Scott Browning shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Scott, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Writing. There’s a story waiting to be told, and it’s been emerging in fragments—small flashes of truth that don’t fit neatly into a training plan or a race report. I’ve been an athlete my entire life, performing on a stage where strengths and weaknesses are visible, whether you want them to be or not. Sport tells its own story; the body in motion says more than words ever could. I see this in athletes every day. I’m comfortable in that space. But the story behind the movement—the one that doesn’t appear on a watch or in a finish time—needs a different outlet.
Writing for school was easy. I could build an argument, follow the rules, tuck everything behind APA formatting and logic. But this is different. There’s no grade, no structure to hide behind. It’s raw. It forces me to connect with the parts of myself I’ve spent years protecting.
Fear comes with facing what’s inside—exploring the hurt, the joy, the longing—all the things I once poured into sport. So the real question becomes: do I have the courage to touch those pieces and make them public? Am I ready to confront my own story?
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Scott Browning—an exercise physiologist, running coach, and lifelong athlete who’s spent more than 25 years helping people build a meaningful relationship with movement. My work lives at the intersection of physiology, psychology, and real life. Running is rarely just about running; it’s about identity, resilience, and learning how to find your finish line.
I created Run With a Pro as a place where everyday athletes can learn the fundamentals, build confidence, and find a training process that supports the rest of their lives. What makes my approach different isn’t just the science or the structure; it’s the belief that every athlete is carrying a story. The miles are measurable, but the meaning behind them is often where the real transformation happens.
My personal story has been shaped by loss and the long shadow it can cast. I lost my father at a young age, and for many years I’ve been chasing a ghost—trying to understand the drive, grit, and resilience that experience carved into me. That theme appears in my coaching, in how I listen, and in the writing I’m finally allowing myself to pursue.
Today, my work blends performance, psychology, and storytelling. I help people run well, live well, and learn to tell their own stories through movement and celebration.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The death of my father was the most influential event in my life. I was 15 and suddenly faced the reality of mortality. It wasn’t just the shock of losing him; it was the long-lasting ripple that followed me into adulthood and quietly shaped my worldview.
Dad’s death crushed me. He was larger than life — charismatic, intense, intimidating in a way that made you stand a little taller. I miss his presence, the force of who he was, and I also mourn the moments that never had the chance to happen. As I move through the middle miles of my own life, I’ve come to understand how important it is to savor what’s here. To stay present. To celebrate the small wins rather than sprint past them.
That loss reshaped my lens. I see a world always pushing for more, chasing the next achievement, searching for the perfect moment. We spend so much time trying to capture life that we forget to live it. Losing my dad taught me to slow down, pay attention, and be where my feet are.
It also influenced how I think about legacy. I have a stepdaughter, and I want to give her something I didn’t always have: certainty. I want her to know — without hesitation or interpretation — that she is loved and valued. I never want her to doubt her place in my life. If my father’s death taught me the urgency of presence, she reminds me every day why presence matters.
It’s shaped how I coach and how I try to show up for the people I care about. Movement is more than just performance; it’s a way to reconnect with the present moment, honor what’s here now, and avoid postponing joy for a milestone that may never come.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that’s held me back the most is the fear of abandonment. Losing my father at fifteen didn’t just leave a hole; it left questions I carried for years — Was I enough? Would I ever be enough?
That fear eventually grew into something bigger: the worry that I’d never measure up or become the version of myself I thought would honor him. So I pursued achievement. I pursued potential. I believed that if I hit enough milestones — in sports, in life, in everything — I could finally quiet that inner voice. But it never worked. The fear followed me into adulthood, into relationships, and into the moments where I was still trying to outrun something that always seemed to keep pace.
Over time, legacy shifted from being about achievement to being about presence—showing up and making sure the people in my life feel seen for who they are right now. That stems from an old fear of never being enough. It influences how I listen, how I coach, and how I love my family. I want the people closest to me to feel valued and to know where they stand. I never want them to wonder.
That fear once held me back, but it also taught me something. It showed me to pay attention. To choose being present over striving for perfection. To show up in the way I needed someone to show up for me when everything fell apart. The fear still exists, quietly, but it no longer controls me. Now it serves as a reminder of what truly matters.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
It’s uncomfortable for me to assume what other people see, so I can only speak to what I hope comes through. What matters most to me now is showing up with honesty and presence. I wasn’t always as grounded or intentional as I am today, and growing into my values has shaped me in meaningful ways.
I believe my closest friends would say I value genuine connection — listening without judgment, meeting people where they are, and trying to understand the story beneath the surface. I’m drawn to people’s truth, not their perfection. Maybe because I know what it feels like to fall short of your own standards.
They’d probably say that consistency matters to me. Not a flawless record, but the effort to be steady and genuine. I try to make sure the people in my life feel valued and safe in their place in my life. That’s something I’ve had to grow into, and something I take seriously now.
And if they had to choose one thing, I hope it’s this: that what matters to me is the quality of the moments we share — the small, honest ones where people feel known. I care about depth more than image, presence more than performance.
That’s what I hope they’d say, really matters to me.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Let’s be clear — legacies are a lot like sand. They shift, they scatter, and most of them vanish over time. I don’t carry the kind of ego that believes anything I leave behind will last for generations. My hope is simpler: that the people closest to me will still raise a glass and remember.
Not with grief, but with the kind of tears that come from a good story retold. That they’ll remember a man who showed up in the ways that mattered. Someone who knew his flaws, who cried and laughed in equal measure, who shared what he had, and loved as best he could.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://runwithapro.com
- Instagram: @runwithapro
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbrowningpt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Runwithapro
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@runwithapro
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