Careth and Amanda share their most recent expeirences at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc this past weekend. Careth shares why she went into the race with no pressure to perform, only to "close the loop" and enjoy the course, while Amanda talks through the mindset shift that kept her from spiraling when she didn't know her place until late in the race. They also get into recovery after Hardrock, the mental toll of big mountain races, and what it means to come away from a major effort feeling encouraged instead of broken. If you care about UTMB, elite women's trail running, or the mental side of racing long and hard without losing yourself in the process, this one is packed with insight. It's part race recap, part mindset clinic, and part reminder that sometimes your best result comes when you stop forcing it.

In this raw conversation, Careth reconnects with Michelle Senyard to explore her journey from college days to becoming a passionate traveler, adventure photographer, and new mom. They discuss the transformative power of outdoor exploration, spiritual growth, fitness, birth, postpartum, and melting into motherhood.

Chapters

00:00 The YOLO Year: Embracing Adventure Before Parenthood
10:59 Meeting John: A Love Story Rooted in Faith
12:25 Planning for Parenthood: The Journey to Pregnancy
14:05 Fitness Journey: Staying Active During Pregnancy
18:47 Mindset Shift: Embracing Body Changes
19:03 Navigating Pregnancy: The First Trimester Experience
22:57 Traveling While Pregnant: Adventures and Challenges
26:21 Preparing for Birth: Expectations vs. Reality
33:09 The Birth Experience: A Wild Journey
37:35 Postpartum: Adjusting to Life with a Newborn
38:43 Navigating the Challenges of Breastfeeding
45:12 The Importance of Partner Support in Parenting
52:00 Embracing the Journey of Motherhood
59:55 Finding Joy in the Little Moments
01:03:31 The Role of Community and Connection in Motherhood

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In this chat with Ashley, we get to know her as an athlete, mother, and inspirational human. Ashley shares with us her routines, postpartum journey, race ambitions, and a bunch of fun in between. We hope you enjoy getting to know Ashley as much as we did.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
02:53 Athletic Background and Transition to Pregnancy
05:43 Challenges in College Athletics
08:22 Finding Love and Family Planning
11:17 Pregnancy Experience and Running
14:00 Labor and Delivery Experience
19:25 Postpartum Journey and Breastfeeding
25:06 Returning to Fitness After Baby
29:37 Training Evolution and Cross-Training Strategies
30:44 Sponsorship Journey with Hoka
32:19 Postpartum Pressures and Imposter Syndrome
34:21 Challenges of Returning to Racing After Pregnancy
36:07 First Race Back and Its Impact
38:03 Future Race Plans and Goals
39:56 Navigating Illness and Family Life
41:51 Balancing Work, Family, and Training
44:24 Traveling with Family for Races
49:58 Reflections on Personal Growth and Future Aspirations

Interested in sharing your personal motherhood journey with us?

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@amanda_basham

Amanda and Careth share personal insights about balancing intense training, recovery, mental health, and home chores. They discuss a variety of topics, including training through sickiness, self-coaching, managing seasonal depression, and staying motivated to complete mundane household chores that are never ending.

Key Topics:

• The significance of sleep and rest during tapering and recovery phases
• The impact of seasonal and climate-related stress on mental health
• Self-coaching versus working with a coach: benefits and challenges
• Balancing training, life, and household chores as an athlete-mom
• Strategies for mental wellness: mindfulness, minimizing media, and cozy rituals like tea
• Training insights: injury recovery, night running, and race planning
• Reflections on recent races, weather conditions, and upcoming adventures
• The mental shift: embracing the simplicity of "just running" and focusing on joy
• Practical tips for home and yard management to support a balanced lifestyle

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@i.careth

@amanda_basham

Join us as Emkay Sullivan shares her resilient journey through pregnancy, injury recovery, and returning to running. Discover insights on managing Achilles issues, pregnancy fitness, and the emotional aspects of motherhood. In this episode, Emkay shares her birth story and what it has been like for her so far in this postpartum season. She discusses the physical and emotional challenges, the importance of support systems, and her race plans post-recovery :)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
01:56 Emkay's Return to Running Post Achilles Surgery
03:49 Managing Stress and Recovery During Pregnancy
08:04 Pregnancy Journey: From Trying to Conceive to Birth
11:54 Physical and Emotional Challenges of Pregnancy
16:02 Birth Story: Labor, Epidural, and Delivery Details
19:59 Postpartum Recovery and Resuming Exercise
24:01 Balancing Motherhood, Fitness, and Mental Health
28:02 Reflections on Pregnancy, Birth, and Future Plans
02:40 Labor experiences and personal stories
06:54 Post-birth challenges and recovery
15:11 Pelvic health and physical therapy
24:57 Return to running and fitness levels
34:57 Race plans and future goals
45:01 Support systems and balancing motherhood
54:58 Advice for athlete moms and postpartum health

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@amanda_basham

@emkaysulli

In this episode we are joined by Leah Yingling! She shares her journey through motherhood, discussing the challenges of parenting schedules, the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, her birth story, and return to training. She emphasizes the importance of trust in parenting partnerships and the need for self-advocacy during pregnancy. Leah also reflects on the unique bond created during labor and the experiences of having a child in the NICU, in addition to many more words of wisdom she shares with us.

Chapters