Interview with ‘T-Rex Runner’ Danielle Hastings

In this podcast episode we talk with Danielle Hastings (T-Rex Runner) about her eleven year battle with an eating disorder.

I’ve followed Danielle’s blog for some time and was able to meet her at the recent Go! St. Louis Marathon. She has written an excellent series on Eating Disorders for her blog.

Reading these posts made me realize that this serious issue is often avoided or minimalized. I’ve had a few friends over the years who’ve struggled with an eating disorder and I know that there are many people out there with the same battle.

This episode will help educate you on this very important topic.

Interview Questions for Danielle:

1. When did you start running and why?
2. What made you decide to run your first marathon?
3. Since doing that first marathon you’ve become a Marathon Maniac and completed thirty marathons. Why did you become a Maniac and what do you enjoy about the MM community?
4. You’ve set the goal of running a marathon in all 50 states before age 30. What made you set that challenge for yourself?
5. Of all the marathons you’ve done which ones stand out in your mind? Most fun? Most difficult?
6. Tell us about your approach to running marathons. Are you there to compete or enjoy the race experience?
7. How do you go about choosing marathons? How do you keep your race schedule straight?
8. You have a very entertaining blog called The T-Rex Runner. I don’t follow many blogs, but yours is one I always look forward to reading. How did the T-Rex alter-ego came about and why did you started blogging?
9. You’ve recently done a series on a very serious topic– eating disorders. You talk very candidly about your longtime struggle with an Eating Disorder. At what point did you know that you had an eating disorder?
10. Do you think that your background or personality played a role in the development of an ED? What factors do you think played a part in you not getting treatment right away?
11. What was life like when you were at one of the lowest points with your ED?
12. How common are eating disorders? What are the most common EDs? Do you think that this is an issue within the running community?
13. What things have been helpful in promoting recovery? What things have not been helpful?
14. In one of your blog posts you candidly state, “I hate my body.” Do you still feel that way about your body or are you slowly coming to peace with your shape?
15. In the 6th part of your series you talk about things that you should not say to a person with an eating disorder. I’ve had friends with EDs and always felt at a loss for what to say. What is helpful when talking with a person with a disordered body image or eating disorder and what is hurtful?
16. What are some stereotypes that people have about eating disorders?
17. If someone in the audience has an eating disorder or knows someone who may be struggling with this issue, what should they do? Are there any resources that you recommend people connect with?
18. Is it important to have a good support system in your life? What should a person struggling with an ED do about people who are more harmful than helpful?
19. Is it a constant battle to quiet the negative voices in your head or does it get better over time? What does your personal journey to recovery look like?
20. What role has running and marathons in particular had in your journey toward recovery?
21. Have you been surprised in any way by the response you’ve received from sharing your story on your blog?
22. If you could run any race in the world, which one would it be and why?

Quick Tip
One of the keys to a great race is running an even pace or negative split (second half faster than the first half). Now you can stay on pace for cheap. Marathon Guide has a customizable pace table that you can download and make into a wrist band for yourself.

http://www.marathonguide.com/fitnesscalcs/PaceBandCreator.cfm