TV journalist and multiple IRONMAN triathlete, Michelle Bandur, shares her story of how she took an anonymous bully's mean-spirited letter and turned it into a positive movement that has inspired and empowered thousands of young girls to achieve more than they ever imagined. 

Her mission? Inspire you to stand up for yourself, love yourself, and turn around a negative experience.

My Big Fat Nose Website - https://www.mybigfatnose.com/ 

IronHawk Juniors Website - https://ironhawkjuniors.org/ 

Michelle's Ted Talk 

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Let me provide give a couple of headlines from the past two years of today's guest, Emily Ballenger.

Shock pains in her face, the Berlin Marathon, pregnancy, miscarriage, another pregnancy, the selling of a business, a brain tumor, a birth, massive brain surgery, the London marathon, and the completion of the Six World Marathon Majors.

These events would throw anyone off balance (literally and figuratively), but Emily has used them to create a foundation of stability of what’s important in her life. Marathon training truly is a metaphor for her last two years. Sometimes you don’t get the run or the race you want, but you always walk away stronger and more accomplished. The growth comes from the lessons learned and not the time on a clock. 

Emily has no idea what the future holds for her health, but she lives boldly for her baby Beau and her family, proving that in those "I could never do that" moments of despair, a little forward motion is sometimes all you need.

Runner's World Article on Emily Ballenger

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It’s no secret that girls – and women – haven’t traditionally had role models for adventure seeking and exploration as we age. Even as young girls, we’re taught to "be careful" while boys are taught to "be strong and brave." It's maddening. 

Author Caroline Paul, a longtime adventurer, started to notice the massive decline in the number of women she would see when she would go out paddle boarding, skateboarding, or surfing. In her late 50’s she was asking the questions like,  “Why is this happening?” and, "Shouldn’t we be experiencing adventure at ANY age?”

That’s what her new book, Tough Broad seeks to answer with the women Caroline interviews in her book. I’m talking hikers, wing walkers, birdwatchers, BMX racers, boogie boarders, swimmers, and more. These women aren't experts. But their experiences and the scientific studies that back them up offer important insight into our own physical and emotional health as we age, showing that growing older is no reason for women to sell themselves short.

One thing that is clear: Adventure doesn’t have to be some adrenaline filled, death-defying act, although there is some of that in this book. No, true adventure and self fulfillment can start with a walk outside. The more time you spend outdoors and the more positive your view on aging, the happier you will be. 

That can indeed make you a tough broad.

Buy Tough Broad - From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking - How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age

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My guest today encountered a personal (and all-too-common) dilemma after she had her son eight years ago. As someone who worked full-time in corporate or tech jobs for most of her career, Jill Jacobs was anxious to get back to work after giving birth.

Not only did she love working, but as she says today, she needed to get back to work to support her home, lifestyle, and new baby’s needs.

Quickly, she realized how daunting and unsustainable this was. Here she was working full time, paying somebody else to be home with her child and, when she did get home from work, she was clearly not bringing her best self. 

Ahhh…the American dream, right?

Here’s the deal, though. 

Educated women with children are leaving the work forces in droves. What Jill wanted was to work smarter, spend smarter, and love what she was doing. So, since she wasn’t finding it in the workforce, she started it herself. Enter the Better Balance vision.

At Better Balance, Jill and her team connect professionals who want to work less than 40 hours a week with the Employers looking to hire them. They help people find fulfilling part-time professional work, leveraging their education, experience, talents and skills while maintaining a balance that fits their priorities in life. 

Jill offers valuable and real insights about starting a business from the ground up, taking risks, and the value of finding mentors and supporters in your endeavor. And, as difficult it is, she also stresses the importance of taking small steps and imperfect action.

I love this “I Could Never Do That” theme of taking a problem and creating a solution. Not just so you can flourish, but to help others do the same.

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 Better Balance Website

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Kim Murphy was born and raised on a farm in Texarkana, Texas- about as ordinary an upbringing as you can have.

After losing her father to Alzheimer's in 2018, she underwent a massive health and lifestyle change, which led to a complete career change, a booming online coaching business, and a brand new book called, Plant Powered: How to Prevent or Reverse Chronic Diseases, Lose Weight, and Feel Great with the Power of Whole Plants.

Kim shares her family's journey to a whole food plant-based diet, highlighting its benefits on weight management, brain function, and energy levels. She offers practical tips for those considering a plant-based lifestyle and emphasizes the importance of community support.

Kim provides coaching programs through her website, simplyplantbasedkitchen.com.

This is a shared journey of someone who has conquered so many roadblocks that would otherwise stop most of us from achieving WHATEVER we want to do in life. 

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You’re not strong enough, fast enough, skinny enough…You’ll be last…Don’t bother…Ugh.

This is the we would NEVER say to our closest friends and, yet, for most of us, it’s the hideous soundtrack of our lives.

Today's guest is licensed clinical social worker, Pat Spencer who runs both a clinical therapy practice as well as a mental skills coaching business for athletes called, Getting Your Mind in Gear.

Today, we discuss her work around a recent piece she wrote called, “Three Steps to Build Confidence.”  (And, sadly, it doesn’t involve scrolling on your phone to see what everyone else is doing.)

We also spend some time talking about some powerful research and her thoughts around “exercise or cycling as therapy.” There is some surprising research showing that ultra-endurance athletes are actually MORE prone to depression and mood disorders, even though exercise is often recommended as the antidote to depression. W

Pat is also an ally and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community which is facing unprecedented difficulty these days fitting into spaces where ALL should feel welcome.

Getting Your Mind in Gear Website

Follow Pat on Instagram: @getting_your_mind_in_gear

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Being a female in a male dominant space may be rare, but Shannon O'Grady handles it like a boss because, as COO and Chief Product Officer at Gnarly Nutrition, she IS one of the bosses. 

As CPO, it is her science and research that are the brains behind every new product development at this company.

When Shannon was just a teenager, she had to give up her early passion for running because of a genital heart defect. At the time, medicine didn't have the technology and procedures it does today, so she was essentially told to quit running and pursue something else. 

So, Shannon turned to her other passion - SCIENCE. This led her down years of academia, where she pursued and completed her Ph.D. in Nutritional Physiology.

She always dreamed of working for a sports nutrition company and, after years of letter writing, and knocking on doors, she landed her dream gig at Gnarly.  

Admirably, Shannon later came back to endurance sports and became an avid and accomplished cyclist, triathlete, climber, trail runner…all the things! Today, she is most passionate about the sport and discipline of jiu-jitsu, where she is a brown belt.

You’ll hear a lot about how products are developed at Gnarly and how important it is to know and understand your body’s needs in training and racing, but it is her advice and tips for success in life and business that I admire and appreciate most. 

https://gognarly.com/ 

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If you have ever dreamed of being a rock-n-roll star, this episode is gonna light you up.

Annie Davis decided, in her mid-40s, that she wanted to become a musician. So, in the middle of the pandemic, she began taking lessons and taught herself how to play drums and guitar from scratch.

Music has always been in her DNA. As a kid, she immersed herself in it both personally and educationally. Her instrument at the time was the trumpet. 

But here comes that all too familiar story that we've been told - a music degree wasn't going to get her anywhere in life. It wasn't a "real career." So, she ended up learning the sciences because this music nerd was also a biology nerd. She got her bachelor's degree in Human Biology and she eventually found her way to a Doctorate in Chiropractic. 

It was while she was pursuing her education that she was also immersing herself in a love of athletics, including running mountain biking, triathlon, and adventure racing. And, because of some bad advice that she received from an Orthopedist, she knew that she wanted to help others, which is why she picked up, moved her stuff to Austin, Texas, and opened her own practice called RunLab, where for the past 10 years, she has helped now 1000s of runners stay active in the game of life.

She's now hustling to build another following with her rock band, Trashy Annie. As she says on her website, "Starting an original rock band at the age of 44 during a worldwide pandemic was a surreal experience, to say the least." But in just three years, she was honored as the CMA of Texas Americana Artist of the Year, she was signed to a record label, and she's about to release her full-length, first rock-n-roll record on May 19, 2023. 

It is never too late to be the person that you dreamed of being when you were young.

TrashyAnnie.com

Follow Trashy Annie on Instagram - @trashyanniemusic

Trashy Annie Album Release Party - April 25th, 13th Floor Austin

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If you think you could never come up with a different concept for running shoes, well then let me introduce you to the minds behind the latest shoe on the walls of local retailers, Vimazi Shoes.

Vimazi is the first-ever pace-tuned shoe, designed for energy, or as they say on their website, “Goldilocks cushioning and an ultra-efficient push-off.”

Founders, Scott Tucker and John Zilly, join me today to share their inspiration and research behind this innovative new shoe design. I mean, what does it mean to be “pace tuned,” right?? Of course, I asked that question (and no I won’t be running a 4-minute mile anytime soon just by wearing these shoes).

But more than the science and engineering, I loved talking with them about their extensive backgrounds, their passion for running and writing, and their friendship that has lasted for decades. They also talk about the challenges of launching a new running shoe brand during the pandemic in a crowded space.

These are my people. The people who, in spite of all of the challenges and obstacles, get up every day and say, “We’ve got something good here.” In fact, they're in tune with what runners want and need. 

From a 4-minute mile to a 20-minute mile, Vimazi is tuned to your needs. 

https://vimazi.com/ - Vimazi website

Follow Vimazi on Instagram - @vimazi

Blog Post on How Vimazi Running Shoes Feel - and Why - https://vimazi.com/blogs/news/how-vimazi-running-shoes-feel 

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Adina O'Neill is a fitness coach and motivator. 

This former accountant and teacher found her passion in endurance sports and coaching when she realized that so many were coming to her for advice and inspiration. 

Team B-REAL, is a roster of endurance athletes where every BODY is accepted.

She is motivational and inspiring, but her own side passion is what made me go, "Oh, I could NEVER do that!"

Adina LOVES cold water swimming. And by cold water swimming, I mean, breaking open a frozen lake in the middle of New England in February and jumping in right away kinda swimming. 

Yes, my friends, there is even such a thing as a winter swim festival where you walk out into the middle of a frozen lake, submerge in 30-degree water without a wetsuit, and compete against others in 25s, 50s, 100s…It is Un-freaking-believable.

So, yeah, I had to learn more and that’s what today is all about. We get real about her personal journey, about the imposter syndrome of coaching others, and the overwhelming sense of pride she receives watching others succeed. 

Mostly, though, we discuss her passion for cold water swimming and the unexpected joy it has brought to her life. 

Episode Resources

Adina's Website https://adinaoneill.com/

Follow Adina on Instagram: @adina_oneill_real_fitness

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Register for the 2024 Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival https://kingdomgames.co/memphremagog-winter-swimming-festival-2023-registration/

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Ginna Hoben was born to be a performer. 

Ginna and I went to high school together and bonded over the very cool subculture of musical theater. Of course, she gracefully danced her way through Oklahoma while I stood in the background as an awkward chorus girl in a prairie dress singing “Surrey the Fringe On Top.”

We went on to do several plays together and the one thing (of many) we had in common?!? We both loved attention and adoration and as she says, as the middle child, she would do pretty much anything to get attention — and she meant it!

This led to both a BA and MFA in acting. It also led to stints in Chicago and LA before landing in New York as an actor, director, and playwright.

Imagine that - the young girl who dreamt of moving to New York and being an actor did it! 

Ginna Hoben still lives in New York with her husband and daughter and continues to make her living as a writer, director, and actor. She was most recently on an episode of the Equalizer featuring Queen Latifah and her plays have been produced at theaters across the country. She currently has another play in the works with an upcoming live reading of that new show.

Today, we quite literally catch up and talk through everything she went through to live out that childhood dream and how many "I could nevers" she's had to navigate. This "dream life" has taken some unexpected tragic turns, but she is very clear - this is what she was born to do and, to me and everyone who knows her, she is a star.

Ginna Hoben's Website

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