The holiday season can actually be a depressive time of year for some—whether family stirs up anxiety or it’s the anniversary of someone’s passing—so often we want to mask the pain or uncomfortable feelings in some way. Kari Gormley and beloved, repeat guest Ellen Rohr dive deep into the topic of addiction. Ellen describes how there can be a fine line between addiction and obsession and how running can become a potentially dangerous addiction. But she suggests that by managing our body chemistry through what we eat and through running, we can take a healthier approach to holiday stressors. Runner of the Week, Jason Pina recaps his 2015 Boston Marathon and Cape Cod Ragnar Relay experiences, as well as why he always goes to bed at 9 p.m. And last but not least, Serena Marie, RD dissects Kari’s protein powder picks.

Ellen Rohr
Energetic and light-hearted Ellen Rohr joins TRLS once again (from Episodes 89 and 90) to chat with Kari about a topic near and dear to her heart—addiction and sobriety.

Why considering all forms of addiction—from alcohol, to prescription drugs, to video games, to sex addiction—is important
Why speaking about addiction with others and identifying/realizing the indications of addiction are so imperative
How she has stayed in recovery for over twenty years 
How the mantra of “one more day” really worked for her
Why running can became a dangerous addiction
Why her spiritual development requires a sober mind

The Runner of the Week segment is sponsored by Sport Suds, which is a detergent that doesn’t test on animals and is septic safe, in addition to a whole lot of other great things. As a listener of TRLS, you can receive a 25% discount at checkout at www.sportsuds.com when you use the code RUNLIFE.
Runner of the Week: Jason Pina
This week’s Runner of the Week is Jason Pina, who first appeared on TRLS about a year ago. Kari originally met Jason in Chicago, and she also cheered him on during the 2015 Boston Marathon.

Richard details his third-in-a-row Boston Marathon experience (where he PRed by an hour on that particular course!) and how it compared to his last two.
He explains how to tell if you have more energy in your tank at the end of a marathon.
He chats about his Cape Cod Ragnar twelve-person race experience, where he ran approximately nineteen miles total in three legs.
He describes why he always goes to bed at 9 p.m. and prefers to run in the morning.

Mike Clarke, founder of the very first Big Beach Marathon and Half Marathon in Gulf Shores, AL (on January 31, 2016) lets listeners in on the secret of where all the fun’s at! The race starts and finishes at “the entertainment and dining epicenter of Gulf Shores”—The Hangout (http://thehangout.com). This restaurant prides itself on its super fresh shrimp, oysters, and local fare. It has multiple outdoor stages, several bars, it’s the location of packet pickup, vendors will be available for all of your last-minute race needs, and much more.
Don’t miss out on your exclusive 15% discount when you enter RUNLIFE during checkout at http://bigbeachmarathon.com/register/. Mike is offering a chance to win a weekend stay right next door within walking distance to the start/finish of the event at the Brett/Robinson Phoenix All Suites condos if you register for the race in December.
Serena Marie, RD
On this week’s episode, Serena Marie, RD, dissects protein powders to add to smoothies and non-dairy drinks:

The right amount of flax milk to drink
The benefits of Kari’s raw chocolate plant protein pick (that contains maca root, which potentially helps our bodies adapt to stress, increase libido)
The marketing material on Kari’s wheat grass protein pick (which provides Vitamins C and A) that makes Serena batty
The pros of Kari’s cacao energy smoothie blend (which contains ingredients that helps the body better adjust to stressful situations)
The proper portion sizes

To learn the 11 Strategies to Live the Running Lifestyle, please head over to www.therunninglifesty