A Co-Founder Check-In: Traveling, Training, and the Sub-3 Journey with Alexis Fairbanks

What does it look like to chase a goal and then permit yourself to let it breathe for a season?

Host Heather Caplan, RDN, is joined by her Lane 9 co-founder Alexis Fairbanks for an informal midsummer catch-up. They talk travel, food culture in Spain and Portugal, the very real struggle of treadmill running, women's sports they're following right now, and what Alexis is training for after deciding to take a much-needed break from marathon training. They also check in on Alexis's sub-3 marathon goal (where she's gotten as close as 3:02) and what it looks like to stop forcing it and let the training come to you instead.

It's the kind of conversation they don't get to have nearly enough, since they live in different time zones and their schedules are constantly pulled in different directions. But when they do, it's a good one.

Chapters

07:57- Food culture while traveling and eating without overthinking it in Barcelona and Mallorca
12:15- What Alexis is training for now, and why taking a break from marathon training felt like a relief
20:45- Heather on having no running goals right now, and why that's okay
21:00- Checking in on Alexis's sub-3 goal: how close she's gotten, what's worked, and what hasn't
25:00- How to hold a big goal without letting it haunt you
25:45- What's exciting in women's sports right now

31:30- Bar IX Detroit, a women's sports bar in crowdfunding mode

Resources mentioned:

• Megan Rapinoe's Podcast — World Cup-focused episodes with Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, and more

• Bar IX Detroit — a women's sports bar in crowdfunding; follow along on Instagram

• Taylored Training Run — Becky Anthony's coaching group, now featuring Alexis; find her in the Lane 9 Directory

• Lane 9 Substack — Alexis writes monthly training missives; Heather sends Friday notes on REDs, fueling, and women's sports

Connect + get support:

• Are you an athlete? Find a sports dietitian, DPT, therapist, or coach who understands athletes at lane9project.org/directory.

• Are you a clinician or coach? If this conversation resonated with you professionally, Lane 9 Membership was built for you. Join a community of dietitians, DPTs, psychologists, sports medicine providers, and coaches who are doing this work, and get listed in the Lane 9 Directory so athletes can find you. Future clinicians and coaches are welcome too.

• Follow us on Instagram and get in touch anytime!