Running is great for getting in shape, improving cardiovascular health, improving mood and so many other things, but is it good for your weight?  Some people lose weight when running, some people gain, and some don't notice much of a change.  What gives?  

In this episode, we talk about the various factors that go into weight control, including running, eating, snacking, strength training, interval training, meal timing and our body's ability to adapt and throw it all off.  We also talk about some eating recommendations, both for losing weight and gaining or maintaining weight, and also provide information on some different protein supplements.  What's the difference between plant-based proteins and whey protein supplements?  What is whey concentrate vs. whey isolate?  What are some important things to remember and keep in mind when buying a protein supplement?  Some of our recommendations include finding a high quality protein supplement...

Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.  -Vince Lombardi

In this episode, we dive into the concept of winning and try to put a definition onto it, or at least name some qualities of winning.  

If you have been listening to us for any amount of time, you can probably guess that we categorize winning as much more than simply crossing the finish line before anyone else.  There are two major characteristics needed to win, at least as we put it on the show.

First, to win you must push your limits and be at risk of failing.  Winning requires finding strength to endure through physical and mental fatigue.  Angie and I begin a disagreement that lasts through most of the episode about whether winning requires racing.

Second, winning requires not compromising on your priorities.  On a professional level, this involves not taking illegally banned substances, but this is real life.  With most runners, not compromising means that...

Today’s episode is all about relativity especially how it relates to time, how we spend it and how there never seems to be enough of it.  The inspiration for the episode comes from a book Angie just read called The Big Leap, which is now going to be the audiobook playing on my ride to and from work.  

One of the biggest points of the book is the concept of time and it is explained in classic Newtonian physics and what is referred to as Einstein time.  

Basically, the old way of looking at time is a conveyor belt that you get on and ride forward at a set pace.  You are completely passive. In Einstein time, you can move along the belt causing time to speed up or slow down.  This sounds a little crazy, but think of the last time you went on vacation and how much fun you had, then poof the trip was over before you noticed.  Times flies when you are having fun.

Because time can be slowed down, the book suggests that we can essentially create...

On this episode, we dive into the need we all have for support with an emphasis on running, but an acknowledgement that to accomplish any difficult task, it is harder when you feel alone.  

Professional athletes have an entire crew of coaches and trainers around them, not to mention a probable training crew.  If they seem to need this full support system, shouldn’t we all reach out to find a supportive network?

We cover some of the main points of our training philosophy, and how we build a team as coaches.  It all fits nicely into the category of runners needing other runners.

First, runners need unquestioned support that will be there after heroic wins and epic failures.  Without a willingness to fail, it becomes impossible to stretch your capabilities that far. Failing solo may seem easier because no one is watching, but it becomes harder and harder to pick yourself back up. We can all use a helping hand or we could fall victim to a fear of...

Decluttering is the word of the moment and although Angie got in on the decluttering movement a few years back after reading the book, we are currently undergoing a massive decluttering of the house.  This, of course, got us thinking about how decluttering applies to our lives and naturally, running.

In this show, we bring you a little more into our lives with a discussion of the decluttering transformation steadily moving its way through our house one room at a time.  Angie points out the amazing benefits of mentally releasing yourself from things that you do not need anymore.

We spend some time talking about the Konmari method of only holding onto items that spark joy for you.  This has clearly done wonders for every closet and dresser in the house that we have hit so far. While Angie is the lead on all organizational tasks in our house, I do appreciate that I can see all of my clothes and that I do not still own several shirts that I constantly flip past to get...

Today, we update our effort levels a bit, transitioning from a 1-5 scale to a 1-10 scale.  Here's a little breakdown of what the numbers mean.

Effort Levels (adapted from 80/20 running and RPE): 

1.  Extremely Easy - "I could run/walk forever at this pace"
2. Very Easy - "I feel like I'm really holding myself back" - full conversations, singing, yodeling
3. Easy - "I feel like I'm holding back a little" - able to sing at this pace
4. Comfortable - This pace feels natural, not holding back or pushing - can still talk pretty easily in sentences
5. Fairly Comfortable - I feel like I'm pushing every so slightly
6. Slightly Hard - Less fit runners (able to run for one hour or less): can sustain for 20-30 min; More fit runners (able to run for 2 hours or more) - pace able to sustain for about an hour 
7. Somewhat hard - Less fit: I'm going to blow up in 10-15 min, More fit: I'm going to blow up in 15-20 min (around 5k effort)
8. Hard - I can keep this pace for a mile, no more
9. Very Hard -...

We have talked extensively about ways to improve on this show.  We have episodes devoted to training paces and ideal workouts for different distances.  If you search the internet, you can find lots of resources and opinions on this topic. Check out social media and you can find a slew of athletes announcing their latest workout or training plan.  

That is not the point of this episode.  On this show we are going to discuss the often neglected aspect of athletic growth.  This episode is all about recovery.

As we have covered before, the workouts you put yourself through are important, but the body actually improves during times of rest and recovery.  To fully benefit from a hard effort, you need all of the materials to both recover and progress. This includes adequate sleep as well as plenty of healthy food including proteins, carbs, and fats.  

Plenty of people alternate easy and hard days and feel like they are in charge of proper recovery....

Last weekend was the Key West Half Marathon and a big weekend for both of us in terms of racing.  Heading into the race, both of us had lofty expectations that we were trying to keep rational. The goal was to go test ourselves and see what we could do, but it had been awhile since either of us had raced a half marathon which increased the size of the question mark over what was possible.

On our previous episode we talked about reducing race anxiety by controlling as many conditions as possible and accepting the rest.  This race was the epitome of extra outside conditions. We travelled with a huge group, were vacationing with our kids, celebrated birthdays, and dealt with crazy weather delays.  

By the time we made it to the starting line two hours behind schedule neither of us were looking at the clock and aiming for a precise personal best.  Listen to the episode for some details, but this course was certainly not shaping up for an ideal day. When the...

It’s race week for the Real Life Runner household and with that comes this week’s episode on pre-race anxiety.  The episode gives us a chance to discuss the concept, talk about our own emotions heading into the upcoming race, and cover some methods of calming the nerves.

 We start with a major point that everyone is going to have some feelings connected to an upcoming race.  It is simply natural to have an emotional reaction when a big event is coming. What is under your control is not the feeling, but the name you give the feeling and the response to it.  Instead of nervous, rename the feeling excitement. This works the same way that fatigue in a race can be interpreted and a sign you are running fast enough.

 Next we discuss the causes for extra anxiety during the week before a race.  The list is lengthy as to why a race could be given greater importance, but it comes down to expectations.  Racing is an unknown and when...

New year, new you!  It’s time to go all out on training.  You have signed up for a race and it’s approaching rapidly so you need to get your running cranked up.  Enthusiasm is great, but can lead to some major issues involving overtraining. In this episode let’s cover some signs of overtraining, how to avoid it, and how it may sneak up anyway.

Overtraining can pop up whether you are a new or seasoned runner and it’s signs can be subtle at first.  If you are not paying attention, you can find yourself wiped out and burnt out and probably hurt.

Some early signs to looks for include rating heart rate and generally how you feel on a run.  Keep daily track of your resting heart rate and notice if it seems like the number stays elevated for several days.  It will likely pop a bit after a hard workout, little sleep, or an extra drink or two on a night out, but will come back down.  When it does not come back for a few...