Shadowhunters fans active on Twitter know Zoe Broad as the affable sweetheart of the Shadowhunters writers’ room. Amongst tweets with torturous show teasers, are quips about her morning runs and her adventures with kale. We wanted to delve further into Zoe’s dedication to living a healthy lifestyle despite the frequency of pastries in the Shadowhunters writers’ room. We came away inspired by her athletic achievements, and her candor on the role that exercise plays in maintaining her emotional wellness. Read our exclusive interview below!
Hi Zoe! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to FitnessHunters! We are a branch of Basic Shadowhunters Stuff dedicated to promoting health and wellness to Shadowhunters fans. For clarification purposes, what is your job title, and how long have you worked for Shadowhunters ?
Hi Angie! I’m honored to be featured on your site! I’m the writers’ assistant on Shadowhunters, and I’ve worked on the show for a little over three years now – since the start of Season 1. I started off as Todd and Darren’s (Shadowhunters’ showrunners) assistant, and moved into the writers’ room this year. And this year, I also wrote an episode of Shadowhunters, which will air in Season 3B.
Most people who follow you on social media know that you’re an avid runner. Can you tell us when you first got interested in running? Did you run track or cross country in school?
Growing up, I never considered myself to be a runner or even an athlete at all. I started running track because I needed a sports credit in high school. I picked the 100-meter hurdles because it was one of the shortest events – I figured that even if I got last place in every race, at least the humiliation would be over quickly. But in a crazy turn of events, I ended up actually being good at the hurdles! And, better yet, they were fun. I felt so good when I was running, and I ended up having so much success at the event, that I ran all the way through high school and in college as well. But hurdles are a lot of impact on the body. So after college, I transitioned into distance running, which is what you’ll find me doing today!
You ran the LA Marathon in 2017. Can you tell us about that experience? How many marathons have you run?
It was my first marathon, and it felt exactly as painful as you’d expect 26.2 miles to feel. I finished, and I swore that I’d never run another marathon again. Then one week later, when I could finally walk again, I was like, “Actually I can’t wait to train for another marathon.” It’s a really challenging experience, but it’s also really rewarding. Nothing makes me feel more like a superhero (or dare I say, a Shadowhunter) like setting my sights on a seemingly impossible training goal, and then actually fulfilling that goal.
What songs get you pumped up for a killer workout? Can we have a peek into your current playlist?
I would never get off the couch if it weren’t for my iPod (yes, I’m old-school and have an iPod). My favorite racing song is “Whole Heart” by Gryffin. Sometimes I’ll listen to it for the first 5-6 miles of a race, like a crazy person. I love to run to anything CHVRCHES or the Shins. Right now, I’m listening to a lot of Hopeless Fountain Kingdom by Halsey.
Running the long distances that you do requires proper nutrition. Do you have a pretty healthy diet in general? How do you survive all the donuts in the writers’ room?
I try to keep a healthy diet, but I don’t really stick to any hard and fast nutrition rules. I try to eat a lot of vegetables and whole grains. And I try my hardest to avoid the writers’ room donuts. But I usually end up eating them anyway. Some things are just worth it.
What is your typical workout schedule in a week? Do you find it hard to fit in exercise around work and other activities?
I usually aim to do 2-3 runs during the week and another 2-3 lifts; and then to do one sunshine-y outdoor activity on the weekends, whether it’s a hike or a longer trail run. Working out is so important for my mental health (as well as physical!) that I usually look forward to it before work! Because time is a very real constraint, I try not to worry about how long I spend working out – as long as I find time to do something physical, I still reap the benefits!
You also lift weights, which is great cross training for runners. What kind of exercises do you like to focus on?
I love lifting weights. I’ve found that it really helps me as a runner, both in terms of improving my speed and in terms of injury prevention. I try to do an arms day, a leg day, and a back/shoulders day every week. And I usually stick with (very light) free weights, which helps me keep good form and prevents injuries.
Your Twitter bio says you’re a mountain climber. Can you tell us a little about what first drew you to that type of physical activity?
[Laughs] It’s not quite mountain climbing. I do a lot of hiking at altitude. My Twitter probably should say something more like, “mountain hiker.” Only that doesn’t sound as cool. A bunch of my running friends ended up with permits to climb Mt. Whitney a few summers back, and it sounded like a really neat physical challenge. And I had such a blast that I’ve been hiking other peaks in the area ever since. I love to be outside and to push myself physically, so it felt like it paired really nicely with long distance running.We promote overall wellness at FitnessHunters, encompassing mental and physical health. Would you say that running and other exercise helps your emotional well-being? How so?
Running is so important for my mental health. I’m a very emotional person (I’m a writer, what do you expect?), and running helps me work through the emotions that I’m feeling on any given day and channel them into a productive outlet. Sometimes when I’m grumpy, my boyfriend will be like, “Zoe, go for a run!” And he’s always right. Like I said, I never considered myself to be an athlete growing up, and for me, the mental health benefits have been the biggest surprise as well as the biggest perk of a regular workout routine.
We’re big on #Fitspiration here at FitnessHunters. What helps you stay motivated, and does being active come naturally to you?
I love to work out, but also I’m a human. I absolutely have days where I feel like I’d rather die than drag myself out of bed for a morning run. My motto on those days is that no matter how much I might not want to work out in the moment, I’ve never regretted a workout after it’s done!
Do you ever find yourself drawing inspiration from Shadowhunters during your workouts?
Absolutely. For me, the difference between a great run and a “just holding on for dear life” run often is mental. And Shadowhunters has such a “girl power, anything is possible” message. I’ll often watch a cut or come out of the writers’ room after we have figured out a great fight sequence and feel empowered to push myself harder than I otherwise would. I’m also surrounded by great people in our writers’ room, and the feeling of being thrilled to wake up and go to work every day means that I have extra positive energy to channel into running!
Finally, do you have any advice for Shadowhunters fans looking to improve their fitness and overall wellness?
For anyone who’s looking to get into running specifically, join a running club! Most cities have them (Los Angeles has at least eight!), and when you’re running with great people and making new friends, the miles fly by. Usually, they offer various distances at various paces and are super inclusive of newcomers. I never ever thought I could run a marathon until I started running with my run club. But the collective energy and accountability goes a long way!
And then for all types of fitness, my best advice would be little by little! There’s a steep curve when you’re getting into shape, so go easy and be nice to yourself. And have confidence that, once you do find a fitness routine that works for you, it will feel amazing. Both physically, and mentally.
FitnessHunters is a branch of Basic Shadowhunters Stuff dedicated to promoting health and wellness to Shadowhunters fans. Follow us on Twitter for daily tips, challenges and motivation. You can follow Zoe Broad on Twitter and Instagram.
