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Do you remember running sprints as punishment in soccer practice, or the stress of the dreaded PACER test?
Many of us equate running with suffering. But that doesn’t have to be the case. This story is a reminder that we’ll probably continue to take in toxic messaging in running media, but with care and thoughtfulness we can always come back to feeling strong and happy in our bodies,. And, we can create our own media to shift the greater running culture.
(Which is exactly what the runners in the First 50k Sisterhood are doing!)
Emily Holland is the Partnerships Manager at HydraPak, where she builds collaborations that fuel adventure and strengthen community across the outdoor industry. She’s spent a lot of her career working with outdoor creators and business owners, with the belief that great brands are built through relationships.
Based in Lyons, Colorado, and originally from upstate New York, Emily spends her free time trail running, hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and soaking up as much time outside as possible with her super cute rescue dog, Kayda.
Emily and Angie talked about:
- Our early running exposure, which was typically sports team punishment
- Experiencing body image challenges as a child and adolescent
- Differing cultural norms in different sports
- The negative effects of over-exercising and under-fueling
- Moving to Boulder, CO and rock climbing and trail running there
- Learning how to fuel for distance running and listening to her body
- Running the Gorge Waterfalls 50k and the Grand Traverse in 2025
- Juggling goals in different outdoor sports
- Emily’s storytelling through “Jacked and Chill” and finding joy in strength training
Check out these resources:
- ✨ Emily on LinkedIn
- ✏️ Emily’s Substack
- 📱 Emily on IG
- ➡️ The Cairn Project on IG
- ✨ The Cairn Project’s newsletter
- 🥾 Become a Trailblazer
- 📅 Summit Scholarship Foundation
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You can help us close the gender gap outdoors and beyond:
- Become a Trailblazer. Your Adventure Fundraiser makes wilderness experiences possible for girls and women.
- Check out the Summit Scholarship Foundation.
- Share this episode with a friend or family member.
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The Cairn Project
Mobilizing to empower young women in the outdoors through grantmaking.