Strong Runner Chick Radio

Former engineer turned real estate appraiser, Andie is a semi-professional distance runner for Oiselle (Haute Volee Elite Athlete), Jasyoga, InsideTracker, Generation UCAN, and the newly formed Raleigh Distance Project. Prior to beginning her post-collegiate career, Andie graduated from North Carolina State University where she was a 2x10k All-American with multiple All-ACC performances. In 2015, Andie set big PR’s in the half marathon (1:12:50) to qualify for the 2016 US Olympic Trials Marathon. In 2016 she also won her debut marathon at the Indy Monumental Marathon in a time of 2:38:47. Last year she made a big career change to further pursue her passion for running and her stewardship within the Raleigh running community. The road to success has not always been a smooth ride. The ups and downs of being a distance runner have helped shape Andie into the strong athlete she is today. In the fall, Andie will be back racing the Indy Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis. Her big goal is to snag the A-Standard for the 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon. Beyond her own personal running goals, Andie seeks to continue growing the Raleigh Distance Project and further the support of women chasing big goals. She is an avid gluten-free baker/chef with an emphasis on fueling the body right!

We celebrate our 50th episode with Kelsey Varzeas, your SRC Radio co-host!  Kelsey is an Ed.M., runner, yoga enthusiast, and lover of Mother Nature. She recently accepted a job with Amherst College Athletics as the program coordinator for Amherst LEADS. A program dedicated to giving life skills and leadership development to student-athletes. When not in the office, you can find Kelsey on her yoga mat, running wherever her legs take her, with her nose in a book, or in the kitchen…possibly eating whole avocados, spoonfuls of nut butter, lots of fruits and veggies, and creating recipes. Kelsey is fairly new to both running and yoga, but has had some amazing experiences in both activities. From running and qualifying for the Boston Marathon, to teaching individuals with disabilities to enhance their yoga practice, Kelsey loves any opportunity to connect with others and bring positive change to the world. Megan apologizes for the audio quality on her end in this one. We hope that doesn't deter you from this wonderful chat with Kelsey!

We chat with Heather Caplan, Registered Dietitian and co-founder of Lane 9 Project, an up-and-coming nonprofit organization dedicated to discussing topics such as eating disorders and amenorrhea in female athletes and active women.

Join Elena, Kelsey and Megan as they chat about Elena's graduation from collegiate running, her recent Europe backpacking adventure, moving to a new place to start graduate school, her role as a Perfect Bar ambassador with SRC, what's next for the SRC Self-Care calendar, tips on maintaining a positive outlook on life and more!

Allie and Michaela Hackett join us to chat about life as twins, their life as collegiate runners at Abilene Christian University and post-collegiate plans! Learn more about the Hackett sisters at: http://www.strongrunnerchicks.com/strong-runner-twins-hackett/

After being kicked off her high school track team for wanting to practice with the boys, Catrina McAlister went on to accept a scholarship to run for the University of Colorado at Boulder. A California native, Catrina acclimated to the Colorado environment, but was sidelined during her undergraduate career with an unfortunate series of injuries that left her feeling defeated and doubting herself. Nevertheless, she graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a BA in English in 2015. Catrina decided to take some time off to heal and refocus. She is currently running for Team Run With Us and has her sights set on making it to the Olympic Trials. Catrina admits, that her goals are big, but she hopes to inspire others to chase their own purpose and passions in life, to fail often, and to be brave.   Follow Catrina @cat_mcalli or with her mom @thegeneteam

Shawanna White is a 2004 graduate of University of West Georgia, where she participated on the West Georgia Women’s Cross-Country & Track teams. At UWG, she made all-conference all four years and placed 2nd in the Gulf South Conference for XC. Since leaving West Georgia, Shawanna has continued to compete in running events ranging from the 1 mile up to the marathon. She was named 2016 & 2017 USATF South Carolina Road Runner of The Year . She is a sponsored athlete for Skechers Performance Team and is currently coach by Orinthal Striggles (Coach O) former SC Runner of year in 2004 & 2009. In 2016, Shawanna was the covered model for Pace Magazine. Being the 7th African- American woman to run sub 3 hours for the marathon, she aspires to qualify for the 2020 USA Olympic Marathon Trials. When Shawanna is not training or racing she is working full-time as a physical/health teacher at Saint Matthews K-8 in St. Matthews, SC. You can follow her on Instagram @ PeachTreeRunner26.2!

Meet co-founder of Lane 9 Project, Alexis Fairbanks! Alexis is a teacher and run coach. She also has a strong passion for health and received her master’s degree in Health Promotion Management from American University. Alexis was a collegiate runner and continues to chase big goals at the half marathon and marathon distances. Her perfect day is a morning run, followed by plenty of coffee and cuddles from her giant lap dog, Troy. Show links: https://lane9project.org/ https://medium.com/lane-9-project

In this episode, we interview Ellie Abrahamson, professional triathlete turning into professional runner! Ellie Abrahamson attended Wake Forest University, where she studied Business Management and ran D1 cross country and track. Ellie improved significantly on the track during her final outdoor season, posting PRs of 16:01 for the 5k and 9:56 for the 3k steeple. She received First-Team All-America honors after finishing in 7th place at the 2017 NCAA D1 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, her final race as a Deac. Rather than continuing with running after college, Ellie joined USA Triathlons Collegiate Recruitment Program, which provided her with funding to train for Olympic distance triathlon full-time. While Ellie enjoyed the challenge of training for a new sport, she recently left triathlon to pursue what she loves most - running. She hopes to compete in the 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon and marathon at the professional level. When Ellie isn’t running, you can find her drinking copious amounts of coffee, taking photos with friends, working on her next YouTube video or hanging out with family.

We're bringing Maggie Head back on the show to discuss what she's been up to lately, her experience at the SRC Retreat, recent research in the field of body image, weight stigma and eating disorders and tips on how we can speak out on these topics. We hope you enjoy the show as usual, and please be sure to leave us a quick five-star review if you did!

We're bringing Grayson Murphy back on the show to chat about exciting news (hint: she's running professionally!), future plans beyond college, NCAA National Championships in the steeplechase and lessons learned along the way. Enjoy the show, and like always, be sure to leave us a review if you enjoy the podcast!

Steph is a Certified Life Coach who is passionate about helping others live self-aware, confident, and purposeful lives. She enjoys providing the space for people to adventure and express their unique voice boldly. Through her holistic coaching business, Braveroot, she meets one-on-one with clients seeking stability and clarity to provide process-coaching, as well as creates workshops for small groups around a variety of topics, including self-care, "stuck" areas, and values discovery. In her free time, Steph enjoys rock climbing and camping!

In this episode, we interview Ashley Mena and Samantha Calderon, runners for Run Boulder Athletic Club, coached by Kathy Butler. We interview them on life after college in Boulder, CO, life of professional runners, pursuing the Olympic Trials in the Marathon, and much more. Enjoy this episode and if you liked it, be sure to leave a review!

Introduction: Sara Brekke, a sophomore at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, recently attended the Strong Runner Chicks Retreat. Majoring in neuroscience with a minor in psychology Sara hopes to pursue a career in research to help further the understanding of mental illness. She hopes to specialize in eating disorders and other anxiety disorders. Sara loves all things science, enjoys drawing, painting, designing her own clothes, and has an intense appreciation for funky socks.  She is a lifelong runner who has benefited greatly by learning what running can do for mental health. Running has also allowed Sara to explore the world and connect with other people like nothing else can. Sara’s current goal is to eventually break three hours in the marathon.  Questions we ask Sara include: How did you get your start in running? Recently you attended the SRC Retreat: What was/were the reason(s) you attended the retreat? What was this experience like for you?  Did you have any major takeaways from the presenters? If so, who and what?   In speaking with you, you shared with me that you have a history of an eating disorder. Would you mind elaborating on this further?     How has your eating disorder and experience at the SRC Retreat changed your mindset regarding your future career plans?   It was a decision of yours not to run for a team in college. Why did you decide to make this decision? 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? Brekke.sara (insta), Sara Brekke (FB), brekke1029@gmail.com

Did you miss the Strong Runner Chick Retreat? No worries, we've got you covered! In this episode, Kelsey interviews Megan on the first-ever SRC Retreat of 2018, held just outside of Boulder, Colorado. With 20 incredible women and 10 amazing speakers, this was a memorable event and a major highlight of Strong Runner Chicks thus far. Megan and Kelsey recap the three days and discuss next steps for the future of SRC.