Writing the Story that Must Be Told

Runner Lauren Fleshman infuses memoir with courage and humanity

“Story is more powerful than anything.” —Lauren Fleshman, runner and author of Good for a Girl

Preview: Episode 79 Lauren Fleshman on using story to change a system

“We have all this research on how girls are being harmed,” says Lauren Fleshman, one of the most decorated American distance runners of all time, speaking about the culture of competitive running for girls and women. “But it doesn’t matter how many articles come out, change doesn’t happen.” She thought to herself, “As a storyteller, is there anything I can do that brings a pulse to this research? We deserve to have sports systems built around us.” In this week’s episode (coming Thursday), we speak with Lauren about the process of writing her memoir—specifically how she pushed beyond her previous skill level, how she managed to write it during a pandemic with young children while struggling with depression. She describes how the “writers worst nightmare” happened and how she found a way forward.

Lauren Fleshman won five NCAA championships at Stanford and two national championships as a professional. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Runner’s World. She is the brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women, and the co-founder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. She lives in Bend, OR with her husband, triathlete Jesse Thomas, and their two children. Her new book is Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World.

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What We’re Reading and Listening to:

Rosemerry:

• My daughter read The Secret History by Pulitzer Prize winner Donna Tartt and said, “Mom, I need someone to talk about this with…” So you guessed it. I’m reading The Secret History. It came out in 1992—a search for transcendence, a skirting of morality, a reminder of our mortality … it’s clever and provocative and I am really enjoying it.

• So it’s a cult classic and I missed it for, um, decades, but last week I watched Napoleon Dynamite. I don’t think we can call this a recommendation—but I was glad I watched it? For days after, everything that came out of my (or anyone else’s mouths) felt as if it belonged in the movie. It had a stronger immediate after-effect than any other movie I’ve seen. I couldn’t shake it. But, why??

• In this first week of Epiphany, I have been thinking a lot about the gifts we have to offer. The best poem I know about giving our gifts is Cargo by Greg Kimura. An inspiration to us all.

Christie:

• I have always loved crows, and I fell in love with this post by biologist Carl Bergstrom about how to befriend a corvid. Also this coda.

• I was thrilled to learn of Shannon Palus’s new fitness column at Slate, Good Fit. She kicks it off with a manifesto that had me saying, hear, hear! “We’re going to seek to answer the question: which aspects of moving in 2023 make our lives better? Not thinner, not longer, not even healthier—just good."

• The first book I read in 2023 was Now Is Not the Time to Panic, by Kevin Wilson. (I received it as a Christmas gift). It was a quick, fun read and I liked the exploration of what happens to art after it’s released into the world.

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One Exhaustion

running and running
but the finish line keeps moving
until at last
the wise voice asks
are you sure this is a race?

—rwt

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A Note About Paid Subscriptions:

First, we want to thank ALL our subscribers! We are so grateful you join us in this conversation about what it is to engage with yourself, the world and others in a creative way. And a BIG thank you to our paid subscribers. You make this podcast possible. Starting this month, only our paid subscribers will receive our bonus episodes as a thank you for their financial support.

This week, Lauren talks about living in chaos, how to make “the train” move just another inch, and why poetry makes such a great launching place for freewriting! If you are not yet a paid subscriber, you can go now to our website, EmergingForm.substack.com or by clicking the button below. Thank you!

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Two Questions:

(share your answers with us here on Substack or in our FB group)

1. What is your creative superpower?

2. What book has galvanized you to make change in the world?

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