Awake Athlete Podcast
73 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe Awake Athlete Podcast is a short form exploration of life perspectives from a 10,000-foot view. An all-encompassing offering of time-tested knowledge, techniques, and practices that allow for more ease along the path of athletic performance while creating a beneficial effect on the entirety of this life experience. Through the knowledge that she has gained from years of study and training, Jess Gumkowski, endurance athlete, and mindset coach shares commonsensical ancient wisdom that leads to a mental fitness level that can change the world. This podcast is for athletes who are ready to open their minds and welcome in their greatness. It is for coaches who are curious about expanded viewpoints from which to guide their athletes to their highest performance level. Awake Athlete is more than a podcast; it is a way of living that is by its nature, as easeful as it is powerful. This seasonal offering will support athletes and coaches who, like Jess, view mastery as the only option in this life.
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Episodes
S4 Ep5: Do You Need A Mental Vacation?
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 8 minutes - 5.84 MBIn the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's essential to remember the value of taking a mental vacation. Just as we need physical rest, our minds crave moments of escape. A mental vacation is a planned break devoid of the distractions of everyday life. It can look many ways, but it is a powerful technique to be at your best and to know when you're at your best. In this episode, I share a profound experience from the past when I was moving very fast from the energy of anger and how I...
S4 Ep11: Never Give Up!
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 12 minutes - 8.82 MBSince the last time I fired up the mic, I published Awake Athlete: When Mastery Is Your Only Option, and in this episode, I let the book decide the teaching, so tune in and let's learn together. As we dive in, we find that the work is always the same; it's zooming out and seeing that there are limitless solutions for every problem and that every turn in life gives us opportunities to grow. And that dedication trumps motivation as it lends longevity to our experiences. The overarching mess...
S4 Ep10: Yoga Nidra - Guided Practice
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBYoga Nidra, often referred to as "yogic sleep," is a deep relaxation and meditation practice that promotes profound physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. It's typically done in a comfortable, lying-down position, and the aim of Yoga Nidra is to reach a state of conscious awareness between wakefulness and sleep, where you can access deep inner peace, reduce stress, and unlock your subconscious potential. It's a powerful tool for relaxation, self-discovery, and healing. Enjoy the hea...
S4 Ep4: Pre-Race Pranayama - Guided Meditation
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBIn this episode, I take you through a breathwork practice that many athletes have said saved their race day performance. I give a few universal tips on meditation and meditative posture to assist in stillness practice. These are a series of tried and true, time-tested, practical breath exercises to physically prep the muscles of breathing for performance, balance the nervous system, and soothe feelings of anxiety while grounding us in the present moment. You will feel calm, connected, and ...
S4 Ep9: What If It Wasn't Injury?
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBIn this episode, I offer an expanded perspective on the roots of disease and injury as learned through many years of studying the body and mind and training and racing as an endurance athlete. I share about my struggles with slowing down and how difficult it was for me to "chill" when injury or sickness showed up. For many years, I pushed through, and that only brought me more of the same. But in 2004, it all began to change when I embarked on an educational journey that led me to an und...
S4 Ep7: Do You Want Safer Roads?
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBI love riding my bike. And I am not afraid, but that is not how it's always been for me. I used to be scared, and in this episode, I share about a time when I felt fearful every time I got into the car and how I overcame that fear. I share a technique to heal fear and to make things right because the safety we desire comes from within first. And don't be afraid to look within; we have to let the trauma shake out, and when we do this, we shift our point of attraction and take control of the ...
S4 Ep3: Power Of Breath
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 13 minutes - 9.62 MBThe power of breath is a remarkable and often overlooked force in our lives. Although the world of athletics is steadily discovering its power for physical and mental performance, I believe the masses are merely scratching the surface of its true power. Each inhale fills us with life-giving oxygen, while each exhale releases not just carbon dioxide but also stress and tension. Breath is the bridge between the mind and body, capable of calming a racing heart or energizing a tired spirit. ...
S4 Ep2: The Vibrant Valley
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MBIn this episode, I reflect upon a trail run and the importance of staying awake in the valleys of life. I received a reminder that day of how so much can shift in just a moment and that when we are in the valleys of life, we should not forget to plant seeds for the future. The valleys of life are fertile ground for growing what we desire. If we stay conditioned to repulse bad and cling to good, we'll never reach our potential. We must learn to shift our mindset around life's valleys and ge...
S4 Ep6: Take A Mental Vacation - Guided Meditation
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 12 minutes - 8.61 MBLife can get hectic, and we all deserve a break. Join me on a journey to serenity through this soothing guided meditation. No experience is necessary for this brief respite from life; find a quiet space (closets and cars are perfect for this type of break if nothing else avails itself) and get ready to be transported to your happy place.
S4 Ep1: This Contrasting Life
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBWelcome to season four of the Awake Athlete podcast. I am thrilled to be traversing this life with you, and I am grateful for your attention as we dive into another season of mind training. This season will be more experiential as I have weaved in corresponding meditations and yoga nidra practices to assist you in deepening the messages of the episodes ahead. In this season opener, I dive into the contrast of life, precisely the contrast of racing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside and the following S...
S4 Ep8: Make Things Right - Guided Meditation
November 06, 2023 18:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBGet comfortable and ready for deep relaxation with this 15-minute guided meditation using the Ho'oponopono mantra. Ho'oponopono is a Hawaiian meditation and forgiveness practice. It involves repeating four phrases: "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," and "I love you" to promote healing and reconciliation, both within oneself and with others. This meditation is a powerful tool to use anytime you are feeling off center with yourself, or within a circumstance in your life or a rela...
S3 Ep4: Are You Giving In To The Culture of Giving Up?
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBBeing aware that our thoughts are packets of potential is critical to succeeding in realizing our goals because how we water those seeds of potential weighs heavily on how our reality plays out. The truth is that most people in our modern society are fighting for their limitations which comes from a deep fear that they may be a great success. And although that seems contradictory to an athlete's character, self-sabotage fueled by fear of success is commonplace these days. In this episode,...
S3 Ep3: A Drop On Meditation
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBI love being competitive, and meditation has been the thing that allows me to push my body harder while my awareness stays anchored into something I never expected. At first, you may need to compel yourself into your meditation practice. Still, with consistent practice, you will realize the elements and benefits I discuss in this episode, especially regarding our relationship to pain. All things are possible when we tap into the Awake Athlete within, but first, we need to know how to tap i...
S3 Ep2: Are You Changing To Be The Same?
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 12 minutes - 8.38 MBEverything is constantly changing, and if there is something in your life that is not changing, know that it is changing. It is just changing to be the same. Ugh! It's essential for us to know our stories and the things we carry, especially when they are sucking our joy. And in changing our stories, positive talk alone doesn't work very well. So I offer some practical techniques that you can apply to make changes to recurring patterns that are no longer serving you. In this episode, I ref...
S3 Ep1: Relentless Gentleness
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBSo happy to be back for another season and to hear and feel the shifts and changes I have experienced since recording episode one of season one. I hope you find the same as you continue expanding your mind through the 10,000-foot view of life. In this season opener, I address the very thing that keeps us from what we desire and the performances we know that we can execute. I talk about the base muscle for better performance in sport, and the remedy for all that holds us back, which may be ...
S3 Ep9: 12-Minute Guided Meditation Wisdom and Inner Knowing
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 13 minutes - 9.06 MBSet up for this meditation by sitting comfortably in a chair or on your meditation cushion. Comfort is critical because it will be easier for us to return to the practice if we are comfortable. So don't sweat crossed legs if that is uncomfortable; the only thing I don't suggest is lying down. When we lie down, our minds are apt to remember sleep and thus become lazy. Make sure that you are warm but not too warm. Pull on your favorite socks for an added dose of coziness. Use my voice as you...
S3 Ep8: Injury: Wisdom and Inner Knowing
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBI am on the other side of my back injury and here to reflect on how it all unfolded. I share what I garnered from this experience and how my birthday intentions played out. Coming out of injury with more strength and clarity is one of the most empowering experiences we can have as athletes. But ultimately, that is a choice. I give insight into how we can extract the greatest wisdom from our challenges in this episode and how I kept physical and mental momentum moving forward throughout my h...
S3 Ep10: Devotion Not Emotion
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBHave you ever caught yourself fighting to feel sub-par? I have, most certainly. And have you ever considered how emotions might be getting in the way or, at the least, causing drama on the path to fulfilling your commitments? When we commit to something, it's essential to feel that commitment which leads us to be more skillful at saying yes or no to opportunities that come our way. I give an example of a recent commitment I made and how I had to self-regulate repeatedly to stay devoted to ...
S3 Ep11: Go To The Calm
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBThe inspiration for this episode comes from my husband BJ and a story from Dr. Wayne Dyer. It speaks to our conditioning to look outside ourselves for answers because we were never taught to look within. I share the message not about renouncing the world but using it to your greatest advantage. When we dial in too close to the drama of the world, we will lose our perspective, and the world gets its grips on us. As we turn inward, we gain wisdom about who we truly are, and the voice of th...
S3 Ep8: Injury: Wisdom and Inner Knowing
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBI am on the other side of my back injury and here to reflect on how it all unfolded. I share what I garnered from this experience and how my birthday intentions played out. Coming out of injury with more strength and clarity is one of the most empowering experiences we can have as athletes. But ultimately, that is a choice. I give insight into how we can extract the greatest wisdom from our challenges in this episode and how I kept physical and mental momentum moving forward throughout my h...
S3 Ep7: Yoga Of Food
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBIn this episode, I share my philosophy regarding eating, which focuses on healthy digestion. I steer this episode towards not so much why we eat or what we eat or when we eat but how we eat. If you are an athlete who counts calories, fat, macros, etc., this episode will be of particular interest to you as you seek the right balance for your body. I offer a few topics for your consideration that I believe influence the body's ability to metabolize a perfectly calculated meal. And I provide ...
S3 Ep6: Is your habit the master of you?
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 8 minutes - 5.91 MBWe are masters of creating habits. The question we want to entertain is if we are actively feeding the patterns that move us towards the life we desire. In this episode, I share some practical guidance on how to break habits that you have identified that do not serve you anymore so you can feed the ones that benefit your dreams. I share my story of how I changed a habit around alcohol which happened during a time in my life when the drive to be clear each morning outweighed the practice of...
S3 Ep5: I'm Injured!
May 28, 2022 01:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBI recorded this podcast during an acute back injury which I feel is the perfect time to talk about sustaining an injury from an Awake Athlete's viewpoint. I share the story of how this injury happened and the subtle voice that warned me not to do what I did which caused the damage. This injury was timed just days before my 50th birthday, which threw all my plans up in the air and asked me to let go. It was an experience that showed me attachment to training and another opportunity to focus...
S2 Ep4: Intuition or Mindstuff?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBKnowing which race to sign up for, what coach to work with, honestly, any decision in life never needs to be the paralyzing process of deliberation that it is for many. As we wake up and flex our muscle to be present in life, we wake up to the intuitive voice that always knows the correct answer for us. It has a different tone than what we’re used to; it’s more subtle and never begs for recognition. It is unlike the whirlpool of thoughts that vie for our attention and confuse the daylights...
S2 Ep6: Always Be Tuning
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBAwakening begins when we realize there is more to this life than what we see, taste, smell, touch, and hear. If we are dissatisfied with our reality, we can tune ourselves towards a new reality just like a musician tunes an instrument. If we are ready, we can let go of the Old World way of seeing to believing and open to the New World way of believing it to see it. It is our essence to expand. Look at science; there are discoveries every day, all of which are born in the imagination first. ...
S2 Ep7: Things WILL Fall Away
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MB"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. " - Lao Tzu It wouldn't be a season without an embarrassing story, and this one is around a time in my life when results stalking was a regular part of my race prep—a strategy I considered a necessary piece for my race day success. Telling this story to a bunch of triathletes, especially back in my hay day of swimming with fists, would have been entirely acceptable. But, this story unfolded during my yoga teacher training, where the eg...
S2 Ep8: Yoga Of Food
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBAhimsa is doing the least amount of harm in any given situation. If we look at our world today, I think we can all agree that practicing ahimsa would benefit the whole, and don’t forget the whole includes you. When we bring awareness into our life as a way of life, we wake up to how we move through the world. When we see how we move through the world, we get a clear picture of where we stand in position to how we desire to stand in the world. We shine a light on mental preferences that ma...
S2 Ep9: Stop Shoulding On People!
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MB“I should be running faster,” “my family should get along better,” “he shouldn’t work so hard,” “I should be more fit” - sound familiar? We should on ourselves and others, all the time. Our society is full of people shoulding on each other, and it’s time we shine a light on this strain of resistance that fuels feelings of anxiety, depression, and separation. When we stop shoulding, we stop fighting the way things are, and we open space for positive change. Life is a boomerang game. What we...
Episode 1: Season Opener
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 11 minutes - 7.71 MBSeason two is here and the work remains the same. Present moment awareness is the key to it all; lifting limits, detaching, identifying when the ego is living our life, figuring out who we are and never holding back. I’m so excited for this season, thank you for your support and feedback for season one. If you haven’t heard, a powerful community was formed through our Patreon.com/yogitriathlete community after season one launched. Check it out, it’s the Awake Athlete tier. Patreon members s...
Episode 2: Are You Trapped In Trying?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 6 minutes - 4.58 MBHave you ever considered that trying is an invitation for failure? I never did until I heard a friend of mine say it one day, and then it all made sense. Contemplate this, if we're always trying, then we never really have to do anything. In this episode, I give insight into why this inquiry may ring true and how to begin to examine what may be holding you back from doing the very thing you are trying to do.
Episode 3: Injury: What Can I Do?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBWhat is your first reaction when you hear the word injury? How do you respond when your own body shows signs of damage? Have you ever considered that it could be a time to expand gratitude, increase mind training, and continue the momentum towards your dreams? At the time of recording this episode, I am on the upside of a tasty injury, and I believe I crested the peak so much quicker because of my mindset. Our focus is the invitation, and there is no better time to clean up our mindset tha...
Episode 4: Intuition or Mindstuff?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBKnowing which race to sign up for, what coach to work with, honestly, any decision in life never needs to be the paralyzing process of deliberation that it is for many. As we wake up and flex our muscle to be present in life, we wake up to the intuitive voice that always knows the correct answer for us. It has a different tone than what we’re used to; it’s more subtle and never begs for recognition. It is unlike the whirlpool of thoughts that vie for our attention and confuse the daylights...
Episode 5: We Are So Self-Absorbed!
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 9.73 MBThe ego needs to be seen as a separate autonomous being and, at the same time, makes everything about itself. When we act from this separation mechanism, we operate from the lower self and are in no way at our best to perform in sport or life. We become self-absorbed in the way we see the world and how the world sees us. The ego is going nowhere, so we can fight it, we let it rule us, or we can be the master of it. If the latter is your choice, you must stay on high alert for the egoic imp...
Episode 6: Always Be Tuning
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBAwakening begins when we realize there is more to this life than what we see, taste, smell, touch, and hear. If we are dissatisfied with our reality, we can tune ourselves towards a new reality just like a musician tunes an instrument. If we are ready, we can let go of the Old World way of seeing to believing and open to the New World way of believing it to see it. It is our essence to expand. Look at science; there are discoveries every day, all of which are born in the imagination first. ...
Episode 7: Things WILL Fall Away
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MB"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. " - Lao Tzu It wouldn't be a season without an embarrassing story, and this one is around a time in my life when results stalking was a regular part of my race prep—a strategy I considered a necessary piece for my race day success. Telling this story to a bunch of triathletes, especially back in my hay day of swimming with fists, would have been entirely acceptable. But, this story unfolded during my yoga teacher training, where the eg...
Episode 8: Yoga Of Food
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBAhimsa is doing the least amount of harm in any given situation. If we look at our world today, I think we can all agree that practicing ahimsa would benefit the whole, and don’t forget the whole includes you. When we bring awareness into our life as a way of life, we wake up to how we move through the world. When we see how we move through the world, we get a clear picture of where we stand in position to how we desire to stand in the world. We shine a light on mental preferences that ma...
Episode 9: Stop Shoulding On People!
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MB“I should be running faster,” “my family should get along better,” “he shouldn’t work so hard,” “I should be more fit” - sound familiar? We should on ourselves and others, all the time. Our society is full of people shoulding on each other, and it’s time we shine a light on this strain of resistance that fuels feelings of anxiety, depression, and separation. When we stop shoulding, we stop fighting the way things are, and we open space for positive change. Life is a boomerang game. What we...
Episode 10: You WILL Be Tested
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBLet's get one thing straight; the mind is a thought-producing machine. The meditation assignment is not stopping thoughts, so if your excuse for not meditating is your mind is too busy, excuse no more. To even know that we have a quiet mind is a thought. The truth is, the moments of quiet in the mind are unnoticeable. I share a few stories in this episode; the first was about my meditation teacher when he studied the effects of meditation on the brain at the university level. The results o...
Episode 11: Let Go Of The Banana
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 9.81 MBWhat we hold onto, holds onto us. Life is a passing show; when we attach to any of it, we will feel tension. Attachment breeds suffering, so it’s best to learn how to jive with the ever-changing tides of this ocean of motion called life. When we are unwilling to leave the past in the past, we hold ourselves captive from the future possibilities. When we judge others on their behavior, cling too tightly to material things, and constrict around how things need to unfold, we are not free. ...
S2 Ep10: You WILL Be Tested
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBLet's get one thing straight; the mind is a thought-producing machine. The meditation assignment is not stopping thoughts, so if your excuse for not meditating is your mind is too busy, excuse no more. To even know that we have a quiet mind is a thought. The truth is, the moments of quiet in the mind are unnoticeable. I share a few stories in this episode; the first was about my meditation teacher when he studied the effects of meditation on the brain at the university level. The results o...
S2 Ep11: Let Go Of The Banana
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 9.81 MBWhat we hold onto, holds onto us. Life is a passing show; when we attach to any of it, we will feel tension. Attachment breeds suffering, so it’s best to learn how to jive with the ever-changing tides of this ocean of motion called life. When we are unwilling to leave the past in the past, we hold ourselves captive from the future possibilities. When we judge others on their behavior, cling too tightly to material things, and constrict around how things need to unfold, we are not free. ...
S2 Ep1: Season Two Opener
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 11 minutes - 7.71 MBSeason two is here and the work remains the same. Present moment awareness is the key to it all; lifting limits, detaching, identifying when the ego is living our life, figuring out who we are and never holding back. I’m so excited for this season, thank you for your support and feedback for season one. If you haven’t heard, a powerful community was formed through our Patreon.com/yogitriathlete community after season one launched. Check it out, it’s the Awake Athlete tier. Patreon members s...
S2 Ep2: Are You Trapped In Trying?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 6 minutes - 4.58 MBHave you ever considered that trying is an invitation for failure? I never did until I heard a friend of mine say it one day, and then it all made sense. Contemplate this, if we're always trying, then we never really have to do anything. In this episode, I give insight into why this inquiry may ring true and how to begin to examine what may be holding you back from doing the very thing you are trying to do.
S2 Ep3: Injury: What Can I Do?
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBWhat is your first reaction when you hear the word injury? How do you respond when your own body shows signs of damage? Have you ever considered that it could be a time to expand gratitude, increase mind training, and continue the momentum towards your dreams? At the time of recording this episode, I am on the upside of a tasty injury, and I believe I crested the peak so much quicker because of my mindset. Our focus is the invitation, and there is no better time to clean up our mindset tha...
S2 Ep5: We Are So Self-Absorbed!
May 01, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 9.73 MBThe ego needs to be seen as a separate autonomous being and, at the same time, makes everything about itself. When we act from this separation mechanism, we operate from the lower self and are in no way at our best to perform in sport or life. We become self-absorbed in the way we see the world and how the world sees us. The ego is going nowhere, so we can fight it, we let it rule us, or we can be the master of it. If the latter is your choice, you must stay on high alert for the egoic imp...
S1 Ep12: BONUS: Breaking Cycles: Choke or Let Go
September 14, 2020 00:00 - 8 minutes - 5.98 MBWhat to do when we shine the light on an unhelpful cycle in our life? How do we navigate the change we desire, and when is the appropriate time to dismantle what no longer serves us? In this episode, I share how I broke a cycle in my life and became the loving story.
Episode 12: BONUS: Breaking Cycles: Choke or Let Go
September 14, 2020 00:00 - 8 minutes - 5.97 MBWhat to do when we shine the light on an unhelpful cycle in our life? How do we navigate the change we desire, and when is the appropriate time to dismantle what no longer serves us? In this episode, I share how I broke a cycle in my life and became the loving story.
Episode 13: BONUS: In The Dread Of The Night
September 14, 2020 00:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBWe’ve all woken up in the middle of the night with the weight of the world on our chests. We’ve all laid there for hours trying to get back to sleep while our mind catastrophes our future and our nervous systems hold steady in survival mode. We know that none of this is helpful to getting stronger, faster or more durable as an athlete yet we all have suffered at the hands of a restless night. Being an Awake Athlete doesn’t mean we will be immune to these storms but it does mean that we’ll ha...
Episode 14: BONUS: Yoga Nidra Practice
September 14, 2020 00:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBAre you ready to go deep? Because that’s where this 15-minute Yoga Nidra practice takes you, into a deep yogic sleep. It’s a practice that I’ve been incorporating into my training since I first heard about its restorative effects years ago. I’m excited to share with you my first-ever yoga nidra class.
S1 Ep13: BONUS: In The Dread Of The Night
September 14, 2020 00:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBWe’ve all woken up in the middle of the night with the weight of the world on our chests. We’ve all laid there for hours trying to get back to sleep while our mind catastrophes our future and our nervous systems hold steady in survival mode. We know that none of this is helpful to getting stronger, faster or more durable as an athlete yet we all have suffered at the hands of a restless night. Being an Awake Athlete doesn’t mean we will be immune to these storms but it does mean that we’ll ha...