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.
Jan 31, 2020
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!