Seasoned Athlete

After a two-year hiatus, Seasoned Athlete is back with a story that has to be told.Meet Ernie Andrus, a WWII vet who recently celebrated his 100th birthday by stepping into the Pacific Ocean after finishing his second cross-country trek on foot.Listen to find out why he decided to run from coast to coast in the first place (when he was 90), how he trained as a truly late-in-life runner, and get inspired by his determination to complete this mission against all odds.Find out more about Ernie's story and how you can support his epic adventure and help him fundraise for the LST 325 Ship Memorial at coast2coastruns.com.See more photos of Ernie and his 100th birthday celebration at seasonedathlete.me.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today I’m excited to welcome Loretta Claiborne to the Seasoned Athlete Podcast. Loretta was born in 1953 with physical and intellectual disabilities and did not walk or talk until four years old. Doctors told her mother that Loretta belonged in an institution because she would never survive in the "regular" world. Loretta, a Special Olympics athlete, is a gifted motivational speaker who shares her life story that carries a heart-felt message of acceptance and hope worldwide for all people with different abilities. Her mother refused and chose to raise her the same as her other children. Despite her [different] abilities, which led to years of being bullied, teased, and hostile retaliation, she credits the Special Olympics as her positive force that turned her life around. Get the FREE Off The Couch Starter Pack here: https://robinlegat.com/byecouch We discuss: How the special Olympics has impacted her life. The various mentors that have helped her throughout her life. Why age and physical ability should never stop you from going after your dreams. How she has found healing and freedom through running. All of the ways she has committed her life to activism. … and more! Get the FREE Off The Couch Starter Pack here: https://robinlegat.com/byecouch Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today I’m excited to welcome Vanessa Bogenholm to the Seasoned Athlete Podcast. Vanessa is a Bay Area based personal trainer and an avid runner who is a regular age group podium fixture. She is also the author of It’s Your Body which shows you step by step how to slow down and understand how the body works so you, too, can get the results you want. She was not born a natural athlete, but thanks to an influential coach in her early teens, she found joy and freedom through running and that has led her to a life of helping others make their own physical, mental and emotional commitment to pursuing what excites them and becoming their best selves. Join the Happy Habits Challenge here: https://robinlegat.com/happyhabits We discuss: How she started her athletic journey. Why you need to hire the right people and the value of a great coach. How nutrition, sleep and taking care of your body is vital every day. Why you need to be honest with yourself about your goals and what it takes to achieve them. How your athletic journey can help you gain confidence in other areas of your life. … and more! Join the Happy Habits Challenge here: https://robinlegat.com/happyhabits Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We are starting to head into the holiday season, and this time of year can be a notoriously difficult time of year when it comes to staying on track with your fitness, your training, your nutrition, and other things you generally want to have happening in your life. Join the Happy Habits Challenge here: https://robinlegat.com/happyhabits People often set aside practices that make them feel good in the day to day, often with a promise to start fresh in the new year - all to get through this time of year. But why does it have to be like this? Why do you have to sacrifice these practices that make you feel strong, healthy, happy, and supported just to get through this time? And are you in fact doing yourself a disservice by doing so? This is what we’re going to get into today. We discuss: The definition of a habit. How you can get more of the habits you want and fewer of the ones that don’t serve you. Why you need to give yourself more than 21 days to get a habit to stick. Why taking on too many habit changes at once is counter productive. How being too rigid can make you less likely to stick to your goals. … and more! Join the Happy Habits Challenge here: https://robinlegat.com/happyhabits Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today I’m going to talk about something that’s been on my mind. And because I have a podcast, I get to talk about stuff that’s been on my mind. I spend a lot of time thinking about why people exercise. Why they decide to do it. Why they keep doing it. And why they stop doing it. Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com Today, I’m going to talk about one big reason why this is likely happening. I’m going to talk about the fixation on your body. We discuss: How women going through menopause are often at war with the changes going on in their bodies. Why what you do with your body is connected with who you are as a whole person. The fixation people have with changing parts of their body that they don’t like. Setting fitness goals that have nothing to do with how your body looks. Why the look of your body rarely has to do with your actual strength. … and more! Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One thing that rarely gets discussed but is of the utmost importance for any athlete is injuries. Yup. Part of being active means you’re going to occasionally hurt yourself but there’s smart ways to recover and not so smart ways to recover. And knowing the difference really matters. Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com In this episode, I want to focus on smart injury recovery for the Ageless Athlete. Of course, the goal is always to do what you can to prevent them.. And there are plenty of smart practices that you can implement into your training and your overall lifestyle to help prevent or reduce injury.But today I want to talk about what to do when an injury inevitably happens. We discuss: Why sleep is incredibly important for your body to recover. How to listen to your body to know when an injury needs extra attention. The difference between minor injuries and major injuries. How you can continue to train even while injured (by training other parts of your body!) Strategies you can use to ensure that you’re healing in a timely manner and in a way that gets you back to full strength. … and more! Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Diet culture leaves us thinking that the only reason to work out is to shrink our bodies. The messaging is constantly about losing weight, dropping dress sizes, and it is affecting your health more than you may realize. Fueling your body, no matter how much of an athlete you are, is incredibly important. Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com In this episode, I’m talking to Steph Gaudreau, NTP, a nutritional therapy, intuitive eating, and strength training expert helping women who lift weights fuel themselves better so they get stronger, increase their energy, and perform better in the gym. We discuss: How strength training changed her relationship with fitness. The many reasons active women don’t eat enough. Outdated fitness philosophies that just need to go. The various ways that under-eating is affecting your health. How weight lifting expands your life outside of the gym. … and more! Connect with our guest: Website: stephgaudreau.com Listen to Your Body Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listen-to-your-body-podcast/id999471212 Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Simple fitness is possible. I know, shocking, right? The truth is, you don’t need to be doing CRAZY gym routines to get into great shape and be ready to take on something like a 5k, 10k or even an obstacle run! Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com In this episode, I’m talking to one of my amazing clients, Eileen Faulk and about how my 21 day fitness challenge has led to her training for her first big race. Yup. It’s true. She’s doing it! We discuss: - The ways that having a fitness coach can make it easier to stay accountable to your fitness goals. - Why treating yourself is something that needs to be done on the regular. - How the knowledge of nutrition and the various ways it fuels your body creates simple changes in your overall health. - How working through my various programs has helped her stay accountable to her fitness goals. - Why having challenges and group accountability is so helpful. … and more! Find out more about Seasoned Athlete Live: START LINE STRONG here: https://seasonedathletelive.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At Seasoned Athlete, we are passionate about dispelling myths and sharing facts about aging women and our fitness needs. Too often, we are told the wrong information, studies are done with only men in mind, and it leaves us burnt out and unwell. We’re thrilled to be kicking off this season with Dr. Stacy Sims!Get the FREE Off The Couch Starter Pack here: https://robinlegat.com/byecouchStacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions.We discuss:- Key things to ACTUALLY focus on in the gym when in peri and post menopause. - Why resistance training is so important for 40+ athletes. - Movement and exercise modalities that can mitigate perimenopause symptoms. - Why intermittent fasting isn’t beneficial to women. - Recovery practices that benefit the aging women population. … and more!Get the FREE Off The Couch Starter Pack here: https://robinlegat.com/byecouchAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Have you recently restarted your fitness routine and realized you've pushed yourself too far? Today we're talking about overtraining. What it means. The dangers. And the signs and symptoms to look out for as you train. I’m also going over a few simple tips you can utilize to prevent reaching that point in your training, especially the need for recovery and a good night's sleep. I discuss: - What happens to your body if you've been overtraining. - Steps you can take to prevent overtraining syndrome before you experience symptoms. - Creating the habit of warming up and cooling down before and after workouts. - Why recovery needs to be scheduled into your workout routine. - Simple things you can do to get a good night's sleep. … and more! Here are some highlights. Let's start with understanding overtraining syndrome. "This is a condition where you work out too much or too hard, without giving your body enough rest and recovery. As a result, you may experience any number of physical, physiological and psychological symptoms. These symptoms can include but are not limited to everything from increased likelihood of injury, increased resting heart rate, sleep disturbances, lower immunity and higher likelihood of getting sick, feeling depressed, anxious, or moody, and lack of energy, especially experiencing mental burnout." How do you know if you're reaching a point of overtraining? "Everyone's experience is highly individual. Your need for recovery is different than the next person's, your symptoms may be different than the next person's. But this is definitely something you should be mindful of for a couple of reasons. First, as we age, it's important to put a greater focus on recovery. Yes, we can train hard at any age. But recovery is just as important and is required for optimal training adaptations. But like anything, it's a habit, and it must be practiced over time. So if you're not used to making recovery a priority, you could be putting yourself at risk for overtraining syndrome." Do not be afraid to take unscheduled recovery days "There are a couple ways you can figure out when it would be wise to take an unscheduled recovery day. An important skill for anyone to have is the ability to listen to your body to know when it's time to take an extra day off. But it doesn't always come naturally. It starts by paying attention to how you feel on any given day. How did you sleep the night before? Do you feel rested? Are you more sore than usual? Soreness in and of itself isn't a reason to not exercise. But if you are feeling especially fatigued, it may be wiser to take an unscheduled recovery day and maybe just go for a walk that day. Would you be better served by doing an intense workout or a gentle yoga session that day? Don't attach any sort of guilt taking an unscheduled recovery day." What to do if you're already in overtraining syndrome? "First step is to rest. Reduce your workout intensity, increase your rest days, and if there's any question whatsoever, take time off entirely and consult a physician. In most cases, overtraining syndrome is reversible, but you need to be smart about it. And the best thing you can do here is to talk to your doctor and go from there. And remember, you're not doing yourself any good by forcing yourself to train if you're feeling fatigued, overstressed and burned out. The point is to enjoy it. There's no shame in taking a break if your body and mind and soul need it. So train smart." If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine. Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days. Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease. Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful. You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move. Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days. Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today’s episode I’m sharing why NOW is the time to run your first obstacle race. You may be feeling “blah” from sitting around more than usual during the pandemic, and feel you’re just too out of shape to do it. Or maybe you think your age is a reason that obstacle racing just isn’t for you. I’m busting these myths today. Obstacle racing truly is for everybody, and in this episode I want you to leave PUMPED and ready to set off on your first (or next) race. We discuss: - How races can make you feel like you can conquer the world. - Why it doesn’t matter what age you are, you can do this for the first time. - A story about my first obstacle race. - Why you’ll be able to do more than you think. - Why we need more women over 40 on the courses. … and more! Here are some highlights. What exactly is an Obstacle Race? “Obstacle races are a type of race that combines running with completing various obstacles throughout the race course. They're typically held on trails, but not always. They can vary in length, usually anywhere between a 5k distance to a 50K distance, and there are even some 24-hour obstacle races out there! Obstacles include anything from climbing over walls to barbed wire crawls, to rope climbs, monkey bars, heavy bucket or sandbag carries and more. There are different race brands like Spartan, Tough Mudder, Savage race, and they all have their own signature style and signature obstacles. You typically have options to race competitively, where you would have to do all the obstacles on your own or race in what is usually called an open heat where teamwork is allowed and encouraged.” You Can Do More Than You Think. “I'm guessing the biggest thing holding you back is that you think you'll fail every obstacle, or you don't think you'll make it to the finish line. You have the ability to get from start to finish, in some ways, that aspect of obstacle racing is easier than a traditional road race, because the running portions are broken up with obstacles, so you aren't necessarily running non-stop like you would at a 5K, 10K or half marathon. As for the obstacles, will you fail some of them? Sure, most likely. It's a rare person who can complete every obstacle in their first race, that's just the real deal right there. Certain obstacles take strength and technique that is generally built over time. It's a mostly unrealistic expectation to be able to complete every obstacle on your own in the first race, so with that in mind, don't let that hold you back from getting out there. But here's what you may not realize: you will be able to do more than you think. Although it's an unrealistic expectation to be able to complete every obstacle on your own in your first race, don't let that set a new expectation that you won't be able to do anything, because there will be plenty of obstacles that, yes, you will be able to do.” You’ll Meet the Nicest People. “Something that might make you apprehensive about signing up for an obstacle race is that you might think the people in the course are either six-pack having, buff meathead Bros or that they're gonna be watching you and judging you. You're afraid that you're gonna look bad out there and that people are gonna judge you for it. I'm here to tell you that this couldn't be further from the truth.” Racing is for Everybody...and EVERY body. “Another thing that holds people back from doing obstacle races is that they think you have to have a certain body type to run a race, and that's just not the case. When you go to an obstacle race, you'll see people of all ages, sizes and walks of life. It's a place where we can all challenge ourselves and all feel accepted. Everyone who shows up for a race, we'll have different strengths and abilities, and everyone who shows up has it within them to make it to the finish line, it only takes gathering the bravery to get to your first race, to realize that you belong.” Doors are now open for Age Is No Obstacle, my signature coaching program created to help women over 40 get strong, confident and ready to run their first obstacle race, or their first competitive race, in just 12 weeks. Age Is No Obstacle includes a fully customizable online 12-week training program designed to give you the strength, stamina and endurance to rock the race distance of your choice. You'll also get access to the Age Is No Obstacle audio course, giving you all the things you need to know to train fuel, recover and prepare for your race. Finally, connect with your fellow Ageless Athletes and get on-the-spot coaching with ongoing live workout and group coaching sessions. Unlock over $500 in bonuses if you pay in full, including a FitFighter Steelhose Home Gym Set to get you fully set up to hit the ground running with your training. If you have an obstacle race on your post-pandemic to-do list, ditch the guesswork and skip the trial and error that so many new racers go through. Instead, get into Age Is No Obstacle before doors close on Wednesday at 5pm PT and get yourself ready to rock that race in just 12 weeks. Grab your spot now at robinlegat.com/obstacle. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today’s episode I talk about the joys that running can bring to your routine as well as your athletic life. It’s no secret I did not start off as a runner, in fact, I avoided running at all costs. But I have found a love in running and I think you can as well. Running can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding parts of your day and in this episode, I have included some steps to finding the runner in you. We discuss: - Running as a journey not a process. - Being patient with yourself and trusting the process. - Incorporating strength training. - Treating yourself to running shoes. - Incorporating speed training. … and more! Here are some highlights. Pushing Yourself. “The idea of running for 10 minutes without stopping seemed completely ludicrous to me, just out of control, crazy, insane. But I did it. It was hard, but I finished, and I was damn proud of myself. Eventually, the app asked me to run 20 minutes without stopping, same thing. Did it hard, finished. Proud of myself. I kept building to the point where I could run a 5K race, then a 10k race. The weekend of my 40th birthday, I ran my first half marathon.” Understanding Your Body “A big mistake that new runners make is to just run without doing any other type of strength training. I mean, I did it back when I started, but here's why, this is a mistake that can be holding you back from making progress. Running is a repetitive stress movement meaning you're using the same muscles in the same way over and over again, and in a fairly high impact way. If you don't strengthen your body to support this repetitive stress, it can lead to injury, which most definitely will not help you run farther, run faster or be unhappy. This is why strength training is important.” Starting off on The Right Foot “Another common thing that new runners do is to run on beat up shoes. It makes sense, this is a new hobby and you're not sure it's going to stick. So you don't want to throw down a bunch of money to buy shoes that you don't know if you're going to wear for the long term. But here is why I encourage you to get yourself new running shoes, as soon as you are able, because they can change your running game. If you've been wanting to run a Spartan Race for like ever now, or level up to your first competitive race, I've got good news for you! Races are back on the calendar and I want to help you make this goal happen! Join me on Saturday May 22 for Start Line Strong, a movement-based masterclass that will take you from feeling overwhelmed and underprepared to on fire to run your first Spartan Race or your first competitive race. Part workout, part workshop, Start Line Strong will give you the tools you need to ditch the fear and feel ready to sign up and show up for your first Spartan Race or your first competitive race, all while getting an amazing all levels workout in the process. Start Line Strong takes place on Saturday, May 22 at 8am PST, 11am ET, and it's free to attend! Reserve your spot now at RobinLegat.com/start Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today’s episode, I talk about why age is not just a number and why we should shift from this mindset. If you've been following Season Athlete for a while, you may have noticed something about the way I talk about older athletes. Since day one, I have never said age is just a number. It's a phrase I've seen over and over again in articles about aging athletes and the phrase is ubiquitous. Something about this concept and phrasing has always felt off to me. So today we talk about why the concept of “age is just a number” is highly flawed and all the reasons why age is in fact more than just a number. We discuss: - Why the mindset of “age is just a number” is flawed and dismissive. - Age should be acknowledged and celebrated. - The challenges and the benefits that come with age. - Younger Athletes vs Aging Athletes. - The American Culture surrounding aging women. … and more! Here are some highlights. What You Don’t See. “Let's start with the phrase itself “Age Is Just a Number.” It's completely dismissive. What do I mean by that? Well, imagine you see an article online about an athlete in her 60s with the headline “Age Is Just a Number.” What you usually see is, of course, an amazing and inspirational story of a person doing something that is completely unexpected of someone their age, right? And the moral of that story is hey, age is just a number, so what's stopping you? Let's dissect this for a bit. Let's talk about what you are not seeing.” “You're not seeing this athlete's training regimen and how age is factored into it. You're not seeing the recovery routine and the extra steps and time needed to stay mobile and avoid injury. You're not necessarily seeing how these practices have changed as they got older and what adjustments they've had to make due to age. You don't have a deep understanding of their athletic and their life experience leading up to this point that helps inform their decisions in a way that can only come with age.” Age is an asset, not a side effect. “I like to say that age is an asset. That's actually what I've been saying since day one on my website. I believe I say age is more than just a number, it's an asset, because it shows that age is a contributor to your story, not a side effect of your story. That age is very much woven into who you are as a human and as an athlete. All those challenges and all those benefits work together to create the athlete that you are today. And it's clear that the athlete you are today is not the athlete you were when you were younger.” Women and anti-aging in American Culture. “I feel like in some ways this concept plays into what is at least an American cultural standard. That age is something to be denied and avoided, and of course, women in particular are constantly bombarded with these anti-aging messages. We are raised from an early age to fight aging at all costs. People who are older are generally considered less than. There are activities that are appropriate for someone of a certain age and activities that are... well, not. So when you do something that is unexpected for someone of a certain age, age is just a number is there to suggest that whatever you bring to the table has nothing to do with your age.” If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine. Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days. Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease. Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful. You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move. Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days. Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy