Steve Picucci's guest appearances

Steve Picucci

Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

The Running for Real Podcast

Sara Mahoney

Cindra Kamphoff

Nancy Clark

Kelly Roberts

Greg McMillan

Angie Spencer

Jay Dicharry

David Geier

Mario Fraioli

Danny Dreyer

Toby Tanser

Mark Cucuzzella

Meb Keflezighi

Ryan Hall

Brad Stulberg

OwlTail

This is the time when a lot of us are thinking about our running goals for the new year.  Maybe you have a big race in mind, or you want to be more consistent in your training.  Maybe you’re struggling because you feel as though you “should” have a goal, but don’t. Steve Picucci has coached hundreds of runners, many of whom have won championship titles and achieved their personal bests under his guidance - including Tina, who also happens to be his wife.  In this episode they share their thoughts on setting goals, the way they shift over time, and how they might not always be what you imagine. Tina: “...those of you who say, ‘I have this really big goal that I want to accomplish,’ or ‘I really want to make this year count,’ or ‘this has to be the year I do X, Y, Z,’ whatever that may be, when we think of our running in those terms, we're kind of setting ourselves up for failure.” For one thing, she says, “the fun is sucked right out of it.” Unless you’re a professional runner, by putting those pressures on yourself, you’re taking something that should be an escape and a joy and making it one more stressor in your life. When you place a time limit on achieving something, or take the Eminem-like approach that a particular race is your “one shot,” you’re putting yourself in a position where it’s unlikely that you’ll reach your goal, and even if you do, you’ll have missed out on so much along the way.  As Tina says, “We already walk the line between commitment and obsession as runners, and I really think that having that need to commit pushes us over into the part of obsession.” Steve: “I always tell the athletes I work with that a lot of the stuff we do outside of the running is just as important or more important than the actual running you do.” The obsession with achieving a goal leads many runners to get so wrapped up in specific aspects of training that they neglect other parts.  They get injured or don’t recover sufficiently to reap the benefit of their workouts because they’re overtraining, and as Steve observes, “people just kind of miss the fact that one of the most important things is you’ve got to be consistent and you're never going to be consistent if you’re overtraining.” Steve: “It's okay to have that big, top-step goal, but you've got to focus on the little goals, the intermediate steps, to get to that big goal.”  Runners often focus so narrowly on one big goal that they don’t appreciate the smaller steps along the way and give themselves credit for accomplishing them.  Those steps don’t have to be time goals; they could be remaining consistent with your strength training or foam rolling.  A goal doesn’t always have to be a number. Steve: “You’ve got to figure out where your passions are and what you want to do and then also evaluate where your commitment is.” One key element to achieving a big goal is being realistic about it.  You have to be honest with yourself not only in terms of if you have the physical ability, but if you have the resources.  Do you have the time to devote to it?   Steve: “I think modifying [a goal] is a little bit of a hard thing because you want to keep that big dream goal, but I think it's okay to have a different route you can take, as well.”  Maybe your goal is to qualify for Boston, but you can’t quite meet the standard.  Might you be able to do it in a couple of years when you’re in a new age group, or in a better position to do the necessary training? Maybe you’re a masters runner and your fastest times are behind you.  You have to “not forget the past, but not compare to it, just like you don't want to compare yourself to every elite athlete or every high-level Olympian.” Steve also points out that “a goal doesn't have to be tied to a time or even a race.” It doesn’t have to be something that’s obvious to other people; it just has to mean something to you. Goals aren’t the only things that might need to be modified.  When you know what you should be doing to achieve your goals but you’re not doing it, Steve recommends asking yourself, “What's the one thing I can do today to help me down the path to get back to that?”. Most importantly, “If you don't get everything right, don't beat yourself up about it.” Tina: “I just want to remind you that even if things seem to be falling apart right now, even if you're not managing to do what you want to do and it's looking like once again you're letting yourself and everyone else down, you are not.  You're out there doing it, even if it's not as much as you'd like. You are doing something that most of the population is not, and accomplishments and successes don't make you who you are.”  Resources: Tina's interview with Mary Cain Mile 20 Mental Training Course #Together22Goals  Thank you to Athletic Greens and Zencastr for sponsoring this episode.   AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription.                                      Zencastr is an all in one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.  I've tried all different platforms, I've tried all different types of things and I am obsessed with Zencastr. I love it. I encourage everyone I know to use it because it is just so easy. Go here to get 30% off your first three months. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real.  If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us:  Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them.  Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram  If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone.    Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player.  Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people.    Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe?  You can find out here. "Thank you" to Steve.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

This is the time when a lot of us are thinking about our running goals for the new year.  Maybe you have a big race in mind, or you want to be more consistent in your training.  Maybe you’re struggling because you feel as though you “should” have a goal, but don’t. Steve Picucci has coached hundreds of runners, many of whom have won championship titles and achieved their personal bests under his guidance - including Tina, who also happens to be his wife.  In this episode they share their thoughts on setting goals, the way they shift over time, and how they might not always be what you imagine. Tina: “...those of you who say, ‘I have this really big goal that I want to accomplish,’ or ‘I really want to make this year count,’ or ‘this has to be the year I do X, Y, Z,’ whatever that may be, when we think of our running in those terms, we're kind of setting ourselves up for failure.” For one thing, she says, “the fun is sucked right out of it.” Unless you’re a professional runner, by putting those pressures on yourself, you’re taking something that should be an escape and a joy and making it one more stressor in your life. When you place a time limit on achieving something, or take the Eminem-like approach that a particular race is your “one shot,” you’re putting yourself in a position where it’s unlikely that you’ll reach your goal, and even if you do, you’ll have missed out on so much along the way.  As Tina says, “We already walk the line between commitment and obsession as runners, and I really think that having that need to commit pushes us over into the part of obsession.” Steve: “I always tell the athletes I work with that a lot of the stuff we do outside of the running is just as important or more important than the actual running you do.” The obsession with achieving a goal leads many runners to get so wrapped up in specific aspects of training that they neglect other parts.  They get injured or don’t recover sufficiently to reap the benefit of their workouts because they’re overtraining, and as Steve observes, “people just kind of miss the fact that one of the most important things is you’ve got to be consistent and you're never going to be consistent if you’re overtraining.” Steve: “It's okay to have that big, top-step goal, but you've got to focus on the little goals, the intermediate steps, to get to that big goal.”  Runners often focus so narrowly on one big goal that they don’t appreciate the smaller steps along the way and give themselves credit for accomplishing them.  Those steps don’t have to be time goals; they could be remaining consistent with your strength training or foam rolling.  A goal doesn’t always have to be a number. Steve: “You’ve got to figure out where your passions are and what you want to do and then also evaluate where your commitment is.” One key element to achieving a big goal is being realistic about it.  You have to be honest with yourself not only in terms of if you have the physical ability, but if you have the resources.  Do you have the time to devote to it?   Steve: “I think modifying [a goal] is a little bit of a hard thing because you want to keep that big dream goal, but I think it's okay to have a different route you can take, as well.”  Maybe your goal is to qualify for Boston, but you can’t quite meet the standard.  Might you be able to do it in a couple of years when you’re in a new age group, or in a better position to do the necessary training? Maybe you’re a masters runner and your fastest times are behind you.  You have to “not forget the past, but not compare to it, just like you don't want to compare yourself to every elite athlete or every high-level Olympian.” Steve also points out that “a goal doesn't have to be tied to a time or even a race.” It doesn’t have to be something that’s obvious to other people; it just has to mean something to you. Goals aren’t the only things that might need to be modified.  When you know what you should be doing to achieve your goals but you’re not doing it, Steve recommends asking yourself, “What's the one thing I can do today to help me down the path to get back to that?”. Most importantly, “If you don't get everything right, don't beat yourself up about it.” Tina: “I just want to remind you that even if things seem to be falling apart right now, even if you're not managing to do what you want to do and it's looking like once again you're letting yourself and everyone else down, you are not.  You're out there doing it, even if it's not as much as you'd like. You are doing something that most of the population is not, and accomplishments and successes don't make you who you are.”  Resources: <a href="https://runningforreal.com/mary-cain/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Tina's interview with Mary Cain</a> <a href="https://mentaltraining.mykajabi.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mile 20 Mental Training Course</a> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VbEUBf_taiKBuFv5Gdi6Evqsv1YElzLD/view?fbclid=IwAR2ebIw2SjRSet9t2W8brUHD0lXJ3m_yLbG4ur4WSlztgzJYQVy0oPqZIYw" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">#Together22Goals</a> Thank you to Athletic Greens and Zencastr for sponsoring this episode.  AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go <a href="http://athleticgreens.com/tina" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription.                                      Zencastr is an all in one podcast production suite that gives you studio quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.  I've tried all different platforms, I've tried all different types of things and I am obsessed with Zencastr. I love it. I encourage everyone I know to use it because it is just so easy. Go <a href="https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=runningforreal&amp;fpr=1s26a" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> to get 30% off your first three months. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real.  If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: <ul> <li>Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them.  Be sure to tag us on <a href="https://twitter.com/tinamuir" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningforreal" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/tinamuir88" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <ul> <li>If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone.</li> </ul> </li> <li> Leave an honest <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/running-for-real-podcast-celebrating-runner-highs-embracing/id1225735334" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">review on iTunes</a> or your favorite podcast player. <ul> <li>Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe?  <a href="http://tinamuir.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">You can find out here.</a> "Thank you" to Steve.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Steve Picucci: Redefine the Word "Goal" - R4R 282

It has been a few years since my husband Steve was on the show, and a lot has changed since I last brought him on. Rather than him and I just talk about our lives, we thought we would pass it over to you to ask your questions. We answered almost all of them, and I hope you enjoy getting to know Steve better. Here are the questions we answered (not in the order we answered them). Advice for tapering-Elzedomaityte Any awkwardness/insight/challenges that come from having your spouse coach you?-Sara Tell us about airport tina-alissmarie What does it feel like to have a famous and awesome wife?-Erin Do you structure cross training for injured athletes or is it up to them? Jen How are you enjoying being a father and what are you excited about experiencing with bailey? - cfluffy Do you lose benefit when you spilt your easy runs up into a morning and afternoon. (Easy runs are normally 6 to 7 miles).- Bridgett Hughes Why are my 10K and half marathon race paces the same and how do I fix this?- Alex Myroon How do you manage the balance between husband/wife relationship and running relationship? My boyfriend and I are both runners and have about the Same level and amount of experience, but sometimes it’s hard to see when we just need to support the other with running without butting in and giving advice and when a little bit of pushing with running is appropriate- Bridget Wiberg What is it like to coach your wife? What do you do if she disagrees with the plan? How do you separate running life from family life? - Kenneth E. Johnson Do you think runners can truly get accustomed to and excel in hot/humid weather, or are we doomed to have a rough experience every time Mother Nature brings summer fury? Asking as a Florida runner...any tips for this are appreciated, too! -Katy Pierce Cook What differences do you find between coaching college athletes and elites(Tina) or recreational athletes? What challenges do you face and how do you overcome them?- Mike Capka How do you balance/decide when a fatigued runner needs a day off or should run threw the fatigue? How do you decide when to scrap a workout or drop it down to an easy effort run?- Mike Capka How do you find the right balance when building a training plan for someone you are coaching? Are there staples you always put in?- Virginie Serre Have you considered training plans that are less than 40mpw?- Lucy Eichenwald What do you think about doing speed works/repeats on a treadmill vs road. How do they compare? -Judy Sherman How much running does Steve do? Does he have a future goal race in mind? Have you two ever raced each other? -Ashton Swinford If you are training to improve your times, when is training for a marathon “good enough” and when should you postpone your goal race to the next season? This season I’ve been sidelined 2x for 2-3 weeks. The first time totally off those weeks, the second time reduced mileage by 25% and didn’t do workouts. Definitely only feel like I did 75-80% of what would be ideal training. For other races I think this is maybe OK but possibly not for marathon?- Emily Hass Ryan Has becoming a father to beautiful bailey changed your coaching philosophy? Liz Ansley  Thoughts on managing expectations and knowing when your goals are unrealistic. -Karen Scobie What are your three pieces of advice for a successful relationship?-Alon Metser Any hacks to speed up your learning curve for the effort scale (it took me most of the first training segment to get comfortable with it, but I might just be a slow learner).  Why are there such relatively long runs in the taper? -David Skytte After your personal experience racing Boston #NoWatchMe, do you or Steve have any new advice or insights about marathon race strategy that might help keep one feeling good throughout most of the race? -Ashton Swinford   Thank you to Bodyhealth and Athletic Greens for being the wonderful sponsors of this episode of The Running For Real Podcast.    If you are struggling to recover quick enough from your training, my little secret is to use BodyHealth Perfect Amino to get you there. It contains all the essential amino acids, and is very easy for your body to use and begin the repair process. Click the link and use code TINAMUIR10 for 10% off.Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well. Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more! Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode. To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from) Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you to Steve, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

It has been a few years since my husband Steve was on the show, and a lot has changed since I last brought him on. Rather than him and I just talk about our lives, we thought we would pass it over to you to ask your questions. We answered almost all of them, and I hope you enjoy getting to know Steve better. Here are the questions we answered (not in the order we answered them). Advice for tapering-Elzedomaityte Any awkwardness/insight/challenges that come from having your spouse coach you?-Sara Tell us about airport tina-alissmarie What does it feel like to have a famous and awesome wife?-Erin Do you structure cross training for injured athletes or is it up to them? Jen How are you enjoying being a father and what are you excited about experiencing with bailey? - cfluffy Do you lose benefit when you spilt your easy runs up into a morning and afternoon. (Easy runs are normally 6 to 7 miles).- Bridgett Hughes Why are my 10K and half marathon race paces the same and how do I fix this?- Alex Myroon How do you manage the balance between husband/wife relationship and running relationship? My boyfriend and I are both runners and have about the Same level and amount of experience, but sometimes it’s hard to see when we just need to support the other with running without butting in and giving advice and when a little bit of pushing with running is appropriate- Bridget Wiberg What is it like to coach your wife? What do you do if she disagrees with the plan? How do you separate running life from family life? - Kenneth E. Johnson Do you think runners can truly get accustomed to and excel in hot/humid weather, or are we doomed to have a rough experience every time Mother Nature brings summer fury? Asking as a Florida runner...any tips for this are appreciated, too! -Katy Pierce Cook What differences do you find between coaching college athletes and elites(Tina) or recreational athletes? What challenges do you face and how do you overcome them?- Mike Capka How do you balance/decide when a fatigued runner needs a day off or should run threw the fatigue? How do you decide when to scrap a workout or drop it down to an easy effort run?- Mike Capka How do you find the right balance when building a training plan for someone you are coaching? Are there staples you always put in?- Virginie Serre Have you considered training plans that are less than 40mpw?- Lucy Eichenwald What do you think about doing speed works/repeats on a treadmill vs road. How do they compare? -Judy Sherman How much running does Steve do? Does he have a future goal race in mind? Have you two ever raced each other? -Ashton Swinford If you are training to improve your times, when is training for a marathon “good enough” and when should you postpone your goal race to the next season? This season I’ve been sidelined 2x for 2-3 weeks. The first time totally off those weeks, the second time reduced mileage by 25% and didn’t do workouts. Definitely only feel like I did 75-80% of what would be ideal training. For other races I think this is maybe OK but possibly not for marathon?- Emily Hass Ryan Has becoming a father to beautiful bailey changed your coaching philosophy? Liz Ansley  Thoughts on managing expectations and knowing when your goals are unrealistic. -Karen Scobie What are your three pieces of advice for a successful relationship?-Alon Metser Any hacks to speed up your learning curve for the effort scale (it took me most of the first training segment to get comfortable with it, but I might just be a slow learner).  Why are there such relatively long runs in the taper? -David Skytte After your personal experience racing Boston #NoWatchMe, do you or Steve have any new advice or insights about marathon race strategy that might help keep one feeling good throughout most of the race? -Ashton Swinford   Thank you to Bodyhealth and Athletic Greens for being the wonderful sponsors of this episode of The Running For Real Podcast.   If you are struggling to recover quick enough from your training, my little secret is to use BodyHealth Perfect Amino to get you there. It contains all the essential amino acids, and is very easy for your body to use and begin the repair process. Click the link and use code <a href="https://tinamuir.com/aminos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TINAMUIR10</a> for 10% off.Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well. Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit <a href="http://athleticgreens.com/tina" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here </a>to learn more! Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode. To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Join the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/runningforrealfocus/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Running for Real Facebook Group</a> and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from) Share this show on <a href="https://twitter.com/tinamuir" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningforreal" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/tinamuir88" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, or <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/tinamuir88" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. To help out the show: Leave an honest <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/running-for-real-podcast-celebrating-runner-highs-embracing/id1225735334" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">review on iTunes</a>. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, <a href="http://tinamuir.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">you can find out here.</a> Thank you to Steve, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Steve Picucci: Running Is One Piece Of The Puzzle -R4R 125

 Not many runners are able to have their spouses as their coaches, but as you may know, my husband and I are an exception to that rule.   Today we’re talking to Steve Picucci, who is the head cross-country and track and field coach at Moorehead State University in Kentucky. He also happens to be my husband, and he coaches me as well.  Steve has an innate ability to understand what each individual runner needs when it matters. This is part of what makes him such a great coach. Here are some of the topics we’ll discuss today:

Not many runners are able to have their spouses as their coaches, but as you may know, my husband and I are an exception to that rule.  Today we’re talking to Steve Picucci, who is the head cross-country and track and field coach at Moorehead State University in Kentucky. He also happens to be my husband, and he coaches me as well. Steve has an innate ability to understand what each individual runner needs when it matters. This is part of what makes him such a great coach. Here are some of the topics we’ll discuss today: