Triple Knot

In the summer of 2020 Tyler (Texas) Legacy High School sophomore Trude Lamb caught global attention when she successfully pushed to change the name of her high school from that of a confederate general and slave holder. Tune in as we discuss the current situation in Texas post winter storm, Trude’s journey as an activist, Trude as a runner, Trude’s future goals and dreams for herself and her community, and more! Checkout an ESPN news article and Trude’s letter to her school here: https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/30045630/the-remarkable-story-how-teenage-runner-battled-legacy-robert-e-lee

Content preparation: we discuss relationships with food, body, and eating disorders throughout this episode. Thank you to guests and fellow Wildwood Girls Virtual Camp counselors Miranda DiBiasio, Emily Chaston, and Marci Klimek for making this conversation happen. Thank you to Marie Markham and Robyn McGilis for creating Wildwood Running, such a wonderful platform and opportunity for runners to collaborate, learn, and grow the current and future generations of females in the sport. Check them out at wildwoodrunning.com and wildwoodrunningpdx on instagram!! In this conversation we cover…. * Background and introductions * Our “why” for running and the evolution of our “why” * Our “why” for joining camp * What knowledge we left our trail group with, what our trail group taught us * What challenged us in our preconceived beliefs, current practices, and with facilitating a group * How the topics covered at camp have showed up in our experiences * Our transition from high school to college running * The evolution of our relationship to food and our bodies * Where we want to take the work of wildwood from here * Finally, how everyone’s process to success in running and life looks different! Links to other resources discussed in this conversation: * Strong Runner Chicks: Strong Runner Chicks: http://www.strongrunnerchicks.com/ [http://www.strongrunnerchicks.com/] * Maria Dalzot: https://www.mariadalzotrd.com/ [https://www.mariadalzotrd.com/] * Melody Fairchild [https://melodyfairchild.com/]: https://melodyfairchild.com/ [https://melodyfairchild.com/] * Kara Bazzi of Opal Food and Body: https://www.opalfoodandbody.com/riley-nickols-interview/ [https://www.opalfoodandbody.com/riley-nickols-interview/] * Runner’s World article on how to talk to someone about an eating disorder: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a28380503/amelia-boone-eating-disorders-discussion/ [https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a28380503/amelia-boone-eating-disorders-discussion/]

After transferring from the University of Illinois, sophomore Emma Wilson now runs for Huntington University and is taking the collegiate running world by storm. During the craziness of the 2020 COVID-19 affected fall season, she ran a 20:18.7 6k (a PR of 1 minute), a 16:24 5k, and a NAIA national record time of 32:38.56 in her debut 10k (1 second off of the Olympic Trials standard!). Hear from Emma on how she overcame burnout and a stress fracture to make huge strides this season. Emma’s roster: https://www.huathletics.com/roster/19/13/4880 [https://www.huathletics.com/roster/19/13/4880]

This episode was recorded at the end of May and I just didn’t get to it out until now. The conversation around gender in sport feels particularly relevant after the recent Caster Semenya ruling which you can read or listen more about here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/sports/olympics/caster-semenya-court-ruling.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/sports/olympics/caster-semenya-court-ruling.html] and https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-caster-why-principle-trumped-bad-evidence-her/id1461719225?i=1000491007047 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-caster-why-principle-trumped-bad-evidence-her/id1461719225?i=1000491007047]and sign the petition (I was trying to find tangible ways to support Semenya) here: http://chng.it/KRQCkDJmys [http://chng.it/KRQCkDJmys] In this episode, Juniper discusses: * How she got her start as a runner * Feeling like she couldn’t be “both a transgendered person in a small rural town and also an athlete” * Running as her entire identity, being “distant,” and living a dual-reality * Parental pressure * College decisions, aspirations, scholarship considerations, and trying to build the Montana dynasty * Battling an injury and having the identity of running taken away leading to mental health challenges and the ultimate need to develop an identity outside of running * Coming out to teammates and coaches * Taking a year off of competing for hormone treatment * Pressure and hype around return to competition * Media, journalists, and who she let tell her story * Backlash and opposition to progress * Proudest moments and memories at Montana, COVID-19 ending her collegiate career early * A sneak peak at June’s future pursuits in trail running and environmental philosophy For more on Juniper’s story check out this video: https://www.spokesman.com/video/2019/sep/27/junes-run-transgender-montana-athlete-driven-succe/ [https://www.spokesman.com/video/2019/sep/27/junes-run-transgender-montana-athlete-driven-succe/]and this Dyestat article: https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=584586 [https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=584586]

In this episode... * Who is Nia Akins? * Switching from soccer to running * Mom’s influence and 400m success at the University of Missouri * Draw to UPenn for nursing and people * Memories from last collegiate meet * HS experiences and goals leading into college * Transitioning from west to east coast * Turning point in realizing national caliper potential * Mindset for performing best at biggest meets * Building confidence in fitness through racing * XC as an 800m/mid-distance runner * The whole new experience of having the opportunities to race at the highest levels * Experience running at USAs * Geeking out over pro runners and finding focus in that atmosphere * Surreal racing experiences * Travel experiences: Chile study abroad winter break trip and Cornell-Penn UK summer trip * Looking back at COVID-19 and college running career * Future goals * Looking towards Olympics, consistency and mindset change * Messages to younger & future selves and younger college runners Some of Nia’s accomplishments * 2020 University of Pennsylvania Nursing and nutritional science major * Ran second fastest 800m time in NCAA history (2:00.71) at the 2020 BU Valentine Invite * 2019 NCAA D1 Indoor and Outdoor Nationals Runner-up in 800m * Seventh-place finisher at USATF Outdoor Championships * 8 UPenn School records * Roster: https://pennathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/nia-akins/15790 More Nia Media to check out: * Runner’s World article by Nia: “I’m an All-American Runner and Ivy League Grad. I Still Can’t Escape Racism.” https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a32825698/nia-akins-ncaa-runner-racial-discrimination/ * Women’s Running: NCAA Star Nia Akins Plots Her Professional Future—in Seattle: https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/news/nia-akins-signs-with-brooks-beasts/ * Dyestat QUARANTINE CONVERSATIONS - EP86 - NIA AKINS: https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=videos&video_id=298775 * LetsRun Podcast: 800m Star and New Brooks Beast Nia Akins + Christian Coleman Gets Strike Three? https://www.letsrun.com/news/2020/06/coleman-nia-akins/ ***Donate to the National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network’s (NQTTCN) Mental Health Fund: https://linktr.ee/nqttcn *** * Awesome podcast episode about NQTTCN: https://lacura.podbean.com/?fbclid=IwAR2FOvBPqZJ-CMJQYOjRsyg7Z9mU38Mxwvi4OZZ9ONqZVgZGPbPXr4w-aBQ * Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nqttcn/?hl=en * For June 2020, contact me w/ confirmation of your donation (feel free to cover any personal info, donation amount, etc) and I pledge to contribute $5 for every new donation that a listener of this podcast makes to NQTTCN for up tp $100 of my own money total. Thank you :) * Insta: @markoshaley * Email: haleyb.markos@gmail.com Justice for the Black and Trans communities: * Petitions: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions * https://www.change.org/p/black-lives-matter-actvists-justice-for-nina-pop * Justice in June educational resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H-Vxs6jEUByXylMS2BjGH1kQ7mEuZnHpPSs1Bpaqmw0/edit * Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in 2020: https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020?fbclid=IwAR2AAZmmFTAlSGlAUVJndMrLdeqqJ498Nnj93UwKgwQLv9z1VBCwo6iFKO4