Run coach Jess Parker of Form in Focus joins me today to talk about her running journey and how she came to combine her love of running with heavy lifting to help others be their best, most injury-free running self. What I admire most about Jess is this positivity that she shines even when things are not always awesome -- not blind optimism, but a sense that we can all do hard things.

Jess and I talk about letting go of the idea that runners should not be lifting heavy -- runner's can lift, be strong, and be even more badass and she is here to help guide you. Her hope is that she can show her athletes what to do and empower them with as much knowledge as she can so they can eventually say, "Hey Jess, thanks for your help but I can take it from here." She truly believes that knowledge is power and so at the beginning of the pandemic she developed her book titled "Grit," which is a runner's guide or really an incredible resource with detailed information on how to be your best, strongest running self with hours of research to back it up.

She and a friend Laura Hall are also combining their efforts to develop a retreat later this summer called "Back of the Pack" that is geared toward, you guessed it, those of us who aren't the fastest but still love to run just for the love of movement. 

You can sign up for more information on back of the pack here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/605f65bde8d68d392eff209b

Get yourself a copy of "Grit" here: https://www.forminfocus.co/grit/

And follow Jess on IG at @forminfocus and cheer her on as she shifts fitness goals and enters her first lifting competition on Aug. 21