Sabrina Pace-Humphreys

In this episode of RunPod, club leader Jenny Falconer welcomes Sabrina Pace-Humphrys, a trail-running advocate, author, and co-founder of Black Trail Runners. Sabrina shares her running journey that began 15 years ago when she turned to jogging to combat postnatal depression. The doctor’s suggestion to start jogging was pivotal, providing her with small moments of joy and a path toward recovery. She reflects on how her experience with mental health struggles shaped her into the runner she is today.

Throughout the conversation, Sabrina emphasizes the community aspect of running and its accessibility to people of all backgrounds. She discusses her second book, "Start Where You Are," which serves as a guide for both new and returning runners, particularly encouraging those who believe it is too late to start running. Sabrina addresses issues of comparison among runners, particularly women, and asserts that anyone who runs, regardless of distance or pace, is a runner.

Sabrina goes on to share her experiences with various races, including the challenge of ultra-marathons such as the UTMB and the Comrades Marathon, expressing her excitement for upcoming challenges while also highlighting the emotional work involved in dealing with setbacks in racing. The episode emphasizes the importance of saying 'yes' to opportunities and challenges different aspects of running, including trail running, as a way to connect with nature and find community. Sabrina underlines running as a transformative tool for strength, both physically and mentally, and threads this idea throughout the episode.

Listeners are encouraged to embrace their own running journey, to find joy in the process, and to acknowledge the various motivations that lead individuals to lace up their trainers. The episode concludes with Sabrina's call to start viewing challenges as "mounds of opportunity" and to celebrate the small victories in their running paths.