In this episode, we revisit our recent conversation about asking for help—including Kevin’s week of dealing with back pain and uncover what we believe is often the real thing holding most runners back: ego. Not the loud, boastful kind, but the quieter version that shows up as perfectionism, independence, caution, or the fear of looking like we don’t have it all figured out.

We share a simple framework for recognizing how ego can stop us from starting, succeeding, and learning. Along the way, we talk about hesitating to sign up for races, resisting coaching, running easy days too hard, comparing ourselves to others, struggling to adapt as life changes, and making excuses instead of learning from setbacks.

Through personal stories and coaching experiences—including a lesson Kevin learned while relearning how to squat after his back injury—we invite you to notice where ego might be keeping you stuck so you can let go of proving yourself and focus on growing instead.

03:38 Ego Disguises Explained

06:02 Ego Loves Identity Stories

07:20 Framework Ego Blocks Starting

09:15 Race Fear And Attention

18:16 Training Pyramid Foundation

21:30 Putting Yourself Out There

25:10 You Are Not Results

26:55 Ego Stops Success Easy Runs

30:39 Honesty With Your Coach

33:53 Ego In Goal Setting

34:44 Refusing To Adapt

38:33 Competition And Comparison

40:09 Excuses Vs Learning

49:49 Ego As A Lawyer

52:16 Squat Story Ego Check

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

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Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.

In this episode, we’re sharing a very personal story from our own lives. Last week, Kevin hurt his back during a strength workout, and even though I am a physical therapist, he never clearly asked for help. I, on the other hand, didn’t want to jump in with unsolicited advice. The result? A week of unnecessary pain, missed training, poor sleep, frustration, and a whole lot of miscommunication.

That experience made us realize just how hard it can be to ask for help—even from the people we trust most.

We dive into why so many runners and high achievers struggle with reaching out, whether it’s because we don’t want to be a burden, think we should be able to figure it out ourselves, or worry that asking for help makes us look weak. We also talk about when it’s time to stop pushing through, who you should actually ask for guidance, and why confidence on social media or AI-generated answers aren’t the same as real expertise and experience.

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I can handle this on my own,” we think this conversation might give you a different perspective.

00:00 Why We Avoid Help

01:28 Kevin’s Back Injury

08:05 The Pants Moment

10:08 Runner Identity Trap

12:14 Miscommunication Spiral

16:52 AI and False Confidence

27:02 Why Helpers Hold Back

32:40 Why Investment Matters

33:14 Free Advice Fails

37:54 When To Ask Help

44:41 Who To Ask

45:10 Social Media Red Flags

48:54 AI Sounds Confident

49:49 Knowledge Vs Experience

55:54 Trust And Perspective

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

Join the Team! --> https://www.realliferunners.com/team

Thanks for Listening!!

Be sure to hit FOLLOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Come find us on Instagram and say hi!

Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.

With so many supplements marketed to runners, it's easy to wonder what's actually worth taking. In this episode, we cut through the noise and focus on a few supplements that have strong research behind them—while emphasizing that no supplement can replace consistent training, good nutrition, quality sleep, and proper recovery.

We break down the Three Cs: Carbohydrates, Creatine, and Caffeine.

First, we discuss why many runners are underfueling and how carbohydrates play a critical role in performance, recovery, and endurance. Next, we explore creatine monohydrate, one of the most researched supplements available, and its benefits for strength, recovery, and overall health. Finally, we cover caffeine, including how it can improve performance, common dosing guidelines, and why personal tolerance matters.

We also briefly touch on vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3s, and collagen, and discuss when they may be worth considering.

In This Episode:

• Why supplements should never replace the fundamentals
• How carbohydrates support performance and recovery
• The benefits of creatine for runners
• How caffeine can enhance endurance
• When other supplements may be helpful
• Avoiding the optimization trap and keeping things simple

03:53 The Three Cs

09:59 Fueling During Runs

14:29 Carb Targets And Gut Training

20:16 Women Over 40 And Carbs

25:03 Adjusting Fuel To Effort

28:31 Creatine Explained

41:14 Monohydrate and Daily Dose

43:25 Caffeine Performance Basics

46:23 Dosing and GI Timing

47:33 Metabolism and Jitters

50:29 Sleep and Tolerance Tradeoffs

54:12 Race Day Caffeine Rules

56:54 Vitamin D Testing

59:34 Magnesium for Cramps

01:03:38 Omega 3 Benefits

01:05:26 Collagen Versus Protein

Gain access to my new secret podcast, Unbreakable: The Runner's Guide To Injury-Proofing Your Body After 40. Click here: https://www.realliferunners.com/secret

Join the Team! --> https://www.realliferunners.com/team

Thanks for Listening!!

Be sure to hit FOLLOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Come find us on Instagram and say hi!

Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.