Episode 5-506 – Jena on Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
Hello my running friends. Welcome to episode 5-506 of the RunRunLive podcast.
In today’s show, if I manage to get it up today, we interview Jena from Victorem nutrition. She reached out to me to be on the show and we had a nice chat about racing nutrition and how to squeeze everything in.
In section one I’m going to talk a wee bit about anxiety, because I think there is a fair amount of fear and stress in the world today.
I’m going to skip section two because I’m running short on time.
…
I was editing my chat with Jena and I realized this was another in a long line of successful, entrepreneurial women that I have interviewed recently. Which, struck me as a trend.
I have lived long enough to see the change in how women have been empowered. I think, in general it’s a great thing – and in the Western world one of the truly impactful and positive changes I’ve seen in my life.
It’s not easy to have to raise a family, stay healthy and then, on top of that, hustle to build a small business. But it’s also enabling and empowering.
…
The weather is finally starting to turn where I live. The rails are still covered with ice but the sidewalks and driveways are mostly clear. I’ve been able to resume my cadence of base building with three runs a week of 9-10 miles interspersed with gym work.
I’ve been able to take Ollie out with me and he appreciates the exercise.
We’d both rather be out in the trails, but the conditions are just a bit too crunchy for me. I find that the uneven frozen surfaces really aggravate my plantar fasciitis.
…
I find myself in a low energy point of the year with a lot of uncertainty and a lot of things on my to-do list.
And maybe you find yourself in a similar place? Where there may not be any one thing that is horribly wrong but there is a feeling of malaise or uneasiness?
I find that’ really how life is though. It’s mostly a sense of uneasiness interspersed with periods of joy and striving and fear and love and kindness and stress and guilt and the total mélange of human experience.
On my run yesterday I ran by one of the local churches. (I live in a quaint New England town and, yes, there are those classic postcard worthy white churches with steeples.) And on the letter-board-sign out front the following was written:
You are not alone.
You matter.
Don’t give up.
…
How about a story?
I was talking with a virtual friend from social media from the early days when social media was a pleasure of connection. She was talking about how she had dealt with anxiety in her life and how there had been an inflection point where she really learned to deal with life in a more positive way.
Then, in an off-hand comment, she said something along the lines of “And you were a big part of it, you encouraged me.”
Which surprised me. Because I did not know this. And warmed me as well. Because every day we interact with people, work, family and friends and no matter what we influence them. So I encourage you to be that positive influence in someone’s life.
It all matters. Every conversation. Choose how you show up.
So, my friends, from my heart to yours on a cold, windy New England day, You are not alone. You Matter. Don’t give up.
On with the show.
Section One – Anxiety.
Featured Interview:
Jena Brown – Victorem Nutrition
I enjoyed it, Chris!
Let’s use the photo attached. Let me know if you want something different.
Here’s my 144 word bio.
Jena is a Texas-based sports dietitian & registered dietitian nutritionist with over 17 years of experience. She specializes in individualized nutrition & hydration for endurance athletes through an in-person & virtual private practice. Jena’s nutrition philosophy leverages a functional approach to fueling & performance that is both purpose driven & non-restrictive. She bridges conventional performance nutrition & integrative sports nutrition perspectives that consider the endurance athlete’s nutritional, hormonal, physical, mental, emotional & environmental health. She has worked with endurance athletes across the U.S. from beginner races to Ironman World Championship & ultra distances. As a wife, mom of four, and long-distance runner for over 20 years, she understands the wide range of challenges that come with fueling as an athlete, working as a professional & having a family. Jena works with brands to promote products & services that support endurance athlete health beyond performance.
Instagram @victoremnutrition
Facebook: @victoremnutrition
LinkedIn: JenaBrownRDCSSD
Outro
Well my friends, you have thoughtfully engaged with a balanced nutritional approach and a positive impact at the end of yet another RunRunLive Podcast, Episode 5-506 – done and dusted.
I think I’m going to spend some time on this anxiety and engagement theme now. I think people need hope. Let me see what I can rustle up.
My training is going well. I’m working towards the Grand Canyon R2R2R in May.
The Groton Road Race will be in May as well. I will run it, as I have for the last 30 years. I’m only tangentially involved with the management of the race now. I was race director for 10 years or so.
I have no real desire to road race anymore. 10K’s, 5K’s and the like. I don’t get much pleasure from it – intrinsically or extrinsically. I’d rather run longer trail events to be honest.
I ran the first Groton Road Race in 1991. That’s when I was getting back into running in my late 20’s. It’s been quite a trip!
I remember my long run for that first Groton 10K was an 8 miler. Probably the longest I’d ever run in my life.
Good memories.
So – sprint goals wise – I’m on track to train for and run the Canyon. Second goal was to get the second book in my apocalypse series out. I have started working on this but it is a giant job. Looking at the amount of time and effort involved has forced me to consider how I’m going to get it done. That’s how goals work.
I also need to spend some marketing effort on the first book. You can help me by buying a copy of the first book “After the Apocalypse, a pandemic survival story, Book One: the old man” you’re your favorite bookseller and leaving a glowing review.
Too many things to do. And this is how I get stressed out to the point that I get very inefficient. I have so many parallel projects that I just sit in my chair and shake like a bowl of poorly concocted lime Jello.
Do you folks remember Lime Jello? Horrid stuff.
A story then?
Today is a very windy day. When Ollie an I eventually get back out into the woods there will be trees down. What happens is one of the big pines or oaks will snap from the wind and crash down taking the smaller trees with it. Or the entire root ball will be pulled from the wet soil and the poor tree will find itself laying on the forest floor like a drunk in the street after closing time.
But, you know what happens next? Those bent and prostrate trees start growing towards the light. They sprout branches on the side facing the sky and reach up.
That’s the secret my friends. When life blows you over, start over from where you are, reach up towards the light.
I’ll see you out there.