Women's Running Stories

In this, part 6 of this series, WRS host and producer Cherie Louise Turner shares how she set a new time milestone, getting 10 seconds closer to her goal of breaking 20 minutes in the 5k, and how this ushered in a time of focusing on training. At the close of the previous episode, Cherie was addressing some 5k and racing burnout, but she also knew she was fit and ready for a great performance. So, she took advantage of a local flat, fast race and let it rip. Race magic was in full effect. Post-race, it was time to regroup and focus on training. Cherie also decided to freshen things up and set her sites on some longer races, with a 5 miler and 10k on the schedule for August. In training, Cherie was focused on getting pacing dialed in, and not relying on the watch. She's begun to recognize and feel the freedom this brings to her running and racing. Cherie continues to fully enjoy the process of getting faster and racing better. To wrap up the episode, coming off of some solid weeks of training, Cherie notes the need to balance hard work with rest, especially to keep injuries at bay. And, she is looking forward to getting back to racing. In June of 2023, Women's Running Stories host and producer Cherie Turner closed the chapter on running longer distance races (at least for now), like marathons and ultras, and turned her attention to the 5k. Her goal: break 20 minutes in the 5km. Cherie is currently 54 years old and she has never dipped under 20 minutes at this distance. The closest she's ever gotten was back over a decade ago, when she ran 20:19. This update spans late May to late July 2024. Part 1 of this series concluded with Cherie setting a baseline time of 21:10 on August 30. Part 2 ended with Cherie learning more about how to train well and some of the lessons she's continuing to work on. In part 3, Cherie discusses how she experienced a non-running injury that took her out of structured training and workouts for 8 weeks but ended up being a healthy reset. Part 4 traces Cherie's return to training and racing, and how she realizes the need to address race anxiety and develop belief in herself. It's not a prerequisite to this episode to listen to the previous episodes in this series, but they do provide valuable details and context. In part 5, Cherie shares that she is focused on getting away from being so reliant on the GPS watch and committing to learn how to run and pace by feel. Cherie also addressed race anxiety and confidence and how these are challenges that take time to overcome. The journey is not linear. And she got into how expectation can lead to frustration and burnout, and how applying the well-known advice of breaking a big goal into smaller pieces is really important. Find the series here. Come along for the journey. To support WRS, please rate and review the show iTunes/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/womens-running-stories/id1495427631 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8Hr2RysbV4fdwNhiMAXc?si=1c5e18155b4b44fa Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project Instagram account: @over50sub20_5k_project WRS Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angelina Ellis is a professional steeplechaser for the Mission Run Dark Sky Distance team, and 2024 marks her first year running as a professional. And what an incredible year it's been. Becoming a professional runner has been a dream for Ellis since she was in high school. But back then, that's what she thought it would always be: a dream. Ellis did not have the kind of high school running career that screamed out, "Pro runner in the making." And she had some difficult and unpleasant experiences with racing in high school that made her question whether or not she wanted to continue in college. But she did ultimately decide to race for NCAA D1 school Butler University, and there her running transformed. And that transformation just keeps progressing. In this episode, Ellis tells the whole story up to today, coming off of her first experience at a US Olympic Trials. Ellis’s trajectory has been both uncertain and astonishing, and her Trials story is dramatic! This is the story of what it looks like for a developing athlete with big dreams to establish herself as a force to watch. Keep Up with Angelina Ellis Instagram: @angelina.ellis Keep Up with team Mission Run Dark Sky Distance team Instagram: @missionrun_darksky To support WRS, please rate and review the show iTunes/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/womens-running-stories/id1495427631 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8Hr2RysbV4fdwNhiMAXc?si=1c5e18155b4b44fa Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alison Mariella Désir is an athlete, mother, activist, public speaker, community builder, and now a hiker and mountain climber. Désir is well known for her groundbreaking book Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport that Wasn’t Built for Us and for her work making space for and creating communities that center and welcome BIPOC athletes into the running and outdoor worlds. Désir was first featured on WRS in October 2022, when her book was released. That episode told the story of Désir's running life to that point. In this episode, Désir shares the story of how and why she summited Africa's tallest peak, Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft), with an all Black group of women who she'd previously never met. Before this trip, hiking wasn't an activity that had held much interest for Désir. Today, she's searching for what mountain she'd like to summit next. This is the story of discovering a new source of joy, empowerment, and rewarding challenge. As transformative as this journey has been, however, when Désir returned to the US, she was faced once again with the reality of most running, trail, and outdoor communities in this country, especially those with the greatest access to power and change: how they center and favor white athletes. Highlighting this reality, in particular, was an article in the popular trail and ultra publication I Run Far, "Women in Trail Running and Ultrarunning: Perspectives on the Challenges and Progression Toward Equity." The equity discussed, however, focused only on white women: written by two white women, all the sources for the story were also all white women (a deliberate editorial choice). Reflecting on the ongoing need for change, the need to get serious about inclusion, Désir's story ends with a call to action, a call for much needed conversations. Keep Up with Alison Mariella Désir Alison’s website: alisonmdesir.com Alison on Instagram: @alisonmdesir Alison’s Kilimanjaro hashtag: #AMDclimbskili Mentioned in this Episode Soraka Tours: soraka.tours Alison Mariella Désir on WRS, October 2022: https://womensrunningstories.com/alison-mariella-desir-running-while-black-her-story-her-book Article from I Run Far: "Women in Trail Running and Ultrarunning: Perspectives on the Challenges and Progression Toward Equity" To support WRS, please rate and review the show iTunes/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/womens-running-stories/id1495427631 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8Hr2RysbV4fdwNhiMAXc?si=1c5e18155b4b44fa Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Grand Project, via Pixabay RomanBelov, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elvin Kibet was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, not far from Iten, a town internationally recognized as a hotbed of elite running. Kibet's focus growing up, however, was school; she was determined to excel. And she did. But that wasn't enough to earn her the scholarship she wanted. There was, however, another way. Kibet's two older sisters, Sylvia and Hilda, were both internationally competitive professional runners by the time she finished high school. Their advice: if you want to earn a scholarship and choose your own major (in Kenya, your area of study is chosen for you), you need to run. This set Elvin Kibet on a journey to earn a running scholarship to a US university, which she did. And it was through this process, that she also discovered not only a talent for running fast and racing, but also a love of the sport. Post college, Kibet continued to pursue her racing dreams, ultimately earning a position in the World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP. WCAP is part of the US Army, so in addition to being part of a professional running team, Kibet also became a soldier. Here, as a member of WCAP, Kibet also became the first athlete in the program to ever get pregnant. She faced in unknown future because the Army had no pregnancy policy for members of WCAP. But now because of Elvin Kibet, they do. Kibet's story is highlighted in the new book All in Stride: A Journey in Running, Courage, and the Search for the American Dream, by Johanna Garton, which also features the story of her husband, US Olympian Shadrack Kipchirchir, as well as US Olympian Samantha Schultz. Undoubtedly after hearing Kibet's story here, you will be inspired to read the book. This episode covers Elvin Kibet's running journey, from Kenya to the US; through college, to her first years as a professional runner to WCAP, and through to today, as she navigates the joys and empowerment she's discovered in motherhood. Kibet tells her story in terrific detail, with particularly fascinating insights into the process of emigrating to a new country and the challenges of becoming a professional runner, both in Kenya and the US. Keep Up with Elvin Kibet Instagram: @elvinjkibet Read All in Stride: A Journey in Running, Courage, and the Search for the American Dream Publisher page: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538184592/All-in-Stride-A-Journey-in-Running-Courage-and-the-Search-for-the-American-Dream Keep Up with All in Stride Author, Johanna Garton Instagram: @johannagartonbooks To support WRS, please rate and review the show iTunes/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/womens-running-stories/id1495427631 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8Hr2RysbV4fdwNhiMAXc?si=1c5e18155b4b44fa Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UK-based runner Andrea came to running as an adult and discovered a joy in setting big goals for herself in the sport. The first goal: run 50 races. Once she'd met this goal, Andrea was looking for another project to fuel her running motivation. Andrea's young adult daughter had recently moved out on her own, and the two of them shared a love of running and of travel. So this mother daughter team came up with their ideal running project: to run the alphabet. They are currently in the middle of running a series of 26 races, each with a subsequent letter of the alphabet in the name of the race, from A to Z. There are no restrictions on distance, terrain, or location. This alphabet challenge has opened this mother-daughter team up to a whole series of adventures, and Andrea is here to tell the story. Hear how running has become a catalyst to strengthen a family bond, and what discoveries Andrea has made all along her running journey. This is a truly delightful story about how challenging and playful running can be, and how discovering new places by foot at the speed of running can be a terrific way to see the world. Keep Up with Andrea Instagram: @silvercloudadventures Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay beetpro, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie Steele fell in love with sports at an early age. By the time she reached high school, that love had developed into a passion for competitive running. But the fun of racing turned destructive as Steele progressed through the competitive world of top level collegiate racing in the US, the NCAA. Her experiences were further exacerbated by the involvement of now banned running coach Alberto Salazar, whose influence had a traumatic and life-long impact on Steele's mental, emotional, and physical health. Despite all that Steele's been through, however, she has an enduring love of life as an athlete. She just wants to see it become better. Steele's running story and love of being an athlete fuel her passion to help create this change, and her professional life is dedicated to making it happen. Because, the unfortunate reality is that, while Steele's running story took place several years ago, many of the harms she experienced in the name of performance, as well as those she's identified in her subsequent professional life, still exist today. These are practices and approaches to coaching, training, and competition that need to be addressed. In the meantime, female athletes continue to pay an unnecessarily high price, with their mental, physical, and emotional health, to achieve their athletic goals. Reimagining a system of sport that works to support whole female health, for athletic pursuits and beyond, is the central focus of the new book The Price She Pays: Confronting the Hidden Mental Health Crisis in Women's Sports—from the Schoolyard to the Stadium by Steele and Dr. Tiffany Brown, with Erin Strout. This episode is being released on the occasion of the book's publication. Steele is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the co-founder of Thrive Mental Health, which is an outpatient medical health clinic in Bend, Oregon. Steele is also the executive director of the Athletes Mental Health Foundation, which is a nonprofit created to help young athletes understand and address their internal wellbeing. Additionally, Steele is the co-host with Tiffany Brown of the excellent new podcast Sports Shrinks. Steele's story is important, difficult, and powerful. Ultimately, it is hopeful. Keep Up with Katie Steele Athletes Mental Health Foundation: athletesmentalhealthfoundation.org Athletes Mental Health Foundation, Instagram: @athletesmentalhealthfoundation Thrive Mental Health: thrivementalhealththerapy.com Sports Shrinks: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sports-shrinks/id1734751976 Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madie Boreman is a professional steeplechaser for Oiselle, and last year, 2023, in her very first season as a pro, she established herself as a racer to watch. Getting to this point, however, has been full of many ups and downs. In this episode Boreman shares the fascinating story of transitioning from collegiate racing to the professional ranks. Boreman has had a talent and love of running and racing since childhood. In college, she raced for the powerhouse NCAA track and field team at CU Boulder, and as a freshman she had a stellar year. But injuries plagued her thereafter in her collegiate career. Despite that, Boreman continued to perform well, and more importantly, she knew she had more to give. She could feel it. Boreman also has a well developed ability to turn disappointment into a future asset, so while success does fuel her confidence, disappointment fuels her determination. So despite a vote of no confidence from CU Boulder coaches about her prospects as a pro after graduation, Boreman followed her intuition and went for it. Boreman bet on herself that she could indeed race with the best in the professional ranks. She built a strong and supportive network around herself, notably with agent Isaya Okwiya and coach Juli Benson, and last year, in 2023, she began to put in the performances she knew she was capable of. And that, it appears, is only the beginning. Step by step, Madie Boreman is developing into a top steeplechaser, now with national and international experience. And her momentum is building to the biggest day on the 2024 race calendar: the US Olympic Trials happening June 21–30. This is the story of a young champion on the rise. Get ready to cheer her on. Keep Up with Madie Boreman Instagram: @boredmadie Learn more about Boreman at Oiselle.com: www.oiselle.com/pages/madie-boreman Mentioned in this Episode Cindy Kuzma article for Runner's World about CU Boulder Track and Field Program: runnersworld.com/news/a44272887/colorado-investigation-finds-body-composition-testing-harmed-athletes Oiselle: oiselle.com Photo Credits Kevin Majano Instagram: @captured_kev Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympian and professional marathon runner for Asics Betsy Saina tells the story of how it all went down at the 2024 USATF 25k National Championships. Saina returned to this race as the reining champion. Saina was born in Kenya and that is where she currently lives. She came to the US for college and had an incredible collegiate career racing for Iowa State University. Saina went on to become an Olympian racing for Kenya in the 10,000 meter event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. There, she finished an incredible fifth place. Betsy has since become an American citizen and now competes for the United States. Coming into the 25k championships, Saina was on a comeback, a redemption period, which was kicked off early this year, 2024. Her record-setting performance at the 25k is one more statement in this part of her journey, demonstrating that she is back and literally better than ever. But to appreciate the full context of Saina's recent racing, this story goes back a bit further than this year, beginning with her becoming a mom for the first time, in December of 2021. Leading into 2024, having returned to elite level racing post-pregnancy, Saina was focused on making the 2024 US Olympic Marathon team heading to Paris. By most predictions, she was a clear choice. She'd run the fastest marathon of any American woman in 2023, and she was coming into the Olympic Trials in peak fitness. But, to make the team, she still needed to place top 3 in the Olympic Trials, which were held in February 2024. Saina succumbed to the heat on the day at the Trials, and her Olympic marathon dreams were over. Over the months following the Marathon Trials, however, Saina has been demonstrating just how fit and race ready she actually is, and this 25k champs puts an exclamation point on that journey. In this episode, Saina tells the whole story, from her pregnancy journey, through her deeply disappointing Marathon Trials experience, up to the 25k champs, where she did indeed earn a spot in the record books. This is the terrific comeback story of a champion racer. This episode is part of the WRS series of Race Report episodes. Just like last year, 2023, you can expect a Race Report episode for each race of the USATF Road Circuit series of races. Each episode features one top 10 runner telling the story of how the race went down, from her perspective. And because a race is never just about what happens on race day, you will get to know a little bit more about each one of the runners featured and how this race figures into their larger running story. The USATF Running Circuit championship series of races happen throughout the United States all year long and each race serves as a national championship for the distance or the type of race that is being run. Also, at each one of these races, in addition to vying for a national title, runners earn cash prizes and they earn points. The points go toward the series overall, which is determined at the end of the year. The next race on the circuit: the 6k National Championships which will take place in Canton, OH on July 13. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss the race report! You can catch up on all the Race Reports on our website or on your favorite podcast app. Keep Up with Betsy Saina Instagram: @sainabetsy Previous Women's Running Stories Race Report Episodes: https://womensrunningstories.com/podcast/women-running-stories Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Rockot, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, part 5 of this series, Cherie shares how she's getting away from being so reliant on the GPS watch and committing to learn how to run and pace by feel. This is, she continues to discover, a work in progress, especially when it comes to pacing. Cherie also gets into addressing race anxiety and confidence and how these are challenges that take time to overcome. The journey is not linear. And she gets into how expectation can lead to frustration and burnout, and how applying the well-known advice of breaking a big goal into smaller pieces is really important. Cherie remains healthy and enthusiastically committed to this goal. Keeping in mind the importance of intermediate goals, Cherie is currently focused on breaking the 21 minutes barrier, which is tantalizingly close. In June of 2023, Women's Running Stories host and producer Cherie Turner closed the chapter on running longer distance races (at least for now), like marathons and ultras, and turned her attention to the 5k. Her goal: break 20 minutes in the 5km. Cherie is currently 54 years old and she has never dipped under 20 minutes at this distance. The closest she's ever gotten was back over a decade ago, when she ran 20:19. This update spans March to May 2024. Part 1 of this series concluded with Cherie setting a baseline time of 21:10 on August 30. Part 2 ended with Cherie learning more about how to train well and some of the lessons she's continuing to work on. In part 3, Cherie discusses how she experienced a non-running injury that took her out of structured training and workouts for 8 weeks but ended up being a healthy reset. Part 4 traces Cherie's return to training and racing, and how she realizes the need to address race anxiety and develop belief in herself. It's not a prerequisite to this episode to listen to the previous episodes in this series, but they do provide valuable details and context. Find the series here. Come along for the journey. Mentioned in this episode Katie Arnold: Zen on the Run: womensrunningstories.com/katie-arnold-zen-on-the-run Emilia Benton: A Boston Marathon Journey: womensrunningstories.com/emilia-benton-a-boston-marathon-journey Sonia Samuels with Jae Gruenke: Olympian Rediscovers (Pain-Free) Form: womensrunningstories.com/olympian-sonia-samuels-with-movement-expert-jae-gruenke-recovering-skillful-pain-free-running The Confident Mind, by Nate Zinsser: goodreads.com/book/show/57863475-the-confident-mind The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz: goodreads.com/book/show/68985.The_Power_of_Full_Engagement To support WRS, please rate and review the show iTunes/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/womens-running-stories/id1495427631 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8Hr2RysbV4fdwNhiMAXc?si=1c5e18155b4b44fa Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project Instagram account: @over50sub20_5k_project WRS Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young professional runner Rachel McArthur shares how it all went down at the 2024 USATF 1-Mile National Championships, which took place Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Des Moines, IA. But more than most race stories, this one is all that much more exciting because of what came before. In this episode, you'll hear it all. A bit of background on MacArthur's running career, she was an exceptional high school runner, and she graduated in 2017. The very next year in 2018, she won the USAFT U20 national championship title in the 1500 meter. McArthur did have a strong collegiate career. She raced first for Villanova and then she transferred to the powerhouse team at the University of Colorado at Boulder. And while she performed well, McArthur raced injured for the majority of her time in the collegiate system, and that continued after she transitioned into the pro ranks. This is all to say that Rachel MacArthur has not raced injury free for most of her adult racing career, and not at all during any time as a professional—until now. How and why this all unfolded the way it did, from the process of managing this injury all the way up to the finish line of the 1-Mile National Championships, is what this story is all about. Also to know about McArthur, she is currently a member of Team SOVA, a professional track group based in Virginia. She's the only woman in the group. And when she's not training with the men of SOVA, she is training with the women's team at Virginia Tech. This episode is part of the WRS series of Race Report episodes. Just like last year, 2023, you can expect a Race Report episode for each race of the USATF Road Circuit series of races. Each episode features one top 10 runner telling the story of how the race went down, from her perspective. And because a race is never just about what happens on race day, you will get to know a little bit more about each one of the runners featured and how this race figures into their larger running story. The USATF Running Circuit championship series of races happen throughout the United States all year long and each race serves as a national championship for the distance or the type of race that is being run. Also, at each one of these races, in addition to vying for a national title, runners earn cash prizes and they earn points. The points go toward the series overall, which is determined at the end of the year. The next race on the circuit: the 25k National Championships which took place in Grand Rapids, MI, on May 11. A WRS Race Report is coming shortly. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss it! You can catch up on all the Race Reports on our website or on your favorite podcast app. Keep Up with Rachel McArthur Instagram: @rachelmcarthur_ Team SOVA Instagram: @teamsova Photo Credit Jan Figueroa: Instagram: @janfiguero07 Previous Women's Running Stories Race Report Episodes: https://womensrunningstories.com/podcast/women-running-stories Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Rockot, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a live recording from Sunday, April 14 at the Boston Marathon Expo. Once again, WRS host Cherie Turner teamed up with Julie Sapper and Lisa Levin from the Run Farther and Faster podcast to co-host an excellent panel. This year's panel was titled Making a Statement: Breaking Barriers in Women's Running, and it featured outstanding runners Alisa Harvey, Kelly Bruno, and Briana Boehmer. Alisa Harvey is an elite-level competitor on the track and road who has qualified for the Olympic Trials at the 800m, 1500m, and marathon distances. Among her long list of accomplishments over decades of racing, she has competed as a member of Team USA at several World Championships, and won gold at the 1991 Pan-Am Games in the 1500. At 58, she continues to compete as a top masters athlete, setting numerous age group records. Alisa is a 2019 National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee and was featured in the documentary Breaking Three Hours. Kelly Bruno is a world-record-setting sprinter, ultra distance trail runner, and marathoner, competing as part of the professional para-athlete division of this year's Boston Marathon. She was also a contestant on season 21 of Survivor. Having undergone a below-the-knee amputation at a young age, she competes with a prosthetic. Kelly is a life-long athlete, pushing the envelope of what’s possible for para-athletes. In addition to being an endurance athlete, Kelly is physician specializing in pain management at Yale University. Briana Boehmer, an elite runner turned long-distance triathlete, returned to running and raced her first marathon at age 42 at the 2021 California International Marathon. She finished in 2:33:20, setting a masters course record, which launched her into the professional marathon world. Bri is on a mission to prove that age is not a barrier to pursuing big goals. In addition to competing as an elite, Briana is a corporate executive and entrepreneur. She is currently the COO of Goodie Bag, which provides marketplace solutions to reduce food waste. Support Our Supporters This episode is supported by Lagoon, maker of exceptional pillows: lagoonsleep.com. Use the code WRS15 for 15% off your first Lagoon order. How to Keep Up with Kelly Bruno Instagram: @kellybrunomd How to Keep Up with Briana Boehmer Instagram: @briboehmer More About Alisa Harvey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alisa_Harvey Learn more about the Breaking Three Hours documentary: http://mobile.breakingthreehours.com/ Ways to Connect with Run Farther and Faster Instagram: @runfartherandfaster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RunFartherFaster Twitter: @RunFartherfast Website: https://www.runfartherandfaster.com/ Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Twitter: @WomenRunStories Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carmen Graves is a professional track racer sponsored by Oiselle, and she specializes in the uniquely challenging event of the steeplechase. Graves's unexpected discovery of excelling at this event and the exciting reality that she continues to improve as a steeplechaser at the age of 33 is what this story is all about. Graves loves to run and race, and she is exceptional, but her journey has been punctuated with moments of frustration and questioning. She's experienced crippling race anxiety and, often as the only Black woman on the starting line, feelings of not belonging. Graves also recognizes the impact of racism in the sport of track and field: how Black women and women of color are steered toward sprint events, while white woman are more likely to be introduced to distance events. Alongside facing these hurdles, Graves has experienced terrific self-discovery and triumph. She's towing the line these days with ever stronger confidence and ability, and she's feeling all the more empowered about the importance of representation. Graves has also gone through some big changes recently that are resulting in some new PRs and boosted confidence coming into the 2024 Olympic Trials. This will be Graves third appearance at the Olympic Trials, and she's coming in more ready than ever to go after a spot on Team USA. In this episode, Graves covers her fascinating steeplechase journey, and to kick things off, she gives a detailed description of the event itself. If you are unfamiliar with the steeplechase, or even if you are, this is a wonderful opportunity to sit with how truly difficult and, quite frankly, scary this event is, from a woman who is one of the best. In addition to training and racing, Graves is the co-founder with her husband, Sean Stetler, of Denver Athletics, an all-inclusive community running club that welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities. The organization also hosts all-comers track meets, and in 2023, they hosted seven events. Graves also works full time as a program advisor for the Center of Work Education and Employment. Please stay tuned all the way to the end of the episode, where Graves shares some post-steeplechase racing goals. Keep Up with Carmen Graves Instagram: @carmenpelar Website: carmenpelar.com Mentioned in this Episode Denver Athletics Instagram: @denver_athletics Denver Athletics website: denverathletics.org Oiselle: oiselle.com Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay Grand Project, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August 2020, marathon and ultra-distance trail runner Emily Halnon set out on an FKT (fastest known time). The goal: cover the 460 miles of the Pacific Coast Trail that traverses Oregon, from south to north, faster than any other human yet recorded. The purpose: to honor her mother, Andrea Halnon, who had been her inspiration and her biggest supporter. Emily Halnon is also a writer, and this episode is being released on the publication day of her first book, To the Gorge: Running, Grief, and Resilience on 460 Miles of the Pacific Coast Trail. In January 2020, Emily's mother, Andrea, died of a rare, aggressive form of uterine cancer after a tragically short but fierce fight against the disease. Up to the end, Andrea had lived much as she always had: big, bold, and brave. For Emily, to honor her mother's passing and to process the deep grief that followed, she felt moved to do the same. Emily had first been inspired to go after athletic goals that took her out of her comfort zone by her mother. She'd begun running road marathons and then, seeking ever more challenging adventures, moved on to trail ultras, including several 100-milers. But the pursuit of truly pushing her limits had languished a bit prior to 2020. So, setting her sights on a goal that would undoubtedly take her to the edge, in her mother's honor, felt exactly right. The first thing that came to Emily's mind was running across Oregon, a place she'd settled in several years earlier and fallen in love with. For its jaw dropping beauty and the terrific trail running community she'd become a part of. This is the story of Emily Halnon's running journey, the pivotal role her mother played in that journey, the totally epic, multi-day trail record that Emily went after in her mother's honor, and how that FKT helped her process the overwhelming grief of losing her mother. At its heart, this story is about one woman's path to rediscovering how to live a beautiful life after a devastating loss. This episode is big, it's emotional, it's intense, and it is ultimately triumphant. Keep Up with Emily Halnon Instagram: @emilysweats Website: emilyhalnon.com Emily Halnon's book, To the Gorge: emilyhalnon.com/book Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Music by Grand_Project from Pixabay Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adidas professional runner Emily Durgin is back on the podcast! She shares how it all went down at the 2024 USATF 10-Mile National Championships, which took place April 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. This is a follow up to Durgin's last appearance on WRS, where she told the story of how the USATF Olympic Trails Marathon played out for her. While Durgin had a really strong showing at that race, she didn't walk away with her ultimate goal: making the Olympic team. She placed a solid 9th and most importantly, she had prepared and raced with total determination. But, the marathon is tricky and unforgiving, and sometimes the day just doesn't go your way. That said, however, it was still a challenging disappointment to overcome. The next question was then, How was Emily Durgin going to move forward? Durgin tells you the answer here, and it's a strong, exciting statement! In this episode, get great insight into life as a professional distance runner and what it looks like to bounce back big. This episode is part of the WRS series of Race Report episodes. Just like last year, 2023, you can expect a Race Report episode for each race of the USATF Road Circuit series of races. Each episode features one top 10 runner telling the story of how the race went down, from her perspective. And because a race is never just about what happens on race day, you will get to know a little bit more about each one of the runners featured and how this race figures into their larger running story. The USATF Running Circuit championship series of races happen throughout the United States all year long and each race serves as a national championship for the distance or the type of race that is being run. Also, at each one of these races, in addition to vying for a national title, runners earn cash prizes and they earn points. The points go toward the series overall, which is determined at the end of the year. The next race on the circuit: the 1-mile National Championships which took place in Des Moines, Iowa, on April 23. A WRS Race Report is coming shortly. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss it! You can catch up on all the Race Reports on our website or on your favorite podcast app. Keep Up with Emily Durgin Instagram: @em_durgin Photo Credit Rob Perez: Instagram: @r.oh.bee Mentioned in this episode Race Report: Emily Durgin + 2024 USATF Olympic Trials Marathon: https://womensrunningstories.com/race-report-emily-durgin-2024-usatf-olympic-trials-marathon Race Report: Annie Frisbie + 2024 USATF 15k National Championships: https://womensrunningstories.com/race-report-annie-frisbie-2024-usatf-15k-national-championships Race Report: Rachel Smith + 2023 USATF 5k National Championships: https://womensrunningstories.com/race-report-rachel-smith-2023-usatf-5k-national-championships Previous Women's Running Stories Race Report Episodes: https://womensrunningstories.com/podcast/women-running-stories Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Music by Grand_Project from Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women's Running Stories is moving to Tuesdays; expect the next new episode Tuesday, April 30. This Friday episode is a re-air of a great story featuring running great Sally Kipyego. The episode first aired back in March 25, 2021, and it centers on Kipyego's return to competitive running after having her first child, and the journey to making the 2020 Olympic Marathon team. Mentioned in this Episode: Race Report: Emily Durgin + 2024 USAFT Olympic Marathon Trials: https://womensrunningstories.com/race-report-emily-durgin-2024-usatf-olympic-trials-marathon Michelle Sikes: NCAA Champion, Author of Kenya's Running Women: A History: https://womensrunningstories.com/michelle-sikes-ncaa-champion-author-of-kenyas-running-women-a-history Sally Kipyego is one of the fastest distance runners in the world, with a long resume of incredible performances. And, she also wanted to be a mom. This is her journey navigating pregnancy and returning to elite-level competition, just in time to compete at the historic 2020 US Women's Olympic Marathon Trials. Sally was born in Kenya and started running at a young age. She discovered early on that she had talent and a will be seek the ultimate limits of her potential. She had early success as a junior, and when she came to the United States and ran as a member of the Texas Tech cross-country and track team, she dominated by winning total of 9 NCAA championships. Sally turned pro after college, in 2010, and has been internationally competitive ever since. Among her many accomplishments, she placed 2nd in the 10,000 meter at the world championships in 2011 and 5th in 2015, and she won the silver medal at that distance in the 2012 London Olympics. During that time she was competing for her home country of Kenya, and in 2017, she became a US citizen. She currently calls Eugene, Oregon, home, and visits Kenya regularly. In 2016, Sally decided the time had come to become a mom. This episode traces her experience going through pregnancy and the bumpy, uncertain journey returning to her job of elite running. And it all culminates at one epic race: the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials. Through Sally's experiences, we learn about patience, listening to your body, and honoring the reality that every single pregnancy journey is different. Follow Sally Kipyego on Instagram: @sallykipyego Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Twitter: @WomenRunStories Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2016, elite ultra-distance trail runner and writer Katie Arnold experienced a traumatic river rafting accident that left her questioning whether or not she would ever be able to run again. This is the story of how Arnold healed after her accident and how that process helped her rediscover a pure joy of running and a magical return to racing. This happened over the period of time when Arnold was 46 to 48 years old. This episode was made on the occasion of the release of Arnold’s second book, Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal World. The book was just released April 16, 2024. To borrow the description that her publisher put out, “This book is a Zen study wrapped in a memoir that tells the story of a search for stillness by a woman born for wildness.” And it’s an apt description. This book is exceptional. And this episode does focus on the same period of time that is covered in the book. Of course, Arnold's book goes into much more detail than she gets into in this episode, but in either case, the story covers the same period of time, roughly the two years between 2016 and 2018, beginning with Arnold experiencing a traumatic rafting accident through her process of healing. Arnold studies the teachings of Zen Buddhism and she practices Zen mediation. Weaved throughout Arnold’s story is how her Zen practice manifests in this whole process. The story, as it is told here, focuses on the power of belief, participating in your own healing, and the interesting dynamic of achieving goals while not clinging to them—or put another way, staying with where you're at instead of focusing on the finish line. Keep Up with Katie Arnold Instagram: @katiearnold Website: katiearnold.net Katie Arnold's books, Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal World and Running Home: katiearnold.net/books Mentioned in This Episode Sarah Lavender Smith: Ultramarathon Trail Running Longevity: womensrunningstories.com/sarah-lavender-smith-transitioning-through-competitive-running-longevity Sarah Lavender Smith's website: sarahlavendersmith.com Sarah Lavender Smith's newsletter, Colorado Mountain Running & Living Sarah Lavender Smith book, The Trail Runner's Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Emilia Benton focuses on how she discovered the approach to marathoning that earned her a Boston Marathon qualifying time, and then how it all went down at last year's Boston Marathon. Benton is a well recognized journalist in the running world, with a particular focus on professional runners as well as runners and stories that have typically been underrepresented and overlooked by the media. As a runner, a big focus of Benton’s has been marathons. She has run over a dozen of them, and for about a decade, her efforts focused on what many ambitious marathoners focus on: getting a Boston qualifying time, and then running the Boston Marathon. Over the course of her marathon journey, Benton has become astutely aware of her own needs as a runner, and that not all conventional marathoning wisdom met her needs. She's been through a lot of trial and error, and she's found what does work for her, and she's learned how to trust that knowledge. Benton also found a coach who backed her approach. And that coach is Nell Rojas. Rojas is both a coach and she is also one of America's very best marathoners: among her many accolades, Rojas has twice been the top American finisher at the Boston Marathon. Working with Rojas, Benton raced a terrific 2022 Houston Marathon to earn her BQ, and run at Boston the next year. Benton shares it all in this episode, and more! What shines bright here is that what works for one person in marathoning may not work for another. Every runner needs to discover their own path, which is exactly what Benton did. Keep Up with Emilia Benton Instagram: @emiliambenton Website: emiliabenton.com Mentioned in This Episode "My Run Club Was Profiled for ‘Cheering While Black’—Here’s Why It Only Reaffirms Our Mission," Sidney Baptista, as told to Emilia Benton: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a43878096/my-run-club-was-profiled-for-cheering Liz Rock: A TrailblazHer's Journey, Running the Boston Marathon for Mile 21 Joy: https://womensrunningstories.com/liz-rock-a-trailblazhers-journey-running-the-boston-marathon-for-mile-21-joy Alison Mariella Désir: Running While Black, Her Story, Her Book: https://womensrunningstories.com/alison-mariella-desir-running-while-black-her-story-her-book Race Report: Nell Rojas + 2023 25k National Championships: https://womensrunningstories.com/race-report-nell-rojas-2023-usatf-25k-national-championships Boston Marathon Expo Live Stage event, Sun., April 14, 2pm: "Making a Statement: Breaking Barriers in Women's Running" featuring Briana Boehmer, Kelly Bruno, Alisa Harvey; moderated by Cherie Turner, Julie Sapper, Lisa Levin; presentation of Team Bevans takes place immediately following this conversation Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh penguinmusic, via Pixabay chillmore, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Wheeler is an internationally competitive marathon and distance road racer. Last year saw Wheeler race marathons in Boston, Berlin, Sydney, London, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia, in addition to traveling throughout the US to shorter-distance races. And, this year, she'll also be returning to shorter distance racing on the track. Wheeler will be competing at the Paralympic Trials in the 800, 1500, and 5000, vying for her play on Team USA. Wheeler has been an athlete since childhood in a number of sports, including wheelchair racing. Her early focus was on the track, in sprinting events. Back then, she had no interest in anything longer than those short bursts of speed, the 100, the 200, the 400 meters. As she entered adulthood, Wheeler's focus shifted to other parts of life. She became a mom. She moved from her childhood home in New Jersey to New York City, where she earned her bachelor's degree. Competitive wheelchair racing wasn't top of mind, but as it would turn out, fate stepped in to change that. Today, Wheeler is a professional marathon wheelchair racer, earning invitations to line up at races all over the world. That is what this story is all about, how Wheeler returned to racing and discovered her passion for competing in marathons; and how she's learned to navigate life as a mom, full time rehabilitation and mental health counselor, and professional athlete. As Wheeler goes into, finding balance and focusing on mental health has been key to this journey. Wheeler opened her 2024 season at the NYC Half-Marathon on March 17, where she finished a strong 4th place. Next on her schedule is the Boston Marathon, taking place on April 15. At Boston, Wheeler will be racing as a member of Team Bevans. Team Bevans comprises exceptional Black women marathoners running the Boston Marathon. They run in honor of Marilyn Bevans, the first American born Black woman to run the marathon in under 3 hours. This is just one of many accolades Bevans earned as one of the best marathoners of her day. Wheeler and the other women on the team embody the spirit of Black woman excellence in marathon running sparked by Bevans, and help solidify her incredible legacy. Keep Up with Michelle Wheeler Instagram: @shellyrunstheworld Mentioned in This Episode Black Unicorn Marathoners: blackunicornmarathoners.org Team Bevans: facebook.com/blackunicornmarathoners Roads to Boston series: womensrunningstories.com/home-2/roads-to-boston-9-runners-1-finish-line Boston Marathon Expo Live Stage event, Sun., April 14, 2pm: "Making a Statement: Breaking Barriers in Women's Running" featuring Briana Boehmer, Kelly Bruno, Alisa Harvey; moderated by Cherie Turner, Julie Sapper, Lisa Levin; presentation of Team Bevans takes place immediately following this conversation Oiselle, the apparel brand rooted in running; made by women, for women: oiselle.com Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jen Kanyugi is running her 20th consecutive Boston Marathon this year. Her journey to get to this point is about this one event, and so much more. In this time, Jen went from not running more than 20 minutes on the treadmill to being a steady presence at this, one of the most recognized and celebrated running events in the world. In that time she became a mom, three times (she ran two of her Boston Marathons while pregnant). She learned the joy of completing those 26.2 miles, and that it's so special she continues to want to do it, again and again, every year. She's learned the power of support, finding groups to train with and create community with, like Girls on the Run and Black Girls Run. Jen has also learned the tragedy of trauma, having run Boston 2014, the year of the bombing. And she understands what it means to come back and reclaim spaces that were threatened. And she's learned the power of giving and volunteering: for years Jen has raised money for charities she is passionate about, and she regularly volunteers for the running groups she is a part of. Jen Kanyugi shares all of this in this episode of celebration. In honor of her 20th consecutive Boston Marathon and all that she does for the running community, Jen has also been chosen to be a member of Team Bevans. Team Bevans comprises exceptional Black women marathoners running the Boston Marathon. They run in honor of Marilyn Bevans, the first American born Black woman to run the marathon in under 3 hours. This is just one of many accolades Bevans earned as one of the best marathoners of her day. Kanyugi and the other women on the team embody the spirit of Black woman excellence in marathon running sparked by Bevans, and help solidify her incredible legacy. Keep Up with Jen Kanyugi Facebook: facebook.com/patandjen Jen Kanyugi's Camp Shriver donation page Mentioned in This Episode Black Unicorn Marathoners: blackunicornmarathoners.org Team Bevans: facebook.com/blackunicornmarathoners Black Girls Run: blackgirlsrun.com Girls on the Run: girlsontherun.org Roads to Boston series: womensrunningstories.com/home-2/roads-to-boston-9-runners-1-finish-line Boston Marathon Expo Live Stage event, Sun., April 14, 2pm: "Making a Statement: Breaking Barriers in Women's Running" featuring Briana Boehmer, Kelly Bruno, Alisa Harvey; moderated by Cherie Turner, Julie Sapper, Lisa Levin; presentation of Team Bevans takes place immediately following this conversation Oiselle, the apparel brand rooted in running; made by women, for women: oiselle.com Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay artmucis.janevo, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, part 4 of this series, Cherie tells the story of her return to formal training and workouts after recovering from an injury. And, back at it, Cherie returned to racing and experienced a frustrating bought of race anxiety. This set Cherie down a path to tackle this difficult barrier and think deeply about what this goal means to her and the importance of believing in abilities. Cherie discusses the strategies she been practicing to overcome race anxiety and big wins she's experienced by putting these strategies in place. She also identifies her next big challenge in this process: pacing well in racing. This goal, Cherie sees, is like putting together a puzzle, and piece by piece, it's coming together. And, Cherie is grateful for the support she's getting all along the way, especially from her coach, Verity Breen, and her husband. In June of 2023, Women's Running Stories host and producer Cherie Turner closed the chapter on running longer distance races (at least for now), like marathons and ultras, and turned her attention to the 5k. Her goal: break 20 minutes in the 5km. Cherie is currently 54 years old and she has never dipped under 20 minutes at this distance. The closest she's ever gotten was back over a decade ago, when she ran 20:19. This update spans January to March 2024. Part 1 of this series concluded with Cherie setting a baseline time of 21:10 on August 30. Part 2 ended with Cherie learning more about how to train well and some of the lessons she's continuing to work on. In part 3, Cherie discusses how she experienced a non-running injury that took her out of structured training and workouts for 8 weeks but ended up being a healthy reset. Please click the links below to hear those episodes (they're not prerequisites to this episode, but they do provide details and context). The release of this this episode also marks the 4 year anniversary of the podcast! In conjunction with this milestone, Cherie is launching a new Instagram account focused on this 5k project. There, you can find more details and more frequent updates about this journey, in between podcast updates, which come out every few months. Please follow! @over50sub20_5k_project. Come along for the journey. Mentioned in this episode NEW! The Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project Instagram account: @over50sub20_5k_project Cherie Turner: The Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project: Part 1, Setting the Baseline: https://womensrunningstories.com/cherie-turner-the-over-50-sub-20-5k-project-part-1-setting-the-baseline Cherie Turner: The Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project: Part 2, Learning to Train Well: https://womensrunningstories.com/cherie-turner-the-over-50-sub-20-5k-project-part-2-learning-to-train-well Cherie Turner: The Over 50, Sub 20, 5k Project: Part 3, The Reset: https://womensrunningstories.com/cherie-turner-over-50-sub-20-5k-project-part-3-the-reset Self Care Simplified interview with Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PbGZ4OVqbREbSNC7atvVt?si=9Q8mtfEKQl2ZwlhNQ5U-kg Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices