Eat for Life - SoundSage

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Have you tried the carnivore diet after seeing headlines like "Carnivore Diet Best for Mental Health," only to experience adverse reactions such as anxiety, insomnia, or feeling constantly wired? Or perhaps you're currently on the carnivore diet and have seen significant benefits? Either way, this episode is for you. I'll offer clarity on the diet's potential effects on mental health, addressing both positive and negative experiences.

My goal is to offer a balanced perspective, free from influencer hype, on whether the carnivore diet may be suitable for your mental health. I'll examine this topic through four key areas:

Gut dysbiosis and the gut/brain connection
Imbalanced GABA and glutamate levels in the brain
The role methylation plays in the consumption of animal proteins
The impact of oxalate toxicity on the brain and body

Click here for the full transcript and links.

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Ashwagandha is a powerful herb. In this week’s episode, I share the hidden dangers of this adaptogenic herb and six common negative reactions to ashwagandha that I have observed in my clinic over the years, including some of the comments people have left from the almost 800 comments on this article on my website.

Click here for the full article and research links.

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ADHD paralysis is a phenomenon where individuals with ADHD find it hard to start or complete tasks. ADHD paralysis, or executive dysfunction, can manifest as procrastination, indecision, and inaction. It's not about laziness or lack of willpower. It's a neurobiological issue but if we go even deeper, we see that biochemical imbalances and infection are the root causes.

The 3 biochemical subtypes associated with ADHD paralysis include:

Copper toxicity
Undermethylation
Gut inflammation

Click here for the full episode transcript and links.

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Is glutamine supplementation safe? Are you concerned about possible side-effects? In today’s episode, I explain what glutamine is, its effect on the brain and body, and why it’s not a safe nutrient for everyone.

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Purchasing supplements on Amazon is quick and convenient, with the added benefit of same or next-day delivery. However, the downside of buying on Amazon is the wide variety of counterfeit products from dubious suppliers that can lead to devastating outcomes. Scarcity marketing and influencer hype create conditions that drive people to Amazon where counterfeit supplements thrive, often tainted with questionable ingredients and phony labels.

Click here to read the full transcript and links.

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Nighttime urination is a common problem across all age groups. It affects men, women, and children. If you find yourself waking up around 3 a.m. or if you have nightly bathroom trips that seem to occur like clockwork every 90 minutes, then this episode is for you. Today I am talking about two overlooked underlying causes of nighttime urination: gut inflammation and breathing problems (specifically sleep apnea).

In this episode you will learn:

Nighttime urination is common and can be caused by various health issues, but often overlooked causes include gut inflammation and breathing problems
Gut inflammation can be caused by an overgrowth of inflammatory microorganisms, affecting the microbiome and leading to health problems such as breathing issues
Sleep apnea can cause nighttime urination as it creates a vacuum in the chest cavity, leading to more urine production
H. pylori infection can cause a range of symptoms, including acid reflux, which can lead to obstructed breathing and consequently, nighttime urination
Treating root causes like H. pylori infection and addressing lifestyle factors, such as diet and sleep habits, can help alleviate nighttime urination

Click here for the full episode transcript and research links.

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Despite the widespread legalization and acceptance of marijuana, there are significant mental health risks associated with its use. Particularly concerning is the rise in marijuana use among young people, potentially harming the developing brain and increasing the risk of schizophrenia. Adults are not exempt, with links found between marijuana use and depression, social anxiety, and even long-lasting mental disorders, including schizophrenia.

In this episode, I discuss:

Marijuana use, especially among youth, is linked to significant mental health issues, including schizophrenia and depression
The marketing and normalization of marijuana often mislead people into thinking it is safe, which has led to increased use, especially among young people
The history of marijuana use has troubling roots in occult practices and is often a gateway to more potent drugs and harmful lifestyles
Individual responses to marijuana can be influenced by genetic factors, which can lead to adverse effects even in occasional users
Despite the arguments for legalization, the negative impacts of marijuana on mental health have only increased since its legalization

Click here for the full transcript and research links.

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Today I’m talking about how medications can create imbalances in the body that may be causing you a lot of anxiety and panic attacks. These are common medications many people take daily such as statins, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and birth control.

For this episode, I will be focusing on antidepressants and birth control, two common medications that are known to have anxiety as a side-effect.

In this episode, I discuss:

How birth control and antidepressants can alter the gut microbiome, causing issues like leaky gut, killing good bacteria, and causing yeast infections
Antidepressants lack sufficient safety studies and can increase the risk of chronic anxiety and functional impairment
A 2019 study revealed that serotonin reuptake inhibitors can have antimicrobial effects on the gut microbiome
Birth control disrupts the gut microbiome, depletes key nutrients, and can lead to anxiety and panic attacks
The suppression of natural hormones with synthetic ones in birth control often leads to anxiety and depression in women
A case study of my client Sara who, through a holistic approach to healing, was able to overcome severe PMDD, anxiety, and depression
Get a second opinion if you feel your concerns are not being heard, thoroughly research any new medications before taking them, and consider lifestyles changes to avoid them

Click here for the full transcript and research links.

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In the second episode of my anxiety series, I’m talking about the biochemical imbalances I treat in my clinic that have a tremendous impact on anxiety. Understanding your unique biochemistry, meaning the nutrient imbalances and overloads within your body, is a powerful pathway to healing.

In this episode, I discuss:

The impact of biochemical imbalances on anxiety
How your brain is a chemical factory that requires certain nutrients to function optimally
Methylation is a process that affects neurotransmitter activity and development, and imbalances can lead to anxiety
Undermethylation and overmethylation are two variables of unbalanced methylation (too few or too many methyl groups)
Copper toxicity affects mental health by lowering dopamine and increasing norepinephrine in the brain
Zinc deficiency is linked to low neurotransmitter function, which can cause chronic anxiety
Pyrrole disorder is a mood and stress disorder that results in deficiency of zinc and vitamin B6 that can cause high anxiety

Click here for the full transcript and episode links.

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Hello everyone, and happy new year! After taking some time off to move my offices, I am officially back.

I’m thrilled to support you with more great content this year. I’d love to hear from you if you have a specific topic you’d like me to focus on. You can email us at info@eatfor.life with your thoughts.

In my clinic, I treat several conditions, including but not limited to autoimmune diseases, OCD, ADHD, autism, and depression. However, the one that stands out as the biggest struggle for many people is anxiety. Therefore, for the next several episodes, I am going to delve deep into the underlying causes and drug-free treatment options to help you overcome this often debilitating condition.

In this episode, I discuss:

The bi-directional connection between the gut and brain, and how an underdeveloped connection can cause anxiety
The role stress hormones play in promoting the growth of pathogenic gut bacteria
The benefits of GABA supplementation during stressful conditions
The need to address the root lifestyle causes of dysbiosis in the gut microbiome rather than just treating the symptoms
The importance of diet in managing anxiety
How excessive exercise can increase anxiety

Click here for the full transcript and research links.

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The very mention of parasites can often send shivers down one's spine. However, the truth is that we all have them and they are an essential part of our internal ecosystem. It is only when our microbial terrain becomes unbalanced, due to a wide variety of factors, that they can become problematic.

Parasites are highly intelligent organisms with complex skill sets that are far more advanced than previously believed. Parasitic infections are not limited to underdeveloped countries with poor access to clean water and hygiene products. Even developed countries like the United States also have high rates of parasitic infections. However, because parasites can cause a wide variety of symptoms, many people do not realize that their symptoms may be linked to these infections.

In this episode, we discuss:

The definition of a parasite and the different types
The various ways in which a person may be infected by a parasite
Common symptoms associated with a parasite infection, including those related to mental health
The importance of liver health and drainage pathways in treating chronic parasite infections
The impact of hormones and neurotransmitters on parasite activity
The order in which to address parasite infections to achieve success without medication
The importance of a safe environment, non-toxic food, and mental health in parasite treatment
The inadequacy of medication in treating chronic parasite infections

Click here for the episode transcript and links.

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Water is essential to life as we know it. At a molecular level, our bodies are made up of approximately 99% water, containing more water molecules than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

On today's episode, we explore water's creativity and secret intelligence, including its role in health and spirituality. My guest is Veda Austin, an author, public speaker, artist and water researcher who has spent years studying water's creative properties and intelligence. Veda shares surprising facts about water that may change how we think about this vital resource. She discusses experiments demonstrating water's sensitivity and responsiveness to the energy and tension in its environment. As beings composed primarily of water, these discoveries have profound implications for our health and awareness.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Veda Austin became interested in water research after a horrific car accident
How she used natural, alkaline spring water to aid her healing (emphasis on natural, not bottled or alkaline water machines)
Veda's discovery of water's signature pattern and how it reflects its environment
How water responds to the energy and tension in its environment
The potential impact of technology, such as 5G cell towers, on water's structure and vitality
Water's significance in cultures and faiths around the world, including baptism and birth

Click here for important links, crystallographic photos, and to read the transcript.

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Did you know that 80% of light pollution occurs at night, and over 35% of people experience sleep issues? Understanding the role that darkness deficiency and melatonin play in health and wellness is critically important.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Catherine Darley, a naturopathic physician as well as the founder and director of the Institute of Naturopathic Sleep Medicine in Seattle, Washington, which is dedicated to patient care, public education about sleep health, and consultation with high-risk populations, such as first responders.

Dr. Darley is a leader in natural sleep medicine, combining her knowledge of sleep disorders with her training as a naturopathic physician to bridge these fields. Dr. Darley regularly writes articles and trains healthcare providers in the treatment of sleep disorders. She also co-authored the research study “Is Melatonin the “Next Vitamin D”? A Review of Emerging Science, Clinical Uses, Safety, and Dietary Supplements," published last year in the journal Nutrients.

Find out how to combat the ubiquitous darkness deficiency of the digital age, and restore balance to your hormones.

Click here for the transcript and important links.

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Trauma is an interesting teacher. How we respond to it can impact us in ways we never imagined. Looking back on my life and recalling the times I struggled the most with my health, an interesting pattern emerges: It was often rooted in fear of the unknown, feeling attacked, or feeling victimized.

We know that trauma can impact us physically and create disease states. I've seen this in my own family and in the people I serve. Yet too often we walk around in a fog without the ability to make these connections.

On today's show, I'm talking with Dr. Melissa Sell, a chiropractor and awareness coach who teaches from the German New Medicine healing paradigm. She helps people understand their symptoms, guides them in developing self-awareness and body trust, and teaches inner shifts for creating a deep sense of peace and well-being.

In this episode, Dr. Sell explains how the “five biological laws” of German New Medicine can help us understand the connection between certain conflicts and physical health. She shares a case study of a woman with psoriasis, as well as her own personal struggles with acne, and how understanding the root causes led to their resolution and healing in both cases.

In this episode, we discuss:

The importance of developing self-awareness and body trust.
How trauma impacts us physically and creates disease states.
The root causes of our symptoms and the connection between our emotions and physical health.
The psyche-brain-organ connection, and how the body activates a biological program specific to that situation.
Temporary inflammation as a sign of healing and repairing
How chronic conflicts activate a cycle of chronic inflammation.

Click here to read the full transcript and get links.

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If you're struggling to lose weight despite counting calories, eating a healthy diet, and regular exercise, please know that I understand your frustration. Before I understood the reasons why my body would not release the excess weight I was carrying, I fell victim to starvation diets and excessive exercise, in an effort to force my body into submission.

The result was a very depressed, anxious, suicidal, and extremely nutrient-deficient person with lots of digestive problems. But hey, I was a size two, so none of that mattered, right?

Well, in truth, the body can only keep this up for so long before crashing and burning, which leads to more weight gain in the long run, a cycle I would continue for many years. What I didn't know at the time was the role inflammation plays in the body's inability to let go of excess weight. I had no idea that biochemistry and stress were major roadblocks to my body's inability to maintain metabolic homeostasis.

So today, I'm speaking with Reid Davis, a board-certified holistic health practitioner and certified nutritional therapist. Reid is the founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and the FDN certification course with over 3,000 graduates in 50 countries

In this episode, we discuss:

What metabolic chaos is and how it relates to weight loss and inflammation.
Reed’s H.I.D.D.E.N. pattern he has recognized in his work.
Reed’s D.R.E.S.S. formula for lifestyle change and healing.
How chronic inflammation is linked to various health issues and the importance of testing for inflammation markers.
The role of the gut microbiome in inflammation and the importance of addressing dysbiosis for weight loss.
The importance of individualized approaches to health and the limitations of one-size-fits-all diets and protocols.

Click here to read the full transcript and get episode links.

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Did you know that your teeth are living organs, just like your heart, liver, and thyroid gland? According to Dr. Dawn Ewing, executive director of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine, your teeth can provide important clues about underlying infections and overall body health.

On Today's show, Dr. Ewing and I discuss how traditional dentistry often fails to connect the teeth to the rest of the body. When it comes to root canals and other procedures, this disconnect can cause serious problems. Dr. Ewing's journey into biological dentistry began after she witnessed firsthand the transformative effects of simple dental clean outs and extractions. She found that root canals, which create “taxidermied teeth,” can cause chronic low-grade infections and urges listeners to seek out practitioners who think outside their narrow area of expertise.

In this episode, we discuss:

The importance of a holistic approach to understanding teeth as living organs.
How traditional dentistry fails to connect the teeth to the entire body.
Dr. Ewing’s journey from dental hygiene to naturopathic medicine and biological dentistry.
The drawbacks of root canals, and why it's crucial to consider a patient's overall health before embarking on any dental procedures.
The significance of taking care of one's oral microbiome.
The role of meridians, and how certain teeth are connected to specific organs.

Click here to read the full transcript and links.

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In May of 2022 there was a shortage of commercial baby formula here in the United States. I’ve always been very concerned about the toxicity of baby formula with it’s questionable ingredients that contribute to lack of development and thriving in babies, so today I’m excited to discuss why these formulas are so problematic and what actually led to the shortage, with Weston A. Price Foundation president, Sally Fallon Morell.

We also talk about why breast milk is best and what mother’s can do if they aren’t able to produce their own milk, as well as the best way to wean your baby.

Sally Fallon Morell is founding president of The Weston A. Price Foundation, a non-profit nutrition education foundation dedicated to returning nutrient-dense food to American tables, and editor of the Foundation’s quarterly journal.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why baby formula powders are never sterile
Why breastfeeding and homemade formulas are best
The need for lactose to support neurological development
Hidden health concerns and issues with soy-based formulas and why iron should never be added
Industrial seed oils and how they inhibit hormone and enzyme production
The need for cholesterol to aid and support hormones and neurotransmitters

Click here read the full transcript along with links to formula kits, books, and research.

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Over the last several years, I've been shocked to learn how laws here in the United States have been manipulated to create false commodities designed to increase higher yields and higher profits for the global corporations of the world.

The Industrial Food Complex wants you to believe that we can live on genetically modified foods (GMOs), lab cultured meat and milk, and even insects to be healthy. The World Economic Forum also lists upcycled humans as a food source by 2030. And I promise I'm not making this up. It's actually on their website.

Here in the United States, there are about 20 different cows in one pound of USDA beef, but they aren't required to share that information with you. And of those 20 different cows, they aren't even from American beef, because the US imports 20 billion pounds of beef per year from other countries, mostly South America and Australia.

So today I'm talking with Texas Slim, a seventh generation Texan, who took a deep dive into global food intelligence several years ago after embedding himself into a harvest company to increase his knowledge of the erosion of soil fertility, and pure animal protein. Slim discovered while on harvest not only the decay of nutrition within our food system, but the direct impact it has had on our society.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Industrial Food Complex
How laws in the United States have been manipulated to create false commodities
The impact of seed oils on our health and wellness
Can we thrive and survive on lab-cultured meat, milk, and insects?
Do food deserts and food poverty exist in the United States?
The importance of the Heritage Woman and embracing old ways in today's world

Click here to read the full transcript and resource links.

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Copper IUDs have soared in popularity as a safe alternative to hormone-based birth control for women but is this really true?

From what I’ve seen over the last 14 years, the opposite is true, yet when a woman notices chronic symptoms such as yeast infections, anxiety and panic attacks, and even psychosis after insertion of this device, she is often gaslit and told to see a psychiatrist.

Please know it’s not all in your head. If you or a loved one are experiencing adverse reactions to the copper IUD, please share this episode. You may save a life.

The copper IUD is a Class II medical intrauterine device that’s inserted into the uterus for long-term birth control (up to 10 years). It’s a T-shaped plastic frame with copper wire coiled around the stem and two copper sleeves along the arms that continuously release copper into the lining of the uterus. This process produces an inflammatory reaction in the uterus that is toxic to sperm, which helps prevent fertilization. In this episode, we discuss:

The detrimental side-effects of the copper IUD
Why the copper IUD is not a safer or better form of birth control
The multi-district lawsuit against the manufacturer of the copper IUD
Why the copper IUD was recalled in 2014
What copper toxicity is and how it impacts a woman’s body

Click here to read the full transcript and resource links.

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Traditional heart disease protocols, with their emphasis on lowering cholesterol, have been a disaster from the start. Science has shown that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat, high-carb diets, and serious side-effect causing statin medications, obscure the real causes of heart disease. Even doctors at leading institutions have been misled for years, based on creative reporting of research results from pharmaceutical companies intent on supporting the billion-dollar-a-year cholesterol-lowering drug industry.

Now they have a new target market: children. Yes, you read that correctly, children. I have been seeing this egregious trend for quite some time now. Which is why this episode is so important, and I encourage sharing it far and wide.

Are statin medications worth the risk?
Why you need cholesterol
Should cholesterol be lowered?
How and why it is your responsibility to be your own wellness advocate
The seven fundamentals for improving your health

Click here to read the full transcript and study links.

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Welcome to part two of my conversation with Dr. Sina McCullough, researcher and author of Hands Off My Food, a book about how government and industry have corrupted our food and easy ways to fight back.

In part one, we talked about Sina's amazing healing journey and recovery from a severe autoimmune condition and how a gluten-free diet gave her arsenic poisoning. We also discussed the revolving door between Big Ag and our regulatory agencies, which are supposed to advocate for our safety.

Today, Sina and I talk more about manipulative food labeling and what you can do to protect yourself. Sina is the creator of the online program Go Wild: How to Reverse Chronic and Autoimmune Disease, which teaches people how to reverse chronic and autoimmune diseases in a step-by-step manner. She is also an expert in nutrition, disease reversal, functional medicine, exercise physiology, and energy medicine, as well as a certified natural healer, master herbalist, and gluten-free society practitioner.

Why chemical additives in our food is cause for concern
How GRAS labeling provides a false sense of security
Why sick children are more valuable in the health care system than a healthy child
Uncomplicating the marketing behind Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished Meat
Why the EU has banned chicken from America
The scary truth about plastic
Why hydroponic vegetables do not provide the same nutrients as soil-grown vegetables

Click here to read the full transcript.

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America has a food problem. The food supply is tainted, and it's making us sick and creating major health problems for our children. But even more heartbreaking is that we are losing our freedom due to this madness. I really hope today's two-part episode opens your eyes to the truth of what's happening.

Regulatory agencies are supposed to advocate for our safety. Sadly, the opposite is true. If we look around, we see a global push towards more and more lab-manufactured Franken foods, including insects that harbor harmful parasites and allergy-inducing compounds, while demonizing our farmers and ranchers. The convenience of fast food is not worth the price you pay to be miserable.

Today I'm talking with friend and Author, Dr. Sina McCullough, about the many ways our food supply is corrupted, and how we are being exposed to a wide variety of toxins without our knowledge and consent. We also talk about manipulative food labeling, the gluten-free corn

illusion, the truth about organic requirements and so much more.

In this episode, we discuss

The many ways our food supply is corrupted
How food sensitivities are often misconstrued as a die-off reaction
How we are being exposed to a wide variety of toxins without our knowledge and consent.
Manipulative food labeling
The gluten-free corn illusion
The truth about organic requirements and so much more

Click here to read the full transcript and links.

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It's easy to get sidelined in your healing process and think you're having a particular detox reaction, die-off, or herx response that is actually something else. Or perhaps there's an underlying trigger that you're not quite seeing that's holding you back.

So as we usher in 2023, I've brought my friend, Steven Wright of the Healthy Gut Company, back on the show to talk about die-off and detoxification, what it is and what it isn't, and how you can best support yourself through this process, especially if you are working with a practitioner.

For years, Steven Wright struggled with a wide variety of severe digestive problems, which led him to create the SCD Lifestyle, and now the Healthy Gut Company.

In this episode, we discuss:

What an actual die-off or herxheimer reaction is and how long it should last
How food sensitivities are often misconstrued as a die-off reaction
Why keeping a food mood journal is an important part of the healing process
How trauma, emotions, and your environment impact your gut microbiome
How supportive therapies such as digestive enzymes, HCL, and postbiotics can minimize symptoms
Expert tips on learning how to listen to your body's cues for more effective healing

Click here to read the full transcript along with a code for $15 off your Healthy Gut Company order and free shipping.

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As late as the 1950’s The Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Surgery had an editorial suggesting that all women should have a hysterectomy after their childbearing years. It seems the general consensus among doctors was that a woman's reproductive organs are good for only one thing: childbearing, and after a woman has had all the children she wants, these organs are expendable, which then led to a worldwide push to perform these surgeries at an alarming rate. The highest rates are in the United States, followed by Canada and Australia.

I realize today's show may be a trigger for some of you, but the topic of reproductive health is just too important not to discuss, so I brought back Dr. Elizabeth Plourde, a clinical laboratory scientist and North American Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner, to the show. In addition to being a practitioner and scientist who worked with hormone testing, and cutting edge cancer and DNA medical research laboratories, she spent over a decade researching women's hormones, learning how women's bodies function.

From that research and those findings, she wrote Your Guide to Hysterectomy, Ovary Removal and Hormone Replacement, which explains how our ovarian hormones are critically important to maintain healthy tissues and women's bodies.

20 years after her book was published, we now have studies published in 2021 and 2022 medical journals confirming her conclusions that our ovarian hormones are important throughout our lives and well past menopause. The studies confirm her findings that women who have had their ovaries removed and do not take hormone replacement die younger with heart disease than women who take hormones.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why women who have had their ovaries removed and do not take hormone replacement die younger with heart disease than women who take hormones
The important role ovarian hormones play in keeping our tissues healthy and eliminating debilitating osteoporosis
Why looking at root causes of excessive bleeding, fibroids, and cancer are the keys to healing
Questions to ask your doctor if you are considering a hysterectomy

Click here to read the full transcript along with links to Elizabeth’s website, books, and research.

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On December 29, 1987 Prozac was approved by the FDA. I was 12 years old at the time and one of the first children to be put on this medication. Despite an initial feeling of relief, the results were short lived and came with nasty side effects that led me to discontinue it.

I would suffer for another 20 years before finally figuring out the root causes of my severe depression and often suicidal ideation. A combination of two little known conditions: copper toxicity and undermethylation, both of which have a profound affect on thinking, feeling, and behavior. I was able to treat these conditions with nutrient and dietary therapy, which saved my life.

To learn more about both of these conditions and the other chemistries I work with in my clinic, please listen to Episode 2 How Nutrient Deficiencies and Overloads Impact the Brain and Body. I also have many free articles here on my website that provide a deep-dive into how they impact us in so many ways.

This is a very important and personal episode for me because depression and mental illness continue to rise despite all the drugs available today to treat them. Drugs that don't and never did have the necessary safety studies to ascertain their validity.

In fact, a historical review of the scientific literature reveals how antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs, over the long term, increase the risk that a person will become chronically depressed and functionally impaired, which correlates with what we are seeing worldwide.

Today I'm talking with founder and president of the Mad In America Foundation, Robert (Bob) Whitaker, to discuss the history and effects of psychotropic drugs.

In this episode, we discuss:

The history of psychiatric drugs
The skyrocketing number of people disabled by mental illness
How industry-funded randomized clinical trials are always biased in favor of the drug
Who benefits from the distribution and use of psychiatric drugs
How psychotropic drugs (including SSRIs, stimulants such as Ritalin, and benzodiazepines) affect the brain

Click here to read the full transcript along with links to Bob's website, books, and research.

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We spend at least ninety percent of our time indoors. So the effects of volatile organic compounds, know as VOCs, on indoor air quality and the resultant effect on your health, vitality, cognition, productivity, and longevity are profound.

Hence, understanding how this process works, what to look for, and how you can protect yourself is priceless.

After having watched several of my clients suffer from the consequences of poor indoor air quality has made me appreciate the importance of good air quality even more. In fact, according to the American Lung Association, poor indoor air quality can lead to the development of lung cancer, infections, and even chronic lung diseases such as asthma.

Today I’m joined again by Jason Earle to talk about VOCs, air purifiers, how you can test that your indoor air problem has cleared, and so much more.

In this episode, we discuss:

What VOCs are, which ones are harmful, and where you can find them
The effects of VOCs on indoor air quality and the effects on your health
How you can protect yourself against VOCs
The importance of indoor microbial diversity for good health
How to tell if mold remediation has been successful

Click here to read the full transcript.

Get 10% off your Got Mold test kit using coupon code EATFORLIFE10

Get $15 off your first Medify Air purifier using coupon code EATFORLIFE15

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Do you worry about mold and mycotoxin exposure? Well, it’s no wonder. The statistics are quite sobering. In fact, almost half of houses in the United States have significant levels of mold, and close to 90 percent of commercial and office buildings have water damage that may lead to mold. What’s more, up to 21 percent of asthma cases may be attributed to toxic mold. With all the risks, it's inevitable that mold and mycotoxin myths abound.

In this episode, I talk about the top mold and mycotoxin myths with Jason Earle, a nationally recognized expert in mold, mold remediation, building science, and healthy homes. We tend to think of mold as the enemy, but it’s more nuanced than that. Mold when it’s outdoors is beneficial as it turns plant matter into dirt. It’s nature’s great recycler. However, when mold is indoors, it wreaks havoc on our buildings and our health.

In this episode, we discuss:

How mold spores can be particularly harmful to those who are highly sensitive to them.
Why common mold tests on the market are not reliable.
How you can use your five senses to detect mold.
The questions you should ask mold remediation companies when you're looking for a reputable mold remediation company.
The ultimate goal of mold remediation.
The #1 source of mycotoxin exposure; the answer may surprise you!

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If I were to pick the top two master nutrients for optimum health, they would be iodine and zinc.

I've talked extensively about the importance of zinc, particularly in mental health, for several years. In this episode, I talk about iodine with Dr. David Brownstein, a world leader in holistic medicine.

We tend to associate iodine with thyroid health, but it’s so much more than that. Dr. Brownstein explains how this powerful nutrient plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and other bodily functions and how iodine deficiency correlates with infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. He also explains how people are getting the double whammy of iodine deficiency and also fluoride and bromide toxicity, which inhibit iodine from doing its function in the body.

Tune in to learn about the benefits of iodine supplementation and how to make it count.

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If we’re to pick the top two master nutrients for optimal health, they would be iodine and zinc. We have talked extensively about the importance of zinc, particularly in mental health. In this episode, we talk about iodine with Dr. David Brownstein, a world leader in holistic medicine. We tend to associate with thyroid health, but it’s so much more than that. Dr. Brownstein explains how the nutrient plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and other bodily functions and how iodine deficiency correlates with infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. He also explains how people are getting the double whammy of iodine deficiency and also fluoride and bromide toxicity, which inhibit iodine from doing its function in the body. Tune in to learn not only the benefits of iodine supplementation but also what specific type of iodine you should be taking and how to make it count.

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We get drowned sometimes, and our mental wellbeing is at stake while everything is bubbling up inside us. But how do we get through our mental torture? In this episode, Josh Trent, the founder of Wellness Force Media, discusses how we need a cathartic release through the biological tool within us – breathwork. Breathwork is the tool that allows us into the path of healing. Josh also talks about feeling our feeling and explains that apathy in life is the most destructive in life, but it’s perfect; however, it is painful, but it allows us to feel our feelings like sacred anger, and after anger comes inspired action, then acceptance, and finally walk the ladder up to these other emotions that are more empowering. From the kaleidoscope lens, Josh discusses how calming your mind releases the tyrants in your mind and heart through breathing. Tune in to this inspiring episode and release yourself from the stresses in your life.

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We have been told many times over that exposing your skin to the sun is a big no-no, and sunscreens are the way to go. But in reality, there are tons of sunscreen dangers that we may be ignoring, slowly and painfully killing our bodies – and the entire environment. Samantha Gilbert talks with Dr. Elizabeth Plourde to discuss the life-threatening effects of sunscreen chemicals. She dives deep into its devastating impact on marine life, its contribution to the upwards trend of melanoma cases, and how it causes hormonal imbalances that mess up children’s sexual moderation. Dr. Elizabeth also explains why every single person must become an active and knowledgeable health advocate, especially when sunscreen manufacturers try to pass their products as completely safe.

Learn more about Dr. Elizabeth Plourde, C.L.S., NCMP, Ph.D.

Website: http://bestemfproducts.com

Elizabeth’s sunscreen books: https://www.sunscreensbiohazard.com/

Elizabeth’s books:

EMF Freedom: Solutions for the 21st Century Pollution - 3rd Edition 2018

Sunscreens – Biohazard 2: Proof of Toxicity Keeps Piling Up 2018

Sunscreens - Biohazard: Treat As Hazardous Waste 2012

Hysterectomy: The Best or Worst Thing that Ever Happened to Me? 2003

Your Guide to Hysterectomy, Ovary Removal & Hormone Replacement 2002

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Pregnancy is one of the most magical moments in a woman's life. It feels powerful to know that you are creating another human inside of you. It is a very exciting and enjoyable time that may also bring fears and uncertainties to both mother and baby.

A woman's body is forever altered by pregnancy. Without proper nutrients, it can be weakened by the physical and psychological changes in pregnancy and childbirth, making her more at risk in future pregnancies. This is why access to prenatal care is vital to every pregnant woman.

Equally important is postpartum care, which helps mothers adjust to the changes their bodies go through. Postpartum care also includes making sure that the social and emotional changes caused by giving birth are addressed.

Today, cesarean (C-section) intervention is 500% higher than in the 1970s. Not surprisingly, we’ve also seen higher maternal mortality rates. One in three babies are born via C-section, compared to 1 in 20 in the mid-1970s.

Though a very common procedure, C-section is still major surgery with a wide range of complications including organ injury, hemorrhage, and a three-fold higher rate of infection. Despite the risks, hospitals often push for C-section birth because it costs less money to perform a C-section and they are paid more in insurance reimbursements.

In today’s episode, Dr. Lindsay Mumma and I talk about preparing for pregnancy, birthing, postpartum care, and our grave concerns about COVID injections for children and pregnant women.

Lindsay Mumma, DC, is the owner of Triangle Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh, NC, a multidisciplinary practice she opened in 2012 after graduating with a Clinical Excellence Award. She began her career with a focus on sports rehab, but when she wanted to get pregnant, she realized the approach of prehabilitation and rehabilitation techniques was irrelevant to (and missing from) most perinatal care.

Please note: for the next several weeks I will be taking some time off for self-care and to create more amazing content for you. Thank you for your patience and for being a loyal listener.

Additionally, most of the data/research links shared in the show notes have been scrubbed by iTunes. Click on the episode website for all links.

Take a seat and listen to this very important conversation, especially if you are a mom or are about to embark on a new parenting journey.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Lindsay’s turning point to specialize in prenatal and postpartum care
Why natural birth is better than surgical birth
The challenges of surgical birth
Why taking medications during pregnancy can be problematic
The concerns about scheduling birth as a trend
Ways to prepare for a natural birth
How COVID-19 injections affect mother and child

Learn more about Lindsay Mumma, DC:

TriangleCRC.com
Lindsay’s Substack
Skewed Data from the Preliminary Findings on mRNA V-Safety in Pregnancy?

Resources:

Dynamic External Pelvimetry Test in Third Trimester Pregnant Women: Shifting Positions Affect Pelvic Biomechanics and Create More Room in Obstetric Diameters
The safety of pediatric use of paracetamol (acetaminophen): a narrative review of direct and indirect evidence
Acetaminophen and pregnancy: short- and long-term consequences for mother and child
The surprising factor behind a spike in C-sections
CDC Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule (be sure to scroll down to the contraindications column)
CDC Official Used Flawed Data to Justify COVID Shots for Infants and Children
VAERS COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports
Indiana life insurance CEO says deaths are up 40% among people ages 18-64
U.S. Public Health Agencies Aren't ‘Following the Science,’ Officials Say
ICAN Obtains Crucial Pfizer Vaccine Lot, Dose, and Distribution Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturers Fail to Properly Investigate Adverse Events Reports
FDA Asks the Court to Delay First 55,000 Page Production Until May and Pfizer Moves to Intervene in the Lawsuit
COVID-19 and the Surge in Decidual Cast Shedding
Inventing Diagnoses to Cover Up Vaccine Injury
Movie: Uniformed Consent

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Are amalgam fillings really safe? Do antibacterial mouthwash and fluoride-based toothpaste live up to their claims? What about Waterpiks and flossing up into the gumline?

Is it possible that these conventional approaches to oral health create more problems?

The relationship between your gut and oral microbiome is profound, so it stands to reason that it’s important to investigate the role poor diet, gut infections, and nutrient deficiencies play in gum disease and overall health.

So today, I’m talking with Dr. Al Danenberg about what conventional dentistry doesn’t consider when it comes to treating and preventing gum disease and how we can best care for our oral health.

Dr. Al Danenberg goes by “Dr. Al”. He is a periodontist and was in private practice for 44 years. He incorporated ancestral nutrition & lifestyle with his leading-edge laser protocol to treat periodontal disease.

Currently, Dr. Al consults with patients all over the world regarding animal-based nutrition, lifestyle, oral & overall health, and the importance of a healthy gut and immune system.

Content warning: Brief, non-graphic mention of verbal and sexual abuse.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How conventional dentistry treats symptoms of oral health issues but doesn’t address root causes
The three main functions of healthy dental plaque
The relationship between gum disease, gut dysbiosis, and chronic inflammation
How to gently and effectively care for your teeth, gums, and tongue

Learn more about Al Danenberg, DDS:

DrDanenberg.com
Instagram: @dr.danenberg
Facebook: @draldanenberg

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Revitin Toothpaste
Stress & the gut-brain axis: Regulation by the microbiome - ScienceDirect
Cancer mortality among Brazilian dentists - Koifman - 2014 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine - Wiley Online Library
Life Below the Gum Line: Pathogenic Mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis | Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews
Immediate Effects of Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) on Human Periodontitis Microbiota
Stress gets into the belly: Early life stress and the gut microbiome - ScienceDirect

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According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, an estimated 27 million Americans have thyroid disease, and more than half of those individuals are undiagnosed and unaware that they have a thyroid condition.

However, it’s important to understand that if more comprehensive thyroid testing was used by doctors and functional reference ranges were used to interpret that testing instead of the overly lax lab reference ranges, a much larger number of people would be classified as having some type of thyroid dysfunction.

Most doctors rely almost exclusively on the thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH test to detect thyroid dysfunction, yet TSH is not even technically a marker of thyroid function, it’s actually a marker of pituitary function. Even worse, the medical community can’t even agree on what the normal reference range is for the TSH test.

My other issue with conventional medicine is its refusal to actually look at underlying causes of thyroid dysfunction including but not limited to gut inflammation, chronic stress, adrenal issues, nutrient deficiencies, toxins in our food, air, and water, and chronic infections such as periodontal disease and h. Pylori.

The thyroid’s primary function is to control the body’s metabolism – the rate at which cells perform duties essential to living. It manages how we turn our food into energy by facilitating the processes of energy production in the mitochondria. I want you to think of your thyroid as your body’s “engine,” which sets the pace at which the body operates. Too little thyroid hormone can cause the body’s systems to slow down, and too much thyroid hormone can cause the body’s systems to speed up.

In today’s episode, I’ve brought back my friend and pharmacist Jim Paoletti to talk about this amazing gland that does so much for us. In fact, there’s not a single cell in the body that doesn’t depend on thyroid hormone in some way.

Jim Paoletti, B.S. Pharmacy, FAARFM, FIACP is an independent clinical consultant on hormones, nutrition, and wellness. Jim has 40 years of experience with bio-identical hormone therapies in clinical practice, both in retail pharmacy and as a consultant and educator. Jim served previously as Director of Provider Education for ZRT Laboratory, Beaverton, Oregon, and as consultant and Education Director for Professional Compounding Centers of America of Houston, TX.

He is a graduate and former faculty member of the Fellowship of Anti-Aging and Functional Medicine. Jim has lectured extensively and internationally on all aspects of compounding and BHRT to medical practitioners and consumers, and has several articles published on BHRT and compounding pharmacy issues. Jim has published the book A Practitioner's Guide to Physiologic Bioidentical Hormone Balance.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why your doctor may be relying on testing that provides an incomplete picture of thyroid function
How laboratory reference ranges don’t reflect optimal functional ranges that end up leaving patients frustrated and without resolution
Why assessing adrenal function is key to evaluating and treating thyroid issues
Why synthetic vs natural thyroid hormone replacement is misleading

Learn more about Jim Paoletti, BS Pharmacy, FAARFM, FIACP:

A Practitioner's Guide to Physiologic Bioidentical Hormone Balance

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Overcoming Thyroid Disorders 3rd Edition
Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? when My Lab Tests Are Normal: a Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Hashimoto's Disease and Hypothyroidism, Dr. Datis Kharrazian
Thyroid Calculator

Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? when My Lab Tests Are Normal: a Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Hashimoto's Disease and Hypothyroidism

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Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.

In 2014, it was estimated that 14 million people in the US alone were impacted by this disorder. And women are seven times more likely than men to have Hashimoto’s.

When left untreated can create a cascade of debilitating symptoms, which is why today's conversation with pharmacist Donna Mazola is so important.

We talk about the four pillars to reversing autoimmune disease and being empowered to take control of your own health.

Donna Mazzola, is a Pharmacist who has always had a fascination with natural healing and preventative care. After obtaining a Doctorate in Pharmacy, Donna realized that medicine has a place in healing, but it's the balance between nutrition and medicine that impacts disease. This fascination became an obsession after a personal diagnosis with Hashimotos in 2015. Her disease pushed her to embark on a journey to seek answers and identify the root cause related to the rise in autoimmune and other inflammatory chronic conditions. On this journey she obtained a Master’s degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition and gave birth to Dr.AutoimmuneGirl, her persona and passion to empower people with the knowledge to take control of their health. Donna is on a mission to educate the world on the healing powers of food and give meaning to the concept of food as medicine.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why healing your gut is the first step in managing autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s
The micronutrients your body needs to effectively generate thyroid hormones and why many of us are deficient in them
Why you need a “control what you can control” approach to environmental toxins
How stress impacts inflammation and proven ways to mitigate it

Learn more about Dr. Donna Mazzola:

Dr. Autoimmune Girl
The Immunity Food Fix
Instagram: @DrAutoimmuneGirl

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

The Role of Stress in the Clinical Expression of Thyroid Autoimmunity
The relationship between oxidative stress and autoimmunity in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
A concise review of Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and the importance of iodine, selenium, vitamin D and gluten on the autoimmunity and dietary management of HT patients.
The Effect of Gluten-Free Diet on Thyroid Autoimmunity in Drug-Naïve Women with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: A Pilot Study

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Many people are confused about how to balance hormones and are overwhelmed by all the misinformation about bioidentical hormone therapy for both men and women.

It’s easy to be confused because the symptoms of an excess hormone can also mimic symptoms of deficiency. Plus many people are unaware of the role diet and your gut microbiome play in regulating hormones and how nutrient deficiencies and overloads can upset this delicate balance.

But understanding these relationships doesn’t have to be so complicated. That’s why I’m honored to have pharmacist and bioidentical hormone expert Jim Paoletti on the show.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why symptoms alone aren’t enough to assess hormone imbalances and treatment
Why gut and microbiome health are the first step to hormone health
What we get wrong about men’s hormonal balances
How long-term use of synthetic estrogen impacts the body and why it’s not always a simple switch to bioidenticals
What types of testing your provider should be using to accurately assess hormone levels

Learn more about Jim Paoletti, BS Pharmacy, FAARFM, FIACP:

A Practitioner's Guide to Physiologic Bioidentical Hormone Balance

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Women's health initiative is fundamentally flawed - ScienceDirect
Human Saliva as a Diagnostic Specimen
Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease: the value of transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women.

And all too often, women are told that hormonal birth control is the best treatment option.

Today, I invited Dr. Felice Gersh back to the show to discuss PCOS and why the pill is not the answer, the different types of PCOS, and the role diet and the gut microbiome play in treating this disorder.

Dr. Felice Gersh is board certified in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She taught as an assistant clinical professor at the Keck USC School of Medicine for 12 years and is the founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, California.

A globally recognized expert on women’s health, Dr. Gersh regularly speaks at conferences around the world and is also the best-selling author of PCOS SOS and her most recent book, Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know about what to expect during the three phases of menopause.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How estrogen plays a role throughout the body and how that impacts the varied symptoms of PCOS
How hormonal birth control masks symptoms but can actually make systemic issues worse
The connection between PCOS, gut dysbiosis, and autoimmune disorders
How PCOS impacts fertility, pregnancy, and infants

Learn more about Dr. Felice Gersh:

Integrative Medical Group of Irvine
Instagram: @Dr.FeliceGersh
Facebook: @IntegrativeMGI

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Thyroid disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome: An emerging relationship

The Androgen Excess and PCOS Society criteria for the polycystic ovary syndrome: the complete task force report

Endocrine disruptors and thyroid autoimmunity

The endocrine disrupters: a major medical challenge

Environmental Exposures and Autoimmune Diseases: Contribution of Gut Microbiome

Insulin Resistance and the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Dietary Composition in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review to Inform Evidence-Based Guidelines

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

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Have you ever watched a vegan documentary and been so sickened and repulsed that you decided then and there to go vegan?

I know I have. And I was vegan for many years until my health fell apart.

While it’s evident that factory farming isn’t the answer, the politically-charged vegan agenda isn’t either.

As I shared in Episode 50, I’m deeply committed to asking big questions about food sustainability and its impact on our health.

So today, I’m sharing an in-depth conversation with James Connolly, the producer of the documentary Sacred Cow.

James Connolly is an artist, chef, non-profit founder, and documentary film producer with Archer Gray Productions. He co-founded The Bubble Foundation, a non-profit focused on issues of wellness and food insecurity in inner-city public schools.

James’ most recent film is Sacred Cow: The Nutritional, Environmental and Ethical Case for Better Meat, directed by Diana Rodgers.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The development of industrialized agriculture in response to the real need to feed more people, and the consequences to nutrition and climate that we live with today
Why we have to talk about race in the history of farming and agricultural policy in America
What the animal welfare movement gets right about industrial agriculture and why highly-processed plant-based foods aren’t the answer
How the rebranding of vegan to plant-based by massive corporate interests impacts our food system and nutrition

Learn more about James Connolly:

Archer Gray
Instagram: @primatekitchen
Sacred Cow

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Ishmael, Daniel Quinn
The Century of the Self
James Baldwin

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In celebration of Eat for Life’s 50th episode, I’m exploring food.

What role does your relationship with food play in your life? Do you see it as good, bad, or neutral? Do you eat to live or live to eat?

Is food merely a means to an end or could it have a deeper significance than what the mainstream narrative tells us?

And what really is food, anyway?

How have we gotten so far away from the most basic definition of what food is, to an industrialized food supply that is making us sicker?

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How industrialization has impacted our food supply and led to nutrient-deficient foods
The evolution of beauty ideals and their impact on how and why we eat today
The long history of the diet industry
Why we need to learn to listen to our bodies for how food makes us feel

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

The opioid effects of gluten exorphins: asymptomatic celiac disease - PMC
The diet–heart hypothesis: a critique - ScienceDirect
Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999
Enhancement of dwarf wheat germplasm with high-yield potential derived from induced mutagenesis | Plant Genetic Resources | Cambridge Core
2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP): A Weight Loss Agent with Significant Acute Toxicity and Risk of Death - PMC
Dietotherapy, Vol. 3: Nutrition and Diet in Disease
How Industrial Seed Oils Are Making Us Sick - Chris Kresser
How Vegetable Oils Replaced Animal Fats in the American Diet - The Atlantic
Research | The Detox Project
The Art of Living Long
The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy
Eat for Life Ep 37: The Truth About Gluten-Free Diets Part 1: Grainflammation with Dr. Peter Osborne
Eat for Life Ep 31: Why Anti-Diet Culture is Harmful with Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, FNLP

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If you’re struggling with constant brain fog and fatigue despite lifestyle and dietary changes, biotoxin illness due to mold exposure may be to blame.

Mycotoxins are dangerous byproducts of some molds and can be stored in your body’s fatty tissues. It’s something I commonly see in women with breast implants and autoimmune disease.

Today, Dr. Lauren Tessier joins me for a very important conversation about biotoxin illness resulting from mold exposure.

Dr. Lauren Tessier, is a naturopathic physician in Waterbury, Vermont. Her practice, Life After Mold, services those suffering from multi-symptom, multi-system illness, complicated by comorbid conditions such as multiple chemical sensitivities, mast cell activation syndrome, and chronic infections- including Lyme and co-infections.

Dr. Tessier serves clients from all over the world, via in-office medical care or through educational wellness consults; she also provides one on one private training for practitioners looking to improve upon their mold-literate clinical skills.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The four main types of illnesses that can come from mold exposure
Why mold-related illnesses can be so hard to differentiate from other diseases such as Lyme
How mycotoxins impact your brain, nervous system, immune system and more
What you need to know about talking to your doctor about mycotoxin-related illness

Learn more about Dr. Lauren Tessier:

Life After Mold
Instagram: @LifeAfterMold
Facebook: @LifeAfterMold
Twitter: @LifeAfterMold
Pinterest: @LifeAfterMold
YouTube

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness

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If you’re a parent with an extreme picky eater, meals can be an incredibly frustrating experience.

Which is why today, I’m talking with Jenny Friedman about picky eating, food aversions, and how parents can better understand and navigate supporting their picky eaters and take some of the stress out of mealtimes.

Jenny Friedman, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian who specializes in pediatric extreme picky eating. Known for her playful and approachable style. Jenny is a leading resource for parents and professionals working with children who struggle to eat. She is the author of Stories of Extreme Picky Eating and shares her insight on her website and blog.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How the “clean plate club” mentality or bargaining around foods can backfire
Ways to help your picky eater feel comfortable and confident in trying new foods
Why your child needs consistent meal and snack times
How playing with food can help kids engage with uncomfortable textures or sensations on their own terms
How to model healthy eating for older kids

Learn more about Jennifer Friedman, MS, RD:

Jenny Friedman Nutrition
Instagram: @FeedingPickyEaters
Stories of Extreme Picky Eating: Children with Severe Food Aversions and the Solutions That Helped Them

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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Our world is filled with dis- mis- and mal- information.

I am amazed at how many articles and papers have diametrically opposed views about copper and zinc. So no wonder people are confused about the role these important nutrients play in human health.

To be clear copper isn't bad and zinc isn't bad. Ideally, we want them in healthy, functional ranges. But myriad factors, including genetic susceptibility and environmental insults, are common among people that have an inability to regulate metals appropriately, especially copper.

When copper is elevated, it becomes a pro-inflammatory agent and can cause a wide variety of issues, including dysregulation of estrogen receptors, leading to PMS and PMDD, high anxiety, depression, ADHD, and even fibromyalgia to name a few.

Today I’m joined again by Dr. Judith Bowman to discuss the role copper and zinc play in regulating mood, hormone, and immune system function.

Judith Bowman, MD co-founded Mensah Medical in 2008 with her colleague, Albert Mensah, MD. Dr. Bowman combines traditional medicine with the biochemical approach to treat the symptoms of behavioral and cognitive disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression (including postpartum depression), anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other biochemical imbalances.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why zinc is critical for enzyme production, cell reproduction, and methylation
How zinc supports your body’s ability to regulate minerals and metals in your cells
Why a healthy balance of zinc and copper is essential for mood regulation
The testing that can accurately reflect your zinc and copper levels, and the tests that are often misinterpreted
Copper’s links to reproductive cancers and tumor growth

Learn more about Dr. Judith Bowman:

Mensah Medical

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Eat for Life Ep 10: How Copper Toxicity Impacts Women with Dr. Judith Bowman
Eat for Life Ep 23: Stress Intolerance and Pyrrole Disorder with Dr. Judith Bowman
Zinc Deficiency: A Public Health Problem? | JAMA Pediatrics
Reduced Violent Behavior Following Biochemical Therapy
Elevated Serum Copper Levels in Women with a History of Postpartum Depression
Copper Excess, Zinc Deficiency, and Cognition Loss in Alzheimer's Disease
Zinc Deficiency and Zinc Therapy Efficacy with Reduction of Serum Free Copper in Alzheimer’s Disease
Zinc: The Trace Element of Major Importance in Human Nutrition and Health
Antioxidant Status in Women Who Have Had a Miscarriage
Modulating the Immune Response by Oral Zinc Supplementation: A Single Approach for Multiple Diseases
Can Zinc Be a Critical Element in COVID-19 Treatment?
The Function of Zinc Metallothionein: A Link between Cellular Zinc and Redox State
The Metallothionein/Thionein System: An Oxidoreductive Metabolic Zinc Link
Metallothioneins and Zinc in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
Zinc in Cancer Prevention
Estrogen-Like Activity of Metals in Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells
Prasad, AS. (1993). Biochemistry of Zinc. Plenum Press: New York
Walsh, J. (2012). Nutrient Power. Skyhorse Publishing: New York

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Kidney stones are a commonly known side effect of oxalate toxicity, but many people are unaware of the other serious symptoms oxalates can create.

Over-consumption of oxalates can lead to joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, genital and rectal pain, and other health issues.

Oxalate toxicity was uncovered over 100 years ago, yet few doctors are aware of the impact oxalates can have on human health, which is why I’m talking with Sally K. Norton, author of Toxic Superfoods, How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick and How to Get Better.

Sally K. Norton holds a nutrition degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in Public Health. She uses a research-based approach to teaching about a simple way to reverse even serious health complaints with diet, by avoiding large quantities of natural toxic chemicals and crystals called oxalates. Oxalates are found in many of the foods we think are good for us. Much of her work involves re-educating people who have suffered from illnesses as a result from eating foods that are packed with oxalates.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What oxalates are and how they create deposits in your body over time
How oxalates impact the body across multiple organ systems and are even neurotoxic
How oxalates both exacerbate and cause gut issues
The “superfoods” that could actually be making you sick
Why you may have periods of being symptomatic long after limiting oxalates in your diet

Learn more about Sally K. Norton, MPH:

SallyKNorton.com
Instagram: @toxicsuperfoods
Preorder: Toxic Superfoods, How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick and How to Get Better

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Vulvar Pain Foundation
Peanut-induced acute oxalate nephropathy with acute kidney injury
Effect of cinnamon and turmeric on urinary oxalate excretion, plasma lipids, and plasma glucose in healthy subjects
Transient Hyperoxaluria after Ingestion of Chocolate as a High Risk Factor for Calcium Oxalate Calculi
Hyperoxaluria leads to dysbiosis and drives selective enrichment of oxalate metabolizing bacterial species in recurrent kidney stone endures
Oxalate, inflammasome, and progression of kidney disease

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There is so much misinformation out there about hormones and women’s health, especially estrogen.

So I’m excited to share my in-depth conversation with Dr. Felice Gersh about women’s hormones and the different phases of perimenopause and menopause.

We discuss the flawed study that generated so much fear and misinformation about estrogen and cancer, the difference between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, the role diet and your gut microbiome play in balancing hormones, and so much more.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why the hormone combination used in the Women’s Health Initiative study caused so many problems
How estrogen can actually protect you from reproductive cancers and why this changes with age
How chronic pro-inflammatory states and hormonal imbalances contribute to the negative effects of aging
Why we are seeing more cancers in young, premenopausal women
How endocrine disruptors in food and the environment contribute to rising rates of autoimmune disorders, cancers, and menstrual disorders like PCOS

Learn more about Dr. Felice Gersh:

Integrative Medical Group of Irvine
Instagram: @Dr.FeliceGersh
Facebook: @IntegrativeMGI

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Women's Health Initiative is Fundamentally Flawed. Gender Medicine, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2005 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1550-8579(05)80003-8
A Critique of the Women’s Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Study. Fertility and Sterility, Volume 84, Issue 6, 2005 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.08.010
In Defense of Estrogen, Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. Vol. 22, No. 3, 2007 https://isom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/JOM_2007_22_3_07_In_Defence_of_Estrogen.pdf
Environmental Causes of Cancer: Endocrine Disruptors as Carcinogens. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 363–370 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2010.87
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. 16, 365–371 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-016-9326-7
Menopause and hormone replacement therapy in the 21st century. Heart 2020;106:479-481.
Postmenopausal hormone therapy for cardiovascular health: the evolving data. Heart Epub ahead of print: 2020. doi:10.1136

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Carl Sagan once said that “Extraordinary Claims require Extraordinary Evidence”. That’s probably true even for ordinary claims, such as not eating food will lead to weight loss. It may be that by tracking my food intake, keeping my daily caloric consumption down around to about 1,500 a day and limiting when I eat through intermittent fasting are contributing to my burning 60 weight loss. Or, it could be a magical tapeworm that has infested my trunk. Whatever the reason, intermittent fasting is not some spiritual malarkey that will lead to great things…although it might help you to lose a few pounds or 60. Check with your doctor before you start following such a plan. In a universe where mammals are not much more than ugly meat bags of mostly water, what we use to fuel our furnace comes not only from consumed molecules but from our own bodies through fasting. Because, when there’s nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire.

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Today I’ve brought back Steven Wright of the Healthy Gut Company to talk about the tremendous impact short-chain fatty acids have on the gut microbiome.

Short-chain fatty acids are produced when the good bacteria in your gut break down certain dietary fibers, which is why dietary and supplemental fiber sources are so important for optimal health.

Both clinical application and peer-reviewed research have shown that short-chain fatty acids enhance intestinal barrier function, regulate the immune system, and reduce oxidative stress. They can also help with insomnia, food sensitivities, histamine intolerance, and autoimmune diseases.

We discuss good sources of the right kinds of dietary and supplemental fibers, as well as how and when to supplement short-chain fatty acids like butyric acid.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How short-chain fatty acids are produced in the gut and why they’re so important for maintaining the health of your microbiome
How butyrate interacts with the immune system to protect against leaky gut and autoimmune issues
What to eat to support your body’s ability to produce short-chain fatty acids
What to look for in a butyrate supplement

Get $15 off plus free shipping with coupon code: eatforlife15 at Healthy Gut Company

Learn more about Steven Wright:

Healthy Gut Company

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Sanna, S., van Zuydam, N.R., Mahajan, A. et al. Causal relationships among the gut microbiome, short-chain fatty acids and metabolic diseases. Nat Genet 51, 600–605 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-019-0350-x
Abdul Rahim, M.B.H., Chilloux, J., Martinez-Gili, L. et al. Diet-induced metabolic changes of the human gut microbiome: the importance of short-chain fatty acids, methylamines, and indoles. Acta Diabetol 56, 493–500 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-019-01312-x
Weronika Ratajczak et al. Immunomodulatory potential of gut microbiome-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Acta Biochimica Polonica, Vol. 66 No. 1 (2019). https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2018_2648
Magzal, F., Even, C., Haimov, I. et al. Associations between fecal short-chain fatty acids and sleep continuity in older adults with insomnia symptoms. Sci Rep 11, 4052 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83389-5

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We are always burning, it’s what we do…and we have to do more than just accept that, we have to embrace it, we have to lean into it hard. Because one day, all that that burning we do will come to an end and the metabolic processes we hold so dear will cease to function. When that happens, and I promise you it will: we will be transformed from being mammals living with the illusion of free will into ugly meat bags of mostly water. But not today. Not while we burn. Not while we lean into life.

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“The human capacity to ignore inconvenient facts and avoid unpleasantness is immense. Success in any endeavor requires coming to terms with the true nature of the task at hand and, if the goal is worth the effort, getting on with it.“ John Walker, the Hackers Diet

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If you feel like you’ve tried everything you can to heal your gut from very low carb or low FODMAP diets to pre and probiotic therapies, and you are still struggling with digestive problems, this episode was made for you.

For years, Steven Wright struggled with a wide variety of severe digestive problems, which led him to create the SCD Lifestyle, and now the Healthy Gut Company.

In today's episode, Steven shares his healing journey and we take a deep dive into the systems that support optimal gut health and healing, as well as what you can do to start your own healing process.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How stomach acid is key to immune function, nutrient absorption, and even food sensitivities.
How low stomach acid levels lead to bloating, poor transit time, gut dysbiosis, and other symptoms you may not know about.
Why the function of your villi and brush border enzymes are root causes of carbohydrate malabsorption, not the carbs themselves.
How highly restrictive diets can actually contribute to symptoms and reduce the resilience of your gut.
Simple steps to test your gut function and begin to heal.

Get $15 off plus free shipping with coupon code: eatforlife15 at Healthy Gut Company

Learn more about Steven Wright:

Healthy Gut Company

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
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Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Low Gastric Hydrochloric Acid Secretion and Mineral Bioavailability

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Burning 60 isn’t magic…it’s science. It’s applying well-documented and understood practices to a problem and observing the results. Burning 60 isn’t difficult, it just takes a willingness to follow the rules dictated by the well-documented and understood practice of science. All I’m doing is subtracting the active and resting energy I burn each day from the 1,534 calorie budget that I’m sticking to based on my goal of losing about 2 pounds per week considering my height, weight, and age. And now, at the age of 60 years, I’ve come to understand that it’s not the magnitude of that number that is important in my life, it’s the life that’s always been most important in my years. Life is short, but it should be long enough. We put life in our years when we live our lives in the very best way we can…one might even say “to the top”.

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In systems theory, I learned that “Input is something put into a system or expended in its operation to achieve an output or result.” Here are the data inputs that I am using to achieve the results I am looking to achieve.

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I’m going to try something different here…at least something different for me. I’m going to use both science and psychology to achieve an important goal of mine and I’m going to bring you along for the run.

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2021 was quite the year, but we made it to 2022!

To kick off the new year, my producer, Sean McMullin is flipping the script and interviewing me.

Today I’m sharing my personal journey to better health and wellbeing after surviving trauma and physical and mental health challenges.

From overworked, overstressed and struggling to keep my head above water, I’m telling the story of the wrong turns and mistakes and the moments that finally gave me hope and set me on the path to wholeness.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How understanding your biochemistry can change your relationship with your health
Why making radical changes to your diet without understanding root causes leads to frustration
Red flags to watch out for when you’re looking for answers
What to expect when implementing a treatment protocol and why physical and mental healing is never linear

Learn more about Sean McMullin:

Yellow House Media

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
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Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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Here's wishing you a very happy 2022

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For December, I’m sharing a couple of my favorite episodes while we take a little break to spend time with friends and family. I hope you are also able to make room for the things you love this season, you so deserve it after the year we've had.

My second favorite episode for this month is my conversation with Kiran Krishnan about the gut microbiome.

I love this episode because of Kiran’s ability to explain why the health of our gut microbiome is so important, especially in early life and its impact on mental health.

Your body’s microbiome is a complex set of systems that contribute to your health and wellbeing in innumerable ways that we have barely begun to understand.

And you have multiple microbiomes that exist in your body, from your skin to your mouth to your gut that are comprised of multiple kinds of organisms at varying levels. It’s no wonder we’ve only scratched the surface in learning about these different ecosystems.

Kiran Krishnan joins me to break down what a microbiome is, what it’s made up of, and why the microbiome in your gut is so vital to your overall physical and mental health.

Kiran Krishnan is a Research Microbiologist and has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition market for the past 18 years. He spent several years with hands-on R&D in the fields of molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa. He is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The various microbes that make up your microbiome and the different ecosystems that exist throughout your body
How the gut microbiome connects to your brain through the enteric nervous system and vagus nerve
The role of the gut microbiome in mental and behavioral health and how it impacts your response to stress
The problem with most probiotics on the market today ****and what actually works to support your gut microbiome

Learn more about Kiran Krishnan:

Microbiome Labs

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
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Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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The first one is a powerful conversation with Dr. Albert Mensah about how flawed the MTHFR (the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene) testing approach is and its common resulting treatment: methylfolate.

In clinical practice, we’ve been seeing adverse reactions to methylfolate treatment for many years now.

We discuss why this testing approach is problematic, misconceptions about the different forms of folic acid, potential dangers and impacts on the in utero environment and neurotransmitter activity.

Dr. Mensah is a world-renowned leader and teacher in methylation disorders. He is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005 Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural, non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy.

His practice focuses on the management and treatment of cognitive disorders such as autism, behavior and learning disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety syndromes, childhood and adult schizophrenia or Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease, as well as family medicine.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How loading up on methylfolate can result in neurotransmitter changes and imbalances, especially with glutamate and serotonin
Why the MTHFR gene test can’t determine methylation status
How folic acid supplementation outside of the first trimester negatively impacts fetal and child development
Testing that can help you discover your methylation status to accurately support physical and mental health

Learn more about Dr. Albert Mensah:

Mensah Medical
Facebook: @MensahMedical

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

MTHFR ACMG Practice Guideline: Lack of Evidence for MTHFR Polymorphism Testing
Our Take On The MTHFR Gene
Why you shouldn’t know too much about your own genes
MTHFR Methylfolate vs. Folic Acid Facts and Myths
Too Much Folate in Pregnant Women Increases Risk for Autism, Study Suggests | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

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Just think about it.

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On a day where everyone is thankful, I am appreciative.

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We talk a lot about toxins and you may think you’ve heard it all before, but hear me out!

We are exposed to environmental toxins every single day, by doing normal, everyday activities like eating, showering, using beauty products, and cleaning.

Many exposures are unavoidable, but there are many that you can address, especially when it comes to products that come into your home.

You might think that because something is on the shelf at your local store, that means it’s safe. But there are over 84,000 chemicals registered for use in the United States and many of them have never been tested for safety.

We’re finding that many of these chemicals are linked to conditions we’re all trying to avoid, like cancer, diabetes, depression, anxiety, ADHD, thyroid disease, hormonal imbalances, infertility and more.

But when it comes to reducing your exposure, it can be hard to know where to start and easy to get overwhelmed.

That’s why today, I’m talking with environmental toxins expert and educator Lara Adler.

Lara Adler is an Environmental Toxins Expert & Educator and a Certified Holistic Health Coach who teaches health coaches, nutritionists, and other health professionals how to eliminate the #1 thing holding their clients back from the results they are seeking – the unaddressed link between chemicals and chronic health problems. She trains practitioners to become experts in everyday toxic exposures so they can improve client outcomes without spending hundreds of hours researching on their own.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How the reactive, rather than proactive, mode of regulation and enforcement in the United States make it easy for toxins to end up in products we use every day.
How industry mobilizes to manufacture positive research and suppress negative outcomes.
Three simple, free steps to take today to begin reducing toxin exposure in your home.
The truth about natural and organic labeling on personal care products, and what label claims you can actually trust.

Learn more about Lara Adler:

LaraAdler.com
Instagram: @environmentaltoxinsnerd

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future . . . and What We Can Do about It, Leonardo Trasande, M.D., M.P.P.

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In part two of our discussion, Danielle Valoras returns to dig into the science behind breast implants, why they cause some women to develop symptoms of Breast Implant Illness, and what we can do to hold the FDA, manufacturers, and surgeons accountable.

Despite increasing evidence that breast implants can and do cause complications and immune responses for many women, too many providers still dismiss their concerns.

If you’re experiencing a shift in your health and wellbeing following breast implant surgery, know that you are not alone. It is not all in your head. And there are compassionate providers out there who will help you navigate your choices so you can get your life back.

Danielle Valoras is a certified physician assistant and founder of NavWell RX, an integrative health practice.

She is also the originator of the Breast Implant Health Summit, a global initiative for education and better health for those with breast implants. Danielle brings over 20 years of experience in medical research and education to her clients.

She specializes in Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology (P.N.E.I.), a burgeoning field that investigates the link between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems in relation to physical health.

For the last five years, Danielle's mission has been to inform, treat and advocate for women who have been diagnosed with breast implant illness and other implantable device-related issues.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How breast implants interact with your immune system, regardless of if you develop symptoms.
Why rupture isn’t the only risk factor for breast implant contents to get into your system.
How even small amounts of platinum leaching from an implant impact your GI tract.
Why even saline implants expose you to silicone.
Diagnostics to ask for and a functional medicine approach if you think your implants may be impacting your health.

Learn more about Danielle Valoras, PA-C:

Breast Implant Health Summit
Instagram: @NavWell
Facebook: @BIHS2020

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Silicone-Induced Granuloma of Breast Implant Capsule (SIGBIC): Histopathology and Radiological Correlation, Eduardo de Faria Castro Fleury, Gabriel Salum D’Alessandro, and Sheila Cristina Lordelo Wludarski

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If you have breast implants and are experiencing symptoms, please hear me. You are not crazy. It's not all in your head and yes, you can do something about it.

If your medical provider isn’t hearing you or is dismissing you, then I encourage you to find someone else who will truly listen to your concerns and provide a compassionate approach to healing.

I'm passionate about this topic because I've walked with several clients through their breast implant illness healing journeys, and I want you to know you are not alone.

Breast implant illness survivor Danielle Valoras joins me for a two-part series to discuss the signs and symptoms of breast implant illness, along with how implants are manufactured and why we don’t have long-term data on their safety.

Danielle Valoris is a certified physician assistant and founder of NavWell RX, an integrative health practice.

She specializes in Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology (P.N.E.I.), a burgeoning field that investigates the link between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems in relation to physical health.

For the last five years, Danielle's mission has been to inform, treat and advocate for women who have been diagnosed with breast implant illness and other implantable device-related issues.

Today, she shares her implant story and the challenges, symptoms, and illness that developed, her ultimate decision to have them removed, and how she healed.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How lack of accountability and transparency in the FDA approval process for breast implants impacts our ability to make educated choices.
How Danielle’s surgical team ignored her specific wishes for the size of her implants and how that impacted her healing and orthopedic symptoms she developed.
The symptoms of lymphatic swelling, depression, fatigue, and brain fog that began to crop up almost immediately after surgery.
What pathologists found in Danielle’s system at the time her implants were removed.

Learn more about Danielle Valoras, PA-C:

Breast Implant Health Summit
Instagram: @NavWell
Facebook: @BIHS2020

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Assessment of Silicone Particle Migration Among Women Undergoing Removal or Revision of Silicone Breast Implants in the Netherlands, Henry B. P. M. Dijkman, PhD; Inca Slaats, BSc; Peter Bult, PhD, MD

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To this day, I get asked if gluten is problematic.

And I often get pushback from people who tell me that they have no reactivity to it and that their doctor or nutritionist doesn’t think it’s problematic.

But when they work with me and we dig deeper into their medical and family history, I see a wide variety of symptoms related to the gluten in their diets.

To make matters worse, gluten is often found in foods that wouldn’t normally contain gluten, but have been exposed to cross-contamination in how and where they are grown or in processing. This is especially true with oats!

Another scary fact is that glyphosate, the herbicide otherwise known as Roundup, is used as a desiccant to dry out oats and other gluten-free grains. Glyphosate is a common underlying cause of autoimmune disease.

Today’s guest is a world leader on gluten sensitivity and inflammation.

Dr. Tom O’Bryan is the founder of theDr.com and his most recent book, You Can Fix Your Brain, **was received with global accolades.

When it comes to getting healthy, Dr. Tom’s goal for you is making it easy to do the right thing. As an internationally recognized, admired, and compassionate speaker, focusing on food sensitivities, environmental toxins, and the development of auto-immune diseases, Dr. Tom's audiences discover that it is through a clear understanding of how you got to where you are that you and your doctor can figure out what it will take to get you well.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How wheat and gluten create an immediate immune system response for all of us, even if you think you’re not reactive
What the line of tolerance means for your gut
How inflammation and dysbiosis in your gut impact your brain
Why “gluten-free” on the menu or the label isn’t a guarantee
Steps to take to transition to a grain-free diet

Learn more about Dr. Tom O’Bryan:

TheDr.com
Facebook: @TheDr.Com.English
Instagram: @DrTomObryan
Twitter: @TheDr_Com
You Can Fix Your Brain: Just 1 Hour a Week to the Best Memory, Productivity, and Sleep You've Ever Had
Get free access to the Brain Fog Elimination Plan

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

The Second Brain: The Scientific Basis of Gut Instinct & a Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach & Intestines Michael D. Gershon, MD

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Half of the American diet is composed of highly processed wheat and gluten-based food products, making it a major contributor to diseases that impact the brain and body.

Gluten impacts not only mental health, but is connected to the staggering and continual rise in autoimmune diseases, especially pain syndromes and gut inflammation.

But if going gluten-free is the answer, why do autoimmune diseases and mental health disorders continue to rise?

Is going gluten-free all it’s hyped up to be?

In this special two-part series, I’m speaking with two world-renowned experts who have dedicated their lives to educating the public about the impact of wheat, gluten, and other grains in our diets.

Over the next two episodes, you’ll learn how even so-called “gluten-free” grains such as corn and oats are still problematic, the problem with cross-contamination, how chemicals used in growing and storing grains impact your health, and so much more.

Today, I'm speaking with Dr. Peter Osborne. Dr. Osborne is the clinical director of Origins Health Care in Sugar Land, Texas. He is a doctor of Chiropractic, a Doctor of Pastoral Science, and a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist. He is the author of No Grain, No Pain and the founder of Gluten Free Society.

Dr. Osborne is one of the most sought-after alternative health and nutrition experts in the world. His practice is centered on helping those with painful chronic degenerative and autoimmune diseases using natural methods. He is one of the world’s leading authorities on gluten sensitivity, and lectures nationally on this and many other nutritionally related topics.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How mass-scale farming practices contribute to gluten sensitivity, inflammation and disease risk
Gluten’s connection to autoimmune pain syndromes and the impact of pain management drugs on the gut and the body
What gluten-free labeling in the US leaves out that can still make you sick
How compounds in grains can actually mask their own damage by inhibiting pain response
The many symptoms and disorders gluten is linked to that aren’t in your gut

Learn more about Dr. Peter Osborne:

DrPeterOsborne.com
Gluten Free Society
Facebook: @DrPeterOsborne
Instagram: @DrOsborne
Dr. Osborne on YouTube
No Grain, No Pain: A 30-Day Diet for Eliminating the Root Cause of Chronic Pain

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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I’ve never forgotten you!

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Is your smartphone phone really bad for you?

Our lives are increasingly full of wireless devices, from our phones, tablets and e-readers to our “smart” home appliances.

We know there are mental health impacts from constant connection to the internet, work, social media and more through our phones, but our technology poses other risks too.

Maybe you’ve been hearing people talk about the negative effects of magnetic fields and wondered if it’s really that bad. I can tell you, in my clinic, I have seen the devastating impact EMFs can have on mental, physical and emotional health.

As a nutritional therapist, I’m usually talking about the toxins in our food supply, but we’re also constantly being exposed to toxins resulting from what today’s guest calls “electrical pollution.”

Nicolas Pineault, “the EMF Guy,” is an advocate for safe technologies and the bestselling author of The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs

Through his unconventional approach, blending humor, science and common sense, Nick has become a leading voice on the topic of electromagnetic pollution and its impacts on our health.

I’m excited for you to hear our conversation as we dissect how EMFs affect mental health, cancer risk, infertility, cognitive function and aging.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What emerging research shows about the impact of EMFs on cancer risk and their classification as a carcinogen.
Why advocating for safer technology doesn’t mean you have to go back to the Stone Age.
What EMFs have in common with smog and glyphosate.
Simple steps to reduce your exposure in your home and office.

Learn more about Nicolas Pineault:

The EMF Guy
The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs
Electro-Pollution Fix
Smarter Tech Podcast
Facebook: @NickPineaultOfficial

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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Prior to 2020, an estimated 25% of adults struggled with a mental health condition. Since the beginning of the pandemic, with the added stressors and uncertainties many of us face, along with the toll of social and physical isolation, that number is estimated to have risen by 40%.

The landscape of our collective mental health has likely permanently changed since the beginning of 2020.

But accessing mental health care and support is still a challenge for many people, particularly for anyone looking outside the traditional model of managing symptoms with medication.

And yet, there is a body of research that supports and validates the use of integrative strategies for treating mental health concerns by addressing root cause imbalances in the body that affect brain functioning and symptom presentation.

Today, I’m joined by the executive directors of Journey’s Dream and the Mensah Research Institute, organizers of the Integrative Mental Health Summit, October 8-10. This three-day online conference is intended for anyone and everyone facing mental health concerns by providing accessible resources and education.

And I am so excited to announce that I will be delivering a keynote speech on October 8.

Breaha Wallin is the co-founder and executive director of Journey’s Dream. She was inspired to co-found Journey’s Dream following her brother Journey’s struggle with his mental health and subsequent death in 2013. Breaha is co-creating a world where mental health recovery is the mainstream expectation and everyone has access to excellent multifaceted care.

DJ Wells is the executive director of The Mensah Research Institute was founded as a conduit for conducting, supporting and presenting research efforts that provide scientific evidence of the efficacy of targeted nutrient therapy and other natural approaches to improving brain function and to enhancing and optimizing mind, body health and balance.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How mental health should be viewed as a spectrum from thriving to struggling, and why no point on the spectrum is permanent.
Why mental health support needs to go beyond addressing acute symptoms and become a preventative practice.
What integrative or functional medicine means when it comes to mental healthcare.

Learn more about Breaha Wallin:

Journey’s Dream

Learn more about DJ Wells:

Mensah Research Institute

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
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Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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Parenting in a post-pandemic world with masking requirements, Zoom school, and social distancing from friends and classmates is hard enough.

Being a parent to a behaviorally challenged and neurodivergent child comes with unique challenges that for many, have been heightened by the pandemic.

Anger, rage, extreme defiance, high anxiety and other behavioral and mental health issues can take a toll on you and on your relationship with your child.

If you are a parent struggling with how to best support your child, this episode with Dr. Nicole Beurkens was made just for you.

As a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced degrees in psychology, education and nutrition, Dr. Nicole is the world's leading holistic child psychologist. She has dedicated over 20 years to providing parents with research based strategies that get to the root of children's attention, anxiety, mood, and behavior challenges, so they can reach their highest potential. She runs a multi-disciplinary evaluation and treatment clinic and is a bestselling author, published researcher, award-winning therapist, media expert, and experienced mom of four.

Nicole and I take a deep dive into how to see your child's greatness, how to set firm yet compassionate boundaries, specific tools and scripts you can use to interact with your child, and how to help them build the skills they are lacking to help improve their behavior.

We also talk about the importance of diet, sleep, digestion, and hydration, and how a breakdown in these key areas can significantly impact their behavior.

Helping your child develop skills for emotional self-regulation takes time, but consistency, compassion and hope will help you see and support their strengths as well as their challenges.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why understanding that your child’s behavior is not about or a reflection of you is key to regulating your own emotional response.
How to empathetically acknowledge your child’s feelings while enforcing clear boundaries.
Why effective boundaries are about what you as the adult will or will not do, not what your child will do.
The basic foundations kids need to support their physiological and neurological functioning.

Learn more about Dr. Nicole Beurkens, PhD, CNS:

DrBeurkens.com
Instagram: @drnicolebeurkens

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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23.5 million people in the United States suffer from at least one autoimmune condition and that number is rising fast.

Worldwide, autoimmune diseases are increasing by 7% each year, with the biggest increases in celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and myasthenia gravis. The most significant jumps are happening in the northern and western hemispheres.

There are now over 100 different types of autoimmune diseases and I see them in over half of the people I serve in my clinic here in the United States.

Autoimmune disorders impact every body system, including the brain, thyroid, blood, GI tract, nerves, lungs, skin, muscles and bones. And let's not forget the female reproductive system in conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, which I classify as autoimmune diseases.

Where is this exponential rise coming from? And why do most people develop more than one autoimmune condition?

To help explain why this is happening, I’ve brought back microbiologist Kiran Krishnan to talk about triggers, why diet and detox alone don't work, and why taking a deeper look at your GI tract and environment is key to healing.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How the immune system relies on the microbiome to learn and adapt to your environment.
A breakdown of two major immune system processes and how they can trigger autoimmunity in a dysfunctional microbiome.
The three components of how an autoimmune disease is triggered.
Why trendy diets like keto might alleviate some symptoms now, but have big repercussions for your microbiome and immune system later.
Five warning signs of systemic inflammation that merit talking to your doctor.
A gut microbe you’ve probably never heard of that is associated with lots of autoimmune issues.

Learn more about Kiran Krishnan:

Microbiome Labs

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Eat for Life Ep 17: Understanding the Human Microbiome with Kiran Krishnan
Bristol Stool Scale

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When you think of a concussion, do you picture a football player passed out on the field or someone who hit their head in a car accident?

It may surprise you to learn that a concussion doesn’t have to be from a direct blow to the head or include losing consciousness.

So what defines a concussion?

Anything that jostles the brain can cause a concussion. And symptoms can be more than just headaches.

In fact, many people struggle for years before they realize they've had a concussion and are dealing with a wide variety of debilitating physical, mental and emotional symptoms related to Post-Concussion Syndrome.

For years, today's guest struggled with many vague health issues, such as mild depression, lack of motivation, low energy and brain fog to name a few.

The breaking point was after he got into a horrible car accident that nearly cost him his life, which led to his calling as a functional neurologist and the realization that he’d had a series of concussions prior to that almost fatal accident.

Dr. Titus Chiu is a functional neurologist who has been passionately teaching people how to fix their brains since the day he healed his own broken brain. He is also an award-winning speaker and the bestselling author of BrainSAVE.

Dr. Chiu helps high achievers go from surviving to thriving after concussion by empowering them with the most up-to-date tools and resources needed to take control of their brains.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What a concussion really is and common symptoms that you might not know about.
How Post-Concussion Syndrome symptoms can continue to develop long after the original injury.
Why symptoms vary widely and encompass so many aspects of physical, mental and emotional health.
Why a holistic approach to symptoms is key to targeting treatment for the specific areas of the brain that have been injured by a concussion.
How learning to activate your vagus nerve plays a role in healing from concussion.

Learn more about Dr. Titus Chiu:

Brain Save
Instagram: @DrTitusChiu
Facebook: @DrTitusChiu
BrainSAVE: The 6-Week Plan to Heal Your Brain from Concussions, Brain Injuries & Trauma without Drugs or Surgery

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

FREE Vagus Nerve Quickstart Guide

BrainSAVE: The 6-Week Plan to Heal Your Brain from Concussions, Brain Injuries & Trauma without Drugs or Surgery

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Diet culture tells us “eat this, don’t eat that,” while anti-diet culture too often says, “eat whatever you want” even if it’s inflammatory and can feed health problems in the name of body positivity.

Though at opposite ends of the spectrum, both embody rules that keep us disconnected from the cues our bodies are actually giving us about the foods we eat.

In truth, diets and anti-diets trickle into all facets of our relationship with food, forming a belief system about what we should or shouldn’t put in our bodies based on someone else’s experiences.

What if that “all foods” anti-diet makes you feel crappy later? What if your Whole30, intermittent fasting, paleo, AIP, keto, whatever diet makes you feel anxious, depressed or fill in the blank?

Our bodies are unique and so are our needs and responses to different foods.

What if instead we slowed down and really listened to our bodies? What if we rewrote our stories with food and empowered ourselves to make choices based on how a particular food feels in our body?

I brought my dear friend and colleague Mindy Gorman-Plutzer back on the show to talk about how both diet and anti-diet culture profits off of disconnection with our bodies. We also talk about the challenge with anti-diet culture and the true meaning of being an intuitive eater.

Mindy Gorman-Plutzer is a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle practitioner and Eating Psychology Coach with over 25 years in practice. Mindy's life experience and training inspired her to create a framework that combines functional nutrition, positive psychology, and mind-body science.

She's also the author of The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps To Stop Fearing What Food Will Do TO You and Start Embracing What It Can Do FOR You.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What anti-diet culture gets wrong about intuitive eating
The difference between being in relationship with your body and honoring it and restriction
Why emotional eating is not the same as compulsive eating, and why it’s okay to bring your feelings to the table
Steps to begin reconnecting with your body and tuning in to your cues and responses

Learn more about Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, FNLP, CEPC, CHHC:

The Freedom Promise
The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps To Stop Fearing What Food Will Do TO You and Start Embracing What It Can Do FOR You

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Eat for Life Episode 21: Disordered Eating Recovery with Mindy Gorman-Plutzer
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach, 4th Ed., Evelyne Tribole, Elyse Resch

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So many women struggle on birth control.

Yet when they finally decide to go off it, they continue to have the same, or in many cases worsening, symptoms.

If you or a loved one struggle on any form of birth control, today's episode will empower you with the knowledge to understand why this is happening and the steps you can take to begin the healing process.

You'll learn how hormonal and copper IUD forms of birth control–and other long-term hormone therapies–impair the GI tract and deplete the body of key nutrients that can lead to autoimmune conditions, thyroid imbalances, and so much more.

We also discuss Post-Birth Control Syndrome, which can have lasting impacts on fertility, thyroid health, sexual function, and may even put you at greater risk of developing autoimmune conditions like Lupus.

Today I'm talking with Jenna Longoria, AKA the Period Guru.

Jenna is a board certified functional nutrition practitioner specializing in women's hormones. Her work has been featured in the Huffington Post, Mind Body Green, NBC, the Elephant Journal, and SXSW. Jenna is also the author of The Period Solution: 28-Day Hormone Balancing Guide.

Through her virtual private practice, Jenna helps women reclaim their hormones and digestive health with a multi-disciplinary approach, combining functional medicine, nutrition, and diagnostic lab testing in her results-driven Root Cause Program. Jenna is a firm believer that the right diet and lifestyle can put any hormonal condition into remission.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How suppressing ovulation impacts progesterone, and its ripple effects on heart, thyroid and bone health
What potentially life-threatening side effects are even more common if you have a family history of them
How the pill disrupts the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation, food sensitivities, yeast infections, and nutrient malabsorption
Six steps to take as you come off of birth control pills or an IUD

Learn more about Jenna Longoria, FDN-P:

JennaLongoria.com
Instagram: @thePeriodGuru
The Period Solution: 28-Day Hormone Balancing Guide

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Beyond the Pill, Dr. Jolene Brighton

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Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance have been buzzwords for quite some time now, but these conditions are still highly misunderstood and impact 1 in 8.5 people. That’s up to 17% of the general population!

Mast cells are our immune system’s first responders, sensing and communicating back to the brain about incoming pathogens, toxins, injuries, and other stressors.

When these amazingly complex cells are overtaxed and dysregulated, they will respond to anything as a threat, creating inflammation and a buildup of immune mediators like histamine and cytokines that create a wide range of symptoms from hives and itchy eyes to gastrointestinal distress, migraines, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and others.

Today's special guest has been personally impacted by these conditions and is an amazing testament to the power of a functional and holistic approach to healing.

Beth O'Hara is a Functional Naturopath specializing in complex chronic immune conditions related to MCAS and Histamine Intolerance.

She is the founder and owner of Mast Cell 360 Functional Naturopathy, where she looks at all factors surrounding health conditions: genetic, epigenetic, biochemical, physiological, environmental, and emotional. She holds a doctorate in Functional Naturopathy, a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, and a bachelor’s degree in physiological ecology. She is certified in functional genomic analysis and is a research advisor for the Nutrigenetic Research Institute.

She designed Mast Cell 360 to be the kind of practice she wished had existed when she was severely ill with MCAS, histamine intolerance, neuroinflammation, Lyme disease, mold toxicity, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue.

Her mission today is to be a guiding light for others with MCAS, histamine intolerance, and these related conditions in their healing journeys through her Mast Cell 360 Root Cause process.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The role mast cells play in a healthy immune system, and what happens when they never get a break from environmental toxins and psychosocial stress
The difference between Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance
Why the standard diagnostic criteria and testing leave out a large number of MCAS sufferers
Root causes and triggers for MCAS, including GI inflammation and mold, and how modern technology influences them
Steps to take now if you suspect you may be struggling with MCAS or Histamine Intolerance

Learn more about Beth O’Hara, FND:

MastCell360.com
Facebook: @MastCell360

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Low and High Histamine Foods
MCAS Symptom Survey

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Drastic behavior changes. Extreme irritability. Developmental regressions. Why did your child become someone you barely recognize seemingly overnight?

Radical, sudden changes in a child’s behaviors and mood can be signs of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).

These infection-induced autoimmune encephalopathies were once considered rare disorders that are only recently becoming more well-recognized by the conventional medical community.

Which is why I'm so excited to share this powerful conversation with special guest expert, Dr. Jill Crista, who shares her own story of how she healed her twin sons of PANS and herself of Lyme disease and how that set her on a path to helping children and families heal from these conditions.

While the root causes are often not readily identified, and treatment may not be straightforward, both PANDAS and PANS are caused by an autoimmune response to an infection that results in severe inflammation in the brain.

Not all infections start this process because not everybody is going into the infection in a compromised state. And this is key to understanding and treating these conditions.

Dr. Jill Crista is a naturopathic doctor and one of the leading experts in the treatment of mold-related illnesses. After 20 years of working with patients and having toxic mold sprout in her own home, she was inspired to write her book, Break the Mold.

The book clearly and simply outlines the tools that everyday people can use to conquer mold. Dr. Jill also trains doctors to become mold literate, and supports mold canaries through her membership portal. Her motto? “Break the mold, take back your health.”

Listen to the full episode to hear:

A breakdown of infection-induced autoimmune encephalopathies and how the stage can be set for immune system confusion
Diagnostic criteria for PANDAS and PANS, and why early stage PANS may hide in plain sight
How compulsions and tics in children don’t look like the movies and how to approach a child with a new or troubling behavior pattern
Why taking healing fundamentals one step at a time is necessary for you and your child to keep from getting overwhelmed
Immune system variables that make PANDAS and PANS difficult to test for, and testing adjustments that may be necessary

Learn more about Dr. Jill Crista:

DrCrista.com
Instagram: @drjillcrista
Facebook: @drjillcrista
Pinterest: @drjillcrista
Dr. Jill Crista on YouTube

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Break the Mold: 5 Tools to Conquer Mold and Take Back Your Health, Dr. Jill Crista
Provider Training: Are You Missing Mold Illness In Your Patients?
Dr. Charles Ray Jones
Eat for Life Ep 17: Understanding the Human Microbiome with Kiran Krishnan
The Pandas Network

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Lots of people are talking about the vagus nerve, but do you know just how many of your body’s organs and functions it interacts with?

In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Navaz Habib, author of Activate Your Vagus Nerve: Unleash Your Body’s Natural Ability to Heal.

Dr. Habib explains beautifully what the vagus nerve is and why it's so important for optimum health.

He gives us an overview of the anatomy and primary functions of the vagus nerve, including its major role in afferent communication–sending information from many of your major organs back to the brain–and the role of that communication in mental health and beyond.

Dr. Habib also breaks down four primary types of stressors that impact vagal function, and what you can do to support this essential component of your health.

Dr. Navaz Habib is the founder of Health Upgraded, an online functional medicine and health optimization clinic.

He works with high-performance professionals, athletes, and entrepreneurs who want to experience optimal health, feel the way their bodies were meant to feel, allowing them to have a greater impact and serve more people.

Having gone through his own personal experiences with poor health and weight struggles, Dr. Habib is well-equipped to identify root causes of health imbalances and to implement personalized recommendations to address them naturally.

By activating the vagus nerve, we can optimize our productivity, focus our energy levels, and experience the effects of upgraded health.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why Dr. Habib calls your vagus nerve a “thriving nerve,” not a surviving nerve
The vagus nerve’s central role in your mental health
The four types of stressors that impact vagus nerve function and your health
Simple, do-it-yourself steps you can take today to improve your vagal tone

Learn more about Dr. Navaz Habib

Health Upgraded
Instagram: @drnavazhabib
Facebook: @drnavazhabib
YouTube
Activate Your Vagus Nerve: Unleash Your Body's Natural Ability to Heal

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

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Have you ever thought about how your perceptions can significantly influence your body's reaction to food?

Food should be pleasurable, but unfortunately for so many people, it's a source of fear, anxiety and overwhelm.

In our world of influencer marketing and Dr. Google, it’s no wonder we’re more confused than ever about what and how to eat.

The anxiety and confusion that happens when we view food as bad or evil, can lead to beliefs that create poor health perceptions, and even a stress response that can impact the body in more ways than we realize.

In today's episode, I'm talking with Wendy Busse, a registered dietician from Alberta, Canada, and nationally recognized food sensitivity expert.

Wendy has over 25 years of experience in the field of food allergies and sensitivities. Her interest in the mind-body connection and experience in seeing clients in the “gray zone,” who do not fit neatly into any clinical practice guidelines and often fall through the cracks, led her on a journey to develop the food avoidance and sensitivity trap FAST model, and the theory of conditioned food sensitivity.

Currently she is the director of the FAST Freedom Program, a guided self-reflection process that helps food-sensitive clients rebuild body and food trust so they can expand their diet and enjoy the simple pleasure of a good meal.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The definition of conditioned food sensitivity and common red flags you might be stuck in this cycle
How mistrust of our bodies can lead to a cascade of symptoms and restrictions
Why taking research holidays can be key to accepting that there isn’t always an answer
What you can do to start healing your relationship with food and your body

Learn more about Wendy Busse, MSc, RD

FAST Freedom Program
Instagram: @wendy.fastfreedomprogram

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Eat for Life Episode 18: Why Behavior Change is So Hard with Dr. Perry Passaro

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Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world.

2020 CDC statistics estimate that 1 in 54 children in the United States is born with autism spectrum disorder. That's 1 in 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls.

And epidemiological studies estimate a global prevalence of 1 in 132 children!

What is happening to create this disturbing statistic?

And more specifically: how are our genes interacting with our environment that would cause such an exponential rise?

In this week's episode, I've brought back Dr. Judith Bowman MD, co-founder of Mensah Medical, to talk about the underlying causes of this multifactorial condition.

We talk about the role folic acid plays in the in utero environment, gut inflammation, and high oxidative stress, as well as copper's impact on the brain and body.

We also clarify that vaccines are an environmental insult in those who are genetically susceptible.

Dr. Bowman and her colleague, Dr. Albert Mensah, combine traditional medicine with a biochemical approach to treating behavioral and cognitive disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression, including postpartum depression and women's health anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other biochemical imbalances.

Dr. Bowman has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural, non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy, trains physicians in advanced nutrient therapy techniques, and facilitates outreach clinics all over the United States.

My hope is that this episode will give you a better understanding of how autism impacts us all and how we can reduce, and dare I say, eliminate the occurrence of this disorder.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The “Bermuda Triangle” of autism – high oxidative stress, undermethylation, and epigenetic insults
The role severe oxidative stress and genetic predisposition play in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder
The effect folic acid has on the in-utero environment and how copper overload impacts the brain
Why lumping autism and Asperger’s syndrome together is based on a lack of understanding
Some common misconceptions and myths surrounding autism spectrum disorder

Learn more about Dr. Bowman

Mensah Medical

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
Eat For Life cookbooks for each unique biotype

Resources:

Eat for Life - Episode 03: How Biochemistry and Genes Impact Your Brain with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD, BCIP
Eat for Life - Episode 10: How Copper Toxicity Impacts Women with Dr. Judith Bowman
Methyl-Donors and EpiGenetics in The Gambia (MDEG)

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Sound nutrition and equal education are the birthrights of every child.

This is the rallying call that today’s guest Dr. Vaishnavi Sarathy bases her life’s work – confronting the false belief that children with disabilities are incompetent.

She rightly believes that when we bring dignity and respect to all children, regardless of their assumed level of intelligence, anything can happen.

For this first episode in National Autism Awareness Month, I am excited to share my conversation with Dr. Sarathy about the assumption of competence placed on children with disabilities.

Are the assumptions we have about children with disabilities impeding their healing process? Are these assumptions blocking access to the support and resources that most of us take for granted?

It's an important question and one that Dr. Sarathy addresses beautifully.

Dr. Sarathy is a chemist turned teacher and functional nutrition practitioner focused on children with disabilities, especially Down syndrome and autism.

She is also the host of Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids, a weekly podcast about out-of-the-box learning and nutrition ideas for kids with down syndrome and autism.

Her TEDx talk, Who Decides How Smart You Are, has been hailed as mindblowing and eye-opening. Practitioners and parents alike have attributed 180-degree changes in their attitude towards working with kids with Down syndrome and autism to conversations with Dr. Sarathy.

Her perspective is shaped by her 13-year-old son Sid who has Down syndrome and autism, is non-speaking and is slowly carving his space as a poet in the neurodivergent space.

This conversation is a passionate and moving call to action that is not to be missed.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The history of Assumption of Competence and how it differs from Assumption of Intelligence
How assumption of competence is an important foundation for children to feel comfortable in their own bodies
How posturing towards children impacts them more than we know
The internal stressors children with disabilities deal with every day – stressors that most of us are completely unaware of!
How reframing care can help parents and practitioners

Learn more about Dr. Vaishnavi Sarathy:

Project Swasthya
Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids Podcast
TEDx Talk – Who Decides How Smart You Are
Instagram @drvaishsarathy

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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Anxiety, anger, and stress are a normal part of the human experience. But if you find yourself unable to tolerate even the smallest amount of stress without feeling lots of anxiety and anger, you may have a little-known stress disorder known as Pyrrole disorder.

Pyrrole disorder (also called Pyroluria) occurs when a biochemical abnormality results in the overproduction of pyrrole molecules. Pyrrole molecules are excreted continuously in the urine and are normal by-products of hemoglobin synthesis and other bodily processes.

For the average healthy person, this is not a problem. However, for someone with Pyrrole disorder, nutrient deficiencies occur because these molecules have an affinity for zinc and vitamin B6, causing them to latch onto and excrete them in the urine before the body can adequately absorb them, leading to severe oxidative stress.

Pyrrole disorder is connected to a plethora of symptoms and disorders such as extreme anger and rage, rapid mood swings, night owl tendencies, high anxiety, depression, morning nausea, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder.

Pyrrole disorder is something I regularly test for in my clinic. It is typically seen in people of all ages and is often genetically inherited in Northern European people groups such as the Irish and Scandinavian populations.

In today’s episode, I take a deep dive with Dr. Judith Bowman of Mensah Medical into what this disorder is and how it may be impacting your mental and physical health as well as myths that could be potentially harmful.

I hope this episode leaves you empowered and educated on this stress intolerant disorder and how focusing on root causes instead of symptoms is how true healing occurs.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How Pyrrole disorder can be a root cause of alcoholism and addiction
The connection between stress intolerance and Pyrrole disorder
The role genetics plays in Northern European people groups
Why zinc and B6 for important for optimal brain function
What the differences are between omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids
The disturbing myth that manganese is required to treat Pyrrole disorder

Learn more about Dr. Judith Bowman:

Mensah Medical
About Dr. Judith Bowman

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources:

Eat For Life EP 20: Biochemical Imbalances that Cause Eating Disorders with Dr. Judith Bowman
The Pyroluria Diet, Samantha Gilbert, FNC, CHNP, CNC
Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain, William J. Walsh, PhD

Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain

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What if we viewed addiction as a response to something, rather than the common viewpoint that someone is a lost cause and can’t get their life together?

What if we embraced people with compassion and empathy, while also acknowledging that addiction is the result of a combination of genetics, who we are exposed to, trauma, abuse, family dynamics, and biochemistry?

In this week’s episode, I talk all things recovery with Bryan Vasquez, a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor in Newport Beach, California.

Bryan’s journey to becoming an addiction counselor began with the turmoil surrounding opiate use. Bryan offers concepts from the scientifically supported processes that helped him to realize his own recovery.

These techniques do not impose change, but instead, support change in a manner congruent with each individual's goals and values.

Bryan has worked in all facets of addiction treatment, including psychiatric hospitals, residential and outpatient programs, and private practice. He conducts both group and individual counseling as well as third-party assessments.

He serves as a Smart Recovery Group Facilitator and is versed in traditional as well as holistic modalities for treating addiction in individuals and within the family unit.

I can't wait for you to listen in as we talk about genetics, how we become addicted, why one size fits all programs don't work, the difference between abstinence and moderation, and why kindness and compassion are important components to healing from any addiction.

I so loved how Bryan spoke to the importance of treating addiction through the lens of we are all unique, each requiring different treatment options, and that there is no right or wrong way for healing to occur.

As Bryan shared, there is a way out of addiction and it doesn't have to consume you for the rest of your life. There is a way that is unique to you that can lead to sustainable peace and happiness.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why the path to recovery is never one size fits all
How addiction is a result of a combination of genetics, who we are exposed to, family dynamics, trauma, abuse, and biochemistry
An introduction to the SMART Recovery Program as an alternative to more well known recovery programs
The difference between abstinence and moderation and how to find a solution that works best for you

Learn more about Bryan Vasquez:

Realize-recovery.com
Realize Recovery on Facebook
Realize Recovery on Instagram
Realize Recovery on Twitter

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources:

Eat For Life - EP 18: Why Behavior Change is So Hard with Dr. Perry Passaro
Beyond Addiction – How Science and Kindness Help People Change – Jeffrey Foote, Ph.D., Carrie Wilkins, Ph.D. and Nicole Kosanke, Ph.D.
Allies in Recovery
SMART Recovery

Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change

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In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I am so honored to share my very real and raw conversation about eating disorders with my friend, colleague, and eating disorder survivor Mindy Gorman-Plutzer.

In this episode, Mindy and I share our own experiences with disordered eating and how the path to healing is one that includes deep empathy and a holistic approach that looks at all aspects of a person's health, including gut inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and early childhood development.

As you'll learn, eating disorders are about a disordered relationship to self, brought on by family dynamics, abuse, and genetically inherited biochemical imbalances.

Mindy brings 25 years of experience to her private practice as a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner and Eating Psychology Coach. Mindy's life experience and training inspired her to create a framework that combines functional nutrition, positive psychology, and mind-body science, introducing a compassionate resolution to physical and emotional challenges resulting from chronic and complex health issues as they relate to eating disorders.

Not only is Mindy a health practitioner but she’s also the author of The Freedom Promise: Seven Steps To Stop Fearing What Food Will Do To You and Start Embracing What It Can Do For You.

If you're currently struggling with disordered eating, please know you are not alone. You are not at fault and healing is always possible. And be sure to go back and listen to episode 20 with my personal physician, Dr. Judith Bowman, on the genetic and biochemical imbalances that cause eating disorders.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How biography and biology impact eating disorders
Mindy’s approach to disordered eating recovery
How eating disorders can have genetic, biochemical, and environmental causes
How abuse and trauma contribute to eating disorders

Learn more about Mindy Gorman-Plutzer:

Mindy’s minicourse on how to conquer disordered eating
7 Steps To Stop Fearing Food
@thefreedompromise on Instagram
@thefreedompromise on Facebook
The Freedom Promise Book

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps to Stop Fearing What Food Will Do TO You and Start Embracing What It Can Do FOR You

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Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away! - Dr. Suess

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For over 25 years I carried around an immense amount of guilt and shame because of my disordered relationship with food and my body.

No matter how hard I tried, I felt like I wasn't strong enough or smart enough to figure out why I had allowed this to take over my life. In my mind, I was a failure and total fraud for pretending everything was fine when in truth, I was in so much pain.

When I understood the "why" I was finally able to give myself a much-needed break, free myself of the guilt and shame, and finally begin the healing process.

In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness, I brought back my personal physician, Dr. Judith Bowman, to talk about the genetic, environmental, and biochemical causes of eating disorders.

Dr. Bowman has treated over 30,000 patients using all natural non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy. She trains physicians in advanced nutrient therapy techniques and facilitates outreach clinics all over the United States and abroad.

If you're currently struggling with disordered eating (or any addiction), please know you are not alone. You are not at fault and healing is always possible.

Eating disorders can be safely healed with dietary and nutrient therapy, therapies that literally saved my life.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Genetic conditions that create disordered eating such as undermethylation, zinc and B6 deficiencies, as well Pyrrole disorder
How folic acid acts as a "double agent" on our DNA
How these conditions affect neurotransmitter and hormonal development

Learn more about Dr. Judith Bowman:

Mensah Medical
About Dr. Judith Bowman

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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Right now, I’m just some guy from Boston, and that’s okay...but when next we meet I’ll be bringing an old friend...someone you well know whose name no longer defines him, but celebrates the short yet reasonably long duration of our existence. Life is short, but it should be long enough. I am Steve Runner.

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Most of us cringe at the thought of setting a boundary—especially with those who are closest to us.

We often hesitate to put boundaries into place because we think it will damage the relationship, make someone angry, or simply make our lives more complicated. Truthfully, it can also be really hard to do.

Some of us even worry that we won’t be loved if we put boundaries in place.

But what if you can’t have the love you want without them?

The truth is that if we don’t honor our boundaries, no one else will either.

There can be a lot at stake when we finally give voice to our boundaries. So how do you get started with setting boundaries that you know you need?

Today’s guest has a very unique approach to boundary work that will help you rethink what it means to set a boundary.

Please welcome Randi Buckley to the show.

Randi is a leadership mentor, author, podcaster, and the creator of Healthy Boundaries for Kind People, The Deep, and Maybe Baby. Randi offers a different way of thinking for something more inspiring and refreshing with an unpretentious twist. Randi works with wildly intelligent individuals and organizations and is a curator of context, nuance, and discernment.

Listen to the full episode to hear: * The difference between nice and kind * Why people pleasing undermines boundaries—and the toll that carrying the emotional weight of others places on us * Why creating boundaries makes space for healthier, more loving relationships * How pushback on our boundaries gives us information which helps inform our choices

Learn more about Randi Buckley:

Randibuckley.com
Healthy Boundaries for Kind People
Follow Randi on Instagram
Follow Randi on Facebook

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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Well, it's January and I have no words to describe all that we endured last year.

After taking some much needed time for self-care, I’m invigorated to begin anew. That’s why I feel this episode is so important. This time of year is when we set new goals and do everything in our power to achieve them.

But what happens when we don’t?

What stops us from doing what we truly want to do to become a healthier, happier human being?

Achieving our goals seems so simple when we write them down on January 1st. Yet as the days continue, we often see our motivation wane.

We might think: Why can’t we just stick to our goals?

We assume that we don’t have what it takes to truly change—but is it as simple as that?

Our goals are typically tied to behavior change and it’s hard to flip a switch in the New Year without understanding how we can motivate ourselves to take action that lasts.

That’s why I wanted to invite Dr. Perry Passaro back to the podcast. Dr. Passaro shares how to make real, lasting change. Dr. Passaro specializes in the treatment of behavioral disorders, anxiety, spectrum disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, and addiction. Dr. Passaro has been identified as one of the top 10 psychologists in Orange County, California.

Listen to the full episode to hear: * Why behavior change is so hard and how you can move past it * The role of acceptance and commitment therapy * Why goals on their own don't have motivating power * How to develop the motivation to take action * How nutrient imbalances can significantly impact our ability to move forward in life

Learn more about Dr. Passaro:

anxietyanddepressioncenter.com

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Eat For Life Ep 12: Suicide Prevention Case Study: How Nutrients Can Heal the Brain – Part 1
Eat For Life Ep 13: Suicide Prevention Case Study: How Nutrients Can Heal the Brain – Part 2
Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks
What is Integral Philosophy, Integral Theory?

Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks

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Understanding the complexities of the human microbiome can be overwhelming.

At its most simple, we can think of the microbiome as an ecosystem that consists of a collection of organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungus, and protozoa.

We often think there is a single ecosystem—or microbiome—found within our bodies, largely residing in the gut. But there are different versions of our microbiome found in different areas of the body.

The microbiome is a complex and miraculous set of systems that exist in our bodies and contributes to our health in innumerable ways that we’re now starting to really understand.

Today’s guest has been blessed with the wisdom and skill to explain the microbiome in a way that creates greater healing, understanding, and purpose.

I’m thrilled to welcome Kiran Krishnan to the show. Kiran is a Research Microbiologist and has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition market for the past 18 years. He comes from a University research background having spent several years with hands-on R&D in the fields of molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa.

Kiran is also a co-founder and partner in Nu Science Trading, LLC., a nutritional technology development and research company. Kiran is also a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The magnificent intelligence that resides in our gut and how these systems that reside there are not accidental
How we establish our microbiome and how they keep us happy and healthy
The truth about most probiotics on the market today and the gut-brain connection
Why breastfed babies have stronger immune systems
The health implications of C-sections on babies

Learn more about Kiran Krishnan:

Microbiome Labs

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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Be a boss.

Hustle hard.

Love yourself.

Make it happen.

You decide the outcome.

Do these phrases and mantras sound familiar?

Usually, these sayings are used in the self-help world to boost your confidence both in life and work. The self-help industry makes us believe that we can make anything happen—but what if these mantras we hear repeated in the self-help industry actually make you feel worse?

Enter High Functioning Anxiety.

High Functioning Anxiety—HFA for short—is when you experience anxiety but instead of freezing you up from making progress, it actually propels you forward. While this might sound like an efficient way to meet or exceed your goals, it can also lead to over-functioning, perfectionism, self-doubt, and the false belief that endless worry somehow contributes to our success.

On today’s episode, I’m talking with Nancy Jane Smith, an author, counselor, and therapeutic coach all about high functioning anxiety. Nancy has a Masters Degree in Higher Education and in Community Counseling from the University of Dayton.

Nancy is also a licensed professional counselor and coach specializing in high functioning anxiety with 13 years in private practice and has spent over 20+ years working as a counselor and coach. She has written three books on living happier, most notably The Happier Approach: Be Kind to Yourself, Feel Happier and Still Accomplish Your Goals.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What is High Functioning Anxiety and how is it different than anxiety?
Tools for working through High Functioning Anxiety
Why high functioning anxiety makes us believe that there’s only one right way—and once we figure it out, then we’ll be okay in the world
Myths that keep us stressed out
How to identify what your inner Monger sounds like and how to deal with it

Learn more about Nancy Jane Smith:

live-happier.com
The Happier Approach® Book
The Happier Approach® Podcast

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources mentioned in this episode:

First, We Make The Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety

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Many of us have been touched by narcissism.

Up close or from the sidelines, we have experienced its effects from a teacher, our parents, or from the leaders in our lives.

Often this narcissism surprises us and comes from the most unexpected of places where we feel safe to let our guard down and allow ourselves to be vulnerable.

One of these places is the Church.

Typically we don’t relate narcissism to the Church. But, even though it is rarely talked about, narcissism is often experienced in the Church today. Many of us have experienced disappointment and heartache as a result.

Today’s guest has been studying and working with narcissism for decades as a pastor, therapist, and spiritual director. Chuck DeGroat is the Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary and senior fellow at Newbigin House of Studies, San Francisco. Chuck is also an author, speaker, consultant, and therapist.

In today's show we talk about his most recent book, When Narcissism Comes To Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.

I love how Chuck speaks truth into narcissism and gaslighting and calls out church leaders who are playing out this phenomenon in our world today.

If you've been the victim of spiritual abuse, my prayer is that this episode provides hope, healing and deeper insight into why you were harmed.

As Chuck so eloquently writes in his book: Healing requires radical honesty with ourselves and the courage to follow through on the wilderness path to healing.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What has contributed to the rise in systemic narcissism in church
How to identify a narcissistic pastor and better understand the inner life of a narcissistic pastor
Why we are attracted to narcissistic leaders
And what we can do to protect ourselves without losing our faith

Learn more about Chuck DeGroat:

Chuckdegroat.net
Follow Chuck on Twitter
Connect with Chuck on Facebook
Follow Chuck on Instagram

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources mentioned in this episode:

How the Enneagram Works
EP 08: The Biochemistry of Narcissism, Sociopathy, and Psychopathy with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD, BCIP

When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse

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It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

This is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart because breast cancer runs in my family—not only am I a nutrition therapy practitioner, I’m also a patient.

I believe I would have had a very high likelihood of getting breast cancer had I not learned about my own biochemical imbalances along with the help of my guest today, Dr. Albert Mensah.

There is so much confusion as well as genetic and epigenetic factors that contribute to breast cancer. So, in today’s episode, we are going to expand on the conversion that we started in Episode 03 with Dr. Mensah and Episode 10 with Dr. Bowman by going deep into uncovering two major factors that contribute to susceptibility—undermethylation and copper toxicity.

Dr. Mensah is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005. Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy and is a world-renowned leader in orthomolecular medicine.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The role methylation plays in cancer development
How all forms of folic acid create cell division and are pro-cancer agents
How copper toxicity and its relationship to estrogen increases cancer risk
The supportive role nutrient therapy plays during radiation and chemotherapy treatments

Learn more about Dr. Mensah:

mensahmedical.com

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources mentioned in this episode:

EP 03: How Biochemistry and Genes Impact Your Brain with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD, BCIP
EP 10: How Copper Toxicity Impacts Women with Dr. Judith Bowman

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It’s National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and I am continuing this month’s special two part series with licensed psychologist, Dr. Perry Passaro, and orthomolecular specialist, Dr. Albert Mensah.

In this case study series, we are sharing Sara’s story. Sara is a young woman who spent two years receiving psychiatric treatment with absolutely no improvement in addition to two hospitalizations and two suicide attempts.

In part one, we discussed how nutrients can heal the brain, the biochemical imbalances that lead to suicidal ideation, and why the current healthcare system needs a hands-on, multi-therapy approach. You can listen to the full episode here.

In part two, we look further into the underlying biochemical imbalances that were causing Sara’s severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation that led to hospitalizations and suicide attempts.

In this case study, you will hear again from Dr. Perry Passaro and Dr. Albert Mensah.

Dr. Passaro is a licensed psychologist and a licensed educational psychologist. He works with children, families, adolescents, and adults at the Anxiety and Depression Treatment Center in Newport Beach, California. He specializes in the treatment of behavioral disorders, anxiety, spectrum disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, and addiction. Dr. Passaro has been identified as one of the top 10 psychologists in Orange County, California.

Dr. Mensah is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005. Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all natural non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy and is a world renowned leader in orthomolecular medicine.

If you are feeling suicidal, please know that help is available. I encourage you to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at +1 800-273-8255.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The importance of a comprehensive wellness valuation with a team of practitioners that includes counseling, biochemical testing, nutrient and dietary therapy
Other forms of support that include movement meditation and other mindfulness practices
How the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy methodology is used in treatment

Learn more about Dr. Mensah:

mensahmedical.com

Learn more about Dr. Passaro:

anxietyanddepressioncenter.com

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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It’s National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

In this month’s special two part series, I’m sharing Sara’s story with you along with licensed psychologist, Dr. Perry Passaro, and orthomolecular specialist, Dr. Albert Mensah.

This is a story of a young woman who spent two years receiving psychiatric treatment with absolutely no improvement in addition to two hospitalizations and two suicide attempts.

In this episode, we question: why was no testing done prior to prescribing a wide array of heavy duty medications? And why did no one think to look at underlying biochemical imbalances and diet as a way to help her?

In this case study, you will hear from Dr. Perry Passaro and Dr. Albert Mensah.

Dr. Mensah is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005. Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all natural non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy and is a world renowned leader in orthomolecular medicine.

If you are feeling suicidal, please know that help is available. I encourage you to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at +1 800-273-8255.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How nutrients can heal the brain
Biochemical imbalances that lead to suicidal ideation
Why the current healthcare system needs a hands-on, multi-therapy approach
How our healthcare system is designed to fail people

Learn more about Dr. Mensah:

mensahmedical.com

Learn more about Dr. Passaro:

anxietyanddepressioncenter.com

Learn more about Sami:

eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline +1 800-273-8255.

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Could copper overload be at the core of your anxiety and depression?

Copper toxicity is a condition that negatively impacts both the brain and body—and, unfortunately, this simple chemical imbalance is not common knowledge among women and doctors.

On today’s special women’s health episode I’m talking with Deb Tokarz who is a copper toxicity survivor and author of I Cu Copper, which is an open and honest look into her experience with copper toxicity.

For many years, Deb suffered from severe anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Despite these symptoms, Deb was either dismissed by her doctors or prescribed a one-size-fits-all treatment.

Eventually, Deb sought out a natural way to treat anxiety and depression. Soon, she learned that copper toxicity was the underlying cause of her suffering and has been on the path to healing ever since.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What the symptoms of copper overload can look like
Deb’s journey with anxiety and depression, her symptoms of copper toxicity, and how she found out that copper was causing her anxiety and depression
Why she was inspired to write her book, I Cu Copper
How Deb detoxed from copper overload
Why copper toxicity can sometimes be misdiagnosed as mental illness

Learn more about Deb Tokarz:

Debtokarz.com
I Cu Copper by Deb Tokarz
Follow Deb on Instagram
Follow Deb on Facebook

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources from this episode:

EP 10: How Copper Toxicity Impacts Women with Dr. Judith Bowman

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High anxiety, depression, brain fog, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and PMS.

If you've struggled with any of these health challenges, you're not alone. It’s estimated that over 50% of females are estrogen dominant and one in eight will develop breast cancer.

These are staggering statistics but there is another insidious invader of our bodies. It's called copper toxicity, a condition that wreaks havoc on both the mind and body. And, unfortunately, most women and doctors are completely unaware of it.

On today’s special women’s health episode, my personal physician, Dr. Judith Bowman and I talk about the ins and outs of this volatile metal.

Dr. Bowman specializes in biochemical imbalances and co-founded Mensah Medical in 2008 with her colleague, Albert Mensah, MD. Dr. Bowman combines traditional medicine with the biochemical approach to treat the symptoms of behavioral and cognitive disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression (including postpartum depression), anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other biochemical imbalances.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

Why women are impacted by copper toxicity
The intricacies of copper toxicity and how this condition affects the brain and the body
The connection between copper, estrogen, and breast cancer
Copper toxicity and menstrual disorders: endometriosis, PCOS, PMS, PMDD
Copper toxicity and anxiety, depression (especially postpartum), and psychosis
Why hair tissue mineral analysis is not an accurate testing method
The myth of copper deficiency and at the same time, excess

Learn more about Dr. Judith Bowman:

Mensah Medical
About Dr. Judith Bowman

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

Resources from this episode:

Copper IUDs: What your doctor doesn’t know may be harming you
EP 08: The Biochemistry of Narcissism, Sociopathy, and Psychopathy with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD, BCIP

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Trauma is insidious—it reaches into the core of our beings and it covertly impacts our everyday lives.

In today’s episode, my personal coach, Jean Masukevich, is joining me again to discuss trauma and how it deceives us into making agreements, why we make them in the first place, and how agreements covertly impact us. In the past, we covered collective trauma and how it’s showing itself during this pandemic in Episode 5. In Episode 6, we explored how to use our personal story as an entry point to healing. And in Episode 7, we discussed systemic injustice, embodied trauma, and doing the inner work.

I share examples of my own agreements and how from a very early age, I was deceived into making them. I also share how the trauma I endured left me open to being attacked in the same way throughout my life.

PLEASE NOTE: This episode is not for young ears and may trigger those that have been sexually abused.

Jean is a trauma-sensitive yoga teacher and integrative coach. Her mission is to guide others to greater mind, body, spirit integration, and connection to their authentic self. She cultivates communities of care where individuals and groups heal and share their hearts and stories through movement, creativity, meditation, integrative prayer, and the sacred art of listening.

Jean holds an advanced certificate in grief and trauma from the Allender Center of the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and is a Spiritual Director with a certificate through Sustainable Faith. Jean serves both children and adults and is available for in-person and remote coaching.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What are trauma-based agreements and why we make them
How deception and accusation lead to making agreements
Why trauma deceives us into making agreements and how they fit into the story of our core wounds

Learn more about Jean:

Free Breakthrough Strategy Session with Jean
Enneagram Coaching Circles with Jean
The Allender Center at The Seattle School

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Book Your Complimentary Consultation

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More and more, we are seeing headlines exposing the narcissistic and criminal behavior of several high profile predators. We’ve seen a top recording artist finally be indicted after years of abusing young girls and women. We’ve seen convictions for a well-known movie mogul and long-standing comedian and actor, as well as a US Gymnastics National Team doctor—just to name a few.

Unfortunately, so many people—beyond the scope of these high profile cases—have been harmed by those with narcissistic, abusive, and criminal behavior.

Today on the show, I’m discussing the biochemistry of narcissism, sociopathy, and psychopathy with Dr. Albert Mensah, MD, BCIP. I’ve had Dr. Mensah on the show before, both in Episode 3 where we discussed how biochemistry and genes impact your brain, and in Episode 4 with a discussion about COVID-19 depression, anxiety, and immunity.

If you’ve been harmed by narcissism and gaslighting, I hope this conversation with Dr. Mensah brings hope, healing, and an understanding of why you were harmed.

Dr. Mensah is a world-renowned leader and teacher in micro molecular medicine. He is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005 Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural, non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy.

Dr. Mensah regularly presents at international conferences, trains physicians in advanced nutrient therapy techniques, and is board certified in integrative pediatrics by the American Association of Integrative Medicine.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The biochemistry of narcissism, sociopathy, psychopathy
The role of epigenetics and trauma in criminal behavior
How copper toxicity and deficiency, undermethylation, and Pyrrole disorder impact behavior
The role parents can play in the creation of a strong family foundation
How an underdeveloped amygdala cortex impacts the ability to have empathy and emotional connectivity with others

Learn more about Dr. Albert Mensah:

Mensah Medical
Mensah Medical on Facebook

Learn more about Sami:

Eatfor.life
Work with me One-On-One

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So often, the truth is difficult to digest.

Especially when we have felt pain and experienced trauma.

By ignoring and silencing our own pain, it keeps us from accepting the pain, struggle, and oppression of others.

But we have to tell the truth and make space for the truth to be named.

We have to go inwards, to do the inner work, to find our voice so that we can advocate for our oppressed brothers and sisters.

Today I’m honored to have my personal coach Jean Masukevich joining me again. In Episode 5 we talked about collective trauma and how it’s showing itself during this pandemic. In Episode 6 we discussed exploring our personal story and how to use it as an entry point to healing.

Today, we discuss the pervasive nature of trauma, abuse, and oppression. And how we live in a society with systems that were created to silence all of us.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How the system we are born into has created silence, denial, and avoidance
How embodied trauma hijacks the brain and causes us to lose language and the ability to process what’s happening in the present moment
How racialized trauma moves through generations and how the evil force behind white supremacy is embodied in all our nervous systems
Inspiration to break the silence around white privilege and systemic oppression of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)

Learn more about Jean:

Free Breakthrough Strategy Session with Jean
Enneagram Coaching Circles with Jean
The Allender Center at The Seattle School

Learn more about Sam:

Eatfor.life

Additional resources mentioned:

Books:

Me and White Supremacy, Layla F. Saad
Notes of A Native Son, James Baldwin
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, Beverly Daniel Tatum
White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo

Films:

I Am Not Your Negro (playing now for free on Amazon Prime)
Selma (playing now for free on Amazon Prime)
Time: The Kalief Browder Story (Netflix)
When They See Us (Netflix)

Online Learning:

Resmaa Menakem’s Cultural Somatics Institute
Brownicity

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Do you know you have a powerful story? And that engaging your story brings healing by connecting neural networks in the brain?

We are being invited to co-author an epic story, a love story, a very good story. Our story matters and God is not done with it.

Now, more than ever is the time to engage your story and how it fits into a much larger narrative.

In today's episode, I brought my personal coach, Jean Masukevich, back on the show to continue the conversation we started in Episode 5 when we talked about collective trauma and how all of our trauma is coming up right now because of this pandemic.

Jean and I talk about story and how our story fits into a larger narrative. We talk about how we can go about exploring this story and how we can use this exploration as an entry point to healing.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What it means to have a story
How engaging your story sets you on a path to healing
And how our family of origin affects how we perceive the world

Links:

Free Breakthrough Strategy Session with Jean
Enneagram Coaching Circles with Jean
The Allender Center at The Seattle School
Eatfor.life

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As we continue to move through coronavirus and civil unrest, our collective trauma is at an all-time high. The potential for fear and overwhelm to take over our lives is very real and heartbreaking.

Now is the perfect time to engage our stories and the ways they impact our heart, spirit, and genes – exploring them as a powerful pathway to healing.

And this is why I’m excited to share this conversation with my personal coach, Jean Masukevich.

Today, in part 1 of a 2-part series, we talk about trauma, the Enneagram’s 3 Centers of Intelligence, and how our triggers are an invitation to deeper healing, especially during these difficult times.

Jean is a trauma-sensitive yoga teacher and integrative coach. Her mission is to guide others to greater mind, body, spirit integration and connection to their authentic self. She cultivates communities of care where individuals and groups heal and share their hearts and stories through movement, creativity, meditation, integrative prayer, and the sacred art of listening.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What the connection is between our story, our trauma, and how evil uses trauma to destroy our hearts
How trauma is unprocessed pain that gives us a feeling of powerlessness so that we don't have a sense of free agency
The Enneagram’s 3 Centers of Intelligence and how they can help us during these difficult times
How these times are an opportunity to learn to be more present and tune ourselves to hearing the voice of God

Links:

Enneagram Coaching Circles with Jean
Free Breakthrough Strategy Session with Jean
Eatfor.life
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

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In honor of mental health awareness month, and in these challenging times, I feel it's important to provide you with accurate information on how to support your mental and physical health.

Supermolecules, as well as dietary and lifestyle modifications that support both brain and immune function, can be powerful allies against the Coronavirus outbreak.

In episode 2, I discussed how nutrient deficiencies and overloads impact the brain and body.

In episode 3, I talked with Dr. Albert Mensah about how biochemistry and genes impact your brain.

Today I am having Dr. Mensah back on the show to discuss supermolecules that support both brain and immune function, what’s missing in the treatment of COVID-19, and insights to help you overcome depression and anxiety during this difficult time.

Dr. Mensah is a world-renowned leader and teacher in micromolecular medicine. He is the co-founder of Mensah Medical in Warrenville, Illinois, a clinic that specializes in the treatment of biochemical imbalances and the cognitive and physical disorders caused by those imbalances. Since 2005 Dr. Mensah has treated over 30,000 patients using all-natural, non-pharmaceutical targeted nutrient therapy.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How brain and immune health are inextricably linked
The role supermolecules play in supporting both brain and immune function
How diet and lifestyle modifications are powerful allies against COVID-19
What we can do to take care of ourselves mentally and emotionally during the pandemic isolation

Links:

Eatfor.life
Mensah Medical
Mensah Medical on Facebook
High Dose IV Vitamin C for Coronavirus Patients (link to petition, resources, and research)

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Our stories are extremely powerful and contain genetic, epigenetic, and transgenerational narratives.

Educating yourself with the facts surrounding accurate testing and treatment provides a powerful pathway to healing the brain and body.

In my last episode, I discussed how nutrient deficiencies and overloads impact the brain and body.

In today's episode, I'm speaking with Dr. Albert Mensah about genetics, epigenetics, the controversial MTHFR test, as well as misconceptions and dangers about the different forms of folic acid and their impact on the in utero environment.

His practice focuses on the management and treatment of cognitive disorders such as autism, behavior and learning disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety syndromes, childhood and adult schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as family medicine.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The difference between genetics, epigenetics, and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
The dangers of folic acid beyond the first trimester of pregnancy and its impact on the in utero environment (including the rise in autism, depression, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety disorders)
MTHFR genetic testing flaws and the truth about how methylfolate actually works in the body
The importance of designing a diet based on your unique biochemistry

Links:

MTHFR ACMG Practice Guideline: lack of evidence for MTHFR polymorphism testing
23 & Me article about MTHFR (with research links)
Washington Post article
Folic Acid Facts & Myths

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One month in, my client Amanda told me: “I had no idea my anxiety, racing thoughts, and fatigue were due to being severely undermethylated and overloaded with copper!”

Her lab tests had just confirmed the underlying causes of her suffering.

When Amanda first came to me for nutritional therapy counseling, she was frustrated with doctors that told her nothing was wrong, she was a healthy young woman, and that basically she was just overreacting.

“I know I’m not making this up,” she told me. “I can feel in my body that something is off, I just don’t know what it is or how to pinpoint it.”

Although lab work from her doctor showed no abnormalities, I knew that going deeper and supporting her in a way she had not experienced before was the key to figuring it all out.

After 6 months of working together, Amanda told me “My brain feels better, which allows my body to feel better. I no longer struggle with energy issues and my daily anxiety is gone. This is so liberating.”

If Amanda’s story resonates with you, you’re not alone. I hear this every week in my clinic and it’s a sad aspect of our global healthcare system. The good news is that healing is always possible, we just need to know where to look.

In our first episode, I shared what nutrients are and how they impact both the body and the brain.

In today’s episode, I’m going to give you a crash course into some of the underlying causes of what I call the Big 5 Hurting Our World – depression and anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and ADHD – and how these root causes have a significant impact on the way you think, act, and feel.

We’re going to dive into what nutrient deficiencies and overloads are, and how they impact the brain and body. By the end of this episode, you’ll have an entirely new understanding of how nutrient deficiencies and overloads may be affecting you.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What nutrient deficiencies and overloads are and how they impact the brain and body
What the underlying causes of the Big 5 Hurting Our World are – depression and anxiety, autism, eating disorders, OCD, and ADHD
What the 5 root causes I work with are that contribute to The Big 5:
- Undermethylation
- Overrmethylation
- Copper toxicity
- Zinc deficiency
- Pyrrole disorder

Links:

Eatfor.life
Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain by Dr. William J. Walsh

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Nine months ago, Michelle was at an all-time low. She was scared, isolated, and felt hopeless about her future.

Michelle told me: “I feel so defeated.”

Her level of uncertainty and fatigue was higher than they’d ever been. She said that her mind was always racing and she couldn’t sleep at night. She’d left her job because her anxiety and stress were just too much to handle.

On top of that, she was dealing with lower back pain and terrible PMS which kept her from exercising and doing the things she used to love.

She didn’t think healing was possible.

I assured Michelle that, not only is healing possible, but that it was also possible for her to get back to work, back to exercise, and back to her life.

Today, 9 months later, Michelle is working a job she loves, exercises regularly, and has even started dating again. She also lost 40lbs and was able to ditch her antidepressant.

Michelle was able to do this through the power of nutrients.

In today’s episode, I’m going to give you a crash course in the power of nutrients and how they impact your body’s ability to heal from conditions like depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, hormone imbalances, OCD, and ADHD.

I’m going to dive into what nutrients are, how they treat chronic conditions differently than medication, and how the gut impacts the brain.

Through this episode, you’ll gain a greater understanding of how the nutrients you put in your body can have a huge impact on the way you think, feel, and act, and the chronic conditions you deal with on a daily basis.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

What nutrients are and how they provide nourishment essential for the growth and maintenance of life
How the choices you make impact your gut and how the gut impacts the brain
What happens when your gut bacteria go bad
How when deficiencies develop, so too do many disorders that impact the brain and body
How Nutrients treat chronic conditions differently than medication because of their ability to heal your body at the level of DNA

Links:

eatfor.life

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We’re a mission to help you understand the root causes of your suffering so you can heal. Host Samantha Gilbert is devoted to helping you overcome things like panic attacks, depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, chronic fatigue, and PMS, by identifying how nutrient deficiencies and overloads contribute to your struggle. We dive into ways to heal your brain and body, as well as share conversations with special guest experts in the fields of neuroscience, epigenetics, functional and micromolecular medicine, trauma and abuse, as well as spirituality and theology.

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Recorded in Launching Place on Prince Edward Island, a beautiful part of the world where the Walkers came to live.

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Indiana Jones Walker was my best friend. A lemon beagle born on March 28th, 2009 in Swansea MA to Joey and Willow, Indy lived a great life and was deeply loved by his family: Lynn, Eva and Steve. Indy enjoyed meatballs, sniffing for bunnies, playing “Chase-me Chasey” and “The Grrrr Game”, going for “walks” (i.e. dragging Steve around hunting for bunnies), howling at the neighbors, sleeping on his back, ripping the squeaker out of every toy he ever owned and watching our beloved Red Sox. He was a good boy.

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The 14th Anniversary Episode of Phedippidations

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One the best friends I've ever had is sick. I'm going to spend the summer making his life awesome.

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A Burns Supper is a remarkable event, and one that I highly recommend you attend. The poetry of the Plowmen Bard is romantic, sentimental, lustful, honest, satirical, humorous and authentic for the 1780’s in which he wrote through now and forever. On the next January 25th, if you can find a Burns Supper being hosted near you: I highly recommend that attend. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the life of the Ploughman Bard.

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Just a quick catch up here to let you know I'm here and livin' large.

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Tim Doiron was one of the first fellow runners and listener to this podcast who I actually ran with in person. Here was a guy who knew pretty much everything about me: a natural by-product of the new podcasting phenomenon, and our friendship went on from there: running races together, running Mojo Loco’s, and attending baseball games here in in the city of Wooostah.

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They found something. It made for a bad weekend.

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Checking in, as I am want to do, after some time.

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To quote Judy Collins: “Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground, You in mid-air, Where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns” On behalf of my Dad and the woman who gave my siblings and I life, who in turn gave life to her grandchildren…We want to thank you with all of our hearts for being here today. I’m Stephen John, Loretta’s first child and like you, I will always miss her. But then there’s this weird thing, and I know my Mom was keenly aware of this: “the phenomenon of living on in your progeny” Her influence, taste, opinion, knowledge, philosophy, story and voice…will continue to live on within us. My Mom, or “Ra Ra” as her grandchildren call her, was always good at remembering special days with a card. Every year on Ellen’s birthday (December 25th) she’d write “you’re still my best Christmas present ever!” on her birthday card…and so on Christmas Day, 2009 when Ellen broke the news that she was pregnant with the twins giving my Mom a framed print of the ultrasound: Mom squealed loudly with joy and said “Ellen, If you EVER need ANY help with the kids, I mean ANYTHING just let me know…I’ll send Dad over.” I used to joke with her that she was the curator of “Cliche Hell”…because she would always have just the right hackneyed phrase of wit to underscore the situation. If something went wrong she’d say: “When life gives you lemons make lemonade” If you were feeling pressure or tension she’d say: “Stressed spelled backwards is dessert” If you listen very carefully you can still hear her now: “Stephen”, she’ll say: SUSAN: “Those of you who think you know so much are very annoying to those of us who do”. See what I mean? She had a knack for comic delivery. My Mom, Loretta: is obviously still with us: she has influenced and metaphorically touched us in ways that we can’t understand at the momement. You may have heard some of us use the phrase “Tri-si-so”. It’s a term of endearment of which I am the author ,but there’s an element of body language associated with it you may not know about. When I was a child, before developing this amazing skill of speech, my Mom would ask: “Stephen, how much do you love me?” to which I’d respond, arms open wide “Tri-Si-So”. It means “This much: With all my heart”. You want to experience my Mom’s presence? That’s easy: just spend some time with her children. Ellen will demonstrate her strength, Susan will demonstrate her love of friends and family, Mark will demonstrate his kindness to creatures great and small. Her grandchildren will demonstrate her love of adventure, stories and giving. And I, I can tell you of her compassion, it wasn’t just “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” kind of compassion…she was more of a “be kind to others” kinda person. She always voted for the party of “do no harm”: JFK, RFK, Carter, Clinton, and Obama: you’re welcome…she even voted with compassion. Whenever we had a problem... Moms solution was always to follow the path of kindness. My Mom, Loretta, was a big beliver in authenticty: she taught her children and grandchildren to embrace the experiences of life, to cherish the arts of theatre, music, food, and the epic shouts and laughter of an Italian Family Dinner. She traveled the world and encouraged us to do the same…not just to see the world, but to taste, hear, smell and feel it. She wanted us to experience the world fully and authentically. Mom and Dad didn’t just visit Italy, They emersed themselves in it, savoring the land of her ancestors. Last Thursday I asked my Dad go to Fenway with me for game one of the ALCS. He didn’t want to leave Mom alone, of course. She died holding his hand. “Don’t leave me” she said, her last words in life. As you’d expect: He didn’t. When my siblings, neices and nephews were children, my Mom would read to us and encouraged us to do so as well. Mom is why her children and grandchildren have always loved to read…except maybe for Johnny, because: well…he’s Johnny. “The Giving Tree”, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”, “Oh, the Places You'll Go!”, “Strega Nona” and of course Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince” were some of her favorites. In a special scene near the end of the book, it’s been a year since The Little Prince had left his planet, and he was going home. Saint-Exupery writes: “…And at night you will look up at the stars. Where I live everything is so small that I cannot show you where my star is to be found. It is better, like that. My star will be just one of the stars for you. And so you will love to watch all the stars in the heavens…they will all be your friends. And besides I am going to make you a present… He laughed again. “Ah, little Prince, dear little prince! I love to hear that laughter!”. “That is my present. Just that…It will be as it was when we drank the water…” “What are you trying to say?” “All men have the stars,” he answered, “but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others, they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For my businessmen they were wealth. But all these stars are silent. You - you alone - will have the stars as no one else has them -“ “What are you trying to say?” In one of those stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night. You - only you - will have stars that can laugh”. I think that’s what my Mom was trying to tell us all these years: Enjoy simply Feel deeply Think freely Dance as though no one is watching Love as though you’ve never been hurt before Sing as though no one can hear you Live well Laugh often Love much and be kind. I love you Mom, Tree-si-so with all my heart.

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Health, SCJ and other stuff. This is me checking in. Be happy.

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This is the most important election in the history of 'Merica. You really need to vote this time: and I have a suggestion as to how.

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In these troublesome times for our Country and World, you should know that there is a dude. A dude who asks only for the occasional adult beverage, a dude who does mind, the Dude minds. “This will not stand”, he’ll say, “ya know, this aggression will not stand man.” Mike is the dude, so that’s what you call him. That or His Dudeness of Duder or El Duderino if your not into the whole brevity thing. Above all, the Dude Abides: and you should find comfort in that.

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Friends, fellow runners…thinkers all of you, I am honored yet a little squeamish to introduce my pal: Mike.

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It's not the kind of place to raise a kid, in fact it's HOT as hell.

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A great circle on the celestial sphere.

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There Outer Space, Inner Space, No Space and HEAD SPACE.

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J. Robert Oppenheimer reflects on the moment that the first atomic bomb exploded. Nice one Bobby.

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Where is the center of the Universe? I've got a better question.

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Take this episode out with you between 9:30 PM and 10:30 PM if you're in the northern hemisphere of the Planet Earth and look to the South. I wanna show you something cool.

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"It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known." -- Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot

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Look, in the sky...it's a bird, it's a plane, it's THE ORB!

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This planet, Earth, is all we have.

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You might want to adjust your Fitbit buddy: you traveled much further that you think.

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The Solstice is a time to be mindful. It’s about being present, but not about stopping time It’s about savoring the present without thinking or feeling about it It’s about acknowledging all the emails, text messages, tweets, updates, news flashes, alerts, alarms and distractions without engaging with them for a few minutes It’s about learning how to interact with the universe around us in a focused, meaningful, thoughtful way. We’re standing or sitting or laying down on a planet that is orbiting around it’s axis once a day, and orbits a star every year and rises and falls up and down along the plane of a universe every 125 million years that has spinning away from the galactic center

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Happy Summer Solstice. This is the first of a 30 day series of short podcasts that I'm calling "Intervals Post Solstice". In today's episode I talk about the solstice itself.

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This is my father. Glenn Francis Walker, son of Pius Alexander Walker and Helena Viola MacDonald, my Grampa and Nana. Grampa was the son of Angus B. Walker and Theresa Morrison, my great grandparents, Angus was the son of Peter Walker and Mary MacDonald, my great great grandparents. Peter was the son of Angus Walker who married Sara McPhee on February 9th, 1846 at Saint Micheals Roman Catholic Church on Prince Edward Island, Canada: my great, great, great grandparents. I’m sure that my ancestors beyond Grampa were great. But my Dad? Glenn Francis Walker, whose birth certificate from Boston Lying-In Hospital in Boston Massachusetts certified that Francis Glenn Walker, weighing 8 pounds 3 ops was born at 2:19 PM on May 25th, 1937…my Dad, he’s the greatest. I love you tree-tri-so Dad. Happy Fathers Day.

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carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

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Anthony Bourdain was found dead today, and the world is a little less cool because of it.

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My nephew Johnny is my first "guest" on this new format of the podcast Phedippidations. As I move closer to my 13th year of podcasting, it's time to get back to the roots of this "show". Johnny was my absolute last choice to embark on this new venture. We're all doomed.

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I went to "THE BOOK OF FACES" lately, where I have a Phedippidations Facebook pagey-thing, and I asked for advice with a creative block I've been suffering. Also, I talk about transcendental meditation vs mindful meditation as if I even know what I'm talking about (hint: I don't).

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A great book that I'm reading is "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari. I highly recommend this great book about the history of mankind. Also, I contemplate (not meditate) on the benefits that guided meditation has brought me.

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In response to a very thoughtful email from fellow runner Rick, I present for you my response. We agree on most things, disagree on others...but we're NOT "disagreeable" with each other. There's a lesson in this for the rest of 'Merica.

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In this episode of Intervals, I PROMISE you that I'm working on a new episode of Phedippidations! A big CONGRATS to the runners of the Boston Marathon and my efforts to drink more water and getting off the pills!

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I've been using this app; and I think it's pretty cool.

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In the early 1980’s George Sheehan would give an oration to a packed auditorium at the Health and Fitness Expo a day before the Boston Marathon. What you’re about to hear is one of those speeches.

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First a response to fellow runner Roy, who points out that "No one ever in the history of the world finished a run and regretted having set out". Also, I talk about a Facebook post that a bunch of family and friends completely misunderstood.

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I've got three things to talk about today. The guns bit won't take long, as there's not much to say. The gadgets bit, takes a bit longer...because I loves me gadgets, and the goodbye to my friend Kevin...I'm going to miss that guy.

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Just seven weeks into 2018, there have been eight shootings at US schools that have resulted in injury or death. FUCK the NRA.

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Being kind is something any of us can do, because we're "Bigger on the Inside".

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This is kind of a test of some new podcasting equipment and a quasi review of my new iPhone.

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As of 7:30 PM this evening (1/19/2018) I will have been alive for exactly 56 years. Life is good.

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Happy New Year

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I've been thinking about my new years resolution alot lately. Here's what I've come up with.

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What makes a vacation? Place? Comfort? Sure. But I think disconnecting is important as well. I dislike our "president", but I'm trying to be KIND, even to him. (and I'm not doing so well at that).

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Today my wife and I are returning to the land of the frozen tundra of New England, but there's beauty even there.

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As ridiculous as it sounds...I have to leave Southern Florida tomorrow afternoon. Yeah...I know, crazy right? Doesn't make sense to me either.

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Our Holiday Vacation to Florida is coming to an end on Thursday, but today we're hanging out at the beach.

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Happy Xmas from Cape Coral Florida. We took the grandkids out on a boat and enjoyed the dolphin experience thing.

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Twas the day before the 25th day of this thing that I'm doing, and just as with the other 24 days...I talk and talk and talk about stuff.

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I bought my wife a gift for Xmas. I was going to get it for her anyway. The REAL gift was spending two weeks with her in Florida.

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My grandson Chris takes to the microphone with me today as we discuss his situation with Santa.

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It was worse than you can possibly imagine.

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Can't think of anything to talk about today, but that's not a bad thing.

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In Florida with my grandchilden. I love them tree-si-so, and want to be with them every day (but not "all day" every day). THAT is the best part of being a grandparent.

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It's Day 18, not 17. I can't count. Today I talk a bit about the Massachusetts proposal to switch New England back to the Atlantic Time Zone. If we can legalize pot, surely we can change the clocks.

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Another one of my favorite poems. This one strikes deep. All that we love will one day be gone.

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One of my favorite poets with one of my favorite poems.

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20 years ago a toy was born that, for reasons I cannot explain, fascinated me.

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In Part Two of my brief discussion about THE GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION ENTERPRISE IN HUMAN HISTORY (Doctor Who), I give advice on how to watch the show, for those who might be interested yet have never "dabbled in the timey wimey".

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A brief introduction into the character of "The Doctor".

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There's nothing new that you will learn, there's no further reason to suffer his message. For your own peace of mind, do what I do: just block the guy.

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Medical cannabis is medicine.

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Here are some of the dumb (and not so dumb) things I do to reduce my carbon foot print.

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I'll miss you Mike. Requiescat in pace.

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I need a new WiFi environment at home for my INTER TUBES.

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My Sweetie

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My puppy.

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Listen to another dumb thing I did.

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I work from home (for the most part), and now I've been asked to start tracking the ACTUAL time that I work (hint: it's alot more than 40 hours per week).

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I work from home, and of course that means that my work space has to be extra special.

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It's fireside chat time here at the ol' Phedippidations homestead. I found some old photos of my friends and I, and I can hardly remember being that young.

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In an attempt to finish the year on a positive note, I'm going to record a PODCAST EVERY DAY in DECEMBER. Why? Because...why not?

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Don't think about it. Be.

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It all rolls into one And nothing comes for free There's nothing you can hold For very long And when you hear that song Come crying like the wind It seems like all this life Was just a dream Stella Blue The song Stella Blue by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter.

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After 12 years of producing a "goofy little podcast"; I have some questions to answer.

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44 years ago in the fall of the year 1973, at the age of 11 years young: I became a proud member of the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 53 of the Old Colony Council. This is all about my earning the "Hiking Skill Award"

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Let's go for a walk.

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Today’s episode is an addendum to my last episode, number 343 “Dr. George Sheehan: Beginning”. Although not a prerequisite to listening to this, Alot of what I’m going to say about running flows directly from what Dr. Sheehan had to say about taking to the road and lacing up our shoes.

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If I'd thought about it I never would've done it I guess I would've let it slide If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinkin' The heart inside me would've died But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity Someone had to reach for the risin' star I guess it was up to me I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be But she ain't a-gonna make me move, I guess it must be up to me Bob Dylan

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My favorite pub and poet.

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Part 3 of a 3 part series about Global Warming.

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Part 2 of a 3 part series on Global Climate Change.

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This is part 1 of a 3 part series on the topic of Global Warming.

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Anhedonia is a symptom of depression...and it's a pretty rotten symptom, but like most things in this life, it can be overcome. If you ever find yourself suffering from a loss of passion: don’t give up. Talk to your doctor and get help. It’s never to late to live your life to the top.

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A run through downtown Indianapolis.

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Here’s the problem with almost all of the processed foods that are available to us today: They’re convenient, easy to prepare if preparation is even necessary, they’re easily accessible, inexpensive, and uber-laden with multiple forms of sugar, salt and fat. Today’s highly processed foods are easy to get calories from without alot of chewing…most processed food melts in your mouth and proceed without delay down your gullet. I'm not telling you what to eat, I'm just saying to think about it....there's no conspiracy here but food corporations want you to over eat everything they make....that's just good business on their part, but it takes wisdom to purchase and consume what can only be called "real food".

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This is the second of a two part episode. Listen. Back in February of 2015, on episode 324 of Phedippidations, I revealed to you the measure of my health, listing the vital clinical statistics of my internal and external physical and mental condition including: how active I was, how well I slept, how good my mood was, how much energy I had, and: “the overall quality of my life experience”. I told you back then, that we’d revisit this personal health information in September…but due to a scheduling conflict with my Primary Care Physician, I had to push this back until today. I told you at the time, that life is not predictable, but that I did hope for a return to where I once belonged. Well, I’ve learned a few things this year: about myself, about my relationship with running and especially quite a bit about the pursuit and attainment of happiness. That said, I have arrived.

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We celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States this time each year, so this episode is dedicated to the concept of being thankful.

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And now it’s October: we’re more than 80% through the end of the year "getting back to where we once belonged”, and for me…I’ve come upon a bit of a road block. To best understand this road block, we have to talk about the philosophy of Nietzsche…and I know, I know…I said I wasn’t going to talk about philosophy on Phedippidations…but there’s just no other way, and I promise you that this is related to running. In order to understand the nature of this “road block”, we have to spend some time talking about Friedrich, since to a great extent it’s because of him that I’ve come to this. I told you at the start that this year’s journey might not end so well…and there’s still plenty of time to finish strong, but getting past this point is proving to be…well, difficult at best, impossible at worst. I’ve reached The Wall. Links: Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of listeners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Deborah, Michael, David, Mary, Cheryl, Vance, Gordon, Scott, Roberto, Mark, Terence, Evelyn, Al, Brad, Joerg, Martha, Jill, Rob, Jim, Wendee, Tom, Katie, Joseph, Tony, Richard, Vera, Robert, Dino, Louis, William, Christiane, Erik, Trey, Margaret, Martin, James, Doug and Russ {}

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I’m humbled. What can I say? I’m totally humbled here, reeling in fact from the kind words from so many friends and fellow runners, people whom I admire a great deal. I’ll be honest with you…I’ve always been honest with you (for better or worse) …I’m not someone who thinks very highly of myself…and so, what you’re about to hear are some really special people saying some very incredible things about..well…me. I’m not sure that I deserve the kindness, but you must…I beg you, you MUST understand how much I appreciate the kind words. Ten years. I really don’t have alot to say about the 10th anniversary of this podcast. I’m happy about it; I’m glad that I’m still producing the show, and I’m very honored to have run with you for the last full decade of my life. Obviously this show and I have changed quite alot since July 4th of 2005 and there's quite alot that you can say about change. It's scary, it's sometimes sad, sometimes amazing, it's ongoing and ever constant. Heraclitus of Ephesus, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher born in 535 BC said it best when he wrote “There is nothing permanent except change.” One of the biggest changes with respect to this podcast isn’t so much the audio quality, format or content…it’s me. Here’s something that I’ve learned after 10 years of podcasting: Although there is pain in life, I am NOT a man of constant sorrow. I have NOT seen trouble all of my days. I’ve seen injury, illness, tragedy and betrayal…yes, that’s true…but most of the past 3,652 days have been good days, most of the past 10 years have been filled with good times, amazing friends and pure joy. Life is pain, but it’s also beautiful. It’s easy to focus on the sorrow, but I take comfort in knowing that it isn’t constant. “The Dude abides. I don’t know about you but I take comfort in that. It’s good knowin’ he’s out there. The Dude. Takin’ ‘er easy for all us sinners.” That was a quote from the character “The Stranger” played by Sam Elliot from the cult classic movie “The Big Lebowski”. What does that have to do with 10 years of podcasting, I suppose you’re asking. It’s a good question, worthy of a good answer: which is this: I, like the Dude…abide. As I get older…as WE get older, our bodies will slowly loose the “vim and vigor” of our youth…but that doesn’t mean we have to go, as Dylan Thomas writes “gentle into that good night”. Old age shouild burn and rave at close of day, rage, rage against the dying of the light. This dude, this runner abides. I abide the lessons of these past ten years, of physical exhaustion, emotional tragedy, crushing defeat and betrayal. I abide the love, joy and peace of living my life to the top. I abide and savor, like a fine Argentinian Malbec, or a classic Cotes du Rhone the friendships I've made thanks to this goofy little podcast. Thank you Adam for reminding me that I'm better than I feel, and that no man is a failure who has friends. Thank you, very much, for running with me fellow runners. The dude abides. Thank you Adam, Eddie, Jeff, Derek, Chris, Susan, Margaret, Peter, Donna, Norn, Kevin, Christina, Carlos, Tim, Neil and Jim. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Man of Constant Sorrow” was by Rod Stewart. Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Tom, David, Pierre, Andrea, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, Matthew, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe, Fred, Joerg, Erik, Wendee, Evelyn, Nicolas, John, Christiane, Katie, Brad, Jim and Al. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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It was a perfect day for a run in New England. Presented by the Squannacook River Runners, this is the 24th running of the Groton Road Race. Being a runner feels different for me now. The universe is undergoing entropy…and I’m a part of that universe. I can’t go home again, but I can get back to where I once belonged…even if, when I get there…I’m not the same runner I used to be. That’s okay, that’s a good thing. These people, this race, that feeling of being a participant in something great and fun… it’s so much of what I’ve missed about running. Happiness is feeling accepted…it’s being with others who live their lives to the top. It’s the charm, the spell or the mojo of a moment in time. I had a fantastic time at the Groton Road Race, aka “The Mojo au Groton”. It was great to get together with Deb, Doug, Donna, Kathy, Jay, John, and Jack. “Start, Finish and Have Fun”. Is there a better way to describe the purpose of a road race? Medals and prizes, trophies and awards are wonderful to achieve, but at the core of it: the reason to run a race should have this higher purpose. Links: Intervals between episodes and the complete conversation with Coach Jeff can be heard over at Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Feels Like Coming Home” was performed by Jetta. Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at and . ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Tom, David, Pierre, Andrea, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, Matthew, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe, Fred, Joerg, Erik, Wendee, Evelyn, Nicolas, John, Christiane, Katie, Brad and Jim. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support: Health: Running: RunKeeper.SteveRunner.com Video: YouTube.SteveRunner.com

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Most runners could go out, right now and run a few miles under the morning sun. We often do so without considering the power of the act. We take for granted the incredible advantage this gives us as situations arise which requires it. We forget that running can sometimes be a means to an end and that aside from it’s impressive list of benefits, running and self ambulation gives us the means to explore. Training is important and I’m not suggesting that we abandon our training…I’m just putting the idea out there that as runners we have a gift of motion that does not limit us to the road, or trail…it doesn’t require a certain pace or time for completion. I’m proposing, that instead of punishing ourselves with devotion to a schedule…no matter how much we love adhering to said schedule…that we should instead look at our running as “playtime”. Links: Intervals between episodes and the complete conversation with Coach Jeff can be heard over at Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Lost and Found” was by the band Eve 6, from Southern California. Check out all of their music over at http://www.eve6.com Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at and . ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe, Fred, Joerg, Erik, Wendee, Evelyn, Nicolas, John and Christiane. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support: Health: Running: RunKeeper.SteveRunner.com Video: YouTube.SteveRunner.com

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“The Young Man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions” wrote Oliver Wendell Holmes. Coaches, Experts, Friends and Fellow Runners all seem to agree that “slowly and carefully ramping up your mileage” is a reasonable approach for our training. Just as the mighty oak begins it’s life as a weak and tiny acorn, my return to the road has to be rooted a slow and cautious increase in miles and duration. A tree isn’t ruled by a ten percent growth rate. I’m not trying to convince you to follow or ignore any rules but I do think that we should train with the patience, strength and persistence of a tree. Maybe, the best way to increase my mileage is to just get out there, running down the road ignoring time and space, and focusing more on living my life the top. Links: Thanks to Coach Jeff Smith for sharing his thoughts on training and the 10% rule. You can hear much more from Jeff over at Intervals between episodes and the complete conversation with Coach Jeff can be heard over at Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Run” was by Stephen Fretwell off the album Magpie. Check him out at . Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at and . ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe, Fred, Joerg, Erik and Wendee. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support: Health: Running: RunKeeper.SteveRunner.com Video: YouTube.SteveRunner.com

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This is a transformative journey that we’re taking together, so it might help you to understand the context of this journey if you could understood a bit more about where I’ll be running. In better understanding the mindset of the host and location of this podcast, you’ll better understand how your own terroir, or sense of place, affects your own journey. You live where you do for reasons beyond mere choice or accident. Maybe you’re there because of work, or family, or because you like the temperature of the Mojitos, but at some level you are where you are because you want to be there. It’s not just because I’ve grown up in New England that makes me want to be here; it’s not just the people whom I care about: family and friends who for whatever reason call New England their home; it’s because this place has, to a great extent, made me who I am. I fit in well here, in fact: despite my complaining about the cold and snow, I actually thrive here. Well, maybe “thrive” isn’t the right word, but I do feel that I “need” to be here, and maybe that’s enough. This is “New” England, but it’s not just a state in the Unite, it’s a state of mind. I am a New England runner. These rolling hills and colonial pathways will be the stage for my return to the road, as I run through time and space to get back to where I once belonged: living my life to it’s top, opening my squeaky door and finding comfort in a place I’ll call home. Links:

Chris’s new book:

Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Choose to Be” was by Allison Crowe off her album “Little Light”, learn more over at Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at and . ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe, Fred and Joerg {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support: Health: Running: RunKeeper.SteveRunner.com Video: YouTube.SteveRunner.com

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This is part one of a two part episode. I’ll publish the second part at the end of the year. In the last episode of Phedippidations I talked about getting back to a metaphysical place where I once belonged: a "home" where I was once happy and healthy. For lack of a better term I called this a “transformative journey” and said that I wasn’t doing this to specifically lose weight or get healthier, but to regain that passion I once had for this sport and to feel like a member of the running community again. In returning to the road, health and happiness will be a welcome side effect. Today I'd like to talk a little bit about those side effects. When you head out on a geographical journey, you can usually tell when you’ve arrived at your destination. En route to Key West, I knew that I had arrived when Route 1A ended and the bartender at The Green Parrot handed me a cold margarita. What does it mean to be happy and healthy? What is the measure of such happiness and health? If this is a journey, I should know where I’m starting out so that when I get to the place where I once belonged, I’ll know that I’ve arrived. A true measure of health has to involve more than just vital clinical statistics. It’s got to be a measure of internal and external physical conditions including: how active we are, how well we sleep, how well our mood is, how much energy we have, and probably most importantly: “the overall quality of our current life experience”. In the Fall, we’ll look back on these measurements to see if I’ve improved in any areas of my health and happiness. That's kind of a big IF by the way. I’m going to be reminding you, as we go along, that life is not predictable. I can wish, pray, burn incense, make offerings to my favorite magical beast or intergalactic ruler...but none of those things are going to ensure a beautiful future. Hope is good, I hope that in a year from now I'm running with you at road races somewhere the world...but “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride” and if I want to be Steve Runner again, I'm going to have to make it happen myself. No meaningless incantation or holistic paranormal make believe supernatural overlord is going to intercede in reality and grant me health and happiness. Here I am, all 222 unhealthy pounds of me, ready to take the first step of many to return to the road, and it all starts with a measure of health. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Ready” was by Kodaline off their new album “Coming Up For Air”, learn more over at http://www.kodaline.com Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Pedro, Terence, Tom, Louis, Toni, Margaret, Janina, Joe and Fred. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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I “once belonged” to a community of fellow runners. I understand that many of you and this association have always considered me to be a member of the “run local, think global” team, but I haven’t felt that way for some time. That’s my problem, and it’s okay, that’s going to change. I “once belonged” out on twelve mile long run around my town, through the hills of an Old New England farm trail, past the birthplace of the “Angel of the American Civil War Battlefield”, Clara Barton, past St. Roch’s Church and the Roman Catholic congregation that I left a few years ago, past our town library, built in eighteen sixty-nine where I wrote the first scripts for Phedippidations and then past the hearthstone marker of the Johnson homestead, where John Johnson and his three children were massacred in sixteen ninety-six. I “once belonged” to a group of running podcasters and bloggers in a “run net community” of content creators who spoke and wrote about their passion for the sport. I “once belonged” but I lost my way. Here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to “get back to where I once belonged”. So how is this going to work? How am I going to get back to where I once belonged? One step at a time. Phedippidations is now, in a way, a documentary about my getting back into running. The health, peace of mind and happiness is all a wonderful side effect: but the mission is clear. This is not going to be any kind of a “self help” podcast…If I make recommendations, it’s only because I’m following my own advice. I’m not setting my sights on a marathon or even a specific finishing time in any duration road race…I simply want to get back to where I once was…where I couldn’t wait to lace up my shoes and get 5 in, where I counted the days until my next road race…not because I wanted to set a PR, that was the old home…the home I can’t go back to…this time, I want to run my next race to participate…to feel like I’m a part of something….to get back to where I once belonged. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at “The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at The song “Welcome All Again” was by Collective Soul out of Stockbridge, Georgia. Check out all of their amazing music over at Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at Track my return to the road at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Pedro, Terence, Tom, Louis and Toni. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Episode twenty-three of Phedippidations, which was published on December 18th, Anno domini 2005 was titled “Cold Weather Running”. I guess you could consider this a bit of an update to that recording. While some of the information I covered back then was useful, I think I my have missed some Key (West) points that should be made more clear...and furthermore, I think that the way that show was produced...specifically …WHERE it was recorded, could be improved upon. Thus I can think of no better place to record an episode about running across the Frozen White Wasteland than from this barren, remote and isolated speck of an island at the end of the East Coast of the United States...a little place first known as "Bone Cay" for the littered piles of skeletal remains found here by Ponce de León in 1521. And so while it might be a bit strange for me to talk about cold weather running from here in Key West, it may help to get you in the mood by listening to a nine year younger and significantly COLDER version of me giving you some basic tips about dressing for the tundra. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song “Living on Key West Time” was by Howard Livingston and Mile Marker 24 check out all of their Florida Keys style tropical tunes over at Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts. Thank you: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Trey, Steve, Angie, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens, Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew, Pedro, Terence, Tom and Louis. {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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We live in the age of the selfie and self promotion. Social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even Podcasts: allow us to share so much of our lives, and we…in posting such content assume that there’s someone out there who cares…or maybe we just hope they do. For better or worse, we’ve become a society of exhibitionists, sometimes even boastful of our situation and accomplishments. I disagree with the Christian view that pride is one of the so called “seven deadly sins” I agree with Aristotle that is is the crown of virtue, not to be confused with vanity…although…let’s be honest, sometimes there is a bit of vanity involved in the self promotion that all of this new technology allows us. But when it comes to fitness trackers, heath apps and the ability to record and sometimes share our every step, stride and vital statistics…I think there’s something else going on. In a way, I think we’re looking to improve ourselves through technology by better understanding our behavior as a way to change our lives for the better. This is the self quantified life. A way of using fitness trackers, smart phone applications and other accessories to constantly monitor and record the way you use your body with the goal of helping you to improve your behavior. The quantified self is all about better understanding our physical behavior as a way to improve the physical condition of this organic machine we inhabit, as we experience the universe around us and live our lives to the top. So go ahead and tweet your progress, post your race results on Facebook, share physical improvements with your social media connected friends…and share with the world your quantified self. Links:

Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Me the Machine” was by Imogen Heap off her 2011 album “Sparks”. Check out all of her amazing contemporary goodness at Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 70 friends and fellow runners: Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino, Michael, Clay, George, Matthew and Pedro. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Something to contemplate on your long, slow run today: The Teleological argument in support of the existence of God says “that the universe is ordered towards some end or purpose, that it was created by an intelligent being in order to accomplish some purpose.” FACT: We live in a 13.7 Billion year old universe that will end in a “Heat Death” 100 Trillion years from now. The Scottish philosopher David Hume didn’t think much of the “Teleological Wish”…he wrote that: “A very small part of this great system, during a very short time, is very imperfectly discovered to us, and do we thence pronounce decisively concerning the origin of the whole?” The Anthropic argument for or against God, misses and the Teleological argument is just something that we wish for. There are, generally speaking 5 arguments used to prove the existence of God: The Teleological, Cosmological, Ontologocal, Moral, Miracles and Religious Experience. Today, we will focus on the Teleological, which leads to a discussion of the Anthropic. The teleological argument does not prove the existence of God, no matter what the apologist William Craig has to say…but to his credit, the argument doesn’t disprove Gods existence either….but whatever you do, I implore you NOT to take my word for it. I want to make it clear that in this episode I have not stated my position on the existence of God. I’m not here to state an opinion…you have to decide for yourself. Maybe you’ll decide not to think about it, and remain as spiritual or atheistic as you’ve ever been: that’s your decision. But I want to think about it, I want to know…and it’s my opinion that you should as well…because the universe is an enormous, amazing, curious, exploding, inhospitable mess of a thing, and it’s likely just one of an infinite number of universes that exists through an infinite regression of universes. As truly insignificant as we are, we should be in awe of the consciousness that allows us to contemplate the origin and purpose…if there is one…of all that has ever or will ever be. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “If there is a God” was by the Smashing Pumpkins off the album “Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music”. Hear more at The song “Think for Yourself” was by George Hrab from http://www.geologicpodcast.com FitBit at . Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 68 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino and Michael. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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On the Fox News website a few weeks ago, Dr. Jennifer Landa, wrote an article “How Endurance Running Can Damage Your Health”. Dr. Landa is an excellent physician. She’s the Chief Medical Officer of BodyLogicMD, a franchise of doctors specializing in bioidentical hormone therapy. In this episode of Phedippidations, I’m going to refute Dr. Landa’s arguments by applying a healthy dose of skepticism to her craftily…and well worded arguments. But unlike my usual vitriolic attacks pointing out the blatant logical fallacies presented an article…and I must tell you, Dr. Landa has made many weak transgressions here…I’m going to try and be “fair and balanced”. I say try…I’m not on par with Dr. Landa’s intelligence: but I think I’m pretty good at refutations…so, I’ll give it a shot. It’s good to warn readers about the dangers of any activity…but you absolutely MUST comment on the validity of the proof. That wasn’t done here, and that’s both egregious and misleading. It’s important, to me at least, that I make the declaration that “I don’t know everything”. I’ll defer to Dr. Landa on all of the subjects of which she is an expert…but if you’re making an argument with poor reasoning, then the burden of proof is with you….and that’s the truth no matter what FOX says. Links: Direct link to old episodes of Intervals: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Skeptic” was by the musician and fellow podcaster George Hrab, off the album “Vitriol”. You can hear more from George over at FitBit at . Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 68 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino and Michael. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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I have this “other podcast”, that I call Intervals…and unlike the portmanteau title of Phedippidations…the title “Intervals” is a bit of a double entendre. Whereas Phedippidations usually has a theme to each episode…Intervals is themeless. I “make it up as I go along”, and it has been a sort of “stream of consciousness” podcast that I put out there…because, why not? Today we’ll go back to the year of our (Time) Lord 2010. It was a good year; as years go. Since then, so much has changed in my life…as it has with yours. Back then I was still running road races and marathons, back then my weight was below 190 and my injuries were minor. Now, I’m not telling you this as someone who laments the good old days…or to garner sympathy for the darks times we’ve experienced since…I’m simply putting this out there to remind you that the period of four years both seems like a long time ago, and yet it’s demonstrably not. So what should we learn from this? I think it’s best that we live in the present. Assume that tomorrow will be a better day, but don’t dwell on it…don’t focus on what’s to come because: that’s for later; be here: now. I am notoriously bad at living for the moment…the very exercise of producing this episode has forced me to relive my past…and that took me away from where I was as I listened to over 40 hours of podcasts, taking notes on bits to include here. What a colossal waste of time…I only hope that I didn’t waste yours…and maybe, just maybe, my effort here will have forced us both to consider living in the present. The Buddah said “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” We can only truly experience the universe and our own lives, right now…in the present. The past and future are nothing more than concepts…our brains retain the memories of what happened and create thoughts about what will be…but it’s the present that matters. Right now, where ever you are, listening to my voice…which, interestingly was recorded in your past…this present moment is the thing we should concentrate on. The problem with dwelling on the past and future is that you can easily get stuck there…and that’s not good because if you’re there and not here, you’re missing out on having a profound experience every day…you’re missing out on what’s happening all around you…you’re missing out on life. The person who recorded these Intervals is gone forever…in his place, right now…is this new guy…facing not the future or lamenting the past: but trying as best he can…(and not going all that great of a job of it, may I point out) of living his life in the present. It’s not easy…it seems like it should be, but it’s not. You want to experience something more profound than the “Ice Bucket Challenge”? I challenge you to sit quietly, somewhere…anywhere, and concentrate on just being there. It takes practice, and it’s very, very hard to do…but if you can run a road race: a 5K, 10K or marathon, you already have an indomitable spirit to try anything. I feel like I should make it clear, again, that I am not very good at living in the present. I don’t believe in ghosts…but I’ve certainly been haunted by the events of the past four years. It’s time for all of us to move on…to where we are now. The Buddhist monk “Thich Nhat Hanh” once wrote that: “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.” I wish I had lived more in the moment, through my past…but that doesn’t mean I can’t do so in my future…and maybe the best way for me to do that is to not worry about it. Just be. Links: Direct link to old episodes of Intervals: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Part of Me” was another track off the new album “A Raven Has My Heart” by Black Lab at . FitBit at . Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 70 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, William, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Kevin, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, and Dino. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Today, on Phedippidations I’m going to teach you three things, and I mean REALLY teach you…you can’t flunk this course, and if you already know something (or a lot of things) about wine, then consider this a refresher. Our syllabus is as follows: In the first chapter I’ll tell you how to taste wine, nothing fancy: just the basics…and I know you probably think this is intuitive, but tasting wine takes practice, as we’ll discuss. In the second chapter, I’ll tell you three important wine terms that you need to know when talking about wine…and finally In the third and final chapter, I’ll tell you three rarely used, high level terms and concepts that when used in the right situation, will make those who you are talking to, believe that you are on par with a master sommelier…a wine expert…in other words, just by using these phrases convincingly, you will gain “wine cred”. The thing about wine is that it’s really, just another thing in the universe to appreciate like music, art and nature. In a way, this episode isn’t about promoting the consumption of wine: I understand all too well that there are many of you out there who can’t stand the taste of the stuff, and others who can’t or won’t drink it…fair enough: but there’s got to be something out there in this incredible universe you can experience on a deeper level. I have many passions, running is just one of them…and so is the topic of wine. But there’s much more to wine, than just wine…it’s a topic that’s complex and vast covering thousands of years of human history and a globalization that has changed the way that millions of people consume and experience it. You need not be a wine expert to have an opinion about wine…you just need to know a few basic concepts and have a willingness to be open to the experience of wine, from the vineyard to the bottle and the glass. Wine is for geeks, wine is for experts wine is for newbies. Links: Wine for Newbies Podcast: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Out of Promises” was another track off the new album “A Raven Has My Heart” by Black Lab at FitBit at . Intervals between episodes can be found at In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 74 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, William, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Kevin, Pat, Marc, Evelyn, Chris, Dino and Lou. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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The thing about human beings that strikes me as both wonderful and fascinating: is our capacity for change. If you asked me ten years ago would I ever “own” a dog, I’d have laughed at the notion. Today, the reality is that I do not “own” Eva…she owns me…or better put, we own and love each other. Eva Jones is many things: but most of all, most importantly of all: she is, to me: an example of the good animal I could be. She is a perfect example of love and joy…and she’ll always be that way for me. People change…I’ve changed over the years in some ways for the worse, in some ways for the better…but Eva has…for the past four, been an important constant in my life. This episode concludes with a eulogy for a friend. The greatest biffer I’ve ever known, and someone who taught me the importance of living your life to the top. Links:

Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “A Raven Has my Heart” at FitBit at . Intervals between episodes at steverunnerblog.com In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 74 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, William, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Kevin, Pat, Marc, Evelyn and Chris. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Five dudes drove to Biff-Country in the summer of 2002. They saw moose, canoed, swam, and slept in tents. They ate beans, Dick’s Famous Chicken, pop-corn, jerky, mango, and Reece’s Cups. They skipped rocks, climbed on rocks, jumped off of rocks into a lake, watched stars, the moon, and the Northern Lights, and read Harry Potter around campfires. Then they drove home. It was all in the Biff-Country, and it was awesome. This is their story.

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When you elevate something that is not important and dedicate some passion to it, you are living your life to the top. I don’t care what it is: running, playing the guitar, tasting wine, watching a TV show about a mad man in a blue police box flying through space and time, cooking, eating, even podcasting. I am, and have been since I was a small child, a fan of the Boston Red Sox. The game is one of my passions. The purpose of this episode; if there was a purpose, was to demonstrate the importance of passion in our lives and to highlight, for those who may not be fans of baseball or of my beloved Boston Red Sox, how it feels to not appreciate or understand another persons passion. I’m not really into movies or theater, I don’t understand someone’s passion for dance, baking, T'ai chi ch’uan, floral arraignment, crochet or scrap-booking…but I can appreciate the passion someone might have for those things, and I’ll keep an open mind for my own possibly developing passion for those things and more. Life is short, but it should be long enough…and the universe offers us so much to experience, enjoy and be passionate about. Find your passion, whatever it is, and you’ll find your joy. Play Ball! Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Loud Like Love” was by the band Placebo from London. Find all of their amazing alternative music and videos over at FitBit at . Intervals between episodes, and Burning 40 updates can be found at steverunnerblog.com In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 71 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, William, John, Jill, Elizabeth, Kevin and Pat. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Today I want to talk about this trend for living like our “Old Stone Age” ancestors. What does recent science say about the benefits of minimalist running and the paleo-diet? Are these practices something that we, as runners, should adopt? Can “Paleo Running” and a “Paleo Diet” help us to live better, healthier lives? Agriculture was a life changing advancement for early hominids. It allowed us to spend more time together, in ever growing groups, to develop a civilization that would expand to all continents of the planet Earth. You can try to live a Paleolithic, Mesolithic or Neolithic lifestyle if it suits you; but as Thomas Wolfe wrote “You can’t go home again”. We are no longer “hunter gatherers” we are worker runners. By virtue of your listening to this you have embraced a modern technology that our australopithecine ancestors from 2.6 million years ago could never have imagined. I don’t know if we should eat and run like they did…but maybe you were born out of time and might find some benefits to taking Thoreau’s advice to “simplify, simplify simplify”. We shouldn’t dismiss Paleo eating and running just because it’s the current fad. Like any popular trend we should understand its benefits and try out certain aspects of it in our lives…so unlace your shoes sometime and try a short barefoot run, try avoiding the middle aisles of processed freeze-dried sugar coated consumables when you’re shopping for food and see what happens when you give up bread, rice, potatoes and non-green vegetables for a few weeks. You might channel your inner caveman and improve your health in a stone age way. Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - Unfamiliar Sky was off the brand new soon to be released album “A Raven Has My Heart” by Black Lab. You’ll be hearing a lot about this album in the months to come. Paul Durham’s music has become kind of the soundtrack of my life. Listen in, love the sounds at http://blacklabworld.com FitBit at . Intervals between episodes, and Burning 40 updates can be found at steverunnerblog.com In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 70 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Joe, Martin, Rich, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, Jonathan, John, Jill and Elizabeth. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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In the course of our discussion today, we’re going to talk about many things: determination, dedication, will power, and wanting it. What I will not be able to do, is convince you to meet your goal. It wouldn’t matter if I made the most perfect, passionate, logical argument as to why you should train for and run a road race or marathon, why you should climb the tallest mountain, swim the widest ocean, win the most prestigious award or even drop 40 pounds. I might make you feel guilty for not trying. I might make you feel like a lump of poo because you refuse to rise off your COUCH OF DOOM…but you know how that old saying goes: You can lead a horse to water….but you can’t make him swim the backstroke. What do you want…and do YOU, whatever YOU are, really want it…or is it, as science seems to suggest, merely a calculated process in the computer that is your brain, giving you the illusion that you want it? If you say you want something….to finish your first 10K or lose 40 pounds, is it really your decision or is it some biologically programmed expression of “will” that is anything but “free”? These are good and interesting questions, but the bigger question relative to what we want is this: If we are complex biological computers without free will, can we program ourselves to really want something? Links: Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at . The song - “Arrows of Desire” was by Matthew Good at http://matthewgood.org FitBit at . Intervals between episodes, and Burning 40 updates can be found at steverunnerblog.com In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 73 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Joan, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, Jonathan, John and Jill. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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This is my response to an article published in the November 12th edition of the “Wall Street Journal” titled “OK, You’re a Runner. Get Over It” by Chad Stafko…and while I’ll try to keep it civil, I can’t promise I won’t lean over the line of anger. What I can promise, both you and Stafko is that I won’t make a single logical fallacy with anything I’ll have to say. The burden of proof in the matter of Stafko vs. Fellow Runners is most completely with Chad: my place here is to merely point out what a really inexcusably bad argument he has made. Keeping it civil will be my secondary priority.

Fat, stupid, lazy…these are just some of the words that best describes the embarrassing Chad Stafko. Today’s episode will not only appease Stafko’s selfish need for attention visa-vi this insulting manifesto…but will demonstrate the complete lack of honesty, logic and rational thought from the pudgy grease stained author.

I have a theory, supported by the hypothesis I will present in this podcast: That Chad Stafko is a sad and deluded person.

Links:

Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse

Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at .

The song “Numbers” was by Great Northern find them on Facebook at

FitBit Force at .

He Who Listens to Music When He Runs:

The song “Numbers” was by the band “Great Northern” Intervals between episodes, and Burning 40 updates can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But really, PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 75 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Jim, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Shari, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Joan, Jens (@ScenicRunner), Claudia, Jonathan, and John.

THANK YOU! {}

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I’m here with my family and friends…at place we consider to be the happiest place on earth. This is Key West.

Why this is our happy place is the focus of this episode, and before you get the wrong idea: this show wasn’t sponsored by the Key West Travel Bureau…I understand that many of you have your own personal paradise’s…but this is mine. I’ve only been here once before, about a year ago, in March of 2012, for only three days. Long time listeners to Phedippidations might remember episode 287 titled “Hemingway’s Key and Life to its Top”. We’ll I’m back again, and this time we’re spending a full week.Key West is 129 miles southwest of Miami, and 94 statute miles north of Cuba. The city is smaller than New York’s Central Park and it’s official motto is “One Human Family”.

Mile marker zero of US route 1 is located at 490 Whitehead Street, here in Key West, Florida. It’s the beginning of the road for this major east coast US Highway which runs 2,369 miles (or 3,813 km) all the way north to Fort Kent, Maine…the take out point for those of us who have canoed the Allagash River Waterway in the Northern Maine Woods. Fort Kent was the end of the road for a family camping trip I once cherished; with my Dad, and Nephew John Glenn…you’re welcome to listen to Fdip198 recorded in the summer of 2009 titled “Walking by Henry David Thoreau”…but for me, that’s all in the past. The World has Moved on…and there’s nothing there I care to listen to or dwell upon. Here in Key West I’m marking a new beginning. That so much of my life could changed in the years since I last strapped my canoe to the roof of my Jeep four years ago would have seemed hard to believe back then. But here we are, a few thousand days and miles ago and away: where I’m standing at mile zero of route 1, ready to make a new start, at the beginning of the road…where my Life 2.0 began. The last time I was here I talked to you about Life 2.0; and while I wasn’t really sure where that would lead me…it’s good to be back in Key West…a place that is, for me not only paradise, but the starting line for a new challenge and change. I’m going to become Steve Runner, again. Links: Go there: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g34345-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida-Vacations.html FitBit Force at . Thank the music guy: The song “Key West Address” was by James Slater at Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 75 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Shari, Brad, Dave, Desiree, Joan and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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I see the act of running as a pathway to a special state of consciousness that allows us to "expose and undo our hidden fears and hopes", to "befriend who we are are".

Doctor George Sheehan knew alot about this...but you have to really listen carefully to what he's actually saying in order to understand.

I'm about to read from you one of the most controversial, in my opinion anyway, chapters of his now classic book "Running and Being - The Total Experience" published by Second Wind II LLC. It’s a book that you simply must own.

The chapter I’ll read is titled "Meditating"...and as you start to listen to it many of your are going to disagree completely with his premise.

That's why you have to listen carefully...you have to think about what he's saying and look for yourself in those words. He begins talking about the importance of solitude and how, on the road, we remove ourselves from the influence of both love and hate. On the surface, that seems somehow selfish and anti-social; and to that Dr. Sheehan will agree, but not in the way you might think.

When you run...YOU run. You take your heart, mind and soul...whatever YOU really are...and you use it. The meditation comes when distractions are minimized. Pema Chodron is absolutely correct: meditation allows you to "befriend who we are" and running allows you some time to meditate.

It's not easy...that's why those practiced in the art of meditation can sit quietly and comfortably, and not think, just be. In this chapter, Doctor Sheehan is making the case that this solitary experience of "being" can come to you while you're running. This is why such meditation is part of the total experience, of "running and being”.

Links: THE BOOK YOU MUST OWN: "Running and Being - The Total Experience" published by Second Wind II LLC

The MVP of music:

The song “Runaways” was lead single from the fourth album “Battle Born” by The Killers. Follow the band on twitter @thekillers

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 72 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Marcelo, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Shari, Brad and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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While faith is, by definition, unwavering; scientific understanding often and sometimes frequently changes, as new observations about our universe are uncovered and demonstrated.

Conventional wisdom, those faith sourced ideas that are so greatly accepted that they go unquestioned, is an oxymoron...that is, a conjoining contradictory term. In the case of running shoes and pronation we have long accepted the idea that:

neutral or cushioned shoes are helpful for those with high arches, stability shoes are best for those who over-pronote moderately and motion control shoes are best for runners with low arches and moderate to severe over-pronation.

But the latest science...that is, the most recent clinical, organized observations, show that this is not true.

Critics against science will point to the ever changing theories and hypothesis that make the practice untrustfull and suspicious, while those with deep religious convictions will point out how their belief is something does not change in light of new evidence.

54% of American’s believe that human beings have evolved into our present form over millions of years, and that we have descended from other animals and life forms, such as the the Bonobo and Chimpanzee, who we split off from, in the family tree of humanity, only 7 million years ago. The conventional knowledge in this area has changed frequently since Darwin’s publication of “On the Origin of Species” in 1859”.

46% of American’s believe in the Abrahamic account of human creation, and consider the idea of God creating humans 10,000 years ago a “creationist science”. Lacking significant evidence and despite the increasing proof to the contrary, these people rely on faith, rather than science, to prove their point.

So that’s an example of where science and faith “butt heads”, and the discussion will go on and on; just as the discussion about pronation and the perfect running shoe will continue as new studies and investigations uncover new evidence and findings to better inform and educate those of us who seek to unravel the paradox of pronation.

Links:

http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/06/12/bjsports-2013-092202.abstract

And on the 8th day, God rocked:

The song “Science” was by David Usher.

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 73 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea, Matt, Jen, Lou, Shari and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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Oxford Massachusetts is typical quaint New England Village, in the Heart of Central Massachusetts that remains, after 300 years, a quaint country town with a long American history.

The Europeans settlers from France and England were not the first to live here; but since it’s founding the town has managed to maintain both it’s charm and terroir; a less known gem in the commonwealth of Massachusetts and a place that I call home.

Last month, on July 31st, Massachusetts state representatives Paul Frost and Ryan Fattman announced that Bill H.3465, “an Act validating the date of incorporation of the Town of Oxford” had been passed.

“Nothwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the date of July 8, 1713 is hereby ratified and confirmed and declared the legal and valid date of incorporation of the Town of Oxford.”

It was signed by Governor Deval Patrick on August 7th.

Oxford is a town, as it be needful.

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With this episode I’m off and running on my 9th year of podcasting. Did I think that I’d still be at it after all this time? To be honest I didn’t really think about it...I just kept on producing the shows. Clearly, this isn’t the same Phedippidations that it was back in 2005...alot has changed with the writing, recording, production, sound quality, processing, sound effects, music sounders and beds...not to mention the changes in the life of the host. We homo sapiens are funny when it comes to change, and I’m not talking about “Funny Ha Ha”. I think to a certain extent, many of us go through the course of our lives in blissful or less denial on the topic of change...I know I’m guilty of that...so I’ll speak for myself. Intellectually I understand that change is constant, but in my heart I try to ignore that truth. I have always preferred to belive that I live in a secure, understandable, familiar and unchanging life and lifestyle...but that’s a fantasy...the truth is that every day and every hour brings change. The way to become happy in life, is to be mindful of this change. Parents with young children experience such change to the extreme. Those of you with new born and young kids must cherish these moments...for when I warn you that they will pass by much faster than you can possibly imagine, you have to belive me. I don’t mean to bum you out...but almost literally tomorrow your babies will be full fledged adults, and you’ll have the nest to yourselves...it’s a little freaky at first, but it gets better...it really does. It’s these transitions in our lives that shock and awe us...but they shouldn’t. I’m talking about our “fear of change” here, something that the buddist nun Pema Chodron writes about in her book “When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times” She writes: “We’re always trying to deny that it’s a natural occurrence that things change, that the sand is slipping through our fingers. Time is passing. It’s as natural as the seasons changing and day turning into night. But getting old, getting sick, losing what we love—we don’t see those events as natural occurrences. We want to ward off that sense of death, no matter what. When we have reminders of death, we panic. It isn’t just that we cut our finger, blood begins to flow, and we put on a Band-Aid. We add something extra—our style. Some of us just sit there stoically and bleed all over our clothes. Some of us get hysterical; we don’t just get a Band-Aid, we call the ambulance and go to the hospital. Some of us put on designer Band-Aids. But whatever our style is, it’s not simple. It’s not bare bones. Can’t we just return to the bare bones? Can’t we just come back? That’s the beginning of the beginning. Bare bones, good old self. Bare bones, good old bloody finger. Come back to square one, just the minimum bare bones. Relaxing with the present moment, relaxing with hopelessness, relaxing with death, not resisting the fact that things end, that things pass, that things have no lasting substance,that everything is changing all the time...” She’s right of course...I’m hardly an enlightened soul, but I do understand that everything is changing all the time...and that includes Phedippidations. I’ve recieved thousands of comments about this show over the years, and one of the common subject lines mentions a listeners unhappiness with the many changes that I’ve made with the show. I cannot, and will not apologize for that, because it’s not something that I have control over...part of the reason I have no control over this is because we’re going through a journey here, together. Like it or not, you’ve been listening not only to my rambling diatribes and presentation of road races and running related topics...but you’ve been listening to the story of my life, and the lives of my friends and family. I could have made a better effort to sheild you from all that...having worked in commercial radio broadcasting, I know first hand how the private lives of Dee-Jays and Talk Show Hosts are often hidden from the audience. But I didn’t want to do that here, because this is a conversation for and about runners. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Too many of the professional and corporate production houses who have entered this space...as I knew they one day would...continue to follow the tired, old way of broadcasting content. Many or most are afraid of being complely open and honest, and until they do...they’re always just going to be a radio show pretending to be a podcast...or netcast...or RSS driven audio enclosure....whatever you want to call it. Can we agree that the “pod” in “podcasting” is no longer relevent? As my life has changed, this show has changed. As this show has changed, our relationship as host and listener has changed...and I like to think that this change is, or will be, for the better. Someone asked me recently “How long will you continue to produce Phedippidations”...and there is an answer to that: “until I’m finished”. That could mean until I’m physically unable to produce the show, or it could mean until I’ve reached the end of our journey together...it doesn’t really matter. I’ll miss you, you might miss me...but rest assured, somewhere up ahead of us in the near or far flung future, is the last episode of this podcast. We should find comfort in that as we should find comfort in all the alpha and omega moments of our lives. When Ani Pema Chodron suggests that we return to the “bare bones” in our response to change, she is suggesting that we live for the moment, every moment...that we learn to relax and not resist the fact that change is constant and that everything comes to an end. Nothing in our lives remains the same, ever...so if you like something, hell...if you LOVE something or someone, an experience you’re having or once had...cherish that thing, person or moment, now...right now...and relax...be better for the experience and move on as the world moves on. And yes, I am the pot pointing out that the kettle is of a darkened hue...but as runners we have an opportunity to think deeply about change...change in our lives, change in our friends and families lives...and even something as goofy as the changes with a podcast.

Links:

Friend, Fellow Runner & Wine Freak:

Song

Episode

Date Published

Song Title

Artist

Fdip295: Dr. George Sheehan – Facing the Future

Sept 8th, 2012

All My Days

Alexi Murdoch

Fdip296: Motivational Gadgetry

Sept 20th, 2012

Let Them Feel Your Heart Beat

A Silent Film

Fdip297: What is this thing called, Love?

Oct 13th, 2012

Tomorrow

Black Lab

Fdip298: The Problem with NSAIDs

Nov 10th, 2012

The Day

Moby

Fdip299: An Honor to Run with You

Dec 2nd, 2012

Further

Long-View

Fdip300: A New Hope

Feb 1, 2013

Run, Run

The Rivals

Fdip301: Unwrinkling the Runners Soul

Feb 28th, 2013

Good Men

A Boy and His Kite

Fdip302: As Fast as We Can

March 22nd, 2013

As Fast as You Can

Our Lady Peace

Bonus Track

Learn to Dance

Andrew McMahon

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 70 friends and fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Matt, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre, Maria, Hisham, Andrea and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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Over the years, I have spoken to you about all of the many benifits as to why running is good for you. I’ve talked about the physical, psychological and even the spiritual benefits of this sport...but

I’ve also tried to get across this point: that running is just one of the ways to improve your health, increase your level of happiness and extend the duration of your life. I’ve told you that “Runners are special” but I’ve always been quick to admit that I’m not saying we’re better than non-runners...we’re just different. Think about some of the times you’ve run incredibly long distances, or gotten your miles in during a blizzard or heat wave...some might call us crazy, I prefer the word “special”.

But obviously there are other physical activities that can bring you similar benefits: for the purpose of today’s discussion we will consider the act of walking. And the question to be asked and answered here is simply this: which is better for you, running or walking?

Now, look...let’s be reasonable...I have dedicated the last 8 years of my life...over 300 episodes answering the question with the choice to run. I call myself “Steve Runner” I have drawers full of running Tee-Shirts and boxes of old running shoes that I keep hidden in my attick for the “Steve Runner Memorial Library” by grandaughters will no doubt, one day open...but if we’re going to consider Running versus Walking...we’d better turn to “SCIENCE”.

Links:

Special Olympics:

A New Project:

Gud Musik? Fuhgeddahboudid:

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” was by The Proclaimers at

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

PHEDIPPIDATIONS SITE OF THE RUN:

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 67 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Matt, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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It was on April 19th, in the year of our Lord 2000, that I first registered the domain name of SteveRunner.com.

It wasn’t my idea. It was that of a good friend of mine, Jim, who I had attended the University of Lowell with in the early 1980’s, and worked with for over 20 years.

It was on that 19th day of April, 13 years ago that he suggested I reserve a domain name for my running blog.

I had been posting my running related essays on a website hosted at CompuServe, but the only way you could read my running words was if you knew the complicated numerical universal resource locator that pointed to it.

Today, I’d like to read for you some of the essays I wrote back then. They are written from the perspective of a new and very enthusiastic runner of 38 years old.

We are quite often oblivious to the way our lives change, and how we change through the year. Your perspective will vary, but for me: 13 years wasn’t all that long ago.

It was the peak of the Dot Com bubble, President Clinton was serving his last year in office, and I had just lost over 50 pounds. Running had become one of my greatest passions. I had started in December of ’98, ran my first marathon in October of ’99 and now I had a blog where I could write about the experience. Inspired and enlightened by the cardiologist, fellow runner, philosopher and author, Dr. George Sheehan...I began writing about my running lifestyle and how it had brought me joy.

My life has changed drastically since I first created the SteveRunner.com website. The essays you’ll hear today are from a person who no longer exists, a younger version of myself that was filled with hope, excitement, opptomism and enthusiam for the act of running.

This isn’t to say that I’m worse off today than I was back then...it’s just that I never expected to be where I am today; none of us do. Go back into your own 13 year old past and it’s likely that you’ll experience the same revelation. You aren’t who and where you expected to be.

Life is an uncharted, unscripted reality. It’s not always dramatic, and it’s not all sad or happy endings. We lace up our shoes and we open our squeaky doors to roads that lead to an unknowable future. Who you are today is nothing at all like the who you’ll be in ten, twenty or even thirty years, God willing.

One thing is for sure, that despite your best plans, despite whatever goals you’re aiming for; when and if you get there...everything will be different.

This is who I was 13 years ago....what I was thinking about, what I was writing about. It’s a revealing and personal cause for introspection...but it’s also an example for you to contemplate your long ago and far to come.

Links:

Hark the Herald Boom-Box sings:

Featured Site of the Run:

The song “Stereo” was by “The Watchmen”

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

PHEDIPPIDATIONS SITE OF THE RUN:

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But PLEASE, only if you can afford it!) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 68 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Ria, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Matt, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom, David, Pierre and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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We wish you could have been here.

The Cinco Loco was a never to be duplicared in the history of the universe event; a run with a unique group of good people who came together to share their time; to be there for a friend who had lost his precious child, to be there at the finish line of an event that hatred tried to ruin; to celebrate the friendships that we had made on line, through podcasts and the social media tubes of the Interwebs...and to enjoy a victory cupcake, in person, together...side by side, in the flesh...real people, real friends and fellow runners.

We all wish you could have been here; and we look forward to the day when we will: standing at an arbitrary starting line to run some arbitrary distance, without earbuds, downloads and RSS subscriptions, without tweets, and facebook updates or blog posts...but in person, you and I and some incredibly cool people.

That is the spirit of the Mojo Loco movement...that’s what’s real, significant and important.

We should run together, at the same time in the same place at some point during our brief lives. Because that’s all that matters. You and I are friends and fellow runners, but as I said before: our friendship is confirmed and reinforced upon meeting each other in physical person.

If we are to make the world a better place, we have to promote respect, admiration and friendship with people all over the world. Runners have a special way of doing that, because it doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what you belive in, how you dress, what you look like, how old you are, or any of the other wonderful and infinite persuasions that define you: we have this one thing in common; we run...and that physical act can be the rock solid foundation for a friendship that can make the world understand and appreciate each other, and bring us all together.

I wish you had been here, and I hope that one day we’ll go our for a run.

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My name is Steve, I’m from Boston, and I am Boston Strong.

There’s a certain amount of pride that I have, in saying that. But the truth is, we’re all from Boston. Boston...is more than just a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...for runners like you and I, it’s a idea...it’s a place where dreams come true.

The course from the Hopkinton Bandstand to Boylston Street is more than just a paved roadway...it’s a course. Wherever you’re hearing me right now, that course is connected to you. When you lace up your shoes and open your own squeaky front door, you’re taking to the same road, on the same planet as I. The phrase “Think Global, Run Local” has never been so true as it was on the afternoon of April 15th, Patriots Day...a day of heros.

I am now going to say something that is well overdue...I’m going to admit that I was wrong about something. I’m wrong about alot of things, but I’m stubborn too, I’m a cranky New Englander...but when faced with the truth...I have no alternative but to accept my our fault.

I once said, on this podcast, that it doesn’t take courage to run, in fact I dedicated an entire episode to that silly notion back in December of 2008, episode 166 “It’s Not About Courage”.

In that episode I said that “Just because someone says that it takes courage for you to run your first mile, does not make it so. It does not make noble the action by affixing such terms to explain how you came to be.”

Fellow runners, don’t you belive that. I was wrong, and I apologize with all my heart.

You know how much the Boston Marathon means to me; you know how much this city means to me...but the fact is, that we all have courage...the first responders, the fire, police and emergency crews who responded at risk to their own lives, and the many, MANY fellow runners who did exactly what any of you would have done: we are indomitable, we overcome pain, we use our bodies as they were meant to be used, and we sacrifice for the good of this world.

It is about courage, afterall. When you take to the road, you’re becoming a hero...a hero who would gladly help other runners by passing out bottles of water, a hero who would walk into a little burger joint near the finish line and grab a couple of big trash bags to give to a complete stranger for warmth, a hero who would risk being with other people in an area where the attacks took place, as a way to offer fellowship and comfort.

Oh, yes, there are so many hero’s in our community...so many fellow runners willing to sacrifice, help and fight for what’s right. The cowardly terrorists who dropped those backpacks with pressure cooker bombs thought they could scare you, they thought they could end the marathon, frighten the world and send a message of hatred that would force us to cower in the darkness.

All they did was kill and hurt some good people, and make a bloody mess of Boylston Street. There’s a concept in physics discovered by Sirl Issac Newton as his third law of motion.

“Actioni contrariam semper et æqualem esse reactionem”

To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction

Fellow runners, we could be heros. We could respond to this act of terror, with acts of heroism; armed with, as weapons, kindness, respect, sacrifice and wave after wave of love.

Of course it takes courage to run, it’s something that those who would stop us most clearly don’t understand. Instead of defeating us on Boylston Street, the terrorist’s empowered us all over the world, to set postive examples for others on how to be good animals, better people, and brave heros.

Links:

On Monday, May 5th, join my friends and fellow runners, and I, in Boston as we celebrate the life of Jacob Tinkoff and run to the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We are waves of love, and Boston Strong: el Cinco Loco:

Thanks for the music:

The song “All Roads Lead Home” was by Golden State at

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 66 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Ria, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Matt, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe, Martin, Rich, Sarah, Tom and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

The Buddah

The world is a better place for the life of a young man by the name of Jacob Tinkoff.

If you haven’t heard, it breaks my heart to tell you of this worlds loss of my friend Adam Tinkoff’s son, Jacob.

No parent should have to endure such tragedy alone. So now you know, and now together, we mourn.

Jacob, or Jake to his friends, was a good, kind and sweet young man.

He was also a passionately talented musician. He was an accomplished string bassist.

The music you'll hear on this podcast was from a series of youtube videos Adam had posted over the past few yeasr, featuring Jacob playing bass in his orchestra.

Not long ago, Adam spoke to me about the very real and powerful phenomenon of creating waves of love and joy in the world.

As humans, we create content, thoughts and beauty...which spread out like ripples in a pond, touching the hearts and souls of other people, who in turn are inspired, or infused with a need to create their own positive waves of love and joy.

The Buddha said “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.”

These waves of light, love and beauty are generated by a single source, and spread throughout the universe of people in ways that we can hardly understand, but are deeply effected by...and as long as that light shines, as long as that love propagates, the life of the source cannot be shortened.

Jacob Tinkoff is a beautiful soul, who has touched the lives of many people...and today, through this music, his love will touch you and change you in meaningful and subtle waves.

“To Write Love on Her Arms” is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

Adam and his family asks that in lieu of flowers you make a donation "To Write Love On Her Arms".

You can find them online at

Please keep Jacob, Adam and the Tinkoff family in your prayers.

The Buddha wrote that:

“All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.”

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How fast can the fastest human being run? We know that Usain Bolt of Jamacia ran at a top speed of 27.78 miles per hour (44.72 km/h) between the 60 to 80 meter segment of the 100 meter sprint in 1.61 seconds on August 16th, 2009 at the Berlin World Championships.

But what I want to know, is how fast could the fastest human being ever really run. I’m not talking about Usain...the guy is amazing...but we are human beings, and we have evolved with this particular physicolgy. What would it take for one of us to run the fastest that is possible as a member of our species? It turns out that, according to the latest science, there are two contending factors which affect the speed of human beings: first the amount of force that our bodies can handle as we smash our limbs upon the ground, and second the speed at which our muscles can contract and pull on our tendons. Only one of these is the primary factor, and it will become obvious as we go through the science which matters most.

We need to consider the mechanics here to come up with a theoretical limit to human speed, and as we do you need to keep Usain Bolt’s 28 miles per hour in mind.

This is an episode about the theoretical limits to the speed of a human being. The answer to “How Fast Can We Run”, as a species, may surprise you!

Links:

It’ll be WICKED PISSA: el Cinco Loco:

Run with Jason:

Huff Po likes me! They really like me! slide=1952271

The musical voice inside my head:

Featured Site of the Run: Tell @mccarthy_roy I said “hi”.

The song “As Fast As You Can” was by Our Lady Peace off the album “Curve” which you can buy right now on iTunes or at

Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com

In Vino Veritas with at

PHEDIPPIDATIONS SITE OF THE RUN:

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it) Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind and sincerely generous financial support of 63 friends and fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Tim, Bill, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Marcelo, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Ria, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Andrew, Pam, Rob, Chris, Teresa, Glenn, Trey, Steve, John, Angie, Al, Toni, Martin, Lynn, Nancy, Matt, Eric, Claudia, Jim, Kara, Robert, Dino, Joe and one Anonymous fellow runner! THANK YOU! {}

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If you’re a new runner, or know someone who is...or even if you are a runner who has packed away your running shoes because you’re in some kind of a slump, or gave up running due to reasonable health reasons...I’m here to tell you that you are not alone.

You’re not the first runner to quit, and you won’t be the last.

I know, because I’ve been there...and todays epsiode of Phedippidations is a shout of encouragement...it’s my attempt to say to you that even if you’ve hung up your shoes: you’re not a quitter. Stop thinking of your running in terms of that. Whatever your goals are..whatever the reason it was that made you first lace up your shoes...they’re still valid reasons; the only thing you really have to do is change those short term goals into long term goals...and recognize the signs of improvement.

You really are, a runner. Sometimes we don’t feel that way, sometimes we feel like giving up, crawing into our darkened subterrainan dens and disassociating ourselves from that aweful activity...but if we can think it through clearly, and unwrinkle our damaged souls...we’ll all realize that we have evolved to be runners, and that happiness can be found in accepting that truth and becoming what we were meant to be.

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I’ve had alot of time to think about how I’d conclude, this: my 300th episode...and I guess it makes sense for me to briefly comment on something I said in episode 1: When I talked about the horrible feeling of dropping the ball and losing the 1977 championship baseball game of the Weymouth Farm League for my team, The Red Barons. The essay I wrote and read was my way of explaining why, after that crushing loss, I sought to involve myself only in sports that celebrated individual achievement. I wrote: “It's probably no coincidence that I've never played in a team sport since. I chose, instead, to direct my athletic attentions to the Cross Country and Track teams, as well as the individual medley events on the swim team. I involved myself in sports that didn't require team camaraderie; I selected athletics that rewarded individual success without the dependency of others.” Seven years and 300 episodes later; I’ve come to realize how wrong I was....that this sport I love so much, this running is one that depends on camaraderie, it thrives on the dependency of others, it improves with friendship. We’re all going to experience bad days. Life is pain...but life is also filled with such beauty and hope. As runners, we share a common experience and this is not something we should keep for ourselves...there’s no good that can come by keeping for ourselves. I have a New Hope...a certain longing for a better world, a dream that we can all be happy, healthy and loved. John Lennon wrote that he was a dreamer...but he’s not the only one...Martin Luther King Jr. wrote about his dream for justice and equality, Mahatma Ghandi wrote "What is true of the individual will be tomorrow true of the whole nation if individuals will but refuse to lose heart and hope." Running, as with life, is not an individual sport. It is my new hope that you and I can inspire others to become fellow runners...to become better human beings and friends. For my part, I’ll use Phedippidations to promote that agenda. I may drop the ball from time to time, but this is no longer an individual sport, and with you on my team...our new hope will become a new reality. I’m Steve Runner, reminding you to run long and taper.

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The next episode of Phedippidations is a celebration of this podcast and the community of which it is a part...we’re celebrating not because of anything I've ever recorded, presented or produced...but because you stepped up and said you would participate...that you’d jam some ear buds in your head and at least go for a run with me....whether you've been listening since episode one or if this is your first; the honor to run with you is mine. Thank you for that honor, for being a friend and a fellow runner. Links:

“Further” by Long-View http://www.longviewmusic.com "Baby Can I Hold You" by Tracy Chapman

Get some social perspective:

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: (But only if you can afford it) Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 51 fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Al, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill, Kevin, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Rob, Marcelo, Andrew, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Ria, Jan, Margaret, James, Norm, Simon, Albert, Janice, Dan, Pam, Rob , Chris, Teresa and one Anonymous fellow runner!

THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: Facebook: Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Stream: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs are a class of medicine used to reduce fever and treat acute or chronic conditions where pain and inflammation are present. They are used, generally for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthropathies, gout, menstrual pain, headaches, post operative pain, and fever.

Side effects include: myocardial infarction, stroke, erectile dysfunction, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, gastric ulceration, diarrhea, acute renal failure, tubular necrosis, broncospasm, rash, IBS symptoms, and even photosensitivity.

BUT…NSAID’s are effective for the relief of pain…as runners we know this. As runners many or most of us rely on ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to recover from injuries. So what does science tell us about the efficacy of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs?

How are we to deal with the problem with NSAID’s?

Links: http://fellrnr.com http://fellrnr.com/wiki/NSAIDs_and_Running http://www.monteladner.com

The song “The Day” was by Moby http://www.moby.com/

Presenting Mr. Robin Bearse: http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 42 fellow runners:

THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: http://twitter.steverunner.com Facebook: http://facebook.steverunner.com Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Stream: http://stitcher.steverunner.com Apple App: http://iapp.steverunner.com Android App: http://android.steverunner.com Support: http://support.steverunner.com

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Love, is a many splendored thing, it’s all that matters, it’s all around, it moves in mysterious ways, it’s the answer, it makes no promises, it’s blind, you can’t buy it, it’s not for sale, it takes it toll, you can’t hurry it, it’s not a game, it’s a battlefield, it will keep us together, you can’t help falling in it, it doesn’t ask why, it hurts, and: “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that”.

Whatever “that” is.

As runners, we say that we “love to run”, as husbands, wives and partners we most certainly love our significant others, we love people, friends, family, parents, children, all creatures great and small, and we love things…our magical revolutionary iThings, good wine, our running shoes, our town, our little blue bubble in space…and of course, we love more ethereal things such as situations and experiences.

But what is this thing called love? When the alien robot overlords invade our planet, and they ask about this emotional connection we have to people, things and experiences…what will we tell them?

Links:

October 27th and 28th: Join us for the http://worldwidefestivalofraces.wordpress.com

The song “Tomorrow” was by Black Lab off their album “Unplugged”. It’s one of my all time favorite albums and I HIGHLY recommend it: Go to http://blacklabworld.com Please help Kim fight CANCER: http://ogden.kintera.org/kimcowart “Love gives us a fairy tale”: http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 39 fellow runners:

William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Al, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill, Kevin, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad, Rob, Marcelo, Andrew, Shawn, Roberto, Zaki, Ria and one fellow runner who asked that I not mention their name.

THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

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I’m going to talk about four specific gadgets on our run today, physical devices that are said to help motivate you to live a healthier life. Show notes available at SteveRunner.com

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It’s been almost two years since I produced an episode of this goofy little podcast featuring the thoughts and words of a man I admire a great deal: Dr. George Sheehan. There’s no specific reason for that…episode 258 titled “Dr. George Sheehan: Seeing” was my reading of the final chapter of his book “Running and Being – The Total Experience”, probably his best known work.

Cardiologist, Philosopher, author and record setting marathoner, Dr. George Sheehan was diagnosed, in 1986, with inoperable prostate cancer. By the time it was discovered, it had already spread to his bones. He fought with the disease for seven years, living each day to it’s top. His last book “Going the Distance: One Man’s Journey to the end of his life” was all about the experience of dying from the perspective of a runner…or better put, someone like us who sees value in our life and accepts pain, sweat and exhaustion as a way to live well.

“Going the Distance” was published shortly after his death.

Today I’m going to read for you a chapter from this book titled “Facing the Future”. We seem to talk about death quite a bit on this podcast, which means that at least during your listening of such episodes as Fdip286 “The Rationality of Fear and Road Races”, you and I are exploring the idea of death. I maintain that death is not something that we can rationally fear: and Dr. Sheehen agrees.

You can find a copy of “Going the Distance” on Amazon.com I’ll have the link in the show notes.

I really feel that this chapter is one that you should be listening to when you’re out on the road getting your miles in, if possible. I understand that some of you can’t do that, but if you can…I want to urge you to hold off on listening further until you’re lacing up your shoes and opening up your own squeaky front door.

This is a chapter about pain and the agonizing pursuit of the self. It’s a deeply personal chapter that reveals a lot of the inner philosophy that Dr. Sheehan held dear. He talks about religion, his perception of Christ, and about his life, beyond death, facing the future.

Links:

Join us for the http://worldwidefestivalofraces.wordpress.com

The song “All My Days” was by Alexi Murdoch off the album “Time Without Consequence” http://www.aleximurdoch.com Happily Ever After: http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 32 fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Al, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill, Kevin, Michael, David, Doug, Vance, Brad and Rob. THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: http://twitter.steverunner.com Facebook: http://facebook.steverunner.com Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.steverunner.com Stream: http://stitcher.steverunner.com Jux: http://jux.steverunner.com Apple App: http://iapp.steverunner.com Android App: http://android.steverunner.com Support: http://support.steverunner.com

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Who are you? When we contemplate those elements of our origins, personality and physical being…we have to consider our genetic history, the environment in which we were raised and live and, the behavior and stories of those who influenced our lives. I come from a long line of farmers and fishermen, hard working people who worked the land and sea….growing potatoes, milking cows and living off the natural resources of a picturesque island named after the fourth son of King George the third, the father of Queen Victoria, and the Duke of Kent and Strathearn: Prince Edward. I am descended from dedicated, persistent laborers with indomitable spirits and everlasting endurance: who cleared rocky fields, sailed rough seas and overcame obstacles that we would consider enormous. They met adversity with acceptance, fortitude and faith. My ancestors were Scottish Catholics, devoted to their God and each other. They had names like Angus, Theresa, Peter, Mary, Sarah, James, Donald, Ellen, Penelope, Allan, Johanna, Pius, Helena, and Glen. They were Maritimers from Down East: They lived on a beautiful island between the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of Lawrence. Immigrating to the suburbs of Boston, where they came to work and raise their families. I am the 6th generation of a family of Scottish Catholic immigrants to the New World. All that I am, all that I have, all that I trust, believe in and follow are a result of those people who raised me, encouraged me, and gave me the opportunity to succeed. My parents, grandparents, Aunts and Uncles are my role models because of the way they were raised, and influenced by their parents, grand parents and long past ancestors who came to the new world from the old. I owe them everything; and in so many ways I live my life in honor of theirs. Who are you? My guess is that we have a lot in common. As fellow runners you take to the road in honor and celebration of those who made you who you are today. It’s not a genetic thing, it’s an inspirational thing…it’s the stories of the people who lived their lives, overcoming adversity and setting a positive example for all of us. These are our forerunners, the people who would go on to raise parents who would one day raise us: and we owe them everything.

Links: The song “Prince Edward Island (Is Heaven to Me)” was performed by Mac Wiseman with words and music by Harold Breau. You can find the tune on iTunes. Some of the traditional island music heard in this episode was from a live concert in Charlottetown performed by the Chaissons, featuring Tim Chaisson at MUSIC LOCO: ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 28 fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Jan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Manuel, Al, Cheryl, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill and Kevin. THANK YOU! {} Follow me on: Blog: Twitter: Facebook: Plus: Pinterest: Stream: Jux: Apple App: Android App: Support:

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This episode celebrates the 7th anniversary of this podcast, the first episode of which was published on Independence Day, July 4th of the year 2005.

As you’d expect, my life is very different today than it was back then, in many ways better, in other ways…different; but I’m not complaining. This is Life 2.0; the world has moved on, and so have we all.

One major point of improvement in my life is the many friends I have been so fortunate to make, as a direct result of this goofy little podcast.

There have been days, sometimes weeks, where I haven’t felt like stepping up to the microphone. There have been days and weeks when I haven’t felt like running. The thing is; with your friendship, kindness and support: I’ve been inspired to run and motivated to podcast…to share with you my thoughts, opinions, observations and yes: even the tidbit details of my life; because when you run together you share something special…and even though this is a digital audio reproduction of my voice, somewhere in the world right now, some of our fellow runners are out on the road, getting their miles in and sharing the experience.

Conversations, Meditations, and Explorations for and about runners.

Phedippidations isn’t dead, but what it was seven years ago is but a ghost of what it has become.

Thank you for running with me this far; but we’re not even half way there, and we have a long…long way to go.

Links:

The song “Go” was by Stray Palace - http://straypalace.com/

“Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” by Stars - http://starsthenorth.com/

“At Home” by Crystal Fighters - http://crystalfighters.com/

“Out Loud” by Black Lab - http://blacklabworld.com/

“The Ballplayer” by Joe Purdy - http://joepurdy.com/

“I’m Not Afraid” by Remy Zero - http://remyzero.com/

“Born Again” by Richard Ashcroft - http://richardashcroft.co.uk/

“Unextrodinary Man” by Animal Heart - http://animalheart.bandcamp.com/

BEHOLD: http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 27 fellow runners: William, Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Jan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Manuel, Al, Ron, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill and Kevin. THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

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The universe is different for runners, because we have a far more personal relationship with it. Non-runners can jump on a bike, in a car, on a boat, strap themselves into a plane or a rocket, and discuss the many miles they’ll travel in shorter periods of time: but a runner has to work at it. A runner has to take her or his own body, with only the fuel pumping through our own blood streams across the distances of miles and many miles…we are creatures who move under our own power across distances that many of our species no longer treks through. This is kind of a big deal. I wanted to talk to you about space and time because when you’re out there, on the road, you are running across a beautiful blue planet that every form of life we have ever known about, has ever lived upon. We assume that there is life on other worlds, but we don’t know that for certain. What we do know for certain is that we have this one life, limited by a short duration, and we can chose to live it without passion, just getting through our days, waiting until it’s eventual end: or we can BURN, we can savor each moment, find joy in small moments every day, and live our lives to the absolute top. I propose we chose the latter. I say we burn, that we shine as blinding lights for others, making the universe just a little bit better than it was before we got here, and letting our light shine brightly, blindingly on others, inspiring them to live their own lives to the top, not with fear or envy and sadness, but with true joy: joy for having this time, this short, sweet time, to live and love and dance and run and drink it all in like a Grand Crus Bordeaux, because life is too short to drink cheap wine and far too precious to wallow in gloom. I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. But if this podcast meant anything to you, I hope you’ll think deeply about your place in the universe and the incredibly wonderful opportunity you have, as living, breathing matter; as a part of the universe that has evolved to know itself, and how great it is to be alive. Burn fellow runners, burn like the stars we are born from, burn like you’ve only got 0.16 seconds of life to live, and burn through the disappointment, pain, suffering, sadness, and exhaustion that you will experience: because this is our time, now…today, and this is the only time you’ll ever get on this side of the mortal coil to be a good animal, to achieve true happiness and to savor the time of your life. Links: http://visav.phys.uvic.ca/~babul/AstroCourses/P303/BB-slide.htm http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/what-is-time/ http://www.eliserd.com http://nutritionsuccess.org http://www.irunnerblog.com/category/nutrition-nerd/ Happenings: June 16th: Liberty Loco –http://arunningskeptic.blogspot.com July 7th – 8th – The Run For Stone - http://www.runforstone.blogspot.com SEE NEIL BLOG, BLOG NEIL, BLOG: http://neilbearse.com ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 24 fellow runners: Vera, Katie, Heather, Ryan, Jan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Manuel, Mark, Martha, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill and Kevin. THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com} Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: http://twitter.steverunner.com Facebook: http://facebook.steverunner.com Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.steverunner.com Stream: http://stitcher.steverunner.com Jux: http://jux.steverunner.com Apple App: http://iapp.steverunner.com Android App: http://android.steverunner.com Support: http://support.steverunner.com

“A Matter of Time” by Chris Yale - twitter @chrisyale - website: http://chrisyale.com

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You’re out on a five mile run, the sun is setting and the stars are beginning to shine. You are traveling a measureable distance across a tiny blue bubble in space that has been in existence for 4.5 billion years within a universe that was created out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago.

It would be easy to feel small.

If you took the time to contemplate your short life and insignificant size…you could easily ask yourself the questions “Why am I here?” “What is the point of my existence?” “Would the Universe miss me if I was suddenly gone”?

The answers will come to you eventually, but when I’ve asked myself those very same questions over the past year: my answers seemed clear to me:

I am here to observe and be observed. The point and purpose of my existence is to make the universe that I observe better… and the Universe would not care if I was suddenly gone…but the Universe doesn’t care about anything…unless, of course you’re talking about other people, people who I care about and who care about me…because the fact is that you and I, are a part of the universe.

Links: The RELATIVE size of planets and stars: http://www.rense.com/general72/size.htm

http://htwins.net/scale2/

Happenings: June 16th: Liberty Loco –http://arunningskeptic.blogspot.com July 7th – 8th – The Run For Stone - http://www.runforstone.blogspot.com

HEY, LOOK OVER THERE!!!: http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 18 fellow runners: Katie; Jan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim, Bill and Kevin.: THANK YOU! {http://support.steverunner.com}

Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: http://twitter.steverunner.com Facebook: http://facebook.steverunner.com Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.steverunner.com Stream: http://stitcher.steverunner.com Jux: http://jux.steverunner.com Apple App: http://iapp.steverunner.com Android App: http://android.steverunner.com Support: http://support.steverunner.com

“The Galaxy Song” by Eric Idle

“Alone in the Universe” was by David Usher at http://davidusher.com

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Running the Groton Road Race was like running with an old friend I had never actually met, with one friend I had met before and another I’ve known for years through the running community of which I am a part. This was our pack. Not in the lead, nor all the way at the back…but a pack of three friends running 6.2 miles through a beautiful colonial New England town. Alett, John and I could have run at our own pace; we could have run with the goal of setting our own PR’s and attacking the course to the very best of our abilities…but for the three of us, good conversation and camaraderie was the goal for the day…and we ran together as friends, fellow runners…and most of all, as a pack. Links: http://runnewengland.blogspot.com/ http://www.runrunlive.com/ http://4feetrunning.blogspot.com/ http://grotonroadrace.com/ On Twitter: @petfxr @johnvaughn @painternik @misterfonzie @cyktrussell “A Dogs Purpose” By W. Bruce Cameron Happenings: June 16th: Liberty Loco –http://arunningskeptic.blogspot.com

Whip it, Whip it social! (Networking this is): http://neilbearse.com

ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported every month through the very kind and sincerely generous financial support of 16 fellow runners: Jan, Chaise, Andie, Gordon, Scott, Mike, David, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Greg, Jim, Maddy, Tim and Bill: THANK YOU! {http://donate.steverunner.com}

Follow me on: Blog: http://steverunnerblog.com Twitter: http://twitter.steverunner.com Facebook: http://facebook.steverunner.com Plus: http://plus.steverunner.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.steverunner.com Stream: http://stitcher.steverunner.com Jux: http://jux.steverunner.com Apple App: http://iapp.steverunner.com Android App: http://android.steverunner.com

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We should be proud of we are, and act as a positive examples for others: but at the same time remain wary of vanity – because while we are certainly worthy of having pride in our actions and through our running: we’re not all that, and a bag of chips.

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This is a story of passion, determination and guts in a marathon road race that is very much like the one you may have, or may one day run. It’s a story that demonstrates the importance of experience, the rage against physical limits and the strength…of youth.

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This was Ernest Hemingway, a man who inspired his readers to stand up against facists and bullies, while in many ways he tended to be somewhat of a bully himself. Hemingway lived his life to the fullest, and set an example to everyone who knew him to turn to nature, both on land and sea.

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The guy who said it was a “miracle that he had the courage to start” is full of crap. Courage has nothing to do with starting a road race, and he’s a fool to push that slogan on new runners.

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Treadmilling is not a bad thing. But I think everyone listening to me understands that given the choice between running in place for an hour within your home, or at a gym and moving outside, under the sky, within the elements and across the ever-changing terrain of your place: the more significant way to exercise is the one that lets you better experience the world around you.

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Today we’ll hear from six fellow runners (including myself) who will relate to you their personal stories about “Their First Times”.

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Today is my 50th birthday.

I was born at exactly 7:48 PM Eastern Standard Time in the maternity ward of Milton Hospital on Reedsdale Road and Highland Street in the town of Milton, Massachusetts on January 19th, 1962.

Turning 50 feels good, because it’s good to be alive. The milestone reminds me to take a walk break in this race, and turn to look behind me to see how far I’ve come. The past 50 years of life included great joy, terrible sadness, and the agony and ecstasy of blood, sweat and tears…but I wouldn’t trade any of it.

Regrets I have, many in fact: but those regrets are all part of a life well lived: a life, lived to its top.

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We're traveling back in time on this episode; through six and a half years in PodCasting AND BEYOND!

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When oenophiles think about wine, they rarely consider the sport of running with regards to it’s enjoyment; and when runners consider our passion for moving our bodies through space: the topic of wine is not chief among our hydration strategies. Yet these two areas of interest have their complementary intersections.

In this epsiode we'll visit some "Cool Races in Beautiful Places" where wine grapes are grown.

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In the summer of 1975 I was a 13 year old skinny, big eared, pimply-faced teenager with a frown full of braces and a head filled with big ideas. This was the first time I had ever been able to express my creativity to an audience greater than my immediate family, it was the first time I took a thought and converted it into something for others to experience. My words, my story, my imagines, my voice and that of my friends Andy and James…we created a movie that entertained our family, friends and neighborhood for one magical night in the summer of seventy-five: The Summer of the Shark.

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Part two of a series of episode where we prepare ourselves to win an argument with a non-runner!

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In order to start the conversation that plants the seed of an idea into someone’s head that they might want to begin the process to adopt the running life style, you need the right ammunition: you need to commit to memory at least a handful of logical arguments that will make your proposal effective and produce results.

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“To be or not to be?”, that is only the second question we have to ask ourselves: the first is: Are we? or Are we not? Do we exist or is this all just a dream? Descartes had something to say about all this, and it’s to Descartes that we will go, as we begin to contemplate that one thing that makes us appreciate the way it feels to run across the Earth, to feel the sweat, effort and joy of getting our miles in and moving these bodies that we either are or inhabit. Descarte can help us begin the process of understanding why, as we run a race or by ourselves on the open road: we feel, very much alive.

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In this episode I present for you an abridged for podcast version of Henry David Thoreau’s essay “A Walk to Wachusett”. As you listen to these words, think about the excursion you might make wherever you live; knowing that you could cover the distance on a long run, but instead taking the time to walk and explore the world around you. This is one of the great lessons of Thoreau: that we should savor the journey and experience our environment. It’s as Professor Nancy Etcoff said in my episode 274 on the Pursuit of Happiness: The pleasure system in our brain responds positively to the beauty of the natural world. I love to run, as I know you do: but maybe every once in a while we should slow down, and just go for a walk.

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Philosophers have been asking the question “What is Truth” for thousands of years, as they try to determine if truth is subjective, objective, relative or absolute. I think that we, as runners: have a special opportunity to both ask and, in some specific way, at least, answer the question for ourselves. Truth can be found in the hard work and determination we put into every mile; truth can be understood based on our personal experiences about what we can achieve and the goals we can accomplish: and truth can be felt in the exhaustion, sweat, agony and tears associated with the triumphs and failures of a life on the road.

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I propose to you that running can bring you great happiness, and since I know that I’m preaching to the choir here, I’ll ask you to consider how running can bring happiness to those in your family, friends and acquaintances whom you’ll meet in your life…and that no matter how sad or broken they and we may sometimes feel: we have an obligation and a certain unalienable right to engage in the pursuit of happiness.

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In this episode we tackle the philosophical question “Is it morally right to quit a road race?”. For help in understanding the question en route to an answer, we call about the great minds of Professor Richard Dawkins, Immanuel Kant, Socrates, and Aristotle.

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The 6th Anniversay of Phedippidations.

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This episode of Phedippidations is intended to recreate for you the experience of running with fellow runners and friends. On April 30th Team Poco Loco gathered in Boston Massachusetts to run a half marathon distance around the mighty Charles River.

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This is the story of a fellow runner by the name of Katie who fought a good fight in that all too familiar way where all options are gone and the only thing left to do was to make a terrible agonizing choice: “When you have nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire”

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A tour of the Poco Loco Course

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“From where he tottered before the couch, on muscles immune to elongation and contraction, Duncan contemplated his next move. Opposite the lavatory, on the northern end of this dwelling, was his bedroom: unkempt and festooned with the discarded wrappings of many cakes, candies and snack treats; necessary supplements to his ongoing carbohydrate loading.” This is the story of Duncan, a man without ambition or purpose who stumbles upon an idea that challenges his very existence and forces him to consider living a different life. In this original story, I try to convey the importance of inspiration and how powerful positive examples can have to those who seek to live a better quality of life.

LINKS: Trail Slammer's 100 Mile Ultrarunning podcast: Book recommendations: Core Performance Endurance by Mark Vertegen Athletic Body in Balance by Grey Cook

Manzanita Beach Walk/Run: The song “Go” was a new track by the band Stray Palace, a side project of Black Lab’s Paul Durham. Go to http://straypalace.com to learn more and you can download this song at http://blacklabworld.com The song “Make a Wish” was an instrumental composition by Dan and Adam Skinner

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The term varietal describes an elementary form of something. With wine, it’s the fermented product of a single grape. With running, the word varietal describes the specific practice of a training element. With running as with wine it’s important to understand the differences between the fundamental elements that go into the final product, so that when the harvest is released: be it after bottling or on race day: the end result can be savored over time; with rich expressive notes and a fine lasting finish. The concept of varietal is as useful to wine as it is to running. It helps to define the unique elements that make up a good training plan, or great a Bordeaux, Meritage or Blended wine. It’s important to understand each varietal and how they bring out the best in the end product of that which you seek to consume: be it the finish line of a 26.2 mile road race or the lasting finish of a remarkable bottle of wine. Get to know the varietals that comprise your goals, and you’ll savor the glass or medal as you live your life to the top.

LINKS:

The song “Rocky Road to Dublin” was by the Blaggards stout Irish Rock from Houston, Texas. Check out all their great music over at

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We all know how running can improve our lives, our health and our disposition with the universe around us. We know that running is part of a healthy lifestyle and that it can improve the condition of our cardiovascular systems, and that we have evolved as homo sapien sapiens from Australopithecus Africanus to run across the savanna in search of the meat from fallen animals. The benefits of running are clear, and new evidence is being found that further supports this idea that we should be runners: because as we’ll learn with the workings of the inner brain: running is the smart thing to do!

LINKS:

The song “An Ordinary Guy” was written, performed, and produced by one of the most talented musical artists currently residing in this quadrant of the galactic spirally arm: Matthew Ebel; who creates incredible music right here in the Boston area. Go to his website at join his email list, see where he’ll be playing live, and buy one or five of his great albums at

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You and I are out on a run together. As we’re getting our miles in we start to talk to each other to pass the time. This is where we get to know each other, where we start to open up a little and reveal ourselves as the persons we really are. You and I are different, with different backgrounds, different beliefs and different understandings of the universe around us. I want to know what you’re all about, and you might want to know what’s going on in my teenie tiny little head. So today, let’s acknowledge that we really are out on a run together, and I’m going to reveal to you a little bit more about who I am. These are what I call: Intervals and I’ve even gone ahead and created a couple of podcasts where I express my thoughts in a rambling diatribe format, one is recorded in audio, the other in video, both are available on iTunes. In running, of course, an interval workout is one where you run hard for a specific duration or distance, such as once around a track, and then you run at a relaxed rate, or maybe even walk…during an interval between the running portions. So while Phedippidations is a podcast where we have a conversation about running and running related topics; today’s episode will be an interval break from that. Today I’m going to open up an audio family picture book of sorts, and tell you a few stories from my life. There’s nothing earth shattering of deeply profound here…just a few snippets from a life I’ve lived that will better help you to understand this goofy middle aged, middle of the pack slightly asthmatic fellow runner who you run with each week.

LINKS:

The song “I am a Man of Constant Sorrow” was performed by, in order of appearance: The Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski; Norman Blake, and John Hartford:

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Today I present the second in a series of episodes that I’m calling “Running Blogcasts” featuring the writing of fellow runners in our community who have a talent for the written word. The author of today’s episode is Kim Cowart. (Kow-ahrt). Kim is one of the writers for the “Reasons to Run” blog over at Deseretnews.com. She’s a 35 year old mother of two from West Jordan, Utah. Kim spent much of her childhood living in Eugene, Oregon where running is as common as breathing. In her teens, she moved to Utah, where there is a large and very strong running community. Kim has always run off and on, but it was after she had her second daughter that her love of running became more serious. It started with a 20 minute run, and before she knew it, she found herself registering for her first marathon. She had never run a race before, ever. Her husband says she’s an all-or-nothing kind of girl, and this just proved him right. Kim finished her first marathon alive and well and even qualified for Boston. Since that day she has run nine marathons including Boston. She plans to run Boston again this April as well as the New York Marathon and the Utah Grand Slam which is a series that requires runners to complete four major Utah marathons over the course of six months. It’s that all-or-nothing part of her personality again. While Kim loves to call herself a runner, she is many other things. She is a mother of two beautiful little girls, the wife of a curly, red-haired bowling math whiz, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. Kim is a fitness instructor at a local gym where the members inspire her and bring her joy on a daily basis. She is a jig-saw puzzle addict. She was a high school English teacher in a former life. Her astrological sign is Cancer, although she has no earthly idea what that means, but apparently is it important to some. She is a cyclist and spends as much time as she can in the beautiful Wasatch Mountain range riding with her friends in the summer. She is a voracious reader of historical fiction. She is an organizer and master list-maker. She is a dancer, but only when she’s playing Dance Dance Revolution with her girls, so that probably doesn’t count. It was a gym member who attends Kim’s spin classes who asked her to contribute to the “Reasons to Run” blog and it’s been a joy for Kim to be able to combine the two joys of her life: running and writing. Her blog isn’t necessarily always about running, specifically, but it’s always the inspiration. She hopes her honest thoughts about running, exercise, balance and finding joy in the simplicity of life will inspire others to get up and move and realize that it’s never too late to change for the better. It’s her mission to tell people that life is good and it’s worth living well. Running makes it all the sweeter. I am honored that Kim would agree not only to let me re-publish her article from the Reasons to Run Blog, but that she took the time to read it for us herself….and did so on very short notice. I present for you an amazing fellow runner, Kim Kowart, with her essay on a topic we can all relate to: Pre-Race Jitters.

LINKS:

Please support The Mojo Loco Fund: The song “Bound” was by Black Lab off their new album: Two Strangers. http://blacklabworld.com

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Celebrities are people too. They wake up in the morning, just as we do, they brush their teeth, they log onto their computers, they lace their own shoes, and they have to put in the same amount of effort as the rest of us in training for their marathons. You could outrun Will Ferrell, Kim Alexis and President Bush if you dedicated yourself to the task. There’s nothing special about someone who is famous. Their bodies undergo the same physics and chemistry that we are prone to experience…and while they may have financial advantages which give them access to experts and training tools that can help them run faster and further; in the end: they still have to get in their miles to achieve their goals…and if it helps to motivate you, their goals can be your goals…because you are just as good an athlete as they’ve ever been or will be.

LINKS:

Please support The Mojo Loco Fund:

The song “Ya Famous?” was by George Hrab:

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IF YOU COULD, SOMEHOW, SEND A MESSAGE TO SOMEONE WHO WILL BE ALIVE ONE THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM? The universe has come together to create the unique and special life form that you are, with your hopes and fears, dreams and concerns. The thoughts you form and the words you write and say constitute information, never to be duplicated information born of your mind that goes out into the world and has the potential, however remote the possibility, to outlive you and be shared with far future generations of people. If you had the opportunity to send a message to someone in the year 3011, what would you say? Would you tell them about yourself and your life? Would you warn them about the dangers of hurting the environment or plead with them not to go to war? Would you talk about love and joy, sadness and pain, life and death? And if somehow you were granted this chance to speak to someone in the future, how would you get your point across? I think the answer is obvious: poetry. Poetry is a universal means of communication. “Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted”, wrote the English Romantic Poet Percy Bysshe (Bish) Shelley. “Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.” Wrote the American poet Carl Sandburg. And Plato wrote that “Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history”. It’s poetry, I tell you, that would get your message across the expanse of time. It’s poetry that would most effectively allow you to speak from your heart and mind to a person who lived in a time where everything we know has changed. You really need to consider what you’re going to say to future fellow runners…because this dawn of New Media and Social Networking is making these opportunities possible. Although currently in it’s infancy, the infrastructure that is being assembled today will allow you to speak to your great, great, great, great grandchildren and to those of ages to come: and with that opportunity comes a responsibility to speak the truth and pass your information along…because there will never be another living creature like you in this universe again: and now is the time for your poetry. Poetry is all about emotion and passion. It’s this quality of the message that gets passed on through the ages and gives us that opportunity not only to speak to future generations: but to do so in a voice they’ll understand; for as long as there are human beings to read and understand the words of others, there will be poetry to pass along to common sentiment. Life and death, joy and sadness, passion and ennui. These are the same feelings and emotions that human beings have shared since our species first began to walk the planet, and until the great technological singularity to come changes the way we might associate the human condition with past and future generations of beings: we’ll have poetry as a way of reaching each other through time and space. Special thanks to my friends who took the time to read some great poems: Toni Harvey - Kevin Gwin - Maddy Hubbard: Adam Tinkoff: Gordon Scott:

LINKS:

Please support The Mojo Loco Fund: The song “Pretty Colored Lights” written, produced and performed by an amazing musical artist and poet: Warren Lain, from San Francisco, off his new CD: Phonofield. Check out this amazing artist and teacher at

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As a runner, you have to discover and understand your own running Terroir. You need to know how your environment, personality, geography and local climate influences your ability to perform. In this sport, we are taught to listen to our bodies and the symptoms of over-use injuries: but before we can hear and feel these signals from our bodies: we have to know who we are as runners….not in relation to others of similar age, weight, sex and shape…but relative to where and how we train. Dr. George Sheehan has said repeatedly that we are each an experiment of one; “Life is the great experiment” he said “Each of us is an experiment of one-observer and subject-making choices, living with them, recording the effects.” Learn how your Terrior manifests itself in your body to make you the runner you have become, and you’ll better understand the range of your limits; which are far above and beyond what you might expect. You are an expression of the place where you become the runner you have always wanted to be. With wine as with runners the stress brought on by the place where they develop has a direct effect on the type and quality of the end product. Step back and consider deeply your own running Terroir, use the knowledge of your place and the special stresses it challenges you with and you will come to train better and become the quality runner that your place in this world can make you.

LINKS: The song “This Place” was by Derek Clegg from Chicago. Please support The Mojo Loco Fund: Join the Runners Round Table:

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I’m starting off the new year right by answering all of my email (or at least trying to). In this episode of a goofy little podcast I respond to some of the messages I was unable to get to last year with hopes that I’ll be able to answer ALL of my email in the year of our Lord 2011. Also, join me for a swim in the FROZEN Atlantic with friends on New Years Day, and I get to chat with friend and Mojo Loco Founder Adam Tinkoff as we discuss his vision for el Mojo Loco!

LINKS: “Whiskey in the Jar” was by the Blaggards Please support The Mojo Loco Fund:

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This is our time. With the changing of the calendar year it’s common for us to take the time to look back on the previous solar orbit, or look forward to our future. This is a great exercise, to look forward without dwelling on the past: as we make our way through this adventure called life. But, it think it’s even more important to consider our present….the now that we are existing in…today, right now. This is our time. The who, that we are has grown and become in such a way that we can experience the Universe around us….we are, in effect: a way for the Universe to know itself; and I know that sounds deep…but it isn’t. Consider that we, as human beings, are made of flesh and blood whose elemental construction has it’s origins in an enormous universal expansion that began 13.7 billion years ago…we are made of star dust…ever replenishing cells made of carbon atoms, hydrogen and oxygen that have through biology formed into the creatures we are today. Trillions upon Trillions of inanimate objects and animate lifeforms have existed before us, and ga-zillions of intelligently aware creatures will exists when we are gone; and time will move onward towards an inevitable state of inaction where the universe and all the matter that it ever created will come to a stop: and space will enlarge to a point where time has no meaning, and there will be no way for the universe to experience anything: it’s a depressing thought, this asymptotic heat death of everything that has ever been: when the universe reaches a temperature of absolute zero. So, this is our time: it’s a reason to celebrate. We are here, today: with a purpose to make the world just a little bit better than it was before we got here. It’s a pretty good purpose, and yes: while the far imagined future may lay waste to all we’ve done and accomplished physically: there is more to life and purpose than that we can touch and see, feel taste and smell. I’m not here to provide spoilers for the significance and importance of the purpose that even the eventual heat death of the universe can’t destroy: but I’ll ask you to think about that…think about your now, and how in 20 years, 30 years, 50 years from right now you might look back and wax nostalgically about the things you’ll do today. This is our time to live, to experience and to perform random acts of kindness as a way to make the world just a little…teenie…tiny bit better than it was before we got here. There’s an old Irish blessing and toast that I’ll leave you with, with sincere hope that we’ve left 2010 behind us, that we’ll have a wonderful 2011 and that we can all appreciate the gift of the present. “May your troubles be less, And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door. “

LINKS: Alde Land Syne by J.E.L.L.i at http://www.jellimusic.com and by Mario Ajero at http://marioajero.blogspot.com

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Today I’m going to read for you the final chapter of Dr. George Sheehans book “Running and Being – The Total Experience”. I’m doing this in hopes that you might buy and read his book, and as a way of presenting you with an alternate special holiday episode of Phedippidations…a gift you don’t have to unwrap. This chapter is very special to me, as I hope it will be for you. It was the conclusion to a book that so inspired me, so enthralled me when I first picked it up, that I literally could not put it down until I finished it well into the early hours of the next morning. I’ve read Dr. Sheehans book, “Running and Being” at least a dozens times since I first read the book; and this final chapter titled “Seeing” really sums up most of the major points made in the previous 17 chapters. You can purchase the book “Running and Being – The Total Experience” by Dr. George Sheehan, at

LINKS:

The Linus and Lucy theme was by the band J.E.L.L.i

The background music “I Saw Three Ships with Good King Wenceslas” was composed by Doug Boldt.

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The friends who I ran the Mojo Loco with are listening to this right now, Chris and Chris, Eddie, Nik, Dan, Mat, Susan, Steve, Samantha, Norm, Adam and Maddy. They’re wondering to themselves: “How is Steve going to tell this story? How will be express the narrative? What imagery will he call upon? What great message will he send forth throughout the tubes of the Interwebs to tell the world about this Mojo Loco? So this is for my fellow teams mates; dedicated runners all; who accepted the challenge and call of the Mojo Loco and contributed by their presence to a happening: Guys, I thought about it…I really did. In the days following the Mojo Loco I had a lot to digest, thoughts and ideas, feelings and revelations. I know you did as well. I could have told the story of how we met at the Starbucks in Daytona Beach and drove North to St. Augustine. I could have told the story about the many stops we made along the way and the twelve legs of a run we accomplished together. It would have been a good story: interesting, entertaining and fun to hear; but it wouldn’t have been a GREAT story. The GREAT story that I wanted to tell was all about YOU. Each of you brought something of yourselves to this event, where the whole of our group was far greater than the sum of its parts. YOU are the story that needed to be told here, and if you want to call that wishy-washy mumbo-jumbo gobbily goop: go for it, but you know I speak the truth. What we did, together, as a Team, is something so important…something that everyone who’s listening to the sound of my voice right now, can and must become a part of. If indeed, we are indomitable as a team of thirteen runners from around the world, then other Mojo Loco events must be organized, and other teams assembled: because think about the good we can do in this world. Think about how we can motivate and inspire others to lace up their shoes and use their athletic potential for creative and social good! The Mojo Loco wasn’t about bib numbers and racing forms, entry fees and complementary tee-shirts. It was about US, It was about Chris Russells good humor, and Eddie Marathons sincere kindness, Nik’s artistic talent and Dan’s great ability for prose. The Mojo Loco was about Susan’s perseverance, Marathon Chris’s dedication, Samantha’s joy of running and Matt’s exuberance for sport. It was about Adams creativity, and Norms determination, Steve Choppers generosity of friendship, and Maddy’s inspirational passion. This was an event, never to be duplicated yet oft to be repeated. The story to be told here was all about the Team: the runners who came together to share the road and our time. Of this you can be certain: there will be other Mojo Loco’s, and other opportunities for this team and others to meet, run, talk and savor the luxury of each others companionship. Something magical happened on December 11th, between the cities of Saint Augustine and Daytona Beach Florida: something that developed in ten hours the way a fine wine might improve over ten years. Thirteen acquaintances: like minded souls brought together through social networking and new media met for coffee and became good friends. That’s the promise of el Mojo Loco…it sounds crazy, it sounds ridiculous: but you who experienced know better: and through each of us, so will our community. It was, without a doubt, an incredible honor to meet and run with you; but it was a special precious privilege to become your friend. Viva el Mojo Loco

LINKS:

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The history of wine is the history of civilization. It’s a story that dates back to the earliest days of agriculture and encompasses the life and times of our ancestors who consumed wine for both pleasure and ceremony. When we raise a glass today, we are tasting more than just a fermented grape juice which technology has perfected into a form of liquid art; we are tasting the product of history; an ancient beverage that friends have shared over the millennium at the end of their long and arduous days shaping the world into a better place for themselves and us, their descendants. Links:

by and Robert G. Mondavi (Jan 2, 2007) And the second is titled by (Nov 12, 2002) America's a Nice Italian Name by Allan Sherman “Wine Woman and Song” by Johnny Ferreira

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Get to know the parts and materials that make up your running shoes, and you’ll be a better consumer of the one critical tool needed to reach your goals as a runner. Whether you’re looking to run your first marathon, set a PR or BQ or just want to run at your own pace for the joy of it…wearing the right running shoes will make the difference between surviving through the miles, or savoring every moment you’ll have, on the road. Links:

The song Skullcrusher Mountain was by Jonathan Coulton at

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Today’s episode, being my first Running Blogcast features the writing of Neil Bearse, a fellow runner I’ve never had the honor of meeting in person: but I feel like we’re old friends. Neil is the one who first introduced me to my all time favorite musical band: Black Lab…as well as others. Neil is the manager of web based marketing for Queens School of Business in Canada. He’s responsible for the web presence of 5 MBA programs as well as executive education initiatives in Canada, the Gulf Region and Europe. He is a digital marketing consultant focused on making online communications clear and effective while ensuring creativity and innovation. Neil’s pioneering work to market the music of independent artists on-line and through the word-of-mouth channels of podcasting and blogging has led to him representing artists from across North America including Black Lab, David Usher, Ingrid Michaelson and My Chemical Romance. In 2007, he was one of the architects of the Bumrush The Charts project, a global viral marketing campaign responsible for placing a Black Lab single on iTunes charts in 16 countries. Finally Neil is a frequent public speaker and teacher, helping groups understand emerging online technologies and how it affects their business or industry. If you work for a company that is looking for help in online marketing communications and social networking, or are looking for a talented speaker who has been involved in social engineering on the internet since the tubes were first connected: get in contact with Neil…you can get in contact with him at his website: Links:

The songs “See the Sun” and “Always” by Black Lab:

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You have the same ability to produce content in an artful way that will, no doubt, convince someone you care about to join us on the road as runners…and, if in the course of those public new media conversations, you convince one or two others to rise up of THE COUCH OF DOOM, then all the better! You and I have an opportunity, today: through the use of blogs and podcasts to write and speak the words that will inspire the people who read or listen to become runners themselves…and by virtue of your experience for having been where they once were…and by telling the story of your life on the road in an entertaining, thoughtful and brutally honest way: you will change their lives for the better and make the world just a little bit better than it was before you spoke. Links:

The song “Nothing But a Song” was from the new album “Safe Upon the Shore” by Great Big Sea at

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The American statesman Ben Franklin once wrote “ There may be something to that with respect to our running performance. We sleep, on average a full one third of our lives. So, as a middle aged, middle of the pack, slightly asthmatic 48 year old runner: I’ve already slept 16 years of my life away. It seems like an unfair trade off: 16 years of my life that I could have spent in a conscious state of productivity…but when we consider that the time spent sleeping helps to improve the quality of the two thirds of our life when we are awake: it’s easy to see that the horizontal investment is a sound one. Links:

The song “Slow Down” was by Black Lab off their new album: “Two Strangers” available on iTunes, Amazon MP3 and at

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Today I will tell you about an amazing person who lived his life to the top. It’s an interesting life with high and low points, with obstacles which were overcome leading towards an eventual spiral into disaster…but in the end, redemption and glory. Abebe Bikila was the first black African to win a gold medal at the Olympics, winning the Mens Marathon in Rome which he completed barefoot! The headlines in the Newspapers and on the radio proclaimed the fact that it had taken an entire Italian army to conquer Ethiopia, but only one Ethiopian soldier to conquer Rome! Links:

The song “Salala” was by Angelique Kidjo; with background vocals by Peter Gabriel.

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How many of us have trained over many months for a race only to perform terribly in the event itself, or how many of us have crossed that finish line in say, oh…I don’t know…a minute and 31 seconds slower than we had hoped. It happens…a lot. But we know that the sun will rise in the morning, we’ll put the pain behind us, and go forward. Some days we win, some days we lose, some days we don’t even have the opportunity. Today’s episode is somewhat long over due, the last show I did featuring your email was on March 14th, episode 228 “Dispatches from the Road”. That was just the second episode into a six month hiatus where I produced episodes every two or three weeks apart…but now that I’m back to a regular weekly schedule, I’m going to try to do this once every 4 to 5 weeks, if I can. So, let’s figuratively jump into the virtual mailbag and see what happens….because today is the tomorrow I was worrying about yesterday…and the sun came up just fine. Yes I had a really crappy week last week…but I’m looking forward today; so lace up your shoes and join me for the ride. Links:

The song “Say Goodbye” was by Black Lab from their AMAZING new album “Two Strangers” available at iTunes

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In the area of genetics and with respect to athletics, we are trying to understand what construction instructions are required to build the perfect runner. It would seem that certain attributes exist which we can use to measure the influence of our genetic blue prints to create faster humans…and that our ethnic origins might predict who of us will be able to run faster and farther. But the fact is that we are an infant species, descended from the same Mitochondrial Eve who ran across the African savannah 150,000 years ago…and we’re all related, we all have the same basic building instructions, the same Deoxyribonucleic acid and each of us, everyone: has the same set of running genes. Links: The song “That Spells DNA” was by Jonathan Coulton Channel Runner Review: B-Hag Running PodCast

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They ran all over the world. They ran in warm places, cold places, rainy places, dry places. They ran alone and with friends; they ran fast and slow, in an organized race and in their back yards. They ran with the sound of each other in their ears and the spirit of each other in their hearts. The World Wide Festival of Races is a celebration, but this social networking movement does not end on race weekend. We run together every day, all around the surface of a little blue bubble in space: and we do so with the knowledge and understanding that we do not run alone: not as long as someone, somewhere is lacing up their shoes to head out on their local roads. We are a global community of fellow runners; and together we run. Links:

https://sites.google.com/site/wwfor2010 http://worldwidefestivalofraces.com http://crawllyflowersgarden.blogspot.com The song “The World is Upside Down” was by A Band Called Quinn at http://www.myspace.com/abandcalledquinn

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In a Universe that is thirteen point seven billion years old, on a planet that has only existed for four and a half billion years; our species: homo sapiens sapien, has only been around for two hundred thousand years, in fact modern day homo sapiens with our language, culture, use of tools, barter between groups, art, game playing, music, and reliance on symbolic thought only began to arise 50,000 years ago. Civilization, as we know the word, started to arise around 10,000 years ago in the middle east, near where Iraq is today…you and I fellow runners are a part of an infant species with respect to the age of all that there is. Think about that for a moment. Everything you know….everyone you know, everything that has ever happened in the ten thousand year history of civilization of fellow human beings has occurred only on this four and a half billion year old planet three orbits out from a four and a half billion year old star in a single, typical spiral galaxy out of a hundred fifty billion in the entire universe? Our galaxy is moving through an expanding universe that will one day distance itself from all other existing galaxies such that the very atoms which comprise our long past living bodies will no longer exist in motion, and all that ever was will stop within an impossibly long distance between every other point of definable matter. Why then, do we live in a world where hatred, anger; and distrust seems to prevail? What is it about our human condition that causes us to experience such animosity and distrust? Ignoring that question, if we take the premise as fact: then what are we to do about it? Well, here’s one thing we can do: and maybe this won’t change the course of the mighty river of war, or hold back the tide of hurt, pain and hate…but if we as a community of fellow runners can demonstrate to those around us that we can be friends despite our many differences: if we can, by example, explain to anyone we interact, socialize or come in contact with that we have friends all over the world, who run together every day…and if we can take a global event like the World Wide Festival of Races and use it as an example where good people of different nationalities, different religious backgrounds, different ethnic origins, different social or sexual lifestyles and different political interests can overcome all those differences and extend respect and dignity across a little blue bubble that we share together in space: then we’ll have done our part. Thank you for being a part of this fifth annual world wide festival of races. Thank you for being a friend and helping to celebrate this community of fellow runners, who today ran all over the world: in Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Channel Islands, China, the Congo, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, South America, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam and the Virgin Islands. It is an honor to run with you. Think Global, Run Local. Show Links:

Please support in the fight to stop the Nike Corporation from forcing Indonesian workers into slavery. THANK YOU BLACK LAB! The Song “Start a Fire” was an exclusive release by the Official Band of the World Wide Festival of Races: BLACK LAB, from their new album “Two Strangers”. Go to to download TWO FREE SONGS as a Virtual Goody Bag Gift from Paul and Andy. Follow Black Lab on Twitter: @paulblacklab and Facebook: and be sure to THANK THEM for the gift of music! Special thanks to Neil Bearse from for all your iPad wisdom and hooking us up with the ear candy! Special thanks also to Kevin Gwin from for letting me borrow his HOTLINE (Now that you’ve used the number you can leave him submissions on a regular basis!) And THANK YOU to everyone who submitted a SHOUT of ENCOURAGEMENT for the entrants of this year event! Be sure to check out all their great blogs and podcasts as mentioned in the show! These are the friends and fellow runners who CHEERED for you! Cover Art: Mark A, Garlik http://space.art.co.uk

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PodCamp is all about podcasting, and using this medium to reach out to a community. Since you and I are runners, and since we all listen to podcasts, you and I are a part of this thing…and since I’m eager to encourage everyone listening to my podcast to start up their own podcast, I thought it would be useful to dedicate today’s episode to what I learned at PodCamp. PodCamp is first and foremost about community. It’s not about selling a service or a product, it’s all about focusing on building personal relationships with other podcasters. Think of it this way; you and I are a part of a running community of new media creators…we listen to running related podcasts listed on Runningpodcast.org and we run with each other as we train for our next big race, or just get some miles in together because it feels good. This is our podcasting universe: but there are other worlds than these…other podcast universes that have nothing to do with running: such as marketing, story-telling, science, comedy, news, politics, religion, and any other topic and genre you care to think about. It’s here at PodCamp where these universes collide in a good way! Thank you to Chris Penn who generously spent some time with me during his lunch break to talk about all things podcasting. If you’re interested in social networking and marketing (a key element to the topic of podcasting) you need to get to know Chris Penn. Show Links:

Look for a PodCamp near YOU here: Here’s the article I mentioned in the show:

The song “Get Over It” by THE Matthew Ebel

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The Stanford University study titled “Reduced Disability and Mortality among aging runners” was published in the August 11th, 2008 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. At the time that the study was conducted: the assumption was that vigorous exercise would cause older people more harm than good. The expectation was that running would lead to an excess in orthopedic injuries and lead to earlier disability with runners over 50. But the researches found that regular exercise would extend high-quality, disability free life. Frequent running would compress the period at the end of life when people couldn’t do things on their own. This is an idea that has been given the name “compression of morbidity”. In this episode of Phedippidations, I’ll talk about both the clinical details of this study AND the significance of it’s findings, leading to the obvious conclusion that Life is Short, but it Should be Long Enough! Show Links: http://www.runningthenarrowpath.blogspot.com http://planettinkoff.com http://worldwidefestivalofraces.com http://www.iamplify.com/store/product_details/Rabbi-Shmuley-Boteach/Afterlife-Debate-With-Christopher-Hitchens/product_id/8621 www.audiblepodcast.com/phedi The song “One Monkey Don’t Stop the Show” by Brick Daniels http://brickdaniels.com

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While the first part of this episode is dedicated to the precautions a pregnant mother should take with regards to athletic endeavors, there are many benefits to running while pregnant including the prevention of excessive weight gain. Running while you’re pregnant can keep you mood off and help to prevent pregnancy induced hypertension. If you’re healthy, and you’re having a healthy pregnancy there is no reason not to run. Listen to your body, and check with your doctor. It’s probably best not to run an Ultra marathon, or compete in a major race where you might feel obligated to run hard. Remember, you’re running for yourself and your unborn…and while running can be good for you and make you feel better: what’s most important is that you are healthy and well prepared on your child or children’s birthday as you go through one of the greatest athletic event that a woman will ever experience…the marathon of labor. Show Links:

www.audiblepodcast.com/phedi SEND ME YOUR SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGMENT: OR DIAL: 206-339-6497

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From Saturday April 14th through the 18th, 2010 my Dad, son, nephew and I traveled up the West Branch of the Penobscot River and across the northern end of Chesuncook Lake in the Northern Maine Wilderness. Through our journey we gained a better appreciation of Henry David Thoreau’s adventure of 1853. While logging in the Northern Woods of Maine continues, the river that we paddled on remains mostly unchanged. You can imagine the sites and sounds that Thoreau experienced as he journeyed up this river. We saw many moose, every day, stopping to feed and drink at the rivers edge. We saw Eagles and Loons, ducks, geese, ospreys raven, fish, red squirrels and more that we could not identify…but it was the moose, lanky majestic in stature and serenity that captured our imaginations the most. They are, as Thoreau called them: “God's own horses, poor, timid creatures”; but they are a stark reminder that we are guests in their wilderness; and that they’d continue to roam these woods long after we’ve returned to our creature comforts. This annual trip is much more than just a canoe ride or camping experience: it is an opportunity to reconnect with nature and our family. It’s also an opportunity to tell stories by the camp fire light. Here we listen to the stories that give the lives of our friends and family meaning. These are the moments that make those stories real…my son and nephew will always remember the story of my Dad’s Aunt Penn and her husband Alex, and now so will you: because it is in quiet places; without distractions: that we have deeper conversations and tell the stories that of the people we have known and loved. The wilderness is beautiful on so many different levels: as a place to reconnect to our planet and more importantly each other. If you’ve never visited the woods, lakes and rivers of the wilderness; you owe it to yourself to do so. It’s not scary, it’s peaceful, it’s not boring, it’s insightful, it’s not dangerous although it can be extreme…but you’ll never learn to appreciate the universe we live in, and the people we care about until you can absent yourself from the modern world and follow in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau.

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I am a disciple of Dr. George Sheehan, I’m not ashamed to tell you that, I’ve read and re-read everything the man has written…and I’ve come to know him in a comfortable, familiar way. A man of science and medicine; a man filled with great passion for this sport and a devoted Roman Catholic…Dr. Sheehan and I have a lot in common; but while I yearn to be a writer and use this podcast as a creative outlet: I will never come close to the writer that he was…I will never approach the level of philosophical understanding of life, the universe and everything that he understood so well. Dr. Sheehan was a great thinker…I’m merely a doofus. But Dr. Sheehan was also human, and prone to human error, selfishness and sin. He understood his weaknesses…he understood his imperfections and he didn’t live his life in wonder and celebration of those sad, dark and lonely attributes: but he did seek to understand himself and to understand how and why to love others. Today, I’m going to read one of the final chapters of his book “Running and Being: The Total Experience”. I’m doing so in the hopes that you might buy his book and read carefully what he wrote. Profound, enlightening and brutally honest: this is the Dr. Sheehan that I’ve never met, but who over the past 11 going on 12 years of my running life I’ve come to know very well. Show Links: You can purchase the book “Running and Being – The Total Experience” by Dr. George Sheehan, at

Or for $20 US (including shipping and handling) through Send a check or money order payable to “The George Sheehan Foundation” to George Sheehan Foundation P.O. Box 1831 Red Bank, NJ 07704 (732) 758-1611

Free Audible Book download: The song “Grow” was by April Start

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As it is with most things in life, taken in moderation: Caffeine can be good for you and improve you’re your health and your performance on race day. But too much of a good thing can lead to disaster. In living our lives to the top we have to learn to savor, with small sips, those things which bring us pleasure and improve our health. Show Links:

Free Audible Book download: “The Java Jive” was by The Inksports (1940) “Coffee Man” was by Calvin Owens

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This is my annual music show; recorded (as always) while I’m on vacation. This time I’m on the Norwegian Cruise Ship Spirit traveling from Boston to Bermuda with my family as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of my parents wedding! In addition to listening to podcasts, I love to run to music! It helps me keep my cadence in check and fills my head with positive images as I get my miles in. The songs on this episode are all from previous Phedippidations shows; so I hope you enjoy them! Please support the artists by purchasing their music and following them on the various social media networks on the “tubes of the internets”. Show Links: Summertime by Brother Love at Broken Heart by Black Lab at Sweat by Darren Geffre at Dare to Dream by Adam Ilami at If This Geek Ruled the World by Geoff Smith at Talking Bout my Dogs by Boo Boo Davis at Move Your Feet by Dogman Joe at Say Hey I love You by Michael Franti and Spearhead at Tickle Cove Pond by Great Big Sea at And Die Alone by Ingrid Michaelson at Thank you John Wall for 5 great years of The M Show

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Why Cook Well. We eat because we have to. Civilization is nothing more than a ten thousand year old human experiment to test the freakish theory that mankind could eat without being eaten. Four million years earlier, our australopithecine ancestors crawled down from some God-forsaken trees to run with sweaty persistence after the meaty goodness left for scavenger animals. This, they called a meal. The world we have inherited is only a savannah away from that prehistoric reality. We have to eat to survive, but it’s what we eat and the quality of that food which gives our lives pleasure and meaning. The question our human experiment should answer is “Why should we cook well?” If survival is the purpose of culinary consumption then what benefit is served by eating food of higher quality, flavor and beauty? Would not our human condition be sufficiently served through the daily ingestion of ground chicken speckled cheese spread sprayed from a can? We eat because we have to, we cook because we care. Through trial and tribulation (and falling out of trees) modern man has come to understand that a meal is much more than a life sustaining substance. A meal is a celebration of life: it is an expression of art and love and a way to communicate through preparation, presentation and sharing. We eat because we have to, we cook because we care, we share a meal because a meal is a manifestation of our passion for life and each other. To cook well is to take a food source of vegetable or meaty goodness and convert it into something of pleasing sensations of taste, smell, and texture. It is an act of purest altruism, a performance of sincerity and joy. Why would a self diagnosed intelligent species take the time and energy to prepare food for the culinary delight of others? Why bother with the triviality of recipes and technique when rawhide shoved into pile of burning coals would sufficiently make food more digestible and a better energy source? Because we know, instinctually, that life is short, though long enough. We understand that our mortality is wondrous thing, allowing us the luxury of savoring the good things brought before us. The art of preparing food, and creating from it a meal goes beyond the act of cutting, slicing, baking, boiling or frying: it is the culmination of a ten thousand year in progress experiment where mankind is learning that he might not only eat without being eaten, but that he can cook and care, share and love and live our lives to the top. We eat because we want to, we cook because we love. Please vote for my essay and help me get published: http://bourdainmediumraw.com/essays/view/76

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Podcasting is a media so perfectly suited for the running lifestyle. Just as we schedule our runs in advance, we can schedule what we listen to ON those runs, in advance. We can multi-task the time we spend out on the roads and by listening to a podcast, exercise our brains and feel a camaraderie with the podcast host or producer: especially hosts and producers who are fellow runners like the podcasters you just heard: real people with a shared passion for this sport we love so well. When I first started producing this goofy little podcast about running, five years ago, the idea of clipping on a microphone and apparently talking to yourself while out on a long run seemed like a ridiculous idea; but today there are over 70 running podcasts listed on the runningpodcasts.org directory! This idea of recording a podcast and listening to other podcasters completes a mode of communication and conversation not possible with traditional old media; such as radio (for example). The other really cool thing about podcasting is that it allows for the artistic expression of thoughts, opinions, and observations of our lives. You know me as a middle aged, middle of the pack, slightly asthmatic runner from New England who appreciates good wine, like Bordeaux, Malbec and Cab Franc, who enjoy’s a great baseball game with the Worcester Tornadoes or my beloved Boston Red Sox, and likes to rock out to amazing music, like that from Great Big Sea, Jim Fidler, Matthew Ebel or the amazing Paul Durham and Black Lab…these are all elements of my life that you’ve heard on this show: when I’m tasting or talking about wine and telling you about the grapes I’m trying to grow, when you hear me at the old ball park singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” or when I present for you some amazing creative commons pod-safe music on every episode of this show. I think that’s one of the things I most appreciate about running podcasts; that they’re NOT always just about running: they’re about the lives each of the podcasters are living: it’s better than so called reality TV because there’s no pretense involved: we are who we are, for better or worse: but we have this one thing in common: a love for running and for living our lives to the top. These podcasts we produce are a permanent record of these lives we are living; audio files that will be heard long after you and I have run our last road race, and shuffled off this mortal coil. They are important because they document the way to live as the good animals we were meant to be; and it sets a good example to anyone who listens now, and in the far future: of how to live a life of meaningful joy. That’s why we produce these shows…because I’m telling you this fellow runner: something you already know deep in your heart but something that we have somehow GOT to get across to others, be it through personal examples or a moving pictures expert group dash 1 audio layer 3 standard digital encoding formatted file downloaded to your iPod: Life is short, but it should be long enough and to take to the roads and become a runner is one certain way to live that life to the top: which is exactly what is expected of us all. Show Links:

The song “The Real You” was by Black Lab at

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I had come to the town of Milton Massachusetts to run a 10K road race that I had run three times before, with a 48:18 finish in 2002, a 52:30 finish in 2003 and a 53:40 finish in 2004. Today I was hoping to finish in an hour and five minutes, although secretly a sub one hour would make me feel better.

I’ve been injured, I’ve gained weight, and I’ve not felt as in shape as I have in the past: but today’s effort might serve to remind me that there was still hope within me to shed these pounds and run faster and more intelligently with a new strategy of training.

If the act of running is a celebration of life, it seemed only fitting that I’d be here in the town where I took my first human breath, and experienced a childhood of tradition and love, to celebrate my identity as a runner in training: where my walk breaks allowed my body to run faster, and this guy named Walker could feel more like a runner.

Show Links:

Free Audible Book download:

The song “Walk on the Moon” was by Great Big Sea

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Today’s episode is not about my love of this sport; it’s about how to help others to fall in love with this sport.

Running is an activity that fellow runners, like you and I, gather pleasure from. We look forward to these feelings of pleasure every day when we lace up our shoes.

To the non-runner, or someone who finds any physical activity abhorrent, this love of running is an alien emotion. These sufferers on THE COUCH OF DOOM consider the act of running as equivalent to the act of smashing a brick into ones forehead: it neither seems like a good idea, nor would it bring pleasure to do so.

So, how does one fall in love with running?

Once you start paying more attention to your body in motion, you’ll begin to feel the urge to take that daily break out on the roads. You’ll begin to feel an infatuation with eating and living healthier, to enhance and improve your daily performance. You might even start subscribing to a few running related podcasts…especially as you start to realize that you could run faster than some goofy little podcaster from New England, who really isn’t all that and a bag of chips…and the next thing you know you’ll be eating those chips from within a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the purpose of sodium replacement and protein muscular recovery.

And maybe, just maybe your new found love for running will work both ways and you’ll find that running is in love with you.

Show Links:

Free Audible Book download:

“Say Hey (I Love You)” was by Michael Franti and Spearhead

“A Glorious Dawn” was part of the http://www.symphonyofscience.com project by John Boswell.

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The story behind the swoosh is much bigger than that of just Nike and its corporate policy of treating it’s workers as slaves: it’s a story that speaks to the working conditions of many of the products that you and I use every day, from iPhones to Droids, from large screen TV’s to these new tablet computers Steve Jobs keeps whining about.

What is the morally correct thing to do when we learn the truth about the working conditions for the people who make all this stuff we carry and use? I can’t answer that for you, that’s something you have to figure out for yourself.

I’m not here to talk philosophy with you; remember: I am just a doofus. But I think that the very least any of us can do is to LEARN about what’s going on in places like Indonesia: just so we can answer the question, as athletes, regarding this aspect of the running shoes you and I wear every day.

Think about it: right now you and I select our shoes based on fit, style, functionality, weight, price and reputation….what if we were to add to that list of aspects the adherence to social justice of the manufactures? If, as runners, we focused on just one company: Nike, the leader in sportswear and running paraphernalia, and just learn more about how our shoes are made: that we might consider the treatment of workers in our formula for what we should be purchasing?

No one is asking you to ban Nike products, this isn’t about you and I: this is all about learning…and I urge you to consider going to Teamsweat.org just as soon as you get back from your run today, and click on the upcoming events link: please, I’m asking this as a friend, and see when Jim Keady is going to be in your area next; in fact: I’ll go further: if you attend a College or University, why not contact Educating for Justice at and see about getting someone from that organization to come to your school to talk about these issues.

This is important stuff, and I’m not telling you this to make myself feel better about myself as a runner: I’m telling you this because I think it will make us better athletes, plain and simple.

This is not about me, and it’s not about you: it’s about the good people in countries like Indonesia who just want a little of the life that you and I enjoy. I’ll spare you the angry rant about Nike or my firm belief that they are most certainly evil: but I hope you’ll listen to what Jim Keady is saying here, and I very much hope you’ll make an effort to go see him; I’m going to list some of the places where he’ll be speaking in the near future; he’s getting ready to head back over to Indonesia, so it’s important that we learn from what he finds there, and that we think for ourselves, using the information we can learn from his findings and those findings of other independent activists.

More than anything, I hope that in listening to this small portion of Jim’s lecture: behind the swoosh, you will get at least a little: angry.

Show Links:

Free Audible Book download:

“Justice Will Roll Down” was by Sandra McCracken;

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Greetings fellow canines; my name is Indiana Jones; I am NOT the fictional American Adventurer and Archeologist Dr. Henry Walton Jones Junior created by film maker George Lucas and portrayed by Harrison Ford and River Phoenix; I am the REAL Indiana Jones, a pure bred lemon beagle puppy born one year ago on March 28th, 2009.

My full name, in fact, is Indiana Jones Walker…of the human family Walker; they being the creatures who serve me in every way and are the best-est family a dog could ever have.

This is my house, I live here with Mathew, John, my Mom and my Dad: Steve. Dad is a runner; but he’s not as good a runner as I am.

I love to run, especially after bunny rabbits…and we have at least two living in our yard. I can smell them every day. Dad doesn’t let me run after them, sometimes he let’s me run through the yard sniffing for their trail. He doesn’t seem to be able to smell them the way I can.

I can smell really well. My nose has 200 million scent receptors compared to Dad’s nose, which has only 5 million. My olfactory bulbs are four times as big as his so I can smell things from, far, far away. Dad’s nose would have to be the size of a refrigerator in order to be as sensitive as my nose!

I can smell that bunny rabbit, and I want to run after him, but Dad won’t let me because he’s afraid I’ll get lost or get hit by one of those big “move-me” machines.

But, I just want to play! Doesn’t everyone love to play?

Show Links:

The song “Mr. Jones” was by The Counting Crows

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In this episode I review the abstract of a study released last March by Dr. Depina Kardara and his team at the Athens Medical School,Hippokration Hospital titled “Marathon Runners Have Increased Aortic Stiffness”.

It is important to note that my skepticism with this study is related to the implied suggestion that training for and running a marathon is considered extreme exercise. Maybe it is, or maybe after having run 21 of them…the last not much more than a controlled crawl, I see the marathon as an endurance event that homo sapiens have evolved to run as a means of hunting and gathering; chasing down our prey with persistence.

As we listen to the results of this research, we need to understand the severity of the impact, and consider other factors which might invalidate the results; remember: 25,000 runners just finished the Boston Marathon a few weeks ago, not to mention the hundreds of thousands who will run such a distance this year; and yet the sample size for the test group in this study was only 49.

This isn’t to say that those 49 aren’t representative of the entire human population of marathon runners; nor does it necessarily trivialize the results of this study; but it does put this study into perspective against the media interpretation that marathon’s can kill you.

Show Links:

The song “Think For Yourself” was by George Hrab at

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I had come to Hopkinton Massachusetts to run the 114th Boston Marathon, and found myself in the early miles facing the eventual breakdown of my body. From the joyful celebration of a New England town, I ran myself into the unchartered land of exhaustion and pain…and through modern technology I broadcasted my suffering live through my blog and social networking sites. I wasn’t doing that to show off or incite pity, I did it because I wanted to share my experience with you in hopes that you might want to run this race one day, and perform better than I did.

I know this course very well, it’s an old friend that I’ve visited throughout my youth and into my middle age. I have experienced great things on this course, witnessed legendary athletes run with artistic form, felt intense ecstasy and crushing agony and run this race even when I had nothing left within me to get me to that finish line: but somehow, I always have.

For all my efforts in trying to distract myself to finish this race, for trying to go, in my mind, to my happy place…I had forgotten to consider this truth: that This WAS my happy place…this race that is more than just a race, this marathon that is known by all simply by the name of the city within which it finishes:

This is my race: Boston. This is my town: Boston. This is my home: Boston

Beantown, the hub of the universe, the cradle of liberty, the Athens of America…we love that dirty water, we love our beloved Red Sox, we love our Samuel Adams beer, our Faneuil Hall, and our Patriots, Pilgrims, and minutemen…and we love our Marathon with 114 years of history dating back to the emergence of distance running in the world of athletics.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Phedippidations, thank you for running with me as I took you with me on my way to Boston, thank you for your kind words and support and for following my progress on race day; at Intervals, on Twitter and Facebook but most of all: thank you for your friendship.

You see, THIS is my happy place, running with fellow runners…and as the sky darkens upon the finishing line in the shadows of tall buildings and skyscrapers on and around Boylston Street, I can’t see the sun anymore…I can’t feel the ground anymore…but I don’t mind…you’re by my side…and I feel fine.

Show Links:

“The Curra Road” was by Fergus

“See the Sun” was by Black Lab

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The Czech Locomotive, Emil Zatopek, 3 time gold medalist in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki once said “If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon.”The qualifying times of the Boston Marathon call us to experience a different life. It is not so important that we can meet the standards and run a BQ; it’s the whole idea that there is this threshold for excellence out there: a target by which we can measure our own performance.

I stand by the belief that anyone who runs and finishes a marathon, no matter what their time, has demonstrated an ability that marks them as athletically gifted within the human race. This is not to denigrate the importance or accomplishment of running or walking shorter distances such as a 5 or 10K road race; but in a world where only point one of one percent of our species has ever run an organized and official marathon road race to completion: the accomplishment deserves acknowledgement and admiration.

But if you’ve qualified to run the Boston Marathon, you are a step above we mere mortals. You have proven that you are worthy of standing at a starting line in a town called Hopkinton to run with runners of similar abilities towards a finish line in downtown Boston marking your name for all time in the official races record book as one who set a BQ, a Boston Qualifying time: and that is an honor you must cherish for all your life.

Show Links:

“Boston and St. John’s” by Great Big Sea

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In this episode of The Goofy Little Podcast, I run the first 18 miles of the Boston Marathon course and I’ll let you know if there’s anything new to look for on the road before you arrive to run this thing.

If you’ve traveled from afar, you might want to find other things to do with your time in Boston besides driving out to the suburbs to check out the course. That’s where this episode comes in, as I’ll do my best to describe what I’m seeing: and what you’ll see as you run the Boston Marathon.

I’ll also give you some recommendations for things to do while you’re in Beantown, and finish with some history about the spot where we begin our run towards Boston: the starting line of the 114th Boston Marathon.

Show Links:

Call (617) 368-5080 for more information about the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery tour:

The song “Charlie on the M.T.A.” was performed by The Barleycorn from Ireland off their album “A Song for Ireland” released in 1995 by digitalpressure/The Dolphin Group.

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Tarzan Brown was an amazing athlete who lived a hard, impoverished life but faced the world with dignity and strength. There are so many legendary and half-true mysteries about the man and his career as a runner that his many accomplishments might seem less interesting: but above all know this: that Tarzan Brown was a free spirit, a man who loved to run and his very life honored his brave tribal ancestors; the Narragansett people, one of the leading tribes of New England with a culture that has existed for thirty thousand years.

His Algonquian name was Attuck-Quock-Wussete which means “Deerfoot”; he is a legend in our sport and one of the many reasons why the Boston Marathon is the greatest of all Marathons.

Show Links:

“Indian On The Mountain” by Red-Hawk

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I like eggs. Show Links:

“Final Broadcast” by the Statistics

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Professor Daniel Leiberman’s (and his team) paper “Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners” looks into how and why human beings can and did run comfortably without modern running shoes. In it, he proves that experienced, habitual barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on our heels and land with a forefoot or midfoot strike. Most of their research looks into the mechanics of different kinds of foot strikes. He shows that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes, when running barefoot, do not cause sudden, momentary and major force impacts which occur when you land on your heel barefoot. In a previous episode of Phedippidations, I talked about how Professors Lieberman and Dennis Bramble have shown us that homo sapiens have evolved, and thus are born to run…and with this study “Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners” Professor Lieberman and his team have shown us that we should seriously reconsider the way that we run, with or without minimal running shoes. It turns out that we’ve had the proper biomechanics and shock absorbers with us all along…we’re not only born to run; but we’re born to run well! At the end of this episode I talk about why I didn’t produce an episode last week, what I’ve been up to lately, some “sad” news about Stephen Walker and changes in this show that are long over due. Show Links:

“Move Your Feet” by the Dogman Joe

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When you run, you’re body is under stress, and that causes your body to increase the levels of certain chemicals to kinda even things out. These chemicals, in turn, may lead to an increase in gastrointestinal problems in distance running. Our bodies are incredible machines, but while evolution has done a wonderful job of allow up to go forth and multiply; there are some sniggly little issues which come up from time to time to prevent us from going forth at our full potential. Gastrointestinal Problems in Distance Running are a lot more common than you might otherwise believe, and there’s a thirty to eighty-three percent chance that you are currently, or will one day suffer some kind of an issue with your digestive system that will slow you down or keep you off the road. Show Links:

“Die Alone” was by Ingrid Michaelson:

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I’m never going to be asked to give a speech in front of a crowd of fellow runners. It’s not going to happen; and by saying that I’m not implying that the absent request is a travesty; there’s a good reason why I’ll never be asked: because while you and I are friends and there are at least ten of you listening right now: generally speaking I am not what you call: popular. I’m not very well known, and never expect to be burdened with fame…not enough at least to be asked to speak to a crowd of runners at the 2010 John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo - Runners Seminar. To be honest, that’s probably a good thing. I think you know that I tend to be a bit of a rogue; you never know when I’m going to go off on a goofy comedy riff or a screaming anger-thon…quite honestly, when I clip on this microphone I’m not even sure what’s going to happen…so, it’s probably in John Hancock’s best interest to suppress my speech at this and every Boston Marathon expo. As I was thinking about this, while out on a long run (where my best thoughts are formed) I asked myself what I would do if I got the call to speak? What if the event organizers called me up tomorrow and asked me to present the key note address at the Boston Marathon Health and Fitness Expo; one of the largest gatherings of runners in the world? Well, obviously the first thing I’d do is panic, then resolve to respectfully refuse: but opportunity is not a lengthy visitor, so as adverse as I am to speaking in public or standing in the spotlight of attention: I know that I’d have to somehow suck it up; and take to that podium and speak. I wouldn’t enjoy the experience; I would dread the days and hours prior to my presentation: but despite all that I know that I’d accept the invitation, because like it or not: I do have something to say. What I’d have to say to a large gathering of fellow runners would require a number of speeches. This being the 225th episode of Phedippidations, I’ve venture to guess that I’d have at least 225 themes that I’d want to cover…but if I only had time for one topic; one keynote message to transmit from my mouth to the ears of an audience of runners it would be what you’re about to hear. So imagine, if you will, that it’s 2:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, April 18th 2010; the day before the 114th running of the Boston Marathon. You’re sitting in a packed room at the Hynes Convention Center on Boylston Street in Boston, just a quarter mile up the road from the finish line of the Boston Marathon. You’ve been walking around town and the expo floor for the past three days, and you’re just about ready to head back to your hotel to rest up for the night in preparation for the big race. You’re tired, a little anxious and your patience is getting a little frayed when someone familiar steps up to the podium…. Show Links:

New Podcast: Send in your race reports to “Underground” by Black Lab off the Album Give Us Sugar

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Today’s episode is the first to talk about the phenomenon of Ultra Marathons.

There is obviously a lot more to this topic than I can fit in a single goofy little podcast, and as a homework assignment to you and myself, I recommend that we pick up a copy of the book “Ultra-Marathoning: The Next Challenge” by Tom Osler and Ed Dodd published by World Publications. The book appears to be out of print, but you can still pick up a few used copies over at Amazon.com. I’m intrigued about training for and running an ultra someday. This seems like a much different kind of race than I’m familiar with, and the idea of running 50 to 100 miles or kilometers seems to be an amazing test of the human spirit, and an accomplishment that: as a distance runner, I’d like to try.

Human beings are evolved to be long distance runners; and an ultra-marathon seems like the natural next step progression for anyone who has conquered the marathon and is looking for a new adventure and challenge…out there, on the road.

Show Links:

“Still Walking” by Michael Gaither

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In his essay, IS RUNNING A RELIGION, Dr. George Sheehan makes that point that running is a place, not a system of belief. Running gives us an opportunity to renew ourselves while we’re out there on the road: both psychologically and spiritually. I’ve heard that phrase before: “Running is your religion” and it makes about as much sense as the phrases “cooking is your politics” or “singing is your manifesto”. Every time you go out for a run, you are given an opportunity to commune with yourself, with your thoughts and with your God. The sins of yesterday are forgiven on the roads; that extra slice of pizza you couldn’t help inhale; the frustration turned outward anger you expressed at someone who didn’t deserve the outlash is suppressed, your soul is made calm, your body serves it’s good purpose…running takes you to a place that cannot be defined by latitude and longitude. As you run, you develop the deepest commitment; the most serious mind…your mind begins to focus on “where you are and what you are doing”. And it does you no good to visit this physical monastery only a few times in your life, or on random occasions when you have the time. You have to visit this place called “running” often; almost everyday if you can. In other words: If you want to take with you, through the course of your life, the positive benefits of our sport: you have to constantly renew yourself out there on the road. For those of us who believe in God, running is an opportunity for prayer. You don’t have to always pray in quiet places or on Holy Ground. When you’re out there, running at the perfect pace, feeling the sweat coat your body and moving with the breeze in your face…you are being the good animal you were meant to be; but more than that: you’re performing an act that your body was evolved to perform. This is the perfect place to have a conversation with God. When you run, you are acting more human; and as a homo sapian, or thinking man: you are in community both with God, the creator of heaven and earth and with nature and the universe all around you. Dr. Sheehan makes this point very clearly: Running is a place to commune with God and yourself, it’s a place for psychological and spiritual renewal. Running is NOT a religion. It is in its very essence: a place. Show Links: WARNING This episode ends with another angry (some might say “psychotic”) diatribe as I lash out against the babbling hate-speak of a self righteous bigot who has the audacity to call himself a Christian. As far as I’m concerned, Pat Robertson can go to hell.

Please pray for the people of Haiti. The song “Hey Kate” by The Fire Apes

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I know I’ve said this before, but I want you to understand that I read all of your email. This problem I have with answering email is somewhat embarrassing for me; and when I starting having these problems…I considered not saying anything about it here on the show. I thought that for me to tell you that my inbox was overflowing, and that I couldn’t possibly answer every email I received would be a fairly vain, narcissistic thing to do. But then, I realized that for me NOT to say anything about it, and still being unable to dedicate myself to the task of responding to every message sent to me: would be kind of arrogant and untruthful. My Grandmother, Helena Viola Walker, daughter of James and Mary MacDonald…taught me the importance of being truthful. It doesn’t matter if your filling out a job application, speaking with friends or typing something on Facebook…you have to be truthful; especially with friends: because they will always be able to see through you, and if you’re dishonest, few will ever trust what you say. So, the truth is that I won’t be able to answer all of your emails; I wish I could: but with only 118 or so waking hours available to me each week, minus 50 or so for work, 14 or so for producing this podcast, 5 or so for my running, another 5 to prepare for and document the results of my running, that leaves me with only 44 hours every week, or 6 hours a day to drive to and from work, cook dinner, walk the dog, spend time with my family…look, you get the idea because you’re in the same situation…and you probably have even less time each week to fit in the things you wish you could make a priority. So, when an opportunity arises for me to multitask, to perform more than one activity at the same time: such as producing a podcast and answering email as I’m out there getting my run in…I am going to get it done…because it’s not so much how much time we have to do the things we want to do, it’s how we use it. Show Links: “A Little Time” by Amy Ayres

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This episode begins with another ice cold swim in Boston Harbor with friends, and a stated theory that will become my “law of thermodynamic refreshment”. Because athletes prefer to run distance races in more comfortable temperatures; the Spring and Fall are often preferred seasons for marathons. Today, in January, we’re getting a couple of inches of snow, and the air temperature wind chill is 10 degrees below zero F, or minutes 23 degrees C; making it a bad day to schedule 114th running of the Boston Marathon or any other 26.2 mile road race. But come Spring, when the flora and fauna of the Northern Hemisphere begins again to flourish: marathoners around the world will toe the line at their races and run in relative comfort, for the most part. Today I want to list for some of the Spring Marathons, scheduled for the spring time: and while this will not be an all inclusive list, it should give you some ideas for races you might want to run as the March equinox draws nigh. Show Links:L Street Brownie Don Bravo:

“Tickle Cove Pond” by Great Big Sea

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This is my first podcast episode of 2010, and my second episode regarding my intentions for running a sub Four Hour Marathon in the Autumn of this year. Endurance training and Aerobic development are critical elements in good marathon training program. You have to put in the time without worried about the mileage, and you have to develop a base from which to launch yourself at your goal. This is the year I’m going to break 4 hours in a marathon NOT because I’ll be physically fit to do so, but because I’ll have trained carefully, with patience and dedication: when my friend John Ellis tells me to go out and run for an hour up and down the hills of Oxford: I’ll do it…I may not enjoy it at first but once I’ve got a good and healthy base, once my endurance is up to the point where running 26.2 miles non-stop isn’t such a big deal anymore: I can work on my stamina and then go into a taper period in preparation for the day that I’ll run a marathon in 3 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds; or less. Show Links: “Run Away” by Natalie Brown

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Personally, I’ve never really needed the changing of the calendar year as a reason to set and keep a resolution: so any promises I’m going to make are probably a continuation of what I’ve been working towards for the past few years; although I do have a few running-specific resolutions that I’ve set and intend to see through.2009 is finally over and 2010 is upon us. The phrase “Out with the old, in with the new” creates images of hope for a new year, where war and violence come to an end, where the hungry are fed, the sick are healed and the global economic crisis is resolved. Albert Einstein said it best when he said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”. The New Year gives us all a clean slate from which to re-create parts of our live for all the roles we play in life. Here’s a wish that the runners in us, have an injury free, PR setting 2010, and that we all enjoy the happiness of a year in motion.Happy New Year. Show Links:“Maybe You Should Drive” by Craig Cardiff

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In the spirit of all those old cheesy classic television holiday variety show specials by the Osmond Brothers, Bob Hope, Donny and Marie, and the Smothers Brothers: I present for you my first Holiday PodCast Variety Show Special complete with special guests, a musical act, and comedy sketches created to make your season merry and bright. I don’t expect this episode to become a holiday classic, but it will keep you company as you get a long run in on a cold winters day! Special appearances by: John Michael Walker, Terry Higgins, Gabby Sherman, Steve Chopper, Kevin Gwin, Toni Harvey, Adam Tinkoff, Mat Chasey, Nic Wong, Dan Medeiros, John Ellis, Joe Steindl, Lynn Runner, and Gordon Scott. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from my home to yours! Show Links: “Jingle Bells” by Skid Row (made available by the Podsafe Music Network) “Joy to the World” by Hairy Larry “Joy to the World” by Two Harps And a special gift to all by Gordon Scott:

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Browning Ross was a talented runner, coach, spokesman, leader and proponent of distance running; at a time when there weren’t too many runners in the world who could actually finish a marathon. It was through his hard work and passion, that road races in the United States are so popular today. He made it his mission to spread the word about long distance running, and create the buzz which would lead to the Great Running Boom of the 1970’s. Also, rest in peace Larry “Legend” Olsen: coach, leader, mentor, and fellow runner. Show Links:

Please support Sharon’s run to fight blood cancer:

Larry’s last race:

“Go the Distance” by Danny the Multitracker (aka Danny Fong) from Ontario, Canada.

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Running a race with a friend is always a good thing because the friendly rivalry will tend to push you past your own comfortable limits. When I first started running back in December of 1998, I would run every day with a good friend at work; and we would push each other to finish as fast and as strong as we possibly could. I averaged a 9:10 pace back in those days for my daily and long runs…guess what that pace run over 26.2 miles would get me? If I had run the race on my own today, I most certainly wouldn’t have pushed myself too hard: I’m still weeks away from the start of my Spring marathon training, and I just had no reason to push myself too hard, risking possible injury. I had a lot to be thankful for on this day of Thanksgiving; I had my family, my job, my health, and an ankle that was strong enough to let me run a road race. I had the gift of an entry into Boston, and a good training plan to get me there, with that goal of a sub 4 hour race in the new year not too hard to belive. And today; I was thankful that my friend Joe challenged me in this 5 mile road race; pushing me to do my best and making me feel like I really might be; once again: Steve Runner. Show Links:“Changed” by Stray Palace (Paul Durham, Deej Hofer and Paul Bohak)

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When you inspire someone to take to the road, to join us as runners: you are filling them with the same passion that you have for this sport, you are influencing their behavior by showing them what it means to live this lifestyle. It’s not about looking thin and healthy; although that is a cool consequence of running: it’s feeling good, having a sense of pride in being able to run for a certain distance: and if you can inspire even just one other human being to lace up their shoes and become a runner: you will have made the world just a little bit better than before they did; and like a healthy infection: that person you inspired might go on to inspire someone else, maybe a few people…and they’ll inspire others, and so on, and so forth until we have this exponential growth in the number of fellow runners AND, more importantly: healthy people who are living their lives to the top and living with a better quality of life than they did before you inspired them to run. Show Links: “My Generation” by The Who (presented podsafe by )

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I’ve said before that a podcast is better than a radio show because it embraces communication through social media; in fact: better than that…it IS social media, independent podcast producers can honestly call those who subscribe to their content: Friends; and really mean it. Despite the commercial advertisements on this show; I’m not really going overboard in trying to sell you something…I might recommend some products or services that I think are pretty cool, but the unspoken truth is that it’s rare for anyone producing a podcast today to “sell out” their audience, and we certainly work hard to stay connected. I get a lot of email that I don’t read on this show that is angry, hurtful and hateful…the hate you can appreciate I will avoid, but if you disagree with me: that’s okay. Why? Because we’re having a conversation, we’re creating a social bond; and while time and distance will probably negate our ever being able to meet in person, and share a glass of wine, pint of cold ale or a steaming hot coffee: We can use this social media of podcasting, and these responses by email, Twitter and Facebook to create this community; this Run Net Community as we share the open road together and with others. In this episode, I’ll answer some emails and enjoy some good conversations with fellow runners. Show Links: THANK YOU for your daily VOTE: “If This Geek Ruled the World” by Geoff Smith

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Human beings have always feared the unknown and unknowable. Desperate for cures to our everyday ailments and those conditions and illnesses which cause pain and death, we are willing to try anything that we can justify as a reasonable remedy. Runners, who are often prone to injury, are especially vulnerable to medical quackery. Take a walk around the Health and Fitness Expo of the Boston Marathon, and you’ll find all sorts of samples of alternative medicines, with products and services that claim to relive pain, help you run faster and longer and prevent injury. Beware promises of un-tested alternative medical treatments or any medical therapy that remains untested by science. Do not fall prey to the lies and false claims of alternative medical practitioners who seek to cheat you with magical magnets, suspicious serums and tacky treatments. Trust your doctor and science, and accept the validity of scientifically proven medical therapies regardless of how complex and unnatural these things may sometimes seem. Remember that there are people like Jenny McCarthy in the world who would like nothing more than for you to avoid receiving a flu shot; for her own purposes….be that to sell a book, claim her fame or get her nose picked face back on MTV….there are charlatans, impostors, con artists, frauds and quacks out there who think nothing of causing you harm through making you believe that un-tested alternative medicines and medical treatments are the best and only way to cure you, keep you healthy and improve your performance on the road. Show Links:THANK YOU for your VOTE: “Rattlesnake Oil” the Bad Detectives

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This is the first part in a series I’ll produce over the next year, regarding my efforts to run a sub four hour marathon. For me, the goal of running a Marathon in less than 4 hours is important to accomplish for many reasons including self confidence, a feeling that I’ve reached a new level in my running, reclamation of my inner youth, setting an example for my son, earning the respect of those who understand what a sub four means, and being able to look back at my trials and tribulations on the road over the past ten years with a new sense of appreciation for the hard work I’ve put in. A sub four hour marathon finish will mean that I have stepped it up a notch, even if it’s the only sub four I may ever run; and it will be a personal record that I’ll savor and find pride in with the knowledge that even as a middle aged, middle of the pack slightly asthmatic goofy little podcaster runner: I can do anything. Show Links: Dare to Dream by Adam Ilami

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I present for you another one of my annual gadgets and gizmos review shows for some ideas on running gear and Apparatus that you might give your fellow runners for the holidays. But I also ask you to think about the idea of giving the gift of yourself this holiday season. Maybe, instead of heading to the shopping malls this year, you should head to your calendar and start picking out a day or two a week where you’ll make a point of going out to dinner or have a few beers or cup of coffee with a friend you haven’t spent enough time with this year. Better yet, why not plan to go for a run with a friend? Life is short fellow runners…you know this; and one of the main obstacles to enjoying this life is all the stuff that we clutter ourselves up with: physical things like geeky Motorola Droid cell-phones, mp3 players, laptops, big screen TV’s and electronic game consoles….I’m not saying that those things aren’t cool: they are; but they pale in comparison to friendship; all we really have to spend here on this planet is time….we convert some of that time into money though employment in order to support our families and live a life with more and better stuff; but the STUFF should not be the purpose of our work...because all we have is time; and we need to use that time in a way that brings joy to ourselves and others. Show Links:

The song “Gift of Love” was by Joe Colledge

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I live in a world Where everyone runs With this one thing in common We love to run together Although we live apart On a tiny blue bubble in space Where borders are meaningless Where friendships are cherished And our experiences are shared I live in a world. Where everyone runs together. ...and on this 4th Annual World Wide Festival of Races, it was indeed: an honor to have run these miles with you. Show Links:

The song “All Around the World” was by the band After Son from the Netherlands.

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In the course of a long weekend, my friend Joe and I would explore the coastline and harbors of the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. We’d check out rock formations and earthen cliffs, lighthouses and small finishing villages; tidal plains and earthen dykes. We have lunch at a local German café, we’d investigate an outcropping of Devonian limestone in a place called Morden and taste locally created wine in vineyards around the Valley…in short, we’d see the sites, run the course, and race the race in our excursion around the bay. This is my race report for the Fourth Annual World Wide Festival of Races and my running of the Wolfeville, Nova Scotia Valley Harvest Half Marathon. Show Links:

The song “Excursion Around the Bay” was by Great Big Sea at

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In this special episode of Phedippidations Intervals, Joe Steindl interviews podcast host and Run Net Community member: Steve Runner, asking him 20 of the most mind numbing, heart revealing questions that listeners to his goofy little podcast have always NEEDED to know.

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Nothing lasts forever in this physical universe of ours. We can talk about the eternal world to come, the kingdom of Heaven, Nirvana, Tian, the Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial kingdoms, the six heavenly planes of Hinduism and the 8 levels of heaven in Islam…but this planet that we ran upon today, this place: will not last. The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and in 7.59 billion years from today, it will be dragged from our solar orbit by our sun which will have grown to be 256 times as big as it is today: and the race course of the World Wide Festival of Races will be consumed in fire, forever. But I have to wonder, what will our evil Robot overlords: or any advanced alien civilization that learns about us over the next 7.59 billion years: come to think about us? Will they struggle to understand why we went to war with one another? Why we murdered and killed each other? Will they dedicate eons in trying to figure out why we’d gather millions of each other into concentration camps and systematically torture and destroy each other? Would they try to figure out why we’d kidnap a noble people from a beautiful savannah, stuff them into sailing ships and sell them as property to wealthy people in a new land? What would they say about a shoe company that treated their workers as slaves, paying them only a few dollars a day and not caring that they had to live in slums while their CEO and sports star promoters earned millions without concern? I have an answer: they’d think WE WERE STUPID. Yeah, that’s what they’d think: they’d have come to the conclusion that our species had evolved to suffer from a form of brain damage. They’d be happy to know that our planet was about to be consumed by the Sun…they’d consider us as a biological disease in the universe; unintelligent and defective. An intelligent and advanced alien species would pick apart our genome, see that we differed by only ZERO POINT TWO PERCENT, and conclude that whatever caused us to hate each other: it couldn’t be because of the color of our skin, or from what continent on the little blue bubble we originated from… there could be no other explanation: humans had to be stupid. But if they could see us now, today: running this World Wide Festival of Races; they’d think differently. They’d have to. Because today, we’re celebrating our community regardless of our differences; in fact: today we celebrate our differences. This planet is small. It’s a tiny blue bubble of life cruising through the cold vacuum of space, and it’s the only place that we’ve been able to find which can support life. Think of this Earth as a life-raft, adrift on it’s own in the Universe…it’s more than just our home: it’s all that we have…that and each other. Today you’re running in an event that celebrates that: we live on a small little rocky life raft, but we have each other…to care for, to cheer for, and to encourage. Our lives on this rock are short, but they should be long enough for us to experience love, joy and peace with each other as friends. Fellow runners: this wasn’t some small thing you did today, and today wasn’t just another run: you participated, you proved by your example that whatever differences we have in thought, opinion, and observation is what makes our time here, in this Universe special and interesting. We are so much alike, you and I…and those little differences that we do have, are something to savor: like the nose of a Cabernet Franc over that of a Malbec…they’re both vitis vinifera, but what makes them different is remarkable, and when you blend them together…well, my friends….you get something magical, like a mertiage or a Bordeaux where the sum of it’s ingredients combine to make a wine worthy of sharing with the world. We are like those grapes, our differences enhance the flavor of our community, and as you run your World Wide Festival of Races today…think about how much we have to give to the world around us….in living this lifestyle, of savoring our time on the road, of sharing our experiences from the perspective of our own bodies and how we have no room for hate in our lives…not when there are miles to be run, and friends to be made. Show Links:

The song “Lucky” was by Black Lab pick up your FREE 3 Black Lab songs (from the album “Give Us Sugar”) at The song “The World We Are a’Racin” was by the band “Moneypenny, Walker, Chopper and Scott” with apologies to Mr. Dylan; lyrics by Steve Chopper ( ), vocals by Phil Moneypenny ( ) and some annoying American who apparently thinks he can sing, along with instrumentals and vocals by Gordon Scott. Check out the musical talent of a good friend and bad boy of running at Think Global, Run Local.

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ChiRunning is a new technique that incorporates traditional Lydiard style training with moving more efficiently, more in tune to the way our bodies were intended to run. It requires and provides a special sense of self awareness of our environment, our bodies and our movement through space. To practice ChiRunning is to embrace a style of running that gives more emphasis to running form and less focus on speed. ChiRunning makes many promises about your health, freedom from running injury, better self contemplative on the road meditation and with all that: peace of mind. It’s an excellent example of a revolutionary running technique designed to improve your condition and performance on the road. While the science is inconclusive on the benefits of Tai Chi, the personal observations and impressions of its practitioners gives weight to the argument that it’s good for you…and that has a direct reflection on the benefits and worth of ChiRunning: a program designed to help you run long, run strong, and feel one with the road. Show Links:Goody Bag Submissions: “Peace of Mind” by Finniston

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I read every one of your emails, although I’m sorry to admit that I can’t always respond. I want to, I really do…were this production my full time job; email responding would be a welcome addition to my weekly task list; but like you: I have a family to feed, a career to attend to, a sick dog to worry about, my training to embark in, injury to overcome and this podcast that I feel called to produce (however scary that notion might sound). So I’ll respond as best I can, right here on the show….and if you email me, or leave a comment at SteveRunner.com, the discussion forum or at I’ll always read what you write; ALWAYS…and I’ll do my best to answer; even if only here on this goofy little podcast. Show Links:Goody Bag Submissions: “Lawyers Guns and Money” by Lance Larson THIS IS THE LAST CALL FOR “SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT” RECORD SOMETHING AND SEND IT TO ME OR CALL (513)-397-0525 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE EXTRA MILE PODCAST LINE!

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Health Care is a system of rules and services, offered to help individuals become and remain healthy. Here in the United States, the term Health Care has caused a lot of stress and anger about how our government is going to provide these services and how much each of us will have to pay. I’m here today, offering a different, more effective and certainly more personal solution to what’s been called the American Health Care Crisis…it might seem a bit revolutionary, possibly radical for me to suggest a plan that calls for us to become personally responsible for our own health by protecting ourselves from influenza, eating well and exercising at a certain level and duration each week. We can chose to be healthy; it’s not a right protected under any governments constitution, but there is a moral obligation for us to live healthier lives so we can contribute in a positive way to the society in which we live. This radical plan for health care is far less expensive than any program the government could offer, and it’s guaranteed to work: giving you a healthy body and consequently a happier life for the rest of your life. Show Links:Goody Bag Submissions: Ask Nike CEO and President what they’re doing to ensure that overseas workers are paid fair wages.Please follow Team Sweat: “Big Strong Man” was by The Brobdingnagian Bards

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"There is a discrimination in this world and slavery and slaughter and starvation. Governments repress their people; and millions are trapped in poverty while the nation grows rich; and wealth is lavished on armaments everywhere. These are differing evils, but they are common works of man. They reflect the imperfection of human justice, the inadequacy of human compassion, our lack of sensibility toward the sufferings of our fellows. But we can perhaps remember - even if only for a tirne - that those who live with us are our brothers; that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek - as we do - nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.” - Senator Robert F. Kennedy Please listen to this special episode of Phedippidations, and ask your friends (runners and non-runners alike) to listen to this interview with Jim Keady from Team Sweat and Educating for Justice. If you never listen to another of my podcast episodes again, I’ll ask you to at least listen to this one with an open heart and mind. As a member of our Run Net Community, you have the power and responsibility to force Nike (and other companies who take advantage of the poor) to treat their workers with dignity and respect. Help Jim Keady and become a member of Team Sweat: to direct and encourage Nike to “just do it” and pay fair wages to their workers. Show Links:

Recommended Reading: – by David C Korten – by John Perkins – by Joseph E. Stiglitz – by Dan La Botz Let Nike CEO and President know how you feel about Nike Sweatshops. FOLLOW TEAM SWEAT: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Sweat/50908420352 PLEASE donate what you can to the 501(c)(3) non-profit tax exempt Team Sweat. There is an immediate and urgent need for $3K so that Team Sweat can promote presentations and grass roots organizations at College and High School Campuses, as well as in Indonesia. Contribute online or send a check paid to the order of “Educating for Justice”. Mail to: Educating for Justice106 Meadow Point LanePoint Pleasant, NJ 08742 The song “Sweat” was by Darren Geffre

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The Pose Method of running incorporates some interesting concepts that may be worth your consideration. It’s a biomechanical model that has you landing on your mid-foot with your supporting joints flexed at impact and hamstrings used to pull your foot from the ground, using gravity to move you forward. It’s a method that takes a lot of practice, some say it can take years to perfect: but the promises are impressive: stronger, faster and injury free running. Like any running technique, this is something you should look into more; and not rely on this podcast introduction as your sole exposure to the method. Find the way to use your body to it’s fullest without moving in such a way that you’ll get injured and you’ll be closer to becoming the runner and good animal you were always meant to be. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Hole in the Sky” was by Black Lab

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Some called him Suuri Vaikenija "A Great Silent One" but to the world he was known as “The Flying Finn”. During the 1920s, he was the best middle and long distance runner in the world, setting world records at distances between 1500 m and 20 km. He is often considered the greatest Track & Field athlete of all time: This is Paavo Nurmi. From Paavo we learn the importance of complete dedication; while most of us seek to lead a balanced life as a way to achieve happiness, Paavo Nurmi was all about focusing on a single goal: he yearned for perfection, he demanded nothing less of himself than excellence and while this unbalance in his life may not have given him the joy that he might otherwise have had; it did give him one thing: victory. Show Links:

Program the Extra Mile Podcast phone number into your cell phone: 513-397-0525

Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Good Day” was by Black Lab

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We need to recognize the fact that, through cultural changes, we have evolved. It is through modern humanities incompatibility with our natural environment that we are beginning to dysevolve. The Dysevolutional Runner is one who lives in this environment of fast food non-pedestrian and embraces her or his inner hunter gatherer. Professor Daniel Lieberman, Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University, says that "Dysevolution is a positive feedback loop." When we work to treat the symptoms of our lack of physical exercise and don’t take to the roads and run, we are making the problem worse. That’s why it’s so important for those of us who run to be positive examples for others; to be the good animals we have evolved into: homo sapien hunter gatherers endowed with the ability to run long distances to find our food across the open savannah; to serve Gods purpose for making the world a better place with these bodies that He has created through the process of evolution. Show Links: Mesa 1st NazareneCare of “Donation for Penny”955 E. UniversityMesa, AZ 85203 Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Not Too Late” was by Black Lab WARNING This episode ends with another one of those “angry rants” that I sometimes get into. In the course of this rant I will describe a certain board chairman and his company as EVIL. I took a few days after I recorded that to think deeply about what I had said. I re-listened to my rant with the idea that I might want to remove it from the show; and decided (in the end) to leave it as is; because after spending many hours of doing research on the subject (as well as refreshing my understanding of the concept of what evil is:(“1. morally bad or wrong; wicked, malevolent, sinful. 2. causing an undesirable condition, as ruin, injury, or pain; harmful, injurious”) I came to the honest conclusion that my premise regarding the owners/leaders of this corporation and indeed the corporation itself was, indeed EVIL. Defamation: the malicious and false communication given to present a negative image of an individual, product, group, government or nation. The burden of proof to my declaration that the individual and company mentioned in this podcast is EVIL, is with that person and company. They have to prove that they are NOT the cause for the human abuse and suffering found in the overwhelming evidence. I don’t consider myself morally superior to these parties; I’m just calling it as I see it. It’s not fun to toss around the “E” word; and I’m a big believer in repentance and reconciliation; and this company is NOT the ONLY giant freakin’ corporation guilty of being EVIL…but they are the biggest and most prominent and thus fair game for asking of them the question “Why?” My advice? Don’t listen to the ending diatribe of this episode on a full stomach; some of you might not like to hear it. I admittedly went a bit over the top on this one, even though my facts are verifiable. I’ll probably regret this; but I’m only human: and I got really angry about this issue. See if you get angry as well. Go to

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In a way, the reason I produce Phedippidations is so I can make the world just a tiny bit better than it was before I started to produce this podcast. I understand that this is something I’ll most likely fail at and that my efforts here might be considered a colossal waste of time, however noble and altruistic this might seem. BUT: there’s always that small conditional word “IF”. As in: IF I can inspire just one human being, who might by accident listen to this goofy little podcast and become inspired to rise off the couch of doom to live a better and more happier life: then fellow runners; I’m here to tell you: MISSION FRIGGIN ACCOMPLISHED! That will be a day for a celebratory glass of Malbec: because that’s all it takes: just change the world for a single human being among us, and we will have satisfied our purpose in this life…we will have made an improvement through our examples….that’s the challenge: life your life in a way that inspires others to lace up their shoes and take to the road with us, and you’ll have made the universe just a little bit better than it was before they were so inspired. This life is a gift, and my reasons for producing Phedippidations is both to celebrate the gift and serve a purpose that is much MUCH more important than this middle aged, middle of the pack, slightly asthmatic fellow runner. Why do I produce Phedippidations each week? Because, in a way, although it’s not easy to explain, and certainly not at noble as it sounds…that’s what feel like I’m called to do. Thank you so much for supporting me over these past four years and 200 episodes. It is both a pleasure and an honor to call you a fellow runner. - Steve Show Links:Program the Extra Mile Podcast phone number into your cell phone: 513-397-0525 Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Like I Used To” was by Black Lab

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A podcast should be an expression of yourself, with a deep and open honesty that reveals all of the good things in your heart, as well as your weaknesses. A podcast should not be a “show” per se, it should be a conversation: it should have as many audible elements that fit your personality and the truth of who you are. Fear of being honest is perceived by the listeners…and if you’re doing it right: you’ll not think of those who subscribe to your podcast as mere “listeners”, they’re fellow runners…lending you their ears and their time as you share something of each other through a very personal and intimate new form of media. This is my podcast, Phedippidations…but it’s also your podcast…and if you’ll take the time to produce your own audio content for your fellow runners to run with; you’ll be producing something that we will feel ownership of: that’s because we’re really, honestly, truthfully sharing the road with these episodes…encouraging each other with words, prayers, hopes, dreams and an all too realistic experience in the Run Net Community. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “The You and Me Show” was by Alicia Marie

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Today, I’m going to read you an abridged version of another book by Thoreau, this one titled Walking, which Thoreau written in 1861. This was an essay that was presented as a lecture and published after his death in 1862, this essay, lecture and book has become one of THE most important written works in the environmental movement. So why am I reading this on a podcast about running? Is it because I canoed up the Allagash River Waterway in the Maine North Woods where Thoreau himself spent time and experienced the beauty of the wilderness? Partly, yes. But it’s also because I think his message is important, especially today where technology is daring to alter the very nature of our tiny blue bubble in space. This Earth is all we have, the other celestial possibilities for distant continents such as the Moon and Mars are volatile places or rock and rust, deadly radiation and bitter cold. Henry David Thoreau saw the beauty of nature and sought to impress upon his readers a desire to preserve it. “….In Wildness is the preservation of the World” he wrote. And on the Allagash River, in the wilderness that he so loved; I can think of no better way to tell you of his thoughts, opinions, observations and rambling diatribes. You and I are fellow runners; and we run across the same blue bubble that Thoreau walked upon. Listen carefully to his message and think about how precious our world really is. Show Links:The song “The Wild Rover” was by the band Bill Grogans Goat

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A conversation is an informal talk with someone about opinions, ideas, feelings or everyday matters. A good conversation is an interaction between two or more people, where questions are either explicitly asked or implied. For many of you, over the past four years you have been having a conversation with a middle aged, middle of the pack, slightly asthmatic fellow runner, but I assure you that that conversation was not one way. And while I admit I’m not able to answer my emails as much as I’d like (not due to the increased listenership to this podcast I assure you; rather it’s a function of my work life getting in the way as it does) this episode, and those which I’ll produce a few times each year is my attempt to respond to things that are on your mind: to give you my impression, opinion, or researched response: because while I have been on the road for 10 years; in my mind: I’m still very much a newbie to this sport. And as for being your running partner over these past four years: I feel it’s only polite to answer any personal questions you might have for me…I mean, why not…we’ve been through some amazing times together fellow runners…good and bad, hot and cold, triumphant and in defeat.Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “What Have You Learned” was by Carbon Leaf

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When summer rears its oppressive head of high humidity and heat, fellow runners must take to the road with the solar conditions in mind and heed the warnings to ensure a safe and comfortable run. Acclimatization is an important precursor to taking to the hotter than usual roads, and the better our bodies can adapt to the heat, the greater our performance will be once we put these bodies to the test in a race. There will come a day when, here in the Northeast, the days will shorten, the leaves will fall and the cold harsh reality of winter will settle around us: but not today, because today the earth tilts sunward in our favor, today the road heats up and our bodies have to adapt to the time before us: because our running goes on despite the conditions that exist outside our doors: we are runners, this is what we do, and our bodies have the incredible ability to adapt to the climate which occurs here in the summertime. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Summertime” was by Brother Love

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The Bunion Derby was an event like no other, and there will never be another like it. While there have been many cross continental races since 1928, none were organized in the way that C.C. Pyle had organized the event: it was an endurance race, a circus and a harsh and unforgiving competition. In his book “C. C. Pyles Amazing Foot Race: the true story of the 1928 coast to coast run across America, by Geoff Williams, published by Rodale Press…the author writes “As difficult as his amazing foot race was, for all the car collisions and nervous breakdowns involved, calling it the Bunion Derby was never quite accurate. As winter turned to spring in 1928, the runners suffered blisters, brusies, boils, shin splints, charley horses, sore toes, broken and fallen arches, corns and calluses: but not one of them developed a bunion.” Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Human Race” was by Darius Lux

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There’s this rumor going around that distance runners are more prone to developing arthritis, a medical condition from by the Greek word “arthro” meaning joint and “itis” meaning inflammation. Many non-runners and medical laypersons have assumed that the constant repetitive pounding forces on our joints, especially in the knees, as we run are too much for our bodies to absorb. In this weeks episode I’ll go through some of the scientific medical research on the subject and present an answer to the question: are runners at higher risk for developing arthritis? NOTE: I didn’t want to make a huge deal out of it during this episode, but this marks my fourth year producing Phedippidations and I wanted to be sure to thank you, at least here in the show notes, for your friendship, kindness and support over these past 1,461 days since episode #1. It continues to be an honor to run with you. Run long and taper! - Steve Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: “Run Yank Run”The song “Down to the Bone” by Edwin Holt

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From a small island in the middle of southern Maine’s Sebago Lake, I present for you my annual review of some of my favorite songs from the past year of Phedippidation episodes. This week, I’m on vacation: giving my ankle a chance to heal and my soul a break from stress as I enjoy my family, lapping waves, a few good books and delicious wine. “Veni, Vidi, Vici” Show Links:“Terra Nova” by Jim Fidler at jimfidler.com.“Be Okay” by Ingrid Michelson at “Pizza Day” by Jonathan Coulton at “I Know You’re There” and “A Cautionary Tail” by Matthew Ebel at “Win At All Costs” by Man Bites God at “Run to Your Grave” by The Mae Shi at “Ones and Os” by Geoff Smith at “Broken Heart” by “Black Lab” at

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Beware the contents of this episode, ye who come here to listen to the runner boy run! In this episode, I go out for a run and just let my mind flow, talking about a few things that may or may not have to do with running. Of particular interest (to me at least) is the contemplation of the ship of Theseus’s, the discussion of which might may you say “Huh?” We are made of stuff that has a limited shelf-life, but most of the atoms in your body will be completely replaced in just 10 years time, and if you believe in an eternal life after this stuff we wear is gone; then you’ll not worry so much about these bodies of ours breaking down over time: because time is just a construct and we all have a limitless warrantee. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “What Are We?” by “Candygram for Mongo”

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This episode is a review of a study published last month in the American Journal of Cardiology titled “Relation of Biomarkers and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging After Marathon Running”. We use terms and phrases such as “you’ve got to have heart” and “don’t go breakin’ my heart” as a reference to the symbolic vessel we have within us to harbor our capacity to love. In reality the heart is an important organ, strategically located in the center of our bodies to provide oxygen rich blood throughout the vessels of our body as a means to sustain life. While these bodies we inhabit are amazing creations, capable of running great distances…it’s important to take care. We’re all soft and squishy creatures; resilient yet fragile, strong yet capable of suffering injury…when you pull a leg muscle or sprain an ankle: you can apply ice and deep massage: it’s not so easy to do that with our hearts. Training for any distance, any kind of race event: especially for distances like a marathon requires proper training; many of the experts suggest that you don’t even start training to run a marathon until you’ve been out on the road consistently for a full year. Never, EVER start a marathon training program until you’re doctor gives you the green light…it’s one thing to have to deal with shin splints and muscle soreness, but your heart needs to be prepared for the stress you’ll put it under; out there on the road. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Fusion ViewThe song “Listen to Your Heartbeat” by Lance Larson (with Bon Jovi)

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As simple and exhausting as it sounds: running can be your purpose in life; and if you’re already a runner as I suspect you are: then running can be a purpose you can give to others, by asking them to join us: by making this sport a game, by thinking of it as play and by embracing a lifestyle that helps you to improve the duration and quality of your life. It’s short fellow runners, this life of ours is far too short…but it should be long enough; and when you find yourself with a purpose to live it, you’ll have savored each experience: you’ll have lived your life to the top, and you’ll have achieved the satisfaction of knowing that your life is not ruled by the random and chaos: your life has meaning, and above all your life has purpose. Show Links:The song “Buying Time” was by Great Big Sea

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They called him Arthur “Greatheart” Newton. He had been a runner in his twenties, but gave it up after a time, taking to the road again 12 years later when, at the age of 38, he ran his first Comrades Marathon. His contribution to distance running is great in that he chose to use common sense to guide his training methods, rather than formulas found in books on the subject of running. Dr. Tim Noakes, in his book “Lore of Running” outlines 9 of his principles of training that helped to guide Newton’s success in our sport, and revolutionized the way that coaches trained their athletes Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Run Vegan RunThe song “Ghost In Your Mind” was by Black Lab

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This is one of those strange podcast episodes that merges a little of my personal life (you’ll hear us picking up our new Dog Indiana and bringing him home) along with some practical tips about exercising your dog and this history of the beagle. It goes without saying that I have a lot to learn about dogs; and puppies specifically. While my wife has always owned a dog, growing up: this experience is new to the rest of us in my household. Will I make mistakes: count on it: he’ll end up chewing all my running shoes, leaving squishy wet mementoes as he marks his territory around the house: both inside and out and will undoubtedly follow me around the house as I try to get some work done with the less than few hours that he’ll allow me to sleep, which might beg the question: is this all worth it? It is worth it to share your day with a creature who loves you unconditionally with all his heart, it is worth it to welcome into your home a being who constantly reminds you that it’s not the stress of life and work that is important it’s play: PLAY is all that really matters, and play is the most important thing we’ll do today and every day. Is it worth it to suffer the weariness of sleep deprivation, the indignation of having to take a puppy out to pee at 2 in the morning, the incontinence of veterinary visits thousands on food, care, crates, accessories and medication? Is it worth it to have what was starting to be a fairly comfortable life of leisure usurped by an animal that demands attention while giving devotion? Yeah, I’d say that’s a pretty good deal. Show Links:CONGRATULATIONS!: Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: A Mile with MeThe song “Talkin’ Bout My Dogs” was by Boo Boo Davis

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In this episode I present for you the major findings of Professor Daniel Lieberman of the Biological Anthropology department at Harvard University and Professor Dennis Bramble from the University of Utah in their 2004 paper published in the journal Nature titled “Endurance running and the evolution of Homo”. In this paper, they make the powerful case that “The fossil evidence suggests that endurance running is a derived capability of the genus Homo, originating about 2 million years ago, and may have been instrumental in the evolution of the human body form.” We are by our very nature: endurance runners, meant to run for long distances. The evidence is overwhelming and conclusive: you and I were born to run. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Fifty Counting DownThe song “Evolution Rocks” was by Overman

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A runner lives for the moment, and can rise to call of her or his own character to do what we know we have to do, for our bodies, for our training, for the promise we made to ourselves some time ago. We will have bad days, we will be haunted by the memories of a 4:01:31 finish in Philadelphia back in November of 2007, and we’ll look to our next marathons where we dream of running a sub four…but still, on those icy, rainy, blisteringly hot and humid days when work was a nightmare and everyone wants to carve a little chunk out of us...we find ourselves lacing up our shoes and living the life of a runner: a life nothing short: of present defense. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Lagan Runner PodcastThe song “The Life I Am Trying to Find” was by Adam and the Walter Boys

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Ours is a social network of fellow runners who are using new media and the power of what has become known as Web 2.0 – a second generation of web development and design that facilitates communication, collaboration and above all: sharing of thoughts, opinions, observations and yes, even rambling diatribes. There’s this question that philosophers and scientists, artists, writers and dreamers have asked for many centuries when they looked above into the heavens. That question is this: ARE WE ALONE? The question is intended to inquire about the validity of the Drake equation and the possibility of intelligent life, or any life on worlds other than our own. It’s a question that, in it’s asking, evokes a sense of loneliness, as if we are adrift on a tiny blue bubble in space, far from communities in distant galaxies. If I had to guess, I’d say that there is life out there, and very likely intelligent life of some kind: I just don’t think our world and even the life that swarms upon it is entirely unique and special. If life got started here, it has to have started elsewhere, that’s just good science in search of good evidence. But the notion that we are alone? That’s just silly, because as long as we have each other…as long as there are ways for us to experience a community together: no matter where on the tiny blue bubble we stand, we cannot and will not be alone. That’s more than just good science and logical reasoning: that’s a functioning reality based on many lines of evidence, not the least of which is found in the obvious fact that you’re listening to me right now on a podcast called Phedippidations, and many of us are running, together. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Lagan Runner PodcastThe song “Foot in Your Door” was by Geoff Smith at

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In this episode I will be completely honest and open up a little to tell you some things I’ve not previously revealed about me, and will run the 113th Boston Marathon with you. A marathon is a very open, public and sincere physical event that puts you out there: for better or worse, revealing all of your weaknesses, as well as physical and mental pressure points. A marathon forces you to face yourself in a very public and very introspective way. I wasn’t supposed to run this race, and when I was a child the kids on the playground who once laughed at me when I dropped the ball said that I could never do such a thing. But today, I’m running a marathon…an event that is as much an analogy for life as anything you could cover in 26.2 miles. It correlates perfectly mile after mile for every period of your life, from cradle to grave: and it gives you the opportunity to do something special, amazing, inspirational and impressive. Show Links:The song “Curra Road” was by Ger Wolfe The song “I’m Shipping up to Boston” was by The Dropkick Murphy’s

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I do not make my case here with an elitist attitude. I make my case with sound facts which, from my perspective, lends evidence to the fact that the Boston Marathon is, without a doubt and lacking hesitation from my lips to your ears: THE WORLDS GREATEST MARATHON.I made a statement on this podcast, three years or so ago regarding why it is that I’m a runner. Many reasons come to mind; but the one that always rises first and foremost in my thinking might not be one that others would expect from a soon to be twenty-time marathoner: I run because I love pizza and with Boston’s North End of wonderful Italian neighborhoods, from which my family is descended, I run towards Boston with the hope that there’s a slice waiting for me at the end.Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Adam 20The song “Pizza Day” was by Jonathan Coulton

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There’s something special that marks an elite athlete as a true running legend. It’s more than just their athletic appearance, their healthy bodies and the way they carry themselves when they enter a room. A running legend is someone who has a very humble confidence. Their eyes, voices and motions speak of having worked harder than most of us could ever imagine to reach a brief moment in their lives where they understood that they were experiencing something that only the very dedicated and passionate person could ever hope to experience. They are living examples of what we could be as good animals and good human beings. Jacqueline Gareau is a running legend because she had that moment of glory stolen from her; but in her heart she knew what she had done that day. Her running is her art, and she showed us on a Spring day in Boston the a true champion celebrates victory in her heart, holds nothing back, and forgives silly transgressions…and when it came to her sport, Jacqueline Gareau made running seem effortless. Show Links:Program your phone for The Extra Mile: (513)-397-0525Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: RunwayThe song “Effortless” was by Allison Crowe.

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Two key messages about the Boston Marathon Course: Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, Boston.Head Away From Nature West Near Ballpark Boston. and Only 17% of the course climbs at a rate of greater than 1%.I’ve learned many lessons from this course. The Boston Marathon has taught me to conserve on the downhills, and pace myself on the uphills. It’s taught me to have humility amid the cheering crowds, to smile despite the pain gastronomical discomfort, to savor the race as if it were my last, and to celebrate the achievement no matter how physically and mentally exhausted I might be at the end. I’m not expecting to set a course PR or even come close to 4 hours in the 113th Boston Marathon. I am expecting to enjoy the day, and appreciate my life all the more. Patriots Day will be a day to celebrate the successful completion of my 20th Marathon…a milestone of sorts that I can quite honestly feel proud of despite all the pain and weariness I’ve had to overcome. Life is short, but it should be long enough: and I am grateful for my life and the time I’ve had and whatever happens to me on Marathon Monday will only add to my experience of this course, both of the Boston Marathon and the road of life. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: The Neuman ShowThe Song “Dirty Water” was by the Standells

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To run the 113th Boston Marathon with minimal preparation I have to condition my body for constant and repetitive motion for at least five hours. What’s more, I must be able to carry the weight of my body on a gradual 16 mile course into Newton Lower Falls, up the hills of Newton and over a goofy little speed-bump, and finally down the other side past mile 22 with as much strength as I have left. Traditional marathon training programs begin with a base and gradually work up to build strength and endurance, so this training program, more than the race itself, is the real test of how well the maintenance miles I’ve been running can prepare me for a race like the Boston Marathon. Boston is more than just a race, and my efforts in these five weeks will be exhausting, painful, time consuming and demanding: but that’s what I’m compelled to do…and if there is such a thing as a siren song from the island of Sirenum Scopuli…the song I hear is coming from Hopkinton Massachusetts and I can’t help but show up on Patriots Day, ready to run as best I can. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Early Morning Runner“A Cautionary Tail” by Matthew Ebel at

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Despite the scientific rational to the contrary, running in the morning as opposed to other times in the day has many personal benefits which may not seem obvious. We are human beings, called to embrace each day with a vigor and enthusiasm that demands hard work and strenuous effort. We are good animals, moving across the planets surface with purpose and power from the moment the sun rises over the horizon to enlighten our day. We are runners, and the world is our race course: and once they turn on the lights with the rising of that big yellow star in the sky, it’s time to start the whole human race. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: The Quad Cast“Crazy in the Morning” by Brene Wilson at

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The phrase “Taking it all in stride” means to get all you can get within a single step. As runners, we have a special appreciation for longer, stronger strides in that they ensure faster speeds on the open road, and combined with more frequent strides, can turn our back and middle of the pack efforts into something closer to the front. When we train, we are already prepared and pre-conditioned to expect speed work and strength work, long runs and the building on endurance: but within those efforts we also need to focus and dedicate ourselves to improving the quality of our natural strides…because it is in doing so that we improve our efficiency and speed in races and on the road. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: Featured PodCast: Dirt Dawgs Rambling Diatribe Podcast“Highway Run” by Charlie Wheeler Band

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This week I present for you the short story “The Winning Bug” written by Jackson Volney Scholz also known as the “New York Thunderbolt”. Jackson Scholz was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprint, was born in 1897 and died on October 26th, 1986. In the 1920s, he became the first person to appear in an Olympic sprint final in three different Olympic Games. He won the gold in Antwerp for the American 4x100 meter relay, he won the silver in the 100m race in the 1924 Paris games, losing to Britains Harold Abrahams as depicted in the movie Chariots of Fire, and he won the gold in those games in the 200 meter race. He also ran in the 1928 games in Amsterdam, finishing 4th in the 200 meters. After his running career had ended, Jackson Scholz became well known for his writing, and today I’m going to read you one of his best short stories, an excellent first reading for what I intend to have as an ongoing feature of this podcast. “The Winning Bug”. Show Links: http://www.the22miler.blogspot.com Fdip Blog of the Week: “Winners” by Solare

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The greatest reward for producing a podcast like Phedippidations is the electronic messages that you are kind enough to send me, but there’s an old Scottish proverb that reads “What may be done at any time will be done at no time.” Today I’m making an effort to find some time to go through my email inbox to answer some of the messages you’ve been kind enough to send me over the past three months. Despite good reason and a stressfully increasing workload, I’ve felt guilty for not answering your messages to me, and while I have read every email that I’ve received; my inability to find time to respond to you has been on my mind for quite some time. If I can’t answer every email the least I can do is produce this podcast every week and go for a run with you. I can’t promise everything I’ll have to say here will be worthy of your listening; but I can promise to follow the same compass as you…heading in the same direction to better health and becoming a good animal. Show Links:The story “Patience” was read with permission of the author: Jessica Bold Fdip Blog of the Week: “Do They Have E-Mail in Heaven” by Jim Terr

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There are so many beautiful places on this planet that you can find to go for a run which are beautiful, interesting, and memorable. If you are traveling for pleasure, business or any purpose: pack your running shoes, a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt; you’ll see the places you visit from a more interesting and intimate perspective and will be able not only to say you visited that place, but can boast quite proudly that you’ve run there. In this episode of Phedippidations, I go on vacation to Florida and in the course of my journey I meet a good friend whom I’ve been hoping to meet for a very long time: THE Zen Runner himself: the great Adam Tinkoff. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Road Trip” by “Dirty Proper”

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In April of 1990, Arthur Lydiard gave a lecture in Osaka Japan as part of a clinic he conducted in Tokyo and Osaka. From that trip, numerous articles were written in running magazines all over the world, and the material he covered led to his publishing a book titled “Running With Lydiard”. He is without a doubt one of the greatest athletic coaches of all time, and is credited with popularizing and inventing the sport of recreational running and jogging for health. His training methods were all about building a strong base and incorporating periodization and there are many world class runners today who give credit to the man for their impressive success on the track, fields and roads. This is the exact spoken presentation of his Osaka lecture in conversational form that sometimes wanders outside the rules of grammatical perfection, it lacks the physical expressions that were transmitted during the lecture, and is often a stream of conscious thoughts that converge on more solid themes, but in this episode I’ll read \them exactly as they were spoken because: as a whole; the message is brilliant. These are the words of the great coach Arthur Leslie Lydiard. Dictated and edited by Nobuya “Nobby” Hashizume Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Run” by “Dirty Proper”

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As runners, we all have questions; questions about our experiences on the road, questions about best practices as outlined by the experts, questions about the human body and the science regarding motion and our bodies, and even just questions about each other. How are you doing? How are you feeling? How’s your running going? Have any big races planned in the near future? What’s up? What’s going on? Did John Michael get his puppy yet? As friends and fellow runners we have plenty of questions as part of an ongoing conversation that we have with each other every day. We are connected by a common interest, in this sport we call running: and with questions to spark new conversations, we offer answers to run with, out here on the road. When friends hang out and go for a run, they talk about stuff like this, they ask questions of each other and look for answers as a way to get to know each other better. In this episode I’ll pose some of the questions asked by fellow runners, and attempt to answer each as best I can. This is the first Phedippidations Question and Answer Show. Show Links:

Recommended Malbecs (yes, I’ve tasted all of these): 07 Pascual Toso from Maipu for $14 US 06 Bodega Aconquila Alberto Furgue from the Uco Valley for $15 US 07 Bodega Belgrano The Head-Snapper from Mendoza for $15 US 07 Chalten Reserva from Neuquen for $15 US 07 Don Miguel Gascon from Mendoza for $12 US 06 Bodega Don Bosco from Maipu for $12 US 06 Durigutti from Mendoza for $15 US 06 Famila Marguery Casa Malbec from Mendoza for $15 US 07 Finca El Portilli from the Uco Valley for $12 US Fdip Blog of the Week: “Question” was by Band That Never Was:

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The book George Sheehan on Running to Win, is a book of wisdom, sage advise and clinical recommendations from a well versed authority on health and fitness. Dr. Sheehan was someone who was passionate about our sport, and cited many reasons why all should join us on the road. Most of all, he promised us that the act of running is fun. In his book “Running to Win” Dr. George Sheehan perfectly articulated what many of us have been thinking all along. We’re all winners when it comes to this sport, and running to win is to win, through running. It doesn’t take a miracle or a magic pill, an incantation, self hypnosis or some new age marketing slick definition of the term “courage” to become a runner; it takes determination and dedication…it takes a desire to become a good animal in a physical sense, and a true winner in every sense of the word. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Win at All Costs” was by Man Bites God:

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There are plenty of reasons why runners break. The human body is a fantastically robust and adaptable organism, but it has it’s physical limits that, despite our good intentions through hard and long runs…can often lead to injury. The problem is that our willpower is often far stronger than our bodies power to absorb stress. You have within you the power to accomplish great things, and run impressive races…while at the same time you have the power to run yourself into the ground, and break that body that you’ve been fortunate enough to inhabit. Always remember that our human bodies are amazing pieces of equipment but compared to the surface of the planet, they are just small squishy things…and you know what happens when you take a small squishy thing and throw it at the side of a mountain…it squishes. Don’t squish yourself. Run long, fast and hard…but never over the physical limits that mark your own structural integrity. Your body can do great things, but not if you abuse and overuse it out here, on the road. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Broken Heart” was by Black Lab:

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I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, but the anniversary of my first breath on this planet’s ocean of oxygen takes place on the 19th of this month, just a few days after this show is available for download. It was of course 9 full months prior that I first came to be; and have been growing into a more complex organism ever since. As my complexity increases, so do the ideas that get formed in my admittedly teeny tiny little brain…and like a balloon in the state of inflation, if I don’t get some of these ideas…both good, bad and frankly quite silly…out of the skull within which they are formed…well, like a balloon, something’s going to pop….and I don’t think you want to be left having to clean up the mess. Thus we have an episode of this goofy little podcast dedicated to things not necessarily related to running; but let’s go for a run today, you and I…and I’ll do the talking about things that I’m thinking about…the thoughts, opinions, and observations that a soon to be 47 year old fellow runner congers up on a long run. So let’s go for a run today. Let’s forget, for a moment, that this is a podcast, and that you’re listening to me with your ear bugs jammed in your head…consider that I’m just like you: although I’m betting you’re a little bit faster, healthier and undoubtedly better looking….and that we’re just going out for a run together. The world is moving on, increasing in velocity as the planet revolves, and orbits, and moves outward ever forward…bringing us specs of life with it; and while there’s no possibility or reason to ever stop that motion let’s go for a run today and create a little motion of our own….just you and me and that long road before us. Let’s go for a run. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Avalonia” was by Jim Fidler:

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Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong, and when we ignore those messages we are risking further and more permanent injury. Myofascial trigger point pain syndrome is problematic because of the nature of referred pain, where a defect in the muscle can cause soreness elsewhere in the body. To resolve this kind of pain, you have to identify its true source, and apply massage as a preventive measure to overcome it. It takes patience and consistency to perform the stretches, exercises and massage that will help you to overcome trigger point associated pain, and allow you to run upon the open road, in comfort. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: “Passion and Pain” was by Lance Larson.

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If you find yourself struggling to catch your breath during a race or on a particularly cold or humid day, you may have exercise induced asthma. Don’t let it prevent you from taking to the road and reaching your goals. I have every intention of running and finishing future marathons, and I won’t let my exercise induced asthma keep me from running. There are treatments available to all of us who suffer with E.I.A. which can make our enjoyment of this sport continue through our lives. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “On the Run” was by Stormy Mondays Wines Reviewed by Kevin, Harper, Rob and Steve:2005 Chateau Mirambeau Papin Bordeaux Superieur: 60% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv.2005 Rodney Strong Vineyards - Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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This episode is a review of the leap year 2008, MMVIII of the Gregorian calendar, Anno Domini of the Common Era. Like any other year, 2008 had it’s accomplishments and failures, its successes and disasters, it’s good moments and instances of sadness and terror. We lived through it all and each in our own way did our best, wished the best for others and helped to make the world just a little bit better than it was last year. This week we listen to some of the skits, sketches and audio bits that I produced in an effort to give my family and I a chuckle or two. Happy New Year! Show Links:The song “We are Wolves Here” off the new album “Wake Up and Say Goodbye” was by David Usher.

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This week your goofy little host goes “off the deep end” again with a podcast filled with critical thinking, loud enunciation and a very un-holiday-like disposition. This episode is a statement of my opinion. Not all will agree with that opinion, and all are invited to consider and challenge what I have to say here. I suspect many will consider my premise faulty and my conclusion to be wrong; but this is just MY OPINION, and if I sound angry and passionate in my argument it’s because it bothers me when fellow runners suffer the appeals of a marketing pitch designed to ridicule them without their conscious understanding in an effort to sell books. Just because someone says that it takes courage for you to run your first mile, does not make it so. It does not make noble the action by affixing such terms to explain how you came to be. Terms and words like “indomitable spirit”, “intelligent choice”, “dedication”, “perseverance”, and “commitment” better describe how you became a runner; and credits you with the hard work associated with your effort and success on the road. In this episode I will prove that “it takes dedication to start running” is no longer a hypothesis, it’s a well founded theory. I will show that this is a well established principle created from repeated observation and testing. There are better and more positive ways to inspire and motivate non-runners to take to the road with us than to call them “scared, powerless little misfits”. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that it takes courage to start running. They are offending you, they are appealing to your instinctual desire to be congratulated for doing something noble and brave. You deserve MUCH more…you have earned the right to be credited with rising off the couch of doom not because you were once a cowering, fearful couch potato who overcame some dangerous risk to your life; but because you made a choice…you accepted a challenge to yourself: and that doesn’t take courage fellow runners; that takes dedication. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “You and I” was by Ingrid Michaelson

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Ted Corbitt was without a doubt the “father of long distance running”. He was a pioneer in ultramarathons and a big part of the running revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s. He was once called “a spiritual elder of the modern running clan". We will remember him in many ways: as the quiet guy in the background working to establish rules for age groups and course measurements. As a promoter of distance running who worked behind the scenes. He was an amazing athlete who was able to cover distances that is considered impressive by any standard, and he was a kind hearted, soft spoken fellow runner who overcame hatred and prejudice to embrace a sport that he loved so well.Most importantly, he was someone who loved to run. It was his life long passion, it was his daily joy and it was something that defined him, improved him and gave his life meaning and a happiness that inspires all who knew him and know of him…because Ted Corbitt was a man with an indomitable spirit who came into this world to live his life to the top, and he left this world a better place for his having run here. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “What Child is This?” was by Black Lab

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In this episode I run the 20th Annual Whiten Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Whitensville, Massachusetts; a village in Northbridge. It wasn’t my fastest five miler, but I had fun running it never the less. I came to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, to enjoy the morning with fellow runners, to compete against those around me and most of all, to run. Old New England towns remain preserved while merging with the modern world and new technologies. You can see that most clearly when you go for a run in such a town such as Northbridge Massachusetts, and the village of Whitensville. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Run to Your Grave” was by The Mae Shi

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Running clubs are local organizations that you can join to gain the support of fellow runners as a way to motivate, inspire, invigorate and improve your performance on the road. But for all the great benefits that joining a running club will give you, there’s something else you should consider in deciding whether or not you should join such an organization. When you join a running club you are not doing it only for yourself but as an opportunity to help others improve as runners: you are signing up to encourage others, to prove by your participation that running is a worthy effort, and to help others who are members of that club to run faster and farther, over and above what they might have otherwise thought they were capable of. In today’s episode I’ll list some of the great running clubs that are out there. Thank you to everyone who responded to my “Twitter Tweet” for running clubs! Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Some Christmas Huggin and Kissin’” was by Geoff Smith

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When you are out there, running a race, and you find yourself (point A) behind another runner (point B) whom you are working to catch up to…there is a relative velocity between the two of you that is much smaller than you can imagine…and today, I want to help you imagine it…because once you’ve come to realize how small that difference is, then you’ll be better able to summon the energy required to exceed that speed and close the gap between you and that runner ahead of you to the point where you’ll beat him or her to the finish. When you consider the difference, you’ll gain the confidence to catch up. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “You Can’t Catch Me” by Cottrell Gant

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So what is the point of giving gifts to each other during the holiday? It is to express our feelings of appreciation, care and fondness for one another…and the best way to do that, with respect to gift giving, is to make the gift a personal reflection of what you know the person you’re giving to would appreciate. Runners appreciate the little things; a good book on our favorite subjects, or something simple like a pair of gloves, socks or a water bottle…items which help to protect and comfort us during our daily runs…these are things that will be appreciated every day and serve as reminders that you, as the gift giver, really understood and cared enough to give something related to our passion for this sport and the importance we give to the gift of running. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “The Gift You Always Wanted at the Bay” was by Jon Caspi

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Our core is our center; it is where our arms, legs and head meet to create the human body we inhabit and control. It is where, just a few inches or centimeters above, resides the all important heart, pumping oxygen rich blood to all of our extremities. In an anthropological sense, the heart is the focused center of our emotional and mental character….it is the mystical source of our kindness, charity, and love. In this same way, our core…the very central characteristic of who and what we are is sometimes associated with our human identity. To excel physically you must have a strong and powerful core, to excel as a human being you have to have a resilient and resolute center. Work on that part of yourself, both physically and emotionally and there will be nothing you cannot accomplish. Focus on developing your core and you’ll discover the power within yourself to run long and far and then you’ll find the strength to go on. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “The Strength” was by the Brothers Falloon

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This episode will serve as proof that I’m an totally independent new media producer, and will guarantee that I never get that huge contract with a major running shoe label. But when running shoe companies enable their outsourced suppliers to treat their workers poorly, in unhealthy working conditions for long hours with wages that hardly allow them to feed and shelter their families…they are being evil…either by direction or failure. You and I can support the fight for human rights and the environment every day with our dollars…by purchasing products and services sold only by those companies and businesses who treat their workers with dignity and promote the basic human rights to life, liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law and in society, the right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education along with ensuring that the production of goods does not negatively impact the environment. My expose here about some of the major running shoe manufacturers in operation today will most assuredly guarantee that I will never earn millions of dollars on this podcast through an advertizing contract with any of these companies…but morality dictates that I consider the big picture…and I’m going to do my best, in this episode of Phedippidations, to be honest, truthful and above all independent when it comes to giving you the 4-1-1 on what are, and are not responsible shoes. Show Links:Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Not Responsible” was by Laura Clapp

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Life is all about making choices. Choices between what’s right and wrong, choices between what’s good and evil, choices between altruism and egotism, of giving and taking, of sharing and selfishness and choices between what’s smart and what’s dumb. I chose to run the 2008 Bay State Marathon just as 25 years ago this month I chose to take part in a project to help etch my college radio station’s name in the history of a Northern Massachusetts city. Sometimes we do things without thinking it through, or considering the consequences. Sometimes we do things on impulse or instinct and throw caution to the wind for ideals and purposes which seem like a good idea at the time. Whatever we do, for whatever reason we do it: one thing is perfectly clear. We all have a choice. Show Links:The song “Choice” was by Jon Miller

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Over 1,100 runners from more than 40 countries took part in the 3rd annual World Wide Festival of Races. This really was a festival; it was a celebration of life, of community, of doing something of importance, endurance and strength. It was a day where we took to the roads and ran together although we were apart. There were many reasons why we all took part in this event: to celebrate, to share, to make friends and to inspire others. We did it to prove that national and territorial boundaries on a map are nothing more than dotted lines meant to keep us physically apart, and that our own customs, religions and social environments do not exclude us from the privileges of friendship and camaraderie. What makes us different from each other locally does not prevent us from going out into this world, under the same sky on the same little blue bubble in space, and celebrate those things that we have in common. We just want to live a good, happy and healthy life. We just want to live in peace and harmony with each other…and above all, we just want to Be OK. Show Links: Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “Be OK” was by Ingrid Michaelson

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"It's hard to appreciate the Earth when you're down right upon it because it's so huge. It gives you in an instant, just at a position 240,000 miles away from it, (an idea of) how insignificant we are, how fragile we are, and how fortunate we are to have a body that will allow us to enjoy the sky and the trees and the water ... It's something that many people take for granted when they're born and they grow up within the environment. But they don't realize what they have. And I didn't till I left it.'' -- Jim Lovell, Apollo 8 and 13. Greeting Fellow Runners… The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is 384,403 km, that’s 238,857 miles. To put that into perspective, it’s exactly 2,462 miles or 3,961 km between New York and Los Angeles…so the moon is 156 times the distance away from the Earth as New York is to LA. When the Apollo Astronauts went to the moon, they noticed a few things which probably should have been obvious and expected. First, the moon is dead; Buzz Aldrin stepped out of the lunar lander, looked around and gasped “Magnificent desolation”. He witnessed first hand that the moon is beautiful, but void of life. The second thing the astronauts noticed when they looked back at the earth was that it was the only thing in the sky that had any color. It shone of deep blues, white wisps, dark greens and browns. The Earth was, in fact, a magnificent oasis of life. The third thing the astronauts realized when they stood on the surface of the moon was that, if they lifted up their arm and stuck out their hand, holding it out to towards the little blue bubble that was hanging in the lunar sky, they could cover the entire Earth with their thumb. Everyone who has ever lived was hidden behind that thumb. The entire history of the human civilization was hidden behind that thumb, every creature that had ever swam, crawled, slithered , hopped, walked, or flew had lived (or were living) their whole lives, hidden behind that thumb. Wally Schirra, the astronaut who flew around the earth on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions once said “I left Earth three times. I found no place else to go.” Think about the profoundness of that statement. He found no place else to go because there IS no place else to go. Seen from space, this little blue bubble we run upon is our home and is very likely to be the only place in the entire Universe that we will ever be able to live. I know that we’re talking about going to Mars and we can imagine a future where we terraform planets or create starships to take our descendents to extra-solar planets over the course of a millennium; but this one planet that we live upon is a precious bubble of life in space. It’s our home, it’s small, and we have to take care of it. But today, I’m going to suggest that before we can take care of this little blue bubble that we first take care of each other. Perspective might be the key to that. I’m a science fiction fan. I love “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” and anything to do with space travels and alien encounters. I’ve often wondered what alien visitors to Earth would think as their spaceship got close and they saw this little blue bubble of life. Wouldn’t they assume that all of the intelligent creatures of the indigenous civilizations on this planet lived in peace and harmony as a single tribe of the human species? Wouldn’t they believe that conflicts would be rare on such a tiny world where global cooperation was the only logically sensible way for such creatures to co-exist. Wouldn’t they expect that such creatures, born of the same species, evolved from the same ancestral lineage, and with essentially similar physical features…would live, love, share and care for each other throughout their short lives? On this podcast, I’ve tried to make the point that if we’re going to live up to those expectations (and as the so called intelligent self aware species on this planet, I think we should probably make peace, love and understanding a common goal) and if that’s a noble and good goal, then it has to start somewhere. Where’s it going to start? With religion? Maybe…but religious differences hasn’t been particularly effective with the whole “ensuring world peace thing” over the last thousand years. I’m saying that as a devote practicing Roman Catholic…religion without the underlying foundation of tolerance, understanding, acceptance, charity and love for all of the people on this little blue bubble, no matter how they worship or what they believe…isn’t helpful to a world in desperate need of peace. Will the goal of such peace start with governments? Ummm…I’m not very good with understanding the whole socio-political strategy of the modern world, but I’m pretty sure there are a few wars going on that started because “So and So said that So and So had weapons and the other guy called So and So part of the axis of evil…and…ahhh…my head it going to explode!! No: world peace and the idea of a planet of creatures living together in harmony is not going to start with any of the traditional avenues of diplomacy, it has to start WITH US. You are a runner. You are now running in a global event with friends from all over the world. We all have our differences, we all carry our baggage of fear and shame, anger and frustration with us…but that’s okay: that’s part of being human. The one thing I can say that we have going for us, as runners, is that we do not hate. Today we’re not individuals from other countries and cultures: today we are all runners: fellow runners. It doesn’t matter what you look like, how you dress, or what you do in your spare time. Right now, this moment, you are out sharing an experience with other human beings who are feeling the same heart pounding exertion that you are feeling. And it’s a good feeling, tiring, yes…but think about it: we are living our lives to the top as the good animals we were always meant to be…out here, we can imagine a world full of friends who believe in the ideals of love, joy and peace…out here we can afford to be a little idealistic and possibly naive…because we’re running a race that transcends borders, cultures and rules that have been set in place to keep us apart. You are a runner; and when you live your life as part of a community where you have friends all over the world, as you do, you begin to appreciate each other more, you begin to see the world from each others eyes and perspectives. If each of us, running across the Earth could imagine the view of our planet from the surface of the moon, or Mars or from the very edge of our solar system and beyond, we’d have to appreciate how precious this little blue bubble really is…and more importantly, how precious we are to each other. You and I are fellow runners…and we set positive examples for every human being that lives on this little blue bubble in space…and when it comes to having a world full of healthy, happy, peaceful, kind, generous and thoughtful creatures…it all starts with us. Show Links:Send me your WWFR Race reports or record an audio report: +1 206-338-3211

The song “New Prayer” was by Black LabDownload it for FREE at Ambient music included in this episode came from Aaron English, Amb26 and Adhesion.

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These are some of the things that have been on my mind lately…random thoughts that I dwell upon while I’m getting my miles in…and that’s one of the great things about running…it can sometimes be a time for you to reconnect with yourself, to dedicate the duration of your run to thinking about politics, hate, wine and endurance….so let’s go for a run together, and indulge me the privilege of telling you what I’m pondering today.Show Links:Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “Ones and Os” was by Geoff Smith

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It was once thought to be impossible for any human being to run the distance of a single mile in less than four minutes. Roger Bannister knew that if he focused on the task, if he used both his medical knowledge and physical abilities in a good and effective training program he could break the four minute barrier, and accomplish the impossible. This is his story. Show Links:PLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156 Audio Messages needed by no later than October 6th.Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “Impossible” was by Luthea Salom.

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Running will not prevent you from developing cancer, but it may save your life by retarding it’s growth and by increasing your bodies natural resistance. Life is worth fighting for…and moderate exercise such as a 2 to 3 mile easy run every day is something that can both ease the stress from dealing with cancer as well as help us to fight against it’s uncontrolled growth. Researchers aren’t sure how much exercise is needed to help prevent cancer, but they all agree that consistency is the most important factor. Cancer as a disease and as an idea is something we must fight against. Do not go gentle into that good night. Show Links:PLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156 Audio Messages needed by no later than October 6th.Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “I Know You’re There” was by Matthew Ebel. PLEASE VISIT:

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A podcast is so much more interesting, entertaining, informative and intimate than a radio show. When you subscribe to a podcast, you’re really joining a social club of like minded enthusiasts for whatever the topic of conversation may be. Running podcasts are special in that they can be listened to while you, yourself, are out on your runs…or on a treadmill, or in the car on your way to or from work, or after your run as you do chores around the house. A podcast is better than a radio show because it’s a conversation between the podcaster and you, produced and intended to be heard on a computer or, most naturally, an MP3 audio player with little ear bud head phones plugged into your head. You know all this because you’re not just a listener to Phedippidations…you are a fellow runner; we’re in this together…and there are other running related podcasts out there that are much better than this one, that I know you’ll enjoy if you’ll give them a listen. Show Links: All of the PodCasts discussed in this show can be found at PLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156! Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211 Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “Independence Day” was the band Jesta, aka Bryan Page from the UK.

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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a procedure that can postpone the condition of clinical death, where the heart has stopped beating and the victim is not breathing. There is no guarantee of successful resuscitation, but you can act as the heart and lungs of a victim to provide the body and brain with life sustaining oxygenated blood while waiting for a trained emergency responder or doctor to arrive on scene. The person you save through something like CPR may be a person who helps make the world just a little bit better, either directly or by enabling another to do so. Human beings have the potential to do good in the world, and every human life is worth saving for that reason alone. NOTE: The information contained in this episode is NOT intended to be medical advice, or to replace proper CPR training. Do NOT use the methods or techniques described in this episode to provide emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation: Please DO consider attending a CPR class and obtaining proper certification as a lay responder. Show Links:Call me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: The song “Good Hearted Man” was by Roscoe Chenier

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Running is a universally important skill to have in life; no longer solely for the purpose of hunting, gathering and chasing down wild animals that lack the endurance we possess…but as a way to keep our bodies in shape, to help strengthen our muscles and cardiovascular system and to become the good animals we were meant to be. In baseball, it’s one…two…three strikes you’re out; but in life you only have this one chance to live your life to the fullest, to rise off the couch of doom and to run the way you were meant to run; fast and far across the planets surface. And just as in baseball, when you’ve run well and covered all the bases…at some point near the end; we’ll all have the chance to run home. Show Links:Call me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog: The song “Field of Dreams” was by Mary Ellen Kirk

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The mens marathon of the 29th Olympiad will feature the fastest and most prestigious distance runners in the world today. Those few hours and some minutes will mark the greatest race of their lives, and we will witness inspirational feats of athleticism as they run through an ancient city which is being transformed into a modern world. While these are the best runners on an elite level which many of us will never reach, do not forget that they are also our fellow runners….they have the same passion, the same determination, the same indomitable spirit that you and I share. For those who have or will one day run a marathon, the distance that the Olympians of the mens marathon in Bejing will run is perfectly identical to that which you will cover in your own events. Watch the race unfold before you and think about how you’ve felt or will feel when you’re at the mile and kilometer markers that they will cross: and appreciate the association you share with those runners in the marathon of the 29th Olympiad. Show Links:JPL Slideshow: Call me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog: The song “The Theme from the 1984 Olympic Games” was by Griddle ----------------------------------------------PLEASE enter this number into your cell phone contact list and leave a message (from time to time) for The Extra Mile PodCast: +1 513-397-0525

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This is episode one of a new podcast, created and presented by fellow runners around the world. The Runners Round Table!

Episode 1 - Join us at the table as we share some time with our good friend Dr. Monte from the great podcast, . He shares insight he gained from an interview with Dr. Eliza Chakravarty of Stanford Medical School about how exercise (namely running) can play a major role in reducing your disability and even morbidity as you get older. Amazing stuff. Also we discuss the new developments on and a little company called Nike who is staging a vaguely similar event in 2 weeks called . We also mention our dear friend Kevin of - and his call for submissions. So get out there folks and record your training for all to share and send it along...Thanks for joining us for this live show and remember there's always an open chair waiting for you at the table.

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The athletes who will run in the woman's marathon of the 29th Olympiad in Beijing China are some of the very best distance athletes in the world. Each of them have worked incredibly hard to reach this level of competition, and to qualify to stand at the starting line in Tian'an Men Square. What happens during this race will be historic; the moments of the event will be forever seared in the memories of those who participate and those of us who will watch the race. We will witness the pinnacle of Athletic Achievement in a way that will inspire us to do our best, to push ourselves past our own limitations and to reach our own Olympic dreams. Show Links:

Call me: +1 206-338-3211 Fdip featured blog: The song "China Girl” was by Lena

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When you make a stand and decide to change the amount of natural resources you use, such as the oil and gas used by generators to produce electricity to run your water heaters, and lights, and when you install insulation in your home to keep the heat generated from escaping into the cold and low water use shower heads to reduce the amount of clean water used in the bathroom…you are reducing your dependency on the fuel and water needed by others and the next generation who will run across this planet in years to come, after we’re gone. The Earth does it’s best to heal itself from man made impact. Given time and natural conditions, nature will reclaim what mankind has paved over and modified to suit our needs for resources and space. There is such a thing as living in concert with nature, and a duty that each of us has to make the world just a little bit better for the next generation of runners to live in a world with clean fresh air, clean clear water and the beauty that can exist without impact of mankind.

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Fdip featured blog: The song “Terra Nova” was by Jim Fidler

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The Ancient Olympic Games where part of a festival, where fairness and athleticism where considered sacred. For over twelve hundred years the games were played in the Athenian city of Olympia and served as a cultural event to promote trade, commerce and diplomacy. The athlete was respected and set powerful examples for all who came to watch them compete. Their stories became the part of an ancient legend that inspired the modern games to revive the Olympic Spirit. We owe this spirit, this sense of peaceful competition and international friendship to those who created the ancient Olympic Games and set forth a precedent that has been reinforced through history. Show Links:

Fdip featured blog: The song "History” was by Jason Silver

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Frank Shorter is one of those rare living legends whose legacy is seen in every runner who seeks to better him or herself, and who runs with an infectious joy and passion…and sincerity. There are legends in our sport, as there should be…but Frank Shorter is much more than a legend, he is an Olympian, a leader, a teacher, a good person and above all: a fellow runner. Show Links:

Fdip featured blog: The song "Good as Gold” by Admiral Twin The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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This episode of Fdip is much different than all the others, and for those of you who dislike the musical selections that I include in each episode, this one is probably not for you. But music marks our life and times. Itâs more than just the poetry or melody: itâs the soundtrack that touches us; it expresses and reflects our feelings, it captures our emotions and it gives voice to our hearts. In this show youâll hear ten independent artists (nine musical) and songs from previous episodes as we celebrate my three years of podcasting and I go for a run around a tiny little island in the State of Maine, because this week: Iâm on vacation!Show Links:I Am Not Afraid by Majek Fashek Im Not Running by Big Rain Life Less Ordinary by Carbon Leaf In the next life by Al Stravinsky See The Sun by Black Lab Let me Know by the Fire Apes Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea Tom Cruise Crazy by Jonathan Coulton Pre by Phil Wells The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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Planning your Fall Marathon is all about setting a goal, with many months ahead of you within which to prepare. What marathoners learn as we engage in this preparation is that the joy, passion and discovery takes place during our training: in many ways the marathon itself is merely a celebration of what we have been able to achieve through the hours and miles that we’ve spent in training to get us to that starting line. Now is the time to pick our races, now is the time to make our commitments, now is the moment to promise to ourselves and others that we will train well and hard, and complete a 26.2 mile course with dedication, determination, strength and honor…and these are the races that you and I will run. Show Links:

Fdip featured blog: The song “Lost My Way” by Matthew Ebel The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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Today, I'm going to tell you a little bit about a book written by Dr. George Sheehan titled “Personal Best: The foremost philosopher of fitness shares techniques and tactics for success and self liberation, published in 1989 by Rodale Press. It’s a book of 37 chapters, each one an essay and study into an physical of cerebral aspect of running. For anyone looking to read a sample of the right brain/left brain writings of Dr. Sheehan, this book gives you a good sense of his style. He challenges us to think about our lives, our running, and our purpose within each page. George Sheehan understood that running was more than just an activity; it is an expression of life and love. Show Links: Fdip featured blog: The song “Better Life” was by the band Common Ground from Texas. The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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Have a glass of wine with me while I catch up on some emails from fellow runners. Wine is one of my many passions. In order to appreciate wine you have to come into it with a clear head, a clear palate and a clear nose. Wine making dates back to 6000 BC and is a major part of the culture of many societies and religions. Wine is also a social beverage, something to share with friends and enjoy with a good meal. It’s good for you as well, consumed in moderation wine has been found to have both cardioprotective and chemoprotective effects. In this short format version of my podcast, I’ll be resting my ankle and enjoying a glass of wine with you as we hear from fellow runners across the planet.

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Today I’d like to point out something that’s really obvious; so obvious in fact, that we tend not to think about it much. In this episode I present for you a very basic, truthful, scientific and historical bit of trivia that both describes and explains the premise which propose, and that piece of trivia is this: Fred Flintstone never wore running shoes. Running shoes are not evil: you’ll have to pry my NB 426’s off my hot sweaty feet if you ever want me to give up my running shoes: but we should entertain the idea that running without shoes on the open road may be a more natural, less injurious way to run.

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The song “Running Wild Child” was by Lance Larson from New Jersey; the song featured Richie Sambora check out his amazing music at

The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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I have known my friend Kathy for many years, through many life adventures and glasses of quality wine. In this short format episode of Phedippidations, we run the Long Island Marathon Festival of Races 10K road race in New York, with the goal of finishing in an hour or less. This is also the story of how I met my wife and the contentious angry beginnings of a friendship that will last a lifetime, and about my incredible victory in a epic battle which took place during an all night drive to Pennsylvania a long time ago in an automobile far, far away.

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In this episode we'll hear the stories of others who ran the 112th Boston Marathon. When you write up a race report you"re not just doing it for yourself to memorialize the even, you're doing it for others; passing on your observations so that they can incorporate it into their own form of opinion as a way to better understand the event so that we can improve our performance on race day. Its" not enough to just run the race, or even run it well, you have to tell others about your race. Race reports are a big part of the process of running, racing and competing with each other. It’s in this way that we give something back to our fellow runners; and with a sport that gives us all so much in terms of joy, passion, and health: the verbal or written telling of your story from the races you run is an important way to give back to this community.

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The song "I feel fantastic�? was by Jonathan Coulton at

The episode is sponsored by Audible.com Go to for your free audiobook download

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This is a race report and audio recording of my 7th time running the Boston Marathon. This year was different in that I approached the starting line unprepared for the task ahead of me. Suffering from a case of peroneal tendonitis, my training was minimal throughout the winter months. On April 21st, 2008 I made the decision to ignore common sense setting a bad example to friends, family and fellow runners by ignoring my pain and pushing myself through a 26.2 mile race. What you'll hear in this episode is neither inspiring or noble, but it will raise the question: "Why?‿ Show Links:

The song “Curra Road‿ by Sharon Shannon off her 2007 album “Renegade‿ sung by Mike McGoldrick and produced by Daisy Entertainment in Dublin, Ireland. O Fortuna was recorded by the Boston Symphony Orchestra The parody “Finish Line‿ was inspired of the song “Still Alive‿ by Jonathan Coulton

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It really means a lot to me that you’d come out to have a beer with me, send me such kind words, good wishes, hopeful prayers, emails, blog posts, and voice messages to the Extra Mile PodCast…and for being with me, in spirit, on race day. This is a short episode of Intervals, produced for race day of the 112th Boston Marathon, with thanks to everyone who have been so thoughtful to a middle aged, middle of the pack, slightly asthmatic, curiously injured fellow runner.

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The Boston Marathon is a race that challenges an athlete in a way that most courses do not, neither buy design or intent. It is not a fast course. It is not a race where any runner, elite or back of the pack, will set a marathon PR, but it is a race for which all other marathons seek to enable athletes to arrive in a small New England town for the eastward run into the heart of bean town. This is the story of the 87th running of this event, where the last American male runner won the day, and a woman athlete named Joan ran a race for the ages. Show Links:

Fdip featured blog: The song “Rearrange New England’ was by the band “Carlotta’s Gift‿

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What happens in Boston, starts in Hopkinton. In this episode I take my last 16 miler from the starting line of the Boston Marathon through the bottom of Newton Lower Falls. For those of us who will run the race, you’ll eventually come to Hereford Street where crowds will block your forward progress and urge you to turn right. You’ll run this short block with the screams of spectators echoing off the buildings and will finally make your left hand turn onto Boylston Street, with the finish line just ahead of you…with the promise of a well earned time and an ice cold beer there beyond the portal. Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words, good wishes and thoughtful prayers in both emails and audio comments on episode 21 of The Extra Mile Podcast. It means so much to me that you’d take the time to wish me luck, and a happy taper. In the words of the ancient Romans: “Omnia vincit amor‿ (love conquers all). Show Links:

The song “Still in Massachusetts‿ was by “Refuse Resist‿

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It takes courage to stand up to authority. It requires an act of bravery to break the unfair rules so as to start the discussion. K.V. Switzer, Kathrine…didn't lace up her shoes on a cold and snowy April day in Hopkinton Massachusetts to prove a point, or to make a statement…she lined up because she had and has a passion in her heart to run. Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the Week: The song "I am Woman‿ was by “Planet of Women‿

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I have been invited to run the 112th Boston Marathon, and today I’d like to invite you to join me through this goofy little podcast. In this short format episode of Phedippidations “Intervals‿ I extend to you an invitation to follow my progress on Patriots Day, April 21st, 2008. Also, I talk about my gratitude for the thoughtful gift of an invitational entry to this race from a good friend and the Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

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We run for ourselves, for our health, for our family and friends, we run to honor, to celebrate, to achieve, and to accomplish. We run because we can…because at a very basic level we are good animals who were meant to move with purpose. We are runners; no better or worse than those who chose to practice an alternate motion of sport, or dance, or action…but we all have good reasons for being out there…and while we might not always be self aware of why we’re doing it: when someone asks you the inevitable question; you might want to consider what your answer will be…who do you run for? Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Irish Rover‿ was by The Blaggards

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My name is John. Today I am going to take to the microphone and, on this special episode of Intervals, give you a sense of what it’s really like to live under the brutal and maniacal dictatorship of my Dad: Steve Runner. For today I hope to uncover the truth for you: that my father is a warped, twisted old man who refuses to buy me a puppy. As you listen to this episode, I hope you’ll come to appreciate my plight and do everything you can to rescue me from a life with Steve Runner.

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Because of my new intermittent schedule, this episode of Fdip has the distinction (and curse) of being the longest I’ve produced thus far. The internet has created a way for runners to find and use resources for research, community, asking questions, sharing ideas, and for tracking our running performance. Free online training logs are available for us to use to help us reach our running goals. You should consider using an online training log to share your running log and upcoming schedule with a larger community of runners who can offer your advice, warn you in advance of injury and join you in your journey on the road. Show Links:

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The song “Keep on Movin’‿ was by David Mansfield

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To push yourself past your zone of comfort you need to smile, think positively, focus on something other than the pain and weakness and dedicate yourself to a higher purpose other than “just finishing‿. Most of all, you have to have the insatiable desire to reach your goal by making your efforts on the road more important than just yourself. If you can do this you will find that you can accomplish great things through your running, and be the runner and human being you’ve always known you could be. This episode ends with an announcement about the future of Phedippidations. Show Links:

The song “All I Really Wanted‿ was by Jim Fidler

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The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training stands by their philosophy of training as being the best scientifically proven method to improve as a runner, and gain fitness as an athlete. By limiting your time on the road to three intense workouts each week, and supplementing your training with cross training, they insist that you will become a better, more efficient runner…able to meet and exceed all of your running goals. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Wasting My Time‿ was by Matthew Ebel.

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Running was adopted by a society who had been lulled into a false sense of security within the confines of their all too comfortable, technology empowered life of sedentary doom. In America, as in other countries…technological advances negated our need to rise off the couch and hunt, gather and endure physical labor. But as the population grew unhealthy and overweight, they turned to both the sports and medical experts for an answer…and that answer was so basic, simple and pure that the appeal to lace up a pair of running shoes could not be denied. The explosion resulting from the first running boom was a revolution which continues today…a revolution which you and I are very much a part of, as we take back our bodies and our lives and become the runners we all were meant to be. Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Revolution‿ was by Albert Aguilar

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When confronted with all of the positive advantages associated with becoming a runner, it helps to consider all of the reasons why running can help you to become a better person, both physically and, in a sense even spiritually. Because it’s all about living a happier life; a life filled with personal satisfaction along with the physical ability to participate in the world around you. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Run‿ was by Hollow Horse at

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ust about everything in this life offers hazards and benefits. We balance comfort with pain, satisfaction with disappointment, and safety with danger every time we lace up our shoes and take to the road. It’s quite obvious, to those of us who call ourselves runners, that the benefits of our sport far outweighs the dangers, it is important for us to be conscious of those hazards not only for our personal safety, but to allow us to logically counter the arguments that the non-runner might offer as an excuse not to join us on the road. Show Links: Fdip Blog of the Week: The song “Remember‿ was by Black Lab at

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In a very real sense, you and I are “the hope of the world‿. We had some fun last year and some good times. We made new friends, we enjoyed successes on the road, we had some amazing experiences both together and apart. The lesson to be learned from last year, and the year before that…is that next year, and the year after next…has the opportunity to be the best year of our life and the best year in the life of those around us. There were some terrible things that happened last year as well, but when we live our lives as good animals, behaving with social responsibility, then we are spreading hope…and that ensures that the years to come can always be better that those which came before. Happy New Year! Show Links: The song “Auld Lang Syne‿ was by the band Caledonix from Germany

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Handwritten letters and cards, email messages and our written words written throughout the year and especially during the holidays are a way to keep in touch, to maintain that fellowship that we have with each other. It’s the stories that are contained in those messages that help to educate and inform us, they help us to relate to each other and put our own experiences into perspective. In this week’s episode, I’ll read to you some of the email messages that I have in my “in box‿, and invite you to hear the stories of other runners who are living their lives and experiencing their unique experiences all over the world at the very same time that you are. We are members of a community where the cost of entry is your contribution of thoughts, opinions and observations with each other.

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How can running slowly help us to achieve better performances later? It is particularly challenging to go from the relative intensity of pre-race workouts to a speed and pace that is much, much slower. However, if you come to the realization that many runners stagnate on a plateau of performances because they run too few miles, and these miles that they do run are are run too fast, then you open yourself up to the possibility of significant running improvement. Proper base training requires patience and discipline, and this week's guest host, Steve's running advisor John Ellis, explains how the hard part of this period of training comes with the dedication to running "easy." Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the week: The song “Starting Over‿ was by the band “Dark Horse‿ from the UK. Check out their great music at

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Today I will tell you the story of a great and compassionate warrior from the Oglala Latoka tribe named 'Makata Taka Hela'. Billy Mills bravely faced loneliness and isolation in his college years, and went on to serve the country he loved in the United States Marines. He is a warrior for justice, an advocate for the young, and a person of character and honor who respects the earth and speaks on the virtues of understanding across all nations, both those defined by governments, and those identified by their people: over 550 tribes within the continental United States. Billy Mills is not only a Running Legend, he is an American Legend. Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the week: “As Sure as the Eagle Flies‿ was by Mo Pair from Austin, Texas. “Ewa-shakin-tae‿ was by Joseph G Vincent from British Columbia, Canada

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The Philadelphia Marathon is a fantastic race, run through and about an incredible city. This was the best marathon performance of my life where my dreams for a sub four hour finish were possible and within my reach. I have run 16 marathons prior to Philly, but was able to accomplish something on this day that has eluded me before. In running through the streets of Philadelphia I gained a new confidence, increased my stamina and improved my endurance to ensure that I would never hit the “wall of doom‿ again. Show Links: The Song “Ordinary Day‿ was by Great Big Sea from St. John's in Newfoundland,

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On Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, and in holidays around the world, we feel compelled to offer thanks for the receipt of our good fortune. It’s a uniquely human need that we have to offer thanks for the good things which occurred to us in the previous solar orbit. I’m taking a break from my podcast this week, but wanted to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, kind words of congratulations and encouragement. Thank you for being a fellow runner and a friend, and thank you for helping me to come ever so closer to reaching my dream.

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Consider using this holiday season as a way to invite someone to become a runner. If to show appreciation or admiration you want to give someone a gift, consider giving them the gift of running by means of some item that is related to our sport. There are many products out there perfect for holiday giving, and they need not be all that expensive or difficult to find. To give someone a gift that encourages them to run, you are showing a special kind of caring through your action…and as we wind down the year, through this holiday season, it is a time for us to share the love, joy and peace of the season; by inviting others to run. Show Links:

Fdip Blog of the week: The song “Re-Gifting for the Holidays‿ was by “The Alice Project‿ from New York. Check their great music at

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You wouldn’t fill the fuel tank of an airplane with half the fuel needed to land it safely on the ground. You wouldn’t lift off in a spaceship that had a leak in it’s main propulsion rocket, and you certainly wouldn’t fill the gas tank of your car with chocolate pudding if you ever expected to successfully drive our of your parking lot. You need to fuel your body with the correct balance of carbs, fat and protein at a time prior to your race event that benefits your performance without leading you to some destiny with the glycogen wall.

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There is just so much to do in this world, so much to experience, and it would be so terribly wrong of us not to do so. As runners, we have an opportunity, every day, to rise above the tedium and experience life to the fullest; and having a list of things to do before you run your last mile is a way to keep yourself focused not on the finish line of your life: but on the joy of your life’s race, while you’re in it.

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With three solid hours of sleep, the depressing notion that my beloved Boston Red Sox had lost a crucial game in extra innings, and the understanding that I was about to run my 16th marathon, fellow runner John Ellis and I crossed the chip mat at the starting line of the Bay State Marathon in Lowell Massachusetts, and I ran the best marathon of my life. What happened next was not magic. It wasn’t some kind of impossible stroke of luck, and it wasn’t completely unexpected: to be a runner is to accept the same kind of challenge that a profession ball team accepts when they compete in the World Series. It’s all about overcoming barriers to success and celebrating those successes when the challenge is overcome.

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Over 12 hundred fellow runners ran the second annual Phedippidations World Wide Half Marathon and Kick the Couch 5K. It was an event that demonstrated the fraternity and fidelity of athletes all over the world, of widely different physical condition and abilities. When we accepted the challenge to run in this event, we accepted the role of becoming a runner. We ran in official events, back country roads, in parks with friends, on military bases, quiet places, and organized races. We ran together though apart, thinking globally yet participating locally, setting an example for those around us who might not understand the significance in running a World Wide event, but will always be invited to join us…on the road. WARNING this episode ends with an angry, (almost psychotic) rant about accusations made of runners at this years Chicago Marathon.

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Today we run all over the world, at the very same time and encourage each other to push ourselves past our physical limitations. We are living for the moment, and nothing else matters. Each of us has an unstoppable power within us, earned through dedicated training, determination and the friendship of fellow runners near and far. Over a thousand of us will run today across 45 countries, 6 continents and one small blue bubble in a lonely vast, cold and empty universe, but we are not alone: Today we think global, and run local.

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There is a pace you can run which will get you to the finish line of your race totally spent and with nothing left. There is a pace you are able to run that will have you crossing the finish line knowing that you ran as fast and strong as you possibly could. You need to find that measure of minutes and seconds per mile or kilometer, by testing yourself, reviewing your most recent past performance and making a best guess at what will be your perfect pace.

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So where are we going when we lace up our shoes? Where are we going when we head out that door? Where are we running, not why or how…but where? There has to be a purpose to all this…and it’s only logical that that purpose is our direction, and that direction has a name, and that name is “Joy‿.

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Fred Lebow was a showman and a promoter who was one of the main reasons why distance running and marathons became so popular as the running boom exploded. He transformed the NYC Marathon from a local event in Central Park with 55 finishers to one of the world’s largest running events with over 25,000 finishers running through all five boroughs of New York City. He lived his life to the fullest, against the dangers and odds of both the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Romania, and although fate handed him a shorten race, with his gall and love of life he turned it into a marathon.

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You need to incorporate hard workouts into your training program if you’re looking to extend the duration of your runs, and improve the speed at which you compete. Hard runs are the key to your adaptation as a faster, more efficient runner….they are the only way you can achieve your goals on the road. As a runner you need to experience physical stress with the understanding that when it comes getting your miles in: The harder they come, the harder they fall.

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Periodization is a way to incorporate different phases of training through out your athletic life. It’s a system custom fit for you and your running goals, and is a way to remain fresh, focused and motivated throughout the year. You build a base, you prepare for your race, you taper well and you’ll find that on race day, it’s easier to run.

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The human body is a remarkable vessel capable of impressive action, best displayed within the course of running a statute mile. A milerembraces a style of running that demands all of her or his faculties: physically, mentally and spiritually. To watch a mile race is to watch an extreme form of performance art, but it is also to behold the beauty and wonder of the human body, in motion, as it was meant to be: running fast, and hard, moving smoothly with purpose and a searing determination that is a wonder to behold.

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The state of the World Wide Half Marathon race course is in jeopardy if the projected global temperatures increase as they are expected to do. We owe it to our fellow runners, and future generations to use the natural resources of our planet with care, respect and intelligence. Ignorance of the truth is not an option, and it does not matter who or what is to blame for Global Warming: what matters is that we be responsible and take action, today, right now, not later; today, not tomorrow, this very hour.

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For the 35 th Annual Falmouth Road Race, I’m once again running with my friend Joe. It’s summertime on Cape Cod, with the promise of an ice cold beer waiting at the finish line, and what better way to share such a delicious frosty beverage than with an old friend.

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Dr. Sheehan taught us that this running life sets us apart from the sedentary, but not necessarily above them. There is a runner in all of us, even for those who sit on the “Couch of Doom‿ because the body is willing, but it is our spirit that needs ignition. As runners, we are required to live a life of work, and a life of play, but above all, a life less ordinary.

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We all understand the concept behind the phrase “no pain, no gain‿. As runners, we can accept some level of aches and injuries for our efforts on the road; but we must not invite pain as an expected and acceptable consequence for hard training…we must prepare our bodies for the pressure and force that we’ll put upon it by taking preventative measures that will help us to run without the hurt.

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Junk miles and recovery runs are important elements of a good training program as they can help you run faster and longer. They allow you to enjoy slow easy runs while your body is healing from the stress forced upon it in the hours before you hit the road and they allow you to reach some whole number goal of daily or weekly mileage to appease the guilt you might carry for running below a self made threshold of distance that you consider significant and a source of pride.

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As runners, our intent in a race is to meet and exceed our goals by moving as fast as possible towards the finish…but while the motion of running is always going to be our primary method of locomotion, you should not ignore the benefits of incorporating walk breaks as a means towards finishing fast and strong, as well as to ensure a faster recovery.

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When you get to an age where the world tells you that you’re quote “old‿, when society begins to classify you as a “senior‿ and treats you with the respect that the elderly deserve: don’t reject the kindness or attention; but neither should you “act your age‿. If you are a runner, training and taking part in a road races: then you are NOT old.

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You owe it to yourself, and to the rest of the running community, to start writing a blog, or producing a podcast. Write about your thoughts, your opinions and share your rambling diatribes…because at some point you’re going to write or record something that will touch another fellow runner, somewhere in this world, in such as way that it will have an important and positive influence in their life.

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This year, the Phedippidations World Wide Half marathon will take place on the third planet from the sun, 26,000 light-years from the galactic center. It’s a tiny blue bubble of life swarming with fellow runners who will be thinking of this global community while running on their local portion of the planet. As we travel around the globe, or look to imagine those places where our fellow runners take to the roads and paths, we should consider that at only 25,000 miles in circumference the Earth really is a small, small world.

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The embarrassing things that can happen to our bodies may not be a good topic of conversation at a dinner party, but they are all a part of our human condition, and need to be understood and dealt with as we push ourselves past our physical limits, on the road.

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Jesse Owens represented the United States in the 1936 Olympic Games, held in Berlin. It was here that he showed the world that human beings are endowed with unalienable rights, as well as incredible talent. Jesse proved that ethnicity and skin color were meaningless and that all men are truly created equal.

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Let’s talk about what Phedippidations is, what I believe in, whether I am delusional, what running means to me, and what this podcast means to me. These are the thoughts that go through my head during a long run in the back country roads where these Phedippidations are born. Thoughts, opinions, observations and rambling diatribes are all composed while we’re out on these long distance runs across the planets surface.

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You need to experiment with what you use to fuel yourself before, during and after a marathon. It is as important as stretching, and following your training schedule as you prepare your body for the miles you have before you.

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These rules of running etiquette are common sense items that most runners follow without much thought. They can all fit under the single heading of “being respectful of our fellow runners‿ whether we’re out training, in a race, or just getting a few miles in with friends. It really comes down to that ol’ phrase “Do unto others as you as you would have done unto you‿.

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Monitoring the rate at which your heart pumps blood around your body is one way to measure your cardiac fitness, but having a feel for your body’s perceived exertion is just as important. A heart rate monitor device may give you some useful information you can use to help improve your running performance.

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Just as it is with any recipe, the one that will comprise your existence as a distance runner will be varied and unique. But just as you require eggs for an omelet, flour for cake and potatoes for making French fries…you will have basic ingredients required of you as you re-create yourself into an endurance athlete.

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The stories about a runner’s first marathon are filled with emotion,well deserved pride, and a sense of satisfied accomplishment. You will hear how they set themselves a seemingly impossible goal that,through hard work, persistence, and an indomitable spirit they were able to achieve. These are changed people who have come to understand that nothing is impossible if they have the desire and dedication to run, quite literally, towards their goal.

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There are 20,348 stories, from 20,348 runners who ran the 111th Boston Marathon this year, and each one is special, unique, inspirational, entertaining, and worthy of your interest. In this episode we hear from a few of our fellow runners, who ran 26.2 miles in a New England Nor’Easter.

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The 111th Boston Marathon took place during a Nor’Easter, with major flooding, driving rains, cool to cold temperatures and a sustained wind of twenty miles per hour with gusts up to forty miles per hour. A record number of qualified entrant chose not to run the race, but the hearty few who accepted the challenge experienced the race of their lives. This podcast was recorded as I ran the Boston Marathon.

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Thank you, fellow runners, for all of your kindness. In this episode of Intervals; I thank many of the people who helped me in small and large ways; I get some last minute advice from John Ellis and a surprise guest who formulated the plan that I followed to prepare for the 111th Boston Marathon; and we talk about the Nor'easter that I'll be running the race in (something I like to think of as a perfect condition rather than a perfect storm). Have a great Patriots Day everyone! As you listen to this, I'll be out there: running down a dream!

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The story of the 1982 Boston Marathon is more than just a story about two elite athletes and a closely contested race. It is the story of the underdog facing the champion, and was one of the most intensely exciting finishes in modern race history. This is the story about Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley in the 86th Boston Marathon.

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Joan Benoit Samuelson won the Boston Marathon twice and was the first Olympic Gold Medalist in the Woman’s Marathon. She is an inspiration not only to women runners, to but all runners who suffer from overuse injuries with hopes of recovery. She continues to be an amazing athlete, a passionate proponent of children’s charities, and a true legend in every sense of the word.

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A detailed description of the Boston Marathon course for the 111th running of this world famous event.

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This episode is all about the knees...runners knee is the most common runners injury. In Fdip#89 we talk about how it happens and what to do about it.

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Lactate Thresholds and what they mean.

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Should our children run road races and marathons? Is it safe? Is it even a good idea to let our kids join us on the road?

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Non-runners need a goal to slowly move them off the couch onto the road to the point where they can carry their bodies a mere 196,850 inches from a starting line to a finish line. This is the C25k running plan.

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Steve Prefontaine was a runner, and an artist in motion: all beauty, and passion, fire and guts encased within a body that sought perfection.

Fdip Blog of the week: beenthererunthat.blogspot.com The song “Pre‿ by Phil Wells:

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You have to have respect and be considerate when you’re in a relationship with a significant other….but most of all, you have to be sympathetic to their needs, and mindful of the way they’ll feel when you’re out on the road.

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Thanks to new media and portable technology and the technological advances made in the last decade, you can take to the roads and listen to whatever YOU want to listen to, and if you learn something new along the way, you can tell your friends that you heard it on a podcast.

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Runners have a gift. To enhance our performance with anabolic steroids and muscle-building drugs is to deny that gift. If you pollute your body with steroids you are cheating, and become a fraud. Steroid abusers can never enjoy the pride of personal, natural achievement in athletics.

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A race director is part event organizer, part manager, part orchestra leader and part head chef. In this episode I talk about some of the things a race director will need to think about to conduct a successful race, and I take a run through the Las Vegas Strip, where nothing is real, but at least everything is pretentious!

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Over the past 80 episodes you and I have been running together every week, often in my town of Oxford, Massachusetts, yet I’ve never really described the places that I run through every day. In this episode of Intervals, my friend Joe goes for a run with us and tries to describe my neighborhood.

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Dr. George Sheehan returned to the road at the age of 45 to become “fully functional‿ as a good animal. His book, “Running and Being‿ became a philosophical bible for runners around the world. In it, he taught us that this is our moment to live, and that we should not let life pass us by: we must run and be in order to know the total experience.

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If you can incorporate hill training into your training program, you will gain a competitive edge with those whom you race against on the road. You will gain strength and be more comfortable and confident as you meet the challenge and reach the top of the hill.

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Charity is one way to give back to the world around you. By finding a noble purpose to your running, you will have lived a good and honorable life that will inspire others to behave as you, and that, in the end may be your most charitable gift of all.

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In this episode we look back on some of the possibly more amusing moments of this PodCast. In a year of sad and bad news, war and disasters: it’s important to remember that it was a year worth living, and hoping that the next one is an improvement over the last. Happy New Year!

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I’m following a new marathon training plan for my Spring race. It’s no longer about just getting the miles in. It’s about learning what marathon pace feels like, and teaching my body to achieve that speed through moderate distances on a consistent basis.

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It happens to the best of us, the Burnt Out Syndrome is a very real thing, and it’s important to listen to your body as well as your spirit to detect the symptoms…because if you push too hard or run a mile too far, you’re going to snap.

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The tradition of gift giving during the holidays has become part of our culture, so in advent of the day we present an independent review of a few items that your fellow runners might hope to receive should some fat man in a gaudy suit shimmy down your chimney bearing even more gadgets and gizmos.

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There are those who believe that middle of the pack runners should never be allowed to run a marathon. Twice a year, so called journalists and essayists embark on a controversial attempt to discredit our fellow runners, and ridicule our efforts on the road. In this episode, we dissect one such attempt from a writer “wanna-be‿ and give him a piece of his own medicine.

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Jim Fixx was the guru of running, he was the one who told the world about the benefits of our sport, and even in his death: he taught us to remember the heart: both for it’s biomechanical wonder and frailty, and the romantic property we bestow upon it with our love for life.

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Increased longevity, a better quality of life, a more profound sense of self satisfaction and personal fulfillment are all yours for the cost of a pair of running shoes, some time to train and the energy to move your self across the planet. This is the cost of running, and the benefits are endless.

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There is a popular misconception that runners are afflicted with a compulsive physiological and psychological disorder. It is said that some runners are addicted to exercise. In this episode we look into some of the research surrounding this, and search for the truth about exercise addiction.

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In this short format show we go back to Virginia, to meet up with my friend Joe after our successful running of the 31st Marine Corps Marathon, I also introduce you to a few other PodCasts which you’ll want to check out, and I read some race reports and emails from fellow runners.

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In this episode I have the honor of running a 26.2 mile marathon with the assistance and protection of the United States Marine Corps through the streets of Virginia and Washington DC. It’s an amazing thing when you meet the people who guarantee your freedom to run across your country. These are the soldiers who risk their lives so that my family and I can sleep peacefully at night, safe from harm. God Bless the US Marines.

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It takes true courage to take that first step and become a runner, it takes a promise to oneself that you will abandon the comfort of a stationary life and accept the long hours and miles, sweat, pain and sinusoidal discouragement and joy that your new life, as a runner will bring you. It takes dedication, perseverance, and above all: bravery.

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578 runners registered for the 1st World Wide Half, and 49% recorded a finishing time. Of all the things you earn in running a road race, your finishing time is the most important evidence of your performance. Aside from the satisfaction of having taken part in something special like a World Wide Half Marathon you have an official time to call your own.

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Over 560 runners from 23 countries took part in the First Annual Phedippidations World Wide Half Marathon Challenge. “Think Global, Run local‿ is not an ethereal concept. It’s a real challenge to real runners all connected through their own thoughts, opinions observations and rambling diatribes and spaced only 104 thousand half marathons away from each other.

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With over 470 runners in 23 different countries, many of whom have never run a half marathon before, this episode celebrates life through the simple act of running. Produced to inspire, support, encourage and comfort: this special edition of Phedippidations will help all of us who are running this and other races as we “Think Global, Run Local‿.

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Your pre-race strategy doesn’t end when you cross the starting line, but when you cross the finish line and beyond. You need to experiment with your own unique race strategy to find one that works best for you.

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Bill Bowerman was one of the greatest track coaches of all time, who coached some of the greatest runners of all time. He was also co-founder of a famous running shoe company and inventor of the modern day running shoe. This week, we look back on his life and his contribution to the sport of running.

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In this episode we look into the techniques needed to train the mind for the psychological challenges of running. We need to be prepared for those running events that are difficult to imagine, and troublesome to contemplate. You have the power to overcome any lack of confidence you may currently harbor, and in this episode of a goofy little podcast we’ll talk about ways that you can overcome your minds propensity to panic on the road.

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Get to know the places where you run. Understand and appreciate the history, art and nature of the places that you run through and upon. You owe it to yourself to hear that story, as an added benefit to your ability to run fast through and upon that land, while running on the open road.

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Here in New England, if you don’t like the weather: wait 10 minutes and it’ll change for the better or worse. Predicting your finishing time in a half or full marathon is a more scientific venture based on a variety of different formulas all of which attempt to help you set your race goals and give you something to laugh at as you run past the limits set by fuzzy math.

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There are people in your life who in a major or minor way support, enable and encourage you to take your body through the pains of training to the glory of race day; and we owe these people our deepest gratitude. In this episode we talk about our support team, friends and family who enable us to reach our personal best through running.

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Sometimes you come to the race with you’re “A‿ game being only a C minus.‿ I came to the Falmouth Road Race less prepared than my friend Joe, but I did have one trick up my sleeve, one strategy to try. In this episode, we’ll see if my strategy to beat Joe in this years Falmouth worked!

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From the shores of Wells Beach in Southern Maine, this week I run a twelve miler on the sand and talk about running surfaces. One of the great things about our sport is that you can run on just about any surface, anywhere in the world. But not all surfaces are created equal.

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Eric Liddell believed that everything he did should give God pleasure. As a runner he was the fastest and had achieved the highest glory, and as a religious man he found that his greatest strength came from God. In this weeks episode we look back on the life of a Scottish hero whose missionary work in China outshined his unlikely success in the Olympic games. We’’ll also hear from Mal reporting from the war zone in Northern Israel.

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As runners, we need to experience the peace and tranquility of quiet places, if only to refresh our commitment to the Henry David Thoreauian ideals that made us runners in the first place. This week I paddle up the Allagash with my son, father and nephew on an adventure that is as fulfilling as a marathon road race.

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In this episode we talk about cross training, and tell you what some of the experts say about the best exercises to perform as a means to complement the running that you do.

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In this episode we look into the problems of overtraining, and try to consider listening to our barking bodies. I re-enact a meeting I had with my sports doctor several years ago, and you’ll hear me at batting practice and at a Worcester Tornadoes ballgame where my son and I cheer until our throats are raw!

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You should be able to approach your run each day with the ability to forgive yourself for the way you’ve eaten, your lack of sleep, or laziness in the previous days.

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As part of a collaboration with photographers, bloggers, podcasters and vloggers, July 4th is a day to declare our independence from mainstream media. In this episode of Intervals, I play three “PodSafe‿ songs that you’ll probably not hear on the radio.

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We need to encourage those who face life with sadness and emptiness to fill their lives with a passion for something, anything, and everything. Don’t let someone you know live a life without purpose or passion: One way to help them might be to inspire them to run.

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The Angel Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting ALS investigations at the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In this show I run 5K race which serves to raise money to fight ALS.

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Fdip50: More Gadgets and Gizmos

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The earth is 93 million miles from the sun, but humans are fragile creatures and if you’re pushing your body up to and past it’s operational limits during a long run, you need to defend yourself from the solar radiation that might turn your distance long run into a life threatening crawl.

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The phrase: “To become a good animal‿ means to be the creature you were meant to be. As a runner, you are obligated to first be a good animal, before you can become a good human being.

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In this episode I tell you about the thirteen essential vitamins that human beings require for good health. I also discuss a study that links antioxidents to a decrease in muscle damage after a marathon.

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Terry Fox was a true runner in every sense of the word. In this episode I tell you the story of this Canadian hero who faced a life threatening disease with courage and defiance; and taught us all how to live our lives to the fullest.

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In this episode I talk about the kindness of runners, and make the case that through their example the world is at least a slightly better place.

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In this episode we discuss all things aerobic and the methods by which you can train your body to move faster across the planet.

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In this episode we talk about marathon and race recovery, we talk about what you should and shouldn’t do in the minutes, hours and weeks following your target race.

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What happens in Boston, stays in Boston…but you carry the memories with you. In this episode we talk about some of the things we couldn’t fit into the previous show.

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Recorded on Patriots Day, I interview two officers from the Air Force Auxiliary, an organization I have represented at Boston for the past three years.

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Despite his weakness on the field of battle, Steve Runner attempts to complete the 26.2 mile Boston Marathon, facing a barrier to glory that he never trained for, never anticipated, and was ill prepared to overcome.

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The origin of the Boston Marathon, the heros, and the stories that defines it as one of the greatest road races in the world.

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The short format show “Intervals‿ is not a new PodCast, rather it’s an extension of the previous weeks show, presented infrequently so listeners can hear more up-to-date information. I’ll have a few of these during the Boston Marathon.

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Johnny Kelley ran the Boston marathon a total of 61 times in his lifetime, finishing 58 times. He won the event twice, and came in second a total of seven times. He was truly a man who defied age and a legend whom everyone loved.

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The first 16 miles of the Boston Marathon are downhill, but it’s what happens coming out of Newton Lower Falls that separates the weak from the strong.

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The majority of experts agree that you should stretch, but should do so consistently and rarely before a long run.

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In this episode I run the Boston’s Run to Remember Half Marathon, a race dedicated to the memory of 294 Massachusetts Law Enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

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In this episode I talk about the importance of race volunteers, Terry from Knoxville interviews the volunteer coordinator for KTC and I come across something strange on my 18 mile run.

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In this episode we talk about being alone on the open road, and how running can be the cure to true loneliness.

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There is a mystique to the marathon that by it’s very name leaves an impression to those around you, and inspires others to follow in your footsteps. In this episode seek to answer the question “Why do so many runners chose to run a marathon?

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In this episode I talk about something called “running form‿ which is simply the way that you should move your body during the motion of running. It’s not enough to go out and “just run the way you feel‿, you need to train yourself to run efficiently, in a way that’s fluid and relaxed.

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In this episode we list safety tips for when you’re out running on the roads. We make the point that, compared to the mass of an automobile, runners are “small squishy things on legs‿ that need to take measures to ensure their own safety.

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What is the “Runners High‿, and is it real or imagined? In this episode we investigate the truth and fiction behind this “feel good‿ phenomenon.

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This is a biographical review of the Czech runner Emil Zatopek. He was the first to run the 10K under 29 minutes and the first to run the 20K in an hour and set 18 world records in his 15 year career.

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However you approach your training runs or road races, you’ll find comfort in finding a ritual: a method of psyching yourself up to the task ahead of you. As you develop a familiar routine, you’ll feel more relaxed and at ease before you run.

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Focus, concentration, internal conversation, planning and visualization are all key elements to a successful mind game in pushing your body past the limits of your own belief.

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In this episode I talk about the basics of most training programs, and discuss items such as the maximum weekly distance you should run each week, the number of weeks you should train, and the length of your longest “long run‿. You need to determine the best training schedule for yourself that will help you meet and surpass your own goals. For some of you, just finishing a race of any distance will be a satisfying achievement.

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Those New Year resolutions we make for ourselves should be balanced with a promise of altruism. Use the occasion of this new year to help change the world for the better, both for yourself and for others.

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Runners are both patient and understanding. We’ve found something to improve the quality of our lives and should make some effort to save the non-runners from themselves. We should not be afraid to be laughed at or ridiculed, if we can save another human being from the fate of inert uniformity.

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It’s important to dress warm and in layers. The fabric available on the market today is on par with the most advanced space suits constructed by NASA.

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Since it’s the season to be jolly and all that, I list four gadgets that a geekoid runner like myself would love to receive during the Holidays, or any time of the year that you’re in the mood to give.

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I discuss eating for runners, and go through the basics that your Mom probably gave you as you were growing up. I mention some “fad‿ diets, and talk about an interesting study in the Britich Medical Journal that justifies a daily consumption of wine and chocolate! (How cool is that?!)

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Bill Rogers is one of the most respected, influential distance runners in the United States, having won the Boston Marathon and New York Marathons four times each. He’s run a total of 57 marathons in all, 28 of them in under 2:15.

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Diatribe – a noun meaning a bitter, abusive denunciation. From the Latin “diatribe‿ meaning learned discourse and the Greek “Diatribee‿ which itself is derived from the word “diatribeen‿ made up of the prefix “dia‿ meaning completely and Tribeen‿ meaning to run. This PodCast includes what I can only consider to be “rambling diatribes‿ when I’m out here running along the back roads of Central Massachusetts. My use of the term is intended to explain the gloppy streams of consciousness that dribbles out of my head while I’m out here running in an oxygen deprived state.

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Each of us needs to find a way to fill the void, to recapture that incredible feeling we had when we were climbing that Mt. Everest of running events. The experience of the Marathon Blues is common, and the cure is as easy as lacing up your running shoes.

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One of the things that makes the Cape Cod Marathon such a pleasure to experience, is the way the local residents come out to cheer, volunteer and entertain the runners as we work the miles. In this episode, I run the 2005 Cape Cod Marathon in Falmouth Massachusetts, attempting to set my second PR is as many weeks.

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Too short of a taper period will leave you tired on race day, too long of a taper will leave you unprepared physically. In this episode I cover the basics about “tapering‿ as documented from the experts, and I confess to my own failures at properly preparing in the days before most of my marathons.

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Listen as I run the first of two Fall 2005 Marathons, this time in Lowell, Massachusetts: home of the American Industrial Revolution. This is a very flat course where, despite hitting the eventual “wall‿ I attempt to set a new personal record in the Marathon.

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According to section 2.00 of the Major League Baseball rule book: A runner is an offensive player who is advancing toward, touching, or returning to any base.‿ In this episode we discuss the "Runner verses Jogger" debate.

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The human brain is a fascinating organ, and while few completely understand its true operation; some of its properties can be found in the way that it retains such high resolution memories from observations made during extreme physical exertion.

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Of the many ways that we can prepare our bodies and minds for the act of running a road race, it’s the long slow run that is most effective, both physiologically and psychologically. Your body needs to change: BOTH muscularly and metabolically.

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There’s an interesting behavioral quirk that many runners nurse and foster over the years, myself included. We develop this need to seek acceptable answers to our medical questions which meet our demanding requirements, rather than submit to the expertise of our own assigned doctors.

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Life is meant to be pounding, screaming with sweat and power: explosive and breathtaking with all the energy you can bring to a boil. You are most alive, as a runner, living life to its fullest: on the road, as fast and far as you possibly can. Greg Gumbinner lived his life to the fullest. I run a race dedicated to his memory this week, and ponder the concept that all runners are living their lives to the top of their game.

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What is pronation, and why do we need to understand our unique running gait? I’ve often been told that I don’t pronate. Other runners have been found to pronate "too much". What does poor pronation mean to a runner, why is it a bad thing and what can be done about it are all questions answered (to some degree) within this weeks episode. Also: I run the Charlton Old Home Day 5 miler road race.

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There must be a reason. There must be some compelling motivation to get any none runners out there to want to lace up their shoes and join the fun. This episode was recorded from the Upper Richardson Lake in northwestern Maine, during a camping trip with my Dad, son and nephew.

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Seven thousand, five hundred twenty seven runners ran the 2005 SBLI Falmouth Road Race on Sunday August 14th and I beat four thousand eight hundred and sixteen of them!

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Fdip6: The Importance of Rest

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Fdip5: Starting Out

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Fdip4: Dodging the Dodge

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Fdip3: Marathon Sports Five Miler

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Fdip2: Shoe Evolution

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Fdip1: Dropping the Ball

Eat for Life: Recent Episodes

Samantha Gilbert