405. Robyn Stevens, U.S. Olympic Trials 20K Race Walk Champion

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

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

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 5 August 2021

⏱️ 93 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“I said, ‘The best thing for me right now is to just choose life, and to step away.’”

Tomorrow, Robyn Stevens will make her Olympic debut, representing Team USA in the 20K race walk. In June, Robyn won her event at the Olympic Track & Field Trials, officially becoming the fastest female walker in the country. And on this episode, she talks about the long road to becoming an Olympian, which included a 17-year break and retirement from the sport to recover from a severe eating disorder. But now, "Walkin' Robyn" is healthy, cruising at a 7:40/mile pace, and becoming an Olympian at age 38. Plus, Robyn offers a bit of "Race Walk 101" (race walking: it's not just fast walking, it's definitely not slow running, and it comes with lots of rules and regulations!), and shares her excitement about getting to head to Tokyo to compete with her boyfriend, fellow race walk champion and Team USA member Nick Christie.

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

What you’ll get on this episode:

What Robyn’s training has looked like between the Trials and Tokyo, and how it feels to be representing Team USA (5:00)
What it took for Robyn and Nick to make Team USA (16:15)
Race Walk 101 (23:00)
How Robyn got into race walking (34:00)
“Imagine how much faster she would be if she were skinnier” (45:00)
Robyn’s decision to take her life back (1:07:45)
On returning to the sport and making Team USA (1:22:30)
Why Robyn owns 30+ wigs! (1:26:20)

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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 save 15% on all wireless headphones.
0:15.0	Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show. I'm your host, Allie Feller, and every week I talk with
0:19.9	people who are doing cool things on the run and beyond. We all share that love for running,
0:25.2	and that's what brings us all together. But of course, there is more to life than what happens
0:29.9	on the run or walk itself. And this show is about the in-between. The moments and decisions
0:36.6	that have shaped who we are today and how getting sweaty factors in. And today, the country's
0:43.0	fastest walker is here. Last month, Robin Stevens won the 20k race walk event at the US Olympic
0:50.1	Track and Field Trials, and she will now go on to represent Team USA competing in that event
0:55.8	on August 6th. This episode is long because there is so much to cover we get into a little
1:01.7	race walk 101 because it's not just fast walking or slow running. In fact, it is far from slow
1:08.7	running. Robin's one hour and 35 minute race at the Trials. She was race walking at a 7 minute
1:15.4	40 second per mile pace. So yeah, certainly not slow running. Plus, walk in Robin, that's
1:23.2	nickname ever, right? She's got an inspiring story about her road to Tokyo. She got into race
1:29.3	walking at a young age, but in eating disorder forced her to retire from competition while she
1:34.4	was in college. Now, 17 years later at age 38, Robin is on her first Olympic team. And she's not
1:43.4	headed to Tokyo alone. Robin's boyfriend, Nick Christie, is the fastest male race walker in the
1:49.6	country. He won the men's race walk event at the Trials and they'll become Olympians together.
1:54.9	Talk about a power couple, a power blocking couple. I know, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.
2:01.4	Robin's story is one of perseverance and strength and bravery and I hope you enjoy learning about her
2:06.8	and learning more about race walking, which I admit I didn't know a ton about and I am now super
2:12.1	excited to watch Robin race on August 6th. So please join me in welcoming Olympic Trials Race Walk
	...

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