033 Hadley Sorensen - Overcoming Alcohol Through Running

Episode Summary

Hadley Sorensen is a health and fitness coach, lifelong runner and author who is looking to publish her first book, Confessions of a Picture Perfect Mom. Today, Hadley joins the show to share her journey to sobriety and how running played a pivotal role in helping her move past alcohol. Whitney and Hadley talk about navigating the complicated relationship with alcohol, Mommy Wine culture, and the increased glamorization of drinking in the running community.

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Key Takeaways

00:57 – Whitney Heins welcomes Hadley Sorensen to the show to share how she used running as a way to navigate the world without alcohol and the work she’s doing now to help others facing similar struggles

06:25 – Regret, shame, and alcohol

10:20 – How the pandemic impacted Hadley’s mental health

11:29 – Huge life challenges Hadley went through

13:48 – Mommy wine culture

16:40 – The role running played in Hadley’s recovery

25:24 – Backlash that Hadley received from her decision to stop drinking

27:58 – How running has helped Hadley in her sobriety

32:18 – Does running have a drinking problem?

39:46 – Key takeaways Hadley would like listeners to leave with

42:01 – Whitney thanks Hadley for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with her

Tweetable Quotes

“I say that I was an enthusiastic social drinker. I drank the same way everyone around me was drinking. I had a problem, but my problem was a problem for me. I don’t think it was me being self-aware. I realize that lots of people feel this way, but nobody who looked like me was talking about it.” (07:04) (Hadley)

“Things really seemed to escalate from 2020 on. And I know lots of women were in that same situation because, as mothers, we were put in this impossible position by Covid. We faced more stress than ever. We were making impossible decisions every day. And so, alcohol use among women rose dramatically during Covid.” (10:45) (Hadley)

“I was really excited to see what running would feel like when my body started healing and there were no more hangovers. Running is miserable if you’re hungover; you’re dehydrated. And I fought through a lot of runs like that. I was giving my body too many things to recover from. So I couldn’t wait to see what running was like.” (20:43) (Hadley)

“There was some attrition because I really changed my focus on my [Instagram] page. I was no longer talking about fitness for the average mom. I was talking more about my running and the alcohol-free life. I kind of grew a lot of followers in that alcohol-free space, which is a huge community on Instagram. I had no idea until I stumbled my way into it.” (26:56) (Hadley)

“Running was like my therapy. It gave me the space to think through so many tough situations that I was dealing with. It gave me a place to set goals that I could work for that really helped when I was going through this huge transition. It was the thing that was stable when everything else was in upheaval. And I leaned into it. It felt so good. It brought the joy back.” (28:57) (Hadley)

“There are ways to drink responsibly as an athlete or just your everyday runner. But my whole point is let’s stop glamorizing and highlighting this link between the two. Same with ‘Mommy Wine.’” (38:51) (Hadley)