From Mediocre to Magnificent with Professional Runner Phoebe Wright

Think elite runners have it all? They improve in their running every season with a sponsor like Nike behind them? Actually no, and Phoebe Wright does not mind sharing her struggles, and thoughts on eating disorders, doping, and the contemplation of giving up professional running. This girl is honest, real, and easy to relate to. A must listen for every runner!

On the Run to the Top podcast, I try to vary the types of guests that we have.

Today, I’m excited to be interviewing a professional runner. Phoebe Wright has a lot of accolades, but first and foremost, she’s down to earth and simply wonderful to talk (and to listen) to. You’re sure to enjoy today’s episode.

Phoebe is a Nike athlete and a five-time NCAA champion. She is currently training for the Olympic trials. She has a blog and gave us a great interview.

Oh, and Phoebe finished 6th in the US Olympic Trials just a few days ago!

Think elite runners have it all? They improve in their running every season with a sponsor like Nike behind them? Actually no, and Phoebe Wright does not mind sharing her struggles, and thoughts on eating disorders, doping, and the contemplation of giving up professional running. This girl is honest, real, and easy to relate to. A must listen for every runner!

Some of the topics you’ll hear about include:

  • How Phoebe went from a mediocre high school runner to an NCAA champion.
  • How she got out of the strain of overtraining.
  • The most important things when it comes to training and improving.
  • Phoebe’s thoughts on eating disorders.
  • How Phoebe keeps her body healthy with nutrition.
  • Phoebe’s thoughts on recent drug scandals as they relate to runners.

Questions Phoebe Is Asked:

3:20: What’s the backstory on how you became a runner?

4:55: How did you transition from a mediocre high school runner to an NCAA champion?

6:35: Did your coach see something in you and encourage you not to quit?

7:30: What’s your advice for people with big goals who have people in their lives saying that they’re not being realistic?

9:00: How did you keep going when your patience and dedication was tested?

14:30: How did you transition after college?

17:00: Would you have done anything differently to dig yourself out of overtraining, if you had it to do over again?

18:15: What were the symptoms and warning signs of overtraining?

20:25: How did you not allow your running to define your life?

21:40: What is “the main thing”?

23:15: What are the two things that are most important?

24:15: Do you get nervous before races?

26:20: Explain how eating disorders are an attack.

28:10: If we are concerned about a friend with an eating disorder, how can we help?

30:00: Do you struggle with comparisons?

34:45: What are your thoughts on recent drug scandals?

38:40: Can you see why someone might be tempted to dope?

42:55: Tell us about your Stop Phe shirts.

44:35: What do you want to tell your future self as you go through your Olympic trials?

[bctt tweet=”Love how relatable @phe800 is on the @Runners_Connect podcast!” via=”no”]

Quotes From Phoebe:

“I was a mediocre high school runner; I did it just for the friends.”

“I had such a good partnership with my coach. What I needed, my coach could provide. I needed someone to believe in me so I wouldn’t feel silly having lofty goals.

“My favorite coping technique is changing my perspective: Zoom in or zoom out.”

“With overtraining, you’re at the mercy of time. You just have to wait it out.”

“The main things are nailing your workouts and recovering.”

“One percent matters in this sport.”

“If I get nervous, I try to face it head-on: I write things in my journal so I can forget about it.”

“With an eating disorder, your identity gets so intertwined with food so food isn’t even food anymore. It’s just numbers.”

“I love the idea of treating your body like a sister…. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“You have to eat healthy, but you can’t completely revamp your diet in a week or a month.”

“People don’t realize that there’s a lot of money to be lost to dopers.”

“It’s not that you’re a bad person if you doped — it’s more complicated than that.”

“My favorite quote is ‘If you’re gonna walk on thin ice, you might as well dance.’ Be risky.”

Take a Listen on Your Next Run

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Links and Resources:

Previous interview with Chris Kelly

Phoebe’s blog

Phoebe on Twitter

Hyperbole and a Half Blog

Hyperbole and a Half Book

Thank you so much for tuning in. Remember you can always email me tina@runnersconnect.net if you have any suggestions, feedback, or guests you would like to hear from.

We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top!

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Next week, we will be talking to several women about running and pregnancy. And remember, “happy wife, happy life,” so don’t think this one’s not for the guys as well as the women; it’s for everyone!

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