Today's episode is a special treat.

I've brought on my good friend and fellow marathoner Sarah Crouch to play hostess with the mostess and ask me the hard questions on today's special podcast.

I just finished the California International Marathon with a brand new personal record, and Sarah asks me all about how it feels to be both proud and disappointed in my finishing time.

I've been lucky enough to have run each of my marathons faster than the one before, but my perfectionist lifestyle always expects more.

I know a lot of you can relate to the fact that we runners hold ourselves to such high standards.

I'm guilty of not giving myself enough credit where it's due, but that doesn't mean I'm always beating myself up either.

I'm going to share how I stay motivated, how I train, and what I do to keep myself positive and healthy when my perfectionist attitude tries to come out.

Here are some of the topics we'll discuss today:

• Tina's record-making experience at CIM
• How celebrity can change your running career
• What motivates Tina to stay positive
• Which boy band is (and always has been) Tina's favorite
• Tina's favorite episode of Run to the Top
• Tina answers fan questions!

Questions Tina is asked:

1:35 Can you recap your California International Marathon?

4:05 Will you be able to settle for small successes?

4:50 Was this marathon your personal best so far?

6:00 Who is your motivation?

6:50 What was the hardest thing at CIM?

9:07 How did your pace feel at CIM?

10:30 How do you keep your confidence up?

12:00 How do you feel a week and/or a day before a big race?

14:37 How do you shape your identity outside of your race times?

16:06 What thing sticks out for you most about race time?

19:55 Who are you outside of running?

22:50 What's Tina's Backstreet Boys story?

24:28 How has celebrity affected your running and your life?

26:20 How do you maintain your positivity?

29:20 Would your running performance be different if you didn't have this podcast?

30:50 What has been your favorite interview on the podcast?

31:41 Have you made it yet in your running career?

35:20 What were your teenage running exploits?

36:26 What moment changed your mind about running?

36:50 Why are British youths pushed so hard to run so young?

37:50 What was your partying lifestyle like?

40:00 What's it like to train with Sarah?

44:26 When is your next marathon?

46:11 How do you approach personal goal setting?

48:15 How do you keep your confidence up during a race?

49:18 How did you feel when you saw your new personal record time?

53:10 What do you eat the day before a marathon?

54:54 What is your first craving after a marathon?

57:20 Rapid-fire round!

59:57 The Final Kick Round!

Quotes by Tina:

"I'm learning…that a PR is still a PR."

"Why can't I be a normal person who just sits and watches Netflix?"

"I like to think I'm a good person who puts others first."

"I try and share my true feelings even it makes me look a bit stupid."

"I'll stop drinking, but instead I'm gonna drink Red Bull."

"That is my next big goal - to run for England in the Commonwealth Games."

"I was angry at myself for not giving my very best."

Take a Listen on Your Next Run

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Links:

Tina's Blog

Sarah Crouch

Cranberry Bliss Bars 

Tina's Freakshake

Phoebe Wright

Phoebe Wright Podcast Episode

Tina's favorite running shoe: Saucony Ride (use coupon code TINA for 10% off)

Matt Fitzgerald

Sarah Crouch Instagram

Tina Instagram

We really hope you've enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top.

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If more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, it means I can reach out to and get through to the top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!