117: From Heart Surgery to Running Marathons: Brent Robertson’s Story

Holistic, deep-thoughts innovator and Runner of the Week, Brent Robertson, joins the show to tell how he went from being unhealthy to marathoner—and how that has affected his career, relationships, and his entire life. Serena, Marie, RD, talks about the exclusive TRLS Shake Yo’ Sugar Habit Challenge, and Kari gives an update on her sugar-free Lent experience this past week. Kari recaps Cupid’s Undie Run in Washington, DC and her experience meeting Kim Stemple from We Finish Together. Serena busts some electrolyte myths and shares the best source of electrolyte replenishment when you are feeling off or need to rehydrate.

Featured Guest and Runner of the Week: Brent Robertson

Hear how Brent Robertson went from being overweight and having a heart condition to running marathons and how it has affected his career, relationships, and the rest of his life.

• Explains how he started running (in April 2014)—and how it became a practice of discipline
• Chats about the body, mind, and soul connection and how he took responsibility for the viability of his wellbeing
• Talks about his ideal for a work environment where we can fully express ourselves (we spend so much time working anyway, why not connect to ourselves more deeply and have it expressed through our work?) and how his business, Fathom, revolves around that theory
• Uses ideograms to help understand his employees and himself
• Explores his running challenges
• Loves posting his runs on social media—and it actually helped him catch his atrial fibrillation, which is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications
• Ran a 5K and the next day had heart surgery in June 2014 (and ran a ten-mile race three weeks later!)
• Signed up his first half marathon in Fall 2014 (Hartford Half Marathon in the pouring rain)
• Ran the Gansett Half Marathon in Narragansett, RI the following weekend (in hurricane conditions)
• Adopted a policy where he always signs up for his next event the day before the event he’s about to run
• Used a training program that the West Hartford Fleet Feet ran and joined a running group (January 2015)
• About a month before he signed up for the Vermont City Marathon (in Burlington), the Sierra Club reached out and asked if he would run with their team for the Boston Marathon (which was only four weeks away at the time), so Boston became his first marathon (and he finished in 3:37)!
• Is coaching runners for the 2016 Boston Marathon
• Started a trail-running group and ran 26 miles of the Appalachian Trail
• Is currently training for a BQ at the Sugarloaf Marathon on May 15, 2016
• Suggests Cloze for smarter relationship management and uses Evernote
• Ran the New York City Marathon this fall after rupturing a disk in his back
• Has the Traprock 50K trail run in April 2016

Jabra

Have you entered yet to win a FREE set of Jabra Pulse earbuds this month? Jabra, a TRLS show sponsor, is giving away a free pair in February, so sprint over to Jabra.com/TRL, and sign up for the TRLS e-mail list at therunninglifestyle.com/join to enter to win. This month’s winner will also receive an exclusive Skype call with Kari. She loves the Pulse for the in-ear heart-rate monitoring and amazing sound quality.

Serena Marie, RD

Serena Marie, RD, the show’s go-to, real-food dietitian, chats about the Shake Yo’ Sugar Habit Challenge and more.

• Describes the three-week challenge that re-examines eating choices
• Kari admits that she got headaches at the beginning (which could be a sign of withdrawal)
• Kari has more energy and feels more in control
• Serena explains that the more choices you have, the more likely you are to overeat—limiting your options is a way for your brain to relax and not make so many choices
• Kari drinks smoothies with frozen strawberries, almond milk, and avocado, chia or hemp seeds, unsweetened, shredded coconut, and tangerines
• To join, go to com for details and access to a special Facebook group
• Kari recaps Cupid’s Undie Run in Washington, DC on February 13, 2016 and meeting Kim Stemple from We Finish Together (and the episode “Special Mindful Monday w/Kim Stemple, Founder of We Finish Together” [Episode 103])
• Kari met the founder of Cupid’s Undie Run (which holds races across the country), Bobby Van, who was named one of Runner’s World’s most inspiring runners (He raises money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation)
• Went to watch the Olympic Marathon Trials with a group of runners (including Melani Hom) at Duffy’s Irish Pub (the pub opened up early for folks to watch the trials!)
• The ladies were rooting for Meb of course, Galen Rupp took first (and this was his first marathon), Jared Ward took third, and Luke Puskedra took fourth (which means he’s the alternate)
• On the women’s side, Amy Cragg and Shalane Flanagan ran almost the whole race together; Desiree (Desi) Linden ran a great race, and Kara Goucher came in fourth
• Special thanks to Jeff Caron from ElliptiGO® who connected Kari with fellow runners
• Serena also suggests coconut water (potassium) with honey or salt to replenish electrolytes for someone who’s very active; bone broth with apple cider vinegar, salt, and veggies for someone who’s feeling ill

Thanks to Jeff Paladina at Fleet Feet Sports in Mechanicsville, PA on Sunday, March 6 at 9:30 a.m. EST, Kari will talk about living a running lifestyle and a behind-the-scenes look at The Running Lifestyle show, and then the group is going to go out for a run. Kari is looking forward to meeting up with runners!

Visit Delaware on Mother’s Day weekend to hang out with Kari at the Delaware Marathon Festival! The Delaware Marathon Running Festival, on May 8, 2016, is amazing thanks to Race Directors Joel and Stacey Schiller (Stacey will be announcing at the marathon and half marathon finish line, and Kari will be the announcer at the relay finish line.)

Head over to the Delaware Marathon Festival web site. When registering for a race, use The Running Lifestyle Show (TRLS) as a team and receive the following discounts:

• $20 off the marathon ($90 by February 29^thwith the TRLS discount)
• $10 off the half marathon ($75 with the TRLS discount by February 29^th)
• $10 off a four-person relay team ($150 with the TRLS discount by February 29th)
• $20 off an eight-person relay team ($300 with the TRLS discount by February 29th)

Kari will be hosting a meet up in Wilmington, DE on May 7. E-mail [e-mail] for details.

To show your TRLS love at the festival, run over to the Shop section of the TRLS web site to grab your TRLS apparel.

Next week, Kari will talk with Cailyn Ryan about how companies are looking at the lifestyle market and what trends are popping up.

Please remember to review TRLS in iTunes or recommend the show to your friends and show them how to subscribe!

Contact:

Brent Robertson:

Website: Fathom.net
Facebook: /brent.robertson
Twitter: @brentrobertson

 

Serena Marie, RD:

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

 

Kari Gormley:

Facebook: The Running Lifestyle Show
Twitter: @KariGormley
Instagram: @KariGormley