Sara Aranda: Trails, FKTs, Finding Deeper Meaning in the Outdoors

Women's Running Stories

Sara Aranda is a trail runner and outdoor adventurer who has developed a strong interest in going after FKTs, fastest known times. But her outdoor passions are about much more than setting records: Aranda's motivations are spurred by processing life and death, grief and hope, fear and joy.

Aranda's passion for trail running began while she was in college. It was a space where she could process the death of her mother, who'd died after many years of fighting breast cancer.

Aranda herself then had to face some tough decisions. She first decided to learn whether or not she carried the same genetic abnormality her mother and other family members had, a BRCA mutation, which puts the carrier at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

She did.

Aranda then had a decade to decide if she wanted to take the preventative steps that would lower her chances of getting cancer, beginning with a double mastectomy.

This episode traces how running and moving through wild spaces have become intertwined with how Aranda has navigated big life questions and experiences that clarify how short this life can be.

The meaningful experiences found out on the trail are integral to how she chooses to live.

How to Keep Up with Sara Aranda

Instagram: @oyesaranda

Website: bivytales.com

Mentioned in this Episode

FKT Website: fastestknowntime.com

Becky Croft on WRS: womensrunningstories.com/becky-croft-running-endometriosis-and-post-hysterectomy-menopause

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Music Credits

Cormac O'Regan, of⁠⁠⁠⁠ Playtoh⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Coma-Media⁠⁠⁠⁠, via⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Lidérc Bell⁠⁠, via ⁠⁠Pixabay⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠aidanpinsent⁠⁠⁠⁠, via ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠penguinmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠, via⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠RomanBelov⁠⁠⁠, via⁠⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rockot⁠⁠, via⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠

SergePavkinMusic⁠⁠, via⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠⁠

PaulYudin, via⁠⁠⁠ Pixabay⁠⁠⁠

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