Today’s episode is an interview with Boulder local and professional trail runner for Nike, Bailey Kowalczyk. Bailey grew up in upstate New York where she discovered her love for running. She committed to running for Clemson in college, but right before her arrival the coaching staff underwent a complete change that ultimately ended with her struggling as a collegiate runner. Bailey ended up leaving Clemson and moving to Boulder, where she became a full time student at CU and put running on the back burner. She re-discovered her passion for the sport after some time away, and ultimately went on to find success on the trails with a win at the US trail half marathon championships and a top 5 finish in the Golden Trail series. Bailey is also a run coach, and focuses on helping athletes find life balance while chasing their goals.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Bailey discovered running, and how she considered herself to exclusively be a middle distance runner in high school
• Her transition to collegiate athlete at Clemson, where a last minute coaching change led to a less than optimal environment for her
• Bailey’s experience with RED-S that led her to seek help from a multi-disciplinary team, move to Boulder and take a break from the sport
• How that break allowed her to re-discover her love of running and that ultimately led her to the trails
• What is different about trail running, and how fueling has played a key role in her success
• Why coaching is so important to her, and why she encourages her athletes to find life balance while chasing their goals

You can learn more about Bailey’s coaching services on her website HERE.