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Social Sport

Social Sport

By Emma Zimmerman

On Social Sport, Emma Zimmerman features conversations with endurance athletes of all types committed to fostering social change. The athletes she speaks with are climate change activists, mental health advocates, and promoters of more inclusive outdoor spaces. Through Social Sport, she shares the stories and thoughts of people who explore the connection between sport and activism in their lives.
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Episode 23: Rosalie Fish on running for missing and murdered indigenous women

Social Sport Jul 27, 2020

00:00
43:19
#81 - Caela Fenton on media representations of women distance runners

#81 - Caela Fenton on media representations of women distance runners

Caela Fenton is a doctoral candidate in English at the University of Oregon. Her research lies primarily in cultural studies of sport, utilizing feminist approaches to consider gender equity in sport industry, as well as digital iterations of physical culture. Her academic work has appeared in The International Journal of the History of Sport, Narrative, and Aethlon. Her journalistic work has appeared in Canadian Running Magazine, iRun, and The XC. Most recently, she served on the communications team at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials. In this episode, we discuss social media as it relates to professional athletics, gendered expectations, and capitalism. We also discuss representations of women distance runners throughout time and in various forms of media. Caela blows Emma's mind multiple times, and she will likely blow your mind, too! 

Discussed in this episode:

--Running, Identity, and Meaning by Neil Baxter

--Athlete identity crises

--Perdita Felicien 

--Sarah Banet-Weiser and brand culture

--Women runners and self-representation over Instagram

--Fetishization of female runners’ bodies

--Heather Caplan on Social Sport

--Colleen Quigley's Instagram post on pulling out of Olympic Trials

--Allie Ostrander's video on beginning eating disorder treatment

--Postfeminism

--Once a Runner by John L. Parker

--"Why I Loathe Once a Runner," Caela's article in Canadian Running

--Late Air by Jaclyn Gilbert

--Inadequate representation of Black women runners

--"Jogging Has Always Excluded Black People," but Natalia Mehlman Petrzela for NYTimes

--Risa Isard on Social Sport

--"Hayward Magic in the Era of Globalized Sport Culture"

--Coach Tom Heinonen

--The Passage series

Follow Caela: Twitter, Instagram

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Oct 18, 202101:05:54
#80 - Tom O'Keefe on Stride for Stride and making road races more diverse and accessible

#80 - Tom O'Keefe on Stride for Stride and making road races more diverse and accessible

Tom O'Keefe is a social impact entrepreneur, and the founder of Stride for Stride, Heart to Cart, and Bostontweet. 

Stride for Stride is a non-profit running organization that buys race bibs for immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income runners. Their goal is to make races more accessible and more diverse. Tom started Stride for Stride in 2018 after struggling to pay for race bibs and observing that most races lacked diversity - his assumption was that this was due, in part, to the high cost of entry. Since 2018, Stride for Stride has grown to over 60 avid runners from over a dozen countries. They compete in everything from marathons to 5Ks, and even a 50-mile Ultra. All but two of their runners are immigrants representing the following countries; Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Nigeria, and the United States, as well as Puerto Rico. 

Discussed in this episode:

--Boston globe article on Bostontweet

--Story of how Tom met his wife

--Rosie's Place

--Sid Baptista of PIONEERS Run Crew on Social Sport

--Black Men Run

--Black Girls Run

--Latinos Run

--Dominican Runners, NYC

--Heart to Cart

--Impact Video Group

--Donate here or text STRIDE to 44321

Quotes:

--“Races are the only sport where you’re running with the best of the best—the professionals, like Meb and Shalane. There is no other sport where you’re competing with them; you can’t play football with Tom Brady. The same thing goes for wage inequity. A CEO makes 258 times what the average employee makes, which is awful, but if those two guys run the same race, the employee could beat the CEO. How empowering is that?”

--“When you finish a race, you’re high-fiving everyone. That’s all you care about—that you ran. You’re just so happy for yourself and for everyone else. Nothing else matters at that point. You’re not thinking about politics or how much money you made…It changed my life, and I think it can change so many others.”

Follow Tom: Twitter, Instagram

Follow Stride for Stride: Twitter, Instagram

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Oct 12, 202155:40
#79 - Risa Isard on the limits of Title IX and an intersectional approach to equity in sports

#79 - Risa Isard on the limits of Title IX and an intersectional approach to equity in sports

Risa Isard is a sports industry veteran and policy expert. She specializes in advancing equity with and for girls and women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and others in and through sport. Her career in the sports industry spans professional and college sports, sports policy, and nonprofit thought leadership. She has developed partnerships with professional ninja athletes, hosted Billie Jean King in an on-stage conversation, directed the premier national event for increasing access to youth sports, co-authored and edited foundational research reports, established community-based partnerships to support sport leaders across the country, launched a first-of-its-kind online portal for community leaders, founded a farmer’s market at professional baseball games, run a baseball league for people with special needs, hosted a celebrity soccer challenge, authored fortune cookies, and more. She is the former associate director of thought leadership for national nonprofit KABOOM!, former project director for the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, and former community relations coordinator for a minor league baseball team. She’s also been on staff at Brandi Chastain’s nonprofit organization, Duke University women’s basketball, and the Phoenix Mercury. Risa has presented at South by Southwest (SXSW), Spotlight: Health at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Surgeon General’s Innovation Summit, the University of Pennsylvania's Law School Sports Symposium, the North American Society for Sport Management, and elsewhere. She has written for Sports Business Journal, AdWeek, Global Sport Matters, Quartz, espnW and elsewhere. Risa graduated cum laude from Duke with a specialized degree in “Social Change at the Intersection of Culture, Gender, and Sports,” simultaneously receiving honors for her original research thesis on the pre-history and early years of Title IX (1969-1975). A long-time advocate of using sports for social change, Risa is a Research Fellow in the Laboratory for Inclusion and Diversity in Sport at UMass, where she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Sport Management from the Isenberg School of Management. 

Quotes:

--“This is definitely not sport-specific. Racial bias has long been documented in men’s sports. There is less documentation, but no less convincing evidence, that it happens in women's sports as well. It can manifests in a number of different ways. It can be about the attention athletes get, it can be about the kind of attention they get, and it can be about the language we use when we talk about athletes...Absolutely, racial bias is pervasive in and across sports, and in women’s sports."

--“Title IX has fixed things unequally when it comes to girls. Title IX has been excellent for white, middle-upper class girls like me. It has been a lot less effective at creating equity for Black girls, Latinx girls, girls of color broadly, and girls from low income communities. The gender gaps that exist in some communities are still quite pervasive…Title IX, at its best, ought to create a more equitable society for all girls, and it hasn’t done that yet.”

Follow Risa on Twitter: @RisaLovesSports

Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Newsletter

Oct 04, 202153:10
#78 - Tiara Williams on Real Talk, changing track and field media, and centering mental health

#78 - Tiara Williams on Real Talk, changing track and field media, and centering mental health

Tiara Williams is a former, Division I Texas Tech heptathlete and a track and field reporter. She was inspired to start the platform Real Talk in January of 2019 because she wanted to gain experience toward her dream career in sports broadcasting. She began to showcase track and field athletes in video interview segments, focusing not just on who they are as athletes, but also on who they are as people. In this episode, Tiara shares about her own struggles with mental health and why she values asking athletes about their mental health. Tiara also speaks candidly about changes she wants to see in track and field, what it means to be a young Black woman in sports broadcasting, and what she represents for Black girls who aspire to similar careers. 

Discussed in this episode:

--Tiara’s interview with Sha’Carri Richardson

--Connecting with athletes as real people

--Watching family members struggle with addiction

--Sports as an outlet for family struggles 

--Heptathlon

--Tiara's Texas Tech career

--Power dynamics in track and field reporting

--Asking athletes about mental health

--Post-college mental health struggles

--The connection between money and mental health

--The Magic Boost program

Quotes:

--“It means everything to me to be creative. It means everything. It means everything to know that young Black women are looking up to me. Young, high school Black girls are always in my DMs saying, ‘I want to be a sports broadcaster.’ It means everything to know that I am setting the standard that they will look up to.” -Tiara Williams

--“I like to ask athletes about mental health because we all deal with it. But we all cope with it in different ways. And you never know, your coping mechanism could help someone eles…we can all help each other.” -Tiara Williams

Follow Tiara on Intagram

Follow Real Talk on Instagram, Youtube 

Sep 20, 202145:45
#77 - Joanne "Coach P" McCallie: de-stigmatizing mental health is an endurance sport

#77 - Joanne "Coach P" McCallie: de-stigmatizing mental health is an endurance sport

Joanne P. McCallie ("Coach P") is a Mental Health Advocate and Hall of Fame DI basketball coach. With over 600 wins, she has coached at Maine, Michigan State, and Duke, earning National Coach of the Year in 2005. Coach P was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at age 30. After learning how to manage her mental health and continue winning as a coach, she decided to become a mental health advocate and speaker, sharing her story to inspire and educate others on how to "win without losing yourself." Through Coach P’s high energy speeches and leadership seminars, she engages, educates and inspires organizations with discussions on mental health, sports, faith, and leadership.

Even though Coach P's past lies in basketball, her recent work is applicable to athletes in all sports. In this episode, like any great coach, she challenges us to think about mental health in unique ways. At the same time, she allows Emma to challenge her and ask difficult questions regarding her tenure in coaching and the accessibility of mental health resources. Her willingness to continue being challenged, while challenging and coaching others, reinforces her forever title: Coach P for Life!

Discussed in this episode:

--Coach P's decision to keep her diagnosis a secret

--Balancing a high-power career with mental health

--Stepping away from coaching

--Gender disparity in coaching contracts

--Duke Fuqua School of Business

--Secret Warrior book

--"Mental health impairment" vs "mental illness"

--Effect of athletes speaking more about their mental health (eg. Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles) 

--Bipolar disorder misconceptions

--Coach P's response to allegations of player mistreatment

--“Mental health impairments” and creativity

--Inaccessibility of mental health resources

--Race and ethnicity disparities in mental health resources

--Bosch TV series

--Ted Lasso TV series

--The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Quotes:

--“I’m into life and death now. Before it was wins and losses. This is a whole different ball game.” -Joanne P. McCallie

--“Sport communicates so many items that you can’t communicate in any other place—the inspiration, the work ethic, the talent of it, the craft of it…” -Joanne P. McCallie

--“We’ve got to look for life to be not what it is, but what it can be. What can life be? How good can it be?” -Joanne P. McCallie

--Follow Coach P: Website, Instagram, Twitter

--Follow Social Sport: Website, InstagramFacebook, Twitter 

--Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Sep 13, 202150:37
#76 - Lindsley Kump, founder of Womxn Who Move, on finding joy and inclusion in sport

#76 - Lindsley Kump, founder of Womxn Who Move, on finding joy and inclusion in sport

Lindsley Kump is a mama, wife, fur baby mom, field event marketing manager, trail runner, and the founder of Womxn Who Move. Originally from Hawaii, she has called Colorado home for 18 years now. Road running has been a key part of her life for almost 7 years now, and over the last year, she has transitioned into trail running. It's where her heart is; she finds she is happiest in nature and on the trails. With that being said, she believes a lot needs to change within the trail running community to be more diverse and inclusive for BIPOC runners.

In 2021, she started a new, all-inclusive community called Womxn_Who_Move, dedicated to empowering, encouraging, and inspiring womxn through movement.

Discussed in this episode:

--TransRockies Run

--Article on Carolyn Su at TransRockies Run

--Carolyn Su on Social Sport

--Womxn who Move and finding joy in movement

--Meg Flanagan on Social Sport

--Striking balance between building a platform and protecting your mental health

--Lindsley’s mantra: “be the energy”

--Safety for BIPOC trail runners, discussed by Lindsley in this Trail Runner article

--Moun10 Ultra

-Chasing joy in career changes

Quotes:

--“Fear, fear of not being seen and fear for my own safety, is a factor whenever I go out for a run. I’m always going to be fearful, but I try not to let that stop me from doing something. If you feel that joy, if trail running or hiking or anything brings you that joy, try to remember that. Try to remember how it makes you feel in that moment, to help you move past the fear.” -Lindsley Kump

--“Life really really is short. Don’t take things for granted. For a long time, I have been very comfortable and have taken a lot of things for granted. It made me realize that I needed to start pushing past my comfort zone and speaking up for things that were not right… I needed to start using my voice the best that I possibly could to stand up for things that were not okay, and I needed to start doing the things that I was passionate about.” -Lindsley Kump

Follow Lindsley on Instagram

Follow Womxn Who Move on Instagram

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Sep 06, 202158:12
#75 - Guarina Lopez on Indigenous sovereignty; running, biking, and storytelling on Native land

#75 - Guarina Lopez on Indigenous sovereignty; running, biking, and storytelling on Native land

Guarina Lopez (Pascua Yaqui) is a visual artist and storyteller using photography, film, and writing to share stories of this Native land, the Indigenous people, and the environment. She works at the intersections of Indigenous sovereignty, land and water rights, and colonial abolition. Much of her work is raising awareness about Native history, culture, art, and law as a way to elevate Indigenous stories beyond stereotypes to ground them in contemporary life. Guarina is also a runner, cyclist, and mother to a long-haired skater boy.

Discussed in this episode:

--Guarina’s letter in Trail Runner Magazine, and related discourse

--Dinée Dorame on Social Sport

--Hire Indigenous creatives!!

--NYTimes article, "The Racial Bias Built into Photography"

--White-centering of environmental movement

--Injustice and power dynamics in the biking community

--Women Run the Vote Relay 2021

--Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Quotes:

“What I was seeing from individual Native women cyclists, myself included, was that our relationship to the land was different from that of cyclists who are not Native. We have a different form of deference to the lands that we ride on, or ride with. I wanted to tell those stories.” -Guarina Lopez

“It’s not that we’re not out there, it’s not that we haven’t been on bikes, it’s that our stories have not been fore-fronted. Our stories have not been told. That makes me mad. We’ve been denied the opportunity to tell our stories.” -Guarina Lopez

Follow Guarina and her work:

--Personal Instagram

--This Native Land Instagram

--Native Women Ride Instagram

--Yaqui Rain Runner Instagram

--Modern Natives Personal Regalia Instagram

--Call Me By My Name Project Instagram

Follow Social Sport: Website, InstagramFacebook, Twitter 

Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Aug 30, 202101:00:07
#74 - Hannah Borenstein on Ethiopian women's distance running, and power dynamics in track and field

#74 - Hannah Borenstein on Ethiopian women's distance running, and power dynamics in track and field

Hannah Borenstein is a Ph.D. Candidate in Cultural Anthropology at Duke University. Her academic research is about women runners in Ethiopia navigating a transnational athletics economy. Outside of academia, she writes primarily about the intersections of sports, race, gender, and labor politics. She speaks Amharic, can juggle, and loves to run.
Discussed in this episode:
--COVID experience in different countries
--Post-colonial feminist critique
--Power dynamics that elite Ethiopian distance-runners might face when dealing with male coaches, training partners, etc.
--Considerations involved in being a white woman from the US doing research in Ethiopia
--Firehiwot Dado, Hannah's friend and 2011 NYC Marathon champion
--Navigating dual roles as friend, teammate, and researcher
--Hannah's Fansided Article on Pan-Africa-USA International Track Meet
--The complexity of track and field when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion
--The injustices of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics games
--Female classifications/testosterone rule in Olympic track events: 400m to 1500m
--Hannah's World Athletics article on women runners from Ethiopia's Tigray region
--Hannah's article, The Long Run
--Alison Wade's Bookshop page on books on women's distance running
--The White Lotus
Follow Hannah: Website, Twitter
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Aug 23, 202159:31
#73 - Kate Seary and Mhairi Maclennan on Kyniska Advocacy and policy change to protect athletes

#73 - Kate Seary and Mhairi Maclennan on Kyniska Advocacy and policy change to protect athletes

The mission of Kyniska Advocacy is to create a sporting world that celebrates, protects, and respects women in sport. They advocate for progressive policies in women’s sport, enacting change one campaign at a time.

Kate Seary, Co-Founder: Kate is an experienced Welsh International middle-distance runner. She has been competing in athletics since 2008. Passionate about improving the culture of women’s sport, Kate is tirelessly innovative, actively fighting for policy changes to better protect and support women. Kate has a background in government and working with policy. She began formally campaigning for a safer and more equitable sporting environment last year.

Mhairi Maclennan, Co-Founder: Mhairi is a Scottish and GB international athlete with immense talent over track, road, and cross country. She is a tenacious and fearless competitor and campaigner, with big goals in sight for all women in sport, at every level. Mhairi is a fierce defender of grassroots sport, believing it is vital that our young people are protected and supported to grow into passionate athletes that love the sport as much as she does.

Discussed in this episode:

--Why policy is important for creating healthier sport cultures

--Patriarchal history in sports and how it affects sports today

--Sports structure in the UK

--Abuse in sport

--Taking the onus off of abused athletes

--#ZeroToleranceUKA campaign

--Atalanta NYC

--Changing the narrative around puberty and girls’ trajectory in running

--Once a Runner by John L. Parker

--Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

--The Bold Type, tv series

Quotes:

“It is a minority of coaches and officials that are abusing athletes, but one abusive coach is too many. We’re trying to minimize the number of coaches that could abuse. The way Mhairi and I believe that needs to happen is through policy change.” -Kate Seary

“We hold victims up to ridiculous standards to convince everyone that what happened to them is true. That’s where the structural change needs to comes in to play. We need to have systems that protect victims when they come forward. We need to have people on hand to manage the trauma of admitting, to yourself and everybody else, what happened to you...” -Mhairi Maclennan

Follow Kyniska Advocacy: Instagram, Twitter

Follow Kate

Follow Mhairi

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Aug 16, 202101:03:41
#72 - Zahra Alabanza on outdoor adventure for healing and Black liberation

#72 - Zahra Alabanza on outdoor adventure for healing and Black liberation

Jul 19, 202153:11
#71 - Emma Gee, first openly LGBTQ+ athlete at BYU, on the performance enhancing benefits of being your authentic self

#71 - Emma Gee, first openly LGBTQ+ athlete at BYU, on the performance enhancing benefits of being your authentic self

*CW: this episode mentions suicidal ideation

National suicide prevention lifeline: 800-273-8255

Emma Gee is a queer Division 1 runner who competed for both Brigham Young University and Temple University. She recently completed her final collegiate track season at the NCAA Track & Field Championships by racing the 3000 meter Steeplechase. In April 2020, Emma graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Public Relations. She was the first LGBTQ+ athlete to come out publicly at BYU, and the only athlete to be out during her five years at school, an experience which Emma has written and spoken openly about. Emma is currently completing a masters degree at Temple University. 

On Instagram, Emma said: "I went from being a little closeted Mormon girl on a partial cross country scholarship, to becoming the first LGBTQ+ athlete to publicly come out at BYU, to qualifying for nationals and racing at NCAAs for the first and last time." Hers is a story of self-love, authenticity, and the benefits that come from being your true self. 

Discussed in this episode: 

--Unlearning childhood lessons

--Student stories regarding BYU's honor code, @honorcodestories

--Having a supportive, identity-affirming adult in your corner

--Emma's Instagram post on her presentation to senior athletic leadership at BYU

--NCAA Common Ground Initiative 

--Speaking out VS quietly taking care of your own mental health

--Navigating a public relationship

--Supporting a loved one’s sexuality and gender identity

--The importance of pronouns

Quotes:

"My relationship with myself is the most important relationship I’m ever going to have.” -Emma Gee

On pronouns and unlearning the binary: “do better honey.” -Emma Gee

Follow Emma Gee: Instagram, Twitter

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Jul 12, 202151:35
#70 - Chris Mosier on the 'Changing the Game' documentary and supporting transgender youth in sports

#70 - Chris Mosier on the 'Changing the Game' documentary and supporting transgender youth in sports

Chris Mosier is a trailblazing hall of fame triathlete, All-American duathlete, and a 6-time member of Team USA. In 2015 he became the first known transgender man to represent the United States in international competition, and was a catalyst for change for the International Olympic Committee policy on transgender athletes. He is also a 2x National Champion and the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympic Trials in any sport in a category different than their sex assigned at birth. He has devoted his life to fighting for transgender athletes’ rights and fair, inclusive policy. 

In this episode, Chris talks about the current moment we are in with so many bills on the table that attack transgender youth. We also talk about the documentary, Changing the Game, that Chris is the Executive Producer of. The film follows transgender high school athletes across the country as they compete at the top of their fields, while also challenging the boundaries and perceptions of fairness and discrimination.

Discussed in this episode:

--Transathlete.com

--Take action tab on transathlete.com (reach out to legislators)!!

--Gender-affirming healthcare

--The inherent harm in the phrase “protect girls’ sports”

--AP article: lawmakers fail to be able to cite any example of transgender athletes in sports being a problem

--Women’s Sports Foundation statement: "Let us be clear, there are many real threats to girls’ and women’s access and opportunity in sports; however, transgender inclusion is not one of them." 

--Watch Changing the Game on Hulu 

--Particular struggles that Black transgender kids face

--Sha’Carri Richardson and scrutiny of Black women athletes

Quote: 

“This is not a partisan issue. And while it’s been made out to be a partisan issue, my identity should not be political. The identity of these kids should not be political. We’re talking about basic human rights, dignity, respect, and opportunity--like every other kid has--to play the sports they love, to be their authentic selves, and to have a childhood and experience in school that is like that of their peers. That is not a political issue.” -Chris Mosier

Follow Chris: Website, Instagram, Twitter

Follow Changing the Game: Instagram

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Jul 05, 202131:21
#69 - Lynn Mattix on Fund Her Tri and sharing the healing nature of sport

#69 - Lynn Mattix on Fund Her Tri and sharing the healing nature of sport

Lynn Mattix is a wife, mom, USAF veteran, military spouse, age-grouper in triathlon, and the founder of Fund Her Tri

Fund Her Tri is a nonprofit that pursues equality in triathlon, breaks down the financial barrier & makes triathlon more accessible to women & girls. The Fund Her Tri team raises money to pay race registration fees for first-time, female triathletes. Lynn says, "In an effort to grow the participation of women in the sport of triathlon, I wanted to start an organization that provides financial resources to first-timers. My professional background is in aviation so starting a nonprofit is outside my comfort zone, but if triathlon has taught me anything, it's that I'm capable of far more than I ever dreamed possible. I have been doing triathlons for 10 years and I hope to continue doing it forever. The sport has changed my life in the best way." 

Discussed in this episode:

--Lynn's experience with teenage pregnancy and why she speaks openly about it

--Open adoption

--Military careers

--"Addictive personalities" and endurance sports

--Barriers to entry for women in triathlon

--Vanessa Foerster on the Social Sport podcast

--How gender interacts with other marginalized identities to increase barriers to entry in triathlon

--Outspoken Women in Triathlon's Bethany Rutledge Memorial Award

--Untamed by Glennon Doyle

--Turia Pitt, 2016 IRONMAN World Championships

Quotes:

"When women are loving themselves, you can see it. We’re unstoppable. It’s wonderful. I basically just wanted to share that with as many people as possible.” -Lynn Mattix

“I want [my daughter] to understand that this is how we live. We live in a way that gives to others.” -Lynn Mattix

Follow Lynn 

Follow Fund Her Tri

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Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Jun 28, 202101:00:52
#68 - Lucy Bartholomew on sustainability, body image, and being a positive role model for young athletes

#68 - Lucy Bartholomew on sustainability, body image, and being a positive role model for young athletes

Lucy Bartholomew is a 25-year-old living in Melbourne Australia who runs professionally for Salomon Running. She joined the sport of ultra trail running at age 15, when she ran 100km with her Dad. Her accolades have included setting the course record at the Ultra-Trail Australia Championship and claiming a third-place finish at the 2018 Western States 100-mile race. Recently, she also set the fastest known time on the Larapinta Trail. Lucy says, "I love the nature, the community, the challenges and the resilience that this sport provides.. okay, and all the food you get to eat too!"

Discussed in this episode:

--Larapinta Trail

--Lucy's Larapinta Trail recap post

--Lucy's recent quote on body image in Runner's World 

--Body positivity vs. body neutrality

--Many different forms of sustainability 

--Sustain plant-based cookbook

--Lucy and her watermelon 

--The Lost Art of Running: A Journey to Rediscover the Forgotten Essence of Human Movement by Shane Benzie and Tim Major 

--Quote: “I surround myself with people who support me and don’t pressure me to be anything different. I’ve learned that if you do anything with confidence, ANYTHING—if you wear a new hairstyle with confidence, if you wear a new t-shirt with confidence, or if you say you don’t drink alcohol with confidence—people will say, ‘oh wow, she owns that.’”

--Follow Lucy on Instagram

--Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Jun 21, 202151:45
#67 - Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: transgender athletes' rights and support from the running community

#67 - Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: transgender athletes' rights and support from the running community

Featuring Vic Thasiah, Executive Director of Runners for Public Lands.

Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah is a monthly series on the Social Sport Podcast. Each month, Emma Zimmerman and co-host, Kamilah Journét, bring you a no-filter conversation at the intersection of endurance sports and social change. In other words, we cut to the chase.

In this episode, we talk about the recent wave of anti-trans bills, transgender athletes' rights, and support for transgender athletes from the running community. We speak with Vic Thasiah, Executive Director of Runners for Public Lands (RPL), about the recent statement released by RPL and the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, in support of transgender youth. This statement sets a strong example for the rest of the running community and other athletic communities when it comes to publicizing support for transgender youth in sports. 

Discussed in this episode:

--Map and Lists of states with anti-trans bills passed or introduced

--Take action against anti-trans bill, information on transathlete.com/take-action

--30% of trans girls reported having attempted suicide

--Harm faced by trans kids intersects with race: learn more from National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition

--Using language: “being united,” rather than “taking a stand”

--Call to action—what you can do to support transgender youth athletes

--Trans athlete-activists' social media accounts to follow: @thechrismosier @pinkmantaray @athleteally

Quotes:

--“Any risk that comes from being united with people to support transgender youth is such a small risk when compared with the riskiness of being transgender in the United States right now.” -Vic Thasiah

--“Hopefully, we can get conversation going so that it’s harder and harder to pass this legislation and then, in the future, virtually impossible to pass anti-transgender youth legislation. I think, because running is a sport that can involve so many young people across the country, it really is a good place to have this conversation.” -Vic Thasiah

--Follow Runners for Public Lands, Running Industry Diversity Coalition, Kamilah Journét, Emma Zimmerman

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Jun 14, 202144:23
#66 - Liz "Snorkel" Thomas, the "thru-hiking legend," on expanding outdoor access through writing and urban-hiking

#66 - Liz "Snorkel" Thomas, the "thru-hiking legend," on expanding outdoor access through writing and urban-hiking

Liz Thomas is a professional hiker, speaker, and outdoor writer who held the women’s self-supported speed record on the 2,181-mile long Appalachian Trail from 2011-2015. Called a "thru-hiking legend" by Outside Magazine, Liz has also hiked 20+ long distance trails including the Triple Crown of Hiking (AT, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail) and first known traverses of the Wasatch Range and Chinook Trail. Her innovative urban thru-hikes of 14 cities led The Guardian to call her “The Queen of Urban Hiking.” Liz is a former staff writer for the New York Times/Wirecutter and current Editor-in-Chief for the outdoor web-magazine Treeline Review as well as contributing editor and columnist of “Ask a Thru-hiker” for Backpacker Magazine. She's the author of Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-hike, which received the 2017 National Outdoor Book Award for Best Instructional book with judges calling it destined to become the “Bible of the Sport.”

Discussed in this episode: 

--Barriers to entry in thru-hiking

--The story of how Liz got her trail name, Snorkel

--Urban thru-hiking

--The ALDHA West video on Liz's Seattle urban hike

--How urban settings interact with redlining, race, class, gender, etc.

--The Trust for Public Land

--NYC playgrounds thru-hike

--Inman 300 trail

--Sign petition to support the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act

--Truffle Pigs Bistro

--Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

--Quote: “I had spent a lot of unnecessary money and pain learning about thru-hiking the hard way, and yet, thru-hiking had still changed my life and rewired me into a much more emotionally stable and happier person… I really wanted to share that joy with others while also minimizing the barriers to entry that I experienced.”

--Follow Liz: www.eathomas.com or @lizthomashiking.

--–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

Jun 07, 202148:48
#65 - Sabrina L. De La Cruz on Angel City Elite and inspiring the next generation of BIPOC runners

#65 - Sabrina L. De La Cruz on Angel City Elite and inspiring the next generation of BIPOC runners

Sabrina L. De La Cruz is an elite runner, Olympic Trials Qualifier, and co-founder of Angel City Elite, a running team with the mission to bridge the disparity gap of BIPOC representation in the running community. 

In this episode, we talk all about Angel City Elite, why representation is so important at the elite level, eating disorders and cultural beauty standards, and female athlete health. 

Discussed in this episode:

--Women’s Running article on Angel City Elite

--Angel City Elite's partnership with Brooks

--Starla Garcia on the Social Sport Podcast 

--Mexican American beauty standards vs stereotypical expectation of a "runner's body"

--Cultural identity as it interacts with eating disorders and body expectations 

--Sabrina's twin sister and their shared experience with eating disorders and body shame 

--Menstrual health for female athletes

--Running during pregnancy, and what Sabrina has learned from Aliphine Tuliumuk and other pro runners/mothers 

--Selena movie, series, and podcast

--Quote: “Running saved me; it shaped who I am, and it helped me attend college. I don’t think I would have attended college if it weren’t for running, because running helped me get a scholarship. I hope that Angel City Elite will connect with the younger generation and teach them that they can run and become educated as well.”

--Follow Sabrina on Instagram 

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

May 31, 202140:17
#64 - Sandy Namgung on speaking up against anti-Asian violence, and not letting racism win

#64 - Sandy Namgung on speaking up against anti-Asian violence, and not letting racism win

Sandy Namgung (she/her) is a five-time vegan and cruelty-free marathoner, writer, and social justice advocate based in Duwamish land (Seattle, WA).

As a Korean American woman, Sandy was frustrated by the lack of media attention regarding the significant increase of anti-Asian racism and violence during COVID-19. She began sharing and speaking up on Instagram about the racism, erasure, invisibility, and misogyny Asian communities continue to experience today, including within the running community.

Through her advocacy work and writing, Sandy continues to fight against the harmful casting of Asian Americans as “model minorities,” break stereotypes that dehumanize Asian women, and hopes to contribute to a new narrative that recognizes and values the diversity of Asian people and their full personhood.

Discussed in this episode:

--@Diversewerun Instagram account and Sandy’s feature

--Societal focus on athletes' body sizes

--Korean and American beauty standards and running

--The lack of media attention on the increase in anti-Asian violence at beginning of the pandemic

--Sandy's June 2020 Instagram post on running as a BIPOC athlete

--Mental health effects of racism

--Sandy’s Medium article, "Dear Allies and Antiracists, Where Are You?"

--The Model Minority Myth

--Cruelty-free veganism

--How to balance your physical and mental health with environmental/cruelty-free food values 

--“If I keep on not running [out of fear], if I keep denying myself this happiness, them I’m letting racism win. I’m letting hate win. That thought is what led me to start running again.” -Sandy Namgung

--Follow Sandy on Instagram

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

May 24, 202152:36
#63 - Sam Snyder, PhD, on where conservation, political organizing, and running intersect

#63 - Sam Snyder, PhD, on where conservation, political organizing, and running intersect

Sam is an organizer and a communicator with over a decade of experience leading environmental/conservation political campaigns in Alaska. He has worked on state and federal policy campaigns, as well as electoral efforts of ballot measures and campaigns for state legislature (notably his wife's successful run for Alaska State Legislature). In addition to his campaign work, he teaches "Civic Engagement" in the Center for Community Engagement and Learning at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and "Public Interest Communications" in the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications.

Snyder also leads Wild Salmon Center’s public engagement efforts in Alaska. Notably, he has helped coordinate high profile salmon conservation campaigns that include stopping Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, preventing the damming of the Susitna River, and a statewide ballot measure to update state fisheries laws. To balance it all he runs and skis as much as humanly possible. He lives, works, and plays on the unceded lands of the Dena’ina people (Anchorage, Alaska).

Discussed in this episode:

--Campaign to protect Bristol Bay

--Pebble Mine, one of the greatest threats to Alaskan salmon 

--Mini documentary on Sam

--United tribes of Bristol Bay

--53% of the global sockeye catch comes from Bristol bay

--Take action to stop the Pebble Mine: stoppebbleminenow.org 

--Recent episode of Social Sport, Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: People-centered environmentalism

--Jordan Daniel

--The Overstory by Richard Powers

--“We have to be willing to ask questions as runners. And it’s hard. A lot of runners say, ‘I want to keep my running politics-free.’ But I think the past year, in particular, has shown us that we can’t—to have running be politics-free is a position of privilege. It doesn’t have to inundate all of your running, but it’s worth pausing every now and then and asking a few questions before you continue on your way.” -Sam Snyder

--“Running inherently gives people a sense of home; it is one of the things that makes us human.” -Sam Snyder 

--Follow Sam on Instagram, Twitter

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

May 17, 202145:41
#62 - Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: people-centered environmentalism and where athletes fit
May 10, 202150:02
#61 - Savannah and Dallas Erdahl of OPE Running on handmade, sustainable, & ethical running apparel

#61 - Savannah and Dallas Erdahl of OPE Running on handmade, sustainable, & ethical running apparel

Savanah and Dallas Erdahl are the co-founders of OPE Running, which was born from a desire for ethically and sustainably-made running apparel that doesn't compromise on style and fun. Savannah and Dallas combined their passions to create OPE! Savannah's background is in apparel, previously a seamstress for a local designer, while designing and sewing as much as she could in her free time. Dallas is an avid runner with a deep love for the sport.

All of OPE's garments are made by HAND by Savannah, out of dead stock and recycled materials, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Discussed in this episode:

--The snowball effect of sustainability

--The True Cost documentary

--Issues with sustainability in the fashion industry

--The difference between dead-stock and recycled fabrics

--The saying “ope” and "Minnesota-speak"

--Artiken and Miir partnerships

--The Brave like Gabe Foundation

--“If you’re getting a t-shirt for five dollars, that cost is coming from somewhere. Someone is paying for that—the environment is paying for it, or people are paying for it with their labor. You’re not magically getting a five dollar shirt. Someone has to deal with the consequences. We want to see other brands own up to that cost.” -Dallas Erdahl

--“One of the greatest challenges for me was to be taken seriously in an industry that’s generally run by older, White men.” -Savannah Erdahl

--Follow OPE on Instagram 

-–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

May 06, 202154:19
#60 - Rahaf Khatib on communicating her worth as a covered Muslim American woman in running

#60 - Rahaf Khatib on communicating her worth as a covered Muslim American woman in running

Rahaf Khatib is a stay-at-home mom of 3; 11x marathon and 25x half marathon runner, 2x Sprint triathlete; First Syrian to Complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors; and was a top ten finalist in the 2015 Runners World cover search contest. Rahaf made headlines when she graced the cover of Women’s Running Magazine in October of 2016 as the first hijabi to appear on the cover of a fitness magazine. Rahaf has fundraised $16,000 for Syrian refugees, $6,000 for Brain Cancer in honor of her dear father, and $10,000 for Palestinian refugees in Jerusalem. Rahaf has been published in magazines such as Strong Fitness Magazine, Runners World,New Balance’s fall catalog, New York marathon catalog,  Times Weekly and Women’s Health Magazine. Rahaf co-created the Adidas hijab, was voted “Best health and Fitness account” by Buzzfeed news, and coached Girls on the Run in Michigan. She is a Level 1 RRCA certified Running Coach as well as a TED X speaker.

Discussed in this episode:

-- Post-partum depression

--Ending stereotypes of covered Muslim American women

--The burden of unpaid labor on BIPOC women

--Syrian American Rescue Network

--Persevering in the face of hate

--Rahaf’s Ramadan Challenge with Runkeeper

--Quote: “I always say, if you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story, and then turn your story into something bigger and something that matters. This is a quote that I live by, and my passion is shattering stereotypes about us, [covered Muslim American women],” -Rahaf Khatib

--Follow Rahaf on Instagram 

-–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

May 03, 202147:45
#59 - Robyn McGillis and Marie Davis Markham on Wildwood and empowering young, female runners

#59 - Robyn McGillis and Marie Davis Markham on Wildwood and empowering young, female runners

Wildwood Running, launched in 2020, aims to empower female runners in mind and body through leadership, confidence, relationships, and resiliency. It was founded by Robyn McGillis and Marie Davis Markham.  

Robyn McGillis was a competitive Track and Field and Cross Country runner at the high school and collegiate level. Competing for University of California (UC), San Diego, she was a national qualifier in the 800m and the mile relay. In 2000, Robyn completed her MBA at the University of Oregon. Robyn joined Central Catholic as an assistant Cross Country coach for the girls' team in 2013 and became the head coach in the fall of 2014. In 2014, Robyn led the RAMS to the Girls Cross Country District Championship and their first ever state meet berth. Robyn is also the current girls' distance coach for Track and Field beginning in 2014.  Robyn was named Mt. Hood Conference Women's "Coach of the Year" in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Robyn and her husband Jeff live in North Portland and have two kids, Ella and Nate. 

Marie Davis Markham has been running since an early age. She competed for the University of Oregon and ran post collegiately for the Nike Farm Team. After over a decade away from competitive running she joined her alma mater, Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon as an assistant Cross Country & Track & Field coach. She soon began important conversations called Girls Talk with high school girls around being strong in mind and body. In 2020 she co-founded Wildwood Running with Robyn McGillis. Together they are striving to support, teach & empower young girl distance runners and their coaches to be happy and healthy runners while focusing on being a whole person. 

Discussed in this episode: 

--Leadership Workshop 

--Changes in high school running culture 

--Mentorship program by Wildwood and Strong Runner Chicks 

--Girls Talk 

--Advice for coaches on bringing up hard topics with high school runners 

--Shop Wildwood swag

--McFarland USA 

--The Long Green Line 

--“When people have the confidence to understand who they are, and the belief that they’re important and they matter, then they can make change in the world. I think sport does that for a lot of people.”-Marie Davis Markham 

--“Success looks different for everybody. [Running] doesn’t have to be one-size fits all model. Otherwise, unhealthy behaviors come in that can impact your mental and physical health down the line.” -Robyn McGillis 

--Follow Wildwood on Instagram 

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

Apr 26, 202156:40
#58 - Rosie Cruz on athlete abuse at Loyola Marymount University and an "NCAA problem"

#58 - Rosie Cruz on athlete abuse at Loyola Marymount University and an "NCAA problem"

CW: This episode mentions eating disorders, psychological abuse, and attempted suicide 

Rosie Cruz has exhibited immense strength and bravery in sharing her story, and the entire story of psychological abuse, enabled disordered eating, and physical and emotional harm in the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Cross Country and Track programs. This story is not new. We’ve heard it before. It carries different names every time—Nike Oregon Project, Wesleyan University, University of Arizona, etc. There is a problem in the sport of distance running, and especially in the NCAA. Only through strong voices like Rosie's can we push for systemic change.   

Rosie is a Division I cross country and track runner for Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a senior studying Political Science and Women's Studies, and currently works as a legislative aide for Colorado State Representative, Lindsey Daugherty. Rosie is passionate about running, politics, social justice, and being outdoors.

Discussed in this episode:

--Rosie's open letter about abuse in LMU program, March 26th

--Rosie's open letter to the NCAA, March 27th 

--32:04: the term "ghost pains" and minimizing women's pain

--35:05: social media stalking and manipulation 

--44:50: “When you talk about abuse, people don’t believe you unless you have bruises on you. I have had to go through these stories time and time again and people are still justifying [the abuse]. Because psychological abuse isn’t a thing that you can see; it’s something you carry with you.”

--49:07: "The one thing I want from this is a community of people who can envision change, demand it, and keep pushing the sport in the right direction.”

--54:02: Systemic problems within the structure of the NCAA

--Follow Rosie: Instagram, Twitter

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Apr 19, 202101:07:46
#57 - Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: "Social Media Holidays"

#57 - Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah: "Social Media Holidays"

National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Women's History Month, Black History Month, International Women's Day, Earth Day, you know: those "holidays." For lack of a better term, we call these days and months "social media holidays." After all, they carry heavy social media presences. And in the first ever episode of Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah, we unpack them. We go beyond the mirror selfies and iPhone panoramas. We ask: What are the pros and cons of these holidays? How do they connect to sports? What do they represent for folks of marginalized identities? And where do they fall short? 

Discussed in this episode:  

--National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Women's History Month, Black History Month, International Women's Day, Earth Day, Trans Visibility Day. Note: in the episode, Emma said Earth Day is coming up on April 2nd; she meant April 22nd! 

--11:41: how identity affects the ways in which we engage with these holidays 

--14:38: what were these holidays before Instagram?

--20:32: March Madness and Women's History Month 

--24:17: marketing ploys or good values? 

--27:18: social media as a tool for activism 

--29:48: GOAT and gendered athlete titles 

--36:45 celebrating NGWSD while recognizing the inequality that still exists 

--46:00 calls to action --VICE article, "12 Environmental Justice Organizations," 

--NYTimes article “She Wants to Kill the Girlboss”

--Follow Kamilah, Follow Emma 

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Apr 12, 202150:46
TEASER Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah

TEASER Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah

There's a new series on the Social Sport Podcast! On "Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah," writer and Social Sport host, Emma Zimmerman, is joined by writer, marketing-strategist, and intersectional-environmentalist-extraordinaire, Kamilah Journet. Each month, Emma and Kamilah sit down for a no-filter conversation around the intersection of endurance sports and social change. We're aiming for no bows, no frills; just honest and important conversations. Join us as we cut to the chase!
Apr 09, 202103:45
Episode 56: Indra Hayre, diversity & inclusion consultant, model, and founder of Inclu-SKI-vity

Episode 56: Indra Hayre, diversity & inclusion consultant, model, and founder of Inclu-SKI-vity

Indra Hayre is a Vancouver local, born and raised in the suburbs but has spent her adult life in the city and its' mountains. She works full time for Arc'teryx and is a freelance Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Model on the side. She advocates for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life, and in 2020, founded Inclu-SKI-vity

Through Inclu-SKI-vity, she elevates the voices of traditionally marginalized groups in the snow sport community through sharing interviews.  Additionally, she creates programming geared to breaking down barriers to entry for marginalized folx, focusing on creating psychological safety and subsidizing costs.

Discussed in this episode:

--6:20: the ski community was built upon wealth and money

--Psychological safety 

--12:35: Financial barriers to entry in skiing

--Good gear auction 

--Colour the Trails 

--Indigenous Women Outdoors 

--16:47: gender and race power dynamics in sport industries (ski shops, bike shops, etc.)

--20:13: the beginning of inclu-SKI-vity

--BIWOC (black, indigenous, and women of color)

--34:25: straddling THE line between balance and burnout

--37:08: merging diversity and inclusion work with modeling

--How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa

Quotes:

--“I would have never thought that I wasn’t good at these things until people questioned, or were surprised by, my ability. Because I was a woman, or because I was a woman of color, they unconsciously assumed my ability level and then were surprised when I surpassed that low bar they set for me. I don’t think I ever thought I wasn’t good at these things, or that I couldn’t be good, until people were surprised by my presence and the way I took up space.”

--“I never want other young Indian kids to not think that they’re beautiful, or to think that they don’t belong somewhere. I don’t want them to think that the hair on their arms is a flaw. I want them to move through life a lot easier than I did, and I think a lot of that comes down to representation.”

--Follow Indra

--Follow Include-SKI-vity

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running, an ethical running apparel company. Use code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 15% off your order. 

Apr 05, 202148:58
Episode 55: The Philadelphia Distance Run, with Andy Kucer and C.C. Tellez

Episode 55: The Philadelphia Distance Run, with Andy Kucer and C.C. Tellez

Andy Kucer is the Executive Director of Students Run Philly Style and a passionate advocate for empowering youth through running and mentorship. He is also on the board of directors for the Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR).

C.C. Téllez is an openly lesbian distance runner from La Paz, Bolivia, currently living in Philadelphia. She is the founder of Lez Run Running Club, the Co-Race Director of the Philly Pride Run, ambassador for Athlete Ally and 261Fearless, and Associate Director of LGBTQ+ Programming for Students Run Philly Style. 

The Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR) is a historically iconic race, for amateur and elite runners alike. It was a mainstay on the Philadelphia streets from 1978 to 2009, until it changed hands and name. In fall of 2021, it is back and better than ever. The return of the PDR will include free bibs for low-income runners, having non-binary prize money match male and female prize money, and prioritizing minority owned vendors. 

Discussed in this episode: 

--Runners World article about Students Run Philly Style

--Critical mentoring: a Practical Guide by Torie Weiston-Serdan

--C.C.'s first episode on Social Sport

--Caster Semenya

Quotes: 

--"𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁—𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲? 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗮 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.” -Andy Kucer

--“𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗪𝗲, 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀. 𝗪𝗲’𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀… 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.” -C.C. Tellez

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Mar 22, 202159:25
Episode 54: Mary Lytle, cofounder of Radical Adventure Riders, on challenging the gender binary

Episode 54: Mary Lytle, cofounder of Radical Adventure Riders, on challenging the gender binary

Mary Lytle (she/they) is the co-founder of Radical Adventure Riders (RAR), a queer cat mom, visual artist, organizer, and adventure cyclist based in Portland, OR. She is passionate about using her skills as an illustrator to represent and connect cycling communities. Mary’s desire to connect the community around bicycles stems from their days of running a small hot dog stand on the Little Miami Bike Trail in Loveland, Ohio and feeding the cyclocross community at regional events. While design is Mary’s main gig, she enjoys working part-time for small independent brands that focus on creative design in the cycling industry. She currently works for SIM Works USA. On her days off, she loves to fuel herself with vegan snacks while meandering dirt roads in the PNW with friends.

Founded in 2017, Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) mission is moving towards enhancing gender inclusivity and racial equity in the bicycle and outdoor adventure scene. RAR does this by providing connection, education, resources, and support for the community and industry.

Discussed in this episode:

--Multnomah people, original inhabitants of Portland, Oregon

--Fakequity

--13:00: discrimination in the cycling industry 

--17:21: the pros and cons of labels 

--Renee hutchens on social sport podcast

--Annual Get Rad be Radical publication, edited by Molly Sugar

--History of WTFN-B illustrated poster 

--RAR Gravel program

--Cycling Industry Pledge (CIP)

--Guiding Principles of Disability Justice on Sins Invalid Blog, created with consultation and guidance from Mary Ann Thomas and Izzy Sederbaum

--SJ Brooks scholarship

--34:34: moving beyond gender binary in art

Quote:

“We’re ready to change with the (adventure sport) community. The community is always changing. We want to hear from them and grow with them, and we’re ready for feedback. We still have a lot of work to do to represent more gender identities and lift up more BIPOC voices. So we want to see what comes next, and what else is needed in the community, as we move forward.”

--Follow RAR: Instagram 

--Follow Mary: @maryroselytle @maryroselytleart

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Mar 15, 202144:38
Episode 53: Dinée Dorame on living her values as a Navajo woman in sports media

Episode 53: Dinée Dorame on living her values as a Navajo woman in sports media

Dinée Dorame is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and a self-identified running nerd. She was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM (on Tiwa ancestral lands). She graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in 2015 and worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale for three years before moving back to New Mexico. She currently works as the Associate Director of College Horizons, a national college access program providing admission and financial aid workshops for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian high school students and families. Most recently, she became the founder, host, and producer of the Grounded Podcast, which explores the connection of running, community, land, and culture.  

Discussed in this episode:

--Tiwa ancestral lands

--Lenape ancestral lands

--Dinée's personal essay in Runner's World

--Safety as physical, mental, and spiritual

--Underrepresentation of Native students in higher education

--18:58: The importance of running in Navajo traditions

--23:23: what running means to Dinée

--Leroy Silva on Grounded Podcast

--36:45: food sovereignty and sports nutrition 

--Starla Garcia on Social Sport Podcast

43:46: what Dinée has learned from hosting Grounded Podcast

--Runners World article featuring Dinée, by Taylor Dutch

--57:00: Dinée and I geek out over Gilmore girls and pitch a podcasters' Gilmore Girls trivia tournament

Quotes: 

--"Storytelling is a cultural value for me as a Navajo person. How can I help other people tell their story? How can I tell my story? Because I’m also a native woman, and I’m worthy of that space. And how can I help my dad, my mom, and my family tell their story?”

--“For me [sports podcasting] is about being myself.  I definitely use words like activist or feminist or environmentalist, but I try to avoid them, to be honest. Because for me, those are things that are baked into my own values. As a native person, I’m just taught to be community- minded. If you’re community-minded, you’re always thinking: if someone is giving something to me, what am I giving to them?”

--"I go for a run and I know exactly where I am. I remember who I am and whose land I am grateful to be on at that time. And I can be with so many members of my family, both who are here, and who have passed on. For me, that’s what makes [running] so powerful.”

--Follow Dinée on Instagram

--Follow Grounded Podcast on Instagram 

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Mar 08, 202101:05:03
Episode 52: Garrick Chan, Founder of Asian Athlete Spotlight, on fighting racism and stereotypes

Episode 52: Garrick Chan, Founder of Asian Athlete Spotlight, on fighting racism and stereotypes

Garrick Chan is a former XC runner for San Jose State University. He currently competes at the sub-elite level, representing the brands Rabbit and Honey Stinger, and training with Wolfpack Running Club in the California Bay Area. In the fall of 2020, Garrick founded the Asian Athlete Spotlight Instagram page. On Asian Athlete Spotlight, he features Asian and Asian American athletes at all levels of all sports. His goal is to eradicate stereotyping and mistreatment of Asian Athletes. It is no secret that, over the past year, there has been an increase in racist speech and violence targeted at Asian Americans. So this topic, while always important, is especially crucial right now. Garrick was so brave to talk about some of the racism and stereotyping he has faced as an Asian American athlete, a topic which he has written about as well. I cannot wait to watch Asian athlete Spotlight continue to grow.

Discussed in this episode: 

--Diverse We Run Instagram account 

 --Carolyn Su on Social Sport Podcast  

--Garrick’s article, "The Running Stories that are Hard to Tell" 

--Jeremy Lin and "Linsanity" 

--Asian Athletes for Impact  

--Picture of Garrick crossing the finish line of his first sub-16 minute 5k

 --Wolfpack Running Club 

Quote:  “I always ask, what does society need to do in order to make an Asian athlete comfortable? Each athlete will come up with their own answer, and that’s what makes each feature unique. Some of the [features] that speak to me are the ones that say, ‘people need to stop making assumptions, instead, they need to ask questions and be a friend.’” 

--Follow Garrick 

--Follow Asian Athlete Spotlight 

--Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter  

--Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Mar 01, 202141:22
Episode 51: Grayson Murphy and David Roche are rockstars: environmentalism and coaching the whole person

Episode 51: Grayson Murphy and David Roche are rockstars: environmentalism and coaching the whole person

Grayson Murphy is a professional trail and road runner for Saucony, whose many accolades include first-place finishes at the 2019 U.S Mountain Running, World Mountain Running, and XTERRA Trail Run World Championships. She graduated from the University of Utah in the spring of 2018 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and 5x All-American honors at the NCAA D1 level. Aside from her pro running career, Grayson is currently pursuing her Masters in Sustainability and Natural Resources from Oregon State University. She trains in beautiful Bozeman, Montana under the coaching of David Roche and the SWAP (Some Work All Play) team. 

David Roche is the 2014 USATF Trail Runner of the Year at the sub-ultra distance. He is a two-time national champion and three-time member of Team USA. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Environmental Science and received a master's degree and law degree from Duke University. Today, he continues to work as a staff attorney with the Environmental Law Institute. David started the SWAP (Some Work All Play) team in 2013, "with the premise that he could help athletes learn to live like puppies and run like rockstars while not giving a f#ck about things that aren't important." One of his main goals of the future is to do whatever he can to support athlete-activists like Grayson.

Discussed in this episode:

--Supporting an elite athlete with a variety of interests

--Mental health and Grayson’s blog post on "brain sprains"

--Grayson’s planners

--SWAP podcast with David and Megan Roche

--Running as a celebration of life

--Ted Lasso show

--26:12: David flipping the interviewer-interviewee tables on me

--31:00: Grayson and David's environmental work

--Protect our Winters (POW)

--Forest Service Council

--38:20: David’s pro bono work and Inuit Circumpolar Council

--Editor of trail runner mag, Zoë on the Social Sport Podcast

--44:00: gendered access to outdoor spaces

--David’s dog Addie; Grayson’s cat Cusco

Quotes:

“Brands are recognizing that athletes can be more than just gold-medal coat hangers. They can also be ambassadors for the sport, and can be important influencers of change…companies, athletes, and coaches are becoming more holistic.” -Grayson Murphy

“When we’re talking about the environment, we’re also talking about race, we’re talking about gender—everything that makes us humans… This is not a liberal versus conservative issue; this is about how, as a society, we can move forward to a much more just place.” -David Roche

*This episode is sponsored by Paper Trails Greeting Co. Use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order at papertrailsgreetingco.com.

Feb 22, 202101:02:25
Episode 50: Heather Caplan, anti-diet dietician, on weight-stigma in sports and beyond

Episode 50: Heather Caplan, anti-diet dietician, on weight-stigma in sports and beyond

Heather Caplan is an anti-diet weight-inclusive registered dietitian. She hosts the podcast RD Real Talk, covering a range of topics related to anti-diet and weight-inclusive work. In her virtual private practice, she specializes in disodered eating and bringing intuitive eating to athletes and parents. She's also the founder of Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics, aka WIND, and co-founder of the Lane 9 Project—a virtual community for athletes experiencing hypothalamic amenorrhea. Her work has been featured on the TODAY show, and in the Washington Post, Outside magazine, EatingWell, and Runner's World. You can find her online at heathercaplan.com, or hang with her on Instagram @RDRealTalk. Discussed in this episode: --Heather on the TODAY Show --Orthorexia in athletes  --Hypothalamic amenorrhea --Non-diet and anti-diet --Intuitive Eating --Heath at Every Size (trademark) --BMI is STUPID --Weight stigma and fat phobia --"Everything you know about obesity is wrong," Michael Hobbes HuffPost Article  Quote: “I try to recognize that me showing up in a space with a straight-sized body, and white privilege, and cis-gender privilege, etc., brings a certain tone to the message…as a thin or straight-sized person talking about intuitive eating or talking about weight-inclusive care, I might make that message more palatable to someone because I present as their version of health. I’ve learned how important it is for me to not take up that space and to bring folks in who have different lived experiences than I do.” Follow Heather: Instagram Twitter Follow Social Sport: Website  Instagram Facebook Twitter  *This episode is sponsored by Paper Trails Greeting Co. Use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order at papertrailsgreetingco.com. 

Feb 15, 202156:24
Episode 49: Zoë Rom on climate change and environmental justice in sports journalism

Episode 49: Zoë Rom on climate change and environmental justice in sports journalism

Zoë Rom is the Associate Editor of Trail Runner Magazine, a journalist, writer, and environmental advocate. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with degrees in English and French Literature, before heading for bigger hills on Colorado’s Front Range. She fell in love with the mountains through trail running, climbing and mountaineering while pursuing a master’s degree in environmental journalism at The University of Colorado in Boulder. After working as a sled-dog reporter in rural Alaska collecting sound at Aspen Public Radio as a producer and reporter, Zoë moved to Carbondale to work at Trail Runner in 2019. She writes, produces and hosts the DNF Podcast. She won a Colorado Broadcaster’s award for her feature reporting on the history of Colorado rodeos, and her reporting on avalanches has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition.

Discussed in this episode:

--Upcoming environmental issue of Trail Runner Magazine 

--Eco-poetics

--Connection between spirituality and the outdoors

--Zoë's journalism on arctic exploration 

--"Climate Heroes and Hypocrites"

--How to inspire the outdoor industry to push for systemic climate action

--Environmentalism needs to be environmental justice 

--The role of the outdoor industry in rural communities 

--Zoë's Capitol Peak FKT

Quotes:

“I think that all environmentalism should be informed by a love of people first.”

"We need to radically recreate this industry and our culture to take into account the most vulnerable communities. The outdoor industry is focused on pretending that’s not our problem when it absolutely is… To me, any conversation on environmentalism that does not include justice and does not include equity and does not focus on the most vulnerable among us, is going to fall flat.”

“Investing in industries that develop rural economies, rather than just extract from them, is a great way that you can engage with outdoor spaces.”

Follow Zoë:

Instagram 

Twitter

Follow Social Sport:

Website 

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter 

*This episode is sponsored by Paper Trails Greeting Co. Use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order at papertrailsgreetingco.com.

Feb 08, 202153:06
Episode 48: Aliya Tyus-Barnwell, founder of Ride Up Grades, on redefining the word "cyclist" and breaking down barriers to entry in biking

Episode 48: Aliya Tyus-Barnwell, founder of Ride Up Grades, on redefining the word "cyclist" and breaking down barriers to entry in biking

Aliya Tyus-Barnwell is a New York City based writer, cyclist, and the founder and president of the nonprofit Ride Up Grades. She got her start doing cycling work as an Instructor at Bike New York. As a road cyclist she wanted to pass the freedom she found there on to riders in neighborhoods that lacked any bike programs; the closest Bike New York program to her Crown Heights neighborhood was too far for any youth to walk. Getting to a bike program for someone in her neighborhood required taking trains and/or buses. Further, there were no *free* public road bike programs for youth in her city - they either cost money or are limited to specific schools. Aliya strives to get more kids into bike racing, but also into commuting, and any other biking forms and disciplines.

Discussed in this episode: 

--Brooklyn Red Caps cycling group 

--Black Girls do Bike 

--Brown Bike Girl

--Major Taylor Iron Riders, Aliya's team

--Bike New York 

--Consumerism in cycling

--"There are already many Black cyclists, we just overlook them," Aliya's article in VeloNews

--Cycling Industry Pledge (CIP) 

--Ride Up Grades Race Scholarship

--Ride Up Grades Scholarship winners: Travis and Umut

--Trek Summer Camp

--Ostroy 

--I Challenge Myself 

--Comproller, Scott Stringer bike-to-school announcement 

Quote:

"We’ve given into the consumerist mindset that a cyclist is this genre box that you get to check off when you sign up for Cycling Magazine or when you are checking into a cycling event. Really, anybody who rides a bike is a cyclist.”

*This episode is sponsored by Paper Trails Greeting Co. Use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order at papertrailsgreetingco.com

Feb 01, 202156:39
Episode 47: David Proctor and Paula Quatromoni on RED-S in male athletes and diversifying eating disorder care

Episode 47: David Proctor and Paula Quatromoni on RED-S in male athletes and diversifying eating disorder care

David Proctor is an elite athlete who attended Boston University from 2004-2009 where he was a member of the Track & Field and Cross-Country teams. During his time with the Terriers, David set three individual, school, and New England records, and was a member of three record-breaking relay teams. He was also the first collegiate athlete in New England to run a sub-4-minute mile, set multiple conference records, and was named Conference MVP and the NCAA Eastern Athlete of the Year. David competed in four consecutive Olympic Trials, continues to represent England and Great Britain at the European and World level, and lives in Manchester, UK. 

Dr. Paula Quatromoni is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Boston University and a Registered Dietitian with clinical expertise in sports nutrition and eating disorders. In 2004, she pioneered the sports nutrition consult service for student athletes at Boston University. She’s engaged in research on eating disorders treatment and prevention and is published widely. In 2015, she joined Walden Behavioral Care as a Senior Consultant where she led the creation of the GOALS Program, an Intensive Outpatient Program that treats competitive athletes with eating disorders. Dr. Quatromoni earned both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nutrition from the University of Maine and a Doctorate in Epidemiology from the BU School of Public Health. Learn more about Paula's story on the Strong Runner Chicks podcast

In this episode we discuss:

--David’s story

--Mindset/characteristics that predisposes someone to an eating disorder

--RED-S diagram

--Gaps in research

--Importance of eating disorder screening and detection tools

--"Mary Cain Launches a New Me Too Movement-for Sports" article by Paula 

Quotes:

--“If you’re seen to be experiencing an [eating disorder]...you’re behaving as a woman. As if that is something to be ashamed of, as if that’s a shameful way to live your life. It was seen as a women’s problem.” -David Proctor

--“Are we waiting for someone to die before we act on this? Eating disorder research is woefully underfunded compared to other public health problems. We need to step up the research, we need to get more papers into the literature….we cannot continue to let it be something that people whisper about it.” -Paula Quatromoni 

Follow Social Sport: 

*The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder and you can order online at femproteinpowder.com. Use promo code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Jan 25, 202157:35
Episode 46: Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD, on cultural competency in dietetics and preventing RED-S among BIPOC athletes

Episode 46: Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD, on cultural competency in dietetics and preventing RED-S among BIPOC athletes

Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD, is an Intuitive Eating Dietitian helping you shed destructive diet culture beliefs, by discovering harmony and freedom with food. Her journey with wellness came after battling an eating disorder as a student-athlete during her collegiate years. Today, Starla is the founder and owner of her own practice, the Healthy Shine, through which she helps runners discover healthy lifestyles that are sustainable and enjoyable.  Starla devotes her platform to not only helping runners fuel, but to discussing cultural competency in sports dietetics. She works to prevent RED-S in communities of color, beyond white, cis-gender women. Beyond her dietetics work, Starla is a 2020 Olympic Marathon Trails qualifier!  

Discussed in this episode:  

  • NPR CodeSwitch: How Running’s White Origins Led To The Dangers of ‘Running While Black’
  • All foods fit model 
  • How many characteristics that make a person successful in sports/school also make them pre-disposed to an eating disorder 
  • Cultural identity and eating disorders 
  • Low number of women of color in NCAA running 
  • Legacy of immigrant experience on future generations  
  • Starla in the Olympic Marathon trials, NYTimes
  • Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey   
  • Born a Crime: Stories from South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 

Quote: "Running goes back to my Mexican indigenous roots and this is why I feel so connected to it. That understanding fuels and propels my own athletic endeavors. It took me a long time to understand what my body represented in this space…the curves on my body are representative of my culture. They belong because I belong.” 

Follow Starla: Website Instagram Twitter 

Follow Social Sport: Website  Instagram Facebook Twitter  

*The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder and you can order online at femproteinpowder.com. Use promo code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Jan 19, 202101:03:44
Episode 45: Elise Cranny on RED-S, body changes, and inspiring young runners to celebrate their strength

Episode 45: Elise Cranny on RED-S, body changes, and inspiring young runners to celebrate their strength

Elise Cranny is a professional mid-distance runner who competes for the Bowerman Track Club (BTC) in Portland, Oregon. Elise was standout runner at Niwot High School in Colorado, where she won two 4A state cross country titles and ran the 3rd fastest high school 1500m time ever (4:10.95). Elise then attended Stanford University, where shee was a 12 time All-American and finished second at the NCAA Championships four times. She was key part of Stanford’s 2018 third place trophy in Outdoor Track and was the anchor for the Card’s perennially contending Distance Medley Relay. She joining BTC in the early spring of 2019, she has run a PR of 14:48:02 in the 5k, the 7th fastest women's 5k time in American history. Recently, Elise has opened up about her struggles with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S), and she mentors young female athletes through the organization Voice in Sport

Discussed in this episode:

  • Elise's experience with RED-S
  • Why the period is such an important tool for athletes
  • Body image and comparison
  • Mentoring young athletes
  • Stress fractures 
  • Staying the course when getting over an under-fueling and injury cycle
  • Places to go for professional help:
  1. NEDA
  2. Project HEAL
  3. McCallum Place 

Quotes:

  • “For so long the conversation was ‘more, more, train harder, get leaner!’ I think we still need to work on changing that message, particularly in the running community--focusing on gaining strength instead of losing weight, and getting that consistent, long, healthy career.”
  • “What I come back to a lot is asking myself, ‘how do you feel? Do you feel strong and powerful? Then can we try to focus more on that than on appearance and what we look like?’” 

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The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder and you can order online at femproteinpowder.com. Use promo code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Jan 11, 202149:14
Episode 44: Rachael Steil on breaking misconceptions on eating disorders in running

Episode 44: Rachael Steil on breaking misconceptions on eating disorders in running

Rachael Steil [“Style”] began the Running in Silence website in 2012 in the midst of her binge eating disorder, as a cross country and track runner at Aquinas College. Rachael is now an eating disorder recovery advocate, the author of Running in Silence, and the founder of the Running in Silence nonprofit. She serves on the board for the Michigan Eating Disorder Alliance (MiEDA), and is currently a mentor for the USTFCCCA Female Coaches Mentorship Program. Rachael has been interviewed for numerous publications including U.S. News and World Report, Vogue Magazine, and Women’s Running. She has delivered presentations at coaching clinics, high schools, and colleges across the country to share her story, create awareness, and bring hope to other coaches and athletes. Rachael is currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she recently finished and released the second edition of her book, Running in Silence!

Discussed in this episode:

Quotes:

  • “Why aren’t coaches given this kind of information? We have to take a concussion training every year, we had to take a COVID training this year, but there is no mandatory training for eating disorders. And I’m quite sure there are more eating disorders than concussions in running. I don’t deny that concussions are very important, but I really wish eating disorders were part of the training curriculum.”

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The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder. Use promo code SOCIALSPORT at checkout at femproteinpowder.com to receive 10% off your order.

Jan 04, 202148:05
Episode 43: Kiera Carter, writer and editor-at-large at Women's Health, on RED-S in running

Episode 43: Kiera Carter, writer and editor-at-large at Women's Health, on RED-S in running

This episode is the first in a five-episode series, all about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) and eating disorders. I am excited to start the conversation off with Kiera Carter, writer, editor, and digital strategist, focused primarily on women's issues, health, fitness, nutrition, and beauty. Kiera is currently the editor-at-large at Women's Health and has made many important contributions to the running and fitness community through her work. 

In November, Kiera wrote an article for Runner's World entitled, "RED-S is a Real Problem for Some Runners--Here's What You Need to Know." In this episode, Kiera and I talk all about RED-S--what it is, what it isn't, how it overlaps with eating disorders, why it's so prevalent in the running community, and avenues for change. I hope you enjoy this important conversation and the four, related episodes to come!

*The next issue of Runner's World hits newsstands on December 29th, 2020

Discussed in this episode:

  • RED-S vs. eating disorders
  • Why eating disorders are so common among runners
  • Jesse Thomas and disordered eating in male athletes
  • Mary Cain's NYTimes op-doc
  • Wesleyan Cross Country, Yuki Hebner's episode 
  • 20% of athletes are not eating enough
  • In sports that emphasize leanness, 47% of female athletes have clinically diagnosed eating disorders 
  • Eating disorders among male cyclists  
  • Long-term effects of RED-S: bone health, stress fractures, osteoporosis, immune system, digestion,
  • Kiera’s article in Marie Claire, "Why is Women's Body Hair so Offensive?"

Quote:

  • "With eating disorders being so common, and disordered eating being so common, it felt like-- why should I be hiding in a corner, ashamed of this thing that our culture perpetuates?”
  • “You know that feeling when you have a really wonderful run…and you get home and stretch and just feel amazing? In those moments, I'm always like: runners can change the world.”

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The RED-S/eating disorder series is sponsored by FEM Protein Powder. You can follow FEM Protein Powder on Instagram @femproteinpowder 

Dec 28, 202044:31
Episode 42: Bernardo Ruiz, renowned film director, on The Infinite Race, an ESPN 30 for 30 film

Episode 42: Bernardo Ruiz, renowned film director, on The Infinite Race, an ESPN 30 for 30 film

In this episode, I speak with renowned filmmaker, Bernardo Ruiz, about his ESPN 30 for 30 film, The Infinite Race. Bernardo’s accolades are many: he is a two-time Emmy® Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. He has directed and produced five feature documentaries and a host of nonfiction programming for a variety of outlets including PBS, HBO, ESPN and Facebook Watch. I recently had the opportunity to pre-screen Bernardo’s film, The Infinite Race, ahead of its December 15th premier, and I know you are really going to enjoy this film. To give you a little background, the Infinite Race is about the Rarámuri, otherwise known as the Tarahumara, an indigenous community in Mexico. You might be familiar with this community from the popular book Born to Run. But what Born to Run doesn’t address is the threat of organized crime that many members of the community face. Bernardo’s film captures events surrounding the 2015 Ultra Marathon Caballo Blanco, a crossroads for Tarahumara and international runners. There are many uneven power dynamics caught up in that ultramarathon and, often, in conversations on the Tarahumara community among international audiences. Bernardo talks about all of this and more, so enjoy our conversation.
Click here for more information on the premier of The Infinite Race
Discussed in this episode:

Texas Monthly article, "The Drug Runners," by Ryan Goldberg
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Exoticizing/romanticizing of the Tarahumara
Barefoot running fad
Micah True aka Caballo Blanco
2015 Ultra Marathon Caballo Blanco
Luis Escobar, photographer and ultra-marathoner,
Andrea Cordoba, filmmaker and producer
Irma Chavez, runner and activist

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*Photo courtesy of ESPN 30 for 30 Films
Dec 14, 202032:11
Episode 41: Jessica Guo on Ostroy Racing & Development, and creating a more accessible bike culture

Episode 41: Jessica Guo on Ostroy Racing & Development, and creating a more accessible bike culture

Today I am speaking with Jessica Guo. Jess is a York City cyclist, and the founding member and current team captain of Ostroy Racing and Development. Without a doubt, cycling is an extremely white, male-dominated sport. In New York City, in 2017, only 17% of competitive cyclists identified as women! Over the last few months, jess has spearheaded a team that aims to represent a “refresh button” for femme, transgender, and women ridership. And it has grown fast--now holding a roster of 64 riders. Formerly called Ostroy Women’s Team, Ostroy Racing and Development is not just for people who identify as women. Instead, Jess wants to continue making cycling accessible to people of all genders, races, and financial backgrounds.

Discussed in this episode:

Quote:

  • “I think this year, the BLM movement has raised the profile of needing diversity, equity and inclusion to be prevalent in every single aspect of how you’re living your life. So I brought that perspective with me in terms of building the team—not only diversity in terms of racial and ethnic backgrounds, but also with financial backgrounds—making it accessible to anybody who is interested in cycling. I think it’s a sport that anyone can enjoy.” -Jessica Guo

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Dec 07, 202046:11
Episode 40: Latoya Shauntay Snell and Taylor Dutch on the Runners Alliance and Intersectionality

Episode 40: Latoya Shauntay Snell and Taylor Dutch on the Runners Alliance and Intersectionality

Today I am joined by Latoya Shauntay Snell and Taylor Dutch to talk about the Runners Alliance. This program was launched by Runner's World and Women's Health to help women, and all people who experience harassment, reclaim their run. Taylor Dutch is a sports and fitness writer who plays a large role in coordinating the alliance for Runner’s World. Latoya is one of the five Runners Alliance ambassadors. She is known for her body politics activism and her popular blog, Running Fat Chef.
Discussed in this episode:

Runner’s World survey: 84% of women have faced harassment while running
Michelle Hamilton, "Running While Female"
Intersectionality, Kimberlé Crenshaw
Runners Alliance Ambassadors program
Addie Bracy on Social Sport
Carolyn Su on Social Sport
"Im a Plus-Size Runner and I got Heckled at the NYC Marathon," Latoya's article on
theroot.com
Endometriosis
Body positivity vs body politics
Fat Acceptance Movement
Despite the Dark
Taylor’s article, "A Man Filmed Me in the Running Trail’s Bathroom—and I Fought Back"
Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation

Quotes:

“Every runner has a different experience when they step out the door--depending on who they are, their gender, where they live, their ethnicity--and it’s so important to understand that.” -Taylor Dutch
“This is the reason why I continue to advocate so hard: I don’t look at it as an option. If I have the courage and I have the power to speak up, then I may not be able to bring everyone in, but there is at least one person who’s listening. And that’s what matters.” -Latoya Shauntay Snell

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Nov 30, 202001:12:49
Episode 39: Ben Chan on racism in trail running, and holding powerful people accountable

Episode 39: Ben Chan on racism in trail running, and holding powerful people accountable

Ben Chan is an ultra runner and activist, perhaps best known in the New York running community for his racing attire—leopard print short-shorts and a cowboy hat. But in recent times, Ben has also become well known for his activism. Today, we focus on Ben’s exchanges with a certain, high-profile race director (Gary Cantrell AKA "Lazarus Lake") who banned Black Lives Matter from his events. It can be difficult to talk negatively about people who have large followings, lots of power, and have created events that are, frankly, important to the running community. But Ben and I both feel that we need to hold everyone accountable for their words and for the communities they create—in sports and beyond. This episode was recorded about a week ago, and since that time, more exchanges have unfolded; "Lazarus Lake" shared his racist speech openly on a prominent podcast. So Ben’s sentiments shared in this episode are, perhaps, even more important.

Quote:

  • “Running communities are a reflection of American communities, and if we know that American communities have been shaped by racist real estate laws; racist criminal justice systems; racist police officers; racist, segregated schools...how can there not be racism in running?"

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Nov 23, 202001:00:08
Episode 38: Addie Bracy, professional trail runner and OUTrun cofounder, on safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ runners

Episode 38: Addie Bracy, professional trail runner and OUTrun cofounder, on safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ runners

Addie Bracy is a professional runner for Nike Trail, with a wide range of running accolades to her name—including qualifying for the Olympic Trials in both the marathon and the 10K and being named USATF Women's Mountain Runner of the Year three times! Addie holds a Masters in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver and works as both a running coach and a mental performance consultant. Notably, she is the cofounder of OUTrun, an organization dedicated to empowering and connecting LGBTQ+ individuals in the running community. Recently, Addie was also named a Runners Alliance Ambassador, a role that allows her to spread awareness about harassment on the run. In this episode, we talk all about OUTrun, how women’s intersecting identities affect safety, and why feeling safe and included is crucial to running performance.

Discussed in this episode:

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Quotes: 

“It was taking such a mental and emotional toll on me that it was crushing my running career.…I came out publicly and three weeks later won my first national championship.”

“It’s not enough to not discriminate; you need to be actively inviting people”

“This sport has given me everything and my whole life has revolved around it…I have so much passion for the world of running, but it does have a long way to go. My hopes and dreams for the rest of my career is to make it better than it was when I got here.”

Nov 16, 202043:48
Episode 37: Sidney Baptista on PIONEERS Run Crew and running as connection and inclusion

Episode 37: Sidney Baptista on PIONEERS Run Crew and running as connection and inclusion

Sidney Baptista (Sid) is the founder of Pioneers Run Crew, the host of the Fitness in Color Podcast, a father, and an individual passionate about the power of running to create connections, elevate voices, and champion change. Based in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Sid is currently building a performance streetwear brand, PYNRS, and working as a consultant on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the running industry. 

Discussed in this episode:

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Quotes:

“Don’t make your first Black hire the head of diversity. Black people need to be at every facet of the job—in social media, in writing, in product development, in decision-making, on the board—at every level. Unless you have that, everything that you do is a band aid solution.”

“Sport is a great equalizer. Especially running. As much as running is a solo sport it’s a connector… and I think the more we run side by side, the more we meet eye to eye.”


Nov 09, 202051:39
Episode 36: Yuki Hebner on Wesleyan University Cross Country and the general toxicity in college running

Episode 36: Yuki Hebner on Wesleyan University Cross Country and the general toxicity in college running

Yuki Hebner is currently a PhD candidate at UCLA, studying molecular biology in a neuroscience lab. She is also a 2017 alumna and former Cross Country and Track athlete at Wesleyan University. In March 2020, Yuki wrote an open letter to Wesleyan University, signed by 36 track and cross-country alumni. The letter described how their head coach, John Crooke, fostered a toxic culture within the program. For over a decade, athletes had been called in for so-called “fat talks," where Crooke would tell runners to lose weight, and make them log the food and calories they ate. Within the program, injuries, body shaming, and eating disorders were rampant. Crooke eventually retired in August, amidst alumni and student outrage.

Yuki wants listeners to know that this is not a personal sob-story. This is a peek into a widespread and ongoing problem across the sport of distance running.

References:

Also discussed in this episode:

  • Culture of eating disorders in distance running 
  • RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sports)
  • NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference)
  • Mary Cain's op-doc in the New York Times

Outside resources on eating disorders in distance running: 

Quotes:

  • “When I had the conversation with my coach where he brought up weight loss, it wasn’t a conversation that I came away upset from. I don’t remember it as being a traumatic moment. If anything, I felt invigorated. I felt like I was given a task to do and I was excited to do it. I was excited that he had seen potential in me.”
  • “To me, the base knowledge of any abusive behavior is knowing that it isn’t consistent. He did not abuse every single person that he met.  But there is no reason that should determine the outcome of a Title 9 case.”

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Nov 02, 202042:12
Episode 35: Matilda Egere-Cooper on Fly Girl Collective, Empowering Black and Brown Women through Fitness

Episode 35: Matilda Egere-Cooper on Fly Girl Collective, Empowering Black and Brown Women through Fitness

Matilda (aka Tilly) is an award-winning journalist, creative and avid runner who took up long distance running in 2011. Since then, she’s completed more than 30 race events including 15 half marathons, four marathons, an ultra marathon, Tough Mudder and the Ride London 100 mile bike ride. She’s passionate about encouraging black and brown women to pursue fitness, so in 2018, she qualified as a Leadership in Running Fitness coach to facilitate group sessions around London and beyond. She’s also an ETM instructor in training and will deliver virtual sessions from September 2020.

Fly Girl Collective is a London-based movement and a community committed to 1. Celebrating and promoting diversity and representation in fitness, and 2. Inspiring black and brown women to pursue a fitness lifestyle.

Fly Girl Collective Website

Also discussed in this episode:

Quotes:

  •  “There are so many components to systemic racism, like dealing with microaggressions and macroaggressions, dealing with stereotyping, dealing with unconscious bias. All of these things can chip away at the humanity of an individual. That is naturally going to have an effect on your mental health.”
  • “What’s been going on with Black Lives Matter and the way that it has reverberated around the world, especially in the UK, has empowered so many people to speak up and stand for what they believe in.”
  • “Sport presents people at their most vulnerable. And I think when you’re able to show your vulnerability, that’s where bonds are built and that’s how relationship can grow.”

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Oct 26, 202045:42
Episode 34: Ride to DC, cycling 300 miles to honor the existence and significance of Black lives

Episode 34: Ride to DC, cycling 300 miles to honor the existence and significance of Black lives

On August 22nd, 2020, over 100 cyclists road from Seneca village in Manhattan, NY. These cyclists were part of the group Ride to DC, and over six days, they would bike 300 miles--from New York to Washington D.C. Now a nonprofit, Ride to DC started as a movement to recognize the existence and significance of Black lives. On August 28th, they landed in DC to take part in the Commitment March on Washington and demand justice for Black lives. In this episode, I chat with two of the leaers of Ride to DC,  Erin Poland (@erin_poland) and Roberto Godinez (@robertoagodinez). 

  • Ride to DC website and mission
  • Washington Post article on Ride to DC 

Also discussed in this episode:

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Quotes: 

  •  “I always find my voice through biking” -Erin
  • “The phrase that came out is ‘a ride to recognize the existence and significance of black lives,’ so we had to constantly be grounded in that…people never lost focus.” -Roberto
  • “The bicycle, in America, is a protest within itself” -Roberto
  • “How I look at cycling is that you just gotta keep pedaling. No matter how slow you go, you’re just pedaling and pedaling. And I think that’s just like in life, you just gotta keep moving forward and eventually you’ll get to the top of that hill.” -Erin Poland
Oct 19, 202050:30
Episode 33: The Running to Protest Movement and a Reckoning in the NYC Running Community

Episode 33: The Running to Protest Movement and a Reckoning in the NYC Running Community

On June 14th, 2020, 700 runners met at the East River Ampitheater in Manhattan, New York—masks on their faces and clad in white clothing. They were running in response to the reckoning on White supremacy and racial violence that had spread around the country. This was the first event in the Running to Protest Movement. Four events would follow, where hundreds of runners, would flood the bridges and streets of New York, demanding justice for Black people. I wanted to learn more about the Running to Protest movement, and how it is affecting the New York running community. This episode features two interviews which explore the power of running to demand justice and amplify a movement in "the greatest city in the world." 

First, I speak with Coffey, the founder of Running to Protest and much more: a Brooklyn-based father, filmmaker, runner, actor, model, and founder of Define New York Run Club. Coffey is, simply, a powerhouse in the New York running community and beyond. He talks openly about the reality of being a Black runner in NYC, and the creation and future of Running to Protest.

Next, I speak with Chris Chavez, Sports Illustrated journalist and founder of CITIUS MAG, through which he hosts various podcasts including the CITIUS MAG Podcast and Runners of NYC. Chris holds much insight on the New York running community, due to personal involvement and his journalism. 

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Also discussed in this episode:




Oct 12, 202001:04:05