Behind the Sweat

Recovery is one of the most important things to do for your body as an athlete. Recovery helps us stay active and able to do the activities we love throughout our lives. This conversation taps the experts from Upswell Studio in Denver to offer tips on how and what to do when we aren't running around.

Discounts codes

brunchrun15 - $15 single session booking (v. $25) 

brunchrun20 - 20% discount on 4x, 8x, and All Access monthly memberships

Spring race season is here and as many of us get ready to board plans to fly around the country and the world, let's to talk about runcations, race travel and running while traveling. Traveling for a race is so much fun because it means having the ability to explore a place that is different from our day to day runs. Race traveling takes a lot of planning because jet lag, poop schedules, cramped leg room or long car rides can all impact how you show up on race day. 

This episode talks about:

• The steps to take while signing up for a destination race
• How to pack for a race and runcation
• Tips for running while on vacation

The 127th Boston Marathon will take place next Monday. To prepare for the marathon that started it all, Shawn King from the For Your Run podcast joins the conversation. If you are looking to understand what a BQ is? How to get into the race? How the Bostom Marathon inspired other marathons? Then you must listen to this episode! 

IV therapy has been making headlines for various reasons, and this episode explores its benefits for athletes and discusses the pop culture phenomenon around it. The guest for today's episode is Katie Gillberg, from Hydrate IV Bar, who has extensive experience in IV therapy.

• IV therapy is not a new concept; it involves administering nutrients, fluids, and vitamins directly into the bloodstream via an IV drip.
• IV therapy is often used to treat dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, and fatigue.
• Athletes can benefit from IV therapy to help with post-workout recovery and to replenish lost fluids and nutrients.
• IV therapy can also improve athletic performance by increasing energy levels and reducing inflammation.

Slow running is where the magic happens. The majority of your runs need to be slow and recovery focused if you want to see improvements. The other 20% of the time go out there and crush. This episode offers tips, benefits and more on how to slow down to get faster.

It’s every single endurance runners favorite topic: tapering. Tapering is one of the hardest parts of any endurance training cycle. Dr. Megan Cannon is a sports psychologist and here to answers all the questions we have about the mental side of tapering. We all know the benefits of the taper but how do we prepare ourselves mentally during the taper phase. The answers are in this podcast episode.

If you're a runner looking to get off the pavement and explore the great outdoors then this epsidoe featuring trail runner Lindsley Kump is for you.  In this episode, Lindsley shares her experiences of running trails in both competitive and recreational environments and offers tips on how to make sure you stay comfortable and safe while exploring your favorite paths. 

This episodes covers topics like:

• Being prepared for the trails
• Inclusivity on the trails
• Tips on how to start trail running
• Go to snacks for the trails
• Trail running is not about distance
• Recs for spots to trail run around Denver

As athletes we’ve all set some pretty big goals. To get to those big goals we need to make a plan. Professional runner, coach, author and mom, Neely Gracey joins this episode to talk all things goal setting. Listen in and check out the goal setting worksheets below that Neely created in partnership with Honey Stinger.

Runners need to strength train. End of story. No questions. There are so many benefits of strength training for runners from power and injury prevention. Tune in to listen how to incorporate strength training into your training. 

Spring Group Training is now open! 

This program is perfect for anyone training for a spring race 10K+. If you are running The bRUNch Trail Run, Colfax Marathon, Steamboat Marathon is anything in between, this is for you!

This program is customized to your goals.

This program includes:

• Customized training plan built around your lifestyle and goals in Final Surge
• Bi-weekly schedule adjustments
• Weekly check-ins via community platform
• Weekly feedback via community platform
• Support, educational materials and connection with community members via platform
• Fun community challenges with the chance to win prizes
• Customized race strategy plan
• Program built on Final Surge training hub with in hub feedback
• Program launches February 20

Mindset. It’s perhaps the hardest muscle to train as an athlete. Often times we focus so much on the physical aspects of our training that we forget about the mental side.

Making sure we are in the right mindset is ultimately the key to our successes. In this episode meet Kaci Ghetmiri. Kacia is the host of the Empower Her podcast. In this chat we take a look at how to frame our mindset for the current season we are in and why need to brag about those easy runs.

After listening to this episode get ready to make a depsoit into your confidence bank.

Housekeeping

Last month A.C. Shilton wrote a story for Runner's World titled, "Does running have a drinking problem?" Brunch Running is a community and brand that does include alcoholic beverages within it's evnets and marketing. That is why this conversation was a very important and a conversation that as a brand we needed to be a part of. 

This is not a conversation where we are judging others. This story and this conversation look at the facts, studies and information provided by experts and presents them in a way where you can make the choices for yourself. If you are looking for help and support around your drinking, there are many organizations to support and help you. 

This conversations reviews A.C.'s article and does talk about alcoholism. 

There is a science behind when and how we eat as athletes. In this episode meet Holley Samuel. Holley is a registered dietitian and in this conversation, she takes us through how, when and why we need to fuel for our runs.

There is something magical about going out into nature. Nature is not only beautiful to behold but it has almost mystical healing powers. In this episode Kylie Bearse shares with us how getting outdoors helps her mental health and some of her favorite hiking spots in Colorado.

Episode takeaways:

How do you recover from a hard workout? Steve Nagib is the general manager at Denver Sports Recovery, a certified athletic trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist and holds a masters in human physiology. This conversation will answer lots of your recovery questions from massage to cyrotherapy.

SOCIAL

From relationships to building a business, we talk about how to trust our gut with everything. If you start with self care that automatically makes you love yourself more and makes the space for more self love in your life while cutting out things that are not serving you. This conversation will inspire you to say “no” to things that do not have a place in your life. Get ready for lots of journaling prompts (see below) and get those journals ready.

SOCIAL

The season is here to get some dirt under our shoes. Trail running is the opportunity to take your running to an whole new level and we are not just talking about altitude. This episode is a conversation for anyone looking to start hitting the trails, experienced trail runners and anyone else who wants to listen to a chat about the outdoors. 

SOCIAL

This episode is all about sleep. There are so many questions about sleep so we went to an expert. We sat down with Dr. Carleara Weiss, Ph.D., MS, RN, is a clinician-scientist and founder of Dr. Weiss Sleep Education, a wellness platform to promote healthy sleep. This episode answers questions like:

• Why do we need sleep?
• How can we create a better bedtime routine?
• How do we know if we are getting enough sleep?

SOCIAL

How do you recover from a hard workout? Steve Nagib is the general manager at Denver Sports Recovery, a certified athletic trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist and holds a masters in human physiology. This conversation will answer lots of your recovery questions from massage to cyrotherapy.

SOCIAL

Runinng is a sport that many of us love. However, running as a woman is very different from running as a man. This episode is all about what it feels like to run as a woman. The freeing feeling. The new experiences. Pushing our bodies to the limits. It also talks about the fear, the precautions that we take, that running in a sports bra is not asking for it and more. 

SOCIAL

There is a time in our lives for everything and along that path you can change your mind a million times. This conversation with Jordan Drankoski is all about change. We talk about changes we made to where we lived, careers paths and saying goodbye to hustling.

SOCIAL

What costume would you run a marathon in? Think about it while you read more about Brittany Charboneau. Brittany is a professional road and trail runner based in Denver, Colorado. She is also known as The Funny Runner, thanks to her background in improv and sketch comedy. And she was the very first guest we ever had on this podcast.

SOCIAL

Not every injury is the result of a fall or an epic crush. Chronic injuries and pain are a real thing and so often we attempt to push through the pain and discomfort. Today my conversation with guest Toni Kengor is all about injury, how we handle injury and how we come back from it. 

SOCIAL

Creating boundaries is hard AF. Boundaries are one of the tools in your toolbox for your mental health. In this epsiode we are joined by Dr. Victoria Rodriguez. Dr. Victoria is a New York-based psychotherapist, business strategist, and leadership coach focusing on building an individual’s mental health while helping them build the business of their dreams.

SOCIAL

There is something magical about going out into nature. Nature is not only beautiful to behold but it has almost mystical healing powers. In this episode Kylie Bearse shares with us how getting outdoors helps her mental health and some of her favorite hiking spots in Colorado.

Can food help to improve mental health and symptoms of seasonal depression? That is the question we ask in this episode. Stevie Smith is registered dietitian and certified sports nutritionist. She is also a nutrition consultant and content creator for InsideTracker, the leading personalized performance and nutrition system for human optimization. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of these notes to learn about this week’s giveaway!

SOCIAL

Over the past two years we've all made some amazing freinds online. One friend that I've had the priveledge of getting to know and being inspired by is Eric Logan. Eric is a duathlete from Georgia and we met online back in 2020. His motivating posts helped inspired me to attempt my first duathlon and get out the door on many mornings. Eric consistently shows up and in our conversation, he shared his story on how to changed his life, how he balances a full-time job and how social media can be healthy for us. 

SOCIAL

Will it even matter? That’s a question our guest today and many Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been asking themselves. This is the final episode for season 2 and we are ending it with a conversation with Josie Aslakson. Josie is a member of the USA Wheelchair Basketball team.

Josie’s story is one of resiliency. After a car accident left her paralyzed, she turned to sports to find a sense of belonging and community.

Tune in now and get ready to be inspired.

If you like the show please give us a five star rating and review and be sure to tell your friends. Subscribe on Apple Podcast Spotify or wherever you are listening.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1! We are kicking off the season, pun intended, with 3x Olympian and the 2012 Bronze Medalist in Taekwondo Paige McPherson. Adopted when she was only four days old, Paige has had an amazing journey to the Games.

As many younger siblings often do, they choose to tag along and want to do all the things their older siblings do. This was how Paige found herself practicing Taekwondo. Her story from that first lesson to where she is now will leave you inspired and in awe. You’ll have to listen in to our conversation for all the details.

If you like the show please give us a five star rating and review and be sure to tell your friends. Subscribe on Apple Podcast Spotify or wherever you are listening.

Sometimes you need to go into a situation without a backup plan. Figuring it out is what Maddy Ciccone did and today she is a master instructor at Soul Cycle. Maddy and I caught up last week and could have talked for hours.

We talk about how she left her marketing job to pursue her passion for fitness and how she’s held onto those handlebars to get to the life she wanted to live. There are also a few tangents but we always bring it back around to messages that will leave you feeling inspired.

I did forget to ask her the final question so make sure to listen past the end of the interview for our follow up.

How can you support the podcast?

Today’s episode features Georganne Moline, Olympic hurdler. This title might tell you a little bit about who Georganne is but it does not define her. During our conversation Georganne got vulnerable about her struggles post-2016 games and how she had to work to find joy on the track again.

We also talk in depth about 2020 and how she had to go from preparing for another Olympic Trials to life as we know it today and sometimes we all need extra time to reach out goals. Repeat. We can all use extra time to reach our goals. As we enter this new year, let’s look at the positive moments from 2020 in our lives. Where or how did 2020 give you extra time for the things that are important to you?

There is nothing like being a part of a team. The bond through the good times and the tough times. Today my guest is Alex Aust, a professional lacrosse player and member of the US national team and the ultimate female badass. Our conversation goes deep into Alex’s life on the field and off the field. She shares her experience winning gold in the World Cup and how she always knew she wanted to play lacrosse at the highest level, but never realized she would be among one of the first woman to do so.

There is so much motivation in this episode for women and men of all ages. Listen in for your Monday dose of motivation.

Listen in and have a fabulous Monday!

Confidence is a superpower that we all have. Today my guest is Regina Montgomery, a demi soloist with the Tulsa Ballet. Regina shares her story of how her childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer came true and gives us an inside look into the world of ballet.

Ballet holds a special place in my heart, so I was very excited for this conversation. In this episode we talk a lot about confidence, the power of not giving up and how you only need one door to open to make your dream become a reality.

Listen in and have a fabulous Monday!

The road to our goals is paved with hurdles and obstacles. In today’s episode I chat with snowshoe runner, entrepreneur, and mama Sarah Canney. Sarah has been a lifelong athlete and found running in college as part of her eating disorder recovery journey.

We talk about how Sarah recovered and eventually found herself on a podium of a world championship. Sarah offers so many motivational nuggets from goal setting, to where she finds joy to how becoming a mom changed her mindset as an athlete.

Listen in and have a fabulous Monday!

Having courage does so not mean the absence of fear. Having courage is being scared but still moving forward. This is part of the message Arshay Cooper shared with me when we chatted. Arshay Cooper is a rower, activist, and author of the memoir, A Most Beautiful Thing. His memoir shares the story of the country’s first all-black high school rowing team. His experience as on the team at Manley High School changed his life and his story will inspire you.

His memoir was the inspiration for a new documentary “A Most Beautiful Thing.” If you have not yet watched this documentary, you need to immediately.

Arshay is a role model for those of all ages. The work he is doing today will truly make the world a better place.

You can do and try your best, but that does not always mean that you will win. In this episode I chat with Scott Stallings, professional golfer, husband and father.

Before turning pro in 2007, Scott and his college advisor wrote a business plan for how he could have a career out on the course. The plan worked. We caught up earlier this month to talk about his journey, playing golf today and how to make positive changes in life.

This is good one. Hope you enjoy it!

How can you support the podcast?

Having a sister is one of the most amazing relationships a person can have in their lives. Now imagine that you and your sister compete in the same event at the same time for the same school. She’s still your biggest cheerleader but now she’s also your competition.

That is part of the story of sisters Carly and Maddie Biron. Their experiences in the pool taught them so much about themselves and each other, that today they are building a fitness empire together.

Introduction to sports is not the same for us all. Ola Khaldi Alghazzouli is a certified personal trainer, functional fitness specialist and swim instructor. This past summer she launched “Swim4Akhirah” to speak up about swimming for the Muslim woman and to bring further diversity into the swimming industry. This program is changing the lives of women around the world.

Please note that we do discuss eating disorders in this episode. If this is a trigger for you, I suggest listening to one of our other inspiring episodes.

Sports teach us so much, like curiosity, resiliency and control. On today’s episode is Mike Aidala. Mike is a Denver-based health and wellness expert who guides individuals that are looking to build stability, flexibility and strength. Not only does he inspire you to work on your physical body but to look inward and work your mind.

Our conversation starts as Mike share’s his story about playing football in high school and college to how he built his coaching business. The lessons you’ll learn in this episode will have an impact on the words you choose to keep in your vocabulary.

Tune and make sure to check out our story for today’s journal prompt.

In this episode I chatted with Callie Vinson. Callie is an ultramarathon runner and advertising copywriting professional. She's originally from Orlando, graduated with her B.F.A. and M.A. in advertising from SCAD in Savannah and currently lives in Chicago, working on the creative side for an ad agency. When she's not working, she's coming up with ways to make running and training more interesting, especially without races to work towards. Lately, she's dabbled in Strava art designs as well as "mural tours" around the windy city. Currently she is crewing her friend and running buddy, Shan Riggs on a quest to run from coast to coast. We caught up while they were in Iowa. Our conversation goes deep into how we approach the challenges we are faced with including how much our bodies and minds really can take.

Age does not limit our goals. That is the message Patricia McNeal would love for all women to hear. Patricia is a stroke survivor who began her fitness journey in 2012 and then decided to ride her bicycle across the country. Today her and her husband ride their bikes everywhere and she is planning to ride around the world for her 60th.

Madeline Kopp is a professional 800 meter runner for Under Armour. She lives and trains in Washington D.C, with the District Track Club. She graduated from Duke University in 2017 where she ran track and received a bachelors in Global Cultural Studies. When not running you can find her at the nearest coffee shop, on an adventure with her dog, or curled up on the couch binge watching comedy shows.

Our conversation touches on a little bit of everything from what it was like for Maddie to turn pro to learning how the best plans are the plans we never made. And we of course chat about what an upcoming track season might look like.

This first season has been amazing so far! Before we continue hearing the stories from amazing athletes, I wanted to take a minute and give you the opportunity to get to know me better. This week's episode is a solo one. I'll answer the questions you've heard me ask others and a few listeners sent in. 

I'll take you back to where it all started for me and share how running came into my life and where I'm running to next. Did you like that pun? :) 

How can you support the podcast?

If you liked the show please give us a five star rating and review and be sure to tell your friends. Subscribe on Apple Podcast Spotify or wherever you are listening right now. In the episode notes you will find some links and notes from our partners. Please support them.

Another way to support us is to follow us on Instagram at @behindthesweat_ and to follow me personally at @alexweissner.

So many of us identify ourselves by the word athlete and the sport we play, especially during our high school and college years. Amy Rivers, a Denver-based runner and coach did. She lived and breathed running. It was how she made her choice on where to attend college.

In this episode, she shares how she overcame injury after injury, including an injury her freshman year of college that left her feeling like she never wanted to run again.

This conversation will hopefully inspire you and remind you that you can come back from injury and hard times.

Triathlons are a beast. If you haven’t tried one yet, I challenge you. There is so much grit and grace that goes into this event. For at least the past two years I’ve been following Lara Gruden on Instagram. Lara is a professional triathlete based in Tucson, Arizona.

In this episode we chat about going from amateur to pro, how she trains in the heat, balance vs. discipline and how to overcome weaknesses. This conversation happened a few weeks before Lara was able to start competing again.

Last weekend was her first race back. Make sure to check out her Instagram post with her thoughts and get ready to cheer her on for her next race.