#05 - FROM ATHLETE TO EMPTINESS: HOW TO FILL THE VOID

It took us six years to figure out how to fill the void. We didn’t have a guide on handling the emotions that follow when your chapter as a student athlete comes to an end. After many trials and errors, we’ve figured it out and are ready to share what we’ve learned with you, our friends. Whether your athletic career came to a peaceful end, or it was abruptly taken from you, feeling a mix of emotions is normal. When your time as a high school or college athlete ends, you might feel proud, sad, or miss the sense of belonging, structure, identity, and physical activity. In this episode, we bring you along our six-year journey of coping with the void that being a former student athlete leaves - and guess what? We've learned that regardless of what sport you did, it leaves different empty spaces that need filling. Join us, your friends, as we break down these empty spaces you might be feeling and how to fill them! We dive into ideas and resources to help you get back to feeling passionate again. Here's a hint: no matter your former sport, we've found that RUNNING can help piece things back together again! As always, we believe in you! Let’s go Run the day!

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🕐 Timestamps:

0:20 - Episode Start: No one writes a guide.

1:55 - Let’s kick it off with a question: why is the transition from being a student athlete so difficult?

2:58 - Spotting the Void: First things first, let's pinpoint the void left post-student athlete life.

3:45 - Two Perspectives: Rafe and Tay’s different stories of how our collegiate journeys ended - which one resonates with you?

4:24 - Bittersweet Endings: Rafe gets honest about his abrupt athletic chapter ending.

5:16 - Rafe’s pursuit to mend the void didn't go as planned when he asked a public-figure and motivational speaker for advice. This is when Rafe realized, it is time to figure out how to fill this void.

7:55 - Let’s chat about Tay’s experience of ending her athletic career, and how the transition felt for her and emotions get intense!

13:17 - Now the big question, was Tay’s heart completely filled after becoming a certified Personal Trainer?

16:12 - The pros and cons of Intramurals or corporate leagues.

19:52 - We can confidently and proudly say, the void has been filled! How did we fill it? This is how and what we did!

24:33 - Running allows you to dive into different passions - races, distances, nutritions, traveling and more!

28:28 - What is so addicting about running, aligns with athletes of ALL sports.

29:05 - The running community is more than just signing up for a club - it is a culture.

30:00 - Time for a Tay tip!

31:45 - Rafe’s Rant!

33:50 - Time for Q&A!

36:00 - Time for some Cheers! Rafe shares a very sweet shoutout.