RunYogi Diaries Podcast

In conversation with Dr. Neeta Gautam , a family physician, faculty at the Stanford school of medicine and a proponent of Ayurveda for health . The conversation covers a comprehensive discussion on modern medicine, Ayurveda, running, and the intersection of these domains. Neeta, a medical practitioner and faculty at Stanford University, explores the blend of modern medicine with Ayurvedic practices, emphasizing the significance of lifestyle choices in managing health. She highlights her running journey, stating its positive impacts on her life beyond physical fitness, like happiness, accomplishment, and improved sleep quality. Neeta advocates for consistent running as a personal goal over speed or accolades, valuing its holistic benefits. As a family medicine specialist, Neeta discusses her approach to patient care, focusing on prevention and lifestyle mediation in chronic illnesses such as stress, anxiety, and diabetes. She stresses the importance of addressing basic health practices, like movement, nutrition, and sleep, alongside traditional medical interventions. Neeta shares insights on epigenetic and the potential to modify genetic predispositions through lifestyle changes. She addresses the specific health risks for South Asians, including predispositions to metabolic disorders, advocating for active lifestyles and strength training as preventative measures. The conversation delves into Ayurveda's principles, emphasizing its preventative and individualized approach to health. Neeta illustrates how Ayurvedic practices, such as sleep routines and diet adjustments, can significantly improve health outcomes. She advocates for the integration of Ayurveda with allopathic medicine, urging medical professionals to be open and curious about alternative healing methods. Lastly, Neeta offers general Ayurvedic recommendations for endurance athletes, suggesting mindful training, nutrition, and an understanding of one's constitution for optimal performance and long-term health. This conversation is about effectively bridges traditional and modern healthcare philosophies, advocating for a holistic, informed approach to health and wellness. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 3:46 Running journey 6:15 How did Ayurveda become of interest 9:15 Impact of epigenetics 18:00 Importance of strength training 21:00 How does Ayurveda complement modern medicine 35:00 Practice of Ayurveda in modern life 38:00 Evidence based research on ancient medicine 50:00 Ayurveda for ensure athletes 54:00 Fun Q&A round 1:00 The last word

In conversation with Srinath Nagarur, a tech exec , who has been on a jounrey of self discovery in the area of fat loss, fitness and health. Having lost over 50 lbs in the last year, Srinath has dwelt into depths of nutrition science and psychology to find a hack thats working for him. This discussion covered several important aspects, including the importance of understanding the difference between fat loss and weight loss, the role of quantified nutrition, the psychological impacts of body image and weight management, and the power of habit formation in achieving sustainable results. The conversation highlighted how personal experiences, understanding the science behind nutrition, and implementing simple, sustainable habits can lead to significant changes in one's health and well-being. It also emphasized the need for patience, perseverance, and a focus on health rather than just aesthetics. Key takeaways from this discussion include: 1. **Quantified Nutrition**: Understanding and measuring your intake of macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats) according to your body's needs can significantly impact weight management and overall health. 2. **The Importance of Protein**: Increasing protein intake can help with muscle maintenance and growth, especially as one ages, and it can affect hunger levels differently than carbohydrates, potentially leading to more effective weight management. 3. **Habit Formation**: Making small, sustainable changes and focusing on creating healthy habits rather than seeking quick fixes can lead to more lasting health improvements. 4. **Emotional and Psychological Aspects**: Addressing and managing the emotional and psychological aspects of eating and body image is crucial for a successful health and weight management journey. 5. **Customization and Personal Journey**: Recognizing that each individual's journey is unique and requires a personalized approach based on their preferences, lifestyle, and goals. 6. **Patience and Consistency**: Understanding that results may not always be immediate or linear, and that consistency and perseverance are key to achieving long-term goals. This conversation serves as a reminder of the complexity of health and fitness journeys and the importance of a holistic, informed, and patient approach to achieving and maintaining health and wellness. Chapter timelines 0:00 Introduction 4:00 Flashback 11:59 The emotional impact of weight gain 15:15 Getting beyond fads 20:53 Simplifying lifestyles 23:34 What is Quantified nutrition 31:37 Challenges of emotional eating 36:53 Power of Habits 43:54 The Japanese idea of Umami 50:26 Setting the right expectations on results 1:00 The fun Q&A round 1:03:24 The last word

In conversation with ultra runner Aum Gandhi, who is through his efforts amplifying the message around mental health and the South Asian experience in America. In his early 20s, Gandhi, then 29, embraced a sedentary lifestyle that resulted in weight fluctuations and mental health challenges, intensified by the demands of a high-stress engineering job. However, a transformative shift occurred when he casually took up running five years ago. This seemingly simple decision sparked a profound change as Gandhi developed an insatiable thirst for pushing his limits. What began with a modest 5K soon evolved into more ambitious challenges—a half marathon, followed by the ultimate feat of completing a full marathon. Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Gandhi discovered the exhilarating world of trail running, which ultimately propelled him to achieve a remarkable milestone in April 2021: conquering his first 100-mile race. Gandhi's journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of embracing physical activity, not only for the body but also for mental well-being. His progression from a sedentary lifestyle to conquering ultra-distance races exemplifies the resilience of the human spirit and the potential for personal growth through determined pursuits. Thumbnail Hana Asano.

In conversation with Harshal Patil, a co-runner at the Mystic Miler running group , who has grown as a runner from barely running a few miles to running mutiple marathons with elan. Additionally he has been running faster and most efficiently , while also shedding 16 Lbs of extra weight in the process. We get behind the scenes on his journey. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 3:28 Flashback 5:35 Impact of hectic work-life 8:26 Start of fitness journey 11:05 The scaling of running journey 13:38 The first 10k and Half Marathon 16:33 The upside of COVID shutdown 19:38 Weight loss with running 21:11 Getting faster organically 23:37 The pivot to a full marathon 28:17 Resetting confidence for a full marathon 33:08 What is appealing about the full marathon 38:54 An breakthrough 2023 44:21 Why the Boulder marathon 45:54 Trail running 50k 52:15 What’s next on the horizon 56.21 The fun Q&A round

In conversation with Manjeet Singh, tech exec, functional fitness coach and Spartan racer. Manjeet can be reached on Instagram handle @coachmanjeet and on Facebook. An fascinating conversation around the importance of functional fitness and how it can be accomplished with little time our busy life throws at us. Chapter timelines 0:00 Introduction 2:56 Flashback 7:55 Staying active during young adulthood 13:30 Influence of wrestling 19:55 Impact of traditional eating styles to health 24:00 South Asians at higher risk of lifestyle diseases 28:39 The big bets for longevity 34:08 The need to self-experiment 36:25 Agile fitness during travel 38:33 The power of identity 41:38 The Spartan racing journey 48:15 How to train for a Spartan race 52:54 What’s next on the horizon 1:00:35 Fun Q&A round 1:10 The last word

In conversation with a dear friend, Dr Srinivas Panja who along with his wife Nirmala Panja, are learning to deal grief of losing their dear son to suicide in 2022. What makes them extraordinary is the fact that, instead of getting buried in pain, they have chosen to redirect energies tin bringing awareness to mental health issues among youth , by starting the The RunforJeev (www.runforjeev.com) . The foundation aims to bring awareness and resources to the mental health crisis through strategic projects and partnerships. Additionally, the foundation will focus on enabling a conversation amongst the South Asian community in America, where mental health is often not a comfortable topic of candid conversation. The RunforJeev foundation also organizes an annual 5k run/wak in Nov, the net proceeds of which go to the foundation . You can sign up for the event or make donations through this link https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/Shanendoah/RUNFORJEEV?aflt_token=GXnZyRPOxQaYu2xZzovTHAZdrcyRYAmv 0:00 Introduction and background 3:02 A life thats turned upside down 6:52 Lessons from dealing with grief 12:22 Supporting each other as partners 19:00 The power for reframing 20:12 The power of running and yoga 25:53 The power of social connections 28:06 The story behind Run for Jeev Foundation

In conversation with Arthus Del Rio, a former Navy Seal , and co-founder of Team RED4. Founder, Arthus Del Rio, US Navy Seal (Ret) races in honor of all of those who have served, are serving, and will serve the SEALs. Team RED4 is a non-profit race team dedicated to highlighting Naval Special Warfare Foundations. You can learn more about the foundation and make donations at https://teamred4.org Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 4:19 A quick background about the Navy Seals foundation 7:41 The journey to becoming a Navy Seal 10:21 Getting into Triathlon 18:14 Getting into the Navy Seals program at age 33 21:27 Secret of getting through intense Navy Seal training 22:28 What’s a Hell week 27:15 Graduating the Nave Seal program 34:46 The dive phase of Nave Seal program 43:47 Triathlon journey post Nave Seal retirement 47:46 Starting the Ironman journey 49:30 Training for Ironman 51:14 Virtual self supported full Triathlon in pandemic 58:01 Qualifying for for Ironman world championships 1:01 Doing back to back Ironman 1:05 Nutrition and Salt :The secret of super endurance 1:09 Art’s salt and gel protocol 1:19 The Nice France Ironman Championship story 1:23 What else is working for performance 1:28 The Fun Q&A round 1:38 The last word

In conversation with the amazing Jayme Linker from Colorado. Jayme's story is about second chances , and making the best use of it. From struggling with eating disorder to finding purpose in her competitive endurance ocean rowing , she is pure inspiration . In 2021 she participated in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge on a mixed pair team which it took her 51 days and change to complete. On June 12th, her mixed pairs team Aloha Kai will be rowing the Mid-Pacific where she will become the 1st US-born female to row both of these oceans. Jayme rows to raise money for Eating Disorder Awareness as she has suffered from an eating disorder for over 2/3 of her life and has dedicated her life to helping others not suffer like she has. 0:00 Intro and Background 2:57 Flashback, where it all started 4:59 What caused the eating disorder/and its impact 11:26 The beginning of Endurance lifestyle 13:28 How did water enter the scene 16:26 Prepping for a ocean row 23:00 Competing in ocean rowing 24:00 Navigation 25:53 The difference in rowing Atlantic and Pacific 29:02 Scary moments 30:42 Rowing in the night 32:51 Importance of mind control 34:31 The Bear Moose Hideaway Foundation for Eating Disorder 42:11 What’s next is circumventing the ocean 58:40 The last word

In conversation with Amit Bhosle , a techie from Seattle on his jounrey of weight loss that turned into a path to endurance sports. From his start in road road running combined with passion for mountaineering, that eventually culminated into his quest for the 100 miler. The 100 miler is the gold standard for ultra runners, kind of like what a 26.2 is for road runners. We get behind the scenes on his amazing jounrey and take some simple yet powerful life lessons . Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 3:45 Flashback, where it all started 18:14 Getting into mountaineering 23:26 Evolving into ultras 32:07 The first 100 miler attempt 43:34 What eventually nailed a 100 miler finish 52:40 The top 3 lessons 1:00:10 What next on the horizon 1:01:25 The fun Q&A round 1:08:47 The last word

#ultrarunning In conversation with the incredible Sonia Ahuja, who recently became the first Indian-origin woman to compete and finish at the top 5 spots in the Badwater 135, considered to be the highest foot race in the world. Furthermore, she has distinguished herself as a world-class elite ultramarathon runner. In September 2022 she came first overall in the 100-mile Miami Florida Ultramarathon and then in January 2023 she ran the 135-mile Brazil Ultramarathon, where she set the record as the fastest female, coming in third overall and was the fastest international runner. Chapter timelines 0:00 Introduction 3:48 How and why it All got started 8:47 Shifting to longer runs 14:39 Pivoting into ultras 17:52 The Pandemic effect 21:18 The need to push more mindset 23:39 How did the winning mindset develop 28:09 Winning the Miami Florida and Brazil 135 36:02 Why get a podium finish 38:53 The Badwater 135 journey 47:51 How to prepare for the Badwater race 53:32 How did it feel to finish on top at Badwater 58:39 How to deal with a missed goal 1:04:15 The top lessons that are working 1:09:23 What’s next in the horizon

In conversation with Maneesh Rai, a multi-time Ironman finisher. We get behind the scenes on his journey of fitness. Key lessons include tips on swimming long distances, the power of habits, and how to build consistency. Chapter timelines 0:00 Background and Intro 2:57 Flashback 13:14 Journey to the first Ironman 17:34 Swimming the Alcatraz 25:26 Fixing the running gap 29:06 The top 5 best practices that is working 29:46 Have a plan 32:47 Importance of Consistency 33:50 Importance of Cross training 36:06 Manage injury proactively 39:09 Focus on distance, not speed 43:58 Nutritional strategies 47:11 What’s next in the journey 51:02 Fun Q&A round

In a conversation with Anusuya Ashok again on her second stint in the podcast She was featured in episode 62, where we talked about her incredible running journey, check it out. Anusuya is first a Saree runner, then an ultra runner and now she is an ultra yogini ( YTT200 USA Yoga Alliance Certified) and also a level 2 nutritionist. Check her Instagram handle @anu_lokha to learn about how to get super flexible using yoga. In this outing, we focus on her move to N America, and how she managed to keep her fitness alive in a completely new place, new culture, and new colder weather conditions. Chapter timeline 0:00 Intro and background 4:02 Transition to N.America 8:09 Learning to live amidst snow 9:07 Self-motivation mantra 12:57 Yoga 21:49 Restart running in America 28:53 Running in a Saree in America 30:52 Differences in Running in India versus America 37:43 Fun Q&A round 37:59 What’s new in food choices 41:24 Favorite time of workout 42:44 What’s new in Gadgets 43:49 What’s the best compliment you got 45:15 What’s the hardest criticism you have got 49:21 Wrap up, the guest's last word

In conversation with Ricky Singh, on his incredible journey of well-being and fitness. We get behind the scenes on why it started and how it became a project of relentless pushing of limits. Highlights of his accomplishments include 50 state marathon club, summiting Mt Everest and Mt Manasalu, finishing the Badwater ultramarathon, and a gamut of other 100 miler races. That's incredible given he started only in 2005 and went all out while raising a family and running a business. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 2:42 Flashback 5:33 The first marathon 6:51 What was the motivation 9:10 Why pick running 12:36 The approach to scale 13:37 Beginning of mountaineering journey 22:33 Mt. Everest summiting experience 26:56 Transformative Nature of Mountaineering 34:08 The ultra running journey 38:04 Why push the limit 39:54 Did breakdowns happen? 41:25 What does the family think 45:50 Ricky’s top 5 lessons 51:11 What’s next on the horizon 54:08 The fun Q&A round 1:02:22 The last word

#ultrarunning #marathonrunner Kiran Krishnamurthy's roots in running are atypical. An adult-onset runner, who is naturally "underweight" as Kiran describes it, his motivation was to get fit and never about getting in shape. Running was never a passion for him till 2016. It started with Fitbit challenges with friends and found it tough to win by just walking, so he took up running to get more steps in a shorter time span. With a newfound liking for running, he joined the local hiking club. Since then he has been running to explore the beautiful trails in the Bay Area and looking to run marathons/ultramarathons and keep pushing his limits. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 4:07 Flashback to where it all started 9:06 Journey to BQ 15:29 Scaling and figuring out nutrition 27:02 Running downhill for BQ effort 29:43 Dealing with a difficult year 33:51 The Pandemic year, a turning point for running 39:49 A self-supported 100 miler 44:49 BQ finally 47:17 A unique approach to training, the mid-week long run 52:10 The Boston experience 54:26 Journey of the Tahoe 200 59:55 Benefit of Yoga to Training 1:04 The Tahoe 200 experience 1:11:53 What’s Next on the Anvil 1:114:17 The fun Q&A round 1:20:28 The last word

In conversation with the incredible running couple Sadhana and Sudhakar on their journey of conquering the Abbott world majors together. Sadhana is a management graduate who currently works with her family business in the well-known South Indian restaurant chain A2B. Sudhakar is an engineer and tech professional. They have two lovely kids. They are an everyday couple with a common passion for running and well-being, and they achieved this incredible feat together. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 7:20 The beginnings 12:47 Moving to the USA and signing up for the half marathon 17:34 The first full marathon 21:28 The start of Abbot's major journey 24:23 Running medals as jewelry 30:11 The feeling of shaving off 90 mins for PR 32:53 The next three majors 39:52 the decision to move back to India 42:12 Balancing parental responsibilities 44:23 Positive impact on marital relationship 49:04 Training in India 57:58 The Tokyo finale experience 1:08:40 What’s next on the horizon 1:11:05 The fun Q&A round 1:20:16 The last word

#spirtuality #journey In conversation with Sundar Kumabakonam. Sundar is a technologist In 2016, he quit as Senior Director, Engineering, Broadcom Corporation, and pivoted his life in a different direction, to something he deeply cared about. He started by launching the Tapasya Yogashala in Bangalore. In addition to Hatha Yoga classes, the studio offers Yoga Teacher Training Programs. In his quest for ‘something more than life as usual, and through his voracious reading and learning, he stumbled upon many great teachers and notably Gurdjieff , which provided a way to put theory into practice. He is an active member of the Gurdjieff Foundation of India. We get behind the scenes and learn about some fascinating ideas and people in the conversation. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 4:14 The beginning of the spiritual quest 6:12 Osho’s Influence 9:10 Possibility of past life determination 11:54 What about Osho was interesting 15:15 The domain of judging 28:37 The next big influence 34:19 The advice to pause 35:44 Gurdjieff and the Fourth way, the next big influence 48:58 AN intro to Ravi Ravindra 53:06 What is the Journeyswith.in all about 57:05 Why Yoga 1:06 Gurdjieff teaching of the three brains 1:12 Why endurance and spirituality are complementary 1:16 The last word

Today's conversation is not with a runner or an ultra-endurance athlete. It's a simpler journey of fitness that an average person struggles with. Most want to look good, feel good, and be healthy. And Sukumar's down-to-earth wit makes his journey personable. He has made it work with persistence. We get behind the scenes on this fascinating journey, starting with wanting to get fit to find a marriage partner and the ensuing quest for fitness thereafter. Chapter timelines 0:00 Intro and background 3:45 The beginnings 8:36 The exercise conundrum 13:03 Stumbling into the WHY 21:45 The top three practices that helped 24:33 The tiny habit method ( freedom from demotivation ) 30:52 Changing food habits 35:07 Concept of Tiny Grit and Reducing procrastination 46:14 What’s next is walking around planets 50:38 Fun Q&A round 57:42 The last word

In conversation with Ultra cyclist Shankar Muniyappa, who started as a commuter cyclist and scaled to endurance cycling. He also supported his friends to partake in a fitness lifestyle by creating a community. What's more, he does this along with his lovely wife, proving that the pursuit of endurance hobbies can be an enabler in marriages. His is a fascinating journey of growth and leadership. Shankar has penned an article on bicycling safety, Prep URL: https://www.rsvp-challenges.org/archives/cycling-safety-tips Some of his recent adventures include the following Couple:Couple:Couple: Chapter timelines 0:00 Background Introduction 3:45 Backstory 6:27 Selecting a proper bicycle 11:33 Cycling in the growing up years 13:35 Pivoting into endurance bicycling 17:58 Big changes to lifestyle to get fitter 21:50 Changes to nutrition 24:58 Improving power and cadence 28:06 The big rides with the wife to Bearttooth 34:01 The Mt Whitney adventure 38:28 The death ride adventure 43:25 Nutrition during rides 47:16 Creating a community challenge 58:59 What’s next on the horizon 1:00:57 Fun Q&A round 1:06:12 The last word

In conversation with Mahesh Nambiar. Mahesh is a coach, mentor, and consultant facilitating unprecedented personal and professional outcomes for individuals and teams vis-à-vis leadership, organizational development and change management, and process consultancy. Mahesh has dedicated himself to the pursuit of supporting others in producing the unthinkable and the unimaginable for the last 27 years and has altered the work and lives of over 150,000 people globally. Mahesh also received the Priyadarshini National Award and Conference Rashtriya Ekta Award Issued by the All India National Unity Conference. 0:00 Intro and background 4:23 What is peak performance 7:17 Should we be effort or outcome focused 9:15 Why being results-driven isn’t satisfying 11:53 What is behavior 13:08 How do define the purpose 15:43 What’s the purpose if our well being 18:44 How to know if one is operating at the peak 21:39 Rat race versus operating at peak 23:24 Making what you say as important 24:42 What pitfalls should we look out 28:54 How to handle multiple priorities 33:29 Handling the lows 40:19 Wrap up

In conversation with Dr. Sripathi Kethu , on his amazing accomplishment of 38 marathons in 12 months to achieve the 50 states club in the US. Sripathi has been on episode 7 of the RunYogi Diaries podcast where we talked about his running journey. In the episode, we get behind the scenes on he executed a 38-marathon project in 2022. 0:00 Introduction and background 3:35 The ground zero of the 50 states project 6:07 The decision to do it in 12 months and logistics 13:58 Managing double marathons 15:33 Goal setting for finish times 17:09 Challenge of self-motivation 18:54 Staying healthy in-between marathons 20:17 Nutritional strategy 22:32 The scheduling challenge 23:45 Managing family commitments 25:28 Managing multiple terrains 27:05 The mental hack 29:57 The Sripathi rating of highlighted marathons 30:22 The most challenging one 36:24 The most fun marathon 37:11 The best-organized one 37:37 The worst organized 38:55 The best crowd support marathon 40:48 The smallest-size marathon 41:50 The largest-size marathon 42:21 The most complicated travel 46:17 The best marathon of all 49:10 What’s next in the hopper 51:14 The last word