Logan Jolly (PART 2)

What happens when a massage therapist and a fitness coach team up to explore the complexities of health and wellness? Ariel and Lucas take listeners on a journey through the essential role of support networks in achieving athletic and life goals. They dive into personal stories, illustrating how family, friends, coaches, and recovery specialists have been the backbone of their guest's success. From the camaraderie built in early sporting days to the invaluable connections in professional athletics, this episode promises insights into the intricate web of relationships that sustain and motivate athletes through their careers.

Listeners will gain an understanding of the delicate balance between athletic pursuits and personal life phases. Our discussion touches on how to handle situations where others might not fully appreciate the demands of a sports-focused lifestyle. With candid reflections on overcoming adversity and the challenges of maintaining dedication amidst life's disruptions, the conversation also celebrates the importance of living fully and finding joy beyond athletic commitments. Tune in for a heartfelt exploration of community strength and resilience essential for thriving in both sports and life.

Support Ariel by booking a massage:
https://www.competitorsedgemassage.com/

Support Lucas by booking training:
https://www.hydefitnessconsulting.com

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Lifestyle Strength, your guide to mastering health and well-being in the real world.

Speaker 2: 0:04

I'm Ariel, a massage therapist with over a decade of experience in holistic health, and I'm here with Lucas, a seasoned fitness coach, who's transformed the lives of hundreds in Northwest Arkansas.

Speaker 1: 0:14

We're here to share real stories and expert insights about embracing a healthy lifestyle while balancing the everyday hustle.

Speaker 2: 0:20

Join us as we explore practical ways to achieve wellness and thrive amidst life's challenges.

Speaker 1: 0:25

Let's dive in.

Speaker 2: 0:27

I have a question and that makes me think Pro-necessary, not even just as a pro-athlete, but if you're willing to sacrifice something for long-term, short-term goals, how important is it to have a support system? Like, do you think you could do it without a support system and what does your support system look like? You mentioned your husband, but any other kind of components family, friends that are important.

Speaker 3: 0:50

Yes, I don't think I would be here without my support system. That tells you how important it is. Starting from a young age, my parents really helped me flourish in the sport. They found me races, they made sure I had a good coach. I had a great team from a young age that kept it fun. So those things all played into even getting into college and running. And then I transferred here for grad school and I think my coach here vital part in my success now physically and then also just connections. He had to help me get a sponsorship and an agent who are now part of my support team, now my coach, my husband, husband and then different people I train with and then I've got recovery support system. Ariel, I have a mind coach or a sports psych. There's just it's a huge team that comes into it PT.

Speaker 2: 1:37

I mean, where would I be? Yeah, it's all connected. Yes, that's awesome. Yeah, so being able to like build, where would I be in your recovery without?

Speaker 3: 1:44

him. Yes, that's awesome. Yeah, so being able to build that support system here in Arkansas is one of the reasons I stayed here after college, and it's definitely why I've been healthy and been able to improve year after year. If it was up to me, I'd be done. That's awesome. I'd probably be sitting at a desk doing engineering work or something. Yeah, because that's what your degree is in, right?

Speaker 2: 2:04

yeah, I doing engineering work or something yeah, because that's what your degree is right. Yeah, I used to, that's okay, you know. Another thing that we've talked a lot about lately is phases of life, and I know you and I've talked about that, you know that this is a season and, and really athletics, especially on a pro level, really is a season of life.

Speaker 2: 2:19

I mean, right, you know I'm unless you're tom brady, you know, and it's endless honestly but I have a question in regards to the phases you've gone through to be where you are now, and you talk about that support system. Do you ever find yourself with individuals in your life that you're like, ok, they don't understand that I have to run today, or they don't understand that I can't just go out and eat at 10 o'clock at night, or you know, do you have? Have you ever encountered that? And what does that adversity look like? Because I think sometimes people can get in this rut where they're like, well, nobody's kind of I wouldn't say supporting it, but they don't understand it. My marathon runners they say they don't understand yeah, I don't want to go to that bachelor party this weekend because that's going to mess up my running. They're not going to understand that I'm not drinking with them or that I'm up early running. You know what does that look like? Because people are going to face those adversities where they are in environments like that.

Speaker 3: 3:21

I think that adversity is good, um, if you don't come across that you might be too focused in and like not living life outside of your where you're at. Okay, um, so I've been fortunate that my parents, my family, have been very involved with the sport and me growing up in it, so they've always they've seen the grind. They know christmas time I'm going to be training, still thanksgiving. We're probably turkey trotting in the morning. Right Saturday mornings are long runs. If we're going on vacation I'm still training.

Speaker 3: 3:51

So those things it's part of life, we've grown into it and that's just how things go. But like making new friends here, and if we go on like this camping trip, and I'm like, oh, I need to run, they're like, oh, I need to run. They're like, oh, yeah, sure you can run. But then I get there and it's super muddy and super hilly and there's no way I can run. So there's just different levels of understanding. I've never had people like maybe make fun of me for doing it that way, but just not realizing the level of like training and need for the consistency and routine.

Speaker 1: 4:22

I think it's the unique experience that you have of having grown up in it for so long helps that be so ingrained and just to your sphere of people. Yeah, at least it sounds that way. Yes, have you going through that process? Have you ever faced any adversity in the sense of thinking like why am I doing this? Like I want to quit? What? What's happened there? Like tell us the list I want to hear.

Speaker 3: 4:50

I want to say it's a seasonal thing. Um, at least recently, when it comes to like May or June and people start going to the beach, the school year is over, people are vacationing and my season is starting to get like right to the bowl. And every year I'm to get like right to the bowl and every year I'm like I really want to go on a trip right now, I really want to go on vacation, and then my season ends August, september, and it's starting to get cooler and the beach isn't as nice then. So I think that's one. It's not even adversity, but just something that it's like OK, I'm doing this job, I have a purpose, I'm trying to reach this goal, and gratification, and then it's gone. So sometimes the lifestyle is a little bit different than the regular school year kind of cycle with vacations and things, but it's all worth it in the end and I always push through and make it come out on the other side and there's there's positives to it too.

Speaker 2: 5:46

You mentioned that you made it to trials for the Olympics and I think I had seen one of your Instagram posts. But you know you've mentioned a couple of times goal versus purpose. Um, and I know kind of a little bit of your backstory and maybe what your purpose is, but I always think it's important for us to understand that ultimately, even when we reach a goal, our purpose doesn't change right, like who we are and what we're doing and why we're doing it Right, and I would love for you to share where you know. Being raised in the sport and being good at it is one thing, but what led to this decision, like, based on my purpose, this is what I need to do and why do you continue doing it?

Speaker 3: 6:28

That's a great question and I'm working through that right now, actually with my sports psych. We're kind of coming up with my philosophy and like who I am. Because I found and I'm sure you all have heard stories of people who reach the successful moment they wanted and then they're like not fulfilled. And part of that was like I always wanted to be a professional athlete and I got here and I really do enjoy it, but it's just not as fulfilling as you probably build it up to be and and I really do enjoy it, but it's just not as fulfilling as you probably build it up to be. And so I'm like what is my purpose here? What am I doing? If I run races and they go really well, I'm excited, but I'll last a day or two and then I'm like all right, when's the next one? And then when races go rough, like I have to sit there and wonder like, okay, am I? What am I doing this for?

Speaker 3: 7:09

So for me, my purpose has been really I enjoy this gift and I think it's a gift from the lord. So I I kind of just I'm trying to learn how to enjoy that. Um, just be thankful for the season I'm in and the people I get to meet, um the opportunities that I have, and if you're enjoying it, even if the race goes bad, you're still happy because you came out on the other side knowing like I'm thankful, I'm grateful for where I'm at. So I'm kind of learning that in this season of just this is different than a lot of people and maybe even different than what I thought my life would be, but I'm very thankful for it and trying to just take it in in the moment instead of wishing like, oh, one day I want to work in eight to five and go home and cook meal and that like, yeah, sure, that's fun, but that's just not the season I'm in and I don't want to get there and look back and be like I wish I enjoyed that moment.

Speaker 1: 7:58

So just being grateful for the gifts lord's given me and sharing that with other people hopefully as well, that is awesome I think that's the concept we've gone over before of like leaning in, leaning in that into that thing that you feel pulled towards. You know, you know obviously in athletics like you only have so long for the most part, yeah, to really go pursue that. So taking that leap of faith I think shows a lot to your character but also is valuable in just a lesson that you know, no matter what season that somebody's in in their life, they can make a change, they can make a shift into doing something that they feel more interested in and more passionate about.

Speaker 2: 8:38

For sure, and just the fact that you're like, even though you're in it and everybody on the outside is going, you know your lifestyle is a conventional, but for another person who does have that eight to five, those kids in that dinner every night, they might go.

Speaker 2: 8:52

Well, she's got it lucky Right, but you're sitting you're saying like I make sacrifices, but I also have to be flexible. And ultimately, my purpose is allowing you and reminding you that, even while you're in it and even though it looks beautiful to everybody else, the fact that you just keep saying like I want to be able to be in it and enjoy, like I want to be able to be in it and enjoy it, I want to be able to be in that moment, be present with it Again, everybody else, me included, would be like because I love running, loved running, can't run. And so every time you're running and your successes not to say I live vicariously through you, but I'm reminded of how much I loved it. And I just I remember, when my injury first happened, something that I remember telling people who would go mostly CrossFitters, I'm just kidding Um, they would say, oh, we had running today.

Speaker 2: 9:42

I don't like running. I don't like running, you know, and you hear it a lot and I just remember saying hey guys, you know I woke up with the inability to run and it was something I was passionate about, and so I would always say, like the next time you run, run for me, and I just love that. You're saying I'm going to enjoy this, whether I win or lose, because it's something you enjoy, it's something that you've been gifted with.

Speaker 3: 10:04

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:05

And I think, I think sometimes we miss the mark on that. You know what I mean. We're so, you know, focused on one thing, or this idea of what life's supposed to look like you keep saying it.

Speaker 1: 10:16

She hit on it earlier. She was just saying about how, like you, can get two tunnel vision. Yeah, yeah. The, the end point, the thing that you're trying to work towards, and you just miss everything that is coming by. Yeah, and it's like we'll use running since the top of today's podcast. It's running to get to the end of where you're going, versus like looking at what you're running by.

Speaker 3: 10:37

Yeah, that's a good analogy. Yeah, I thought you might like I do, I have some experience.

Speaker 2: 10:44

And I'm pretty sure what was it? The other day she was running, we lived near each other, oh yes, and she was goodness this. Guys, again, you just think she's just living the dream. But sometimes and I know you can tell me about it that sometimes you have to be flexible with you know the weather, with where you run, with how you run, with how you run. You have to be more careful. You don't want to injure yourself. So this girl is on the side of the road on this janky trail, like just halfway, and I'm driving and it's very busy on MLK there and I saw her and I honked and she texted me. She said, hey, thank you for that.

Speaker 2: 11:27

For that right yeah and I didn't expect you to even realize it was me. Um, it's just. But I beeped because it was my way of saying like, I see you, I see what you're doing, I support that, um, and I love that yeah, I caught a quick glimpse of your car and I was like I think that was Ariel, but I was.

Speaker 3: 11:44

It was. It was a janky sidewalk, it there's not a lot of room, uh, between the road and the sidewalk and it's definitely overrun. So I was like locked in on where I was at and just trying to get to the stoplight. But it made me. It made me smile, thinking like, oh, someone does see me on the side of this road absolutely.

Speaker 2: 12:02

And the thing is you, even though you were focused on that sidewalk, you weren't too zoned in, which allowed you to really appreciate those around you, right? Just that full picture of those who support you, even if it's just your massage therapist interview.

Speaker 3: 12:18

I've learned as a runner there are friendly honks and then there are not friendly honks, and so I could tell yours was a friendly one. Oh, the double honk was very nice If tell yours was a friendly one. So the double, the double honk was very nice If it was like a long, like okay, what did I do wrong? Yeah, different ways, yeah.

Speaker 1: 12:34

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode. We want to invite you back next week as we continue the conversation and be sure to follow us on social media to get all of our content and clips and anything you might've missed. Again, thanks for listening and we'll see you next week.