In this episode we interview Alex (Alexandra) Weissner, an athlete, coach, and community builder. She is the CPO at Brunch Running, a social running community that inspires sweat, meals together and making the world a better place. Since 2013, their commitment has been to create a space where everyone is welcome to sweat and eat together, while supporting local communities. In addition, Alex hosts a podcast, Behind the Sweat, a wellness podcast that answers the questions we all are thinking about when it comes to our minds and bodies. Expect light-hearted and serious discussions about physical fitness, nutrition, mental health and hopefully, insightful takeaways.

Questions we ask Alex include:

1. Alex's journey into running
2. How Alex has established inclusive communities through running, including Brunch Running and her own podcast
3. Alex's favorite routes and go-to trails in Denver / CO
4. The role of strength training, cross training, and other recovery methods Alex uses most
5. How Alex began coaching, including the most rewarding part of her coaching journey so far
6. Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?
7. What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Connect with Alex and Brunch Running:

Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexweissner/

Alex's podcast: https://www.behindthesweat.com/

Brunch Running on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brunchrunning/

Brunch Running's website: https://www.brunchrunning.com/

Dr. April Dominick practices orthopedic physical therapy and specializes in pelvic health. She is known for her spirited, dynamic, and caring approach to treatment. April’s passion lies in educating and restoring function to clients with bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction as well as hip and back pain. Through her practice, one of her passions is supporting women during their prenatal and postpartum journey while demystifying the crucial role of exercise during pregnancy. 

April holds a certification in manual therapy and trigger point dry needling, and earned her CAPP-Pelvic certification through the American Physical Therapy Association. Among other advanced courses, she has been trained in Treating and Training the Female Runner. April utilizes a balanced approach to treatment including manual therapy and functional strength training. She believes in problem solving with her clients to develop a treatment plan which uniquely targets their goals, empowering them to independently manage their condition.

One unique fact about April, is that she is a professional freelance harpist, she currently performs at cocktail hours, weddings and special events. She is also so grateful to explore Colorado’s beauty on foot; in running shoes, hiking boots, snowshoes or Chacos.

Connect with her and learn more @revitalizepelvicphysio on Instagram, where you can find all the #physiowithsign tidbits about pelvic health and join the conversation in a safe, fun and welcoming educational platform!

Questions and topics we cover include:

-The importance of pelvic floor for runners and every day life

-How the pelvic floor impacts us as runners

-What makes up our pelvic floor, both anatomically and functionally?

-How we can care for and strengthen our pelvic floor, at any age/life stage

-April's journey into pelvic floor health and physical therapy as a career

-What being a Strong Runner Chick means to April

Today's Episode Sponsor:

This episode is part of our "Health as a Foundation to Sport" series. Special shoutout to Athlete Blood Test for sponsoring this episode and important series on health! Use code "SRC15" for 15% off a blood test and/or biomarkers test with them!

Kylee Van Horn, RDN is an endurance sports dietitian, who takes a balanced, sustainable approach to fueling the everyday person and athlete.  Her mission is to separate facts from fads in the nutrition space and works to provide easy nutrition solutions to help improve health and performance.  Today, Kylee is the founder and owner of her sports nutrition business Flynutrition, which helps runners, triathletes, and skiers to learn not only the ‘why’ but the ‘how’ behind fueling for performance.  She also is a freelance writer for Trail Runner Magazine and Outside Online. Beyond her work in sports nutrition, Kylee can be found running peaks near Aspen, CO with her two australian shepherds and ultra endurance husband, Sean.

Questions we ask Kylee include:

-How did you get started in running? How did this lead you (or did it lead you) into the field of nutrition?

-What led you to open up your own private practice and help athletes with nutrition?

-When it comes to fueling as an athlete (especially a female runner), do you have a philosophy, quote, or few pillars that sum up how you see fueling?

-You mention "creating a personalized nutrition roadmap" on your website as a part of working with you. Do you have any tips for an athlete on how to go about this process?

-Under fueling and RED-S... What does it mean to be under-fueled? What are the potential consequences, and how might an athlete go about making sure they are fueling enough?

-What are a few things (topics, considerations) that athletes don't consider enough? How about ones they over-stress or emphasize (that perhaps aren't as important) in the picture of fueling?

-Are there any other topics you are most interested in as they pertain to athletes and fueling?

-Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?

-What is currently bringing you joy (outside of running/work)?

-What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

-How can listeners connect with you?

How to connect with Kylee:

http://www.flynutrition.org

Episode Sponsor:

Shoutout to Athlete Blood Test for sponsoring this episode! Use code "SRC15" for 15% off your next blood test!

Bio:

Jacqui Bell, 25 years of age from Brisbane, Australia.

Jacqui grew up with the dream of being a professional tennis player, well Jacqui's life ended up going down the road less travelled and is now one of the most exciting young runners in Australia.

Fast forward to 2019 and Jacqui became The Youngest Person in The World to run an Ultra Marathon on Every continent in the world.

That is 250km's or more across some of the harshest deserts in the World from the hottest the Namib Desert in Africa to the Coldest Desert in Antarctica.

Jacqui has also raised over $23,000 for the Mental Health Charity the White Cloud Foundation which is a charity that believes to have good Mental Health we need not only our physical health in check but also our mental, emotional and social wellbeing. Jacqui is still running Ultra Marathons but also sharing with others what she learn't through running almost 2000km's.

Amy’s Bio:

Amy Brennick has been racing 5k's for the last 20 years. She is a lover of the outdoors, creating and co-founding an outdoor running and kettlebell bootcamp called Lift & Sprint in the Bay Area with her Kiwi husband. She is the mom to a lively 4-year old daughter and dreams of traveling the world with her family while creating a vibrant online community of 5k Strong runners.

Her mission is to make the 5k the new marathon. She believes that running faster and using kettlebells will elicit the health and aesthetic benefits in less time than traditional long distance running programs. She is in the final beta testing of 5k Strong, an online 5k specific running and kettlebell program designed to meet you where you are and help you to run your fastest 5k.

Questions we ask Amy include:

• How did you get your start in running and since then, how has your journey evolved since then?
  
• What are a few fundamental lifts for runners interested in kettlebell training?
  
• For runners interested in training with kettlebells, where would you suggest that they begin?
  
• What are the biggest misconceptions that runners have about lifting, especially in terms of clients that you see?
  
• How do you combine and/or separate running from lifting in your workouts?
  
• Share a bit more about your business, Lift and Sprint, and what you're up to!
  
• Recently, we’ve both dove into online business coaching with Jill Coleman (@jillfit!). What has been your biggest takeaway so far and how do you hope to evolve over the next several months?
  
• What is currently making you thrive / what are you stoked for in 2020?
  
• What advice would you give to your younger self?
  
• What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?
  
• How can listeners connect with you?
  

Connect with Amy on Instagram: @runfaster5ks

Bio: Karlee Wilkes, is a wife and mother of two 2 beautiful fun kids! She is a certified Health and P.E. And English Language Teacher, personal trainer of 13+ years, and competitive athlete since 2008; Spartan Elite athlete since 2015.  She loves the outdoors, camping, good food, spending time adventuring and traveling with her family!

Questions we ask Karlee include:

How did you start running?

What led you to Spartan races / OCR?

What is your favorite obstacle? Least favorite?

For those who don’t know much about OCR, can you share a bit more about what the races are like and how to make the transition to train for them?

Tell us more about your life beyond running and the work that you do as a PE teacher and with Rise Up Athletics!

How do you balance being a mom with training yourself and clients in your career?

What advice would you give to your younger self?

What is currently getting you excited for the year ahead? Any races we should look out for?

What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

How can listeners connect with you?

Questions we chat about include:

How we each got our start with SRC / got involved in SRC.

Favorite memories of being a part of the SRC team.

Favorite interviews we’ve done.

Lessons learned in the process of being a part of SRC.

Listener questions include:

What do you like to do outside of running?

How have we tackled body image post collegiate running/athletics in general?

How do you stay motivated (especially during times like these)?

Will there be any SRC retreats locally and/or a single-day retreat?

What’s the first concert you attended? (fun one!)

Note from us:

Thanks so much for supporting our show and being a part of the community! 

A few ways you can show us love include: joining the Patreon community, leaving an iTunes review, and/or visiting our online shop, including our self-care calendars. Save 50% with code, "SPREADTHELOVE".

xo,

The SRC Team (Megan, Kelsey, + Elena)

Strong Runner Chicks

@StrongRunChicks

Bethany Wheeler is a dietitian specializing in eating disorders, body image and sports nutrition through social and health justice lenses and whose practice philosophies include Health at Every Size (R), weight inclusivity, body autonomy and self-compassion. She is the owner of B. Wheeler Nutrition, LLC in Sandy Springs, Ga.

Bethany believes diversity is valuable and that all forms of diversity (size, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, immigration status, age, class, etc) need to be recognized and honored. Bethany holds a BS in Dietetics and an MS in Applied Exercise and Health Science.

Prior to opening her private practice, she worked at Kennesaw State University where she was a founding member of their eating disorder treatment team and provided outpatient nutrition therapy for students including NCAA and club level athletes. She is currently a member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), Eating Disorder Registered Dietitians and Professionals (EDRDPRO) and the International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians (IFEDD).

Connect with Bethany:

https://www.bwheelernutrition.org/ (Website)

@BethanyDietitian (Instagram)

Resources mentioned:

Fiona Sutherland

Association of Size Diversity in Health

Sara's Bio: 

I am a Christian, a wife, a mother, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a competitive runner.  My husband, daughter, parents, extended family, and cats are my world. My career as the Director of Applied Behavior Analysis Services at a large developmental disabilities service agency makes my days fulfilling and interesting, and I also teach as an adjunct in Missouri State University's ABA Masters program.  I am active in my local running club, the Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners, and lead a competitive training group.  I also enjoy reading, traveling, photography, and scrap-booking.  I am passionate about my running goals, the science of ABA, and about using my talents to serve others.  Really I'm just an ordinary woman trying to make the most of my God-given abilities.

Questions we ask Sara include:

How did you get your start in running and how has your running developed over time?

You have a wonderful blog titled, “Running Down the Dream.” Tell us why you started the blog and what you have learned from having it.

We’ve LOVED your pieces in the series, “The 2:45:01 and Beyond.” For listeners who do not know, would you mind sharing a bit about what this is?

What motivated you to share other women’s Olympic Trials journey stories? We know you are an accomplished runner yourself!

How can the female running community and running world in general better share and promote stories like the ones you are sharing?

What has been your own inspiration to chase after the Olympic Trials?

What keeps you going each day to do what you love?

What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

We know this is a tough, unprecedented time for many of us, and that is why we're doing whatever we can to provide support and encouragement. 

Kelsey and Megan share more about self-care and athletic mental wellness coaching, along with some ideas to take care of your physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.

A few topics we cover in this episode include:

Essential pieces of advice we would give to our community at this time;
Tools to re-frame your mindset and find the silver lining, especially with race/season/semester cancellations;
Athletic Mental Wellness Coaching with Kelsey -- book a 30-minute session with her here;
The approach that Kelsey takes to working with an athlete, including activities;
Our 4-week Self-Care Series workshop and some topics we'll be focusing on.

You can get a copy of our 2020 Self-Care Calendar for 50% off with discount code "spreadthelove". We'll be posting additional resources during this time in a blog post on www.strongrunnerchicks.com, on our Instagram page, @strongrunchicks, along with Facebook.

If you found this episode helpful, be sure to share it with someone and leave a review on iTunes. Thanks so much for your support! Be sure to reach out to us via strongrunnerchicks@gmail.com you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions.

Grace Staberg is a competitive track and cross country runner as well as a sponsored ultra-runner on the Dynafit team. She lives and trains in Summit County, Colorado. In the winter, Grace is a member of the US National Skimo Team, competing on the World Cup Circuit in Europe as well as in races in the states.

Having recently finished high school, Grace is preparing to pursue a degree in nursing after graduation to further her education, after working towards her license as a Certified Nurse Aid. She plans to continue running competitively and pursue distance running and endurance sports. She is  passionate about performance and mental health advocacy. She hopes to use her platform to raise awareness about eating disorders and body image issues in sports to create positive change.

Sarah's Bio:

Former New Zealand age group rep triathlete Sarah Menlove learnt the hard way that skinny is not always healthy and one's body size and sporting performance is not the most important thing about them. After losing her period for over 4 years and suffering a stress fracture that ended her competitive sporting days, Sarah had to redefine health and her identity. She is now a certified holistic health and mastery level transformation coach, specializing in intuitive eating and body image. Sarah helps women from all walks of life break free from body shame, restrictive eating, guilt and negative self-talk so they can find freedom in their bodies and their lives.

Questions we ask Sarah include:

How did you get your start in running?

You are pretty open about sharing your journey with hypothalamic amenorrhea, also known as HA. Would you mind sharing more with us about your process to recovering your period?

What was your desire to recover from HA and how has that shaped how your identity and the way that you view running?

Tell us more about your coaching practice and the work that you do to help women recover from HA and reclaim their identity!

What advice do you have for those who are facing hypothalamic amenorrhea and not sure where to turn to for help?

What is currently making you thrive?

What advice would you give to your younger self?

What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

You can learn more about the work that she does through:

https://sarahmenlovehealthcoaching.com/ or Instagram @sarahmenlove.health

Find out more about Sarah's retreat here: 

https://facebook.com/events/s/find-your-freedom-retreat-bali/2788329197918811/?ti=as

Olivia's Bio:

Olivia Ballew is an Olympic trials qualifier in the marathon and will be representing Brooks Running. Following high school graduation, Olivia decided to focus solely on academics and took a break from running competitively. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating from UNC in 2012, Olivia worked as a full-time research scientist for two years before being accepted into a PhD program at Indiana University in 2014. While attending IU, Olivia began running again. During this time, she met someone who not only encouraged her running but who became both her boyfriend and coach, Brad Robinson. Together, they developed a focused training plan of running, strength training and nutrition.

In the three years since Olivia began training again, she has qualified for the 2020 US Olympic Trials in the marathon in a time of 2:43:15. Olivia has begun her final year of study at IU and will graduate in the spring 2020 with a PhD in Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology. She plans to continue pursuing research after she graduates.

Questions:

• How did you get your start in running?
  
• How do you balance training and your Ph.D program?
  
• What sparked your interest or motivation to qualify for the Olympic trials?
  
• What’s been the most rewarding part/aspect of your running journey thus far?
  
• What has been the most difficult part of training for the Olympic trials?
  
• How do you fit in recovery and meal planning/nutrition after training sessions?
  
• What are you most looking forward to after the Olympic trials?
  
• What is currently making you thrive?
  
• What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

How to connect with Olivia:

IG: @oballew

Andrea Toppin is a Chiropractor, an elite runner for Oiselle, a 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, and a dog mom to a lovely, yet mischievous little shiba pup – Hazel. A true midwestern girl, she grew up in Clear Lake, IA – a small town in northern Iowa, went on to Iowa State University for college earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology, and then moved to Minneapolis for 3.5 years earning her Doctor of Chiropractic while competing as an elite marathoner for Oiselle. Andrea moved to Colorado last fall for her final chiropractic internship in Denver. She now works at Washington Park Chiropractic in central Denver – specializing in women’s health, pediatrics, and sports medicine.

Much of her inspiration to become a sports and women’s health chiropractor came from her experience as a collegiate distance runner at Iowa State where she ran cross country and track for the cyclones. Throughout her time at Iowa State, she helped lead her team to many Big 12 Cross Country titles, regional titles, and national championship berths. She had a lot of success as a student athlete at Iowa State, but she also had a lot of injuries leading to body image issues creating a whirlwind of anxiety and depression throughout her five years there. In her redshirt junior year, she was diagnosed with a pretty severe and rare stress fracture that the orthopedist called “career ending.” She refused to get surgery and decided to take control of her life by going to a sports psychologist to address her emotional and mental health. She also saw a dietician to help her with her disordered eating and body image issues- learning to see food as fuel. With the help of her coach, physical therapist, psychologist, dietician, friends, and family – Andrea came back that next fall to earn All-Region in Cross Country and helped lead her team to another national championship berth in cross country. She states the impact her physical therapist had on her in college saved her running career and quite frankly herself. As a chiropractor she wants to make that same impact for each and every one of her patients.

Connect with Andrea:

Personal Instagram: @atop1212

Doctor Instagram: @doctordre____

Website: Andrea is currently working on a personal website that will include blogs, injury and prevention exercises, and potentially run coaching!

Work with Andrea:

• Schedule Chiropractic care & rehab here: washparkchiro.com

This episode is brought to you by Athlete Blood Test! 

Visit https://www.athletebloodtest.com and use code "SRC15" for 15% off!

Connie is a registered dietitian living in Denver, CO. She joined Hannah Turnbull’s outpatient private practice specializing in eating disorder and disordered eating recovery in August after she graduated from California State University Los Angeles with her Masters in Nutritional science. Connie has her own recovery story and is passionate about supporting others on their journey to a better relationship with food and body.

Caitlin Jacobsen is the founder of Endurecovery. She holds a M.S. in Integrative Physiological Sciences from UCLA, a B.A. in Neuroscience from Claremont McKenna College and is a certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach through the Carolyn Costin Institute.

Before starting Endurecovery, Caitlin was a Staff Research Associate in the Stimulant-Abuse and Addiction Lab at UCLA and the UCLA Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity. She completed her thesis on neural substrates involved in impulse control and addiction.

Endurecovery grew out of the need for focused and individualized support for the athlete with an eating disorder. Caitlin’s personal recovery journey and professional experience highlighted the gap in treatment of competitive endurance athletes who suffer from eating disorders.

Caitlin is also a mother to two very strong, athletic daughters and one very artistic son. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her children and husband, Alan, who is a PhD level scientist and inventor at Amazon. She still runs competitively with Rose City Track Club, preferring trails over roads and real food over gels.

Connect with Caitlin @endurecovery on Instagram or www.endurecovery.com

This episode features a conversation between Megan and Dana Katz, a coach for ultra runners both in Portland, OR and online.

Dana Katz is the head coach and owner of UltraU, as well as a coach at Evolution Healthcare & Fitness in Portland, OR. She started UltraU in 2012 as a way to incorporate geeking out on running data and her love of working with others. She combines over 10 years in teaching and corporate training with my own endurance experience to provide practical training plans for athletes at all levels. Her specialty is providing completely personalized plans that use data to ensure progress toward your goal.

You can find Dana working out on stairways, hills, hiking trails, bike paths and lake sides in all types of weather. When not working out, she loves to travel, bake and eat. Personal accomplishments include running the Grand Canyon, rim to rim to rim, finishing four 100 mile races and surviving a run injury without killing anyone!

Questions we ask Whitney include:

• How did you get your start in running?
• Would you tell us a bit more about your passion to start The Mother Runners?
• How do you feel The Mother Runners has impacted the female running community?
• You are an advocate for self-care as a mom. What tips or tricks do you implement to help you prioritize self-care in your daily life?
• As a mom, balancing running and family needs can lead to feelings of guilt. Can you talk about this a little?
• In our conversations, you’ve mentioned to me how important it is for you to be an example for your daughter. What recommendations do you have for listeners who want to set an example for the next generation?
• What are some aspirations you have for The Mother Runners?
• What is currently making you thrive?
• What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Tina's Bio:

Tina Muir is a former international elite runner for Great Britain and Northern Ireland who shocked the running world by stepping away from the sport at the peak of her career to get her health back from medical malnutrition. Having run a personal best of 2:36 in the marathon just three months before, Tina brought awareness to the issue of amenorrhea, the cessation of menstruation, by sharing her story. Dozens of outlets covered Tina's story, including People magazine, Outside, Runner's World, ESPN, Women's Health, Glamour, and many more.

In 2017, Tina was voted one of the 21 women changing the running world for the better by Women's Running magazine, and in 2018, she became the first cover model of a fitness magazine to be featured with a running stroller (and her daughter, Bailey) for Women's Running UK.

Tina is a keynote speaker and the host of the Running For Real Podcast, which amassed over 2 million downloads in just over two years. Tina created the Running For Real community, a place for runners to share struggles and support one another through the difficult moments life brings.

Major Resources & Takeaways:

• No Period, Now What?
  
• Promise yourself a month
  
• Journal
  
  • Get your thoughts down on paper
    
• Do the things you’re scared to do

Connect with Tina at www.TinaMuir.com and tune into her podcast, Running For Real.

In this episode, we bring Megan Marshall back on (previously episode 12 back in 2018!) to share recent life updates (including a big one: motherhood!). Learn more about Megan below.

Megan E. Marshall, M.Ed., is the Business Core Administrator in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. She is also the co-founder of the F.L.Y. Movement (Fuel. Love. You.). They seek to provide educational workshops to cultivate safe spaces for athletic teams to discuss body image, social media, sport and performance. Their mission is to create transparency in the way you think and talk about body image and eating disorders in athletics.

Megan began her time at Penn State as a Division 1 student-athlete on the track and field team. She was a Big Ten Medalist in the Distance Medley Relay, a Big Ten Scorer in the 800 meters, and a member of the Penn State school record-setting Distance Medley Relay team in 2007.

Megan has worked in Higher Education for 8 years. She has been a part of many wellness efforts on campus such as: The Body Project, a dissonance-based body acceptance intervention program & Stand For State, Penn State’s bystander intervention program focusing on sexual and relationship violence, mental health concerns, acts of bias, and risky drinking and drug use. She has also collaborated with multiple stake-holders across campus and presented at the DUS Advising Conference on Mental Health on College Campuses.

In addition, Megan will be speaking at our upcoming Strong Runner Chick Retreat this June in Mt. Hood, OR, this time to focus on the importance of self-care and mental well-being. Connect with Megan @fuelloveyou on Instagram!

Starla Garcia, is a Registered Dietitian in Houston, Texas and is currently training to qualify for the Olympic Trials at CIM in December. Her current PR is 2:47.

Her journey to wellness came after battling an eating disorder as a student athlete during her collegiate years. She was pursuing her Master’s in Education with a concentration in health at the University of Houston, yet she was secretly unhealthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. Her competitive nature and the pressure to perform as a runner lead her to develop restrictive eating habits, anorexia, and engaging in excessive exercise. It wasn’t until she sought help from a dietitian and therapist that her unhealthy obsession with nutrition could begin to heal.

That experience was the catalyst that set her on the path to re-evaluate how she ate and develop a healthy relationship with food and exercise. Now her story is what fuels her mission to remove the limiting beliefs and unproductive habits that men and women create around diets, exercise, body image, and worthiness.

In this episode, Megan interviews Tessa Chesser, an ultra runner and adventurer who recently completed some big races. Tessa shares more about these, as well as how she keeps it real in relationships, career, and life. This one's an episode you don't want to miss!

Tessa’s bio:

Tessa describes herself as a full time superfood slinger, attempted full time adventurer, ex collegiate soccer player turned ultra runner thrill seeker who enjoys a good cup of coffee and solid conversations with passionate people. She says, “I really only two things well, consumer packaged goods and athletics. As a wee one, my pop had us watching all the Bruce Lee movies and working out together as a family in the living room. Today, I not only try and channel his passion, but also the passion of what being outside gives me. The connection with nature has the ability to nurture my soul during stressful, complicated, and happy times. I enjoy pushing the limits of the mind body and soul as we are complicated specimens. I don’t always know what that means, or how it all works, but eventually one day the light bulb goes off and it’s magical.”

Questions we ask Tessa include:

How did you get your start in running?

You’ve had quite a YEAR! You conquered two new distances, 110k and a 100 miler, and made podiums for just about every race. Can you tell us a bit more about the process of training and racing these new distances?

Now that it is off-season, how are you taking time for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation?

You’ve openly spoken about body image in running and amenorrhea, which have hit home for many of us. Would you mind speaking a bit more to this?

In addition to some amazing trail adventures, you also have a pretty awesome job! Can you tell us more about the company you work for and work that you do?

What is currently making you thrive / anything you’re psyched up about?

What advice would you give to your younger self?

What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Any final shout-outs?

Jamie King is founder of the Fit Approach influencer community, and Flex & Flow, a yoga and fitness studio. Through her work, she creates and produces influencer and event strategies for brands like AfterShokz, Takeya, Ragnar Relay, and NOW Foods.

Jamie is an athlete and yoga instructor who created the popular HIIT & Flo workout and leads advanced yoga and HIIT & Flow teacher trainings. Outside of work, Jamie is an ultra runner, handstand junkie, taco aficionado, travel and adventure lover, dog mom, and can often be found chilling in a park with her husband and son whose middle name happens to be Danger (seriously).

Connect with Jamie on Instagram @jamiekingfit, and on her websites www.jamiekingfit.com / www.fitapproach.com.

Questions we ask Jamie include:

Take us back to your early beginnings. How did you get your start in distance running? What has kept you going?

You are the founder and owner of TWO companies! Fit Approach and Flex & Flow Yoga Studio. On your website, self-described as “a natural born hustler.” Has entrepreneurship always been in your blood?

Give us a glimpse into the process of starting Fit Approach and a bit more about the work that you do.

You just completed the Rio Del Lago 100-mile race… not your first 100 :) incredible!! Can you give us a race recap?

What are your favorite foods / ways to fuel during an ultra such as a 100 mile race?

Tell us a bit more about the process, both mentally and physically, to prepare for an ultra, such as a 100k or 100-mile race.

Seems like there is a lot going on in your life! Avid runner, mom, business owner, yogi… What is currently making you thrive?

What advice would you give to your younger self?

What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Connect with @jamiekingfit on IG, FB, website; @fitapproach; Flex & Flow Yoga in Portland, OR!

Tavyn's Bio:

After Tavyn Lovitt ran for the University of Mississippi, she discovered that she was much stronger as a long distance runner. In the past few years, she coached herself to an Olympic Trials qualifying time at the Los Angeles Marathon in 2019.

Tavyn currently resides in San Jose, CA where she loves to run with her Dalmatian, Louie, who never seems to get tired. She makes running a staple of her day as a form of meditation, an opportunity to enjoy nature, and an appreciation for moving her body! Her favorite post-race meals are chips and salsa or really spicy Pad Thai and her favorite band to run to it Matt and Kim. 

In this episode, we discuss Tavyn's collegiate running experience, how she got into coaching, lessons she's learned along the way, and the process of self-coaching her way to an Olympic Qualifying Trial time in 2019.

Dr. Sarah Ceschin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Boulder, Colorado where she practices in her private outpatient clinic treating all types of sports-related, orthopedic injuries. She has a passion towards treating runners, climbers, and the outdoor adventurer and uses a variety of manual therapy techniques, biomechanics, and movement education to help her patients get back to doing the activities they love for the rest of their lives.

Dr. Sarah is a Wisconsin native who enjoys running with her dog, Sherman, hiking 14ers, road cycling, cooking, and scrolling Tik Tok in her downtime. Her greatest “fun fact” (and top 5 accomplishment) is her 2014 win at a Michael Jackson Moonwalking Competition - Dontchya Know =D

Lucy Bartholomew began racing at age 15 as a way to spend time with her dad. Since this time, she has accomplished many great feats such as competing in the 6-day multi-stage race in the Simpson desert; being the world junior female sky running champion; and finishing in one of the top spots western states.

After graduating high school, Lucy has made running and healthy living her life. She hopes that through sharing her journey she encourages people to challenge themselves and give life their all.

Questions we ask Lucy include:

• Running began for you at age 15 as a way to spend time with your dad. Had you always known you wanted to run?
• Your first experience running an ultra was by accident. Tell us about that experience. Did you know right then and there that you wanted to run ultras?
• How do you approach your races both mentally and physically?
• A big part of SRC is embracing the idea that all body types are welcome in the sport. Having spoken openly about challenges with body image, how do you hope to redefine distance running for others?
• Has there ever been a time where you recognized that you needed space away from the running? What was this experience like?
• What has your identity become in the process... what did you replace with “being a runner”?
• What is currently making you thrive?
• What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?
• Any final shoutouts / sponsors / things to look out for?

Connect with Lucy on Instagram @lucy_bartholomew or at LucyBartholomew.com.

Welcome back to the podcast, Grayson Murphy! We had Grayson on previously (on episode 41 and episode 19), and bring her back on to catch up with her on several recent life changes. These include switching from road to more trail running, becoming a hybrid athlete, moving from Arizona to Utah, and balancing life as a professional runner. 

Follow Grayson @racin_grayson on Instagram

Photo credit: Michael Scott, @urimiscott.

In this episode, we cover the Victory Program, a unique athlete eating disorder treatment center with the McCallum Place in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Riley Nickols joins us to share more about their program.

Questions we ask Riley, include:

How did you get your start in this field?

How do you help athletes find identity outside of sport?

What distinguishes The Victory Program from other eating disorder treatment centers?

Can you provide the main differences between residential, outpatient, and partial hospitalization? How does someone know which is right for them?

This can be a rather controversial topic in the eating disorder world. How do you believe that the athlete’s performance concerns can be interwoven into the treatment process? And/or what does this look like at the McCallum Place Victory Program?

What advice do you have for someone struggling with an eating disorder, or someone who knows a friend who is struggling?

To find out more about The Victory Program, visit their website at:

www.TheVictoryProgram.com

We know so many of you enjoy the monthly self-care calendars, so we wanted to change it up a little with a weekly challenge! As this new season approaches in life whether you are a student, parent, or working the energy of change surrounds us. 

We dive a little deeper into what self-care is, the importance of adding it into your life, and how the 7 Day Self-Care Challenge can best serve you.

One way to focus and spend a little time reconnecting with yourself is by intentionally setting time aside for yourself. This weekly self-care challenge focuses on themes for each day. As the intro in the worksheet states, maybe some of the themes are something you work on for a week or month. Find what works best for you.

In this episode, Kelsey interviews Mallory Lefkowitz, athlete and founder of FEM Power, a protein powder company. Use the code "SRC15" for 15% off!

In this episode, we chat with Tedi Searle, a trail runner, photographer, fitness enthusiast, and Endorphin Junkie!

A minisode with Megan on overcoming overwhelm, including a few tips to set boundaries, assess how you're spending your time, and re-evaluate life priorities.

In this first-ever minisode (10-15 minutes), Kelsey shares her experience with taking a break from running and how it has impacted her, as well as lessons we can all learn from taking a break or making any change in our lives, big or small.

For more tips on taking a break from running, visit our website at www.strongrunnerchicks.com or our Instagram @strongrunchicks.

Dr. Nicola Rinaldi has a PhD in biology from MIT. Since experiencing hypothalamic amenorrhea (missing periods) herself, Dr. Rinaldi has been on a mission to spread awareness of the condition and how to recover. In 2016 she published the book "No Period. Now What?", updated March of 2019 to be more Health At Every Size aligned. This book is a comprehensive resource that includes much of the medical and scientific research that underlies our current understanding of the triggers for amenorrhea, what steps to take for recovery, and treatments to use for recovery and pregnancy as needed. In addition, Dr. Rinaldi performed the largest survey to date of women who likewise experienced amenorrhea, and includes results from the survey answering many of the common questions women have, such as "How long will it take to recover?" "Will I be able to get pregnant?" and "Will I resume cycling after pregnancy?". Finally, the book includes Dr. Rinaldi's own story along with those of hundreds of other women, providing hope and reassurance to women following in their footsteps. Since publishing "No Period. Now What?" Dr. Rinaldi has been on a mission to spread awareness about hypothalamic amenorrhea and recovery, appearing as a guest on dozens of podcasts, attending and presenting at industry conferences, as well as continuing to participate in ongoing academic research studies. She now also works with clients on period recovery and getting pregnant.   Facebook support group: http://noperiod.info/Support, getting pregnant support http://noperiod.info/TTCWork with me: http://www.noperiodnowwhat.com/consulting www.noperiodnowwhat.com

Dr. A'nna Roby is on a mission to change the athletic culture to support physical and mental wellbeing in pursuit of personal bests. She is passionate about helping athletes better understand their bodies and how to fuel them to get the most out of sports and life. As the only combined PhD/Registered Dietitian in the world with all Ivy League degrees specializing in sports performance nutrition, Dr. A'nna understands how training, nutrition and recovery impact athletic performance and health. She is the Chief Research Officer of Athlete Blood Test and works with athletes, scientists, and coaches to progress sports performance research, particularly female-specific studies. Dr. A'nna also enjoys working with clients  through her private practice where she helps athletes confidently fuel their body by leveraging their physiology and nutrition to achieve what they never thought was possible.

Topics we discuss with Dr. A'nna include:

-Her background in athletics and into nutrition

-The signs and symptoms of RED-S and underfueling in female athletes

-Fasting (including Intermittent Fasting) and why it isn’t the best choice for female athletes

-Top biomarkers athletes should be on the lookout for

-Ways to address biomarkers through fueling

-Food reframing (thoughts around food, fad diets, etc.)

-Advice she would give to a young athlete or runner

-What being a Strong Runner Chick means to her

-How you can work with Dr. A'nna

Connect with Dr. A'nna:

https://drannaroby.com/

Fueling Fierce -- upcoming NEW sports nutrition program for women!

Make 2022 your best year yet with Fueling Fierce- a one of a kind running nutrition program just for women. You don't have to spend this year Googling, hoping what you're doing is "right" or repeating last year's results, there's a better way.  Join Dr. A'nna Roby and other amazing female runners as you learn the nuances of fueling your performance and life. Did you know that only 3% of exercise science studies are done exclusively on women? Fueling Fierce is unique in that it's evidence-based just for women and addresses underlying obstacles that are holding you back. Modules allow you to go through the content when it's convenient for you, plus you get to meet with Dr. A'nna weekly to get all your questions answered, among other things. If you have questions, email Dr. A'nna at anna@drannaroby.com. Happy running!

Special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Athlete Blood Test!

Use code SRC15 for 15% off any panel at athletebloodtest.com!

Spreading Mental Health Awareness is a mission SRC is passionate about and strives to do more of. In doing so, we are joined by Sasha Wolff, founder of "Still I Run," a community dedicated to running for mental health awareness.

NEDA (National Eating Disorder Awareness) Week occurred recently. In honor of continuing the conversation, Elena interviews Jennifer Kreatsoulas, PhD, E-RYT-500, C-IAYT and Founder of Yoga for Eating Disorders. You can find more information and connect with Jennifer at https://www.yoga4eatingdisorders.com.

Julia is a freshman at Hope College in Michigan.  She’s been running cross country and track since 6th grade, and she loves it! She’s from Chicago, Illinois and She has a big extended family that she loves like crazy!  She loves running, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and doing ceramics. She began treatment for anorexia during her junior year of high school, and since then, she’s become incredibly passionate about using her experience to help others and prevent eating disorders from starting. She also runs a food Instagram and blog called Julia’s Plate that she started about 2 years ago, where she shares recipes, thoughts, and some really tasty treats!

Megan, founder of Strong Runner Chicks, checks in and provides a brief update on SRC Radio - where do we go from here? We invite you to share your thoughts, suggestions and feedback to strongrunnerchicks@gmail.com or @strongrunchicks on Instagram.

Dr. Ellie Somers writes, “I AM AN ATHLETE, LICENSED PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR BETTER CARE, PARTICULARLY FOR WOMEN. I am tired of the status quo and am actively seeking to defy gender limitations and biases in healthcare and fitness. My hope is to empower, foster autonomy and fearlessness, and to help people discover resilience in the healing process.” Ellie owns a business in Seattle, WA called Sisu Sports Performance & PT, where she focuses on work with female runners and athletes. Questions we ask Ellie include: How did your own athletic background and experience with injury lead to your choice to pursue a career in physical therapy? What are the main differences between an athletic trainer and physical therapist? You wrote a post titled “3 Common Pitfalls of Runners.” Can you share with us more about what these are and how to prevent / address them? What do you see as the most vital components to recovering from and preventing injury, particularly for female runners? (strength training, core work, recovery, nutrition, etc). General advice and words of wisdom for someone recovering from injury? What are some tips you would give someone interested in pursuing physical therapy? Connect with Ellie: Website: https://sisuperformancept.com Instagram: @drelliesomers

Jacqueline Alnes (All-Nis) is a former Division I athlete who once ran a marathon around town as a way of celebrating her 25th birthday. As a PhD student, she studies Creative Nonfiction, teaches creative writing and composition courses at the university, and just finished her first book, a memoir about running and neurological issues, which is currently on submission with editors. When she’s not reading, writing, or running, she loves baking way too many cookies to share with friends, as you can see through her many #PhDough posts on Instagram. Visit her website at https://www.jacquelinealnes.com.

In this episode, we interview Emily Infeld, an eight-time individual state champion in Ohio, a current Ohio 1600m state high school record holder, as well as a 2008 high school national champion in the mile. After graduating from high school, Emily attended Georgetown University where she was an 11-time All American with three NCAA runner-up finishes and one win in the indoor 3k. In addition to these extraordinary accomplishments, Emily has competed in the World XC Championships, won a world bronze medal in the 10k, competed in the 2016 Olympics, and in 2018, was the U.S. XC Champion. She has a cat named Boots, whom she adopted from the humane society in 2016 and shared with us that Boots is a snuggler and the softest cat! Emily has a fabulous boyfriend named Max and loves spending time in the kitchen together, in addition to going out to eat. In her spare time, Emily loves to read, cook, and listen to podcasts. We hope you enjoy this special episode as much as we did!

Join Kelsey for a minisode as she shares some insightful and valuable advice on setting your New Year's intentions! Bonus: We're giving away a Grayson Murphy's RacinGrayson 2019 planner and running journal to ONE lucky listener! Enter our giveaway on Instagram and be sure to visit the review on our website for more tips on reaching your goals and setting intentions this year.

We interview Sarah McMahon on her blog, The Prosiest; what feminism is and how we can embrace it; her journey through an eating disorder; lessons learned; and more! Sarah McMahon is a fundraiser and Grants Manager for the American Red Cross in Orange County, CA. She graduated from Bradley University in 2016 with her Master's in English after earning Academic All-American accolades and a host of other less memorable awards. Sarah struggled with an eating disorder throughout her running career, and writes about her experiences in her blog called The Prosiest. After moving from Chicago to California, she was introduced to trail running and has a goal to complete a 50 mile trail race next summer. Background on Sarah and more information for listeners: https://www.theprosiest.com/about

Megan Medrano, RD, LD is an eating disorder and sports dietitian based out of Lexington, KY. As a runner herself, she is passionate about helping athletes and non-athletes alike cultivate a peaceful and enjoyable relationship with food and their body. She utilizes principles of intuitive eating and Health At Every Size into her sports nutrition education in order to help athletes find a pattern of eating that genuinely helps them feel their best, without engaging in restrictive or unhelpful behaviors. Megan is the owner of her private practice Run Whole Nutrition, where she sees clients both in-person in Lexington, Kentucky, as well as virtually all over the country.

We're excited to welcome Natalie Pertz to the show today!

Natalie Pertz (she/her) is an arts administrator and ultra-marathoner currently based in our nation's capital. Her perfect day would begin with strong coffee and early hours spent frolicking in the woods followed by a good meal in great company. Outside of her full-time gig in education at The Kreeger Museum, Natalie is also a cat mom pursuing her master's degree. Since finishing her first 5k at IRIS' Run for Refugees in 2017, she has run over 40 races, most notably the JFK 50 Mile in 2021 and the Marine Corps Marathon during the downpour-humidity cocktail of 2019. "Hide of a rhino, heart of a fairy.

Topics we dive into include:

• How Natalie got started in running
• All about her first 50-miler — deciding on the race, any apprehensions, the process of training, and reflections afterward
• How she has balanced running with grad school, big life changes like moving, and a new full-time job!
• Future aspirations with running and life
• The role that community plays in Natalie's running journey
• Advice she would give a newer runner (and her younger self)
• What being a Strong Runner Chick means to her
• Tips for those visiting or moving to D.C. (including her favorite running groups)!

Connect with Natalie:

Instagram: @pertzfect

Join Kelsey and Megan for our first "minisode" of SRC, where we answer a few listener questions, including proudest moments of 2018 both individually and for Strong Runner Chicks, as well as future directions for the SRC community! Remember to complete the challenge by sending us a DM or email with your proudest moment of 2018, for the chance to be featured on our website!

Join Kelsey and Elena (our guest co-host this week!) as they interview Kait Hurley, founder of the Move + Meditate Method.

Introduction / Bio: Rachel Schilkowsky (née Sorna) has been running competitively for 10 years. After a successful senior year of high school which culminated in a 3rd place finish at the 2010 New Balance Outdoor Track & Field Nationals in the 2000m Steeplechase, she began her collegiate career at Cornell University. While at Cornell, she earned a total of five All-American honors, including two 4th place finishes in the 3000m Steeplechase at the 2013 and 2014 Division 1 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Since graduating, Rachel has transitioned primarily to road racing where she has found great success, particularly over the longer distances. She won the Hartford Marathon - her debut at the distance - in October of 2018 with a time of 2:41:03. That performance earned her a spot on the line at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta, Georgia. In March of that same year she set a personal best of 1:15:52 in the half marathon. She is a member of the USATF club, New England Distance, and is professionally sponsored by rabbit running apparel and Topo Athletic running shoes. When she wasn’t busy training or racing at Cornell, Rachel was hard at work earning first a Bachelors in Biological Engineering and then a masters in Mechanical Engineering, also from Cornell. Upon graduating in December 2014, she started her career as technical consultant at a medical devices consulting firm in Boston, MA.