Alex is a mountain athlete from the Midwest now residing in Oregon, a dog mom, and a dietitian. In this episode we talk about: -reasons to run, the good and the bad -Alex’s changing relationship with food and running -disordered eating in sport -finding joy on the run -connecting with nature -being humbled by ultra distances -opening up the mind to growth and adventure -respecting the mental side of running   -anxiety and comparison on the run and on social media -the support of therapy and coaching -belonging and being “enough” -the highs and lows of social media: an evolving relationship -handling influence and negative comments -putting yourself out there and being vulnerable -pulling back from social media for mental health -personalized nutrition -the why behind food and our related emotions -improving performance and health through nutrition -having fun with food -going after your potential with self-love and acceptance -different types of “hard” This episode is brought to you by Lyric, to help enable everybody and every body to feel better, every day. Lyric is a therapeutic massager and a home wellness companion. It’s designed for display so you won’t forget to use it, and it looks beautiful on any coffee table.  It even includes an accessory handle to find those hard to reach places, so you can massage your back, by yourself! Grab yours today for $199 at national retailers like Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, or REI, or get free shipping with the code FTLR at experiencelyric.com. This episode is also supported by beam. Did you know you can get a subscription to beam’s dream powder? It’s what I use most nights before bed to help with a refreshing night’s sleep. When you subscribe, you’ll get the dream blend with a bunch of perks like even better pricing, free shipping, a free mug, and a drink frother just for signing up. Dream helps me wind down at night and it’s made with compounds like melatonin and magnesium that support a better night’s sleep. Make sure to use code FTLR at checkout for an extra 15% off on top of the 20% discounted monthly rate! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/forthelongrun/support