44- My mom, Ann Johnson- On parenting a female athlete, supporting your child’s obsession, and feeding the team

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In today’s episode, I interview my mother,  Ann Johnson. I often get asked by parents about what their kid needs to do to make it to the next level. I believe the driving force must come from the kid, but parents can have a huge impact on a child’s well-being. My mom is one of my biggest supporters and is a big reason I am where I am today. She’s also a freak of nature athlete and can kick my butt in workouts.In our conversation we talk about-her favorite type of workouts, including one that can easily be done at home -why she didn’t get involved with coaches decisions, even if she disagreed  -the most challenging aspect of parenting a female athlete    -her stance on kids playing multiple sports vs specializing on one -why parenting athletes is like being a full time chauffeur    -the delicious meals she cooked for my teammates and the crazy games she had us play while w/ the Portland Pilots, Sky Blue FC, and the Portland Thorns  And more. Enjoy my conversation with my favorite mother in the whole wide world.  Share the loveFollow Ann Johnson:On Instagram:   @annclairejIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

43- Elli Reed- On using her sport to give back, veganism, and dancing with the mayor of Vicos, Peru

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In today’s episode, I interview former professional soccer player and humanitarian Elli Reed.  Throughout her career, Elli played seasons in Boston, Seattle, Sweden, Germany and Australia. Over the years, Elli’s passion for giving back to her community has strengthened. She continues to use her platform to support causes she believes in. Elli and I recently partook in a trip with the nonprofit Crooked Trails to help construct a soccer field in the remote village of Vicos, Peru. In our conversation talk about:-how this Peru trip changed her outlook on life and her future aspirations-why she thinks Vicos, Peru completely curbed her anxiety about everyday worries -Schooling little boys in pick-up soccer on the street -Dealing with the ups and downs of athletics and her ever-changing relationship with soccer -The documentary she watched that influenced her decision to go vegan -Her go-to artists that get her to drop it low on the dance floor  And more. Enjoy my conversation with the nature-loving, traveler Elli Reed.Shownotes::46              Who is Elli Reed?2:42             Crooked Trails7:21              Miraflores, Lima Peru and playing soccer in the town square14:23            Experience of building a soccer field in Vicos, Peru15:37             expectations of non-profit trip17:15              Typical day for Crooked Trails trip18:57              First experience of playing on manure high altitude field23:23              Pachamama ceremonial dinner26:24              Elli's feeling about retirement27:39               What contributed to her peace about retirement28:09               Has Elli always been involved in volunteering?29:50                Elli's vegan restaurant searching skills and why she chooses the vegan lifestyle32:45                Racing Extinction33:36                 Did Elli always have a connection with nature?35:05                  How soccer obsessed was Elli as a child?36:07                  How has Elli's relationship with soccer changed over her career?38:15                   Has the volunteering in Peru changed her perspective on her future?42:45                   Elli's morning routine43:47                    The best advice Elli's ever been given.45:45                     Elli's favorite song45:54                    One belief other's think is crazy46:12                     Elli's favorite app46:33                     Her favorite failure47:49                      One tip for female athletes Share the loveFollow Elli Reed On Twitter:  @ellireedOn Instagram:  @ellireedIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

42- Keeley Tillotson and Erika Welsh - On dropping out of college, appearing on Shark Tank, and building a 7 million dollar business

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In today’s episode I interview Wild Friends cofounders Keeley Tillotson and Erika Welsh. Keeley and Erika’s nut butter company was born one afternoon, in their University of Oregon dorm room. As life-long athletes, Keeley and Erika shared an affinity for peanut butter’s convenient, healthy, and delicious profile. One day, they decided to concoct their own peanut butter with the addition of unique flavors like coconut, cinnamon and raisins. Keeley and Erika shared this creation with their hungry athlete friends and they devoured it. They rode this hype,  tried out selling their product at the Eugene farmers market, and then moved onto local stores. After an appearance on the television show Shark Tank, the decided to drop out of college and focus all their efforts on their business. Six years later,  Wild Friends is now one of the fastest growing nut butters in the nation, raking in 7 million dollars in sales. In 2017, they were featured on Forbes 30 under 30 for food and drink. In our conversation we talk about-how being athletes has greatly influenced their business decisions-why they chose to drop-out of college-the advantage of having absolutely no idea what you are doing -what it’s really like to be on Shark Tank-their vow to fulfill my dream of swimming in a pool of nut butter (yup, I’m weird) -Portland’s November Project, a free fitness movement led by Keeley (if you’re in the Portland I highly recommend checkingAnd more. Wild Friends’ nut butters, are legit my fave nut butter (particularly the peanut butter cashew superbutter) This isn’t an ad. I just love them. The nut butters. And Keeley and Erika. But mostly the nut butters (jk). Enjoy my conversation with the badass nut butter bosses Keeley and Erika.  :46           Who are Erika and Keely?5:29             What are the new products...Super Butters?11:19            Portland's November Project movement15:37            What sports did Keely and Erika participate in during their childhood?19:45            Forbes 30 under 30 award20:55           How did being an athlete help in running a business?24:54           How did the two choose to make nut butters?28:54            When and how did they take the passion for nut butter and make it a business?31:30             Crazy food processor stories and the neighborhood squirrels33:45             How did they come up with the brand name Wild Friends?34:16             How did the two expand their business?37:07            What training or background did Erika and Keely have in becoming an entrepreneur?38:11             Did they just follow their gut or did they formulate a business plan?40:19             Their philosophy of "it doesn't hurt to ask"41:45              "If you want advice, ask for money.   If you want money, ask for advice"  and the art of beingspecific.47:08             The Shark Tank experience54:25              How did the business grow after being on the Shark Tank?55:20              Their method of trusting their gut and being able to accept their mistakes57:20               The plane ride home and the decision to drop out of school1:01:17             What is their ultimate goal for Wild Friends?1:03:27             Erika's morning routine1:04:32             Keely's crazy belief1:01:05:56        Biggest misconception that people have about Erika1:06:38              Keely's favorite failure1:07:55               One simple tip to help female athletes1:09.28               Where can you buy Wild Friends products and learn more about the biz?Share the loveFollow Wild Friends, Keely, and Erika:On Twitter:  @2wildfriends , @KeelyTillotson On Instagram: @wildfriends,  @keely_t , @erikawelsh12If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

39-Caitlin Foord-on sacrificing the “little parties in between for the bigger party at the end”

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In today’s episode, I interview Australian national soccer team member, Caitlin Foord. Caitlin grew up a 2 minute walk from the beach in Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia. Before Caitlin took up soccer, she participated in athletics, touch football, and surf life saving. At age 9, Caitlin played in her first soccer game at age and scored 6 goals. She hasn’t stopped netting goals since. Caitlin scored a goal in her first appearance with the Matildas. At 16,, she was the youngest Australian player to play in a World Cup and was voted the Best Young Player of the tournament. Caitlin has played in the the Australian W-league with Sydney FC and Perth Glory, in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with Sky Blue FC, and is is currently playing in the Japan Women’s Football League  with the Vengalta Sendai Ladies. In our conversation, we talk about-the biggest differences between playing in Japan, USA, and Australia-the times she had to sell chocolate bars at school to afford to go to soccer tournaments-the sacrifices her mom, a single parent, made to help Caitlin pursue soccer-why Caitlin hates warming-up-her experience with being burned-out from soccer, and the strategy she used to fall back in love with her sport-why she thinks the Matildas' world ranking has continued to rise-her love affair with music festivals, her dog Peach, and ChipotleAnd more.Enjoy, my conversation with Caitlin Foord!  Show Notes:48 Who is Caitlin Foord  Sky Blue FC2:50 Caitlin’s adjusting to the Japanese culture6:40 Caitlin’s Japanese team - Vegalta Sendal7:24 How does Japanese soccer style compare to US/Australian?11:40 Cailtin’s early soccer travel and struggles of homesickness16:00 Cailtlin’s childhood home,  Illawarra17:40 Cailtin’s young star in soccer v. touch football21:55 Her mom’s single parent support and selling chocolate bars to pay for      tournaments27:23 Australian Nat’l team call up at 16 years old.32:10 Cailtin’s favorite game35:38 Her ability to separate soccer from other aspects of her life40:29 Has she ever been burnt out from soccer?43:20 Are their training things that Cailtin doesn’t like?45:29 Caitlin’s morning routineBrittney Cameron@bcam0047:01 Caitlin’s free time activities48:15 Caitlin’s biggest misconception about herself50:28 Is Caitlin a go with the flow athlete or an overthinker?51:50 Her biggest accomplishment52:45 What does she want to accomplish before she retires? And how does she want to be remembered?53:45 Caitlin’s pregame body and mental prep54:30 How does she deal with a bad game?56:13 Best opponent and best teammateChristie Rampone@christieramponeSam Kerr@samkerr159:38 Best game day chants1:00:39 Biggest life lesson from playing soccer1:01:55 How does Caitlin eat a taco?1:02:58 One simple tip for female athletes1:04:22 Caitlin Foord Follow Caitlin:On Twitter: @CaitlinFoordOn Instagram: @CaitlinFoordCaitlin’s obsession with her dog Peach (Instagram: @BrindlePeachShare the loveIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

38 Paige Pattillo- On 100 miles races, running with poisonous snakes, and her motto “just don’t do it”

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In today’s episode, I interview ultra-runner Paige Pattillo. Paige grew up running in her hometown Bothell, Washington. She ran cross country at the University of Portland. Two years ago, at the age of 26, Paige ventured into the ultra-running racing scene. Paige recently completed in the Gorge Waterfall 100k, and because of her finish, was one of just ten people to receive a golden ticket to the Western States, one of the most competitive and prestigious 100 mile races in the world.Who in their right mind would want to run 100 miles? I did not understand it, until I did some investigation. After talking with Paige, it’s clear why people catcha the ultra-running bug.Paige is a very inquisitive soul and we go deep into her mindset during her races.In our conversation we talk about:-why Paige and her wife, former Seattle Reign FC Player Keelin Winters Pattillo, lived in a camper van for over 3 months in Australia for their honeymoon-Paige’s counter-cultural motto “just don’t do it” and how training less improved her performance.-Her experience with  “runner’s high” and how she loses sense of time.-How she deals with the negativity during the lowest point of her races.-Her training regimen for the Western States 100 mile race-Why she believes every human, physiologically, was made perfectly for long distance runningAnd more.Here’s the the 100 mile Western States documentary Paige shared with me. Be prepared to get me amped up on life! LIFE IN A DAY | The Western States 100 Mile Endurance RunI hope this interview gets you inspired as well. Enjoy, my conversation with Paige Patillo.    Show Notes:54                             Who is Paige Pattillo?1:30                            What type of person wants to run 100 miles?4:38                            Paige’s Honeymoon in Australia6:32                            Her experience WWOOFING down under9:24                            Paige’s encounter with deadly snakes12:00                   The most prestigious and oldest 100 mile race13:08                   Did Paige always have a goal of running the “Western States”?14:03                   How does one qualify for the Western States race?15:44                   Paige’s 1st qualifying race17:44                   What is the “gap the chase pack” strategy?22:40                   The power of letting go23:08                   What is Paige’s training regimen?24:38                   Are the majority of elite runner sponsored or working full time?25:38                   How does Paige balance her life?27:13                   Typical Ultra runner compared to Paige29:00                   Paige’s approach of less training mileage32:07                   Paige’s motto: “Just Don’t Do It”32:50                   Paige’s alternative training - yoga, strength, cycling34:40                   Comfort in Discomfort37:25                   Arrow Living Article: When Two Competitive Athletes Fall In Love37:43                   Paige’s running mindset and why she would choose to run 100 miles40:27                   Advice to  “non-runners”44:44                   Paige’s race mindset - the runner’s high and lows53:00                   How to get out of negative thoughts on a run and her mental strategies57:15                   How is running a metaphor for life?100:40                  What is a safety runner?1:01:10                 Paige’s replenishment choices101:59                  What is Paige’s goal time?1:03:13                 Paige’s morning routine1:03:50                 One belief that other people think is crazy1:06:50                 Biggest misconception about Paige1:07:19                 What non-athlete does Paige look up to?1:08:45                 Paige’s favorite failure1:09:54                 Greatest accomplishment1:10:11                 What mental & body prep does Paige do before a race?1:11:04                 Post race movement activities1:11:25                 One simple tip for female athletes  Share the loveIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

  1. Click HERE
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  4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

ResourcesPaige and Keelin’s love story: When Two Competitive Athletes Fall in Love Watch this to get amped on life! LIFE IN A DAY | The Western States 100 Mile Endurance RunClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content 

37-Amandine Henry-On moving to the US, mistranslations, and fake tans

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In today’s conversation I interview French national team footballer Amandine Henry. Amandine signed her first professional contract at 17 years old. She’s competed in 3 UEFA Women’s Champions League finals, was the recipient of the Silver Ball award in 2015, awarded to the the second best player at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She’s played most of her professional career with Lyon in France, but recently finished her second season with the Portland Thorns, helping the team win the 2017 NWSL Championship.Amandine arrived in Portland hardly being able to speak English, but after two season’s abroad, she was able to do this entire interview in English, with only a few misunderstandings.In our conversation we talk about:

  • how Amandine learned english, and the funniest mis-translations with the team

  • the experience playing with boys teams up until age 13

  • the time during her career when she thought about quitting soccer

  • why Amandine doesn’t believe in setting goals

  • how she cooks all of her meals at home with a robot

  • why coming to Portland was the best experience of her entire soccer career, even moreso than playing in a World Cup and winning champions league

  • and she answers several fan questions, both in English and in French

Did you enjoy my conversation with Amandine? Let me know the favorite thing you learned in the comments! Share the loveIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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  4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive contentFollow Amandine:On Instagram: @henry_amandine6On Twitter: @amandinehenry6 NOTES::46                     Amandine the French soccer legend1:25                    her non english background and her funniest mistranslations2:22                   Subscribe to arrowliving.com for chance to win Amandine’s cleats3:03                    Bonjour Mandy!3:58                    Amandine’s final english test and how she learned the language5:45                    How and why did she decide to play out of France?6:22                    Biggest difference between her hometown and Portland8:42                    Weirdest clothing she has seen in Portland9:08                    What is Amandine’s style of play?10:30           Pregame routines10:56           Favorite song11:34           Why does she write her number on every teammate?12:12           Kendall’s bet with Amandine’s goal scoring13:20           Her St. Tropez obsession13:44           Amandine’s love of fashion15:08           When did she start playing on boys soccer teams?19:24           Her transition to women’s teams20:25           When did Amandine sign contract with Lyon?21:10           Does she feel it’s important to set goals?22:20           How did Amandine handle her first injury?24:01           What does she like to do outside of training?25:30           What’s the hardest thing about being away from her home country?26:24           Favorite part of her career27:42           First thought this morning28:09           Her morning routine29:55           Funniest mistranslation32:03           What is a kitchen robot?33:25           Most rewarding accomplishment34:04           What does she wish she knew as a kid?35:24           Favorite school subject35:50           Has she ever gotten tired of soccer?36:44           Dream meal37:45           What 3 people would she choose as dinner companions?38:10           Most interesting thing she’s learned38:37           Why does she change her socks after a game?40:49           What Portland restaurant reminds her of home?41:40           What advice would she give her daughter?42:50           What will she miss about playing in Portland?43:20           Favorite TIFO43:45           Sinc, Angerer & Tobin - playing against and as teammates44:45           Favorite english phrase45:55           Who are her funniest teammates?48:20           Best memory as a Porttand Thorn

36-Christine Sinclair- On how to be a leader and her recovery from perfectionism

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In today’s episode, I interview the captain of the women’s Canadian national soccer team and Portland Thorns FC striker Christine Sinclair. Christine is a Legend with a capital L. She attended University of Portland (Go Pilots!) While there she was a Mac Hermann trophy recipient and a  2x NCAA champion.  She has received countless other accolades throughout her career including being the a 12x recipient of Canada’s Soccer Player of the Year, 2x bronze Olympic medalist, she’s been short listed for fifa player of the year 7 times, and is the second leading goal scorer in the world, just behind Abby Wambach.But even more admirable than her accolades, is who Christine is as a human. Despite being one of the top players in the world, she is incredibly down to earth. Christine despises being in the spotlight and is a private person in general, but in our discussion she opens up and explains in her own words, she’s actually not a “hermit.”  You’ll see that she’s a little bit weird and quite funny.In our conversation we talk about 

  • How everyone can be a leader, and what it takes to become one

what it was like surpassing her idol Mia Hamm in all-time goals-scored-The impromptu speech she gave in the locker room to her distraught teammates during the Olympics-How the loss of multiple family members completely change her perspective on soccer, and allowed her to take her game to the next level-Why she slurps mustard before and during the half-time of games with Emily Menges  (Emily also makes a guest appearance!)-The method she uses to become a world-class finisher-Why she named her achilles tendon “Clarence” I’d love to hear what you learned from this episode. Please leave a message in the comments! Show Notes:57 Who is Christine Sinclair?3:45 Charlie, the love of her life!5:15 How did Christine choose University of Portland9:00 How was winning the NCAA women’s soccer championships?10:05 What is Sinc’s top moment in her career?11:15 Other sports played by Christine11:45 When did she know soccer was her main sport?13:25 Was she always a standout player?14:04 Did she have goals from the beginning of her career?14:35 What players did she idolize?15:32 When did she know she would play in a world cup?15:44 What did it feel like to surpass Mia Hamm’s goal scoring record?18:02 Why is Christine so well liked by teammates?19:45 Does Sinc like being a leader?21:05 Can everyone be a leader?22:32 What is Christine’s memories of the 2012 London Olympics26:57 Why doesn’t Christine like being in the spotlight?28:15   Her perspective on social media30:28 How does she deal with her competitiveness?31:40 The importance of team bonding36:29 Her battle with being a recovering perfectionist37:55 How has Sinc learned to play more freely?40:10 What would she tell her 18 year old self?42:14 Sinc’s favorite coffee shop43:42 Favorite restaurant44:38 How has she dealt with body pain?50:40 Christine’s stats & records55:03 What does Sinc like about Portland, Oregon56:31 Her morning routine58:34 What is the biggest misconception about Christine?59:31 What one belief does Christine have that others think is crazy?1:00:20 Favorite failure1:02:21 Greatest accomplishment1:04:32 How has she developed her amazing finishing skills?1:06:00 What is Sinc’s one simple tip for female athletes1:07:30 Favorite downtime activity1:08:15 What does Christine enjoy most about scoring goals1:08:45 pregame rituals & superstitions1:09:57 What 3 Thorns players would she choose to be with on a deserted island?1:10:24 Has there ever been a moment when she wanted to quit soccer? Share the loveIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

  1. Click HERE
  2. Click “view in itunes”
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  4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content  

Why Mana Shim cops people’s digits while pursuing her dreams

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Today is the Hawaiian hibiscus’, sunflower soul Melana Shim’s  birthday. Awhile back, we ventured out to the Oregon Coast to surf. Mana’s a ripper, and I’m a Grade A wannabe, novice. But I was stoked because Mana told me she’d give me some pointers once we got out in the water. We paddled together past the break, and less than a minute later,  Mana rode a wave into the shore like a princess galloping off into the distance. We never reunited in the water again, as Mana was fully engulfed in catching the biggest breaks, and I couldn’t keep up with Mana’s ravenous paddling. No hard feelings though, I became best buds with the whitewash.Three and a half hours later, Mana came running out of the water, with a jack-o-lantern sized smile on her face. She apologized for losing track of time and said she invited some new friends over for a bonfire. I asked how they were going to come over. She pointed to her red board. The person’s phone number was etched into the front of it with wax.[embed]http://youtu.be/r0bx-XqiJWI[/embed]Classic Mana, always living for connection. The people came over, and we indeed had wonderful conversation amongst a bonfire. This type of scenario is standard protocol for Mana, who claims she can tell from the first few minutes of interaction if she’ll vibe with the person. Playing sports competitively, it’s so easy to get caught up in grinding and doing whatever it takes to reach our dreams. But, once our body breaks down or we decide we want to pursue other passions, we will only be left with the memories. And the ones we tend to remember, are the ones with strong emotional ties. Mostly involving other humans. And sometimes teammate’s dogs (shoutout to Christine’s Sinclairs dog, Charlie. Such a stud). A few weeks ago, Mana made the choice to leave Thorns FC to pursue a opportunity to play in Sweden. This decision is difficult for any player, but especially for someone who cherishes relationships as much as Mana. But sometimes you gotta do the scary thing and take a leap of faith. In conjunction with chasing our dreams, we always have the choice to slow down and take in the in the sunflowers, the waves, the people. For more Mana Shim: Click HERE for an exclusive podcast interview.Click HERE for an exclusive written interview.Share the loveIf you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

  1. Click HERE
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ResourcesClick HERE to become a part of Friday FeelzClick HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content