Steph and Ben Bruce- How to Accept Who You Are and Where You Are, Right Now

Today we are talking to a couple who have grown up together in their running careers.

They met in college, dated long-distance, got married, and are now the parents of two young children. This is in addition to having thriving running careers and keeping up with their coaching and their blog.

Stephanie and Ben Bruce are the guests today, and this is a fantastic show for parents and non-parents alike, as they give a lot of great advice. They’re both down-to-earth and able to accept criticism, which they have had their fair share of, so we’ll talk about that.

Some of the topics that you’ll hear about include:

How Steph and Ben deal with the frustration when one member of the couple is not able to run but still supports the other.
The logistics of balancing running with parenthood.
Some of the struggles that women go through during pregnancy and the postpartum phase.
How the couple dealt with criticism of Stephanie when she posted photos of her post-pregnancy body.
How Stephanie has dealt with her celiac disease.
Stephanie and Ben’s favorite websites, running shoes, and what they like to eat before a run.

Questions Stephanie and Ben Are Asked:

3:30: What is the story of the two of you as a couple?

5:15: Was it easier on both of you that you were both runners, or do you think it made it more difficult to follow your individual careers?

10:00: Do you ever struggle with competition or frustration when one is doing well and the other is struggling?

13:35: Ben, what is it about racing that you are so passionate about?

15:30: What are the logistics of traveling to a race?

19:20: Stephanie, why do you think people have a hard time showing what we’re going through during pregnancy?

22:30: Stephanie, how do you think society can change in terms of accepting the whole experience of pregnancy and the postpartum period?

25:10: Ben, is there anything related to body image that men go through?

27:25: Ben, how did you handle rude comments about your wife’s body on social media?

31:00: What you would like to say about accepting who you are and where you are?

34:15: Can you share a “day in the life” of two runners, as well as two parents of two small boys?

38:50: What is “Running With the Bruces”?

41:30: Can you tell us about Northern Arizona Elite?

43:30: Stephanie, can you tell us about your celiac disease?

48:45: What are Picky Bars, and how did you come up with that idea?

55:00: What are you each most proud of your spouse for?

[bctt tweet=”LOVE this elite couple! Steph and Ben Bruce are role models to parents everywhere!” username=”Runners_Connect”]

Quotes by Stephanie and Ben:

“I understood Stephanie’s desire to move, because when you’re not happy, you’re not going to race well…. When she moved to Flagstaff, that was tough…. It eventually all worked out.” -Ben

“When you’re in a relationship, you’re looking out for your own success, but at the end of the day, you also want those goals and that success for your significant other. You almost have a dual investment, thinking how you can make those goals possible.” -Stephanie

“The mood of someone who is racing and healthy is going to be better than the mood of someone who is dealing with injuries and can’t run. I’d take myself not being able to run over Stephanie not being able to run.” -Ben

“Since running is our job, it’s a business trip [when we travel]…. It’s not a vacation, but the race is the reward.” -Stephanie

“In society, we [females] are brought up to be dainty. That’s a societal thing; there are so many things in history that women don’t talk about things that are unfeminine.” -Stephanie

“Maybe it does take more women to be honest. You just have to be real. I’ve seen how much that resonates with women. We have a long way to go.” -Stephanie

“If a guy or a woman puts up a [social media] post that is negative, I want to talk to their mom and make sure they knew that their kid was making these comments…. Everyone comes into this world. It’s not easy. Thank your mom for all that.” -Ben

“There are a lot of people online who are searching for a fight. They want you to comment back. They want you to get fired up…. You just have to let it go and focus on the good comments.” -Ben

“Never compare yourself to other runners and never compare yourself with yourself.” -Stephanie

“We feel connected to the people we coach. Whether we coach them still now or we coached them for six months, it’s great to have that interaction through social media.” -Ben

“If I’m not feeling well, I’m going to get it checked out. I don’t accept that you might just feel fatigued all the time.” -Stephanie

“Don’t try to run 40 minutes right away…. Running is hard if you don’t do it; it’s not natural to go out and run for an hour. Start with a few minutes at a time with walk breaks, then make the walk breaks less. You’re starting at ground zero, so don’t expect to run a marathon next weekend. Start small.” -Ben