Surprise! Sally + Lauren + the Running USA Trailblazer Award
About six weeks before the Olympic Marathon Trials, Lauren Fleshman called me with some good news. She was receiving an award from Running USA – as a female leader in the sport. The 2016 Trailblazer award! Past winners included some of our heroes, including Mary Wittenberg and Tracey Russell.
My reaction: duh. Such a no brainer. You, me, everyone…we all know how much this woman does for the sport, for athletes, and basically anyone she meets.
Lauren said the awards were happening on Friday before the Marathon Trials in LA – and would I be her plus one? First off, let’s be real: who among us would say no to a Lauren Fleshman plus one? Not me ever. Second, probably free lunch, right?
So even though I was stressed about missing some of the to-do’s of the big weekend, including a Volée team outing to Griffith Observatory, I was like oh yeah – I’m in.
What happened next was not what I expected.
You’ll have to watch to see it unfold. Best of all, enjoy the clip of Lauren speaking to the Running USA attendees. And her story about how it feels to care for the sport…to want change, even though it might be slow coming. And to blaze trails, even though there are cuts, and scrapes, and snake bites along the way.
Videography by: The FourFront
MORE STORIES
Core Routine For Runners: The Dozen
I was introduced to the "The Dozen" in the winter of 2012 by my favorite Oregon running family. I love this set of core exercises for its efficient targeting of core muscle groups, and because no gym equipment is required! You can do this on a grass field, in your hotel room, or really anywhere you can lay on a flat surface.
Reflecting on the Year of the Underbird
This past August, we launched our Year of the Underbird program: an open application for aspiring Olympic Trials marathoners, with a promise to select 5 women for a 6 month contract encompassing a stipend, gear, storytelling, and community support. As we reach the end of our flight with our selected athletes, we invited each of them to share a few reflections on their past 6 months as teammates.
Black History Month: Celebrating Our Athletes
We are honored to support five exceptional Black women athletes challenging norms in the running industry: athletes, advocates, and powerful voices in the sport. We invited each of them to reflect on their journeys through sport: how their identity has affected their development, and how they hope to impact the rising generation of athletes. Hear from Madie Boreman, Kendra Coleman, Brenna Detra, Carmen Pelar Graves, and Ari Hendrix-Roach.