Keeping Track

Molly and Alysia introduce Keeping Track X &Mother's newest partnership: The Mother's Lane; a series keeping up with athlete moms . We're going deep on the topics around the intersection of motherhood and sport with some of the amazing Mom's on the track, roads, sport leadership spaces and beyond. We'll talk about things like training while pregnant, post partum return to running, and a variety of challenges and topics cantered around thriving in career and motherhood . Come join in the conversation in the Mother's Lane! Today we talk with Makenna Myler, who recently finished 7th at the US Olympic Marathon Trials and has 2 kids under 3 years old. She has run a sub 5:20 mile in her third trimester (!) and has recent PBs of 68:28 at half marathon and 2:26:14 marathon.

Our final installment of the Marathon Team nTrials spotlight is Seargent Elvin Kibet Elvin was a 6 time All American while at the University of Arizona graduating in 2015 -you can read more about her story and her childhood in Iten Kenya in the book All In Stride by Johanna Garton which comes out this spring! Its about the journeys of Elvin and her husband (US Olympian Shadrack Kipchirchir) as they come the the US and chase Olympic dreams in the WCAP program via the US Army. Elvin Is debuting in the marathon distance this weekend and speaks about navigating post partum training after having her son Mylo in 2022 and her interest in public health and using her education to help her village back in Kenya.

Our second installment in our miniseries of spotlights around the women of the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon is Fiona O’Keeffe. As a 6 time all American at Stanford graduating in 2020 Fiona got to chase some fast women on her own team in the middle distance events. She steps up to the Marathon as one of a few women debuting in the distance at the trials. Since joining the Puma Elite running team with coaches Amy Hastings Cragg and Alistair Cragg, Fiona has run great times as the events got longer like her 10k pb of 30:52 and 67:42 in the half - I think 26.2 will follow this trend and we can’t wait to watch her run the event!

In Erika's debut marathon this past spring she became the fastest American Born Black Woman Marathoner, she's also a two time USA road Champion and fresh off a big half marathon PB. She tells us about her preparations for the upcoming Olympic Team Trials Marathon on Feb 3rd -spoiler it's going well!

Alysia and Molly have a conversation with Canadian Olympian (2004 and 2021!) and former record holder Malindi Elmore on her journey in the sport: takeing a step back during a burned out phase, exploring other sports and kinds of training, becoming a Mother and finding herself in a while new event and more Olympic berths at age 43! This was a live podcast from Oct 24th and there are some great listener questions at the end.

Molly chats with Natoya about her off season plans, breaking her own National record at the Diamond Leage Final, her philanthropic goals, how she's getting faster with age and how injury and a car accident almost derailed her 2023 season.

We last spoke to Tori in early 2022 and a lot has happened since! She is publishing her book You Anthem, building a non-profit and heading to the World Championships in Hungary as the US Champion and 2022 World Championship bronze medalist. Listen in on what's going on off the track and how she stays motivated on the track. You Anthem LiveHappyRetreats on instagram @livehappii_retreats Follow Tori on insta @livehappii and here

Be an Underbird with Oiselle! Apply today! We catch Up with Justine in Hungary leading into the 2024 World Athletic Championships and speak on her Hungarian (and French/ Caribbean) background , how she has "pieces of her heart all over the world", her athletic carreer, her creative work, her work with Oiselle and her hopes and goals for the sport of Track and Field!

Molly interviews Ro about athlete Mental Health. Roisin McGettigan-Dumas is of course our Co-Host, but also: a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (and 2012 Olympian in Track and Field!) and also coaches athletes on sport performance psychology. We chat about the information Ro Learned from the IOC's new course on Athlete Mwntal Health and share resources for athlete screening. Ro also talks about how she found her passion for this field, working with young athletes, barriers to seeking a provider and we share some personal experiences on the topic as well. Resources: IOC mental health assessment and recognition tools https://olympics.com/athlete365/app/uploads/2021/06/BJSM-SMHAT-1-Athlete365-2020-102411.pdf https://olympics.com/athlete365/app/uploads/2021/06/BJSM-SMHRT-1-Athlete365-2020-102411.pdf

Check out their website for inquiries on joining or supporting! Social media announces events: @angelcityelite Angel City Elite is a women's running group based in the Los Angelese area. Their athletes have competed at the US Olympic Trials Marathon and other track and road races around the country. They are a small group of runners now but hope to support more women who want to contitnue to train at a high level post collegiately and also offer support to youth athletes as well as host community events. Their mission is to bridge the gap: Angel City Elite's mission is to bridge the disparity gap of BIPOC representation in the running community, raise awareness, empower, educate, and inspire by creating a supportive platform and establishing partnerships in LA and surrounding communities.

Liberty AC is the oldest all women’s track club in the country, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. I speak to president of the board Viki Bok and official- unofficial team historian Alda Cossi (both women are competitive members of the masters running scene). Liberty has run through the gauntlet of sea changes in society via womens sport: It began as a new england sports club for young boys, and soon also became an opportunity for girls in sport when there were none-as schools did not offer this to girls in the 50s. During the 60’s and 70’s they had women athletes from many events in track and field competing for them and some went on to become Olympians and National Team Members and Champions like sprinters Betty Selman and Kathy Lawson to name a few. On the distance side of things, women like Darlene Beckford, Lynn Jennings and Joan Samuelson came through the program, and eventually professional contracts came into the picture to offer more support. (We didn’t talk about it as I wasn't sure who else had been traumatized by this but one of the eras of coaching in the club was that of John Babbington-who has recently been named as a serial abuser of his young athletes, which is extremely upsetting and a sadly not unheard of piece of the womens sport landscape . Currently, athletes and supporters are pushing for prevention and better protected against this.) Their website statement: “Liberty is a community of women committed to inclusive athleticism, compassion, and fairness. We are deeply disturbed to learn of the behavior that led to SafeSport’s investigation and findings of sexual misconduct by John Babington. We acknowledge the extraordinary strength it takes to share the pain associated with sexual misconduct, including assault. Liberty’s current board and membership want Lynn Jennings, Darlene Beckford Pearson, and others who suffered similar abuse to know that we stand with them and will do whatever we can to support their healing and justice.”   “today-Liberty is mostly adult women actively engaged in career and community in addition to being dedicated runners” The club is a hub for masters women athletes -some of which only tried competitive running once reaching this age. The fulfillment, community and healthy habits cultivated in the group are a benefit to women of all abilities and show you don’t become invisible or have to give up parts of your life when you hit a certain age.

Julia Lucas was a multi time All American at North Carolina State and Professional Distance runner for 8 years. She talks about how that's informed her own coaching approach and she tells us about the 2 NYC groups she is guiding and some other stops along the way on her coaching journey: Julia is currently working with the womens Elite Group Atalanta , the Atalanta community group training team online which you can join, a few private clients and the No Name Program (@thenonameprogram) community group. More from Julia here and on our blog Keeping-Track follow her on instagram @justrunjulia

Molly Talks to co founder Abeo Powder and Run LeadHer Alia Qatarneh about Boston Based women's running group TrailBlazHers Run co . They touch on topics like their big event -The Bra Run- their weekly events and other activations and how they are crearing a welcoming space for women to enter the running world and find community through all paces and levels of running. As they say they "Value and nurture the diversity in sisterhood!"

Molly will also link the resources mentioned in the National Women and Girls In Sport Day recap on www.keeping-track.com , but here is more info on Vaughn Childcare Fund for college Mothers Books: Good For A Girl How She Did It Sites: Voice In Sport online mentorship program for girls Womens Sports Foundation Molly catches up with Betsy Saina on her new journey as a Mother and American Citizen who has stepped from the track into the Marathon and road race world.  Betsy recently signed with Asics and won the Seville half. Betsy talks about her struggle for motivation and lack of opportunities during Covid, her decision to have a baby in the middle of her running career and how her agent and new sponsor Asics reacted to this. She also talks about how much more support she has in Kenya around childcare and pacing duties compared to the USA. look for Betsy at the Tokyo Marathon next month ! (note-baby noises in the background due to two Moms talking !)

Molly, Ro and Alysia all speak with their mutual friend Lauren about her new NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING BOOK Good For A Girl: A Woman Running In A Man's World. They talk about how the system (from NCAA to the professional side) could better serve a women's life cycle, body and needs and how playing in a system built by men for men has harmed women athletes by minimizing or not adequately addressing common pitfalls that young women athletes encounter, like eating disorders, negative body image and navigating puberty and pregnancy.

Ro and I chat with friend of the pod Emily Sisson a few days after her amazing second place, 2:18:29 American Record run in the marathon-only her third crack at the distance, and talk about the build up, the race, recovery from covid, and how she’s grown as an athlete with her mental approach toward high pressure situations.  Emily is a long time talent-from racing internationally at Pan American and World Jr championships in XC and on the track as a young athlete to winning indoor and outdoor NCAA 5000m titles, setting the indoor NCAA 5000m record, and as a pro representing Team USA at the 2017, and 2019 world championships and the 2021 Olympics in the 10,000. She is a 5 time USA champion over road and track distances and recently set the American record in the half marathon . Emily is a super talented and focused athlete and we can’t wait to hear about this big achievement that was a long time in the making!  check out the feed!

Alison Mariella Dèsir Author of Running While Black : Finding Freedom In A Sport That Wasn’t Built For Us Molly and Alysia speak with Alison about the process of writing her book, who she hopes reads it, how she hopes it affects the running industry, her love of running and her approach to the disruption the book may stir. Alysia reads you a few sneak peeks from the book that are particularly powerful so tune in!pre order now, release dat OCT 18 and meet Alison on Tour here!  Links- Book! Buy Running While Black here Alisons site and social instagram- @alisonmdesir twitter- @AlisonMDesir  Our previous episode with Alison: listen here from May of 2020 Alisons outside mag piece referenced in pod We continue to thank TheFeed.Com for supporting our 4 month epsidode block! Claim your Feed Credit freebies here!

Grab your 80$ credit at The FeedLink-Hannah’s website: Schooloftrack.org for aspiring track and field coachesHannah Chappel-Dick Brown University Womens Middle Distance and Cross Country CoachOn being brought on for her first coaching position: "That's why, as a coach now I try to do as much shoulder tapping as possible. If I see that (potential) in someone I try to mention it right away because I think a lot of women maybe don’t naturally form that confidence without hearing it from someone else first…maybe that’s a little bit cultural, but to have that confidence placed in me was really huge” Thanks for listening head over to Keeping-Track for more show notes!

Thanks again to the Feed.com for supporting content this month! They also want to give you a gift: use this landing page to claim $80 of Feed credit today! Molly Speaks with Olympic Alpine Skiier and Marathon Chirine Njeim about her start in skiiing, how moving to Chicago inspired her love of running and how a hobby became another Olympic berth.Chirine talks about challenges she's faced in the sport, her love of her home country Lebanon and speaks briefly about her recent survivial of a plane crash and how it's changed her perspective. See more in our show notes here!