What happens when the thing you love most starts hurting you?

In this episode of Enduring Minds, Evan Birch and I sit down with former NCAA national record holder and ultra-runner Parley Hannan for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had with an everyday athlete navigating mental health, identity, and self-worth through endurance sports.

Parley opens up about depression, disordered eating, and the pressure of believing her value depended on performance. From chasing Olympic Trials standards to running ultramarathons through the Atacama Desert, she shares how she rebuilt her relationship with running and learned that healing matters more than pace.

This conversation is for every everyday athlete who has ever questioned whether they were enough without a workout, a medal, or a finish line photo to prove it.

There’s vulnerability, honesty, a few laughs, and the kind of connection that reminds us we’re not alone in this sport or in life.

There are times when the bravest thing an athlete can do isn’t racing harder.

It’s admitting they’re struggling and showing up anyway.

👇🏼 Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know: Has running ever helped your mental health while also creating pressure?

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Everyday Athlete burnout is real, and in this Fireside Chat, Joe Hardin and I get honest about the burnout signs runners often ignore.

From losing joy in running to balancing sobriety, work, family, and endurance sports, this conversation is about the emotional weight everyday athletes carry.

We discuss how burnout slowly replaces passion with pressure and why community, vulnerability, and purpose matters more than metrics.

If your training feels heavier than inspiring, this episode will help you reconnect with why you started.

The strongest everyday athlete can admit they’re running on empty before burnout takes everything.

Give it a listen and leave us a comment on where you are in your journey.

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Everyday Athlete stories deserve the spotlight, and this week on Shoutout Nation presented by RTB Awards, I celebrate the people making our running community stronger through vulnerability, connection, and authenticity. As an everyday athlete myself, I believe the heart of endurance sports lives in the people willing to show up as they truly are.

In Episode 7, I shout out Maren Williams, Coach Becky Croft, Shannon from Run_Shanni_Run, and three inspiring women from the Pittsburgh Marathon community.

They talk mental health, identity, community, and why everyday athletes matter far beyond race results.

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• Run Tri Bike on Instagram
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• Join the Everyday Athlete Clubhouse
• Get your Everyday Athlete Merchandise