353. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, 6-Time Canadian Record Holder

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2021

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“I think about it a lot, like what do I want to add to this sport? What do I want to add to my life, and what do I want my legacy to be? And I feel like it would be a hollow journey if I didn’t try to use my platform to spread a good message to make change.”

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is having one heck of a year so far. In her debut season training and competing with the Bowerman Track Club, the Canadian professional middle-distance runner and 2016 Olympian has run — and won — two races already, including the 3000m at the Prickly Pear Invitational (where she also ran a personal best), and the 1500 at the Texas Qualifier in Austin (where she generously donated her winnings to Austin Mutual Aid). And Gabriela is doing all of this having joined the team during the pandemic, and while dealing with a Graves disease flare. On this episode, Gabriela shares her experience with a chronic autoimmune disease, and explains how it has affected her running over the years. She talks about training with the Bowerman team (and Coach Shalane!), and about being the first Canadian woman to break four minutes in the 1500. Gabriela is currently the Canadian record holder in the mile, the 1500, and the 5K — so what will it take for her to make Canada's Olympic team this year? She explains the Canadian qualifying process, and assures us that things are looking good for her heading into the 2021 Olympic Games. Plus, she talks about being queer, about proposing to her now-husband, Rowan, and about their love story.

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

What you’ll get on this episode:

All about Gabriela’s hair (3:00)
How Gabriela’s feeling at the start of the 2021 season (8:25)
Gabriela’s experience with Graves Disease (11:30)
On running that 4 x 1 mile workout after the Prickly Pear Invitational race (24:30)
Why Gabriela donated her winnings to storm relief efforts after the Texas Qualifier (25:45)
On being an outspoken advocate (30:25)
Gabriela explains the Canadian Olympic team qualifying process (38:20)
What it was like competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio (44:45)
On what it takes to be a professional runner in Canada (47:00)
Why Gabriela left Scotland to join Bowerman Track Club (51:15)
How Gabriela met her now-husband, Rowan (1:00:00)
All about training with Coach Shalane Flanagan (1:07:20)

What we mention on this episode:

Austin Mutual Aid

Follow Gabriela:

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Alley on the Run Show is brought to you by Aftershocks.
0:04.2	Go to ontherun.aftershocks.com to say 15% on all wireless headphones.
0:14.6	Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show. I'm your host Allie Feller and every week I talk with people
0:19.9	who are doing cool things on the run and beyond. We all share that love for running and that's
0:25.3	what brings us all together. But of course there's more to life than what happens on the run itself
0:31.2	and this show is about the in-between. The water stops the bath or breaks. The moments and decisions
0:37.1	that have shaped who we are today and the wise. Why do we do what we do and how does getting sweaty
0:43.2	factor in? My guest today is Gabriela Debut Stafford. Gabriela is a Canadian professional middle
0:50.3	distance runner and member of the Bowerman Track Club and her 2021 is off to a pretty solid start.
0:57.6	Gabriela joined Bowerman amidst the pandemic last year and was dealing with some health issues
1:02.1	on account of Graves' disease when she first joined the team. But proving she truly is the
1:07.8	comeback kid which you'll hear more about in this conversation. Gabriela has run and won two
1:13.8	races already this year. She won the 3000 meters and ran a personal best time at the prickly pair
1:19.7	invotational and then won the 1500 at the Texas qualifier in Austin where she also donated her
1:26.6	winnings and additional crowdsourced contributions to Austin Mutual Aid which was in the wake of the
1:31.6	winter storms in Texas. A heart of gold on this one that is her sure. Gabriela is the Canadian record
1:38.0	holder in the mile, the 1500 and the 5K and I have no doubt we will see her lighting of the track in
1:45.0	Tokyo this summer. We talk about what it'll take for her to officially make Canada's Olympic team
1:50.0	but yeah pretty sure she's good, she's in and she's so fun. Please join me in welcoming
1:55.6	Gabriela debuts Stafford to the Alley on the Run Show.
2:04.8	Gabriela I am so excited to have you here. I am such a fan of yours and we're going to have
2:10.1	a lot of fun here today so thanks for being here and welcome to the Alley on the Run Show.
	...

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