Podknife - I Love Myself, Therefore by Running Life: A Fitness Protection Production

Sarah Canney (a.k.a RunFarGirl) talks with Coach Sarah of the Fitness Protection Program about the role of snowshoe racing, motherhood, and unconditional love in reclaiming her life from the eating disorder she struggled with for years.

Founder and host of Rise.Run.Retreat. and author of the popular running blog, RunFarGirl, Sarah Canney has developed a loyal following thanks to her authentic voice and talent for storytelling. Running proved a catalyst in her transformation as she learned to rewrite the negative narrative in her head and find a unique strength within herself. As Sarah became more involved in the running community, she was inspired by the connections she had made to create Rise.Run.Retreat in 2015. Sarah is unapologetically herself, which translates to very candid conversations and meaningful connections with her audience.

Sarah's mission is to help women gain confidence, find strength and make authentic connections through running. As the host, she creates a place for women to be inspired and experience personal growth through running.

Sarah is also a RRCA and USATF Running Coach and since she began running in 2003 has become a competitive mountain runner and was a member of the 2018 US National Snowshoe Running Team, finish 9th at the World Snowshoe Championships in 2019. That's where her conversation with Coach Sarah of Fitness Protection begins: the way that snowshoe racing, with its uncertain terrain, highly variable weather conditions, and deep roots in the ethos of outdoor adventure helped Sarah move away from constantly monitoring her pace while running on roads.

The Sarahs start with the beginnings of body awareness in Sarah Canney's life, the day she became conscious of the fact that the otherness she experienced was a direct result of her body being bigger than that of other kids. She talks about how that awareness led her to a desire to control her body size, and then to the realization that she could in fact control it through restriction. Sarah's high school and college years were marked by the ups and downs of disordered behaviors, seeking help, relapsing into disordered behaviors, and then finding ways to hide them more and more successfully.

In this deep, searching, and honest conversation, Sarah Canney gives the Fitness Protection community what many of us are looking for as we support loved ones who struggle with body shame and disordered eating: hope. Hearing Sarah talk about the way her family showed up for her and the way she ultimately showed up for herself is both deeply emotional and supremely uplifting. We are so grateful to her for her time, her openness, and her generosity with her soul.

Follow Sarah Canney on Instagram: @sarah.canney and @riserunretreat

MK Fleming is the founder of Fitness Protection, LLC and Sarah Axelrod leads Fitness Protection's #CoachedandLoved Community. Try our accessible, affordable monthly running plans at www.fitnessprotection.com!