The Not Your Average Runner Podcast is going on a hiatus! After 320 episodes and showing up at least once a week since January 2018, I am in need of rest and rejuvenation to come back even stronger in the new year. It’s going to be weird not being in your ears every week, and I’ll miss you, but I promise, the time is going to fly by and I’ll be back before you know it. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for some fun courses and races kicking off very soon, and make sure you’re in our official Not Your Average Runner Facebook community because I’ll still be in there doing Facebook Lives and pop-up coaching!

Are you filled with rage as you recognize how your fat body is constantly being oppressed? Have you always been told you’re both too much and not enough at the same time? Do you feel like you’re walking through the world ready to explode as you begin unlearning the oppressive conditioning you’ve experienced? This week, I’m here with body liberation coach Sophia Apostol. Sophia is the creator of the Fat Joy podcast and she's on a mission to help her clients rewrite the messaging that has told them they are unworthy. Sophia is walking us through the power of coupling rage and joy together, and how she’s using rage as rocket fuel for anti-oppressive learning. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/319

Opinions on running on the treadmill truly run the gamut. Some call it the “dreadmill,” some will use it if there’s no other option, and some only feel comfortable and confident running indoors on a treadmill. Whichever camp you currently fall into, the treadmill is a piece of equipment that’s totally worth learning to master, and I’m showing you how. Join me this week to learn how to master the basics of running on a treadmill. I’m covering everything you need to know, from setup and safety concerns to injury prevention tips. Hear my answers to the most frequently asked questions I receive about running on the treadmill, and how adding treadmill skills to your toolbox can make the difference between sticking with your plan and quitting on yourself. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/318

If you’re doubting yourself on your running journey, this episode is for you. This idea of not being a real runner stops too many people in their tracks when they’re just getting started, and that isn’t what I want for you. I’m showing you how to drop these doubts and try on something more useful instead. Tune in this week to explore the difference between healthy doubt and doubt that stops you from going after the things you really want. I’m showing you how to spot doubt that isn’t serving you, and giving you a new way to respond to the doubt that is holding you back. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/317

As a fat runner who has coached thousands of women to start running, I’ve noticed one thing that predicts their success: a beginner’s mindset. This mindset is extremely helpful to adopt when starting out as a runner, but the truth is, it can be a game-changer for experienced runners as well. Hear five beginner's mindset hacks that will help you truly enjoy the sport of running. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or you haven’t pulled the trigger on running yet, I’m showing you the magic that can unfold when you adopt a beginner’s mindset. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/316

Coach Elle Dee from the Run Your Best Life program is here to talk about her solo running summer adventure in Alaska. Very little went exactly according to plan, and she had some unique experiences just on her journey to our Alaskan retreat. Hear Elle Dee’s running lessons from two months on the road. She’s sharing the desires behind undertaking this incredible voyage and the problems she faced just on the drive to Alaska, as well as going deep into everything she learned about running while on the retreat itself. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/315

I’m here this week with the one and only Coach Jen Lamplough! Since declaring her goal of re-doing the Chicago Marathon when she turns 50, Jen has been navigating a variety of changes in her life, which she dives into on this episode. All of us can fall into the trap of using goals to help us feel a certain way, and when we share big goals publicly like Jen has, there’s a lot that can happen when you realize an internal shift has occurred. Hear how so many of us torture ourselves over decisions we’ve made, why we’re allowed to let ourselves off the hook, and the difference between doing this from an unconscious versus intentional place. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/314

What are your thoughts on telling people you’re a runner? What does it even mean to feel like a runner? What are ‘real’ runners thinking so they don’t have to qualify their statements about their runs? Whether you’re struggling to call yourself a runner because you take run-walk intervals, run at a slower pace than others, or think what you’re really doing is a light jog, this episode is for you. I’ve had all of these thoughts and more, but I’m giving you eight ways to start thinking like a runner right now, so you can embrace your identity as a full-fledged runner. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/313

I’m excited to introduce you to Charlotte Rooney, a leadership and anti-burnout coach. She is sharing her own experience of approaching running in the same way as her career, and how it prevented her not only from getting the benefits of intuitive and gentle movement but, most importantly, from enjoying it. Charlotte shares how work and life burnout can affect your running, and what you can do to heal symptoms of burnout. She’s offering both the obvious and more subtle signs of burnout to look out for, the role that running now plays in her life, and why success can include prioritizing your well-being, mental health, and whole humanity. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/312

In a world where we’ve been raised to believe it’s shameful, embarrassing, and downright bad to be fat, it can feel impossible to think about living our best lives right now if we’re in a fat body. I tell women all the time that all bodies, regardless of shape or size, are deserving of joy, pleasure, and equal treatment, but some people have taken this to mean that I’m anti-weight loss. I offer my take on fat acceptance, and why this is not the same as being anti-weight loss. Hear the difference between being anti-diet culture versus anti-weight loss, what body autonomy means to me, and my top recommendations if you’re currently pursuing intentional weight loss. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/311

This week, the whole Not Your Average Runner team is here to talk about body image, body confidence, and all things body. If you’re not familiar with these three ladies, you’re going to love them. Jen Madden is our business manager, and Elle Dee and Jen Lamplough are two of our amazing coaches. Hear the four of us discuss the cult-like effects of the way we’ve been socialized from a young age around diet and body image. We’re discussing the direct impact of the messaging we’ve received our whole lives about how our bodies should look, how fatphobia shows up where we least expect it, and how to spot the inherited thoughts you have about your body. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/310

A huge part of my mission is to counteract misogyny, patriarchy, and anti-fat bias that exist in our entire society, especially in our fitness spaces. That's why I created the Fat Runner Manifesto: a 10-point distillation of my thoughts about being a fat female runner in a patriarchal and fatphobic world. I offer new thoughts to consider about running, your body, and your right to take up space in this world without apology. My goal is for you to see that these thoughts can be true for you, and I invite you to keep practicing them until you can create a space within your mind where you are respected, loved, and treated with compassion. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/309

Kelly Roberts is the head coach and creator of the Badass Lady Gang. Her philosophy measures success by confidence gained, not pounds lost, and she’s coached thousands of women from brand-new runners to those chasing Boston Marathon qualifying times. She's joining me to discuss all things running, body-image resilience, and exercising in a way that isn’t entangled with your weight. Discover why weight won’t stop being a problem until we stop making it a problem. Kelly is sharing her own struggles with body image, how she’s navigated the challenges of being a running influencer, why you don’t need to apologize for your shape, and why we need to see more women in different bodies doing powerful things. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/308

Learning to run in all different weather conditions is super important because you can’t guarantee the temperature on race day. If you want to get out there and run in the heat safely, this episode is for you. Hear my tips for running in hot weather. I’m discussing how to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion when you’re on your summer runs, some useful clothing and gear advice, how to hydrate safely, how to protect yourself from the sun, and how to pace yourself in the safest way possible. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/307

Laine Dubin is a full-time college student, figure skater, and fashion content creator. She started a sustainable thrifting business on Instagram in 2020, specifically thrifting clothes for larger bodies. After going viral on TikTok earlier this year for her skating content, she not only exemplifies the fact that there's room for fat women in fashion, but on the ice too. I quiz Laine about her skating and body acceptance journey. She's sharing her thoughts on why our bodies should be cherished and treasured no matter their size, the beauty of learning how they move regardless of the sport of your choice, and her valuable tips for anyone wanting to try figure skating but who has always believed it's a sport reserved for smaller bodies. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/306

Whether you're a brand new runner considering trying your first race or a seasoned runner who has completed dozens of them, race-day anxiety is extremely common. Stress and worry can arise even if you feel physically amazing, have trained well, nailed your fueling, or are familiar with the race route. So what can you do to never stress about race day again? I offer my top three strategies for mitigating the impact of race-day stress and anxiety. Hear how stress can affect your sleep, digestion, and performance on race day, why getting stuck in a worry loop becomes problematic, and the thoughts that might be triggering a fight-or-flight nervous system reaction in you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/305

If you're feeling disappointed or discouraged because it seems like you're not getting any faster, and you interpret it as a lack of progress, listen in. We are socialized to believe that winning is the ultimate goal, not just in running, but in life. The truth is there are numerous ways to assess your running performance, and pace is just one aspect. Discover why stressing about your running pace is entirely optional, how it hinders your ability to truly enjoy the sport of running, and my top recommendations for shifting your perspective on the pain and suffering your pace might be causing you right now. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/304

My guest this week is someone with a wealth of wisdom and experience to share with the running world. Martinus Evans, also known as 300 Pounds and Running, is the founder of Slow AF Run Club: the best community for slow runners and walkers on the internet that aims to celebrate diversity and change the sport one step at a time. Listen in this week as Martinus shares his running journey with us, and some of the challenges he’s experienced as a fat Black runner. He’s offering his thoughts on being a back-of-the-pack runner, the importance of cultivating mental toughness, how he quiets his inner critic, and why developing delusional self-belief will change your life. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/303

Yoga has become a practice that’s seemingly reserved exclusively for the privileged few: wealthy, thin, young, flexible, white, and able-bodied. If you don’t feel like you quite fit into the yoga space, you’re not alone, and this week, you’re hearing from an amazing yoga teacher whose mission is to be a change agent in this realm. Dianne Bondy is an accessible yoga teacher, social justice activist, and leader of the Yoga For All movement. She’s offering her own experience of feeling “othered” in yoga, the challenges she’s come across as she’s built her business, and her top tips for advocating for yourself in yoga. Get full show notes and more information here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/302

Are you struggling with starting to run because you think your body size is holding you back? In this bonus episode you’ll hear about a free class I’m teaching that will help you get past those challenges and become a runner in the body you have right now! Sign up for the free class here: https://notyouraveragerunner.com/runningfat/