Before & After - Training, lifestyle & mindset from a masters athlete POV

TOP 10 TAKE AWAYS FROM CRUSHING OUR EPIC CHALLENGES

A lot has happened since our last episode!  Rachel competed with great success in the CrossFit Age Group semi finals and Hannah crushed her 50K trail race finishing in 1st place.  In this episode we each reflect on the 10 most significant lessons/takeaways from our respective epic challenges.  From the power of the mind to how you approach failure, we cover the highs and lows of earning these accomplishments and how we can use these lessons to make us better humans.
Happy listening!

WHAT THE HECK TO DO NEXT?

Congratulations Rachel for qualifying for the Crossfit Age Group Semi Finals!!  In this episode we reflect on the different training paths we have pursued this year and how dialing back intensity could well be the key to Rachel's recent success in the realm of competitive fitness.  We compare notes on how our bodies felt during Quarter finals and there is quite the difference!  But what to do next?  Over the next 2 weeks Hannah will run her first trail 50K and Rachel will compete at the next level in the sport of Crossfit but then what is in store for us after these challenges are complete?
Happy listening!

WHERE DOES YOUR CONFIDENCE COME FROM?

Have you ever questioned where your confidence comes from?  What is it that enables some people to take on crazy wild challenges even though they know it's going to hurt?  In this episode Rachel takes the reins and quizzes Hannah about her mindset and training as she gets closer to her 50K trail race.  We also talk about our approach to coaching and whether we sit in the tough love camp or the participation award camp and how different styles of coaching and different types of athlete require and respond to different approaches.
Happy listening!

THE POWER TO CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE

When you think about it, coaches have a great responsibility.  A great coach can make a monumental difference in someone's life but a bad coach can cause both physical and mental damage.  What is your experience with different coaches?  How do you rate the coaches that you have in your life?  If you are a coach what do you consider to be your strengths but also the areas that you need to work on?  We talk about our experiences of being coached and also what it is like to wear the coaches hat.  We would love to hear in the comments what your experiences of coaching or being coached!
Happy listening!

TRAINING FOMO

Ever found yourself feeling like you are missing out because someone else is doing something you feel like you should be doing to?  Or maybe you have to take some time out due to injury or trying to focus your energy and efforts elsewhere but it kinda sucks to miss out?  Whatever the reason you may be feeling like you are missing out it can be hard to stick to your plan and not get lured in to do more.  We talk about our own experiences of FOMO when it comes to training as well as chatting about and our thoughts and feelings around this year's Crossfit Open and if/why it is important it is for us to compare ourselves to the rest of the world.
Happy listening!

SUCK IT UP & GET 1 MORE REP

Finally we get Season 4 underway after multiple technology fails thwarted the release of Episode 1 (see IG post for pitiful explanation).  We are so excited to be back with a new season and in this episode we talk about why it is important to do hard things and what you can take away from pushing yourself into dark places and extreme situations.  With the Crossfit Open coming up we talk about how to get into the mindset of getting that one more rep even when your body is screaming at you.  Is it worth it to go into the pain cave to avoid the disappointment of having someone beat you by one rep?

I CONSUMED 2700 CALORIES IN 3 HOURS (PARTYING)!!

We went out partying and then calculated the caloric cost!!!  It was high but lots of fun was had and this is not something we do every weekend so we are not stressed about it but we started to think about how often "we" lie to ourselves about our lifestyle choices.
Wondering why you are not making progress?  Perhaps it is the small snacks that you don't track that add up, or the weekend choices that wipe out the hard work you put in Monday to Thursday.  Wonder why you are not getting fitter, faster and stronger?  Maybe that 8 out of 10 effort you claim at the gym is actually more like a 6.
Is there a disconnect between who you want to be and how you choose to live your life?  Why is it hard to own who you are right now? And how often does your ego override honesty?
Happy listening!

ARE YOU OK?

Well hey!  Remember us??
Just kidding, we didn't disappear just got a little off schedule thanks to life and being pulled in many different directions.  The best laid plans and all that...
In this episode we go over lessons learned from our online team competition experience and how to manage your best athletic performance between work meetings.  We dare to explore the possibility of being ok with maintenance rather than constantly striving to be thinner, thicker, faster, stronger etc.  And we talk about body composition changes as it relates to different athletic goals.  Rachel checks in on Hannah's thigh gap (where did that come from?) and we talk about having the conversation with someone when you notice body composition changes, is it ok to ask if they are ok?
Happy listening

SET THE GOAL -＞ WORK HARD -＞ BE A WINNER!

Age does not have to be a barrier to entry!  What an epic experience it was to be a part of the Old Dirty Masters Competition.  Believe it or not we were among the youngest athletes on the competition floor and we still walked away insanely inspired by the skills, strength, capacity and tenacity of the other teams.  From 70+ year old women crushing pull ups and olympic lifting (in spite of having a hip replacement and a stroke between them) to a 50+ year old male repping the most beautiful butterfly pull ups and of course the sheer number of "old" athletes flying above the bar doing bar muscle ups.  When we signed up for this there was some work to do but with focus and determination, we were able to cruise to a victory and check the box on some personal goals.
Happy listening! 

FULL SEND IN A NEW DIRECTION!

Phew it's been a minute and we apologize for leaving you in the lurch but it will all be worth it (we promise).  September has been a whirlwind of a month with all sorts of incredible experiences that we can't wait to share with you.
This episode kicks off Season 3 where we will be expanding our horizons to talk more about training, mindset, health & wellness and nutrition as well as our previous primary focus, body image.  We will be sharing all about our experiences as masters athletes, our struggles and triumphs in and out of the gym with the goal of helping you to achieve everything you have set your heart on accomplishing.
We recorded this episode right before throwing down in a masters Crossfit competition so tune in to find out how prepared we felt, the new skills we had to master to complete the workouts and whether or not a new puppy helps with athletic performance ;)
Happy listening!