The Sonya Looney Show

Matt Fitzgerald is a runner, coach, nutritionist and acclaimed author of well over 25 books.  You may have heard of his book on mental toughness- How Bad Do you Want It.   His online training plans at 8020endurance.com have helped thousands of athletes of all experience and ability levels achieve their goals. Certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Matt has consulted for numerous sports nutrition companies and he is the creator of the Diet Quality Score (DQS) smartphone app. A lifelong athlete, he speaks frequently at events throughout the United States and internationally. Frequent topics on Matt's writing cover things like diet and ideal race weight, training intensities, mental training, and so much more. The mental aspect of sports in relation to the perception of effort, fatigue, and whether limits live in our mind or our body have been frequent topics on this show.  It's one of my favorite things to discuss. If you enjoyed this episode and want more, check out some related

Being productive, getting up early to get stuff done, being organized- these are all traits I admire and aspire to do more of!  What about boundary setting, better focus, and accountability?  Yes!  If these topics are ringing a bell for you, then you'll enjoy today's podcast guest- Jeff Sanders.  Jeff Sanders is a keynote speaker, productivity coach, Podcast Host of The 5AM Miracle, author of a few books, and founder of The Rockin’ Productivity Academy.  He is both productive AND busy.  In his spare time, he is also a plant-based marathon runner and personal development junkie.  His background is surprising- it was actually in theater and you can tell with his melodic voice.   Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how Jeff's background in theater helps him in his career in personal development why he is interested in productivity, habits, and routines tracking and getting out of reactive mode how to eliminate distractions boundary setting how to set goals without burning out favorite apps and tool

Todd Sadow founded Epic Rides in 1999 and produced the inaugural 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo with 176 participants in attendance. Since then, Epic Rides has grown into one of the most successful mountain bike event promotion companies in North America.  The Epic Rides event portfolio includes six diverse venues in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Arkansas that draw from a regional base with world-wide attendees to accent the more than 8,500 participants and 60,000 general attendees annually. The Epic Rides business model is simple. Provide the customer with an experience above and beyond anything they have grown to expect from the events industry; our events aren’t just a race, they are life-changing.  Events: 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo Whiskey Off-Road Grand Junction Off-Road Carson City Off-Road Oz Trails Off-Road Tour of the White Mountains   Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how it started how Epic Rides evolves and adds races scaling a race production company attracting newbies and course difficulty

Self-care is a major buzzword and self-care has helped a lot of people create time for themselves.  You often hear of creating a "self-care routine" that might involve things like essential oils, journaling like keeping a gratitude journal, a meditation practice, going to yoga, stretching and foam rolling, drinking tea, going to bed early and being on a consistent sleep schedule, taking supplements, having a "morning routine", using positive affirmations, reading self-help books, or even going to a Naturopath to get an IV or going to acupuncture. Just listing all of things we could or should be doing seems overwhelming to me.  Some people feel like there's a lot of pressure to do some of these things, but instead of being rejuvenating, it just turns into another stressful task on an already overflowing t0-do list.  By telling yourself that you should be doing it and then when it doesn't happen, it can add to an endless loop of more anxiety and overwhelm. That's eliminates t

Cory Muscara is a super interesting person.  Today, he is known for his work as a mindfulness teacher, author, podcaster, and speaker.  You'll find his career path interesting- he started meditating to impress his hippie girlfriend.  When that relationship didn't work out, he went all in, looked for the most challenging meditation training he could find and became a monk for 6 months in Burma where he meditated for 14+ hours per day under the instruction of Sayadaw U Pandita.  Fully engaged, he wanted more.  Not only does he have his Master's Degree in Positive Psychology from UPenn and teaches mindfulness-based leadership at Columbia University. He also currently serves as an assistant instructor for the positive psychology graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he has a wide array of meditation training including the 2-year Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader training,  Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), completed certification with Mindful Schools & Sear

Today's topic is an interesting one and I want to talk about it just to inspire some thought around how we talk about hard work.   It's more just a phrase or topic of conversation that is thrown around, but I don't think many people even realize they are saying it. The phrase is "it's a lot of work." This phrase is haphazardly thrown around in our regular conversations, so much so that I'm not even sure we realize we are doing it.  The fact is that saying something is a lot of work is often used as a negative caveat. If you're talking about a good experience to someone and then throw in, "but it's a lot of work," the person you're talking to might feel discouraged or might not even want to try what you are doing.  "It's a lot of work" is also an excuse people use to create a barrier to getting started. Here are some examples I've heard recently about the phrase "it's a lot of work" either being used as an excuse or

Molly Hurford has built her career with several aims in mind: Write constantly, race often, travel frequently and live on her own terms, mostly outside. While she runs her own brands, including The Outdoor Edit, The Consummate Athlete Podcast and Shred Girls, she also works as a freelance writer for many major outdoor publications.  She’s also the author of multiple books on cycling and nutrition. Her most recent project, Shred Girls, is a young adult fiction series focused on getting girls excited about bikes. It’s also a website that features interviews, advice and inspiration for young female cyclists at Shred-Girls.com.  Molly was a guest on this podcast last year where we went in depth into Shred Girls. Listen to that episode. In her spare time, Molly has raced almost every type of bike, from cyclocross to road to mountain at an elite level; competed in triathlons from sprint to Ironman; and currently spends most of her time competing in ultra-running races, where she often finds her way onto podiums.  S

Someone recently asked me what my goals are at the moment.  While I have a lot of different projects, ideas, and races I'm excited about on the horizon (and oh, a BABY)... it all boils down to one thing.  You can call it my mantra of the year, and it's simple. Show UP. Show up.  Sounds simple, but some days it's not so easy. I've experienced pretty extreme fatigue since I got pregnant.  Showing up to pedal has surpassed any training goal because there are a lot of days I don't want to show up.  I've talked about how showing up and how getting started is the best way to be consistent and to overcome excuses - overcoming the activation energy of getting started.  Just setting your commitment level to showing up is powerful and it also takes the pressure off of expectations you may have of yourself.  "Show up" will be a mantra I'll use with a newborn, when I'm scared to show up to races because I won't have the high end fitness for the first part of the seas

Ayesha McGowan is the first African American female Professional Cyclist, riding for Liv Cycling. She's on a mission to advocate for representation and is an inspiration for the next generation of African American female cyclists.  Her bicycle has been a tool to not only help her accomplish her dreams, but as a vehicle for storytelling and social change.  Ayesha noticed that our sport of competitive cycling was being represented in the media by white men and she took action. Her tagline is "Representation Matters."  She's been on the cover of Outside Magazine, partnered with Nike's Dream Bigger video series, and has spoken on stages, podcasts, and articles on why it's important to have representation in sport, in the media, and in the industry. She is also a podcaster herself, has her own YouTube Channel, a full racing schedule, and also the creator of DoBetterRide Virtual Ride series. Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how Ayesha found bike racing and mentors journey into road r

"It is not death a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." Marcus Aurelius "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." ~Abraham Lincoln Time is not a renewable resource.  Many people don't want to think about death because it's uncomfortable. Denying the idea of death or realizing that we don't have unlimited time might change the way we make decisions. Last year, I decided to read some books with accounts of people who were terminally ill. Most notable Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Another highly recommended book I haven't read yet is Bright Hour by Nina Riggs. Contemplating mortality is something I've heard people doing a lot lately since Kobe Bryant's tragic death.  It was a wake-up call for some, realizing that it could be lights out at any moment.  That wake-up call has spurred conversations about the timeliness of living life on p

Dr. Bruce Monger is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. His research involves the use of satellite remote sensing methods to study environmental controls of ocean primary production at global scales.  He currently serves as a member of NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Science Team.  I discovered him while I was doing my Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University.  While I've been eating plant-based for nearly 7 years, I was amazed with what I learned from his lectures and I immediately asked him to come on the show. Global climate change is a huge issue.  If you've been watching the news lately, the financial markets and large companies and taking steps to offset their carbon emissions. While I think this is great, a lot of our daily choices and what we consume as individuals make a huge difference.  I don't think it's a problem we can buy our way out of and the first step comes with education

Being brave is not about the absence of fear, it's about having the courage to be vulnerable - to press on in spite of fear. The first memories I have of someone using the word brave is when I was a little kid.  For most, it usually has something to do with having to get a shot at the doctor or getting an injury of some kind and then an adult telling us to be brave.  In cartoons, the hero or heroine is often characterized as someone who is brave- someone who will go into battle knowing that the consequences could be dire.  But I've seen portraits of bravery show up as someone who appears stoic and doesn't show vulnerability or cry.  This is where I think the definition of bravery starts to diverge from what it actually means. One of my favorite taglines I made up for my own life is "Be Brave. Do Epic Shit."  I have put a lot of thought into what it means to me to be brave.  To be honest, trying to avoid feeling and showing difficult emotions has been one of the harder parts of braver

If you love gravity and extreme mountain biking, you’ve probably heard of the Frenchman, Remy Metailler.  He has been a top rider at Red Bull Rampage for many years, has solid performances at urban downhill racing around the world, and he’s the incredible mountain biker you imagine as a Whistler Bike Park legend. He is also passionate about teaching others about anything related to mountain biking through his YouTube Channel. He talks about all the nuances of bike, tire, and suspension set-up so you’re dialed for your ride, trail previews of popular trails, especially the lines you’d never consider riding, and more pro tips.  Plus, he can pretty much ride the impossible. Remy also loves the business of being a pro mountain biker and has built his career with his own team of partners, is a well-known product tester for many brands he works with (and he does push his bike to the limit with the type of riding he does).  He also loves trail riding.  I loved talking to Remy because he reminds us how important it i

"There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results." - Ken Blanchard We all have the greatest of intentions when we make plans, but then something happens.  Our problem isn't motivation, our problem is following through on our motivation.  It could be as small as saying "Today I'm going to break down those boxes for the recycling" to as complex as a large goal you set for yourself. For some, the act of getting started is the hardest part.  This problem is a relatively simple one to fix.  Break it down into a task so small that it's really easy to get started.  I've talked about this before, but if you can't seem to get on your bike, commit to riding for 5 minutes and if you don't want to anymore, you can stop.  For cleaning, put 2 dishes in the sink, take one thing and put it back in place.

James Wilks is a combatives instructor for the US Military, retired MMA Fighter,  2009 UFC champion, and main star in Gamechangers Documentary which you can now watch on Netflix.  Gamechangers was executively produced by Academy Award-winning director James Cameron, also known for directing Terminator and Titanic to name a couple of other films!  Gamechangers explores whether a plant-based diet is an optimal diet for athletes across all disciplines including strength, endurance sports, team sports, and more.  There are some big name athletes appearing in the film such as World Record Holding Strongman Patrik Baboumian well-known ultrarunner Scott Jurek, Olympian cyclist Dotsie Bausch, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Derrick Morgan of the NFL' Titans, and so many more.  The movie is about James Wilks quest to search for the optimal diet to help him recover from a terrible injury.  His research set him on a trajectory to learn more about plant-based nutrition, ultimately discovering that many athletes are competin

  Habit change is hard, and it's really hard if you tend to think about your habit change as an all-or-none thing or if you get decision fatigue from too many options.  Have you heard the quote "don't let perfection be the enemy of good?" Sometimes the idea of not being able to do something perfectly or the idea of having to be perfect at it every day will stop us from even trying.   I came across some discussions in my community lately where one person criticized another because they didn't change or move the needle enough - this was in regards to diet. Doing the best you can is a good place to start, but I like to ask "is it better than" when comparing two options.  Asking "is it better than" can also give you a different point of view if you find you are critical of a decision another person is making about their changes.  We can't be in control of everything all the time and learning to set ourselves up to make the best decision possible for a given situa

Rob Lea is an animal. In a 6 month period, he summitted Mt. Everest, swam the English Channel, got married, and rode his bike across America, all while raising awareness for gender equality in the mountains and in the boardroom based on the HeforShe Initiative by the United Nations.  Rob’s mountaineering career includes climbs of mountains around the world including Aconcagua, Denali, and most recently, Cho Oyo.  Not only is he an endurance machine, but he is a realtor in Park City, UT.  His love for triathlon, inspiration from his wife and Professional Athlete Caroline Gleich, and even the medal hanging in his closet as Age Group 30-34 Half Ironman World Champ prove that Rob is no stranger to pushing his limits.  Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how did he come up with the Ultimate World Triathlon how to get out of your own way and dream big men supporting gender equality and #climbforequality prepping for Everest Risk Mitigation: personal safety vs pushing limits on Everest Swimming the English Channel: j

  We are a few days into January. When we make a declaration of a new lifestyle, goal, or habit, it can be hard to stick to it. According to research by the University of Scranton, 92% of people don’t achieve their New Year’s Resolution goals. We want to create habits to be happier and healthier, but change is not always easy. If we genuinely want to discover the best version of ourselves, why do we give up on some of our goals? There are multiple reasons we don’t achieve our goals. We get stuck in all-or-none thinking. Sometimes we don’t even start working towards a goal or habit because it seems too unattainable. When we make a mistake or a slip-up, we give up and revert back to our old habits because sticking to the new one seems too hard. We don’t create a support network and an environment for change Our goals are not specific or measurable. We are worried about changing our identity or how other people perceive us Another common thing we do is focus on setting goals based on an outcome we desire.  So

This is a republish of the Singletracks Podcast with Jeff Barber where he had me on the show as a guest.  I thought it'd be a great podcast to start off 2020!    Topics Discussed in the Podcast  how to view and appreciate strong competition and pressure finding the optimal amount of training for you why I love failure and find my greatest motivation from it the importance of work ethic my transition to a plant-based diet my book projects   Listen Now       Resources Subscribe to the Singletracks Podcast!  Singletrack Podcast Show Notes for this episode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Ways to Give Back to the Show             ________________________________________________ Yay!  Our Podcast Sponsor- Sufferfest Beer In 2012, Founder and CEO Caitlin Landesberg started her search for the perfect beer to cheers with friends after long trail runs in and around San Francisco… but didn’t find a beer that fit

Kait Boyle is an inspiring human.  These days, you might know her for her impressive accolades including 24-Hour World Champion in 2018, AZT300 record holder, winner and second in the men, and 2x winner SOLO 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo.  She didn't always ride a bike or have a love for bikepacking or ultra-endurance events.  She grew up riding horses and later found climbing and skiing.  As a NOLS instructor and with her Masters in Environmental Education, she constantly is in teaching and leadership roles.  If you follow Kait on instagram, you might have noticed that the last 12 months have been trying for her.  Almost exactly one year ago to the day, she got in a severe car accident.  Her truck was t-boned on an icy road leaving her with a quadruple fractured pelvis, broken sacrum, broken fibula, and a ruptured bladder.  Between 10 days in the hospital, 5 weeks in wheelchair, and 4 weeks on crutches, she had a long way to go to move forward.  She was able to ride the roller coaster of devastation and gr