Shows
Making StridesEpisode 23 - The Great Power of Representation“I think the experience I had is what EVERY straight, white male has at EVERY race.” Consider this convo as a part-two follow up to our most listened-to episode, "Allyship, Intention, and Impact" (episode 12), as we parse out what exactly made the ‘We Out Here’ Trail Fest so incredibly special. In a time when there’s constant pushback and criticism of what DEI actually means or looks like, we hope this conversation gives practical examples of how create events and spaces that move beyond tokenizing to celebrating the diversity of excellence that already exis...2025-07-181h 12Making StridesEpisode 22 - LIVE from the We Out Here Trail Fest!“We hope that this trail race shows that it is possible to welcome new people to the sport, that trail running doesn't have to be rooted in white culture, that we can show up as our authentic selves.” - Alison DesirThis is a special episode that is near and dear to our hearts, as we got to not only record a live show with our friends, but also be a part of the inaugural trail festival, We Out Here, that was specifically centered on and powered by the BIPOC community!2025-06-2546 min
Women's Running StoriesWe Out Here Trail Festival: Special Live ReportThis is a special live report from the inaugural We Out Here Trail Festival that just happened this last weekend on June 7, 2025. It took place outside Seattle, WA, at St. Edwards State Park.
The trail scene is and has long been the whitest, most male dominated sector of the running world. Instead of continuing to wait for the system to change, RDs Aaliyah Earvin and Alison Mariella Désir stepped up and made the event that they have wanted to see for a long, long time, and that they knew was possible.
Their vision: “We imagi...2025-06-101h 00Making StridesEpisode 21 - Boston and Beyond!Fresh off the Boston Marathon weekend, we talk about EVERYTHING that happened from Thursday to Marathon Monday, including seeing Kara Goucher and Alysia Montaño, fawning over senior penguins, and getting to bring in the final finishers at the 26.True Marathon!We are also excited to share our FIRST SPONSOR, Pen & Paces! A local, AAPI-woman-owned small business, Pen & Paces is all about supporting every runner in their own, unique running journey. Check out the bestselling, Custom Bib Kit, which Stef and I wore at the 2024 New York City Marathon! We...2025-05-141h 37Making StridesEpisode 20 - Where Do We Go From Here? (part 2)“We are teaching and showing the next generation that our democracy is important and that it is worth fighting for.”In this episode, we wrestle with how to continue carrying on in running and racing, while also staying informed and taking action amidst the uncertain and scary times. We are still asking, “where do we go from here?”Carolyn shares about what it was like for her to bring her family to a local protest-rally and how it gave her hope. She and Stef also talk about how change will requ...2025-04-2957 minMaking StridesEpisode 19 - Where Do We Go From Here? (part 1)“This is bigger than democrat or republican; we’re all connected. This is about taking care of each other and about the promises we’ve made to each other.”This was an emotionally heavy episode, though we spend the first half talking about our new hobbies (aka, our coping mechanisms). As policies and politics continue to impact our lives, we have been asking the questions, “where do we go from here? How do we move forward?”If you’re also feeling the weight of current events in our nation right now, we...2025-04-121h 19Making StridesEpisode 18 - Happy Women's History Month!“As someone who grew up in a time when girls were pitted against each other and seen as competition, I love that we’re in this era where, just being in each other’s corners is celebrated!”This is the GIVE HER FLOWERS episode! We talk about the women who inspire us, the women who have moved us to action, and the young women we are raising. In light of Women’s History Month (March) and in recognition of International Women’s Day (March 8th), we want to specifically thank every female here for all the ways...2025-03-3153 min
Making StridesEpisode 17 - Running and Defiance“We want to believe that, when seeing harm being done, we will rise to the level of our expectations, but the reality is, most of us will fall to the level of our training.” - StefanieIn this episode, Carolyn and Stef talk about Stef’s newest addition to the family (spoiler: she has four paws and gives lots of kisses!), Carolyn’s new fitness endeavors, and the intersection of race, politics, and running. “As women who are also People of Color, there is no way we can separate politics fr...2025-03-071h 01Making StridesEpisode 16 - Values and RepresentationStaying true to our commitment to record more episodes this year, we hop back on after the Lunar New Year to discuss a variety of topics, ranging from 2025 being Stef’s lucky year, to how Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut embodies the representation we didn’t know we needed!We also dive into the significance of identifying your Core Values and allowing those to guide decisions, what to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to, instead of operating either out of the fear of missing out or the fear of losing relevance and impact. As al...2025-02-201h 05Making StridesEpisode 15 - The Everything, Everywhere EpisodeHello, 2025! In this episode, we catch up with each other after the holiday season, and we also discover how we are both in a similar season, in regards to our relationship with running social media. We talk about Seasonal Affective Disorder, meditation, laying on the ground at races, and toilet paper ornaments!
We also spend time talking about the immediate impact that the new, presidential administration has already made on people in the running community and in our personal lives.
This conversation is about everything, everywhere, all in 90-ish...2025-02-011h 26Making StridesEpisode 14 - All Things NYC Marathon Weekend!A little overdue, but it’s here: the recap (or…post mortem?!) of everything surrounding this year’s New York City Marathon weekend!
Stef and Carolyn breakdown the course experience ‘chunk by chunk’ and also celebrate the fact that it was Carolyn’s return to the marathon distance after six, long years away due to injury. Stef shares her BTS perspective as a professional athlete who traveled to this world major marathon not to race, but rather, to support a friend, and how this kind of participation is often an overlooked aspect of the sport.
2024-12-031h 52
Women's Running StoriesStefanie Flippin: Pro Ultra Runner, Transforming through DifficultiesStefanie Flippin is one of the fastest North American women to race the 100-mile distance. Her trajectory to get to that point is truly astonishing.This episode, however, is focused on more recent occurrences.In addition to her terrific success as an ultra runner, Flippin has experienced significant challenges. Illness, injuries, and grief have come one on top of the other in recent years. Navigating these hardships has put Flippin on a path to reaffirming why she runs and what she values most. She's coming out the other side of this difficult period more aligned...2024-10-2950 minMaking StridesEpisode 13 - Confidence vs ComparisonHello again, everyone! We’re back after a brief break for the summer, and, just like the quick turn into the Fall season, we get right back into racing!
In this episode, we talk about some big wins — both on and off the race course: Stef has been on a solid, health-centered training trajectory, and she’s made some big wins in the ultra and trail space in the last month! Carolyn has also been working hard in her comeback-to-marathoning journey, and she talks about how her own life lessons have helped her encourage her so...2024-10-261h 17
I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein PodcastEpisode 562: Stefanie Flippin – Accomplished Ultra and Trail Runner, Medical Doctor, and Coach (Coaching Series Episode 3)
Welcome to another episode of the coaching series on I’ll Have Another Podcast. This series is supported by V.02, the coaching platform that I use and that my guest today, Stef Flippin, also utilizes.
Stef is one of my favorite people in the running community. I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with her on the Relay Podcast, and she also co-hosts the podcast Making Strides with Carolyn Su.
Stef is an incredibly accomplished athlete, having won the 2021 USATF 100 Mile National Championship as well as the Tunnel Hill 100 Mile Championship in both 2020 and 2021. Beyond her imp...2024-10-1548 minMaking StridesEpisode 12 - Allyship, Intention and ImpactA recent article on irunfar.com made quite a splash, when the [white] authors called for feedback on the new 'progressive' initiatives launched by the Pro Trail Runners Association, and BIPOC women answered by calling out the lack of intersectionality and diversity.
In this episode, Stef and Carolyn address the harm that was caused while still acknowledging the good intent behind the initiatives, and they discuss the bigger picture of why feminism and inclusivity must be addressed with an openness to accountability.
Show Notes
1:25 - diving into Western States 100 (WSER) and the [lack...2024-07-091h 07Making StridesEpisode 11 - The Venn Diagram OverlapStef and I get more into our different experiences growing up as Asian Americans — like how I felt like I was constantly straddling two separate worlds and identities, while Stef moved about not acknowledging her Asian ancestry. We also share about the steps we’ve taken as adults to reclaim and celebrate our heritage, whether through cooking more cultural foods, amplifying Asian American runners, or participating in more Asian American-centered events.
This was a whole therapy session, yall!
We also start to touch upon our thoughts on how social medi...2024-06-271h 05Making StridesEpisode 10 - LIVE from the Boston Marathon!Buckle up! You're gonna wanna take notes, because in this convo, Stef and Carolyn talk with the indomitable Kayla Jeter and Charlie Dark!
This episode was recorded live, from The View Boston, during the Boston Marathon weekend -- exactly one month following the completion of lululemon's Further ultramarathon project.
We spoke about how we define ourselves and the importance of separating what we do from who we are. Charlie shared the impact of receiving Great Britain's MBE for his service and long-withstanding impacts on the community, as well as ho...2024-05-211h 35Making StridesEpisode 9 - LIVE from lululemon Further Ultramarathon!Out in the desert of Palm Springs, CA, a team of ten women set out on a 6-day, ultramarathon, with the goal of breaking world records and going "Further" than any team of women had gone before: enter, the lululemon Further Project!
When the dust settled, the ten women collectively ran approximately 3,000 miles and broke 12 world records! They also provided an unprecedented amount of physiological data that will change the course of women's running.
In this episode, Stef and Carolyn -- both of whom participated in Further as an athlete and crew...2024-05-131h 25
The Lane 9 Podcast8. Lane 9 with Dr. Stefanie Flippin, Pro Ultrarunner, lululemon FURTHER, and Coaching"It took me a lot of tries to get it right," shares professional ultra-marathoner Dr. Stefanie Flippin, of her journey with the 100-mile distance. Stef is not only a professional ultra-marathoner, sponsored by lululemon and GU energy labs, she's also a podiatrist (currently on sabbatical from private practice but still consulting on medical cases), and a running coach with the Lift Run Perform team. In this conversation with Lane 9 Project co-founder, Heather Caplan RDN, Stef shares insight into how she's managed to run not one but many 100-mile races, winning the 2021 Ultramarathon National Championship (100-Mile distance), and b...2024-04-1158 minMaking StridesEpisode 8 - Baking In Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and BelongingHow do you pull a seat up at the Table, when the Table has historically been an unsafe and unwelcome place for you?
Join us in another episode of the #MakingStridesPod, where we dive into the convo on why it’s so critical for companies and organizations to not simply talk about the value of DEIB, but to have Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging “baked in” the entire organizational culture.
We also chat Lunar New Year celebrations, both from our childhood and also how our perspectives have changed as adults...2024-03-0152 minMaking StridesEpisode 7 - Having Peace with our Pace“Not everything that counts can be counted.” Carolyn and Stef are back! The first episode of the year includes a lot of reflections on 2023, both personally and professionally, as well as the plan and mindset for moving into 2024.
As always, thanks for being here!
If you enjoy our convos, please like, subscribe, and leave a positive review!
Show Notes:
0:18 - intro and reconnecting after the holidays
3:18 - reflections on the first year of the Making Strides Podcast!
6:05 - Stef’s reflections on social media presen...2024-02-0642 minMaking StridesEpisode 6 - The Invisible Load We CarryCarolyn and Stef talk about bearing the impact and invisible load of microaggressions and discrimination, both in running and in life. Is it fair? How to we protect our peace while continuing to show up in the sport? We also discuss the importance of naming the problems we want to change.
Show notes:
6:25 - how raising a teen daughter who is Asian American brings to light the invisible burdens that women of color need to navigate
9:00 - Stef discusses impact of being reprimanded on runs, on multiple occasions
16:30...2023-10-121h 03Making StridesEpisode 5: Barriers to Entry“Even the decision to train for a race is a privilege itself.”
Episode 5 of the #MakingStridesPod, ‘Barriers to Entry,’ drops today!
In this episode, Stef and I get into how participating in a trail or ultra race event isn’t as simple as ‘just stepping outside’ (as some claim).
There’s a reason why women only comprise 23% of the trail and ultra scene (and that number drops to 16% at distances over 50 miles), or why fewer than 25% of participants in the outdoors are People of Color (and yes, that number dropped starting in 2020...2023-08-0350 minMaking StridesEpisode 4: De-Centering White Comfort“Until the aftermath of 2020, I felt a sense of embarrassment, sharing some of the [racist] experiences that I’ve had, and I think it stems from the fact that I didn’t want my close friends — who are white — to feel uncomfortable, or like I was pointing fingers.” - @stefanieannflippin
In our fourth episode, ‘De-Centering White Comfort,’ Stef and I (Carolyn) reflect on the events surrounding the Boston Marathon weekend, including the over-policing of the only Black-and-Brown cheer zone at the marathon and its aftermath. We also talk about the ways we are both un-learning the...2023-06-2048 minMaking StridesEpisode 3: LIVE show at the Boston Marathon“When we don’t behave how we are expected to, based on stereotypes, it’s jarring for people!” - @irunfortheglory
“I definitely did not see many athletes that looked like me, so that’s been on the forefront of my mind now in my own professional running career.” - @stefanieannflippin
This was an incredibly meaningful and candid conversation between Mirna Valerio, Stefanie Flippin, and Carolyn Su. We covered topics ranging from our own, personal journeys in the sport; to how we push back against the negative stereotypes and status quo of who belongs in the...2023-05-121h 35Making StridesEpisode 2: Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships“Don’t sell yourself short; don’t let imposter syndrome cause you to shrink yourself and settle. A year from now, you want to be able to look back and know in your heart and in your gut that you felt good about the partnership — that you felt seen, understood and known.” - Carolyn
This episode, we talk about WORKING WITH BRANDS: what has been the industry norm? What would it look like for companies to consider athletes, whether professional or amateur, as multi-faceted, comprehensive humans, instead of just as marketing tools or performance stats?
We also sh...2023-04-251h 01
Making StridesEpisode 1: Hello and Welcome!Announcing, the Making Strides Podcast!
We are so glad you're here! Stefanie and I (Carolyn) are both women who stumbled into the sport of running in our 20s, and neither of us would have ever imagined how running would one day lead to us creating a podcast for YOU, our beloved, running community!
Stef is a coach and professional trail and ultrarunner based out of Colorado, where she also runs her private practice as a foot & ankle surgeon. Carolyn is a writer and marathoner based out of Boston, and she is most known for her...2023-04-2535 min
The Rambling Runner Podcast#519 - Andrea Pomaranski: Greatness After TragedyWe are re-releasing our conversation with Andrea Pomaranski from October, 2021 after she finished as the 10th American woman at the Boston Marathon at the age of 39 because Andrea is at it again! She just won the 50K national title along with setting a new American masters record at the distance.Andrea's story is much more than merely running well as a masters athlete. Here is her post after the 2021 Boston Marathon that puts her accomplishments into the context of her life:"My heart is so full of gratitude …..10th American in the Boston Marathon in my...2023-03-2058 minThe Rambling Runner Podcast#508 - Coach's Corner with Stefanie Flippin: Confidence, Belief, and Mental TrainingThe February episode of Coach's Corner LIVE on Relay is out and it may have been our best one yet. Many Relay subscribers sent in questions about the mental side of running/racing and they were fantastic. Over the course of an hour we answered the following questions:
"I enjoy running far, but am looking at making the leap from doing 50 milers as my longest ever distance to my first 100 miler in the fall. How do I conceptualize and build mental strength in training, knowing I'll be running twice as far as I ever have?"
"How do I...2023-02-101h 04The Rambling Runner Podcast#480 - Why Your Most Important Marathon Gains May Happen Before Your Marathon Cycle BeginsWe all know the importance of the marathon cycle to prepare us for our 26.2 adventures. But, what if I told you that the key to improving your marathon time may not happen during your marathon cycle?In the past two weeks athletes I've been working with have had a string of huge PR's. They are all different people, with different routines, and different running histories. But, they all one thing in common. That's exactly what this episode is all about.Have you checked out Relay yet?! Relay is a Patreon bundle that...2022-10-1931 min
Community Trail RunningEp. 22 Relay - "The best place on the internet for running content." With Matt ChittimMatt Chittim’s excitement is palpable for the new Patreon site, Relay, where he and 8 other running content creators have combined forces to put out at least 20 pieces of various running media each month. The site is entirely paywalled and their goal is simple, to be the best place on the internet for running content. They are setting out to do this by constantly releasing high-quality material through collaboration. “Ultimately, I have full faith this is going to work for a very simple reason. The people on the team.”Kara Goucher, Peter Bromka, Lindse...2022-10-0315 min
The Rambling Runner Podcast#470 - Coach's Corner with Stefanie Flippin: 5 Ways Runners Sabotage Their Marathon Cycle in the Final 6 WeeksFall marathon season is here and races are right around the corner. With that in mind, Stefanie Flippin is here to help discuss the ways in which runners inadvertently sabotage their marathon training in the final six week before their race.Running a marathon is a challenge under the best circumstances. Conversely, It can be brutal when things don't go well. In this episode we share some of the things we've seen with our runners, runners we know, and our own experiences. Sometimes the best advice is what not to do and this is exactly what we...2022-09-0937 min
The Rambling Runner Podcast#469 - BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The Launch of Relay!Today is one of the most special days in my professional life. It is the day we launch a new media company that will be at the forefront of running media for years to come. Today we launch Relay!Relay is a collaborative of elite runners and running content creators publishing high-end writing, audio/podcasts, and video. These pieces provide insight, knowledge, and entertainment to dedicated runners. Relay has some of the most collaborative and creative work in the running industry that is sure to impact runners of all abilities.Relay will be publishing 20+ pieces of c...2022-09-0738 min