Marcus Brown: Be Your Best Self - R4R 248

“At the end of the day you need to think about, what am I doing to be a better person, a better human for my community? Not just supporting Black people, but supporting women, supporting trans. What are you doing to be a better person?” –Marcus Brown In this episode we cover… The benefits and value of having a run coach even if you aren’t a professional runner. “If you want to be one of those people who reaches your best, whatever that is, then a coach is going to be the person who's gonna help you get there. Letting go of the misconception of perfection.  Letting go of the idea of a perfect race. Just focus on doing the little things right. Kids pick up what you do, not what you say. Marcus reminds us of the importance of modeling behaviors for kids because they are watching all the time. He says he’s mindful of getting and training and coming back day in and day out because those are the actions he wants to show his kids. Even when external circumstances impact a race or training, it’s important to accept and move on. He shared that during the Boston Marathon of 2018 when the weather was terrible,  he had to switch off from what was happening.“I had to accept that the weather is terrible and that I was going to get through it,” he said. “Just one foot at a time.” Running is like a mirror exposing our weaknesses. But it’s the practice of facing those things that you learn the most about yourself. Life is challenging and there will be more things that will try and knock you down. More challenges down the road, but if you take a breath and see your own worth, you’ll realize you are good enough and have everything you need to make it through them. As co-founder of Black Trail Runners with Sabrina Pace-Humphries, Marcus says the goal of the group is to one day not have to have it exist with that name, but right now it is very much needed in order to help people feel comfortable running in outdoor spaces and feel included. “We just need to appreciate that if someone's lived experience isn't the same as ours, we should still listen to them and we should still trying to pay them some kind of respect.” Inclusion needs to transcend just being included on covers of magazines. Of course, that’s an important step, but the real questions are: Who is making decisions to put the person in the magazine? Who's making decisions about what they wear? Who's making decisions of how it's presented? We need to have that kind of representation in the places that matter. As yourself: What am I doing to be a better person, a better human for my community?  Resources  Marcus’s website    Marcus’s Instagram    A Runner’s Life Podcast    Black Trail Runners     Thank you to Momentous, Tracksmith, and Goodr for sponsoring this episode.   Being a tough year with additional stresses on top of an already overwhelming situation means sleep can often be lost...but it is the one thing that we know would help us. Being a former insomniac, I know the frustration going to bed early, yet being unable to switch your brain off can bring. These Momentous Elite Sleep capsules are fantastic and contain Melatonin, Magtein® (Magnesium L-threonate), and Wild Jujube Seed Extract which together will help reduce nighttime anxiety, gently fall asleep and improve circadian rhythm to achieve higher quality sleep.  Go here and use code TINA for 20% off.   Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can go here to check out my favorites! You can get $15 off your purchase of $75 or more, click here and enter code TINA15.   I have been a fan of goodr for YEARS and I literally have their sunglasses all over my house. I recently had an episode with the Co-Founder Stephen Lease where he talks about the true and real story behind his company and I appreciate him being honest with me about it. The design behind these sunglasses really takes into consideration look and comfort. They are 100% carbon neutral and a part of 1% for the planet and protect many great organizations who care for our planet deeply. Go here to get 15% off of your order as well as free shipping on your first pair.   Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are, others are too, and you will help them feel less alone  Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you to Marcus, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.