98. Jenny Valentish - Author + journalist dives deep into why some people like to push their bodies to extremes

The Stronger Stride Podcast

Jenny Valentish is an accomplished author and immersion journalist who has focused her work on investigating the science of addiction and the parallels in extreme sports; who is drawn to such intensity and what compels one to grit it out above the rest.

Jenny is well respected writer with an impressive resume previously contributing to Triple J Mag and Time Out Melbourne; with regular contributions to The Age, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC. Jenny has become an expert in what it as that draws people into such extreme and outrageous activities and hobbies, including of course ultra running. When writing fro her book 'Everything Harder than Everyone Else' Jenny interviewed multiple people across an array of sports and activites that took things to a whole new level. There were some fascinating similaries across groups and frequently Jenny likens such ultra enthusiasm as similar to drug or alcohol addiction.

In today's ep Jenny discusses;

- her personal experience with addiction + inspiration for her research-memoir hybrid 'Women of Substances' (2017)

- reoccurring themes in elite athletes and addicts

- structure and regiment as a path to peace and safety

- childhood trauma and its potential power to alter ones relationship to pain

- self harm and pushing to ones physical limit

- sustainability, obsession and ultra running

- social media icons, the glamorisation of grit and possible trauma masking

- activities and sports with measurable goals compared to ones for fun

We know you're going to love this one and we can't wait to hear your take-aways.

There are some heavy topics discussed in today's episode so please check the links below if this brings anything up for you.

https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/drug-help https://au.reachout.com/mental-health-issues/addiction

You can reach Jenny on her website https://jennyvalentish.com/ or follow her on instragram @jennyvalentish_public

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TSSP

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