Social Sport

Vic Thasiah is a trail runner; the founder and executive director of Runners for Public Lands, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization; and the chair of the Religion Department at California Lutheran University. He lives with his family in, and runs trails throughout, the traditional homelands of the Chumash, also known as Ventura County, surrounded by the beautiful Los Padres National Forest, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean.

In this conversation we talk about protecting those beautiful places. We also talk about the lessons Vic has learned from native runners, how all runners could and should be great environmentalists, and anti-racism in the trail running community. Vic’s words are truly beautiful and they’re not just for runners. This conversation is for anyone who want to live in community with the natural world.

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Also discussed in this episode: 

Ebony Blackwell is a mom, a PhD candidate, a runner, and an adventurer, on a journey to complete a marathon in all 50 states. Through her mother-daughter blog, “Running in the Breeze,” Ebony and her daughter, Charm, aim to inspire people to live outside the box and to show that the outdoors are for everyone. 

On Ebony's professional life (from UC Davis): 

Ebony expects to receive her Ph.D. in Education Administration from the University of New Orleans later this year. She is conducting a Phenomenological study using a Critical Race Feminism lens that explores the lived experiences of Black women currently enrolled in STEM graduate programs in order to better understand how Black women have successfully navigated various life and academic obstacles to persist in STEM. She received her M.S. and B.S. degrees in Biological Sciences from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette and Southern Louisiana University, respectively. She has 10 years of management experience, most recently at Youth Run NOLA, which aims to create and empower young leaders through running.

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Also discussed in this episode:

Youth Run NOLA

Critical Race Feminism

Kimberlé Crenshaw and Intersectionality

Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum 

Kelsey Varzeas, EdM, is a doctoral student at The Ohio State University in the Department of Educational Studies pursuing a PhD degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her research focus is student-athlete development with an emphasis on mental health and wellness. Recently, Kelsey was a co-author for a paper titled, Compassionate Teaching During COVID-19: Key Approaches in a College Success Center and a contributor for an oral presentation at the 2020 Applied Sport Management Association Conference titled, Realms of Stress Among Collegiate Student-Athletes. Kelsey is an instructor for the Dennis Learning Center’s flagship course Learning and Motivation Strategies for Success in College. In her role, she incorporates mental health and well being strategies to help students determine what success means to them. In 2017, Kelsey received her Master of Education in Counseling with a specialization in Sport and Performance Psychology. Kelsey will soon be a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, which demonstrates the highest standards of professional practice for sport and performance psychology consultants. Kelsey would refer to herself as an outdoor enthusiast. She finds great pleasure in endurance running, hiking, and backcountry skiing. You can often find her lying in her hammock reading a book.

In this episode, Kelsey and I go into her varied background in athletics--from her experience as a skier, Division I soccer player, and runner, her past role as an adaptive ski instructor, and her current work in collegiate athlete mental health. In the time of COVID, when collegiate athletes face large amounts of uncertainty regarding when and how their careers will unfold, Kelsey's work takes on new significance. 

Follow/contact Kelsey

Also discussed in this episode:

Journal of Sport Management 

Applied Sports Psychology 

Strong Runner Chicks

NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association)

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Walden Behavioral Care

Jen Fry is the owner and CEO of Jen Fry Talks. Jen is also a native of Arizona, a former Division II athlete, and veteran volleyball coach with over 15 years of experience at the collegiate level with coaching stints at Elon University, the University of Illinois (2011 National Runner-Up), Washington State University, and Norfolk State University.  She turned social justice educator when she realized there was a need for educating not only our student-athletes of all ages, but the administration, staff, and coaches who train them through an antiracist lens on issues of race, inclusion, intersectionality, diversity, and equity. Lastly, she is working on her Phd in Geography at Michigan State University. 

I learned so much in this conversation with Jen--about anti-racism in athletics; taking the onus off of athletes and including coaches and administrators in anti-racism education; getting coaches to acknowledge their power; and pushing for conversations on whiteness in predominantly white sports. While Jen's background mostly stems from volleyball, the lessons of Jen Fry Talks can be applied to all athletic communities. In fact, I would recommend that any athlete, coach, administrator, or sports fan (endurance or otherwise) listen to and reflect on Jen's words. 

Learn more about Jen Fry Talks!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenfrytalks/

Instagram: @jenfrytalks

Twitter: @jenfrytalks 

Jen's Ted Talk: Radical Social Justice Education Through High Fives

White Fragility: Why it's so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

Kamilah Journét lives in Southern California and has been running for well over a decade. After finding running in junior high school, she continued to compete at the high school and college level in both Cross Country and Track. She holds a personal best of 4:51 in the mile, though she also finds herself out for long days on the trails. Kamilah is drawn to brands in the active and outdoor spaces, having worked for companies in both the running and outdoor industries.

Recently, Kamilah wrote an article for the Tracksmith Journal entitled “Your Black Teammate” about her experience as a Black woman in the predominantly white space of US distance running. In our conversation, Kamilah and I get deep into this article, how brands can be held accountable to their anti-racist messaging, and even the connection between anti-racism and the environment.

Read Kamilah's article, "Your Black Teammate," in the Tracksmith Journal

Follow Kamilah

Also discussed in this episode

Connection between climate change and racism:

Kamilah on The Morning Shakeout Podcast

Kamilah's recommended reading: Toni Morison

Alison Wade covers competitive, elite women's running through the ever-popular, weekly newsletter, Fast Women. Alison has worked in the running industry in various capacities for over two decades--from covering women's running at New York Road Runner's to coaching for various universities and high schools. Alison's newsletter and twitter feed, focused solely on the women's side of the sport, are staples in any running fan's inbox--a unique and exciting feat in sports media. Aside from her coverage of women's running, Alison is the mother of two kids and writes for Runner's World. 

Over the past year or so, it's been easy to perceive a shift in running media. There seems to be more of a social justice lens; more of a focus on how running can illuminate larger issues in society. I wonder: is this shift only a short-term fad? Or, could it represent a new normal? Alison talks about this social justice lens, her hopes for the future of women's running coverage, and much more. 

Subscribe to the Fast Women Newsletter: http://www.fast-women.org/subscribe/

Follow Alison's coverage of women's running:

Also discussed in this episode:

June 8th Fast Women newsletter

Alison’s writing for Runner's World

Alison Désir

"Ahmaud Arbery and Whiteness in the Running World," by Alison Désir

Lindsay Crouse's post on not seeing herself in sports media 

Running Tide by Joan Benoit 

American Women’s Track and Field: a History

First Lady’s of Running

The Silence of Great Distance: Women Running Long

"Don't Run for Ahmaud Arbery Just Once," by Faith Briggs

This is the second episode in the 2-part series on Strong Runner Chicks (SRC). SRC is an online community dedicated to fostering strength in the women’s running community. This organization is creating a healthier, more positive environment for women in the sport of running.

Elena Lancioni, SRC contributor, is a distance-runner, public health professional, creative thinker, and advocate for feeling good in your body. She recently graduated from Indiana University with a masters in public health specializing in physical activity and behavioral social community health. Elena believes in creating spaces where we all can thrive by having the ability to access necessary health and wellness resources. She enjoys connecting with people and learns so much from those with different perspectives and experiences. She also enjoys practicing yoga, being creative in her spare time, and hiking any new trail she can find.

Connect with Elena:

Connect with Strong Runner Chicks:

Elena’s wellness/mental health resources:

Also discussed in this episode:

This episode with Megan Flanagan is the first episode in a two-part series featuring Strong Runner Chicks (SRC), an online community redefining what it means to be a female distance runner.

Megan Flanagan is a certified personal trainer, strength & running coach, Founder of Strong Runner Chicks, and former NCAA runner turned obstacle course racer and wellness professional. In this episode we talk all about Megan's many passions and how they fit together--fostering a stronger women's running community and a more wholistic approach to health and wellness.

Connect with Megan:

Connect with Strong Runner Chicks

Also discussed in this episode:

This conversation takes us to Singapore to talk with Theresa Goh. Theresa is a Paralympic swimmer and, most of all, a trailblazer. Born with congenital spina bifida, Theresa does not have use of her legs, but that didn’t stop her from becoming an internationally acclaimed athlete. She was the first female Singaporean swimmer to qualify for the Paralympics, and holds the world records for the SB4 50 meters and 200 meters breaststroke events. On top of that, Theresa was the first openly queer athlete in Singaporean history. Recently retired, Theresa continues to advocate for athletes with disabilities and she represents Athlete Ally as a pro ambassador. 

Follow Theresa:

Follow Athlete Ally:

The Straits Times articles on Theresa:

Also Discussed in this episode:

Tori is an avid canoeist and backcountry adventurer who lives in the small town of Magnetawan, Ontario with her husband, Jim, and her 21 month old son, Wesley. She has been paddling whitewater for the last 7 years and has navigated some of Ontario’s most challenging white water rivers. Her more substantial trips include fly-in remote wilderness rivers in Northern Quebec, Northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. She has also completed a 100 mile, 8 day backpacking trip through the Rockies from Jasper to Grand Cache. In early 2020, her experience and passion inspired her to create Paddle Like a Girl, which is an overnight workshop geared towards women who are interested in learning how to plan and execute their own backcountry canoe trips.

Some notable moments in this episode:

14:45: Gaining confidence and empowerment through outdoor sports

15:35: How society leads women to believe they’re weak

25:00: Actionable steps for how to open up space for BIPOC and other groups less represented in the outdoors

42:00: Sport as common ground

Follow Paddle Like a Girl:

Follow Tori: https://www.instagram.com/torigoesoutside/

Also mentioned in this episode: 

Cliff Jacobson: https://www.cliffcanoe.com

Tori's fundraiser for FOXG1: www.campforacure.com