Episode 19 - Louisa on Placemaking in DC

"I credit [running] with my sense of placemaking and belonging..."

This week I had the opportunity to sit down at my dining room table and get back to recording podcasts with Louisa Sholar. We talked about running in Georgetown (where Louisa lives and studies); we chatted about how Louisa started running solo and then became involved in the DC running community after years as a dancer; we chatted about Louisa's job at Pacers Running and her current go-to running shoes; we delved into more serious topics of women's health in the movement community, the good and the bad - and the serious lack of information on period health for athletes who menstruate; then we moved to topics on policy for micromobility and ease of getting around. As a runner and a policy graduate student, Louisa has deep insight and passion for ways in which we can improve access, welcomeness, and awareness to information and community in the movement space. I really appreciated this conversation, which really covered a lot, and I hope you will too.

Thank you to Louisa for the conversation and to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack.

A note: This conversation touches on sensitive health topics, including eating disorders. If this is not something you're feeling ready to listen to, this could be an episode for you to skip - the topic comes up a bit after minute 15. Additionally, the few minutes we spend speaking about women's health issues are no substitute for consultation from a medical professional - if you are concerned about your health, we encourage you to speak with your doctor. Lastly, Louisa passed along two resources for additional learning that I have linked below:

Runners World Article on Amenorrhea
Project Heal