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Erin Mawhinney is a 30-year-old elite Canadian distance runner, 2:29 marathoner, former ICU nurse, and now author of If I’m Ever in a Coma, Braid My Hair. In her mid-20s, Erin found herself caring for critically ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating grief, burnout, and the emotional toll of helping people through some of the darkest moments of their lives. In this conversation, we talk about what inspired her to write the book, the patient stories and small acts of humanity that have stayed with her, finding humour even in the hardest circumstances, and learning to care for others without losing yourself in the process. We also explore the surprising absence of running in much of her book, the role it played during those years, and her remarkable journey to a 2:29 marathon in Houston in 2026. It’s a conversation about nursing, running, resilience, and what it means to remain human when life gets hard.
SPONSOR: Mauril - A completely free language-learning app developed by CBC and Radio-Canada.
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This collaboration is part of an advertising campaign managed by the agency Podpass for Mauril, developed by CBC/Radio-Canada.
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Listen to Send It founder, Sarah Beairsto, on episode 267 of Inspired Soles
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