In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Karly Borden, founder of The Public Run Club, to explore what it really looks like to rebuild a relationship with running after disordered eating.

Karly shares her personal story of navigating eating disorder recovery and the often-overlooked challenge of returning to exercise in a way that feels safe, grounded, and self-trust-driven. Together, they unpack the tension between discipline and intuition, and why so many people feel stuck in the “murky middle” of movement — not fully disordered, but not fully free either.

Leah and Karly also dive into Karly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle, a powerful framework for approaching movement in a sustainable, non-extractive way that honors the body’s natural rhythms rather than forcing constant progress.

You’ll hear about:

• Karly’s personal journey with running, disordered eating, and recovery
• Why movement is often the missing piece in eating disorder recovery
• The difference between extractive vs. regenerative movement
• How to approach fitness goals without slipping into disordered patterns
• Karly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle and how it supports sustainable movement
• Practical tools for tuning into your body before, during, and after exercise

Mentioned in the Episode:

• 🎢 My Story (unfiltered, the whole saga)
• 🏃‍♀️ Disordered Eating in the Running Community with Serena Marie

More from Karly:

• Website: https://www.thepublicrunclub.com
• Instagram: @thepublicrunclub
• Kind and Consistent Jump Start Waitlist: https://thepublicrunclub.com/kcjs

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: [email protected]

📚 Sources 📚

• On the body as a site of self-trust: Inspired by Caldwell, C., & Leighton, L. B. (Eds.). (2018). Oppression and the Body: Roots, Resistance, and Resolutions. North Atlantic Books.
• On the hypothetical gaze, body-object, and eating disorders emerging in puberty: McBride, H. L. (2019). “Embodiment and Body Image: Relating and Exploring Constructs.” In H. L. McBride & J. L. Kwee (Eds.), Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention and Treatment. Routledge.

🍽️ Are you overwhelmed by figuring out what to eat without the structure of diet rules? Enroll in our upcoming live workshop, WHAT TO EAT, on August 10th @ 3pm PT. Use code PODCAST at checkout to get $7 off.