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A LAIRD SUPERFOOD COMPANY
Juggling work-life balance can be a real three-ring circus, which Lauren & Jesse know first hand. Led by listener questions, the Work, Play, Love Podcast is all about sports, biz, and family. [ASK YOUR QUESTION]
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Belief systems have an enormous impact on work, play, and love. Cultivating a belief in yourself can impact your performance on the field, at work, and in a relationship. Believing in a new training plan can help you get unexpected results on race day. And believing that your career doesn’t leave ample room for training can cause stress when you’re trying to achieve a big goal. Lauren and Jesse answer questions about faith and belief, concerns about training when working towards a marathon anda triathlon, how to find balance with passion career, and taking on a coaching role with a partner. Plus, Lauren’s just back from the USATF championships, which means a week of solo parenting for Jesse, and they both share their highest highs and lowest lows from the week apart.
14:08 - My girlfriend and I are in our mid twenties and not married, nor do we have children. However, I have a propensity for the occasional dad joke to lighten the mood. Do you foresee any repercussions? Lauren—what are your thoughts on clever dad jokes? Jesse—as a dad yourself, have you found that the humor comes natural versus B.C. (Before children). Just curious.
!!! It sounds like you’re a natural. You should let those dad jokes flow. Go. Be corny. Lighten moods everywhere.
15:34 - What’s your favorite treadmill workout?
If you feel like ringing out every last bit of performance you’ve got in you, you can try doing a long slow progression to fast. Something like starting with a 6-minute mile, then 5:50, then 5:40—whatever progression works for you. By the end, you’re sprinting and hanging on to that treadmill for dear life!
However, if you want something a little more stimulating to keep your mind off the fact that you’re on a treadmill, try:
17:12 - What foods can cause inflammation while you’re on your period and affect your performance in sport?
We’re not doctors, but sugar and alcohol are the big ones to avoid when you’re on your period and trying to maintain performance in sport. Also, in PMS you may feel bloated, so any other food that makes youfeel bloated when you’re noton your period are foods you should avoid.
18:46 - How many Picky Clubbers do you have? Have you seen any direct increase in subscribers since the podcast launched?
At the time of this recording, we had about 4,300 Picky Clubbers! Yay Picky Club! We’re really proud of the Picky Club and it’s grown organically since we introduced it. We haven’t seen an increase in subscribers we can link to the podcast, but we have noticed that fewer folks are leaving the club once they subscribe. So maybe the podcast has made the Picky Club more sticky!
20:49 - I feel puffy and swollen and waterlogged when I try to run in this summer heat. Any ideas on why that is?
This could have to do with hydration, sodium, or a range of other factors. And these symptoms could indicate a range of issues from not serious at all to potentially serious. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor about this puffy-ness.
22:13 - What are the faith backgrounds you grew up in? Regarding sport, what is your framework for believing in yourself?
Neither of the WPL duo take religious faith into account when they’re on the field, though they have many friends who do! When it comes to cultivating confidence and believing in yourself, Jesse and Lauren generally have faith in the process. If you develop a plan and can achieve goals within your plan, you can feel confident that you can achieve the larger goal you’re after. Jesse and Lauren talk about faith and how they see it play into competition for themselves and their colleagues.
29:09 - I’m a triathlete with a competitive marathon and a couple Iron Man races coming up. How can I train to be competitive in the marathon without losing fitness in the swim or on the bike?
Don’t underestimate the power of cross training! During your marathon training cycle, prioritize your running workouts so you feel fresh on your run days. But work biking and swimming into your training plan! The cross training will benefit your run, and you may be surprised with how much bike and swim fitness you maintain in the process. Plus, cross training will help you prepare for your marathon while offsetting the number of straight-up running miles you need to get under your feet, which will reduce your risk of injury in the long term.
34:09 - I’ve built a great career in a job I really enjoy, but it hasn’t left me much time for play and love. Should I explore a career transition to a job that will allow for more balance in my life?
It sounds like you’ve invested a lot of time into this career, and you like it! That’s awesome. So before you jump ship, go to your supervisor or your boss or relevant team at your company and let them know how you’re feeling. Propose a plan that will help you achieve more balance in your life. If you’re bringing significant value to your company, you’ll be toughto replace, and your company may be more interested in helping you find the balance you seek than seeing you go.
39:14 - My partner and I share a love for athletic lifestyles and are each pursuing our own athletic goals. Unfortunately, I’m sidelined with an injury at the moment, but it’s really fulfilling to support my partner and see them excel. We have regular conversations about training and racing, and it’s easy for me to slip into a “coach” type role, which can be a slippery slope as our relationship goes deeper than just athletics. Have you ever been through similar circumstances in your lives together? How do you recognize when you are perhaps too involved in your significant other’s athletic pursuits and living vicariously through them? Could this actually be a good attribute to our relationship?
It sounds like you are a really caring and supportive partner, and that’s awesome! In general, we wouldn’t encourage someone’s partner to become their coach for exactly the reasons you outlined. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have valuable insights to offer your partner. If your partner asks for feedback, let them know what you think. And if they haven’t asked you, try to avoid giving advice “armchair” style. That said, if you notice an issue with your partner’s training that’s causing a lot of concern that your partner or their coach aren’t addressing, go ahead and bring it up!
46:12 - A few episodes back, a listener wrote in asking for advice because their partner will sign up for a race with them, but then never train. Recently, on their way to yet another race, they played the episode back for their partner and hilarity and good conversation ensued. Turns out listening to a podcast can be a great way to have…er…force a conversation.
47:40 - Two listeners wrote in to follow up on episode 52 about recommended books for nutrition, here are some audience recommendations:
As always, submit your work/play/love question at pickybars.com/workplaylove - Thanks for listening!
Gift ideas for athletes, how to fit in exercise in an already packed schedule, when to have kids, and lastly, why are age-groupers peeing on the bike during triathlons?
