This episode is about pushing your limits with the power of mindset. So what type of person do you picture when you think of ultra marathon runner? Is it a humble, unassuming, Aussie country girl that hails from a Dairy farm in rural Victoria? Probably not, and therein lies the beauty of Lauren Theodore. 

A woman who’s achievements and commitments to doing really hard things (as Glennon Doyle would say), stretch far beyond what many people think is humanly possible. She recently competed in the Cocodona 250, a grueling 402 km ultra marathon set in the Arizona desert, USA, where athletes run through breathtaking scenery and elevations, day and night in an attempt to cross the finish line and see how far their bodies and minds can take them.

How did Lauren get to this point? This tipping point of committing herself to a goal that seemed so ‘crazy’ to others, that many people told her to see a psychologist to unpack this. Lauren does indeed share with us how running outdoors helped her get through a particularly difficult and isolating period of her life, but she thinks of the sport as a gift. She tells us that since discovering this sport and spending more time outside, she has shed layers of herself that don’t serve her anymore, allowing her to live a more authentic life. 

As a kid who excelled at various team sports such as Netball and AFL, discovering the world of trail running has been the ultimate personal adventure for Loz where she has found a new community she likens to family and enjoys looking up to other inspiring female role models in this space.

We cover it all in this chat, including the specifics of ultramarathon running (which there are many! Like umm…how do you sleep and eat!?), the positives that come out of mental health challenges, commiting to a career as a Podiatrist serving remote Indigenous communities across Australia, the potential of the human spirit and the importance and relevance of mindset in everything we do in life. 

Lauren wants to inspire others by showing the world that ‘ordinary people’ like herself, don’t need all the bells and whistles to achieve great things. She doesn’t have a coach or a sponsor, she works a full time job and she only discovered the sport a few years ago. She is a true inspiration, so get ready to grab your sneakers and head outside.

SHOW NOTES;

Lauren’s Instagram

Moved By Nature Instagram

Sunsmith website

Sunsmith website - Lauren’s episode

Thursday Island Running Group -  Deadly Runners

Book - Bravey by Alexi Pappas

Ultramarathon Run - Coast to Kosci, Australia

Ultramarathon Run - Cocodona 250, Arizona, USA

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Thank you so much for joining me on this journey of uncovering tales of inspiring women. 

Brigid x