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120 - Adelaide Perr "If You're Not Happy, Do Something Different"

Meet the incredible Adelaide Perr. Apparently I met Adelaide many years ago, you’ll hear more about that in the interview, but I came to know about her as a woman who in 2014 suffered serious trauma due to a bike/car crash. Not only did Adelaide live to tell about it, but she has thrived. We hit on more than the crash that changed her life; we talk about the ensuing emotional trauma made more complicated by bipolar disorder that affects not only the victim but everyone in her life. And finally the fact that she became a pro athlete AFTER the crash which means she had to figure out not only how to get back on the bike, but how to race on the bike.
Today we talk about:
Riding a bike: Before & After a near death crash
Making decisions & moving forward
The crash that almost killed her
Marriage proposal in the hospital
Bipolar disorder
PTSD
Legal system: how Adelaide had to prove that she was in fact a victim
Happiness is in our control
Adelaide's final nugget is this, “If you’re not happy, Make the changes. Step outside the box. Do something different.”
When we realize that we control our own happiness, that is power. To connect with Adelaide, visit her website Be the Beast Coaching. And as she mentioned, if you have bipolar disorder, she wants to be a resource for you. This is something she had trouble finding and she knows how important it is to support each other.  You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram at @realtricouple.
This episode sponsored by Skirt Sports
I started this company because I wanted something that didn’t exist at the time – I wanted to have it all. Performance, comfort and cuteness. I just didn’t understand why no one had done this yet, so I dreamed up my first product, a running skirt, got a prototype made, and then wore it in the 2004 Ironman Wisconsin, winning the race and effectively transitioning from one passion to the next in my life. My love and passion for helping women find happiness in their bodies is still going strong. You can literally feel it in every seam, every fabric selection, every feature and yes, all of the 5 million pockets we sell every year! So get over to skirtsports.com (or pop into our Boulder store) and take advantage of the 20% discount I’m giving you just because you listen to my podcast. use the code RUN20 at checkout. We are launching new styles, prints, colors and more very soon. Big notables this year are a new collection made for women who wear sizes 1X to 3X and a killer Swim collection landing very soon in February!

119 - Body Talk

One of my early 2019 highlights was helping to coordinate the Skirt Sports spring studio shoot. This was basically the culmination of my creative vision for our brand and our new products, so while coordinating all the details of a shoot is not really in my wheelhouse, the energy, the fun, and the final product are worth going out of my comfort zone.
One of the collections that we are very excited to launch is our new line for women who wear sizes 1x, 2x and 3x. Some companies refer to this as plus sizing or extended sizing. We prefer not to call it out but simply refer to the fact that we now offer sizes that include even more women.
At the end of the shoot, four of us sat down and talked all things empowering. Over the past few years it has hit me that the old definition of a sponsored or featured athlete has changed dramatically. I should know – I used to be a sponsored athlete who made money because of my great race results. Today, brands are discovering that winning races is not necessarily the end-all. As the leader of Skirt Sports, I realized long ago that it is so much more powerful to showcase real women’s stories, from all the different places in the pack.
Today’s podcast is about strong, empowered, imperfect women who are moving their lives forward in positive ways while learning from and supporting each other along the way. They are all featured women in the launch of our new Collection for women who wear sizes 1x to 3x. Get ready to meet Katie Kelly @rrockkelly , Jen Rockstar Szabo @rockstarszabo , Jill Angie @notyouraveragerunner , and in her 5th appearance on the pod in 3 years, the amazing Mirna Valerio @themirnavator.
Check out the show notes for a 7 minute behind the scenes video too!
Episode Sponsor: Skirt Sports!
Please use this special 20% discount on the new collection, or anything else in the line. New styles are dropping almost everyday and they’re fantastic. Use the code RUN20. At skirtsports.com or in our Boulder store.

118 - Heather Caplan Just Says No to Diet Culture

Today’s guest, Heather Caplan, is a dietitian, running coach, a woman who has struggled and overcome. She shares deeply and openly about our relationship with food, eating, body image and more. At one point she says, “I felt like my life was running me instead of me running my life.” That's the point when she flicked the switch and changed her life. And that’s what we focus on today. How we can take control of our lives. In Heather’s world, this is focused on our often difficult, emotional relationship with food and eating as it relates to our relationship with our bodies.
Today we talk about:
Diet culture - Being an anti-diet dietitian
Intuitive eating
What the scale?!
Eating disorders - a broad spectrum
Heather's personal struggles with orthorexia (preoccupation with food)
The Female Triad which consists of energy imbalances (possibly tied to eating disorders), menstrual changes & loss of bone density
Habits and how to retrain our brains
Lane 9 Project - Heather's nonprofit that supports women
Heather is also a podcast host – check out her show RD Real Talk – she gets down and dirty in every episode. If you're interested in her area of expertise, I encourage you to check out her show.
I love Heather's final nugget “You do you. Don’t be afraid to do what’s best for yourself.” Because in the end, it’s often fear that holds us back from many incredible experiences we could have in this lifetime. When you let go of that fear and you sink into who you are, accepting and embracing yourself, you will find the gold!
For more Heather Caplan, go here!
Website: heathercaplan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealTalkRD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdcrd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherdcRD
Lane 9 Project: https://lane9project.org/

117 - Melanie Murphy the Master of Self-Defense says "Learn how to Roar"

Note: This episode has a few swear words so please be aware of your surroundings when listening out loud!
I recently took a free self defense class at Way of the Crane in Boulder. It was hosted by Newton Running and the sensei, Melanie Murphy, was fantastic. She was strong and bold and in just one hour, she made us feel stronger and bolder. I knew immediately when she started talking that I needed to get her on the podcast. We recorded a couple weeks ago and I decided her message was the perfect way to start the new year.
Today we talk about:
Traumatic events that push us to find our power
Melanie's philosophy on self-defense
Dis-ease: turning someone else's disease into a weapon you can use to defend yourself
Asshole repellant
Tricks that predators use: intimidation, manipulation & more
What we can do to help our kids develop their power and avoid being preyed upon
Flipping the power switch
I know this episode will resonate in some way with each of us. For more empowerment, Melanie offers free classes on the calendar every month and a 4-hour intensive class that will drive home what you learn so that it starts to become second nature. If you’re in Colorado, this is a great opportunity for you to gain strength and confidence. Check the calendar here for more info. In the very short term, she has a free intro class on Wed Jan 9 6-7PM and she’s taking enrollment for her 4 hour workshop on Jan 27 from 12-4.
To further enhance your strength and empowerment this year, Skirt Sports is offering you 20% off your orders through March. Just use the code RUN20. If you aren’t familiar with Skirt Sports, I founded the company in 2004 because I wanted clothing that didn’t ride up or chafe, that fit my body, and that was cute! So I figured out how to start a clothing company and I did it. Over the years, we have grown and evolved. Today we offer a full line of women’s athletic apparel that fits our bodies and makes us feel good. So be sure to use the code RUN20 as we’re launching all sorts of incredible stuff this season.
To close out, it’s Melanie's final nugget that you need to hold close as you enter this new year. “Speak from your heart. Believe your soul. And trust your body.”
As always, thank you so much for giving me a very long 5k of your time. If you have any recommendations for guests, feedback, questions or more, let me know. I’m here for you. All right then, you know what time it is. It’s time to get out there and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!

116 - Sally Bergesen "Birds of a Feather..."

Today’s guest is someone that might surprise you. Ten years ago it would have surprised me that I reached out to her. Her name is Sally Bergesen and she’s the founder of women’s athletic wear brand Oiselle. Turns out she is a naming expert and the more a name stands out the more people will remember it. I am not a naming expert which is why so many people call my company sport skirts! But that’s another story! Over the years, I have watched what Sally has done with her brand and I started to feel a kinship to her because she is relentless in her quest to do the right thing. Even if it makes her look a little wild or rash sometimes. Her underlying mission is to help women and she does it every single day through her work with Oiselle. Why would I want to help promote a woman who makes clothing that theoretically competes with Skirt? Why wouldn’t I is the question I now ask myself. If you fall in love with Oiselle or Skirt or any other brand that helps you get out the door and make your life happier, then I’m thrilled for you!
For all the work we do in this world of online business, I will admit that we had a few technical challenges with our connection so don’t worry if there are a few extra long pauses. We didn’t get disconnected. I will also admit that when there are long pauses, I often talk more and I am sorry that I occasionally kept talking when Sally was trying to chime in! So the interview wasn’t technically perfect, but you know, that’s life. It’s not perfect. Sometimes we talk when we should shut up!
When I confirmed that Sally wanted to come on the show, I thought about what I would like to learn about her. I’ve listened to countless interviews with Sally, most of which focus on the things she does, but few focus on how she became the person she is today. Strong, resolved, with a very clear and unflappable opinion of right and wrong. Willing to put herself on the line to defend that opinion. Driven to connect and create community. A very deep thinker who isn’t afraid to take on a challenge.
So we dig into the foundation and build from there. I’m really happy to call Sally a friend. For a while, I thought of her as a threat, later a competitor, and now a peer. Our missions are not exactly the same but the drive behind them is aligned. We both want to help women find happiness through the transformative power of sport.
Today we talk about:
Sally's life buckets: Work, Family, Sport
Sally's early years growing up a "free range" child in Berkeley, CA
Smoking and Drinking and meeting her husband
Running: How it saved her life
Starting Oiselle
Ego
What being a mom means to her
What Sally would do if Oiselle was gone tomorrow
At the end of the interview, Sally mentions "the craft brewers." What you didn’t get to hear was our first attempt at an interview when we talked about why we haven’t nurtured a relationship with each other when there are so few peers in our athletic apparel world. I told her about some of my friends who started craft beer brands. Instead of ferociously competing against each other, they would organize bike rides from Boulder to Durango and then hang out and drink each other’s beer. We both decided that we want to be like the craft brewers, minus the drinking part. What you also don’t know is that after we stopped the recording we continued to talk about other more personal things like our tumultuous relationships with alcohol, dealing with petty lawsuits, challenges with manufacturers and more. We decided that we want to do a follow up interview called “the things we didn’t say the first time” – and we will next spring. So look out for that!
In the meantime, check out Oiselle oiselle.com – they make running and athletic apparel for women. They have build an incredible community. They support women. And I support them because in the end, lifting and elevating women will help us all.

115 - Tracey Hulick Ran 50 Miles with One Kidney

I first came across Tracey Hulick when I opened the front page of the Denver Post Sports section and there she was running an ultra. That's cool, but not that big of a deal, especially in Colorado where there are plenty of ultrarunners. What makes Tracey unique is that she was doing her first 50-miler ever. With one kidney. By choice.
Tracey made the decision at an early age that she would donate a kidney someday. She literally just felt called to do it. What intrigues me is the why behind the calling? Why does someone decide to do something that most people consider crazy, and I am pretty sure that most people do not feel called to undergo surgery to give a part of their bodies to someone else that they don’t know. Or if they do, it might be when they’re older and they feel the need to give back to help someone else. Not when they’re 12.
I think we get to the bottom of it, or at least we uncover part of the path to where Tracey is today. Like so many other people, she was healing one part of herself at the same time that she was tackling something else. I have a feeling that Tracey left some things unsaid, but I also think she shared more than she ever has before. And that’s all part of the process toward becoming the people we’re supposed to be.
Today we hit on:
Saying "I love you" for the first time
Why we often say yes to things (like marriage proposals) even when our guts say no
Growing up in an abusive household
Manifesting optimism even during dark times
Why Tracey was called to donate a kidney
Kidney donation: specifically Donor Chains & how many people can be impacted by your decision
Kidney Donor Athletes: A place athletes who donate can share stories and connect
Running: You can do something as extreme as donating a kidney and come back better than ever before
Holding the pen of your life
Here’s what I love about this episode. It’s not what I was expecting. I thought Tracey would be a kidney donor evangelist – pretty much focused on sharing that experience and recruiting others. What we all found was a beautiful spirit, stumbling her way through this world like the rest of us, but someone who actually does what her soul pushes her to do! I love her quote, “I’m hard-wired for optimism” – I think we should all adopt this mentality, at least for one day. When you immediately go to the dark side, when you immediately say “No. I can’t.” Stop in your tracks and reroute. YES YOU CAN! You always could and you still can. If you are someone who generally sees the negative first, take a cue from our old friend George Costanza. Remember that Seinfeld episode where he did the exact opposite of what he usually does? Try it! And if you are like Tracey and you’re hard-wired for optimism, then don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with the world. Maybe that means more smiles; more hugs. Maybe it means giving a kidney. If that’s the case, be sure to get in touch with Tracey. This world is a better place because she’s in it.
How to connect with Tracey:
Facebook: Tracey Hulick
Instagram: @radracer129 & @kidney_donor_athletes
Her Blog: Leaving It Better Than I Found It
Kidney Donor Athletes website

114 - Erin Weed Digs You

The first experience I had with Erin Weed was sitting in her office in Boulder for two days sharing the stories of my life with the goal of getting to the heart of who I am and what I was meant to do – in one word. One powerful word. Erin calls this process The Dig. She has administered countless DIGS in her professional life.
I wouldn’t say I was lost when I did The Dig, but I was unsure of exactly where I was and where I should be going. I needed some clarity. I had created an identity as the founder of Skirt Sports, but I was SO TIED UP in my business that I couldn’t see myself outside of that beautiful thing I created. In fact I was at the point of resenting that beautiful thing I created and that’s the last thing I wanted.
So I did The Dig. Erin has many magical gifts. One of which is to help people remember. This is no small feat as many of us want to push some of our often very important memories deep down into the darkness and pretend they didn’t happen. Erin helps us bring them out and then her next magical gift surfaces. She helps people see memories that are important – memories that we may discard as not formative or helpful. Basically over two days, she creates a storyline of your life’s important events illustrated by sticky notes on her wall. This storyline is whittled down to one word that forms the foundation for who you are. My word is Relationship.
I went in thinking my word would be compassion or connection, these words support my final word. But in the end, it makes sense. I’m about Relationships – with my body, my family, my community, with people I don’t even know yet! It became more clear that whatever I did in the future, I needed to allow myself to sink into this word. Think about this podcast. This was a direct result of my Dig. I knew that I needed an outlet to connect and form relationships not only with my guests but to allow my listeners to also form this relationship. To help them grow from others’ stories. So we can thank Erin Weed for Run This World!
Side note: Erin has helped nurture my love for the stage. It all came full circle when we sat side by side at eTown for the Truthtellers Tour (when I came out of the closet with my history with alcohol). Erin means a lot to me and I'm so honored to finally have her on the show.
So now you have an understanding of the kind of work Erin does. Today you will not do a literal dig on the pod, but you will gain a new way to think about your purpose as we discuss the following:
Girls Fight Back: the nonprofit Erin founded after her college roommate was raped and killed in her dorm room
Divorce & Motherhood
Confronting hard situations
The PURGE
Protecting your inner spirit
Check out the Boulder Psychic Institute in Boulder if you're intrigued!
Learning to tap into your innate gifts
The Dig: ins & outs & more
Challenge! Post your word! Or at least what you think your word is. Tag @nicoledeboom and @erinweed & then challenge yourself one step further. What’s on the other side of that word? If you think it’s one thing, push a little further to see if one final word surfaces.
For more Erin Weed: I highly recommend that you check out Erin’s TEDx Boulder Talk – she mentioned it today – imagine the pressure of the speaking coach putting herself out there to speak. Her talk is everything she helps other people be. Open, honest, vulnerable, and powerful. You can find a link on the show notes. And finally, take a breath and absorb Erin’s final nugget: You have no idea how beautiful the most real version of you is. And if you don’t believe that, borrow her belief.
Find and connect with Erin here!
Website: https://www.thedig.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinweed77
Instagram: @erinweed
Twitter: @erinweed

113 - Dawn Miller "Your Life is Worth It"

Dawn Miller was living what she thought was the perfect life. Mom of 4. Homeschooler. Happily married. Doing all the right things. Believing that her way was the best way. And admittedly judging people who didn’t subscribe to her way. Until one day when a car accident rattled her brain enough to cause a serious concussion and a warning from the doctor, “Don’t get another concussion in the next few months.” 19 days later, another more serious car accident sealed the deal. Dawn’s brain was rattled yet again, and this time, she was changed forever.
It is now over 5 years since Dawn’s traumatic brain injury. She has been through hell and back; at her lowest point, Dawn simply felt that she had no value on this earth and the world would be better off without her. I’m so glad she turned it all around and today Dawn 2.0 is thriving.
Today we talk about:
Dawn 1.0: Who Dawn was before TBI
Homeschooling
What love really is
Being perfect: what the hell does that really mean!?
Two brain injuries in 19 days
Recovering from TBI
Wanting to quit. Wanting to give up. Wanting to leave this world because you feel like it would be better off without you.
Dawn 2.0: Who Dawn is after TBI
Lawsuits and how they really suck
Running: How this supportive community helped
Dawn truly is the best. Take it from her, "Be who you really truly are. Don’t shy away from it. Embrace who you truly are. You are worth it. You will be a better person when you take care of yourself." Dawn, I so appreciate you. This world is a better place because you are in it. Thank you for your vulnerability to talk about Dawn 1.0 with such honesty. I know so many people are relating to your story in so many ways. Keep telling it! And let’s also report on Dawn’s Blue Sky Trail Marathon experience – results are in and yes, she finished! Her mini race report: “The trail was a killer. I fell and got a cut on my knee. Running with friends is so amazing.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from a TBI, traumatic brain injury, please reach out. There are many support networks for you to connect with. The toughest part is that this injury is invisible but causes so much pain and suffering in other ways. You can reach Dawn here:
Blog: themendedone.com
Facebook
Instagram: @upbeforedawn13
See you next week! This episode sponsored by the amazing company I started back in 2004, Skirt Sports. Dawn understands the power and confidence that come through finding a brand that resonates with you – from a product perspective and a community perspective. Skirt Sports is a safe place for women to be exactly who they are. A few years ago we were doing a video to launch the Gotta Go Skirt on Kickstarter. I asked if anyone was willing to come on video and talk publicly about pee problems. Dawn signed right up! Talk about confidence! Today I have a new discount for you – 20% off. For anyone who has not yet tried Skirt Sports, we make head to toe outfits for women athletes to move their bodies all year round. Pause a sec and write this down - runthisworld20 – got that? 20% off through 12/24. This is for non-sale items only – the newest latest and greatest. If you aren’t sure what to get, just ask me.

112 - Kristin Reihman "Are You Trying to Live or Are You Trying to Die?"

Kristin Reihman is one of my favorite people on the planet and one of my longest-known guests. I met her in 1990 my first day of swim practice at Yale! I knew the minute I met her that she was special in ways I had never encountered. Kristin loves and accepts all people, despite their flaws and bullshit, and that love and acceptance shine through her physical being into the stratosphere. Not to mention she’s hard to miss. I called her and about 5 other women from her swim class, the amazons, they were these tall, glowing, robust, strong, insanely fast swimmers who you couldn’t’ take your eyes off.
Kristin is here today not because she’s beautiful and talented (which she is - after college she became an MD now specializing in complex, chronic & medically mysterious illnesses) but because of the path her life has taken over the past few years. I’ll sum it up right here by saying she recently published her first book called “Life After Lyme: Revive your inner rock star and achieve a full recovery.” Yep – she is a lyme survivor and barely lived to tell about it. I’m so glad she did because I just can’t imagine a world without her beautiful spirit in it. And you won’t either after listening.
Today we talk about:
Toxic fatigue
Chi and Jing
Being a 6 foot tall blond American in China
Our inherent gifts
Becoming a family doctor
Chronic disease: Mystery and frustration
Kristin’s Lyme Journey
“Are you trying to live or are you trying to die?”
Constant fear states
Kristin is truly one of the brightest lights in this world and I for one and grateful that she didn’t let that light go out. I think one of the stories she shares, the title of this podcast is based upon this question, “Are you trying to live or are you trying to die?” It’s your choice in the end. When she says it out loud, it takes my breath away. We do have a choice everyday on so many levels. Do we want to die or do we want to truly live? I’ll leave you with that today. And please – anyone listening who suffers from lyme, or has even the tiniest inkling that you might have lyme or someone you know does, please check out Kristin’s book at kristinreihmanmd.com – and pass this link along. Because there is hope when you are at your darkest hour, when you have no idea what is wrong and you think you may be going crazy. When you have absolutely nothing left to give and it’s finally time for you to take. Don’t give up. You're not crazy. Keep going.
Okay friends, that’s it for today. And now you know what time it is, it’s time to get out and run this world. Have a great workout and I'll see you next week!

111 - Mel Charbonneau Wants to Know Your Story

Mel Charbonneau believes that every single woman has a story & when she opens up and shares her story, the rest of the world benefits. Mel is the founder of Fellow Flowers, a global community of women who find strength in connecting with other women through the shared power of both running and sharing. Mel is a self-described light bringer, a dreamer. Her power is best shared through bringing women together. Today we go deep into how and why Mel started Fellow Flowers which happened because of a story, or rather a cracking open of one woman who shared her story and created a ripple effect of support and connection.
Like so many amazing ideas, Mel's came to her on a run. Today we talk about that and more including:
The story of when Mel almost lost her child
How sharing your own story can help others open and find support and healing
Power of a symbol: The FLOWER
We have the power to decide
What we believe is what we see
Positive self talk is the key
Thinking & writing prompts: "This is a woman who..."
Figure out what matters to you and chase it
This is an incredibly dynamic and deep conversation with Mel. I think you will feel the power. The connectedness. The fact that you get to decide what direction your life takes, even when you feel run over and out of control. It’s always up to you. Because at the end of the day, you can choose positivity. You can choose to love yourself first and best. And as Mel says, you are a story worth telling.
Let me know what you think about today’s episode. Like it, love it, want to join Fellow Flowers immediately? Please do - go here! Other things you can do! Write a review on iTunes for me. Forward this episode to a friend. Let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions for future episodes. I love hearing from you! Also, be sure to sign up to get my emails at nicoledeboom.com – you should get one of those popups that asks you to subscribe. I’m going to do my best to send out a weekly update when I launch new episodes. Nothing spammy, just to let you know what new awesome sauce is happening on the pod.
Okay then you know what time it is. It’s time to get out and run this world. Have a great workout and I’ll see you next week!