Chasing Bravery

Hi everyone, you are listening to episode 2 of the mini journal series. Today we are speaking with Eve, a teacher from Ireland who has been trying to have a baby for awhile now. Eve shares with us her unique story, as well as her gut instinct that told her there was more to her fertility struggles than met the eye initially. Thank you so much to eve for sharing your story

Hi everyone, you are listening to the first episode of mini journal series. I am speaking with Caitlin an ER nurse from California. Caitlin's husband is a firefighter paramedic, whom she met eleven years ago, and has been married to for 4 years, Caitlin and her husband have been tying to have a baby for just over 3 years now. They love the outdoors, hiking/camping/traveling/the gym/the beach/ and their dog, "Smokey." They are sharing their IVF journey today with the message that "if you are struggling on this road, you definitely are not alone; also, to be thankful for what you do have-whether it is that you are still in the game (like ourselves), that you have embryos waiting to be transferred, or perhaps that you have accepted the next phase in the process-even if that was not in your initial plan".

All of the women in the journal series season 1, have had their own unique journey with In Vitro Fertilization in the hopes of realizing their dream of having a baby. I believe this is such an important topic for a few reasons. The first is that infertility is on the rise. According to the center for disease control %10 of women trying to conceive between the ages of 16 and 44 are unable to get pregnant. Both men and women can contribute to infertility and many couples struggle- in about 35% of couples with infertility, a male factor is identified along with a female factor. In about 8% of couples with infertility, a male factor is the only identifiable cause. There is currently a lot of research being conducted right now surrounding theories of why infertility is on the rise, and the truth is that there are probably many factors both environmental and physical to blame. The second reason why I believe this topic is so important is because the variation surrounding why women and men choose IVF. I will share stories of same sex couples, cancer survivors, and single parents- all of whom have used IVF, all of whom desperately want a baby- but who are different individuals with different narratives. I believe the bottom line is that there are many women worldwide who are facing the daily complications that IVF brings, and even if the choice to use ivf is not due to infertility, there is still so much that goes into the process, and really these women deserve a forum to share and advocate for themselves and others. I have decided that it would be entirely too much to try and release all 8 episodes at once, and I worry that doing so would cause some of you to miss a journal entry or two. I don’t want to overwhelm people, and I truly believe that each one of these stories has something to offer. The women in the first 4 stories are Caitlin Bear, Eve Lorigan Kelly Whitfield Bradley, and Lindsay Summers. I will not go into too much detail introducing them because these stories are focused around a very specific topic and I want them to introduce themselves to you.

Episode 12 is in the house! Today we are speaking with Stephanie Rothstein Bruce. I feel comfortable saying that Stephanie has been a beacon of hope, and inspiration to so many female runners out there- especially the mama’s. I myself don’t have children yet, but I have often thought about Stephanie’s journey when I think about my own desire to have babies- which conflicts with some of the life stuff I still want to do. Stephanie has been proof to me that many of the conflicts I thought existed when it comes to having babies and pursing your dreams are really all in my head. Stephanie had her two boys in a two year time span, and then went on to run an A standard Olympic trials qualifying time in the 10k- only 7 months post-partum. Stephanie kept the ball rolling from there, tackling pronounced diastis recti and other side effects shall we say of carrying and birthing two babies in short succession. She most recently finished 22nd at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships- the highest place for a non-African born runner, 10th at the New York City marathon, and was the winner of the Arizona Rock and Roll half marathon a few weekends ago. Stephanie was such a pleasure to speak with, and she was totally game for some of my stranger end of podcast questions.

Episode 11 is with Ali Feller- host of one of my favorite podcasts- The Ali on the Run show. Ali and I dig deep into the topic of really breaking down what our own personal values are, and how we can live lives that most intentionally reflect this. I was really excited to speak with her about this, because as an almost mid twenty something year old, I have found that what I was taught my entire life about what I needed to achieve in order to successful and happy isn’t necessarily the case. I know I am not the only one at this point in life who is feeling this, and I think Ali has some great perspective on the topic! Ali is by no means old, so let’s just get that clear, she is however over her mid twenties, quarter life crises hump, and she is a refreshing voice on the topic. Ali and I also discuss much more, including how she views her Crohns disease, and how that as changed and altered over time. Ali is sweet, honest, and funny, and I SO enjoyed chatting with her!

This is episode 10, and I am speaking with Alana Kopelson. Some of you may know her on social media as alanaruns26.2, which is a very accurate handle, as she has run quite a few races of that exact distance. Alana’s story is incredible, not only because she just became a marathoner in 2015, but because she has run huge personal bests in each of 3 marathons this year. Alana most recently finished the CIM marathon early in December of 2017 where she ran her most recent PR of 2 hours and 55 minutes. I knew I wanted to speak with Alana as soon as learned about her progression, because it is just not common that you hear a story like hers. Alana is up front that her training doesn’t always look perfect, and that she has plenty of ups and downs. She is also not afraid to share her big goals with the world- which just recently include qualifying for the 2020 Olympic marathon trials. My conversation with Alana is real, and inspirational. It was refreshing for me to hear the narrative of someone so new to the sport because it reminded me of that magic many of us can remember when running first clicked. Alana reminded me to not stop chasing that feeling, and I think she might just do the same for you.

Hi everybody! Welcome to Season 1 episode 9 of the Chasing Bravery Podcast. Today you are listening to part 2 of my conversation with Mary Johnson. If you haven’t listened to part 1, I strongly recommend that you go back and listen to it…because like you wouldn’t watch toy story 2 before toy story right? Common sense people. If for some reason listening to part 1 isn’t in the cards for you, here’s what you need to know about Mary Johnson. She’s fast, she’s honest, she’s realistic, and she’s brave.

Hello everyone, and Happy New year! Today you are listening to Season 1, Episode 9 of the Chasing Bravery Podcast. I am your host Kait, and I am so happy to have you here with me today. My conversation in this episode is with Mary Johnson, and it is actually broken down into two parts because Mary was such a blast to speak with, and we covered so much good stuff that I didn’t want to edit any of it out. I am also going to use the end of part 2 to talk a little bit about Season 2 of the Chasing Bravery Podcast. I want to give listeners an idea of what to expect, as well as a deeper understanding into why I believe this is such an important topic for women nationwide and worldwide. So a bit about Mary: Mary Is the founder of Lift|Run|Perform, and currently lives with her husband in Connecticut. Mary is a natural athlete, and was a rower in college. Mary didn’t find her love for running until a few years after graduation, and quickly realized she had a knack for it. Mary brought her marathon time down to a 3:06 in only a few years, and has run 1:25 for the half marathon- this is a speedy lady. Before you get the impression that this episode is all about running- it’s not. Mary has spent the last year dealing with a frustrating injury and has ultimately learned to embrace and accept her life without the sport which is really inspiring to listen to. Mary is not done with running, and she is hopeful, but she is also grounded and realistic about her limits and she ultimately is choosing health and well being over chronic pain, which is a tough choice to make for someone as competitive and talented as she. I personally was impressed by Mary’s ability to see the perspective in her situation, and she is so refreshingly realistic. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mary as much as I did!

In this episode I am speaking with Lauren Floris- If you listened to my last episode (which you should) you will know that she is Regina and Sabrina’s teammate who also qualified for the Olympic Trials only 16 months post-partum. I won’t try to deny that we talk a lot of baby. I have serious baby fever, and can’t wait for my first. If it’s not obvious I’m basically trying to live vicariously through Lauren who has managed to finish her masters, raise a beautiful baby girl, and qualify for the trials all in less than a year and a half. I think everyone will really appreciate Laurens honesty when it comes to just how she managed to juggle so much- hint: she doesn’t care about ironed clothes, and folding laundry can wait sometimes….she’s my kind of girl. Lauren and I talk about more than just babies of course. Lauren is a very accomplished runner, and is a also an assistant collegiate track and cross country coach. She and her husband live in Southern California with their baby girl, but Lauren is originally a new Englander like myself. Lauren was so laid back and easy to talk to, so you’ll have to forgive me for getting a bit off topic at certain points.

Today you are listening to Season 1, episode 7 of the Chasing Bravery Podcast. Today is two-fer! 2 speedy running chicks in 1 episode. I know that it may be difficult to distinguish between Sabrina and Regina, but we decided that it would be too awkward to have them say their names before each and every thing that they said. I do want to make sure to note that these ladies are very close, and their sisterly, twin bond is obvious, but they are distinct individuals and I could clearly see that during our recording. Today we talk about their dual Olympic Trials Qualifying times at the CIM marathon back in the beginning of December. We also talk a lot about their career aspirations- they are both in school to be behavior analysts. Of course, me being a graduate student myself, I had to ask a lot of nerdy questions- so I hope that doesn’t annoy anyone too much. Regina and Sabrina are amazing examples of women who support other women in the sport of running. I know after listening to my conversation with them you’ll wish you could run alongside the duo in your next race- I know I do.

My conversation in this episode is with Sarah Mahaney, who is in my opinion such a strong, badass lady. Sarah is an exceptional marathoner, who has had her fair share of ups and downs in the sport. Join us as we discuss her back to back marathon high and low- Sarah went from winning a marathon (like she broke the tape), and almost broke that three hour barrier, and then in her next race had her most challenging marathon experience to date. Sarah is so honest and open about what that experience was like, and it’s pretty inspiring to listen to her take away. Anyone out there who has had their heart broken in this sport of running will gain a lot from listening- I know I did. There is more to Sarah than just speedy legs- Sarah just recently graduated with a degree in Surgical Technology, and has relocated with her husband to start her first job in her career after graduation. Sarah and I discuss how scary it can be to go back to school a little later in life, and how she learned to balance school, life, part time work, and running. Recording this episode with Sarah was a huge reminder for me that running is a sport that can really break your heart at times, but the lessons and ultimate perspective we gain from it make it a love that is easy to fall for again and again. I was really happy to listen to Sarah's perspective on what running has done for her throughout the years, and gained a lot of insight myself on how to recover from those bad races, and bounce back with grace. 

So guys, Gillian is awesome...If you were looking at her episode cover photo you would see that she's sitting cross legged on a horse. I feel like I don't need to say anything else... Just kidding, there's plenty I can say about this amazing lady. Gillian and I spent a summer together on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota in shall we say, close living quarters. We got to know each other very well, and I'm so grateful to have met her because I gained not only a wonderful friend, but a trusted connection in a very niche field that we both have a trajectory toward.  Gillian is a Lakota woman- her father grew up in South Dakota Indian Country. Gillian was raised in an intentional way that integrated her cultural background into her day to day, but she is the first to say that she would consider her upbringing privileged. Gillian grew up in a traditional, middle class environment in North Carolina, and this past summer was her first stay on a reservation. Gillian is currently attending George Washington University, and she is the co-founder/co-president for GW students for Indigenous and Native American Rights. My conversation with Gillian is tough in the sense that talking about anything related to social issues and cultural "competence" always is, but I hope your take away is that these are conversations we need to be having, and often. 

Neely was the first professional athlete that I interviewed with, and she was so sweet to be as patient as she was with the fact that I was clearly starstruck. I think we all have our weaknesses, or biases should I say when it comes to the individuals we admire. To me professional runners are superstars. Throw me in an interview with Jennifer Anniston-no problem- ask me to have a conversation with any human who has held an American flag behind them while wearing racing flats and spandex....whole different story. For those who don't know, Neely is a professional distance runner for Addidas. She has historically competed in distances from the 5000 to the marathon. She twice represented her country at the  IAAF World Cross Country Championships and was the top non-African runner in 2013. She also ran at the 2011 Pan American Games She attended Shippensburg University and won eight NCAA Division II titles while there. She ran her first half marathon in 2013 then made a marathon debut at the 2016 Boston Marathon, where she was the top American. Neely currently lives in Colorado with her husband and their dog Strider. 

Welcome to Episode 2! This episode was the very very first that I recorded and I was so nervous! I had soooooo many technical issues, and the actual episode was less of Rachel telling her story and more of a ping pong conversation. Hey, that's what happens when you put two girls diagnosed with ADHD on skype... In the end the conversation was fantastic, and I learned a lot about Impostor Syndrome, and what it is like to be a PhD. candidate at Harvard. I hope that everyone remembers Rachel's name, because I am pretty sure that we will be hearing it in the future......this chick is brilliant. Rachel is 26 years old, she resides in Cambridge, MA, and she is currently a PhD Candidate at Harvard in the Immunology Program. Rachel and I met because we are both egg donors. I actually started the real work on this podcast during the long 5 days while I waited to hear if my body was ready to complete the egg retrieval. I know that many listeners out probably view egg donation as a controversial topic, and it is….but hopefully my conversation with Rachel will open some minds to what the experience is actually like, and give a bit of insight into why some of us women decide to become donors. Rachel and I also discuss Impostor syndrome, as well as what it is like to be an adult with ADHD. My apologies to Rachel for being the guinea pig recording… and to my listeners please hang in there, this is an interesting conversation and I promise that the future episodes only get better!

Hello everyone! Welcome to Chasing Bravery! Chasing Bravery is a platform created to share the real stories of women, as they pertain to all things related to reproductive health and “womanhood”. This platform is in support of the reality that most individuals do not experience their sexuality or identity as being binary, however very real limitations and barriers still exist that consistently challenge the ways in which women feel they can be women and overall individuals. Chasing Bravery seeks to address the stigmas and predetermined narratives many women feel stifled under. The global term of what it means to be a woman is rapidly evolving. In many ways, women are beginning to finally feel like they have the ultimate say in how they are defined. Unfortunately, there are still many areas of womanhood that remain taboo-hidden. Realities such as miscarriage, infertility, fertility, abortion, sexuality, and gender roles/ norms are not conversed about as fluidly as they should be. Chasing Bravery recognizes that living and owning our own narratives often requires bravery- we want to share, embrace, and celebrate what makes each woman brave.