Episode 39 with Martinus Evans
Running Slow AF – Martinus Evans
Show Notes & Full Transcript & Book Review!
Hello lovely, Sophia here! Centering Black, Brown, and Indigenous voices on this podcast has been a goal from the start. And one of the ways to support marginalized voices in this space is by offering an honorarium to our guests. With your help, I can do that. If it’s within your means, please consider becoming a Patron or subscribing to the bonus episodes through Apple’s podcast player right on your device. As a thank you, you’ll get a bonus episode from each guest where they answer questions they often haven’t thought about before. It’s hilarious and so much comes out that didn’t make it to the main podcast episode.
Martinus Evans (he/him) spent his life being too big and then not being big enough when he started playing football. After a car accident changed his life, he realized that he wanted to move his body just for the joy of it and let go of obsessing about his weight. As he started running, slowly, his message resonated with others, and the Slow AF Run Club was born. He shares his ups and downs and the biggest surprise he’s had while creating the club.
Martinus Evans has run over eight marathons since his doctor told him to “lose weight or die” in July 2012. Since then, he’s also coached hundreds of runners and founded the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 10,000 members worldwide. He is also the author of the book, “Slow AF Run Club: The ultimate guide for anybody who wants to run.” When he’s not running races around the world, he enjoys speaking passionately about issues related to size-inclusivity, mindset, DEI and mental health.
Please read the first chapter of the book here.
Connect with Martinus on Instagram, and the Slow AF Store.
This episode’s poem is by Ros Barber and is called, “How to Leave the World that Worships Should.”
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A Fat Joy Podcast Book Review
Slow AF Run Club: The ultimate guide for anyone who wants to run
Written By: Martinus Evans
Respectfully reviewed by A. Cavouras.
Book Summary
When I picked up Slow AF Run Club, I thought that the advice would be familiar. I’ve been a runner for nearly three decades and despite many changes in life, I’ve always returned to running. As a reader, this also means I’ve read a lot of running books. A LOT. I can honestly and enthusiastically say I’ve never read a running book like this. There is a treasure trove of advice in here and Martinus Evans does not shy away from the less glamorous aspects - chafing, hecklers, and urgent toilet stops. He combines a heartfelt compelling running memoir with exceptional advice for anybody who has even let the idea of running cross their mind.
There is so much to talk about, but I’m going to highlight the Introduction. Here Martinus shares how he started running (out of spite), when a doctor told him he would literally die if he ran a marathon. Using that as his fuel he went on to run several, putting in countless hours of hard work and making a million mistakes along the way - which he tells in wonderful narrative pockets throughout his book.
On page 7 he lays out exactly what this book delivers “I don’t care about your size, your speed, or your athletic ability, you are going to start believing today. Buckle up, because you’re in for the mindset ride of your life.” As a person who already identified as a runner, he did exactly that, shifted my worldview and somehow made me feel even more like a runner! How is that possible?
The chapter goes on to explore all the ways in which YOU are a runner, how to redefine your identity to make space for YOU the runner, and how to handle all the ways in which self-doubt and past experiences conspire to block your inner runner. This magic combination of Martinus’ stories, affirmation, neuroscience, and acknowledging the complex intersectionality of life is compelling. There is clear naming of fatphobia in fitness arenas, doctors offices, and run groups and out on the road. He does this without minimising any experiences you may have had, but rather highlighting what is still possible when you believe in yourself.
Importantly, the book goes on to cover all the key elements to becoming a runner and devotes full chapters to the development of a running mindset, appropriate training plans, fuelling for running, gear, racing, and goal setting. I cannot state this enough, this book is different. This book is a powerful tool in personal growth, with a focus on running as a way to get there.
What’s Special About This Book
On page 6, Evans introduces the idea of a ‘nontraditional runner’ where he rightly calls out the running and fitness industry for being thin and white, and expands this worldview to include everyone. This refreshing and truly inclusive definition is a welcoming start to a philosophy that pervades the book.
Another part of this book that sets it apart is the myriad of fill-in-the-blank elements where you can do anything from write your own affirmation to imagine what people might say about you at your funeral. Evans is not hiding the emotional work it takes to commit to something challenging and he provides the tools for people to do it.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the work that Evans put into creating a book that features intersectionality, recognizing physical and emotional safety as a key element in his advice. The section Running While Black on page 89, and Chapter 4: Carbs Are Good, F%ck Diets, and Other Running Nutrition, are candid and insightful. They are full of Evans’ lived experiences and relevant facts and research to back it up. When he says “eat what’s available” (p.74) I am cheering his acknowledgement that food is fuel and doesn’t need to have any other label. These sections are nothing short of revolutionary.
Beautiful Lines for Your Heart, Your Mirror, or Your Twitter
P. 16
“Even if you don’t believe in yourself now, be delusional and believe in yourself anyway. Sometimes you have to be delusional to even start, let alone keep going. You have to be the first person who thinks that you’re going to achieve what you’ve set out to do.”
P. 180
“Why does it always seem that motivation and success are natural? Like some people have it, some don’t? Maybe you think something is wrong with you because you can’t stay inspired or motivated. But I’m here to tell you that just isn’t true. Here’s the problem: motivation is fleeting. It’s situational, it’s emotional, and it’s not what brings long-term success.”
P. 216
“The beauty of running lies in the fact that your destiny is always in your own hands. No one can run those miles for you. No one can put one foot in front of the other but you. No one can cross the finish line for you. You and only you are controlling your destiny. You have everything you need to be a runner.”
Respectfully reviewed by A. Cavouras.