In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Karly Borden, founder of The Public Run Club, to explore what it really looks like to rebuild a relationship with running after disordered eating.
Karly shares her personal story of navigating eating disorder recovery and the often-overlooked challenge of returning to exercise in a way that feels safe, grounded, and self-trust-driven. Together, they unpack the tension between discipline and intuition, and why so many people feel stuck in the “murky middle” of movement — not fully disordered, but not fully free either.
Leah and Karly also dive into Karly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle, a powerful framework for approaching movement in a sustainable, non-extractive way that honors the body’s natural rhythms rather than forcing constant progress.
You’ll hear about:
- Karly’s personal journey with running, disordered eating, and recovery
- Why movement is often the missing piece in eating disorder recovery
- The difference between extractive vs. regenerative movement
- How to approach fitness goals without slipping into disordered patterns
- Karly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle and how it supports sustainable movement
- Practical tools for tuning into your body before, during, and after exercise
Listen to the episode here or anywhere you get your podcasts
Mentioned in this episode:
- 🎢 My Story (unfiltered, the whole saga)
- 🏃♀️ Disordered Eating in the Running Community with Serena Marie
More From Karly:
- Website: https://www.thepublicrunclub.com
- Instagram: @thepublicrunclub
- Kind and Consistent Jump Start Waitlist: https://thepublicrunclub.com/kcjs
More From Leah:
- 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
- Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
- Join my self-paced course, The Return
- Subscribe to Leah’s Youtube Channel
- Subscribe to my personal Substack
- Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
- Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
- Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
- Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
- Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com
📚 Sources 📚
- On the body as a site of self-trust: Inspired by Caldwell, C., & Leighton, L. B. (Eds.). (2018). Oppression and the Body: Roots, Resistance, and Resolutions. North Atlantic Books.
- On the hypothetical gaze, body-object, and eating disorders emerging in puberty: McBride, H. L. (2019). “Embodiment and Body Image: Relating and Exploring Constructs.” In H. L. McBride & J. L. Kwee (Eds.), Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention and Treatment. Routledge.
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Last modified: May 3, 2026
