Andrea Barber: It's Okay to be Average

You probably know her best as the zany next-door neighbor on Netflix's hit show Fuller House and if you don't know her, your kids probably do.

We're excited to have Andrea on the show, not to talk about her acting or to ask her about Hollywood, but because Andrea is a runner and the sport has completely changed her life for the better. In her new book, Full Circle, Andrea is refreshingly honest and open about her struggles with anxiety and depression and how running helped her through some incredibly difficult times in her life.

Like me, and so many of you listening, Andrea did not start running as a kid, but found it later in life. Running helped her become strong and confident and realize that she could do hard things. The simple act of going for a run, whether alone or with a friend or group, brought her much needed peace and a sense that everything is going to be okay.

As many of us are challenged with adjusting to our current situation, running can provide us with a healthy mechanism for better managing stress and anxiety. And if you're new to running, as you'll hear Andrea explain, don't worry about how fast or how far you're running. It's OK to simply be OK. We're here for you, no matter what.

Questions Andrea is asked:

2:02 Are you getting any runs in during quarantine?

3:40 Does your Instagram bio rank your characteristics in order of importance?

5:12 What did running give you that you needed at the time you started running?

9:10 Where does running fit into overall good mental health?

14:22 What is so special about the bond that is formed running with someone else?

18:22 What do you like and not like about racing?

20:47 What advice do you have for beginner runners just off the couch?

22:25 What did you learn most about yourself when you ran your first marathon?

27:34 Why do wish there was an 'It's OK to be average' movement?

30:19 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running?

30:57 What is the best gift running has given you?

32:08 How can people connect with you?

Quotes by Andrea:

"I found so much catharsis through running. And I didn't expect that; I expected to suffer through the training runs, do (the race), cross the finish line and then be done and never run again. But, something happened out there on that course and I was just transformed."

"Running made me feel like I could do hard things and that became a huge metaphor in my life. I could physically do hard things and I could do mentally and emotionally hard things, too."

"That's how I learned to run: I would just run until it hurt and then I walked until I felt better. And then I would run again."

"Why as a running culture do we only celebrate the fast paces and not the slow paces? The slow runners are still Runners and they're still out there challenging themselves and they're still growing. It doesn't matter if you're running 12:00 miles or 9:00 miles or 7:00 miles. It doesn't matter; you're still growing and challenging yourself."

"Pain is temporary, but Pride lasts forever."

Take a Listen on Your Next Run

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Mentioned in this podcast:

Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community

RunnersConnect Facebook page

Book: Full Circle by Andrea Barber

Series: Fuller House

Follow Andrea on:

Instagram

Twitter

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