Anne Mahlum of [solidcore] Will Never Live Life in the Middle

Anne Mahlum could write a book on audacious goals. First, she went from running a regular route past a shelter to launching a national non-profit, Back on My Feet, that uses logging miles as a way to combat homelessness. Then, she started a chain of fitness studios—[solidcore]—that’s gone from two locations to 68 and counting since just 2013. And oh yeah, she’s also run a marathon on every continent—including, most recently, Antarctica, where she took on 26.2 miles with just seven weeks of training. Next up, she’s aiming to run the Rock n Roll Marathon in Washington, D.C. That might not seem so bold, until you learn that she was in a serious jetski accident last summer that left her with a compound fracture in her femur. That means she’ll be lining up for the race less than 10 months later—but she won’t be alone, as more than 600 people have pledged to train and race with her, as part of a team she’ll calling [stronger] together 2020. When I talked with Anne for this episode for #WeGotGoals, it’s clear that she’s highly motivated by a desire to share something she’s passionate about, whether it’s running or recovery or a killer strength-training workout. In this episode, she talks about how she’s learned to listen to her inner voice, embrace her values, and prepare for setbacks ahead of time, so she can continue to move forward. We discuss: 2:31: How she took Back on my Feet from idea to reality 6:38: What made her decide to move on 8:51: How she’s learned to listen to her intuition and get in touch with her values 12:59: The narrative that keeps many of us from going for big goals 14:24: What [solidcore] is and why she feels so strongly about spreading it across the country (and beyond) 21:46: How her identity as an athlete is fueling her recovery from injury, and why the marathon goal has been so critical 25:50: Exactly how she’s approaching rehab, both physically and mentally, to achieve that goal 27:52: Why preparing for the worst actually helps her do her best 33:32: Her big goal for the future of [solidcore]—100 studios by the end of 2020—and how she’ll get there 35:02: The one line she’ll never say in business 40:00: Her biggest pieces of advice for overcoming obstacles Links/resources we mention: Anne’s website and Instagram Back on My Feet [solidcore] The [stronger] together team If you love this episode as much as we do, subscribe to the #WeGotGoals podcast wherever you like to listen to podcasts, including on Apple and Spotify (and hey, leave us a rating while you’re at it!).