1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,400 You need to live out the story that you see for yourself. 2 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:25,760 And the story that you see is what's going to guide you every day. 3 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:35,200 So I envisioned this completing Iron Man, qualifying for Kona, and just taking it to 4 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,480 the next level. 5 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:42,160 You have to change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change. 6 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:44,480 I changed my story. 7 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,680 I changed the channel to gratitude. 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,720 I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it to the world championships and compete 9 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,520 with the best in the world. 10 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:58,920 I believe that was in a space of gratitude. 11 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:04,120 When I train and when I race, it's an appreciation for what God has given me. 12 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:10,120 I believe that I have gifts and talents that have brought me to this sport. 13 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:17,040 I truly believe it is my responsibility to show up every day and give 100% of myself. 14 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:25,960 That is my gratitude. 15 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:31,400 Hello and welcome back to Life's Next Lesson Plan podcast where I continue to pave my post 16 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:36,120 education path after three decades as an English teacher. 17 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,680 On today's episode I'm chatting with Anna Straylow, a former student of mine who now 18 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:47,640 runs her own PT practice, all while competing as a professional Iron Man triathlete. 19 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:54,040 I'm just going to say that if her words don't inspire and motivate you, I don't know what 20 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:55,400 would. 21 00:01:55,400 --> 00:02:03,200 This conversation both warmed my heart and tops my list as one of the top 10 moments of 22 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,960 my 51 years. 23 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:14,640 Just listen and you'll see what I mean. 24 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:18,720 I'm so happy to have Anna Straylow with me today. 25 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:24,960 I have to say, as I was explaining to her, it's been so fun to reconnect with former 26 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:30,760 students of mine who now are teaching me things I could have never taught them. 27 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,120 This is another example of that. 28 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,680 Anna and I met, I think you might have been, were you a freshman? 29 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,760 I think I might have met you as a freshman. 30 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:46,160 And I had your older brother and sister in class and I remember them writing about you 31 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,760 and talking about our baby sister. 32 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:53,680 And then it was so fun when I actually got to have you in class. 33 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:59,440 So that's how we met, but I will let you kind of explain your background a little bit to 34 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:00,440 the audience. 35 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:06,760 I graduated 2009, soccer was my big thing. 36 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,440 After high school, went to the University of St. Thomas and I played college soccer 37 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:12,440 there. 38 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,960 I started studying, I was a bio major. 39 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,040 I really wanted to be a dentist for some reason. 40 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:27,480 There was this idea of having my own practice and doing my own thing that I felt was very 41 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:34,280 empowering and unbeknownst to me, I get to college, I took three courses because I was 42 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:39,320 juggling soccer as well so I wasn't going to take many credits, but my schedule was 43 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:44,120 bio, organic, cum, and calculus. 44 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:50,640 And I, after, I think it was like first semester, I came home, it was, I came home on winter 45 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:56,600 break and I was talking with my parents like this isn't right. 46 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,400 Like this is terrible. 47 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,560 I'm not having a great time in regards to school soccer was fabulous. 48 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:10,840 But then at that time, I was rehabbing in ankle sprain from the season and I met the 49 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:16,200 most amazing physical therapist at Freightart and she just became my inspiration. 50 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:21,400 She, and to this day, she actually still kind of mentors me a bit. 51 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:23,600 But she also played a college sport. 52 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,960 She had three boys, she worked with athletes, like I looked at her and was like, I want 53 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,480 your life. 54 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,240 So I went back to St. Thomas and totally changed my major. 55 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,320 I was an exercise science major. 56 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:43,920 I graduated in 2013 and then I went directly into PT school. 57 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,440 I went to the College of St. Scholastica and got my doctorate. 58 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:56,600 I graduated from PT school three years later and then my goal was to work at Freightart 59 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:57,680 Hospital. 60 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:59,160 And so I moved back to be home. 61 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:00,160 My whole family's here. 62 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:07,760 So I was done with Minnesota and I started a job at Freightart and I had worked at Freightart 63 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:13,080 for eight years as a physical therapist and I recently just left. 64 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,920 So it's kind of been my journey since high school, I guess. 65 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:17,920 Exactly. 66 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:22,280 And I'm guessing that you'll talk a little bit later about what you're currently doing. 67 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:23,280 Absolutely. 68 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:24,280 Okay. 69 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:25,280 All right. 70 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:26,280 We will get to that. 71 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:31,760 So when you think back on your school days, either high school or college, do you have 72 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,640 like a memory that sticks out to you from when you were a student? 73 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:36,640 Yeah. 74 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:45,600 I mean, high school probably the best memory was sophomore year. 75 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:51,560 Because we won the state championship in 2007. 76 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,600 Going back to my glory days. 77 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:59,120 But it was the best year because I assisted the game goal in double overtime to Andrew 78 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,120 Pfeiffer who at the time was dating my cousin Ricky Stoll. 79 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,400 So it meant the world to my whole family. 80 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,440 Yeah, that's a great. 81 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,280 But also that year the boys won state football. 82 00:06:11,280 --> 00:06:14,280 So it's just a rock star year. 83 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:20,720 Higher high school, I would say the biggest memory in college was my freshman year. 84 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:25,920 I play a lot and we made it to the NCAA tournament. 85 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,920 And so having that experience was just incredible. 86 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:30,920 Yeah. 87 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:31,920 Wow. 88 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:32,920 Yeah. 89 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:37,160 So I can see why you're so inspired to continue competing in your current flight. 90 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:42,440 So when you looked beyond either high school or college to look at what your next steps 91 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:49,800 were going to be, how did you plan out your next chapter after education, I suppose? 92 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:50,960 Okay, sure. 93 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:51,960 Yeah. 94 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:59,440 So once I graduated PT school, I was working. 95 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:06,560 I kind of felt like I had lost a part of me because I wasn't competing. 96 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,920 Like I didn't have soccer and soccer was so much a part of my life. 97 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:18,320 So I found running to be a passion of mine because it was easy and I could do it during 98 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:19,320 PT school. 99 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,160 And the cool thing about St. Scholastica is in Duluth. 100 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:30,160 So I was able to explore trails and just a different area. 101 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:37,280 And frankly, all you can do in PT school is like run, drink beer and study repeat. 102 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:42,280 So anyway, there's a really famous marathon that's in Duluth. 103 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:43,720 It's called Grabba's Marathon. 104 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,400 And I started training for this with some classmates and I told myself, I'm only doing 105 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,160 a marathon if I can qualify for Boston. 106 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:52,160 So that was the goal. 107 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,960 And if I qualify for Boston, I'll do it and then I'm done. 108 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:56,960 And I did. 109 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:02,600 I ran a crazy fast marathon for my first one and I qualified for Boston. 110 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:11,840 The year I graduated PT school, 2016, I did Boston, which by the way for any runners out 111 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,000 there, like it's a must do bucket list. 112 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,720 Absolutely have to do Boston. 113 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,160 It is one of the majors. 114 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,880 But anyway, so I finished Boston and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm never doing a marathon. 115 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,520 Like that was so horrible. 116 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,160 And of course that was not the case. 117 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:34,040 I then was officially back home working at Frater. 118 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:35,320 It's still running. 119 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,400 And my dad is a cyclist. 120 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,040 He really enjoys being on his bike. 121 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,800 And he said, okay, now that you're home, you gotta come biking with me. 122 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,320 I was like, okay, sure. 123 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,400 I have nothing else to do but work on this adult thing. 124 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:54,600 And so I started biking with him and he introduced me to a coach who ran this, essentially like 125 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,920 a cycling group out in Brookfield. 126 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:00,400 Her name is Heather. 127 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:05,600 And he said, you know, why don't you just work with Heather, have her as your coach 128 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,080 and see how you do with your running. 129 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:09,360 And I was like, okay, cool. 130 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,920 So of course I ended up signing for late from marathon. 131 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:17,360 I was like, I'll do just one more because it's local. 132 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,760 And during that time with Heather, I ended up getting an Achilles injury. 133 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:30,480 And so she invited me to go to a pool with her and swim. 134 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,480 And while she would swim, I would aquajog. 135 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:42,200 So I get to this pool and it's just like inundated with like Ironman gear and really fit buff 136 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,960 people, fast swimmers. 137 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:49,280 And I look at her and I'm like, Heather, you're going to have me put on this diaper of a thing 138 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,880 and aquajog next to all of these really good swimmers. 139 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,240 Like that's embarrassing. 140 00:09:55,240 --> 00:10:00,040 And for me, like as a big competitor, this like lit a fire inside. 141 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:01,920 Like there is no way I'm doing this. 142 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,840 So of course I listened and I aquajogged. 143 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:12,920 But then afterwards I remember even before I got to work, I was YouTubing how to swim. 144 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:18,360 Like and of course I admit, like as a child, yes, got through like level five swim and 145 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:19,800 I could not pass level five. 146 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:20,920 It was very traumatic for me. 147 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,720 But not pass level five because I couldn't dive appropriately. 148 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:30,040 But anyway, so I'm YouTubing how to swim and I had a coaching call with Heather and 149 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,480 I said, I want to swim. 150 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,520 Like I want to do this. 151 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,960 This is like, I'm not going to go aquajog. 152 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:37,960 Like let's swim. 153 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,680 And she's like, okay, Heather herself was a professional triathlete. 154 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:44,720 So she knew all disciplines of how to coach all disciplines. 155 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,640 So I really trust her to guide me in this. 156 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:52,040 And as we got going, she's like, why don't you just do triathlon? 157 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,880 And at the time I'm like, I don't even really know. 158 00:10:54,880 --> 00:11:00,840 Like I didn't know really an Ironman was or triathlon was. 159 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,400 So I started to look into it and I was like, okay, sure. 160 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:05,720 And so she started to coach me. 161 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:12,960 I began with some doathlons and then she had a group of athletes she coached and this 162 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,440 group was going to Steelhead, Michigan. 163 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:22,200 So this was like 2017, 2018 to do a half Ironman. 164 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:27,760 And at the time I had done like one sprint triathlon and I had won it. 165 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,520 So these people are like, you're so good. 166 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,280 You should come with us and do this half. 167 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:33,880 Oh my gosh, she explained that to my mother. 168 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:34,880 She like had a heart attack. 169 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,480 She's like, you're doing what for how long and where? 170 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,840 I was like, yeah, I think I'm going to go do it. 171 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:49,640 And so I signed up and Heather trained me to do this and I won my age group, which for 172 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:54,760 those who don't really know much about triathlon, like that's a big deal. 173 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,440 And at the time I didn't know that either. 174 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:58,800 So I'm like, okay, cool. 175 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:00,120 Like I've won my what? 176 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:01,120 Okay. 177 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:02,120 Who's in my age group, right? 178 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,720 Like whatever. 179 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,320 And I was also on like Heather's hand me down bike. 180 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:13,120 Like I just, I just want to do it for fun and to have a challenge, do something different 181 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,400 outside of, you know, work. 182 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:22,840 And so what I learned and quickly learned was that you have to stay after the race for 183 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,160 awards if you win your age group to get your award. 184 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:30,840 And then they ask you, do you want to go to the world championships? 185 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:36,760 And you know, I stayed and the world championships were going to be in Nice, France that year. 186 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:41,480 That would have been 2019 and they offered me the slide and I said, no. 187 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,080 And everybody was like, you said, what? 188 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:45,080 Why? 189 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:46,800 Like this is a huge deal. 190 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,280 And I was like, okay, first of all, I'm a new PT. 191 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:50,560 I have zero money. 192 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:51,760 I just did this thing. 193 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,800 Like I don't really know much about. 194 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,080 And I don't know what the world champs is. 195 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,280 And that was a very bad decision. 196 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,400 I quickly learned. 197 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,360 So we got back from Michigan on Sunday. 198 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,240 I went to work on Monday and I remember where I was in freighter. 199 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:13,040 I ran over to this window during lunch and I called Heather and I said, Heather, I just 200 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:14,360 made the worst decision ever. 201 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,680 Like I really should have gone to the world champs. 202 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:19,560 I was reading about it during my lunch. 203 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:22,040 Like how do we go? 204 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,680 And she then quickly looked up another race. 205 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:31,720 There was another race that was going to be in May in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 206 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,840 And she said, okay, so you can sign up for this one. 207 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:40,040 And if you win your age group, or maybe there's two slots, you could go to Nice. 208 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,880 And I was like, okay, well, let's do it. 209 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:49,800 So I signed up for another one and I went to Chattanooga and I raced my heart out. 210 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:54,440 At that race, I had a five minute penalty for drafting. 211 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,000 And I thought that was it. 212 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,280 Oh my gosh. 213 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:02,160 When you get a penalty, you then have to pull over to a penalty tent during the race. 214 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:09,080 And so I pulled over to these cute two little Tennessee chicks and they're like, we're so 215 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,520 sorry you had to wait this time. 216 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,800 We'll set the timer and you just go right away when it hits here. 217 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:16,040 I was like, okay. 218 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:20,840 So during the time that I'm like freaking out, but also looking at these people who are passing 219 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,000 me like, okay, is she in my age group? 220 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:24,000 Is she okay? 221 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:25,000 She looks kind of old. 222 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,000 She looks young. 223 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,400 I don't have to do this anymore, but at the time you'd write your age on your calf. 224 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,040 So that's what I was really looking for. 225 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:38,960 So I get off the bike and I just run my ass off and I end up qualifying for Worlds by 226 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,320 42 seconds. 227 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:42,320 For the second time. 228 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,120 For the second time. 229 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:49,280 So 2019, my husband and I go to Nice. 230 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,840 And Nice was incredible. 231 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:58,680 I got to meet people from all across the world, but the course was horrible because it was 232 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:04,120 so hilly and challenging, but like fabulous at the same time. 233 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:11,120 And I crossed that finish line and that's when I said, okay, so what's next? 234 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:18,720 So then it was, let's do a full. 235 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,360 And it was one of those things again. 236 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:28,000 I told myself, if I do full and I qualify, then we should go to Kona. 237 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,440 And we did that. 238 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:37,240 So COVID hit and I had a little freak out because it was really getting into this thing 239 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,800 and I wanted to do a full. 240 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,240 And so I just trained really hard through COVID. 241 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:49,600 And honestly, I think that's what mentally saved me because I had something to focus 242 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:55,600 on other than being at the hospital, seeing people die. 243 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,120 You know, like that was an ever something I thought of as a physical therapist. 244 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,840 I would be trying to save people. 245 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:09,120 I was during that time a part of the proning team, which meant we would go in as therapists, 246 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:16,280 wrap people up like burritos and turn them onto their stomach so they could breathe better. 247 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:23,600 So this was an area of my life where I was really like I put on another cap, right? 248 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:30,720 Like we were there to save and then I came home to something that was refreshing. 249 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:39,440 Like I could turn that off and go ride my bike for four hours and feel really great 250 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:44,760 about it because I knew at some point this would come to an end and I was going to go 251 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,600 do the Madison Ironman. 252 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,280 So really it saved me. 253 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:56,720 And so then 2020 I go do Madison Ironman and I really didn't know what to expect regardless 254 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:58,080 of doing three halves. 255 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,080 When you get to a full, it's a different beast. 256 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,520 You know, you're out there for hours. 257 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,720 You have to nail your nutrition. 258 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:13,320 But at the end of the day, my focus was to have fun and to see if I could reach my potential 259 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:14,480 at that time. 260 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,520 And that was without expectation. 261 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,960 That was just go see what you could do. 262 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,760 And if you end up qualifying for Kona, cool. 263 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:27,080 If you don't, maybe that was it. 264 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,960 And I won the whole thing. 265 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,840 Of course you did. 266 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,120 I won the whole thing by like 27 minutes. 267 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:42,400 And that was one of the best days of my life other than marrying my husband. 268 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,360 Because I didn't think that would happen. 269 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:46,680 I really didn't. 270 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:52,680 Like I knew deep down like I could be competitive in this sport. 271 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:56,960 But I didn't think I would win my first Ironman. 272 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:02,160 And it's not even like when you accomplish something like this that the day is perfect. 273 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:08,360 It's not like you go through trials and tribulations in the eight to nine hour day of swim bike 274 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:09,640 run. 275 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:13,640 It was winning the race and winning the battles that came. 276 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,920 Like I was able to adapt and adjust. 277 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:17,800 And that was huge. 278 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:23,960 So that's when I was like, whoa, like I'm winning a lot. 279 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,040 Can I take this to the next level? 280 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:32,680 That same year to lead up to Ironman, I also won USAT Nationals. 281 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:37,160 And that was a big deal as an amateur to win the whole thing. 282 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:44,400 So that's I think when I decided to go the next level. 283 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,800 Like let's see how I do in Kona. 284 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:53,440 But because I won Nationals and I won Ironman, I already qualified as a pro. 285 00:18:53,440 --> 00:19:01,040 So it sparked something in me to keep going. 286 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:09,160 Once I did Madison, then I did another Ironman leading into Kona, which was like Placid. 287 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:10,960 I also won that. 288 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:17,360 So that like gave me another stack of proof like you're at a different level. 289 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:19,480 Like you can do this. 290 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:29,320 And then I got to Kona and I was a third overall female in the amateur and second in my age 291 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:38,640 group with the fastest amateur marathon split in like the wildest heat ever. 292 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:47,480 Like you're just imagine running like 26.2 miles after 112 mile bike like in a sauna. 293 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:52,200 You did all of that in a high place. 294 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,680 The heat is something I can't even explain. 295 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:02,000 I have Lake Placid prior to Kona was really hot like 90s hot black top. 296 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,280 But Kona was like heat on my neck on the bike. 297 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:19,960 Like just I was I was in a space I can't even describe because of how cooling the heat and 298 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,360 the wind was. 299 00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:27,400 Like I was just praying at some point in the back half of the bike. 300 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:32,760 Like I was saying the rosary like with my counting the beads on my fingers because I 301 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:38,480 just was like I'm thinking I'm just trying to survive here. 302 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,560 Like forget winning or whatever place I'm in. 303 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,120 Like this is on real. 304 00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:45,120 Wow. 305 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:50,800 But at the same time, it was the most magical experience. 306 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,560 And when I cross that finish line, I told myself I'm coming back here as a professional 307 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,960 because Kona is where triathlons started. 308 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:01,480 It is majestic. 309 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:13,280 It is the energy there that you get from the black volcanic rock is like something so powerful. 310 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:20,200 And when you can open your eyes and your heart to the island, that's when you have that energy 311 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:22,960 to do that race. 312 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:28,760 There's a reason that this is the race that all triathletes aspire to be in. 313 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:34,880 And also that you know, triathlons not huge in America, but you talk to somebody about 314 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:35,880 Iron Man. 315 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,880 And the first thing they say is like, oh that Kona thing. 316 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,000 Like that's what people know. 317 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:45,880 And that's what people like want to get to when they do an Iron Man. 318 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,760 It's all about Kona. 319 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:51,560 So that was just an incredible race. 320 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,920 And I made that vow to myself that I'm coming back. 321 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:56,920 Yeah. 322 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:58,600 And the rest they say. 323 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:02,000 So you became professional. 324 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,520 So I became professional last year. 325 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:10,960 So Kona was in 22 and then 23 was my first year professional. 326 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,920 This is my second year. 327 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:18,480 I've slowly made my way up the rankings. 328 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,640 This year I had two podium finishes. 329 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,240 So I just did one Iron Man this year, Iron Man Chat Nuga. 330 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,680 And I was third, which qualified me for Kona. 331 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:36,000 So I did do that, which that was a huge, huge goal. 332 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:44,320 And then I just had my second podium two weekends ago at 70.3 Indian Wells. 333 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,680 Again, another big goal for me. 334 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:53,520 So right now I'm ranked 68th in the world and 10th nationally. 335 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:54,520 Wow. 336 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:56,600 Oh my gosh. 337 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,520 Just in that short period of time. 338 00:22:58,520 --> 00:22:59,520 Yeah. 339 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:00,520 Wow. 340 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:01,520 That has to be surreal. 341 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:02,520 Some days. 342 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:03,520 And I mean it is. 343 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:04,520 It is. 344 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:09,200 But I'm just at the same time, like I'm just so grateful every day for this opportunity 345 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,120 to do this. 346 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:16,640 Because I mean it's really been a dream come true. 347 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:23,480 I think I've always, even as a child, I remember wanting to be a professional athlete. 348 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,920 Like I grew up as a soccer player idolizing me a ham. 349 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:29,240 Like that was my world. 350 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,640 Like I had, she played at UNC before playing in the US Women's Team. 351 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,200 Like I even had UNC posters in Jersey's. 352 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,800 Like I wanted to be her so bad. 353 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:46,000 And I think that as I grew older and out of that sport, it just wasn't the sport for me. 354 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:52,440 And I found this sport that I just, I love everything about it, but also the community 355 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,560 that it brings. 356 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:59,360 Like people come, like not even really knowing how to swim, bike, or run. 357 00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:07,680 And then they train and push themselves to be healthier and to live better and have this 358 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:12,000 huge goal outside the daily grind. 359 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,840 And to see people at these finish lines is just, oh, it's emotional. 360 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:17,840 Yeah. 361 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,280 I mean, definitely I was bit by that bug a few years. 362 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,160 I did a few half marathons. 363 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:29,080 And then for my 40th birthday, my goal was to try and complete my first triathlon. 364 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:30,960 And I did it. 365 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,720 And yeah, you can't stand at one of those finish lines and say, I'm done. 366 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:36,720 This isn't inspiring. 367 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:37,560 Right? 368 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:41,600 There's something that bites you at the end and those finish lines. 369 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:46,840 And it's, I remember, because obviously I've known you since you were a freshman in high 370 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,400 school, I helped you with your essays for college. 371 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:55,640 I helped you, or I remember meeting you at the Chancery, helping you with your PT, you 372 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:56,640 know, essays. 373 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:57,960 I followed you. 374 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,600 I remember you posting about Grandma's Marathon. 375 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,360 I remember you posting about your first triathlon. 376 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:11,200 And to hear the story, you know, play out, and I've followed your newsletters, I've followed 377 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,000 your journey. 378 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:18,040 It's so interesting to hear, like, how one step led to the other. 379 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:24,080 And you couldn't, when you were that girl idolizing Mia Hamm, you couldn't have imagined. 380 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,200 Like you said, I wanted to be a professional athlete. 381 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,720 Never would you have thought, oh, I'm going to be a professional triathlete. 382 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:29,720 Right. 383 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,440 And so to hear how it played out, it's just, it's so inspirational to be like, you don't 384 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,040 know how one thing, I'm going to try running. 385 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:39,120 I'm going to try biking. 386 00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:40,120 I'm rehabbing. 387 00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:45,560 I really want to learn how to swim, how that turned out into becoming a professional athlete. 388 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:46,560 Right. 389 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,160 It's just such an amazing story. 390 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:49,160 Yeah. 391 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:53,080 I don't know if stories get more fascinating than yours. 392 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:59,600 So you took this big leap, tried something brand new, loved it, decided, you know, I'm 393 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:00,600 pretty good. 394 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:06,280 I'm going to be professional and then like any good competitor does, you start to assemble 395 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,880 a team of support to get you through it. 396 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:15,720 So can you talk to us a little bit about your team and like the most impactful mentor or 397 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,480 influence you've had as you have put that team together? 398 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:20,480 Yes. 399 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:26,720 So I would say that my coach Heather has had a huge role in all of this because she has 400 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:33,800 really inspired me and pushed me to just see the sport and understand the sport. 401 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:38,320 So her and I have been working together ever since I started this. 402 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:44,160 We're going on like eight years in this journey. 403 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:51,760 During the time that I was preparing for Ironman, Wisconsin and then COVID hit, I was having 404 00:26:51,760 --> 00:27:02,840 a really difficult time like accepting the fact that I wasn't able to race. 405 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:14,040 Like I felt like it was taken away from me and also this new role of like helping people 406 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:19,520 survive COVID, like literally saving lives. 407 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,560 Like when I went to PT school, I didn't think I'd have to do that. 408 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,640 Like we learned CPR. 409 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:31,240 Of course we learned a bunch of other things, but not to that extreme. 410 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:37,240 And so I had a difficult time like accepting that it was okay for me to do this thing that 411 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:47,600 I love and still pursue that goal of completing an Ironman while like playing this other role 412 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:48,920 as a physical therapist. 413 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:54,400 And so Heather suggested that I start working with Siri Linley. 414 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:59,800 Siri Linley is an incredible, incredible woman, my greatest mentor. 415 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:05,440 And she, just to give you a little background about her, she's a two-time world champion. 416 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,320 She's a triathlon, whole of famer. 417 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,160 She is an author. 418 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,960 She is an animal activist. 419 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,040 She is a keynote speaker for Tony Robbins. 420 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,320 I mean, the list just goes on. 421 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,480 She also is a cancer survivor. 422 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,000 She's an incredible woman. 423 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:32,480 Anyway, so Heather suggested I start working with her as almost like my mindset coach. 424 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:44,560 And as I almost grew with Siri, what she has really taught me is that you need to live out 425 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:50,080 the story that you see for yourself. 426 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:59,440 And the story that you see is what's going to guide you every day. 427 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:09,960 So I envisioned this completing Ironman, qualifying for Kona and just taking it to the next level. 428 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,200 And she's really helped me to navigate that. 429 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:21,560 So I would say by far she has made such a significant impact on my life. 430 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:28,240 And then more recently, I left my job of eight years. 431 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:36,800 And she essentially led me to make that decision. 432 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:44,920 So it sounds like, I mean, personally, I'd like to have my own Siri in my life, but I 433 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:52,080 definitely in my car have my own sort of life advisors through podcasts that I listen to. 434 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:57,760 And I'm sure during your time working with her, she has imparted on you a lot of lessons, 435 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:03,800 which lucky for our listeners today, you are going to boil some of that down to share with 436 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,800 them in your lesson today. 437 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:06,800 Yes. 438 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:11,200 Well, I would say a few things first. 439 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:17,120 One thing she's really taught me is to let your choices reflect your hopes, not your 440 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:19,280 fears. 441 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:25,200 And as I was saying before, she's really been instrumental in me taking this almost leap 442 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:31,520 of faith to leave my job at Freighter Hospital, to trust and believe in myself that I can 443 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:33,880 do this as a professional athlete. 444 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,000 Still serving people, like I still have my own practice now. 445 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:43,040 I still see people for physical therapy, but I can do that and be one of the best in the 446 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:44,040 world. 447 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:45,040 Yeah. 448 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:46,040 Wow. 449 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:54,200 She, like she will say, decide on the person that you want to become and act that way, 450 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,200 even if it's really fucking hard. 451 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,520 And I, she's taught me to change my story. 452 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:05,240 So like, I believe that I can be a world champion in this sport. 453 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:14,560 And so it's important for me to wake up and live as if I was already a world champion. 454 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:19,120 Like what would Anna do if she was a world champion? 455 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,240 And that helps me make the right decision. 456 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:28,840 That helps me push harder during my sessions, which ultimately then when you stack your 457 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,520 days of consistency, that's success. 458 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,480 And that's what we want over time. 459 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:40,000 There's the, there's a, it's so trite and cliche compared to the, the depth that you're 460 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,720 explaining, but I hear it all the time. 461 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:46,200 Someone saying dress for the job you want, not the job you have. 462 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:51,680 It's sort of like going through the motions of like, here's, it's a visualization, right? 463 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:56,480 And like living out the steps that it would take to have this dream life that you're 464 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:57,480 talking about. 465 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:58,480 Yeah. 466 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,040 It's not woo woo. 467 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:06,360 You have to just, I shouldn't say just, you have to believe in yourself. 468 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,320 And that is hard. 469 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:15,640 Like in this day and age, that is really hard because there's so much on social media. 470 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:20,840 And while we're on there, you know, it's, it's so easy to compare. 471 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:26,840 Like I don't have what he has or she has, or I don't have those resources. 472 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:31,960 And that's when we get caught up in this cycle of just limiting beliefs. 473 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:37,160 And Siri has taught me like, why would you believe that? 474 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:41,320 Like why would you think those limiting beliefs? 475 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:48,560 Because you know, I guess if you want to fail or if you want to be in this like cyclical 476 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:53,200 thought of, I don't have this that or the other thing, well, then that's what you're 477 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:54,200 going to get. 478 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:59,800 And when you think about it in the opposite way of this is what I want and this is what 479 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:01,080 I believe for myself. 480 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,000 Well, it's going to come to you. 481 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,960 But again, like you have to work for that. 482 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:06,960 Mm hmm. 483 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:08,840 You have to believe in yourself. 484 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:11,240 I think that's the biggest thing. 485 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:12,640 Yeah. 486 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:18,520 Talking to you before this episode, I mean, I've had chills so many times because obviously 487 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:25,720 I have made a big decision in the last few months and have had a lot of self doubt and 488 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:32,640 have it's not always not everybody you explain your big decision to is going to understand 489 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,200 or be comfortable with maybe making that decision for themselves. 490 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:43,720 But everything that you have said is words I've heard of inspiration from professionals 491 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,120 and you are a professional as well. 492 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:52,280 And so to hear it, it's just, it's just another sign from the universe that like you're doing 493 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:53,400 the right thing. 494 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:55,760 It is all going to work out. 495 00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:01,080 And oh my goodness, like I'm going to be sleeping so well tonight after hearing this 496 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,080 conversation. 497 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:06,760 But I also think like in that space of what you're creating, like think about what is 498 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:13,640 cost right because that is such a positive and empowering space. 499 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:19,200 Think about like how much more creative you will be because yes, you'll be sleeping more 500 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,960 because you're going to be happier and you'll have greater success. 501 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:29,640 Like it works out that way, but you have to believe that and it's not just again, it's 502 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,200 not this woo woo thing. 503 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,840 Like it is real energy. 504 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:40,320 And when you wake up in that space, it's, it's empowering. 505 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:49,800 Yeah, it's the same mindset of I get to that you've explained and like this is a gift and 506 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:55,520 looking at again, repeating what you've said, not what I don't have, but what I do have 507 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,240 and how I can use the gifts that I've been given. 508 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:02,280 Or life is happening for you, not to you. 509 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:06,960 Like if you think all of these things are happening to you, oh, that sounds like you're 510 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:08,440 just beating that horse. 511 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,040 Yeah, you're not in control of your own life. 512 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:13,800 Like you're not taking the reins of your own life. 513 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,440 You're letting it happen to you rather than controlling your own destiny. 514 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:18,440 Exactly. 515 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:19,440 Yeah, interesting. 516 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:25,680 Oh, and obviously, you know, challenge, challenge is common with this when you take the risk. 517 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:31,600 But when you change the meaning to these things, when you change the meaning to I'm going to 518 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:36,400 see this challenge or this failure as an opportunity. 519 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,100 It's an opportunity to learn and to grow. 520 00:35:39,100 --> 00:35:42,440 You know you could become better on the other side. 521 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:50,200 And yes, as a better person, you might fail again, but again, it's an opportunity to be 522 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:51,720 even better. 523 00:35:51,720 --> 00:35:55,160 So that's where your potential is unlimited. 524 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,960 And why won't you want to believe that? 525 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:58,960 Yeah, it's interesting. 526 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:03,440 You talked a lot obviously in your story about all the wins that you had. 527 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:09,160 But because I follow you, I know that there have been times when you struggled on a course 528 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:11,880 and things didn't work out the way you wanted them to. 529 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:16,120 But at the end of the day, you always say after a race, I'm going to take that and I'm 530 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:18,360 going to learn from it and I'm going to be better. 531 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:19,360 Not I'm going to quit. 532 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,080 I mean, you only fail when you quit, right? 533 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,600 When you say, okay, well, I'm done doing this now. 534 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:28,240 And if you did that every time you had a setback, right? 535 00:36:28,240 --> 00:36:30,120 You never move forward, right? 536 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:31,680 I just get six. 537 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:32,680 Right. 538 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:34,800 But I'm not going to do that. 539 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:42,200 So I know because I followed you that it hasn't all been like placing first and podium every 540 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:43,600 time. 541 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:47,480 But you always find a way to say, okay, that happened. 542 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,720 Here's what I learned from it. 543 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:49,720 I'm moving on. 544 00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:51,120 And that is life. 545 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:52,120 That's life. 546 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:53,120 Right. 547 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:54,120 Totally. 548 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:56,760 So does that prepare us for your homework? 549 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:58,920 Well, that's my true lesson. 550 00:36:58,920 --> 00:36:59,920 Okay. 551 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:00,920 Yes. 552 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,840 Okay, so a few things I wrote down from my lesson. 553 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:05,920 I really had to share. 554 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:12,320 So no one else makes your journey intentional, only you. 555 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:21,040 So when you can start your day with your intention of what am I going to accomplish today? 556 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:25,560 This depends on your habits, your self-talk, your core values. 557 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:31,560 And like I was saying before, you must believe in yourself and believe in your worth because 558 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:38,440 any energy spent looking at others, like I was saying before about what's this society, 559 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:40,960 you know, what we have created with social media. 560 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,280 It's so easy to look at others. 561 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,760 Any of that energy spent is just energy wasted. 562 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:49,560 It is energy spent on them and not on you. 563 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:55,040 And that's taking away from your passion and your desire. 564 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:59,240 So you must have intention and believe, believe in the story that you want to live just as 565 00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:04,800 I have created my own story of being one of the best in the world. 566 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:06,520 And that's what I'm going to live out. 567 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,520 And I believe people need to do the same. 568 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:18,760 When you change your standard and you eliminate these limiting beliefs, whatever you're certain 569 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:26,320 about, you will then find and what you focus on, you will find. 570 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:27,320 That's the lesson. 571 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:29,160 I have a part two of those. 572 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:30,160 Yeah, yeah, definitely. 573 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:36,680 I was just going to say that I added to my cart before this conversation when we were 574 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:41,480 chatting Anna recommended a book called Worthy, right? 575 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:42,880 Who's the author again? 576 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:43,880 Jamie. 577 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:49,600 Okay, so if we can't all afford our own Siri or invest in a book. 578 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:50,600 Well, Siri has a book. 579 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:51,600 Oh, she does. 580 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:52,600 Yeah, what is that? 581 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,400 Siri's book is Finding Away. 582 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:58,160 Okay, so away by Siri, Lenly, it's take. 583 00:38:58,160 --> 00:38:59,600 So both of those would be designed. 584 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:04,520 Yeah, both of those will probably be future episodes for me where I'll dissect after I've 585 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:08,040 had a chance to read them and apply them to my own life. 586 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:13,480 So yeah, again, I'm just constantly learning and growing from kids that I used to. 587 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:17,320 I call them kids who are now grown adults. 588 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:21,200 And yeah, they just have so much more wisdom that I could have ever imparted on them. 589 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:22,200 It's amazing. 590 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:23,840 Okay, so what's your part two? 591 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,600 My part two is it's be grateful. 592 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:32,280 You have to change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change. 593 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,560 I changed my story. 594 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:37,680 I changed the channel to gratitude. 595 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:42,840 I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it to the world championships and compete 596 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:44,000 with the best in the world. 597 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:45,000 And I did that. 598 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:51,240 And I believe that was in a space of gratitude because when I train and when I race, it's 599 00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:54,240 an appreciation for what God has given me. 600 00:39:54,240 --> 00:40:00,240 I believe that I have gifts and talents that have brought me to this sport. 601 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:07,080 And I truly believe it is my responsibility to show up every day and give 100% of myself. 602 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,800 And that is my gratitude to God. 603 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:15,680 And for those that maybe don't believe, it's maybe to the universe or to this spiritual 604 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:17,480 energy that you have. 605 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:22,520 It doesn't have to be associated with God. 606 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:27,400 Ceres says one thing about gratitude and that is that it is the bridge from despair 607 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:28,520 to hope. 608 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:35,960 And this gave me an incredible appreciation for the gifts that I have and the opportunity 609 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:41,680 really that I have to be a world-class professional athlete. 610 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:50,360 I have always been very grateful and beginning my day with gratitude since working with Ceres 611 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:55,760 has truly changed my perspective of what is possible. 612 00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:01,280 And like we said before, looking at what I have versus what I don't have. 613 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:08,880 And that's what's been truly instrumental in my success this far. 614 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:16,480 Yeah, I was saying to Anna that she definitely walks the talk because every post when she's 615 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:25,120 about to train and she's about to go out for four hours on her bike, she is excited, genuinely 616 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:29,000 excited like, yes, I'm going to spend all this time on my bike. 617 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:33,280 And I said the only thing that would be going through my mind is how am I not going to die, 618 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:34,280 right? 619 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:39,000 And she honestly is like, this is the most amazing thing that I get to do and I'm going 620 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:40,000 to do it all over again. 621 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,040 And I'm just like, wow, how do you get to that headspace? 622 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:48,160 And so she's sharing all of those tricks with you today. 623 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:52,520 So do you have some action stuff for the answer? 624 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:53,520 Okay. 625 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:56,680 It's a gratitude practice. 626 00:41:56,680 --> 00:42:04,000 So gratitude, I believe is linked to better health, awareness, success, fulfillment in 627 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,760 life, better relationships, better love. 628 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:13,600 And when you start your day with gratitude, that is what you'll see and that is what you'll 629 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:14,680 live out. 630 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:19,440 Just as like I explained before about changing my story, if I believe I can be one of the 631 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:25,800 best in the world, I ask myself, you know, what would Anna, who's been a world champion, 632 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:26,800 do? 633 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:30,000 When you begin your day with gratitude, you see gratitude. 634 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:31,800 We were talking about this a little bit earlier. 635 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:35,840 It's kind of like when you get a new car, you're driving your cool Lexus. 636 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:36,840 What do you see? 637 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:38,960 You're like, wow, why does everyone else have a Lexus? 638 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:40,880 Dude, I never saw that. 639 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:44,080 You see what you want. 640 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:48,720 And so when you begin your day with gratitude, you can write it down, you could say it, you 641 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:51,360 can pray it. 642 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,120 It's three things. 643 00:42:53,120 --> 00:43:00,480 It doesn't have to be like, oh, like, I don't even know what, like, what's one thing, maybe 644 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:06,480 my family, like, it could be so simple as I have legs and I can walk. 645 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:09,520 I have eyes and I can see. 646 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:13,400 I have a roof over my head or like, how would you bet? 647 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:14,400 Everybody loves a bet. 648 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:15,400 Just roll around in your bed. 649 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:16,400 I love my bed. 650 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:23,080 You know, it's just, it's simple, but be grateful for those things because a lot of people, 651 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,880 people don't have that. 652 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:34,560 And when you can see gratitude and see it throughout your day, it's just better. 653 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:39,600 I think that's such powerful advice where you focused even just on the smallest things 654 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,600 that we take for granted every day. 655 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:48,200 And people always say when they, when they lose someone or something that they had, like, 656 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,160 be grateful for it. 657 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:54,360 And in today's age of social media, we're always looking at the big things that other 658 00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:56,000 people have, right? 659 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:58,080 Like, why did they get to go on that trip? 660 00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:00,640 Or how can they afford to have this? 661 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:05,960 And we get so caught up in that and chasing that that we forget like what we have already 662 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,000 is so great. 663 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:12,960 And if we don't feel that it is great, as you said, then you need to apply the advice 664 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:17,120 of how can I feel that everything I have is great? 665 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:19,120 How can I create that destiny? 666 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:27,280 Oh, my gosh, Anna, speaking to you, I just, I am an English teacher who doesn't even have 667 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:31,600 the words to express how amazing you are. 668 00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:36,640 And it's so surreal to me to sit with, again, teachers will tell you that when they meet 669 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:41,600 a student, they always envision them as the freshmen they are, you know, they were when 670 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:42,600 you met them. 671 00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:49,880 And oh, my gosh, sitting next to you as a professional athlete, grown woman, wife, it's just one 672 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:52,080 of the most fulfilling things. 673 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:57,320 Like if my life ended today, I could say I've had such a fulfilling life partially because 674 00:44:57,320 --> 00:44:58,320 you were in it. 675 00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:01,960 So I thank you so much for joining us. 676 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:08,120 And we will make sure in the show notes that you can follow Anna on her journey like I 677 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:09,120 have. 678 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:14,360 She has many places that you would be able to find her and we'll link everything you 679 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:20,240 need in the show notes. 680 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:23,960 I hope you enjoyed Anna's words as much as I did. 681 00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:28,640 Next week, I'll be back with a new lesson and more takeaways to apply to your classroom 682 00:45:28,640 --> 00:45:30,520 or to your life. 683 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:39,360 If you'd like to subscribe to our email newsletter for special offers, send us an email at nextlessonplanatgmail.com. 684 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:44,520 If you're looking for more lessons and more personal content, join my live and learn Patreon 685 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:46,960 for $5 a month. 686 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:51,200 That is where I share more in-depth content and lesson plans that you can subscribe to 687 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:56,640 on a monthly basis or purchase individually if the topic interests you. 688 00:45:56,640 --> 00:46:02,440 In the meantime, be sure to follow us at Life's Next Lesson Plan on Instagram and Facebook, 689 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:05,640 as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 690 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:09,560 If you know someone you think might be a great guest for the pod or you have a topic you'd 691 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:27,320 like to know more about, share your ideas with us.