Strong Runner Chick Radio

Join professional runner, Becky Wade, and Kelsey as they discuss Becky's recent book, "Run the World," which shares her running journey around the globe, and so much more! Questions we ask Becky include: How did you get your start in running? You received the Watson Fellowship from Rice University in 2012. Would you mind telling us more about this fellowship? What did it mean to you to receive this award? Upon receiving this award, did you know what you wanted to do in your yearlong time period? Tell us about your experience traveling around the world logging more than 3,500 miles. You visited nine different countries during this time. Do you have a favorite? What did you notice about running in different cultures around the world? Anything similar or different that the United States? You are a self-proclaimed foodie. What were some of your favorite foods you tried on this trip? Any concerns about fueling your body while traveling and running so much (especially with foreign foods)? Upon arriving back to the United States, when did you decide it was time to write a book about your experience or did you have this in the back of your head while on the fellowship? Do you plan on writing any other books? Any races on the horizon? What is currently making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? How can our listeners connect with you?

Dani Moreno is a professional trail runner sponsored by shoe company Hoka One One, as well as a female run apparel brand named rabbit. She was a member of the USA Long Distance Mountain team last year and will be trying to earn a spot on the USA Short Distance Mountain Team this year. She currently trains and resides in Santa Barbara, CA. She was also won the XTERRA world trail championships last year. Her first race this year will be at the GO PRO mountain games in Vail! Questions we ask Dani include: How did you get your start in distance running? You mention that it was “everything outside those PR’s” that made your time in college memorable. Can you elaborate further on that? What was the transition like to post-collegiate running? What drew you to trail running? How was that transition? You wrote a powerful blog post about looking like a “true runner.” Can you elaborate further on your intention behind writing this post? In your eyes, what does it mean to be a true runner? What is currently making you thrive in life? What does “a day in the life of Dani” look like? Sounds like The GoPro Mountain Games will be fun!! What is in store for you at that race? What can runners expect? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? How can listeners connect with you? Any final shout-outs (sponsors, etc.)

We're bringing Emma Abrahamson back with a Part Two! In this episode, we discuss her decision to "retire" from her running career at University of Oregon, graduation onto her exciting new job, big move to Georgia, training for the Georgia Peachtree 10k and what's next in store for One Crazed Foodie. 

Rachel Peter has a pretty amazing story. She was diagnosed with a tumor in her patella and has worked hard to battle through it, using friends and family for support, while also pursuing collegiate running. In this episode, you will learn more about Rachel and how she overcame this obstacle. Photo credit to Bell Lap Photography.

Miranda DiBiasio is a senior NCAA runner at George Washington University originally from Cleveland, Ohio, a SRC ambassador and contributor and an all-around amazing person. Miranda, welcome to the show! Questions we ask Miranda include: How did you get your start in running? What has your collegiate experience been like, both on the running side and academically? You’ve handled some pretty challenging injuries, as mentioned in your SRC post, “Finding the Silver Lining.” What has this process been like for you? Any advice for SRC listeners who are going through injury? “There are two mantras that really helped me through my injury. They were: “control the controllables” and “this too shall pass.” Anytime I found myself worrying about things that I could not control or getting upset about my injury, I would remind myself of these words.” What is currently making you thrive? Future direction post-graduation? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? As a contributor for SRC, you started up our Workout Wednesday series on stretching, injury prevention exercises and strength training. Why would you say these are important components to our training and what are the most common misconceptions runners have about them? A few strength exercises every runner should integrate into their routine?

Rachael Reddy is studying Nutrition and Psychology at The University of Alabama. ​She runs​ cross country and track at Alabama and ​has made All SEC teams for cross country and track, as well as regionals (still with the goal to make a national meet). ​Rachael​ competed for USA at the Junior Pan Americas and brought home a gold medal in the 5k. ​ She is passionate about creating healthy recipes, volunteering with kids, writing letters for others, and of course running! Questions we ask Rachael include: How did you get your start in running? In high school you transformed from a soccer player to a runner. What drew you into running rather than soccer? Due to your success, you were able to attend your dream school, the University of Texas. What was the recruitment process like? What did you major in? How did you know Texas was the right school for you? Upon arrive to the University of Texas, you spoke with your coach about your eating disorder. What was this conversation like? How did you gain the confidence to speak with him? Instead of spending your first semester of college at the university, you took a leave of absence and went to The Victory Program. What were some events that led you to seek recovery in The Victory Program? What was your time like here? What was the most valuable thing you gained or learned? What was it like when you were “forced” to transfer to the University of Alabama? Throughout your collegiate career you suffered an incredible amount of injuries...hamstring tear, mono, sacral stress reaction, Iliac crest avulsion fractures, IT band syndrome, and currently an Achilles tear. What was this like emotionally and physically for you? What were some of the aspects of this time that “kept you going”? Did you ever consider giving up your running career? How has the rehabilitation process for your Achilles tear been? A quote you mention in the piece you wrote for the SRC website is, “May the comeback be greater than the setback.” What do you envision for your comeback? What is currently making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? How can our listeners connect with you?

Meet Kaitlin Wheeler, podcast host at Chasing Bravery! In this interview, we discuss creating social change, cultivating connection, working through imposter syndrome, and what it's been like to start and host her podcast, Chasing Bravery. Introduction: Kaitlin, also known as Kait, is 24 years old and is currently in graduate school working towards her Master’s in Social Work. She will be starting Law School after completing her Master’s degree. Kait is hoping to use her combined degrees to influence social change on the policy level for the Indigenous tribes of North America. Kaitlin is also the founder of a podcast titled, “Chasing Bravery.” Kaitlin, welcome to the show! Questions we ask Kaitlin include: How did you get your start in running? What was it like as an intern on the Cheyenne River Reservation? Was running a part of the Cheyenne culture? Tell us how you came to the idea of Chasing Bravery. What was the experience of starting the Chasing Bravery Podcast like? On your website you write, “It is remarkable how different we all are, yet how much comfort can be found in the commonalities we share with others.” What are some of the commonalities that you have noticed? What does being a Strong and Brave Runner Chick mean to you? How can listeners connect with you?

This week we interview Lauren Ross, a Registered Dietitian, MPH student, Health Improvement Strategist and avid trail runner! Lauren was born and raised in Wilbraham, MA. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition from The University of Massachusetts - Amherst, where an awesome campus dining experience grew her love of eating a nutritious diet full of fresh, local foods into more than just an interest. She went on to complete her dietetic internship with a community nutrition focus at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lauren works with the executive chefs to implement healthy food options into the menus, counsels students, faculty, and staff, and develops programming to help you learn to love eating healthy too! Questions we ask Lauren include: How did you get your start in running? What was your desire to become a Registered Dietitian? You mentioned that RDs have a set of uniques skills that are completely underutilized. What are some of these skills? Noticed you are finishing your MPH - curious to hear more about your interest in pursuing that degree? Like Megan, you are also now a Houstonian! Differences from New England? How have you gotten involved in the Houston running community? It seems like a major focus of yours is a non-diet approach to healthy eating. Would you mind speaking about this further? Any general advice for fueling an active individual? What does the interplay of running and fueling mean to you in your own life? Next race? What is in the future for Lauren Ross? What is currently making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Nikki Hiltz is an All-American 1500m runner for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks with an inspiring story. She transferred colleges and has made quite a name for herself in the collegiate running world. In this interview, we dive deeper into her running career, decision to transfer, personal life and future goals. We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please be sure to leave us a review! Questions we ask Nikki include: Would you mind telling us about yourself and how did you get your start in running? What has your collegiate experience been like, both on the running side and academically? You transferred from Oregon to Arkansas. What was the decision like to transfer? Why did you decide to make this move? We had a SRC Community member write to us saying that you are a role model of hers, not only due to your superb running, but because as far as she is aware you are the only openly lesbian runner in the NCAA. Would you be open to speaking further about this experience? Have you faced any scrutiny or criticisms? If so, how did you stay mentally strong? What would you say to runners who are nervous about coming out with their teammates or community? After facing back-to-back years with injuries you mention that, “it was all about patience, and I think that the experience was ultimately good for me. I grew a lot as a runner and as a person. I found myself.” How would you say that you “found yourself” during this process? Who were some of your role models growing up and/or now that inspire you? For listeners who don’t know, what is your favorite event? Any standout or breakthrough performances that have shaped you as a runner? Future direction for next year / running post-collegiately? What is currently making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Tune into our episode with RD/LDN Hannah Meier, a Registered Dietitian, avid runner and all-around inspiring indvidual! We discuss in-depth about intutitive eating, body image and nutrition, including fueling strategies and struggles as a runner. This is a must-listen episode, featuring a Part 1 and Part 2! Some facts about Hannah: She grew up in Minnesota and went to college at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she studied dietetics and psychology. Hannah moved to Boston after graduating to complete her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital​. She is currently finishing up her graduate degree in nutrition communication, interventions and behavior change at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in Boston. She loves long distance running - has completed 4 half marathons and one full marathon (NYC 2016) but is not stopping there. Hannah uses her understanding of nutrition science and the psychological implications of eating to empower others to reject diet culture and unhealthy body ideals and approach personalized health from a holistic perspective that is realistic, attainable and sustainable. She is an advocate for intuitive eating, health at every size, eating disorder prevention and treatment, and moderation in moderation. Questions we ask Hannah include: How did you get your start in running? What was your desire behind becoming an RD/LDN? What are some of the things that people should be aware of? When we met back in June, you were taking a bit of time off from running. Would you elaborate further on this? You work closely with the Lane 9 Project. Tell us a bit more about this initiative and your reasoning behind being a part of it. Currently you are pursuing your Master’s Degree in Nutrition Communication and Behavior Change at Tufts University. What does your current research entail? While at Tufts you worked as a Sports Performance Nutritionist for undergraduate athletes. What were some of the common trends and themes you noticed with these athletes (can be positive or negative)? What advice do you have for collegiate athletes and fueling strategies? In your IG bio, you mention you are “pro-intuition”...How does tuning into your eating transfer over to your daily life? Anything new and exciting in the life of Hannah? What is making you thrive? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you?

Lindsay Walter is a Health Educator, runner and Children’s Alopecia Project Representative located in Charlotte, NC. She loves inspiring others to go after all of their dreams & show the real meaning of beauty while educating on Alopecia. Questions we ask Lindsay include: How did you get your start in running? At age two your hair began falling out. Do you remember this time? As you grew up, you wrote that you noticed you were different and didn't feel worthy of love, happiness, or joy. What was this like for you? It seems as though movement and being an athlete was a great outlet for you! Tell us about your experience with basketball and how that transitioned into running. What was it like for you to run races all over the country? What was the transition like from running wearing your wig to gaining the confidence to take it off? You are a fellow Oiselle runner, but enjoy to run on your own. What was your decision to join this community and how has this been for you? So...you ran 27 marathons before you turned 27...INCREDIBLE!!! What are some of your best memories from these races? Favorite/least favorite races? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? What advice do you have for runners who may feel as though they are “different” that others in the running community? Anything new or exciting in your future? What is currently making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self?

Tune into Kelsey and Adrienne Langlier, MA, LPC and Sports Psychologist, where we discuss the mental aspect of training and sports performance, handling mental burnout and techniques to improve your mindset in running. Adrienne began her work as a sport psychology consultant and counselor shortly after obtaining her Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology; pairing her background as a lifelong athlete with a passion for helping others become their best and strongest selves. Adrienne’s work is designed around the individual athlete’s unique needs, goals, and style; using a number of techniques to enhance performance and work through any difficulties an athlete or team may be facing. She is passionate about helping the athlete not only perform better, but develop lasting skills that generalize to all areas of life. She now calls The Woodlands, TX home and has served as an adjunct professor in the Kinesiology Department at Sam Houston State University.   A passionate runner, Adrienne regularly trains and competes when not working with athletes and is a two-time Local Elite Athlete for the Chevron and Aramco Houston Half Marathon in addition to being a multiple-time qualifier for the Boston Marathon and USA Triathlon (USAT) Age Group National Championships. She currently runs for the Houston Harriers racing team. When not working with athletes or competing, she can often be found volunteering in the local athletic community.  Questions: How did you get your start in running? During graduate school you became more “serious of a runner.” What does being a serious runner mean to you? And what was this experience like? How do you find racing and training connect you with others? Please tell us about how you got into the field of sport and performance psychology. Everyone is unique, but do you find that there are some overarching techniques that most athletes can use? If so, what are they? You mention that you love doing imagery and relaxation with your clients. Would you mind describing these tools to our listeners? What are some of the benefits of working with a sport psychology consultant? How does sport and performance psychology help outside of sport? How can I deal with mental burnout?  What is currently making you thrive? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? How can readers/listeners connect with you?

We interview Ann Mazur, founder of Runner's Love Yoga! Ann is a 200 hour ERYT with Yoga Alliance. She is also a serious runner, who specialized in the 5k/10k while running for the University of Notre Dame.  Ann earned her Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Virginia in 2014. While in her graduate program, she taught more than 570 yoga classes while continuing to run and race.  She believes her training and background in English literature helps her communicate more effectively as a yoga teacher. Ann is very happy to be able to pursue both a career in academia and her goal of bringing more yoga to the running community!  Questions we ask Ann include: How did you get your start in running? You specialize in the 5k and 10k, but have also dabbled in some half and full marathons. Do you have a favorite distance? In your marathon training you are a fan of low mileage? What is your reasoning behind this? Going back to college (for our many listeners who are currently competing in college), what was your collegiate running experience like? Congrats on earning your PhD in English! Would you mind telling us why you decided to pursue this degree? How do you find that yoga and running are intertwined? What are your recommendations for runners who want to begin to incorporate yoga into their training? (already kind of asked this)... Favorite poses? What was your desire behind creating Runners Love Yoga? Can you further elaborate on RLY and what it is (for those who don’t know)? Where do you envision RLY heading in the future? What is currently making you thrive? What does being a Strong Runner / Yoga Chick mean to you? How can listeners connect with you? Links Mentioned: http://www.runnersloveyoga.com/ IG: @runnersloveyoga Discount codes: Apparel and DVD shop: SRC15 for 15% off! Streamable yoga workouts: SRC15 will get you 15% off the most recent yoga bundle: “Lengthen and Strengthen Legs + Core and More Yoga”

In this episode with the other half of 2FabFitChicks, Ashley Jensen, we dive into her collegiate running experience, balancing training with hard work weeks, longevity in the sport, overcoming self-doubt and dreaming big. Ashley Jensen is a former Division I runner for Providence College and the University of Southern California. She is currently working with coach Ray Tracey, has won six trail races this past fall and set two course records. Her greatest running achievement to date was placing 5th at the 2015 Xterra World Championships 21k.  Questions we ask Ashley include: How did you get your start in running? You ran cross country and track at both Providence College and the University of Southern California. What was this experience like? What did you major in? What was your transition from high school to college like? When did you know you need a break from running? When did you know when you were ready to come back? Your events included the steeplechase, 5k and 10k. I am wondering if you would mind expanding on the steeplechase. We haven’t had many others on the podcast aside from Megan! In talking about steeplechase and Xterra races, what would you say draws you to these races? Now that you are no longer running in college you have had the opportunity to run a variety of different races. Do you have a favorite distance, race or event? How do you balance 80+ weeks with your full-time job? What has been your biggest lesson in running? What does the future of 2fabfitchicks hold? Next race? What is currently making you thrive? What would you achieve your longevity in this sport to? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick/fabfit chick mean to you? How can listeners connect with you? Memorable quotes/themes: Believing in yourself Handling self-doubt: “Put the [doubt] demons to bed… you’ve put the work in, you’ve hit the long runs, you’ve had the buildup… it’s about believing you belong there.”  Dreaming big and setting reach goals: “Don’t limit yourself. You still can hit those PR’s and the opportunities can still keep coming.” Keys to longevity in the sport: fueling your body (food), sleep, knowing when to take a break and always being honest with your coach.

We interview Gina Lucrezi, founder of a women's online running community called Trail Sisters! Gina’s roots stem from short distances on the track, but after a few wild jaunts on the trails she was convinced to trade in her beloved speedy flat asphalt for rugged desolate mountain terrain. Her proudest achievements include a 5th place finish at the highly competitive CCC 100k, completing the Western States Endurance Run (100 miles), winning a USA Track & Field 10k Trail Champion title, and being awarded a 10 time NC-double A All-American while in college (including one NCAA National Title). Off the trail, Gina has spent 10 years working in the outdoor industry with a focus in the marketing arena. Gina's athletic and work experiences were the reason she was compelled to start a women's trail running online journal: TrailSisters.net! Questions we ask Gina include: How did you get your start in running? What was the transition like from running on the track to the trails? What are some main differences between road running and trail running? What advice do you have for strength training to avoid injuries while trail running? Have you worked through injuries in your career? Tell us about your experience running the Western States Endurance run! Do you train for most of these races alone? What role does community play in training? How did you create Trail Sisters and what was your mission behind this? Take us back to when you first started… Listener question from Chelsie: First off, she wants to say a giant thank you for all the work you’ve done! Chelsie says, “As a female runner just getting into trail running, Trail Sisters is everything to me.” She is also curious: is Trail Sisters different now from how you envisioned it to be? Anything new and exciting in your life currently? What’s making you thrive? What advice would you give your younger self? What does being a Strong Runner Chick / Trail Sister mean to you? How can listeners connect with you? Special thanks to InsideTracker, a biomarker performance testing system and one of our SRC Retreat sponsors. Use the code "SRC" for 10% off your first test!