Fueling The Pursuit

Episode Notes

"It doesn't matter what you do in this moment. It's all about everything that we put together this entire season. We don't have to have, you know, this "A" workout. You can have a bunch of "B" workouts put together. And again, the accumulation of all those workouts is going to end up with a really great result."

Today's guest is Emma Bates, elite marathoner for the USA and one of the three U.S. women's marathoners competing at the upcoming World Championships. 

Emma said one of the coolest things we've heard anyone say on this podcast. She said we all need to learn how to “dance with discomfort.” In other words, if you want to reach your potential in anything you’re pursuing, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You have to make “discomfort” your go-to dance partner. By embracing this notion, Emma was able to place 2nd at the 2021 Chicago Marathon back in October. On that day, she became one of the 10 fastest female marathoners in US history! 

Make no mistake about it, it wasn’t an easy journey for her to achieve this milestone. What’s really cool is she admits she had to make adjustments to her circumstances to finally experience the successes she’s now having. We talk about those adjustments and the importance of enjoying the journey in this fun-filled conversation with Emma! We think you’re going to love it.

Timestamped Show Notes:

3:01 Training in Colorado, taking breaks, and running shorter…

5:38 Different approaches to road races and the track…

10:35 “There's so much to be said though, for trying to connect with the audience, with the fans.”

11:29 The role of emotions…

15:00 Outside of running…

17:46 “I just want to be giving back to the sport as much as I can.”

19:06 Becoming self-aware, gaining perspective, and dancing with discomfort…

23:49 Having a plan and using a mantra…

25:03 Doing well in tough conditions, Chicago 2021…

28:57 “Your body and your mind are working as one, and everything kind of falls away and you're on autopilot almost.”

30:18 Methodical patience…

34:11 The impact of environment…

38:34 Training for World Championships…

39:33 How do you fuel your pursuits?

43:09 How Emma uses UCAN…

49:20 Bryan and Jon recap…

References:

The Holistic Psychologist - Instagram

The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford - Amazon

Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman - Amazon

Emma on the C Tolle Run podcast - C Tolle Run

UFC Strength and Conditioning Coach Bo Sandoval on Fueling the Pursuit - UCAN

Guest:

Emma Bates - Instagram | Twitter

Emma's fav UCAN product: Strawberry Banana Edge

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"We have this misconception that we need to look a certain way to perform on our best. Physical aesthetics and athletic performance don't go hand in hand always."

Today's guest is Jessica Isaacs, the Sports Dietitian for the Los Angeles Clippers and a Master Nutrition Coach for BodyBuilding.com.

Everyone has questions about diet – from what to eat to lose weight, to build muscle, to think more clearly, to have more energy, to perform better and to sleep better. Our guest, Jessica Isaacs, not only shares much needed answers to some of these questions, she does it in a way that’s fun and easy to understand. Jessica was inspired to become a sports dietitian after overcoming her own negative experiences with diet and exercise. She’s determined to help others do the same. I like to think of her as a dietitian on a mission. 

It’s amazing how easy it is to take our health for granted. Thankfully, people like Jessica exist in the world. She reminds each of us about the significant impact the right eating habits can have on our daily life experiences. I can’t wait for you to listen to this conversation and find one piece of advice that could help you take a big step forward towards your next personal best!   

Timestamped Show Notes:

3:22 A working definition of a dietician…

6:33 The similarities between dieticians and therapists…

8:00 Success comes one small step at a time…

11:56 “They make their own choices. At the end of the day, they can choose to do something or not choose to do something.”

14:33 Simplifying the message…

17:10 “I struggled with nutrition and body image my entire life. I struggled with eating disorders, diet culture, and constantly on a quest to lose weight, even when I didn't need to lose weight.”

20:04 Aesthetics and athletics don’t always go hand in hand…

22:14 High school success story…

25:09 Having a really good “why”...

30:17 “The one thing that diets don't do is they don't teach you anything.”

32:30 Flexing a creative muscle through content creation…

38:06 After the episode… MORE questions on nutrition answered…

45:49  Where to start with products?

48:50 Where to find Jessica…

49:25 Recap with Jon and Bryan…

References:

Jessica's website - JessicatheSportsRD.com

Guest:

Jessica Isaacs - Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Jessica's fav UCAN product: Orange Edge

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"One thing that really stood out to me early was someone said, "Be where your feet are." If it's hard to think, like one moment at a time, be exactly where your feet are. Be there. When you put your phone down, stop scrolling IG, and you sit with your family and watch the movie...literally be there. If you can do that, I feel like we'll all be happier." --Tommie Runz

This is a special episode featuring UCAN's Boston Marathon panel discussion with some of the most inspirational and accomplished runners in the world today. 

The discussion was hosted by Olympian Carrie Tollefson and Marathon Training Academy Podcast Host Angie Spencer. 

The panel featured the following runners:

• Meb Keflezighi, Boston Marathon Champion, 4x U.S. Olympian
• Emily Sisson, 2020 U.S. Olympian, Pro Runner
• Emma Bates, 2nd Place at 2021 Chicago Marathon, Pro Runner
• Tommie Runz, First Time Boston Marathon Runner

This discussion is packed with helpful insights that can help you up your game. All of the panelists talk about the mindset they had that helped them successfully navigate the past few years with the pandemic. They also talk about their current training situations and how they’re preparing for some of the big races on their 2022 calendars. 

If you ran the Boston Marathon or plan on running it next year, you’ll love the stories they share about their experiences running the Boston Marathon and tips to run it well. And of course, they share how they fuel with UCAN and why they love it so much. 

Get ready for some of the best tips on mindset, nutrition, training, injury prevention and so much more with this special Boston Marathon episode!

Timestamped Show Notes

3:37 The story behind UCAN…

5:52 Quick histories of Meb’s, Emma’s, Emily’s, and Tommy’s usage of UCAN products…

7:08 UCAN’s gel, Edge

9:34 Coach Rick’s story of triumph…

10:34 Introductions of panel Angie Spencer, Carrie Tollefson, Emma Bates, Emily Sisson, Tommy Bailey Runz, and Meb Keflezighi.

14:32 Handling the last couple of years…

18:25 Who has training partners?

24:05 “No matter if you're a slower runner or faster runner, whatever it is, we all go through that sufferfest together.”

25:15 Is Meb really retired?

27:38 “How many of you guys know where you were, on April 15th, 2013?”

32:18 Angie’s 3rd Boston…

34:43 Race tidbits from Meb…

37:15 Tommy’s advice…

39:02 “This is an exam, but hopefully, it's a fun exam and it just shows the work that's been done.”

40:12 Preparation in the last 24-48 hours…

42:48 Handling the pressure of the race…

44:59 How the panelists fuel…

50:39 The beauty of the strawberry banana “treat”

54:27 Injury prevention tips…

58:49 “What does it mean when you guys say you got to listen to your body?”

1:07:32 Sobriety and veganism…

1:14:03 Nasal strips in the shoe…

1:15:57 Weather challenges, taking caffeine, and being in this space…

1:22:58 What do you want to see the sport become? –Tommy’s take…

Panel Guests:

Meb Keflezighi - Website | Instagram | Twitter

Emily Sisson - Instagram | Twitter

Emma Bates - Instagram | Twitter

Tommie Bailey - Instagram

Hosts:

Carrie Tollefson - website | Instagram | Twitter

Angie Spencer - Instagram | Twitter

Related Episodes:

Tommie Runz on Fueling the Pursuit

Carrie Tollefson on Fueling the Pursuit

Meb Keflezighi on Fueling the Pursuit

Emma Bates on Fueling the Pursuit (coming soon - subscribe now!)

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"I think that we don't give ourselves enough credit in many areas for the strength we have cause it doesn't seem like the connection should be made to something else. But if you can be strong in one area, you can translate that to almost any other area of your life."

Today's guest is Tommie Runz, a 2:48 marathoner who recently qualified for the upcoming Boston Marathon.

Tommie has one of the coolest stories in running today. Five years ago, running became the tool he used to transform his life. It has taken him on a journey to not only becoming sober but also a growing inspiration to anyone who hears his story. What makes this conversation special is Tommie’s willingness to be open, honest, complex and vulnerable.

His message: be honest with yourself so you can finally overcome what’s holding you back. We talk about the transformative power of running throughout this conversation, but if any sport makes you feel free and empowered, then it can do for you what running has done for Tommie. His story is proof that the right personal changes can help you overcome whatever seems impossible to you right now.

Timestamped Show Notes:

3:08 Training for Boston… 

6:49 Approaches and strategies to stay on track… and using the past negatives to reach new goals…

10:54 “If you can be strong in one area, you can translate that to almost any other area of your life.”

13:13 A road to sobriety…

18:30 Who will I be without drinking?

22:21 “No matter what the habit is, it's not like everybody's a drinker out there, but whatever thing you're trying to break, you have to tell the truth. At some point, you got to tell the truth out loud.”

26:04 Small random moments that meant everything along the way…

29:16 Getting into running…

33:39 Filling up time with other things…

35:34 How other projects came to be…

38:18 “I need my kids to see. I need us to have a sense of ownership of something. And no matter if it's small, big, or at least see their black father, try something a little more different than what he's already doing.”

42:19 Championing the effort for other young black men…

47:57 Becoming better and creating opportunities through sports…

48:50 Advice for fueling the mindset…

51:17 PR Project and UCAN products…

54:57 Q&A with Tommie after the show…

60:45 A recap with Jon and Bryan…

References:

Run Eat Sleep Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Chip Time Running - homepage

PR Project YouTube - YouTube

What the Health movie - Wikipedia

Josh Shipp - homepage

Marathoner Sara Hall on Fueling the Pursuit - UCAN

Guest:

Tommie Bailey - Instagram

Tommie's fav UCAN combo: Lemon Energy with Watermelon Hydrate

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"You know, it's the weirdest thing because sometimes I step back and try to think of how I do it. And it's just a real natural love for running. Like when you hear those things about, you know, this person was born to do this sport or this thing, like I really feel I was born to run."

Today's guest is 2017 master's gold medalist at 60m and founder of Equity Design Inc, Maurelhena Walles.

Maurelhena is just dripping with cool throughout our conversation with her. The cool factor she brought with her today made for a high energy conversation that left me and Bryan wanting more. If you don’t know who Maurelhena is, let me try to describe her in just four words — community builder through sports. 

Maurelhena has spent her entire life making the most of what was around her. She didn’t allow limitations or a lack of resources to discourage her from going after whatever she set her sights on. And as an adult, she has found a way to continue this approach to life. She’s found a way to continue competing in the sport she loves (track and field), while building a business that helps others improve their own lives through movement. Even though it’s understandable how much we all struggle to find time to do what we love or to get involved in our own community, it’s not something we have to accept. Maurelhena’s entire life journey is proof that this is true. 

I feel so inspired to be more involved in my community after learning about Maurelhena’s story and her company Equity Design. She’s expanded my perspective and opened my eyes to what’s possible. This conversation is one I think I needed to hear right now. After listening to this episode, my guess is you’ll feel the same way too.

Timestamped Show Notes:

4:43 In the middle of a training cycle while managing a business…

6:40 Pursuing dreams outside of work make you better at work…

8:18 “I grew up happy, had a great childhood, but didn't have access to a lot of resources.”

12:07 The culture shock of college…

17:32 Taking control and pushing forward…

18:39 Launching Equity Design…

22:47 The opportunity from the pandemic…

26:15 “It's so great, how we're using technology to be able to impact the health of these teachers.”

27:34 Excelling at Empire State…

31:14 The by-product of reaching teachers…

35:21 How does pursuit of excellence on the track impact the work with teachers?

36:52 Structures and strategies…

41:48 How to support Equity Design and final piece of advice…

46:49 Q&A after the show…

59:02 Jon’s and Bryan’s recap…

References:

Equity Design Inc - homepage

Being Bold and Driven by Cecilia Hegamin-Younger, PhD - Amazon

Tony Reed on the Go Be More Podcast - Simplecast

Guest:

Maurelhena Walles - LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

Maurelhena's fav UCAN product: Vanilla Energy + Protein & Watermelon Hydrate

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"The biggest thing for me is trusting my fitness, trusting my body and saying, ‘Hey, you know what, if I end up, you know, not making a team or end up not placing where I wanted to place, it’s because I took the approach I wanted to and knew that I could be successful.’”

Our guest today is Nathan Martin, the fastest ever U.S. born African American marathoner and 8th place finisher at the 2021 New York City Marathon.

You may not assume it (and he intentionally will not boast about it) but Nathan Martin is one of the best long distance runners in the world right now. He’s genuinely humble about his rise in the sport and is interested in only two things: reaching his full potential and being an inspiration to others. That’s it. The really cool thing is his recent accomplishments serve as a reminder that there’s no standard route to the top of running or any other sport for that matter. It shows what’s possible when you wholeheartedly embrace a “never give up” attitude. 

There’s no question that this kind of thinking is required if you want to achieve your goals, both big and small. As you listen to our conversation with Nathan, you’ll discover why focusing on your potential rather than things you can’t control, like your competitors and what they may or may not do on race day, can eventually lead to achieving a new personal best, quite possibly more than once.

Timestamped Show Notes

(3:01) The 2021 New York City Marathon experience…

(4:48) Developing an adaptive approach…

(6:34) Weekly mileage, training groups, and long-term goals…

(9:12) “Originally, I was the farthest thing from a marathon.”

(12:56) Finding a work/life balance…

(15:28) “I just want to be somebody who says, no, you don't have to give up. And if you work long enough, you can achieve a lot of things, even if you're hitting your late twenties or early thirties.”

(17:50) The road to the Olympics…

(21:01) Breaching the upper echelon…

(22:29) “The biggest thing that I try and do is focus on what I'm trying to accomplish. Right? You can't control what other people do.”

(25:28) Two helpful conversations…

(27:41) “I try and focus hard on making sure they're enjoying what they're doing and they're seeing the bigger picture.”

(31:43) How the transfer of information is impacting the world of running…

(36:26) Creating an ecosystem and infrastructure to flourish…

(40:11) How has being an African American impacted your experience?

(44:27) What advice do you have for athletes?

(46:24) Nathan’s experience with UCAN

References:

Marathon Project 2020 Results - Athlinks

2021 NYC Marathon Results - NYRR

Guest:

Nathan Martin - Instagram

Nathan's fav UCAN product: Tropical Orange Energy

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"I think there's so much value in being a dreamer and a visionary but that could be deflating at times too because you know, those are your visions. Those are three, 10 years out, well in a month from now, if you're not that much closer, that could be really deflating. And that's where having your daily process goals and, and just knocking out those daily wins. That's where keeping track of those can also be a tremendous asset as well."

When it comes to sports, there are a lot of highs and lows. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. And, every once in a while, you lose a game or competition that hurts more than the others because you had to go so far to get to that moment only to fall just shy of winning. In our conversation with former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood, a lot of our conversation centered around this idea. The idea of dealing with unexpected, abrupt changes that you’re not quite ready for when they happen. 

In this episode, Eric was kind enough to share the heart-wrenching story behind his career ending neck injury and what it took to figure out what was next for him. We explore the concept of how serving others helped him carve out a clear, meaningful path in life after a nine year career in the NFL. And he drives home a lot of the tips and insights he shares about how to achieve personal growth with a unique 30-day challenge that might help you achieve more of your goals this year. 

Eric really brings it in this inspirational podcast conversation with us today. So get ready for a conversation that’s filled with ways to make meaningful progress in your life.

Timestamped Show Notes:

(3:51) What’s going on in your life right now?

(5:39) As a Bills fan, how did you feel about this last game?

(8:52) Using sports to get better at life… 

(12:39) Facing injury and channeling the need for competition in other directions…

(16:28) “So for me, it was about taking in all that perspective and then figuring out what I was going to do moving forward.”

(17:25) Figuring out “the why…”

(21:05) The new monster contracts…

(22:41) How did you go from disappointment to helping others?

(28:25) “If you want to be recognized and you want to feel important, go out and serve others and bring value to others and lift others up and you will then feel that importance.”

(29:08) Finding the balance between serving ourselves and serving others…and the freedom in discipline.

(34:38) “The number one thing for self-confidence is to write down three things at night that were wins for you that day.”

(37:32) The 1% rule…

(41:59) What does it mean to be the best version of yourself?

(44:26) What does goal-setting look like?

(50:41) The power of accountability…

(51:49) What fuels your pursuit?

(54:00) Q&A after the episode

References:

What's Next? with Eric Wood - Anchor

Eric's conversation about goal setting with Jason Selk - Anchor

How UCAN helped Eric lose 60 pounds - UCAN

Guest:

Eric Wood - website | Instagram | Twitter

Eric's fav UCAN product: UCAN Energy Powder

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“You're just a foot away from success. And it's just being resilient and fighting for what you want. It doesn't matter how many times you're knocked down. It's just standing up.”

Our guests this week are Saxon and Spencer Panchik, two of the fittest men on the planet today.

For most, living up to an older sibling's success is a deterrent when it comes to choosing a sport or similar endeavor. The opposite is true for Spencer and Saxon. It’s actually become a major factor that drives them in their pursuit to crossfit excellence. The experience gained by their older brother, Scott Panchik, one of the greatest crossfit athletes ever, has become the blueprint they leverage as they navigate their own journey in the sport. As twins, they have a built-in accountability partner when it comes to training at a high level everyday and growing a successful gym business. They credit a lot of their success to their ability to do three things really well: staying in control of their emotions, mastering proper execution and knowing when to take risks. 

Throughout our conversation, you’ll benefit from hearing how they use these skills to maintain a steady rise in the crossfit global rankings year-after-year. Make sure to listen ‘till the very end when they share a powerful story of how their fall from a 75-foot cliff when they were 12 years old led to where they are today!

Timestamped Show Notes:

(3:12) Getting to the Crossfit Games…

(7:49) Focusing on positive outcomes and the law of attraction…

(10:04) Managing expectations…

(13:56) Training, working, and strategizing together…

(18:02) “In training, we're pushing ourselves to fail. We are taking those risks every single day to see what's truly possible. And then when we get into competitions, we'll make those adjustments as needed.”

(21:23) It’s all about pacing.

(23:51) “At the end of the day, we're brothers, and we train together every day. And we're brothers before we're competitors.” 

(25:43) Is there a Panchik mentality?

(28:22) A crazy accident and a new direction at 12…

(32:33) “It doesn't matter how many times you're knocked down. It's just standing up.”

(35:15) Q&A after the episode…

References:

Crossfit Cliffside - Instagram

CrossFit Champion Scott Panchik on Mental Fortitude & Training for the Unpredictable - Fueling the Pursuit

CrossFit Games Athlete Fee Saghafi on Taking Things Personally - Fueling the Pursuit

Guest:

Saxon Panchik - Instagram

Saxon's fav UCAN product: Plain SuperStarch Energy powder with Hydrate

Spencer Panchik - Instagram

Spencer's fav UCAN product: Edge Energy Gels

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"During the race, to be honest, I don't wear a watch. Rule number one. I don't run for time. I just get to the front and hang on as long as I can."

Our guest this week is Abdi Abdirahman, 5-time US Olympian at 10,000 meters and the marathon.

I’ve known Abdi for about fifteen years now. If you know anything about this living legend in the sport of running it’s that he brings joy wherever he goes. There’s never a dull moment when he’s around. Just ask any of his peers. In fact, you can find out for yourself when you read his new book, Abdi’s World. Throughout his book are anecdotes from some of the best runners from the past few decades. They all share the common theme of how calm, cool and fun Abdi is, no matter what. This may be the secret to his twenty plus years of success as a long distance runner for the US. 

Bryan and I got to interview him on the Go Be More podcast in July of 2020. He shared so much wisdom from his journey with us in that interview. Today, we get to bring things full circle as we dive into his experience running the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics and some of the lessons he shares in his new book. Abdi’s been competing at the highest level of running and we want to give you insight into how he’s done it. Who knows. Maybe his approach will be the key to helping you reach your own goals.

Timestamped Show Notes

(2:57) Giving credit to Tokyo, the first Olympic venue since Covid…

(8:00) Prepping through the pandemic and working through an injury…

(9:29) A weight challenge…

(12:08) “I'm still, you know, a work in progress. And that's one thing you have to understand, things don't happen overnight.”

(15:50) Approach to injuries…

(19:08) “But at the end of the day, I let not those goals consume or control me or just make my life around that thing.”

(20:49) Driven by passion or achievement…

(25:59) Some unexpected training regimens…

(28:23) Competition, technology, and more improved shoes…

(33:18) “If I'm getting ready for New York, Boston, or Olympic trials, that's something I usually give myself six, seven months just to build up to be the best as I can be.”

(37:08) Keeping everything in balance…

(40:07) Lessons learned while writing a book…

(41:52) “To be honest, don't let the goals consume you.”

References:

Abdi's World: The Black Cactus on Life, Running, and Fun - Amazon

Everyone has a right to have hope w/ Abdi Abdirahman - Go Be More Podcast

Guest:

Abdi Abdirahman - website | Instagram | Twitter

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“I think running is a vehicle for conversations, which we've learned with Running Realized. But also, it is a way that runners get stuff done. We are determined, and focused, and committed. And so I think there's a lot of potential there for our community."

Today's guest is Tina Muir, former elite marathoner and host of the Running for Real and Running Realized podcasts.

Today’s episode with Tina was special for a few reasons. One - Tina has become a very important voice in the running community. So we feel very lucky to spend time with her to chat about her journey as a runner and how the sport fits into her life today. And two - I’m having this conversation solo. My co-host, Bryan Green, couldn’t join us because he’s in another time zone over in Sendai, Japan. (Don’t worry Bryan, I got this!)

Lessons and tips seem to just roll off the top of her head as she speaks about her running experiences. Our exploration of the meaning of running in her life today and the role goals can play in your own running are what stand out for me from our chat. There are plenty of opportunities for you to get to know Tina as a mother, runner and activist through her two podcast shows, Running for Real and Running Realized. 

In this one-on-one conversation, I hope you’ll discover something meaningful that helps you enjoy your running just a little bit more. Oh, and if you’re running the New York City Marathon, Tina will be there running the race too!

Show Notes:

(4:11) New York City Marathon and a 50K…

(6:32) Handling transitions in running and life…

(11:27) Stressing yourself out for stress sake…

(14:00) “I love where I'm at right now, and it is very much anti-goals, in a lot of ways.”

(18:37) “I promise you there is a way of doing special things--especially if you've got years of training under your belt--without that intensity, that, yes, sucks away so much of the enjoyment of the process.”

(21:14) Why the longer distances?

(26:25) Remembering what community is like…

(27:45) The great conversations in Running For Real and Running Realized…

(33:08) “Not everyone has to be as fired up about climate action as I am. But runners have the opportunity to pick something that is meaningful to them and really make change happen.”

(35:33) What are Together Runs?

(39:05) Being a mom of two girls…

(47:39) What’s one piece of advice you would share with your audience?

References:

Running for Real - website

Running Realized - website

Guest:

Tina Muir - website | Instagram | Twitter

Tina's fav UCAN product: Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bar

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

What stands out about Coach Greg McMillan’s philosophy is how it truly caters to the individual. And for someone who coaches thousands of runners, both elite and recreational, he clearly has a process that’s working.

What we think you’ll love most about this episode is the idea of being flexible with your training. Not doing exactly what’s written down on your training plan is probably the hardest thing for runners, but it’s this small change - the ability to adapt your training based on how you feel each day - that can help you experience the biggest gains in performance.

"That's what the thinking training is about. I need to have strategies to deal with this lizard brain. If it starts to get fired up, I've got to have something pull me back into what I know is my optimal mindset.”

Timestamped Show Notes

(2:36) What defines success? Training programs for Chicago and Boston marathons…

(6:39) Process goals are an effective measure…

(10:36) Methods for remote mindset training…

(14:52) Greg’s running history…

(18:10) “It's not that you have to be a certain way. You just need to be your way, better.”

(21:01) “How can you manipulate the training and the racing to minimize the weaknesses and amplify the strengths? So over time, year after year, those become less and less of a weakness.”

(22:27) Process goals and growing out of failures…

(27:46) The most important running lesson…

(31:37) “If you can just stack successful week after successful week, that's where that fitness comes.”

(34:01) The optimal versus the maximal…

(35:10) Who showed up today?

(40:21) The big breakthrough for a lot of runners…

(45:22) Free speed and other simple concepts…

(55:11) A coach’s last bit of advice...

References

McMillan Running - homepage

Running Nirvana: 50 Lessons to Elevate Your Running - Amazon

You (Only Faster) - Amazon

Surviving the Marathon Freakout - Amazon

Go Zone Racing - Runner's World

Sara Hall on Fueling the Pursuit - Podcast

How Magicians Think by Joshua Jay - Amazon

Guest

Greg McMillan - Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Greg's fav UCAN product: Cocoa Delite Energy

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

Our guest today is Makenna Myler, a professional runner with Asics. 

If you follow track and field closely, you may have heard her story thanks to a viral TikTok video of her running a 5:25 mile while pregnant. What we’re excited for runners and non-runners to discover about this rising star is that she’s more than a viral video. In fact, she’s a newly minted mom who has so much insight to share about how our decisions affect who we are becoming and why we should care about being intentional about the decisions we make. If you’re looking for someone to show you how to embrace your journey as unique, meaningful and full of worth, then look no further. This is the conversation you’ve been seeking!

Show Notes

(3:07) Building red blood cells for the New York City Marathon…

(5:17) Olympic goals formed from an overheard conversation and a dad’s medals…

(8:50) Overcoming an imperfect self and daily indulgences…

(13:24) Two keys to success…

(15:33) “I call it the discipline illusion, and it's this idea that everybody who's really disciplined has a ton of willpower. And the reality is usually they've prioritized a certain thing and they've made a decision not to allow something into their environment.”—Bryan

(20:11) Finding replacements and applying the basics…

(21:42) Weight and worth…

(25:08) “I guess you could say I really enjoyed the process. I really liked who I was as a runner.”

(28:14) A huge revelation…

(30:37) “And he looked at me and he's a really ‘cut and dry’ kind of guy. And he's like, I'm not saying it's impossible. It's going to be really hard for you to make the Olympic trials.”

(33:57) The freedom in a “so what” mindset…

(36:38) Listening to your body and empowering women…

(45:35) Makenna’s advice…

References

Makenna's 9-months pregnant 5:25 mile - TikTok

Makenna's Prenatal to Pro Athlete - TikTok

Guest

Makenna Myler - Instagram

Makenna's fav UCAN product: Chocolate Almond Butter Energy Bar

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"I've driven races where my power steering has gone out and the diver cooling system went out and it's 130 degrees, and if you did that for about five minutes, you'd say I gotta quit. But I had to do it for an hour. And the only way to get through it is just keep taking breaths and focusing on, 'What's the next step? What's the next step? What's the next step?'"

Today's guest is Matt Plumb, a professional race car driver.

If I asked you about car racing, you’d probably mention your favorite scene from Ford versus Ferrari with Matt Damon and Christian Bale or Days of Thunder Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Other than what we see in movies, most people don’t know a whole lot about the sport of car racing and what it takes to be a successful professional driver. As sports nerds, Bryan and I were treated to an inside look, not only into the sport of car racing, but more importantly, the mind of a professional race car driver. Car racing is about so much more than driving fast and trying not to crash. In fact, everything we talked during our conversation with Matt felt completely relatable, even though our background is in a completely different sport. We discovered so many parallels between race car drivers and runners that at times, it felt like we were talking about the same sport. 

Matt highlights his story with insight into what makes up his winning mindset, including why not quitting is quite possibly the biggest motivator that got him through his toughest moments. There’s no mistaking how relevant the lessons Matt has learned from twenty years of racing are to all of us. We really believe this conversation will inspire you to be ‘all in’ when it comes to going after what you want in life.

Show Notes

(4:11) Where is he and what his season looks like…

(5:18) Simple questions from a novice and racing basics explained…

(9:27) It’s a brother thing. The stories behind their starts…

(14:23) What’s the mindset when you are driving 180 mph?

(15:47) “Essentially you're balancing 3000 pounds of metal and fuel and everything else attached to it on four little rubber patches.”

(17:31) It takes a team…

(20:18) What are your thoughts on other drivers?

(22:4) What happens physically and mentally in the cockpit?

(27:40) The “why” behind racing and the dysfunction of being elite…

(30:16) “Early in my career, I would say, I'd be willing to die to achieve success behind the wheel.”

(31:52) What’s the process that takes you through a race?

(33:42) Navigating the moments where you lose focus…

(35:56) A perfect example…

(39:06) “90% of my conditioning has become warming up for my exercising and then stretching, and trying to make all the things that cramp and get sore, go away.”

(41:07) Dealing with the consequences of mistakes…

(45:59) The safety of the sport today…

(49:51) Advice for others looking to fuel their pursuits...

References

Matt's Wikipedia page - Wikipedia

Team TGM - homepage

Laguna Seca results - Team TGM

Guest

Matt Plumb

Matt's fav UCAN product: Tropical Orange Energy

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"We need to improve her overall strength. Hip stability, her shoulder stability, and her abdominal strength are the three main areas that I'm going to approach and attack. And really with any sport, I'm going to go with those three main areas. You need good hips. You need good abdominal stability. You need good shoulders to build your scapular stability, to hold everything in place."

Today's guest is David Donatucci, the General Manager of Arise Center for Athletic Development in Jupiter, Florida

David has a long history working with athletes of all ages and abilities and he shares some straightforward and easy to follow advice in our conversation with him today. I loved how simple his approach is to strength, conditioning and mobility training. He shares helpful tips on the benefits of incorporating strength training into your current fitness routine and he drives home the benefits of these tips with some entertaining stories from different athletes he’s worked with in the past. 

Timestamped Show Notes

(2:38) Arise Center, the great opportunities and the challenges…

(4:37) The impact of Covid…

(8:44) “With every challenge comes a change, and sometimes change is for the better.” 

(10:28) Two avenues of keeping athletes in their routines…

(13:11) Appreciating the complimentary training aspects…

(19:33) “Go carry your bag and walk 18 holes, sometimes 36 in the same day, because that's the only type of conditioning that's going to basically be able to correlate to you doing the same thing while you're out playing four or five days in a row.”

(21:46) How to first approach training with a new athlete and the three main areas of attention…

(25:33) Goals frame the benefits of strength and mobility training…

(27:47) “If the trainer's not doing some sort of an assessment or some kind of evaluation, find another guy, find another girl.”

(30:18) Keep goals attainable and have a plan…

(32:42) “I think the biggest thing is that people have the misconception on really how hard professional athletes train.”

(34:30) There’s nothing new… so get back to the basics…

(37:35) Losing attention span after an hour in the gym…

(42:04) Minimize downtime...

References

Arise Center for Athletic Development - homepage

Guest

David Donatucci - website | LinkedIn | Twitter | 

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"I think you really need to find people that are in your corner. No matter if you're an athlete or not, just find somebody that helps you see the best in you. And like I said, holds you accountable."

Today's guest is Carrie Tollefson, 2004 Olympian in the 1500 meters and multiple time champion in both cross country and track and field. Carrie gave us insight about the role her parents played in her becoming a successful elite runner. She credits her mother for her drive and her father who helped her to “train her brain” from an early age to help her become somentally tough. 

I’ve met and competed against a lot of Minnesota runners over the years and they all seem to have something special about them. I don’t know what they’re doing over there in Minnesota. Whatever it is, it's working! In all seriousness, Carrie seems to be a very happy go-lucky gal. And she admits that that’s one of the secrets to her success. She competes best when she’s free of concern and just running happy. Maybe that’s one of the secrets to optimal performance in life.  

Timestamped Show Notes

(2:47) Life in Minnesota, growing up and now…

(5:46) Seeing the world through an 11-year-old’s eyes…

(9:16) “We all believed we could do whatever we put our minds to because my mom told my dad that, and we heard stories about that. And she also told us girls that, and you know what? My dad believed it because of my mom, and all of us girls did.”

(11:25) The start of a running career…

(15:28) “I'm really thankful that I had a few of those people that are in a small knit group of mine that hold me accountable. Cause there're times, you know Jon, as runners, we have to be reminded why we're doing it. It's hard. It's not an easy sport. Anyone who picks this up, whether you're a newbie or a veteran or an elite athlete, world-class, whatever this sport is hard for all of us.”

(16:55) Dad’s influence on the mental game…

(18:36) When it clicked…

(22:14) The power of a well-timed reset…

(26:00) A defining conversation for Jon…

(28:18) Handling potentially life-changing diagnosis…

(30:31) “I'll tell you what, it fueled me, even more, to come back and to show everybody that I was going to be able to run with this new deal.”

(33:54) What was the significance of the 2004 Olympic trials as compared to becoming an Olympian?

(37:12) Making a decision to change plans during a race…

(42:35) Word cues...a simple, effective racing tactic…

(45:09) “Bryan, it’s 2:51:56. Come on now!” Carrie sets the record straight about running a 2:52 marathon as a mom…

(50:08) What’s ahead for the future?

References

C Tolle Run podcast - website

Carrie Tollefson's stats - World Athletics

2004 US Olympic Trials 1500m - YouTube

Guest

Carrie Tollefson - website | Instagram | Twitter | 

Carrie's fav UCAN product: Cocoa Delite Energy Tub

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

"An Olympic athlete...their body needs to feel good, but as far as equipment goes, they just need their spikes, and they're fine. I have to have multiple different parts different things, different hinges, equipment in case something goes wrong. I'm literally bringing a suitcase with me, filled with spare parts in case something breaks while in Tokyo."

Today's guest is Ezra Frech, the youngest athlete on the US Paralympic track and field team. Ezra was born missing his left knee and left fibula, and fingers on his left hand, yet with a relentless attitude he's qualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 3 events, at just 16 years old! 

Even though he’s only 16, he’s worked hard to become someone who thrives off of overcoming challenges. Throughout our conversation with Ezra you'll hear a sense of belief that what he’s doing is so much greater than just winning; that winning is a stepping stone towards so much more. He admits to having a vision of helping to bring adaptive sports to the forefront of the sports world and really believes he can have an impact. When you listen to him speak, we believe you will too!

Timestamped Show Notes

4:00 Preparation in the weeks leading up to Tokyo…

5:04 The ups and downs after trials and the technical challenges in the high jump…

8:33 Handling frustration…

11:16 “I love track. I'm obsessed with this sport, the complexity of it, the way the body has to intertwine with the technology to be the best athlete that you can be.”

13:07 Ezra’s unique disability…

15:24 A mind-body connection and added variables…

19:11 A gap and a need filled through Angel City Sports…

21:53 The pandemic and shifting goals…

25:02 “If the outcome is meant to be, it will happen.” And the one word that describes his mentality.

30:01 No stones unturned and optimizing all aspects…

31:58 “I would not be able to live with myself if I didn't fully optimize everything leading into Tokyo and leading into these big competitions.”

36:18 “The way I will approach Tokyo is this is my moment, take it all in, this is it. This is my moment in history right here. This is what it's about. And with that type of mentality, I will be very focused.”

41:03 Advocating for adaptive sports through Angel City Sports…

44:29 A piece of advice for other athletes…

References

Ezra on The Ellen Show in 2014 - YouTube

Angel City Sports - homepage

Clayton Frech interview (Ezra's father, founder of Angel City Sports) - Go Be More podcast

Guest

Ezra Frech - Instagram | Twitter

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“Now that I've been running for over a decade, I could just keep adding things and adding things. And by the end of the day, I would be training 24/7, adding all these new exercises. And I do gain a lot of confidence from doing these things, but then I like to assess what's actually helping me." 

We're joined by Joe Klecker, 2021 U.S. Olympian in the 10,000 meters.

Joe has an amazing story and it was so fun exploring his journey to making the 2021 Olympic team. One of the things that stands out about Joe’s story is how both his mother and father were world class runners back in their day. In fact, Joe’s mother was an Olympic runner as well! 

Joe displays so much perspective on making his first Olympic team four years earlier than he originally expected. He said something we all can benefit from when he spoke about competing at his first Olympics: this first big experience is a stepping stone towards more big moments. 

It’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget that we’re all on a journey and that every moment, no matter how big, is still a moment to learn and to grow for future opportunities. Joe may only be 24 years old but he shares a lot of wisdom throughout our conversation.

Timestamped Show Notes

(3:25) Continuing an Olympic legacy…

(5:43) A couple of tricks that worked for Jon…

(7:16) Key advice to make the 10,000-meter team…

(11:12) Making all the right decisions in the last portion of the race…

(14:31) “I got a lot of confidence in where I ran my 10k PR, the conditions were a bit warm and I knew that I was well in shape to run the standard.”

(16:32) The power of a Coach’s belief…

(18:37) “You're not just running as hard as you can to hit that pace. You need to be relaxed.”

(23:15) A team dynamic and an effective training approach…

(25:26) How has Covid impacted training, and what does strength training look like?

(31:24) What ancillary activities do you feel are important?

(34:42) “I mean, obviously, my whole career has been surrounded by my mom being an Olympian. When I'm at cross country meets in high school, that's kind of what people know, like, ‘Oh, that's Joe, his mom's an Olympian.’”

(36:27) A few words about reaching a career goal early…

(39:35) Preparing for Tokyo…

(43:47) “Every day, your training doesn't need to be perfect. But if you have a purpose every day when you go out, I think that it makes it a lot easier to see improvement, even on easy days.”

References

2021 Olympic Trials 10,000 meter Final - YouTube

Sound Running Invite 5000m (Joe's 13:06 PR) - YouTube

On Running - website

UFC's Bo Sandoval on Fueling the Pursuit - Simplecast

Guest

Joe Klecker - On Running bio | Instagram | Twitter

Joe's fav UCAN product: Cookies & Cream Energy + Protein Tub

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“I just always had these mini-goals. So it wasn't about where I would be in 2012 after 2008. It was, ‘Okay, this is 2009. How can I get mentally tougher? How am I going to win this world championship? How am I doing in practice from week one to week two?’ Those are the things we have to be very mindful of. It's making your small goals feel as good as the big goals.”

Our guest this week is Sanya Richards-Ross, a 4-time Olympic gold medalist, the American Record holder for 400 meters and so much more.

It’s not everyday you get to speak with a modern day wonder woman, but that’s exactly what we got to do today in speaking with Sanya! She’s not only one of America’s greatest sprinters, she’s just a really cool person. This conversation has it all: we talk about her past Olympic experiences as well as the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, the importance of mental training and the role it played in her gold medal performance in the London Summer Olympic Games, and the impact a mother and father can have when they’re all-in on their children’s dreams. 

Timestamped Show Notes

(4:42) Does commentating at the Olympic Trials bring back specific memories?

(7:19) “I take my hat off to her for being able to balance it all because I always say being an athlete is such a selfish job… it's always all about you all the time. The more you take care of yourself, and people focus on you, the better you do. But when you're a mom, it's the opposite; it's all about focusing on somebody else and putting them first.”

(8:53) How to prepare for the high pressure of the Olympic Trials…

(11:11) The impact of a sports psychologist…

(12:25) Being freed from past trauma…

(14:45) “I literally would visualize myself running the Olympic race every single Thursday. So when I got to the championship, I was like, I've been here before, right. I'm already the champion.”

(17:20) “The minute that we were able to unlock it, I felt like a weight came off of me.”

(20:33) Dealing with mixed signals…

(23:00) Being intentional about your environment…

(25:16) How did you keep things fun?

(30:37) The details of a training day and staying motivated…

(32:53) Supportive parents were the difference maker…

(35:24) “I think he never stopped learning. Even after the success of Michael Johnson, he always studied the 400 and studied the sport and just kept pushing it.” 

(38:20) One career regret…

(40:54) Advice for athletes heading to Tokyo…

(42:10) MommiNation, Sanya’s passion project…

(44:30) The four P’s (or is it five?)...

References

2006 World Cup Athens 400m American Record 48.70 - YouTube

2008 Olympic 400 meter final - YouTube

2012 Olympic 400 meter final - YouTube

MommiNation - website

Guest

Sanya Richards-Ross - website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“I call it an explorative mindset for racing… ‘Let's see what I can do,’ rather than, ‘This is what I need to do.’” - Katie Zaferes

Today's guest is Katie Zaferes, a two-time Olympic Games qualifier and 2019 ITU World Triathlon Series Champion.

For Katie, the road to Tokyo has been anything but smooth. We not only explore her mindset as a world class triathlete, we also talk about what’s been going on in her life since the onset of the pandemic, including the unexpected passing of her father earlier this year. 

According to Katie, it was the combination of the “try it and see what happens” attitude instilled in her from both of her parents, as well as her father’s sneaky plan to get her into triathlons, that contributed to her becoming one of the world’s best. As we talked about her current preparations for Tokyo, we got insight into how she’s taken and applied the lessons she’s learned since her disappointing finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 

We’re really excited to share our conversation with Katie with the summer Olympics just a few weeks away.

Show Notes

(2:34) Three different time zones and training in Spain…

(4:00) A truly international training team…

(6:09) Grocery stores, logistics, and technology…

(9:06) How has it been in Europe with Covid regulations?

(12:22) “It's also been really cool because in 2019, almost everyone on our team had been on the podium for the world triathlon series. And in 2018 Joel had four out of six of the overall podium spots with our squad. All three men were on the podium for the overall, and then I was on it for the women. So it's a really cool squad to be a part of.”

(14:24) When competitors push you to be great...

(16:36) A community of support during a challenging time…

(19:02) “So I was like, okay, I'll do this with you, only to find out years later that he might've had a little sneaky insight that maybe I would be good at triathlon. Cause at that time I was running track and swimming and he was thinking, oh, well this could go somewhere.” A dad’s influence and a start in the sport…

(23:44) “I call it an explorative mindset for racing… ‘Let's see what I can do,’ rather than, ‘This is what I need to do.’”

(26:54) The many lessons from Rio and the benefits of a sports psychologist..

(30:07) How tools in the toolbox made a difference on the bike…

(33:19) Taking ownership and communicating effectively…

(34:21) Crashes, training, and Tokyo…

(37:55) Navigating a rocky road…

References

2019 Tokyo Qualifier Crash - Olympics.com

Katie's Coach Joel Filliol - website

Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor - Amazon

Guest

Katie Zaferes - website | Instagram | Facebook

Katie's fav UCAN product: Cran Raz Energy

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits

“When you get to that elite level, it comes down to who wants it more. And the people that stand on the podium, the people that earn their Games bids in my eyes, are the people that wanted it the most. And yeah. I want it. But I'm going to do my damn best to earn it as well. And now that I'm taking things a lot more personally than before, I'm excited. I'm fired up.”

Today's guest is Fee Saghafi, 2x CrossFit Games competitor.

Fee has so much energy to share and we’re so excited for you to get some of that energy from our conversation with her today. We loved chatting with Fee about everything from her journey into CrossFit, how tight knit the CrossFit community is and what being part of this community means to her. To say this was an inspirational conversation is an understatement! 

Fee was courageous and kind enough to share the story behind one of the most challenging moments a professional athlete can face - training for a big competition only to have an unexpected obstacle derail your performance. She openly talks about her experience with getting sick going into the Mid-Atlantic Competition just a few weeks ago and how hard it was for her to get through it and still finish 7th place. We learn from her that adverse situations can actually be the thing you need to activate the warrior within you and find another level of competitiveness to do more than you previously thought possible. 

Without a doubt this conversation is going to get you fired up no matter what sport you do. 

Show Notes

(3:24) Coaching at Crossfit Mentality…

(5:27) Taking the stress out of your day and owning your wellness… Life after Covid…

(8:06) “So it's really cool to be able to see how a workout or how a session could be modified and changed in many different ways. So that no matter what, you're starting strong, you're finishing stronger, you're always walking away, challenged.”

(8:47) How the Crossfit journey started…

(10:17) The Mid-Atlantic Crossfit Challenge…

(11:55) When things don’t go as planned…

(18:14) “A little silver lining in that weekend, of it not going my way... because one of the things that I really love, Scott and I train a lot and it's not just about training. We have time to reflect on our training. Maybe things that don't go our way... and one of the things that he said a while ago that resonated with me was like you can't program adversity. It either happens or it doesn’t.”

(19:56) How to handle an event when you’re not feeling well…

(23:30) Fuel for the next opportunity…

(25:10) “Everything happens for a reason… When you choose to learn from it, you create the reason. You define what that reason is.” Bryan

(28:02) Chasing after lunch money…

(32:20) The athlete she is today compared to when she started…

(37:06) Walking through the progression…

(43:50) “So it was just very little by little, and you start to realize that it's very little details that actually add up to that big picture. And that makes the biggest difference.”

(44:41) What’s your WHY?

References

Crossfit Games - website

Crossfit Mentality - website

Guest

Fee Saghafi - Instagram

Fee's fav UCAN product: Cookie's & Cream Energy + Protein

Hosts:

Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin

Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook

Learn More:

UCAN - ucan.co | @genucan

Your Personal Best Awaits