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In this powerful episode of Mile Marker Matriarch, Stacy unpacks Survival Running—the first stage of the Embodied Matriarch Framework and the hidden truth behind why so many women run not for fitness, but for survival.

If you’ve ever run to cope, run to cry, run to escape, or run because you couldn’t fall apart at home… this episode will make you feel deeply seen.

Through personal story, feminist rhetorical theory (Foss & Griffin), trauma research (Bessel van der Kolk), and embodied phenomenology, Stacy reveals why Survival Running is not a weakness — it’s your body’s first language of truth.

You’ll learn:

· Why running becomes the only place you can breathe in survival mode

· How trauma interrupts language and forces the body to speak through movement

· Why Survival Running is the beginning of your sovereignty

· How to shift from shame → power using embodied, feminist reframing

· Three simple action steps to move through this stage with compassion

This episode is for every woman carrying emotional labor, chronic overwhelm, trauma, or the feeling of losing herself inside her own life.

Next week: we explore The Awakening Run — Stage Two — where survival shifts into possibility.

If this episode resonates, share it with a friend, running partner, or woman in your life who might be carrying more than she lets on. Women heal in community.

Let's connect!

Instagram: @milemarkermatriarch

TikTok: @milemarkermatriarch

YouTube: @stacycacciatore

Lemon8: @milemarkermatriarch

https://milemarkermatriarchpodcast.com

Email the show at milemarkermatriarch@gmail.com

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Have you ever wondered if you’re a real runner?
If you’ve ever felt too slow, too old, too new, too inconsistent, too imperfect to claim the title… this episode is for you.

This week, Stacy Cacciatore — founder of Mile Marker Matriarch and creator of the Running Rhetorics framework — breaks open one of the most toxic myths in running culture: the belief that only a certain kind of runner “counts.”

The spark? A shocking story from the Disney Princess Half Marathon, where a male runner bragged about racking up “kills” by passing slower women. Elitism. Ego. Entitlement. And the ripple effects that say you don’t belong here.

But this episode isn’t just about running.
It’s about identity, agency, and who gets permission to take up space — on the course and in your life.

Stacy shares:

✨ The hidden history of women being pushed out of the sport
✨ Why the “real runner” myth still harms women today
✨ The moment she witnessed a grandmother runner get knocked down — literally — by someone who thought he deserved the road more
✨ How running mirrors society’s power structures
✨ And the radical reframe every woman needs to hear:

If you run, you are a real runner.

Whether you’re running loops during your kid’s soccer practice, building miles at 4 a.m., training through fear, grief, or self-doubt, or standing in the back corral wondering if you belong — this episode will meet you where you are.

You’ll walk away with:

💛 A mantra to carry on your next run
💛 A mindset shift to silence your inner critic
💛 A call to build a running community grounded in belonging, not competition
💛 And a reminder you may not hear enough:

You deserve to take up space. On the course. And in your life.

If this episode makes you feel seen, send it to a woman who needs that same reminder.
Let’s redefine what a real runner looks like — together.

Let's connect!

Instagram: @milemarkermatriarch

TikTok: @milemarkermatriarch

YouTube: @stacycacciatore

Lemon8: @milemarkermatriarch

https://milemarkermatriarchpodcast.com

Email the show at milemarkermatriarch@gmail.com

Send us a text

I've run the Chicago Marathon every year since 2017 and it's my favorite race I've ever run!! I've run over 150+ road races across America (and France!) and The Chicago Marathon has the best crowd support of any race I've ever run!!

The cheers! The signs! And don't forget, the cowbells!

But what about all of those runs leading up to this big moment?

The 4am run before work. The lunchtime quickie on the tread. The lonely 20-miler on a Saturday morning.

Who was clapping then?

As you know, the marathon is only the last 26.2 miles of the journey.

Similar to an iceberg, people can only see the top....the celebratory moment you cross the finish line.

They don't see the broken toe nails, chafing on your thighs, or the mobility work.

During those stretches of road, you may not hear claps.

And if you only run when you hear clapping, you may be tempted to stop, but we're not stopping.

That's why it's essential to learn how to clap for yourself.

On the road.

At home.

At work.

In life.

Because when you can run like no one's clapping, you're unstoppable.

And there is nothing more powerful than a woman who claps for herself.

Are you ready to step into your power?

Listen to this episode of Mile Marker Matriarch, where I break down why running like no one’s clapping might be the most powerful shift you’ll ever make. You’ll learn a 3-step framework to stop chasing external validation, anchor into intrinsic motivation, and build your own internal applause.

Because applause fades. Your strength doesn’t.

Episode Resources (Studies Referenced)

1. The Progress Principle – Small Wins Matter Most
Harvard Business School: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=40692

2. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation Review
Psychological Medicine (2022): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9340849/

Let's connect!

Instagram: @milemarkermatriarch

TikTok: @milemarkermatriarch

YouTube: @stacycacciatore

Lemon8: @milemarkermatriarch

https://milemarkermatriarchpodcast.com

Email the show at milemarkermatriarch@gmail.com