Finding Your Strong and with SWAP Coaches David and Megan Roche

The Sonya Looney Show

Finding your strong isn't always easy, but if you're familiar with SWAP Coaches David and Megan Roche, you are probably familiar with their infectious optimism. David and Megan are both coaches of their company, SWAP- Some Work, All Play that David founded in 2013. The powerhouse couple coaches some of the top trail runners and obstacle course athletes in the world. Their coaching speaks for itself with over 17 US National Championships won, athlete appearances on Team USA 14 Times, Spartan World Champions, and more.

"For us, it's all about finding your strong. We want athletes to really embrace the athletic strength-based nature of being an endurance athlete. What that means in practice is that everyone's strong looks so different. So you can't go on looks, you can't even go necessarily on what you're seeing in the mirror because that is so distorted. And it's not analogous to anything with performance or growth or anything. What we really want is someone to be "Ok, I want to be a boss! I want to be strong!" And that's how you eat, that's how you train. What we're there for is supporting that with gentle affirmation that you're enough as you are, you are perfect the way you are and things like that, but then also coming in with science. "

-David Roche

Megan is the 2016 USATF Trail Runner of the Year at the ultra and sub-ultra distances. She is a five-time national champion, a North American Mountain Running Champion, and a six-time member of Team USA. She graduated from Duke University with a degree in Neuroscience and received her M.D. from Stanford Medical School. At Stanford, she is doing a PhD in epidemiology, focused on population health and genetics for athletes. Megan started coaching with SWAP in 2016 with the premise that she could help athletes learn to love the process of training, embrace their inner ninja, and recover using a Taco Tuesday approach.

David is the 2014 USATF Trail Runner of the Year at the sub-ultra distance. He is a two-time national champion and three-time member of Team USA. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Environmental Science and received a master's degree and law degree from Duke University. He also is a writer for Trail Runner Magazine.

The two also wrote a book, the Happy Runner. I had David on the podcast once before going all into their book. David and Megan's book really resonated with me because it's about being a happy athlete.

This year, the couple started the SWAP podcast which happens to be one of my favorites. This episode is packed with energy, fun, and great learning about secrets to happy coupledom, eating lots of food, self-acceptance, how to deal with quitting, death, talent and so much more!

David and Megan's message to you is:

YOU ARE SO LOVED AND PERFECT

JUST AS YOU ARE.

YES, JUST AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.

AS YOU ARE READING THIS.

AND AS YOU GROW AND CHANGE,

YOU'LL BE PERFECT TOO.

THIS IS ADDIE DOG TALKING.

But David and Megan agree with this statement 10000%.

YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!

Topics Discussed in the Podcast

• secrets to happy relationships
• body image and eating plenty
• self-acceptance and building confidence
• how to deal with quitting
• how to have more grit
• thoughts on death
• how much talent/genetics play a role

Listen Now

Resources

• SWAP Running Website
• Follow David on Twitter
• Follow David and ADDIEDOG on Instagram
• Follow Megan on instagram
• Get the book: The Happy Runner
• Article on the long tail of blood biomarkers