Little Things With BIG Impacts: Guest Blog Post by Hannah Wolfe (Part I)
Hannah Wolfe reached out to me about supporting the Running in Silence nonprofit, and I wanted to give her the opportunity to share her own story here! Events and conversations have been recreated from her memories of them. Eating disorder behaviors are mentioned. Hannah, who will be graduating from the University of Virginia with a […]
Returning to Competition with Binge Eating
To the athletes with a restrictive eating past who are now bingeing: I know this hurts. It hurts like hell. You probably feel broken physically and mentally. You want someone to understand. You want it to stop. You just want to be back to where you were before. I know, because I’ve been there, too. […]
It’s Not Just Overbearing Coaches and Division I Programs
Post updated April 12, 2021, to improve clarity. When we think of eating disorders in athletics, we often point to overbearing coaches in large, competitive sports programs. We bring up an athlete’s desire to please a demanding coach or mention the comments tossed around about restricting food and losing weight. This often leaves people to […]
Interview with National Champ Erin Herrmann: Speaking Up About Eating Disorders
I had the privilege of interviewing National Champion for the 3000m Steeplechase from Hope College Erin Herrmann, who came out about her eating disorder in May. She shares her story and advice for others who may be struggling in the video interview below! Her biggest tip? TALK ABOUT IT. “Trust in the love of the […]
Why I Kept Silent About My Eating Disorder, and Why Coaches Shouldn’t
Updated March 25, 2021, to improve readability. Dear Coach, You are required to detect the early signs of concussions and when it’s important to sit an athlete out. This is all with good reason: concussions are common in many sports. Unfortunately, so are eating disorders. Yet we still don’t know how to talk about them. […]
“They Just Disappeared”: Beyond Anorexia in Runners
Post updated March 16, 2021, to improve clarity and readability. We often picture eating disorders in the running world in the form of a frail girl crossing the finish line. There’s an assumption that this person will run into multiple stress fractures in the next few years. And that, that is how they will disappear […]
Guest Post Sara Brekke Part II: Increasing Awareness
In the last Running in Silence guest post, Sara Brekke spoke openly and courageously about her eating disorder journey. In her original post (sarabrekke.blogspot.com) she made additional points about eating disorders that I felt were extremely important to share here in a post of its own: 1) Eating disorders are not reserved for self conscious girls who […]
Guest Post Sara Brekke Part I: Breaking Through Fear
Running in Silence reader and eating disorder survivor Sara Brekke made the bold move to share her story with the hope that it would encourage more of us to find ways to stop running in silence. She says, “I am thankful that I have gotten to a place of recovery after all of these years to […]
Eating Disorders and Running Faster: Beyond Fuel
Post updated March 14, 2021, to improve clarity and readability. “But Rachael, you need fuel to run well.” “Your body is a machine. You are the driver. The body needs fuel and maintenance.” “If you burn it, it really does not matter what you put in the furnace.” As a runner, I knew how important […]
Guest Post With Megan Flanagan of Strong Runner Chicks: The Dark Side of Distance Running
I met Megan Flanagan through social media thanks to our interest in preventing eating disorders in the running world. With a similar mission of speaking about the topic, and encouraging those who struggle to speak up. I am excited to work with Megan in the near future, and I’m especially excited to share what she’s doing […]