Pro runner Allie Ostrander speaks out on the roots of her eating disorder
As a fifth grader, Ostrander overheard a conversation that set her on a path toward a harmful relationship with food and running
Photo by:
Kevin Morris
At the end of Eating Disorder Awareness Week on Sunday, pro American runner Allie Ostrander took to Instagram to share a vulnerable and educational message about her own experience with eating disorders (EDs). The three-time NCAA champion reflected on how a conversation she overhead as a fifth-grader planted the seeds of disordered eating–showcasing the lasting impact that words can have. “The words I heard that day at a track meet may never leave my brain: ‘She’s slower because she gained weight,'” she wrote. “An oversimplified, uneducated statement that wasn’t even meant to be heard by me.”
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For years, the runner has been an unrelenting advocate for body image and mental health in sport. She began speaking out against discussing women’s bodies in race commentating in 2019, before opening up about her ED two years later. Ostrander continues to be transparent on social media; each of her posts receive messages of support and gratitude from athletes and parents in the running community.
“I thought I was helping myself succeed,” she said. “I didn’t realize I was damaging my bones, my body and my future. Twelve years, eight bone injuries and six therapists later, I realized it wasn’t the reason for my success.”
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“I want to make people aware of the power of words”
“I want to make people aware of the power of words and the danger of giving power to the wrong ones,” she added, encouraging parents, coaches and athletes to consider how their words could be interpreted. ” I do not blame anyone for my ED. I do, however, hold myself accountable to do whatever I can to keep the same thing from happening to others.”
After competing for Boise State University in Idaho from 2017-2019, Ostrander signed with the Brooks Beasts, but was met by a string of injuries. She was hospitalized for ED recovery and took a step back from competition 2021 to focus on her health. Ostrander returned to professional running in 2023, signing with NNormal.
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The 28-year-old now runs for the women’s running brand Oiselle, and has a YouTube channel where she shares her running and mental health journey online.
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