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The gals catch up for a bit then we talk to newly professional runner, NCAA XC and 10,000m champ Weini Kelati. We talk about her recent year during Covid times at school in New Mexico, her decisions to go pro and where to go and who to sign with, and then we delve into part of Weini’s backstory . She tells us about how she found running in her rural Eritrean village, and how she hopes to inspire a wider view of  what’s possible for women back home.Catch up: 0-6 Alysia’s Diastasis Recti surgery recovery- prioritize your body’s peak functioning!8-Ro’s post baby life update. Resource yourself!14-Molly: Alexi Papas  Op Ed on clinical depression and Aliphine Tuliamuk baby announcement!17-athlete mental health risks19-having something outside of sport as an athlete can help you keep perspective and joy25-Weini’s introduction and our takeaways from the conversation33: intro Weini @kelatiweini twitter and @weini_kelati  instagram and Weini Kelati facebookHer life this year during covid: school, class online, training, no racing34-On going pro!Importance of seeking and making your own support group as an athlete (like a family away from your family)How she made her decision to go to Flagstaff (Dark Sky Distance with Steven Haas and Under Armor)42- Weini’s journey into the sport as a girl from rural Eritrea and how she got to USA and stayed at 17 years old45-she walked to meet 5 hours away!53 “(in my village in Eritrea) Your family has no vision for you as a girl. All they know is you can get married in a few years, and you have to learn what your Mom does. I didn’t see a lot of runners, I hadn’t heard of runners or anything.’“I want to be the best example I can be-I want to through running inspire the women and young adults (back home)....I want to show that they can be independent and do things bigger than what’s expected” 55-misguided beliefs about women’s health and sport back home, disapproval of letting kids go away overnight to meets57-courage to go against the normRo wants to share this video , explaining barriers to access to physical exercise, (such as Weini describes back home and we see in the USA as well!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgClXqDxtZg&t=1s&fbclid=IwAR1piTvXrsTWAHGfRyPPo70vDg8Qvfljv_jZvqKJ1dVF3cSsSJAl-hWaVYU

Today Alysia, Ro and I catch up then Alysia and I talk to USA Long Jump Legend Brittney Reese. She is a 7 time World Champ gold medalist , 2012 Olympic champion and 2016 silver medalist, and indoor American record holder. We talk to her about her pandemic year, training at the Olympic Training Center, life with her son, how she is giving back to the kids in her Mississippi home town and what she has planned for the future. 0-4:  Ro and Alysia catch up-juggling kids during Covid and working for yourself: saying yes to too much5- post election emotions 10-Hour Track record14-Intro Brittney Reese (alysia is pumping -Mom at work!)2012 goldBrittney is legendary athlete, and opening herself up more as a shy but impactful presence in the community.17: Brittney Reese InterviewBased at Oly Training center in Chula Vista-what changes w Covid:Brittneys Fam: son Alex is 13Balancing training and him/distance learning/his sports schedule etc21-Future plans: Just got her Masters in entrepreneurship22- we need more meet opportunities in USA “I don’t think we have enough meets to meet those needs for everybody outside sprinting and distance”26: she gives back to the sport and her community In many ways-“The end goal for me is to be a track coach. I want to give back to the sport that’s allowed me to be successful .. but I also want to take that knowledge and go home (to Mississippi) and start my own track club”30: Making the big push for these last 2 years of her career31- wants to support her son as he gets more seriously into sports 32- what things are like right now in training35-Being seasoned and marinated!36- does her son ever come to practice?37: Background on how she came to adopt him43: doping:  robs athletes of money, exposure and when it’s good people that miss out it hurts (link her op Ed)- side note, the Rodchenkov Anti Doping Act recently passed in Senate46: life at the Olympic Training Center (Drug tests once a month)- what’s practice like48: can she dunk though?WNBA plans?(Link to league pass!)we got ours!52: On trying to put herself out there more to affect change and reach the kids, engage in community 56“I could care less about the spotlight...but now I’m trying to open up a little bit more and give back a little bit more and I know that the youth is where it starts, which is why I have camps back home, which is why I want my own track club- I invest in the youth that’s my thing, they’re who is going to carry the sport”57: why be closed off as an athlete? Protect your zone and mental focus 

We talk to Mary Wittenberg, lifelong runner, current president of EF cycling, former CEO of Virgin Sport’s Virgin Group, and for 17 years she was CEO of NYRR. We talk about Mary’s start in the sport and how she went from a law career to leading the NYRR, her visions for the sport, how she intentionally marketec the pro athlete and advocated for the female athletes, and what her goals and visions are in the cycling space.0-10-Molly And Ro discuss some recent world records: Letesnebet Gidey’s 14:06! And Peres Jepchirchir’s women’s only 1:05:15 to win the recent World Half Marathon Champs 11-14: what about cycling and running draws Mary in as a fan and participant (although she is a runner for life)14-18: Notre Dame connections: Mary somewhat of a trailblazer for ND women’s XC team How her early experiences racing behind Joan and the best lead to realizing the inspiring power of promoting and relating the pros to the other participants19-first marathon experience was trial by fire of sorts in stacked field “I think my whole why in life has been to help other people unlock their potential”“It was a big advantage playing sports with men, because  in my career i didnt think twice about saying it straight,and expecting that I should be in the room and at the board room table too because that was the case with sports. It helped me unlock my best, and so in wanting that for others I’ve always appreciated that professional athletes who rise and fall every day and don’t have these straight trajectories, they can be really really inspiring to regular people so I’ve always liked to establish that connection whenever I can”22-How Mary got to NYRR30- As an industry we have to keep learning and striving for equality“Athletes are never going to have leverage, they have it late in career but, that’s where leadership comes in at all these companies...it’s hard for young athletes and young people to have leverage”33-she’s focusing on safety for all ridersWhy not well covered womens’s fields? Less financial support etc. “It’s overdue”36: what we can learn from pro cycling in covering endurance events well 44“I don’t think women’s sports are a charity-I think women’s sports are good because they’re great athletic performances and I think these leagues and the like can be great businesses over time-maybe that’s something we learn- don’t treat it like a charity treat it like an entertainment prospect treat it like a business treat it like a movement’45-expanding the diversity in cycling48- what’s it take to be a great cyclist? Part endurance part dare devil (link BelieveIAm worrier vs warrior blog and quiz)51-Mary’s story: “ We get to keep going and learning. …”@Marywitt@marywrunsGreat article here on Mary via Thrive

Our guest is the inspiring Chaune Lowe, Olympic medlalist and AR in the High Jump, who shares with us some of the many layers of her journey in life and sport including her recent battle with brest cancer, how doping in sport has affected her career, the business side of field events, having a family as a female athlete and on how things are going in the build up to her 5th Olympic Trials. Check out our site for more detailed show notes and clips of Chaunte's jumps!And don't forget to check out gatoradeendurance for your 20% off with "Track20" !

We talk to The University of Wisconsin Women's XC coach Mackenzie Wartenberger about her time as a talented prep athlete (2:04 800m) coming into Cal Berkley with Alysia, how her track career was highly affected by pressure and race anxiety, how she has carried these lessons into her 11 year coaching career so far, what it's like to coach through a pandemic and how she keeps the women engaged and motivated as well as her thoughts on navigating any plans for motherhood and climbing the ranks of her career. "In sport, if you have torn hamstring you rehab the hamstring and you don't hide the fact that you have a torn hamstring. Thats something that you work on. If you struggle mentally with anxiety or expectation or depression or any of those things, that’s really internalized still . That's not something thats spoken about or shared. I think there is still a lot of shame applied to that struggle, instead of treating it like a muscle-when you strain a muscle you’ve got  to rehab the muscle and then you’ve got to strengthen the muscle and then sometimes that muscle still hurts and you’ve got to back off. From a mental perspective I think a similar approach can be really helpful - to treat it like a normal process, it isn’t linear it’s not flipping a light switch ….. that’s a perspective that I try to bring to coaching as much as possible”for in depth show notes head to our site Keeping-Track.comAnd don't forget to get your 20% off Gatorade Endurance products as you "Dial It In" with your training details this month! Use our code "track20" 

Alysia and Molly talk to Team USA Discus thrower Valarie Allman about setting and AR during a pandemic, life as a thrower, what her other interests are and how to better spotlight and market field events.Special thanks to Gatorade Endurance for sponsoring September's theme of "Inspiring Sports women of the Pandemic"Get 20% off DE products with the code "Track20" here!https://endurance.gatorade.com/endurance-products/endurance/?utm_source=KeeingTrack&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=TrainingForLifeAnd Thank you to Saucony for our season 2 support! #runforgoodWorkout Wed with Val:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxuuG9z4cJUThe AR throw:https://twitter.com/CoachSion/status/1289721823026753536Doha World Championshipshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0YHQ1MC4gkCatchup: Molly and Alysia talk as Ro takes maternity leave, welcome baby Ruari!Alysia’s August-did it happen if it’s not on IG?She’s doing analyst work for NBC Diamond League-yay for races coming back!Molly’s micro meet and upcoming 5000mIntro to Val!-Val’s start in DiscusShe began in other  sports-soccer, full time dance , track and field other eventsLured to throws by spaghettiWanted to compete on a college team and that’s why she narrowed focused on discus-Stanford years-everyone is good on that team, new pressures6-How dance helps disc-mental side of being an athlete during this pandemic time: from wanting to give up and go home to having the biggest throw of her lifeDid she see it coming? 70 meters is a big barrierPandemic meet:Happy to even be competing, had been focusing on getting stronger in weight room-Volunteering at University of Texas, whats her day look like , training during covid shutdownsCoach is Zeb Sion- nugget of insight during pandemic: “It forced me to figure out what I truly need-pretty much all medical things closed in terms of getting physio and getting adjusted, and it forced me to shrink my priorities. That was actually great because I didn’t realize all the things I was trying to factor into my training that had become a distraction a little bit, that I think maybe that was one of the silver linings that came out of it.” - business and finances of track and field, how throwers support themselves, her sponsors (Oiselle and NYAC), and the importance of prize money, USATF funding and grants especially for field events - why the field events aren’t marketed as well and how it could be better connected to the audienceDiscus is athletic-training includes partial movement,full throws,olympic lifts, cross training sprints/biking/swimming Fun facts may help (ex. javelin weighs as much as guinea pig)28:30-what the competition is like-do you chat, interact? Stay in the zone? - Val’s story: “Sports is such an empowering thing-I feel so lucky that I found a community and a sport and a sense of purpose with my body, especially as a female, and in an event that I didn’t know was possible."

Intro: 0-18 We rehash our season one memories, talk about our interview with Dalilah, and discuss the topic of athlete mental health highlighted in the documentary the Weight of Gold, something we want to touch on in season 2!Watch Dalilah’s 1st  world record and win at 2019 USA champs:https://youtu.be/QhE9yDzD07kStats20-started running at 7, with distance running (xc, 1500!)Ran 100/200 at junior Olympics as 12 or 13From Queens, Novas Track Club24-training and racing during pandemic25-mindset during these changing goals and timelinesMentality of world champ30-who’s in her training group, coached by Boogie 31- link sports illustrated article  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/olympics/2019/08/07/dalilah-muhammad-400-meter-hurdles-world-record-lawrence-johnson-analysisDalilah’s strength work, ran a 2:11 800 at the end of practice50.6 400 pr 35-link sports illustrated article “Black off the Track”: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/olympics/2020/06/10/black-track-and-field-athletes-racism-experiences-america40- how she was told “she had to win” because she can’t do anything less as a black athlete-validated her thoughts and anxieties around that but was also stressful“You feel like you have to be the best or you get forgotten about”47- Asking why attention flows to the lighter skinned, younger, non-Muslim ahtlete in her event48-realizing it’s not “playing the black card” -story of only getting noticed by a major track publication after her WR despite winning olympic gold 2 years earlier49-Alysia on the imbalance of marketing and income vs merits of performance in track50-on being Muslim and not feeling she looks it/ breaking stereotypes of Muslim women52-The idea that there’s not enough room for everyone’s success-how Dalilah’s learned that as her career went on 56: track geek q’s! Was the WR win at Doha a “perfect race”? How to build off that?The race: https://youtu.be/8ICw5ah7gPkDalilah: 51 sec is possible, had to reach for 8th hurdle58: Her word for the year 2019 was “compete”-rivalry with Sydney, does it drive her?60:  Her power word in 2016- she attacked every hurdle. Her word was “yes”. If it worked for track, the answer ws ye (re. Moving groups etc)Link to that race: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/women-s-400m-hurdles-final-rio-2016-replays/63: Dalilahs other plans-put her voice out there more, making change, also her side gig is modeling65- Dalilah’s into fashion check out her instagram for outfit inspo66- Dalilah's story: “how much i’ve struggled on this crazy journey-i never won an NCAA title, in 2012 I did a commercial about the Olympics and had to sign a waiver saying i wouldn’t make the team. It launched me to realize I wasn’t doing everything to chase my goals. It also gave me change in the pocket to move to california to train”From 15th (50th?) at trials in 2012 to gold in 2016!

We talk to Saucony President Anne Cavassa about her start in the sportswear and shoe industry, her journey through the business ranks, how sports, motherhood and being a woman informed her leadership style and the issues she faced along the way. She also talks about her goals and what she feels are her duties as a leader and a woman in this space. (see show notes at www.keeping-track.com for complete recap)0-23 mins Catch up:Recap of ep 22: 40% of USA being BIPOC, or 27% of USA consider selves BIPOC?Virtual race shoutouts! Good job Nikki Hiltz for Trevor ProjectAnd Boss crew for Sachs Foundation (and state mile record!)Say Their Names 5k and mile here , proceeds to Embrace Race Foundation and Nation Foundation for Human and Civil Rights FoundationDonate to BraveLikeGabe in Gabe’s Memory to support rare cancer research “Flowers come out of dirt and I will. They don’t want us to win but we going to win anyway”-Alysia19-(link to earnest young- women at high level leadership roles playing sport stat)Annes start: Psychology to design school to apparel design, to manager, director, leading design and out of frustration to merchandising to have more control of the business, and onward and upward.28:30-Being a woman in a leadership position:Gender split in the industry is somewhat even UNTIL VP levelMuch of career it was dealing with internal battles: personal confidence, taking risks, putting self out thereAt director level-started to feel held back by being a woman31;30 Ex:Conversation w boss “didn’t think I could lead a sport brand because I’m a woman and don’t know what competition means”34:30- Anne is scrappy and likes competitive energy, being told she can’t was used as motivation/tried to keep it productive36-Motherhood- had trouble becoming a mother at first, walked away from job at Nike to try to focus on health“Motherhood has added a layer of complexity that has made it really really challenging” but has some extra flexibility due to becoming a mother later , having more of an established career and schedule39:00- prioritized running in mid 30’sHow Covid has made it harder to be a working Mom“ I try from a leadership perspective ....realizing that I can lead the way that I think people want and need and that is to be more empathetic of everyone's entire life and what they have going on and give space for that and grace for things that arent perfect and just recognize that. That’s the environment myself and our leadership team are trying to create at Saucony ; one that embraces the whole person and allows you to live your life-there has to be room for that”44-“If I can be a leader who can create space and design our programs to support you guys in your whole life and becoming moms and help use through that to the other side, I mean that's my responsibility...thats what i can do as a leader to make change in our industry”47-”There was a point in time in my leadership journey where I just felt more comfortable being myself, and I realized that I can’t really compete with the male leadership around me trying to be a dude and a guy and my strengths-some of them

 We examine representation of Gender and Race on the covers of three running magazines as a sample of the North American Running media. We speak to Dr. Heather Hillsburg and Dr. Francine Darroch on their findings (14.8 percent of Runners World print Covers feature Black Indigenous and People Of Color- or BIPOC, 14.75 % of Canadian Running covers feature BIPOC,  and for Women’s Running covers we saw an average 31% BIPOC over 10 years, but noticed a recent average of 40% after a sustained increase from 2013 onward), why representation matters and how these trends contribute to racism in the running world and why we need to show and hear the stories of more BIPOC and elevate more BIPOC voices in this space.(see shownotes  for full recap)Catch up:0-5: Alysia Ro and Molly catch up on livesAlysia’s book is launching more officially Feel Good Fitness (link)Molly’s back in Rhode IslandRo’s still gestatingLink to tank tops (currently tees only but hope to arrive soon) and &motherGuest intros: Dr. Francine Darroch, sociologist at Carleton U in Ontario, focusing on health equity and Dr. Heather Hillsburg ,author of Urban Captivity Narratives: Women’s Writing after 9/11  and works for government in British Columbia8:14-our thoughts on why we wanted to do the studyShoutout to Womens Running for making a sustained push to increase diversity on covers after 201312: only 14.8 percent of Runners World Covers feature BIPOC, our past guests Marielle Hall and Alison Desir have mentioned this lack of seeing self in this media14: Is lack of diversity strategy intentional? Is it about the bottom line?15:30- our personal conversation started on how from the athlete perspective, we have been told we don’t have the “look” for coversWhat is required- ex Alysia is a change maker in sports industry, activist, multiple time medalist and more but that doesn’t check the right boxes19- why getting a cover is a boon for a professional runner“Allows for upward chain of marketability”22- Runnersworld leaves out most of the track athletesAlysia wish mass participation included shorter events The interview:23-28-we explain why we partnered with these sociologists to examine representation on running media (via 3 different magazine covers over 10 years)29-Francine lays down her results and shouts out the research team: Heather Hillsburg (phD in gender studies), Amy Schneeburg (epidemiologist), Candace Roberts (masters student), Jenna Seyidoglu (undergraduate honors thesis student)Examined 284 covers, focus on race and gender, between 2009 and 2019(Runners World (122), Canadian Running(75), and Women’s Running (88))BIPOC are underrepresentedRW-14.8%WR- 31%CR-14.7%(slides and report are on website www.keeping-track.com aka show notes)Changes over time: Womens running saw meaningful and sustained improvement in representation 2013 onward (hit 40%)36- Heather speaks on role of media on cons

We talk to team USA Hammer thrower Gwen Berry on raising her fist in solidarity with the black community at the 2019 Pan American Championships, what is the IOC rule 50 , and why her gesture was important as well as her experiences as a black female athlete in this country.(see our website for links and more detailed show notes;) )The Catchup:“How are you doing” is a loaded question these days. But we all want to talk about how we’re really doing and what’s going on in America-Going out hard with BLM and anti-racism. We want it to be sustainable. The fatigue is setting inKeep engaging and moving on it!-Race discussions have been taboo, it’s progress that the discussions are being heard now and on the table-ask questions, a lot of why’s 22:34-the salute at 2019 pan ams, Gwen won gold and raised a fist on the podiumShe was inspired by her own trials and tribulations from last year and saw that same struggle in other black Americans, (like the homeless man that came to her throws practice to find a safe space to sleep)2019 was “Its a race against time”Gwen didn’t know she was going to raise a fist at that moment, she felt in that moment to show solidarity, to show that you can still make it even though being black in America is to face systemic racism and barriers29: IOC gave her probation, what that means (didn’t lose prize money, USATF didn’t reprimand her in that way)The probation was meant to silence her at Olympics (went Aug 19-Aug20)30:24 What Rule50 says31-link Gwens letterIOC has to protect sponsors and partners, who don’t want negative or political stance to disrupt gamesWant mostly joyful moments“Its actually creating a halo effect over everything an athlete has gone through to get to this moment”“No ones saying the rules shouldn’t be the rules, we’re just saying don’t reprimand the athletes then celebrate them, put them in a hall of fame, put them in museums all around the world, and oh these are our heroes of our decade, put them on the website-don’t do that”33-why protest is important and why athletes shouldn’t be muted35: the hypocrisy (link Sarah Hirschland tweet)And the apology37- Gwen was protesting the day of the tweet, there was outcry at the hypocrisy. Max Siegel at USTAF facilitated the call, Sarah apologized, Gwen stressed that this is BIGGER than her. It’s about a culture, Black Americans, Gwen’s family and friends, the black athletes that will come along after her. “What I did was not wrong”40:After the medal at Pan Ams: Gwen was that night called into a meeting w USATF and PanAm committeeBc she signed ATHLETES CONTRACT (copy link) she could face repercussionsUSATF stood with her and Pan Am committee supported herWhen Gwen got home, USOPC said there will be a letter saying she has a 12 month probation , with no feedback from her on why she needed to protest41:50-Gwen lost grant opportunities and sponsorship dollars 42:30 USOPC working group athletes put together: Gwen has to train first and focus on making team and podium.  Other  athletes are backing her up and doing the work on the groupIOC dug in heels recently on the no protest (link their announcement)43:38-the town halls 44:30- would athlete stories move the IOC? USA isn’t the only country-IOC being neutral is easier and they focus on the dollars47-racism is a global phenomenon, America has a deep rooted history with it but globally, “darker is less than”Why rule 50 is out of touch with the realities of

Note: We recorded this prior to the murder of George Floyd. We don't mention his murder in the show, and actually worried that the attention on race issues in running (and America in general) brought by Ahmaud's murder would start to fade too soon. As you can see, this is an even more essential discussion now. Check out the website for the rest of the show notes! Alison’s Bio: Alison holds her BA in History, MA in Latin American and Caribbean Regional Studies, and EdM in Counseling Psychology, all from Columbia University. She is a Mom, activist (Harlem RunRunforAllWomenGlobalWoman RunCollective) Endurance athlete, mental health counselor,  author, and speaker.Catchup:0-6 news with us -Alysia is getting somewhat back to her regular schedule/self, Molly’s heading back to RI, Ro’s Dare To Believe is on TV in Ireland7-Alison Desir our guest and introducing Race and Running11-Alysia reads @TheConsciousKid educational post on White Privilege (bc instagram was taking it’s content down!)15-Why it’s important to not be afraid of being uncomfortable or awkward with these conversations (note: but do at least some work/reading on your part first! Care enough to do your own research, it's step 1)18- Alysia’s personal experience with racism and having to worry about white people’s discomfort21-How early experiences with racism have shaped how Alysia approaches the topic with her white friends26- Alysia calling out all the Running media publications to do more Resources:Books- White Fragilityme and white supremacyInstagrams :@Theconsciouskid@rachel.cargleAlison on instagram and TwitterWebsiteHer programs:Harlem RunRunforAllWomenGlobalWoman RunCollective-encouraging more women leaders in running Her recent articles:Flotrack: on Race and Running Outside Magazine article: Ahmaud Arbery and Whiteness in the Running WorldHer Virtual Tour (see end of page)How she got started: 8 years ago was struggling with depression and saw someone training for a marathon, inspired her to start  running and it helped get her through it3:00 Running While Black:-She became a mom 10 months ago and this perspective, as well as her own as a black woman and distance runner,  compelled her to speak out, connected to Ahmaud Arbery murder in an even more personal way(contd. at our site!)

Molly Seidel Our catchup:Alysia launches &mother!(fact check: here is the article on Alex Morgan sponsored while pregnant story: Head to EricaSara designs for &mother jewelry and check out our tank tops out on march 29 to support &mother! Interview:Where Molly is during the quarantine: back home in wisconsinHow hard the isolation  is if you live alone4-Barrista life: She is a Pro Runner first, and barrista on the sideWhy she does it: balances her life10-15 diving into the trials race: what she felt before during and after . going from first marathon to first Olympic Team15-how her attitude of low expectation and having fun/being present buffered negative emotions, the atmosphere being exciting and having a big support crew 17-working with Aliphine in last 6 miles, how she looks up to her advice of doing the training that works for her and not comparing to others20-her injury history the last 2 years was really hard. Bone density issues from eating disorder affected her first 2 years as a pro Had to find out who she was if she didn’t have running23-her buildup to the trials, changed training back towards what worked in college (more moderate workouts and higher mileage), focus on overall health26-letting her goals unfold rather than pushing through injuries and unhealthy stages to hit goalsOutcome goals vs process goals-it’s where joy is. How she did not enjoy her college success because she wasn’t healthy“Frankly my last two NCAA championships, like there was no joy in those. I was mentally unwell”31-Molly’s lessons from college (link to Julias Hanlon's Running on Om podcast ep 225)*footlocker stat: Thanks for the research Sara Slattery!" The race has been run since 1979 and there have been 41 Champions on the men’s side, 12 have become NCAA Champions and 7 of them have made Olympic teams.  Yet on the Women’s side there have been 4 NCAA Champions, and only 1 Olympian (Now 2 Olympians as of February 29, 2020 with Molly Siedel making the marathon team, despite overcoming some of these issues herself).”Why aren’t our best female jr athletes becoming our best sr athletes?Many girls fall through the cracks for reasons to do with female athlete body, mental health, womanhood etc36-How Molly made it through this-good support system, not everyone has this“(That running is  a small  part of who you are as a person) I think that’s really important to someone in a vulnerable state or for kids to hear; you are more than this sport you’re doing.40-Sponsor support: Saucony is unique in their support of the whole athlete in this industry-gave Molly a chance, a smaller deal than she normally would have earned but with time and understanding for her to heal and develop45-how covid is affecting her career and future Olympic berth49-what her training is like now during the quarantine and what races are in her future53- Molly’s story-it takes hard work and time to make an Olympic team-you never fully get over an eating disorder, it’s a lot of checking in, adjusting and awareness to stay on healthy path

0-9: Molly and Ro Catchup:Join Ro's Mother's Day Insta Contest @ believetrainingjournal !Buy Alysia's book Feel Good Fitness! Check out Strides Forward Podcast by Cherie Louise Turner! 10-Holly -intro as a sociologist-they “zoom out” to see interactions of socio cultural pressures, broader ideas around for example beauty femininity and success. She looks at individuals, the culture around them and broader social forces.“I put these pressures on myself” is often untrue. Like a fish can’t see water, we often have trouble seeing the forces that act on our own psyches/ realizing what we internalize-Dr. Thorpe aims to advocate more sustainable sporting culture for long term health and well being over immediate performance “These are not just individual athlete problems, these are problems within sporting cultures “16-sociology is one part of a complex puzzle (in endurance sports issues)17-Dr Stacy Simms TED talk and book19-on using research to show this (LEA, RED-S)  isn’t a unique,  individual’s problem/weakness- it’s a larger more common issue- prevalence of non-extreme versions  toxic sports culture24-why the LEA/RED-S is more prevalent in womens endurance sports (among a few other sports like sports with aesthetic performance)-It’s complicated27-reinforcement of energy restrictive behavior in sport, and how hyper “in touchness” with how your body feels being integral to being an elite athlete may contribute to issues-elites persist longer with LEA than regular gym goers, though both were at risk of initial deficiency. Why? Often rewarded for it32-resistance to changing how we think about weight’s relationship to performance “What can we achieve with healthy female athletes!?”37- goal of changing messaging to menstruating=performance advantage. It means you’re healthy 42-reaching young demographics with this messaging-local examples and peer to peer conversations/ peer lead discussion times are helpful. Athletes who are in the midst of a recovery -those stories are powerful as well49- Kim Smith: healthy fueling role model53-There are even digital expectations and pressures for athletes-social media etc54-Is this a first world only problem? Leaders in endurance running come from East Africa, is RED-S/LEA a problem there? If so, is it for same reasons? Different cultures exist in and across countries/socio economic status , more research needed56-Gender and RED-S: is the prevalence due to the way girls socialize things, even food and hunger? Beauty? Etc59-katie Schofield research- Men underfueling as well due to ideas on weight and performance in mens sport. Stigma of LEA may be worse for them62-female athletes in the media: expectations on looks.It is improving : due to more female journalists and female athletes taking media into their own hands (instagram, podcasts, etc)Resources:Healthy Women in Sport a Performance Advantage WHISPA72- The power in the athlete’s non sporting, human side. Their own authentic voices can be very impactful (more of Dr. Thorpes research and articles are linked on our website)

Sally intro and update on her situation staying in Kenya more, Coronavirus effects in Kenya, her home on the farm w fam Kevin and EmmaTrains solo , has help at home16-Motherhood and training , a lot of struggles in the 2 years post baby“ I will always be a mother before I’m an athlete, always”Lots of illness and body not cooperating21-training while pregnant: USA vs Kenya24-Sally’s struggles to train while pregnant, didn’t run but walked after 17 weeks pregnancy25-how to deal with not running when it’s such a big part of identity“There were times where I felt like I was kind of losing the battle in that (running thru pregnancy) aspect,because my fellow athletes where doing so well and they were managing it. I think i didn’t prepare myself enough for if i couldn’t run”“The public eye is showing these women who are soing really well and thats fantastic i think thats a great think, but Theres a risk that comes with that, because if cant achieve that  you almost feel like your preg or your journey is not as important...i just want to say it’s as important, that stage in your life is a wonderful stage, it should be celebrated weather you can run go to the gym 7 da week until you deliver or if you can’t move 2 feet until you deliver”30- Sally racing NYC marathon a few weeks pregnant35-When Sally decided to fit motherhood into her careerSociety’s (Kenya for ex) pressures on women vs own decisions to have family43-Sally’s school she helped build in Kenya, and on being a woman in a male dominated culture: education is such an important equalizer49-Sally’s role models and being enlightened by seeing USA, motivated by how important education is54-Sally’s sisters, married and had children young, ages 16 and 17(not going to highschool limits education, but also limited chance to participate in sports, they probably had similar great talent)58-Is Sally famous in Kenya?!Why She’s “Mamma-Emma”1:01-Kenyan running community, from doping to popularity and celebrity“Running is huge in kenya, it’s like being in the NFL in the US”“The younger generation, they think to run well you must dope”And there are issues in USA too: She makes a point to distinguish herself from Oregon Project in Portland (she is Oregon Track Club w Mark Rowland in Eugene)Needing to cultivate a culture of hard work rather than win at all cost in Kenya“If we have enough role models that are doing good, and for the young people to realize you can be good without ever cheating- I think that’s the greatest thing we can do as athletes. And I think we need to go back to really redefining what greatness is… you don’t have to be 1 to be great, just do your best and give 100%, and value that in our kids…”1:14- What part of Sally’s story she wants to shed more light on:That the mother, athlete and family member she is are all entwined. (great athletes aren’t robots-they’re whole people!)“ The mother (in me) is so much linked to the wife and so much linked to the athlete. The qualities that I try it to accomplish as an athlete are almost the same qualities that I’m trying to accomplish and trying to master and trying to learn as a mom and as a wife, like for example ...if im trying to be a good mom im trying to be diligent i'm trying to be disciplined im trying to be considerate,im trying to be forgiving, im trying to be patient i want to be loving. I want to be disciplined , I want to be diligent, I want to be faithful to my running.”Ro-Sally “knows how she wants to show up in the world” what’s next for Sally and how to follow her 

Welcome to episode 16 -This is a special episode of Keeping Track, We are highlighting Female Coaches in the NCAA D1 Track and Cross Country world. We’ve actually been working on this episode since we started the Podcast back in October, it was one of the first ideas I had, but it was perhaps biting off more than I could chew in the editing department so it took a while! (please forgive the occasional  shaky sound quality and choppiness). We pieced together parts of different interviews that we’ve collected the last few months, so let us know what you think of this different format. In this episode we talked to 5 women who are head coaches or Directors of programs at NCAA D1 schools. We hear from April Thomas, the associate head coach and throws coach at Mississippi State ,Julie Culley, the director of the track program at Georgetown, Amy Rudolph, associate head coach of women’s XC and assistant track coach at  Iowa State, Sara  Slattery who is head Cross Country Coach at Grand Canyon University in PHX , and Diljeet Taylor the associate director of cross country and track and field at BYU. We asked these women about their start in the profession, the challenges women face in progressing in the coaching field, who their mentors and supporters are, how they grew into successful coaches and why they find the career so rewarding. We hope you enjoy hearing these women all contribute their voices and experiences to this episode! Thanks for Keeping Track!0-3: the stats: As of 2017:Women are 43% of women’s sports head coaches in NCAAWomen are 23% of head coaches across all sports in NCAAOnly 12-18% of track and XC head coaches are womenPre title 9 (1978),( before you could make money as a women’s coach) 90 % of women's team coaches were women4- examining reasons for the imbalance:Lack of role models? System bias? Child care and pregnancy?We tell you why it’s a real job for women5: who we talk to-(link to profiles)Amy Rudolph of Iowa State,Julie Culley director of program at georgetownSara Slattery head distance coach at GCUDiljeet Taylor of BYUApril Thomas throws coach and ssoc head coach at Mississippi State (check out our website www.keeping-track.com for more detailed question summary!)

Catch up0-11 Molly Ro and Alysia update on Pandemic related changes in Bay Area CA, Scottsdale AZ, PVD RIRo’s healthy mind platter chartlink14-olympic postponement21-Introducing our two Guests Lauren Philbrook and Rachel Hyland25-check our insta for t-shirt winners!Interview!Lauren - still has 3.5 more weeks until baby-with Pandemic, now is an uncertain and anxious time to be pregnantRachel- due june 1, more uncertainty now, Dr. appointments are pushed back, done virtual etc4-decision to run the trials pregnant (the women were 27 weeks and 33 weeks along) and how much they were running in third trimester7-what they represented out on the trials course:Link Rachels blogPriorities shift with family but you can still have goals, her goal was adjusted but still held on to itRachel: “I was one of 500 who qualified and we’re all in a different place-I was in the middle of a pregnancy, Lauren was 33 weeks, someone else may have had a miscarriage, you just never know. Everyone was on their own little journey and I was just part of that.”12-Lauren: “I was actually a little bit worried that maybe some people would think I wasn’t taking this very serious event very seriously so that was probably  my biggest hesitation about running in it, and then having the support from Rachel and then my husband and my friends  here were like “no….” you qualified there is no reason why you can’t go run too “. “How supportive and encouraging everyone was to us, I was just blown away, I’ll never forget that feeling”13-Rachel was 4th in 2018 Boston Marathon15-Rachel: “Staying connected to the running community while I’ve been pregnant has been super important, so I think that’s another thing maybe I was, another reason that got me to the start line was being connected, cus I really needed that-I needed my running community this year in particular, even if I might have been running slower-but you don’t have to remove yourself from the competitive running community just cus you’re pregnant”16-Olympic postponement effects on these ladies-how it affects family planning18-Rachel and Lauren have other careers and balance running and family 23- Loosening your grip on perfection as an athlete who is used to chasing excellence-how those high expectations shift when you have family, work, and sport performance27- Rachel and Lauren’s story(link Runnersworld and WR story)Lauren-looks to women who are working, running at a high level and have families. It’s personally inspiringRachel-Also looks to for ex to teachers pursuing another passion aside from teaching-running is similar(link salty womens running pregnant training logs)33-lauren: “One thing i really like that Stephanie said...I’m not saying you have to run a marathon too just because I did , you can do whatever feels most comfortable to you….do what feels right to you, it doesn’t have to be a marathon, you can run if you like to and what’s comfortable, I feel like that’s what’s... appreciated”34:30 What it means to have each other during this time of their lives: they inspire each other to run post collegiately, and share first pregnancy experience

CatchupAlysia catches us up on having baby number 33-baby blues hit, Alysia talks new parent struggles and ppd/blues and Social Distancing struggles6:45-Molly catchup on trials and uncertainty as races are cancelled9:30-Alysia has finished her book Feelgood Fitness-preorder available on11:40-inspiration for the fitness book-accessibility for all abilities, inspired by her 67 year old Mom (and Astor says hi!)13:45-Ro’s news!Ali T!14:45- intro Aliphine, Marathon Olympic Trials champ and 10 time USA champion16:45-uncertainty amidst Corona Virus cancellations and quarantines19:45-Corona Virus in Kenya21:30-Growing Up in Posoy, West Pokot , Kenya20:45-Being of two worlds-Kenya and America“ without growing up in kenya I don’t know that I would be the person that I am today, without the experiences of experiencing a hard life, and I think that hard life that I had earlier made me appreciate the things that I do have today...I’m a very proud Kenyan-American.”42-How do we feel about changing allegiance?44-How Aliphine grew to want to compete for and live in USA47-Nationality as an identity in the melting pot of America49- Aliphine speaks on being between countries,  common immigrant experience: you have roots in the new country so to leave it would be hard, and returning is strange when the old country has changed since you were there.50-being a woman in Kenyan culture“If you got married you became part of a property of a man and his family...back then a woman didn’t have anything, like a woman doesn’t own anything, but then for me now I have the freedom of being able to get myself something,like when I bought my first house here it made me very happy because I came here with 100 dollars…. And having something that is mine that no one is gonna claim, that right there is independence that I don’t know if I had not ran or came to america I don't know if i would have had that independence. This is something that really makes me appreciate where I am and the opportunities that I have...I want to take that message to those little girls and tell them you can be indepent too...they don’t have a vision of being independent and I want them to know that they have a chance that they can do that”59-system of spouses controlling athletes contributing to doping in Kenya60:30-CoronaVirus again-how Aliphine is staying positive1:03-AliT Resiliency Beanies -she has an employee now! Business has expanded1:04-Aliphine’s string of injuries in 2018/2019 and how she dealt with themAli T resilience Hats on etsyAliphines story:“So much of my identity is running but I am more than a runner, I’m someone who...whenever I can, likes to interact with my community and offer support.  I want people to relate with me first as a human being, as a person who loves crocheting, who loves gardening, who grew up from a big family, who grew up from a lot of challenges.”

13-Marielles start in the sport-grew up in NJ, tried a lot of different sports and track events14-why isn’t distance running as popular in black American culture? Not as much visibility of African American distance runners, but African distance runners are very visible17:30-Influences in her track career-AAU very diverse and Derek Thompson HS coach (currently coaches world class 800 women Ajee Wilson, Raevyn Rogers, etc) 19:30-Why in the USA is there a separation in races amongst events?Who Marielle looked to as a youngster: Venus, Serena, Tiger WoodsRepresentation is so important, even apart from raceUnderstanding trainingLack of representation in media (ex Runner’s World Covers?) , Don’t know where to run in neighborhoods? 26:30-consumers are aware and responsive to these issues-and there are new platforms popping up which are a good thing29:00 Any Marathon ambitions??31-What’s it like being a part of the excellence of the Bowerman Group?34-Navigating training with the best without overdoing it: finding the line. Not competing with each other on a daily basis is key “work on being in control and confident and smooth”38: What is Marielle’s story? “There’s some people that get the opportunity to tell their story 100 times other people only get it 5 times...to continue to tell my story, get it closer to 100, be myself around different types of people as much as possible and hopefully it resonates with someone...that’s why I love sports in general so much....I’m attached to the players and the people and their families. That’s what I tune into games for. I’m somehow connected to this person because I saw an interview or read an article.39-what will Marielle’s second and third acts be? What else is she interested in?Storytelling (tv, podcasts, and creative ways), musicMarielle’s playlistFollow marielle at jacksonville 15k and Online at @Mariellehalll

Ro and Alysia chat with Ayesha McGowan , first African American Professional Cyclist about her journey, her advocacy for people of color in Cycling and how she created space for herself in this sport as well as celebrating the differences in the cycling world. Molly is off werkin out.6- Ayesha’s Background: how she got into sports and cycling-into track, field hockey and basketballWent to school in Central New Jersey-Piscataway 9- Ayesha’s mission to diversify road cycling. She recently became Pro w contract w Liv (she is Category II). Also fighting for representation in the cycling industry espn article14-womens cycling is being restructured-Women still only just now mandated to be paid at top level of cycling!She is not on team as it may limit her autonomy/ability to do advocacy work17- Ayesha’s influence in making space in the world as a black woman : Serena Williams, Kittie Knox21- her piece on people for bikes24-Cycling has such diverse participants: performance based cyclists, commuters, recreational cyclists. There feels to be  judgement between groups.25:  “I think the hardest thing about my work is trying to encourage people to learn how to celebrate differences instead of using them as tools for division and judgement and negativity. ...I don’t want you to not see that I’m a black woman. ….I want you to embrace that I’m a black woman and understand how that’s a good thing for this community and understand how that can be an asset to pushing the sport forward and growing cycling. But instead it becomes a negative thing. I feel like that’s how humans have learned to look at differences in general...I feel like cycling is this micro version of the world because you have people from all over...doctors and delivery workers...the range is massive...people from all different cultures and colors and whatever and so it’s a big reflection of the world and  it feels like a huge opportunity to teach some of these larger points that extend beyond cycling but use cycling as that commonality”28-barriers Ayesha has faced-understanding the confusing structure herself ,ignorance of others in regards to her humanity, explaining diversity, getting into a community’s bubble, angry people , people who are upset to be told they’re doing things wrong31-Double Consciousness, W.E.B Dubois“How much of myself can I be?”35- Ayesha-wants to create more opportunities for other people this yearFollow these accounts!@Allmountainbrothers@pedal2thepeopleAyesha doesn’t just want a black person to be used as an inclusivity project -she wants to show the diverse people who already come to the sport/ to show the people who are doing their thing already. She doesn’t want to be THE diversity.  She wants a broader representation of black people. Where to find Ayesha: blog www.aquickbrownfox.comPodcast - Quick Brown Foxinstagram/twitter- @Ayesuppose<

Link-dawns 2008 Oly Gold, and 2012 silver and most recent 2017 world champs silver0-10 Ro and Alysia catch up on Alysia’s commentating job from Boston Indoor Games!10-15 Dawn’s background and dreams for being mother and Olympic champ, the decision to wait to have a baby until she was done running in 2018 and coming OUT OF RETIREMENT for 2020!16:50-coming back from pregnancy -practice 6 weeks post baby was frustrating “that felt terrible to not be able to do something (a start off the line) that I feel like is just rolling out of bed” Felt rushed , but body has own timeline.23: link to the Tea on Players Tribune (via Facebook)We talk about the WNBA Collective bargaining agreement“The world recognized that this was a big deal” and deserved a news cycle not just small printWhat would be our issues in Collective Bargaining in track? Maternity, contract minimum?29: Perspectives on race and marketing: on seeking appropriate media attention and sponsorship opportunities for her achievements. The unexpected olympic gold in 2008-came from no contract, borrowed shoes , worked 3 jobs and shared a house with others“When I get to the line I’m not thinking of my hair style, my skin , my build, I’m thinking when I get to the line can I beat these other women”33 describing post gold feelings-so happyVs Interview experience: so much focus on LoLo who was the favorite to win not medaling-it didn’t follow the media script and there was some backlash because LoLo was a media darlingand Dawn was relatively unknown.She understood it took time for public to adjust to her win37: Marketability for female athletes come with unique challenges : ex- black female athletes-hair is a big deal, takes time and money to look good on tv39- on being called “jealous, dark, black and ugly, mad because LoLo got the spotlight”-upsetting, because she didn’t want fame she wanted to realize her full potential“Thar Narrative carried on for years” “I felt lost”42: How comments on her braids made her feel ugly and regret a style she likes ”I felt like the world was telling me I was ugly”44-2012 olympics-so happy to medal again. She was more well known and ready again to battle Sally Pearson-PR’d,broke former Oly Record w Sally,  came second by a fraction46 : 2012 reactions: social media- people call her “angry, black b--, kill yourself”The TV interview was centered around Lolo’s loss again49: Remembering back to 2008, room mate was devastated by loss while she was so happy to win, showed her to be sensitive and respectful to her competitors-why it’s so upsetting that she was portrayed as bitter regarding Lolo’s loss51: Kelly Wells purple hair was called too “ghetto” and unamerican by internet trolls52: ”there was a time for four solid years, olympics to olympics, where I was fending for myself and had to somehow find my own confidence and say no matter what the world is telling me I know that when I line up its a blessing to wear these 3 letters on my chest and every time I line up im just going to do my best” 53: The medals didn’t have the sponsorship power she expected-she felt her team didn’t push back at the narrative of “the market is down, no one is asking for you” and “you’re not the look”59: she felt lonely and unsupported in her issue. She felt like she didn’t have value for what she’d done, 62:2020-looking for sponsors but going for the dream anyway “you’ve been here before and you can do it again”65: outside influences matter (media and social media trolls etc), I