“As much as I run, to think of it as fitness, to think of it as movement, all those apply, but it’s really my practice. It’s one of the things that really helps me to be the best version of myself.” – Robbie Balenger

There are multiple paths that we can choose to take when we are on the journey to living a more healthy lifestyle. Many of us look at running as a quick way to shed some pounds or improve our cardio, but running can provide so much more than just a fitness routine.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Robbie Balenger and discussing how running has impacted his life, taking him from an unhealthy lifestyle to a whole food, plant-based diet and supporting him through his run across the United States.

Throughout his training, he discovered that running starts as a physical game where conditioning your body becomes the first hurdle to jump, but after your body is in running shape — your mind is where the real work is done.

Running has opened the doors to self-reflection and mindfulness throughout Robbie’s big-event runs that help bring him clarity and reduce his anxiety. As running continues to require him to push his body beyond the limits he previously thought possible, he is faced with letting go of negative self-talk and boosting his confidence for accomplishing new goals and bigger challenges.

Robbie compares his running events to experiences in life with the reminder that everything is temporary and that as long as you continue to push through and take one step at a time, you will eventually reach the finish line.

Listen in to hear Robbie’s story and how running and a plant-based diet help him embrace his life and tackle new challenges.

Highlights:
– What life was like for Robbie before he began running only 9 years ago, when he was 29, in the restaurant industry, partying, and what the catalyst for him to make such a dramatic lifestyle shift.
– How much of the massive endeavers he’s taken on is physical vs mental and emotional.
– What daily habits and rituals he’s adopted that he attributes to staying healthy and being able to accomplish monumental challenges like the Colorado Crush, Outrunning a Tesla Battery, World Record for Central Park Loop, and more, year after year.
– What Robbie eats for everyday nutrition and energy, as well as for fueling his body through ultra events.
– How he handles the anxiety and negative self-talk that may be his biggest challenge of all.
– His thoughts on being an influencer, vulnerability, sharing while also giving himself space for himself and respecting his own need for privacy.