ALLIE OSTRANDER | Elite Running, RED-S & Recovery

*Please note, this episode contains discussion of eating disorders, which some listeners may find upsetting. If you or someone you know needs support, help is available. In the UK, Beat Eating Disorders offers confidential support at beateatingdisorders.org.uk. In the US, you can contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at nationaleatingdisorders.org*

“It’s about what your body can do - not what it looks like.”

Recorded in Chicago following the Marathon, Coach Anya Culling sits down with NCAA Champion Allie Ostrander to explore what happens when performance comes at the cost of health.
Known for her success in the 3,000m steeplechase, 5K, and trail running, Allie’s career appeared picture-perfect. But behind the medals, she was being tested in ways her training never prepared her for.

Allie reflects on her battle with an eating disorder, the female athlete triad, and RED-S, and how she rebuilt trust in her body, redefined success, and returned to a joy-centred approach in her training. This episode is a powerful reminder that in running, what your body can do will always matter more than how it looks.

Highlights Include:
👟 Alaska Roots: Growing up outdoors & learning to love running
🏆 Elite Performance: The pressure of being an NCAA champion & pro athlete
🧠 The Perfectionism Trap: Navigating an eating disorder, RED-S, and running burnout
❤️ Injury Cycles: How to rebuild trust in a broken body
🏃‍♀️ Joy-First Training: Redefining success beyond times, medals, and results

🎧

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⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to The Runna Podcast & Allie Ostrander
01:20 – Growing up in Alaska & learning to love running
05:30 – Talent vs Hard Work: Realising she was elite
07:45 – First national races & pushing beyond comfort
09:45 – Discovering the steeplechase (and why it clicked)
12:30 – Injury, fear of times & rediscovering joy
14:45 – The toxic side of perfectionism in elite sports
20:30 – Breaking the injury cycle & finding identity beyond running
23:50 – Eating disorder recovery & RED-S
30:20 – Sharing her recovery story online
36:10 – Choosing health over racing & redefining success
40:15 – Advice to her younger self
41:05 – This or That: Strava, track vs trails & fatigue
44:00 – Designing her dream race in Alaska