218. Alan Scherer: Taking Action Every Day

Alan is a 48 year old runner who battles mental health, addiction and injuries. Alan is now, his own judge, police officer, healer and guiding force, with something to say and people to help. Trigger warning: this episode deals with suicide and severe mental illness. In this episode we talk about: -being in the thick of struggles -sharing so other people feel seen -moving for mental health -coping with injuries and holding onto hope -asking for help and accepting support -shockwave therapy -the importance of community and not being alone -adapting to change -inner dialogue and the stories we tell ourselves -taking full responsibility and action every day -being a role model -the intersection between lessons learned running and in life -suicide and the darkest mental health struggles -finding your true identity and defining yourself -work ethic and being your own worst enemy -pushing the limit -the impact of fitness communities -showing up for strangers Check out Alan’s first appearance on For The Long Run Episode 86. We mentioned For The Long Run Episode 91 with Jackie Hunt-Broersma: The limit does not exist. Follow Alan on Instagram and Facebook @stigmafighter.alanscherer @swanzeykeenefitproject @alanschererphoto Check out his website alanschererphoto.com and online fine art photography gallery 1-alan-scherer.pixels.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/forthelongrun/support Freedom Solar Power This episode is brought to you by Freedom Solar Power, the company I am using to go solar on my house. When I first started looking into solar, I thought it would be a clunky and expensive process. Going solar isn’t as hard as you think it is, and Freedom Solar Power is a turnkey solution focused on educating the consumer and making sure they have all the information they need to make sure going solar is right for them, both financially and as a way to help the planet. With no downpayment required, solar not only ads value to your home and is great for the environment, and might even allow you to save money from day one. Freedom Solar operates in Texas, Colorado, Virginia, and Florida, but there are plenty of other great options nationwide. Hydrow Thank you to Hydrow for sponsoring this episode! Hydrow is an immersive workout experience, designed to bring the physical, mental, and emotional experience of on-water rowing, straight to your home. Hydrow workouts are quick, efficient and low impact. Rowing for just 20 minutes a day provides you with a full body workout, which engages 86% of your muscles major muscle groups. For context, cycling engages 44%. I’ve been enjoying my Hydrow to fit in bonus cardio that doesn’t take much time at all, as even a 10-15 minute row feels like a solid workout. It’s a fun experience to be able to row on familiar routes, or explore new ones. Head to https://hydrow.com/ to learn more, and use code FTLR100 for $100 off your order. Tracksmith Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode. Tracksmith just released their spring collection, and as the seasons shift yet again, I’m proud to continue this partnership with them. Visit Tracksmith.com/forthelongrun to see some of my favorite pieces, and all orders with the code FORTHELONGRUN will receive free shipping, and 5% of your purchase amount will be donated to the Michael J Fox Foundation to help find a cure and support those living with Parkinsons.