AWAKN Tribe Member Liberty Murray: Ultrarunning, traveling, and saying "no"
Our AWAKN Tribe member series is a monthly series where we get to interview one of our awesome tribe members and learn how they're optimizing their life for longevity.
This month we are interview Liberty Murray, an ultrarunner and Equine Surgeon.
Enjoy!
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What do you do for fun (hobbies, etc)?
Trail & ultrarunning with my dog Nike, traveling with my husband Ryan, cooking & gardening.
How do you optimize your nutrition? Any go-to healthy meals or snacks?
We cook at home a lot, and we have a big salad with dinner every night. My breakfast is almost always a scrambled egg burrito with whatever veggies are on hand, and lunch is typically leftovers from dinner. My go-to snacks during the day are things like almonds, cottage cheese, veggies with hummus, or Icelandic yogurt.
What’s your fitness routine like?
I'm a (wannabe) ultrarunner, so most of my fitness is centered around that. I run 3-4 days a week, weight train 1 day a week, and do yoga at least once a week. I also have various running injuries/nagging pains that are best managed if I do all of that plus some stretching & PT exercises (pushups, calf raises, planks, glute bridges, etc) 6-7 days a week.
What do you do to stay focused and manage stress?
My job is quite stressful - so this is super important for me! Running & yoga are huge for helping me manage my stress. Beyond that, making time to get outside & spend time with my pup and husband doing things we enjoy like gardening or hiking are also extremely important. And...a glass of wine in the evening never hurts :)
How many hours of sleep do you typically get? Any nighttime rituals that help you sleep?
I typically get between 6-8 hours a night. We don't have children, so I think it is easier for me to get more sleep than people who do. If I am running a lot (and I almost always am!) it is really easy for me to sleep. When my mileage decreases I do find it harder to sleep. In the winter I love a hot bath with Epsom salts & lavender oil before bed. And again...wine :)
What’s one thing you’ve done recently to improve your quality of life?
I've started saying "no" more at work and putting more limits on my availability. It can be hard with my job - people expect me to be available 24-7, and social media has only made this worse. I am also on call 50% of the time so it is sometimes hard to disconnect. But I am trying to be conscious of how the need to always respond or say "yes" impacts my mental health in a negative way, and I am actively trying to limit that.
What one piece of health advice you’ve learned and want to share with others?
There are no shortcuts - if you want to be healthy, you have to eat well and exercise. Fad diets never last for a reason. And getting outside is AWESOME! So spend more time outdoors in some capacity and your mind & body will thank you.
What are your top 3 adventure or travel destinations?
Only 3 LOL? I love to travel! Alaska is amazing and I think everyone should go at least once. Italy has so much history - and food - you can't go wrong there. And The Grand Canyon - no picture will do it justice - you have to go see it for yourself.
Where or how do you drink your AWAKN?
AWAKN is my go-to coffee when I'm traveling or camping. It is so much better than any hotel coffee you'll find, and it's super easy to pack and make when camping. I've recently started using it before some of my really long runs (like my recent 50-mile race at the Georgia Jewel) and I've been impressed with the sustained energy it gives me without having any of the negative GI side effects which can be an issue when you are running long distance. Plus - it tastes so good!
Find Liberty on Instagram @libertygetmanmurray