Signs to Stop Enduring: Ali Brauer's Experience with REDs
"There are many less-than-glamorous aspects in the sport of triathlon. Peeing into a chamois pad, the volatile snot rockets that don’t make it over your shoulder, the chronic chlorine stench, funky toenails, oozing blisters… These are the things triathletes constantly encounter yet rarely speak up about because it’s simply part of the sport; enduring discomfort is part of the sport. But how much discomfort is too much? Where is the line drawn between drive and destruction? Last February, author Kristen Seymour with Triathlete Magazine published a phenomenally informative article discussing Ali Brauer’s experience as a professional triathlete who met an all-too-common fate via overtraining, even when she was doing everything right. 'Often, we hear about RED-S and overtraining syndrome (OTS) in the context of disordered eating, or athletes who didn't listen to their coaches and went overboard. But this is not my story'. I had the opportunity to interview Ali, who is a...