It was a weekend filled with inspiring runners when Serena Marie, RD, and I went and ran the Chicago Marathon. You’ll hear our chance (or maybe not so chance) interviews over race weekend with top American Male Finisher, Luke Puskedra, Director of the Spirit of the Marathon Movie, Jon Dunham, and Miguel Blancarte, Junior, who was recently featured in Runner’s World. You’ll also hear Serena's and my thoughts after attending the press conference and expo. On the nutrition side, Serena Marie, RD, discusses GMOs and bread. We give an update on Serena’s Ragnar Race, my time with Jeff Galloway and listeners of the Running Lifestyle Show at a podcast meet up at the Marine Corp Marathon, and the upcoming New York City Marathon.

Luke Puskedra

• His training for the NYC Marathon and Grandma’s Marathon and how it differs from that of other elite athletes
• How it feels to talk at a press conference as an elite athlete
• Why he switched to a gluten free diet and how he feels

Jon Dunham

• How running a marathon inspired him to direct a movie around the marathon
• How he selected the six runners to follow their journeys of training and completing the 2005 Chicago Marathon
• Why he chose the Rome Marathon as the second location for the Spirit of the Marathon movie
• Why he selected Boston to be the third Spirit of the Marathon movie
• Why the Spirit of the Marathon Boston will be released in the Fall of 2016 and the tentative plans for an event at the Boston Marathon 2016

Serena and Kari after the Press Conference

• How we finally got to run together (it was unexpected)
• Why the 2015 Chicago Marathon was a “marquee” event this year
• How the press conference got emotional at one point
• What some of the African elites have to say about a sub two-hour marathon and doping
• The inspiring words Deena Kastor shared at the press conference that especially touched Serena
• Meeting Deena Kastor after the press conference
• Meeting Kevin Hanson from Hansons Brooks Running
• The fun at the expo and directly talking with Race Director, Carey Pinkowski

Our Runner of the Week is Miguel. Miguel will be receiving Sport Suds, which will leave his clothes clean and odor-free. As a listener of the show, you will receive a 25% discount when you head over to www.sportsuds.com and enter TRLS in the shopping cart. Sport Suds isn’t just for athletes, it's for everyone, including babies. Many parents are looking for a detergent that is free of bleach, dyes, phosphates, perfumes, and UV whiteners. Sport Suds fits the bill.

Miguel Blancarte Jr.

• What prompted him to get serious about his health
• How he lost 180 pounds in 8 months on his own
• How his relationships have changed because of the weight loss and becoming an ultra marathoner and triathlete
• The surprise of being on Team USA for the NYC Marathon
• Why 2015 is the year of giving back
• What he does as an ambassador for Fleet Feet Sports in Chicago
• The joy received from being a pacer at the 2015 Chicago Marathon

We like traveling for races, and there is an opportunity to take a trip for an upcoming inaugural race, the Big Beach Marathon in Gulf Shores, Alabama on Sunday, January 31, 2016. You’re going to hear fun facts about this race leading up to Race Weekend. As a TRLS listener, you will receive a 15% discount off of your race entry fee when you use the code, RUNLIFE at www.bigbeachmarathon.com. Big Beach Marathon is a new sponsor here at the Running Lifestyle Show.

Serena Marie, RD

• What is the science and history behind GMOs
• Why Serena Marie, RD, doesn’t promote bread as a good source of fiber
• The fun time she had running the Ragnar Race in Tennessee with nine friends
• How a Ragnar Race is different than a Ragnar Trail Race
• Serena’s prognosis and plan for the NYC Marathon
• The fun time I had at the Marine Corps Marathon meeting up with listeners of The Running Lifestyle Show and Marathon Training Academy
• Meeting Jeff Galloway in person at his Running School at the Marine Corps Marathon
• How using the ElliptiGo has helped me with my recovery from the Chicago Marathon and keeping my fitness level up
• Jeff’s game plan for me running the NYC Marathon
• The TRLS meeting at Marcon Cafe at 2:30 PM in NYC at 36th Street between 7th and Broadway

This was quite the fun episode to put together. The interviews highlight the love of running. It doesn’t matter how fast you go - it’s about the joy and people running brings in to your life.

If you’re looking to learn more about how you start or continue living the Running Lifestyle, head over to www.therunninglifestyle.com/join, and you’ll receive the 11 Strategies to Live the Running Lifestyle. You’ll want to be on this special list because some upcoming offers will only be available to the people on the Running Lifestyle Show email list.

Next week is the 100th Episode of the Running Lifestyle Show!!!!!! WOW!!!!!! Time flies when you are having fun!!!! A special guest will be on to interview ME. He has been on many times and is VERY much looking forward to turning the tables and “paying me back” for all of the tough questions I’ve asked him. Let’s just say I told him to “Bring It," and now I'm not sure that was such a great idea. :-)

Miguel Blancarte, Jr.

Website: www.Toward180.com
Facebook: facebook.com/miguelblancarte and facebook.com/Toward180
Twitter: @mblancartejr
Team USA Page: http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/BL/Miguel-Blancarte-Jr
Runner's World Article: http://issuu.com/octobersunn/docs/rwus201510/24

Jon Dunham:

Website: BostonMarathonFilm.com
Twitter: @Bostonthefilm
Business: LA Roma Films, LLC

Serena Marie, RD:

Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD

Luke Puskedra:

Twitter: @lukepuskedra

We’re talking with team members of The Running Lifestyle Show (TRLS) for Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) at the Chicago Marathon.  Hear from first-time marathoners, Minh Chien, and Todd Miller, about their respective runs.  Liz Whitteberry shares her thoughts about running her first big-city marathon in addition to running with and "coaching" Todd Miller on the course.  Serena recaps her exciting race where she did indeed, PR!  Our friend and team member, Foti Panagakos, talks about his experience where he, too, PR'd!  Coach Jeff Galloway checks in with me, Kari Gormley, and offers advice on recovery and gearing up for the NYC Marathon.  Serena discusses her favorite way to celebrate after a marathon, and we even have a product review for Trigger Point.

Find Out the Top 11 Strategies to Live the Running Lifestyle HERE.

Topics Discussed:

• Where Minh REALLY felt the pain of the marathon
• What Liz found interesting about running a big-city marathon
• Todd’s mantra for finishing and how Liz was with him every step of the way
• What happened to Serena at Mile 20
• The fun activities around the Chicago Marathon Weekend
• Why this was one of Foti’s Top 5 Marathons
• The mistakes I made in the race and why they happened
• The recovery plan Jeff Galloway recommends for me
• Why Jeff Galloway recommends ElliptiGo and why I am IN LOVE with it even MORE
• Join Jeff Galloway at his Running School the day before the Marine Corp Marathon
• Why Serena had a beer after the race and what a small research study discovered about beer
• Serena’s thoughts about me having stuffed pizza after the marathon and eating a bag of Garret’s mix (it was a small bag at least!) as dinner at the airport
• Why Minh, Liz, Serena and I are fans of the Trigger Point Therapy foam roller and foot roller.
• Join the Virtual 26.2 Run benefiting Action for Healthy Kids, Serena, and me

The top three takeaways from this episode are:

1. Even though running is a solitary sport, being part of a group or mass of people makes the experience.
2. Aim for the moon and you even if you miss, you will land upon the stars.
3. Take a step back from an experience, even an interaction with someone, and ask yourself, what is this person/experience teaching me?

Next week, we’re going behind the scenes of the Chicago Marathon and bringing you inspiring interviews with runners we met during the Marathon weekend.  We’re also coming up on 100 episodes!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!! What are some of your favorite episodes? What guests would you like to hear from? Please contact me HERE.

Guests:

Jeff Galloway:

Website: jeffgalloway.com
Facebook: /jeffgallowayfan
Twitter: @JeffGalloway

Minh Chien:

Todd Miller:

Fotinos Panagakos:

Liz Whitteberry:

Website:LizWhitteberry.com
Facebook: Liz.Whitteberry
Twitter: @elizabethwh

Serena Marie, RD:

Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD

Runar Gundersen has run the NYC Marathon 36 times and is the unofficial mayor of the race, even though he is from Norway. He shares common mistakes and what you can do to avoid them. Serena Marie, RD, busts food myths around bread and canola oil. She shares what upsets her (or you could say ticks her off) when it comes to carbohydrate recommendations for people with Type 2 Diabetes. To find out the top 11 Strategies to Live the Running Lifestyle, please click HERE.

• Why Runar has run the NYC Marathon
• Why take the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island rather than staying at a hotel on Staten Island
• How the wave system works at the starting line
• How ElliptiGo could potentially help Runar
• Why blue is the best wave to be in and how to get in it
• What hills are the hardest on the course and how to tackle them
• Where the most enthusiastic crowds are along the course

Sport Suds is a show sponsor and my go-to detergent to thoroughly clean my clothes and remove any lingering odors. What I especially like about Sport Suds is that it's free of dyes. As a listener of the show, you’ll receive a 25% discount when you head over to Sport Suds and type in the code "RUNLIFE" at check out.

Serena Marie, RD, discusses an article in the September 2015 Oprah magazine issue: Eat Like a Viking.

• Why Rye bread is better than Wonder bread, but what would be an even better choice
• Serena’s take on root vegetables and why they’re a good idea
• Why free-range protein is something she recommends
• What type of yogurt Serena recommends and why
• The low down on canola oil vs. olive oil
• What most "upsets" or "ticks off" Serena, makes her “feisty” and drives her "batty"

Top Three Take-Aways from Runar regarding the NYC Marathon:

1. Make it easier on your body and mind by staying in the Times Square Area.
2. Save your body for later in the race by especially not going out fast on the Verrazano Bridge and zig-zagging to go your race pace.
3. Soak up the crowd support especially in Brooklyn, First Avenue and around Central Park in Manhattan.

Top Three Take-Aways from Serena Marie, RD, regarding the Nordic Diet

1. The Mediterranean Diet is the most-researched diet and we should eat more like Mediterraneans rather than the Nordics. Serena recommends this as there is more long-term research on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
2. Every step toward a more nutrient-dense and balanced diet is something Serena applauds. It’s one step at a time so make sure to celebrate the small changes you are making.
3. A diet rich in carbs is not balanced. If you’re doing a lot of hard work outs with sprints, that is the time to eat a higher percentage of carbs. The best sources of carbs are from nutrient-dense vegetables such as beets, root vegetables, and potatoes paired with a fat.

Serena and I are in the middle of our Fall Marathon Series that has us running the Chicago (completed!), NYC, and Philadelphia Marathons. Want to be part of the fun and run your own Marathon on the installment plan with us while supporting Action for Healthy Kids, Serena, and me, Kari Gormley?

Head over to TheRunningLifestyle.com/my262 and join us. You will receive a certificate of accomplishment and a special Skype call with a special guest and other TRLS teammates to celebrate running 26.2 miles over a six week period (you can do more!!!!). You also are given access to a special Facebook group with your teammates, Serena Marie, RD, and me.

Special welcome to Heather from Ohio, Joan from North Carolina, Helena from New Jersey, Becky from Pennsylvania, Tracy from Florida, Kate from Australia, Kathleen from New York, Elizabeth from New Jersey, Julie from Florida, and Annette from Florida. Come join these lovely people and put your running lifestyle goals out there and make it happen (just like Mariah Carey sings).

Contact:

Runar B. Gundersen:

Website: RunarWeb.com

Serena Marie, RD:

Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD

Run with Serena Marie, RD, and me at therunninglifestyle.com/my262. Jeff Galloway comes on to discuss my recent 26-mile run and the lessons learned during it. Jeff reveals the times I should use when running in Chicago and specifically, how to run the Galloway Method at the marathon (this may surprise you). We talk about all the tricks the mind plays on a runner when taking on the marathon, for example. Let’s just say I share many of the jitters that are common for marathoners.

• Why Jeff had me run 26 miles before running a marathon
• What is a magic mile and why it’s a good predictor of race pace
• My stats and why Jeff is recommending a 13:00-14:00 minute pace
• Why I’m feeling empowered going into Chicago
• Why Jeff is recommending 20/30 for me
• Why it’s never going to be easy the whole way when you run over 20 miles
• How to do an Acceleration Glider
• Why Jeff recommended I stick to 30-minute ElliptiGo rides
• As you increase the amount in long runs, why your body needs to rest
• Why recover by using ElliptiGo instead of a short run
• Why avoid anything that could put extra fatigue on any weak links

Join Serena Marie, RD, and me when we “run” Chicago and eat our way through the neighborhoods. You can even join me for a Ride on the ElliptiGo, one of my favorite tools to live the running lifestyle, and a sponsor of the show. Here's what's going "down."

• Have dinner at Sweetwater Tavern & Grill at 4:30 PM on Friday, October 9th (steps from where the boat drops us off)
• Meet up for lunch on Saturday, October 10th at 1:30 PM at Weather Mark Tavern (just seven blocks from the expo)
• Go for a ride with @ElliptiGo on the Lakefront in the morning on Monday, October 12th OR from Fleet Feet, South Loop at 12:30 PM and after. Fleet Feet will have recovery services and tools. They're also going to offer FREE engraving (starting at 12:00 PM) on your Bank of America Chicago Marathon medal.
• Please contact me, Kari Gormley, to let me know you’ll be there so I can give the restaurants an accurate count and to look out for you and/or at Fleet Feet. :-)

Returning to Jeff, we cover:

• How the “Monkey Brain” takes over before a marathon
• Why I am especially fatigued right now and how it’s understandable
• What is a gremlin and what is the name of my gremlin
• How far in advance to take the weather “seriously”
• How to alert fellow runners that you are running Galloway Style (good thing I asked!), and where to put yourself in a corral if you are running Galloway Style

It’s been a pleasure to work with Jeff and get ready for three marathons. Eeek - three marathons!!!! What is going on????!!!!! All I know is that I have done the work, and the only thing I can control now is my mind, and how I decide to dress for the weather. When you think about it, how much can you really control in life???

Do your clothes have a lingering odor? Or perhaps you are allergic to perfumes. Then you’ll want to try Sport Suds, the sponsor of the Runner of the Week. Head over to www.sportsuds.com and put in “RUNLIFE” at checkout to receive a 15% discount.

Contact:

Jeff Galloway:

Website: jeffgalloway.com
Facebook: /jeffgallowayfan
Twitter: @JeffGalloway

Tom Kreider:

Facebook: /tom.kreider
Twitter: @TomKreider
Instagram: tomkreider

Serena Marie, RD, and I share all of our tips, tricks, and ideas when it comes to what to pack, take, do before, after and during your big race.  Serena Marie, RD, clarifies what the research says when it comes to carb loading for women and men. We also discuss what is the biggest predictor of performance.

Top Recommendations:

• Get clothes from Goodwill that you can toss at the starting line to avoid being cold
• Take everything you can on the plane
• WEAR YOUR RUNNING SHOES ON THE PLANE
• Send “stuff” to hotel as a plan B
• Buy at least two bottles of water after Security at the airport
• Why you want to eat vitamin C before getting a cold
• The mental game when it comes to carb loading
• Fill out the back of your bib w/contact information & pin the bib to your clothes
• Have arm warmers by cutting off the toes of trouser socks
• The many uses of coconut oil
• Your Jeff Galloway timer with a fresh battery
• Put your name on it using clear tape and a Sharpie
• What to put in your recovery bag including shoes, underwear, bra, deodorant, snacks
• Have travel docs in paper format
• Pack extra safety pins
• Travel alarm if you don’t use your iPhone
• Why relaxing and taking it easy before a race is a good idea to help you focus on sleeping and eating
• How to go into a race excited
• Why watch Spirit of the Marathon
• Why we say Chi Town
• Serena’s mantra - "I am not afraid. I was born to do this."
• Go to therunninglifestyle.com/my262 to run your marathon on the installment plan virtually with us and receive your very own certificate of accomplishment, access to a private Facebook Group, and a Skype Call celebrating your accomplishment with a special guest.
• Today’s episode was brought you by Sport Suds, our go to detergent to clean our clothes.  We’ve tried other detergents, and Sport Suds is our favorite because it doesn’t use any perfumes or dyes, and REALLY takes out odors.   As a listener of the Running Lifestyle Show, you’ll receive a 15% discount when you type “RunLife” in at check out.
• Join Serena Marie, RD, and me when we “run” Chicago and eat our way through the neighborhoods.  You can even join me for a Ride on the ElliptiGo, one of my favorite tools to live the running lifestyle, and a sponsor of the show.  Here's what's going "down".
  • Have dinner at Sweetwater Tavern & Grill at 4:45 PM on Friday, October 9th (steps from where the boat drops us off)
  • Meet up for lunch on Saturday, October 10th at 1:30 PM at Weather Mark Tavern (just seven blocks from the expo)
  • Go for a ride with @ElliptiGo on the Lakefront in the morning on Monday, October 12th OR from Fleet Feet, South Loop at 12:30 PM and after.  Fleet Feet will have recovery services and tools. They're also going to offer FREE engraving (starting at 12:00 PM) on your Bank of America Chicago Marathon medal.
  • Please contact me, Kari Gormley, to let me know you’ll be there so I can give the restaurants an accurate count and to look out for you and/or at Fleet Feet. :-)

Contact:

Serena Marie, RD:

Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD

Join the Running Lifestyle Show Team for Action for Healthy Kids and hear the motivational stories of why these inspiring individuals are running the Chicago and/or NYC Marathons. You'll hear from first-time marathon runners Minh Chien, Todd Miller, and Melanie Curtis, along with seasoned marathoners Liz Whitteberry, Foti Panagakos, Serena Marie RD, and me.  (Did I just say that Serena Marie, RD and I are seasoned after running three marathons?!)  Who knows, after you hear the stories these runners share, maybe you'll be putting a marathon on your calendar for 2016!

• Why Minh chose Chicago over the Seattle Rock’n Roll
• How Minh has fallen in love with running
• It will be Liz’s 45th marathon
• Why Liz is running with Todd Miller and me in the back of the pack
• How Todd Miller is trading a mile for each year of life he was told he wasn’t supposed to have
• How distances can change over time in the mind
• Why Foti was excited to be on the podcast (funny story)
• Chicago will be Marathon #22 for Foti
• How to set a priority for a race
• What Serena is doing the day this episode is going live (THIS IS EXCITING!!! PICTURES PLEASE SERENA MARIE RD)
• Why this wasn’t a bucket list item for Melanie Curtis
• How the Galloway Method is working for Melanie
• How spinning classes can help recovery
• What type of fuel is working for Foti
• What Minh is looking forward to having in Chicago (ME TOO!!!!!!)
• Your body is strong, your mind is clear, and your heart is happy - nothing else matters
• How Chicago is a celebration of the gift of running and the Running Lifestyle Show
• Go for the architectural boat ride with with Serena Marie, RD, and me on Friday, October 9th at 3:00 PM
• Have dinner at Sweetwater Tavern & Grill at 4:45 PM on Friday, October 9th (steps from where the boat drops us off)
• Meet up for lunch on Saturday, October 10th at 1:30 PM at Weather Mark Tavern (just seven blocks from the expo)
• Go for a ride with @ElliptiGo on the Lakefront in the morning on Monday, October 12th or from Fleet Feet, South Loop at 12:30 PM and after
• For all of these events, please contact me  to let me know you’ll be there so I can give the restaurants an accurate count and/or look for you. :-)
• To find out the 11 Strategies of How to Live the Running Lifestyle Show, please visit therunninglifestyle.com/join, and we’ll get you sorted (as the Brits say).

The biggest take-away from the team call is that these are all awesome people who are using running as a tool to create life-changing experiences.  It’s an honor to be running with Minh, Liz, Todd, Foti, Serena, and Melanie and, you, on our “virtual team." These upcoming marathons provide an opportunity to celebrate the gift of running, spend time with like-minded people, realize the impact that podcasts can make on our lives, and enjoy the cool cities of Chicago and NYC.  Thank you for being a part of this journey and welcoming the guests and me into your ears and lives. XOXO Kari (Gormley).

Contact:

Melanie Curtis:

Website: MelanieCurtis.com
Facebook: /melaniecurtis11
Twitter: @11melaniecurtis

Serena Marie, RD:

Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD

Liz Whitteberry:

Website:LizWhitteberry.com
Facebook: Liz.Whitteberry
Twitter: @elizabethwh