DNF Podcast

Growing up on a Navajo reservation was hard, but Verna Volker tapped into the resilience that she associates with being an indigenous woman. When she didn't see herself reflected in running media, she set out to create her own community centered around native women and their stories.

Cartoonist Alison Bechdel uses running to overcome a drinking habit, and Jack Kerouac self-destructs.

Katie Arnold used running as a way to work through grief and anxiety in the wake of her father's death. But she never expected to win one of the country's biggest 100-mile races. Plus, Joan Didion quotes in context.

Alison Désir is a runner, mother, community builder and activist. After marathon training gave her a new outlook on life, Alison decided to use her education and experiences to help others. Through her own mental health struggles, Alison has built communities based on inclusion and visibility where Black runners are empowered to take control of their mental health. For additional mental health resources, check out Bigger Than The Trail, Heal Haus, and On the Mend.

In 2017, Cat Bradley was teaching kindergarten and training for Western States. Then, she was unexpectedly laid-off, forcing her to confront the relationship between her job and her identity en route to the biggest race of her career. Also, a brief history of blimps.