relationship and why many of us turn to Astrology for answers, this is why we find the person who brings us so much joy because they complement our elemental makeup, but so much tension because they have what we don't! WOW!

If you are intrigued and want to learn more, check out Debra's Applied Astrology School. The timing couldn't be better because it only opens twice a year and it's open right now! Let me know if you are interested. I'm considering applying too. It's one of those things that when you feel the inkling of change, when you feel that push on your heart, you know it's got to happen sometime, so why not now?

Watch his review of her book.

Debra helps people fall in love with themselves.

The concept of permission slips

She recommends the book "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor

Get more Debra:

Grab a FREE gift from her! The Elemental Compatibility Guidebook is here!

Sign up for Applied Astrology School

Buy her book that we talked about "The Missing Element"

Follow her on IG @debra_silvermanastrology and Facebook - her daily horoscopes are AWESOME!

Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/silvermanastrology

Get a reading!

Connect with a certified astrologer from her network near you (or virtually)

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

Sarah is one in a million. In 2006 she visited Boulder to interview for Skirt Sports, this crazy little company with a powerful mission. I hired her immediately, or at least after I asked her to help us move boxes around the warehouse and I realized how strong she was! 😘

I had the honor of working with Sarah for over 15 years, longer than I thought I would actually still be at Skirt Sports myself! Sarah came on board a year after she finished college; she held almost every job at Skirt Sports, except for the most creative, technical roles. For the last 5+ years, she held the title, President, and basically ran the company.

This conversation is both a celebration and a form of closure for me & Sarah. When we sold our last unit on August 16, 2020, Sarah and I were the last-women-standing. We had spent three months effectively closing down the company, and were thrilled that we had turned the finish line into a baton handoff, but the very end it was anticlimactic. We weren't even in the same room when the final unit sold. I think I texted her and that was it.

15+ years of working together can't end on a text! Sarah wrote me a beautiful note, that was full of emotion and I wrote this on a piece of paper, "Write Sarah a letter." Then I never did it. And I realized that this conversation could be the best way to gain a little more closure.

It's a bit of a tell-all, so get ready to hear what REALLY happened at Skirt Sports along the way. What a ride. I hope you enjoy the retelling as much as we did.

Notables from today:

Laughter is one of the best ways to deal with stress!

Two thumbs up (you have to listen)

Relationships: That's what everything is built on in the end. Be sure to nurture and honor them.

ALL THE PEOPLE! We riff on the amazing team we had the honor of interacting with over the years. If we missed you, it doesn't mean we don't love and appreciate you. It was like an Oscars speech and we were getting pushed off the stage!

Sleep is for the weak! (at least before kids!)

Fred Factor: Every interaction is a chance to practice customer care

The crazy times: Getting sued (twice), the eviction (not ours), Skirt Chaser 5k Races, the entire wholesale apocalypse, the ROLLER COASTER!

Gaining new titles while at Skirt Sports: Wife, Mom & more

Thanks for listening. If you want to reach Sarah, send me a note and I'll get it to her!

And please write me a review on iTunes! It helps!!!

It’s not often you meet a world-class bronze sculptor. It’s even more rare that she’s a woman and she lives next door! I met Sandy Graves before I even moved to Steamboat Springs. We were viewing our future home, stepped into the alley and there she was. Fiddling with something in her garage. Upon closer inspection, that something was the holy mecca of world-class art.

Sandy Graves is a renowned sculptor. She’s known she would be an artist since her kindergarten teacher wrote that prophecy on a piece of paper. She also spent many years being angry with this gift. That was before she figured out how she could turn her gift into a career that could actually sustain herself and her family.

Our conversation is like a walk in the park with a friend. It goes all sorts of directions with laughter, depth and sheer honesty. Sometimes, especially when life is tough and stressful, it’s nice to simply relax and listen – and in this case, gain some new insights from a talented human being you haven’t met before.

Check out Sandy’s art here: https://www.sandygravesart.com/

Read another great article here

Notable points from our conversation:

“Real artists don’t sit around waiting for inspiration. They get up and go to work.” – Chuck Close

Check out @holisticpsychologist for some relationship and personal self growth!

When you battle those spiraling negative thoughts that won’t stop rolling through your mind, think of what Steamboat therapist Nicole McGuffin says, “Who Cares?” & “Bring it on”

If you’re interested in more on the Bahai world religion, check this out.

Finally – her nuggets:

“Think of your life as a book. When the chapters start getting long, you might need to do something exciting to bring your book back to relevance. Don’t let your book get boring.”

“Always search. The day I’m spiritually dead would be the day that I think I know it all. I want a life of search and a life of seeking.”

Kara Burns has been on the show before. In September 2016, I featured her story in episode 24 "From Prison to 26.2" which quickly became my highest-listened. We followed it up immediately with episode 25 "Forgiving Yourself" when I realized I had been too chicken to ask her what she meant when she said "I lost my daughter." Those conversations four years ago were raw, real and powerful.

Kara's journey didn't stop there. She was on a mission to transform her life and entered what could probably be called her "striving years."

In October 2018, we sat down for episode 109 and talked about her progress. She was riding a wave of momentum as she had discovered her gifts for speaking, inspiring and leading. Her addiction was under control. Her relationship with her daughter was blossoming and people were taking notice of her. In other words, things were on the up and up.

In June 2019, I invited Kara to deliver the final keynote speech at our 300-woman ambassador retreat. At the final moment, she delivered a speech that was different than the one she originally presented to me. It was about the concept of "Slipping," of falling off the wagon, of having a drink. About how she didn't want it to define her and bring her down. Everyone slips sometimes right?

I will never forget that when I first met her, she told me, "I will never be able to have a drink again. If I do, it will lead to me doing meth. It may not be immediate, it could be months or a year later, but it will happen."

One month after her speech at the retreat, Kara was being wheeled through the Denver airport on her way to rehab after a 6-day meth binge that ravaged her body and mind so much that she couldn't even walk to the plane.

It's been over a year since she sought help and regained her sobriety. The lessons she has learned over this year of self-growth are important. They transcend her personal situation. You will benefit from hearing them.

Over the past year, Kara did a powerful TEDx Talk called "Own Your Unapologetic Realness." Watch it here.

Kara has recently become certified in NLP which we discuss in depth in the interview. If you are intrigued, she's offering FREE NLP sessions in December. Sign up here!

More on her coaching group here.

Check out Kara Burns Unlimited here. This is where you can contact her!

And don't forget to follow her on Instagram @unapologetic.realness

Some notable quotes from our conversation:

"What we think is the worst thing that could happen could very well be the best thing."

"I feel like I won the lottery. and heres what the lottery is. The lottery is wisdom."

"The greatest thing that has changed my life is my ability to serve."

"The key is learning to love every single Kara over the years."

For more Kara Burns, check her out here:

Website: https://www.karaburnsunlimited.com/

Instagram: @unapologetic.realness

Email Kara here: KB@KaraBurnsUnlimited.com

I met Jamie Pendleton through my husband. She was looking for a coach to give her structure and confidence for a huge running goal - to break 3 hours at the New York Marathon. At that time I just thought she was a driven athlete who needed accountability like most of Tim's clients. Boy was I wrong.

Jamie runs for so much more than the goals and structure. She runs for her sanity. She runs for stress relief. She runs for her daughter.

Miren was born with a rare disease that affects pretty much every function in her body. The problem is that it took 6 years for them to get an actual diagnosis. During that brutal time of uncertainty, Jamie's marriage fell apart, she battled depression and suicidal thoughts, felt shame and guilt, and wondered how she could ever find a cure to save her daughter.

CACNA1A affects Miren's body’s ability to use calcium and wreaks havoc on her neurological system making it challenging for her to speak, think, and move like her peers. Children with this disorder present much differently but all express neurological symptoms which include: seizures, episodic ataxia, hypotonia, eye abnormalities, intellectual disability, and cerebellar atrophy.

Jamie's mission is to raise money to find a cure for Miren. This means coming out of her shell, leaving her introverted comfort zone and DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO ADVOCATE FOR HER DAUGHTER.

Unfortunately rare diseases are not prioritized by the medical community for that reason - they're rare. But there's a good chance that a drug has already been discovered that can treat Miren's disorder, so the first step is to raise $250k to run tests for a match. I encourage you to donate if it calls to you. And please forward this episode to anyone you think would benefit from learning more about Miren's Marathon.

Some notable quotes from today's interview:

About running: "I wanted to preserve something that was genuinely part of myself."

About tattoos: "I asked the tattoo artist, 'Where is most painful part of your body for a tattoo?'"

"You can only experience true beauty when you're on the the other side of suffering."

The 6th stage of grief: "This is when everyone can find meaning in their suffering."

At the end of the day, one mom can make a difference. One motivated person can change the world. Thanks, Jamie, for sharing your story with me.

To Donate: Go to Rare Village. This year, donations up to $300 can be refunded as a credit on your taxes!

https://give.rarevillage.org/campaign/mirens-marathon/c307965

More info here:

Tax ID # 83-4699994, Address: 6808 Old Glory Ct, McKinney, TX, 75071, Email: kasey@rarevillage.org

Participate in a 5K Fundraiser: Mark your calendars Feb 28, 2021

Jamie & team will host a virtual 5K on Rare Disease Day - Sunday February 28th called Zebra race for Rare. Registration is available on the Rare Village Website.

If you're rolling your eyes and getting ready to skip this episode, you're not alone. Kelsey Abbott felt the same way when she first learned about Human Design. As she says in our conversation today, "I was totally skeptical." But the more she learned, the more she allowed herself to open up to something that defied her career as a scientist and tapped into her most powerful, previously undiscovered gift - helping others find their purpose.

Kelsey Abbott is an intuitive Human Design Reader, a Certified Professional Coach, Instigator of Joy and the host of the Find Your Awesome podcast. She helps spiritual adventurers remember who they are and why they’re here so they can uplevel with ease. She believes that the universe wants us to be sparklyAF and that joy is our natural state. When Kelsey isn't playing in her business, she's bringing curiosity, play and joy to triathlon--a sport she races as an elite amateur.

After studying at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) where she earned certifications as a Certified Professional Coach, Energy Leadership Master Practitioner and Cor.E Performance coach, Kelsey also earned her NeuroPositive Certificate in using neuroscience to change how the brain processes challenges at the Applied Neuroscience Institute and studied Human Design with Jenna Zoe.

Before becoming a Certified Professional Coach, Kelsey worked as a nationally-recognized science writer, as a marine biologist studying dolphins and killer whales, as a personal trainer, a group fitness instructor, a swim coach, a triathlon coach and a food blogger. After a decade in Maine and 16 months of traveling around the U.S. in a small camper, Kelsey now lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and dog. In case you haven't guessed, Kelsey is a Manifesting Generator living her design and following the joy.

After this conversation, you will want a Human Design reading! It costs $250 for an initial reading and that may be all you need, but if you want to dig deeper, there are all sorts of ways to work with Kelsey. Check them out here: Play With Kelsey

Some quotes from today's episode:

"As a swim coach and triathlon coach, you’re telling people what to do. As a life coach you’re helping them figure out what to do. It’s a totally different kind of coaching." (Kelsey)

"A big part of my chart is about healing myself so I can heal others." (Kelsey)

"In general a therapist takes you from a dysfunctional past to a functional present, and a coach takes you from a good present to a great future." (Kelsey)

"Some people would say it's impossible to be an entrepreneur and a triathlete at the same time, but I need both." (Kelsey)

"I can imagine most people find value in Human Design when they are at a place where they feel stuck or they can't quite put a finger on what their purpose is." (Nicole)

"In Human Design there is a difference between feelings and emotions. Feelings come from our heads. They are thoughts that lead to feelings. Emotions have no thoughts associated with them and they just come out of the blue." (Kelsey)

NUGGET: "Remember who you are - and then be who you are and let yourself shine and share with the rest of us please." (Kelsey)

Kriste Peoples magically fell into my life when I was looking for local models for Skirt Sports. We've always worked hard to showcase real women from the community of all ages, sizes, ethnic diversity and more. From the first moment she smiled for the camera, it was obvious she was special.

Kriste has that glow. That magical glow that truly special people exude when they're smiling (and even when they're not smiling) - they light up the world from the inside out.

Kriste has been on the show before - Mile Repeat 7 from October 2018 - "Kriste Peoples Says YES." Because that has always been her philosophy which you'll hear more about today.

But what's interesting is that she has also realized there are very important times to say no. Like when I reached out to her in June to talk about systemic racism in our country. She was so devastated by the events that had recently occurred that her answer at that time was... no.

This is so important to recognize because we do need to support those moments in our lives when we need to regroup, renourish our souls, find our new paths. I'm going through one right now myself.

Today Kriste has emerged stronger, with a deep emotional perspective on what is happening to our country. And she has also discovered some new tools to help find the calm within the storm - namely meditation. In fact she is launching her first ever guided meditation course called "Mindfulness: A Contemplative Intro to Awareness Meditation." Check it out! It's only $20 for 4 sessions starting November 16, 2020.

For more Kriste Peoples, go to her website, follow her on social @kristepeoples and become a fan because she is doing amazing things!

I met Kerttu when I was winding down Skirt Sports and needed to find a subtenant to take over our lease on our Pearl Street store. In walked this woman with the excitement and determination that you only see in someone with true vision. She was looking to open her first pilates studio. She had been teaching for years and after countless suggestions that she start her own business, she finally decided to do it.

Kerttu grew up in Estonia. She was introduced to a very unusual line of work very early by her aunt who owned a circus - she became a contortionist - traveling to shows throughout her young years. In her teens she decided to focus on becoming an actress and eventually moved to the USA to pursue this dream.

One day in her early 20s when she was working out at a gym in New York, she was suddenly struck by partial paralysis. It was a mystery - no one could figure out why this happened. After years of struggle, as Kerttu was starting to look at wheelchairs and resigning herself to a life of immobility, she discovered pilates.

Her life changed forever and she was able to start knitting her body back together. She found that pilates had both physical and emotional magical effects. She started to move again. She became strong again. And she fell in love with pilates.

Kerttu shares this story and more. You will understand her "Why Not Today?" philosophy after you listen. And you will definitely want to visit her studio if you are in Colorado.

It was August 2019 and I couldn't sleep. I had just received word that our biggest account had decided with no notice to simply "not take" the inventory they had committed to that season. My thigh was twitching. It didn't stop for 3 months. I couldn't stop the negative thought cycle. I'd been here before. Not this exact place, but I'd been in a position with Skirt Sports where I wasn't sure how we would get through a tough time. But never before did I question if I could actually pull us out of it.

I went from gearing up to sell my business with 3 strong, profitable growth years behind me, to losing more in one year than we had lost combined in ten years. There was no way I would find a buyer for my business and I definitely wouldn't get my dream exit.

So I did what I've learned to do over 15 years. I took action one mile at a time. One aid station at a time.

In April I realized that the COVID-era had put a stamp on our difficulties and the best decision was to close our doors. All the while I held out hope that a new owner may present herself. I know I had created something special and I hoped that there was a woman out there who had the vision, resources and guts to carry it forward.

Enter Sarah Ratzlaff. In late April 2020, she replied to a 6 month old email I had sent her and said, "I know this is pretty late, but do you still want to do a cross promotion?" I replied back, "No, I don't want to do a cross promo, but if you want to buy my company, let's talk!"

Four months later the ink is dry. Sarah Ratzlaff of the ZOOMA Women's Race Series is the new owner of Skirt Sports!

The most important question is: Who is this woman?

Sarah is a brilliant visionary. She spent her childhood in rural Kansas and her adulthood honing her craft and her passion by helping develop the RunDisney race series. She later became an entrepreneur by purchasing the ZOOMA Women's Race Series and infusing it with the new energy it needed to thrive.

She's a mom of two young kids. She loves helping women find happiness. And she is driven to make this world an equal playing field for women.

I couldn't have found a better fit. I'm honored to help bring Sarah's story to the world - it's her turn to shine!

Diane Berberian is dying. She called me a month ago and said this, "I have cancer again. It's incurable. My doctor told me to get out my bucket list." The funny thing is that she told her doctor, "My entire life has been a bucket list!" But as she thought about the things she wants to do with the time she has left, she decided to have one more amazing conversation on the podcast. To share her story, to help people figure out how to better advocate for themselves, and to leave all the gems and wisdom she has learned in a medium that isn't going away - through the podcast.

I am emotional writing this. I was emotional during our conversation. You may be emotional listening. That's okay. That's normal. We are soon going to lose one of our bright lights and we don't want her to go. So today just let your emotions run and open your heart to Diane Berberian.

As a special gift to her, please go to her Iron Maven Facebook page. Take a minute to post what you loved most about this conversation. She wants to read it all - while she's still here.

And add this date to your calendar:

August 22 is Diane Berberian Day - #golongfordiane and wear red/yellow on that day!

I met Elizabeth Carr through running. Her involvement in the world of running is not what she was originally known for but if she hadn't found running I never would have stumbled across her, as her true claim to fame is not a world I've played in. On December 28, 1981, Elizabeth was the first baby born via In-vitro fertilization in the USA. Literally THE FIRST!

What comes with that title is an early life in the public eye, a huge amount of pressure to be "perfect" or else science has failed, and an early understanding of where babies come from! Elizabeth is currently in the midst of a career transition that has found her going back to her roots. She is building a community to be a resource for people navigating the fertility world. She is passionate about helping others and has recently created a private forum - The 1st Collective - where people can safely share and discover important information during their fertility journeys.

For more on Elizabeth, check out her website and definitely visit her wikipedia page - I don't know many people who have one!

Today we talk about:

Exploring trails you've never run (figuratively and literally) Elizabeth's winding career path from the Boston Globe to Runner's World to the non-profit world to branching out on her own Following her heart, gut and passion to discover the next right thing Being 1st: literally the 1st In-vitro baby born in the USA Media circus birth, frankenbabies, tampering with Mother Nature and Playing God What it meant to grow up first Perfection standards set early: If this baby was not perfect, then "science" would take a hit Musings about Mistakes, Judgment, Fear and finally, Freedom For more on Elizabeth and to join her community go here!

Her website

The First Collective

Contact her HERE

Nancy Hogshead was one of my childhood heroes. She was an Olympic swimming star at the age when I was a rising star. She set her first American record at age 14, won 4 Olympic medals and countless titles along the way. She was a full-package powerhouse with brains, beauty and as she says in this interview, "Talent was dripping from my fingers."

Today Nancy is a civil rights attorney. Her focus mainly lies in two areas: Equal rights for women in sport and stopping the pervasive sexual abuse that continues to happen in sports today. Her story is incredible. Her experiences all lead her so perfectly to this place in life. That doesn't mean her experiences have all been rosy. Nancy was shunned as a young swimmer which taught her resilience. She had to deal with the frustration and heartbreak of missing the 1980 Olympics due to the USA boycott. And when she was at Duke University, she was brutally raped which led to major PTSD and a long emotional recovery. Despite all of this, she went on to be the most decorated athlete and one of America's sweethearts at the 1984 Olympics with three golds and a silver medal.

Nancy is fun, open, honest and shares the greatest stories. I was laughing so hard for much of this conversation. As you listen, you will want to support her efforts for equality. The most important thing you can do is add your signature to support greater protections for TEAM USA athletes here.

Today we talk about:

Growing up a swimmer The LUCK involved in getting THE Eddie Reese as your first ever coach at age 7! Then Randy Reese when you move! How hard should we push our kids Aspen Institute - resource for parents in regards to youth sports Taking the LONG TERM approach to sport and health (mental and physical) Nancy's birth story (see pic below!) Rambles about our own parenting philosophies The Flow State: how Nancy discovered flow as a way to handle the pressure Sex assault: Nancy was raped while running at Duke University: PTSD, recovery & what Duke did right Nancy's path to becoming a champion of women: ChampionWomen.org Nancy's causes today: Equal rights for women in sport and dismantling the culture of sex abuse in sports

Plus many references including:

Aspen Institute Sally Roberts: Wrestle like a Girl Pablo Morales Eddie & Randy Reese Athlete A USOPU.info - help pass House Bill 7881 that was unanimously passed in the Senate Bill 2330

Nancy is a force. We could have talked for hours and gone down many more rabbit holes. I asked her after the interview what workout she did beforehand. We had both just come in from some exercise. Her answer is here and one of the reasons I adore her. All right then, that's it for today. You know what time it is. It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week.

I met Cindie Collins through the amazing Skirt Sports ambassador community. In 2019, she was one of the featured speakers at the Skirt Ambassador retreat. Her talk was called STROKE - Suffer The Results Or Kickass Everyday. When Cindie was 27 years old, she was pushing hard, working three jobs and striving for what she thought she needed to do to perform and succeed. Then she had a stroke. Because she was so young, it was not a quick or easy diagnosis.

Over the years, and through her recovery (which continues today), Cindie has found comfort in this concept: She has been guided through every stage of her life and everything has happened for a reason. It's such a simple concept, especially in a world where we want to have control (or at least believe that we control). When we step back and allow ourselves to be guided, we find more peace and true gratitude. That's my hope for you after listening today: May you find peace and gratitude for yourself and your circumstances.

More topics we cover:

Experiencing a stroke at 27: Signs, symptoms & how she was finally diagnosed Put yourself on the list: give yourself as much love and attention as you give everyone else This: "I didn't live in my body back then." Support: Why your network is critical for healing Becoming heart-centered: Changing career from hard-driving educator to massage therapist/healer Running: the shift from driving/pushing/going to giving permission to simply move and appreciate Appreciating YOUR Epic The Sit Spot: Finding something that is Just For You Skirt Sports Community: Even if the uniting product no longer exists, the community will because WE LIFT EACH OTHER UP And so much more

Hang with Cindie on Facebook & shoot her a message - as she said, she doesn't need to impact the masses, just one person at a time. ❤️

Amanda McCracken is many things: award-winning writer, ultrarunner, massage therapist, daughter, wife, soon-to-be-mom, and more recently than you'd expect, no longer a virgin. I've known of Amanda for years; we run in the same athletic circles in Boulder, Colorado. What's funny is that she's a little more well-known for her outspoken writing about a topic that many consider taboo - virginity.

Amanda remained a virgin until well into her 40s. This is not to say that she didn't date or have sexual relations with men, but she simply continued to hold onto her virginity. Over time it became an empowering thing for her, but it also held her back in certain ways. The root of it was her development of relationship patterns early on. And once she fell into the patterns of chasing, being unavailable, and pushing people away, the more she formed an identity around it.

We have a great conversation around relationships, self-growth, forming and shedding identities, accepting change and allowing ourselves to open up and be vulnerable.

How we develop relationship patterns: The chase, the push away, the devastation Overthinking: how to stop this pattern Dealing with rejection when she said she was ready How she learned to accept and allow herself to receive love Why was she uninterested in guys who were fully available to her The slow burn romance with her husband, Dave Amanda's deep relationship with her grandma: how it was the catalyst for so many decisions in her life Making important decisions: We all have our own processes Running: she "ran the crazy out" over the years Identity: How we wrap our identities around certain things that become important to us so it's harder to change them or let go of them Longing: Keep your eyes out for her future book "How Longing Became My Lover" Some parenting chatter: Amanda asked me questions about parenting - she's clearly a journalist! And so much more

For more Amanda, follow her on social media @amandajmccracken and check out her website!

More articles here:

Huff Post: "I waited until I was 41 to lose my virginity. But was it worth It?"

NY Times: "Finally, a Wedding. It Was About Time."

Maria Solis Belizaire is a powerhouse with a vision. In her early 30s, she found the life-altering power of running and wanted to share it with other people from her community. The problem is that she couldn't find them! She knew some Latinos who run, but they definitely didn't attend races in substantial numbers. And when she talked to people in her community, she realized that there was a preconception that Latinos are fat, lazy, don't like to exercise, and were definitely not runners.

The power of visibility is so important. Until you see someone who looks like you doing an activity, you may not realize that you can do it too. In 2016, she started Latinos Run (and now also Latinas Run) to bring awareness to the sport and to show Latinos that running can change their lives for the better. She's been on a mission ever since. Today we talk about:

Running: how she found the sport Racial disparity in running Latinos Run & Latinas Run: the genesis of these organizations Her family: how important family is to her Racism: With a mixed race background - her dad is Belizean/Mexican and her mom is Puerto Rican - she has darker skin than her siblings and experienced racism even within her own community Her advice: how companies can show more representation and invest in more diverse communities Visibility: the power of seeing people who look like you doing activities Her magnetic appeal (especially to older white men!) Her mindset in three chapters: 14-15 years old, 30 years old, now

Check out her TedX talk here!

I first met Darrietta in person at the 2018 Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat in Boulder, Colorado. She stood out from the crowd as our only black muslim athlete but she also blended in so perfectly with her shared commitment to health and fitness that our ambassador community prioritizes. I knew I needed to have her on the podcast; I just wasn't sure when it would happen.

We actually got some dates on the calendar earlier this year - and then COVID hit. So we delayed. And then Ahmaud Arbery was murdered. And then Breonna Taylor. And then George Floyd. And our country erupted. Over the past month, Darrietta has been a bold, strong, courageous voice in the movement to FINALLY end racial injustice in our country. Something that may actually be possible - if we unite together to make it happen.

Even with the emotions flooding the country, we both knew this was exactly the time to get Darrietta on the show. To amplify her voice. To help us both understand and gain some direction to personally push the movement forward. You will definitely want to follow her on Instagram @concrete_rose_lifts

At the end of the interview I asked the meaning behind her handle and she said that it symbolizes that has risen from a tough, barren landscape and blossomed into something beautiful. Truth!

Today we talk about:

Growing up on the south side of Chicago Her mother's drug addiction and how she started living a "double life" as she dealt with it Turning to gangs for community and support Finding the Nation of Islam & leaving gang life Advocating for herself and other women as early as high school when she successfully petitioned her school to include Black History as a subject Getting married at 18 and having her first of three kids at 19 The day her health became her priority (No, the day she decided to put herself first) Her weight loss journey: both nutrition and running/fitness Being a black muslim female athlete: resources and advice Racial injustice: Her efforts & her advice to others The small changes make a big difference Be an ally and stand up when you hear something that isn't right No matter what, put yourself first.

Darrietta is a force and her light is only getting brighter. Be sure to follow her as she attempts to become the first "older" black muslim women powerlifter to compete at a meet!

Other resources and shoutouts:

@liawearaction @sistersofpowerlifting @jogonsportswear

Kristen Horler is living an intentional life. She makes sh*t happen, not in a spastic, compulsive way, but with careful thought about the message she wants to put out in the world. Over 18 years ago, Kristen had a baby. It turns out that baby birthed a business. She found herself craving connection while attempting to regain her fitness and she couldn't find a program that catered to moms with babies. You either had to wait until the baby was older and bring them to a gym that had childcare or you had to get a babysitter so you could leave your baby at home to work on yourself.

One day she decided to grab some other new mom friends, bring her baby along, and do a workout together in a park. It was a massive hit. Not only did the moms get a productive workout, they didn't have to worry about leaving their babies behind. Pretty soon, there was a big group of women working out together with their babies, so Kristen started crafting stroller-inclusive exercises and moves that included baby-carrying. Then the idea became contagious and spread from northern California to Texas to cities all across the country and Baby Boot Camp was officially off and running.

Kristen went from being a fitness guru to a full-on entrepreneur with a thriving nation-wide franchise. The years went on and Kristen grew the business and honed her craft. She has experienced the ups and downs that come with almost two decades of owning a business. The celebrations and the doubts. And more recently, a rebirth to Momleta - a community of resources that serve the whole mom from health and fitness to nutrition and lifestyle guidance.

Kristen is a truly inspirational woman who is living her calling every single day. Today we talk about:

Kristen's path to entrepreneurship: She started as a pastry chef! (Did you know a pound cake is called a pound cake because it uses a pound of butter and a pound of sugar?) Starting a business out of necessity The difference between perceiving yourself as an athlete versus being athletic How she rediscovered rowing decades after she stopped the sport The key to staying positive Why having fun with fitness is important The power of helping women and creating a community of women with shared values The Pause It's what you do most of the time, not some of the time, that matters most Her philosophy on nutrition: You should enjoy the food you eat Vegan lentil loaf: This is a must-make recipe especially for a plant-based Thanksgiving, but really for anytime! Focus on priorities, then set your values And so much more

For more Kristen Horler and to get involved with Momleta check out these links!

http://www.kristenhorler.com/

https://www.momleta.com/ - Virtual classes are now available!

Social media: @momleta_hq & @kristenhorler

Check out this fun media clip :)

Heidi and Gretchen Breuner are identical twins who live next door to each other and work side by side. They've always been best friends (except for that one time that Heidi etched "I'm mad at Mom and Gretchen" in the windowsill in second grade) and they've always supported each other. What makes their current story so amazing is that it happened by accident.

Overnight, Heidi's exciting startup, Swap T's, went bust when coronavirus hit and shut down schools. It was an interactive tee shirt company that encouraged connection and communication with kids aged K-2. From the first distribution of tees at a school, it was obvious that the concept was working when the shyest kid in the class was suddenly engaged with the others as they excitedly shared stories about their patches. In fact, Swap Ts had so much potential that Heidi's husband quit his job and Gretchen started working with her too.

So when schools closed, and the business had no future before it had really even taken off, Heidi and her husband did what they always did in times of uncertainty - they went into the workshop. That day, unknowingly, they reignited the flame of their iconic family business - Breuners Furniture - a business that had been shut down due to a long ago family feud.

Their story is exactly what we need right now.

For more on the Breuners:

Breuner Furtniture website Order a table or hat or more: Heck, just send them your ideas! Follow them on social @breunersfurniture

Sara Dean is the creator and host of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast, a top rated podcast with over 2 million downloads. Sara’s biggest passion is helping women own their space. After enduring her own identity crisis following the birth of her son, Sara took her background in psychology/health/wellness and rebuilt her identity, one step at a time. Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start shining. She is on a mission to inspire women and moms, in particular, to live bigger, bolder, braver #everydamnday.

I had the honor of being featured on her podcast - the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast - Episode 344. We talked openly about all the things that have made us who we are today. And we had so much fun that I vowed to get her on my show when the time was right. So when the pandemic struck and we were thrust into new roles as stay at home parents and virtual workers, I decided Sara was exactly who I needed to chat with. What I love most about her is that she truly is her authentic self every day. By being unashamedly true to herself, she gives other women the permission and freedom to do the same.

Today we talk about:

Imperfection: why this is the key to happiness Core values: We have a big conversation about creating your own! Identity crises throughout life: How to get through these transitions Her infertility journey The importance of community and connection What she means by a transformation program And so much more

For more Sara Dean:

Momentum Mamas membership community Tenacious Mamas business & leadership mastermind Shameless Mom Academy Podcast Her Website Follow her on social @shamelessmomacademy

Neely Spence Gracey is not only a superstar runner, she's a superstar person. I met Neely many years ago at the Skirt Sports Half Marathon. She was a young, aspiring runner who was fortunately unsponsored at the time and looking for a training race. I gave her a skirt and a free entry and she won the race handily! I felt like she was a baby just getting ready for a big adventure.

Today Neely has a baby! She's also an Adidas sponsored athlete, a world class marathoner, and a hands-on, passionate coach of runners of all levels. I have always appreciated her positive outlook, something that I think we need now more than ever.

Today we talk about:

Becoming a runner Breakouts, Burnout & Comebacks The importance of changing things up Her untraditional start to marriage Coaching the coach Pregnancy and running "Life as you know it will end. 100% But for the better" Positive mindset power And so much more

For more Neely:

Her website: https://www.neelyruns.com/

Follow her on social @neelysgracey

Mike Reilly has called over 350,000 athletes across the finish lines of over 180 IRONMAN races around the world for the last 30 years. People spend months and even years dreaming about the day that they will cross the line of their dream race and hear these four words, "You are an IRONMAN!" Mike has literally become a symbol of accomplishment for so many people. He is the finish line voice that puts the final stamp on a journey that changes lives. Mike does not take this lightly. He understands the responsibility of his role in this transformational moment.

Mike started his professional life in a classroom, but was quickly lured to southern California to work in the running industry with his brother. He got into the sport of triathlon and fell in love with the lifestyle. And he still loves it today - deeply and passionately. Mike became an announcer by accident and we're lucky he did. He's one of the best people on the planet and if you ever have the chance to be called across a finish line by him, all I can say is soak it in.

Our conversation is fun, deep, insightful and inspiring. Plus there is an appearance by the elusive Tim DeBoom!

We cover:

Finish Lines Control: We are the cause of our own experiences Corona Era Musings When a job is actually a passion or as Mike says, he is "playing with my passion" Mike's roots: Special Ed Teacher turned running store owner turned shoe rep Accidental entrance into race announcing How Mike was signed up for Kona, but was invited to announce instead. He never did the race and has no regrets! The phrase that changes lives: 4 important words Taking care of ourselves trumps everything It's in the giving that we receive And so much more

For more Mike Reilly

Buy his book "Finding My Voice" Contact him here Follow him on social media @ironmanvoice

Katie Hoff is a swimming legend. She swam at the world level from the age of 15 when she qualified for her first Olympics (2004) until 2015 when she retired, a move that was accelerated by a rare issue that caused blood clots in her lungs. Because they weren't diagnosed immediately, the remaining scar tissue caused her lungs to function at less than 100%, decidedly not good enough to compete at the world level any longer. After retirement, Katie has gone through all the emotions, trials and tribulations that a world class athlete could deal with while searching for her purpose beyond the pool. She is a work in progress, and the lessons she shares are relevant to all of us, no matter what age and stage we're in.

As a former swimmer, I loved connecting with Katie. I could relate to her drive, work ethic, total immersion in all things swimming, the highest highs and the lowest lows. Of course I could only relate at a fraction because Katie was literally the best swimmer on the planet at one point. But here's the magic that Katie delivers. Even though she was at the very top echelon of a sport many people are afraid of, the lessons she has learned can transcend into anyone's lives.

Today we talk about:

How one becomes the best swimmer in the world Competitive drive from a very young age Homeschooling: some advice for parents who are now homeschooling due to coronavirus All the things that come with competing at the highest level: Pressure, patience, hard work, motivation, learning to listen to your gut, passion, obsession & more Fast rise: competing in the Olympics at age 15 Why a silver medal didn't feel complete Coming back and stopping short: Blood clots in her lungs Embracing the suck: Why this philosophy will get you the results you want

For more Katie Hoff

Follow her on Instagram @kthoff7 Do her dryland workouts https://www.crowdcast.io/e/i-m--fit-with-katie-hoff/register

Damiana Corca is a sleep specialist. She discovered her passion for helping people solve their sleep issues after moving to the US from Romania and earning her acupuncture degree. Damiana is open, honest and she truly cares about the well-being of her clients. She is basically an expert puzzle-solver. People come to her with issues and it's her job to figure out the core so she doesn't waste time simply treating the symptoms.

Today she shares so much more than tips and tricks to better sleep - I promise she also shares these in a big way! She shares her journey which is interesting and complex, filled with love, heartbreak and transformation. And she leaves all of you with an amazing gift in the form of a custom e-book called "The Hour Before Sleep." Click here to sign up and you'll get practical tools to help with that important hour before you close your eyes each night.

This episode includes:

Damiana's early years as one of eight children growing up in Romania Feeling unseen Her calling as a teacher: How Damiana started a stopped both a teaching degree and a law degree Finding acupuncture and the power of healing others Her path to specializing in sleep Sleep 101: how much we need & what happens when we don't get it Causes that can lead to poor sleep: stress, hormones, digestive issues, toxic overload Napping: how to nap properly Some tips on setting up your sleep space And so much more

Don't forget to sign up for her free ebook "The Hour Before Sleep." https://damianacorca.com/thehourbeforesleep/

For more on Damiana:

Click here for a free consult FB & IG @drdamianacorca

Christie Bruner is an entrepreneur, swim coach, trainer, Girls on the Run coach, MRTT leader, healthy school advocate, Community Engagement Supervisor for Healthy St Pete, wife & mom of three daughters. That is a lot for one person to take on in this world. As you listen to Christie and start to understand her philosophy on life, you'll see how she does it - by prioritizing the most important things and carving off everything else that doesn't align.

I met Christie at the Skirt Sports Half Marathon about six years ago - she was drawn to our message of positivity and inclusivity. The funny thing is that we grew up in the same town, both hard core swimmers, with a lifelong focus on health and fitness. Christie is a Skirt ambassador who passionately shares her health and fitness philosophy with everyone around her. Her focus has expanded from personal health goals to advocating for her daughters so that they too will have access to the things that help form a foundation for lifelong wellness. The trick when advocating for others is to make sure you don't lose track of yourself along the way. I think you'll appreciate Christie's approach to all of this and more.

Today we talk about:

The importance of a flexible mindset as it applies to both proactive and reactive approaches to issues in life Entrepreneur life: Specifically Momtrepreneur life with a Baby Boot Camp franchise Exercise as a lifestyle: Modeling fitness behavior for kids Why we need to celebrate the little victories Action for Healthy Kids: Apply for a grant to make change in your children's lives Recess Mom: Why Christie advocated for 20 minutes of unstructured, uninterrupted recess for her children Taking time for yourself when you're so busy taking time for others Why doing sports is so important as a child: Christie's swimming background Fear of failure: Christie wrote her thesis on mental blocks & training yourself to move around them Finding comfort in discomfort

For more on Christie:

Instagram @brunerbabes3 Apply for a grant through Action for Healthy Kids: they extended their deadline through May 31 Check out what she's doing through Healthy St Pete's

Mirna Valerio is back for her sixth appearance on the podcast. What makes this woman so special? It could be her courage to step beyond perceived limitations to tackle the impossible. It could be her unapologetic approach to her unconventional lifestyle. It could be that she welcomes all into her fold. It could be that she's just so damn smart, funny and nonjudgmental. I'll make it easy and just say - all of the above!

This episode is being aired at a very unique time. We are literally weeks into the global Coronavirus pandemic that is spreading like wildfire and has created fear, anxiety, and depression. Events are canceled, travel is suspended, businesses are closing, people are getting laid off, schools are closed and families have been advised to stop interacting with others. It's not looking good at the moment. We have literally never seen anything like this before, and I hope we never will again.

This is exactly when we need to hear from people who bring us joy. People who find the positive, the opportunity, in the chaos. People who make us smile. This is when we need to hear from Mirna. We talk about a huge range of topics related to the current state of the world and then I just ask her to share some stories that will create some positivity.

Please follow and support Mirna in one or more of the following ways:

Get a personal message from her on Cameo

Get coached by Mirna

Buy her book

Support her on Patreon: Let's get her podcast funded soon!

Follow @TheMirnavator on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions about self-injury and disordered eating.

Ali Kearney is gorgeous, vibrant, healthy and entrenched in the world of running and fitness. When she smiles, it blinds everyone around her with love, light and positivity. Like so many of us, you would never guess the struggles she has endured to get here. That is, unless she's wearing a bikini and you can see the actual scars she bears. Ali spent much of her formative teen years and early 20s battling depression and anxiety. Here's how she coped; by cutting herself. And later, by adopting restrictive eating. It wasn't until she found the power and freedom of running that she moved out of her self destructive patterns and into the positive life she leads today.

Ali is a Skirt Sports Ambassador - she's been on our bandwagon so long that she is now considered a Legacy Ambassador, part of the community because she loves our message of encouragement and inclusiveness. As I have gotten to know her, I understand this more than ever. She felt so alone for so many years, that the power of a group of women supporting each other is exactly what she needs now.

I find it so inspiring to truly understand Ali's path out of the dark and into the light. Today we talk about the following and so much more:

Depression and Anxiety: How it can manifest as a child - in her case due to a major move during a difficult age Body image: At 11, she gained weight due to celiac diagnosis which while improved her health, added to her conflicted self image How she found and used cutting as a release for her anxiety Why and how she finally stopped cutting Coping mechanism transfer: From cutting to restrictive eating Positive relationships are critical to moving forward Overcoming childhood perceptions of ourselves: Ali was diagnosed with asthma as a child so running wasn't really an option Running became her new outlet - in a very positive way: "I never used running to inflict harm on my body." Apps to help when the urge strikes: Calm Harm app The catharsis of writing: Check out her blog!

For more Ali Kearney, check out the resources here:

Instagram @abk_runs Facebook https://www.facebook.com/akearney7 Blog: http://www.abkruns.com/

Carolyn Yates is a healer - of an area that many women are afraid to talk about - pelvic floors. When we first chatted about the upcoming interview, she said, "Women should not have to suffer in silence about their pelvic floors." I agree - time to end the suffering! The only way to do that is to have open, candid conversations about body parts that can be very uncomfortable to discuss. It's funny - I've always had a bit of an aversion to using medical terms for various body parts and functions. Today we get into all of them: Vaginas, the uterus, rectums, feces, orgasms, urine, you name it.

The pelvic floor is the the center of the conversation, and as it turns out, our bodies! Carolyn gives a visual demo of how to locate your pelvic floor during the conversation and we say kegel a lot which will make you feel like you're getting a workout just listening, because who doesn't immediately kegel when you hear the word kegel?

Today we cover:

How Carolyn became a Pelvic Floor Therapist : the crazy nature of group classes with student exams The Obtrator Internus: A hip stabilizer that can only be accessed internally (vaginally or rectally) What pelvic floor therapy (PFT) is: What you can expect if you go to a PFT Who can benefit from PFT: It's not just for old women or women who have given birth Athletes and pregnancy: How to prep your body for birth from a pelvic floor perspective After birth: How to get rolling again - check out her Return to Run Program here Prolapse: What it is and how to treat it Orgasms: How pelvic floor therapy can make your orgasms better Periods: Ways to limit the discomfort through PFT Incontinence: Stress, Urge and Mixed And a bunch of prying questions about Carolyn's personal life: Relationships, running, dancing, and more

To get some more of Carolyn, check out:

Her website veritypt.org

Instagram @verity_ptw

Facebook @verityptw

Her Youtube channel

I became aware of Julie Piatt and the amazing things she is doing to make this world a better place through a person she calls her polar opposite, her husband, Rich Roll, episode 122 "Rich Roll on the Other Side of the Mic." So it's not surprising that we start by launching into the power of attraction, friction, and her ultimate realization that in order to best love and support her husband, she needed to separate herself from his journey.

I'm getting ahead of myself, but that's what it feels like to chat with Julie. I went into the interview with a whole list of topics I thought we might cover, but as we embarked on each one, so many new topics presented themselves that I had trouble keeping up. I realized that I needed to separate myself from the interview and just let Julie shine bright - this is her gift to the world.

Julie Piatt is an old soul who was born waiting for the time that she could break free to follow her own path. Her maternal grandfather was a Chilean energy healer; as she says, "We all know one person like me." She's a born healer who herself has been healing and growing and sharing her energy with anyone lucky enough to come across her. I realized partway through this interview that all I needed to do was give her the room to share her wisdom on a range of topics. We could have talked for another hour, but I'll save all those other topics (& the ones I don't even know about yet) for a future episode.

Today she shares the following and so much more:

Marriage: Her journey with Rich Roll How polar opposites can create the most rewarding union Letting go of the dream that we have to live the same path as our partner & embracing that our journeys can be different Divine Love is like the sun: It loves everything in creation without judgment Her growth experiences during a nine year period of financial collapse Learning how to receive & learning how to give Her DFO (Don't Freak Out) philosophy Motherhood: Be open to the lessons your kids are teaching you Her childhood in Alaska as the youngest of five children Born-again Christian at 11, experimenting with drugs at 12, done with all that at 16 How we can help those we know who are suffering Her passionate thoughts on why we need to stop consuming meat and dairy: check out Paul Hawken's Project Drawdown. Plant eating is the #4 way we can reverse global warming Srimu: It's not just a Not Cheese Company - Do Life. Not Cheese. Damanhur Retreats (and others): For people who are ready to uncover their spiritual missions And so much more

I believe Julie's special talent is to help others uncover their special talents - and this all starts with remembering who we are at the core so we can live our authentic life missions. After hearing this episode, you may need some time to absorb. There are many messages that hit home. To get in touch with Julie and learn more about all the things she does to help other people, check out her website: https://www.juliepiatt.com/

Other fun Julie Piatt stuff!

"For The Life Of Me" Podcast Water Tiger community Her cookbooks: This Cheese is Nuts and two PlantPower Way cookbooks Her beautiful music Episodes of Rich Roll Podcast featuring Julie Instagram @srimati

Pamela Robichaud is many things: Physical therapist, entrepreneur, athlete, road warrior, daughter, sister, wife and lover of spuds. Pamela and I go way back. I met her when she was a Skirt Ambassador, recruited by her husband Jon Robichaud (note: men don't usually recruit women to our brand!). The funny thing is that she quit being an ambassador to go on a year-long road trip - a life-changing experience prompted by many things including their decision to stop trying to have kids and a very scary bike crash. Big decisions often happen when we go through events that bring us perspective. In this case, they decided it was time to take a different road. They bought a camper van and went on the road for a year.

Today I know Pamela mostly for her work as a body healer and entrepreneur. She and Jon took their passion for health and fitness as they became founding members of iKor, a Boulder-based CBD brand focused on helping endurance athletes recover better. CBD is a big buzzword these days, but there is still a lot of misconception around what it actually is and how it can help us. We cut through the hype and get to the heart of the matter. CBD is very personal; people take it for all sorts of reasons and with a range of results. From there we go on a fun ride of topics that resonate with just about everyone on some level including (but not limited to!):

Startup life: iKor Labs is working to make athletes' lives better CBD in all its glory: Basic scientific background, recovery, sleep, anxiety, depression and other benefits iKor products: Daily, Topical, Recovery Shots iKor discount: Use code RecoverBetter for 20% off! Placebo effects and why they aren't a bad thing either way Boundaries: how she learned to protect hers Brain injuries & how they can affect an entire family: Pamela's brother, Nicolas, and his accident 15 years ago Physical Therapy: What led Pamela to pursue this career Her work at Koa Fit with the amazing Brenna Backe Relationships: the long, winding road of Pamela's great love story Changing direction on one of life's big topics: Kids The Boston Bombing Being tickled, spuds and more

Pamela is smart, funny, real, compassionate and badass. She's someone we could all use a little more of in our lives. Follow her on social and be sure to use the code RecoverBetter for 20% off iKor products!

@pamelarobo

@ikorlabs

https://www.koafitusa.com/

https://roamingrobos.com/

I reached out to Melissa Wolak because I wanted to get someone on the show who could talk about habits. I read "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg a few years ago and I've been intrigued by the concept of creating positive habits and eliminating unhelpful habits so we can live happier lives. It seems to me that if we really want to achieve something or make meaningful change in our lives, we need to make sometimes difficult changes, and let's face it, change is one of the hardest concepts for people to embrace.

Melissa is a transformational and mindset coach. Sounds fancy, but it's really simple. Her mission is to help you build a foundation for change that will empower you no matter how you choose to dance on your path and what rhythm you go with. She can help you find your path, stay on your path, or develop tools to blaze your path in a bigger way.

I love Melissa's approach. She is practical, empowering, gentle when needed and incredibly mindful. Today we talk about:

Pause and Breathe: This theme is repeated many times through the episode. This is the key to forward change as it precedes the most important concept - Awareness. How does one become a transformational and mindset coach? Melissa's career path from speech language cognitive therapy to life coach Her long, winding path to understanding gut health: gluten intolerance caused many other issues Habit change in all its glory: baby steps What the heck is mindfulness? Melissa's definition "Being present in the moment without judgment or criticism" When the teacher becomes the student: Melissa's concussion and recovery Her three nonnegotiable habits: Diet, Outside time, Gratitude And so much more

If you take one thing away from this episode it is this: Pause. Breathe. Check in with yourself. Why are you feeling the way you feel? Get to the bottom of it before you take the next action. Pause. Breathe. Check in. Pause Breathe. Check in. I know I will be working on implementing this new habit. Let me know if you are too!

For more Melissa, check her out here!

Work with Melissa

Instagram @melissahwolak

Facebook Melissa.h.wolak

I met Tunde Borrego at Core Power Yoga. It was my second ever yoga class, Tunde was my instructor, and I remember thinking to myself, "I'm not sure what the heck is going on, but there's something about this woman." After class, she told me, "Just give me three tries before you decide if you like me.

Well guess what? I like Tunde. A lot. I realized that at each class I really looked forward to her energy and the freedom to simply be me in class. Each time she taught, Tunde was share a new insight about herself and each time she shared, I thought, "There is so much more to this woman than I ever imagined." Finally I told her about my podcast and asked her to come on the show.

The cool thing about this episode is that I didn't know Tunde's background beforehand. All I knew were the snippets she shared in class and my gut feeling that we would have an awesome conversation. I promise it does not disappoint.

Today we talk about:

Relationships: Marriage, affairs, divorce and more Alcoholism: becoming sober and relapsing Sex Sex and more Sex 😍 Yoga in all its glory & shout out to CorePower Yoga Mantras for self-love and forgiveness: May you be well. May you be at peace. Thank you for the lessons. Self-loathing: "My body was my enemy" Bulimia: Emotional eating started at 14 Self-acceptance leads to self-love The Peace Tree: why she needs to hike there every day "When I can be of service, that's when I feel the best." Her short stint in jail & how she now teaches yoga in jail

For more on Tunde, check out her yoga classes here

Tunde's IG @tunderose

Cool interview on Powerful Ladies

Lauren Beihoffer Runs Wild. That's her instagram handle - and it perfectly sums up the path her life has taken. She is a complex woman with many layers that are often outside of her control. Lauren is a depression and anxiety warrior, a mom of three boys (two of whom are adopted from other countries) and a runner. These three pillars have wound around each other over the years, ultimately shaping who she is today.

We have a great conversation that flows through the course of Lauren's life, uncovering many of the pivotal moments, bigger decisions she's made and how she has not only endured but truly thrived. One of the things I find incredibly critical is that even as she navigated her young child's depression and anxiety, she had never reached out for help with her own. It wasn't until last year when she started a course of therapy, meds & running (definitely running!) that she has found a place of understanding and peace within herself.

I think you will appreciate Lauren's openness and candor with topics and experiences that can be difficult and often controversial. Today we talk about:

Motherhood: making the decision to adopt The adoption process: Specifically for her sons River from Vietnam and Avi from Hong Kong Getting pregnant biologically after she was told it wouldn't happen! Choosing to minimize her career as a biochemist and focus on parenting The truth of the phrase "I didn't know what I was getting into" as it applies to adoption, specifically a child with special needs Having a biological baby when everyone already thinks of you as a mom and you don't know what you're doing! Depression and anxiety as a child Getting treatment for depression and anxiety as an adult Meds: the controversy Managing marriage through the muck: The "Sit and Wait" approach Running as one of her greatest joys The Trail Sloth: "I'm not fast but I will always finish."

For more of the amazing Lauren Beihoffer:

Instagram @lauren_runswild

I came across Laura Bergmann through former guest Betsy Hartley who told me she had heard Laura speak and was blown away at the work she is doing to help people get moving again. Laura is a Fascia Warrior. She is on the front lines of a field of work that has largely been untapped in the world of exercise physiology.

What is fascia? This is how Laura describes it on her website: A Magical Matrix Of Awesome!

Fascia is a sensory organ. Fascia is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as, all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord.

Laura stumbled into this field through her own physical struggles, from people telling her she couldn't do things like run, so she decided to figure out how she COULD. Multiple degrees and many triathlons and marathons later, Laura is one of the leading fascia workers in our country. She's not only trained to help our bodies heal, but she takes a holistic approach that includes our emotional and spiritual selves.

Today you'll hear about all of this and more:

Therapy animals Oxytocin: how this hormone is important to multiple aspects of our lives Getting to the root of the issue: the pain is usually just the side effect and not the cause Cellular life is dependent on...water (Cell life) Fascia Fascia Fascia Treat your body when you know something's not right; not after it all blows up Become your own advocate Hardware vs Software (anatomically speaking) Body awareness is the key The Aging Athlete: Why Less is OK Do your best TODAY!

Laura is a very motivational person. I believe that Laura is driven by a pure and total belief in the work she does - in her case, it started with patient zero - herself. She found something wonderful that helped make her life better and she learned how to share this gift with so many others. For more on Laura or to work with her directly, please visit her website and follow her on social.

Laura recommends some resources for all who are interested in learning more!

Fascia What Is It And Why It Matters, David Lesondak Functional Fascia Training with BlackRoll, Lutz Graumann Fascial Fitness, Robert Schliep Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System, Carla Stecco

She is available to teach a master class for trainers, coaches, regular public, and practitioners on self myofascial release and corrective exercise homework and training fascially. Contact her for more info.

Check out BlackRoll tools for self fascia work. She uses them on herself so highly recommended!

Allright that's it for today. You know what time it is. It's time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and we'll see you next week!

I met Ian Powell over four years ago when we were trying to sublet our offices in Boulder. There was something about him that struck me as different, so I went home and googled him. This is what I found - a 2013 article by Caroline Treadway in Rock & Ice that begins like this, "Ian Powell hit bottom three years ago on Thanksgiving in a dumpster near Denver. Huddled under a layer of trash, he was freezing, dope-sick and hadn’t eaten for days."

Turns out Ian has led an extremely interesting life, so interesting that it may be a miracle that he's still with us today. You would think that after reading about his brushes with death and destruction, drugs and prison, I may elect to NOT rent our space to him, but the opposite was actually true. I was both intrigued by his sordid past and inspired by his ability to turn it all around. I didn't even have a podcast yet, but I knew that one day I would need to learn more about his story.

Ian is the founder of Kilter Grips - a Boulder company that makes grips for climbing walls. If you've ever climbed in an indoor gym, you have quite possibly touched a hold designed by Ian. Kilter is widely regarded to be one of the best grip companies in the world, and Ian is widely regarded as one of the best shapers. What makes his work so special is that he is actually an artist. Yes, he wants to make great hand holds. Yes, he wants to have a successful company. Yes, it would be great if he made money. But he does this work because he is called to it. He is an artist at heart and crafting climbing holds is the purest form of art to him.

Ian grew up in a dysfunctional family. He landed in Waco, Texas, where he barely graduated high school and became obsessed with climbing. After high school he made his way to Boulder, Colorado, and started working in the climbing industry.

But somewhere along the way, as he started to see success as a shaper and later a fine artist, Ian discovered drugs. Being the all-in guy he is, Ian's path led to full-on drug addiction, homelessness and criminal activity. Ian was eventually busted and sentenced to time in prison. It wasn't until he was locked up that he finally kicked his addiction and got healthy.

2020 marks TEN years since Ian left prison to restart his life. Our conversation is one of my favorites. Ian is incredibly humble about his difficult past. He openly shares his mistakes and all the lessons he's learned from them. He knows how quickly life can change and I think he is navigating his path with an intensity that you can only have when you know what's on the other side. Today we talk about:

Podcasts: He wanted to let you know that he listens to more than Terry Gross, Adam Carolla and Joe Rogan! Climbing: Route-setting, Shaping & other cool technical stuff Creating: This is a big theme throughout our conversation. Creating businesses. Creating fine art. Creating holds. Creating things that give us purpose. Finding the flow state: in work, in life, in art Early childhood experiences: His father's suicide and how his mother showed her love and support Discovering climbing: his first passion Starting eGrips: ludicrous tales of being a young entrepreneur Discovering drugs: How quickly his life fast-forwarded down a destructive path Homeless and degenerate in Denver Prison: I literally ask, "What was prison like?" You must listen to this part. Turning his life around after prison Kilter and Jackie And so much more

This is an absolutely gripping episode. It's one thing to survive the experiences Ian has survived. It's another thing to be able to share openly and humbly so that others may learn something and find some inspiration to help them move through their own difficulties. In the end, I love Ian's final nugget. It's all about creating for the pure joy and fulfillment of creation. With no attachment to the outcome. I hope you listen today with no attachment, just let the messages flow and find your own zen state while they do.

"Be your inner rockstar." Jen Rockstar Szabo adopted this phrase in the last decade as she's dealt with divorce, anxiety and depression, body acceptance, debilitating injuries and more. To Jen, being your inner rockstar is about shining a spotlight on the moments of your life that we don't openly talk about. It's not about hiding parts of ourselves, but embracing them, or as she says, "Giving them a hug and inviting them in for a cup of tea."

Jen is an adult onset athlete. In 2004 she was duped into going to a meeting for a local running group. She tried to walk out the door, but a welcoming hand on her shoulder changed the course of her life (thanks Scott Fliegelman!). Jen is one of my favorite people. We've been palling around for about 15 years, brought together by Skirt Sports when we did an early fashion show at our local Fleet Feet store. You may have seen one of our widely acclaimed triathlon transition videos 😂 or our motivational HIIT workouts. If you haven't, they're definitely worth watching.

Rockstar has been on the podcast once before as a contributor to episode 119 - Body Talk. But we have never taken the time to shine the spotlight exclusively on her. Jen is a special person who is navigating this world one day at a time, keeping her priorities straight and continuing to build her toolshed.

Today we talk about:

What is means to be your inner rockstar 12-year-old Jen Anxiety and depression Naming your "thing," inviting it in and giving it a hug Divorce Becoming an athlete against your own odds Overcoming injuries & adapting to a new reality as we age An difficult encounter on an airline And so much more

For more Rockstar, be sure to follow her on Instagram at @rockstarszabo - she is an open book and what drives her more than just about anything is helping others, so if you need another advocate in your court, please reach out!

That's it for today. You know what time it is! It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and we'll see you next week!

Macy Matarazzo is a love coach. She helps smart, single, spiritually conscious women find the kind of love they never thought existed... but it does. She calls it unicorn love and it's available to all of us. We just have to do a little work to open up to it.

Macy fell into this career through her own life experiences, self-enlightenment and a passionate calling to help others discover what she was able to find. The first and most important thing that is missing when people struggle in relationships is the ability to be 100% yourself. It seems to easy, but being ourselves, embracing who we truly are, is really difficult for so many reasons. It can require work to shed the walls and limitations that we've built over many years of our lives.

Today Macy has a thriving coaching business called Love Muffin Coaching, she puts on Love Camp (anyone can join), she broadcasts free advice and entertainment on her Reverend Lunch Lady Love Vibe TV Youtube channel, she does Dead Old Lady Secret Recipe Tarot Readings and most of all, she brings joy to people who are ready to receive it.

Today we talk about:

Love in all forms Macy's love story: How she met "Laserbeam Larry" (my chiropractor) & shed her facades for good Techniques to help women open up to love including RIM (Regenerating Images in Memory) How to be true to who we really are Why love coaching? Dead Old Lady Secret Recipe Tarot Readings: One for me and one for you (our listeners) Online dating: How to navigate this world sanely Checklist: What do we need to commit to for ourselves? Ego: How this can get in the way of good relationships

For more Macy, check out her website, facebook, youtube and more!

If you are loving the podcast, please consider becoming a Patron. I recently opened an account on Patreon so that listeners can support me if they feel compelled to do so. All right then, you know what time it is. It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week.

I met Nell Rojas the day I interviewed her but I felt like I'd known her for a while. I guess I have by proxy. Her dad, Ric Rojas, is a renowned running coach and a former world class runner himself. He's been coaching athletes for a long time, ever since he informally coached his own high school track team in 1970 when he won the National High School Indoor Mile (yes, he'd be a great guest on the show too). So it's no wonder that he produced not only an incredible athlete, but an even more exceptional person.

Nell is a late-start marathon runner - and it suits her. At 32, she qualified handily for the Olympic Marathon Trials in her first marathon ever. Then she followed it up with a 2:28 win at her second marathon and a top 15 ranking in the US. We all have interesting and often winding paths to the things we were meant to pursue. Nell is no different, but the really intriguing part of her story is that her success and ability to tap into her greatness seem to be happening almost by mistake - or maybe by default! Like there's a grand master plan that she is just stepping into at the exact time she's supposed to.

Even though she's relatively young, she has a very articulate way of sharing the lessons she's learned. You can understand why she is a coach herself, developing her own style - a unique combination of her dad's influence and her own experiences. Today we talk about:

Strength: physical, mental, all of it! Strength training: Why she has been strength training since middle school & how it sets her apart from her running peers Being the prodigy of a champion athlete: the role of her dad in her life Her philosophy: It's not about long miles She doesn't run doubles!!! Burnout: what this is and how to get through it Eating disorders and body image: Moving beyond the disorder into true self love Reframing the negative & learning to lead with the positive What it means to be the best you can be Saying goodbye to ego and how that allows you to find your true courage

For more on Nell:

Coaching: She coaches athletes around the world, not just in Boulder!

Instagram @nell_rojas_running

Facebook @nell.rojas1

And a shoutout to her dad Ric!

Meet Brittany Charboneau and Jenni Nettik - runners, coaches, dreamers, fun-creators. Brittany is one of the country's newest distance stars, fresh off a win at the 2019 Marine Corps Marathon and gunning for the 2020 Marathon Trials. Jenni is the founder of Mercuria Running, a coaching business that focuses on more than just running - it's about nurturing a passion for the sport without the "at all costs" philosophy of most hard core programs.

I don't often interview two people at the same time. It can be awkward, technically difficult and sometimes tough to keep a smooth conversation rolling. This episode is anything but awkward, difficult or tough. It is fun, easy-going, insightful and full of tips (big and small) to help you dig deeper into yourselves. Plus we do a little improv (admittedly slightly awkwardly!) in the middle so that will keep your attention!

We cover the following and so much more:

Passion and day jobs Life Plan: how Brittany quit her job after her company, Otterbox, helped her create her life plan! Why listening to your gut helps make the most powerful decisions Faith on your journey How training for something often leads to something entirely different: Jenni's career path Combining passions: Art & running (Jenni), Acting & running (Brittany) Mercuria Running: How Jenni & Brittany are creating a whole new philosophy on training and racing

For more on these two incredible women, follow them in all the places!

Coaching at Mercuria Running Instagram @FunnyRunner26.2 & @mercuriarunning

And be sure to check out the Funner Runner 101er program - it definitely epitomizes what they're both all about. That's it for today. You know what time it is. It's time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and we'll see you next week!

To support this podcast, please consider becoming a Patron and contributing whatever you think it's worth to keep spreading positivity in this world!

Roderick Sewell is the kind of person who lights up a room with his smile and his energy. Depending on the situation (like if he's in a swimsuit or not!), you may never realize that he is a double above knee amputee. Most of the time it wouldn't matter, but when it comes to breaking barriers and inspiring people to do things that they have no idea they can do, it matters - a lot.

Roderick was born without tibia bones which meant he would never walk on his own. When Roderick was one, his mother was faced with making this decision for her son: Amputate both legs above the knee and learn to adapt with prosthetic legs or live in a wheelchair for his entire life. Everyone advised her to go the wheelchair route, but something inside told her that amputation would lead to a brighter future.

I have to say thanks to Roderick's mom, because her decision has paved the way for him to become the role model he is today. I met Roderick on a pool deck in Kona a few days before the Hawaii Ironman. He was there to do media interviews as the first hopeful above knee amputee to finish the Ironman World Champs. His friend and mentor Rudy Garcia-Tolson accompanied him and acted as his handler for the race which would prove grueling.

Spoiler: Roderick did finish the Ironman that day with 34 minutes to spare. His story starts long before the Hawaii Ironman and is difficult, beautiful, hopeful and inspiring. Today we talk about:

Growing up without legs His mom's decision to amputate Challenged Athletes Foundation: They gave him the tools to begin his athletic career Meeting Rudy and realizing "I CAN" The Importance of visibility Swimming and how it built his foundation for toughness The Ironman Experience in all its glory: I consider this the celebration peak of the episode (yes I almost cried listening) Barriers and how he approaches them Talking out loud to yourself :) Limb Kind Foundation: they help people move from "still to active" And so much more

This episode warms my heart. I wish I could hand out with Roderick more often. Please take a moment to follow him on Instagram at @rsewell92 and keep an eye out for his next big thing. As he says, he is not a disabled person but he is a differently abled person who chooses to live his life on different terms.

As always, I hope you love this episode and if you do, share it! If you want to give an extra level of support, consider becoming a Patron of the pod. Allright then, you know what time it is. It's time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Sarah Canney is a creator. A creator of things that bring love, light and empowerment. Like her three amazing children, her Rise Run Retreats and her new book "Renew: Roadmap to a Better Body Image." Sarah Canney is also a defeater; a defeater of things that hold us back. Namely bulimia and negative self-image. It took a long time for her to break free from the grip of eating disorders and negative body image. Now that she is in recovery, she openly shares her journey with the goal of helping others.

Sarah has built up an impressive arsenal of tools to help her navigate the crap life throws at us. Today we dig into many of them. Her ultimate mission is to help other women gain confidence and find strength in their own lives. We have a deep, sometimes emotional, sometimes funny conversation about Sarah's path through her struggles into a place of true authenticity.

Today we cover:

Sarah's background: How her fear of screwing up started young and created a foundation for her future struggles Eating disorders: how anorexia turned into bulimia How running fit into the equation Getting pregnant: How true recovery started nine years later thanks to her daughter The importance of "The Pause" in all aspects of our lives Learning to accept feelings of fullness The freedom in your brain when it no longer has to constantly think about food Giving birth to a baby with a birth defect: helping him recover and heal Rise Run Retreats: How you can get involved Her new book: "Renew: Roadmap to a Better Body Image"

We all have a mission. This is Sarah's: I want to help other women gain confidence and find strength." It's pretty obvious from this interview that Sarah truly wants to help other people and that her true light shines when she is making connections and helping others make connections. For more Sarah Canney, check out these links:

Instagram @sarah.canney Facebook @sarahecanney Twitter @sarahcanney Sarahcanney.com Rise Run Retreats

You're in a for a treat today! Susan Clarke and CrisMarie Campbell are life and business partners who over time have learned that the secret to healthy relationships is to embrace conflict. Most of us think of conflict as something external, usually related to another person and a difference of opinion or philosophy. But the truth is that conflict often starts within ourselves and dealing with internal conflict must happen first. So all the things we bury or tell ourselves aren't important will likely rear their heads later in our lives if we don't face them. Susan and CrisMarie have dedicated their lives to helping people find ways to face their conflicts and step into their greatness.

About the dynamic duo:

Susan was given six months to live at age 24 and overcame her illness by taking a proactive approach with her health. She went on to become a facilitator, educator and coach, helping many others become "unstuck" and realize their power. CrisMarie was an Olympic rower who later became a Boeing engineer and a manager at Arthur Anderson. Her secret sauce is unlocking the greatness of teams by taking a relationship approach instead of focusing solely on results.

Today they are business partners who practice what they preach in their personal lives as a couple too. Their recent book "The Beauty of Conflict for Couples: Igniting Passion, Intimacy & Connection in Your Relationship" is a must read for everyone. Even if you're not currently in a relationship - there is so much to glean from this book that will help you the next time around.

Today we talk about:

CrisMarie's background as an Olympic rower and the difficulty of her transition to the real world Susan's cancer at 24 and the unearthing of childhood sexual assault that helped her beat her illness Romance: the roles we play in each other's "movies" Conflict: How running away is easier than addressing the problem How do we manage conflicts on small and large levels Live demo of conflict management: The BRANCH issue! The key to success: Stop talking about "you" and focus on me Vulnerability Intimacy: "into me see" - we're more afraid of seeing ourselves than others Compromise: why this is a bad word 5-5-5 rule: this is a good one! And so much more

This episode gives you a new tool for your communication toolbox. I encourage you to check out their work and definitely grab a copy of their new book or the original Beauty of Conflict that focuses on leadership and conflict management in your career. For more on Susan and CrisMarie, check out their website, follow them on facebook and instagram and definitely check out their awesome TedX Talk (with over 325,000 views!).

Today I share stories from the past 15 years. Actually it started well before 2004, back to when I was a kid and no one could tell if I was a boy or a girl! Today gender is fluid; it's not so much of an issue. But it was back then and it created insecurities about my femininity that ultimately led to the start of Skirt Sports.

Today my company is so much more than a skirt created to help me feel pretty. It's a community of women who come together in so many ways to share their love of fitness.

There are a few things I can't quite grasp today. That I've been running Skirt Sports for 15 years. That my company has evolved to something so much more than a seller of products. And that I was in really really REALLY good shape back then!

To celebrate Skirt Sports is giving $20 to everyone! Spend it. Buy something amazing that makes you feel good. Remember my old mantra. Look good Feel good Perform better. Use the code 15YEARS at skirtsports.com or at our Boulder store. Do it now!

Tina Muir is many things. But that wasn't always so. For a long time, she was a runner - a world-class, professional distance runner who sacrificed just about everything for performance. That is, until she decided that running was no longer enough and it was time to add a new adventure to her life. That adventure is now 19 months old, named Bailey Grace, and it's a testament to Tina's will to change that her baby girl is here with us today.

When Tina decided to stop racing professionally, she knew it was time to start a family, something she had always wanted. The problem is that she suffered from amenorrhea, a lack of menstruation, for eight years. It's kind of hard to get pregnant if you don't have a period! So Tina knew she both had to make some huge lifestyle changes and she found that speaking out about her challenges was therapeutic. The side effect is that it launched her into the mainstream running world in a bigger way than her actual running results!

Tina got pregnant shortly afterward, started her amazing podcast career, became a coach/guide to many and hasn't looked back. In just two years, her podcast has gained over 2 million downloads, her book, "Overcoming Amenorrhea" has helped many and her authentic, transparent personality continues to humanize her.

Today we talk about:

Becoming a runner Finding joy in running as a child and encouraging parents to focus on joy, not results Coming to the States: Running in college and meeting a boy Path out of amenorrhea: Coming to grips with what's healthy and what's not healthy Comparison trap: Why being cool is a tough habit to break Parenting: what values Tina wants her daughter to have Podcasting: people are more willing to be open with you when you share openly with them Gratitude lists Tina's perfect day: it includes Disney! And so much more

For more Tina Muir, check out the many cool things she does!

Subscribe to her podcast Running for Real (I'll be on hers soon too!) Buy her book "Overcoming Amenorrhea" Sign up for one of her training programs: Look for the Mental Training program coming soon Follow her on social media

Sanjay Rawal is Transcendent. We use that word a lot in this episode because one of Sanjay's life passions is to find more depth in all the things we do in life – beyond the actual acts of doing them. Take running for instance, there’s a race in new York called the Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. This is a real thing that people do every year. They run around a city block in Queens for 3100 miles. Why do they do it? To become better. Better people. Better for themselves. Better for the world around them.

Sanjay is so invested in this idea that he created a film called "3100: Run and Become" - check out the trailer here. And he's right-on. We know that running, that exercise in general, can expand our lives, expand our horizons, expand our minds. I think that’s the message you’ll get today. It’s why I named this episode "Becoming a Better Person with Sanjay Rawal."

Today we talk about:

Sanjay's past: growing up with a set of expectations handed to him by his parents & how he eventually broke free from those expectations to pursue a greater purpose Sri Chinmoy: the spiritual leader who shaped Sanjay's life philosophy Running as a religion: how different cultures view running as more than exercise and more than a vehicle for greater performance The power of prayer and what it means to him His pursuit of a path of universal love: This means no drinking, no smoking & celibacy Meditation: quieting the mind Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race & the film 3100: Run & Become The Running Monks: Running takes an extreme spiritual path with this cultural group What we want vs what we need And so much more

We don't run 3100 miles on today's episode although I bet you will want to listen to Sanjay for at least a marathon. Sanjay is one of those people who just makes you feel better – about yourself, about your circumstances, about your past, your present, your future. He encourages you to think bigger. In all ways. I really appreciate this because there are many days and many moments when I get super granular and can’t surface my brain to get back to the bigger purpose. The more we can practice this, the better off we’ll be.

For more Sanjay... We could all use more Sanjay!

Watch the film! 3100: Run and Become

Instagram @mrsanjayr

Facebook @3100film

More films by Sanjay here

His interview on the Rich Roll Podcast (I love when guests overlap!)

Meghan Bigelow's message is a work in progress. She’s gone through a terrible tragedy and a year later, she is dealing with the wreckage and putting her life and purpose back into place. I want to start by encouraging you to google Meghan Bigelow and read more about what happened to her family on June 14, 2018. Today we talk about it, but we do not go into all the details for a couple reasons. First, Meghan can only talk about anything that was actually published in news outlets because of the sensitive nature of future legal proceedings. The other reason is that it’s really hard to talk about death and destruction when it happens to you.

With that in mind, I will share some background, all of which is available in a google search, so that you’ll have a little better understanding of the context. Meghan and her sons are victims of gun violence. On a trip to the dentist last June, they were followed and then gunned down by a man who was enraged by a driving incident. Meghan and her youngest son Asa were both shot and left for dead. Her middle son, Cooper, ran and escaped. Her oldest son, Vaughn Jr, who she calls Bubba, was killed. It was a horrific event that still doesn’t seem real. Many of you may wonder more about the shooter. We don’t talk about him at all so I will share what I read in the media: After the shooting, he went to Home Depot, bought supplies for his job, and then went to work. He wasn’t caught until he was driving home that evening and is currently in custody awaiting trial.

So as you can see, Meghan’s story is still unfolding. I’m so amazed and proud of this woman for the courage she has to move forward each day and to focus on bringing love, light and positivity to this world.

Today we talk about:

Life before June 14, 2018 Being a busy career mom and trying to make it all work June 14, 2018 Recovering from gun violence Learning what happened and accepting it Healing & Finding strength again Gun violence & mental health: link to Moms Demand Action Big Waves Foundation

Please mark Sept 14 on your calendars. If you’re local, come out to the Big Waves Family 5k and if you’re not, do it virtually to support Meghan’s new nonprofit to honor her son Vaughn Jr.

You may be a little shaky after this one. I understand. I am too. Meghan opens the podcast talking about how she sometimes feels like she needs to be strong when others are not and how that snowballs because people would say You’re SO strong which added even more pressure. But she ends the episode by say this, which is relevant to EVERYONE listening every day of our lives. Don’t lose sight of you. Find your center and come back to it. That’s where you’ll recover and nurture your strength.

You can support Meghan and the change she is focused on making in the world by donating to the Big Waves Foundation. As the ripples of the waves grow to include their future work toward gun sense, I think we will all find a common ground. Because gun violence is accelerating at such a fast pace, we will soon all have connections to someone lost or injured. So do the Big Waves Family 5k on Sept 14 from wherever you live. Meghan is on a mission to bring something positive to the world. Help her do that.

Liz Delise is tenacious. She’s a mom of 5 kids, one of whom has autism, a military wife, a chronic illness warrior, a runner and one of the most inspirational, positive energy people you'll ever come across. She’s also a Skirt ambassador and a Patron of this podcast. When I launched my Patreon account a few months ago, she was the first person to jump on board and support me in this effort to bring more positivity to the world. It makes sense because she is also a purveyor of positivity – despite the hurdles she faces on a daily basis.

Today we go beyond the surface of this seemingly everyday woman juggling kids, marriage, health and her passions. We talk about issues many of us face on a daily basis and some we've never experienced before and how Liz always comes back to a place of positivity despite the obstacles:

Becoming a mom of five kids (when her husband originally said he didn't want any kids at all!) Autoimmune diseases: Liz was diagnosed with five difficult to pronounce diseases & continues to manage them today Being a mom of an autistic child: The guilt she has overcome due to a work incident when she had her autistic son Tedy Being a military wife How she adapted when her husband was injured Antepartum depression Her running journey began when she was 9 months pregnant with her second child

Liz sent me an update after we recorded:

"The kiddos and I completed the North Carolina State Parks Passport Adventure. We visited all 41 of North Carolina's state parks in under a year. We had started in early July 2018 and finished up June 26, 2019. It was such a fun adventure for us. The kids did amazing hiking. While hiking it was the first time I truly realized that Tedy can actually read - he has been so good about identifying trails for us when I ask him to point the way."

The thing about Liz is that she makes everyone around her feel loved and supported. I’m sure you could feel that. So how about we give her some love and support and follow her at @ramblingmom. Today has been a blast! Let’s keep the momentum going. Become a Patron like Liz – go to patreon.com/nicoledeboom

And don’t forget we need to celebrate women in business! Skirt Sports turns 15 on Sept 12, 2019. Who woulda thought that the running skirt would not be a fad after all. That it would instead lead the way for women’s fitness empowerment. That it would become the first official athleisure product that allows women to go from function to function without a change of clothing, without missing a beat. Celebrate with me on Sept 12 by posting about Skirt or sharing this podcast or something that brings you inspiration and confidence, hashtag #skirtsports and encourage people to shop our brand because we’re all in this together in the end.

Richard Moss was a doctor who one day experienced a spontaneous state of illumination that irreversibly changed his life and profoundly transformed his understanding of human consciousness and behavior. With this opening came a new level of sensibility including a heightened intuition, subtle insight into mystical and spiritual teachings, and the ability to sense human body-energy fields. I know this may sound a bit out there or confusing. We talk about it in depth in the interview. And think about this, Richard is a spiritual teacher who is very in tune with human body energy fields. I honestly had no idea how this interview would go and I was overly aware of my energy fields that day!

In the end, the conversation was awesome. Note: it is not a light, surface level interview. We talk about how we can find true peace and happiness - and In the end, we were both so happily surprised at the direction of our conversation. It’s funny; I was a little worried that I wouldn’t quite be able to connect to someone who many consider to be truly enlightened as I’m still an enlightenment work in progress, and Richard had this preconception that I would be an aggressive, competitive athlete type trying to prove something. When we finished the interview we said, I think we need to be friends! Good think Richard lives in Boulder, now I can hang out with him more easily!

Today we talk about:

Richard's "spontaneous state of illumination" Choosing a career based on its ability to allow you to do other things you love Relationships on all levels: specifically with yourself Rock climbing and how it is a spiritual practice Radical aliveness: What this means Conscious breathing: "There is only now" What does enlightenment really mean? What we can do to gain enlightenment

After listening to this episode you may feel a connection to Richard and have a desire to get involved with him at one of his retreats or other programs he offers. Coming up in Oct, he has a Deep Work Retreat in North Carolina. These are 2-3 day “Deep Work” retreats for individuals or couples intended to assist you in diving into the inner work that is most vital to your life at this time. You will acquire new insights and gain powerful tools that will enable you to move forward and make whatever essential changes your life is calling you toward. If you’re intrigued, then I think this conversation will be perfect for you right now.

This is a conversation with many many levels. It’s like just when I thought we got to the core of something, there is another layer, another core beyond it. This episode also had me thinking about how we reflect the energy around us. I felt like I was using my gentle voice throughout. Sort of like Richard’s final nugget. Be gentle with yourself. Then be more gentle and more gentle still. I know many of you are out running or exercising or simply running around right now and it’s tough to feel gentle when you’re out there pushing your body, but maybe just maybe that’s really the key to finding your flow. To becoming radically alive. To let it all go and just be. I’ll let that one simmer while you listen to this conversation with Richard Moss. For more Richard, go to richardmoss.com and check out what he has to offer.

Lisa Jhung just released a book called “Running That Doesn’t Suck: How to Love Running (Even if You Think You Hate it)." She grew up a running hater. She hid when she was told to run. She avoided it at all costs. Until one day she was told she had to run in order to make the college volleyball team. So she started. And each day she went a little further. And it didn’t suck after all. In fact it became awesome. And not too long after that, when she realized volleyball wasn’t going to be her thing, running was still there for her.

Today Lisa has crafted her entire career from the sport of running. She’s a writer, adventurer, runner, reviewer. She’s a fan of the sport and a lover of the sport. And she realized that there are probably so many other people out there who think they hate running, but maybe, just maybe, if she gives them a different approach, they may love it too one day.

GIVEAWAY ALERT! We're giving away a Skirt Sports product and a book! – to enter, you just need to share this episode on Instagram or Facebook, and hashtag #runningthatdoesntsuck – it also helps if you follow me @nicoledeboom and lisa @lisajhungwrites. We’ll pick a winner Aug 1. If you’re already a runner, listen to this episode with something else in mind. Something that you feel like you should try but you’re making all the excuses. Because when you just give it a chance, it could turn into the next big thing.

Today we talk about:

Fun & Play: Why these are important to ingrain in your kids! The hating of running & the hiding in the pit! How Lisa start running: Because she wanted to play volleyball in college Running as a foundation sport that can carry you through life Injuries: Specifically coming back after pregnancy The Book! Why Lisa wrote it and how she hopes people will use it Running & writing and how they're connected How running helps you connected deeper into yourself

You know what time it is – it’s time to use you code RUN20 at Skirtsports.com – and it’s time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Elizabeth Kraus has spent the last 15 years trying to figure out how to integrate her passion, specifically fitness, into her life without sacrificing her ability to be a badass businesswoman. Elizabeth’s day job is as the founder of Mergelane, a VC fund that invests in and supports women-led businesses. Elizabeth has curated the life she wants to lead without sacrificing her quality of work, workouts or relationships. She attributes much of her success in this area to a philosophy called Conscious Leadership which we talk about today.

At the peak of her work-play experiment, Elizabeth skied 94 days in one season and was insanely productive at work. There were some parts of her life that suffered and it should be noted that she had the flexibility to craft a lifestyle that was geared almost exclusively around her needs. But for the most part, she proved that it’s possible. And she figured out how to make it happen. Today she shares her path and learnings with you.

Here’s my challenge as you listen to today’s episode: This about this question. Are you living the best life for you? If not, what do you wish you could include that you don’t?

Today we talk about:

How to include fitness/sports into your life without giving up the other important things Body image: how different sports may affect our body image for different reasons Enneagram Test: What type are you? Specifically Type 1 - the Reformer - Check out your type today. The pursuit of perfection Fitting fitness into an overflowing life Hiking meetings (and other sports that allow for social interaction like skiing!) Conscious Leadership: The foundation for changing the way you think Cutting out the junk miles: First figure out what the junk miles are! Natural sleep and awake rhythm: everything changes when you figure yours out and change your schedule around it Mergelane: Being a woman in the primarily men's dominated world of investing Decision to forgo motherhood: This is a big topic

In addition, after we recorded, Elizabeth posted this article that shares more details on how Conscious Leadership helped her save 5 hours a day. This is worth the read. We all need 5 extra hours every day to bring only our best selves to the world.

I appreciate Elizabeth for so many reasons. She’s an open book. We talk about some really difficult topics and she shares with one goal: To help others. Elizabeth is smart, hard-working, driven, caring, compassionate. As she mentions with the Enneagram test, she’s also a perfectionist who must balance her pursuit of perfection with the natural messiness of life. I headed over to the enneagram website to see what type I am. I’m still trying to figure it out! You’ll have to check it out and let me know yours. In the end, we’re all seeking a life that allows us to live to our fullest. Elizabeth has cracked the code in a sense; I hope you got something from this episode that will help you run your world in a bigger and better way

Kara Goucher is pretty much famous. And more than the “famous in our own circles” kind of famous. She’s running royalty; she’s been in the spotlight of a large and passion-driven sport for over a decade. But what happens when you are no longer running for first place? When your body tells you it’s time to change tracks, but you still love what you do? How do you make a shift when you live in the public eye and anything you do is analyzed, celebrated and often criticized?

You’ll hear what Kara Goucher did in just a couple minutes. I want to say this first. I believe that Kara is one of those rare athletes who not only has a physical gift but has the emotional depth and mental toughness to take her innate talent and use it to make the world a better place. While she was racing to win, it was impossible for her to even understand the breadth of her gifts, but now that she’s on the cusp of a new chapter, I think she is starting to understand what she can truly do. And the trick for her is to continue including the thing that she has always loved most in her life – running. Because even when the race doesn’t go her way, the fact that she is open to new experiences gives others hope and inspiration that just maybe they can also make it through the natural transitions that life brings us.

Today we talk about:

Leadville Trail Marathon in all its glory The power of finishing How we don't do anything alone & Todd Straka Brave Like Gabe: Honoring Gabe Grunewald & sharing how her legacy brings strength Winning your age group: recalibrating success & accepting accolades Training with Cat Bradley 😂 Accepting the natural stages of our lives without compromising what fuels us Raising a kid who clearly has running genes with no expectations for a running future! What's next for Kara!

After listening, you may develop a Girl Crush on Kara. This is legit and here's why. Kara is really awesome. Even with the insane athletic gift she was given and all her successes, she is not an unapproachable snob who looks down on mere mortals. She’s nice. No she’s not just nice, she’s kind and caring. She’s compassionate. She’s funny. She’s smart. She’s humble. She’s complicated. She doesn’t claim to know it all. She’s emotional. She’s vulnerable. She’s honest. And she’s real. She is the opposite of fake. When you stumble upon her in real life or on social media, she is the real deal and that’s so refreshing.

So you know what we need to do when people like Kara cross our paths, we need to support them. If you don’t already, be sure to follow her. Comment on her activities. Show that you care. And keep your eyes open on the trails – you just may run into her one day because I have a feeling this trail thing is here to stay! All right over and out you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Lara Merriken is a dreammaker. I have so much love and respect for this woman. I knew she was special from the minute I met her at VeloSwap in 2003, slinging energy bites in plastic baggies. I had a feeling she would change the world, I just didn’t realize how much she would change it and how quickly.

Lara is the founder of Larabar. If you aren’t familiar with Larabar, I’d be shocked, because it’s now an absolute empire. She had the idea to create healthy, nutritious energy bars when she was frustrated with her options on a hike many years ago. The goal was to use clean, simple ingredients.

She started by dreaming up flavors and then mixing dried fruits and nuts in her kitchen. That was almost 20 years ago. Today Lara is a free agent of sorts, as she sold Larabar to General Mills a mere 5 years after she officially launched. Hers is a massive success story on the business front, but it’s what she’s done since that many don’t think about – how to redefine yourself after a company with your own name is no longer yours. We talk about that and so much more in today’s episode.

You may not know that I have a special connection to Larabar. When I officially debuted Skirt Sports at the 2004 Ironman Wisconsin, I was sponsored by Larabar. My claim to fame is that I’m the only athlete Larabar ever sponsored! Anyway, in my special needs bag on the bike, I had 2 food items: an Oatmeal Cream Pie from the gas station $.50 rack and a Cashew Cookie Larabar. I ate them both and won the race! Proof that real food is power!

Today we talk about:

Growing up sporty Competitive volleyball: How Lara learned discipline & teamwork The 10,000 Hours Rule: It takes that long to truly master something (Malcolm Gladwell coined this concept) Why being OPEN "with intention" is important How to truly be open Overcoming the need to make other people happy All things Larabar: humble beginnings, fast growth, successful exit The next frontier: How do you redefine yourself when your namesake is no longer yours? Tennis: Renewed passion, healthy obsession & drive to succeed How motherhood has changed her outlook

After the interview I pulled out a few Larabars and offered them to her. Which is funny because don’t you think she probably has her own? Anyway, I asked, "Do you still eat a lot of Larabars?" and she said, “I always test them.” She wants to know that they’re fresh and delicious and spot-on with the recipes. I love this about her. I’ve always respected Lara and really appreciated that she is such a genuine, “normal” person. The trick is when a normal person does something so extraordinary, how does she adapt and integrate her “new normal” into her life without compromising who she is? The really cool thing? This can apply to any big life change. How do you retain your core essence: the beautiful things that make you who you are when you experience change? Somehow Lara has navigated these waters with grace and self-love and is passing them down to her son as we speak.

If you haven’t tried Larabars before, go do it. Her original Cashew Cookie will always be my fave. I saw that they just released a new Protein line which I’m now salivating to try. Allright then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get over to the grocery store and pick up some new Larabar Flavors! It’s also time to get out there and Run This world! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Julie Daniluk is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who came to this field from a lifelong struggle to achieve a healthy relationship with food. Julie’s approach to vibrant eating is more about self-love than perfection. When we are better to ourselves, we are better for the world around us. I believe you’ll walk away from this episode with at least one thing that you can implement; one thing that will stick with you.

Julie is the author of three award-winning books, she's appeared on hundreds of tv segments, and is currently consumed by her new passion, the Hot Detox.

Today we talk about:

Dinner for breakfast Julie's background: How her diet helped solve ADHD but led to her rebelling against a strict eating regime as she got older Letting go of food shame Energy: how to regulate your energy through the foods you eat Eating for athletic performance Anti-inflammatory foods The 3 P's: Prebiotics, Probiotics, Phytonutrients Maintaining a strong immune system The Hot Detox: Julie's proprietary program & how her grandma influenced her philosophy Intermittent fasting And so much more

If you are curious about the Hot Detox, use this link to sign up. It costs $297 (valued closer to $800), includes more than recipes, juices & teas, and Julie gives you a ton of support.

Julie is such an incredible person. She is truly living her passion and helping so many people along the way. The day after this interview, I sautéed cabbage for breakfast. It was delicious and I want to do it more often. As Julie says, before you take a bite, look down at your plate and ask yourself, “is this food for self-love?” I challenge you to try this – to make it a new habit. Because self-love is the root of our happiness. That’s it. It doesn’t get any better than this. You know what time it is? It’s time to go out and buy some cabbage for breakfast tomorrow! And it’s time to run this world! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Sherry Cormier is a psychologist who specializes in grief mentoring. She’s the author of Sweet Sorrow: Finding Enduring Wholeness after Loss and Grief. She wrote the book over the last decade after experiencing loss and learning how to become whole again. Today we talk about that period of her life and how going through the process of grieving ultimately opened and expanded Sherry's life. She decided that writing a book in the immediate aftermath of trauma would not allow her to give people the best long-term guidance; effectively, her book took ten years to write!

Today we talk about: How to grow from traumatic experiences: What it means to reboot or restart The illusion of control Different types of grief: Prolonged grief, seasonal grief, collective grief & more Post traumatic growth: how losses bring gains Her opinion on antidepressants Visitation dreams after you lose someone Why she prefers to call it Transition not Death Strategies for early grief stages: Self-care (Move), Spiritual practice (Meditate), Connection (Connect) And so much more

Sherry is a true gift to this world. She has come to this place in life where she can truly help others through a mix of life experiences and honing her specialties. As she says, “When we pull our brains back from tomorrow and our hearts back from yesterday, we find the sweetness.”

I love Sherry’s approach to life, love and loss. I learned a new concept that makes so much sense to me – post traumatic growth. I just wrapped up a week during the Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat where many women shared their stories of hardship, their struggles and came out the other side stronger. Loss helps us grow. Just ask Sherry. Her final nugget is one of my favorites ever: Remember that what you focus on expands. Love. Worry. Peace. Judgment. Positivity. When you focus on something, it becomes bigger, so when you find yourself focusing on the dark side, remember that you’re only giving it more power and find a way to shift to the good side.

For more Sherry Cormier: Buy the book on Amazon: Sweet Sorrow: Finding Enduring Wholeness After Loss and Grief Sherry's website: www.sherrycormierauthor.com Twitter: @sweetsorrowbook Facebook: @SweetSorrow Instagram: @cormier1749 Mayo Clinic resource for grief and loss here

Dimity McDowell has been a friend of mine for over a decade. The first time I remember interacting with her was when she was writing for Runner’s World. She was prepping for a women's marathon, and she let her readership choose her outfit. Our 2007 Marathon Dress was in the running and won! So Dimity wore a very short Skirt Sports dress and crushed her marathon (it was even shorter on her 6'5" body)! Anyway, we’ve been mutually respecting each other for years since. When she started her Like a Mother community which evolved into Another Mother Runner, I knew she was going to change the running world - and she's still changing it.

Today, Dimity is the co-author (alongside her partner in crime Sarah Bowen Shea) of 3 books, founder of the insanely successful Another Mother Runner Podcast, a huge community of women including moms and non-moms who want support, resources and encouragement in their athletic journeys. In fact, our missions are so closely aligned that we should probably hang out a lot more than we actually do! I’ve been thinking about what makes Dimity so special and I think it’s that she is the original authentic voice. Before authenticity was a buzzword. Before people started sharing the good AND real of their lives. There was Dimity. She understand inherently that the only way to help people in this crazy world was to be her true messy self and share it in an open and honest way. That’s what I have always loved about her.

Today we talk about all sorts of cool stuff in a candid dual-interview that is also posted on Dimity’s Train Like a Mother group. To further inspire your training, Dimity is giving you a discount on Train Like a Mother programs. This is no joke. They have running programs from 5k to 50 miles from beginner to advanced. Tri programs from a Sprint to an Ironman. Heart rate programs. Nutrition programs and a full on amazing community that will keep you motivated. Check out trainlikeamother.club, and use code TLAMSKIRT for 15% off any program through June 21.

Other topics discussed: Being a leader of a movement Finding "what you were created to do" Reinventing yourself in middle life (after you started a running movement and can no longer run) The beauty and insanity of trying new sports How we stay motivated The importance of community within a community: finding your people And so much more!

Dimity is a person that I could hang with every day. I love her take on pretty much everything. Think about how hard it must be when you have created an entire identity on being the “mother runner” and then one day you realize you can no longer run. It’s not life or death, but in a way it is, because it’s a recalibration of your identity and those are tricky things to navigate as we go through the different chapters of our lives. Thanks for sticking around to the end of the long episode today. But now it’s time to move on – it’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Sarah Clarkson is the founder of Transience, a trendy bag company based in New York. This was her first-ever podcast interview. I tested out one of her cool Swing Bags and as I learned more about the brand, I thought it would be cool to showcase "one woman's path to her current purpose." At one point in the interview Sarah is talking about how she started her company. One day years ago, she sat shivering in an office, doing design work for another company and she simply realized “I no longer want to be at the mercy of someone else’s air conditioning.”

I love this sentiment! There are definitely moments in our lives when it’s time for us to take control and make changes. Even, and especially, when making those changes scares you. Sarah has experienced many of those moments starting in her early years when she left home at 16 to pursue a trade. We have a great conversation about the winding path she took toward control of her own destiny.

We talk about: Growing up in a small village in the UK Leaving home at 16 to pursue floristry Rheumatoid arthritis: how she endured and eventually conquered this condition, largely through exercise Developing a relationship with her dad in her teens Moving to Columbus, OH from the UK (culture shock) The grind: Working 24/7 in NYC - helping others get rich Her accidental path toward making her own bagsTransience today Leaning into your fears & getting out of your comfort zone And much more!

I met Sarah through a cool marketing campaign Transience is running called #whatsinHERbag – I didn’t realize until they reached out that I had still been using my diaper bag as my gym bag. So it was time to upgrade. Definitely head over to thetransience.com and use the code NICOLE30 on something awesome! I have a Swing Bag and I love it. Simple, streamlined, functional. I love supporting entrepreneurs, especially women who are creators. Sarah Clarkson is definitely one of these women.

I hope you enjoyed learning more about one woman’s path to her purpose. I believe that while our past often informs our present, it doesn’t define us or confine us. Sarah is a shining example of a woman who has overcome obstacles and continues to pursue her dreams each day by leaning into the things that she’s afraid of.

For more Sarah Clarkson: Facebook @thetransienceInstagram @thetransiencePinterest @thetransience

Lisa Hallett is a purveyor of love, light and energy. She’s the co-founder of Wear Blue: Run to Remember a national nonprofit running community that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military. I believe that the most powerful movements are started organically by someone or a group of people who are in need of something that fills a void or makes their lives more complete. Wear Blue was started because early in her marriage, Lisa’s husband, John, was killed while deployed in Afghanistan. As she navigated her new reality, she needed to find a way to remember John. She found it through running. Lisa’s story, while tragic and difficult, is also comforting and helpful to so many others who have suffered loss.

Interview note: I want to let you know that Lisa and I were besieged by those annoying little bings that were somehow getting through the airwaves. We actually stopped and started a couple times to try to solve the problem. We literally thought we nailed it and that we could start a tech company next, only to hear more bings as we went. We decided to ignore them and keep going. So you’ll hear a couple spots where we stopped and couldn’t figure out where we left off and you’ll also hear some bings. So what this really means is that we’re human, that Lisa is really popular, and that I need to figure out how to eliminate the notifications once and for all!

Today we talk about: Growing up with John & realizing in high school that he was the one Lisa & John: the early romantic years in high school and college Marriage proposal on a mountain top Military life: community, support, long distance Having her 3rd baby without John (he was just deployed) John's death: how Lisa found out & the immediate aftermath Running through grief Finding solace and support with others honoring their fallen loved ones Wear Blue: Run to Remember Finding happiness again The beautiful messiness of parenting And so much more

Lisa is all of these things: Powerful. Captivating. Inspiring. Human. It’s the last part that I think makes us feel so connected to her and her journey. For more on Lisa Hallett and Wear Blue, check out: Wear Blue: Run to Remember website Wear Blue: Run to Remember facebook group Local Saturday Runs in clubs around the country Officially supported Wear Blue: Run to Remember races Instagram @wearblue Facebook @wearblue

Even if you don’t have a direct connection to the military, you can still support the work she’s doing to help others. Because as Lisa says, even when times are so tough it’s hard to simply function, you will survive not because you have to but because you want to. Remember that.

D’Anne Rudden is an expert in the field of audiology. She is basically a hearing therapist because what she does for people goes beyond the actual mechanics of your ears. She takes more of a holistic approach to your ears and hearing. I first met D'Anne when I saw her on stage at Evoso Live, delivering a speech called "Listen with More Than Just Your Ears." One of her messages was that sound is simply vibration; and that when you change your vibration, you change your life. This message resonated with me on a deeper level and I have a feeling it will resonate with you too.

After our interview (after hours at the Skirt Sports store), I had the opportunity to visit D’Anne in her actual practice in Longmont, Colorado, the Longmont Hearing & Tinnitus Center. I went in for a few reasons.

D’Anne suggests that we all get a baseline hearing check by age 50. I’m 47 so for once in my life, I’m early. I’ve been asking Tim to repeat certain words and phrases when we watch shows together and I can tell he’s sort of annoyed. An annoyed spouse is one of the signs of hearing loss so I figured I should check. A couple years ago I hit myself in the bottom of the jaw with a 20-lb slam ball which I slammed really hard and thereby bounced equally hard into the bottom of my face. My ear/jaw hasn’t been the same since, so again, a reason to check it out.

D’Anne met me after-hours so we had the place to ourselves. The office is covered in brilliant emotional photos of D’Anne around the world, helping fit people for hearing aids. We went into a little sound room and she did some testing that I’ve never had done before. Afterward we went over my results and this is the nutshell. I’m on the low side of healthy hearing in both ears. Still in a normal range for most frequencies, but right on the line. My takeaway? Now I know where I stand so in a few years if I’m having more issues, I can go in and get tested again. Plus, maybe Tim’s just annoyed with me in general not because I ask him to repeat things!

Today we talk about: The ear mechanism What Hearing really is: listening, comprehension, cognition, memory, balance How to overcome being lazy communicators Signs of hearing lossConfidence How yoga saved D'Anne's life: teaching yoga outside the studio Giving back: Starkey Hearing Foundation Do's & Don'ts for hearing care And so much more

I was surprised at all the directions this episode took from hearing to listening to yoga to life coaching to helping others and more. I’m just so interested in how people come to find the work they do with such passion. D’Anne’s path was not obvious, yet here she is over two decades later, helping people with one of the most basic functions that so many of us take for granted. I think the quote that struck me most powerfully was when she said “We communicate most poorly with the people we love the most.” I believe she’s right and if we want to make a single change from this episode it would be to change that statement.

Beatie Deutsch is a champion distance runner. Her story is truly amazing. After getting married at 19, and having 4 children, she realized she had lost the natural fitness of her youth and decided to set her sights on a marathon because it would be a big enough goal to keep her motivated. She ran her first marathon surprisingly fast in 3:27. Two years (and her 5th child) later, she won her first marathon in 3:09. Just a year later, in 2019, she surprised everyone by winning the Israel National Marathon Championships in 2:42 the 5th best result of all time for Israeli women.

That’s all amazing, right? Who else wants to PR by 27 minutes? But here’s another cool twist on her story. Beatie is an Orthodox Jew. Her faith anchors her guiding principles, one of which is that she is required to dress modestly. That means covering her body below the knee and through the arms. We all know as athletes that we are often looking for every possible advantage to shave off seconds. This usually includes wearing streamlined clothing, especially at the highest level of elites. One would think that modest clothing would work against that concept.

But here’s the deal on Beatie: she wears long skirts and full length sleeves - and it doesn’t hold her back. In fact, her faith is her advantage. As I write this, she is recovering from her first ever 10k on the track which she finished in 35:15 – the 6th fastest time in history for Israeli women.

Today we talk about all things Beatie including: Growing up an Orthodox Jew in New Jersey Heading to Israel after high school to study How dating works as an Orthodox Jew How her religion guides her life decisions both big and small What it means to be an Orthodox Jewish runner: What are the requirements & how do they affect her running? Why she started running & her early success What's in the future? Olympics, Ironman & more

One of the reasons I do this podcast is to expand my own world, to learn about other people’s experiences, and how they find joy and fulfillment. Beatie’s world is certainly new to me. I don’t have any close friends who practice orthodox judaism, so some of my questions about her background may come off as nosy, but I was truly just curious, especially about things that relate to human relationships. What I love so much about Beatie is this. Many people would look at her faith as something that probably holds her back from achieving her potential. But she sees it as the reason she is able to find happiness and success. As she so succinctly puts it, “Fear holds us back. Belief moves us forward. What do you have to lose?” Hold that question close my friends. What do you have to lose?

For more on Beatie Deutsch, the first thing to do is get over to Instagram and follow her at @marathonmother as well as her facebook page. She posts frequently with thoughtful insights that I believe are relevant to all of us as we overcome our challenges and pursue our greatest goals. All right that’s it. Time to turn off the pod and turn on your mojo and get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Meet ultrarunning superstar (Winner of the 2018 Leadville 100), Outside magazine columnist, mom of two strong girls, and author of “Running Home” the incredible Katie Arnold. The universe works in crazy ways. I happened to tune into a recent Another Mother Runner podcast featuring this really interesting woman named Katie Arnold. I was listening to her story and she mentioned that her crew at Leadville included her Boulder friend Susie. I kept thinking, I wonder if I know Susie, as if I know all the people who are in the Boulder ultrarunning world! I loved the interview and thought “I need to get Katie on my podcast.” When I got home, I had an email from former podcast guest - Episode 93 - Susie Rinehart Chooses Brave Over Perfect. She is launching her first book and asked me to emcee her launch party. In the same email, she said, “I think you should interview my friend Katie Arnold!” And the circle was complete!

Katie and I interviewed in person after a super muddy, annoying run in the Boulder foothills while she was visiting for a couple stops on her book tour. We had a blast and got down and dirty on many topics. I want to warn you that there may be a little hiccup partway through. You see, I outed one of the big mysteries of the book and Katie was giving me the “cut” “don’t go there” sign, so we paused and rejoined. Maybe you’ll notice; maybe you won’t.

Today we talk about: Running in all its glory: how she started, why she's still going, what it means to her and how it serves the other parts of her life The Flow of Running: how to BE the thing you do Anxiety: how she got through it Dealing with her dad's death The BOOK "Running Home" - Head over to your local bookstore or grab a copy on Amazon Running & writing & how they serve each other Motherhood And so much more

Katie is a complete Rockstar. Just being around her, makes me feel like I’m in the flow. I love how she says that when you are in the flow, you become the thing you are doing. You are running. You are writing. You are eating. You are breathing. It’s honestly a little too deep for me sometimes so I just sit with the concept and then guess what, while I’m sitting with the concept I become Sitting with the Concept! Yes serious mind blow right there! This episode is just so full of nuggets. I’m anxious to hear what your faves are. Please post and let me know!

For more Katie Arnold: Website: katiearnold.net The Book: Grab a copy of "Running Home" at your local bookseller or on Amazon In Person: Check out a book tour event Read: her Outside Magazine column Facebook Instagram

Jennifer Brown is a crusader. Her life’s mission is to help give a voice to people who have felt marginalized. And she’s doing it in so many ways. From her own personal experience – her openness and vulnerability give so many others comfort and hope. To her community outreach through her podcast, her books and her speaking. And finally on a huge platform, as a consultant to huge fortune 500 companies that know they need to do better, to make change and to become more inclusive.

I met Jen Brown through our friend Erin Weed (episode 114 Erin Weed Digs you). Jen and I were seeking our truths – trying to put a finger on our greater messages and how to get them out into the world in a more powerful way. I have to say that Jen has definitely found her truth. She is leading the tidal wave of diversity and inclusion work that can and is changing the way we view each other in this crazy world. You know what she’s really doing? She’s creating a more loving world.

Today we talk about: Today's world of Diversity & Inclusion: how do we help others (& ourselves) feel less marginalized How you can make change to become more inclusive Using your voice on behalf of others Businesses have the power to lead: Gillette ad about toxic masculinity How to be an inclusive leader How to speak in a way that doesn't offend or exclude people Covering: What this means and how to avoid it Compassion Fatigue And so much more! Check out Jennifer's Inbound Bold talk about the "iceberg." Don't miss her TedX Presidio Talk "Finding Your Voice in the Workplace"

I'm sure many of you wish I would do a full marathon session because we could listen to Jennifer all day long! One of my favorite Jen quotes from this episode is, “Let’s not make diversity about the pain Olympics!” We all have a diversity story; and most of us are covering in some way. There is no winning at the pain Olympics. Instead I think the overriding message is that it’s important for us to help elevate each other in our quests for happier, healthier lives. To use our voices not only on our own behalf, but on the behalf of others who we see as being treated unequally. I hope you loved this episode as much as I did.

For more Jennifer Brown: Jenniferbrownspeaks.com "The Will To Change Podcast" Preorder her new book on Amazon called “How to be an Inclusive Leader” Twitter Instagram Facebook

Liz Warner is running 30 Marathons in 30 Countries before she turns 30. If she was 20, this would be a cool and epic endeavor. What makes it way more cool and epic is that she decided to start this effort when she was 28, with just a year and a half to make it happen. Liz had already run 7 or 8 marathons in a diverse range of countries and was at a crossroads in her professional and personal lives. She decided to combine her love for running, travel and helping other cultures by creating a fairly short-term and quite ambitious project she calls Run to Reach. Liz has identified 20 local nonprofits in the final 20 countries to raise awareness and funding for as she runs through them.

When I first learned about Liz, I was like “I wonder which marathon in the US she’s doing.” Then I looked at her list, and there isn’t a marathon in the US. This isn’t about doing the big-name races in countries and communities that already have lots of support. This is about showcasing places in the world that are absolutely stunning but need more support, specifically more women's empowerment programs.

Liz is a beautiful soul who is following her heart to help others. I think you’ll resonate with different parts of her story depending on where you are in your life.

Today we talk about: Coffee: Of course coffee - most recently a coffee tour in Guatemala after her marathon Growing up a squash player on the east coast The draw to see the world: on to Tokyo The call to live somewhere crazy, outside her comfort zone, as a coping mechanism to escape her life Letting go of toxic family relationships caused by alcoholism and addiction Running through the grief of losing her father Her first race & how long distance running became her calling Funny race stories Run to Reach: How the idea to run 30 in 30 before 30 came to be Giving back: Why this is so important to Liz's mission and how she selected her organizations

There’s something about Liz’s voice that’s just so calming and soothing. Like running 26.2 times 30 is no big deal. It’s just something we do to help make the world a better place – and maybe find some personal growth along the way. I don’t know many people under 30 who are setting the world on fire like Liz. When we are lucky to find them, we need to keep them close, because there just may be a moment when we feel the fire inside and realize – "This is it. This is that thing I’ve been needing."

I have a feeling that some of you may feel a little stirring of excitement right now, as you check out Liz’s list of remaining marathons. How about Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Chile, Cuba, Egypt, Antarctica, the Seychelles. Seriously! I had to google the Seychelles and how to pronounce it. These places sound magical and if you feel called to do one of these marathons – for any reason - you have a partner in Liz, reach out to her! On that note, you can find liz at liz@runtoreach.com – be sure to check out her website and consider donating to her charities. Everything can be found on runtoreach.com

Dina Griffin, also known as “The Nutrition Mechanic," is a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based out of Boulder, Colorado. She consults with all levels and abilities of endurance athletes nationwide by fine-tuning daily nutrition strategies to optimize health & healthspan, and training and competition strategies for maximum athletic performance. Some of her specialty areas include female athlete health, type 2 diabetes, weight management, and metabolic efficiency training™. She takes pride in treating each athlete with a personalized approach while aiming for a sustainable “food approach” that works within each person’s lifestyle.

Here's the cool thing about Dina. She’s not a student or lab rat who doesn’t really understand what it’s like to be an athlete. Dina is a competitive endurance athlete. She has completed over 10 marathons (including Boston), the Leadville 100 trail run, the Comrades ultra marathon in South Africa, Ironman, and several other triathlon, ultra running and cycling events.

Dina is chock full of knowledge on all sides of the spectrum. What you may find frustrating is that her belief is that there is no formula that works for all, that people have a huge array of different needs based on so many personal factors. What you may find exciting is that you can tap into your personal unique formula through testing and other methods so that you can create your own recipe for success.

Today we cover:

Poop: yep poop. Check out the Bristol stool chart to analyze yours. Regularity is also part of the discussion Sugar: Different types of sugar used (or abused) as fuel How to find your optimal formula: blood testing is key Check out these online labs that can order your blood tests: Econolabs, Directlabs, Athletebloodtest.com What to eat during training & racing Dina's background: Why she is so passionate about helping others Racing & training mishaps This is definitely a fun episode with a lot of information. I love that Dina focuses on laughter – I support this concept 100%! To learn more about Dina, check her out at http://www.nutritionmechanic.com and follow her on facebook and instagram at @nutritionmechanic

Pura Vida! That means pure life. It’s what they say in Costa Rica – a country that has become very special to me. It’s the place I learned a new sport that I hope to continue through the rest of my life - surfing! Today you get to meet a very special person – his name is Ismael Araya. Ish is a surfing legend, a survivor, and today a surf instructor who helps people find happiness, even though he doesn’t have full use of his legs anymore, something you might think is a requirement for a surf instructor!

I asked Ish to explain Pura Vida and he said it’s the answer to everything. It means pure life and it’s possible that Costa Rica is the happiest country in the world because they share pure life with each other all day long. Good morning. Pura vida. Nice wave. Pura vida. My car broke down. Pura vida. This coffee is delicious. Pura vida. My baby won't sleep. Pura vida.

Ish’s story is both heartbreaking and hopeful. He was a young, self-taught surfing prodigy who gained early fame as his surfing career started to take off. But his lack of discipline combined with a lack of support led to unhealthy drug use and an inability to control his anger. Ish didn’t reach the highest echelons in his sport at that time and instead, he floundered and simply survived.

Until one day when he almost didn’t survive. Ish literally died twice under a bus when he went of out control on his motorcycle over 6 years ago. He was revived only to be told he would never walk again. That’s when the Ish I know today was born.

Somehow Ish has been able to not just survive, but to thrive, as a new person in a new body. He has definitely defied the odds in many ways.

Episode Note

We recorded via skype on Colleen Cannon’s laptop in Costa Rica. You’ll hear a few beeps because Colleen is a very popular woman planning and running Women’s Quest retreats around the world. I have to give her some props – she is the reason I met Ish in the first place and my favorite surf buddy. She’s also episode 50 of this podcast called “Colleen Cannon on Chickens, Watermelons & Why Women Will Save the Earth.”

Today we talk about:

How Ish found surfing His early days on a board Ish's family life with 22 siblings How a lack of support led to anger led to drugs The accident The prospect of losing his legs entirely How Ish came back and started walking again The 2nd accident How surfing and the ocean helped Ish heal and grow Ish today: Adaptive surfing advocate, surf instructor & engaged dad Some people call Ish a surf shaman. I would agree with that. The water, the ocean, surfing, they all take on such a bigger meaning when Ish is involved. Yet he’s still just a person, trying to survive, trying to find happiness each day. As he said, he now works to accept the quiet side of life. My favorite Ish quote, and there are so many, is what he said to me on the board that day in January, “Nicole – you must look where you want to go – or at least where you’re going.” I’d love to know your favorite part of this episode. Please share it with someone else who will benefit from hearing Ish’s story.

For more Ismael Araya:

Instagram @ismael_araya_surf Facebook Surf with Ish - contact him through Santa Teresa Surf School Watch "The Lion Surfer" documentary

The Lion Surfer - the story of Ismael Araya . By Eye for Eye Productions from Eye for Eye Productions on Vimeo.

Fran Dunaway is the co-founder of TomboyX – a gender neutral apparel brand that made its name in undies. She describes herself as coming out of the womb a boss, but I would say that Fran is the farthest thing from bossy. She’s gracious, humble, compassionate, thoughtful. She’s also incredibly smart, one of the best strategic thinkers I’ve ever met, incredibly brave and she’s seriously disrupting an industry. She says that when they launched their first women’s boxers, they accidentally stepped into a white space that so desperately needed to be filled. Well, they filled it! And they didn’t stop at boxers either. TomboyX added a full line of underwear from thongs to mid thigh shorts; now they offer bras, sleepwear, sweats, swimwear and more.

Today we uncover some of the core values that drive Fran; the stuff that makes her tick. And like so many others, that secret sauce is rooted in experiences good, bad and ugly. I will say that when we stumbled upon Fran’s journey with eye cancer which floored me, she mentioned that it was 5 years after her breast cancer journey. For some reason during the interview, that statement didn’t hit me. I think I was hung up on the eye cancer journey so I literally didn't absorb that statement. It wasn’t until after I listened to the episode on a hike that I realized, Fran is a two-time cancer survivor. This woman is an absolute gift to the world and she is meant to be here doing exactly what she’s doing.

Episode DEALS!

TomboyX is offering 15% off with the code BLOOM15 – the funny thing is that after the interview she said she meant to say BOOM but it came out as BLOOM which I thought was sort of a play on Bloomers! We had a good laugh about that – so BLOOM15 it is. Go get some skivvies!

Skirt Sports has your back – use code RUN20 for 20% off at Skirt Sports – if we’re doing a big sale, the code won’t work, but other than that, it’s yours to get a deal on our high performance, super comfy, thoughtful women’s products that work for your insanely busy lives. I love this company I've built and hope you’ll check it out because we are doing so much good in the world!

Today we talk about:

TomboyX didn't start with undies - it started with button-ups! (not button-downs) The power of a name Coming out: closed doors opening & why some people weren't happy about it Naomi: Fran's wife & business partner - how they make it work plus their wedding story Eye cancer came out of nowhere TomboyX in all its glory: the origin, genesis and where they are today Gender neutral clothing: How is this possible? Leadership nuggets Side note: Do you think Skirt Sports should partner up with TomboyX and make some active undies?

Sometimes we choose to do things that push us out of our comfort zones. Sometimes those things happen to us and we have to dig in, embrace the discomfort and use all of our tools to push through. Kikkan Randall has experienced both categories. Kikkan is a lifelong skier. Her family moved to Alaska when she was young so most of her formative years were spent there. She’s a talent. Pure and simple. A natural athlete who gravitated to skiing. She has competed in 5 Olympic games. FIVE! While she raced at the top level in the world for over 15 years, it wasn’t until 2018 when she and her teammate Jessie Diggins won gold in the Team Sprint – the first ever gold medals in that event!

Kikkan’s athletic career alone is something we can all glean knowledge and inspiration from. But the next chapter of her life started three months after her gold medal. She was officially retired when she felt a lump on her breast and was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at 35 years old. This is the chapter she’s still writing. Through it all, she has used exercise as a tool to help during treatments and guess what? Just for kicks, she jumped into her first endurance race – the 50km Birkie! Like me (racing the 29km Korte), she was also stepping outside of her comfort zone and doing a long distance race for the first time.

Today we talk about:

Alaska: Growing up in eccentric Alaskan culture as a runner and a skier What it took to become a pro/elite skier The 10 year plan Competing at the top level in the world for over 15 years How she met her husband Jeff Ellis & their evolution as a married couple pursuing athletic dreams - separately and together Becoming a mom (to now 3 year old Breck) THE RACE! What it took to win GOLD in PyeongChang 2018 Why teamwork is the key to success Cancer: how, why & what now Jumping into the Birkie & exercising through her treatments What we didn't talk about:

Her non-profit Fast & Female - Kikkan is empowering girls everyday!

Kikkan is a very special person. Since this interview, ESPNW wrote an article about Kikkan and described what they call “the Kikkan Effect.” Here’s how the author Bonnie Ford describes it, “a powerful vortex evident long before her diagnosis. It pulls people toward her and spins them back out, doing things they might otherwise resist. They hear her in their heads: Come on. It'll be fun. We'll be better.”

I think Kikkan is just one of those people who on the outside is like the girl next door, so she’s real and approachable, but on the inside is like a superhero, able to push herself mentally and physically further than most people can ever imagine. But the effect is real. Her Positivity is contagious.

Post-Note: Back to the Birkie for a minute. It’s funny. We texted before and after the start. I told her there was a bet to see who would win – me in the 29k or Kikkan in the 50k. At 2:48, she texted me this sentence, “That was hard.” I wrote back, “I can’t wait to hear about it. But the most awesome thing is that I beat you.” Of course she averaged 3:22 per k for 50k and I averaged 5:13 per k for 29k but a bet’s a bet. So the Kikkan effect has begun!

How to follow Kikkan Her website kikkan.com Instagram @kikkanimal Facebook @kikkanrandall Fast & Female

Rich Roll is the host of the very popular Rich Roll Podcast which may be what he’s best known for these days. He’s also an author who just released a new edition of his book "Finding Ultra" which chronicles his tumultuous path from awkward kid to national level swimmer. It was during college at Stanford when he started drinking which really became the next chapter in his life even while going to law school and started work as a lawyer. Rich eventually went to rehab and got sober, but he still wasn’t healthy. He finally had a wakeup call the night before he turned 40 and realized that he needed to overhaul the rest of his life. That’s when he became vegan, started exercising and his true potential began to emerge.

This is an awesome episode with an awesome person. Rich is everything you imagine when you hear him interviewing people. Deep, passionate, honest, self deprecating, but also hilarious and real while also somehow being a bit of a romantic. He’s the kind of guy you want to hang out with more often than a one-time skype interview!

Today we cover:

What drives Rich today Vulnerability: why it's important to embrace Real life today: navigating his priorities with his wife and kids Parenting: How his parents gave him tough love and how he envisions his ability to do the same Sobriety: the foundation for his mental and physical health "Gratitude is not a natural practice for me. I have to work on it every single day." Rediscovering his athleticism in his 40s Aging: the real deal behind 50 Being an "all-in" person Otillo: behind the scenes story of the race - hilarious 😂 True potential In the end, here’s my takeaway. Rich Roll truly makes you feel special. That whole philosophy that people don’t really remember what you say but how you make them feel rings true with Rich. So that’s my next goal – hang out with Rich more!

Get more of Rich Roll:

Subscribe to the Rich Roll Podcast

Buy his book Finding Ultra

Follow him on social media @richroll

Go to his PlantPower Retreats

Louise Green is a badass. Her passion is to create a more inclusive world. Her work focuses mainly on women (including herself) who are often polarized due to their size. Louise reached out a while ago to work with Skirt Sports on one of the projects she is spearheading within her Big Fit Girl empire. I knew immediately that I needed to learn more about her work, so Louise and I finally had today's incredible conversation which really boils down to this... What it means to find happiness and health no matter what your circumstances are.

Sound note: I want to apologize for the sound quality. It’s not bad but it’s not as good as in-person interviews. Louise sounds a little tinny, like she’s sitting in a metal room or something, so hang in there. The conversation is so good that I’m sure you won’t really notice too much!

Today we talk about:

Big Fit Girl: Louise's business and philosophy Diet culture: how the entire industry is based on failure Becoming sober Changing her life: quitting smoking and starting running! Invisibility Fitness Trauma Shaming Why All or Nothing is dangerous Louise is open and honest about her her journey to health, her struggle with alcoholism, and her quest for self-love. All she truly wants is to help others find happiness. I love when she says, “the more we can see the more we can be.” I loved it so much I named this episode after that quote! It’s all about celebrating each other as we continue to seek our full potential – at all stages of the journey. Because when we have support from positive like-minded people, we will enjoy it so much more.

For more Louise Green

Buy her book "Big Fit Girl" Train with Louise Sign up for her newsletter Watch her TedX Talk Facebook @louisegreen.bigfitgirl Instagram @louisegreen_bigfitgirl

New Project: Now you can be a bigger part of the podcast!

I just launched a project to help me improve the podcast, continue to spend time and energy on it, and someday get enough support so I can do all my interviews in person which enhances everyone's experience. It’s called Patreon. Some other well-known podcasts (like my friend Rich Roll who will be my next guest!) also use this service. Basically, if you love and appreciate what I put out on the podcast, you can now back my work with donations at whatever level you feel is appropriate. I didn’t create any tiers; you can decide. Most people are supporting with $5-10/month which is incredible. Please hop over to patreon.com/nicoledeboom – when I opened my account, Patreon asked me to describe what I am creating, and off the cuff I wrote "Nicole DeBoom is creating a more positive world." That’s how I hope you feel when you listen to my show. Thank you so much for your support!

Meet the incredible Adelaide Perr. Apparently I met Adelaide many years ago, you’ll hear more about that in the interview, but I came to know about her as a woman who in 2014 suffered serious trauma due to a bike/car crash. Not only did Adelaide live to tell about it, but she has thrived. We hit on more than the crash that changed her life; we talk about the ensuing emotional trauma made more complicated by bipolar disorder that affects not only the victim but everyone in her life. And finally the fact that she became a pro athlete AFTER the crash which means she had to figure out not only how to get back on the bike, but how to race on the bike.

Today we talk about:

Riding a bike: Before & After a near death crash Making decisions & moving forward The crash that almost killed her Marriage proposal in the hospital Bipolar disorder PTSD Legal system: how Adelaide had to prove that she was in fact a victim Happiness is in our control

Adelaide's final nugget is this, “If you’re not happy, Make the changes. Step outside the box. Do something different.”

When we realize that we control our own happiness, that is power. To connect with Adelaide, visit her website Be the Beast Coaching. And as she mentioned, if you have bipolar disorder, she wants to be a resource for you. This is something she had trouble finding and she knows how important it is to support each other. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram at @realtricouple.

This episode sponsored by Skirt Sports

I started this company because I wanted something that didn’t exist at the time – I wanted to have it all. Performance, comfort and cuteness. I just didn’t understand why no one had done this yet, so I dreamed up my first product, a running skirt, got a prototype made, and then wore it in the 2004 Ironman Wisconsin, winning the race and effectively transitioning from one passion to the next in my life. My love and passion for helping women find happiness in their bodies is still going strong. You can literally feel it in every seam, every fabric selection, every feature and yes, all of the 5 million pockets we sell every year! So get over to skirtsports.com (or pop into our Boulder store) and take advantage of the 20% discount I’m giving you just because you listen to my podcast. use the code RUN20 at checkout. We are launching new styles, prints, colors and more very soon. Big notables this year are a new collection made for women who wear sizes 1X to 3X and a killer Swim collection landing very soon in February!

One of my early 2019 highlights was helping to coordinate the Skirt Sports spring studio shoot. This was basically the culmination of my creative vision for our brand and our new products, so while coordinating all the details of a shoot is not really in my wheelhouse, the energy, the fun, and the final product are worth going out of my comfort zone.

One of the collections that we are very excited to launch is our new line for women who wear sizes 1x, 2x and 3x. Some companies refer to this as plus sizing or extended sizing. We prefer not to call it out but simply refer to the fact that we now offer sizes that include even more women.

At the end of the shoot, four of us sat down and talked all things empowering. Over the past few years it has hit me that the old definition of a sponsored or featured athlete has changed dramatically. I should know – I used to be a sponsored athlete who made money because of my great race results. Today, brands are discovering that winning races is not necessarily the end-all. As the leader of Skirt Sports, I realized long ago that it is so much more powerful to showcase real women’s stories, from all the different places in the pack.

Today’s podcast is about strong, empowered, imperfect women who are moving their lives forward in positive ways while learning from and supporting each other along the way. They are all featured women in the launch of our new Collection for women who wear sizes 1x to 3x. Get ready to meet Katie Kelly @rrockkelly , Jen Rockstar Szabo @rockstarszabo , Jill Angie @notyouraveragerunner , and in her 5th appearance on the pod in 3 years, the amazing Mirna Valerio @themirnavator.

Check out the show notes for a 7 minute behind the scenes video too!

Episode Sponsor: Skirt Sports!

Please use this special 20% discount on the new collection, or anything else in the line. New styles are dropping almost everyday and they’re fantastic. Use the code RUN20. At skirtsports.com or in our Boulder store.

Today’s guest, Heather Caplan, is a dietitian, running coach, a woman who has struggled and overcome. She shares deeply and openly about our relationship with food, eating, body image and more. At one point she says, “I felt like my life was running me instead of me running my life.” That's the point when she flicked the switch and changed her life. And that’s what we focus on today. How we can take control of our lives. In Heather’s world, this is focused on our often difficult, emotional relationship with food and eating as it relates to our relationship with our bodies.

Today we talk about:

Diet culture - Being an anti-diet dietitian Intuitive eating What the scale?! Eating disorders - a broad spectrum Heather's personal struggles with orthorexia (preoccupation with food) The Female Triad which consists of energy imbalances (possibly tied to eating disorders), menstrual changes & loss of bone density Habits and how to retrain our brains Lane 9 Project - Heather's nonprofit that supports women

Heather is also a podcast host – check out her show RD Real Talk – she gets down and dirty in every episode. If you're interested in her area of expertise, I encourage you to check out her show.

I love Heather's final nugget “You do you. Don’t be afraid to do what’s best for yourself.” Because in the end, it’s often fear that holds us back from many incredible experiences we could have in this lifetime. When you let go of that fear and you sink into who you are, accepting and embracing yourself, you will find the gold!

For more Heather Caplan, go here!

Website: heathercaplan.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealTalkRD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdcrd/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherdcRD Lane 9 Project: https://lane9project.org/

Note: This episode has a few swear words so please be aware of your surroundings when listening out loud!

I recently took a free self defense class at Way of the Crane in Boulder. It was hosted by Newton Running and the sensei, Melanie Murphy, was fantastic. She was strong and bold and in just one hour, she made us feel stronger and bolder. I knew immediately when she started talking that I needed to get her on the podcast. We recorded a couple weeks ago and I decided her message was the perfect way to start the new year.

Today we talk about:

Traumatic events that push us to find our power Melanie's philosophy on self-defense Dis-ease: turning someone else's disease into a weapon you can use to defend yourself Asshole repellant Tricks that predators use: intimidation, manipulation & more What we can do to help our kids develop their power and avoid being preyed upon Flipping the power switch

I know this episode will resonate in some way with each of us. For more empowerment, Melanie offers free classes on the calendar every month and a 4-hour intensive class that will drive home what you learn so that it starts to become second nature. If you’re in Colorado, this is a great opportunity for you to gain strength and confidence. Check the calendar here for more info. In the very short term, she has a free intro class on Wed Jan 9 6-7PM and she’s taking enrollment for her 4 hour workshop on Jan 27 from 12-4.

To further enhance your strength and empowerment this year, Skirt Sports is offering you 20% off your orders through March. Just use the code RUN20. If you aren’t familiar with Skirt Sports, I founded the company in 2004 because I wanted clothing that didn’t ride up or chafe, that fit my body, and that was cute! So I figured out how to start a clothing company and I did it. Over the years, we have grown and evolved. Today we offer a full line of women’s athletic apparel that fits our bodies and makes us feel good. So be sure to use the code RUN20 as we’re launching all sorts of incredible stuff this season.

To close out, it’s Melanie's final nugget that you need to hold close as you enter this new year. “Speak from your heart. Believe your soul. And trust your body.”

As always, thank you so much for giving me a very long 5k of your time. If you have any recommendations for guests, feedback, questions or more, let me know. I’m here for you. All right then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Today’s guest is someone that might surprise you. Ten years ago it would have surprised me that I reached out to her. Her name is Sally Bergesen and she’s the founder of women’s athletic wear brand Oiselle. Turns out she is a naming expert and the more a name stands out the more people will remember it. I am not a naming expert which is why so many people call my company sport skirts! But that’s another story! Over the years, I have watched what Sally has done with her brand and I started to feel a kinship to her because she is relentless in her quest to do the right thing. Even if it makes her look a little wild or rash sometimes. Her underlying mission is to help women and she does it every single day through her work with Oiselle. Why would I want to help promote a woman who makes clothing that theoretically competes with Skirt? Why wouldn’t I is the question I now ask myself. If you fall in love with Oiselle or Skirt or any other brand that helps you get out the door and make your life happier, then I’m thrilled for you!

For all the work we do in this world of online business, I will admit that we had a few technical challenges with our connection so don’t worry if there are a few extra long pauses. We didn’t get disconnected. I will also admit that when there are long pauses, I often talk more and I am sorry that I occasionally kept talking when Sally was trying to chime in! So the interview wasn’t technically perfect, but you know, that’s life. It’s not perfect. Sometimes we talk when we should shut up!

When I confirmed that Sally wanted to come on the show, I thought about what I would like to learn about her. I’ve listened to countless interviews with Sally, most of which focus on the things she does, but few focus on how she became the person she is today. Strong, resolved, with a very clear and unflappable opinion of right and wrong. Willing to put herself on the line to defend that opinion. Driven to connect and create community. A very deep thinker who isn’t afraid to take on a challenge.

So we dig into the foundation and build from there. I’m really happy to call Sally a friend. For a while, I thought of her as a threat, later a competitor, and now a peer. Our missions are not exactly the same but the drive behind them is aligned. We both want to help women find happiness through the transformative power of sport.

Today we talk about:

Sally's life buckets: Work, Family, Sport Sally's early years growing up a "free range" child in Berkeley, CA Smoking and Drinking and meeting her husband Running: How it saved her life Starting Oiselle Ego What being a mom means to her What Sally would do if Oiselle was gone tomorrow

At the end of the interview, Sally mentions "the craft brewers." What you didn’t get to hear was our first attempt at an interview when we talked about why we haven’t nurtured a relationship with each other when there are so few peers in our athletic apparel world. I told her about some of my friends who started craft beer brands. Instead of ferociously competing against each other, they would organize bike rides from Boulder to Durango and then hang out and drink each other’s beer. We both decided that we want to be like the craft brewers, minus the drinking part. What you also don’t know is that after we stopped the recording we continued to talk about other more personal things like our tumultuous relationships with alcohol, dealing with petty lawsuits, challenges with manufacturers and more. We decided that we want to do a follow up interview called “the things we didn’t say the first time” – and we will next spring. So look out for that!

In the meantime, check out Oiselle oiselle.com – they make running and athletic apparel for women. They have build an incredible community. They support women. And I support them because in the end, lifting and elevating women will help us all.

I first came across Tracey Hulick when I opened the front page of the Denver Post Sports section and there she was running an ultra. That's cool, but not that big of a deal, especially in Colorado where there are plenty of ultrarunners. What makes Tracey unique is that she was doing her first 50-miler ever. With one kidney. By choice.

Tracey made the decision at an early age that she would donate a kidney someday. She literally just felt called to do it. What intrigues me is the why behind the calling? Why does someone decide to do something that most people consider crazy, and I am pretty sure that most people do not feel called to undergo surgery to give a part of their bodies to someone else that they don’t know. Or if they do, it might be when they’re older and they feel the need to give back to help someone else. Not when they’re 12.

I think we get to the bottom of it, or at least we uncover part of the path to where Tracey is today. Like so many other people, she was healing one part of herself at the same time that she was tackling something else. I have a feeling that Tracey left some things unsaid, but I also think she shared more than she ever has before. And that’s all part of the process toward becoming the people we’re supposed to be.

Today we hit on:

Saying "I love you" for the first time Why we often say yes to things (like marriage proposals) even when our guts say no Growing up in an abusive household Manifesting optimism even during dark times Why Tracey was called to donate a kidney Kidney donation: specifically Donor Chains & how many people can be impacted by your decision Kidney Donor Athletes: A place athletes who donate can share stories and connect Running: You can do something as extreme as donating a kidney and come back better than ever before Holding the pen of your life

Here’s what I love about this episode. It’s not what I was expecting. I thought Tracey would be a kidney donor evangelist – pretty much focused on sharing that experience and recruiting others. What we all found was a beautiful spirit, stumbling her way through this world like the rest of us, but someone who actually does what her soul pushes her to do! I love her quote, “I’m hard-wired for optimism” – I think we should all adopt this mentality, at least for one day. When you immediately go to the dark side, when you immediately say “No. I can’t.” Stop in your tracks and reroute. YES YOU CAN! You always could and you still can. If you are someone who generally sees the negative first, take a cue from our old friend George Costanza. Remember that Seinfeld episode where he did the exact opposite of what he usually does? Try it! And if you are like Tracey and you’re hard-wired for optimism, then don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with the world. Maybe that means more smiles; more hugs. Maybe it means giving a kidney. If that’s the case, be sure to get in touch with Tracey. This world is a better place because she’s in it.

How to connect with Tracey:

Facebook: Tracey Hulick Instagram: @radracer129 & @kidney_donor_athletes Her Blog: Leaving It Better Than I Found It Kidney Donor Athletes website

The first experience I had with Erin Weed was sitting in her office in Boulder for two days sharing the stories of my life with the goal of getting to the heart of who I am and what I was meant to do – in one word. One powerful word. Erin calls this process The Dig. She has administered countless DIGS in her professional life.

I wouldn’t say I was lost when I did The Dig, but I was unsure of exactly where I was and where I should be going. I needed some clarity. I had created an identity as the founder of Skirt Sports, but I was SO TIED UP in my business that I couldn’t see myself outside of that beautiful thing I created. In fact I was at the point of resenting that beautiful thing I created and that’s the last thing I wanted.

So I did The Dig. Erin has many magical gifts. One of which is to help people remember. This is no small feat as many of us want to push some of our often very important memories deep down into the darkness and pretend they didn’t happen. Erin helps us bring them out and then her next magical gift surfaces. She helps people see memories that are important – memories that we may discard as not formative or helpful. Basically over two days, she creates a storyline of your life’s important events illustrated by sticky notes on her wall. This storyline is whittled down to one word that forms the foundation for who you are. My word is Relationship.

I went in thinking my word would be compassion or connection, these words support my final word. But in the end, it makes sense. I’m about Relationships – with my body, my family, my community, with people I don’t even know yet! It became more clear that whatever I did in the future, I needed to allow myself to sink into this word. Think about this podcast. This was a direct result of my Dig. I knew that I needed an outlet to connect and form relationships not only with my guests but to allow my listeners to also form this relationship. To help them grow from others’ stories. So we can thank Erin Weed for Run This World!

Side note: Erin has helped nurture my love for the stage. It all came full circle when we sat side by side at eTown for the Truthtellers Tour (when I came out of the closet with my history with alcohol). Erin means a lot to me and I'm so honored to finally have her on the show.

So now you have an understanding of the kind of work Erin does. Today you will not do a literal dig on the pod, but you will gain a new way to think about your purpose as we discuss the following:

Girls Fight Back: the nonprofit Erin founded after her college roommate was raped and killed in her dorm room Divorce & Motherhood Confronting hard situations The PURGE Protecting your inner spirit Check out the Boulder Psychic Institute in Boulder if you're intrigued! Learning to tap into your innate gifts The Dig: ins & outs & more

Challenge! Post your word! Or at least what you think your word is. Tag @nicoledeboom and @erinweed & then challenge yourself one step further. What’s on the other side of that word? If you think it’s one thing, push a little further to see if one final word surfaces.

For more Erin Weed: I highly recommend that you check out Erin’s TEDx Boulder Talk – she mentioned it today – imagine the pressure of the speaking coach putting herself out there to speak. Her talk is everything she helps other people be. Open, honest, vulnerable, and powerful. You can find a link on the show notes. And finally, take a breath and absorb Erin’s final nugget: You have no idea how beautiful the most real version of you is. And if you don’t believe that, borrow her belief.

Find and connect with Erin here!

Website: https://www.thedig.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinweed77 Instagram: @erinweed Twitter: @erinweed

Dawn Miller was living what she thought was the perfect life. Mom of 4. Homeschooler. Happily married. Doing all the right things. Believing that her way was the best way. And admittedly judging people who didn’t subscribe to her way. Until one day when a car accident rattled her brain enough to cause a serious concussion and a warning from the doctor, “Don’t get another concussion in the next few months.” 19 days later, another more serious car accident sealed the deal. Dawn’s brain was rattled yet again, and this time, she was changed forever.

It is now over 5 years since Dawn’s traumatic brain injury. She has been through hell and back; at her lowest point, Dawn simply felt that she had no value on this earth and the world would be better off without her. I’m so glad she turned it all around and today Dawn 2.0 is thriving.

Today we talk about:

Dawn 1.0: Who Dawn was before TBI Homeschooling What love really is Being perfect: what the hell does that really mean!? Two brain injuries in 19 days Recovering from TBI Wanting to quit. Wanting to give up. Wanting to leave this world because you feel like it would be better off without you. Dawn 2.0: Who Dawn is after TBI Lawsuits and how they really suck Running: How this supportive community helped

Dawn truly is the best. Take it from her, "Be who you really truly are. Don’t shy away from it. Embrace who you truly are. You are worth it. You will be a better person when you take care of yourself." Dawn, I so appreciate you. This world is a better place because you are in it. Thank you for your vulnerability to talk about Dawn 1.0 with such honesty. I know so many people are relating to your story in so many ways. Keep telling it! And let’s also report on Dawn’s Blue Sky Trail Marathon experience – results are in and yes, she finished! Her mini race report: “The trail was a killer. I fell and got a cut on my knee. Running with friends is so amazing.”

If you or someone you know is suffering from a TBI, traumatic brain injury, please reach out. There are many support networks for you to connect with. The toughest part is that this injury is invisible but causes so much pain and suffering in other ways. You can reach Dawn here:

Blog: themendedone.com Facebook Instagram: @upbeforedawn13

See you next week! This episode sponsored by the amazing company I started back in 2004, Skirt Sports. Dawn understands the power and confidence that come through finding a brand that resonates with you – from a product perspective and a community perspective. Skirt Sports is a safe place for women to be exactly who they are. A few years ago we were doing a video to launch the Gotta Go Skirt on Kickstarter. I asked if anyone was willing to come on video and talk publicly about pee problems. Dawn signed right up! Talk about confidence! Today I have a new discount for you – 20% off. For anyone who has not yet tried Skirt Sports, we make head to toe outfits for women athletes to move their bodies all year round. Pause a sec and write this down - runthisworld20 – got that? 20% off through 12/24. This is for non-sale items only – the newest latest and greatest. If you aren’t sure what to get, just ask me.

Kristin Reihman is one of my favorite people on the planet and one of my longest-known guests. I met her in 1990 my first day of swim practice at Yale! I knew the minute I met her that she was special in ways I had never encountered. Kristin loves and accepts all people, despite their flaws and bullshit, and that love and acceptance shine through her physical being into the stratosphere. Not to mention she’s hard to miss. I called her and about 5 other women from her swim class, the amazons, they were these tall, glowing, robust, strong, insanely fast swimmers who you couldn’t’ take your eyes off.

Kristin is here today not because she’s beautiful and talented (which she is - after college she became an MD now specializing in complex, chronic & medically mysterious illnesses) but because of the path her life has taken over the past few years. I’ll sum it up right here by saying she recently published her first book called “Life After Lyme: Revive your inner rock star and achieve a full recovery.” Yep – she is a lyme survivor and barely lived to tell about it. I’m so glad she did because I just can’t imagine a world without her beautiful spirit in it. And you won’t either after listening.

Today we talk about:

Toxic fatigue Chi and Jing Being a 6 foot tall blond American in China Our inherent gifts Becoming a family doctor Chronic disease: Mystery and frustration Kristin’s Lyme Journey “Are you trying to live or are you trying to die?” Constant fear states

Kristin is truly one of the brightest lights in this world and I for one and grateful that she didn’t let that light go out. I think one of the stories she shares, the title of this podcast is based upon this question, “Are you trying to live or are you trying to die?” It’s your choice in the end. When she says it out loud, it takes my breath away. We do have a choice everyday on so many levels. Do we want to die or do we want to truly live? I’ll leave you with that today. And please – anyone listening who suffers from lyme, or has even the tiniest inkling that you might have lyme or someone you know does, please check out Kristin’s book at kristinreihmanmd.com – and pass this link along. Because there is hope when you are at your darkest hour, when you have no idea what is wrong and you think you may be going crazy. When you have absolutely nothing left to give and it’s finally time for you to take. Don’t give up. You're not crazy. Keep going.

Okay friends, that’s it for today. And now you know what time it is, it’s time to get out and run this world. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Mel Charbonneau believes that every single woman has a story & when she opens up and shares her story, the rest of the world benefits. Mel is the founder of Fellow Flowers, a global community of women who find strength in connecting with other women through the shared power of both running and sharing. Mel is a self-described light bringer, a dreamer. Her power is best shared through bringing women together. Today we go deep into how and why Mel started Fellow Flowers which happened because of a story, or rather a cracking open of one woman who shared her story and created a ripple effect of support and connection.

Like so many amazing ideas, Mel's came to her on a run. Today we talk about that and more including:

The story of when Mel almost lost her child How sharing your own story can help others open and find support and healing Power of a symbol: The FLOWER We have the power to decide What we believe is what we see Positive self talk is the key Thinking & writing prompts: "This is a woman who..." Figure out what matters to you and chase it

This is an incredibly dynamic and deep conversation with Mel. I think you will feel the power. The connectedness. The fact that you get to decide what direction your life takes, even when you feel run over and out of control. It’s always up to you. Because at the end of the day, you can choose positivity. You can choose to love yourself first and best. And as Mel says, you are a story worth telling.

Let me know what you think about today’s episode. Like it, love it, want to join Fellow Flowers immediately? Please do - go here! Other things you can do! Write a review on iTunes for me. Forward this episode to a friend. Let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions for future episodes. I love hearing from you! Also, be sure to sign up to get my emails at nicoledeboom.com – you should get one of those popups that asks you to subscribe. I’m going to do my best to send out a weekly update when I launch new episodes. Nothing spammy, just to let you know what new awesome sauce is happening on the pod.

Okay then you know what time it is. It’s time to get out and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

I met Kriste Peoples on location at a Skirt Sports photo shoot a couple years ago. Within five minutes, I was asking her to change outfits, run around and be happy. You know what she said? Yes! Today's Mile Repeat is quite a bit longer than the 8-20 minutes I promised, but we couldn't help it!

More on Kriste & her incredible journey here:

Kriste is a Denver-based writer, producer, speaker, Skirt Sports ambassador, and women's trail running coach in search of the perfect sock. Her work in the field of equity and inclusion in nature combines speaking and facilitating transformational experiences for others. And as founder of Black Women’s Alliance of Denver she extends her passion for connecting underrepresented communities to new, empowering narratives of wellness.

I met Flora Duffy many years ago when she was a hot up and comer on the tri scene. Tim was working with Pearl Izumi at the end of his racing career and Flora was one of the younger sponsored athletes. And it’s funny, because I consistently ran into her at RallySport over the years, but I swear I always had trouble figuring out who she was. Every time I saw her, there was something just a little different. Now I think it’s because I literally watched her transform in slow motion from a pretty great triathlete to the best in the world.

Flora has always been really nice, but when you’re a pro athlete and you’re at the gym, it’s not your social hour, so I never spent much time chatting with her. (Side note: When you’ve been retired from professional racing for 15 years and you’re at the gym, it often IS your social hour! But my point is that I try to respect people who need to get their workouts done because their careers depend on it.) Until a few weeks ago. I was splashing around in the outdoor pool with Wilder not getting a workout in (ha!) and I saw Flora jump into the adult pool with a water belt on. She was water running. This immediately triggered my old memories of water running torture – it was something I only ever did if I was totally injured or nervous about getting injured. In fact, Tim water ran so much for the last 10 years of his career, that I’m traumatized just from watching him do it! So anyway, I made the assumption that Flora may be injured. When she was done, we had our first meaningful conversation ever. She shared that she is in fact injured and it does in fact suck. I commiserated and told her she’s got lots of time and hang in there.

Now, saying all of that is nice but I will tell you that it really doesn’t make a pro feel better! So I reached out and asked if she would come on the show and share more openly what’s going on. Being the most amazing person that she is, Flora agreed. So get ready – it’s not every day that we get to learn life lessons from the best. Especially from someone who is willing to open up and be vulnerable when she's not feeling her best.

Today we talk about:

Growing up a triathlete - in Bermuda When what you dream of being as a kid is what you actually become Injuries: they suck Listening to your body Finding love through sport: Flora got married to another pro triathlete last year The next big thing: 2020 Giving back: The Flora Fund handed out its first grants just a few days ago!

This is a great episode with a great person who is going through tough stuff just like we all do sometimes. What I love about Flora is that she got injured - and then started a Foundation to give back. She is not someone who lingers in self-misery, but instead she pulls herself out and sees the bigger picture. On that note, check out the Flora Fund and consider donating to help people who otherwise don’t have a shot at getting out of their current situations to see just what their potential could be in this world. And let’s give a collective cheer for Flora to heal and get back on her path to world domination. All right then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and run this world have a great workout and we’ll see you next week!

Kara Burns has the kind of inner energy that she just can’t contain as she touches on so many raw, personal topics today. If you’ve been a Run This World listener for a long time now, you will remember episode 24 “From Prison to 26.2” where we tackled her story from the bottom up as a former meth addict and felon. I remember trying to figure out how to ask some difficult questions, and I realized there’s no tactful way, so I literally said, “So how does one start doing meth?” Kara was a few years out of federal prison at that point and her calling was just becoming evident.

Today we have an entirely different kind of conversation. Today’s podcast is all about being unwilling to fail. It’s all about taking a past full of shame and guilt and turning it into the most beautiful, authentic message of hope and love. Today Kara is all about going FORWARD and she’s taking so many others with her. Her story gives people hope that they CAN change their lives. They CAN start over. They CAN make good decisions. They CAN be happy. Kara inspires me and I know she will inspire you too. Please note, there are a few swear words and some sexual innuendos in this episode – in case little ears are listening.

Today we talk about:

Kara's relationship with her daughter today We weren't going to dig into her past life of drugs and prison, but we did anyway :) Head trash: the stories we tell ourselves Addiction: how important it is to know your triggers Making new associations: Dress for Success and Running Start Mentors: Creating your network Giving back: ReStart is helping others just like her Be unwilling to fail.

This is Kara's 3rd appearance on the podcast and it is nothing short of spectacular. Kara is truly as dynamic as she sounds. This conversation is 100% authentic, just like she says. There is huge laughter, moments of awkward silence, and tearful, raw emotion as Kara grasps for what she feels compelled to convey. You feel like you’re in the room with her even through the airwaves and I believe that is the sign of someone who transcends. Kara is more than her past. She is more than whatever she will do in the future. She is like an authentic magical being who brings light and happiness to people. Okay the love fest is obviously full-on, from me and probably you too. If you want to connect with Kara, hit her up on Instagram at never.quit.trying – reach out to her for anything. I know! Hit her up to mentor you! Okay I’ll leave you all on a big huge high. Let’s get ourselves out there, let’s make Kara Burns proud and let’s go run this world! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Beth Shields woke up one day and realized that she needed to commit to herself or she would not be here much longer. She hit send on the Running Start application and showed up to the first meeting – barely. We often say showing up is the hardest part. I’m not sure I fully subscribe to that philosophy. I believe it’s important. It’s the first step. But you need to keep going. You need to shift your mindset, tell yourself that you CAN do it, and then you need to follow through – again and again and again.

Today Beth Shields is just a year from her first 5k. She has a special magic quality about her. She is so much more of an inspiration for other women than she will ever let herself take credit for. Her journey is far from over; it takes time, determination and constant reminders that self-love must win. But she has momentum on her side. And it’s affecting not only her personal life but also her career. Beth has become the biggest single sponsor that Running Start has ever had in her commitment to give back to a program that helped change the trajectory of her life in such a positive way. So let me say that if you are looking to buy or sell a house in Colorado, call Beth because she is giving Running Start $500 for every closing so other women can find the courage to change their lives too.

Today we talk about:

Making the decision to change your life The shame and guilt that follow in the wake of sexual assault Having babies and losing your identity along the way Why judging others sucks #stopthejudging The importance of support: husbands, families, community Raising healthy kids who feel comfortable communicating openly with their parents. The magic pill? Spend time with them. Real life vs "your social media highlight reel" Running Start: How one program can truly change the trajectory of your life Giving back: Beth is the biggest sponsor to date of Running Start - donating $500 per real estate closing through ReMAX Nexus!

Beth Shields is one of the most genuine people I’ve ever known. I could never have predicted when I met her that one day I would be interviewing her for my podcast and that she would be helping so many others who don’t believe that they can change their lives. Her message to you is this: You CAN change your life. It starts with believing in yourself. To reach Beth, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram. If you reach out, she will be there for you. And let’s commit right now to #stopthejudging - I love this new slogan. Did you hear what she said about her husband? He’s her best friend because he never judges her, no matter what is going through her head. This is when the magic happens. When we can create a world of no judgment, where we love and support each other’s journeys. And finally, don’t forget about Beth if you are moving here – if you work with her, you help other women who so deeply need support.

I will leave you with this thought from Beth. You need to become your own non negotiable priority. You are valuable and you are worth it. Now let's get out there and Run This World!

I had you at coffee, didn't I? Something about coffee taps into a universal language for so many of us hard-chargers who reach for a caffeine kick instead of considering that we may just need to back off and recharge sometimes.

Alex Hanifin is no stranger to the concept of hard-charging. She is scrappy. She is smart. She is accomplished well beyond her years. She is the 28 year old founder of a company that is changing the world. The world of coffee. You’ll get the sense immediately that I know Alex. I do. I met her through a CEO group I participate in and immediately sensed that I was in the presence of someone who was meant to do big things. Alex started her first real business in high school. She didn’t go to college, but it wasn’t because she wasn’t smart or driven. She is in fact one of the smartest and most driven women I know. She just struggled in school and that environment stifled her instead of helping her grow. So she trusted her gut and her heart to lead her down her path to happiness.

Today we talk about:

The importance of health: "If you're not healthy, your business is not healthy" How what our parents say and do matters Her unique path to entrepreneurship Starting a business in high school Talking your way into a job when you have no idea what you're doing! Listening to your gut Alpine Start coffee: How much love and care goes into her business And more

Happiness is a brand that is kicking serious ass and completely blowing open a really old, crotchety category – instant coffee. It's called Alpine Start and is making the most delicious, high quality coffee – it’s just such a great surprise when you have your first sip. Instant coffee doesn’t have to suck! Alex is offering you 50% off online at alpinestartfoods.com. Use code skirtsports. Definitely try their original Instant Coffee, the new dirty chai latte or coconut creamer latte – so good. If you are a supporter of women-led business ventures, forward this one. And if you want to actually SEE Alex in person, check out the Skirt Sports website. I talked her into modeling this season. She has such incredible energy I wanted to capture it! All right then, let’s chug some more coffee and get out and move your body because you know what time it is. It’s time to get out and run this world! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

This is a beautiful episode from Dana Schweitzer. I asked her to write her bio. These are her words. This episode went live on the 10th anniversary of Lakin's death.

I am a mom of two beautiful girls, one who I get to watch grow up here in earth and one who watches me from heaven. We lost our youngest daughter Lakin to Myocarditis (a viral infection of the heat). She passed away suddenly on September 10, 2008. If she were still here with us she would be 10 years old. I started running about a year and a half after she passed away as I needed a healthy outlet. I started running using the couch potato to 5k running one minute at a time. I ran my first half marathon in 2009, since then I have completed four full marathons, and nine half marathons. My next race will be the Bismarck Half Marathon which was my first half and full marathon. The race will be on Saturday September 15th.

I am never afraid to share our loss with others in hopes of helping someone feel less alone. I also facilitate the Infant Loss Support Group in Bismarck.

My husband and I have been married for 15 years and I work for the State of North Dakota.

Meet the ultimate champion of women, Jill Angie, aka Not Your Average Runner. As implied she is absolutely NOT average in any way, shape or form. First, she’s a self-described fat runner who started running in her late 20s because she believed being thin was the secret to the universe and the path to happiness. What she found after many stops and starts is that the REAL secret to the universe is to understand that the only thing we have control over is our brains and the choices we make. Including the choice to be happy. Jill and I traveled in concentric circles for many years. We came to the worlds of health and fitness in very different ways, but our end-goals are the same. We want to help women find happiness! And men too because when women are happy, let’s face it, men benefit too! When Jill and I finally connected on the phone, it was like a match made in heaven. I felt so special until I realized something. Jill is the kind of human being who makes every single person she comes into contact with feel special. So I felt even more special to have the opportunity to spend an hour with her. This episode is a dual play – we both have podcasts, so we’re both publishing it. Be sure to check out Jill’s other episodes at Not Your Average Runner Podcast. Did I mention she’s also a life coach, so there is a lot to learn from her!

Before we start, I have two quick updates. The first is to make sure you get over to skirtsports.com and use the code RTWPODCAST15 for 15% off the best women’s activewear ever in history! We’re going on our 14th bday soon, so lots of energy and excitement in my world!

Finally, Jill and I are doing a GIVEAWAY! We’re giving away a Skirt Sports product of your choice AND Jill’s first two books plus a Not Your Average Runner swag bag. Now listen up: Here’s what you have to do. Write a review for both of our podcasts on iTunes. You have to literally go to the itunes app and search our podcasts. When they come up, you’ll see the link to review. But you have to search them first. It’s kind of annoying, but that’s the only way I could figure it out! You can also submit your reviews on Stitcher for non iphone listeners. We'll start tracking new reviews after Sept 3rd to be eligible. If you already wrote a review (cuz you’re awesome), then share the episode on IG and tag us. We’ll look in all of those places to pick a random winner on or around Sept 30th!

Today we talk about:

Our journeys to health and fitness The REAL secret to the universe Habits Inner Mean Girls Labels Founding principles Being married to athletes on their own quests while we're on ours Skirt Sports genesis Willing it to happen Getting 1 MILLION MORE women running

This is one of my favorite episodes. Jill is literally one of my new favorite people who I feel like I’ve known forever and now want to hang with forever. It was also fun sharing some of my key life moments that have been catalysts for change or self-discovery. I hope you found inspiration, joy and even some new ideas on how to tackle life’s challenges. If you are not yet a runner and want to become one, then reach out to Jill, join her community and become one of her 1 Million MORE women running! And at the end of the day, no matter where you are, remember this. You have the power to Choose your thoughts, so choose them wisely! Thanks Jill! Now you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Emma Coburn is delightful. Yes I said delightful. I never call anything delightful. I don’t think of myself as someone who calls things delightful. One of my friends, Jillian Lakritz, founder of Yoee Baby and a previous guest on the podcast, once said, “Wilder was delightful” when she was there for a play date. And it sounded totally natural and I thought I wonder if I’ll ever call anything delightful. Well guess what? Emma Coburn is delightful – pure and simple. She is fundamentally grounded. She admits her flaws and faults and takes ownership and responsibility for them. The flaws make her human and the ownership of them make her likable and relatable. She is clearly a superstar, like a physical specimen of a human being that in my opinion was created to excel in physical activity. But there's so much more than meets the eye.

Yes, Emma is drop dead gorgeous. Her body is a beautiful, finely-tuned machine that she treats with love, care and constant attention which she should because it’s the vehicle by which she makes her living. But at the end of the day what is really cool about her is that she has perspective. So many athletes are caught up in the grind when they’re chasing their dreams. They are emotional, easily demoralized and completely consumed by what they are doing, often sacrificing other things that are critically important. They just can’t see it at the time. Not Emma. She is definitely consumed, but she also sees and respects that world around her, it’s not all about Emma all the time.

She has remained solid, grounded and yes delightful, even though she has been racing on the international pro circuit since she was 21 years old, has won countless races, an Olympic bronze in 2016 (the first American to medal in steeplechase), and she followed that by becoming the first American to ever win the world championship.

I think part of this may be due to her upbringing in both Boulder and Crested Butte. If you think Boulder is a bubble, Crested Butte is undoubtedly even more so. Emma believes so much in what Crested Butte has to offer that she launched the Elk Run 5k to help promote the town and give back to Living Journeys, the local nonprofit that helps so many families deal with cancer. It’s Sept 29th this year – the race itself sounds amazing, but it’s truly about the experience. I highly recommend you get out there – make it a girls weekend!

We recorded in the Skirt Sports store after-hours so for a little inspiration, be sure to use the code RTWPODCAST15 for 15% off too!

Today we talk about the above and much more:

Steeplechase: What the heck is this crazy event Being married to your coach Winning World Champs & then getting beat Raising the bar Growing up in a small mountain town: Crested Butte Rocks! Gaining weight in the off-season Elk Run 5k - be there or be square - Emma will be picking up trash and setting up cones! Surrounding yourself by the right people

If you have a chance, pop over to my Youtube channel to see this episode on video! Yes, I’m playing around with that format too. There are always some funny little quirks you can’t catch on the audio version.

Finally and very importantly, we’re sending Emma off to kick ass at her biggest race of the year! Follow her on IG and FB – I say we send her a message or post on her page. One thing that you loved about this interview. Do it! It will give her even more confidence and joy that she is surrounding herself by people who have her back; people who really care. Because after all, that’s what makes this life truly special.

All photos courtesy of Emma Coburn's Instagram feed!

Emily Harvey's leg was amputated when she was 2 because she had a condition called fibular hemimelia, which means she was missing her fibula bone and her left leg was substantially shorter than her right. She grew up not really knowing any different, and even asked her grandma at some point when she got her first prosthesis because Emily had it in her head that everyone wore a prosthesis (for the record, her grandma does not wear a prosthesis). She played t-ball & volleyball, rode bikes, climbed trees (much to her dad’s dismay), and did pretty much everything else her friends were doing.

Emily started riding horses when she was about 9 years old, quickly got into 3-day eventing, and eventually rode on her college dressage team. She didn’t ride much after college, but she started competing in triathlons in 2014 and discovered this to be a new passion. She started with sprint distance triathlons and completed her first Half Ironman in June of 2016. Shortly after that event, Emily was episode 37 of this podcast and shared her story in depth. She also mentioned that she just may tackle an Ironman someday. That day came in June 2018 as Emily became an "Ironman" with 48 seconds to spare at the relentlessly hot Boulder Ironman.

In addition to her athletic pursuits, she is also a disability rights attorney at a nonprofit called Disability Law Colorado, co-founder and President of LIM359 – an activities-based support group for people with limb loss/different, an ambassador captain for Skirt Sports and their #realwomenmove campaign, and a member of TeamMPI.

Sandi Nypaver is an accomplished ultrarunner. She did her first 100 miler at 21 years old and has been on a running journey through life ever since. She recently qualified for the USA's Long Distance Trail Running Worlds team and was injured just days before the race. Most people (including a younger version of Sandi) would be demoralized and have trouble shaking that experience. But when I asked today’s Sandi how she feels about it, she said, “It’s all better…actually I think I’m now running better now (more efficiently) because it happened.”

But Sandi didn’t always see the world in a positive way. Her journey to love and acceptance started young and is admittedly ongoing, but the strides she’s taken to pull herself away from self-hate and into self-love are worth sharing for anyone else who believes you are not valuable.

Today we talk about:

Finding a place of peace in life - the long winding path to self-love What we say matters: How words from others formed her self-image as a young girl The identical twin experience Exercise addiction Social anxiety Cutting to numb the pain How to change your self-image from hatred to love Volunteering gives people purpose Connecting the dots: Each experience leads to greater understanding of yourself Sage: How her boyfriend helps her look at the world in a more positive way

This is such a great episode: it's raw and filled with deep emotions yet hopeful that change can happen. Please take a moment to share this episode with someone who needs it, because at the end of the day, we're all in this together.

Be sure to follow and connect with Sandi:

Sage Running: If you need a coach, look no further! Facebook: @sandi.nypaver Instagram: @sandinypaver Youtube: Vo2Max Productions Sage Running Podcast

All right then you know what time it is, it's time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and we'll see you next week!

Stacy grew up playing sports and being active, then life happened...

Many years ago before Stacy found running After too many years of not focusing on herself, Stacy renewed her love of running in 2009 at the age of 45 - and went back to college that year as well. She started with a couple 5Ks, and then ran her first half marathon in June 2010, and her second half marathon just two weeks later. Today she has almost 50 half marathons, one full marathon, and many shorter distances under her belt. Stacy is planning to run her 55th Half on her 55th birthday in November. She loves the challenge of the distance and runs to improve herself.

Today as she plans her 55th Half Marathon - with FRIENDS!

She loves the camaraderie of the running community, so many fabulous friends and adventures. Stacy also shares her adventures with her husband of 26 years and is a proud Navy Mom to their 19-year-old Sailor son. She is a Physical Therapist Assistant with a BS in Nutrition. Stacy does her best to help herself and others lead more healthy, active lives.

Contact and follow Stacy here:

https://www.facebook.com/stacy.klontz https://www.Instagram.com/stacyk.believes

Gwen Jorgensen seems to have realized the true value of happiness – and she has set a path in life toward achieving it – happiness not success that is. The reason I say this is not because of what she says in the interview but how she lights up whenever she talks about anything that is bigger than herself, specifically her journey into motherhood. Gwen is an Olympic gold medalist in the sport of triathlon. She won 17 ITU World cup titles and a gold medal all in the span of 6 short years as a professional triathlete. After the Olympics she entered the New York Marathon for fun and finished in 14th place with a time of 2:41. After that she got pregnant and had a baby, right around the time she declared that she was going after another Olympic spot, this time in the marathon! She sets her goals high and then tells the world so she can’t hide behind anything.

Even though we covered some incredible topics today, I am having a little interviewer’s remorse because I wanted to cover more. Like the fact that Gwen chose to give up a wildly successful triathlon career, right after she won a gold medal! And that she is now training for the 2020 Olympic marathon with the Bowerman Track Club and women like Shalane Flanagan. But the truth is that this chapter of her life is still being written, and many of you didn’t know what got her to this point in the first place. So I will be happy with what we did cover and look forward to talking to her again in the future – hopefully after the 2020 Olympic Marathon.

Today we talk about:

Growing up in theMidwest Violin: How she became very successful even though she didn’t like it Swimming vs running: Hard work vs talent Goals: process based & technique based Running form goals Exceeding the demands of competition in training Nontraditional family roles Active pregnancy when you are an elite athlete Stanley’s birth & Gwen's physical recovery

My only wish is that we could have talked longer! I want to know if she already has an inkling of which new sport she’ll go after in 2021! But for now, I'll take it! I loved chatting about her background. I can just envision Gwen as a little girl, working so hard and pushing her perfectionist mentality to the edge. Clearly she’s talented but it takes more than talent to be the best in the world. Hard work and mental toughness round it out and Gwen’s got it all.

How to find & follow Gwen! All photos by Talbot Cox. Check him out too!

I met Maria Thomas (of My Life as a Puddle) at the Truthteller Tour in Boulder earlier this year. We were both featured speakers sharing truths about ourselves that were not easy to share. It was an emotional night where the power of sharing painful truths was both liberating and an intense connector to others that we didn’t even know. After the event, Maria realized how sharing her story with others could help so many people, so she reached out and here we are. Maria’s story starts with her early diagnosis of hyperhidrosis but it turns into so much more as she has navigated this journey called life, sometimes with courage and sometimes in fear.

We recorded in the Skirt Sports Boulder store, after hours, surrounded by skirts, bras, successes, failures, the past and the future. It was like a glimpse into the deep guts of one world while we literally talked about the guts of another woman’s world.

Today we talk about:

Hyperhidrosis: Uncontrollable excessive sweating that started for her when she was as young as 6 Marriage: Divorce, Cheating & Forgiveness Faith Gut health / Brain health connection What it feels like to want to kill yourself Her path to a healthy mind & healthy body Some great reads: No Grain, No Pain by Dr. Peter Osborne and Grain Brain & The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan both by Dr. David Perlmutter And so much more

I think about what Maria is able to share today and it makes me so proud. And grateful. Grateful that Maria gave herself a wakeup call. Grateful that she is so willing to be open about very difficult topics that many people are too embarrassed to mention. There are so many life situations and so many nuggets in this episode. I’d love to hear your favorites. If you want to connect with Maria be sure to contact her through her website mylifeasapuddle.com – I love her tagline “creating hyperhidrosis hope and awareness one drop at a time.” And I’ll leave you by repeating her final nugget “you have a choice every day whether you are going to rise above or stay below. And just take that one next step to become a better person whatever that might look like for you.”

More ways to connect with Maria

https://www.instagram.com/mylifeasapuddle/ https://www.facebook.com/mylifeasapuddle/ https://twitter.com/MyLifeAsAPuddle

Meet Sandy Stiner - long-time runner who after many years finds fulfillment and happiness through moving her body forward. She's a retired police officer, Army veteran, wife, and dog mom to Kirby and Zuzu the Border Collies. She works part time at Hansons Running Shop in Michigan and a Trek bicycle store. Sandy loves to run marathons and ultras. She's finished 78 races of marathon distance or longer, including 100 mile races. Sandy is currently working on finishing a marathon in every state, She predicts she will be done in March of 2019.

Find, follow & support her here. Sandy rocks!

IG/Twitter: @kirbyandzuzu

Her blog: TheUltraFreak.blogspot.com

Youtube: Kirby and Zuzu the Border Collies

I have known Katy Blakemore (now Evans) since she was 15 or 16 years old; a distance swimmer on the Longmont Redtails Swim Team where I was a coach before I started racing professionally. Katy was the hardest-working kid on the team, she was incredibly talented, and while she wasn’t the best swimmer in the world, she managed to will her way into walking on to Stanford’s Swim Team. I knew from the early days that she would probably become a triathlete someday. She just somehow had the mental fortitude to be great in a sport that requires so much sacrifice plus she was also a really strong runner :)

I recently volunteered at the Boulder Ironman. I don’t even keep track of what pros are racing anymore, I was there to support my nonprofit Running Start, so when the leaders started running by, I almost missed Katy until I heard her voice calling for ice. MY Katy Blakemore was in 3rd place at the time, and running stronger than anyone ahead of or behind her. She finished the day in 2nd place, just a couple minutes behind the winner; she was gaining with each stride. In today's episode we talk about how truly amazing and disappointing it is to finish that close to 1st. It’s rare that I get to interview someone I’ve known from adolescence through to major life milestones as an adult. I really enjoyed catching up with Katy and learning how she moved through her life using sport and family as a foundation for many of the decisions she made.

Today we talk about:

Swimming Growing up in a household with two very loving (and in love) parents Stanford: How she got onto the team and what she brought to the team Legendary coach Richard Quick, "I believe in believing in belief." Delayed gratification & the Training to Glory ratio The Peace Corps in Guatamala: Why we do what we do Her dad Kit's early death due to cancer Being a school teacher - Scaffolding is a thing I'd never heard of! Katy's path to triathlon stardom Getting married & becoming a mama & racing like a rockstar less than a year later! And so much more!

After I interviewed Katy, Tim said, “I heard you two laughing in there. It sounded like a fun one.” He couldn't be more right! If you gain anything from this episode, it would be Katy’s final nugget. So beautiful in it’s simplicity: "Do your best. Have fun." Katy is brilliant, charismatic, thoughtful, and practical. I’m so proud of the path she has chosen to take in this world. Please be sure to follow her on Facebook and cheer her along. Because I kind of think that “when Katy wins, we all win!”

You know when you love something so much that you don’t realize how much time has gone by? That’s exactly how I feel about this podcast. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I started. I just reached out to some amazing people to see if they’d come on my show and they did. My first episode was a short explanation of the podcast. The general preface was that I would interview visionaries and people making change in the world in the hopes that it would inspire others and bring us all closer together. I imagined people would listen during their weekend 5k’s, so I planned the podcast around the average time it takes to run a 5k which is 36:38. As you glance through my 100 episodes you’ll see that I end up getting closer to a 10k every time. I just can’t cut the interviews short when every single person has so much to offer.

For the 100th episode I decided to do a montage of 10 of my most powerful interviews. I have to start by saying that EVERY SINGLE GUEST on the show has been my favorite. It was very hard for me to choose 10 episodes to feature. They are not necessarily in my top-10 most listened but instead I chose episodes that cover a range of topics from a variety of people. Today you will hear a short snippet from each of these episodes with an explanation for why I chose them. Many of you are just getting started with Run This World and doing crazy marathon sessions listening to my incredible guests. This is a great episode to forward to any friend who isn’t sure where to start!

Episode 6 - Erin Carson on training for life

Episode 24 - Kara Burns From Prison to 26.2

Episode 37 – Emily Harvey Amputee Athlete on Rocking Your Differences

Episode 41 - Siri Lindley World Champion Person on Getting Out of Your Head and Into Your Heart

Episode 50 - Colleen Cannon on Chickens, Watermelons and Why Women Will Save the Earth

Episode 67 - Janelle Smiley Faced Her Fears & Came To Life

Episode 68 - Thirteen Years Ago Erika McDonald had Two Months to Live

Episode 70 - Mark Mikel on Loss, Grief and Becoming Whole Again

Episode 87 - Kara Goucher Redefines Herself

Episode 97 - Mirna & Latoya Uncensored

It’s a wrap. The first 100 episodes are in the bag and properly commemorated! I’m so proud of this podcast and all of the incredible guests that have so beautifully put themselves out there – openly, honestly and with such vulnerability - to give all of you even a tiny glimpse of a new way to look at this world. Because in the end, we are not alone and that’s the point. All right then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Welcome to Mile Repeats! These are short-form vignettes about people's lives capped with a nugget of inspiration that we can all learn from.

Kriss S has been running for 10 years. Running completely changed her life. She has completed 62 half marathons to date and 4 fulls; the half is by far her favorite! Kriss also dabbles with yoga, totally a novice, and enjoys taking yoga classes weekly. Running is her social hour! She can be found running the streets, trails and the track. Kriss is also an ambassador for Skirt Sports for the past three years and cannot say enough wonderful things about the women she has met all because of a skirt!

Be sure to check out Kriss' blog and follow her on Instagram at @pinkbetsy.

Meet Dyenna McConnell. I’ve known Dye for a few years. She is a Skirt Sports ambassador with a passion for helping others find health and happiness. On the outside, she is a beautiful, strong, healthy woman who is a natural athlete with a seemingly happy career, a new marriage, and a loving relationship with her children. But as you will hear in this episode, nothing is exactly as it seems. Dye has endured life experiences that most of us will never be able to understand or relate to. She has overcome horrible abuse and neglect and today has created a life path that has so much potential for happiness.

Dye, like all of us, is very much still on her journey of healing and seeking her purpose. She has not fully processed her experiences. Part of her hope is that as she does, she can help others who have been hurt and need to know that they too can survive.

Today’s episode is tough at times. If children are listening with you, you may want to pre-listen to this conversation. We discuss serious topics including sexual abuse of a child and suicide. But ultimately Dye shows us that no matter how difficult our pasts, our futures can still be beautiful.

Today we talk about:

Growing up a victim of sexual abuse The foster system Abandonment issues Teenage pregnancy Giving up a child for adoption - and the shame she still feels about it Pumping milk in the bathroom stalls in high school Smoking, Drinking & Drugs Turning your life around Coping by not coping Fitness as a part of the recovery puzzle And more

This is a deep episode. Very tough in many ways. My biggest fear is that my daughter will be hurt in the ways that Dye was hurt as a little girl. I personally struggled when Dye said that she still copes by not coping. But I also understand it because Dye didn’t have anyone in her life who had her back. She was all alone through everything. But now she’s not. She’s coming out the other side and it’s like watching a beautiful butterfly emerge slowly. As she says, the most important thing you can do is share your story. You may not know the people you can help. You can find Dye on her blog Run Eat Tri Yoga and please follow her on Facebook and Instagram!

That’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed this episode and get ready to tune in soon to my next Mile Repeat mini pod. I’m experimenting with that new format and so far so good! All right then you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Welcome to my first ever Mile Repeat interview! Mile Repeats are short-form vignettes about people's lives capped with a nugget of inspiration that we can all learn from.

Meet Kaeli Lamont, a distance runner of 4 years who enjoys sharing her joy and love of running and how it has truly changed her life by coaching and mentoring new and returning runners. She loves seeing people meet their goals! She's a self proclaimed music junkie, Crazy cat lady, lover of the outdoors and she's always up for a good time with great friends. She is also a women’s health/pelvic floor physical therapist assistant who is passionate about being an advocate for improving the quality of life and health for all women, everywhere.

Meet my old friends Jessica and BJ Gumkowski, the Yogi Triathletes. I first met them many years ago; in fact, Jessica was one of our very first Skirt Sports ambassadors back in 2005ish. At that time, they were a young married couple pursuing a life of triathlon, in the hyper-competitive town of Boulder, measuring their happiness by their successes on the race course and in the workplace. At some point along the way, an ad for tiny homes on BJ's computer screen sparked an "a-ha moment" which ultimately led to a completely new life for them.

They quit their jobs, gave away 95% of their stuff and decided to embrace a minimalist lifestyle. Today they have completed rebuilt their lives to be based around mindfulness, meditation and helping others. Their Yogi Triathlete Movement is spreading quickly, with a focus on training the whole athlete, inside and out, mind/body/soul. As they say, before there was mindfulness in coaching, there was Jessica and BJ!

Today we share the mic and essentially interview each other in a dual conversation that hits on so many fun and interesting topics such as:

Letting go of our identities when defined by what we do Going from bitch to your best Sober living Anxiety and depression White light pantsuits A difference between men & women; men internalize Ironman Wisconsin Having (or not having) a child: Acceptance both ways The Divine Schedule Maker Going minimal and erasing "Decision fatigue" True happiness

This is such an awesome conversation. One of my biggest regrets is not asking Jessica more about her past life. And also not having them give me a guided meditation! I hope you enjoy - and PLEASE CHECK OUT THEIR PODCAST! For more of the YT's, they have some incredible episodes I'm sure you will enjoy. All right then, you know what time it is. It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Note: This episode includes explicit content including profanity and body language terminology that may be considered inappropriate in a public setting or around children. Use your own discretion when listening.

Meet two barrier-breakers who have this little thing called MOMENTUM. Latoya Snell aka Running Fat Chef & Mirna Valerio aka The Mirnavator are champions of health and fitness in their chosen sports. They have both gravitated to the world of endurance sports, specifically ultrarunning, obstacle racing and anything that pushes them out of their comfort zones. Here's why they stand out. They are women (fewer women participate in these sports). They are black (the black population is not well-represented in endurance sports in the USA). They are plus size athletes. The latter is what often turns people's heads and makes them think twice about what they are actually capable of.

They have both become symbols of "what could be" for many people who struggle to see beyond the edge of the couch due to their life circumstances. They have also both been criticized and heckled and told they should just give up. Yet they keep pushing their perceived boundaries and proving that they CAN, not the other way around.

Today we have a rousing conversation about:

How we're all nuts ADHD Pushing boundaries Being afraid of our own success How people project their fears on others Weight loss The mental side of conquering barriers Embracing the suck Lady problems Chafing in areas you didn't know you had Boobs

This episode is fun, deep and raunchy. Everything you need to get you through your long run. Plus you get TWO final nuggets to ponder, so be sure to listen to the end! As always, please forward this episode to a friend who needs it and take a moment to write a review wherever you listen to podcasts! All right then, you know what time it is! It's time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Meet Samantha Reilly one of the most energetic, excited, positive women on the planet. On June 23, 2018, she will attempt her first 100-mile run at the legendary Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run. The kicker? She's only 26 years old and this isn't her first rodeo. Sam ran her first 100-miler at age 22. She's been hooked on running since she was a young kid watching the Atlanta Olympics.

Sam is interesting not only because she loves running really long distances so young but because she is so open about her journey at a time in life when many people are insecure and floundering. She will freely admit that she may be insecure and floundering herself, but she is self-aware of the process she is going through. She doesn't put on airs or try to be someone she's not. She's open to new experiences that push her out of her comfort zone and she makes everyone around her feel like they also want to dig deep and try new things, if only to experience a touch of the positive energy that radiates off her.

Today we talk about:

Running young: how running created both insecurities (eating issues) and confidence at the same time Running as an outlet for troubles at home The power of someone who actually listens Depression as a young woman: how being active helped her cope Coaching: this could be Sam's calling - a way to give back What it's like to exist on "the bridge"

Samantha is someone who I can only describe as having the world at her fingertips. She is on the edge of greatness, and every day I can see that she understands her amazing potential as she gives in to the process of growth in life. I love her final nugget, "Kindness always wins." It really doesn't get much more true than that! So when in doubt, choose kindness.

Thanks for tuning in today! As always, reach out to me with feedback, suggestions and more. And be sure to write a review on whatever medium you use to listen to this podcast. Now get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I'll see you next week.

Meet Clare Gallagher - renowned ultrarunner with several major wins including the 2nd fastest female time ever at the 2016 Leadville 100 mile race, first American to win the CC Ultra Marathon in the Alps in 2017, and more. The truly amazing thing is that she did all of this in the few short years after she graduated from Princeton in 2014! Yes – she is one of the fastest-rising athletes I’ve ever known. Think about it. It took me 10 years to win an Ironman! The really amazing thing about Clare is her depth. She is so much more than an athlete. She has a passion for doing the right thing by our planet and she has crafted a career to include sponsors and events that allow her to focus on this platform.

It’s funny, I interviewed Clare just an hour after my daughter Wilder’s Kindergarten graduation. I was of course totally emotional as the little 6 year olds sang songs about their wide open futures. And I was thinking about what kind of girl I hope wilder will be. Then Clare walked up. Literally walked up. We didn’t realize that she lives about 8 houses away from me! I looked at her and thought – her parents must be so proud. She is so strong and clear minded. I hope I can craft a future for Wilder that allows her to find strength and clarity of mind too.

Today we talk about:

Growing up as an "adventurer" in her own backyard Ballet, yes, ballet :) Injuries: how they stop when you stop depriving your body Celiac disease Overcoming self-doubt Earthraging Ultrarunning & saving the planet: How they go hand in hand Valuing health over everything Bucket lists

There are lots of gems in this one that we can take away as people, as parents, and as humans who walk this precious earth. I love the basic truth that Clare explains so simply, “Value your health over everything.” That’s the key folks. Our health is our ticket to happiness. Yes age happens, bodies change, things happen outside of our control, but if we prioritize the things we can control to prioritize our health, we have a better chance of happiness. I also love Clare’s passion for our planet. Her final nugget is so cool. I’m working on it right now for myself and Wilder: Make a list of the places you want to go this summer and start ticking them off. You will discover beauty you didn’t realize was there. So let’s get on it and make our bucket lists! Check out the post on Skirt Sports facebook page about this episode. Post your bucket list and we’ll give away a $25 gift cert to one of you!

Rose Wetzel is a runner, Spartan athlete & American Ninja Warrior participant. She ran at Georgetown, then pursued elite running post college until she got into Spartan racing and became one of the best Spartan athletes in the world. A couple years ago she started appearing on the American Ninja Warrior show. And then in the middle of her rising athletic career, Rose decided it was time to become a mama.

Her baby Taylor is now 9-months-old and Rose is experiencing the reality of sleepless nights, a cross country move to Boulder, Colorado, and a tough return to fitness, made tougher by a difficult birth experience. In a nutshell, she has taken a leap of faith and is currently living in the somewhat uncomfortable place between adventure and security.

I loved this interview for many reasons. Rose is real, she’s open, she lets us in to her life, to her process, and even to her mind when she’s on the starting line. Today we talk about:

Growing up in a huge family of 9 kids How she got into Spartan & American Ninja Warrior Childbirth: What she wanted and what she got! Athletic recovery from a difficult birth: the reality of how long it takes to get healthy Toughness Performance goals vs Outcome goals The Starting Line Tim Sinnett's cancer journey: follow him on racesherparises.com

I love this episode with Rose. It’s easy to share when you’re on top of the world. It’s not as easy when you’re struggling. One of my favorite takeaways is Rose’s centering exercise. It’s what she uses to help her find peace and clarity on the starting line. I think we can use that exercise throughout our lives and throughout our days. We don’t have to be giving birth to remind ourselves to welcome the sensation. The point is that it’s important to stop fighting and start embracing.

Thanks for listening - now get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and we'll see you next week.

If you’ve been listening to the podcast, you may have heard Episode 92 which was my Ode to Motherhood. This means you’ve already experienced a glimpse into the mind of today’s guest, Susie Rinehart, because I stole one of her quotes as my title, “We are right where we need to be.”

Today’s episode with Susie is so full of incredible quotes that I could probably steal about 50 of them for future episodes (and maybe I will!). I think that when someone goes through a profound, life-changing event, and then actually has time to reflect on it (that’s the key), that’s when these nuggets of pure gold start shining through for all the world to see. Susie for all practical purposes was living a beautiful life as an accomplished ultrarunner, professional career woman, perfect wife and perfect mom of two. Then out of the blue she was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive, brainstem tumor that threatened to end her life whether she operated on it or not. Susie is healthy today and living a beautiful life – a very different life than she lived before.

When you sit across from Susie, you feel a certain energy full of love, acceptance, and yes, Joy. I often wonder if energy is palpable. I think Susie’s is. And what’s really interesting is that I can almost guarantee that her energy prior to her tumor, prior to her surgery, prior to this massive life change, was not the same. Here’s that this tells me. We may be born “who we are.” I say that in quotes because I’ve heard it before. We are who we are when we’re born. And I bet this is true in many ways, but here’s what Susie has shown me. We can change the way we look at the world, we can change the things about ourselves that don’t make us happy, and we can change the energy that we put into the world.

This is POWERFUL. This is POWER.

Today we talk about:

Ultrarunning: How running insane distances gives you a sense of superpowerdom Trying to achieve perfection Antidepressants: Why Susie opted for antidepressants before and not after the tumor Who do you want to be? Now go be it. Fear: How it holds us back from making decisions Her rare brainstem tumor Redefining yourself for life Her voice: How she used it & how she uses it now Susie's upcoming TedX Boulder talk And more

You don’t need to go through a life or death situation to make the changes that will lead to more fulfillment. You just need to DECIDE to make them. It's ironic that Susie was living the “perfect life” and she was on antidepressants to live it. Now she leads a joyous, brave and admittedly imperfect life and her main drugs are vitamin c, saying no to the things she doesn’t want to do and saying yes to naps.

Incredible. I want some of that and I bet you do too.

Quick favor: If you love what I'm doing and want to support the podcast, go to the podcast app on your phone, search Run This World with Nicole DeBoom (you must search it even if it’s already in your library or the reviews won’t show up), and write a review. Share your favorite episode because people read these and it could help someone get started with a powerful nugget that they really needed to hear. It also helps me get the word out - the more reviews, the more legit iTunes thinks I am!

All right everyone. That’s it for today. You know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Today I give an ode to motherhood on a few fronts. I recently interviewed Susie Rinehart (episode 93) and she said the phrase "I'm right where I need to be." It really resonated with me to the point where I realized that mantra can give comfort when you need comfort, appreciation when you deserve to celebrate, and peace across all experiences. I share some defining moments in my life, from the day I decided to change my life (to get pregnant) to some struggles I've faced as a parent to my relationship with my own mom. You don't need to be a mom to appreciate this episode because in the end, we're all right where we need to be.

Kelly McNelis is a community builder, an innovator, mom, wife, and more. Kelly has a very difficult past - she is an incest survivor who finally started processing her abuse and subsequently healing later in life. As she went through this process, she identified the stages that helped her heal most powerfully and realized that her path could help others; that sharing our stories both helps us heal and helps others feel less alone in the world. This realization resulted in Women For One, a massive virtual community of women supporting women.

Kelly recently wrote Your Messy Brilliance: 7 Tools for the Perfectly Imperfect Woman and then launched the inaugural Truthteller Tour in Boulder, Colorado. The Tour is truly the culmination of all her efforts - a live audience watching and feeling the emotions of the women on stage who are brave enough to share their truths.

That’s why she was in Boulder and why we finally connected in person. I spoke at the Truthteller Tour about something I have often mentioned but haven’t gone into detail about – my history with alcohol. When I went up on stage, I had a bunch of points I wanted to make but when it was over I had no idea what I said. It took me a while to actually watch my talk. When I did, I don’t know why, but I watched it backwards in sections. And I realized that while it was difficult and embarrassing and painful, it was important that I did it. For myself and maybe for some other people out there. This is what Kelly’s life’s work is all about. Helping people move forward, gain acceptance and find support and love. In case you're curious (which is the first tool Kelly mentions in her book), here is my speech from the Truthteller Tour.

Today we talk about:

Messiness Shame Coping mechanisms Relationships Tools to help embrace your messy life And more!

This episode is sponsored by Health IQ - they help healthy people get awesome rates on life insurance and by the best fitting, most comfy, cutest athletic apparel in the world - Skirt Sports! Go to skirtsports.com and use the code RTWpodcast15 at checkout for 15% off (excluding cycling, tri and outfit deals).

Coach Christen is an All-American Division one swimmer, college swim coach, author of Naked Confidence: Revealing Your Whole Truth and Finally Moving Forward, speaker and entrepreneur/founder of Confidence Nuggets. After many false starts and disappointments, she uncovered the power of confidence coaching and realized that this would be the new direction for her life. She started infusing confidence coaching into all her endeavors and it paid off both with herself and her athletes. I think that most epiphanies come when we finally open ourselves up to our issues, whether we are stagnating or failing or just running in place. It’s when we allow ourselves to be humbled that we can start moving out. Christen speaks to this process and so much more.

Today we talk about:

The ugly emotions: Regret, Shame and more 3-part process to creating confidence: Wake up. Own it. Transition it to the Positive. How when we try to predict the future, it's always the worst case scenario. Fear: What is the root of fear? Expectations: How they can keep you stuck & lead to disappointment Reframe the What-if's to I-am's Speak your truth And so much more!

Christen is one of my new favorite people. It’s tough when you are talking to a life coach of sorts. Because you feel like they’re sort of looking through all your bullshit to the real stuff deep inside. Personally I always want to just get it all out so that I don’t feel like I’m hiding anything and I can look them in the eye! What you don’t know is that after we hung up, we stayed on the line and talked about some more personal hangups/those things that creep into your mind on a hike that you don’t even realize you remembered. Christen really reiterated the three part process for healing: Wake up. Own it. And transition it to the positive. It can be that simple. But the toughest part for many people is to Own It. To forgive yourself for whatever negative emotions you are holding onto and then letting it go and moving forward in a positive way. I want to share that she sent me one of her Confidence Nuggets. I close the “I will lead” bracelet. I’m not kidding, during a meeting I found myself focusing in on some small details and realized that I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to do during that meeting – leading. That little visual trigger got me back on track. I love Christen’s final nugget. Speak. Speak your truth. When you know and accept who you are, the more confidence you will generate in your life.

This episode sponsored by Skirt Sports (best women's fitness apparel on the market!) and Health IQ (they find great rates on life insurance for healthy people). All right then, you know what time it is! It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Deena Kastor grew up a running phenom and a highly recruited student athlete. In college she struggled to maintain the momentum of her high school running career and seriously considered dropping out of the running world to pursue baking. Good thing she decided to give it one last go. Through hard work, an open mind and the right people in her life, Deena turned the corner and found the magic bullet that allowed her to fully tap into her potential – as an athlete and a person - the power of a positive mindset.

Deena competed at the top tier of distance runners for over a decade, winning countless races from the 5k to marathon. She still holds the American records in the marathon, 10-mile, 15k and 8k. Deena ran all the way until she found out she was pregnant with her daughter Piper in 2010, and she’s running again, chasing masters records and crushing them. Be sure to cheer for her this weekend at the Boston marathon.

I reconnected with Deena recently when I read her new book, "Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory," which launches today on many outlets – basically anywhere books are sold. It is a truly incredible, emotional, educational book about the power of positive thinking in sports. Of course I was drawn to how someone as seemingly as invincible as Deena has had to work hard to tap into the positive power inside of her, that at times, she strongly doubted.

Some highlights from our conversation:

Growing up a runner Skin cancer: Facing your own mortality Being a mom to Piper How your greatest gifts can often be your greatest disappointments Being "all in" in everything. The key? Turn off your phone! Aging as a runner: what to expect (or not expect!) Positivity: How do we create more positivity in our lives? Deena's new book "Let Your Mind Run" - available now!

What I love about Deena is that she is wise and full of amazing advice that she’s learned the hard way, but she’s also real and human and approachable. She has a newfound perspective on what is truly important in life and I can literally feel it as I talked to her. I think that her final nugget “Pay attention to your thinking” is so compelling and can help all of us gain just a little bit of that perspective she’s worked hard to achieve.

This episode is sponsored by Skirt Sports, the amazing company I started all the way back in 2004. We are giving you a 30% discount on all the new stuff! Use code DONTGIVEUP - not valid on sale items.

This episode is also sponsored by innovative Health IQ - a life insurance agency that helps healthy people get better rates on life insurance. To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/rtw - tell them I sent you!

Betsy Hartley woke up one day at 400 lbs and a type 2 diabetic and simply said, “I’m going to do things differently starting now.” Since then she has lost over half of her body weight and reversed her type 2 diabetes. She is running ultramarathons, living a life of openness in regards to her issues, specifically binge-eating disorder, and bringing hope to many others who battle in the dark and feel hopeless and alone. Betsy started Novo Veritas (which means Honest Change) with Spencer Newell, another incredibly inspiring person who recently wrote a book about his alcohol and addiction journey. Between the two of them, they help and nurture others along their life journeys that are often filled with regret, shame and despair.

Betsy is the first to admit that her journey is ongoing. On her popular blog allbetsareoff392, she recently went public about how her binge-eating disorder reared its ugly head again late last year. Betsy decided to come forth with this because she knows the power of bringing the tough stuff into the open. If we can't admit our own struggles, how can we ever move forward? And further, how can we help others do the same? Today Betsy is an inspirer of many with an official ACE Health & Wellness Coach certification to back it up.

In this episode, we ask you to help Betsy as she tackles her 50th birthday this year by answering this challenge: What audacious, epic outdoor adventure should the 50-year-old Betsy Hartley do? It can be anything: Running swimming, cycling, mountaineering, you name it! Please post here, on facebook, or simply reach out to Betsy yourself with suggestions!

Today we talk about:

Betsy's journey as a young girl who slowly put on weight until she eventually gave into her situation The day she decided she would "do things differently" "Pizza has never been mean to me." Binge Eating Disorder How to focus on non-scale victories "You can't or You won't?" - the difference between these two statements Just do the next right thing Why #REALwomenmove Matters And more!

Betsy is one of those special people you stumble across and wish you had known her your entire life. There's no doubt that she will continue to motivate and inspire others because she is continuing to motivate and inspire herself - and that's where it needs to start!

If you love this episode, please forward it to a friend, and write a review on iTunes. Don't forget to check out my amazing sponsor Health IQ - they help healthy people get lower rates on life insurance. To see if you qualify go to healthiq.com/rtw and be sure to tell them I sent you! All right then you know what time it is, it's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

I first met Kara Goucher a few years ago on the RallySport pool deck standing around in bikinis while our kids were swimming. Kara had just moved to Boulder and was back in the groove of professional racing after having a baby a few years prior. She is a highly decorated distance runner, and has been one of the best runners in America for over a decade.

Kara started running in grade school but she really began to tap into her potential after college moving up in distance, running the 5000m and 10000m finals in the 2008 Olympics and then making her way to the Marathon earning 10th place in the 2012 Olympics. She just barely missed the Olympic team in 2016 and since then has begun to see her career in a different light. Her goals today are very different than even three years ago. She is more focused on living a happy life fully present in the moment.

My biggest regret as I reflected on this interview is that I didn’t get to know Kara sooner. I love this woman. She is fun, real, insightful, compassionate, and deeply truthful. She lives by her values and when she feels that something is amiss, she fights hard until she resolves the issue and can find that peace again.

But it wasn’t always that way for her. Today we talk about:

Relationships: Marriage to another running superstar How you redefine yourself through the seasons of your life Becoming less scared of what happens when she isn't a fast runner anymore Kara's purpose today: Being in the moment Fertility challenges Motherhood & how it immediately changed her How Kara stopped searching for happiness through results & then found happiness Confidence - Why that word is so important. Check out Kara's upcoming book Strong: A Runner's Guide to Increasing Confidence and Becoming the Best Version of You - you can preorder now on Amazon for $20 Courage especially as it relates to doing the right thing even if you feel as if you are betraying others like when she exposed her former coach in regards to performance-enhancing methods in training Staying young even as your age grows older

I know you will find yourself wanting more Kara after you listen to this one. You’ll be happy to know that you CAN get more Kara as she is offering her Podium Retreat in September in Boulder, so we’ll keep you posted on that too.

Let me leave you with Kara's final nugget something that I think you will feel and embrace through this entire episode, “Be kind; not just to other people. Be kind to yourself.”

Today's episode is sponsored by Health IQ - they help healthy individuals find better rates on life insurance. The process is smooth, and they really deliver, so if you're interested in life insurance (or if you're like me and realized it's time to get serious after you had a kid!), check them out. Be sure to tell them I sent you and use this link healthiq.com/RTW

All right then you know what time it is. it's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Ryan Boyle is a man who makes the choice every day to live a positive, optimistic life. At age nine, he was riding a big wheel at a friend’s birthday party, and he was hit by a truck and dragged down the street. He head injury was so traumatic that they actually had to remove part of his cerebellum because it was so damaged. He awoke from a coma two months later and defied all odds by first, surviving. What happened after that is nothing short of a miracle. And yes, we talk about miracles on the show today. When Ryan was in 9th grade, he published a book called When the Lights Go Out: A Boy Given a Second Chance. I picked it up on Amazon and after you listen to this episode, I’m sure you’ll want to pick it up too. I literally couldn’t put it down.

Be sure that you listen to this episode with an open heart and open mind. It’s really tough to imagine you or someone you love going through something so traumatic. I’m so grateful that Ryan has the guts and vulnerability to share his journey. As he told me, “I’m an open book. You can ask me anything.” So I did.

Today we talk about:

Family & friends: Your support crew is everything The accident Coming out of a coma & facing the reality of a new life Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Some things you just have to live with - great advice for all of us Miracles & Faith Having a sense of humor during the tough stuff in life

We are surrounded by incredible, amazing, inspirational people around every corner. All we have to do is open our eyes. Ryan's final nugget sums it up perfectly, "Smile. Make eye contact. Be friendly. You don’t know what’s going on in anyone else’s lives." So be the best person you can be to spread love and light in this world.

Don’t forget to pick up Ryan’s book on Amazon - When the Lights Go Out: A boy Given a Second Chance. And cheer him on in the next Paralympics. He has such an incredible energy, I believe that whatever happens, he will be happy. Remember what his voicemail says, "I’m out making something of my life.” It’s time for us to do the same.

This episode supported by my amazing sponsor Health IQ - they help healthy people get lower rates on life insurance. To see if you qualify visit healthiq.com/rtw - please tell them I sent you!

Kara Lynn Joyce is a badass athlete. She has swum in 3 Olympics earning 4 Olympic medals. She won 18 NCAA titles. She was a high school national champion. Kara performed at the highest level for many many years. But it isn't her swimming career that will define her legacy. It is her dedication to helping girls develop into strong women that she will be remembered for.

Kara's passion has shifted to an organization she founded called LEAD. It stands for Leadership, Empowerment & Athletic Development. It’s not as glorious as the Olympics but it’s so much more meaningful. She is making a huge impact in girls lives. That has so much more opportunity to change the world in a positive way. But she couldn’t get here without her swimming experience which I’m so excited to share with you. If you have or know female teenage swimmers ages 13-18, check out her Labor Day weekend LEAD Summit in Atlanta . It will sell out, so if you want to go, don't miss it! Check out this video for a little teaser. I think the messages that Kara and her incredible lineup of speakers like Missy Franklin, Elizabeth Beisel and more, add so much to helping girls develop strength and confidence at this important time. I wish the LEAD Summit existed when I was 13!

Today we talk about:

Growing up in a swimmer family Milestones and more: Nobody told me I couldn't Meeting Olympians: Why role models are important Swimming in the Olympics LEAD: Why it's important to provide teenage girls support Consistency: It's not sexy, but it's the key to success Doing the next right thing Overcoming disappointment & having faith in the process Evolving as an athlete

Here's the best part about Kara. She still loves every single thing that swimming has done and still does for her. She just knew it was time to move on. In my opinion, that’s a gift. Knowing when it’s time. I want to end with something I think it so cool and very fitting for this podcast. Kara is a former Olympic swimmer. She’s a total and complete badass athlete. Yet when asked what she does now for fitness, she said, “I walk.” Walking helps give her that head space that she had for so many years underwater as a swimmer. I respect that about her. And I encourage all of you (me included) to just get out there and walk when our heads go out of control!

And a final quick reminder to you healthy, active, robust listeners to support the show by heading over to healthiq.com/rtw to see if you qualify for cheaper rates on life insurance! Be sure to mention RTW so they know I sent you.

Meet Diane Berberian. Legally blind. Stage 4 tongue, throat & neck cancer survivor. Adaptive athlete competing in endurance events. And oh, by the way, she's 60. Diane is one of the most positive people you'll ever meet. I thought I was positive. Diane blows me away. At the beginning of the interview I ask her, "Did you ever think you'd be called on to share your life to inspire others?" to which she replied something like, "Truth? Yes! My mom always told me I was special so I believed it!"

Diane is one of those extraordinary people who you think you are helping when you guide her in a race, or support her during cancer treatments, only to realize after it's over, that she helped you so much more than you ever realized possible. That is a sign of someone who transcends humanity. She emits love, acceptance, and just plain possibility. As her tattoo says, "She believed she could, so she did." That is Diane Berberian in a nutshell.

Today we talk about:

How Diane became the positive person she is: Nature, Nurture or a little of both? Cancer: When you know something is wrong with your body, but you can't make headway with your doctor. Diane's advice: Get 2nd opinions right away. Don't wait. Going blind: Macular degeneration a slow progression to vision impairment Competing as a parathlete: 1st race on a tandem bike was Ironman Texas! "I've had the power all along" Diane 6.0: What does it mean to be a 60 year-old-woman today "Lead by example" mentoring style

Do you want to be as badass as Diane someday? I know I do! Here is my take: #1) Be positive. This is a decision. Your attitude is within your control. You can choose to be positive. Diane is a positive person. Like she said, she has bad days, but she sees the world in an open way, full of possibility. #2) Go after the things you want. As she says, you gotta want it. If you want it, make it happen. #3) Her final nugget: Your crown has been bought and paid for. You just have to wear it. If you want to connect with Diane, shoot her a note on Facebook - she would love to hear from you!

Today I share with you a story. It's about a trip I just took to Costa Rica. It’s a good time to talk about it because I’m still very emotional and having a little trouble adapting back to “real life” after a magical experience. I’m in the heat of a term I just learned – reentry. I’ll be honest, it’s a little harder than I thought partly because going on this trip was something I didn’t know I needed. Think about that concept – something you don’t know you need until you do it. I didn’t realize the emotional impact it would have on me. Throughout this episode I’m going to do my best to explain what this means. Maybe you’ll feel something resonate with your own life, maybe you'll feel a spark light somewhere inside.

I’ve been thinking about this term a little more and I think I undergo reentry on a much smaller scale on a daily basis. To me, reentry is when you leave one very unique experience and you enter back into a baseline experience. So for instance, when I host our amazing Skirt Sports events and I’m surrounded by the power of the feminine and all that oxytocin in one room, and then I go home to Tim and Wilder and it’s a completely different energy. I used to fight it and resent the reentry process. Now I accept it but it doesn’t mean it’s easy or I don’t mourn just a little bit each time. But I do my best to let the process happen and sink into it. Sort of like a wave which you’ll hear about in a little bit.

I don’t know when I decided to go.

There was just a little tug in a corner of my heart that said, “you need this.” I didn’t even know what “this” was at the time. I am not at a crossroads like many people are when they sign up for retreats. I don’t have a major conflict I’m trying to resolve. I’m not getting over a trauma. My marriage isn’t in crisis. My business is booming. It was nothing major. I just started to experience this subtle tension in my heart. Like a tiny little spark had been lit but I didn’t know why. Maybe it was a yearning for something, for expansion, for growth. Or maybe for the exact opposite: A fear of getting stale.

When I heard about the Women’s Quest Surf & Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica the spark glowed a little brighter, like someone had blown on it for an instant. I continued moving around in my regular life, doing all the busy things I do, but the spark didn’t die.

Today I talk about:

Tapping into things you didn't even know you needed Trust Listening to your body and mind Security blankets Having faith that things will work out even in times when you feel so uncertain "If she can do it, I can do it." Riding a wave - all by myself! Re-entering your real life after a life-changing experience

My nugget for you is this. When you feel a spark come alive, don’t try to squash it. Look at it, explore why it ignited. let it take life, listen to it, and do what it tells you so you can grow and expand on this incredible journey we call life. Maybe this could also be called simply listening to your gut, but I think it goes deeper. It’s about acknowledging the things that you sometimes don’t even realize are calling to you but when you stop for a moment and give them some attention, they bloom and you realize your life is about to change – one way or another.

Thanks for tuning in. If you love my podcast, please share it with all your closest friends! If you have a favorite episode, please let me know. I’ve got some really incredible guests lined up for 2018 – let me just say that there is no lack of amazing people in this world.

Diane Israel is what I would call a reluctant visionary. She is a former professional triathlete and world class runner. Today she's a psychotherapist and a professor at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. And along the way she created an award-winning film called Beauty Mark. You don’t get from one place to the next without quite a journey in between. She spent so many years conflicted about who she was and her role in this great wide world that she couldn't be herself or as she would say, she didn't know who she was. Eventually Diane found that she excelled at movement – she became a standout runner and later a triathlon legend in the early days of the sport - until her need to control her life ultimately almost destroyed her. After years of enduring an eating disorder and athletic addiction, her body just simply stopped. And then she had to confront herself – if she wanted to survive.

This episode goes deep at times and focuses more on the process of how she got where she is today than the struggles of the past. In the end, through it all, Diane actually became a healer of others. Isn’t that interesting. But she first had to find peace and healing in herself which she fully admits is still happening every day that she spends on this planet.

I also have some good news - my first official sponsor is on board - a revolutionary company in the life insurance space - Health IQ. I have no idea how many of you have figured out life insurance, but Tim and I have always held back partly because we know we’re really healthy but we’d be paying as much as people who don’t place an emphasis on health and fitness. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t until we had our daughter Wilder that we actually made a will and started thinking about our financial future. So I started looking around for life insurance that might actually take everything we do to stay healthy into consideration and found Health IQ. I went on their website, took their Health Quiz and an agent immediately called me. They literally looked up my race results for me in Athlinks (thankfully I did the Boulder Peak Tri last summer!) or you can upload Strava or Runkeeper or other app data so they can prove you are actually active when seeking quotes. What they do is use science and data to secure lower rates on life insurance for health conscious people including runners, cyclists, strength trainers, vegans etc – 56% of Health IQ customers save 4-33% on life insurance. Going through the process myself, it's been extremely convenient and we're excited to save a lot of money! To see if you quality, get your free quote today at healthiq.com/RTW or mention the code RTW when you talk to an agent. Please remember to share the code RTW so they know I sent you!

Today we talk about:

Weasel Words Addiction of all kinds Coping mechanisms: Why they stop working in our 40s How our greatest joy often brings us our greatest suffering How much our background impacts who we become Raising children to be healthy adults How does a tortured child eventually become a healer? Her film Beauty Mark - watch the trailer here - soon to be available on Amazon Prime! Wasted emotions: Are there any? How do we stop the self-judgment and blame Hands and Feet: Contact Diane to get on the list for upcoming classes

This is an awesome, powerful episode. At the end of the day, her final nugget really brought us home: You count. You’re beautiful the way you are. You are loved. For more on Diane, to connect with her on any level, please reach out here.

Allright everyone, you know what time it is, it’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Today I caught up with an old friend from Downers Grove, IL. Tracy O’Malley and I grew up together and graduated from Downers South in 1990. I went on to become a pro triathlete and start Skirt Sports. Along the way I battled many demons and tackled many barriers. Tracy went on to become one of the most sought-after speakers, network marketing experts and lifestyle entrepreneurs out there. But as we know, there’s always a story behind the woman. Tracy has battled her own demons and tackled countless barriers before she has finally found the strength and courage to step into her own truth and become exactly who she was meant to be.

This episode covers so many topics that will rock you to your soul, especially if you or someone you love has experienced them. Tracy grew up in an alcoholic household. Her dad was a feisty, Irish, high-functioning “archer bunker” style alcoholic and the eggshell-type environment his drinking created in her home laid the foundation for Tracy to create that exact environment as she got older. Like father like daughter, Tracy’s relationship with alcohol played a huge part of her life for 25 years, through multiple stages, until it became so obvious that she was not the person she wanted to be as long as she included it in her life. But even when she was sort of flimsily trying to kick alcohol she held onto another more powerful addiction – bulimia. Tracy talks a lot about the need for outlets to relieve the pressure she was feeling in her life. Like any good hero story, we need to find and hit a rock bottom. Tracy finally painfully bottomed-out and entered a gritty and honest period of recovery where she came to terms with her true self.

As she searched for a new financial outlet – because she needed to cut ties with all of her previous relationships to truly move forward – she discovered a product line that helped her feel great again physically. After resisting the idea of working for a network marketing company, she finally opened her mind to exploring Isagenix and was both encouraged and excited to give it a try. Today, Tracy is in their Elite 50 Millionaire's Club as their #35 earner (of 600,000!). I’m not a network marketing person, I have not been drawn to that particular business strategy, but I truly respect and honor how Tracy has built her business and reformed herself along the way.

She is one of the most open, real, honest and available people you will come across. She lays it out there – good or bad. As she says, she’s a bottom-line-me kinda girl so she doesn’t suffer a lot of bull!

I know you’ll enjoy this one – toward the end we announce a giveaway that is posted on the Skirt Sports facebook page. Tracy asks you this, “If you could choose any breakthrough in your life to happen today, what would it be?” Answer this question to win her new book, available very soon “Grace, Grit, Guts: From effed up to Freedom.”

Today we talk about:

Drinking Losing a parent How trauma changes us Relationships: with our parents, spouses, children and ourselves Eating disorders Getting help for real If you can’t admit to bulimia, how can you truly get sober? Getting rid of our masks and embracing who we truly are

Let me tell you, while Tracy and I talked for at least a 10k, we didn’t even hit on her more current life experience, something she is dealing with as we speak. You see Tracy has been suffering from an unexplained very serious health issue for 3 years, that was only recently diagnosed and treated. We talk about this on an Live Video Call which will be posted on the Skirt Sports and Nicole deboom social sites. So for more Tracy, be sure to check out this video, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, tracyomalley.com or just google her and see what comes up!

Meet Jillian Lakritz - former corporate world consultant turned entrepreneur, founder of Yoee Baby, mom of two, idea-birther, and more. I met Jillian when our girls were magically attracted to each other in preschool. Our first play date was hilarious. I thought I would drop Wilder off and go for a long run, but I ended up talking to Jillian and her husband, Mike, for two hours and skipping the workout! Jillian is the founder of innovative baby toy company Yoee Baby. She literally created a new category in the baby toy market – baby's first toy that actually allows parents to interact with their babies in a meaningful way. Jillian is in the weeds with her young business but somehow she still has the ability to see and discuss the bigger picture. She is an incredibly special person who will leave you feeling like you CAN do it, whatever it is.

Be sure to check out yoeebaby.com and stock up on gifts for your pregnant friends. I always have one on hand – best shower gifts ever! Special Run This World listener discount - Use code SKIRT20 for 20% off!

Today we talk about:

Relationships: Interesting discussion about the introvert / extrovert dynamic What happens when Natural Curiosity and Wanderlust meet Parenting: What we do truly has an impact on our children in the long term Early childhood development: the science behind your early interactions with your baby - why it's important! Entrepreneurship: What do you do with an idea? The power of the mind: You have everything inside of you right now to get exactly what you need in life. Practice: Your mind is a powerful tool. Think it. Do it. Be it. Become it.

This is an amazing episode. Jillian is the perfect mix of wise, real and fun. That makes her one of the coolest people to hang out with – ever! It’s also why she will be successful no matter what happens in life. She has a perspective that grounds her. I think it’s something we could all aspire to – take a few of her nuggets and stash them away for the times you need them the most. It’s all in the power of your mindset. So let’s think it. Do it. Be it. And finally become it! We just need to define what IT is.

Thanks so much for listening today. Don’t forget to go over to yoeebaby.com and stock up on the most innovative and awesome baby toys so you can be the coolest shower gifter ever. Finally, send me your comments, feedback, suggestions for future guests or anything else you want to share. You can find me at Nicole.deboom@skirtsports.com - I'm here for you.

All right then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Meet Megan Reamer - founder of Jackson's Honest - a brand that makes chips cooked in coconut oil. Megan is an incredible woman with a background in the corporate finance world who realized at some point that her quality of life was suffering. So she and her husband Scott decided to pack up and move to a little town in the Colorado mountains called Crested Butte. Megan then proceeded to have a baby and another and another and another! It was when her first child, Jackson, was almost 2 that she realized something wasn’t quite right. It started as muscle weakness and by the time he was 5, he had lost so much of his motor function that he was living in a wheelchair. His condition went undiagnosed until he was 14.

Along the way, Megan and Scott took action by controlling one of the only things they could – what Jackson ate. They found that potatoes cooked in coconut oil did not cause inflammation in his body. Jackson’s Honest started after they realized that this product could both help others and tasted great. People were willing to pay to get them!

Today Megan is fresh off a successful Shark Tank experience and the business is on the fast track to doing incredible things. She’s also mourning the sudden and extremely difficult death of Jackson on August 13th of this year. This is a big, powerful, emotional yet hopeful episode that I believe taps into our humanity on all levels. Please take a moment to follow Jackson’s Honest on social media be sure to comment to win a Jackson’s Honest gift pack. The question: If you could live anywhere, where would it be? The point: What are you waiting for?

In this episode we talk about:

What it means to be a mom: where "mom" falls on the priority ladder Megan's son Jackson, his disease & the long road to finding help The Decision Tree: If yes, then x; If no, then y... How this concept helps Megan make decisions Parenting through your child's long-term illness: weathering the storm as a couple Jackson's Honest: Starting a business to help her child The benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet Shark Tank: THEY GOT A DEAL! Check out the final negotiation on Shark Tank here! Mantras, Big picture advice & Lessons she's learned

We are in control of how we choose to face the world, even when difficult things happen to us or those around us. Megan is such an incredible person - as a mother, business person, partner and more. Her final nugget is simple and powerful. Write it down or commit it to memory - it will serve all of us at some point down the road - "Never ever ever EVER give up."

You know what time it is. It's time to get out there and Run This World! Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Marie Brown is a great example of living in the moment and taking responsibility for yourself. At 18, Marie enlisted in the military. Her childhood dream was to be a soldier. She joined the Military Police and at age 20, she was deployed to Iraq. When she returned, she suffered horrible physical and emotional aftereffects and was eventually diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome, Meniere’s disease and PTSD. But the toughest part for her was that she was honorably discharged from the military, officially ending her dream, and she needed to redefine herself.

Marie is open and honest about her issues and her recovery. At 4’11” and 95 pounds, Marie is accustomed to being underestimated. Regardless of her setbacks and issues, Marie's strength, determination and positivity shine through. As she sought to take back her physical power, she found the magic of running and sometime after that, she discovered the fearlessness of flying on the trapeze. Marie is an example of someone who could have simply curled up into a ball, bemoaning her situation but instead she chooses to live fully engaged in the moment, despite what her diagnoses say she should be able to do.

Today we talk about:

How she was abandoned at a Salvation Army clinic in Indonesia and later adopted by a missionary couple from the USA Her early childhood years living in rural Indonesia and her childhood dream to be a soldier Enlisting in the military at age 18 Deployment to Iraq How to react when you are underestimated Chronic illness: Gulf War Syndrome, Menniere's disease Running & Trapeze: the importance of trying new things and setting goals Recovering from trauma: Therapy is not a bad thing!

There are so many things about Marie that I appreciate. Her story reminds me of the concept that “everyone is fighting some sort of battle.” Marie literally fought battles in the military. And when she came back, she fought battles with her own mind and body. I love that she defines herself as a warrior who has learned to remind herself how strong she is. As she says when the going gets tough, I’m the little engine that could. I think I can I think I can. I want to repeat her final nugget because I think it’s important. It truly sums up the kind of person Marie is and the kind of person we could all strive to be. When hit with something tough, "Don’t deny the diagnosis. But try to defy the verdict."

All right everyone. Thanks so much for tuning in today. You are all amazing people. I have this podcast so that I can help spread the love and inspiration I see in people around me. And because it connects all of us in some small way. Because we’re all making our mark in this world and we are not alone. Okay everyone, on that note, you know what time it is, It’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Meet Craig Towler - a man with strength, resilience and gratitude well beyond what most of us will ever imagine in this lifetime. In July 2016, Craig was struck by an impaired driver while unloading supplies from his car in front of his home in Boulder. Both of his legs were disconnected from his body in the impact. He survived – barely – and today he faces the world as a double amputee, a title he is working hard to embrace as he continues to pursue the life that he dreams about.

I reached out to Craig after following his story for a year, and asked if he would meet me to decide if he wanted to be a guest on my podcast. The minute I met Craig, I knew I was in the presence of someone who was put here to cast a light on this world and everyone he touches. Yes, the accident changed him and in some ways, opened his eyes, but I truly believe that he would be leaving his mark of positivity no matter what direction his life took and what direction it continues to take.

I know that some of you will wonder about the accident and specifically, the driver who hit Craig. I know I did. You can feel free to google it and you’ll find some information, but the truth is, Craig doesn’t want to focus on that part of his story. It doesn’t help him move his life forward, so we don’t discuss it. Today we have a long discussion about so many different aspects of life from relationships with others, to our relationship with our own bodies, the technical details of having amputated limbs, including a great cameo from his prosthetist Angela. We also have a few fun interruptions and another on-the-spot cameo from Craig’s girlfriend Amanda. It's a lively one for sure!

Craig is a mix between the guy-next-door who you want to hang out with everyday and one of the most inspirational and enlightened people who walk this earth. And when I say walk, you’ll see what I mean when you follow Craig on Instagram. Actually I mention this in the interview – our goal is to get Craig up to 10k followers on Instagram. So make sure you follow craig.a.towler – it will help him get the word out about his new business Amputee Concierge – a free service he wants to provide to help other people who are going through limb loss. Because that’s what Craig does – when faced with a setback that meant he had to push pause on his progress with his prosthetic legs and spend months back in a chair, Craig started a business – a business to help others on that note!

Today we talk about:

Adapting to life as a double amputee Relationships with people around you through the good and tough times (including a cameo by his girlfriend Amanda) Relationships with our own bodies: embracing who we are regardless of how we look July 4, 2016: The accident Craig's ongoing recovery Accepting reality and staying in the moment when things are out of our control Physiological changes (Craig "runs hot" now!) & dietary changes The importance of sharing things that are difficult - how it can help you grow Getting back up on legs - Craig's prosthetist Angela explains the process Amputee Concierge: Craig's new business with a mission to help people who are dealing with limb loss No Bull: How a pair of shoes gave Craig motivation

After listening to this episode, you may want to support Craig - you can donate to him and his cause. Your money will help Craig get Amputee Concierge off the ground, as well as continue to assist with the ongoing costs of life as a double amputee. There is no reason not to follow and support this amazing human being!

I love every guest I interview and I truly believe that they are put on this planet for a purpose. I believe in my heart that Craig is meant to do incredible things. He already is. Just by putting himself out there to share the moments that he said are hardest for him. Those are the moments that help the most people.

When something is new in your life, it generally symbolizes a start. Think about any starting line – the emotions, expectations, uncertainty that come with it. Some people are made for the starting line. They thrive in this nervous energy, they bubble with excitement, they know that the finish line is out there, but they just love the first few steps. I’m not sure if people are born this way, if it’s genetically wired into them or if this ability to embrace and THRIVE in the starting line is a result of our upbringing. Either way, there are people in this world who were made to start things. People who were made to nurture and maintain. And people who were made to help finish and move along. Some magical people can do it all.

Meet the incredibly talented young entrepreneur, Katarina Samardzija. Kat is a 20-year-old junior in college who had an idea and decided to hit Start. Her business is called Locker Lifestyle - she is solving a problem that she and her friends encountered when they would go to the gym. All they really needed was a way to carry their essentials without lugging bulky bags or bringing purses that could be stolen. So she created what she calls the Wrist Locker to tote around her ID, keys and even a phone without ever leaving her arm.

When I was introduced to Kat, I knew immediately that she is a very special person who will not only find her own happiness and success, but I believe she will help many others find theirs too. I share something in common with her. We are both fantastic starters. When you create a business out of nothing, you enter the startup phase. It’s a phase full of intense clarity, the kind of energy that keeps you awake at night, not because you’re worried but because you are so excited. Your adrenals are pumping like crazy. Every small win feels like you won the Ironman. Everything you learn on a daily basis gives you a literal buzz. Until your brain and your body and your energy just can’t take in much more!

Kat Samardzija is a starter. You will hear it in her voice. You will feel it through the airwaves. But she is also incredibly mature, incredibly disciplined and incredibly smart. Much more mature and disciplined at 20 than I was when I started Skirt Sports at 32. I think we just may find that Kat is one of those rare magical beings who can start, nurture, and finish, all with grace, compassion and panache.

Today we talk about:

Kat's upbringing: Watching her mom work hard taught her the power of the "hustle" How being an athlete formed the foundation for success as an entrepreneur Millennial generation: Why they get a bad rap Locker Lifestyle: How she started her business and where she wants to go Discipline and other keys to success The importance of connecting: Never stop making friends.

I’m sure you’re feeling the same emotion I am: Impressed. Who is this 20 year old future business phenom? Who is this woman who is clearly showing such beyond-her-years leadership ability? Don’t forget this name: Katarina Samardzija. She is going places! So much of this interview contains such valuable advice for any of us. My favorite, because remember I’m a starter AND a connector is her final nugget: Never stop making friends. And on that note, get over to the Skirt Sports Facebook page for the Dec 2 post about this episode for a chance to win a Head Locker headband that can store your necessities by Kat’s company, Locker Lifestyle. All you have to do is answer this question, "What is your greatest strength?"

All right everyone, let’s call it a day. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please share it with friends and don’t forget to write a review on iTunes – it helps the show gain exposure and we all know we can use a little more inspiration in our lives. Okay then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out and Run This World. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

Meet Lorraine Moller - Champion athlete, Olympic medalist, Boston Marathon winner, Coach, Wife, Mom and more. Lorraine grew up in New Zealand and struggled with various physical and emotional issues that affected her self-esteem at a young age. Fortunately she was blessed with a gift – the gift of running – a gift that she discovered when she was still a child. Lorraine pursued the sport of running, eventually becoming one of the best distance runners in the world. She won countless marathons including Boston in 1984, competed in four Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in 1992 at age 37, and was generally a pioneering woman in sport in all ways. Through her journey, Lorraine ultimately made peace with the things that held her back both personally and athletically.

Lorraine is a bright, positive light in this world. It’s fun to interview people who have written tell-all memoirs because they have already found peace with all the tough things they’ve faced. The simple act of writing them down is very liberating. It also allows them to talk freely about things that can often be uncomfortable, like failed relationships, physical hardships and more.

Today we talk about:

The symbolism and power of Lorraine's guiding force - Mercury Becoming a runner: Discovering her running talent and pursuing it to the top level Childhood trauma that shaped who she is today How we compensate when things are tough or uncomfortable Coaching: the importance of surrounding yourself with the right coaching influence Coaching today: Lorraine coaches coaches! She co-founded the Lydiard Foundation - Upcoming events here for more info Relationships and self-esteem: What are we actually seeking? Chasing a dream & discovering what's really most important on the other side Having a baby at 45 The power of Believing in Yourself

Lorraine has about 50 copies of her book, so let’s make it our mission to sell them out! It’s called "On the Wings of Mercury" and I found it to be one of the most well-written athlete memoirs I’ve ever read. It’s so much more than a book about winning races. Head over to Amazon and nab one of the last copies. Lorraine said she’d sign it for you – just leave her a note.

I feel like I’ve known Lorraine my entire life, possibly because we run in the same circles or because she was at her peak when I was entering the world of endurance sports. Either way, I think she has that effect on people. When you have gone through incredible highs and lows in your life, you come out the other side with less judgment, more compassion and emanating self-love and confidence. As Lorraine says, Life is not meant to break us. Once we stop seeking the things to fill the gaps, we can get down to the most important part. Believing in Ourselves.

All right everyone! Please take a moment to share this episode with someone who needs to hear this message. If nothing else, it helps us feel less alone in this world, to know that other people have fought through the tough stuff and come out stronger! On that note, you know what time it is! It's time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

Note: If you are not comfortable listening to a conversation about sex and sexuality in front of other people (kids, your boss, etc), then please be sure to listen to this one when you’re in a place to do so.

Meet Jenni Skyler - an AASECT certified sex therapist, board certified sexologist, and a licensed marriage and family therapist. Jenni helps people get in tune with their own sexuality and fully embrace themselves as healthy sexual beings. Her mission is to help people give themselves permission for pleasure. Jenni is one of those amazing people who tackles a topic - one that is often shrouded in secrecy, shame and confusion - without judgment in a way that helps people feel comfortable.

Jenni’s background is both difficult and empowering. Her mother became addicted to drugs and left when Jenni was very young, so she was raised by her father who was a very positive, strong influence in her life. She learned about sex when she was very young as her father addressed it in a somewhat clinical way as a fact of life. There was never any shame or secrecy around the topic. As Jenny got older, she became the de facto Dr Ruth of her friends. Eventually she found her way into the profession and decided to become a licensed therapist. Today, Jenni is the founder of the Intimacy Institute in Boulder. If you’re local, come to Skirt Sports Women Run the World event on Tue, Nov 14. Jenni will be leading the strength workout and she’ll be one of our featured speakers.

I’ll be honest. I was so excited to have Jenni on the show, but I felt like I kept stumbling over my questions. It was not as easy for me to ask direct questions as I thought it would be!

Today we talk about:

What it means to be a sex therapist Jenni's path to the trade: discovering her own sexuality and embracing it as she became an adult Jenni's parents: the dad who raised her and the mother who left Sex and kids: how and when do we talk to them about sexuality in a safe and open way Sex and marriage: is it possible to maintain the "butterflies" through a lifelong relationship Sex and sports: is there a correlation? Sex and aging: what can we expect The keys to a healthy relationship: Respect, Transparency, "Desire Deposits"

In the end, as Jenni says, it’s all about optimizing your own life. Ask yourself where and how you want to shine. When you give yourself permission for pleasure you open yourself up to a life of positivity and that’s what we are all striving for in the end.

Thanks for tuning in today. If you want to reach Jenni, check out the Intimacy Institute website – she has lots of content on this subject!

All right everyone, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and Run This World. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week.

Meet Dave Mackey - endurance athlete, father, husband, physician assistant, and ultrarunning legend. Dave is an extraordinary person who has been through an extraordinary event that changed his life but it didn’t change who he is. Many years ago he discovered the soul-freeing nature of trail running and he became really REALLY good at it. Dave has set course records at many ultra-distance trail running races, including wins at the Montrail Cup, USATF national trail running titles at 50k, 50mile and 100k as well as being a former record-holder of the Rim to Rim to Rim among other incredible accolades.

Dave's life as an elite ultrarunner all changed on May 23, 2015 when he stepped on a loose rock during a training run he had done countless times before on Bear Peak in Boulder. As he fell, he landed on his back and literally watched a massive rock tumble down and crush his leg. One year later and after many failed surgeries, Dave made the decision to have his lower leg amputated. Today he is exploring the same hiking trails near his fall on a cold, sleety day in October, almost exactly one year from the day of his amputation - with a prosthetic leg.

Dave is also my neighbor. I housesit their creatures. Our kids run in similar circles. So I see Dave and his family all the time and I have to reiterate that Dave is a really normal guy – or as normal as our crazy ultrarunning friends can be! This accident hasn’t changed him in any obvious ways except that he carries a little less skin and bone. Dave has been through an extraordinary event and been faced with making decisions at a level that most of us will not, and he has come out swinging. We did this episode in two parts because we both place an emphasis on picking our kids up from school on time!

Since it’s a longer episode, we are including his sponsor, Hoka One One, the innovative running shoe brand, for a giveaway. Here’s the ask: Go to the Skirt Sports FB page. There is a post about this episode on Friday, Nov 3, Tell us the following, “What would you write on your leg if you knew you were going to lose it?”

Leslie Battle is an advocate for women in sport, specifically Athena triathletes - women triathlon competitors who weigh no less than 165 pounds. Why? Because she is one of them. A decade ago, Leslie tipped the scale at somewhere near 300 pounds. A few events occurred that triggered her to change her life. Because she doesn’t do things partway, she decided to sign up for a half marathon with a week of training – her goal was to make the 3.5 hour cutoff. She went 3:28 and this little thing called momentum had begun. Today Leslie is one of the most accomplished Athena triathletes ever. Not only does she own seven Athena age group or overall national titles, she has been the overall female winner of many races including the East Bay 5k where she even beat all the men to win it outright! I will tell you right now that I have never won a race outright! Leslie is intense, passionate and committed to helping other women find the strength, courage and confidence she has discovered through sport.

By day, Leslie has been a corporate attorney since 1995. Type-A all the way, Leslie figured out how to change her life's trajectory, race at the top level of amateurism and attract big time sponsors, all while maintaining her high-powered legal career. She is truly a champion of women who seek support while making their own changes. Leslie is the epitome of authentic. She celebrates her successes and doesn't hide her failures. This magic combination makes her an inspirational yet approachable heroine for so many others.

Keysha Lleras is a victim of domestic violence. That's the tough part of her journey The beautiful part is that she is no longer a victim. She was able to break the cycle and now wakes up feeling safe, for herself and her daughter, with an attitude of gratitude. Keysha grew up in the Bronx and was married young. The signs of an abuse didn’t start for many years, and when they did, they were in the form of a controlling nature until they became physical. Keysha is such a giving person. The reason she decided to become public with her story is to help others, as you can imagine sharing something this personal can be both difficult and dangerous. This interview will resonate with those of you who feel stuck, trapped or unable to make tough decisions to move your lives forward. And if you do suffer from domestic abuse, please reach out and we’ll direct you to some resources that may be able to help.

Meet Mark Mikel - a man who 13 years ago dealt with the unimaginable loss of his daughter, Kelsey, and has found a way to move forward through the grief. We have all gone through loss in our lives – it really doesn’t matter what kind of loss it is – all loss is extremely difficult. You feel like a part of you is gone and you wonder if you will ever feel complete again. Mark’s background as a pastor and youth addictions counselor almost adds a layer of pressure to his recovery process – at least that’s my opinion.

Mark is currently the executive director of the Family Christian Development Center and the girls cross country coach at NorthWood High School in Nappanee, IN, who is helping kids find their true potential as athletes and young adults.

One of the most special things he does is to honor Kelsey’s life through support of organ donation and also through the Thankful Four events on Thanksgiving every year (in IN, CO, HI or VIRTUALLY). You see Kelsey’s life may have ended but approximately 50 people were helped or in some cases saved through the gifts of her organs.

This is a really deep, heavy, and ultimately uplifting episode. Mark’s final nugget best sums up the message from this entire episode. No matter what you are dealing with or going through, at the end of the day, find a way to make somebody else better. Give of yourself to help somebody else become a better version of themselves. If we take it one step further, my opinion is that sometimes you can most effectively help others around you by simply being the best version of yourself.

Meet Mirna Valerio - the Mirnavator. Mirna stepped from relative obscurity into the national spotlight when she so brazenly announced as a 200 pound black woman that she was going to do an ultramarathon. This shouldn't be a big deal, but it was. Mirna stoked emotions within all of the different movements that are currently growing, most of which are in support of her efforts and tout her as an inspiration to people everywhere who don't think they can change their lives.

In the past year, Mirna has written her first book called "A Beautiful Work in Progress," appeared in numerous national media outlets and campaigns including Skirt Sports, Women's Running Magazine, Buzzfeed, Lane Bryant's recent campaign, REI's Forces of Nature series, and more.

This is an episode that features someone who many people will look to for inspiration with the thought that, "If she can do it, so can I." Instead of taking offense, Mirna opens her arms and acknowledges that we all need to start somewhere. The key is to start. As she says, "Remain open to failure. Be prepared for adventure." I personally love this outlook. I also want all of us to be able to say "I'm in the prime of my life right now. The world is my oyster." We can all have some of what Mirna's having. We just need to accept that we are all beautiful works in progress!

Meet Erika McDonald - wife, mom, entrepreneur, athlete manager, survivor, survivor, survivor. In this episode, Erika mentions that she has had to face her own mortality. That is an understatement. Erika was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 21 and told she had two months to live. What unfolded has been over a decade of loss, grief, mourning and every time, resurrection stronger than before.

This is a very deep, intense, emotional interview. I had trouble holding it together myself. If you plan to listen during a short run or high intensity intervals, you may want to think again as it's difficult not to get swept up in Erika's story and feel her journey yourself.

Meet Janelle Smiley one of the most prolific climbers, skiers and mountaineers of our era. As a multiple National and North American Ski Mountaineering Champion, first descender of epic proportions and first ascender of even more epic-ness, Janelle is a surprisingly low-key and insightful person. You'd think someone like her lives precariously on the edge of the next big crevasse, wondering how the hell she'll get up or down, driven only by the thrill of the ride. But Janelle is a different breed. She's a mountain girl who derives her energy from the sheer proportion of majesty around her. She's also a deep thinker who, in striving to live her most extraordinary life, has found that helping others achieve THEIR most extraordinary lives is ultimately more satisfying!

Meet Nellie Acevedo. I discovered Nellie because she is a Skirt Sports ambassador and I’ve always been drawn to her energy and ability to connect to women on a very real level. Nellie is a New Yorker with Jamaican roots who climbed the ladder in the financial world to find herself in a position where she had a great job and made great money. But she just wasn’t happy. Today she is a full time entrepreneur and blogger at Brooklyn Active Mama with 2 young kids and a long-time husband she met in middle school! While she makes a lot less money, she is a whole lot happier.

I think you’ll find Nellie’s outlook refreshing. She is a deep thinker who shares openly about the path she has taken. Pay attention to the core values she mentions. We could all benefit from stepping back for a moment, pushing pause and thinking about what our core values are today. And do our lives reflect our core values? Because when things are in alignment, that’s when the magic happens.

In 2009, Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks-Rocha founded Black Girls Run to tackle the obesity epidemic in the African-American community and provide encouragement and resources to women runners. They have built a 100% grassroots movement centered around bringing women together both virtually and on-foot through running – to 250,000 members across the USA. You don’t build an empire like this on hope and luck. It takes vision, hard work, passion and belief in your convictions. They have been honored by countless organizations and media outlets including the Toyota Standing O-Vation Award.

This is the first podcast I’ve ever done in front of a live audience, so you will hear some background noise that the microphones pick up from time to time. You’ll have to let me know if you enjoy this setting – I may have to start doing more live shows! This episode may at times sound more like a marriage counseling session than an interview, but that’s exactly what it’s like to build a business with a partner – it’s a marriage filled with ups down and all-arounds. Enjoy!

Meet Kelly Newlon - the founder of RAD - Real Athlete Diets. I first met Kelly when she was running a food truck in Boulder called Streat Chefs. I literally wandered out of my office one day and there it was. I can’t remember what I got but it was delicious. I know this because every time I have ever tasted a bite of food prepared by Kelly, it has always been nothing short of delicious. I went into this interview with 3 topics I wanted to cover: 1) Kelly’s running background and the fact that she has run many marathons and ultras to date, 2) how and why Kelly became a chef – and finally, 3) food. As an athlete and a chef, I figured she could give us tons of insider info into the world of nutrition for athletes especially since her amazing company RAD.

But… The interview took a different track pretty early on. As we delved into how Kelly became who she is, a very intense and important part of her background emerged – Kelly is a long-time victim of domestic abuse in her previous relationship. I am so proud of Kelly for being open and vulnerable – please have an open heart and open mind as you listen. And if anyone is going through domestic abuse, please reach out to me and/or Kelly. We will help you find the right resources to take your next steps. And yes, we still manage to talk about running, being a chef and food, that’s why this episode is over an hour long!

Meet Scott Strode the founder and visionary of Phoenix Multisport, a community for individuals who are recovering from substance use disorder and those who choose to live sober. Scott was a trauma survivor from early in his life. He had his first drink at 11, started doing cocaine at 15, and acted out every which way -- until one day a friend encouraged him to go to the local boxing gym and give it a try. The gym, the environment, the recovering addicts who had redefined themselves as sober athletes, lit a fire in him. It gave him the strength to quit drugs and alcohol, and over time, kindled the vision for Phoenix Multisport. Scott is now over 20 years sober and has made it his life's mission to help others who struggle with substance use disorder. I am personally very grateful for the work that Scott does because I have my own history of alcohol abuse and I believe in the power of what he is doing.

But you don’t need to be a recovering alcoholic or drug addict to relate to this interview. We all carry shame on some level, sometimes for things we did when we were 15 years old or things we did last week. The underlying point is that at certain times in our lives, we may find ourselves in need of change. Scott has incredible insight, compassion and wisdom for people who want to change their lives.

Four years ago Becky Piper opened the door of her home in Guam to find three men intent on a home invasion at any cost. She woke up in the hospital - paralyzed on the right half of her body. Today Becky is considered disabled in that her paralysis is still evident and she will forever combat the effects of a traumatic brain injury. But she is SO. NOT. DISABLED in every other sense of the word. Becky is one of the most positive people I've ever met. She meets challenges with a mix of practicality and optimism. While this is a tough interview in many ways, it reminds us that we all have challenges that result from things that we do or that happen to us. It's how we mentally and emotionally respond to them that really influence our lives, not the acts themselves.

Meet Nick Symmonds. He is truly a man on the move. Nick is a 2-time Olympian, has medaled at 13 USA Championships (including 9 Golds). Along the way he learned to love running (believe it or not, he did NOT love running when he started). He became a staunch advocate for athletes' right. He started Run Gum - an incredible, innovative company that solves a problem many athletes face. He wrote a book "Life Outside the Oval Office." He is also after the State High Points & 7 Summits which you can read about on his site (this is all in his "down time.") He travels, does public speaking, and generally lifts and inspires people everywhere he goes. You definitely need to check out his Youtube channel for both fun and thought-provoking episodes.

All in all, Nick has definitely a been-there / done-that kinda guy. Many people would stop-there! But not Nick. He recently announced his retirement from track & field racing, but it wasn't just a retirement that he announced. In the same breath, he declared his next goal - the Honolulu Marathon in December. A goal that both scares and excites him. I feel so lucky to chat with Nick about his past, present and future. We dug into what makes Nick tick and I know you will appreciate his openness, honesty and vulnerability.

Cat Bradley had a 0.1% chance of winning the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run based on the 1,100 ballots that had been cast. In fact, the 1 ballot that predicted she would win was submitted by her boyfriend so she doesn't actually count that one! In the end, Cat Bradley came out of relative obscurity to win one of the most prestigious ultrarunning events in the world, against the toughest competition, at the young age of 25, in a sport where many people don't peak until their 40s.

Sometimes I wonder if people would attempt to do tough, crazy things if they knew how hard it would be. Cat is one of those people who actually seems to seek out the toughest, craziest paths, and pursue them with abandon, as long as they are aligned with what is important to her. Namely a life of outdoor adventure where she is free to push her body and mind to places that most people will never go. Fresh off her Western States 100 win, Cat shared her path to this moment plus insights, tactics and a vision for what her future platform may be.

Maria Uspenski is the founder of The Tea Spot and so much more. She's a mom of two amazing daughters, entrepreneur, MIT educated engineer, former ballerina, fluent in many languages, cancer survivor, and tea lover, advocate and expert. She’s one of those people who leads through her actions and how she treats other people. Today’s episode is inspirational, thought-provoking, educational and will leave you wanting to sip and sample tea of every kind. We're also giving away her book "Cancer Hates Tea" so go over to the Skirt Sports Facebook page to enter to win - all you have to do is tag the friend you would most like to share a cup of tea with!

Rip Esselstyn is the first guest to be on the show twice. I interviewed him for episode #5 called Eating Strong Food (notice the name of the episode hasn't changed much!). I’ve had such a huge response to Rip and his message, I knew I would interview him again. To refresh your memory, Rip is a former pro triathlete turned firefighter turned health and fitness crusader through his Engine 2 movement (named after his Austin Texas fire house). He has helped countless people turn their lives around through his simple, whole food, plant based, low fat eating philosophy. He is up to really big things in this world and has no plans to stop. Even if you have no plans to change your eating habits, this is a great episode to help you take a deep dive into why you eat the way you do. Plus Rip has tons of great nuggets that far transcend food and eating!

Meet Joe De Sena. He's done many things in his life but is most well-known as the founder of the Spartan Race, one of the most daunting event series ever. He basically took the concept of running a grueling long distance event, and then added obstacles that most people would think were crazy. If you don't do an obstacle, your punishment? Burpees! I've known Joe since I made the very first appearance - literally EPISODE #1 - on his SPARTANUP! Podcast. I was immediately impressed and here's why. Joe is a very successful person. He didn't need to run around the world starting a podcast series; he was busy enough growing Spartan. But there's something inside Joe that doesn't want to stop learning and growing. That's what I tap into today for all of you.

Meet Ashley Eisenmenger the youngest guest I've ever had on the show. At just 20 years old, Ashley is taking the world by storm as an elite triathlete gunning for her first World Paratriathlon Championships. Ashley has been legally blind since birth. Her only vision is the ability to see some light with her left eye. She was born a triplet with a condition called retinopathy of prematurity. Her sisters also have vision impairment, but she has the most extreme case. Ashley says that if asked if she could have her eyesight back for a do-over in life, she says no way. Part of why she has developed such a positive outlook on life is that her parents didn't know what they didn't know and just raised her like every other kid. I know you'll enjoy today's episode. Ashley is definitely making a mark on this world!

Meet Monica Leonard - Pediatric nurse turned entrepreneur, mom, wife, and trailblazer in the world of chemical-free living. Actually that's the wrong way to say it, as Monica educated me, there are all sorts of chemicals in the world. Some are really bad for you and much more abundant than we realize. Monica didn't intend to start a business that focuses on healthy living. She got here through an experience that will break your heart, but ultimately turned into something that can help others. Molly's Suds was created after Monica lost her baby, Molly, just before she was born. Monica's baby died in utero the day before she gave birth. It's tragic, horrific and triggers so much emotion that I choke up during the interview and literally have trouble recovering. Monica explains how she was able to continue on despite this deep loss, and how she became obsessed with the compounds that we expose ourselves to, without fully understanding how they may or may not affect our bodies.

Meet Meagan O'Nan. Speaker, Author, Life Coach, Peace Warrior. She's got it all going on! But she wasn't always living her truth. Meagan is from a fairly conservative southern community, so when she faced her family and friends to tell them that she is gay, she wasn't met with open arms and immediate acceptance. Meagan has traveled a brave road, encouraging herself and those around her to embrace who they are, no matter how tough acceptance may be. Today she owns a practice in Starkville, MS with her wife Clare called Thrive Health. They offer acupuncture, life coaching, massage, counseling and more. Turns out her small-town community was more than ready - the practice is growing and thriving. She's also the author of two books chock full of inspiration, tactics and other ways to help you live your truest life, "Creating Your Heaven on Earth: Unveiling the Truth that was Always There" and "Courage: Agreeing to Disagree is Not Enough."

It's Mother's Day. Time for a little peek behind the curtain. Swear word alert: I say the F word once and then repeat it a few more times when telling a story that involves a broken toe. If you are in the car with kids while listening, you may have to explain what that word means! I'm feeling emotional right now. Maybe because it's Mother's Day. Maybe because it's that time of month. Maybe because I'm so grateful just to be here. For whatever reason, I decided to share some thoughts on my journey into motherhood just before I turned 40.

Meet Latoya Shauntay Snell. Latoya is a 32 year old Skirt Sports ambassador. That's how we first came together. But there's more. Much more. She's the mom of a 9 year old boy recently diagnosed with a lifelong disease, type 1 diabetes. She’s a woman who has gone through and is overcoming personal issues from health to work to self-confidence. She is outspoken, funny, wise and humble. She has multiple identities which you will notice when you start checking her out online. In a nutshell, Latoya is one of the most inspirational women you'll ever know, just by being herself. Enjoy!

Meet Chef Nick - the Executive Chef at Broomfield, Colorado-based Noodles & Company. Nick is a very cool, down to earth family man who has a clear passion for food and creation. He grew up in a food-centric family, worked his first job in a restaurant and the fire was stoked. After culinary school in NY, he worked every position at a variety of restaurants before landing at Noodles. There’s so much I love about Noodles and Nick. First of all, if you don’t like your meal, you simply say “I don’t like it.” And they make you a new meal! And you are encouraged to customize. I don’t have to feel high maintenance anymore! Finally, I love Chef Nick’s final nugget, "Eat Good Food. Treat your food with respect. Understand what your flavors are. Don’t overwhelm those flavors. Let the food you’re preparing speak to you." Enjoy!

Meet Colleen Cannon - former professional triathlete & the founder of Women’s Quest. Before retreats were a thing, before women’s-only anything was a thing, before the internet even, there was Colleen. She was one of the most prolific triathletes in the 80s and 90s. She is a World Champion and multiple time National Champion, but her background wasn’t as a purist swim, bike, runner. She rode horses. And she still does. Colleen discovered her calling early on; she knew she needed to create a way to bring women together for self-care, love and empowerment.I want to have her on the show again because we barely scratched the surface on so many incredible topics. I hope you’re ready for an energy infusion. Enjoy!

Meet Barb Lazarus, pioneer in the world of girls' empowerment. Barb graduated from a career in the US Attorney’s office and has made it her second life’s mission to empower and give back to girls. She’s the founder of Game On Sports Camp 4 Girls. These are year round camps for girls ages 4-14, that started in Chicago and has now expanded into Ohio and Colorado. The girls are introduced to all sports, some of which I haven't heard of yet! The atmosphere is focused on creating CONFIDENCE through team work, team spirit, team sportsmanship and FUN. Enjoy!

Jo & Jules are two incredible women who have created more than a program. They’ve created a Movement. People do the cleanse and then make it an annual jump starter to realign their bodies and remember the habits that move them back to “best health.” I did the Conscious Cleanse after meeting one of the founders, Jules Pelaez. The minute I saw her I knew who she was. The glow gave her away! I'm not kidding - she exudes an all-over glow. Hair, skin, body, spirit. I later came to find out that the glow is a side effect of the Conscious Cleanse philosophy. So I embarked on the Cleanse shortly after returning from a photo shoot - perfect timing since shoots are terrible for self-care due to long hours and no time for "real exercise" or attentive eating habits. I've had a month or so since the Cleanse ended, long enough to reflect and arrive at my own perspective on the experience. Today you'll learn more about Jules, Jo and how my Conscious Cleanse experience turned out!

Meet Allen Lim. Physiologist. Coach. Entrepreneur. He's a former coach of the cycling stars who brought innovative sports nutrition company Skratch Labs to life after years of making his "secret drink mix" for athletes in grueling endurance events like the Tour de France. Allen and I have run in the same circles for years but we never really hung out until this interview. Here's what I found: An AWESOME guy! I wish I worked at Skratch! Allen has created an inspired, open-minded, free-thinking culture. He is truly a visionary in so many ways. I know you'll absolutely love this episode. It's my longest yet because I just couldn't stop listening!

Meet Jackie Ros - she's a high-energy, innovative-thinker who started the revolutionary tech company Revolar just two years ago. Revolar makes wearable tech devices that allow you to communicate with your loved ones with just a push of a button. If you are actually in danger, it seems like it would be easy to make a phone call, but in the heat of the moment, it's unrealistic to fumble for a phone, unlock it, dial out and wait for answers. Jackie started Revolar after her sister was assaulted as a teenager. The guilt she experienced over not being able to help, led to the idea that would change her life (and many others' lives too).

Meet Chris Waddell - speaker, author, athlete (he has 13 Paralympic medals), philanthropist and all-around adventurer. After a ski accident left him paralyzed and unable to walk while in college, Chris simply moved on with his life and adapted his passions around his new body. But as all elite athletes understand, you can only compete at a certain level for so long and at some point it’s time to accept a new phase in life. I personally could relate to this on many levels, but even more so for my husband Tim who, like Chris, reached “best in the world” status. There is so much to take away in this episode that is relatable to all people, regardless of your phase in life.

Meet Mara Abbott former (barely!) professional cyclist. That means she literally rode her bike for a living. I say that loosely because as you will hear, women cyclists don’t really make a living in the sport, compared to the men. Mara is one of the most accomplished women ever on the bike, winning the Giro and fresh off a bittersweet 4th place finish at the 2016 Olympic Road Race, after a brave breakaway in which she held the lead for much of the race. She has officially retired (after an earlier retirement stint that we’ll talk about) and is in that uncomfortable place of transition in life, which she is navigating with grace and humility. I know you’re gonna enjoy this one.

Last week I did a photo shoot in Savannah, Georgia. We chose it for two reasons. 1) It's usually decent weather so you can make the winter look like spring, 2) Free place to stay! My parents, Gail and Roger Molzahn, retired there about 20 years ago and every time I go back, I revert immediately to Kid Mode. The first thing I always do is walk in and open the fridge. I have no idea why I do this. It's like I'm taking inventory for all the snacking I have lined up. We sat around the dinner table after the last night of the shoot, laughing, and exploring topics big and small. I grabbed the mics and we recorded some of this random, fun and surprising conversation. I have no idea if I'll ever do an episode like this again, but it sure was fun the first time! Enjoy!

Meet Reyna Bryan, a rising star in a very dirty world. She made her name by founding Recycling is Sexy, an organization that is building an army of superhero consumers: Empowered, Informed and Vocal. She has a passion for helping us keep this beautiful world in one piece as all signs point to the fact that we are polluting ourselves out of it. Reyna sees the world in a different way than many of us. As she once told me, when she walks into a grocery store, it's very difficult not to walk right out cursing all of the packaging that will one day end up in a landfill. She is trying to stop the madness through her example, her sustainability work and through creating an army of superheroes so that we can all make informed decisions. This is a deep one; I hope you enjoy it!

Meet Siri Lindley. She was the best short course triathlete in the world for two years, despite the fact that she could barely swim a lick before she started the sport in the mid 90s. After she retired, Siri gravitated to coaching, because she is innately called to give much more than she ever takes. She became an incredible coach, not surprisingly, I consider her to be the best coach in the world today. Siri has a magic way of identifying what an athlete needs and then crafting a physical and psychological plan to help that athlete tap into his or her full potential. It’s absolutely amazing. She is also one of the most positive people you will ever meet, despite her own admitted insecurities. Siri is a World Champion inside and out.

Meet Isabel McDevitt, a woman in the forefront of social enterprise innovation, namely for bucking the system and creating a new paradigm for how societies treat homeless people. Isabel started her career working for a nonprofit in New York called the Doe Fund. There, she created Ready Willing & Able, a platform of entrepreneurial businesses created specifically to help train, employ and reenter formerly incarcerated men into the workforce. It was a huge success with staggering stats on how much it decreased recidivism rates. She later got married and moved to Boulder where I met her and we did some great work with our Running Start program. Isabel is now the Executive Director of the Boulder Bridge House doing the same thing she did in New York, but focused on the homeless population in the Boulder area. She is changing lives in a huge way.

Samm Grace is still relatively young, in her early 30s, but she’s been through a traumatic, life-changing experience. When she was 25, she discovered that her kidneys were failing – when she was pregnant with her son. Samm persevered - even after being told to terminate her pregnancy - and came out the other side with improved numbers but still in danger of kidney failure. I think you’ll be inspired by Samm’s story today, and find a new gratitude for some aspects of life we don’t often pause to appreciate.

Meet Meredith Atwood - author, leader, transformation pioneer. Ten years ago, Meredith was someone she didn't recognize. She was an out of shape, work-obsessed, mom of two with blinders on. She had lost herself and didn't even know it. Until the day her eyes were opened and someone said to her, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Meet Emily Harvey - disability right attorney, wife, fitness model, founder of non-profit LIM359, and amputee athlete.

Emily's leg was amputated when she was two because she had a condition called fibular hemimelia, which means she was missing her fibula bone and her left leg was substantially shorter than her right. She grew up not really knowing any different, and even asked her grandma at some point when she got her first prosthesis because she simply believed that everyone wore a prosthesis. Listen for inspiration, motivation and more.

Happy New Year! It's 2017. Time to look forward, make plans and move your life in the direction you want it to go. I looked for some 2017 inspiration and found it in the form of my husband, Tim DeBoom, who retired from professional racing after 20 years and 2 Hawaii Ironman titles. He's in a different place now and it was fitting to interview him for this one as we just passed our 20 year anniversary too.

Meet Mike Glauser the ultimate entrepreneur. Mike knew early on that he wanted to be an entrepreneur, but instead of jumping in headfirst, he went to school to study entrepreneurship and found that while he learned a ton, he needed hands-on experience to test his book-smarts. This led to founding multiple businesses, teaching entrepreneurship at the university level and writing bestseller "Main Street Entrepreneur" after interviewing 100 entrepreneurs in 100 towns across America.

Meet Mirna Valerio of Fatgirlrunning. Years ago she was on the fast track to an early grave. Working two jobs, with a toddler in tow, not sleeping, not exercising and not taking care of herself finally took a toll. After a wake-up call on the Interstate, Mirna needed to hear some tough words from her doctor. Namely that she wouldn't be alive to watch her son grow up if she didn't make some big changes.

Meet Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae. One of the best Ironman athletes of all time. She won the Hawaii Ironman in 2010, 2013 and 2014. She's been on the podium seven times. She toed the starting line eight times. The only time she didn't finish in the top three was when she was hit by a car during a training ride just days before the race in 2015. But she wasn't always an Ironman rockstar.

Alison Teal has been dubbed today's "Female Indiana Jones" by Time Magazine. She journeys into ancient cultures with her camera and a pink eco surfboard to uncover and share global secrets of survival, sustainability, health and happiness through her comedic and inspirational film series Alison's Adventures. Alison was catapulted into the public eye when she accepted the offer to do the Discovery Channel's "Naked and Afraid" show, garnering the highest survival rating and highest viewed episode ever. She has used this platform to continue pushing her agenda for awareness of environmental issues

Rachel Kodanaz experienced the unthinkable. At 31 years old, with a 2 year old daughter, she became a widow after her husband went out for an 8-mile run at lunch one day, had a heart arrhythmia, and never came home. She decided to do the Hawaii Ironman, her husband's bucket list item, as a way to honor his memory and hold him close to her through this time. Over the years, she has become an expert in helping others deal with loss and grief.

Dana D is one of the most brutally genuine people on this planet. She does everything hard; there is no half-assedery in her world. I met Dana many years ago when I knew her only as the Walnut-Cafe-Lady. I later came to know her as so much more. Dana recently came to Skirt Sports to speak about a topic important to her - love. Today she elaborates on that topic and her path to this place in her life.

Mary T Callahan is a powerhouse. She's the Executive Director of the Girls on the Run of Greater Houston chapter and has made it her life's work to help develop young girls into the strong, confident leaders they can become.

Prolific speaker Ash Beckham burst onto the scene after a Boulder Ignite talk in 2013. Her first-ever attempt at public speaking blew up the internet and started her on a track to activism that she didn't expect. Ash blew people's minds with her TEDx Closet talk and has gone on to many other stages and probably close to 10 million views when you add up all her influences. Ash started in the LGBTQ arena but her message is about authenticity and inclusive for everyone.

Joana Canals is a tv anchor for Colorado's Best and the Everyday Show, pioneering "Fitness Friday" and bringing smiles and positivity to people everywhere. But she is so much more than a happy, energetic presence in your morning. She's a real person just like the rest of us.

Sue Jacques is the original Forensic Death Investigator. She came before death was sexy. Before Law & Order and CSI. She and Quincy could have been friends. Sue had a long career analyzing death. And through it all, she learned important lessons on how to LIVE more fully because the one great equalizer for all of us is death.

Kara Burns opens up about what happens when your bad decisions cost you one of the most precious relationships you can have - the relationship with your child.

The title of this episode is no joke. Kara is a grateful, hard-working, enlightened survivor of a previous life full of bad choices and tough situations. She's refreshingly open and honest about her struggles and moreso about what she's learned from them. In my opinion this might be the best episode I've recorded yet.

Meet Dr James Rouse and Kristine Carey from Healthy Skoop! Dr James started Skoop after a career as a doctor and entrepreneur, with four other guys who wanted to do good by the world and help people find their happiness and body balance. Today's episode is chock full of education, and inspiration and hilariousness.

Jen Lefforge is an extraordinary person in all ways. I got to know Jen running along a frontage road somewhere in Houston, Texas. Where better than on your first run together to bare your soul and share your dreams?

In 2015, Tal was the runner-up for America's Top Teacher Award. After a stint on the Kelly & Michael Show, he became an overnight sensation; a highly sought after speaker, leader, motivator. f you have any interest in education, or better yet, interest in making sure that today's kids are given the best tools they can get for success, you'll love this episode.

Meet the awesome co-founder of SKA Brewing in Durango, Colorado, Dave Thibodeau (tib - uh- doh!). He got his start in home brewing beer before he was actually of legal drinking age!

Koel Thomae is a woman of gut, intention, and tenacity. She is the founder of Noosa Yoghurt - a brand that she started based on an obsession with creating a yogurt taste sensation unlike anything she could find in the American market.

Brook Eddy has been following her passion for over a decade. A trip to India when she was seeking life inspiration turned into a new business venture that she has been pursuing ever since.

When you first meet Sara Vaughn, you would never think she is one of the best runners in America. The 30 year old, mom of three, is small and unassuming. It's when she starts talking that you can feel her competitive drive and serious passion for running, family and life.

I met Justin while he was stocking shelves in our local Whole Foods Market. He built his brand from the bottom up, starting at farmer's markets, moving into natural foods and later diving into grocery channels. Justin openly shares his struggles and triumphs including his recent sale to Hormel Foods for almost $300 Million.

Frank Shorter is a true legend; a man of many talents. Olympic gold (and silver) medalist, Attorney, Founder of a clothing company (Frank Shorter Sports), Founder of the Bolder Boulder (one of the biggest 50,000+ runner events in the world), Founder of the Frank Shorter RACE4Kids, Author, Commentator. We sat in Erin Carson's office at RallySport for an hour while I picked his brain on many topics. Enjoy!

Shiz Gerami is an elegant, eloquent, and wise woman who is inspiring so many. Whether she realizes it or not, she is setting an example for other women that they can pursue their dreams, even when faced with barriers that seem impossible to break through.

Tricia Downing is a disabled athlete (or as she says, we could debate the fact that we all have disabilities for hours!). In September 2000, she was struck head-on by a car during a bike ride and paralyzed from the chest down. After a period of recovery, acceptance, and reframing her purpose in this world, Tricia has become a true hero to many.

The first word that came to mind when I met Jen Hanzlick was genuine. Add non-judgmental, humble, and full to the brim with vision for a better world. Her business, Clutter Trucker, a hoarding removal & clean-up service, helps people when they are at the lowest points in their lives.

Meet Jenny Hadfield, prolific running coach and mentor. Jenny is one of the most knowledgable, most down to earth, most REAL coaches in the world of running. Her mission is to help people learn how to train to improve performance, reach their goals more efficiently, and create a plan that works with the flow of their busy lifestyles.

Meet Robyn O'Brien - unintentional food activist. Over a decade ago, she watched her youngest child go through a severe food allergy and was suddenly thrust into the world of food allergy education. Her finance background set her up to be a natural fit in this world as she was able to both translate the data in this very confusing industry and relate it to everyday moms just like her.

Meet Gunhild Swanson, the oldest woman to ever finish the 100-mile Western States race. And finish she did - with 6 seconds to spare - in 2015, Gunhild gave everything she had to squeak across the line in 29 hours 59 minutes 54 seconds.

Meet Pam Burrus, founder of Moms Run This Town / She Runs This Town. I met Pam a couple years ago in a coffee shop in Chicago and we immediately hit it off. Let's just say we didn't need coffee to summon any energy! Pam is all about helping women find their happy place.

Welcome to Episode 7 of Run This World. Today’s episode features my friends, Kim & Jake Rosenbarger, owner of Kim & Jake’s gluten free bakery. They started with a cake shop in Boulder and have expanded This is my first husband-wife interview. I wish we were on video because the spousal dynamic was pretty awesome.

Welcome to Episode 6 of Run This World. Today’s episode features Erin Carson, former pro athlete, "Trainer to the Tri Stars," owner of RallySport in Boulder, and generally awesome person. Erin has such an open, nurturing view of the world. She truly wants people to enjoy long, happy lives. As she says, "There are a lot of winners out there. If you can finish and say, 'I did the best I could,' then you win. That’s winning."

Meet Rip Esselstyn, a man of many talents. I first knew Rip as an incredibly talented pro triathlete who raced against my husband Tim in the mid 90s. After his triathlon career, he became a firefighter in Austin, TX. It was there that he founded the Engine 2 empire which started as a macho “who has the lowest cholesterol” contest between firefighters and has become a massive movement in the plant-powered arena. He’s one of those people who is truly changing the world and I can’t wait to share his outlook with you.

Be inspired by running legend and women's rights activist Kathrine Switzer as she talks running, strength, men (turn the volume up here!), and her global non-profit 261 Fearless.

Molly Barker is a thinker. A questioner. A self-described Gentle Provoker. Most notably, she’s the Founder of Girls on the Run. After retiring from that incredible organization, Molly didn’t just rest on her laurels. As you’ll soon learn, she has continued to start things. Listen to learn more and get seriously inspired!

Meet Kerry Gilmartin, the founder of Bamboobies – a company that was created to solve women’s nursing issues and has evolved into so much more. Kerry is a starter. A disrupter. A fearless leader. She’s not afraid to speak her mind – especially on matters that many people consider taboo.

Welcome to the first ever episode of Run This World a podcast that features visionaries who are creating change in the world. These are people who are called to share their messages and are doing something about it. People who will inspire you to create positive forward change in your own worlds.