From “Lose Weight or Die” To Running Marathons: The Inspiring Story of Martinus Evans

Today's guest is Martinus Evans. Martinus has run 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 been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, The Wall Street Journal, Runner’s World, New York Post, LADbible, HuffPost, Magnolia, and U.S. News & World Report. Martinus is the Founder and CEO of the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 10,000 members worldwide. When he’s not running races around the world, he enjoys speaking passionately about issues related to size-inclusivity, mindset, DEI, and mental health.   We discuss: how being told to “lose weight or die” fueled his anger to transform his life, how he went from running 15 seconds on a treadmill to running multiple marathons, why you can be both overweight and healthy, how using an alter ego helped Martinus destroy self-doubt, how he overcame early challenges and kept going when things got tough, how sports and tragedy kept Martinus away from selling drugs as a kid and much more. What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 00:30 “Lose weight or die” 05:08 Fueled by anger and rage 07:42 Was this the first time he tried to get fit? 09:55 Running his first 5k  11:21 Mistreated by other runners 14:21 Did he experience challenges early on? 19:11 Everyone should be physically active 21:52 You can be overweight and HEALTHY 24:38 Having a plan and building community  26:39 Falling in love with the process 29:27 Discipline builds motivation  31:42 Why he doesn’t want to win races 33:39 Running his first marathon 37:20 Being heckled at mile 19 40:30 It’s you vs. your mind vs. everyone else 43:55 What’s his diet like? 47:31 How often does he get bloodwork done? 49:47 How did Martinus avoid selling drugs as a kid? 54:54 The importance of playing sports 56:36 Being bullied in school Episode Resources: Martinus | Website, Book     ⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠ Please be advised; the topics related to mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you’ve consumed. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help: Emergency Medical Services—911 If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.  SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov and https://www.samhsa.gov   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices