In this episode, Mindy Smith shares her running journey and the challenges she faced along the way. She talks about her transition from being an ultrarunner to dealing with personal struggles and health issues. Mindy discusses the impact of addiction in her family and how it affected her own life. She also explores the feelings of becoming obsolete in the running community and finding new passions and relationships outside of running. Mindy reflects on her experience volunteering at races and the realities of being a part of the running world. In this conversation, Mindy Smith discusses her journey of rediscovering her love for running and embracing change in her life. She reflects on the fluidity of identity and the importance of accepting evolving identities. Mindy also shares the significance of taking breaks from running and finding other hobbies. She emphasizes the need to champion what you love and not be confined by societal expectations. The conversation also touches on the challenges of parenting and the lessons learned from ultra running. Mindy concludes by highlighting the importance of feeling and processing emotions.
Takeaways
Running journeys can be filled with personal challenges and transitions.
Dealing with personal struggles and health issues can impact one's identity as a runner.
Supporting loved ones with addiction can be overwhelming and require personal sacrifices.
Feeling obsolete in the running community can lead to exploring new passions and relationships.
Volunteering at races can provide a different perspective on the running world. Embrace change and accept the evolving nature of your identity.
Take breaks from running and explore other hobbies to maintain a healthy relationship with the sport.
Champion what you love and don't feel pressured to conform to societal expectations.
Consistency and security are key in both running and parenting.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Importance of Mindy's Story
01:06 Mindy's Running Journey and Introduction to Ultra Running
07:12 Challenges and Changes in Mindy's Life
15:04 Health Issues and Diagnosis
23:38 Exploring New Hobbies and Relationships
25:42 Volunteering at Races and Feeling Like an Imposter
27:08 The Realities of Volunteering at Races
28:01 The Fluidity of Identity
29:14 Embracing Change
30:46 Prioritizing Personal Life
31:43 Taking Breaks from Running
32:44 Finding Other Hobbies
33:03 Championing What You Love
34:18 Accepting Evolving Identities
36:06 The Importance of Consistency
37:07 Parenting and Running
38:38 The All or Nothing Approach
39:38 The Best Version of Me
40:06 Adopting a Child
41:05 Lessons from Ultra Running
43:09 Running as a Safe Space
44:32 Consistency and Security in Parenting
46:27 Rediscovering the Love of Running
48:36 Feeling and Processing Emotions
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