MAGGIE MERTENS -Stronger Than the Story: How Women Runners Break Barriers
In this episode, I sit down with Maggie Mertens, a Seattle-based journalist whose work spans sports, culture, gender, and beyond. She’s the author of Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women. After finishing her book, Maggie returned to running at age 37 and recently completed her first half marathon.
We dive into the realities and myths surrounding women in sport, the intersection of motherhood and athletic identity, and the cultural narratives that shape how women move through the world. Maggie also shares her insights on returning to fitness postpartum, navigating societal expectations, and the powerful connection between exercise and mental health.
We Talk About:
-balancing motherhood and athletics
-breaking down myths of women in sports
-the victim mindset
-exercise and mental health
-returning to fitness postpartum
Time Stamps
1:00 Introduction
5:15 how far back can we look?
9:50 women who have been lost to history
16:53 motherhood versus being an athlete
19:42 race and the research
24:09 women being treated as delicate
29:50 societal pressures
33:40 breaking barriers in the mile
37:15 women’s marathon history
40:57 coming back to running
50:17 what’s next
52:13 rapid fire questions
CONNECT WITH CARRIE
IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/
Website: https://carriepagliano.com
CONNECT WITH MAGGIE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/maggiejmertens/
Website: https://maggiemertens.com/
Substack: https://maggiemertens.substack.com/
Book: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/maggie-mertens/better-faster-farther/9781643753355/
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